(no subject)

[vance_prime]

There is a little three-wheeled black robot sitting on top of one of the tables in the middle of the Bar. It has no facial features, but somehow gives the impression that it's sulking.

Seated at the next table over is Alyx Vance. She's got her sketchbook and a sandwich, but she's periodically glancing at the little robot to make sure it's still there and not misbehaving any more than it already has.

Feel free to approach either one and ask what the hell is going on.

Comments

[paragonsoldier.livejournal.com]

Shepard comes in looking like she's had a very bad day, but she perks up when she sees Alyx. (One might also catch a hint of relief in her expression.)

"Alyx!" she calls, walking across the bar to her table. "It's been a while." She glances at the little black robot, then gives Alyx a questioning look.

[vance_prime]

"Major Shepard!" Alyx smiles. "Long time no see."

Her smile turns wry at the questioning look. "He's been naughty. I gave him a time-out."

[paragonsoldier.livejournal.com]

Shepard raises an eyebrow at the robot. "I'm guessing he's an AI, like D0G?"

[vance_prime]

"Yup. His name's Skitch. I started building him to kill time the first time I was Bound here."

[paragonsoldier.livejournal.com]

"So how come I haven't seen him before now? Or did you just finish?"

[vance_prime]

"I was storing him with the Bar for a while when I wasn't working on him," explains Alyx. "A friend of mine convinced me that wasn't a good idea."

[paragonsoldier.livejournal.com]

"Why not?" Shepard asks, taking a seat at the table.

[vance_prime]

"Well, he doesn't like to be turned off, for one thing," says Alyx. "And I don't turn D0G off, except when I'm working on him..."

[paragonsoldier.livejournal.com]

"Oh. So being turned off a lot would probably be disorienting for him. Or at least very annoying."

[vance_prime]

Alyx nods. "It wasn't a big deal until Cubefall... he wasn't really self-aware before that."

[paragonsoldier.livejournal.com]

"I wasn't here for Cubefall - Tali told me about it though. I thought all the Cubefall effects were temporary."

[vance_prime]

"Most of them were. See, I started building Skitch out of Legos, and the whole bar was turned into Legos and things for Cubefall, so I integrated some of those Legos into his structure, and when the holiday was over..." Alyx gestures in Skitch's general direction.

[paragonsoldier.livejournal.com]

Shepard looks at the little robot. "Huh. Some Legos." She realizes that it might be counterproductive to pay attention to the robot while he's in time out, so she decides to change the subject.

"I see you got back from your mission in one piece," she remarks. "Everyone make it out okay?"

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

Bumblebee needs a distraction. Bumblebee got one.

"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in the world..."

[vance_prime]

The little robot perks up at the sight of the familiar mech. He rolls to the edge of the table.

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

There's a cheerful Cybertronian whistle of greeting in response, and Bumblebee crouches down to eye level with the smaller bot. He'll greet Alyx in a minute, we promise.

[vance_prime]

Skitch whistles back.

"Don't talk to him," says Alyx. "He's on time-out."

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

Bumblebee looks up at that. "Time-out?" he says in his own rusty, crackly voice. "How do you mean?"

[vance_prime]

"It's a punishment. He's been poking people in the ankles again, so I put him up there to restrict his movement for a while."

Skitch turns toward Alyx and makes a rude noise in her general direction.

"I can make it longer if you start mouthing off," Alyx warns.

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"I would listen to her if I were you," is all Bumblebee comments to the smaller mech. "Temperamental?"

[vance_prime]

"Ed said he had 'anger issues,'" says Alyx wryly. "There might be something to that."

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"Possibly," says Bumblebee. "I've known mechs like that before."

Pause.

"Other than Ironhide, I mean."

[vance_prime]

Alyx huffs a laugh, then turns serious. "That reminds me. I wanted to ask you..."

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

Bumblebee tilts his head curiously. "So tell me what's the answer..."

(He's been reverting to lyrics and playback more and more lately around humans. It's a habit.)

[vance_prime]

"I back up D0G's hard disk about once a month, in case something happens to him. Should I do that with Skitch too, or do Cybertronian brains not work that way?"