jv, The Pit and a Bayou in Louisiana, Complications and Courtship

[dens-extra-pups.livejournal.com]

Three weeks after Breaker and Roadblock went on leave


bunch of white violets, and a tiny metal Gundam figure: *sitting on Cat Scan's desk*

Cat Scan: *blink blink, checking to see if there's a card*

gift: *has no card, just like the other offerings she's been finding on her desk for the past three weeks*

Cat Scan: ... *as she said the first time she found something on her desk* I either have an admirer or a stalker.

First Aid: Hmmm? *looks up from making bandage packages*

Cat Scan: *indicates the violets and the Gundam, even as she examines the metal figure* This isn't the first time I've found gifts on my desk....

First Aid: *blinks* Those weren't there a minute ago.

Cat Scan: *amusedly* I think Snake Eyes is helping someone flirt.

First Aid: *scanning the gifts* Aren't these little cell phone charms only sold in Hong Kong?

Cat Scan: ... Yeah... *blink blink, wonders just who has been paying attention to her interests, and whether they've figured out her shoe size...*

First Aid: So this is one of those ones you were talking about the other day when we went to the supermarket. *curious about the little toy*

Cat Scan: *nods* This is one of the ones I've been trying to get for awhile, actually.... I already have *names off the other figurines in her collection*

First Aid: Is this the rare one that you said was nearly impossible to find?

Cat Scan: Not quite.... But this one's almost as rare... *small smile*

First Aid: I see. Have you told anyone else about them?

Cat Scan: *headshake* Which kinda makes me wonder....

First Aid: Hmmm. *and then starts to her feet with a startled squeak as something white appears in the room*

Cat Scan: *looks, ready to help defend First Aid*

winged girl: *looks around with wide blue eyes, and then whimpers slightly* Please, my vader's sick. He needs help. He's Alvin Kibby.

Cat Scan: ... Let me get my field kit, hon... *hurries to do so*

First Aid: *staring at the girl, and then comms her husband* //Ratchet... Breaker's daughter is Wust Fee!//

Ratchet: *surprised and shocked sound over comms*

First Aid: //She's here. She PINpointed in, and she says he's sick and needs help.//

Ratchet: //I'll be right there.// *hurrying back to the med ward*

First Aid: *softly, as she goes to her knees and bends down* Don't worry, Cat Scan will go to help your father. Can you tell me about his symptoms? And what's your name?

girl: My name's Sveetheart, und... vader has a fever so hot that he's talking crazy out of his head. Moeder's afraid for him, and Oom is afraid to hold him down vhen he fights so hard.

Cat Scan: *back with her field kit, right as Ratchet arrives*

Sweetheart: *looks from the human girl to the big green mech uncertainly, her ears flicking as she lifts her wings slightly*

First Aid: *blinks* *softly* //Ratchet... she's blind. She's got small devices on her wings that emit soundwaves and she's listening to the echoes to see where we are.//

Ratchet: *gently, to Sweetheart* My name is Ratchet. I'm a doctor, like Cat Scan.

Sweetheart: Jumpin' Jehoshaphat, you von't fit in the boat.

Ratchet: *blinkblink* *wonders where he's heard that before*

Cat Scan: He will if he uses his other form...

Sweetheart: *shakes her head* An ambulance von't fit.

Ratchet: That's not the form Cat Scan was meaning... *will transform to his human mode*

Sweetheart: *gasps and is clearly looking for him, but finally focuses and blinks* ...Great flamin' goobers of Gilead.

Cat Scan: *biting her lip to keep from snickering*

Ratchet: *getting used to his shifted center of balance, is dressed in a similar uniform to Cat Scan* *gently* I think I'll fit in the boat now...

Sweetheart: Yeah... I think so too. *comes over, hesitant and shy like a little woodland thing*

First Aid: *soft gasp* The legend of the swamp angels!

Ratchet: *glances at his wife, brows raising curiously*

First Aid: Remember the rumors we've heard on the news? *looks down at him earnestly*

Sweetheart: Guys. Sick vader, hello?

Ratchet: *eyes widening as he nods to his wife, before turning his attention back to Sweetheart* Let's go.

Cat Scan: *thoughtful*

Sweetheart: Ve need to hold hands. *offers one slender clawed hand* It vill feel veird. Don't barf, okay?

Ratchet: I'll do my best. *reaches for Sweetheart's hand*

Cat Scan: It takes a lot to make me barf. *also reaching for Sweetheart's hand*

Sweetheart: *strong grip, is telling them Breaker's symptoms as she presses the button on her PINpoint and brings them to the deck of a modern houseboat, which is anchored in a clearing in the heart of a bayou*

Cat Scan: *quick glance around to verify that there's nobody waiting to ambush them*

Ratchet: Let's get Breaker feeling better.

Sweetheart: *mutters something in Cajun French, and then quickly leads the way below decks. As soon as the door opens Breaker's hoarse gasping can be heard, along with a woman's voice and a man's deep voice trying to comfort him* *across the galley and straight to the master bedroom, then throws open the door* Moeder, Oom, here's the docs.

Julie: *looks over, her odd grey eyes widening with relief*

dark brown and cream Wust Fee man: *flicks an ear toward Ratchet and Cat Scan, then puts it back worriedly* I think he's hurt himself fighting vith me.

Ratchet: *gently, as he enters the room* Everything's going to be alright. *moving to scan Breaker*

Cat Scan: *getting a few things out of her kit, is trusting Ratchet to keep her informed, will hand him whatever he requests*

Breaker: *suffering from a full body infection, complicated by the fact that he was far from recovered from the illness he's on sick leave for*

Julie: *quietly* He was fine for weeks, and then last night he was feverish, and then today he flipped.

Ratchet: *as he works to try and get Breaker's fever down* He's fighting an infection...

Breaker: *moans softly, but then suddenly scowls and tries to roll off the bed as he flashes back to fights from his past*

Sweetheart: *ears back and flees*

Oom: *tries to catch Breaker*

Ratchet: *helping with that*

Cat Scan: *will set her kit where Ratchet can reach it easily before she's hurrying to offer comfort to Sweetheart, since the girl reminds her so strongly of her little sister*

Sweetheart: *in one of the two other bedrooms, crouching by a deep fuchsia woman with brown hair and wings. From inside the cloak of the woman's wings is coming the fussing sound of a frightened baby*

Cat Scan: *will gently tap on the door frame*

woman: *worried and uncertain look for the stranger* It's open.

Cat Scan: *gently, as she moves to enter the room, opting to stay near the door* Ratchet's going to do everything he can to help Breaker. He's the best medic the JOES have...

woman: *slight nod* *quietly, as she studies Cat Scan* Julie said that vhen she asked Sveetheart to go get him.

Cat Scan: *trying her best not to let her worry for Breaker show* *nods*

Sweetheart: Vader should go to the hospital, or back to base. There's a good hospital there. *rustles her wings and crouches a little smaller, letting a dark roan baby of her own race peek out from under her wings as she hugs him*

baby: *coos in a friendly and talkative way to Cat Scan*

Cat Scan: *another nod* *quietly* I agree... *attention going to the baby, and then she's clicking a gentle greeting*

Sweetheart: *quietly* This is Star. *smooths baby's dark hair* Und this is Tante.

woman: *nods, then excuses herself softly and turns her attention to the baby under her wings* *only to jerk and look toward the door as the sound of a shout comes from the master bedroom* Ach, not again!

Cat Scan: *attention going to the hall, will move to see whether Ratchet and Oom need any help*

Breaker: *putting up a heck of a fight to get away. Thinks he's facing Cobra goons*

Oom: *trying to catch him and hold him without hurting him. Is talking to the delirious man softly*

Cat Scan: *moving to help catch Breaker, while Ratchet moves to gently restrain the delirious man* Breaker, you're safe! It's okay!

Breaker: I don't know what you did with my radio, but my friends're gonna kick your...

Julie: Al, you better NOT say that!

Breaker: *says it and tries punching Oom in the face*

Oom: *lets go and ducks*

Cat Scan: *moving to try and poke Breaker on one of the acupressure points she knows about... the one that can make a person's arm go numb*

Breaker: *jerks away and tries to elbow her in the face. Is gasping for breath and pale*

Cat Scan: *nearly gets clobbered but manages to dodge at the last moment* For the love of all things holy... Breaker, snap out of it!

Ratchet: *going to get a light sedative out of Cat Scan's field kit*

Oom: Jumpin' Jehoshaphat! *ducks again*

Cat Scan: *going to try again to restrain Breaker. May be a girl, but she grew up doing farm chores, and she's stubborn to boot*

Breaker: *aims a punch at her face, but then suddenly makes a small confused sound and collapses*

Julie: Al!

Cat Scan: *moves to get Breaker laying down*

Ratchet: *scanning the soldier again*

Breaker: *pulse erratic, shaky, and weak, and fever spiking*

Ratchet: *quietly* We need to get him to The Pit's med ward...

Julie: I'm coming with you. And bringing Isaiah. *scowls* I've signed all the papers, I should be allowed to stay with my husband.

Ratchet: *gently* I wouldn't dream of separating a man from his family.

Cat Scan: Yeah... Ratchet's a suck like that...

Julie: *runs out, and then comes back with a cranky fat baby with lots of dark hair in her arms and a diaper bag hanging from her back*

Oom: Doctor! He's not breathing!

Cat Scan: *starting CPR*

Ratchet: *calling First Aid and explaining the situation*

First Aid: //I know. You're feeling it so strongly. We're ready.//

Julie: What the #$$@#$#@ are we waiting for???

Ratchet: //Incoming shortly.// *will offer his hand, while touching Breaker's shoulder*

Julie: *scowls, but then remembers her husband explaining his teleporting doohicker and grabs the hand, holding her youngest son close*

Cat Scan: *hooks her leg around Ratchet's* You need a hand free, Ratchet.

Ratchet: *manages to look a bit sheepish about that, before he's bringing the group to the med ward*

Julie: *sees a big white hand coming toward them and darts away to take advantage of the nearest possible cover. There is nothing in her record in the JOEs' files that says anything of any military training, but she just reacted like a soldier*

First Aid: *soft apology that slows her in no way as she gets Breaker on the table and applies a shock to his chest*

Ratchet: *returns to root mode and moves to assist his wife*

Cat Scan: *will get a chair for Julie to sit in before she's running to get any supplies First Aid or Ratchet ask for*

First Aid: He's flatlining. *applies a second shock*

Cat Scan: *expression schooled into a mask of neutrality as she returns with supplies and equipment*

First Aid: *third shock and then a soft sigh as she senses the thready beat of the young soldier's heart. Retracts her AED equipment and swiftly takes things from Cat Scan and starts setting up a full life support system*

Ratchet: *as Cat Scan sets up an IV, he'll scan Breaker again* *quietly* He's got a full body infection... It started in one of his teeth...

First Aid: The one that was broken in that last fight. *eyes darken over her facemask* Will we be able to fix it?

Ratchet: We'll be able to... But we'll need to keep him under observation.....

First Aid: *nods and glances toward Cobra Commander on the far table. Soft hiss of surprise as she realizes that the man is watching them over his opaque breathing mask despite the fact that none of the alarms he's hooked to has registered that he's awake* //Ratchet!//

Ratchet: *looks up from double-checking some of the life support equipment, then he's boggling slightly*

First Aid: //Fidelia must have disconnected the alarms.//

Ratchet: *moving to scan Cobra Commander*

Cobra Commander: *eyes closed now, but he is very much awake*

Ratchet: //He's weak... But he's out of danger...//

Fidelia: *anxiously watching the medic from where she's sitting by her master's bed* What is it? What's wrong?

Ratchet: *gently* He's out of danger now, Fidelia.

Fidelia: *lovely, innocent face just blooms with her smile* Oh! I'm glad!

Ratchet: *notices something, will move to examine the controls and access panels of the alarm equipment. Blinks a bit when he realizes that Fidelia's fingerprints are what he noticed, and that the woman shut the alarm equipment off, and rewired them so the lights stayed on*

First Aid: *coming over after gently lifting Julie up beside Breaker* //What is it, Ratchet?//

Fidelia: *softly talking to her master in a happy tone*

Ratchet: *indicates the alarm equipment* //Fidelia shut it off, and rewired it so the lights stayed on...//

First Aid: *eyes brighten with surprise* //I didn't think she was that cunning.//

Ratchet: //She's hardwired to protect Cobra Commander... And she did say Starscream created her...//

First Aid: //...Should we transfer both of them to the lockup?//

Ratchet: //We'll need to let General Hawk know....//

First Aid: *scanning Cobra Commander for herself now* //Oh... I'm not sure he's strong enough to move out of the medical ward yet. Maybe we should only send Fidelia.//

Ratchet: //That might not go over so well, considering how protective she is...//

First Aid: //What if she somehow manages to escape with him?//

Ratchet: *considering glance at Fidelia* //I don't think she'd risk Cobra Commander's health like that....//

First Aid: //She already risked it slightly by turning off those alarms.// *consults General Hawk*

General Hawk: //Ratchet?//

Ratchet: //Yes, General Hawk?//

General Hawk: //First Aid just reported to me about Breaker and Cobra Commander. Could you bring Fidelia to my office so that I can talk to her?//

Ratchet: //Yes, sir.//

General Hawk: //Thank you, Ratchet. General Hawk out.//

Ratchet: //Ratchet out.// *gently, to Fidelia* There's someone who wants to speak to you.... *will hold out his hand*

Fidelia: *looks at the hand, then up at him uncomprehendingly*

Ratchet: It's a bit of a walk to where the person is...

Fidelia: I can't leave my master! *draws back fearfully*

Ratchet: *looks to First Aid, brows raising*

First Aid: *concerned look back* //We have our orders.// I'll take care of him for you while you're talking to the General, Fidelia.

Fidelia: *softly but urgently* No! I have to stay here.

Ratchet: *gently and reassuringly* We'll be back soon... *will try to herd the woman onto his hand*

Fidelia: No! No! *tries to stay away from the hands*

Cobra Commander: *suddenly pushing himself up with all his tenuous and tremulous strength* *raspy, faint, but fierce* Leave her alone, you hideous alien freak! *then goes grey, gasps and passes out cold as his heart monitor complains bitterly*

First Aid: *hands to face mask with surprise*

Fidelia: Master! *throws herself at the bed and puts her fingers gently to his neck, then smooths his forehead*

Ratchet: *will report the situation to General Hawk, and pray silently*

General Hawk: //...You're telling me that he stopped playing possum to defend her?//

Ratchet: //Yes... And she refuses to leave his side...//

General Hawk: *grumbles* //He's not strong enough to transfer?// *has already asked First Aid. Wants a second opinion*

Ratchet: //Not yet, unfortunately.//

General Hawk: //You have a secure room there in the med ward. I'll assign guards.//

Ratchet: //Understood, sir.//

Cobra Commander: *stirs* Don't... don't touch her!

Ratchet: *reassuringly* Nobody's going to.

Cobra Commander: *fire in his dark eyes despite the fact that he's shaking with reaction*

First Aid: *gently introduces sedative into his IV line*

Cobra Commander: *attempts to pull out the needle! But falls asleep instead*

Ratchet: *gentle clicks* *softly* Everything's going to be alright. He needs to rest...

Fidelia: I can't leave him.

Ratchet: You won't have to... We're just going to move you to one of the quieter rooms.

Fidelia: *delicate chin trembles, and then she's slipping onto the side of Cobra Commander's bed and hiding her face against his shoulder*

Ratchet: *to First Aid* I'll make sure the room's comfortable...

First Aid: *nods to him even as she turns to give Breaker a quick check* //I'll stay here by them till you're ready.//

Ratchet: *nods and goes to make the small recovery room comfortable for Cobra Commander and Fidelia, pauses when he sees who is occupying the room, snuggled against Lifeline on the bed* //...Well, I found Desinex and Lifeline...//

First Aid: //Oh dear, is Desinex folded into that tiny room again?//

Ratchet: //She's using her human mode this time, at least...//

First Aid: //Well, that's better, so long as she hasn't been using it too long.// *concerned for her adopted daughter and not wanting her to undergo unneeded strain*

Ratchet: *moving to gently extract both of his daughters from the room, clicking softly all the while* //I'll bring her...// *soft chuckle at the slight stinkeye Desinex gives him for disturbing her nap*

First Aid: //Alright.// *glances down for Cat Scan*

Cat Scan: *sorting through supplies without so much as a word*

Lifeline: *soft squee of protest. Was comfy!*

Ratchet: *soft clicks, will offer to tuck Lifeline into her cubby with a towel*

Lifeline: *opens eyes and considers, then looks quizzically at Sissy. Is Sissy alright with Lifeline moving to her cubby?*

Desinex: *gentle clicks as she nods and stretches*

Lifeline: *little gimme hands toward the cubby. Baby wants*

Ratchet: *will gently tuck her into the cubby, and cover her with the towel*

Lifeline: *curls up as much as a little round baby can curl, then purrs herself back to sleep*

Ratchet: *closes the compartment and finishes getting the room ready, which is made slightly more difficult since he's holding Desinex* *will return to the main part of the ward*

First Aid: *gently lifts Cobra Commander's bed and life support machines and offers them*

Ratchet: *does a patient-for-daughter exchange and carefully carries Cobra Commander's bed and life support to the room*

Fidelia: *face still hidden. Never moves except for the slight, uneasy heave of her shoulders as she breathes*

Ratchet: *gentle clicks as he gets Cobra Commander and Fidelia situated, before he turns on the energy bars over the ceiling of the room. That done, he straightens and moves to return to the main part of the ward*

Starscream: *standing there behind the medic, the hallway visible through his transparent frame* You should just decommission her. She'll stop at nothing to protect and obey that flesh bag.

Ratchet: *as he's said each and every time over the past three weeks that the unwelcome visitor has shown up* Shut up, Starscream. *returns to the main ward, walking right through the ghost*

First Aid: *comes to meet him and put her arms around him, then peers around him with a slight frown* Again?

Ratchet: Unfortunately.

Cat Scan: *quietly, from where she's still sorting supplies* He needs a better hobby.

Ratchet: Maybe someone should teach him how to play chess.

Cat Scan: *soft snerk*

First Aid: *sighs* Your shift ended fifteen minutes ago, Cat Scan. Go have some rest.

Cat Scan: I want to finish this first, 'Aid...

First Aid: I can do it. You're tired. *gentle touch for her small teammate's shoulder*

Cat Scan: I'll be alright, 'Aid. *is starting to get a bit shaky. It could be due to exhaustion, or due to adrenaline...*

First Aid: *gently* That's an order, Cat Scan.

Cat Scan: ... *looks up, meeting First Aid's eyes with her own* You fight dirty. *will set the supplies aside and go to grab the gifts that were on her desk*

First Aid: You're a good teacher. *soft amusement*

Ratchet: *mock groan of "I'm doomed"*

Cat Scan: *razzes Ratchet as she heads for the door*

First Aid: *as she turns her attention to the job that the human medic has left* Good night.

Cat Scan: Night, 'Aid. *going down the hall now*

halls: *quiet, the other off shift JOEs are in the rec room, or mess hall, or resting in their quarters. As she turns the last corner onto her own hall Cat Scan will be able to see something hanging over the touchpad of her door*

Cat Scan: *blink blink* *reaches for what's hanging over the touchpad*

package: *tiny, neatly wrapped in a pretty cloth, and ornamented with a spray of paper sakura*

Cat Scan: *brows climbing towards her hairline as she gently removes the package from over her touchpad. She'll inspect it once she's in her quarters*

package: *wrapped and knotted in the traditional Japanese method, and containing a dainty lacquered bento box and a small roll of paper*

Cat Scan: *will peek into the bento box first*

bento: *chicken lime rice, a boiled egg cut artistically, rice crackers, seaweed, and other savory delicacies on the bottom layer. The top tray contains several very high quality mochi, and also some black current jam filled Hello Kitty marshmallows*

Cat Scan: ... *small grin, will check the contents of the roll of paper while she checks her desk for a set of chopsticks*

paper: *is a drawing, done cleanly and simply in ink and brush. It depicts Cat Scan herself as she sits at her desk and plays 'Mech Quest' on her computer*

Cat Scan: *blink blink* *makes a note to ask Hound to check surveillance tapes in the morning* *will start eating once she's found a clean set of chopsticks* *pleased grin at the flavor of the chicken lime rice, will move onto the egg and then onto the rest of the meal. Once she's done eating and has set the bento box and her chopsticks on the desk, she'll get her shoes off, and flop onto her bed and contemplate the day's activities until she falls asleep*

((written with random_xtras))