2. [VOICE]

[warborn]

So here's a question. We've got the - 'Haven', whatever, the quadrants and temples and whatever inside of it, and other than that we've got the Badlands.

But this is Cybertron, right? That can't be it. So has anyone bothered doing any real exploring? See what's out there?

[there has to be more...right?]

---

PRIVATE; Vandal

Hey.

You still got some of your - what'd you call it, whiskey?...any of that left?

---

PRIVATE; Ultra Magnus

[attached is his 'usual' datalog - the progress report, as it were - but there something else he adds, short and curt;]

Done with Rung.

---

PRIVATE; Whirl [Text]

[he thought a long while before sending this. but. may as well just...do this, himself, before it's brought up anyway.]

Not gonna see Rung anymore.

He'll be safe from me.

Comments

[warborn]

[...he'll just let that go, grunting in acknowledgement more than affirmation. takes getting used to, having those again.

but.]

Don't see why I wouldn't be.

[lifepersists]

[ Fortress Maximus already knew First Aid wanted to talk. He had wanted to have an easier transition from catching up to business, but he couldn't just wait any longer. He had to know. ]

There are a couple things I want to talk about. That I need to know.

[ He squeezes Max's hand, holding it tight. ]

They're probably things you don't want to talk about.

[warborn]

[well, he knew that, but...this is, to say the least, putting up what defenses he'd started to ease down. perhaps First Aid himself isn't making him feel uncomfortable, but the foreboding warning...

yes, he's stiffened up, wariness crossing his face.

no, he's not saying anything. he's just looking at First Aid, tense and waiting.]

[lifepersists]

[ Fort Max has a lot of things to be wary about. First Aid was already pretty aware of what happened to him at G-9. Not all the nitty gritty details, but when you've been wrist deep in a comatose mech's chassis, you tend to glean a couple things about how they got there.

First Aid reaches up to stroke one of the mech's audials if he'd let him. ]

I need to know what happened after I woke you up. Things that happened on Delphi and how I ended up on the Lost Light.

[warborn]

[that's slightly less disturbing a subject than he'd been suspecting, but he's still not quite in a state to accept that kind of affection. Vandal was pushing it as it is. he pushes himself up, getting to his feet]

You were there, weren't you? Something wrong with your memory banks?

[lifepersists]

[ Ah well. First Aid understands. Not everyone is quite as friendly as him. His hands drop to his sides. ]

Possibly. I don't remember much of anything after waking you up and the Genericons broke loose, so it's important.

[warborn]

...I put them down, and next thing I know, everything's going crazy. One've you docs - Pharma - turned out to be working with the 'Cons, so I headed after him but he...er.

[beat]

Went down a hole.

[A TINY HOLE, IN HIS OWN DEFENSE]

From what I heard, Ratchet took care of him, though. Took his hands, too. [heh] Synthed up an antidote for the Rust, and the three of us - you, me, Ambulon - went on the ship with 'em.

[lifepersists]

[ First Aid doesn't say anything for a moment, mainly because it felt like a frozen chill had just run through his circuits. Pharma, working for the 'Cons. It was so unlikely it was almost absurd to even accuse but-- he had suspicions.

His optics dim. ]

Why was Pharma working with the Decepticons? Any idea?

[warborn]

No reason could be good enough. [and that is a dark glint in his optics there, oh] From what I remember, might've been something about a bargain, but frankly, Aid, I don't think it matters.

[lifepersists]

[ But no, it had to have been good. Fortress Maximus didn't know Pharma like he did, living with him for ten years. He was familiar with Pharma's mannerisms, his likes, his pet peeves, things he loathed. He was never a fan of Decepticons.

So what happened to make him sink so low? To try and kill the mechs he'd worked on saving for so many years? ]

Pharma saved my life recently.

[ So he had to ask him. Why was his life worth saving anyway, when all these pieces would come together eventually? ]

I suppose it doesn't matter.

[warborn]

[...

should he...apologize?]

Maybe you should ask him, then.

[lifepersists]

I... didn't mean to offend if I did.

[ He waves his hands at him. ]

I'm just trying to piece together the lies. Nobody's told me about this. I've been working with him this whole time.

[warborn]

It's...

[vague hand gesture. it's nothing.]

Didn't know you didn't remember. He been all right to you?

[lifepersists]

As alright as Pharma has been. He's always been a bit of a control freak. Has to have his-- er --hands in everything, so to speak. Where I've been, what I've been doing, what I should have been doing, what and who I should like or dislike...

[ Between Ratchet and Pharma, he didn't really have a superior he trusted well enough besides Ambulon. And Ambulon was well... pretty stuffy. ]

[warborn]

Sounds like a real piece of work.

[beat]

He gives you any problem, come to me. Alright?

[ain't nobody gon mess with tiny medic
ain't nobody]

[lifepersists]

He hasn't yet.

[ But he nods. He doesn't feel right dragging Max into his own issues, though. Not when the former warden had so much of his own things to sort. ]

And after we left Delphi, what happened?

[warborn]

We...went. [a brief pause, and then-] I wasn't there for that long, not before...this place.

[hopefully that's. vague enough.

he just doesn't want to talk about it much okay...]

[lifepersists]

[ First Aid's optics narrow slightly. If that wasn't clue enough that the nurse already knew something, then Max was failing at picking up his super obvious body language. ]

You said you'd be honest with me.

[warborn]

[BUT AAAAAAIIIIIIIID HE DOESN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT. super obvious body language match? he's back to defensive, to tense, looking away with something between a scowl and a grimace]

...hnghn.

[he takes a few steps away, turning his back on the smaller mech. not /leaving/, just...]

...did something...that I'm not exactly proud of, alright?

[lifepersists]

[ That rather intense look of disappointment was now turned on Max's back now at least. ]

Why'd you do it?

[warborn]

[he can still feel it, at least. or imagine it.

how to explain, though? there's a couple false starts, a couple sounds that're the beginning of words he abandons as he gives up on that trek. a couple half-formed gestures with hands, but in the end...]

...I just...I...don't...have a good reason.

[and he drops his hands, exventing heavily.]

I fragged up. There.

[lifepersists]

[ First Aid was hoping that Max had some kind of explanation or excuse. The disappointment he feels surprises even himself. ]

I'd hope that Whirl wasn't telling the full truth.

[ What's he going to do with you? ]

Are you even sorry?

[warborn]

Whirl.

[that's a disgusted sound, and a shake of his head. that fragging mech...he should have died back there, should've been the one to take the shot, not Rung.]

What'd he tell you? I went crazy and started shooting people up? Because that's basically what happened, 'Aid. Complete with a casualty.

[he's not even touching the sorry comment. not right now.]

[lifepersists]

He didn't tell me you shot people.

[ Now some of that disappointment was turning into some mixture of surprise and horror. Not an extreme amount -- First Aid has seen and dealt with a lot -- but he's been finding a lot of mechs he trusted and respected had their own terrible sides lately. ]

He told me you took him and Rung hostage. And Rung was shot because of you.

[warborn]

[well, Max just told it for you. he doesn't respond immediately here, either. but he doesn't take as long to answer as he did before.

he's just...more subdued.]

Nobody had to get hurt. Didn't...didn't want anyone to get hurt.

[except for those who, for brief moments, weren't themselves but another mech entirely...]