MTMTE. The /Lost Light/ and a Junker in Space. New Encounters Part 2

[dens_extra_pups]

continued from here



A few hours later, just outside of the orbit of the planet Terra


Nightwish: *kicks big scary monster in the face and watches the monster flip backward* Like that.

Downrush: *startled squawk*

Rodimus: *just pwned a monster that nearly 'killed' Downrush* Dude, focus!

Nightwish: *and then realizes where her monster went and facepalms* Frostbite, are you alright?

Frostbite: Kinda squished, but I'm used to it.

monster: *leaps down from the rocks at Cyclonus*

Cyclonus: *roars and works on turning the monster into squish*

Nightwish: *calmly, as another beast approaches* As I was saying, WakeJumper. It's how you push off with the other foot. See? *snap!*

WakeJumper: Right. *nods and will try to imitate the move*

Nightwish: *sidesteps tumbling WJ*

Gears: *from the sidelines* Nice, Magnus. Next are you going to teach an engine block to float?

Calypso: *rebel yell as she jumps on one of the monsters*

WakeJumper: *muttering as she picks herself up* I've got your engine block right here!

Gears: :p

WakeJumper: *frowns at the minibot. Will reach over to give him a tap on the top of the head*

Nightwish: *goes to help Downrush against a hulking blob of muscle and anger as Cyclonus does the same. Is fighting in smooth sync with her wing brother when suddenly the Lost Light lurches violently and unexpectedly. Was standing on one foot when it did so, and the next thing she knows she's looking down with surprise at the blade of Cyclonus' sword sticking out of her chest* Oops.

Cyclonus: *horrified look*

Rodimus: *CUSS*

WakeJumper: *OBSCENITY*

Calypso: *just squished Deluge*

Nightwish: *blinks dizzily* *faintly* Cyc?

Cyclonus: *as Gears calls for the game to pause* Magnus... I...

Rodimus: *hurrying over*

Nightwish: Get... that blade outta. *circulates* My... spark before... it melts.

Cyclonus: *will do so, quickly and carefully*

Rodimus: *is now measuring his length on the floor*

Nightwish: *sinks to her knees and lowers her head to them* *quietly* BBS. *slump*

Gears: D:

WakeJumper: *startled curse, hurrying over once she picks herself up. Scanners going and she's also trying to find the medical frequency to send out an SOS*

Nightwish: *spark chamber empty, though systems haven't fully stopped running*

WakeJumper: *will fill the medical channel with that SOS and coordinates now, even as she works on trying to jumpstart Nightwish's spark*

Cyclonus: *sword lands on the floor with a loud clatter*

Dr. Roxanne: *comes hurrying in on Ratchet's heels*

Ratchet: *moving to scan Nightwish, dismay on his face as WakeJumper relays the results of her own scans*

Nightwish: *soft cough, and her systems start up again*

WakeJumper: *startled noise, falls over*

Ratchet: *SCANNING*

Dr. Roxanne: Easy. *saying that to her fellow medics as well as the patient*

Nightwish: *hand up and grasping at Ratchet's chest till she finds his hand, then clings to it* Don't think I'm ever going to get used to actually feeling this pain scrap. *spark alive and well inside the damaged chamber. Also letting out more radiation that is good for Dr. Roxanne and even most the bots to be around*

Ratchet: Everyone out.

Dr. Roxanne: *looks at his face and then evacuates promptly, taking Gears with her*

Downrush: *picks Rodimus up* Where should I take this one?

WakeJumper: *stubborn set to her jaw as she gets up* Not happening. *moving to help with repairs*

Frostbite: *shoves at her younger and larger sister* Listen to the guy. He says things for a reason. Rush, c'mon.

Deluge: *helping usher WakeJumper out of the room*

Downrush: *will follow sisters*

Calypso: *helping by picking Cyclonus up and carrying him out of the room*

Nightwish: *lifts her head and shakes it, wincing* Is Cyclonus' sword alright?

Ratchet: *quick glance to where the sword is laying on the floor* It looks alright. *works on repairs*

Nightwish: Good, because I melted Overlord's. Want me to store armour? *is acting like a slightly dazed teenage girl instead of her usual commanding presence*

Ratchet: If you would. I'll repair that later.

Nightwish: Need it before planet fall. *grimaces as she concentrates, and then squeaks as the armour vanishes* I keep forgetting I'm stab-able now. *sudden scowl* Wait. Are you shielded?

Ratchet: *quick tap at the medic insignia he sports* Not everything Brainstorm comes up with is a weapon.

Nightwish: *quietly* Good. Don't want to fry you. *lets go his hand and rubs her face as he lowers her gently to her back on the deck*

Ratchet: *working on repairs* You'll be alright. I don't know if Rodimus will ever recover, though.

Nightwish: *jerks to a sitting position, suddenly fully alert* What happened to Rodimus?

Ratchet: He fainted. *lays her down again and resumes working*

Nightwish: *look of disbelief*

Ratchet: When Cyclonus pulled the sword out.

Nightwish: *mutters* How's Cyclonus?

Ratchet: He would've stayed if Calypso hadn't hauled him out of the room. *still working*

Nightwish: *hand to her ear* //Cyclonus? Rodimus?//

Cyclonus: *pings present*

Rodimus: *sounding like he's just waking up*

Nightwish: //Are you two alright? Talk to me.// *winces as Ratchet works on the front of her spark compartment*

Cyclonus: *quietly* //I am in the brig.//

Rodimus: *groggily* //Think I got knocked on the head...//

Nightwish: *brows shoot up* //Why are you in the brig, Cyclonus? First Aid, are you taking care of Rodimus?//

First Aid: //No. Ambulon is.//

Cyclonus: *simply* //For injuring a commanding officer.//

Ambulon: //Rodimus will be alright. He's a bit rattled right now, but it's not anything a reboot won't fix.//

Nightwish: *thinks a moment, and then adds Red Alert to the conference call* //Red, I need Cyclonus. Will you use your teleporter to bring him to me from the brig? I'm in the holodeck.//

Red Alert: //Yes, Nightwish.//

Cyclonus: *protesting this!*

Nightwish: *quiet simplicity, with nothing of the commander to it* //I need you, Cyclonus. And Rodimus can't be here right now.// *bites her lip as Ratchet's work causes a knife of pain*

Cyclonus: *falls silent, and then he and Red Alert are there in the holodeck*

Ratchet: *quietly* Just about done patching the shielding.

Nightwish: *nods, and then turns her head and reaches a hand toward her CO2*

Ratchet: *to Cyclonus* Help me turn her over. I still have to patch her back.

Red Alert: *meeps*

Cyclonus: *wordless nod, moves to help*

Nightwish: *quiet grunt as she's turned onto her face* Stay back, Red. I don't want you to get fried.

Red Alert: *bibbling*

Cyclonus: *will stay close by*

Nightwish: *hand goes out, and she gives the big soldier's wrist a comforting grip that she draws comfort from herself* *quietly* It was an accident.

Cyclonus: *another wordless nod*

Nightwish: You're not in trouble. *winces and squeezes his wrist slightly*

Cyclonus: *quiet rumble*

Red Alert: *fretting from a distance*

Ratchet: *apologetic as he works* I'm almost done with the patch, Nightwish.

Nightwish: *quietly* I'm alright. Uh... what hit the Light?

Red Alert: *quietly* A pirate ship.

Nightwish: Pirates? This close to a Quadriate world? *surprise snaps her right out of pain, and she turns her head to look at him past Cyclonus' knee*

Red Alert: A pair of gestalts removed the pirate ship.

Nightwish: *circulates* I'm surprised to know there are any in the area. I'll have to... eep. *hides face on the floor*

Cyclonus: *quiet rumble*

Ratchet: *soothing sounds*

Nightwish: *very youthful sounding hopefulness* Spark compartment almost done?

Ratchet: Just about.

Nightwish: Good. I need to get out there. And I need to check Rodimus. *yes, just put the safety of the ship and crew first*

Ratchet: *finishes repairs to the spark compartment* *scans*

Nightwish: *radiation successfully blocked. Spark compartment integrity restored. Spark... busy putting out more of that golden energon that's puddled on the floor*

Ratchet: There. I'll need to repair your armor as well, but your spark compartment's done.

Nightwish: *sits up dizzily* Will you patch the Magnus armour first? I need to get out there. *absent nod to Cyclonus as he puts out a hand to support her*

Ratchet: *nods* Let's get that done.

Nightwish: *calls up the armour*

Ratchet: *slight frown* It might be easier if I repair it while you negotiate.

Nightwish: *surprised look* But I need it to negotiate.

Ratchet: *headshake* No, you don't.

Nightwish: *look goes blank. Does not understand you, Doc*

Ratchet: It might go a bit more smoothly if the pirates don't think you're trying to pull one over on them.

Nightwish: *frown* I'm Ultra Magnus. I need to look the part.

Ratchet: You already act the part. You'll be fine.

Nightwish: *looks at Cyclonus*

Cyclonus: *nod* *quietly* I will go with you.

Nightwish: All... right. *concentrates to disconnect, and then moves to remove the armour. It's plain she's still not sure about this, as she was sent to be Ultra Magnus, and she's not sure that she counts as Ultra Magnus if she doesn't look like Ultra Magnus*

Ratchet: *reassuringly* I think team Maelstrom will accompany you as well, if you ask.

Nightwish: I'm not afraid. I'm just not sure how I can do my job without the armour.

Ratchet: It's just like dealing with Whirl when you're off-duty.

Nightwish: But this isn't off-duty activity.

Ratchet: Trust me.

Nightwish: *slight scowl, but gives him the armour and then holds still so that he can patch her shell and the wiring between it and her spark compartment*

Ratchet: *working quickly and carefully*

Nightwish: *checks in with Rodimus again*

Rodimus: *whining* //Ambulon won't share his rust sticks with me!// *rebooted fine and is just being a pest to Ambulon and the other medics now*

Ambulon: //You've had enough candy for now, Rodimus. Now let us do our jobs.//

Nightwish: ... //Rodimus, I need you here, please.// *knows how to distract her fiancé*

Rodimus: //On my way!//

Nightwish: *watches as Ratchet finishes the work on her chest, then turns her back to him and studies Cyclonus*

Cyclonus: *clearly still feels guilty about what happened*

Nightwish: *reaches out and pulls the big soldier close, then hugs him tightly*

Cyclonus: *stiffens slightly, but consents to being hugged*

Nightwish: *insistent squish. You are forgiven! You are loved! I want a hug!!*

Cyclonus: *awkward hug*

Rodimus: *startled squawk as someone collides with him*

Nightwish: *head snaps up, and then she's on her feet without even warning Ratchet. Darts around the medic and hurries to the door* Whirl, circulate!

Nightstrike: *is that bitter baby complaining from further down the hall. Bap knocked her on the floor and ran away!*

Rodimus: 0_0 That's Whirl?!

Whirl: *looks a bit different than when she went to recharge. Instead of claws, she now has normal-looking hands, and instead of the cyclopian head she's been sporting for as long as she claims to remember, she looks... cute. Big blue optics set in a youthful visage, with a helm design that fits with the rest of her frame*

Nightwish: *stops short and scans* *softly* Oh, Whirl. Look at you.

Nightstrike: *catches up and gets her Bap by the leg. Rubs her eyes with her other hand and grumbles*

Whirl: *shaking and panicky. This doesn't make sense, and has thrown the already unstable ex-watchmaker-turned-warrior for a loop*

Nightwish: *sees this and quickly steps forward to offer a reassuring hug* *quietly* Did anything strange happen before you went to bed?

Whirl: *as she's hugged, she continues to tremble, rambling somewhat. Jazz's name is repeated a few times in the mess of confused thoughts and words*

Nightwish: *comms Jazz and talks to the white and black woman for a moment, and then calls hsvShockwave*

Ratchet: *boggling at Whirl from where he, Cyclonus, and Red Alert are standing in the doorway*

Cyclonus: *raised brow ridges are his only indication of surprise*

Red Alert: 0_0

Rodimus: ... What did Jazz do?

hsvShockwave: //This is Shockwave. How may I be of assistance?//

Nightwish: Jazz didn't do it. //Shockwave, Jazz administered that LOLed pill, and now Whirl's in a panic.//

hsvShockwave: //... Is anyone injured?//

Nightwish: //No. But what was the idea? I don't have time for this, I have Quadriate rednecks chasing pirates around outside my ship!// Easy, Whirl. I'm talking to Shockwave now. Do you want to talk to him too?

hsvShockwave: //It was meant to help her remember how she appeared before...//

Whirl: *in her panicked state, all she's understood is 'Shockwave' and 'talk to him'. Nodnodnodndnod*

Ratchet: 0_0

Nightwish: Alright. But I can't not listen in, okay? *offers her link wire to Whirl*

Whirl: *hands trembling as she fumbles with the wire*

Nightwish: Do you want me to do it?

Whirl: *nod*

Nightwish: *adapts the end of the connector, and then gently plugs it into the spot by Whirl's ear* //Can you hear me?//

Rodimus: *blink. Blink*

Ratchet: *raised brow ridge*

Cyclonus: ...

Whirl: //Y-Yeah.//

hsvShockwave: *gently* //Everything will be alright, Whirl.//

Nightwish: //He was trying to help you remember how you looked before. This will wear off in a few days.// *transmits comfort to the other woman*

Whirl: *falls silent as she tries to work this out in her head*

Nightwish: *softly* //This is how you used to look, before they hurt you.// *hug, and rub Whirl's back*

Whirl: *quietly* //H-He was... t-trying to be nice?//

hsvShockwave: //I was. I did not mean to cause you distress, Whirl.//

Whirl: *quieter, seeming to curl up in on herself* //Why?//

hsvShockwave: *gently* //You talked about wanting your hands back...//

Whirl: *softly* //Doesn't mean I deserve 'em.//

Nightwish: *quietly* //You didn't deserve not to have them.//

Whirl: *soft clicks* //They said I was a criminal...//

hsvShockwave: *gently* //They were wrong, Whirl.//

Nightwish: //You're my sister. The mentor to my... to my daughter.//

Whirl: *acks* I left my kid behind!

Nightstrike: *looks up* Dumb Bap.

hsvShockwave: *soft chuckle* //No, Nightwish, she is your aunt.//

Nightwish: //Who, what?// *was distracted by lost/not lost babyness*

hsvShockwave: //Whirl is your aunt, Nightwish.//

Nightwish: //Why is she my aunt?// *frown*

hsvShockwave: //Whirl is my sister.//

Whirl: *speaking of, she's decided she needs to pick Nightstrike up and cuddle the little*

Nightwish: *soft "Whoops" as Whirl moves and she lets go of her, making sure that the cable is long enough for the movement* //She is?//

hsvShockwave: //Yes. In the reality you reside in, she was Senator Shockwave's younger sister.//

Nightwish: //Okay, but how does that make her my aunt?// *never learned to consider the Shockwave of her own reality to be a parent*

hsvShockwave: //It was one of my alternates who created you, correct?//

Whirl: *sudden spurt of glee as she realizes she can hold babby properly now*

Nightstrike: *gotta check these fingers for flavour* *just gotta*

Nightwish: *frowning* //Yes. So?//

hsvShockwave: //By rights, I consider you one of my daughters.//

Whirl: *startled squeal*

Nightwish: *startles both from the squeal and the words* //Oh. I... think I have to go now. We have a pirate issue. Whirl, do you have anything else you need to say?//

Whirl: //She's nomming on my fingers!!!!!//

Nightwish: *looks down* //Yeah. Sparklets do that.//

hsvShockwave: //She is simply learning about them, Whirl.//

Whirl: //It feels weird!!!//

Nightwish: //Just give her something else to chew.// *glances at Cyclonus as he offers a heavy rubber gasket*

Whirl: Bhuh? *blink blink*

Nightstrike: *sees slightly grease crusted gasket* Oh. Tanks. *take, gnaw*

Nightwish: *soft meep over comms as Ratchet decides he can still reach the damage on her back*

Ratchet: The sooner we get you sealed back up, the better.

hsvShockwave: *concerned* //Is something wrong?//

Nightwish: *hand on Whirl's shoulder as the other reaches toward Rodimus* //No. Ratchet's just finishing the repair on a hole I got in my back.//

hsvShockwave: //... How did you get a hole in your back?// *worried now*

Rodimus: *coming closer for cuddles*

Nightwish: //I stumbled in front of Cyclonus' sword, and he got me right through the laser core.// Whirl, are you done talking?

Whirl: Huh? Oh. Sure.

hsvShockwave: *dismay in his voice* //But your shell...//

Nightwish: Then say goodbye. //Oh. My original shell went kaput. It wasn't sun-proof.//

Whirl: *to hsvShockwave* //Laters!//

hsvShockwave: //...// *quietly* //I see.//

Nightwish: //Whirl said goodbye.//

hsvShockwave: //Please try to stay out of trouble, Whirl.//

Whirl: ... *dirty rotten chuckle*

Nightwish: *unplugs her cord* //She's alright again. I have to go too. I want to see what those pirates and Quads are doing.//

hsvShockwave: //Take care.// *going to worry about you now, Nightwish*

Nightwish: *closes the link and then gives Rodimus a two armed hug* Ratchet says I have to do without the armour for now.

Rodimus: *cuddle* Aw, why?

Nightwish: *turns her head to look at the busy medic* I'm not sure.

Ratchet: *intent on his work*

Rodimus: So, Ratch... what's the big deal?

Nightwish: *meanwhile, turns to Cyclonus and Whirl* Get ready, we'll be going out soon.

Cyclonus: *wordless nod. Will go get his sword*

Whirl: *grin* Sweeet.

Ratchet: I want to be absolutely sure the armor is sound before she uses it again. And the sooner those pirates are dealt with, the better.

Rodimus: ... Huh. *frowns muchly* Yeah, we should deal with that part first.

Nightwish: Alright, let's go. Is my back finished? *scans back there to see* I'm done, those wires don't need doing. Just finish the patch.

Ratchet: Alright... *will finish the patch*

Nightwish: *lets go of Rodimus and reaches a hand toward Red Alert*

Red Alert: *just a bit shaken up, but will move to stand next to you, Nightwish*

Whirl: Let's get this show on the road!

Nightwish: *comforting touch for the Head of Security* Thanks, Red. You alright? *other hand waves at Whirl. Yeah yeah*

Red Alert: *quietly* What does Shockwave have to do with anything?

Nightwish: *pause, and then a quirk of a half smile* The one we were talking to is actually a goodguy.

Red Alert: ... *not sure he believes you*

Nightwish: *smile grows slightly more* And he's trying to help repair Whirl.

Red Alert: *boggles*

Nightwish: *nods* You don't need to worry about him.

Red Alert: *small nod, is still going to worry*

Cyclonus: *back with his sword*

Nightwish: *light chuckle* Don't make Firestar feel she has to throw something at you.

Red Alert: *meep*

Nightwish: *laughs* I'll see you later, Red.

Ratchet: *taking a step back now* I'll have the Magnus armor repaired as soon as I can.

Red Alert: *small nod. Is going to scoot off to watch the cameras so he can alert Nightwish of any funny business from the pirates or the Quadriates*

Nightwish: Alright, let's go see what's going on.

Rodimus: *nods and moves to follow*

Cyclonus: *broody mech is broody*

Nightwish: *as she strides toward the airlock* You realize you can't fly, Rodimus.

Rodimus: ... Aww. Darnit.

Nightwish: *glances at him, sees puppy eyes, and sighs* *faces front again* We'll think of something.

Whirl: Could always tie him up like luggage. *squawk!*

Cyclonus: *didn't just bap the back of Whirl's head. You can't prove anything*

Nightwish: *pushes down a smirk as she hears Nightstrike scolding in a clickstorm of wrath* *then blinks as she spots the twins waiting patiently by the airlock* Do you two have radar?

Dreadwing: *nods*

Skyquake: Though I don't understand what our radar has to do with our being prepared to fly with you to investigate the strike on the ship, Commander.

Nightwish: Never mind. Let's get out there. *starts the airlock* Nobody has hugmonsters in them, right? We don't have internal atmospheres.

Rodimus: I don't hear any singing.

Nightwish: *quick look at everyone* We're good. But I see Verity's lost sock. *watches the lock start to open*

twins: *exchange a glance and wonder who has the sock*

Nightstrike: *waving her arms now and grinning. Loves going outside*

Whirl: *feeling decidedly perkier now*

Nightwish: *and out as soon as there's room between the sides of the door, transforming into her delta wing jet form*

Rodimus: *considering look as Cyclonus, Whirl, and the twins all transform*

Nightstrike: *waves through a window in Whirl's cockpit, and then pokes out her glossa and sticks her face to the inside of said window*

Rodimus: *pings Nightwish's comm* //I think we have a problem.//

Nightwish: //What's that?//

Rodimus: //Nobody has handholds.//

Nightwish: *snorts and rolls out a light cable*

Rodimus: *grins and grabs onto the cable* //You are so awesome, you know that?//

Nightwish: //Yup.// *heads toward where she can sense ship energy trails*

Cyclonus: *leads the rest of the wing after their leader and the captain*

pirate: *got his butt kicked in a spectacular fashion*

Quadriate gestalts: *one is laughing at the misfortune of the pirate. The other is giving a mech a congratulatory slap on the back*

Nightwish: *pulls up and scans the area, reeling in the cable as she does so so that she doesn't wind up playing crack the whip with her captain*

twins: *hovering at the back of the formation and also scanning the area*

Cyclonus: *circling around to get a better look at the battlefield*

Whirl: *trying to discourage Nightstrike from poking buttons*

Nightwish: *spots no danger, and so transforms and hails the two big combiners* //I am Ultra Magnus, of the Autobot ship Lost Light. Are those the people who just bounced off our shields?//

gestalt 1: *looks over and nods* //Yup. One of the usual scrapheads.//

Nightwish: *waits a moment, and then realizes no introduction or further speech is coming. Looks at the pirate captain who is floating and looking sheepish* //You look like Leobreaker.//

Pirate captain: *small nod* //He and I share coding.// *still looking quite sheepish*

Nightwish: *scans him a little more, and then her eyes narrow* //Who's your mother?//

pc: *blinks a bit at the unfamiliar term* //I also share coding with Fixer.// *guessing on what the other bot means*

Nightwish: //Thought so. Female Fixer?//

pc: //... Yeah. Why wouldn't she be?//

Nightwish: //That's "mother", then. She know what you're doing out here?// *stern brow quirk, forgetting that she's not wearing the Magnus armour right now*

pc: *even more sheepish* //I think so... Haven't heard from her in awhile though. Think something might'a happened to Vissy.//

Nightwish: //Well if I were you and didn't want my skid plate kicked, I'd find a different job.// *lifts brows*

pc: *small nod*

gestalt2: *to Nightwish* //So, what brings you to this part of Quadriate space?//

Nightwish: *looks up* //Mythryl invited us.//

Skyquake: *looks back toward the ship* //Here comes Maelstrom.//

Maelstrom: //Hey, Sonic Boom. Go tell Mythryl we're on our way in. Borealis, make sure the scrapheap isn't too badly dented.//

pc: //Where does a runt like you get off telling Marauder he's going to get his aft kicked?//

Maelstrom: //Mech, this is the femme who handed Flashpoint her aft.//

Marauder: *critical scowl as he studies the little black woman* //I don't believe it.//

Nightwish: //He's right. I didn't. I just helped her kick her own.// *looks at Rodimus to see what he's doing*

Rodimus: *being good and not making faces at the pirate captain*

Maelstrom: //Same results. Flash's recovering now.//

Marauder: //So you're all flash and no steel.// *snorts over comms*

Rodimus: //She didn't even get dented doing it.//

Maelstrom: //'N you've been on the receiving end of Flash goin' aggro. Twice now, right?// *smirk*

Marauder: //I still wanna know where you get off telling me my...//

Nightwish: //Whirl. Virtual brig.// *points to the big pirate*

Whirl: //But I haven't had any high grade yet!// *She'll still transform and pounce though*

Rodimus: *cracking up now*

Marauder: //What the *bad word*??? Is this some kinda joke?//

Nightstrike: *calmly floating in space* //Gearbox, Bap.//

Whirl: *cackling and going for sensitive areas. Then the tools in her fingertips are deploying for the first time in many vorns*

Marauder: *bellows with pain and takes a swing, then gives a wordless shout of frustration* //I can't hit you, you're littler than me!//

Nightwish: *slight smile as she hears that his childhood influence is still strong in him*

Whirl: *rowdy whoop, holding on for all she's worth* //Bet I could dismantle you!//

Rodimus: 0_0 //... She's scarier this way than she was before!//

Marauder: *flailing and trying to swat Whirl away like an insect as he bellows again*

Maelstrom: *impressed whistle*

Borealis: *snerk* //Lookit 'im dance!//

Sonic Boom: //That's... Terrifying. You sure you wanna bring 'em planetside, Maelstrom?//

Maelstrom: //Marauder should'a kept his vocoder silent.//

Marauder: *hands on his skid plate as he roars again. Bad language!*

Nightwish: //Don't carve your name on him. You don't want to keep that.//

Whirl: //Aww. Can I at least keep a trophy?//

Nightstrike: *just liberated Marauder's badge* //Pretty!// *scoots over to show Rodimus an emblem of the Knights of Cybertron*

Rodimus: *boggling*

Nightstrike: //Pretty! Tropy!//

Rodimus: *to Maurader* //Where did you get that emblem?//

Marauder: //OW! *bleep!* What? My medallion! Give it back!//

Whirl: *cackles. She'll remember that one*

Cyclonus: *frowning over Rodimus' shoulder at the emblem now in the captain's hand*

Rodimus: //Answer the question. Where did you get it?//

Marauder: //Viisaus gave me that when I got my final armour! It's mine!//

Rodimus: //...Viisaus? Who's that?//

Marauder: *frowns at him puzzledly* //He's the bot from far away who started the colony on the other side of the wormhole. He had a couple badges just like that, one on his chest and one on his sword.//

Rodimus: 0_0 *jaw drops*

Marauder: //Now give it back.// *reaches to make a grab, but then goes cross-eyed and then limp as Whirl bounces off his head*

Cyclonus: *scowls at the former watchmaker and looks ready for mayhem*

Whirl: *carefully working her fingers out of Maurader's systems* //Laaame.//

Rodimus: *facepalms with his free hand*

Nightwish: *looks at the medallion* //What is it?//

Rodimus: //The insignia of the Knights of Cybertron.// *quieter* //I wasn't sure we were even heading in the right direction anymore.//

Nightwish: *brows lift, and she transmits an image of the badge to Drift* //So then Viisaus in this reality is a Knight?//

Drift: *surprised sound* //Where'd you find that?!//

Rodimus: //It looks like it.//

Nightwish: //On a pirate.// *gives Rodimus a thoughtful look, and then glances up at Maelstrom*

Maelstrom: //What's so special about that?// *confused*

Nightwish: //It's the badge of the people we're looking for.// *without turning* //Dreadwing, go save Drift.//

Dreadwing: *will go rescue the swordsbot*

Maelstrom: //... Huh.//

Nightwish: *so that the combiner can also hear* //Rodimus, is that the first sign you've found?//

Rodimus: //It's the first solid proof we've had since we discovered the map in the Matrix.// *squawks as Drift ends up nearly knocking him spinnning in her attempt to get a look at the badge*

Nightwish: //Drift, that's mine.// *amusement on her face*

Whirl: //Faaail.// *cackles and moves to get Nightstrike*

Nightstrike: *explains with broken language and excited clicking how she can backfire and move in vacuum!*

Nightwish: //Let's take Marauder aboard and make planetfall.// *turns to look at the world hanging blue and gold below them, behind the ship*

Rodimus: //Right.// *picking himself up now*

Sonic Boom: //See ya planetside.// *takes off*

Borealis: //What she said.// *grins and follows*

Rodimus: *shoves Drift away* //That's a she???//

Maelstrom: //Yeah. She is. Is that strange?//

Nightwish: *as she reaches over and grabs hold of the big pirate's hand with both her slender ones* //You'll have to forgive the captain. He's just learning about women. Dreadwing, will you get Drift?//

Maelstrom: //...// *does not compute*

Drift: *acks*

Dreadwing: //This would be far easier if you would cease struggling.//

Nightwish: //Whirl, I think Skyquake would appreciate it if you didn't take Nightstrike up on her invitation to bite him on the wing.// *to Maelstrom* //Up until a couple weeks ago Rodimus and his crew didn't know that our people came in "girl" flavour.//

Skyquake: *whirls to face Whirl and her bitty* *frowwwwn*

Nightstrike: *finger in her mouth*

Maelstrom: //... Wow. You guys must've been pretty isolated, then.//

Nightwish: *looks toward her wing and her captain* *quietly* //In most realities Cybertron is the heart of Transformer culture.// *glances up at the bigger bot* //Have you ever heard of Primus?//

Maelstrom: //Yeah. Why?//

Nightwish: //The heart of Cybertron is his spark.// *shows her badge* //This is his face.//

Maelstrom: *boggling now*

Skyquake: *just meeped over comms. He didn't get his wing bitten, but he DID get poked with a cold finger!*

Nightwish: *glances toward him because she knows it would be expected, but then looks back up to Maelstrom*

Maelstrom: //... Wow.//

Whirl: *bored and poking Skyquake*

Maelstrom: //So you guys must have your stuff together then, huh?//

Nightwish: *snorts over comms* //Cybertron's barely recovered from being dead and uninhabitable for vorns.//

Maelstrom: *sad gestalt is sad now*

Nightwish: //Optimus Prime opened the Matrix and saved it from the Negaverse, and now it's in this state of primal flux ...or something. I was listening to something else when the Primus servant explained it.//

Maelstrom: ... *blank look* *understood zilch* //What were you listening to?//

Nightwish: //The Primus servant sniggering mentally. It made her processor hitch funny.//

Maelstrom: o.o *not sure what to make of that*

Nightwish: //Oh, and I can hear Calypso singing to her hugmonsters right now.//

Skyquake: //The pirate is loaded into the smallest hold. Whirl is jumping up and down on him to see if he'll transform.//

Rodimus: *snickerfitdie*

Nightwish: *snerks, and then looks quizzically up at Maelstrom* //Okay, so I can't hear her doing it. But I'm picking it up on my scanners. Close your mouth, you're going to catch an asteroid.//

Maelstrom: *mouth shuts quickly*

Nightwish: //Good woman.// *turns to fly back to the ship, letting out her cable as she goes past Rodimus*

Rodimus: *quick to grab the cable*

Nightwish: *does a little movement that will leave him having bumps all the way back to the ship*

Rodimus: //Ack!//

Maelstrom: *can't help it, is laughing at that*

Nightwish: *as they reach the airlock* //Okay, how do we do the planetfall thing?//

Maelstrom: *trying to recover from laughing* //Everyone inside...// *snickersnort at Rodimus' expression* //Gotta come in at a specific angle.//

Nightwish: //We're taking the whole ship down?//

Rodimus: //Why not? We can turn it into an R'n'R trip!// *grin*

Nightwish: //I just thought we'd come down in smaller vessels. Huh.// *chuckles over comms and zips in through the airlock, leaving Rodimus to crack the whip this time*

Rodimus: *squawk!* *thumps against the inner door of the airlock*

Maelstrom: *falls apart into her separate components, all of which are laughing at Rodimus now*

Nightwish: *closes the outer door, and as the air comes in the laughter is audible* *cheerfully kicks the biggest piece of Maelstrom on the skid plate*

WakeJumper: Ack! Hey!

Nightwish: *bright grin, but then looks down at herself and blinks with surprise* Oh right. Forgot I was only wearing this. *walks past laughing bots and Rodimus and heads down the corridor*

((Written with random_xtras))

Continued here