sv, Aquabot Warehouse and Tau Station, Affection and Idiots

[dens-extra-pups.livejournal.com]

Trailbreaker: *wobbling around in front of the warehouse and singing 'The Old Black Rum'. Looks pretty bewildered*

Calypso: *shared her 'rum' with Trailbreaker, is singing along with the mech*

Trailbreaker: *stops, blinking and swaying* Uhhhhh. Boat.

Calypso: *blink blink, looks, snerk* Aye.

Trailbreaker: ...Orange?

Calypso: *looks again, squints*

WakeJumper: ... You're both cratered, aren't you?

Trailbreaker: *looks down* Crater?

WakeJumper: *sighs, transforms, and climbs out of the water*

Calypso: *startled cuss* T' sirens're comin' f'r us!!! *grabs Trailbreaker and tries to run*

Trailbreaker: *falls over* Earthquake?

WakeJumper: .... *facepalming*

Trailbreaker: *struggles to process* I'm... aft is slag.

WakeJumper: *will carefully lift Trailbreaker under one arm, and Calypso under the other*

Trailbreaker: *muttering* I was on duty, wasn't I? Think so... Oh great.

WakeJumper: Don't worry about it.

Trailbreaker: *incredibly funny squint*

WakeJumper: *will bring both tipsy Autobots into the warehouse and sit them down on the couch* Now stay put.

Calypso: *muttering about being tricked by sirens*

Trailbreaker: *falls off the couch. Bang flat on face*

WakeJumper: ... *sigh*

Trailbreaker: ... *suddenly across the room and flailing* ORGANIC!

Calypso: *startled flail, cussing up a storm*

WakeJumper: ....Yeah... You're cratered...

Trailbreaker: *squeal of distress* It's INSIDE my optic band!

WakeJumper: *moves to hold Trailbreaker down and scan the mech*

tiny black ants: *yup, exploring new territory*

Trailbreaker: *shuddering and trying to paw at his face*

WakeJumper: *holds Trailbreaker's wrists and gently checks to see how to get the mech's optic band up so he can get the ants out*

Trailbreaker: *band will slide out after removal of a little bracket* *crying now*

WakeJumper: Easy, Trailbreaker... I'll get the ants out, but I need you to hold still. *carefully removes the bracket and gently slides Trailbreaker's optic band out*

Trailbreaker: *has scars behind that band. Scars so extensive that he'd never be able to use a normal optic assembly. The area is very sensitive, with sensor wires showing everywhere*

WakeJumper: *getting a small suction tool out of a compartment in his wrist, will very carefully begin vacuuming up ants*

Trailbreaker: *still crying silently, though he's still now except for shaking*

WakeJumper: *soothing clicks as he works*

Trailbreaker: *quietly* No... Sir, she wouldn't just run off. I'll find her. *moves head* Hoyden... where'd you go?

Calypso: *takes a topple off the couch, but will scoot on her aft towards Trailbreaker* Ain't goin' nowhere.... *when she's slightly more sober, she'll wonder how she scraped her aft to slag*

Trailbreaker: *soft sound* ...Running out of energon. Can't wreck the shuttle. Just a little... what's that? Oh no! Why are they shooting... AHHHHHHHHHHHH! *sits bolt upright*

WakeJumper: *acks as he's knocked onto his skidplate*

Calypso: *scoot scoot scoot* *jabs Trailbreaker in the side, right in between armor seams*

Trailbreaker: *soft, pained sound, then passes out cold and keels over*

Calypso: *is going to move Trailbreaker so his head's on her lap*

WakeJumper: *will check to see if he's gotten all the ants out before he's replacing Trailbreaker's optic band*

Trailbreaker: *the only movement in his optic area is the faint twitching of ruined and permanently inflamed sensor wires*

WakeJumper: *will apply a painkiller tab*

Calypso: *showing a rare moment of gentleness, is carefully smoothing Trailbreaker's helm and murmuring softly*

Trailbreaker: *sleeping hard, though one hand is clenched tightly and in a slightly odd position*

Calypso: *continues to smooth his helm*

WakeJumper: *small frown, will ping Ironfist's comm and ask her if she knows more about Trailbreaker and Calypso... only he'll refer to Calypso as Hoyden*

Ironfist: //Hoyden ran off around half way through their training. Trailbreaker convinced his trainer to let him go after her.//

WakeJumper: //Did he get attacked while he was going after her?//

Ironfist: //Pirates from Hyperion fired on his shuttle and shorted out the main viewscreen. If he hadn't thrown a hand up he'd have been blinded. As it was he lost the hand and his optic neural wiring was left in a constant state of hyper-alertness.//

WakeJumper: *quietly* //Well, that explains the optic band...//

Ironfist: //Yes. Because of the sensitivity of the relays they had to bypass them with a prosthetic.//

WakeJumper: *considers, then sends Ironfist an image of Calypso and Trailbreaker* //Hoyden joined the Aquabots... She goes by Calypso now...//

Ironfist: //... She might want to be careful if she wants to return to Cybertron.//

WakeJumper: *seriously* //She's as loyal as I am, Ironfist.// *realizes something from things Calypso has talked about while cratered* //She knew about what happened to Trailbreaker... Which is why she joined the Aquabots... //

Ironfist: //He could have been the greatest tracker Cybertron ever produced... And I'm not the one that issued the warrant for her. I was in her and Trailbreaker's class.//

WakeJumper: *glances at Trailbreaker and Calypso*

Trailbreaker: *comes awake with a sound like a hiccup, then groans softly* Aren't... aren't I on duty?

WakeJumper: *gently* Get some rest, Trailbreaker. You're safe.

Trailbreaker: Feel... like I let Rattletrap mix... my oil. *shivers*

WakeJumper: *chuckle* Rattletrap doesn't have anything on what Calypso can mix.

Calypso: *looks up. She heard her name...*

Trailbreaker: *tries to use a hand to rub his face, but it doesn't work too well* Keeps trying to get me to kiss one of his... lady friends too. Only one femme I'd ever kiss...

WakeJumper: *quietly* Hoyden?

Calypso: thrrpt.

Trailbreaker: *startles, his optic band blinking as he seeks the source of the strange sound*

Calypso: *does it again... and laughs about it*

Trailbreaker: *lost in a flashback again and talking about static. The static from a dinged up relay tower as he and Hoyden made promises to each other that they were too young and forbidden by Boot Camp law to make*

Calypso: *smooths Trailbreaker's helm again, and begins humming* *remembers those promises... which is why she took on the pirates that hurt Trailbreaker.... and nearly got herself killed in the process*

Trailbreaker: *moves his head slightly* Gotta find her. She wouldn't just run off...

Calypso: *quiet murmur* Don' go tossin' a good th'n' 'way, 'Breaker...

Trailbreaker: *optic band lights dimly* Hoyden?

Calypso: *even quieter* I was gonna be gettin' tossed overboard anyways....

Trailbreaker: Found you... VR?

Calypso: *ducks her head, will gently nuzzle his helm* *quieter* Found a crew t' take me on... Even if I ain't cut out f'r normal duty....

Trailbreaker: *silent confusion, and then drops into a reboot* *shudders as he comes out of it* Calypso...

Calypso: *more gentle helm nuzzles*

Trailbreaker: *gets his hand unclenched and reaches toward her face*

Calypso: *quietly* Never f'rgot our promises...

Trailbreaker: *intakes hitch and his optic band brightens*

Calypso: *soft clicks as she continues to nuzzle his helm*

Trailbreaker: *very quiet chuckle as he finds her hand and closes his fingers around it* Things... things on this floor...

Calypso: *blink blink*

Trailbreaker: *tries to get up, muttering about rocking*

Calypso: *will help him sit up*

Trailbreaker: *makes a try for his feet, and nearly introduces his face to the floor again*

Calypso: *fuss!*

WakeJumper: *moves to help the two inebriated bots to the couch*

Trailbreaker: *lost track again a little* ...Berth?

WakeJumper: Couch....

Trailbreaker: *tries to get up* Sleepy...

WakeJumper: I'm not surprised... *chuckles as Calypso clings to Trailbreaker. Then he's carefully lifting both bots and moving to bring them to one of the empty quarters* Get some rest...

Trailbreaker: *moves shoulders* Berth.

WakeJumper: That's where I'm bringing you two... *will gently set them on the berth that's in the quarters... which happen to be his own, since the berth is the largest*

Trailbreaker: *puzzled by the angle he finds himself laying at the thinly padded concrete berth. Turns his head from side to side as he tries to figure it out, then pauses as he realizes his face is inches from Calypso's* ...Hello.

Calypso: *small smile, and then she's snuggling against him a bit more* Hi...

Trailbreaker: Drill sergeant's gonna catch you again.

Calypso: Drill sergeant c'n kiss me aft.

Trailbreaker: *optic band flashes with worry, but then turns back to its usual colour* Ugh... this is why I don't drink the critical stuff.

Calypso: *snuggle, moves her head slightly*

Trailbreaker: ...Though maybe this would get Rattletrap off my case. One of his driving ambitions seems to be to get me this close to a femme.

Calypso: Rattletrap ain't nothin' more th'n a bilge rat. *sagely nod*

Trailbreaker: *quietly* Yeah, well, he's not as bad as he makes himself out to be. Sometimes.

Calypso: *soft razz* 'E ain't even wort' th' effort 'a stompin' on.

Trailbreaker: About the only friend I had left on Cybertron.

Calypso: *as she snuggles* Y'u need s'me better friends... Hound ain't so bad...

Trailbreaker: *quietly* He left as soon as he graduated Academy.

Calypso: 'E's 'ere on Earth.

Trailbreaker: I know.

Calypso: 'N Sharpshot... *blink blink as she loses her train of thought*

Trailbreaker: *doesn't seem to hear her. Appears to be looking at sad memories*

Calypso: *doing much like she did the last time she and Trailbreaker made promises to one another, and leaning over to kiss his cheek*

Trailbreaker: *absently scratches at his Elite Guard badge*

Calypso: *head lands on Trailbreaker's chest with a soft clunk*

Trailbreaker: *startles and looks down at her* Calypso?

Calypso: *quietly* Slaggit... 'M dizzy...

Trailbreaker: *surprised as he puts his arms around her* You're dizzy?

Calypso: *slight pout as she nods* Aye....

Trailbreaker: *worried and hits his automatic medic ping*

WakeJumper: *looks into the room after a few moments*

Trailbreaker: *optic band pale with concern* She's dizzy, Doc.

WakeJumper: *frown, moves to scan Calypso* ... *boggling* Just how much high grade did you drink, Caly?!

Calypso: Lost track....

Trailbreaker: ...Me too. ...And didn't you say something about a... 'Busterblend'?

Calypso: *slight squint as WakeJumper facepalms* Maybe?

WakeJumper: That'd do it... Cragbuster's blends are more potent than Ratchet's homebrew.... and that slag's strong enough to get me cratered.

Trailbreaker: *groan* And now you tell me.

WakeJumper: What I want to know is how you two even managed to get ahold of any...

Calypso: *more squint* Found it in th' hall...

WakeJumper: ....

Trailbreaker: *hiccup. Groan*

WakeJumper: *applies a slightly stronger painkiller tab, will also use one on Calypso*

Calypso: *wincing and clinging to Trailbreaker now*

Trailbreaker: *quietly* She gonna be okay, Doc? I mean... she usedta sneak shuttle fuel.

WakeJumper: She should be, once she's processed the fuel completely... *attention going to a soft snore, small smile* And now she won't be feeling anything for awhile...

Trailbreaker: *looks at her, his visor blinking on and off slowly as it resumes its usual shade of blue*

Calypso: *completely relaxed as she sleeps. Reacted to the painkiller in her normal manner, but the reason she's relaxed is because she can hear your spark, Trailbreaker*

Trailbreaker: *sudden comical face contortion as he tries to bite back a yawn*

WakeJumper: *gently* Get some rest. I'll make sure Downrush and Deluge are quiet.

Trailbreaker: *slight chuckle* I've slept through electrical storms on Nordus VIII.

WakeJumper: *seriously* Downrush and Deluge are louder than the storms there. *has heard about the place that has storms that scare Decepticons*

Trailbreaker: But do they make little energy sprites that dance around inside your head?

WakeJumper: ... If they somehow manage that, then I'll be terrified.

Trailbreaker: If there aren't any Kremzeek parties in my head, then it's peace and quiet.

WakeJumper: *chuckles as he nods* Alright... Do you want me to bring you a blanket?

Trailbreaker: *slight head shake as his optic band powers down*

WakeJumper: Alright. Ping me if you need anything.

Trialbreaker: Sure thing, Doc. *soft whir as his systems settle into stasis*

WakeJumper: *moves to head back to the living room of the warehouse base* *gonna get some bug spray and deal with those ants*


Elsewhere


Moonracer: *watching a slowly expanding cloud of medical gear float past the window* 0_0 Oh... dear.

Torque: *boggling. Low, drawn-out curse*

Rundown: ...Isn't that Fixer's favorite cutting laser? And wasn't she giving the new guy his physical?

Torque: *bolts to check the med ward*

Fixer: *braced behind a table, is hurling sharp objects and vicious verbal abuse at the squat green minibot who's got himself hooked on the side of the hole in the wall... which is about the same size that he is*

Brawn: *holding on, and grimly waiting for the pressure to even out so he can resume battle*

Rundown: *meeps and cringes*

Moonracer: :o

Torque: ... *calls Ironhide, since he has a hunch he's gonna need the backup*

Brawn: *and here he comes, head lowered as he charges*

Fixer: *wrenches the heavy repair table off its brackets and breaks it over his back, still cursing*

Torque: *moves to jump into the fight without a second thought, and without waiting for Ironhide to show up*

Ironhide: *has to hustle from clear over on the other end of the station*

Moonracer: *shows Ironhide an image of the bot that Fixer is battling*

Fixer: *tentacles around Brawn's neck and applying electricity!*

Ironhide: *boggles* Whal Ah'll be darned... *hurries to the medical ward to try and save Brawn's sorry aft*

Torque: *trying to restrain Brawn and find out what the minibot did to earn Fixer's ire*

Fixer: *uses the table on Brawn, and Torque, since Torque's in the way*

Rundown: *meeps again, and then jumps on the angry medic's back*

Ironhide: *as he hurries into the room* Brawn!

Torque: *trying to keep his footing*

Brawn: *growling furiously as his body jerks from the electrical charge*

Fixer: *wobbling now, her tentacles aren't really made for discharging that much power* *but she's still cursing*

Torque: Rundown, help Fixer sit down before she falls!

Ironhide: *moving to help restrain Brawn* Yer 'n idiot, Brawn! Takin' on Fixer in 'er med ward!

Brawn: *growls at Ironhide too, even though his optics show the pain he's experiencing right now. Stubby legs are braced, and it's only sheer obstinacy that's keeping him on his feet*

Fixer: *trying to jerk away from Rundown, and winds up face down*

Rundown: Ack! *quickly picks her up*

Moonracer: *hands over mouth*

Torque: *trying to stay on his feet. Getting whacked by that table really hurt. His head's spinning and his spinal relays are all but screaming at him as he tries to get Brawn off-balance by lifting the furious minibot* That's enough!

Ironhide: *boggling now. He'd heard Torque wasn't exactly sane... but picking Brawn up...*

Brawn: *punches up and back over his shoulder*

Torque: *wincing, will try and pin Brawn down.... via slamming his weight down on the smaller mech* I said that's ENOUGH!

Ironhide: *jaw would be on the ground if it could detach. This is the first time he's seen ANYONE stay standing after one of Brawn's punches*

Inferno: *from the doorway* ... Slaaag... Ah knew Torky w's tough... but th't takes th' ahwl cake....

Brawn: *bucks and bellows, but then suddenly goes still* *is still growling, though*

Moonracer: *applied stasis cuffs to ankles!*

Torque: *soft 'heh'* Thanks, Moonracer...

Ironhide: *to Brawn* Yer lucky ya jes' got stasis cuffed...

Brawn: *STINK EYE. He's madder than Ironhide will have ever seen him except when fighting Decepticons*

Ironhide: Ah mean it, Brawn... Even Ah ain't crazeh 'nough t' take on Fixer in 'er med ward AND Torque....

Torque: *speaking of, the impact of his injuries is catching up with him... If the fact that he just shut down due to shock is anything to go by*

Moonracer: *small sounds as she checks on her mate*

Rundown: *softly, as he turns Fixer over and looks at her face* Hold on. Just hold on, okay? *is trying to get his tank open so he can siphon some fuel to the unconscious femme*

Torque: *face down, optics dark... and several large dents on his back and the back of his helm*

Moonracer: *calls Viisaus. And Chromia and Firestar*

Viisaus: *groggy response*

Chromia: //Wh't's up, Moonracer?//

Firestar: //If nobody's been blown up, can it wait till Chromia and I get back from the debris field?//

Moonracer: *quietly* //Fixer's tools and supplies will be part of the field soon. But Fixer and Torque are hurt, and I'm not sure what to do.//

Chromia: //... Ah'll git Fixer's tools 'n supplahs. Fahrstah jes' took off f'r 'ome, 'n she'll be th're inna few clicks. Jes' get Torky 'n Fixer comfeh.//

Moonracer: *mournfully, as she gently touches her mate's dents* //She's depleted herself fighting with Brawn, and she hit Torque with her repair table.//

Chromia: //... Brawn's th're?!// *sounds completely and utterly surprised*

Moonracer: //Yes. He's our new guy.// *frowns down at the bot, and then gently turns Torque onto his back and away from the minibot*

Torque: *slight optic flash as he's turned*

Inferno: *moving to help Rundown with Fixer*

Ironhide: *proceeding to inform Brawn just how many levels of idiocy the powerfully strong minibot has reached*

Chromia: //...Slag me sahdways... Ahrnhahd 'n Ah know th't gah...//

Moonracer: //I kind of picked that up from what Ironhide said... and is saying.// *softly* Shhh, Torky. Help's coming.

Firestar: *arriving a few moments later, and looking like she PINpointed part of the distance*

Viisaus: *quiet ping of comms*

Brawn: *growls something about a Decepticon glitch*

Moonracer: *optics flash, and she kicks him right in the audio* //Yes, Vissy?//

Viisaus: //What... has happened?// *sounds a bit out of it and everyone on the common channel will be able to hear that*

Firestar: *trying to get Torque onto his side so she can get started with repairing his back*

Moonracer: *helps the other femme, is still giving the surprised Brawn very reproachful looks*

Rundown: *talking softly to Fixer as he shares his fuel. Worry changes to hopefulness as the elderly femme turns her face toward him in her stasis* *in response to Viisaus* //Fixer got in a fight with the new guy, sir.//

Viisaus: //Damage... report...?//

Ironhide: *is siding with Moonracer on this one... but at least he's not belting you upside the head yet, Brawn... Yay for small miracles?*

Firestar: *making due with what she's got access to* We might have to take Torque to 'Rail...

Rundown: *just shows Viisaus a clip of the interior of the repair bay. Also shares the fact that the entire sector is depressurized*

Viisaus: *groggily* //Repair... techs.... Medical....// *then there's the soft sound of him snoring a few moments later*

Moonracer: *obediently and promptly puts out the call for the repair crews, and then hails 'Rail* *and then she kicks Brawn again*

repair techs: *en route!*

'Rail: //Please tell me that nobody's floating out in the debris field because of that boom I just heard, 'Racer... I really don't want to go chase anyone down this cycle...//

Moonracer: //No, only Fixer's stuff. Fixer and the new guy braced themselves.// *more quietly* //The boom was Fixer throwing the new guy through the wall.//

'Rail: //... Slaaag.... Who's hurt the worst?//

Chromia: *reports that she got everything that was in the med ward before!*

Moonracer: //Well...// *looks from bot to bot* //I think it's Torky.//

'Rail: //...Did he smash his intakes closed again?//

Moonracer: *optics widen as she checks* //Brawn did hit him in the face...//

'Rail: //... I'll be there in ten clicks.// *closes the connection*

Torque: *does indeed have smashed intakes*

Moonracer: *gentle fussing over this fact* *and kicks Brawn again*

Brawn: *wincing, his anger turning to astonishment that this slender little femmebot keeps kicking him just in the one place where it'll hurt*

'Rail: *arrives at a run, has all of his assistants with him, and all of his tools* *moves to gently nudge Firestar aside, will set to work getting Torque repaired*

Chromia: *reports an ETA of one click*

Fixer: *soft sound and turns her head again*

'Rail: *freezes and looks at Fixer*

Rundown: *talks to the femme gently, then asks one of the assistants for a can of energon, since he didn't have much in his tank and he's feeling a little dizzy now*

Moonracer: *to 'Rail* Fixer hit Torky with the repair table, but I know she didn't mean to. She likes Torky.

'Rail: ... *if he were human, he'd be very pale by now. He knows how heavy the table in question is, since he helped install the darn thing!* *quickly gets to work repairing Torque's intakes, since the mech's temperature is starting to spike*

assistant: *gives Rundown two cans, one of which he'll insist that the youngster ingests*

Rundown: *drinks obediently, but doesn't let go of Fixer since she seems happy where she is*

Fixer: *another soft sound. Is rebooting*

Viisaus: *absent murmur over comms, is still asleep, but didn't close his connection*

'Rail: *turning Torque onto his stomach, will start work repairing the worst of the damage to the Enforcer's back*

Brawn: *growls as he realizes that he's been forgotten to the point of being used as a table for tools*

Torque: *soft whine*

Inferno: *helping the repair techs fix the hole in the wall*

Ironhide: *attention going to the door as Chromia arrives*

Chromia: *getting everything she recovered out of subspace and trying to get them put back where they belong*

Brawn: *more growl*

Fixer: *snaps without even waking* Shut the slag up, you green runt!

Brawn: *optics WHITE*

Chromia: *to Brawn as she works* 'T's good t' see y'u too, ya slagger.

Brawn: *glare glare, and then more glare as someone kicks him over onto his back*

Rundown: *gentle words for Fixer as he sets his empty can aside*

Viisaus: *murmurs something nonsensical over comms*

Firestar: *helping Chromia get Fixer's med ward back in order*

Torque: *whimpers as he tries to reboot*

'Rail: *sedates the burly Enforcer to keep him from moving around*

Fixer: *unshutters optics and scowls* Torque.

Rundown: He's going to be okay. You just winged him with the table.

Fixer: *scowl deepens as she checks on the mech she sees as a son*

'Rail: *quietly* Fixer, I need help with this... *sounds just a bit worried, has Torque's helm opened*

Fixer: *immediately moves to sit up* What is it?

'Rail: *reports. Torque's got a few cracks in his processor, including one that reaches into his personality matrix. That crack is the one that worries the younger medic the most*

Fixer: *and she's over there instantly, her magnifying lens dropping into place and telescoping as she leans over Torque's head* *is feeling a little sick at the thought that she's hurt him*

Torque: *does have cracks in his processor, but most of those are minor ones that are easy to repair. As 'Rail said, there is a larger crack that actually reaches the part of Torque's personality matrix that was damaged vorns ago by the virus that left the Enforcer illiterate*

Fixer: *studies it more closely, one hand actually shaking as she lays it on Torque's shoulder*

crack: *doesn't reach very far into the older damage, at least*

Fixer: *sigh* *quietly* Alright, I can repair this. *tentacles come into play, working by feel, and with a delicacy impossible for fingers*

Brawn: *brow slowly raising as he watches that*

Moonracer: *looks at the expression on Fixer's face and is concerned*

'Rail: *going to play the role of assistant, will fetch anything Fixer asks for*

Rundown: *gets Brawn by the stasis cuffs and drags him off to the lockup*

Brawn: !!!!!! 0_0

Ironhide: *moving to help clear a path, as is Chromia*


A few hours later...


Torque: *running quietly in stasis*

Fixer: *sitting next to his berth, and paying no attention to the fact that 'Rail is still in her repair bay*

'Rail: *finishing up some fine details on the repair techs' work*

Torque: *shifts position slightly, optics flickering as he comes out of stasis*

Fixer: *looks up, and then gently puts a hand on his shoulder* //Torque?//

Torque: *slight flinch, blink blink. Wonders why Fixer is using comms, but will respond in kind* //Huh?//

Fixer: *quietly* //How do you feel?//

Torque: *wryly* //Like I got into another brawl at Mirage's... Is that what happened?//

Fixer: *looks down* //No. ...I hit you with the main repair table.//

Torque: //...// *small frown* //When was that?// *blink blink, moves to sit up* //Is Moonracer okay?//

Fixer: *gently restrains him* //She's fine. Went to feed Starburst and check on Viisaus.// *looks down again as she considers this evidence of data loss, and then gives him the time of the incident*

Torque: //...// *small frown as he checks his chronometer, and then he's boggling slightly* //My shift's been over for two cycles...// *more frown* //All I remember is coming on shift.... And then waking up here...//

Fixer: *chin actually trembles slightly as she nods* //At least that's all you've lost.//

Torque: *reaches for Fixer's hand to gently patpat it* //Yeah... Last time I lost time, wasn't it the first time I got into a brawl at Mirage's?// *optics sparkling just slightly. He still remembers the panic he felt when he woke up that time, and was informed that he had been out for almost two solar cycles*

Fixer: *soft sound and then she's crying*

Torque: *acks and tries to sit up again*

'Rail: *moves to lay on Torque* Just lay down, Torque...

Torque: *frowwwwn. He can see 'Rail speaking... but he can't hear anything... * //Fixer... Did you mute 'Rail's vocoder?//

Fixer: *quietly* He can't hear you, 'Rail. //No. Torque... you've got processor damage. It's affecting your ability to pick up data from your audio receivers.//

'Rail: ... *low curse*

Torque: //...//

Fixer: //If you rest and don't shake things loose you should recover fully.// *intakes deeply* //I'm so sorry.//

Torque: *clicks, even though he can't hear what he's saying. He's trying to be reassuring*

Fixer: *quietly* //I nearly killed you...// *visibly shaken by this*

Torque: *optics serious, even if his voice is shaky* Not true.

'Rail: *ducking out silently*

Fixer: *quiet sound and more crying as her hand closes over Torque's shoulder* //Oh yes it is.//

Torque: //Accidents happen, Fixer... I probably got in the way at the wrong moment, knowing me...//

Fixer: //I slaggin' knew better.// *lifts her head and scans him, one tentacle absently curling against his chest as she does so*

Torque: *gives her a slight look* //I should know better than to get in your way...// *close to shutting down for another reboot*

Fixer: *gentle kiss for his forehead, then gestures to Moonracer to come over. Lifts the smaller femme and lays her beside her mate* //Get some rest.// Keep him on the table.

Moonracer: *speculatively* Is it alright to kiss him?

Fixer: *snorts* Give me Starburst.

Moonracer: *carefully hands over the little guy, who is loving his dolly and making little clicks, then turns back to Torque and proceeds to kiss him silly*

Fixer: *sighs and looks around, then calls for 'Rail to get his aft back here and make sure things stay quiet while she goes to check on her brother*


Meanwhile, at the brig.


Brawn: *looks up as he hears Ironhide's footsteps approaching* It's about time. Can I get down now? *hanging upside down on the wall by the stasis cuffs*

Ironhide: You gonna tell whah y'all were raisin' all kahnds'a slag in Fixer's med ward?

Brawn: *scowl, growl* I report for a physical, and the first thing out of the old broad's mouth is 'what a lousy runt'.

Ironhide: ... *snort* 'T least yer' not 'the stupid glitch-head'....

Brawn: *angry growl. Has always objected to being called a runt*

Firestar: *from where she's bringing energon to the Chronic Community Service Group* Fixer insults everyone. Even Viisaus Prime.

Brawn: *more angry glower*

Springer: *from across the cell where he's sharing a bench with one of the two femmes of the group* The worse the name, the more fond of you she is!

Firestar: Says the mech who keeps getting his aft handed to him by a kid... *chuckles* *to Brawn* If Fixer really didn't like you, we wouldn't have been able to stop her from dismantling you entirely.

Brawn: She threw me through a slagging wall, and then then tried to fry my circuits!

Springer: *cheerily, to Brawn* So what'd you do?

Brawn: *growl* What?

Springer: Well, obviously you did something to tick Fixer off enough that she threw you through a wall.... So what was it?

Brawn: *scowl deepens* She called me runt and threw something at me, so I called her a D'Con glitch.

Sandstorm: *wakes from a sound stasis to wince at that and check under his bench to see if there's space for him to fit*

Springer: ... Slag, mech, do you WANT to be offlined out here?!

Brawn: *is just going to hang there and glower*

Firestar: *manages to dent the tray she's carrying* *quietly, her voice taking a tone that makes Ironhide back up a few steps* So help me, Brawn, if you don't apologize for saying that, I will personally make sure you never leave the brig.

Brawn: *optics go white, but he stubbornly makes no reply*

Ironhide: *quick to reach up and wallop Brawn*

Brawn: *startled* What the slag is it with bots here hitting me??

Firestar: *turning to face Brawn, her expression dangerous* We're hoping it'll knock some sense into that thick head of yours. Fixer's just as loyal an Autobot as Torque Minor and Viisaus Prime. If you act stupid, you're not going to last more than a single shift.

Springer's bench mate: Uncuff him. I'll teach him some manners.

Springer: Not gonna happen, Rosie... That's Brawn... About the only 'Bot who could survive a hit from him is Ironhide...

Ironhide: *quietly* Torky can....

Springer: ... You're yanking my servo.

Brawn: *grouchily* Naw, I hit the kid and he didn't even let go of me.

Springer: Slaaag.... *has new-found respect for Torque Minor. He liked the guy anyways, but this just makes the Enforcer that much more awesome to Springer*

Rosie: *gonna whoop about that. ...And make another request to have a round with Brawn*

Whiplash: *reminds Rosie that the last time she got into a brawl with Torque, he accidentally flattened her when she landed at the bottom of the mechpile*

Rosie: I was drunk then.

Springer: You still got flattened, lady.

Rosie: *grumbles and kicks him off the bench, then stretches out to have a nap*

Springer: *yelp!*

Brawn: ...What kind of slaggin' nut house is this place?

Whiplash: *grin* It's home.

Springer: *rubbing his poor, abused aft* You never got the memo? Only the nutcases, glitches, and malfunctions get sent here... Well, except for Moonracer. She's not a nutcase, glitch, or malfunction... Even if she is bonded to Torky...

Whiplash: *correcting Springer* Moonracer, Torky, Rundown, and Vissy.

other service provider femme: *in a voice creaking slightly with her age* So you're leaving Fixer off the list of non-seconds? *optics twinkling wickedly at Springer and Whiplash*

Springer: ... Fixer's SCARY. She trumps 'em all.

Whiplash: *nodnodnod* *shiver*

femme: So when she hears you left her off the list...

Springer: Only reason she's not on the list is 'cause she's in a class all her own.

femme: You're too dumb to tease. Where's my supper?

Firestar: Here... *puts a cube within easy reach of the femme, is slightly twitchy*

Sandstorm: *reaches up to try and get it, but then yelps and tucks as much of himself as possible into his hiding place as he catches sight of something behind the enforcers*

Ironhide: *quick to turn to see what spooked Sandstorm*

Fixer: *pauses and quirks a brow ridge at him*

Ironhide: *moves out of Fixer's way without a word*

Fixer: *enters the cell and stops in front of Brawn, her expression neutral as she regards him. One hand is cupped against her chest*

Brawn: >\

Firestar: How's Viisaus, Fixer? *is making a point not to look at Brawn*

Fixer: He's in stasis. *quirks the brow ridge at Brawn* You nearly made me kill a good mech, you stupid slagging runt.

Firestar: *don't mind her... and pay no mind to the sound of a metal tray being reduced to half size...*

Brawn: So what're you gonna do about it, lady?

Fixer: *makes certain that he can't move, sticks a strip of silver tape over his mouth, and then sets a tiny silver scrap with big blue optics loose on his chest plate*

Starburst: *oooo, play time! Starts climbing around!*

Brawn: *optics getting wider and wider and wider as ticklish tiny hands and feet poke him in all his sensitive armor joints!*

Firestar: *okay, now she'll look... and smirk as she watches Starburst clamber all over the lippy minibot*

Ironhide: *secretly thinks it's a Very Good Thing that Fixer is this far from Cybertron... He'd hate to see what she could do to the Council*

Brawn: *now saying unprintable and frantic things over comms!*

Firestar: What's wrong? Gotta glitchmouse in your systems? *smirrrrk*

Brawn: //@#$%&#@$@#!!!!// 0_0

Springer: *peeeeks, snickerfit*

Whiplash: *blowing bubbles in his energon due to his snickerfit*

old femme: *eeeevil grin, though she's got no idea what that little thing is. It sounds cute*

Firestar: *enjoys watching Brawn squirm* *is soooo sharing a live feed of this with Chromia and Moonracer*

Brawn: //I'M GONNA BLOW A GASKET!!!!//

Ironhide: *worried* *hesitantly* Er... Fixer?

Fixer: Oiling themself never killed a bot. Even when they were upside down.

Ironhide: Ah... Ahlrahght...

Brawn: *optics go even wider as his best friend backs down* //I'm sorry!//

Fixer: No you aren't. You just want to curb Starburst's fun.

Brawn: *incoherent and desperate yelling over comms*

Viisaus: *awake now* //Fixer?//

Fixer: //Hmm?//

Viisaus: //Someone's... yelling... Why?//

Fixer: *shows him why*

Viisaus: *very soft chuckle* //Ah... When... Starburst tires... I will.... keep him company...//

Ironhide: *apologetic look for Brawn*

Fixer: //He should be ready for stasis in a few more minutes. I've never seen him this active before.//

Starburst: *play play! Tiny, happy clicks*

Brawn: *getting red in the face from overheating and from his efforts to not blow the gasket*

Viisaus: *more soft chuckling* //Alright...// *slight pause, no doubt due to what has been troubling him off and on since he was moved to his quarters* //What... has earned this mech.... such a fate?//

Fixer: *quietly* //He's the slagger I was swinging at when I hit Torque with the repair table.//

Viisaus: //Ah...// *is likely checking schedules now... and searching for the most undesirable job on the station for Enforcers* //How... is Torque?//

Fixer: //*sighs* Moonracer just medicated him.//

Viisaus: *would be giving his sister a gently stern Look if he were in the same room* //How bad...// *slight hitch* //Injuries...//

Fixer: *grumbles and details the damage* *quietly* //He's going to be alright.//

Viisaus: *quietly* //He shall... overcome this... as he has... other challenges...//

Fixer: //Of course he will. It's part of who he is.// *gently scoops Starburst up as the little guy pauses and looks around for his dolly or his snuggle sack, then uses her other hand to unhook Brawn from the hook and drop him on his head* *as she turns to leave the cell* Asteroid worm detail.

Ironhide: *sympathetic wince as he gets Brawn turned upright*

Brawn: //Lemme go. 'Hide, lemme go!//

Ironhide: *warily* Wah?

Fixer: Oh, and let him go. *gone to feed a little guy and tuck him in his bag before giving him to Viisaus for the down shift*

Ironhide: *lets Brawn go, but has a bad feeling about doing so*

Brawn: *lays there propped against the wall and just intakes and exhales, his optics shuttered*

Springer: *cheerily, knowing full well Fixer can hear him* See? Told ya she's in a class all her own... *to Fixer* You sure you don't wanna take over the universe? *knows he's going to at least get glared at for his cheek*

Fixer: *points out to Springer over comms that he's up for a physical. Doesn't turn from her trip toward the lift*

Springer: *cringe*

Brawn: *voice rough from suppressed yelling* What is that thing?

Firestar: *as she checks that the rest of the Chronic Community Service Group has fuel* That's Starburst. He's Moonracer and Torque's youngest fosterling.

Brawn: 0_0 ... What race?

Firestar: *thoughtfully* I'm not sure... but I bet Moonracer or Torque would know... Fixer might know, too...

old femme: He clicks like an unprogrammed bot.

Firestar: I think he's a sparklet, honestly....

Brawn: *stares, and then falls over sideways* I just got owned by a guy even smaller than me.

Firestar: *snerk*

Ironhide: *quiet* You got owned by Fixer.... Starburst was jes' playin'....

Brawn: *soberly, with no trace of brag* I could take Fixer, if no bystanders got in the way.

old femme: Yeah well, she's more valuable than you. So nobody's gonna stand back and watch.

Firestar: If he were able to, her brother'd kick your aft for what happened in the med ward earlier.

Brawn: Who's he? *frown*

Firestar: *simply* Viisaus Prime.

Brawn: *facepalms and mutters, then falls over sideways* Excuse me while I enjoy my last stasis rest as a free bot. *meaning he's so exhausted that his systems are already trying to shut down*

Ironhide: *small nod* *quietly, after listening to what Viisaus tells him over comms* Ah'll come getcha after the down period....

Brawn: *mumbles, and then snores*

Firestar: *resists the urge to kick Brawn while he's out, will go finish her reports, dragging Ironhide with her*

Springer: *watches them go, and then pulls out the 'sharpie' that he got when he last visited Earth. Grins and hunkers down to add a little interest to the new roomie*

((Co-written with random_xtras))