SEMI OPEN

[rodders]

WHO: THE CREW OF THE LOST LIGHT
WHERE: MACCADAM’S OLD OIL HOUSE
WHEN: BEFORE DRIFT AND RATCHET GET MAULED BY TARN, AFTER THE RODIMUS/TARN INCIDENT
WHAT: INFORMATION SHARING AND PEOPLE DRINKING TOGETHER
WARNINGS: NONE MAN, NONE

Informality is the name of the game here, people. Rodimus and Megatron, through some handwaved miracle have managed to talk to each other without yelling long enough to get the word out that hey - if you’re a part of the crew you’d better show up for some Important Information and Crew Bonding. But probably not phrased like that unless you talked to Rodimus. Drinks, however, were totally promised (again by Rodimus). You just have to make them yourself, although that was not clarified.

There is a sign on the front door that says NO TARNS ALLOWED. The plural is important since there’s like. Four goddamn Megatrons.

Topics covered:

Tarn is here btw and that sucks for everyone so. Don’t.

For the time being they’re going to include Brainstorm as an Autobot - he starts acting like a Decepticon and any crew member has the right to punch him until he stops.

Drift is acting third-in-command. Non-negotiable.

AND FOR GOD’S SAKE DO NOT ANTAGONIZE DECEPTICONS WHO ARE MORE POWERFUL THAN YOU, RODIMUS.

Ideas of why/how they got here - this includes getting the crew caught up (who hasn’t been already) on the quantum ships as well as what they know of the Brainstorm situation.

People who are capable of doing things to make life less sucky should do that. Team Rodimus! This is your moment!

AND MORE, POSSIBLY.

The rest of this post is to mingle, talk to your crew members. If you have questions that need to be addressed to either captain, specify which one you want if you have one in mind or otherwise one or the other/both will get to it!

If there is anything your character would bring up to the group as a whole, feel free to make a thread for that too - this is really kind of a free-for-all group post to have people mingle and gossip and hammer out something to do!

Comments

[gimmicky]

And guess who walked in late to the party. To be honest, Trailcutter didn't even want to come. What's the point of going to a bar if you can't drink--or worse, CAN and can't even feel the effects? It'd be mocking on that standing alone. But his loyalty to the Autobot cause won over, and he strides in, ushering past a few people.

"Heyyy, I'm here."

Hello awkward wave.

"What's this about Brainstorm being a possible Decepticon? Because...what if some of us got upgrades built by him. In our legs."

..

"Not that I have. Just...hypothetically."

[needlefingers]

"It's nothing. There's no way." Chromedome's visor narrows angrily and he crosses his arms. Angrily. "Brainstorm's been one of us for as long as I can remember. There's no way he's a Decepticon." Because that would suck for a thousand different reasons. He refuses to believe it. Not without proof anyway.

[gimmicky]

"Hey."

A hand reaches out to Chromedome's shoulder, as he plops down next to him. "War's over, isn't it? Who cares if he's a Decepticon, even if they're right? We've got a former Decepticon captain anyway."

A hand reaches out for Chromedome's glass out of habit, before shakily setting it down.

"I mean, most I'm worried about is if my legs are going to explode. To be fair, that's a legit concern even for regular Brainstorm."

[needlefingers]

"I think we'd all care if he was a Decepticon." He allowed the physical contact, however. For a short time. After a moment he gently shrugs Trailcutter's hand off him. Personal space and all that. "I'm not believing anyone until I'm shown some proof."

One side of his visor raised as he watched Trailcutter resist the urge to take his glass. What's that all about? "Are you feeling okay, Trailcutter? I mean, besides the possibility of exploding legs."

[gimmicky]

"Doesn't really matter to me either way. I mean, the badge is just a symbol of the war, and the war's over. We're all Cybertronian now." It's said humbly, as he traces a finger around the palm of his hand.

He was hoping Chromedome wouldn't question--of course he wouldn't know what happened, he'd been locked up in his room.

"Not so thirsty anymore."

[needlefingers]

"D-Do you need to see a doctor?? I know there's a medical clinic around here somewhere."

Because there was DEFINITELY something wrong here. It's very alarming actually.

[gimmicky]

The reaction surprises him a little, holding his hands up to try and calm the other bot. "No! No it's okay...First Aid cleared me."

One hand moves to his cheek, though, elbow rested on the table.

"Megatron gave me the gift of sobriety. Forever."

[needlefingers]

"I'm so sorry."

And as of that moment, Trailcutter gets his eternal pity. Now he has to actually confront his issues, unlike the rest of them.

[rodders]

Things that Rodimus was not expecting: this. Sure, there was Pipes and Bumblebee but those were old deaths, the wound wasn't so raw and he could handle those. Mostly. But Trailcutter? Nope. He can't do it. Not the way he died, the fact that he didn't deserve to die, the fact that he died at all.

So he just sort of tails off in his conversation with someone and just sort of. Stares for a moment or two before finding his voice.

"Trailcutter?"

Oh no. Oh no.

[gimmicky]

Two things were really strange about this. The first being that Rodimus noticed him. In all his time on the Lost Light, Rodimus had mostly kept to his own crowd, and Trailcutter to his. Nothing wrong with that, in the slightest. He wasn't part of high command, that was all. But when noticed, this thoughts immediately turn to that Rodimus star tucked away in his plating, remembering the day he got it.

Maybe the Captain was just as afraid of bombs in his legs as he was. Who knew.

"Hey! You got my name right!"

That was the second strange thing, but one Trailcutter certainly wasn't going to argue. A smile cracks on his lips as he hears it, almost looking...humbled. "Chief of Security at your service."

[rodders]

"You look," come on Rodimus, you can handle this better than you did Pipes. "Good?"

Yeah, great job Rodimus. He sighs and drags a hand down his face in an attempt to pull himself together. He can do this, okay, he's got this.

He so completely doesn't have this. Throwing a look at Megatron, Drift, and Magnus, Rodimus throws an arm around Trailbreaker and tries to pull him to the side a little.

"Look, don't-- don't freak out or throw up one of your bubbles or anything. But where were you before ending up here?"

This is important, okay?

[gimmicky]

..."Thanks?"

If anything, that was making Trailcutter a little worried now. Mostly because Rodimus was giving him the time of day. And a look like he'd just kicked Trailcutter's puppy. Not that he had a puppy...

But he's pulled to the side, and a frown starts to show up on those lips.

"Ofsted XVII. We landed there after the Lost Light disappeared--or rather, after it came back."

There's shrug, now curious.

"Why?"

[rodders]

So right before he died. Something pulls at Rodimus' face, twisting his expression into a weird mix of sadness and conceal, don't feel. He doesn't know if this is going to work - if they're stuck here then it doesn't matter, does it? But if they're not and they go back and nothing's changed then maybe, maybe he can do this one thing.

His fingers curl in on Trailbreaker's plating and he leans in further, shielding their faces from Megatron just in case. Although hey, if Megatron wants to get on his case about this he'll kindly tell the ex warlord to shove it up his exhaust pipe.

Does Megatron even have an exhaust pipe?

"Look, do this one thing - don't leave that ship. And if you have, when you get back, go back in."

Don't do anything else. At all. Ever.

[gimmicky]

He wanted to ask. Rodimus was often one who wore his heart (figurative) on his sleeve (also figurative), and seeing him attempting to conceal that...

What the bot says next only confirms it. He goes a bit rigid as Rodimus leans in further, more new to the SUDDEN TOUCH and ATTENTION that the Captain (co-captain) is giving him. Nothing about this gave him a good feeling in his stomach.

"Uh."

Okay, here it comes.

"Why? I mean...First Aid was off searching for something, and Bluestreak and I were just chatting up Megatron's writing. Nothing really dangerous there."

[rodders]

"You were reading Megatron's stuff?" How dare you, Trailbreaker? He thought they were friends. "Just trust me on this one, okay, don't wander around. Stay in your ship until we get there."

Just do that one thing for him, that's all he asks. If ending up here means he can do this one thing - save Trailbreaker from his death at the hands of the DJD - then it'll be worth it. He'll deal with it. Just... this one thing.

[gimmicky]

"It's actually really powerful stuff. You should look into it." What do you mean friends you literally short-change him as your hobby. "But...fine. Whatever, sure. It's not like I was doing anything important."

He didn't know what this was about, but...he'd take Rodimus's word for it. Despite everything he felt about the captain sometimes, he knew the guy had the crew's best interests at heart. Even if this pinged his awkward levels.

"I'll stay on the ship. Promise."

[rodders]

"Are you forgetting the part where he's a genocidal warlord, Trailbreaker?" Back to his old name, but at least he got it right once. "I'd rather read the Autobot Code under Magnus' supervision." He pauses there, and his optics flick over to where his currently green and shorter than normal SiC is standing. Did he overhear him? "Don't tell him I said that."

But then Trailbreaker says what he wants to hear and Rodimus instantly relaxes. Good, this is good. He can do this one thing.

"Promise?" He just said he did, Rodimus, but you know. He wants him to say the whole thing.

[gimmicky]

"No, but that doesn't mean his stuff doesn't send a message." And don't worry, Rodimus, he wouldn't rat that out to anyone, because no one deserves that. He huffs, though, looking down at the datapad containing it. "I didn't read much before. Too thirsty, too stuck in an endless loop of Engex and self-loathing."

It's a new start, okay?

"Right. Ofsted VII. Don't leave the ship for any reason. Promise."

He even holds up a hand like a boyscout.

[rodders]

"Yeah: you too can be responsible for the death of millions if you try really hard." Sorry, Trailbreaker, you're not going to win this one in Rodimus' mind. The comment does make him wince slightly - he hadn't been sober for an entire day before he died. "Well now you've got plenty of time. Since we're all stuck here."

And not dead. Hooray.

But that satisfies Rodimus for the time being, hand curling in on his shoulder before he gives him a friendly pat. "You're a good person."

And he means it.

[gimmicky]

And he knew how stubborn Rodimus was. All too well. His gaze shifts down as he eyes the bar, sad that he can't just wash that whole feeling like he was being mocked down with some Engex. No one else had to deal with their problems on this ship--why did he?

"Guess so, but the same ol' datapad's going to get old, fast."

...

But it's the compliment that surprises him. Not just the fact that it came out of Rodimus's mouth (for a moment, he thought Rodimus was talking to himself), but the sincerity in it. Were Trailbreaker the emotional sort, he'd have grabbed the Captain in a hug. Heck, he still wants to--pulling the other slightly in for a quick two-second hug.

"You too, Captain."

A smile. It's amazing what one compliment can do sometimes.

"You too."

[rodders]

"Get Nautica to write you something from memory." He is assuming she's capable of doing that, at least.

Are they doing a hugging thing? They are doing a hugging thing, and Rodimus gets two seconds to attempt to pat him on his back - face full of truck and plating before he's free. But one hand goes to Trailbreaker's arm in a friendly gesture, a smile replacing the worry and concern that had been evident earlier.

You too, Captain.

Yeah, he's going to remember this even as part of him twists at his tanks and the thought of Trailbreaker not listening to him.

"Tell me again when we all get back to the Lost Light, okay?" Because that will mean that the other's alive and well and will absolutely be able to do the thing because any other option is unacceptable.