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))Corridors, Fort Max
Blitzwing slowed and stopped as the familiar vocoder registered. He turned his head slowly and looked hard at Dirge. He knew the Decepticon always took the easiest route, but he hadn't figured him for a defector. For just a moment, a sneer began forming on his malleable facial features.
Then Blitzwing scowled and answered in a low growl. "What do you want Dirge?"
Dirge had been surprised before, not expecting to a fellow former Decepticon out here, but with Blitzwing's less than friendly tones and expression, Dirge realized he might have to be a tad suspicious, less he was up to something in the storage area. "I was on my way to the medbay. What are you doing out here?"
"Getting away from a cracked Autobot." Blitzwing retorted, throwing a flick of his arm and thumb back toward the storage area. "What are you doing here?"
Meanwhile, another individual was hearing the voices in the corridors, but having recognized both, he moved forward slowly until he could hear clearly. Then he leaned casually against Max's walls and crossed both arms and legs.
Dirge made a similar gesture, pointing his thumb back towards the corridor he'd diverged from. "Fastest route that I know of to the medbay, until I heard you over here," Dirge's expression changed every so slightly, the suspicious tone finally beginning to come out slightly. "Why were you in the storage area?"
Blitzwing cracked a grin. "Getting away from the nutjobs in the medbay. Finished my repairs in there." He frowned. "We're moving- where're we going?"
"I believe they've finally organized all of us for the retake of Cybertron," Dirge answered, developing a frown. "We're being teamed up with Decepticons and sent to different strategic areas." Dirge then turned his attention to the storage area. He was sure he'd heard more than one familiar voice. "Who's in there?"
"Some guy named Aero Blade." Blitzwing answered dryly.
"Aero?" Dirge asked, seeming to perk up slightly. He'd finally found one of the guys he'd been wanting to find for awhile now, a pity it wasn't at a better time. But what was that Blitzwing had been saying about him having cracked?
Concern for the younger bot outweighed his potential suspicious of Blitzwing, and Dirge moved past him into the storage room, looking for Aero Blade.
Blitzwing scoffed and continued down the hall and around the corner, stopping just short of Smokescreen - who was pretending to be checking messages. Smokescreen didn't bother looking up at the triple changer, and ignored Blitzwing's scowl. The defector knew Smokescreen's reputation as an untrustable and disliked sort, so he made a pfft noise just before indicating with his thumb back toward the storage room.
"You oughtta go join the nuts." He grumbled as he kept going. As the big Decepticon left, Smokescreen caught a faint grumble of, "we're all gonna be chopped soon."
Back inside the storage area, Dirge had found Aero Blade easily enough, but he frowned a bit, not immediately approaching. The tech didn't look so well, just sort of huddled up into a sitting ball with his back against the boxes where Blitzwing had last seen him. He had to have heard his heavy footsteps as he entered, but since Aero had failed to respond, Dirge didn't approach any closer, worriedly mulling over what Blitzwing had said out in the hall.
Hmmm. Smokescreen thought to himself as he stood up. This sounds like trouble on both ends. Think I'll pay a friendly visit that way first.
Dirge was unsure of the entire situation, but he knew he ought to do something. The whole 'helping out' concept was still kind of new to him and he didn't know what he really needed to do. He considered the other Autobot interactions he'd been seeing since he had wound up with the Autobots during the Cybertron evacuation so long ago, then eventually moved over to Aero Blade, moving a bit awkwardly to sit down on the floor beside him, contemplating the situation.
Smokescreen moved to the doorway and gave a friendly double rap with the back of his hand and smiled. "Knock knock, anyone home?"
Dirge was mildly startled as Smokescreen made his appearance, looking up as he spoke. The area which they were at wasn't immediately visible from the doorway, and not sure of who was approaching, Dirge rose to see who it was.
"Oh, hi Smokescreen..." Dirge started, attempting to smile, but his frown returned as he turned back around, as Aero Blade issued a sigh, and the first sign that he actually seemed to be conscious. Giving a concerned expression again, Dirge started back over to the tech.
"Well, didn't expect to see you two in here." Smokey gave a thin smile as he slipped in and sized up the situation. He frowned as he looked over Aero Blade and then folded his arms. "Did Blitzwing do that?"
"I don't know," Dirge answered, his frown remaining. It was likely that very idea that was the source of his concern.
"Like I need anyone's help to make myself miserable..." Aero muttered almost below audibility to himself. Dirge blinked listening to him, now completely confused
"Well, someone gave you a body job, and I doubt it was yourself. But unhappy seems to be running rampant right now, so let me join the club. No-one likes this partner thing and well, I got shorted on my vacation. Now they're sending me texts that I have to go for a lube and oil change pronto, and that's the last place I wanna be. Dirge, they got you8 polishing the floors or what? What's up in here?
"Well I was told that I would be able to get my systems converted to use the recharge chambers as the rest of you do, but I got sidetracked on the way to the medbay..." Dirge startled, then was distracted as Aero Blade gave an uncomfortable shudder from where he was sitting.
"ahhh. I see. Medbay must be a little - rough right now."
Smokescreen smiled and looked away briefly. "They're worried about what's coming. But it must be extra rough because Blitzwing seemingly left from there too."
Aero just shook his head a bit, not looking at either of them yet, giving another slight sigh. "Roadbuster was taking me there after a mission, and..." Aero's tone dropped down a bit more. "It reminded me a bit too much of my times in the detention center. I got really scared..." Aero's tone dropped almost to a whisper. "...I lashed out at a medic...I think the head medic..."
"That'd be Ratchet, likely enough. And he's crabby, but he's seen worse. So is it the place or the people you don't like? Or both?"
"Both..." Aero answered, still in his quiet tone. "...I think mostly the medbay just scares me because that's where the medics are..." Aero heaved another sigh. "I know they just want to help, but..." Aero gave another shudder, not seeming to be able to even finish the thought.
"So, who would you like to do your repairs?"
"I don't know," Aero answered in a sullen tone. "I just wish I hadn't done that. I wish I wasn't afraid of the medics..."
While Aero and Smokescreen had been talking, Dirge was contemplating the situation, wondering if there was anything he'd be able to do to help. Finally, something seemed to click into place, and the large seeker gave a pleasant smile down at the younger tech. "Why don't we go with you?" Dirge offered.
Aero, slowly, finally began to move looking up at Dirge for the first time, as though not understanding. "They gave the announcement a little while ago, we're all in the same group for the next mission," Dirge explained. "We could go with you to the medbay, then all head out together," Dirge offered. "We could keep an eye on those medics for you, so you don't have to be scared of them," Dirge said, keeping his pleasant smile. And Smokescreen could keep an eye on you if he decides comes, Dirge thought. He's certainly better at this consoling thing than I am...
"Or, we could go with you to your quarters and ask one of the medics to come in to work with you there, and stay with you." Smokescreen offered with a smooth smile. "More of a relaxed atmosphere and you can choose who you'd like to help you get repaired."
Aero began to huddle back down into his ball, but it seemed less of self pity and more of mild embarrassment. "I...don't think I have quarters..."
"No problem. You can have the room down a couple doors from Hoist's," Smokescreen smiled and motioned toward the door. "C'mmon. Not much time left. Better take some to enjoy it while ya can."
Aero gave a mild sigh, not sure what to do, just that he didn't want to be a burden anymore, but he didn't feel up to arguing with them either. As Aero began to get up, he wobbled a bit, still suffering from his orientation problem, but Dirge luckily seemed to realize what was about to happen and got a hold of Aero before he began to topple.
"Thanks," Aero replied mutely, letting Dirge lead him along to follow after Smokescreen.
