1231/Cards

Cast of Characters: | First Aid, Starlock, 140

**Starlock has posed:**
     Starlock was sat at the card table, going over the suits, looking over the card suits that were there, and the artwork used on them... She'd been recovering still since Ravage took her out on Varas, but she was getting better.

      She'd let out a hem as she looked at the highest card for the Sparks in particular as he thought.

**Roadbuster (140) has posed:**
Roadbuster makes his way into the barracks and heads over to the fuel dispensers. He nods in greeting as he passes by Starlock but says nothing. Once at the station he doublechecks his gauge before getting a bottle of energon.

**Starlock has posed:**
     Starlock glanced over to Roadbuster and nodded to him as she stared at the card.. In thinking about it, Roadbuster was one of the first Bot's she'd seen in a while given everyone was busy with work, she'd glance over again and steeled herself, taking a vent. "Hey." she'd say, finally speaking up in greeting.

**Roadbuster (140) has posed:**
"Hey, how you doin'?", Roadbuster replies before he pops the top off the bottle and takes a swig. He looks around for one of the heavy duty chairs.

**Starlock has posed:**
     Starlock glanced down at the floor and fidgeted. "Better, welds finally set, and got them smoothed out enough to re-apply my paint, just now waiting for some clearance." She'd nod, before looking back up.

      "You? Things have been pretty...Still, around here."

**Roadbuster (140) has posed:**
Roadbuster moves the chair over before saying, "Doing ok, but things are a little too quiet for my liking. No doubt will see some action sooner or later." Looking at the mech no doubt he's one always itching for a fight. But for the moment he just seems to be trying to relax.

**Starlock has posed:**
     "Yeah... Probably.. saw there was intel that armonex is being targeted again." She'd vent, gathering up the cards on the table, and started shuffling them, she'd glance up at the other mech and held up the desk, asking if he was interested in playing.

**Roadbuster (140) has posed:**
Roadbuster thinks for a bit before he nods saying, "Yeah might as well play a round or two." He waits for the femme to shuffle the deck.

**Starlock has posed:**
     "Cool.. Uh, I only really know one kinda card game, were we try to match the suits and numbers, not much else." She'd chuckle as she started dealing cards. "I read about a number sometime ago but now.. Ehh, kinda all just a vague memory." She'd nod.

**Roadbuster (140) has posed:**
Roadbuster studies the cards he's dealt before looking up to Starlock saying, "Care to give more details or demonstrate?" He waits for the explanation as he adds, "So things been rough on the field?"

**Starlock has posed:**
     Starlock looks at her hand for a moment and nods. "Alright, so, we'll ask each other if we have a specific card suit, this case, I'll go first, for an example.. do you have any.." She'd think a moment. "Nines." She'd nod. "If you have none, it's then your turn, and I draw a card."

      "...Kinda, clearly made myself a target... Cons are starting to figure out if they focus on me when I'm out, they have a better chance of not losing." She'd vent.

**Roadbuster (140) has posed:**
Roadbuster nods, "So they doing that kind of rough strategy. No surprise with most coming from the pits." Looking down at his cards he says, "None, have any Primes?"

**Starlock has posed:**
     "Well before they were pretty scattered, but now.. Ravage, Vortex, and Sixshot were.. well, more coordinated than I'd ever seen." She'd vent. "Normally running circles around them."

      She'd look over her hand and pass him a card. "Yeah, here we go, can ask for another." She'd explain with a nod.

**Roadbuster (140) has posed:**
Roadbuster takes the card before studying his hand again, "Any mech can learn, the wars gone long enough. Too bad its to fight dirty like that." Thinking for a moment he says, "Alright got any Tens?"

**Starlock has posed:**
     "Fairly, I fight dirty too, when necessary.. Can't fight honorable all the time." She'd say a bit sheepishly, before looking over her hand. "Nope, any twos?" She'd ask.

**Roadbuster (140) has posed:**
Roadbuster looks at his cards before shaking his head, "Do agree it can be necessary. While have none, got any..." He ponders a bit, "Eights?"

**Starlock has posed:**
      Starlock shook her helm as she sat down a pair of cards, an seven of cogs, and a even of energon cubes. "Nope..fives?" She'd reply as she drew her card.

      "It can be useful.... I don't want to say anyone would be stupid for /not/ fighting dirty when necessary but.. Well, bad people don't tend to play fair, and will use honorable tactics against those with them." She'd explain. "..Like someone once told me, if you can't bend, your going to break."

**Roadbuster (140) has posed:**
Roadbuster looks to his cards before finally noticing and placing down two pairs. First being a 10 of Energon and Disks, the other being a prime of Energon and Cogs. Looking over his cards he says, "Yeah I do agree. Just not gonna go overboard like some." Course what may happen in the future is anyone's guess. Looking to the femme he says, "Got any titans?"

**Starlock has posed:**
     "Agreed, it should be used situationally, and sparingly." She'd say as she passed over her titan of cogs... Before letting out a hem and tilting her head. "Know.. not often people just.. talk to me like this, I mean, Sky Lynx does, but Sky Lynx is good to talk Ideology and such about... If you can get through his stories."

**Roadbuster (140) has posed:**
Roadbuster takes the cards and puts the titans of sparks and cogs on the table, "If you can last through his stories your one of the few that can. You ever met old Kup?" Looking at his remaining cards he says, "Got any nines?"

**Starlock has posed:**
     Starlock would pass him a card, while setting aside her own pair. "I can actually, I like them." She'd chuckle. "And Kup? No, i've yet to meet him, I've heard his name come up a couple times though." She'd explain.

**Roadbuster (140) has posed:**
"That old vets got a lot of his own stories. All good in their own way." , Roadbuster replies as he takes the card and places the 9's of Energon and Disks down, "Well have any eights now?"

**Starlock has posed:**
     "Nope not this time." She'd grin, looking at her hand. "Any...Threes?" She'd ask, with a grin on her face. "I'd not mind hearing them, I used to be a librarian and Archivist, so I'd scribe stories of others from time to time." She'd explain.

**Roadbuster (140) has posed:**
Roadbuster draws one card before shaking his head, "So what made you decide to be a combat medic or did Ratchet just pull you in when Jazz grabbed him?" He tries not to glance at the discard pile before saying, "Got any sevens?"

**Starlock has posed:**
     Starlock draws a card and shakes her helm. "I decided to be a medic after... uhh I think a vorn? after the war really started after the clampdown, I kinda struggled with my decision, but with the news.. and some help from someone I want to now forget.. I got into medical school." She'd explain.

      "Eventually ended up under Ratchet, the Combat medic thing kinda.. just.. happened." She'd laugh. "Who knew I'd be good at fighting." She'd smile tiredly. "Believe it or not the /cons/ started calling me that first."

      "Any aces?"

**Roadbuster (140) has posed:**
Roadbuster draws a card before shaking his head saying, "Well everyone has their own hidden talents." He chuckles a bit, "Even better if enemy hates that you can fight." Looking at his cards he says, "Any sixes?"

**Starlock has posed:**
     Starlock drew a card, looked at it, and set aside her match. "Nope" She'd say. "Any fives?" She'd then ask before thinking.

      "Believe it or not, I don't /want/ to hurt anymore." She'd say. "But I know that's unrealistic in this type of situation... I'd rather be repairing people but.. Well, can't do that if my enemy kills 'em first" she'd frown.

**Roadbuster (140) has posed:**
Roadbuster draws a card and shakes his head, "Nah, any fours?" Looking to Starlock he says, "Yeah can understand that. But a situation like out there isn't always fair. If there was no war ya probably be pulling people from something else before repairs if still went med route."

**Starlock has posed:**
     Starlock shook her helm and drew a card, setting aside a pair of threes. "Nope, any Aces?" she'd ask again.

      Starlock would then chuckle. "Search and Rescue like Blades, First Aid, Beachcomber, and Groove." She'd say with a smile. "...But your right, I probably would be, that or some kinda' treasure hunter, or archaeologist." She'd nod.

      "...But you are right, if this war ended tomorrow, I'd still be trying in some way to help, have put a lot of myself into my work." She'd then to herself though and frown. "...Need to work on my fear of heights." She'd muse to herself.

**Roadbuster (140) has posed:**
Roadbuster draws a card then places down a pair of sixes, "Yeah lotta possibilities." Though for a military mech like Buster options prob limited. He doesn't say that as he looks to his cards, "Any eights show up?"

**Starlock has posed:**
     When she didn't get a response, she drew a card. "Nope." She'd say, looking at her three cards. "Any Nines?" She'd then ask, grinning.

      "What about you?" She'd ask. "Heh, don't wanna make it seem like this is all about me." She'd explain honestly.

**Roadbuster (140) has posed:**
"Still running the beat in the Kaon security forces unless someone pulls me elsewhere. Not exactly forged for much else." , Roadbuster replies before looking over his cards, "None here, any fours?"

**Starlock has posed:**
     Starlock shakes her helm, drawing a card. "Any threes?" She'd ask, and would think.

      "..What about.. if you didn't have to be settled with what you were forged for?" She'd ask.

      "I only ask because.. Well, I wasn't forged a medic myself, kinda.. wasn't forged for anything.." She'd explain. "I made myself into what I wanted to do." She'd nod.

**Roadbuster (140) has posed:**
Roadbuster draws a card as he thinks before saying, "Honestly I don't know. I go with what I know." Looking over his cards he says, "Not really something I thought on. While have none, you got any sevens?"

**Starlock has posed:**
     "Nope" She'd say as she drew a card. "Any titans?" She'd then ask, before thinking. "...KNow I don't think most really.. Thought about it, till slag hit the fan.... I only really got to thinking about it, because I slowly learned to draw, and realized I /didn't/ have to be what someone else told me to be" She would nod.

**Roadbuster (140) has posed:**
"Yeah I see your point and its something to think on.", Roadbuster replies before looking over his cards before placing them face down on the table as his radio goes off. Looking back to Starlock he says, "Got none and looks like got to cut this short. Was fun."

**Starlock has posed:**
     Starlock nodded, and started gathering the card piles and shuffling them again. "It's alright thank thank you for talking with me. It was nice to have someone to talk to." She'd smile. "Safe steps." She'd say, before looking back at the cards, and vented.

**First Aid has posed:**
First Aid comes into the barracks, dragging a cart full of supplies with him. Does he plan on sorting those here? Of course he does he never takes time off of work. "Hi, Gues." he greets with his warm tone. "What are you up to?"

**Starlock has posed:**
     Starlock perked up and looked over and waved to Aid, cards still in her hand. "Ah, Roadbusters heading to bed.. we where playing a game of cards and talking mainly." She'd smile, she was looking better since the fight with Ravage.

      "Doing the Medbay inventory?" She'd ask, setting the card deck down.

**First Aid has posed:**
First Aid nods "Yeah, I figure I'd do a cart before heading to bed." He says. "Im sorry I missed you then Roadbuster. How are you feeling, Starlock?" he asks.

**Starlock has posed:**
     "Better.. I'm just waiting for clearance to be allowed back on the field." She'd nod, placing her hand on her bicep for emphasis... Trying to hide the fact she was still a littttle sore.

      "...Could give you hand if you want it to go quicker." she'd smile, walking over to the sofa.

**First Aid has posed:**
First Aid nods "Well I'd give yourself some time to rest. You should ahve that clearance soon." he says. "If you want. Sometimes organizing and helping with anything helps me think better." He says.

**Starlock has posed:**
     "Alright." she'd say as she waited for him to come over. "...What are you thinking about?" She'd ask as she waited to start. "...I find.. Talking to someone, helps me sort my thoughts." She'd say with a spin of her hand as she pointed at Aid.

**First Aid has posed:**
First Aid approaches , bringing his cart along. He moves it back and forth until hes sure its not squeaking before coming along. "Just wondering if you're healing okay." he tenses when the conversation comes to him. "Well you can always talk to me you know. Im fine. My life isnt complicated."

**Starlock has posed:**
     "I know, but I also want to be sure you can talk to me.. Not fair for me to dump my issues on you all the time and not allow you to talk to me in turn." She'd say with a smile, and start sorting once allowed. "I'll be okay.. I'm always okay.. I have to be, I'm the one that gets back up, and keeps moving forward." She'd nod, as if this was something important to those around her... But she knew that wasn't true, there where going to come times were she would not, be okay, and possibly even die.

      She pushes those thoughts away though, and looks at Aid. "I have a vague memory or something stressing you out while I was on the slab, that you said you'd talk to me about later....Still want to?" She'd ask.

**First Aid has posed:**
First Aid nods "Yeah I know I can talk to you." He syas. "I sometimes wish I had more you could help me with. As long as Im working Im fine. Its when Im not that I have problems." he pauses. "I worry about you sometimes. I worry you'll get hurt and wont come back, thats all."

**Starlock has posed:**
     "...Your scared I'm going to get permanently offlined?" She'd question, as if confirming if she heard him right. "...I suppose that's fair, I think.. Ratchet has a similar fear..." She'd muse in thought... But then frowns. "..When did I become so important?" She'd question looking down. "Why am I important? Our friendships, I can understand that but.." She'd hem.

**First Aid has posed:**
First Aid nods "I am. I really am. You're one of the few friends I have. I dont think a lot of people talk to me or like me. Its good to have you around."

**Starlock has posed:**
     "..I don't' think thaaat Aid, I think a lot of people do like you." She'd nod. "..But you are right.. they don't try to approach you alot.." She'd murmur. "...I have sort of the same issue, I actually have /a lot/ to say, just... no one asks me, or is interested in my opinion, and to keep from talking someones audials up, if i'm not asked, I don't say." She'd explain.

**First Aid has posed:**
First Aid shakes his head. "Im not outgoing like Hot Rod, or famous like Blurr. Im no Ratchet eitehr. Im just me. Im easy to look over. but you never did. You're probaby the only person who is like that to me." he says.

**Starlock has posed:**
     "...Maybe it's because I'm similar?" She'd ask, looking at him. "..I blend in the wall easy, and get looked over if I'm not out right in peoples faces." She'd explain, and looked down to her hands. "It's lonely... Living like that.. Painfully so, wanting to be part of people's lives, befriending and being with them but.. Your so easily forgotten it makes life hard." She'd say sadly.

      "...I don't like seeing people suffer like that.. It's why I try to extend my hand to those left behind.." She'd hem. "...It's because I know what it's like" She'd say with a nod.

**First Aid has posed:**
First Aid nods "Just another guy you know. Not anyones good friend, not anyones anything. Im just Aid, you know. Ratchet's helper. I dont have amny people and sometimes it bothers me. But its really okay becasue Im sort of shy around folks." he admits.

**Starlock has posed:**
     "And that's okay..." She'd smile. "...Your a doctor first, your not a soldier, you heal, and only heal." She'd nod. "...And I think that's why Ratchet picked you, and not me." She'd say sagely.

      She'd bring her hands up to touch his cheek platting. "...You are important, you save the lives of others, but you know humility." She'd explain, but glanced away, starting to think low of herself, but glanced back, to him, refusing to admit her self hatred.

      "You'll get there.. you have time..You can make friends... Your always changing, so don't think you'll always be like this, yeah?" She'd smile softly.

**First Aid has posed:**
First Aid nods "Yeah thats all I do." He says. "So I guess I expect peopel dont see me around as much as someone they're used to fighting with." his cheek warms to her touch almost in a blush under his mask. "THank you. I Know I am. You are too. We're all very important." he says. "Yeah. Sorry if Im awkward."

**Starlock has posed:**
     "Battle does bring people closer together.. That I do know, because you need to /trust/ the person you fighting with, has your back else.. If you don't, it means it's likely you could die due to their mistakes." She'd explain. "..It's why I get so /angry/ with Blurr, or Hot Rod when I do that, and they just... Disregard It and do what they want, because people around them, end up suffering for it." She'd nod, feeling that anger in her spark, thinking back on those times she'd been in combat with them.

      "Eheh.. It's.. It's okay.. I'm not.." She'd start, glancing away, then back. "...I'm not.. used to being loved.. By Others.. or myself." She'd /finally/ admit. "It's all really weird.. and really new to me."

**First Aid has posed:**
First Aid nods "yeah that whole heroism thing for glory is stupid. Maybe I need to get out there and fight more often." he says.

**Starlock has posed:**
     "Very stupid, those wanting Glory just want to be lionized, and those wanting to be heros? I don't think they understand what a hero is." She'd agree thinking.

      "...Honestly it also feeds into the over idolization of bravery." She'd say thoughtfully. "Being brave isn't all that big hero stuff people make it out to be.. it can be something small like going to the doctor, which your scared of, because you need to take care of yourself." She'd nod.

      "....Being a hero is... I believe in hero's, but I.. temper it."

**First Aid has posed:**
First Aid shakes his head. "My heroes aren't people like that. My heroes are people who go through their own hells and back and still remain compassionate people and good friends. Like Optimus Prime, and Ratchet. Those are my kind of heroes. Sure I love to read about wreckers wreck and ruling but thats fantasy. In reality I prefer those heroes that I know ae just like you or me. Nothing special just rising in the face of all that is wrong and facing it."

**Starlock has posed:**
     Starlock smiled, and nodded with a chuckle. "Yeah.. Those are mine too...." she'd pull her hands away. "...We medics for example.. We see all the worst of war.. injuries so grusom normal bots would just... break down unsure what to do.. Deaths too." She'd muse.

      "...I've seen bots on the field completely burned out, or had their components torn and scattered across the field... Just there, slowly dying with their sparks exposed." She'd say, looking off into the distance as she remembered some of the horrors she'd seen.

      "...You know, I was wrong about you." She'd muse. "...In the start I mean.. It's why I keep telling you to don't /have/ to fight.. and just.. protect those in your care.. Why I suggested the forcefield."

**First Aid has posed:**
First Aid tilts his head. "What did you think about me when we first met?" He asks. "I hope I wasnt too bad. I've been trying to learn, I still feel like Im fresh off the assembly line."
     First Aid nods. "I've been hands deep in other people's fuel and I know a lot of people wouldnt like that. But thats how I've always been. Ever since I came online. I didnt care how nasty it was if it'd help people. I want to make things right and sometimes I think I can't do that with a gun and if I tried, I'd just end up like Megatron or worse." he nods. "The forcefield is a great idea."

**Starlock has posed:**
     "To someone like me, who's already over a thousand years old? you kinda are still fresh." She'd chuckle. "But really, when we first met, I thought you were going to get hurt badly, killed even because you wouldn't defend yourself."

      "But knowing you now, I've realized... That's never what you meant, You will defend yourself, and others... You just.." she'd look at her hands. "Don't... Want to be someone else's gun."

**First Aid has posed:**
     First Aid nods "That's whats weird what a lot of people think about peoplep like me. Pacifists." he says. "That we will simply roll over and die because we can't fight."
     First Aid says. "I dont believe in fighitng. I believe that most situations can be resolved through talking, but if someone is in danger I will do what I need to do to protect them. Its never the first option but that doesnt mean I wont do what s necessary to save those who are fighting or protect myself or my friends. I dont know does that make me a hypocrite?" he asks. "Im sort of afraid if I do start fighting more often I'll start liking it more and more and become bloodthirsty."

**Starlock has posed:**
     "Yeah.. I realized your like me... You show it differently, but you are similar, you want to make a change by showing we don't /have/ to fight and can talk it out." she'd smile.

      "... I don't know, I often struggle with that, thinking I'm a hypocrite, but then I remember, we doctors /need/ to be hypocritical, else our patients would wiggle out of treatment!" She'd laugh. "Kinda our secret weapon." She'd nod.

      "....That is a worry.. Friendly sparring, where no one gets hurt and it's all in good fun is fine but... When you have to... hurt someone it.. It doesn't feel right.. Even with protecting someone, just.. have to remember, in situations like that, it's you or them, and it's fast, so you wont have time to even think about that till it's over."

**First Aid has posed:**
     First Aid chuckles. "See we are so much alike." He says. "You get me. I dont want to end up a glory hound, or someone who loves to fight. I want to remember what we do is horrible. When I forget that then I will forget why I do it."

**Starlock has posed:**
     "...Know Aid, I think you have nothing to worry about." She'd nod. "...If you truly believe that, and it's at the core of who you are.. I don't think, you'll ever forget it." She'd grin, at him with tilted helm. "Sure some opinions will change and grow, but that's part of living.. but if that's who you are? I don't think you have anything to fear." She'd smile.

      "We do need to work on your combat form a bit though." She'd chuckle. "Ooof, when you come in slagged like you did the couple of times..." She'd take a vent through her denta.

**First Aid has posed:**
     First Aid shook his head. "You didnt see me in the dead end, when I let myself go. It wasnt pretty. I couldnt let myself do that again."

**Starlock has posed:**
     "...Yeah... It happened." she'd say with a nod. "...Denying it would make it hard to move past.. Those feelings are there." She'd explain, putting her arm around him. "...But you learned from it.. I'm just.. sorry you had to learn /that/ way.." She'd nod.

**First Aid has posed:**
First Aid nods "And thats why I do what I do. I mean when the cons compliment you you know you're doing something wrong." he hugs her close.

**Starlock has posed:**
     Starlock chuckled. "Yeah." She'd hug him back. "...We'll figure it out." She'd say simply, closing her optics. "..Feeling a bit better?" She'd ask.

**First Aid has posed:**
First Aid returns the hug. "Oh, yes. How did you even know I was feeling bad is beyond me." he says. "How are you doing now?"

**Starlock has posed:**
     "I'm a lot more in tune with people's emotions then they realize.. it's like.. I can feel it around them much stronger than others." Little did she know, it was /not/ because she was good at reading people..

      "Better" She'd smile. "...A lot better really... Haven't felt this... Happy, in sometime." She'd laugh.

**First Aid has posed:**
First Aid chuckles. "Such an empath tahts pretty good. Thats kinda the way I feel. If you're happy. Im happy. Im glad I can make you happy, Starlock." he says softly.

**Starlock has posed:**
     "Empath... Huh, never really thought of it that way.. Just.. thought It was called hyper Empathy since.." She'd frown, knowing what she was about to dive into, but shook it off.

      "I'm glad too." She'd yawn, and then look at the stuff they've been sorting.

**First Aid has posed:**
First Aid considers "Whats an empath other then someone with hyper empathy?" he says. "Its a gift, really. Sometimes a curse but.." he says. "I get that way too sometimes." He looks to the stuff they've been sorting and chuckles. His hands have been working the whole time. "These parts are all looking the same arent they? Maybe we should rest."

**Starlock has posed:**
     She'd chuckle. "Well.. I mean mines because I was...Abused." She'd say, feeling a bit shameful, but pushes it aside once more and looks over at the parts and chuckles. "Yeah, they are... Also you? Suggesting Recharge? Now I know for a fact your tired." She'd chuckle.

**First Aid has posed:**
First Aid frowns "Oh no. Who abused you?" He asks. "I didnt know you had such things happen to you." he says softly, glad to pay attention even though hes starting to fade.

**Starlock has posed:**
     "Moonseeker." She'd say simply. "I'll tell you more later, for now, lets get some recharge." She'd say, noting his fading, fairly, she was starting to as well.

**First Aid has posed:**
First Aid murmurs. "Moonseeker. What happened with him?" he asks, tilting his head curiously.

**Starlock has posed:**
     Starlock would get up, and offered her hand out to Aid, as she thought, looking concerned. "I... Don't know." She'd say, trying very hard, to /try/ and remember. "There was a fight... After I had enough.. I lost.. My..Teacher was there..." She'd scan the floor. "I blacked out.. I remember.. I broke one of his optics."