Ep. 1 - Tinkering around - Open!

[jackdarby]

Jack Darby was kneeling on one of the platforms set aside for the humans to use. Next to him was his personal tool box with a large sticker on it that read 'Binford'. In front of him, sitting on a canvas tarp, was a small motorbike he had purchased a long while ago for a science fair project. He had gotten the bike for a small price since he got it at a junkyard. The engine had been pretty bad, and his project had been to get it running again. The whole thing was a pain, but then Ratchet had been forced to help him with it... and ended up taking over the whole project. In the end Ratchet had built a whole new engine for the project, which went crazy during the demonstration.

That little piece of Cybertronian technology now sat on the tarp along side the old beat-up motorbike. Sixteen-year old Jack Darby was going to try and make the small Cybertronian engine work on the motorbike. Both had been sitting around the base for a while, and now he had some free time to work on a project. Near-by he had a small table set up with a radio tuned into a classic rock station, and a book on mechanics for reference just in case he needed it. This was something he wanted to do on his own as much as he could. He had learned a lot about various things since the fair, and was hoping he wouldn't need any help getting everything to work.

Jack was thankful that he could work on things today. Miko wasn't around at the moment, and it seemed he missed a wild party that happened the day before. He didn't know much about it, he had gotten to work as soon as he popped out of the Ground Bridge. With his mom now part of the human ranks of Team Prime, the location of his garage had practically become a book mark in the bridge's database. Jack had missed out on the past few days of activity due to school and work, but he was sure someone would fill him in eventually.

[airazor]

Airazor had been working on a project of her own - a simple bit of rewiring to better integrate the base's borrowed human technology with Cybertronian technology - when Jack arrived. Now, as she ran system checks, she devoted a few processor threads to observing the young human.

He was certainly dedicated to his work, impressively so for such a young example of his species. She also suspected he might be in a bit over his head, but for the moment didn't offer any advice; her observations indicated that humans often made up in innovation what they lacked in raw processing power, and experience told her that sparklings at this stage of development were...uniquely stubborn about their ability to function unaided.

She did, however, make sure to linger over her work, just in case Jack decided to ask for advice.

[Deleted]

From the direction of the general quarters trudged Smokescreen, looking tired as he stepped into the brighter light of the main base. He stretched as he walked, rotating his arms behind his head one by one.

Things creaked in his shoulders, gears protesting the motion. Eesh. Smokescreen made a face. He really wasn't doing himself any favours by sitting hunched over a computer screen until the late hours of the night, writing reports. All of his joints were stiff. But there had been so much to write about now that he was actually here on the base. A lot had happened the day before, and he had wanted to process it into official paperwork before the details faded. Not to mention the fact it had felt good to get that damn thing off his back.

The memory of it prompted a wary glance back the way he had come. How far away was it now? A couple hundred feet? Huh. Hm. Should be fine. He'd know right away if it wasn't.

Smokescreen squinted at the light as he let his feet wander him through the room. His optics slowly adjusted to the brighter ambiance. He spotted the femme he had met the other day - working quietly, it looked like. And there, on one of the platforms...

He stopped. He backed up, afire with curiosity. There was a human on one of the platforms, kneeling next to a small motorbike. With a tarp and tools spread around it, and a radio nearby piping music into the air. Good music, too. This was intriguing.

He couldn't help himself. He was a sociable bot by nature, and this was pinging every urge he had to chat, to investigate.

"Wow," he said admiringly, after studying the vehicle parked on the tarp. He looked at the human and smiled as he pointed at the bike with his thumb. "Nice bike. This is a project you're working on, getting it running again...?"

[jackdarby]

Jack periodically glanced up from his work as he did his best to remove the old and seized up engine from the motorbike. He noticed the small flier also working on a project of her own, but he also noticed her monitoring him back. The thought put a small smile on his face. He figured that she was probably making sure he didn't blow himself up, or if he needed help. Getting the motorbike to work was his project, but it was a bit reassuring to know that help wasn't too far away in case he needed it. Now, getting his mom to let him keep a motorbike powered by a Cybertronian designed engine and put together by a sixteen-year old might be the hard part.

In the past Jack would have been aware of every giant robot around him in the base. Back when Team Prime had been smaller and the kids only had a couple of places to hang out on it was a good thing to be aware. Now with the arrival of so many new Autobots the base had been opened up a bit more for the humans to use, along with areas and walkways just for them. With all the newcomers Jack had yet to learn the sounds of everyone's stride. For this reason Jack didn't look up when Smokescreen passed by. He didn't know it was someone he hadn't met yet.

"What?" he asked quickly, his head popping up to turn to the new voice. "Oh, yeah. Ratchet and I built a new engine for it a while ago, and I just got some time to finally put it all together." Jack set his tools aside and pulled the old engine off of the bike and set it off to the side. "I don't think we've met yet. I'm Jack, I'm one of the humans that show up here often."

[airazor]

<<OOC: Since Jack is addressing Smokescreen directly, I'll let Smoky go before Airazor asks him how he's settling in, if that's okay.>>

[Deleted]

Smokescreen was impressed. He knew plenty of Cybertronians who would be unable to rig up such an engine on their own, even with help from a mech such as Ratchet. Hell, he was honest enough with himself to admit that he didn't think he would be able to do it. He could tinker and take apart small gadgets like datapads and chronometers and maybe put them back together again with a bit of luck, but that was about it.

And this human looked like a young one, at that. Smokescreen hadn't met a lot of young humans yet. Those he had dealt with during his tenure in Las Vegas had mostly been older men, with money, shady connections, and boxers willing to take a dive in the fifth round. Good times.

So, a young human with an aptitude for mechanical work? That was pretty damn impressive in his book.

Smokescreen leaned forward to get a better look at the bike. He met Jack's greeting with a grin. "Howdy, Jack. I'm Smokescreen- only just arrived yesterday. It's good to meet you. I didn't know the Autobots had any human friends around the base. It's nice to know we do."

---

(ooc: all good here! :D)

[airazor]

"You say that now," Airazor said with dry humor, "but that's because you haven't met Miko yet." She abandoned her pretense of work to join Smokescreen and, purely coincidentally of course, get a better look at what Jack was doing. "Settling in all right? And did Steeljaw think to warn you about Rattrap? Because if you haven't checked your quarters for cameras, you should." She nearly added, Unless you like that sort of thing, in which case, Rattrap's harmless, because Jack was young for his species.

And speaking of young...

"So Jack, have you made any plans for testing that once you have it put back together? Because I'll be happy to rig something up if you'd like to make sure it's not going to explode before you take it out for a spin."

[Deleted]

Bluestreak had happened to be wandering by and spotted the small gathering. Recognizing Airrazor and Jack but not the new Blue door-winged mech. Social little mech that ou was Bluestreak came over to see what was going on and introduce hirself.

"Hey Jack, Airrazor what you doing?"

Tilting hir helm to smile at Smokescreen.

"I'm Bluestreak by the way, nice to meet you."

[rattrap]

"Hey Wings, did I hear my name taken in vain here?"

Rattrap strolled across the room and, with his usual disregard for silly things like "personal space," climbed up Smokescreen to reach Jack's platform. "Hey, New Guy. Th' name's Rattrap. Whatever Wings is tellin' ya...ehhh, 'sprobably all true."

He hunkered down near Jack, optics watching the human's work with interest. "Hey kid, ya bring any leftovers from work?"

[jackdarby]

"If you weren't briefed on the humans that visit this place, now's a good a time as any." Jack started as he went over a mental checklist of the information he needed to give. He was going to start with a neutral opening before going into warnings about Miko, but Airazor beat him to it. "Airazor's right. Miko is the source of a lot of headaches here. She's not as big of a safety hazard as she used to be, but she's also not allowed to hang out near the Ground Bridge whenever it might get used. I'll go into more when telling you about everyone." It was always a toss up on who to tell people about first, Fowler or Miko. Special Agent Fowler was the government liaison to the Autobots, and Miko was... Miko.

"I'd appreciate the help Airazor. You can probably make something that'd work. Much better than my plan to prop it up, and use thirty feet of string to start it while hiding behind a big rock." Jack turned his attention to the flier for a moment. He wasn't sure if Optimus, or his mom would let him keep the motorbike, but if it ran fine and didn't explode it could give him an edge. With his mom's trail of thinking if it exploded once, it could explode again... though it could also go that it hasn't exploded yet. Optimus might let him keep it and use it around the base and desert, but the teen wasn't so sure if he'd be allowed to bring it on scouting missions to help out.

When Bluestreak arrived Jack could sense his notion of getting a lot of work done today fade. Whenever a new person showed up everyone wanted to meet and greet the newbie. Right after Blue came Rattrap, and it was probably just a matter of time before someone else showed up. "Hey Blue, hi Ratrap. I stopped eating stuff from my work weeks ago. After working there so long and smelling it the entire time it got to the point where nothing looks appetizing anymore. I do know that someone gave Miko the idea to call in or text me orders shortly before I get off shift so I could bring back food. I can stick bags in my backpack sure, but there's no way I can balance a full tray of drinks while riding Arcee all the way here and not get pulled over."

[Deleted]

Smokescreen's first thought was, Miko? A human could cause that much trouble? Even a small one?

His second thought was, oh wow, Praxian frame!

Distracted, he turned towards Bluestreak and eyed the strange bot with unabashed curiousity. He didn't see a lot of Praxians these days, aside from Prowl, and nobody wanted to see Prowl unless they wanted a cure for insomnia. This bot looked young, bright. Given the fate of the city it was nice to see a friendly face.

He also looked oddly familiar somehow. Huh. Where had he seen...

"Hello, Bluestreak," he said with a smile, speaking quietly so as to not interrupt the others as they chatted. He held out his hand. "Name's Smokescreen. It's a pleasure to meet youuuaarghgbhaghl."

The rest of his sentence broke off into a strangled exclamation as he felt the disturbing sensation of hands and feet climbing up his plating. Smokescreen arched his back and went very still, his doors stuck up in the air, until the creature clambering up his frame hopped to the platform, at which point he got a good look at it. Good lord. Another Autobot!

Oh, this had to be Rattrap. Jack's reply confirmed it. Rattrap. Wait a minute. Rattrap? Rattrap with the cameras!

Smokescreen was not going to recharge easily with the knowledge that there could be beady optics watching him through a digital feed at night. Still, the 'Bot had greeted him in an amicable manner and seemed rather personable. He relaxed with a quick sigh, doors slumping. Grinned at Rattrap. And made a mental note to take Airazor's advice to heart and inspect every inch of his new quarters very thoroughly when he returned back to his work.

"Pardon me for backtracking a moment, but certain words tend to jump out at a bot," he said apologetically, lifting his hands. He pointed at the motorbike. "Like, you know... explode. Explode? Really? Because I think the last time I tried the long-string-big-rock trick, it was actually a tripwire and it was sort of attached to a grenade. And that definitely exploded. Which was kind of the point at the time, but... is there a chance this bike could blow up?"

[airazor]

"Oh, there's always a chance anything can explode," Airazor said, with a cheerful lack of concern over the possibility. "Combining human and Cybertronian technology is an inexact science, at best. Lots of unanticipated variables crop up."

Her glyph choice indicated that young and inexperienced were at the top of that list of variables, but she certainly wasn't going to say that in a format Jack could detect.

"And I'm quite sure we can come up with something better than string," she added to Jack. "Though the big rock is probably a good idea. Optimus wasn't happy the last time Rhinox and I blew up one of the rooms on the lower level."

[Deleted]

So many new mechs to meet! it seems that there was a new mech on base most every day. If that continued they were going to need a bigger base soon. "It's nice to meet you Smokescreen I don't see that many other Pruaxian builds any more."
The ou overheard the last little bit of Airrazor and Jacks conversation.

"Wait, wait what? Jack does You mother know you're working on explodey things? I don't think she'd approve of you getting blown up."

[rattrap]

"Ain't lookin' fer drinks. Want some a yer french fries, is what I want." Rattrap looked hopefully around for Jack's backpack, just in case some fries had fallen down to the bottom and solidified into rock hard lumps of old grease. "Ya could just fish 'em outta th' dumpster for me after work, I wouldn't mind."

[jackdarby]

"First things first my mom doesn't know I'm working on this yet. Second thing is, you're NOT going to tell her Bluestreak." Jack told the sniper, pointing a finger at hir. " Now I don't mean explode like in boom whoosh fireball." he explained, using hand gestures to signify an expanding fireball. "The last time I turned on this engine it didn't have anything regulating how fast it went. When it turned on it just kept accelerating until the whole thing was bouncing across the room. All I should need to do is figure out how to get the throttle and speedometer working on it. Brakes shouldn't be that hard"

"Then after I'm sure the whole thing won't shake itself apart I'll tell my mom. After I put in a couple of kill switches I'll let Miko know its working." If his mom was the reason why the humans had nice things, Miko was the reason why they couldn't have nice things here. If she was willing to just run into danger with giant robots fighting it out then she was probably capable of what could be called a 'harmless joyride'. The last thing he needed hanging over his head was Miko taking a spill on the highway with no one around, or helmet to protect her.

"Which... Bluestreak and I should probably tell you about the other humans that show up around here Smokescreen. There's Fowler, Raf, Miko, and my mom, June. Who do you think we should warn him about first Blue?"