hsVerse, Autobot Base, Different Changes...
Optimus: *wearily settling onto his berth, and wondering where his mate and sparklet are. But he's been all over the place since the night before last, and managed to skip sleep mode before that, too. So he is wiped.*
Elita: *bringing Diehard back to the family quarters, after the sparklet had an exciting day playing with Draco, Orion Pax, Ariel, and Dion. She's worried about Flareup's safety, even though the femme has been briefed about every possilbe Nexus danger. She smiles a bit when she sees Optimus, and moves to join him on the berth*
Optimus: *creaks a bit as he raises himself slightly to look at her, his optics a bit dull* Elita. And Diehard. *smiles*
Elita: *smiles a bit and gently patpats Optimus' chestplate as Diehard makes sleepy little clicks* You look tired...
Optimus: *admits how long it's been since he engaged sleep mode* And I have to be alert tomorrow, the new Defense Secretary is coming to meet us. *sighs as he reaches for his little son* Was Draco well enough to play today?
Elita: *nods* Well, we'd all better get some recharge in...*transfers Diehard over to Optimus, before she nods again* He's very fond of Diehard...then again, so are Orion, Ariel, and Dion...*smiles a little as she gets comfortable*
Optimus: *gently rubbing Diehard's tiny back* They don't even know we have children yet. Letting them know... worries me a bit.
Elita: *nods, frowning* Maybe we can get help from Captain Lennox or from Sam or Maggie...
Optimus: But is that really fair? *a bit troubled, and more than a bit stoned on lack of down time*
Elita: *small frown, even as Diehard snuggles close to Optimus* I don't know...I'm not sure how the young ones will be perceived...it worries me...
Optimus: On the one hand... it might make them able to identify with us more easily. But on the other... they may feel threatened.
Elita: *nodding. This is one of the things bothering her the most*
Optimus: *quiet rumble* We also can't hide them for ever.
Elita: *nods* I know...I suppose...all we can do is pray...and hope for the best...
Optimus: *troubled frown as he nods*
Elita: *quietly clicking to Diehard, who has decided it's time for sleeps against Daddy*
Optimus: *distracted by the tiny snuggler, and his weary optics take on an expression of wonder as he once more repeats to himself that he created somebody. Then the wonder shatters as he yawns thunderously*
Elita: *quiet chuckle, patpat* Get some rest...I'll set my alarms so you're not late for your meeting.
Optimus: *gently scoops her close, and then lets his head fall back onto the big rock he uses for a pillow, his affection clear over their bond* Yes, dear.
Elita: *snuggles close, her affection just as clear as she shutters her optics* Pleasant dreams...
Optimus: *rumbles and sleeps*
Rec room
Ironhide: *mixing up three cubes of sweet, thick low grade and grabbing some sparklet blend. Carina is a happy little noise on his shoulder*
Showtime: *nearly tipping over, as are Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. They've been up working on adding more armor and shielding to the base since Kup gave them their orders the day before*
Ironhide: *turns to take the cubes out and frowns at the trio* Watch where you're going.
Sides: *sleepily* Sorry, 'Hide... *gets nudged aside by an equally weary Showtime and Sunstreaker*
Ironhide: *rumbles and walks around them, making his way back to Ratchet and Clarion's door*
Ratchet: *in a light recharge, the datapad he was reading still in his hands as he sleeps*
Clarion: *talking to herself as she digs through a box of whatsits she found in the closet. Ratchet doesn't remember this box... at least not that she's seen.... Her head snaps up as someone knocks gently on the door, and then she's hiding behind Ratchet even though she knows it can only be First Aid or Ironhide*
Ironhide: *very gently taps again*
Ratchet: *startles awake, and moves to sit up so he can give the command for the door to be unlocked*
box full of cookies: *sitting on his lap*
Ironhide: *comes in balancing cubes*
Ratchet: *Blink blink at the cookies, and then his attention's going to Ironhide*
Carina: *happily clicking and chirping as she balances on Ironhide's shoulder*
Ironhide: *offers his friend a cube* Thirsty?
Clarion: *peeking at him*
Ratchet: *Thanks Ironhide as he accepts the cube, before he remembers where he's seen the box of cookies, which gets offered to Clarion and Ironhide*
Ironhide: *offering another cube to Clarion as he frowns at the box* What is it?
Ratchet: Compressed energon and minerals...sweetened with carbon, if I remember right...
Ironhide: *pulls a face* No thanks.
Clarion: *sits up, takes her cube and sips, her optics curiously on box now*
Carina: *Curious chirr*
Ironhide: *doesn't want to intrude, so he turns to go back out*
Clarion: *sets her cube down next to her after a sip and pokes at the cookies again* You can't drink 'em....
Ratchet: true...*examining one of the cookies, and takes a hesitant bite, before making a surprised sound*
Clarion: *startles* Doc?
Ironhide: *pauses and looks back at his friend*
Ratchet: These aren't half bad...*offering one of the cookies to Clarion*
Clarion: *takes and sniffs, then chonks off a big bite and fumbles it carefully. She's not entirely sure what to do here, and she hasn't got much in the way of denta* Heyyyy....
Carina: *Clicking and pointing to Ratchet and Clarion*
Ironhide: *looks at his sparklet* What? Do you want to see what they have?
Carina: *nod nod, clicks*
Ironhide: *frowning with concern* I don't want you to get sick.
Carina: *snuggaDaddy's head, clicks*
Ironhide: *looks at Ratchet*
Clarion: *mumblefumble cookie, work work work....*
Ratchet: *holds out a couple of the cookies to Ironhide*
Ironhide: *takes them, puts one to his mouth and bites off a piece, then chews it up before taking the mush from his mouth and offering it to Carina*
Carina: *Happy noises as she gets a taste of the mush*
Ratchet: *watching, and remembering something* Ironhide, is she still purging on occasion after being fed?
Ironhide: She spits up a little every time. *optics on his sparklet as he uses a bit of his sweetened energon to moisten the crumbled cookie powder and make it easier for her to eat*
Ratchet: Have you tried feeding her from your own tank?
Ironhide: No. Perceptor gave us all the lecture about feeding a sparklet what they... you're not purging on me.
Carina: *Happy as can be as she noms the cookie/energon mush*
Ratchet: Remember when she was first online, and was feeding from Chromia's tank? She didn't purge then, either.
Ironhide: ...Till I held her the first time. *making more mush*
Ratchet: That was because she was overly excited...
Ironhide: *absently as he offers the mush to Carina* Uh huh....
Carina: *happy clicks as she noms*
Ratchet: *nods to Carina* She would have purged by now, don't you think?
Ironhide: More than once, especially if she got excited. *feeds his sparklet the last of the first cookie and then watches her*
Clarion: *just watching all this from where she's sitting between Ratchet and the wall*
Carina: *contented sounds as she snuggles Ironhide and sucks on her thumb*
Ironhide: *looks down at her, then lifts a brow ridge and looks at Ratchet* I'm not giving her anymore of Perceptor's slop.
Ratchet: *smug medic is smug* If you absolutely have to, I think it'd be safe for you to feed her from your tank...just make sure you haven't had high grade beforehand though.
Ironhide: *quietly, as he drinks his own cube of energy* I haven't had high grade since she came online.
Carina: *snuggaDaddy, watches Uncle and Aunty*
Ratchet: *nods* Once she's in a youngling protoform, she'll be able to feed herself.
Ironhide: *finishes his cube and then gently taps at Carina's cheek to see if she's still hungry at all*
Clarion: *watching the little right back*
Carina: *soft chirr, not hungry, wants a snuggle though!*
Ironhide: *stores the second cookie and cuddles her close, looking up at Ratchet again* How are you?
Ratchet: *small scowl* I'm not allowed to leave the berth...If I had to do this alone, I'd more than likely be going stir crazy...
Ironhide: *gruffly* Then it's a good thing we aren't leaving you alone.
Ratchet: *quiet chuckle, much affection for Clarion* I'd hate to think of what Desinex would do if she were restricted to her berth...
Ironhide: ...Kiss Hound to death.
Clarion: o.0 *hides on Ratchet from the thought*
Ironhide: Whoops.
Ratchet: I'd be more scared of what she'd do after she was off of berth restriction, personally....*patpats Clarion, offering reassurances that he has no intention of doing what Ironhide said*
Clarion: -Not scared 'a that, Doc. Just... don't like thinkin' of dead.- *shudder and cling*
Ironhide: Clarion? I'm sorry.
Ratchet: *snuggle* -Ironhide didn't mean that literally, though he could have chosen a better scenario...-
Carina: *Quiet click, making like she's going to settle down for a nap*
Ironhide: *turns his concerned optics to Ratchet, one big hand gently absently covering his tiny daughter*
Clarion: *nod nod nod. Peeks at Ironhide* I'm... I'm okay. It's jiggy.
Ironhide: *has no idea what that means, but takes it to be something good* Good. I should take Carina out now and walk with her a little.
Ratchet: *gently rubbing Clarion's back and clicking to her quietly*
Ironhide: *nods to his friend and steps out, closing the door and locking it quietly behind him*
Clarion: -He fusses jes' like you.-
Ratchet: *rumbly chuckle* -I have a feeling that when Carina is old enough to court, he'll REALLY start fussing....-
Clarion: .... -That's gonna be scary, ainnit?-
Ratchet: -I think I'll be able to sedate him in time to prevent bodily harm to whomever courts Carina, when the time comes...-*chuckles*
Clarion: -Wonder if it'll be our boy....- *gentle hand on his chestplate*
Ratchet: -That's a possibility...which means that the likelyhood of sedating Ironhide when that time comes is raised...- *gently puts a hand over Clarion's*
Clarion: o.0 -Think he won't like Junior?-
Ratchet: -He'll like him....until Junior starts trying to court Carina...-*quiet chuckle*
Clarion: *looks at his thoughts and understands. Very small inner chuckle. Then she feels her tank ping and looks around for her abandoned cube*
Ratchet: *glances over at the cube and gently nuzzes Clarion's helm*
Clarion: *leaning against him as she reaches for the cube and drinks* -Junior said anything yet?- *peeks at his thoughts for the answer*
Ratchet: *small nod, and then there's a third voice, though it's noticeably younger. The third voice is curious about the voices he heard earlier, and is also greeting Mama*
Clarion: *gasp* 0_0
Ratchet: *patpat, is talking to the sparklet, and telling about Ironhide and Carina*
Clarion: *leans against him again as she finishes up the energon and tosses away the cube, gently loving at the new one as she watches he and Ratchet interact*
sparklet: *Happy, talking to both Mama and Papa! Yay!*
Ratchet: *quiet joy at the little one's enthusiasm*
Clarion: *trying to hide her wibble reflex as she trembles with wonder and amazement*
sparklet: *loves Mama, loves Papa, even if Papa's starting to fall asleep!*
Clarion: -Ohhh. We gotta let Papa sleep, Junior. So he kin give ya whatcha need.- *love love*
sparklet: -Not named Junior...-
Clarion: -Hmmm? No? Whatcher name?- *curious as she helps Ratchet settle down on the berth*
sparklet: *proud of his name* -'m Cragbuster.-
Clarion: *chuckles* -Sure ya are. But we gotta let Pop sleep, Buster.-
Cragbuster: -kay...- *gives the impression of snuggling, even as Ratchet quietly tells him goodnight*
Clarion: *orders the lights off and lays by her mate.* -Git some sleep, Doc.- *softly, to both* -Love ya.-
Cragbuster: *loves Mama and Papa, is going to settle down to rest too*
Ratchet: *snuggles Clarion* -Love you too...- *and then he's powering down to sleep*
Clarion: *joins him in dreams of the lookout and their quarters, her nightmares far away tonight*
Outside
Sunstreaker: *corraling mate and brother to quarters, and quietly doing something he very rarely does: praying*
Sunhalo: *sitting on the roof and looking down at them, the moonlight glinting softly off her paint*
Sideswipe: *tiredly* This is the last time we let Show lead the way back to quarters...*heads in with his family*
Sunhalo: *quiet clicks of tired amusement. Then hears a certain engine coming and flattens herself to lay in wait*
Lumen: *slows to a stop and lets Sweep out, before transforming and stretching, completely oblivious to the danger he's in*
Sweep: *too tired to climb up onto Lumen's back, will curl up at the mech's feet instead*
Sunhalo: *watches for a moment, then leaps and lands with a thump behind her friend.* *BUTTSMACK! Gone!*
Lumen: GAH! SUNHALO!!! *Grabs Sweep. The chase is on!*
Sunhalo: *hiding again* >:D
Lumen: *Grumbling and searching for Sunhalo*
Sunhalo: *watching, her optic shutters down to hide her optic glow... and then as he comes into range... she SPRINGS!*
Lumen: *And down he goes, faceplanting!*
Sweep: *knows when to abandon ship, will go look for someone else to climb on and use as a pillow!*
Sunhalo: *smacks his butt again and then leans her elbows on his back as she watches Sweep*
Sweep: *Razzes Sunhalo, before moving to sit on Lumen's head*
Lumen: -_-;;
Sunhalo: *quiet click of amusement and pokes her friend in the side*
Lumen: Fine...you win.
Sunhalo: *slight snug as she clicks a little more, then assumes snuggle pile position*
Lumen: Can we at least go inside?
Sunhalo: *thinks about it, but feels too tired to move*
Lumen: *going to try to get up and make Sunhalo get up as well*
Sunhalo: Hey.... *stops and looks alertly, pressing down on him as she instinctively does the Seeklet quail chick impersonation*
Foxtrot: I don't know, Trailblazer. I... *trips over the younglings* Ack! Okay okay, I'll get my sensors recalibrated.
Sunhalo: 0_0
Lumen: O_O
Sweep: *Alarmed trill, sticks his face in Foxtrot's*
Trailblazer: *sighs, headshake as he moves to help Foxtrot to her feet*
Foxtrot: Don't worry about me. Let's get these kids to bed. *scrambles up and looks down at the still and silent younglings*
Sweep: *Chirr, fusses at Lumen, who tries again to get Sunhalo up and off of him*
Trailblazer: *chuckles and moves to pick up Sunhalo as he pings Inferno's comm*
Sunhalo: *startles and looks up at him with the same wide-eyed look she'd often worn as a sparklet, unsure of why she got picked up. ...Also unconciously snuggling
Foxtrot: *offers her arms to Sweep*
Sweep: *Happy noises as he climbs up to snuggle Foxtrot*
Inferno: *here he comes now* ...*Snerks as he picks Lumen up off of the ground*
Lumen: XP THRRRRRPPPPPPPT
Foxtrot: Oh... you're awake. *chuckles and then looks up at her brother and her friend* Lets get these guys inside. *turns and heads in*
Trailblazer: *moves to follow Foxtrot, as Lumen gets unceremoniously draped over Inferno's shoulder*
Sunhalo: *to Lumen only* //Comfy. I like this.//
Lumen: *to Sunhalo* //Glad you're comfy...This is embarrassing!//
Sunhalo: //So listen to his spark and go to sleep.// *shutters optics*
Lumen: ...*sigh*
Sunhalo: //Even Sweep's comfy.//
Sweep: *telling Foxtrot all about how he and Lumen helped Captain Lennox haul cattle, even as he yawns and snuggles*
Lumen: //You and Sweep aren't positioned so your skidplates are facing forward...// *Startled sound as Inferno deposits him on the biggest couch in the rec room*
Foxtrot: You had a hard day. *gently rubs the little Dinobot's back*
Sweep: *shuttering optics and nodding* Him Lumen had harder day...
Sunhalo: *gentle snore... yes, she still has that slight glitch*
Trailblazer: *quiet chuckle as he gently sets Sunhalo down so she's leaning against Lumen*
Sunhalo: *Snuggle snuggle snugglepile. Very asleep*
Lumen: *snuggle, shuttering his optics*
Foxtrot: They're so cute. I wonder if any youngbot I made would be that cute? *turns and goes looking for a medic to fix her sensitive sensory apparatus, which just got blasted by an indescreet air horn*
Sweep: *curls up so he's snuggling both Sunhalo and Lumen*
Sunhalo: *dolly hugs Sweep without waking*
Lumen: *is already deeply asleep*
Galvatron: *pauses, takes a picture, and then goes to bed*
((co-written with random_xtras))