mtmte verse and the Nexus. /Lost Light/, Primus Sanctuary, and the Black Dog. Supply Run

[dens_extra_pups]

Nightwish: *sitting in Swerve's without the Magnus armour on. Has been on the Lost Light for a little over two weeks now, doing her assigned work on the ship and keeping order, and patrolling outside the ship in delta wing jet form with Cyclonus as her backup. Has earned the respect of many bots, and the camaraderie of others* *is currently teaching the bots sitting and standing around her to sing an a cappella song called "Come and I Will Sing You"*

Nightstrike: *dancing so srsly*

Cyclonus: *listening intently*

Tailgate: *having a blast learning a new song and singing it*

Rodimus: *ditto that!*

Ratchet: *coming to find where Tailgate's gotten to, since the minibot's got a check-up scheduled*

Nightwish: *nods once the bots have the words, and then adds a rhythmic tapping of her fingers against her side as they start a second round* *other hand pats Minimus reassuringly where he's sitting and scolding Verity with looks for pronouncing the song lame*

Bender: *stomps in time to the tune, adding an accompaniment to the CO2's music*

Minimus: *frowning as he watches Verity depart*

Ratchet: *soft chuckle as he realizes what everyone's up to*

Rewind: *pauses in his singing to look down at his daughter as she starts to clap*

Memoranda: *keeping perfect time!*

Chromedome: *amused by that*

Drift: *going to try and follow Nightstrike's moves*

Nightstrike: *notices the other dancer, and turns so that Drift can follow her more easily*

Nightwish: *brows lift slightly as Cyclonus' deep voice quietly joins the song*

Ambulon: *is also singing from where he's standing behind the commanders*

Nightwish: *grins as the song ends the second time, and then looks up at the CMO* What is it, Ratch?

Ratchet: Just coming to remind Tailgate that he's got a check-up scheduled. *amusement clear on his face*

Nightwish: *looks down at her small friend*

Bender and Rewind: *starting another round of the song with a bit more drum this time. Are trying to include Tailgate in it*

Tailgate: *distracted from singing by Lancer tapping his shoulder and pointing to Ratchet*

Nightwish: Go ahead, Tailgate. But remember, I need you and Cyclonus when you're done in the infirmary.

Tailgate: *small nod, scoots for the door*

Ratchet: *gentle hand on the minibot's shoulder, will escort him to the infirmary*

Cyclonus: *raised brow ridge*

Nightwish: *smiles at the stoic warrior* Supply run. I promised you all more of that fancy fuel.

Cyclonus: *small nod*

Nightwish: *slips out of her seat and offers it to Ambulon*

Ambulon: *hesitates for a moment, but then moves to take the recently vacated seat*

Nightwish: *gently squeezes Minimus' shoulder, and then pokes Rodimus right between the shoulders*

Minimus: *small nod for Nightwish*

Rodimus: *acks and squirms a bit*

Nightwish: *grins at her mentor and her fiancé, and then calls up her armour and heads toward the door herself. Knows that Ratchet will be wondering about Tailgate's condition to the point of asking questions now*

Whirl: *laying in wait, will try and jump Ultra Magnus*

Ultra Magnus: *catches the smaller woman by the neck* You're coming with me.

Whirl: *gerk*

Ultra Magnus: I'm not even squeezing you. *sets her down*

Whirl: *annoyed huff, will sulk*

Ultra Magnus: You're part of the supply run. You can grab something for yourself. *pauses and puts a hand toward her audio as she gets a ping*

Whirl: *perks up* Ooo.

Ultra Magnus: *slaps her lightly on the shoulder* We've got a hull breach on C level. Come on. *hand out*

Whirl: *clicks her claws* What sorta breach? *would be grinning if she had a proper mouth*

Ultra Magnus: Lets go see. *grabs her by a claw and teleports*

Whirl: *startled obscenity*

Overlord: *turns his head from where he's standing at the head of a group of big ugly bruisers* Nice.

Ultra Magnus: I thought we flushed you already. *nose wrinkle*

Whirl: Holy *BLEEP*.

Overlord: *sneers* I've been getting sloppy, apparently. This time, I'll make sure you're dead.

Ultra Magnus: *hand up to hold back the other Autobots who are eager to help her against the intruders* Go ahead. Make my day, tiny.

Red Alert: What are you doing???

Ultra Magnus: Pipes, cover Red's eyes.

Pipes: Yessir! *quick to do so, to the Security Director's protesting*

Overlord: *laughs manically before drawing his sword*

Ultra Magnus: *"What's taking you so long?" expression* Hurry up, I have things to do.

Whirl: *cackling*

Overlord: *will move almost faster than the optic can see, sword aimed at Ultra Magnus' spark*

Ultra Magnus: *winces slightly and looks down* ...Lame.

Overlord: *frowns* You're dead.

Ultra Magnus: *grabs his wrist and pulls it back, to show a couple inches of blade left on the sword hilt* Nope. Your pigsticker melted.

Overlord: !!! That's impossible!

Ultra Magnus: *clocks him with her free hand* Stop wasting my time.

Whirl: *much cackling now*

Ultra Magnus: You can let Red go now. *leaps toward the other 'Cons, screeching a Seeker war cry*

Pipes: *will do so*

Red Alert: What just happened???

Pipes: You don't wanna know.

Red Alert: *looks for the CO2 and gapes, his lights flashing with alarm*

Whirl: *cackling almost sounds gleeful* This is so awesome!

maintenance bot: What the scrap is going on?

Decepticon bruisers: *yelping and being tumbled around like dolls in the boarding tube*

Ultra Magnus: *female roar of Decepticon*

maintenance bots: *all boggling*

Whirl: *adds rowdy and gleeful cussing*

Red Alert: *frozen as he stares*

big green 'Con: *drops to his knees and sues for mercy, promising to serve Ultra Magnus*

big blue 'Con: *mirror image of the green con, minus the missing arm that was holding his sword, is down on his knees in a submissive pose, pleading for mercy*

Ultra Magnus: *throws an arm in front of Whirl to stop her* *in Seeker* [Will you serve the Prime too? Because he holds all my loyalty.]

green 'Con: *bows his head with shame, but nods* Yes.

blue 'Con: *growling a bit as he bows his head* Yes.

Ultra Magnus: *then blinks as her mind calls up a possible match to the two faces before her* Skyquake? Dreadwing?

Whirl: *turns her head to look at Ultra Magnus' face, scowling quizzically*

Skyquake: *looks up* ...I don't know you.

Dreadwing: *looks up and scowls*

Ultra Magnus: But I know you. You're both bots of honour, and I would be honoured by having you fight beside me. *without turning* Red, tell them Overlord's been stomped enough.

Red Alert: *can only manage a squeak*

Skyquake: *looks over his shoulder toward where the Autobot maintenance bots have pummelled and stamped Overlord into submission. Curls lip in a sneer*

Ultra Magnus: *lifts both of the brothers to their feet* I'm sorry about your companions.

Skyquake: *looks at the 'Cons who died due to Ultra Magnus and Whirl rumble* ...We didn't like them anyway.

Dreadwing: *as he pinches a bleeding line closed* It was an alliance of necessity.

Ultra Magnus: *gets IDs on the dead bots and frowns* Ah. No. We don't want them. Let Primus sort them out. Whirl?

Whirl: So can we recycle them? Or can I just toss 'em out an airlock? *giddy*

Ultra Magnus: *rips Overlord's arms off and hands them to Whirl, then does the same to his legs and gives them to the other bots* Right now you can bring Overlord to Perceptor for storage.

Whirl: YES! *cackling madly as she takes the arms*

Red Alert: *covers his own eyes*

Pipes: Whoa...

Ultra Magnus: *to Whirl* Meet me at the infirmary in fifteen minutes. *to Red Alert* Help me bring the brothers to meet Rodimus.

Skyquake: *confused frown. Quietly* Who is Rodimus?

Ultra Magnus: The Prime. *lifts brows*

Whirl: *looks up from Overlord arms and nods*

Red Alert: *hesitantly moves forward. Has seen Dreadwing and Skyquake in battle*

Dreadwing: ...

Ultra Magnus: Optimus is gone. Rodimus is Prime now.

Skyquake: *looks at his brother* We never swore to fight Rodimus Prime.

Dreadwing: *slow headshake* Our sworn enemy was Optimus Prime.

Skyquake: *quietly* And all bots by right owe loyalty to the Matrix Bearer.

Ultra Magnus: *absent arm around Red Alert's shoulders as she lets the brothers work this out*

Red Alert: *starting to relax*

Dreadwing: *very soft rumble as he thinks about this*

Skyquake: *nods in response to his brother's thoughts, then looks at Ultra Magnus* We're ready, my lord.

Nightwish: *soft snerk*

Skyquake: *confused and questioning look at her reaction*

Red Alert: *quietly* The proper address is "My lady".

Skyquake: *brows lift* Cybertronians don't have gender.

Red Alert: *quiet and earnest* Recent evidence points to the contrary.

Dreadwing: ...

Pipes: *walks past dusting his hands* You just got your afts kicked by two girls.

Skyquake: *scowls at him with surprise*

Dreadwing: *boggling*

Whirl: *to Ultra Magnus* Where do ya want his arms?

Ultra Magnus: You can keep them.

Skyquake: *slowly* Is this a shameful thing?

Pipes: *thinks about what he knows about Cybertronian women* ...Nope.

Skyquake: *relaxes and looks to his new CO*

Dreadwing: *also looking to Ultra Magnus*

Red Alert: *quietly* Whirl, please stop that.

Whirl: *ignores Red. Is making the arms wrestle*

Ultra Magnus: Whirl. Work now, play later. And you've left your baby somewhere. *nods to the brothers and reaches a hand toward them* Hold on and I'll bring you to the Prime.

Whirl: Aww, scrap. *drops the arms and goes to try and find Nightstrike*

Red Alert: *concerned* Dreadwing's arm should be tended to.

Ultra Magnus: Whirl! Overlord to Perceptor, remember? I know, Red. *teleports the brothers and Red to the corridor outside the infirmary*

Tsubasa: *looks around curiously from where she's sitting in Daddy's hands and talking to Uncle Roddy*

Cyclonus: ...

Rodimus: Bhuh?

Ultra Magnus: *lets go of Red, and then points with a thumb at the brothers, one at a time* Dreadwing. Skyquake. They want to sign on.

Skyquake: *bows his head respectfully, his expression grave*

Dreadwing: *imitates his brother*

Rodimus: How'd they arrive?

Ultra Magnus: They helped Overlord bust a hole in the hull right after I left Swerve's.

Rodimus: *scowls and gives the twins a Look* No more blowing holes in my ship!

Skyquake: Yes, my lord.

Dreadwing: It shall not happen again.

Rodimus: ... *pings Ultra Magnus' comm* //Lord?//

Ultra Magnus: //They're Decepticons, doofus. They're being respectful.//

Ratchet: *head out into the hall* Where the scrap's his arm? I can't fix this without all the parts.

Dreadwing: *startles*

Skyquake: *quickly moves his hand away from his sword hilt*

Ultra Magnus: //Whirl? Bring Dreadwing's arm too.//

Red Alert: The last time I saw it, it was in the cargo hold.

Ratchet: Well, that's a fine place for it. *scowl*

Whirl: //On it!//

Nightstrike: *wanders up and pats Rodimus on the leg* Bap?

Rodimus: *looks to see who patted him on the leg. Will stoop to offer cuddles* Hey, kiddo.

Nightstrike: *loves is good!* ^_^ Dobba Bap?

Skyquake: *staring at the big black youngster with silent amazement*

Ultra Magnus: Skyquake, Dreadwing, I'll leave you with Rodimus now. Ratchet, do you have questions for me?

Rodimus: Send First Aid or Ambulon out if they're not busy?

Ratchet: *small nod*

Ultra Magnus: *helps Nightstrike boost herself into Rodimus' arms for cuddles* So don't just stand there, Doc. Shoot.

Ratchet: Tailgate said that the candy you've been giving him has been helping him feel better?

Ultra Magnus: *nods* That was the idea.

Ratchet: I don't understand.

Ultra Magnus: //High quality energon, from an unquenchable source.// *hand on Rung's shoulder as the woman comes over in response to the summons she sent her*

Ratchet: *boggling now*

Rung: *to Ultra Magnus* What was it that you needed my assistance with, Ultra Magnus? *curious. Clearly hurried from her office, as she's still got one of the books from her care package in hand*

Ultra Magnus: *to Rung* I need you to come with me and meet someone.

Ratchet: *trying to think of what source Ultra Magnus could have obtained the energon from, looks to her to ask, and then boggles as he sees the HOLE in her chest*

Rung: Oh? Who is it that you are meeting?

Rodimus: *will take Skyquake and Dreadwing aside to talk to them*

Ultra Magnus: You'll see. *then registers Ratchet's spiked fuel pump rate and looks at him quizzically*

Ratchet: Your chest!

Rung: *startles and looks to what Ratchet's talking about* 0_0

Ultra Magnus: Oh right! I need a patch so I don't nuke anyone. *embarrassed*

Ratchet: Infirmary. Now.

Ultra Magnus: *gives Rung's shoulder a gentle squeeze* Wait here with Cyclonus and Tsubasa?

Rung: *small nod*

Ultra Magnus: *steps into the infirmary, her hand over the hole* Can we do this in a private room, Doc?

First Aid: *looks over from where he's talking to Tailgate*

Ratchet: *nods and moves to lead Nightwish to one of the private rooms*

Ultra Magnus: *grumbles quietly* I'm glad Tsubasa or one of the other little guys didn't get too close while I was running around like that.

Ratchet: *getting the materials to do a patch* Just how dangerous is it?

Ultra Magnus: *simply* I'm stronger than your point one percentors, Doc. And I can't go out. The doctor in the Nexus that put me back together says I'm nearly like a little sun.

Ratchet: *boggling*

Ultra Magnus: *stores her armour and sits on the table* In some realities Starscream's spark has a mutation that makes him immortal. In my reality and a few others Shockwave managed to improve on that.

Ratchet: ... *shakes his head* Working on sparks is dangerous at best.

Nightwish: *presses her lips together and looks away* Yeah, I know. I came from a batch of fifty.

Ratchet: *boggles again* Fifty?!

Nightwish: Yeah. I'm the survivor.

Ratchet: *circulates air for a few moments*

Nightwish: *shortly* Can we just get this patch done? My self repair's already working on the inside part.

Rodimus: //Hey, 'Wish? What's this about getting new crew members?//

Nightwish: *expression goes to surprise, and her free hand goes to her audio* //What?//

Ratchet: *gets to work on the patch*

Rodimus: //Primus just poked me and said I needed to be ready to meet new crew members.//

Nightwish: *moves hand to let the medibot have access to the hole, which has a slight dribble of glowing golden liquid coming from it* //Oh. Maybe I'm supposed to meet them in the Nexus? I'll be going to the Black Dog after I drop Rung off at the sanctuary.//

Ratchet: *scanning the liquid now*

Rodimus: //The sanctuary?//

liquid: *you know that energon she mentioned, Doc?*

Nightwish: //Yes. The Primus sanctuary. Hormah called and said to bring Rung the next time I was in the neighbourhood.//

Rodimus: //Huh.//

Nightwish: //Hey, learning that stuff can only help Rung with her job.// *notices that Ratchet's not moving and looks at him*

Ratchet: *quietly* The golden candy is of your making?

Nightwish: o.0; Yeah. It is.

Ratchet: ... That explains why it's so highly refined.

Nightwish: My spark generates it.

Ratchet: 0_0

Nightwish: Doc. You're making me feel self conscious as ******.

Ratchet: *sheepish* Sorry. *back to work on patching up the hole*

Nightwish: *quietly* I know I'm a freak. But God let me exist, so I'm trying to make the world a better place. 'Kay?

Ratchet: *nod*

Nightwish: *intakes, and then looks up at another ping*

Rodimus: //Warn Docbot, 'Aid, and Ambulon that they'll have to share the infirmary with one more doctor.//

Nightwish: //Ambulon's still at Swerve's.// Rodimus says to tell you and First Aid that another doctor's going to be sharing the infirmary. Yes, other than Nightwind.

Ratchet: ... Another medic?

Nightwish: That's what he said.

Ratchet: ... Huh. *trying to think of who it could be, even as he works on the patch*

Nightwish: *watches him, and then calls out the Magnus armour once he's done so that he can patch that too*

Ratchet: *still musing about who could be coming to join the crew as he works on repairing the Magnus armor*

Ultra Magnus: //Did Primus say anything else, Roddy?//

Rodimus: //Yeah. They're little.//

Ultra Magnus: Rodimus says they're more little people. *hears beeping and looks down*

Nightwind: *looks back up at her and waves, then goes back to wiping up the drop of golden energon that had landed on the floor*

Ratchet: ... We'll have to go over safety regulations again. *nod*

Ultra Magnus: Ffft. You sound like Red.

Ratchet: Part of my job is to prevent injuries. *work work work*

Ultra Magnus: Sometimes your fussing makes injuries want to happen.

Ratchet: *silent now*

Ultra Magnus: *sees his expression and hugs him impulsively* Sorry.

Ratchet: *quietly, as he accepts the hug* It's my job to worry.

Ultra Magnus: Yeah. I know. *gives him a kiss on the cheek and then pushes him away to look at her chest*

patch: *aside from the obvious visual evidence of the welds and the differing metal, it's as though the hole wasn't even there*

Ultra Magnus: Thanks, Doc. *getting to her feet before he's given the go ahead*

Nightwind: *sees this and scoots!*

Ratchet: *hand on Ultra Magnus' shoulder* Easy. Let me scan you first.

Ultra Magnus: *frowns at him* For what? The sword blade melted.

Ratchet: Just as a precaution.

Ultra Magnus: Alright. Make it quick?

Ratchet: *nods and scans*

Nightwish: *wearing the armour, so she scans as a healthy Ultra Magnus*

Ratchet: *nods* Alright. You're free to go.

Ultra Magnus: Thanks. Want me to bring you back a pizza? *knows he knows what pizza is, and knows from lbWakeJumper that many Ratchets are partial to the energon version*

Ratchet: *soft snerk* If you want to.

Ultra Magnus: They come with gummi ham on them. Some have BBQ sauce.

Ratchet: ... Hopefully not thrown by an Ironhide?

Ultra Magnus: *snerks* Ironhides don't cook. But I can find the guy native to this reality, if you want.

Ratchet: *hopeful look that he doesn't realize he's donned*

Ultra Magnus: *blinks* You miss the native Ironhide.

Ratchet: *slight start, and then he's nodding*

Ultra Magnus: *pats him on the shoulder and heads for the door to see if her away team is assembled*

Tailgate: *happily talking to Rung, as Cyclonus looms protectively*

Whirl: *has found her babby*

Nightstrike: *whapping her Bap on the head with her whackamole mallet*

Ultra Magnus: You aren't even trying to bring your Overlord arms. Good job, Whirl.

Whirl: *huff* First Aid took 'em.

Ultra Magnus: ...You didn't beat him over the head with them for trying to take them. Good job, Whirl.

Whirl: *stinkeye* Hitting 'Aid is a glitch-aft thing to do.

Ultra Magnus: *just grins approvingly at the one eyed woman* *then looks at the others* Ready?

Tailgate: *nod nod!*

Rung: I'm ready.

Cyclonus: *wordless nod*

Ultra Magnus: *stoops and offers Tailgate her arms* Alright, you might see people you think you know. They're probably different versions, or alternates. Don't shoot at them. Even if they happen to be the one you know. The shots bounce off and make you look very stupid.

Tailgate: *blinks a bit as he moves to hold onto Ultra Magnus*

Cyclonus: ... *raised brow ridge*

Whirl: ... Where's the fun in that?

Rung: *looks very worried at what Whirl just asked*

Ultra Magnus: *as she straightens with Tailgate in her arms* The fun is, you get allowed back into the best bar in the Multiverse. *grin*

Nightstrike: Yeah. *baps her Bap*

Whirl: ... Ooooo.

Ultra Magnus: Alright. You all know the drill. Hold onto me. *pause* Cyclonus, did somebody make you a wearing pouch like Tempest's for Tsubasa?

Cyclonus: *headshake* I made it. *will put a hand on Tailgate*

Whirl: *herds Rung closer to Ultra Magnus*

Rung: *reaches out to touch Ultra Magnus' elbow*

Ultra Magnus: *grins at Cyclonus, and then brings everyone to the sanctuary*

Bbbrl: *skid-skids away gleefully, his ears flat to his head*

tfaCloudtrader: *happy waving little ghost up on the table beside Mira!*

Smallfoot: *looks up from tidying the cupboard and gives a shy wave*

Mira: *excited squeal and clickstorm*

Cyclonus: *raised brow as he sees that happy little ghost*

Rung: *startles at the squeal*

Tailgate: *boggles* Ooooh!

Ultra Magnus: *points after the skitty kitty child* That was Bbbrl. This is Mira, and this is Cloudtrader. He's invisible, yes. It's part of being dead.

Rung: *blink blink*

Whirl: ... Coool!

Mira: *clickstorming and chirping now*

Nightstrike: *waves to Mira and Cloudtrader, and then baps her Bap*

Tailgate: *wibble* What happened?

Ultra Magnus: *holds him comfortingly* In some realities Starscream cloned himself. The clones each wound up being one facet of his personality. Cloudtrader's his innocence.

Whirl: Innocence, huh? No wonder Cloudtrader's a ghost.

tfaCloudtrader: I'm not a ghost. *laughs* Ghosts're memories of things that useta be. I never was.

Cyclonus: *quiet rumble*

Whirl: *blink* Okay then.

Ultra Magnus: *looks at Whirl* You can see him?

Whirl: 'Strike's sharin' a live feed.

Nightstrike: Yup. *baps her mentor*

Tailgate: Aww, that's nice of you, Nightstrike.

Nightstrike: *sweet grin, and then turns her head as humming comes from the hall*

Ultra Magnus: *to Mira* Is Bob here today? Did he come with Cloudtrader?

Mira: *nod nod* Yup. Got hugs from Bubby, too.

Ultra Magnus: *grins* Nice. Maybe we'll see him.

Hormah: Eh, b'y. Yer clutterin' up me *beeping* front room.

tfaCloudtrader: *laughs*

Nightstrike: Yup! *baps*

Mira: *laughs and deedles*

Hormah: *snerks as Nightstrike echoes Mira, and then deedlebeeps back at them*

Ultra Magnus: People, this is Hormah, the head servant of this sanctuary.

Cyclonus: *small nod*

Rung: *will do her best to remember her manners*

Whirl: Yo.

Nightstrike: *cheerfully unprintable slight to Hormah's ancestry*

Tailgate: 0.0

Rung: *boggling. Is completely and utterly shocked*

Mira: *scoldy clicks, will move to climb down from the table*

Hormah: Mira, ye knows she's arter bein' right. *cheerful deedling laughter* *then sobers and looks at the visitors* Which 'o ye's Rung?

Rung: *hesitantly steps forward* I-I am.

Hormah: *nods and switches to her Autobot* [Primus wants you to stay here for a little while. You've got things to learn.]

Rung: *very surprised by that* I-I see.

Mira: *will scoot over to the orange lady with glasses*

Ultra Magnus: *gentle hand on Rung's shoulder* //Getting to know Primus will help you.// *knows that Rung's still working out how she feels about learning about her gender, and getting over the shock of losing her head*

Rung: *small nod, then she's squeaking with surprise*

Mira: *just hugged this big's leg with all her bitty strength*

Ultra Magnus: *looks down and grins* //Hormah's also a woman, and Mira is a baby girl. You can learn from them, too.//

Bbbrl: *back, sliding in on his back*

Mira: *gentle clicks, loves on the big*

Rung: *very surprised, but then she's carefully moving to crouch. Is curious about this little one, since she doesn't look like any baby she's ever seen*

Ultra Magnus: Are you going to be alright?

Hormah: *also watching as she absently hunkers down and wipes the floor with her rambunctious little organic son*

Rung: *quietly* I-I think so.

Ultra Magnus: She's not as bad as she looks.

Hormah: *deedle beep!*

Ultra Magnus: *blush*

Mira: *deedles*

Cyclonus: *low growl*

Ultra Magnus: *shoots a surprised look toward the horned bot* //What's wrong, Cyclonus?/

Cyclonus: //She insulted you.//

Ultra Magnus: //She didn't. Don't worry about it.// *nods to Hormah* Take care of her.

Hormah: *slight grin as she sees how the mantle of leadership has fallen on the young she-bot's shoulders* Teach Starscream t' suck oil, b'y.

Ultra Magnus: *snorts, and then looks at Rung and offers her a handheld communicator* If you need anything, call me.

Rung: *small nod as she accepts the offered communicator*

Mira: *curious chirp*

Ultra Magnus: *looks at the baby even as she's turning toward the door* Take care of Rung please, Mira.

Bbbrl: I hep!

Mira: *nodnod*

Hormah: Giddowtta here 'n lemme git me aft back ta work, ye junkheaps.

Ultra Magnus: We're going. Sheesh. *indicates to Whirl and Cyclonus that it's time to go. Also waves to tfaCloudtrader, who waves back happily*

Whirl: *snerks*

Cyclonus: *will follow you wordlessly, Nightwish*

Nightstrike: *as they leave the building* *deedlebeep!*

Whirl: *cackles*

Ultra Magnus: *is grinning as she steps over the black catbot and the blue baytech Autobot that are sleeping on the front steps in the warm light, then looks up at the mountains and the airships for a moment as she scans the surrounding area*

Cyclonus: *scanning the area as well*

Tailgate: *looking around with wide-opticked wonder behind his visor*

Whirl: *bored again*

Ultra Magnus: Whirl, look up.

Whirl: Huh? Why? *looks up*

kid on airship: *drops water balloon*

Whirl: *CUSS*

Ultra Magnus: *grinning as she grabs Whirl's arm and tells Cyclonus to get ready to travel*

Cyclonus: *hand on Tailgate's back*

Ultra Magnus: *brings everyone to the ground just off the Black Dog porch*

divaShot: *runs past screaming hysterically*

Mal: *pursues with her big toy spider!*

Ultra Magnus: *heads up the steps without even blinking*

Cyclonus: *follows*

Whirl: *bringing up the rear and cackling*

Ultra Magnus: *nods to the Optimus Prime that's sitting on the bench with his little son on his shoulder*

hsvOptimus: *nods back*

Diehard: *chirps and waves*

Cyclonus: *nods politely*

Whirl: *blink* Whoah. Big guy.

Tailgate: *soft little squee as he sees the tiny on the flame-patterned mech's shoulder*

Ultra Magnus: *grins at the minibot as she steps into the Black Dog's common room* Yes. Diehard's a baby. And his father's another version of Optimus.

Whirl: *boggles*

Cyclonus: *surprised*

Tailgate: Wow! *very surprised*

Ultra Magnus: *head snaps up as a cultured sounding voice exclaims*

hsvShockwave: Whirl! *pauses in front of the she-bot, his single optic bright with surprise*

Whirl: *startles* Who the *BLEEP* are you?!

hsvShockwave: My name is Shockwave. And you... are a living alternate of my baby sister! *hand to where his mouth would be if he had a face*

Whirl: ...

Cyclonus: *can see the family resemblance, but won't say anything*

hsvShockwave: It is so good to know that in at least one reality you lived! *reaches to touch Whirl*

Whirl: *backing up a few steps, looking spooked* Back the $#%$#%$# off!

hsvShockwave: *stops, his optic dimming*

Shockfire: *climbs up out of the basket on Papa's back and onto his shoulder to see who is shouting at him!* Hsssss?

Whirl: *boggles* What the *BLEEP*

hsvShockwave: *protective hand over the sparklet* This is my daughter, Shockfire. *as another little monster, this one eyeless and with three purple spots on her head, joins the first* And her sister Firefang.

Firefang: *two comments in two different little voices*

Whirl: ...

Firespark: *joins sissies!* Ssssss!

Nightstrike: *impressed* Babas.

Whirl: ...

hsvShockwave: Forgive me. You probably have no reason to love anyone by the name of Shockwave. *turns away, in the process revealing the basket on his back and the other little toothy horrors cuddling in it*

Whirl: *quietly* He went away one day... and never came back.

hsvShockwave: *pauses and looks back at her*

Whirl: *looking at her claws forlornly and mainly talking to herself now* He was trying to get my hands back, and then he was gone.

hsvShockwave: *gently, his voice strangely emotional for a Shockwave* Your hands?

Whirl: *quieter* They took my hands. I didn't wanna be a cop. I was a watch maker.

hsvShockwave: Why has no one repaired you?

Whirl: Because the Senate was full of %$#%$%$#%#$#$. $#%$#%$# probably smelted my hands and head.

hsvShockwave: *impulsively* I'll make you new ones.

Shockfire: Nooooo! Yup!

Whirl: *startles and looks up*

Shockfire: *happy prattle as her siblings hiss and click* Papa make pwitty noooo. Yup!

hsvShockwave: *gently* Shhh, children.

Whirl: *doesn't notice that she's started to tremble*

hsvShockwave: *reaches to touch her, his movements slow and unthreatening*

Whirl: *softly* I... I don't remember what they looked like. I don't remember what I looked like.

hsvShockwave: *quietly* I can make you pretty. I can make you look however you want to look.

Whirl: *clicking her claws nervously*

hsvShockwave: *looks up as he receives a bap* Is this your daughter?

Whirl: Y-yeah.

hsvShockwave: *winces and is laughed at by his babies as he gets bapped again* She's strong.

Whirl: *feeling a bit less jittery now* Well, she's Magnus' sister.

hsvShockwave: *turns his head and looks toward the red, white, and blue bot* I see. Oops!

Nightstrike: *bapped him again! Making other babbies laugh is fun!*

Whirl: *snickerfit*

Ultra Magnus: *can see that Whirl is alright now, and knows that the cyclopean fighter has met the bot that she was supposed to meet. Glances at Cyclonus*

Cyclonus: *watching for any potential threats*

Ultra Magnus: I'm going to go see about our shipment. Get yourself a drink at the bar.

Cyclonus: *nods, wordlessly tipping his head toward Tailgate, who is busy looking around with wonder*

Ultra Magnus: *cuddles the little guy* You want to come with me, or stay and have a drink with Cyclonus and Tsubasa?

Tailgate: There's so much to see...

Ultra Magnus: Mmm hmm. And there are babies that live on the bar, and the little lady bot that I got Tempest from.

Tailgate: *considering* *quietly* Is it alright if I stay with you?

Ultra Magnus: Of course it is.

Tailgate: *will snuggle close, then*

Ultra Magnus: *smiles, and then turns back to Cyclonus, knowing that he saw the exchange*

Cyclonus: *small nod, will head for the bar*

Nemesis: *turns and looks at him* What's yours.

Cyclonus: *brow ridge raises slightly at the female voice* Mid grade.

Nemesis: *nods to the menu* What kind?

Cyclonus: *will rumble quietly as he contemplates the menu*

Galvatron: *leans wearily against the bar next to Cyclonus* Please give me a midgrade soother with strawbaby whip.

Nemesis: *frowns at her dishwasher, but goes to get the drink*

Cyclonus: *startles and boggles at the mech*

Galvatron: *slight flinch at the startle, then slowly turns his head to give the other bot a questioning look*

Cyclonus: *just a bit spooked now* Galvatron?

Galvatron: *understanding dawns* *gently* Yes. But not the one from your reality. *turns so that Cyclonus can see his red Decepticon symbol* I'm Galvatron Prime, of a reality where the war nearly destroyed every chance of sentient life in our galaxy.

Cyclonus: ... *frowning muchly*

Galvatron: *rubs his face with a hand on an arm that bears no cannon* We're rebuilding. Slowly.

Nemesis: *returns and sets a soother with whip in front of each bot*

Cyclonus: *raised brow as he catches sight of the drink*

Galvatron: Thank you, Nemesis. *grabs his drink and downs half of it in big gulps*

Nemesis: *scowls* When's the last time you fueled?

Galvatron: *shuts off optics so he can't do shifty eyes and give himself away*

Nemesis: *snorts* You haven't eaten anything since you were here last week, have you?

Cyclonus: *wordlessly pushes the drink that was in front of him over so it's in front of Galvatron*

Galvatron: *pushes it back without pausing in his drinking*

Cyclonus: *slight frown* If you are in need of fuel, then have mine. I will refuel once I return to the Lost Light.

Galvatron: *lowers his cube* Don't ever try to get rid of something Nemesis gives you.

Cyclonus: ... Very well.

Nemesis: *stops scowling and starts polishing the bar*

Galvatron: *intakes deeply, and then looks at Cyclonus again* *quietly and calmly* So what's your story?

Cyclonus: *quiet for a few moments, then he's recounting some of his recent history*

Galvatron: *sits up* Ultra Magnus isn't really Ultra Magnus?

Cyclonus: *headshake*

Galvatron: ...Then who is she?

Cyclonus: Nightwish.

Galvatron: Ah. I'm not surprised. *thoughtful pull at his drink, then points to Cyclonus'* Drink.

Tsubasa: *little squeak and moves in her pocket*

Cyclonus: *attention goes to the little one, will check to see if she needs anything to refuel on*

Tsubasa: *quietly asks him for fuel, her big eyes focused on his face*

Cyclonus: *will gently extract the little one from her pocket* *to Nemesis* Do you have anything that Tsubasa would be able to process?

Nemesis: *looks at the baby and grins slightly* Your strawbaby whip.

Cyclonus: *will offer that to the little one then*

Tsubasa: *quiet slurps*

Galvatron: *watches with a gentle smile* Is she yours?

Cyclonus: She was entrusted into my care by Nightwish.

Galvatron: *nods* Yours, then. My mate and I were recently entrusted with a little one.

Tsubasa: *little sneeze, and then a wondering grin at the resultant floof of nom*

Cyclonus: *gently wipes away fluff that got on Tsubasa's nose*

Tsubasa: *looks up curiously, and then tastes his fingers*

Galvatron: *quietly, as he watches* Optimus does that.

Cyclonus: *raised brow ridge* Optimus is your little one?

Galvatron: *nods* *quietly* I was born when Unicron reformatted Megatron, whose spark was fused with that of Optimus Prima. Everyone feared that Optimus was lost. But Primus recently found enough of her to return her to life.

Cyclonus: *boggling silently now*

Galvatron: *deep sigh and rubs his optics with his fingers* And she's colicky.

Cyclonus: *frown, concerned* Will she be alright?

Galvatron: We're assured that she'll grow out of it.

Nemesis: Sparklets grow out of colic. *offers Cyclonus a tiny dumbbell shaped thing of blue plastic*

Cyclonus: *raised brow ridge as he accepts the offered item* What is this?

Nemesis: A teething treat. Your sparklet'll chew on that and let you feed her without getting her hands in the fuel.

Cyclonus: *blinks and tries offering it to Tsubasa*

Tsubasa: *looks at it, and her big eyes get even bigger as she reaches for that appealingly scented and coloured thing with all four tiny limbs*

Galvatron: *watches. Softly* She's so tiny.

Cyclonus: *small nod of agreement*

Tsubasa: *gnaw gnaw gnaw. Purrrrrrrr*

Cyclonus: *very soft chuckle*

Nemesis: *offers him a spoon for feeding the baby, and a can of botmado mush*

Cyclonus: *will accept the offered spoon and can*

Nemesis: *goes to answer a call*

Galvatron: *quietly* Where is the Optimus of your reality?

Cyclonus: Far from Cybertron.

Galvatron: *quizzical frown*

Cyclonus: *recounts how Optimus surrendered the Matrix of Leadership and left Cybertron*

Galvatron: *sets down his cube and turns slowly to look at a bot who is sitting alone over in the far corner of the room* Orion! Could you come here?

dark painted bot: *looks over, startles at sight of Cyclonus' broken horn, and then shakes his head*

Cyclonus: ... *looks over his shoulder*

Orion: *trying his best to look invisible as he hunches over his bowl of botmado mud. Has plain dark paint, and is dusty and marked with mud and algae in places as well as bearing paint rubs from heavy lifting and carrying*

Cyclonus: ... *raised brow ridge, but doesn't comment*

Galvatron: *scowls slightly, but then shrugs and pulls out a device, which he points at the dark bot and then reads before putting it away and turning back to his own fuel*

Cyclonus: *curious about the device* What is that?

Galvatron: Hmm? *glances at him* The gadget?

Cyclonus: *nods*

Galvatron: It's a coordinate scanner. You use it to see what reality someone's from.

Cyclonus: ... *intrigued*

sudden thunder of small feet: *comes from behind them, followed by a gleeful, childish shout, and a grunt in the unmistakable deep voice of Optimus*

Tsubasa: *looks that way, but then resumes conversing with her noms in tiny squeaks*

Cyclonus: *looks over his shoulder*

Orion: *fending off the gleeful attack of a very young Scourge*

Cyclonus: ...

Galvatron: *looks over his shoulder* She came here with him. He keeps trying to find her a home, and she keeps coming back.

Cyclonus: *quietly* I see.

Orion: *points toward the bar, speaking to the child*

Scourge: *pauses and looks toward the bar, frowning deeply as she searches for what Orion told her about*

Cyclonus: *circulates air quietly for a few moments before returning his attention to feeding Tsubasa*

Scourge: *is a small hand on his leg a few moments later* *quietly* Cyclonus?

Cyclonus: *looks, even though he remembers all too well that the Scourge of his reality is dead*

Scourge: *hesitantly* What reality are you from?

Cyclonus: I'm not sure.

Galvatron: *quietly* She's from the same reality that Orion is.

Scourge: That's not what I asked though. *pout*

Cyclonus: I do not know what reality I am from, just that it is one where Minimus Ambus recently returned to.

Galvatron: *pulls out the gadget and offers it to Cyclonus*

Tsubasa: *loooooks at it*

Cyclonus: *will scan himself with the device once he has it in his hand*

coordinate scanner: *shows coordinates!*

Cyclonus: *will show Scourge the coordinates*

Scourge: *looks at the screen, then back up at him* Is that the same as mine?

Cyclonus: *will scan Scourge*

coordinate scanner: *shows same coordinates*

Tsubasa: *mimics its beep*

Cyclonus: *quietly, hand holding the scanner slightly shaky* Yes.

Scourge: *big grin* *turns and runs to Orion's table and tells him that she's going with Cyclonus now*

Orion: *watches her in sad silence even as he nods to her*

Cyclonus: *small nod for Orion*

Orion: *winces and tries to be invisible again*

Scourge: *doesn't notice, she's run back to Cyclonus and is now trying to climb up on the stool next to him. Is a pretty grimy kid of standard size for a kid of their reality*

Cyclonus: *quietly* You are in need of a visit to the washracks once we return home.

Scourge: *pauses and gives him a deer in the headlights look* I just had one of those last night!

Tsubasa: *curls up. Doesn't like the loud voice*

Cyclonus: *soft growl and a stern look*

Scourge: *gets the same look on her face that she always got when he gave her that look* Yes, Cyclonus.

Galvatron: *glances over his shoulder* *quietly* Orion's gone.

Cyclonus: *small nod for Galvatron*

Galvatron: *sigh* And I must go too. My shift is starting.

Cyclonus: Shift?

Galvatron: *slight quirk of a grin* Yes. I'm the dishwasher.

Cyclonus: ...

Galvatron: It brings in money. *stands* Be well, friend. Maybe I'll see you here again.

Cyclonus: *nods* Be well. May our paths cross again.

Galvatron: *smile widens slightly and holds affection. And then he's walked away behind the bar and vanished through the door*

Scourge: I'm hungry.

Cyclonus: *will try and get the attention of the bartender*

Mutt: *coming over to see how he can help*

Cyclonus: *boggles as he sees the furry mech*

Tsubasa: *big eyes! Drops her teething toy and reeeaches* *wants to find out about the funny guy*

Mutt: *grins* Hi, kiddo. *to Cyclonus* What's yours?

Cyclonus: Er...

Scourge: *looks from Cyclonus to Mutt expectantly*

Tsubasa: *oh! Shy now. But contented as she finds her chewie again*

Cyclonus: *remembers why he was trying to get a bartender* Scourge requires fuel.

Scourge: Not that. *points to the rest of Tsubasa's mud, her face pulling into an expression of disgust despite herself*

Mutt: *nod* Gotcha. *will go to get something for the youngling*

Scourge: *chin on the bar, and then goes slightly cross-eyed as she watches an invisible fairy walk past*

Cyclonus: *raised brow ridge*

Scourge: *turns head to continue watching the fairy*

soft fur: *rubs against Cyclonus' leg as thunderous purring makes Tsubasa look around*

Cyclonus: *startles and looks*

cat: *massive, with rich chestnut fur marked with even darker brown rosettes and stripes, and white patches. Has gentle golden eyes and a sweet face*

Cyclonus: ... *blink*

voice: Sssshe will not hurt you.

Cyclonus: *looks to the voice*

man: *sixteen foot tall, heavily muscled and reptilian, with armour plates on his snow white skin and an armoured crest on his back. Massive jaws from which his tongue flicks briefly before he tilts his head to look up at Cyclonus with one quiet red eye*

human girl: *fifteen year old blonde with baby ponytails and big stompy boots* Seriously, Poppet's boring enough to be a rug. *leans against the white guy*

Poppet: *looks toward her name with a soft little sound of question*

woman: *leaning against the white guy's other side. Is an eight foot tall felinid, with pinkish tan hairless skin, and clad in something that resembles a flight suit complete with a sleeve for her tail. Tail is twitching with amusement that is echoed by the flicking of her ears* Sserena wassn't calling you, Poppet. *kitty chuckle*

Poppet: Mrrt. *resumes loving on Cyclonus*

man: We're looking for crew from the sssshhhip Lossst Light. Can you help usss?

Cyclonus: ... Why are you looking for them? *is also quietly pinging Ultra Magnus' comm*

Ultra Magnus: //What is it?//

woman: We are from the IGP. We wissh to take passage onboard and keep an eye on thingss. We were alsso told that there iss a young human crew member.

Cyclonus: *sends a live feed of this to his CO* //They are looking for passage.//

Serena: *grins* And so my family got picked for you guys, because I'm another young human.

man: *silent nod, the slow lashing of his tail speaking of his uncertainty in the situation*

Ultra Magnus: //I'm talking to the doctor that the Space Cops sent along too.//

Cyclonus: //They sent a doctor?// *small nod for the organics* I have notified my commanding officer. I do not know when she will arrive.

woman: *kitty grin, small nod*

Ultra Magnus: //Yup. The IGP do things like that. It seems they heard about Verity and want to make sure she's got what she needs. And they want to keep track of the rest of us in case we get into trouble.//

Cyclonus: //I see.//

Ultra Magnus: //The man's Sergent Grok, the woman's Ensign Eee-Chirr, and the girl's Eee-Chirr's adopted daughter, Serena. Did you meet anybody else out there?//

Cyclonus: //Yes.//

Ultra Magnus: //Anyone important?//

Cyclonus: //Orion Pax lives.//

Ultra Magnus: //...Whut?//

Cyclonus: //He went by another name at one point. Optimus Prime.//

Ultra Magnus: //Yes. I know who he is. But you guys thought he was dead? I haven't found any data on him while studying.//

Cyclonus: //He vanished without a trace.//

Ultra Magnus: //But he's here.//

Cyclonus: //Yes. Though he left a short while ago.// *hesitating*

Ultra Magnus: *quick to pick up voice tone* //What's wrong?//

Grok: *at parade rest now as he absently watches Poppet watch him*

Cyclonus: //Scourge is alive.//

Mutt: *back with oil mush and blue sprinkles*

Ultra Magnus: //Is he here? Is this a good thing?//

Cyclonus: //She. She is a youngling now.//

Ultra Magnus: //Ohhh.// *sounds happy, and she is* *is also telling Tailgate*

Eee-Chirr: *rubs her cheek against Grok's arm, purring quietly*

Cyclonus: //She will need a mentor.//

Ultra Magnus: //We'll find someone.//

Cyclonus: *small nod, watches as the furry bartender offers the bowl of oil mush and sprinkles to Scourge*

Scourge: *suspicious* Is it botmado?

Mutt: Nope. Oil.

Scourge: *slight grimace as she remembers some oil she drank once* What kind of oil?

Mutt: *names the type of oil*

Scourge: *bewildered, but hungry* *reaches for the bowl*

Mutt: *will set the sprinkles down within reach*

Ultra Magnus: //Alright, I'm coming out.//

Cyclonus: //Very well.// *will offer Tsubasa more fuel*

Tsubasa: *is a littlesleep*

Cyclonus: *very soft chuckle, will set the botmado aside for now, and study the drink he's been neglecting in favor of making sure the youngsters got fed* *to Grok and Eee-Chirr* My commander is on her way.

Serena: *perks and looks around from where she's climbing up Grok's back*

Eee-Chirr: *ears up as she smiles* That iss good.

mLumen: *tail nom*

Pooka: *giggling softly as he watches*

Eee-Chirr: *eeeks*

Grok: *turns to look toward his sister* What...?

Serena: *chasing puppies and growling at them*

Pooka: Eeeek! *giggle!*

mLumen: *giggling and scampering*

Eee-Chirr: *inspects her tail, warbling softly*

Poppet: *can NOT figure out what just happened*

Grok: *softly* Are you hurt?

Eee-Chirr: *headshake* I wass more sstartled than harmed.

Serena: *waxing terrifying for the pups' enjoyment*

Kouji: *bark bark bark!*

Serena: *stops short* Something's squeaking.

mLumen: Yup. Kouji's barkin'. *waggatail*

Serena: *as Pooka transforms and pokes mLumen, she's trying to find the source of that tiny, authoritarian sound* What's a Kouji?

mLumen: *squeaks as he's poked, but then he's transforming as well* Kouji's Aunt Kriti's dog. *points up to the bar, where the little ball of floof is barking as a tinybot cuddles him*

Serena: *steps back so that she can see, and then chuckles* He's really telling me off.

mLumen: *giggle* He's lippy with everyone. :3

Kouji: *bark bark bark!* *satisfied he's told the naughty peeps off, will cuddle with Mama*

Serena: Mom, why can't we have an interesting pet like that?

Poppet: *sniffs noses with her family's babby. Babby wants pet?*

Eee-Chirr: Becaussse we have Poppet, and ssshe's plenty interessting.

Serena: *heaves a sigh* She's a walking couch.

Grok: *soft click, and then reaches down to rub his pet's ears when she responds to the call*

Poppet: *THUNDER*

Cyclonus: *startles*

Eee-Chirr: *soft chuckle*

Scourge: *mouthful of fuel* The kitty's singing.

Ultra Magnus: *looks over from where she just walked up from the back rooms* She sure is. Whoa. Didn't know cats came that big.

Grok: *stands to attention*

Eee-Chirr: *startles and snaps to attention*

Serena: Yes, ma'am. Most cats are this big where we come from. Hi, Dr. Roxanne. *grins at the pretty JD woman who is standing beside the Autobot commander*

Ultra Magnus: If I'd known that I might have bought that instead of the pet that I did for the ship's mascot. *leans over to look at Poppet more closely*

Poppet: *it is big! Crouches down and looks scared*

Dr. Roxanne: At ease, you two.

Eee-Chirr: *relaxes* Yess ma'am.

Grok: *goes to one knee by his kitty and reassures her with cuddles and murmurs*

Ultra Magnus: *sends Rodimus an image of a young male mammoth with curly white fur, and then an image of the big cat*

Rodimus: //Whoah. Big cat, and a furry elephant?//

Ultra Magnus: //Uh huh. Guess which one's your new furry buddy.//

Rodimus: //The cat?//

Ultra Magnus: *sighs* //Scrap.//

Rodimus: //Sweet!//

Ultra Magnus: //No. I bought the elephant. Hold on. I'll figure out what to do with it.//

Rodimus: //Maybe Bob would like a friend?//

Ultra Magnus: //Well, wasn't that kind of the idea when you said to bring back a ship's mascot?// *looks around* Excuse me, people. I have to fix a bad purchase.

Grok: *frown of concern, but nods*

Eee-Chirr: *soft little trill of concern, nod*

Rodimus: //Yeah... Well...// *trying to think of a good argument*

Ultra Magnus: //Don't worry. I can give it away.//

Rodimus: //Make sure it'll go to a good home?//

Ultra Magnus: //No, I'm going to sell it to the kitchen here at the fuel dump.//

Rodimus: *squawk of protest over comms*

Ultra Magnus: *laughing, but then meeps herself*

Rodimus: //What happened?//

Ultra Magnus: //He's already found himself a home. With Jazz!//

Jazz: Gonna bring you home, 'n then jes' watch ol' Prowl's expression. XD *scratches the young mammoth's head*

Rodimus: //Jazz?//

Ironhide: Jazz, that critter's already got a home. *hands on hips as he frowns at the saboteur*

Ultra Magnus: Actually, he doesn't. So you can go ahead and bring him home. And Ratchet wants to talk to you.

Ironhide: *blinks* Oh. Fine.

Ultra Magnus: *shows Rodimus and tells him*

Rodimus: //Cool.//

Ultra Magnus: //But I won't have time to buy you the pet this trip, Rodimus.//

Rodimus: //That's alright.//

Ultra Magnus: //Back soon. Love you.//

Rodimus: //Love you, too.//

Ultra Magnus: *closes the call and turns to the others* Alright. Everyone ready?

Scourge: *sleeping with her face in her bowl*

Cyclonus: *will pay for the fuel* *in the meantime, he'll also knock back his drink, making a surprised sound as he finds out that it is sweet and very pleasantly flavored*

Ultra Magnus: *grabbing the sleeping Scourge* Everyone hold onto everyone else, and then someone touch me.

Serena: *just frowns and holds onto Grok's leg*

Grok: *one hand on Serena, the other holding Poppet's collar*

Eee-Chirr: *hand on Grok's arm*

Cyclonus: *will put a gentle hand on Scourge's back*

Grok: *tail around sister's waist*

Dr. Roxanne: *touches Ultra Magnus and the big purple guy*

Tailgate: *both hands on Tempest's bag*

Ultra Magnus: *quick check, and then brings everyone to Swerve's*

Ironhide: *squawk!* *pauses and looks around, then brightens and excuses himself to go catch up with friends*

Ultra Magnus: *sets Tailgate down on his feet, and then lays Scourge on the nearest table so that she can reach into subspace*

Tailgate: *will check on Tempest*

Tempest: *peeps. Wants to run around in his playpen for a bit and then sleep with his bubby dolly*

Cyclonus: *makes sure Tsubasa wasn't upset by the teleportation*

Tsubasa: *looking around to make sure she still has her big*

Cyclonus: *quiet rumble, reassuring the little flier that he's here*

Eee-Chirr: *looking around curiously, eyes wide as she studies her surroundings*

Serena: *off between the table legs toward that quiet thread of rude music she can hear*

Ultra Magnus: *taking out crate after crate* Wow, this place is dead. Where is everyone?

Grok: *looks around, and then shrugs*

Dr. Roxanne: ...Working?

Ratchet: *is that startled shout from the infirmary*

Tailgate: *boggles*

Ultra Magnus: *looks toward the door* //Ratchet, what the scrap was that?//

Ratchet: //Where did Ironhide come from?!//

Ultra Magnus: *quick look around* *snerk* //I brought him along. You wanted to see him.// *quick look around to make sure the old soldier's gone*

Eee-Chirr: *attention going to where she's just caught a somewhat familiar scent*

Ratchet: //... Who told you that?//

Ultra Magnus: //You did before I left.// *clicks another channel* //Swerve, where are you?//

Swerve: //Getting supplies for when I open for the day. Why?//

Ultra Magnus: //Your supplies are here. I could use a hand unloading them.//

Swerve: //Sweet! I'll be right over.//

Ultra Magnus: //Ratchet?//

Ratchet: //Ack! Kind of busy!//

Ultra Magnus: *laughs and pings Rodimus*

Serena: *sees a girl sitting there in the corner with headphones on. Pounces at her!*

Verity: *startled cuss*

Rodimus: //Are you back yet?//

Ultra Magnus: //Ratchet and Verity have already seen their presents.//

Rodimus: //Sweet!// *will head for Swerve's*

Swerve: *entering the bar*

Dr. Roxanne: *nods to Swerve on her way out of the bar*

Ultra Magnus: Go easy on Verity, Ensign. She hasn't seen very many non-human organic people. *spotted you slipping away thar!*

Eee-Chirr: *soft little warble*

Swerve: *blink blink* Whoah. When'd we get more organic people?

Ultra Magnus: *glances over as she sets a huge crate down easily by one strap* Just now.

Verity: *staring at you now, Ultra Magnus and Swerve* *also trying to figure out who the bleep this little blonde chick is who is grinning at her*

Grok: *looks toward Swerve from where he's sitting with half of Poppet in his lap*

Poppet: *THUNDER*

Swerve: Whoah.

Ultra Magnus: I'm running outta room here. Take this stuff and store it.

Cyclonus: *makes sure Tsubasa is secure in her carrying bag, will come help offload supplies*

Swerve: *hurrying to help*

Rodimus: *to Skyquake and Dreadwing* And this is Swerve's bar.

Ultra Magnus: Skyquake, help Swerve and Cyclonus move these crates?

Skyquake: *slightly confused frown that the CO2 is asking him instead of telling him* Are there no workers to do it?

Cyclonus: *calmly* The more that help, the faster it will be done.

Ultra Magnus: Everyone works here, when they need to. Besides, this will be easy for you. Not you, Dreadwing. Let that shoulder heal.

Dreadwing: *small, confused scowl, but will move to stand behind the Prime*

Rodimus: *moving to help as well*

Swerve: *will show everyone where things need to go*

Ultra Magnus: *steps over and stops Cyclonus, then gently coaxes Tsubasa from him* Here, Dreadwing. Hold her. She's Cyclonus', and she's important to me.

Tsubasa: *looks at the strange big and skreeks softly, saying hi and I'm little*

Dreadwing: ... *will carefully cradle the tiny being in the crook of his good arm* *very soft skreeks for her*

Cyclonus: *rumbling his displeasure at being separated from Tsubasa, and scowling a stern warning at Dreadwing*

Tsubasa: *hears her big! Looks around and spots him, then settles down to skreek quietly to the one holding her as she watches hers*

Grok: *slips past Cyclonus to get another crate*

Ultra Magnus: *looks toward the storeroom and snerks* Swerve, sample later!

Swerve: *startled ack*

Eee-Chirr: *moving to help unload crates*

Cyclonus: *rumbling as he works*

Serena: *came over with Verity to watch, but all those boxes are too big for her to move, and she knows it*

Grok: *rumbles to his sister as she helps him with a crate*

Eee-Chirr: *quiet, happy trill* I like thiss place.

Grok: *nods and hisses softly*

Ultra Magnus: *slight pause* Rodimus, you wait to sample too.

Rodimus: *laughing* Awww!

Ultra Magnus: I've got a lot more to offload here, and a time limit on the subspace. Come on.

Rodimus: *blink blink, scampers over to help*

Cyclonus: *raised brow ridge for Ultra Magnus*

Ultra Magnus: *to Cyclonus* I rented extra subspace.

Swerve: You can do that? *carrying out another crate*

Ultra Magnus: You can from Swindle co.

Grok: *back with sister to move more!*

Eee-Chirr: *speculating that this would be easier in a different form*

Swerve: A different form? *leans around the crate he's carrying* *then double-takes at Ultra Magnus' answer* Swindle?!

Ultra Magnus: *calmly, as she offloads more crates* Yeah. This one's a fuel dealer and Primus servant.

Drift: *looks in, and then snerks and runs off*

Rodimus: Wonder what that was about? *carrying a crate*

Ultra Magnus: *glances toward the door* She's finding some tool that helps lift heavy things. And she can't recall the name of it.

Rodimus: Oh. That'll come in handy.

Drift: *back with the tool and sets to work, her grin saying that she thinks she's smarter than all of you*

Ultra Magnus: *kicks her on the butt in passing*

Drift: *startled squawk*

Ultra Magnus: *unloads more crates!*

Cyclonus: *coming to get more crates*

Skyquake: *ditto*

Rodimus: So how much are we owing SwindleCo?

Ultra Magnus: Nothing. Hormah bought this.

Rodimus: ... Huh.

Ultra Magnus: *finds something* She sent you this, too. *tosses him the finely decorated tyraborg chitin bowie knife*

Rodimus: *catches the knife* Oooo, cool!

Ultra Magnus: *tosses Cyclonus a sword guard of similar material*

Cyclonus: *catches the sword guard easily, soft rumble as he inspects the item in question*

guard: *is a crosspiece/handguard that will fit his sword perfectly*

Cyclonus: *raised brow, impressed*

Rodimus: Hey, slacker.

Cyclonus: *stinkeye for the Prime*

Rodimus: *laughs and moves to pick up another crate*


a short time later


Ultra Magnus: *walks into the medbay* What's this I hear about Minimus turning into his own minime?

Ambulon: *so amused, mostly due to Ratchet's reaction to it* Well, apparently, there's not a limit to how much a Load Bearer can augment themself.

Ultra Magnus: Looks like we'll have to change his name to Matryoshka. *looks around and listens* Where'd Ratchet and Ironhide go?

Ambulon: Ratchet was going to show Ironhide around the ship.

Ultra Magnus: *grins* Two old farts. Where should I put all these supplies?

Ambulon: The storage room's fine. *will move to lead the way*

Ultra Magnus: Is there a lot of space? *peers through bulkheads to see*

Storage room: *neatly organized, and there is plenty of room for more supplies, even with what's available giving a well-stocked appearance*

Ultra Magnus: Okay. This won't quite all fit. *starts unloading crates*

Ambulon: Won't all fit? *and then he's boggling as he sees just how many crates there are*

Ultra Magnus: *fills all the available space, then looks at him* I have body parts in the last crates, and a few baby size protoforms.

Ambulon: Baby-sized protoforms?

Ultra Magnus: *nods* So if anyone else decides to make babies, we're ready for them.

Ambulon: Ah. *nods his understanding*

Ultra Magnus: Where do you want them?

Ambulon: There should be room in one of the private rooms in the back. *will lead the way, biting back the urge to snicker as he sees the sleeping Minimus*

Ultra Magnus: *sees the little guy too and grins as she neatly stacks the remaining crates, some of which look something like coffins* Did you see the new organic doctor? She was heading this way.

Ambulon: She went with Ironhide and Ratchet so they could show her a habsuite.

Ultra Magnus: Good. *sets down the last crate and turns toward the door* Swerve's making pizza for breakfast.

Ambulon: ... Pizza?

Ultra Magnus: *grin widens slightly* Yup. Rodimus is helping.

Ambulon: ... Should we be worried?

Ultra Magnus: Well, if you mix some of those things wrong you can get surges.

Ambulon: ... *facepalm*

Ultra Magnus: *and then she pulls out a can of pizza flavour botmado mud and takes off the top* It smells something like this. *shows can*

Ambulon: *curious, has a good sniff* *blink blink* That smells good.

Ultra Magnus: *puts the lid back on and stores it again* Yup. *then heads for Minimus' room and scoops him up, making sure his blue blanket comes too*

Minimus: *not much taller than Rewind right now, since Ratchet's studying his 'normal' armor* *will shift positions slightly*

Ultra Magnus: *holds him close, and then turns to make off with him*

Ambulon: Good luck getting him to wake up. He's been recharging hard.

Nightwish: *Magnus face creases into a gentle grin* He doesn't need to wake up to be cuddly.

Ambulon: ... *very soft snerk*

Ultra Magnus: *grins more and is gone!* *to Verity's habsuite. Much as she'd like to carry Minimus around, she knows that Verity needs to know how big her uncle is right now* *taps on the door*

Verity: *muffled through the door* I swear, Serena, if that's you, I'm locking the door!

Ultra Magnus: Welcome to older sisterhood. Now you know how I feel.

Verity: You are NOT older than me! *coming to the door, if only to scowl at you, Ultra Magnus*

Ultra Magnus: I've seen a lot more years. *hunkers down and tips Minimus so that Verity can see that goateed sleeping face*

Verity: ... What. The. *BLEEP*?!

Ultra Magnus: His second layer of armour failed this morning. *grins at the human girl's surprise* Isn't he cute?

Verity: *worriedly* It failed?

Ultra Magnus: *sobers* Yeah. We knew it was going to. But he wasn't ready to let go of it yet. *quietly* Little guys don't get much respect on Cybertron.

Verity: But... *not computing this*

Ultra Magnus: *brows lift slightly* But what?

Verity: Rewind's got a lot of people who respect him. On and off of Cybertron. *so confused*

Ultra Magnus: *soft snort* Rewind's Batman.

Verity: *can't help the snerk she just let out*

Minimus: *turns his head slightly, but continues to sleep*

Ultra Magnus: Seriously. He and Blaster both have BS-fu enough for ten guys.

Verity: Yeah, but Blaster's the one hiding from Drift.

Ultra Magnus: Cut him some slack. These guys are just now learning all about boys and girls. Including the cooties.

Verity: I noticed. *attention back on her uncle* He'll be alright, won't he?

Ultra Magnus: Oh yeah. Hormah said so, and she knows. *grins at the bot in her arms*

Verity: *not sure she quite trusts this Hormah, at least not right now, but will nod*

Ultra Magnus: Got room in there for him? *slight grin*

Verity: *looks* I might...

Ultra Magnus: I can fold his blanket up into a berth.

Verity: Would he be comfortable with just that though?

Ultra Magnus: *lifts brows a bit in slight surprise* Sure. It's soft.

Verity: And it'll have enough padding so he won't get sore?

Ultra Magnus: All we really need to worry about is paint rubs.

Verity: Alright. *still going to worry*

Ultra Magnus: So can I come in?

Verity: *nods and moves to make sure there's room for Minimus*

Ultra Magnus: Here, I'll tuck him under the desk here. *hunkers down by the furniture in question and lays Minimus on her legs, then starts folding the blanket*

Verity: *amused look* He's really sleeping hard.

Ultra Magnus: *looks down at her mentor as she finishes the folding* No. He's dreaming. *lays the pallet down and then carefully tucks Minimus under the top layer of blanket*

Verity: *very soft snerk*

Minimus: *curls up slightly under the blanket*

Ultra Magnus: *softly* Awwww. He needs a plushie.

Verity: ... *brat grin, goes to get one of the ones she found in the care package*

Ultra Magnus: *chuckles and sits on her heels as she watches* So do you want the things he asked me to get for you today?

Verity: *as she searches for the plushie that had the instruction tag of "Give this as a gift to someone who needs something to cuddle"* Sure.

Ultra Magnus: *pulls out the knitted "shadow" scarf that the blanket factory delivery girl dropped off to her, and e-reader and commlink that Minimus had given her money to buy* Here you go.

Verity: *as she reaches for the items* What's all this?

Ultra Magnus: Well, this thing... he says it's your shadow? From never never land? *offers the scarf*

Verity: ... *and then she's quietly cracking up*

Ultra Magnus: o.0?

Verity: So now I'm Peter Pan?

Ultra Magnus: Peter... Pan?

Verity: *will explain the story as well as she can, from what she understood of the movie*

Ultra Magnus: *face clears* Ah. Well, I guess you are taking a trip in another world. *points to the comlink* This part hooks on your ear, and then it remotely connects to this, which connects to your Blackberry.

Verity: What for?

Ultra Magnus: Because if you do, it can access the local internets, including the one from back on Earth.

Verity: *grin* Sweet.

Ultra Magnus: And this. *points to the e-reader, which is a large one with a light that can be turned on for night reading* Is full of all the comic books and magazines he ordered, and some other computer related magazines he didn't know about. Oh, and I got you the first installment of a novel written just for you from the Nexus Library.

Verity: *snerk, and a fond glance for the sleeping bot under the other desk*

Ultra Magnus: *slight grin* So yeah. *looks at the heap of food and drink cans and packages up against the far wall, and then through the curtain toward the very well furbished little room beneath the desk she and Verity are next to* Looks like you're all set up now.

Verity: *looks around and grins* Looks like it.

Ultra Magnus: *snerks as a puzzled murmur ending in the word "bunny" comes from Minimus*

Verity: *snickerfit*

Ultra Magnus: *finger to her mouth in "Shhh!" and then rises and scoots from the room, stepping over a Serena on the way in* *gives in to a fit of silent laughter after the door closes, and then perks and heads for the bridge as she gets a call from one of the bots there*

Blaster: *turns to look as Ultra Magnus comes onto the bridge*

Ultra Magnus: What's the sitch?

Blaster: Sitch is that we've got a Seeker on our front viewscreen. They're grinning and waving at us. Saying something, too. *jerks his thumb toward where the black and acid green Seeker is*

Ultra Magnus: *looks that way and frowns* She's asking for her little sister.

Blaster: Any idea who she's talking about?

Ultra Magnus: Nope. But I notice she's not wearing any badge.

Blaster: Should we let her in?

Ultra Magnus: *nods, frowning curiously* *and then meeps and sidesteps as the Seeker appears on the bridge!*

Blaster: *startled curse*

bots on the bridge: *varying degrees of startlement, from some falling off their chairs to others drawing weapons*

Ultra Magnus: You could have waited to PINpoint in here till you were asked. *scowls at the Seeker*

Seeker: *grins back cheerfully* It wasn't a PINpoint, it's a knack I was born with.

Blaster: ... Holy *BLEEP*

someone: It didn't look like Skywarp's teleport.

Seeker: *giggles* That's because it's not Skywarp's teleport. It's mine! And I'm made from a Starscream.

Ultra Magnus: You're from my original reality.

Seeker: *pauses and looks at the red, white, and blue bot with surprise* Orly? Do you know my little sister, Nightwish?

Ultra Magnus: :o

Blaster: 0_0

Trailcutter: ... You're joking, right?

Seeker: Nope! My name is Disturbia, and Nightwish came out of her tube after Shocky had sent me away.

Ultra Magnus: A Disturbia! You weren't in any of his records.

Disturbia: Huh? You were at Shocky's lab?

a few bots: *look a bit spooked by the mention of Shockwave and his lab*

Ultra Magnus: I fed Shocky his own spark plugs.

Disturbia: *optics widen* Wishy?

Nightwish: I'm Ultra Magnus now. But I was Nightwish.

Disturbia: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! *flying tackle glomp, and a cheerful "OOF!" when she hits what feels like a steel wall*

bots: *on their feet to help Ultra Magnus*

Ultra Magnus: *didn't even stagger. Just patpats the Seeker on the back and shakes her head* So you're made from Starscream.

Disturbia: *giggles and shakes the ringing out of her head* Yup! And Blitzwing.

Ultra Magnus: I think I'm glad Blitzwing never found out.

Blaster: *snickerfitdie*

Trailcutter: I'm going to agree with that. The guy was nuts as it is.

Ultra Magnus: I never met the local one, but I know a guy who visits the fuel dump back in the Nexus. *thoughtful frown at Disturbia* One of you guys call somebody to show my sister a habsuite?

Blaster: *puts out a call* On it.

Ultra Magnus: Thanks. Oh, and there's pizza at Swerve's. *turns to leave the bridge* See you later, Disturbia.

Disturbia: *pout* Okayyyy.

Signal Lancer: *pokes head into the room* Yo.

Ultra Magnus: *crooks a thumb at Disturbia as she heads into the corridor* My older sister needs somewhere to live.

Signal Lancer: *nods* There's an empty habsuite near where we live. *to Disturbia* C'mon. We'll show you where it is.

Ultra Magnus: *grins as she hears Disturbia's squeal and the clang of a flying tackle glomp* //Heading in to see how your pizza making's gone, Roddy.//

Rodimus: //I think it's going well. But Primus is laughing about something else, now.//

Ultra Magnus: *wryly* //Ask him if it's about letting my older sister into the reality.//

Rodimus: *quiet for a few moments* *bewilderedly* //He's laughing even more now!//

Ultra Magnus: *slight frown, and then teleports to where Rodimus and Swerve have their pizza making setup* Ask him why.

Rodimus: *slight start, but then he's nodding and tilting his head to ask*

Ultra Magnus: *obligingly sticks her finger into the piece of pizza that Swerve shows her* Looks right. Smells right.

Swerve: *grin* Awesome. Here's hoping it tastes right.

Ultra Magnus: ... *brow quirk* You want me to taste it?

Swerve: Well, you're the resident expert...

Rodimus: *to Ultra Magnus* Who's Disturbia?

Ultra Magnus: My sister. And not really, Swerve. I've never tasted pizza.

Swerve: *looks a bit crestfallen* Oh. Well, darn.

Ultra Magnus: Sunstreaker knows how the human kind tastes.

Swerve: ... How does he know that? *curious

Ultra Magnus: Don't ask him. *grave expression. Then glances at Rodimus*

Rodimus: *facepalming and snickering as Signal Lancer reports*

Ultra Magnus: *perk* Oh. Firestar says she knows how the energon kind's supposed to taste.

Swerve: *expression brightens* I'll bring her some, then.

Ultra Magnus: *gives the minibot's shoulder a gentle squeeze* Good idea.

Swerve: *will make sure nobody tries anything funny while he's away, then he's heading off to bring Firestar a piece of pizza*

Ultra Magnus: What are you sniggering about, Roddy?

Rodimus: Signal Lancer's being cuddled and sent a "HALP" message.

Ultra Magnus: *snerks softly* Yeah, well, somebody just stumbled on Drift and Sunstreaker comparing sparks.

Rodimus: ... *facepalm*

Ultra Magnus: Want to come with and get her her care package?

Rodimus: Sure.

Ultra Magnus: *slight smirk* I'm not talking about Drift.

Rodimus: ... Sunstreaker's a... Holey scrap.

Ultra Magnus: *snerks and takes his arm, and then the two of them head off to Ultra Magnus' office and the neat pile of care packages*

((Written with random_xtras))