[ti]Ep 3.5[/ti]Little Helpers [Closed]

[Cassandra Cassidy]

Week 1, Day 4

Omega Outpost One, NV

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There were many sounds that Cassandra Cassidy was getting used to hearing at Omega. The individual pa-dunk, pa-dunk of Autobots passing by was one of them. The rumble of engines or the activation of the ground bridge was another. What wasn't expected was the loud, reverberating bang that came from a series of rooms further down the base's main corridor. (At least, it seemed like the main corridor - Cassandra hadn't explored much beyond the main area.)

Frowning, the cleaner dunked her mop in its bucket, quickly jogging to see the source of the sound. No one else seemed to be reacting, so perhaps this was occurrence that happened more often than not. Still, concerned in case something had fallen or someone needed help (and against her better judgment), the cleaner went to check on whatever had made that bang. It wasn't long before she came across a spare room with smoke trailing out, far above her head but acrid-smelling all the same. Butch peeked her head in with a frown.

"Everything okay in here?"

[Skirmisher]

[Week 1: Day 4]

[Location: Earth: North American Continent: United States of America: Nevada: Jasper: Omega Outpost: Skirmisher's Quarters]

The smoke wafted from a shorted circuit or as he'd discovered on closer inspection a length of cable where the insulation had curled backwards over the bare copper cable beneath by a small cascading series of sparks stemming from a single spark, and it left the smell of burned rubber and copper filling his Quarters. Black smoke, a sign oil had been burned, emanated from his latest invention -- an attempt to convert a human-designed Catalytic Converter taken from an old Chevrolet Pick-Up he'd found one on of his old Patrols before Patch went missing and before Ratchet's latest troubles. He'd had the hunk of iron with three heavy metals inside of it sitting in his Quarters for cycles, and had decided in an attempt to make things a little easier on both the Autobots present in the Garrison and in the Humans allowed in the Outpost. He'd devised an idea and later a theory about how the Main Energy Systems -- Energon Systems found in a Cybertronian's Frame regardless of their type -- had at times suffered damage or been witness to damage from a fight. It would have allowed their Human Allies to have helped in staving off the Energon Loss, by being able to use bolts to firmly attach the Bypass Converter on a damaged Autobot until they could have reached the Outpost for a Full Repair.

If he'd been able to test his theory in converting the Human-Designed Catalytic Converter to be used on a Cybertronian's Frame with the aim of creating a temporary or permanent -- though hopefully temporary bypass for the Energon to flow while repairs or a replacement were found for the Main Energon Systems without sending the Autobot in question into Stasis, he figured it would be worth it. He'd been in his Quarters for the last few cycles using arc welders, plasma torches, Adjustable Wrenches he'd made for his own servos and ratchets with sockets sitting at a table set aside trying to work on the device. He'd made some headway, but it seemed for each improvement made new flaws in the catalytic converter's design were found from cracks in the iron to gaskets and seals that leaked or were torn. The latest had been with that length of insulated cable sparking with resulting kickback being louder than previously, and in echoing both through his Quarters and the Corridor.

"Everything okay in there?" a Voice called out.

He'd let his Audio Receptors first narrow down the source of the voice before turning his head to let his Visor settle on the hatchway before a series of small movements prompted his Visor to focus in on lower right corner of the hatchway. A human outline formed through the smoke followed by his Visor taking in the other details from her hair, clothing, facial features, scars and other such vital information.

"Hello. I appreciate the gesture, but I'll be fine. You were not hurt?" the Praxian Enforcer said.

[Cassandra Cassidy]

She hadn't met this Autobot yet, she realized. He was a big fellow: tall and heavily-plated, broad-shouldered and looking like he could take on a tank and win. He was a plain black and grey, with wicked-looking spikes on his knees Butch wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of. The cleaner now felt a little stupid to assume he wouldn't be okay if something exploded. Optimus had told her to be cautious, after all, and she was far smaller and softer than anything the Autobots might handle.

At his question, Butch replied, "No, no, I'm fine," and glanced around the room in question. From the angle she could see, the Autobot was hunched over the source of the loud noise. The smoke was still curling and rising from whatever his project was. Maybe he was some kind of engineer, and this was a workshop?

"I'm sorry if I interrupted anything," Butch said. "I'm, uh...I'm new. Still getting used to the place. You need anything, or...?"

If she was here, she might as well offer to be helpful. Otherwise, there was still a lot of base to clean.

[Skirmisher]

"It's a relief you weren't harmed," Skirmisher said. He'd scanned her with his Visor, more one of the myriad of automatic functions to have determined whether she'd inhaled smoke or had been nicked by flying debris or tripped despite her vocal confirmation, but her response had been a source of relief.

"You are still new to the Outpost?" he asked. "If you have been permitted to remain here, Optimus Prime or Commander Avalanche or one of the others must have either vouched for you or given you great Trust. Yes, Optimus Prime must have given you his Trust,"

"If I need anything? Well....I might need a little help. I am trying to convert this old Catalytic Converter from a Chevrolet Pick Up Small Block V8 to fit Cybetronian Anatomy," he explained. "It is hoped that if the conversion is successful, this Catalytic Converter will be able to be used as a bypass for a damaged Energon Core Block and be able to contain it before returning it back to the Core Block following Repairs,"

"It seems my servos are too big to fit around some of the wire clusters. The resulting explosion you came to investigate destroyed some of the wires, and caused the remaining insulation to peel back on itself,"

"If you would remain where you are by that hatch, I'll give you a hand up to this Desk," he said.

Rising from the chair, he'd carefully put one pede in front of the other crossing over to the open hatchway before gently going to one knee with his right hand upturned for her. He'd wait for as long as she needed.

[Cassandra Cassidy]

"Yes sir," Butch replied in response to his question. "My name's Cassandra Cassidy, sir. Most people call me Butch. I perform some janitorial duties for the Outpost now."

The way he described Optimus giving Butch his trust made her smile a little. Optimus hadn't seemed too pleased with her arrival, and her acceptance had been a resigned one. It was as if he wasn't sure what to do with the cleaner, despite her insistence she wanted to help. Hearing something that suggested the gravity of him trusting her made the thought feel a little less awkward.

Unfortunately, everything beyond "catalytic converter" went over Cassandra's head. She vaguely understood what Energon was, and that the Autobot was making some sort of bypass, but that was it. Then he asked for help, and though she hesitated a moment, Butch nodded. Once again, her smaller hands were better suited for something, this time involving wires.

"Yes sir," Butch said. She waited as the large, lumbering Autobot stood up and walked over to her. Each weighty pa-thunk he made reminded her of Avalanche's step, but were not as slow. When he knelt down, there was a careful grace to his movements. Despite this, Butch stared at his hand for a moment, working up the courage to grab onto it.

When she did, she trotted over with a light step, daintily walking onto his palm. She sat down and grabbed his thumb, using it to brace herself. Butch couldn't help but frown a little, unused to and unnerved by the sensation of being held.

[Skirmisher]

"An Honor, Cassandra Cassidy," Skirmisher said. "I am known as Skirmisher, Riot Suppressant Unit and the Outpost's Acting Medical Officer. I have mostly had Training as a Field Medic, but I've been forced adapt,"

He'd carefully carried her in his palm and only when she'd secured herself against his thumb, did he rise gently from the floor before holding the open hand level with the surface of the Desk. The light shone off the somewhat weathered steel of the Catalytic Converter resting on its side width wise with the slightly wider end aimed towards the far wall while the slightly narrower end aimed towards the door with the hatch. A kit of tools, sized for Cybertronians sat nearby alongside a kit of human sized tools present mostly for Skirmisher to have tried to manipulate them in his own servos to get the finer points -- such as the wires, the Exhaust Gas Re-Circulation Valve that forced the gases back through the Converter.

The location of the burned wires hadn't been exactly isolated with carbon scoring, scorch marks present along the more narrow end of the converter close to the EGR Valve with more than a few of the wires dangling off to the sides having broken from their moorings. The rubber insulation had been forced back on them by the explosion, giving an odd sight similar to a peeled banana.

"I thought trying to use Human Sized Tools would have given me a little bit of leverage, but my Servos are sized too large for the wrenches and sockets," he said. "I'd initially tried to use these sized for Cybertronian hands, but....you can take a look for yourself if you wish. There isn't a risk of it sparking again. I had planned on testing it with Energon after having reinforced the design, and altered some of the inner workings to deal with Energon rather than from the Gasoline this was designed for,"

[Cassandra Cassidy]

"Skirmisher," Butch repeated. "Good to meet you, sir."

The little human held on tight as she was brought to the robot's desk. It was only when Skirmisher was fully still that the cleaner tested getting off his hand. A foot extended, pressing twice against the surface of the desk as if afraid it would break. Butch then clambered off, straightened up, and walked over to the converter -

At least, she had to take his word it was a converter. There were wires running out of it every which way and wandering. One set had its cluster of wiring dangling off to the side, the hosing that covered it peeled back like a banana. Black and scorched were the materials - probably from the explosion - and Butch knelt to take a better look. She frowned as Skirmisher spoke.

"Well sir, I'm no mechanic," Butch said, "but if you gave me some direction, I could unscrew a few things for you. Maybe pop something open or put something back. It'd be an extra set of hands, but that's all I can offer."

The cleaner stood up and turned toward Skirmisher as she talked. It was her best way of helping given the lack of knowledge she had. She wouldn't be surprised if it took her a while to help him fix something because of her inexperience, too.

[Skirmisher]

"I would appreciate the assistance," Skirmisher said. "I've found Cybertronian digits tend to be too large to grip some of the welded spots on these old Auto Parts,"

He'd give her directions on what to do, mostly in cutting away the burned and frayed wires before laying and threading new wires. It had been more of a safety issue with the old wires having been frayed could have caused another accident, igniting something else and in turn causing harm to Butch while his own metallic hide would have been only covered in soot. He'd provide a human-sized tool kit within her reach since he doubted she'd be able to lift or carry the Cybertronian counterpart with as much ease, and to help her out he'd carefully used what appeared as a giant can opener to peel back the twisted iron surrounding those wires. Skirmisher had expected when he'd started to convert the Catalytic Converter to Cybertronian Specs that he'd have to replace parts of it, but he hadn't quite expected to do so early on in the procedure.

"I have collection of spare parts, including shields and framing members set aside from other scavenged Catalytic Converters," the Praxian said. "Once we clear the burned and damaged sections, we can lay down the new parts. I'll make an entry in the log that you provided assistance, and your name will be passed on with the Design if you so wish,"

[Cassandra Cassidy]

The process of cutting away wires and laying new ones was a delicate, tedious task. Butch listened carefully as Skirmisher guided her through the process, stepping back and away when he approached with his own blade. (What exactly the can opener of a tool he used was called, Butch had no idea.) Whenever it was safe to approach again, she would do so, and begin laying and twisting the threads between cable and converter. Her hands moved with some hesitation, but were deft enough in their work; Skirmisher might've noticed her left hand struggled to grasp and clench at times.

When Skirmisher mentioned Butch getting credit for her work, the cleaner smiled. "No, no, that won't be necessary," she said. "I'm just happy to help out. You're doing all the work coordinating here - I'm just an extra set of hands."

It wouldn't be long, Butch hoped, before she could finish threading all the wires and go onto the next task. She didn't want to slow Skirmisher down in his work. Shaking her left hand a little, giving it a slight wiggle and looking at it, she paused with a frown on her face. A moment passed, and then the cleaner got back to work, albeit favoring her right hand over the other.