Saving the Foundation (attn Arty! :D)

[smokedtoast]

Looking a little crispy, Hot Spot the second looked over the blueprints with the other Special Teams leader put in charge of the current wrinkle that had come up in the investigations of Hellscream's labs. It was supposed to be a normal clean out and dissection of resources, per the Council's orders. But they had forgotten who they had been dealing with and a section of the city above had practically collapsed on the officers sent in. She had managed to keep the load bearing structures together long enough for evacuation of the lab... but the city above... She started to rub her offactory sensors in frustration. "This had to be what happened to Slingshot's grandkid and that warehouse... you know that right?" She commented with a sardonic tone, looking over at BuildB. "Not that anyone'll listen..."
BuildB raised an eyebrow in the Protectobot's direction. "I thought you were supposed to be the positive one... Why wouldn't they, we've actually made a corrallation between buildings going up and secret labs. You really think they're not going to make the connection?" She responded, examining the structure again. "This needs an engineer you know... not just an builder. Makes me miss my old teach-" She pauses for a moment, noticing a pair of familiar bots walk by in the hallway. She seems to take a moment to pinch herself.
Hot Spot raises an eyebrow at this, before glancing in the direction. "Speak of the Robo-Devil?" She asked quizzically, almost a bit amused. Considering everything that had happened, she could use some good luck. They all could.
"Couldn't be... supposed to be on diplomatic missions..." BuildB responded softly, before heading out into the hallway regardless. She squints a little bit, bringing her visor down and examining further. There was only one way to be sure.... "Grapple?"

[artemisprime]

The Dawning Light had been a marvel in technology. A marvel, that is, that the ship even got as far as it did without their tight-knit and diligent engineering and maintenance. Though Hoist was chief of engineering, Grapple had a certain freedom with schematics and designs to the archaic engines. When they had left with Hound, Trailbreaker, and Mirage (and the Maximal elder who had approached them for the diplomatic mission), the Dawning Light, a pre-Reformat hop ship that may have been built around the rise of the Maximal-Predacon regime. Then, the planet had been under reconstruction and, while Hoist and Grapple were involved, they still had their loyalty to their friends and family.

So while Grapple lamented over the structure of Deva Corp -- a reclaimed research facility with far too much ductwork to be efficient -- Hoist partitioned his thoughts, outwardly reassuring Grapple to jot down his observations but within concerned about becoming embroiled in another political entanglement, no matter how indirect.

Oh, and regardless of who's watching them, a bold sparkling running amok. That could be an issue.

Still --

"Grapple?"

He heard the beckon before his companion; Hoist halted, raising his head, as Grapple continued on his lamentation, and turned his attention at the voice. Regarding BuildB, he greeted. "Hello, there! A moment, please; Grapple is currently distracted." Clearing his throat, Hoist, raising his voice, hailed, "Excuse me, Grapple, but it appears you have an admirer."

That snapped Grapple out of his thoughts. The architect paused, looking up from his datapad, and regarded his companion and the femme. "Oh, hello! Have we met? Apologies, I've been distracted as of late. Are you aware the ductwork in this section is utilising antiquated polymers? With synthetic unitanium, it could decrease energy consumption in heating."

[smokedtoast]

BuildB nodded in response. "Hello! Hoist, right?" She guessed by the others color scheme and overall attention to the other former.
As Hoist's attention turned to her, she couldn't help but blush a little. "A long time ago, before things went all squishy Professor Grapple. I've been trying to convince Slingshot of that since we were relocated to the building but there's been so much outwards reconstruction..." She pauses for a moment, realizing that like so many others who had assumbed their vehicon identities post War of the Spark... she'd almost forgotten her old name. "We'd met before when I was going by Refurb, part of the construction teams brought online to help expand the cities around Metroplex post the Dark Cybertron event. Go by BuildB though nowadays, a member of the Autobot Build Team."
"It's so great to see you, it's rare to run into a fellow builder these days in Polyhex. We've been trying to expand but..." She makes a motion to the duckwork they were discussing. "We've been having to prioritize the bigger things. Especially with certain... events of late." She takes a moment suddenly to hug the fellow Architect all of a sudden, not realizing how much she missed the big lug. She was a MTO of a different breed due to the nature of their needs, and while she didn't have a coder, Grapple had made quite the impression on her.

[artemisprime]

Hoist hung back, though keeping his attention on Grapple and BuildB. Oh, the younger mech knew what to say to the normally scatter-brained architect -- how many times had Hoist audited his companion's classes before the Fall, witnesses grand, sweeping tangants that circled about and returned to the topic at hand, his passion for the concepts and theories keeping the students interested.

"Oh. Oh!" Grapple returned the hug. "I'm so glad that my lectures stuck with you through your career! That means so much!" Turning to Hoist, the caution yellow Maximal grinned. "Hear that, Hoist? Someone appreciates my lectures!"

"Yes, they do, old friend," Hoist nodded. "Though I think we should ask about why the political climate has gotten progressively worse since we left?"

"Why should I know about that?" Grapple countered. "Let Artemis and Hound worry about that. I want to work on the advances we can make in reinforcing existing structures with more effecient coolant and heating systems that would still hold its charge even in a brown out or black out conditions! Oh, I think I may have an idea! Does anyone have a pad? Oh, I told you I should have brought my notebook with us!"

"Check your kit," Hoist pointed to the bag over the otter's shoulder. "Right hand pocket, with your stylus. And no, we shouldn't allow Artemis to handle anything political."

"Trailbreaker is with her," Grapple rummaged through the kit. "He'll keep her from flipping tables."

"She's also the one who threatened to use 'shotgun diplomacy' if things don't go her way."

"Oh, that's her threatening idly. She does that, you know. Now, BuildB, my dear, let us discuss more on the ductwork and how we can make them more efficient...."

Hoist sighed.

[smokedtoast]

BuildB smiles in response, glad to see something that reminded her of the old days before techno-organics. "I would love that Grapple, another head would be greatly appreciated. We need to improve least we stagnate and the whole structure comes down on us, no? There's been some new polymers that I've been trying to ask for clinical testing from the mad scientist labs, but everyone's obsessed with the more fringe benefits for vehicles and the like..." She explains, swiping on her own device and bringing the notes.
Hotspot just chuckles as she makes her way over, noting her friend's energy as she continued to discuss with Grapple. "I never thought I'd see the day BuildB would find herself a kindred spirit..." She comments over to Hoist, offering her hand to the newcomer. "Hotspot of Felis, resident fire fighter and leader of the Neo Protectobots at your service. Heard you had some questions?..."
BuildB breaks off from her conversation to comment over to her friend. "You know it doesn't work that way, right? you might as well say Hotspot of Artemis..."
Hotspot just rolls her eyes lightly in response.