Trading Parts

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Starfire Lifeline
It's another day at Autobot medical, and Starfire is busy organizing supplies. Lifeline called her and asked if they had any to spare, and while their stores are not enormous, she said she'd see what they could offer, the pink femme always willing to help out a fellow medic.
Lifeline arrives a reasonable time after having spoken with Starfire, carrying an average-sized storage crate -- the kind that is not normally meant to be carried in a mech's arms. But Lifeline is used to simply doing what she has to do.
Starfire blinks as she opens the door to find Lifeline carrying such a large crate in her arms. She smiles though, and welcomes Lifeline inside. "So...um...how much do you think you'll be needing? We can't spare a lot, but I'll give you what I can."
Lifeline says, "Depends on what you have. It's the small and delicate things that I usually need the most." She sets the crate down on a convenient table and starts to empty it of its contents -- several large and heavy duty actuators, hinges, and valves. The kinds of things that are expensive to manufacture. It's clear that each of the parts is not new, but has been refurbished impeccably. "This is what I have to offer."
Starfire blink blinks some at the trades offered. "Where did you get these?" she asks. She hardly ever sees these heavy duty parts except when attached to someone. "Well...the small things are what we keep good stocks of. With our boys going out and getting blasted or doing some blasting so much, large parts are something we need pretty often." She moves to inspect the actuators and other parts Lifeline has brought. "Feel free to look over our supplies and see what you'd like." She points to a row of cabinets with the small parts organized and labeled by drawer.
Lifeline shrugs one shoulder non-committally. "I have a few contacts who bring me parts from outlying areas." Scavengers. She doesn't say it out loud, but that's what she's just implied.
Starfire nod some, thinking it better not to ask. After all, it could be part of some Autobot that simply never returned. "Well, I'll take all of these. Just gather up what you want, and I'll check them to see if we are short on any of them."
Lifeline nods and turns to head toward the supply bins. She knows what items she needs the most -- besides the ever lacking armor plating -- so starts searching for those first.
Starfire continues to investigate the parts Lifeline brought, making sure they are in good condition...and keeping an eye out for any Autobot symbols. "So...what do you think of Nobyl?"
Lifeline plucks just one of each part she finds as she finds them, gathering them to inventory later. "I think he's too good to be true."
Starfire nods some to that. "Maybe, but...he faced Megatron...alone, and made the warlord retreat. Surely that means something?"
Lifeline says, "That means he can hold his own in a fight." She carries the handful of tiny parts back over to Starfire to set delicately on the table before returning to the bins. "It says nothing about his personal motivations or agendas. Or why he was in that stasis pod in orbit. Has he explained either of those yet?""
Starfire sighs softly and shakes her head. "No..." she says, looking over the items Lifeline has selected. "He's only said the he is a hero, meant to protect Cybertron." She pauses a moment. "I did ask him about why he was in the pod. He didn't have a good answer."
Lifeline nods, seemingly to herself. "And that is why I don't trust him. There are still too many unknowns. I don't like unknowns."
Starfire rubs at her arm and looks over at Lifeline. "We do need to know more about him, but...anyone who wants to bring Megatron down can't be bad, can they?"
Lifeline says, "No. Unless they intend to take his place." She returns with a few more tiny items and sets them on the table as well. "All right. These are all of the items that I need." She sorts them again. "A dozen each of these, ten of these, and as many of these as you can spare."
Starfire looks the items over as Lifeline specifies quantities. "I don't think he wants anything more than peace for Cybertron." she says, then she nods. "Alright." She goes and collects the parts in the amounts requested, though 'as many as you can spare' isn't much more than the amounts of the other parts.
Lifeline nods. She'd not expected to get very many at all of the 'all you can spare' ones. But even a scant few is better than nothing. "That's fine. I knew that they'd be the hardest to come by."
Starfire nods back and smiles. "Well, I'm glad we could help. And thank you for the actuators." She goes about storing them away for later use. "How many patients do you see over there on average?"
Lifeline says, "Five or six a day, though most are just in need of routine preventive maintenance."
Starfire nods to that. "That's pretty busy for a neutral health center. And you work there alone?" she says, trying to be friendly.
Lifeline nods as well, breaking the crate down (something it does NOT normally do) into smaller boxes which are then used to contain the smaller, more delicate parts.
Starfire blink blinks in surprise as the box breaks down, and she smiles at that. "Wow! That's neat! Did you make that storage crate yourself?"
Lifeline says, "Modified it, yes." She assembles one smaller box (1/8th the volume of the original crate) slowly so Starfire can see how it's done, then gently starts setting the tiny parts into it. "It was less expensive than investing in multiple containers."
Starfire watches in fascination as Lifeline manipulates the containers, then she smiles more and nods. "I can imagine, especially a modular one like that."
Lifeline says, "Precisely. If you want, I can give you the plans for how I made this crate."
Starfire smiles brightly at the offer and nods quickly. "I'd like that!" she says excitedly. Obviously neat gadgets get her going.
Lifeline is far less enthused about the gadget, likely because she designed it. "All right." She looks around, then steps over to the closest computer console to download the specs.
Starfire continues to smile as Lifeline downloads the specs for her. "Thank you very much, Lifeline." she says, looking over the older femme's shoulder.
Lifeline says, "Of course." She steps away again as the download completes, then quickly assembles three more boxes from the broken down crate. "Are there any items that your bay needs in particular? I can try to see if my sources can find them."
Starfire ohs and nods. "Sure. Let me compile a complete list, and I'll send it to your repair station. And you can send us one, just in case we have anything else you can use." She takes over at the computer to get the list together.
Lifeline steps aside to let Starfire work on the list, her own already mentally compiled and maintained at all times. A few more things have been checked off, but still far too many more sit unfilled. She finishes filling her smaller boxes and closes them securely before setting them aside.
Starfire finishes her list fairly quickly, then smiles and nods to Lifeline. "Thanks again for the exchange. Hopefully we'll be able to make good use of each other's help."
Lifeline nods. "Hopefully."
Starfire hesitates for a few moments after that before asking, "Do you know anyone that could get me at least some basic weapons hardware and software? I don't really want to get it from the Autobot armory, since they might want to put me into service for military operations. But...I want to be able to at least defend myself if I do happen to be out and about."
Lifeline considers. "Perhaps." Though she herself is notably also lacking in weaponry. And no, wrenches don't really count.
Starfire nods. "Well, would you ask around for me, please?" she asks with a soft smile.
Lifeline says, "Certainly. There is a vendor for everything in Cubicron."
Starfire smiles a thank you to Lifeline, then leans back in her computer chair. "I'm still impressed. Aren't you like the only medic in Cubicron?"
Lifeline shrugs just one shoulder again. "If I'm not the other one doesn't do much."
Starfire giggles a bit at that. "Well... I suppose that makes sense." Her smile fades though before she sighs. Why are all the other medics so serious? She knows she hasn't seen as much as they have, but still...shouldn't a medical person try to be positive?
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