Hs-Verse, Autobot Base, High Speed Crash

[dens-extra-pups.livejournal.com]

Draco:  *shyly trying to converse with whichever other sparklet will listen to him*

Dion: *sitting on Denver's lap while the woman power-naps, clicks a little at Draco* :3

Draco:  *looks up at Denver, and then starts telling a story about a cloud that he saw outside*

Sunhalo:  *smacks into the back of the couch, then lays there and goes 0_0*

Dion: *Listening attentively, at least until Sunhalo smacks into the back of the couch* !

Sunhalo:  *lays on couch beside Denver and looks at the boys, listening to the story*

Denver: *soft grunt as she opens her eyes to make sure Dion didn't wander off. Satisfied, she goes back to her nap*

Draco:  *pauses as Denver moves, then looks at Dion to see if he wants to hear more*

Dion: *gentle pat pat over Denver's heart, moves to sit closer to Draco*

Draco:  *resumes story*

*sound of a very cratered Sideswipe roaring gleefully out of the base*

Draco:  *hiding!*

Sunhalo:  *ditto*  0_0

Dion: *Hides as well*

Denver: *Snerk, wakes up* ... >/ Fraggin' glitch.

Draco and Sunhalo:  *under Denver's shirt*

Denver: ...*Sighs and tilts her head back so she can rest it against the back of the couch* Ah'm gonna hafta have a few 'words' wit' tha' glitch, ain' Ah?

Dion: *hiding under Denver's shirt as well* ...*click*

Draco:  ... *very softly, barely audible*  Mama will get him.

Sunhalo:  *finger in mouth, listening to Denver thump*

Denver: *chuckles* So'll Des.

Police band:  *reporting a collision between a semi truck and a red Lamborghini*

Show: *facepalming*

WJ: *heard the police band as well, is comming Ratch, snickers at the stream of vitrolic and snark*

Optimus:  *out of his office and calling for the medics as the news starts coming over the regular channels, talking about an explosion*

Draco:  *whimper*

Denver: *awake now! Rounds up the littles near her, gives the napping Desi a shake, earning a bit of cursing and grumbling*

Sunhalo:  *very silent and hiding.  Looks like she did when she first came*

WJ: *quietly explaining to bittyTC that he has to go for a little bit, but Eclipse will take care of him and that Eclipse is very special to Bubby*

Optimus:  *calls for Showtime as well, and Hound and Ironhide*

bittyTC: *doesn't want to let go of Bubby, but does so once Eclipse comes over with Lumen clinging to her back*

Show: *gets up from where she was reading a datapad and goes to follow Optimus*

Desi: *moves so she can cuddle Sunhalo as well as the human is able to*

news:  *talking about the fire at the wreck site*

Denver: *cellphone out, telling Ultra Magnus to get his skidplate in gear and help out, and yes, she'll be fine at the base, just get going!*

Eclipse: *trying to keep bittyTC calm*

news:  *reporting that the driver was apparently thrown clear, so the rescue crews aren't worrying much about putting out the car fire*

Optimus: 0_0  INFERNO!  *turns and transforms and is out of there!*

WJ: *Hurrying out the door with Ratchet following close behind*

Optimus:  *roaring down the road, horn blaring at crossroads*

Sideswipe:  *fading*

Inferno: *Following close behind, lights and sirens going*

Sunstreaker: *can't even drive, in too much panic*

Optimus:  *notices this and orders him to the side of the road, and Showtime to stay with him*

Show: *apologizes to Sunstreaker as she shoves him off the road before he can protest Optimus's orders* //Hurry! I don't know what's going on, but something's definitely wrong, I can feel it!//

Sideswipe:  *pain is gone now, feeling kind of floaty, though he can still hear the flames around him*

Show: *Panicky*//Optimus! Hurry!//

Optimus:  *transforms and lifts Sideswiper's mangled form from the puddle of flaming fluid*  Inferno....

random rescue guy:  OH #$#@$#@ it's not a car!

Inferno: Gotcha, Prime. *Transforms and uses his alt-mode's firehose and tank to put out the flames on Sideswipe, and cool the mech's frame*

Ratchet: *skids to a stop, transforms as well, scanning and working on getting Sideswipe stabilized enough to be transported back to base. Barking orders at WJ, who also transformed and is assisting*

Sideswipe:  *floaty... and then trying to figure out why he's looking down at Ratchet*

Ratchet: *curses and hooks Sideswipe's frame up to a portable life support unit, as well as what looks like a jump-starter kit complete with battery* Clear! *Is attempting to jump-start Sideswipe, and hoping and praying that this will work!*

Sideswipe:  *twitches, then stares as he realizes that that horrible mess that Ratchet's working on is his body*

Optimus:  Come on, Sideswipe!  Don't give up now!

Showtime: *Freaking out over the comms*

random rescue guy:  *Cursing fervently*

Ratchet: *dials up the power level, gives another attempt at jump-starting Sideswipe*

Sideswipe:  *not back yet.  Starting to panic as he realizes he can't feel his brother*

Showtime: *freaking out gets cut short abruptly, leaving only silence on her end*

Optimus:  Primus please.  Come on, Sideswipe!

Ratchet: *Isn't going to give up the fight just yet! Dials up the power again, yet another attempt to get the red Lambo twin going*

Sideswipe:  *PAIN!  And then he slips into stasis so deep that he'd barely register on his bond as his shell spasms and lets out a goute of fluid*

WJ: *trying to get a response from Showtime*

Ratchet: *is quick to get the life support unit running at full capacity, begins working on stabilizing Sideswipe*

WJ: *Worried expression* Prime! Showtime's not responding to her comms, neither is Sunstreaker!

Optimus:  *transforms and heads back that way after giving orders to the others*

Sideswipe:  *shell is too badly damaged... there's nothing to work.  What the sideswipe didn't destroy the explosion ripped apart, and then the fire melted the rest*

Optimus:  //Sunstreaker!  Showtime!  Respond!//

Showtime: *Silence, but if Prime looks, he'll see her holding onto an unconcious Sunstreaker, and shaking like a leaf*

Optimus:  *transforms and kneels next to them, scanning the yellow twin and the blue femme*

Showtime: *is unharmed, as is Sunstreaker, but something doesn't seem quite right in regards to their sparks*

Show: *confused, quiet rambling, even though Sunstreaker is out like a light*

Optimus:  *frowning.  He'd expected trauma to Sunstreaker, because of his bond to his twin, but he's confused by Showtime's spark reading.  Gently puts his arms around the pair as he reports what he's seeing to WakeJumper*

WJ: *frowning as he helps Ratchet with a spark transfer. Yeah, the protoform Shockwave provided from when Starscream almost killed Ophi by forcibly removing Orion Pax's spark is con-like, but it's fully functional, and will have to do* //Can you get them to the medbay? I have a hunch as to what might have happened...but I can't confirm it until I've seen what you're describing for myself.//

Optimus:  //Yes.  Magnus, where are you?  I need a hand.//

Ultra Magnus: *provides his location, which isn't too far away* //What's the situation?//

Optimus:  //I need to get Showtime and Sunstreaker back to the medbay, but neither of them is capable of traveling under their own power.//

Magnus: //gotcha.// *Pulls up nearby, in alt-mode, and with a trailer attached(Yay for subspace)*

Optimus:  *gently tries to separate Sunstreaker from Showtime*

Show: *Optics widen, CLINGS to Sunstreaker*

Optimus:  *pauses*  Showtime, can you hear me?  Showtime?

Show: *shaking slightly, even as she clings to Sunstreaker* *Quietly*no...don't take him...hurts...

Optimus:  We have to get you into the trailer, Showtime.  But I can't lift you both at once.  Do you understand?

Show: *soft whine, won't let go*

Optimus:  *looks up*  Help me, Magnus.

Magnus: *detaches from the trailer, transforms, and moves to help lift the pair* I've never seen anyone react like this before...

Optimus:  *softly*  I have.

Magnus: *Frowning, cringes as Showtime lets out a shriek and continues to cling* What's causing this?

Optimus:  *gently lifting the two of them as a unit*  A spark bond.

Magnus: ...*Frown* but wouldn't that require both twins?

Optimus:  *blinks and then his optics widen*  It does....

Magnus: ...We more than likely have a limited window then. *begins moving toward the open door of the trailer*

Optimus:  *moving in sync with his friend, the pair of them managing to gently lay the shocked couple inside.  Then Optimus closes the doors and moves to put on the trailer himself*

Magnus: *helps attach the trailer, transforms* //Need me to check on how Sideswipe's doing?//

Optimus:  //Ratchet's reporting.//  *backs carefully and then turns toward the base, his brakes making their caracteristic sound before his engine rises to its usual rumble and he's off*

Magnus: //See you in a few breems. Magnus out.//*heads for Ratchet's location*

Sideswipe:  *stasis is deep, and his spark is wavering*

Ratchet: *cursing more, works on getting Sideswipe stable enough to transfer to what will be his temporary protoform for the time being*

Hound:  Doc, just do it.

Ratchet: *stink-eye at Hound, before he transfers Sideswipe carefully*

Sideswipe:  *distant awareness of pain... he fades and flickers*

Hound:  *murmuring softly as he prays*

Ratchet: *making sure the protoform's systems are up and running, cursing as he hooks the life support equipment back up and readies the jump-start equipment*

Sideswipe:  *nearly too faint to see or sense... but he's steadied.  Hound was right*

Ratchet: *grouching and generally raising hell, but working on getting Sideswipe transport-ready now*

Hound:  *still praying like whoa, and now becoming aware of staring humans in the ditch*  Oh oh....

WJ: *has also become aware of the humans* Er...what now?

Magnus: //How's Sideswipe doing?// *pulls up nearby*

Hound:  *still looking at the humans*

Ratchet: He'll live. I don't know WHAT was going through his processor...*grouchy*

WJ: Er... hi? *sheepish wave for the humans*

Hound:  *winces at all the flinching and cussing that occurs*  Can we get outta here yet, Doc?

Ratchet: *making sure Sideswipe is stable enough to transport* Go. I'll catch up with you once Sideswipe's secured.

Hound:  *uneasy look toward the injured mech, whose spark signature he can't detect right now, but obediently folds up and heads toward the base*

WJ: *sheepish smile, one more wave, gets a nod from Ratchet, transforms and follows Hound*

Ratchet: *is getting Magnus's help in securing Sideswipe for the ride back, as well as picking up what's left of the mech's original shell*

Ratchet: *giving Ironhide a considering look, and comparing what's left of Sideswipe's shell and the weapons specialist's alt mode specifications, more specifically, the cargo bed*

shell:  *is bent nearly in half, and further reduced by explosion and fire*

random rescue chick:  *tiptoes over cautiously and offers a bit of red scrap she found in the ditch*

Ratchet: *nods at the rescue worker*

Ironhide:  *growls at the woman, then looks at Ratchet, having a pretty good guess of what the other mech's thinking*  Go on.  We'll take care of this.

random rescue chick:  0.o

random rescue chick:  *sticks her chin out at the big black guy, even though she gets growled at again*

Ratchet: *Stern Medic Look at the rescue chick*

random rescue chick:  *sticks chin out at him too.  She's a rescue worker.  These may not be human, but they seem like people, and it's her job to help people*

Ironhide:  *typical 'Hide, starts unfolding the cannons*

Magnus: *transforms, moves to play referee* Hey now, none of that.

Ironhide:  *frowns*  She's in the way.

Magnus: Then ask her to move. Don't just stand there glaring at her. Trust me, you won't win.

Ironhide:  *pout and glower*  Yes, sir.  *looks at the woman.  Gruffly*  Please excuse me.

random rescue chick:  *moves, going closer to Ratchet*

Ironhide:  HEY!  Not that way!

Magnus: *mutters something about overgrown sparklings, before kneeling so he's closer to the rescue chick's level* Miss, we do appreciate the help, but if you wouldn't mind moving back a bit, that'd be really appreciated.

random rescue chick:  I'd like to help.

Ironhide:  *rumbling and grumbling as he picks up the mess of destroyed shell and then manages to transform and get it loaded*

Magnus: *nods, understanding* *quick glance at Ratchet, who has finished securing Sideswipe, via use of his holoform* *stage whisper* We do appreciate the offer, Miss, but our medic's a cranky old fart, and being around him can be hazardous to anyone's health...*Winks at the chick, even as he gets a scowl from Ratchet*

random rescue chick:  *blinks at hearing such language and seeing such actions from a giant robot, but smirks just a little as she moves back to the ditch with her fellows*

Ironhide:  *holoform picking up the last bits that he can sense, and then he's ready to go*  Hurry up, Ratchet.

Ratchet: *holoform scowls at Ironhide before closing the doors of the medic's alt, the medic himself having transformed prior to securing Sideswipe* //The sooner we get back, the better.//

Ironhide:  //So then hurry up!//

Ratchet: *'accidentally' leaves a nice, wide, chartreuse stripe on Ironhide's side as he passes, heading back to the base*

Ironhide:  *sulferous cursing as his cannon opens out from his side*

Ratchet: *lights and sirens are a go as he rushes back to base, intent on avoiding getting his skidplate scorched*

Magnus: *groans, wonders how he winds up in situations with the grouchy ones*

Ironhide:  *shoots over Ratchet's head and calls him a fragging slagger, then heads for base himself*

*back at base*

Op:  *has laid Sunstreaker and Showtime on one of the tables in the medbay*

Galvatron:  *assisting as best he can with his size*

Show: *Still clinging to Sunstreaker, starting to become a bit more aware of her surroundings*

Op:  *watcing her*  Showtime?

Show: *blinks a little, glances at OP, frightened look in her optics, due to her not understanding what's going on*

Op:  *softly*  How do you feel?

Show: *quietly* I'm...I'm a bit lost...what...what happened?

Op:  I think... you and Sunstreaker might be bonded now.

Show: ... O_O

Op:  Easy.  He'll feel what you're feeling.

Show: *lip components tremble a bit* I...I felt...*shivers a bit* Did...Did Sideswipe...

Op:  *gentle rumble*  He's alive.  Ratchet says he'll survive.

Show: *nods, 'wings fluttering and buzzing slightly due to how fast she's got them fluttering. She's nervous, and uncertain, and frightened out of her wits currently*

Op:  Shhhh.  Just stay close to Sunstreaker and rest.  They're bringing Sideswipe in now.

Show: *nods again, moves to snuggle closer to Sunstreaker, seeking comfort in her proximity to the frontliner*

Op:  Good.  *looks up and checks in with Ratchet and WJ over the com*  //What did Ironhide just shoot?//

WJ: //Judging from the trash-talking, he shot over Ratchet...*amused chuckle*//

Op:  *sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose*

Magnus: *over comms*//You should see Ironhide's paintjob...//

Op:  *another sigh as he lifts his brother to his shoulder*  //I'm sure I will.//

Magnus: *is now arguing over his comm with Ratchet, has threatened to shove both Hummer and Topkick if they don't stop acting like sparklings*

Op:  //Do they even remember that we're supposed to be incogneto?//

Magnus: //*sigh* Considering what happened earlier, I think that's a bit of a moot point, Optimus.//

Op:  *shoulders sagging a bit*  //True.  And I hate to think what the Defense Secretary is going to say... I'd better contact him.  WakeJumper, are you nearly here?//

WJ: //Pulling up to the front gate now. I sped up so I wouldn't get caught in the cross-fire//

Op:  //Alright.//  *looks around*  Desinex?

Desi: *groggy, made her way to the medbay a short time ago* Hmm?

Op:  *looks down at her and then kneels*  Will you keep an eye on Showtime and Sunstreaker till WakeJumper returns?  I have to go make a call.

Desi: *glances up at Show and Sunny, small frown, nods*

Op:  *Softly*  They've got bonding confusion, coupled with the pain of having Sideswipe in stasis.

Desi: *nods, understanding* Think they'll be okay?

Op:  Ratchet says Sideswipe will survive.  *his tone is hopeful*

Desi: *nods, makes 'Shoo'-ing motion* Don't you have a call to make? *raised brow*

Op:  *nods and rises to stride out, Galvatron looking gravely back at the femme from his shoulder*

Desi: *climbing up onto the table, sits and is now keeping watch*

Sideswipe:  *flickering again*

WJ: *hurries into the medbay, followed shortly by Ratchet, who is carrying Sideswipe*

Kia:  *peeking around the doorfreame with concerned wide optics*

Show: *whimpering, clinging to Sunny even more*

Percy: *concern for the femme he helped raise, uncertainty about whether he'd be able to help her*

Kia:  *softly*  There's room for you.  Maybe you can help her feel better?  *looks up at him with those wide, trusting optics*

Percy: *quietly* I'm not sure what to do...

Kia:  Like you do for me?  Put your hand on her and talk to her?

Percy: It's worth trying...*moving closer, into Showtime's line of sight*

Show: *whimpers a bit, eyes Percy and Kia warily*

Kia:  *very softly*  Talk to her.

Percy: *nods, gently places a hand on Showtime's leg, begins clicking and talking softly to the distressed femme in Cybertronian, offering reassurances*

Sideswipe:  *spark flares up suddenly, his new shell going into convulsions as he jags with pain that he's only distantly aware of*

Kia:  *looks over there and then ducks down apprehensively*

Ratchet: *working on repairing and stabilizing Sideswipe enough that the mech's self-repair systems can kick in and take over*

Show: *Whimpers more, watching Ratchet work*

WJ: *was going to check on Sunny and Show, goes to assist Ratchet with Sideswipe, by gently pinning the convulsing mech*

Ratchet: *Grumbling, working on disabling Sideswipe's motor controls for the time being* Easy, Sideswipe. You're alright.

Kia:  *frightened terribly but not saying anything lest she distract someone*

Sideswipe:  *spark subsides, returning to the low, barely detectable glimmer*

Ratchet: *headshake, finishes working on Sideswipe, and places Sideswipe's proto almost on top of Show and Sunny*

Kia:  *pops up and cautiously tries to tuck him between them.*

Percy: *assists Kia in getting Sideswipe nestled in between the two newly-bonded*

Kia:  *watches them, her pale optics full of concern, and then nods slowly*  I... think that will help them.  *glances at Desinex*

Desi: *watching, frowning, and a hint of something crosses her face briefly*

Kia:  *blink*  *very softly*  What's wrong, Desinex?

Desi: It's nothing...just wishing I hadn't gotten LOL'd, is all...

Kia:  You were able to help very well despite it.

Desi: *small smirk*

Kia:  *encouraging little smile as she snugs against Perceptor*

Percy: *has arm around Kia's shoulders, even as he continues to reassure Showtime*

Kia:  *timid look toward Ratchet and WakeJumper*

Galvatron:  *looks around the door*  May I come in?

WJ: *small smile for Kia as Ratchet nods at Galvatron*

Galvatron:  *steps in cautiously, nodding his thanks to the medic.*  How are they?

Ratchet: Sideswipe is stable, and as for Showtime and Sunstreaker, I think it would be best if they were taken off of the active duty roster for awhile. Normally, I'd suggest a week, but given the circumstances, that may not be nearly long enough.

Galvatron:  Understood.  It is a bond, then?

Ratchet: The beginnings of one. They'll need time to recuperate from Sideswipe being in stasis, and to stabilize their bond.

Galvatron:  Do you know if Sideswipe will recover fully?

Ratchet: There is a chance that he might not, but that chance is slim...*glancing at the trio on the table, frowning a bit as Showtime goes into recharge*

Galvatron:  Er... could you lift me?

Ratchet: *nods and picks Galvatron up*

Galvatron:  *looks at the very still shell laying between his brother and sister*  ...It's going to be a long road, isn't it?

Ratchet: *nods* We'll have to take things one day at a time...

Galvatron:  *Sighs*  What happened?  I haven't had a chance to speak with the others yet.

Ratchet: *Sighs* The driver of the truck fell asleep behind the wheel...Sideswipe was in the wrong place at the wrong time..

Galvatron:  *mentions*  He was also overcharged.

Ratchet: *headshake* It wouldn't have made much difference...

Galvatron:  *nods*  Hound's companion... ahhhh Foxtrot? says that our people have made every news channel available... including a couple international ones.

Ratchet: *long-suffering sigh* And here I thought my days as a diplomat were over...

Galvatron:  *small grave smile*  But... I hear... you were the best that Cybertron had ever known.

Ratchet: That may be true, but that doesn't make it any less irritating when dealing with stubborn beings. *Stern look at Galvatron, but isn't as stern as his normal "Stern Medic Look", and has a hint of fondness for the smaller mech*

Galvatron:  *optics twinkle.  And then his processor goes back to the old days, when he and this mech worked together closely.  Expression goes absent and distant*

Ratchet: *frown* Galvatron?

Galvatron:  *blink*  Hmm?

Ratchet: Chasing ghosts?

Galvatron:  *very slight sad smile*  You could say that.  Sorry.

Ratchet: *sets Galvatron on the table near Desinex, gentle shoulder pat*

Galvatron:  Thank you, my friend.

Ratchet: *nods, assists Desinex in getting down from the table* Times have changed...if you are not able to adapt to that change, then you will be left behind...*quietly*

Galvatron:  I... have changed more than you know.  And I hope that I'm keeping up.  *slight smile again*

Ratchet: All things considered, you might be leaving some of us in the dust. *chuckles*

Galvatron:  *turns and looks at his mate and sparklet peeking in at him, his smile going fond*  You may be right....

((Co-written with random_xtras))