Hauler eyed Nova, not completely buying it. That was not the look of a criminal, whom the police had finally caught up with, this was a girl who’s past had come back to haunt them. The woman and her friend needed some time to process these things.
“Right, well, I am going to carry on my operation and I must not be disturbed. You,” He pointed at Niko. “You have 5 minutes, and then i’ll need you to leave. And for you doctor, this is the worst possible time for you to have arrived and delivered this news. It could have very well waited until after the procedure. Get the Anesthesiologist, and then let me work. This is delicate business and one small mistake could lead to neural feedback capable of scrambling the brain.”
While the others may not notice under the beration, Nova might realize Hauler never said anything about removing the firearm.
“It could WHAT?!” Nova shouted with panic and fury. “That is it! I have had it with all of you! I’ll make my own leg if I have to. You take one step closer to me and SO HELP ME-”
“Nova!” Niko shouted over her. He quickly grabbed both of her hands and looked Nova in the eyes, He looked scared, almost terrified. But even through that fear, he forced himself to speak with as much conviction and sincerity as he could.
“Listen… I don’t know what’s going on right now. I don’t know who to believe, or what to think right now, or really anything… But right now, I know that I trust you. And in turn, I need you to trust me. Trust me when I tell you that everything is going to be fine. I’m sure it will. Alright?” The boy said, forcing a kind smile.
Niko’s words managed to calm Nova down just enough. Her heartrate was still elevated, and she still felt stressed out of her mind, but she was calm enough to trust him. She then looked to Hauler and said
“Alright… fine. Just do whatever you need to do and get it over with. And I don’t care what you say, but Niko isn’t leaving until I’m put under.”
Hauler rubs his temple as if he had a headache, not that he could have one. “If you insist, but he’ll need to be quiet and let me work. And you don’t need to worry overmuch about feedback, I’ve not had a failure yet, and I doubt you have the knowledge to implant own. If you do, then by all means, you may implant your own. It’s your decision after all. All you need to do is leave.” he then returned to his work station, hoping he was able to underline the boys point over how foolish she was being.
“Yeah yeah, I get it.” Nova replied with a huff. “At this point I just want to get this done and over with.”
“Don’t worry about me by the way. I’m pretty good at staying out of the way.” Niko said. “I’ll probably step out as soon as the actual operation gets started. I’m actually pretty squeamish.” He then looked to Nova. “Unless you’d want me to stay? I can probably stick through it if you want.”
“Buddy, as soon as I’m knocked out you can do whatever you want. I really appreciate having your support right now, but I’m not gonna care one way or the other when I’m unconscious.” Nova answered.
OOC: I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving, if you celebrated. I made a pretty awesome pie, myself.
IC:
“You mean you guys haven’t stockpiled all the primal relics already?” Lunawing asks. “I kinda figured that was the first thing you’d do. I’d have done that.”
As the conversation continues, the ship exits transwarp above the interior of Astrum’s ring. Quickdraw brings his vessel down in a spaceport connected to Meridiem’s space bridge nexus (@Rukah), the boxy craft sticking out like a sore thumb amid a swath of elegant ships bearing sleek, gold-trimmed hulls or exterior lights arranged in constellation-like patterns. The spaceport’s berths were made from gantries that adjusted themselves to fit the contours of each ship, wrapping around the vessel as if in an embrace.
“I am glad to hear it,” Lathe says. “Likewise, Astrum shall provide you and your party with whatever you may need for your quest.”
“I figured I’d let you know who you’re working with, before she talked you into anything,” the doctor says to Hauler. “She’s got quite enough firepower already with that stolen mech.”
He leaves to fetch an anesthesiologist, as directed, and as Hauler prepares to begin building Nova’s new leg, a twelve foot tall cybertronian woman with purple armor and a featureless oval-shaped faceplate enters the room.
“I am Suture,” she introduces herself. “Doctor Chase has informed me of the patient’s condition and the procedure you intend to perform. I shall begin at your word.”
Aboard Excalibur II, repair teams assess the damages that the vessel had accrued during the battle. The frigate’s shields had fortunately held, leaving her able and flightworthy. On the bridge, Captain Gravastar and the rest of the bridge crew watch as Present Memory takes off and darts across the water.
The Captain frowns. “Hail him,” she orders Redshift, “Ask him where he thinks he’s going off to alone. Megaton, keep your finger on the trigger and a sharp eye on the sensors; there could be more quintessons coming.”
“We’re receiving a transmission from Amity, boss,” Redshift announces. “From the Chancellor’s office- now ain’t that something?”
In the medical ward, Moreyn and the other medics lay the wounded down on tables to begin treating them. Hammer, Nail, and Erinyix are stabilized, while the components of the Combiner Chaingang are taken to the brig. The mangled corpse of the snake-like quintesson has been laid out across two operating tables to accommodate its immense size, and the headless body of Phantom Malevolent and the inert cyborgs have been collected as well. In a corner of the bay, a hovering drone reattaches Beta Maxx’s arm while a tube pumps energon into his body to revitalize the minicon.
“There you are,” Defender says as Razor and Oreo arrive. Ignoring the array of doctors and medics, he strides over to assist Razor, who is carrying a bundle of assorted parts of Erinyix.
“I was hoping you’d show up to help me get my ankle repaired. Oh, and is Kitai all right? He seemed a bit angry back there.”
“Angry was an understatement,” Oreo commented. “I’ve never seen anyone like that before. He would have slaughtered the Knight like an animal if I hadn’t stopped him. Even if he’s an oddity, he doesn’t have any reason to be that rage-filled…”
Razor set her bundle of parts by Erinyix, then turned to Moreyn.
“Where do you want me? I’m sure another set of hands will help here,” she said, gesturing toward the various beings spread over the operating tables.
Kitai exhaled, before whipping around.
“Spit it out. If you’ve got something to say that isn’t some moral idiocy that will kill us all, it better be good.” He said, eyes burning into Firestorm.
“You fought a god. THEY EAT GODS FOR BREAKFAST. And no one seems to think, we are helpless, there is nothing, and I’ll say it again, nothing that will stop them. Ok, congrats on beating them. Now, they’ll take your corpse, and melt it to create more soldiers. They’ll analyze everything, and then fight. Nothing we do, nothing we create, will ultimately stop them.”
Kitai shouted.
Kitai exhaled. “I don’t want to go back. That’s what I’m most scared of.” His hands clench.
“When I’m fighting, I don’t feel right. I just know how to do things, things I shouldn’t able to know, yet here I am.” He looks at Firestorm. “I’m terrified of the idea that one day, I would be fighting alongside them. I don’t want to think about it.”
“I’m sure it’s on the to-do list. We only just got started on all this not too long ago.” Maximus replied.
After the ship landed, Maximus and Honeycomb stepped out. Honeycomb in particular was completely enamored by the ring world. Her eyes followed the horizon ahead of her, until she was craning her neck upwards and looking at the land directly above her head.
“Alright, step one should be to regroup with Axis. She’ll probably be on Liege’s island, but I’m not sure where that is from here.” Maximus said to the others.
“That is much appreciated.” Axis said kindly. “However, if there is nothing else to be discussed then I should be on my way.”
Nova glared angrily at the doctor as he left. Even if he wasn’t judging her directly, she still felt it. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt so uneasy, so unsafe here.
Then Suture came in. Nova looked up at her nervously. She was unsure how these mechanical giants were going to operate her much smaller, much more delicate human body.
But at Hauler’s question, she simply took a deep breath. She heald it for a moment, trying her best to steady herself. She tightened her grip around Niko’s hand, and let out a sigh.
“Yeah, I’m ready. Let’s get this over with.”
The doctor nodded at Suture to begin her work, and reactivated his narcethium. Despite it’s intimidating drill, 5mm thick needle and chainsaw components, it looks like not all the parts will be used, as a hatch opened on it’s back and several small arms with both hands, claws, and other integrated tools.
“Indeed they will,” Moreyn says, directing the medics carrying Erinyix over to a stasis pod. He then points over to Oreo and Defender. “Why don’t you tend to your companions?” he suggests. “Erinyix and the quintessons will need to be put in stasis until they can be taken somewhere better-equipped to receive them.”
While Kitai may be fearful, many of the personnel aboard Excalibur II seem to be in a celebratory mood. The anxiety that had permeated the ship before their arrival to Astrum has- for the moment, at least- dissipated as the crew revel in their victory. Captain Trenchfoot, however, is silent as he and another marine solemnly carry the body of a fallen comrade to the medical bay.
“I hope you’re not thinking of asking me,” Lunawing says. “Up until now, I wasn’t sure Liege Maximo was still alive.”
“Of course,” Lathe says. "And I must attend to matters as well.
“Til all are one,” she says to Axis and Seraphicon, bidding the two farewell.
Suture’s fingers separate into smaller, more precise manipulators as additional equipment unfolds from compartments in her back. Taking care to stay out of Hauler’s way, she puts Nova under so that her new leg can be assembled.