Me, Myself, and I

Kade rocked his chair back on two legs and planted his feet on the desk, patently bored. His continuing education video droned on and on about elementary safety checks which, while important, wasn’t something that a seasoned fire fighter like himself particularly needed a refresher on. Especially when he and Heatwave spent a week every school year drilling the exact same information into the heads of excitable elementary school children. At least their presentation had way more entertainment value….

“Sheesh, this guy could give Mayor Luskey a run for his money, how long is this video?” Kade had just started to reach for the computer mouse when a loud honk from outside startled him. Picking himself and his chair up off the floor, the fire fighter stalked to the window and leaned out to see an ambulance parked in the driveway below.

When Ezra sets the bowl of soup near Rob he smiles and picks up the bowl. "I am but a Cybertronian medic in a human avatar Ezra. I do not have the capability to make such a intricate device like this. Though I did have a hands on experience with working on transformation cogs when I was younger." he notes.

Doc Greene shook his head as he brought his own sandwich and bowl of soup to the table. “Working with the very device that allows one to transform sounds… nerve wracking, quite honestly, though I imagine you must have gained an extraordinary amount of knowledge in the process.”

The scientist dipped the corner of his grilled cheese into his soup bowl and took a bite, swallowing the combo with a quiet hum of satisfaction before turning his focus to Robustus’s question. “It’s called soup. Usually it’s a vegetable, or combination of vegetables, that have been liquified, but some varieties add noodles, pieces of meat, or chopped up pieces of the veggies themselves… or all three, to add a bit of texture to it. This particular soup is tomato, though, botanically speaking, the tomato is actually considered a fruit, but in culinary circles it’s called a vegetable because of it’s savory nature—“

"It was a test of the know how of the team of mechs we gathered together to work upon cogs and alter them. Because of our work the triple changers became a thing. Heatwave is an example of a quadchanger." Rob explains, "We went through a little trial and error with non-functional cogs and worked up to ones inside a living mech or femme."

A little nod to the explanation of soup, "It has a pleasant tang to it that I appreciate." a smile at Kade, "I got my answer as to what type of soup, which has been answered. I do appreciate a scientific reply though."

Kade, meanwhile, was in over his head. He’d never really been interested in the scientific world and long explanations with big words usually resulted in complete lack of comprehension on his part.

“Soooo transformation cog equals transforming, got it.”

At least he’d paid attention to Rob’s first sentence.

Tipping the last of the soup from the pot into his bowl, Kade frowned at the empty sandwich platter before getting up to start opening cabinets.

He'll look over at Kade, "Yes, exactly." he replies with a smile. He'll work on a bit more of his soup as he watches the man search the cabinets for more food. A soft chuckle escapes him.

“And I have a growing me to feed.” Kade opened the cabinet that Doc had indicated, quickly catching a jar of jelly and a few cans of tuna as they rolled off the shelf. He winced as a plastic jar of peanut butter slipped through his fingers and clattered noisily against the floor. “I think your shelves could stand a little leveling out, Doc… and Dither could stand a tune up. I mean, who stacks cans and jars on their sides like that?”

Kade dumped his armload of canned goods on the countertop and retrieved the crackers he was after.

Someone beat my muse up. Send “just a casual visit” for my muse to show up at your muse’s door in this state.

Shit. This was not supposed to happen. This type of stuff was acceptable back on their home planet, but drunken bar fights in secret warehouse bars on Earth? And with his partner in his condition? Kup had fragged up.

It was late, and Heatwave was probably fraught with worry that the Gunny hadn't come home right after shift change. But the stress of becoming a Sire, the stress of a new job he didn't really like, and the forced partnership between him and Kade had driven the old bot to bad habits.

It was the middle of the night, and Kade was off duty. Luckily with him not being at the firehouse, there was a chance that his temporary human counterpart would be home. And so, in his altmode, the old jalopy parks in front of his garage - laying down on the horn to rouse him from his slumber.

“Do you have any idea what ti— Kup?”

The bright security light mounted over the garage’s bay door spotlighted the state the old pickup was in. Wordlessly, Kade pulled his head back and shut his bedroom window. Toeing on a pair of slippers, he ran to the garage and hit the button for the automatic door.

"Ah fragged up Kade..." Kup murmurs drunkenly before he's hiccuping up at the overhead light. "Ah let it get to me. All tha stress. If ya think Ah look bad, ya should see tha other mech. Blew out both his front tires."

He pauses a moment as he takes a shaky vent.

"This ain't tha kinda bot he should be with Kade... Ah ain't good enough. He deserves better. And now Ah can't even go back to tha hangar lookin' like this?

Kade moved in a slow circle as he looked Kup over. “Broken windshield, fender and back bumper damage… not as bad as it could be, I suppose. I’ve got spare parts aplenty, so no worries there, but… you’re gonna have to find a different way to work off stress.”

"Ever tried a rage room?"

"Frag's a rage room?" It seemed pretty self explanatory, but it didn't hurt to ask.

"Heatwave's gonna have mah helm. Ya think ya can cover fer me? Jus' tell him Ah came here and fell asleep after work?"

Kup...

“Like I said, you need a different coping mechanism. A couple of drinks is fine, but how is passing out drunk supposed to help you or Heatwave?”

“Lemme at that fender, I’ll mend that crack then work on the bumper… A rage room is basically a place where they give you a choice of weapon and a room full of junk that you can smash to pieces until you feel better.”

Hearing the first half of Kup’s request, the fire fighter paused for a moment with a screwdriver suspended in midair. He was about to grab a mallet and give his temporary partner another dent to worry about, until Kup changed his mind.

Letting out a breath he hadn’t been aware he was holding, Kade continued working.

The flight from Manhattan to the sleepy coastal town of Griffon Rock was just shy of an hour. Just enough time to get situated, enjoy a beverage, and land. She hadn't originally planned on heading there for the holidays, but with her brother coming home from deployment as a surprise for his boyfriend, she had to be there. How long had it been since she'd seen Colt? Well certainly not since he'd met and fallen in love with Hunter. Talk about a crazy whirlwind romance! She was happy for the Gunny, and excited to finally meet up with him and his new beaux.

Tossing her pink carry-on into the back of the Tesla, she was soon en-route to the quaint downtown area to check in to the little bed and breakfast. A cozy little spot that made New York feel millions of miles away. No hustle and bustle, no constant horns honking or sirens wailing. She could get used to this. She spent the afternoon exploring, enjoying the sights and shops, and even had a bite to eat at the pizzeria. It was all going great, until the car was out of charge. She hadn't seen a single EV charging station the entire time - wondering why in the world the rental company would offer that type of vehicle in an incompatible market?

The vehicle slowed, then crawled, then stopped. Battery was dead as a door nail. Raking her manicured hand down her face, the blonde sighed as she climbed out of the vehicle - frowning that she was only about 2 miles away from the inn. Pulling put her phone to call for assistance, she hadn't noticed that it too had died.

"Well now, fer tha love of..."

The wind was picking up - a winter storm looming off the coast threatened to kick in. Stuck outside in a winter weather advisory certainly was the last thing she had on her bingo card for today. She'd passed a firestation just a few blocks back, maybe they could at least help her charge her phone?

Why had she worn heels? She could navigate the runway with ease in her sky high Christian Louboutins, but not exactly sidewalks. She stuck out like a sore thumb at best. And by the time she finally approached the station, her petite feet were screaming.

So now what? Did she just go inside? Did she look in the garage? Did they have an office? How did this all work? With the clouds building and threatening snow, she decided it best to just walk into the open garage and hope for the best.

Kade closed his eyes and ran a finger down the menu, eventually stopping on a dish called The Cajun Combo Platter.

“ ‘A delectable variety of New Orleans’ finest cuisine right at your fingertips.’ Ooo, perfect, this’ll be really easy to share.”

Leaning back in the seat, she notes that there aren't any other patrons outside. "Would ya mind if Ah hit mah vape? Bad habit, Ah know."

Retrieving the little pink device from her purse she sets it on the table to await his answer. If he says no, she can certainly put it away or excuse herself to another locale.

"So, what exciting things does a glamorous model like yourself do for fun?"

"Glamorous?" She smiles before twirling a blonde strand around her fingers. "Ah don't know that Ah'd call mahself glamorous, but Ah love ta do all kinds o' things. S' funny. There's city girl Tessa who loves gertin' glammed up, shoppin', spas, and goin' ta nightclubs. And then there's country girl Tess, who rocks a pair o' sweats, loves ridin' horses, and goin' ta dive bars with Colt."

She can't help but snicker at the stark contrasts in her own hobbies. It's almost like a double life!

He paid attention as Tess enumerated her hobbies, some of which surprised him. “Hard to imagine you in a dive bar, but I get it, they can be kinda fun. There’s one at the far end of the docks across from the marina that throws a decent karaoke night twice a month.”

Drinks were delivered, along with complementary Cajun chips and dip. After thanking the server, Kade thought about his own hobbies.

"Ah'd definitely love ta hit that place up one o' these days, considerin' that Colt's moved here Ah won't be a stranger."

With the arrival of their drinks, Tessa is quick to take a sip - enjoying the delightful marriage of Prosecco and orange juice. Once this is finished however, she might opt for a local seasonal cider. Helping herself to a chip with crab dip, she listens intently to Kade sharing his hobbies.

"Y'all have a drive-in?? Ah ain't been ta one of those since Ah was knee high to a grasshopper!" Cue the internal cringe and facepalm. You could take the girl out of the country... "Ah mean, ain't been to one since Ah was little."

Smooth...

"Crash ball? Ain't never heard o' that... tell me more!"

This was so fun. And maybe if she played her cards right, she could talk Cade into going to that arcade before her flight back to the city.

He took a sip of his drink, winced, and proceeded to stir in the contents of roughly a dozen sugar packets from the container on the table.

“Well, crash ball is kind of a mix between soccer and football…..” The fire fighter had just finished illustrating one of the game’s finer points using the salt and pepper shakers and a small Tabasco sauce bottle as visual aides, when a steaming plate of food was plunked down at his elbow.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I do have other tables I need to get to.” A harried looking waiter unloaded two small plates and a pair of bowls onto the table as well.

Kade blinked up at her with an apologetic smile and a sheepish “Thank you.” The woman laid Tess’s plate on the table as well and with a quick “Enjoy your meal,” hurried back indoors.

Peering through the windows to the indoor area, Kade let out a low whistle at the crowd. “Forgot how popular this place is, good thing we got here when we did.”

Someone beat my muse up. Send “just a casual visit” for my muse to show up at your muse’s door in this state.

Shit. This was not supposed to happen. This type of stuff was acceptable back on their home planet, but drunken bar fights in secret warehouse bars on Earth? And with his partner in his condition? Kup had fragged up.

It was late, and Heatwave was probably fraught with worry that the Gunny hadn't come home right after shift change. But the stress of becoming a Sire, the stress of a new job he didn't really like, and the forced partnership between him and Kade had driven the old bot to bad habits.

It was the middle of the night, and Kade was off duty. Luckily with him not being at the firehouse, there was a chance that his temporary human counterpart would be home. And so, in his altmode, the old jalopy parks in front of his garage - laying down on the horn to rouse him from his slumber.

“Do you have any idea what ti— Kup?”

The bright security light mounted over the garage’s bay door spotlighted the state the old pickup was in. Wordlessly, Kade pulled his head back and shut his bedroom window. Toeing on a pair of slippers, he ran to the garage and hit the button for the automatic door.

"Ah fragged up Kade..." Kup murmurs drunkenly before he's hiccuping up at the overhead light. "Ah let it get to me. All tha stress. If ya think Ah look bad, ya should see tha other mech. Blew out both his front tires."

He pauses a moment as he takes a shaky vent.

"This ain't tha kinda bot he should be with Kade... Ah ain't good enough. He deserves better. And now Ah can't even go back to tha hangar lookin' like this?

Kade moved in a slow circle as he looked Kup over. “Broken windshield, fender and back bumper damage… not as bad as it could be, I suppose. I’ve got spare parts aplenty, so no worries there, but… you’re gonna have to find a different way to work off stress.”

Someone beat my muse up. Send “just a casual visit” for my muse to show up at your muse’s door in this state.

Shit. This was not supposed to happen. This type of stuff was acceptable back on their home planet, but drunken bar fights in secret warehouse bars on Earth? And with his partner in his condition? Kup had fragged up.

It was late, and Heatwave was probably fraught with worry that the Gunny hadn't come home right after shift change. But the stress of becoming a Sire, the stress of a new job he didn't really like, and the forced partnership between him and Kade had driven the old bot to bad habits.

It was the middle of the night, and Kade was off duty. Luckily with him not being at the firehouse, there was a chance that his temporary human counterpart would be home. And so, in his altmode, the old jalopy parks in front of his garage - laying down on the horn to rouse him from his slumber.

“Do you have any idea what ti— Kup?”

The bright security light mounted over the garage’s bay door spotlighted the state the old pickup was in. Wordlessly, Kade pulled his head back and shut his bedroom window. Toeing on a pair of slippers, he ran to the garage and hit the button for the automatic door.

For a group that Optimus claimed to be hiding, the Prime certainly enjoyed dumping random bots on their doorstep.

Kade gazed speculatively at the new mech, there was no Decepticon symbol present, but he couldn’t see an Autobot one either, he looked a little like Chase.

Cybertronians. Optimus. Did he mean Optimus Prime.....? Names and figures he's heard of but knew only a little about, honestly.

"Ah....no. He did not. And I am not a Cybertronian. I am a Metal Cardbot."

He explains slowly, making sure his tone is friendly and calm.

He carefully 'shakes hands' with Kade holding one of his digits and moving his hand up and down a few times.

"It's a bit of a long story but.....I and my kind come from the planet Machina, which was destroyed in a large explosion. Many of us Cardbots escaped the destruction and were sent across the cosmos....with many of us landing here on Earth. And now we are doing our best to make lives here, and have made friends with humans along the way...."

He starts, actively deciding how many details to share all at once so as not to overwhelm Kade. Though, if the guy had already his own dealings with alien robots from space, he could probably handle it all....probably.

What were the chances.....?

Kade paused as he remembered Optimus and Bumblebee telling him and the others about Unicron… and about Megatron almost terraforming the earth.

“Actually, I take it back, we’ve been on the verge of planetary destruction a few times without most people being any the wiser.”

The flight from Manhattan to the sleepy coastal town of Griffon Rock was just shy of an hour. Just enough time to get situated, enjoy a beverage, and land. She hadn't originally planned on heading there for the holidays, but with her brother coming home from deployment as a surprise for his boyfriend, she had to be there. How long had it been since she'd seen Colt? Well certainly not since he'd met and fallen in love with Hunter. Talk about a crazy whirlwind romance! She was happy for the Gunny, and excited to finally meet up with him and his new beaux.

Tossing her pink carry-on into the back of the Tesla, she was soon en-route to the quaint downtown area to check in to the little bed and breakfast. A cozy little spot that made New York feel millions of miles away. No hustle and bustle, no constant horns honking or sirens wailing. She could get used to this. She spent the afternoon exploring, enjoying the sights and shops, and even had a bite to eat at the pizzeria. It was all going great, until the car was out of charge. She hadn't seen a single EV charging station the entire time - wondering why in the world the rental company would offer that type of vehicle in an incompatible market?

The vehicle slowed, then crawled, then stopped. Battery was dead as a door nail. Raking her manicured hand down her face, the blonde sighed as she climbed out of the vehicle - frowning that she was only about 2 miles away from the inn. Pulling put her phone to call for assistance, she hadn't noticed that it too had died.

"Well now, fer tha love of..."

The wind was picking up - a winter storm looming off the coast threatened to kick in. Stuck outside in a winter weather advisory certainly was the last thing she had on her bingo card for today. She'd passed a firestation just a few blocks back, maybe they could at least help her charge her phone?

Why had she worn heels? She could navigate the runway with ease in her sky high Christian Louboutins, but not exactly sidewalks. She stuck out like a sore thumb at best. And by the time she finally approached the station, her petite feet were screaming.

So now what? Did she just go inside? Did she look in the garage? Did they have an office? How did this all work? With the clouds building and threatening snow, she decided it best to just walk into the open garage and hope for the best.

Kade closed his eyes and ran a finger down the menu, eventually stopping on a dish called The Cajun Combo Platter.

“ ‘A delectable variety of New Orleans’ finest cuisine right at your fingertips.’ Ooo, perfect, this’ll be really easy to share.”

Leaning back in the seat, she notes that there aren't any other patrons outside. "Would ya mind if Ah hit mah vape? Bad habit, Ah know."

Retrieving the little pink device from her purse she sets it on the table to await his answer. If he says no, she can certainly put it away or excuse herself to another locale.

"So, what exciting things does a glamorous model like yourself do for fun?"

"Glamorous?" She smiles before twirling a blonde strand around her fingers. "Ah don't know that Ah'd call mahself glamorous, but Ah love ta do all kinds o' things. S' funny. There's city girl Tessa who loves gertin' glammed up, shoppin', spas, and goin' ta nightclubs. And then there's country girl Tess, who rocks a pair o' sweats, loves ridin' horses, and goin' ta dive bars with Colt."

She can't help but snicker at the stark contrasts in her own hobbies. It's almost like a double life!

He paid attention as Tess enumerated her hobbies, some of which surprised him. “Hard to imagine you in a dive bar, but I get it, they can be kinda fun. There’s one at the far end of the docks across from the marina that throws a decent karaoke night twice a month.”

Drinks were delivered, along with complementary Cajun chips and dip. After thanking the server, Kade thought about his own hobbies.

Kade rocked his chair back on two legs and planted his feet on the desk, patently bored. His continuing education video droned on and on about elementary safety checks which, while important, wasn’t something that a seasoned fire fighter like himself particularly needed a refresher on. Especially when he and Heatwave spent a week every school year drilling the exact same information into the heads of excitable elementary school children. At least their presentation had way more entertainment value….

“Sheesh, this guy could give Mayor Luskey a run for his money, how long is this video?” Kade had just started to reach for the computer mouse when a loud honk from outside startled him. Picking himself and his chair up off the floor, the fire fighter stalked to the window and leaned out to see an ambulance parked in the driveway below.

When Ezra sets the bowl of soup near Rob he smiles and picks up the bowl. "I am but a Cybertronian medic in a human avatar Ezra. I do not have the capability to make such a intricate device like this. Though I did have a hands on experience with working on transformation cogs when I was younger." he notes.

Doc Greene shook his head as he brought his own sandwich and bowl of soup to the table. “Working with the very device that allows one to transform sounds… nerve wracking, quite honestly, though I imagine you must have gained an extraordinary amount of knowledge in the process.”

The scientist dipped the corner of his grilled cheese into his soup bowl and took a bite, swallowing the combo with a quiet hum of satisfaction before turning his focus to Robustus’s question. “It’s called soup. Usually it’s a vegetable, or combination of vegetables, that have been liquified, but some varieties add noodles, pieces of meat, or chopped up pieces of the veggies themselves… or all three, to add a bit of texture to it. This particular soup is tomato, though, botanically speaking, the tomato is actually considered a fruit, but in culinary circles it’s called a vegetable because of it’s savory nature—“

"It was a test of the know how of the team of mechs we gathered together to work upon cogs and alter them. Because of our work the triple changers became a thing. Heatwave is an example of a quadchanger." Rob explains, "We went through a little trial and error with non-functional cogs and worked up to ones inside a living mech or femme."

A little nod to the explanation of soup, "It has a pleasant tang to it that I appreciate." a smile at Kade, "I got my answer as to what type of soup, which has been answered. I do appreciate a scientific reply though."

Kade, meanwhile, was in over his head. He’d never really been interested in the scientific world and long explanations with big words usually resulted in complete lack of comprehension on his part.

“Soooo transformation cog equals transforming, got it.”

At least he’d paid attention to Rob’s first sentence.

Tipping the last of the soup from the pot into his bowl, Kade frowned at the empty sandwich platter before getting up to start opening cabinets.

For a group that Optimus claimed to be hiding, the Prime certainly enjoyed dumping random bots on their doorstep.

Kade gazed speculatively at the new mech, there was no Decepticon symbol present, but he couldn’t see an Autobot one either, he looked a little like Chase.

Cybertronians. Optimus. Did he mean Optimus Prime.....? Names and figures he's heard of but knew only a little about, honestly.

"Ah....no. He did not. And I am not a Cybertronian. I am a Metal Cardbot."

He explains slowly, making sure his tone is friendly and calm.

He carefully 'shakes hands' with Kade holding one of his digits and moving his hand up and down a few times.

"It's a bit of a long story but.....I and my kind come from the planet Machina, which was destroyed in a large explosion. Many of us Cardbots escaped the destruction and were sent across the cosmos....with many of us landing here on Earth. And now we are doing our best to make lives here, and have made friends with humans along the way...."

He starts, actively deciding how many details to share all at once so as not to overwhelm Kade. Though, if the guy had already his own dealings with alien robots from space, he could probably handle it all....probably.

Kade rocked his chair back on two legs and planted his feet on the desk, patently bored. His continuing education video droned on and on about elementary safety checks which, while important, wasn’t something that a seasoned fire fighter like himself particularly needed a refresher on. Especially when he and Heatwave spent a week every school year drilling the exact same information into the heads of excitable elementary school children. At least their presentation had way more entertainment value….

“Sheesh, this guy could give Mayor Luskey a run for his money, how long is this video?” Kade had just started to reach for the computer mouse when a loud honk from outside startled him. Picking himself and his chair up off the floor, the fire fighter stalked to the window and leaned out to see an ambulance parked in the driveway below.

When Ezra sets the bowl of soup near Rob he smiles and picks up the bowl. "I am but a Cybertronian medic in a human avatar Ezra. I do not have the capability to make such a intricate device like this. Though I did have a hands on experience with working on transformation cogs when I was younger." he notes.

Doc Greene shook his head as he brought his own sandwich and bowl of soup to the table. “Working with the very device that allows one to transform sounds… nerve wracking, quite honestly, though I imagine you must have gained an extraordinary amount of knowledge in the process.”

The scientist dipped the corner of his grilled cheese into his soup bowl and took a bite, swallowing the combo with a quiet hum of satisfaction before turning his focus to Robustus’s question. “It’s called soup. Usually it’s a vegetable, or combination of vegetables, that have been liquified, but some varieties add noodles, pieces of meat, or chopped up pieces of the veggies themselves… or all three, to add a bit of texture to it. This particular soup is tomato, though, botanically speaking, the tomato is actually considered a fruit, but in culinary circles it’s called a vegetable because of it’s savory nature—“

The flight from Manhattan to the sleepy coastal town of Griffon Rock was just shy of an hour. Just enough time to get situated, enjoy a beverage, and land. She hadn't originally planned on heading there for the holidays, but with her brother coming home from deployment as a surprise for his boyfriend, she had to be there. How long had it been since she'd seen Colt? Well certainly not since he'd met and fallen in love with Hunter. Talk about a crazy whirlwind romance! She was happy for the Gunny, and excited to finally meet up with him and his new beaux.

Tossing her pink carry-on into the back of the Tesla, she was soon en-route to the quaint downtown area to check in to the little bed and breakfast. A cozy little spot that made New York feel millions of miles away. No hustle and bustle, no constant horns honking or sirens wailing. She could get used to this. She spent the afternoon exploring, enjoying the sights and shops, and even had a bite to eat at the pizzeria. It was all going great, until the car was out of charge. She hadn't seen a single EV charging station the entire time - wondering why in the world the rental company would offer that type of vehicle in an incompatible market?

The vehicle slowed, then crawled, then stopped. Battery was dead as a door nail. Raking her manicured hand down her face, the blonde sighed as she climbed out of the vehicle - frowning that she was only about 2 miles away from the inn. Pulling put her phone to call for assistance, she hadn't noticed that it too had died.

"Well now, fer tha love of..."

The wind was picking up - a winter storm looming off the coast threatened to kick in. Stuck outside in a winter weather advisory certainly was the last thing she had on her bingo card for today. She'd passed a firestation just a few blocks back, maybe they could at least help her charge her phone?

Why had she worn heels? She could navigate the runway with ease in her sky high Christian Louboutins, but not exactly sidewalks. She stuck out like a sore thumb at best. And by the time she finally approached the station, her petite feet were screaming.

So now what? Did she just go inside? Did she look in the garage? Did they have an office? How did this all work? With the clouds building and threatening snow, she decided it best to just walk into the open garage and hope for the best.

Kade closed his eyes and ran a finger down the menu, eventually stopping on a dish called The Cajun Combo Platter.

“ ‘A delectable variety of New Orleans’ finest cuisine right at your fingertips.’ Ooo, perfect, this’ll be really easy to share.”

Kade rocked his chair back on two legs and planted his feet on the desk, patently bored. His continuing education video droned on and on about elementary safety checks which, while important, wasn’t something that a seasoned fire fighter like himself particularly needed a refresher on. Especially when he and Heatwave spent a week every school year drilling the exact same information into the heads of excitable elementary school children. At least their presentation had way more entertainment value….

“Sheesh, this guy could give Mayor Luskey a run for his money, how long is this video?” Kade had just started to reach for the computer mouse when a loud honk from outside startled him. Picking himself and his chair up off the floor, the fire fighter stalked to the window and leaned out to see an ambulance parked in the driveway below.

Doc Greene met them at the door with a chuckle. “A rather simplistic description of the process, but I suppose it’s accurate in it’s own way.” He held out a hand to Robustus. “Ezra Greene, but my friends call me ‘Doc.’”

He turns his attention to Doc Greene and accepts the other man's hand. His grip is carefully measured and his flesh feels warm as it should. Physical holomatter technology has come a long way since it was first made that was for sure.

“Not surprising. Kade’s focus is perpetually on filling his stomach. Please, come in.” He lapsed into a thoughtful silence as he led the medic toward the kitchen. Kade was already there, helping himself to a stack of grilled cheese sandwiches, a big bowl of tomato soup, and pickles.

“I believe I can manage that quite simply, any other specifications?”

Kade finally managed to join the conversation with a huge swallow. “… Yeah, it’d have to be heat resistant. I’m planning on containing a burning candle with it to show what happens when you deprive a fire of oxygen, I don’t want the thing shattering….”

"What he said plus an easy way to access the enclosure. Make it fool proof and possibly shatter proof just in case. No need to expose any children to glass shards if we can help it." Rob notes with a smile.

Setting a sandwich and two pickles on a plate, the scientist brought them to the table before going to the stove and carefully ladling out a bowl of soup. “Fascinating. I constructed a hologram projector for Blades so he could attend an off-island event disguised as a human, I had no idea you bots already possessed the ability to produce such lifelike avatars.”

For a group that Optimus claimed to be hiding, the Prime certainly enjoyed dumping random bots on their doorstep.

Kade gazed speculatively at the new mech, there was no Decepticon symbol present, but he couldn’t see an Autobot one either, he looked a little like Chase.

Cybertronians. Optimus. Did he mean Optimus Prime.....? Names and figures he's heard of but knew only a little about, honestly.

"Ah....no. He did not. And I am not a Cybertronian. I am a Metal Cardbot."

He explains slowly, making sure his tone is friendly and calm.