Broken Down and Hit the Ground (Jase & CJ)

IC Time: Mid Spring
IC Setting: A bit cooler, a slight breeze, but mostly sunny out.

CJ may never have looked like a fast mover, but when times called for it he could run! The young mechanic had been working on one of the sleds in the maintenance bay, when one of the weyr residents had run in. CJ had been busy trying to replace a cracked radiator and some worn down tubing when he heard the out of breath young man, and turned. He didn't remember much of what was said other than "Medical Sled crashed in weyr bowl", but did remember throwing every tool he had into his case, and bolting out the open bay door. A backwards glance told him that his flit was still sitting on the sled, and he called to him. "Yeller, come here! We have to go!"

The brown looked up from his snack atop the sled's canopy, and tilted his head as his owner ran off. He quickly took to wing, still holding the bits of meat in his forepaws, and followed.

It did not take long for CJ and Yeller to see what had happened. There was a bit of smoke coming up from an open area in the center of the weyr bowl. Some people had gathered around, and a number more could be seen at the entrance to the dining caverns and living quarters. They were all looking curiously at the sled. Even closer, CJ could smell burnt oils and saw the skid mark the sled had made when it landed. He looked in the open hatch, saw no one, and called out, "Anyone here? Sled pilot or anyone?" He began walking around the sled, towards the engine compartment.

At the engine compartment sitting under the sled was Jase, sure he was no mechanic but so far the Medi-sled had gotten by on his quick fixes and repair jobs. His doctors white coat and clothes underneath were stained with oil and grease as he fiddled about trying to find the problem of the smoking sled. Rikath his green had her nose stuck under there as well trying to get a good look, she was the first to react to the voice of CJ and pulled out her nose, it oo was smattered with oil and grease as she eyed him with whirling eyes of blue.

Pushing himself out from under the sled, Jase pushed himself up onto one arm and eyed the young man before giving him a smile. His cheeks were smudged with oil and grim as was his white 'lab' coat. Pushing himself up to a sitting position he crossed his legs and rubbed his hands on his pants.

"Looks like my repair jobs won't cut it anymore"

His hand came up to rub the back of his neck making him look younger than he was as he laughed.

"What happened here?" The normally shy CJ could not help but gape at the attractive young man in the labcoat. Something about him smeared with oil and grease was attractive, but he did not know why... He broke this revelation by looking at the sled. "It looks like you had a hard landing. Did the gyros go out? What happened? Tell me everything."

The training his late father had given him was starting to kick in. He set down his toolbox, pushing it a bit under the sled, and began to crawl underneath. That was when he noticed, finally, the green dragonet there. He let out a squeal of shock, banging his shoulder into the tool chest, and startled his flit whom was about to land next to him.

'Hello there. I think something is wrong with the shiney thingy that keeps leaking this weird oily stuff'

Rikath's voice was to the point as her head was back under the sled, she liked this boy even if he made funny noises at seeing her. Jase next to her chuckled softly reaching over to rub her nose, smearing the oily substance on it further. The engine was a mess of medical tape, bandages and sutures.. even one could see the occasional coloured children's tape on there. CJ's weird squeal had Jase reach out and put a steadying arm on the young man.

"Easy does it. This is Rikath my partner. I'm Jase, she's harmless mainly curious."

He tapped the sled above him with a somewhat affectionate nature, giving the best description he could as to what happened. Though Rikath seemed to have a better one.

"This old girl however I think is on her last legs. I've done the best I could, today it was enough to get her back here in a cloud of smoke and noise."

CJ felt the arm on his, and he stabilized. It did not take much, since he was already close to the ground, but he had a chance to look right at Rikath. "Wait? You're bonded? I didn't know you were a rider... well uh, I'm CJ. I'm one of the mechanics. And nice to meet both of you." He looked between them, and then at Jase, and whispered, "I think... did she just speak in my mind?" He blushed a bit, and looked at the hatchling again.

Yeller did not have quite so much shyness. He had hopped onto a part of the sled and was twisting his head, chittering a bit at the little green dragon. He thought she was rather interesting, himself.

CJ gave himself a bit of a shake and a small smile, which altered when he looked inside the engine. His jaw dropped. There was absolutely no way this sled should have been flying for this long without catastrophic failure. No way at all. He whistled and murmured, "You are either the smartest or luckiest guy I know, Jase, to keep her running." He slid underneath, and looked at him. "Can you... come down here, and show me what you've done, so I know what I will have to fix? This is gonna take days to fix."

Kneeling down to slide under the sled with CJ, the closeness to the young man didn't seem to bother him so much at all. Reaching up he untangled some of his work with much success explaining along the way what he had done. Indeed it was a miracle that Jase had kept her together as long as he had, he had been flying by the seat of his pants with his repairs, however like a man with duct tape they somehow worked.

"I was afraid of that. I suppose we can always take one of the transport sled hostage till this ol' girl is back on her feet."

Rikath however pulled her head out and tilting it to one side crooned a hello to Yeller where he sat. She was interested in him too.

CJ stared for a bit. No matter where he looked, he found more and more problems. Tape melted to manifolds, wiring tied up with surgical thread, cracks and holes stuffed with gauze, and a lot of smoke and burnt bits. He shook his head.

"You'll have to. I am going to have to completely haul this engine out and rebuild it, unfortunately. There's too much that needs doing." CJ kept staring, but glanced over and looked into the eyes of the doctor, which caught him. With difficulty he looked back at the engine, debating what would be best.

Yeller had no problems at all with Rikath. He cheeped and chirped at her, wriggling his wings and little forepaws. He would even duck his head to try and look at her from different angles. He liked this bigger cousin! But did she have food?

Rikath stuck her nose at him and poked him softly with it. He was a curious little thing indeed and her tongue flicked out to lick him.. Not that he really tasted any different from her own hide, it was merely a show of affection. He was a very interesting little fellow, as was his owner, which she hazarded another peep at.

There was a loud sigh from Jase at CJ's diagnosis, well that was not going to be pleasant at all.. Though he supposed with some additions a transport sled would work just fine. Well it was certainly gonna be interesting until they got it back that was for sure.

"Just when we have a few girls outta Caldera due to give birth.. I suppose they'll have to cope with a transport sled if they need us."

He sighed a little but had a smile for CJ anyway.

"Either way she needs it, and best now then when she's needed right?"

Yeller spent a bit of time leaning into the licks from the larger one like him. He returned with licks of his own, although his tongue was much smaller. He sent images of the lake and playing with CJ to her, things of happiness to him! And of course, eating sweets. Lots and lots of sweets. Maybe it would make her happy.

CJ spent a good few more minutes inspecting, still trying to wrap his head around how the sled had run. It wouldn't even support powering up, so they would have to power up one or two of the others and use them to help haul-drag it back to the shed. It wouldn't be easy.

"Its unfortunate... but they will have to. This poor girl will get worked on by me for sure and probably a few of the others, so you can at least know when she comes out she will be in tip top shape... Jase." He said the name a bit shyly, then looking at the slightly older man.

Rikath was delighted by the images she sent him and so she sent him some back. Ones of her with her Jase and all their happy times, she even added in one of her playing with Yeller, perhaps he would play with her too. She even hinted at him showing her the sweets, she'd not tried them before. Jase wasn't much of a sweets man and Rikath was never really curious enough to try what he had.

"I trust you CJ.. after all I'm meant to fix people, not sleds. That's for you boys to do. I'm glad to leave her in more capable hands than my own."

Jase noted the shyness but didn't pay all too much attention to it, most young boys were nervous around older men. Not that Jase would admit he was the handsome kind of older men young boys got nervous about.

Yeller was delighted at the images from the green dragon, but when she made the mental inquiry of treats and snacks it opened a floodgate. He sent image of treat after treat after treat, including one of him hauling one as big as the dragon to her. Maybe he could sneak off when CJ was not looking to bring some. He knew where all the good ones were kept! He mindsent images of his plans to meet her later to get treats.

CJ gave a shy smile to Jase. "Well, for all the fact you fix people you do a great job of fixing sleds. Lets leave it here for a few minutes; we can get it moved in later this afternoon. For now, maybe... maybe you can tell me how you did all that patchwork."

It was a bit of a lame excuse, but having this man to talk to was comforting, and he was a bit loathe to let it go.