Nexus, Near the Black Dog, Meeting of Military Minds...
Denver: *looks around, having accidentally taken a wrong turn on her way to the gym, since Dr. Anderson said she's not to be running out in the cold for a little while* Er.... *scowls at the sign until she can make sense of what it says* Question, huh? M'kay.... *Squares her shoulders* Ah'm writin' a storeh in th' sah-fah genre... Th' main character falls f'r a bein' 'f 'nother race... th' otha race's mechanical... Sentient machines, basic'ly... 'M wond'rin' 'f th't's a bit fah-fetched... C'n a 'uman bein' realleh fall in love wit' a machine, 'r 'm Ah jes' blowin' 'ot ayeh?
Archiva: *looks around from where she's been rapidly scrolling through data at a nearby Nexus terminal* I don't think it's far fetched at all.
Denver: *blinks, wasn't expecting an answer so quickly* Er... Aneh particulah reasonin' f'r th't?
Archiva: Because I've seen such relationships work out.
Denver: *small nod, a ghost of a smile coming to her lips*
Archiva: *quietly, remembering that it's alright to talk about the Transformers here* Come over beside me and I'll show you something. But you first you have to promise to never speak of this outside the Nexus.
Denver: On mah 'onor 's a Unahted States Marine, Ah won't. *coming over to stand beside Archiva*
Archiva: *pause* You're a Marine too?
Denver: *nods, offering her right hand* Major Denver MacKenzie.
Archiva: *takes the hand with a strong grip* Lt. Olivia Pax. But I usually go by the codename 'Archiva'.
Denver: *also has a strong grip, as she learned early on how to give proper handshakes* 'S a pleasure t' meet y'u, Lt. Pax.
Archiva: *small smile* I might not remember to reply to that, sir. Please, call me Archiva.
Denver: *Chuckles* Alrahght... So, wh't're we lookin' 't, Archiva?
Archiva: *nods toward the huge couch that Denver had nearly come out under* My husband. Optimus Prime.
Denver: *eyes widen when she catches sight of the sizeable mech sleeping on the couch, and if Archiva's paying attention, she'll see that Denver knows the name of Optimus Prime*
Archiva: *as expert at reading human body language as she is at reading most written languages* ...You've heard that name before.
Denver: Er... Yeah... *quick glance around before she's dropping the volume of her voice* Ah know a gent back 'ome wit' th' name... 'E 'n 'is people 're livin' statesahd...
Archiva: *brows lift* *just as quiet* You know the Autobots?
Denver: *nod* *quietly* Ah work wit' th' group th't's trahin' t' keep 'em safe 'n secret... *There may be more than she's letting on, if her question earlier is anything to go by*
Archiva: As is my own group, GI JOE.
Denver: ... *blink blink, looking slightly brain-broken now*
Archiva: *slight frown* Sir? Is something wrong?
Denver: Jes... Back 'ome, y'all... Well, y'all don' exist... Nevah thought Ah'd wahnd up... *yep, she's a bit flustered now*
Archiva: But you've heard the name before. I can see that....
Denver: *nod* 'N comic books 'n on TV....
Archiva: *blinks* We're... fiction?
Denver: *slight wince, nods*
Archiva: ...How odd. What is your organization called?
Denver: NEST. *small grin* Ah trahd t' talk mah CO int' trahin' t' secure th' GI JOE name f'r our unit.... Di'n't 'ave aneh luck....
Archiva: Well... it would be copywrited if it's being used for television and comic books. And perhaps not taken seriously enough. Though in my reality most people have never heard of us.
Denver: *nod* Not maneh people know 'bout NEST back 'ome... Colonel Franklin's good 't keepin' stuff on th' DL...
Archiva: *nodding and looking at her* ...Is your question really about a story character?
Denver: *Erks, a faint blush tinging her cheeks as she quickly looks around to make sure she's not going to be found out. Headshake*
Archiva: *slight smile* *gently* What's his name?
Denver: *Blushing more* Tracks...
Archiva: He's not part of our team. But Optimus spoke of him once. He said he was a good friend to have at your back.
Denver: *small nod* *quietly* 'E's a good person... Ain't no doubt 'bout that...
Archiva: *shuts down the screen and wipes away all trace of what she was looking at so that there's no trail for the curious* Would you like to come sit on the couch? *nodding toward Optimus' resting place*
Denver: Sure... *will follow Archiva to the couch*
Archiva: *leaps up and gets a handhold, then scales the massive piece of furniture with practised ease. Once she's reached the seat next to her husband she looks down for Denver* Do you need a hand?
Denver: Ah c'n manage. *works on scaling the massive couch. Once she's up on the couch though, it's apparent that she's recently recovered from something that had her off her feet for a few days*
Archiva: *frowning* Should you have done that, sir?
Denver: Ah'll be alrahght... Jes gettin' ovah bein' off mah feet f'r a few days, 's all.
Archiva: *kneeling in the way of someone who's used to holding on as they sit* Were you injured?
Denver: *headshake* Nah... Jes 'ad t' take 't easeh aftah gettin' a touch'a hypothermia...
Archiva: *winces* Was it your first encounter with cold? *now absently leaning back against Optimus' side*
Denver: Naw... Ah live 'n Virginia... Ah jes ain't useta th' fricken' artic chill we got goin' on back 'ome.... 'N Ah prolleh sh'ld'a put on moah layahs th'n Ah 'ad on 't th' tahm... B't Ah w's inna 'urreh t' talk t' Tracks.... *Shrugs*
Archiva: ...Arctic chill in Virginia?
Optimus: *is warm*
Denver: *nod* 'S th' strangest thing... Ain't nevah 'ad a wintah th's bittehly cold...
Archiva: .... *thinking of something she was just reading. Frowns deeply*
Denver: *Sees that frown, Archiva* S'meth'n' wrong?
Archiva: I don't know. But I was just reading stories of other realities that have Transformers in them. Have you ever heard of a being called the Fallen? And what are the shells of your Transformers like?
Denver: Depends 'n th' Transformer... Th' Autobots're 'uman-sahzed... *pats her pocket, perks up and withdraws her cellphone* Ah mahght 'ave a picture 'r two on 'ere...
Archiva: *frowns again* Are you sure you want to be carrying pictures of them around like that?
Denver: 'S a company phone., f'r keepin' tabs 'n evereh'un 'n relayin' ordahs 'tween th' different parts'a th' base... Ah 'ave t' turn it 'n aneh tahm Ah leave th' base.... Ah wasn' plannin' 'n goin' anehwhere t'day....
Archiva: *frowning deeply at the security breach, but then reminds herself that she's got a whole Transformer with her here today*
Denver: *frowns* Okay... Ah guess Ah w's wrong... Ah do 'ave pics 'a Tracks' alt-mode though... *grin, that faint blush tinging her cheeks again* 'E makes 'un Faaaaahn Shelby Cobra...
Archiva: *chuckles* You like his alt mode too. *has never really noticed Optimus' main alt much, other than as something to sit in*
Denver: *shrug* Ah lahk nahce-lookin' cahs...
Archiva: May I see?
Denver: *nods and offers her phone, which has a picture of what appears to be a well-treated blue and white Shelby Cobra*
Archiva: He looks fast. What's this on his undercarriage? *points to where Tracks' wings just barely show*
Denver: 'Is wings... 'E's able t' flah... Don' ask me 'ow th't works, 'cause Ah ain't got th' foggiest ahdear... *chuckles*
Archiva: A winged car....
Denver: *nods* 'E 'n Raoul do stunt work f'r movies... Ah don' think 'e's flown in th' movies yet....
Archiva: *blinks* You mean, he works in public? *surprised*
Denver: T' mah knowledge, yes... 'S a stunt cah... 'R 'e usedta... *shrug*
Archiva: And no one knows he's anything else?
Denver: 'Sahd fr'm NEST, Raoul, 'n th' Autobots, no.
Archiva: *marveling* Do you have any pictures of his root mode?
Denver: *headshake* Jes th' two 'a 'is alt... Most'a th' tahm, Ah don' think t' trah 'n get a picture'a 'is root mode...
Archiva: And you said he's only as tall as you?
Denver: *nod* There'bouts... Mebbeh a li'l bit tallah...
Archiva: *looks at the picture of the car again, a slight line appearing between her brows as she tries to work this out*
Denver: 'F Ah 'ad t' 'azard a guess... 'S prolly th' same trick th't s'me'a th' largah bots use t' fold down t' theah 'uman modes... S'methin' called 'subspace' 'r s'methin' lahk th't... Skahfahr trahd t' 'splain it t' me 'whahl back...
Archiva: *pulls up a knee slightly and leans her elbow on her fist, her blue eyes intent* Subspace?
Denver: Th't's wh't 'e called it... Ah ain't too sure 'bout wh't it is, t' be perfectly 'onest....
Archiva: I... think I do.
Denver: *blink blink* Realleh? *is actually pretty curious about this*
Archiva: Yes, I was reading pages on the terminal over there. And there was one page that talked about it. It seems to be another term for hammerspace.
Denver: ...Hammaspace?
Archiva: *explains the concept*
Denver: *listening attentively and nodding as the things that Skyfire told her start to make sense*
Archiva: *pauses in mid sentence and turns to look up at Optimus*
Denver: *Attention going to the mech as well*
Optimus: *a pair of half-open, sleepy blue optics smiling at Archiva for a few moments before he rumbles softly and goes back to sleep. Someone that big has no right to look that sleepy adorable*
Archiva: *grinning as she leans against him and listens to the rumble for a moment*
Denver: *quiet chuckle, doing her best not to wake Optimus up again*
Archiva: *turns back to the other woman, her eyes shining* *quietly* He's getting stronger.
Denver: *blink, concerned* *Quietly* 'E w's 'urt?
Archiva: *sighs, her smile fading* He is hurt. And he will be till he joins the Allspark.
Denver: *sympathetic wince* *Quietly* 'M sorreh t' 'ear th't....
Archiva: *softly* You don't need to be sorry.
Denver: *small frown, trying to work this out*
Archiva: The being who should be sorry has paid for his stupidity.
Denver: *small nod, quiet sigh* Ah s'pose Ah sh'ld prolleh trah t' get back 'ome soon... Tracks 'n Raoul'll be worrehd 'bout me....
Archiva: Do you know the way?
Denver: Well, Ah'm pretteh sure Ah came fr'm th't direction... *points in the direction she came*
Archiva: *stands and looks toward where Denver is pointing* I wonder if you can get back that way.
Denver: *Grins a bit* Ain't no way'a knowin' till Ah give it a shot. *yes, she's been called crazy before... and laughed about it*
Pandita: *appearing nearby in a PINflash*
Denver: ... *SNERK*
Archiva: *looks at Denver, and then over to the tall man who just appeared*
Pandita: *attention on Denver now, looking very surprised* Ah, Major MacKenzie... How did you get here? *looking very surprised and a bit confused*
Denver: *amused* Wrong turn on mah way t' th' gym....
Archiva: *watching in silence now, her head lowered slightly in the way that she's learned often makes her fade off peoples' radar*
Pandita: *Coming over to the couch now, curious about the occupants* *to Archiva* I intend you no harm. My name, while I am in this form, is Pandita Marler...
Archiva: While you're in that form? *goes to one knee to look down at him, absently pushing her hair back from her face as she does so*
Pandita: *nods* My root mode would be far too large to fit comfortably indoors...
Archiva: *understanding lights her face* You're an Autobot.
Pandita: *another nod* My designation proper is Skyfire... *small smile*
Archiva: The man who was telling Major MacKenzie about subspace. *nodding*
Pandita: *nods, before quickly glancing around to make sure there aren't any Decepticons nearby. Then he's taking a few steps back and transforming. A few moments later, there's a very tall mech standing there*
Archiva: *looks at his legs for a few moments before blinking and redirecting her gaze to his face* Amazing.
Skyfire: *sheepish smile* Ah... Thank you.... *rubbing the back of his head a bit now*
Denver: Aneh reason y'u're 'ere, Skahfahr?
Skyfire: *small nod* Jack asked me to get some cookies...
Archiva: Cookies? There aren't any available in your reality?
Denver: 'E means th' kahnd made outta s'methin' called calcien 'n energon...
Archiva: *startled* There's energon here?
Skyfire: *nods, pointing to the Black Dog* The bar there caters to Transformers and other beings alike.
Archiva: *glances at Optimus, that line appearing between her eyebrows again* Can you tell me what it costs?
Skyfire: *nods, naming off the prices that he can recall for the different grades and flavors of energon, as well as the prices he remembers for the different kinds of cookies that are also available at the bar*
Archiva: *lost* What would be a good, basic fuel for a man who isn't running at full operational capacity?
Skyfire: *blink, considering* Well, the cookies would be good.... They have minerals in them that fuel self-repair systems... Mid grade or ration grade would also be tolerable, I believe...
Archiva: *absent hand on her sleeping husband* His self repair's working alright. But our medics think he needs something with a little more energy than gasoline or diesel, or electricity.
Skyfire: *Small nod* Mid grade with calcien mixed in...
Archiva: What does that cost?
Skyfire: *tells her*
Archiva: How much would a man your size or his need in a day?
Skyfire: Well, the calcien would help the energon stay in his tank longer... *doing a bit of quick math* Probably two or three, depending on his activity level....
Archiva: And if he hasn't had any for several thousand years?
Skyfire: *blink blink* Er... *seriously thinking this over now* I suppose it would be best to start him off slowly on it... one cube per day, possibly... *wondering if he should call Rachel or Russell and ask*
Archiva: *nodding, her hand going into her pocket. But then she remembers something else* How did you do that teleport?
Skyfire: *holds up what looks like a wristwatch* This device... It's called a PINpoint... There are vending machines that sell them nearby.
Archiva: *nods, her eyes studying the device* How do you set the coordinates? *yes, she has experience with teleporters. She's played with the JOE's version of the Mass Device before they ran out of fuel for it*
Skyfire: *explains how to use the device, having been given a crash course in its usage courtesy of Bluestreak*
Archiva: *nodding, and then pulls out a credit card and a few bills* Will you buy me some cubes of energon? I can't leave Optimus.
Skyfire: *nods* I have more than enough credits to do so...
Archiva: I have money. *shows him the bills*
Skyfire: *Gently* It's no trouble... I don't have anywhere else to spend my credits.
Archiva: I'm not short. *glances at Optimus a few seconds before he groans softly in his sleep*
Denver: 'E's jes trahin' t' be a gent...
Archiva: *looks at her a bit distractedly, then blinks and focuses before turning back to Skyfire* Alright. Thank you.
Skyfire: *nods and hurries to the Black Dog*
Archiva: *glances back at Optimus, then pats him gently and climbs down the couch to go get a PINpoint*
Optimus: *moves slightly and frowns* Olivia....
Denver: *distracted glance at Optimus, before she's back to watching for Skyfire's return*
Archiva: *returning* The reason I asked about The Fallen is that I was wondering if perhaps he was sucking the energy from your sun. *back on the couch now and studying the high end PINpoint she got*
Denver: ... *frown. Now has something new to worry about, which will no doubt be passed on to Colonel Franklin*
Archiva: But my searches show that he only does that in realities with a certain tech type, which is different from what yours has.
Denver: Wh't kahnd'a tech? *curious, and a bit concerned*
Archiva: *nods toward a passing bot* Like his.
Denver: *looks to the passing bot* ... *quietly, to Archiva* 'S lahk lookin' at a cah's guts......
Archiva: 0_0 That's a pretty apt description, actually.
Denver: *looks in the direction Skyfire went, trying to see if she can spot the large mech* Ah wondah wh't's takin' 'im so long?
Archiva: *looks up* Maybe the place is busy?
Denver: *small frown* *absently* Tracks 'n Raoul're gonna be worrehd sick 'bout me...
Archiva: *frowns herself in sympathetic concern* Can you call your friend?
Denver: *blink* Tracks? 'R Skahfahr?
Archiva: Skyfire. The man who's at the Black Dog.
Denver: *checks her phone to see if any new numbers were added recently* Ah mahght be able t'....
Archiva: *startles as she hears a loud sound like the trumpet of a very big elephant* What???
Denver: *Startles as well, hand automatically going for her gun*
Archiva: *eyes widen as she sees Skyfire returning at a run, a massive black mammoth in hot pursuit. Stares, her mouth dropping open*
Sparky: *small ears flaring as she tries to fetch the man for Mama!*
Skyfire: *Does not WANT to be fetch'd!*
Archiva: *gun out and aiming*
Denver: *gun out and aiming as well, shouts for Skyfire to come towards the couch, her voice losing its accent*
Skyfire: *acks and runs faster* Blackout! Call off your pet!!!
Blackout: *has come out onto the porch and can be heard laughing uproariously. Then comes a sharp whistle*
Sparky: *pauses. Oh. Mama changed her mind. Small sound and a scratch at the ground with the longest of her three tusks, then turns and walks back*
Archiva: *mouth open and staring again*
Denver: 0_0
Archiva: ...That Blackout sounds female.
Skyfire: *peeking from behind another couch* I didn't do anything to warrent being chased!!!
Archiva: *gives herself a little shake and looks at him* She sicced it on you?
Skyfire: *nods and moves back over by the couch that Archiva and Denver are on before he remembers what he went to the Black Dog for. Gets out several cubes of mid grade energon that have been mixed with calcien. These get offered to Archiva* Here...
Archiva: *remembers what she's heard about energon* Will you set them down here? *slowly putting the gun away, her expression still a little brain broken*
Denver: *nods, will climb onto Skyfire's hand when the mech holds it out to her*
Archiva: Good bye, Major MacKenzie. I enjoyed talking to you.
Denver: *nods* W's nahce talkin' t' y'u 's well, Archiva...
Archiva: *salutes, and then nods to Skyfire before glancing to see if she can glimpse that mammoth again*
Skyfire: *gives a polite nod, before PINpointing back to the lodge*
Archiva: *turns her attention to gently waking her husband and showing him the energon before she brings him home*
((co-written with random_xtras))