mbv, Rachel and Jack's house and Patrick's apartment, War
Rachel: *busy building something with Jack in their dreams* -No no. The five fifteenths trilateral welder rod, not the four fifteenths. Did you mess up the tool box again?-
Jack: *looking much as he would in the waking world* -Are you sure we even have that one?-
Rachel: -I was just using it yesterday, buddy! See here? The marks of my doing so. And I was using it because neither of us could find the six fifteenths one.-
Jack: -...wait...isnt' five fifteenths the same as one third?-
Rachel: -Yeah, so? It's not there under that heading either.- *tries to poke in tool kit while holding something in place with the other hand*
Jack: -Couldn't we substitute the one third trilateral welder rod?- *moves to search the toolkit*
Rachel: -I just told you, buddy. It's not here under that title either... do you hear something beeping?- *looks up and looks around*
Jack: -That's weird...- *blink blink, looks around as well* -Yeah... It almost sounds like...- *trying to think of which drone sounds like that*
Rachel: *stands up, letting the part fall* -Are we dreaming again?-
Jack: -...I think we are...-
Rachel: -...I don't feel as tired anymore.- *feels hopeful and tries to wake up. Vanishes from the dream, though Jack can still feel what she's feeling, and catch glimpses of what she's seeing... which is the darkness of their room and the firm comfort of their new futon mattress*
Jack: -That's good...- *slight stretch as he wakes up a bit*
Rachel: *voice quiet and a little shaky* Some systems still not working. *can't remember right now if her chrono has ever worked since she came to Earth* You know what time it is?
Jack: *checking his chrono* It's about... four thirty...
Rachel: Beeping real? *manages to whistle softly*
Jack: *listening and sighing* Yeah... Apparently, someone's confused as to what time it is.
Rachel: *whistles again, but can't get her usual volume* Bubba? *clears vocalizer and gathers her strength* Bubba?
Bubba: *beetling into the room, curious chirrup*
Rachel: *hears another set of beeps* Okay... not Bubba.
Jack: *listening* It's not Lyra either...
Lyra: *quiet, sleepy deedle from where she's curled up nearby*
Rachel: Fred or Moofy? They don't usually do that. *turns head slowly* Shh, Lyra.
Lyra: *deedles again, before wiggling down further into the blanket nest she made for herself*
Jack: *blinking a little* Hey...isn't today supposed to be the day Brandon was supposed to stop by?
Rachel: *blinks* I don't even know what day it is, buddy.
Moofy: *beetling down the hall to the room, beeps and once he's sure he's got Rachel's and Jack's attention, beetles back the way he came*
Rachel: *tracks his movement by sound and frowns* Anyone here? Nursemaid?
Jack: *frowning* It's too early for Lisa to be dropping by... and I don't think we've got a nursemaid...
Rachel: *startles* //Well there's someone at the door.// *sends a call to Patrick*
Patrick: *groggy-sounding as he answers his comm on the third beep* //This is Patrick speaking...//
Rachel: //Someone's trying to get into the house, chief.//
Patrick: *awake now* //I've notified Javan. He's already awake, and can get there soonest.//
Rachel: //Okay, Chief. *small sound as she tries to move and it doesn't really work* Thanks.//
Jack: *gently rubbing Rachel's back as he listens*
Rachel: *leaves the comlink open, but turns her face away from the darkness and toward Jack's chest. Flannel is better than nothingness any day* *then she listens to the sounds from the door and Moofy's occasional series of beeps*
*a short while later, Javan can be heard outside, and then he's cracking up and opening the door*
Rachel: *startles from a half doze and inadvertently sends to Patrick what she says to Jack over their link* -Jack? What happened?-
Jack: *awake now* -... great. Javan's here...- *though he does sound kinda amused and relieved*
Steeljaw: *all but running into the room, "talking" as he goes* Mrrrrpt mrrrrrrow maaaow?
Rachel: ....Cat.
Steeljaw: Mrrrpt?
Rachel: -Was he breaking into the house? That furball cassette?-
Jack: ... -I bet he tried to get in without setting off the alarms again...-
Patrick: //Rachel? Jack? Did Javan show up?//
Rachel: -Again?- //It was Steeljaw// *sounding bemused*
Patrick: //... Maybe you should invest in a doggy door for him to use.//
Javan: *coming to check on Jack and Rachel as quietly as he's able to, which means his humming preceeds him*
Rachel: *sigh* //The drones would get out. Sorry for bugging you, Chief. Ratchet out.//
Patrick: //Understood... Patrick out.// *closes the comm line*
Jack: -He tried to do that once while you were asleep for those three days...-
Rachel: -good grief- *turns head slightly* Javan.
Fluffy: *pitbull growl at Steeljaw from where he's curled on a bottom corner of the bed*
Javan: *small smile* You feelin' better?
Steeljaw: *hisses at Fluffy and moves to bap the drone*
Rachel: Steeljaw.... *she got that tone in her voice, even though her voice is shaky and low*
Steeljaw: *Annoyed tailswish, will get you later, Fluffy.*
Fluffy: *Roadrunner raspberry*
Rachel: Jack?
Jack: Alright you two, cut it out. *giving Steeljaw and Fluffy his "Professor" look*
Steeljaw: Mrrrt. *annoyed tailswish as he leaves the room*
Javan: *soft snerk*
Rachel: Javan, grab space. Sleep till it's light. *face back toward Jack's chest*
Javan: Gotcha. *heads to the living room*
Rachel: -We never did find that wrench, did we?- *remembering the time on Cybertron that they'd been dreaming of*
Jack: *soft chuckle* -No.. we didn't... I think we borrowed one from Perceptor that time...-
Rachel: *think think* -...And it was mine.-
Jack: -...I thought it was my wrench...-
Rachel: -No, that one was mine. It was in my tool box for nearly fifty vorns. Not sure where I got it, though. It didn't match my others.-
Jack: -...are you sure it wasn't one of mine?-
Rachel: *deep silence*
Fred: *snuggles Jack's foot*
Rachel: -No-
Jack: -...- *small shrug* -alright...-
Rachel: *snugs the nice flannel with Jack in it and drops back into recharge*
Jack: *snuggles and holds Rachel close even after he drifts back into recharge as well*
Around lunchtime...
Javan: *shaking his head and chuckling as he finishes drying off his fingers, and remembers having woken up with them stuck in a bowl of warm water. He glances over at Rachel and Jack, or more specifically at Jack's toast, which bears little drone footprints all over the surface of the cream cheese* How's th' toast?
Fred: *laying comfortably with his head on Jack's leg, his optic band trained on the small TV that Javan just brought into the bed room*
Jack: *amused and showing the toast to Rachel* Just fine, Javan... any reason you lugged your TV here?
Javan: Mmmyup. Th't documentary's on t'day.
Rachel: *grins at the toast, and then lifts a brow as she sips at her enriched chocolate mint milkshake* Documentary? Which one's that?
Javan: Th' one 'bout th' robots... Fig'red Jack'd like it
Rachel: Okay, pretend I've been asleep for a week and explain a little better?
Jack: It's about some government-run research program developing robotics for military or dangerous situations.
Rachel: Ohhh. *chuckle* I wonder if these look like spiders.
Javan: Only one way t' find out... *flipping channels until he finds the channel with the documentary and wondering why he didn't just splurge for the model that could get the deluxe cable package*
Rachel: *moves slightly on the pillows she's propped up on and continues drinking her shake as she watches the opening bits of the show, which show many previous attempts at robots, famous fictional robots, where the word robot came from... etc*
Fluffy: *disparaging remark*
Jack: *Gently shushes Fluffy, watching the documentary*
Rachel: *dozing as the TV drones on about the government funded organization that is producing the robotics that the documentary is focusing on. And then she opens her eyes to see these robots... and spills her milkshake at sight of a human sized green mech with a white missile launcher on his shoulder and a white and golden femme with a helm like bobbed hair* What???
Jack: ...*cycling air rapidly*
Javan: *looks as though he's gone pale*
Rachel: *struggling to sit up, her eyes wide with horror* No. They're dead. No. How could anyone do something like this?
Fred: *looking around, scared and confused*
Javan: *shaking a bit as he watches, his attention held by the white and golden femme*
Lyra: *Worried deedle*
Jack: *quietly* [We have to help them...]
Rachel: *gives up the effort to sit and lays back, wet from her shake, and cries* How?
Jack: *quietly* I... I don't know... but... we have to help them somehow...
Rachel: *once more dinging Patrick's personal frequency, her own signal confused and fainter than usual*
Patrick: //Prime here. What's the situation?//
Rachel: //Turn *voice broken as he's never heard it before from his calm CMO* Turn on the TV, Chief. Channel 28.//
Patrick: //... *sudden, sharp curse*//
Rachel: *sobs over the com*
Fred: *starting to cry because Rachel is crying*
Jack: *moving to hug Rachel as Lyra moves to offer snuggles to Fred*
Patrick: //*voice choked with emotion* We can't leave them there. But... we also need to be careful. This could be a trap... and as much as I hate to say it... we can't risk detection....//
Rachel: //Look at their optics. Look at how they're moving. They've been desparked, Optimus.// *hides her face against Jack*
Patrick: //Then we need to find where they're keeping the sparks... I'm not leaving them in there, spark or no spark.//
Javan: ... *frowning as the scene changes to one of the earlier "attempts"* ... Dat one ain't de-sparked...
Rachel: *looks* Sharpshot!
Jack: ... I thought she was killed though!
Rachel: *looks at the mask that's been bolted over the femme's face, but can still see the terrified glint of her optics in the few scenes she appears in* Maybe she is, now.
Jack: *curses quietly*
Lyra: *Deedles, scolding Jack for cussing*
Rachel: *turns to look at Javan as the scene shifts back to the two 'working prototypes' blankly doing what they're told*
Javan: *has his fists clenched tightly, and is no doubt digging synthetic nails into synthetic skin*
Rachel: *frowns at him with concern as the scene shifts to the femme laying on a table with her panels all opened as one of the robotics engineers explains the advances shown in her construction and mentions who supposedly invented them* *very quietly, in a voice devoid of emotion* Funny... I still remember inventing most of those myself.
Jack: *small nod, expression somber* And I remember helping you build the first prototypes...
Rachel: And that femme wasn't named Camile when I saw her come from Vector Sigma. *still watching Javan*
Javan: *quietly* I 'member when I first saw 'er... Ironfist... She was sweet on Prowl f'r th' longest time...
Rachel: *suddenly understands something as she sees the mortal anguish on Javan's face* *sucks in air and nearly starts crying again* Yes. I don't think he ever knew what to think of her.
Javan: *takes a shaky breath, before quietly excusing himself*
Rachel: *watches him go, and then hides her face* Turn it off, Jack. //Chief, you still there?//
Patrick: //*grimly* Yeah... //
Jack: *nods and turns the tv off*
Rachel: //Send someone after Javan. He's a danger to himself right now.//
Patrick: // *brief pause* I've notified Petra and Alice... as well as Lisa...//
Rachel: *quiet and empty* //He loved Ironfist.//
Patrick: //...// *quietly* //I see...//
Rachel: *small sound escapes her* //I wish I could help. I should probably let you go.//
Patrick: //If you hadn't said anything... I wouldn't have known.//
Jack: *gently rubs Rachel's shoulder*
Rachel: *even more quietly as her systems fight to shut down and recharge* //That really doesn't feel like a lot. I've been Sharpshot's medic since she came online, and Hound's and Ironfist's for nearly as long.// *she feels like she's failing them now by not being able to get up and go and help them*
Patrick: //If there's even the slightest hint of hope... We'll find it.//
Rachel: *shaky sound like a mixture of sob and sigh* //Rachet out.//
Patrick: //Optimus out.// *signs off*
Jack: *gently smooths Rachel's hair*
Rachel: *gives him a look full of misery as she fades into sleep mode*
Patrick's house several minutes later
Patrick: *hands clasped behind his back as he sighs and turns to face the gathered mechs and femmes*
Sky: *looks back at him from where she's sitting on the couch between Samuel and Seamus with her knees up in front of her. Despite the casual pose her face is serious and nearly expressionless like that of the Decepticon warrior she has been*
Merlin: *expression grave as he sits in one of the chairs Patrick brought into the room*
Melissa: *has a tray full of coffee cups and is hopefully offering*
Alex: *nods to Melissa as he takes one of the cups*
TC: *comes in and goes over to flop onto the couch by Sunstreaker, thus filling it to capacity and making sure there's no room between the occupants*
Emilia: *sitting upright and watching Patrick*
Melissa: *hesitates, and then offers Patrick coffee*
Patrick: *quietly* Thank you, Melissa. *takes a cup*
Melissa: *ducks her head and fights the urge to flinch at being noticed with thanks, but then turns and offers to the people on the couch*
Skylar: *nods and grabs a cup from where he's perched on one of the couch's arms*
Samuel: None for me...
Sky: *shakes her head and turns her attention back to the leader*
Seamus: *shakes his head and tries to shove TC's feet away from his back*
TC: *sits up and takes a cup, thinking that if they're going to be going to war he'd better stock up on energy. Sips, and then makes faces*
Melissa: *bites her lip and looks quickly to Skylar*
Skylar: *rolls his eyes at TC over his cup*
Melissa: *takes that to mean that she hasn't done anything wrong and moves on to the next person*
Patrick: Once Russell arrives, I'll explain why I called everyone here.
Melissa: *has run out of people to offer coffee to, turns to head back to the kitchen*
Merlin: *startles when his phone goes off*
Melissa: *drops coffee all over the floor and starts to cry*
Sky: *wonders just what the slag that's all about, but doesn't take her attention from Patrick*
Skylar: *gets up off the couch and goes to make sure Melissa is alright*
Merlin: *sheepishly excuses himself to answer his phone, and can be heard moments later asking someone where they are, and where "she" is*
Bert: *sitting up on his mat on the floor and frowning in that direction*
Merlin: *coming back into the room, looking a bit upset and concerned at the same time*
Bert: What is it?
Merlin: Russell was assaulted in his apartment by a strange woman... he's not come to harm, as the woman appeared to be extremely weakened...
Bert: .... He's just not having any luck with dames, is he?
Merlin: *bites his lower lip in an effort to not laugh* He's bringing the woman here... *quietly* She's... Cybertronian...
Bert: *lays back wearily* No luck at all.
Patrick: ... *attention goes to the door when Russell, guiding a very unsteady-looking Asian woman, enters*
Emilia: *getting to her feet to help the unfamiliar woman to a chair*
Mia: Who's th's?
Sky: *frowning at the newcomer*
TC: *watching her warily over the edge of his cup*
woman: *barely lifts her head, revealing a hunted glimmer in her eyes* *quietly* Desinex...
Sky: *doesn't recognize the name*
Desinex: Looking....for Sharpshot...
Patrick: *frown* She's not here...
Sky: *suddenly puts her feet down and leans forward to look past her mate at her brother* Do you recognize her voice?
Merlin: *heads to the kitchen after a brief comm from Patrick*
Desinex: *attention on Merlin, is breathing quickly*
TC: *frowning deeply, but then blinks* She sounds like Sharpshot.
Desinex: *attention on TC now, a slightly desperate look on her face* You have... seen her?
TC: A long time ago. But not on this world. *still frowning as he scans the femme as closely as he can and tries matching her voice print with the one he has on file*
Desinex: *expression falls, and she nods, shoulders slumping*
Russell: *pings TC's comm with an urgent-sounding message* //She IS Sharpshot... Her spark matches what was on file.//
TC: //Yeah, well, so does her voice.//
Merlin: *Returns with an emergency ration of energon, earning a wide-eyed, almost hopeful look from Desinex*
Russell: *Quietly* Desinex... Can you transform?
TC: *quietly* Wait... Desinex. I think I was wrong.
Sky: *shoots him a glance, and then turns her attention back to the distressed femme*
Desinex: *attention goes back and forth between Merlin, Russell, and TC before she whimpers and holds her head*
Merlin: *clicking and talking quietly to the femme, before helping her take in fuel*
Desinex: *drinking like she's all but starved*
TC: *has settled back and is once more watching things over the rim of his cup*
Bert: *frowning at TC*
Desinex: *clinging to the cube even after the energon it contained is gone*
Bert: *turns his attention to Patrick*
Patrick: *begins telling everyone present about the robotics documentary*
Samuel: *once Patrick finishes* ... That's... that's just sick...
Sky: *looks toward Skylar, waiting for him to find out the triun's position in the coming battle*
Patrick: This could very well be a trap...
Desinex: *quietly* Bad people...cause hurt...
Sky: They're only humans. A few straffing runs, and hits with null rays will take them out.
Greg: *from the hall where he's come out of the bedroom where he'd been huddled with the other sparklets* No hurt humans!
Skylar: They're sentient beings. *looks at Sky* I'm done killing sentient beings... even if they are messed up and doing horrible things...
Desinex: *hunching in on herself* Hurt lots... don't understand...
Sky: *scowling* I just saved my kid from an insane bot. I'm not letting some squishy despark him.
Greg: Stupid woman, shut up!
Bert: Greg, go back with the other kids.
Desinex: *frightened sound*
Greg: *lowers his head rebelliously* Stupid Brawn not the boss of me, Grimlock.
Mia: Jes' wh't're we 'sposed t' do 'bout th' humans though?
Sarah: *pounceclingtoGreg* No fight friends!
Greg: Him not my friend!
Sean: Hey, Greg. Come on. You're interrupting the adults.
Sarah: Him Brawn Mama friend!
Greg: HIM STUPID! Me, Greg, want go home NOW!
Sean: *looking for Autumn*
Autumn: *Gently* Shhh, Greg... We'll go see Rachel and Jack soon... *holds up something* Would you like a cookie?
Desinex: *Ducking down even more, startled and scared noise when she falls out of the chair, before she's scrambling to get behind it*
Melissa: *small frightened sound from where she's clinging to her mate*
Greg: *looks like he's going to start bellowing, but at that moment Simon's hand covers his mouth and he's yanked back into the bedroom*
Skylar: *Clicks and rubs Melissa's back*
Sean: *blinks, opens and shuts his mouth a few times, but then follows the Dinobots back into the room and shuts the door*
Patrick: *Sighs* I'm not sure what we need to do... We can't harm the humans... but we also can't let them keep the two 'bots they still have.
Bert: You're sure it was Hound and Ironfist?
Patrick: *nods* Jazz ID'd Ironfist... and Hound's hard to miss in the right settings...
Desinex: *Quietly, from behind the chair* Pretty femme not same...
Russell: ...*moving to crouch by the chair* What do you mean?
Desinex: Spark not there....
Sean: *back out, and also hunkering by the chair as he looks earnestly at Desinex* Do you know where it is?
Sky: *hisses at him with alarm for coming away from where he'd been sent*
Desinex: *small nod* Big bot... not same femme...
Sean: *startles at his mother's hiss, but is much too curious* They put her spark into another Transformer?
Desinex: *frantic headshake* Not like was... different... hurting...
Sean: *moves a little closer, his big eyes showing his struggle to understand* It's not a Transformer?
Bert: *sitting up again and leaning against the wall as he watches the sparklet*
Sky: *anxious looks toward Patrick*
Desinex: *headshake* Hurt, scared, broken...
Patrick: *grim expression as he listens*
Russell: *Gently* Broken how?
Desinex: *lifts her head, an absent look in her eyes now* Broken mind... broken spark...
Sean: *leans against Russel* But she's alive?
Desinex: *small nod* Hurting...
Sean: What's her new shell like?
Desinex: Big... big weapon...
Sean: *looks up at Russel*
Russell: *biting his lower lip and considering how to word his next question* Was there anyone else there?
Sean: *looks back to Desinex*
Desinex: *nod* Mech... green mech...
Sean: Do you know his name?
Desinex: *slightly troubled look, before she nods* Name Hound...
Sean: Where's his spark? In another robot?
Desinex: Don't know... *Soft noise and then she's hunching down on herself again* Am in trouble?
Sean: *moves forward instinctively and puts his arms around her* No. You're not in trouble.
Sky: *making faces as she tries to keep from jumping off the couch and getting her sparklet*
TC: *Watching his nephew intently, ready to intervene and protect*
Desinex: *soft sound almost like a hiccup, before she leans against Sean and closes her eyes*
Russell: *Scanning, relaxes* She's recharging...
Sean: *startled, but snuggles instinctively and purrs*
Patrick: *unreadable expression as he watches* *quietly* The sooner we get them out of there... the better.
Samuel: *now has legs draped over Sky's lap and a handful of TC's shirt held tightly in his fist*
TC: *glances at his brother in law, and then at the handful of shirt, his expression confused*
Samuel: *nods towards the sleeping femme* Let her sleep.
Bert: So what's the plan, Optimus?
Patrick: Information gathering first... We'll need to know whether the facility the documentary showed was the real one, or just a decoy... and what we'll encounter when we get to the real facility...
Bert: The only recon mech we have left is Jazz. And I don't think he's up to this.
Patrick: When Blaster gets off of work, he needs to be debriefed.
TC: *stops giving Samuel funny looks and turns his attention to Patrick, remembering something he heard at his janitorial job* Would this count as a death in the family?
Patrick: ... *nod*
Emilia: I'm going with him. I'm already ahead in all my classes, so I won't be missed for too long.
Patrick: *about to protest, is silenced by the Look*
Merlin: If this counts as a death in the family, might not we call Brandon, Patrick?
Patrick: ...Do it. I'll call the university library...
Merlin: *heads for the hall to fish out his cellphone and make the call*
TC: *pleased to have brought something useful to the war council, but then looking at the door as something taps at it*
Patrick: *attention goes to the door, and then he's moving to see who's there*
Fluffy: *looks up* It's about $##@$#@ time. You know what kinda riffraff lurks out here?
Moofy: *cheery deedle*
Patrick: *Facepalming* Fluffy, does Rachel know you're here?
Fluffy: *walks between his feet* Sleeping beauty rests in her tower, in the midst of the enchanted briers.
Brawn: 0_o ....
Moofy: *beetles over to Brawn, gleesnuggles*
Patrick: *sighs and closes the door, only to open it again when something paws at the door* ...*soft groan as Steeljaw comes in, tail swishing irritably*
Fluffy: *goes over and tips his head back to give Skylar a stinkeye*
Skylar: *stinkeyes right back*
Fluffy: *low, rotten chuckle, then turns his head slightly to look at the feet of everyone behind him* So what's da story, boss?
Brawn: Emilia and Brandon are going in.
Steeljaw: Mrrrrrpt. *Swishtail*
Moofy: *curious deedle*
Patrick: *glances to TC* Would you be willing to accompany them?
TC: *nods* Yessir.
Patrick: *nods, quick glance out the window* Once we've got a better idea of what's going on in that place, we can plan a way in and a way out... Preferrably without human casualties.
Moofy: *beetling over to Sean and Desinex*
Fluffy: *game show noise* Brrrrrrp! Fail. Epic fail.
Patrick: *frown*
Desinex: *Awake now, wide-eyed with fright*
Sean: *purrs to her and snuggles*
Fluffy: *points to Moofy and says in Jack's voice* Once he has a lock he can track any spark within a two hundred mile radius.
Moofy: *deedling quietly to Desinex, having made a recording of her spark to bring back to Rachel*
Fluffy: *points to Steeljaw* Also cute and fluffy!
Steeljaw: *moves to bap Fluffy*
Fluffy: *growls at him, and then looks at Patrick to see if the Prime understands what he's trying to say*
Patrick: *considering look* Would they be able to get in and out without detection?
Steeljaw: *snorts at Patrick's question, smug kitty look is go*
Merlin: *coming back and putting away his phone* Hound and the others were not outfitted with my spark signature dampers. So the odds of their detecting Steeljaw's spark would appear to be low.
Fluffy: *tilts his head* Yeah, what he said.
Moofy: *Deedle*
Merlin: And the drones, of course, have no sparks. The only question would be if they had the intelligence needed to complete their task.
Fluffy: Oh I got what it takes.
Moofy: *Deedles again*
Patrick: Well, if they can get past Steeljaw...
Steeljaw: *Annoyed kitty face*
Fluffy: *Bart Simpson chuckle*
Brawn: Wouldn't they notice little robots running around, though?
Patrick: *tilts head, sizing up the drones* Not if they stuck to the ventilation system, and were careful in their movements...
Fluffy: *long suffering sigh, and then folds up into an answering machine*
Moofy: *Cheery deedle, before folding up into a small tape recorder*
Merlin: *murmur of surprise* By Cybertron....
Emilia: ... Okay, now that's cool.
Fluffy: Tribbles go everywhere, Captain.
Skylar: *Soft snerk, even as he continues to rub Melissa's back*
Seamus: *Shares a puzzled look with Samuel*
TC: This some in joke, Skylar?
Skylar: Watch Star Trek sometime.... the older series... *amused*
Moofy: *Deedles at Skylar*
Fluffy: *transforms back and looks up at Patrick with confidence and a bit of a swagger* Sergent Tribble reporting for duty.
Skylar: *shaking with silent laughter*
Moofy: *takes that as his cue and transforms*
Patrick: At ease... *doing his best to keep a straight face*
Fluffy: *looks at his brother* Chekov.
Moofy: *Deedles and plays a clip from the recent movie*
Fluffy: *shrugs at that. He's a classics man. Looks at Steeljaw* Spock.
Steeljaw: *snuffs at that*
Fluffy: My ship! *turns and looks at TC*
TC: *looks back blankly*
Emilia: *headtilt* Your normal alt-mode should be able to carry them easily.
Skylar: Enterprise.
TC: *blinks* I'm taking orders from the drone? *not belligerent. Just confused and making sure he knows what's going on here*
Patrick: Just don't get anyone killed, alright, Sergeant Tribble? I really don't want to have the contents of Wheeljack's and Ratchet's combined toolboxes thrown at me, and I kinda like my alt-mode.
Fluffy: *sticks out his skinny little chest, and then starts playing the seventies theme song as he scoots over to TC and is picked up*
Moofy: *Beetling over to TC as Steeljaw pads over as well*
TC: *shrugs free from Samuel's grip and stoops to scoop the three small ones up as he stands, then looks at Patrick one last time*
Patrick: Be careful. *databursts Moofy Hound's spark frequency*
Moofy: *wiggles and scans, before making a low beep*
Fluffy: Negatory, big buddy.
Patrick: ...
Bert: :\ Try Ironfist's.
Merlin: *hand to his mouth with dismay*
Patrick: *searches his databanks, before sending Moofy the femme's spark signature*
Moofy: *another wiggle, followed by a chirrup*
Fluffy: Aye aye, Captain. Coordinates locked in and course set.
TC: *eye brows*
Steeljaw: *Tailswish*
Moofy: *Chirrups and plays the "Intel Inside" jingle*
Fluffy: *gives him a look, but then looks up at TC* Engage.
Steeljaw: *gives TC a Look*
TC: *turns and heads out the door just as Brandon's hurrying in. Doesn't even look at the other disguised Transformer*
Brandon: *all but skids to a stop* ...was that Steeljaw?
Desinex: *Hiding her face against Sean at the new person's entrance*
Merlin: It was indeed. In the time of your traveling here the makeup of the initial intelligence team was revamped.
Brandon: ...If anything happens to Steeljaw...
Skylar: Blame Fluffy.
Sky: *before Brandon can reply* I just thought of something. If they have Hound and Ironfist, does that mean they have access to Autobot com frequencies?
Patrick: ... *quiet cuss*
Emilia: ... We have to warn Rachel, Jack, Lisa, and the other 'bots. *grim*
Merlin: I wonder... should we make use of Decepticon frequencies?
Bert: Use your processor, Perceptor. Then the 'Cons would know where and what we were doing.
Emilia: ...*seemingly out of the blue* What series of Star Trek is everyone familiar with?
Merlin: Er... well, the drones seemed to be speaking from the first series, I think.
Emilia: I've got an idea... we could use Star Trek lines as a form of code.
Skylar: ...They'd think we were roleplaying. *making a face*
Sean: *perks from where he's cuddled against Desinex* Ooooo! That'll be fun! *looks at his dad and uncle with shining eyes*
Samuel: ...Dibs on Scotty.
Seamus: *small scowl at sibling* I wanted to be Scotty.
Bert: *staring at them like they're some new fungus*
Patrick: *trying not to snicker* Okay, who's going to be Sulu?
half the people in the room: Prowl!
Mia: *Snerk* Dibs ahn Seven 'f Nine
Seamus: *stops scowling at brother, looks at Mia's chest and cracks up*
Alex: *launches a napkin ball at Seamus*
Merlin: And Emilia could be Miramanee. *very slightly perked*
Patrick: *wiki'ing, nods* And I'm guessing Fluffy took all the good Kirk lines... so I call dibs on Picard.
Samuel: ... Only if you can do the accent.
Patrick: *stinkeyes Samuel, and then in Picard's accent* Make it so.
Sky: *looks up from her sparklet* Sir?
Patrick: Yes, Sky?
Sky: *confused* You wanted something done?
Seamus: *Snerk*
Patrick: No, just proving a point, Sky.
Desinex: *blink blink, yawn, snuggle Sean*
TC: //Um... Bones is supposed to hold her in standard orbit now that the away team's disembarked.//
Patrick: *points to Merlin* You're Bones.
Seamus: He can't drink!
Sky: *still lost, gives brother in law a funny look*
Merlin: Ah, because I am the... *pauses and looks at Russell* Though you are more of a medical persuasion. Oh! I'm sorry, Seamus and Samuel, but I feel that Russell best fits the role of Scotty.
Samuel: ... no fair.
Merlin: He more accurately fills the role of a man of technical nature.
Seamus: Only if he can- *interrupted by Russell*
Russell: I am NOT doing the accent.
Merlin: Though it be from a different part of the United Kingdom, I think you have the accent requirements quite nicely covered.
Sean: *points to his dad and uncle* You're Sulu and Chekov!
Samuel: Nooo... Prowl's Sulu.
Seamus: And that one drone that came with Sergeant Tribble is Chekov.
Sean: Oh, right.
Patrick: Who should be Khan?
Alex: Jazz.
Merlin: Surely you don't feel him to be that vengeful?
Patrick: *quietly* Considering his feelings for Ironfist... it's ironic and fitting.
Merlin: He harbors feelings for the femme? *blinking*
TC: //Guys?//
Merlin: *both aloud and over the com* Ah. Would you please inform Captain Kirk er, I mean Sergeant Tribble, that Captain Picard holds the helm at present?
Seamus and Samuel: *Snickering*
Patrick: *Facepalming, also snickering*
TC: //Alright. Enterprise out.// *doesn't know about the worries yet, but has had frequencies watched before and thinks he recognizes the signs*
Emilia: ...So who's going to be Uhura?
Seamus: Ohhh, she was in communications. *pause and exchanges a glance with his brother*
Both: *in unison* Lisa.
Emilia: And Alice can be Janeway, since we're bringing in Picard.
Sean: Who's Mom? Is she a ship too?
Merlin: Since we're borrowing from the 'Next Generation' series as well as the original, would it be improper to refer to Samuel and Seamus as Worf and Data?
Alex and Mia: *SNERK*
Seamus: ... I call dibs on Data.
Merlin: And if someone can remember or research the name of Worf's son's mother.... *lifts his brows*
Sean: ...I'm Alexander?
Samuel: And that would make Sky K' ehleyr.
Sky: That sounds like a strong name.
Sean: She kicked Worf's a.... skidplate.
Samuel: ... Where'd you hear that word, Sean?
Sean: *gives him a funny look*
Seamus: *cluelessly giving Alex an accusing look*
Sky: Samuel, you said that.
Seamus: 0.o
Samuel: ... *puzzled look* When was that?
Alex: *Smug grin of innocence*
Sky: When you fell down in the bathtub three days after Sean and I moved in.
Bert: *cracking up*
Merlin: Ahem. Patrick, what do you suggest we do while we await further intelligence from the away team?
Patrick: Someone needs to inform Lisa of the situation... and someone should tell Rachel and Jack what's going on.
Emilia: I'll talk to Lisa and Javan... I'm heading back there anyways...
Merlin: And I likewise need to check on Jack and Rachel. *looks at Autumn* Are you still comfortable caring for the Dinobots?
Autumn: *nod* It's not a problem, but I think it'd be a good idea for Greg, Simon, and Sarah to stop by and visit their parents for a little while...
Merlin: You don't feel that they would be distressed by Rachel's weakness and inability to stay awake? *concerned*
Bert: *tunes out Merlin and Autumn* And everyone else, Optimus?
Patrick: Stay on alert, and stick to the code if you have to use comms.
Russell: *nods towards Desinex, who is now asleep again* And what should we do with her?
Sean: *looks up at the femme he's snuggling, and then looks at his parents*
Samuel: *considering* The couch does fold out...
Russell: Should someone notifiy Ratchet about her?
Merlin: I had planned to do so. Err. *looks at Patrick* //Do you really feel it to be safe to let the bridge crew entertain such a guest?//
Seamus: It does? *usually just sleeps on it like that*
Patrick: *putting on the Picard accent again* //Given the circumstances, I believe the situation will not escalate. I also belive that K' ehleyr and Worf are well-equipped to prevent any confrontations.//
Merlin: //Very well. I shall carry on with my current experiments. And no, they do not involve Romulan Ale//
Patrick: //Carry on.//
Samuel: *nods* Yeah... it's a pain in the butt to get unfolded, but it does fold out.
Seamus: Ohhhh. I'll have to try that sometime. *looks around as everyone gets up* Time to go? *clueless mech is unusually clueless today. No more late night 'Buffy' marathons*
Merlin: *exiting after making sure Russell would see to Bert*
Bert: *ready for a sleep*
Russell: *scanning Bert, and then carefully readjusting the pillows so the other man is more comfortable*
Bert: Thanks, buddy. *zzzz*
Patrick: *pulls Brandon aside and debriefs him regarding the situation surrounding the documentary*
everyone else: *heads for home or duty, their expressions a little grim as they wonder what will happen in the days to come*
((co-written with random_xtras))