MTMTE. The /Lost Light/ and Terra. New Encounters Part 9

[dens_extra_pups]

continued from here



Meanwhile, in another part of the city


Firestar: *looking up at the strapping tall mech who just stopped and grinned down at her and Red Alert* *disbelief* Inferno???

Inferno: Y'u already know mah name! *excited in a way that only someone very young could be*

Red Alert: *alarmed sound*

Beauty: *warning hiss*

Swerve: *just a bit wary now*

Mavis: *baby! Baby! Baby! SO excited!*

Firestar: *can't help herself, is going to hug the big burly mech and cry*

Inferno: *confused tears as he goes to one knee to cuddle her and click comfort*

Red Alert: *trying to make sense of this. Has no idea on what to do!*

Beauty: *headtilt. Oh? Matriarch knows this guy?*

Benny: *watching and looking around for the baby's adults*

city cop: *pauses as he sees the sparklet who busted out of the birthing house and took off about half an hour ago* Huh. You found him. *sees the shoulder angels*

Red Alert: *so confused* Found him? He found us.

Inferno: *looks up, spots the corroder around the stranger's neck and clings to Firestar* This' mah Mentor.

Firestar: *very quietly* //Red, you can't let him take Inferno away. He's your brother.//

Red Alert: 0_0 *audial lights flash brightly*

Beauty: *oh, oh! Will try and comfort Master now*

Benny: *whutnow? Confused by what's going on*

Mavis: *BABY!*

Swerve: *quickly searching subspace for cookies to poke in Red's mouth*

city cop: *soft chuckle* Well, now. It wouldn't be right for Ruth and me to take you from them. But it looks like your other mentor could use a rest. *nods to Red Alert*

Firestar: *looks up, and then stands up and swats Red but good to snap him out of it*

Inferno: Hey! D:

Red Alert: *startled sound gets cut off as Swerve deftly sticks a cookie piece in his mouth*

city cop: *raised brow ridge* Is he okay?

Firestar: *eyes her bond sibling, and then nods* He is now.

Red Alert: *working on eating the cookie bit and calming down*

Inferno: *softly to Red Alert* Ah'm sorreh. *such sadness in that open and intelligent face*

Red Alert: *will give a small nod, finish his cookie bit, and gently patpat you on the arm, Inferno. All is forgiven*

Inferno: *happy again*

Beauty: *nuzzles baby*

Firestar: *looks up at the local cop* *quietly* Where did Inferno come from?

city cop: Birthing fields. He made a quick escape from the birthing hall about half an hour ago. *chuckles as he watches Red Alert introduce Beauty, Benny, Mavis, and Swerve to Inferno* I'll let 'em know he found his mentors.

Firestar: *surprised* Half an hour ago? How old is he?

city cop: Probably about an hour and a half.

Firestar: *surprise deepens* *then she looks up at Inferno and her expression softens* You're just a sparklet.

Inferno: *happy to agree* Yep!

Firestar: You're so big!

city cop: *has to laugh at that* He's not that big! *so amused*

Firestar: *looks at the cop* Where I come from sparklets are this big. *shows him with her hands*

Inferno: *watching this* o.0

cop: *boggling*

Red Alert: *wants to fuss over his family and its newest addition now, kthx* *quietly* Perhaps we should return to the ship.

Swerve: Yeah. I bet the kid's hungry.

Inferno: *perk! Picks Firestar up and holds her carefully, ready to follow the two men*

Mavis: *on the baby's shoulder! Is talking to his hugmonster*

cop: Go ahead. I'll send someone with the paperwork for you later. *nod*

Red Alert: *nods. Will move to begin herding his family home*

Beauty: *helping with that!*

Swerve: *as Benny headbutts him gently in the direction that Red Alert is going* Is it me, or are almost all the new kids this storm's causing winding up on the Light?

Red Alert: At last count, it was Ratchet and Doctor Roxanne's... And now Inferno. Unless someone else has added newborns to their family from this storm?

Swerve: *shares what he just picked up from someone's open feed, which is an image of Nightwish escorting Perceptor, Ambulon, and several bots with the same wide-eyed look that Inferno has*

Red Alert: *boggles* Oh, my.

Swerve: *quietly* That's a lot of kids.

Red Alert: Ultra Magnus' appearance has changed. *distracted from the kids*

Swerve: Wait, what? Wow, lookit those gams!

Red Alert: *sternly* Swerve! Be respectful!

Swerve: *cheerfully* I am.

Benny: *swats the small master on the head*

Red Alert: *calmly, as Swerve lets out a startled squawk* You deserved that. *frowns at the image* Who is that with Perceptor? *indicates the little silver bot*

Swerve: Huh? *looks again* According to this, that's Perceptor's wife.

Firestar: *looks down from Inferno's arms* o.0?

Inferno: *doesn't notice, is happily busy bonding with his female mentor*

Red Alert: We'll have to make sure she's not a security risk.

Nightwish: *in response to the call he just sent her* //Kia isn't a risk.//

Red Alert: *small nod* Ultra Magnus says Kia is not a security risk.

Nightwish: //There are some people here that want to talk to you, Red.//

Firestar: Kia? I've heard that name. She's a science unit.

Red Alert: //... There are?// *glances to Firestar* A science unit like Perceptor is?

Firestar: *uncertainly* I guess so?

Nightwish: //Yes. They're hoping that you have security positions available.// *shows him images of the security guards from the museum and a few other bots, two of which are very clearly sparklets*

Benny: *herds Swerve away from a shop window*

Red Alert: *slows to a stop and boggles* //I...//

Inferno: *stops too* Red? *has been coached on what to call his male mentor by his female one*

Swerve: Red? What's up? *worried for his friend*

Red Alert: //Do they have clearance to leave the planet?// *is checking over schematics of the Lost Light to see if there's room. Doesn't realize he's also speaking out loud*

Nightwish: //There's room, and anybody that hasn't got an orange and red striped badge can leave at any time.//

Red Alert: *soft, surprised and pleased sound as he realizes he'll have a full staff counting Benny, Beauty, and all of the bots that are wanting to join the crew* //Then I see no problems.//

Nightwish: //They insist on talking to you, though. They ARE security units.// *sounds amused*

Red Alert: //I will meet them in my office, unless it's been converted to storage?//

Nightwish: //...Why would it be converted to storage?//

Red Alert: //I was off-duty for so long...//

Nightwish: //It's fine. Just covered in Rodimus' worried doodles in the dust.//

Red Alert: //Alright.// *small nod, provides an ETA for his family's arrival*

Nightwish: *surprised* //We just got a mail delivery.//

Red Alert: //Mail?// *reaching to get his teleporter ready*

Nightwish: //Yes. All our crew members who've gotten overcharged to the point of immobility.//

Red Alert: *one with his facepalm* //I see.//

Nightwish: //...And the city paid the delivery fees.//

Red Alert: *blink. BLINK!* //They did?// *so very surprised*

Nightwish: //Yes. I better look into this. Ultra Magnus out. I'll see you when you get back.//

Red Alert: //Red Alert out.//

Firestar: Red? *looks down at him from Inferno's arms, ignoring the gentle black Beauty hand resting on her helm*

Benny: *standing and looking at master, a dead rat in one hand*

Red Alert: *small nod* We should return to the ship.

Firestar: Were you talking to the captain?

Red Alert: *headshake* To Ultra Magnus.

Firestar: Did something happen?

Inferno: *quietly* You felt surprised.

Swerve: What's up?

Red Alert: Some of the crew have gotten overcharged and were delivered back to the ship.

Swerve: Whaaat?! They went and had fun without me?

Firestar: *case of the sniggersnorts*

Inferno: *distracted by neat Sister noise*

Benny: *astonished by Matriarch noise!* Peep?

Beauty: *headtilty*

Red Alert: *can't help it, is going to snicker as well*

Swerve: *huffs and crosses his arms. Intends to sulk for the rest of the cycle*

Firestar: //Red, duck into that shop there and buy one of the acid green cans, then give it to Swerve.//

Red Alert: *will do so after only a slight hesitation* //Do I want to know what it will do to him?//

Firestar: //He's easy to steer when he's cratered, right? We have two bouncer beasts to help with the job.//

Red Alert: 0_0 //This is true.// *will study the can for a moment and decide this is fair payback for how annoying Swerve was before the minibot became his roommate and friend* *is quick to purchase the drink*

clerk: *gives him a friendly grin from her dented but pretty face* Enjoy!

Red Alert: Thank you. *heads out of the shop, and is quick to offer the can to Swerve*

Swerve: Huh? What's this, Red?

Firestar and Inferno: *intent on the fluffy critters circling overhead to hide their grins*

Benny: *shyly offering Beauty the rat*

Beauty: *nuzzles Benny, accepts the rat*

Red Alert: Now you won't be missing out on the... fun.

Swerve: *grin* Thanks! *will work on knocking back the drink*

Firestar: *amusement leaks toward Red in that way that her feelings do when she's feeling them strongly*

Inferno: *is that very faint echo, mixed with curiosity and wonder* *starts the way his family had been walking before Red went into the shop*

Swerve: *visor very bright now* Woooow. *wobble*

Red Alert: *hand over mouth to muffle his snickering*

Inferno: *pauses as Firestar pats him, then turns back so she can see Swerve. Brows shoot up as he sees how the small bot is wobbling*

Firestar: *not even trying to hide her grin now*

Beauty: *confused trill. What is little Master doing?*

Red Alert: *going to try and herd Swerve closer to Inferno now, lights flashing as he struggles not to laugh out loud*

Benny: *sniff sniff* *little master is acting drunk. But he only had one little container of sweet bot noms...*

Swerve: *stumbling, and laughing as he trips and faceplants*

Benny: *reacts instinctively, hauling little master to his feet and then holding him there while looking to Master for instructions. Quizzical chirps and trills*

Red Alert: Let's go home. *so very amused*

Swerve: Whoah... Where'd the ground go?

Benny: *more soft talk, explaining that he must follow master, since he doesn't know where new home is*

Red Alert: *will lead the way back to the Lost Light*


a moment later


Nightwish: //Rodimus?//

Rodimus: *laughing at something, give him a moment*

Nightwish: //Your security director just deliberately got our bartender drunk off his brake shoes.//

Rodimus: //Wait, what?! And I missed it?!//

Nightwish: //Apparently Swerve was upset at missing the fun after he found out that several of our bots have been mailed back to the ship drunk. So Red bought him a canned drink.//

Rodimus: //... You mean one of the local drinks?//

Nightwish: //I'm not showing you what the can looked like.//

Rodimus: //Awww.//

Nightwish: *snorts at him*

flying snack cake: *hits him on top of the head and splatters*

Rodimus: *squawks out loud and over comms*

Nightwish: //Do I want to know?//

Rodimus: //Snack cake on the head! BRB!//

Nighwish: *laughing as she closes the link*


meanwhile


Rung: *putting a call through to one of her patients. Has been doing daily check-up calls on Whirl, Minimus Ambus, Red Alert and Fortress Maximus since she arrived in the Nexus*

Fortress Maximus: *line fills with deep laughter as it comes live*

Rung: *so surprised* //Ah, hello, Fortress Maximus. I hope I'm not interrupting anything?//

Fortress Maximus: //Rung!// *more joyful laughter* //I just got hit by a bolt of lightning!//

Rung: 0_0 //Are you alright?//

Fortress Maximus: //Yes! I'm playing a game, and winning. Quasar's only been hit by three bolts, but that was my fifth.//

Rung: ! //Just what game are you two playing, and who is Quasar?//

Fortress Maximus: //Quasar is a Quadriate deep spacer. A late divided same sparked gestalt. And I'm going to be joining him on his run in a few days.//

Rung: *so surprised* //His run?//

Fortress Maximus: //Yes. It's a long haul freight run to and from the outlaying reaches of the Coalition. The trips can take an Earth year to complete.//

Rung: ... //The Coalition?// *checking the information packet that the WakeJumper that lives in the Nexus gave her the other day*

Fortress Maximus: *databursts her the information that Quasar gave him on the Coalition*

Rung: *surprised sound as she reads*

Fortress Maximus: *aloud and over comms* //I see them, Quasar, they're by that hill.//

Rung: //What? Who is?//

Fortress Maximus: //One of the bots who came out to play in the storm. Quasar, Siren, Jade Dragon, and I are doing storm watch.//

Rung: //... What is storm watch?// *curious and worried*

Fortress Maximus: *tells her about the storms and the energy in the air. Then tells her about the bots who come out to play and get overwhelmed by the elements* //This is a very strong storm. The news says that it's causing births on the hot spots.//

Rung: *just made a very funny sound that has Mira and Little Oppy laughing in the background*

Fortress Maximus: *uncertainly* //Rung? Did you choke?//

Rung: //There's a hot spot?!//

Fortress Maximus: //Oh. Yes. This world has three. One of them is within the wall of the major city.//

Rung: *so very shocked*

Fortress Maximus: *distracted. Grunts softly, and then chuckles*

Rung: //What happened?// *worried*

Fortress Maximus: *sounds slightly distracted* //Happened?//

Rung: //What's going on?//

Fortress Maximus: *puzzled* //I told you.//

Rung: //What were you chuckling about?//

Fortress Maximus: //Ohhhhhhhhh.// *embarrassed sound* //Um...//

Rung: //... What happened?//

Fortress Maximus: *quietly* //Jade Dragon kissed me.//

Rung: *so surprised, will squeak about that!*

Fortress Maximus: *still quiet* //She's my shoulder angel.//

Rung: //I'm sorry... your what?//

Fortress Maximus: //She's a native lifeform of this planet, and her species is often used in assisting law enforcement officers. Usually they're deployed in pairs, but Jade Dragon's mate was killed with her first owner in a refinery fire. Quasar says she should be alright on her own because she's a Derry, and they're bigger and stronger than other shoulder angel breeds.//

Rung: *uncertainly* //Why do you need a native police dog, Maximus?//

Fortress Maximus: //Not police. Security. I'm going to be Quasar's security chief.//

Rung: *startled sound* //You're leaving the Lost Light? Rodimus has agreed?//

Fortress Maximus: //I haven't had a chance to speak with him regarding it. We've both been busy.//

Rung: //... Do I want to know what trouble Rodimus has gotten himself into?//

Fortress Maximus: //He's watching a show with our IGP members and Maelstrom.//

Rung: //... Okay, that was not the kind of trouble I was expecting.// *soft chuckle*

Fortress Maximus: //Ultra Magnus knew what she was doing when she showed him the comedy show ticket sales and then had Grok's family out where they could express interest when he mentioned his tickets.//

Rung: *more chuckle* //Ultra Magnus is good at keeping tabs on things.//

Fortress Maximus: //Yes, though I think the newest additions to the crew have surprised her.//

Rung: //Newest additions?//

Fortress Maximus: *simply* //There are sparklets aboard.//

Rung: *surprised sound that could pass for a squee. She's been introduced to the cute that is sleeping babby piles*

Fortress Maximus: //Most of them are in the style of the sparklets of this world, but Ultra Magnus sent me an image of Perceptor's son and daughter.// *quiet chuckle as he passes the image of the two bright-eyed and curious youngsters to Rung*

Rung: //What are their names?//

Fortress Maximus: //She didn't tell me.//

Rung: //They look happy.//

Fortress Maximus: //Yes.// *sounds distracted again*

Rung: //Is everything alright there, Fortress Maximus?//

Fortress Maximus: //...I'm trying to calculate the trajectory of some Seekers who are playing tag with the lightning.//

Rung: //Playing tag...// *facepalm is audible over comms*

Fortress Maximus: //I'm sorry, Rung, I have to go now. I'll talk to you tomorrow.//

Rung: //Alright. Stay safe, Fortress Maximus. I'm glad that you've made a friend.//

Fortress Maximus: *distracted but glad* //Thank you, Rung.// *signs off*

Rung: *will check on her other high-risk patient. Pings Red Alert's comm*

Inferno: *curiously intercepts his brother's call* //'Lo?//

Rung: //Oh! Hello. Am I speaking with Inferno?// *has met quite a few Infernos in the Nexus, and has gotten hugged by most of them at some point*

Inferno: *pleased* //Yup! ...Who're y'u?//

Rung: //I am a friend of Red Alert's. My name is Rung.//

Inferno: *silent for a moment, and then sounds peeved* //Red 'n Star won' let me see their files 'bout y'u.//

Rung: //Oh, dear.// *concerned* //Are they alright?//

Inferno: *confused now* //Yeah. Why? Star's list'nin' t' Swerve 'ncriminate 'isself, 'n Red's interviewin' 'is new crew.//

Rung: //... What did Swerve do?//

Inferno: //Dunno. Other'n gittin' cratered off'n th' drink Red gave 'im.// *sounds so innocent and wondering, and also like he's mostly repeating things he doesn't understand*

Rung: //... Red Alert gave Swerve a drink that got Swerve cratered?// *disbelief clear in her voice*

Inferno: //Yess'm, he did. 'N 'e laughed, too.//

Rung: //O-oh.// *sounds so surprised* //If Red Alert is busy, I can call back later.//

Firestar: *just realized that Inferno was on comms and got him to tell her the frequency* //Hello?//

Inferno: //She sez if Red's busy, she kin call back later.//

Rung: //Ah, hello, Firestar.//

Firestar: *perk in her voice* //It's alright, Inferno. Hi, Rung. I hadn't realized how deeply the kid had bonded already.//

Rung: //Ah... I see. How are things on your end, Firestar?//

Firestar: *laughs* //Considerin' you were just talkin' to a sparklet that busted out of the birthing house to come find me 'n Red?//

Rung: *surprised squeak*

Firestar: //Yeah. Either Inferno never was here before, or Primus sent him back all new. But he's here now and bonding like only a baby Quadriate can bond, I'm guessing. He's picking up on both our feelings already.//

Rung: //He must have come through the hot spot that became highly active due to the storm...//

Firestar: //Yes. The birthing house is where they put bodies on the new sparks. And he's not the only one on the Lost Light. Perceptor has twins now. Ambulon has four sons. And Ratchet has a tiny little minibot daughter.//

Rung: //Ambulon has sons and Ratchet has a daughter now?!// *hadn't been told that*

Firestar: //Yup. Want to see pictures? Oh, and we got a body for that spark Brainstorm had hoarded away.//

Rung: //I would like to see the pictures... How is the spark that was hoarded away?//

Firestar: *chuckles* //Familiar.// *sends a picture of that bitty first, as she saw him sleeping on Ratchet's back as that mech chased after one of Ambulon's laughing boys*

Rung: *surprised* //I've seen bots with that coloration in the Nexus.//

Firestar: //That's Eclipse.// *shows her the local WakeJumper*

Rung: *surprised sound* //And that's WakeJumper!// *met the big Wrecker who lives in the reality Sharpshot and Kup reside in now*

Firestar: //It is. And she's a woman, like the one from my original reality.//

Rung: //She's bigger than Sharpshot's wife!//

Firestar: //Yeah. Slightly different tech. And Sharpshot's wife is the lady I was talking about.// *the one from her reality*

Rung: *boggling, and a surprised sound*

Firestar: *quietly* //Our war's over. But I was pretty messed up from losing my team, so Hormah and Magnus had me brought here for Red.//

Rung: *quietly* //I see.//

Firestar: //Oh. Here's Red. Do you still want to talk to him?// *shares image of pleased looking Security Director chuckling and wiping dust off himself*

Rung: //If it's not too much trouble, yes, please.//

Firestar: *quietly, as though muffled* //Do you want to talk to Rung?//

Red Alert: *perks and patches in* //Hello, Rung.//

Rung: //How are things on your end, Red Alert?//

Red Alert: //Quite well, truth be told, Rung. The Lost Light now has a full security team, which means all the newest additions to the crew will be well protected, as will those who were part of the crew before our excursion to Terra.//

Inferno: *soft "uh huh" of agreement. Is still listening*

Firestar: *chuckles* //I'll let you three talk. Beauty seems to want some attention.//

Rung: //Beauty?//

Red Alert: //One of my two shoulder angels.// *will send an image of Benny and Beauty*

Benny: *standing behind master with his chin on Red Alert's shoulder now that he thinks master's not busy, is showing him the dead rat and making the soft sound that is asking for food. Is trying to ask Master to make this into food for Beauty*

Rung: //Oh, goodness!// *so surprised* //They're quite big, aren't they?//

Red Alert: *slight start, looks to Benny to see what's wrong* Er...

Benny: *soothing and loving sounds to Master. Didn't mean to startle you. Was offering loves... ack! Mavis!*

Mavis: *jumping up and down on Benny's head and scolding*

Rung: //Red Alert?// *worry worry*

Red Alert: *letting Rung hear him talk to Benny and Mavis in a soothing manner, is also asking Benny about the rat*

Inferno: //Th' pets got excited. S'alright, Miss Rung.//

Benny and Mavis: *soft chirping and singing and small sounds in reply*

Inferno: //Red, Ah think 'e wants y'u t' make th' rat inta rations!//

Red Alert: *surprised sound*

Rung: //Please forgive me, I must tend to something here, Red Alert. I shall call again later.//

Red Alert: //Ah, very well, Rung. Stay safe. Mavis, please don't kiss me.//

Rung: *as Red Alert closes the line, she's moving to get up, stopping only to pick Mira up when the little girl asks for cuddles. She'll then go looking for Hormah, intending to ask for a brief holiday so she can check up on the Lost Light crew and help them with any potential hurdles they may have with the influx of newsparks*

((Written with random_xtras))

Continued here