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| - Jackknife has been busy working on a variety of projects in her lab as of lately and at this particular moment she has stepped out of her lab and gone for a walk down the hallway to grab some energon. The femme is a bit dirty from her work, but the smile upon her lips indicates she is in a good mood. Optimus Prime himself managed to extract himself from his duties some minutes ago, and has already found the energon dispenser. However...there is a slight problem with it, namely due to the fact that despite all commands to function...it...well, doesn't. There's a whirring sound and a clunk. Which has resulted in the Prime kneeling down next to it, attempting his own repair job, or at least diagnosis of the issue... So far, though, all efforts have resulted in failure. He taps his facemask thoughtfully, wondering what to try next. Jackknife smiles as she spots the mech and hears that whirr clunk sound out of the dispenser. "Good cycle Optimus Prime. Sounds like the dispenser is being a bit cranky, I could look it over to see what is wrong." she offers. Optimus looks up, resting one hand on the machine. "Jackknife," he greets. "I'm not sure if it's cranky, just being stubborn, or if there's an actual problem. If you'd like to take a look at it, be my guest." He gestures at it in a welcoming motion before starting to stand. Jackknife inclines her head to the mech and steps around to check the dispenser from its access panel on the side. The panel is removed quickly and she peers inside. "Ah I think I see the problem." she says, reaching into it and fiddling around. When her hand comes out there's a small amount of gunked up oil. "Try it now." Aside from turning his head to try and catch a view of what Jackknife is doing, Optimus doesn't try to get in her way. When it seems that she's done, he nods, activating it. The good news? It works. Energon comes out. The bad news? It's not in cube form. It comes out rather violently, insomuch as a splattering jet of the fluid. Which sprays /up/, striking Optimus Prime squarely in the face. To his credit, he doesn't flinch. He just pulls his finger off the button, commenting in a rather dry voice, "I think it needs another tweak." Jackknife didn't expect that out of the dispenser so naturally she gasps in surprise when it shoots energon into Prime's face like that. She takes another look inside and taps at a few gears inside, then taps on the cube dispenser to jiggle the cubes around a bit. She reaches into her subspace and retrieves a gunk dissolving chemical and sprays it into the gear works. Using her hands she manually turns the gears and grudgingly a cube pops out of the dispenser. She sprays some more chemical to further dissolve the gunk inside. "I suppose this thing has seen better cycles with more regular maintenance." she states. "I may just add it to my list of things to do around here." Wiping off his face as best he can, Optimus makes a note to get a cleaning cloth before his next appointment. Somehow, he doubts he looks very much his title at the moment. "Thanks, Jackknife. I'm just glad you've helped out with this - it could have been a lot worse." Let's not think about what could have happened with the energon buildup if Optimus had continued his own way of trying to fix it, seeing as that may have resulted in the spray in the first place. Jackknife reaches into her subspace again and offers you a clean cloth, "That's true." she agrees readily, then putting her gunk chemical back into subspace she manually moves the gears back and forth to help loosen up the gunk within and they work a lot better. "Let's try this again." she warns you as she moves to hit the dispenser button. Optimus accepts the cloth with a nod of gratitude, then promptly makes use of it. As well as taking a cautionary step back just in case the dispenser decides it's still unhappy with him... ...it's unnecessary. Jackknife's work seems to be quite good; with a pleasant humming sound, the cube forms, the energon filling it before the automatic shut-off. Jackknife watches it carefully and listens as well for any further issues. She smiles as the cube is produced, "I believe that one is yours." she states as she puts the access panel back into place. She looks at her hands and chuckles, "Hmm I'll have to clean up before I get my own ration." Relief is clear on his face...to be blasted /again/ is not Optimus' idea of a pleasant time. Once is enough. Chuckling softly, he lowers the cloth. "If you'd like, you can take it first - you did most of the work, there." He pauses, then offers back the cloth - though a good bit of it has been used to rid himself of the energon. It's the thought that counts? Jackknife accepts the cloth back, using the dampness caused by the energon to help her remove a goodly portion of oil off her hands. She slips it back into her subspace for safe keeping then takes the cube the dispenser produced. "Thank you sir, you are one of the rare gentlemechs." she states with a smile. Tilting his head, it's not hard to imagine a smile under Optimus' mask. If such a thing could be heard, then it's heard in his voice. "You're welcome, but as I said - you earned it." After a brief leery look at the dispenser, he tries pressing it again, preparing to move out of the way just in case--again, unnecessary. Optimus shakes his head at himself. "I don't suppose you'd mind me calling you directly if this happens again?" he half-jokes. Jackknife takes a sip of her cube, nodding to the question, "I wouldn't mind seeing as it is an excuse for getting out of the lab for a little while and getting a bit of exercise." she replies, "May I say it is good to see you out and about." "Then I'll make a note of it." It'll be just as good to know someone can fix the things without risk of getting drenched themselves. Optimus Prime is many things, but a repairmech, he is not. "I suppose you might. There's only so much time in a solar cycle, I am afraid." Jackknife sips down a bit more of her ration, she looks thoughtful and says, "True. Seems I get absorbed in my work so much I lose track of time. More of the warriors under your command are coming to me with weapons issues and most of those were from lack of proper care of their weapons. It’s almost like they don't teach how to strip down and clean a weapon anymore in at the academy. I don't mind the work though it would be nice if some mechs and femmes took their weapons a bit more seriously." Hn. That could be a problem. Optimus thinks on this a moment, processor moving over routines and schedules..."Would you be willing to offer a class or two on the subject?" he asks. "Even for those who are practiced in the care, it may be a way to share techniques - as well as enlightening those who aren't so earnest in such." It doesn't take long for a standard soldier to learn that to care for their weapon is to care for themselves - a misfire on the battlefield can be, and often is, fatal. Jackknife considers the question carefully then nods, "I think I could manage that. Just would have to find an open room and have participants bring their own weapons. Two classes should do the trick to be sure to get everyone." she states. Pausing a moment she hmms thoughtfully. "Speaking of weapons, how is yours? You good with maintaining it?" "I'll see about scheduling it," Optimus promises, before pausing. His own weapon? It's holstered right now, but he half-reaches towards it before letting his hand trail back down to his side. "Its maintenance was one of the first things I learned," he answers wryly. "At this point, I'd be ashamed if I still couldn't clean it." Jackknife inclines her head about the class being scheduled as she finishes off her ration. She smiles to the reply, "Good to hear it. A mech should always maintain his weaponry as it is an integral part of a warriors life." she states, "Doesn't hurt for the mech to maintain himself either." Optimus chuckles. "Both are important," he allows, "among other things. Though sometimes, you have to make a choice, and trust that you're making the right one." Sometimes, it's quite hard to tell. Jackknife peers up at the mech a moment at his comment then says, "Maintenance isn't a choice that should be made, it should be exercised when the opportunity presents itself. It gets more important as the body ages as well. But I don't think I had to remind you of that considering you are younger than I." Optimus raises a hand in a pacifying gesture. "I agree," he says simply. It's simply that sometimes the opportunity isn't there...but that's beside the point. "And you don't have to. I assure you, I'm not in any hurry to let myself or any part of me rust. Age has nothing to do with it." There's a bit of humor in the last comment. Jackknife hmms softly to that then moves to head back down the hallway, "Good to hear it, let me know when you schedule out the classes." she pauses, looking up at you a moment, "By the way, you missed a spot." "I will." One could hardly hold them without her!...well, he could, but it would lose his 'gentlemech' status. Though-that catches him off-guard. "I did?" Optimus turns towards the dispenser, hoping to catch sight of reflection, and a cue of where he missed... Jackknife inclines her head, "Mm hm." she gestures toward your mask, "Small bit on your neck just under the mask there." she states. Jackknife would do it herself, but that'd be awkward. Just under the mask-Optimus reaches with his free hand (the other still holding the energon), feeling along the area for any dampness. He thinks he catches it, but..."Is it gone now?" he asks, half-lowering the hand. Jackknife watches to make sure you did get it then nods, "Sure did." she replies, "Wouldn't do for our commander to show up at a meeting unkempt would it sir." A tilt of the head in gratitude. "Very true. Thank you again, Jackknife. I'll get back to you regarding those classes, but until then, I hope that you have few enough problems to deal with on those lines." With that, he offers a slight wave, and makes to head off. Jackknife inclines her head and watches the mech walk off, then heads off back to her lab to pick up where she left off.
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