Microbots. Air Force Base. Legacy

[microbots]

golden arrow: *suddenly bursts through a barrack window with an explosion of glass, screaming loudly as only an upset and excited Peregrine can scream*

Legacy: *startled shriek, will duck and get behind cover so she can assess the threat*

Airman Caldwell: *bursts through her door nearly like the thing just came through her window* Bates! Step away from my robot!

Legacy: *on her feet, will do as ordered, though she's very confused now*

Peregrine: *starts screaming again and flies at the tall young Airman*

Airman Caldwell: *cries out as blood flies from his hand, then tries to defend himself from beating wings*

Legacy: *lips thin* Sir, I think you're scaring the bot.

Major Morgan: *hurries in* Stand down!

Peregrine: *drops to the floor and scoots over to huddle against Legacy's leg, golden feathers puffed*

Legacy: *snaps to attention*

Airman Caldwell: *wincing and holding his bitten hand* Sir...

Major Morgan: *cuts him off with a raised hand* Report to the infirmary.

Airman Caldwell: *grey eyes show his protest*

Major Morgan: *curt nod* You aren't needed.

Airman Caldwell: *golden boy looks like a kicked puppy as he leaves the room*

Legacy: *still at attention, and still very confused*

Major Morgan: *sighs after Caldwell is gone, then looks at the little blonde in front of him. Frown grows slowly, and then he scratches his head* Who the *beep* are you?

Legacy: Airman Basic Legacy Bates, sir.

Major Morgan: *recognition dawns* I talked to you this morning. *and told her she was slated for a desk job*

Legacy: Yessir.

Major Morgan: *wry mouth* See if the drone will let you pick her up.

Legacy: *not sure about whether the drone will consent to being picked up* Yessir. *will carefully crouch and reach for the drone*

Peregrine: *soft sound as she hops forward and snuggles into those hands* *she's warm. Though she's plainly made from non organic material, she feels very alive*

Legacy: *very surprised, will carefully rise to her feet* Sir?

Major Morgan: Follow me. *turns on his heel and leaves the room*

Legacy: *very confused, but will do so, holding the drone carefully so it won't fall*

Peregrine: *more soft sounds as she gently preens Legacy's sleeve*

Major Morgan: *leads Legacy out of the barracks and across the compound*

others: *stop what they're doing to stare as she passes. Even her sergeant stops and gawks*

Legacy: *feeling very self-conscious now, cheeks tinged pink as she follows the Major*

Major Morgan: *barks at a few Airmen in passing, causing them to hurry back to their tasks*

Legacy: *so self-conscious and a bit anxious now. She's not used to being singled out*

Major Morgan: *into the administration building, stopping to hold the door for her* *jerks his head to hurry her through*

Legacy: *will do so, moving as quickly as she can*

Major Morgan: *leads her down the hall and then opens another door. Nods her inside*

Legacy: *hurries inside, doing her best to keep from trembling. She's sure she's in some sort of trouble by now*

Major Morgan: Sit down. *drops into his own seat*

Legacy: Yessir. *will carefully sit down in the chair across from the Major*

Major Morgan: *frowns, and then hits a few keys on his keyboard before clicking a remote*

woman: *looks toward the screen. Has dark red hair and seriously laughing blue eyes* //Oh hey. Jack's... busy.//

Major Morgan: Stuck in Styrofoam again?

woman: *snort* //No. Can I help you?//

Major Morgan: The drone's made her choice, but there are a few complications.

woman: *frown* //What kind of complications?//

Major Morgan: *moves his camera* I'll let Airman Bates explain, if she can.

woman: *expression softens and warms as she catches sight of Legacy* //Hello, Airman Bates. I'm Rachel. I helped build the drone.//

Legacy: *trying to speak, only manages a quiet squeak*

Rachel: *gently* //Deep breath and count to five.//

Calla: *sucks in air, her chest comically puffed*

Legacy: *does her best to take a deep breath, is trembling faintly*

Rachel: *still gentle, but with humour* //Know what? Your dad was a lying jerk. You're awesome.//

Legacy: *lets out the breath in a startled whoosh. Wasn't expecting that*

Rachel: //And that's why the drone chose you.//

tiny bot: *little brownish gold guy climbs up on Rachel's shoulder and beeps at the camera, his blue eyes bright and curious*

Legacy: ... *breathing is still a bit shaky, but her brows are going up as she sees the tiny bot*

Rachel: *grin widens in what can only be mother love* //This is Moofy. And this is his sister Lyra.// *holds up a little blue bot who is wearing a tutu made from one of the fancy hair ties that had been the style a few years before* //They're wondering what your drone's name is.//

Lyra: *soft chiming sound*

Legacy: *takes another shaky breath* Calla.

Moofy: *gleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Can you tell he approves of the name, Legacy?*

Lyra: *happy song!*

Rachel: //Whups.// *soft laugh as she lifts Moofy down from her shoulder before he falls*

Legacy: *taking shaky breaths and trying to calm down*

Calla: *pert little sound at the screen. Issa sass!*

Lyra: *chime sound*

Moofy: *deedles!*

Calla: *perts right back*

Moofy: *deedle beep!*

Lyra: *soft music notes of laughter*

Calla: *gentle wing flap of sass*

Moofy: *beep!*

Legacy: *still a bit pale and shaky, is trying to make sense of what's going on*

Rachel: *gently* //Legacy?//

Legacy: *quietly* Yes, ma'am?

Rachel: //Do you like to fly?//

Legacy: *still quiet* I was told I'd never be a pilot, ma'am.

Rachel: *looks at Major Morgan, those warm eyes suddenly going stern*

Major Morgan: *quietly* We were assigning her a desk position. Calla's choice has changed all that. She'll be starting flight training tomorrow.

Rachel: //Good.// *looks at Legacy again, her eyes once more warm and kind*

Legacy: *ducked her head, shoulders shaking a bit. She's trying not to faint from the relief of knowing that she's not in trouble*

Rachel: *gently* //Light-headed?//

Legacy: *quietly* Y-Yes, ma'am.

Rachel: //You know, I felt like that the other day after I'd swallowed some food colouring. My fellow medic said I was fine, but I'm pretty sure I dyed a little inside.//

Legacy: ... *quiet snerk*

Rachel: *grin* //And did you know that eating clocks is time-consuming?//

Legacy: *another snerk* *quietly* I am on a seafood diet. Every time I see food, I eat it.

Rachel: *chuckle* //I like a dirty book.// *holds up a photo book with little kids playing in the mud on the cover*

Legacy: *hand over mouth, is snickering*

Rachel: *sets her book down* //I'd finish with a chemistry joke, but I probably wouldn't get a reaction.//

Major Morgon: .>.<.

Legacy: *more muffled snickering*

Rachel: *grin* //Better now?//

Legacy: *small nod* Yes, ma'am.

Major Morgan: *does know one thing about Legacy* I've had a broom, a sheet of Plexiglas, and some duct tape delivered to your room.

Legacy: *small nod* Thank you, sir.

Rachel: //...Plexiglas and duct tape?//

Legacy: *small nod* Yes, ma'am. Calla came in through my window.

Rachel: //Ohhhh.// *knowing look* *without sarcasm* //Have fun cleaning up.//

Legacy: *small smile and a nod. She's like pretty much all of her alts in that she enjoys cleaning*

Major Morgan: She will. I had to put a stop to people paying her to clean their quarters. The only customer she has left is our chaplain.

Rachel: //He gets to break the rules?//

Major Morgan: He's fifty years old and has one arm.

Rachel: //But paying someone is against regs.//

Major Morgan: No regs against swapping candy for assistance.

Rachel: *eyes are twinkling again as she looks at Legacy* //Werther's?//

Legacy: *ducks her head a bit and nods* Yes, ma'am.

Rachel: *soft laughter* //I'll send a care package tomorrow. Mac 'n cheese.//

Legacy: *perk* *quietly* Thank you, ma'am.

Rachel: *grin* //She's a baby right now. You might get a few tantrums. Just put your foot down gently.// *gentle rub for Moofy's little head*

Moofy: *happy little deedle*

Legacy: *small nod*

Rachel: *gently* //Get some rest.//

Major Morgan: *nods* Dismissed. Report for training at 0500.

Legacy: *nods and salutes* Yes ma'am, yessir. *will move to get up*

Calla: *quick hop, and she's suddenly sitting on Legacy's shoulder*

Legacy: *squares her shoulders and moves to bring Calla back to her dorm, will get started cleaning once they're safely inside the room*

((Written with random_xtras))