Spark-to-spark

Silverbolt feels quite indebted to First Aid after that incident at Iacon. He doesn't really want to tell him what happened, but eventually his conscience gets the better of him. He owes the medic that much. After all he'd nearly gotten the mech killed, and on top of that, Aid had saved him from certain destruction. Plus...Air Raid and Fireflight have been pestering him about this.

So, he approaches Aid at the safehouse, looking a little uneasy. "Hey...First Aid? Could I...talk to you for a bit? If you're not busy."

 Beachcomber says, "I know, man. I'm just, like, not really the warmongering type."

 Blurr says, "Well unfortunately you're in the middle of one right now."

 Hound says, "Just keep it together, Beach. Zoning out's not gonna do you any good if Decepticons are around."

 Blurr says, "What he said."

First Aid is currently at a workbench in Pitch's safe house. The Protectobot has a bunch of tiny circular magnetic devices no bigger than a human's pinky finger. Aid is holding one of them between two fingers while using his other hand to make adjustments to the device's circuitry with his finger lasers. Pitch put him to work modifying the listening bugs the resistance uses to spy on complicit members of the civilian government.

As Silverbolt approaches the workbench, First Aid sets down the bug he was working on and turns towards him. The stool he's sitting on squeaks. "Heya Silverbolt, sure thing. Great work on those guards, by the way. I was *this* close to springing a leak before you convinced them we meant business."

 'Cap Hubcap says, "Just, act natural.  And remember what you hear."

Silverbolt nods at Aid's compliment. "Thanks...look...I just wanted to say I'm really sorry about what happened at Iacon last deca-cycle. I owe you an explanation." he pauses, sitting down on another stool across from the medic. "You see--" he synthesizes a sigh. Might as well just get it over with. "The reason I stasis locked...I'm afraid of heights. It's ridiculous, I know--but I just panicked, when I looked down. I mean, I as long as I have an objective to accomplish, or some other duty to see to, it doesn't affect me, but if not...well, you know."

First Aid starts to wave his hand dismissively to tell Silverbolt it isn't necessary, but it quickly becomes clear that this is important to the Aerialbot. The incident over Iacon has been a puzzling one for First Aid, who assumed it a technical issue (that, he hoped, Silverbolt got sorted out with another medic). When Silverbolt reveals his secret, First Aid's optics widen slightly in surprise and confusion. "Afraid of... what? Silverbolt, I've seen you fly countless times, through the thickest of Decepticon anti-aircraft fire and dogfight gainst dozens of Seekers." Aid doesn't fully get it yet.

<p class="MsoNormal">Silverbolt sighs. The medic doesn't quite understand. But it's a strange thing, even the Aerialbot leader himself doesn't quite understand it. "...I know, Aid. I just--I don't know why, but whenever I'm not busy fighting or something else important, I panic if I fly too high, especially if I'm made aware of exactly how high up I've gone."

<p class="MsoNormal">First Aid rubs his chin nervously as he watches Silverbolt spill his guts. "I... geez, I never realized." It hits First Aid just how incredibly hard it must be for Silverbolt to lead the Aerialbots and be expected to dominate in his arena when faced with this crippling phobia. Then it hits First Aid about how unhelpful all his 'fly higher' comments must have been. "Oh Silverbolt," Aid says, optics dimming. "I am so, /so/ sorry. I had no idea..."

<p class="MsoNormal">"N-no! It was my fault, Aid, really!" Silverbolt insists. Oh slag. Now he's accidentally guilt-tripped the poor medic. "I was getting too overconfident, and I didn't want to tell you, so I kept pushing myself further. I didn't think about how dangerous it could be for you!"

<p class="MsoNormal">Now First Aid really does wave his hands in an attmept to dismiss this line of reasoning, "Ok, ok, we /both/ made mistakes, but it all turned out alright. But you... wow, you've been living and fighting with a phobia all this time without letting it hold you back? I've always thought you were like the bravest mech around." First Aid gives the Aerialbot an awed look. "Turns out I was more right than I knew."

<p class="MsoNormal">Silverbolt smiles genuinely at the compliment. First Aid was such a kind spark. For a moment, he kind of wished he had someone like that on his team. But he brushed the thought away. "Thank you, First Aid, I appreciate the encouragement. Duty is an effective distraction, though, thank Primus. Still, I almost had you offlined for good, and not only that--you saved my spark as well. I may well have fallen to my death if you hadn't intervened."

<p class="MsoNormal">First Aid finds himself nodding. "No no, you're right that it /is/ dangerous. I'm no psychiatrist, but there are Autobots out there that can help you with this problem. Air Raid and I were lucky that time." The Protectobot is careful to give Silverbolt's fellow Aerialbot credit for his part in saving him. It dawns on him that Air Raid probably knows as well. Hopefully the mech wasn't deliberately taunting Silverbolt with it. "I guess it requires eternal vigilance to fight against it, huh?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Yes, it certainly does." Silverbolt admits. Yes, Air Raid knows, and yes, he was kind of deliberately taunting but that was expected. This was Air Raid we're talking about. "I'm grateful for Air Raid's presence as well...I doubt you could have pulled that off without him. I've commended him for it."

<p class="MsoNormal">First Aid has forgotten all about the listening devices he's supposed to be working on. He nods slowly at Air Raid's commendation. Both Autobots here know that Air Raid can be very mean sometimes, though ultimately his heart is in the right place. "Well, if it's any consolation I promise you I won't tell a soul about this, Silverbolt, and if you ever need to talk with someone about it you know I'm here for you."

<p class="MsoNormal">Silverbolt nods. "I'd appreciate that, First Aid. I don't make a habit of making my weaknesses public. It doesn't bode well for someone of my rank." If there's anything he hates, it's being a poor example to his troops. "But I felt I owed it to you, at least. Oh, and of course, I would be willing to do the same for you if you ever need someone to listen to you. You know...if Hot Spot isn't around." Which seemed likely, since apparently Hot Spot never talked to them.

<p class="MsoNormal">First Aid knows Hot Spot is just super busy and prefers setting Decepticons on fire (and then putting out whatever else caught fire in the process) than staying home and talking like a normal person. "Awww, thank you, Silverbolt," First Aid replies. He's really glad they've had this heart to heart. He briefly considers giving the Aerialbot Commander a hug but quickly dismisses the idea, figuring that also would not 'bode well for someone of his rank'. Instead First Aid settles with giving Silverbolt a friendly tap on the arm for encouragement.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Aerialbot leaders nods again in response to First Aid's thanks. "You're quite welcome, but no need to thank me. We're all in this together, of course. By the way, you did excellently in dealing with those guards as well." Silverbolt chuckles a little. "I never thought you'd even be capable of pretending you had a mean strut in you."

<p class="MsoNormal">First Aid gets an embarassed look on his face. "I had butterflies in my fuel tank the whole time," he admits. "Here I am, trying to work Air Raid's alias into a threat and all I can think about is how long it would take for either of those guards to fire a silent transmission to Decepticon HQ for verification and launch a squadron of Hunter-Seekers after us."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Aww." Silverbolt pats the medic reassuringly. "Well, it was certainly a valid thing to be concerned about. Of course that's why we had to be as quick as possible. But I was very impressed with your acting--if I hadn't known any better I may have thought you really were a Decepticon." he says, grinning a little. "Maybe you would've done just as well in Intel as you have in Operations."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Maybe," First Aid says doubtfully. If that was a standard day in the life of a spy, he thinks it might be better to leave it to folks like Pitch. Gesturing at their surroundings, First Aid asks, "What do you think, Silverbolt? Think these people have a chance of overthrowing the Decepticon government?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Silverbolt glances around as First Aid makes a general indication of their surroundings. He nods. "I think they do. They have a certain determination about them. They might not have as much firepower as the Decepticons, but that's what we're here for. If we work together efficiently, victory will be ours."

<p class="MsoNormal">"It reminds me of the Dark Ages in a way," First Aid replies, remembering the four million year gap between the Ark's departure and the Ark's rediscovery. "The Decepticons are in control but they're never able to stamp out resistance." Aid shakes his head in wonder. "There's a lot of courage in these people for standing up to the Cons this way."

<p class="MsoNormal">"That's the thing, the more they terrorize it, the more mechs become aware of the oppression, and hence the momentum it gains and the stronger it gets." Silverbolt notes. "It's an inevitable disadvantage of the use of brute force and military might to exert control over civilians."

<p class="MsoNormal">First Aid turns back to his workbench and picks up one of the listening devices. "Speaking of getting citizens to be aware of their oppression, I still have a lot of work to do. Thanks for the talk, Silverbolt. I'm glad we had it."

<p class="MsoNormal">Silverbolt stands as the medic turns back to his workbench, nodding. "I'll let you get back to it, then. And thank you for listening. It's greatly appreciated."