Bonecrusher:

*already heading in the general direction of Megatron's room*  :: MEGATRON? ::

Megatron:

*Music is blaring from his room, as high as it can go.  It's like he's an angry human teenager or something, except 35 feet tall and armed with a fusion cannon.  The volume lowers just a tad as he hears the comm.*  ::Bonecrusher.::

Bonecrusher:

:: THIN SHEET METAL ALRIGHT FER YA?  AN' ENERGON.  LOTS OF ENERGON.  -- THAT'S A GIVEN, THOUGH. ::  *is actually using the music as a kind of hot/cold thing so he can make sure he's going in the right direction, listening to it getting louder and louder - until he actually gets within a few yards of the room itself*

Megatron:

::Sheet metal should work.  Did you happen to get some of the 'good' stuff?::  *music lowers a bit more*

Bonecrusher:

*outside the door by now*  :: I TRIED T'MAKE IT SMOOTHER THAN IT WAS ORIGNALLY, BUT... UH.  IT DIDN'T WORK SO WELL.  YER DOOR OPEN OR DO I GOTTA FIGURE SOMETHIN' OUT? ::

Megatron:

::....no, my door is not open.  Sixshot should still be outside.  Have him give you the code then tell him to leave.::

Megatron:

*Not. Bitter. At. All.  Nope.*

Bonecrusher:

*looks at Sixshot*  GIMME TH' CODE AN' THEN GO.... DO SOMETHIN' ELSE FER A WHILE.  OR SOMETHIN'.  I DUNNO.

Sixshot:

*blinks down at the other  mech*  Wha...?  Who died and made you boss?

Bonecrusher:

STARSCREAM.  *opticroll*  NO, MEGATRON JUST TOLD ME TO TELL YOU THAT.  SO.  DO I GOTTA SAY PLEASE?

Sixshot:

....he did, eh?  *pauses, obviously comming Megatron.  Snorts once and glances back down at Bonecrusher.*

Sixhot:

Says to give you the code... *sends it*  Now give me a cube and I'll be on my way.

Bonecrusher:

*loooongsuffering sigh, juggling the pile of cubes in his hand and practically throwing one at Sixshot*  THERE.

Bonecrusher:

*is already going to the door to imput the code!*

Sixhotter:

*catches it with a chuckle and wanders off down the hall to primus only knows where*

Bonecrusher:

*door: open!  shoves through it and looks around at the room mildly*  SO.  STILL HAVE A GUARD DOG AN' EVERYTHIN', HUH?

Megatron:

*Kicked back at his desk, feet up on the top, finishing off a cube.  Gives Bonecrusher a look, an unfriendly one.*  So it seems.

Bonecrusher:

*unfazed*  WONDERFUL.  WHERE DO YOU WANT THESE?  *shifts the pile again*

Megatron:

*Doesn't bother to get up.  Points to a small closet in the back.*  Put half over there, and the rest right here *Points to the spot beside his chair.*

Bonecrusher:

*another opticroll, but he does as he's told, dumping half of it and then heading over to Megatron, setting the rest of it down with a bit more care*  OH, AN' TH' METAL.  *digs around in a compartment and then pulls out a long, flat piece of sheet metal (that probably shouldn't have fit in the compartment at all, holding it out to the other*

Megatron:

*That catches his attention.  He sits up, taking the metal and studying it critically.  After a minute, he nods and subspaces it.  Picks up a cube and tosses it to Crusher.*  And the good stuff?

Bonecrusher:

*reaches into another compartment and pulls out four cubes of darkly-colored energon*  AS REFINED AS IT CAN BE WITHOUT BEIN' ANY LESS POWERFUL.  *drops them down on the desk in front of Megatron*  SO, WHAT'S TH' METAL FOR?

Megatron:

*Picks up the darkened cube, studies it too, and then subs it as well.*  A gift.

Megatron:

*Takes a long drink.*

Bonecrusher:

....A GIFT?  *crosses his arms*  FER WHO, AN' WHY?

Megatron:

*Another look over the top of his cube.  Yes, it reads, "None of your slaggin business."*  ...isn't that what's expected this time of year?

Bonecrusher:

.....*confused*  THIS TIME OF TH' YEAR.  AS OPPOSED T'OTHER TIMES OF TH' YEAR?

Megatron:

*Sighs.  Has had a lot of time to look things up on the world wide web.*  This thing called Christmas.  Humans in this country use it as an excuse to give gifts to each other, mostly their close friends and family.

Bonecrusher:

......YER KIDDIN' ME, RIGHT?  *is currently, mentally, going "oh slag, was I supposed to get a present for Blackout?!"*

Megatron:

*Finished off a cube and snags himself another*  No.  There's actually several holidays between December and the January.  Most include some sort of gift giving and religious celebration.  However, the religious aspects of these holidays is more commercial than actually...religious.

Megatron:

*Shrugs*

Bonecrusher:

....OKAY, FIRST OFF, 'S KINDA SCARY THAT Y'KNOW MORE ABOUT A HUMAN THING THAN I DO, AN' SECOND OFF - SLAG, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.  *siiigh*  GREAT.  I HOPE 'M NOT SUPPOSED T'BE GIVIN' PEOPLE PRESENTS. *:\*

Megatron:

*Just drinks.  Yeah, it really is disturbing he's been reading up on human culture.  Rock bottom, folks.  Rock, fraggin, bottom.  But hey, it's something to do!*  You don't have to give anyone anything, Bonecrusher. 

Megatron:

I don't plan on giving you anything, for example. 

Bonecrusher:

HN.  NOT LIKE I WOULD.  *crosses his arms*  'S NOT MY THING.

Megatron:

I didn't think so.  I just figured...*trails off, drinking more from his cube*

Bonecrusher:

MIGHT AS WELL?  *looks around, frowning*  NOT LIKE Y'GET MUCH ELSE T'DO.

Megatron:

*Nods slowly*  ....yes, that and things have been...rough on Prime lately.  IguessIfiguredhecouldusesomecheeringup.

Megatron:

*Drink*

Bonecrusher:

....ROUGH ON PRIME.  *flatly*

Megatron:

Yes.

Megatron:

*Just as flatly*

Bonecrusher:

....RIIIIGHT.  *shakes his head*  WHEN DO Y'GET TO WANDER AROUND BASE AGAIN?

Megatron:

*Scowls at Bonecrusher*  ...you think that either of us isn't effected by this...mess?  That we haven't suffered as well? 

Megatron:

*Yeah, he's pissed now.  Frustrated with everything.  Tired of being locked up, but understanding why.*

Bonecrusher:

LAST I CHECKED, I NEVER SAID ANYTHIN' LIKE THAT.  BUT AT LEAST NEITHER OF YOU  WERE CONVULSIN' ON TH' FLOOR OR, Y'KNOW, GETTIN' YER MEMORY ERASED.  *rather blandly, really, considering the bite the words have*

Megatron:

No.  I was too busy dying at the time.  That whole having your spark ripped in half thing isn't the bed of roses everyone says it is. 

Megatron:

But you know what's worse?  Guilt.  Why the hell do I feel guilty about this? 

Bonecrusher:

'COS IT WAS HIJACKIN' YOUR  BODY AN' SLAGGIN' PEOPLE LEFT AN' RIGHT WITH IT.  *shrugs*

Megatron:

...

Megatron:

I tried to stop it.

Bonecrusher:

'M NOT BLAMIN'  YOU.  'M EXPLAININ' WHY Y'PROBABLY FEEL GUILTY.  'S NOT YER FAULT, BUT SINCE IT TOOK PLACE INSIDE YER BODY, Y'PROBABLY FEEL LIKE Y'SHOULD HAVE HAD MORE CONTROL OVER TH' SITUATION THAN YOU REALLY COULD HAVE HAD.

Megatron:

*Stares at Crusher for a long minute, then nods slowly and takes a drink.*  At any rate, none of this is Primes fault.  None of you were here *gestures to the room* and had to deal with half the slag he did.  I know he blames himself for the 'incident'...and it's not his fault. 

Bonecrusher:

IT ISN'T.  NOTHIN' THAT'S HAPPENED.... *trails off, shaking his head again*  NOTHIN' THAT'S HAPPENED IS TH' FAULT OF ANYONE IMPORTANT.

Megatron:

*Grunts, obvious he doesn't agree with that statement one bit.  Takes another drink of his cube, downing it.*

Megatron:

Eventually, I'll find it and kill it.

Bonecrusher:

THAT'S TH' BEST PLAN I'VE EVER HEARD, MEGATRON.  *honesty ftw!*  TH' SOONER IT DIES, TH' SOONER WE CAN WORRY ABOUT MORE IMPORTANT THINGS.  LIKE WHEN Y'ALL ARE TAKIN' A VACATION THAT WON'T END IN KIDNAPPIN' OR CHAOS HERE AT BASE.

Megatron:

Like that'll ever happen.  *muttered*

Bonecrusher:

Y'COULD HAVE SIXSHOT PLAY BODYGUARD FOR YA.  *easily*

Megatron:

*Blank stare*

Megatron:

*Cube poised at lips*

Bonecrusher:

....WHAT?

Bonecrusher:

Y'GO OUT ON VACATION WITH PRIME, HAVE TH' GUARD DOG HANG BACK AN' ACTUALLY PAY ATTENTION T'THINGS.

Bonecrusher:

HUMANS DO IT ALL TH' TIME.

Megatron:

I know what you mean, Bonecrusher...but Sixshot?

Bonecrusher:

HE'S BIG AN' BLOWS THINGS UP NICELY ENOUGH.  HAVE HIM TAKE RUNABOUT T'KEEP HIM DOCILE?  *shrugs*  OR PICK SOMEBODY ELSE.  WHATEVER, 'M JUS' THROWIN' TH' IDEA OUT THERE.

Megatron:

Hn...I enjoy my privacy.  Half the point of a vacation is getting away from you slaggers...  *Finishes off another cube and grabs another.*

Bonecrusher:

JUS' MAKE SURE THEY KNOW NOT T'TALK T'YA.  AT ALL.  Y'MIGHT NOT WANT T'DEAL WITH US ON VACATION, BUT Y'TWO PROBABLY NEED BODYGUARDS MORE'N ANY OF US.

Megatron:

*sighs*  I shouldn't need a bodyguard at all.  I'm slaggin Megatron!  Harbinger of doom!  It's pathetic.

Bonecrusher:

....MEGATRON.  REALLY.  YOU SHOULDN'T,  BUT PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE  ON BASE NEEDS ONE, AT THIS POINT.  IF IT WERE ME, I'D BE -- SLAG, AT THIS POINT?  I'D PROBABLY MAKE EVERYONE  WANDER AROUND IN PAIRS.  *sighs*  NOT LIKE THAT MAKES MUCH DIFFERENCE, THOUGH.  THEN TH' PAIR  GETS KIDNAPPED....

Megatron:

*Growls and rubs his face*

Bonecrusher:

WE COULD JUS' BLOW EVERYTHIN' UP.

Megatron:

...is that what you really want?

Bonecrusher:

.........*sighs again*  NO.  I HATE THIS PLANET, I HATE WHAT IT'S DONE T'MAKE THINGS EVEN MORE COMPLICATED THAN TH' WAR  DID, AN' I HATE TH' PEACE WE HAVE 'COS I DON'T DO PEACE, BUT..... 'S BETTER THAN NOTHIN'.  WHICH IS ALL WE REALLY GOT, NOW.  *unhappy*

Megatron:

....

Megatron:

I...I miss our home.  *Quietly*  If I could find a way to bring it back, I would.  I hate this planet too...  *chugs his cube down completely*

Bonecrusher:

TH' ONLY THING I MISS ABOUT HOME IS TH' NIGHTLY BRAWLS IN TH' BARS.  TH' MUSIC AN' BEIN' ABLE T'ACTUALLY GET LOST.  THIS PLANET... IS TOO CALM, TOO QUIET, AN' IT'S MADE US ALL HAVE T'INTERACT ALL TH' TIME.  WHICH LEADS... *waves a hand, stepping to lean against the wall*  ...T'COMPLICATIONS.

Megatron:

...that's an understatement.

Megatron:

Too many of us crammed into a small space. 

Megatron:

....we should expand...

Megatron:

*Drinks thoughtfully*

Bonecrusher:

EXPAND RIGHT INT' HUMAN TERRITORY.  *levelly*  I DOUBT THAT'D SIT WELL.

Bonecrusher:

AN' EVEN IF WE EXPAND.  HALF OF THESE FRAGGERS ARE TOO SLAGGIN' INTA EACH OTHER T'WANNA SPREAD OUT MORE.  'S LIKE A SLAGGIN' HIVE.

Bonecrusher:

*bitter, no!  angry, no!  of course not!  annoyed, never*

Megatron:

*Stares at Crusher*

Bonecrusher:

*is looking at his feet, actually, a little too thoughtfully for poor idiots like him*

Megatron:

...we can't just keep going like this....

Megatron:

We have to do something....

Bonecrusher:

....LIKE WHAT?  *looks up at Megatron, frowning*  WE CAN'T EXPAND WITHOUT MAKIN' SURE TH' HUMANS AIN'T GONNA FIND US.  WE CAN'T LEAVE TH' BASE ON SIMPLE VACATIONS  'COS SOMEONE ALWAYS GETS KIDNAPPED 'ER SLAGGED TO TH' PIT AN' BACK.  WE CAN'T BLOW TH' PLANET UP, 'COS WE AIN'T GOT NOWHERE ELSE T'GO.  *shrugs*  WE'RE KINDA... UP TH' CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE.

Megatron:

...I don't know, Bonecrusher.  The humans know we're here and I refuse to hide from them.  I think with some organization, things would fall into place....*trails off again*

Bonecrusher:

THEY KNOW WE'RE HERE, BUT WE MIGHT HAVE PROBLEMS IF THEY CAN ACTUALLY FIND US.  BUT, Y'KNOW, TH' HUMANS WE ALREADY KNOW GOT USED T'US PRETTY FAST.  *pauses for a minute, kind of mulling over what he wants to say, then sighs*  TH' THING WITH THAT TOWN RECENTLY ISN'T GONNA HELP OUR CASE, THOUGH.

Megatron:

*Goes quiet*

Megatron:

No...it isn't.

Megatron:

And he won't stop...

Bonecrusher:

....NO, HE PROBABLY WON'T.

Megatron:

...maybe we should buy an island?

Megatron:

This planet has hundreds of them...

Bonecrusher:

...AN ISLAND?

Bonecrusher:

....SURROUNDED BY TH' OCEAN.  *said a little weakly - yeah, that ocean thing isn't something he's too fond of*

Megatron:

...not a small island...one big enough to build on or some slag like that.  Away from the humans... *shrugs as he takes a drink*

Bonecrusher:

.....IT COULD WORK.  BUT...  *shakes his head*

Megatron:

...I fail to see how it wouldn't.  Our current location leaves us open to all sorts of trouble.  An island we could patrol easily...

Megatron:

And monitor who comes and goes...

Bonecrusher:

....THERE ARE HUMANS LIVING ON BASE, MEGATRON.  *looks at him evenly*  THE LENNOX FAMILY HAS A PLACE T'STAY, AN' THAT DANI GIRL HAS A FAMILY, BUT THEY'VE... *sounding a little embarrassed*  GOTTEN T'BE A USUAL OCCURANCE HERE.  IF WE MOVE, WHAT D'WE DO 'BOUT THEM?

Megatron:

...

Megatron:

I fail to see why we should remain where we are because a handful of humans stay with us.  I am only interested in what's best for us, Bonecrusher.  If the humans want to move with us, they can do so.  But I'm not going to base my decisions off of their existance.

Bonecrusher:

YEAH, 'M NOT SAYIN' WE STAY HERE 'COS OF THEM.  'S JUST.... *waves a hand, looking mildly frustrated*  NEVERMIND.  'S CLEARED UP.

Megatron:

...this is all hypothetical anyway.

Megatron:

It isn't as if we'll just pack up and leave tomorrow...or ever.

Bonecrusher:

.....THOUGH.

Bonecrusher:

....IF WE DID  MOVE...

Bonecrusher:

*frowns*  WOULD.... OUR PROBLEMS FOLLOW US, OR STAY WHERE THEY COULD WRECK HAVOC ON HUMANS?

Megatron:

....

Megatron:

I don't know.  *frowns*

Bonecrusher:

'COS 'M ALL FER THEM STAYIN' MAINLAND AN' TAKIN' THEIR FRUSTRATIONS OUT ON TH' HUMANS.  BUT AT TH' SAME TIME, IF THEY FOLLOWED US... WE MIGHT HAVE A BETTER CLUE ON WHAT THEY'RE DOIN' AT ANY ONE POINT.  *dryly*  NO ISLAND'S BIG ENOUGH T'HIDE DUPLICATES OF YOU AN' PRIME.

Megatron:

....true.

Megatron:

It's something to think about.  I see more pros for moving than cons...

Megatron:

More room, less vulnerability, no humans....

Bonecrusher:

LESS  HUMANS, REALLY, SINCE I HAVE A FEELIN' AT LEAST A FEW OF TH' ONES LIVIN' ON TH' ARK WILL BE FOLLOWIN' US.

Bonecrusher:

BUT I SEE TH' REASONIN' BEHIND IT, AN' I CAN'T SAY IT WOULDN'T BE NICE.  ....HARD FER US GROUNDED TYPES T'GET OFF TH' ISLAND, BUT MAYBE THAT'S FER TH' BEST.

Megatron:

...

Megatron:

True.  But I'm sure we can think of something....

Megatron:

Shockwave, no doubt, can come up with some sort of transportation device.

Bonecrusher:

PROBABLY.  'M JUS' POINTIN' THIS STUFF OUT NOW, SO IT'S AT LEAST AN ISSUE THAT'S BEEN NOTED.  *shrugs*  I COULD DEAL WITH AN ISLAND.

Megatron:

*Nods, obviously thinking*

Megatron:

...we'll see.   I think there's other issues to fix before we go planning something major such as this...

Bonecrusher:

PROBABLY.  BUT HOW MANY PROBLEMS DO WE HAVE HERE THAT COULD BE SOLVED BY THIS IDEA OF YERS?

Megatron:

....

Megatron:

A few....

Bonecrusher:

INFIGHTIN' WOULD CUT DOWN, IF WE COULD GET AWAY  FROM EACH OTHER.

Megatron:

Perhaps not our enemy problem....but...yes...it would give us more room to 'get away' from each other.

Bonecrusher:

IT WOULD HELP.  WE'D HAVE A MUCH EASIER PERIMETER T'WATCH.  Y'KINDA KNOW WHERE WE STAND, WHEN WE'RE SURROUNDED BY WATER.

Megatron:

*Nods again.  It's starting to sound more and more like a good idea.*

Megatron:

I wonder how much an island costs?

Megatron:

...or if we should just take one....

Bonecrusher:

....WE COULD JUS' TAKE ONE, BUT IF TH' GOVERNMENT KNEW WE WANTED T'GET OUTTA THEIR COUNTRY, I THINK THEY'D BE HAPPY T'HELP US.  *amused*  WE BUILD UP COLLATERAL DAMAGE KINDA A LOT.

Megatron:

*laughs*

Megatron:

That we do!  *raises his cube in mock salute*

Megatron:

...It would have to be some place warm... *Pausing to take a sip*

Bonecrusher:

I VOTE FER TH' TROPICS.  *even raises his hand halfway, just to drive his enthusiasm for the idea home*

Megatron:

I hear the tropics are pretty humid... *frowns*

Bonecrusher:

....I DON'T LIKE TH' DESERT, 'S ALL.  ARRID REGIONS AREN'T ANY FUN.  BUT TH' ARTIC IS TOO SLAGGIN' COLD.

Megatron:

*Growls at the mention of the artic*  No.  We're not living anywhere cold.

Bonecrusher:

....'SIDES, MOSTA TH' GOOD ISLANDS ARE GONNA BE DOWN NEAR TH' EQUATOR.  'S WHERE THE BAHAMAS ARE.  AN' CUBA.  SAAAY, HOW 'BOUT WE JUS' KICK TH' CUBANS OUT?

Megatron:

*Looks up Cuba*

Megatron:

....Hn...

Megatron:

As enticing as it sounds, I'd prefer a deserted island.

Bonecrusher:

BUT!

Megatron:

Maybe one with caves and a volcano....

Bonecrusher:

WE'D BE.... OOH, CAVES.

Megatron:

....

Megatron:

*Why isn't he surprised Crusher would be intrigued by caves?*

Bonecrusher:

....MAYBE WE COULD THROW PEOPLE INTA TH' VOLCANO AS PUNISHMENT?  *:D?*  I BET THAT'D MAKE PEOPLE FEEL SAFER!

Megatron:

....

Megatron:

Sometimes your brilliance amazes me....

Bonecrusher:

I KNOW, 'S KINDA SCARY HUH.  *brightly*

Megatron:

*Laughs and takes a long drink*

Bonecrusher:

STILL.  TH' IDEA HAS MERIT, AN' IF YOU AN' PRIME DECIDE THAT'S WHAT Y'WANT US T'DO, 'M WILLIN' T'HELP MAKE SURE EVERYONE GOES ALONG WITH IT.  *said mildly enough, but we all know what Bonecrusher's idea of "persuasion" is*

Megatron:

*nods*  I'll discuss it with him.

Bonecrusher:

HN.  *looks around, then shrugs*  Y'NEED ME FER ANYTHIN' ELSE? 

Megatron:

*Shakes his head, setting down and empty cube*

Megatron:

No, that was it...

Bonecrusher:

.....RIGHT.  I'MMA GO, THEN.  *starts for the door, but stops when he reaches it, not looking around*  Y'WANT TH' CODE FER THIS THING?

Megatron:

*Hesitates, then shakes his head*  No.  I'm in here for a reason.  And though I'm fairly sure 'it' is gone...I don't want to be wrong again.

Bonecrusher:

....SMART ANSWER.  LEMME KNOW IF Y'NEED MORE ENERGON.  *is out the door!*

Megatron:

*Watches him leave, then sighs, returning to the couch and starting on another cube.*