"Apology accepted," the medic answers, even though he'd hardly have expected one over something that was ultimately minor in the scale of things. But if apologizing made Rogue feel better, then he was fine hearing it. Injecting a bit of cheeky humour into his tone, he added, "It's fine, I'm used to far worse aboard the Nemesis all the time."
But then more seriously, he amends: "We both have to hide, for now. But at least we're not doing it alone."
---
They return to the highway and drive east, course set, and under the bright summer sunshine and the cheerful zip of passing cars, Knock Out once again takes control of the conversation to fill the hours.
"--laying there on the medical berth and he starts ranting at me: 'Can you imagine my horror?! There I am, minding my own business, when my arm just falls off!'" Knock Out parrots, doing an admittedly decent impression of Starscream's gravely vocal register before adding an insulted huff of air through the dashboard vents. "As if I'd have been so careless as to send him out with faulty welds! Naturally I tried to talk him into an upgrade, but all he wanted was his old arm back on, which he didn't even have the decency to bring with him. Beyond recovery, he claimed! The thing about Starscream, Rogue, is that he swings wildly between the most engaging, silver-tongued liar you've ever met, and not being able to bluff his way out of a mesh bag. This? Was not a silver day..."
Every few hours he stops them at somewhere quiet and out of the way, so Rogue can stretch and refill her water bottles. They leave the rolling hills and enter the mountains, the highway winding through valleys and skirting peaks, overlooking long drop-offs that go down hundreds of feet. The roadway is clean, well-maintained, and light on traffic both commercial and not. Honestly it's a pleasure to drive, and despite the circumstance, Knock Out is at least enjoying that part of it.
---
The sun is low but still comfortably above the horizon as they pass through the south suburbs of Richmond, the last major city between them and De Chima's location.
But no outskirts of the familiar city appear as they continue down Route 360. Small townships and petite communities, but De Chima simply fails to materialize. Knock Out slows, considering, and pulls into the empty parking lot of a church. It seems they need a new plan.
no subject
But then more seriously, he amends: "We both have to hide, for now. But at least we're not doing it alone."
---
They return to the highway and drive east, course set, and under the bright summer sunshine and the cheerful zip of passing cars, Knock Out once again takes control of the conversation to fill the hours.
"--laying there on the medical berth and he starts ranting at me: 'Can you imagine my horror?! There I am, minding my own business, when my arm just falls off!'" Knock Out parrots, doing an admittedly decent impression of Starscream's gravely vocal register before adding an insulted huff of air through the dashboard vents. "As if I'd have been so careless as to send him out with faulty welds! Naturally I tried to talk him into an upgrade, but all he wanted was his old arm back on, which he didn't even have the decency to bring with him. Beyond recovery, he claimed! The thing about Starscream, Rogue, is that he swings wildly between the most engaging, silver-tongued liar you've ever met, and not being able to bluff his way out of a mesh bag. This? Was not a silver day..."
Every few hours he stops them at somewhere quiet and out of the way, so Rogue can stretch and refill her water bottles. They leave the rolling hills and enter the mountains, the highway winding through valleys and skirting peaks, overlooking long drop-offs that go down hundreds of feet. The roadway is clean, well-maintained, and light on traffic both commercial and not. Honestly it's a pleasure to drive, and despite the circumstance, Knock Out is at least enjoying that part of it.
---
The sun is low but still comfortably above the horizon as they pass through the south suburbs of Richmond, the last major city between them and De Chima's location.
But no outskirts of the familiar city appear as they continue down Route 360. Small townships and petite communities, but De Chima simply fails to materialize. Knock Out slows, considering, and pulls into the empty parking lot of a church. It seems they need a new plan.