MBV. /Ark/ Base and a Hospital in Los Angeles. Courting, Mock-Bounties, and Rebellions

[microbots]

Sabrina: *packing a picnic basket.... also has her backpack filled with books*

Rachel: *looks over at Sabrina from where she's trying to get Alicia's attention so that she can give her a package she's holding*

Alicia: *crooning softly to Tessa as she babydances*

Rachel: *chuckles* Alicia, do you want this present or not?

Alicia: *looks up* Present?

Rachel: *waves package, her eyes full of laughter*

Alicia: *moves to approach*

Tessa: Pbee? *blinks at the box Mama's being shown*

Alicia: *will move Tessa to her hip so she can reach for the box*

Sabrina: *double-checks that she packed everything on her list, clicking softly as she thinks*

Rachel: *gives box* Want me to hold Tessa while you open it?

Scarlet: *somewhere in the back of the house* No! That's not my freakin' chore. It's Susana's. And it's not my fault she decided to move out!

Alicia: *looks over towards the back of the house* Scarlet, just do it!

Scarlet: Go blow your alternator! *door slam*

Tessa: Oh oh. *bit of a wibble*

Alicia: *rolls her eyes* Sheesh.

Sabrina: *small nod to herself* *looks up, blink blink* Oh, hello, Rachel.

Rachel: *has a Tessa, yay!* ... *snerk* Hi, Bri. Going on a field trip?

Sabrina: Something like that... *little grin* I'm going to the Nexus Library.... One of the librarians there hasn't read anything by Dickens yet....

Alicia: *as she works on carefully opening the box* Same one that hadn't read Mark Twain last week?

Sabrina: Different one.

Rachel: Huh. You'd think in a place like that they'd have read nearly everything. *grins at Tessa, who gives her a shy, sweet smile in return*

Sabrina: *chuckles* The librarian's a new hire. And I'll be eating lunch at one of the Nexus parks... *hence the picnic basket*

Rachel: Okay. *quirks a brow at the younger woman, her blue eyes holding a thoughtful light*

Alicia: *surprised sound as she pulls out a white dress*

Sabrina: *blinks and looks to Alicia* Oh, that's pretty, Ali....

Rachel: *grins, wondering if Alicia will understand the gift*

Alicia: *slight wibble* You got me a wedding dress....

Rachel: *nods* It's one of those adjustable ones that you can wear all kinds of ways. And you can dye it and shorten it for after, if you want.

Alicia: *small nod, will move to give Rachel a thank-you hug*

Rachel: *returns the hug, chuckling softly as Tessa's little arms try to hug both her and Alicia*

Alicia: *happy little clicks*

Sabrina: *soft chuckle* I'll be back later... *basket in hand, backpack on back, shoes on feet. PINpoints out*

Rachel: *glances over* ...She's sweet on somebody.

Alicia: Prolly the librarian.

Rachel: *chuckles* I wonder how much like Patrick he is. *gently fingers the dress* Oh that's a good lining. This won't be see through.

Alicia: *grin* Good.

Rachel: *chuckles* Yup. Do you want to try it on?

Alicia: *nods* *will move to go change*


Back yard


Scarlet: *just slammed out the back door and ploughed right into a ninja*

Shadowmaru: *startled, backpeddles quickly* 0_0

Scarlet: What...? *blinks and frowns* Aren't you one of those Brave Police guys? What the slag're you doing here?

Shadowmaru: Er.... I'm on leave....

Scarlet: That doesn't explain what you're doing... *pauses as she spots something in his hand and recognizes the newest release in the series of china shoe ornaments that her secret admirer has been leaving for her* 0_0

Shadowmaru: *sheepish and blushing now* Er.... Here... *offers the ornament*

Scarlet: ... *blink blink blink as she accepts the heart and gold-decorated ornament* ....You're the one who's been leaving the ornaments?

Shadowmaru: *looking very sheepish now*

Scarlet: *more blinking. She's not sure what to say*

Shadowmaru: *digging a small circle in the dirt with the corner of his foot, is just a bit nervous*

Scarlett: ... *now it's sinking in that she's being courted* .... *transforms so she's closer to optic-level with Shadowmaru* *grab. SNOG*

Emilia: *coming out to find Scarlett. Stops short as she sees Shadowmaru being snogged by Slingshot*

Shadowmaru: *arms around Slingshot as he returns the kiss*

Emilia: .... *brows up* Ahem.

Slingshot: *IGNORE*

Shadowmaru: *soft, happy rumbling*

Emilia: ... *pinches the bridge of her nose, pings Xiaobei's comm. Will also ping Rachel's comm*


Inside


Rachel: *blinks and looks away from admiring Alicia in pretty dress* *facepalm* You sister's trying to get married on the back doorstep.

Alicia: .... Get the hose.

Rachel: //Emi, get the hose.// *going to look out the window*

Emilia: //Gotcha.// *goes to get the hose, will turn it on and spray the Aerialbot and the ninjabot*

Slingshot: *startled curse*

Shadowmaru: *YELP!*

Rachel: *sniggerfit as she watches*

Alicia: *snickerfit* Serves 'em right.

Xiaobei: *approaching*

Emilia: *scolding both youngbots*

Shadowmaru: *head bowed, but he's got a protective arm around the growling and cussing Slingshot*

Xiaobei: *arms crossed, is calmly watching the situation unfold*

Slingshot: I've got as much slaggin' right to love somebody as any fraggin' body else! So go blow it out your actuator!

Xiaobei: *calmly* I have nothing against you two being wordmates for now. But Shadowmaru is not yet a year old.

Emilia: *giving Xiaobei a surprised look now*

Slingshot: So? That Deckerd nerd wasn't a year old when he got married either. They're not kids.

Xiaobei: Deckerd is not my son.

Slingshot: *very rude hand sign*

Shadowmaru: *slight cringe, has a bad feeling he knows what will happen next*

Xiaobei: *eyes narrow*

Emilia: *live feed of this to Rachel. And a message of "HALP!"*

Rachel: *is stepping out through the back door just as Slingshot hits her PINpoint*

Xiaobei: *growl*

Emilia: *groan* Oh, great.

Alicia: .... *lets Patrick know about this!*


VTech library


Tea: //Hey, Bossbot, Col. Franklin's got a message for ya.//

Patrick: //... On top of the situation at home....// *sigh* //Patch him through, Tea.//

Col. Franklin: *concerned* //Situation at home?//

Patrick: //Slingshot was kissing Shadowmaru.//

Col. Franklin: //... What?//

Patrick: //Apparently, Shadowmaru's the one who has been leaving Slingshot little courting gifts.... and she caught him in the act....//

Col. Franklin: *sound of a facepalm* //And then what happened?//

Patrick: //According to Alicia, Slingshot PINpointed with Shadowmaru. Xiaobei's on the warpath now.... She told Slingshot to wait until Shadowmaru's a year old... and Slingshot didn't agree to that....//

Col. Franklin: *resigned exasperation in his voice* //Great. And we've found another Cybertronian stray that needs pickup.//

Patrick: //...Where at, and who is it?// *glad for the distraction*

Col. Franklin: //He's in LA. And... do you know any pink mechs?//

Patrick: //....I don't....// *will ask Tea if she or Blaster does*

Tea: //We saw a pink mech a few times down in the Underneath. Never talked to the guy, though.//

Col. Franklin: *quietly* //This bot is the drug ward of Aurora Las Encinas Hospital.//

Patrick: //...So we should get a medic?//

Col. Franklin: //Right now we just need him transported to the Ark.//

Lockdown: *chooses that moment to look into Patrick's office and go Xp at him*

Patrick: //Alright.// *looks up at Lockdown* Do you want to go on a recovery mission?

Lockdown: ... ... No. Where?

Patrick: Los Angeles. There's a Cybertronian in the drug rehabilitation section of Aurora Las Encinas Hospital. Pink mech.

Lockdown: *stops in the middle of turning to duck her head and look back at him with a quirked brow* Pink? How pink?

Patrick: *to Col. Franklin* //How pink?//

Col. Franklin: //They've only seen his human mode. But the official who called me described his hair as neon, and the mech himself as... er. Trans.//

Patrick: //Did he give a designation?// *to Lockdown* I'm not sure. The mech's in human mode.... The description of his hair is that it's neon pink, and his alt mode's apparently effeminate.

Lockdown: *cracks up* That stupid juice head made it to Earth?

Patrick: ...Juice head?

Lockdown: He's a junky.

Patrick: *cringe*

Lockdown: A pretty sad one, because he never quit tryin' despite the juice.

Patrick: ...Just what is he addicted to?

Lockdown: Be easier ta ask what he ain't. His name's Scattershot.

Patrick: *slight frown* I've never heard of him.... Blaster only saw him on occasion in the Underneath.... *checks with Pietro and Javan* ... Prowl and Jazz haven't heard of him either.....

Lockdown: Ask Blitzwing.

Patrick: *pings Blitzwing's comm*

Blitzwing: //Busy.//

Patrick: //Have you heard of a mech called Scattershot?//

Blitzwing: //... Huh? Yeah, but not since the start of the war.//

Patrick: //He's here on Earth.//

Blitzwing: //Should've known Betty wasn't the only Downsider to make it out.//

Patrick: //What can you tell me about Scattershot's history? Prowl has nothing on him, and all I know so far is that the mech is a junkie.//

Blitzwing: //That's about all I know, other than he started out as a colony bot.//

Patrick: //Alright... Thank you, Blitzwing.//

Blitzwing: //He stayed under the radar. Worked at whatever came his way. And drank/charged/inhaled anything that came his way too.//

Patrick: *soft sigh* //Understood. Optimus out.//

Lockdown: *already gone. Boulder's voice can be heard down the hall somewhere*

Patrick: ... *facepalm. Will relay what intel he has on the mech to Col. Franklin*

Col. Franklin: //Will your people be able to handle him?//

Patrick: //I'll talk to the medics... and we'll bring him to the base... but after that, I'm deferring his case to either Rachel, Bea, or Russell.//

Col. Franklin: //Alright. Let me know how the situation with Slingshot gos. Franklin out.//

Patrick: //Optimus out.// *sighs again, will ping the aforementioned medics and debrief them*


Nexus park woods


Rachel: //I think I'll leave that case to Glit. ...Oh slag. Found the derps, guys.// *steps over a log and pauses by the pair of elopers*

Slingshot: *snuggled against Shadowmaru with a peacefully content expression on her face*

Russell: //.... They did, didn't they?//

Rachel: //They did.// *hunkers down and scans the miscreants* //Pretty solidly, too.//

Slingshot and Shadowmaru: *yup. Bonded couple just starting to settle their bond*

Russell: //... *facepalm* I'll go check on the others...//

Rachel: //I'll bring these derps back.// *and report to Patrick*

Patrick: *sounds like he's pinching the bridge of his nose* //Alright.// *sigh* //Today has been way too interesting, and it's not even lunch time yet.//

Rachel: //Then I suppose it wouldn't be a good idea to let you know Ali's got her wedding dress? BRB.// *PINpoints to the infirmary*

Patrick: //...Heh... How's she look in it?//

Rachel: *sends him a picture. Tessa is holding up the hem of the dress and smiling up at her mother in the image*

Patrick: *soft chuckle* //She looks good.// *is going to make arrangements to travel to LA to pick up Scattershot very shortly*

Rachel: //Yup. And here's me in my black one for awards night.// *sends that image*

Patrick: //...Between you in that dress, and Jack in his utilikilt, people are going to be staring.// *so amused*

Rachel: //He'll be wearing the formal tux kilt.// *chuckle*

Lockdown: *pings Patrick*

Patrick: *to Lockdown* //Yes, Lockdown?//

Lockdown: //Where d'ya want this chump again?//

Patrick: //... Infirmary.// *really wasn't expecting Lockdown to go and get the guy*

Lockdown: //Gotcha.// *click*

Patrick: *sighs and headdesks* *thunk thunk thunk*

other librarian: .... *shakes her head and mutters* What a strange man....


LA


Lockdown: *flashes a fully correct, but very holographic warrant at the women sitting at the front counter in the hospital* I want the pink lug.

Receptionist: *blink blink* Er.... What room number?

Lockdown: His name's on the paper. *managed to hack in and get all Scattershot's data*

Mistfire: *standing behind her mother, looking bored and picking her teeth. Short pink and yellow hair standing up all over the place. She let Aunty Desti do her mousse this morning*

Receptionist: *looks at the warrant again* ... You'll need to go up to the second floor.... He's in room 206...

Lockdown: Thanks. *rolls the 'paper' up and heads for the elevator*

Mistfire: *strolls along, watching her back*

Receptionist: *just a bit freaked out now*

Lockdown: *up to the right floor, stops to look both ways and kick a vending machine. Is eating a Twinkie as she pushes open Scattershot's door*

Scattershot: *looks up from the tray that has his entirely untouched breakfast* ... *softly* Hello?

Lockdown: *stuffs the rest of the little cake into her mouth and chews it up, then swallows* Name's Lockdown. Yer comin' with me, bub.

Scattershot: *blinks a bit at hearing that nearly legendary name, before he nods slowly. There's no trace of fear, just quiet resignation*

Mistfire: *pushes in next to her mother and looks around, her heather purple eyes wary as she scopes the place*

Scattershot: *brows up curiously*

Mistfire: *and then she looks at the guy on the bed, her lovely face holding an absent smirk as she considers him*

Scattershot: *pale, thin, and looks like he hasn't been sleeping too well, or really eating much of anything for awhile. One pink brow goes up slightly as he studies Mistfire*

Mistfire: *mouth slowly turns up at the corners* Hey...

Scattershot: *quiet* Hey...

Mistfire: *looks at his tray and points to the soggy o cereal* You gonna eat that?

Scattershot: *headshake* Not hungry...

Mistfire: *parks on the side of his bed and proceeds to eat cereal, toast, coffee, and part of the canned peach. And then part of the canned peach finds its way into Scattershot's mouth*

Scattershot: *surprised expression is a go*

Mistfire: *smirks that wicked and careless smirk and dabs his mouth with the napkin*

Scattershot: *both brows up*

Mistfire: *offers him a drink of his orange juice*

Scattershot: *turns his head away from the offered juice*

Mistfire: *gentle, coaxing finger under his chin as those heather eyes tease him* C'mon. Sip.

Scattershot: *headshake. Isn't sure he'll be able to keep down what he did eat*

Mistfire: *downs the juice in one gulp, and then gives her mom the rest of the peach half. Pushes the tray table out of the way and starts pulling his blankets down*

Scattershot: *isn't wearing much more than the hospital-issued gown*

Mistfire: *takes the jogging pants her mom hands her and gets them onto him quickly and carefully, then pulls off the gown too*

Scattershot: *without a shirt, it's obvious that he's in rough shape, as his structure is fairly obvious through his synthaskin which is breaking down as his systems leech components from it*

Mistfire: *shakes head and runs fingers lightly over his ribs, then pulls a sweatshirt over his head*

Scattershot: *not putting up any resistance as he's dressed*

Mistfire: *glances over her shoulder and sees her mother watching the door, smirks deeply, and then gives the ailing mech a kiss so fleeting that it seems like a dream* *on her feet then and lifting him into her arms* Ready, Ma.

Scattershot: *blink blink. Did that just happen, or is the fact that his systems are shutting down on him causing him to hallucinate?*

Lockdown: *nods, considers. And then smirks the same smirk her daughter wears and PINpoints the three of them to the infirmary*

Boulder: *deep sigh and goes to finish the paper work of getting the patient out*


Infirmary


Scattershot: *HURK*

Glit: *sits up in his bot form* *dryly* Lovely. Please follow me. Lockdown, you can clean that up.

Lockdown: Can. But ain't. *leaves*

Scattershot: *shaking and feeling miserable now*

Mistfire: *takes him to the private room that Glit prepared and lays him on the bed on top of the warmed heating pad, then pulls the freshly nuked blankets up over him according to Glit's directions. This done, she retreats to a far corner where she can watch over the newcomer unobserved*

Scattershot: *shuts his eyes and tries to quiet his tank again*

Glit: *gently pats his face* Here, eat this. *has lightly sweetened calcien*

Scattershot: *quietly* N-not sure I can k-keep anything down...

Glit: This will help with that. *once more pats his face and offers the dry mineral*

Scattershot: *will peek to see where whatever's being offered is. Soft sigh, then he's reaching to try and feed himself. This close, the slight trembling of his hands is fairly obvious* *about cries as he tastes the lightly sweetened calcien. It's been so long since he had any....*

Glit: *scans the ailing mech closely and carefully as he holds the bowl within reach*

Scattershot: *systems are trying to shut down from lack of proper fuel, and he's... actually not got any trace of any kind of drug, organic or otherwise, in his systems. The mech is clean. And though he bears scars from his vorns of substance abuse, there is no trace of the tell-tale damage left by Speedhead on his spark or in any of his tubing*

Glit: *soft sound, and pulls the blankets back* Here. It will be kinder to your systems if you take off the strain of holding that alt mode.

Scattershot: *small nod, will transform... and about black out*

Glit: *winces and sets the bowl aside, then quickly recovers the mech and gets him hooked up to spark support and a weak IV energon solution*

Scattershot: *cycling air slowly, is trying to push back the grey fuzziness at the edges of his field of vision*

Glit: *finishes the hooking up, and then offers the calcien bowl again* *quietly, in his dry voice* Here. Try again.

Scattershot: *will nibble at a bit of calcien, shuttering his optics as he enjoys one of his favorite treats from vorns ago*

Glit: Yes. That's good. //Patrick?//

Patrick: //Yes, Glit?//

Glit: //He's here.// *sends detailed report*

Patrick: *silent for a few moments as he reads over the report* //...Wait.... He's clean?//

Glit: *quietly* //He's clean.//

Patrick: //...But to be in the state he's in...//

Glit: //Withdrawal is hell. And he hasn't been getting the fuel and minerals that he needs. I'm not even certain who did his fuel conversion, because it doesn't look like Ratchet's work.//

Patrick: //...Bullet Train didn't have Ratchet install his fuel conversion systems.... And neither did Drift, for that matter...//

Glit: //True. But at least those medics didn't do a hack job. He's in dire need of repair, or even protoform replacement.//

Scattershot: *speaking of the mech, he's conked out with his hand in the calcien bowl. The comfort of the warmed berth has lulled him to sleep*

Patrick: //...Which would be easier on him?//

Glit: //At this point, neither.//

Patrick: //...Alright....//

Glit: //He's going to need a lot of rest before he's strong enough to face either option. And a lot of IVs and mineral supplements.//

Patrick: //Understood... I still find it hard to believe that he's clean....//

Glit: //Would you like a more detailed scan report?// *subtle kitty snark*

Patrick: //That won't be necessary, Glit.// *a pause as he considers something* //Though I would like to know what specifically he was on.//

Glit: *looks at the scars and tells Patrick what he can make out*

Patrick: *making a list, since he hasn't heard of even a quarter of some of the drugs* //...I'll have to talk to Blaster, Prowl, Jazz, and Blitzwing.... I haven't even heard of most of those....//

Glit: //Better to ask Road Queen when she wakes up. She grew up surrounded by them.//

Patrick: //Will do.//

Glit: //...Or Lockdown.//

Patrick: //... True...// *will ping Lockdown's comm and databurst her the list*

Lockdown: *tweets him back a dictionary straight from the Autobot social network*

Patrick: //...// *will compare the list to the dictionary* *boggles as he realizes just how many of the drugs are on the list*

Rachel: *over the open channel* //Alright, who puked in my infirmary and left it!?//

Sideswipe and Sunstreaker: *startled silence in the midst of their eternal common channel argument, and then hysterical eewwwww and laughter*

Patrick: *facepalming*

Scattershot: *doesn't even react to that*

Glit: //That would be my patient, and Lockdown, respectively, Ratchet.//

Rachel: ... //Russ, we have a cleaning emergency in the main infirmary room.//

Russell: //...I'll get the mop.//

Rachel: //Thanks. And I'll go break Emi and Xiaobei up.//

Patrick: //Can we PLEASE have one day where we don't have a fight before noon?!//

Rachel: //Hey, dude. This is your wife. You wanna come break it up?//

Patrick: //And get another "Alien Abduction" rumor going? I still haven't lived down the last one.// *sounds just a bit annoyed now*

Rachel: //FFFFFT. Never mind. They're talking about beer and plotting against you.//

Patrick: //... I'm doomed.//

Rachel: *shows him the shiner each woman's sporting. Xiaobei's looks like it's going to turn the side of her face purple*

Patrick: *groan* //Pietro's going to give me that Look, isn't he?//

Rachel: //Hmm...// *databursts the image to Pietro*

Pietro: //...//

Patrick: //Or he'll yell at me.// *sounds so defeated right now*

Rachel: *and here comes the quiet and stern* //Hey. The Chief didn't do it, and he's already having a lousy day.//

Pietro: *signs off with a click*

Rachel: //Oh yeah. Chief?// *voice gentler now, and holding laughter*

Patrick: //Yes?//

Rachel: //Bri has a sweetheart. Someone sent her back home today with his flannel shirt wrapped around her.//

Patrick: //... And she's not saying who, is she?//

Rachel: //She was talking about a librarian in the Nexus this morning. And bringing books to share.//

Patrick: //...// *soft chuckle* //I suppose she won't say much more than that...//

Rachel: *soft sigh that holds fondness for the quiet younger woman* //Are you really worried anyway?// *knows Sabrina so well*

Patrick: //No, but I would like to meet the man sometime.//

Rachel: *chuckles, and then gasps* //Oh, I have to call what's his name. Sae... whatsit?//

Patrick: //Saejima.// *can just imagine the man's reaction to the news*

Rachel: //Yeah. Him. I better do that now.// *voice softens* //Take some deep breaths, Chief. I'm sending Ry to bring you something at lunch time.//

Patrick: //Alright... And if Saejima tries to give you trouble, threaten him with Denver.// *is trying not to laugh at his own suggestion*

Rachel: //I think I can handle things.// *sudden startled snerk of laughter*

Patrick: //...Do I want to know?//

Rachel: //You know that gobsmacked look that came over your face the first time you ever saw Emi?//

Patrick: //Yes, because one of my creche siblings recorded it and sent me the file. Repeatedly.//

Rachel: //Well I just saw the exact same expression on somebody else. But I better get this call made. Talk to you later, okay?//

Patrick: //Alright. Keep me updated?//

Rachel: //Do I ever not?//

Patrick: *chuckles* //True... Talk to you later.//

Rachel: //Crusher out.// *shakes her head and sighs, then calls Mr. Saejima's cell phone*

Saejima: *answers on the second ring, is wide awake, despite the fact that it's the middle of the night in Tokyo*

Rachel: //It's 12 AM, do you know what your kids are doing?//

Saejima: //...No... Is there trouble?//

Rachel: //Well, that depends on your definition of trouble.//

Saejima: //Any property damage, assaults, or similar?//

Rachel: //Nope!//

Saejima: //Then what has happened?//

Rachel: *more quietly* //Shadowmaru got married.//

Saejima: //.... When?// *sounds so surprised* //He was only going to visit....//

Rachel: *checks her chrono* //Almost an hour ago. They're resting now.//

Saejima: //...Was it at least to the lady that he mentioned? Slingshot?//

Rachel: //Yes. She ran into him as he was leaving his latest gift.//

Saejima: *soft chuckle* //The charms were entirely his idea....//

Rachel: //Considering Scarlett's feelings about shoes? It was a good idea.//

Saejima: *laughs* //I'll get a wedding gift for them.... and talk to Mr. Toudou.//

Rachel: *slight wince* //How do you think he'll take it?//

Saejima: //About the same as he took the news about Deckerd getting married, I think....//

Rachel: *more wince* //Deckerd said he had a fuss fit.//

Saejima: //I will talk to him.//

Rachel: //Thanks, Saejima-san.//

Saejima: //Thank you for letting me know about Shadowmaru.// *pauses* //There is something I am curious about.... What does Shadowmaru's wife look like?//

Rachel: //Hmm. Can your phone receive picture files?//

Saejima: *sounds a bit surprised* //Yes.//

Rachel: *finds a nice picture of Slingshot when she's smiling and sends it* //She's one of Fireflight-Felicity's sisters.//

Saejima: //Ah, one of Ferdy-chan's sisters....// *surprised sound, and then he's laughing* //A flier....//

Rachel: //Yup! She says she's the best flier in her team.// *sends him a picture of Scarlett in her red not-lolita dress that she likes so much*

Saejima: //... I see...// *chuckles*

Rachel: *serious again* //Slingshot is going to be in for some disciplinary action once she wakes up.//

Saejima: //Understandable. We will speak with Shadowmaru as well, once he's awake.//

Rachel: //I think their bonding now was just rebellion. They hadn't even had time to get to know one another properly. And Maru's just lost his brother.//

Saejima: *quiet for a few moments* *then* //We will have to see what the long-term effects of their choice will be....//

Rachel: //Yeah. And they're stuck with them, so.// *soft razz* //Er, I didn't wake you up, did I?//

Saejima: //No.... We've been dealing with a string of late-night thefts.//

Rachel: *frown of concern* //What kind of thefts?//

Saejima: //Mostly construction equipment and materials...//

Rachel: //Deckerd and the others haven't found anything?//

Saejima: //We've recovered most of the stolen equipment and materials, but the thieves have continued to evade us.... We're setting up a sting operation to attempt to lure them out.//

Rachel: //Hmm. Would you like to borrow someone with a good nose?// *turns and looks at the large orange thing that's currently spread over her keyboard and rumbling*

Saejima: //... Who do you have in mind?// *isn't quite sure*

Rachel: *lets the rumbling rug in on the conversation* //His name's Steeljaw. And he's bored.//

Saejima: //... Alright.... I promise to do my best to ensure his safety.//

Steeljaw: //Pffft. Don't worry about me.//

Rachel: *laughing* //Steeljaw's an old campaigner, Saejima-san. He was clearing the streets before Tokyo was a city.//

Steeljaw: //Being cute helps.// *dirty rotten chuckle*

Saejima: //... Cute?//

Rachel: *sends his phone a picture of Steeljaw's alt mode. One she just snapped now*

Saejima: //... And he cleared streets?//

Steeljaw: *kitty chuckle* //I'll show ya when I get there.// *is totally looking forward to surprising the heck out of Saejima*

Rachel: //Did you notice how big this guy is? That's a (model X) mini notebook he's laying on.//

Steeljaw: //Hey, don't spoil it, Boss.//

Saejima: //... ETA?//

Rachel: *pokes the rug* //You need coordinates, Mr. PINpoint cuddler?//

Steeljaw: //Just tell me which ones go to where I'm supposed to be.// *smug kitty is smug*

Rachel: *gives* //Make sure there's nothing on your desk that'll spill.//

Saejima: *can be heard clearing his desk* //Alright.//

Steeljaw: *chuckle* //Incoming.// *PINpoints*

Saejima: *startled sound*

Rachel: *chuckles over the line* //Still wondering?//

Saejima: //No...// *and in the background, several TPD officers can be heard commenting on the sudden appearance of a large, orange cat*

Rachel: //He likes his coffee black and sweet.//

Saejima: //...Which explains why he's drinking from my mug now.// *sounds so amused*

Rachel: *laughing aloud and over the line* //Oh, here comes the rest of the team. Just as soon as I get her guro-loli dress and sparkly cone of shame off for her.//

Saejima: //Guro-loli dress?//

Steeljaw: //Ravage! They have good coffee!!//

Ravage: //M'mu I'm coming! Just let me get my pretty ribbon on!//

Steeljaw: //'Kay!// *happy dip*

Saejima: *amused laughter on his end*

Ravage: *has on the pretty collar with the big bow. And off she goes to join her mate!*

Saejima: *even more laughter over the line* //Now there are two cats.//

Rachel: //Yup. But don't let their alt modes fool you. Ravage is deadly when she wants to be.//

Saejima: //Understood. Saejima out.//

Rachel: //Rachel out.// *chuckling as she looks around. Then snerks out loud as she sees McHale still standing there staring vacantly down the hall* Oh brother. Jerry!

McHale: *startles and looks toward the shout*

Rachel: What are doing? *eyebrow*

McHale: ....Er...

Rachel: *brow goes higher* *she's really good at not grinning*

McHale: .... *forgot why he was even heading this way*

Rachel: You know it's snowing outside, so this can't be heatstroke. *quiet teasing*

McHale: Er.....

Rachel: *watches Osk go past again on her way back to her office*

McHale: *watches Osk go past, and the stupid look's on his face again*

Rachel: *can't keep it in this time. Snorting giggles is go*

McHale: *doesn't even seem to hear Rachel as he moves to try and follow Osk.... only to walk into a door frame*

Rachel: Oh man. //Denver?//

Denver: //Yes, Rachel?//

Rachel: //You in your office?//

Denver: //.... Does th's 'ave anehth'n t' do wit' th' thud Ah jes' 'eard?//

Rachel: //Jerry's standing outside my door with the darndest expression on his face.// *snort snort snerk*

Denver: //...Wh't w's th' thud th'n?//

Rachel: //He walked into a door frame trying to follow the lady he's all wibbly over.//

Denver: //...'E didn't bust th' door frame, did 'e?//

Rachel: //Nope.// Hey, Jerry, you alright?

McHale: Huh? *blink blink*

Rachel: You just walked into the door frame. Are you alright? *both eyebrows!*

McHale: *blinks a bit* Yeah... *but he'll probably have a shiner later*

Rachel: ... *transmits this to Denver* Are you sure?

Denver: //....'F y'u gotta drag 'im down t' th' infirmary, do 't...//

McHale: *nods and frowns at the folder in his hands* ...Right, I was going to get those forms for the new guy to sign.... *moves to get the paperwork*

Rachel: *face palm and snerk* //Do you want to know who he was looking at?//

Denver: *chuckle* //Sure.//

Rachel: //Your secretary.//

Denver: //... Wow... Ah'd tell 'er, but Ah ain't sure 'ow she'd react....// *so amused though*

Rachel: *pause* //You know. I just now realized that I play the Chief's secretary when I sit up here every third weekday morning?//

Denver: *cracking up now, kthx*

Patrick: //Yet I still have to chase you out of there most days. You do have your own office, Ratchet.//

Denver: *signs off with an amused cackle*

Rachel: //But Russ looks so comfy down there!// *trying not to crack up*

Patrick: //He has his own office too.//

Rachel: //But he's usually down in the infirmary in mine.// *still laughing*

Russell: //That, and Rinny commandeers my office when she's on duty.//

Patrick: *is the sound of a facepalm over the open comm*

Rachel: XD //Feeling better, Chief?//

Patrick: //To an extent, yes. Now go eat lunch with your family, and get outta my office chair! I got you a nice office chair to sit in for yourself!// *yes, that is amusement in his voice*

Rachel: //I'm in my chair.// *gleeful laughter right over the line*

Patrick: //.... You're a brat, Rachel.//

Rachel: //But you love me!// *more laughter*

Patrick: //Bratty brat brat.// *laughs*

Rachel: *laughs more, and then sends him the picture Steeljaw just sent her of Mr. Saejima's face after he and Ravage transformed*

Patrick: //...// *line closed with a click, is likely laughing his head off now*

Rachel: *to Russell* //Mission accomplished. Do you know what's for lunch?//

Russell: //Not a clue.//

Rachel: //Emi?//

Emilia: //Meatplant chili.//

Rachel: *perk* //Who's cooking? Samuel, shut up.//

Emilia: //It's Lisa's recipe....// *chuckles* //But Sora and Raj are the ones doing the cooking.//

Rachel: *considers this for a few moments, then bolts up and out of the office* Gangway!

((Written with random_xtras))