TG'verse. Imperial Palace of Chaar. Small folk
"Youse really shouldn' be workin' that guy so hard, Boss," said Rumble as he blinked his optic sensors on and off to try and clear them of the afterglow of Runt's sundog.
Threnody lowered the hand that she'd used to shield her own optics to look at him with surprise. "Runt sets his own hours. They are no more than those worked by any other rookie."
"Yeah, but he ain't like da other rookies. Youse might mess 'im up." He grinned as things came back into focus, then sobered when he saw her frown and braced himself to dodge fire or blows. "Boss?"
"What do you mean, Rumble?" Her frown deepened. "How will letting Runt work endanger him? Is he glitched in some way that I'm unaware of?"
The little blue mech blinked. "Youse don't realize he's just a kid?"
Threnody's face plate blanked, but then brightened with understanding. "A... sparklet... do you mean? Yes, I was aware of the fact. It's why I've kept him here in the palace instead of letting him attend the academy. He volunteered for his current duties."
"Because he figures he's gotta prove he's worth somethin'," said Rumble earnestly, though he too had flinched at the embarrassing word. "I don't even run my recorders that hard."
Threnody shook her head and returned her attention to the reports that he'd brought her. "If you know of some way to distract him from his purpose and make him assume a lighter duty load you're welcome to try."
"...I couldn't even keep youse outta the vents when youse was small."
"Exactly. Now straighten out this mess and show me the report on that Meredronian cell sample."
"Yes, Boss."
Threnody lowered the hand that she'd used to shield her own optics to look at him with surprise. "Runt sets his own hours. They are no more than those worked by any other rookie."
"Yeah, but he ain't like da other rookies. Youse might mess 'im up." He grinned as things came back into focus, then sobered when he saw her frown and braced himself to dodge fire or blows. "Boss?"
"What do you mean, Rumble?" Her frown deepened. "How will letting Runt work endanger him? Is he glitched in some way that I'm unaware of?"
The little blue mech blinked. "Youse don't realize he's just a kid?"
Threnody's face plate blanked, but then brightened with understanding. "A... sparklet... do you mean? Yes, I was aware of the fact. It's why I've kept him here in the palace instead of letting him attend the academy. He volunteered for his current duties."
"Because he figures he's gotta prove he's worth somethin'," said Rumble earnestly, though he too had flinched at the embarrassing word. "I don't even run my recorders that hard."
Threnody shook her head and returned her attention to the reports that he'd brought her. "If you know of some way to distract him from his purpose and make him assume a lighter duty load you're welcome to try."
"...I couldn't even keep youse outta the vents when youse was small."
"Exactly. Now straighten out this mess and show me the report on that Meredronian cell sample."
"Yes, Boss."