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| - The med bay, as usual, where Shred spends the vast majority of the time, and Shred is looking bored out of her processor. She may not be up to strength yet, not by a long shot, but that doesn't mean she likes being cooped up in Polyhex, not by a long shot. Robustus enters med bay after a well deserved recharge cycle. "Good cycle Shred, how are you doing?" he inquires with a little smile upon his lips, "You look a bit bored." Shred sighs, on the med table are the remains of her old body, painstakingly sorted.. "Understatement of the Vorn, Robustus. I'm bored out of my processor. I hate being cooped up, you know? I want to get out there, stretch my wings!" Robustus looks at the disassembled body and the parts around it. "Well, how about I take you to the Tina and buy you a drink?" he asks, "That way you can get out of here awhile." Shred nods, "Primus yes. I have absolutely got to get out of here.. " then she sighs, "I still can't believe what Psyke did.. I trusted him!" that last sounds a wail of despair.. "How could he do that to me? I just don't understand it.. " Robustus gestures toward the med bay door, "I do not know him well enough to offer you an answer, Shred. However, you should know he has not come here for several solar cycles. I have assured that you got the rest you needed and the protection you deserved as a head medic." Shred nods, heading to the door, and she sighs, "It just hurts. He's a good medic, and he has a lot of potential.. But for him to try that.. He could easily have killed me. " Robustus nods in understanding, walking alongside Shred to the Tina in silence. He's not sure what to say, it's something of a puzzle why a mech would do what that mech did. Shred follows Robustus down into Dead End, through the alleyways until they finally reach the Tina, "Been a long time since I've been here, Robustus.. a very long time.. Heck, last time.. The Empties, they threw the closest thing they could to a party for me. " Robustus looks around the Tina a few moments, then says, "Do tell Shred." he intones, moving toward the bar as he takes out a couple of creds to pay for the drinks, "What will the ladies drink be?" Shred grins, looking to the bar mech, "A triple Black ice, Hedron. How you been?" yes, she recognizes the old mech who has been running the bar for a long time, and he'd recognize that drink. Robustus puts the creds on the bar in front of himself and hmms to the drink order. "Red Road please." he says, then looking toward Shred. "Shall we sit at the bar or would you rather take a booth?" Robustus puts the creds on the bar in front of himself and hmms to the drink order. "Red Road please." he says, then looking toward Shred. "Isn't it a little too soon to be intaking such a strong liquor Shred? Also, hall we sit at the bar or would you rather take a booth?" Shred smiles, "We can sit at the bar.. We're safe enough.. amongst friends.. " looking at her drink, a very small glass of pure black energon, "Maybe it is a little soon, but, well.. this drink's my trademark, Robustus.. or at least it used to be. Enough to overload most mech's in a single mouthful.." Robustus nods his head, "You are in a new body that may not know how to handle it, Shred. But I don't think I have to tell you that now do I?" he inquires, then nods his head to the barkeep as his drink is delivered. Certainly not as strong as your own, but certainly has a kick to it. Shred shakes her head slightly, sighing faintly, "No. you don't need to. Even the body I made for myself, it couldn't handle as much as my original chassis.." Robustus takes his drink up, "Then here is to hoping you don't black out on the first sip." he offers, then sips at his drink. Shred grins, and she takes a sip, feeling the ultra-grade energon coursing through her systems, her optics instantly double in brightness, "Hooo primus that stuff's strong!" Robustus watches on studiously, looking for signs of any issues other than the brightening of her optics. "Indeed." he murmurs softly, taking a seat on a stool next to her. Shred mms, taking another sip, extremely cautiously. clenching her fists as it works into her system. Robustus keeps his optics on you, not staring or looking at anything in particular for too long, just making sure you don't keel over on him. "I was wondering Shred, if you had any questions of me?" Shred chuckles, and she shakes her head, "Your past is your own, Robustus.. Though I did wonder where you got your flight systems installed." Robustus hms softly, then a chuckle, "I didn't have them installed. I climbed up here." he explains, "I probably should get them put in though, once things have settled down." Shred hmms, "when I'm fully ready for duty again, I'll install them in you. I swear, you grounders! " there's no malice in her tone, after all, another of her best friends is a grounder with only rudimentary flight systems in bot mode. Robustus inclines his head, "I would appreciate that, it's a bit of a strain on the hover systems to get down here let alone get back up. Climbing isn't quite my forte and damaging my hands.." he just drifts off there and sips on his drink. Shred nods, "Generally a poor idea. Well, we can get it sorted easily enough Robustus, should not be too hard to install antigrav systems." Robustus smiles a little, "Someone will have to teach me how to use those systems as well, not like I've flown before." he explains. Shred chuckles, "Easy enough to teach, Robustus. I picked it up in next to no time myself. and well, I'm sure you have seen my academy records?" Robustus sips on his drink, then replies simply, "No I have not. That is something you would tell me yourself when you wished to do so, if at all. I am content to know that you are a fellow medic who has taken the same oath that I have and that you endeavor to repair those that require your skills." Shred chuckles, "Ah.. about that... " she lowers her head faintly, "I didn't learn my medical skills for the good of my fellow Cybertronians, Robustus.. I learned them originally so that I could be a more effective warrior.. " Robustus pauses mid sip and looks toward you, lowering his glass. He intones, "I see." there is just a hint of disappointment there. Shred sighs, "That's how it started, anyway, Robustus. You have to understand, all I had was a life of violence, it's all I really knew. And it was a lot easier for me to get into the medical academy than the military one.. Can you not imagine what I'd have been put through in the military academy? I was an empty, a nothing." Robustus sips on his drink in silence, thinking over what you tell him. "I could try to imagine it, Shred, but fall woefully short. I am no warrior and told Megatron as much. My sole function is to care for the wounded. I have not known anything else." then he looks at you, silver optics dimming a little, "And I am quite aware of the conditions the empties live in, so that takes no imagination." Shred nods.. "But I grew, Robustus. Yes, I originally wanted to be a more effective warrior, but in the academy I learned there was so much more. When I made my oaths as a Medic, I meant every word. Even though I am still a warrior, I'm not needlessly cruel. I don't seek to inflict needless pain. I'd rather solve a situation without causing other medics more work, trying to save lives." Robustus inclines his head, just a trace of a smile appearing, "That is good to hear, Shred." he tells her softly. Then he takes another sip of his drink. Shred is in the Tina, sitting by the bar, in a plain metal Seeker body, with no paint whatsoever on it, and no guns mounted. Her optics are glowing very bright crimson as she speaks with Robustus. Taking another tiny sip of her drink, a small glass of energon blacker than the void of space, she shudders quite violently. "I was never going to lie to you about my past, Robustus. After all you have done to save my life, you deserved to know." Robustus remarks to Shred, "I was simply doing my medical duty as a civilian medic in the Decepticon army, Shred. You owe me nothing. I am not one to pry either. What you share with me should not be because of some perceived obligation, it should because you want to let me get to know you better so I serve under you as best as I am able." Goa elbows his way into the Tina. The mech's not been here in a while -- he flags the unamused-as-ever barkeep over, seemingly excited about something. Something's got the roller bouncing on his heels, anyway. On his tab is some of the infamous blue stuff -- in a manageable quantity, just a shot, though -- he leans forward as he waits, peering at Robustus talking to ... someone. Nitrogear? No, Nitrogear has paint... he raises an optic ridge and keeps staring like he's waiting for an answer. Shred shakes her head, "No, Robustus, don't you understand? You're more than just a civilian medic to me. You're my friend. At least I see you as one. " Seeing Goa, she chuckles, turning, and waving the grounder over, "Hey Gooey." he should just about recognize the voice. Robustus cocks his head to this news, "I.. don't know what to say Shred." he sounds honestly surprised she considers him a friend. Then he looks over to Goa, "Ah good cycle Goa. How is that leg holding up?" he asks, "And by the way, when are you going to let me fix that helm of yours?" Goa's other ridge joins the party. Shred? He snags his drink and takes long strides over to join them. "No complaints, Robber." He flops into a seat, "And I dunno," he downs half the shot, his optics flickering slightly afterward, "You might be too late. I'm gettin' a li'l fond of it." That said, he stares over Shred's new ... form. "I see." Shred smiles, "Something wrong, Goa? You look as if you have seen a ghost.. Ok, maybe that's in bad taste, considering how touch and go it was because of psyke.. " her voice trails off, and she sighs, yes, it still hurts her, a LOT, what Psyke tried to do. "Glad to see you are looking well, anyway buddy. How's Slip?" Robustus inclines his head to the fellow grounder, "Very well, but if it starts to rust I'm going to put you under and fix it whether you like it or not." he states firmly, then to Shred, "I think the new body is something everyone will have to get used to, Shred." he tells her, taking another sip of his drink. Goa lays his antennae back at Shred's comment ... then he starts to laugh -- Cackle, sort of. "Shredder ... I've seen a few ghosts. You ain't one of 'em." He eyes her drink as he finishes off his. That's odd ... medical purposes, maybe? The glass returns to the bar with a clack, and he turns to Robustus. "She's doin' good." He shrugs and smirks. He had a hunch that Slip /wasn't/ doin' good -- but he wasn't about to talk about it. "I'll wrangle up Firey and we'll get your magnesium by next cycle." Shred hmms, "Goa, I heard Slip saying on the radio she was bringing it in yesterday, The magnesium's already arrived." :picking up her glass, she looks hesitant a moment, before she clenches her other fist, about to just knock back all of what remains of the triple, and hang the consequences, if nobody stops her. Robustus smiles a bit at Goa, "That was already attended to Goa, the flares are completed. Just awaiting for Starscream to post who is going on the mission." he states. Robustus moves to snag Shred's wrist, "Uh uh uh." Goa's antennae fall slack. "That's ... good." But it incites him to shift away for a moment to order a second shot. So much for extra credits. As such, he doesn't notice Shred trying to drown herself with liquor. Shred 's wrist is caught, and she frowns, "What, Robustus? Slag it.. " most of the drink has been spilled when Robustus stopped her wrist, and it sizzles on the bar top, acrid steam rising from it.. "Damn that's a waste of good enerhol." Robustus's grip is oddly gentle as he holds that wrist there, "No downing it all at once, you could cause major damage to your body. A sip at a time please." he implores. Goa shifts back down into his seat, setting the glass against his lips before the fizzling sound gets his attention. "Slag sake Shred, I can get you some acid that'll eat straight through steel if that's the way you roll." He keeps looking, pauses, then kicks back this second round all in one go. "... gonna need that," he mumbles. Shred sighs, and she lets out a grim chuckle, "Hey, I don't particularly wanna die.. Primus, I never realized quite how potent this stuff was." she sets the drink down, looking to Goa and Robustus, "I used to drink two Triples before and after every match in the pits.. Part of how come I was able to take the pain, you know?" Shred pages: hey, she was a hard drinking gladiator. Robustus takes his hand away from her wrist since he's reasonably sure she'll take it easy now. "Also part of the reason why your systems in your old body wore down. I better not find out you are drinking four a solar cycle Shred or I will have to report this to Megatron and I doubt highly he would be at all pleased." A threat? No, more like concern from one medic to another. Obviously he's the only one in the room that cares about anyone's health right now. "... Primus." Well ... that explained the erratic behavior. She probably burned out her logic chips vorns ago. "I never seen someone who could hold ONE of those, much less four." Goa sets a few credits with his bar tab, and flips a few in his hand ... debating sliding them over to the seeker. "You know, Robber, if I got a new body the first thing I'd pro'lly try 's get overcharged too." He passes the chip back into his subspace. "... course, that's just me, and you know how good I take care of myself." Hopping off the stool, he salutes the two. "Cycle." And he's gone as quickly as he arrived. Shred nods, looking to Robustus, "Hey, this is the first I tried since I got into the academy, Robustus.. And you know, all things considered, I think I was entitled. Still, I don't want to wreck this body." sighing, she shakes her head, before looking to Goa, "I'm sorry guys, my mind's just still trying to get over what Psyke did. Slag him! " yeah, it's stuck in her head, along with the fact that despite everything, she forgave him. And he has not been seen since. Robustus hms as Goa departs after having his drink, very odd behavior indeed. "I don't think I'm going to get used to that nickname he's given me." he murmurs as he moves his hand to stroke at his beard in thought. "You put your trust in the wrong mech, it can happen to anyone." Shred turns to Robustus, and she shakes her head, "It shouldn't happen to me. When I lived down here, I trusted the wrong mech, I'd have been dead long ago. " Robustus nods his head, "I understand." he says, taking his hand off his beard and sipping down the rest of his drink. Then Shred disappears and he heads back to med bay.
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