sv, Various Locations, A Programming Glitch...

[dens-extra-pups.livejournal.com]

Cragbuster: *left over two hours ago to grab a part for Ratchet in the Nexus. Isn't back*

Terrion: *was given the slip and left behind. Is now pacing and fussing*

Ratchet: *is also pacing, even if he's quick to deny it*

Ironfist: *watching them* Have you tried contacting him, Ratchet?

Ratchet: *as he paces* I did... Twice, in fact...

Kia: *is a big sleep in Papa's chair*

Stiletto: *is watching Terrion and Ratchet pace from up in the rafters, tail tip twitching slightly*

Prowl: *rouses himself from where he's a furry lump curled in a corner of the couch* Why don't you go and check on him? There aren't many places to buy Cybertronian-quality parts in the Nexus.

Ratchet: *hesitates. Even knowing WakeJumper's just a call away and can be at the plant in seconds via PINpoint doesn't help the old mech's worry that something will happen while he's gone*

Prowl: *sits up slowly and licks a paw* ...Or I suppose I could go.

Ironfist: Ratchet ordered you to rest.

Stiletto: I'm not above sitting on you to make you stay put, Prowl. *she may be joking, she may not be... It's hard to tell when she's in alt mode...*

Ratchet: *gives Prowl a Look* You need to stay put. *will call WakeJumper and explain the situation to the triplechanger, who arrives moments later*

Cragbuster: *aaaand there he is. Drunk out of his processor and stumbling over to nearly miss the couch as he grins like a loon*

Terrion: 0_0 *YELL!*

Ratchet: ... *facepalm*

Stiletto: *nearly falls off her perch at Terrion's yell* *is quick to get seated squarely on the beam, will begin washing her fur like she meant to do that*

Cragbuster: *totally ignores his parole officer. Grin is unshakable*

WakeJumper: ... *snerks and moves to return to the Aquabot base*

Kia: *wibbling and looking around for the source of that big yell*

Ratchet: *moves to pick Kia up and offer cuddles* *will also give Cragbuster a stinkeye* And just where were you?

Cragbuster: *grin changes to a smirk* The Nexus.

Ratchet: No, really? *scowl*

Cragbuster: Yeah, really. *smirk*

Ratchet: *more scowl*

Terrion: *scold scold!*

Cragbuster: Who I kiss and when is none of your business, femme.

Terrion: *very ANGRY*

Ratchet: ... *would facepalm, but is currently holding Kia*

Cragbuster: Oh, and here's your stuff. *tosses a bag in the general direction of Ratchet* *then sits back* I think it's been too long since I looked Jael up...

Terrion: O_O ;_; *runs out of the room*

Cragbuster: *snerks*

Ratchet: ... I don't want to know... *moves to pick up the bag*

Cragbuster: Dunno why you warned me about Blackout. She's a nice lady. *smirk smirk*

Ratchet: *grump grump rassafrassinturborevinpunk*

Cragbuster: *yawns, and then gets up and stumbles cheerfully out through the front door*

Kia: *lifts her head and looks toward the hall* ...Cry.

Ratchet: *blink blink, glances at Kia* Who is crying?

Kia: *softly* Tirry.

Ratchet: *soft sigh, stows the bag for the moment, will go down the hall to check on Terrion*

Terrion: *arms around herself as she leans her shoulder against the wall by the door that used to be Bulkhead's and that she now shares with Cragbuster. Shoulders are shaking as she makes a soft, buzzing sound of sadness*

Ratchet: *soft tap on the door frame accompanied by gentle clicks*

Terrion: *whirls and looks up at him with wide and startled optics, then hides her face in her hands* ~Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you.~

Ratchet: *gently* You're not disturbing me, Terrion...

Terrion: *soft sound, but then startles and puts her arms around Kia as the youngster jumps down and cuddles against her* ~Hi, Kia. Do you want to read a story while your papa finishes his repairs?~

Kia: *perk* Okay!

Ratchet: *soft chuckle* I'll come check on her when I'm done with the repairs...

Terrion: ~Alright.~ *tries to smile at him, but her chin trembles instead and she looks down and away*

Ratchet: *as he turns to go* Everything's going to be alright...

Terrion: *shoulders bow*

soft alarm: *letting Ratchet know that someone's in his toolbox*

Ratchet: *goes to the medilab, wondering who could be getting into his toolbox*

Cragbuster: *dig dig digging through the toolbox as he whistles a cheery tune*

Ratchet: *sharply* What are you doing?

Cragbuster: Don't you have an adjustable laser spanner in here somewhere? *continues digging*

Ratchet: *growl* Out of my toolbox, mech.

Cragbuster: Ah hah! *triumphantly lifts the desired tool free of the box*

Ratchet: *as he moves to resume repairs* Why were you looking through my toolbox?

Cragbuster: Because I needed a spanner. *turns toward the door, still whistling and slightly unsteady in his step*

Ratchet: *growls and sighs*

Cragbuster: *turns to look back* That stupid femme finally shut up?

Ratchet: *twitch twitch, wings one of his spare wrenches at Cragbuster's head*

Cragbuster: *knocked flat of his face and even skids a bit* OW! What the #@##@ $##$#@@??

Ratchet: *would be impressed with the skid, if he wasn't just slightly peeved with Cragbuster at the moment* *is going to work on repairs and heaven help anyone who comes in for paint scrape repairs!*

Cragbuster: *lays still for quite some time, but finally pulls himself up and leaves, taking the laser spanner with him*

Ratchet: *work work work, grouse and curse under his breath, work....*

Trailbreaker: //Hey, Ratchet, is that yellow and white bot supposed to be working on that ship that's stored here?//

Ratchet: //... *sigh* If he wants to leave... I won't stop him...// *sounds so defeated*

Trailbreaker: //Isn't that white bot supposed to be with him?//

Ratchet: //Terrion's his parole officer... and she is...// *will go let Terrion know that Cragbuster is working on his ship*

Terrion: *looks up, and hangs her head* *small, sad chimes* ~He's going to look for his old girlfriends.~

Ratchet: ... *sub-sonic growl*

Terrion: *visibly fighting to steel herself and get up, but something is clearly crushing the cheerful AI in ways that even being smashed in fights doesn't*

Ratchet: That.... idiot. *is beyond mad now*

Terrion: *and then she makes a soft sound and just shuts down*

Kia: Papa!

Ratchet: *startled, will scan the IGP officer*

Terrion: *processor is locked over something that she clearly can't work out. Her feelings about what Cragbuster is doing are killing her*

Ratchet: *mutes his vocalizer so Kia will not hear him cursing, moves to carefully lift Terrion and bring her to the medi lab*

Kia: Papa?

Ratchet: *quietly* Cragbuster really messed up this time...

Kia: Papa fix? *big optics on his face*

Ratchet: I'll do my best....

Kia: *relaxes and looks around, then back to him. Is clearly wondering what to do with herself now*

Trailbreaker: //Ratchet? Are you still there?//

Ratchet: //Don't let Cragbuster leave.//

Trailbreaker: //Yes, sir. *fainter* Hey, Calypso, stop that bot!//

Calypso: *in the background* //Aye, Cap'n!// *goes to tackle Cragbuster*

Ratchet: //If you have to weld him to something, go ahead.//

Trailbreaker: *ruefully* //No need. Calypso just sucker punched him.//

Ratchet: //Good.// *incredibly grouchy right now* //His parole officer's shut down.//

Trailbreaker: //...What do you need us to do? Calypso, what are you doing? Sheesh, don't pull his optic shutter up.//

Ratchet: //Keep him secured until his overcharge wears off.//

Trailbreaker: //Yes, sir. Trailbreaker out.//

Ratchet: //Ratchet out.//


A couple hours later


Ratchet: *has done as much as he's able to for Terrion. WakeJumper informed him that Cragbuster's overcharge was siphoned off, so he's currently on his way to the Aquabots' warehouse to have a few words with his son*

Cragbuster: *duct tapped mummy stuck upside down to the wall. All that can be seen clearly is a hungover glare*

Ratchet: *hands on hips, optics narrowed as he watches Calypso launch another dart at Cragbuster*

Calypso: *has been using Cragbuster as a dart board since just after WakeJumper duct taped him to the wall*

Cragbuster: *growls as the dart hits home*

Ratchet: *flatly* You deserved that.

Cragbuster: *glare begs to differ*

Ratchet: Terrion's in stasis-lock, because her processor can't make sense of you going to see old flames.

Cragbuster: *brow ridges draw together* //Who says they're old? And what business is that of hers?//

Ratchet: *scowl* She cares about you, glitch-head.

Cragbuster: //And what business is that of mine? How does it warrant me being treated like this?//

Ratchet: *simply* I only told them to keep you from leaving.

Cragbuster: *growl* //What business is it of yours where I go? You go off jaunting to other places all the slaggin' time.//

Ratchet: I don't act like an inconsiderate aft-hat.

Cragbuster: *glare brightens*

Ratchet: Terrion's shut down, because she cares for you in a way she can't quite process.

Cragbuster: //NOT my fault the JDs built a glitching piece of equipment.//

Ratchet: *to Calypso* Give me one of those darts.

Cragbuster: *growl!* //WHAT is your slaggin' problem, old bot???//

Ratchet: *quietly, as he studies the dart Calypso just handed him* She loves you, idiot...

Cragbuster: //Still waiting to hear something that I need to care about.//

Ratchet: *just let that dart fly on its route to sticking between your optics, Cragbuster*

Cragbuster: *muffled yell!*

Ratchet: It applies to you, because you're the one she's got feelings for, and you haven't even noticed or seemed to care!

Cragbuster: //So just because some stupid glitching machine decides she's gaga over me it's suddenly my fault and my responsibility???//

Ratchet: Have you ever kissed her?

Cragbuster: *optics narrow* //I've kissed a lot of femmes.//

Ratchet: *gives him a Look* Have. You. Ever. Kissed. Terrion?

Calypso: *checking the balance of another dart*

Cragbuster: //What if I have?//

Ratchet: Then that makes it your responsibility.

Cragbuster: *optics flashing* //No. It's hers.//

Calypso: *just let two darts fly at once as her own optics flash with anger*

Ratchet: It's just as much your responsibility as it is hers, and moreso if you were the one who initiated the kiss!

Cragbuster: *muffled grunt as the darts hit* //Like I said. I've kissed a lot of femmes. I don't see any of the rest of them being idiots about it.//

Ratchet: Most of them could understand that the kiss didn't mean anything.

Cragbuster: //Exactly. NOT. MY. FAULT.//

Ratchet: Terrion doesn't understand that.

Cragbuster: //Still not my fault.//

Ratchet: You can just stay there then.

Cragbuster: *muffled roar of anger* //WHAT the FRAG do you want from me, you rusted out piece of slag???//

Ratchet: *all but bellowing now* I want you to start using that lump you call a processor and THINK of the consequences of your actions!

Cragbuster: *optics white with fury* //HOW IS IT MY FAULT THAT ONE STUPID PIECE OF JUNK GLITCHES?//

Ratchet: BECAUSE YOU KISSED HER! *storms out and drives off*

Cragbuster: //She's not even fraggin' alive.//

Ratchet: //She's still a person.// *closes the connection* *is going to go to the pier and think about how Cragbuster once said something about how if he knew everything about the mech, he wouldn't want anything more to do with him*

Trailbreaker: *wanders out there a few minutes later* Hey, Ratchet, just to clarify. You don't want any pieces cut off of him, right?

Ratchet: *quietly* No.

Trailbreaker: *finger to audio* Ratchet says no, Calypso.

Calypso: //Aww... Alright.//

Ratchet: //Get the darts out of him.//

Calypso: //....// *shocked into silence, but will move to do so*

Trailbreaker: *settles next to Ratchet and then gives the older bot a silent, quizzical look*

Ratchet: *quietly, mostly to himself* There're times I wonder if I should've gone after Clarion after she left....

Trailbreaker: ...Start at the beginning?

Ratchet: Cragbuster's my son...

Trailbreaker: I got that part. *nod*

Ratchet: His mother was Clarion... She and I had a bit of a fling one time... and then she and I went our separate ways... She was carrying and I didn't know it... She never told me...

Trailbreaker: *winces* ...Nice femme.

Ratchet: Cragbuster's spent most of his life where he wasn't wanted or in a brig in the outer rim...

Trailbreaker: *sympathy* There are a lot of people out there like that.

Ratchet: *quieter* If I had known, I would have gone to get him...

Trailbreaker: *sympathetic and silent look. He's not sure what to say*

Ratchet: He doesn't get that a person doesn't have to have a spark to be alive, and to be capable of love... Poor Terrion's in stasis to keep her from burning out completely...

Trailbreaker: *hadn't heard Cragbuster's side of the argument* *quietly* What did he do to her?

Ratchet: He kissed her once.... and mentioned going to see his old girlfriends....

Trailbreaker: *slight frown* I was protoformed out on the edge of the rim. There aren't that many femmebots out that way.

Ratchet: *soft, defeated sigh* I don't know anymore... I've tried to help him feel welcome... Kendell calls him 'Uncle', and Kia calls him 'brother'.... I don't know what more to do to get through to him that I do want to get to know him....

Trailbreaker: *thoughtful frown. Isn't really listening* Did he name any of those girlfriends?

Ratchet: The one he mentioned is named Jael....

Trailbreaker: *mouth falls open and visor flashes* Um. Jael's not a bot.

Ratchet: ...

Trailbreaker: I don't know what she is. Just a big pink organic force of nature that works as the bouncer for the deadliest dive in Stargone. Even bots where I come from told stories about her.

Ratchet: .... *looking just a bit brain-broken now*

Trailbreaker: *looks at him. Slight elbow jab*

Ratchet: *startled flail*

Trailbreaker: Meep! *knocked off the pier. Sploosh*

Ratchet: *goes fishing*

Trailbreaker: *spits out water as he's fished out*

Ratchet: *sheepish* Sorry....

Trailbreaker: *sputter* No harm done. Are you alright?

Ratchet: *nods*

Trailbreaker: *seems to squint one side of his visor* You sure?

Ratchet: ... I don't know anymore....

Trailbreaker: *quiet shoulder squeeze* ...I guess Jael's hard to take even by word of mouth.

Ratchet: *distractedly* Yeah....

Trailbreaker: *thoughtfully* That teleporter thing you have. How far can it go?

Ratchet: *blink blink* I haven't found out the limits yet...

Trailbreaker: Think it could go to... *recites some coordinates far, far out on the galactic rim, where there aren't even any planets* ?

Ratchet: It might... *going to try plugging in the coordinates*

Trailbreaker: *leans over a bit to watch without getting in the way* That's the Pit.

Ratchet: ... *raised brow ridge*

Trailbreaker: The place Jael works. I figure maybe if you met the ladies...

Ratchet: ... *small nod* *quietly* Keep an optic on Buster...

Trailbreaker: *hesitates* ...It's not really a good idea to go out there alone.

Ratchet: *slight grump* Alright...

Trailbreaker: *shakes the last of the water out of his armor and gets to his feet* What do I have to do?

Ratchet: Brace yourself, and if you're gonna purge, aim it away from me. *will put a hand on Trailbreaker's shoulder and push the green button on his PINpoint*

Trailbreaker: *comes out on the other end and looks around, then up at the dripping and cracked ceiling overhead*

passing being: *shoulder slams the big black bot aside and heads through the swinging doors that that bad smell and that loud music is coming out of*

Ratchet: *soooo not impressed with this place*

Trailbreaker: *pries self out of wall, shakes like a big dog, and heads for the swinging doors*

Ratchet: *moves to follow the black mech, trusting him to keep trouble far away*

room: *large, stinky, dark. And it goes dead silence except for the singing of the three headed being on the stage the moment Ratchet appears*

Trailbreaker: *looks around alertly, wondering at the reaction and ready for anything*

Ratchet: *a bit unnerved by the sudden silence*

voice with equal parts gravel, hiss, and growl: *mutters from the shadows to one side* No. It's not him.

deadly cold lilt: Then who is it?

small, scantily clad female being: Bar's free.

Trailbreaker: Any booths?

waitress: *decides she's not looking at complete rubes* Yeah, follow me.

Trailbreaker: *looks to Ratchet to go first*

Ratchet: *moves to follow the waitress*

waitress: *drags an insensate slab of muscle out of the booth and lets it hit the floor* There ya go. Whaddya want?

Ratchet: If it's possible, I'd like to speak with Jael...

waitress: *flicks her ears and eyes him* And ta drink?

Trailbreaker: Straight up for both of us.

waitress: *nods and walks off*

Ratchet: ... *soft sigh as he sits in the booth*

Trailbreaker: *sits across from him, and then bends to look at the guy that had been in the booth. Sound of surprise* He's dead.

Ratchet: Let's just hope we don't wind up like that ourselves.

deep alto: I don't think you lot can drink kivar viper venom.

Trailbreaker: *looks up. And then more up* //Whoa!//

Ratchet: *looks to the source of the voice, optics flashing with surprise at being startled*

Jael: *is another massive slab of muscle, easily as tall as Ratchet and showing no physical sign of femininity. Powerful arms crossed over bare chest* Leh won't need this now. *kicks the body, and then looks back to the two bots, her yellow eyes narrowed, cold, and indifferent* Fancy said you wanted to talk to me.

Ratchet: *nods* You know Cragbuster?

Jael: I might. What about him?

Ratchet: Would you be willing to share some of what you know about his girlfriends?

Jael: *eyes narrow further* Who the @#$#@# are you?

Ratchet: *Sticking his chin out slightly* The idiot's father.

Jael: Cragbuster don't have a father.

Ratchet: He and I didn't know about one another till he showed up on the planet I'm stationed on, about a stellar cycle ago.

Jael: *eyes don't even care enough to ask why she should care* Stationed? *spits to one side* We don't cotton to stationed people around here.

voice: *yells from somewhere on the side of the room opposite the door* Jael, I'm out of meat! Get that stiff over here!

Jael: Be right back. *dead being over her shoulder and turns and vanishes into the murk*

Ratchet: *visibly twitching now*

Trailbreaker: *looks at him, and then nods to the waitress as she sets two batteries on the table. Attention back to Ratchet as he slides one toward the elderly medic*

Ratchet: *is going to be in grouch mood for the rest of the day at this rate...*

Jael: *back and once more with the crossed arms and indifference* Hurry up, I'm busy.

Ratchet: *cutting to the chase, a scowl on his face* Cragbuster's parole officer's in stasis, because he kissed her. He also seems to think that her confusion about her feelings isn't his responsibility. *scowl darkening* She told me he was going to be to see you.

Jael: ...So?

Ratchet: *growls and gets to his feet* If I knew what to do to help Terrion, do you honestly think I'd be here, trying to figure slag out?!

Jael: *amused expression* I'm not a mechanic.

Ratchet: And I stink at fixing broken hearts.

Jael: Still waiting to see what you want from me.

Ratchet: *Growl* I want to know about Cragbuster's girlfriends, because he's being an inconsiderate aft.

Jael: *snort*

Ratchet: *twitch twitch twitch* I am sick and tired of getting the slagging run-around just because I happen to give a slag about a family member who I would have gladly helped had I been informed about his existence before he waltzed into my life and shook everything up. Is it too much to ask for some help trying to understand him a bit better?! *is all but bellowing by the end*

Pit patrons: *sudden rapid exodus from that part of the room*

Jael: *just looking at Ratchet. One can nearly see the dots*

Ratchet: *Cycling air rapidly* *To Trailbreaker* Pay the tab. We're going home.

Jael: Go to Norton's, level eighteen. *turns and walks off*

Trailbreaker: *pauses in getting up and looks at Ratchet*

Ratchet: ... Well, now we have to find Norton's...

waitress: *back*

Trailbreaker: *pays her*

Ratchet: *To the waitress* How do we get to level eighteen from here?

waitress: *lifts her large and differently coloured eyes to his optics* Go up. This's level ten.

Ratchet: Where's the closest lift?

waitress: *snerks* Up on level seventeen.

Ratchet: ...What are the coordinates?

waitress: *shrug* I don't go among the toffs.

Ratchet: Alright... *will move to head for the door*

Trailbreaker: *has the old bot's back*

Jael: *standing by the door, arms crossed and eyes focused on a secretive deal visible to few in the murk of the Pit*

Ratchet: *nods to Jael as he exits the Pit*

Jael: North well.

Trailbreaker: Thanks.

Ratchet: *glances over his shoulder, puzzlement in his optics*

Trailbreaker: *bumps into him and pushes lightly* We better not stop in the door, I think there's a limit to the number of impressions I'm allowed to make in the walls.

Ratchet: Alright... *gets moving again*

Trailbreaker: *guiding the older and slighter bot through the teeming corridors till suddenly the cracked and dripping ceiling vanishes and a shaft opens up overhead* Here's the North Well. Looks like a jump tube. I wonder how well it works.

Ratchet: *Scans the shaft for any unpleasant possible surprises* Won't know till we give it a try....

Trailbreaker: Doesn't look like anybody here goes up or down much. *pause* .... *looks down* Euch. I can't blame them. Don't intake too deeply.

Ratchet: *nods before moving to get into the jump tube*

jump tube: *sucks him up at a slower than usual rate, but seems to run in the usual way with the right side for going up and the left for going down*

Trailbreaker: *right behind him, giving the graffiti on the walls bemused looks as he wonders how the perpetrators managed to pull it off*

Ratchet: *trying not to get nauseated*

Trailbreaker: *and then suddenly reaches up and grabs Ratchet's ankle at the same time as he grabs the bracket by the door to the level they want. It's not marked. Thankfully, he counted*

Ratchet: Urk!

Trailbreaker: *ducks!*

Ratchet: *groan*

Trailbreaker: *gets himself and Ratchet onto the floor of the level, and then blinks as he realizes that it's brightly lighted*

Ratchet: *feeling a bit ill right now*

Trailbreaker: I warned you about the smell. *tries to help the old bot to his feet*

Ratchet: *as he cycles air* Wasn't the smell that got to me....

Trailbreaker: *quizzical look*

Ratchet: *quietly* I've always gotten sick after a jump tube trip... *a bit embarrassed to admit that*

Trailbreaker: *visor blinks* Oh! * rough pat pat*

Ratchet: *slight stumble* Let's get to Nelson's...

Trailbreaker: Norton's.

Ratchet: Right...

Trailbreaker: *looks around, and then approaches a small group of people who are standing and watching he and Ratchet uneasily* Excuse me, folks. Could you tell me the way to Norton's?

young man: *suspicious look* Who's asking?

Trailbreaker: ... Friends of Jael's.

young man: *quick look toward Ratchet, his skin changing from red to a soft purple* ... Down that corridor and then follow the signs.

Ratchet: *nod* Thank you.

young man: *fist to chest, and then steps back*

Trailbreaker: *looks for Ratchet to go first. Is still automatically watching the old bot's back*

Ratchet: *moves down the corridor*

corridor: *airy, bright, and soft music is playing from speakers on the high and clean ceiling*

Trailbreaker: *looking up* ...

Ratchet: ... This is a lot different than the lower levels...

Trailbreaker: I don't want to think what the ones lower than the Pit are like. *stops and looks at a sign at the intersection of corridors they've come to*

Ratchet: *also looking at the signs*

Trailbreaker: *surprised sound and points to a place on the Eastern arm of the sign* 'Norton's'. Right here on the sign.

Ratchet: *visibly relaxes and moves to head in the direction the sign indicates*

Trailbreaker: *follows, and then makes a startled sound as the corridor opens into another open area like the one by the jump tube. Instead of a street of crowded buildings, however, this area looks like a garden*

Ratchet: *looks for more signs*

Trailbreaker: *points past the gently singing fountain in the middle of the green space, toward where a white building sits glimmering softly*

Ratchet: *blink blink* Huh... *Will move to head for the building, being careful to stick to the path*

Trailbreaker: *follows, looking around curiously. He's never been among this much greenery yet in his life*

building: *is their destination. A pretty sign proudly proclaims its owner's name in a multitude of languages and scripts*

Ratchet: *Impressed whistle*

Trailbreaker: I wonder how Jael knows this Norton.

Ratchet: I have no idea... *moves to head inside*

Trailbreaker: *stops short upon following and finding himself in a very classy and elegant restaurant full of privately screened booths* !!!!

nicely dressed but rather boyish young woman of the colour changing race: *steps to meet them with a smile* For two?

Ratchet: Er... We were told to come here by a lady named Jael...

greeter: *turns a soft quizzical pink* Did she say why?

Ratchet: Might have something to do with a mech named Cragbuster....

greeter: *light yellow of surprise* Nsta, come watch the front for me.

willowy waitress of a reptilian race: *hurries over, then bows her head and blinks her eyes in a cheerful smile at the bots*

greeter: *smiles at the waitress, and then turns back to Ratchet and Trailbreaker* Follow me, please.

Ratchet: *moves to do so*

greeter: *as she walks* My name's Amy. I'm Norton's wife.

Ratchet: I'm Ratchet... Cragbuster's my son...

Amy: *surprised side glance as she turns a deeper yellow* Oh.

Ratchet: I only found out about a stellar cycle ago... His mother never let me know about him....

Amy: *shows them to a lovely booth screened by vines with pretty coloured leaves* Have a seat, I'll go and get Norton.

Ratchet: Thank you... *will move to sit*

Amy: *soft blue of a smile, and then turns and walks toward the back*

Trailbreaker: *has sat down and moved to the back of the booth, is now peering into the vines with surprise as he realizes that there's a pretty sounding little fountain in there*

Ratchet: *cycles air and wonders to himself if he'll ever find out what he would like to know about his son*

slender being: *willowy, graceful, even pretty. But clearly of the same race as Jael* *comes and sets a bowl in front of each bot, then sits across from Ratchet* *tenor* I'm Norton. My cousin sent you?

Ratchet: *nods* She gave us the address... You're familiar with a mech named Cragbuster, right?

Norton: *nods, smiling slightly* I've met him a few times. He doesn't really like it up here, though.

Ratchet: *soft snort* Given what I know about him, I'm not surprised....

Norton: *tilts head and lifts a brow ridge* You haven't tasted your soup.

Ratchet: *attention going to the soup*

Trailbreaker: *sniff sniff* *startled sound* Is this oil?

Norton: It's oil soup. *chuckle* The only reason Cragbuster will come here.

Ratchet: *soft snerk* Again, I'm not surprised...

Trailbreaker: *picks up his bowl to sip. Doesn't know what that spoon is for*

Norton: *gentle facepalm*

Ratchet: *does know what a spoon is for, thanks to the two times he's been turned human. Will eat carefully, so as not to make a mess*

Trailbreaker: *pauses and watches Ratchet* o.0?

soup: *delicate, complex, utterly delicious flavor*

Ratchet: *pleased rumble*

Norton: *happy grin* You like it?

Trailbreaker: *has a taste now. Optic visor is bright with surprise*

Ratchet: *has made quick work of his bowl of soup*

Norton: Would you like more?

Ratchet: *headshake* No, but thank you...

Norton: Alright. *gathers the empty bowls and peeks out of the booth, then hands the bowls to the waitress who comes to get them* *once she's gone, he settles back in the booth and looks at Ratchet, waiting*

Ratchet: *considering how to word what he wants to ask* How much about Cragbuster's girlfriends do you know?

Norton: *quietly* I've known my cousin since we hatched in my father's pouch.

Ratchet: *small nod* And how long have she and 'Buster known each other?

Norton: About fifty Nebulan years. *quizzical look*

Ratchet: *will quietly tell what has happened at the plant*

Norton: *smile faded* Ah.

Ratchet: Poor Terrion can't be brought out of stasis-lock without risking her processor crashing....

Norton: *presses his lips together but says nothing*

Ratchet: *Quieter* I just wish I knew more about what 'Buster's been through... If I had known about him...

Norton: I haven't seen him for about thirty five standard years. Since he told my cousin, and his signed wife, that he was going with the synthoid.

Ratchet: ... Signed wife?

Norton: Leh the Viper.

Ratchet: *puzzled expression is a go*

Trailbreaker: *choked voice* You're telling us that Cragbuster is signed to a Kivar Viper Queen??

Ratchet: ... *Has no idea what Trailbreaker means*

Trailbreaker: *hyperventilating slightly, his visor nearly white with shock and dismay*

Norton: He was. Someone ambushed Leh a few weeks ago. She's dead.

Ratchet: *low, drawn out curse*

Norton: Jael knew her. I think they talked via long wave a few times, because Jael was laughing once about Leh granting her status as a subsidiary wife instead of eating her.

Ratchet: ... *Wonders out loud just what kind of slag Cragbuster's gotten up to*

Norton: *slight smile* *quietly* He's got a name nearly as big as my cousin's. And hers was nearly as big as Leh's. But all that doesn't matter. He set Leh aside for the synthoid, like I said.

Ratchet: *Quietly* If she goes offline, what will the IGP do?

Norton: I don't know. Maybe put Cragbuster back in prison.

Ratchet: *ducks his head. Is going to pray for Terrion's recovery*

Norton: I just don't understand what her problem is. He's been with her for thirty five years.

Ratchet: *quietly* And he doesn't consider her to be alive...

Norton: ...Is that a troubling thing?

Ratchet: She's just as alive as you and I are... Even if she doesn't have a spark or a soul like us...

Norton: *slight shrug* There are men and women up on the upper levels who custom build their spouses, and don't consider them alive except in their imaginations. *then frowns* What did Cragbuster do to the synthoid? You said he said he was going to come and see my cousin...?

Ratchet: He kissed her at one point...

Norton: ...Only once? *seems doubtful of that* Like I said. He told Jael that he was going with her. Is she just not programmed to handle that, or something?

Ratchet: I don't know... She seemed upset after he got back from the Nexus, since he had gotten combat-kissed by a Cybertronian femme who lives there...

Norton: *eyes widen slightly* What does that mean?

Ratchet: *Explains*

Norton: *face in hands to hide his blush* Actually, he probably did that to her.

Ratchet: No... Blackout'll kiss single mechs if they don't get out of the way quickly enough.

Norton: As far as I know Cragbuster's only got a casual verbal contract with the synthoid, if that much. *gently* It's not really any of her business who he kisses. And it's not like he was trying to find someone new. He was just going back to the woman that she took him away from.

Ratchet: *Quietly* I don't want to lose him... Even if he is a stubborn pain in the skid, he's still my son...

Norton: ...How would you lose him?

Ratchet: Something could happen to him out here, he could be locked away for the rest of his life....

Norton: He's been out here for millions of years. And even if he's locked up he's alive, right?

Ratchet: I don't know if I'd be allowed to visit him...

Norton: ...You have a record? *looks at Ratchet's badge doubtfully*

Ratchet: I don't think I do... He's been trying to get me to get sick of him though... so he could say he doesn't want visitors...

Norton: Did you ask if you could go with him? And the synthoid too?

Ratchet: I can't go with him... My family needs me at home...

Trailbreaker: *looks up* //A short visit, with the teleporter? You'd learn about him alright...//

Ratchet: ... *and now he's facepalming, since that slipped his processor*

Norton: *brow ridges lift at the facepalming*

Ratchet *Quietly* I'm making this more difficult than it needs to be, aren't I?

Norton: Um. *cautiously, wondering if he missed something* I think so.

Ratchet: *soft sigh* Figures...

Norton: ...Guess we know where Cragbuster gets it from.

Ratchet: *Snerk* Yeah.... When he first arrived, people thought he was my brother....

Norton: *grins*

Ratchet: *gives Norton a slight Look...which is far less severe than it could be, due to the slight grin he's got on his face*

Norton: *has a blithe and gentle disregard for looks. ...They make him laugh* *has a heartfelt belly laugh*

Ratchet: *chuckle*

Trailbreaker: *looks to Ratchet, grinning a little himself* Orders, sir?

Ratchet: Let's get going... *almost as an afterthought* And don't call me 'Sir'.

Trailbreaker: *surprised look as Norton puts his head down to the table in a fresh bout of laughter* Yes, sir.

Ratchet: *amused Look for Trailbreaker*

Trailbreaker: ^_^;;

Ratchet: *Stretches and moves to get up*

Trailbreaker: *will follow him from the booth*

Norton: *stands as his guests do*

Ratchet: Thank you for your hospitality... *is moving to get credits out to pay for the soup*

Norton: *shakes his head* Take your hand away from there before I have to call my cousin about an insult.

Ratchet: *blink blink, hand goes to his side*

Norton: *grin* Thank you for visiting.

Ratchet: *small smile* I'll likely be back... with my mate, once she's feeling better...

Norton: *smiles* The soup is always ready, and I may have perfected something else by then too.

Ratchet: *nod* See you soon, hopefully. *Will move to head for the door*

Norton: *gives a small wave and leans against Amy as she comes to put an arm around him*

Trailbreaker: *follows Ratchet out*

Ratchet: *Quietly* I just hope things work out...

Trailbreaker: Funny, he talks about word bonds like a Decepticon, but he and his wife are wearing identical tattoos on their hands.

Ratchet: *blink blink, looks at Trailbreaker* I didn't even notice that...

Trailbreaker: *slight shrug* I'm a tracker.

Ratchet: *soft snort*

Trailbreaker: ...And I better get back to Calypso. There's no telling what she's done. Downrush'll paintbomb me.

Ratchet: *nod* Let's go then... *Will put a hand on Trailbreaker's shoulder and bring him back to the Aquabots' warehouse*

Trailbreaker: *looks around for damage*

Calypso: *playing a game with WakeJumper. The game involves little tiny ships clearly meant for humans to play with*

Trailbreaker: *relaxes and looks at Ratchet to see if he needs him for anything else*

Ratchet: *moving to cut Cragbuster loose and tell the old coot to get his aft back to the plant for now*

Trailbreaker: Calypso, you didn't follow orders? *hands on hips*

Calypso: *looks up from her game, and then she's got an "oh, &(^#" expression* *Sheepish* Kinda got distracted 'n lost track'a time....

Trailbreaker: *as Cragbuster growls and stumbles out of the warehouse* :\

WakeJumper: She did get the darts out of him and patched him up a bit....

Trailbreaker: *sighs* You need me for anything else, Ratchet?

Ratchet: I'll call if I do.

Trailbreaker: Alright. *heads for his room*

Ratchet: *PINpoints back to the plant*

Cragbuster: *remembered that he had a PINpoint. Is just staggering into the hallway from the main room*

Ratchet: *going to check on Terrion*

Cragbuster: *reaches the medilab before Ratchet and stands leaning his hands on the berth that holds the parole officer, his head hanging with the misery of his hangover*

Ratchet: *will scan Terrion again*

Terrion: *processor still locked up*

Ratchet: *soft sigh, will cover her with a blanket out of habit*

Cragbuster: ...They want to talk to you.

Ratchet: Who does?

Cragbuster: Captain Brendan Cook and Major Terrance Dillard of the IGP.

Ratchet: *quiet sigh* Alright... Where do they need me to be?

Cragbuster: *raspy and tired* Just open your commlink. ...And give me a painkiller override. *so oppressed by headache that he just turned himself in*

Ratchet: *will patpat Cragbuster's shoulder* *quietly* Just remember, you're still my son, and if you're ever in this area, you won't be turned away... *goes to get the painkiller as he opens his commlink*

pleasant and male voice: //This is Major Dillard, IGP. ...What's Cragbuster been drinking this time?//

Ratchet: //Nothing... He got combat-kissed by a Cybertronian femme in the Nexus...//

Maj. Dillard: *silence* *then, disbelieving* //And that hurt him so badly that he actually just admitted to breaking his parole officer?//

Ratchet: //I think he might've kissed her while he was overcharged.//

Cragbuster: //The KISSING didn't fraggin' hurt! This is a hangover from having the charge sucked away!//

Ratchet: *offers the painkiller, but chooses not to comment on the source of Cragbuster's headache* *to Maj. Dillard* //If you have any suggestions on how to repair Terrion, I'd be grateful...//

Maj. Dillard: //She usually snaps together pretty easily...//

Ratchet: //This is processor-related damage...//

Maj. Dillard: //Explain for me?//

Ratchet: *will do so*

Maj. Dillard: *surprised silence* //She shorted out because... But Grandpa never programmed her to... Oi vey!//

Cragbuster: *growls over comms*

Ratchet: //...Any idea why her programming changed?//

Maj. Dillard: *a little helplessly* //No...//

Ratchet: *hrrms over comms*

Cragbuster: //Probably that afthat on Galaxy's End that put her back together that first time.//

Ratchet: *questioning look for Cragbuster*

Cragbuster: //Some mechanic. I couldn't understand a word he said, but he's the first person that ever put her back together outside the JD mechanics.//

Maj. Dillard: //Optimus Prime, may I have permission to land at your base?//

Optimus: *a bit startled, looks up from where he's mixing things in the kitchen* //Er, sure...//

Maj. Dillard: *heavyset JD man in his late middle age/early old age, with a handsome, concerned face and sharp dark eyes* *appears via the JD bounce technology and steps toward Ratchet*

Cragbuster: *just passed out with his head on the berth* *snore*

Ratchet: She's right here, under the blanket...

Maj. Dillard: *walks over and runs a scanner over her processor* ...Yeah, there's extra programming here. And it's a chop job.

Ratchet: *frown*

Maj. Dillard: She was meant to care about him. Everyone needs that. *gently plugs something onto a port on Terrion's head and looks at the screen on his scanner* We never gave her the programming to fall in love.

Ratchet: Will she be alright?

Maj. Dillard: I can't undo that programming. It's part of her now. But I can help her cope with it like a JD woman would.

Ratchet: And how would that be?

Maj. Dillard: *quietly* Quietly and caringly, and accepting that she'll never understand how some other races function.

Ratchet: Ah....

Maj. Dillard: *looks up, wondering at the red and white medic's tone*

Ratchet: *thinking of Sari, and a few of the humans he's become friends with*

Maj. Dillard: Is something wrong? *slight, concerned frown*

Ratchet: Nothing... Just thinking about some of the natives I've become familiar with.... And how sometimes, I don't understand them...

Maj. Dillard: Ohh. *bit of a sympathetic smile as he turns his attention back to Terrion* *softly* That's it... talk to me. *reading the screen*

Ratchet: *Attention on Terrion*

Maj. Dillard: *surprise comes to his face, and then a frown for Cragbuster* Well you're an opportunistic jerk, aren't you?

Ratchet: ... He did more than just kiss her, didn't he?

Maj. Dillard: I'm... I don't want to say things that might hurt her.

Cragbuster: You're makin' it sound like I did somethin' disgusting and organic! *growls and slowly straightens up to give the Maj. a stink eye*

Ratchet: *gives his son a Look* I could've told Calypso to leave you stuck to the wall, mech.

Cragbuster: It was her idea!

Ratchet: Says the mech who's a compulsive snuggler.

Cragbuster: >_>; I only snuggle them when they use me for a pillow.

Ratchet: You snuggle anyone who gets close enough when you're tired or asleep.

Cragbuster: Just like you!!

Ratchet: At least I admitted to it ages ago.

Cragbuster: Do I slaggin' need to when everyone in this @$#$#@ plant already knows????

Terrion: *sits up* *softly, in English* Guys... eesh.

Cragbuster: ...! *looks down at her*

Maj. Dillard: :D

Ratchet: *Startled blurt*

Terrion: I have a headache. *groggy frown*

Ratchet: *goes to get a painkiller tab*

Cragbuster: *scowls at her* We never made any binding contract. What slaggin' business of yours is it if I want to go see the girls that were fun?

Terrion: *talk to the hand. Other hand on her aching head*

Maj. Dillard: o.0 I'm not sure where you got the attitude...

Ratchet: *back with the painkiller, will show Terrion how to apply it*

Terrion: Thanks, Ratchet. *smiles at him*

Ratchet: You're welcome, Terrion... *turns his attention to Cragbuster* Speaking of contracts...

Cragbuster: *turns from giving Terrion a baffled look to scowl at his creator* What?

Ratchet: Leh's gone...

Cragbuster: That wasn't a contract. That was a signing. *scowl goes to frown* Gone where?

Ratchet: Someone got her.

Cragbuster: ...WHAT????

Maj. Dillard: Leh the Viper? *flatfooted surprise*

Terrion: *ditto*

Ratchet: *nods*

Maj. Dillard: Do you know how?

Ratchet: She was ambushed...

Terrion: *wince*

Maj. Dillard: I'll let Headquarters know. She might have been a drug runner and a mass murderer, but we still have to find out what happened.

Ratchet: *small nod*

Cragbuster: *is that soft clunk as he falls to his knees over in the corner*

Terrion: *concerned look in that direction*

Ratchet: *Attention on Cragbuster*

Maj. Dillard: *hand on Terrion's shoulder, compassionate look despite exasperation for Cragbuster, and then bounces away*

Cragbuster: *very quiet*

Terrion: *looks up at Ratchet*

Ratchet: *quiet clicks, moves to put a gentle hand on Cragbuster's shoulder*

Terrion: *quietly* Let him mourn.

Ratchet: *quietly, to Cragbuster over comms* //I've hidden some of my home brew in here... It's on the top shelf, behind the paint.// *moves to find Kia*

Terrion: *slips from the berth and goes with Ratchet*

Kia: *with Mama and choccy blitzcake, in bed*

Arcee: *fell asleep while reading Kia a story*

Kia: *looks up* Shhh, Papa.

Ratchet: *very soft chuckle, moves to cover Arcee with a blanket*

Kia: *snuggles against her mother with a sigh, offering the last of her blitzcake* Full...

Ratchet: *quietly* Thank you, Kia... *Will nibble at the blitzcake as he moves to tuck the blanket around the little femme as well*

Kia: *happy sigh and settles down to sleep*

Ratchet: *will go to watch monitors for a little while, and pray for Cragbuster and Terrion. Nods to Showtime when she greets him and vacates the chair that fits him best*

((Co-written with random_xtras))