Reclamation

Chapter 4

Despite the long day before Joy had set her alarm so she would be up extra early, just so she could sneak out to the barn. As she had expected the scene was the same as the morning before, the fierce bounty hunter was lovingly petting the steeljaws. Nova even stood up, placing her paws on Lockdown's chest, pressing her forehead against his while he pet her head and scratched behind her ears for a minute before the others pushed her aside to gain Lockdown's attention.

Just like the day before, as soon as Sunfire showed signs of waking, the steeljaws swiftly moved to sit stiffly at Lockdown's sides. Joy slipped back outside for a few minutes until Lockdown started complaining about her being lazy, then she walked into the barn.

"Do you just wake up and start complaining immediately?" Joy asked.

"Only when I'm dealing with lazy, worthless humans," Lockdown replied.

"Well if I'm so worthless to you, then maybe I should quit. I do have a life and plenty of other things I could be doing instead of repairing you," Joy told him.

"Sunfire, when will you be able to take over the repairs?" Lockdown asked.

"At least a few more days," Sunfire said, holding up his arms, the one that had been severed part way up his arm had been restored to his wrist, while the one that had been severed at the wrist seemed to have been restored to the point of being a fingerless hand, "We just need to let her get your support system and spark stabilized and then if you prefer we can let you heal on your own until my hands finish healing."

Lockdown let out a frustrated noise, somewhere between a sigh and a growl then glared down at Joy, "Get to work," he ordered.

"Aye aye Captain Cuddles," Joy said as she started to get the welding gear ready.

"Stop calling me that!" Lockdown demanded angrily.

"Make me," Joy said defiantly, then grinned up at him, "Just remember I'm the one working on your face, we wouldn't want anything- accidentally getting welded on there that's not supposed to be there, now would we?"

"Just get to work, now!" he snapped.

Joy smiled sweetly at him then said, "Could you set the welding supplies up on that second floor loft? It'll be faster than if I try to carry them up there myself and I think if you move over a little I should be able to reach to weld the top of your head from there."

Lockdown glared at her, but did as she asked.

"Before you weld up the top of his head I'm going to have you poke around in his brain a little," Sunfire told Joy as she climbed up to the loft.

"You want me to poke around in his brain? Are you sure that's a good idea? There are so many wires and who knows what else in there, what if I mess something up?" Joy asked.

"Don't worry, what you're for looking should stand out and will be easy to fix," Sunfire assured her.

"Alright, I guess," Joy replied uncertainly as she looked down into the top of Lockdown's head.

"You're looking for a round piece of metal with several different colored lights and colors of wires coming out of it."

"Okay, I see it," Joy replied after spotting it.

"Just twist the wires together to reattach it, you'll know which ones connect to it because they're the only wires that will match the ones on the round piece."

"Okay," Joy replied as she started attaching the wires, "Why do I need to do this, but you said not to worry about the rest of the wires?"

"They'll all eventually reattach on their own because of the self repair systems, but reattaching these by hand will speed up the healing and this particular device should help speed up the repairs," Sunfire explained.