What a mess...

[techshop]

*Wheeljack walked into Engineering, running his expert hands across the consoles to push the buttons and flip the switches designed to bring them online. Some of the panels flared into life, but the red and yellow telltales that indicated damaged or inoperative systems seriously outnumbered the green of the working units

Comments

[techshop]

*The engineer paused midstep, then slowly brought his hand up over his faceplate with a sigh.*

I'm sorry, Miss McBride, I should have asked if you got the language along with the form. Primus knows I'm havin' enough trouble with that sort of thing myself.

My apologies. I'm a little tired and I've got a lot going through my central processor right now.

Hang on an astrosecond and I'll get you a datachip so you can download Cybertronian, and I'll patch in a couple of basic engineering texts so the system layouts will make more sense to you.

*The mech rummaged around in a drawer, coming up with a case of microchips and a portable reader. Another drawer yielded a set of patch cables, and he brought the collection over to where the femme was seated.*

Do you know how to use this, or did you want me to hook it up for you?

[techshop]

Well, you look like you got a proper Cybertronian form, unlike the kludge I got stuck with. Do you know what your alternate form is yet?

*As he spoke, Wheeljack gently opened a small access panel and connected the reader to it.*

When you're ready, I'll feed in the language data slowly so you can have time to get used to it. Then after you've absorbed that, and can get a general idea of how to access the data, I'll add the technical information.

[techshop]

A Trans Am? That's a nice design; clean lines and a lot of speed.

*Wheeljack raises an optic ridge on hearing Frostbite's comment on transforming.*

If you're having trouble with changing modes... hm. Maybe getting the internal readouts in a language you'll be able to understand might help with that. But at least you're not going to be reliant on an externally vocalized command to start the process.

So let's get started....

*With that, the engineer turns on the reader and flips the switch that starts sending the data into the femme's processor at a carefully controlled rate, watching closely for any signs of discomfort on her part.*

[techshop]

*The warmth and sincerity in Frostbite's tone flowed into Wheeljack's audios, giving him a feeling of accomplishment that had been sorely lacking ever since this whole nightmare had begun. His headfins glowed softly as he rested a hand on her shoulder for a few moments.*

[q] You're welcome, Miss McBride.

*The engineer waited, giving the femme time to assimilate the data before introducing anything else to her system.*

[techshop]

*The engineer's headfins and optics glowed with pleasure as he watched his companion's faceplate brighten. The faint scowl she'd been carrying vanished as she began pointing out the various sections of the panels, and there was no doubt in Wheeljack's mind that she fully understood what she was seeing and reading.

While he waited for the new knowledge to settle in, it occurred to him that her situation was very much like what had happened to all of the Autobots when they'd awakened and found themselves not only on a new planet, but in posession of bodies that had been forcibly altered to blend into their new environment.

At least Talia McBride wouldn't be left to deal with her transformation on her own, not if Wheeljack could help it.

He changed discs on the reader, then glanced at the femme and spoke quietly.*

If you're ready, I'll go ahead and download the engineering data now.