All Medics on Deck

[whatbedsidemanners]

WHO: Hospital mingle log
WHERE: Solus' Medical Bay
WHEN: Shortly after the Tarn fiasco
WHAT: Injured bots and annoyed medics
WARNINGS: Cranky medics and impatient patients

After the battle with the DJD, there are quite a few who had retained minor to severe injuries, and Red Alert is here to tend to them as they came in. Assuming that they think to come in at all. She realizes that she can't really scold anyone, as the act of taking down one of the Haven's most dangerous inhabitants was completely necessary and unavoidable.

Red Alert can be found fussing over patients, and she will allow guests as long as they're not loud or otherwise disruptive. Please don't try to escape, she'll come after you.

Comments

[ichooseboth]

After transporting the injured away from the battle in his trailer, Optimus had readily admitted himself to the medbay along with everyone else. The fight with Tarn had been fierce, and being subjected to the Decepticon's vocal spark manipulation abilities...

Well. That was a new thing to add to the Prime's (distressingly long) list of 'Most Unpleasant Experiences Ever'.

He still ached, and the idea of dragging his damaged frame out of the berth became more daunting the longer he lay there, exhaustion creeping in now that the danger had passed. So skipping out of the medbay and away from the medics was the last thing on his mind.

[cliffjumper]

Cliffjumper had followed along to the medbay mostly because it seemed the right thing; well there, he'd avoided any overt fussing, since dents, scratches and some scorch marks were hardly enough to get yourself landed in a berth.

But he wasn't going to leave yet, not when he caught Optimus in there.

"Hey." Cliffjumper muttered, quiet in the case the Prime was recharging, but he wanted to check on him considering how the last bit of the battle went. He'd go looking for Blurr after.

[ichooseboth]

Optimus' optics relit at the sound of the voice; he had not been recharging, simply teetering on the edge of dozing off.

"Cliffjumper." He managed a weak nod at the red Autobot, pleased by the familiar company.

"How are you holding up?"

[cliffjumper]

"Probably better than you." He waved a hand over Optimus, indicating their... relative difference of status in injuries. "'Cause I ain't the mech who got themselves pummeled takin' down that rustin' slag-heap."

He'd actually gotten away surprisingly light, even in the last bit where he'd been right there and helping Optimus.

"... So, uh. How're you doin'?"

[ichooseboth]

"True."

Optimus made an amused sound too soft to be a proper laugh, but the intent was obvious at least.

"But at least you are up and about. And honestly? Like scrap. The rest will be quite appreciated."

[cliffjumper]

"I think I ain't gotten this easily off in a good while..." Cliffjumper paused and squinted. "Well, out of these places, I mean. Got worse back home." At least insofar as physical damage went, and Cliffjumper isn't even sure if 'home' means his original reality or the negative polarity one anymore.

Eyeing the slab, Cliffjumper ended up leaned against it in an available space, arms crossed over the metal.

"You look like it. What was he even doin', in the end?"

[ichooseboth]

"Sounds like you were overdue for 'getting off easy' then."

Optimus managed a smile that slowly faded with a wary sigh.

"Tarn? Well, as near as I can tell, he was using some sort of vocal resonance attack. In the end, it just more or less feels like someone just...grabbed my spark and squeezed."

He rubbed a hand over his relatively unmarred chest-plates, the all-encompassing ache under them not nearly subsided.

[cliffjumper]

"Suppose," Cliffjumper agreed with a shrug before he ended up staring at Optimus at what he was saying, shaking his helm slowly.

"The slag... some things people can do." Not that his own glass gas couldn't inflict some serious damage, but that was on the chassis, not the spark. "Fraggin' creepy. Ya sure you're okay now?"

Leaning forward a little more (which meant he ended up on the front of his feet, balancing on the bumpers), Cliffjumper frowned at Optimus' chestplates, as if he could make sure from the outside that Optimus was okay, or see if there was something wrong still.

[ichooseboth]

The Prime grumbled, nodding.

"I agree. It was very 'creepy'. I'd rather have the physical wounds, to be honest. At least then he would have actually been forced to fight me properly."

Optimus raised a hand, grateful for the concern but waving it off all the same with a wry smile.

"But I'll be fine, surely. The pain may linger, but the medics have left me to recover long enough to convince me I'm not going to drop dead any time soon.

[invisiblepinkboat]

Elita came by later, mostly to give the medic time to work so she wouldn't have to dodge anyone or be in the way, and hopefully give some time for recuperation. But not coming, when she found out what had happened, wasn't something that occurred to her at all.

So there she was, sliding up to Optimus' berth and quietly sitting down, reaching out a little hesitantly to lay her hand on his arm.

[ichooseboth]

It took Optimus a few moments to notice the touch, dozing and exhausted as he was, but when he recognized the figure next to him he managed a tired smile.

"Elita."

[invisiblepinkboat]

She hadn't necessarily expected a response, and if not, she'd have been content to sit a while, simply enjoying the fact that he was actually still alive. The pleasure was, she knew, deeper than just relief that a friend had survived, but despite them steadily getting closer, she wasn't sure how far it should... could, go.

"Optimus." She smiled and tightened her grip a little. "If your name was easier to shorten, I'd have found something by now... Magnus was as hard, and I had to give up." It might be a very off-hand comment, but she did want him to know, not just by her presence, how important he was.

[ichooseboth]

Optimus chuckled, the sound rusty with disuse and damage.

"...Oh? If you're looking for nicknames, you might try 'Orion'. I used to go by that, once. A long, long time ago."

He managed to reach over with his free hand, placing it over the back of hers. He smiled.

"Though I can't really blame you for giving up on Magnus. It really can't get much shorter than that."

[invisiblepinkboat]

Wriggling her hand around underneath Optimus' hand so that she could twine their fingers together, Elita grinned, perhaps a little amused at the sound of Optimus' chuckle... But better he have something to laugh about than not, especially if he didn't often get to.

"That's cuter than I would've imagined you'd have been named." Pausing, Elita tilted her helm, optics unfocusing briefly. "Though I don't think Prime has any other designation before he was named Prime in my reality. That's something that happens in yours, Orion?" That felt... nice to say. She couldn't put her finger on, exactly, why she preferred to use nicknamed for those she counted closest, but she did.

"Nothing else would sound very nice," Elita said with a chuckle and shook her helm. "I don't use nicknames to tease people, after all."

[ichooseboth]

"'Cute'?" Optics flickering with surprise, he managed another laugh, giving Elita's twined fingers a squeeze.

"Not what I would have called it, but I can see how it might seem somewhat at odds with my current name. Are you sure you don't intend to tease?" He joked lightly. Battlemask damaged in the fight and currently retracted, it was obvious his smile deepened when she actually used his former name, even if the expression was somewhat wryly embarrassed.

"Changing designation upon becoming Prime seems to be a sort of tradition, as far as I am aware. At least, it seems to happen fairly often."

[invisiblepinkboat]

"Absolutely." Elita smiled brightly, but her tone was serious. "It seems a little at odds, yes. But it still sort of suits you." A lot, in fact, even if 'Optimus Prime' was what she was most used to.

And she wouldn't deny that his deepened smile when she used his previous name didn't cause a flicker of pleasure at his (however embarrassed) happiness over it.

"Interesting... I suppose it could make sense, to impart the weight of importance?" She tapped her cheek with her other hand, frowning. "Though it seems a little impractical, to make everybody switch as well. Though I suppose that happens either way, sometimes, when someone chooses to change designation".

Like Hot Rod had apparently changed his designation to Rodimus, for whatever reason. She wasn't very well-versed in the wider Autobot forces.

[ichooseboth]

"Well, thank you. To be honest, I've rather missed going by it at times," he admitted, smile going wistful. Simpler days, made better than they really were with hindsight and time.

"And I suppose so, on both accounts." Though his own name change wasn't exactly usual, he'd heard about Hot Rod's designation switch as well. Even if it hadn't been a tradition before, it certainly was now.

"It does take some getting used to, on both sides. Has Elita One always been your designation, then?" He would much rather talk about her than his old life, before becoming Prime.

[fun_police]

Hi Optimus.

Prowl appears to be well enough to walk around and pay him a visit. The leaking fuel lines and circuits of his torn arm have been sealed and soldered. The joint had been repaired as well. Now he was just waiting to get the rest of the arm reattached after more urgent, critical cases were taken care of.

He.. hadn't approached the Prime very often after their arrival into the Haven. But despite the disagreements he had with Optimus before their arrival, and the distance he kept, it didn't mean he disliked Optimus' company.

It was... complicated.

"Recovering well?"

[ichooseboth]

Well then. That was one person he wasn't expecting to see here today. Especially not while he was still stuck in a medbay berth.

"Prowl."

With only the barest of sighs, Optimus onlined his optics, glancing up at Prowl's battered frame. At least they were in a similar state.

"...Probably about as well as you feel, at this point."

THANKS FOR THE PATIENCE OH GOD

[fun_police]

"Hm."

The mechanisms of the joint whirr a little, attempting to move a limb that wasn't there,"It's safe to say that the outcome was better than expected." He calculated a much higher instance of death.

Prowl approaches Optimus from the doorway so that he is a few paces from the berth. Much closer than before, but not exactly hinting at any sort of camaraderie by normal standards.

"Your assistance is appreciated."

When was the last time Prowl said thank you?

AHAH...AHAH...yeah about that... >>

[ichooseboth]

Optimus probably doesn't recall the last time, but he only stares at Prowl for a moment before nodding like it is no big deal anyway.

"Hn. I'm glad you requested it. But I would have given it freely, no matter what. He had to be stopped."

He has been trying so hard to stick to the rules of this place, to not involve himself unduly in other areas...but letting Tarn run amok when he could do something about it?

No.

He eyes Prowl for a moment, optics lingering briefly on the empty limb socket. "I am just glad that the outcome was not worse. We lost enough as it was, just stopping him."

RASPY BREATHING NOISES

[fun_police]

There was no arguing from him on either points. Alternative motives or no, Prowl would never have an excuse to leave a mass murderer like that free and uninhibited.

He tracked Optimus's optics, noticing where they wandered as he spoke. Even their intrepid leader was not excluded from the constant analysis. A hand goes to cover the socket, as if to detract his attention away from it.

"I don't understand why you don't join us permanently, Optimus."

A question that seemed innocent enough, coming from Prowl.

"Most of what comes from the Law Committee appears to be simple formality."

EEEK

[ichooseboth]

Too bad covering the wound really only draws attention to it; but Optimus takes it as a sign that Prowl is uncomfortable with the scrutiny and glances away from it, though not without a slightly raised optic brow.

"You mean besides the fact that I wish to abide by the rules of this place? Because, barring unusual circumstances, the enforcement team can readily handle things without me. I'm willing to step in when absolutely necessary, but otherwise I feel I am more needed elsewhere."

i wonder how far back we can take this thread

[fun_police]

"I see. Though I don't particularly agree with your conclusion."

Prowl leans back against the wall next to his berth, allowing a little fatigue to leak through his cold expression. There's a few moments of silence before he speaks up again.

"I mentioned it because I'm still concerned about Tarn. His capture will only last about as long as the Firstforged will tolerate. He'll eventually be allowed to go free again."

At least, so he predicts per his calculated variables.

....So very far back. Never-ending threads.

[ichooseboth]

Optimus' optics narrowed slightly.

"Be that as it may, it is what I have decided."

Injured and berth-bound or not, he was not about to back down in this.

"If Tarn is released, then he can and will be dealt with. I will assist in that, as before. But enforcement is no longer my day-to-day duty."