mbv, Shuttle crash site and Rachel's attic, Dinobots
Rachel: *frowning out the window as Jack drives, she's starting to get a little antsy from having sat in the car all day. Also, her butt circuits are tingling strangely.*
Jack: *Clicks a bit* We're almost there...
Rachel: Yes, but my butt is going to sleep.
Jack: *amused snort* Now Rachel, you know as well as I do that our butts do not go to sleep.
Rachel: Tell that to mine. It's tingling and twitchy. *frowns slightly and tries shifting in her seat*
Jack: I would, but then who would drive? *pulling off on a side road that has clearly seen little use in the last year*
Rachel: *shifts again and sighs as that seems to help, then sobers as she holds onto the door handle to keep from being bumped around by the road*
Jack: *Driving as carefully as he can, is doing his best to avoid the rougher areas of the road*
Rachel: No one ever came to investigate, did they?
Jack: Prime did...once... But after that, he dropped off the radar for awhile...
Rachel: He's been at the college library. *frowning through the windshield* Just seems strange that so much could happen, and none of the natives ever noticed.
Jack: I know... it's like someone's trying their hardest to keep us a secret... *bringing the car to a stop outside a field that leads into a wooded area*
Rachel: *looks at him* I thought that was us. We don't want the humans to panic or anything.
Jack: I know... but it's like someone's working overtime to keep us from being found out...
Rachel: Patrick?
Jack: Maybe... Let's ask him when we get done here...
Rachel: Sounds like a plan. *slightly uncertain smile as she unbuckles her seatbelt and then opens the door*
Jack: *leaves the car unlocked as he gets out after shutting the engine off* The markers aren't too far from here...
Rachel: *standing and looking around after closing the door* I don't remember this at all.
Jack: *concerned glance at Rachel* Well...it's where I found you....the crash happened in the middle of the field, but the shuttle came to rest in the woods...
Rachel: *walks toward the center of the field, looking for unevenness in the ground* Like I said, the last thing I clearly remember is Windcharger cracking a joke. And then a faint memory of you calling to me as though from a distance. *and then of him laying close to her*
Jack: *offers Rachel his hand, and points to the pond near where they're at now* There used to be a stream here...but it's a pond now...
Rachel: *takes the hand unconsciously and moves over to look down into the pond, her expression sober* The waterbugs seem to like the change.
Jack: *small nod, before he points again, this time to the barely noticeable skidmarks that have all but grown over* This is the direction the shuttle skidded after it crashed... C'mon...the markers aren't too far from here...
Rachel: *looking for burn marks and damage to the trees and ground as she walks beside him, unconscious of the grip of her hand on his*
*most of the trees show signs of damage that is starting to be more than halfway healed, though a few are clearly dead, and have obvious scorch marks. Then, camouflaged by the hillside it crashed into, part of what might be the remains of the shuttle can be seen, though which part it could be is obscured by the moss and brush that have started to take over. Nearby, there are four simple stone markers, bearing the names of the rest of the shuttle's crew*
Rachel: *her hand slips free of Jack's as she walks toward the markers, going instead to rest on the nearest one as she reaches it* Brawn. Oh, buddy, I guess you made it. But not to Earth. *hand gently smooths away dust and leaves* Take care of the others, alright?
Jack: *gently clearing away dust and leaves from First Aid's marker, and talking quietly to it in Cybertronian*
Rachel: *looks that way and her chin trembles. She's afraid to go over there, so instead she turns her attention to Huffer's stone* Never thought I'd miss your whining and pessimism.
Jack: *quiet sigh as he heads over to the remains of the shuttle and puts his hand on it*
Rachel: *moves to Windcharger's stone and quietly tells her dead friend that his joke stunk, and then hesitates, her eyes on First Aid's stone* -Oh, 'Aid. I should have left you behind. You were too young to die.- *looks up as something she'd halfway noticed since reaching the stones finally registers* Jack, there's a building over there.
Jack: *gently pats what's left of the shuttle, and glances over at the building with a frown* ....I don't remember that being there...
Rachel: *walks toward it, frowning herself* That doesn't look local.
Jack: Hold on a moment...*transforms and moves to scan the building*
Rachel: *waits, her hand going to her cellphone she watches him*
Wheeljack: *Startled sound* Rachel...there's...there's definitely something in there...
Rachel: *pulls out her phone and presses a button, then blinks and looks at it* My phone's dead.
Wheeljack: *earlights an unhappy color* Didn't you charge it last night?
Rachel: Fred does it automatically. *frowning and checking the battery* It's charged. There's just no reception. *tries her communicator* I can't reach any channels, either.
Wheeljack: ... *checks every frequency he knows* ... *curses* Same here... I think.... something's jamming our signals...
Rachel: *turns back toward the car, but then freezes as two jets fly over* Skywarp and Thundercracker!
Wheeljack: *freezes as he also spots the two jets* oh...slag....
Rachel: *eyes scanning their surroundings. She gasps as she sees a green and yellow form standing at one of the other edges to the field and watching their car with frowning red optics* //Jack!//
Wheeljack: *reacts by grabbing Rachel and booking it for the building*
Rachel: *shaking slightly as they get inside, and then she's wriggling to get loose* Quick, can you sense anyone else in here?
Wheeljack: *scans the area as he sets Rachel on her feet*
Wheeljack: *low whistle* Rachel...turn around...
Rachel: *does so, and her mouth falls open as she stares at the stack of energon cubes that fills most of the building* Primus preserve us.
Wheeljack: *frowning as he examines one of the cubes* I hate to say it...but if the 'Cons keep this...we're slagged...
Rachel: *small sound, and then walks over quickly* Isn't this part of the shuttle? And.... *trails off and regards the shelves of parts that stand next to the fuel dump* Then we can't let them keep it.
Wheeljack: *Frowns as he regards the shelves of parts as well* Any ideas?
Rachel: Do you see any tools in my size? Optic arrays, circuit boards, circuit wire.
Wheeljack: Lemme get them outta storage... *grabs his spare toolkit and primary toolkit out of subspace*
Rachel: We're going to need something big. *peering onto the lower shelves as she walks in front of them* Oh, and weld the door shut, will you? They don't dare fire on this place.
Wheeljack: Big...Starscream-big? *sets the spare toolkit down where Rachel can get to it, and goes to weld the door shut as asked*
Rachel: No. Bigger than Starscream. *starts tugging on a piece of I beam* Like something with this as a leg bone. What were those big prehistoric animals you were talking about the other day?
Wheeljack: ...you mean the Dinosaurs? *comes back to Rachel once he's finished welding the door shut*
Rachel: Yeah. Those. *tugging on the I beam but not getting it to move* This isn't steel, is it? They've got metals from Cybertron here.
Wheeljack: *tugs on the I beam* ...sure feels like it...
Rachel: *frowns and looks around* Yeah, there's no way we can let them keep this stuff. Or have it to use here on Earth. *turns her attention upward* Do you think you can get to the upper shelves and see if they have the electronics we need?
Wheeljack: I can sure try. *Moves to scale the shelves*
Rachel: *claims a clear place in front of the energon cubes as her work space and settles down to wait, only to start as she hears the two Seekers talking outside. Her expression grows grim as she catches their words, and then turns urgent as she hears them fly off again* Great.
Wheeljack: *looks over his shoulder* What?
Rachel: There's a Decepticon stationed in town, trying to track down the rumors about what happened the other day. We'd better not use our local names while we're here.
Wheeljack: ...*grim expression as he nods, before getting to the parts they'll need, and stashing what he can in subspace* We just can't win, can we, Ratchet?
Rachel: *firmly* We can, and we will.
Wheeljack: ... *climbs down quickly, and once he's on the ground, he's pulling the parts he grabbed out of subspace* The sooner we get started on the big guys, the better.
Rachel: Do you have the designs in mind? Are there any behaviors they'll need? *taking circuit boards and setting them on her chosen space, then coming back for the other things she'll need for basic processors*
Wheeljack: One of them...I'm thinking Tyrannosaur-like...big predator, lotsa teeth...
Rachel: Show me. *looks up at him, her expression in intent work mode*
Wheeljack: *calls up a diagram and some notes he took on what the instincts of the Tyrannosaur might have been like, as well as size specifications, before projecting it as a hologram*
Rachel: *studies them and commits them to memory* You've been geeking with Perceptor again, haven't you?
Wheeljack: *Sheepish grin* You can tell, huh?
Rachel: *bit of an answering grin as she sets to work* You don't usually worry about things like instinct.
Wheeljack: Point. *sets to work as well*
Rachel: One won't be enough, though. And two of the same kind would be too easy to beat. *making microscopic welds on tiny silicon chips*
Wheeljack: Good point... *calling up more holograms of different, large, dinosaurs* Take your pick... *welding the frame for the new drone together*
Rachel: I like that one with the long neck. I can see him having something like Rumble's seismic shock power.
Wheeljack: The Brontasaurus? *pulls up stats and size specs*
Rachel: *glances at the notes* Apatosaur.
Wheeljack: Ah...okay. *finishes welding the frame of the Tyrannosaur-drone, and sets to work on getting the materials for the Apatosaur-drone*
Rachel: *loses herself in her work*
Next morning
Rachel: *finishes installing the processor into the apatosaur and then suddenly looks up* Wheeljack, we forgot something!
Wheeljack: *looks up from finishing the apatosaur's armor* ...we did?
Rachel: We don't have any way to run them.
Wheeljack: ...*curses quietly*
Rachel: You didn't see anything like that back there?
Wheeljack: *looking around the work area* I don't know....
Rachel: Have another look? *opening a panel in the tyrannosaur's chest to frown inside, her processor busy with possible jury-rig options*
Wheeljack: *scaling the shelves again and listing off what he sees*
Rachel: *frowning, and then picking up a cutting tool as she opens the front of her jacket and her shirt. Almost tells him she's thought of something, but then realizes he wouldn't let her use it*
Wheeljack: *looking over his shoulder after awhile when he realizes he's not getting any response*
Rachel: *coming to and propping herself up on her hands to make sure she's got everything installed properly in both bots' chests, then rolls slowly on her back and duct tapes her synthetic skin shut before carefully getting her bra and shirt closed* Wheel... jack?
Wheeljack: *off the shelves quicker than he thought he could ever move, and over to Rachel's side before he realizes it. Then he's scanning Rachel and quietly fussing over her*
Rachel: Got it. Got... it. Close... them.... *fades offline for a moment* up?
Wheeljack: *clicks quietly to Rachel, and then looks up at the drones to see what she's talking about*
'drones': *both chests are open... and each one contains a brand new spark just settling in and shaping its surroundings into a new laser core*
Wheeljack: ... *quick intake of air, and then he's gently closing the new mechs' chests, before focusing on Rachel*
tyrannosaur: *grumbles softly and blinks at him* Me, Grimlock... dizzy.
Wheeljack: *nods a bit* *quietly* Just take it easy for a bit, alright, Grimlock?
Grimlock: Me, Grimlock, take it easy. *rolls over onto his belly and shutters his optics*
Rachel: *blinking again, her face creased with pain* It work?
Wheeljjack: *nods, and searches his subspace for a pain override* Yeah, Rach...it worked... *carefully nuzzles Rachel's head as his intakes hitch*
Rachel: Good... Online yet?
apatosaur: *lifts his head and looks around silently*
Wheeljack: *nods again* Grimlock's resting right now... he said he was dizzy...
Rachel: *slight smile* Grimlock. Nice.
Grimlock: *starts snoring softly*
Rachel: *manages a chuckle*
Wheeljack: *clicks quietly as he carefully cuddles Rachel, before applying the pain override*
Rachel: *sighs as she feels the pain in her skin and muscle, and the pain in her circuits fade, though nothing can really be done for spark pain* Thanks. *leans against him quietly, her eyelids drooping*
apatosaur: *watching the two smaller bots, and then lowering his massive head to try and gently nuzzle them*
Wheeljack: *Startled sound, before he hesitantly reaches up to gently pat the Apatosaur's nose*
apatosaur: *careful but still rough bump as his blue optics shine with newspark curiosity and with concern* *rumbles*
Wheeljack: Eaasy, kiddo... what're we gonna call you?
apatosaur: .... *remarkably small and gentle voice* Call... you?
Wheeljack: What's your name?
apatosaur: *brightens* Name... Sludge.
Wheeljack: *nods* Nice to meet you, Sludge... My name is Wheeljack...
Sludge: Wheeljack. You, Wheeljack... creator?
Wheeljack: I'm one of 'em... your other creator is this lovely lady, *nods to Rachel* Ratchet....
Sludge: Ratchet. *tilts head and studies them both, then rumbles happily and lays his head near to them*
Wheeljack: *quiet chuckle, and then he resumes clicking to Rachel, and holds her close to his chest*
Rachel: *fading in and out of consciousness* Twins. Heh. More trouble. *groans slightly and hides her face* Slag... dizzy too.
Wheeljack: Just rest for now... I've got you...
Rachel: Sounds like a plan. *very soft sounds of pain escaping her despite the override*
Grimlock: *grumbles and lifts his head*
Wheeljack: When we get home... you're on bedrest for a couple of days, and no arguing about it.... *gently nuzzles Rachel's head, before clicking to Grimlock* Easy, big guy...
Grimlock: Me, Grimlock hungry!
Sludge: *silently watches brother*
Wheeljack: Let's take care 'a that then... *gently lays Rachel down with a quiet "Be right back", and goes to get two of the energon cubes, one of which gets offered to Grimlock, while the other gets offered to Sludge*
Sludge: *trustingly sticks his muzzle into his cube and drinks it down, making small happy sounds at the taste and the feel of it in his tank*
Grimlock: *gives his cube the stink eye after tasting it*
Wheeljack: *Soft snerk* Lemme guess, no good?
Grimlock: Yeeuck
Wheeljack: *laughing now, and shaking his head as he moves to sample the energon in Grimlock's cube to see if there's anything wrong with it that would affect the taste* *and finding that it's perfectly tasty mid-grade from an obviously exceptional source*
Wheeljack: ... *affectionately* Grimlock, you're a goof...
Grimlock: Me, Grimlock not goof! Me, Grimlock Dinobot!
Wheeljack: *Laughing, earlights flashing a cheery blue color*
Rachel: *rambling quietly, her voice becomes suddenly audible* Brawn, what are you doing here? You better get back to the Well. I mean it. Don't worry about me.
Sludge: *looking around and trying to see who his creator is talking to*
Wheeljack: *Alarmed trill, over to Rachel's side and scanning her, while getting out cables to hook the medic up to his systems if need be* Ratchet!
Rachel: *blinks at him, her eyes focusing with difficulty as her spark flickers* Tell Brawn to go back. He's not supposed to be here.
door: *rattles*
Mixmaster: [Alright, who the slagging #$#!@##$#@ welded the $%#$#@ door shut this time?]
Hook: [Who cares, just kick it open again and hurry up. I need that flux capacitor.]
Grimlock: *downs his energon and then gets to his feet, head down as he growls uneasily*
Wheeljack: *hurrying to connect Rachel to his systems* I'll do that... just gimme a second... *trying to remain calm*
door: *flies inward and bangs against the wall*
Mixmaster: *stares in at the unexpected inhabitants of the building*
Hook: Autobots! Get them!
Wheeljack: *Looks up from where he's working on getting Rachel stabilized, optics widen in fear*
Mixmaster: *steps inside, his weapon levelled at the small Autobot as he grins* [Wheeljack... This is going to be fun.]
Wheeljack: *Moving to put himself between Mixmaster and Rachel, even though he's starting to shake*
Mixmaster: *gleefully kicks him aside* [A human? You're protecting a stupid squishie?]
Sludge: *watches Wheeljack fly and hit the floor, then lumbers to his feet and charges* No hurt creator!
Mixmaster: *almost shoots at him, but then remembers the energon. In the next moment he's been slammed into Hook by a large body which continues out right through the wall of the building* Arrggghhh!
Grimlock: FIGHT! *charges after his brother, breathing flame*
Wheeljack: *slumps in a heap on the floor* *dazed* Did anyone get the number 'a that semi?
Back at Patrick's
*alarm going off from the computer*
Patrick: *looks over from the couch, and excuses himself from his conversation with Elita, comes over to investigate*
screen: *showing a disturbance where that one shuttle crashed. Also showing that communications frequencies are being jammed in that area, and several odd signatures that can only be Cybertronian*
Patrick: *String of cursing as he rallies everyone who responds to his call, and gives coordinates, before heading out as well*
At the fuel dump
Merlin and Pandita: *Arrive first, and boggle at the scene before them*
*Trees are shattered, brush is alight. Hook is laying in the pond and holding his head in his hands.... And something bellows fearsomely just on the other side of the trees*
Patrick: *Arrives next, and gets out of his battered old clunker of a truck, before hurrying towards the source of the bellow, transforming as he goes*
Thundercracker: *abruptly flies over the Autobot's head and lands on the clunker* Owwwwww. Somebody get the number 'a that truck?
Optimus: ...great... there goes another three month's wages... *sighs and asks Elita for a ride back to his apartment later on*
Skywarp: *nerve breaks and screams away in jet mode*
Runamuck: *following on the ground in car mode!*
Pandita: *Transforming and moving to get Thundercracker off of the clunker's remains as Merlin hurries after Optimus*
Jazz: *leaning out the window of his car and taking a potshot at Runamuck's back end*
Runamuck: *cusses... and keeps going*
Thundercracker: *squints at Skyfire and then stumbles to his feet, groaning*
Skyfire: *Calmly* I suggest you leave this area, unless you would prefer to be escorted away by force.
Thundercracker: Just show me which way is leaving.
Runabout: *nearly takes out Merlin as he's launched*
Grimlock: ME, GRIMLOCK HATE STUPID PURPLE FACES. ROARRRRRRRRRRRR!
Merlin: *Startled, hides behind Optimus*
Skyfire: *points off in the direction Runamuck took*
Runabout: *stumble, faceplant, up again and GONE as fast as he can transform and spin his tires... and not caring that two of them are flat and one's on fire*
Thundercracker: *goes*
Grimlock: *grabs a strangely flat Mixmaster and Scrapper and bangs them together* HATE HATE HATE HATE!
Petra: *steering Jazz's car while the mech himself is leaning out the window and assessing the situation*
Sludge: *breaths fire at the last Constructicons*
Alice: *following Jazz's car on her motorcycle, swerves and nearly collides with the back-end of Optimus's nicely flattened truck* What the #^*&^?!
Scavenger and Long Haul: *trying to shoot back without catching anything else on fire*
Bonecrusher: *is that bumpy spot on the ground that you're standing on, Optimus*
Petra: *brings the Solstice to a stop outside the field and turns the car off, then gets out and transforms before returning fire on the remaining Constructicons*
Jazz: *gets out of the car and goes to see what the whole fight was about, and possibly avoid getting shot*
Scavenger: Hold your fire, you cretin! You'll blow us all back to Cybertron!
Prowl: *raised brow ridge* And why would that be?
Sludge: *has gotten hold of Long Haul and is shaking him like a rat in his mouth*
Alice: *getting off her bike and transforming, before taking aim with her longbow at Scavenger*
Optimus: *frowning as he moves closer to Scavenger, keeping his gun trained on the Constructicon's chest*
Scavenger: *glaring hate* The building's full of energon.
Sludge: *crunch and munch Long Haul, then toss him far far away!*
Grimlock: *heaves his flat 'Cons after him!* And don't come back! Or me, Grimlock SMASH!
Merlin: *Hurrying after Jazz, and transforming once he's safely out of the line of fire*
Jazz: *pokes his head into the building cautiously, lest there be more Decepticons inside*
*is a lot of energon inside. Also shelves upon shelves of good Cybertronian parts. And Rachel, laying very still and silent in her alt mode on the floor in front of the energon stack*
Wheeljack: *still dazed, is now engaged in a cheerful conversation with his foot*
Jazz: *grabs Perceptor and ushers the scientist inside, while alerting Optimus as to what he's found*
Sludge: No! No! Me, Sludge want creator! *nearly tramples the Autobots on his way back through the hole he made in the wall when he first came out*
Perceptor: *Startled noise, was just about to scan Rachel*
Jazz: *gently lifting Wheeljack so he's sitting, and trying not to laugh at the mech's argument with his toes*
Wheeljack: Well, you're not very nice to talk to....*Wiggling toes and frowning at them*
Grimlock: *outside chewing on flat Bonecrusher*
Sludge: *lays down near Rachel and puts his big head on the floor next to her*
Perceptor: *scans Rachel, and clicks quietly*
Wheeljack: *confused noise as Jazz lifts him up*
Rachel: *stasis locked and putting out very faint spark readings*
Perceptor: Oh dear... this will not do... *getting an emergency kit out of subspace and setting to work on checking the femme's systems, fixing what he's able to at the moment*
Sludge: *quizzical and confused sound*
Jazz: *Bringing Wheeljack over and watching Perceptor work for a few moments, before clicking gently to Sludge* Percy's jes' doin' what he can t' keep Ratchet with us... she'll be alright...
Sludge: *nuzzles Wheeljack, nearly squishing him in the process* Creator.
Grimlock: *looks like he's trying to EAT Bonecrusher pancake*
Jazz: Wheeljack's knocked 'imself stupid... but he'll be okay too...*gently sets the mech down next to Sludge, before Perceptor sends him over to the shelves for specific parts*
Grimlock: *chucks Flatcrusher up against the wall of the building*
Jazz: *Startled sound as he darts to the door to see what's going on outside*
Grimlock: *pounces on the damaged Decepticon and shakes him viciously*
Jazz: *wince, glances over to where Optimus and Scavenger are*
Scavenger: What are you going to do with me, Prime? *cold smirk*
Grimlock: *tosses Bonecrusher again*
Scavenger: *ducks, and then leaps for Optimus*
Optimus: *about to answer, when he's leapt for. He reacts by jamming the end of his gun into Scavenger's midsection, even as the larger mech lands on top of him*
Scavenger: *squishes him good, and then steps on him as he bolts to Bonecrusher and grabs him up. In the next instant he's leaped into the air and away*
Arcee: Optimus! *hurries to the Prime's side, as does Skyfire*
Optimus: *a good deal flatter than he was before, but is alive*
Prowl: *hurrying to the building now that the Decepticons are out of the way*
Grimlock: *suddenly lowers his head and bellows right in Prowl's face* No come in!
Prowl: *serious* I need to make sure my friends are alright....
Grimlock: Her Ratchet said no purple faces come in!
Prowl: *raised brow ridge, before he points to his chest, where his Autobrand is* I'm not a purple face though.
Grimlock: *pause, head tilt as he studies the badge* Me, Grimlock no want you in.
Rachel: *stirs slightly* Brawn, stop poking me. Huh? Oh. Grimlock! Heel.... *slips away again*
Grimlock: *sulk, grumble, rumble, pout... come and lay down by his brother, stink eyeing all present*
Jazz: *gently* Prowl's cool, yo...he's one'a us...
Perceptor: *finishes with repairing all he can within Rachel's systems, before gently closing her up and covering her with a blanket from his subspace. Then he's focusing on getting Wheeljack to quit conversing with his appendages*
Grimlock: *suspicious glare* Us? Who 'us'?
Jazz: *taps his Autobrand* Autobots... we're th' ones who're tryin' t' keep people from gettin' hurt... Wheeljack 'n Ratchet're Autobots too.
Prowl: *Frowning* Perceptor...why didn't you just trigger Ratchet's transformation sequence? Wouldn't that have been easier?
Perceptor: *quietly* That option is no longer available to Rachel... She is unable to transform, due to her earlier damage from when her shuttle crashed...
Grimlock: *gives Jazz a very long, very hairy look* *finally* Me, Grimlock DINOBOT!
Jazz: *bemused smile* C'n th' Autobots and Dinobots be friends then?
Grimlock: Me, Grimlock no have friends. *sniffs and puts his nose in the air*
Sludge: *transforms, and is suddenly a tall, muscular human with uncertain blue eyes that stare at his hands wonderingly*
Prowl: *asking Perceptor for an explanation, has slipped back into using Cybertronian language, and is cycling air as the scientist explains*
Jazz: *clicks to Sludge*
Sludge: *looks at Jazz* Me, Sludge have... friends?
Jazz: *nods and chuckles a bit, before getting some spare clothes out of his subspace and offering them to Sludge* Here... it ain't good t' be runnin' 'round naked....
Sludge: *looks at the clothes bewilderedly*
Grimlock: *decides to bellow in Wheeljack's face*
Perceptor: *Winces* Please do not do that... It will not help Wheeljack recover any more quickly...
Jazz: *jumps at the bellow* Oy! That ain't cool, Grimlock!
Grimlock: *rumbles and stinkeyes*
Sludge: *studying the pants, and then wraps them around his shoulders*
Grimlock: Me am GRIMLOCK! *more bellow, only this is aimed at the rafters*
Jazz: *Transforms to alt-mode, and begins trying to teach Sludge the "fine art" of dressing oneself*
Wheeljack: *soft noise as Perceptor finishes working on him*
Grimlock: *blinks, growls, puts his head down and snorts smoke! ...And then wibbles and bumps Wheeljack with his nose* Me, Grimlock, hungry.
Wheeljack: *quietly, still sounding a bit dazed* Then go get one of those glowing cubes...
Grimlock: ...Bleuch
Sludge: *has pants on!* :D
Javan: *giving Sludge his approval, in the form of a thumbs-up*
Wheeljack: *quiet chuckle, even as Perceptor tells him to rest*
Rachel: *suddenly gasping for breath*
Sludge: *forgets his pants and looks at Rachel, his expression worried and confused*
Perceptor: *over to Rachel, and scanning her worriedly*
Wheeljack: *Getting up, even though he's still a bit wobbly from earlier* Ratchet...
Rachel: Brawn... pull it up! Pull it... aaaaarrrgggghhhhhhhhhh!
Sludge: *backpeddles till he runs into the energon cubes, then stares with wide eyes*
Grimlock: *impressed by that scream!*
Wheeljack: *louder, even as he moves to try to connect his systems to Rachel's* Ratchet... s-snap out of it....
Rachel: *gasps again, and then falls still, her systems teetering toward shock as the remembered impact happens in her dream*
Wheeljack: *hooking his systems up to Rachel's* -Ratchet!-
Perceptor: *working to keep Rachel stable as Jazz gets Wheeljack laying down beside the medic*
Rachel: *confused by spark pain, has it mixed up with the pain of the burns* -...Wheeljack?-
Grimlock: More loud noise!
Sludge: *crying*
Wheeljack: -shhhh.... you're okay, Ratchet... I've got you.- *reaching for Rachel's hand*
Rachel: -The shuttle. Uh... No. That's not right. That's not what's wrong.- *confusion* -Jack, what happened?-
Grimlock: *rumbles* Make more loud noise.
Wheeljack: -We didn't have a way to power the two drones we built to keep the energon and parts from the Decepticons... So you found a way...- *intakes hitch momentarily* -You scared me halfway to the Well, Ratchet....-
Rachel: -I can't remember. What did I do? Do I have some kind of mental glitch or something? The stuff! Is it safe?-
Wheeljack: *Cycles air for a moment* -You... you gave them sparks... Prowl, Jazz, and Perceptor are here...-
Rachel: -Sparklets!? I have to snap out of this and make sure they're....- *greys out momentarily as she slides back toward stasis lock*
Wheeljack: -Ratchet! Hold on!-
Rachel: *clinging mentally even as she relaxes and lets Wheeljack's systems take up the slack in her own* -Ouch-
Wheeljack: -Grimlock and Sludge are alright...- *quiet chuckle* -But I think you scared them a bit when you screamed...-
Rachel: -I screamed? Oh the dream.- *embarrassed*
Wheeljack: *gently patting Rachel's hand* -It's okay... after we get home... you and I are both taking a few days off...-
Rachel: -Sounds like a plan to me.- *mental blink* -Brawn? Will you go already? You've got somewhere to be, buddy.-
Wheeljack: *small frown, looks around for the mech in question*
Brawn: *is there, hovering worriedly over Rachel. He doesn't seem to have noticed that Wheeljack's here*
Wheeljack: *gently* -Easy, Brawn... I've got her...-
Brawn: -Wheeljack? When did you get here?- *confused*
Wheeljack: -I've been here...- *Gently* -I'll keep Ratchet safe... I promise.-
Brawn: *straightens up and shows the damage he's carrying* -I think she's delirious. And I can't find the others. Or the shuttle.-
Wheeljack: *intakes hitch slightly when he sees the damage Brawn took* -Brawn... the others... they're gone... the shuttle crashed...-
Brawn: *craggy face confused* -Gone? Gone where? Windcharger and First Aid wouldn't have just left. Neither would Huffer.-
Wheeljack: *draws air in through his intakes slowly, before releasing it in a quiet sigh* -They're in the Well... Windcharger, First Aid, Huffer, and you... didn't survive the crash...-
Brawn: *shocked and stunned. And then a quick, worried glance at Rachel*
Wheeljack: *gently squeezes Rachel's hand and clicks quietly*
Brawn: *damage fading* -So... I'm....-
Wheeljack: *shutters his optics and nods, trying to hide the pain he feels at not being able to save all of his friends*
Brawn: *startles as he catches the other mech's feelings, then puts a hand on him gently* -Hey... Wheeljack. You tried. I know you did.- *looks at Rachel again* -She's alright, right?-
Wheeljack: *small nod* *quietly* -She will be... She's strong...-
Brawn: *puzzled frown* -How long has it been since we came down?-
Wheeljack: *quietly* -It's been a little over four years... *translates that into Cybertronian time units*-
Brawn: *sobered* -Then it's not the crash that's making Ratchet sick.-
Wheeljack: *small headshake* -She gave two new bots sparks....-
Brawn: *blink blink* -...Now somebody really can call her Mother.-
Wheeljack: *Quiet chuckle* -Guess that makes me a father... I helped build them...-
Brawn: o.0 -You and Ratchet??-
Wheeljack: -...why does everyone react like that? It's not like they're going to blow up anytime soon...-
Brawn: *frowns at him with the 'you're gonna get smacked upside the head' frown* -That's not what I meant. I felt something when you talked about building them with her.-
Wheeljack: *Puzzled expression*
Brawn: -.... Don't you even know how you feel?-
Wheeljack: -...- *and now everything is starting to make sense... from the first time he hooked his systems into Rachel's to keep her alive, to all the drones, and everything in between*
*and nearby, a larger form appears, though the living 'Bots don't seem to notice it*
Brawn: *smacks him upside the head* -What a thick skull.-
Wheeljack: *startled sound*
femme speaker: -Now that's not very nice...- *probably would be more convincing if she weren't chuckling in amusement*
Brawn: *blinks and looks around, still touching his living friend so that he can see him. Protective frown when he sees the strange big bot* -Who're you? And what do you want?-
femme: *holds her hands out to show that she's not armed* *gently* -My designation is Showtime... Primus asked me to come here...-
Brawn: *blinks as he understands* -You finally realized you missed somebody?-
Showtime: *headshake, and then she smiles a little* -You had business to attend to on this side of the Veil... It wouldn't have been right to bring you back home before you got to do what you were wanting to do...-
Brawn: *looks like he kinda wants to cry as he thinks of Optimus and the rest of the Autobots* -I don't like leaving the others. They might need me.-
Showtime: *sympathetic expression as she nods, before moving a little closer to Brawn* *gently* -I know... They'll be alright though, Brawn... Primus is watching over them.-
Brawn: :( -So... I have to go?-
Showtime: *Still in the same gentle tone she's been using* -Windcharger and the others are waiting for you...-
Brawn: *crying now, unaware of how he's jangling Wheeljack's circuits as he turns to his friend* -Wheeljack, I....- *strong feeling of regret and farewell*
Wheeljack: *clicks quietly to Brawn, cycling air as he does* -Till all are one...-
Brawn: -Till... all are one. Take care of her, alright?- *steps back and vanishes from the sight of the living mech*
Wheeljack: *small nod, gently nuzzles Rachel's head*
Showtime: *holds her hand out to Brawn* -Listen...-
Brawn: *optics darkened, he nods* -I hear it.- *fades away*
Showtime: *small smile as she nods to Wheeljack and Rachel, even though she knows they can't see her, before she too fades away*
Wheeljack: *unshutters his optics to see what's going on around him*
Grimlock: *yelling at the top of his not inconsiderable vocalizer and flailing with frustration*
Sludge: *curled up and crying inconsolably*
Wheeljack: *quietly* Sludge... Everything's gonna be okay....
Sludge: *lifts his head and looks at him, then wibbles*
Grimlock: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Wheeljack: *Does something he very rarely does: yells. This time, he's yelling at Grimlock* Grimlock! Stop it! Throwing a temper tantrum isn't going to help Ratchet feel better any quicker!
Grimlock: *bellows* Me, Grimlock, NOT HAPPY!
Wheeljack: *cycles air for a moment* What's wrong?
Grimlock: NOT HAPPY! *flail yell bellow*
Wheeljack: *patiently* We'll get you something to eat that tastes better soon... There's room over here by Ratchet and me, if you want to come lay down...
Grimlock: *wants to YELL!*
Rachel: *stirs very slightly, her brows drawing together into a frown*
Wheeljack: *attention on Rachel now* *gently* -Ratchet?-
Rachel: *gets her eyes open and looks at her flailing and bellowing creation* Grim... lock. Heel.
Grimlock: *sudden dead silence as he slinks over*
Wheeljack: *gentle head nuzzles for Rachel* Now why didn't I think of that?
Jazz: *amused headshake as he and Prowl usher Perceptor out with orders pertaining to helping Lisa get the tow truck into place*
Rachel: *faint smile and a whisper of Sludge's name, and then she's asleep again*
Grimlock: *crouching next to his creators, watching things happen*
Sludge: *curled against brother and hugging himself*
Wheeljack: *reaches his free hand out to gently pat Sludge and clicks quietly to the youngbot, before regarding Grimlock for a moment* You know....if you transformed, you'd be able to get closer...
Grimlock: *grumble* Me, Grimlock no like.
Wheeljack: There's no room back at the house for you if you stay that size, Grimlock...
Grimlock: Me, Grimlock no need house.
Wheeljack: Ratchet lives in the house...
Grimlock: Me, Grimlock transform. *does so. Now looks exactly like his brother except nakeder*
Optimus: *peeks into the building* Is everyone alright now?
Grimlock: *growls at him*
Wheeljack: No, Grimlock... that one's a friend.
Grimlock: Me, Grimlock no have friends.... *puts his head down and lays like he did in his dino mode*
Wheeljack: He's one of Ratchet's friends...
Grimlock: *gives his father a stink eye*
Optimus: *coming over and getting a blanket, and a spare set of clothes, out of his subspace. The clothes get set down near Grimlock, while the blanket gets draped over Wheeljack and Rachel*
Grimlock: *stinkeyes the clothes, too*
Sludge: *creeps over and tries to get under the blanket too*
Wheeljack: *lifts the edge of the blanket so Sludge can get under it as well*
Optimus: At the very least, you need to wear pants...
Grimlock: *sullen grumbles as he tries to get dressed*
Sludge: *sighs and sleeps*
Back at the attic, the next evening...
Rachel: *breathing easily where she's wrapped in blankets on the futon, unaware of Sludge's gentle straightening and smoothing of her hair on her pillow*
Fred: *sitting by her* :\
Lyra: *playing a lullaby, very quietly, from on one of the shelves nearby*
Wheeljack: *conked out in his chair, where he fell asleep while keeping watch over Rachel with Sludge*
Moofy: *guarding the door*
Fluffy: *head poking out of the bottom of Rachel's blanket, giving Grimlock the stinkeye*
Grimlock: *sitting in Rachel's chair and snoring*
Moofy: *Beeps as Lisa comes to the door*
Sludge: *looks up, then looks at Wheeljack.*
Fred: *looks too, and then jumps over and pokes his creator in the belly*
Wheeljack: *Startled awake*
Lisa: *Clicks and smiles at Sludge, has her hands full with a casserole dish*
Wheeljack: *gets up, and moves to get the door*
Fluffy: Well, it looks like the cavalry's come.
Sludge: *looks at Fluffy, and then looks back at the door*
Lisa: Not the calvery this time, Fluffy...just the cook. ^_^ *coming in* I brought some casserole, since I figured Rachel wouldn't be up to cooking anything yet...
Fluffy: *in Rodney's voice* Kiss the cook! *ducks under the blankets*
Moofy: *curious beeping*
Wheeljack: *gives Fluffy a Look* And have Rodney kick my skidplate? I don't think so.
Lisa: :P *heads over to the kitchen corner to set the casserole dish on the table* I'd rather have the real one kiss me, Fluffy.
Sludge: .... *lays his head down beside Rachel's as he watches the blond girl*
Rachel: *soft sigh and looks up at the sloping roof*
Wheeljack: *over at the table, eyeing the casserole* What's in this one, Lisa?
Lisa: ^_^ Bread, eggs, bacon, sausage.... oh, and some cheese too.
Lyra: *Melody changes to a bouncier one*
Rachel: *smile* Lyra.
Sludge: *lifts head* :D
Moofy: *beetling over and climbing up onto the futon, happy beeps!*
Lyra: *climbing down to join Moofy on the futon*
Fred: *joining his siblings next to Rachel*
Wheeljack: *looks over his shoulder and smiles* Welcome back...
Rachel: *turns head slowly and smiles at him too, then closes her eyes for a moment and stretches very slightly* //Did you shut off my pain centers completely?//
Wheeljack: //I didn't...Perceptor might have when he worked on repairing what he could...// *moving to kneel by the futon* //Sludge is awake... Grimlock was awake for awhile... but I think he's sleeping again...//
Rachel: *smiles at him* //You can talk out loud. It's just easier for me to use the com right now.// *eyelids droop* //What are they like?//
Wheeljack: *Chuckles a bit, reaching to gently pat Rachel's hand* Sludge definitely takes after you.... Grimlock.... is Grimlock.
Rachel: *eyes still closed as she concentrates all her energy to the communicator and the open channel* //I tried to alter the code and make them not clones.//
Wheeljack: Well, you succeeded in that....*chuckles*
Lisa: *bringing over a couple of plates with casserole on them, and boy, doesn't it smell good?*
Grimlock: *awake and over there!* What that? Me, Grimlock want!
Sludge: *just crouching by the futon and his creators and watching them*
Rachel: Grim... lock....
Grimlock: *grumbles and growls* Me, Grimlock heel. *goes back to the chair*
Lisa: *Sets the two plates down where Sludge and Wheeljack can get to them, before going and getting another plate ready for Grimlock*
Wheeljack: *clicks quietly* Can you sit up, or do you need help with that?
Rachel: //Not a chance. Turning my head was about the limit.//
Sludge: God is great, God is good, and we thank him for our food. Men. *makes like vacuum cleaner*
Wheeljack: *amused grin for Sludge, before he nods* okay. *moves to help Rachel to a sitting position, and sits so she can lean on him*
Lisa: *Brings the plate she got ready for Grimlock to him* Here. ^_^
Grimlock: *grab, eat*
Rachel: *groans slightly with dizziness, but leans. She's too weak yet to do really much of anything other than a bit of looking around and the faint communicator conversation*
Wheeljack: *clicks quietly as he gets a bite of the casserole onto a fork and gently offers it to Rachel*
Rachel: *tries to eat it, but isn't up to that yet* //It's good, but I think I should stick to easy stuff yet, buddy.//
Wheeljack: *nods a bit* Need me to get a feeding tube for you?
Rachel: //Yeah. Do we have any energon?//
Sludge: *licking his plate*
Wheeljack: Yeah...Perceptor and the others managed to get most of the stash that the 'Cons had squirreled away...as well as the parts.... *getting a feeding tube out of subspace and telling Lisa where to look*
Lisa: ... *looks up at the top shelf, and frowns* Percy would put it up there... *gets the step stool*
Sludge: *looks up, and then drops his plate and steps over to take the little blond around the waist in his big hands and lift her carefully*
Lisa: *Surprised noise, but then she's grinning and easily able to grab the emergency rations* Thanks! ^_^
Sludge: *slight shy smile as he very carefully sets her down*
Grimlock: Buttkisser.
Rachel: *gives him a look*
Grimlock: *kinda hunkers down and looks like he's hiding*
Lisa: *brings the emergency rations over to Rachel and Wheeljack, who gets everything set up*
Wheeljack: Grimlock, be nice... *more focused on helping Rachel take in fuel*
Rachel: *drinking, but then frowns and looks around* //Skylar's not here? Thought he would have dropped in.// *and hung around, in his usual manner*
Wheeljack: *Shakes his head* Apparently...he won't be around 'till he and Moonshadow can tell where one ends and the other begins.
Lisa: *Oh look, dishes to wash! Is going to go do that, kthx... while her ears turn red from her blushing*
Rachel: *blink. Look up at him quizzically*
Steeljaw: Mrrrrpt.....*carrying one of the drones back inside from the roof*
Lyra: *plays a wedding theme*
Rachel: He didn't.
Wheeljack: Perceptor mentioned it... as did the big fellow with him...
Rachel: *frowns and drinks the rest of her energon* //That was fast.//
Wheeljack: *Small shrug* Might've been an accident... Buuut... I think it'll be good for both of them.
Rachel: *looks at him, then winces and yawns mightily* //Owwww.//
Sludge: *gives her alarmed look of concern*
Wheeljack: *scans Rachel* You okay?
Rachel: //Sleepy. Spark hurts. Just tired.// *another yawn*
Wheeljack: Ah... *moves to help Rachel lay back down* Get some rest... Prime's orders are for both of us to be off duty until we're both fully recovered....
Rachel: *tired smile. Then she makes a little snuggling motion and clicks a bit to the drones cuddling against her before her eyes slip shut and she's asleep again*
Grimlock: *looks at the rest of the energon cube* You gonna drink that?
Wheeljack: *shakes head* Here... *Holds it out to Grimlock*
Grimlock: *downs it and burps thunderously*
Fluffy: Well brought up. Too bad....
Grimlock: *growls at him*
Fluffy: *plays the growl back at him*
Fred: *hits Fluffy in the head*
Wheeljack: *warning tone* If any a' you wake Ratchet, I'll turn ya into a Furby.
Lyra: *Playing a different lullaby now*
Steeljaw: *Curls up at Rachel's feet*
Fluffy: *stink eyes the cat and then vanishes under the blanket*
Grimlock: *settles in Rachel's chair and sulks*
Sludge: *lays his head down by Rachel's and goes to sleep*
Lisa: *Finishes with the dishes, and splits the casserole into smaller containers that will fit in the tiny fridge* Lemme know if you guys need anything.... I think Merlin, Pandita, Javan, and Patrick're gonna bring more clothes tomorrow...
Fluffy: *quietly* We're gonna need a bigger boat.
Lisa: *tries not to snerk, nods* I'll see if Petra and Alice can help find one....
Wheeljack: *quietly thanks Lisa, and moves to shoo drones out of his chair, where he settles to keep watch again*
Lisa: Chin up, guys... Rachel'll be back to her old self in no time. ^_^ *goes out the door, taking her empty casserole container with her*
((co-written with random_xtras))