"No. That was me estimating how long it would last f-for us both at high outp-put."

Mirage opened his mouth to continue, pausing with a faint squeak as Cliffjumper shifted in his lap.

He was half-numb with frozen plating, but he wasn't dead. The resulting temperature spike was mild, but welcome despite the surge of embarrassment it brought along with it.

Mirage ruthlessly squashed the feeling.

"I tend to prepare for long-term missions, even when n-not on them. A wise habit, it seems," he concluded wryly.