rwn. /Lost Light/ and Terra. Rodimus Found Part 3

[dens_extra_pups]

Continued from here



Ratchet: *surprised sound as Torque is surrounded by blue sparkles*

Nightwish: *lifts her brow plates as she watches*

Mini-Jazz: *ooooo*

Dion's monster: *hide*

Torque: *soft sigh once the sparkles fade*

Ratchet: *SCANNING* *quietly* She's recharging.

Wheeljack: What the *beep* was that?

Dion: *beep* is a bad word.

Ratchet: *to Wheeljack* I'll explain later. We should get her resting on something more comfortable than the floor.

Viisaus: *covers his optics, shoulders shaking with relief*

Wheeljack: Where're we gonna find that?

Nightwish: *soft chuckle* She's used to sleeping on pavement or a roof. *arm around her father in comfort*

Ratchet: *small frown as she thinks*

Nightwish: *lets go of Viisaus and walks over to poke Torque* Are you comfortable?

Torque: *happy sprawl and another sigh* *sleeping peacefully now*

Nightwish: You'd make her mad if you moved her. The rubber floor's comfortable.

Ratchet: ... Alright, as long as she's comfortable.

Viisaus: *quietly, as he remembers* The Quadriate people don't have houses of any kind.

Rodimus: *quietly* We've got a tarp to keep rain off our stuff, and barriers for sandstorms when we're making long delivery runs, but that's it.

Ratchet: *turns to frown at Rodimus* And as for you. You couldn't have found a way to let us know you were safe? We were worried sick about you!

Rodimus: *will cringe and duck his head*

Nightwish: *studies the colourful bot, and then snerks softly as the buffer wraps around his face*

Rodimus: *gently moving the buffer away from his face* Cuddles, down.

Ratchet: *looks to Wheeljack* So what's his diagnosis?

Wheeljack: Fine, other than stupidity.

Ratchet: *soft snort and a nod, then turns her attention to making sure Minimus Ambus gets taken back to quarters. Will also nab Dion, Dion's hugmonster, and Mini Jazz as she goes*

Rodimus: *soft sigh once Ratchet and her family have exited the room. Will move to sit next to Torque*

Torque: *turns her head toward him without waking*

Wheeljack: *hands on his hips* What the scrap is that thing?

Rodimus: *looks up from gently smoothing Torque's forehead* Cuddles? He's a buffer. They tend to buff anybody that stays still long enough, but Cuddles decided to stay with me because of my colors. They like to stick close to their family, and he didn't have any.

Wheeljack: *snort* So yous finally found people that kin stand ya, but one's broken 'n the other's a dumb animal.

Rodimus: ... *giving you a "WTS" look now, Wheeljack* *slowly* Torque isn't broken.

Wheeljack: *scowls at him* She's gotta be that, or nuts, ta hang out with you.

Rodimus: *frowning now* I was assigned to her as a Governor. She wouldn't be allowed to leave the city if I hadn't been available. Now she can do her job and be safe out in the wilds. *he's proud of being able to help someone, Wheeljack*

Wheeljack: *snorts and turns his back on Rodimus*

Cyclonus: *walks in just then. And lifts that hulking bruiser and SHAKES him*

Rodimus: *makes funny sounds as Cuddles abandons ship!*

Cyclonus: *shakes him but good, and then drops him on his butt and turns on a heel to march back out*

Rodimus: @_@ The scrap...

Wheeljack: *without turning back* He don't like it when Tailgate cries.

Rodimus: *quietly* Oh. *tips over backwards*

Cuddles: *Yaaaay! Bubbybed!*

Viisaus: *silently watching all this*

Nightwish: *watches Wheeljack stomp off to the store room, and then looks at Rodimus* So you're Rodimus Prime.

Rodimus: *moves Cuddles away from his face again* *quietly* Just Rodimus.

Nightwish: *soberly* I really don't see what attracted my alternate.

Rodimus: ... *isn't sure whether or not to feel insulted* Okay?

Nightwish: Apparently he and she have a family, however. *looks to her father as she senses a slight shift from him*

Viisaus: *starting to sag, despite his best efforts to stay upright. Old man has had too much shock for one day*

Nightwish: *softly, the crisp precision gone from her voice* You need to lay down.

Viisaus: *quietly* Perhaps...

Megatron: *offers support* .>.>

Viisaus: *small nod of gratitude*

Nightwish: *walks over and activates a table, which rises up out of the floor* Bring him here, Megatron.

Megatron: *very awkwardly does so*

Rodimus: ... *moving to sit up now* What?! Megatron?!

Nightwish: *as the old fighter ducks and winces* Yes. Megatron.

Rodimus: *dotting and trying to think of what to say*

Viisaus: *quietly* He is in Nightwish's custody as her ward.

Nightwish: *gently helps Megatron lay Viisaus on the table* At his trial he was given to the custody of the Knights of Cybertron.

Rodimus: ... *jaw. DROPS* *squeak* Whaaat?!

Nightwish: *slight, impatient frown* What didn't you understand? *yes, Bluestreak and Eclipse, I has hugs*

Viisaus: *tiredly* Torque's shoulders... *shuttering his optics*

Eclipse: *much clickstorm!*

Bluestreak: *brings Eclipse over and hides against Nightwish*

Nightwish: *as she cuddles the little gunner, sparklet, and hugmonster pup* You found one of the knights when you met Torque.

Rodimus: ... *softly* Holy scrap. *shocked to learn this fact*

Nightwish: She was the faithful right hand of Viisaus the Just till she fell in battle while defending Terra. *gentle hand on her father as she continues to hug Blue and family*

Rodimus: *quietly* And you're one of the Knights, too?

Nightwish: I'm one of Viisaus' daughters.

Megatron: *sighs and sits down with a clunk*

Rodimus: Oh. *attention going to that clunk*

Torque: *turns her head slightly, soft clicks*

Nightwish: *frowns and strides over to activate another table* Don't sleep on the floor, Megatron.

Megatron: *mumble*

Rodimus: ... *makes a decision and moves to get up. Once he's on his feet, he'll move to carefully and gently lift Megatron up*

Megatron: *mumbles again and blinks at him with a bleary, questioning frown. He's clearly already mostly shut down*

Rodimus: *quietly* Let's get you resting.

Megatron: *soft rasp* Thank you. Not... my best.

Rodimus: You'll be alright.

Megatron: *non-committal sound*

Rodimus: *once the table's where it needs to be, he'll carefully lay Megatron on it, then get a tarp out of subspace and gently drape it over the former warlord. If it comforts Torque when she's not feeling well, maybe it'll help Megatron, too*

Nightwish: *has returned to comforting Bluestreak and Eclipse, but those molten eyes are watching Megatron with concern*

Rodimus: *making sure the tarp is tucked around Megatron, will back up a few steps and check his subspace for another tarp, intending to tuck it around Viisaus if he finds one*

Nightwish: *without looking away from Megatron* His blanket's in his quarters. But he'll probably trip out if you cover him now.

Rodimus: *blinks* Oh. *small frown as he realizes Nightwish is worried about Megatron*

Nightwish: *notices the silence and how he's running, and turns her head slightly to look at him questioningly*

Rodimus: *quietly* Megatron's not doing so well, is he?

Nightwish: *simply* He hasn't decided to live yet.

Rodimus: ... :/

Nightwish: The only reason he fuels is because Sharpshot and Tailgate feed him.

Rodimus: ... *more worried frown now*

Nightwish: And all the Autobots wound up exiled from Cybertron at his trial.

Rodimus: ... What the scrap happened? *very worried now*

Nightwish: *takes one hand away from Bluestreak and family to show Rodimus footage of the trial and aftermath*

Rodimus: *boggling at the chaos*

Nightwish: *plays it right past the fight to save Jazz's life and Swerve's time as a wall magnet for poking Megatron with a stick*

Rodimus: *shaking a bit by the time the footage ends*

Eclipse: *drooling on you, Nightwish. Babby fell asleep*

Nightwish: *shuts off the recording and then gently adjusts how Bluestreak is holding Eclipse and the hugmonster*

Bluestreak: *soft clicks*

Rodimus: *very visibly shaken by what he's witnessed* *quietly* Is Jazz going to be okay?

Nightwish: He's fine. Grumbler and Monty don't let him overdo it.

Rodimus: *small nod, visibly relieved* And everyone else got back to the ship safely... Good. *has to sit down now*

Nightwish: *gives him a long look, and then plays the footage that she bought from Blaster of the end of Overlord*

Rodimus: ... *quietly* That guy sort of looks like me.

Nightwish: That's your alternate.

Rodimus: *boggles as he watches his alternate go after Overlord with a flaming ax and lop off several weapons before bursting into flames* *squeak*

Nightwish: *brow quirks at him as the footage continues*

Rodimus: *has to cover his eyes when his alternate rips Overlord's arms and legs off*

Nightwish: You're hiding?

Rodimus: *quietly* It's too much... *doesn't sound so good*

Nightwish: *fast forwards* You want the happy ending? *says this last with dry amusement as she quotes the words of the bot in the footage*

Rodimus: *small nod*

mtmteRodimus: //And now for the happy ending!//

Rodimus: *looks*

mtmteRodimus: *posed there in space with his arms around a winged female Ultra Magnus with golden eyes, and a dark maroon bitty with the same eyes. Has such a joyful and easy grin on his face*

Rodimus: *softly* Aww. *small smile*

Nightwish: *shuts off the footage, then looks toward the door*

Rodimus: *also looks*

Whirl: *hurries in several moments later, a tiny bundle in his hands* *fussing and fretting* First Aid? You around?

First Aid: *comes hurrying in from the back* I'm right here, Whirl. What's the problem now?

Whirl: She hurled... *worried about Twilight. Will carefully cuddle the little bundle of parts so First Aid can scan her easily*

First Aid: *scans the little sparklet as she peeks and smiles at him* I really don't think anything's wrong. Just look at her.

Nightwish: *watches the moment with a slight smile*

Rodimus: *surprised by how much Whirl's changed from the last time he saw the helicoptor-bot*

First Aid: *softly and soothingly* She's fine. It was only an air bubble. *pauses and looks up* Did you lose Rouser again?

Whirl: ... Aw, scrap! *will quickly and carefully tuck Twilight into his passenger compartment, then go to find Rouser*

First Aid: *soft chuckle as he turns to look at Rodimus*

Rodimus: *boggling a bit*

First Aid: What's wrong?

Rodimus: That was Whirl... Right?

First Aid: *nod* Yep.

Rodimus: ... Wow.

First Aid: Ratchet, Magnus, Kup, Perceptor, and several others are parents now too.

Rodimus: ...

First Aid: Your alternate activated a hot spot on Luna 1.

Rodimus: ...Luna 1?

First Aid: You know, the lost moon?

Rodimus: ... It exists. Holy scrap.

First Aid: Oh yes, it exists. Tyrest was holed up there, plotting to kill half of botkind.

Rodimus: ... *expression dark now* Oh?

First Aid: *smiles behind his mask* Tailgate stopped him.

Rodimus: *blink. Blink!* Tailgate stopped him?

First Aid: *nods* You should ask him about it sometime.

Rodimus: *small nod*

First Aid: Cyclonus is married.

Rodimus: *surprised* Really? Who'd he marry?

First Aid: *simply* Our Rung, once we got her back.

Rodimus: ... Our... wait, Rung's a girl? *surprised*

Nightwish: *looking at the door again*

Red Alert: *comes into the infirmary, dripping oil from his soak and de-stressing* ... *calmly strides over to Rodimus and slaps the hulking mech across the face*

Rodimus: *startled squawk, topples from the shock*

Nightwish: o.0

First Aid: Red! What was that for??

Red Alert: For making us all worry so much, and not letting us know he was alive.

Rodimus: *cringing* I didn't know if it would be safe!

Red Alert: *sternly* That is nonsense, Rodimus.

Rodimus: It isn't nonsense, Red. *quieter* Not with some of the slaggers out there who would've loved to know where Overlord had been hiding.

Nightwish: Prowl's no longer a threat.

Rodimus: *shakes his head* *so quiet* Prowl isn't who I mean.

Nightwish: And my sister and her team are keeping tabs on Tarn's crew.

Rodimus: ...

Red Alert: We have the situation in hand.

First Aid: And we know where Optimus is.

Rodimus: ... He's alive?

First Aid: Well... yeah.

Rodimus: ... *slowly* Holy scrap.

Red Alert: Kup is also alive.

Rodimus: And a parent, too?

Red Alert: *blink* Yes. Though Sharpshot will demand attention from any crewmember in her vicinity.

First Aid: Except Getaway and Mudflap.

Rodimus: ... Who's Getaway? *attention going to a soft snore. Chuckles quietly when he realizes it's Torque snoring*

Viisaus: *quiet sigh as he slips into recharge*

First Aid: *as he walks over to check on Viisaus* He was Skid's friend, but I think they had a fight.

Viisaus: *starting to relax as he rests*

Nightwish: *kindly* Torque, you can move out of the middle of the floor.

First Aid: *surprised look for the tall woman*

Torque: *soft chuckle, moves to sit up* *quietly, so as not to disturb the sleeping mechs* Alright. But you'll have to tell me how you knew.

Rodimus: *boggling*

Nightwish: *slight smile* My sensors are very strong. I could see your brain activity.

Torque: *surprised blinking as she gets to her feet* Oh. Are you a medical unit like Fixer, then? *curious*

Nightwish: No. I was a science experiment.

Torque: Oh. *no judgment in her tone* Alright, then. *will move to gently smooth Viisaus' forehead, clicking softly to the data clerk*

Nightwish: *quietly* I've often wished I could meet you.

Torque: *looks over her shoulder and smiles* Well, I'm here now. I don't intend to leave.

Nightwish: *smiles her family smile* Aunt Fixer's created someone too.

Torque: *very surprised* She and 'Breaker finally stopped trying to brain each other on stuff?

Nightwish: *dryly* Nope.

Torque: ... *snerk* I didn't think they would... But tell me about Fixer's kid?

Nightwish: He's just like Leobreaker, only without the brains.

Torque: *dryly* You mean 'Breaker had brains to begin with?

Nightwish: *smirk*

Torque: *headshake* Still. I'm glad. Fixer should never be allowed to get bored.

Nightwish: *curiously* Can she actually do that?

Torque: *shrug* No idea. The last time I was around her, 'Breaker and I tended to keep her pretty busy... But I've always heard it's a bad idea to let a medic get bored.

Rodimus: *before he can stop himself* No, it's a bad idea to let Wheeljack get bored.

Nightwish: *looks over at a First Aid contentedly humming and twiddling his thumbs, then down at the people and pet in her arms* Wheeljack's not going to be bored for a long long time. Right, Bluestreak?

Bluestreak: *soft "hm?", looks up. Was starting to nod off now that Eclipse is putting out sleeping baby magic*

Nightwish: *gently* Why don't you go get Wheeljack and bring him home?

Bluestreak: *small nod and a quickly muffled yawn*

Nightwish: *gently sets her free and points her toward the store room*

Bluestreak: *will bring Eclipse and Annie to the store room*

Torque: *quiet* D'aww. *small smile*

Rodimus: ... *starting to feel like he's not really needed here anymore*

Nightwish: *without looking at him* Stop that.

Torque: Roddy, go get some sleep. You've been up since yesterday.

Rodimus: ... Er... Alright. *will move to head out the door*

Cuddles: *peeps and follows after Bubby*

Torque: *watches Rodimus and Cuddles go* *quietly* I'll talk to him once he's had a chance to rest and process things.

First Aid: *softly* Rung says he feels things really deeply.

Torque: *small nod* Yeah... I've seen that... He cried himself sick when he met up with his friends in New Nyon.

First Aid: *perks* Do Tender and spouse have Crasher yet?

Torque: *chuckles* They sent us an image of her yesterday, after she was put into her shell.

First Aid: *happy chuckle* Is she storm born?

Torque: Yeah. New Nyon had a storm the other day. Powerful one. It might hit here in a few days.

First Aid: Does New Nyon have a birthing field here?

Torque: *nod* It's one of the outlying cities, so it's only got one field. Some drunk truck dumped hot spot material down the canyon vorns ago, and the city formed around where it landed.

First Aid: *chuckles* That's different from what I've heard about our sister reality.

Torque: *blink* Sister reality? *wasn't awake for that part*

First Aid: Oh, you didn't hear that part? *explains about the other reality*

Torque: *after the explanation* Wow.

First Aid: I'm kind of sad I won't get to meet Chico.

Torque: *will reach to very gently give shoulder patpats. She's well aware of her own strength*

First Aid: *hug!*

Torque: *soft rumble as she hugs* *will reach to add Nightwish to the hug if she wants to be added*

Nightwish: *over she steps, and oh so gently gives Torque a squeeze that the older woman will feel*

Torque: *more happy rumbling and hugging*

Nightwish: *chuckles, and when she's let go she'll sit on the edge of Megatron's table and help her aunt catch up*


meanwhile


Rodimus: *sitting in the corner of his old quarters and hugging his knees to his chest. Has the lights off, and is just brooding and thinking about how Torque doesn't need him anymore, and how it seems he's not needed on the ship, either*

something: *rattles softly behind the wall vent*

Rodimus: ... *looks to the vent* What the?

little voice: It's just me. Can I come 'n sit wif you?

Rodimus: ... Who are you? *moving to remove the vent cover*

little voice: I'm Zarnica.

Rodimus: ... What are you doing in the vents, Zarnica?

Zarnica: *big blue eyes blink at him as she becomes visible* Waitin' for you.

Rodimus: ... Waiting for me? *and then he's getting a good look at her... and making a soft, surprised sound*

Zarnica: *flame-pattern baby holds out little arms* Yup!

Rodimus: *automatically reaching for the baby, even with his hands shaking as badly as they are* O-Oh.

Zarnica: *deep frown* ...You're rattlin'.

Rodimus: *quietly, as he moves to sit on his recharge slab* I... I'll be alright.

Zarnica: *vanishes, and then reappears bum first and lands on the floor on her feet*

Rodimus: *awks and gets up to make sure the baby hasn't hurt herself with that landing*

Zarnica: *looks up at him, and then climbs his leg*

Rodimus: *freezes when Zarnica starts climbing his leg*

Zarnica: *past the leg, and then little fingers are slipping into his waist joint*

Rodimus: *squeaks*

Zarnica: *other set of fingers join them, and a small foot braces against the top of his knee*

Rodimus: *trying not to squirm*

Zarnica: *tries to reach higher, but then starts spinning out. Frown of deep concentration!*

Rodimus: *squeaks again and quickly reaches to keep babby from slipping*

Zarnica: *gets his arm and wraps all four limbs around it* :D Fanks!

Rodimus: *quietly* You're welcome. *so spooked and worried and nervous now*

Zarnica: ...So pick me close.

Rodimus: *will do so, moving to sit back down on his slab once Zarnica is held close to his chest*

Zarnica: *sighs* I knowed you'd sound like dis.

Rodimus: ... You knew? *confused, and kind of feeling dizzy at the moment. The realization that he's a father is starting to sink in*

Zarnica: Yeah. It was the sound I knowed before I could see.

Rodimus: *quietly* Huh.

Zarnica: *takes something out of her subspace and releases a wonderful scent*

Rodimus: *blink* What is that?

Zarnica: Bo'mado mud. *pokes the handful toward his mouth* I saveded it for you.

Rodimus: *will obligingly eat* *surprised sound*

Zarnica: *gets another handful and noms some before holding it up to him*

Rodimus: *obligingly eats. And pulls surprised faces at the flavor*

Zarnica: *shares fuel with him till she's full, then wipes her hand on him and curls up against him with a little murmur*

Rodimus: *tips his head back and circulates. Considers calling First Aid*

Zarnica: *soft little sound like a snore*

Rodimus: ... *decides against disturbing Zarnica's rest. Will circulate and think about how much things have changed in the time he's been gone* *at least, until he's overcome by sleeping baby magic and falls asleep sitting upright*

Cuddles: *joins the tiny one that almost looks like family in Bubby's lap, and adds his happy sleeping sounds to theirs*

((Written with random_xtras))