Tailgate, it's Antlers. It has been a while since I've... done much venturing into the wilds of the ship. I hope you've been in good health.
[ there's an awkward pause. ]
You're one of my only friends on this ship. Perchance you'd like to... hang out sometime soon? [ He's trying so hard to ask and not demand attention. ]
[one night, while he's helping tailgate pack a few more ounces of robot weed into their cookie mixture, something occurs to riptide. something he is surprised hasn't occurred to him before.]
[Tailgate is staring at his hands, which is covered in robot weed cookie dough when Riptide asks the question.]
Um, really??????
[He asks, truly astonished. Tailgate has always been happy about being friends with everyone, but can't imagine that someone would want to be best friends with him.]
Absolutely. [he's very certain about this, which is a nice new feeling.] I mean-- look at all the crap we do together here anyway! I should've asked ages ago.
Me neither! But it's really fun and I enjoy spending time with you a lot, so I think that means this is the right choice.
[vaguely, he wonders why this has felt so right several times recently, then decides not to think too hard about it. guess it's just how these things go.]
...Uh, I don't either? [guess he wasn't expected to live long enough to have any relationships, so it wasn't in the download packs.] We can just do what mean something to us!
[Justice is cruel, and Minimus, when he is not pleased, is even crueler.]
That shows you and Riptide at the scene of the crime. I need you to follow me to the interrogation room immediately. [He shuts off the datapad and glares at Tailgate.] I will contact Whirl once you are in custody.
[the response takes long enough that he definitely has gone and done something he will regret. as much of a strong reaction he is having, it's entirely because he is hurt and blaming himself.]
im fine tailgate just annoyed i guess idk why ive been dumped before :/
If so, he must have a thin alt-mode to get through them. [He stops by the engineering center to pick up a tool to test for wall cavities. Can't be too careful!]
He's on the ship. He-
I recall assassinating an Ultra Magnus from another universe.
[ While you were away someone has been in your room.
It doesn't look like this someone has really rifled that much through your possessions. Or stolen anything.
How do you know someone was here? There is a tiny plastic human toy baby inside a tiny plastic treasure chest that is within a slightly less tiny plastic treasure chest that is sitting on your desk. ]
ACTION: A small box outside your door contains a handful of...
[ Recently Bass requested some important information. Who... is the strongest Cybertronian on this ship. He received a hot tip that it was 'Shockwave' but also 'not the Senator one'. There were a few thoughts that went through his processor. One... it was really dumb that there were two people here with the SAME NAME. It must get confusing! Two, while he does (surprisingly) know what a Senator is, he has no idea what a Senator looks like. Do they wear signs? Bass guesses probably not.
This leads him to one conclusion: He has to fight BOTH of them to make sure he's actually fighting the strong one.
This leads him to a second conclusion: He has no idea where Shockwave lives. He could ask for direction, ask if anyone knows... but that begs the question... If they know how strong Bass is will they even tell the truth?
There is now one solution: He has to canvas the ship himself and check every inhabited room he comes across.
So there's the backstory. And that's why Bass, armored up in his winged Treble armor (being able to fly covers ground quicker!) is pounding aggressively at your door.
[ Tailgate will find one perfectly average and ordinary rubber duck in his hab. However upon close investigation a hidden compartment containing one space marijuana cigarette can be discovered. ]
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