Nexus and HSV, Black Dog and Autobot Base, Columba's Arrival

[dens-extra-pups.livejournal.com]

Nemesis:  *selling cookies to Sideswipe, and watching that small grey femme over there kind of hide in the corner*

Sideswipe: *quietly thanking Nemesis, clearly has something on his processor*

Nemesis:  *looks at him, and then smirks slightly and glances pointedly toward Blackout as though hinting that if something's bugging him she knows a cure*

Sideswipe: *small headshake. Has heard the story of the Red that got combat kissed... and if Show wasn't carrying, he'd gladly accept the offer. Pays for the cookies, and moves to leave the bar with his purchase*

grey femme:  *sees a Starscream and goes under a table*

Sideswipe: *attention goes to the brief flash of movement he saw* ... *curious, moves to crouch by the table* Hello?

grey femme:  *looks at him with fearful wide blue optics*  Shhhh.  He'll see me!

Sideswipe: ... *blink blink* Who'll see you? You're hiding under a table...

grey femme:  *doesn't dare say the name, but fearfully nods in the direction of the golden Seeker who has gone over to the bar to get a drink*

Sideswipe: *Glances that way, soft snort* I could take him...

grey femme:  *slight cringe*  That's the Warlord!

Sideswipe: He's a Seeker. Sunny, Show, and I used to bend their wings for fun.... *trails off, thinking of his brother and sister, and what's going on back home*

grey femme:  *hugs herself*  I wonder if he knows I'm gone yet.  *bites her lip*

Sideswipe: *Small frown* Um... if you need someplace safe to stay for a bit, we've got room back home... *knows he's prolly going to get The Look from Optimus, but oh slaggging well.*

grey femme:  *frowns up at him*  Who are you?

Sideswipe: I'm Sideswipe...

grey femme:  *quietly, as she looks at him*  You're not from my reality.  You don't fly.

Sideswipe: ... *giving the femme a "Bhuh?" expression* Er... what's that gotta do with anything?

grey femme:  Maybe I'll be safe there.  *glances quickly toward Starscream*

Starscream:  *watching Blackout with visible disbelief.  His optics are blue*

Sideswipe: *nod* We've gotta truce between the 'bots and 'cons back home...

grey femme:  ...'Bots and 'Cons?

Sideswipe: Autobots and Decepticons.

grey femme:  I don't know what those words mean.

Sideswipe: ... *small shrug* It's not important right now... *stores his cookie purchase in subspace, gets out the PINpoint he's borrowing (With permission this time!), and holds out his free hand to the femme*

grey femme:  *hesitates for a click, her optics flicking toward Starscream.  And then her small, slender hand slips into Sideswipe's*

Sideswipe: *Activates the PINpoint, arriving in the relative quiet of the hallway outside the medbay*

grey femme:  *looks around, blinking and sniffing*  This isn't Cybertron.

Sideswipe: *Shakes his head as he lets go of the femme's hand* Nope... it's Earth.

grey femme:  The colonies?  *browplates lifting*  Oh... Columba.

Sideswipe: *Blink blink* Er....

grey femme:  *looks up at him*  My name's Columba.

Sideswipe: Ah... Nice to meet you... *slight headtilt, small nod* excuse me... *heads into the medbay, getting out the boxes of cookies he bought*

Columba:  *looking around, scanning her surroundings with audio and optic as well as her other sensors*

Sideswipe: *comes out of the medbay less than a minute later, though he seems more concerned with looking over his shoulder at someone inside the medbay*

Columba:  *is offering Jetfire the cane that he dropped, and showing no fear whatsoever at the old Seeker's grouching and ranting*

Jetfire: *Still grousing about the new arrival that showed up just before Columba*

Sideswipe: ... *blink blink* Okay then... *distracted*

Columba:  *soothing smile*  Don't you want your cane, sir?

Jetfire: *nods, gently takes his cane, and goes off to find someone else to commiserate with, since he doesn't have the heart to continue grousing to Columba*

Columba:  *watches him go, then glances around with a rather lost expression on her face*

Sideswipe: *muses out loud* Wonder what got Jetfire riled up this time?

Columba:  *slight start and looks at him*  Something about someone named Jazz doing something unnatural.

Sideswipe: ... Jazz is always doing something... *small shrug* Hey, do you want any energon?

Columba:  He said they were talking like a femme.  *perk*  I'd like energon.  I didn't have anything to buy any at that drinking place.

Sideswipe: ...Weird... *moves to gently usher Columba down the hall* The rec room's this way... we've got dispensers for energon there...

Columba:  *following him, her small feet making only soft and muted sounds on the floor due to the padding on their soles*

Desinex: *dozing on one of the couches with Ridgeback, Ariel, Dion, and Orion Pax*

Sideswipe: *Soft snerk, moves to show Columba where the dispensers and containers are*

Columba:  *looks at the pile of tiny bots*  ...Wow... they're so small.

Sideswipe: *nod* They're sparklets... young Transformers.

Columba:  ....  Oh.

Sideswipe: *slightly oblivious* What's your preference for energon?

Columba:  Ah... I only ever got the kind of mid-grade Starscream gave us as he worked on us.

Sideswipe: ... *blink blink, small shrug, gets Columba a cube of mid-grade*

Columba:  What's wrong?  *takes the cube and thanks him for it, then drinks neatly without taking her optics from his face*

Sideswipe: *Lying through his denta* Nothing major... just stuff...

Columba:  *gauges how he's behaving and his body language*  *softly*  You're lying.

Sideswipe: *gonna do it again, just watch* It's nothing... really.

Columba:  *lowers her cube*  *gently*  It's bothering you a lot.

Desinex: *Awake now, and slinking off with the littles to go bug someone else(quite possibly Hound)*

Sideswipe: It's not..... *not getting any better at lying, Sides*

Columba:  *reaches to put her cube on the counter, and then comes over to put a hand on his, which is nearly all she can reach of him with her petite size.  The gesture is full of support and encouragement*

Sideswipe: *soft sigh* *quietly* I'm just... worried about Show....

Columba:  *unconsciously leans against him a bit*  Who's Show?

Sideswipe: Showtime... she's Sunny's bondmate, and my sister....

Columba:  *surprise shocks her out of her programming*  Males can have sisters here?

Sideswipe: ... Yeah... it's not that uncommon...

Columba:  Ohhhh.  *more supportive leaning that invites talking*

Sideswipe: *cycles air* Show's carrying newsparks... which in and of itself would be enough to make Sunny a nervous wreck, since Show's just a runt compared to some of the other 'bots... *brief flash of pain in his optics*

Columba:  *thinks he needs a hug and climbs up on the counter to apply it*

Sideswipe: *Startles slightly, but then he's ducking his head and hugging Columba back* *trying to keep the pain out of his voice, not doing too good of a job at that* *quietly* A few months back... Show was carrying a newspark... she didn't know about it... *intakes hitch*

Columba:  *arms tighten, and then she looks up at him with wide optics full of sympathy*

Sideswipe: *trying his hardest not to cry* M-Mira... she's in the Well of All Sparks...

Columba:  *okay, she understands better now.  Someone he loved went offline permanently.  The thought makes her optics fill with tears*  Oh no....

Sideswipe: *kinda losing the battle against tears now* She... *hiccup* Show would've been such an awesome mother to her....

Columba:  *snuggle*

Sideswipe: *cycling air and trying his hardest to calm down, lest he set Sunny and Show off*

Columba:  *snuggles more, and then starts to purr softly*

Sideswipe: *distress is quieting down, if the fact that his intakes have stopped hitching is any indication*

Columba:  *purrrr*

Sideswipe: *starting to calm down, is reaching to rub at his optics a bit with one hand, but seems a bit reluctant to let go of Columba*

Columba:  *sighs, then peeks up at him*  Do you have a femme?

Sideswipe: *blink blink, small headshake* No... Show's my sister... and most of the other femmes around here are bonded, unless they're sparklets...

Columba:  *doesn't know about courtship.  Where she comes from femmes are accessories, built to comfort, amuse, and serve.  She likes this guy better than the one she was built for*  I'll be yours.

Sideswipe: ... Bhuh?! *confused now*

Columba:  *brows draw together*  I'll be your femme.

Sideswipe: ... We don't even know each other that well yet... *Not that he's closed to the idea, mind you* Shouldn't we get to know one another better first?

Columba:  *confused, and it shows*

Sideswipe: ... You've never been courted, have you?

Columba:  What does that mean?

Sideswipe: Courting's where a mech and a femme get to know one another and spend time together... *that's only part of it, but Sideswipe doesn't want to get into that right now*

Columba:  *slowly*  Where I come from the femme gets programmed and sent to the mech she'll belong to.

Sideswipe: ....Do you get any say in that?

Columba:  *hesitates, and then looks down*  I ran away from my mech before he ever saw me.

Sideswipe: *Small frown* How come?

Columba:  *small voice*  Because his femmes keep dying.  He gets mad and hits them too hard.

Sideswipe: ... *gently hugs Columba, more to keep her from seeing the horrified look on his face than anything*

Columba:  *hears some of how he feels in his spark and snuggles soothingly*  Starscream said he wasn't going to make him another if I didn't work out.

Sideswipe: *quietly* They shouldn't be forcing people into stuff...

Columba:  *confused look again*  Forcing people into stuff?

Sideswipe: *serious* In this reality, femmes are equal beings... free to chose their own lives, who they want to be with, that sorta thing...

Columba:  ....  Oh.  I... don't know what to do, then.

Sideswipe: You're welcome to stay here, if you want...

Columba:  *patient and quiet*  That's a where to be.  Not a what to do.

Sideswipe: *considering his options, wonders if Optimus would have any advice on the matter* Maybe Optimus can help figure something out...

Columba:  *quietly*  You really don't want me?

Sideswipe: *slightly panicky now* It's not that, I just don't want you to get into trouble and I just want to keep you safe... *BLUSH when he realizes what he just said*

Columba:  *once more with the patient and quiet*  Why would I get into trouble?

Sideswipe: ...Err... Because most of the things that Sunstreaker and I do tend to lead to trouble in some way, shape or form? *yes, that's really the best he can come up with, Columba*

Columba:  *silently looking up into his face, and then arches one brow plate when he doesn't say anything else*

Sideswipe: ...*quietly* Let's at least let Optimus know you'll be staying here...

Columba:  Alright.

Sideswipe: *seems a bit unsure whether to just pick Columba up and carry her, or to let her walk on her own*

Columba:  What's wrong?

Sideswipe: Well... Would you prefer to walk, or would you like me to carry you?

Columba:  Which would you like?  *pause, and then*  I think I'm too big to sit on your shoulder.

Sideswipe: *small frown as he compares Columba's eight foot height to his seventeen, before he nods* Yeah... *gently shifts Columba so she'll be a bit more comfortable while he carries her to the Prime's office* Odds are, Prime's in his office...

Columba:  *small nestling motion, just as comforting as most of her actions are, as she looks toward the door*

Sideswipe: *carries Columba out the door and down the hall, also pings Optimus' comm*

Optimus:  //What is it, Sideswipe?  Is Showtime alright?//

Sideswipe: //I need to talk to you about something... Showtime's got cookies, and Doc's watching over her... Sunny's not freaking, so I think she's okay...//

Optimus:  //I'm not busy right now.  Go ahead and come into my office.//

Sideswipe: //Be there in a bit... Sideswipe out.//

Columba:  *quietly curious looks at the Transformers that they pass during the short trip down the hall*

Sideswipe: *taps at the door to Optimus' office with his foot*

Optimus:  ....  Come in.

Sideswipe: *slightly ducking his head, is nervous all of a sudden, comes into Optimus' office*

Optimus:  *optics zero instantly in on that unfamiliar spark signature that he'd sensed, and at sight of the little grey femme he sets down his energon cube and nods to her, then looks quizzically at Sideswipe*

Sideswipe: She followed me home... Can I keep her?

Columba:  *snuggles against him to second the request*

Optimus:  *frowns slightly*  Keep her?

Sideswipe: *Serious in an instant, relays what Columba told him of her reality of origin*

Optimus:  *looks at Columba again*

Columba:  *quietly*  I want to stay with him.  I don't think he'd hit me.

Optimus:  *wry*  Yes, that is one of his good traits.  *looks at Sideswipe again*  Bring her to Ratchet and let him have a look at her.

Sideswipe: *nods* Yessir... *carries Columba out of Optimus' office*

Optimus:  *watches them go and comm pings his CMO*

Ratchet: //Showtime's recharging, Optimus... She's fine.//

Optimus:  //That isn't what I'm calling about, Ratchet.  Sideswipe is bringing a femme to the medbay.//

Ratchet: //...//

Optimus:  //I want you to check her processor for signs of slave programming.//

Ratchet: //Alright. Sideswipe and the femme are just arriving... I'll let you know the results of the scans.//

Optimus:  //Standing by.//

Columba:  *looking around from where she's now settled so firmly in Sideswipe's grasp as to seem as though she belongs there*

Sideswipe: *Attention lingering on the blue head that's just barely peeking out from underneath a tarp on one of the repair tables*

Ratchet: *soft 'Ahem' as he approaches Sideswipe and Columba*

Columba:  *notices Sideswipe's look and looks herself, surprise showing on her face when she sees how big that femme is.  At the hemming she turns her attention to the yellow mech but doesn't speak*

Ratchet: *Quietly, lest he wake the sleeping femme on the table* My designation is Ratchet. I'm the Chief Medical Officer of the Autobots.

Columba:  *and also, possibly, doesn't realize that he's addressing her.  Her programming tells her that as a femme she won't generally be noticed by anyone but her own mech*

Ratchet: *still in that quiet tone* Miss?

Sideswipe: *Blinks, gently nudges Columba*

Columba:  *starts and looks up at him, then understands and feels her faceplates heat slightly as she turns back to the yellow mech*  I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were talking to me.  I'm pleased to meet you, Ratchet.  My designation is Columba.

Ratchet: *small nod, does his best to discreetly scan Columba* Optimus informed me that you would be coming...

Columba:  I was only completed less than an oorn ago, and I haven't sustained any damage since then.  *brows up, gentle and earnest.  And... there are none of the overrides and personality suppressors that usually show in the processor of Transformer slaves in her processor*

Ratchet: *nods, relays the results to Optimus via databurst* I see. I trust that Sideswipe has been nothing short of polite?

Columba:  Sideswipe hasn't hurt me.  *snuggles back against the red mech to show that she's quite happy where she is*

Ratchet: *looks to Sideswipe, soft snort when he sees how protective the red mech is acting* Alright. Sideswipe, why don't you give Columba a tour of the base?

Sideswipe: *nods and carefully hurries out of the medbay, clearly glad to be allowed to leave*

Optimus:  //So what do you think would be the best thing to do, Ratchet?  She seems very attached to him for someone who doesn't have slave programming.//

Ratchet: //Well... Sideswipe doesn't seem as volatile as he was earlier... Granted, I don't know her previous situation, so I can't really be judgemental... but as long as she did consent to being brought here, then I think we should just let them be for now.//

Optimus:  *relays to Ratchet what Sideswipe told him*  //She seems have a soothing effect.  I think she's doing it on purpose.//

Ratchet: //Hmm... Well... All things considered, with the situation as it is, I think that she's just the sort of person Sideswipe needs to be around right now. Sunstreaker's been all but camping out just outside the medbay doors.//

Optimus:  *slowly*  //Maybe she's what the entire trine needs.//

Ratchet: //... Perhaps... //


Back out in the halls

Columba:  *pat patting Sideswipe's chest after he just came around a corner and nearly ran into a big black mech with a scar over one optic*

Sideswipe: *manages to stinkeye Ironhide's retreating back, before sighing*

Columba:  *snuggle*  Is he an enemy?

Ironhide:  *already around another corner.  His voice reaches them, calling for Carina to come back*

Carina: *Happy noises, seeing the world!*

Sideswipe: *headshake* No... He's just someone who normally thinks it's fun to body check me or Sunny into the nearest wall... he's stopped, since that'd stress Show out too much...

Columba:  *turns and wraps her arms around him, giving just a hint of her purr*

Sideswipe: *sneaks a snuggle, then he's pointing out the hallway that leads past Wheeljack's lab, the hallway that goes past Perceptor and Kia's lab, and the hallway that the 'Crazy Glitch that Hound is Bonded to' lives down*

Columba:  *quietly, and there's just a hint of gentle reproof in her voice*  'Bonded' is when a mech has his femme, isn't it?

Sideswipe: *small nod* Yeah... But here's the thing... Desinex has Decepticon programming... Sunny and Show still have scars from fighting her when she was an enemy.

Columba:  I don't know what Decepticon means, remember?

Sideswipe: Oh yeah... well, it doesn't really matter anymore... there's a truce... the fighting between the two groups is done and over with... been done and over with for almost a year now...

Columba:  So 'Autobot' and 'Decepticon' were the names of two... clubs? who didn't like each other?

Sideswipe: I don't get what started the main fight, but that's pretty much the war in a nutshell...

Columba:  *brows up in a perfect expression of non-accusing disbelief*

Sideswipe: *small, careful shrug, nods to a hallway that gets described as "The place I won't even go to, unless Eclipse or Bluestreak is with me, because Solar Flare's about as 'splody as Wheeljack."*

Columba:  *looks down it warily.  And then snuggles*

Sideswipe: *soft engine rumble, snuggles*

Columba:  *softly, as she listens to his spark*  I can help take care of Showtime, too.

Sideswipe: *blink blink, hopeful look* Really?

Columba:  Yes.  If she's your sister, then she... um.  Well, if you did decide to keep me.  It would be part of my job.  *frowns and looks up at him*  But you asked Optimus if you could keep me.

Sideswipe: *getting a bit of a deer-in-headlights look, and blushing like crazy* I meant what I asked him...

Columba:  *happy smile*  I'm glad.

Sideswipe: *Small smile, gentle snuggles for Columba*

Columba:  *purring again, her optics shuttered with relief and contentment*

Skywarp: *pauses as he comes around the corner, snerks* Sideswipe's gotta DAME!!! *Cackles*

Columba:  *blinks and looks surprised as she tips her head back to look at the tall Seeker*

Airwolf:  *on Skywarp's back, looking over his shoulder at Sideswipe's dame*  0.o

Skywarp: *Cracking up even more at the rude comm. message Sideswipe sent him*

Columba:  *quick glance at Sideswipe to see what he'd like her to do in this situation*

Sideswipe: *getting ready to step around the Seeker* *to Columba* Just ignore him.

Columba:  Alright.  *resumes snuggling as she looks up at that little bot that looks so surprised and curious*

Skywarp: ...*mutters something about Sideswipe not being any fun, and heads off to find someone else to pester for a bit*

Columba:  Sideswipe, what was the little one?  That didn't look like a femme.

Sideswipe: Airwolf's a mech.... and a young Seeker... and Skywarp's just an idiot.

Columba:  Why is he riding on Skywarp's back?

Sideswipe: Because he's part of Skywarp's family, I guess... *another careful shrug*

Columba:  Will you tell me what 'family' means?

Sideswipe: *nods* Yeah... *begins explaining, as well as he can, about family*

Columba:  *soaking up the data, her surprise showing in her optics.  When he's finished*  *quietly*  It's so different....

Sideswipe: *studying Columba's face, a bit worried* Is... is that a bad thing?

Columba:  *head tilt and thinks*  I don't think so.  It's just very different.

Sideswipe: *small nod, relaxing* I can explain stuff, if you need me to...

Columba:  I'm glad.  Where I come from, sister is what femmes called one another.  And we took care of each other when our mechs didn't or couldn't.  Mechs sometimes considered their creators to be close friends.  But that's as close to family as it came.

Sideswipe: ... huh... guess different realities have different ways of doing stuff...

Columba:  *nods, then reaches to touch his face and wipe at something with one slender finger*

Sideswipe: *Blink blink* ?

Columba:  You had energon on your face.  *grinning*

Sideswipe: Oh... heh... ^_^;; oops

Columba:  *pat pats him on the chest and then leans against him and hugs him again*  I'm very happy.

Sideswipe: *smiles* *quietly* I'm glad...

Columba:  *contented soft purr*

*Just down Wheeljack's hallway, something goes 'BOOM' in a spectacular fashion*

Sideswipe: *Jumps, hand automatically going for his weapon*

Columba:  *is suddenly a beautiful big gun in his hands.  One that quickly changes from pistol to rifle configuration so as to fit him perfectly*

Sideswipe: ... *"Bhuh?!" expression, even as Eclipse runs past with Inferno and Ultra Magnus in tow, and a freaked-out Bluestreak bringing up the rear*

Columba:  Sideswipe?  Was that an attack?

Sideswipe: ... No... Just Wheeljack blowing himself up... again... *sighs, apologizing to Sunstreaker over the twin-bond, and apologizing to Ratchet over comms, for startling Showtime*

Columba:  *pauses, and then shifts so that she's sitting on one of his arms with one of hers hooked around his neck*  Blowing himself up?

Sideswipe: Wheeljack's an inventor, with a lousy track record... One of his inventions blew up...and going by the parade of dorks, he's stuck under something...

Columba:  What does 'parade of dorks' mean?  *optics on his*

Sideswipe: ...Never mind... *sighs* Showtime's awake and a bit worked up...

Columba:  *softly*  We should go comfort her.

Sideswipe: *nods and heads back towards the medbay*

Columba:  *looks the way they're going, her optics alert but calm.  There is concern in them too*

Ironhide:  *baby girl in arms*  Wheeljack or Solar Flare?

Sideswipe: Wheeljack.

Carina: *wiggly, wants to go explore more!*

Ironhide:  *snort*  *quizzical look at Columba as he nods to her politely*

Columba:  *nods back to him, and to the little one, but is wordlessly urging Sideswipe toward the medbay*

Sideswipe: Both spazzes are there already. *going to medbay, kthxbai*

Ironhide:  *watches them go, and then resumes his homeward journey.  Tells Chromia over their link that Sideswipe has a dame*

Columba:  *looking toward Showtime's table the moment they're in the medbay, and her purring is unconsciously starting up*

Showtime: *Cycling air, has her optics shuttered. Sunstreaker is gently smoothing her helm and holding one of her hands*

Sideswipe: *now he's really feeling guilty*

Columba:  *gentle pats for his chest, and then a kiss on the cheek before she's moving to sit on the edge of the table*

Sunstreaker: *glances at Columba briefly, before returning his attention to Showtime*

Columba:  *softly, gently*  Showtime?  Can you hear me?

Showtime: *small nod, unshuttering her optics just enough to see who's speaking*

Columba:  *smiles at her and touches her face soothingly*  I'm Columba.  I'm part of your family now.  May I help take care of you?

Showtime: *another small nod, shutters her optics*

Columba:  *starts to gently purr, leaning against her new sister as she does so that Showtime can feel the soothing vibrations too*

Showtime: *tight grip on Sunstreaker's hand loosens as she relaxes, and after awhile she drifts back into recharge*

Columba:  *smiles softly and then starts to gently rub Showtime's shoulder in a place that she knows is comforting.  She's careful not to bump the taller femme's doorwing.  As she does so she looks up at Sunstreaker curiously*

Sunstreaker: *Still gently smoothing Showtime's helm, though it's clear from the way that he's standing that he's calmed down as well*

Columba:  *softly*  She's part of you, isn't she?

Sunstreaker: *looks up, small nod* My mate...

Columba:  *quietly, as she nods at Sideswipe*  I'm his femme now.  So I'm going to help.

Sunstreaker: *gives Sideswipe a look that results in Sideswipe ducking his head a bit and blushing, nods* Thank you...

Columba:  *quizzical look*  Why did you look at him that way?

Sunstreaker: *chuckles* He's my brother. It's my job to give him a bit of a hard time on occasion...

Columba:  Really? *glances to Sideswipe for confirmation*

Sideswipe: *small nod* I give him a hard time too... and when Show's feeling better, I'll give her a bit of a hard time as well... and knowing her, she'll find something to tease me about...

Columba:  Alright.  *smiles at him, and then looks down at Showtime*  How did those new sparks get inside her, anyway?

Ratchet: *Coming out of the store room* Her spark budded, creating three new sparks that have code from herself and Sunstreaker.

Columba:  *brows lift*  Is it supposed to do that?

Ratchet: It happens fairly often with bonded femmes... at least, it does in this reality.

Columba:  *nodding, and then turning her attention back to her sister as she thinks she hears a sound.  Adds soft music to her purring and settles down to just tend to Show*

Ratchet: *gives a soft chuckle as he watches the family settle down, silently thanking Primus and whatever dieties are listening for Columba's arrival*

((Co-written with random_xtras))