Of Glitchmice And Mechs

Log Title: Of Glitchmice And Mechs

Location: Hideout - Undisclosed Location

Date: December 6, 2021

Summary: Skitter helps Soundblaster with his new base of operations. And does stupid cute things.

Hideout - Undisclosed Location[]

This studio once served the local news and entertainment needs of the local populace. The building itself is boarded up; its entrances seemingly sealed against scavengers. However, those in the know are granted entrance to Soundblaster's new secret sanctum. It is guarded by the few troops still left loyal to him (and his shanix), and slowly the looted broadcast equipment is being replaced. Some of the new gear is quiet alien and crystal based. Much of the building, however, is still dark and from outside appears abandoned.

It's a late night, but Soundblaster is up late, obsessively working on his dream control crystals. Running more new wiring through the old broadcast studio, his few remaining guards watch in amusement as Soundblaster manically tries to do everything himself, before his new boss's minions return to check on him. He is working for them for now, and for now, their goals align. But that might not always be the case, and for that eventuality, Soundblaster plans.

It is late, and the small turbofox that's recently been added to those here comes skittering out of one of the still derelict sections of old equipment, audials perked up, tail fluffed. And mouth full of glitch mouse as she trots proudly towards Soundblaster, letting out a muffled chirrup around the 'treat'.

Soundblaster looks down in obvious pleasure at the return of Skitter. "The mighty hunter!" he bellows congratulatorily, with no trace of sarcasm. "Soon all my equipment will be glitch-free! I should have found someone like you orbital cycles ago!" He pauses in his upgrades to offer a skritch to his new friend.

Skitter drops the glitch mouse at Soundblaster's feet and preens under the scritch. "Was not.." clicking of her vocalizer before she continues, "Would not. have been.. Me.. then. Is me -now-." Titter before fixing her gaze upwards, snout crinkling. "Home-safe should -eat-. Fuel. Can bring more mice?"

"Yes, please," Soundblaster replies, "but you eat them. You need the energy and raw materials. I'm getting energon from our mysterious benefactor, but the longer we can stretch that, the more we'll have in store for emergencies and inevitable betrayals." He gives one last skritch and straightens up.

Skitter's audials sweep back, then forward a few times, wiggling as she parses thoughts then flops, taking delicate bites out of the mouse now. "Us.. verses them?" she finally voices. "Trust no one. Emenies. All outside are?'

Soundblaster nods seriously. "Yes. Some are temporary allies we use towards certain ends, but you must never trust them. Trust only me, and Chro. And when there's a conflict between us, me." He glances towards the last place he remembers Chro lurking.

Skitter finishes the ill-fated mouse before hopping to her feet and darting around Soundblaster's legs. "Can help? Can protekt! Am fierce!" she gives a mock-growl, plating fluffing before returning to scampering about his feet. A sudden halt and she too turns her head to peer at where Chro was last lurking, mismatched optics brightening. "Get mice for Chro too? Help feed, save sweet-rocks for emer.. ener.. hrmmph." Sitting with a huff. "Save.. fuel for dry times."

"Yes," Soundblaster says thoughtfully. "And I believe you could help me as well." He opens his chest, but instead of summoning Skitter, he projects his plans for the base upgrades onto it. He looks through the translucent screen at Skitter. "If I give you one end of a cable, could you run it through some ductwork for me? It would save me a lot of time and energy," he says appreciatively, voice warm.

Skitter blinks, parsing a moment, "Drag tangy twist through not-tunnels? Can eat? No eat?"

"Drag, yes," Soundblaster explains. "Eat, no. Although anything you find in the conduits you can definitely eat," he chuckles.

Skitter nods her head, "Can drag tangy-twist through no t-tunnels. Can squish-flatten." She flattens to the floor, plating slicking back and creeps a little forward, giggling softly.

"Wonderful!" Soundblaster exclaims. "So versatile!" he continues encouragingly. "Let me transfer the plans." He crouches down, and transmits the blueprints to Skitter through touch, right into her memory banks. Her copy is already highlighted with the wirelines he needs attended.

Skitter's optics widen, audials flattening before going askew at the "Oooooh.. can -see-.. where.. is.. is this is a.." clicking softly to arrange words, "Map. This is.. map.. and. lines are. where I can help drag.. I can -help-! for real help you." There's a wiggle and another rampage of darting around his feet before she halts and sits, audials forward, "Can do now? Can help now?"

"Yes," Soundblaster chuckles. "And feel free to use the map to discover new hidey-holes for you as well. I've marked the areas I need for my uses - the rest of the building is left for Chro and you to explore. I think Chro has claimed the upper levels, but there is still a lot of space for you," he laughs. "First, though..." He offers Skitter the end of a very long cable. "Can you run this through there -" he points. "To section J-23 on the map?"

Skitter hrmphs, "Chro must share." The fox tilts her head, looking at the cable then nodding. "Will explore, keep glitches out, find places.. And take to jaaay 23." Audials wiggle back and forth before she bites onto the end of the cable, readying to scurry off into the bowels of the building. There's a muffled tck-tck-tck of excitement before she darts off, hauling the cable with her.

Soundblaster follows Skitter's progress with his sensors, shaking his head in amused delight. He prepares a test at this end, so once she's got it in place, he can make his way around, making the other connection, and ensure continuity. "You're doing great!" he calls down the conduit as he works on this end. He fibers the card, runs a local test, and then lazily follows Skitter towards the other side of the building, taking the hallway.

There's the sound of feet scrabbling in the ductwork and a muffled, echoed tck-tck before she merges, dusty, with cable still firmly in mouth. Skitter twists on herself and starts tugging the cable, small jerks like a canine with a rope toy, pulling against the weight of the entire length of it to budge it before dropping to a fox-loaf state on the floor, huffing softly.

Soundblaster joins Skitter at the endpoint, and his optic band lights right up to see her. "Good girl!" he says pleasantly, leaning down to give her a skritch. "You're so helpful!" He retrieves the end of the cord and takes a moment to install a card in the equipment on this end. He fibers up the cord to the new bank. As he runs a test, he turns back to look down on the little huffing foxloaf. When the test comes back good, he says proudly, "Perfect!"

Skitter wiggles audials and scampers back to her feet, dancing rings around Soundblaster excitedly. There's a wiggle pause and she makes an attempt to scale him, trying for that shoulder spot again with obvious glee.

Soundblaster stands still, leaning slightly to make Skitter's climb slightly easier. When she arrives on his shoulder, he gives her another skritch. "Let's take a break," he says, carrying her towards the refueling area. He transmits the complex code to the energon stores and takes enough out for ener-tea for two. He starts the cyberkettle. "So, what did you do today besides hunting?" he asks with sincere interest.

Skitter settles herself along Soundblaster's shoulders, tail on one side, most of her on the other and chuff-clicks contentedly. "Slept. Hunted. Dreamed of squish-sand. Worked on worrds. Practiced! Slept.. More slept." soft titter, "Words come more and more when slee - recharge, fill mind up, then have to practice. Slow.. Talk slo.. Hnn Speaking slow.. halps."

Soundblaster nods carefully. "Well, let's get you some ener-tea, and then we can both get some rest. Tomorrow we'll discuss more." Obviously, it is something to which he greatly looks forward.

Skitter trill-prrts happily. "Found more mice. Will eat.. later.. protekt cables, Soundblaster is weaving." A head bump before she settles, a rarity, a desert fox stole. Who knew that Soundblaster would be an icon of fashion in the here and now.