36.) Audio

[meinxxherz]

[Herz has never been good at hiding his emotions. He's a little more frazzled than usual, and that he's hoping you really, reeeally won't notice.Uh, W--Welcome, new--new passengers. I-I-I just, uh, wanna let you guys know there's a--the--there's a passenger run restaurant on decks nine and ten called Sergei's Bar and Grille. Feel free to stop by,

Comments

[ttlynotawizard]

Everything all right?

[meinxxherz]

Uhh--

Ss-sure, Rem.

[There's the clank of a pan hitting another, then settling into water. Whoops, location leaked.

[c-c-c-comment log]

[ttlynotawizard]

[Aaaaaaand Remy's there right behind Herz. He hopes he's not holding anything sharp. He keeps his tone light.]

You're an awful liar, you know that?

[cooomment log]

[meinxxherz]

[A sponge isn't generally considered the sharpest of utensils. It is wet and soapy, though. You may feel a little drizzle as he whips around with a gasp.]

Ruh--R-Rem.

Hhhey.

[Voice]

[erhabenheit]

Is your stutter psychological or a physical impediment?

[text]

[meinxxherz]

psychological.

[and because he took great care in spelling this correctly, your reply takes quite some time.

Oh, and I guess his initial freak-out over how to respond to such blatant asshatery may have added on a couple minutes, too.]

[Voice]

[erhabenheit]

Wow, you must be traumatized as fucking hell for it to be that bad.

[Voice] THREADJACK

[ttlynotawizard]

Hey, back off.

[heavyweaponsbot]

You... all right?

[meinxxherz]

Ssssure.

[heavyweaponsbot]

... You are keeping up with the new arrivals well.

[This is Ironhide's pitiful attempt at reassuring you.]

[meinxxherz]

Uhm...Thanks.

It...i-it's not...very hard.

's prob'ly...I-I-I dunno, grating on old passengers, ha--having t-to hear the same stuff outta me every week.

[conquistasal]

[Pfft, this is Sal. What do you mean he shouldn't notice his best friend being more awkward than usual? Are you joking? He isn't as dumb as you think, Herz.]

...dude... you... arright?

[Of course, he knows you're not, he's just giving you the opportunity to tell him rather than him having to tell you.]

[meinxxherz]

...yyy-yeah.

[Goddamn, he must be Mister Cellophane, he's so damned transparent.]

[conquistasal]

Dude, you're, like, the worst liar ever.

It's me.

[meinxxherz]

...ll-look, I, uhm...

I-I don't...wanna talk a-a-about it over the comms.

[Or much at all. He's already told Remy--it feels so cheap spilling it to everyone. He bets Keats wouldn't want him to. He wouldn't want everyone knowing their business. It'd just add pressure.

Ffffuck why was he so bad at this?]

[medicalofficer]

Ah, Herz.

I had been meaning to confirm with you, something Ironhide had mentioned - The kitchen stocks not only organic sustenance, but Energon as well?

It is quite odd, as Shockwave had me believe we were being rationed...

[meinxxherz]

I--

I-I think so. I mean, uhm, y-you're--you're free to check whenever. There was some last time I, uh, I checked with Ironhide...

...

You're--y-y-you're Ratchet, right?

[medicalofficer]

That was what he had told me, but I thought to check with you first - You do appear to be the authority on such matters.

Oh, do excuse me. Yes, I am.

[meinxxherz]

I--

uh--

I--I-I'm not...exactly the--th-the authority. I mean, if--i-if you can't talk to me, you couh-could talk to Zeke or--o-or Remy instead. I mean, they've been doing it, uh, longer than me.