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Post by Swerve on May 12, 2008 21:04:47 GMT -5
Once or twice… a few times as he works, Swerve glances up at the Viper on his left just to check if the hacker is behaving and doing as he's told, then he sets back to reworking the damaged hinge into something operable; if it can be saved, no sense wasting it. The work's just a little more time-consuming than ripping out everything and welding in new parts.
It isn't until he's finished with that and checking the anchor fittings on Gizmo that Swerve eyes the scrapes and dents – marked conspicuously by thin tracks of dark red paint – along one front fender.
"…You alright?" he wonders, voice low so only Gizmo should be able to hear.
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Wedge
Minor
NOT a reckless teen-bot
Posts: 413
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Post by Wedge on May 13, 2008 19:27:06 GMT -5
It's a few moments before Wedge trudges back around the corner and slides back down to the ground. A few new dings have been added to his plating, but he says nothing about it and stays embarrassedly quiet. He's found what had been inhabiting that building...rather he stumbled upon them. The resulting flurry of movement and panic left Wedge stunned for a few moments as he was buffeted around. But pretty soon, he was left on his own.
On the bright side, he did find a water spigot.
Wedge fiddles for a few moments as he watches Sideburn's repairs. Everyone's busy doing something useful, and the Buildbot finds himself feeling utterly useless as he sits to the side. "You sure you don't need any help with anything, Sideburn?" Wedge isn't above shooting the Car Brother a pleading look. Anything really, even if Sideburn just talks him through the procedure of the repair. It's better than doing nothing.
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Sideburn
Rookie
Must not chase Swerve, must not chase Swerve...
Posts: 211
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Post by Sideburn on May 15, 2008 2:56:53 GMT -5
Sideburn doesn't look up as Wedge returns and sits next to him again. He's too focused on his repairs. He does look up and quirk an optic at Wedge, though, when the Build Bot speaks up.
"You bored?" He pauses a moment, then chuckles. "C'm'over here across from me an' I'll show you what I'm doing." He pauses as Wedge moves to the requested spot1, then starts to explain what he's doing to Wedge in low tones. He goes slow, making sure his hands are out of the way so that Wedge can watch.
1Wedge posing done with player permission.
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Gizmo
Rookie
Blue and Nerdy
Posts: 147
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Post by Gizmo on May 15, 2008 9:19:43 GMT -5
Chances are, unless someone points it out to him, Gizmo won't even notice the dents and paint streaks in his fender. He's not one to care about appearance -- as evidenced by the geeky sticker on his back bumper.
"Huh?" His headlights flicker as he snaps out of his daydreaming and focuses his attention back on Swerve. "Oh... uh... yeah, I'm all right. Except the door, but you're fixing that... um, why do you ask?"
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Post by Swerve on May 17, 2008 14:22:07 GMT -5
"Well," Swerve mutters gruffly, optics narrowing and dimming as he pauses in his work, looking up to fix a glare on Gizmo's centre console, "you locked up and tore off with your throttle jammed open, for one." And then Swerve had to shove him out of the way of a sand-flapper. Then they all got a bad case of Decepticons. "You can't keep doing that. It's stupid," he adds while prying loose part of the dash to get at some ruined wiring and strip it out for replacement.
It's awkward for him and it's buried under layers of the omnipresent irritation – he doesn't do gentle or considerate, he doesn't sympathise and he can't stand feeling like he should – but it's a show of concern on Swerve's part, and a sincere one.
"I'm here to…" he reminds Gizmo, nearly saying 'babysit', "…look out for you fresh-paints." His hands still briefly and he looks at the centre console again with a frown furrowing all the usual seams of his face. I'm not asking you to trust me. "And if that means getting your fume-filled heads screwed on straight, fine. I guess I can do that or get scrapped trying."
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Wedge
Minor
NOT a reckless teen-bot
Posts: 413
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Post by Wedge on May 18, 2008 15:40:04 GMT -5
Repair looks to be tricky business, but at times it almost seems comparable to the job of building space bridges---er, less the tunneling part and more the wiring and computer rigging parts of it. Watching and listening to Sideburn work on his shield, Wedge tries to familiarize himself with this new process.
He can't help but glance back at Swerve and Gizmo a few times. The talk is too quiet for him to make out but things seem to be going alright.
Back to concentrating on Sideburn's movements and voice, Wedge finds himself with a stray thought flitting through his mind. A bit of fidgeting later, he finally voices it. "Hey, Sideburn. Do you...do you miss home?" The slightly dazed look gets wiped off of his face when he realizes what a silly question that is. "Not that--I mean, well..." After all, Sideburn has a team (and family) of his own to be missing, that and Wedge probably sounds really mopey and he doesn't want it to be sound like that cause he's a tough bot and he can handle a bit of separation, honest.
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Sideburn
Rookie
Must not chase Swerve, must not chase Swerve...
Posts: 211
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Post by Sideburn on May 20, 2008 17:14:44 GMT -5
Sideburn pauses a moment at Wedge's question, then replies softly. "Yeah, I do. Heh, I never would've thought that I'd even miss Prowl's nagging and X-Brawn's corny lines..."
He bows his head for a moment, switching off his optics. His brothers... It's just not the same, being on a mission without them. Not having the familiar banter back and forth. He's lonely without them, even surrounded by these people.
Quietly, he starts working again.
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Gizmo
Rookie
Blue and Nerdy
Posts: 147
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Post by Gizmo on May 20, 2008 22:46:58 GMT -5
If Gizmo were in robot mode, he'd cringe a little right now in embarassment at remembering his panic back in the desert. As it is, he almost shifts his wheels sheepishly before steeling himself against it. Medics tend to not like it when their patients move around while they're trying to work on their repairs.
"I'm sorry," he says earnestly. "I really am. I'm really new at all this fighting business. I'm not a warrior -- slag, before I got here I was Teletraan tech support. I'm used to working with computers and databases, not fighting the 'Cons face to face. Or... fighting much of anything..." He trails off sheepishly here and is silent a moment.
"But I'm going to do better," he promises. "Maybe I'm not a good fighter. And maybe I'll never be a good fighter. But I'm going to try harder to keep my head next time." He pauses, then amends that. "No, scratch the 'try.' I AM going to keep my head next time. No freaking."
Because really, what kind of a geek would he be if he forgot the all important do or do not, there is no try?1
1. Yoda, "The Empire Strikes Back"
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Post by Swerve on May 22, 2008 19:23:45 GMT -5
Swerve works and listens, frown never quite un-knitting itself as he rewires the systems he stripped. The sight of still more damaged wiring a little deeper in, blackened and cooked like the rest, has him glowering in a mix of annoyance and resignation before he reaches in to take care of that, too.
What a fraggin' mess. Only once he's satisfied he's gotten to all the problems he can assess from here does Swerve set to reattaching Gizmo's door. When he speaks up again, it's much more quietly than before. "I said I'd look out for you," he says with the very faintest of envious strains running through his low, gravel-rough voice. "All of you." Even that over-clocked dipstick Sideburn. "I also said I'd teach you to shoot properly. I'll do it if I gotta hardwire it."
With that, he stands and steps back. Tools stay out until he knows everything's in proper order.
"Give it a go," he grumbles in something approaching a normal conversational tone.
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Wedge
Minor
NOT a reckless teen-bot
Posts: 413
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Post by Wedge on May 24, 2008 0:12:33 GMT -5
Wedge doesn't respond for a moment, thankful that Sideburn didn't scoff at his questions, relieved that he isn't the only one feeling homesick and unsure of what to say next.
Optics follow the careful movements of Sideburn's hands as the carbot continues his work. Really, it shouldn't be this hard to carry on a conversation, especially with a fellow 'bot that he's already familiar with--kinda--this isn't quite the same Sideburn is it? With the different time periods and all? Wedge's glance darts upwards to look curiously at the other's visage, trying to be discreet in his examination.
Well, nothing seems too different. Really, come on, what's there to worry about?
"We're going to find a way to get home, don't you worry about that," says Wedge resolutely as he rocks back and flashes Sideburn a positive grin. "As soon as we take care of the 'Cons here, we'll be heading back to our own places and..."
The Buildbot trails off as he looks over at Gizmo and Swerve. Now how'd repairs go over there?
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Sideburn
Rookie
Must not chase Swerve, must not chase Swerve...
Posts: 211
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Post by Sideburn on May 25, 2008 23:42:46 GMT -5
"Yeah, shouldn't be too hard, right? It's not like we don't kick their tailpipes every week or so..." Sideburn pulls up a grin for Wedge. When the Buildbot glances over at the other two, so does Sideburn. He notes that Swerve is almost done there and hurries up on the repairs to his shield so he can replace that before Swerve starts with him.
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Gizmo
Rookie
Blue and Nerdy
Posts: 147
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Post by Gizmo on May 26, 2008 19:30:47 GMT -5
"Okay," Gizmo says in reply. "Kup taught me a bit about shooting during the training sessions... but I can always learn more. I'd really appreciate it if you helped me out."
Once his door is back in place and Swerve's given his order, he swings the door open and shut a few times. The joint glides easily, without catching or sticking. He opens both doors and waggles them like wings, laughing.
"Whoo hoo! That's a lot better!" He shuts both doors tightly and transforms again. "Oh... um, thanks."
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Post by Swerve on May 29, 2008 4:31:13 GMT -5
Swerve's frown shifts just a little, jigging into something more like a grimace.
Fragging right you can learn more. "Whatever," is all he says instead, uncomfortable and trying to shrug off the gratitude. He's just doing what he said he'd do. And doing it well, he decides while taking in the movement of that joint, which is smooth enough to almost mollify him. At least I'm not getting too rusty hanging around here.
By the time Gizmo transforms, the racer looks vaguely embarrassed behind the sullen scowl. He mutters something unintelligible, stoops to gather up his tools, and gives the hacker a sidelong look when he stands again. It lasts a second or two, then Swerve pivots sharply and stalks across the short distance between buildings so he can focus on something else. Sideburn, specifically, who gets a fresh glare after Swerve flicks a split-second glance at Wedge.
"Well?" prompts Swerve with a grunt, dull optics fixed on his second… patient. Great. I'm turning into a medic.
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Wedge
Minor
NOT a reckless teen-bot
Posts: 413
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Post by Wedge on May 29, 2008 18:30:13 GMT -5
A cheer bubbles out of Wedge at Gizmo's successful repair. The Buildbot scrambles to his own feet and beams at them both. Wedge's happiness if mixed with thankful relief, with Gizmo alright and Sideburn looking to get better as well, the little party seems to be getting back into optimal condition. Well, after Swerve gets repaired too, of course.
The smile on Wedge's face falters for a moment as the racer stalks over. He really should be used to this after who-know-how-long amount of travel, but with his lifetime before Gillanan spent with the bots in his universe (err--minus Ultra Magnus), he's still adjusting. It's not long at all before Wedge is back to his pleased grin, barely in time to catch Swerve's quick glance.
Well, more repairs are going to be done...but Gizmo's now free!
"Hey, Gizmo! You feel like getting some of that sand out of your joints? I found some running water a little while ago." There's nothing like a good wash after a few days' worth of grimy coating.
With one last look and wave at Sideburn and Swerve, Wedge jogs over to Gizmo.
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Sideburn
Rookie
Must not chase Swerve, must not chase Swerve...
Posts: 211
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Post by Sideburn on May 31, 2008 18:33:10 GMT -5
Sideburn grins at Gizmo's cheer and waggle, and then tries to reattach his shield as quickly as possible. He didn't want to be fooling around with it while Swerve was handling those spots on his back. Wedge's actions hardly get a glance out of Sideburn, but his suggestion to Gizmo does get his attention. "I'll want to use that too when we're done here!" Sideburn calls out after him. Then Swerve is there, ready for him. "Like I said before, it's just my back. There anywhere you want me to sit?" OOC: Feel free to pose Sideburn as necessary to start repairs.
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