mbv, NEST HQ, Complications...
Sean: *gives his dad a check for nine hundred dollars*
Samuel: ... *Blink blink* Where'd this come from?
Sean: I made a game. *grin*
Samuel: ... And you're making money off of it?
Sean: *nods* That's what's left over after I paid the web and server fees.
Samuel: ... Duuude. That is so cool! :D
Sean: ^_^ Oh, and I didn't count the money Uncle Seamus and Uncle Quinn have put into their game accounts.
Samuel: ... *SNERK*
Sean: I think it'll make twice as much next month.
Samuel: ... Have you told Sky yet?
Sean: *shakes his head, his cheeks pinking slightly. Seeklet is proud of himself, but shy about showing Mom*
Samuel: *arm around Sean's shoulders* C'mon. I bet she'll be proud of you. ^_^
Sean: *blushes more and grins more* Should we tell Uncle Skylar, too?
Samuel: Eh... I dunno.... *small shrug*
Sean: *hugs Dad and goes with him*
Skylar: *giving Quinn heck for playing an RPG*
Sean: D:
Quinn: *is SO ignoring you, Skylar* Heey! I leveled up! :D
Seamus: Lemme see!
Skylar: ... *facepalming and muttering something about idiots*
Quinn: Back off, Seamus, or I'll have my war dragon eat you!
Seamus: Big deal. Mine's bigger.
Skylar: ... *more facepalming* Great. They're playing 'Whose Gun is Bigger?'
Sean: Um... Uncle Skylar. Can we go over there and talk?
Skylar: Sure. Anything to get away from them.
Sean: *blushing and glancing up at his dad before he turns to head for the hall just outside the rec room*
Skylar: *Following Sean*
Samuel: *gonna follow as well, though more because he doesn't want to get pulled into the inevitable spat between Quinn and Seamus*
Sean: *stops and turns to look uncertainly up at his Commander, then looks at his Dad as Samuel joins them*
Skylar: *Sighs* I wish they would find a game where they couldn't get into a competition to see who has the best stuff... *To Sean as he leans against the wall* Is something bothering you, Sean?
Sean: *quietly* Dad... show him the check?
Samuel: *nods and offers Skylar the check*
Skylar: *Raised brow that climbs even higher when he sees how much it's for*
Sean: I made that game. That's last month's profits.
Skylar: ... Huh... What are you going to do with what you're earning? *Is thinking of suggesting that he put it in a savings account*
Sean: *blinks* It's for our family.
Skylar: *nods and offers the check back, before reaching to muss Sean's hair a bit*
Sean: *happy kid is blushing and grinning* Uncle Quinn doesn't know I made it.
Skylar: Keep it that way, or he'll bug the slag outta ya.
Sky: *pauses on the way out of the smaller rec room, a bitty wriggling under each arm* ...Made what?
Ember: *Clickstorm as he wriggles*
Firebreak: *issaGONE! Look at those little arms and legs go. Hehe, brothers!*
Hotspot: *Wrigglewriggle, wants down to chase sister plz!*
Sean: *looking at Dad to tell Mom, and then going after baby sister*
Firebreak: *squeals and crawls faster!*
Samuel: *To Sky* Remember that Happy Forest game he made?
Ember: *Wiggle, squeal, click, fuss!*
Sky: The little text thing? Yeah. Wander plays it all the time. *offers Ember to Samuel and Hotspot to Skylar*
Samuel: *As he takes Ember and cuddles the Seeklet* Well, Sean made a new game... And he's already made a pretty impressive profit. *chuckles, is proud of his eldest*
Skylar: *Loving on Hotspot!*
Sky: *blink blink* What? How do you make a profit on something like that?
Firebreak: *pulling big bubby's hair and socking him with bitty fist as he laughs and cuddles her*
Samuel: When it's a 3D MMORPG that you can buy upgraded accounts and equipment for. *more chuckle as Ember gets a handful of his hair and tugs* Hey now...
Sky: *brows go UP, and then she looks through the door at the two guys who are crowing about killing each other in the arena. Turns back to Samuel with a dirty rotten grin on her face* The boy's a 'Con alright.
Samuel: *Snerks as he works on untangling baby fingers from his hair*
Skylar: *Clicking to Hotspot and snuggling the little mechlet*
Hotspot: *Clickstorm, LOVE YOU UNCLE SKYLAR!!!* :D
Sky: *goes to hug her firstborn and give him a kiss on the cheek*
Firebreak: *Oh... it's lova Sean time? KISSIES!*
Sean: Eeek!
Sky: *laughing as she hugs both kids*
Samuel: *Comes over with Ember, who has decided he wants to love on Sean as well*
Ember: *Waving bitty arms and squeaking*
Firebreak: *kissies Kissies KISSIES!*
Sean: *laughing helplessly and trying to hide his face without success*
Skylar: *scoots that way to add to the loving upon*
Sky: *kisses Samuel on the cheek, so Firebreak decides to try that too!*
Samuel: *Laughs and loves upon all of his kids*
Sky: *pauses after a few moments and looks toward the door of the bigger rec room* What are they doing?
Firebreak: *contented cuddled Seeklet* No know.
Samuel: Smacking each other with paper towel tubes... I think Seamus beat Quinn in the arena.
Skylar: *would facepalm, has armful of bebeh*
Sean: *quietly* Of course he did, Dad. He's got the 'Secret Strength and Manna booster pack'.
Sky: *shakes head* Dorks, dorks, dorks.
Col. Franklin: *pings Skylar's com*
Skylar: //Skylar here. What's up?//
Col. Franklin: //Could you come to my office please? Something's come up.//
Skylar: ... *Soft sigh, tucks Hotspot in with his siblings* //I'll be there shortly, sir.//
Col. Franklin: //Alright. I'll see you then.//
Sky: *frowns* Screamer?
Sean: *looks up quizzically*
Skylar: Col. Franklin summoned me to his office... Something's up. I'll keep you updated. *heads down the hall*
Firebreak: Bah bah! *waves*
Col. Franklin: *talking to Patrick on the phone when Skylar arrives*
Skylar: *Waiting patiently at the door*
Col. Franklin: *closes his phone and looks up, then nods to Skylar to come inside and grab a seat* Petra should be here in a few moments.
Skylar: *nods and moves to sit down in one of the chairs*
Petra: *does indeed arrive moments later* Sir?
Col. Franklin: *quietly* I was just contacted by someone in NASA who is a NEST link. He sent me a transmission that our last Jovian probe picked up.
Skylar: ... Brandon missed something? *raised brow*
Petra: *frown* Do you have the transmission, sir?
Col. Franklin: I do. *reaches to adjust the volume on his computer speakers, and then hits a key and lifts an eyebrow at the soft pattern of clicks and trills that sounds* It's not Cybertronian.
Skylar: ... *brows up*
Petra: *frowning more* I can't make sense of that... But it looks like I don't have to...
Col. Franklin: *gives Skylar a quizzical look* You recognize it?
Skylar: *nods* It's the dialect of Cybertronian that is exclusively used by Seekers.
Col. Franklin: Your own subgroup.
Skylar: *nods* And I know who the speaker is.
Col. Franklin: *invites him to continue with lifted brows*
Skylar: She's a higher-ranked Seeker who served as one of Nightbird's grunts...
Petra: *goes pale*
Col. Franklin: Nightbird?
Skylar: *Didn't miss Petra's expression* One of Megatron's higher-ranked... She's a deadly assassin, and held a similar rank to myself... Mostly because of her abilities, and partially because she's Megatron's mate... She's also got a strong sense of honor...
Col. Franklin: *frowns* So this message is for the Decepticons who are here on Earth?
Skylar: *Snorts and shakes his head* No. It's meant for the Seekers who defected... It's a request for assistance and asylum.
Col. Franklin: ...Another defector?
Skylar: Defectors. Nightbird's with her, as well as one other Seeker, sounds like....
Col. Franklin: Megatron's mate defected?
Skylar: That's what Sidewinder is saying...
Petra: *Is still pale, but is trying to remain calm*
Col. Franklin: *turns to look at her* Are you relaying this to Patrick?
Petra: Yessir.
Col. Franklin: Has he any input?
Petra: He wants to speak with them in person, in a neutral location...
Skylar: Prowl, ease up. Nightbird won't attack you unless you give her a reason to. She defected. She has no reason to attack you now.
Col. Franklin: *frown of concern for the Autobot CO2*
Petra: *Cycling air and trying to calm down* *small nod*
Col. Franklin: *looks to Skylar* Would that be safe? What if this is some sort of ruse to get closer to the Prime?
Skylar: I thought of that... So I'm going with him when he goes to meet 'em.
Col. Franklin: Two against three? *doubtful frown*
Skylar: *Seriously* There's a reason I was the Decepticon Air Commander, Col.... I didn't get that position by being a kiss-aft.
Col. Franklin: *mouth twitches slightly* Alright, then.
Petra: *Quietly* In all likelyhood, the Seekers with Nightbird would choose to side with him...
Skylar: *Snerk* That too.
Col. Franklin: Are you sure of that?
Petra: *nods* Seekers are social beings by nature.... It wouldn't feel right to them to go against another Seeker...
Skylar: Especially one of higher rank in the pecking order...
Col. Franklin: Alright, then. Can you contact them?
Skylar: I think so.... *tips head back slightly and closes his eyes* *over Seeker-specific comm frequencies* //[This is Air Commander Starscream. State your location, and your status.]//
Sidewinder: *relief in her serious and usually nearly emotionless voice* //[Commander Starscream. Comet is damaged, and so is the Warlady. We're at these coordinates.]// *databursts them*
??: //[Starscream??? I never thought I'd be glad to hear that name!]//
Sidewinder: *cold and harsh* //[Identify yourself!]//
Skylar: *frown* //[What damages did Comet sustain and how badly injured is Nightbird?]// *Freezes when he hears a third Seeker* *Sharply* //[Identify yourself and your intentions!]//
??: //[Decepticon aerial scouting unit Mistglider reporting, sir!]//
Sidewinder: *hisses* //[Conehead scum....]//
Mistglider: //Thrrrpt!//
Skylar: //[Stand down, Sidewinder, Mistglider.]//
Petra: *Watching as Skylar pinches the bridge of his nose* ... *Raised brow*
Mistglider: *her usual perky irreverence muted and weary* //[Yessir.]//
Sidewinder: *responds with cold respect*
Skylar: *to Sidewinder* //[I'd like to know the nature and extent of the damages Comet and Nightbird sustained.]// *To Mistglider* //[What is your current location?]//
Mistglider: //[Um. I can see a big shiny blue and white planet up in the sky. It's kinda pretty.]//
Sidewinder: *her voice holds her reluctance to disclose that information for the Conehead to hear, but she responds* //[Comet is missing an arm and has structural damage to her face and wings. Nightbird has severe structural damage to her face and suspected processor damage.]//
Skylar: *to Mistglider* //[Do there appear to be any landmasses on the planet? If so, proceed to these coordinates and hold your position there, but do not let yourself be seen by the native lifeforms.]//*databursts coordinates of a field near the lodge* *slight grimace* *To Sidewinder* //[Are either of them able to make the trip to these coordinates?]//*databursts the same coordinates to Sidewinder that he gave to Mistglider*
Sidewinder: *transmits an ETA*
Mistglider: *silent*
Skylar: *Concerned* //[Mistglider?]//
Mistglider: *uncharacteristic fear in the happy go lucky little femme's voice* //[Unable to comply, sir....]//
Skylar: ... //[Are you damaged?]//
Mistglider: //[Right thruster isn't working anymore, and I lost a wing flap going through a meteor swarm.]// *which probably means she has sensor damage if she went into the swarm in the first place* //[And energy levels are nearing zero.]//
Skylar: //[Can you get coordinates?]//
Mistglider: //[Yessir.]// *transmits them*
Skylar: //[If you need to go into stasis to conserve energy, do so. I will be there shortly. Starscream out.]// *getting up* *To Col. Franklin* We have a slight emergency.
Col. Franklin: *deep frown of concern* What sort of emergency?
Skylar: There's a third Seeker who is injured severely. She can't move. I'm going to get her.
Col. Franklin: The others can't carry her?
Skylar: The others are on one of Jupiter's moons. She's on Earth's moon.
Petra: *lips pressed thin as she realizes what Skylar's not saying* They wouldn't arrive in time to help her...
Col. Franklin: *frown deepens as he straightens with alarm*
Skylar: *is calling Pandita and telling him to meet him at the front door* I'm going to send Skyfire out after the others, as he knows more about repairs than I do... and from what Sidewinder has said, Nightbird's in bad shape.
Col. Franklin: I'll let the medics know. Do you know the extent of her injuries, and the Seeker's?
Skylar: Structural damage to Nightbird's face and suspected processor damage... Mistglider's damage includes thruster damage, sensor damage, and a wing flap that's missing. *clearly wants to go meet Pandita and get going*
Col. Franklin: *nods* Dismissed.
Skylar: *Quick nod, then he's hurrying out the door, and sending a message to Sidewinder* //[I'm sending someone to come get you. He wears the Autobot insignia, but please, do not shoot at him. He is someone I trust as much as I do my Second and Third.]//
Sidewinder: //[Understood.]//
Skylar: *Meeting Pandita and giving him the coordinates Sidewinder gave him. Then both men are hurrying outside and transforming, before he pings Sky's comm with a brief message: //Going to retrieve injured Seekers. Will return shortly.//*
Sky: //Do you need any backup?//
Stephan: *looks over from where he's standing on the doorstep and perks* Where are you going?
Starscream: *to Sky* //Not until I return. We need someone to work on the Seeker I'm bringing back, and someone to work on the group Skyfire will be bringing back.// *To Stephan* To help someone. *PINpoints to Mistglider's location*
Skyfire: *apologetic, PINpoints out to Sidewinder, Comet, and Nightbird's location*
Stephan: *droop and resume watching the clouds go by*
Mistglider: *not visible on the first sensor sweep. The wily little femme nearly buried herself completely in moondust at the bottom of a crater before succumbing to her body's need to shut down and sinking into stasis lock*
Starscream: *digging her out carefully, and taking stock of her injuries as he gently lifts her* *mutter* Dirge's gonna glitch...
Mistglider: *limp in his arms and nearly silent*
Starscream: *Soft sigh, PINpoints to just outside the garage, not caring that he's likely to be just as dusty as Mistglider*
Ratchet: *looks up and then goes wide-eyed* A Conehead?
Starscream: Yeah... *is clearly worried* Dirge liked her...
Ratchet: *directing him to put the dusty pink femme down on a tarp that's been spread on a clear space on the motor pool floor* I didn't think Dirge liked anything. Other than making death threats.
Starscream: *Moves to do so* He liked her... Even though she tended to make him act stupid... He would always show off in an effort to impress her...
Ratchet: *over and using a hand held device to do what she'd usually do with her now non-existent onboard scanners* Did she impress?
Starscream: *Shrugs* I don't think she realized he was trying to woo her...
Ratchet: *looks up to study that delicately worked face as she transmits orders to Russell and Merlin* What's she like?
Starscream: *As Russell and Merlin move to begin working* Tricky little brat, but honest, for a 'Con....
Ratchet: How old is she? *wiping away dust before wincing at how the little femme's right arm is hanging from wires*
Starscream: *Gives Ratchet his best guess for Mistglider's age, before his attention's going to the entrance of the garage as Skyfire returns*
Ratchet: She's about as old as Bluestreak. *sets to work putting that arm back on*
Sidewinder: *head high as she walks beside Skyfire, her badly scorched chassis letting off a smell of burned paint*
Skyfire: *Carefully holding Comet and Nightbird as he ducks slightly to enter the garage*
Ratchet: What the slag happened? *scowling*
Starscream: *Frowning as he studies the damage to the Seekers and to Nightbird*
Sidewinder: *scornful look for the tiny Autobot medic*
Starscream: *as he moves to help Skyfire with Comet* [Ratchet asked you a question, Sidewinder.]
Comet: *is a bit uneasy being around the Air Commander, and it shows*
Nightbird: *optics barely flicker*
Sidewinder: [It's not Autobot business.]
Starscream: [It is if I say it is.]
Sidewinder: *lifts chin* [As you command.] *quick search of local media for the language she'd been addressed in* Megatron commanded a second purge. All femmes and other useless members of society were to be destroyed.
Ratchet: *hands freeze on their work*
Russell: *Sharp curse in Gaelic*
Starscream: .... Slagging pit.... *looks to Nightbird* And let me guess, she took offense to that?
Sidewinder: She would have fought to the death had Comet and I not grabbed her and fled.
Nightbird: *Barely tipping her chin*
Comet: *Small nod, winces as Skyfire sets her down* *hesitantly, halfway expecting to be struck for daring to speak up out of turn* [S-Sir? Why are we being treated by Autobots?]
Starscream: *as he moves to get some tools to help out with* [Because I am an Autobot, and they are my allies.]
Bumblebee: *limping forward, her scarred chassis glinting slightly in the lights of the motor pool as she looks at Comet* I'll repair you, if you want.
Comet: *Optics wide as she studies Bumblebee* *Quick glance to Starscream, who nods after giving Bumblebee a small smile*
Bumblebee: *leans on her cane as she turns* Come over here, okay?
Starscream: *Will help Comet up and over to Bumblebee*
Comet: *Is silently trying not to freak out, because she knows the stories about the Air Commander, and the likelyhood that most, if not all, are true*
Starscream: *gently* [Don't worry. She's a friend, and a good medic. She puts Whiplash and Quickstrike back together every time they go and pull a dumb...] *Chuckles*
Comet: ... o_o [Whiplash and Quickstrike are here?!]
Ratchet: *returning to work on Mistglider, though she's listening to that strange dialect with interest*
Kia: *transforms as she walks over to help Bumblebee*
Skyfire: *As he moves to gently set Nightbird down on the tarp previously occupied by Comet* [As are the rest of Alpha Squadron.] *nods to Kia in passing*
Comet: *Blinkblinkblink at Kia* [Heeey, I think I've seen you before...]
Kia: *looks at the larger femme's expression, and then looks at Starscream, her own expression apologetic* I'm afraid any knowledge that I might have had of the secondary Cybertronian dialects was lost with my other memories.
Starscream: She says she thinks she's seen you before.
Kia: *perks* Has she? Where would that be, if I may ask?
Sidewinder: *glances over* Oh, you're that Autobot Soundwave put back together. Is he here?
Kia: *freezes* What?
Bumblebee: *looks up from her work*
Merlin: *Frozen in place due to shock*
Russell: ....
Ratchet: *straightening and turning to look up at Sidewinder* What did you say?
Sidewinder: *frowns at Kia* You don't remember? After all the attention he gave you?
Kia: *customary calm vanishing rapidly into confusion and fear* I... you must be mistaken!
Sidewinder: *dangerous look* Are you calling me a liar?
Merlin: *Reacting to his mate's distress and his own startlement* P-please, there's n-no n-need f-for violence...
Starscream: *will step in, expression serious* Stand down, Sidewinder.
Sidewinder: *expression icy cold as she lifts her chin and turns away from the small silver femme* Who will repair the Warlady?
Ratchet: //Ravage, is there something you'd like to tell us about Kia?//
Ravage: *No kitty here!*
Steeljaw: *Will track down mate*
Laserbeak: *lands on Starscream's shoulder and makes a derogatory sound*
Starscream: *serious look for the raven*
Kia: *circulating air rapidly and shaking* No... there must be some mistake....
Merlin: *coming over to put his arms around Kia's waist* T-There has to be... I w-would've detected something...
Ratchet: *quietly* This is Soundwave we're talking about, Merlin. *looks up at Laserbeak*
Laserbeak: *clacks her beak* You think he was protecting this nest just for Frenzy?
Starscream: *cooly* Where is Soundwave?
Laserbeak: I'm a rat, but not that big of one.
Starscream: *frown*
Kia: I would know such a thing! *tears*
Laserbeak: Um... no. The boss's sleeper programs are the best.
Ratchet: *looks like she's going to wing her crescent wrench at the bird*
Starscream: *Looking like he wants nothing more than to flick Laserbeak off his shoulder*
Merlin: *Shaking and trying to make sense of this*
Kia: Noooo. No. I.... *limp*
Merlin: *butt, meet floor. How ya been?*
Bumblebee: *crying*
Ratchet: *reports what they've just learned to Patrick via closed link*
Patrick: *uses words.*
Ratchet: *as she works on Mistglider* //What I want to know is, where's Soundwave? He should know we've found out.//
Patrick: //One of the soldiers. He has to be...//
Russell: *Expression grim as he gets to scanning Nightbird*
Ratchet: //But all the NEST people go through so many checks.//
Patrick: //True...// *Heavy sigh*
Ravage: *races into the motor pool and runs to cuddle against Kia and Merlin, making little sounds*
Steeljaw: *slowly following, keeping an eye on Ratchet as well*
Ratchet: //But he'd usually have spoken up by now.//
Ravage: //Sister. Poor sister.// *loves on Kia*
Patrick: //Yeah... I just...// *Has no words to express his ire, not even in some of the more interesting human languages*
Ratchet: *finishes with the tubes in Mistglider's arm, then goes to focus on the worst of the other damage* //Joe, I need you to bring me six cubes of medium grade.// *absently pings him the coordinates as she thinks*
Joe: //Yes, sir.//
Ratchet: //Orders, Chief?//
Patrick: *Soft sigh* //Carry on as normal.//
Ratchet: //What about Kia?// *takes energon cube from Joe and starts filling Mistglider's tank*
Patrick: //Keep her under observation, and Merlin as well.//
Ratchet: //Understood. Ratchet out.//
Patrick: //Patrick out.// *closes the connection*
Russell: *To Ratchet over comms* //Odds are that the one who struck Nightbird is Megatron... She's got severe structural damage, and her processor's in a similar state to how Tracks' was the day of the accident...//
Ratchet: *absently* //I don't doubt it. She wouldn't have gone down without a fight. Check for traces of his paint on the wound.//
Russell: *Small nod, proceeds to do so* //And we have a match...// *Sighs* //I don't care if he could slag me with one shot... I'd love nothing more than to beat him over the head with something for striking his mate...//
Joe: *has noticed Merlin and Kia and is gently picking them up and trying to get them to respond*
Merlin: *shaking and not responding*
Ratchet: //He's slagged himself anyway by killing off all the femmes.//
Joe: Dr. Anderson. Why isn't anyone helping Professor Percia and Mrs. Percia?
Ratchet: *sighs* Because we've got severe damage to attend to first, Joe. That's how it works in battlefield repair bays.
Russell: *small nod as he sedates Nightbird so he can begin repairs to her processor*
WO Caine: *stumbles into the motor pool, gasping for breath and coughing from inhaling so deeply in the frozen air*
Ratchet: 0_o!
Russell: *looks up, concerned* Gavin?
WO Caine: *drops his gun and signs that the team was attacked by a big robot*
Ratchet: *vaulting Mistglider and heading out the door at a dead run*
Joe: *on her heels*
Starscream: *to Sidewinder* Keep an optic on everyone here. Do not leave. *booking it for the door*
Skyfire: *lip components thin, before he's transforming and moving to help WO Caine*
ENS. Falman: *carrying Lt. Ross on his back, since his superior officer stepped in a hole and twisted her ankle while they were getting away*
Lt. Ross: *has a handful of Falman's jacket, and is keeping an eye on things the way they came, gun out and aimed, just in case*
Ratchet: Where are Denver, John, Roy, Magnus, and Mirage?
Mirage: *protesting as Ultra Magnus carries both he and Roy under his arms*
Magnus: *As he runs* Shut up and quit squirming, 'Raj! That was a fragging DECEPTICON in case you hadn't noticed!!!
ENS. Falman: *Tips his head in that direction*
Ratchet: Coordinates! And which one was it!?
Magnus: *As he approaches, databursts the coordinates* One of Megsy's brats!
Ratchet: *sends the coordinates to Joe and Starscream, then demands a ride*
Lt. Ross: The Major and John stayed back to give us time to get the hell outta dodge! *Going to fuss and fret about that*
Starscream: *Taking flight, sweeps low and grabs Ratchet*
Ratchet: *grabs his fingers and looks ahead, her optics slitted against the wind*
Joe: *racing across the lake, his ax out and his expression grim*
Wayne: *Transforming and taking to the skies after he sees Starscream taking off*
Starscream: Hold on, Ratchet. *Activates his PINpoint*
Joe: *sees the flash and follows in like fashion*
Ratchet: *looks around at the signs of a fight and frowns* I can't see anyone.
Starscream: *setting Ratchet on her feet and moving towards one of the drifts* ... Slagging pit!
Ratchet: What? *hurries in that direction as Joe appears a little distance away*
Starscream: *carefully lifting the limp form of Denver out of the drift* She was hit... Tracks is going to be #@$&^#ed.... *Shows Ratchet the goosegg on the back of the woman's head*
Ratchet: *yanks a scanner out of subspace and uses it to check on the injury* Yes, yes he is.
Starscream: *a bit wryly* She will be too... She's gonna hafta be confined to her bed, isn't she?
Ratchet: If she were awake she'd be barfing on you. But at least it's not bad enough to cause her trouble later.
Joe: *follows the path of destruction that leads away from the little clearing*
Starscream: *frowns* It's that bad? *doesn't know much about human injuries*
Ratchet: Her brain is bruised. But her skull's not cracked. Put her in your cockpit. We have to find John.
Starscream: *winces and moves to do so*
Joe: //Ratchet, sir, I found a Decepticon! He's leaking badly!//
Ratchet: *turns to go, then sees the depth of the drifts and the tangle of broken trees and cusses*
Starscream: *offers Ratchet a ride*
Ratchet: *accepts* Let's get over there fast.
Starscream: *Moving quickly, but carefully so he doesn't jostle Denver too much*
Joe: *working to seal off torn tubing in Soundwave's shattered chest when they arrive*
Ratchet: *mouth falls open*
Starscream: .... *says something incredibly crude*
Ratchet: *finally shakes herself out of shock and points her scanner at the blue and white mech* *cusses more as she sends a heads up to to the other medics* //We've got a casualty standing at the edge of the veil, guys!// Starscream, grab him and get back to the motor pool NOW.
Starscream: *Hand on Soundwave, PINpoints back to the motor pool*
Ratchet: *jumping down and setting to work as soon as they arrive* Starscream, bring Denver to Dr. House and bring me back... *lists several units of life support equipment*
Starscream: *Getting the Major out of his cockpit before transforming, PINpoints to the med ward*
Ratchet: *setting to work to try and save the Decepticon communications expert's life*
Ravage: *stunned kitty is stunned. And crying*
Laserbeak: *not making anymore wisecracks*
Sidewinder: *sitting by Nightbird and watching Ratchet's efforts with indifference*
Steeljaw: *gently loving on mate and reassuring her that Ratchet will be able to save Soundwave*
Ratchet: ...Russ, I could really use a hand here. *calling for Jack*
Russell: *hurrying over once he's certain Nightbird is stable*
Skylar: *is back with the life support equipment!*
Jack: //What's the situation, Ratchet?//
Ratchet: *grabs equipment and starts hooking it up* //We found Soundwave, buddy.//
Jack: //...I'll be right there.// *will grab Blaster while he's thinking of it*
Ratchet: //He's in a few pieces.//
Jack: *Is there, with Blaster*
Ratchet: *remembers to report to Patrick. Tries to do so even as she continues to work*
Patrick: *is not responding to comm hails*
Ratchet: *frowns absently and tries Emilia*
Emilia: //Emilia speaking.//
Ratchet: //Did you sic the sleeping baby on Patrick again? I just tried giving him an update on the Decepticon attack out by the lake and he never answered.//
Emilia: //No... I've got Soli... *quieter* He's... He's seeking the advice of Primes past...//
Ratchet: //Slag. I didn't realize how hard all this was hitting him.//
Emilia: *quietly* //What is the situation with the Decepticon?//
Ratchet: *just as quietly* //I'm currently in the process of hooking up life support before I start rebuilding Soundwave's fuel pump. Motormaster nearly tore his spark out.//
Emilia: //...Slagging pit... Should I send the girls out?//
Ratchet: //Joe and Whiplash are tracking her right now. And I suspect one of that new team is with them, since he's not hanging around the motor pool like a lost puppy anymore.//
Emilia: //Alright... Keep me updated on how Soundwave is doing... Primus knows Frenzy doesn't need to lose any more family members...//
Ratchet: *sighs* //I'm glad you can't hear Ravage crying.//
Emilia: //Where's Steeljaw?//
Ratchet: //Loving on her for all he's worth.//
Blaster: *over by the catbots, is gently smoothing Ravage's fur and praying for his counterpart on the 'Con side*
Emilia: //Alright... Emilia out.//
Ratchet: //Ratchet out.// *glances up to look for Starscream*
Skylar: *is keeping out of the way as Jack and Russell work on keeping Soundwave's spark going*
Ratchet: Skylar, do you want to take a few more of your people and go give Joe and Whiplash some backup?
Skylar: *nods, looking to Sidewinder and assesssing how damaged she is*
Sidewinder: *charred paint and otherwise superficial blaster damage, but is airworthy. She's also looking back at him quizzically as she drinks a cube of energon*
Skylar: *small nod, pings TC, Sky, Sean, and Stormsong's comms with a request to meet out by the garage ASAP* *Transforms* *To Sidewinder* Feeling up to a bit of hunting?
Sidewinder: *quietly* It would be an honor to hunt with you, Air Commander. But I answer to the Warlady.
Rainbird: //Sir? What about me?//
Starscream: *small nod to Sidewinder* *To Rainbird* //Meet out by the garage as well, Rainbird.//
Rainbird: //On my way.//
Ratchet: *sharp cuss in Italian* Jack! He's losing power!
Blaster: *on his feet and hurrying over as Jack tries to find what's wrong* Here! Hook him into my systems.
Ratchet: No.
Blaster: But, Ratchet!
Jack: Mute it, Blaster. It's too risky. *working*
Russell: *steady stream of Gaelic as he scans and tries to keep the Decepticon Communications Officer online*
Ratchet: We've got the life support machines for that. *lets out a cuss herself as Soundwave's spark wavers* Is there a shard of something in the spark compartment? I can't see with these slagging sensors.
Russell: *Scanning, concentrating on Soundwave's spark chamber*
Ratchet: *working quickly to get the new fuel pump assembled as one of the machines circulates Soundwave's fluids*
Russell: [There's spark damage, and what looks like part of a tree in there...] *Transforming*
Ratchet: *Wince* Gross. Can you get it?
Red Alert: Working on it. *and he's soon carefully extracting a shard of wood and bark the size of a pencil from the mech's spark chamber*
Ratchet: *glances up and grimaces* Is there any of that stuck in his spark?
Red Alert: *headshake* It likely caused some of the spark damage, though.
Ratchet: The part that big fingers crushing his spark compartment didn't cause. *returns her full attention to the lightening fast work of her own fingers*
Red Alert: *nods and discards the shard of wood before getting back to work*
Ratchet: *looks up a couple moments later with a yelp as an alarm sounds and the monitors go dark*
Jack and Red Alert: *Sharp cursing*
Ratchet: Quick! Someone big. Gimme a jump start!
Bumblebee: *transforms and pops her hood*
Ratchet: 0_o Oh. Yeah, that'll do it.
Starscream: *Decides to go out to meet the gathered Seekers*
Jack: *Getting jumper cables*
Ratchet: Red, grab the other end of that.
Red Alert: *nods and moves to do so*
Kia: *awake again and holding her head*
Jack: *getting connectors hooked up where they need to be, as is Red Alert*
Ratchet: *tries to scan, cusses and uses the handheld* Alright Bumblebee, now!
Bee: *cranks her engine*
Red Alert: *Yelps and gets his hand back*
Jack: *calls Red Alert something in one of the Aztec languages*
Ratchet: Slaggit, Red, how many vorns have you been sticking your fingers in the wrong place? Bee, do it again.
Bee: *cranks*
Red Alert: *Shaking his hand and looking like he wants to sulk. Scans Soundwave again, instead*
Ratchet: Up the power level, Bee.
Bee: *zaps the heck out of Soundwave!*
Ratchet: *flies backward*
Soundwave: *bucks and then the monitors are coming back on and the alarm has stopped*
Jack: *Startled cuss, goes to help Ratchet*
Ratchet: *tipsy and embarrassed* Remind me of this the next time I make fun of Red.
Red Alert: *Smirks and gets back to work on Soundwave after disconnecting the jumper cables*
Jack: *soft chuckle as he helps Ratchet to her feet* Do you need to sit down?
Ratchet: I can't afford to sit down, buddy. *heads back to her patient, pat patting Bumblebee in passing as the younger femme apologizes*
Jack: *nods and gets back to work on repairs*
Soundwave: *spark is weak and wavering*
Ratchet: *sighs and sets to work to try and strengthen it*
A few hours later....
Ratchet: *leaning wearily against Soundwave as Bumblebee hobbles over with a heated tarp to lay over the damaged mech. Her optic shutters are closed and she's in very grave danger of falling asleep on her feet*
Jack: *Moving to gently shake her shoulder as he puts an arm around her waist*
Ratchet: *slight start and blinks at her husband blankly* Uh?
Jack: *Gently* You need to rest...
Ratchet: *stares around the impromptu medical bay blearily*
Starscream: *over general Autobot frequencies* //Threat partially neutralized...// *Sounds a bit smug, and a bit worried at the same time* //Decepticon Motormaster is in our custody.//
Ratchet: //Slag. Don't you remember what happened the last time we caught one of those glitches?// *awake! ...No she's not. Head goes to Jack's shoulder*
Starscream: //Last time, it wasn't because they had been tripped by their siblings.//
Jack: *moves to pick Ratchet up*
Ratchet: //Urgh, too tired to brain. Where's Prowl?//
Petra: //Out front, waiting for the away team to return.//
Ratchet: //Oh. Good. Wait, we still need to do something about Merlin and Kia.//
Emilia: //I'll escort them to quarters...//
Ratchet: *looks over at the couple and pauses* Kia?
Kia: *wary look that's quite unlike her usual self*
Merlin: *out cold*
Ratchet: *frowning* Red, scan her, will you?
Red Alert: *nods and moves to scan the silver femme*
Kia: *processor showing normal activity, but now he can detect the shields and such that are protecting the sleeper program*
Red Alert: *databursts his findings to Ratchet*
Ratchet: *moves to go over to the femme, though she's wobbly with exhaustion* Blaster, give me a hand here.
Blaster: *gets up from where he was smoothing Ravage's fur*
Jack: *helping support Ratchet*
Ratchet: *telling Blaster what Red Alert told her* *quietly* Do you think you could integrate that new personality with what Merlin gave her of her old one? And take out whatever trigger there is that knocks Merlin out?
Blaster: *nods* It'll take a little bit... But it's do-able.
Ratchet: Do you think that's the best course of action?
Kia: *watchful. She doesn't recognize these people, but they were helping her father....*
Blaster: That depends...
Ratchet: *leaning against Jack again as she waits for Blaster to continue*
Blaster: We'd have to make sure it doesn't affect Merlin too badly... And I don't know how much of her personality is being affected...
Ratchet: Her personality matrix was nearly empty when we first found her.
Laserbeak: *swoops down and sits on Blaster's shoulder* *clicks beak* It was totally wiped when we found her.
Blaster: *Considering expression* ... Someone get me a datapad... I've got work to do...
Laserbeak: *makes like reaching under her wing with her beak and pulls a small datapad out of subspace*
Blaster: *Raised brow ridge, snerks softly at the sight of the puffy unicorn stickers stuck around the edge of the datapad* Don't let Sarah or Destiny see those...
Laserbeak: Humph. Mine.
Blaster: *Chuckles and moves to sit down near Kia and Merlin. Is soon engrossed in his work*
Ratchet: *turns her head and starts to say something to Jack, but then goes limp as her systems decide it's sleep time, like yesterday*
Jack: *Clicks softly and moves to take Ratchet back inside so she can get some rest*
((Co-written with random_xtras))