44th Transmission - Video

[heavyweaponsbot]

[There's a brief shot of Ironhide's face.  He looks, as per usual, disgruntled, while he toys with the comm.  Behind him are flashes of piles of objects, ranging from cardboard boxes of what looks like leather, to a neat row of plants in empty bottles.]

...

Need a favor.  Someone.

[That's all he says before the feed clicks off.]

Comments

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

O-Oh, uhm.



H-He's not... mad o-or anything, is-- is he? I mean he, he shouldn't be, w-we found the lobster and it was, uhm, not--not h-hurt or a--anything...

[heavyweaponsbot]

[Ironhide reaches out with his good leg, poking at Xanth with a toe.]

He is... displeased with me. That is nothing new. Not worried about it.

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

I-I guess I sh-shouldn't be either, th-then?

[heavyweaponsbot]

No. You should not.

[Xanth is lucky Ironhide's restricting his... supposed displays of affection to the nudging. Usually it's shoves, noogies, smacks, and other sorts of vaguely aggressive actions.]

Calm down. I know how to deal with him.

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

I-I am calm. S-sort of.

W-Well, calmish...

[heavyweaponsbot]

[No, organics are fragile. He tries to be careful with them.

... and probably the entire reason the lobster got out was his leaving their room, so...]

You do not seem calm. Seem nervous, still. Like the green-haired kid.

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

I-I guess so...

[heavyweaponsbot]

[He grunts, and nudges him again.]

You are free to leave, if you want.

[Not that he minds Xanth hanging around. The company is... actually pretty welcome.]

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

W-Well, uh, I don't... actually have a-anything better to--to do, but, uh, if... if you want, I-I'll go?

[heavyweaponsbot]

[The lack of a frightened reaction gets a nod of approval from him. Good work, kiddo!]

You can do what you like. Your presence... does not bother me.

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

I'll... I-I'll stay a while, th-then, if-- if you don't m--mind.

[heavyweaponsbot]

[He makes a noncommittal grunt, and gestures across the room.]

He keeps books over there. If you want one.

lol keywords

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

I, uhm, thanks, b-but I... can't.. r-really read. Yet.

it's from a comic where they fight zombies. I'm not even joking.

[heavyweaponsbot]

[That gets Ironhide's attention. He swings his head around to stare at Xanth, shuttering his optics repeatedly.]

You... cannot read?

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

N-No, I, uh, I-I wasn't-- n-no one could t--teach me.

[heavyweaponsbot]

[There's a long silence. His good optic flicks from the pile of books, to Xanth, and back again.]

... Those are Ratchet's books. Ask him sometime. He needs the distraction, you need the help.

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

Co--could he e-even... read m-my language? I-I mean, not-- not like I don't w-want the help, i-it's just, um, I don't... want him t-to go to trouble for--for nothing.

[heavyweaponsbot]

[Ironhide scoffs, though, he sounds more amused than anything.]

We learned your languages from your internet. No language on Earth we cannot speak. Or read.

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

...i-internet?

[heavyweaponsbot]

... Yeah. Internet.

Never heard of it?

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

W-We don't... have... i-internet, w-where I'm from. I'm-- I'm not e-even from Earth, th-the place is called A-Auris.

[heavyweaponsbot]

[There's a long pause, while Ironhide just... stares at him. He shutters his optics.]

That... may be a problem. You want to learn to read? It will be... Earth... languages.

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

That's... what I was w-worried about. B-But, uhm, I'm-- I'm p-pretty sure I've s-seen books in m-my language here. I-I mean I can't r--read it, but I, I recognize it...

[heavyweaponsbot]

Hmnf.

[He frowns, turning this over in his head.]

... Ratchet is smart. Bring them to him. See if he can... translate or something.

[Provided his friend didn't get too distracted, anyway.]

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

O-Okay!



I--Ironhide?