Autobots: The Not-So-Calm Before the Storm

[Boondocker]

This takes place on Day 10 of DZ-3. Folks are welcome to be passing by and engage in conversation; as with tensions high, there's plenty to talk about...
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Some distance away from Autobase, one can hear the soft squeaks of nuts and bolts being loosened and tightened, accompanied by nervous mumblings. Among the wreckage of one of the native buildings, Boondocker is crouched, working on...either fixing the plumbing, breaking it, or just fiddling. He's honestly not really sure what he's doing. Just whatever keeps his mind occupied and off the fact that the week's forecast includes a 90% chance of doom and destruction.

Something slips, and the pipe he was working on snaps, spraying his front with water. The wrench falls to the ground, and he falls on his butt, sputtering. "Gah--! Gih-guh...Dagnabbit!"

Granted, the pipes were human-size and he was using transformer-size tools...

[Airazor]

Airazor is flying overhead when she hears a bang, followed by a hiss and a voice grumbling. Curious and a little bit concerned, she swoops down and transforms.

Peeking inside, she asks, "Unintended shower?"

[Boondocker]

A heavy sigh and he nods, standing up as water falls off him. "Yeah, ah s'pose..." However, he doesn't ever look up at Airazor.

He grabs his wrench and sighs once more, dropping it in his toolbox. "Dunno whut ah were thinkin', tryin' to work on this stuff with these big ol' tools."

[Airazor]

Airazor flies in a little bit. "What were you trying to do?" Maybe if they found some appropriate tools, she could act as his hands.

[Boondocker]

Boondocker thinks for a bit, crouching down and prodding the pipe, still spraying water on him.

A bit of a sigh follows. "Honestly...? Ah don' know."

[Airazor]

Airazor flies further inside, darting to the side to avoid the stream of water still coming out. Feathers and water do not mix.

"What needs to be done to fix it?"

[Boondocker]

Boondocker glances around at the ground, then finally shrugs. "Given th' state of th' building, tear the whole thang down an' rebuild it, ah reckon." Still not looking at the Beast Warrior, Boondocker plods out of the building to shut the water off at the valve in the yard of the building he'd been holed up in. The shower stops, and now, he plunks down, drip-drying.

Assuming Airazor follows him out, he finally looks over at her. "...y'all 'bout as skurred as ah is?"

[Airazor]

Airazor follows him out of the building and softly sets down on her feet when he sits down. She pauses a moment to just watch him, and to thinking about her answer.

Then she replies softly, "It...is hard to imagine such a world. It's not like fighting the 'Cons. A true monster in the mirror."

[Boondocker]

"Don't ah know it..." he replies, sighing and leaning back on his hands. "We been told 'bout their Prahm... Ah jes wonder if'n th' rest of 'em are that...eh...ah reckon 'off' is th' term ah'm lookin' fer."

He glances to the ground again. "Ah ain't met either of 'em m'self since ah been hyar, but given that how nice that th' alternate Swerve were compared to how grumpy ah heah ours is..." he shudders a moment. "Makes me not all that eager t' find out how a lot of the alternates o' us'll stack up..."

[Airazor]

Airazor takes a step closer and reaches out, gently laying a hand on his arm¹. "It is a nightmare occurance, yes. But we can't let our fear rule us--those kinds of thoughts will doom us before we get on the battlefield."

¹Done with player permission.

[Boondocker]

Boondocker tenses at the touch of the Beast Warrior, but soon relaxes, letting out a sigh. "Ah s'pose so. Thang is, ah'm more nervous 'bout this, of all things, bein' my first exposure t' full-out combat... Done skirmishes an' some verrah basic trainin', but that's about it."

[Airazor]

Airazor remains quiet for the moment. She honestly doesn't know what to say to ease his fear. Quite frankly, his response is perfectly reasonable and normal. She keeps her hand where it is, hoping it brings him some small measure of comfort.

[Boondocker]

It does have a bit of a calming effect, to tell the truth. The truck-bot manages a weak smile and chuckle. "Hopefully, ah'll do better than ah did out on patrol when that war movie started a-playin' on that big ol' pro-jecter thingy. Thought we'd run into th' whole daggum crew o' Combaticons or somethin'."

[Airazor]

Airazor gives him a reassuring smile. "Every encounter gives us a new opportunity to learn. Things will work out eventually." Because doesn't everything? The Maximals always managed to come out on top before, and even Primal's death wasn't permanent. They would make it through this new threat.

[Boondocker]

Boondocker nods, grabbing the discarded wrench from earlier. "Ah s'pose y'all's right, Miz Airazor. Now...if'n y'all will s'cuse me, ah got me a mess t' clean up."

Provided Airazor moves, Boondocker stands and goes to fixing the mess he made.

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I'm all for letting this fade out, if it's alright with you.