And I return! Thankfully I've got some free time for the next couple of days so I should be able to get a bit more updated.

Edited July 2, 2015

-;-

::Comm-link::

"Cybertronian"

"SABERLINE YELLING IN ENGLISH"

"English"

-;-

Saberline was sulking. Ironhide could figure out that much thanks to the annoyance that was roiling across the tentatively ingrained link in the back of his processor. If he couldn't figure out why, the miscellaneous curses that were mixed in with the unpleasant emotions gave him a pretty good idea.

::Are you still sulking because I dragged your aft back to base?:: he inquired with some exasperation. Honestly, the Weapons Specialist wasn't entirely certain how long he would be able to hold out against the emotional toll, as stupid as it sounded to him.

::Shut it, scraphead.:: Saberline snarled back, shifting in her new perch. Ironhide couldn't help but wince as her shifting caused one of the wires there to clench.

::Can you at least not try to rip out my wiring while you move?:: he growled.

::Oh, suck exhaust. It's not permanent. Your wiring will adapt.:: the femme muttered back, sarcasm evident in her tone. ::Primus. You'd think that considering your age you'd know all about these things. But perhaps I'm expecting too much from you- you're really not that bright if you don't even know the most basic concepts of cassettes.::

::It was never necessary, considering I was never compatible to be a Carrier.:: the mech snorted, resting against a warmer part of a wall.

::Until now.::

Despite the fact that he couldn't stand his new parasite, Ironhide was just a little curious at how Saberline had actually been able to synchronise herself with his systems. After all, from what he remembered, a Cassette had to be compatible with a Cybertronian before it could sync up all the necessary data and frames. And if there was one thing the Weapons Specialist knew quite well, it was the fact that he was not compatible with very many Cybertronians. In all of his vorns of being online, the only other Cybertronian that he was compatible with was his sparkmate. Chromia was just as violent and energon thirsty as he was, if not more.

Though there was one thing that had been bothering him since the tiny femme had attached herself to him and synced up their systems.

::Are you actually compatible with me?:: Ironhide asked.

It really was something that he wanted to know. Had the femme simply chosen him due to their close proximity on the battlefield of Mission City?

::Believe it or not.:: Saberline hummed, soaking up the heat that was radiating from the wall. It felt rather pleasant to be there at that moment. She was already feeling right at home again. She had a host, she had heat, Pit, she was even having an intelligent conversation!

::To what extent?::

::73% compatibility with you.:: the cassette said vaguely, picking up on a spark signature coming their way. ::By the way, you're about to have company.::

Ironhide was about to say that no, they weren't, when a spark signature blinked into his sensors.

::Trust a Cassette when it comes to sensors, host. You might live a little longer.:: Saberline snorted. ::Now, can you kindly move your aft so I can come out? I need to go get some solar recharge for my systems.::

However reluctantly, Ironhide did so. Saberline disconnected and landed perfectly on all four of her limbs before stretching and venting in relief. While it felt quite pleasant to have a host again, it had been a while since she'd actually had to stay in that position for more than several moments.

"If you need me, you'll know where to find me." She hummed, stretching out her shoulder struts.

The Weapons Specialist was about to ask how he would know, but the arrival of Optimus broke him from that particular thought process. Saberline skirted around the Prime with a respectful nod before disappearing down the hall that the bulk of the mech concealed.

Optimus and Ironhide both watched her go, Optimus with an optic ridge raised.

"You two seem to be connecting well."

"Appearances can be deceiving." Ironhide snorted. "She's a pain in the aft."

"If I recall correctly, you once thought that about Chromia as well." The larger mech replied with some amusement.

"That was different." He replied reluctantly. Optimus gave him a knowing look, along with raising his optic ridge again.

"In what way?"

"Chromia was never that annoying. Violent, yes. Annoying? No."

"Whatever you say, old friend." Optimus shook his helm with a chuckle. "That aside, I came to bring an update of Jazz to you."

"How is the little slagger?"

"He was online for a short while earlier. Ratchet has been having a bit of difficulty however, considering that Cassette Crosswire has become his cassette. Likewise, she's being protective of her new host. She doesn't want our medic anywhere near Jazz without her permission."

Now it was Ironhide who raised an optic ridge. "There's another one?"

Optimus nodded. "Yes. Crosswire and Saberline were the two cassettes I sent out after Megatron when he left Cybertron to seek out the Allspark. Their Carriers were among the first offlined in Praxus. If I recall correctly, there was also a sparkling involved."

"One of them was a Femme Creator?"

"It would appear that way, old friend." The Prime vented, heavy. "And then to be trapped here without any way to communicate with us.."

"You're being too harsh on yourself, Optimus." Ironhide broke in. "They knew what they were getting into when they were chosen for the mission. They took that risk."

"The losses this war has brought us are great, Ironhide. Regardless of whether they took the risk, we must not forget what we have lost along the way."

Yes, they were. But Ironhide chose not to comment on that particular thought. It was clear that the Autobot leader was already berating himself over things that he couldn't control. It wasn't his fault that the Decepticons were unpredictable, that they needed destruction and chaos compared to the more peaceful ways of the Autobots.

Instead, the Weapons Specialist laid a servo on his friend's shoulder, offering silent comfort rather than words.

-;-

Crosswire knew that Ratchet was highly unamused with her for continually getting in his way as he tried to repair Jazz, but she didn't particularly care. He was her new host, and her initial programming was still unstable. From experience, she knew that this made her more emotionally compromised than usual, but there really wasn't a lot that she could do about it other than await orders from her new Carrier and follow them word for word.

Yawning, the femme stretched and disconnected from Jazz, sensing instinctively that the mech was going to remain in a Medic induced stasis until further notice. Something that she wasn't exactly pleased with, but she knew at the moment it was the best thing for him. Losing an arm and a leg were pretty heavy injuries to take, after all. Especially considering all of the wiring damages that had been taken all down his side; Ratchet had been furious as he took note of everything he needed to replace.

She took note of the room that the CMO had taken to be his temporary Med Bay, hating the familiarity it had to her. This had been a room that she had been in only once, and that had been the way she wanted to keep it until now.

With a shudder, Crosswire forced the plating running down her spinal struts to flatten out again so that she wouldn't appear so threatening to the organics she could scent coming her way.

No doubt that one particular organic, Samuel, coming in to check in on Bumblebee again. The scout in question was recharging over against the far wall, the half built frame for his new legs lying nearby.

From what the femme had heard, she didn't like Samuel too much after what he'd tried to get the youngling to do. Get up without any legs? They were Cybertronian, not Gods! They were susceptible to injury as much as the next organic species.

But there wasn't much she could do about him, considering that Bumblebee was his Guardian. If she so much as brushed a hair from his face, she would be at cannon point.

She still wasn't sure if she wanted to take that risk, but it was still an option.

Silently, Crosswire leapt at the wall, her claws digging into microscopic nicks, and hauled herself along easily. She wasn't really in the mood to have another size issue with these organics. Especially not if it involved Simmons. That organic was infuriating already now that they were on the 'same side'. His comments fanned the flames of her rage with how he continually mocked her size in comparison to the rest of the Autobots. She'd really had to restrain herself from the urge to blow his organic little brain out.

As the group of organics entered the room, the cassette exited the chamber in near silence, landing behind them and continuing on as if she'd walked by them, her helm held high. She could most likely assume Saberline was likely out finding sunlight so that she could recharge her systems, as she was doing, because the last time that they'd done so had been around the same time.

::Where are you?:: -Crosswire

::Away from Prime. Why? You need company?:: -Saberline

::It would be appreciated.:: -Crosswire

::I'm out getting some recharge. Sending coordinates now.:: -Saberline

Crosswire accepted the file Saberline had sent and quickly accessed the data. It wasn't all too far that she would have to travel, either. As long as she didn't run into Ratchet, anyway; she was supposedly still recovering, and needed to stay in the Med Bay.

Like that was about to stop her. She was a grown femme. She knew her frame better than Ratchet. Sure, she was still a little sore around the two areas that Frenzy had damaged, but she was well on her way to being fine. There was, however, that fragging ringing in her audial that she knew she would probably have to get checked out later.

::So, how is your new host?:: -Crosswire

::An aft. He doesn't even know about how his frame will adapt.:: Saberline's tone held that usual note of impatience. ::Honestly. He's like a sparkling, always whining.::

Crosswire let a small smile cross her faceplates as she continued down the hall, finding a shortcut in the form of the ventilation system. By her calculations, if she took the next one on the left, she could reduce the time it took to get to Saberline by one third.

::It is partially understandable.:: Crosswire replied as she clambered into the air vent that she wanted. ::Considering his nature, I wouldn't think that there have been many who have actually been compatible with him. Then again, this is you I'm talking about.::

::You know, he said something like that too.:: -Saberline

Crosswire hummed something like an agreement as she clambered through the vent, her optics lighting up the way in an eerie blue from her visor. In the back of her processor, she could feel Jazz's consciousness stirring, but paid it no mind for the moment.

::I think I like my Carrier already.:: she admitted hesitantly. ::He's friendly enough, even without half of his limbs.::

::Good for you.:: Saberline praised sourly. ::I still don't like mine. He tricked me into coming back here with him.::

::Something tells me that you were as much a part of that as he was.:: -Crosswire

::Maybe…:: -Saberline

Crosswire laughed softly, turning a corner and shuttering her optics for a moment to adjust herself to the sudden light before popping out the vent and clambering out into the sunlight. She couldn't quite make out where Saberline was hiding for another several moments, though.

::I can tell you're up here. But where exactly?:: -Crosswire

::You should be right by me. Try moving over to the edge of the roof you're on.:: -Saberline

Crosswire huffed, but did as she was told, blinking as she realized that it was an overlay of some kind of rough material that withstood her sharp digits. It also explained why she hadn't initially found the other femme; the edge of the building that Saberline was talking about blended seamlessly in with the rest of the roof. It would make a good hiding place, she nodded to herself. By the looks of things, the two cassettes were the first things to come up here in a long time.

"Nice to see you moving again." Saberline offered as a greeting before going back to laying on her back, chassis plates shifting so that the solar panels beneath could grasp at the sunlight.

"Nice to see you're as friendly as ever." Crosswire replied lightly, her faceplates twisting into a wry smirk as she seated herself next to Saberline. "I even escaped from the Med Bay to come recharge."

"Ooh, living a little dangerously for once, are we?" Saberline laughed, cracking open an amber optic for a moment. "You know you're going to be in slag when you get back, right?"

"Ratchet can suck my exhaust." Crosswire muttered. "I'm a grown femme, aren't I? I'm perfectly capable of knowing when I'm fine and when I'm not. And as far as I'm concerned, as long as I still have all my limbs and processing ability, I'm fine. Armor wounds aren't going to cause me any difficulty."

"Not yet they aren't. But you know how he can be- wait…no you don't."

Crosswire gave Saberline a dry look. "No, I don't. I'm not the one who tore apart his Med Bay as a sparkling."

"I swear, it was a twenty time thing."

"Not just once."

"Nope. Things came in twenty."

"I see…"

"Mhm. Are we done talking now? I'm trying to recharge my systems here."

"You started it." Crosswire protested, though she was still smiling as she lay on her stomach and opened up her shoulder plating so that her own solar panels were exposed to the pleasant heat the sunlight was bringing.

::Uhhh…femme? 'Wire?:: -Jazz

::Is there something you need?:: -Crosswire

Before a reply could be sent, the sudden bellow of a mech echoed around them.

::Doc's lookin' for ya.::