[Flashback] A Box of Chocolates

[Hook-3]

"This part is over, Thundercracker," Hook warns. "There are still matters I need to attend to."

There are also some things that Hook cannot fix in the here and now, that he won't be able to fix without the time to go over Thundercracker's code line-by-line.

There are some things that will likely never be fixed.

"Sit up and let me finish this," he murmurs. "We're almost done."

[Pee-Dee]

"What's up, Doc?" Pee-Dee asks as Perceptor approaches.

[Thundercracker-3]

At Hook's request, Thundercracker hesitates, then pushes himself upright. The moment's hesitation wasn't out of mistrust -- it was out of sheer amazement that, for the first time in a long time, he felt no overriding compulsion to follow an order. For the first time in a long time, he realized he had an option to refuse. A small matter to another mech, perhaps, but to Thundercracker it feels as if heavy shackles have been cut from his limbs.

"I'm... not sure," he says to Barricade. "Give me a minute to figure that out." He's quiet a moment, letting Hook work, then turns back to Barricade. "What's happened since I've been gone? Did I miss anything important?"

[Barricade-3]

Barricade heaves a sigh and rubs the back of his head with one hand. "Complicated. That's... kinda complicated," he replies with a small whistle. "And it kinda depends on how much of everything you remember, Thunder?"

[Perceptor]

"Just attempting to maintain a comfortable distance," Perceptor murmurs to Pee-Dee as he nods back behind him toward Thundercracker.

"Is there anything which I may assist you with, before we must return? While Hook is completing his work, that is."

[Hook-3]

Hook continues to check over Thundercracker's systems and make adjustments as he deems necessary.

[Pee-Dee]

Pee-Dee hmms and watches Perceptor clear off the slaggy bits between the seams in her armor. "I need to resew my pockets," she says. "I can't get my gun out of its holster, or my billyclub off my belt."

[Thundercracker-3]

While Hook works, Thundercracker takes a moment to review his memory banks. There are significant blank areas -- and no rhyme or reason to said blank areas either. He can remember the command heirarchy of the Decepticons back home, but he can't remember who his roommate was back at the base...

"It's patchy," he tells Barricade. "I know back in our world, we were trying to find a way back home... I remember arriving on Gillinan in a mine tunnel... I remember my capture. I don't remember a lot of my comrade's names, though I do remember Starscream was in command..."

[Perceptor]

Perceptor nods and pauses his work on clearing out slagged bits. Given the nature of the damage she'd taken, there's really not much left to clear away, anyway.

"I believe that I can rebuild your subspace capacity fairly quickly, in that case," he observes with a nod as he fishes a few circuits from his own subspace storage.

---

ooc: skippable. Moving toward a wrap up?

[Barricade-3]

ooc: switched Barricade-3 and Perceptor around for simplicity sake and because I'm lazy. no other reason.

"Well, that's not bad," Barricade replies. Better than he'd been expecting, at least. He'd privately feared finding out that Thundercracker didn't remember even coming over to this world, to be honest.

"We basically stumbled on the... the good Autobots," and doesn't that still feel weird to say, "and started working with them. We've been looking for you, and for our own bad Autobots, to keep them from hurting anything else. We can get you a full debrief when we get back. The Commander'll want to debrief you before we get much into it, though, I think. As soon as the Doc here gives you a clean bill of health."

He is going to be okay, right Hook? That is, at least, the expression Barricade has turned upon the Constricticon seems to say.

[Hook-3]

Hook glances at Barricade, and there is a slight downturn to his mouth. 'All right'? Thundercracker may become 'well' again, but it will be a long time before the blue jet is 'all right'.

"I've done everything I can here and now," he tells Thundercracker and Barricade. "When we return home, I'd like to go over you more thoroughly in my lab. However, you should be... mostly acceptable in this current environment." A pause. "Please avoid Skyfire. Either of them."

---

I'm good to wrap-up soon.

[Pee-Dee]

"Thank you," Pee-Dee says to Perceptor as she watches over his shoulder at the otherworld Decepticons.

---

Skippable.

[Thundercracker-3]

"Thank you," Thundercracker tells Hook, sounding exhausted even to himself. More than anything, he just wants this ordeal to be over.

Upon Hook's request he gives the Constructicon a startled look. Both Skyfires? But wait, of course... they were allied with Other Autobots now. Of course there would be a second Skyfire. Did this one collect Seekers as well, but as loyal and willing servants rather than reprogrammed slaves?

No matter. He would be steering clear of any Skyfires from here on out...

OOC: Wrapping-up's good for me.

[Perceptor]

Skyfire? Oh. Yes, that might not... be a very graceful introduction. Perceptor will have to radio his friend when they are closer to the Autobots again to warn him to maintain his distance from this Thundercracker.

The circuits in his hand quickly shape up into a new subspace module, which he diffidently offers to Pee-Dee. "This should do for now, Pee-Dee. I can assist you with additional repairs once we return and have access to more materials."

"Which, if you are satisfied with the current state of Thundercracker's repairs," he adds to Hook, "we should do, soon."

Best not to tempt a Decepticon fly-over to give away their errand here. Or worse, the Alternate Skyfire. Perceptor is not certain that he could fire upon someone who shares the form of his friend like that.

[Barricade-3]

Oh. Yeah. Point.

But if Hook can fix Thunder, then no one can. Barricade has faith.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" he asks, and transforms to drop down onto his tires, flipping open the door nearest Perceptor for a ride back.