Location: Outlying Tower

[blackwingdove]

Jetstorm turned abruptly when he was out of sight of the Medical Ward and took off at a fast 'skate towards one of the side-doors of Metroplex. He didn't want to face all five Stunticons at once, not like this

Comments

[primus_seeress]

Auspex concentrates on Primus, on his solace, when she receives no reply for several minutes. When she does... she almost wishes she hadn't.

//Hey, Auspex. Jets ain't home right now, and we're in the middle of some slag. So, uh, call back later.//'In the middle of...'? That sounds distinctly Bad. From one of his brothers, rather than himself, and 'not home' -- somehow, she thinks that's almost literal. She hisses slightly as she remembers that Motormaster would probably still be in the vicinity. If they should meet, with Jetstorm in that condition... she doesn't know who to worry about more: him, or Motormaster

[blackwingdove]

"No," Skydive admits. "He drained a lot of power fighting the Wendigo, being on that level rather than this one. Usually when he does something like that, he rests while the others... mop up."

Fireflight's optics brighten. "That's a lie, Skydive. He's fought spirits before, and they've never tired him that much."

"Peace," Jetstorm says softly. "Peace. Answer the other question."

"I feel fine. Just drained," Air Raid says. The others murmur assent.

[strataseeker]

Strata steps forward, pausing just outside the doorway to the cell.

"Jetstorm?" she intones softly. "The fire... whispers to me. It will come if I call. If you need it. If it will help you."

[blackwingdove]

"And what do you want me to burn? The city? The moon? Or would you prefer a funeral pyre?" Jetstorm asks, his optics dimming slightly.

"I wanted to make Cybertron his pyre. But the Void wouldn't let me."

[attair_al_fada]

Skyfire tilts his head slightly; his touch is gentle as he holds Jetstorm and brushes his helm.

"Jetstorm, you look at the past right now, and I think you have been looking at pieces of the past in today. Let it go. Do you not remember, how your eyes and your other senses warred with each other on the tower outside? I am not ruined, nor was Void here, nor is there a moon rising tonight."

[primus_seeress]

Simply because the other owner is dead does not mean he can have it.*...Dead? The Motormaster from his world is dead? Oh... the sorrow he'd felt, when he saw this universe's Motormaster in the medbay -- his love is most likely dead, assuming that memory is not merely another dream. But the self-loathing that accompanied it... she shudders slightly at the possible implications, but sweeps that line of thought to the side as she concentrates on the matter at hand

[blackwingdove]

"I remember, Skyfire. But the Void made that which wasn't real go away, so that I could see the ringed moon above the horizon." Jetstorm moves his helm against Skyfire's hand in a languid, barely-there motion.

Auspex draws his attention again, and he tries to sort through her questions for answers. Some of them, like where Void has been, are simply unanswerable, so he ignores them.

"Why should I follow him? He is my commander, not my master." The distinction is obviously important to him. "Besides, Skyfire frightened him away."

He tries to think of what he was doing before he went outside, but his mind is still fragmented. He ignores that line of thought when it yields nothing more than the metal cavern and the tentacles and probes tearing away his armor. "What did I do instead of what?"

[primus_seeress]

*The plan for asking so many questions was the reasoning that at least one of them would be answered... but she winces at his apparent balking, and softly smooths his hand, a gesture of apology. Too many at once.. there are so many she wants to ask, to find his sanity lurking in the corners of his mind somewhere, before it can slip away, but he's addled enough as it is... patience, patience. She trembles slightly, stops for a moment to draw Primus's presence to herself, and give away her fear, before it overwhelms her. She proceeds now, more calmly*

Do you remember that Motormaster was here in the medbay, before you left?

[attair_al_fada]

Skyfire shifts his hold on Jetstorm and continues to gently stroke the dark jet's helm, which he holds close against his chest plate, letting Jetstorm feel the slow beat of his fuel pump, the pulse of his core energies within.

"Jetstorm, what do you see now?" Skyfire asks gently. "Are things better now?"

// Auspex, I drove Motormaster away--but if Jetstorm thinks I frightened the master of his delusions away, I will not argue with him yet. What is the ringed moon of his visions? //

Skyfire reaches down and gently caresses each of the Aerialcrons in turn. "Rest. I think all of you will think more clearly and feel better with rest and recharge. I will be here, Jetstorm, and protect you."

[blackwingdove]

"Motormaster is dead," Jetstorm says flatly.

He says nothing more, merely snuggling up close to Skyfire, reveling in the presence of the great white shuttle. He's tired of answering questions, tired of being in pain. Deceptive chaos-dreams, the Void wanting Motormaster's sword, the second moon waiting-

-Waiting for what?

He didn't think he could answer that. Not with every thought going every which way, each one needing to be caught and held by hand, disappearing into the cracks of his mind.

There is a lot of comfort in being close to someone, in being held and caressed. He lets himself drift in Skyfire's arms, each pulse of the shuttle's core energies drawing him deeper into rest-state.

The Aerialcrons react with pleasure at Skyfire's caresses, soft sounds slipping from their vocoders.

[primus_seeress]

She hesitates for a long moment, as she considers Skyfire's question. now that he mentions this... moons don't have rings, do they? What sort of ringed celestial body could orbit a planet..? Unless... given the chaotic tinge to his visions, it could very well be... You even haunt his dreams, Chaos Bringer...

//*slight sigh* Unicron. He saw Unicron. I believe, as his Herald, Void and his people would go to worlds in advance of the Destroyer, and raze them... Unicron would probably be visible in the sky as they did so. Jetstorm is so confused...//

"Motormaster is dead," Jetstorm says flatly.*Auspex hisses softly at his answer. She watches as he drifts closer to stasis, holding fast to his hand

[attair_al_fada]

Skyfire nods silently.

// I think he is seeing things in terms of the past. He is exhausted in body and mind and not thinking very well, if at all. I hope with some peaceful rest and recharge, he'll be thinking more clearly. //

He continues to hold and comfort Jetstorm with one arm and waves Auspex over with the other.

// Jetstorm finds you reassuring, I think, but is very tired and not up to talking. Come and sit with us and comfort him; let him feel your life and strength and love. //

"Come sit by me, Auspex--you look in need of rest and comfort as well."

[blackwingdove]

When Skyfire lifts one of his arms away from the dark jet, Jetstorm abruptly grips Auspex's hand and tugs her against him.

His lips twitch with a hint of a smile, and there's a brief spike in his emotions, but soon that fades back to him settling into defrag-mode. But he had, apparently, been listening for a little bit there.

Or perhaps, if the mischief-spike from Slingshot was any sign, it wasn't entirley Jetstorm's idea.

[primus_seeress]

Auspex looks up at Skyfire, then Jetstorm... she draws Primus's presence to her, seeking answer to a silent question. It's ambiguous... Jetstorm may be perfectly fine when he activates, he may not. But talking to him is no longer an option at the moment. She must let it go. With a little sigh, she stands up and wanders closer, still gripping Jetstorm's hand.

With a soft but startled eep, she suddenly finds herself... in a rather more interesting position relative to Jetstorm than she'd anticipated. After a moment of limb-waving, she finds enough leverage to scoot off of him somewhat, curling up by his side with her arms draped around his torso in a loose embrace, half-leaning on Skyfire. Now that she's here, she might as well get comfortable.

[attair_al_fada]

Skyfire wraps his arms around both of them, holding them for all the world like a pair of children nestled against him to sleep.

"Rest, all of you. I'll keep you all as safe as I can," he says. Skyfire feels Auspex's fields play against his own and Jetstorm's, fluttering a bit, then relaxing in resonance with his own, calming.

[doc_ratchet]

Ratchet is waiting by the door, watching everyone settle out. An odd corner of his processor comments idly to itself that it's about time Jetstorm got some comfort and rest, while another part looks on a little enviously. Ratchet would like nothing better at that moment than to be in the same position with Perceptor and Wheeljack. Then again, just being able to curl up anywhere and have someone watch over him for a little while sounds appealing, but he won't even admit that to himself at the moment. There's too many people counting on him right now to indulge in something that... selfish.

Frostbite's voice breaks over his comm, interrupting his distracted musings.

//Ratchet, Perceptor’s woken up. He’s pretty groggy and out of it at the moment.//

// I'll be there as soon as I can extricate myself from the Medbay. Ratchet out. //

// Skyfire... You have everything in hand here? Do you need me for anything? First Aid will be here shortly to man the bay... //