Bad News Delivered

6/5/2011 – Sharing the Bad News
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First Aid Hammerstrike Aegis
Coming out of his assigned barracks is Hammerstrike at his usual steady, rigid pace.
First Aid slouches into the courtyard between the barracks buildings from the main road. It's the middle of a shift, an unusual time for him to be here to say the least, and between his dejected body language and the miserable expression on his faceplates, well.... it's pretty clear that something isn't right. Building 4 is a little way in, and he's on his way there when he passes Hammerstrike.
Hammerstrike inclines his head in his usual polite yet stoic fashion and would have walked right past First Aid. However, instead, he pauses and turns to First Aid. "First Aid?"
First Aid looks up. "Hi Hammerstrike." He tries for his usual smile and manages, sort of. It doesn't really look right, but it's a smile. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention.. How are you today?" The last sounds at least a little more normal.
Hammerstrike is silent for a moment before he speaks responds briskly, "Well. You?"
First Aid says "I've been better. Ratchet had to take me off duty until further notice. I'm suspended, basically." He sighs.
Hammerstrike crosses his arms over his broad chest and stares down at First Aid. "Because...?"
First Aid looks slightly defensive, but still mostly miserable. "Nothing I did. Ratchet did a scan on my memory systems trying to pinpoint the errors that I've been getting when trying to load an alt mode and found some ... abnormalities. A lot of encrypted data- more than anyone my age should have stored- and it's not an encryption he's ever seen."
Hammerstrike listens carefully, and his demeanor remains its usual lack of expression as he pauses. He remains silent for an uncomfortable amount of time, his arms still crossed and his gaze still bearing down on First Aid. Finally he lifts his chin and stares beyond First Aid... but doesn't say anything still.
First Aid shifts his weight awkwardly, not about to just walk away from the conversation but incredibly uncomfortable as the other mech is acting almost like he's not even there... "so I'm off duty and restricted to barracks and public areas until we get the issue resolved."
Aegis enters from Main Level Roadway.
Hammerstrike continues to stare beyond First Aid, even as he begins to speak again. However, when First Aid finishes his last sentence he brings his gaze back down to First Aid. "I... see..." he finally intones, still maintaining zero expression.
First Aid shrugs miserably, with another sigh. "Yeah."
Aegis is looking a lot better than she did the other cycle. Some rest and relaxation did wonders for her. As well as paint. She looks much better with fresh paint. Noticing the young medic from before, and a mech she doesn't know, she inclines her head. "Good cycle," she says brightly.
First Aid half turns. "Hi.. Aegis, right?" He hadn't worked on her in the med bay on his last shift, just the two scientists who had come in at the same time, and she'd been released before he came back on shift today. He offers a smile at her, although it's not particularly convincing even to someone who doesn't know the generally-cheerful young medic.
Hammerstrike had returned to being silent, until it was shattered with the polite greeting of a femme. Hammerstrike turns to her, and not recognizing her, inclines his head and wears only the slightest smile as to be polite and says "Good cycle."
Aegis nods her head at First Aid. "Yes. And you're First Aid, correct?" She smiles fondly. "You look about as young as I was when I left Cybertron." Ah, youth. Looking back over to Hammerstrike she extends a hand. "I came in with the shuttle," she says, guessing that at least some people would have heard of the return by now.
"Right," First Aid replies politely. "Glad you're up and about."
Hammerstrike raises his optic ridges a little in response to mention of the shuttle and leans forward slightly, taking Aegis' hand and shaking it with a grip that is firm but not restrained enough so not to be crushing. "Hammerstrike."
Aegis's own grip is confident, but not overly strong. "Pleased to meet you Hammerstrike." Letting her hand drop back to her side, she smiles faintly. "It will take some getting used to being back," she says to both mechs in general.
First Aid steps to the side. "Anyway... I should probably be going." Aid says, shoulders slumping again.
Hammerstrike nods to Aegis, responding with an automatic, "Pleasure is mine." He also places his arms at his side, standing as straight as ever and adding an, "indeed," to her later comment. He glances over at First Aid quirking an optic ridge questioning. "Going... where? If you are off duty I imagine there isn't anywhere you need to go."
Aegis gives 'Aid a kind smile. "Go where? Isn't this home?" she asks. After all, the barracks is where they 'live' pretty much. She flicks a glance to Hammerstrike; apparently they were on the same train of thought. Then she turns back to First Aid and moves to put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You seem a bit down; is there anything you want to talk about?"
First Aid says "Ratchet said I should work on the texts I need to study for my theoretical exams, but.... oh slag. I left my data pad in the med bay. I was going to go study in my room."
Hammerstrike glances over at Aegis as she voices his thoughts quite adequately. "Then perhaps someone can fetch it for you?" he inquires of First Aid's data pad dilemma, but whilst glancing at Aegis.
Aegis blinks once. Is she missing something? "Can he not get it himself?" she asks.
First Aid nods. "I guess so. It's sitting on a workbench at the back of the main repair bay." He glances at Aegis. "I'm restricted until further notice. Public areas and barracks only."
Aegis seems frankly surprised at this revelation. After all he looks so cute, and little, and helpless. Awwww. "What did you do?" she asks, raising her optic ridges. "Is Ratchet really so unreasonable?" They really didn't get off to a good start, and she just assumes the chief of medics lost his temper.
Hammerstrike watches Aegis for a moment longer before silently turning to head towards the med-bay.
First Aid shakes his head. "No, really. It's not his fault, he's just taking precautions because we don't know what's going on with the encrypted data in my core. Hopefully he can figure out a way to unlock it or purge it or something quickly."
Hammerstrike walks into the Main Level Roadway -- Iacon City.
Aegis looks guilty for a moment. "I'm sorry I jumped to that conclusion," she says. "First impressions are hard to discard sometimes." She smiles a bit. "Encrypted data, hm? That sounds tricky."
First Aid nods. "Yeah... I didn't know it was there. It could be anything, and there's a lot of it. That's what Ratchet's worried about."
Aegis thinks for a few moments, then shakes her head. "I've never heard of that happening before," she admits. "But I've been away for a long time." Pursing her lips together she considers the problem further. "Well, hopefully one of the scientists that came back will have an answer. Their minds are a lot more acute than mine."
Hammerstrike enters from Main Level Roadway.
First Aid smiles half heartedly. "You seem pretty smart to me. But.. thanks for the thought."
Hammerstrike strides back into the area with a data pad tucked under his arm.
Aegis shrugs. "Intelligence of the field," she says, "Not for more technical matters. But you're welcome." She smiles at Hammerstrike as he returns. "That was kind of you," she says gravely.
First Aid smiles. "Thank you, Hammerstrike - you didn't have to."
Hammerstrike inclines his head, saying a soft "You are welcome," as he hands First Aid the data pad.
"Maybe he didn't /have/ to, but the sign of a good Autobot is someone willing to help the others. I might have been away, but I know that much at least," Aegis says.
"Yes," Aid says. "But I've already asked him more favors than I really should."
Hammerstrike nods in approval of Aegis sentiments about Autobots.
Aegis shakes her head. "Nonsense. We all have to do what we can for each other because we never know when we're going to need help in turn," she says. Working with such a small unit for so long, it's really the only thing she's known.
First Aid shifts in place again, tucking the data pad into his subspace. "Of course. I'm a medic- we all understand that. But... it's not really the same thing. Especially since I'm not even a trainee right now, and if we don't get this solved, well... I don't know what's going to happen."
Hammerstrike reaches out and puts a very firm hand on First Aid's shoulder, staring at him intensely. "Stop."
First Aid sighs. "Sorry. I just... " He shakes his head. "Feeling a little bit lost right now."
Hammerstrike shakes his head but maintains his intense stare. "You are where you belong. Of that I am confident."
"Things will turn out, you'll see," Aegis says to First Aid, transforming into her secret third mode: Big Sister. "There were a lot of times out in space where we all thought for sure we'd never make it back home. But we persevered and here we are."
"Thanks." First Aid says, simply. "I hope you're both right."
Hammerstrike goes quiet again as he releases his grip on First Aid's shoulder.
Aegis smiles. "Now, just do your best in the meantime. You seem like a good mech," she says. Of course, she barely knows him, but he has done nothing to offend, or even annoy, her.
First Aid nods. "All that said, I really should go study. I shouldn't waste all this free time when I could be getting ready for my theoeticals, and that way when everything is sorted out, I won't be too far behind for my practicals."
Aegis nods her head. "That's the spirit," she says. "And if you need anything, just ask; I've got your back. It was nice to see you again First Aid."
Hammerstrike nods then tilts his head in the general direction of the firing range. "Don't forget to practice." He pauses a moment as if a thought had occurred to him. "If you need supervision, let me know."
First Aid says "Thanks Hammerstrike. Nice to see you again, Aegis," And heads on towards the barracks.
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