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We were there in Mission City, fighting for our world. We were there as the Decepticons made their presence felt. We were there as the Autobots lined up for the offensive. We were there as the great battle waged over our heads and we helped. We were there to fight, giving our best to drive our mutual enemies from the earth. We were there although the world knows nothing of our presence. We were there, we fought bravely and cohesively against foes so much larger but we were not afraid. We were there when one brave defender was murdered but we did not stand idly by. We were there and so we did our ultimate to save his life.We were there and we succeeded.We were there in Shanghai, hiding in the shadows and backing up our friends. We were there to meet the threat head on, unafraid and determined to free our planet. We were there to hear the warning about the Fallen. We were there when Optimus fell in battle and left the fight to the rest of the brave defenders. We were there as the Fallen hunted for Sam and we were there as he fled for safety. We were there when the Autobots considered leaving but chose to stay, wanting to honour their fallen leader. We were there as the defenders made the trip to Egypt. We were there to hear the story of the Fallen and the Harvester, shuddering at the thought of what could happen if such a weapon was activated. We were there to face Devastator, concerned when it swallowed Mudflap but we fought on bravely. We were there when Sam was killed and gifted with the Matrix of Leadership. We were there as Prime was revived against all odds. We were there when Jetfire sacrificed his life so Optimus could take his parts and destroy the Harvester. We were there to witness the defeat of the Megatron and the elimination of the Fallen. We were there and we were proud.We were there through it all and now we are here for another round.
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Coffee in hand and hair hanging loose around her shoulders, Emily Hunter headed into one of the newer rooms in her base and looked at the bank of computers secured all around the walls. Sighing softly, she reached out and switched on the monitor attached to the main computer in the bank and her own connected laptop.'Hey, you awake yet?' she asked, tapping the monitor lightly.'Huh? Just give me a minute here.' a voice replied, the monitor flickering for a moment. 'You found a few more bytes I see.''Yeah, in the waste management subsystem of all places. I do not want to know what you were doing in our sewage system.''It's not like I could control what happened once I was in the system. It just happened.' Jazz's face appeared on the monitor, the closest thing to a smile on his features.'I know Jazz, its okay. We're still working on the system scans, it's a slow process but we're getting there. We'll get you all back together again, just be patient.''It's not like I'm going anywhere for a while yet Emily. How's the research coming?''Very slowly. We haven't been able to reach Ratchet for a while, we're flying blind. We'll get it sorted out though, don't worry.''It's hard not to worry when I'm stuck in this condition. I know I'm usually the laid back kind of guy but I ain't designed to sit still like this. I gotta move.''I understand Jazz, really I do. We're just worried that you'll fragment again if we release you into the main system again. We'd rather avoid that happening again. We've been working on this for five odd years now and we're still finding the odd byte where it doesn't belong. You can at least access the cameras and PA system in the base so you're not completely isolated.''It's not the same thing and you know it Emily.''I've got Fang hitting the comms at the moment; he's trying to at least lock down the location of the latest Autobot base. If we're lucky we'll get radio contact, if not well, we'll figure something else out.''Any luck on that other request I made?''Windvest is working on the tactile sensors. Wheelie's hard at work on the connections for the base. Odd Ball hasn't left his workspace as he wraps up the programming for the system. You asked, we'll pull it off but we're not there yet.''If it's going to be too much stress…''Jazz, we've already started on the project. Tempers will flare but we'll get the job done. Besides, we're determined to make this living situation the very best that we can. I know this situation isn't ideal but we're doing the best we can Jazz.''You don't have to explain Emily, I'll always be grateful for my second chance. Without your help, I'd be long gone and forgotten.''Never forgotten Jazz, not while we still live. I swear to you, we will reunite you with your friends. I don't know how or when but we will get you back where you belong Jazz.''I know you will Emily, I just…I miss them, you know.''We've got another project on the go to cover all the bases when we reconnect with the rest of the group. Although we can't disconnect this secondary system and move it, for your own safety of course, but we can use this new equipment to let you stand face to face with your friends once again. It's untested over long distances so far but with a little more work we should be able to run the program in base.''What's this program do?' Jazz asked, switching to a different monitor so he could see over Emily's shoulder.'This is a holographic representation program. It's already hooked up to the 72 holograph projectors throughout the base, now it's just a matter of securing the linkup, dropping the barrier and allowing you access. Goggles is working on the security protocols to protect you from another fragmentation while I'm writing the program to give you a holographic body.''You've got a good eye for details, this looks a lot like the body I had before this.''Nah, I've got a good record to work off.' Emily replied, activating a different screen and bringing up a feed from one of the outer storage areas. 'This is one of the few cameras you can't access, for obvious reasons.''You've got my body? So what's the problem with getting me back together?''Our tools can't put a dent in the work required. We've tried with the best tools we had and could get and couldn't even scratch the surface. And then there's the slight problem of your spark being extinguished. We're determined to get in touch with Ratchet again and get him working on the problems we've encountered. We have a total repair list written up and know what connects where; we just don't have the equipment to do the job.''I understand Emily. Thanks for trying anyway.''Don't give up hope Jazz; we will get you back where you belong.'#~#+^*^+#~#Stretched out on the couch with his wife, Braid was quite enjoying his downtime and the rare time to cuddle with his beloved before they were called back to duty. Most of his attention was on his wife but he still paid some attention to the others in the rec room. Falcon and Decal were snuggled up in Falcon's reinforced armchair; the lovers were totally immersed in their own world. Sidewinder was stretched out on another couch, flicking through the latest bike magazines and listening to the radio. Ripper and Rictor were at the pool table, the clinking of the balls somewhat soothing.Everyone looked up when a sudden metallic rattle echoed through the rec room, all eyes scanning for the source of the noise. They found it easily enough; no one could miss the sudden appearance of Jazz in the far corner, right below the holoprojector.'Hey, look who's made it out of the secondary systems.' Hammer grinned, leaning on his own pool cue.'Technically I'm still in the secondary systems. This is just a secure linkup to give me a little more movement.''It's good to see you up and about Jazz. It was starting to get really weird talking to a voice in the ceiling.' Kawasaki agreed, draping one arm around Hammer's shoulders.'Try being that voice in the ceiling, so weird. But with access to all 72 holoprojectors, things will be better.''I reckon you'll really love projector 71, you'll wind up on the parking lot on the roof of the warehouse. Emily's been parking random sports cars up there so no one will think anything of it if they see a Pontiac Solstice up there. You'll be in good company, Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Porches, all the best cars money can buy.' Sidewinder grinned, rocking to his feet and stretching. 'It'd give you a chance to head outside and see the city.''Will these holograms stand up to anyone looking at me while I'm up there?''Yeah, the projector up there is built differently. The ones down here aren't so important so the odd flickers and slight transparency doesn't matter. Up there, the holograms look real and stand up to all the world can throw at them.' Sidewinder grinned, recalling all the testing they'd done on the system.'Projector 71, I might have to remember that but I can't go up there looking like this.''Jazz, simply activate your transformation before you connect with the projector. You'll turn up out there just like you used to be.' Christine replied, settling back against Braid's chest.'Now that would be nice, sitting up there and just watching Chicago pass me by. It won't replace a nightly cruise down the streets but its good enough.''It's on our to-do-list Jazz. We've got some empty tunnels in the lower levels that we're going to clear and turn into your own personal driving track. You'll be able to select your destination from a list of some fifty different maps so far and drive. We're already starting on the wiring to give you a real sensory perception of the experience. You'll feel the road under your tyres, the wind against your panels and all the other little details that makes driving what it is.' Goggles offered, wandering in and heading straight for the fridge for a drink.'You don't have to go to all that trouble Goggles.''Feh, nothing to it Jazz. This is good training for us; we're all out of practise with big electrical problems. We used to be able to rewire our base without hesitation or error. Now we're shaky on repairs and have had a few minor mistakes that have caused problems in the main systems. So doing all this electrical stuff is really good for everyone involved.' Goggles shrugged, pulling out a bottle of orange juice and hooking down a cup.'Well, so long as it's not a real problem.''Nah, we're getting a kick out of all this electrical work. Been ages since I sat down and wrote up computer programs anywhere near the complexity required for this job, it's great.' Wheelie agreed, taking the orange juice from Goggles and pouring one of his own.#~#+^*^+#~#Eyes lighting up when he got a confirmation ping on one of his queries, Fang slipped his radio headset on and opened the channel, praying he was on the right track this time.'Please identify yourself, this is Chicago.'"Ironhide here Chicago."'It's about fucking time one of you guys picked up.'"Huh?"'Under Hunter's orders we've been trying to re-establish contact with your guys.'"Yeah, sorry about that Chicago. The new CIA liaison we're dealing with is a real bitch."'It's all right Ironhide; it's just good to know you haven't abandoned us. Any chance of getting Prime on the line?'"That a neg…hang on, he's just arrived back at base. I'll let him know you want to talk to him."'Thanks Ironhide.' Fang grinned, turning and activating a secondary linkup. 'Emily, I've got Ironhide on the line. He's just letting Prime know we wanna talk to him.'"I'll be right there Fang.""Optimus here Chicago, what's the situation?"'What'd you guys do, change your comm frequencies?'"I do not understand Fang."'I've been trying to re-establish contact with your guys since we went our separate ways after Egypt.'"I do apologise Fang, we have been busy."'It's alright; Emily wants to speak with you. She's just here.' Fang grinned, activating the second headset as Emily raced into the room and slipped the headset into place. 'You're on with Prime.' he uttered, removing his headset and leaving the room.'Hey Optimus, long time without contact.'"We have been rather busy dealing with terrorist threats and other issues."'I understand, it's cool. But a short message to let us know you were okay would have been nice.'"I will make a note to maintain regular contact with you."'Thanks. We need to meet up somewhere, I've got something to show everyone but I reckon Ratchet will be most interested.'"Every time you say that, we all end up surprised. We're in Washington DC at the moment, our base is there."'Let me guess, N.E.S.T still technically runs the place.'"Along with the CIA."'Then we have a problem. N.E.S.T doesn't like us that much and the CIA really would love to get me for good. I know I told you about my troubles with the government.'"Transmitting documents, I know you'll find a good use for them."Glancing at the incoming document screen, Emily's jaw dropped as the files came in and she realised just what Optimus was providing them all. Not only had he included all appropriate N.E.S.T ID's and paperwork to get vehicles into the compound but pictures of the real documents so perfect forgeries could be made.'Yeah, this will do the job nicely. I'll get them prepped and ready for use once we're done here. I'd prefer a day when everyone's on base but if that can't be done, I'll take the majority of the group.'"When do you expect to arrive in Washington?"'We'll probably head out tomorrow afternoon so early Wednesday morning.'"I will make sure everyone is back at base. I am uncertain as to how to deal with Charlotte Mearing, Galloway's replacement."'Leave her to me, I know how to deal with bureaucrats. Don't worry, I won't kill her but I will make her rue the day she ever crossed swords with Emily B. Hunter.'"I believe you will Emily, you've already proven more than most can handle."'You got that right Optimus. I'll be bringing some of the guys along for the trip, as a security precaution. Most of the guys will be staying here though, there's a ton of work to be done.'"Of course Emily, I understand. How many can we expect?"'Ten of us all together. I'll bring along the guys that helped build the system we're showing off along with a small security team. One Medic and Mechanic will have to stay home though, just in case we have any emergencies. The rest of their sections will come along though, they know the system.'"I will have the necessary arrangements made for you."'Thanks Optimus. We'll see you Wednesday.'"Until then Emily. Optimus out."'Chicago out.'
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Rumbling up to the N.E.S.T base, Emily checked her security team was all in place and grinned before leaning out the window and handing over her new ID and paperwork. All the mice with her were ready too, ID's to hand and all their paperwork organised. Opening a small door on the side of the trailer, Revs and Wheelie both presented their ID's too, not bothering to hide the fact something was different about them.Getting their documents back, the group rolled through the gates and spread out, keeping the humans back as Emily spun her rig around and backed into the base proper. Air brakes squealing for a moment, Emily cut the engine and jumped down, smiling as she looked up at their old friends. Whistling sharply, she waved the rest of the team inside and chuckled as they set their bikes to patrol around the truck before lining up behind her. Lowering the personnel ramp, Revs and Wheelie joined the line up, their bikes slipping into the circling warning line quickly.'Good to see you all again.' Emily grinned, tucking her hair back behind her ear quickly.'And you all as well.' Optimus replied, kneeling down so he wasn't towering over them. 'But I thought you said ten all together.''Yeah, Blade made the call to take a couple scouts along too, just in case. I wasn't going to argue.' Emily shrugged, looking over the Autobots carefully. 'Hang on; we've got a couple of new faces in the crowd.''Quite right Emily, meet Dino and Que. They've been with us for a few months now. Dino, Que, I'd like you to meet Emily Hunter and some of her allies.' Optimus nodded, waving the new arrivals forward.'What happened to Skids and Mudflap?' Decal asked, scanning the group but there was no sign of the pair.'They were lost in an altercation in Africa.' Ironhide replied, stepping forward and taking a knee. 'Good to see you again Falcon.''Right back at ya Ironhide, it's really been too long. You are going to love the new upgrades I made for Armageddon, based on the specs you gave us to mess around with.''lookin' forward to it Falcon.''Guys, why don't you introduce yourselves to Dino and Que while Revs, Wheelie and I get this display up and running.' Emily suggested, hustling up the personnel ramp.'You might want to move back Optimus, this trailer is going to get a bit bigger.' Revs warned, pausing on the ramp.'You heard him, everyone back up.' Optimus called, moving back a few steps before settling on the ground.Lowering the walls of the trailer to display all the computers and other tech crammed into the small space, the three responsible for the unit ran out the last wiring and hooked the system up, barking orders and throwing tools back and forth. The easy teamwork was proof of their close bonds but even though Emily was an outsider of the unit, she was still treated with the utmost of respect. Slinging a wrench the length of the trailer into Wheelie's waiting hand, Emily darted out onto the lowered trailer side and checked the legs were secure before hurrying out and dragging the emitter into position. This one was exactly the same as the holoprojector on the warehouse roof back in Chicago but was specially designed to give a better display angle. Instead of trapping the display in the vertical position directly above or below the projector, this new design gave more freedom of movement within the display cone. Catching the incoming wire bundles from Revs, she hooked the projector up and switched it on, smiling proudly at the slowly revolving Autobot logo now taking up the central area of the cone.Finishing up the last wiring adjustments, the trio jumped down from the trailer and moved towards the waiting Autobots, totally confident in what they were about to do.'For the last six years, we have been working on a mobile unit that will protect critically wounded Autobots from off lining. Using a combination of Martian and human technology, we have created the first ever mobile spark stabilisation and download facility. If the need should arise, we can secure a spark in a specially designed isolation chamber, keep it going through any trauma and download the complete identity of a critically wounded warrior until they can be repaired.' Wheelie announced, so very proud of their achievements.'Those are some pretty big claims, Wheelie. Can you back them up?' Ratchet asked, eyeing the system critically but the idea was sound as far as he could tell.'The spark stabilisation systems are as of yet untested but we have run thousands of simulations based on the data you gave us at our last meeting. The identity download programs have been thoroughly tested and are in full working order. But perhaps a demonstration is in order. Most of you remember Jazz and the tragic nature of his death. Before Ratchet was able to reach him, my team was able to use our first version of the download technology to secure a full copy of his entire personality.' Revs nodded, turning to Emily as she slid her radio headset into position and switched on her radio.'Chicago, this is Hunter, please respond.'"Chicago here Hunter, go ahead."'Initialise the contact.'"Initialising in three…two…one."All the Autobots stared in disbelief as the rotating Autobot logo was replaced by a Pontiac Solstice which transformed into one very ticked off looking Autobot."Six years guys and not even so much as a postcard. I've been stuck in a computer system for six years, just waiting for someone to put my body back together but no, you're off trashing Decepticons without me…I thought we were friends."'Jazz, is that really you?' Optimus asked, leaning forward a little to get a closer look."Of course it's really me Prime. Or at least the closest I've been to myself in six years. We hit a snag with the transfer from the pack mounted computers to the main Chicago system and I fragmented badly. It's taken five-and-a-half years to put me back together but I'm about complete again. I don't blame Emily or the mice for that, I owe them my survival."'Where are you?' Ratchet asked, stunned by how real the image looked."Emily's secondary computer system in Chicago. It's not so bad, I've got holographic access like this to most communal places in the base as well as a rooftop where I can watch the city. Those areas I can't get into I can see through the security cameras and communicate via the PA system. I'm not really restricted, I can simulate just about everything but what I'd really like is for you to get back to Chicago and fix my body."'Wouldn't help Jazz, your spark was extinguished. That's not even thinking about the fact that I don't have your body.'"I know that Ratchet but thanks to Emily I also know about the Matrix of Leadership. Surely that could be of some assistance in this situation. Come on Ratch-man, don't leave me like this for another six years. As for my body, I know where it is. Emily's got it, safely tucked away in one of the storage areas on base. I've seen it, it's just waiting for repairs."'We have the specs of the damage if you need them Ratchet, we downloaded a copy of the original repair files to the trailer before we headed out.' Revs offered, pointing back over his shoulder. 'Would only take a few moments to organise a wireless link for you to grab the files.''That would be helpful Revs, I didn't do a proper scan like I should have.''We've got photos, written reports and a 3D scan of the entire chassis.' Revs nodded, vaulting into the trailer and opening up a wireless link. 'Link open Ratchet, whenever you're ready.''Accessing link.'"I see we've got a few new faces in the ranks since my passing. Silver, blue and red, nice little set."'Jazz, meet Sideswipe, Que and Dino. There were two others in the ranks but they were lost in Africa.' Optimus nodded, introducing the trio and watching their varied reactions. Sideswipe didn't seem to care, he certainly wasn't impressed but he wasn't giving any thoughts away. Que was curious about the situation and probably wanted to go looking into the system on the trailer but he was holding back. Dino was harder to read but Optimus had a feeling he was sizing up the competition, even though there was no comparison between the pair."Sideswipe, Que and Dino, nice to meet ya. I'm Jazz, the old 2IC. This isn't how I imagined meeting new friends but it'll do for now. Come on Ironhide, pick your jaw up off the floor. I'm not dead."'I'm not even going to ask.' Ironhide muttered, still shocked by this revelation but trying to catch up.'Thanks Revs, this will be of great help.' Ratchet nodded, closing the connection and diverting part of his attention to the files he'd just received. 'Jazz, I'll look the files over and see what I can do. No promises on when I'll be able to get to Chicago and start work but I promise I won't leave it six years.'"Thanks Ratchet, I know you'll do the best job you can."'I do have to ask, why are we only finding out about this now?' Optimus enquired, an open hand indicating the trailer and Jazz.'Uhh, let's see. The last time we caught up, we were in Egypt, dealing with the Fallen. You were given a ride back to America, we had to make our own way. By the time we got back to America, we couldn't raise you. It's almost like you guys only call us when you need help and brush us aside for the rest of the time.' Emily replied, shifting her holstered pistols as she tried to ignore the threat she was aware of at her back.'It was not my choice Emily. I apologise for the radio silence, we were under orders.''There is no need to apologise Optimus, I understand. We aren't technically part of N.E.S.T, we never will be and that's just the way it is. Nothing anyone can do about it.'"So, what have I missed over the last six years? The guys in Chicago have told me some things but I reckon there's more to the story than the couple of big battles they've told me about."Responding instantly to the cocking of rifles, the mice vaulted from their positions and formed up around Emily, pistols and rifles rising smoothly into position. Arm cannon locking into place, Odd Ball moved forward and took a knee, the massive weapon aimed up at the military men on the upper walkway. Desert Eagles twirling, Emily showed no fear as she faced the human N.E.S.T contingent, a faint smirk on her face.'You're not stupid Lennox! I know you won't risk the safety of that computer system! One stray bullet and six years of work is gone! Do you really want to be responsible for Jazz's death!' Emily taunted, motioning for the bros to move so they were directly in front of the computer system. Trusting in Emily's fast-talking abilities, the Autobots stayed silent and waited to see how things would pan out for them all.'You're bluffing Emily! Jazz is dead, I saw his remains personally!''That's where you're wrong Lennox! We got to Jazz right after his run in with Megatron! We saved what we could! His body is waiting for repairs and his essence lives in the computers!''Ratchet proclaimed his death! I heard the mourning words from him and from Optimus!''That was twenty minutes after we ran the salvage programs! 99.96 percent saved, it's not perfect but it's pretty bloody close! We lost fifteen minutes of Jazz's life! That's all!''There's no way that's the real Jazz! He's just a hologram!''Without Ratchet's help, we couldn't repair Jazz's body! Our tools are not strong enough! What proof do you want that we have the real Jazz?''It's just a computer program, there's no way to prove it one way or another!'"That's enough!" Jazz roared, shocking everyone with his sudden aggression. "Knock this frag off guys, it's pointless. I ain't spent six slaggin' years livin' in some damned computer just to listen to this. Lennox, I know I can't offer any proof that I'm the real deal but it's the absolute truth. I owe my life to Emily and her Martian companions, they saved me when no one else could. Ask Ratchet, he's got the files on my unique situation. It's not much, but it's all I've got to offer." He continued, seeming to shrink a little now that all the attention was on him.'I can't explain it but it's true Lennox. I've been going over the files and it's all real. Somehow Emily and the mice were able to save Jazz's being, without needing his spark or body to maintain life.' Ratchet shrugged, still diverting some of his focus to the files he'd received from Revs.'Prime?''I do not pretend to understand this situation but I have no reason to doubt the truth of Emily's story. There are certain details that only Jazz would know when it came to his form, whether that form be steel or electronic. I can see the small 2IC marking on his armour, right where I placed it when I selected Jazz for the position. Such is the design that I believe it is too complex for any earth computer to handle and the image in reality is so small that it seems just a small scratch on Jazz's armour.' Optimus nodded, optics clicking as he zoomed in on Jazz's image. 'Right there, upper left corner of Jazz's chestplate.'Moving closer to the hologram as Jazz knelt, Emily squinted in an attempt to see even the faintest damage to the panel. Shifting a little, Jazz focused the imagined light source of the hologram into the spot, highlighting the tiny little scratch. It was barely an inch long and only a few millimetres wide, Emily had completely missed it in all her previous inspections of Jazz's frame."Where'd that…got it." Jazz grinned, bringing up a hologram within the main image and zooming in on the fine marking. Now the details became clear, the loops and angles crossing over the central line drawing all eyes around the pattern.'I know my system is good but there's no way any program I've got could replicate that design, it's so ornate.' Emily nodded, completely astonished by the image she was seeing.'Well, if Optimus says it's really Jazz, that's good enough for me then. Stand down guys, it's okay.' Lennox nodded, shouldering his rifle and heading down to the group. 'You'd better get out of here Emily. Director Mearing will be here soon and she's not going to be so forgiving.' Lennox warned, checking the time quickly. 'She dislikes Autobots, I'd hate to think what she'll do about mice.''Fair call Lennox. I can't leave until Jazz is ready though, this is his chance to vent after all this time.' Emily nodded, looking up at the digital warrior."I don't have much else to say Em. I've got Ratchet's promise that he'll look into rebuilding my body and reigniting my spark, can't ask for more than that as the moment."'Is there any chance I can upload something to you system for Jazz to go through at his leisure?' Optimus asked, pushing off the wall and getting to his feet.'Sure, the wireless link is still active. There's plenty of space in these computers, Jazz is still secure back in Chicago.' Revs nodded, jumping back into the trailer and switching the wireless link from downloading to uploading capabilities.'Alright bros, let's get ready to head out again. Decal, check our exit route. Braidy and Emission, take up your positions by the door. The rest of you, move into travelling positions.'Mounting up smoothly, the group spread out and took up their positions around the black truck as Optimus started the download, giving over copies of all his files relating to the battles Jazz had missed. Alert and ready for action, the mice were ready for a rapid escape the moment the computer rig was ready to cruise.'Ready Jazz?' Wheelie asked, crouched beside the holoprojector."Yeah, I've said my piece Wheelie." Jazz nodded, turning back to his fellow Autobots. "I'll see you around guys, don't forget me again. I'll be waiting for you in Chicago."'As soon as I'm sure on the repairs, I'll make the journey to start the repairs.' Ratchet promised, already working on how to put Jazz back together.'Next round with the Decepticons, I'll smash one extra for you Jazz.' Ironhide nodded, figuring his old friend would appreciate the offer for what it was."Thanks Ironhide, make it a good one."'I miss you Jazz.' Bumblebee offered, sorrow in his optics."Chin up little Bee, I'm okay. When there's time, come to Chicago and we'll take a drive together."'I will Jazz.'"Until we next meet, be safe and fight well my brothers-in-arms." Jazz uttered, looking around the group again before dropping to his wheels and driving out of sight.'Well that was a little cold.''Don't start Que, just don't start. These last six years haven't been easy for Jazz. He's pretty much isolated in the secondary systems back in my base. The only time we let him into the main system, he fragmented into thousands of pieces and we're still trying to put him back together. He's cut off from the world, the only people he has any kind of contact are refugees from Mars and me, a woman the US government would love to see dead. He's been waiting and hoping for the day he'd be reunited with his friends, the people that truly understand him. His life is unstable, at any moment the army could find our home and destroy it, taking him along with it and that scares him. I don't expect you to understand, you've got the life he wants and he can't have it.' Emily sighed, flipping onto the trailer and starting to pull the holoprojector back into a standby position.'Try to guess the one thing Jazz longs for more than anything else in the world.' Wheelie challenged, disconnecting the computers and preparing for travel.Turning their considerable computing power to the question, the Autobots were quiet, formulating their own answers to Wheelie's challenge as they watched the pack up procedure.'Jazz is a free spirit, he never enjoyed sitting still, no matter the reasons. I can't imagine how frustrated he must be with being stuck in one place indefinitely. He'd do anything for the chance to take off into the sunset and follow the highway until it ended.' Ratchet mused, hanging his head for a moment. 'That's what he longs for, one last chance to cruise the highway.''Exactly Ratchet. I'd never expect you to understand that Que, you don't have many restrictions in comparison. You can go out and hit the highway, take a few hours to just explore but he can't. The best we can do is a simulation but he knows it's not real and there's no changing that.' Revs nodded, folding up the sides of the trailer and emerging again.'If you need us Optimus, we won't be far away. When you next need us, give us a call and we'll be right there for you.' Emily added, securing the personnel door as Revs and Wheelie swung onto their bikes.'Just like always Emily. Whenever we need you, you've always been close to hand. Be safe and ride free.' Optimus replied, recalling the familiar blessing among the mice.'Ride free, my friends.' Emily grinned, swinging in behind the wheel and pulling out. Sticking to their positions, the mice fell in around the truck and raced off, the old Kenworth easily keeping up with them until they were out of sight.#~#+^*^+#~#Making use of a secondary facility under Washington, Emily's away team met up with the rest of the unit and prepared for battle. Even though Optimus had said nothing of consequence, they all knew to trust Emily's gut and right now it was telling her that trouble was only just around the corner and they would soon be in the thick of battle. She couldn't say when or where the first skirmish would come but it was on the way.Dragging out equipment not used since the last big battle against the Decepticons, the mice kitted out their bikes with stronger armour, bigger weapons and several secret weapons. Adjusting their radios, they hooked back into Autobot comm lines and reactivated the comms installed on the bikes to bring them into contact with the Autobots as well. They were pinged by the Autobots out of curiosity, responding that they were making preparations just in case they were needed and that was enough to calm the Autobots again.
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Receiving their instructions, the Martian unit mounted up and flooded from their base, breaking into smaller teams to maximise their coverage area as they raced to join the intercept. They had four main objectives, each one vital to ensuring safe passage for Sentinel Prime back to the N.E.S.T base. One: rendezvous with the guarding force and supply backup. Two: establish a guarding line outside the N.E.S.T base. Three: secure crossroads to give the team a clear run to safety. Four: close protection of Sentinel Prime. The close protection objective was lower on the list because of the Autobots, they were the better ones for the job but the mice knew enough about Decepticons to still have a purpose regarding such matters. Emily stayed back from the fighting; waiting in the stabilisation truck just in case their worst scenario played out and someone needed a rescue urgently. She wasn't worried about the distance to the wounded; she knew what her Kenworth was capable of. It looked like crap but underneath, this particular truck had the heart of a sports car and the speed to go with it.#~#+^*^+#~#Leading his team into position, Slash shot past Bumblebee and nodded, signalling their readiness for whatever was coming their way. Scattering out around Sentinel Prime, his team of 14 were ready for anything but expecting the worst to come out of their running battle with any Decepticons that came their way."You guys got here fast."'Nothing to it Bee, we never left Washington. While Emily was showing off the stabilisation truck, the rest of us were making preparations in her minor Washington base. We're armed for Decepticons and ready for a fight.'"Let's do this.""Argo, scanners are picking up three Decepticons closing fast. Black suburbans."'Copy that Lone Wolf. Alright bros, its battle time. We've got three Decepticons coming up on our tails. Sidewinder, buy us some time! Everyone else, weapons going hot!'"On it Slash." Sidewinder replied, swinging his bike around and launching the first of his many new tricks. These mines were special, designed only to react to the unique electromagnetic disturbance given off by Decepticons. He'd noticed the disturbance during the last big battle but this was the first time the technology had been used. Forcing Smash back around, he raced back to the group and released his rifle, the heavy weapon secure in his hands as he raced forward.The mines worked as designed, going off underneath the Decepticons but they weren't stopped, they just transformed back into vehicle mode and continued the chase.'Argo, 'Con mines are a bust. Repeat: 'Con mines did not work.'"Understood Missile. Looks like we're doing this the hard way." Slash replied, cocking his rifle. "It's battle time bros!"Rising up on the footpegs, Falcon shouldered his massive rifle and opened fire, the six barrels whirling into action as he peppered one of the Decepticons with everything he had. Trilling quickly, Armageddon flipped out four of her missile launchers and fired, adding to the chaos as the other two Decepticons transformed and joined the chase. Splitting her launchers, Armageddon nailed both undamaged 'Cons with two missiles each before snapping left to avoid incoming danger. Swinging his rifle up, Falcon narrowly avoided walking his fire into Dino and jumped onto the saddle, firing over the brilliant red 'Bot into the Decepticon."Not bad, not bad at all."'Just be glad I didn't hit you. These things will shred your internals.'"Mind your head." Dino replied, transforming and getting his grappling hooks into the four legged Decepticon.'Right with you Dino.' Falcon grinned, shouldering his main weapon and swinging up a multi-missile launcher. Shifting his feet so he was more surfing than riding, Falcon lined up his aim and opened fire, twelve small missiles twisting together and slamming into the Decepticon's back, the damage out of proportion for their size."You certainly have some nice tricks."'You ain't seen nothing yet Dino. Come on Armageddon, nail that fucker!'Engine screaming angrily, Armageddon swept around Dino and charged, Falcon standing tall on her back and firing hard. Spinning around, she fired all eight missile launchers into the hulking enemy soldier, completely tearing it to pieces. Dropping back into the saddle, Falcon kept his head down as they blazed right through the carnage.'Now that's what I'm talking about.'"You are insane."'Nah just got a lot of faith in my beautiful girl Armageddon.'"Smart bike, very smart bike."'Ain't no one tougher than Armageddon when it comes to these sorts of things.'"Except Autobots."'Different league.' Falcon chuckled, practically hugging Armageddon as they pushed through the wreckage on the streets.Further up the convoy, Center Line, Torque and Braid were pushing their girls hard to keep up and still stay safe. Darting and weaving through the rubble, they had to think fast to avoid the truck that had just been flipped over, spilling gas bottles everywhere. Splitting up sharply, the bikes kicked it into high gear shot right under the wreckage, swerving the bigger debris and spinning clear of a flying Bumblebee."Alright, back to N.E.S.T!""You heard Witwicky, fall back to N.E.S.T."'You got it Slash.'#~#+^*^+#~# Standing by with his section of the unit, Blade held the line outside the N.E.S.T base, double rifles up and Beast's five missile launchers loaded with their best Decepticon slamming weaponry."Team 1, inbound!"'Copy that Argo. Team two, standing by for the catch.'"Copy Chief."'Here they come!' Decal called, vaulting from the concrete wall and landing back on Combat.'Sic 'em Ironhide.' Blade grinned, watching the black weapons specialist race out to greet their enemy."This one's for Jazz."'Make it good, you're on Martian live feed back to Chicago.'"Solid copy Chief."Catching sight of the mobile support team, the base team nodded slowly and took aim, all eyes on the Decepticons out to ruin the day for everyone."Dino, I got him." Sideswipe called, transforming and skating backwards as he opened fire again."Ironhide!"'Go get 'em Ironhide.' Falcon grinned, watching his closest Autobot friend charge into battle as Armageddon whipped around for another run. 'Steady Armageddon, only if he needs backup.'Watching the massive impact as Ironhide rammed into the two Decepticons, the 28 mice present winced then grinned, tracking the combatants as they transformed midair. Ironhide at least stuck his landing, the Decepticons hit the ground hard and picked themselves up as Sideswipe rolled into the fight, weapons up and aimed at both enemies.'Is there a problem?''Whoa. A little Mexican standoff we got here.''Weapons down.'"Never thought I'd here Ironhide say that." Goggles uttered, adjusting his HUD to better pick up the fight.'And we'll let you escape with your dignity.'"What dignity Sideswipe, they're slaggin' 'Cons." Blade smirked, quite interested to watch the brawl.'Drop 'em.'On a slightly better angle to see the back of one of the Decepticons, Odd Ball didn't like the look of the spiked clubs he could see emerging from under the armour. Before he could even formulate a plan of action, one of the clubs was in the air, aimed at Ironhide.'Ironhide, watch out!'"Hunter, bring the stabilisation rig up, I've got a bad feeling about this fight.""Copy Chief, moving up now."'Ironhide, catch!'"Ratchet, Ironhide's gonna need a patch when we're done out here. Damage level unknown, he's still brawling.""Acknowledged Chief, I'll be ready."'Behind you!'Getting behind the fight, the mice were all thrilled to be seeing Ironhide in his element again, tearing Decepticon's to shreds and having fun while doing it. It was a real treat to see Sideswipe in full action too; they hadn't seen much of him in the last fight. They enjoyed every minute of the fight but watching the second Decepticon getting so thoroughly owned by Ironhide then kicked into an auto store and exploding had to be a highlight.'Class dismissed.'"Way to go Ironhide." Falcon grinned, constantly amazed by what Ironhide could do.'Alright bros, back to it. We've still got work to do!' Blade called, rounding up his team and fanning them out again inside the compound.Shifting gears quickly, Emily swung the stabilisation rig into the base and flicked several switches on the new console just beside the steering wheel. Something still had her worried, what exactly she wasn't sure but she was taking no chances with their only hope of saving any critically wounded Autobots.'Bros, engage secondary defence systems. Something is still wrong. I repeat: engage secondary defences.' she ordered, going over Blade's head but her experience was what counted.She listened to the affirmatives from her bros and stayed poised to move, one hand on the wheel and the other on the gear shift as she waited for the danger to be revealed."We got Decepticons everywhere.""I've got my whole team deployed looking for them. Ironhide! Protect Sentinel! Get him locked up inside!""Consider it done!"'Come on, show me the danger.' Emily uttered, scanning the HUD she had and nodding as the medical and mechanical teams slipped through her secondary shielding and into the trailer."Hey, you've got to guard him, 'cause he's the key to the whole thing.""Indeed, I am. What you must realise, my Autobot brothers, is we were never going to win the war. For the sake of our planet's survival, a deal had to be made with Megatron."Reacting the moment Sentinel's first shot slammed through Ironhide's back, Emily gunned the engine and forced the truck to dance, the reinforced trailer slamming through several Department of Health and Human Services trailers before coming to a stop between Ironhide and Sentinel.'Ironhide's down! We are attempting stabilisation! Push Sentinel back!' Emily roared, forcing the secondary shielding bubble out and over Ironhide before leaping from the cab and running to the fallen warrior. 'Ironhide! Ironhide, up here!' she cried, scrambling onto his chest and kicking him in the chin.'It's over Emily…cosmic rust.''It's not over until I say so. Now focus. Let us save you. We have the ability.''Like Jazz.' Ironhide groaned, the rust eating away at his plates fast but Emily had faith.'Yeah, just like Jazz. Let us in, we can do this.' Emily nodded, looking up as the cable gantry folded out, neatly placing the download cables into her outstretched hand.'Not ready to go just yet.' Ironhide nodded, chestplates cracking open along with a smaller panel on his temple.'That's the way, hang in there Ironhide.' Emily grinned, picking her way over to the temple panel and hooking the cables in as Wheelie ran out the second gantry and prepared to transfer the spark. Everything had to be done in order and with split second timing or they'd lose Ironhide for good. 'Revs!''Download commencing!''Hang tight Ironhide, you're going to be okay. We've got time, I promise you.' Wheelie soothed, squeezing into his chestplates and positioning several secondary shield transmitters. Firing up the system, he was able to keep the rust away from the spark chamber but he had no idea how long they would hold.Bounding back into the trailer and ignoring the battle around them, Emily dropped into one of the seats among the medical team and got busy, shunting the massive inflow of data and working to speed the transfer so the could get the spark stabilised before it was too late. They had no idea about the weapon they were dealing with, they'd never seen anything like it before but they were not going to quit while there was still the faintest chance of saving Ironhide's life.'34 percent and rising fast.''There's so much data.''Are we going to have space?''Dump the files Prime downloaded but only if necessary.''I'm reading energy fluctuations; we're losing secondary data systems.''Focus on the primaries; we have to clear his mainframe.''42 percent. He's fighting.''Ironhide! Let go, we won't lose anything!''Spark energy is fluctuating dangerously. Secondary shielding is holding.'"Emily!"'Not now Ratchet, I'm busy.'"But Ironhide…"'Will live! We can save him. Just push off and let me work!'"I'll be there as soon as I can."'Unless you can stop cosmic rust, it's pointless. He'll be alive…like Jazz.'"Ironhide!""Wait for me Ratch.""Always. Be strong, you will live again. We will stand united once more.""I believe in you."'58 percent, we're doing good.''Spark readings are levelling out again.''Ratchet, whatever you're doing, it's working. Keep him calm.'"I will Emily."'64…65…66…67. Download is slowing.''Come on Ironhide, just a little longer. We are not quitting on you so don't you dare give up.'"Hurts so bad…worse than anything."'I know Ironhide; it's going to be okay. Soon you will feel no pain at all. Just relax and let us take what needs to be taken.''Download speed increasing again. 70…73…76…79.'"I'm on my way up Ironhide.""Stay back Ratch…won't risk you.""Ironhide!"'87 percent complete, come on Ironhide.''Hard drives are registering 65 percent filled. We might just make it.''Whoa! We need to pick up the pace Emily. Chestplates are crumbling away.''Working as fast as we can Wheelie.''92 percent, we're so close.''Wheelie, prepare for Spark collection. We're on the home stretch.''On it Emily. Goggles, the lift harness!''Right here Wheelie.''Odd Ball, get back to the controls, I do not want to know what this shit does to your arm.''Already going Wheelie.''96 percent.''Nice and still Ironhide, this isn't going to be pleasant.'"Can't feel much, just go."'Alright big bro, here goes nothing.''98 percent, we're almost there.'Scrambling into the rusting chest of his friend, Wheelie wormed his way under Ironhide's spark chamber and ran out the webbing net to secure his spark for the transfer into the waiting containment chamber on the truck. Adjusting the net as he went, he emerged from the tight confines and stood, handing the four ends up to Goggles to attach to the waiting gantry. Hooking on the metal eyes and lining them up, Goggles stretched up and locked the corners over the gantry hook, securing them against slipping off before turning back to Wheelie.'Wheelie! Break the connections!''goodbye Ironhide.' he uttered, remembering what Ratchet had told him as he slid back to the connections and severed them as quickly as he could. 'Go!''Odd Ball!''Copy!' Odd Ball replied, already activating the crane and lifting the disconnected spark clear.'Whoa, reading some serious fluctuations again!''Ratchet! We need you to do whatever you did before to stabilise those fluctuations.'"I'll try, it's different now."'Fluctuations are stabilising, twenty seconds to containment.''Come on Goggles, that chamber has to be ditched. We were too late to stop the rust getting to it.''Let's get this done.'Racing back to the trailer, the two mechanics rigged up the transfer crane and hooked onto the chamber the moment it was in reach. Righting it quickly, they pushed it the length of the trailer until it was butted up against the rubber seal marking the entrance to the spark stabilisation chamber.'Okay, here goes nothing.' Wheelie uttered, yanking on the manual override to open the chamber and waiting. Almost as if it knew, the dazzling blue ball of energy that was Ironhide left the damaged chamber and drifted into the much larger isolation chamber. Shoving the damaged spark chamber back, Wheelie slammed the hatch closed as Goggles heaved the damaged casing back out of the trailer before it could do any harm.'Ironhide, can you hear me? Please respond Ironhide.' Emily tried, fingers crossed as they waited for any kind of an answer."I am here, Emily."'Thank you God. Thank you Primus. Thank you Ares. Thank you whoever is listening.' Emily uttered, turning back to look just as the last pieces of Ironhide's great metal bulk turned into nothing but flakes of rust."Did it work? I can't feel him anymore."'The transfer was successful Ratchet. Ironhide is safe.'"So what happens now?" Ironhide asked; face appearing on the large screen at the front of the trailer.'We hit the road and get you to your new, more permanent home. This trailer won't hold you forever; soon you'll be in the system with Jazz.''Mearing isn't going to like this.''I know Revs but we don't have a lot of choice. We have to get out of here now. Ratchet, I'm going to need you for a while.'"There is work to be done here Emily but what do you need?"'I'm going to need someone to cover my back until I can get this rig up to speed and on the way back to Chicago. An hour of your time, that's all I need.'"I'm on my way up."'Thanks Ratchet. Alright bros, let's get this system ready for transport.'#~#+^*^+#~#Looking up when Optimus rolled into the destroyed base, Falcon wiped the blood from his eyes and tried not to think about the tears also wetting his fur. He'd volunteered to be the one to tell Prime about Ironhide but it was already hard to even consider what to say.'We'll be outside Falcon.' Blade uttered, reaching up to squeeze one shoulder lightly before motioning for the team to follow him.'Yeah, take a look, Optimus! This is all on you!''Sentinel hit the vault! Took the pillars.''Come on, let's go. All right, notify the 101st Airborne! We need to hunt this thing down!''Optimus, before you get all riled up about what that slagger Sentinel did, we need to talk.''What is it Falcon?' Optimus asked, settling back on the floor and offering his hand to Falcon. Swallowing quickly, Falcon stepped onto his hand and knelt, his new rotary cannon resting across his knees.'We lost a brave soldier and a good friend today. This battle cost us dearly, your men more so than mine but the loss is still painful. I asked to be the one to tell you, it's what he would have wanted.' Falcon offered, fresh tears falling as he knelt there. 'Ironhide's gone, never to stand on the field of battle again.' he managed, voice cracking with emotion.'No, it can't be true. I never got the chance to say goodbye to him.''Sentinel shot him, point blank in the back. He said something about cosmic rust before we lost contact.''Truly a horrible death, he didn't deserve that.''There is hope he will rise again but not for a good many years. The transfer was completed successfully, mainframe and spark were secured onboard the stabilisation rig.''I didn't see the stabilisation rig on my way in, where is it?''Well on the way back to Chicago. Ratchet's running escort duty until the rig is going full speed then he'll be back.''Thank you for telling me this Falcon. I'm sure we will find a way to bring Ironhide back to all our lives.''I have no doubt of that Optimus. Now come on, let's go deal with that slagger who dared take Ironhide!''By all means Falcon.' Optimus nodded, setting the burly mouse on the ground and watching him mount up and leave before transforming and rumbling from the ruins.#~#+^*^+#~#Listening to the rumble of the engine under her feet, Emily grinned and made a few adjustments before tapping her comm and settling deeper into the seat.'Hey Ratchet, you still out there?'"Barely, I can't keep up with you."'That's okay, this rig is heavily modified for speed. This is a very time critical load. Head back to the fight, I'll get in touch with news about the second transfer.'"Emily, just promise me you'll take care of him. I can't lose him, not after all we've gone through together."'I will treat him with the utmost of care and respect Ratchet, don't worry. You focus on slagging Decepticons, I'll take care of Ironhide. Go on, Optimus and the others are going to need you now more than ever.'"I know. Without Ironhide's heavy weaponry, this fight just got a lot harder."'Trust in the mice, they might not be as big or strong as Ironhide but they know a thing or two about picking fights. They've tangled with Decepticons before, they know what to do.'"Will you be coming back this way?"'Not for a while, got to get Ironhide settled in and keep an eye on him for a few days to make sure he doesn't fragment like Jazz did.'"I'll be in touch Emily. And the next chance you get, tell Ironhide I love him."'I will Ratchet, I promise on my life. Now go on, everything will be okay.'"Until we next meet Emily, ride free."'Ride free Ratchet, until all are one.'Glancing in the wing mirror, Emily watched Ratchet transform and wave before turning and heading back towards Washington DC to get back at Sentinel for taking Ironhide. Sighing softly, she picked one of the CD's in the central console and slipped it into the player, the music expressing her pain like she couldn't until Ironhide was safe once again.#~#+^*^+#~#Gathering again, the mice could only stare in horror as hundreds of Decepticons burst from the bridge Sentinel had created and ran rampant, destroying everything they touched. For a moment they were back on Mars, watching their homes being destroyed by the Plutarkians and then the Catatonians, their homes crushed and friends butchered everywhere. Then Falcon stood tall, feet planted on Armageddon's broad back as he hefted his rotary cannon high.'For Ironhide!' he roared, breaking the spell over his bros and giving them a new reason to fight. 'For our home!''For Ironhide! For our home!' they chanted, checking weapons and preparing for another fight. With a great roar of engines, the bikes made their feelings known in chorus, everyone standing up for a fallen comrade and determined to fight one last grand battle for his memory. Quietening down again, the group split in every direction, getting right into the heart of the battle and doing whatever damage they could to the Decepticons.Weaving and ducking, skidding and jumping, the mice pulled out all the stops in their determination to be the best, setting up hasty plans and constantly keeping the Decepticons guessing about their plans and battle tactics. There was chaos around them, civilians and soldiers running every which way as they tried to get organised or escape the battlefield but the mice were calm, orders unhurried and clearly given.'Contact!''Watch out!''Move it! Move it!''Autobots, retreat!'"Sidewinder, take your squad and back Optimus up, the rest of us will do what we can here.""Copy that Blade."Following Optimus and Sentinel, Sidewinder, Raider and Splat discussed various plans to deal with the main instigator of this round but none of them were brimming with their usual confidence. They'd all seen how easily Sentinel deflected human built missiles and weren't sure theirs would fare any better."We have to try Sidewinder. Three pronged attack, he might get two but one is bound to strike."'We can't risk hitting Optimus though, Splat. With Ironhide out of the fight, we need all the strength we can muster.'"We don't have a lot of choice, we have to do something."'I know Raider, I know. Alright, we'll give it a shot. Use the heaviest load outs you've got, we have to make this bastard pay.'"we will Sidewinder, count on it.'Spreading out in the darkness, the mice sat silently and waited for their moment, three of their heaviest explosive tipped weapons ready for firing and already targeted on Sentinel. They'd worked out distances and made the appropriate adjustments so that all three would meet their target at the same time, giving Sentinel quite a mess to think about."Why, Sentinel, why?""For Cybertron! For our home! What war destroyed, we can rebuild! But only if we join with the Decepticons!""No, it's not the only way. This is our home! We must defend the humans!""So lost you are, Optimus. On Cybertron, we were gods. And here, they call us machines. Let the humans serve us, or perish."'Now!' Sidewinder hissed, thumb jamming down on the trigger mechanism.Blasting from the launchers, the three missiles closed the distance in seconds, hazy trails marking their progress but not the way back to the launches. As soon as the missiles were away, the bikes had moved to new locations, all sensors tuned to the missiles. Watching with baited breath, the mice waited for the impacts. They got a show, but not quite the show they were hoping for. Moving faster than anticipated, Sentinel was able to batter aside the two from Raider and Splat but as he turned to face the third missile again, it exploded. Blasting outwards into a cloud of shrapnel, the third missile peppered Sentinel's armour with frag, shattering his windows and lodging in between parts and panels."You never told us to use fraggers instead of impactors."'Intentionally so Raider. I was expecting one of you to use a glooper but whatever works.'"You're the better glooper, we haven't the skills to match your abilities there."'True enough but we still got the job done. Sentinel's not so focused on Optimus anymore.'"Nah, now he's out to kill us."'Not a chance. The Autobots will stick up for us, just as we always stick up for them.'"He's gone, Sidewinder. Come over here."'On our way Optimus.'Making their way around to the kneeling Prime, the trio shouldered their launchers and dismounted, still quite proud of their efforts in stirring Sentinel up a little bit more.'I'm not even going to ask where you three came up with that idea.''Does it matter Optimus, really?' Sidewinder shrugged, glancing at his bros.'What you did was incredibly risky. Not just for you but me as well.''Optimus, relax. We know what we're doing. If Sentinel had gone you again, we would have drawn his attention back to us, no sweat. As it is, he's going to be picking frag out of his parts for quite a while to come.''A glooper on top of that would have been better but that's still going to keep him occupied. Not to mention make transformations a real bitch.' Splat sniggered, listening to the battle.'I do not understand. Glooper?''Oh yeah, you weren't around to see us build the glooper missiles. Basically, we've got missiles that fire this incredibly sticky substance that we call gloop. Gloop is nasty stuff to work with, it sticks to everything and attempting to pick it off usually results in spreading the stuff around. You can't freeze it off, you can't melt it off, and you can't wash it off. The only way to get rid of it shave it off and suffer the regrowth. No idea how he'd get rid of the stuff but since we didn't use it, no need to worry.' Raider explained, digging in his pouches and coming out with a plastic container of the stuff. Looking closely at the sample, Optimus couldn't see just what was so bad about the stuff but when Raider obligingly placed a drop on his extended finger, he soon realised.Trying hard not to piss themselves laughing, the mice watched Optimus battling with the gloop on his finger and refusing to budge no matter what he tried. Then he made a mistake, poking the substance and managing to stick his fingers together.'This has to rate as a very cruel weapon Sidewinder. Are you certain there is no way to release the grip is has on my fingers now?''Well, there is one way we've discovered to get this gloop of metal surfaces but you ain't gonna like it Optimus.''At this stage, I'll try anything.' Optimus sighed, giving up struggling against the intense hold.'Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you.' Sidewinder sighed, fishing a small vial from his top pocket and motioning for Optimus to lower his hands. Ever so carefully, Sidewinder uncapped the vial and tipped it slowly. Five small drops of the bright blue liquid trickled onto the gloop and he cleared out, capping the vial and scrambling back as they waited for the reaction.For a few moments nothing happened but with quite a shocking reaction, the liquid went to work. Crying out in shock and pain, Optimus wrenched his hands apart and looked at his fingertips, staring at the acid burns now pitting the tender surfaces.'We did try to warn you it wouldn't be pleasant. Here, this will take the sting out of it.' Splat soothed, holding up a green vial.'What was that Sidewinder?' Optimus asked, obediently offering out his hands again.'A particularly strong Martian created acid. We've tried thousands of things to clear the gloop from workbenches and test areas and that's the only stuff that does the job.''That feel a bit better?' Splat asked, letting the green alkaline pool in the burns to neutralise the harsh acid.'Much better. Thank you Splat. Now we really must get back to the battle at hand.''Lead the way Optimus, we're with you all the way.' Sidewinder grinned, whistling for his bike and mounting up.
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Huddled together in one of Emily's few above ground bases, the exhausted Martians and Autobots all watched the large flat screen TV on the wall, waiting to see what was going to happen in response to Sentinel's demands to exile the Autobots."It's been a remarkable series of events today at the Capitol. Just moments ago, legislation was passed to exile the Autobots from American shores. The US military alliance with them is officially over."'No! They can't do that! This isn't right.' Decal cried, muting the TV and glaring at the screen.'Emily's got other bases; she can hide you guys somewhere else.' Slash offered, turning hopeful eyes to Optimus. 'You're only exiled from American soil.''If the humans want us to leave Slash, we will leave. Autobots, prepare to head for the Xanthium.' Optimus instructed, striding from the warehouse.'No, we can't just leave Prime. What about Jazz? What about Ironhide?' Ratchet tried, unwilling to believe they were just giving up.'They will be safe Ratchet; Emily swore she would protect them. No one else knows where they are.''I made a promise Prime; I swore I'd get Jazz back with us within six years.''It's out of our hands Ratchet. It's time for us to leave.''Do I at least get a chance to say goodbye?''We cannot risk anyone else finding out about Emily's hidden base. Ironhide and Jazz are depending on us to keep them a secret.''You cannot order me to abandon Ironhide. You know our story.''There is nothing that can be done Ratchet. We either leave peacefully or the humans will force us out. Ironhide would not approve of you risking so many lives just for him and you know it.''Stop it; both of you just fuckin' stop it!' Braidy screamed, fed up with the arguing and pain. 'Ratchet, there's a private workshop in there. I'll set my helmet up and you can record a private goodbye. I will personally see that he gets it at the best possible speed without compromising security.''I'd appreciate that Braidy, thank you.' Ratchet nodded, following Braidy through to the private room.'Anyone else want to record a message for Jazz or Ironhide? Maybe even something for Emily.' Emission asked, helmet tucked under his arm.'I'd like to say a few words.' Sideswipe replied, collecting Emission and heading outside to find a quiet spot.'So would I. I never knew Jazz but I think we would have gotten along.' Dino agreed, waiting for Christine to grab her helmet before driving off to find a spot to make his recording.#~#+^*^+#~#Forming an honour guard, the mice knew they were entering dangerous territory but they couldn't find the energy to care as they rode solemnly along beside the Autobots, everyone freshly showered and wearing the cleanest outfits they had in their emergency kits. Bikes polished and weapons unloaded as a sign of good faith, the team rode on into the unknown, massive weights crushing each and every one of them. Nobody dared break the mournful silence on the comms, there was nothing left to say that hadn't been said on the trip down.Entering the facility proper, the mice peeled away from the Autobots and lined up, engines falling silent as the riders dismounted and strode forward, automatically falling into ranks long unused. They didn't have the heart to look upon the ship that would take their friends away, it was too painful to acknowledge the goodbye as friends. Turning in the shadow of the ship, the Autobots lined up opposite the mice, a final respect between allies torn apart by no choice of their own. Snapping to attention, the Martians showed their military heritage, saluting their comrades and trying desperately to keep their emotions in check.'Stand Alone Unit 14 salutes you, gallant warriors. Our paths crossed all too briefly but I know we will all carry tactics and ideas forward into whatever battles we are drawn. We will remember the lessons you have taught us and carry on the mission to remove the Decepticons from this world, even when the humans have lost the will to fight. We are refugees here, this is not our true home but we will defend it at all costs.' Blade declared, removing something from his top pocket. 'With your permission, we have one gift to grant each of you.'"You may, Commander." 'Section Heads, step up.' Blade snapped, waiting for officers to move up before they all approached the Autobots. Opening the cage that held Wheelie and Brains, Bonfire and Slash lifted the pair out and held them gently.Stepping up beside Optimus, Blade reached out and smoothed a shining white sticker on his door. Peeling off the backing paper revealed the design in all its glory. There in ancient Martian glyphs was a promise, a promise of unending friendship. Five glyphs - SAU 14. Moving as one, the rest of the section heads repeated the gesture, marking all the Autobots as lifelong friends and honour members of the unit. Returning to the unit, the officers turned again and saluted before shocking everyone. Shifting their weight back, the officers dropped into ritualised bows, the ultimate of respect and honour among the Martian people. Weight forward, heads down, arms held wide and back, they were in a disadvantageous position but they were not afraid. Holding the bows for a minute, they straightened and moved back into the ranks proper before everyone went down to one knee and stayed there.Remembering a conversation he'd shared with Blade about Martian rituals, Optimus signalled the Autobots and transformed, ignoring all the other people watching as they returned the ritual bow as best they could, what with armour and less general flexibility than the mice enjoyed. Moving with grace few expected them to have, the Autobots went through the same motions and knelt, returning the honour and respect.'SAU 14 welcomes you, our brothers in arms.' Blade intoned, lifting his gaze slowly.'We will bring honour to the unit. We will fight with courage and determination against any foe. We will never back down. We will remain true to our people and our home.' Optimus replied, locking gazes with Blade.'We are honoured to call you bro.''And we you.''Now, go forth and bring glory to our unit as only you can.' Blade snapped, rising and throwing his shoulders back. 'SAU 14!' he cried, right fist raised high.'SAU 14!' up when the chorus, Martian and Autobot standing tall and strong as one unit. Lowering their hands, the mice turned as one and went back to their bikes, mounting up and leaving the compound without another glance. This was the way it had to be as a new section of SAU 14 was sent out on their proving mission.#~#+^*^+#~#Standing their vigil as was proper, the mice ranked up and watched the massive ship preparing for takeoff. Treating this like an initiation made it a little easier but it still hurt.'Emily's going to be so upset she wasn't here.' Braid uttered, heavy rifle hanging over his shoulder.'She's got bigger problems. Ironhide and Jazz need her.' Stephen replied, glancing at his brother for a moment.'How are we going to tell them about this?' Dakota asked, a lone tear running down his cheek.'We have the messages, that's a start. We have to be gentle though.' Tar shrugged, not sure what else they could do.'There they go, off into the wild yonder.' Blade sighed, all eyes lifting to watch the launch.Adjusting HUDs and zooming in on the leaving shuttle, the Martians offered silent goodbyes and fought back the tears as they held their ground, hope crumbling around them.'Guys, I've got an incoming object heading right for the Xanthium.' Phantom called, his zoom one of the best in the unit. 'It's heading for the ship…weapons are in the air.''There's nothing happening. They're still right on course.' Decal added, horrified by what he was reading. 'I count four missiles in the air, heading right for the ship.''No, this can't be happening! No! Not like this!' Daytona screamed, watching the mighty ship explode and fall back to Earth. Screaming in shock and disbelief, the mice almost refused to believe what was going on but the static on the Autobot comms was proof of their loss.'We have to get out of here bros. It's time for us to get back to Chicago. Nothing more can be done here.' Blade instructed, tears stinging his eyes as he turned away from the destruction. 'SAU 14, mount up!' he snapped, trying to restore some order to the group. Responding to the authority in his voice, the rest of the team turned away and mounted up, following Blade from the launch site and back onto the long road home.#~#+^*^+#~#Isolated below ground, Emily felt the city shake and swore, securing her two computer systems and hoping this was nothing serious. Switching to the external camera feeds, she swallowed and swore again, switching languages in an attempt to find words to match the new fear racing through her as she witnessed the devastation being created above her head. Everywhere she looked through her external eyes, she could see people running for their lives, buildings being destroyed and Decepticons in their hundreds."Emily, what's going on out there?" Jazz asked, appearing on one of the screens."Come on Emily, what do you see?" Ironhide added, appearing on another screen.'The Decepticons are here, in Chicago. I'm seeing destruction everywhere and no sign of any Autobots. This is bad you two, this is real bad.'"What do we do now Emily?"'There's nothing we can do Ironhide. My base defences are for anyone breaking in, not for nailing Decepticons out there. All we can do is wait and hope that someone is coming to deal with this.'"Surely there's something you can do Emily."'Jazz, I'm just one woman. I can't take on that Decepticon army alone. The mice are still out of radio reach, I have no idea what's going on with the Autobots and I still have to secure the base.'"What do you mean what's going on with the Autobots?"'Comms have cut to static. I can't raise anyone on the standard channels or the emergency ones.'"Now that is a worry. Ratchet's always listening to the emergency channel, just in case."'Now you can understand my concern. The best thing I can do right now is batten down the hatches, get the backups running at full effect and try to find out what's going on out there.'"You're gonna go out there Em? All alone."'No choice Jazz. Someone's gotta figure out what's going on out there. You'll be okay, this base is built tough. Besides, I won't be alone. I'll have Harley with me, he'll keep me safe.'"Harley? Who's Harley?"'My Martian upgraded bike. He's not as smart as Armageddon, Beast or any of the actual Martian bikes but he's damn close. Reinforced, armed and given the best AI Wheelie had in the inventory, he's a mean machine.'"But can he really keep you safe?"'He'll do the job better than anyone else available at the moment. Do not worry, I will survive this chaos and return.' Emily soothed, leaving the external feeds running and taking off to prepare the base for assault.#~#+^*^+#~#Cruising back towards Chicago, Blade almost wiped out when his helmet comm buzzed for an external call. Signalling for Beast to take over the driving, he opened the channel and hoped it wasn't Emily on the other end."Blade, its Sam. Where are you guys?"'We're en route to Chicago. Why do you ask?'"I know I have no right to ask you this but I need your help."'Sam, we owe you nothing. We are going back to Chicago and that's final.'"I'm heading to Chicago, Carly's there and I intend to rescue her."'We have our own problems in Chicago Sam. Emily is there, protecting the only Autobots left on Earth.'"Some of them didn't leave? Then they can help us."'No, they can't. Ironhide and Jazz are of no use to anyone in their current states. With Ratchet gone, all hope of returning them to this world is lost. They're both going to spend a very long time trapped in cyberspace before they are eventually lost forever.'"I don't understand."'And you never will, child. If you're making your way to Chicago fine but don't expect us to save your hide. We have enough on our plates with the mission Optimus left in our hands.'"He left the mission to defend Earth to all of us."'You cannot hope to truly stand up to the dangers of the Decepticons. We have upgraded weapons, based off information we got from Ironhide. Our shielding has been improved by Ratchet's gift. We understand the Decepticons because of Optimus. What gifts did any of them leave you with?'"I…"'I thought as much. Our two races will never see eye to eye Samuel, of that I am certain. The only reason we are still here is because we work in the shadows. This is so dangerous for us but we will never back down.'"You saved my life in Egypt, I haven't forgotten that."'Bumblebee asked us to watch over you, we fulfilled that contract and now we are free to deal with the Decepticons without worrying about watching out for humans. Goodbye Samuel.' Blade scoffed, adjusting their comms so Witwicky couldn't get in contact with them again.#~#+^*^+#~#Securing her weapons and checking the charge on the shielding systems protecting Harley, Emily turned back to the twin screens on the wall, gazing tenderly at Ironhide and Jazz as they watched over her preparations.'I'll be okay guys, I don't know the meaning of the words give up. I'll make it back, no matter what.'"We're allowed to worry Emily."'And I'm grateful you are worried for my safety Ironhide.'"Are you sure there's nothing we can do?"'Well, I suppose you could work on defending the base. Jazz, I want you to watch the external cameras, I know you've got access to all of them. When you see a Decepticon getting too close to the base, tell Ironhide.'"And what am I supposed to do about it?"'You have access to my base defences, use them. You won't be able to get every Decepticon that gets close but I know you'll make me proud.'"Sure thing Emily. Hey, could you do me a favour in return?"'Name it Ironhide.'"I created a program for Ratchet, see that he gets it. It's on that external hard drive there." Ironhide instructed, using one of the workbench lights to draw attention to the device.'I'll make certain he gets this and downloads your file.' Emily promised, gathering up the drive and cable and tucking them both securely into one of Harley's little storage areas."Thanks Emily. He'll know it the moment he connects."'I'll tell him Ironhide.'"You'd better get moving Emily. We've got Decepticons coming mighty close."'Thanks Jazz. We'll be back guys, keep the base as safe as you can.' Emily instructed, mounting up and racing out of the base.Weaving through the destruction, Emily fought her instinct to fight back down and headed south, knowing she needed to find the mice and organise a plan before anything could be done to save their home. Lifting her gaze to the heavens, she dug deep for strength and courage against what looked to be almost impossible odds. Leaving the worst of the destruction behind, she skidded under a downed train and stopped, staring in disbelief at what she could see. SAU 14 were just sitting there, staring at the damaged city and looking more than a little lost. Picking up her feet again, Emily let Harley take over and find them a safe track through to the mice.Looking up when Emily joined the ranks, the guys managed a few weak smiles and small waves but they were too worn down to have any idea about what to do next.'Where are the Autobots? What's taking them so long?' she asked, desperate for any answers.'They're not coming Emily. We're on our own. The government exiled them, they were going to leave the planet but their ship was shot down and totally destroyed. There's no one else left to fight.' Blade replied, voice betraying no emotions.'No, no, no! I refuse to believe that.''It's true Emily, we all saw it happen. The Autobots are gone.' Christine sighed, glancing at Braid sadly.'What am I gonna tell Jazz and Ironhide?' Emily groaned, slumping over the handlebars and sobbing softly.'How are we supposed to save Chicago? We're no match for Megatron and forget about those ships up there.' Revs whispered, shaking his head slowly.'I don't know Revs, I just don't know. I'm not sure we can save Chicago, let alone the world.' Slash uttered, seeing Brimstone all over again as he watched Chicago burn.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Turning to look when they heard car doors slamming behind them, the Martian team nodded slowly and turned their bikes around, heading to meet the human group that had just arrived.'Oh, so now you want to be friendly again. Go to hell Blade and take your misfits with you.' Witwicky called, glaring at the taller Martian with unbridled hatred.'We didn't ask for this Sam, we never wanted to be dragged into a sixth war. But we're in this now and we're all that stands between earth and the Decepticons. This is stressful on everyone, tempers are going to fray.' Emily soothed, dismounting and motioning for Blade to follow her. 'I don't know what was said but now is the time to shake hands and pull together. We have to win this one.''I'm sorry Sam; I've just got so much to worry about now. This is the fifth time I've seen my home destroyed, it's a lot to take in.' Blade nodded, offering his hand in friendship again.'I can't pretend to know what you've gone through Blade but I'm willing to have another go at this friendship.' Sam agreed, clasping Blade's hand firmly.'Okay, now we can get serious. Move up guys, it's time to look at taking our city back.' Emily called, the Martians instantly coming up around her.'Now wait a minute, who put you in charge?''Epps, I'm not trying to be a leader but I know the mice and I know military tactics and protocol. I'm ex-Marine Corps; I know a thing or two about running a military operation. But if you want to give your own orders; that's fine by me mate.' Emily shrugged, swinging onto Harley and motioning her team forward.Looking up when three fighters raced onto the scene, the horror soon became clear as all three were destroyed in moments by the Decepticon fighters.'My God.''We came here to find her in the middle of all that?''Are we really going out there, Epps?''I'm not going in there.''No one's going in.''I am. With or without you, I'll find her.''Not alone Sam, I'll go with you.' Emily corrected, pulling up beside him. 'Carly's a lucky woman to have you.''Thanks Emily.' Sam replied, mounting up behind her.'You're gonna get yourself killed, Sam. Is that what you want? Is that what you want?''Think about this Emily. Ironhide and Jazz are waiting for you; I know you would have told them you're coming back.''I will be coming back Carbon, make no doubt of that. My word is my bond, I do not break promises.''You came all the way out here to get yourself killed? Huh? Listen to what I'm saying.' Epps tried, grabbing Sam and pulling him off the bike.'She's here because of me. Do you understand?' Sam replied, shaking Epps off and mounting up.'Listen, if you go into this building, that's if she's even still alive, there's no way you're gonna be able to reach her!''What do you suggest I do?''It's over. I'm sorry, but it's over.''Epps, it's not over until the last soldier puts down their weapon and surrenders. It's not over until the human race has been totally enslaved. It's not going to be over until these mice that stand here are dead. It's never going to be over.' Emily snarled, determined to never quit while she still breathed. She'd made her promises and would see them fulfilled.'Incoming!'Snapping to look, Emily swore and yanked Harley around, gunning it back towards the shelter of a damaged building. Swinging around again, she glanced back at Sam apologetically before shoving him off the bike and charging back into the fray. Seeing what the weapons on these fighters did to people, even the Martians fled for shelter, racing into the damaged buildings and hauling any humans they could reach to safety behind them. This wasn't something they were trained for and it had them all scared. Risking a peek outside, Decal watched in confusion as the fighter went down, shot from the other end of the street.'I don't fuckin' believe it. Guys, it's okay. We're going to be okay. Come outside, you're not going to believe this.' he grinned, mounting up and breaking cover then swerving suddenly when a rather large casing almost flattened him. 'Oi! Watch it up there!''We will kill them all.' Optimus declared, looking at the downed fighter for a moment before looking down. 'Oh, sorry Decal.''It's alright you big hunk of scrap.' Decal grinned; confident Optimus would take no offence.'Wreckers, kill him!''This is going to hurt! A lot!''Ohh, seriously gruesome.' Emily winced, watching the Wreckers tear the Decepticon into pieces.'Your leaders will now understand. Decepticons will never leave your planet alone. And we needed them to believe we had gone. For today, in the name of freedom, we take the battle to them!'Looking around as the Autobots raced into the area and transformed, the mice couldn't believe what they were seeing. The weight was gone from their shoulders, replaced with a steely determination to reclaim their home once and for all. They were all tired of getting kicked around and now was their time to shine. They weren't afraid anymore, their odds were improving but they all knew this was still going to be one hell of a fight.'I saw your ship blow up!''The ship? We were never in the ship! We designed the damn thing, didn't we?' Roadbuster scoffed, ripping apart another piece of Decepticon as he spoke.'We were hidden in the first booster rocket to separate. Splashed down back in the Atlantic, just as planned.' Leadfoot added, tossing aside another piece of their kill and spitting on it. 'We ain't going nowhere.''Yeah, no one's exiling us.''The Autobots are staying right here. We're gonna help you win this war.''They're surrounding the city to make a fortress so that no one can see what they're up to inside. Our only chance is the element of surprise.''I think I know where to look!'Jolting from her thoughts when Harley trilled a little reminder, Emily nodded and dug out the drive, cradling it safely to her chest as she dismounted and jogged over to where Ratchet was standing. Taking a knee, Ratchet scooped Emily up and looked at the drive she was holding, wondering why she'd brought it out here.'Ironhide asked me to get this to you, he created a program and downloaded it to this drive. He said you'd know it the moment you connected. I swore I'd make the delivery.''A program? This could be interesting.' Ratchet mused, wirelessly assessing the drive and scrolling through the files.'Oh Ironhide, you old romantic. You always know just what I need.' he uttered, downloading the file simply titled I4R.'Ironhide romantic? Doesn't sound like the Ironhide I know.' Emily remarked, wondering just what Ironhide had created.'You don't know him like I do Emily. Trust me, he's got a romantic side.''I'll believe that when I see it.''How's this for proof.' Ratchet uttered, placing her down and transforming before opening the door. Confused now, Emily climbed in and settled as the radio clicked on and a romantic love song came through the speakers."This is what was in the program. Hours and hours worth of romantic songs."'Well I'll be damned, he does have a romantic side.'"Yeah, now keep it a secret. He doesn't want everyone to know."'You can trust me Ratchet.' Emily replied, climbing out and returning to Harley. 'Alright bros, let's go take our city back!'#~#+^*^+#~#Taking up new positions near Bumblebee's crashed fighter, the Martians spread out and kept a sharp lookout for anything hinky anywhere in their vicinity. They didn't just watch the roads and the sky but sensors, heat detectors, energy trails and sound alerts on all sides.'Form a perimeter! Let's go! Let's go!''Well, you're crazy.''Crazy we can work with.' Emily chuckled, shaking out her hair and looking around. 'Hammer, I want you to head below ground. Use sub-entrance 34 and head for control room Beta 25. I don't know if it's of any help to them but get those cameras passing their information back to every military and government installation you can reach. I don't know what's active or dead or even what the tunnels are like. Patch everyone in on what you discover, we need to know the status of the network for our own purposes.''I'll handle it Emily. Ares watch over all of you.' Hammer nodded, swinging back into the saddle and racing away.'Where's he going?' Epps asked, watching the white mouse ride away.'To one of my many underground facilities under Chicago. Hopefully we can get some visual cues out to Lennox and anyone else who can help us survive this fight. No promises but he'll give it his best. He's also going to get us the data we need on the tunnels so we can figure out which routes are still available for all of us.' Emily explained, swinging back onto Harley and whipping around.'We need to move before the fighters spot us. Wait here until we scout ahead.''Optimus, I've got another idea. But I need you to trust me on this one.''Go ahead Emily, I think I've already proven just how much I trust you.''Alright bros, we know this city better than anyone else out there. We know the back ways and the underground networks. We don't have the advantage of high ground but we do have the deeper understanding of this city. Now it's on our shoulders to show the Autobots how to sneak around this city. Use the primary tunnels but be careful, there's no telling what damage has been done. Get it done quickly, quietly and safely.' she called, glancing up at Optimus. 'That do the trick?''I believe so Emily but tunnels? I am uncertain that is a good idea.''The tunnels are big enough if that's what you're worried about. I use them all the time to transport equipment in to, out of and around Chicago without being seen. We know the secrets of this city, it's time to put that knowledge to good use. Teams of three for every Autobot, the rest of us will spread out on the surface and keep things interesting. Falcon, I know you probably want to stick with your new friend there but I could really use your heavy weapons up top.''You've got it Emily.' Falcon nodded, glancing at Dino for a moment before moving to take up a position off Emily's left shoulder. Responding to the authority that Emily wielded, the mice scattered with the Autobots, some heading for the nearest underground access points while the rest just took off into the streets to get a better fix on the situation. #~#+^*^+#~#Riding close to Optimus, Sidewinder had to do some very creative driving to avoid getting caught in the deadly embrace of the Driller, the meanest Decepticon around at the moment. That thing was making mincemeat out of the pavement, a fact that had Sidewinder very worried. He only got more panicky when Optimus' trailer was batted aside like paper by this ugly beast. Diving off his bike, Sidewinder landed heavily on Optimus' turntable and scrambled to his feet, swinging his launcher into position and taking aim on the Driller.'Eat gloop Decepticon punk!' he roared, launching his gloop missile and jumping back onto his bike. 'Come on Optimus, floor it. That's the biggest target we've ever tried to gloop.'"I'm not built for speed Sidewinder."'Frag it. Smash, go for the hop.' Sidewinder groaned, hanging on tight as his bike snapped around and jumped onto the turntable."What are you doing back there Sidewinder?"'Trying to save your hulking aft!' he shot back, loading up another gloop missile and firing. 'How many fragging heads does this fucker have?'"At least eight."'Shit, I don't have that many gloopers and fraggers ain't gonna work.'"Hang on back there."'What do you think we're doing back here?'"I don't want to know."'Ingrate. Should have left you struggling with the gloop on your fingers.'"You wouldn't dare."'You'd be surprised what I'll do when I'm ticked off.'Diving off Optimus' back once they were inside another building, Sidewinder took up a covering position nearby and waited, heavy rifle held steady at the nearest window.'That is one scary-ass Decepticon.''No shit Epps. We'll beat it though, somehow.''They got my trailer. I need that flight tech.''Can I request a new Autobot?' Speed asked, checking his bike over quickly and dressing his gravel rash before mounting up again.'Sure. You take Optimus. I'll work with Sideswipe.' Sidewinder replied, glancing at the younger mouse.'It's a deal Sidewinder.''You'll be with Blade and Odd Ball.''No sweat. You've got Shift and Metric.''I can live with that.' Sidewinder nodded, bounding back onto his bike and slipping in near Sideswipe.'Shockwave can't hunt all of us at once. Wreckers, we need a diversion.''Let's get some!''You got that right.''Listen, we're gonna circle around to that glass building. And we'll get high enough to make the rocket shot while you guys draw his fire. Let's move!''Wait a minute! I'm not letting you go out there without my urban combat prototypes.''We got to go Que. Come on.''They're great inventions for kicking ass!''What are these?''Those are boom-sticks. Armed in 30 seconds. Grapple gloves, for climbing.''Come on Que, let's move out.' Wheelie groaned, waiting on his bike for the mad inventor.'Alright Wheelie, I'm coming.' Que replied, transforming and taking off after Wheelie.#~#+^*^+#~#Responding to the sounds of a battle nearby, Tank swung around and shot out of the tunnels, launching two missiles in the same direction the Wreckers were firing before touching down and skidding around to line up among them. Heavy rifle braced, he eased back the trigger and sent the barrels into a spin, adding to the flood of empty casings on the ground. Backing up as the Decepticon advanced, Darlin' added to the firestorm with both forward lasers and her central missile launcher but they didn't seem to be having much of an effect. Making the choice, she hit reverse and followed the Wreckers, not wanting to get caught out in the middle of the carnage with no backup.Picking up on a couple Autobot signals on his HUD, Bits coaxed Scrap Babe around and through the narrow side street, hoping their secondary shield would hold. Sensing Shockwave, the blue, red and green bike snapped around and took off, racing right between Wheelie and Brains. Lunging off to the right, Bits snagged Wheelie in his hands and Brains in his tail before righting himself again.'You two okay?' he asked, leaning with his bike as they made their escape.'Yeah, we're okay.' Wheelie nodded, looking up at Bits quickly."Bits, we could use some backup at the marked co-ords."'Copy that Hunter, inbound.' Bits replied, nudging Scrap Babe again. 'Sorry fellas, gotta let you go. I'm needed in the hottest spot.''It's okay Bits, you got us away from Shockwave and that's what matters.' Brains replied, patting the hand holding him safely.'I'll make this gentle guys.' Bits grinned, spotting a suitable drop site and leaning out. Releasing Wheelie first, he passed Brains from his left hand to his right and released him into a pile of garbage. It smelled bad but at least the landing was soft."Thanks for the ride Bits."'No sweat lil' bros.'Looking up when his HUD warned him of another threat, Bits had next to no time to react once he saw the flaming whatever-the-fuck-that-is. Scrap Babe had the time though and used it well, gunning her engine and slipping clear with a neat slide seconds before it crashed down into the street. Then the weird metallic ball or whatever it was cracked open and transformed, scaring Bits half to death. Scrap Babe didn't appreciate the sight either and backed up, weapons folding out in readiness to defend her rider.'Whoa, steady girl, steady. It's okay, that's another Autobot.' Bits soothed, looking up at the confused 'Bot standing there."Bits, where are you?"'Sorry Emily, minor setback. We just about got flattened by a new arrival for the Autobot ranks.'"I see. Take care of him."'Wilco Emily.''Where am I?' the new arrival asked, looking around for a moment before glancing down and spotting Bits. 'Can you tell me what's going on here?''Sure, I'll give it to you real simple. The Decepticons are here, in bigger numbers than we've faced before. Can you fight or do you need a moment?''I must find a vehicle to scan, I cannot fight like this.''That I can handle. Follow me…what's your name?''My designation is Prowl.''I'm Bits. This way, I know where you might find a suitable alt mode.''Lead the way Bits.' Prowl nodded, breaking into a jog to keep up with the smaller creature.Finding the underground entrance he needed, Bits triggered the doors and raced inside, Prowl moving along the tunnels as best he could before they came into another open area filled with cars.'These are the only undamaged vehicles left in the city. Pick one and let's get out there.''This one will do nicely.' Prowl replied, scanning one and dropping to his wheels. Bits had to smile at his choice, Emily's favourite black Lamborghini Gallardo.'Looking good Prowl. This tunnel will take us to the main fight, let's go.'"Right behind you Bits."'Optimus will be grateful for another soldier in the ranks. It's been a hell of a week.'"It will be good to see some of my friends again. Tell me, do you know if Jazz is here?"'Uhhh, he's here in a strange kind of way. I can't go into details right now but when we've saved Chicago, I'll explain everything.'"I understand. We cannot be distracted from the fight."'Something like that.'#~#+^*^+#~#Whistling into her comms, Emily called a Martian regroup in a damaged warehouse, taking a moment to scan her bros for injuries before redeploying the team to new locations.'Sidewinder, take your section and head to Witwicky's location, Driller is after him. Braid, take your section and back them up. Falcon, your boys are some of the biggest, see if you can do some damage to Shockwave without getting splattered. We can't keep screwing around like this, guys.''We're on it Emily.' Sidewinder nodded, briefing his section as they raced away.'We'll make 'em pay.' Braid added, leading his team out after Sidewinder.'Come on bros, this big boy is ours.' Falcon grinned, charging out again.'The rest of you, focus on roving duties. The Autobots know how to take down Decepticons on a grand scale, it's up to us to watch their backs. Let's ride!'Engines screaming in chorus, Intruder, Babe and Smash swept down the street in tight formation, Raider, Splat and Sidewinder balanced on their saddles and swearing vengeance. Aiming straight up, the trio fired their primary launchers before switching to their multi-launchers and opening fire again. Their varied load combos spun together and tore into Driller. First came the impactors, tearing three massive holes in the outer armour before the gloopers and fraggers went to work in tandem, ripping into components and gluing parts together. Coming up in the second wave, Braid, Torque and Center Line walked their explosive tipped rounds along the monster, tearing out more holes and weakening the massive Decepticon.'Oh shit, Shockwave!' Sidewinder yelped, grabbing another missile from his back mount harness and firing again before weaving away from the battle with his section.'Here comes Optimus!' Braid called, leading the heavy gunners out of the direct battle path.Taking up a well covered position, the six mouse security team drew their aim on the big Decepticon known as Shockwave. Rifles, missiles and heavy repeating cannons all lined up on it before opening fire en mass, putting up one hell of an assault line but it didn't seem to be having a lot of effect.'The optic, go for the…shit! Run!' Falcon cried, leading the charge away as Shockwave returned fire. Skidding on debris, the bikes bit in and raced off, flashing around another building and searching for another place to set their ambush.'Guys, there goes Optimus.' Chain grinned, looking up to follow the path of the flying semi.'Come on, we need to find a new backup location.' Falcon sighed, sweeping around another corner and launching a running attack on Shockwave to keep him distracted.Firing in support of the bigger 'Bot, Sidewinder's crew were careful to avoid collateral damage but they still had to make sure Driller wasn't going to be making any more trouble in Chicago. They waited for Optimus to be clear before launching their last gloopers into the metal monster, fairly confident that would hold it.'You okay up there Sam?'"Hardly Sidewinder but we're alive at least. Any chance of some support?"'Sorry Sam, we're all a little busy. Get in contact with Emily, she might be able to bring someone up to give you guys a hand.'"Thanks Sidewinder."'Nothing to it kid.'"Bros, Optimus is in Shockwave's sights. We need a plan." Falcon called, leading his section around again.Coming together as one team again, the three sections that had been dealing with Driller and Shockwave turned their massed fire to Shockwave alone, firing and moving as one to really put a dent in his day. He totally ignored the mice, launching a multi-shell at Optimus before turning his attention back to the insects at his feet.'Oh fuck, we've pissed him off. Fall back! Fall back!' Falcon ordered, Armageddon backing away fast as Falcon maintained their cover fire.'Techs, with me. We're going after Optimus.' Sidewinder barked, drawing his section clear again and racing for the bigger 'Bot somewhere behind the construction site to their south.Racing through the construction site, the trio looked up and choked on their giggles. There he was, tangled up in several crane cables and swinging in the breeze.'Well, there's one for the record books.''Jazz must be getting a laugh out of this. I'm still on live feed.''Nice one Raider. Come on, let's get up there.' Sidewinder sighed, grabbing the kit he'd need and starting up the nearest crane.'Optimus!''Wreckers!''We're coming!''Watch it for the little guys! We're up here too!' Sidewinder called, scrambling up the scaffolding as quickly as he could.#~#+^*^+#~#Knowing there was no one left to send, Emily cut away from the group and zeroed in on Sam's signal, cutting through the chaos and racing through buildings in a determined bid to get to the unluckiest teen in the world. Rocking Harley right over, she skidded around the tightest of corners and shot into the alley, totally focused on her responsibility. She could hear the mice calling instructions and responding to the Autobots as if they'd always been working together but pushed all that aside, knowing she had to get her job done. Dodging incoming fire and sweeping tight around another corner, she came up behind Sam and grinned in her helmet as Harley rumbled a greeting.'What are you doing out here on your lonesome Sam? And dragging your girlfriend through the chaos too.''You know, just trying to save the world again.''Uh-oh, we're about to have trouble again. Instincts are firing bad, there's a lot left to do.' Emily gulped, scanning the skies as Harley searched the ground for the new alert he was picking up.'Oh shit! Not him again.' she yelped, scrambling for cover as Starscream came in for a landing behind them.'What a treat! You and me, alone!''Carly!''Come on Harley, let's give Starscream a lesson in manners.' Emily smirked, rocket launcher spinning up as Harley revved.'Come on, come on! Run! Okay. He's after me, not you. Run! Emily, get Carly out of here!''Harley, grab her and go. Take shelter.' Emily ordered, dismounting and casting her bike out to fetch the girl and take her someplace safe. 'It's just you and me now Sam, let's get this done.''You can't hide, boy!' Starscream challenged, slicing into the bus where Sam was hiding with Emily. 'I just love it when your little insect feet try to run!''Sam!''Run!''Harley, out of sight! Take Carly with you!''Which way Emily?''We make our stand here.' Emily snarled, rotary cannon whirling up to speed and peppering Starscream's armour with armour-piercing rounds. Getting his own idea, Sam made use of the grapple gloves he'd picked up from Que to latch onto Starscream's right optic.'This is going to end in tears.' she muttered, silencing her weapon and diving for cover as Sam was yanked off the ground and thrown about.Watching the young man getting thrown around, Emily let the situation enfold her and looked at it from the outside, judging time and distances and working out a plan. That plan changed when Lennox led a team of soldiers into the site and started to bring a rain of fire down on Starscream, keeping him pinned.'Damnit Witwicky, always getting into trouble.' Emily sighed, vaulting off the concrete guard rail she'd been hiding behind and latching onto Sam.'Grab the knife! Knife!''Just hold on Sam, we'll be okay.' Emily grinned, drawing her knife and starting to saw at the line.'Knife, knife, knife, knife, knife! The bomb's gonna blow. The bomb's gonna…''You human scum.''Harley! Take the pressure off.' Emily roared, still working on the grappling line with her sleeve knife since she couldn't risk going for her Armageddon knife when they could be given a shake any moment.'We got twenty seconds on that bomb.''You used a bomb?''Cut it, cut it, cut it.''I got it. How long do we have?'Screaming as they were launched skyward again and almost became a smear on Starscream's foot, Emily tightened up her grip on Sam and kept working on the cable, trying not to think of the damage being done to her knife.'Harley, get back! Protect Carly!' Emily snapped, not wanting her bike crushed under a rampaging, malformed fighter.'Cut! Cut! Cut!''I got it!' Emily nodded, the cable finally giving way. 'Oh shit!''I'm gonna kill…' wincing as the bomb went off, Emily curled in up an attempt to protect them both but this was still going to be one very ugly landing.Skidding onto the scene, Bumblebee transformed on the move and went up the building, tracking across the surface to grab Emily and Sam, cradling them in his hands as he flipped off the wall and transformed again, still moving backwards. Grunting as her back impacted his windshield, Emily smiled softly and started to laugh, amazed she'd cheated certain death once again.'What's so funny Emily?''You wouldn't understand.' she snorted, wiping the smile off her face. 'Thanks for the save Bee.' she added, jumping as the shattered remains of Starscream crashed to the ground.'Well, he's dead.''One down, fuck knows how many more to go.' Emily groaned, sitting up and sliding off the hood. 'Hey Lennox. Come on Harley, let's move out.''Emily, where is everyone. I haven't seen any of the mice.''They're around Lennox, working in teams to keep Decepticons busy. The explosives boys are working with the Wreckers to cut Optimus down from several cranes. He's tangled in the cables thanks to Shockwave.''Talk about mobility.''There's no spot in this city we can't reach via our underground tunnel network.' Emily smirked, swinging into the saddle and tearing off again.#~#+^*^+#~#Emerging from the tunnels again, the Martians clung to the ruins and looked on in horror as the newest impending disaster. Dino, Bumblebee, Que, Prowl, Sideswipe and Ratchet had all been taken prisoner. Ratchet was having one last crack at the 'Cons but he was soon on his knees, one of the guards keeping a firm grip on his wrists."Falcon, we have to do something.""I know Sidewinder, I know.""We're running low on ammo for the heavier weaponry. We can't take out all these Decepticons.""We don't have to Black, we just have to do enough to give the Autobots another chance.""That's it Kawasaki. I know what to do, but now isn't the right moment. Everyone sit tight, when the timing is right, you'll know what to do." Falcon grinned, silencing Armageddon's engine and moving to a new position.Lining up on a substitute ramp, Falcon was tense and nervous about what he was about to do but he knew there was no other choice. He had to fly straight and bring down the rain like no one had ever done before.'You're not doing this alone bro.' Braid uttered, pulling up beside his towering friend.'We're right beside you every step of the way.' Goggles added, stopping on the other side.'Whatever happens bros, it's been an honour and a privilege to know you all.' Bits nodded, joining the group.'This time, it's personal.' Blade grinned, filling another place in the ranks.'Today is our day.' Rictor agreed, taking the last position in their flying wedge.Watching his altered HUD, Falcon picked his moment and switched off Armageddon's silencer before taking off, his bros at his side as they shot up the ramp and took flight. Rising up on the footpegs, the flying wedge bristled with weaponry, one final act of unending courage against the odds.'Not today fugly! This is our home!' Falcon roared, launching everything he had at Soundwave.'For Chicago!' his bros cried, launching hell from all sides and pulling together for one great effort. Emerging from their hiding places all around the prisoners, the mice threw everything they had into the battle, knowing the Autobots would pay them back ten-fold for their bravery here.Making the best of the distraction, the former prisoners took the fight to their captors again, tearing into the Decepticons with a new vengeance. Ripping through another Decepticon, Dino looked up just in time to see Soundwave smash Falcon from the sky with one massive hand. Anger rising, the bright red Autobot ran for his friend, catching the heavyset mouse and his bike before they hit the ground. Tucking the pair close to his chest with such tenderness, he got right back into the fight, protecting the pair in his left hand and still dealing out death and destruction with his right.Reading the flicker of two Autobot life signs close by, Revs swung out of the battle and coaxed his bike into a jump, soaring across the river to land on the upturned belly of the crashed Decepticon ship there. Blasting a new doorway into the ship, he jumped inside and started his search, bringing up the profiles to match the life signs he was detecting.'Brains! Wheelie! Where are you guys? Brains, please respond! Wheelie, answer me please!''Revs? Is that you bro?' Brains called, somewhere below and in front of Revs.'Yeah, I'm here lil' bro. Where are you?''Main control room. We're trapped.''I'm coming for you bros, don't worry. Just hang in there, I'm coming.' Revs soothed, hurrying forward through the confusion.'Down here Revs, we're down here.' Wheelie called, bringing the darker medic to a stop. Looking down through a crack in the walkway he was using, he could just make out the pair, looking up at him with hopeful optics.'I see you little bros. I'll get you out in a moment.'Ripping at the walls, he managed to pull one end of cable free. Yanking on it with all his strength, he was quickly satisfied that it would hold his weight and the combined weight of the little Autobots waiting for rescue. Wrapping the cable around his arm and holding tight, he eased over the edge and down, ignoring the burn in his shoulders as he climbed.'Revs, are we glad to see you. We thought we were goners.' Wheelie offered, standing on one of the few dry places in the mostly flooded area.'Come on little bros, let's get out of here.' Revs grinned, scooping Brains up and securing him inside his vest before hooking Wheelie with his tail. 'The battle ain't over yet.''Thanks for coming after us bro.' Brains offered, clinging to Revs' vest as the medic scrambled back up the cable and onto dry metal.'Family means no one gets left behind. Emily's got a heart big enough for all of us, no matter how big or small. You're safe with us, no matter what the future holds.' Revs replied, swinging Wheelie into his arms and holding them both close as he sprinted back to where his bike was waiting for them. 'Roars! Throw us a line!' he called, moving Wheelie and Brains around to his back.Trilling softly, Roars fired her rear grappling line into the ship, thudding the hook down beside Revs' feet. Latching onto the cable, he shimmied up the line carefully, knowing one slip on this cable could be very painful indeed. Delving deeper into his reserves than ever before, the battered and bruised medic emerged from the ship and gathered his friends in his arms again before swinging into the saddle. Trilling again, Roars reclaimed her grappling line and took off, soaring across the gap in a bid for freedom. Left arm keeping the rescued pair close to his chest, Revs held onto his bike with his right hand and moved through the landing with her, just glad to be alive.'You both okay?''Yeah, thanks to you Revs.' Brains nodded, looking around at the carnage they'd helped create.'Revs, you're needed over with Dino.' Ratchet called, grateful to see the best Martian medic was still around.'I can't repair Autobots.''He's got Falcon!''Right, I'm on the job.'Racing through the danger, Revs spun around behind Dino and dismounted, putting Wheelie and Brains down safely beside his bike before whistling up at Dino.'CMO Revs?''That's me Dino. What's the situation?''Falcon bravely attacked Soundwave head on, saving Que's life. He was badly hurt in the process.' Dino explained, checking the area was somewhat secure before kneeling and easing Falcon away from his chest. The burly brown was a mess, right leg twisted into a very odd shape and his right arm looking little better.'I'll take care of him Dino, he'll be okay. Just put him down inside that building there and keep us covered.' Revs ordered, indicating the large windows behind them.'As instructed Revs.' Dino nodded, placing the damaged remnants of Armageddon on the ground and smashing the windows before clearing away some of the broken glass and gently placing bike and rider inside.'Wheelie, Brains, you two can help me with this. Inside, quickly.''You've got it Revs.''Keep us safe Dino, I need as much time as you can give us.''I will Revs. Falcon is a good friend.'#~#+^*^+#~#Listening to the incoming reports from every location, Emily knew it was time to stop messing around and take the fight to the next level but the injury reports coming in were telling her it was a bad idea to try anything bold. She was missing some of her biggest players, down with a nasty list of injuries but there was no other option.'SAU 14, hear me! I want medical and mechanical to fall back to position 41! Organise the wounded there! All those who can still ride, form up on me! Position 51! We're going in hot, hard and full!'"Negative Emily, Falcon can't be moved. He's in real bad shape. I've also got Bits and Braid seriously wounded. Position 37!"'Confirmed Revs. Medical and mechanical, new orders! Fall back to position 37!'"Wheelie, moving now.""Shift, on the move. I've got Dakota with me, class 4.""Odd Ball, en route.""Shard, inbound. Daytona riding tandem, class 2.""Windvest, orders received."'Goggles, respond! Goggles!'"Negative Emily…near 37 but pinned.""I'm coming Goggles, hang tight.""Copy that Odd Ball."Wiping the sweat from her eyes and wrapping a field dressing over the large gash on her right thigh, Emily looked around at the gathering team, cataloguing damage and trying to work out the best was of keeping casualties down while still trashing the Decepticons once and for all. They were down to forty able bodied Martian combatants, not too bad considering they had only numbered 59 in the beginning.'Alright bros, this is it. We're going full in with the humans now. Lennox is organising his men to come from above, we're on ground duties and any pickups we can.''We're with you all the way Emily.' Blade replied, a large, bloodied dressing secured around his right forearm.'No matter what, we ride as one.' Decal added, covered in cuts and scratches but so far he was holding up well.'Charge!'Ripping around the debris, the Martians flooded the battleground again, dodging humans and Decepticons and raking their modified heavy weapons over the enemy group they were surrounding. Delving into the pouches across his chest, Braidy pulled out one of their newer toys and let fly, the grey goo flying at Shockwave and exploding on impact. Nudging his bike around again, he let off another handful and pulled back, spreading the explosive goo around to every Decepticon in his range. It was a fluke creation but it was certainly a mishap to remember. Not only did it explode on impact but it splattered and created several smaller impacts around the original one.Shifting his weight when his bike bucked, Emission returned fire and swung her around to where one of the humans had landed on a car quite heavily after tangling with Shockwave.'Good job, kid!' Lennox praised, hauling the soldier down. 'Go with Emission, he'll keep you mobile.''Emission?''That's me soldier. Come on, up you get.' Emission chuckled, hauling the soldier up and gunning it back into the fight.'What are you?''Later bro, we'll explain later. For now, fire!'Heaving around again, Scorpion had to think fast and pushed his bike up onto a piece of debris, narrowly avoiding becoming so much road kill under the Wreckers. Balancing on their precarious perch, Scorpion and Stinger opened fire again, weapons heating up but they'd deal with that later.'We got him!''Yeah!''He's on the run!''Bros, to me again! Keep it together!' Emily challenged, glancing back as Beast carried her unconscious rider back to the safety of the med station."Where's Beast going? We could use her firepower."'Sorry Topspin, with Blade wounded she's taking him back to the med station. If Blade's cleared for combat, she'll be back. Otherwise, she'll stay in the rear.' Emily replied, protecting Voodoo, Chain, Strap and Choke as they were carried from the battlefield as well. 'We will not go down quietly! We are SAU 14! We are…''SAU 14! Brave, bold and tough as hell!' 34 voices rang out in reply, the battle weary mice finding new courage in her rallying call.Drawing her own courage and strength from the arriving Autobots, Emily took a few seconds to catch her breath and reorganise her battle tactics before leading another charge forwards, claiming ground and refusing to let it go.'Autobots, attack!''Prowl! Cover fire!''Sideswipe! On your left!''Mortar that bridge!''Sam! Carly! Get to cover!''Missiles away!''Keep firing! Keep firing!''Advance! Advance!''Protect the humans!''Heading for medical!''Fill the lines!''It's our world now!''Over our dead bodies.' Slash spat, never one to give up while there was still life in his chest.'Commence transport!'Clinging to his bike, Sidewinder tried not to think about the totally weird situation he was now in as they made their next charge on the Decepticon positions. Instead of racing among the debris on the ground, the three explosives techs were secure in Optimus' hands, flying along at low levels through the Chicago streets.'This is your stop.' Optimus muttered, opening his hands and releasing the trio. Hitting the ground hard, the bikes snagged the ground and rocketed forwards, weaving past Autobots and humans to take their places in the front lines.'Nice of you to drop in bros.''Sorry about that Emily. We were busy cutting Optimus down from the cranes. He was kind enough to give us a lift.''Clear a runway!'Splitting their ranks, the mice created a gap for Optimus to go skidding through, unconcerned about the sparks he was kicking up as he went down the street. Shifting the lines again, the mice created a wedge in their lines, filling gaps between the Autobots and creating what could only be described as a death trap. Any Decepticon in the area was torn apart by a combination of assault rifles, explosive tipped ammunition, impactors, fraggers and mortars on top of the Autobot weapons. With Optimus back at the front, they were basically a backing force, making sure no one escaped the battle and cleaning up the mess he left behind for them.'Sidewinder, still got that tracker?''Sure do Emily. What's my target?''Sending you the data now.''Data received. Gonna need a boost.''Gotcha Sidewinder.' Ratchet nodded, scooping the heavyset white up and onto his shoulder. Slinging his best launcher, Sidewinder scrambled up to perch on Ratchet's head, downloading the last data to his tracker and slamming his thumb down on the launcher. Blasting from the launcher, the missile spun to stabilise its path as it raced towards the targeted building. Weaving sharply to avoid Optimus and Shockwave, it dipped and slammed into the building just below the cupola, shattering stone, glass and steel and dropping the pillar to the ground below.'Now that's what I'm fuckin' talkin' about.' Sidewinder crowed, scrambling back down to Ratchet's shoulder before vaulting clear of the Autobot medic. Flipping over behind the reformed rescue vehicle, he landed back in the saddle and raced off, reloading a fragger as he moved up again.Maintaining their line, the massed force moved forward in support of Optimus, picking off any Decepticon stupid enough to show his ugly features.'Get down here, Sentinel!''Optimus, you forget your place!''Oh boy, here we go again. Watch your gaps! Big boy battle!' Slash warned, the line recoiling in response.'I bring you Cybertron, your home, and still you choose humanity.' Sentinel offered, facing off against the kneeling Prime.'You were the one who taught me freedom is everyone's right.' Optimus replied, drawing his axe and sword and charging into battle once again.'I will retrigger that pillar!''They you'll have to go through me!''The pillar…Sidewinder! The pillar!''I'll do my best Emily! Raider, Splat, back up!''We're with you Sidewinder!''Sam, take this.' Emily called, catching the teen and pressing a pistol into his hand. 'Fight well Sam, the future is determined today.''Fight well Emily, for our home.' Sam nodded, securing the pistol and taking off.'Charge the pillar!''No retreat! No turning back!' Slash cried, stepping up in his brother's absence and backing Emily up.'We got Autobots!''Nice of you to get back to us Epps. Hai!' Christine called, pushing up onto the saddle of her Hunk and skating through the debris, rifles working in tandem.'No more fuckin' games! It's time to end this!' Fang challenged, unleashing another new weapon for their inventory. This one did minimal physical damage but made a real mess of electrical systems, shorting them out and melting everything into one big lump of scrap metal and plastic.Riding high on the adrenaline and constantly taking ground, the defenders were unstoppable, working fluidly as a team to take out every Decepticon in their range.'Reinforcements! Decepticon ships, fire at Optimus!''Oh no you don't slagger.' Emily snarled, activating a secondary comms channel. 'Ironhide!'"I am here Emily, we were worried."'No time to worry. Activate all Anti-Aircraft Defences! Repeat: activate all Anti-Aircraft Defences!'"AA batteries coming online now! Anti-Aircraft missile launchers deploying!"'Give over your anger towards the Decepticons! Flood the system with your hatred and take them down!'"But Emily…"'Do it Ironhide! Before Optimus is so much slag on the ground!'"Understood."Emerging from all kinds of unexpected places, Emily's massive net of anti-aircraft defences came online and went to work, fuelled by Ironhide's anger and frustration and making use of valuable targeting information from both trapped Autobots. Swarming into the sky, missiles and heavy cannons stitched the airspace over Chicago.'We're taking fire! I need those Tomahawks now!'"First wave inbound."'Come on Ironhide, you're doing great.'"Decepticon punks."'We've got to cover for Optimus.''This will not be another Brimstone!''Decepticons, trigger the pillar! Restart that pillar!''Sidewinder, we have to destroy that pillar!'"Working on it Emily, it's not easy getting through!"'Earth will not fall like Mars! The humans will live free!''I can't hold them! The ships have us pinned!''Ironhide! Transmitting co-ords. Take down those fighters!'"Data received. Inbound!"'Inbound, 10 seconds! Danger close!''Mark-Lima-Echo-Echo, 14250!'Now forced to watch for shrapnel coming at them from quite literally every direction, the defending team surged forward again, pushing across bridges and drawing on mental reserves they didn't know they had. This was the hardest fight they'd had to face, pushing them further and drawing more from them than ever before but while the spirit was strong, they would fight.'Rocket!''Die!''He's running!''Barricade his path! Force him back to Optimus!'"Emily, the pillar has been reactivated. We're storming how to destroy it."'Understood Sidewinder. How's Sam?'"Fighting Dylan someone-or-other. He's the guy that reactivated the pillar."'See to it that Dylan doesn't survive the fight, however you manage that.'"Understood Emily."'Optimus is back on Sentinel. They're on the bridge. Co-ords tagged for all.''Co-ords received.''Destroy the pillar!'Putting his launcher aside, Sidewinder picked up a weapon he'd only been training with for a couple of years but he had no doubt he'd make the shot. Refusing to be daunted when Sam was knocked out and fell from the rubble, he raised his rifle, took careful aim and squeezed the trigger. His shot was right on target, the bullet entering Dylan's left temple and blasting out the other side.'The pillar's still connected!''Bring it up!''I'll get Sam clear.' Raider nodded, racing in and dragging the unconscious boy onto his bike.'Get him to medbay.''That's the plan.''Bee! Let's do this!''Let's go, let's go! Move, move!''Pillar's still connected!''Sidewinder, move your team.''Splat, let's move!''On your six bro!''Rip that pillar down!'Loading up their multi-launchers with the last loads they had, Sidewinder and Splat took aim on the pillar but before they were able to take it out, Ratchet and Bumblebee did the deed. Running past on the inside, Ratchet nailed it with four or five close range shots before Bumblebee tackled it out of the sky, the combined attack leaving the pillar in pieces.'To the tagged bridge! There's still a fight to finish!'"Advance, bros! This ends now!"'Forward!''No mercy! No fear!'#~#+^*^+#~#Watching the fight through his scope, Crimson smirked and waited for the perfect moment to make his strike at the instigator of all this mess. He wasn't distracted by the debris falling around him or the fights still going on elsewhere in the city, he had his target and he was going to make his shot count in more ways than one. He watched the colossal brawl with interest, tracking the pair and trying to keep his target in his crosshairs but it was a struggle. Optimus gave his all, hammering away at Sentinel's shield and pushing him back before the fight turned and it was Optimus on the back foot again. Back and forth the titan's of the fight went until Sentinel managed to knock the axe from Optimus' hand and get his sword into Optimus' shoulder. With a great rending of metal, the arm was removed, Optimus' sword and arm clattering to the roadway. Wounded though he was, Optimus tried to fight back but he was overpowered again, Sentinel's massive weapon plunging into his other shoulder and pinning him to the roadway. Cursing softly, Crimson debated passing the info back to Emily and Ratchet but he stayed quiet, not wanting any radio chatter to give away his position before he took his shot.So he watched, heart in his throat as Optimus tried to escape then bargain for his life but Sentinel wasn't having any of that, sword raised for the killing blow. Salvation came from an unlikely source but it at least gave Optimus a chance to catch his breath and regather his thoughts as Megatron engaged Sentinel. Lifting his eye from the scope, Crimson had to admit, Megatron was an interesting combatant to watch. He knew all the spots to strike to cause maximum damage and he was giving Optimus the time he needed to refocus but still, a Decepticon would always be evil."Crimson, sitrep!"'Maintain distance. The duel on the bridge is ongoing. Optimus is injured. Sentinel ripped his right arm off at the shoulder. Megatron just beat the living daylights out of Sentinel. Sentinel's status: still online. Optimus and Megatron now engaging.'"Acknowledged. Keep us posted."'Wilco Emily.'Keeping his head down as much as he wanted to let Optimus know he was there, Crimson kept his helmet cams running, downloading the entire fight from his helmet to his bike, waiting somewhere nearby. This was a definite grudge match, and Optimus was putting the beat down on Megatron like never before. Axe in hand again, Optimus was a beast, swinging his weapon and getting stuck right in, using one foot to drive Megatron to the ground before swinging his axe into Megatron's head. Heaving back, he ripped Megatron's head clear off, dragging much of the spinal column with it. A gruesome kill but still a very good kill.'Megatron is offlined. Repeat, Megatron is so much scrap. Optimus ripped his fucking head off.'"Shame we missed it, must have been quite the sight."'I'll show you later Emily. Helmet cams are still operational and recording.'"Looking forward to it. Maintain vigil."'Understood.'Finally getting a sight on his target, Crimson let rip with three shots, adjusting his aim for each one. Thudding into the target, the three rounds combined were enough to trip the manual weapon's release, dropping Sentinel's cosmic rust cannon onto the decking just by Optimus' feet. Bending down and retrieving the weapon, Optimus nodded slowly and looked up at the building where the shots had come from. Getting to his feet, Crimson held his rifle high and nodded, confident Optimus would see him.'For Ironhide!' he called, one final tribute to a fallen hero. Thinking of his old friend for a moment, Optimus hefted the weapon and fired, feeling no remorse as he shot the traitor a second time.Shouldering his rifle, Crimson vaulted off the roof and activated another of the new toys the Martians had built, soaring across the river on wings of fibreglass, aluminium and canvas. Emerging from her hiding spot, Target took off after him, weaving through the rubble and racing for Optimus. Wings flaring, Crimson lost altitude and speed, turning and gliding so gracefully before touching down on Optimus' offered hand.'Ratchet's already been informed of your injuries.''Thank you Crimson. For all your assistance today.''Feh, that's what friends do Optimus. We might be from entirely different worlds but friendship, well that's a universal language.''Quite right Crimson. Ratchet is not going to be impressed with this battle injury. He always says I take too many risks.''Don't sweat the little shit Optimus. Sure, Ratchet's gonna be pissed at you but look at what you've achieved. Megatron and Sentinel in one day, that's one hell of an achievement. Besides, movie night back at base is going to be fun tonight.''Should I ask?''I recorded the whole fight, from your tackling Sentinel to the final destruction. You are going to be the talk of the team tonight my friend, no doubt about it.''I'm sure Ironhide will get a thrill out of it too.''Oh yeah, he's going to enjoy seeing the parts he missed. You know, he was actually a part of this fight, in his own way.''But I thought he was stuck in a computer system.''He is, but that computer system is connected to some very nice weapon systems. All those anti-air weapons that came into play when the fighters were ordered to attack you, Ironhide controlled the lot.''Once again I owe Ironhide my life.''No doubt there big guy.' Crimson agreed, removing his helmet and slipping his smaller base radio into his ear. 'To me, my brothers, to me at last.'"Inbound Crimson.""We're coming your way, little bro."#~#+^*^+#~#Emerging from the rubble and the ruins, the exhausted defenders came together around the bridge, leaning on their friends and sharing tired smiles of a job well done. They were all beaten down and exhausted, bloodied and battered and still running high on adrenaline but they were alive and that's what really counted. Human, Martian and Autobot stood together, a wild mix of ideas, cultures and homeworlds but they stood together under one banner now, defenders of earth and freedom. They knew the work wasn't over yet, Chicago would need to be rebuilt but for now they could relax, heal and let the worries of another war drift away.Rolling onto the bridge, Raider eased Sam off his bike and held him for a moment before letting him go when Lennox called for the young man.'Raider!' Visor called, breaking ranks and running for his older brother. 'I was so worried.''We're okay Visor, we're all okay.' Raider grinned, catching his brother and holding tight.'Is it really over, big brother?''I don't know, lil' bro, I just don't know. Whatever happens though, I'll always come home to you.''I love you bro.''Love you too, my little brother.'Slumped over Harley's handlebars, Emily watched as the remaining 22 mice on the battlefield embraced their bros and rejoiced in their survival against all the odds and despite the danger that had come for them this day.'I do not understand.''It's survival Prowl, against the worst odds we've ever faced. We've got a lot of injuries but not one dead Martian today. Relief and joy rule now as the realisation we survived sinks in all over again.' she explained, jumping slightly when a large hand appeared beside her. 'Thanks Que.''Shouldn't you be out there celebrating with your friends.' he asked, cradling Emily in both hands and looking out over the group.'I don't need to be out there in the hugging and laughing to share their joy. Just knowing my bros are alive to see another day is all I need. This is their moment, they won this battle even though they were afraid and outnumbered.' Emily replied, laughing when Bumblebee dropped a collection of gears and sprockets beside Sam and Carly then played here comes the bride. 'Oh Bumblebee.''Emily, there's something I don't understand.''What is it Que?''Why'd Falcon do it?''Do what?''When Soundwave was going to shoot me, Falcon attacked. Came flying off a piece of rubble with some of the other mice and gave Soundwave everything he had. Why?''Because Falcon sees you as part of this crazy assed family. He would have done to same for Ratchet, Bee, Prowl or any other Autobot. That's just the way we are. Just as the Autobots protect us, we protect the Autobots.''He saved my life and was badly injured doing so. It doesn't seem worth it.''It's worth it Que, it's always worth it. Falcon knew the risks involved but he still did it because it was the right thing to do.''I still don't think I understand.''When Falcon's feeling up to it, talk to him. You aren't the first Autobot he's taken a beating for and I really doubt you'll be the last. He's just that kind of guy. There's one thing you can always count on Que, no matter what. When things are bleak and you don't know where to turn, we will be right there with you. You are our friends and that is something that nothing in this universe can change. Do you understand?''That I can understand.'Emerging from the nearest tunnel entrance, Hammer pulled up and glanced at the yellow Corvette Stingray at his side. This had been a total surprise for him, he'd been busily working away when something had come crashing down just outside the reinforced bunker. Poking his head out, Hammer had gotten to know the new arrival, showing him where he could find an alt mode and then trying to get him back to the battle but that hadn't been easy.'There he is Sunstreaker, just over there with Ratchet and company. Silver armour and wheels instead of feet.'"I see him. Thanks Hammer."'Anything for a friend. Go on, I'll bet he's been missing you.'"We'll talk again later Hammer." Sunstreaker replied, revving up and bursting from the damaged parking structure that hid the entrance. Transforming on the fly, he vaulted off the ground and wrapped one arm around Sideswipe, tackling him to the ground and starting a wrestling match.'It's okay everyone, weapons down!' Sideswipe called, straining against the yellow 'Bot as everyone drew their weapons. 'When did you get in Sunstreaker?''Couple hours ago, took a while to get out of the tunnels under the city. Hammer was really helpful, found me an alt mode and kept offering up ways to get out that didn't involved blowing holes in ceilings.''Sideswipe, please explain.' Optimus called, watching the pair wrestling.'Come on, surely you guys remember Sunstreaker. My spark-twin.''Whoa, you've certainly changed Sunstreaker.' Ratchet remarked, moving back as the twins stood and looked at each other.'You ditched the red paint?''I took to silver for a change. I might be convinced to go back if I can find the right shade.'Walking up to Optimus' feet, Slash smiled as the mighty Autobot knelt and offered his hand, welcoming the weary soldier into the safety of his hold.'I know you're probably worn down Optimus, but I think the guys could really benefit from a few encouraging words from you. It'd do a lot to raise flagging morale before we start the cleanup.''Of course Slash. We could all use a little encouragement.' Optimus nodded, thinking for a moment before the words came to him. 'In any war there are calms between the storms. There will be days when we lose faith. Days when our allies turn against us. But the day will never come that we forsake this planet and its people.' he declared, looking around at the exhausted soldiers from three different places as they stood together.'My friends, we've all had a rough day, hell, a rough week. We have fought well for our home and now it is time to rest and recover. I am offering my home to you all as a refuge for healing and rest. All I ask is that you help with our wounded so we can all recover together.' Emily announced, standing tall on Que's shoulder.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Noticing Prowl looking around in confusion, Sidewinder pushed off the railing and wandered down to where he was sitting, leaning back against the wall. Looking up when Sidewinder approached, Prowl shuffled his doorwings and offered his hand to the limping white. Climbing up gratefully, Sidewinder settled on his palm and leant back on his hand as Prowl lifted him up.'Something on your processor Prowl?''Bits told me Jazz was here, in a strange kind of way. He said he'd explain after the battle but I have not seen him since.''He's in medbay at the moment; he probably won't be out for a while. I can explain Jazz's situation, if you'd like.''I'd like that. We were very close before this war forced us in different directions.''You have to promise me that you'll stay calm. This is a very strange story and it will only make sense if you hear it all in order.''I understand.''Six years ago, we engaged Megatron for the first time on earth. We stood together and fought bravely, never giving up and making sure the Decepticons remembered their lesson. Jazz made the mistake of tangling with Megatron and made the ultimate sacrifice for the cause. However, his sacrifice was not complete. Pulling out some tech that we'd never showed the Autobots before, my bros were able to save Jazz, in a manner of speaking, and bring him to Chicago. He has been living here with us for the last six years, safe from harm no matter the threats. We keep him company and share our lives with him, bringing joy to his lonely existence as best we can. His body is waiting for repairs, it's been waiting for six long years but now there is a hope it will be put back together and Jazz will walk the earth again. For now, he lives a digital existence, within the computers in this facility.' Sidewinder explained, checking for the nearest holoprojector. 'Jazz! I know you're nervous but please, show yourself.' he called, trying to relax and be patient.Prowl jumped a little when the holoprojector right beside him hummed to life and Jazz just appeared out of nowhere, crouched beside him and seemingly content.'Jazz?'"I'm here Prowl. This isn't how I always imagined our reunion would be but it's good enough."'I'm just glad you're alive.'"Well, kinda. This isn't really life, not like I've known it. This is good enough though, it's my second chance."'How do you cope with the boredom? I know what you're like Jazz.'"It hasn't been easy Prowl but I'm coping. The Martians have done right by me every day, creating a world that I could inhabit comfortably. With 72 of these projectors throughout the base, a digital driving track and so many friends to talk to, I've coped."'Be honest with me Jazz, are you happy?'"No Prowl, but I never expected I would be while stuck like this. I miss actually living instead of just existing. I will live again; we aren't going to be separated forever."'I believe you Jazz. This is just so hard to accept.'"I know Prowl. Sidewinder, would you mind showing Prowl down to the driving track? I'd like to talk to him in private."'Of course Jazz. Come with me Prowl, it's not far but you're going to have to drive.''To speak privately with Jazz, I'll endure the discomfort.' Prowl nodded, setting Sidewinder safely on the ground and transforming.#~#+^*^+#~#Hustling down the upper walkway, Decal had to do some very creative stepping to avoid treading on the two smallest Autobots as they sat on the walkway and looked around for something or someone. Turning back, he knelt beside them and grinned when they stood and ran into his arms.'Are you two okay? Is there anything I can do?''We're okay, just a little lost.' Wheelie replied, pressing a little bit closer.'Yeah, it's a big place down here.''Everyone seems to know what they're doing, everyone except us.' Brains added, tucking his head under Decal's jaw.'You two are right where you need to be, safe with friends. You stick with me; I'll see that you're taken care of. It's going to be okay, you'll see bros.' Decal soothed, tucking the pair close and rocking to his feet.'Where are we going Decal?' Wheelie asked, finding such comfort in the arms of a friend.'Infirmary, Falcon just got out of surgery and I wanted to see him. He took quite the pounding out there.''We know. We were with Revs when Dino set him down.''Dino? No one mentioned he was involved.''Dino caught Falcon and Armageddon after Soundwave swatted them to the ground. He kept them safe in his grasp until Revs got back from rescuing us from that Decepticon ship that crashed in the river.' Brains explained, shuffling a little and relaxing into Decal's hold.'Then I guess I owe Dino a debt of gratitude. I can't imagine my life without Falcon.' Decal mused, glancing back over his shoulder to where the red Autobot was resting against the wall. 'If you need to recharge Brains, it's okay. I'll guard your rest, you're safe here.''I think I will Decal, thanks.' Brains nodded, shuffling a little more and dimming his optics.'Recharge peacefully Brains.' Decal uttered, using his tail to guide Brains into a more comfortable position against his chest.Entering the infirmary, Decal headed straight for Falcon's bed, gazing helplessly through the glass. He'd known Falcon took a beating but to see his precious mate hooked up to all the ICU equipment socked Decal in the gut.'Wasn't expecting you in here for a while yet Decal.''You know me Revs. When it comes to Falcon, I can't stay away.''You're not going to get much out of him for a while. Soundwave did a real number on our biggest warrior.''How bad Revs? I deserve to know.''Two fractures to the right femur. Three fractures in the right tibia and fibula, three fractures to right humerus, two additional fractures to right ulna and radius, fifteen cracked ribs, broken right clavicle and that's just the skeletal damage. The list of internal injuries is just as long. Liver, spleen, lungs, intestines, kidneys…honestly Decal, I'm amazed he's alive. This has once again proven just how tough Falcon is.''In your honest opinion, do you think Dino's catch made things worse?''No, I saw the recording from Falcon's helmet cam. Dino's catch was as gentle as possible. It would have been worse if he'd hit the ground. Combining the mechanical reports regarding Armageddon, various vid feeds of the incident and my own training, a further impact with the pavement would most likely have killed him, either by direct impact to his head and chest or by being crushed by Armageddon. There's no doubt in my mind that Dino's quick actions saved Falcon's life.''Thanks Revs. I think I'll go talk to Dino, let him know Falcon's going to survive.''He'd probably be glad to hear that. Falcon and Dino seem to have gotten close.''Keep me informed Revs.''I will Decal. You should consider taking a shower and having a rest, it's been a long day.''Later Revs. I promised Brains I'd watch over his recharge.''Can't argue with that. Just take it easy Decal.' Revs instructed, turning back to his duties.'I will Revs.' Decal nodded, glancing back at Falcon one last time before leaving the infirmary.Wandering back onto the walkways, Decal sighed and watched Dino for a few moments, trying to work out what he was thinking before making the choice to go near him.'Hey Dino, what's got you down?' Que asked, settling beside his friend.'I'm just thinking. The Martians showed amazing courage out there today. Especially Falcon and the rest of the team that flew to our rescue.' Dino shrugged, keeping his blades tucked close so he didn't hurt anyone.'I still can't believe they did that.''It took some serious courage to challenge Soundwave directly.''You have to admit though; we'd be in a lot worse shape if they hadn't.''I know. We'd be down one half-crazed inventor for a start.''I resent that.''I'm just teasing, you know that.''I m not half-crazed. You're talking about the Wreckers there.' Que countered, enjoying the friendly taunting.'Nah, they're fully crazed.' Dino smirked, relaxing a little more as they talked.'Now that's what I like to hear. Old friends having a laugh together.' Decal grinned, wandering around to be closer to the pair. 'I've got some good news Dino.''What sort of good news?' Dino asked, reaching up to offer Decal his hand. Climbing over the railing, Decal settled on his palm and relaxed as he was lifted down to optic level.'Falcon's going to be okay. He'll be out of action for a while but he's expected to make a full recovery.''That is good news Decal. I've been worried about him.''Revs went back over the data and there's no doubt that your actions saved his life. We both owe you a debt of gratitude.''That's not necessary Decal. I was just doing the right thing.''It is our way Dino. You saved my mate's life and thus we are both indebted to you.''I still do not understand your people but I will learn Decal. I accept your debt.' Dino nodded, confused but willing to accept that the mice were going to surprise him many times over.'Decal, perhaps you can explain something. Emily tried but I still don't understand.''I can try.''Why'd Falcon do it? Why'd he take on Soundwave to protect my life? We barely know each other.''Of course Emily wouldn't know the truth; she wasn't there when this story started. During the first battle where we fought alongside the Autobots, Ratchet protected Falcon from harm and Falcon swore he'd return the favour. Instead Ratchet told him to pay it forward. He's been looking for his chance to pay it forward for six years; he found it when Soundwave tried to kill you. His debt to Ratchet is fulfilled at last.''That makes more sense. I still think he's crazy but now I understand.' Que grinned, trying to find a more comfortable spot against the wall. 'You look exhausted Decal.''I am Que; it's been a rough few days. I could use a rest but right now I have other priorities.' Decal replied, getting comfortable on Dino's hand and setting Wheelie down beside him.'If you're tired Decal, sleep.' Dino coaxed, resting his hand on his knee.'Later Dino, I made a promise and I intend to keep it. Brains is taking a nap, I said I'd watch over him. I'm used to going for long periods of time without sleep, I'll be okay.' Decal replied, adjusting his tender hold of the tiny Autobot in his arms. 'No kindness is too small to have great meaning to a friend.' he uttered, smiling softly as Brains curled closer to his chest and settled again.#~#+^*^+#~#Cursing his luck and smaller stature, Wheelie tied his hair back and grabbed his toolkit before stepping onto Ratchet's hand. Tucking Wheelie close to his chestplates, Ratchet carried him over to where Optimus was sitting, quietly enduring the lengthy repairs.'You know what you have to do?''Yeah Ratchet, I can handle this. I still can't believe I'm actually doing this.' Wheelie nodded, checking he'd removed anything that might get caught before carefully climbing onto Optimus' damaged shoulder.'This isn't your first time going inside.' Ratchet remarked, glancing at Optimus to make sure he was still okay with this plan.'I know but a shoulder is a little more complex than what I've done before.' Wheelie sighed, tying off his security rope and switching his toolbox to his tail.'You don't have to do this, you know that.''Yeah, I know Ratchet. I want to though, I'm just a little nervous. My previous work inside Autobots was usually minor work. It's really not that different to working on the bikes, apart from everything being on a much bigger scale. Still got to be careful to avoid causing discomfort or making mistakes.' Wheelie shrugged, switching on his head lamp and climbing into the damaged shoulder.Picking his way through the torn components and sheered metal, he eased down to the bottom of the joint, hooking his legs around one of the many support struts and bringing his toolbox into reach.'Let's get started Ratchet, I'm in position.''Nice and still now Optimus, this might sting.' Ratchet warned, reaching in and supporting the damaged part that had to be removed.'Cutting now.' Wheelie called, knocking his welding mask down and igniting his cutting torch. Relaxing his legs a little, he eased down and started to cut through the metal, grateful for the adjustments Ratchet had made to his cutting torch to make the job easier.'Remember not to cut too deep. Some of the components underneath are still intact.''Got it covered Ratchet.'Following the diagram on the HUD inside his welding mask, Wheelie was constantly adjusting his cutting depth to avoid searing or damaging any of the intact components below his work surface. This had to be one of his most challenging workplaces, what with the occasional twitches from other components in the area, his difficult working position and the general hazards that came with using a cutting torch.'Just about done.' he called, ignoring the sweat dripping over his face as he moved to reach the last bridge of steel.'I've got the weight.' Ratchet replied, hand resting under the piece to keep it stable.'Almost through…take it Ratchet.' Wheelie grinned, switching off his torch and putting it away.'Job well done Wheelie.' Ratchet praised, removing the released component.'I'm going to need a few minutes before I try that again. Talk about a head spin.' Wheelie groaned, releasing his legs and hanging from his harness.'Take your time Wheelie; I'm still trying to work out what I'm supposed to build the replacement parts out of.''I don't like the sound of that. I thought you already knew what you were going to use.''Haven't found anything strong enough. I've been searching but there's nothing so far.''Is it really a good thing to be removing this stuff before we know what to replace it with?''We've got enough spare parts to organise a temporary patch to cover the wound until we figure out how to make the repairs.''Well, that's a start at least. When I get done here I'll organise my team and see what we can come up with.''Speaking of your team, how's Goggles?''He's going to be out of action for a few weeks at least. Internal injuries and a few broken bones. He's not in ICU which is a good sign but it's going to be a while before he's back in action with the mechanical team.''At least he's alive.''Yeah, I'll always be grateful that he's still alive.'#~#+^*^+#~#Surprising everyone with their energy, Terrence and Stephen ran onto the walkways and charged, darting around their bros and just generally having a good time. Laughing fit to burst, Stephen caught up with his brother and tackled him, flipping them both over the railing and down. Reaching out quickly, Sideswipe caught the pair in his cupped hands and brought them to his chest, gazing down at the pair. Half sitting up, Terrence and Stephen looked up at their catcher and grinned; relieved someone had been paying attention when they went over.'Thanks for the catch Sideswipe.' Stephen offered, half pinned under his twin. 'Oh, I don't think we've met.''I'm Sunstreaker. I can't say I know a lot about your people but you two seem more similar than most of the mice I've seen.''Don't you guys have brothers? I'm Terrence and this is my twin Stephen.''Yeah, we have brothers. Sunstreaker's my spark-twin.' Sideswipe grinned, resting the young twins on his knee.'You two…now that's cool.' Stephen chuckled, heaving Terrence off his waist and rolling to his knees.'Whoops. You okay there Terrence.' Sunstreaker asked, catching Terrence when he slipped from Sideswipe's hand.'I'm cool Sunstreaker, nothing I haven't faced before. Steve can be a little hyper.''I am not hyper Terry. You take that back.' Stephen argued, diving after his brother and starting another wrestling match.Watching the pair wrestling away in his hand, Sunstreaker quickly cupped his empty hand over them and shuffled back a bit, Sideswipe also moving back to make a protected space between them. Easing his hand down, Sunstreaker deposited the pair on the floor as gently as he could. Leaning back against the wall, the older twins watched over the mice as they brawled, tumbling back and forth on the hard concrete without any concerns.'Remember when we used to fight like that over the smallest things?' Sideswipe asked, protecting the twins from any impacts against his armour.'I'd like to think we've both matured a bit since those days.' Sunstreaker replied, also guarding the twins from harm as they enjoyed their play fight.'We have, no denying it. We're both mature soldiers now, save the brawling for the Decepticons.''Couldn't agree more. I do miss those crazier times though.''So do I Sunny but we have to prove to Prime that we're dependable soldiers. Remember what he told us before we fled Cybertron?''I remember Sides. I'll never forget that warning.'Looking down at the twins on the floor, Sunny and Sides were surprised to find them fast asleep, curled up together on the hard floor. Terrence was on the bottom, his brother draped over his back and side quite comfortably. Proving that he could be gentle when it was needed, Sideswipe picked the pair up and rested them on his palm, content to watch them sleep.'I guess there are some things that all brothers do.' Sunstreaker remarked, moving back to lean against his brother.'I remember. If I recall, we weren't fussed about who was draped over whom.''Nah, we were just happy to be together.''I was wondering when they'd finally crash out. They've run off their post-battle energy and now it's time to sleep.' Dakota grinned, leaning on the railing with a blanket over his shoulder.'Here, tuck them in and relax, they'll be down for a few hours at least.' he added, flicking the blanket off his shoulder and down.'We'll take care of them.' Sunstreaker promised, catching the blanket and draping it over the sleeping pair, nudging the edge back from their faces.'I have no doubt you will. Such innocence shouldn't be involved in war. They're the youngest of the team, barely even adults when we were abandoned on Earth and they've both seen more horror and hardship than anyone deserves to put up with.' Dakota sighed, pushing off the railing and walking away.#~#+^*^+#~#Connecting the vibro-cleaner and adjusting the settings, Braidy scrambled onto Bumblebee's back and got stuck in, working on loosening the gunk that had built up since the last time he'd been able to enjoy a proper wash. He'd done the best he could but there were still some spots that hadn't been properly clean in a very long time.'Now I can understand why you're in no hurry to go back to the N.E.S.T base, this is horrible Bee.''Feels good to get clean.' Bumblebee replied, totally relaxed as Braidy worked on freeing the build up around his components.'I'll bet it does. Just relax bro, we'll get you back to your shining best in no time.' Emission chuckled, washing the grime of battle from any armour he could reach.'So this is where you three disappeared to.' Plate chuckled, leaning in the doorway and grinning at his little brother.'You just gonna stand there bro, or are you gonna pitch in and help?' Emission asked, relaxed in the gentle motions of scrubbing.'Was gonna go grab something to eat but I guess I can lend a hand.' Plate shrugged, filling another bucket and walking over to help.'Don't make it sound like such a hardship.''Heh, you tell him Bee.' Braidy smirked, catching the falling gunk and tossing it aside so it didn't clog up the works even more.'Smart ass Autobots.' Plate muttered but there was no heat in his words as he got stuck into the cleanup.Practically purring under their attention, Bumblebee relaxed and enjoyed the loving attention, finding it so much better than anything he'd experienced on Earth before. Sure, Sam tried to keep him clean and Ratchet helped with the spots he couldn't reach in the wash racks back on the military base but this was so much better.'This really ain't so different from washing Warrior. Apart from the size, it's pretty close.' Plate remarked, scrubbing at the nearest armour panel.'And having to get into a lot more nooks and crannies to ensure cleanliness.' Braidy agreed, half buried in Bumblebee's back as he chased up another thick wad of gunk.'There are worse ways to spend an evening that bathing an Autobot. Especially one as friendly and appreciative as Bee.' Emission chuckled, not really caring about the mess around them.'It's hard not to appreciate a good wash after a rough day.' Bumblebee offered, head pillowed on one arm as he drifted peacefully.'No kidding. I am definitely looking forward to a hot shower a bit later. But you get your bath first Bee.' Braidy nodded, worming out again and tossing another bucket of gunk out of the way.'Hey, watch it Braidy.' Plate called, wiping the gunk off his shoulders.'Oh, sorry Plate.''Here, I'll clean you off.' Emission smirked, grabbing the hose and turning it on his brother.'Ack! Emission!' Plate growled, starting a wrestling match for the hose.'Come on bros, knock it off. We've still got work to do…whoa.' Braidy tried, losing his balance and falling when both khaki brothers turned the hose on him. 'That's it, this is war.''Hey, what about my bath?' Bumblebee groused, shifting and looking back at the mice.'I haven't forgotten Bee.' Braidy soothed, climbing back up and turning the vibro-cleaner on again.Sopping wet, Emission and Plate finally gave up on their wrestling match and turned their focus back to Bumblebee, still laughing their heads off. Slipping his vest off, Plate tossed it aside with a wet splat and picked up the sponge again, scrubbing away another layer of grime.'Was that fun guys?''Oh yeah Bee. We don't often get to be who we really are so any chance we have to be fools is good.' Plate nodded, flicking his hair back over his shoulder.'We're always so busy that just to get a chance to act like an idiot with my big brother is a joy.' Emission agreed, adding a bit more soap to his bucket and stretching up to get at another panel.#~#+^*^+#~#Trying to keep his legs and tail out of the way as much as he could, Windvest wriggled deeper under the computer bank and sighed, arms curled through the wiring and other components to reach the blown circuit boards. He'd only just been released from medbay and here he was trying to repair their internal camera system.'Of all the rotten luck. This is not what Revs meant by taking it easy.' he grunted, isolating another board and marking it for replacement. 'Fuckin' Decepticons, causing chaos everywhere they go.''How's it going in here Windvest?' Emily asked, crouching beside him.'Very fuckin' slowly. I don't know what happened to trash this but five of the terminals are completely fried, four are severely damaged, three might work after a couple days on repairs and the last three will most likely be up and running in a few hours.' he replied, worming out from under the console he was working on.'Is there anything you need to make the job a little easier?''Yeah, some help would be nice. This is a big challenge Emily.''I'll see what I can do Windvest. If I can't find anyone better trained, I'll come back and help you personally.''Thanks Emily. Just don't tell Revs I'm here, I'm supposed to be taking it easy.''Got you covered bro.' Emily nodded, patting his knee lightly before standing and leaving the room.'Talk about a fucked up day.' he muttered, stretching out and worming back under the console.Tracing the electrical systems and mapping out the worst damage in the console, Windvest flinched away from the sparks still erupting from the damaged circuits even though the mains power was disconnected.'Emily said you needed some help in here.' Brains called, tapping Windvest's shin.'Yeah, these consoles are in bad shape.' Windvest replied, worming his way out and looking at his new assistant. 'Don't think we've met before. I'm Windvest, mechanic by trade.''I'm Brains. What can I do to help?''Come under this console with me and help me get it working. Emily wants the internal security system up and running ASAP.''Then let's get busy.' Brains nodded, climbing onto Windvest's chest and squeezing into the maintenance area.'I like the way you think Brains. Just watch for the sparks in here, the wiring is still shorting out despite the power being cut.''I'll be okay Windvest, a few electrical sparks won't do me too much harm.''Well, alright then. I've made a start but there's a lot of work to do.'With his much smaller stature, Brains was able to get into the areas that Windvest never had a chance to get at from his position on the floor. Seeing deeper into the electrical flows and registering the damaged areas within the flow, Brains made the job of finding the damage seem almost like a game. Even with his knowledge of the system, Windvest was hard pressed to keep up with Brains so left him to it and focused on rewiring the damaged areas he'd already prepared."Windvest, anything you need up there?"'Yeah Wheelie, I'm going to need at least three of those total rewire kits for the internal monitoring stations.'"I'll inform Dakota. Not sure when you'll get them, Voodoo's still in medbay and the twins are sleeping."'Bonfire's out of medbay, give him the trolley.'"Yeah, that'll work. Had any more thoughts on our other problem?"'I'm still working on it but I might have something.'"Give it to me bro?"'What's wrong with pinching parts from the Decepticons we slaughtered?'"…I never thought of that. I'll mention it to Ratchet."'Thanks bro.'#~#+^*^+#~#Staring at his radio in disbelief, Wheelie slumped back against the wall and shook his head, absolutely stunned that Windvest had come up with such an idea. Of the four mechanics that made up the section, Windvest was the least likely to come up with a practical mechanics solution. His true calling was auto-electrics, not practical mechanics like the rest of the team. Circuits and wiring were his forte, he knew nothing about gears and motors apart from the basics all Martians were expected to know. Wheelie never asked Windvest to go beyond that, knowing full well that he was a genius of electronics but clueless when it came to repairing a stripped gearbox or replacing an engine. Windvest seemed happy with what he was doing, expanding his knowledge of electronics and computers at the detriment of his practical mechanical skills.Looking up from his own studies into gaining the supplies they needed, Ratchet was surprised to see Wheelie looking like he'd just been slapped with a cold, dead fish. He'd never seen a cold, dead fish but he remembered a rather strange discussion he'd had with Revs and the idea fit the situation.'You okay Wheelie?' he asked, offering his hand to the shaken mouse.'Uh, yeah, yeah I'm okay. I'm just in shock.' Wheelie nodded, climbing onto Ratchet's hand and sinking down to sit.'What happened? I thought you were just going to contact Windvest.''That's what's got me so shocked.''I don't understand.''Okay, let me explain. Within the Mechanic section, I lead the team as Section Head. Goggles is my second, he's one hell of a Mechanic but couldn't master the complex and very delicate work that I do within the central systems of our bikes. Odd Ball is a fair Mechanic but isn't as well trained as Goggles. Then there's Windvest, the bottom mouse. He's got the basics of practical mechanics down but he hasn't got the interest to take his mechanical skills further. Instead he focuses on electronics and he's bloody good at it. In nine years, he hasn't found an electrical system that he couldn't repair or totally overhaul to improve.''Okay, I can understand that. I had a similar setup back on Cybertron before the war.''And believe it or not, Windvest just came up with the answer to our parts problem…I think.''I'm listening, what's his possible solution?''Why can't we pinch parts from the Decepticon carcasses?'Putting Wheelie down on his cobbled together desk, Ratchet slumped back against the wall and hid his face behind his hands, unable to believe he'd missed such an obvious option for parts. All those parts up there would be more than enough to repair Optimus and Jazz and rebuild Ironhide from scratch.'I can't believe I didn't think of that. I feel like a right glitch now.' he groaned, glancing at Wheelie.'You're not the only one. Windvest's a mechanical idiot, he's willing to admit it too. I'm supposed to be his Section Head, yet he blindsided me with that one.''I'm supposed to be a highly advanced alien medic. Repairing Autobots is what I do better than anyone else and I missed what was right in front of my optics.''Let's just say he made us both look like idiots and get back to work.''Deal. We'll need to organise a team to help gather up the Decepticon carcasses and bring them somewhere where we can strip out everything we can use, either immediately or in the future.''I'll talk to Emily, you organise the Autobots.''Sounds like a plan Wheelie.'#~#+^*^+#~#Leaving behind only a skeleton crew, the rest of the team headed into the darkened ruins to start collecting up the scraps of the Decepticons and hauling them away. Once again Emily's extensive tunnel network came into play, providing several access points into the city and making it easy as hell to transfer the mess into underground hangers until they could be disassembled. Digging deep into her equipment manifest, Emily pulled out several pieces of construction equipment to clear the roads in some areas and help with the larger haul away tasks. It was actually amusing to pull off this job, especially when they considered how the cleanup crew would react come morning when they came to clear away the debris.Attaching the lifting straps to what was left of Megatron, Christine whistled to Carbon and moved back as he craned the remains up and swung them into the trailer Magura was in charge of. Whistling his own instructions, Magura controlled the drop and nodded as the remains crashed into the trailer. Picking his way across the wreck, he released the straps and whistled again, watching the crane swing away safely. Swinging back into the cab, Magura pulled away to collect more scrap from elsewhere before heading underground to dump the load.Down in the primary dump hanger, Sidewinder and his crew worked on the first reclamation stage - breaking the large pieces of scrap into smaller pieces that could be more easily managed. Optimus was also drafted for the cutting crews, heaving the larger pieces around and holding them stable for the mice to cut. Although explosives weren't necessarily the best tools for this job, they had nothing else that would remove the armour so they could get at the more important components underneath. Using their super det cord, the three mice easily removed the outer armour before handing the large pieces to the Mechanic team. Swarming over the pieces, the mechanical team disassembled joints and cut any connecting cables between parts, bundled removed bolts with the correct nuts and generally broke the larger pieces into sections the Wreckers could easily manage on their own. Carrying the pieces to the preparation hanger, the Wreckers piled the pieces carefully around the walls, stacking armour plates out of the way and generally neatening up the masses of metal coming in. Watching over the teardown teams, Ratchet offered guidance and assistance where necessary and helped with some of the bigger pieces while still watching out for a suitable replacement shoulder for Optimus.Keeping watch over the work teams below, Emily used what remained of her defences to keep any military work teams out of Chicago and guided her friends towards the wreckage they needed to collect. The military wasn't really much of a problem at the moment, they were focusing on looking for bodies and survivors in the wreckage of the city and left the Autobots alone. Gaze drifting over the screens in front of her, she smiled as she watched her friends pulling together to get what was needed. Autobot and Martian side-by-side, helping and supporting each other as they chased the vital supplies and got them cleared away before anyone could tell them any different. There was Dino, using his mounted blades to rip Driller into more manageable pieces for the crane Fang was using to load Visor's truck. Decal was there too, using a backhoe to scoop up the smaller pieces and load them into a second truck, driven by Hammer. Que was also working on the Driller wreck, using one of his inventions to cut off sections which he tossed into Plate's truck.#~#+^*^+#~#It took most of the night but they finally had every Decepticon body cut up and stored away in the temporary storerooms. There was still more work to be done but the rest of the work could wait until the deconstruction teams were feeling up to it. Filing into the large room specifically cleared out for them, the Autobots spread out and settled down to recharge. Standing on the walkway, Slash watched over the group with a soft smile on his face, content to fill in for Emily while she slept peacefully.'You don't have to stand watch Slash, go to bed.' Optimus offered, easing to the floor and stretching out his legs.'I want to Optimus, just for a while. I'll sleep soon, promise.''Very well.'Getting comfortable in the corner, Optimus tucked his damaged shoulder close to the concrete and sighed through his intakes, optics dimming as he settled in for the night. Body relaxing as he shut down, he slouched a little more and sagged against the wall, the picture of relaxation. Settling beside Optimus, Bumblebee pillowed his head on one mighty calf as he settled down to recharge. Shuffling his doorwings and getting comfortable, the young scout hummed softly and slid into recharge, so innocent in his rest. Stretching out together, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker cuddled together in total comfort, Sunstreaker draping over Sideswipe's back and side, helms resting together as they slid into recharge. Sideswipe had one arm draped over Sunstreaker's back, protecting his twin from demons unseen in the night. Prowl found his place near them, half turned onto his chest and head tucked into his arms as he settled, doorwings relaxing against his back comfortably. Twitching a couple of times, he finally relaxed and sunk willingly into recharge with a faint smile on his faceplates.Setting something on the floor and easing down, Que put his back to the corner and shuffled his components before relaxing, half curled up and braced against rolling by his extended right leg, head half tucked into his arm and he was down, systems quietening into his rest mode. Pulling something from subspace, Dino slipped the covers over his blades and settled back beside Que, whistle-clicking something in their own language. Whatever he said had an effect on Que, he shuffled closer to Dino and welcomed one arm over his shoulders, a comforting gesture among friends.Finding their own place to call a bed for the night, the Wreckers got ready for recharge quietly. Moving slowly, Roadbuster slid down the wall a little more and rested his head on Leadfoot's thigh, optics clicking off as he slid into recharge. Lifting one hand, Leadfoot draped his arm over Roadbuster's shoulders, fingers rubbing idle patterns on his armour. Hiding a yawn behind one hand, Topspin shuffled around to join Roadbuster in recharge, supported by their shorter brother. Unconcerned by their audience, Leadfoot held his fellow Wreckers gently and relaxed back against the wall, optics dimming out as he slumped against the concrete and welcomed the embrace of recharge.Looking around again, Slash smiled and turned to leave before he realised that there was still one Autobot awake and refusing to slip peacefully into recharge. Turning back to the railing, Slash sighed and watched as Ratchet fought to stay awake, nodding off and snapping awake again.'Go to sleep Ratchet, you're safe here. It's okay, we're keeping watch tonight.''I'll be okay Slash, off you go to bed.''Emily requested that I stay here until all the Autobots were deep in recharge. I'm not leaving.''You'll be there a while then.''What's wrong Ratchet? Talk to me, let me help.' Slash coaxed, ignoring the various aches in his muscles as he scrambled down one of the ropes anchored to the walkway and landed beside Ratchet. 'What's troubling you?''It's nothing you can help with Slash. I need time.''It's Ironhide, isn't it? You miss him. I've been there Ratchet, I know what it's like to lose someone you care about.''Bonfire's still alive, it's not the same.''Bonfire's not the first guy I've been with. First came Sprocket, we weren't together for long but I loved him with all I had. We were going to commit to each other for eternity but the Plutarkians killed him. Took me a long time to come back from that loss, I still think about him occasionally.' Slash sighed, hanging his head slowly. 'Ironhide's not truly gone, you know that.''I…he's not here anymore. Thousands of years and he was always right here. Everything we faced, the battles we fought and I could always count on him to be here. He's not here and it hurts.' Ratchet uttered, one hand pressed to his chest, right over his spark.'Sounds like how I feel whenever Bonfire's hurt. We share a bond, forged during our commitment union. Whenever one of us is hurt, the other feels it deep inside. Mind to mind and heart to heart.' Slash nodded, wishing he knew what to do to help. 'Running yourself down isn't going to bring him back any faster. You need to rest so you can focus on creating a body that Ironhide can be proud of.''Can't…never been much good on my own. Need him.' Ratchet confessed, drawing his legs up and hiding his face.'Hmmm, we can't have that. Sit tight Ratchet, I think I know what you need.' Slash soothed, grabbing the rope and starting back up again. 'Don't go anywhere.''I won't.' Ratchet uttered, not looking up as the Martian 2IC jogged away.Sprinting down concrete corridors, Slash headed for the lowest section of the base, using his security clearance to get to his final goal - the isolation chamber. Boots skidding across the surface, he grabbed one of the energy jars Windvest had created and looked at it for a moment before approaching the isolation chamber that held Ironhide's spark. Recalling the briefing Wheelie and Windvest had given regarding the jars, he slid it into the connector and activated the system, praying that this worked. The spark seemed to shy away from the jar, not wanting to place any of its energy in the clear confines that were there in the wall.'Ironhide, I don't know if you can hear me now but please. This isn't for me, this isn't for any of this mice. Give me something to give Ratchet, something to ease his pain as he tries to rest without you. I will not keep you apart, give me something that he can take into his own spark to restore what he's lost with your passing. Please Ironhide, if you can hear me, help me now.' he tried, gazing at the spark hovering in its chamber. A finger of energy arched away from the spark, reaching for the energy jar still plugged into the chamber. Striking the transfer point, the bolt was absorbed into the jar and held there securely, forming into a second spark within the safe confines. Closing the access hatch, Slash carefully eased the jar out and looked at the blue orb of energy for a moment before leaving the room, the precious gift cradled in his arms.Careful not to damage the priceless gift in any way, Slash took the shorter route back to Ratchet, wandering through the main doors and back to where the medic was still sitting, head buried in his knees.'Ratchet, I'm back. I've got something for you, something from Ironhide.' he coaxed, grateful that the light spilling from the jar hadn't disturbed anyone.'Something from Ironhide?' Ratchet asked, lifting his head slowly and looking down at Slash.'I went down to his isolation chamber and asked for something to ease your pain. I asked for something you could take into your own spark to restore what has been damaged by his passing. I don't know what was transferred into the jar but he wants you to have it.' Slash explained, offering up the energy jar. Ratchet carefully took it between two fingers, feeling the contained energy trying to break out and reach him.Gazing into the jar, Ratchet realised what Ironhide had sent and froze, nervous about accepting the gift but knowing he couldn't turn it away without offending Ironhide deeply. Opening his chestplates and then his spark chamber, Ratchet turned the energy jar so the transfer panel was facing his spark and waited patiently. Launching from the jar, the bolt of energy struck Ratchet's spark dead centre and vanished inside, blending with the essence of the medic and forming something new. Closing his spark chamber and chestplates, Ratchet sighed contentedly and leant back against the wall, feeling the changes within his spark.'Ironhide, my one love.' he whispered, one hand resting over his spark protectively.'Feel better now Ratchet?' Slash asked, watching over the medic as he relaxed.'Much better Slash. You have no idea how precious this gift is.' Ratchet nodded, carefully handing back the empty and scorched jar.'I don't need to know Ratchet. All that matters is that you're feeling better. Hush now, get comfortable and rest. Tomorrow is another day and there's lot to be done.' Slash grinned, batting aside his own exhaustion as Ratchet stretched out on the floor. Back to the wall and half curled up to protect his spark, Ratchet was soon in recharge, a contented little smile on his features.'Goodnight Slash.' he muttered before dropping off completely.'Sleep well, my dear friends.' Slash uttered, covering a yawn as he left the Autobots to sleep.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Knowing her Chicago base was no longer safe for the mice or the Autobots, Emily turned her attention to creating a new place for them all. Digging through all her land purchases in search of something that would do the job required, she finally found something suitable in Wisconsin. Well out of the way of everything, it was a perfect place to set up a new home for everyone to share and enjoy. There wasn't much there, a small house and a few maintenance hangers but that was all about to change. Getting in touch with several contractors she'd used before, she invited them all to a meeting at the property to discuss what she wanted them to create for her.Gathering the construction crew in one of the maintenance hangers, Emily handed each man a folder detailing their part of the massed building project. Opening the folders, the contractors got their first look at what was a very ambitious building project. Fifteen foot concrete walls topped with barbed wire lined the perimeter and stuck out on the two long sides to create almost like arms. Within this front area was a beautiful old style country home, complete with a nice little white picket fence and landscaped gardens. It would have been very beautiful, if not for the massive concrete fence right behind the house. Three heavy steel doors were fitted into this front wall, a small one behind the house and two much larger ones on either side. Behind the fence was where things got a little strange though. Behind the larger of the big steel gates, 16 large sheds were planned out in two neat lines of eight. Bitumen roads connected these sheds to a network within the group but also into the wider compound. On the other side of the compound, behind the smaller steel gate, another road network was set out to connect 29 identical brick houses. Nine houses formed each side of the network, three ran between them as a raised back line and the last eight were in two rows just in front of the trio of houses. Behind both building complexes was another strange collection of things; a racing track, jumps track, lake and a large concrete area. On either side of this multi-use area were more sheds, marked out as workshops and maintenance bays. Right at the very back of the compound, almost touching the concrete wall, stood a long line of storage sheds, each one big enough to hold a semi or other large vehicle.Baffled by the strange set up of the entire complex and the detailed plans of the interiors of all the buildings, the contractors knew better than to question Emily's odd requests. They knew she called on them because they knew how to be discrete and she always paid well for that discretion and their good work.'What's the timeline for this Emily?' one asked, looking up from his plans of the sheds.'This is a rush job guys, I need this one done in one year. I know I'm dumping a lot on all of you but if you need help, reach out to your trusted colleagues that are not here. You know my stipulations about employees, make sure they're trustworthy and discrete, I will cover any additional costs that will occur if extra hands are required.' Emily replied, looking around the gathering slowly.'We're going to need a lot more builders to get these houses built.''It's not going to be cheap to insulate all these sheds.''These are some mighty plumbing jobs. We'll need some heavy duty support.''I will be here to answer all questions you have and to personally keep an eye on your efforts. Go and get your teams ready, time is of the essence.'#~#+^*^+#~#Back in Chicago, the rest of the team were flat out with repairs and salvage operations throughout the extensive facility. They'd done a lot of temporary patching on their ceilings to get them back up to the level of the roadways and then just waited for the humans to reconstruct the roads to finish the job. They of course knew of Emily's plan to move out and reorganised things appropriately, packing their less vital supplies onto trailers and lining them up in one of the few empty hangers until moving day. Slimming down everything scattered throughout the base, they sorted out what would not be needed in the next 12 months and moved it to the transport hangers, stacking everything neatly so loading the returning trailers would be a simple job.The moving preparations kept most of the team busy, they had a lot of stuff to sort, inventory and prepare for transport. Only the mechanics and medics weren't packing, they had other jobs to do. The medics kept watch over the massed team and tended to the various strains and sprains that came with moving while also working in shifts to keep an eye on their patients. The Mechanic team split onto two tasks, disassembling all the Decepticon parts into their various components and repairing the bikes. This gave them all one very big challenge but with Que on their side, they weren't worried about screwing up. Wheelie and Windvest dissected the pieces on the large workbench Que had rigged up and he cleared away the pieces, stacking the different components in some large crates he'd knocked up from damaged shipping containers Emily had given him. All three active mechanics were enjoying the challenge of tearing these large pieces of machinery down for parts, the physical effort and the mental gymnastics required to safely teardown each section without damaging anything was a real thrill for all of them. Odd Ball had the bigger workload, all alone in the garage as he rebuilt Armageddon's damaged frame.'You guys are really good at this.' Que remarked, watching them swarm over a disjointed forearm and fall into rhythm again.'We did the same to our ship after we crashed here. Parts of it are holding this base up; other parts were melted down to build new sections of the base.' Wheelie replied, firing up his cutting torch again. 'Back! Releasing the tension lines.' he warned, leaning over and cutting through the locking pins holding the tension cables.Huddled behind the safety shield, Windvest flinched as one of the cables hit the shield and ricocheted off harmlessly.'Clear!' Wheelie called, switching off the flame and turning his attention to the pins he could see. 'We're still one Mechanic down but we'll get the job done.' he added, reactivating his cutting torch and burning out the damaged pins without damaging the surrounding components or wiring.'Back to work.' Windvest replied, coiling up cables and wiring onto the spindles secured to the workbench.'How is Goggles doing?' Que asked, helping to break down the framework.'He's awake, still battered and bruised but Revs should be releasing him soon. Of course, it's going to still be at least a couple months before he's back to work.''Tough break.''Feh, injuries happen. We've all been there; there ain't a mouse in this unit that hasn't had to sit out while his section gets busy. That's just the way it goes.' Windvest shrugged, dissecting a section of wiring and sorting it out.'Doesn't mean we have to like it though. We're getting through our repair lists, slowly but surely.' Wheelie agreed, applying a slow-cool agent to his latest cut and moving on. 'Odd Ball's absolutely flat out on rebuilding Armageddon, she's in bad shape.''Can't one of you two help him with the repairs?''That's the thing Que; we've all got different skill levels. I'd be remiss in my duties to put two junior mechanics on a task the scale of these teardowns. Without Goggles to help, I had to choose the jobs carefully. Odd Ball's a practical Mechanic, not quite at my level but good enough to work on the bikes without supervision. Windvest in more comfortable with electronics, hence why he's up here with us. Windvest is my most junior Mechanic, he hasn't yet passed his proficiency exams to allow him to work unsupervised.' Wheelie explained, glancing over to where Windvest was carefully removing another length of cabling from the part they were working on.'Shouldn't you be pushing him so he's ready for that exam?''Wouldn't matter Que, I'm not ranked correctly to give him the proficiency exam. Only a Master Mechanic can do that and I'm just a Unit Chief Mechanic. Besides, asking Windvest to prepare for that exam would only stress him out and cause him to panic. He's not cut out to be a practical Mechanic; he accepts that and strives to be an unqualified Master Auto-Electrician. I'd love to sign off on his qualifications but again, I'm not ranked for it. Being isolated sucks, I can't show just how good my team is.''So contact your home and see if a Master Mechanic can be sent.''It's not that easy Que. We didn't just leave our war torn homeworld, we were banished. SAU 14 was kicked out, false charges drummed up to keep us away from our home. No point calling home, no one will answer. That's just the way it is for us.''I can't believe that.''Believe it Que, we haven't been home in nine years and we all know we'll never see our home again. We'll die on foreign soil; we accept that and try to make the best of our lives here. Don't look so shocked Que; we've gotten over the betrayal. Earth is our home now and Emily our parton. We are loyal to her and support her unconditionally as she supports us.''I…there's nothing I can say to answer that, I know.''Thanks for caring Que, that's all we can ask for. You guys care about us, you see us as more than expendable losers.'#~#+^*^+#~#Finishing up the repairs to Optimus' shoulder, Ratchet stood back and nodded, watching as Optimus eased to his feet and tested out his new shoulder. He hadn't been expecting the job to be done so quickly, considering he was now using Megatron's shoulder linkage. But Ratchet had done a good job, smoothing out the edges and making the replacement as perfect as he possibly could. Walking into the empty room next door, Optimus put real tension through his shoulder as he transformed, feeling for any problems and finding none. Returning to his base mode, he nodded and crouched, letting Ratchet have one last inspection of the damaged area, just to be absolutely certain.'All right, you're good to go. The moving team in the southern sectors of the base needs your help with hauling supplies.''I still find it hard to believe that Mearing hasn't come to try and take us away.' Optimus mused, fairly sure he knew what help the southern sector team needed.'I've got a feeling we haven't heard the last of Charlotte Mearing. I'm not worried though, Emily said she'd keep us safe from that woman.' Ratchet shrugged, giving Optimus a nudge to get going before heading back into his temporary medbay.Turning to a covered item in the corner, Ratchet sighed and lifted the tarpaulins off, tossing them into the corner as he looked at the broken body that had once held the life of Jazz. Fingertips tracing over the plating, he shook off those dark thoughts and got to work, making his own scans of the damage and mapping out the repairs that would be needed. Sighing softly again, he grabbed out his tools and got to work, knowing he'd never feel comfortable working on Ironhide until Jazz was back with the main group. Time wasn't an issue, it's not like Jazz was going to fade if he didn't get the work done fast but that didn't mean Ratchet was going to slack off. He'd already organised everything he would need, placing parts and equipment within easy reach so his work would flow smoothly and Jazz would be restored.'Mind if I watch Ratchet?' a familiar voice called, a voice that made Ratchet smile and look up from his work.'Goggles, I wasn't expecting you to be released for a while yet. By all means, of course you can watch.''I'm still on medical stand down for a few weeks and then light duties but there was no point keeping me cooped up in the infirmary any longer.' Goggles replied, moving his motorised chair closer so he could peer down at Ratchet's careful work.'Wheelie will be glad to hear you're out of the infirmary. He's under a lot of stress.''I know but Revs made his orders clear, I'm still not allowed anywhere near the mechanical work.''Always listen to your medics.''Damn right. Thought you'd be working on rebuilding Ironhide.''Nah, Jazz has been waiting longer. Ironhide understands, he knows I'm always fair.'Leaning back comfortably, Goggles tried not to think about how close he'd come to being forced to hand in his commission in the unit. He'd been so unlucky, taking the weight of his bike, Flicker, right across his back. Thankfully it had been a rebound impact so she'd lost a lot of speed but it was still too close to paraplegia for him to be comfortable. As it was he'd be on medical stand down and light duties for a long time until Revs was satisfied that his back was all healed up and he could get back to work. Watching Ratchet work, the burly mechanic found a new appreciation for how complex Autobot bodies were. So many components had been damaged and needed repairing or replacing. Having tried on several occasions to do the work themselves, Goggles was glad to see a professional taking over the work and making it seem so very easy. But knowing Jazz would soon be back with them put a smile on his two-toned face, he really missed the loud mech and his music tastes.#~#+^*^+#~#Looking at the trailer they had to move, Prowl sighed and shook his head, not sure how they'd been dragged into such tasks when the city above still needed a lot of repairs. Helping to take the weight as Plate worked the leading dolly into place and secured it, the black mech put his strength to the test and got the trailer moving, feet digging into the concrete to keep the container on track.'Bumblebee, a little help over here.''Coming Prowl.' Bee replied, picking his way past the mice and grabbing the other side of the trailer.'There has got to be an easier way to do this.''Sure there is Prowl. We could use trucks designed to haul these trailers but running all those engines in these enclosed spaces isn't healthy. Normally we'd use the gantry lines but the railing in this section of the base is still in pieces.' Tank replied, jacking up another smaller crate and moving towards one of the open containers lined up by the wall.'So we're doing everything manually.''We've got an easy section of the base Prowl. The southern section is where the hard work is, hauling around the base systems. Those generators, pumps and control units are fucking huge.' Plate shrugged, crating up boxes of parts.'So wouldn't it make sense for all the Autobots to be down there helping?''Nah, most of the work down there is heavy haulage. Everything's already on trailers, it's just a matter of wrapping, strapping and hauling. If you think these trailers are heavy, you won't have a hope down there.' Christine replied, sealing up another crate and shoving it towards one of the containers.Rumbling into the holding area, Terrence and Stephen turned their borrowed semis around and hooked onto two of the waiting trailers, jumping down to connect up the hoses before pulling out again. Once the containers were loaded and their inventories secured in clear plastic cases on the locked doors, they were craned onto the waiting trailers for the driving team to haul out to the secondary marshalling area. Fifteen semis made the trip in every convoy, heading out to Emily's secondary facility just outside Chicago and delivering their trailers in neat rows before picking up more of the empty trailers and containers Emily had hired or purchased for the big move. Once the work at the Wisconsin job site was down to one shift a day, the convoys would head out to start delivering loads of supplies to the grand compound. Sixteen loads a night with all hands on deck to unload the containers and get everything packed away before the containers were hauled back to Chicago for another load.#~#+^*^+#~#Tires biting into the concrete, Optimus heaved against the trailer he'd been assigned to move out. Straining against the load, he finally got it to inch forward and towards the ramps leading to the surface. Shifting gears and straining again, he picked up speed and rumbled out of the section, engine roaring as he climbed the ramps to join the first long distance convoy. Emily had specifically asked for these generators and pumps to be taken to Wisconsin the moment they were out of the deepest section of the base. Most of them had already gone up to wait on the surface but this last one had proven a right pain to get moving.Emerging from the darkness, he slotted into the waiting convoy parked outside a warehouse and relaxed, hoping this trailer wasn't going to give him a hard time the entire trip.'All right guys, these are vital parts for the Wisconsin project. Treat them with care, Emily doesn't really want to have to get new ones made because one of you made a mistake. Stick together and be careful.' Blade called, looking around at the eleven drivers that would be accompanying Optimus. 'Braidy, you take the lead. Emission, rear guard. Optimus, I want you right in the middle of the convoy. We are taking no chances with the military getting their hands on you again.'"Thank you Blade. I have no desire to go back to living in such conditions."'You won't Optimus, I give you my word. Hit the road guys, you've got a long drive ahead. Stay together and don't take any detours, you all know how devious the military can be.' Blade nodded, heading back down below as the convoy drivers raced for their rigs and filed out of the warehouse district.Moving into sixth position in the convoy of twelve, Optimus was quite content to rumble out of the city and onto the highways, keeping his distance from Fang in front and checking Decal was maintaining distance behind."Feel good to get out on the open road again Optimus?"'I am concerned about leaving the others but I believe the drive will do me good.'"Everyone else will be perfectly safe, don't worry. No one can get near that base unless they're coded into the system. If the humans try, they'll be chased off quick smart."'I remember the briefing Emily gave on the abilities of her defences within Chicago. Leaving Ironhide in charge of them is a concern however. You all know what he can be like.'"He'll be okay Optimus, Emily gave him a stern warning about abusing the trust she's putting in him."'What do you know about this Wisconsin project?'"Not much Optimus, Emily's keeping it close to her chest. All we know is that she's building a new home for all of us, a place where we can be free and happy. Apart from that, we're not sure what she's planning."'It must be quite a project for her to need all these generators and pumps.'"Hard to say, she could be just covering her bases with secondary systems and all that. We'll find out when we get there I suppose."#~#+^*^+#~#Taking a break from their labours, Wheelie and Windvest downed tools and wandered over to where they'd left their water bottles and other tools. Peeling his vest off and tossing it aside, Wheelie slumped down on his toolbox and grabbed his water bottle, drinking deep as he relaxed. Sitting on his own toolbox, Windvest plucked his pale grey braid off his back and tied it into a loose bun before digging out one of the snack packs Christine had given them that morning. Tearing it open, he pulled out a muesli bar before offering the bag to Wheelie. Taking the bag gratefully, Wheelie snagged the other muesli bar and peeled it open, wiping the sweat off his face as they ate.'Bro, do you ever regret not taking on another practical Mechanic when you realised I wasn't one?' Windvest asked, hanging his head as he chewed.'What? Where'd you get that crazy idea bro?''Been running around in my head for a while now.''Windvest, you are an integral part of this team. I knew from the moment you first joined 14 that you would fit our dynamic perfectly. You came into an established section, that's hard for anyone but you stood up and you let us know exactly what you were thinking. That took a lot of courage but it also earned you a lot of respect. I knew from the start that you weren't interested in practical mechanics but that wasn't going to stop me from welcoming you into the team. I had faith in you, I believed that you would thrive if given the chance to follow your mechanical abilities. I have never and will never regret choosing you over the other guys I could have taken. Do you hear me bro?' Wheelie explained, draping one arm around Windvest's shoulders tenderly.'I hear ya bro. I guess I've always wanted to know if I was a pity choice.''Fuck that shit, you're no pity choice. There were guys with a lot more talent for practical mechanics but I turned them down because they didn't fit the team. You were shy in the beginning but once you came out of your shell and got to know the team, it was like you'd always been there. That was the golden essence I wanted in my section and once we had it, we never looked back. I don't care if you're not that great with practical mechanics, you've got three bros to count on when you need help. You bring your own talents to the group, none of us can rewire a bike with the same efficiency and talent you can and we know that. We all have our strengths and weaknesses bro, together we compliment each other and pull well as a team. Don't ever forget that.''I won't Wheelie, thanks.''Don't ever change Windvest, don't try for the skills you know you don't have.''I promise Wheelie, I'm happy being the team auto-elec.''And we're proud to have you with us, big brother. You'll always be the big brother of the section.' Wheelie grinned, nudging Windvest lightly.Leaning lightly on the bench, Que watched the pair as they relaxed and shared a snack from the bag between their feet. Their easy friendship reminded him of his own dear friend, still somewhere out in the wider universe and hopefully heading to Earth.'It's going to take a lot longer to pull this stuff apart than I anticipated.' Wheelie remarked, digging out a pack of sandwiches and opening it before offering it to Windvest.'I can't even see the dent we've put in the pile of sections waiting for teardown.' Windvest agreed, taking half the sandwich and tucking in contentedly.'I've got a feeling some of this gear is going to be transported to Wisconsin intact. A year to tear is all apart is asking a bit much.' Wheelie sighed, taking the other half of the sandwich. 'Ham and egg, sweet.''Surely Goggles and Odd Ball will be available to help before then.' Que sighed, starting to doubt they'd ever get the job done.'Yeah, for sure. It's just a matter of when Odd Ball gets done with the bike repairs and when Goggles is cleared for full duty. Until then, it's just the three of us to put the biggest dent in this pile that we possibly can.' Windvest shrugged, his optimism back full strength after his pep talk from Wheelie.'It's not gonna be easy Que but together we'll get the job done. We're in for a lot of hard work but I've got total belief in my team. They know there is a big job to be done and it will be done.' Wheelie nodded, finishing his sandwich and tossing the rubbish back in the bag. 'Ready bro?''Back to the grind.' Windvest grinned, swigging down another mouthful of water before grabbing his tool belt and moving back towards the section on the tabletop.#~#+^*^+#~#Unhooking her phone and snapping it open, Emily pressed it to her ear without losing her flow on designing the security net that would enfold the new base at all times.'This is Emily.''…''No, I am not kidding on the dimensions of those cloths I asked you to manufacture. Each set was carefully measured to fulfil the role required.''…''I went to your company because I know you will fulfil my order within the timeframe I have set.''…''This is a big contract for you. Surely you are not serious about me taking my business elsewhere.''…''You have never balked at any order I've placed with your company before James.''…''True enough. Tell me now if you absolutely cannot fulfil the order and I will find a company that can.''…''Very well. Focus on the larger pieces. I will send the order for the standard bedding to another company.''…''Contact me when they are ready to be picked up, I will collect the items personally.''…''Thank you James.''…'Closing her phone and securing it back on her belt, Emily pushed away from her drafting table and rolled over to her computer, bringing up the massive bedding order she'd figured out. Taking just the list of stuff to furnish the Martian homes, she emailed it to a different company that she'd used before, trusting that they would get the list completed and ready for collection within the stipulated timeframe. Receiving conformation of the order and a promise to be ready on time, Emily turned her attention back to the security network once again. She had most of the system sorted in her mind but actually creating the network was a little bit trickier. The walls were specifically being built with the idea of mounting weapons on the top and running the control wiring down trenches on the interior side of the walls. These cavities would be capped with steel panels for maintenance, making the network easy to manage but there was still a lot of mental gymnastics required to fit everything in without making anything obvious.Checking her list of available defences, she adjusted the design to balance out the anti-air and anti-personnel weapons as well as slotting in a few nasty anti-armour surprises. Normally she'd be worried about having so many defences on permanent show but with the new Martian tech Wheelie had given her the use of, she was confident in displaying her strength and knowing the military would never be able to knock out her weapons. She also had six secret exits for the underground facilities buried deep under the foundation level. Down in these deep hangers she had a full stock of fighters, each one customised for a specific Martian pilot. She'd painstaking taught them all to fly, helping them find fighters that were comfortable and suited them before painting them up in similar colours to their bikes. They were the real secret to defending base, no one would see them emerge from the hangers thanks to some clever holographic units that had already been installed near the six launch zones.#~#+^*^+#~#Cables popping and clicking, Ratchet stretched his back and looked down at the work he'd achieved so far. Most of Jazz's internals had been reconnected and secured and signs were good that he'd have this job done in a few weeks. Of course, it all depended on when Optimus was available between hauling loads out to the storage facility the mice were using. Hooking up the testing fluid he was using, Ratchet opened the valve and tracked the fluid movements, making adjustments and connecting the outer networks of piping back into the main system. Watching and adjusting the system until he was satisfied with the repairs, Ratchet drained the testing fluid and took a moment to work the kinks out of his system before getting back to work.Wandering into the repair bay, Que watched his old friend for a moment before leaning against the wall, waiting for Ratchet to notice he wasn't alone and look up from his work.'What'd you do this time Jack?' Ratchet asked, not looking up from his work as he reverted to a long unused name.'Nothing Ratchet, I've been helping with the teardowns all day.''Then why are you here, you don't usually come into my 'bay unless you're damaged.''It's late Ratchet, everyone else is already asleep. You need to rest, Jazz will still be there tomorrow.''I made a promise Jack, you know what that means.''I know Ratchet but that doesn't mean you need to work through the nights as well. Jazz will understand.''I'll be fine Wheeljack, you go rest. I want to get this done.''Then what? Optimus isn't going to be back for at least a week, longer maybe. There's nothing that can be done to reawaken Jazz's body until he gets back with the Matrix of Leadership.''I can still have everything ready for that day. One project at a time, you know how I am.'Realising why Ratchet was so determined to finish Jazz's repairs, Que shoved off the wall and walked over to stand beside his friend, one hand coming up to squeeze his shoulder gently.'You want to finish this so you can move onto rebuilding Ironhide without feeling guilty, don't you?' he asked, catching Ratchet's wrist and stopping his work.'I never could keep anything from you, could I?' Ratchet sighed, putting his tools down and turning to Que properly.'Maybe when we first became friends but now, not a chance. Come on Ratchet, just rest a few hours.''I can't Wheeljack, I just can't.''Please Ratchet, just a few hours. Even if you don't recharge, just sit and rest your cables awhile.' Que coaxed, gently guiding Ratchet away from the repair work. 'You'll feel better after a break.''Don't you get it Wheeljack? I need Ironhide, plain and simple. I don't expect you to understand Wheeljack, I don't fully understand either. All I know is that I need Ironhide and I need him now.' Ratchet uttered, practically collapsing until Que caught his fall and lowered him gently. 'I can't do this alone.''Do what? Talk to me Ratchet, I've never seen you like this before.''I…we sparked Wheeljack, its early days still but…well, see for yourself.' Ratchet confessed, sagging against the wall and opening his chestplates.Crouching beside his friend, Que almost couldn't believe what he was witnessing as Ratchet's spark chamber clicked open. Fishing out a long unused kit from his subspace, Que lifted out a special tool and very gently reached in to nudge Ratchet's spark out of the way.And there, safely tucked into a little offshoot pocket, a second tiny spark beat in rhythm with Ratchet's own. Easing Ratchet's spark back into position, Que quickly cleaned the tool and replaced it in his kit, stunned by the revelation.'That sparklet can't be more than a week old. But Ironhide's been in the computer for longer than that, right?' he asked, securing his toolkit again.'Slash went down to Ironhide's isolation chamber with a device used to transfer energy. He asked Ironhide for something I could take into my spark to ease my loneliness. A tiny little piece of Ironhide's spark transferred into the device and I welcomed that piece without hesitation. I only realised what had happened when I came out of recharge the following morning.' Ratchet explained, components resettling to protect the sparklet.'So this is why you're pushing so hard to get Ironhide back. You don't want to face preparing for your child alone. I understand that Ratchet, you know I understand how hard that can be. You're not alone Ratchet, I'm not Ironhide but I still care. Let me help you, we'll finish repairing Jazz and make a start on rebuilding Ironhide together.' Que tried, shifting to lean against the wall beside Ratchet, still amazed by this new change.'Thanks Wheeljack. I didn't meant to sound so harsh, I remember that incident back on Cybertron. I'm sorry, I'm just freaking out a little here. This is my first sparklet and I'm really not sure what to do. I know the usual spiel medics give carriers but it's not offering any comfort now.''It's going to be okay Ratchet, I'll help you through this. Now, I need you to listen to me for once. You need to rest, start taking it easy now and you'll find the later stages of your sparking are easier. I'll guide you through the process but you need to trust my experience on this.''I do Wheeljack, you know I do. I haven't told Ironhide yet, I want it to be a surprise for him.''All right, we'll keep this just between us for now. Put your head down and rest Ratchet, I'll stay right here. Shh, you'll get through this Ratchet, I promise.' Que soothed, guiding Ratchet to lean against him. 'There you go, its okay.''Thanks Jack.' Ratchet uttered, settling against his friend and accepting the embrace of recharge.'I reckon you'll make a wonderful carrier Ratchet.' Que uttered, getting comfortable and slipping into recharge beside his old friend.#~#+^*^+#~#Pulling up outside the Wisconsin construction site, Optimus waited patiently as the track into the site was cleared and the delivery order sorted out. Receiving his signal to unload, he strained against the weight of the trailer and got the reluctant piece of machinery to move again. He was relieved to be getting rid of this load, it had been nothing but trouble since leaving Chicago."Having trouble there big man?" Emily asked, waving him forward and guiding him along the track.'I hate this trailer. I've had nothing but trouble since leaving Chicago.'"Sorry, I meant to give you one of the better trailers. I knew about the troubles with that one and actually organised for you to take one of the newer generators."'It does not matter now Emily, all twelve loads are here safely. Now, where did you need this left?'"Just pull up there and we'll get that generator offloaded. The trailer should behave better once the weight is off."'Very well Emily.'Hooking up the lifting straps and releasing the bolts holding the generator to the trailer, Emily and the rest of the contractors on shift to help with the work prepared the first generator for lifting. Throwing aside the tie-down straps and chains, one of the contractors signalled the crane operator to take the strain and lift the load. Waiting patiently for the load to shift off, Optimus kept part of his attention on the load and the people working around him but most of his attention was directed internally. Communing with the Matrix and going through his memory banks, he searched for any information about recovering the dead from the grip of Primus. He was determined to have some answers to the problem by the time he returned to Chicago to face recovering Jazz from death.Watching the first generator as it was lifted from the trailer and swung towards the pit where it would be permanently housed to supply power to the base, Emily smiled and ducked under the dirty old trailer Optimus was hauling. Unhooking a hammer from her tool belt, she beat the built up grease and rust off the axles to ease the friction. Rolling out from under the trailer, she popped open the mounted toolbox and grabbed out a grease gun and suitable grease. Disappearing underneath again, she regreased the axles and checked for further problems before crawling out again. Putting the grease gun back and wiping her hands, she walked the length of the rig and climbed up on the driver's side, placed a package on the seat and climbed down before waving Optimus off. Pulling out again and finding the trailer much easier to move, Optimus returned to the waiting area and relaxed as best he could, patience unending as the mice lined up to unload.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Finishing the last repairs, Ratchet sagged back against the wall and let Que scan the silent body just to be certain that the repairs were up to scratch. Feeling the responsibility on his shoulders, Que made sure his scan was thorough, not wanting anything to go wrong with their first revival attempt. Optimus knew his role and the computer connection was ready for the download. Emily had offered her regrets about not being able to get back for the occasion but the Wisconsin site was keeping her very busy.'We're ready Ratchet, these repairs are perfect.' he grinned, straightening and admiring the silver plating so lovingly repaired.'Did you expect anything less?' Ratchet chuckled, pushing off the wall and activating the waiting transfer unit. 'Jazz, are you in position and ready for transfer?'"I'm ready Ratchet. Releasing final connections now." Jazz replied, appearing on screen for a few moments before winking out. Slowly he withdrew his last connections to the outside world, closing off his camera access and abandoning the PA system as he curled into a ball of data just waiting to be launched into his body.'Optimus, it's time.' Que called, poking his head out the door.'Very well Que.' Optimus nodded, glancing at Prowl for a moment before ducking into the repair bay.'Please Jazz, I'm waiting for you.' Prowl uttered, slumped back against the wall as he waited for his permission to enter.Looking down at the body propped up on the repair berth; Optimus sighed softly and released the Matrix into his hand. Approaching the still body, he knelt and reached towards the open spark chamber, putting his total faith in what they were doing. Releasing his grip, he watched the Matrix drift forward and into Jazz's spark chamber, turning and settling into position.'Please Primus, please let us have Jazz back.' he uttered, shielding his optics as a bright flash filled the room. 'Please Primus, please.''Come on, reignite. Please, don't give up on us Jazz. Come on Jazz, we need you.' Ratchet whispered, watching the monitors as another bright flash spread out. 'Come home Jazz, we miss you.'Twitching and shuddering as the charges raced through long cold circuits and wiring, the empty body rocked and writhed in the bonds holding it securely to the tilted bench. With another great surge, the alerts started firing off, drawing focus back to the miracle happening in the middle of the room.'We have re-ignition. Commencing the download.' Ratchet called, opening the connection between the computer and the reawakening body. Watching the monitors carefully, he kept a sharp optic on the download progress as Que watched over the twitching body.Tense with anticipation, the three witnesses watched and waited for the first signs of proper revival in the twitching body of Jazz. Breaking away from the new spark, the Matrix returned to Optimus' hand and he tucked it safely away before going back to watching the unfolding miracle. Visor flickering online, Jazz strained against the bonds holding him down before finally breaking free. Launching to his feet, he tackled Ratchet to the floor, screaming in their native language as he attacked the medic with gusto. Flipping the silver mech over, Ratchet pinned him to the floor and held him down, straining to subdue him as he went through the post battle rush.'Jazz! Snap out of it! Jazz!' he barked, giving him a shake and using his superior weight to hold Jazz despite his struggles. Calming down slowly, Jazz groaned and relaxed under Ratchet, tiny tremors working through him as he slumped against the floor.'Ratchet?' he uttered, testing the grip the medic had on his wrists.'Welcome back Jazz.' Ratchet grinned, easing his grip and sitting up on his haunches. 'Welcome back.''For real? I'm back for real?' Jazz whispered, looking around slowly.'How about this for proof.' Ratchet suggested, helping Jazz to his feet. 'Que, go get our other special guest.''You've got it Ratchet.' Que nodded, heading for the door. 'It's time.'Suddenly nervous about seeing Jazz after all this time, Prowl pushed to his feet and followed Que into the repair bay. Stepping out from behind the inventor, he gazed at the silver mech now standing beside Ratchet, looking around and adjusting to the idea of being properly alive again after six years stuck in a computer. Pushing aside his fear and nerves, he cleared his intakes and smiled as Jazz turned to see what the noise was.'Prowl…I've missed ya.' he uttered, turning full on to his oldest and dearest friend.'Jazz, I've waited so long for this.' Prowl replied, closing the distance and placing one hand on Jazz's cheek.'Here is the reunion I promised ya, Prowl.' Jazz grinned, drawing the black mech into his arms and holding him close.'It's been a long time coming Jazz.' Prowl agreed, head on Jazz's shoulder as they reconnected happily.#~#+^*^+#~#Everyone was edge as they waited for Optimus to return from another little side mission. This one had nothing to do with hauling supplies to Wisconsin or helping with the moving, this one was a much more personal mission. He'd received two pings from incoming Autobots just before they hit the outer atmosphere. Selecting three of Emily's vehicles as potential alt modes for them, Optimus had left the base to retrieve the pair, promising that he wouldn't take too long to get them back to the base. That had been almost three hours ago and there had still been no word.Then they all heard it, the unmistakeable deep rumble of Optimus' engine. Perking up and moving back to make space for their returning leader, the Autobots were all anxious to see who had finally arrived. Gathering at the railing, the mice were just as interested to see who else they were going to share their home with. Entering the large room and transforming, Optimus shuffled aside and settled against the wall, keeping the secret just a little bit longer. Rumbling through the doors, the first new arrival was a bulky one, having taken the form of Emily's old H1 Hummer but he'd been tinkering with the display, turning the black plates dark green but everything else rang true to the old beast of a machine.Unfurling and stretching for a moment, the solidly built Autobot turned to the group, optics scanning the seated Autobots before lifting to gaze upon the mice for the first time. He'd never seen a race like them before, nothing in his substantial databanks could even compare to what he was witnessing on the walkway.'Hound? Is that really you?' Dino asked, pushing to his feet and approaching the bulky bot.'Raj? By Primus, I never thought I'd see you again.' Hound uttered, staring at the brilliant red mech. 'wow, you look good in red.''Thanks, that's a darker green than usual but I like it.' Dino replied, practically jumping into Hound's embrace. 'I've missed you Hound, so much.' he added, face tucked into Hound's neck.'I've missed you too Raj. Thought I'd lost you.' Hound sighed, cradling Dino close as he found a clear spot against the wall and eased down. 'We have a lot of catching up to do.''Soon, I want to see who else arrived. Then I'll show you to my hanger.''Dino, I'll spend the night at Ratchet's, give you two a chance to reconnect.' Que called, settling back against the wall beside Ratchet.'Thanks Que.' Dino grinned, nuzzling back in against Hound's chest.Next into the main hanger was another familiar vehicle, the old red and white paint replaced by teal green and light grey. This one was a little jerky with his transformation, the occasional piece catching for a moment before giving and moving into position. Creaking and groaning, he straightened and looked around, a little shocked by the mice but more interested in the Autobots.'You sound worse than a walking scrapheap Kup.' Ratchet remarked, boosting to his feet and wincing as his left knee grated for a moment. 'Don't say it Kup, I know I'm getting old.''I wasn't going to say anything Ratchet. I do have one question…where's Ironhide?' Kup asked, looking around again and searching for those familiar features.Instantly the room was cold, no one able to meet Kup's optics as they shuffled nervously, looking everywhere else but at the teal Autobot in the middle of the room.'Someone? Anyone? Where's Ironhide, he should be here. If Ratchet's here, Ironhide must be here.' he tried, desperate for answers."I'm right here, old timer." Ironhide replied, flickering into sight on the central holoemitter. "It's not really life, it's not really home but it's all I've got. I gave my body for the Autobot cause, I owe my life to the brave Martian mice you see on the walkways and to a very special woman working to build us a new home." He explained, drawing Kup's attention to the crowded walkways.'Nice try Ironhide, I don't fool that easily.'"I'm not joking Kup, I'm just a ghost in the computer that runs this base. I've been in here for three months now, but I know it's not forever. I've got faith in Ratchet, I know he'll get me out of here."'We've made a start 'Hide. It's slow going but Que and I will get the job done.' Ratchet nodded, striding around to stand beside Kup."This hasn't changed my responsibilities Kup, I still watch over our fellow Autobots and protect then from harm. Now though, I have a full defence grid at my command, extending my abilities beyond anything I thought possible. Remember Kup, if you ever need me, just call my name and I'll be there." Ironhide grinned, fading from view again. "I'll always be around."'Did that really just happen?' Kup asked, gazing at the spot where Ironhide had just been standing.'Come on Kup, I'll tell you the full story while I'm checking you over.' Ratchet sighed, guiding the older bot from the room.#~#+^*^+#~#Rolling up the ramp onto the warehouse roofline, Prowl pulled up beside Jazz and sighed, settling on his shocks and almost rubbing up against the silver Pontiac."How's it feel to be back?" he asked, admiring the city as Jazz purred his engine."The highlight of my life. Coming back online and holdin' ya in my arms, perfect.""All you've been through and you still have that great view on life I first fell in love with.""No way in hell I'm losin' that Prowl. So long as I've got you, I'll keep bouncing back.""Then I'd best stay right near you for a long time to come.""I'd like that Prowl. Ohh, turn this way."Pulling off some very impressive close driving, the pair turned to face the west as the sunset over the city. Perched on the edge of the roof, the pair were pressed up close together, sharing a beautiful moment that had almost been stolen from them. Engines purring in tandem, the long separated lovers were totally content with their chance to be together and cherish another breathtaking memory in their long relationship."Thanks for bein' there when I needed ya the most Prowl.""There's nowhere else I'd rather be, my sweet Jazz.""I knew that romantic side was still in there somewhere.""With you at my side, I'll never lose that little romantic part of my essence."Falling quiet again, the happy pair relaxed and watched the sun sinking slowly from sight, the golden glow setting their armour aflame and turning them into something so pure as to be indescribable. For a few wondrous minutes, the world below ceased to exist, focusing down to just the reunited lovers and the sunset. Neither spoke, unwilling to break the spell of the sunset and the oncoming nightfall wrapping around them."Reminds me of the first time we met." Jazz whispered, casting his sensors up towards the first stars of the night."Different stars but still spectacular." Prowl agreed, turning most of his focus to Jazz."I'm sorry Prowl.""What for? You have nothing to apologise for.""I left you behind. I swore I wouldn't do that but I did. I'm sorry.""I forgive you Jazz, I forgave you a long time ago. It hurt to know you were gone but when the bond didn't completely disappear, I had to keep believing. I never lost my faith that you would come back to my side.""As much as I don't want this moment to end, can we go back inside? I just wanna curl up somewhere with ya and recharge a while.""Whatever you want, my dearest Jazz." Prowl replied, backing away from the edge and turning for the ramp back down."Missed this so much." Jazz sighed, following Prowl back into the base proper.Rolling quietly through the base, the pair entered the empty hanger that Prowl had taken as his own and transformed, wandering back to where Prowl had piled up several tarpaulins and other material to form a kind of nest. Easing to the floor, Prowl nestled into the bedding and smiled as Jazz sunk down beside him, gratefully burrowing into the comfort and warmth offered so freely.'We'll renew our bond soon, I just don't have the energy right now.' he uttered, visor dimming as he cuddled closer.'Rest Jazz, you've got to regain your strength before we consider renewing our bond.' Prowl uttered, soothing his mate until he slid into recharge, still clinging to his mate. Watching over Jazz like he'd never thought he would again, Prowl was somewhat reluctant to recharge but he did eventually succumb, a warm smile on his faceplates as his helm rested against Jazz's comfortably.#~#+^*^+#~#Emptying another large bag of padding material in the corner of the hanger, Que shoved and shaped it into a suitable nest, packing the hard concrete and trying to create something that would protect him from any new scratches or dents. Bundling up the bag quickly, he tucked it into the pile and settled, the soft material moving and welcoming his bulk in semi-comfort. Lifting the bag up a little more, Que tucked it behind his helm, feeling a little better for the comfort. Relaxing into the padding and starting to cycle his systems down, he waited for Ratchet to get back, a courtesy that the medic had always appreciated.Rolling into the hanger and transforming, Ratchet stretched for a moment before walking down to sit beside Wheeljack, leaning back against the concrete and steel wall.'Primus, I hope I never have to do anything like that again.' he uttered, gaze locked on the stained floor of his home. 'I've never seen Kup that close to breaking and it's not something I want to see again.''You did tell him we're working as fast as we can to rebuild Ironhide, didn't you?' Que asked, sitting up and moving to settle beside Ratchet, one arm landing around his shoulders.'Of course I did, I even showed him the work we'd done so far. That just made it all the more real for him, he stood there staring at the body for a long time until I guided him away.''He'll be okay Ratchet, Kup's a tough old glitch. He's faced losses before and always found a way to come back.''I'm not so sure about that, not this time Wheeljack. Ironhide and Kup have always been close, closer than just friends. It's almost like they're split-spark brothers. When Ironhide and I started courting, Kup came to see me at the office and warned me in no uncertain terms what would happen if I ever broke Ironhide's spark.''Are they split-spark brothers?''No, Kup's older. I don't have a recent copy of his files and the way he was looking, I didn't feel right asking for a copy of the ones he should have.''Give him time Ratchet, he'll come back to his best again.''I hope so Jack, I really do.'Hearing another engine approaching, Ratchet eased to his feet and sighed softly as Kup entered and transformed, still trying to accept what had happened.'I didn't know where else to turn.' he uttered, totally lost now that he couldn't escape the reality of Ironhide's passing.'It's alright Kup, you don't have to explain.' Ratchet soothed, guiding Kup over to the second pile of material in the room. 'You just settle back and get some recharge.''How can you even think of recharge at a time like this?' Kup sighed but he did at least ease down onto the pile of stuff.'I recharge peacefully under Ironhide's watch. Tomorrow I'll get up and get back to work, fresh and ready for another day of building a full-sized sparkling body.' Ratchet shrugged, crouching beside Kup.'I'll try Ratchet, it's just hard to accept he's not here.' Kup offered, adjusting the padding material and trying to get settled.'I know Kup, it'll be okay though. Ironhide will rise again, I promise.' Ratchet nodded, reaching out to place a comforting hand on Kup's shoulder. 'You're not the only one holding out for his revival.''I always knew you'd be the one to make an honest 'Bot out of Ironhide. Of all the guys it could have been, I'm glad it was you.' Kup uttered, shuffling around again and dropping his head on Ratchet's thigh.'I'm so grateful Ironhide chose me, each and every day is perfect. I still don't understand why me, but I'm no fool. I'm not questioning his decision.' Ratchet agreed, draping one arm over Kup's shoulders.'Smart move. Ironhide always followed his own rules.' Kup nodded, starting to ease towards recharge.Racing into the hanger, Blade looked around for a moment and went to sprint out again before he spotted Kup on the ground, head in Ratchet's lap.'Ratchet, is Kup down and out yet?' he asked, skidding on the grating and catching one of the support poles before he fell.'Pretty damn close to it Blade. What's the situation?' Ratchet asked, turning his gaze to the young leader above.'The Wreckers are causing trouble. Something's got them excited. Optimus is in there at the moment but no dice. Those three are bouncing off the bloody walls. Wheelie is prepping the powerdrive to knock them out.' Blade briefed, reverting to his old style of giving reports without thinking.'Wreckers respect Wreckers. I'll snap them into line.' Kup added, lifting his head and working on getting to his feet.'You're in no shape to be tussling with those three Kup.' Ratchet tried, not sure he wanted Kup anywhere near those three.'Don't need to tussle, they'll know me and respond appropriately.' Kup replied, offering his hand up to Blade. 'Show me where, I'll handle them.' he added, setting Blade on the floor and transforming.'Nice to know we've finally got someone who can handle them, those three are trying everyone's nerves.' Blade grinned, climbing in and settling quickly. 'Straight out this door and down the primary corridor.''Got it.'Tires screeching as he charged towards the hanger where the Wreckers were housed, Kup shot past Bumblebee and opened his door, Blade taking the hint and jumping out and into the safe hands of the yellow scout. Door slamming closed again, Kup raced into the hanger and transformed, the movement a lot smoother after his check-up. Landing heavily in a crouch, he watched the three mechs wrestling around like sparklings.'Wreckers! Fall in for duty!' he barked, pushing to his full height and staring at the trio. With that, the three on the floor stopped their game and got to their feet. Hustling past Optimus, the trio formed up in front of Kup, Roadbuster flanked by his taller brothers.'Leadfoot, reporting for duty.''Roadbuster, ready to roll.''Topspin, prepped for battle.''That's better. I am not going to ask why three of my best Wreckers are messing around like sparklings. Suffice to say, I'm very disappointed in all of you. Now, you three are going to clean this mess up.' Kup instructed, looking around at all the mess everywhere. 'Snap to it!''Yes Kup.' they replied, quickly dividing up the room and getting busy.Waving Optimus back out of the way, Kup leant back against the wall and watched the cleanup duties, smiling faintly as the loudmouthed trio got seriously busy. Shaking his head in wonder, Optimus walked over to crouch beside Kup, amazed by the sudden change in the Wreckers.'Guess you should be grateful I finally caught up with you.' Kup remarked, nodding slowly as Topspin gathered up all the loose bits of bedding material and piled them in one corner.'I'm grateful for all Autobots that make it to Earth. But to have someone that can control those three, is truly a relief.''It's a Wrecker thing Optimus, they might look like an undisciplined rabble but when the officer in charge starts barking orders, they'll snap to respond. Now that I'm here, things will be different.' Kup promised, feeling a slight surge of pride as the room was straightened up and tidied up to a suitable level.'Things are already different. They're obedient, responsive and calm, everything they haven't been since arriving here.''I'll keep them under control, don't worry. I trained these three, they respect me more than they'll ever respect you. No offence intended Optimus.''None taken Kup, they'll pitch in but it's not easy controlling them.'Looking around quickly and evaluating their cleanup, the trio returned to the middle of the room and waited for Kup's judgement on their home. Pushing off the wall, Kup approached the trio then turned away, scanning the room and judging the conditions of their accommodations. Three piles of the bedding had been rearranged in a row, tucked under tarpaulins to keep everything neat. The rest of their belongings were lined up on some heavy duty shelving and ready for action when they were next called to action. In another corner, a pile of parts were lined up neatly, several cases sitting next to them. The rest of the room was empty and clean, floors swept and the debris placed in the bin in another corner.'Much better. But you forgot one little detail. Wreckers stay together.' Kup nodded, proud of the way they'd pulled together when it counted. 'Who is going to fix that little oversight?''I will Kup.' Topspin replied, ducking out the side door and retrieving two large bags and two canvas rolls.Ducking back into the hanger, he emptied the first bag and shaped it into a suitable pile near the first three. Delving into the second bag, he added more padding to the bed and tested it then went back to bulking it out more until he was satisfied. Scooping up one of the canvas rolls and unrolling it, he tucked it over the pile of fabric and encased it all neatly, making a suitable bed. Bundling up the two bags, he stuffed them under the cover quickly, forming them into a raised area to increase comfort. Unrolling the second canvas roll, he flicked it out over the mattress and half tucked it in before folding the free side back, keeping it neat as he created a welcoming place for the aged warrior to rest. Pushing back to his feet, he turned and moved aside for Kup to examine his bedding.Nudging the encased pile with one foot, Kup nodded and reached out to rest his left hand on Topspin's shoulder tenderly. Practically glowing with the implied friendship, Topspin straightened up a little more and locked optics with his senior, waiting for something to break the tension filling the room. Smiling softly, Kup nodded faintly and dropped his hand, the praise silent but no less meaningful. Nodding slowly, Topspin returned to his brothers, relieved he'd made Kup proud after their previous mistakes.'All right you three, it's late and we're all tired. Go clean up and get ready for the night cycle, you've disturbed the base enough for one night.' Kup instructed, removing his weapons from his back and placing them on an empty shelf.'Yes Kup.' they replied, ducking out another large door.'You'll be okay to take care of them Kup? It's a lot to ask when you've just arrived.''I'll be fine Optimus, I've known these three a long time. I can handle them, you head off and get some recharge.' Kup nodded, listening to the splashing of cleanser as the trio got ready for recharge.'See you in the morning, old friend.''Recharge well Optimus.' Kup grinned, watching the young leader transform and roll out of the hanger, hopefully to his own quarters.Placing a few other assorted belongings on the shelf he'd taken as his own, Kup looked around the quiet hanger and settled on his bed, gazing thoughtfully at the three empty places beside him. There was another reason he was so good with these three, a reason that no one outside their little group knew. So long ago, back when they were just out of their youngling stages, Kup had found them abandoned as their creators fled from the violence. Never one to abandon the needy, Kup had taken them all in and raised them, instilling in them his own sensibilities and beliefs. Many of his fellow Autobots had said he was crazy to try and raise three youngsters in the middle of a war but he'd stuck it out and done everything he could to raise them right.That was so long ago now that everyone had pretty much forgotten about those times, everyone except the four most directly involved. Now Kup intended to bridge the gap between them, bringing his charges back close.Filing back into their temporary home and switching off the lights, the three younger mechs settled on their bedding piles, Roadbuster in the middle, Topspin to the right and Leadfoot at the left. Tugging the loose tarpaulins over their backs, the trio rolled and looked at Kup, optics bright with excitement at the reunion.'Will you tell us a story Kup?' Leadfoot asked, head pillowed on his arms.'Not tonight, it's been a long and tiring day. Tomorrow night, we'll see.''We won't disappoint you again Kup.' Roadbuster promised, snuggling down and getting comfortable.'I know you won't, you've always strived to make me proud of all of you.''Tomorrow we'll dig out the recordings of the Chicago battle, so you can see how far we've come.' Topspin added, adjusting his blanket and settling down.'I'd like that, my scraplets. Hush now, it's time to recharge. I'm not going anywhere.' Kup soothed, reaching out to rub each helm with his left hand, the affection coming back easily. 'Relax and recharge, tomorrow is another busy day.''Restful night Kup.''Night Kup.''Sleep well Kup.''Recharge in peace, my three Wreckers.' Kup uttered, easing back into the soft bedding and pulling his canvas blanket up before drifting into recharge, systems in harmony with his charges.#~#+^*^+#~#Snuggled up in their rebuilt nest, Hound and Dino were totally content with their lives at the moment. Hound was settled on his back, Dino stretched out on his chest like he'd always been there. As far as Hound was concerned, he'd always belonged there but they never had enough time to just sit and be together with nothing getting in the way. They needed no words, words were a burden when love was this perfect. Snuggling closer, Dino rested his head over Hound's spark and smiled, luxuriating in the contact with his mate after so long separated. Draping one arm over Dino's back, Hound just held him there, relishing the full body pressure after so long alone.Lifting his head again, Dino sighed and stroked Hound's cheek, relishing their reunion and hoping they would never be parted again. Reading the worries in Dino's optics, Hound smiled softly and drew his mate back in tight, rubbing his back lightly.'It's not gonna happen Raj, we won't be separated again. I promised you eternity and that's what you'll get.''I know Hound, but this war is so unpredictable. Megatron might be dead but how knows what the future will bring.''Stop worrying, I ain't leaving. We'll get through this, everything will be okay.''Don't let me go Hound.''Never. I'll always be right here to hold you.''I love you Hound, never forget that.''I love you too Mirage. I gotta ask though, Dino?''Before we moved into this facility, we were living with a different group of humans. They didn't like the name Mirage, said it sounded weak so everyone suggested a new name, a vote taken and I got Dino. Apparently he was the son of the Ferrari creator, and I chose a Ferrari for an alt mode so I guess it works. Now though, I can go back to Mirage and no one will argue.''You'll always be my Raj.'Folding his blades as far out of the way as he could, Mirage settled close again and relaxed, systems cycling down into recharge mode as he held his precious mate close. Cradling Mirage close to his chest, Hound joined him in recharge, cherishing and protecting his mate through the night.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Nine months since the Chicago battle and everything was falling into place perfectly. Emily had contacted the main base and the transfers were going well, everything following the grand plan Emily had written out when the idea was first solidified. Now the Wisconsin base was actually a base, the homes and workshops all fitted out and the shared area up the back was taking shape to welcome everyone home.Some of the projects still boggled her mind but they had been achieved. The plumbing in the Autobot accommodation was one of these mind-boggling projects, the sheer size of the pieces had shocked everyone but they pulled together and got it done, working as one to connect and secure the biggest shower setups anyone had ever seen. Contacting Optimus again, Emily had given him a very special mission, one that took him far from the Chicago camp but also kept him quite busy for a few weeks. He was responsible for collecting the soft materials from four factories in various cities and bringing it all to Wisconsin. Some of the loads were more problematic than others but he got stuck in and worked hard, going so far as to pull his first road train across the country.Every night he spent in Wisconsin, he got his just rewards for the hard work he was putting in for the team. Finding a suitable place on the grounds, he'd settle and relax as Emily scrubbed his plating and polished him to perfection before welcoming him into the shed beside her home for the night. There he was warm and protected, safe from prying eyes, the military and the weather. Emily would stay with him all night, curled up in the cab and sleeping peacefully as she dreamed of the paradise they were building. The grand dreams were taking shape; every little detail checked and rechecked to make sure things were perfect. The few days Optimus didn't have to take to the highways, he'd help out around the base, testing the road network inside the walls and making sure everything had a flow.#~#+^*^+#~#Tossing tools back and forth, Que and Ratchet were still hard at work on their major project, despite the chaos around them. While the rest of the base had been stripped back to bare concrete and steel, this hanger was still a hive of activity as everything started slotting into place. Piece by piece, ticking off each objective as they reached it, the repair team were getting close to finishing Ironhide's new body. Armour, wiring, cabling and piping, everything was coming together and the full sized body was emerging from the pile of parts around the table.The full Mechanic team was also busy, worming into the head and soldering in the delicate components they'd been tasked with wiring up. CPU, mainframe, memory cores and wireless links, they swarmed through their tasks with a single-minded determination. Here Windvest was in his element, guiding his bros through the connections and double checking their work.'Gotta say Ratchet, I thought it was going to take a long longer to get to this stage.' Goggles remarked, crawling into the torso to soldier the many connections to another board.'Using these reclaimed parts has certainly sped up the process. It would have taken years if we'd had to make everything from scratch.' Ratchet replied, cutting through another set of tension cables and checking the arm was working properly.'And we have Windvest to thank for the idea. You're a hero bro.' Odd Ball agreed, feeding another set of wires through to Goggles.'Aw hell, I didn't do anything really.' Windvest replied, blushing under his fur.'Apart from make a CMO feel like a right fragging glitch. You found the answer when I couldn't see it Windvest, thank you.' Ratchet grinned, securing the first group of tension cables and preparing another set for installation.'It takes many minds to build a body like this; we've all done our bit to help restore Ironhide.' Que suggested, busting open one of the armour moulds and lifting out the finished helm. Brushing off the dust, he set it down on a second workbench and leant over it, getting it ready for installation.Rumbling into the repair bay, Center Line pulled up well out of the way and jumped down, looking up at the massive vehicle he'd just picked up from a dealership in Detroit. No one had asked any questions when he got there, they were being paid too much to pry into the details of the transaction. They just gave him the paperwork to sign, accepted the check, handed over the keys then let him leave with the goods. The drive back was fun, the other drivers on the road stared at the mighty truck rumbling past them with a dazzling motorbike in the back. Now that he was home, he'd returned Flash Point to the garage and made the journey to the repair bay, their newest vehicle waiting for selection.'It's not perfect but it's the only one they had. I can organise a repaint team if you'd like.' he called, shutting door and twirling the keys around his finger.'No, leave the dark blue. I think he'll like it.' Ratchet replied, admiring the brand new Topkick waiting for Ironhide.'I hope so, these things aren't easy to find. Whatever happens, don't let anyone damage this machine; Emily wants it well cared for.' Center Line nodded, pocketing the keys and climbing up to the walkways.'We've got it covered Center Line, stop fussing.' Wheelie sighed, moving back for Windvest to check his latest work.#~#+^*^+#~#Resting his weight on the old steel and leather braces he'd had since before they left Mars, Falcon finally emerged from medbay, still aching and somewhat fragile but alive and mobile and that's what really counted as far as he was concerned. Face lighting up when Decal raced towards him, the biggest Martian for many generations leant back against the wall and caught Decal when the smaller mouse leapt into his embrace, just glad to see his precious lover back on his feet after so long laid up in medbay.'I can't stay for long babe, there's still a lot of work to be done if we're going to be ready to ship out on time.' Decal uttered, arms wrapped around Falcon's neck.'I know, Shard gave me the brief. I'll probably just go check on Armageddon, catch up with Dino and Que and then go sit in my office and get to work on the security system Emily wants.' Falcon replied, his left arm easily holding Decal's weight.'I wouldn't bother Que at the moment, he's still flat out on the Ironhide rebuild. They're determined to have him fixed before we leave Chicago.''How's that going?''Signs are good that he'll be restored in time for the move. Ratchet's adamant that Ironhide leaves this base in better shape than he arrived. Wheelie reckons another week to finish putting together all the prefabricated components into a fully functional body. They're not focusing on weapons or anything yet, they just want a working body for Ironhide.''Ironhide will soon have his new weaponry sorted, you know what he's like.''So true babe. Most of the base has already been cleared out, supplies are moving in convoys out to the secondary location and then on to Wisconsin. There's just this primary area here left in use.''Never thought we'd see the day when we left Chicago. Go on babe, I'll catch up with you later.' Falcon grinned, snatching a quick kiss before putting Decal down and watching him race away, one hand on his headset.Turning down one of the many corridors of the base, Falcon entered the garage and whistled, face lighting up as Armageddon snapped to full alert and pulled out of line, engine purring in excitement. Gaze sweeping over her, Falcon chuckled as she raced to his side, skidding on the concrete as she circled him happily.'I missed you too Armageddon. You're looking good, considering the damage we both took.' he offered, rubbing her side lightly when she finally stopped beside him. 'Wheelie took good care of ya, didn't he?' he added, admiring his powerful bike in all her glory. Whistle-trilling an answer, Armageddon scanned Falcon carefully, checking his injuries were healing properly before rev-chittering another question. Thinking for a moment, Falcon nodded and eased onto the saddle, sitting sideways so he didn't have to try and swing his brace over. Rumbling contentedly, Armageddon turned and left the garage slowly, not wanting to jar Falcon around as they headed through the base.Dodging busy mice and Autobots as she moved, Armageddon took Falcon to one of the hangers that had once housed shipping containers of weaponry. Now most of the containers were gone, making the place seem so much bigger than ever before. Stopping just inside the door, Armageddon trilled to Falcon and eased her engine back to idle, waiting for something.'Why'd you bring me down here Armageddon? I know we're moving out.' Falcon asked, looking around then jumping as one of the loaded trailers moved. Trill-clicking an answer, Armageddon rolled forward a little and waited for something to happen. Catching a glimpse of red plating, Falcon chuckled, finally understanding why he was down here. 'Dino!''Si?' Dino replied, looking up from where he was working on moving trailers. 'Falcon! I've been worried about you.' he greeted, disappearing from sight for a moment before walking out from behind another trailer.'Eh, takes more than that to kill me Dino. I'm still on the road to recovery but I'll be okay.' Falcon grinned, sliding from Armageddon's back and rubbing her tank lightly. 'I saw the footage of the battle, thanks for saving my life.' he added, limping over to settle in Dino's offered hand.'After what you did for us, it was the only thing I could do. Decal informed me of the debt now owed…I still think it is unnecessary but I accepted it.''The day will come Dino when the debt will be repaid. Neither of us can know when, it will just happen.' Falcon replied, totally content to relax in the powerful red hands cradling him so tenderly.'There's someone I'd like you to meet. Hound, come on out.''Coming Raj.''Raj?' Falcon asked, looking up at his friend and saviour.'My true designation is Mirage, the humans back at N.E.S.T suggested the change and Optimus quietly requested I go along with it. Hound shortened it to Raj a long time ago, back when we first started courting.''Courting? As in dating?''Si, the rituals are similar. Our courting is a little more complicated but the ideas are the same. A successful courtship ends in spark-bonding, a very personal and powerful experience.''Sounds like a Martian unity ritual. That constant feeling of your loved one right there in your head all the time, I've got one of my own. Got a lot of strange looks when we strode onto the podium to make our vows but I wouldn't have changed anything. Decal's my perfect match and I'm his.''Now that sounds familiar.' a deeper voice rumbled, bringing Falcon's attention back to the hanger.Eyeing this new arrival critically, Falcon took in his dark green armour and the rearranged bars over his shoulders, searching out weapons and evaluating the new arrival as he'd been trained to do. Hound was giving him a once over in return, the unmistakeable sensation of scanners putting Falcon even more on edge. Crushing down on that sensation, Falcon let his gaze drift back up before he nodded slowly, accepting Hound as a non-threat.'I'm Falcon, Security Section Head for SAU 14. I'm not exactly my dangerous best but I'm getting there. Still healing up after the Chicago battle.' Falcon offered, offering out his left hand.'Hound, Autobot Scout. Raj told me about the Chicago battle, you guys took a real pounding. I also heard you saved a few lives with your heroic actions.' Hound replied, placing one finger in Falcon's grasp and shaking hands.'I'd do it again to protect my friends. We're not that different really, we're all refugees, unable to get back to our homeworlds. Be that homeworld destroyed or just unwelcoming, we're all stuck together.' Falcon grinned, looking up at Mirage and nodding. 'Whenever one needs help, another is sure to be there. We saved five Autobots from execution but I only needed one to save my life. I owe Mirage more than I can ever repay.' he sighed, true respect and admiration in his eyes.'Pay it forward Falcon, pay it forward.' Mirage replied, very carefully handing Falcon over to Hound. 'I can't ask for more than that.''As you request Mirage.' Falcon nodded, whistling for his bike. 'I'd love to stay and catch up on all the latest news guys but there's a security system that desperately needs my attention.' he added, regretting that duty was tearing him away from his friends.'Of course Falcon. Everyone is so busy preparing for the move.' Hound nodded, easing Falcon down beside his bike. 'I would like to sit and talk with you some more later, there is so much I'd like to know about your race.''I'll make time for you Hound, every day until all your questions are answered.' Falcon promised, easing onto Armageddon's back and getting comfortable. 'Come on Armageddon, to work.''Sentient bikes?' Hound asked, watching Falcon and Armageddon leave the hanger.'Just one of the many wonders of the Martian race.' Mirage replied, getting back to work hauling trailers around for a quick pickup.#~#+^*^+#~#Stuck in his office collating data, Blade groaned as little Wheelie rolled in with another pile of inventory lists in his tray. Leaning over to collect the pages, he added them to the stack waiting for him to catch up. Picking up the one he'd been working on, he got back to it, ignoring Wheelie as the little Autobot climbed onto the desk and looked at what he was doing.'Do you need some help Blade?' he asked, pinging Brains and asking him to come to Blade's office.'I wouldn't turn it down Wheelie. Everything being shipped out of the base has to be checked off on the grand inventory. This thing has thousands of entries, everything from dry ration packs to missiles and bombs.' Blade groaned, looking at the pile of inventory lists in his inbox.'Brains will be here in a minute, he'll be able to help you out. I'd stay and help too but someone's got to bring down the inventory reports.' Wheelie offered, responding to a ping from Slash and jumping off the table. 'Chin up Blade, Brains will take care of everything for ya.''Thanks, you little glitch. Get out of here, before I throw ya out.' Blade growled, not really meaning it but Wheelie got the message and left.Dropping out of the passive vent in Blade's office, Brains landed safely in Blade's arms, the hulking officer as gentle as anyone when it came to the smallest Autobot.'Wheelie mentioned you need some help with something.' he remarked, looking up at the worn leader.'Yeah, keeping up with the inventories. Every load leaving the base is carefully inventoried so we know what is in each container. Copies of all those inventories are being sent here to be checked off against the grand inventory so we can be absolutely certain that nothing is left behind. Sixteen inventories twice a day, I just can't keep up.' Blade explained, settling Brains on the desk and indicating the pile of inventories that needed to be checked off.'I can handle this Blade, so long as the wireless link on this computer is working.' Brains nodded, picking up the first inventory even as he wirelessly connected with the desktop. 'Leave it with me, I'll get through this backlog.''Thanks Brains. I'll be back in a minute, just gonna go get a coffee.' Blade replied, leaving Brains to his work and striding from the office towards the rec room.By the time he got back with his coffee, Brains had gotten through about two-thirds of the inventories and was still going strong. Dropping another page onto the chair, he dragged the next one off the pile and started scanning it, holding the page stretched out in both hands. Putting his coffee mug down and picking up the stack on his chair, Blade settled and watched the screen, astounded by how fast the massive document was scrolling up and down. There was no way he could keep up, the grand inventory list was a blur to his eyes as Brains worked on the pile. Instead he turned his focus to the second half of the job, signing off on each page and organising them for filing.Without really thinking about it, they fell into a rhythm as they worked. Brains would input the data then place the page neatly on the keyboard, face up. Blade would then take the page, the natural action of his wrist turning the page so the signature square was right under his right hand. Signing off with a flourish, he'd flip the page over and add it to the growing pile on his left. The movement felt so natural, everything flowed with an efficiency that Blade hadn't enjoyed in quite a while.'I'm not surprised you were having trouble with this inventory, Blade. Took me a few moments to figure it out.' Brains remarked, sliding another sheet off the pile and flicking it out.'I didn't create the file, it's Emily's, I'm just borrowing access to it for the job.' Blade replied, looking up from the page in front of him. 'Not trying to sound accusing or anything.''I understand, there's always a worry when you're using files that aren't yours.' Brains agreed, continuing to upload data as he spoke.'Especially when the owner is Emily. Word from the wise, don't cross that woman, she's got a mean streak a mile wide.' Blade nodded, working the ache out of his hand and picking up his pen again.'She never struck me as a mean person but I haven't known her as long as you. The time I have spent with her, she's seemed like a nice human, compared to the few I've known.''Trust me, Emily can be a right bitch when the situation arrises. Every mouse here has learned that the hard way, in the sparring ring.''And I thought she was so kind. Before she left, she gave Wheelie and I access to her suite to spend the nights in safety.''You haven't done anything to upset her, of course she'll be supportive and tender. Trust me though, when she's annoyed, no one is safe from her anger.''I'll remember that Blade.'#~#+^*^+#~#Hearts in their throats as they carried the small isolation chamber back to medbay, the mechanics were all anxious to see their hard work paying off at long last. Ratchet and Wheeljack were just running their last tests, making sure the body was up to scratch and running as one harmonious unit instead of so many smaller pieces put together. Months of sculpting parts, building the skeleton, wiring up systems, running piping and testing the structures came down to this final moment. Now they would see if all their combined knowledge was enough to bring back another fallen warrior to their ranks. This was a totally different challenge to rebuilding Jazz, at least they'd had a body to start from there. Here they had nothing but a determination to restore Ironhide and a pile of salvaged parts.Entering the repair bay, they made their way down to where the waiting cradle was hanging and eased the isolation chamber onto the railing, Odd Ball and Goggles holding it steady as Wheelie and Windvest secured their safety harnesses and swung over the railing to connect the cradle to the chamber. Ever so gentle, they hooked up the wide webbing straps and secured the vital spark, double-checking all their connections to be certain everything went to plan. Ratchet and Wheeljack were still busy on their final checks, running charges through the body and watching the way it reacted.'We're about done up here.' Wheelie called, visually checking all the locks were secured.'Last checks completed. Ready when you are Wheelie.' Ratchet replied, disconnecting the testing equipment and putting it away. Securing the last pieces of the harness, Wheelie and Windvest hopped the railing again and grabbed the ropes attached to the harness, playing them out as they moved. Hustling around the walkways and trailing out the ropes, the mechanics took up new positions on the walkways and eased the isolation chamber out into the room, releasing and pulling on the ropes to swing it smoothly into place over the silent body.Tying off the centralising ropes, they grabbed the second set of ropes already in place and eased the spark down. Hand over hand, careful not to jolt the chamber as they eased it into position. Constantly adjusting the ropes on all sides, they eased the chamber down into the uplink cradle. Securing all their ropes, the mechanics waited patiently for the next stage and hoped they had the calculations correct. One mistake and they'd lose Ironhide for good.'Okay, here we go. Commencing download and opening the hatch.' Ratchet called, opening the floodgates for the surges coming from the computers and the isolation chamber.Watching, hoping and praying, the repair team could do nothing to help now, it was all in the hands of fate. They had no promises of Ironhide's return, everything was a gamble but that wasn't going to put them off. Sometimes hope was all that was needed. Gazing at the still body that would become his mate, Ratchet sighed and felt his spark pulse, calling to Ironhide. Ironhide responded, a dazzling blue flash filling the room. Nodding slowly, Ratchet sent out another pulse and waited, optics dimming as Ironhide responded again. Slowly but surely, the transfer was happening. The spark was drifting down the connections, leaving behind the isolation chamber and moving into a new life. Smile widening, Ratchet felt hope bloom inside, a third pulse enfolding him in the light of his mate. Back and forth the pulses went, separated mates calling for each other and finding new strength.Seeing something in the pulses that no one else did, Ratchet picked his moment and disconnected the cradles, flicking the connection cradle across the Wheeljack as the mice dragged the empty containment chamber out of the way. Reaching out tenderly, Ratchet placed one hand over Ironhide's restored spark, watching the download progress and opening the connections more to speed the process. Confidence restored now, Ratchet had no fear about losing Ironhide, he knew the stubborn one would rise again and enfold him in strong arms. Despite the risks of doing so, Ratchet released the heavy steel-lined padded straps holding Ironhide down, wanting his mate to be free to sort out his post-battle problems. He wasn't afraid, he knew Ironhide would never harm him, no matter what was going on in his processors.Optics coming on line, Ironhide struggled for a moment until they focused on the body leaning over him. Recognising his mate, Ironhide reached up to touch his faceplates, instincts guiding him more than anything now. Nodding slowly, Ratchet placed his hand over Ironhide's, cherishing the simple touch he thought he'd lost.'It's okay Ironhide, you're safe now. Just relax, everything's okay. I'm here, I'll never leave you.' Ratchet uttered, responding to Ironhide's confusion and concern.'I'll take care of you, just relax. Shhh, save your strength.' he soothed, so tender with his mate as he came back from death.Click-trilling a response, Ironhide relaxed under Ratchet, re-glassed optics dimming a little as he calmed and focused on his mate. Free hand rising from the berth, Ironhide let his fingers drift over Ratchet's arm, reaffirming their bond with a simple touch. Whistle-purring softly, Ratchet moved closer and reached out to trace over Ironhide's helm, soothing and comforting the jittery warrior. He'd expected this, Ironhide had gone through a lot and their spark-bond was very weak. He was still adapting to a physical body again and the weight, although familiar was unnerving after nine months of weightlessness and drifting. Ironhide had once confided in the medic that his biggest fear was the isolation of near death, the agonising separation from his mate when death wouldn't come but he wasn't truly alive either. Ratchet had taken that knowledge and stored it safely, knowing that one day Ironhide would have to face his fears and would need his loving mate there to see him through it.Giving off an almost cooing note, Ironhide lowered one hand and slowly eased into a seated position, Ratchet chittering a warning before helping him sit up. Clicking softly, Ironhide just sat there, leaning against Ratchet's chest and looking around slowly as he adjusted and examined his new body. Trill-clicking soothingly as he stood there supporting Ironhide, Ratchet lightly caressed plating and hummed quietly, a solid presence for his mate as he produced a glowing cube from his subspace pocket. Purring quietly, Ironhide accepted the cube and drank, the first fresh fuel into his new systems revitalising the hidden components and bring new strength to his body. Draining the cube and watching it vanish from his hand, Ironhide settled back against Ratchet and rumbled softly, optics dimming in contentment.Not wanting to disturb the beautiful scene in front of them, Wheeljack eased off the wall and waved the mice over, reaching up to welcome them into his hands.'We should leave, they'll be at this for a while. This is personal, we shouldn't be here.' he uttered, gathering the four against his chest and ducking into the parts hanger.'What was that?' Windvest asked, glancing back towards the reunited pair.'A very painful reunion. Ironhide's scared, although he's trying to hide it. For once Ratchet has to be the strong one, supporting and calming his worried mate.''I can only assume they were speaking in your native language.' Goggles mused, catching another little trilling sound.'It's nothing against you guys but in a protoforms stage like that, our language is the easiest to handle. Once he's ready and taken his new alt mode, he'll be back to normal.''I've never seen Ratchet so tender, he's a different guy around Ironhide.' Odd Ball remarked, leaning back against Wheeljack's chest.'When you've been in love for as long as those two, losing contact is agonising. Ironhide's still very sensitive, his plating hasn't yet adjusted to new life. Be patient, everything will settle down once Ironhide's adjusted and ready.''So the best thing to do now is just leave them be and continue with our usual duties.' Wheelie nodded, looking at the piles of parts still waiting to be loaded and prepared for transport.'Exactly. We might as well focus on organising the rest of these parts for transport.' Wheeljack grinned, setting the quartet on the floor and moving over to half-shut the door separating the parts bay from the repair bay.#~#+^*^+#~#Returning to Chicago after weeks on the road, Optimus was all too happy to back his current trailer into the loading bay and leave it there before heading deeper into the base to unfurl and relax for a couple of days. Heading straight for the main room where everyone tended to gather, Optimus gratefully transformed and stretched out on the floor with a groan, so glad to be back in a secure facility where he could actually relax. Emily had been adamant that he not give away his identity to the contractors, just in case they blabbed and it got back to the military.Hearing the groan, Falcon emerged from his office and hobbled onto the walkways, looking down for the source. He smiled when he found it, glad to see Optimus was back with them and a cursory look showed him to be in good condition. Shifting a little on the floor, Optimus slowly lifted his head and looked up at Falcon, mildly surprised to see the hulking mouse standing there.'Rest Optimus, you've had a busy few months. Everyone is safe, we've got the watch.' Falcon soothed, leaning lightly on the railing and smiling softly at the great leader. 'Shhh, put your head down and rest.''Thank you Falcon.' Optimus muttered, settling his head on his folded arms and easing into recharge.'Bros watch out for bros.' Falcon replied, heading back into his office and putting out a message over the comms.Hearing the message, Wheeljack sent a ping to Ratchet and squeezed out the side door, heading to check on their leader. He got a return ping from Ratchet and nodded, ducking low to slip into the main area where they spent their evenings, talking and laughing. Careful not to disturb their recharging leader, Wheeljack ran a cursory scan to check for problems but found absolutely nothing. For having been away from the base for the last four months, he was in very good condition, systems running normally and his armour polished to a loving shine. Even a few of the niggling problems he'd endured were repaired, something that would undoubtedly make Ratchet happy. Saving the results of the scans, Wheeljack debated running a deeper scan but one look at his leaders' relaxed features told him not to bother, just in case he woke Optimus. Instead he settled back against the wall and relaxed, keeping a quiet vigil over the sleeping Prime.Silencing a warning on the screen, Falcon left his desk and limped back onto the walkways, eyes instantly falling on Que's frame, settled comfortably back against the wall.'Falcon, I didn't know you were out of medbay.' Que grinned, looking up at the giant mouse.'Just got out today. I was going to go find you but Mirage said you were busy.''Yeah, these last few months have been chaotic to say the least. On the up side, Ironhide's back. Ratchet's easing him through the first stages, give him a few days to stabilise and he'll be up for visitors.''Well, this is a good day. The last mice are cleared from medbay, Jazz is up and about, Ironhide's on the road to recovery and we've got a few new faces in the team. I had the privilege of meeting Hound earlier.''He's just one of the new arrivals. I think you met Prowl briefly during the fighting. Sunstreaker made his appearance just after the fighting ended, he's Sideswipe's brother. Hound arrived a few months back, settled right in with Mirage, as I'm sure you probably noticed. Kup joined us the same day, he's taken charge of the Wreckers and the difference is huge.''Yeah, I remember Prowl. He was there when I made that jump at Soundwave.''Speaking of that, I never got the chance to say thank you. You saved my life, at the risk of your own. Thank you Falcon, thank you so much. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to repay the debt.''Pay it forward Que, it's that simple. Ratchet saved my life and told me the same thing. Now my debt is repaid to Ratchet and I'm giving you the same guidance. Pay it forward. Within this team, any life saved repays a debt, the who or how doesn't matter.''I'll remember that Falcon.''As much as I'd love to stay and chat, I've got to get this security system finished for the Wisconsin base. Emily wants it ready in four weeks and it's going to be tough to get it done. This is the most complex system I've ever had to write, but I'll get it. Decal's going to be annoyed because I won't get to spend much time with him until it's complete.''Need some help?''No thanks Que, it's not that I don't trust your abilities or anything, it's just that security is my game. Emily requested that only two people know the emergency codes, I can't let anyone else help with the system.''I understand Falcon. I do have one thing to ask of you though.''Name it Que, then I really have to get back to work.''Call me Wheeljack, the N.E.S.T guys requested the change to Que.''You've got it Wheeljack. Take care of Optimus, he needs the rest.''I will Falcon.' Wheeljack promised, settling back against the wall as Falcon headed back to his office.#~#+^*^+#~#Making his way into the main rec room, Ratchet looked around and smiled before disappearing again, heading back into the repair bay. His antics had everyone suspicious but the mechanics had a feeling they knew what was going on and Wheelie commed everyone to the main area. Racing to respond, the full Martian unit soon lined the walkways, eager to see what was going on. Waking Optimus was a hard decision but eventually Wheeljack reached over and gently roused him, explaining the situation as Optimus levered his bulk up into a seated position.Emerging from the repair bay again, Ratchet looked around at the gathering and nodded, glad to see everyone was there but also a little concerned that Ironhide wouldn't take to his big audience very well. Turning back and offering his hand through the door, he trilled soothingly and waited, letting Ironhide make the choice. Chittering back nervously, Ironhide placed his hand in Ratchet's and moved out from behind the wall, optics scanning the gathering slowly as he followed Ratchet away from the repair bay.There was no mistaking him, he'd taken the bait and scanned the Topkick sitting right there in the repair bay and returned to the team looking just the same as the days before he'd been so cruelly torn from them. The only real difference was the colour of his armour, midnight blue instead of glossy black but everything else looked identical. Glancing back at Ratchet again, Ironhide released his grip and stepped forward, feeling his confidence bloom with the support of his friends.'Welcome back Ironhide.' Jazz called, waving to the hulking weapons specialist. 'We've missed ya.''Good to have you back Ironhide.' Falcon grinned, leaning in the corner for support."Looking good Ironhide, the blue suits ya." Emily cheered, appearing on the big screen above the main doors. "Sorry I couldn't be there in person, the Wisconsin site is keeping me busy."'It's alright Emily, I know you're trying to make things better for us.' Ironhide replied, friendships coming back to him now that he could see everyone again. 'I never want to go through that again, I feel so out of it right now.''Don't worry Ironhide, we're not about to let that happen again. Bros watch out for bros, no matter what.' Bonfire replied, slinging one arm around Slash's shoulders.'You're not going to have to face a serious battle for a while Ironhide, the Decepticons are gone from Earth. For now we can relax and enjoy our new home, when it's finished.' Optimus added, so glad to see Ironhide back up and among his friends."We're just doing the final fit out up here. Another month and the final fit out should be just about complete. Then we can kick the moving operation into high gear. As soon as the job is done, I'll head back to Chicago to help."'Finally got the grand inventory up to date Emily, Brains was a huge help.' Blade briefed, glancing up at the tiny Autobot perched on his shoulder."Good to know Blade, sorry about dumping so much on your shoulders." Emily nodded, gaze flicking back to Ironhide. "I take it you like the blue."'Yeah, the blue is good. Could have changed it to black but I like this.'"It really suits you, still dark and mysterious but not quite so much. I see we've got some new faces in the group too."'Oh yeah, you weren't around when Kup and Hound arrived. Hound scanned that old Hummer of yours, .50 cal and all. Kup took to your Dodge pickup.' Kawasaki explained, drawing Emily's focus to the pair as Ironhide and Ratchet found a clear area of floor to call their own for a while."The old military beast, heh. I was tempted to offer that to Ironhide but he'll always be a Topkick in my eyes. Welcome both of you, I'll add you to the accommodation roster. Any particular places you'd like to go?" Emily nodded, bringing up an image of the Autobot section on the screen.'Hound and I will share Emily, and please, my true designation is Mirage.'"Hound and Mirage, building 12. Okay, all fixed. Kup, what about you?"'I'll take the spot next to the Wreckers, they're my responsibility now.'"Building seven for Kup. So does this mean I don't need to worry about the Wreckers getting out of hand and causing damage to our new facility?"'We'll behave Emily, no more untold destruction unless instructed.' Leadfoot replied, glancing at Kup for a moment."That's what I like to hear. Anyone else want to change their housing while I'm here?"'No, I think you've got everyone satisfied Emily.' Optimus replied, looking at the simplified plan of the Autobot accommodation area."First bit of good news I've had in a few days. Blade, organise the flight wings. We'll start bringing in the aerial defensive line next week. Twelve in each wing, whatever you can make work."'I'll make a start on the listings tomorrow Emily.'"Falcon, how's the security system coming?"'I've made a solid start. Estimated time to complete, four weeks.'"Good, that'll fit in nicely with when the access pads will be installed and ready for integration with the system."'Emily, I've got a question.'"Go ahead Kup, I'm only too happy to help."'I've noticed that all my fellow Autobots have these images on their armour, five glyphs I've never seen before. What are they?'"I can't answer that Kup, you'd be better turning your query to Blade."'Before the Battle of Chicago, the government tried to kick the Autobots off Earth. As a final show of respect and a promise of unending friendship, we went through a ritual to welcome them into our unit as honour members. The glyphs you see are the ancient Martian glyphs for the unit, SAU 14.' Blade explained, looking around the team and nodding slowly. 'We welcome you as well Kup, if you'll have us.''I would be honoured, Blade.''Slash, kindly go fetch six of those glyph sheets.' Blade instructed, glancing at his Second-in-Command. Slipping from the group, Slash raced down one of the side corridors, heading to Blade's office."Six sheets Blade? Who else did we miss?"'Jazz, Ironhide, Prowl, Sunstreaker, Kup and Hound missed the original ritual.'"Bros watch out for bros, no matter what."'I've never understood that line, you guys keep saying it but I don't get it.' Bumblebee mused, his radio-talk always amusing to hear.'We are bros, not by blood but by choice. Brothers in arms, Martian, Autobot and human, all standing together. We watch out for each other, protect each other and offer unending support to anyone within the team. That's what it means to be bros.' Sidewinder explained, climbing up onto the railing and jumping off. Flipping over as he fell, the mighty white landed safely on Kup's shoulder, fully confident none of them would drop a Martian.'Doesn't matter about the situation, bros is what we are. We stand together, fight together and live together, a family of warriors with trust as their anchor.' Hammer added, vaulting off the railing without fear and dropping right into Jazz's hands."To be called a bro is to be considered closer than a comrade. To be called bro is to be told, I trust you with my life and my death." Emily nodded, wishing she could be there to join in with the celebrations. Charging back into the main room, Slash handed Blade the sheets on the fly and shot over the railing, twisting and flipping over gracefully before thudding down on Mirage's raised forearm. Rolling through the impact and pushing to his feet again, he showed no fear as he vaulted the gap to land on Hound's arm.Signalling the rest of the command structure, Blade grabbed one of the drop ropes and shimmied down, the glyph sheets clutched lightly in his tail. Accepting a lift from Optimus, Falcon stepped off his hand and joined the group standing around Blade. Adjusting the sheets in his hand, Blade wrote the recipients names on the sheets then handed them around, trying to be fair. There was no question of Falcon tagging Ironhide, those two were such close friends. Fang was given Prowl's sheet and Fog was to mark Jazz. Christine had the honour of marking Sunstreaker, her gentle hands the best promise of not damaging his paint. Crimson looked at Hound's sheet for a moment, a little surprised to be selected. Blade chose to place Kup's personally, the oldest mouse marking an old warrior seemed right as far as he was concerned.Receiving a brief from Optimus, the six that were missing their glyphs moved into the middle of the room and transformed, the varied selections of vehicles waiting patiently. The six selected officers formed up opposite the Autobots and marched into the Autobot rank, all immediately shifting to the right hand side of the Autobots. Forgoing the majority of the ritual, Blade instead chose an older style, almost forgotten in the slow march of time. Rising up like wisps of smoke, the ancient words curled from deep in Blade's throat and into the air, all the mice taking up the chant and pushing it higher. Moving with the rhythm, the six selected officers smoothed the markings into place and wiped them over, removing bubbles and ensuring the fit was perfect. Listening to the guttural chant all around them, Optimus nodded slowly and let the strange language sweep over him, not questioning it and not even trying for a translation. The words didn't matter, the emotions were clear. Reaching a crescendo in their chant, the backing papers were pulled away quickly, leaving the individually detailed glyphs on armoured plating. Moving back again and lining up with their fellow officers, the six chosen officers saluted and headed back up to the walkways as the chant wound back into silence.Transforming and admiring the new glyphs on their armour, the newest honour members were in awe of the ritual, not sure what had been said but they knew they were part of something bigger now.'SAU 14 welcomes you, our brothers in arms.' Blade declared, leaning on the railing and watching over the group.'We will bring honour to the unit. We will fight with courage and determination against any foe. We will never back down. We will remain true to our people and our home.' Kup returned, repeating the message Optimus commed him.'We are honoured to call you bro.''And we you.''Be at peace bros, we stand together and share the watch. Under Emily's watchful gaze, we will all thrive.' Blade grinned, arms wide to encompass all his bros, furred and armoured. 'SAU 14!''SAU 14!'"My bros, my charges, my best responsibilities. All I do, I do to ensure your safety and peace. Rest and recharge my dear friends, there is still much to be done before we can truly taste peace again. Our day will come where we will never have to worry about N.E.S.T trapping us in a corner, forcing our hands. Freedom is our right and we've more than earned it." Emily agreed, such tenderness in her eyes as she looked over the group.'Emily's right. It's late and we've all worked hard today. Get some rest everyone, tomorrow is another long and busy day.' Optimus nodded, stretching out on the floor again."Hasn't anyone showed Optimus to an empty hanger where he can recharge in peace?"'Moving means transforming, I'll stay here for the night.'"Very well. Stay in Chicago until I return Optimus, I'll get some local contractors to haul the last loads. We'll need you at your peak for the final haul out of the base."'As you wish Emily.'"Good night my friends, I've got to go organise the next container shipment. Keep up the good work and soon we will have paradise." Emily soothed, watching over her friends for a few moments longer before turning off the web link.'Don't say it Revs, I'll be fine. I'll catch a nap on the couch but I've got to get more of the security system written up.' Falcon sighed, heading back towards his office with Decal.'Just don't go undoing all the hard work I put into you Falcon.' Revs called, not really surprised that Falcon wasn't following medical orders, he'd done it many times before.'You worry too much Revs. I'll be at my desk, working on the new security system if you want to check up on me during the night.''I intend to Falcon, count on that.'
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Standing alone in the middle of her empty Chicago base, Emily sighed and recalled some of the wonderful times she'd enjoyed over the years she'd been living down here. In the early days this place had been a military base, armed to the teeth and full of military hardware. Then the mice had arrived and she'd cleared a lot of supplies out to the secondary base to give them more space to roam and do their own things. It had been nice to have company, to listen to the guys settling down for the night and watching them learn about earth. That had been the closest thing to real peace she'd had for a while, right up until she'd welcomed the Autobots to take shelter with her to avoid the military. Sighing softly, she looked around the main area again, just imagining the mice were back on the walkways circling the room and the Autobots were relaxed against the walls below, laughing and talking as one cohesive unit.Shaking out of her thoughts when someone tugged on her pants, she smiled and looked down tenderly at Brains and Wheelie. Understanding dawning on her features, she crouched and gathered the pair into her arms, cradling them both close as she straightened and turned away from the past.'We'll never catch the other convoys if we don't go soon Emily.' Brains uttered, hands locking in Emily's shirt.'We don't have to catch the other convoys Brains; we'll all end up in the same place anyway. Splitting the team into five separate convoys makes it harder for the military to track us.''How long until we're truly safe Emily?' Wheelie asked, longer arms draped around her neck.'well, normally I'd say a couple of days but considering just who is running in this convoy, I'll guess four days, maybe longer.''Isn't it dangerous to be in the open for that long? The military could find us.''Shh, don't you worry about the military, Brains. I promised to keep you safe and I will. If the military wants to try anything with us, we'll deal with it. Don't worry, we've got more than enough firepower to protect the convoy. Come on, let's get going.'Wandering over to her waiting Topkick, Emily climbed into the driver's seat and settled the small pair beside her, making sure they were comfortable and secure in their seat. Firing up the engine, she buckled up and wound the window down, relaxed and calm behind the wheel of her massive new vehicle. Making her way up the ramp and into the warehouse that hid this entrance, she took a moment to look at the convoy she was leading. Her reputation as a tough bitch was well known and they were using that to their advantage, putting their most obvious targets under her care. That meant she had to protect Optimus, Ratchet and Wheeljack, all while ensuring all their cargo made it through safely. Optimus was her main concern, he wouldn't be able to drop his load in time to defend himself. Ratchet at least had a quick release system on his trailer and Wheeljack wasn't hauling anything that could be damaged if he ejected it, but Optimus, he'd be a sitting duck with his road-train.Leaving the doors open behind her, Emily left the warehouse and rolled through the waiting team, catching their attention and letting them know it was time to leave.'Alright, here's the way it's going to be. Sidewinder, Chain and Scorpion, I want you right behind me at all times. Optimus, you'll stay behind them with Center Line, Chain and Scorpion watching your aft. Ratchet next, Goggles, Wheelie and Crimson will be right behind you. Wheeljack, you'll be next in convoy, Killer and Magura on the tail end. Braidy and Emission, forward and rear scouts, I do not want anyone sneaking up on us.' she briefed, watching in her wing mirror as the mice moved into their positions. 'All right, let's hit the road.' she grinned, checking the map watch system and leaving Chicago by a different route to everyone else.#~#+^*^+#~#Pulling up near a truck stop, convoy 2 gathered close and took a few minutes to rest and stretch their legs before continuing their journey. Dismounting from Beast, Blade opened the rear pannier and dug out his thermos, left hand rubbing his butt for a moment before he turned his attention to his coffee. Digging out their own drinks and stretching aching muscles, the rest of the mice were grateful for the chance to rest, even if it was only for a few minutes.'This trip is going to be murder on my tail.' Crash remarked, the distant lights catching his faceplate and setting it sparkling.'We've done six hours and I'm already suffering from numb bum syndrome.' Carbon agreed, hands wrapped around his coffee mug."Numb bum syndrome?" Ironhide asked, making use of their comms to prevent drawing attention.'Yeah, that's what we call it when we've been riding for too long and have lost sensation in our asses. Every biker knows about it.' Bandana nodded, coffee in his left hand as he tried to work some sensation back into his own ass."Sounds distinctly uncomfortable."'It is Bee, it's really bad. It only gets worse the longer you ride, so we're all going to be particularly grouchy when we arrive. The only solution is to get off and walk around for a while before getting back on the road.' Ripper replied, stretching and scratching before accepting a coffee from Thunder."You still haven't explained how we're actually going to make this trip. There's no way you guys can ride all the way to Wisconsin without sleep."'We weren't planning on it Ironhide. We'll keep going until it's nearly dawn, then find a quiet place to camp for the day. We'll hide in forests or whatever else we can find, it's not going to be easy but we'll make it work.' Blade shrugged, grabbing out his handheld GPS and checking the map for any roads they couldn't use for fear of tailing another convoy."Hiding is harder for some of us."'Got it covered Topspin. This here is a camo cover, perfect for hiding gaudy paint schemes in forested locations.' Strap grinned, patting a large bundle in Ironhide's tray.'And it's big enough for both of you to disappear under should the need arise.' Terrence added, leaning against Topspin and sighing.'I know its hard Terry, you'll be reunited with Steve soon.' Torque soothed, wrapping one arm around Terrence's shoulders lightly.'This is the first time we've ever been separated like this Torque, it's hard you know.'"It's my first time too Terrence. We've always been together, as far back as I can remember." Topspin offered, wondering where his fellow Wreckers were and how they were coping.'C'mere Terry, its okay. Shhh, I'm sorry we split you from Stephen. I wasn't thinking, too much on my plate and I made a mistake.' Blade offered, putting his mug down and opening his arms. Without hesitation, Terrence darted into the welcoming embrace, huddling against the much larger body of his CO. Huddling close, fingers locked into Blade's well worn vest and face in his chest, Terrence cracked, choked and finally broke, sobbing softly into Blade's soft fur. Wrapping the youngster up in his arms, Blade held him close and rubbed his back soothingly, knowing he had to be strong for Terrence and help him through this. Whispering calming words in their mother tongue, the powerful leader showed a rarely seen side of his personality, the tender and loving side.Everyone else looked away from the pair, wanting to give Terrence some privacy to miss his twin but they knew they couldn't stray too far from the group. They had to get moving soon, there was a lot of ground to cover before they reached their new base.'Those two should never have been put into this unit, hell, they shouldn't have been dragged into the war.' Strap uttered, refilling his mug and wandering over to stand beside Bandana.'None of us deserved to be treated like we were by The War Council but we're here and we've got it pretty good. But you're right, those two really shouldn't be stuck in with us.' Bandana agreed, wrapping one arm around Strap's waist."Why do you say that?" Ironhide asked, focus turned to the pair near him.'They're still so young, they don't belong on a battlefield anywhere. Terrence and Stephen were just 18 when we arrived on Earth, not considered adults by Earth or Mars standards. But here they are, thrown in with a bunch of hard-line soldiers and trying to keep it together. Too young to vote, too young to drink but old enough to fight, kill and die. It's just not fair.' Odd Ball explained, taking a seat beside his bike."Life is not fair, young'uns." Ironhide mused, paying a little more attention to Terrence."I've noticed Terry and Steve on many occasions, they seem genuinely happy normally. This is the first time I've noticed Terry so upset." Bumblebee added, scanners at maximum so they'd have fair warning of trouble.'Normally they're together, one mind in two bodies. This separation is hard for them, it's their first time apart in their lives. Once we get to Wisconsin and they're reunited, they'll go back to being the true heart of SAU 14.' Crash explained, leaning against Bumblebee's hood lightly. 'Those two keep the rest of us young at heart.'Finally drawing away from Blade and wiping his face, Terrence looked up at his leader and smiled faintly, feeling a little better but still so lonely without his brother.'You gonna be okay now Terry?' Blade asked, cupping his cheek gently.'Yeah Blade, I'll be okay. I can be strong, I can finish this mission and make it home.' Terrence nodded, drawing strength from Blade's presence.'I know you will Terry and you'll make everyone so proud of you for doing so. This is a big step for you, your first mission away from Stephen. When we ride into our new base, you can bet everyone will be there to cheer you home. Ready to head out again?' Blade grinned, knowing just what Terrence needed to bolster his confidence again.'I'm ready Blade, but would you mind if I rode by your side for a while?''Of course not Terrence, you can ride at my side whenever you want.''Thanks Blade.''Alright bros, mount up. We're heading out again in five.' Blade called, draining his coffee mug and packing his thermos away.#~#+^*^+#~#Sweeping past the late night traffic on the freeway, Slash led his convoy towards the state line and hoped Emily's other precautions were in effect. Five crossing points had been selected and paid off to allow them through, but picking the wrong gate would get them all in trouble.'Fog, sitrep.'"All clear ahead. Don't have eyes on the border yet, I estimate we'll be in range in six hours."'Six hours, copy that Fog. Streaks, tail sitrep.'"No tails to report. We're clear and free for now."'Perfect, Emily's plan might actually work.'"Dawn is expected in five hours Slash, we'll never make the border before the light reveals our identities."'Acknowledged Fang. We'll pull over in four and set camp for the day. Fog, eyes on a suitable camping site?'"Negative Slash, I'll keep searching for something suitable."'Sharp eyes Fog, we've got a lot to hide.'"Wilco Slash.""Slash, bathroom break."'Sounds like a plan Plate. There's a spot just ahead that'll do the job nicely.'"Good to hear, I really need to go."Pulling into the little rest area, the mice dismounted and rubbed aching muscles before splitting into two teams without a word. Six drew their weapons and stood guard, crouched down out of sight and listening intently for anything dangerous in the darkness. The other six disappeared into the trees lining the rest area to relieve themselves before getting back to work.'I'm glad Emily gave us a week to make the trip, we're going to need every minute of that time.' Dakota remarked, back pressed against Leadfoot's flank.'No kidding bro, this is one tough ride. Feels good to be out on the highway though, blow out the cobwebs.' Black agreed, hunkered down beside Sideswipe.'Yeah, the girls will be grateful for that. Been too long since we could take a big cruise like this.' Shift nodded, ears twitching as he hunkered down beside Sunstreaker.'Wonder how the others are doing.' Bonfire mused, dropping down beside Black and taking over the watch.'I'm sure they're fine bro, you worry too much. Windvest is more than capable of taking care of himself until we reach the new base.' Cosmo replied, switching out with Shift.'Guys tone it down about family. Stephen's having a hard time.' Raider hissed, waving Dakota off and crouching.'Yeah, this can't be easy for him. First time separated and he's got no idea where Terrence is.' Fog agreed, joining the group on watch and sending Black away.'They'll be okay, those two are tough little guys.' Slash grinned, settling in to watch for a while."Why all the concern about Stephen all of a sudden?" Sideswipe asked, scanners reaching out to search for danger.'First time away from his twin, it's not easy. I still remember the first time I left my brothers' side, I was so scared but I went through with my mission. Blade was so proud of me for doing it and making it back intact.' Slash explained, privately wondering where his older brother was at the moment."He was expecting your first mission to be difficult?"'Sunstreaker, on Mars no mission is easy. Everyone faces death daily, witness to their fellow soldiers dying on countless battlefields. Blade knew the risks as well as anyone, there was a big chance I wouldn't be making it home.''We all knew the risks of fighting on Mars, the death tolls were always shocking and we knew it was only a matter of time. No one ever said it but we knew Mars would eventually die.' Bonfire agreed, smiling as Stephen dropped down beside him."Your planet is no more as well?"'Not exactly Leadfoot, it's still there but barely capable of sustaining life now. There it is, that red star just there.' Streaks sighed, pointing out the only view of Mars any of them had seen in a while.'Not that it matters, we were banished from Mars. Earth is our home now and we're a lot safer here.' Stephen shrugged, a welcoming smile crossing his face as Dakota emerged from the trees again.Bladders empty and everyone feeling more comfortable now that they'd had a rest, Slash called for a remount and lead the team back onto the road, Fang and Fog casting out to scout ahead and watch their tails as the convoy raced ever northwards.#~#+^*^+#~#Sweeping off the freeway and onto a quieter side road, Christine eased off the accelerator and relaxed a little, still scanning for trouble but she wasn't quite so nervous anymore. Behind her came a very interesting convoy; Mirage, Hound and Roadbuster. They'd already had to play dodge the cops twice and narrowly avoided a breathalyser station but they were on track and doing well on their northward journey. She had a strong defensive line for the convoy too, four of the biggest guys in the unit were spread out along the line. Braid was right beside her, an old M-60 and a Martian heavy rifle in the carry bag on the rear rack of his bike. Tank stuck in behind Mirage, carrying similar weapons and ready for action. Falcon was also in the line, tucked in between Hound and Roadbuster, his heavy weapons ready for deployment and packing an even bigger punch. Rictor rode at the back, heavy rifle strapped to his back and another on his bike as they watched over Roadbuster. The rest of the Martian wing were scattered around the three Autobots, peeling out to run scouting missions before slipping back into the main body of the convoy.Signalling a break, Christine pulled into a vacant lot and planted her feet, the convoy pulling up around her. Yanking her helmet off and shaking out her hair, she dismounted and stretched, grateful to be out of the saddle for a while. Trilling softly at her side, Hunk stretched as well, pushing his suspension out and shaking off the long haul. Chuckling softly, Christine dug out a towel from the side pannier and gave him a quick rub down, soothing and comforting her best friend. Letting out a little chirp of relief, Armageddon rocked and stretched out her components, giving Falcon what for as he stretched and unzipped his jacket to help cool off.'Yes, yes, I know Armageddon. Seven hours was a bit much.' Falcon sighed, taking a seat beside her and manually adjusting her suspension for more comfort."Everything okay Falcon?" Hound asked, giving him a bit more light to work by.'Yeah Hound, I'm just getting told off by Armageddon. Even with her stronger suspension and custom parts, seven hours straight was a bit much for her to handle. She's tired and grouchy.''We'll rest soon Armageddon, I've got our camping spot marked out. Three hours and we can all rest for the day.' Christine soothed, looking around at the exhausted bikes. 'One last push then rest and recharge for everyone.''I won't argue that Christine, I'm stuffed.' Kawasaki nodded, sagged over the handlebars of his bike. 'It's been a long day Christine, for everyone. The final clearout and then the long, long ride. By the end of this, Emily's not going to have much to worry about for a while. Everyone will just sleep for a few days.' Hammer agreed, yanking his helmet off and hooking his thermos.'Come on, everyone off their bikes. I'm no Mechanic but I know how hard it's going to be to get at the parts until everything's been unpacked and put away properly.' Voodoo sighed, dismounting with a wobble and helping Hammer off his bike. 'Let them rest a few minutes, it'll do them good.''There we go Combat, take five and stretch out again. It's been a hard ride.' Decal soothed, dismounting and plopping down on the ground beside Falcon.'Anything to report up ahead?' Falcon asked, finishing the last adjustment and wrapping one arm around Decal's shoulders.'Nah, nothing that'll get in our way. I doubt the military has any idea we've left Chicago and even if they do, tracking everyone down ain't gonna be easy.''They can try but anyone military comes near us and they'll get a nasty little surprise.' Splat grinned, rocket launcher strapped to his back and covered with a bag to keep it secret.'Oh yeah, we'll make them rue the day they ever tried anything against us.' Metric smirked, two assault rifles secured to his bike and another pair hidden under his jacket."Should we really be picking fight with the military?" Mirage asked, safely tucked in beside Hound.'We're not actively seeking a spat with the military but if they try anything, we'll deal with them. We'd rather this be a peaceful move but if we can't have that, we'll make sure the military gets the message that the Autobots are under Emily's protection now.' Braid replied, checking his heavy rifle was still ready for action if needed.'Don't worry Mirage, we'll make sure no one scratches your paint.' Tank chuckled, running a cloth over Mirage to clean up any dust."Most amusing Tank.""Be grateful you didn't make that comment around Sunstreaker, he'd go crazy looking for the scratch."'Oh yeah, we're well aware of his behaviour. He's not exactly well loved in the Spare Parts department.' Voodoo sighed, flicking his hair back over his shoulder. 'He keeps it up and he'll soon learn just why you don't piss off your repair team.''You know what to do if he gets out of hand Voodoo.''Yeah I know Falcon. Hand the case to the security boys and let them deal with it.''And you know we'll deal with it quickly and efficiently.''You always do Falcon, you run a good team.'"What exactly do you mean, you'll deal with it Falcon?"'Simple Mirage. As the security team, it's our job to hand down punishment for any rule breaking or trouble making. Sunstreaker causes trouble and he'll deal with us as we aren't so easy to intimidate. By the time we're done, he'll be begging to apologise.'"That sounds painful Falcon."'Nah, just utterly humiliating for him. Don't worry Mirage, we won't do anything to harm him, at least nothing serious.'"Very well Falcon."Moving reluctantly out of Braid's loving embrace, Christine checked her watch and sighed, their five minutes break well and truly over and they had to push on before anyone noticed them lingering in this lot.'Alright bros, saddle up again. Three hours and we'll set camp for the day.' she called, stretching up for a kiss before heading for her bike and settling in the saddle.'I know Armageddon, I know. Come on, three hours isn't too bad, we've done that before.' Falcon sighed, digging out a soft saddle cover and working it into place before mounting up, settling as gently as he could.'Come on Combat, I know you can do this.' Decal coaxed, trying to get his little girl going again. Offering a sad little chirp, she tried to fire up but the journey was too much for her.'What's wrong Decal?' Christine asked, turning to the smallest pair.'It's too much for Combat. She's trying to fire up but we've asked too much of the little darling.' Decal sighed, soothing his girl as she whistled softly. 'It's okay Combat, you did your best.'"Is there anything we can do to help?" Roadbuster asked, turning his scanners to the little blue and green bike.'Only one thing for it, we're going to have to carry her to camp.' Falcon shrugged, dismounting and walking over to Hound. 'Reckon we can trust you Hound?'"I would be honoured." Hound replied, rear doors popping open.'Bring her over here babe, she'll fit nicely.' Falcon called, leaning in and restacking the random load of stuff in the back.'Rest Combat, you'll be safe.' Decal soothed, pushing his exhausted girl over to Hound.Grabbing out some spare load straps from Hound's trailer, Falcon secured the cargo out of the way before turning and crouching, lightly running his hands over Combat's plating.'Easy now Combat, you're okay. Just relax, we'll take care of you.' he uttered, wrapping her up in his arms and lifting her off the ground. Easing the little bike against his chest, Falcon stepped back over the trailer hitch and gently slid her into the cleared space."Decal, would you like to ride with us as well?"'I'd like that Hound, thanks.' Decal nodded, jogging back to grab his helmet and weapon pack from where he'd left them to ease the strain on Combat."Not a problem Decal."'There we go Combat, all nice and secure. Decal will be with you and we'll be right behind you, it'll be okay.' Falcon grinned, securing the small bike into place and checking the straps were tight enough without hurting her. 'You take good care of them Hound, I'm trusting you with a lot.'"I will Falcon, I promise."'All secure Falcon?' Decal asked, looking up at his mate.'She's all tucked in and safe Decal. I'll be right behind you guys if there's any trouble.' Falcon nodded, scooping his mate up and holding him close.'Thanks Falcon.' Decal uttered, stealing a quick kiss before jumping down and heading around to climb behind Hound's wheel.'All right Hound, close it up.' Falcon directed, turning and heading back to Armageddon.'Clear to roll out?' Christine asked, gaze falling on the powerful brown.'We're clear to go Christine. Combat and Decal are riding with Hound and we'll see how Combat goes tomorrow.' Falcon confirmed, easing into the saddle again.'Then let's roll out!' Christine called, leading the convoy back onto the road.#~#+^*^+#~#Finding a suitable camping sight as the first rays of dawn broke over the horizon, convoy 5 pulled in and circled the wagons in preparation for a restful sleep. They'd found a suitable little camp ground, there wasn't much there but it would do just nicely for them for their first homeless night.'Don't tell me you're still ticked off about this convoy stuff, Revs.' Shard remarked, unhooking his camp roll and flicking it out.'You have to admit, the selection process made a mess of things. Two medics in the smallest convoy, that's plain stupidity. We don't even have much in the way of heavy defences. Two that can swing a heavy repeater easily, two that could but with difficulty and seven that wouldn't have a hope. I swear Blade's just trying to make it hard for me, he's got the combined might of Ironhide and Topspin, rolling defences and serious firepower in a siege situation.''Revs, you're not thinking this through properly. We've got the advantage of invisibility. Everyone else is in convoy with recognisable Autobots, bringing in huge risks of discovery and interception. Look at who we've got, Jazz has been pretty much forgotten, Prowl arrived half way through the Chicago fight and Kup missed it by months. Nobody in N.E.S.T knows these three well enough to pick them from a distance. Even the reborn Ironhide is painfully obvious, Topkicks just aren't that popular on the road yet. Just because he's blue instead of black isn't going to protect him.' Chaos countered, turning to the black medic. The selections weren't random bro, they were specifically organised to give everyone the best chance of getting through safely. Every convoy has their advantage, be they brute strength or sheer firepower. Our strength is invisibility, the military won't have a chance of recognising any of us.''I'm gonna wring Blade's neck when we reach Wisconsin, he could have at least fuckin' told me of his plan.' Revs snarled, grabbing his camp roll and flicking it out quickly.'If he'd told you, would you have done anything different?' Bits challenged, setting out his own camp roll and sitting on it.'No, but it would have been nice to know that before we left.' Revs sighed, climbing into bed and snuggling down. 'Roars, keep a sharp watch. Wake me at dusk.' he instructed, reaching out to give his bike one last soothing pat before settling in for some much needed sleep.Grabbing the camo sheets from Kup's tray, Windvest set the larger one beside his bike and released the catches on the smaller one as Ghost padded over to help.'Is that where you intend to stay for the day Kup?' Windvest asked, unfurling the cloth with a flick and landing the other side in Ghost's hands easily."It's as good a place as any I suppose."'Better spot would be around there, you'll be in the shade through the worst of the heat.' Ghost suggested, pointing to the far side of their selected camping site."Well that makes sense." Kup agreed, easing around the relaxing mice and pulling up between the trees where he'd be sheltered.'Recharge peacefully Kup, the girls have the watch from here. They'll wake us at dusk for the next leg of the journey.' Windvest grinned, pegging down the front of the sheet as Ghost eased the cloth over Kup's frame, smoothing out the wrinkles and pulling it tight over him."I still do not understand why the need for the cover."'Humans are not completely stupid. They'll notice our strange little convoy, even if they don't see who is actually driving the vehicles. When one person notices something like that, it's nothing special. But when several people report the same weird little convoy heading north, well that's a trend and trends can be tracked, predicted and intercepted. By making you three disappear, it makes it a lot harder for those trends to be noticed. Travelling only at night helps too, less people out to notice what's going on.' Bits explained, setting up his camp roll near Kup's right side."Well that makes sense. Don't want to draw attention to where we're going."'Now you're getting it Kup. Get some rest, it's been a long night.' Bits yawned, pulling the covers up and adjusting them to cover most of his muscle-bound body.'Everything will be okay Kup, we'll make it home and get on with our lives in peace.' Mark added, setting his camp beside Bits and getting comfortable."Sleep well everyone."Finding their own sheltered place to rest up, Prowl and Jazz almost swapped paint as they pulled up side by side and settled, totally relaxed as the mice unrolled the bigger camo sheet and draped it over them, pegging it down securely along all edges.'You guys okay under there?' Speed asked, hammering in the last peg and positioning the alert wire."We'll be fine Speed, you just get some rest. We've still got a long way to go."'We'll sleep as soon as you're both hidden away. It's been a rough trip so far and it's not going to get any easier.' Daytona grinned, beating in the last peg on the left side and running the wire."Thanks for the reminder, man."'Don't let it get to ya Jazz, we're all tired and stressed but once we get home, it'll be smooth sailing. We'll probably still have to deal with the military from time to time but they won't get close.' Tar smirked, following the contours of the sheet to lay a hand on Jazz's hood lightly."Coulda done without that reminder too."'Hush Jazz, home will be beautiful. Still industrial but beautiful in ways we can't imagine. Be at peace, soon you will have your own space to make a home with the one you love most of all.' Bandit uttered, walking over to stretch out beside his bike.Finding their beds for the day and getting comfortable, the mice disappeared into their camp rolls until nothing could be seen of them but a few locks of hair to show there was actually someone there. Boots and helmets close to hand and bikes settled in for their watch shift, the camp was soon silent and calm, everyone drifting into restorative rest. Trilling among themselves for a few moments, the bikes too soon went quiet, scanners sweeping the perimeter but also watching out for the sleepers putting their faith in their bikes for safety.#~#+^*^+#~#Three days after leaving Chicago, the convoys were all angled towards an unmarked area about 60 kilometres west of Lake Winnebago. Emily's convoy was first to arrive and start settling in, unpacking the supplies they'd hauled and finding their new homes in the main compound. Pulling into the garage beside the main house, Emily unbuckled her seatbelt and gathered Wheelie and Brains into her arms, sliding out and hip-checking the door closed. Entering the house proper, she kicked her joggers off and smiled, satisfied with her home. It was beautiful, wooden floors, marble bench tops and all new furniture. That didn't mean she was going to be all uptight though, not when she had reasons to enjoy her home.'Welcome to paradise you two. This is our home, feel free to explore but try to stay out of trouble.' she grinned, depositing the pair on the floor and watching them for a moment before heading out to unpack the Topkick. Looking around in excitement, Wheelie and Brains took off through the house, just checking out where everything was.Out in the main area of the compound, Optimus backed his trailers in near the warehouses and waited, feeling the weight lift off as Goggles dropped the legs and unhitched the trailers from the mighty leader.'All right, out you go Optimus. You're done for the day.' he called, securing the cables and moving to help with the unloading process. 'Go find your berth and rest a while, you've done more than your fair share of the work.'"Very well Goggles. Comm if you need any help."'We will. Now get out of here and rest.'"I'm going, I'm going." Optimus replied, choosing not to comment on how much Goggles sounded like Ratchet. Pulling away from the trailers, he headed for the Autobot section, looking for building 14.Finding it and rolling inside, he checked the dimensions before transforming and stretching out his aching chassis. Looking around the building that was to be his home now, he was quite pleased by what he was seeing. A large lounge area took up most of the front half of the building, complete with the biggest couch he'd ever seen and a quite impressive TV mounted on the opposite wall. Against the other wall was a suitably sized desk and chair, just waiting for him. Moving further into his home, Optimus found his berth, the solid steel bed nestled in the back corner and all made up with appropriate sized bedding on a very thick mattress. Directly opposite his bedroom was a tiled area, a smaller wall wrapping around within the main section. Following this wall led him into his new shower, the impressive plumbing efforts actually quite humbling to see. Reaching out and turning the water on, he adjusted the temperature before stepping under the spray, groaning in contentment as the heat eased the tension in his great frame.'Now this is paradise.' he rumbled, so glad to wash off the road grime and relax properly.Back outside, Ratchet waited for the last of his cargo to be unloaded before transforming and heading straight for his new repair bay, standing tall behind the Martian accommodation area. Stepping inside, he was pleasantly surprised by the results. Five berths were neatly lined up as a ward, shelving running above them. Up the other end was a dividing wall, the double doors open to reveal another berth and a sign over the doors marking it as the OR. The middle area was a treatment area, shelves and lockers just waiting for all the supplies he'd need. Another door beyond the ward led to a secondary parts room, the doors again secured open so he could see the length of his new facility.'Hey Wheeljack, what do you think of this one?' he called, digging his medkit out of subspace and putting it on the table.'This looks great Ratchet. Everything you could possibly need.' Wheeljack grinned, admiring the brand new medbay and nodding slowly. 'I can already see you busy repairing old battle damage and keeping everyone in top shape.''That's the plan but first I need my tools, they're in one of the containers hauled from interstate earlier. Gotta ask Emily where she put it until I could get up here and unpack.''I'm sure she's kept them safe. For now though, we can relax and wait for the others to arrive.' Wheeljack replied, turning and transforming. "Don't know about you but I could use a wash."'Now that sounds tempting.' Ratchet agreed, dropping back to his wheels and following Wheeljack towards the housing area."So, have you told Ironhide yet?""Not yet, we've all been so busy I just haven't found the right moment. I'll see how he's feeling tonight.""Ratchet, you need to tell him soon. You're almost a year along, we're running out of time to have the body ready.""I know Jack, believe me I know. I just don't want to drop this on his shoulders while he's unreceptive.""You're his mate, he'll always be receptive to you. Make him comfortable and just tell him, he'll appreciate the honesty.""All right, I'll tell him tonight."#~#+^*^+#~#Leading her convoy into the compound, Christine looked at the straggler they'd picked up on the road. It hadn't been planned or anticipated, his trail had been picked up by Sideswipe and they'd given chase, determined to beat the military to another Autobot or trash a Decepticon before getting back on their way. Arriving on scene, the new arrival had already scanned a new form but he didn't seem to know what to do next. It took a bit of coaxing and soothing before he finally accepted the convoy and fell into place beside Christine. He was a timid little one, never straying from Christine's side and never saying a word to anyone in the convoy. He couldn't have been a better fit in the convoy though, no one would look twice at a Harley Davidson Heritage Softail Classic among so many other bikes. His bright red and teal paintjob was nice too, highlighting his shape and making him a very attractive looking ride but his lack of dirt was a problem so they'd taken a side trip along a dirt road to grubby him up a bit.Emerging from his house to see if there was anything he could do to help the new convoy, Wheeljack wandered back towards the shared area with a new spring in his step. He felt so much better after a shower and a rest on the couch but now he needed something to do. He spotted the extra bike in the convoy and paused, the paint scheme reminding him of someone he cared deeply about but dismissed the idea, right until the rider simply vanished. Moving away from the convoy group a little, the newest arrival transformed and looked around, balancing on his wheels as he searched the area for threats. Watching from a distance, Wheeljack crushed down on a flicker of hope, refusing to believe what he was seeing until he had more proof.'Mumma!' he cried, optics locking on Wheeljack, standing off to the side of the grassed area.'Perceptor!' Wheeljack replied, still in shock at what Primus had dropped in his lap.'Mumma!' Perceptor repeated, racing across the grass and right into Wheeljack's arms.'Perceptor, my dear child.' Wheeljack uttered, hoisting the smaller mech off the ground and holding him close. 'Primus, I've missed you so much.''I missed you too mumma.' Perceptor nodded, holding on for dear life to the one he'd always been able to trust.'It's all right now, you're safe here. Shhh, we'll never be parted like that again, I promise. I've got you, we'll be okay. There you go, nice and safe at last.' Wheeljack soothed, ignoring the stares all around them as he calmed his son.'You won't leave again?' Perceptor asked, lifting his head slowly from Wheeljack's shoulder.'Never little one, I'll never leave you again. I'll always, always be right here with you. Nothing could ever tear me away from you again Perceptor, absolutely nothing.' Wheeljack promised, overjoyed to finally hold his son again and awed that it had happened at all, his luck was never this good.Having heard the commotion and come out to investigate, Ratchet chuckled as he watched Wheeljack turn away from the stunned mice and head back to their home to catch up. Wandering into the group and sinking to the ground, he cleared his intakes and nodded as stunned eyes turned his direction.'So now you know, we didn't just roll off an assembly line and start our lives. We have our own form of intercourse and from that the spark of a new life can be created. The body is built externally and when the time is right, the sparklet is removed from the carrier and placed within its own body. It's not my place to tell Wheeljack's story, suffice to say he is Perceptor's mother.' he explained, forcing back his secret until he could talk to Ironhide.'But I thought Wheeljack was a guy.' Wheelie sighed, totally confused by this new information.'We have no specific gender. We have certain traits that would be considered masculine so we use the title male. Some have traits that are more feminine but we really are genderless. Any Autobot can sire a sparklet, just as any Autobot can carry.''Whoa, pregnancy without pain. Major bonus there Ratchet.''I wouldn't say without pain Christine, the final removal of a sparklet from a carrier is painful as the energy ties are broken. But comparing the birth of a sparklet to a standard human birth, the pain is minimal in comparison.'Ignoring the strange conversation behind him, Falcon gently eased Combat from Hound's interior, cradling the bike to his chest with all the tenderness of a mother with her child. Soothing her with practised ease and unburdened by the weight, Falcon waited for Decal to grab his emergency kit, weapons bag and helmet before they headed for the group.'Wheelie, got a job for you.' Decal called, smiling as Armageddon joined the group and trilled a message. 'Thanks Armageddon.' he nodded, setting his gear on the rear carry rack safely.'What happened to Combat?' Wheelie asked, waving Goggles over to join them.'The route we took as a little too much for Combat to handle. Seven hours out and she couldn't handle any more. Hound's been carrying her all this time.' Decal explained, reaching up to soothe his bike with a touch.'Will she accept me carrying her?' Goggles asked, reaching for the bike.'Not without a fight bro, Combat can get a little touchy about this. I've got her, she trusts me to carry her.' Falcon replied, soothing Combat again as she struggled to escape Goggles.'Alright, calm down Combat. Let's have a look at you and see what's wrong.' Wheelie coaxed, leading the group over to his new workshop. 'So what happened Decal?''We stopped for a break to relax and stretch aching muscles before we got back on the road. When we went to leave, Combat just couldn't get going. She tried so hard Wheelie, gave it a couple of good attempts but it was just too much for her.''Hmm, that's a worry. Up on the bench here Falcon, we'll have a look and see what we can find out.' Wheelie nodded, considering Decal's words as they grabbed their toolkits. 'Go get settled in, I'll call you with any news.''Thanks Wheelie. I'll be back Combat, you be good for the mechanics.' Decal replied, giving her one last soothing pat before leaving the garage.#~#+^*^+#~#Just after lunch, another convoy rumbled into the compound and split, heading for the shared area to drop their cargos and help with the unpacking before finding their new homes and relaxing. Everyone gathered to assist with the unloading, passing crates, boxes and bundles of supplies around until everything was secured. Finding Ironhide in the group, Ratchet grabbed his hand and led him away, desperate to get his secret off his chest and just hoping Ironhide was in the mood to hear what he had to say. Leading him through the Autobot estate, Ratchet knew Ironhide was curious but he held back, not wanting to spoil the surprise.Entering their home, Ratchet guided his mate to the couch and sunk down beside him, settling into the always welcoming embrace of strong blue arms.'Somethin' wrong Ratch?' Ironhide rumbled, picking up on the twitches in the bond.'I've got something to tell you, something big.''I already know I was rebuilt using Decepticon parts, Topspin let it slip.''Not that, but I am surprised you're taking that news so well.''Doesn't matter, just glad to have this back. What's the secret, Ratch?''Remember when Slash went down to where your spark was resting and asked for something to ease my loneliness?''Course I remember, hated that I couldn't hold you as we slid into recharge.''I don't know what you compressed in that little gift but it certainly removed my loneliness.''Tried to encompass my feelings for ya and all I hoped for our future. Good to know it worked.''Maybe a little too well 'Hide. Your little gift was welcomed into my spark and then split off again. But your little spark gift dragged a section of my own with it.''Now you've confused me Ratch.''We sparked 'Hide. Your spark gift combined into my spark and split off, creating a new life. We're going to be parents soon 'Hide, our child is healthy and growing well.''I'm gonna be a father?''You already are 'Hide. Our little one is already here and growing well.''I…can I see?''Of course 'Hide, this gift is as much yours as mine.'Chest plates folding out of the way, Ratchet grabbed out his own sparklet kit and fished out his guide, handing it to Ironhide and trusting his mate to be gentle. Humbled by the trust displayed, Ironhide tried to remember the basic lessons Ratchet had given him so long again.'Our precious little one is in the left pocket.' Ratchet offered, leaning back a little more as Ironhide eased the tool in beside Ratchet's spark and pushed it gently out of the way.'There you are little one.' Ironhide uttered, optics locked on the tiny spark that represented their next generation.'How big is it now?''bout three inches. Sparklets are usually ready to be removed at five inches diameter, right?''Usually between five and six inches. Depends on how strong the little one is at the final check.''I've got a feeling this little one is going to be very strong.' Ironhide grinned, easing Ratchet's spark back into place and moving to sit beside him again.'Goes without saying 'Hide.' Ratchet agreed, taking back the tool and returning it to the solid case beside him. 'Now get over here, we have a lot to discuss if we're going to be ready for this.''Never expected to be a parent, I need a few minutes Ratch.''I know 'Hide, I know. Come sit beside me and we'll take it slow.''Can I at least wash the road grime off first?''Shower's down the back, you can't miss it. I'll be here waiting for you.''I just know we'll make great parents Ratch. I just wasn't expecting this news so suddenly.''I got a shock too 'Hide, don't worry. How about I scrub your back, make you feel better.''I'd like that Ratch. Been so long since we could just be ourselves and not worry about anythin' else.''Too long 'Hide, far too long.' Ratchet agreed, walking over to wrap both arms around Ironhide's frame. 'I love you.''Love you too Ratch. Shower?''Sounds good to me, come on.'#~#+^*^+#~#Hoisting Wheelie onto her shoulders and cradling Brains in her arms, Emily left her home and coded through the gate, a tender smile on her features as she entered the compound proper.'Is there any way we can access the gate alone? Just on the off chance we need to get through.''Of course Brains, all you have to do is code through. The lock is set with a wireless link, hit it with your ID code burst and it'll pop open. It's exactly the same way all the Autobots code in through their main gate. We mere mortals need ID passcodes and retinal scans to ensure security.' Emily explained, reaching up to brace Wheelie before he slipped off.'Seems simple enough.''Sometimes simple is best, Wheelie. The security system is simple so if we ever get new arrivals, it's only a matter of minutes to add another name to the roster. Falcon's the only one with the major codes to do those updates and he's got them locked away so it's almost impossible to force him to update the system to welcome in an unwanted figure.''Whoa, now that's taking security precautions. Even Optimus respects Falcon's abilities.''Only a fool disrespects Falcon. He's no pushover, he'll take the fight to anyone that dares cross the line. He's still the security chief, that's never going to change and I'll fight to ensure he stays in top spot. There's no one I'd trust more with the most vital codes of this base and that's saying something.'Wandering through the compound, Emily felt so content as she watched the Autobots and Martians finding their homes in the expansive lots. Crossing the main road linking the two lots at the front, she made her way past two empty buildings before hitting the doorbell on the third.'Yeah, c'mon in.' Wheeljack called, sounding about as relaxed and happy as a guy could get.'Well, someone's sounding cheer…oh, didn't realise you had company.' Emily grinned, pausing on the stairwell secured inside the building so the mice could still get to optic level without needing a lift. 'I can come back later if you'd prefer.''It's okay Emily, really. This is Perceptor, he joined up with Christine's convoy after arriving planetside. You don't need to worry about organising one of the empty homes for him either, he'll stay with me for quite a while.''Hi Perceptor. So what's the story Wheeljack or are you expecting me to guess?''H-hello.' Perceptor uttered, burrowing in close to Wheeljack timidly.'He's my son. My spark combined with that of his father created a new life. Unfortunately his father was lost and I was left to raise Perceptor alone. I had to leave him behind when things got really bad on Cybertron, I left him with a very trustworthy friend. Things didn't go so well for my friend and he had to send Perceptor away. Knowing there was only one place he'd be safe and happy again, he followed me across the universe. I never expected him to make that distance but I'm so very glad he's here where he belongs.' Wheeljack explained, lightly running one hand over Perceptor's back. 'It's all right little one, Emily's a friend. You don't have to be afraid, she only wants the best for you, for all of us.''No rush Wheeljack, I'll be around when Perceptor's ready to get to know me properly. Is there anything you need to make family life easier?' Emily offered, once again bracing Wheelie from falling off.'Well, an extra berth could be useful. Not sure he'll use it but having the options would be good.''Leave it with me, I'll get a couple of the guys to dig out a spare berth from storage and bring it through for you guys. Could take a little while, everyone's busy settling in and getting comfortable. I'll try and have it organised by dark.''Thanks Emily.''Anything for family Wheeljack, you know that.' Emily replied, heading back downstairs and pausing at the doorway. 'I'm hoping to have a dusk get together on the grass out back. A chance to make sure everyone's home and satisfied.''We'll be there Emily.'Pausing to check up on Optimus, Emily had to smile as she watched him catching a nap on the couch. Cleaned up and totally relaxed, he slumped in an almost organic way. One foot on the floor and the other resting on the arm of the couch, one arm along the back of the couch and the other just hanging limp, head down and intakes rattling quietly, he was out like a light and catching up on some much needed recharge.'Now that's what I was hoping to see more of. Total comfort and peace of mind. He's so deep in recharge, nothing's gonna wake him.' Emily grinned, leaving as quietly as she arrived so she didn't disturb Optimus.'He does look a lot more comfortable now that he's here.''That's exactly what I'm hoping to see in every case. Now that we're finally safe and away from Mearing's influence, I'm hoping everyone unwinds and relaxes completely. All this stress isn't good for anyone.''But what about your stress levels Emily?''Don't you worry about me Brains, I know how to relax. There will be times when I'm highly strung and stressing but those times never last long and usually end up in a big payday. Never takes me more than a couple days to unwind after one of those times.''Well, if you say so.''I appreciate the concern but you don't need to worry about me, I know what I'm getting into.'Leaving the Autobot accommodation area and striding across the grass, Emily deftly handed the pair off to Sidewinder and kicked off, hair flying around her face as she pulled off a series of flips and cartwheels across the soft grass. Approaching Topspin, she paused for a moment before springing high, boots tapping against his shoulder and sending her tumbling back in the other direction. The long grass was no problem for her, she was in her zone and free to fly as she knew best. Showing that she had no boundaries when it came to the stunts she'd pull, the battle hardened woman took flight with one great heave of her arms, tumbling once before landing with barely a sound on Hound's roof. Kicking off and soaring over backwards, she hit the ground and rolled, glancing back over her shoulder as if taunting someone to chase her. Taking up the challenge, Ripper shot to his feet and took off after her, diving over Roadbuster's hood and hitting the ground running. Relishing the challenge, Emily took off away from him, darting among the mice on the grass and using the Autobots to further the distance between her and her tail. Ripper wasn't an easy one to shake, he knew his core training well and practised Emily's lessons in his off time but there were some tricks Emily didn't teach him. Using Hound as a blocking object, she hit the ground and rolled, disappearing under Ratchet and popping up the other side to scramble into Ironhide's tray. Hugging the floor of the tray, she waited in silence as he rumbled away from the area, Ratchet falling into place behind them. Risking a glimpse over the edge, Emily made her move again with total confidence. Backing right up in the limited space she had available, she took off, toes digging in as she kicked off his tailgate and soared.Hanging in the air for what seemed like hours, Emily came down again and impacted against Ratchet's hood. Winking at him, she planted her hands above her windshield and vaulted up, landing her weight on the rails near his emergency lights. Throwing her weight forward again, she grabbed the upper railing and kicked off, balling up and rolling along the roof rack. Hands reaching again, she slapped against his spare tyre and dropped flat, disappearing into the rack and trying to relax."What are you doing up there Emily?"'It's a game I taught the Martians, we call it Catch the Spy. I'm the spy, Ripper's trying to catch me by using all the tricks he knows.'"You're going to want to get lost soon. Ironhide and I have some intimate catching up to do, if you catch my drift."'Exactly my intention. I just need the right way back out. And there it is.' Emily nodded, surprising everyone with her next daring move.Shooting sideways off Ratchet's back, Emily snatched a drainpipe and started up, the deadly fall below her of no concern as she climbed onto the roof and scrambled onto the peak. Sitting up there, she could see everything that was going on but her eyes fell on Ripper, still down on ground level and trying to work out how to catch her. Here was her new advantage, she could see him from her current perch and he could see her but once she left the peak, he'd be blind to her movements until she emerged from behind the Autobot homes. Dropping a salute, she slid off the peak and down to the rear drainpipe, climbing down quietly and taking off into the Martian housing estate.Pounding the pavement and racing back towards the shared space, she moved quickly across the open spaces and hugged the buildings, slowing her breathing through force of will and maintaining her calm. Picking her moment, she broke cover and sprinted, Ripper whirling around and moving to intercept her the moment she broke cover. Scrambling behind Topspin, Emily listened intently for the progress of her tail before taking off again, bounding over Mirage and Hound again. Flipping off again, the chase came to a shocking end. Flying around Hound's front end, Ripper caught her mid-flip, driving the older woman into the ground.'Not bad Ripper, not bad at all. I knew you'd eventually make a catch, looks like 7 is your lucky number.' Emily grinned, brushing her hair out of her eyes.'Thanks Emily. I have to say, the trick in the Autobot estate was clever, I had no idea which way you were going to go. You made the mistake of not checking my location before breaking final cover. I was right there at that corner where you last saw me standing. You ran right into my sightline.''I knew I should have gone back around the long side. Well played Ripper, I'm proud of you.''It was fun Emily, I was wondering if we'd ever play again.''We'll play with a new dimension now Ripper, the exterior dimension.' Emily nodded, breaking his hold and rolling to her feet before wandering over to sit beside Sidewinder.#~#+^*^+#~#The last of the supplies put away and everyone's personal effects unpacked in their homes, the full team gathered to watch the sunset over their brand new compound. Stretching out and getting comfortable on the grass, the team relaxed and listened to the quiet music over the camp, soft smiles and contented remarks shared among all.'My bros. My charges. My best responsibilities. Tonight we celebrate a major accomplishment in our shared lives. At last we are free of the constrictions of a secret life. Here we are free just to be ourselves, unrestrained by military protocol, narrow-minded people or underground living. Within these walls, we are secure against the military, they cannot get close without risking serious injuries or death. Thanks to our combined technologies and abilities, N.E.S.T has no idea where we are. Join me now in revealing our location to their satellites high overhead.' Emily called, holding up the small device that had kept her Topkick from satellite surveillance. Holding up their own units, the massed team deactivated the signals as one and tossed the units into waiting crates until the next time they were needed for whatever reason. 'It brings me great pleasure to welcome two more into our ranks. Their arrival was unexpected but they are just as welcome as those who have bled for this planet. Perceptor, son of Wheeljack and Hot Rod, bond-mate of Kup. We welcome you.' Emily continued, drawing attention to the new pair in the compound. Letting out a soft yip of fright, Perceptor shot behind Wheeljack and peeked out timidly, a tightly wound bundle of nerves. Hot Rod on the other hand just lazily lifted one hand and waved, far too content in Kup's arms to care about anything else.'Hey Emily, come and join us. We're talking about the convoys we ran.' Blade called, waving her over to their little group.Grabbing another beer and walking over to settle beside Bumblebee, Emily stretched out and got comfortable, smile widening as Wheelie and Brains scrambled into her lap.'I'll bet you didn't have some old farmer taking pot-shots at you. We thought it was public land, turned out we camped in his field. He didn't appreciate that, peppered Kup's tailgate with birdshot.' Revs sighed, glancing over at Kup and Hot Rod again. 'Hey Kup, how's the tailgate?''Nothing serious. Just needs a repaint.' Kup replied, totally content to hold his mate and relax.'Heh, at least you didn't almost get flattened by a runaway protoform. Hot Rod couldn't land somewhere safe, he hit the bloody field right where we were camped. Not the best way to wake up.' Slash growled, shooting a dark glare at the brightly coloured Autobot.'I said I was sorry. Nav was fried, combination of Decepticon damage and a less than optimal entry path.' Hot Rod offered, lifting his helm from Kup's shoulder again.'Feh, you guys had it easy. I had to do some very quick talking to get out of a couple minor traffic accidents. Someone couldn't keep his trailers in line. Five fender benders, no serious injuries thankfully but a lot of very frightened people.' Emily countered, her use of the plural telling her bros just who had been causing trouble for her.'I did mention that there was something wrong with the rear trailer.' Optimus sighed, stretching out on the grass and watching the five convoy leaders as they chatted.'And even after we switched the trailers, you still managed to hit an SUV and a Porsche.' Emily sniggered, lifting her beer in a toast to his driving abilities. Optimus didn't take any offence, it was all in good taste.'Things are tough all over Emily. I'm just glad we had a reasonably fast convoy, had to outrun highway patrol. Roadbuster drew more attention than anticipated.' Christine shrugged, sipping her beer and curling in against Braid a little more.'Now that sounds familiar. Keeping Leadfoot out of trouble was quite the test. Not for the fact he was looking for trouble, trouble seemed to just find him. NASCAR cars are a rare sight on American roads, NASCAR cars with serious weaponry even more so.' Slash agreed, welcoming Bonfire into his arms.'Definitely familiar. Topspin wasn't as much of a hassle, he tended to stream behind Ironhide and try to at least avoid notice. Bumblebee was all too happy to be noticed, he drew a lot of attention away from the others.' Blade nodded, looking up at the bright yellow mech forming their windbreak.'Just doing my job.' Bee replied, thoughts drifting to another matter he'd been thinking about for a while. 'Emily, will I ever get a chance to see Sam again?''Of course you will Bee. Once everyone's settled in and things are as close to normal as they'll ever get, I'll personally go see Sam and Carly and let them know what's going on. I'll even provide Sam with the location of this compound and a temporary pass code for his first visit. Once he gets here, he'll get a restricted access pass so he'll be able to come and visit whenever he can.' Emily replied, turning her gaze to Falcon's mighty frame.'Restricted pass?''There are certain places that I don't want Sam or Carly going. This is our shared home Bee, we have to keep some secrets.''Of course Emily.''They'll be free to explore most of the compound but several doors would be locked to them.''Makes sense.''Hey Em, still planning on going back to work now that things are settled again?' Killer called, cuddled up again Magura.'Yeah, that's the plan Killer. Not sure how I'll go with all the new stresses to balance but I seriously doubt N.E.S.T and Mearing are going to be much of a problem. I'm in no real hurry though, we've got plenty of funding before I really have to go back to work.'Getting to his feet, Ratchet chirred at Ironhide until he reluctantly stood and wrapped his mate up in a loving embrace from behind.'Before you all get too relaxed and sleepy, we've got an announcement to make.' Ironhide called, drawing attention from all sides and supporting Ratchet against his chest.'Whenever you two say something like that, we're in for trouble.' Optimus teased, propping up on his elbows and crossing his ankles.'Alright, alright, everyone hush up and let them speak. This is obviously important.' Blade snapped, looking around at his bros and waiting for them to go quiet.'Thank you Blade. As you may or may not know, Ironhide and I are bonded, our equivalent of marriage. With bonding comes many dangers and consequences but also great joys. Tonight we have a great joy to share with our extended family. We would like to announce the sparking of our child, due sometime in the next year.' Ratchet announced, so grateful for Ironhide's calm support at his back through a rough time with the sparklet.'It's been so long since a sparkling came into being. This is wonderful news indeed.' Optimus nodded, stunned by the news but glad to know their race still had a chance.'Oh Primus, a child of Ironhide and Ratchet…now that's a scary thought.' Sideswipe remarked, glancing at his twin for a moment.'I'll give you scary thought.' Ratchet growled, wrench appearing in hand.'Whoa, easy now Ratch. Don't go gettin' all wound up, think of the sparklet. We don't want our little one pickin' up our worst habits. C'mon now, just calm down. I'll handle it.' Ironhide soothed, deftly removing the wrench from Ratchet's hand and launching at Sideswipe, wrench swiping across his armour to leave a very big scratch across his paint. 'Anyone else wanna try anything with me while my creator instincts are firing?''Oh slag, this isn't going to end well. Ironhide and Ratchet with their creator programming in full swing…eep.' Sunstreaker yelped, scrambling up and back peddling away from Ironhide.''Hide…' Ratchet uttered, one hand pressed to his helm. Glaring at the twins for a moment longer, Ironhide hustled back to Ratchet's side and held him close, the unshakeable foundation for his family.'I gotcha Ratch, it's okay. I'm here and I'll never leave you, either of you.' Ironhide soothed, a different side coming out as he soothed and calmed his mate.'Don't ever let go 'Hide, can't do this alone.''Never Ratch, nothin' could tear me away again. You don't have to face anything alone, I'll be right here with ya through it all. Now come on, it's been a very long couple of days and you need to rest.' Ironhide coaxed, shifting his grip and gently guiding Ratchet away. 'Night guys, keep it down to a dull roar out here.''Got it covered Ironhide. Recharge well, both of you and congratulations.' Optimus replied, sitting up and watching the pair walk back towards their home.'Yeah, I think we're going to turn in too. Perceptor's had a very big day.' Wheeljack added, easing to his feet and crouching beside his recharging son. 'Shhh, mumma's got you Perceptor.' he soothed, cradling the young mech to his chest as he walked away.'You three, off you go. I'll be in soon for evening inspection.' Kup directed, turning his gaze to the other Wreckers relaxing on the grass. 'Don't argue, just go get cleaned up and ready.''Yes Kup.' Roadbuster replied, getting up and hauling his companions up before they filed away.'Lighten up Kup, the world isn't going to fall apart if you don't relax and let those three enjoy.' Optimus sighed, attention turning to the ancient warrior.'You're too young to remember the truth Optimus. Suffice to say, there is more to this than just an officer and his team. I can only assume you still have a copy of my military files. Go right back to when I was no older than Prowl, there you will find your answers.' Kup replied, getting up and walking away.'Don't look at me, I have no idea what's going on.' Hot Rod shrugged, scrambling up and catching up with Kup.'Tomorrow is soon enough for that, right now I'm too comfortable to get up just yet.' Optimus sighed, stretching back out and looking up at the stars.Looking down at Brains and Wheelie, Emily had to smile as she watched them recharge, curled up together on her lap. Handing her empty bottle to Braid to flick into the nearest bin, she carefully untangled the pair and lifted them to her chest, humming softly to soothe them as the started stirring from their recharge. Boosting Wheelie up first and draping him against her chest, she held him with her left arm before very tenderly lifting Brains up using just her right hand until he was resting against her chest, still deep in recharge. Gaining her feet without disturbing the pair was a little more of a challenge but she managed and stepped past the mice still reclining on the grass, a new lightness in her step as she turned back to the group.'Don't be up too late guys. I know you're wired but let's try and get back onto a proper diurnal cycle. The occasional all nighter is fine but snip this habit before it gets out of control.' she warned, glancing back at her friends before walking away. 'Sleep well, all my dearest friends.''Goodnight Emily.' Optimus replied, still amazed by how right this situation felt. A proper home, friends and family, a mother guardian to care for and watch over them all, it really was such a warming lifestyle to enjoy.#~#+^*^+#~#As the rest of the team slowly headed for bed, it was soon just the two leaders left, gazing up at the stars in silence. Getting to his feet, Blade sighed and walked over to where Optimus was stretched out, lost in his own little world. Finding a sheltered place against Optimus' side, Blade settled and leant back against him, attention turned inside.'Mars is bright tonight.' Optimus remarked, shifting a little on the grass.'You've got a real thing for dead and dying planets, don't you?' Blade scoffed, looking at the beer in his hand before draining it and tossing it towards the nearest bin.'Excuse me?''Mars is a dying world, nothing can be done to save it anymore. The rest of the unit looks up at the ball of rusty ground and feels a surge of something, but I know better. There's no point staring at that barren place, we aren't wanted there and even if we could go back, there's nothing worth fighting for.' Blade shrugged, feeling pleasantly buzzed as he sat there.'Is there nothing good to be said for Mars?''Not as far as I'm concerned. Got no family left there, only one left is my younger brother and he's part of this unit. Parents were killed in the Third Mars War, left us orphans when we were just kids. I was eight and Slash just seven. Lost our last family members in the Forth Mars War, an Uncle we'd only seen once in our short lives. We lived in one of the military run orphanages until we were old enough to fight and then it was death and destruction every day. I was just fifteen when I started killing for a living, Slash joined the ranks a year later when he turned fifteen. Our surrogate father figure, General Stoker of the Martian Freedom Fighters, betrayed us and so many others when he signed the documents that would banish SAU 14 from Mars for eternity. There was no remorse, no chance to plead our case, it was done at an emergency meeting in the middle of the night. First thing we knew about any of it was when the base guards descended on our barracks and gave us the order to pack all our belongings and report to the hanger for reassignment. Everyone was worried about what was going on, we weren't given a lot of time to pack our gear and say goodbyes to anyone we knew. As CO, it was my job to calm their worries but how was I supposed to do that when I was scared out of my mind? The ship we were given was in bad shape, the hull was space worthy but we had no idea if we'd survive any long journeys in it, we had no choice though. We had our orders and we'd follow them to the letter like the good soldiers we were. Brimstone's Grace didn't survive re-entry intact, she broke in half on the way into Earth's atmosphere. We had no warning about it, the ship just cracked and plummeted through the sky. We were lucky in a way, the two halves stayed together and crashed as one, rather than separating into even more pieces. We owe our lives to Emily, she stormed the burning ship and rescued us all, dedicating everything she had to our survival.' Blade sighed, the memories coming back to him with a fluidity he hadn't expected.Listening to the rant, Optimus saw many of his own concerns and fears in Blade's words. Activating his hologram, Optimus settled down beside Blade, shuffling around for a moment until he got settled and found a comfortable spot for his tail. Head resting on his folded arms atop his knees, Blade looked at the mouse beside him curiously. It wasn't that this hologram was difficult to identify, far from it in fact but the simple fact Optimus had bothered with creating a Martian hologram. Pale grey fur rippled over his lithe frame, nowhere near as powerful looking as Blade's own heavyset body but still strong enough. Darker grey hair cascaded over sloping shoulders, the simulated locks reacting to the gentle breeze that reached them. Instead of the simple clothes so common among the mice, Optimus had added his own style to the outfit. Blue jeans encased strong legs, red flames licked up from his boots to just below his knees. A red vest hung over Optimus' chest, worn open like everyone else and highlighted by the blue flames reaching over the shoulders and rising up from the bottom hem. Matching wristbands adorned both arms, blue and red flames mingling together to create a very nice result. Scuffed brown boots and a well worn broth leather belt completed the outfit, breaking up the red and blue just enough for it to not be overwhelming. Lifting his gaze again, Blade let it linger on the calm face of his friend, taking in the earrings and letting his anger and frustrations cool. Three golden hoops dangled from Optimus' left ear, clinking softly with every twitch of his head. Two matching studs adorned the right ear, sitting high and proud in the top corner of his ear.Accepting the scrutiny and hoping he hadn't caused some offence, Optimus was quite surprised when Blade chuckled and shook his head in wonder and amusement.'Unless you want a reputation as a guy who'll have his way with anything that walks past, you'd better move those studs of yours. Two big studs like that up there is a subtle sign that you're a player.''A play…oh, well that's not what I was going for. Would it be more appropriate to move them to the lower edge of my ear?''Yeah, lower edge is good. That marks you as a soldier that has sacrificed much for the cause.''Is there anything else that should be changed while I'm making alterations?''Feel free to create a medallion like ours, no one will argue with that one. You're honour members of the team, it's your right.''I will do that Blade. One moment.' Optimus nodded, hologram disappearing again.'Thanks for the distraction Optimus, was getting into some thoughts I didn't want to go searching through again.' Blade grinned, uncurling his mighty frame and pushing to his feet.'It is lonely at the top, I understand Blade.' Optimus rumbled, lifting his head before settling back and putting out his hologram again.'It is a burden that few can truly comprehend.' Blade nodded, admiring the few minor changes Optimus had made. The two studs had moved down to the lower curve, a distinguished career marked in shining gold. Hanging around his neck on a solid chain was a rounded diamond, the sides curving in just a little to draw focus to the OP in the metal.'Is this more appropriate Blade?''Bro, you have got to unwind and chill out. You'll pass muster looking like that, if anyone else is ever lucky enough to see this hologram.' Blade chuckled, wandering over to grab another beer before settling beneath a tree.Trying something he'd seen the mice doing earlier, Optimus let his body relax and he hit the ground, sprawled out comfortably on the ground. It took only moments to find a comfortable position, unlike the discomfort and trouble finding support in his true form.'You're getting a hang of this organic life now, ain't you?' Blade smirked, ripping the top off his bottle and taking a swig.'Usually getting comfortable is much more difficult. This is actually quite pleasant.''Just how close is your hologram to the real thing? Obviously there are some things you can't replicate but just how close to a true Martian can you get?''Without proper understanding of the Martian race, I cannot be certain of all the accuracies. Why do you ask?''Just curious.' Blade shrugged, lobbing his latest empty into a bin and stretching out beside Optimus. 'I picked up on some curiosity regarding the Martian race.''Despite having lived together for almost a year, I feel as though I hardly know your people.''Goes both ways Optimus. Can't say I know a lot about your people. The Mechanic team probably knows a fair bit by now but they've got practical repair knowledge, not actual understanding of the culture.' Blade shrugged, shuffling a little closer and knocking shoulders with Optimus. 'Hmmm, feels pretty real to me, this might work.''What might work…ack!' letting out a highly undignified squawk as Blade tackled him, Optimus had no idea what was going on as the bigger mouse sent them both tumbling across the grass.'You wanna learn about Martian behaviour, this is the first lesson. Bros within a unit will often start wrestling matches like this. It's good for the cohesion of the team and boosts morale if the command structure is beaten.' Blade explained, stopping the tumble and looking down at Optimus, pinned beneath his weight.'There is a lot I have to learn about your culture, clearly.' Optimus nodded, muscles coiling before he threw Blade off and scrambled after him.'We're just getting warmed up Optimus.' Blade smirked, getting his legs back around the hologram and flipping them over once more.Tumbling back and forth across the grass, the two leaders played like youngsters, laughing and screaming in delight as they tumbled and tussled, enjoying their chance to behave so out of character. Shedding their leadership burdens and tossing them aside, they enjoyed releasing their more youthful side, pushing away all other concerns and worries in their pursuit of a great time. Reversing their positions again, Optimus pinned Blade's wrists to the grass, not afraid to use his strength against the taller mouse he was now straddling. Shaking his hair out of his eyes, Optimus couldn't care less that he was dishevelled and looking the worse for wear, he'd had a great time and rediscovered a youthful side he'd almost forgotten he had. Blowing his braids out of his face, Blade looked up at Optimus and tested the grip he had on strong wrists, not looking to break free, just testing. He had no shame in being bested by his fellow leader, there really was no winning or losing while playing like this, it was all fun and games.Climbing off the bigger mouse, Optimus flopped down on the grass and ran one hand through his hair, unconcerned as he caught his antennae between his fingers and pulled on them a little.'And you've just blown the fact you're not a true Martian mouse. These little things are sensitive, you don't just run your hand over them without care.' Blade corrected, sitting up and carefully neatening up his hair around his antennae before combing the long locks out with his hand.'I had no idea. I understand the purpose of my own antenna but why do your people have them?''Depends on the person really. The minor telepathy comes out in everyone and the mind-walking abilities are universal but apart from that, it varies greatly. I've got the gift of subconscious thought. Without touching my target, I can focus and drop suggestions into their mind. Don't even need to make eye contact, I've gotten that good at dropping suggestions into place. Falcon's got the talent for real telepathy, not just the minor inter-team stuff we can all do. Even at distance, he can read the thoughts of someone he doesn't trust. He'd never do it with one of his team-mates, but anyone else he can read is fair game. Fog takes mental suggestion one step further, he doesn't just leave thoughts, he can actually make people see what isn't there or miss what's right in front of them. Hammer's such a good spy because his act more like sensors, giving him all kinds of information about the environment he's working in at any given time.' Blade explained, gaze un-focusing for a few moments before he blinked and turned his attention back to Optimus. 'Sorry about that, Braidy was having a nightmare. I just eased him back into more peaceful dreams.''Just like that? He doesn't mind you entering his dreams like that?''It's that simple. Braidy actually finds great comfort in knowing I'm watching over his dreams. As the Commanding Officer of SAU 14, it's my duty to ensure everyone is safe and happy at all times. It's not always easy but I wouldn't change it for the world.''Leadership is a balancing act; the burdens of keeping everyone safe weighted against getting the job done. Sometimes it's all too much to bear.' Optimus agreed, flopping out on his back again. 'Tonight has been good Blade, thank you.''Whenever the leadership burden gets too much, I'll be around Optimus. Whatever you need, I'll be here to help. Even the best leaders and warriors need a chance to put aside their burden for a while.' Blade nodded, gaining his feet and stretching. 'Goodnight Optimus, I'll see you tomorrow.''Sleep well Blade.' Optimus grinned, hologram vanishing before the mighty leader stood and headed for home.#~#+^*^+#~#Standing watch from the rear balcony of her home, Emily smiled as the last lights in the camp finally flickered out and silence settled over the compound. Smiling softly as she finished her cigarette, she headed inside and closed the doors quietly, the heavy curtains sliding silently into place as she headed for bed. Hanging her dressing gown on the corner of her bed, she crawled in and settled, dark hair spilling over crisp white pillows. Rolling onto her side, she was drawn to the picture of youthful innocence by the wall, Wheelie and Brains sleeping soundly in their bunks as the moonlight caressed their armour.'Goodnight my cherished responsibilities and sleep well. The Black Hunter has the watch tonight.' she whispered, burrowing under the covers and drifting off to sleep under the ever watchful gaze of their security system.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Another perfect day in the compound was abruptly cut short by the wailing alarms, bringing everyone running to the grassed area for instructions. Strapping on body armour and holstering weapons as fast as Wheelie and Brains could hand the kit to her, Emily hoisted the pair and sprinted through the house, Wheelie coding ahead so she could head straight through the heavy gate.'Fog, sitrep!'"Camera orbs are displaying a concerning image Emily. N.E.S.T has this compound surrounded, they're holding just outside weapons range. Mearing is here too, left side of the compound with Lennox and Witwicky. Oh, and Carly Spencer, I think it was."'Fuck, just the news I didn't want to hear. Mearing ain't gonna just walk away. Lennox and Witwicky we can deal with, they won't do anything to risk their friends. Mearing is the problem; she's one big pit bull that isn't going to let the Autobots go.'"What's the plan Emily?" Falcon asked, itching to jump into the defence of their home.'I want all the Autobots to stay the hell below the wall line. We'll play this very carefully. Jazz, Ironhide and Bumblebee, I'm going to need you three popping up on command. Get over nearer to the wall but watch out for the wall, one bump could take out a section of the defences.'"We're moving Emily. Ironhide, get down.""Easy for you Jazz, this frame don't get any smaller."'Crawl it you have to Ironhide, just stay out of sight. They can't be certain where we are inside the compound.'"Got it Emily.""What about the rest of us Emily?" Ratchet asked, obviously worried for his mate but trying to hide it.'Stay down, stay sharp and be ready. This could go to hell in moments and I'll need your defensive cover to get back behind the wall before I get my ass shot off. Bros, cast your bikes out on the defence, internal support with external options as instructed. Then get down to the hangers, we might need the air cover in a hurry. Sniper team, I want you to stay up top, take up defensive positions aiming out towards Mearing's position, fire on my order.'"Already on it Emily." Blade responded, switching to a sub-channel and barking orders to his unit."Copy that Emily." Crimson confirmed, getting his section of five on the move."You not seriously going out there alone, are you Ma'am?"'Yes I am Leadfoot. Just stay put and relax, I'll handle this. Besides, I won't be alone; I'll have Harley with me for close protection.' Emily chuckled, adjusting her headset and whistling sharply. Depositing her smaller charges safely beside Wheeljack and Perceptor, Emily swung into Harley's saddle, donned her helmet and scanned the team again. Everyone was nervous but they were trying to hide it, trying so hard to be strong for Emily as she faced off against a fairly intimidating opposing force. Signalling Harley with a squeeze, she shot out the side gate, Harley's code burst popping the side gate open for them.Cruising out to where Mearing was waiting, Emily knew she was at a disadvantage but that wasn't going to stop her from making the blonde really regret coming anywhere near them. Swinging wide and kicking up the dirt, Harley growled in warning as he pulled up in front of the main group, Emily sitting up and yanking off her helmet but she didn't dismount.'Our agreement was that you would stay in Chicago. This is not Chicago.''No, the original agreement, and I quote, we will stay in Chicago until Jazz and Ironhide are restored and returned to our ranks. There was nothing said about what would be done after that.''Seeing as you are here, I can only assume that this restoration work was completed.''Well yeah, we're back to full strength. Jazz!' Emily nodded, her call picked up and carried through the comms to where Jazz was crouching, waiting his turn.'S'up Emily? You howled for da Jazz-man?' he replied, rising smoothly and peering over the wall'Wow, he looks pretty good for a guy that's been dead for six years.' Lennox remarked, binoculars trained on Jazz's face.'Ratchet did a good job on him. But I still reckon our greatest achievement was rebuilding Ironhide. We didn't have a lot to work with but he's back.' Emily smirked, turning back to the compound. 'Ironhide!''What am I blowin' up this time Em?' Ironhide asked, rising from his hiding spot and deploying his cannons.'No way. You actually did rebuild Ironhide from nothing but a download of his memories and his isolated spark.' Lennox breathed, staring in wonder at his old friend.'Between Ratchet, Que and the mechanical team loyal to me, it didn't take as long as anyone expected to have Ironhide ready for restoration. He's still not thrilled about how we did it but he's glad to have another chance.''And just how did you do it?''That's none of your business now is it Charlotte? Our methods are our own.' Emily snorted, gaze turning back to the CIA woman.'What about Bee? Is he okay Emily?' Sam asked, Carly tucking in against his side.'Bee's just fine Sam, he's settled in well and Ratchet's working on fixing his vocaliser properly. It's just a matter of finding or creating the right parts. Just call him, he's been worried about you.''Thanks Emily.' Sam nodded, admiring the compound for a moment. 'Bumblebee!' he called, anxious to see the vibrant scout. Uncurling from his hiding place, Bumblebee straightened and waved at Sam, their friendship unbreakable.Turning her focus back to Mearing, Emily went over her plan one more time, hoping against all odds that she could actually pull off what she was aiming for.'You will return the Autobots to N.E.S.T custody immediately.''No, I won't Charlotte. You do not have the authority to give me orders like a common soldier. If you want the Autobots back, you have two choices. You either try and take this place by force and face the full strength of our defences or you get the President on the vid-link so we can talk this out face to face.''The President has no time to discuss this with you. I am the Liaison, it's my say on what happens with the Autobots.''Frankly Charlotte, we can stand here arguing for hours on end but it's not going to solve anything. You take one step closer to this compound and you will come under attack. You might think you're out of range, but you're not. I could have you killed right here but I won't, I want to see a peaceful resolution to this situation.''Hand the Autobots over and those other creatures that were in Chicago and we'll leave you in peace.''Not happening bitch. The Autobots and the Martians are under my protection now. You want them, come and get them. Or save us all the trouble and get in touch with the President.' Emily spat, a stray round from one of her snipers shattering the windscreen in the Hummer Mearing was standing beside. 'Like I said, you're not out of range yet bitch. When you're ready, the President can reach me on this vid-link connection.' she continued, handing over a sheet of paper with the connection details written out.Shifting her seat a little, Emily turned her gaze back to Sam and Carly, not really surprised that they were both watching Bumblebee as he stood his ground behind the wall. As much as she knew it wasn't the right time, she'd promised Bee a chance to see Sam again.'This might take a while, you're both welcome to come inside and see how Bee's getting on. I'm sure he'd love to show you his new home, he's so proud of what he's got now.' she offered, ignoring the splutter from Mearing as another windscreen was shattered.'You really mean that Emily?''Of course Sam. It's a security risk to let you in without proper clearance but it's a risk I can live with. I'll get Falcon to organise clearance for you once we're inside.''But we won't all fit on your bike Emily.''We don't have to Carly. Once I'm clear, Harley will take you both back to safety. Trust in him, he knows what he's doing. He's not quite as smart as an Autobot but he's not going to let you get hurt.' Emily grinned, climbing up onto the saddle and triggering something on her back. 'You know what to do Harley.' she nodded, one hand on the ring pull attached to her vest.Rumbling an answer, Harley bucked hard, sending Emily soaring into the air. Yanking the ring in her hand, she activated the wings on her back and streamlined her body, using subtle shifts of her weight to steer the aluminium and canvas wings on the thermals. Trilling softly, Harley moved in front of Sam and Carly, holding still as they mounted up before he raced back towards the compound.Rolling again and folding in her wings, Emily touched down safely inside the high walls and folded the wings away into a neat little bundle on her back. Gate sliding aside to grant them entrance, Harley raced inside and skidded to a stop beside Bee, allowing his passengers to dismount.'Hey buddy, I missed you.' Sam grinned, taking Carly by the hand and climbing onto Bee's offered hand.'A promise is a promise Bee. I'll have Falcon bring up the security scanner so he can give these two their permanent access passes.' Emily nodded, touched by the gentle look Bumblebee gave her.'Anything I can't show them?' he asked, his voice still scratchy but it was improving.'Just take them back to your place for the time being Bee. Once Falcon's done the security stuff, you'll be able to show them around a bit more but remember what we discussed.''I will Emily.' Bee nodded, setting the pair safely down and transforming before racing away, eager to show off his home.'Crazy kids.' Emily chuckled, triggering her secure radio. 'Falcon, I need you to head over to Bee's place. Sam and Carly are with him and need their restricted access passes. Blade, I'll need you up here too.'"On my way up Emily.""Heading your way Emily."#~#+^*^+#~#It was just after lunch when Mearing finally capitulated to Emily's demands, tired of being a target for the snipers somewhere inside the compound. Contacting the President, she arranged the vid-link and tried to get closer to inform Emily but a stray round right between her feet stopped her cold. Hoping he was right, Lennox put his weapon aside and moved forward, hands raised as he eased closer to the compound walls. He knew he looked a fool but he had to believe that Ironhide wouldn't let him get hurt by one of the snipers out there.'Lennox, freeze!' Ironhide called, holding out one hand to the soldier. 'The defences are targeted on you. One more step and you will be harmed fatally.''Tell Emily the President is on the line!' Will shouted back, wisely withdrawing from the danger zone.'Just stay back, I will tell her.' Ironhide nodded, turning away from the wall. 'Emily, the President is on the line.''Thanks Ironhide.'Climbing up to perch on Optimus' chest, she removed her laptop from another of her pouches and got comfortable, Optimus wrapping one hand around her back for support and privacy. Coming in from the other side, Blade climbed up and settled beside Emily, just out of sight but in place to join the conversation when needed. Opening the link, she settled back and waited, gazing at the Presidential Seal on the screen before it faded out to reveal the President.'Good afternoon Mr President.' Emily greeted, adjusting the angle of the screen a little."Good afternoon Sergeant Hunter."'Haven't been called that in a long time Sir. Not since Captain Schofield and I parted ways like we did.'"You were part of his team?"'Yes Sir, I was. I was there in Antarctica and Area 7.'"But you no longer serve with the Marines."'No Sir, I found my calling elsewhere.'"I am well aware of that. I should not be having this conversation with you but I am trying to find a diplomatic solution to this situation. The Autobots fall under N.E.S.T jurisdiction."'Mr President, I am not trying to take the Autobots from their duties, all I am offering is a place they can call home. I am not interested in turning the Autobots to my line of work, they are too honourable and noble for such behaviour. I only wish for them to have a place where they can be who they really are inside. Surely they've earned that right.'"I do not understand."'Just like everyone else, they have hobbies and pastimes that they enjoy. For example, Sunstreaker is a painter, he was well known back before the war ravaged their planet. He was considered as highly as we consider the greats such as Van Gogh, Monet and Picasso. Reproductions were worth small fortunes and to have an original was a mark of ultimate wealth. They all have their talents, their hobbies and they have longed to enjoy them again when they had time. Now they have time and privacy, a cultural explosion is happening. Last night I heard Jazz creating a symphony to honour his friends and it is more beautiful than anything ever heard on this planet before. Sunstreaker has dug out his art supplies and has a place set up to paint, he'll start as soon as the danger has passed again. They are not uncultured, despite what others might think.'"I find that hard to believe."'I am sending you a copy of a short musical piece Jazz created this morning. Listen well Mr President, the beauty is indescribable.' Emily nodded, attaching a USB drive and copying the file across. Sending it along the connection, she leant back against Optimus' hand and waited for the magic. 'Jazz!''Yeah Emily?''Play us that piece you wrote this morning, please. Make sure it's loud enough for the N.E.S.T soldiers to hear it.''I'll have to stand up to send it out that far.''All right, just be careful.'Finding a suitable spot to play from, Jazz straightened and accessed the music system in the compound to help push the music out before opening the file he'd created earlier and letting it play. The rich notes blended and weaved together, an entire symphony at his control as he created something magical. There were no words to describe the music he created, it was powerful and yet peaceful, an unrestrained storm, a goodbye to the past and a look into the future all at once. Rising and falling, dancing and shifting to a rhythm as old as time itself, the song soared and crashed, pulling everyone into his world and showing them what he was all about. No one dared to break the magic of the music, everyone was still and silent, pulled together by the alien song reaching out to everyone. Woven together with a master's hands, the great testament to Jazz's abilities soared skyward again, a thousand notes pulled together in harmony as only he could.Watching the President's face as he listened, Emily knew she'd caught his attention and wonder with Jazz's amazing talent for music. Nothing could compare, he'd outclassed every great classical musician and no symphony orchestra could hope to compete with the perfection of tone and pitch that Jazz could use.'Now you understand, don't you Sir?' Emily asked once the music had faded away into silence."I do, thank you for opening my eyes. But this hardly explains why you still wish to maintain control of the Autobots."'I do not control them, Sir. They are free to do what they choose with their time. If they wanna chill out and watch TV, fine. Take a nap, that's cool. Go tearing up the ground outside the compound but still on my property, go right ahead. Laze under the trees and watch the clouds, by all means. I'm not restricting them at all, they can come and go as they please and make their spaces their own however they see fit. Just this morning Bumblebee asked if we could repaint his home instead of having it the same shining silver as all the others. We'll organise the supplies and start next week hopefully.'"You're not trying to control them, so why do you want the responsibilities of keeping the Autobots? It's quite expensive, judging by the reports that come across my desk."'It's easier to support Autobots if the base they are living on is properly set up for their requirements. We discussed the situation at length and established what would be needed to make their lives as easy as possible out here. This compound was built to those specs, everything organised and constructed to be easy for the Autobots to use and suitable for their long term comfort. Plenty of head space inside, easy corners on the road network, space to do their own things, enough distance between neighbours that they can stand tall without worrying about being seen and anything else they want or need to be happy.'"If I do make the choice to allow the Autobots to stay with you, what happens to our agreement? That they will help us as required in various military activities."'The agreement stands, they'll assist as requested so long as they are not asked to go against their beliefs. Attacking human facilities does not sit well with them, the Middle East incident is still a sore point with Optimus.'"I understand. You have given me much to consider Emily but there is another topic to discuss."'The Martians, I know. Their story isn't that different from the Autobots, they didn't travel as far but they can't go home either. I welcomed them into my life and home nearly ten years ago and have kept them safe and out of trouble ever since. There is nothing anyone can do that would make me hand them over to the likes of N.E.S.T or anyone else. I will fight to protect them, I will kill whoever I have to, to ensure they stay where they are, safe under my watch. They are a military unit in their own right, following the leadership of their Commanding Officer, Blade.'Snuffling closer to Emily, Blade accepted the laptop and looked at the President, drawing strength from his friends as he faced his fears about their discovery on Earth.'Good afternoon Mr President. I am Brigadier-General Blade of Stand Alone Unit 14.' Blade offered, trying to recall the approximate equivalent to his own Martian rank."Did I hear that correctly, Brigadier-General?"'Yes Mr President, you heard correctly. That is the closest human equivalent to my Martian rank.'"Just how many of your kind are on this planet?"'To my knowledge, 58 Martians are on Earth. There could be more, but I have not heard of any other units arriving. It would be worth my life to reveal more than that, Sir, The Martian War Council would not approve my actions.'"I find it very hard to believe that your planet is inhabited. There is no water, minimal atmosphere and our probes have detected nothing of your people."'Mars is a dying world, barely capable of sustaining life anymore. Once it was a beautiful world with oceans and a variety of flora and fauna but several large wars have severely damaged our planet. Now we live underground, struggling to survive and fend off yet another attack. We were sent to Earth to evaluate if we could set up colonies here but even that is now impossible.'"Yet you have not left Earth and returned to your world."'We are unable to return to Mars, our ship was destroyed when we crashed on Earth. Emily was kind enough to take us in, tend our wounds and allow us to share her Chicago home. We consider her our parton, our guardian against any that would seek to harm us. We will not leave Emily's protection, no matter what you throw against us but I will permit my Mechanic team to share some of our technology with N.E.S.T in return for being allowed to stay with Emily.'"Only some of your technology?"'Some of our technology requires abilities that humans do not possess, such as telepathy and mind-walking. We will share what we can in return for peace.'"This is a lot to take in all at once."'Take your time Mr President, we will be here. But in the meantime, could you tell Mearing to move her men back a bit more, my unit is getting very nervous. We have no open track to avoiding a fight, N.E.S.T has surrounded our only safe haven. Please Sir, make them move back and reform as one before this situation explodes.'"If I do this, what guarantee do I have that you will not attack?"'If my unit breaks their line and injures a human, I will personally step out and accept a return shot. Bullet for bullet if a human is harmed by any of my unit.'"Very well. I will do what I can."'Thank you. I will withdraw my defending snipers. They have been targeting vehicles only, just enough to warn away any attackers.' Blade nodded, triggering his radio. 'Snipers, lower your weapons. A truce has been called! SAU 14, return to the shared area!'"You heard him bros, weapons down!"'We are grateful for your show of faith Sir, hopefully we can all just live in peace.' Emily added, relaxing back against Optimus' hand. 'Martian, human and Autobot defending Earth from any who would come to bring us harm.'Jumping a little when her wrist monitor beeped, Emily flipped to the marked channel and cursed as she gazed at the approaching fighter aiming right for their compound. Handing her laptop to Blade, she shot to her feet and scrambled down from Optimus' chest, racing across the grass with all speed. This was just the sort of a situation she'd hoped to avoid while things were so touchy. She'd have to look damn aggressive in front of N.E.S.T and risked blowing the temporary truce but there was no way in hell she was going to let that plane any closer. Shooting down the ladder into the hangers, she selected the fighter she wanted and fired it up, blasting from the hanger and out tunnel 4. Rolling the black and silver Strike Eagle over as she soared, she headed for the intercept, angling towards the equally dark plane making the approach.Emerging from the hangers and gathering on the grass, the mice cheered as Emily raced after the Sukhoi, making her fighter dance to avoid a missile lock. Lifting their gazes skyward, the Autobots watched too, confused about Emily's actions but not willing to take their optics of the aerial battle to find a mouse to ask. So they watched, tracking the fighters as Emily tipped over and gave chase, determined to deal with the threat. Every time the unknown fighter turned back towards the compound, Emily was there to stop it, herding it away again. Swooping and rolling, diving and climbing, the pair engaged in a deadly dance around the compound, Emily always careful to keep her fighter between the Sukhoi and her compound. She was also alert to the N.E.S.T soldiers gathering to the west of her base, forcing the Sukhoi away from them as well to keep them safe and hopefully hold the truce. Forcing the Sukhoi to spiral clear again, she gunned it after him and spun, zipping right over the N.E.S.T defensive line and rising sharply again.Finding new perches and thrilled to see Emily in her element, the mice hollered and cheered, supporting her in spirit and voice when they couldn't fly with her.'Blade, what's going on?' Optimus asked, the Martian leader cradled in his hand as he turned to follow the fighters.'The two men in that Sukhoi are some of Emily's competitors, they're looking to kill her to claim the price on her head. Emily's flying for her life, our homes and to keep us from being seen. Notice how she always strives to keep the enemy facing away from the compound? She's doing her absolute best to ensure we aren't seen even by chance.' Blade explained, grinning wider as Emily landed a few more hits to the attacking fighter.'Wouldn't it be smarter for us to take cover then?''Probably but it's rare to see Emily free flying like this. Sure, she'll take to the skies occasionally and train with us but to see this is to get a look at her best form. She's not holding back anymore, she'll keep going until that Sukhoi is so much scrap or long gone.''Killing the pilot in the process.''That is the way of the Bounty Hunter. Kill or be killed, step up to the challenge or die a grizzly death in an ugly mess. With the price on her head, things are even more dangerous for Emily but she knows the dangers if she dies. No one will be left to care for us and so she flies time and time again. Now she flies for more than ever before, she flies for you as well Optimus, she flies for all Autobots, Martians and her own life.''I think I understand.''Emily's a complex woman to try and understand. Just know she's flying to keep us safe and enjoy the show.''She does fly very well Blade.''Lots of practise Optimus, she's at home up there. Her fighters are extensions of her body, mind and machine working as one.''It's almost as though she's dancing, so graceful and elegant. A very deadly dance if the weapons I can see are anything to go by.''She'll use them too, no doubt there. She's just waiting for the right moment to fire, trying to avoid us, the compound and the N.E.S.T soldiers. But when she gets that chance, she will shoot him down somewhere where they can't get back near us.'Awed by the fighters overhead, Lennox watched the Strike Eagle force the Sukhoi back again and well clear of the compound and N.E.S.T positions before launching two missiles. Coiling and swirling towards the odd looking fighter, the missiles closed the distance quickly. Knowing they were not going to get away, two men ejected from the fighter seconds before the first missile impacted. When the second one hit the flaming carcass, the explosion was devastating, scattering shrapnel everywhere. Wings dipping in respect, the Strike Eagle whirled around again and headed back to the compound, disappearing from sight on the far side of the wall. Snapping out of his stupor, Lennox sent two hummers to find the ejected men and take them into custody, just in case they saw something they shouldn't have seen.#~#+^*^+#~#By dark the truce had been formalised and made official by the President. The Autobots would continue their associations with N.E.S.T, but would not be asked to risk human lives through their actions. The Martians were asked to pitch in with N.E.S.T operations, covering the gaps that the Autobots couldn't without risking their beliefs. Permitted to stay in Wisconsin and live their lives in peace, they were all left under Emily's care but that put some new responsibilities on her shoulders. Accepting the new workload willingly, Emily knew she'd have less time for her chosen career but the offer of government assistance was a boost. In return, N.E.S.T got access to some very interesting technology, mostly weapons and defences. The President had tried to get their AI tech in the deal but he couldn't offer anything good enough in return. Still the bargaining continued, the allied forces seeking the best deals they could without seeming greedy.'I'm offering fifteen N.E.S.T access passes to the compound. These ones won't require a retinal scan for their first use but after that, a retinal scan will be recorded to prevent any funny business.' Emily nodded, setting the pile of access cards in the middle of the table.'What do you want in return Emily?' Lennox asked, eyeing the pile and wondering what the catch was to get them.'There's one thing I'd stake our security on like this. Mr President, remove my bounty. I'll stay on whatever watch lists I'm on, those aren't a concern but remove the price on my head.' Emily replied, gaze turning to the screen displaying a rather shocked President."What you ask for is worth more than fifteen access passes."'Twenty five passes then and that's my final bid. I'll take my role bounty or not but you have new ways of ensuring my behaviour now, you don't need that bounty any more.' Emily nodded, setting another ten passes on the table."You have a point there Emily. Twenty passes and a signed agreement that if you attack against the US government again, you lose all access to the Martians and Autobots."'We have a deal Mr President.' Emily nodded, removing five passes from the table and signing one of the documents that had been drafted during the negotiations.Hating the fact she'd just signed away a good portion of her potential work, Emily sighed and glanced at Blade, wanting to see if he had anything else he wanted to barter for.'I offer my AI expert to help you design your own system. We will give you the basics and assist with the programming but you must do the work to put the pieces together.'"What do you want in return for this trade?"'My request is simple Mr President. I request a new CIA liaison. Charlotte Mearing is not acceptable.'"Unacceptable to you personally or to everyone within the compound?"'You will not find a single being within the compound with anything positive to say about her. Her attitude would be a severe detriment to the ongoing peace between our peoples. Not to mention the fact Emily's likely to shoot her at the next available moment. Is that enough or need I continue, Sir?'"No Blade, your point has been made. I will try to find someone that will suit your needs."'Mr President, I have considered the situation and I think I know someone that will suit. Instead of trying to find someone that can balance everything, split the responsibilities. One to watch out for any issues regarding national security and a second to look over us and ensure any policies would not have a negative effect on all of us. I trust Emily to defend our rights as living beings but she already has so much to worry about to ask her would be cruel.'"A wise idea Blade, but finding two people that bear no animosity towards either Martians or Autobots will not be easy."'Actually Sir, it's simple. Colonel Lennox takes over the military side, ensuring national security is not at risk. Mr Witwicky is more than capable of handling the politics, he has the mind for it and I know he's been having a hard time finding suitable employment.''Oh boy, Sarah's going to hate this.' Lennox uttered, stunned by Blade's suggestion and wondering if the President would agree.'I'm not sure I'm the right fit for the job Blade. I did well at political science at school but putting all that into practise…yikes.' Sam added, paling at the thought of dealing with politicians on behalf of so many.'I have faith in you Sam, you'll do a great job. Protecting the best interests of the Martians is easy, they don't need much to be happy. Basically they want the same as the Autobots.' Emily soothed, shooting him a supportive smile."If both Mr Witwicky and Colonel Lennox agree, then we have a deal Blade."'I'll do it Mr President.' Sam nodded, glancing at Carly as she waited back with the rest of the gathering.'I accept the position Mr President.' Lennox agreed, knowing his job just got a lot harder and family time harder to get."Very well. You have a deal Blade."'You can't do this!' Mearing snapped, shooting to her feet.'With your permission, Mr President?' Emily asked, rising slowly to her feet."Just don't kill her Emily."'Not intention of it Sir.' Emily replied, eyes hardening as Mearing tried to make a break for one of the parked vehicles.Sprinting after the woman, Emily ate up the distance in seconds and got Mearing into a sleeper hold, knocking the woman out without any real effort. Lowering her to the ground gently and binding her wrists with a zip-tie from her kit, Emily dragged the woman back to the table and eased her to the ground until the meeting was over.'Don't worry Mr President, she'll be fine. She'll sleep for a couple hours and then be as bitchy as always.'"I will ensure she cannot get involved with this alliance anymore. Colonel Lennox, if you would be so kind as to return her to Diego Garcia, I will have someone there to collect her."'Of course, Sir. I have two others that will need to be collected and dealt with. An unidentified fighter of unknown origin came to close to the compound, Emily flew up to meet the threat and shot it down. We have two men in custody.''The plane was a Sukhoi SU-37, a Russian prototype sold off to an American Bounty Hunter. Piloted by Rufus, an ex-NightStalker. Used by the Black Knight, AKA Aloysius K. Knight, ex-Delta Captain.' Emily briefed, that hard edge returning to her eyes for a moment. 'Competitors of mine, we've traded blows more than a few times.'"Ah yes, I remember reading his file. He had a bounty of his own, you know."'I know Sir, tried for it on several occasions until it was removed. I know Scarecrow had something to do with it, even if I can't find out what exactly.'"Well here is your chance to deal a final blow to them Emily. If they did see anything that they shouldn't have, what do you want done with them?"'Don't really care, Sir. If they saw something, it's Lennox's problem. I trashed their fighter, it's so much scrap now. That's good enough for me, I don't need anything more.' Emily shrugged, responding to an alert on her wrist monitor. 'Correction, their fighter is so much gathered scrap now. Blade's mechanical team has collected up the debris with help from Ratchet and are now transporting it to the compound for sorting and storage. If there's anything useful to be had, they'll find it.'"You have a salvage yard in that compound as well?"'Well, in a way, yes Sir. Between Ratchet, Que, the Wreckers and the Martian mechanical team, they'll have that fighter stripped for anything useable in a few days. Anything that can't be used as it is will be melted down and formed into ingots for later use. The various workshops and repair bays use quite a lot of scrap for various projects. No one will ever find that particular fighter again.'"Most impressive."'An added prize for your negotiations, Sir.' Emily grinned, flipping out a different access card. 'A Presidential access card, come see us whenever you have a chance.' she added, placing the card on the table."Thank you Emily. I will make time to visit, but you know my security team will come along too."'Of course, five free cards for a personal security force.' Emily agreed, placing five more cards on the table and placing the Presidential card atop the pile.Approaching the tent over the negotiation table, Christine cleared her throat quietly before approaching and placing several covered trays on the table.'Let the business talks go silent for a while, eat and restore your strength. Be at peace Colonel Lennox, your men will be well cared for, we have already begun feeding the masses.' she offered, her catering team gathered at her sides.'Thanks Christine, this smells great. Tell Slash to organise bedding for all, it's the least we can offer our new friends.' Blade nodded, handing around the bowls as Emily lifted the covers off the trays.'As instructed Blade.' Christine nodded, backing away and sending Cosmo and Crash with orders for Slash and Dakota.'This looks really good Blade.''Christine's our Catering head and she's good at her job. Eat up my friends, tonight we share a feast of friendship.' Blade replied, gathering a selection of different items into his bowl and waiting for his companions to finish their selections.'As friends we gather at this table, so many different life stories pulled together by a common goal. Join me brothers, in this feast, a celebration of all we have achieved this day.' Emily offered, leaning on her right hand as she used her left to eat.'Left hand to eat…well that's different.' Lennox mused, switching hands quickly and tucking into the offered food.'We keep our right hands clear and free just in case we come under attack while sharing a meal.' Blade explained, eyes constantly on the move as they ate. 'I am aware of the Arabic ideas of eating with the hands, disgusting what they use the left hand for.''Blade, hardly a topic for this table.' Emily hissed, trying to steer the conversation back onto safe diplomatic ground.'Of course. My apologies, my bros discuss some fairly crude things at the dinner table.'Picking their way through the long grass, Brains and Wheelie had no compunction about interrupting. They knew what they wanted and were confident Emily would have no qualms about it.'Uh, Emily, little help out here please.' Wheelie called, Brains tugging on his hand in an attempt to get his wheels unstuck.'I've got you.' Emily grinned, getting to her feet and walking over to gently untangle Wheelie from the grass before scooping them both up. 'Well done for having a go on your own.' she praised, sweeping Wheelie onto her shoulders and cradling Brains in her right arm as she returned to the table.'How are you coping with those two Emily? I remember the headaches I used to get when they bugged Carly.' Sam asked, sipping his coke and smiling as he glanced over to where Carly was talking with some of the mice.'Coping, hell, I'm thriving with the company. As for these two, they're great. It's like having kids, nothing to it once you get the hang of it.' Emily chuckled, totally at home with the pair so close while she ate. 'What'd you think of Bee's setup?''It's great, he seems really happy with it Emily. He gave us the grand tour and we watched TV for a while. I'm not sure I want to know where you found some of the stuff he's got in there though.''It's all custom built, I sent the specs to several companies I've had dealings with before. They built and shipped the stuff to base. A lot of the fittings were done before we put the upper walls and roofs into place so it was easy to get the positioning right.''Uh, excuse me but what are you guys talking about?' Lennox asked, gaze flicking between Emily and Sam.'The new Autobot accommodations.' Sam replied, picking a few more items off the trays and settling back to eat.'Those really big sheds you can see are where the Autobots are living. Each one is a single bedroom apartment, complete with insulation in the walls and ceiling, air-con, heating, lights and all the comforts of home. Building housing for Autobots is really easy, all you need is a suitable sized shower, bed, desk, chair, couch and TV. Everything is custom built to the size of the particular occupant or occupants. I'm sure Ironhide would show you his place if you asked him about it. Just bear in mind, he's sharing with Ratchet by their own choice. Seven of the homes are empty, just in case we have any more new arrivals joining the ranks.' Emily explained, drawing attention to the massive sheds inside the walls.'And my unit has our own housing estate just beside the Autobot estate. 29 identical homes arranged neatly for us to stay close but still enjoy our own space. By making the design the same for every house, it was so simple for the builders to put them up within the allowed timeframe.' Blade added, picking up his coffee mug. 'It's a change from the barracks style living we're used to we'll adapt to the new lifestyle and thrive again.''Everything that could be needed is right here or could be created if enough want it. Up the back there is a racing track, requested by some of the mice but big enough for anyone to have a go, a jumps track for all, a pool and lake all in one and a wash bay if someone feels like being pampered.' Emily continued, tucking Brains closer and watching him relax for a few moments before going back to her meal contentedly.'Told them about Ratchet yet?' Wheelie asked, leaning on her head comfortably.'Not my place Wheelie and it's not yours either so stow it before I make you walk home. That's his business and he'll speak of it when he's ready. Until then, zip it.' Emily growled, tapping his leg with her chin in warning. 'And don't you guys go pressuring him either, he'll tell you when he's ready.' she added, gaze turning to their other table guests.'Don't look at me Emily, I've got enough on my plate without worrying about pissing Ratchet off.' Lennox replied, holding up his hands in surrender.'I heard nothing.' Sam nodded, turning his attention back to his food.'Smart move, Ratchet's a little easier to annoy lately.' Emily sighed, constantly alert for danger but satisfied with the situation so far. 'Ironhide's gotten feisty too, he's already clobbered the twins twice since we arrived.''You only got here yesterday though.''Told ya he'd gotten feisty Lennox.''Holy shit.'Whirling to look as a wordless roar echoed across the area, the four left the table and raced out of the tent, staring in wonder as Ironhide took off after Sideswipe, tires biting into the grass. Sideswipe was easily outpacing him, his smaller frame more streamlined but the rough ground wasn't exactly a picnic for him.'Optimus! What the fuck happened?' Blade called, spotting the reclining leader nearby. Sam and Will both jumped as Optimus' holoform appeared beside Blade, hair shifting in the breeze. 'Relax, it's just a holoform. Optimus showed it to me last night.''Sideswipe made a comment regarding the announcement Ratchet made last night. Ironhide's just doing what comes naturally in such situations.' Optimus explained, tucking a lock of hair back behind his ear. 'We all have this ability, we just haven't used them much. I was curious about what it was like to be a Martian.' he shrugged, tail twitching as he stood there.'After being beaten up twice by Ironhide, you'd think those two would learn to keep their mouths shut. This isn't going to end well and Ratchet's not likely to repair them again today.' Emily sighed, shaking her head in disbelief.'Sideswipe's in for a world of hurt, here comes Falcon.' Blade grinned, watching the taller mouse as he raced into action, a new tool in his hands as he stood up on Armageddon's saddle.'Oh shit. Watch the walls Falcon!' Emily bellowed, not wanting to fork out for repairs this soon after moving into the compound.Raising his new toy onto his shoulder, Falcon moved with Armageddon as she swept around and blocked Sideswipe from getting any closer to the walls of the compound. Drawing his aim and checking the charge of the unit, Falcon hit the trigger button. Sparking in the dim light, the two released forks raced towards Sideswipe and struck him in the side, a charge racing along the connecting wires. This was the true danger of the weapon, the right charge level could force a transformation and with the speed Sideswipe was going, this was going to be painful. Squawking in disbelief, Sideswipe transformed without wanting to and tumbled and bounced across the ground, helpless to control his motion until he slowed a little more. Snatches of input from his sensors gave him a warning but there was no way he'd stop in time. Releasing the prongs and pulling away, Falcon watched and winced as the warrior slammed into the biggest tree in the field.Crunching to the ground and groaning, Sideswipe lay there and tried to get his systems back in line and giving him one cohesive image. He wasn't having any luck though, everything was scrambled and showed no signs of calming any time soon.'When are you gonna learn Sideswipe. No one messes with the peace of the base while I'm in charge.' Falcon warned, pulling up beside the downed warrior. 'You deserved that one. Next time you'll get a full charge.' he added, turning Armageddon back towards the main gathering.'Ugh.' Sideswipe groaned, unable to even lift his head.'Sides!' Sunstreaker called, racing over to drop beside his twin. 'You okay bro?''Shut it Sunny.' Sideswipe managed, groaning again as Sunstreaker eased him away from the tree and supported him.'Easy bro, I've got ya. Just relax, give it time.' Sunstreaker uttered, light hands running over dented plating.Pulling up beside Emily and Blade, Falcon nodded and patted the unit on his lap, quite pleased with the results of their newest prototype. Popping off the expended top, he tucked it into the bag over his shoulder and dug out a fresh one, snapping it into place and checking it was secured properly.'For a first prototype, it's not bad. Be better if we could control where the victims land but we'll work that out in the safe confines of the lab.' he briefed, always keeping one hand on their prototype.'The control issue is a definite, impacts like that aren't good for anyone. Reckon Sideswipe learned his lesson this time?' Blade nodded, glancing at Optimus to search for any irritation at the use of such a tool against an Autobot.'Dunno, he was out of it when I pulled up. Of all the things he could have impacted against, he happened to impact against the tree you left in case Optimus wants to get away from the compound a little.''Oh man, he's going to be feeling that one for a long time. That tree is massive.' Emily groaned, remembering the tree she'd left behind for Optimus to use as his little getaway if he needed to. 'But at least the chase ended before it got seriously dangerous.''Just doing my job Emily.' Falcon replied, two fingers to his forehead in a salute. 'You left me as Head of Security for a reason.' he grinned, adjusting his seat and signalling for Armageddon to peel out and head back home.'Don't look so stunned Will, Falcon's the best in the business. Just this morning he went toe to toe with Ironhide and made him back off Sunstreaker. He wasn't quick enough to protect Sideswipe's finish but it was still impressive. He might be a fraction of the size but Falcon's got courage in spades, he won't settle for anything but obedience.' Emily grinned, cradling Brains to her chest and watching over the team as the mice started filing back towards the compound. 'Looks like the guys are preparing for bed.''Slash, sitrep!' Blade called, seeking his little brother in the darkness.'We've set out camping gear for everyone, the waterproof sheeting is rigged just over there and Dakota's got the camp rolls for Will and Sam.' Slash replied, pointing behind him as he jogged past the tent.'Dakota, front and centre!''Here Blade.' Dakota replied, running up and handing over the camp rolls.'I'd offer you a spot for the night but for your own safety, find a place with the rest of the N.E.S.T team out here. We can offer you a place to secure the three problems you've got, Falcon insisted on a ten cell brig.' Emily offered, looking back to where Mearing was just stirring.'I'd appreciate that Emily, takes a bit of a load off us.''Security!' Emily called, searching for one of the security team in the darkness.'Right here Emily.' Bits responded, racing over to assist.'On scene.' Chain added, skidding in beside Bits.'You called?' Tank asked, joining his bros in front of Emily.'Lennox has three problems that need dealing with. You know what to do.' Emily instructed, shifting Brains into her left arm and welcoming Wheelie into her embrace as he slid off her shoulders. 'I will see you all in the morning.'#~#+^*^+#~#Emerging from their homes as the first rays of dawn lightened the sky, the mice hurried to the grassed area beyond their homes and lined up, facing to the east and pausing, faces turned to the heavens as they started to move in perfect harmony. Moving, turning, reaching and stretching, they went through the ancient dawn greeting together, reaffirming their union as a team and honouring their gods. Deep voice rumbling into life, Blade started an honour chant, naming their gods and asking for their blessings in every aspect of their lives. Picking up the chant, the rest of the unit maintained their stately pace and places in the formation, voices rising and falling as they continued slowly turning and moving through the complex steps every Martian learned from a young age. Swirling as one body and throwing their prayers into the still morning air, they asked for guidance and protection, support and wisdom, and all the other things that they needed to face another day with confidence.Stepping from his own place, Optimus paused and watched the shadowy figures moving and listened to their voices, recognising a prayer even if he couldn't understand the words. Hoping he wasn't going to disturb the mice, he made his way down the road and onto the grass, finding a spot well away from the mice and easing to one knee. Removing an intricately cared metal ornament from subspace, he placed it carefully on the ground and sat back, optics focused on the glowing stone in the middle of the curving and angular design. Hands folding and weight settling, he bowed his head and prayed silently to his own god, the reflection of his small shrine dancing across his paint as the dawn broke over the compound. He asked for guidance and strength and some sign that they weren't alone in the universe. He gave up his struggles and inner turmoil, placing his faith once more in the hands of Primus in the hopes of easing the burden weighing him down.Slowly the rest of the Autobots made their appearances, gathering behind Optimus and setting up their own personal shrines, each one symbolic of their places in the grand story of Cybertron. Warriors, scientists and healers, all were represented in softly glowing stones and ornate metal sculptures. They prayed for hope and a future without war. They prayed for their still functioning friends and those who had already gone to the Well of All Sparks. They asked for blessings upon their friends on Earth and still out in the wider galaxy. Releasing their burdens and fears, opening up for His loving presence and begging forgiveness, they were quiet, a million thoughts unvoiced but still heard by Primus.Bowing deep to the rising sun, the Martian team slowly straightened and opened their arms to the caress of the sun for a minute before turning and catching sight of the praying Autobots. Not wanting to seem disrespectful, Blade stopped cold and thought for a moment before sinking to his knees, averting his gaze from the glowing objects in front of the Autobots. Taking his lead, the rest of the unit eased down and bowed their heads, respecting the Autobots without question. Reaching into his pocket, Blade removed the small stone figure he always carried and cupped it in his hands, raising it overhead so the sun could kiss the physical representation of his Patron God, Ares. Understanding that today would be a full prayer session, the rest of the unit revealed their own Patron God statuettes and let the sun bless them before bowing their heads and praying again. Stone figures pressed to foreheads, the prayers changed to more personal matters, each one varying for their duties and personal situations. Not sure what had awoken her, Emily rolled out of bed and shouldered into her dressing gown before padding out onto the balcony. The moment she saw why the door was open though, she quietly slipped back inside, not wanting to disturb an obviously private moment as Wheelie and Brains knelt there in front of two strange artefacts. She wasn't sure what drew her to do it, but she opened one of the drawers in her dressing table and opened one of the jewellery cases tucked inside. Slipping her dogtags off and putting them in a waiting velvet bag, she lifted out a different necklace and clasped it around her throat, fingers brushing the golden crucifix now draped around her neck. Padding back out onto the balcony, she moved to the other end and knelt, arms resting on the lower bar of the balcony railing as she prayed, something she hadn't done in years.For a few silent minutes, the compound was at peace with the universe, not a single dark thought left to destroy the serene moment that touched everyone. Instead they opened up to miracles and hope, three different beliefs united and carried forward in harmony. Releasing anger and welcoming in calming thoughts, asking for forgiveness and forgiving others and begging for support and guidance, the world stood still as the prayers flowed heavenward, so many hopeful voices reaching. Some weren't sure if they were heard, others had never lost their faith but all we're determined to change for the better. Praying for strength to turn away from violence unless necessary, trying to make their lives count and hoping that they were on the right track.Then the peaceful moment was gone, prayers finished and everyone started thinking about the day ahead. Packing away shrines to Primus and Patron God statuettes, the united team stood and watched the sunrise together for a few moments before they started drifting away, getting back to other duties that awaited them. They all had questions about the others beliefs but now wasn't the time to ask, now was the time for silent reflection and preparation for another day. Up on the balcony, Emily pushed to her feet and brushed her crucifix again, feeling more confident about her new responsibilities now that she'd had a chance to ask for help. Looking down and smiling as someone brushed her leg, she crouched and gathered her smallest charges into her arms and headed back inside, smile widening as they burrowed closer to ease the chill in their frames. Sliding the door closed, she put the pair on the bed and stretched out, blanket raised in welcome. Scooting closer, they huddled in against her body and relaxed, safe in the warm embrace of Emily and her blanket.#~#+^*^+#~#Once the N.E.S.T soldiers left their home, the team relaxed and got back into the swing of things now that they were free to enjoy the sun a little more. Emily had requested that the mechanical team make an adjustment to their shielding, making the compound vanish from all detection. To anyone beyond the boundary, it looked like any other farm in the area but once you got past that barrier, the true image was revealed. The shield also contained sound energy, meaning everyone could open up their engines and go wild without worrying too much about being seen. All they had to do was stay within the shield and everything would be fine. But that didn't mean the repercussions of their negotiations were all pushed aside.Hidden away in his home, Wheelie stood under the shower and frowned as the last of his fur was caught in the trap just shy of the drain. The darkness before the dawn had hidden his problem until now but sticking his head out again now that his problem couldn't be hidden was unthinkable, he didn't want the Autobots to pity him for this. Turning off the shower and stepping out, he dried off his pale skin and looked at the bodysuit waiting for him. Dyed to match his fur and fitting like a second skin, it would protect him from sunburn or other dangers but it was so uncomfortable to wear. Looking in the mirror again, he sighed and dug deep for courage, tired of hiding his unique condition. Turning away from the bodysuit, he dressed in his usual outfit and slathered on the sunscreen, figuring if he was going to crash and burn, he might as well do it proudly.Grabbing his emergency hat on the way out the door, he held his head proud as he rejoined the gang on the lawn, wisely finding a shady spot and flicking out a towel to protect his skin. Stretching out and getting comfortable, he sighed and adjusted his hat, enjoying the warmth over bare flesh.'Wheelie, are you okay?' Ratchet asked, easing out onto the grass beside him.'Yeah, it's nothing serious. I've got a condition called alopecia, this is the end result. It's usually caused by stress but sometimes it just happens. This bout came around thanks to the N.E.S.T situation yesterday. Doesn't take long for it all to drop all my fur, as you can see. It'll start growing back tomorrow hopefully but it's going to take around a month to get back to full length and my hair will take even longer.' Wheelie explained, accepting the curious scan Ratchet ran over his body.'Not again babe.' Crimson uttered, stretching out beside Wheelie and cuddling close.'Only to be expected babe, yesterday wasn't a smooth, stress free day.' Wheelie shrugged, snuggling closer to his mate and relaxing into his loving arms. 'I won't stay outside all day, I just wanted to soak up the sun for a little while.''You know I'm not going to argue. Convincing Revs might be a little more difficult.''Feh, he knows I'm not an indoor type. He can try and argue the case but I'm not gonna hide away.'#~#+^*^+#~#Scrambling into the tree Optimus was leaning against, Blade perched on a branch near his head and swung over backwards, tail and legs gripping the branch to ensure he didn't fall off his perch. Chuckling softly as he watched the young leader, Optimus reached up to support him but Blade waved him off, content to hang there and enjoy a chance to be a fool.'I hope we did not disturb you this morning Blade.''Not at all. We have never made a secret of our beliefs, I'm sure you've heard a few mentions of them during our time together.''Yes, Ares seems to come up fairly frequently.''Yeah, Ares is the main one. The great Lord of the Gods. In total we've got thirty main Gods and an army of Demigods, Saints and other figures. Every aspect of Martian life is ruled by our Gods, we pray to all that affect our individual lives for a balanced life. When we're born, our parents pray to Renla, Goddess of Children, for a sign to tell them which main Deity is going to watch over their child for their entire life. I was born into the protective embrace of Ares, Slash is protected by Tekka, Goddess of Travellers.''We have only one, Primus. He is the Lifegiver and the Protector of the Well, our heaven. He is everything to our people, but certain factions turned their back on his teachings. The Autobots hold true to his teachings, as difficult as that can be at times. It is quite difficult to try and stop the Decepticons without breaking his sacred laws.''Emily has similar problems balancing her work with the teachings of her religion. Sometimes there is no easy answer, no matter how hard we seek. Often the best option is to sin without reservation and pay your penance when the battle is over. It's not easy to be a soldier and a believer, the sacred texts of the past aren't always right for modern situation.'Crunching up and retrieving his Ares statuette from his pocket again, Blade cradled the stone form and stretched back out again, the shimmering stone catching the light and sending it bouncing over Optimus' armour.'Great Ares, guardian of Mars and protector of all, I beseech you to hear my prayer. I ask not for my own soul, I ask not for my unit, I ask for a soul that has never known you guiding hand. Merciful Ares, open your arms and let your unending grace flow into him and ease the burdens pressing upon his shoulders. I beg of you to show him the narrow path between the beliefs he had known since his creation and the war that he must fight just to survive. Guide his hands and sharpen his gaze so he might do his duties without fault or fear. Protect him in your majestic presence and keep him from harm. Fill him with your courage and strength as he faces challenges unknown to mere mortals. In your all powerful name, these things I pray.' he intoned, totally focused on the glistening stone in his hands.Humbled by Blade's words, what happened next was truly breathtaking, even for someone as well travelled as Optimus. A beam of sunlight broke through the clouds and struck the statuette in Blade's hands but rather than diffuse like normal, it reflected off the statuette and struck him in the forehead. Optics dimming as he relaxed, Optimus felt the warmth radiating through his body, easing tension and cascading down slowly. As the warmth spread through his body, it lifted the silent burdens from his mind and eased his concerns in rippling, calming motions. Sagging a little more, he hummed in contentment and drifted, welcoming the peace that settled in his great frame.'I believe.' he muttered, totally relaxed and peaceful. 'I believe in your power, oh great Ares.'Gradually the warmth tapered off, leaving behind the calming influence as a constant reminder of the blessing placed upon him. Optics brightening again, he lifted his gaze and nodded slowly, a new understanding of Martian culture secure in his mind.'We thank you, merciful Ares.' Blade uttered, crunching up again and tucking his statuette away in his pocket.'That was…''I don't need to hear it Optimus. Our gods come to us in different ways and each special blessing is deeply personal. Think on your own blessing, meditate on what has been removed and what was left instead. There you will find peace and comfort no matter the trouble you face.' Blade cut him off, swinging up onto the branch and starting to shimmy down the trunk.'I understand Blade.'
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Slipping into a private workroom on the third floor of her home, Emily hit the lights and looked at the body on the table, wondering what Ratchet would say when he found out she'd salvaged most of another fallen Decepticon, spent all her off hours rewriting his programming and repairing his body, building him up from scraps she's pilfered from the parts sheds. Keeping his existence a secret hadn't been easy, she'd wanted to ask for help and show off her work to Ratchet but not wanting to risk the life of her new charge, she'd stayed quiet. Scrubbing her hands and drying them carefully, she approached the table and checked the sensors and monitors attached to the small body, smile widening as she noted down his improved condition since she'd hooked him into the electrical system. That was only a temporary measure, she'd eventually have to wean him onto energon but there was no telling how that would affect his new systems.Picking up another new device in her workshop, she fitted it into place around her throat and lower jaw, the complex piece of machinery specifically designed to translate her words into something Frenzy's immature processor could understand. A second section of the unit stretched up and locked over her left ear, completing a translation system that would enable effective communication with Frenzy. Disconnecting him carefully, she lifted him into her arms and activated his restart, waiting so patiently as his systems hummed into life for the first time. Watching the couple of monitors still attached, her smile only widened as his dark optics flickered and glowed bright, deep green light washing over her face instead of the usual blue. Chirping curiously, the lucky one in her arms looked up at her and seemed confused, delicate helm tilted to the side.'Hey there Frenzy.' she uttered, removing the last monitors and wandering over to a chair in the corner. Trilling and squirming, the little guy reached up with one clawed hand and clicked in confusion as Emily caught his hand before lightly placing it on her face. Hoping the translation program was working properly, she spoke quietly as she guided him to stroke her cheek. Click-chittering in reply, Frenzy touched her face one last time before lowering his hand.Snuggling closer to Emily's chest, Frenzy purred and got comfortable, lanky limbs tucked close as he drifted contentedly in her secure hold. Adjusting her hold and stroking his plating, Emily couldn't wipe the proud smile off her face. She'd done the impossible, Frenzy was alive despite all the damage done and the length of time he'd been offline. Her biggest achievement though, was the fact she'd needed no outside help to do it, it was all her work.Now that she had Frenzy alive and seemingly functioning well, she needed help. This was going to be the scary moment; she had no way of telling how Ratchet would handle the shock of her project or how Frenzy would react to seeing the Autobots. Click-trilling softly to calm the small form in her arms, she turned off the lights and left the work bay, Frenzy purring peacefully in her arms. Chirruping back contentedly, Frenzy looked around, realising they were on the move. Hum-buzzing a question, he was rewarded with a gentle boost from Emily and perched on her shoulder, clawed feet clinging to her shoulder gently as he sat up and looked around curiously.Striding from the house and coding through the gate, Emily was continually surprised by how inquisitive little Frenzy was. Bobbing on her shoulder and looking around, he absorbed the details of their home. Trilling softly to comfort him, Emily headed towards the first building in the Autobot estate, the home of Ratchet and Ironhide. Stepping inside, she headed up the steel stairway by the door and looked around, seeking out the medic. Not seeing his bright paintwork anywhere, she headed back down to ground level and back outside, Frenzy still perched high and buzz-clicking rapidly. Swinging out of the estate and picking up the pace a little, Emily jogged between the two estates, one hand up to support Frenzy but he didn't seem to need it.Scanning the grassed area quickly, there was still no sign of Ratchet but before she could move off, she was spotted. Not wanting to seem rude and curious to know how Frenzy would go around so many strangers, she headed over to where Prowl and Jazz were relaxing together.'Morning guys.' she greeted, one eye on Frenzy as she walked closer.'Mornin' Emily.' Jazz replied, not really bothered by the little one on Emily's shoulder, he was so used to seeing Wheelie up there. Frenzy however, wasn't happy about something. Leaning forward on Emily's shoulder, he hissed and flared out his armour, Emily's brave defender despite his small size.'Hush now little one, its okay. Settle down, they're my friends.' Emily soothed, reaching up to stroke his chest lightly as she calmed him through the translator. 'You're so brave to defend me but they're not a threat.''Emily, what is that?' Prowl asked, one hand on Jazz's back to calm him after the fright.'Long story Prowl. Seen Ratchet anywhere?' Emily replied, temporarily forgetting about her translator.'Repair bay, he's been in there all morning.''Thanks Prowl. I'll explain this one later.''Interesting piece of hardware you've got there Em.' Jazz remarked, optics drawn to the intricate systems covering a third of Emily's head and enfolding her neck. 'What's it for?''It's a very complex little translator. There are a few more components to get into it but they're not ready yet.' Emily explained, activating the translator again. 'It's still a basic model but we'll get there.''Why would you need such a thing Emily?' Prowl asked, still watching Frenzy as he kept looking around.'Ease of communication with Frenzy. It works both ways, English for Cybertronian. Some words don't translate yet but we're getting there. The dangers of working with prototypes.' Emily shrugged, reaching up to stroke Frenzy's chest again. 'I'll talk more later, got more pressing concerns right now.'Entering the repair bay, Emily looked around in confusion, not seeing a trace of the brightly coloured Autobot medic. That was really strange, usually if Ratchet was in the repair bay, he'd be immediately visible to anyone that needed help. Almost as if he knew, Frenzy scrambled inside Emily's heavy jacket and hugged her side, purring softly as Emily wrapped her arm around his back.'Ratchet! Where are you?' she called, hitting the walkways on the fly. 'Ratchet!''What is it Emily? What's the emergency?' Ratchet asked, emerging from the OR at a jog. 'What is that on your face?''No emergency, I've been looking for you. I thought we had the repair bay organised properly. As for this, I'll explain in a just a minute. We have other matters to discuss first.''I was just doing some maintenance and cleaning.' Ratchet replied, slowing and stopping beside her. 'What can I do for you?''I need your help with a project I've been working on for quite a long time. Call it quality control.' Emily grinned, flipping her jacket open and drawing Ratchet's attention down. Chirring nervously, Frenzy tried to hide again but Emily slid her jacket off, taking away his refuge. 'Come on Frenzy, you're going to have to face the doctor sooner or later.'Whistle-clicking again, Frenzy poked his head over Emily's shoulder and hissed, clearly not impressed with this new threat as he ducked back down out of sight.'Where'd you find a sparkling Emily?' Ratchet asked, recognising the behaviour as a newly formed sparkling.'I didn't find him, I saved him. When I get him to sit still and submit to a medical scan, you'll see what I mean.' Emily sighed, reaching behind her back and managing to snag Frenzy's scruff bar. 'I've got you now Frenzy.''Let him go Emily, I've got another plan. He's never going to be comfortable facing me if he's constantly nervous. This should calm him down and help him understand I'm a friend.' Ratchet corrected, walking over to one of the dark jars on the shelves as Frenzy peered timidly over Emily's shoulder.Digging a brown stick out of the jar, Ratchet crossed the room again and offered it out to Frenzy, twitching it occasionally to coax him to take it. Inching up Emily's back, Frenzy looked at the offered item and trilled, ducking out of sight again. Scrunching down a little, Ratchet tried to seem as unthreatening as possible and continued his attempts to coax Frenzy out of hiding. Trilling again, Frenzy climbed up a little more and reached out to take the treat, delicate fingers closing around the peace offering. Tugging it gently, Ratchet managed to get Frenzy perched on Emily's shoulder properly before he relaxed his own grip. Chirping happily, Frenzy settled and started munching, purring softly as Emily looked up at him.'Do I want to know what you gave him?' she asked, gently lifting Frenzy off her shoulder and resting him on the railing, her hands never leaving his plating.'Rust stick, our candy. Works a treat for nervous first timers or stubborn glitches that won't come in for repairs when needed. Used to be Ironhide's thing but now I always need a supply on hand to get Prime in for repairs.' Ratchet explained, scanning Frenzy and going over the first results. 'Well, this is interesting.''What, the fact he's built from the original or the fact I wrote a lot of his programming?' Emily chuckled, not really surprised when Frenzy curled closer to her chest.'Both of those, this work is most impressive Emily.' Ratchet replied, running a deeper scan and nodding slowly. 'I do not see any anomalies, his frame is solidly constructed and his spark is strong.'Finishing his treat, Frenzy looked up at Emily and buzzed, hands resting over hers lightly. Chirruping back, Emily was so proud as Frenzy reached out with both hands to Ratchet, twittering in askance. Trilling back, Ratchet welcomed the little youngster into his hands, taking the chance to check his energy readings and other details that required physical contact.'You've done an amazing job with his repairs Emily, he's absolutely thriving.' Ratchet praised, amazed to see Frenzy back on his feet after all the damage he'd taken under the Hoover Dam.'I found him a few hours after the battle and eased him out of stasis today, so yeah, been a very long project. I never expected he'd turn out this well afterwards though, there don't seem to be any lasting effects of that time.' Emily nodded, leaning back and catching Frenzy as he jumped back into her arms.'He certainly knows who gave him life again. Congratulations, mother.' Ratchet chuckled, offering out another rust stick to Frenzy and watching him chow down on it happily.'Don't start Ratchet, just don't start.' Emily sighed, adjusting her headset and setting Frenzy down at her feet. He chirped up at her but relaxed again when Emily rumbled soothingly. 'I know I won't always be around for him but I fully intend to be the best caretaker I can until then.''I have absolute confidence in you Emily.' Ratchet nodded, so proud of Emily but worried about what Frenzy might remember later in his life.'I know that look Ratchet, I did my job properly. You don't need to worry, everything will be fine.'Finishing his second treat, Frenzy chirruped softly and stood, reaching up for Emily. Picking up her jacket and pulling it on, Emily gently picked Frenzy up, half expecting him to climb onto her shoulder again. Instead he burrowed in against her chest, curling up tight and holding her shirt in one hand. Stroking his back lightly, Emily watched him slip into recharge, optics dimming to inky black slowly.'Emily, whatever possessed you to reanimate Frenzy?' Ratchet asked, free to talk now that Frenzy was in recharge.'Keep your voice down Ratchet, you'll wake him. The sins of the father should not condemn the son.' Emily replied, looking down at her resting charge. 'Soundwave was a slagger, he didn't deserve someone like Frenzy.''I can only hope your cleanup of his programming was perfect. We don't want him reverting in the middle of the compound.''Relax Ratchet, this isn't the first time I've written complex programming like this. He won't revert, I'm certain of it.''Are you willing to stake all our lives on that?''I've already staked his life on it Ratchet. If the worst should happen, I can cut him off. It's a deep rooted program, he can't do anything about it without wiping his own core programming and I will always have the shutdown code ready for use. I hope I don't have to use it, it's designed to make a second revival impossible.''Logic bomb? Fry all his circuits at once?''Nah, not my style at all. Let's just say it'll end any danger and leave it at that, my tactics are my own.''Fair enough Emily. So what's with the face mask thing?''It's a translator unit prototype. An activation switch controlled by jaw muscles switches it on and off, the underlying circuitry picks up vibrations from my vocal cords, runs them through the function chips along the bottom of my jaw and puts out the translation through the vocaliser mounted here. The returning Cybertronian is picked up through the microphone over my ear, run through a different set of function chips against my cheek and sent to the underlying earpiece as English. There is a little bit of lag on the returns but it's only a couple of seconds before the conversation flows.'Leaning closer and scanning the unit Emily proudly wore, Ratchet was amazed by the complex circuity he could see and the deeper layers coming up on his scanners. He could see the extra plugs waiting for components that were missing but he had no idea what else might be needed in a translation unit.'Windvest is still playing with some ideas. He's thinking that maybe something like this could be used to speed communication in a battle scenario. By adding visual enhancers, tactical software, secure commlinks and other equipment, he's aiming to have something that will give us equivalent abilities to yours.' Emily chuckled, snugging Frenzy closer and watching the surprise on Ratchet's face.'He never said anything about such a project to me, I would have been only too happy to help.''That's Windvest for you, he's always preferred to do projects like this on his own. He needed a little help with the translation programme but that usually meant late nights sitting with Optimus, he'd say a word and Optimus would repeat it. This prototype has a basic translation pack installed, using all the words they've covered in the last month. With the next upgrade of the systems, he'll install an improved translation pack.''I always knew Windvest was clever. I just never expected him to have such an ambitious project.''He'll get it done too, Windvest won't let it go now that he's got it started. Which reminds me, I've got a list of words he needs to add to the next update, getting a lot of gaps in this one. We'll talk later Ratchet.''Of course Emily, I look forward to assisting with Frenzy.'#~#+^*^+#~#Stretched out comfortably on Optimus' chest plate, Blade felt so safe and warm as they watched some construction programme on TV. What had started as a friendship of convenience had turned into something more, something unnamed but so tangible for them both. They never tried to name their new connection, they were happy to just have it and see where it took them as the days passed them by and their connection grew even more.'Are you quite comfortable there Blade?' Optimus asked, one hand wrapped under Blade's feet to keep him from slipping.'Yeah, I'm good.' Blade nodded, adjusting his vest now repurposed as a pillow. 'You sure you don't mind me hanging out like this?''I enjoy your company Blade. It is rare that I have time to relax and do nothing like this.''That seems to be a leadership thing. None of us has the time to just chill out and do nothing for a few hours.''Doesn't Slash push you to take time off? Ratchet, Prowl and Jazz all tell me I should take more time off, Ratchet more than the others. There have been days when I was forcibly removed from my office for a day off, usually with Ironhide standing guard to keep me out of my office.' Optimus chuckled, sitting up a little and adjusting the cushions he was leaning against.'That's the hazard of being a working SAU. There was no such thing as downtime before we made the move out of Chicago. We were still under orders from The Martian War Council. While under their orders, we had to be ready for battle at any time of the day or night, no matter the weather or battle conditions. So we never went anywhere without at least three firearms and a couple of knives, kept our helmets close to hand, slept light and in our gear so we weren't slowed during a callout.' Blade shrugged, patting the lone knife on his belt.'So what changed?''We left Chicago. The War Council is too busy defending Mars to worry about tracking us down, we're not worth their attention. Sure, they'll be pissed that we're not where're supposed to be but I really doubt they'll try finding us. They'd just have to drag us back to Mars to face the firing squad for abandoning our posts. Easier just to abandon us here, completely isolated from the Martian people. It'd be no real problem for us, we're used to being isolated from our people. Out of Chicago, away from The War Council and hey presto, off duty. Now we can relax, unwind and enjoy our lives in peace.''I note you are never completely unarmed.''Show me a soldier that goes about his day without a weapon and I'll show you a fool.''My trailer is out the side, my personal sidearm is up there.' Optimus countered, indicating the familiar weapon mounted on the wall near the door. 'Does that make me a fool?''You are a weapon, you don't need a firearm. I saw how easily you tore Shockwave to pieces.''Not my proudest moment. I am not an aggressive 'Bot by nature.''War changes all. I used to be a gentle guy, quick with a laugh and first to start the bawdy ballads after a hard day. Now, well I'm sure you've seen how tough I can be on the bros.''I had noticed Blade.''It's not that I enjoy being so hard on them, I've just seen too many bros die for stupid reasons. I'm tasked with their safety and sometimes that's hard to ensure.''I understand Blade.'Sensing a change in the young Martian on his chest, Optimus engaged his holoform and settled beside Blade, looping one arm around his shoulders and holding him close. Knowing no one would say anything about his temporary weakness, Blade snuggled closer and welcomed the supportive arms, desperate for some kind of comfort against the constant pressures of leadership. A little surprised when Blade draped over his holoform, Optimus took a moment to think before wrapping Blade up tighter and stroking his back lightly, trying to soothe his fears before they got out of hand.'It's nice to have someone that understands the burdens of leadership. Emily tries but she's never been an officer. My bros have a go but they don't have the pressure I've got. You get it, you understand what I face daily.' Blade uttered, head resting on Optimus' furred shoulder lightly.'Smaller numbers but bigger problems. It takes a special kind of person to be a leader.' Optimus agreed, temporarily shocked by how right it felt to be Blade's rock and confidant. 'Some people just don't understand how hard it can be.''Exactly. I thought that getting out here and settling the guys into something fairly close to civilian life would ease my burdens, instead they seem just as heavy. I don't have a moment to myself, there's always someone looking to talk to me about something. Some times I have to care and resolve the situation but most times, it's just bullshit.''In a way I am quite lucky like that. My fellow Autobots know that if the door is shut, I do not wish to be disturbed for anything short of an attack. It seems you do not have such a luxury.''Not a chance. I can't get away from them and they know my officer's code demands that I listen to their troubles and help them resolve any issues. All my Section Heads have to face the same battles but being top of the ladder makes it even worse.''You can come hide in here anytime you want Blade. I will see that you are not disturbed.''Thanks Optimus. Do you mind if I catch a nap? I was up all night dealing with various issues.''Of course not, I'll be right here when you wake.' Optimus nodded, thinking nothing of it as Blade draped over his holoform's chest and got comfortable. 'Sleep well Blade.'#~#+^*^+#~#Grunting as someone landed on his back, Jazz surged out of his lazy recharge and flipped, sending his attacker flying again. Bounding to his feet, he spotted the attacker and froze, certain his optics were glitching as he gazed at the 'Bot that had landed on him. Rolling to his feet and standing, Blaster grinned and flipped his battle mask up, so glad to see his old friend again.'Hey, sup Blaster?' Jazz grinned, walking over to drape one arm around Blaster's shoulders.'Could ask you the same Jazz. You got a pretty sweet place here.''Owe it all to Emily, our liaison with the humans. She built this place for us all to live in peace and harmony.''Ain't seen this Emily yet, got the brief from some big dude called Falcon. Weird names these humans have.''Falcon ain't human, he's another of our allies. We share this home with a Martian combat unit, Stand Alone Unit 14. Falcon's the security chief, originally for the Martians but when we all started livin' together, he got the job of keeping us all out of trouble.''One guy to keep all this under control? Seems harsh to me, man.''Falcon's the security chief, he's got five other security guys to help keep the peace and some very cool toys to ensure good behaviour. Don't make the mistake of judgin' by size, they might be smaller than us but by damn can they handle things. Ain't many left that haven't felt the true force of the security team, even I've copped it for a late night infraction. Got done for a noise violation, had the stereo pumpin' a little too high and security was called. Lost my sound system for a month and if I do it again, it's brig time. Trust me, man, don't go screwing around. These security boys take things seriously.''Sounds like ol' Red Alert on a bad day.''Nah, Falcon and his bros ain't that bad. Sit and chill man, we're cool now. Life is good here, nothin' to worry about at all.' Jazz grinned, settling back on the ground and stretching out beside Prowl.'I would but gotta keep an optic on Eject and Rewind…oh slag, where are they now?' Blaster groaned, looking around for his little ones. 'Rewind! Eject! Where are you two?''They can't have gotten far. Come on, we'll find them.' Jazz replied, transforming and starting to search.Seemingly unaware of the concern they were causing, Eject and Rewind watched one of the mice on the jumps track, the glossy red and white bike spinning and flying in a spectacular show. Sitting tall in the saddle, the rider moved with his bike and pulled off stunts that neither young Autobot had ever seen before. Landing again and swinging around beside the twins, the rider yanked his helmet off and shook his hair out, a warm smile on his face.'Well hi there. I'm Revs, welcome to our compound.' he greeted, unafraid of the pair towering over him. 'This is Roars, my beautiful Martian Sylver Seraph 8500.' he added, indicating the bike he was riding.'Hello. I'm Rewind and this is my twin, Eject.' the black and white replied, crouching a little more and gazing at Revs. Whistle-clicking a greeting of her own, Roars reared up onto her rear wheel and revved, inviting the pair to play.'Whoa, did we do something wrong?' Eject asked, blue and white paint glistening in the sun.'Nah, she's just excited. Judging by the parts I can see, you've both got two-wheeled earth modes, most likely motorbikes of some kind. She's inviting you to ride with us, that's all.' Revs chuckled, forcing Roars back down with a subtle weight shift.'Yeah, according to the internet, Kawasaki KLX 140.' Eject nodded, transforming and rolling onto the track.'We picked the same earth mode, it's comforting for us.' Rewind added, joining his brother on the track.'Nothing wrong with that. Come on, let's ride.' Revs grinned, donning his helmet and holding on as Roars raced off around the track again, Eject and Rewind keeping pace easily enough. Spotting a flash of black and white in his peripheral vision, Ironhide turned and chuckled, catching a flash of blue and white shooting into the sky beside a very familiar red, white and black shape.'Blaster, I found them. They're over on the jumps track with Revs.' he called, turning back to the frantic carrier now peering over the walls in case the boys had left.'Thanks Ironhide.' he replied, sagging with relief as he followed the pointing hand to find his boys. 'Eject! Rewind! Here, now!' he snapped, worry being replaced with frustration.Hearing the angered call, Eject and Rewind hit the brakes and spun, narrowly avoiding Revs as they shot off the track and raced to Blaster, transforming and running the last few meters.'Yeah dad?' Eject asked, letting out a yelp as Blaster grabbed his scruff bar and hoisted him off the ground.'What'd we do dad?' Rewind tried, in the same state as his brother.'Don't you ever, ever disappear like that again. You had me so worried.' Blaster growled, totally focused on his dangling youngsters.'We're sorry dad, we were just exploring.' Eject offered, helpless to get away from Blaster's grip.'Roars invited us to join him on the track.' Rewind added, realising that they weren't going to get away without trouble.'You should have told me where you were going. Don't ever do that again, you're all I've got left.' Blaster insisted, a flash of pain entering his optics.'We won't dad, promise. We'll stay close and always tell you where we're going. We're sorry, we won't disappear like that again.' Rewind nodded, looking at his twin for a moment. 'You won't lose us dad, we'll be okay.''Ah, c'mere you little scraplets.' Blaster chuckled, flicking the pair up and catching them against his chest. 'I never could stay mad at either of you, no matter how much you worry me at times.''Love you dad.' Eject uttered, latching onto his father and burrowing close.'Love you so much.' Rewind agreed, arms locked around Blaster's neck.'I'll always love you both, no matter what.' Blaster replied, sinking to the ground with all the grace he could muster and holding his twins tight. 'My beautiful split-spark twins.'Wandering over to sit near Blaster, Wheeljack chuckled as Perceptor darted over and dropped into his lap, examining the delicate feather he'd found somewhere.'You didn't disturb any local animals to get that, did you?''Kup gave it to me, said he found it after he woke from his nap earlier.' Perceptor replied, admiring the brown feather as he held it carefully in his fingers. 'It's so pretty.''It sure is Perceptor. I think it's an eagle feather but I can't be sure. We'll look it up later, how's that sound?''Okay, I like that idea. You'll help me find the right bird, won't you?''Of course I will. We'll find out all we can and maybe even see the same bird flying around here another day.''Really?''We might be lucky enough.''You're the best dad.' Perceptor beamed, carefully putting his feather away before hugging Wheeljack tight.Whipping around and staring at Wheeljack, Blaster had to replay the conversation just to be certain that he'd heard correctly. Hearing that recording didn't help though, he still heard the same word - dad.'You're a father too Wheeljack?' he asked, adjusting the twins on his lap.'Technically no, I'm a carrier but after Perceptor's sire disappeared, I took on both roles. When he first arrived, Perceptor called me mum and oh boy did we have to answer some interesting questions. We discussed the situation and now I'm dad. That doesn't seem to cause as many problems with our various allies.' Wheeljack explained, not really surprised when Perceptor hid away shyly when Blaster's twins turned their attention his direction.'So, three youngsters on base, that's cool.''It'll be four soon, Ratchet's sparked. Should only be another few days before the little one splits off.''I had no idea Ratchet was a carrier. Who's the sire of that incoming bundle of joy?''Ironhide, who else? Come on, those two were together before the war, surely you remember.''I remembered a second after I asked, been out of touch for way too long I guess. It's good to be back with some of the gang.''You've missed a lot Blaster, we've had some impressive victories since we first started arriving on this planet.''Go on, I'm listenin'.'Leaning back on his hands and nuzzling Perceptor's helm lightly, Wheeljack sighed and dimmed his optics, recalling the details and telling the story of the third battle against the Decepticons. He went back as far as he could and rolled it forward, speaking of the missions in the Middle East, the discovery at Chernobyl and everything else that led up to the Chicago Battle. Discussing Ironhide's destruction and salvation had caught Wheeljack vocaliser but he'd pressed on, wanting to pass on all the knowledge he had so Blaster could understand what they had faced. Talking about their ship still stung a little, he'd had a hand in building it but it was an integral part of the story. Listening intently and absorbing everything that was said, Blaster had to admire the courage portrayed as his friends took their fight back to Megatron despite all the obstacles thrown up against them. He silently praised the bravery of the mice, astounded that they had purposefully ridden into danger to protect their Autobot allies. But when Wheeljack spoke of Falcon's near sacrifice, Blaster was left in stunned disbelief that a Martian would risk his life for an Autobot he hardly knew. He'd never expected such loyalty to be shown between two such different races. Going beyond the Chicago battle, Wheeljack told of the great effort that went into restoring Jazz and Ironhide and how the mice pulled with them to get the job done. He praised Emily's determination to build them a new home and all the work that went into the design and building of their home. He took Blaster right through to the day previous and the adventures they had shared.Falling quiet again, Wheeljack waited for Blaster to go back over everything he'd been told. Absolutely stunned by what he'd heard, Blaster couldn't fully wrap his mind around all the information but it was slowly filtering through and being stored away until he could go over it in his own time.'I missed a lot more than I thought.' he mused, shaking his head in wonder.'That's just the latest brawl against the Decepticons. You'll need to ask someone else about the other two, I can't help you there.''It's okay Wheeljack. It's going to take me a couple days to go through all you've told me and file it all away.''Ask around with the mice too, they've still got a lot of helmet cam footage from Chicago and maybe some stuff from Mission City and Egypt as well. Movie nights are always great, we usually put the screen up on the side of the empty house there and play old footage for a laugh. Ratchet's accident at the Witwicky residence is a favourite and we can thank Ironhide for the clip.''I will Wheeljack, thanks for the tip.''No problem Blaster. We had to bring a few others up to speed on the situation, you weren't the only one to miss the action.''I'm still in awe of the charge Falcon led. Five lives saved with no thought of his own danger. It's just amazing to think about, much less witness. I just can't wrap my mind around the fact he did that.''We're bros, friends to the very end. I asked Streaks about it once and you know what he said. The unspoken bond of friendship translates as: if you should ever need my life, then come and take it.''I assume that Streaks is another of the Martians?''Yeah, that's him over there. Brown fur, black hair with bright orange streaks in it.''I see him. It's going to take some time to get used to their way of thinking.''We all had to face that challenge.'#~#+^*^+#~#A little confused when Ratchet called her back into the repair bay that afternoon, Emily had no idea what he wanted so soon after Frenzy's initial scans. If there had been a problem, he would have told her immediately and she wasn't getting that sort of a vibe off him. This was all very unusual and she was nervous, tense in anticipation and waiting to see what would happen. Perched up on Emily's shoulder again, Frenzy showed no fear of the repair bay this time, he was quite content to look around and trill softly. Spotting Ratchet emerging from the OR again, Emily quickly grabbed Frenzy's arm and perched him on the railing, holding him close as Ratchet walked over, a soft bundle held lightly in one massive hand. Sensing something unusual, Frenzy bolted back onto Emily's shoulder and flared up, nervous but trying not to show it. Chirring softly to soothe him, Emily coaxed him back down onto the railing and stroked his back, getting the hang of his rapid mood swings and how to handle them.Looking at the bundle in his hand for a moment, Ratchet sighed and shifted his gaze to Emily, cradling the bundle to his chest lightly as he considered his words. Instead of speaking though, he flipped the cloth away and revealed the little Autobot looking around timidly. Staring at Ratchet for a moment, Emily approached the railing and reached out to the second youngster, chirring to him in greeting and introducing herself as his mother. Looking from Emily to Frenzy and back, the little blue and silver 'Bot chirruped and crawled across Ratchet's fingers to grab Emily's reaching hand. Trilling softly in encouragement, Emily guided him closer and picked him up, nuzzling his helm and cooing to welcome him. Systems purring in harmony, the twins nuzzled close to their mother and chirred happily, dazzling blue and green optics looking up at her with absolute trust.Watching as Emily bonded with the newest member of her family, Ratchet wasn't sure if he should interrupt but there was one other little bit of information he wanted to pass to Emily before he left them to bond as a family unit. It wasn't much, just a fragment of a memory about Frenzy's twin. Before he could say anything though, Emily proved she'd done more than just edit Frenzy's programming, she'd looked through his memory files."Frenzy and Rumble, my beautiful split-spark twins." She uttered, nuzzling their helms as she named them. "I love you both so much, don't ever forget that.""Love you too mumma.""Always love you mumma."Unburdened by their combined weight and so proud of the pair, Emily lifted her gaze to Ratchet and nodded, genuine thanks and acceptance in her dark eyes.'Thank you.' she offered, those two little words saying so much so easily.'Just doing my job, Ma'am.' Ratchet replied, a little embarrassed by the honest thanks. 'Been a while since I had the joy of treating sparklets as small as your pair.''Then you won't mind if I bring them to you for any problems?''Of course not, I would be proud to treat them.''Thank you for your assistance, CMO Ratchet.' Emily nodded, offering a slight bow before turning and heading for the stairs back down to ground level.Wandering across the grass and chattering with her twins quietly, Emily couldn't wipe the proud smile off her face as she headed for the main gathering spot for the time being. She knew people were staring, curious about the two she held but they wouldn't push for information until she gave off the subtle signals that she was ready to be questioned about them. She noticed the various groups sitting around, amazed that they changed every day but quickly settled on which one to sit with. Making a mental note to organise some kind of sling to help take the weight off her shoulders, she padded over and settled beside Christine and Braid, watching the proud parents-to-be. Christine rested in Braid's lap, their joined hands supporting under her swollen abdomen.'All we need is Ratchet and Ironhide over here and we've got a full on parents group.' Emily chuckled, sinking down and settling the twins on her thighs.'Where'd you find those two Emily?' Wheeljack asked, Perceptor stretched out beside him and watching the clouds.'It's a long story Wheeljack. One that I'll share when the twins are old enough to understand. What really matters is that I love them both and I'll raise them as my own always. Frenzy and Rumble are my responsibility, my dearest split-sparks.' Emily replied, nuzzling the pair tenderly so they knew she loved them.'Frenzy and Rumble…no, it can't be.' Blaster uttered, staring at the pair in disbelief. 'This is gonna sound bad but I'm demanding that you hand those two over immediately. I made their true carrier a promise that if anythin' happened to him, I'd take on his family.''Try it and see what happens Blaster. You make one move to take my children and it's not just my wrath you'll face. I've already got Ratchet's blessing, he saved Rumble and put him back together but realised he couldn't care of him and his own sparklet. Of all the people he could have chosen, he chose me. As for Frenzy, I put six years into saving his life and getting him back to the happy little guy you see now. They've already bonded to my care, they ain't going anywhere now.' Emily growled, the twins instinctively seeking comfort closer to her chest.'If you'd left it alone, you might have had the chance to become one of the chosen babysitters when Emily's got to go to work. Now you'll be lucky to get any contact much at all.' Metric added, joining the group with Wheelie and Brains.'There you are Emily, we were looking for ya.''Sorry Brains, had to get the twins checked over by Ratchet. Meet Rumble and Frenzy, my dear sons.''Oh, you're gonna have fun with those two. I remember…''One word and you're out in the main estate Brains. Those times are gone, left in the past where they belong. Clean slate and don't you go messing it up.' Emily snarled, clicking softly to soothe the twins again.'Okay, okay. Not a word Emily, promise. Really don't wanna live out here, too dangerous for us.' Brains nodded, holding up his hands in defeat.'That's what I like to hear Brains. I am not looking forward to bringing our other liaisons up to speed on this new situation.' Emily sighed, shaking her head in wonder.'Oh, guess what. We had a new arrival join the ranks, bringing his two sons along with him. Ratchet and Ironhide had a kid too, betcha didn't know they could do that. And to top it off, I've got two adopted Autobot sparklets as well.' she added, earning a few laughs from her friends.'You're the woman everyone's been telling me about? You don't seem that intimidating.' Blaster remarked, eyeing Emily warily.'Be grateful you've met me on a good day Blaster. I'm sure Sideswipe remembers our first meeting for all the wrong reasons. He said the wrong thing and wound up in repair bay after a put a knife in one of his vital lines. He wasn't expecting someone so small to be a threat but he learned real fast.''No way.''Believe it Blaster, she jammed a knife into my main energon line, got me right below the faceplate.' Sideswipe nodded, skating past the group with his twin. 'I learned real fast what not to say around Emily and you'll learn too. Some days it's best to just stay out of sight and pray.' he added, kicking off and chasing Sunstreaker down.'It takes a fair bit to annoy me enough for me to pull a weapon on an ally. You came mighty close by demanding I hand these two over but I know I have to set a good example for them. Speaking of setting a good example, anyone seen Optimus or Blade today? Ain't seen a hint of either all day.' Emily nodded, the twins drifting into recharge slowly. 'Sleep my angels, mumma's got you.' she whispered, rocking slowly until they dropped into recharge properly.'Haven't seem them either Emily, that's really weird for both of them. They're usually always out here keeping an eye on things.' Wheeljack shrugged, taking a moment to look around for the unmistakeable shape of his leader.'Feh, they'll turn up when they're ready. Falcon would have marked them on the board if they'd left the compound proper and I can't see any markings next to their names.' Emily shrugged, gaze turning to the large board with everyone listed so they could show if they were heading beyond the walls for a stretch.#~#+^*^+#~#Twitching with the aftershocks, Blade panted harshly and sagged back against Optimus' chest plates in exhaustion, not really caring about the heat he was giving off. Fur soaked with sweat but drying quickly thanks to the rising heat, he found the energy to roll onto his side and look up at Optimus' faceplates, a soft smile on his face. Optics clicking back on, Optimus hummed in contentment and gazed down at Blade, trembling against his chest plates. Adjusting a few of his vents, he helped dry Blade's thick fur before he got cold. Sighed contentedly and stretching out again, Blade sighed and looked at his sticky fur, briefly wondering if he'd get back to his place without anyone noticing his state.'That was…' Optimus mused, cupping his hand to support Blade gently.'Unexpected?' Blade supplied, shuffling around leaning back into Optimus' hand comfortably.'Most unexpected but certainly not unpleasant.''So no regrets?''None at all. What about you?''Nope, I'm happy with what's happening between us. It's a little weird but I'm okay with this.' Blade nodded, shifting deeper into the warmth of Optimus' hand. 'Leadership gets in the way of everything, right?''So very true Blade. Do you really think this can work though?''Don't see why not. Not saying it's gonna be easy but we'll make it work.'Sitting up slowly, Optimus cradled Blade tenderly to his chest and fished in one of the storage boxes on the shelf near the berth. Finding what he wanted, he draped the scrap of blue cloth over Blade's naked body and nodded, still amazed by how right it felt to cradle the exhausted Martian like this. Tucking the cloth around his body a little more, Blade sighed softly and closed his eyes, relaxing into the supporting warmth and getting used to the idea of having a non-platonic relationship with a being such as Optimus.'Are you all right Blade?''Yeah, just thinking. The first thing I really need is a wash, I'm all sweaty and sticky.''Shall I take you home?''Only if it can't be avoided. Come on, we're smart. We should be able to figure out something that will do the job.'Turning the problem over carefully, Optimus searched through the storage boxes on the shelves, recalling something that would do a suitable job as a bathtub if he could just find it. Flipping past some random trinkets he'd picked up over the centuries, he found his prize and lifted it out, a slight twist of the wrist enough to free it from the pile of stuff in the box. Putting that down safely, he fossicked through another box and came up with a small bag that Sam had left behind some time ago. Placing the bag in the shallow dish and picking both up, he headed for the bathroom, placing the items up on the low wall before easing Blade up to sit there safely. Turning on the water to just a slow trickle, he filled the shallow bowl carefully and put it back on the wall, spark lifting as Blade walked over and tested the temperature.'Heh, knew you'd figure something out Optimus. This will do nicely.' Blade nodded, dropping the blue cloth and climbing into the tub. 'This is just perfect.''And here I thought that thing was just supposed to be pretty to look at. A gift from an old ally, I never really liked it much but they asked if I still had it every time we communicated so I couldn't get rid of it.' Optimus shrugged, adjusting the water and stepping under the spray.'Yeah, I've got a few things like that. We could carve a piece out of the wall up here and mount this permanently, would make it safer.' Blade agreed, leaning back in the warmth and washing the muck from his fur.'I'm certain that something can be arranged.' Optimus agreed, rinsing off the sticky grey transfluid on his chest and abdomen. 'It really is nice to have some personal company like this.''Now I finally understand what Slash was trying to explain when he first started dating Bonfire. Things do just fall into place and you know it's meant to be.' Blade nodded, totally relaxed and peaceful as he enjoyed the warmth of his bath and the constant company of his dearest friend and now lover.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The first warning anyone got of the invading force inside the compound was when the Martian Trisi class interceptor appeared above the shared area. Responding instantly, Ironhide's cannons whirled into position and he took aim on the hovering ship, waiting for orders to take it down.'Ironhide, stand down!' Blade called, heavy cannon over his shoulder as he raced out to join the ranks. 'Destruction by my order!''Acknowledged Blade.' Ironhide replied, backing up and lowering his cannons but he didn't put them away.'Formation! We don't know what's coming with this Trisi!' Blade ordered, his new relationship with Optimus giving him a fair bit of pull when it came to ordering Autobots around.Gathering together and forming a solid circle around the hovering ship, Martians and Autobots stood tall together, weapons ready but lowered until they knew more about the status of their enemy. Settling down in the middle of the circle, the interceptor went quiet and seemed to wait before the hatch opened and some very familiar faces strode out. Instantly the tension ratcheted up again, weapons swinging up into firing positions all around the circle.'I suggest you lot get back in that ship and fuck off. We don't want you here.' Falcon snarled, bracing his mini-version of Ironhide's cannons. Hanging from a shoulder mount harness, they were a scary looking pair, capable of some very serious damage and Falcon had the strength to put their power to good use.'You're only getting one warning! Leave! Now!' Braid added, another scary looking heavy weapon in his hands.'Whoa, steady now bros.' Stoker tried, hands raised as he stepped forward. He jumped back again when a bullet whistled past his left ear and pinged off the ship.'Next one goes through your head asshole!' Emily warned, pistol held level with his forehead and four small Autobots tucked behind her. 'You've had all the warnings you're gonna get!''Stand Alone Unit 14, I hereby order you to stand down!' Carbine demanded, stepping forward and refusing to be cowed by the show of aggression all around them.'You lost your right to order us around when you abandoned us!' Christine countered, switching her aim over to Carbine's chest.Swapping startled looks, the other three that had emerged from the ship seemed confused by this new information, not really sure if they should believe what they were hearing or not. Talking quietly and tossing ideas around as they tried to figure out what to do, they soon came to a conclusion. Stepping forward, Throttle un-holstered his pistol and dropped it, nuke knucks landing beside it a moment later. Unhooking a new addition to his equipment belt, he gazed calmly at his fellow mice as he slid the thin black band around his wrists and pulled it tight with a flick of his tail. Gaze lowered and body language respectful, he stunned everyone as he stepped from the shelter of the ship and knelt, defenceless against the deadly weapons aimed his way.Recognising the ancient ritual aiming towards a peaceful negotiation between warring clans, Blade lowered his weapon and let it fall before removing the rest of his arsenal and dropping them to the grass. Reaching over and unhooking a set of flexi-cuffs from Plate's belt, Blade bound his wrists and stepped out to kneel in front of Throttle, two strong leaders meeting in a totally neutral situation.'Blade, I've known you since I was a rookie. You were a young Sergeant that I could believe in and I proudly followed you into battle so many times. You watched me bloom into a great leader in my own right and I proved my abilities with my own cell. I watched from a distance as you were given what you deserved and promoted above me again. I knew you would make SAU 14 a force to be reckoned with, a deadly unit with an unstoppable desire to free our planet and see it restored.' Throttle offered, trying not to think about all the weapons still pointing their direction.'Throttle, I've known you since you were a young recruit. You were a lively one, always thinking through the plans and making them your own as we raced into battle against so many varied enemies. You surpassed all expectations and grew into a warrior the likes of which no one expected to see. The first day you stood with your cell, I knew you would be the one to lead the Martian people into a new Golden Time for Mars.' Blade replied, outer confidence hiding his inner concerns about how this might end.'I know you Blade, you would never tell me false truths. Speak freely, you'll receive no judgement from me, bro.' Throttle nodded, a little awkward as he moved to sit cross-legged on the grass.'The story of SAU 14 since I was given command is dark and full of betrayal and treachery. We never came to Earth of our own free will, we were ordered off Mars with no chance to defend our positions. SAU 14 became a dumping ground for the unwanted members of so many cells, units and commands. Unwanted for medical reasons, psychological reasons, physical problems or long, negative personnel files. Thanks to a source within the Martian High Command, we have discovered exactly who sighed off on all those transfers. Someone we all trusted and respected for his abilities in combat…General Stoker.' Blade explained, even more awkward with his position change but he got settled again.'Do you have proof of these allegations Blade?''We do Throttle. Brains, come over here.''On my way Blade.'Picking his way through the grass, Brains climbed up onto Blade's lap and waited for instructions, always eager to help out the mice when they needed high tech help.'What do you need Blade?''I need you to bring up the files relating to our allegations against Stoker. Throttle wishes to see our proof.''You've got it Blade.' Brains nodded, dropping off Blade's lap and climbing into Throttle's before transforming and bringing up the first file. "Ask if this is good?"'Do not be alarmed Throttle, Brains is no threat. He wants to know if the angle is good.''Uh, yeah, this is good. I can read everything clearly.' Throttle nodded, reaching for his inner calm as he scanned the slowly filing documents. 'Just slow it down a little, I'm missing details.''These documents are coming straight from the Martian HQ servers, there has been no tampering Throttle.''I can see that Blade, the Martian HQ sigils are all here, including the ones that exist nowhere else.''How dare you!' Carbine snarled, advancing on Blade with murder in her eyes.'You lot were warned!' Emily snarled, shifting her aim a little and blowing a hole right through Carbine's right ear. 'Back to the ramp and don't move again! Next one is a kill shot!''She's serious, back off now!' Blade warned, deep red eyes steely hard as he glared at Carbine and Stoker. 'Revs, dispatch a medic to check her wound. I do not want that bitch bleeding in my home.''Couldn't agree more. Shift, bare minimum care.' Revs replied, turning to his most junior medic.'Got it covered Boss.' Shift nodded, shouldering his rifle and moving forward, digging in the medical hip pouch he was wearing.Still going through the documents Brains was scrolling for him, Throttle couldn't believe what he was seeing on the screen. Every profile was black marked, the reasons written clearly for all to see. Decal's career with a top Army spy unit was taken from him by his asthma, a full year after it was diagnosed. Revs lost his standing as CMO for Base 14 due to the fact he was short sighted. Sidewinder, a brilliant Explosives Technician by all rights had been black-listed for a duty-related hearing issue. Ripper lost his forward scouting place with Scouting team 9, the best unit on Mars, two years after his grand mal epilepsy was diagnosed. Thunder was removed from his sniper team and sent to SAU 14 because of hearing loss. Black and his younger brothers Carbon and Speed all got their black marks after a detected security breech. No one knew for sure who had done it, the brothers refused to give each other up. So many great careers destroyed for pointless reasons and all signed by the same two senior commanders. Lifting his gaze, he looked back to where Carbine and Stoker were sitting, Carbine's ear still streaked red. Shaking his head slowly, he turned back to the laptop and sighed, realising what had to be done. He hated to be the one to bring the allegations against Stoker, the younger mice looked up to him with such respect. But he couldn't just let this mistreatment go unpunished, he had to face the Martian War Tribunal and tell them about it. They were around specifically to prevent matters like this from ever cropping up but somehow the case of SAU 14's banishment hadn't reached their attention.'Gets worse bro, you haven't seen anything yet.' Blade offered, shifting a little and glancing back at the only human in the circle.'This is already very bleak Blade, how much worse can it get?''Even if we still had a ship, which we don't, we cannot return to Mars. False charges were drummed up against all of us, meaning we'll face firing squads, hard labour camps or serious prison time if we dare return. We've accepted that, we have a new home here and people that care about us, we don't have the desire to go back to Mars and watch it die. The same officers that signed us onto this mission also signed and co-signed those documents.''They did what?''It's true Throttle. I go back, I face twelve life sentences for massacring a group of mouselings. It's all false, I never did anything like that, I could never harm a child. I still cannot go back though, lies are enough to lock me away. Terrence and Stephen are just 28, one gets 10 years hard labour, the other 15 prison. It's not right and you know it.'Digesting this new information slowly, Throttle found that he could see Stoker and Carbine doing something like that, it fit with the stories he'd heard from them both about the fate of SAU 14. Now he knew he couldn't let this drop, he'd take it to the tribunal and see that justice was done.'I will personally take this information before the War Tribunal, they'll make it right. This is exactly the reason they were established, to prevent situations like this.''You really are still such a rookie. The War Tribunal ain't gonna do anything, we're just a bunch of misfits. The best thing you can do is get back on that Trisi and leave, forget you ever saw us and get on with your lives. We'll be okay.''No, you're wrong Blade. The War Tribunal will make it right, they aren't corrupt like so much of our government. Just last week they ended the harsh isolation of another discarded unit and welcomed them back into main stream society. They are still listening, if you just speak up against the treatment.''Bro, what part of can't go home don't you understand. The War Tribunal will ask us to stand before them and we can't, instant case dismissal. Even you can't stand against the orders regarding out fate, if we're seen, there is no question of taking us in, we'll be marched away in cuffs before anyone can say anything.''Is there no one you trust to stand in your defence? Someone who can make the trip to Mars and plead your case. I'll organise a vid-link so you can make your own statements without risking your lives but I need someone who can help me prove you were treated unfairly. There must be someone Blade, I only need one.''There's only one person I trust to take our case before the War Tribunal, but I doubt she will be welcome on Mars. She knows our case inside out, she's been there with us since we first arrived on Earth. Our guardian and patron, Emily. There is no one I trust more than her, she's taken the very best care of us all for over ten years.''Where is this Emily now?''She's the one that put a bullet through Carbine's ear. That's Emily for you, she stepped up to defend the ranks so no one got into trouble. She is our guardian and protector, no matter the challenges we face.''Oh. Well, this should be interesting. No human has ever set foot on Mars. But if she is the one you trust so faultlessly, I will take her. I just hope she's willing to listen, learn and play by our rules.''She knows the rules Throttle, we include her in all our rituals, she has been selected by Risla and understands our lifestyle. She'll need a diplomacy course and a suitable uniform but apart from that, she's good to go.''A suitable uniform is easy to handle, however I will not be able to organise a suitable warriors cloak. She'll never be accepted without it and you know that.''A cloak can be made, we have a very good seamstress. It will take a few days but Christine can handle it.''Very well. Security measures will need to be taken until we can head to Mars to face the Tribunal.''We have a brig set up and a full security team ready for duty. Just say the word and they'll handle things.''Do it.''Falcon, take Generals Carbine and Stoker into custody and escort them to the brig.' Blade ordered, relaxing a little as the six-man security team bounded forward. 'Snipers, block their escape!''On it Blade.' Crimson replied, popping his scope and lancing a shot right past Carbine to block her from boarding the ship.It was over in minutes, the two stunned Generals marched away in cuffs towards the brig. Satisfied with the result of their negotiations, Throttle and Blade rocked to their feet and smiled, looking around and working out who would be the one to release them. Brains beat them to the punch though, scrambling up Throttle's jeans and biting through the plastic. Sighing softly as the pressure vanished, Throttle shifted his grip on the tiny Autobot and lifted him up before motioning for Blade to turn. Offering out his wrists, Blade flinched as the flex cuffs bit into his skin a little more before falling to the ground.'Nice one Brains, thanks.' he grinned, rubbing sore wrists lightly.'Anything to help a bro, you know that.' Brains grinned, dropping back to the ground and heading back to Emily's side.'Everyone stand down! These three are welcome here, they are good bros!' Blade ordered, jogging over to collect his weapons as everyone else lowered their weapons and relaxed. 'Christine and Emily, I need a word with you both. Everyone else, chill out and go back to what you were doing, we're okay.'Sinking into a crouch between his bros, Throttle watched the giant robots wander off in every direction, laughing and talking with the members of 14.'Any idea what's going on here bro?' Vinnie asked, equally nervous about what was going on around them.'With the robots, not yet. With SAU 14, it's a mess. Carbine and Stoker blacklisted them all, banished them from Mars upon pain of death, imprisonment or hard labour if they ever return. I promised Blade I'd front the War Tribunal about it, get their records cleared and see that Carbine and Stoker are punished accordingly. He's sending Emily with us, she can argue their case better than I can.''Which one is Emily?' Modo asked, slowly calming down but still a little nervous about the situation.'You can't miss her, she's the only human in this place. There she is, talking with Blade and Christine.''Oh yeah, I see her now. Are you sure she's trustworthy?''Blade trusts her with his life and the welfare of his entire unit, I'd say she's trustworthy. I haven't had a chance to talk to her yet but I'm not worried. She's the only one Blade trusts to argue their case to the War Tribunal.''I just hope she can do it, no one should be prevented from going home.''Couldn't agree more big guy but Blade said they're happy here. They don't want to go home but to have the option would be nice.''How long since they were last home?''Ten years, Mars has changed a lot since then.''It sure has bro.'Sending Emily and Christine off with their new project, Blade turned and chuckled as he watched Throttle, Vinnie and Modo watching the Autobots from under their ship, obviously wary of the giant robots. Darting past Hound and ducking under the ship, he settled back on the grass and relaxed.'You don't have to fear the Autobots, they are a gentle race really. They're refugees like us, but while we're banished, their homeworld Cybertron was destroyed by their war. We share this compound under Emily's care. They are a highly advanced race with some exceptional abilities. What you see walking around is their base modes, bipedal robots but they can actually transform into ordinary vehicles we see on the roads. Their leader, Optimus Prime, turns into a Peterbilt 18-wheeler complete with trailer. Each one is different but they are all truly gentle spirits, even if they get a little nasty at times. Their CMO Ratchet isn't known for his great bedside manner but he's the best at what he does and everyone here knows it.''And you're totally relaxed living with these Autobots?' Throttle asked, jumping as one of the Autobots transformed right near the ship and drove away.'Oh yeah, absolutely relaxed with it. I'm actually living with Optimus for the most, I've got a place in the Martian estate but he understands me like no one else does.''Could we meet him?''Well sure, he'd be pleased to meet you. Optimus finds the Martian race fascinating, we spend hours talking about everything to do with Martian culture. He's even started putting his faith in our gods and been blessed by Ares. Stick with me and you'll be fine, the Autobots are aware of their size and always watch where they put their feet.'#~#+^*^+#~#Crying out in shock and pain as his separation process commenced, Ratchet stumbled and crashed to his knees, one arm managing to catch a berth to stop his fall. Intakes heaving in an attempt to cool his body, he knelt there and panted, unable to do anything much else in his current condition."Ironhide…need you now." He managed, fingers tightening on the berth at his side so he didn't slip right to the ground."On my way. Should I get Wheeljack?""Yes…it's time.""We're on the way."Free hand braced against the floor, he tried to find his stability against the pain welling up in his chest. He knew how the process went, he'd birthed sparklets before and knew all the processes but that wasn't much help to him now. Swearing softly and hissing as another flare of pain filled his chest, he tried to deal with it but it felt like the kid was trying to rip his spark out. Gathering his strength and cursing again, he staggered back to his feet, leaning heavily on the berth and working to calm his raging systems all over again. Swaying dangerously, he lost his grip on the berth, his exhausted systems unable to react fast enough to prevent a painful fall. The impact never came though, instead he felt tender arms wrapping around him and holding him up.'I've got ya Ratch, it's alright now. Shhh, you're okay. I'm here and I ain't leaving ya.' Ironhide uttered, supporting his mate tenderly against his chest as he nuzzled his helm.'Hurts so much.' Ratchet groaned, unable to do anything but slump there in Ironhide's embrace, too drained to manage more.'Shhh, save your strength Ratch. I've got ya, just relax.' Ironhide soothed, shifting his grip and gently lifting Ratchet into his arms. 'It's alright now Ratch, I've got ya forever.'Carrying his mate to the end berth and easing him down, Ironhide lightly stroked his cheek and took one bright hand in his own, offering what comfort he could against the pain. Trilling and cooing softly, he soothed Ratchet's concerns and refocused him onto possible names for their child. Chirring in reply, Ratchet tightened up his grip on Ironhide's fingers and groaned, the distraction failing on him.'Where's Jack?''He'll be here real soon Ratch, just relax.''Want this over.''I know Ratch, I know. I love you.''Love you…gah, lil slagger!''Patience Ratch, this will be over soon.' Ironhide whispered, hand sliding up to cup Ratchet's helm lovingly. "Wheeljack! Hurry it up! This sparklet is ready now!""I'm coming, I'm coming. Perceptor didn't want to leave."Hustling into the repair bay, Wheeljack gently placed the waiting body beside Ratchet and dug out his birthing kit, placing it on the table at his side.'Okay Ratchet, here we go. Just relax, it'll all be over soon. Open up and let me see.' he uttered, opening his kit and spreading out his tools. 'Ironhide, staying or going?''I ain't leaving.' Ironhide replied, shifting a little so he wasn't in Wheeljack's way. 'Hang in there Ratch, I've got ya.''Don't let go 'Hide.' Ratchet pleaded, tightening his grip on Ironhide's hand again.'Never gonna happen Ratch, I'll always be right here.' Ironhide promised, leaning over and stealing a chaste kiss. 'Don't stress, I'm right here for ya.''Alright, you're almost ready Ratchet. Just another couple of minutes for the separation to finish.' Wheeljack coaxed, very carefully attaching the deflector to keep Ratchet's spark out of the way while he worked.Howling in pain again, Ratchet writhed against the firm grip Ironhide had on him, their child seemingly reluctant to let go of the carrier spark. Refusing to interfere with the sparklet's progress, Wheeljack could only watch on and hope the last tendrils would soon fade out.'Wheeljack, isn't there anything you can do? He's strugglin' here.' Ironhide asked, doing what he could to ease Ratchet's pain.'I could but there's a risk of damaging the sparklet. I don't want to do that.''Please Wheeljack, do something. I can't stand seeing him like this.''I interfere and we'll have more trouble than Ratchet's pain. Cutting that last tether before the sparklet is ready could offline your child instantly. I am not risking it!'Hands locked around Ironhide's forearms, Ratchet wasn't sure how much more of this he could take before demanded Wheeljack interfere but he had to try. Grunting softly as Ratchet's hands tightened up in pain, Ironhide stoically bore the discomfort and leant in to soothe his mate, foreheads resting together. He couldn't take much more of this either, Ratchet's agony was tearing his spark into pieces and there was nothing he could to about it.'It's fading…almost there…just hang in there Ratchet, it's almost time.' Wheeljack grinned, collecting the silent body and making ready for the transfer.'You're doing great Ratch, keep it up. I've got ya, I'm still right here.' Ironhide coaxed, knowing he'd need someone to help straighten out the plating on his arms but he didn't care.'Don't let go 'Hide.''Never Ratch, I'll always be with ya.'At last the final connecting tendril faded away, the moment of birth had come to the family. Reaching in with the specially designed forceps, Wheeljack lifted out the tiny spark and placed it in the still body in his arms, smiling at it pulsed with a healthy rhythm. Carefully closing up the chest compartment, he kept a sharp optic on the awakening systems, wanting to be absolutely certain that this little one would be okay. Systems humming into life, the new sparklet screamed and reached out for someone else. Gently releasing Ratchet's grip, Ironhide walked over and collected the sparklet, cradling the new life to his chest. Closing up his chest plates, Ratchet sat up a little and smiled tiredly as he watched Ironhide bonding with their child. Turning back to Ratchet, Ironhide gently placed their blessing in Ratchet's arms.'Congratulations to you both, she's beautiful.' Wheeljack offered, moving back to give the family some privacy.Cooing tiredly as he gazed at their child, Ratchet smiled and cradled her close, Ironhide coming around to support them both. She was absolutely beautiful, brilliant white and dark blue plating a perfect combination of her parents. Even at such a tender age, she was destined to be a blocky femme, not quite as heavy set as Ironhide but certainly not a flimsy femme. Instead of common blue optics, hers were a vibrant green, a further nod to Ratchet's colours. She had facial features like Ironhide's, armour styling similar to Ratchet and would upgrade into a very imposing looking femme.'Welcome to the world, dear Nimrah. I'm your carrier.''Nimrah?' Wheeljack asked, looking at the proud parents in confusion.'Martian for Precious Gift, we felt it fit with her unique sparking.' Ironhide explained, reaching around Ratchet to lightly stroke her arm lovingly. 'She's our wonderful gift.''She sure is Ironhide. Nimrah, daughter of Ironhide and Ratchet, the first Autobot to be sparked on Earth.' Ratchet agreed, unable to take his eyes off their daughter even as he removed a cube of sparkling-grade from his subspace. 'Knew it was a good idea to be carrying this around. Here we go darling.' he grinned, coaxing her to drink up.'Ready to go home Ratch?' Ironhide asked, knowing Ratchet had wanted a home birth for their little girl.'Yeah, Nimrah's first experience of life shouldn't be here.' Ratchet nodded, allowing Ironhide to take Nimrah from his arms once she'd finished her first meal. 'It's a good thing you've got strong shoulders 'Hide, I'm not going to be up to much for a few days.''It's alright Ratch, don't worry. I'm here to take care of you. I love you both so much. I've got ya, both of ya.' Ironhide soothed, easing Ratchet onto his feet and tucking him close. 'Lean on me Ratch, you're okay.''Thanks 'Hide.'Making their way out of the repair bay, Ironhide transmitted a proud announcement over the public comms system, sharing their wonderful news with everyone in one fell swoop."My friends, my brothers; today brings a wonderful blessing on this compound. Fifteen minutes ago, Ratchet gave life to a beautiful femme that will forever be known as Nimrah. We ask for some privacy for a few days to properly bond with our daughter and ensure she is healthy and off to the best start possible."#~#+^*^+#~#Choking down his laughter as he pried Throttle and his bros out from beside Bumblebee's house, Blade grinned and led them down the road, adjusting his comm and listening to the incoming reports from around the compound.'What was all that screaming about?' Vinnie asked, smoothing out his fur quickly.'Judging by the volume, pitch and the radio reports coming in, our numbers were just increased by one. I knew Ratchet was due but wasn't expecting it today.''One of those Autobots just had a child, is that what you're sayin'?' Modo asked, moving aside as Ironhide and Ratchet made their way past.'Yep, that's the happy family. Ratchet in the green and while, Ironhide in dark blue and you can just make out a trace of Nimrah's blue and white plating there.''Whoa, so they really are just like us. I thought you were messing around bro.' Throttle remarked, watching the family walk past.'Not a chance, I take life around here very seriously. Ratchet's gonna be out of action for a few days, meaning the Autobots don't have access to a trained medic anymore. Wheeljack's got some knowledge of repairs but he's more scientist than medic.' Blade explained, typing in his access code and swinging open the smaller door beside the roller door. 'Come on in guys, but keep it down. Optimus isn't at his shining best right now so just wait here.' he added, heading for the stairs.Kicking off his boots at the top of the stairs, Blade darted along the upper walkways to reach the bedroom. Leaning on the railing, he watched Optimus for a few moments, a tender smile on his face as he fell in love all over again.'Optimus, we've got company. You gonna wake up?' he coaxed, swinging over the railing and climbing down to stand on Optimus' chest plates. 'Come on sleeping beauty, wakey-wakey.''Hhmmmm, Blade? That you?' Optimus groaned, optics lighting up slowly.'Yeah Optimus, I'm back. You feeling up for visitors? Three Martians that just arrived.''Of course, just give me a moment.''By all means, I'll go get them. You sort yourself out.' Blade chuckled, grabbing the climbing rope just near Optimus' shoulder and scrambling up smoothly.Sitting up slowly, Optimus groaned and eased his back up against the solid wall, feeling absolutely miserable after his accident a few days previous. Shifting until he was comfortable in the corner, he pulled the blankets up and tucked a couple extra pillows behind his back so he was as comfortable as possible.'Bros, meet the Autobot leader, Optimus Prime. Be fair, he's not looking his usual best at the moment, another couple weeks and he'll be fine.' Blade explained, leading the trio back along the walkways.'Vinnie, think before you open your mouth.' the tan warned, glancing at the white at his side. 'Good afternoon Optimus Prime. I am Throttle and these are my bros, Vinnie and Modo.''Good afternoon Throttle, Vinnie and Modo.' Optimus replied, chuckling as Blade swung off the railing and onto his shoulder gently.'May I ask what happened to you, Optimus Prime?' Modo asked, watching Blade settle contentedly.'Optimus is fine, Modo. I was asked to collect some parts that the mechanical team required. I had almost made it home after three weeks on the road when some fool crossed into my lane. I tried to avoid the impact but was unsuccessful. My entire left side was caved in and the two trailers of supplies I was hauling tipped onto the highway. Not my best moment.' Optimus replied, indicating the dented plating on his left arm. 'Emily was less than impressed with the situation, it was quite expensive for her to clean up the mess left behind.''You're just lucky she could find a heavy tow truck at that hour of the night. The parts and tools can be replaced but you, you're irreplaceable and don't you forget it.' Blade added, surprising the other three in the room with his audacity to speak to such a large being so bluntly.'I won't Blade, Ratchet already administered a stern warning about that. I still have the dent to prove it.''What's one more dent?''Vinnie, what did I say about thinking before speaking?''It's okay Throttle, I really don't mind.' Optimus chuckled, turning his head and pointing to a crescent shaped dent on the right hand side. 'This one came from Ratchet, he is really quite a good shot with a wrench.''Hang on, the medic we just saw outside hit ya? That makes no sense.''Ratchet has a fierce temper, we're all used to it by now. He tends to get wound up about stupid injuries and this lot definitely counts as stupid. I deserved the extra dent, I should have been paying more attention.'Focus drawn to a very familiar image on the wall, Throttle couldn't believe what he was seeing. He'd never expected to see the grand symbol of Ares there on a wall in an Autobot's bedroom. Staring in wonder and disbelief, he mentally checked the image for imperfections but there were none, the display was exactly as it should be.'I asked Belta for her divine guidance in finding a guiding hand for Optimus. The Great and Powerful Ares selected Optimus as his own.' Blade offered, pointing out the matching statuette on the bedside table.'You're teaching the Autobots about our religion now as well?''But of course Throttle, it's a fair trade. We teach the Autobots about our gods and in return, they teach us of theirs. Admittedly, most would not see the trade of 30 for 1 as fair but it matters little to us. As time goes by, we will teach the Autobots more of our gods and see that they are welcomed into loving arms somewhere along the way.''And the gods are listening to your prayers as well Optimus?''I have asked for little so far but they hear my prayers and respond accordingly. Guidance, hope and support, these are the things I need most of all now and Ares understands that. Blade explained that the gods react to all of us differently but I truly believe that Ares has placed his hand upon my shoulder.' Optimus replied, reaching out to trail his fingertips over the statuette at his side.'If you are aware of him, then Ares has made his presence known to you.' Throttle nodded, remembering his first encounter with Ares, when he was just a young man.Grabbing the nearest climbing rope and scrambling up, Blade took off along the walkways at a sprint, one hand pressed to his comm as he tugged his boots on and thundered down the stairs.'Do not be alarmed, there is a situation outside that requires Blade's attention. He will return once he has sorted it out.''Wait a minute, I recognise you now. You were in Chicago 18 months ago.' Vinnie demanded, the sudden anger shocking Optimus.'Yes, we were all there, in one way or another.' Optimus confirmed, briefly wondering where this discussion was going.'It's all your fault! You're the ones who killed her!' Vinnie hollered, a flicker of pain coming through his eyes before it was replaced with pure fury and hatred.'Vincent, now isn't the time. We don't know for sure who it was. Come on, calm down bro.' Throttle tried, wrapping his arms around Vinnie's shoulders.'I will not calm down! These creatures killed Charley and you know it!''You have no proof Vincent. These are the good guys, I seriously doubt they had anything to do with it.''But you don't know for certain!' Modo countered, working to pry Vinnie and Throttle apart.Unconcerned by the sound of the roller door opening, the three mice continued their argument until another Autobot appeared in the bedroom, clearly annoyed about all the noise.'Shut it, the lot of ya!' he barked, glancing at Optimus for a moment before turning his gaze back towards the three arguing mice.'Thank you Wheeljack, I was not certain how to calm them.' Optimus nodded, still eyeing the three mice warily.'Alright you three, out with you. Optimus needs his rest if he's going to recover from that accident. Go on, get.' Wheeljack growled, knowing that if he didn't calm the situation down, Ratchet would try to get involved. 'Go on, get out of here and bug someone else!''Okay, we're going.' Throttle replied, turning and stalking back to where he'd left his boots.'Back down you go Optimus, you should be resting.' Wheeljack continued, gently guiding Optimus down onto his back.'I have no idea what that was all about.' Optimus sighed, settling comfortably and pulling up his blankets. 'Kindly tell Blade I do not wish to be disturbed again, unless he's coming in alone.''You've got it Optimus. Recharge in peace.'#~#+^*^+#~#Cleaning her sidearm as she waited for Christine to come back for another measuring session, Emily was rather surprised to see Falcon, Plate and Tank muscling their guests towards the house. Getting to her feet to go find out what the deal was, she was stopped by the ringing of her phone. Rolling her eyes at the called ID that appeared, she obediently flipped the phone open and pressed it to her ear.'Black Hunter here, speak.''…''I don't work for free, no matter who is asking.''…''I do not care. You will pay the standard service fee or I won't do the job.''…''I don't work for anything less than 2 million, no questions asked. Pay up or find someone else.''…''It is not up for negotiation. You pay my fee or I don't work. It's really that simple. I'm not running a charity establishment here and you know it. Now, I suggest you go back to the President and explain the situation.''…''Make it quick, I have other duties to attend to.'Stepping outside to deal with that situation, she kept her ear to her phone and sighed, wondering if she'd made a mistake but quickly banishing the thought. The compound needed income if it was going to survive in her hands.'Falcon, sitrep.''These three got into a screaming match in Optimus' quarters. Apparently Blade took them in there to meet Optimus but was called away to a situation with the twins. Vinnie recognised Optimus from Chicago and blamed him for the death of Charlene Davidson, their human friend and caretaker.'"Black Hunter, we have a deal."'One moment Mr Jordan, FBI.' Emily replied, pressing her phone to her shoulder. 'Falcon, I really don't have time for this right now. Take them somewhere private and go through the helmet footage from Chicago, see what you can find. If you still can't figure it out by the time I get back, I'll see what I can do.' she sighed, dismissing the group with a flick of her hand and turning her attention back to her phone call.Glancing at each other and coming to an agreement, the security team released their charges and motioned for them to follow, the imposing figures of the security team enough to convince the new arrivals to behave. Making their way up the road, they entered the last house in the row, Plate and Tank greeting their bikes before heading inside.'Sit down you three, we have a lot to show you.' Falcon instructed, staying by the door as Tank and Plate hooked their TV into the base computer so they could access the recorded footage from Chicago. 'Every Autobot and Martian combatant on the battlefield of Chicago had their helmet or optic cams constantly recording what they saw. All that footage was compiled, scanned and sorted into a full library of the battle. Using this library, we should be able to find the truth about what happened to Charley. Provided of course that she wasn't killed at the garage.' he explained, easing down onto the floor and relaxing a little.'No, she was out getting supplies for us when the battle came to Chicago.' Throttle replied, hanging his head sadly and sighing. 'She was just going for hot dogs and root beer, she should only have been gone for a few minutes.''We'll find the truth Throttle, it'll just take a few minutes. There are around 70 different feeds to search, it's a lot of footage to hunt through for one face.' Plate offered, sliding out the attached keyboard and inputting the key name they wanted to find.Images scrolling almost too fast to follow, the system started putting up various zoomed in images of Charley, some where she was still alive and others where she'd already died.'That one Plate, Ratchet's third input feed. Bring that up full sized.' Tank snapped, spotting something in the rapid-fire videos.'On it Tank.' Plate nodded, filing away the other vid marks and bringing up the selected one.'Back it up, I want to see where she came from.'Staring at the screen, the three stunned bros watched as Charley was caught up in a group trying to escape, shouldering through the masses and hunting for a place to hide. One of the battling brutes stepped on a group of humans caught in the open, Charley right in the middle of the group. Charging forward, Ratchet engaged the enemy standing on the humans and threw him aside, descending on the enemy with a deadly force. Once the enemy had been successfully chased away, Ratchet turned and knelt beside the humans, carefully separating the dead, setting them all safely inside a damaged building. Lifting Charley's broken body into his hands, he reached for the building but paused when she moved, still clinging desperately to life. Shifting her carefully into one hand, Ratchet did his best to save her life, stabilising injuries and easing her pain but it was all for nothing and she passed away, blood tricking from her mouth as Ratchet gently closed her eyes and tucked her safely in the rubble. Rising to his feet and looking back at where he'd placed the bodies, Ratchet turned his attention back to the battle and charged, firing on the enemy troops as he ran.Pausing the feed, Plate hung his head and turned to the bros, words escaping him as he gazed at their tear-stained faces. There was nothing anyone could say, nothing that would ease the pain of what they'd just seen.'I'm sorry bros, I really am. Charley was a great woman, Emily hired her a few times when discretion was required.' Falcon uttered, lifting his gaze to the couch.'She was just going out for hot dogs and root beer, we asked her to go even though there was enough in the garage for us.' Throttle whispered, shaking his head slowly. 'It's our fault.''No, don't ever say that Throttle. You had no idea this was going to happen. Soundwave did it, he took her from this world.' Tank insisted, scooting across the floor and taking Throttle's wrists in his hand. 'It wasn't your fault Throttle, Charley wouldn't want you shouldering the blame.''She's in a better place now, a place where war cannot harm her beauty. She's safe now, Gen-Duv will protect her.' Plate added, crossing the room and wrapping one arm around Vinnie's shoulders.'Gen-Duv doesn't know Charley-Ma'am, we never asked for the blessings she deserved.' Modo replied, so close to breaking but he was trying to be strong.'So long as you believe, Gen-Duv will find Charley and see that she reaches the light. Believe that Benka will save her soul and allow her to pass into Gen-Duv's realm safely.' Falcon guided, moving around to take Modo's hands in his own. 'You know what to do, guarantee her safe passage into the afterlife.'Nodding slowly, Modo eased off the couch and onto his knees, fishing a photo out of his wallet and cradling it in his palms, fresh tears falling at he gazed at the happy face he'd never see again. Joining Modo on the floor, Vinnie and Throttle gently touched the photo and bowed their heads, thoughts drifting to Charley. Knowing that neither of his bros would have the words to ask Benka to find Charley and see her to safety, Throttle took the lead, using the true Martian language to reach out and ask for Charley's eternal soul to be seen safely through to the afterlife. He had no way to know for certain if Benka would hear him and respond to his prayers for a human but he had to try, for Charley's sake.#~#+^*^+#~#Safely returned from the government sanctioned mission and feeling better now that there was some extra cash in the accounts, Emily was feeling more confident about her next big job and all the dangers that it would entail. But there was one big reason why she couldn't just up and disappear, she had family responsibilities to think about. Donning the translation unit and jogging through the compound, she found her dear twins sitting quietly under Wheeljack's watch. Optics brightening, the pair struggled to their feet and headed for her, reaching out for attention and reconnection after four days separated. Crouching and gathering the pair to her chest, Emily trilled and chirred at them happily, glad to see they were doing so well after the separation.'Thanks for looking after the kids for me Wheeljack, I'm sure they kept you busy.''Nothing to it Emily. Perceptor was a great help with them too. He seemed to enjoy being the older brother.''Have you seen Throttle anywhere? We're supposed to be organising a trip to Mars to face the War Tribunal on behalf of 14.''Last I saw, he was talking with Bee over by the lake. Not sure if he's still there.''Thanks Jack, I'll find him. We need to talk about the upcoming mission, I'm not leaving the twins for that long. It's not that I don't trust the gang but I'd feel better if our bond wasn't disrupted for that long.''Fair call Emily, it's always a bad idea to leave sparklings behind when they're that young. Can cause all kinds of trouble.''Appreciate the heads up Wheeljack. I'll tell Throttle about that little detail. Chat later.'Drawing comfort from the twins tucked against her chest, she headed towards the lake, catching sight of his brilliant yellow armour and smiling. No matter how bad things were outside the compound, the easy relaxation and comfort found within these walls always put a smile back on her face. Right now Bee was flaked out on the ground, soaking up the sun and watching out for some of their friends, among them the three newest mice to arrive in the compound.'Hey, welcome home Emily. How was it this time?' Torque called, waving to her happily.'couldn't have been better Torque, I got away clear.' she replied, looking to Bumblebee for permission before perching on his hand comfortably, the twins settled on her lap. 'Anything interesting happen while I was away?''Optimus made a total ass of himself, he tried the jumps track and fucked it up. Went off the jump nicely but didn't have quite enough speed, knew he wouldn't make the landing and tried to transform to land that way. Misjudged the gap and went sprawling in the dust across jump 5. Most of the bros saw it, couple of them recorded it and within the hour, everyone had a copy of the footage.' Slash replied, wading out of the water and accepting his towel.'Damn, woulda liked to see the great Optimus Prime foul it up like that. Ah well, we all have bad days, I reckon he'll get up and have another go one of these days.''Ratchet and Ironhide were doing the rounds earlier, proudly showing off their little Nimrah. She's a beautiful little one, gonna be interesting to see how she grows up.' Bee added, shifting a little when his back armour got a little too hot. 'She's going to be a little firecracker, that's for sure.''Coming from Ironhide and Ratchet, Nimrah's gonna be more than a little firecracker, Bee. She's going to be one hell of a warrior with a bad temper and a deadly aim. Quick to anger but trained to heal, she's going to be a study in contrasts.' Emily replied, shifting onto his hand properly and relaxing as he sat up and got comfortable again.'All the preparations are ready for us to head back to Mars and face the War Tribunal. Christine's finished your outfit and cloak and Ratchet has explained the need for you to keep your twins close seeing as we could be gone for a couple of weeks. Revs organised the gear you'll need to survive on Mars and Wheeljack organised what would be needed for the twins. Everything's loaded on the ship and I've informed the War Tribunal that we're coming.' Throttle briefed, climbing onto Bumblebee's other hand and transferring across to sit beside Emily.'Now that's taking charge of the situation. If it's not going to be too much of a problem, I'd like to spend some time with the gang before disappearing again. They are all my responsibilities, it's on my shoulders to keep everyone well supplied and happy with their living conditions here.''Of course, it's safer to leave after dark anyway. The cloaking module on that particular Trisi doesn't work properly, not surprising really but a real problem for sneaking around.''Ask the Mechanic team to take a look, they'll figure it out. Wheelie and his team are some of the best. You might not get many uses out of it but they'll at least get it working again.''Nah, the Trisi class is being phased out, no point messing around with them anymore. The new Trali class is already on the flight lines in a few places and more are coming out every day.'Adjusting the twins on her lap, Emily reached under her jacket and pulled out two sparkling bottles, spinning them in her hands and trilling to comfort the pair as she offered them their next meal. Grasping her wrists gently in their hands, the pair chirred and snuggled back into her warmth, optics dimming as they relaxed and recharged.'Those two must keep you fairly busy.' Throttle remarked, watching Emily tending to her sparklings.'Actually, they're pretty good that way. They know I'm their mother and stay close to me at all times when I am available. It breaks my heart to leave them when I must, they cry desperately for my return. I've heard the stories from my friends when I leave, the twins aren't the joyful bundles of energy I know. I'm sure you've noticed how quiet they've been since I left.''Yeah, I thought that was normal for such young Autobots though.''Not a chance, they're usually little bundles of life and joy. For now they are quiet, reaffirming the family bond and finding comfort in my loving embrace. Once they are sure I won't leave them again, they will be back to their usual antics.''Those two are the cutest little Autobots. I'm still getting used to the Autobots but these two are the cutest of the lot. I can only assume that they too transform.''Eventually they will but right now they're too young to be figuring out their transformations. It'll be at least 5 years before their first transformation and around 8 before they're fluid with their transformations. Until they get it, I'll have to be around to untangle their accidents. It'll happen, every Cybertronian faces the tangle during their younger years. Ain't that right, Bee?''For sure Emily, it's part of being who we are. We've all had transformations we'd rather forget, even as older, more mature people. Kup had one just last week, nearly tore his own leg off.' Bee nodded, resting his hand on his raised knee so the group in his hand were safer. 'Few years before we arrived on Earth, Optimus had a big one. Took one too many hits to the head and scrambled his entire transformation sub-routines. He started the sequence and got in the biggest tangle I've ever seen. Needed the whole team to get him untangled and sorted out again.'Finishing their meals and chirring contentedly, the twins burrowed closer to Emily's chest, seeking her loving touch and comforting voice. Activating her translator, Emily warned Throttle to be quiet before lifting her twins up and holding them close, chittering and whistling to them as they wrapped their spindly little arms around her neck. Watching on in amazement, Throttle listened to the complex language shared between Emily and her tiny charges. Some of the noises were similar to the sounds his Lady made when trying to communicate but this language was so much more complex.'Cybertronian, our native tongue. At their age, Rumble and Frenzy are too young to understand English, much less speak it. Emily uses the translator that Windvest made for her to make the conversations easy on everyone. As far as her little angels are concerned, Emily's always had that translation unit and it's part of her, as integral as my battle mask or armour.' Bumblebee explained quietly, not wanting to disturb the family.'Right, I'll keep that in mind Bee, thanks.'#~#+^*^+#~#Wondering why Windvest had asked for her to swing by his workshop before leaving, Emily was surprised to see a new translation unit sitting in the cradle on his workbench. This one was a big step up from her current unit, several new components attached to the strengthened and updated translation unit.'What you got for me Windvest?''Finished the Mark III upgrades for the system. Visual enhancements, tactical display, weapons ID, the 360 display augmentations, Autobot commlink link and the latest translation package.''Good, I was starting to wonder how much longer I'd be working with this particular translation program, it's got some big gaps. Vocab on the new program?''75,000 words. I've also updated our current weapon library to contain all the latest Martian kit. Throttle was a big help with that, technology has changed a little back home but you should be able to track all weapons that you're likely to encounter.''Nice work Windvest, the perfect accessory for the situation I'm heading into.' Emily praised, checking the twins were safe near the door before reaching up and removing her much more basic model.Helping Emily fit the new model into place, Windvest felt a certain pride to see her in his newest creation but also a bit of sadness that it covered up so much more of her beautiful face. Rechecking all the connections and tightening things down, he made sure the fit was perfect and that nothing was digging into her skin or catching in her hair. He'd thought long and hard on the colour for her visor and eventually settled on a deep golden yellow. The shape of the visor was very similar to Jazz's, the upper edge curving over her forehead and the lower edge coming to a point over her nose. 'How's it feel Emily?' he asked, checking the last connections were firmly anchored where they belonged.'It's good Windvest, I can see everything around me and am reading all the tactical info on your workshop. I also see your sidearms and the small throwaway in your boot. This is amazing Windvest.''Thanks Emily, all the Autobots have been a big help with the translation program. There are still more advances to be made to have a fully functioning and viable battle system but for now, this is the best we've got.''It'll get a thorough test on Mars, I've got no idea what I'm facing there.' Emily grinned, hugging him close for a moment before collecting her twins and leaving the workshop.Making her way slowly through the combined group and saying her goodbyes to all her cherished friends, she made sure the bigger troublemakers promised to behave and got plenty of reassurances from the more level-headed ones that they would keep the team in line until she returned from the mission. Whistling for Harley and chuckling as he came racing towards her with her helmet and the sparkling harness already in place, she relaxed a little more and watched as Falcon's team dragged Stoker and Carbine out of the brig and across to the waiting transport. Carbine was still swearing up a storm but Stoker seemed resigned to his fate, knowing he wouldn't be able to dodge the War Tribunal over this one.'I'd still feel better if we had some kind of a security force with us for the ride. Carbine and Stoker are still held in high regard by most Martians, correct?''We already figured something out Emily, just relax. Blaster suggested we take Eject and Rewind along with us, they'll be using holograms to disguise their true identities and are more than capable of handling Stoker and Carbine.' Throttle replied, indicating the two extra mice in Falcon's team. Both new arrivals were white furred but one wore blue and the other black, solidifying their identities to anyone who knew them.'That'll work nicely Throttle, well chosen.' Emily praised, feeling even more confident now that she knew she wasn't totally alone on this mission. 'Identical brothers, about what I expected from those two.''I'm honestly surprised Blaster is letting them go, he doesn't seem to like letting them out of his sight.''Blaster also knows that if anything happens to me, everything in this compound goes back to Army control and nobody here wants that. He knows I'll take care of them, whatever happens.'Showing that they'd been studying Martian behaviour, Blaster's twins mounted up and rode to their father, deactivating their holograms and transforming for one last family hug before they left. Visor indicating that Ratchet was behind her, Emily smiled and turned, all too aware that he was staring at her new translation equipment.'Updated version Ratchet, you can get the rundown from Windvest. Everything will be okay Ratch, I'll take care of the away team and see them safely back to the compound. I can handle the multitasking, I've faced bigger challenges with less support.''Be safe Emily, these two little angels need you most of all. We'll keep things together down here, you've got a bigger challenge to face. The fate of 14 rests on your shoulders, no one else can protect them as you do.''I will Ratchet, I'll bring the team home safe and restore honour to a truly brilliant unit. Keep the lights on for us, we'll be home before you know it.' Emily offered, setting the twins down and reaching up to grasp Ratchet's offered fingers in both hands. 'Take care of the family while I'm gone Ratchet, this is the first time you've all been together without me to guide the way. Don't let Lennox and Witwicky push you around, you're still under my protection.''We'll handle it Emily, you just focus on what you need to do. The bros are counting on you to protect them and give them a chance to reconnect with their home. Be safe, take care of the team and we'll see you again when you get back.' Ratchet replied, lightly running one finger down her back.Battling her emotions, Emily picked up her twins and whistled for Harley again, chuckling when she saw him sitting on the ramp, waiting so patiently to get going.'Prisoners are secure Emily, you're good to go.''Thanks Falcon. Eject, Rewind, time to board!''Bye dad, we'll keep the bond open.''Be safe you two, I'll be waiting for your safe return.''I'll take good care of your boys Blaster, I promise they'll make it home safely.''Emily, can I pull you away for a moment? There's something I need to tell you.''Comm me Blaster, we really have to go.'"I'm putting a lot of trust in you Emily. I originally had six children, my other four were killed in the war. Eject and Rewind are all I have left, please take good care of them.""I'll protect them Blaster, they will not leave my sight until we are safely back on friendly soil. With this headset, I can immediately evaluate a situation and establish the safest locations for your boys. Trust in me Blaster, I'll bring your sons home safely.""Thank you Emily. Thank you so much.""Watch the skies Blaster, we'll be home soon."Pausing at the top of the ramp, Emily turned back and let her gaze drift over the assembled team, glad to see everyone had gathered to see the team off on the journey. Shifting her twins into her left arm, she waved to the group before disappearing into the ship. Watching the ship leave, the team immediately felt the gap left behind with Emily's absence. They'd faced time without her before but she was always in range if they desperately needed her. With this flight, she was leaving their radio contact, meaning only Blaster would be able to reach her and even then only through his sons.#~#+^*^+#~#Peering out through the forward windows as the ship raced across the landscape, Emily couldn't believe what she was seeing. She'd heard of the damage done to Mars during the endless wars raged across the planet but actually seeing the war ravaged planet was still a shock.'What happened to this place?' Rewind asked, appearing beside Emily.'It's absolutely destroyed.' Eject added, coming up on Emily's other side.'This is the result of six wars. Three against the Plutarkians and three against the Catatonians; at least that was the last count I heard.' Emily replied, cradling her twins close and keeping them turned away from the destruction.'Actually, the last count was seven. We just ended the First Combined Strike War. Plutarkian and Catatonian forces came united but we pushed them off again.' Throttle corrected, looking up from the controls. 'There aren't many of us left now, the last war cost the Martian people dearly. Best estimations, there are only around 1000 Martians left on Mars.''Whatever happens Throttle, the enforced return of SAU 14 to Martian soil isn't on the table. We have a deal with the American government, a deal that is keeping a lot of people alive and healthy. I break that deal, I lose the Autobots, the Martians and my freedom. They stay on Earth, they're safer there and happy to be free.''I wasn't going to suggest they come back to Mars. There's barely enough food and water here to support the population we have left. Scouting parties are being sent out into the galaxy to look for new places to settle but there's nothing much available in this galaxy. We've actually got raiding teams making trips to Earth to steal any supplies they possibly can to help our people survive. It's a risk but we're out of options.''Shoulda thought to keep the supply line open with the Army. If I'd kept the line open we coulda swung the extra supplies your way Throttle. You guys would have to make the pickup, we ain't got any ships of our own.''No point Emily, we ain't planing on heading back once we finish this mission with the War Tribunal. That's why we're stuck with this old bucket of bolts, no one cares if it doesn't come back from Earth. Of course, we'll only stick around if you'll welcome us in Emily. We've got no place else to turn, not since Charley girl died.''Of course you're welcome to join us Throttle. I'll have to bring in a construction team to build a new house in the compound for you guys but that's no real big deal. I know some people that can get the job done real fast. There's a spot in the Martian accommodation section that will fit your home. It'll mean putting you in behind the little brothers of the team but I'm sure you'll learn to behave… once the rest of the team has a go at you if you disturb the pair.''Ah, Terrence and Stephen. We were warned about those two. We've already been told of the rules regarding Terry and Steve.' Modo nodded, getting to his feet. 'Emily Ma'am, you've been holding your sons all trip, can I be of any assistance?''If they'll accept you Modo. Not sure how they'll go, they're quite clingy towards their mother.' Emily replied, carefully handing the pair over. They surprised her though, burrowing close to Modo's chest instead of their usual complaining about being away from Emily's embrace.Smiling softly, Emily walked over to where she'd left the last of her gear and picked up her cloak, enjoying the feel of the soft black fur against her hands. Gazing at the embroidery done in shimmering silver thread, she flicked the long cloak out and spun it around her shoulders, securing the ornate gold clasp and rolling her shoulders to settle the warm fur comfortably around her body. Adjusting the sunset glow orange belt around her waist, she smiled and adjusted her headset before flipping her hood up and returning to Modo's side. Registering their mother was back, Frenzy and Rumble pulled away from Modo and launched back into her arms, burrowing into her sides under the warmth of the cloak.'Don't look so surprised Modo, they know my body signature as their mother. They'll always return to my embrace and will cling for as long as I can hold their weight. Far as I'm concerned they can hang off my sides like this for as long as they want, they're always going to be small.' she chuckled, folding her cloak back to reveal the pair gripping her shirt. Legs wrapped around her waist and little bodies tucked in against her well sculpted sides, the pair were totally happy to be there, safe under her arms.'They certainly do look comfortable snuggled in against you like that Emily Ma'am.''this is normal for them, sparklings brought into being like these two were are naturally clingy and develop much faster if allowed to cling for as long as they want. It's no real impediment to me, they're light enough to carry around like this and more than capable of moving onto different perches if they want. From here they're only too happy to climb up onto my shoulders or slide down my legs to sit on the floor but they'll never willingly let go of me unless I lift them clear.'Waving Modo over to take the controls, Throttle stood and approached Emily, looking her over quickly and adjusting her cloak to sit properly over her shoulders.'Do you know what you're going to say to the War Tribunal when we first face them?''Yes Throttle, I know exactly what I have to say and do. We've been over it six times since we left Earth, I've got it under control.''Alright, give it to me then. Let's make sure you've got it down.''Throttle, I am not going over my entire speech with you right now. This is my fight, it's on my shoulders alone to provide SAU 14 with the safety and freedom they deserve. I am their patron, their guardian and their protector. I am blessed by Faumra and chose this path to ensure their safety and survival. They are my responsibility, not yours Throttle.''Alright, alright, point taken Emily. I'll be around if you need any guidance dealing with the War Tribunal.''Appreciate that Throttle but I'm not as un-diplomatic as Blade makes me out to be. I know a few things about dealing with tribunals and other such organisations.''That's not what I've heard.''And there's the proof that Emily's more the diplomat than you are Throttle.' Eject sniggered, hand on Emily's shoulder.#~#+^*^+#~#Head held high, Emily strode into the Tribunal Hall and headed for the speakers' platform, Eject and Rewind at her shoulders. Lifting her gaze to the thirteen members of the War Tribunal, she nodded faintly and settled her cloak tight around her body, protecting her twins without anyone realising they were even there. Dropping her chin a little, she saw Throttle and his bros in the gallery below the seating of the Tribunal, adding their support to her case. Across the chamber, Carbine and Stoker sat on a second platform, wrists bound behind their backs.Folding her hood back and smoothing it over her shoulders, Emily was careful not to reveal her twins as she went over her opening speech to the War Tribunal. Knowing they were staring at her headset, she waited patiently for the signal that their session was to begin, drawing strength from the bigger twins at her back. Then she heard a signal, the deep rumble of an ancient gong and stepped forward, locking gazes with the chairwoman of the Tribunal.'Chairwoman Fender, Councillors of this War Tribunal, you honour me with this meeting. I am Commander Third Grade Emily Hunter, chosen patron and guardian of Stand Alone Unit 14. I have been accepted by Faumra and welcomed into her sacred embrace as if I was a true child of Mars. Senior Commander Fifth Grade Blade of Stand Alone Unit 14 sent me to speak with you on behalf of Stand Alone Unit 14. I carry with me the sacred Unit Seal, placed in his hands when he was first chosen to take command of this once great SAU. I come before you to speak of false missions and cruel mistreatment of a once proud SAU, their legacy tainted by the ugly words and misdeeds of Generals Carbine and Stoker. They signed off on a wrongful mission, banishing Stand Alone Unit 14 to Earth then drumming up false charges of varying natures to keep the brave personnel of Stand Alone Unit 14 from ever returning to the familiar lands from whence they came. For ten years they have looked up at the glow of Mars from their new home on Earth and wondered how things were going on their homeworld. They have accepted that Mars is a dying world but that does not mean that they no longer care about what happens to their homeworld. I have proof that the mission they were dispatched on served little purpose in the grand scheme. I have proof of the false charges raised against SAU 14's members. I have proof that their sacrifice meant nothing to these Generals that are in positions of such power over Stand Alone Unit 14.' she declared, hands coming out from under her cloak again to hold up the gilt seal of SAU 14.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Three weeks after leaving the compound, the battered old Trisi landed just inside the walls and fell silent, the ramp lowering with a jerk and a groan. Bursting out the door before the ramp had even finished extending, Eject and Rewind shot through the group and transformed, flying into Blaster's welcoming arms for all the love and affection they'd missed while they were gone. Next out the door, Harley led the three other bikes onboard through the gathering and over to the newest house in the compound. Blade felt a certain pride about the newest house in the compound, a building company had delivered all the parts in three semis and his bros had put it together rather than risk security by allowing an actual building crew into the compound. They'd done an admirable job on the construction; it looked just like the rest of the Martian homes.Striding down the lowered ramp, Emily ignored everyone else as she headed to where Blade was waiting, the rest of the command team arranged behind him. Her twins were safely tucked against her sides, latched onto her usual black shirt with the reinforced panels in the sides to give the twins the stability they needed. Stopping in front of Blade, she reached into the large pouch on her belt and lifted out the Unit Seal, bowing her head as she offered it out respectfully. Shifting his weight back and bowing at the waist, Blade accepted the seal back and held it to his chest for a moment before resecuring it to his belt where it belonged.'Was your mission successful Commander Third Grade Emily?''It was Senior Commander Fifth Grade Blade. The War Tribunal accepted the proof put before them and reversed all negative decisions made against Stand Alone Unit 14. You are welcome to return to your homeworld, war torn and scarred though it is now. All fifty-eight personnel files have been cleared of career ending false accusations and those that wish to return to their previous bases and units will be permitted to do so with your blessing.''This is grand news indeed.''Yes Sir. I have here the corrected personnel files for your own records and the full recording of Stand Alone Unit 14's plea to the War Tribunal.' Emily nodded, handing over a locked briefcase.'We appreciate your service Commander. Dismissed.' Blade grinned, keeping the case tucked close to his side as he walked away.Released from the formalities of her return, she turned and searched the gathering slowly, searching for her favourites among the loved faces all around. Most of them were there, scattered around and smiling at her return but three, her true favourites among the Autobots, were suspiciously absent from the gathering.'Oi, Optimus! Where they hell are they?' she called, looking up to him for a straight answer.'They who?' Optimus tried, dodging the question smoothly.'Kup, I'm expecting a straight answer outta you. Where are they?' Emily repeated, turning her focus to the smaller bot beside Optimus and crossing her arms. 'No more dodging the question.''They're in their quarters resting. They took some damage 17 days previous. Ratchet patched them up and sent them home to rest until their self repair systems have finished.' Kup replied, not wanting to face Emily's anger after seeing how angry she got if her friends were ever hurt.'What happened to them? I expect a full brief from you both.' Emily instructed, refusing to back down until she had her answers.Offering his hand to Emily and relaxing slightly as she accepted his assistance, Optimus turned and headed to a quiet spot inside the walls, sinking to the ground and motioning for Kup to join him. Climbing back down to the ground, Emily made sure her twins were safe before turning her full attention back to the pair waiting for her.'Wheelie has been busy with some kind of holographic camouflage for help them blend in with the usual traffic on the roads. They were only gone a couple hours when Roadbuster put out an emergency call. Several of us rolled out to assist them but by the time we reached their location, whoever had attacked them was long gone. All we could do was load up the wounded and get out of the area before we were spotted.' Kup started, glancing over to the home of his charges.'What did you learn about the attackers?''According to the reports from the team, the attackers were definitely Decepticons. They're in agreement on five attackers, one my size and the other four much smaller. That's about the only thing the three could agree on, they took quite the beating.' Optimus replied, more than a little surprised at how well Emily was taking the news.'We have gone over the recorded battle footage but as yet the Decepticons remain unidentified. We will continue to work on identifying them and will be more careful about when we leave this base.' Kup added, still expecting Emily to explode.'Oh, so it's okay now because you're taking precautions. You two really dropped the ball on this one; you both swore that you'd keep everyone safe while I was away. If I'd even had an inkling that you would fuck things up, I would never have left. Honestly, I'm shocked you're both so fuckin' calm about this mess. Have you informed N.E.S.T of what you discovered? No, that's not your style. You'd much prefer to keep this discrete.' Emily barked, the pair flinching from her barely restrained anger.Just about everyone in the compound paused and turned when they heard Emily tearing someone a new one over what had happened. They were all surprised to see Kup and Optimus copping it from her but what with the incident with the wreckers and their unknown assailants, Emily's reaction was about what they expected. She certainly wasn't holding back, she was pissed off and made sure both senior Autobots knew exactly how she felt. Screaming and swearing up a storm, she held nothing back and let her true feelings towards the wreckers show. Everyone knew that she cared for all her friends, no matter their size or position within their individual armies but those three had wormed deeper into her heart than any others. She didn't stick to the English language either, bouncing around through the 25 different languages she knew fluently and tossing in words from the 50 odd other languages she wasn't so fluent in but never once did she activate her translator, wanting to keep her screaming rant from the understanding of her twins.Finally the storm passed and she fell quiet, her eyes still hard but otherwise she was done. Inhaling deeply through her nose, she turned sharply on her heel and stalked away, leaving the pair too stunned to react to her departure. Eventually Optimus gathered his wits enough to turn his gaze towards Kup, still rattled to the core and feeling so very small.'Am I the only one that feels smaller than Brains right now?' he asked, reaching out to nudge Kup lightly.'Nope, I feel tiny. That was intense.' Kup replied, trembling slightly as he sat there.'Let us hope we never face Emily's wrath again.''Agreed. You don't think she went a little over the top, do you?''It is her way Kup. Somehow those three have gotten deeper into her heart than any others.''We couldn't have known that there were still Decepticons on Earth.''No excuse, we should have sent someone else to watch their backs. Emily trusted us to keep everyone safe and intact, we failed.''Think she'll ever forgive us for that one?''I hope so Kup but we will have to wait and find out. For now, I suggest we both stay well out of her way and out of their home as well. She will go see them and probably spend most of the day with them.''But they're my team. I can't just abandon them.''Then you risk Emily's wrath again.'#~#+^*^+#~#Her negative feelings burned away thanks to a hard workout and her twins' safe under Modo's watch since he was the only one the pair really seemed to accept, Emily jogged back through the Autobot accommodation, smirking when Kup abruptly turned and walked away from her when he saw her. Slowing to a walk and approaching the smaller door, she rang the bell and entered, looking around quickly for the three. Usually when she swung by, they were relaxed together in the living room, watching whatever car racing happened to be on TV and wincing at the wrecks that inevitably happened. But today the TV was silent and the couch unoccupied. The desk was abandoned too; usually one of them was at the computer playing one of the many random games that had been installed on the mainframe deep under the base.'Buster? Spin? Lead? Where are you guys?' she called, reverting to the silly little nicknames she'd given them. They seemed to like them and had bragged about having nicknames when no one else in their unit did.'Emily? That ye?' Roadbuster replied, his accent unmistakeable to her even if he sounded off.'Yeah, I'm home guys.' Emily confirmed, racing up the stairs and around the upper walkways until she reached their shared berthroom.The sight below her was more than a little concerning. The three tough guys were snuggled up as close together as they could possibly get, covered in dings, dents and the unmistakeable signs of Ratchet's repair work. Their paint was badly damaged as well, great big sections of grey undercoat on show all over them. But what worried her most of all was their expressions, they were afraid of something. She'd gotten good at picking emotions on mechanical faces but she'd never thought she'd see that particular look on any of them, much less all of them at once.'Hey now, what's wrong guys? Surely you're not afraid those bastards that got you earlier are gonna come here for another round?''We're sorry Emily. We didn't mean to drop the ball like that.' Topspin offered, face screened by that vibrant blue mullet that Emily liked so much.'What? You guys didn't drop the ball, you stood up against a larger force and gave your best.''We heard you yelling. We didn't mean to upset you.' Leadfoot added, safe between his taller brothers.'You heard…oh fuck.' Emily sighed, hanging her head. 'I wasn't yelling at you guys, you did nothing wrong. Wheelie and his team asked you to test the new holographic camouflage, didn't they?''Yeah, but we could have said no. We didn't have to go out, sorry.' Roadbuster confirmed, refusing to lift his gaze to Emily.'I'm not upset with you, you were doing as asked. You had no way of knowing about those fuckin' Decepticons lurking around. I was yelling at Optimus and Kup for not sending someone else to watch your backs. You were focused on testing the camouflage, a fourth should have gone along to make sure no one was sneaking up on you.' Emily explained, climbing up to sit on the railing, guilt piling on her shoulders as she watched the trio.'We still failed in our mission Emily. We couldn't even so much as scratch the paint on those assholes.' Topspin sighed, finally looking up at her. 'All our combined firepower and not even one measly scratch.''Feh, don't fuss over the little shit Spin. We've met with Decepticons before that took a lot of firepower to bring down. I remember one that needed all Martian hands and everything they had in their combined war arsenal to take down. We still required outside help to finish the destruction.''But that's the thing, those five weren't huge. One was a semi like Prime, the other four were sports cars. We should have been enough to at least trash the smaller ones but we couldn't bring enough power to the fight.' Roadbuster shrugged, concerned that they hadn't been able to do what they were supposed to do. 'We failed in our mission, those five escaped our clutches. No Decepticon has ever managed that before.''I don't care if those five got away, we'll find them again and destroy them together. I don't care who they are or what they're doing here. All I care about is that you three are alive and okay. You're all a little battered but that's no big deal, you'll be back to your best in no time. What matters most to me is that you're all still intact, still a part of this crazy family but most of all, still where I can always find you when I need you. Although I'd never admit this in public for fear of causing trouble in the ranks, you three are my favourites in the combined team. I've known the Martians for 10 long years and love them all like brothers but you three, in your own rough and ready way, worked your way deeper into my heart than any others in this compound.' Emily confessed, watching their faces change from fear to wonder at her words.Shifting on the berth, Roadbuster reached over both his brothers to collect Emily from the railing and bring her down to them. Hopping off his hand once she was close enough, Emily landed lightly on Leadfoot's abdomen and climbed up, knowing she was perfectly safe around them despite their abrasive attitudes. Finding the place she wanted to be, she sunk down and curled up, safely tucked in a comfortable spot on his chest. She could clearly hear his engine idling and felt the warmth he naturally gave out and felt so much better for the combined effect.'We're really your favourites?' he asked, careful not to harm Emily as he shifted into a slightly more comfortable position.'Yep, from the first day I really got a chance to know you three. I know you've been called assholes and other such things before but I don't care, you're my favourites and that's not going to change.''Even with all our personality issues?' Topspin asked, still seeking security after all they'd gone through.'Hell, those just make life all the more fun. We've all got personality issues, I'm a down right bitch for the most. I swear more than I should, I pick way too many fights and I kill for a living. It's no big deal, we're all unique. Just accept that I'll always care for you, no matter how abrasive others might find you.''You've always come across as a gentle and kind person…well, right up until you did a gasket at Prime and Kup.' Roadbuster added, moving back in close.'Usually I am fairly calm and level-headed but when Optimus was dodging questions and Kup seemed to find it amusing that I was so concerned for you three, I lost control. Those two are wisely staying well out of my way for a while, my outburst definitely shocked them to the core.''Shocked everyone I would think. If we heard it even through these walls, those outside must have really heard it clearly.''You're probably right Lead, but for the most, everyone here is used to my outbursts. Many of the mice have had the full force of my anger thrown their way.''We'll try to avoid pushing you to that point.''Never gonna happen Spin, no matter what you do. I care about you three way too much to ever go that far with you guys. On the outside you're rough and tumble guys, ready for a fight and always there in the thick of things but inside, you're just like me really. Misunderstood and looking for someone who understands. I understand guys, I know what it's like to be considered a bit of an outsider among those you work with.'Stunned that Emily had seen right through their tough exteriors, they shifted closer and relaxed into each other, keeping watch over Emily as she closed her eyes and sighed contentedly, drifting into a peaceful sleep, proving her absolute trust in them."Wow, I never knew just how much Emily trusted us." Leadfoot remarked, switching to internal comms so they didn't disturb the sleeping woman."It does feel good to be considered this special to her. Never seen her sleep on anyone else." Topspin agreed, reaching for one of their storage boxes and pulling out a damaged cleaning cloth. Tearing off the loose corner, he flicked it over Emily carefully, protecting her from any chill winds from their vents."She must be exhausted. That long trip to Mars and the endless needs of her twins." Roadbuster nodded, still amazed that Emily handled so much without complaint."Not to mention keeping on top of everything needed here in the compound. The food supplies for the Martians alone take several hours to unload and distribute.""But somehow she still finds time every day to spend with the team. It's amazing really.""I don't think she recharges much each night. She's always on the move.""She doesn't seem to be lacking in energy though. Maybe she's used to not recharging much."Protecting Emily from harm as they moved around again and got comfortable, they settled close again and dimmed their optics, Topspin and Roadbuster not only protecting their smaller brother but also Emily's peace. Shifting in her sleep, Emily pulled the blanket tighter and sighed softly, curling up a little more before drifting back into a deeper sleep. Systems cycling down into rest mode, the three battered brothers eased into recharge contentedly, safe together and confident they could face anything with Emily at their side.#~#+^*^+#~#Sitting on the grass facing each other but just out of reach, Ratchet and Ironhide couldn't care less about what anyone thought of their antics. Chittering softly to Nimrah, Ironhide set her on her feet and supported her in one large hand, watching her reach for Ratchet for cuddles and love. Trilling his encouragement, Ratchet offered out his hands and nodded, waiting for her to get the idea. Looking back up at Ironhide, Nimrah cooed timidly, frightened to be without the loving support of her parents even for a little while. Coaxing her forward, Ironhide leant as far forward as he could so she didn't have to go very far as all without support. Reaching out, Ratchet closed the distance a little more and waggled his fingers, trying to coax her to step into his hands. Slowly relaxing her grip on Ironhide's fingers, Nimrah stepped out from the safe cage of Ironhide's fingers and reached for Ratchet, still clinging to Ironhide's longest finger. Then she let him go, tottering across to land in the safety of Ratchet's loving hold with a trill of delight.Not wanting to push Nimrah with too much structured learning, Ratchet lifted her up and stretched out on his back, setting their little darling on his chest. Shifting onto his knees, Ironhide shuffled over and stretched out beside Ratchet, chirring at Nimrah as he got comfortable on his chest. Optics brightening, Nimrah crawled closer to Ironhide but she couldn't quite work out how to get onto her sire's back. Scooping her up in one hand, Ratchet put her on the ground between them and smiled as she used his armour to stand before tottering over to Ironhide's side. Grabbing the darker armour, she climbed up onto his back and looked around, insanely proud of her abilities.Rumble and Frenzy still clinging to his sides, Modo made his way over to the happy family and sat, shifting the pair into his lap and relaxing as they went back to chattering at each other.'You look exhausted Modo.' Ratchet remarked, quickly scanning the twins to make sure they were okay.'Emily warned me these two would have a burst of energy after lunch but they caught me off guard. I have no idea how Emily keeps up with them.' Modo nodded, keeping a sharp watch on the pair.'Where is Emily? It's not like her to leave the kids unless she's on the clock.' Ironhide asked, staying perfectly still as his daughter crawled over his back to look down at the twins.'She said she wanted to spend some time with the Wreckers, something about levelling with them about a few things.' Modo shrugged, lunging after Rumble but he was already halfway up Ironhide's side.'It's alright Modo, those two have been developmentally retarded since their creation. It's a relief to see Rumble actually is capable of moving around on his own.' Ratchet soothed, trilling to coax Frenzy to join the fun.Less stable on his feet than his twin, Frenzy left Modo's lap and approached Ironhide, looking up at Nimrah and Rumble high above his head. Figuring if his brother could do it, he could too, Frenzy found his way up the dark metal to join the other youngsters, looking around from their new vantage point.'Take a break Modo, we'll watch the twins for a while.' Ironhide suggested, quite happy to play climbing frame for the trio.'Well, I suppose I could do with a rest. But I promised Emily I'd take care of them.''So stretch out right where you are, still close if the twins want you but I can't see them quitting their game now.' Ratchet chuckled, shocked when Rumble jumped across to his arm and scampered up, Frenzy and Nimrah right behind him.'Thanks Ratchet. Wake me if anything happens.' Modo nodded, stretching out and rolling onto his side.'Rest well Modo.' Ratchet replied, focused on the kids as they played together, Nimrah leading the games.Confidence soaring, Rumble and Frenzy suddenly changed the group dynamic again, forcing Nimrah to swing around and play their game. Not particularly concerned about the change, Nimrah went along with their slightly less structured game, bounding around her parents and enjoying the fun. Accepting their responsibilities calmly, Ratchet and Ironhide shifted to make the game a little more of a challenge but they were still careful not to get too far above the ground so if the kids fell, they wouldn't get hurt. Chirring and trilling in delight, the three little ones quickly adjusted to the changes, stretching out their underdeveloped bodies and learning what they were capable of even at this young age. Although she was bigger than the twins, Nimrah was careful playing with them, enjoying the rough and tumble but still playing gently so she didn't harm them. The twins proved to be remarkably hardy despite their spindly frames and smaller statures, getting right in there and tussling with her fearlessly."I was starting to worry that Emily's twins weren't developing properly. It's good to see I was wrong." Ratchet commented, glancing at Ironhide but still watching the kids."Too much carrying them around?" Ironhide asked, seeing the differences between Nimrah and the twins."Most likely. The clingy stage isn't a bad thing, it teaches sparklings so much but Emily's encouraging it far too much. They're underdeveloped for their age, it's not healthy.""You planning on correcting her soon?""Not immediately, she's focused on the Wreckers at the moment and getting them past their encounter with the Decepticons that wouldn't die. Soon though, once she's calm again."#~#+^*^+#~#As the sun set over the compound, the party swung into high gear. Tables were spread out in strategic positions, Christine's catering team producing all kinds of wonders from the small commercial kitchen that was now in one of the storage sheds. Their supply of alcohol had been raided too, bringing out a good selection of various drinks to suit everyone. The Autobots had been busy in preparation too, rigging up one of their energon dispensers to produce a reasonable high-grade for them to enjoy. Draping the trees with fairy lights and festooning the nearest buildings with even more lights, they turned a pretty ordinary back yard into a truly magical place in which to celebrate their latest success.Although she didn't feel much like celebrating, Emily showered and changed into a fresh outfit before wandering down to join the party. Slapping a smile on her face and trying to enjoy the celebration, she accepted a beer and a chicken pocket, relaxing more as she circulated through the group. She saw her twins playing quietly with Nimrah beside Ratchet and couldn't resist heading over to check on them, surprised by how different they seemed after just the afternoon away from her. Ratchet soothed her concerns with a nod and after giving her boys a loving hug, she left them to play and continued her wandering.'Emily, Revs needs your assistance.' Braid called, running through the group to find her.'What's the situation Braid?' Emily asked, finishing her snack and jogging to meet him.'It's Christine. She's gone into labour.''And with Shard and Shift promised a night with their lovers, Revs needs someone just as good.' Emily sighed, draining her beer as she raced back towards the Martian homes.Thundering down the bitumen and through the open door, Emily bled off her speed and skidded on the carpet, darting through the door and taking in the scene quickly. Reaching into Revs' medical kit, she snapped on a pair of gloves before taking a knee and accepting the first born. Rocking to her feet again, she wrapped another towel around the little boy and walked over to the table Revs had already prepared for the children. Switching gears, she checked the little angel over carefully, drying off his baby fur and making sure he was in good health. He certainly had a strong set of lungs but that wasn't surprising considering his parents.'How is he Emily?' Braid asked, sitting beside Christine and soothing her through labour again.'He's a healthy little boy. Perfectly formed and welcoming the world.' Emily replied, getting the diaper on him and checking his tail wasn't restricted.'And here comes his twin…it's another boy.' Revs added, cutting the cord and wrapping up the darker boy. Tucking the first born safely in the cot beside the table, Emily accepted the second baby and turned back to the table, running the same checks on him as Revs went back to Christine's care, so glad for the offered assistance.Picking up both kids once Revs signalled that Christine was cleaned up and ready for them, Emily returned to the bed and handed the pair over, passing them over by birth order for their parents love and attention.'Welcome to the family Tracer and Drift.' Christine uttered, absolutely exhausted as she held the twins lightly to her bared chest.'Our beautiful boys, our legacy.' Braid added, holding his precious family close and watching the pair feeding contentedly.'Need anything else Revs?' Emily asked, looking at her stained shirt for a moment.'No, you're good Emily. There's not much left to do here.' Revs nodded, busy cleaning up the mess.'Emily, would you please make the announcement for us? Christine's not up to going anywhere and I'm not leaving my family.' Braid asked, so proud of his beloved wife.'I would be honoured to announce their birth to the team. Am I to name them publicly?''Please do Emily and ask for respect regarding the kids.' Christine nodded, blinking slowly as she adjusted the pair in her embrace.'Will do Christine. Congratulations to you both, they're beautiful boys.' Emily replied, leaving the family to bond as she spread the great news.#~#+^*^+#~#Settled comfortably under one of the trees, Wheeljack sipped his cube and watched the celebrations, enjoying the music and picking up on the sheer joy of his friends as they danced, drank and laughed freely. The celebrations had only ramped up after Emily's announcement regarding the birth of the twins, some of the first Martian kids to be born outside a constant war. It was good to see his fellow Autobots relaxing too, putting aside their usual burdens and enjoying the chance to get properly overcharged without needing to worry about tomorrow. Prowl and Jazz were off to the side, black and silver blending together as they turned slowly to a love song coming from Jazz. Blaster had both his boys by the hand, all too happy to be their dance partner as they grooved to the rock coming from the base sound system. Optimus was stretched out on the grass, feet in the air and chest braced on one elbow as he sipped his high-grade and relaxed, one foot twitching to the music. The rest of the Autobots were in similar states of relaxation and comfort, talking and laughing with the Martians or moving with the beat but they were always careful of their friends all around. But there were three familiar faces missing from the group, most likely too nervous to join the party after the lecture they'd gotten from Ratchet earlier.Checking the area was clear, Roadbuster and Topspin shoved Leadfoot out first, ready to catch him if Ratchet spotted what they were doing. Glaring back at his brothers for a moment, Leadfoot approached the party carefully and looked around for Ratchet but he was well distracted by Nimrah, Rumble and Frenzy. Turning back to where his brothers were waiting, peeking out the door and ready to dive back if things went bad, he made his choice and approached the end of the bitumen. Waving for them to follow, he headed for the dispenser to grab a cube.'I was starting to wonder if you three were going to make an appearance.' Ratchet called, startling Leadfoot and nearly causing him to drop his cube. Diving for shelter, Topspin vanished back into their home and Roadbuster went the other way, disappearing into the empty home directly opposite.For a moment everything was silent, the music paused and no one sure quite what to make of what they'd just seen. They'd never seen the Wreckers panic like that, they were always the rough and tumble hard-core assholes of the team. Making her way through the gathering, Emily approached Leadfoot and took a flying leap onto his leg. Scrambling up with cat-like agility, she swung off his hip and went around to his back, bounding and heaving higher and higher until she reached his shoulder.'You okay Lead?' she asked, reaching out to touch his cheek lightly and reading the faint tremors in the fine circuitry underneath.'Yeah, I think so Emily.' he replied, intakes huffing as he recovered from the shock.'You've had a rough day of surprises and shocks, haven't you?' she soothed, glaring at Ratchet from her vantage point. He nodded and raised his hand in surrender, putting his trust in whatever she was doing.'Been one of those days, lass, aye.''Tomorrow will be better Lead, I promise. Sit down and relax, there are plenty of good things to celebrate too. I'm home after three exhausting weeks, SAU 14 has been cleared of all false charges and is welcome to go back to Mars if they ever wish and Christine and Braid just welcomed their twins into the world.''But Ratchet said…''I'm overruling him. Isolation ain't gonna help you three, you're not gonna break any time soon, it'll be okay. Besides, when Ratchet's doing a gasket at you, you know you're going to survive. It's when he's silent that you worry.' Emily chuckled, calming his concerns easily. 'Go on, find a spot to sit and chill out. I'll go try and coax Buster and Spin outta their hiding spots.''They'll do anything ye ask Emily, ye know that.''You know me Lead, won't force 'em if they don't wanna come out.' Emily shrugged, stepping onto his offered hand and allowing him to set her on the ground.Jogging across the grass, Emily glanced back over her shoulder and smiled when she saw Leadfoot settle under another tree, leaning back against the protected trunk. Making her choice, she broke left and entered the empty home, hunting out Roadbuster. She found him easily enough, there were only so many places he could hide from Ratchet. He'd gone for the low spot, diving under the berth and hugging the back wall. Shaking her head in wonder, Emily wandered under the bed and climbed up his back, seeing the sense in the way he'd hidden. Picking her way across the shifting metal, she made her way over his shoulder and grabbed the shoulder mounted gun, swinging off it to drop down in front of him.'You gonna come out of hiding or what, Buster?' she grinned, leaning back against his other arm comfortably.'Do I have to Emily? Everyone fears Ratchet's temper.''Trust me, he's not going to say a word. Ratchet's temper might be legendary but he knows better than to get on my bad side.''Is Leadfoot okay? We shoulda tried to get him outta there, I know.''He's fine, I left him sitting under a tree enjoying a cube of high-grade. C'mon out and join us, it'll be fine.''I trust you Emily. If you say its fine, that's good enough.' he nodded, picking her up and crawling out from under the berth. 'Must have been funny from the outside, flying dives and all.''Yeah, it was certainly amusing but I could see under that to the fear. Don't worry about it, these things happen. You just go join Lead and have a drink, I'll be back soon. Still gotta coax Spin outta hiding.''Okay Emily.'Deposited safely back on the bitumen, Emily watched as Roadbuster made his way over to Leadfoot, stopping only long enough to grab a cube before joining his brother under the tree. Satisfied they'd be safe until she got back to them, she turned her focus to the last brother, jogging into their home and searching out Topspin. He'd gone to the back of the house again but he wasn't really hiding. Instead of taking cover under the bed or in the wash racks, he was sitting on their shared berth, head bowed and hands in his lap. Climbing up his leg and onto his wrist, she considered her options before taking a big leap of faith. Launching off his wrist, she latched onto his chest and headed up, totally at home with these physically demanding challenges. In reality, climbing the Wreckers was a lot easier than some challenges she'd faced with climbing Autobots but her training with the others didn't make it any simpler to pick the right path up. Pushing the comparisons out of her mind, she reached the peak of her climb and settled on his shoulder, worming in under his mullet to lean against his cheek.'C'mon Spin, this ain't like you. What's got you so down this time?''Just waiting for Roadbuster and Leadfoot, Ratchet will be draggin' them home any minute now.''Nah, he won't be draggin' them anywhere unless they manage to get badly hurt again.''But he told us to stay inside for the day and recover. We went against his instructions, he'll be so angry at us.''You technically did stay inside for the day, its dark outside now. As for Ratchet's temper, don't stress about it. I'm more than capable of handling his bad attitude.''No one stands up to Ratchet and survives, we all know that.''Heh, I'm too fast for ol' Hatchet and he knows it. I'm too fast for Sideswipe and he's a lot faster than Ratchet is on his best day. He won't try anything with me, he knows how dangerous I am.''Are you sure about this Emily? I don't want to get into any more trouble today.''You won't get into any trouble so long as you don't go starting any. Come on, tonight is a big reason to celebrate. I'm home after three weeks away from you guys, SAU 14 is free to go home if they ever decide to and there are two new Martians in the ranks. Christine gave birth to twin boys.''Only need one reason to celebrate, you're home. Anything else is extra.''Then come out and join us. I can't really have a great time when there's just two Wreckers to hang out with. It's not right unless you're all there, three brothers that I love equally and completely.''Well, when you put it that way…alright.' he agreed, rocking to his feet and reaching up to offer Emily his hand.'Nah, I'm good right here. Unless you'd rather I moved.''If you're comfortable up there, fine by me Emily.'Unafraid of a potential fall and confident her weight wouldn't be a concern, Emily wrapped her arms through the safety webbing that formed his mullet and relaxed, trusting in him to be aware of her perch and react accordingly. Checking her location with a cursory scan and a light twitch of his head, Topspin accepted her perch and headed to join his brothers, satisfied with Emily's answers. Smiling happily as she swung with his movement, Emily felt freer than she had in a while and more at peace than she'd ever enjoyed before. Constantly aware of her fragile presence so close to his systems, Topspin made sure he didn't jolt Emily around and risk hurting her, she was far too precious to risk but she seemed genuinely happy to be hanging where she was as he grabbed a cube and walked over to join his brothers under the flickering tree.'Where'd Emily go?' Leadfoot asked, surprised she wasn't with Topspin.'I'm right here Lead, where else were you expecting me to be?' Emily chuckled, swinging around to the other side and climbing up to perch on Topspin's head.'What Emily wants, Emily gets.' Topspin added, sipping from his cube and relaxing.'And I've got exactly what I want right here.' Emily nodded, stretching out and getting comfortable.'Don't you want something to eat?' Roadbuster asked, watching the mice around the tables.'Nah, I'm alright. I had something earlier. If I get hungry later, I'll figure something out.'#~#+^*^+#~#Thankfully no one went too far with the alcohol during the party, still not sure about the reported Decepticon sighting from the Wreckers. They weren't sure when they'd next be called to deal with a problem and behaved accordingly. That didn't mean the team wouldn't enjoy themselves though, they still had a wonderful time late into the night and slept under the cathedral of the stars, finding comfort wherever they could. The mice were smart with their sleeping arrangements, taking shelter near the Autobots and huddling in close to any available heat source. They weren't fussy, any warmth would do for them. But even with so many mice and only limited warm spots to steal from, none of the mice selected the Wreckers for their bed. They'd all seen Emily's possessive nature and realised that she'd laid claim to all three somewhere along the line. Accepting the silent claim, they found other places to sleep, leaving Emily in the safe hands of her three chosen protectors.Rising at their usual times the next morning, they got right back into their usual routines, heading home for breakfast before returning to help with the cleanup. Mildly hungover though many of them were, it didn't take long to get the place cleaned up and back to the usual condition it was kept in. Most of the fairy lights came down easily enough but the last set provided an additional challenge. Getting the lights down without waking the group sleeping under the tree. In the end Optimus gently picked Decal and Phantom up, lifting them into the tree and helping them untangle the lights without disturbing the sleepers below.Leaving the quartet to sleep in the mottled shade from the tree, the rest of the team went about their usual duties, keeping their noise down and avoiding any of their particularly loud pastimes to hopefully prevent waking the group. They looked so peaceful together, curled in close and blanketed with the softly falling leaves of fall. Unpacking his supplies and finding the perfect spot to sit, Sunstreaker propped up a canvas and started to sketch, trying to capture the beautiful scene before his optics before life intervened and destroyed it for good. Such innocence and peace wasn't often seen within the compound but there it was in a most unexpected setting. Attention flickering back and forth, he worked hard to capture the beauty before his optics, lost in the graceful act of his painting. Finding an equally good vantage point, Torque set out his art supplies and also started to capture the beautiful scene of peace and friendship, his pencils faithfully recording every perfect detail of the friends still asleep.Using the time to catch up on needed maintenance and general repairs, the mice spread out over the grass and turned their attention to their bikes, doing all the menial little jobs that weren't important enough to really be considered proper maintenance. Redoing their paint and checking everything was up to standard, replacing worn grips and all the other little details that made their girls shine, 14 showed true pride in their unit again, the pride they'd been lacking since their abandonment so long ago. Polishing their weapons and cleaning their unit jewellery, they lost their scrappy look and returned to the glory they had once known, pulling together and restoring what they'd forgotten. It didn't matter that they were still never planning on going back to Mars, what truly mattered was their cohesion as a unit and the pride to be one of the bigger SAUs around.The Autobots also took the chance to catch up on their maintenance and cleaning duties, keeping Ratchet busy with a long list of minor issues that could wait but now that there was time, they were looking to get these little niggles dealt with. Ratchet didn't mind the workload, he distracted Nimrah and the twins with a few simple toys in the corner of his bay and got stuck into the workload, grateful to see that his team-mates were getting better with reporting minor issues. There was nothing serious on the list, just a few twisted wires and pulled cables along with a few dents and scratched paint. There were a few slightly more serious injuries but still nothing that required threats and violence as a warning.#~#+^*^+#~#Awoken by the rich smells of a team barbeque, Emily twitched, groaned and stretched, dark eyes cracking open for a moment before she rolled over and burrowed back in against Roadbuster's chestplate. Chuckling softly, Roadbuster gently stroked her back and held her close as she refused to awaken from her peaceful rest. Jogging over to the group, Cosmo climbed up Topspin's side and picked his way across to where Emily was curled up comfortably. Taking a knee at her side, he gently eased Emily onto her back and sat her up before reaching into the basket he'd carried along. Keeping her propped up against one knee, he deftly poured a steaming mug of coffee and capped the thermos again even as he pressed the mug into her hands.Downing the coffee in seconds, she thrust it back into his hands, moving to settle back in for a few hours longer. Refilling the mug, Cosmo pulled her back in close and returned the mug to her hands, smiling as she downed it just as fast. Holding out the mug for another refill, she also reached for the basket, catching the scent of something delicious. Delving into the basket, he pulled out a neatly wrapped burger and worked the paper free before passing it over and pouring the coffee again.Confident that Emily would be fine now and would soon rejoin the team for real, Cosmo left her to her lunch, climbing back down and returning to the team gathered around the barbeque pits. Getting comfortable where she sat, Emily scanned the team quickly, checking everyone was safe and happy.'Afternoon Emily.' Leadfoot offered, shifting against his brother and watching over her.'Damn, didn't mean to sleep that long. Guess we stayed up dreaming too long last night.' Emily replied, checking her watch quickly.'But they were good dreams to discuss, I still don't know if we can actually pull it off though.' Topspin shrugged, shifting closer to his brothers. 'First hurdle is Ratchet and Prime.''Eh, not much of a hurdle there Spin. They know better than to piss me off. The bigger hurdles are the actual construction and the actual bringing our creation to life.' Emily countered, not really concerned about how the others would react to their plan.'Are you still sure you actually want to try this project Emily? If this works the way we dreamed, there's no going back once you decide to take that step.''I'm not afraid of what this project might mean. When we make this work, I'll be right there to lead the way forward. You don't have to fear for me Buster, I'll be fine.''We'll always fear for you Emily, this is a dangerous project.''That's sweet Lead but really, I'll be fine. I've faced some of the biggest dangers this world knows or has seen, I can handle it.'Hunger satisfied, Emily repacked the basket and settled back comfortably, still dreaming of their grand plan. So far they only had a dream and a desire to see it come into reality but eventually they hoped to create something truly wonderful. But they had a lot of challenges to face and overcome if they were ever going to make their dream come true. So many things had to fall into line, so many little details had to be perfect if things were to work their way.'We'll work it out later, for now we can relax, think about how we want the plan to work and start compiling the parts we need. I'll deal with Ratchet, Optimus and anyone else that wants to get in the way.''Where do we start Emily?' Topspin asked, climbing to his feet and reaching back to help Leadfoot up.'Head on back home and refuel, I'll be there soon and we can start designing final figure. We might not reach our final goal but it'll be good to have some idea of what we want in the end.''Alright, we'll hook up the design equipment we've got. That'll be the easiest way to figure out what we want this project to look like in the final stages.' Leadfoot nodded, getting up and popping his backstruts.'Perfect. I won't be long guys, just gonna grab some fresh coffee and extra food. This is going to be a long term project.' she grinned, bounding off Roadbuster's hand and heading for the barbeque pits.#~#+^*^+#~#Standing on the control unit for the design equipment, Emily looked at the figure displayed on the opposite wall and frowned, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. Making her way across the control unit, she jumped on one of the buttons and the image flared out, displaying her dearest friends around the figure. Scratching her head, she scanned the buttons to find the one she needed, putting her weight on it to make the desired adjustment but it still wasn't right.'Somethin' wrong Emily?' Leadfoot asked, looking the image over carefully.'I'm just not happy with how our project looks within the group.' Emily replied, making another adjustment but she couldn't quite make the fine adjustments she was searching for.'What do you tryin' to do?' Topspin asked, stepping up to offer a hand as Emily took the adjustments too far in the other direction.'Gotta come down about a foot, maybe only ten inches.''I got it. We'll start at nine inches from base and work from there.' Topspin nodded, resetting the height adjustment and flicking the wheel to bring it down nine inches. It wasn't much when talking about Autobots but Emily knew what she wanted and wouldn't sign off on the design until she was completely happy with it.'No, come down one more click.' she replied, gaze locked on the team display and how they all fitted together.'Just remember Emily, less height means the same weight has to go elsewhere.' Roadbuster added, taking the change to dig at Leadfoot and his base-mode.'Haven't forgotten about that detail Buster. I figure a few inches down won't make for huge issues with how the transformation works out in the end.' Emily replied, never breaking her focus on the image. 'It's so damn close. Let's try another half-inch down.'Then it just clicked, that one final adjustment and there it was, the perfect fourth in the middle of the group. Shorter than Topspin and Roadbuster but taller than Leadfoot, this new form was just as solid, incorporating different elements from three to make a powerful forth. Jumping on another display button, the graphic on the wall changed from the four base-modes to four alt-modes, the dull grey of their forth standing out badly but that would soon be fixed. Tweaking the final positions of a few components, Emily turned to her friends for their thoughts, setting up the slow cycle of revolving alt-mode images.'I reckon you've nailed it Emily, the basics anyway. Can't see you accepting such a dull colour scheme though.''That comes next Buster, for now I'm enjoying what we've created so far.' Emily chuckled, watching the group displayed for their enjoyment and critique.'I dunno Emily, I still think two would have been sufficient.' Leadfoot added, gazing at the boosters mounted to the back of the fourth figure. Emily had gone for the trio, two mounted more externally and the third tucked safely inside.'Hmmm, we can have a look at how it fits. It'll mean some alterations to the transformation sequence but that can be dealt with.' Emily nodded, finding the right button and pressing it hard. The image on the wall flickered then resumed rotating, displaying dual jet engines in the rear.'The balance looks good but it's just not you, there's no real flare. Come on Emily, put your spin on it.' Topspin added, liking the dual look better than the triple but mainly because it was more like his own alt-mode.'Hmmm, my own spin on this…I know just what this baby needs.' Emily smirked, delving into the hundreds of parts stock photos from the base computers. Finding what she wanted, she installed the F/A-22 engines and extended the nozzles to complement the design of the actual car. Shifting the engines forward a little more, she maintained the aerodynamics of the alt-mode and still ensured precise manoeuvrability and impressive firepower all around. Mounted with four big six-barrelled 7.62 x 51 calibre miniguns and two heavier .50 calibre three-barrelled miniguns, along with two 14 round mini-missile launchers and a few other Martian designed weapons, this was a big and very mean Autobot.Staring at the deadly fourth on the wall, the three Wreckers were in awe of what Emily could create when given free reign and a chance to dream big. Once their fourth was built and ready for life, they would be an unstoppable force against any enemy that came their way.'I knew you were a bad bitch Emily but this is insane. Are you sure we'll be able to even keep up with this one?' Leadfoot remarked, looking at the mean looking alt-mode.'Sure these engines are powerful but the ones I have available for install are second hand, well used and no longer capable of the top speed as advertised. I've abused them since I purchased the jet they're actually a part of at the moment. At best, I can probably get 75% of optimum force out of those beasts.''Even at 75%, it's going to be interesting to see who can keep up.' Topspin added, fairly sure only Leadfoot with his three jets would be able to match the power coming out of those engines.'I said at best I could get 75% but that would be pushing those engines to the extreme and would most likely result in blown engines if pushed that far too often. To optimise the time I'd have before needing replacement parts, I'd probably restrict these engines to around 40-45%.''Running at 45%, can you keep up with us then? Ratchet keeps our jets well maintained, we'd hate to leave you behind after a tune up or even if we're not running to our best.' Roadbuster noted, wanting to be sure Emily had considered all options.'Again, having the ability to boost above the set capacity percentage, I'll be able to keep up. You guys don't have to worry about me, I'm tough and more than capable of keeping up with you three. I'll hand these jets over to the Martian Mechanic team for a full inspection and tune up, they know all my fighters inside and out.'Turning back to the image, Emily climbed across to the second design interface and brought up the full image of the fourth, the car rotating slowly in front of her. Scanning the interface quickly, she got to work on the less important details, namely the colours and other details she was interested in having as her own. First she picked a white base coat so the rest of the colours really popped off the surface. Then came a gloss black coat, the mounted weaponry getting a gunmetal grey coat to set them off from the darker background. Selecting her colours very carefully for the next little detail, she deconstructed the six mounted machine guns and split the barrels into three groups, two from each of the 7.62 x 51 machineguns and one from each of the .50 ones. Bringing one of the barrels up bigger, she linked the designing pattern to all the barrels and started to draw the most incredible pin striping along the length of the barrels, her design identical on all 30 barrels. Focus unwavering, she swirled and spun the design along the entire surface before sending her lead barrel back to the group she'd selected it from. Spinning the barrels slowly so she could take in the full design, she nodded and selected her next colours carefully, wanting the matches to be perfect. With the three colours chosen and perfectly matching, she dyed the white pin striping on the barrel sets; one set red, one blue and one green. Sorting out the barrels again, she rebuilt the weapons and checked the final effect to make sure it was what she dreamed of. Turning her focus to the larger details, Emily painted on her racing number and added a selection of various sponsorship logos to really help the forth blend into the team before placing the Autobot symbol and the SAU 14 glyphs in glimmering white. Detailing her number in glimmering gold and adding a few more little touches of sparkling gold and silver to balance the design. Spinning the image again, she chromed her jets, putting her stamp on them and completing her dream form.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Once everyone got over the shock of the audacious plan and got a chance to see the finished dream design, it wasn't all that difficult to convince people to get involved. The Autobots were interested for the challenge of creating a new Autobot from scratch out of reclaimed parts from Decepticons, Emily's weapons cache and the engines from her F-22. The Martians saw the potential in Emily's plan, confident that if she could make the transition from flesh to steel then maybe they could pull off the same thing with a different spin. Originally Emily had estimated it would take a couple of years to get everything up and running but the explosion of assistance offers coming in had dramatically reduced those estimations.In the heavy workshop, the Mechanic team worked with Ratchet to construct the body, using detailed blueprints from Leadfoot, Topspin and Roadbuster to make a custom set of blueprints for Emily's body. They'd already figured out the plating off the very detailed schematics of the alt-mode, the rough draft of the transformation sequence and the detailed images of the final dream base-mode. The plating was all formed from reforged Decepticon armour, checked for fit then sent next door to the painting team. They still had the biggest challenge to face though, mounting the fighter engines to the chassis without tearing the chassis apart or blocking the transformation sequence.In the painting workshop, Raider, Sunstreaker and Bits turned their attention to the mass of plating that needed to be painted to Emily's exacting specifications. They were all so grateful that they didn't have to try and hand paint all the chosen sponsorship logos, Emily had purchased those for addition once the plating was matched into the body and everything was assembled. Sunstreaker had the hardest job, tasked with putting the pin striping on the gun barrels and making sure the detailing on all of them matched perfectly. Raider and Bits had the bigger, dirtier jobs of applying the white undercoat, black base coat and the larger details across the panels. They also had the fun of placing the white decals to mark the Autobot affiliation of this new arrival and the love from SAU 14.Emily couldn't dedicate as much time to the construction as she wanted; there was so much she had to learn to make the transition as smooth as possible. She spent most of her time learning from the Autobots, wrapping her mind around their culture and focusing on the details she hadn't yet had a chance to consider. History lessons from Optimus, combat training via holograms from Sideswipe, tactical planning from Prowl, command lessons from Kup and so many other different lessons. It was a lot of information to take in but she had limited time to really grasp Cybertronian culture and life before she made the transition into steel. She also spent hours tucked away in a weaponry lab with Ironhide, building the rest of the weaponry compliment for the fourth Wrecker. Then there was the specialised equipment that would also hopefully be added in, if Wheeljack could get the systems working. She wasn't looking for anything special, just an expansion of a Martian idea to give her a nasty little advantage.#~#+^*^+#~#Absolutely exhausted after another long day of lessons and checking up on the building process when she had a few minutes, Emily collected her twins from Christine's care and headed home, Brains and Wheelie clinging to her shirt as she cradled the twins to her chest. Climbing up a little more, Wheelie hit the gate with his coded ID and settled back again, looking forward to a long recharge and maybe a little TV before bed. Toeing the door open, Emily smiled at the sight in the living room, so glad to see that in all the chaos, her three dear men hadn't abandoned her.'Uh, Emily?' Brains asked, appearing over her shoulder. 'You didn't mention you were having guests.''It's okay Brains, really.' Emily soothed, turning for the stairs. 'Make yourselves at home guys, I'll just go put the kids to bed.' she added, looking back over her shoulder at the three.'We'll be here Emily.' one replied, feet up on the coffee table.'And Lead, you could stand to loose a few pounds off that holo. Not my thing.' she winked, disappearing upstairs as the three on the couch considered her words.Entering the nursery on the second floor, Emily paused by the table just inside the door and waited for Wheelie and Brains to get down before she carried her twins over to their crib and eased them down. They trilled and threatened to wake but a soft humming lullaby from their mother soon put them back into a deep recharge. Making sure they were comfortable, she tucked them in safely and turned on their little nightlight and the mobile over their crib, knowing full well that if she forgot, they'd be complaining all night, even after she turned them on for the pair. Watching the pair for a few moments longer, she eventually turned away and collected Brains and Wheelie, holding them close as she left the twins to sleep and headed upstairs again.The top floor of the house was pretty much given over to Wheelie and Brains to have their own private space to do their own thing, so long as their behaviour didn't risk anyone else in the house. They behaved remarkably well, spending their time watching TV and messing around with the games and other stuff Emily had found for them.'So who are those three downstairs?' Wheelie asked, grateful that Emily still had time for them.'You mean to tell me that with all your advancements over my simple human abilities, you still can't tell Roadbuster, Leadfoot and Topspin by their holoforms?' Emily teased, settling on the couch with the pair.'What are those three doing here? This is our place. They've got their own home.' Brains asked, not wanting to share Emily during what was always their time with her.'Brains, be nice. They're here to support me through this transitional phase, and to be honest, this is about the only time I've got left in the day. As for the human bit, well it's the only way those three mad bots are going to fit in here.' she replied, content to hold the pair for a few minutes and explain the situation.'You've never really explained why you're going through this Emily? Why give up your humanity to join the Autobots like this?' Wheelie asked, leaning back in Emily's tender embrace.'a longer life, a chance to see my twins grow into adults, a better stance against any who would harm Earth and its people…most of all though, I'm taking the chance on love.''Love? You're having feelings for one of the Autobots.''Something like that Brains. Don't look so shocked, I figured this was going to happen after Mission City. I finally found an opening and took a chance on chasing that particular dream.' Emily chuckled, getting up and settling the pair in the couch.'Now be good you two, I don't want to be interrupted unless it's important. You've got everything you need up here and I'll come check on you before I go to bed.' she added, kissing them both on the helm before leaving, half pulling the door behind her.Heading back downstairs, she stopped only long enough to check the twins were still deep in recharge before grabbing the spare monitor and heading on down. Clipping the monitor to her belt, she stopped by the stairwell and reached up to unclip her headset, removing the various components and placing them all safely in the padded cradles on the top shelf of the inbuilt bookcase. Wiping off the sweat and grime that always built up under the system, she stretched and finally headed for the couch, admiring the trio sitting there waiting for her. They were instantly recognisable to her, each one as familiar as their true forms but she could see how Wheelie had struggled to recognise them.They were all wearing torn jeans, faded from black to grey in patches. Their shirts were just a bad, stained and stretched out of shape, but still hanging onto their identities with the red, blue and green. Each one sported a mullet, one brown, one black and the other blonde tinged with blue. They couldn't be called fit and muscled but they weren't overweight anymore either, they'd found a comfortable balance somewhere in the middle, a fact Emily was grateful for. Excess body weight was such a turn off for her, just seeing the previous attempt from Leadfoot had almost caused her to kick him out of the house. Working out of her boots and putting them by the back door, she padded over to the couch and squeezed in between Leadfoot and Roadbuster, so glad to finally have some total downtime.'Rough day Emily?' Topspin asked, one elbow propped on Leadfoot's shoulder.'You have no idea.' Emily groaned, slumping a little more into Roadbuster's side, still amazed by how real these holoforms felt. 'I had no idea Kup could ramble on like that.''Heh, welcome to our world Emily. He's always been like that.' Leadfoot chuckled, fingers drifting down her arm. 'We've heard all his old war stories at least a dozen times and I do mean all of them.''Ugh, not sure how I'm going to handle that. It's a new brand of torture to have to listen to them just once. Primus bless Ironhide for the rescue, he needed my input for the new cannons.''You're getting Ironhide to build your cannons? We're better at those than he is.''I know Buster but there's nothing saying we can't tinker with them after they're installed and the transfer is complete. Let Ironhide have his part in this, its good practise for the hundreds of weapons he'll have to build in the future.''Of course, all the Martians will want something to install in their new bodies when they get them. He'll have a load of fun with that lot.' Roadbuster grinned, one arm wrapping around Emily's waist.'Kids all tucked up safely?' Topspin asked, swinging the conversation away from the transitional work.'The twins are sleeping peacefully, they'll be okay. Wheelie and Brains are awake still but I've warned them to stay in their part of the house unless it's an emergency. We've pretty much got the night to ourselves so long as we keep the noise down.' Emily nodded, checking the monitor on her belt and smiling when she clearly heard one of the twins trilling in his recharge. 'That'll be Rumble, he'll settle in a minute.''I hope this change doesn't faze the twins too much. They're so close to you Emily.''I already discussed that with Ratchet, Lead. Once the transfer has begun, he'll put the twins into stasis and do their first upgrades. When they wake, they'll be about three times the size they are now, stronger in frame and will be told that while they were having their upgrades, their mother was too.''Reckon they'll believe that?''Sure they will Spin, they're still so young that changes like that don't really faze them. Ratchet assured me we would make it work. I've also prodded Optimus on the housing arrangements, for now everyone thinks we're moving in across from you guys but when we get closer to the actual transfer, Optimus will paint our names above the door where we belong.'Snuggling closer to Roadbuster and tugging the other two in tight as well, Emily closed her eyes and sighed, relaxing into them and finding her centre again. With everything that was going on, she was nervous about the transfer day still a long way into the future. No one knew for sure what would happen and once the transfer began, there was no going back. That thought scared her more than she'd ever admit, she didn't like the idea of a tiny mistake causing her death but she trusted Ratchet deeply and he'd promised that the transfer would be smooth and free of trouble so long as she was well rested, properly hydrated and well fed in the days leading up to the process.'What's troubling you Emily?' Topspin asked, reaching out to stroke her neck tenderly.'Just thinking about the transfer. I'm scared of what might happen.''Don't worry lass, we'll all be close by and Ratchet knows how important you are. He'll take care of ye.' Roadbuster soothed, arms wrapped around Emily's waist.'There's something else you should be thinking about anyway.' Roadbuster agreed, shifting into a more comfortable position without moving Emily too much. 'We are aware that you chose more masculine features for your new body. Have you considered a new designation for after the transfer?''A designation? Hell, everything else I've got to think about and I completely forgot about a designation. That's going to take some thought, I honestly have no idea about that one.' Emily shrugged, caught off guard by the suggestion of an Autobot name.'I've got a suggestion Emily, I was thinking about the speed your new form will be capable of and the sheer force of fire you'll be able to produce and it just came to me…Speedshot.' Topspin offered, almost shy as he named their forth.'Speedshot.' Emily repeated, just getting a taste for the name. 'Leadfoot, Roadbuster, Topspin and Speedshot. It's perfect Spin, absolutely perfect.' she praised, liking how the designations fitted together and just worked.'Lead, Buster, Spin…Shot or Speed. Now that's a tough choice, both fit.' Roadbuster nodded, reaching out to squeeze Topspin's wrist in praise.'Shot, there's already a Speed on base.' Leadfoot replied, also silently praising Topspin for the idea.Covering a yawn in Leadfoot's shoulder, Emily blinked slowly and cuddled closer, fighting off sleep but she'd had an exhausting day with all her classes. Chuckling softly, Topspin slid out from behind Leadfoot and gently lifted Emily into his arms, Roadbuster and Leadfoot helping him get Emily settled and comfortable. At first she resisted but eventually she gave up and accepted the help, snuggling into his embrace and closing her eyes.'Gotta check on the kids, just to be sure they're okay. Promised I'd check in on Wheelie and Brains too, let 'em know I was turnin' in for the night.' she muttered, still struggling to stay awake.'I'll check on Frenzy and Rumble, you're exhausted Emily.' Leadfoot replied, stroking her hair lightly.'And while Spin's putting you to bed, I'll go tell Wheelie and Brains that you're turnin' in.' Roadbuster added, heading for the stairs. 'I can sense them Emily, I know where they are.''m'kay.' she nodded, trusting in her dearest Wreckers to take care of things for her. 'Y'know where the bedroom is?''Second floor, last door on the left.' Topspin replied, having already scanned the house and figured out what was where.'Good.'Carrying Emily carefully upstairs and into her room, Topspin eased her onto the bed and watched her for a moment, a fond smile crossing his face as she slept peacefully. Working her out of her dirty clothes, he found her pyjamas half under her pillow and got her dressed again, tossing her dirty clothes into the bathroom until the morning. Then he lifted her again, trying to figure out how to pull back the covers without disturbing her.'I've got it Spin.' Leadfoot uttered, entering the bedroom and pulling the covers back neatly.'Thanks Lead. This human thing is harder than I thought.' Topspin grinned, settling Emily down again and tucking her in gently.'It's only gonna be harder for Emily going back the other way.' Leadfoot mused, perching on the side of the bed and watching Emily sleep so peacefully.Upstairs, Roadbuster wasn't really surprised by the hostile looks he was getting but he refused to let that little fact bother him. He'd told Emily what he was planning to do and even if she was so sleepy that she missed what he'd said, he'd still do it.'Look, you two can get all possessive of Emily if you want but this is taking a toll on her. She fell asleep on the couch while we were talking. Leadfoot went to check on the twins, Topspin took Emily to her bed and I came up here to let you know what's going on.' he explained, wandering over to settle on the couch. 'I don't get why you two are so hostile towards us.''Because this is supposed to be our time with Emily.' Wheelie replied, leaving his chair and turning to Roadbuster. 'No matter how busy the day, Emily always came home to us and spent her evenings with us.''So you're jealous that she's spending more time with us and less with you two. Hate to say it but after the transfer, you won't be getting much time with Emily at all. She'll be Speedshot and living with us fulltime.''So why intrude on the remaining time we have with Emily before we have to move in with someone else?' Brains asked, climbing up onto the couch and looking up at Roadbuster.'Because what Emily wants, Emily gets. Despite our problems and flaws, she loves us. Once Speedshot is here, the four of us will raise Rumble and Frenzy as a family. We'll try not to intrude on your time with Emily but this time is just as special for us, this is our last chance to really make sure Emily wants to spend the rest of her life with us.''Emily did say she was doing this for love. We had no idea she was talking about you three.' Wheelie remarked, climbing up onto the couch and sitting beside Roadbuster. 'But if that's what she wants to be really happy, I guess we should be more supportive of her through the process.''She'd appreciate that Wheelie, I know she would. But for the sake of her sanity, let's just try to get along.''Okay Roadbuster, for Emily's sake.' Brains nodded, moving closer and actually curling up against one leg. 'Does that mean you'll tuck us into our berths tonight?''I guess so, what's Emily usually do anyway?''She tucks us into our berths, reads us a story from the book she always keeps on the table between the berths and says goodnight. We've already had our goodnight kisses.' Brains explained, wondering if Wheelie would go along with the plan.'I can mange that for you two, it'll be good practise for Rumble and Frenzy. Come on, bed time.' Roadbuster grinned, scooping the pair up and heading for the berthroom.'I can accept that.' Wheelie agreed, willing to try this new idea but still wary.#~#+^*^+#~#Watching the work going by week by week, Emily grew tired of the waiting and listening to lessons from so many other Autobots. The engines were ready and running at 90% when forced and capable of maintaining 60% for prolonged periods. The armour was painted, labelled and ready for installation once the body was finished. The weapons were completed and ready for installation, now they were just taking up space in Ironhide's rarely used workshop. Wheeljack had completed the shielding system and even found time to build three more that he'd already installed on the other Wreckers, a gift from Emily to those she loved most of all. Now she just had to light a fire under Ratchet and get her body.Well and truly frustrated now, Emily wandered into the mechanical bay, Rumble and Frenzy clinging to her sides and Brains and Wheelie perched on her shoulders. Heading up the stairs, she looked down on the body laid out before her eyes, taking in the solidly built structures that would soon be all hers.'Morning Emily.' Ratchet called, looking up from the arm he was building. 'You're looking better this morning.''Had a good night. Shed the fears, the stress and got a new perspective on things.' Emily replied, admiring the bared skeleton and imagining how it would look once completed. 'Finally settled on a new designation as well, Topspin came up with it.''Oh, what'd he come up with? RoadWarrior? DustRoar?''Funny Ratchet, real funny. No, nothing quite so arrogant although I do like RoadWarrior. He came up with Speedshot and we all agreed that it was the perfect fit. The moment he said it, I knew and it fits with the rest of the family.' Emily replied, rolling her eyes behind her visor.'Speedshot…yes, it does fit with the other Wreckers but family? I'm not so sure about how it fits with Rumble and Frenzy.''Ratchet, Rumble and Frenzy will adapt to the situation. I meant the family I will have with the Wreckers. Regardless of what anyone else thinks on the subject, we have our dreams and will fight for them.' Emily sighed, wondering how long it would take for everyone to accept her decision.'Far be it from me to talk about odd romance choices, lot of people thought I was crazy for starting up with Ironhide. Who woulda thought that a trigger-happy weapons specialist and a stubborn old medic could hit it off and achieve all that we have. If you can make a solid life with those three, I wish you the best of luck Emily.''Thanks Ratchet. We're already working on a solid foundation for what we're dreaming of, it's just a matter of time now.' Emily nodded, checking her twins were safe and happy as she continued gazing at her new form.'The mice are a little confused as to why you chose to switch from feminine features to a more masculine appearance. I will admit, I'm curious too.''I remember Arcee and her sisters, no way am I some flimsy femme like those three. I'm sorry that they were lost but I'm not going to risk my family and happiness by being under armoured, under strength and too slow to avoid the worst trouble. I'd rather live as a mech than die an ugly death as a femme. That's just the way I am.''I'll admit, femmes aren't as hard wearing as mechs, long running design flaw. It's always been like that, far back as I can remember. Femmes were always built to be elegant and beautiful, not hard core fighters. You are a hard core fighter, you've taken on some of the biggest threats to the Autobot way of life and always came out on top, battered and bleeding but alive. Few femmes can make similar claims.' Ratchet nodded, understanding Emily's reasons for the switch. It was simple really, she wanted to be hard enough to survive when things went to hell.Unaware of her presence overhead, Wheelie and his team came in from their smaller workshop, several circuit boards in a cradle between them. Setting the cradle down beside the open helm, Windvest moved first, crawling into the helm and checking something before work continued, his bros handing in the various circuit boards and helping position them.'At the pace we're working, we estimate we'll have the body completed in 2-3 weeks Emily. Of course, my estimation goes out the window if Sunstreaker is still complaining about his paint.' Ratchet commented, startling the mice.'You planning on a briefing when Emily has a minute to check our work Ratchet?' Goggles asked, not looking up from where he was stabilising another circuit board through an open panel.'I'm already here bros, been here for about 20 minutes.' Emily grinned, surprising the group again.'You are getting sneakier Emily, I swear it.' Wheelie smirked, looking up at Emily and her little group of companions.'Nah, just turning my skills to other interests. I'm allowed to see how Speedshot is coming along.''Speedshot?' Odd Ball asked, helping with another circuit board.'That's going to be my new designation once this big project is completed. Hard to be a hardcore Wrecker mech with a name like Emily. If you guys make the same transition, you'll be right to hang onto your own names, they'll blend in easily.' Emily explained, resettling her twins and reaching up to make sure Brains and Wheelie were safe on her shoulders.'Sounds like a plan Emily, Speedshot is perfect.' Windvest agreed, crawling out of the helm. 'But three weeks might be a bit optimistic, we've still got a fair bit of the fiddly shit to get done Ratchet. I'd estimate 5-6 weeks to get everything wired up properly and tested for perfection.''Split the difference, four weeks. I'm sick of the delays guys, get it together. Everything else is waiting for you guys. Weapons are complete, personal shield ticked off, plating has been painted three times and waxed to a perfect shine, jet engines running at 60% prolonged. Wheeljack will be joining the construction efforts in about an hour, get your asses in line and pull together. I'm tired of waiting for you to get organised and finished. Wheeljack not only had time to finish my shielding unit, he's also built three more from scratch and installed them as per my request.' Emily demanded, soothing the twins before turning and stalking out of the workshop, the build team well and truly chastised.Picking up his tools again, Ratchet got back to work, putting everything he had into the project. It was time to stop messing around, they'd always found a reason not to work their fastest on this body but now it was time to focus. He was aware that the mice hadn't gotten back to work and looked up, watching them swapping confused and hurt looks.'Emily's right, we've had this project for nearly eight months, it's time to get it finished. We built Ironhide faster than this and he's bigger than Speedshot. We've all been distracted and twitchy about this job, no one wants to lose Emily as we know her. But this is her choice, she wants to grow and evolve into something more powerful than she could ever dream of being until we showed her the way. She wants what she's never had before, she wants to feel loved and cherished by those closest to her. It's not about us anymore, not about Emily protecting Autobots and Martians, it's about Emily's one chance to truly be happy. Think about it, no human male could possibly keep up with what she does, no Martian male could offer her the family she desires. But somehow she's found what she wants in the embrace of three crazy mechs. I don't know what she sees in those three but she loves them like she's never loved anyone else and now we're standing in the way of her happy ending. We all care about Emily, she's been there for us through so much and kept us safe through a lot. It's our turn to return the favour, it's our turn to protect and help her.' he sighed, picking up his tools again and getting back to work.'I can't do this Ratchet, I can't let Emily go. She's been there since day one, tending to us and protecting us from so much. She was the one who patched up my eye, her gentle hands sutured this up after we crashed. I can't just turn my back on her.' Windvest replied, hanging his head. 'I can't let her go, she's the only human I really trust.''Windvest, this isn't goodbye for any of us. Once Emily is on her path, we'll start to take our paths. Some of the bros are already planning their bodies, plotting out what they want to happen with their new forms and establishing new identities for their bikes. Our chance will come, Emily's leading us into the future one last time. She's showing us that everything will be okay, she's proving that we'll be safe to follow her down this path and into a new life. She's asking for one last show of trust from us, for us to believe in her and let her show the way home.' Goggles added, wrapping one arm around Windvest's shoulders.'It's okay to be scared Windvest, we're all scared about what the future will bring for us. Emily has tended to us all at one time or another, she's dealt with our various on the job injuries time and time again. She's counting on us, no one else can make her dreams come true now. Come on bro, just think about how happy Emily will be when this is all done and she can be with the ones she loves so very much. Doesn't she deserve a taste of true happiness and the love of family?' Wheelie added, knowing full well that they'd never get the job done without Windvest.'You guys are great at the emotional blackmail, you know that.' Windvest sighed, moving past his bros and worming back into Speedshot's helm. 'Let's just get this fuckin' over with.'#~#+^*^+#~#Arriving at the compound for their usual monthly discussion with Emily, Will and Sam were surprised to be met at the gate by Braidy. While that wasn't too strange, the behaviour of everyone in the compound was definitely weird. There was no one mucking around on the grass, no shouting matches in any language, no loud music or anything usually associated with the team living in the compound. Even Bumblebee, usually so excited to see Sam on his visits, was quiet, sitting under one of the trees. Everyone would look to Ratchet's repair bay occasionally, worried about whatever was going on in there. Closest to the repair bay sat the Wreckers, silent and still as they waited for whatever was going on. The only faces that seemed to be missing from the silent vigil was Emily, Ratchet, Wheeljack and Emily's twins. Everyone else was out here in silence, a truly eerie sight to behold.'Optimus, what's going on? This isn't normal for you guys.' Lennox called, approaching the mighty leader sitting under another tree.'We are waiting for news of Speedshot. The procedure is taking longer than Ratchet estimated and we are concerned.' Optimus replied, offering his hand to the pair.'Who is Speedshot?' Sam asked, taking a seat on Optimus' hand.'You have both become aware of the secret project many living here have been working on over the last eight months. This project combines human, Autobot and Martian technologies to create something very special. Speedshot is the culmination of this project and soon will be a reality for all.' Optimus explained, not giving much away regarding the situation.'Okay, so where's Emily?' Lennox enquired, looking around for her again.'Emily is in with Ratchet and Wheeljack, helping to bring Speedshot to life. I will say no more on the matter until we know for certain that Speedshot will live and join us here.'Realising they weren't going to get anymore out of Optimus, Sam and Will sat back and waited, so curious about what was going on but not willing to risk annoying the big Autobot. They both nearly flew out of their skin when a bell tolled somewhere close, a signal to those who knew what was going on. Bowing their heads, the team was silent and still, waiting for whatever was to happen next and hoping for a successful transfer.'Welcome Speedshot, we await your rebirth.' Optimus muttered, his words only confusing Sam and Will more.There was another long pause of silence and stillness before the doors of the repair bay swung open and Ratchet emerged, two smaller Autobots cradled in his arms. Getting to their feet, the Wreckers surrounded the medic, Leadfoot and Roadbuster gently taking the smaller Autobots and holding them close, rocking slowly to comfort the little ones.'You've met Rumble and Frenzy before, Ratchet just gave them their upgrades to bring them into line with the changes going on in their lives and ours as well.' Optimus explained, watching the Wreckers with their sons.'But I thought Emily was caring for them, not the Wreckers.''You were correct Colonel Lennox but things are changing. Speedshot will raise them now, in a proper family environment. Topspin, Leadfoot and Roadbuster will help, the four of them raising the twins to be strong and fast.''So what happened to Emily?''Emily is Speedshot, we figured out how to transfer her personality, memories and very essence into her very own Autobot body. It was Emily's idea from the beginning but the Martians are also very interested in the idea.''Emily did what?' Will gaped, having never expected anything like this was even possible.'Emily Hunter is no more Colonel, she gave up her fragile human form for love and a family. The bell you heard signalled the change from Emily to Speedshot, the new forth Wrecker. Soon he will emerge and see the world through new optics for the first time. It was Emily's choice to take a mech form instead of a femme, she wanted to be stronger than any femme frame is capable of being.' Optimus explained, drawing their attention back to the doors of the repair bay. 'Look, I believe he is about to emerge.'One hand raised to shield new optics from the dazzling summer sun, a dark mech emerged from the repair bay, Ratchet and Wheeljack right behind him and ready to act if he crashed. Lowering his hand slowly, he looked around and smiled, blue optics flickering to yellow as he scanned the crowd all around. Optics brightening in joy, Topspin approached first, trill-whistle-clicking as he reached out to the new arrival. Making a sound reminiscent of an old modem crossed with a TV without reception, the new arrival took the offered hand and stepped closer, embracing the blue bot warmly. Buzzing happily, Topspin returned the hug and chirped softly, clearly so very happy to see the black bot. Shifting their grip on the twins, Roadbuster and Leadfoot joined the hug, the combined chatter making Will think of R2-D2 on speed.Eventually emerging from the group hug, the black mech had both twins in his arms as he made his way into the waiting group, the other Wreckers right behind him. Mouth plates moving into a smile, he stopped in front of Optimus and handed the twins off again before sinking to one knee a little unsteadily.'Wrecker Speedshot reporting for duty, Optimus Prime.' he greeted, dipping his helm in respect. His voice held a distinctly Irish accent, complimenting the other accents the Wreckers had.'As you were Speedshot. It's good to see you up and about.' Optimus replied, setting Will and Sam on the ground. 'I am sure you remember Colonel Lennox and Samuel Witwicky.''Of course I do, the transfer was completely successful. All Emily's memories are mine as well.' Speedshot confirmed, flicking his dark mullet back out of the way. Looking closer, Will figured out what it was comprised of; race harnesses and the protective webbing that usually covered the windows.'We need to have a long talk about this Speedshot.' he insisted, still shocked that Emily had done this without consulting him.'Not us Colonel, you need to speak with Emily about this. I can tell that you're still uncertain about my presence in her place.' Speedshot corrected, moving back and transforming before pushing out his holoform.Laughing softly, the holoform shook her long brown hair back over her shoulder and folded her arms, looking the pair of stunned humans over quickly.'What, you didn't seriously think I'd completely disappear on you, did you Lennox? Eventually this holoform will be replaced with a different one but for now those who knew Emily need to understand what happened.''What did happen? Emily was so determined to keep the Autobots and Martians safe but now she's gone. Now N.E.S.T. has the right to come in here and take everyone to a proper military base.''I continue to protect the Autobots and Martians, N.E.S.T tries to take this compound by force and they will be met by extreme force. There is still work to be done on this project, once everything is complete we will require N.E.S.T protection and support to survive on Earth and still remain secret. This was just phase one.''So what's phase two?' Sam asked, admiring the lines of Speedshot's alt-mode and the bristling weaponry he could see.'Phase two will be the transition from Martian to Autobot, using larger vehicles available here at the compound. Stage three will be the modifications to the bikes, upgrading them into fully functioning Autobots as well. You have plenty of time to make arrangements for the switch from this compound to a base of your choice. It will take at least two years to complete the project.''All of you? There's no way we've got space for that many Autobots.''Then you'd best get busy Colonel. Now that the project has begun, it will progress quickly. My transition was the first, the guiding light to those that are to follow. Now things will pick up pace because we will not be burdened with building all the bodies from scratch, merely modifying what is already available here.''I don't see much here that can be modified.''That's because the vehicle bays have always been off limits with your limited pass Samuel. Below this compound are several hangers filled with aircraft of various sorts and four large vehicle bays for ground vehicles that might be required. There is more than enough to choose from, even with Braid and Christine's twins in the mix.''Is there anyway to talk you out of this project?''What has been set in motion cannot be stopped Colonel. The transition is a one way street, we can advance from flesh to steel but never return to the soft world. We have chosen our path and will follow it Colonel.''Then we've got a lot of work to do to prepare for the eventual day when you join us. But there is still the monthly briefing to be dealt with before we can get out of your way.''Blade will be handling all interactions with N.E.S.T and all other organisations, I will only be called to use my holoform when it is absolutely necessary.' Speedshot replied, holoform fading out before he transformed and stood, turning back to his mates. 'For now I am going home to recharge, this has been a most unusual day.'
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Packing up their belongings and organising what they definitely would need once they arrived in their new home, the massed Autobot force prepared to roll out again. Everyone was expected to pull their own weight but there were definite concerns for some of the smaller Autobots in the convoy. Reshuffling the cargo in the six trailers for the biggest Autobots to haul, they managed to empty one trailer completely for modifications. Dragging the selected trailer clear, Ratchet and his assistance team pulled together to turn the empty space into a double deck transporter. Carving small view ports and air vents into the sides of the container, they lined the decks with whatever soft material they could find to protect the youngsters travelling inside. Some of the newest ground bound Autobots were confident they could make the journey back to Washington DC without help but those that weren't so confident were all too happy to accept the helping hand.Standing off to the side with Blaster, Speedshot relaxed into the loving embrace of his bondmates and smiled as they watched their twins running around together. Eject and Rewind were so careful with their younger brothers, playing and laughing with them but doing their best not to harm the smaller pair.'I'm honoured you trust me with Rumble and Frenzy, I'll take care of them.''Better they can lean against those they know best.' Leadfoot shrugged, smiling proudly at the pair as they raced around with the older twins, tires flicking up the dirt.'They'll be good Blaster; you shouldn't have much trouble with them so long as you remember the straps.' Roadbuster added, still amazed that these two little ones were his.'Already ran a systems check on those, we're good to go.''Well not entirely, we've still got a fair bit to get organised. I have no idea how Braid and Christine are going to manage this. Tracer and Drift aren't capable of making this journey.' Topspin remarked, gaze drifting over to the other new parents with their kids. 'There might be space in the trailer but there's no promise on that.''I think Braid and Christine have already figured out how to get their twins to DC safely. I heard them talking to Ratchet about electromagnets and underslung loads.' Speedshot replied, components shifting as he stretched out his backstruts.Shaking out his wings and resettling them against his back, Blade clicked over to where Optimus was standing, watching over the loading process and figuring out the trailers and who would take which loads.'well, it's not quite what we planned for but this is pretty close to our hopes for a future together.' he mused, slipping under Optimus' left arm contentedly.'We have what we wanted Blade, our chance. Our relationship can only become stronger through this.' Optimus replied, tugging Blade closer. 'This is our chance to be happy as well.''Not only our relationship but our family as well. We still have a responsibility to keep Beast safe.''I still find it amazing that our numbers have increased so much and yet the smaller Autobots still maintain their deep family connection to their now ex-riders. It's now less of a partnership and more of a family feeling.''It's nice to have that connection though, I was concerned we'd lose the bond with the bikes after the change.''Never gonna happen dad.' Beast grinned, rolling over to her fathers and reaching up to them. 'I'll always love you both.''And we'll always love you.' Optimus replied, scooping her up and onto his hip where she just seemed to fit.'Don't ever forget that Beast, you'll always have us.' Blade added, reaching up to stroke her cheek tenderly. 'You be good for daddy and I'll see you at our new home, okay?''I will daddy, I'll stay where I'm told and let daddy know if I need help.' Beast nodded, cuddling closer to Optimus.'Good girl.' Blade praised, so glad she was accepting Optimus into their family. 'Do I get hugs before I have to leave?''Yay daddy.' Beast beamed, launched from Optimus' embrace and latching onto Blade happily.'That's my girl.' Blade chuckled, holding his little angel close. 'I'm going to miss you so much while we're apart.''I'll miss you too daddy.'They all knew they would have to come back to this compound again at least once more to finish collecting all the vital equipment from the dozens of buildings scattered over the extended property but for now they had all that they could carry. It had taken several brutal culls to get it down to what they had in the five cargo trailers. Ratchet and his team had really made their feelings known though, insisting on their vital equipment. Choosing not to risk their wrath, Optimus had agreed to the medical load up, figuring with so many Autobots to keep an optic on, injuries were bound to happen. They'd also loaded up the most likely needed parts, spreading out the weight to everyone that could take the weight. That meant Ironhide, Hound, Kup and Blaster were all assigned smaller trailers and whatever could be loaded into trays and cargo areas on alt-modes. Apart from those supplies, the rest of the load was personal possessions and a few special pieces from the compound. The appropriately upsized computers were wrapped in bedding and subspaced for safety, everyone quite liking the idea of sitting at the desk and playing games or typing up reports as required. Sunstreaker had packed up several of his canvases, wrapping them in bedding from the storage sheds and protecting them from any harm as they were loaded up with the other more important items in the third trailer. One of his most prized paintings was the one he'd painted after Emily's return from Mars, three Wreckers and a beautiful woman sleeping under the fall oak tree. Seeing that image had choked up many of the Autobots, fresh memories of Emily and her amazing heart catching them off guard. He also packed all his art supplies, hoping to continue to paint once they were settled into their new home with N.E.S.T.#~#+^*^+#~#Racing into the sky and away, the fighter wing of the Autobots was first to leave, splitting into smaller groups and angling out in every direction before turning to Washington DC and their new base. Lennox had sent GPS coordinates for the new facility but no one knew for certain if it would be big enough for the situation. It wasn't in the city proper, it was set up on an older Army base that had been given over to N.E.S.T for housing the Autobots. Great big concrete and steel bunkers and tunnels had been dug deep under the base, allowing the Autobots to live in an almost city under the ground with plenty of access to the ground level and the sky beyond. He'd taken all the ideas he'd gotten from this compound and sunk it all in the ground, including the appropriately sized wash racks, sturdy beds and everything else Emily had originally purchased. She'd financed it on the sly and told Lennox where to get the stuff so there hadn't been too many questions asked.Leaving in convoy as the N.E.S.T team arrived to secure the compound and prevent anyone getting a peek at what was actually going on, the ground team surged against their loads and peeled out, the smaller vehicles watching out for their larger road using companions and guiding them around trouble. The newest big rigs were still adjusting to being so big and obvious on the road but they were slowly getting the hang of what had to be done and how to get it done safely. The four semis were right in the middle of the convoy, everyone accepting that they would have trouble defending themselves with their heavy burdens. Optimus led the junior rigs, the transporter with the younglings and his support trailer strung out behind them. Vinnie rolled second, the nature of his cargo more than enough incentive to behave. He'd been tasked with the precious items trailer, including the painting of Emily and the Wreckers. Third was Throttle, straining with half the repair bay load and a load of furnishing for the new facility. Modo had the rear position, hauling the other half of the repair bay and container of assorted parts and furnishings.Stringing out along the road, the adults in the convoy kept sharp optics on the younger charges that were determined to try and make the distance to DC if they could. They all knew they could hitch a ride if needed but they wanted to at least try to complete the journey. They stuck close to their assigned guardians for the run, drawing strength from their larger companions and entertaining everyone on the journey. It really was amazing to listen to their joyful wonder of the world around them as they explored with their sensors and tasted the freedom that came with their new sentience."Hey Prime, got some news for you."'Go ahead Tank.'"Ya know about those Decepticons that the Wreckers got in a fight with?"'What about them?'"Cross 'em off the threat list, they're deactivated."'Say again Tank.'"You heard me Prime. The five Decepticons sighted in Wisconsin and responsible for harming the Wreckers have been deactivated. We caught 'em hanging around our new base, trying to be inconspicuous but we found 'em all."'Are you certain they have been deactivated?'"Well, if they ain't dead now they will be soon. Mechanic team has started cutting 'em up for parts and scrap. Lennox is organising transport for the material as we speak."'Do I want to know how you did it? More importantly, did anyone see you?'"No one saw us, the area was shielded from curious eyes by a portable version of the shield we used over the Wisconsin compound. We were very careful to contain all combat to the shielded area. As for how we did it, it's amazing what 30 fighters can achieve when we pull together."'That is excellent news Tank, I will inform the rest of the team.'"Just don't spook the younglings. Couple of us took some damage but it's nothing serious, the Mechanic team will treat the wounded once the deconstruction work is finished. I've already sent Ratchet the injury details, he's not too worried by the damage sustained."'Well done to all who were part of the fight. It is a shame we were not all there to assist with the fight.'"Don't worry about it Prime, there will be other fights to share. Even if they are just training games. Tank out."#~#+^*^+#~#Rumbling into the new facility and heading straight into the hangers and other buildings above ground, the ground team were greeted warmly by the aerial group, many hands coming up to help unload the cargo that had been brought along this time. Letting the younger ones rest, Optimus hooked Throttle's repair bay trailer and heaved off again, following the map Wheelie had sent of where they'd decided to put the repair bay. Never one to rest when there was work to be done, Modo took up the strain on the other repair bay trailer and followed behind, his generous spirit still the same even after all he'd changed in his life."You didn't have to do that Modo, I have hauled many loads since Emily opened her arms to us.""Wouldn't be right to have you doing all the work Prime.""Your bros seem content to rest as suggested.""Vinnie's lazy unless there's something interesting going on and Throttle is still trying to figure out where he fits in this new team. He's used to being a leader but now there are three leaders here, he's not sure where he fits anymore.""I admit, I had not considered that. Thank you for bringing it to my attention Modo. I will give the situation some thought and provide Throttle with an answer soon.""He'd appreciate that Prime."Watching from the safety of the upper walkways, Lennox wasn't sure quite what to make of the modified Martin bikes. He'd been expecting the altered abilities but their child-like behaviour was rather shocking. He'd been expected fully developed and combat ready mini Autobots, not this bunch of kids looking around with a mix of concern, fear and excitement.'Problem William?' one of the jets asked, his paint scheme and nametag a big help with identification.'You could say that Revs. What's with the youngsters?''Apparently Martian computer systems aren't good enough to contain a fully developed Cybertronian AI. With the larger bodies, it was easy to install the right tech to give us full AIs but due to a lack of space in the smaller bodies, the kids will have to grow up like ordinary Cybertronian younglings. Unfortunately, you'll be long deceased by the time they're classed as adults.' Revs explained, Roars clinging to his hand as she looked around curiously. 'We're all adjusting to parenthood but you'll be hard pressed to find a new parent that isn't enjoying every minute with their younglings.''Can't be easy for Braid and Christine, they've got four to keep an optic on.''It takes a village to raise a child, William, we'll all help each other out. Rebel and Hunk are some of the more outgoing younglings, they're already quite friendly with Hound and enjoy spending time with him.''I suppose having all these youngsters around together will make things better too, they can amuse each other.''The team connection is still very strong, you won't have to worry about the younglings getting into too much trouble. There will be days when they misbehave but they're good kids really.''So long as you guys keep an eye on them and make sure they don't leave the base, we won't have a problem. I'll have to reach out through Emily's old contacts and see who can make some jumbo sized kids entertainment though.''Don't worry about that too much William. We've already got plenty of stuff to entertain the kids. We brought some with us now and the rest is still in Wisconsin, we'll have to go back for it eventually.''I've already organised extra transport help, I just need to tell the drivers when they're leaving.''No need to rush William, we have what we need for now. We won't need to go back to Wisconsin for a few weeks.'Waiting for Brains and Wheelie to get clear, Throttle transformed and stretched for a moment before walking over to take a knee beside Ironhide, gently lifting Nimrah out of his tray and setting her on the ground. Giggling happily, she transformed and waited for Ironhide, launching into his arms the moment he was on his feet. Face lighting up with a smile, Ironhide held her close and looked around at their new home, waiting patiently for Ratchet to get back from checking out the new repair bay.'Was that fun little one?' he asked, his toughline personality disappearing as he held his daughter.'Uh-ha daddy.' she nodded, locked on around his neck. 'This is home now?''Yeah sweetspark, this is home now. We'll still go back to the country estate for holidays occasionally but this is home.''Okay daddy.' she replied, burrowing closer and looking around from the safety of her father's arms.'Check out Lennox, he looks like he's just seen a ghost.' Braidy called, Killer and Dueller holding firm to his hands.'Nah, it's more he's not used to the tender side of Ironhide.' Windvest sniggered, Low Rider nestled safely in his arms.'No one expects the soft side of Ironhide or Ratchet.' Topspin teased, Rumble deep in recharge in his arms.'Just like no one expected to see gentle Wreckers?' Ironhide shot back, turning to the larger family.'Kids change ya, won't deny that.' Roadbuster agreed, Frenzy snuggled in against his chest contentedly.'Especially those of us who never thought we'd get to have kids.' Falcon nodded, Armageddon sitting quietly at his feet to rest her weary chassis.'Some of us know just how precious this opportunity is. This is our chance to help in ways we never could before.' Sidewinder mused, Smash deep in recharge with her head on his shoulder, protected by his high swept wings and loving arms.'Not only that Sidewinder, this is our chance to enjoy life as we never could before. What we have now is a huge improvement over what we had.' Speedshot agreed, arms draped casually over Leadfoot's shoulders as they watched over their sons.'Couldn't have said it better Speedshot.' Bits grinned, Scrap Babe peeking out from behind him timidly. 'It's alright little one, no one minds if you're a bit different.' he soothed, reaching down and sweeping his little girl up onto his hip. Letting out a little chirp of shock, she nuzzled closer to Bits and dimmed her optics, hunkering into the offered comfort.Rumbling back into the main hanger, Optimus transformed and stretched, sending out a chorus of pops and creaks as he eased the tension built up in his systems. Rising a moment later, Modo caused another cacophony of creaks and cracks, his glossy silver paint catching the light as he walked over to collect Lil' Hoss from where she was recharging peacefully under Vinnie's watch.'Colonel, it's been a long day for all of us. If you would kindly show us to our quarters, we'd be most grateful.' Christine sighed, Tracer and Drift deep in recharge in her arms as Braid held Hunk and Rebel.'Of course, there's an access point from this hanger down to the main accommodation hub. Everything is signposted so no one should have any problems finding their way home.' Lennox replied, pointing to the open doors at the other end and the covered walkway disappearing underground. 'The tunnels should be big enough but still be careful.'#~#+^*^+#~#Lennox had done a great job with the accommodation, starting with a large steel-lined rec room complete with comfortable furniture and a massive TV on the far wall. He'd even managed to get three properly sized pool tables for them, everything scaled up to a suitable scale that would make it easy for just about everyone to play. They were a bit high for some of the bikes and probably a little low for Optimus and the other 30-footers but on average, they would be perfect. Somehow Lennox had also found a variety of giant beanbags to suit everyone.'Better hope no one busts a beanbag. That'll be a real mess to clean up.' Magura remarked, scanning the signposts beside each of the fifteen corridors leading off the hub for his name.'Then I suggest we ban Prime's fat aft from the beanbags. Pop one of those massive ones and it'll be snowing in here for a week.' Speedshot added, ducking the couch cushion Prime threw at him.'Gotta agree with Speedshot there, big rigs and beanbags are a bad idea.' Throttle nodded, adjusting Lady against his chest tenderly.'Gonna take a while to get used to this rat maze down here.' Bumblebee commented, gazing at the base map on the nearest wall.His description was pretty much exactly what they had to contend with down here. Fifteen main corridors branched out from the accommodation hub, dozens more corridors branching out from the main set and creating a web of interconnected tunnels in a big circle around the hub. Some of the tunnels were marked as storage and supply rooms but that still left the challenge of finding their way home.'Tunnel 6, second left, first left, third right.' Goggles uttered, Flicker clinging to his hand and rubbing tired optics. 'Come on sweetie, naptime.' he added, scooping her up and tucking her close.'m'kay daddy.' she nodded, burrowing into his chestplate and dimming her optics.'That's my girl.' he praised, entering the tunnel system and following his map to their rooms.Figuring out their own routes through the maze, the busy parents started splitting off the main group, disappearing into the gently lit tunnels and made their way through the network of tunnels, cradling their dozy youngsters close and soothing them into recharge. Even those that had been given a lift to their new base were taken to bed, their routine more important than their idle curiosity now. If the youngsters were ever to accept this place as their new home, a certain continuity had to be maintained for the sanity of everyone involved. Those that didn't have younglings to put down for a nap headed into the maze as well to locate their homes and figure out the fastest ways up to the surface if they were ever needed in a hurry. Some of the tunnels were bigger than others but there wouldn't be room for any mistakes if an emergency was called. Only about a third of the tunnels were actually wide enough for flight, funnelling the air team into tight confines if they were needed in a rush.#~#+^*^+#~#Coming down a few hours later, Lennox and Sam both smiled at the sight in the central hub. Ripper and Rictor were at one of the pool tables, laughing happily as they played. Prowl and Jazz had the second table, occasionally turning to the TV to watch the kid-safe movie someone had put on. Wheeljack and Blaster stood by the third table but they weren't playing, they were there to give their sons a boost so they could play. Eject and Rewind seemed happy enough to share, taking turns to hit the striped balls scattered all over the table. Whistle-trilling something to Optimus, Bumblebee stood and walked over to Sam, offering up his hand to the younger man. Smiling warmly, Sam vaulted the railing and landed safely, holding on until Bee set him safely on the concrete. Transforming down, Bee opened his door in invitation and revved his engine, earning a happy laugh as Sam climbed in behind the wheel and they tore out of the hub, heading up to burn off some energy and have fun.Sitting on beanbags in front of the big TV, the youngsters were all too happy to watch Pocahontas, the overbalance of girls making the movie choice an easy one. The boys didn't seem to care though, they were just happy to be near their parents and watching something new. Sipping their cubes in peace and relaxing wherever they were most comfortable, the adults kept an optic on the youngsters and made sure they were behaving but the kids were far too interested in the movie.'Ah, William. Thanks for the movie collection, better than letting Jazz get them for us.' Shift grinned, lifting his cube in a toast.'Hey, I woulda paid for my downloads this time. Emily left me a private account I can use for that stuff.' Jazz countered, looking rather put out by the accusation.'Well that's good Jazz, we're still dealing with the lawsuits from your last download spree. It's taking a while and starting to get real expensive. Thankfully we can use some of the money Emily left to pay the fines and court fees.' Lennox nodded, leaning on the railing and watching the group chilling out.'Of all the things I expected now that you guys are here, this is definitely not what I was thinking.' he added, quite liking the peace that filled the room.'We have family to consider now Colonel, it's only natural that things change.' Throttle shrugged, getting up to refill his cube.'Speaking of family. Annabelle's wondering when her Hidey-Hide is coming home.' Lennox chuckled, gaze shifting to the frontliner.Groaning at the mention of that little nickname and the secret happiness that went with it, Ironhide knew he was in for some fairly incessant teasing from the twins for such a thing but there was nothing that could be done about that now.'How old is little Annabelle now?' he asked, Ratchet's solid weight against his chest preventing him from turning to face the soldier.'She just turned 6 last week. Right before she blew out the candles on her birthday cake, she wished for just one thing. She wished that Hidey-Hide would come home.''Lennox, I have my own family to think about, I can't just run off like I used to.''Come on man, it's not that far to go and it would make Annabelle so happy.''And when I leave to go home, she'll go with the waterworks again. No deal Lennox. Can't stand to see that little bitlet of yours cryin'.' Ironhide replied, gaze drifting to where Nimrah was sitting, Brains and Wheelie perched in her lap. 'Don't even think about it Sideswipe, I'm warnin' ya.''Come home Hidey-Hide.' Sunstreaker chirped, taking advantage of the opening presented.Gently setting Brains and Wheelie down on her beanbag, Nimrah stood and looked at her parents before toddling over to where Sunstreaker was lounging with his twin. Climbing up onto Kup's lap, she got within reach and whipped something out of subspace, a loud clang ringing out before she leapt back into the safety of Kup's arms and scampered away to her parents. Staring at the overturned couch, no one knew what to say for a few moments, all too shocked by what they'd just seen. Untangling themselves quickly, the twins sat up and glared at Nimrah where she was sitting, safe in Ratchet's embrace and peeking over the back of the couch. There on Sunstreaker's helm was a neat little curved dent, a perfect miniature of the ones Ratchet was best known for delivering when annoyed. Standing on Ratchet's thigh, she pulled out her little wrench again and waved it threateningly, refusing to back down. Blinking in disbelief, Ratchet wasn't quite sure how to react. She'd obviously picked up the behaviour from him but if he chastised her for it, she'd tell him off the next time he belted someone with his much bigger wrench. But if he praised her actions, he'd be putting lie to their attempts to teach her that violence solves nothing. Behind Ratchet, Ironhide silenced his vocaliser and laughed internally, amazed by what his daughter had done and so very proud of her actions.'That'll teach you to be a mouthy glitch. Even Nimrah knows you're a terror Sunstreaker.' Ratchet smirked, snuggling back in against Ironhide's chest and relaxing, Nimrah jumping down and retuning to her beanbag.'Gah, evil toddler.' Sunstreaker growled, turning and stalking from the room, Sideswipe skating after his twin and trying to ease his foul mood.'Don't think this means you've avoided the question Ironhide. When are you gonna come back to the house?''Why don't you bring Sarah and Annabelle here instead? They already know about us, it's not like we're a secret to them.' Wheeljack suggested, busy helping gather up the pool balls again for another game.'Problem solved Lennox. I don't have to leave my family and Annabelle gets her wish.' Ironhide added, totally content to cuddle Ratchet close and relax.'Alright, I'll organise something.' Lennox nodded, figuring that was the best he was going to get.#~#+^*^+#~#Dealing with an energy rush from their twins, the Wreckers left the hub and headed topside, six engines rumbling in chorus. The kids loved this game and were getting better with it every time they played. It was a simple enough game, the twins had to avoid their parents while the parents had to try and tag their nimbler sons. Racing out of the hanger, Rumble and Frenzy split, their engines screaming as they split and charged across the tarmac. Laughing across their bond, the parents gave chase, dialling back their speed as they rocketed across the tarmac after the pair. There was no real plan, it was more about having fun and wearing the twins out before it got dark.Wandering across the tarmac, Lennox and Epps paused and watched the wild game going on around them, captivated by the simple game the six were involved in.'Man, you didn't tell me those three were back as well. You are not saddling me with their insanity again.''They're different Autobots now Epps, relax. Besides, there's now four Wreckers.''Four of them? No way, I am not working with four Wreckers, three was hard enough.''You won't find them swearing and spitting anymore, the Wreckers have matured so much since Speedshot joined them. Of course, the fact they are now responsible for raising two younglings helps with that as well.''Younglings? As in Autobot kids?''Yeah, there's been a big boost in Autobot numbers over the last couple of years. SAU 14 traded in their fur and flesh for steel and wings, creating a mighty aerial force and all their bikes were given upgrades to turn them into Autobots as well. The bikes are still immature though, they're more like kids but they'll grow in time.''So what happened to Emily to force this big change with the Autobots?''She was the first to make this transition as the Autobots called the change over. Her personality was put into a body that Ratchet built to her specifications. Given the way the body was built, Emily gave up her female identity and name to become Speedshot, the fourth Wrecker and a mech with a big punch. There he goes, the black one.''What have you been smoking man? No way is that black bot Emily.''Believe what you want Epps, I know the truth.'Leaving another black mark on the tarmac, Rumble shot past the pair with a loud squeal and leant over, ripping away from Topspin as the blue mech bore down on him. Swinging wider around the two humans, Speedshot transformed on the fly and reached out, wrapping Rumble up in his arms and rolling across the ground with a laugh. Brakes squealing in an attempt to avoid the pair on the ground, Topspin transformed and landed beside them, cracking up laughing as he sat up slowly. Racing around from the other end, Frenzy activated his brakes and skidded around the pair on the ground, narrowly avoiding Topspin's reaching hand. But Topspin wasn't trying to catch Frenzy, he was just the distraction. Racing around another building, Leadfoot broke open and rolled, catching Frenzy and pulling him close to his chest. Coming around from the other side, Roadbuster reacted quickly to the pair rolling across the ground and transformed, taking the brunt of his speed into his forearms and flipping over to join the family pile. Laughing happily and leaning against each other, the six were totally relaxed and content, a completely different picture to what Epps was used to seeing from the Wreckers.'Hey, look, its Epps.' Topspin called, Rumble climbing over to get up onto his shoulders.'Didn't think we'd ever be seein' him again.' Roadbuster added, Frenzy curled up against his chest happily.'Doubt he was expectin' ta see us with family either.' Leadfoot agreed, leaning into Speedshot's side more.'Reckon Lennox has told him the story yet? You just know he'll be lookin' for Emily.' Speedshot smirked, fluttering his doorwings and hiking them up to shield his optics from the setting sun.Getting to their feet, the happy family turned and headed for the nearest underground entrance, Rumble and Frenzy set back on the ground and walking between their parents. Their game had taken them close to the entrance nearest their home, so it didn't take long at all to get back to their suite. Picking up the boys, Roadbuster headed straight for the wash racks, the boys nestling into the safety offered. Downing half a cube, Leadfoot went next door to prepare the berths and sort out the bedtime story for the twins once they were ready for bed. Pausing a moment to push Speedshot towards the couch, Topspin headed into the kitchen and rinsed out the two sparklings cubes, drying them quickly and preparing the special energon they were drinking. Ratchet had put the pair on an altered formula for at least another year, they were still growing their abilities into their new bodies.Listening to the sounds of his settling family, Speedshot dimmed his optics and relaxed, doorwings drooping back to a secondary position against his back. He only carried them high when it was necessary, most of the time his doorwings were hardly noticeable from the rest of his armour.'Bedtime for the twins hey Speedshot?' Lennox asked, coming in through the upper door with Epps.'Yeah, gotta keep their routine solid or this base is in for a bad time. Rumble and Frenzy aren't so bad but with 60 odd younglings to take care of, routine is critical.' Speedshot nodded, puttering around and cleaning up the apartment as he waited for his mates.'I only saw two little ones, no way are you caring for 60 kids.''Not us personally Epps, we're busy with our pair. All the fighter jets and attack choppers, once brave members of SAU 14 are proud parents, each one raising their own daughter. Only Harley has yet to make the transition, his technology is not good enough for even the most basic of Cybertronian AI's. He is still waiting for his chance, a chance that will come soon. For now he is in stasis in the medical bay, holding out for his time to be reunited with the signature of his first partner and parental figure. Three of the mice chose not to take flight, they decided to stay on the ground. You'll find them in the high ceiling section, they took on a nice trio of semis of all the choices they could make.''You really are Emily, ain't you Speedshot?''Give the man a prize, he's got it. Don't look so concerned Epps, things are better now that everything has changed. It's all for the best, life is moving ahead in leaps and bounds. Optimus has relaxed, Ironhide's calmed down, Ratchet ain't such a grump anymore, Bumblebee is more responsible now, Wheeljack's experiments are aimed well away from anything that might explode, Jazz is taking it easy on the loud music and everyone is generally leaning away from combat and into helping raise the youngsters as well as teaching those of us who don't know the full history of Cybertron.' Emerging from the wash racks, Roadbuster carried the twins over to Speedshot for cuddles and an easy after wash routine. Settling on the couch, Speedshot accepted both boys and settled them on his lap. Splitting his focus between the pair, Speedshot gently towelled the boys off, singing softly in their native language to further calm them. Trilling sleepily as they sat there, the twins obligingly moved as asked, the soft blue towels getting under their plating and spreading a comforting warmth over them.Coming over to the couch, Topspin perched on the coffee table and held out the small cubes, chittering softly as the boys took their cubes and leant back into Speedshot's tender hold to have their dinner. Continuing the gentle song, Speedshot waited for the boys to finish their dinner before giving them one last rub with their towels and handing both wet towels to Roadbuster. Handing their empty cubes to Topspin, the twins huddled back in against Speedshot's chest and relaxed as they were carried off to their bedroom where Leadfoot was waiting for them.Towels hung up and youngling cubes washed for the next use, Topspin and Roadbuster settled on the couch and put their feet up, Speedshot bringing them both a cube as they finally relaxed. Even with the four of them to care for the kids, it was a big job for first time parents and would only get bigger when Harley joined the family.'So, how's family life treating you two?' Lennox asked, glancing at Epps with a grin.'It's been a steep learning curve but we're getting better. At least we've got bedtime down now.' Roadbuster replied, just about ready to fall into a light recharge where he was.'At least we can take some comfort in the knowledge that we're not learning how to be parents all alone. So many Autobots are discovering how to parent effectively, some with bigger burdens than others. Braid and Christine are trying to raise four at once, their twins Tracer and Drift and the two bikes Rebel and Hunk. Hound and Mirage help them out as much as they can but it's still a big challenge for them.' Topspin added, shuffling over so Speedshot could join them on the couch. 'Which story tonight?''Believe it or not, Little Red Riding Hood. Leadfoot was going to read some more Winnie the Pooh but no, they didn't want that.''Course not, Winnie the Pooh is my story. Apparently I do better character voices than Leadfoot does.' Roadbuster replied, listening to the soft story from the other berthroom. 'They especially like my Piglet.''Gotta love those two, they know what they like. Last time I read them a story, it was Cinderella. Don't ask me what a couple of young boys see in that story.' Topspin added, shaking his head in wonder at their choices.'they're young, Spin, they don't care what the story is, they just care that they are both getting lots of undisrupted parent time before bed. Honestly, you could probably read them the regs manual with funny voices and they'd love it.' Speedshot replied, wondering what his next story would be. He'd just finished reading them Snow White.Chuckling softly, Lennox thought about some of the odd things he'd had to do to get Annabelle to sleep during some of her unsettled times. Little things that Sarah had never found out about, thankfully.'What's so funny Lennox?' Roadbuster asked, one arm slung around Speedshot's shoulders.'Just thinking about my little girl and some of the stuff I've had to do.' Lennox replied, still so amazed by the similarities between the Autobots and the human race. 'I remember a few times when she was having trouble, I'd hold her to my chest, pace the room and chant cadence for her. Don't ask me why it works, all I know is it does. I just hope Sarah never finds out about it, she'd give me hell about using military training to put our little girl to sleep.''Sometimes the strange ideas are the best. Black, Carbon and Speed tuck their daughters into a nest together and swing them into recharge. I don't know what the girls get out of it but it works for them.' Speedshot added, leaning back into the offered shoulder and sighing contentedly. 'how'd it go Lead?' he asked softly, not even looking up as Leadfoot half closed the door into the second berthroom and headed for the couch, collecting the other two cubes on the bench as he passed.'Only got halfway through and they were out like lights.' he replied, squeezing in between Topspin and Speedshot, handing one cube to the darker mech and settling back.'Aww, bless their little sparks. It's been a busy day for them, I'm surprised they lasted this long.' Speedshot grinned, sipping his cube and drawing Leadfoot closer. 'But then, I'm not sure we'll be awake much longer.''Mmhmm.' Topspin nodded, right on the edge of recharge but trying to resist.'C'mon Spin, off to bed with ya.' Roadbuster chuckled, squeezing out from behind Speedshot and hauling Topspin to his feet. 'Don't be up too late you two, you know how the boys get first thing.''We'll be in soon Buster, we'll just finish these and say goodnight to our guests.' Speedshot replied, watching the pair wander away, Roadbuster practically carrying Topspin.'It is getting kinda late. Sarah will be expecting me home soon.' Lennox added, pushing off the railing and stretching.'Yeah, I gotta get home too. My wife is still annoyed I came back to N.E.S.T.' Epps agreed, not sure what had possessed him to make coming back seem like a good idea.'Night guys, we'll talk again tomorrow sometime.' Leadfoot offered, far too comfortable to even consider getting up.'Yeah, sounds like a plan Leadfoot.' Lennox nodded, ushering Epps out the door and disappearing from sight.Draining their cubes and easing to their feet, Leadfoot and Speedshot rinsed their cubes and made their way to the main berthroom, smiling at the tender sight before them. This was something only seen in the safety of their home, the affection displayed in public was but a fraction of the love they shared. There was Roadbuster, flat on his back with Topspin curled in against his left side, feet tangled together and helm tucked under his chin. Climbing onto the berth, Leadfoot snuggled in on Roadbuster's right, shifting and squirming until he was comfortable. Last into bed, Speedshot snuggled in tight against Leadfoot's back, nudging various pieces out of the way before settling, optics dimming into inky blackness. Stirring for a moment, Topspin reached out blindly in the dark, not awake enough to consider onlining his optics as he searched out the familiar touch of a loving hand.Then he found it, blue fingers tangling with black over a red hip and tugging gently so his arm rested on green abdominal plating more comfortably. Mumbling in his recharge, Roadbuster tightened his grip on the pair in his arms, right arm shifting again to stretch under Speedshot's neck as well. Finally content and connected, the quartet were still and silent save for the humming of internals and the occasional rattle of intakes as they recharged happily.#~#+^*^+#~#Forgetting all about what Lennox had organised for the weekend, Ironhide was totally focused on Nimrah, watching over her as she played with the other younglings in the largest hanger. Optimus had suggested the supervised play time, giving the younglings a chance to play above ground without every parent needing to watch out for their own sons and daughters. Instead, two of the adults stood around the walls of the hanger, constantly on the watch for any problems or arguments among their charges. Nimrah was the biggest of the group but she was aware of her size and played accordingly, always so careful not to harm the other youngsters around her as they enjoyed a bit of fun. She had trouble catching the younger bikes, they were way too fast for her.Wandering into the hanger with Annabelle and Sarah in tow, Lennox was quite surprised to see all the youngsters playing so happily, dozens of happy voices ringing together to create a truly wonderful atmosphere. Face lighting up at the sight of her Hidey-Hide, Annabelle gave Sarah the slip and ran across the hanger, smart enough to hug the walls and avoid the younglings but nothing was getting in her way until she was seated on Ironhide's foot like she belonged there. Sensing the slight change, Ironhide looked down, blinking in shock when he saw Annabelle sitting there.'Hidey-Hide!' she beamed, craning her neck to look up at him.'Hello again Annabelle.' Ironhide grinned, amazed by how much bigger Annabelle was after all the time separated.'When you come home?' she asked, such sorrow in her young eyes. 'I miss you.''I miss you too Annabelle but I can't go home with you anymore.' Ironhide sighed, sliding down the wall and offering one hand to the little girl. She climbed onto his fingers and into his palm, sitting there with total confidence in Ironhide.'But why? You always come home to us.''I am needed here little one. I have a little one of my own to love and care for as your daddy loves and cares for you.''No! You're part of our family. You come home now!''No Annabelle, I must stay here. My family needs me now, I cannot go to your house again.'Tripping and falling, Nimrah had tried to break her fall by transforming but now she was stuck half way between, her transformations still sticky at the best of times. So she did the one thing she could in the situation and called for her daddy across the family bond. Reacting instantly, Ironhide crouched and slid Annabelle into Sarah's arms before hurrying to Nimrah's side, soothing her with love and tenderness across the bond. Dropping to his knees beside his little angel, he figured out what stage she was up to and got busy, easing her tangled body back through the sequence until she was sitting on the concrete.'You okay lil' angel?' he asked, helping her up and checking her over for damage.'I was scared daddy.' she replied, latching on around his neck and holding tight.'It's alright Nimrah, I've got ya.' Ironhide soothed, so tender with his daughter as he stood, holding her close to his mighty chest."'Hide, what's going on? Is Nimrah okay?" Ratchet asked over the bond, worry seeping through the link."She's fine Ratch, just had a sticky transformation. I got it covered. Bit of a scare but she's okay.""Daddy makes it all better, hmm?""Somethin' like that Ratch. She's gotten all clingy again but you know how she is.""Enjoy it while it lasts 'Hide."Returning to his spot by the wall, Ironhide slid down to sit comfortably, Nimrah settled in his lap and refusing to give up her tight grip around his neck. Shifting one leg a little, Ironhide supported her in such a way that her grip didn't cut off the vital lines in his throat while keeping her safely enclosed in a bubble of fatherly love.'I still can't believe you have a daughter, Ironhide.' Lennox remarked, climbing up to perch on one dark blue knee before leaning down and taking Annabelle and helping Sarah up to sit beside him.'Life has a way of surprising everyone, even those as old as I am. I never expected to start a family but I am so glad I have Nimrah. The future of our people is assured now, thanks to all these youngsters.' Ironhide nodded, gaze drifting over the happy kids.'Not for a while though, they seem so young.' Sarah mused, also watching the youngsters playing innocent games.'That is true, it will be quite some time before another generation is assured but for now our race is thriving once again. It has been many thousands of years since so many younglings were in existence together and living without fear.' Ironhide confirmed, back to focusing on his little girl.'Daddy, why is the human sparkling staring at me?' Nimrah asked, lifting her head off his shoulder.'Before you were sparked, I was assigned by Uncle Optimus to be the guardian of this family. At first it was only Lennox, then I went to his home and met his mate and daughter. I spent many years as guardian of the family, getting to know them all very well. I lived with them, protected them and was welcomed into their family. I watched Annabelle grow up every day, changing from a helpless little sparkling in Sarah's arms to the young girl sitting there in her father's lap. But things have changed now, I am no longer needed as guardian of the Lennox family and I have you to love and take care of. Annabelle wants me to come back home with them, to go back to the way things were.' Ironhide explained, easily ignoring the dark look Annabelle was giving him.'But you're my daddy. They can't have you anymore.' Nimrah insisted, pressing closer to Ironhide's chassis.'I know that Nimrah, I ain't leavin' ya ever. Annabelle doesn't like that idea but I am never goin' ta leave ya. I'll always be right here for ya Nimrah.' Ironhide nodded, half expecting Annabelle to start crying.'Ironhide, a little subtlety wouldn't go astray. You've been a part of this family since Annabelle was just a baby, of course she's attached to you.''There is no subtle way to say these things Sarah Lennox. I have a family of my own to care for, I cannot be such an integral part of Annabelle's life any longer. Ratchet and Nimrah are my primary focus, my bondmate and our daughter. If that offends you, then it offends you but that is the way it must be.' Ironhide shrugged, Nimrah burrowed back in close to his chest.'So that's it Ironhide, all we've shared is gone.''Lennox, in case you have forgotten, I owe my very existence to Ratchet and Wheeljack. I died for this cause in the hopes that my people would live free one day. I was saved by the efforts of SAU 14, transported to Chicago by Emily, protected by all and then rebuilt by those I trusted. But pieces are missing, memories mostly. Ratchet said it's nothing serious, just the last few things I thought about before the end and only to be expected. A lot of those memories were of the times we spent together, times on leave and times when we were workin'. I'll never get those times back so I'm focusin' on what really matters, my family. The past is past, time to look forward and face the future.''Daddy, I wanna go home and practise some more. I can get this, I know I can.' Nimrah uttered, sitting up a little more and flaring out her little doorwings.'Alright sweetie, we'll go home so you can practise a bit more.' Ironhide nodded, effectively ending the dispute with the Lennox family. Realising that they weren't going to get any more out of Ironhide, Lennox climbed down and held Annabelle to his chest with one arm as he reached up to help Sarah down.'I don't like you anymore Hidey-Hide.' Annabelle huffed, turning away from him.'You'll learn sparkling.' Ironhide replied, getting to his feet and striding from the hanger, Nimrah happily latched on around his neck still and pleased to have gotten rid of the competition for her daddy.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Smiling happily as he watched the flyers weaving rather complex patterns overhead, Optimus knew their future was in good hands. Even as the oldest members of the original team aged and eventually left this beautiful world behind, the Autobot way of life was assured for many generations to come. Harley had finally joined the ranks, his minor upgrades putting him level with the other bikes and giving the Wreckers even more to do to keep their three kids entertained and developing properly. Ironhide and Lennox were still not on speaking terms but Optimus supported Ironhide's decision, understanding why the old blue mech wanted to spend all the time he had with Nimrah and Ratchet. He'd already technically died once, he understood the gift he'd been given and wasn't going to waste a minute of the time he had. Bumblebee, although still close to Sam, wasn't so willing to leave the base and go racing with Sam and Carly down the highways and freeways of DC. He had a new focus as well, a focus that had surprised many. He was most often found hanging around with Rictor and helping to raise Racer into a happy and healthy young femme. They hadn't bonded yet but everyone expected that would come soon.Skating up beside him, Beast reached out and took one large hand in hers, tipping her helm back to follow the sharp lines of her other father high overhead. Smiling softly as he looked down, Optimus crouched and grasped Beast around the waist, lifting her up to sit on his shoulders. Giggling happily, she rested her hands on his helm and looked up again, watching Blade fly with his bros, 54 fighters flying in neat formations as the four attack choppers ran lower formation flights. It didn't matter how many fighters were up there, Optimus knew he would always be able to pick Blade out from the crowd. His paint job was unique, red wings and black body with gold highlights to catch the light and set him ablaze. He'd added another detail to the mix, blue flames reaching over his red wings, the line between the colours traced in gold. Securing their family connection, Optimus had accepted a golden touch, his already spectacular flame design now also edged in gold. Beast had also taken his blue, the elegant pin striping curling across her fairings and making sure no one could mistake them as a family.Training at an end, the aerial team came down from the sky, transforming and running off the last of their speed before splitting and heading for other duties. Transforming and drifting down on his repositioned thrusters, Blade touched down lightly and walked over to his family, fluttering his wings into a more comfortable place.'I wanna fly daddy.' Beast grinned, those words a prelude to a simple game that she loved so much.'Alright Beast, time to fly.' Optimus nodded, lifting her down and taking a knee. Placing both her tiny hands in his much larger right hand, she set her wheels and hunched down a little more, streamlining her body and making ready for her flight. Spotting the preparations, Blade stopped and backed up a few steps before crouching, arms open wide.'Fly to me Beast, fly.' he called, right into this game as well.'Final launch preparations commencing.' Optimus intoned, pinning her hands to his with his thumb. 'Launch in three…two…one.' rolling his shoulder, he swung his hand in a wide, flat arc, thumb lifting the moment Beast was on course to Blade.Swinging her arms down and streamlining them against her sides, Beast rocketed across the tarmac, deep orange optics focused on Blade as she experienced the next best thing to actually flying. This was pure speed, the wind tearing at her plating as she shot across the tarmac with a joyful scream before she was caught in Blade's loving hands and eased to a safe stop. Rocking to his feet, Blade headed for Optimus, Beast rolling circles around him.'You've been taking lessons from Uncle Sideswipe, haven't you sweetie?' Blade asked, watching her skate so gracefully but with a little more speed, her graceful elegance would turn deadly.'uh-ha, he's been teaching me lots and lots daddy.' she nodded, turning and skating backwards, totally at home on her wheels in ways she'd never shown before.'You're doing so well with it too, I'm so proud of you.' Blade praised, glancing up at Optimus and seeing the same wonder at her antics in his optics. 'We're both so very proud of you Beast.''I will keep learning daddy, I can do better than this.' she promised, picking up the pace and skating rings around Optimus."Are you sure it's a good idea for Sideswipe to be teaching our daughter?" Optimus asked, concern flicking across the bond."Sure, he's the only one with so much experience on two wheels in a bipedal form. I've already warned him to stick to teaching her how to be a fast little warrior and a great skater. Anything more and he's in big trouble." Blade replied, watching their angel dance through combat manoeuvres. It would be some time before she truly grasped the combat abilities of her new skating abilities but both parents prayed she'd never have to be a warrior.#~#+^*^+#~#Relaxing in the sun, Wheeljack watched Perceptor skating around with some of the other bikes, the young ones playing a fast game of tag. On Perceptor's request, Wheeljack had painted a large circle on the tarmac, the kids challenged to stay inside the circle and still avoid the reaching hand of whoever was trying to tag them. Right now Imperial was in, blue and black paint blurring as she chased after Perceptor. The game was more than just a simple game though, it was all about encouraging the kids to experiment with what they could do on their wheels. Sideswipe had been teaching them all the basics but now was their time to expand and explore, figuring out what worked for their different configurations.'I got you Perceptor!' she called, holding up her marking stick and the white paint dipped sponge on the end.'You did? I can't see the paint.' Perceptor remarked, looking for the white smear that marked him as tagged. 'Dad?''What's the problem Perceptor?' Wheeljack asked, easing to his feet.'Imperial said she tagged me but I can't see the paint.''Turn around Perceptor, let me see.' Wheeljack directed, knowing that if Imperial had said she'd got him, she'd tagged him. 'There it is, no wonder you can't see it Perceptor. It's right here on your seat.' he grinned, touching the wet paint and showing Perceptor the white smear on his fingers.'Well done Imperial, I never even felt it.' Perceptor praised, stretching around to touch his seat, feeling the wet paint under his fingertips. 'Very well done.''Thanks Perceptor.' she replied, handing him the stick and skating out of his reach. 'Your turn now.''You're such a good boy Perceptor. You play very well with the younger ones.' Wheeljack praised, bolstering Perceptor's confidence again before leaving him to play.Optics dimming a little, Wheeljack stretched out on the warm tarmac and sighed contentedly, activating a secondary power converter and rolling over onto his front. Adjusting his back armour, he turned two small panels to the sun and settled, the dark panels drawing in the light and heat energy from the summer sun and converting it into energy for his systems. These panels were a big advantage, allowing those lucky enough to have them to pull energy from other sources. Wheeljack remembered on one planet they'd landed, he'd used his panels to scoop in wind power for conversion, sustaining his needs by his panels so those he was with had more energon. Heat and light energies were the easiest to convert but any source would pass for a while.'Recharge without recharge hey Wheeljack.' Goggles remarked, settling beside the brighter Mercedes and leaning back on his elbows, not wiling to crush his sensitive wings into the tarmac.'Just catching a few rays Goggles, nothing big. Perceptor seems to have rediscovered his stolen youth now that he has more younglings to play with.' Wheeljack replied, helm pillowed on his folded arms. 'He seemed so grown up before we moved here, what changed to bring him back to his youth?''My guess, he was trying to be a role model to the younger bots. But he's realised that they have enough role models and really would prefer more friends. He's realised that it's okay to be a youngling again, no one will judge him by his childish antics.''And how would you know that Goggles?''I managed to keep my gift Wheeljack, I can see beneath his surface emotions to what he's thinking.''Get out of his head, he's been through enough without you prying into his personal thoughts.''Actually Wheeljack, he wants someone to tell him that his dark thoughts are okay. He's scared that the hatred he feels for the one you left him with will steal away the last happy memories of his youth. You need to talk to him about what happened back then, encourage him to open up to someone. He might open up to you, he might decide he'd rather talk to someone else. Whatever he decides, let him know that you love him and will always be there to help him.' Goggles shrugged, easing to his feet and stretching out his wings contentedly. 'Later Wheeljack.' he added, walking away with a slight spring in his step.#~#+^*^+#~#Surprised to find Blaster sitting on his own out on the outskirts of the base, Tank climbed up onto the dirt pile and sat beside the altered pickup, waiting to see if Blaster would open up to him. Lifting his gaze, Blaster glanced at Tank and sighed softly, mournful optics flicking away from the blue, silver and black jet beside him.'What's the matter Blaster? This ain't like you.' Tank tried, worried for his friend. They had an unlikely friendship but somehow it worked for them. 'You know you can always talk to me, it won't go any further than just us.''Yeah, I know Tank. I was just thinking…about my sons.''Eject and Rewind? What'd they do this time?''Not those two, the others. I had six little ones at the start, Eject and Rewind are the lucky survivors.''I'm sorry to hear that Blaster. I lost my family too, the wars on Mars claimed everyone else. My parents, brothers, sisters, life-mate and unborn child. Ten lives all destroyed while I was out on missions or trapped here.''How do you cope with the pain? I'm barely able to cope, I keep putting on a brave face but it hurts so bad.''I can take comfort in the knowledge that my family is safe in the embrace of Gen-Duv, the Martian God of the Underworld. I find solace in knowing that they are now seated at the feet of the gods and goddesses that chose my family members as their own. My mother sits with Harla, Goddess of the Home. My father has a place with Tu-Sal-Mar, God of War. My siblings, all six of them, gather around Renla, Goddess of Children as they died before they were chosen by anyone else and with them sits the child I fathered but never had the chance to know. My life-mate, Fairing, will be dressed in a gown of pure silver and joins the others around Yissa, Goddess of Beauty.''And when you die, where will you go?''I will join the ranks behind Recha, God of Justice. I will do his bidding and bring justice to the Children of Mars.''This brings you comfort? You are all separated, seated with so many different Gods and Goddesses.''Just because we sit with different ones does not mean we are apart. All souls go to the same grand nature palace, are free to find those that went before them and converse as they did in life but as darkness surrounds the palace of trees, each soul returns to the chambers of their chosen deity.'Nodding slowly, Blaster dropped his gaze again and let his mind drift back to his missing sons, four wonderful little boys left behind because there was no time to give the dead any respect. He missed them all so much, life didn't seem right without his six dear boys bouncing around his feet when there was a peaceful moment, everyone wanting their share of his attention.'Tell me about your sons, allow me to know them and share your grief for the young lives lost.' Tank coaxed, shuffling closer to Blaster and shielding him with one dark wing. 'There is no need to suffer alone.''Ramhorn was the eldest, my dependable, strong son. Then came Steeljaw, silent and stealthy hunter he was. Third came the twins, Eject and Rewind. Fifth was Grandslam, I created him as a little tank. Finally Raindance, my tiny jet son. There was no mission too dangerous that my sons would not try it, perhaps that was what got them killed but I don't know. Ramhorn and Steeljaw took their older brother responsibilities very seriously, I could always count on them to look after their younger brothers when they were unwell and I was needed for a mission. Raindance was the shy one, he didn't like being away from me but when he had to go out, he'd do his mission then come racing back for cuddles and reassurance. Grandslam had courage beyond his size, he wouldn't be intimidated by anyone, no matter their size.'As he spoke, Blaster activated the hologram generator in his forearm and watched the pictures cycling slowly, so many precious times recorded for posterity. But as he watched them, his pain at the losses only growing worse. Moving closer again, Tank wrapped one arm around Blaster's shoulders and guided him closer. Going willingly, Blaster turned a little and rested his head on Tank's shoulder, fine tremors racing through his frame.'Let it go Blaster, it's okay. I won't let you fall, I've got you. Shh, just let it all go. Ain't healthy to hold all that pain and torment inside, ya gotta let go Blaster.''Don't let me fall Tank, please don't let me fall.' Blaster whispered, turning his face away from the agonising images of his sons.'Never Blaster, I will never let you fall. You're safe with me, no matter the hell thrown in your direction. You will never stand alone anymore. I'm here, no matter what.' Tank promised, holding tight as Blaster finally cracked, keening into the offered shoulder plate.Understanding the agony Blaster was dealing with, Tank shifted a little and coaxed Blaster onto his lap, unconcerned by the weight difference as he focused on comforting the distraught pickup. Clinging desperately to the reshaped Super Hornet, Blaster stopped caring about being strong and released his anguish over the loss of his sons.'That's it Blaster, let it go. You don't have to be the rock all the time, I've got you. I'll always be here to put you back together.' Tank promised, wrapped around Blaster and mourning with him.'Primus, I miss them.' Blaster uttered, hiding his face in Tank's chest.'I know Blaster, I miss my family too. But take comfort in knowing that they're somewhere watching over you.' Tank soothed, lightly running his hand over Blaster's back. 'I know they're looking down on you from somewhere up there, so proud of you for finding the strength to move on.''Really?' Blaster asked, vocaliser catching in his grief.'Family is like that, believe it.' Tank nodded, tightening his grip on Blaster and rocking slowly. 'Grief heals the living and honours the fallen, never forget that Blaster.'Dabbing at his optics and shifting off Tank's lap, Blaster looked up at the cloudless sky and sighed sadly, vocaliser catching again as he tried to speak. Trembling faintly, he took a few minutes to regain his composure before trying again.'You think Soundwave is up there too? Before the war we were tight, it was love for sure. We raised our sons together, his six and mine playing together. It's so hard to see Rumble and Frenzy being raised by another, I love those two almost as much as my own sons. But they don't remember those happy times, not since Emily went messing around in their systems. I want to hate her but I can't, she saved them from deactivation but at what cost?''I can't answer that Blaster, only you know if Soundwave is watching over you from wherever he went on his passing. If you believe he's there, keeping watch over you and your children, then he's there with his fallen sons and yours. As for Rumble and Frenzy, talk to Speedshot about what you're feeling. Now that things have changed so much for all of us, ask if it would be possible to return some of those memories of their youth and the wonderful times they shared with you and yours. It might not be perfect and it's probably not what you were hoping for in the end but it might be all you get.''You really think he'd go for that. No matter how sweet those two are now, no one will ever forget that they were once Decepticons. Even if Speedshot agreed to the memory alterations, you know Prime will put his foot down and stop it before we even get started. They will always be Decepticons, no one will risk a reversion after all we've strived to build.''Hey, I never said this was going to be easy. Look, you don't need to go to Ratchet, you don't have to talk to anyone but Speedshot. I'll even go with you to ask, a little moral support as you try for something so special. Speedshot cares about the general happiness of the team, he'll do what he can to ease your pain. I won't promise you the results you want but it's worth a shot, ain't it?''I guess so Tank. I just hope he understands that I'm not trying to tear his family apart, I'd be happy with just a taste of what we used to have. I know it would make Eject and Rewind happier too, they don't really understand why Rumble and Frenzy aren't as friendly as they used to be.''c'mon, let's go find Speedshot. We might not have the chance to speak alone with him right now but we can figure out a time when we can get together and talk in private.' Tank grinned, folding his wings back and standing. 'We'll make this work Blaster.' he promised, hauling Blaster to his feet and heading back towards the main part of the base.#~#+^*^+#~#Seated comfortably on low concrete structure, Throttle rested his arms on thighs and looked down at the precious bundle between his feet. Lady had been racing around with Lil' Hoss and Sweetheart but after a while, she'd come over and curled up on the ground between his feet, slipping quickly into recharge. Throttle didn't have the spark to wake her so he sat on the wall and guarded her rest, his bronze armour catching the light of the late afternoon sun and scattering it across the base. He found it so peaceful to just sit and watch his daughter sleep, so innocent in her dreams.'Still here bro?' Modo commented, wandering over to sit beside Throttle, Lil' Hoss safely tucked up in his arms and deep in recharge.'I don't want to wake her, she looks so perfect right now.' Throttle replied, reaching down to lightly touch one black arm and the bronze pin striping now decorating it.'Bro, she is perfect. All the younglin's are perfect.' Modo grinned, adjusting the pale pink blanket wrapped around Lil' Hoss.'Some of them are little terrors at times but yeah, they are perfect. They are the future of a dying race, you can't get much better than that.' Throttle agreed, glancing at Lil' Hoss for a moment. 'But there's another reason I'm still out here like this.''Oh, what's that bro?' Vinnie asked, settling on Throttle's other side, Sweetheart deep in recharge against his chest.'She's decided my foot is a suitable pillow. I move and I'll wake her.' Throttle sighed, right foot pinned under her helm. 'I keep hoping she'll wake on her own but it's looking less likely the further the sun sets.''Here, hold Sweetheart, I'll get Lady.' Vinnie suggested, unwrapping Sweetheart's arms from his neck and handing her over tenderly. Accepting the bright red and white femme carefully, Throttle guided her arms around his neck and cradled her close, quite comfortable with all three of their girls.Taking a knee in front of his bro, Vinnie gingerly rolled Lady onto her back and scooped her up, bringing her close to his chest holding her as she liked to be held. Getting to his feet, Throttle adjusted his hold on Sweetheart and smiled, glad for the support of his bros. SAU 14 might have taken to this situation easily but for those less familiar with the Autobots and their way of life, the switch was a little less smooth. They were adjusting though, slowly finding their feet in this weird new world they were sharing with so many.'Come on bros, better get these three angels inside. It's starting to get cold out.' he suggested, reaching into his subspace and pulling out a second pale pink blanket, wrapping it around Sweetheart's frame gently.'Yeah, it's been a big day for them. I'm surprised they didn't drop earlier.' Modo nodded, hooking out a third blanket and helping Vinnie wrap Lady safely, Lil' Hoss supported and comfortable in one big arm.'They're still not really interacting with the other kids though. Sure, they smile and that but our girls won't go play with the others. I'm a little worried about that.' Vinnie sighed, shifting Lady against his chest a little.'I asked Ratchet about it earlier, he's a little concerned too but assured me it's nothing hugely serious. These three have been close for years, they know each other so well that it's hard for them to let another into their little group. In time they should open up and get to know the other kids but for now, they're desperate for familiarity so they stay as they were before the change.' Throttle explained, understanding exactly what the girls were going through. He still didn't really socialise with the original Autobots or SAU 14, choosing instead the familiarity of his bros.Heading down one of the high-ceiling ramps, the trio wandered into the central hub and settled on one of the larger couches together, Vinnie and Throttle swapping kids again now that they could make the switch safely. Whimpering softly, Lady snuggled closer to Throttle's chest, head resting on his windshield.'shh, sleepy time my little angel.' he soothed, making sure she was settled properly, head against his chest and her delicate body supported across his chest, turned so they were chest to chest.'Here you go guys, fresh from the dispenser.' Hot Rod offered, holding out a tray with three cubes on it.'Thanks Hot Rod, real kind of you.' Vinnie grinned, shifting Sweetheart down to rest in his lap so he had a hand free for the cube.'With so many youngsters around, we all have to help out where we can.' Hot Rod shrugged, waiting for the other pair to grab their cubes before walking away.'Bros, I think we've been lookin' at this situation the wrong way. Our girls are never gonna open up to anyone else if we're constantly around cuddlin' and carryin' them. Everyone else is comfortable leavin' their kids under someone else's watch so why aren't we?' Modo shrugged, sipping his cube and relaxing into the soft cushion at his back.'What are you thinking bro?' Vinnie asked, peering past Throttle's shoulders to the grey Kenworth.'Well, I heard that Prime's headin' back to Wisconsin tomorrow to grab another load of supplies. Colonel Lennox has organised seven trucks and drivers to go with him. Why can't we go help out with the supplies too?' Modo suggested, not sure if his bros would go for the plan.'I suppose we should try and help out a bit more. We haven't really done much to help the team since we arrived here. The last really helpful thing we did was haul those trailers from Wisconsin.' Throttle agreed, looking down at Lady again. 'But who do we leave the kids with?''You guys looking for a sitter?' Crash asked, reclining on a beanbag nearby with his daughter.'Yeah. Thought we might help out with the next Wisconsin run.' Vinnie nodded, figuring the run would do them the world of good.'You've got a world of choice bros but I'd suggest Falcon and Decal, Center Line or Plate. Those four are the best sitters you'll find in 14. Believe it or not, Kup's a great sitter as well, he was watching over quite a group this morning when we were doing formation flights.' Crash advised, running his fingers down Snapper's back. 'Snapper really enjoyed her time with Kup, seems he's got the knack for younglings. Big groups aren't a problem, he managed to keep twelve younglings happy and occupied for three hours this morning. I have no doubt he'd be more than capable of keeping three for a couple of days.''What makes you think it'll be a couple of days for us to make the Wisconsin run?' Throttle asked, shocked by the suggestion of a longer absence.'Because unlike us, the human drivers must stop and take a rest break every few hours and sleep at nights. They are not cut out for the all night runs that we are capable of.' Optimus replied, pausing behind the couch, Beast held to his chest so tenderly. 'Did I hear correctly, you are thinking of coming along tomorrow?''That's the plan Prime, unless you don't need the help.''There is still quite a lot of equipment in Wisconsin, Throttle, it will take many more trips to collect it all. I would welcome your assistance on this journey and hopefully others in the future. Have you decided on a sitter?''Crash was just saying that Kup is quite a good sitter, I'm leaning towards leaving Lady with him.''Yeah, I can go for that bro. I'm sure Lil' Hoss will be fine with Kup.''It's not like our girls are hard to care for, they've all got the same routine. So long as Sweetheart is with her sisters, she'll be okay.''I heard my name, what's going on?' Kup asked, wandering into the rec room.'We were discussing the Wisconsin journey set for tomorrow. Up for taking care of three little ones for a couple days, old friend?' Optimus grinned, soothing Beast with a gentle hand.'Sure, I can handle three younglings for a couple days. Surely not Beast though?''no, Sweetheart, Lady and Lil' Hoss.' Throttle replied, lobbing his empty cube into the nearest waste bin.'I'd be honoured and delighted to care for your girls.' Kup nodded, amazed that Throttle and his bros were actually trying to help out around the base now. 'I'll just need a quick rundown on their nightly routine and anything else important.''Would you like to do that now Kup? The girls are just getting their mild second wind.' Modo asked, Lil' Hoss looking around from the safety of her father's arms.'Sure, now is fine. Just so you are aware, Hot Rod tends to help with the daytime work, but nighttimes I handle alone.''That's fine Kup. Expect the girls to be quite sad tomorrow, this is their first time away from us since the transitions.' Throttle warned, Lady perking up and resettling against Throttle's chest.'Sad little girls I can handle, there were quite a few teary optics this morning.' Kup nodded, watching the three girls as they huddled close to their fathers. 'Shall we?''Might as well, getting close to bed time for these three anyway.' Modo agreed, leading the way down towards their home.#~#+^*^+#~#Making the choice to help Blaster with his pain, Speedshot went back through the saved memories from the original rebuild and selected some of the best happy memories Frenzy and Rumble had of their time with Blaster and his boys. Even though they both knew Optimus and Ratchet wouldn't be happy they were taking this risk, Speedshot returned the memories to his sons, the gentle return convincing the pair they this was a normal progression after all they'd been through.Waking from their stasis naps, the twins sat up slowly and looked around, spotting Eject and Rewind standing nearby, waiting for them to wake up and come play. Bolting off their berths, the younger twins trilled happily, tackling their older half-brothers to the ground and wrestling with them.'I'd say that worked well, wouldn't you Blaster?' Speedshot uttered, leaning in the doorway and watching the four.'This is more than I was hoping for Speedshot, they're behaving as if nothing has changed.' Blaster agreed, so proud of how the boys were playing together. 'Thanks for doing this.' he added, the pair walking away and leaving the boys to play happily.'I'll keep going through the saved memory files and modifying them for return. It's tough going to remove all traces of that darkness so there are minimal risks involved.''I'm just grateful you're willing to try. I know this can't be easy but thank you for doing what you are.''I do what I can for my friends. Now how about you take all four and go have some fun? Harley's off playing with Blue Thunder, Incoming and Road Hammer. This is the first chance we've had in a while to have some adult fun without distractions.''Alright, I can take a hint Speedshot. I'll bring them home around dark.' Blaster nodded, heading back to the berthroom to organise the boys.'Many thanks Blaster.' Speedshot grinned, so grateful for a chance to reconnect with his lovers. "Guys, come on home. We've got a kid free afternoon.""On the way Shot." Roadbuster replied, burning off his built-up energy somewhere."Be there soon Shot." Leadfoot added, sounding like he'd been sparring with someone."Won't be long Shot." Topspin chuckled, absolutely thrilled to have a kid free day.Entering the room just as the boys were getting to leave, the four proud fathers took a few moments to say a tender goodbye to their twins before Blaster hustled the four little boys out the door and distracted them with a game. Optics dimming, the quartet enjoyed the silence for a few seconds before settling on the couch and putting on a war movie. Organising four cubes of mid-grade and putting their feet up, they were quite happy to relax and enjoy The Patriot. Sure, they could have spent their adults' only time in the berth, strengthening their bond but they weren't starved for romance in their lives, they were used to being very quiet and catching intimate moments once the boys were asleep. They'd rather spend this private time watching movies they couldn't with the kids around for fear of upsetting their underdeveloped processors.
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Trying to hide it but knowing his people could see it in the way he held his wings, Blade kept a sharp eye on the new arrivals coming into the base and tried to understand what was going on. They wore N.E.S.T. uniforms but something wasn't quite right about them, they didn't move like soldiers and they didn't seem as comfortable around the Autobots as previous members of the unit. Something was going on, something that was being kept a secret from Blade and he didn't like it. The fact that Optimus didn't know what this was all about only added to Blade's concerns, he was meant to know everything that happened around the base."Speedshot, what do you make of these new personnel?" Blade asked, sending his request around their upgraded comm system."I got a theory but ya won't like it Blade." Speedshot replied, looking up from where he was helping Harley with his skating balance. "These people have the scent of CIA about 'em. Not sure what it means but it can't be good for us.""No, especially not when you consider those intercepted calls Black picked up." Blade agreed, looking around slowly. 'Beast, come back here sweetie.''Coming daddy.' Beast chirped, skating away from the infiltrators and coming over to circle him."What do ya suggest we do, Blade?" Speedshot asked, drawing Blade's attention back to their primary concern."I was kind of hoping you had the answers this time, Speedshot" Blade sighed, catching Beast and scooping her up. "All Autobots report to the accom hub! I repeat: all Autobots report to the accom hub!""I'll work out a plan, Blade." Speedshot confirmed, getting up and leading Harley back towards the nearest underground entrance.Making it seem natural and relaxed, the massed Autobot team headed below ground in dribs and drabs, laughing and joking as the kids skated around them happily. Gathering in the hub, everyone was silent and anxious, picking up on the dark mood hanging over their command team. The younglings were especially clingy, seeking comfort and support from their creators as they waited for news.'Alright, Speedshot, what do you make of this situation?' Optimus asked, keeping Beast tucked to his chest with one arm as he draped the other around Blade's back.'Ya ain't gonna like this, Prime, but there's only one explanation.' Speedshot replied, gently handing Harley to Topspin and moving to stand in the middle of the group. 'Those new arrivals are CIA agents, I'd recognise their walk anywhere. There's only one reason for the spooks to show up in such big numbers. Add in the communications that Black intercepted and the answer is clear. The CIA is here for us.' Speedshot briefed, pacing around the circle formed by the rest of the Autobots.'But why would the humans do this?' Goggles asked, lightly stroking Flicker's back.'I don't know, Goggles. My guess, the CIA is working with someone else. Can't say who but this is too bold for the spooks alone.' Speedshot shrugged, looking towards his family sadly.'I did nothing.' Spook protested, burrowing closer to Ghost.'Not you, sweetie.' Ghost soothed, boosting her up higher and humming softly to calm her fears.'What would you advise we do, Speedshot? You are the only one with previous experience with the CIA.' Optimus requested, looking around at his team slowly. 'We cannot just stand by and let this happen. We are the last of our people.''There's only one plan that makes any sense. Can't say it's gonna be a popular idea but I'm open for alternatives.' Speedshot sighed, making another circle within the team. 'By now, the CIA has already taken control of the N.E.S.T files and done their research on all of us. They know our strengths and weaknesses, they know the family connections and the bonds that keep us strong. They know about the transitions and the origins of the younglings. They know everything about us and they'll use that to their advantage.'Taking a deep intake to calm his systems, Speedshot turned again and looked up at Optimus. He hated to suggest this but it was the only option that ensured their survival. They had to make a bold move or everything they had fought so hard to achieve would be lost. He knew deep down that this would cause tension and possibly a fight but there was no other option.'We have to leave this facility. We have no choice, we must split up and scatter to all corners. Break it down into family groups and bonds, make it almost impossible for the CIA to track us all. We have the technology to totally disappear, our medics and mechanics have made certain of that. With the emissions scrambler, spark mask and modified shielding, we can disappear from all scanners and sensors but we can't stay together. We must break up and go our separate ways. It's the only way to protect the next generation.' Speedshot directed, turning around again and throwing his arms wide. 'We run or we watch the last generation of Cybertronians destroyed.''Even if we run, there's no promise that the younglings will be safe.' Ironhide protested, holding Ratchet and Nimrah closer to his chest.'Ironhide, you need to have faith in the upgrades we installed. There's a reason we never recorded anything about the scramblers, masks and shielding, we were concerned about such tech falling into the wrong hands. This is exactly why we kept it a secret, the CIA cannot possibly know about it and thus, we have an advantage.' Windvest insisted, cradling Low Rider to his chest.'But where will we go?' Bumblebee asked, cuddling Racer as he looked at Rictor.'Anywhere but here, Bee. Just in case, stay in America but scatter as far as possible. We have no idea what sort of trouble this might cause so it would be wise to stay in radio contact but we switch to the tertiary backup frequencies.' Optimus instructed, getting with Speedshot's plan.'Scan new alt modes, keep the CIA guessing about what you look like. Make the most of your holoforms, they are your best chance of surviving in the human world. Emily left hundreds of bank accounts, hidden in places that only we can find so we would never have to worry about financial support. Now is the time to use those gifts.' Blade added, wrapping one wing around Optimus' back. 'Keep your channels clear, we will be in contact. Come on Optimus, we need to grab a few things before we leave.''Modo, Vinnie, I know a place we can go. The girls will be safe and the CIA won't be able to find us. You've trusted me this far, trust me with this.' Throttle nodded, looking down at Lady as she pressed against his leg.'We're with ya, bro.' Vinnie replied, scooping Sweetheart up and resting one hand on Modo's shoulder. 'We're a team, ain't right to mess with that.''Lead on bro, we're with ya 'til the end.' Modo agreed, taking Lil' Hoss by the hand and wrapping his free arm around Vinnie's back.Clearing his intakes to draw attention, Slash picked Striper up as he turned to look at the two newest members of the massed team. It wasn't that he didn't trust them, he just wasn't sure about letting them go into the wider country without a trusted escort to keep them under control. They had already had several incidents with Crosshairs and Drift wasn't exactly an angel among the troops either. But at least Drift respected authority and pulled his head in when some of the other officers gave him an order. Crosshairs refused to accept orders from anyone but Optimus, making it that much harder to keep him in line.'Uh, so who is gonna keep these two under control?' Slash asked, pointing across the gathering to the newest members of the team.'I'll take Drift. I can tolerate him and know my medical oath won't be in danger during this mess.' Revs offered, tucking Roars closer to his side. 'Unless you object, Drift.''This partnership will suit me, Revs.' Drift nodded, making his way through the group to stand with Revs and Roars.'Don't look at me, I've already got a family to think about.' Tank shrugged, hoisting Eject and Rewind up as Blaster set Darlin' on his hip.'I'll escort Crosshairs this time. He's already learned not to annoy this fighter.' Sidewinder declared, holding Smash close as he came around to rest a heavy hand on Crosshairs' shoulder.'Do we have to dad?' Smash asked, looking up at her father with a frown. 'He smells funny.'For a moment there was silence before just about everyone cracked up laughing at Smash's comment. Crosshairs just stared at Smash, mouth half open but he had no witty comeback to her words. Sweeping his much loved daughter up, Sidewinder cuddled her close and stroked her helm lightly as she wrapped her arms around his neck.'That's the new car smell, sweetie. It'll fade once he gets dirty.' Sidewinder chuckled, turning his gaze to Crosshairs. 'I don't believe it, he's speechless.''Ah, blow it out ya exhaust.' Crosshairs scowled, his coat pulled in close to his legs. 'I washed up last night.''You still smell new to Earth. We'll soon change that once we head out.' Sidewinder grinned, guiding him out of the gathering. 'Come on, we'd best grab the essentials and figure out a plan.''Sidewinder's got the plan. Grab your gear and start heading out. We can't all leave at once, that's bound to draw attention.' Speedshot called, turning to his family.'Spread it over a week, we'll run interference.' Topspin insisted, looking down at their younglings. 'Don't say it Shot, we're the best chance to keep this under wraps.''What about Wheelie and Brains?' Odd Ball asked, reaching out to welcome the two microbots onto his hand.'We'll take them.' Terrence replied, reaching out to collect the pair. 'Unlike most, we won't go looking for trouble.'#~#+^*^+#~#Taking advantage of a black spot in the security net, Hound and Mirage were first to make a break for freedom, engines barely idling as they slipped through the unlocked gate and disappeared into the darkness. Only once they were beyond visual range did they switch on their lights and meld with the late night traffic."Where will we go, Hound?" Mirage asked, content to tuck in behind his bigger and stronger bondmate. "How will we manage this?""Shhh, stop worryin' sweetspark. I got a plan, we'll be okay." Hound soothed, sending love and comfort over their bond. "We're in for a long drive, all the way to California. I found a place where it ain't strange to see a military truck and a sports car parked side by side.""You mean a Hummer and a sports car, right?" Mirage pushed, wary of Hound's word choice."Nah, we're gonna make a detour to a place where I can scan somethin' better. The Hummer is nice but it's a little too obvious for this one." Hound explained, swinging out to block another driver from getting too close to Mirage. "Trust me, love, I'll keep us both safe.""Well, I guess we should use this time to redesign our holoforms in readiness." Mirage sighed, settling in for the long drive."Yeah, I guess we should. I was thinking of a husband and wife but I'm not fussed which I end up with." Hound agreed, already plotting out some of the design elements he wanted."I'll take the female role, most human females are far more slender and curvaceous than the men." Mirage offered, bringing up a blank female image and considering how he wanted to look this time around."Yeah, yeah, I know this armour makes me look fat." Hound laughed, their bond singing with joy as they continued ever west. "But the new mode I've been considering will make it even worse.""I'm not sure I want to know." Mirage sighed, diverting part of his attention to the design but he was still constantly on alert for trouble.Trying to capture the elegance and beauty of his chosen vehicle mode in this new holoform, Mirage pulled up images of what humans considered to be the pinnacle of glamour in the female form but quickly erased those images from his memory banks. He wanted curves, not those dangerously underweight stick figures. Starting over, he searched for images of women that fit a scientific definition of beauty, finding symmetry and grace in the candid images he was able to collect. Satisfied now that he had a proper understanding of human beauty and elegance, he started to design his holoform.Long shapely legs leading up to graceful hips and a toned abdomen. He played around with the chest size a little bit, trying to find the perfect fit before finally settling on something a little smaller than would be considered average for a woman of 5'9. Gleaming bright blue eyes highlighted with just a touch of eye shadow and subtle use of eyeliner, luscious red lips revealed perfect white teeth and a tiny diamond stud in her pert nose added just the hint of attitude Mirage wanted for this form. High cheeks with just a hint of blush and Mirage settled on emeralds in his ears to add another touch of sparkle. Looking through the images again, Mirage finally decided on red hair, sending it rippling down her back in glorious waves.Putting his reference images away in a back corner of his hard drives, Mirage now turned his attention to finding his new figure a suitable wardrobe. Plunging back into the internet, he searched through dozens of various clothing websites, saving references for all the styles and shapes that he liked. He didn't let cost worry him, he didn't actually need to purchase anything to create the look he wanted for his lady.Testing various outfits and saving quite a few for the future, he picking out a strapless red dress and trimmed it back to knee length instead of having it drag on the floor. Adding a pair of black stiletto heels with small gems in lines over the straps and over the heel itself, he draped a sparkling gold chain around her neck with two delicate hearts hanging from it and positioned a simple rose gold band on her wedding finger."How are you coming along, Hound?" Mirage asked, taking another look at his new figure and giving her a simple white jacket to cover her shoulder and upper arms."Almost finished. Just can't pick a name for him." Hound replied, sounding just a little bit distracted. "Henry, Harvey or Hank?""Hmmm, I'll let you know after I see what you've got." Mirage chuckled, projecting his new form into his driver's seat. "I'm already settled on Ruby for my holoform.""Ruby Jones, I like it." Hound noted, sending another flush of love through the bond. "Alright, I'm reasonably happy with how he looks. Let me know what you think.""Send him to my passenger seat, I'm getting used to driving myself again." Mirage guided, splitting his focus again and concentrating on Hound's form. "I'll send Ruby to your passenger seat so you can see your wife."Following Mirage's idea, Hound set his holoform in the driver's seat and looked him over as he compared his new form to what the internet said was standard for men of his simulated age and previous employment. Muscle bound with just a hint of fat around his waist, battle scarred and deeply tanned, he was a man who had worked hard his entire life. He wore his scruffy black hair longer than most males he had dealt with, keeping it under control with a sweat-stained camouflage bandana to reveal dazzling blue eyes. With a full beard and a cigarette stuck in one corner of his mouth, he looked at home behind the wheel. He'd gone for a simple outfit, worn and stained blue jeans tucked into filthy brown work boots matched with a green t-shirt with the sleeves ripped out. On his right bicep, he had a red and green heart tattoo with H R standing out in cursive black letters. Short without looking out of proportion, he was concerned that he might look similar to Ironhide but there was nothing he could do about that. He wasn't what could be considered handsome but he hoped Mirage would approve."Hank, definitely Hank." Mirage insisted, drawing Hound's attention to the glamorous young woman sitting beside him. "Well, what do you think?"'I think I look like a hobo.' Hank replied, readjusting to speaking with human vocal cords and a highly restricted range of sounds. 'You look incredible, you could work for a modelling company and I look like I just rolled out of a dumpster.''I think you look perfect, Hank.' Ruby purred, reaching out to take one calloused hand lightly so she could press a loving kiss to his knuckles. 'You've always been my strong, handsome protector. I don't care what you look like, I fell in love with the gentle, kind spark you hide beneath this armour. Don't change anything, I love you just like this, Hank.''You mean that?' Hank asked, relaxing a little more and settling in for the drive.'With all my heart and soul, beloved.' Ruby nodded, sliding over so she could snuggle against Hank's side happily.'Right back 'atcha, angel.' Hank chuckled, hugging her close and kissing her hair. 'We're gonna be okay, whatever happens, we'll be okay.'#~#+^*^+#~#Over the next week, almost all of the designated Autobots teams made their escape from the N.E.S.T base and disappeared into the distance. It came down to just four teams out of the original 31, spending a few precious moments together before heading out and disappearing. Optimus had made the tough choice to abandon his trailer, moving it to the darkened, forgotten corner of their underground home and taking a few key pieces of equipment from it before locking it securely and leaving it to await his return.Not sure when they would next be able to hold each other close like this, Blade and Slash took a few minutes to reassure each other that they would stay safe and protect their loved ones until it was safe to reunite. It was hard to face their separation, they had been so close since Slash was born. They had agreed that it was best to go their separate ways this time, splitting their officers to make it just that little bit harder to find everyone.'I won't be far away, bro. If you need me for anything, just call and I'll be there. I mean it bro, you only need to give me the word and I'll be there.' Slash insisted, running a calming hand over one wing lightly.'I know, Slash. I promise I'll call if we need any help but you need to focus on protecting your little team. Look after your team, they're counting on you to keep them all safe. Protect the younglings, they are our future.' Blade nodded, sending his love and encouragement over their familial bond. "Go now, before I break and beg you to stay.""I'll miss you so much, bro." Slash whispered, the bond humming between them. 'Ride free, bro, until all are one.'Making their own final preparations, Throttle met Optimus' gaze and nodded slowly as he tucked a few precious possessions into subspace and reaching out to take Lady by the hand. He was still concerned about this plan but he had to project an aura of confidence and see his family through this tough time.'We all believe in you, Throttle. You kept your team safe through greater trials than this.' Optimus offered, reaching out to rest one hand on Throttle's shoulder in support.'Yeah, but I never had to worry about dragging younglings into the fight. I'm not sure I can handle being a father and a soldier.' Throttle sighed, trying to relax but he was afraid of failing his bros and their kids.'All we can do is our best, my friend. The point of this is to avoid conflict unless absolutely necessary. We will find a solution to this and remove the CIA from our lives but to do that, we must first survive.' Optimus nodded, smiling softly as Beast rolled over to him and hugged his leg. 'We will leave soon, little one. Have you said your goodbyes to the other kids?''uh-ha.' she nodded, releasing him and gliding over to hug Lady. 'I'll miss you, Lady.''I'll miss you too Beast.' Lady replied, letting go of Throttle to hug her dear friend.'We'll all miss you so much.' Hoss added, skating around to join the hug.'Yeah, what she said.' Sweetheart nodded, also joining the group hug. 'Be safe out there, okay? We can look out for each other but you're alone.''I'm never alone, my dads will keep me safe. Besides, I led my brothers and sisters through countless battles before the transition, I can handle myself in a fight.' Beast chuckled, wrapping her arms around Hoss and Sweetheart. 'Watch out for each other, you're so strong when you run together. Keep your audios sharp and pay attention, we have no way of knowing how serious this is until it's too late.''Beast, I thought we agreed that you would stop running ops with your cousins.' Optimus chuckled, sinking down to her level.'Just covering the bases daddy.' Beast giggled, turning to look as Slash and his team left the base at a jog. 'We might be young compared to you but combat is ingrained in us. We've been fighting for many years, a change in stance doesn't erase those skills.''Come on scamp, time to go. Speedshot's gonna create a diversion, giving us time to make our move. Throttle, take your team out the front gate. We'll head out through the black hole.' Blade briefed, coming over and sinking to one knee. 'Once they're finished causing trouble, they'll make their escape. Slash and his team are already out of range.''No point stalling then. Come on Lady, time to go.' Throttle sighed, reaching out for his daughter. "Get moving, all of ya! We can't keep these assholes distracted forever!" Speedshot roared, the squealing of tires coming over the comm.'We're on the move, Speedshot.' Optimus confirmed, transforming and revving his engine. "Are you coming with me or your mother, Beast?"'I'll go with you, daddy. Flight makes me queasy.' Beast replied, climbing up onto Optimus' back and transforming.Snuggling up against the back of Optimus' cab, Beast settled lower on her shocks and rumbled her engine happily as Optimus secured her with his air hoses and a couple of chains. Rocking on his shocks to make sure she was secure, Optimus headed for the nearest exit ramp and kept his scanners on Blade as he jogged along behind. Making use of another new trick in his arsenal, Optimus silenced his engine and snuck out of the base without alerting anyone. Transforming on the run, Blade launched into the sky and raced out of sight as Optimus headed for the rear exit and their planned hiding spot.Transforming around their daughters to keep them safe, the last mechs to leave the base retuned their engines to perfectly match before making their way out of the underground complex and across the tarmac. Staying in close formation, they pushed through the smoke Speedshot and his family were throwing out and carefully avoided Rumble before charging out the front gates and hitting the bitumen. Stringing out in a line, they headed towards Ohio and a special arrangement with an old friend of Charley-girl."Are you sure about this, bro?" Modo asked, keeping a sharp watch for any trouble. "We don't know this guy.""We don't need to know him, Charley-girl left something with Lady as an insurance policy." Throttle chuckled, plotting several alternative routes just in case. "This is why I was so adamant about the holoforms, they match the descriptions Charley left with her friend.""Got a backup plan?" Vinnie queried, so much more mature now that he had a daughter to worry about. "I don't want to risk Sweetheart on a hunch.""Already contacted Charley's contact. He's all too willing to hide all six of us for as long as is needed." Throttle confirmed, smiling internally at the feeling of his daughter curled up in him."Are you sure he's clean?" Vinnie pushed, needing to be absolutely sure about this idea."I asked Fang to do some digging. He pulled up everything on this guy, going right back to his birth certificate. He has no contact with any government agencies, no family connections with any such agencies and lost no family or other friends in Chicago. His only connection to anything dealing with the Autobots is the death of Charlene Davidson. He's clean, not even a parking ticket to his name. He's totally clean and has no reason to hate us, but I'm not about to make any mistakes. We avoid revealing anything to this James Harrison, I don't want to draw any unwanted attention." Throttle briefed, still searching out other options just in case this plan with James didn't work out.Back at base, Speedshot caught the signal from the last teams and chuckled as he spun through a super fast 360 and raced back towards his bondmates. Giving them the signal to leave, he swung around again, throwing gravel over another CIA team and distracting them from realising the three motorbikes were heading towards the main gate. Continuing to kick up debris and fill the air with smoke, Speedshot gathered his lovers and made a break for the gate, leaving the CIA totally confused and clueless about where to start looking for the elusive Autobots.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Trying not to react to the dozens of eyes now watching them, Decal pulled into the trailer park and headed for their assigned spot among dozens of other fifth wheelers and RVs. Slipping into place with pinpoint accuracy, he cut his engine and used the last few milliseconds of noise to cover a digital yawn. The imitated shudder of the final shut down felt good, allowing him to stretch out a few kinked wires and relax at last."Remind me again why we agreed to this." Decal groused, keeping a sharp watch for threats."Because it was the best way to disappear from CIA radar." Falcon chuckled, sending love over their bond. "No one looks at a family on holiday.""Doesn't mean we have to like it." Armageddon added, getting settled in her hiding spot and trying to relax but she was clearly agitated."I'm not thrilled about this either, but what other choice do we have?" Combat sighed, stretching out her suspension quickly.Well aware of everyone watching them, Deanne Sharpe opened the door and jumped out of the dusty Ford F-450 she called her own and patted the side as she closed the door. An average height, petite woman in her forties, she hardly looked like a threat but anyone who had seen her in action knew better than to judge her by her size. With flaming red hair pulled back with a purple ribbon and a mistrustful look in her blue-grey eyes, she was a woman who took no shit from anyone and protected her family with a single-minded determination.Climbing out the other side, Falcon Sharpe instinctively checked the pistol secure on his belt as he closed the door. Impressively tall, coming in just shy of seven feet and broad across the shoulders, Falcon was the total opposite of his beloved wife. Running one hand through his close cropped brown hair; he slipped his sunglasses off and climbed up into the truck bed to unhook their fifth wheeler.Next out of the heavy duty pickup, Amy Sharpe was almost as intimidating as her father. Tall for a woman and heavyset without being fat, she flaunted her muscles proudly and kept her soft red curls cut short for ease. Stopping beside their fifth wheeler, Amy grabbed the winder for the legs and started lowering them. At just 17, she stood head and shoulders over her brother and had a solid plan for her life. She had already submitted her application to the Marine Corps and was looking forward to making it to boot camp next year.Last out of the truck, little Connor Sharpe tucked his game in his pocket and moved to help his mother unfold the stairs and get everything ready for the evening. Shorter than average and skinny for his age, Connor knew he would never be as strong as his sister but that didn't bother him much. He had inherited Deanne's love of books and continually hungered for new things to learn and understand. Bright blues eyes never missed a thing and he proudly wore his reddish-brown hair long and braided.Putting the blocks in place and making sure the legs were properly secure, Amy came around to join her father at the back of their pickup and together they pushed the mighty vehicle forward just enough to clear the hitch.'Dad, can we have pizza for dinner tonight?' Amy asked, taking another step forward.'I think that can be arranged.' Falcon nodded, leaning over a little. 'Hey De, you okay with pizza for dinner?''Sounds great, Falcon.' Deanne replied, unlocking the door and stepping inside.'With olives and anchovies?' Connor asked, ducking back as the slide out sections started to expand smoothly.'Only on your half Connor.' Falcon grinned, satisfied with the new position of their pickup.'You are disgusting Connor.' Amy added, heading around to grab the bags from the rear section of the cab. 'Seriously, olives and anchovies?''I like strong flavours.' Connor shrugged, catching his bag and heading into the trailer.'Amy, be nice. He doesn't say anything about your Tabasco obsession.' Falcon chuckled, reaching out to ruffle her hair. 'He likes salty flavours and you go crazy for spicy, it's all good.'Grabbing the remaining bags from the bed, Falcon headed for the door and passed Deanne hers before taking a quick look around. People were still staring at them but Falcon didn't really worry about any of them. No one seemed suspicious, scanners hadn't picked up on any calls to the CIA or local police so Falcon felt safe to relax and enjoy this holiday with his family as they waited for news from the rest of the team.#~#+^*^+#~#Settling into a new life in Kansas, the Gibson family got along with all their neighbours except old Mrs Partridge at number 51. She was always sticking her nose in and saying hurtful things because she didn't agree with the way the Gibson's were living. No one else in the street cared that Saul and Kenneth shared one two-story house with their wives and four children. They weren't breaking any local, state or federal laws but Mrs Partridge just wouldn't accept it. As far as she was concerned, it was immoral and against God's word. Even when the Gibson's had calmly informed her that they were Jewish, she continued to leave Christian pamphlets in their mailbox and ask members of her congregation to visit the family to help them see the error of their ways. The Gibson's took it with a quiet grace, destroying the pamphlets and chasing away the congregation without giving them a chance to even try to convert the family. They were perfectly happy to be Jewish and no amount of badgering would make them change their minds.It all came to a head about a month after they moved in, Mrs Partridge finally managed to push the usually level-headed family one step too far. It started innocently enough but after everything, she'd gone too far. Heather had come out of the house to give Kenneth a kiss before he left to run some errands and Partridge had seen them. Suddenly they were both soaking wet and spun to see her holding a hose and spraying them down.'Keep your disgusting false marriage inside!' she cried, lowering the hose at last.'That's it, I've had enough of that old bat!' Kenneth growled, flicking his blonde hair out of his eyes. "Chain, reckon you can hack into Partridge's car systems?""Already done, bro. I've also got access to her home security network and her internet connection along with a few other interesting toys." Chain replied, still hidden inside the garage for now. "What do you want me to do?""Make her life miserable." Hammer directed, heading inside with her husband. 'Everyone stays inside for now. That old bat next door just turned the hose on us for kissing in the driveway.''I'll get you both a towel.' Colleen offered, hurrying towards the laundry to grab some towels for the dripping couple.'Does that mean we can't go out in the backyard?' Stephanie asked, looking up from the book she was reading.'Sorry sweetie, not right now.' Saul replied, coming downstairs and tossing his brother a second towel. 'We really need to do something about that woman.'"In three…two…one." Chain counted down as Colleen returned with two big towels.Everyone jumped at the almighty scream from number 51 but Saul was the first to move, sprinting out the door and off the porch. Turning to look over the fence, he had to fight to keep the smirk off his face. Chain had managed to turn on every sprinkler around Mrs Partridge's garden and there she was, soaking wet and absolutely shocked. Forcing the grin off his face, he turned and headed back inside to pull his beloved into his arms."Perfectly done, Chain. She's absolutely drenched." Scorpion chuckled, flooding their bond with love and adoration."That's just the first course. I'll make her miserable and no one will ever realise it was us." Chain replied, totally relaxed as he settled lower on his shocks and broke the connection with the irrigation system next door."Dad, will we ever get rid of her scrutiny?" Honda asked, moving closer to Kawasaki's body in the garage."Soon sweetie, I promise." Kawasaki promised, sending her a comforting hum and wishing he could hold her close. "Linx, see what you can find about this woman.""Already on it dad." Lynx replied, leaning against Chain's true form lightly.No one ever figured out just how the FBI found out that one of their most wanted targets was living in this peaceful suburban street. All anyone knew for certain was that the FBI showed up in force about a month after the infamous sprinkler incident and arrested Mrs Partridge for a long list of offences. Everyone watched from the safety of their homes as she was escorted away in handcuffs and placed in the back of an unmarked black SUV.Coming together once again, the street threw a party, claiming it was a joint birthday for several children living in the street but everyone knew it was really to celebrate the removal of Mrs Partridge from all their lives. Her name was never mentioned but they all knew that life would be so much better without her to cause trouble for them all.#~#+^*^+#~#Having managed to figure out how to use one body to support two holoforms, Jamie and Paige White shared a smile as they parked their 2003 Lamborghini Gallardo and climbed out, Jamie hurrying around to help his wife out of the passenger seat. Straightening his suit and helping her with her skirt, Jamie offered his arm and proudly escorted her towards the doors of their chosen venue. They'd picked a place that was popular but not too popular, the crowds were minimal and the music was kept low enough for casual conversation. They also offered haute cuisine and had plenty of seating.Holding her head high, Paige knew most of the men in the building were staring at her, their greedy eyes tracing her curves and wishing they were Jamie. Paige loved this dress, the soft pastel pink cloth highlighting her tan without making her appear washed out. Hugging every curve to her hips, it dropped smoothly to the floor in two layers. Dropping from the thin leather belt she wore at her waist, a darker pink lace rippled and swirled as she walked. The same lace covered her shoulders and arms, except for two panels running along the inside of her arms. She also wore the same lace in her hair, a delicate bow holding a mountain of soft blonde waves up off her neck.Sapphire eyes scanned the room slowly before she turned her full attention back to Jamie and allowed him to slide the darker pink stole from her shoulders gently. This was handed to the attendant at the coat check, along with his long coat. Checking her makeup quickly, Paige slipped her arm through Jamie's and let him lead her towards the dance floor.'They're playing our song, amore.' Jamie uttered, taking her clutch and tucking it safely inside his jacket. 'May I have this dance?''Nothing would make me happier, dearest.' Paige replied, following him onto the dance floor and resting one hand on Jamie's shoulder lightly.If our love was a fairy taleI would charge in and rescue youOn a yacht baby we would sailTo an island where we'd say I doAnd if we had babies they would look like youIt'd be so beautiful if that came trueYou don't even know how very special you areYou leave me breathlessYou're everything good in my lifeYou leave me breathlessI still can't believe that you're mineYou just walked out of one of my dreamsSo beautiful you're leaving meBreathlessCradling Paige to him with such tenderness, Jamie turned her slowly to the beat of the sweet song. He could feel the jealous eyes on him, scanning his muscles and hating Paige for being in his arms. Black hair combed back to reveal blue-green eyes and an easy smile, he knew he looked good in his custom tailored tuxedo but he had no interest in anyone else. He had his soul mate and no one else could hope to compare."I love you Jazz." Prowl whispered, surrounding Jazz with his unending love."I love ya too Prowl." Jazz replied, tugging Paige closer to his chest."There's something I need to tell you, Jazz." Prowl uttered, relaxing into Jamie's arms and draping her arms around his neck."I'm listenin' love. What's on ya processor?" Jazz asked, sending comfort over the bond. "I'm here for ya, always and forever.""I'm sparked, Jazz. We're going to be parents." Prowl flooded their bond with excitement and joy, finally unmasking the second spark beat beside his own."I'm gonna be a dad? I'm actually gonna be a dad?" Jazz asked, absolutely stunned by the revelation. "When did this happen?""Our last night on base." Prowl chuckled, letting his holoform lean into Jamie a little more. "I wanted to get past the danger period before I told you.""I can't believe I'm gonna be a dad." Jazz whispered, echoing Prowl's excitement and joy with his own. "But we'll need to contact someone else to help us build the body.""Already done. I asked Wheelie and Revs to make it, just in case something happened while the team was scattered. Revs also gave me all the equipment needed to transfer our offspring should the team not be reunited when his time comes." Prowl replied, always two steps ahead of Jazz when it came to planning."Guess I'd better read up on that." Jazz chuckled, looking forward to raising his son. "Ya made the right choice on a mechling, Prowler.""There are plenty of femmes around, the mechlings are in a minority again." Prowl remarked, listening to the soft thrum of the tiny spark beside his own. "I have a feeling he will be a strong one when he grows up."Drawing apart as the song ended, Jamie led Paige off the dance floor and into the attached restaurant for a celebratory meal and one last glass of Champaign. Prowl had already decided that he would make his female holoform show signs of pregnancy too, adding another element to their cover story.#~#+^*^+#~#'I swear to Primus, if you don't knock that off I will offline you.' Sidewinder growled, peering out into the lengthening shadows. 'Either get inside or get down on ya wheels.''Ya got no right ta give me orders.' Crosshairs spat back, glaring back at Sidewinder inside the rickety barn they were calling home.'Got nothin' to do with rights. You're endangerin' my daughter.' Sidewinder countered, emerging from the barn and getting right into Crosshairs' face. 'Now either start drivin' or get under cover! The next satellite is due in one minute. That's just the American satellites, I don't know about any others.'Turning and ducking back into the barn, Sidewinder sat beside the soft nest he had built so Smash had a comfortable place to recharge. Reaching out, he carefully pulled the heavy canvas blanket over her and gently stroked her helm to soothe her into a deeper recharge. Looking up sharply, he shot Crosshairs a warning look as he ducked into the barn and sunk down in the dirt to wait for the satellite to pass over.'I get that you don't like this, Crosshairs. I don't much care for it either but it's for the best.' Sidewinder sighed, most of his attention on his little girl. 'We are the caretakers for a new generation, whether we like it or not.''We could have squashed the CIA problem, but instead we're runnin' like cowards.' Crosshairs scoffed, rearranging his coat around his hips.'No, we're buying time for the experts to gather the information they need. We can't end this threat to our people without knowing why this is happening.' Sidewinder replied, continuing to trace soft patterns over Smash's helm. 'Find some patience or hit the road. I don't need you but its becomin' clear that you need a guide.''I don't need a damned guide.' Crosshairs snarled, head snapping around so he could glare at Sidewinder again.'Then how are you going to explain those four parking tickets?' Sidewinder asked, lifting one orbital ridge smoothly. 'You know Prime's gonna have your plating for that.'Deeming it safe again, Crosshairs crawled out of the barn and stood, fists clenched and coattails hugging his legs as he listened to Sidewinder following him outside. Moving away from the barn in an attempt to avoid disturbing Smash, Crosshairs turned slowly and lifted his gaze a little so he could meet the ice blue of Sidewinder's frustrated optics.'I don't care who gave the order, I can't just sit here and do nothin'. I'm a soldier, I'm damned good at what I do but I can't do a Primus damned thing out here.' Crosshairs growled, itching to get back at the bastards who had chased him from his home.'You think you're the only one who wants payback? I've had to stand by and watch helplessly as two homeworlds were destroyed and there wasn't a fragging thing I could do about it. I might be Cybertronian now but I was born of flesh and fur on Mars. I lived nearly thirty years in flesh and fur and witnessed the downfall of the Martian mice! I was there when Cybertron was destroyed, I looked up and saw it shatter in the sky over Chicago! I made the choice to become Cybertronian because I knew there was no hope left for the Martian people and now I stand witness to the greatest threat to my people all over again.' Sidewinder raged, keeping his voice down but his anger was unmistakeable. 'So don't talk to me about not being able to do anything, I was there! I could only watch as some of our best were cut down without mercy. Jazz, torn apart by Megatron! Optimus, cut down by a massed Decepticon force! Ironhide, shot in the back by a supposed friend!'Neither could say who moved first, they just knew that one minute they had been glaring at each other and in the next second blows were being exchanged. Sweeping his wings back to avoid a reaching hand, Sidewinder slammed his fist into Crosshairs' chest and sent him back a few steps. Launching back into the fight, Crosshairs tackled Sidewinder but the bigger mech refused to fall, instead grabbing Crosshairs by the scruff and tossing him aside. Rolling back to his feet, Crosshairs remained undaunted, charging in again and trying to land a few solid hits of his own.Tearing up the ground as they grappled, the brawling duo paid little attention to their surroundings, far too caught up in the emotions of the fight. Both were running on adrenaline and anger, tempers frayed after six months living in a rickety old barn in the middle of nowhere Wyoming. The only thing the building did was break up their images whenever a satellite went overhead. It did nothing against wind, rain or snow and they were both fed up with the primitive conditions. They wanted this CIA mess over but they were powerless to act against anyone but themselves.Crashing together and tumbling across the ground, Sidewinder got the upper hand again and cocked his fist back but Crosshairs was faster, planting both feet in Sidewinder's abdomen and kicking him hard. He didn't fully dislodge the larger mech but he got enough room to wriggle free and regain his feet. Moving in quickly, he curled one arm around Sidewinder's throat from behind and held on for life as the reformed fighter tried to throw him off.'Ya think I don' know about the losses? Ya think I didn't hear about Cybertron bein' destroyed? Ya never even knew what it was like back home, ya ain't a real Autobot. Ya just some freak playin' at being a soldier.' Crosshairs hissed, tightening his grip and digging his knees into Sidewinder's hips. 'Ya nothin', nothin' at all.''That's what you think.' Sidewinder snarled, dropping backwards and crushing Crosshairs into the dirt. 'Boy, I'm gonna teach you a new meaning of pain.''Daddy!' Smash cried, knocking the fight out of Sidewinder and making him turn his back on the livid Corvette beside him.'I'm okay baby girl.' Sidewinder confirmed, moving towards her to reassure her that everything was under control. 'Just a difference of opinion.'Flipping over and charging Sidewinder again, Crosshairs kicked off and wrapped his arm around Sidewinder's throat again, knocking him off balance and driving him into the dirt. Pressing one hand to the back of Sidewinder's neck, Crosshairs started to apply dangerous levels of pressure until a tire violently rammed into his head and threw him sideways. Trying to regain his balance, he didn't realise he'd done anything wrong until he was suddenly yanked off the ground and thrown towards the barn. Curling up to protect vital systems, he caught sight of Smash lying crumpled on the ground before he smashed into the wall of the barn and the ceiling fell onto him.The fight totally forgotten, Sidewinder hurried to his daughter and dropped to his knees beside her. Reaching out, he tenderly rolled her over and flinched as she screamed in agony when he moved her. Cursing the darkness but thankful for his enhanced optics, he scanned her slowly and felt his spark sink when he saw the severe fracture of her left thigh strut.'Shhh, daddy's got you baby girl. I know it hurts, daddy will make it better.' Sidewinder soothed, carefully lifting her and trying not to cry as she wailed even louder. 'Hang on baby girl, daddy will make it better.'Clawing his way out of the debris, Crosshairs collapsed on the ground and groaned as dozens of nerve relays reminded him why it wasn't smart to pick a fight with the aerial wing of the Autobots. He just wasn't strong enough to handle them, only Optimus and Ironhide could and maybe Ratchet when he was in an especially bad mood.'It hurts so much, daddy.' Smash whimpered, her voice carrying in the stillness now that the fight was over.'I know baby girl, I know. Here, this should make you feel a little better.' Sidewinder replied, his broad wings preventing Crosshairs from seeing anything. 'That's it, just relax and let daddy take care of you.'Staggering to his feet, Crosshairs approached Sidewinder warily but ended up back-pedalling and falling on his ass when Sidewinder flipped out a missile launcher and aimed at him without looking away from his daughter.'Haven't you done enough? You broke her leg.' Sidewinder growled, getting to his feet. 'And managed to trash the only shelter we had.''You're the one who threw me at the barn.' Crosshairs replied, getting up again and brushing off the dirt.'Daddy, stop it.' Smash protested, trying to get closer to him. 'It still hurts daddy.''I'm trying baby girl, I'm doing my best for you.' Sidewinder soothed, tucking her closer and bowing his head. 'I'd take all your pain away if I could, baby girl but I can't.'Making a choice and knowing it was going to hurt like slag, Crosshairs pulled an old electroknife from under his coat and checked it was still as sharp as always and fully charged. Sinking to one knee, he activated the blade and sunk it into the responsive metal of his coat. Gritting his dentaplates to hold back a pained cry and tightening his grip against the energon splashing his hands, he cut two strips from each side before dropping the knife.'Winder.' he called, clutching the dripping strips in one hand as he used the other to brace himself from an ugly fall.'What…' Sidewinder started, turning around slowly. 'What the kriff have you done?''Repair nanites…faster than…Shift.' Crosshairs groaned, collapsing into the dirt heavily.Swearing up a storm mentally, Sidewinder hurried across to the downed mech without jarring his daughter and sunk to his knees again. Easing her down, he plucked the still dripping strips from Crosshairs' limp hand and guided some of the energon onto her fracture before wrapping the strips firmly around her leg. Smash cried out with every little touch and movement, fingers digging into Sidewinder's knee but he couldn't do anything more for her pain. He just hoped that these strips could help her, he hated to see his little angel in such pain.Digging out a nest of sorts for her, Sidewinder did his best to make Smash comfortable and stroked her helm lightly as she calmed down and relaxed into the hole he'd dug. Sidewinder didn't exactly know how it worked but somehow these strips from Crosshairs' coat seemed to be helping with her pain levels.'Thank you daddy, it doesn't hurt so much now.' Smash uttered, looking up at him with a faint smile. 'I knew you could make it better.''Not me, baby girl, not this time. Crosshairs made it better.' Sidewinder replied, looking towards the downed mech. 'try and get some rest, baby girl, daddy's got to check on Crosshairs and find us some new shelter for tonight.''I'll try daddy.' Smash nodded, getting comfortable in her nest. 'Will Crosshairs be okay?''He'll be fine, he just needs some rest, baby girl.' Sidewinder smiled, digging a lighter canvas blanket from his subspace and draping it over her. 'Sleep well princess, I love you.''Love you too daddy.' Smash chirped, curling her fingers around the blanket and drifting back into recharge.Hissing in pain as he was rolled over and his bleeding wounds jostled, Crosshairs grabbed for the nearest plating and dug his fingers in, optics flickering on as he tried to find a more comfortable position. Sidewinder seemed to understand though, one strong arm slipping under his shoulders to prop him up.'Why Crosshairs?' Sidewinder asked, pulling out his repair kit and doing what he could to stop the energon loss.'My fault…only fair I pay.' Crosshairs uttered, flinching away from the touches. 'Is she…''She's resting, said it hurt less once I bound her wound.' Sidewinder nodded, easing Crosshairs down and moving to get better access. 'Try to stay still, I've got to clean these wounds.''Hurts like slag.' Crosshairs groaned, clawing up fistfuls of dirt as he submitted to Sidewinder's care. 'Knew it would…but still.''You didn't have to put yourself through this.' Sidewinder sighed, grabbing the sealant from his kit and applying a thin layer over the wounds. 'You're gonna draw stares with this hack job.''Won't look so bad soon. Responsive metals, they'll repair to original specs. Just gotta provide the nanites with raw materials.' Crosshairs explained, getting up on his elbows and watching Sidewinder work. 'Any metal will do, otherwise they'll take from my armour to rebuild.''I might have something here.' Sidewinder offered, digging around in subspace again and coming out with a handful of metal scraps. 'I tend to hoard left over pieces from my projects.''Won't need much to repair this mess. That'll just about do it.' Crosshairs shrugged, accepting the offering and settling back for a midnight snack. 'I'm sorry for all of this.''It ain't your fault. We're both on edge, sick of hiding and desperate to do something destructive. But make no mistake, you hurt my baby girl again and I will end you.' Sidewinder warned, a definite note of menace in his voice.'Understood, loud and clear.' Crosshairs replied, looking up at the stars for a moment. 'We're gonna need a new place to hide.''Already found one. There is another unoccupied structure of suitable size four miles west of this location. My sensors detect no sentient life forms within ten miles of our new shelter.' Sidewinder guided, taking some comfort in the formalised briefing speech he was most familiar with and always used when he was stressed.'I'll need a hand up but I can make it.' Crosshairs grinned, finishing his snack and looking over the repair work. 'Doesn't have ta be anythin' permanent, the nanites work fast.'Putting his repair kit away, Sidewinder hauled Crosshairs to his feet before kneeling beside his daughter and wrapping her safely in her blanket. Cradling her to his chest, Sidewinder held her with one powerful arm and looped the other around Crosshairs' back, supporting him as they started walking, heading for another abandoned barn.
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Careful to avoid notice as he gathered up what little power he had left and scanned the people that had entered the theatre where they had taken cover, Blade double checked where Beast was and tried to remain calm. They were in no fit state to handle another confrontation; Optimus was still barely functional and almost totally drained of power and little Beast was already in stasis, a combination of damage and a lack of fuel knocking her out. At least she was safe, tucked in between her parents as they waited for these humans to leave."Blade…why can't…I feel…Beast?" Optimus uttered, somehow managing to dredge up enough power for internal comms. "Is she…""She's in stasis lock. Damage and low fuel took her down." Blade replied, sending a ripple of affection towards Optimus. "She'll be fine once we get her some fuel."Getting nervous when one of the humans came towards them, Blade knew he couldn't actively do anything to stop the human from coming too close but that didn't mean he felt comfortable with the situation. He wanted to break cover and flee, but deep down Blade knew he wasn't strong enough to pull Optimus and Beast to safety. Resigning himself to their fate, Blade maintained his silence and forced himself to stay still as the human climbed into him. He couldn't resist one last attempt to scare the human away, dropping all support in his shocks and nearly tossing the man off but he held his grip and reached for the doorhandle.Blade felt a tiny thrill of pride as he dumped a few empty casings onto the floor, startling the man and drawing his attention away from the unique arrangement of the vehicles. The last thing Blade wanted now was to be forced away from his loved ones by a single human male.'Mortar shells? The hell happened to you?' the man uttered, picking up one of the shells still in Blade's cab.Relaxing a little once the man walked away, Blade's worry increased when he started negotiating a cost for the two trucks. The owner of the building was surprised by the question, he'd never even realised they were hiding here in this mess. Blade was grateful for that, he was in no position to defend his family from any threats right now and the fact the CIA hadn't come sniffing around proved that their attempts to disguise their locations were still fully functional. Right now, low on power and still damaged from that ambush in Mexico, Blade couldn't ask for much more. That didn't mean he didn't deeply wish to be able to defend his family from any and all threats.Letting out a sigh that sounded like an air hose popping, Blade snugged up the chains holding Optimus on his back and the straps keeping Beast tucked up against him. He hated having to rely on humans for help but he had no other choice. His family needed him and he was quickly running out of options to keep them safe. He felt like such a failure as a sparkmate and father, he was helpless to protect them from the humans and could only hope that the man who now owned them returned to look them over again."We can't…trust him…Blade." Optimus warned, too weak to do anything but still extremely cautious of humans since the Mexico ambush."We have no choice, Optimus." Blade replied, hating that they were reduced to this but there was no other way out. "I sense no cruelty in this human.""You can…never tell." Optimus groaned, fighting back exhaustion to continue the debate."Optimus, trust me on this. I've always been better at reading humans, admit it." Blade chuckled, trying so hard not to think about how dire their situation really was. "Besides, Beast desperately needs fuel and repairs. Neither we can get in our current situation.""Very well." Optimus agreed but Blade could feel his reluctance."Peace Optimus, I've protected us this far and will continue to until this mess is finished." Blade soothed, relieved that this man didn't try to loosen the chains holding the family together. Instead he focused on finding a way to remove the trucks from the theatre without damaging his purchases or the building.#~#+^*^+#~#Guided by a single, weak beacon, the Wreckers abandoned their hiding places around the NASCAR circuit and headed for Texas. They had been reasonably happy disguised as tribute cars, soaking up the attention and welcoming people to take photos with them since most people couldn't get near the real cars. The kids had soaked up the attention too, rescanning new forms and showing off their sleek lines. People loved them and no one ever realised the secret they were brushing up against.But as far as Speedshot was concerned, the time for hiding was over and they had to prepare for battle again. Thankfully their heavy firepower was simply hidden beneath their armour, it made for uncomfortable travel but it was safer than revealing exactly who they were."Ya sure about this Shot?" Roadbuster asked, rolling third in their convoy."There's no doubt, Buster. Blade activated his emergency beacon. There's trouble with our leaders and we're one of the closest teams." Speedshot replied, scanning for other Autobot signals on a secondary and supremely encrypted channel. "Teams 2, 18, 20 and 21 are also inbound but aren't expected to arrive within the next four days."So it's down to us to protect Optimus, Blade and Beast?" Topspin questioned, bringing up the rear of the convoy. "How are we meant to do that?""By doing what we do best, Spin." Leadfoot chuckled, keeping a sharp watch for trouble all around them. "We trash anyone who dares try to harm our Prime.""Sounds like a perfect plan, Lead." Speedshot laughed, so glad that the tension was finally lifting off the family. "There might even be a chance for you all to play a part.""You mean that mamma?" Harley asked, sticking in behind Speedshot for now."We can really get into the fight this time?" Rumble pressed, eager to finally show he was capable in a fight."You're not going to force us to hide?" Frenzy giggled, so excited to finally be unleashed in a combat scenario."Patience, my darling children. You will get your chance to show Prime just how much you have learned." Topspin chuckled, not at all surprised by their eagerness to prove their worth."But you must promise to be careful if a fight does break out. We do not want you hurt." Roadbuster added, letting the kids feel how proud he was of them."We'll be careful papa." Frenzy promised, his holoform turning to look over his shoulder at Leadfoot. "We don't want to cause trouble."Getting closer to the source of the beacon, Speedshot turned and guided his family into a thicket of trees within easy reach of the current location of their leadership. He didn't like the fact they couldn't go racing in and snatch Optimus, Blade and Beast from the hands of these people but for now they needed to hold back and wait for the signal."Should one of us go take a closer look?" Leadfoot asked, itching to actually do something."Too risky. We have no idea what these people want with our leaders." Topspin replied, shaking out his suspension."I say one of us should take a closer look." Roadbuster insisted, also anxious to actually do something instead of hiding again."And what if the people who took our leaders have no idea what they really are? We could endanger them if we get too close." Speedshot warned, settling in for a long wait and hoping he was right."I could do it mamma, no one would recognise me in this frame." Rumble offered, so handsome in his gleaming black and white armour."Yeah, they know us as sports bikes, not cruisers." Frenzy agreed, sticking to the shadows so his silver paint didn't sparkle too much."C'mon momma, give us a chance to shine. We can do this, no one will know we're around." Harley added, three voices in perfect harmony on the comms."Alright, fine but keep your distance from the humans and maintain your cover. Do not initiate contact with our people, but respond if they ping you with a verifiable ID first." Speedshot briefed, worried for the kids but trying to be strong.#~#+^*^+#~#Grateful that their frame jarring ride was finally over, Blade faked a chain breakage and deposited Optimus on the ground behind him. For now he kept Beast close, unwilling to risk her safety until he knew more about these men. He relaxed a little when a teenaged woman appeared from the house nearby but he still maintained their cover, trying to avoid another scene. That went out the window when the woman started screaming.'Two trucks? Dad, please tell me you didn't spend out money on this.' she started, circling the man who had been climbing on Beast earlier.'Oh don't worry, he didn't. He spent my money.' the other man replied, also circling the first man quickly. '150 bucks of it.''As an advance on your regular pay check.' the first man countered, keeping his gaze on Blade as the other two circled him.'What regular pay check?''Which you will get back.' their new owner continued as the woman wandered away.'When?''Never. We're broke.' the woman warned, looking over her shoulder.'I knew it.''Sweetheart, could you please not drive a wedge between employer and employee.''Hold on, I thought we were partners.''Look, I came up short okay. I had to buy her a prom dress. Do you want me to deny her a prom dress?''You might as well, you denied her a prom date.''No, I offered to take her and chaperone.''Nobody wants to go to the dance with their dad. It's weird.''It's not the issue.''Well maybe it should be.' the woman weighed in again, having come back to stand beside the scruffy haired offsider.'Could you guys just get off my case? You know what the engines on these run for? I can break them down, strip them for parts. Sweetheart, your shorts are shrinking by the second okay. Cold water air dry, please.' with that the woman turned and stalked away.'I think she looks hot.''What did you say?'"That scruffy one is dead." Optimus uttered, coming back online again."He would be if he said that about our daughter." Blade agreed, sending Optimus comfort and love through their bond.'Like a hot teen…ager.''Oh, it's the teenager thing that makes it better, thank you.''I didn't say…it didn't sound like what it meant.'Resisting the urge to fight back as Optimus was hooked up to a smaller tow truck and dragged towards the barn, Blade kept one sensor suite trained on Optimus as he used the other to keep watch for any threats. He smiled internally as he picked up the signals belonging to the Wrecker children, circling the farm at a safe distance and keeping watch over the situation. Deciding against trying to contact the younglings, Blade diverted what power he had to his self repair systems and submitted to being dragged into the barn.'Hey, there's a motorbike strapped on here.' scruffy remarked, drawing attention to the still stasis locked Beast. 'Can I have it?''Sure, consider it a repayment.'"Blade, do something." Optimus insisted, helpless to protect their daughter."I can't…I lack power." Blade replied, trying desperately to come up with a plan. "I might be able to activate my holoform but that might make things worse."Beast managed to surprise everyone though, engine roaring to life as she broke free and leapt from Blade's back. Hitting the ground hard, she kicked up a cloud of dust and disappeared from the barn before anyone could react to her sudden move."Her self-preservation subsystem must have finally kicked in." Optimus remarked, trying to track her but his scanners were still barely functional."Yeah but that leaves us with another problem." Blade replied, thinking fast for a new distraction to keep the humans from chasing Beast. "I apologise in advance if this hits you.""What are you planning?" Optimus asked, bracing for a hit but not sure quite what to expect.Building up air pressure in a blocked line, Blade concentrated on the bullet he could feel lodged there and chuckled as it finally popped loose and shot across the barn, narrowly missing the young woman as she entered the barn.'What the hell?' scruffy man yelped, backing away from them quickly.'Dad, please. You can't keep spending money on junk just so you can turn it into different junk.' she insisted, approaching her father with a wad of envelopes in her hand.'We do not use the J word in here. That is a Super Simplex theatre projector, it's very rare. What about the SmilePod or the Exermo that I invented. Simply ahead of their time.''Yeah, like the alleged guard dog.'Well, at least the humans didn't seem too interested in chasing Beast, they were far too busy bickering amongst themselves over the sound of an electronic dog barking. The bickering actually amused the two Autobots, they had missed the sounds of humans engaged in gentle banter as they worked on whatever projects caught their interest. It was a nice reminder of the people they had been forced to abandon.'Hey Cade. Cade! This thing still work?''Yes!' simultaneous answers from father and daughter. 'No!''Yes and still groundbreaking. Go back and lay on the recliner and just wait for a cold one.'Trying to relax and adjust to this new arrangement, Blade kept most of his focus on Optimus, determined to protect his sparkmate even if it meant exposing himself to danger. He just hoped that Beast was safe, she was hiding her location from his scans. He had a feeling she had found Speedshot and the other Wreckers but he couldn't be certain.'Final notice. Late notice. Past due.' the woman listed, dumping the envelopes beside her father."Wrecker Speedshot calling Blade." Speedshot's thirty character ID code pinged across Blade's neural network, confirming his identity beyond doubt."Good to hear from you, Speedshot." Blade replied, ignoring the humans for now as he sent his equally long ID code back to Speedshot."Figured you were close by, we've got a lost little girl here with us. What the frag happened to you guys to put Beast in this condition?" Speedshot sighed, sounding genuinely concerned for his leaders."We were ambushed in Mexico. We're all banged up but Beast refused to take cover when things went wrong. I've been carrying her around ever since." Blade explained, trying to hide his relief at hearing a long unheard voice."we'll take care of her until ya can be reunited, Blade. Spin and Buster are working on her right now." Speedshot offered, language relaxing a little but Blade knew he was still agitated."You have our thanks, Speedshot." Blade chuckled, grateful to know they had serious support nearby and his daughter was safe.'I mean, what is all this crap people send you?' the blonde woman asked, holding up a few items from the nearest workbench.'That's a Discman and that's an 8-track tape.' Cade replied, pointing to each device as he named them. 'Music.''Never heard of it.' she countered, tossing the devices aside.'Look, I fix that its 100 bucks. I fix that, its two fifty. If I would have been able to fix that before you broke it even more, it would have been 20 bucks. This stuff is what's going to put you through college as long as you land one of those scholarships.' Cade continued, completely oblivious to the little scout drone Blade dropped from his undercarriage."We need more information about this place." Optimus insisted, still trying to bring his scanners online with little luck."Drone is already on the move. I'm hoping there's enough stuff around here that he won't notice our bug." Blade confirmed, sending his little drone out to get a better look at things.'Dad, you think maybe some things should never be invented?' the daughter asked, totally focused on her father.'No, I don't. That's backwards thinking. This is a temple of technology, you guys are standing in a holy place.' Cade declared, getting up and walking away from his daughter.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Looking around quickly, evaluating every option and making sure to always put his family first, Ironhide hated the situation they were in right now. They'd been so careful, constantly moving around and avoiding contact with humans unless it was absolutely necessary. But it was all turning out to be for nothing, all their caution and discretion hadn't been enough to keep them from being noticed. Now they had Cemetery Wind all around them and it was painfully clear that they weren't here for a chat.Caught in the open, they had only two choices and neither particularly pleased Ironhide right now. He never liked the idea of retreat, but he liked the idea of dragging Nimrah into a fight even less. She wasn't ready, her armour was still too thin and she lacked any real firepower. She had a couple of small cannons and a miniature version of Ratchet's buzz saw hidden inside her arm but it wasn't enough to make Ironhide comfortable about letting Nimrah anywhere near this. Ironhide didn't want Ratchet in the fight either, he was capable but Ratchet was a gentle spark, Ironhide hated to push him into a hot zone unless it was absolutely necessary. Ironhide also knew that Ratchet would never leave him behind, not after their long separation post Chicago and especially not now that Nimrah was in the picture.'Got a plan?' Ratchet asked, raising his rifle in readiness.'Yeah but you're not gonna like it.' Ironhide nodded, hugging the shadows as the soldiers moved closer to their position.'Let's hear it.' Ratchet directed, one hand on Nimrah's shoulder.'Take Nimrah and get out of here. I'll hold 'em off and join you later.' Ironhide briefed, keeping it simple and straight to the point.'Not a chance.' Ratchet growled, keeping Nimrah back to protect her from harm. 'I already lost you once, I ain't letting you go again.''Ratch, I can handle this mob. I've got the secondary shielding now, I'll be okay.' Ironhide insisted, spinning out his cannons. 'Go, I'll be right behind you.''No, I will not leave you. I can fight, I'm not going to leave you to do this alone.' Ratchet growled, his stubborn streak coming out full force.'Ratchet, listen to me please.' Ironhide tried, turning to Ratchet and resting one hand on his shoulder lightly. 'Lockdown is out there, you remember what happened the last time we faced that monster?''I remember and that's all the more reason why you can't do this alone.' Ratchet nodded, drawing Nimrah in closer. 'He just about killed you last time.''I've gotten stronger since that conflict. These new weapons and the Martian additions make me more than a match for Lockdown.' Ironhide soothed, keeping a sharp audio tuned for the humans behind them. 'But I can't focus on the fight ahead if I'm constantly worried about you both. I need you to leave so I can end this threat to our family.''No daddy, please don't make me go.' Nimrah pleaded, moving to cling to Ironhide's armour. 'No, don't do this daddy. Please don't go.''I gotta go, sweetspark. I promise I'll be right behind you.' Ironhide soothed, caressing her helm lightly. 'I have to stop him before he can hurt anyone else.''No daddy, I can't lose you! You don't have to face that monster!' Nimrah cried, pressing closer to his side. 'We can still escape, please don't do this daddy.'Battle instincts firing hard, Ironhide grabbed Nimrah and spun, ducking away from a heavy shot that shredded the wall they had been sheltering behind. Spinning out his heaviest cannon, Ironhide kept his daughter secured to his chest and returned fire, relieved when Ratchet also joined the fire fight.'Ratch, we don't have time to argue about this. Take Nimrah and get out of here.' Ironhide growled, doing his best to keep his heavy armour between Nimrah and the incoming fire.'No, we stand and fight. We can defeat Lockdown together.' Ratchet replied, moving up to help cover Nimrah.'Damn it Ratch, don't do this. Remember what happened last time, I can't go through that again.' Ironhide was close to begging, unwilling to risk a repeat of an ancient mess. 'Take Nimrah and go, I'll be right behind you.''No, I won't leave you daddy.' Nimrah howled, refusing to be dislodged from Ironhide's side.'Nimrah, please. I give you my word I will find you. This isn't the end, I will be there for all your milestones but I need you to go now.' Ironhide tried, desperate to protect his family from all this carnage. 'I love you so much Nimrah, don't ever forget that.''I won't daddy, I love you more than words can ever say.' Nimrah nodded, reluctantly letting go of him. 'I'll miss you.''I'll miss you too, sweetspark.' Ironhide uttered, turning to put his stronger backplate towards another incoming missile.'We can't leave that way.' Ratchet warned, returning fire as several heavily armed SUVs let rip with miniguns and missiles.'Slag, looks like we're going this way.' Ironhide growled, setting Nimrah down and flipping out his second cannon. 'Stay close, I'll clear a path.'Breaking cover, Ironhide opened fire with everything he had, starting with the aerial threats and then working on clearing them a way out of this mess. Putting his trust in the secondary shielding and other defensive upgrades he'd received, Ironhide didn't bother trying to avoid the incoming missiles slamming down around them, or the waves of bullets chasing them across the ground. The shielding wasn't perfect, a small percentage of the expended ammunition was able to pierce the shield but the damage was only minor.'What the frag is wrong with these people?' Ratchet growled, taking a shot and flipping one of the cars. 'We're supposed to be allies.''Don't know, don't care.' Ironhide replied, moving sharply to protect Nimrah from another long range shot. 'I'm more worried about where Lockdown is hiding.''He'll show up.' Ratchet spat, stumbling when a missile took the ground out from under him suddenly. 'Prime can lecture us later, these people are done.''I can live with that.' Ironhide agreed, destroying several vehicles in quick succession. 'These people don't deserve to live. Not after threatening our little girl.'Keeping up their momentum, Ironhide breached the human lines and continued laying down serious cover fire for Ratchet and Nimrah. Crushing another vehicle as he passed, Ratchet grabbed Nimrah's hand and ran for it, transforming on the fly and putting his bulk between Nimrah and the continuing enemy fire. Kicking one SUV aside and stepping on another, Ironhide willingly put himself between Ratchet and their enemies.Turning to look at the sound of crunching metal behind him, Ironhide could only watch in horror as Lockdown and Ratchet traded blows and tore up the ground. Making a snap judgement, Ironhide turned his back on the humans and ran towards the brawling pair, just hoping that Nimrah had been able to get away safely.'Don't you hurt my carrier!' Nimrah screamed, charging in and smashing into Lockdown from the left. 'I'm not afraid of you!''Nimrah! Get out of there!' Ironhide roared, closing the distance fast and raising his cannons.'Ironhide, focus on the humans.' Ratchet growled, still totally focused on Lockdown.'Bigger threats die first.' Ironhide replied, relaxing a little more that Lockdown was focused on him instead of his family. 'You know I'm the biggest threat here Lockdown. Leave them be, they ain't a threat.''Box them in! Box them in!' the humans were getting closer, training their weapons on the brawling foes.'Hold your fire! We're Autobots! Friends!' Ratchet called, managing to grab Nimrah's scruff bar and yank her away from Lockdown.'Why you running?' one of the humans asked, keeping his rifle trained on them.'Optimus sent this distress message.' Ratchet replied, activating his radio."Calling all Autobots. We are under targeted attack. Cease all contact with humans." Optimus' voice rang out, drawing a whimper from Nimrah's vocaliser.'We're all hiding. All Autobots are being hunted. We're all in danger.' Nimrah added, keeping most of her focus on Lockdown.'I lost a sister in Chicago. You'll get no sympathy from me.' the human countered, lowering his weapon slowly.'I don't want your sympathy.' Nimrah countered, her sass and snark always amusing for her parents. 'I lost my daddy!''Nimrah, that's enough. Don't encourage the maniacs.' Ironhide chastised, still mostly focused on keeping Lockdown back. 'You don't need those two, Lockdown. Ya got me, the last of the Prime Guards and the chosen bodyguard of our current Prime.''Reports were that you were dead, Ironhide.' Lockdown rumbled, getting a firm grip on Ironhide's arm and trying to restrain him. 'But why would I give up this chance to hold your mate and child as leverage over you?''Then I propose a deal.' Ironhide countered, grabbing Lockdown by the throat. 'One that will satisfy both of you.''The only thing that will satisfy me, is your death.' the mouthy human spat, glaring up at Ironhide and his family. 'And I have my own ways to ensure I get what I want.'Looking down again as another SUV came closer, Ironhide turned his focus back to Lockdown but his attention was ripped back to the SUV by a painfully familiar little voice crying out in fear and another demanding that these assholes release his little girl. Growling low in his vocaliser, Ironhide made a snap decision and threw Lockdown back, then silenced the alerts that came up from the damage to his left cannon. The damage was minor, Ratchet would be able to patch it in a few minutes but Ironhide didn't intend to give him the chance.Thinking fast, he glanced at his own family then turned his gaze back to the Lennox family as these Cemetery Wind goons continued to press them into the ground. He hated to even consider doing this but he had to do something to defend both families from the threat right in front of them all. He couldn't let anything happen to either family, he was responsible for both families and always would be. The arrival of Nimrah had never changed his responsibilities as Guardian of the Lennox family. He knew that he would never be able to live with himself if something happened to any member of either family.Folding his cannons away, adding a touch of brute force when the left one refused to cycle smoothly back into its housing, Ironhide sunk down to sit on the tarmac and rested his forearms on his knees, hands palm up and loosely open.'Release the Lennox family and I will give you the locations of several Autobots.' Ironhide offered, his focus on the leading human in this situation.'Ironhide, no.' Ratchet uttered, drawing Nimrah closer and staring at Ironhide in horror.'Lockdown, release my mate and daughter and I will give you the prize you seek. Ain't hard to tell you want Prime, there's no one else on this planet worth your attention.' Ironhide continued, looking up at the Bounty Hunter. "Calm down Ratch, I know what I'm doing.""This is a stupid plan, 'Hide." Ratchet chastised, unable to believe what Ironhide was doing. "I can't believe you're going to give the others up so easily.""Never said I was going to give up easy. Trust me Ratch, I've already activated my old Guardsman Protocols. They won't get anything of value." Ironhide chuckled, those words sending a flash of relief through Ratchet's neural net. "I've got this covered but I need you to trust me on this.""I trust you with my life, 'Hide. But I will not leave without the Lennox family. Make your deals, but make it clear that we leave together." Ratchet instructed, tucking Nimrah closer to his side to comfort and protect her. "I will take over your guardianship of the Lennox family.""Thank you, I was concerned about their fate." Ironhide sighed, sagging a little where he sat.'What makes you think I have any interest in this deal?' the human asked, looking up at Ironhide with anger and frustration in his eyes.'Three humans in trade for at least nine Autobots. What do you have to lose?' Ironhide taunted, completely at ease with the situation. 'Think about it Lockdown, Ratchet isn't worth much compared to the Prime.'Keeping Nimrah tucked close, Ratchet dropped to one knee and waited, still ready for a fight but willing to trust Ironhide in this. Most people forgot that Ironhide did have a tactical mind, he simply preferred to shoot first and think later. But this situation was a timely reminder that Ironhide was more than just a frontliner, he had served the Prime long before war broke out and likely would continue to serve for a long time to come.'Very well, we have a deal.' Lockdown agreed, returning to Ironhide's side and aiming at his head. 'Where can I find Optimus Prime?''Last check in put him here, heading west.' Ironhide offered, displaying a map of the US/Canada border and a single flashing marker giving a location. 'Town called Yellowknife.''Keep talking, Autobot.' the human leader added, signalling for his men to release the Lennox family. 'Where are they hiding?''All across the planet.' Ironhide replied, expanding the map to a global scale and bringing up dozens of markers. 'Can't be sure who is where, only signals I can identify always belong to my family and my Prime.'Reaching out to scoop the Lennox family up, Ratchet held them to his chest and stood, staring with saddened optics at Ironhide as he sat there quietly, the map spinning slowly in front of him. But as he started to turn away, Ratchet stopped and watched in silence as Ironhide ejected a control module from his chest. Pulling it free with two fingers, he placed it on the ground and withdrew his hand.'A wise choice, Autobot. You won't need that anymore.' Lockdown remarked, picking it up and crushing it in his hand. 'Do not think you can fool me, Autobot. If your Intel is wrong, I will hunt down your family.''They can't tell you anything, Lockdown. No doubt these humans aren't finished with me yet, you'll have plenty of time to come back and have another go at me as many times as you need.' Ironhide snarled, refusing to let Lockdown anywhere near his family.Almost pulled off his feet when Nimrah finally broke his grip, Ratchet shifted his grip to protect the Lennox family and watched with great sorrow as Nimrah once again latched onto Ironhide and begged him not to do this. Keeping the Lennox's close to his chest, Ratchet closed the distance and crouched, reaching out to wrap his free arm around Nimrah lovingly. Nodding faintly as Will and Sarah got a firm grip on his frame and supported Annabelle between them, Ratchet wrapped his left arm around Ironhide and rested their helms together.'Nimrah, baby girl, I need you to be brave for me, okay. I know this is scary but you're a brave girl, I know you can handle this without me to guide you.' Ironhide uttered, gathering his family to him as he spoke. 'I need you to do something for me, okay?''What can I do, daddy?' Nimrah asked, lifting her head from his chestplates.'I need you to help your momma watch over the Lennox family. I want you to watch over Annabelle and keep her safe. Your momma can keep track of Anna's parents but I need you to help out by watching over Anna.' Ironhide directed, stroking her back lightly. 'Can you do that for me, sweetspark?''I'll take care of her daddy.' Nimrah nodded, drawing back slowly. 'I'll be brave and strong, just like you. I'll miss you so much daddy.''I'll miss you too, sweetspark, so very much.' Ironhide replied, releasing her and turning his attention to Ratchet. 'I'll miss you both, but I take comfort in knowing you will watch over Nimrah and the Lennox's until this is sorted.''I will keep them safe and out of Cemetery Wind hands, I give you my word.' Ratchet promised, making sure the Lennox's were safe. 'I'll be waiting for you, no matter how long it takes. I love you, never forget that.''I love you too, Ratch. Always and forever, you're my number one. Be strong, this separation won't last too long.' Ironhide uttered, nuzzling Ratchet's cheek tenderly.'I will find you again, I won't let these people keep you from us.' Ratchet insisted, nudging Ironhide's head up and kissing him softly. 'I will keep everyone safe.'Pushing down his desire to fight back and rescue Ironhide from this sticky situation, Ratchet drew back and stood, relieved that Nimrah came to him without any arguments. Turning slowly, they walked away from Ironhide and kept walking when he cried out in pain. Cycling his optics, Ratchet stopped Nimrah from looking back as they passed through the human blockade. Crouching and setting the Lennox family down, Ratchet waited for Nimrah to transform before taking to his wheels and inviting the family inside."I'll be waiting 'Hide. Just tell me where and I'll bring the pain." Ratchet sent, hating that he was leaving but unwilling to risk their family further."I know, Ratch. Soon as I know where, I'll let you know." Ironhide replied, the pain echoing across their bond. "Look after our little girl.""With my life." Ratchet promised, leading Nimrah away from the scene.#~#+^*^+#~#Leaving Mississippi behind them, Ratchet drove all night and through the next day, leading Nimrah as far away from Lockdown's last known location just in case the Bounty Hunter tried to go back on the deal. They only stopped for food and toilet breaks, everyone tense and nervous as they pressed on through a second night and into a third day on the run. Will had asked where they were going several times but Ratchet couldn't give him a straight answer. He didn't know where they were going and he wouldn't until they arrived.But finally, at 6:27 am on the forth morning of their run, Ratchet found what he was looking for and turned into the darkened driveway in a quiet suburban street. Sending the code to open the garage door, he slipped inside and waited for Nimrah to pull up beside him before closing the door and silencing his engine.'Huh? Wha's goin' on?' Will slurred, lifting his head slowly from the cradle of his seatbelt.'We have arrived.' Ratchet declared, pushing his scanners to the limits to check for threats.'We're in a garage?' Sarah questioned, barely awake but at least she was seeing some details.'Yes, this is one of Emily's old safe houses.' Ratchet confirmed, satisfied that no one had followed them. 'Do not be alarmed, I will switch to using my holoform now. I picked the name Rachael Hunter and Nimrah chose to be Natalie.' Jaw dropping as a figure literally appeared out of nothing beside the now silent rescue vehicle, Will could hardly believe what he was seeing. The woman standing out there looked nothing like what he had pictured Ratchet might look like as a human. Will was almost embarrassed to admit that he had thought about it a lot ever since Optimus had revealed his Martian holoform years ago. He had expected some bookish looking woman with her hair pulled back and a lab coat, not this rebellious young woman before him.Of average height and a little on the curvy side without appearing chubby, she wore simple blue jeans and a white singlet with thin straps to show off the realistic and colourful galaxies and planets covering her arms all the way to her wrists. Her long black hair framed her face, highlighted by a thick streak of pure white hair cascading over the right side of her face in gentle waves. Eyes as blue as the summer sky, enhanced by a touch of blue eye shadow but the makeup was smudged from tears.Opening the door and jumping down, Will approached her and reached out to rest one hand on her shoulder lightly. Giving her every chance to reject him, Will pulled her into a gentle hug, whispering soothing words in her ear as Rachael broke down and wept on his shoulder.'Mom?' another voice uttered, a voice Will almost recognised.Turning a little, he looked at the young teenager standing beside Nimrah's form, smiling softly as Rachael beckoned her closer. Natalie looked just like any teenager, wearing cut off jeans that barely reached halfway down her thighs and a tight blue t-shirt with "You Wish You Could Have Me" written on it. Showing off a rebellious streak, she had her nose and left eyebrow pierced and bright green streaks in her long brown hair. At the moment Natalie was barefoot and seemingly unconcerned about the dirty floor as she ran over and wrapped her arms around Rachael's side.'We'll be okay, sweetie, we'll get through this.' Rachael uttered, holding her daughter close as they tried to adjust to the empty space where their husband and father belonged.'If there's anything you need, anything at all, we're here for you both.' Sarah offered, joining the supportive embrace.'You are very kind, Sarah but all we can do now is wait. I called ahead and had a contact stock the house with everything you will need, the rest is in the hands of fate.' Rachael sighed, lifting her head slowly.'I'll get Anna, you three head inside.' Will guided, heading back to the silent Humvee and opening the back door to retrieve his little girl.Finding solace in the presence of friends, Rachael and Natalie managed to push their grief aside for a little while and make sure the Lennox family were settled in properly before retreating to the living room and sitting down together.'Mom, are you sure dad will find us?' Natalie asked, cuddling closer to her mother.'One way or another, we will be reunited.' Rachael nodded, looking at the interlocked hearts inside her left wrist.'And I will be right here to make sure of it.' Will promised, leaning on the back of the couch. 'I mean it, he is my friend and I won't leave him to suffer.''This is not your battle, Colonel. Harrison wouldn't want you involved in this.' Rachael insisted, shaking her head quickly. 'He told us to keep you safe and that's precisely what I'm doing.''My ladies will be safe here, no one else even knows we're here. I'll talk to Sarah, she won't begrudge me a chance to repay the debt.' Will countered, coming around to sit beside the women and put an arm around Rachael. 'He traded his freedom for mine, for both our families. I can't just sit back and do nothing.''Alright, fine but if Sarah says no, you stay put.' Rachael agreed, her reluctance showing on her face. 'Deal?''Deal.' William nodded, getting up again and heading to speak with his wife.
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Feeling far more awake after a few days in the care of this particular human and his family, Blade surreptitiously stretched out his suspension while all eyes were off him and settled in for another long day doing nothing and waiting for someone to realise they were here. It was boring to pretend to be an ordinary truck, even the chats with the nearby Wreckers were getting a little repetitive now and there had been no word from anyone else."Attention all Autobots; Blue Knight has fallen. Attention all Autobots; Blue Knight has fallen." Ratchet's voice broke the silence, his words sending a chill though Blade's systems."Oh Primus, not again." Optimus uttered, fear and horror flashing across the bond."He can't be dead. Their bond is too strong; his death would have claimed Ratchet as well." Blade insisted, refusing to believe that one of their best was dead. "My guess, Cemetery Wind caught him. Think Optimus, what would Ironhide do if that is the case?""Guardsman protocols. He would enable his Guardsman protocols and do everything in his power to ensure anyone who did capture him could not use him as in Intel mine." Optimus replied, memory circuits bringing up the ancient protocols. "He can give coordinates but the protocols mean he can never give coordinates within five miles of any Autobot signal.""So he can make Cemetery Wind chase their tails, giving us a chance to escape?" Blade asked, trying to keep Optimus focused so he didn't break their cover."Yes, along with their new ally. The Bounty Hunter, Lockdown, I picked up his signal in Mexico. I did not put the pieces together until recently." Optimus sighed, reaching out across their bond."It's okay Optimus, this disaster caught us all off guard. We'll get through this, together." Blade soothed, sending love and care through the bond. "It's not your fault."Cade Yeager had become a near constant companion, right now he was mostly under Optimus working on repairing the damage done in the Mexican ambush. Blade wasn't surprised Optimus was uncomfortable, he didn't like anyone poking around in his systems, much less an unfamiliar pair of hands.'Dad!' Tessa called, signalling a new potential problem as Cade rolled out from under Optimus.'Coming!' Cade replied, getting up and hurrying towards the door.'Are you working with lasers? If so, I'm not coming in.' Tessa continued, her voice getting closer.'You guys have never seen a truck like this before. Get in here.' Cade directed, opening the smaller door and yanking his daughter inside. 'Lock that door.''It doesn't have a lock.' Lucas replied, pulling the door closed behind him.'Look! Look at the hole in the radiator. Look at the size of it. Something blew a hole in it.' Cade declared, super excited about his discoveries.'Yeah, so?' Lucas asked, following Cade back towards Optimus.'It's not normal steel. The shrapnel in the engine, it ripped all the connections apart. And watch, and this took some Cade genius. You are gonna love this.' Cade continued, climbing over the scaffolding surrounding Optimus."What should I do?" Optimus asked, reluctant to reveal his secret to these humans."Play your message. Speedshot and I agree that it's time to reveal ourselves to the Yeager family." Blade replied, not really surprised that Optimus was feeling low right now. His confidence had taken a heavy blow after Mexico.'When I hook this back to a working battery…' Cade finished, hooking up a battery and watching the sparks fly.Relishing the fresh power flooding through him, Optimus felt a little of his old confidence coming back and shunted some of it to his radio system as he started up the warning alert that kept him from spending time with his people."Calling all…calling all Autobots."'Oh yeah. I don't think it's a truck at all. I think we just found a Transformer.' Cade declared, so proud of himself for the discovery."Well, close enough." Blade chuckled, fully aware that Cade was watching him as he stretched out his rear suspension again."Would you not bait the humans." Optimus sighed, concerned that Cade would figure things out too quickly."Relax, he's far too interested in you right now." Blade huffed, settling back into place and watching the humans panic.'Ahh! Evacuate!' Lucas yelled, turning and running for the door.'Wait! Guys!' Cade tried, jumping down and hurrying after them."Blade, Lucas just dropped an eviction notice. These people are going to lose their home." Optimus warned, training his scanners on the document on the ground."My wireless connection is still offline." Blade sighed, thinking for a moment. "Speedshot, you got a wireless link?""Sure do. What do you need it for?" Speedshot confirmed, sounding ready for some action."I want you to search for any bank accounts in the names of Cade Yeager or Tessa Yeager. If you find anything, I want you to make an anonymous donation to them from an untraceable account. I leave the amounts up to you but they just received an eviction notice and have been stealing power from their neighbours." Blade briefed, planning to make sure the Yeager's were around to enjoy their mysterious wealth once this was over."Alright, I'll get on it." Speedshot replied, sounding very pleased with the chance to help these people in thanks for their help with Optimus and Blade."Thank you Speedshot." Optimus offered, also grateful for this opportunity.'Dad, are you out of your mind?' Tessa asked, her voice carrying to the Autobots even though they were outside. 'You need to get that thing out of here.''You don't have to worry, I've been in there working all night. I'm fine.' Cade replied, his confidence unshakeable right now.'It's not a truck, okay. You're right. It's an alien killing machine.' Lucas agreed, severely uncomfortable with their presence.'Dude, its DOA. It's been recalled, totalled, done.''So, listen. There's a number that you call. You're supposed to call. The government, it's the American thing to do.''Here we go.' Cade sighed, sounding frustrated as Lucas went off about this hotline and the money available.'You're supposed to call and if it ends up being an alien, then you win 25 thousand dollars.''You don't win money.' Cade interrupted, doing his best to regain control of the situation.'And if you can capture it live, like tag it like a wild wildebeest, then you get 100 thousand dollars.''Dad, we're making the call.' Tessa insisted, refusing to listen to reason.'I heard that.''I've seen the commercials. They don't say that. That's not a guarantee.' Cade countered, unwilling to back down right now.Concerned that he had made a terrible decision and doomed them both, Blade shifted uncomfortably and focused on keeping Optimus from doing anything that might risk these humans. There was still a chance that this could be salvaged, still hope of making it out of this barn without trouble. It was all a matter of playing their cards right.'If that's a Transformer in there, from the battle of Chicago, I need to know how it works. I'm an inventor, this could be a game changer for me. If I could apply that technology to my inventions, we never have to worry about money again.' Cade was on a roll, determined to learn more before letting anyone else know what he had.'I've heard that before.' Tessa replied, still refusing to accept his words."Do you think we made the right choice?" Optimus asked, rocking on his suspension but being careful not to disturb the scaffolding around him."I believe we made the right choice. Cade reminds me of Wheeljack, he won't give up until his curiosity is satisfied." Blade replied, keeping a close watch on the humans when they returned.Cade went straight back to Optimus, completely oblivious to the fact he actually had two Transformers in his barn. Optimus took his tinkering with silent grace, trying his hardest to stay still when Cade caused pain by accident.'25 grand, it pays for my college, it pays for the house.' Tessa pushed, looking up at her father with angry eyes.'Besides, you used my money to buy the truck, right. So technically, that's my truck.' Lucas added, blinded by the false promise of money. 'Don't you think?''You also signed a contract regarding all research lab IP.' Cade replied, swinging down off the scaffolding.'Research lab? It's a barn, dude.' Lucas sighed, standing strong even though he had no idea what he was getting into.'You signed it and now you're competing. Any idea of yours is mine. Any thought you have, I own it. So basically, I own you.' Cade pushed, advancing on Lucas and sending him back a few steps as he spoke.'I don't think you can own someone. That was like a while ago, even in Texas.' Lucas replied, sounding a little hurt as Cade grabbed a heavy leather apron.'Alright, bring the torch over and help me hook the pulley on. I think the shrapnel took out its power core. Oh, and Tessa, you see this?' Cade continued, picking up a hammer and ducking under the scaffolding to give Optimus a few solid wacks with the hammer. 'Would an alien killing machine let me do that? Look, I'll make the call, we'll get the money. Just first, let me see if I'm right. You want to hide in the house? Go ahead. Let's go, pulley on.'"It is a good thing I have a high tolerance for pain." Optimus grumbled, adding a processor ache to his many injuries."You need it with all the trouble you find." Blade chuckled, wondering how much longer they would have to fake being trucks. "Speedshot, how is Beast?""She's back to 84% of optimum. Poor girl is missing her family though." Speedshot returned, his voice a reminder that they weren't alone in this."Keep her with you for now but when I give the signal, send her back to us." Blade instructed, keeping most of his attention on Optimus, Cade and Lucas.Flinching when Optimus cried out in pain across their bond, Blade braced for the worst and hollered as the missile Cade had removed from Optimus activated and went whizzing around the barn, leaving fresh burn marks and dents in Blade's frame before it disappeared out the door."Blade!" Optimus called, feeling better now that had been removed from his torso."I'm okay, just bumped those broken chest struts." Blade replied, diverting his self repair system to stabilise the struts.'Dad! There's a missile in the family room!' Tessa called, her voice getting louder."Now Speedshot." Blade ordered, hoping that Beast's return would help to keep Optimus calm.Sending out a shower of sparks, Optimus engaged his transformation sequence and hoped that he had enough power to make it through the sequence. It was a rough shift, some parts stuck and several low power warnings flashed across his primary circuits but he managed to regain his feet at long last.'I'll kill you all.' Optimus growled, staggering and almost falling as he went on a destruction rampage and reached for his favourite rifle. 'I'll kill you! Stay back!''No, don't shot! Don't shoot!' Cade cried, protecting his daughter behind him.'Call 911. Run!' Lucas yelled, getting up and racing across the barn, only to get knocked flying by Optimus' rifle.'Lucas, don't move. Just calm down.' Cade added, worried for his friend and daughter.'Easy human.' Optimus rumbled, clinging to Blade so he didn't fall again.'Stay there.' Cade uttered, looking to Tessa for a moment. 'He's not gonna hurt us.''Weapons systems damaged.' Optimus groaned, swaying dangerously again.'A missile hit your engine. But we took it out of you. You're hurt really bad.' Cade tried, keeping the second truck between him and the angry alien. 'We're just trying to help you. You're in my home now. I'm an engineer, my name is Cade Yeager.''Cade, I am in your debt.' Optimus nodded, wiping spilled energon from his lips. 'My name is Optimus Prime. My Autobots…they're in danger.'Unable to stay hidden when Optimus fell a second time, Blade backed right up to his fallen mate and activated his transformation, filling the air with a terrible sound as abused gears and strained cables were forced to shift suddenly. He was just thankful that the humans had enough sense to hug the walls until he was kneeling beside Optimus.'Two of them? Dad, what have you done?' Tessa yelped, pressing up tighter against the wall.'I am Blade, you have my deepest thanks for your assistance.' Blade offered, helping Optimus to kneel and holding him close.'We need to go. We need to go now.' Optimus insisted, looking down at the broken piece of his helm on the ground.'How far do you think you're gonna get?' Cade asked, moving away from the wall again. 'Tessa, come here. They need our help. What happened to you?''An ambush. A trap. Set by humans.' Blade replied, rubbing Optimus' back when he started coughing up clouds of exhaust. 'That's it, clear your system.''We escaped and took these forms.' Optimus added, lifting his head slowly. 'But you're on our side. Why would humans hurt you?' Tessa asked, staying back but at least she was trying.'They were not alone.' Blade answered, shifting onto one knee.'Our Autobots can repair us.' Optimus insisted, struggling back to his feet.'Yeah, if you can reach 'em.' Cade countered, looking up at the pair before him before moving to pick up the fallen armour piece. 'What about me?'The humans once again jumped and backed up when a familiar red, blue, black and gold motorbike rumbled into the barn and stopped nearby. This time the transformation was much slower, limb by limb until a much smaller Autobot stood up, balanced on their wheels.'Daddy!' the voice was clearly female, stunning the humans as she raced towards the two larger Autobots and latched onto them. 'I was so scared.''Beast, you're okay.' Optimus uttered, sinking back to one knee. 'I have been so worried for you.''You're safe now, little one, its okay.' Blade uttered, curling one massive arm around her. 'We are not so different, Cade. Family is important to us as well.'
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Sitting quietly and watching Cade working on the deep hole in Optimus' chest, Blade smiled softly as Beast continued to dance around her parents. She was always so careful, skating around the various bits and pieces scattered around and never once getting in Cade's way. It was almost perfect, her bright laughter filling the air as Cade continuing working to shape the metal he needed to continue repairing Optimus.'I admit, I never even considered that your people might actually have children.' Cade remarked, pausing to watch Beast spin around Optimus.'We might be machines but we still have the ability to breed and secure another generation.' Blade replied, reaching out to Beast and letting her take his hand so she could spin around him.'You took a hell of a hit, you know.' Cade continued, lifting his latest component and turning his attention to Optimus. 'Missile just missed your power source.''We call it a spark.' Optimus replied, watching over Cade even as he held one hand out to Beast and let her spin around him again. 'It contains our life force and our memories.''We'd call it a soul.' Cade nodded, also watching Beast for a moment.'Our sparks also allow us to form very powerful bonds with certain people. Family bonds are simple, allowing us to remain in constant contact with our offspring. We also form sparkbonds, our equivalent of marriage.' Blade added, shifting his position and welcoming Beast into his lap for cuddles. 'Feel better now, darling?''Much better daddy.' Beast chirped, snuggling into his chassis.Attention drawn to a shell casing lodged in his armour, Optimus started picking at it, knowing full well that his self repair system wouldn't be able to force it out. Twisting it between his fingers, he finally pried it loose and looked closely at it. Another reminder of Mexico, one he could do without.'Cade,' Optimus rumbled, flicking the casing aside. 'Why are you willing to help us?''Guess maybe because you trust me to.' Cade replied, firing up his welder in readiness.'Now isn't the time to question it Optimus, just let him work.' Blade chuckled, leaning back on one hand.'Daddy, can we go outside and play?' Beast asked, looking up at her father with such love in her golden optics.'Is your holoform generator functioning?' Optimus asked, double checking that his generator was functioning properly.'Yes daddy, Topspin fixed it.' Beast nodded, turning her attention to Optimus and smiling softly."Prime! Blade! Be on your guard! Cemetery Wind is inbound to our location! Repeat: Cemetery Wind is inbound to our location!" Leadfoot called, his words startling both leaders. "We will attempt to divert them.""Negative, let them come. We are ready for them." Optimus instructed, meeting Blade's gaze across the barn. 'Do not be concerned Cade, this is just another skill we have. We are able to use holoforms to interact with your world on an appropriate scale.'Jaw dropping as three golden glows appeared beside the ladder, Cade didn't know what to think as he looked at the three people standing there. There was no mistaking the family connection, the little girl was a perfect mix of her parents, bouncing happily as she held onto them both. He looked like he was in his late-thirties with a mop of black hair that looked blue when the light hit it and had the brightest blue eyes Cade had ever seen. Dressed in stained blue jeans, white t-shirt and an equally filthy red shirt with the sleeves rolled up, he obviously belonged with a truck. She had long brown hair, pulled back in a pony tail and dark blue eyes that shone with vitality. She also looked like she belonged behind the wheel of a truck, black jeans and broken in boots with a red tank-top under a white shirt with the sleeves ripped out. Their daughter looked so cute in her little red dress, dark brown hair pulled back in pigtails with bright blue bows and eyes the colour of the summer sky.Laughing softly, the woman reached up and nudged Cade's jaw closed, earning a chuckle from her husband before he lifted their daughter and set her on his hip.'Try not to drool, Cade. Betty is and always will be mine.' he grinned, tugging his wife closer.'I'm Betty, he's Orlando and this is Bethany.' Betty explained, relaxing into Orlando's side.'Blade, Optimus and Beast. I think I got it.' Cade nodded, still recovering from the shock. 'Go on, I'll be right here working.''Thank you Cade.' Orlando replied, turning and heading outside with his beloved family.Breaking away from her family to explain things to Tessa when she started screaming about strangers on the property, Betty got a rare chance to watch her husband and daughter acting like fools and having fun doing it. It was refreshing actually, a reminder of the good times before Cemetery Wind destroyed everything."ETA on Cemetery Wind?" Blade asked, trusting the Wreckers to watch out for them."Five minutes." Roadbuster answered, constantly watching for threats."we're also picking up on Lockdown but he's further out." Leadfoot confirmed, itching for a fight but still obeying orders for now."Be aware, Cemetery Wind has air support." Topspin added, voice full of a desire to kick some aft and soon. "We've recalled the kids for now, we don't want them caught in the crossfire.""Understood. Be ready, move in when I give the signal." Blade directed, relaxed and patiently waiting for the trouble to kick off.'Everything okay?' Tessa asked, reaching out to rest one hand on Betty's shoulder.'I'm back!' Lucas called, looking towards the house but at least this time he didn't freak out at seeing something unusual.'Took you long enough.' Tessa replied, shaking her head quickly.'My head hurts, I had to go to the doctor. I got a welt on my head that makes me look like a freaking Star Trek character.' Lucas complained, heading into the barn.'Suck it up Princess.' Betty uttered, earning a snigger from Tessa. 'Everything is fine, Tessa. Just checking in with some other Autobots that are nearby. They have spotted some signals that could mean trouble but we are not certain yet.''Have you told my dad?' Tessa questioned, worry flashing in her eyes.'Rest assured Tessa, we will not let any harm befall any of you. You are the first humans we have felt we could trust in over a year. You have reminded us why we chose to stay on this planet when our world was destroyed completely. For that, we all thank you.' Betty promised, wrapping one arm around Tessa's shoulders. 'Whatever happens, we will protect you.''That means a lot, thanks.' Tessa smiled, leaning into Betty's side. 'You feel so realistic.''That's what makes this system so special. We can fool any scanners or detectors with these forms, no one can tell we're not real unless we make a mistake.' Betty shrugged, turning her attention back to Orlando and Bethany. 'It's nice to be able to relax, this mess has made us all tense.'Sure enough, five minutes after Lucas returned, another cloud of dust drifted up, the wind bringing them the faint noises of several high power engines coming towards the house. The Autobots remained calm, continuing their games and idle conversations as they waited for Cemetery Wind to make their move.'Dad!' Tessa called, looking at Betty for a moment and trying to appear strong."Wreckers, stand by. We have bogies on the property." Optimus ordered, making sure to keep his holoform between Bethany and the approaching cars."We're in position and waiting for your orders." Speedshot responded, voice level and calm.'Be strong Tessa, we will protect you.' Betty uttered, squeezing her shoulder lightly before heading to stand with her family.Standing together, the two families watched in silence as several SUVs pulled up and at least 12 men climbed out, each heavily armed and wearing body armour. Bethany whimpered in fear, pressing closer to her parents but otherwise, no one moved as one man headed straight towards Cade and the rest spread out to cover everyone else.'Mr Yeager, my name is James Savoy. I'm a federal agent. My men and I are trying to track down two abandoned trucks.' their leader stated, looking around slowly. 'It's a nice spread you got here. Too bad she's for sale.''Well thanks but she's not. That one of the trucks you mean?' Cade replied, pointing to his old pickup nearby as he pulled on his jacket.'Afraid not.' Savoy responded, shaking his head faintly. 'You know, Mr Yeager, we received a call about someone concerned about these trucks.''Oh no.' Lucas gulped, drawing Orlando's gaze to him.'That wasn't you?' Savoy continued, oblivious to or ignoring Lucas' comment.'The only thing I'm concerned about is you being on my property without permission.' Cade countered, refusing to back down. 'You know, we got a rule about people messing with people from Texas and I don't know what trucks you're talking about.''The kind that costs American lives.' Savoy growled, turning to face Cade again. 'Search the property!''What do you mean search the property? You don't have a warrant.' Cade protested, glancing to Orlando for help.'My face is my warrant.' Savoy replied, leaning in a little closer.'Wait, but if you guys do find these trucks, we get a reward, right?' Lucas asked, backing away from the Cemetery Wind men with his hands raised."Can we leave Lucas behind for this?" Blade asked, activating his camouflage in the barn."As tempting as that is, we must protect them all." Optimus sighed, also hiding from the approaching enemies."I don't want to protect Lucas. He sold us out." Beast protested, taking cover and waiting for this to be over.Holding still and staying quiet as the Cemetery Wind goons searched the barn, the three Autobots prayed that their cooling fans didn't kick in while they were trying to avoid detection. From the way these people were acting, they had no idea that three Autobots were hiding right near them.'Let's go. There's nothing here.' one declared, moving away from where Optimus was hiding and heading for the door."Well, at least this lot isn't as clever as the last team." Blade uttered, still not daring to move."No Lockdown at the moment." Optimus replied, keeping perfectly still and silent.Outside, Orlando held his family close as the search team reappeared from the barn and confirmed no sign of the Autobots that were meant to be here. He was hoping that perhaps they would give up and move on, he'd heard similar reports from other teams out there.'Sir, we have a live, armed missile in the trash.''Live? I carried that to the trash! You told me that was a dud, dude!' Lucas called, horrified by how close he'd come to a live round. 'I could be dead. Right?'"We wouldn't be so lucky." Beast grumbled, wisely staying put for now."Beast, be nice." Blade sighed, but privately he agreed with his little girl.'Look, okay. Yes, I found two trucks, alright. I towed them back for the parts. I left them out here last night, this morning they're gone. When, where, I don't know. I swear to God, that's as much as I know about them.' Cade ranted, desperate to get these people off his property.Something Cade said set these bastards off though, something about his words upset them and no one could quite figure out what it was that had suddenly caught Savoy's attention.'Mr Yeager.' Savoy started, turning to follow Cade's path around him.'What?' Cade asked, turning to the other man but Optimus could read his fear.'Excuse me, you just said him.''No he didn't. Ya'll obviously ain't used to Texan accents, he clearly said 'em.' Orlando drawled, relaxing his grip a little.'Take 'em down!' Savoy ordered, unconvinced by Orlando's words.Listening to Tessa screaming to be let go and Cade insisting that no one else knew anything, Betty snarled and waited for one of the men to grab her before she took a risk and relaxed the solidity of her holoform just enough for his hand to slip through her arm. Turning sharply, Betty resolidified her form and lashed out, driving her knuckles into the nose of the man trying to grab her, shattering it and staining her white top with his blood.'What kind of a man betrays his flesh and blood brethren for alien metal?' Savoy asked, missing Betty's sharp actions. 'Get this guy out of my sight.''They don't know about the truck!''Alright, load up! Search the perimeter!''Lucas, you called? Didn't you?' Tessa screamed, struggling against the man holding her.Refusing to go quietly, Optimus waited for Savoy to at least be facing in his vague direction before flickering his holoform. Flesh and cloth disappeared, replaced by sharp angles and solid metal. With a roar of fury, Optimus tossed one of his would be attackers aside and flicked back to his human form before punching another man in the face.'Daddy!' Tessa cried, still fighting as Cade was thrown to the ground and pinned down. 'Let him go! Daddy!''Let her go!' Cade yelled, fighting the men around him. Even Lucas was resisting, seemingly surprised that they weren't being thanked and paid for capturing Optimus.Dissolving her holoform when someone grabbed her and lifted her off the ground, Bethany kept moving, ducking and diving to avoid reaching hands as Tessa was thrown down and Savoy put a gun to Cade's head.'Now, you've got ten seconds. Where's the truck.' Savoy demanded, taking a knee beside Cade.'What? You're gonna shoot my little girl?''If I have to.''Not if I have anything to say about it.' Bethany snarled, switching to her Martian form and tackling the shooter away from Tessa. 'Ya want an alien, come and get me ya asshole!''They don't know. I told you everything I know. He's gone. He left. He was in the barn. I swear to God. You let her go!' Cade offered, desperate to protect his little girl."Enough of this! We reveal ourselves now!" Optimus growled, flickering his holoform again."Wreckers, make your move." Blade ordered, letting two men get close before disappearing from sight and letting them smash into each other. "Optimus, you leave first. I'm going to need space for my next stunt.""Understood. Beast, you take off now. The Wreckers are inbound but I want you clear when we make our appearance." Optimus instructed, aware that she would not like the plan."I'll be close by, daddy." Blade confirmed, not happy but willing to trust her parents.Firing up her engine, Beast broke cover and peeled out, sending a carefully arranged pile of stuff everywhere and bowling over one of the searchers before she shot out the doors and raced towards Savoy and the Yeager's. Kicking up a cloud of dirt and grass, she blasted through the fence and away, leading two of the Cemetery Wind vehicles on a merry chase."Wreckers, Beast inbound to your location with two bogies. Would appreciate a hand with them." Beast reported, making sure the two chase vehicles never lost her."Copy that, Beast. We're in position, bring 'em past." Topspin replied, flashing her a location for the rendezvous.Vaulting out of his hiding place beneath the floor, Optimus crashed through the boards covering him and sent their enemies flying in every direction. Grabbing for anything that would work as a weapon, he sent Cemetery Wind a very clear message about why it was a bad idea to mess with the Autobots. Blowing out the front wall of the barn, he ran and jumped, rolling through the collapsing wall and pushing to his feet in one smooth motion. Rifle out, he returned fire against the humans all around and moved away from the damaged barn, waiting for Blade to make his move and join the fight.'Cade, they're going to kill you! Get out of here!' Optimus roared, putting down cover fire for the terrified family.Dropping the cloaking system he was so proud of, Blade took two running steps as he activated another subsystem buried deep in his programming. Kicking off, he pushed his transformation gears to the limit and engaged his engines before the last panels had locked into place. Pushing his body to the limit, he raced skywards and rolled gracefully, angling towards a helicopter that was currently harassing the Yeager's."Incoming missiles!" Blade warned, his scanners much better suited to aerial work than ground systems. "I have Lockdown on my scanners.""We must protect the Yeager's first." Optimus replied, still trading fire with Cemetery Wind."Alright, I'll deal with the air support first." Blade agreed, adjusting his track and blasting past the helicopter at full speed.The helicopter never stood a chance, the pass close enough to dent two of the blades and send it into a critical nosedive as Blade pulled up to avoid the incoming missiles. Flipping over again, he saw Speedshot and Topspin racing across the grass to join the fight and Rumble and Frenzy working to protect a white and blue rally car also racing into the battle. Opening his bomb doors, Blade swept around the burning home again and added to the chaos with several high explosive bombs."Check off two Cemetery Wind vehicles, we flattened 'em on Beast's call." Speedshot reported, swinging around and running over two armed men."Protect those civilians. They are good people." Blade instructed, getting down incredible low and blowing over two SUVs with his engine wash."Copy that, Blade. We'll keep 'em safe." Leadfoot confirmed, appearing over the rise and swinging around to cover the rally car."That don't mean we're abandonin' ya though." Speedshot growled, continuing to work in close with Optimus to keep Cemetery Wind away from the civilians."Leadfoot and I will cover the civilians. You two watch the leaders." Roadbuster confirmed, spinning onto the scene and taking up a place beside the rally car. "Rumble and Frenzy are with us, Harley is assisting Beast."Tires screaming, Topspin slotted in behind Optimus as Speedshot took the lead and opened fire on the fools trying to block their path. Blade was still with them, proving ongoing air support just in case Cemetery Wind had more helicopters available or some heavy firepower hidden in one of the few remaining vehicles."Come on Optimus, floor it." Topspin called, spinning through a 180 and continuing to put out a wave of cover fire."I am doing my maximum speed as it is." Optimus replied, thankful for the cover but concerned about the Yeager family.#~#+^*^+#~#Showing off their speed and skills, Leadfoot and Roadbuster stayed close to the rally car without limiting where the driver could go to escape the pursuing black vehicles. Frenzy and Rumble stayed further out, weapons online as they waited for the perfect moment to strike. Kicking up the dust, Rumble spun and launched two missiles, flipping one SUV and making one of the low slung speedsters spin out."Head into the cornfield!" Roadbuster instructed, patching into the radio system in the rally car."Kids, cover us. You can move undetected through the field." Leadfoot added, blasting into the cornfield behind the smaller car."We're on it dad." Rumble and Frenzy replied, plunging into the cornfield and starting to hunt."Where do you need us?" Harley asked, bursting through the corn to take up a place in front of the rally car but off to the left."Spread out and deal with any chasers. We've got a couple of SUVs and two unidentified vehicles on our tail." Leadfoot instructed, slipping back to take up a rear position."We're on it Leadfoot." Beast replied, breaking formation and disappearing back into the cornfield. "Keep a sharp watch on those people, they are good friends.""We've got 'em covered Beast. You just worry about our tails." Roadbuster chuckled, ignoring the sting of corn against his armour. "But if they don't pick up the pace, we're screwed.""Human vehicles aren't as fast as us." Leadfoot sighed, taking out another SUV and picking up another incoming helicopter. "We need air cover! We've got birds inbound!""Copy that, I've got them on my scope." Blade confirmed, racing overhead to deal with the new threat. "Damn it, I could really use some extra wings up here.""That we can do. Amatol on scene." Splat called, racing low over the chase scene.Suddenly the air seemed filled with fighters, eight more joining the chaos and splitting up to cover both teams on the run. Blade turned and headed back towards Optimus, four F/A-18 Hornets falling into place behind him. Splat remained on station over the rally car, joined by two F-111's, an F-A-18E Super Hornet and a Dassault Rafale. Five more motorbikes also joined the chase, darting in and out of the cornfields and doing everything they could to keep the black cars away from the brighter rally car."Beast, get in close to that car and tell them that we're all on their side." Leadfoot ordered, bursting out of the cornfield."I'm on it." Beast replied, spinning around and tracking back to the rally car as she pulled up an older version of her little Betty holoform. 'Cade! Cade!''Betty? What the hell is going on?' Cade called, both hands latched onto the door as he tried to talk with the young woman.'Relax, any vehicle that isn't black with tinted windows is friendly. The fighters are also friendly, we have a strong aerial force.' Betty explained, shouting to be heard over the screaming engines and high winds.'How many of you are there?' Lucas asked, trying to hold on in the back seat.'Over 100.' Betty grinned, looking to the side. 'Incoming!'Hearing the call, Leadfoot gunned his engine and slipped in between the rally car and the black chaser coming in from the side. Taking the brunt of the impact, Leadfoot strained to avoid hitting the civilian car and continued driving, cheering on the comms as the chase car was riddled with bullets by Roadbuster."Nice on Buster, that's stickin' it to these assholes." Leadfoot praised, staying in beside the rally car and bringing up his holoform. 'Keep drivin', we'll be right beside ya.''Who are you?' Tessa called, staring at him in disbelief.'Name's Robbie but mostly it's Roadbuster.'"Meet and greet later! We gotta keep moving!" Leadfoot insisted, racing past the pair. "We've got houses coming up, I'll break a path."'Stay behind Leadfoot for the next part, we'll keep you covered.' Robbie guided, falling back to take up a rear position. "Close it in kids, things are about to get tight."Crashing through the first fence, Leadfoot shifted gears and spun, throwing up dust as he powered through the tight confines. He tried to keep the collateral damage to a minimum, seeing no reason to make a mess for these innocent people. Making a connection with the onboard computer of the rally car, Leadfoot created a HUD on the windscreen so he didn't lose their new friends in the dust cloud. That connection was even more important when Leadfoot narrowly avoided a large tree and picked up the rally car making the same close turn but the trailing SUV wasn't so fortunate, smashing into the tree violently.Leaving the houses behind, Leadfoot cut the HUD connection and hit the highway again, maintaining a lead position as the motorbikes spread out around the three cars. The fighter cover stayed close as well, staying above the buildings but close enough to do damage to anyone who threatened their friends."Leadfoot, let the humans take the lead. This is unfamiliar territory for us." Metric guided, taking a shot and destroying the engine of another chase car."Smart call." Leadfoot agreed, spinning around and slotting in behind the rally car. "We really do have to figure out how communicate with humans while in these forms.""Mention it to the mechanics." Roadbuster sighed, spinning through another 180 and returning fire when one of the SUVs let rip with a gattling gun. "That wasn't my fault.""Nope, that's human error." Odd Ball agreed, maintaining his distance from the overturned cars littering the street. "Emergency services have been contacted.""Roadbuster! Forward!" Crash hollered, spotting the problem but out of position to deal with it."I see it." Roadbuster confirmed, lurching forward and opening fire on another SUV trying to block them as the rally car spun through a tight 90 degree turn and powered away again. "Spin! Shot! We could use some extra tires over here!""On our way! Team 2 has the Boss!" Topspin replied, his voice carrying his joy at the fight.Screaming past traffic, Topspin and Speedshot joined the protection team with style, slamming into two of the low slung chasers and sending them flying into different buildings. Leaving matching black streaks on the pavement, they joined the team around the blue and white car, constantly watching for their next target.Realising what the human driver was planning, the Wreckers dropped into single file behind him, following him through the shattered glass of a building front and past stunned witnesses at incredible speeds. Bursting out through the back service entry, they continued their race to safety, boxed in by buildings but confident the youngsters out further and the aerial team above would warn them of any approaching trouble."Team 2 is danger close. Two running battles just became one." Streaks reported, opening fire on Lockdown in an attempt to protect Optimus."Copy that, Streaks. We're in position." Speedshot chuckled, pulling out of line and moving forward. "c'mon, let's show these assholes why it ain't smart to mess with us.""We're right with ya Shot." Leadfoot agreed, also moving forward and searching for targets.Taking a risk but feeling confident it was the right choice, Blade dropped altitude and transformed on the fly, ignoring the warnings the move created. Flaring out his wings, he managed to kick Lockdown off the building he was climbing and rolled to a safe landing a few meters away. Getting up, Blade turned and engaged his thrusters, charging at Lockdown again, determined to keep him away from Optimus. Moments later, four nearly identical Subaru WRX rally cars raced around the building and transformed, joining the fight against Lockdown as the Wreckers raced past with their target."I got this one." Topspin growled, switching gears and slamming on his brakes to drive his rear end into the nose of the pursuing car."Marked is ours!" Low Rider challenged, tagging another pursuer with a laser before shifting into her bipedal mode.Grabbing hands and getting up a rhythm, the four sisters closed in on their chosen car and timed it to perfection. Their line waved for a moment then Stryker was thrown forward, backed up by the momentum of her sisters. Leaving the ground, she led with her tires and tore straight through the roof of their target car. Skating up on either side of the damaged car, Flamer and Spook opened fire on the occupants, leaving the car uncontrolled in a headlong rush towards a wall. Spinning smoothly, the four motorbikes headed back to the main chase, proud of their skills and looking for another target.Up on the rooftops, Slash let out a howl as he was kicked off the roof and went plummeting towards the ground. There was no time for him to switch focus to his jet form but it turned out to be a moot point when he landed on another SUV chasing the Wreckers and squashed it flat. Getting to his feet slowly, he looked up just in time to see the rest of his small team disappear from sight with the sound of sheering metal and breaking glass."Bonfire! Windvest! Ghost!" Slash called, plucking a door from between his backplates and tossing it up towards Lockdown. 'Oh yeah, headshot!'"We're okay Slash, just took a tumble." Bonfire responded, sounding a little annoyed at the misstep. "New plan?""Focus on the black cars down here, we have to stop Cemetery Wind." Slash directed, turning and dropping back onto his wheels.Mostly ignoring the fight going on above them, the Wreckers continued their rampage through the abandoned industrial park, splitting up and chasing down their targets with efficient ease. The confusion only grew when Slash and his fellow rally cars joined the fight, sending up smoke from their tires as they tried to pull some of the chase cars away from the blue and white car still leading the pack. Windvest proved to be the greatest distraction, his paint scheme almost identical to the human controlled rally car.Engines screaming the loudest yet, the Wreckers formed a line and spun around, putting out a solid wall of gunfire and tearing apart two SUVs as Optimus jumped from the nearest rooftop and rolled over another one. Whipping around again, the loving family split again, sending their kids after the main target and breaking out to help Slash and his team with the distraction. The rest of the youngsters also scattered, taking pot-shots at their enemies and racing away before anyone could return fire at them.Helpless to do anything except keep civilians away and watch for enemies emerging from the buildings, the aerial team entered a holding pattern above the battlefield and used their advanced scanners to keep track of all the players in this deadly dance. Lockdown wasn't interested in them, making it much easier for the fighters to focus on where everyone else was. They all would have preferred to be down on the ground but there just wasn't enough clear space down there for them to really get into this fight.Pushing hard to keep up with the racing car, Rumble and Frenzy called the lead and shot through their transformations, barely losing speed as they came up onto their feet and levelled their rifles at the pursuing cars. Staying close to their target, they kept the chase cars back but the close confines and multitude of obstacles made it so much harder to get a clear shot at either vehicle behind them.'We're losin' 'em on the fifth floor.' Shane called, leading his pursuers on a merry chase through the building.'We're with you all the way, Shane.' Rumble nodded, vaporising a support pillar in an attempt to bring down a roof section on top of an enemy car.'Just remember we're here.' Frenzy added, jumping over some random debris on the floor.Throwing smoke bombs to further confuse their pursuers, the twins stayed with Shane as he raced up through the levels and then hit the flat on the fifth floor of this derelict building. Crouched low, the twins moved behind the rally car when they overheard Shane asking if Tessa was ready for something. But even they were caught off guard when the car did an incredibly sharp 90 degree turn and raced towards a set of heavy duty ramps leading out a gap where a window had once been.'Frag!' Rumble cried, out of time to make the choice and committed to the flight. "Apa!"'Shit!' Frenzy howled, launching high into the air and wondering if he would survive the landing. "Papa!"Sprinting to the location of his twins, Topspin transformed on the move and looked up, stunned and horrified to see his sons so far up and away from the building.'I've got Rumble!' Roadbuster called, calculating the trajectory and hurrying to the best guess landing zone.'I'm here Frenzy!' Topspin yelled, making similar calculations and moving fast to catch his little boy. 'Papa's got you!''Oh man, that's gotta hurt.' Leadfoot gasped, feeling a twinge in his chassis as the rally car slammed to the ground.Ignoring the escaping rally car and the human occupants, Topspin and Roadbuster caught their boys and dropped, protecting their sons against their chests as they rolled backwards to burn off the last of the momentum of the flight."Points for style, I'll give him that." Speedshot remarked, skidding onto the scene in a cloud of dust. "Everyone okay?"'A few dents but otherwise, we're okay.' Topspin nodded, sitting up slowly. 'Stick close Frenzy, I'll protect you always.''I know papa.' Frenzy replied, shaken to the core but relieved it was over.'Same over here, but that is definitely one for the Never to be Tried Again list.' Roadbuster sighed, getting up and setting Rumble on his wheels.'I don't plan on it apa.' Rumble uttered, huddling close to Roadbuster for a moment longer before letting go and returning to his alt-mode."Wreckers, move out! Lockdown is above you!" Metric screamed, breaking formation in an attempt to distract Lockdown from the shaken family.Leading the rest of the ground team to the area, Optimus blew his horn and popped his doors in clear invitation to the four people in the stricken rally car. It didn't take much for him to discover that the speedy little car was permanently disabled and the Yeager's would need a new way out of this mess.'Come on, move! Move!' Cade guided, climbing out as Shane grabbed Tessa by the hand and led her away.'My foot's stuck, wait!' Lucas called, struggling with his safety harness for a moment before finally getting free. 'Cade!''Lucas!' Tessa cried, turning back for him.'Wait! Wait!' Lucas repeated, starting to run as Lockdown appeared above them all.'Lucas! Lucas, above you!' Cade warned, eyes wide as Lockdown threw a grenade over the side of the building.'Fall back! Fall back!' Leadfoot roared, grabbing Harley and back-pedalling fast.'Oh shit! Now that's dirty!' Speedshot growled, taking a shot but missing the grenade. 'Come on, move it you four!'Flinching away from the explosions unleashed by Lockdown's grenade, the Autobots could only watch in horror as Cade, Tessa and Shane managed to outrun the devastation but Lucas was caught up in the tidal wave of molten metal and instantly turned to carbonised flesh and bone. The remaining three humans made it safely to Optimus and climbed into his cabin, horrified by the death of their friend and colleague.'Come on, get it! Let's go!' Shane called, trying to hurry Cade along."Autobots, form up and move out." Optimus ordered, pulling away from the factory and wishing it hadn't happened like this."Aerial team, spread out and keep us covered." Blade instructed, taking to the skies again and sending love to his mate. "It wasn't your fault Optimus.""Wasn't it? We did not have to bring these people into our war." Optimus sighed, turning his attention to his passengers. 'You have our sympathies. Lucas was a good friend.''Thank you.' Cade uttered, reaching out to pat his dashboard lightly.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Leaving the battles behind them and taking turns to take scouting runs to make sure they weren't followed, the team maintained a respectful silence as they headed out into the desert. The aerial team kept a particularly sharp watch for trouble, Blade sticking close to Optimus as the rest of the flight strayed out further."Calling all Autobots. Calling all Autobots. Gather at Rendezvous 32. The mission has changed. Repeat: gather at Rendezvous 32. The mission has changed." Optimus called, broadcasting the message on all the backup frequencies."Optimus, you need to rest. I can read your systems, you need fuel and rest." Speedshot warned, sending a rather pointed scan over Optimus."There's an old, abandoned gas station not too far ahead. It's isolated and we've got the aerial team to watch for anyone approaching." Ghost suggested, returning from another scouting mission. "We're still clear, no tails to report.""Very well, we will take a break at this gas station." Optimus agreed, reluctant to stop but he could admit that he needed to take a few minutes to stretch out.Pulling up at the forgotten station in the middle of nowhere, everyone made their own checks to be sure no other humans were around before transforming and sitting down to rest. Optimus in particular was unsteady on his feet, more collapsing to the ground than actually sitting down.'Our deepest sympathies on the loss of your friend.' Slash offered, taking a knee beside Optimus.'We stay here until we get the all clear from above. We are all targets now.' Speedshot added, looking down at the three humans they had to protect.'So we're hiding out now? That's the plan? We're takin' orders from a truck?' Shane asked, cuddling up to Tessa as he looked around. 'Or from a car?''You got a better idea?' Cade asked, turning to the young couple. 'Hey, move away from her kid. Don't…take your hands off her.''You would be wise not to push your luck, Shane.' Beast warned, blocking him from following Cade and Tessa. 'We made a promise to protect the Yeager's but you have no such guarantee.''Beast, be nice. Shane is clearly special to Tessa and that is reason enough to protect him.' Optimus sighed, stretching out and rolling onto his back. 'We may not know him but he did help keep Cade and Tessa safe.''I don't trust him dad.' Beast insisted, skating after the Yeager family..'Ratchet is gonna kick your aft when he sees this mess, Prime.' Speedshot drawled, guiding the rusty armour out of the way so he could take a closer look. 'Talk about a mess.'Scenting the air carefully, Topspin crawled across the flat ground slowly, ignoring the comments about his behaviour until he found what he was looking for. Breaking through the hard packed surface, he tossed the dirt aside and kept going, the smell growing stronger with each handful that went flying.'Topspin, what the frag are you doing?' Windvest asked, flaring out one armour panel and shaking out several squashed bullets.'I smell gasoline.' Topspin replied, still digging like crazy. 'It's not perfectly clean but it smells good enough for our needs.''It's probably dregs but it's better than nothing.' Speedshot shrugged, still working on getting Optimus patched up. 'Slash; get your brother down here so we can check him over too.''Already sent the message.' Slash chuckled, flaring out a set of solar panels and settling on the ground. 'Primus bless Wheeljack and this idea.''Ya look like a demented dog.' Shane remarked, still watching Topspin digging like crazy.'At least he's useful.' Windvest grumbled, shaking out more wasted ammunition. 'Revs is gonna kill me when he sees all these holes.''Just blame the human, ya wouldn't have gotten shot up if he'd picked a better place to play chase with those assholes.' Ghost shrugged, setting up his own solar panels and relaxing back.'Roadbuster, grab my ankles!' Topspin called, the dull sound of knuckles against a mostly empty tank ringing out.'All of you, that's enough. Shane is one of the few good humans around us, he risked his life for the Yeager's and I owe the Yeager's my life. You might not respect him but at least you can show him courtesy and kindness.' Optimus growled, pushing Speedshot back and sitting up slowly to look over his team. 'What is wrong with you all?''You don't get…' Leadfoot started but was silenced when Speedshot hit him in the optic with a casing he pulled from Optimus' armour.'Things have changed, Optimus. You can't expect everything to fall back into place like it used to be.' Speedshot sighed, planting one hand on Optimus' shoulder and pushing gently. 'We'll talk about it when you're stronger; right now you need to focus on recovery.''Hey, you got your mug there Optimus? Topspin says the fuel is good enough for our systems but only if your filters are fully working.' Roadbuster called, still bracing Topspin over the old tank.Producing his battered old mug from subspace, Optimus reached out to set it near the busy pair and settled back on the ground, submitting to Speedshot's rough treatment of his remaining wounds. The job wasn't perfect but at least it would keep him going until he could reach one of their medics."Do ya really have no idea why tensions are running high right now?" Speedshot asked, his voice soft on their private comm channel. "Not a clue?""No, what have I done so wrong?" Optimus sighed, looking up at the smaller mech beside him."Ya weren't there like ya promised. Ya gave us ya word that ya would never be out of range, we'd always be able to reach ya if we needed guidance. But ya weren't there. We called for days, tryin' ta reach ya to tell ya we'd managed to get a trace on Lockdown's ship but ya never answered us." Speedshot growled, tweaking a few wires in frustration. "Ya broke ya word and no one is ready to forgive ya so easily this time.""My comms were damaged in Mexico, along with many other systems. My self-repair system relegated my comms to the bottom of the list." Optimus admitted, resting one hand on Speedshot's arm. "I feel bad enough, Speedshot, please don't make this worse.""You'll feel worse when you finally talk to Mirage and Prowl." Speedshot warned, finishing his repair work and getting up. 'Ratchet is still gonna kick ya aft, Prime. No gettin' around it.''Thank you for the reminder.' Optimus sighed, sitting up and looking towards Roadbuster and Topspin. 'How goes the fuel search?''There should be enough in here for everyone to get a top up but its rough goin' down.' Topspin replied, emerging from the tank as he wiped one hand over his faceplates. 'High rust content and a lot of organic debris.'Not really interested in fuel right now, Beast stayed close to the only real shelter out here, listening as Shane, Cade and Tessa got into a minor debate about dating and Shane's life story. She didn't really like Shane, but he made Tessa happy and that's what really mattered to Beast. She actually felt a special connection to this young woman, they were both living with parents who sometimes forgot that their daughters had their own hopes and dreams for the future. She couldn't stop the flinch when Tessa partially blamed Optimus and Blade for what happened to Lucas, but she refused to give up on the chance of making friends with Tessa. They should never have stayed with the Yeager family but the damage was already done and now they all had to live with the consequences.Dropping into a crouch when Tessa emerged from the building, Beast produced a slightly scratched full helmet from her subspace and held it out with two fingers. There was a moment of hesitation before Tessa took it and turned it over in her hands.'Come on, you look like you need to blow off some steam.' Beast offered, revving her engine lightly. 'We won't go far but I think we could both use some time away from our parents.''Your dad is against dating too?' Tessa asked, pulling on the helmet.'Nah, I'm still far too young to date. He's just being overprotective and annoying.' Beast shrugged, dropping down into her alt-mode. "I'm still just a kid by the standards of my people. I've only been online for a few years."'I figured you were older.' Tessa remarked, mounting up and getting used to the feeling of a sentient motorbike under her."Tessa, my race is extremely long lived. My dad, Optimus, was online when dinosaurs roamed Earth. I believe one of my uncles was online when Earth was a molten mass but he guards his age fiercely. I'm still just a baby, I've got my whole life ahead of me, millions of years to chase my dreams and find my place." Beast explained, revving up and peeling away from the dilapidated building. "There's a big universe out there for me to explore."'I can't imagine what it's like to live that long.' Tessa uttered, holding on tight as Beast threw them through some tight turns and just enjoyed the chance to cut lose and have fun.#~#+^*^+#~#The team ended up spending the night around the gas station, the aerial wing coming down under cover of darkness and taking up positions around the lonesome building. Everyone kept their scanners tuned for approaching vehicles and recharged in shifts, constantly watching and listening for any problems. Despite the wishes of her parents to stay close, Beast slipped into the building and stayed beside Tessa all night, the two girls becoming firm friends in a cloud of dust and pebbles.But with first light, the fighters launched back into the air, spreading out and resuming their watch for Cemetery Wind or anyone else that might cause them problems. Cade had been busy, pulling apart the minidrone he had captured back on the farm and rigging it for remote control operation, giving them another way to get Intel without exposing themselves. They took everything of value from the old station, loading it into Optimus' cab and getting comfortable in the worn seats.Not exactly pleased about the orders they had been given, the eight race tuned Autobots split up and peeled out in pairs, doing everything they could to divert attention away from Optimus and his precious cargo. Speedshot partnered with Windvest, Low Rider slotting in behind them. Topspin ended up with Bonfire, Flamer and Frenzy joining them for the run. Leadfoot picked Slash, Striper and Harley patrolling ahead of them. Roadbuster and Ghost took the longest route, Spook and Rumble helping to keep watch on everything around them.The rest of the younglings formed their own team with Beast in the lead, swapping out their street fairings for the ageless lines of various Harley Davidson's. Producing holoforms of rough and dirty bikers, they stayed about a mile behind Optimus, constantly watching for threats and listening to reports coming in from their vast aerial net. They were the key to contact between air and land, their bonds with their fathers made for instant communication and rapid sharing of Intel to all parts of this mission.Rumbling along the open road, Optimus dedicated a large portion of his focus to getting some of his key systems up and operational again. His first priority was his comm system, he was tired of being stuck on receive only with no capability to respond to anyone beyond his family. After that, he intended to get his weapons systems back online, along with his holographic disguise, locator subsystem and Secondary Energy Supplementation subsystem. All four were important but Optimus was definitely looking forward to getting his turbine system back online.But for all his intentions to get his systems repaired, Optimus worried for the humans taking refuge within him, their grief still visible in their eyes as they stared out at the world around them. Cade was restless, shifting in the seat and running his hands over the steering wheel lightly. His heart rate and breathing showed more than grief, he was worried and trying to hide it from his daughter."Cade, I apologise for the destruction of your home and property. When this is over, we will find a way to help with the rebuilding process." Optimus offered, deciding not to reveal just how wealthy the Autobots were quite yet.'Provided we still have the land.' Tessa sighed, looking at her father for a moment."I assure you, the land will still be yours when this is over." Optimus promised, opening his glove compartment. "The yellow envelope is for you, Cade."Not quite sure how this would be taken, Optimus stayed silent and listened to the reports coming in from the rest of his team. So far there was nothing of interest to report, no one was tailing them and none of the scouting teams had discovered any potential threats.'You paid off my mortgage? Cleared all our debts? How did you do this?' Cade demanded, flicking through the documents presented to him."Before the Battle of Chicago, we met a woman who was extremely wealthy but chose to live a simple life and use her money to benefit other people. She was a huge help to us in our previous three battles against our enemies and provided us with a peaceful place to call home after the Battle of Chicago. For a few wonderful years, we knew peace and safety in our own homes but then we learned just how truly fragile humans can be. We take comfort knowing her end was comfortable, surrounded by those she cared about the most but it never stops aching. Ratchet is still trying to find a cure for breast cancer, as a final tribute to our dear lady." Optimus explained, remembering his last conversation with Emily before she left them "in her memory, all those who knew her keep a pink ribbon on their armour."'That's so sweet.' Tessa uttered, completely forgetting about the mysterious documents. 'She must have been quite the woman.'"I had never witnessed a human with such determination, courage and compassion until I met her. She showed no fear whenever she raced into battle among us, facing down opponents so much larger than she. Her loss was a heavy blow to all of us." Optimus sighed, projecting one of his favourite images of Emily onto his windshield. "She was perhaps not the human ideal of beauty but she was precious to us."'She left her fortune to you when she died, didn't she?' Cade asked, looking up from the documents to admire her soft smile and happy eyes."Yes, she wished to be certain that we would be comfortable and fully supported after she died. She had no family left, we had become her second family and she loved us as family. Her foresight ensured that even now, with the Autobots scattered across the country, we are not completely helpless." Optimus confirmed, shutting off the projection. "Her gift is how we were able to secure your home and remove the debt burden from your shoulders Cade. It is the least we could do for your help."'We could do? So this wasn't your doing?' Cade questioned, tucking everything back into the envelope and setting it on his lap."No, my wireless internet connection was damaged in Mexico so I asked Speedshot to make the arrangements and send me the confirmation documents. Beast went to retrieve the documents, using a holoform of you to confuse anyone who might be watching. As far as anyone is concerned, you have a clean slate now Cade." Optimus offered, relieved to be getting this all out in the open. "I hope that is not a serious problem, Cade."'I'm surprised but no, it's not a huge problem. Thank you for this, it's a huge weight off my shoulders.' Cade replied, amazed by the generosity being shown to them."Tessa, I understand that this has been a huge inconvenience for you. I overheard you mention your finals and we will find a way for you to take those exams so you can graduate." Optimus continued, doing his best to build bridges with these three. "It is possible that we could download a copy of the necessary exam papers, give you time to complete them and then transmit them back to your professors for grading."'You can really do that?' Tessa asked, sitting up a little more."I would need to confer with one of my technical experts but I believe we can make this work." Optimus reassured her, reasonably confident that the Intel team could make it happen.#~#+^*^+#~#Getting the all clear from every direction, Optimus pulled up near some little back blocks rest stop, Hole N" the Rock, and let his passengers out. He was just glad to finally have his comm system fully operational again, linking him back in with the wider Autobot network across the country. For now though, he didn't check in with anyone else, he needed to maintain his focus on the Yeager family.He watched silently as Cade used the stolen minidrone to try and withdraw money from an ATM, only to find that his account had been locked out. Turning the drone, Cade flashed the message written on the back of the card at the camera in the machine and flew it back to him as Optimus produced a new holoform and moved to crouch beside Cade.'Do not be alarmed, Cade. This is just another holoform.' he grinned, resting one hand on Cade's shoulder. 'Keep watch, I will return shortly.'Taking a rather circuitous route down from their staging grounds, Optimus slouched a little and relaxed as he wandered among the people, blending in with the few that were around and looking so incredibly normal. Totally calm and relaxed, Optimus accessed one of the many hidden accounts available to them and withdrew a few hundred dollars without concern. Turning and heading into the nearest shop, he purchased a selection of food and drink, along with some other essentials, talking with the cashier as he paid for everything and helped to bag it up neatly. Thanking the man for his help, Optimus turned and left the store, making his way back to his true body as police sirens filled the air. No one paid any attention to him, they were all far too interested in the few people still near the shops.'This should keep you all satisfied until we can reach another safe rest stop.' Optimus offered, holding out the bags to Tessa. 'I was not certain if it was necessary but there are a few personal items in the bottom of this bag for you all.''Thank you.' Tessa nodded, setting the bags on his fuel tank and looking inside. 'Come on dad, you need to eat something.''I would ask how you did that, but I don't think I want to know.' Cade sighed, returning the computer to the cab and catching the protein bar Tessa threw at him.'Human culture is not complex to replicate. We have spent quite some time hiding and pretending to be ordinary people, so a simple shopping trip is really nothing to be impressed by.' Optimus chuckled, helping to load everything up. 'But we should not linger, I am certain Cemetery Wind has already realised we are here.''So that's how you knew to get those specific items?' Tessa asked, handing up one of the shopping bags and climbing up into the cabin."I have hidden behind the faces of various women over the past year, I have come to understand certain female necessities." Optimus rumbled, scanning around to make sure they had everything before pulling out onto the open highway again. "I hope I did not embarrass you at all."'Not at all, I just wasn't expecting it.' Tessa replied, patting his dashboard lightly. 'Thank you.'"I will attempt to find a rest stop where you can all wash up. There are clean clothes in a duffel bag behind you." Optimus continued, picking up speed as he flicked a battered old duffle bag from his subspace. "They might not be a great fit but they are clean."'Where did that come from? I swear it wasn't there before.' Tessa asked, reaching out to take a look in the bag."Much like humans have pockets to keep things, we too have something like a pocket that can be used to store all manner of items. Most of us are carrying a similar bag of clothing, just in case it is ever needed." Optimus explained, deciding against trying to explain subspace to these people.'Aren't you worried about security cameras?' Shane asked, turning to start digging in the bag for clean clothes."Human security systems are easy for us to infiltrate. This would not be the first time I have entered such a system to hide something from Cemetery Wind." Optimus responded, still scanning for a suitable place so the trio could wash and change.He finally found an out of the way gas station that advertised the required amenities and reported his plan to the scouting teams around him as he turned to pull up among several other trucks in the parking lot. Linking into the security cameras around the building, he tweaked the feed a little so no one would ever know that any of them had ever been here."Here, take this in case you need anything else." Optimus offered, opening his glove box again and flicking his wallet to Cade. "Cash only, we must try to avoid leaving a trail."'You're way too good at this hiding thing.' Cade chuckled, tossing his real wallet into the glove box and tucking the new one into his back pocket. 'We'll try to be quick.'"I will be over at the wash bays, I could use a scrub as well." Optimus chuckled, waiting for the trio to climb down before heading towards the large bays towards the back of the lot.Pulling up in an empty bay, Optimus released yet another holoform, this one an older woman with weathered skin and grease stained clothes, sending her around to drop a few coins in the machine before grabbing the sprayer.'I've seen some beat down trucks in my time but that's a wreck, lady.' one of the other truckers remarked, looking up from polishing his shiny new rig.'Which is exactly why my husband will love it. He'll soon have this baby looking brand new and purring like a kitten.' Optimus chuckled, sweeping the water over aching panels. 'He always gets super excited when his birthday comes around, waiting to see what sort of junker I've found for him to play with.''Wish my wife was like that. She hates it when I have to buy a new part for this truck, anything more than that and she goes mental.' another driver agreed, tending to the wheels of his older model next door.'My Arthur knows I'll do whatever I have to so he can have a new project every year.' Optimus chuckled, continuing to scrub at all the aches and pains that had been bothering him since the farm. 'And I enjoy watching him take these old wrecks and make them beautiful.'Finishing his wash, Optimus pulled out of the bay and settled in the sun, rather enjoying the chance to warm his plating and direct the excess energy into his secondary power systems. Confident that the Yeager's would find him, he headed around to the diesel pumps to refuel and chuckled softly as Tessa returned to him, so much happier now that she was clean and fresh.'Do you think dad and Shane will ever get along?' Tessa asked, tossing her dirty clothes up into the cab. 'I want them to get along but I don't know how to help them accept each other.''They will come to terms with each other in their own time, Tessa. Have patience, they will figure this out.' Optimus replied, wrapping one arm around Tessa's shoulders as she continued to fill his tanks. 'Men are stupid, it takes them time to work things out.''Not all men are stupid.' Cade retorted, tossing his bundle up into the cab then settling beside Tessa. 'We're just a little slow sometimes.''A lot slow in some cases.' Optimus laughed, putting the nozzle away and turning back to the pair. 'Anything you need?''I could go for some chocolate. There was none in the bags.' Tessa nodded, turning and climbing up into the cab. 'And a soda would be nice.''Alright, I'll grab a few things.' Optimus chuckled, grinning at Shane as they crossed paths.Paying for the fuel and picking up a few more supplies, Optimus returned to his true form and pulled out, feeling better with full tanks and clean armour. He still looked like hell but at least he felt far more comfortable. His travelling companions seemed happier too, sharing the food he'd selected and watching the scenery flashing past outside. Optimus couldn't remember when he'd last felt so peaceful, certainly not since coming to earth, despite his best attempts to relax and find a new comfort on this strange organic world."It would be wise if you sealed all open drink containers. My scanners have picked up an approaching vehicle that will suit as a new disguise and the transition may not be smooth." Optimus warned, not really wanting any mishaps while he tried this. "I will warn you when you need to brace for the jolt."'What are you talking about?' Cade asked, screwing the lid onto his drink bottle and bracing his hands against the steering wheel."We are able to scan new disguises whenever necessary. This rusty disguise is no longer suitable so I have been watching for a new potential disguise and one is approaching." Optimus explained, locking onto the vehicle and continuing to rumble along. "Think of it like changing clothes but on a much larger scale."Still trying to make contact with the rest of the Autobots scattered across the country, Optimus closed in on his target vehicle and smiled internally as his companions braced themselves against his interior when they spotted the oncoming white truck. Bracing for what was certain to be a painful transformation, Optimus activated his scanning subsystem and grunted in discomfort as the shift sent up smoke and sparks, fresh pain flaring through his sub-frame and armour. Rocking and jerking, he shed his old appearance for a brand new, shiny finish.'Whoa! Oh my god!' Shane yelped, almost knocking himself out on the dashboard.Never losing speed, Optimus gratefully shed his old form, ignoring the various aches and pains that came up as panels shifted and reformed into new shapes. He was all too happy to abandon his cab-over form for a much more streamlined long-nose outline. Shedding scraps of rusted paint into the wind, his blue and red flames were revealed alongside gleaming chrome and once again he proudly displayed his Autobot symbol where the world could see it. At last he felt like the leader he hadn't been for the last year, now he was ready to step up and regain control of his troops in readiness for the big push against Cemetery Wind.Engine roaring proudly, he spread his image out to all his Autobots, letting them know that he was back online and fully functional at long last. They didn't need to know about the few subsystems that were still offline, none of those were overly important anyway.'That was insane! It was awesome but it was insane!' Shane cried, totally blown away by what had just happened."Speak for yourself." Optimus groaned, definitely feeling the sting of that rapid change.'You okay Optimus?' Cade asked, relaxing his grip on the wheel slowly."I will be, Cade. The moving rescan jarred many of my remaining injuries." Optimus replied, downshifting and easing the pace a little. "The damage is minor, my self repair systems will handle the worst of the damage."#~#+^*^+#~#Rumbling into the rendezvous site, the Wreckers reunited and looked around to see who else had made it to the rendezvous so far. There were certainly a few surprises, they hadn't expected to see Kup and Hot Rod so soon, or Throttle and his bros, let alone Mirage, Hound and Ratchet. Tank and Blaster had already arrived too, their kids racing over to greet their niblings with such joyous voices. Sending their kids to play, the four rally cars found a quiet place to relax and cuddled up in their bonded pairs, watching their friends and reaffirming their bonds quietly.Engines roaring as they arrived over the rendezvous, the aerial detachment dropped down and transformed, landing lightly amid their friends and calling out greetings to those they hadn't seen in a while.'Oh yeah! Hell yeah! He's back! He's alive! Optimus is here!' Hound roared, unleashing a wave of gunfire into the air.'It's about time.' Speedshot grinned, snuggling Topspin and Leadfoot closer to him.'He's going to be shocked to see some of those already waiting for him.' Roadbuster chuckled, stretching out behind his mates.'Here comes Voodoo and Shard!' Tank called, pointing towards another approaching group.'At last, there is hope after all.' Drift remarked, launching off another mesa and shifting into his helicopter mode.'Never doubted him.' Revs chuckled, flaring out his wings and following Drift towards the meeting point.Splitting from his brother, Rictor dropped dangerously low and released his magnetic locks, depositing Bumblebee and Racer near Ratchet before sweeping around, transforming and running off the last of his speed. Ripper and Thunder made their pass a few moments later, dropping Camill and Lightning into the welcoming arms of their uncles before they too transformed and ran off the excess speed.Plate, Emission and Braidy were next on scene, transforming on the wing and dropping to earth with their daughters in their arms. Next came Daytona, Tar and Dakota, the trio landing lightly on the dirt and releasing their daughters before gaining their feet and calling greetings to those already onsite.'I'd almost forgotten how good it was to have everyone around.' Throttle remarked, embracing Braidy warmly. 'Welcome home, bro.''I'm so excited and I just can't hide it.' Bumblebee chirped, holding Rictor and Racer close to his sides. 'I'm about to lose control and I think I like it.'Rumbling towards the rest of the gathered Autobots, Optimus could hardly believe what his scanners were picking up as he headed deeper into the rendezvous location. His joy only grew as he was joined by Kawasaki, Hammer, Chain and Scorpion, the four mechs running along beside him as their daughters raced towards their cousins.'Mister Leader of the free galaxy is back.' Chain laughed, looking up as Drift and Revs swept down to join them.'We knew you'd make it.' Kawasaki added, spotting Blade and Beast coming towards them. 'We never doubted you.''We heard your warning. We've been waiting.' Drift nodded, punching Hammer lightly and bowing his head to Optimus.'Oh yeah! Boom time!' Hound cheered, jumping down from the rocks and coming towards them.'We've got the gang back together.' Speedshot crowed, looking around slowly.Still the aerial wing kept arriving from every direction, delivering their children into reaching hands and returning to the ground to embrace their brothers with such happiness. Optimus took a few minutes to just sit there and watch the fighters arriving, his spark lifting as the younglings reunited and pulled their parents back into the joy of the full unit. He was a little concerned to see Ratchet without Ironhide or Nimrah beside him but he pushed that thought aside and simply enjoyed the moment.Shaken out of his thoughts when Cade opened the door and half climbed out to look around at the incredible gathering all around them. Giving a gentle shake, Optimus waited with diminishing patience as the three humans unloaded their belongings and jumped down, moving back to give him space to transform and stand.'Humans have asked us to play by their rules. Well, the rules have just changed.' Optimus declared, welcoming Blade and Beast into his arms.'Human beings. Bunch of backstabbing weasels.' Hound groused, shedding his weapons as he approached Optimus.'Hound, find your inner compass. Loyalty is but a flower in the winds of fear and temptation.' Drift offered, totally calm amidst all the excitement.'What the hell are you sayin?' Hound asked, turning to the smaller bot beside him.'It's a haiku.' Drift replied, keeping his gaze on Optimus.'Cut the crap before I drop a grenade down ya throat.' Hound growled, plucking a grenade from his armour and yanking Drift around.'Try it! You'll be dead.' Drift countered, getting out of his swords out and putting the tip to Hound's throat.'Oh please, pull it. Please do it.' Hound coaxed, unconcerned about the smaller Samurai bot.'You know what? It'd save us so much time.' Bumblebee encouraged, watching the pair closely.'Look out below!'Everyone looked up, various expressions on their faces as Crosshairs made his appearance over the team, parachutes flaring out behind him. But something went wrong, one chute suddenly deflating and sending him into an uncontrollable spin. Pushing through the group carefully, Optimus planted his feet and reached out, bracing for the impact and hoping that his troublesome hip stood up to the added weight. Dropping his weight a little more, he caught Crosshairs safety and set him on his feet, just grateful that the paratrooper had retracted his chutes before impact.'Much appreciated Prime.' Crosshairs nodded, his smile growing as Smash raced up and moulded to his side. 'Ah'm okay lil' one.''We were so worried.' Smash uttered, burrowing under his coat.'Well raise ya hand if ya thoroughly disenchanted with our little pleasant earth vacation.' Crosshairs sighed, resting one hand on Smash as he pulled one of his firearms and took aim at Cade and his family. 'So who's the stowaway?''Whoa, hey, what's with the gun?' Cade asked, keeping Shane and Tessa behind him as Hound rolled into position and levelled one of his largest weapons at them.'Stop! Hound! Both of you!' Optimus ordered, moving closer to Hound's back. 'They've risked their lives for mine. We owe them.''Yeah, not all humans are against ya!' Lennox called, dropping down from where he'd been hiding behind Ratchet. 'These bastards threatened my family too!''Colonel Lennox, I did not expect to see you again.' Optimus rumbled, sinking down to one knee.'The feeling is mutual. You pissed off without so much as a goodbye and almost a year later, my family is ripped from their beds and threatened with death. I'm just thankful that Ironhide was able to pull off a deal that kept my ladies safe.' Lennox growled, turning to Cade and his family and offering his hand. 'Name's William Lennox, I've known these bolt buckets for several years.''Usually they don't cut and run from friends but times change.' Sam added, jumping down from Mirage's extended hand. 'I'm Sam Witwicky, the first human to make contact with the Autobots. I don't know who is responsible but they will pay for threatening my wife and son.''This is becoming a concerning trend.' Slash remarked, looking up at his older brother. 'Three families, each with the same story to tell.''Just goes to show Cemetery Wind is a bigger concern than we allowed for.' Blade sighed, shaking his head slowly. 'We can argue about who did what latter, Colonel. Right now, I suggest we find shelter and get some fires going while we wait for the rest of the team to arrive.''At least you know your wife and daughter are safe, Colonel. Show some compassion for those of us with no such promise.' Ratchet added, dropping back to his wheels. "Come on, I'd rather not be in the open when the next satellite passes over."#~#+^*^+#~#Setting camp near the largest mesa in the area, the Autobots set several fires and spread out, scratching out their spots in the dirt as they waited for the few stragglers to arrive on scene. There was still hope but they all worried that those who had yet to arrive would never make it to the rendezvous.'Has anyone heard anything from those still absent?' Optimus asked, looking around the gathering slowly.'Falcon said he'd be here tomorrow around midday.' Bits replied, looking up from his peacefully recharging daughter.'Sunstreaker and Sideswipe reckon they'll make it late tomorrow.' Streaks reported, shuffling his wings quickly.'Fang and Fog should be here soon, Fang wanted to check on something first.' Shift offered, holding Gear Grinder close.'No word from Wheeljack or Perceptor, I'm worried about them.' Bandana sighed, rearranging his rotors and laying back.'The Knight brothers should be close, they were just finishing up some plan when we passed them.' Tank added, rocking Eject and Rewind slowly.'Prowl and Jazz still have a long way to go. They're estimating to make it by tomorrow night.' Thunder briefed, concern in his dark blue optics.'Anyone heard from Terry and Steve?' Blade enquired, worried for their youngest fliers.'Been silent for the last six months. Been tryin' to re-establish contact but nothin'.' Braid rumbled, rocking his younger twins slowly. 'Ain't like 'em to just disappear.''That is concerning.' Optimus agreed, sharing a worried look with Blade.'What about Ironhide and Nimrah?' Kup asked, turning his attention to Ratchet. 'Where are they?''Nimrah is at safe house 41 with Sarah and Annabelle Lennox. Ironhide traded his freedom to ensure the safety of myself, Nimrah and the Lennox family, we fled Mississippi and didn't stop until we reached the safe house. Before we were torn apart, Ironhide made Nimrah promise that she would watch over Annabelle as faithfully as he watched over the Lennox family previously. She refused to leave them when we got the call to rendezvous with the main force so I let her stay and guard the women.' Ratchet explained, looking away quickly. 'I cannot read where Ironhide is located.'Recognising that something was deeply hurting Ratchet, Optimus moved to kneel beside him, reaching out to wrap one heavy arm around trembling shoulders. It wasn't much but the weight seemed to bring some comfort to Ratchet, some illusion of security and safety when his world was upside down.'He traded Intel for our safety, promising your location if Lockdown released Nimrah and I. He also showed the humans the locations of several Autobots in trade for the safety of the Lennox family.' Ratchet continued, looking up at Optimus.'That traitor!' Hound snarled, bristling with fury over Ironhide's apparent betrayal.'Ironhide is no traitor! He's still got his Guardsman Protocols! They might be ancient but they still function. His locator system is completely messed up, he doesn't even know where he is!' Ratchet shot back, lurching to his feet. 'He did what he had to do to protect his loved ones.''I thought the Guardsman Protocols were removed millennia ago.' Optimus uttered, holding Ratchet back from doing something he would regret. 'Can you even get close to guessing where he is being held?''I've been trying ever since he was taken but no matter what I try, I keep getting different and strange locations. The only way we'll ever know for certain where he is, is if someone else reports his location to us.' Ratchet sighed, sinking back down slowly. 'The last time I tried to get his location, he told me he was 5.291 kilometres beneath Sydney, Australia.''And without a hardline connection from a direct superior, he can't shut off the Protocols.' Kup added, moving to sit near Ratchet. 'We'll find him, somehow.'Spotting something unusual in the flickers from the nearest fire, Revs pushed to his feet and moved closer to Crosshairs, peering at the ragged scars marring his long coat. They didn't look like battle scars but Revs couldn't think of any other reason for the damage.'There was an accident, Smash ended up hurt so I did what I could to help her. Take a look at her left thigh, she's still got the marks from the injury.' Crosshairs drawled, letting Revs look his fill at the scars. 'Kinda proud of those scars actually.''She's fine Revs, as ya can see. We had a difference of opinion and she came too close to the fight. Snapped her left thigh but the nanites Crosshairs gave patched her up real good.' Sidewinder added, pointing over to where Smash was playing with Roars and Harley.'She doesn't appear to be favouring her left leg but I'd still like to run a few scans.' Revs nodded, watching the kids playing some innocent little game.'Smash, c'mon over here for a moment.' Crosshairs called, patting his thigh lightly.'Okay Crosshairs.' Smash grinned, skating away from her cousins and dropping down in Crosshairs' lap. 'Cuddles!''Whatever you want, sweetie.' Crosshairs agreed, ignoring the stares from all around as he wrapped her in his arms. 'Nice and still, sweetie. Revs wants to make sure your leg is fixed properly. But I'll be right here, okay?''It doesn't hurt anymore, Uncle Revs.' Smash insisted, snuggling closer to Crosshairs.'Now that really is too fraggin' adorable.' Hound muttered, earning a hard glare from Crosshairs.Settled on a couple of suitable logs near one of the fires, the human contingent watched the Autobots relaxing and unwinding, laughter flowing a little easier now that so many of them were reunited. There was still tension in the air but it was nowhere near as thick or heavy, reassuring Will and Sam that everything would be okay eventually.'So that's our best case scenario? Autobot witness protection?' Shane asked, looking towards Cade and Tessa, now wrapped in a couple of light blankets Ratchet had given them.'Hey, speed racer, you're welcome to leave anytime.' Cade replied, shaking his head slowly.'Well, for the record super dad, I'm not hiding with you. I'm hiding out with that big guy.' Shane countered, pointing up at Optimus.'No, you'll stick with whoever you're assigned.' Blade countered, resting one hand on Optimus' shoulder. 'Fastest way for humans to die is to stay too close to the biggest targets.''Don't argue, just do as you're told. You'll live longer that way.' Lennox agreed, poking at the fire between them. 'Lost a lot of good men trying to stay too close to the big five. It's a little more complicated with so many around now but the best advise I can give is to keep your distance from Optimus, Blade, Ratchet, Ironhide, Slash and the Wreckers.''I'd put Hound and Crosshairs on that list too.' Sam remarked, lifting his gaze from the flames slowly. 'We've both seen what they're capable of.''Let's just be real smart and drop the humans off at a safe house somewhere. This is far too dangerous for civilians.' Slash offered, looking up at the emerging stars. 'Normally I'd say too dangerous for humans but Lennox and Sam have both proven more than a challenge for our enemies, both flesh and steel.''No, we keep them close to us. Cade is a gifted mechanic, he is the reason I am alive now. Shane is more than capable of acting as a decoy driver, you saw him in action Slash.' Optimus insisted, looking down at the humans with a faint smile. 'Tessa keeps them both under control and has become vital in furthering my human camouflage.''Alright but Lennox is responsible for keeping them safe.' Blade agreed, turning his attention to Lennox. 'Unless you don't want to keep them safe.''I'll do my best to keep them safe. I'm still pissed that you left us but I'll still do right by you all.' Lennox nodded, looking around at his new friends. 'If anyone objects to following my lead in this, fuck off now. The nearest highway is that way.''Straight to the point. It's no wonder Ironhide likes you so much.' Ratchet smiled, turning his attention to Lennox.Everyone looked up as three more jets raced overhead before starting to circle the gathering expectantly. Getting up, Throttle, Vinnie and Modo raised their arms, bracing their weight and welcoming Blaze, Fibre and Thump back into the family group. Circling again, the three jets transformed and glided down on repositioned thrusters, moving quickly through the group to take up places near Optimus and Blade.'You three seem excited.' Optimus remarked, wondering just what these three had been up to.'Sitrep.' Blade requested, putting the trio out of their misery before they suffered spark failure.'We started out by simply trying to confuse Cemetery Wind and the CIA by doing a mirror hack. We made it look like Cemetery Wind was hacking the CIA and stealing money at the same time as the CIA was hacking Cemetery Wind and doing the same thing.' Black started, barely able to contain his amusement at this stunt.'But we decided that wasn't going to stop either agency for long so we added in a few more hacking into both organisations.' Carbon added, practically vibrating with excitement. 'FBI, OCIC, CGI, HSI, TFI, DIA, NSA, NGA, MCIA, ONI, NASIC, INSCOM, NGIC and the DEA.''We've created the ultimate hack web. Sixteen government agencies and thirty-four civilian hackers are all in a crazy web of hack and counter-hack. So far no one has any idea who started the hacking or where a large portion of the Cemetery Wind finding and supplies have disappeared to.' Speed chuckled, so proud of what they had created.'Whoa, back up a moment. Want to run through all those organisations again? I think I missed a few.' Cade requested, still trying to wrap his head around what he was hearing.'Federal Bureau of Investigation, Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, Coast Guard Intelligence, Homeland Security Investigations.' Black listed, turning his attention to Cade.'Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.' Carbon picked up the list, also turning to Cade with a grin.'Marine Corps Intelligence Activity, Office of Naval Intelligence, National Air and Space Intelligence Center, United States Army Intelligence and Security Command, National Ground Intelligence Center and the Drug Enforcement Administration.' Speed finished with glee, looking up at Optimus and Blade for confirmation of a job well done.For a few moments there was silence but that shattered when Optimus let out a deep, rolling laugh as he reached out to clap the brothers on the shoulder. Optimus had always known that these three were skilled with hacking and computer espionage but this was far beyond anything Optimus had thought they were capable of. Even he was confused just trying to understand what they had done.'Remind me to never, ever get on your bad sides.' Optimus chuckled, so incredibly proud of the three. 'You have all done excellent work, far beyond anything that I expected possible. Well done, you have done a great service to the cause.''We're not done yet, Optimus.' Black warned, displaying a holographic bank sheet. 'We've managed to leech out almost nine million from the CIA and Cemetery Wind so far, along with tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition in a massive variety of calibres.''There might just be enough to keep Hound in ammo for a year.' Speed teased, glancing towards the heavyset green. 'Certainly nine months, possibly ten.''Speed, you know it's not wise to piss off the heavy gunners.' Speedshot warned, flaring out his weapons in a glorious stretch.Speed took the warning with good grace, backing up a step and grinning at Hound. But a few others in the gathering didn't listen or simply didn't care about the perceived warning from the darkest Wrecker.'Sensei, with your fate unknown Bumblebee has attempted to hold command despite his complete and total lack of anything resembling warrior discipline.' Drift challenged, pointing one large sword at Bee's turned back. 'He's like a child.''This child is about to kick yo ass.' Bee countered, getting up and stalking towards Drift.'He brings us shame.' Drift continued, leaning on his sword and looking towards the humans.'Kick his ass Bee!' Sam called, backing his friend as fists started flying.'Cage fight.' Hound uttered, making sure to keep Mirage behind him.'Smart ass.' Drift shot back, kicking Bee clear and picking up his sword again.'What's the matter with them?' Tessa asked, watching the fight in disbelief.'Without my dad to balance things out, personalities are clashing.' Beast replied, taking up a position near the humans, ready to defend them from danger.Then Drift made a potentially fatal mistake, crossing his swords around Bee's throat and drawing one slowly across the plating covering Bee's jaw as he spoke. Little did he know just how big of a mistake that would turn out to be.'Am I the lone sage who sees through this puppy dog eyes act? It's beneath you.' Drift warned, totally focused on Bee.'Yes, I've been waiting for them all to dispatch each other so I could take charge with no trouble at all.' Crosshairs declared, spinning out one of his side arms. 'Just me, reporting to me.''You stay out of this, Crosshairs. Before you become a pile of parts.' Sidewinder warned, grabbing Crosshairs' coat and pulling him back.'Well it sure looks like you've been missed.' Cade remarked, turning to look up at Optimus.Reminding everyone why he was such a successful scout, Rictor made his move and crept up behind the blue samurai. Extending one hand, he activated a hidden system and chuckled as Drift went completely still and groaned, struggling against the hold on his frame.'What is this?' Drift managed, optics widening as he was forced to release Bumblebee and drop his weapons.'This is why you don't ever threaten my mate.' Rictor replied, forcing Drift to his feet. 'I can make your systems believe what isn't real and miss what is right in front of you.''Rictor, let him go. I'm not hurt.' Bee sighed, shaking his head slowly.'Remember this moment, Drift. I could make you do anything and there's nothing you can do about it.' Rictor snarled, sending Drift sprawling in the dirt and turning back to Bee. 'You know I don't like it when people threaten you.'Knowing that there was little he could do about all the jagged personalities right now, Optimus turned their focus to a bigger and far more concerning issue. Tomorrow he could work on soothing battered egos and re-establishing the pecking order, right now they needed a plan.'Autobots, Lockdown is hunting us and humans are helping. We need to know why.' Optimus demanded, drawing all attention back to him.'Well listen, I don't know why but I have an idea about who.' Cade offered, looking up at the Autobots all around him.'We bring troubling news, Optimus.' Fang called, making his way into the gathering with Fog and their daughters. 'I expect a full briefing later Black.''We made you proud, Leak.' Black promised, stretching out his wings as he shifted on his rocky seat and tucked his younger brothers closer to him.'What have you heard, Fang?' Blade asked, glancing towards the three dark mechs. 'You have all done a great service to the Autobot cause.''It's not good, Blade. It's got to do with teams 19 and 28.' Fang sighed, hanging his head sadly.'You've seen Ironhide?' Ratchet asked, pushing to his feet again.'Ratchet? I thought for sure you were in deep slag with Ironhide.' Fang gasped, turning to the older medic. 'Is Nimrah safe?''She's safe, guarding Sarah and Annabelle Lennox at safe house 41.' Ratchet confirmed, rubbing his chest lightly. 'What's Ironhide's status?''He's still online, our enemies are keeping him fuelled up and active.' Fang nodded, letting his shoulders droop a little.'Hey, bolt bucket! Cade was talking before you wandered in!' Lennox yelled, drawing Fang's attention down to them. 'Show some respect, Fang!''Oops, sorry about that Cade.' Fang offered, sinking down to one knee. 'Perhaps your Intel will help make sense of what I learned.''I captured a minidrone when Cemetery Wind attacked my home, it's got some concerning video saved in the memory.' Cade guided, turning and hurrying over to where he'd left their belongings. 'Not sure it'll help but maybe there's something.'Retrieving the drone, Cade was definitely surprised when Fang transformed and opened the cockpit canopy, welcoming him to take a seat within the deadly F-14 dressed in blue and white. Hooking up the drone to the provided AV cables hidden behind one of the cockpit control panels, he settled back in the seat and watched the clips he'd managed to secure. He didn't recognise some of the Autobots in the footage but looking around, he could see that all the Autobots around him were uncomfortable.The first clip showed that fateful night that Ratchet's family had been torn apart. Chirring softly, Ratchet looked away and shuddered, unable to stand listening to the screams of his little girl or Ironhide's desperate pleading for his family to be released. He jumped a little when unfamiliar arms wrapped around him, but soon relaxed when he recognised Revs was there for him, trying to protect him from reliving the horrors.The footage changed, showing two reshaped fighters, backs together as they tried to defend themselves from a circle of Cemetery Wind vehicles. By their feet, two motorcycles lay curled up, bright green and purple fluids spreading out around them. The two jets weren't giving in though, firing hard even as some sort of weird glow flared and faded around them.'This drone I stole recorded footage of an Autobot raid. Some pieces, but watch what happens here.' Cade explained, forcing his eyes to stay on the horrific scene.'That's Stephen and Terrence.' Kup uttered, clutching Hot Rod closer to him. 'That flash…their secondaries were overloaded.'Another change, this time displaying the Wreckers engaged in a fight for their lives, returning fire and covering each other as their kids huddled behind them. There were soft flashes all around them, demonstrating the strength of their shielding but suddenly Leadfoot's shield flared and flickered out. Stumbling back, he dropped as the Cemetery Wind goons concentrated fire on him until Speedshot moved to stand in front of him.'Cemetery Wind tried their hardest to take us out but we managed to escape with minimal damage. Broke contact and fled south-west until taking shelter in an abandoned factory. We were able to use pieces from the factory to repair Leadfoot but his shield is still offline.' Topspin briefed, keeping watch over his family as Speedshot drew Leadfoot closer to him.Another location, two more jets down on the ground, their daughters huddled between them as gunfire ripped up the ground all around them. The incoming fire seemed far more focused in this clip, concentrating on the chest of the slightly taller one until he flared then the fire switched to the second fighter.'That's Bandit and Torque. No mistaking their bonding brands.' Blade confirmed, shaking his head slowly as Optimus looked away from the display.'They rip them apart.' Cade warned, relaxing into the seat a little more.'Savages.' Hound rumbled, tucking Mirage in closer to his side as he slipped off his extra helm.'And later this truck comes to haul them off. KSI, Kinetic Solutions. Defence, aerospace, government contracts, and they designed this drone.' Cade continued, holding up the drone.'So these government guys just hunt you down and then pass you off to this KSI?' Shane asked, looking up for answers.'The company is headquartered in Chicago. Could be where they were taken.' Cade nodded, patting Fang's armour lightly. 'Any of this fitting yet?'"Actually, yeah." Fang replied, producing a male holoform on the wing of his alt mode. 'I found this footage in an orphan ghost link, completely detached from anything to give me any clues about its origin. Whoever set it up had serious skills with ghosting links but now that I've got a potential source, I should be able to track it back to a real location. I give you fair warning though, this isn't pretty.''Play the footage, Fang.' Optimus directed, taking a knee and bracing for the worst.For a moment there was nothing but white but with a flicker, the true horror was revealed to the gathered Autobots and their allies. This feed looked into a large room by human standards but to Autobots it was tiny. But this room was pure white, no windows or obvious doors to break up the blandness of the environment. And there, pacing anxiously but somehow kept separate, nine of their missing comrades showed various signs of being trapped in this void for far too long.Stephen and Terrence clung to each other in one corner, reaching out to their little girls but some sort of invisible barrier stopped the desperate fathers from reaching their terrified daughters. Starlight and Brightstar huddled close, their bodies so totally entangled that no one could be sure where one finished and the other began. They would reach out to their fathers, faces twisted in fear and panic but that invisible barrier would spark against their reaching hands and force them to recoil from their fathers. All four showed signs of the hard battle they had fought, deep wounds marring their finish and dried energon and coolant staining their finishes.'That's just sick. They're just scared little kids. How could anyone do this?' Ripper whispered, clutching Camill to his chest and keeping her turned away from the footage.'We'll find you, just hold on a little longer, guys. Be strong, we will get you out of this.' Blade promised, wrapping his arms around Optimus' shoulders.Bandit and Torque knelt in the opposite corner, chunks missing from their wings and looking like they had gone five rounds with Megatron. Rocking slowly, they reached out for their daughters, fingers sparking against another barrier preventing them from making contact. Wrench and Smokey were just as battered, tear tracks on their faces as they tried so desperately to reach their fathers despite their severe injuries.'These people have to be stopped. They're just kids, this is cruelty of the highest degree.' Shard sighed, pressing closer to Voodoo and holding their daughters so close.'We won't leave you to suffer. We'll find you bros, just hold on until we get there.' Throttle growled, soothing Lady with a touch as he looked at his bros.Ironhide had a little more space, pacing jerkily between the two unoccupied corners but it was clear that he was in bad shape too. Every armour panel was dented, scratched and streaked with a variety of fluids. Even though he looked bad, the greatest concern was just how twitchy and unstable he appeared to be. He also kept pawing at his chest, rubbing at something but the resolution wasn't good enough to tell exactly what it was.'What's wrong with Ironhide? This isn't like him at all.' Slash gasped, turning to Ratchet for answers. 'Did the humans do something to him?''No, this is normal. This is what happens when Ironhide is scared out of his processors and has no idea what to do next. There are only two things that can send him into those sorts of tremors, a near death experience…or enclosed spaces.' Ratchet replied, still clinging to Revs for support and comfort. 'He's been in their custody for almost two months, he's barely holding on.''So why does he keep rubbing at his chest?' Tessa asked, staring at the display in horror.'It's not random, he's tracing the bonding brand over and over. He's trying to hold on to the last tangible reminder of his family, Ratchet's glyph carved into the heavy armour. It's the Autobot equivalent of playing with a wedding band.' Lennox explained, thinking back to a conversation he'd shared with Ironhide after his return from the dead.'He's scared and lonely, his Guardsman Protocols are only making this worse. With those damned protocols engaged, I can't breach the walls and connect with him and his location system is feeding him all kinds of weird data.' Ratchet added, looking up at the footage again. 'We have to get him out, Prime. He's on the edge, he won't last much longer before he does something drastic or stupid. I can't save him with those Protocols in place.'Signalling for Fang to cut the display, Optimus stood and turned to the gathered team, caught in a sticky situation and trying to come up with a safe answer to all their current problems. At least now they had a target, but no solid plan about how exactly to breach KSI and rescue their comrades from hell.'So, Chicago is our next target. This is gonna be rough.' Blade sighed, shaking his head slowly.'No way to get inside without a battle.' Hound warned, going over the data on KSI that the Intel team had already gathered.'Well, what if you had some human help?' Cade asked, climbing down from Fang.'What are you two partners now?' Tessa questioned, giving her father a dirty look.'Sweetie, we're targets now too. We need to know why or we never get our lives back.' Cade replied, walking over to his daughter.'Autobots, I have sworn to never kill humans,' Optimus started, shifting uncomfortably on his feet as he pressed closer to Blade.'Big mistake.' Hound muttered, looking down at Mirage sadly.'But when I find out who is behind this, he's going to die.' Optimus finished, crouching to scoop Beast up and cuddle her close.'Hooh-Ah!' Hound cried, looking forward to finally getting some payback.'Ratchet, you know Ironhide better than any of us. Do you believe it will be safe for us to wait for everyone to arrive before we head for Chicago or should we leave immediately and inform the stragglers of a new destination?' Blade asked, turning his understanding gaze to the shaken medic. '24 hours, that's all we need for the last to arrive.''I can't say for certain, Blade. The footage showed that he was in severe distress, but I will continue my efforts to break the block and re-establish contact with him. Ironhide is tough, we should be safe to wait.' Ratchet sighed, shuddering in distress. 'But I insist that we depart as soon as the last straggler arrives within the location.''Here, this might help you break through.' Optimus offered, transmitting Ratchet a long, complex code. 'Try sending it along the bond with an order to allow basic access.''I'll give it a try.' Ratchet nodded, turning away slowly. 'In the morning, I need some rest.''Get some rest, all of you. Tomorrow we make our plans and prepare for war. We could all use some rest and a chance for repairs.' Optimus nodded, leaning into Blade a little more. 'I will need one of you four to take a look at my left hip gimbals tomorrow.''I got it covered.' Revs called, taking the weight off Ratchet's shoulders. 'You need to focus on breaking through to Ironhide, let us handle the minor injuries for now.'#~#+^*^+#~#Letting the fires burn low, the Autobots spread out and settled on the hard ground, pulling pillows and blankets from subspace to make the night all the more comfortable. The five humans weren't forgotten about either, pulling out sleeping bags and pillows for them and setting them out near the best of the bonfires in the area. Standing on one of the logs, not quite ready to turn in for the night, Cade watched as the Autobots shuffled and snuggled, somehow making it look totally natural as they stretched out on the ground.In that moment, they looked so close to human as they found their comfortable positions and tugged their blankets up to cover them. Until now, Cade had simply thought of them as alien machines but now he was realising that there was a lot more going on and their culture was far more complex than he had ever anticipated.'Amazing, isn't it? These are giant alien robots from a planet completely the opposite of Earth and yet, they settle down to sleep just like we do.' Lennox chuckled, climbing up to stand beside Cade. 'They're family oriented and feel the same emotions as we do.''Yeah, I'm noticing that. I'm still trying to wrap my head around all this. Just last week, I was an inventor working out of my barn to put my daughter through school.' Cade nodded, looking around slowly. 'I can't help but wonder if any of them know that struggle.''Okay, we're definitely keeping you away from Wheeljack.' Lennox chuckled, resting one hand on Cade's shoulder. 'He's a single father but he's faced a universe of trouble raising his son.''Don't try and wrap your head around too much. Took me years to accept that any one of them could potentially carry a child. Gender ain't a big deal with these guys.' Sam added, joining them on the log. 'Keep it quiet but Mirage is actually carrying. He told me on the trip over.''Damn, that's gonna take him off the front lines.' Lennox uttered, shaking his head slowly.Falling quiet, the three fathers watched over the Autobots as they went still and relaxed, a serene peace drifting across the terrain as the weary soldiers finally took a chance to unwind and relax fully. Looking closer, each proud father could see reminders of their own children in the innocence of the younglings huddled close to their parents for safety and protection.'Get some rest you two, tomorrow is sure to be a strange day.' Lennox warned, stepping down and heading for his sleeping bag.'Life around Autobots is always weird. You get used to it.' Sam agreed, also heading for some much needed rest.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Woken by the rising sun, Cade yawned and scrubbed at his eyes as he sat up. Looking towards Tessa, he smiled tiredly at the sight of Lennox and Sam bracketing her, preventing Shane from getting anywhere near his daughter. Well at least that was one less thing to worry about right now, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to keep a sharp eye on Shane. He didn't want that guy getting any ideas about his little girl.Wriggling out of his sleeping bag and reaching for his shoes, Cade looked around slowly and smiled as he watched the Autobots still deep in peaceful slumber. Some were up and about, scuff marks in the dirt all that remained to show where they had spent the night. He automatically looked around for Optimus, having grown quite fond of the massive Autobot leader. There he was, flat on his back with Blade half draped over him and Beast curled in against his side comfortably. Cade still couldn't believe just how close to human these mighty alien robots actually were and he mentally apologised for not realising it sooner.Getting to his feet and shouldering into his shirt against the early morning chill, he turned and froze at the sight of four people moving about near a rather large marquee. One looked vaguely familiar; a flicker of memory trying to connect the dots but it was far too early for this.'Mornin' Cade. Coffee is just about ready.' one called, the voice somewhat familiar.'We spent a lot of time at tailgate parties while we were following the NASCAR circuit. This is the result.' another explained, coming towards him, her red shirt catching Cade's focus briefly.'Leadfoot?' Cade asked, looking closer at the woman.'Yeah, but this form is called Laurie.' she chuckled, guiding him to the nearest seat. 'That's Stevie in black, Troy in blue and Robbie in green.''Speedshot, Topspin and Roadbuster.' Cade nodded, finally getting his brain in gear.'Nicely done, Cade. Here, drink up.' Robbie grinned, pressing a well loved travel mug into his hands. 'Breakfast should be ready soon.'Sipping the steaming coffee, Cade let his gaze drift and smiled as he witnessed the early morning routines of various Autobots as the sun broke across their campsite in glorious waves. Lifting his gaze, he saw something a little strange but relaxed when no one reacted negatively to the jets easing towards the camp. The dawn highlighted their lines and angles, drawing Cade's attention to two absolutely tiny fighters tucked in beside the larger pair as they drifted down and transformed just a few feet above the ground, revealing two motorcycles that had been hidden against the larger jets.'That's Braid and Christine with their four kids. Hunk and Rebel are the motorbikes, Tracer and Drift the mini fighters.' Robbie explained, looking up from the grill. 'Christine is the slighter of the two, but don't let that fool ya. She's a mean girl who takes no shit from anyone.''I'll keep that in mind.' Cade nodded, getting to his feet and stepping out to say hello to the new arrivals in camp.But that plan went out the window when a rather loud engine backfire shattered the peace of the morning. It was loud enough to wake the rest of the humans and bring Autobots running from every direction, weapons out as they searched for the source of the noise.'Primus be damned, that's just nasty Optimus.' Blade growled, rocking to his feet and backing away quickly, their blanket still tangled around his wings.'Daddy, you stink!' Beast griped, skating away from Optimus to huddle against Blade's leg.'Forgive me, I had some bad diesel yesterday. It appears that it does not agree with my systems.' Optimus replied, sitting up slowly. 'There is nothing to be concerned about.''Nothing to be concerned about my aft.' Revs replied, helping Blade unhook the blanket. 'I'll take a look at your fuel system once I've patched your hip.''All this time and I'm still learning new things.' Lennox remarked, running one hand through his hair and yawning wide. 'No one mentioned you guys fart.''We also burp, it's no big deal.' Blade shrugged, stretching out his wings. 'I could have sworn that you were aware of that, Lennox.''The burping, yeah. Ironhide demonstrated that one after Mission City by burping the entire Cybertronian alphabet.' Lennox chuckled, still amused by the memory. 'Not only was it funny as hell, it was also enlightening. Fifty-seven letters, that's quite an achievement.''There are actually three alphabets that we use, he used the base alphabet.' Kup explained, securing his weapon and turning to kneel near the humans. 'The high alphabet contains 71 letters, there aren't many here who could use it. Then there's the ancient alphabet, 105 letters in total. There's only two of us that can still use the ancient letters.''A demonstration is not necessary, Kup.' Optimus sighed, sinking back down with a groan. 'I have not used the ancient letters for millennia.''Wasn't gonna suggest it, Prime. When the humans can write and understand base, I might consider somethin'.' Kup shrugged, pushing back to his feet. 'We've got plenty of time.''Maybe not as long as you think, Kup.' Lennox countered, picking up a stick and moving to a clear patch of ground.Trying to remember everything Ironhide had taught him about their written language, William started with something easy, writing his name out in their glyphs and adding the military signifier underneath it. Moving over a bit more, he scratched out Ironhide's name and signifier with the same precise care. Picking another spot, he carved Ratchet's designation into the dirt in a gentle curve around the medical signifier. Moving out to a larger spot of undisturbed dirt, he etched out the complicated design of Optimus' name and multitude of signifiers he had earned over his lifetime.'Alright Colonel, stop showing off.' Stevie laughed, looking at his work. 'Go on, breakfast is ready and the coffee pot is boiling.''We'll get rid of the evidence.' Phantom offered, moving to stand between the marquee and the designs William had left behind. 'It's about to get a little windy people so watch out.''We'll aim for a south-east breeze so move if you don't want to wear it.' Choke added, turning around and flaring out his rotors.'Well, if I can't burn the evidence, blowing it away works too.' Lennox smirked, taking a seat and tucking into his breakfast.#~#+^*^+#~#Cursing his rotten luck on several counts, Crosshairs retreated from the main campsite and tried to relax but that was almost impossible in his current state. Of all the Primus damned times for this to happen, he was now stuck in an extremely uncomfortable situation with no clear answers. He settled for dropping down on a large boulder, his back to the camp as his internal fans kicked in, trying to bring down his core temperature. It was pointless really, he knew the fans wouldn't do much but he couldn't shut them off.He was honestly surprised no one had smelled him out last night, especially Prime after that perfectly timed catch but some how he'd gotten away clean. He just wasn't sure how much longer he could last before someone realised the problem and offered to help him with it. Primus, he really didn't want to have to explain his malfunction to anyone right now, especially not if there was a chance the humans might overhear and start asking all sorts of awkward questions.'Of all the rotten times.' Crosshairs sighed, hanging his head and trying to come up with a solution. 'Why'd this have ta happen ta me of all bots?''You okay, Crosshairs?' Ratchet asked, coming up behind him. 'Prime's worried that you wandered off.''Yeah, I'm okay.' Crosshairs nodded, looking back at the medic. 'Just needed some time alone.''Sadly, until this threat is dealt with it's just not safe to be alone.' Ratchet sighed, coming closer and taking a seat beside Crosshairs. 'Besides, I can smell you from an earth mile away.''Slag it to the Pit!' Crosshairs snarled, whirling to face the older medic. 'I suppose I should be grateful that ya didn't say anythin' until now.''It's nothing to be embarrassed about. Mirage and Prowl are both dealing with similar, along with several members of the aerial force.' Ratchet soothed, meeting Crosshairs' startled gaze and smiling faintly. 'I had to deal with one last month, made it more of a challenge to watch over the Lennox's and Nimrah.''It ain't the same and ya know it, Ratchet. Ya forgettin' about mah malfunction.' Crosshairs spat, turning his face away and rubbing at his chest. 'I'd give anythin' to be normal.''I hadn't forgotten, Crosshairs.' Ratchet sighed, reaching out to rest one hand on his shoulder lightly. 'I know we're at war but there must be someone who has caught your attention. Someone who can help ease this burden on you?''Gonna play matchmaker now, are ya?' Crosshairs sighed, far too uncomfortable in his own plating to argue right now.'I'll do whatever I must to help you, Crosshairs. You know that.' Ratchet hummed, looking back towards the rest of the Autobots. 'I hate that I can't fix this, no matter how skilled everyone else says I am. This is one injury I can't repair.''It ain't ya fault, Ratchet, it never was.' Crosshairs replied, resting one hand over Ratchet's and dimming his optics. 'Ya made it easier ta handle mah issues and for that, I thank ya.''Come on, there has to be someone that you're interested in. Let me help in the only way I can.' Ratchet coaxed, determined to help Crosshairs through this mess.'Promise ya won't laugh?' Crosshairs asked, his tone reminding Ratchet just how young and inexperienced Crosshairs was in matters like this.Getting to his feet, Ratchet came around and pulled Crosshairs to his feet, holding him by the shoulders and squeezing gently. It wasn't even close to a hug but this was familiar to them both, Ratchet had often offered comfort to the young paratrooper in the same way.'Crosshairs, I've only ever wanted the best for all of my friends. Besides, I'm hardly in a position to make any comments about unlikely love interests.' Ratchet chuckled, doing what he could to lighten the mood. 'Talk to me, Crosshairs, let me help.''It's…Sidewinder. There's somethin' about him that makes me wanna know more about him.' Crosshairs admitted, hanging his head. 'Not sure why or what, but…''Say no more, I understand.' Ratchet smiled, seeing the potential in the union. 'Are you absolutely sure about this? I don't want you stuck in a relationship that isn't good for you.''It feels right, Ratchet. We've had our moments but the anger always passes quickly. He knows about this heat cycle and offered a temp solution. He's the one, Ah'm just nervous about askin' him for this.' Crosshairs nodded, lifting his gaze slowly.'Alright, I'll talk to him. Nothing too serious, just explain what's going on and about your spark. But you need to be willing to show him that soft side I know you're hiding inside. Court him, I have a good feeling that he'll match your steps.' Ratchet coached, considering the possibilities and finding no reasons to worry about this potential bond.'Ah'm ready for this Ratchet, Ah'm tired of bein' alone. Ah just hope Sidewinder wants this too.' Crosshairs sighed, squaring his shoulders. 'Comm me when ya get his interest piqued. Don't wanna end up courtin' the wrong mech if he's too slow to react.''Smart move. Wait here, I'll let you know how this goes.' Ratchet agreed, squeezing the bright green armour for a moment before heading back to the main gathering.Spotting Sidewinder talking to Splat and Raider, Ratchet headed towards them and waited patiently for them to finish discussing some new explosive compound Splat had come up with. Ratchet only understood about half of what they were saying but he had a feeling they were planning to use it against their enemies.'You need somethin' Ratchet?' Sidewinder asked, dismissing the other two with a wave. 'We'll go over the details later, bros.''Actually, I wanted to talk to you in private.' Ratchet nodded, looking around slowly.'Smash, stay here and play. I'll be right back.' Sidewinder called, glancing towards his daughter for a moment before resting one hand on Ratchet's shoulder. 'Lead the way, Ratchet.''Okay daddy.' Smash replied, looking up from her game with Beast, Racer, Camill and Intruder for just a moment.'You're close with Crosshairs, right?' Ratchet asked, guiding Sidewinder away from the main gathering. 'You spent almost a year in isolation with him after all.''Yeah, we've gotten pretty close since Smash's accident. Not sure if he'd consider me his closest friend but I'd like to think we're tight.' Sidewinder nodded, not quite sure what this was all about. 'You goin' somewhere with this Ratchet? I've still got a lot of bros to catch up with.''No doubt you're aware of the fact he's in the midst of a heat cycle at the moment.' Ratchet continued, stopping equidistance from the main group and Crosshairs. 'This will all start making sense soon, just work with me here.''Yeah, I'm aware of that fact. Used my static inducers to help him out a few times but he'd never let me get too close.' Sidewinder sighed, looking over to where Crosshairs was pacing. 'I wish I knew how to help him.''There's a reason he wouldn't let you close and hopefully when you understand that, you'll see how you can help him with this.' Ratchet nodded, also watching Crosshairs pace. 'But you need to be absolutely certain before you take any action.''Alright, now you've really got my attention.' Sidewinder nodded, turning his attention back to Ratchet. 'Help me understand him. I hate watching him suffer.''Crosshairs is a unique case, the only survivor of a rare malfunction that turns up once in every six million sparklings. Some fade out in the first hour after birth, those that survive are normally severely handicapped and require permanent care just to remain online. Somehow Crosshairs not only survived but he's thriving and showing no signs of the normal problems associated with his condition.' Ratchet explained, looking up at Sidewinder. 'We call it a Snap Spark.''Okay, so he's a lucky son of a glitch. You're not really explaining why he won't let me help him. Come on, tell me what I need to know.' Sidewinder coaxed, resting his hands on Ratchet's shoulders. 'I can't sit back and do nothing. I need to know what to do.''A Snap Spark is a dangerous thing, unpredictable and unstable unless the bearer makes a tough choice and gets it right. Crosshairs has to live with the knowledge that one wrong step, one bad decision and he's in for a world of hurt. It's called a Snap Spark because it will quite literally snap onto the first bot to interface with him. Regardless of what the other party wants, the bond will form with that first contact. He's spent all these millions of years terrified to get close to anyone, worried that he wouldn't be able to resist his base nature if he got struck with another heat cycle. But then he ended up stuck with you for a year and he felt safe with you. He let you get close enough to help him but he still didn't feel ready to take that final step.' Ratchet continued, glancing towards Crosshairs again. 'You have to prove that you're willing to do anything for him.''I thought I already had.' Sidewinder uttered, hanging his head sadly. 'I thought I'd already shown him that I would do whatever it took to keep him safe.''Not in the way he understands best.' Ratchet offered, reaching up to rest his hands on Sidewinder's forearms. "Go for it Crosshairs, he wants this.""Thanks Ratchet." Crosshairs replied, a soft sound echoing towards them. "Here goes nothin'."'The way he understands best? What's that mean?' Sidewinder asked, looking up and around for the source of the music.'Watch and learn but don't leave it too long. I can think of a few others that might be interested as well.' Ratchet chuckled, releasing Sidewinder and stepping back. 'I'll try to keep the others back, give you first shot at this one.'Turning his full attention to Crosshairs again, Sidewinder could only stare in disbelief and wonder as Crosshairs spun and twisted slowly, following the rolling beat of the music licking at their audios. He looked so perfect in that moment, armour sparkling and coattails twined around him as he danced for all to see. His steps screamed of loneliness and a desire to belong, the music choice supporting those emotions and so much more. He looked so handsome in that moment, coattails flared wide as he spun and leapt, lost in his own little world.Making his choice, Sidewinder stepped forward and sent a command to one of his many subsystems, his armour clanking and changing shapes as his wings folded in and were absorbed into his back. Shaking out the panels to help them reform, he smoothly traded his wings for wheels, everything shifting and changing to suit his new form. He loved the freedom of flight but he would gladly trade that away to be with Crosshairs and this was the only way he knew to show just how much he cared about the dazzling green mech.Picking the perfect moment, Sidewinder caught Crosshairs' wrist and pulled him close before spinning them into a new dance. He wasn't sure where he was pulling the steps from, he'd never been one for dance but somehow he knew exactly what to do. Holding Crosshairs close and meeting his stunned gaze, Sidewinder smiled softly and turned a lonesome dance into one of joy and unity. The rest of the world disappeared, leaving them in perfect harmony as they spun across the desert sands.Not even trying to hide his surprise, Crosshairs clung to Sidewinder and let him lead the dance, relieved that he finally had someone to lean on, someone who would never let him down or leave him behind. He had doubted in Sidewinder, wary of letting him get too close but now he knew without a doubt that Sidewinder was absolutely perfect for him.'Will ya be my bondmate?' Sidewinder asked, flicking him out into a graceful spin then pulling him back in close.'Yes.' Crosshairs replied, digging his fingers into Sidewinder's shoulder and relishing the feeling of their armour brushing together. 'Will Smash accept this?''She already adores ya, Crosshairs. She'll be thrilled with the news.' Sidewinder chuckled, drawing him in for a soft kiss. 'The trick will be finding the privacy to make the bond.''We don't need privacy. Don't need to 'face to seal the deal either. Ah'm one of the few that can bond without any wind up.' Crosshairs sighed, pressing just that little closer. 'Only one who'll notice is Ratchet, but Ah ain't worried about him.''I love ya Crosshairs. Love ya so much.' Sidewinder whispered, letting his chestplates part as he pulled Crosshairs as close as possible.Doing his best to make sure no one interrupted this perfect moment, Ratchet chuckled softly as his finely tuned sensors picked up the change between the two as they eliminated any space between them. He'd seen this before, recognising the way they gripped at hips with their right hands and cradled helms in their left hands. Ratchet had never expected Crosshairs would bond right here in front of everyone. There was no other reason to engage in a traditional Voxian lover's cinch out in public.Opening his chest, Crosshairs tried to relax into this as Sidewinder guided him through several slow turns. Tentative at first but quickly gaining confidence, he stopped holding back and let out a distressed groan as his spark lurched forward, tangling with Sidewinder's essence without warning. Struggling to keep his feet, Crosshairs was so grateful to Sidewinder in that moment, relaxing into those supporting arms and loving spark.'Let go Crosshairs, I gotcha.' Sidewinder whispered, brushing their lip-plates together. 'I love ya, so much.''I love ya too, Winder, but Ah'm afraid.' Crosshairs uttered, sagging into his new mate and feeling his cooling fans kick up another notch.'So am I but we'll get through this together.' Sidewinder coaxed, revealing the truth of his creation. 'We're both damaged but we help each other to stand.'Barriers dropping, the new lovers clung all the tighter as the bond wrapped around them and solidified, locking them together for eternity. Sidewinder gasped softly as he experienced the fear and pain Crosshairs had lived with, doing his best to reassure him that he would never be alone again. Crosshairs could hardly believe the truth of Sidewinder's creation and all that he had endured in his dual lives."Love ya, Sidewinder." Crosshairs reaffirmed, feeling whole and complete at long last."I love ya too, Crosshairs." Sidewinder smiled, completely focused on his new mate. "We can achieve anything, together.""Never expected it'd be like this." Crosshairs admitted, pulling Sidewinder closer, body and spark seeking a deeper connection."Shhh, I've got ya. I've always got ya." Sidewinder soothed, eliminating every last speck of space between them and enveloping Crosshairs' spark with his own. "I will never leave ya."Throwing his hands out to silence any questions and stop anyone walking past him, Ratchet smiled proudly as the faint glow between the slowly turning pair grew stronger, leaking out through any gap it could find. A beat, the slow dance stopped and two voices lifted in chorus, screaming their release to the heavens as they finally achieved a true bond. It was always tricky to bond like that, even Crosshairs couldn't change that accepted fact. A good interface would have made the process easier but the bond was formed now and Ratchet could finally relax and stop worrying about Crosshairs so much.Trembling with the after effects of the bond forming and the incredible charge Sidewinder had unleashed through them both, Crosshairs pushed his fans to the maximum as they sunk to their knees. Still clinging to each other, they pulled back just enough to let their chestplates close and sagged, absolutely drained but oh so incredibly content."I gotcha, Cross, I gotcha." Sidewinder uttered, stroking soothing patterns over his back. "Take ya time, I ain't leavin' ya.""Ah had no idea." Crosshairs panted, slipping sideways to rest his aft on the ground. "Ya mentioned two lives but this…""We can talk it through later. Just wanna hold ya and rest for now." Sidewinder chuckled, settling on his aft and pulling Crosshairs into his lap. "Love ya so much.""Love ya too." Crosshairs muttered, snuggling closer to Sidewinder. "'ere comes Smash.""Was wonderin' when ya would pick up on her." Sidewinder chuckled, perfectly happy to not move right now."It's so weird to sense her presence." Crosshairs sighed, catching her hand and pulling her into the embrace. 'hey lil' one.''You scared me daddy.' Smash pouted, looking up at her father.'Sorry 'bout that, sweetie. Didn't mean to scare ya.' Sidewinder soothed, adjusting his hold on Crosshairs so he could hold his daughter too. 'Remember we talked about one day you might have a second daddy?''I remember, I'm still not sure I like the idea.' Smash nodded, finding a comfortable position in the huddle.'Well, what if we told ya that I'm now ya second daddy?' Crosshairs asked, resting his hand on her back lightly. 'That make ya feel a little better 'bout it?''You really mean that? We're gonna be a family?' Smash asked, perking up immediately. 'Yeah, I like that idea a lot.''That screamin' ya heard wasn't from pain, sweetie. That was us formin' a full bond, we're a family now, and perhaps one day you'll have some siblings as well.' Crosshairs confirmed, exhausted but driven to make sure Smash was okay with this.'One day, but not now. This is too new and special.' Sidewinder agreed, content to hold his family and come to terms with the new bond.#~#+^*^+#~#Cursing up a storm across their bond, Decal made his way up the dirt track leading to the rendezvous and finally pulled up among the waiting Autobots. He was so tired, the last hundred miles or so had really put him under stress but he had finally made it home. Releasing the locking mechanisms, he pulled forward a couple of feet and transformed slowly, swaying on his pedes then dropping into an awkward sitting position right there in front of everyone.'Daddy!' Combat cried, emerging from the massive trailer and racing to his father.'I'm okay Combat, just tired.' Decal replied, wrapping one arm around his baby girl. 'Whoa, you didn't have to bring us anything this flash Decal.' Lennox remarked, wandering over to the exhausted Autobot. 'I don't even want to know how you paid for it.''Looks can be very deceiving, Colonel.' Armageddon rumbled, skating around from behind the trailer. 'We were told to blend in, so we did.'Even after all his years around the Autobots, Lennox couldn't help but jump back and let out a shocked noise as the trailer shell cracked and revealed the mighty Falcon in all his dark armoured glory. Stretching out his frame, he shook out his plating and moved to take a knee beside the rest of his family.'You should be more careful with your assumptions Colonel.' Falcon chuckled, reaching out to Decal. 'You need to rest, love, I've got you.''I misjudged that last stretch.' Decal nodded, wrapping his arms around Falcon's neck and relaxing as he was picked up and held close. 'Pushed just a little too hard.''I know, love, I know. Shh, you get some rest. I'll take care of things now.' Falcon soothed, straightening and heading towards Optimus. 'Nice to know you ain't dead, Optimus.''We could say the same thing, Falcon.' Blade countered, coming forward to greet the pair. 'Not so sure about the new disguise though.''Hey, it worked. We slipped right past Cemetery Wind on several occasions and they never knew we were anything other than a happy family enjoying a nice holiday before our daughter shipped off to Marine Corps boot camp.' Falcon smirked, looking down at their children. 'We did our job and kept the secret.''It's good to see you are all safe. There is a lot to brief you on, not all of it is good news.' Blade nodded, motioning for the family to follow him. 'We've got Intel that several members of our team have been captured by Cemetery Wind. We have a solid lead on their location but for now we're holding our position here until tonight, by then we expect everyone that can make it to be present here. Once we have the team assembled, we're making our move on Chicago.' Optimus explained, keeping a sharp watch over all his Autobots. 'We must be patient, we will only have one chance to rescue our people.''You gonna tell me who or am I meant to guess?' Falcon asked, unconcerned by Decal's weight as they wandered among the Autobots.'Torque, Bandit, Wrench and Smokey.' Blade listed, resting one hand on Falcon's shoulder. 'They also got Stephen, Terrence, Starlight and Brightstar.''Ironhide is also in human custody, without his weapons control module.' Optimus added, turning his gaze to where Ratchet was sitting as he talked with Revs.'I thought there was meant to be some good news in all of this.' Falcon sighed, finding a suitable spot to sit and easing down.'No one died, we've got the team back together…oh and Sidewinder finally got his act together. He bonded with Crosshairs today, right in front of everyone.' Blade chuckled, sinking down beside Falcon. 'Down you come Optimus, Revs said to keep off that hip as best you can today.''Sidewinder and Crosshairs? Now that's a surprise.' Falcon grinned, setting Decal in his lap comfortably. 'Go on kids, I'm sure there are people you want to see.''Thanks dad.' Armageddon nodded, taking Combat by the hand and racing away from their parents, already calling greetings to their closest friends.'What else do I need to know?' Falcon asked, soothing Decal when he shivered and looking at his superior officers. 'Supposed to be Head of Security, so give me the full brief.''Humans are working with a Cybertronian Bounty Hunter, goes by the name Lockdown. Last update listed him as using a dark grey Lamborghini Aventador LP 700–4 Coupe but no one has seen him for a few days so that ID may have changed.' Optimus offered, transmitting a few images of Lockdown's alt and base modes.'The top two humans involved are Harold Attinger and James Savoy. Attinger is the paranoid CIA agent who created Cemetery Wind to destroy us. Savoy is the head of Cemetery Wind, working directly under Attinger but with a certain leeway in his orders.' Blade added, giving Falcon everything they had on the pair.'Ah, so that's his name. We've had contact with Savoy, he and his men came to one of the campsites we used, looking for Autobots but walked right past without realising we were there.' Falcon nodded, going through the shared data. 'Anything else?''We've got three new humans helping us with this fight. Well, one is definitely helping but the other two are still undetermined.' Blade sighed, pointing towards the low burning bonfire near the marquee. 'Cade Yeager has proven to be a skilled mechanic and he's not afraid to fight back. His daughter Tessa and her boyfriend Shane Dyson have shown various degrees of fear and usefulness since we were thrown together. Shane is a highly skilled driver, but his custom car was destroyed by Lockdown. Tessa is his navigator but otherwise has shown little of value to us.''She is angry that her life has been ruined and blames her father for that. She is frustrated that he did not hand us over to Cemetery Wind when he had the chance and is so far unwilling to forgive us for disrupting her life so close to her finals.' Optimus added, relaxing against Blade peacefully. 'We have already asked Fang if it might be possible for Tessa to still complete her finals but so far he has not given us an answer.''The Lennox and Witwicky families were both threatened by Cemetery Wind, which is why Samuel and William are with us now. Sarah and Annabelle are at safe house 41 with Nimrah guarding them and Mirage left Carly and Thomas at safe house 18.' Slash added, sinking down beside his brother. 'Hound and Mirage hate the fact they had to leave the Witwicky's unguarded but they both knew they would be needed here.''Safe house 18 was one of Emily's favourites, the isolation and bunker will keep Carly and Thomas safe until this is over.' Falcon nodded, looking around slowly then suddenly going totally still. 'Bits is picking up on incoming signals. Attempting to secure ID now.'Locking onto the rapidly shifting signals, Falcon listened as Bits worked to establish the identity of the approaching pair. They were playing hard ball though, refusing to answer direct questions and promising answers soon. Making his presence known, he demanded the ID's and apologised to his brother for butting in but there was too much at stake. Bits laughed it off, unconcerned about the sudden presence of his brother on such a secure channel. Some things might have changed but every Autobot still remembered exactly why it was a bad idea to mess around with Falcon. He was still Head of Security and that title carried a certain level of respect.Chuckling softly as he fully verified the approaching pair, Falcon welcomed them home and broke the connection as he looked towards Optimus and Blade with a grin. Sure, they still had a few missing but they at least had a solid chance to rescue their friends and put a stop to this nonsense once and for all.'Signals have been interrogated and verified. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker inbound, ETA 3 minutes.' Falcon declared, careful not to wake Decal as he spoke.'Which leaves just Prowl and Jazz MIA.' Blade nodded, running his fingers lightly over Optimus' armour. 'Relax Optimus, everything is under control.''Any idea where Prowl and Jazz were comin' from?' Falcon asked, spotting Fang and Fog and waving them over to join the conversation.'New York, they were enjoying the big city life.' Slash replied, fluttering his wings to get more comfortable. 'Risky choice but they made it work.''Fog…' Falcon started but Fog just chuckled and held up one hand.'I was already plannin' on headin' towards The Big Apple to see if I can catch up with 'em.' Fog smirked, hugging Fang close for a moment. 'I'll cover 'em all the way home.''Be safe, Fog, there is danger everywhere.' Optimus sighed, not thrilled with the plan but he needed to know where those two were.'I got it covered, Optimus.' Fog chuckled, turning and jogging through the gathering before kicking off and transforming, disappearing from view within minutes.#~#+^*^+#~#Picking their moment, waiting until Optimus is alone at last, Mirage and Hound make their move, blocking him against one of the towering stone mesas around the area and waiting with dwindling patience for Optimus to realise that he has yet to apologise for abandoning them. They had watched him pause and talk to just about everyone else but he had stayed well away from them, as though he knew he had made a mistake and now didn't know how to approach them to ask forgiveness.Resisting the urge to scream when Optimus just looked at them blankly, Mirage let his shoulders droop and started to turn away but Hound refused to give up, pulling him close as he lifted something from his subspace. Reaching up, Mirage unwrapped the precious bundle and tucked in closer to Hound as they waited for Optimus to finally understand why they were so hurt by his apparent dismissal. Everyone else already knew and had offered sparkfelt congratulations but Hound was determined that their little boy would be blessed by Prime before his birth. An ancient tradition but one Mirage remembered clearly from stories and old archival footage.Looking down at the lifeless body cradled to his chest, Hound sighed softly and lifted his gaze as Optimus eased to one knee in front of them. Nodding slowly and squeezing Mirage closer for a moment, Hound stepped forward and gently placed the graceful body in the warm, safe arms of their leader.'We're gonna name him Mustang.' Hound declared, not taking his optics off their unborn son.'Carried by me and sired by Hound, we hope he will find the right balance between strength and grace.' Mirage added, placing both hands over his spark.'Mustang, son of Mirage and Hound.' Optimus nodded, placing one massive hand over the tiny body. 'The blessings of Primus upon you, young spark, from today until we are all reunited in the Well. Peace, joy, health and happiness be known to you, young Mustang and may you find the perfect path for you through this life.''Thank you.' Mirage uttered, reaching out to take their son back.'I'm sorry I wasn't there when you made the public announcement. My comm was damaged and my self repair only recently got it back online. You have my deepest apologies, I will try not to break a promise again.' Optimus sighed, settling down to sit on the ground.'Ya weren't the only who went off the air. We lost contact with about half the force.' Hound replied, helping to rewrap their son and tuck the silent body back into subspace.'But we still got what we wanted for Mustang. A proper Prime's Blessing.' Mirage smiled, fingers brushing over his spark again.'Would I be correct in believing that Prowl and Jazz have also sparked?' Optimus asked, relieved that he wasn't in trouble with these two.'You would be correct. They are also planning on a boy.' Mirage confirmed, his EM field pulsing with joy and excitement.'But you didn't hear it from us.' Hound nodded, so proud of Mirage for carrying their sparkling through this trying time.'Let me make it perfectly clear, I will not sit back and do nothing while the fate of our people hangs in the balance. Our child is not due for a little while yet, I can still fight.' Mirage insisted, his blades gleaming in the sun.'I would not dream of it, Mirage. I would only pull you off the front lines if Ratchet or Revs examined you and declared that the sparkling is due within the next week.' Optimus replied, leaning back on one hand. 'But if you say you are not due within a week, I see no reason to force the issue.''No, our child is still far too small to split. Two weeks at the earliest. Revs examined us last night, he said nine days at the earliest.' Mirage chuckled, looking up at Hound. 'Aside from being a little smaller than expected, Mustang is in fine form.''That is excellent news. I wish you the best with the remaining days of your pregnancy and extend my blessings over you all.' Optimus nodded, incredibly pleased to finally see a serious effort to rebuild their population. 'I am available should you require any assistance with anything you want Mustang to know about our history.''We hadn't really talking about that yet but thanks for the offer.' Hound chuckled, intensely protective of Mirage at the moment. 'We'll keep it in mind for later.''We are still not subjecting Mustang to Kup's rambling stories.' Mirage uttered, earning a soft chuckle from Hound and Optimus.'I do not blame you for that choice.' Optimus agreed, gaze lifting to the heavens as several members of the aerial team shot overhead. 'I suppose I should make sure everyone is ready for the fight ahead.''Might be smart to reinforce your position as Prime first. Some people don't appreciate your disappearing act.' Mirage warned, snuggling closer to Hound as they wandered away.Thinking about what Mirage and Hound had said, Optimus chuckled softly as he eased to his feet slowly. They were right, Optimus had received a few harsh looks from some of his troops and he needed to regain control before they faced the uncertainties ahead. He couldn't leave this to fester though, he had to put an end to it before Prowl and Jazz arrived. Optimus never doubted their loyalty, they had been with him from the early days but then, he'd thought the same of Kup but they had already had one altercation earlier that day.'Autobots, form up!' Optimus roared, throwing his voice to catch every audio within the rendezvous area.The humans had the sense to stay back, waiting under their tent as Optimus paced slowly, watching the Autobots running towards his and forming up in neat lines. They remained silent and still, children holding onto their parents and looking up at Optimus expectantly. Finally, when everyone was lined up and waiting for him to speak, Optimus stopped and turned to the orderly ranks of troops.'At no point have I claimed to be perfect. At no point have I ever claimed to be the physical representation of Primus. Those are your words, your thoughts and beliefs thrust onto my shoulders. Kup, I'm sorry if I cannot live up to your expectations. I'm sorry if I deemed it more important to remain online instead of repairing my comm. Forgive me for deeming my fuel system and armour more important than my commlink. I have already died once, I owe my life to Samuel and his unwavering belief that the Matrix would revive my corpse. I have no desire to repeat that action, I am still troubled by the final sensations before my death.' Optimus started, gaze falling on Kup in the formation. 'My choice to live does not give you the right to show such disrespect, however.''You still broke your promise.' Kup countered, refusing to let go of this debate.'And you are the only one who holds a grudge against me for that. As such, I have decided that you will not be partaking in the battle against Cemetery Wind. You will make your way to safe house 18 and protect Carly and Thomas Witwicky from harm.' Optimus ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument. 'Hot Rod will not be accompanying you, his skills will be needed in this battle but your attitude is not acceptable. Remember how willingly Emily welcomed you into her home and life. She welcomed us all, regardless of the burden placed upon her by our complex daily requirements.''Let it go, Kup. You're the only one angered about this, the only one who can't accept that things don't always go to plan.' Hot Rod sighed, shaking his head slowly. 'Hopefully some time protecting a couple of very important humans will help you realise that.''I doubt it but we'll see.' Kup groused, transforming and racing away in a cloud of dust.Satisfied that he had gained some precious breathing room before he had to deal with Kup's attitude again, Optimus turned his attention to the massed ranks and frowned slightly. They didn't stand as one full team, there was a clear division and Optimus didn't like that. He always tried so hard to keep his team united and pushing towards victory together. To see this tension and discomfort in the ranks hurt more than Optimus had expected.He certainly didn't expect the solution to come from the Wreckers, standing front and centre of the formation. As one, they stepped forward and came to attention in front of him, every inch the perfect models of Autobot discipline and self-respect. Optimus hadn't been sure those four even knew how to demonstrate all the ideas that the Autobots stood for. Standing tall and straight, they showed him that things weren't quite as bad as he'd first thought but Optimus was still wary, not quite sure just what they would do next.'I am an Autobot Soldier. I am a Warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of Cybertron, and live the Autobot Values. I will always place the mission first. I will never accept defeat. I will never quit. I will never leave a fallen comrade. I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself. I am an expert and I am a professional. I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of Cybertron, in close combat. I am a guardian of freedom and the Autobot way of life. I am an Autobot Soldier.'Optics popping wide, Optimus was left in stunned silence as his Wreckers proudly re-declared their allegiance to the Autobots with a perfect rendition of the old Autobot Creed. They weren't finished though, they had clearly been studying up on their history. Hands snapping up, they offered the ancient salute of respect, right hands over their sparks and left hands to their foreheads as they bowed to a higher ranked officer.'Topspin, Roadbuster, Leadfoot and Speedshot.' Optimus greeted, returning the ancient bow. 'You bring great honour to the Autobots with your actions.''It is our privilege and honour to serve the Autobot cause.' Topspin replied, a little uncomfortable with taking the senior position in their formation as they straightened. 'We dedicate our sparks and processors to the Autobot cause, whatever the cost.''The Autobots are lucky to have you.' Optimus nodded, astounded by the actions of the quartet and hopeful that the rest of his force would follow suit.Before anyone else could move, Tank stepped forward and shook out his wings as he too offered the ancient salute. Straightening smoothly, he stood tall and made it abundantly clear that he was willing to follow Optimus into anything without hesitation.'I am an Aerialbot. I am a Warrior. I have answered my Planet's call. I am an Aerialbot. My mission is to Fly, Fight, and Win. I am faithful to a Proud Heritage, A Tradition of Honour, And a Legacy of Valour. I am an Aerialbot. Guardian of Freedom and Justice, My Planet's Sword and Shield, Its Sentry and Avenger. I defend my Planet with my Life. I am an Aerialbot. Wingman, Leader, Warrior. I will never leave an Autobot behind, I will never falter, And I will not fail.' Tank recited, repeating the salute and holding it until Optimus returned it.'Tank, you bring great honour to the Autobots with your actions.''It is my privilege and honour to serve the Autobot cause. I dedicate my spark and processors to the Autobot cause, whatever the cost.''The Autobots are lucky to have you.'Finally the unity came back, every voice proudly stating their allegiance and reassuring Optimus that he hadn't lost control of his Autobots. His pride grew as the Aerialbots picked up Tank's lead and recited the second creed, showing the ultimate of support and respect for the Autobot cause. They were his loyal supporters and would follow him to the Pit and back, just because he asked them to. That sort of loyalty deserved to be rewarded and one specific Earth military oath fit the situation perfectly.'I, Optimus Prime, do solemnly affirm that I will support and defend the Ancient Laws of Cybertron against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me Primus.' Optimus countered, feeling so much more confident in his people now that he had their pledge and promise. 'Take the rest of the day to see to any necessary repairs. We leave for Chicago with the dawn.''Hey, that's my oath!' Lennox called, surprised to hear such familiar words in Optimus' deep baritone. 'Thieving Autobots.''It was Ironhide's idea in the first place, Colonel.' Ratchet chuckled, taking a seat beside the human shelter. 'The military creeds and oaths he discovered fit perfectly with what we believe and can be recited without harming human ears.''But at the same time, human creeds and oaths aren't quite as emotive and complex as we're used to.' Revs added, resting one hand on Ratchet's shoulder lightly. 'Any luck?''I've managed to pierce the block, just enough to reassure him that I'm still with him but not enough to allow data transfer.' Ratchet nodded, resting one hand over Revs' dark claws. 'Go on, the twins will likely be hiding injuries.''I'll take care of them.' Revs chuckled, squeezing the bright plating for a moment before turning and heading away.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Hiding his personal doubts deep in his spark, Optimus led the charge towards Chicago, listening to the chatter on the comms and trying to relax a little. He would do no one any good if he was too wound up to think straight. He needed to focus on the things he could affect, the rest he would simply have to live with. He just hoped that his planned multi-prong attack would keep Cemetery Wind too busy to realise exactly how much trouble they had caused.He'd made the call to split their strength into three, sending the younglings to take up a position at safe house 1, to the north of Chicago and spreading out the Aerialbots in a wide swathe to the south of the city as he led the ground team into the city proper and made their move against KSI. It was hardly the best plan in the universe but he was reasonably sure that it would work.'There's a full on man hunt out for us. So we have some new rules.' Cade sighed, adjusting the comm unlink that he was wearing. 'Anyone who's got a badge is not our friend. We're gonna divide and conquer. Tessa and Shane, you're in charge of getting food and the essentials and nothing else. Chicago KSI headquarters is like a fortress. Sam and I are gonna find a way into their top secret military wing. Find something to blackmail this company and the government. We're gonna get our freedom back.''I'll see what can be done about getting some extra support. Emily left some toys scattered around the city and a location for the command hub. I'll make a run for the hub and try to bring the old weapons online.' Lennox nodded, relieved to finally have a semi-permanent and hack-proof connection with the Autobots."Remember, we still do not know exactly where our captured friends are being held so let's not go in there and destroy everything. We have to get our people back." Ratchet warned, holding position behind Optimus."Not true, Ratchet. I've been able to ride the ghost signal back to the cameras watching our people. They're in a subbasement beneath the main KSI tower. I'm digging through their systems now but so far I haven't found the correct path leading into that particular subbasement." Fang corrected, holding position somewhere to the south of their location."We'll find 'em Ratchet and when we do, someone will pay for taking 'em prisoner." Roadbuster promised, anger flooding his voice. "Humans will forever regret the day they tried to keep our people prisoner."'Hey, we're not all bad.' Sam protested, leaning forward from his seat in Optimus' sleeper."Never said ya were, Sam. There are a few decent humans but most just ain't ready for aliens among them." Hound countered, bringing up the tail of their convoy. "Never understood the human idea of little grey men.""They musta been thinkin' 'bout Jazz." Modo teased, keeping his place behind the sleek silver spy. "Or maybe Sideswipe."'Nah, people think that little green men inhabit Mars.' Shane replied, shaking his head slowly."Oh that's rich. That's absolutely hilarious." Throttle laughed, thoroughly entertained by the idea."I haven't heard anything that funny in years." Sidewinder howled, brushing up against Crosshairs for a second. "There goes any tension in the air."'What's so funny?' Tessa asked, adjusting her comm unit for comfort."There is life on Mars but certainly not little green men." Optimus chuckled, still amazed by what humans believed. "Some of us spent some time hiding on Mars and had a chance to meet the locals. Humans are not the only highly evolved species in this solar system."'What do they look like?' Tessa questioned, her curiosity coming out once again."Are you sure you want to know? The Martians do not look anything like humans." Optimus warned, careful about frightening the humans.'We can handle it.' Cade nodded, curious about their alien neighbours."Very well, but I did warn you." Optimus conceded, bringing up an image of Blade from before the transition. "This is a Martian mouse, the original natives of Mars. Many wars have been fought for the red planet, forcing the natives below ground just to survive."'He looks so sad.' Tessa uttered, staring at the image on the windshield.'I wouldn't want to piss him off. He looks like he could do a lot of damage in a fight.' Cade nodded, also staring at the picture.'Yeah but I think he got too muscular. There's no way he can move fast and hit hard, it's one or the other.' Shane shrugged, settling back in the passenger chair."Do not be so certain of that, Shane. The Martians are perfectly adapted to their environment, their bodies capable of great strength and speed in an environment with very little oxygen or fresh water." Optimus corrected, bringing up a few other images across his windshield. "They are a highly unique species; we have never encountered any like it."'So much for humans being alone out there.' William chuckled, going along with the trick for now. 'You're far too good at keeping secrets.'"We have all had plenty of practise." Optimus replied, checking in with his forward scouts and relaxing when they reported no problems. "Do not be so quick to judge things, Shane Dyson. You have still not proven that you are worth protecting. We are honour bound to protect Cade and his family, but you are of little consequence."'Don't argue with the big boss. You wouldn't be the first person the Autobots have deemed unworthy and I doubt you'll be the last. So just suck it up and work harder to prove that you're worth something. Just being close to Tessa ain't gonna cut it.' William warned, leaning forward again. 'The Autobots have dumped guys with a lot more skills than just driving, so you're gonna need to think fast boy.'"We depend on our allies to provide more than just distractions. Colonel Lennox has proven to be a highly gifted military leader, Samuel saved my life and helped us to protect your world and Cade has clearly shown that his mechanical knowledge will save lives. Tessa has already shown that she has a similar mechanical understanding as her father and with the right guardian, she will become a treasured ally." Optimus agreed, keeping a sharp watch over his troops. "So far, you have only shown that you can drive. But your skills with a basic car leaves much to be desired. A youngling shows better control and understanding of defensive driving than you do."'Keep your mouth shut unless you've got an idea that makes you valuable. You've got a long way to go before you're considered worthy.' Sam added, settling back comfortably on the upper bunk of the sleeper.#~#+^*^+#~#Sneaking into Chicago, the ground force took shelter within an old church still bearing the battle scars from years previous. Scorpion left soon after, heading out on a supply run with Tessa and Shane. Chain headed out a few moments later, heading for the hub that Emily had left for William's use. Kawasaki and Hammer peeled out shortly after them, covering Cade and Sam and offering the best protection they could so they could complete their mission.The rest of the team transformed and settled in to wait, everyone itching to do something but not sure quite what they could do without losing the element of surprise that they needed. All they could do was waiting, recharge and hope that no one discovered their hiding spot. Some of them weren't much good at the sitting and waiting, so Optimus allowed them to head out and gather supplies or Intel but only so long as they made sure not to draw attention. They actually did exceptionally well with that plan, making use of their shield modulators to slip out and back into the old building without anyone noticing they were there. Most came back with Intel on Cemetery Wind or KSI but a few came back with food, clothing and other comforts for the humans. Bonfire came back with two small refrigerators, specifically designed for use in cars and complimented by the small gas cooker that Ghost set down near the human comforts area. Blaster came back with a real prize though, setting down several boxes of clothes in different sizes and styles, more than enough to keep all their human allies in clean clothes for as long as this mess lasted.Finally the away teams returned, ducking into the church and delivering the humans safely to their bounty of supplies. First came Chain, reporting that Lennox had asked to stay behind to control the forgotten weapons systems. Kawasaki entered a few minutes later, letting Cade and Sam out before he turned and raced into the streets again.'What happened?' Optimus asked, shifting against the wall slowly.'Hammer thought he picked up on Wheeljack's signal and went to investigate. Kawasaki's gone to back him up just in case.' Sam replied, looking around at the supplies arranged neatly. 'Is all this for us?''Yeah, I'd rather not stink of overcooked meat so you can cook out there.' Falcon nodded, flaring out some of his panels. 'However you will all be sleeping within my frame, no arguments.''So long as that means Shane can't smooch up with my daughter, I'm fine with that.' Cade agreed, digging around in one of the boxes for a clean shirt.'That I can promise. However you will have to get used to sharing a large bed with Samuel. Tessa and Colonel Lennox will use the bunks and Shane has the couch. William will not let anyone close to your daughter, he's a light sleeper.' Falcon explained, settling down again. 'Besides, if Shane tries anything, I'll throw him out.''Thanks.' Cade grinned, tossing his sweat stained shirt aside and pulling on a plain grey t-shirt quickly. 'Not sure I'm totally comfortable sharing a bed with another guy but I'll adjust.''Besides, I'm a heavy sleeper. I tend to stay still all night.' Sam added, finding a clean pair of pants and changing.Slipping through the final barrier between their safety and the outside world, Scorpion stopped beside Chain and opened his doors, relieved to be rid of Shane and his compulsive need to grab at the steering wheel of any car he was sitting in.'Hey, found a whole bunch of boxes of clothes. So, sweetie, you can get some long pants, nice loose fitting ones and lose the short shorts.' Cade instructed, grabbing a packet of chips from the pile and settling down to eat.'It's a wise idea, Tessa. We're about to get dirty, running from enemies and dodging danger. Long pants and long sleeves will offer at least some protection.' Sam added, finding a suitable shirt and pulling it on. 'Thicker fabrics work better.''And who are you to give us orders?' Shane asked, setting his bag on the table.'I'm the guy who has already survived three battles alongside the Autobots. I'm the guy who has technically died for the Autobots and I still can't explain how I'm still here. But most importantly, I'm the guy stopping the Autobots from dumping your useless ass somewhere far out into the desert and leaving you there.' Sam snapped, turning to the young upstart.'Pull ya head out and quit thinkin' with ya dick, Shane.' everyone turned to look as a tall, dark haired woman made her way towards them. 'Ya ain't special, ya ain't useful and ya sure as hell ain't worthy of this beautiful woman.''Who is still using the Emily holoform?' Optimus asked, shaking his head slowly.'There's a few copies of her fine features around.' Sidewinder replied, snuggling closer to Crosshairs. 'Just let it go, Optimus, she did say she would never be truly gone.''You told us she as dead.' Cade protested, looking up at Optimus in disbelief and confusion.'That is not the real Emily, just another holoform.' Optimus replied, watching the false woman walking around the table. 'It has been several years since anyone copied her features.''Usually she only comes out when someone needs a reminder of what is really at stake.' Ratchet shrugged, slumping against the wall behind him. 'I wish she was still with us.''Nah, she would have eliminated any threats to our security.' Speedshot countered, miming pointing a gun at Shane. 'Ya know she never stood for loose ends.''This is your last warning Shane, behave or face the consequences.' Emily warned before simply fading from view.'Well that was different.' Cade remarked, turning his attention back to Tessa and Shane. 'What'd you guys get?'Looking at all the items dumped on the table in front of Cade, several of the Autobots sniggered at the rather strange assortment of food and other essential items. But apparently essential items meant something completely different to the youngest members of the team.'It's protein.' Tessa explained as she set a large white bottle of plant protein powder on the table.'Look, I said the essentials, okay.' Cade sighed, picking up the bottle.'It wasn't easy. We almost got caught.' Tessa replied, setting several bottles of water on the table.'You stole mouthwash?' Cade asked, turning his attention to Shane.'That's not all he stole.' Chain cut in, dropping several boxes of condoms on the table.'I like to be fresh when I'm makin' out with your daughter.' Shane replied, unrepentant for his actions or all the condoms.'That's funny.' Tessa chuckled, totally focused on Shane.'Yeah, that's not happening. Ever.' Cade insisted, picking up the mouthwash and tossing it as far away as possible.'Ever?' Tessa asked, letting out a nervous laugh.'Ever.' Falcon confirmed, shifting into a new position. 'You've now got assigned bunks and if I catch either of you sneaking into the other bed, there will be hell to pay.''By assigned bunks, he means real beds within his alt mode so don't even bother trying to get past him. Falcon is Head of Security for a reason and takes his job very seriously.' Sam warned, grabbing an apple from one of the shopping bags and taking a seat.'I don't believe this, I'm getting cockblocked by alien robots.' Shane groused, throwing his hands up in frustration.'I don't believe this, I'm getting cockblocked by humans.' Ratchet parroted, repeating the gesture.'Ya ain't the only one, Ratchet.' Crosshairs agreed, quite enjoying his cuddle time with Sidewinder. 'Get used to it Shane. Ya ain't getting any unless we can and that ain't happenin' anytime soon.''Ya might as well quit tryin' Tessa. This Romeo and Juliet story ain't gonna end in love or death.' Jazz chuckled, tucking Prowl closer to his side. 'Face it, no one is getting any love until this is dealt with.''Damn humans, always ruinin' the fun.' Leadfoot grumbled, earning a sharp elbow from Speedshot and Roadbuster. 'Well, except for Emily. She always left us in peace if we were swapin' paint.''I don't want to hear this!' Cade called, horrified by the thought of Autobot sex.'You'll get used to it, Cade.' Sam shrugged, not bothered by the strangeness anymore.#~#+^*^+#~#Looking up at a painfully familiar sound from above, Ironhide shuddered and tried to reach for the strength he got from Ratchet's presence but the tiny leak in his bond shield didn't let him feel the true depth of Ratchet's love. Fighting to hide his frame tremors, Ironhide stared up at the clear section above him and curled his powerful hands into fists. He longed to lash out and fight his way to freedom but without his weapons control module, he knew he didn't stand much chance. Then there was the fact that he couldn't even get near the walls to start trying to rip them apart with his bare hands, a powerful electromagnetic force kept pushing him away whenever he tried to get close.Glaring daggers at the humans who dared to keep him imprisoned, Ironhide snarled and turned away, knowing full well that he would never be free so long as that man in the suit was still around. The woman beside him was a new face though and Ironhide considered if he might be able to turn her opinion in his favour. It was a risk but one that he needed to take if he was ever going to get out of this Primus damned box.Reaching over the barriers separating them, Ironhide gently gathered Smokey and Wrench to him, trying to reassure the terrified younglings even though he was scared out of his processors too. They clung to him desperately, trembling like leaves in the wind as they sobbed on his broad shoulders. Not even sure that the humans above understood, Ironhide looked up and focused on the blonde woman, trying to make her understand that Autobots weren't a threat. It was so hard to be strong though, he had no idea what had happened to Torque and Bandit. All Ironhide knew for certain was that the two missing fighters had disappeared from the room three days ago and their daughters had been inconsolable for two days now. They would scream and cry for their fathers until falling into recharge due to lack of fuel, only to wake again hours later and continue screaming. Ironhide was just grateful he'd finally realised that he could reach over the barriers and lift the younglings to him, his strength giving them some semblance of comfort but they never stopped calling out for their fathers.Not even sure that the humans could hear him but unable to take this pointless suffering any longer, Ironhide held the pair close and looked up again, seeing something like regret in the eyes of the woman but there was nothing in the eyes of the man.'Why are you doing this? Why torture these innocent children? All they want is for their parents to come back and hold them close. Is that too much to ask? Why are you so determined to tear apart families? Answer me, human! What have these children done to you?' Ironhide called, his voice echoing around the chamber. 'What have we done to earn this torture?'Either the humans didn't hear him or simply didn't care. They turned and walked away as something slid back over the viewing window, blocking the only view outside this horrendous chamber. Shoulders drooping, Ironhide turned and went back to his usual corner and with a heavy sigh, slid down to sit on the cold floor. Rearranging the younglings in his lap, he looked over to where Terrence and Stephen had finally managed to get their girls over the barrier and cuddled in close to them.'Why do you keep doing that Ironhide?' Terrence asked, lifting his head slowly.'I don't know, vain hope I guess.' Ironhide sighed, rocking the lost younglings slowly. 'Keep hoping that maybe one day they'll finally answer.''It's been almost three months, they ain't gonna answer.' Stephen shrugged, nuzzling his daughter lightly. 'They don't care about us.''I know but I can still try.' Ironhide nodded, relieved that the orphaned duo were quiet for now.'I have a feeling we're never gonna see those two again.' Terrence whispered, switching to Cybertronian to protect the innocent ears of the younglings.'Would explain why the girls are so distressed.' Ironhide agreed, letting out a little sigh of relief when the girls drifted into an uneasy recharge. 'But for what purpose? Those two aren't that important in the grand scheme of the Autobots.''But they were the weakest of us here. Their injuries were severe so perhaps the humans decided that they would be easy targets for whatever they're doing up there.' Stephen suggested, pressing closer to his twin.'I hope their end was quick. Might not have gotten along with 'em but I wouldn't want 'em to suffer either.' Ironhide uttered, lightly caressing the plating of the recharging girls. 'We're gonna need to find someone who can look after these two.''Why can't you? It's obvious they've gotten attached to you.' Terrence asked, smiling sadly at the sight of the girls clinging to Ironhide.'Well, Ratchet always did talk about wantin' a big family.' Ironhide smiled softly at the thought, but his blocked processors wouldn't let him pull up pictures of Nimrah or Ratchet.'They already feel safe with you, Ironhide, you might as well adopt them instead of tearing them away from another anchoring presence.' Stephen agreed, optics dimming as he relaxed. 'Get some recharge, who knows when those assholes will be back.'Nodding slowly, Ironhide shifted against the wall and cradled the two traumatised younglings close as he let his systems cycle down into a light recharge. He had no intentions of being caught off guard, keeping watch over the younger Autobots as they waited for rescue or release. He didn't hold out much hope of either but he didn't dare say that, he was responsible for these Autobots and he would do whatever was necessary to keep them safe. He just wished he knew what had happened to Brains and Wheelie, the twins hadn't been able to tell him where the tiny pair had gone after they had all been captured. Ironhide worried for the loud pair, the tiniest Autobots he'd ever had to work with. Sure, they were rude and annoying at times but they were still part of the family and he worried about their safety.#~#+^*^+#~#Taking advantage of the peace while they waited for Optimus and Cade to return from the next stage of their rescue attempt, the rest of the ground force took the time to do a final check of their weapons and make sure everything was ready. For most, weapons maintenance was easy, a simple matter of disconnecting wires and releasing the support struts so they could lift the weapons into a better position for cleaning.Maintenance wasn't so easy for the Wreckers, their weapons weren't designed to come off without medical intervention. Since none of them were seriously hurt, they had to settle for their usual routine and hope that no one got freaked out by anything that might happen. Disconnecting the firing systems, they settled on the filthy floor and pulled out their cleaning kits to start on the massive job of cleaning all their weapons.'Try not to do anything too weird this time, Buster.' Speedshot chuckled, starting to open up the rocket launcher on Roadbuster's shoulder.'No promises, Shot.' Roadbuster replied, already working on clearing the usual gunk from around Topspin's left shoulder-mounted heavy cannon.'pointless effort, Shot, he can't help bein' weird.' Leadfoot teased, submitting to Topspin's attention on the missile launcher he now carried under his left arm as he lifted away the outer casing over the large rotary gun on Speedshot's right shoulder.It started out innocently enough, the four of them focused on their tasks in peaceful silence as the rest of the team alternated between watching the Wreckers and tending to their own weapons. Not that it was strange behaviour, Hound had set aside his cannons to help Mirage sharpen his blades since he couldn't quite manage the long, smooth strokes required to keep his blades in perfect condition. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were working together too, sharpening their swords and cleaning out built up crud from around laser cannons in harmony. Even Prowl and Jazz were in on the partnership routine, making final checks on their hidden armaments.Things got a little less innocent when Topspin started chirping and pressing closer to Roadbuster's busy hands. Then Speedshot started twitching and clicking, optics dimming sharply as he moved closer to Leadfoot.'Seriously, knock that off before I medic-fu you all.' Ratchet groused, glancing up from sharpening his buzz saw.'Okay, what the hell is that?' Shane asked, pointing to the quartet. 'I thought none of us were getting any.''That ain't sexual.' Crosshairs smirked, looking up from his sidearm maintenance.'Every Autobot has a special spot, a spot that creates a pleasant sensation when touched in just the right way. Just so happens that those four bliss out whenever someone strokes their weaponry.' Sidewinder added, flipping a missile launcher out from his right side and checking it over carefully.'Think of it like a dog that starts scratching when you rub their belly in just the right spot. It's not sexual, it just feels good.' Sam shrugged, looking up at Bee with a grin. 'So be careful what you touch. Every Autobot has a different spot.''Oh yeah, that's the spot.' Falcon hummed, drawing attention as Decal continued to tweak the dual cannons Falcon was so proud of.'Mute it, all of you. This is meant to be a derelict building, not one ringing with voices.' Ratchet growled, a large and scarred wrench appearing in one hand.Though technically Jazz and Prowl both outranked him, everyone respected Ratchet and the damage he could do with that wrench. Silence once again settled over the Autobots, broken only by the occasional soft conversation or a squeak of a weary joint. They were all tense and on edge, just waiting for Optimus and Cade to come back so they could make their final plans.'Heads up, Prime's comin' back.' Hammer warned, busy picking crud out of his pedes for better traction. 'Any minute now.''Finally, I hate sitting around doing nothing.' Blaster nodded, putting away his emergency pistol and getting to his feet.Sure enough, a little over a minute later Optimus rolled through the tarpaulins covering the huge hole in the wall and waited for Cade to get clear before transforming and picking his way through the gathering carefully.'Bumblebee, Cade has the blank ID card required for the mission tomorrow. You have the right set up to put the necessary information on the card.' Optimus instructed, leaning back against a pillar comfortably. 'There is a photo of a real one on the drone.''Actually, you'll have to do this twice. Once to put my face on it and then again the day after to put Shane's face on the same card.' Cade corrected, holding up the card for Bumblebee.'Would probably be smart to change the name as well. Wouldn't be hard for Fang to hack the personnel files and add a couple of new people without it being obvious.' Falcon suggested, settling back against the wall comfortably.'Just pick the new names and I'll get Fang on it.' Sidewinder nodded, turning his focus to the humans again. 'But keep it realistic, no stupid names.''Corey Williams and Steve Donovan.' Cade replied, silencing Shane with a look.'Alright, Fang's got the details. Give him a few moments and he'll have it sorted.' Sidewinder chuckled, lightly strumming his fingers over Crosshairs' side. 'Heh, he's gettin' faster. Go for it Bee, Corey and Steve are now part of KSI.'Making short work of creating the first false access card, Bumblebee paused for a moment before chirring softly and pulling a battered box from subspace. Setting it down carefully, he chuckled as Sam came over and started digging through the box. Even after years apart, he still understood Bee without the need for words.'You really think this'll work, Bee?' Sam asked, holding up an old access card with no label on it.'Sync up with Fang, he should be able to download the necessary data to you so you can put it on the card.' Blaster suggested, rolling his shoulders in a lazy stretch. 'What? I'm bonded to Tank.''It's a solid plan.' Falcon agreed, not looking up from the delicate work of recalibrating his wrist dart launcher. 'Transfers happen, nothin' to be fussin' over. I picked up a few spy tricks from Decal when we bonded.''And I learned a few tricks about security systems and protocols.' Decal chuckled, flipping out a similar launcher and checking the darts. 'Can't wait to see what transfers between Crosshairs and Sidewinder. That's bound to be interesting.''Should be obvious, Decal. Explosives Technician meets paratrooper, we're talking guns and specialty explosives.' Crosshairs smirked, patting one of his pistols lightly.'You asked, Decal.' Sidewinder shrugged, enjoying this chance to just sit and hold his mate.'Wish I hadn't.' Decal muttered, shaking his head slowly. 'You two cause enough carnage separately. I don't want to know how bad it'll be now that you're bonded.'#~#+^*^+#~#Unable to look upon the twisted and broken forms of his old friends, Wheeljack turned his holoform away from the mangled mess and shivered slightly. It had been so close, he had nearly been the next project on their tables but they had found Torque and Bandit first. The very idea made him sick to his tanks and he knew he couldn't hide here for much longer. He knew the time to strike was coming, he could feel the presence of the other ground pounders nearby but still he waited, hiding in plain sight until the perfect moment to strike.Wendy Thompson was well known around KSI, a brilliant mind and a stunning figure coming together to give her an edge over every other scientist in the building. No one else realised what she was, they all believed she was just a single mother trying to balance work and raising her young son Percy. The time for hiding was over. Perceptor was already on his way to the battle scene and Wendy's rage was about to be unleashed in a huge way.Reactivating his comms, Wheeljack made his presence known to his friends as he directed Wendy towards the room that led down into the pit where the remaining few live Autobot prisoners were being held. Fully aware that someone would notice her actions, she opened the covers over the viewing window and deactivated the electromagnetic shields keeping the small team isolated. Smiling softly when Ironhide looked up, Wendy waved and nodded, hoping that he understood that freedom was coming.Turning back, she hurried through the laboratories again and returned to her station near what was left of poor Wheelie. It was so hard to see the loudmouth still and silent, his pieces scattered within the chamber where he'd spent so long as a prisoner. It was only because of Wendy that he was even still online but Wheeljack wasn't certain that they would be able to rebuild him. For now, he used his holoform to stabilise Wheelie's spark and keep him online until reinforcements arrived. He just hoped that Wheelie could hold on a little longer for rescue.Patience dwindling, Wheeljack held his position and worked to keep Wheelie from off lining as he waited for the rest of the team to arrive in the building. He hated having to wait but one Autobot didn't stand much chance against these bastards and he didn't want to destroy the element of surprise that Optimus and the others would need to make it deep into the facility."Wheeljack, where the Pit have you been?" Ratchet asked, his voice bringing such comfort to Wheeljack after months alone."Hiding in plain sight and trying to protect our people." Wheeljack replied, most of his attention on the prisoners. "Whatever you're planning, better do it soon.""What's the situation in there?" Optimus asked, reassuring Wheeljack that the nightmare would be over soon."It's bad and getting worse by the minute. Bandit and Torque were removed from the pit five days ago and succumbed to their injuries yesterday. There's not much left of them, but I have managed to secure their ID panels. Joyce has ordered that Terrence and Stephen are to be removed from the pit tomorrow and stripped for their metals. Once they are destroyed, focus will shift to the four younglings. For now they are keeping Ironhide contained, I don't know why." Wheeljack briefed, hating to be the bearer of such news."Lockdown hasn't got what he wants so he'll come back for another go at Ironhide." Ratchet snarled, frustration colouring his voice."Brains has been separated out as well, they've forced him to translate information downloaded from the severed heads of Megatron and Sentinel Prime. The humans tried to make Wheelie do the same but he refused and was torn apart for his insolence. At this point I've got him partially stabilised but I really need Ratchet's help." Wheeljack continued, doing his best to balance all the problems he was facing but he was no medic."ETA five minutes." Optimus confirmed, those words such a relief to Wheeljack.#~#+^*^+#~#Leading the charge towards KSI, the Wreckers lived up to their name, leaving huge skid marks on the street in front of the building as they spun and lined up on the glimmering exterior of the building. Engines roaring, they charged into the building, using their transformation sequences to boost them over the bollards and through the windows. Rolling to their feet, they went straight through everything in their path, shooting through any serious barriers but mostly just running and smashing through anything in their way.Following the Wreckers through the front doors, Hot Rod crashed through a security checkpoint and nailed one of the security robots as he joined the charge towards the laboratories. Seconds later, Bumblebee and Drift made their entrance, the pair joining forces to head up and rescue Cade from his captors. Tucking and rolling through the shattered glass, Blaster regained his feet and headed for the nearest computer terminal to start hacking into the systems so he could focus the others on specific target areas.Crashing through an undamaged section of glass, Sidewinder and Crosshairs swung from one piece of the heavy steel frame and opened fire, sending the humans scrambling for cover as Hound and Mirage smashed in from the side and rolled clear moments before Optimus made his entrance and ran past them. Swinging forward, the newest bondmates vaulted off Hound's shoulders and joined the chase, looking for serious payback.Shattering another section of glass, Ratchet led the charge through a wing of offices, buzz saw screaming as he used it to clear a path through to the central laboratories. Behind him came the twins, silver and gold paint gleaming as they caused maximum damage to the building and terrorised the humans who had dared harm their people. Diving through the same hole, Scorpion and Chain broke left as Hammer and Kawasaki went right, spreading through the building and herding the people ahead of them.Following Optimus through the centre of the building, Throttle, Vinnie and Modo split and continued their charge, letting out battle cries as humans scattered in every direction. Prowl and Jazz raced up the escalators, ignoring the humans screaming about them as they hunted for their friends in the chaos.Smashing through a side wall, Falcon climbed up onto the floor above and joined the charge with Decal at his side, breaking through the walls and tearing apart the non-load bearing walls of the building. Narrowly avoiding a sudden explosion of debris near their feet, Falcon crouched and helped Wheeljack up through the hole he had made, clapping him on the shoulder as they continued their run through the building.Finding their way into the main laboratory area, the Wreckers spread out and opened fire, adding to the chaos around them as the rest of the team started breaking through walls and climbing over the neatly arranged shipping containers.'Get out!' Optimus roared, kicking one of the containers off its trailer. 'All of you!''Science fair's over, meatbags!' Hound called, vaulting over another trailer and opening fire.'Destroy the lab!' Throttle called, crashing through a wall and starting to tear apart everything within reach.'Destroy it all!' Optimus agreed, opening fire as the humans ran everywhere, trying to escape but there was no way out.'Ratchet, this way!' Wheeljack called, arriving on scene and grabbing Ratchet's arm. 'Wheelie needs you first, I'll take Sidewinder and Falcon to get the prisoners.''Careful with Ironhide, his Guardsman Protocols are active.' Ratchet warned, following Wheeljack through the carnage. 'Cover me!''We got ya, Ratchet.' Slash nodded, continuing the destruction as he led Bonfire, Windvest and Ghost towards Ratchet.'Guys! It's me! Bring me out of this Frankenstein box!' Brains yelled, thumping on the walls of his prison.'I got ya, Brains.' Ghost nodded, smashing through the glass and scooping Brains up so carefully. 'Sorry we took so long, little bro.''Knew you'd get here eventually.' Brains replied, settling on Ghost's shoulder as he hustled back to Ratchet. 'Oh man, Wheelie!''Someone find me a laptop or tablet!' Ratchet bellowed, shattering the glass around Wheelie carefully so he didn't do any more damage to the dismantled Autobot.'Here, use this one.' an unfamiliar woman called, setting a brand new laptop beside the damaged parts before running away.'Falcon! Sidewinder! With me! The prisoners are this way!' Wheeljack barked, waving for them to follow him. 'Modo! We'll need you too!'Deploying his blades and ripping through a half built prototype, Mirage chuckled as he spun and kicked several computers, sending up a rather beautiful shower of sparks and clearing the way as Hound kicked another pile of stuff aside and continued his rampage.'Hey! Hey! Hey!' Joshua Joyce, unafraid of their actions as the Autobots came closer to him and continued to destroy the laboratory. 'Stop! That's company property!''Can you believe this meatbag?' Speedshot growled, opening fire on the remaining shipping containers he could see as several loud pops could be heard from an offshoot room.'They're not your property.' Optimus countered, turning his full attention to the human. 'They were my friends.''They aren't all dead yet, Optimus.' Ghost corrected, coming over with Brains on his shoulder.'Ohh, ain't talking so much now you got Hound and Ghost in front of ya, huh?' Brains taunted, sliding down Ghost's arm to stand on his heavy blaster.'Go ahead, show us your true colours once and for all.' Joyce replied, looking up at them with no trace of fear on his face.'Just gimme the word.' Hound growled, itching to get some serious payback. 'I'll splatter him.''If anyone has the right to splatter anyone, it's me!' an angry redhead called, striding up to Joyce and slapping him hard. 'You murderer!''Who are you?' Joyce asked, turning and grabbing her wrist.'Wendy Thompson to you but to the Autobots, I'm Wheeljack, chief inventor.' she replied before disappearing from sight.Turning at the sound of heavy footsteps behind them, all of the Autobots visibly relaxed at the sight of Ironhide, the jettwins and four terrified younglings as they made their way through the destruction. The twins were in terrible shape, leaning heavily on Falcon as Sidewinder cradled Brightstar and Starlight to his chestplates. Ironhide was at least walking under his own power, Smokey and Wrench clinging to him in terror. Leading the way, Wheeljack carried two severely damaged helms, the faces barely recognisable amidst the destruction.'You murderer!' Wheeljack called, making his way through the group. 'You say that we are evil but you ordered the murders of two severely wounded Autobots! You tortured them and killed them in cold blood!' Wheeljack screamed, his anger and frustration coming out strong. 'You wanted to destroy innocent children! You were going to torture and slaughter these children!''Papa!' Perceptor cried, racing through the destruction and narrowly missing running over Joyce.'I'll take care of them.' Mirage offered, taking the two heads respectfully.'You're safe now Perceptor, papa's got you.' Wheeljack soothed, taking a knee and welcoming Perceptor into his arms. 'I'll protect you, this monster won't get his bloody hands on you.'Limping forward, Ironhide stopped beside Optimus and shuddered as Optimus plugged in and shut off his Guardsman Protocols. Moving forward again, he looked down at Joyce and snorted as he tightened his grip on the two shaken youngsters.'Look at the innocence you have tainted. We were all happy to keep the children away from any violence but you threw it into their lives thoughtlessly. You made the choice to murder their parents and now these two are alone.' Ironhide rumbled, rocking the younglings slowly. 'Your hands will never be clean, you will forever have to live as a murderer.''I want my daddy!' Smokey cried, lifting her head slowly.'Pappy!' Wrench sobbed, burrowing closer to Ironhide.'Give me the word and we'll end him, Prime.' Ghost growled, moving to the side so he had a clear shot at Joyce. 'A life for a life.''Why don't you tell itchy fingers here that this is all the spoils of war. Dead metal. Innovation. What we do here is science. Because if we don't do it, somebody else will. Because you cannot stop technology.' Joyce ranted, unmoved by the grief of the youngsters.'We're not your technology!' Optimus snapped, kicking a gas cylinder through a glass screen near Joyce and watching him cower.'Let me vaporise his ass.' Hound requested, taking aim on Joyce.'I broke the code. I own your whole genome.' Joyce continued, too blinded by profit to see the real harm of what he was doing.'The world will know what you're doing here.' Optimus warned, trying to reign in his temper.'The world? The world will approve. We can make you now. Don't you get it? We don't need you anymore.' Joyce replied, his arrogance and harsh words stirring up the Autobots again.'That was cruel.' Hound uttered, looking to Mirage for a moment.Finally returning to the main group, Ratchet approached Ironhide and reached out to gently take Smokey from him. Settling her against his chest, he chirred softly to calm her and wrapped his free arm around Ironhide's waist lightly.'I know we haven't talked about it but how do you feel about addin' to our family?' Ironhide asked, drawing Ratchet in tight against him.'There's love aplenty in our family 'Hide, more than enough for three youngsters.' Ratchet nodded, relieved to finally have Ironhide back. 'You can tell Nimrah, she'll be relieved to hear from you at last.''How's Wheelie?' Wheeljack asked, regaining his feet and turning to Ratchet. 'I tried to keep him stable but I'm not you.''I managed to transfer him into the laptop one of the humans handed me and collect what remained of his body. I still don't know if we'll ever get Wheelie back with us though.' Ratchet sighed, pressing closer to Ironhide. 'Cade might be able to help with the rebuilding. I asked Tessa to protect Wheelie and his parts until there is time.''Autobots, we're done.' Optimus growled, realising there was no sense in continuing this rampage. Joyce would never learn unless forced to open his eyes.'We're done? We're not gonna kick a little bit of ass?' Brains asked, climbing back up to Ghost's shoulder for security.'I been itchin' kill somethin' lately.' Hound muttered, reaching out to take Mirage by the hand.'Humans die too easily, amore, we will find you a better target.' Mirage chuckled, lashing out to bring down another numbered tower.Not quite ready to let this go, Wheeljack turned back to Joyce and narrowed his optics for a moment before connecting his comm to his radio speakers. He wasn't sure this would work but it would certainly hit this arrogant chump right where it hurt. He just had to hope that someone was hooked into KSI.'Any Autobots got a direct link into the KSI mainframe?' Wheeljack asked, meeting Joyce's eyes across the destroyed laboratory."Yeah, I'm buried in deep. What do you need Wheeljack?" Fang responded with a chuckle'Words ain't having much affect on Mr Joyce and his belief is that he owns us so I want to hit him where it hurts.' Wheeljack explained, watching Joyce for any response."We're already on it Wheeljack. By the time we're done, KSI will be nothing but a bad memory. We're doing it slowly so it doesn't raise any red flags but we're making progress." Fang replied, his words wiping the smug look of Joyce's face. "I reckon we've got about a week until we're finished with it."'Excellent work, Fang.' Wheeljack chuckled, turning and following his friends out of the building. 'Enjoy poverty asshole.'#~#+^*^+#~#Forming up around their injured friends, the ground team kept their weapons systems online and prepared for anything as they raced away from the KSI building. Right in the middle of the group, Modo kept a sharp watch on the trailer he'd stolen and on the shaken jettwins huddled together and clutching their youngsters to their chests. Ironhide stayed close to Modo as well, Smokey and Wrench curled up in his tray for protection as they made their escape from that nightmare place. Spreading out to cover the convoy, the Wreckers took their places around the perimeter of the group to best bring their firepower into play should it be needed. Even though they knew it would draw attention, Roadbuster and Topspin made their escape in reverse, sweeping the streets with their inbuilt weapons as they waited for KSI to retaliate. Everyone expected it would happen, they just weren't quite sure how it would happen.Picking up on incoming signals that matched data from KSI, Blaster put out the warning about the approaching silver cab-over and pink sports car. Bumblebee confirmed the ID, sharing images he had taken of the same pink car, Stinger, both in base and alt modes."Exercise extreme caution. KSI had access to Megatron's head, there's no telling what secrets Galvatron is hiding." Wheeljack warned, moving up in readiness."Nothin' good, that's fer sure." Leadfoot agreed, readjusting his firing line and advancing to protect the civilian vehicles also on the road."Spread out, protect the civilians and try not to get hurt. This could go either way." Optimus directed, keeping level with Speedshot and Leadfoot. "Modo and Ironhide, I want you two to hold back. The injured are your priority.""Already on it, Prime." Ironhide confirmed, leading Modo off road and taking up a covering position nearby. "I've got ya backs.""We've got ya backs." Modo corrected, transforming and levelling his cannons at the approaching threats.Disturbed by the reckless destruction Galvatron unleashed on innocent bystanders, the Autobots picked up the pace to meet the threat as Ratchet called for Revs to swing around and check for any injuries amid the destruction. Ratchet hated to leave casualties behind but this was one time when he couldn't afford to stop and render aid, they had to stop these metal maniacs from doing too much damage.Getting nervous as they continued to close the distance, Hound and Jazz moved up to protect their mates as Galvatron launched several missiles towards them. Slamming on the brakes and scattering, the Autobots neatly avoided the first wave of missiles and protected the few civilian cars that had gotten caught up in this battle. Skidding out and spinning, most of them went off road and kept on turning, throwing up the dirt as they made their escape.Weaving through their friends, Topspin and Roadbuster flew through neat 180 spins and charged, powerful jets screaming as they closed the distance and rejoined their lovers. Opening fire, they created a solid defensive line and slammed into reverse as one. Racing backwards down the open street, they did what they could but Galvatron showed no sign of being affected by their firepower.Purposefully putting himself between Bee and Stinger, Sidewinder put his newest modifications to the test and flared out his secondary shielding as soon as a missile came within range. His aim was good, sending the missile high into the sky where it detonated harmlessly."Sidewinder! More missiles incoming!" Mirage called, slipping clear of one shot from behind."Listen up! Flare secondary shields to 47% larger than average and adjust surface angle to 45 degrees! Flare to 47% larger! Adjust angel to 45 degrees!" Sidewinder ordered, deflecting another missile up and away."Frag! One got past!" Optimus called, watching the missile streak past him."I might be able to catch it." Crosshairs offered, pushing his engine to the limit and charging past Optimus. "Sidewinder, recalculate shield mods!""Flare to 62% larger and angle to 55 degrees on the front. That should throw the missile up but I can't be sure how high or far." Sidewinder suggested, thinking fast but there was no time to verify the numbers. "It might also send the missile into a civilian vehicle.""We're about to find out." Crosshairs replied, throwing his shield forward and knocking the missile off course.It careened away from the innocent people but the shock of the explosion caused on driver to lose control of his trailer and send it towards several other vehicles. Two more missiles got past the shield barriers, narrowly missing civilians but the damage was already done as the eighteen wheeler swung around and crashed into the rear of a stalled motor home."Whoa, whoa, whoa! Watch out!" Shane and Cade both screamed, helpless to do anything as Bumblebee barrelled straight towards the crash site."Remember the transformation and throw in Chicago, Bee." Optimus instructed, moving up in readiness. "I will catch the humans this time.""You got it Prime." Bee confirmed, calculating angles and preparing for the leap."We're going straight through." Topspin called, swinging far to the right and picking his path.Skidding and breaking into his transformation, Bumblebee launched the humans skywards as he flipped over, sensors working overtime to keep track of everyone. Also airborne, Optimus spun in midair and caught Tessa safely in one hand as Bee caught Cade and Shane moments before they went crashing through a trailer parked on the bridge above them. Clearing the trailer, Bee tossed the two men carefully to Optimus and kicked out, hooking his feet on the bridge. Swinging down to hang under the bridge, Bumblebee waited for a clear line and snapped out his missile launchers. Waiting a moment to make sure his friends were clear, Bee launched all ten missiles and watched in disbelief as Galvatron disintegrated into thousands of pieces but the pieces didn't fall to the ground. Instead the pieces formed several groups and flew past him, swirling and twisting before reforming into Galvatron's alt mode and racing away."What was that?" Bumblebee asked, dropping back to the road."Humans ain't figured out our transformation system so this is what they came up with." Brains explained, somewhere else in the chaos."Well this makes things a hell of a lot harder." Speedshot groused, racing past Bee with his mates. "How do we stop 'em if they do that?""We'll figure it out. Let's move!" Sidewinder barked, keeping up with Optimus to protect the humans. "Prime, any thoughts?""I've already called the medical team forward. Revs is taking charge of the situation." Ratchet added, catching up with Optimus."Good, that's one less concern." Optimus replied, scanning the humans to make sure they were unharmed. "When there is a moment, I want you to check over the family.""But of course." Ratchet agreed, moving back to slot in beside Ironhide. "The younglings?""Finally in recharge. Poor girls are absolutely exhausted." Ironhide sighed, pushing his own exhaustion aside so he could focus on his family."You were supposed to stay back and protect the wounded, Ironhide." Optimus insisted, concerned to see him back on the front lines."Revs ordered Modo back to safe house 1 with the wounded under aerial guard. He didn't try that with me, he knows I can protect these two and still get involved in this." Ironhide replied, folding out his missile launcher and taking a shot at Stinger.'Debate later! Galvatron is still active!" Roadbuster snapped, unleashing everything he had at the approaching silver truck. "Slag! We need a new plan here!""I'd settle for a plan!" Hot Rod insisted, recalculating the angles and sending two more missiles into the sky."All of you! Get in front of me!" Optimus ordered, pulling his shield in tight and calculating his options. "Wreckers, I will pass the humans to you so stay close.""We're in position." Topspin replied, keeping pace with Optimus but he didn't dare get too close.Unable to complete a bubble around them with Leadfoot's secondary generators offline, the Wreckers were forced to play dodge the missiles when Galvatron opened fire again. His aim wasn't really focused on them though, he seemed determined to destroy Optimus. Every shot landed close to the bigger bot, most landing close enough to do damage but one went wide and destroyed an approaching SUV. Then a lucky shot slammed into Optimus' passenger side front wheel, forcing him to make a choice.Skidding a little and charging into his transformation, Roadbuster snatched Cade and Shane out of the air, protecting them from debris as they tumbled across the grass. Topspin and Speedshot ended up careening out of control on the other side, narrowly avoiding Optimus as he tumbled along the roadway and released Tessa dangerously close to him. Engine revving hard, Leadfoot gave chase and transformed at speed, only to lose control and end up in the grass instead of beside Optimus.'Tessa!' Cade screamed, worming out of Roadbuster's hand and running towards his daughter.'No, it's too dangerous!' Roadbuster called, doing his best to keep the humans safe as Optimus and Galvatron started trading punches. 'Leadfoot! Get out of there!''Ratchet! Check on the bystanders!' Throttle ordered, getting to his feet and charging into the battle. 'Vinnie! Watch my back!''I got ya bro!' Vinnie nodded, keeping back but ready to charge in as soon as he was needed.'Tessa! Tessa! Tessa, run to the field!' Cade guided, still trying to help the people trapped in the damaged cars littering the area.'Run Tessa! We'll cover!' Topspin directed, getting up and snapping out his weapons. 'I can't get a clear shot! Buster!''Negative!' Roadbuster confirmed, struggling to get a clear shot at Galvatron.'I gotcha Tessa!' Speedshot yelled, running to the woman but he got body slammed by Optimus and knocked clear again. 'Get up Tessa! You have to keep moving!''You have no soul!' Optimus growled, thrusting his inbuilt sword through Galvatron's chest.'That is why I have no fear.' Galvatron replied, grabbing Optimus by the helm and pulling him off his feet. 'You die!''Oh frag!' Speedshot howled, scrambling up and trying to get clear but he was too close and was sent flying by Galvatron's right foot.'Speedshot!' Topspin cried, running towards his fallen mate despite the danger.Making his move, Leadfoot once again tried to reach Tessa, ignoring the dirt and debris being kicked up as he crawled towards the terrified young woman. Reaching out, he almost had her when another missile streaked into the scene and went right through Optimus' upper chest and Throttle's shoulder, sending parts flying in every direction.'That's Lockdown!' Ratchet called, still mostly focused on protecting the unlucky people who were having the worst day of their lives.'Percy! Into the trees!' Wheeljack directed, folding out his weapons as Perceptor raced for cover."Prime! Get down!" Ironhide roared, helpless to defend his leader while still carrying the two younglings. "Get down!"The warning came too late, a single shot from Lockdown's heavy cannon slamming into Optimus' shoulder and knocking him back and down. Leadfoot tried to make it clear but the running repairs done after his first encounter with Cemetery Wind couldn't hold anymore and he was left immobile and half buried under Optimus.'Leadfoot!' Roadbuster called, stuck between protecting the humans and rescuing his mate.'What about Galvatron?' Throttle asked, flat on his back and reeling from the ferocity of the fight.'Minor threat. We have to save Optimus.' Vinnie replied, launching forwards to meet the threat.He barely made it three steps before Lockdown shot him in his chest and knocked him back to drop beside Throttle, both of them regretting agreeing to sending Modo away with the wounded."Ratchet, take the kids." Ironhide demanded, unable to hold back any longer. "It's payback time."'Don't do it 'Hide. We need you.' Ratchet replied but he lifted the two recharging younglings out anyway. 'Lockdown is too strong.''He won't be expecting this.' Ironhide growled, gaining his feet and running across the grass to get position. 'Hey, Lockdown!'Cannons folding out smoothly, Ironhide opened fire and managed to score two direct hits before Lockdown could even realise that the old warrior was still a threat. Even Ratchet was left in disbelief, he hadn't had time to remake Ironhide's weapons control module so he shouldn't have been able to use his primary weapons. The damage hardly seemed to bother Lockdown, he merely reformed his heavy cannon and returned fire, dropping Ironhide to the ground with one neat shot to the chest.Straining to get out from under Optimus and do something about their situation, Leadfoot ushered Tessa into the wrecked car Optimus was partially resting on and dug his fingers into the ground. He could feel Optimus trying to move off him but the damage was too much, he could hardly move, much less fight back.'I gotta go get her.' Cade insisted, trying to get away from Roadbuster. 'Tessa!''Don't go out there! He'll kill you!' Shane demanded, tackling Cade to the ground.'She needs my help!' Cade yelled, wrestling with the younger man.'She's hidden!' Shane replied, looking towards the severely damaged white car.'Leadfoot will protect her.' Roadbuster promised, wrapping his hands around the pair. 'Now stay quiet and we might get out of this alive.''Optimus! Optimus! Get up! Get up!' Tessa pleaded, her voice rising in panic.'I can't. Get out of here.' Optimus instructed, concerned for her safety.'Can you at least roll so I can get free?' Leadfoot groaned, feeling something in his hip give. 'Oh frag, that's a problem.''I feel sorry for you Prime. Your allegiance to these humans. The trouble with loyalty to a cause is that the cause will always betray you.' Lockdown remarked, taking a knee beside them.'Who sent you here?' Optimus asked, still trying to get off Leadfoot.'Where do you think you came from? You think you were born? No, you were built. And your creators want you back.' Lockdown scoffed, regaining his feet. 'We all work for someone.''No shit! We were all built.' Leadfoot snapped, giving up trying to escape from this one.'Not helping Leadfoot.' Optimus groaned, looking up as a smaller ship detached from the larger vessel overhead.Helpless to do anything against such a display of power from Lockdown, the remaining Autobots could only watch as a heavy net was wrapped around Optimus, Leadfoot and the car where Tessa was hiding. Breaking away from Roadbuster again, Shane and Cade ran towards the car, determined to rescue Tessa before she was snatched from their clutches by Lockdown. Scrambling up, Roadbuster took off after them, snapping out the heavy dagger he carried as a reminder of centuries long passed.'Get out of the car Tessa! Get out! You can still make it out!' Leadfoot coaxed, trying to reach her so he could get her to safety. 'Get out!''Tessa! Get out!' Cade cried, grabbing onto the net and trying to get her out.'Dad! Help me! Help me dad! Help me!' Tessa begged, grabbing onto his through an open window. 'Dad!'Managing to grab hold of the net, Roadbuster tried to bring his knife up but there was too greater chance of accidentally hurting Cade or Tessa so he folded it away and tried to open the netting enough for Tessa to crawl out onto his arm.'Dad! Dad!''Tessa! Break the glass! Break the glass to get out!''I'm trying!''Tessa! I can't hold on! Tessa! I can't hold on!''Help me!''Buster, do something!' Leadfoot pleaded, hating to see the young woman trapped in this mess.'I can't, I could hurt them.' Roadbuster replied, managing to shatter a side window but he couldn't get his hand in. 'Tessa! Can you reach my finger?'Sensing Cade losing his grip on the net, Roadbuster made the choice and let go of the net, twisting over to catch Cade and wrap him in both hands for protection. Rolling over, he watched in horror and sorrow as the ship sped away with his mate and leader, along with one terrified human woman who had no reason to be in this mess.'Leadfoot!' Roadbuster cried, feeling Cade beating on his chest as he screamed for his daughter.'Roadbuster! Are you okay?' Topspin asked, hurrying towards them with Speedshot leaning on his shoulder.'Minimal damage but we failed.' Roadbuster nodded, looking around slowly. 'I couldn't save them. I couldn't get to them in time.''It's not your fault, Roadbuster. We all misjudged the situation.' Wheeljack offered, taking a knee beside him. 'There's nothing any of us could have done.''I should have been able to get Tessa out. I could have gotten her out.' Roadbuster uttered, hanging his head. 'I almost had her but I made the choice to protect Cade.''We'll get them all back.' Wheeljack promised, getting up and helping Roadbuster to his feet. 'But we can't do that until we regroup and relocate.''Not to mention repair.' Topspin nodded, curling his free arm around Roadbuster's waist. 'Come on, there's a lot to do if we're ever gonna get them back.'
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Finally managing to get out from underneath Optimus, Leadfoot scowled at the damage done to his left hip. At best he could partially patch the damage but he knew the patch job wouldn't hold for long and he still had to figure out how to get them off this blasted ship before it went into orbit. Exactly how he was meant to do that, he didn't have a clue but he would give it his best attempt. He also had to make sure Tessa remained safe, she was already terrified and right now he was the only one who had any chance of protecting her.Landing heavily on some sort of platform, Leadfoot rolled clear and fell limply to the decking, playing up his injured status and hoping Lockdown didn't decide to tear him apart for Intel. With his secondary generator offline, he would have to rely on his old training and skills to keep him alive and make sure Tessa made it off this ship safely.'Take that human to the trash, along with that useless waste of metal.' Lockdown ordered, pointing straight at Leadfoot before turning and leaving with Optimus.'Leadfoot.' Tessa whimpered, still huddled within the ruined car.'Shh, we'll be okay, lil' miss. I'll keep ya safe.' Leadfoot uttered, redirecting his self-repair system to his hip. 'I'll get ya back home. Just leave it to ol' Leadfoot.''What is goin' on out there?' Wheelie asked, still safe in the bag Tessa had been charged with taking care of. 'Where are we?''Ya don't wanna know, Wheelie.' Leadfoot replied, thankful that these enemy drones had a hold of his good leg.'I gotta know…is this the end?' Wheelie pushed; his voice so soft that Leadfoot almost didn't hear him.'Not if I got anythin' to say about it.' Leadfoot promised, running a quick diagnostic to check all his primary systems were functional.Dragged into a smelter chamber, Leadfoot waited for the drones to release him and made his move, smashing the nearest drones with one hand as he carefully rolled the car over and held out his hand. Emerging from the wreckage, Tessa crawled into his hand and hugged Wheelie's bag to her chest as Leadfoot stood and opened fire on the reaching claws coming towards them.'Whatever ya do, don't let go.' Leadfoot instructed, cradling her close to his chest as he turned and ran down the corridor.Breaking left, he made a split second choice and transformed around his precious companions, protecting them behind his armour as he sped through the winding corridors. He still wasn't exactly sure how to get off this ship but he had a better chance of figuring it out so long as he kept moving and didn't run out of ammo any time soon.'So what's the plan?' Tessa asked, looking around in fear as the walls flashed past them."Survive until backup arrives." Leadfoot replied, running straight over a sentry drone and zipping around another corner. "But I need you to do something for me right now."'What?' Tessa nodded, setting Wheelie's bag on the navigator's seat and pushing her hair out of her eyes."Lean into the back, down behind ya seat. Ya should be able to see a few hoses dripping fluids." Leadfoot guided, still mostly focused on the path ahead.'I see them.' Tessa confirmed, reaching out to touch the four damaged cables."Okay, wrap this around those hoses to stop the leaks." Leadfoot instructed, flicking a roll of duct tape towards her. "Make sure it's tight but not too constrictin'. Think of it like a pressure bandage when ya cut ya finger. I just bleed a rainbow."'Okay, I can do that.' Tessa chuckled weakly as she set about the repairs. 'So why a rainbow?'"The dark caramel is oil, standard earth stuff but it works great for us. Green is coolant, modified to suit our systems but harmless to humans. The dark pink-purple is energon, our lifeblood and primary fuel but it's been slightly modified so it's not dangerous to humans. The yellow is waste, some filtered from my other systems and some flushed from filters across my body." Leadfoot explained, realising that Tessa was starting to relax the more he talked.'So what about these damaged wires here?' Tessa asked, touching several shredded wires she could see."I didn't realise those were damaged. Everything is colour coded and I'm here to help if you get into difficulty." Leadfoot confirmed, narrowly avoiding a security patrol. "Just be careful, my wiring is equivalent to ya nerves. Highly sensitive and easily damaged."'I'll be gentle.' Tessa nodded, leaning over further and starting to twist the wires back together before wrapping them in duct tape for added protection."Can you see a thick white and red cable? It's about two inches in diameter?" Leadfoot asked, concerned by some glitches in his sensor readings.'Yeah, I see it. It's got some damage but it's mostly intact.' Tessa confirmed, reaching out to lightly touch the thick cable. 'What's it for?'"Primary sensor relays, everything runs through that cable. Alright, ya gonna have to patch that cable." Leadfoot coached, shifting panels to reveal the wire patch kit they all carried. "Take this blue box, ya gonna need it."'What do I do?' Tessa asked, grabbing the box and climbing into the back fully for better access."In the box you'll find gloves, goggles, lengths of wiring and cutting tools. All ya gotta do is match the wires, cut a piece to fit and tape the patch into my primary sensor cable." Leadfoot directed, trying to keep his tone light and relaxed.'Okay, I can do that.' Tessa nodded, pulling on the gloves and starting the repairs. 'Let me know if this hurts.'"Be extremely careful with that cable, Tessa. It is similar to your spinal column in terms of importance." Leadfoot warned, doing his best not to jostle her around much as he continued to race through the corridors.#~#+^*^+#~#Left in command now that Blade was leading the Aerialbots on a mission to try and bring down Lockdown's ship, Prowl and Ironhide conferred quickly and came up with a daring plan that would hopefully balance out several problems and give them the best chance of rescuing Prime, Leadfoot and Tessa from the Bounty Hunter. It wasn't much of a plan but it was the best chance they had at putting an end to Lockdown once and for all.With Ratchet and the medical team working hard to get the wounded back on their feet, Ironhide and Prowl led their remaining combatants back into Chicago and towards the hovering ship. No one could figure out why Lockdown hadn't left yet but they weren't about to argue with that tactical advantage. Now they just needed to get to the ship before it was too late for them to stage a rescue.Ratchet hadn't been willing to let Ironhide leave, concerned about his weapons systems and the supposedly destroyed control module. Only once Ironhide proved that it was a secondary control module that Lockdown had destroyed did Ratchet finally clear him for the mission. He also provided a new secondary control module, securing the redundant systems that Ironhide needed if he was going to maintain heavy fire support.Charging through the streets, the remaining ground force picked their route primarily for speed but they also tried to avoid crowded areas, not wanting to risk hitting anyone in their mad rush to get their people back from that Bounty Hunter. As normal, the Wreckers led the charge, Speedshot showing no signs of the beating he'd already taken in the sprint to save Leadfoot from the unknown. They were already trying to work out what Leadfoot's plan might be but their repeated calls for their mate were going unanswered. Whatever he had in mind, he was keeping it to himself for now.Skidding to a halt on a bridge that gave them easy access to the ship, Bumblebee let Cade and Shane out before getting to his feet. The two humans barely even paused, running to get even closer to the ship as the Autobots scanned the hull for access points.'Come on! Come on!' Cade called, determined to rescue his daughter. 'Bee! Come on!''Enough wasting time! Let's do this!' Sam agreed, double checking his borrowed pistol was secure on his belt.'It's a bad idea but I'm all about bad ideas.' Hound nodded, looking at Mirage for a moment and smiling around his cygar. 'Let's go!' 'Well, let's rock.' Crosshairs smirked, launching out towards the ship with Sidewinder right beside him.Clearing the gaps and scrambling up onto the top of the ugly ship, the small team picked their way across the open structures carefully. No one wanted to fall and give their position away or risk knocking the humans into the ship before they were ready to make their move.'This is crazy.' Shane breathed, looking down into the ship.'Look, if you wanna cut and run, you'd better do it now.' Cade replied, looking at Shane with hard eyes. 'I'm gonna die trying.''Hey, I'm not here to help you get your daughter. You're here to help me get my girlfriend.' Shane countered, meeting Cade's stare.'No, we're here to rescue Tessa Yeager, not Dyson. I couldn't care less about what you want, Shane. We're here to support Cade.' Lennox snarled, patting the rifle he'd borrowed from one of Emily's old stockpiles. It wasn't much but he felt better having it. 'Let's move!''Alright Overwatch, we're going in.' Ironhide reported as he started climbing down into the ship."Copy that Ironhide, we're pulling back." Blade confirmed, unwilling to risk a wild shot hitting one of his people. "We'll wait for your call."'Acknowledged.' Ironhide nodded, activating another set of long unused protocols to make the mission a little easier.Regrouping inside the ship, the team kept their optics peeled for threats and watched out for each other as the last members of the team climbed down and took up positions.'We're behind enemy lines now. Lockdown's ship has booby traps. Eyes open.' Hound warned, lifting one of his guns and looking around slowly.'Beware of bone grinders, brain blinders, flesh peelers, chromosomal inverters, catatonic sludge, black hole trapdoors and of course radiation.' Crosshairs listed, resting one hand on Sidewinder's shoulder lightly.'Not to mention gloop, shockgunk, snap traps and all manner of exotic creatures.' Sidewinder added, looking at his mate with a grin. 'Gloop and shockgunk aren't a serious threat, they're part of my arsenal and I don't shoot allies. But if you see any grey or silver sludge around, don't make any contact with it.''We must be quick. We have the element of surprise. Let's try to use violence as a last resort.' Drift guided, swinging his swords slowly.Suddenly one of the onboard monsters appeared, a reaching mechanical tentacle emerging from the wall only to be quickly cut into pieces by Drift's deadly swords.'Get it!' Crosshairs grinned, keeping his distance from the monster.'I kill you.' Drift growled, thrusting his sword down one of the holes in the wall.'Eww, hate those things.' Crosshairs shuddered, glancing at Sidewinder again.'Freaky.' Cade uttered, shocked by the sight.'It's not alive anymore.' Drift promised, turning back to the team.'Well, we looked. They're not here. Let's go.' Crosshairs sighed, throwing up his hands.'What? Hey, I'm not going anywhere without Tessa.' Cade demanded, refusing to back down.'I'm unclear. What's in it for me?' Crosshairs challenged, prodding Cade in the chest.'What's in it for you?''I don't blow ya circuits!' Speedshot snarled, ignoring Sidewinder's flared weapons and poking Crosshairs with his shoulder weaponry.'Easy, easy, let's use words.' Crosshairs coaxed, holding up his hands.'What's in it for you is I don't kill ya.' Hound agreed, also prodding Crosshairs. 'We're gettin' the Boss back. And the girl. And Leadfoot. Copy?''Okay, okay. Very persuasive. Text book machismo.' Crosshairs relented, a little surprised that Sidewinder hadn't stepped up to support him. 'Well then, we'll need to sabotage something.''Better hurry, because dark matter drives are preparing to take off.' Drift warned, drawing attention to the ever increasing hum around them.'Aw hell. If he launches, we're in trouble. This ship ain't rated to hold atmosphere.' Falcon groaned, looking down at the humans.'I give us ten minutes.' Hot Rod calculated, looking around quickly.'Is that what that sound is?' Shane asked, looking around for answers. 'It's the engines spooling up? Are you telling me that thing is gonna be flying out of here in ten minutes?''Uh-ha.' Drift confirmed, scanning the walls for any clues of which way to the engines.'Could be nine. Worst case, seven.' Decal added, resting one hand on the nearest wall to try and read the ship.'We'll take the humans. We've got the best chance of findin' Leadfoot.' Topspin insisted, offering his hand to the men. 'Knowin' Leadfoot, he's got Tessa.''We're wasting time, let's go.' Cade agreed, climbing up and dragging Shane with him.'Jazz and I will assist you.' Prowl nodded, moving forward to join the Wreckers.'So will we.' Slash added, motioning his smaller team towards the Wreckers.'We'll do what we can to distract Lockdown.' Scorpion smirked, patting his sniper rifle lightly.'The rest of us will find the centre core.' Ironhide directed, snapping out his cannons. 'Switch to secondary comm frequencies. Let's keep this asshole off our airwaves.''We'll try and shut down internal scanners, Lockdown can't hunt if he can't find us.' Decal chuckled, leading Falcon away down a different corridor.'Let's move.' Drift guided, leading one small team away at a jog.'Come on, let's find Prime.' Sunstreaker grinned, pistols raised as he followed Sideswipe down a different corridor.'Let's stop this nightmare ship.' Crosshairs growled, tapping Sidewinder and heading off to see what they could destroy.#~#+^*^+#~#Continuing to circle the hideous looking ship, the Aerialbots kept their distance but remained on high alert just in case they were called into assist with the rescue or an escape. Suddenly though, they had a highly confusing complication to handle. Someone had activated the anchor lines from the ship, filling one quadrant of airspace with cables of various widths and lengths as they wrapped around and locked onto a few buildings too close to the ship.Unable to brake or manoeuvre clear in time, Cosmo let out a scream as he went careening into the cables, the impact sheering one wing in half and severely damaging the other. Forcing his transformation, as much as it hurt, he grabbed the cables and groaned as he dangled from one hand and tried to come up with a solution to this mess. He wasn't getting out of this one without help, as much as he hated to even ask. He usually could find a way out of any situation but this was one time that he would need someone else.Sweeping around together, Bits and Mark transformed and entered a stable hover beside Cosmo, both reaching out to steady him on the flimsy cables. Careful not to get tangled themselves, the mobile pair drifted closer to Cosmo and gently eased him off the cables, doing their best not to cause further pain or get tangled in the lines.'Come on bro, let's get ya back to the medics.' Bits uttered, guiding one arm around his shoulders.'Could have happened to any of us.' Mark agreed, getting a secure grip and checking for danger.'Thanks bros.' Cosmo nodded, holding tight and powering up his thrusters. 'Shift is gonna start cryin' again. I just know it.''He loves ya, plain and simple.' Bits chuckled, guiding them through the cables and down to a better altitude for base-mode flight.'We're gonna need cover here, bros. Cosmo is seriously hurt.' Mark instructed, tucking closer to their wounded companion."Copy that, we've got ya back." Blade confirmed, swinging around to take up a defensive position above them. "Medical, we have a code 3 inbound.""Acknowledged, we're standing by." Ratchet confirmed, totally in control of the situation."Whichever idiot in there launched the docking cables, ya aim sucks. Cosmo groused, trying to ignore the pain from his wings. "Right in the wings.""Oops, sorry about that bro." Sidewinder replied, definitely embarrassed by that tone. "We're tryin' to disable this thing. Pulled the wrong crystal.""Without the crystal, he can't retract the cables either so we've got some time." Crosshairs added, also a little embarrassed by the mishap. "Ya can pay us back after for the insult.""I fully intend to." Cosmo replied, hating to miss the fight but he needed medical attention now.#~#+^*^+#~#Watching out for each other as only they could, the Wreckers led their expanded team through the twisting network of corridors and cell blocks in search of their targets. At the moment Roadbuster had the lead, Lennox perched on his shoulder as they scouted ahead of the primary team. Roadbuster had locked onto Leadfoot's signal but the complexity of the ship made it hard to locate exactly where he was at the moment.Picking up on something he didn't like the feel of, Roadbuster signalled for the team to wait and dropped to one knee, directing his strongest sensors towards the disturbance ahead. Recognising a search drone, he swore softly and stood, hurrying back to the primary team and leading them down a different corridor.'We lost the surprise. Lockdown's unleashed search drones and I'd say they're ship wide.' Roadbuster warned, searching for a place to take cover.'Well that makes it harder.' Topspin sighed, darting for cover and hunkering down. 'Ambush, right here.''Runnin' low on ammo.' Speedshot warned, taking cover and setting Cade and Shane on the floor quickly. 'Find a spot to hide, this is about to get messy.''Come on, these things are gonna find us.' Prowl hissed, bolting for cover with Sam.'Hurry, hide.' Slash coaxed, diving for cover and hugging the walls.'This is a bad idea.' Windvest uttered, dropping to the floor and hunkering down.'Nah, just an unplanned ambush.' Roadbuster chuckled, making sure Lennox was safe and flaring out his weapons.Hunting for cover, Bonfire swore when he bumped something and suddenly the statues around the walls started changing shape and revealed walls of weapons just waiting for someone to pick them up.'Whoa.' Shane breathed, looking up at the displays.'Weapons!' Cade called, looking around slowly.'By Primus, this stuff is ancient.' Topspin uttered, emerging from cover to look at the weapons.'Ohh, shot-darts. These will be helpful.' Prowl noted, approaching the wall and lifting down two tiny weapons. 'Originally used by minibots, they should be about the right size for humans.''How do they work?' Lennox asked, accepting one of the ancient weapons.'I have no idea. These weapons went out of use a long time ago.' Prowl shrugged, moving back out of sight. 'You'll figure it out.''Run ya hands along the edges. Squeeze the surfaces and ya should hit a trigger point. After that, it's all pretty simple.' Topspin instructed, peeking out from his hiding spot. 'Don't look so shocked, Prowl. Weapons are our speciality.''There are some weird sounds out there.' Shane uttered, pressing closer to the wall behind him.'Everyone stay cool. Wait for the searchers to come to us, then we blow 'em away.' Speedshot instructed, reaching out to rest one hand on Roadbuster's side. 'Let 'em come.'Holding still as the red search lasers scanned the room, the Autobots kept watch over the humans and tried to locate the enemy agents without using active scanning and giving away their locations. Double checking that the humans were safe and had their weapons activated, Topspin dropped his weight and signalled that he was leading this ambush.'Alright, we're not going down without a fight.' Cade nodded, lifting his weapon in readiness.'They turn that corner and we're gonna take 'em.' Lennox agreed, watching the other flank with his active shot-dart. 'You ready or you gonna bitch out on us?''No, I got ya back.' Shane replied, holding a third dark that Jazz had tossed him.'Are you ready?' Cade asked, trying to get them all hyped up for the fight.'Absolutely.' Sam nodded, armed and ready for the fight.'Don't bitch out on us! Are you ready?' Cade demanded, gaze flicking to Shane.'Yeah! Yeah, yeah, yeah!' Shane confirmed, flinching as the search drones opened fire.No one was overly surprised when Shane suddenly launched out from hiding and surrendered to the sentry drones. Reacting in a microsecond, Topspin broke cover and opened fire, allowing Shane to scramble back out of sight.'Boy, you take useless to a whole new level.' Jazz growled, breaking cover and opening fire.'Feed fail!' Speedshot warned, ducking back as a shot came way too close to his head. 'Cover fire!''We got ya Shot!' Roadbuster replied, taking out the smaller drones swarming towards them.'Where do they keep coming from?' Ghost asked, dropping another walking menace.'Worry about that later. Kill 'em.' Slash growled, advancing and dropping to one knee as he deployed his shoulder rocket launcher.'I'm sorry. I'm sorry.' Shane panted, barely holding it together in fear. 'I'm so, so, so sorry.'Making his move, Speedshot broke cover and ran for the nearest weapons rack, grabbing a larger version of the shot-darts as he spun around and triggered it open. Bracing the powerful weapon against his shoulder, he opened fire on the approaching drones with a low growl and a fierce look on his face.'Come on ya bastards! I ain't scared of ya!' Speedshot yelled, moving past the humans and sweeping his aim across the drones. 'c'mon, we're movin' out.''Let's go, Lucky Charms.' Roadbuster growled, scooping Shane up and grabbing a matching rifleblade from the display racks.'Wreckers have the lead.' Topspin nodded, grabbing a pair of the larger weapons and subspacing one for Leadfoot before joining the lead group with the stolen weapon pressed to his shoulder.'Don't worry Cade, this is what they do best.' Jazz grinned, collecting Cade and hurrying after the Wreckers. 'They thrive in dangerous situations.''Oh man, I am so gonna patent this shit.' Cade crowed, looking down at the weapon he'd been trusted with.'Heh, ya gonna have a fight on ya hands for that one, Cade. This is our tech and Prime never wanted to share our weapons with humans.' Jazz chuckled, constantly searching for threats and dealing with them as quickly as possible.'Up you come Sam. We'll be outta here in no time.' Slash grinned, settling Sam on his shoulder and joining the escape run.'Now this is more like it. I hate skulking around.' Bonfire chuckled, picking up Lennox and taking up a rear position in the assault team.#~#+^*^+#~#Cursing his still offline secondary generator, Leadfoot continued to play dodge the search drones through the twisting network of this accursed ship. He'd been forced back onto his feet, his engine making it far too easy for the enemy troops to track him but the running was murder on his damaged hip struts. Ratchet would have his head for this, even thought it technically wasn't his fault.'Ya still okay, lil' miss?' he asked, hustling down another corridor.'Not really but I'm not hurt.' Tessa replied, curled up in an armoured pocket between his chestplates. 'Wheelie's finally gone quiet.''He's savin' energy, probably feelin' low right now.' Leadfoot sighed, pausing for a moment to check their surroundings.'Tess!' Cade's voice was faint but they both clearly heard it.'Dad!' Tessa cried, sitting up in the pocket. 'Help us!''Leadfoot! Where are ya?' Roadbuster called, somewhere below and behind them.'Hold position, we're coming!' Leadfoot directed, turning around and racing back towards a ramp he'd bypassed.Slide-running down the ramp, Leadfoot felt something in his hip give and dropped back to an unsteady lope, determined to reach his mates and get off this ship before anything else went wrong. For now the pain was bearable but something was definitely severely damaged in the joint and he wasn't quite sure what.'Are you okay?' Tessa asked, looking up at him worriedly.'That hip is worse than I thought.' Leadfoot uttered, slowing right down in an attempt to reduce any further damage. 'Buster! Spin! Shot!''I hear ya, Lead!' Topspin replied, appearing from around a corner ahead. 'Oh frag, ya look like hell, Leadfoot.''Getting stuck under Prime will do that.' Leadfoot shrugged, easing back to a steady limp. 'Oh frag, Ratchet's gotta have my head for this.''Tessa!' Cade called, clutching at Jazz's shoulder even as he leaned forward.'Right here dad!' Tessa waved, standing up in the pocket. 'I'm okay, Leadfoot kept me safe.''All part of the service, lil' miss.' Leadfoot chuckled, resting one hand over the pocket lightly.'As tempted as we were to leave this lugnut behind, we kept him safe for ya Tessa.' Roadbuster added, thrusting his thumb at Shane on his shoulder. 'Dumb prick gave our position away to these drones.''I don't want him then. I got enough trouble right now.' Leadfoot groaned, shifting slowly where he stood. 'This hip is scrapped.''Looks like ya stuck with ya Lucky Charms, Buster.' Speedshot smirked, coming forward and taking a knee beside his injured mate. 'Hold still, I'll see what I can do to patch ya up again.''Sit down, shut up and hang on, kid.' Roadbuster growled, adjusting his grip on the rifleblade he was carrying. 'Spin grabbed ya one of these, figured ya'd want one.''Rifleblades? I thought these things were ancient history even for us.' Leadfoot uttered, turning his attention to Topspin. 'Give it up Spin.''Shoulda grabbed an extra. Ironhide would love one of these.' Topspin sighed, handing over the weapon he was holding and pulling out the stashed one.'Here, take this one. Figured a spare would be smart.' Ghost grinned, presenting another of the ancient rifleblades.'Nah, you give that to Ironhide. He used to have one but lost it millennia ago.' Topspin replied, spinning around and taking out another search drone coming towards them. 'We can't stay here. How much longer until we move out?''Almost done.' Speedshot replied, nudging Leadfoot to lean over a little more. 'Just gotta secure this last fracture.''Shouldn't that hurt?' Tessa asked, making sure that Wheelie was still secure in his bag.'We can turn off our pain receptors, unlike humans. Had mine switched off since we left the smelter chamber.' Leadfoot shrugged, checking over the rifleblade in his hands. 'They come back online every so often but it's no big deal.'Removing his fingers from Leadfoot's hip, Speedshot scooped up his weapon and stood. Scanning for threats, he nodded sharply and turned back to the team as his doorwings twitched in rhythm.'Alright, that'll hold for now but we're gonna have to slow right down. That hip ain't gonna last much longer.' Speedshot warned, hefting his rifleblade. 'So we're gonna find the nearest way off this ship and bail out.''What about Prime and the others?' Jazz asked, visor flashing dangerously.'Ironhide, we've located Leadfoot and Tessa. Lead's got some severe damage, we're gonna bail soon as we find an exit.' Topspin reported, continuing to scan for threats."Copy that, Topspin. Get outta here, we'll handle the rest." Ironhide confirmed, sounding just a little ticked off at someone or something.'Acknowledged, Ironhide. We're outta here.' Speedshot replied, turning and leading the way down another corridor. 'Decal, you got any readin's for us? I reckon we've got five minutes before we gotta carry Leadfoot outta here.'"There's only one option but you ain't going to like it." Decal offered, his tone warning them of bad news to come. "The only chance you've got is to climb down the anchor cables and arrange an aerial pickup from there. Otherwise it's a ten minute run to the nearest hanger."'Are you fraggin' serious? Anchor cables?' Roadbuster groused, deeply disturbed by the idea."Sorry guys, that's all I got for you." Decal sighed, still searching for other answers but there was no other choice. "Either send Slash and his team to the hanger to maybe steal some transport or down you climb."'We got no choice. We'll take the humans and head for the cables.' Speedshot sighed, reaching out to collect Lennox. 'The rest of ya, head for the hanger and see what ya can steal.''Maybe we should take the humans.' Prowl suggested, wary of risking the humans on the cables.'Not a chance.' Leadfoot and Tessa spoke in unison, surprising everyone around them.'I made a promise to see this lil' miss safely off this ship.' Leadfoot continued, looking around slowly. 'That's exactly what I'm gonna do.''Yeah, I trust Leadfoot. I don't really know you.' Tessa agreed, keeping Wheelie's bag tucked to her chest. 'I ain't leaving him.''Dear Primus, we've corrupted her.' Speedshot muttered, securing Lennox in a similar pocket on his chestplate. 'Just go, Prowl. We've got this covered.''Very well. We will see you at the rendezvous.' Prowl agreed, moving back as Jazz handed Cade to Leadfoot. 'Be safe, all of you.'#~#+^*^+#~#Towards the rear of the ship, Hound and his team kept their distance as Sidewinder finished attaching a highly specialised charge to the large iris-style hatch they had located. The charge wasn't designed to damage the hatch, but rather it was designed to send an electromagnetic charge through the structure and disable any locks or other devices holding the hatch closed. Making absolutely sure the bomb was placed properly, Sidewinder retreated a few steps and looked back over his shoulder.'Fire in the hole.' he warned, bracing his weight just in case and triggering the bomb.There was a crackle of electricity in the air and a faint popping noise before the bomb dropped off the hatch. Hound opened his mouth to make a comment but before he could speak, the hatch opened up to reveal an unexplored section of the ship.'Heh, what'd I tell ya. Works every time.' Sidewinder chuckled, stooping to pick up the bomb casing. 'And still good for another few shocks.''Big boy comin' through! Move! Move! Move!' Hound called, advancing into the revealed area.'Whoa.' Crosshairs uttered, looking around in disbelief.'This must be the super max.' Mirage warned, blades out as he stayed behind Hound.'Watch the corridors.' Hound instructed, sweeping for threats and searching for Optimus.'There's a lot of cages.' Drift remarked, constantly watching for threats.'Oh yeah, some creepy critters in here.' Hound agreed, turning and scanning the cages slowly.'I don't wanna know what's in the big cage.' Crosshairs added, glancing at Sidewinder.Lowering his favourite cannon slowly, Hound took a closer look in one of the smaller cages, equal parts curious and disgusted by the ugly little creature locked inside. It was only tiny compared to them but considering their location, it had to be dangerous.'What's this?' Hound asked, drawing attention to the creature.'Hound, don't do it.' Crosshairs warned, instantly uncomfortable around the little beast.'Ah, you don't look very dangerous in there.' Hound continued, moving closer and bending down for a closer look.'This is going to end badly.' Mirage sighed, shaking his head slowly.'Oh, that's festering ugliness.' Hound noted, deeply disturbed by the dripping vertical jaws revealed when the creature moved its twisted arms apart.Before anyone could even think, the creature spat a vibrant green substance straight into Hound's face, startling everyone as Hound stumbled back, spun around and fell to the ground.'I'm hit! I'm down! It's melting! It burns! Oh, I think its acid!' Hound cried, finally getting a good look at his hand. 'Uuhh, nuts! It's just schizzle.''Eww, I hope that's not contagious.' Crosshairs remarked, keeping his distance.'4-12, we have a 4-12 in the super max.' Mirage smirked, looking down at his mate. 'Really Hound, you deserve an award for overreacting.''Very funny Raj.' Hound sighed, sitting up slowly and looking towards the cage. 'Hey, I gotta hurt ya now. You're just too disturbing to live.''Allow me, Hound. This should be good.' Sidewinder chuckled, revealing an absolutely tiny black disk between two fingers.Flipping his hand over, he flicked the disk into the cage and sniggered as the ugly little beastie caught it mid air and swallowed it whole. Backing up a step, Sidewinder spread out his shield for protection as the creature exploded in a wave of organic matter and green sludge.'Take that bitch.' Hound crowed, amazed that something so tiny could make such a mess. 'Oh, you're dead.''Hound!' Optimus called, drawing everyone away from the creatures in here.'He's alive!' Hound hollered, rolling over and climbing to his feet.'Hold on Boss, we're comin'!' Crosshairs yelled, trying to locate Optimus.'Optimus! Sound off!' Sidewinder ordered, adjusting his audios to better pick up the response.'In here! Quick!' Optimus guided, drawing the team closer.'Hang on, we're comin' for ya!' Hound replied, leading the charge through the cellblock.'The arms of this Knight Ship detach. We can break free.' Optimus directed, giving them a new direction as Drift lashed out with one sword and forced the cell door open. 'It's a separate ship.''Where's the cockpit? Right or left?' Hound asked, crawling into the opened cell.'Right.' Optimus replied, pointing with his helm.'We're on it Boss.' Mirage nodded, waiting for Hound before leaving the room.'Hurry. We have no time.' Optimus continued, looking up at Drift and Sidewinder as they started on the large spikes protruding from the walls.Pulling a long roll of thick white cord from his subspace, Sidewinder secured a small weight to one end and fed out a length of the cord before tossing the weight up and over the spikes at Optimus' right. Catching the weight as Drift continued hacking at the spikes on the other side, Sidewinder flicked the cord into a better position and cut the length free of the coil.'Another explosive of yours?' Drift asked, moving back so Sidewinder could get at the left side of the cell.'This one is inspired by humans. They use similar stuff but I tinkered with the recipe a little.' Sidewinder nodded, rigging up the second line and making sure it was wrapped around all of the spikes. 'Cover ya face, Prime. Everyone else get back.'Finishing the basic set up and readjusting his shield again, Sidewinder blocked the doorway with his body and ignited the cords simultaneously. He had been built to withstand explosions a lot stronger than anything that they used so he had no fear of standing right here in front of Optimus as the charges detonated.'We clear?' Crosshairs asked, coming out from cover as the spikes clattered to the ground.'Not yet. Still gotta get Prime down.' Sidewinder replied, looking up and accessing the next step in his plan. 'Brace yourself, this is gonna hurt.''Another indignity on a bad day.' Optimus sighed, stretching out his arms and preparing for an awkward fall.'I'll try and make it as gentle as possible.' Sidewinder replied, patting Optimus' chest lightly.Selecting another charge from his kit, Sidewinder circled the cramped cell and took aim on the clawed hand holding Optimus suspended. Cocking his arm back, he locked his aim and pitched the sticky bomb almost vertically and grinned as it stuck firmly to the arm and sent back a clear signal to his remote detonator.'Okay, here we go.' Sidewinder warned, backing out of the cell and moving to the side. 'Expand your secondary shield and use it to slow the fall.''I'm ready.' Optimus nodded, pushing his shield out to fill the cell and reach out the door.'Fire in the hole. In three…two…one.'With a sharp crack, the sticky bomb exploded, destroying the claws and dropping Optimus to the deck with a heavy thump. Admittedly, the thump was a lot softer than expected but it still clearly hurt their leader.'You okay, Prime?' Sidewinder asked, returning to Optimus and kneeling beside him.'That shield idea failed.' Optimus groaned, sitting up slowly.'All Autobots, head for my location. We have the primary.' Sidewinder broadcast, moving back as Optimus eased to his feet. 'All Autobots, head for my location!'#~#+^*^+#~#Stepping out onto the platform where the anchor cables had been launched from, the Wreckers paused and looked down towards the buildings at the other end of the dancing cables. The angle was far steeper than they had prepared for and all four were nervous about stepping out onto the unsteady lines.'I am not doing this. I'm not doing that.' Tessa insisted, peering out from her pocket nervously.'Yes we are. It does gonna be okay, lil miss. We can do this.' Leadfoot soothed, resting one hand over the pocket. 'I'll keep ya safe, no matter what.''Here goes nothin'.' Speedshot uttered, stepping down onto the widest cable and lowering his weight. 'Nice and easy. Hold on tight Lennox, this will get hairy.''Ya hold on real tight now, both of ya.' Topspin instructed, subspacing his rifleblade and easing down to sit on the edge of the platform. 'Shot, ya take Lead down that wide cable. I'll go underneath on these narrower ones.''Whatever ya do, don't look down Lucky Charms.' Roadbuster warned, taking a seat and reaching out for the nearest cable.'Are you fucking serious?' Sam cried, sinking back into his pocket.'Nothin' to it Sam. We've made similar escapes before.' Topspin shrugged, reaching up to slide a lightweight mesh over the top of the pocket to keep Sam and Cade safe. 'Just sit down, hold onto the provided anchors and keep quiet.''That goes for you as well, Shane. Not one word until we're back on solid ground.' Roadbuster growled, depositing Shane in his chest pocket and closing the mesh cover. 'Ready?''Here goes nothin'.' Topspin nodded, getting a firm grip on the cable and dropping off the platform smoothly.Taking Leadfoot's hand, Speedshot concentrated on the shaking cable and inched forward slowly, lifting his feet only enough to clear the hinges along the length. Keeping his gaze on the cable, he continued shuffling forward slowly but surely, listening to Leadfoot's feet scraping at the cables.'That's it, nice and easy. We can do this, one step at a time.' Speedshot coaxed, continuing to ease along the cable. 'how you two doin' down there?''Nothin' to it, Shot. Just like learnin' to transform.' Roadbuster replied, making his way along a single cable hand over hand.'The wind makes it a little tough but we'll manage.' Topspin agreed, spreading his weight across two even thinner cables. 'No worse than that time escapin' from Shockwave back in the day.''We're not talkin' about that now!' Leadfoot snapped, concentrating on each step.'Cool it, all of ya.' Speedshot growled, continuing to pick his way along the shuddering cable.At least the Aerialbots were doing their bit to make this passage as easy as possible by staying away from the cables. The last thing the Wreckers needed was the turbulence from their jets sending the cables into a deadly dance. Struggling to keep his balance on the steep cables, Speedshot activated the weak magnets in his pedes and continued down the cable, just hoping that the grip was enough to keep them both secure.'Oh my god. Oh my god.' Tessa gasped, peering out of her hiding spot.'Shh, ya safe lil miss. I won't let ya fall.' Leadfoot promised, peering past Speedshot for a moment. 'We'll be okay. Just let me focus.''Come on, where's our aerial support.' Speedshot growled, wobbling dangerously for a moment.'Dunno about ya, but I'm glad there's no aerial support right now.' Topspin replied, continuing to swing along the cables. 'It's windy enough up here!''This is the Windy City after all.' Roadbuster quipped, tightening his grip against another gust.'Not helping guys.' Speedshot snapped, inching forward again.Looking back towards the ship, Leadfoot's energon ran to ice when he saw several of Lockdown's mechanical pets on the platform. Growling and snapping, several of them jumped onto the cables and gave chase, unafraid of the height or the wind.'Pick up the pace, guys. We've got steeljaws on our six.' Leadfoot warned, lifting his right arm and deploying the heavy machine gun mounted there. 'I count four so far.''Aw fuck, that's the last thing we need right now.' Speedshot groused, continuing to move forward slowly. 'Can ya take 'em out.''I'll try.' Leadfoot nodded, drawing his aim on one of the beasts and sending the fire command.Making a dangerous choice when Leadfoot lowered his arm and called out a weapons malfunction, Topspin released one pincer from the cables and verified that his weapons were still functioning properly. Doing his best to steady his aim despite the wind trying to knock him off the cable, he concentrated and opened fire on the approaching steeljaws.His first volley was good, striking one of the creatures in the neck and knocking it off the cable. Shifting his aim, he nailed the second in the head and leg, sending it plummeting to the ground. Swinging his aim around again, he tried to get a bead on the third but it was approaching too fast and the cables blocked his shot.'Buster! I can't make the shot.' Topspin called, grabbing the cable again and watching the third beast approaching.'I got it!' Roadbuster called, releasing his left hand and nailing the third steeljaw in the belly but the shot also severed one of the wider cables forming their unstable bridge. 'Frag! Hit a cable!'Continuing the shuffle, Leadfoot put his faith in Speedshot and looked up at the ship again, watching for more threats on the platform above.'Steeljaws on the platform! They're goin' fer the cables!' Leadfoot warned, helpless to do anything to protect his family.'I can't take the shot!' Topspin called, tightening his pincers so he didn't get shaken off.'Shot! Ya gotta take it!' Roadbuster insisted, struggling to hang onto the heaving cable.'I can't!' Speedshot replied, unable to get a clear shot around Leadfoot. 'All Autobots! We need immediate support! Repeat, Wreckers need immediate support!'"We're inbound." Dakota answered, racing under the ship."On scene." Bumblebee acknowledged, appearing on the platform and opening fire on the steeljaws chewing on the cables."Topspin, jump!" Daytona ordered, lining up on the blue Wrecker."Roadbuster, let go!" Tar called, sweeping around and making a run towards Roadbuster.'Go! Go! Go!' Speedshot cried, watching the cables giving way all around them.Nodding sharply, Topspin and Roadbuster released their grip and dropped, only to be caught safely upon the wings of two A-10 Warthog's. Crouching to reduce drag, they engaged their specialised magnets to help them stay on and aimed up towards the platform as the last cable snapped and Bumblebee jumped out to grab the end of it.'Lead! Shot!' Topspin cried, snapping around and watching his lovers fall.'Kota! Do something!' Roadbuster snapped, pointing to the third Warthog nearby."I can only take one." Dakota warned, racing towards the falling pair.'Take Leadfoot.' Speedshot nodded, releasing Leadfoot and watching him fly away as the weight of the cable pulled Speedshot down.'Shot! Shot!' Leadfoot hollered, caught in the grip on Dakota's magnets and pulled up into the sky. 'Speedshot!'Deactivating his magnets, Speedshot managed to grab another cable as it whipped past him and latched on tight, trying not to think about his chances of coming through this without severe structural damage. Looking down, he saw Bumblebee on the very end of the same cable and swore, bracing for one hell of an impact against the building. He could handle his own weight in a collision at these speeds but adding Bee into the equation would make for one hell of a nasty impact with the building.'Hold on!' Speedshot roared, trying to protect Lennox from the impact. 'Glass!'Slamming into the building and getting a fresh new appreciation for the bugs that often decorated his windshield, Speedshot struggled to hold onto the cable but gravity had a stronger grip and was slowly pulling him back down to earth. Making a snap decision, Speedshot kicked off the wall as best he could and released the cable, ignoring the shocked screams from his mates as he shoved his hands through the glass façade and tried to find solid purchase as he slid down towards Bee.Starting to think that this plan was going to fail, Speedshot couldn't help the crow of delight as he finally caught one of the structural beams holding this particular skyscraper up and came to a sudden stop. Looking up, he saw Bee slide past him and stretched out one foot just in time for Bee to grab it and stop his own surrender to gravity.'You okay Bee?' Speedshot called, tightening his grip on the beam. 'Lennox?''Close enough.' Bee replied, smashing another section of glass and looping his arm around a vertical beam.'I'm alive, got some cuts and scrapes but I'll live.' Lennox confirmed, peeling off his jacket and shaking out the glass.'Slash! Where the fuck are ya?' Speedshot hollered, unable to turn around and look for his rescue. 'Bonfire! Ghost! Windvest! Prowl! Jazz!'"Keep ya platin' on Speedshot. We're inbound." Sidewinder replied, totally calm for the moment.'Bumblebee! Bumblebee! Friendly! Enemy ships are comin' in hot.' Crosshairs called, bringing in one of the enemy fighters to retrieve Bee from the wall. 'Get on!'"Sorry Speedshot, we got beaten to the last fighters. We're headin' to Prime's location now." Jazz sighed, clearly frustrated and trying to hide it.'We'll see you there, Jazz.' Speedshot nodded, trying not to think about Leadfoot's absence right now. 'I still need a lift off this building!'Racing back into the fight after taking Leadfoot to Ratchet despite his arguments, Dakota swept in close to the tower and quite literally sucked him off the wall as he flew past. Performing a tank destroying roll, he released Speedshot and continued over to catch him across his wings. Levelling out again, he returned to formation with Tona and Tar, the trio heading back to Prime's location to deposit the Wreckers back in the fight.#~#+^*^+#~#Sticking close to Crosshairs now that Bumblebee was onboard and safe; Sidewinder relished the feeling of wind rushing over his wings again. Though he'd promised to stay close to Crosshairs now, he hadn't been able to resist the look Crosshairs had given him and returned to his aerial form. Tuning his engines to stay in beside Crosshairs, Sidewinder laughed as they danced through the sky together. Admittedly, Sidewinder had been concerned that he would never return to the open skies now that he was bonded to Crosshairs and felt drawn to protect him. He was relieved and happy to have one last chance to say goodbye to the thermals properly.Constantly retuning his engines and shields, Sidewinder kept level with Crosshairs and watched for enemy fighters coming up behind them. He had so many targets to watch for and although he wouldn't have minded some help, he was grateful his bros were leaving him to guard Crosshairs alone. There was something special about being there to protect his mate from harm.'Hold ya knickers. I'm punchin' it!' Crosshairs warned, glancing towards him."Go for it! I'm right beside ya." Sidewinder confirmed, throwing on more speed and staying with Crosshairs as they twisted between the skyscrapers of Chicago. "Keep goin', I'll cover."'Ya got it.' Crosshairs nodded, continuing to weave among the buildings as Sidewinder turned over and returned fire.Dropping one enemy ship out of the sky, Sidewinder rolled over again and shot after Crosshairs, passing dangerously close to buildings as he evaded the enemy guns."We've got three ships on our tails." Sidewinder warned, spinning clear of enemy fire.'I'm givin' it the juice.' Crosshairs directed, pushing his ship to maximum and diving down to follow the river. 'Come on Bee, take 'em out!'"I've got right flank." Sidewinder called, dropping behind the enemy ships and launching two missiles at the chosen fighterKeeping his sensors trained on Bee and Crosshairs, Sidewinder chuckled as Bee used his grappling system to pull a small freighter from the river and throw it into the left flanking enemy ship."Nice work Bee." Sidewinder praised, slicing through the falling debris.'This one's for you a-hole.' Crosshairs grinned, launching two missiles from beneath his fighter and bringing down a bridge right in the path of the remaining fighter tail."Whoa! Damn it Cross!" Sidewinder yelped, charging through the shower of debris and trying to ignore the pain of fresh scrapes and dents across his wings.'Sorry Winder.' Crosshairs replied, regaining altitude quickly."Slag! Three more on us." Sidewinder warned, flipping over and launching two of his own missiles in retaliation. "If ya gonna do somethin' you'd better do it!"Pushing the engines hard to give them a little bit of a lead over the pursuing ships, Crosshairs abandoned the cockpit and climbed onto the back of his ship as he bodily grabbed Bee and pulled him backwards.'Oh, I'm sick of this crap. You fly. I shoot.' Crosshairs directed, crouching on the back of the ship."Here, you could use a gunner." Sidewinder guided, getting in close and rolling over as he opened his cockpit.Releasing the harness, Lennox dropped from cockpit and landed safely in the rear seat of the stolen fighter, quickly settling in and reaching for the controls right in front of him.'Hey! You better let me fire this big assed gun or make this ship go faster!' Lennox called, trying not to think about how weird this was.'Listen up. Crash course. Tracer guns. Punch forward to fire. Slide back to reload.' Crosshairs directed, pointing to the control stick Lennox had his hands on.'What?' Lennox asked, struggling to follow the yelled instructions.'Punch hold slide repeat. Punch hold slide repeat.' Crosshairs demanded, motioning to the control stick again.'What are you talking about?' Lennox asked, still not quite grasping the instructions.'Good luck.' Crosshairs grinned, rising in his crouch.'Where are you going?' Lennox demanded, looking up again.'To lay some hate.' Crosshairs replied, lowering his goggles and launching off the fighter.Flipping over in midair and drawing two of his pistols from the holsters on his back, Crosshairs deployed his parachutes and opened fire on the trailing enemies. Swearing up a storm, Sidewinder snapped left and pulled up, narrowly avoiding a collision with his mate that would have ended badly for them both."A little warning next time, Cross." Sidewinder groused, getting back in position with Bee. "Ya got it now, Lennox?"'Say it with me. Punch hold slide repeat.' Lennox requested, still not totally confident with the instructions. 'Punch hold slide repeat.'"Ya got it Lennox, now do it!" Sidewinder barked, making sure he was out of the firing line.Lunging forward in his seat, Lennox shoved the control stick all the way forward and crowed with delight as the massive guns responded and opened fire on command. Continuing to fire on the enemy ships behind them, Lennox barely even noticed that Braidy and Emission were overhead until the rest of the humans were dropped into the seat around him. Coming forward, Cade and Sam settled beside him and worked with him to keep the huge guns firing as Bee took them on a whirlwind tour of the city."Doin' great guys, keep it up." Sidewinder coaxed, thrilled to see the humans adapting to the situation. "Bee, keep the humans safe. I gotta go help Crosshairs.""I got it." Bee replied, continuing the merry chase through the city.Twisting and weaving through the city, Bee went for the low ground and shot into a road tunnel with two enemy ships in hot pursuit. Ducking his head, Bee continued the charge and listened to the rattle of the tail guns as the humans tried to eradicate the threat behind them. Weaving among the cars, Bee smiled as one of the enemy ships dropped off his scanners, the wash of a fireball turning the dull concrete bright orange for a moment. Linking up with the tail guns, he used his advanced sensors to guide the weapons onto the second chasing ship and let the humans destroy it, boosting their confidence with the weapons.Knowing that they needed to get out of these road tunnels soon, Bee picked a weak spot above and braced for the impact as he gunned the engines and pulled the nose up. He hadn't counted on the impact to tear the small ship apart and send the rear gunner pod tumbling away down one street as he went careening in another direction. Picking his moment, Bee vaulted out of the crashed ship and took off at a run, tracking the now familiar signals of the five humans he was meant to be protecting. #~#+^*^+#~#Regrouping and making sure they were still fully combat ready, the remaining aerial wing swept around the massive ship still hovering over the city and opened fire with everything they had. Coming around towards the aft, they swept up and over, avoiding the smaller ship that Prime had tagged as vital to the mission success."Get moving in there! We can't hold this bitch down for much longer!" Ripper snapped, picking off another steeljaw stalking around the outside of the ship."We're almost ready to separate. We're almost there." Hound returned, sounding a little frazzled."Hurry! He's launching!" Optimus added, voice bringing a certain calming nature to the situation."All over it Chief!" Hound confirmed, gradually calming into his position."Lockdown will be in deep space before he realises I'm gone.""Get it done Hound!" Magura barked, twisting clear of an incoming enemy fighter. "We've got bogies inbound again!""I'm a sucky pilot. Let's give it a whirl." Hound warned as the smaller ship finally came loose."Just fly, we'll keep you covered!" Phantom guided, tipping over and charging the enemy ships.Spreading out and opening space for the larger craft to roll out among them, the aerial wing twisted around to form a protective screen around the stolen ship. With their weapons overheated and most of their hard points now empty, they weren't in a great position to defend the craft but at least they could act as a screen to protect their people."Move out! We've got what we came for!" Blade ordered, dipping his wings to the ground crew."We'll meet you wherever Hound brings that beast down." Ironhide confirmed, transforming and helping to organise the wounded. 'Ground team, keep your scanners peeled for Cosmo's wing.'Aching and angry, the ground team reorganised and regrouped, leaning on each other as they made sure the team came through mostly intact. Sunstreaker came back with the mangled wing panels, handing them off to Ratchet for repair and eventual reinstallation. Back on his feet, Leadfoot tested out his repaired hip joint before transforming and heading out to meet up with Bee to check that the humans were okay after all the action."How's that feeling Leadfoot?" Ratchet asked, a little distracted by someone else."Better than ever, Ratchet. My thanks." Leadfoot replied, skidding around the corner. "Might be an idea to deploy the youngsters to help with the clean up.""Some are already on it and the others are coming in to assist." Mirage chuckled, appearing from down another street. "They are highly effective with city fighting."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Leading the charge back to the main force, Leadfoot and Bumblebee vied for position as they swept around the resting ship and across the grass. Turning together, they pulled up among the forgotten trains to disgorge their passengers as the rest of the ground based team pulled up and transformed.'Let's give the others the good news. We got a ship now, we're leaving.' Crosshairs called, sitting up on one of the train cars.'You don't need to sound so happy about it.' Sidewinder grumbled, shuffling his wings as he looked up at his aerial brothers.'You humans, after all we have done. You don't know what you've wrought upon yourselves.' Optimus warned, looking down at the small group of humans standing among them.'What? What is it now? What are you talking about?' Cade asked, throwing his arms wide. 'I mean, I'm doing stuff outta my league here.''What the hell are you blaming on us now?' Lennox demanded, pointing up at Ironhide.'You don't see who's controlling who. Within that manmade prototype I fought, I sensed the presence of Megatron.' Optimus explained, sinking to one knee before them.'What, the Decepticon that started the Chicago war?''How the fuck did that happen?' Sam asked, looking around for answers.'How do you think KSI built those bots in the first place?' Brains countered, perched on a water tower nearby. 'They had a whole mess of dead Decepticon heads and they were downloading their minds. And I was in charge of autopsy duty. No union, no benefits, no nothing.'"They tried to make me do the same but I refused. This is how Joyce reacted." Wheelie added, drawing attention back to the messenger bag Tessa was guarding.'They hooked me up to Megatron and that mind wasn't as dead as they thought. He fed 'em the science and specs all so they could build him a brand new body. Then, he infected it with his evil, nasty chromosomes.' Brains continued, voice laced with disgust and anger.Picking his way through the group to sit beside the humans, Ratchet waited as Tessa carefully laid out all of Wheelie's pieces on a towel she'd gotten from Bee. Folding out his finest tools, he started the delicate task of putting Wheelie back together as he listened to the tragic tale around them.'KSI mighta named the body a snappy name like Galvatron but that's just Megatron reincarnated.''You knew this and you didn't warn them?' Tessa asked, turning her gaze towards Brains again.'Little girl, you can go to a pretty dark place when you on death row.' Brains replied, making his way along one of the forgotten trains. 'He's been playing KSI all this time. All so that he could manipulate 'em into going after the Seed.''Wait, the Seed?' Shane asked, also watching Brains as he climbed down to ground level.'Those nasty soldiers that were chasing us. I saw them board the ship and they took something that they called the Seed.' Tessa explained, holding together a couple of wires for Ratchet.'A Seed? Here on earth? Oh frag, this just got a lot worse.' Ironhide groaned, sinking to one knee in the grass.'Listen, sixty million years ago, give or take an eon…' Hound started, curling one arm around Mirage's back as he spoke.'Thousands of planets were cyberformed with seeds. They turned your organic life into our elemental metals. Our creators destroyed your world to make us.' Optimus added, glancing towards Blade and Beast.'And that's what Galvatron wants to happen again. He wants to detonate that seed in the biggest city and kill millions. He's gonna show the world baby I'm back.' Brains added, making his way through the rows of flowers growing between the trains.'The blast wave will incinerate that city into molten metal. He'll have enough to build a massive army and annihilate your species forever.' Topspin warned, cradling Frenzy to his chest tenderly.'You dumb greedy bastards just bought extinction to yourself. Not my problem though. I'm free at last. Whole thing worked out good for me.' Brains chuckled, sniffing at a flower as he headed for Ghost's foot. 'I'm walking.''We gotta get the Seed before Galvatron.' Cade insisted, absolutely refusing to give up just yet.'How the hell are we meant to do that?' Lennox asked, turning to Cade. 'Do you have any idea where it is now?''We'll find it, Lennox. But there are other issues to consider as well.' Ironhide rumbled, welcoming the orphaned twins into his arms. 'KSI and Mr Joyce must be punished for their crimes. There is no avoiding that issue.''And they will pay dearly, Ironhide.' Wheeljack agreed, watching Perceptor move among the group. 'They have already lost most of their funding.''Until we know for certain where the rest of those manmade prototypes are, we must remain patient. Rest while you can, we cannot be certain when or where the next battle will rage.' Optimus directed, shoulders drooping a little. 'Scouts, keep your audios tuned for any news.''Security team, spread out and stay alert. I don't want any surprises.' Falcon called, looking down before moving his feet. 'Brains, will you please stay somewhere safe? We've already down one technical genius, we can't lose you too.''Someone wanna help me get over to Ratchet then?' Brains requested, perched safely on Ghost's shoulder for now.'I gotcha little bro.' Modo nodded, forming a bridge so Brains could get across and settle on Ratchet's knee.'Can ya save him, doc?' he asked, looking up at Ratchet nervously.'I'll do my best, Brains. He may never be the same but we'll see.' Ratchet nodded, lifting one hand to lightly brush a fingertip against Brains' back. 'I won't give up on him.'Finding a cosy spot near where Ratchet was working, Ironhide leaned back against the decrepit old train car then settled Smokey and Wrench in his lap. Cradling them close, battle scarred fingers smoothing over their backs slowly, he dropped his helm to quietly chirr in their audios as he opened his EM field to them. Gradually they opened up in return, trilling low in reply as their fields meshed together.'Uhh, what's the go with Ironhide and the youngsters?' Lennox asked, peeling off his filthy jacket and shaking it out.'He's trying to establish a family bond with Smokey and Wrench.' Ratchet replied, not looking up from his delicate work. 'They're too young to be on their own.''So there really is no hope of bringing those two back?' Sam asked, making the best of the chance to rest.'No, we've lost them for good. Every other loss, I've had something to work from. But with those two, we've go nothing left.' Ratchet sighed, soldering another couple of connections before looking up. 'The best we can do is give the girls a new family and hope for the best.''There's some unused carriages in that shed over there. You five might as well take the chance to rest in reasonable comfort.' Decal offered, approaching Ratchet slowly. 'Hey Ratchet, I could use a patch job. Got a hole in my wing during that brawl.''Where are the other medics?' Ratchet asked, full focus back on little Wheelie.'Revs is working on Cosmo's wings. Shift wanted to help but got assigned to patch up Vinnie after his heroics. Shard is tending to Steve, Terry and their girls.' Decal briefed, taking a knee beside Ratchet.'I can wait, Ratchet. This laptop isn't great but it's good enough for now.' Wheelie offered, drawing a soft sigh from the medic.'Very well. Very well but if you have any troubles…' Ratchet started, carefully packing the repaired parts back into the bag.'I'll get Brains to pass you a message.' Wheelie agreed, resigned to wait for a better time.'I'll keep them both safe, Ratchet.' Tessa promised, shouldering the bag and reaching for Brains.'And Leadfoot's made it clear that he'll watch over you.' Ratchet chuckled, turning to get a look at Decal's wing. 'Pit, you really made a mess of this.'#~#+^*^+#~#Relaxing on one of the train cars, idly flipping through the vast communication network he was permanently plugged into, Blaster kept one audio on his kids but most of his attention was trying to track down Joshua Joyce and that damned seed. Earth was such a beautiful planet, he really didn't want to see part of it turned into a mechanical wasteland.'Any news yet?' Drift asked, settling on another car in the train.'About the seed? No. I do however have enough juicy news to blackmail most of Earth's governments.' Blaster chuckled, sitting up and looking around slowly.'Best you do not mention that to Prime.' Drift suggested, also watching the relaxing team.'Wasn't planning on it.' Blaster nodded, perking up a little. 'Ohh, here we go. You getting this?''We've intercepted encrypted communications. Joshua Joyce is headed to his factory in Guangzhou China.' Drift confirmed, drawing attention from all around.'China? Oh boy, this is gonna be tight.' Braid grumbled, wings twitching as he checked over his personal firearms. 'Drifter, did you get your turbines checked?''Yes dad.' Drifter replied, dropping down beside his father and fluttering his wings. 'Revs gave me an all clear.''Good, we're going to need you in China. You and your brother are small enough to get between the buildings and support our human allies up close.' Christine smiled, joining her husband with Rebel on her hip.'You really mean that mom?' Tracer beamed, running over to hug his twin brother. 'We can get in on the front lines at last?''That means you have to listen to which ever adult is near you. Human or Autobot, understood?' Braid nodded, super proud of his young sons.'Understood, dad.' they both grinned, excited for their first taste of real combat up close and right in the danger zone.'Are you certain that is wise?' Drift asked, concerned for the two youngsters. 'They are still so young and precious.''They'll have to learn eventually, Drift. Besides, if our daughters can fight, it's only fair our sons see front line action as well.' Christine replied, lightly brushing her fingers against the fresh scar on Rebel's side. 'They may be young but most have a long history of combat action.'Readying weapons and talking tactics quietly so they didn't interfere with the phone call Cade was making, the team made absolutely certain that they were as ready as they could possibly be for such a vital mission. Swapping looks and quietly talking about battles that they had already survived, they prepared for another round of hurt and tried desperately not to think about those who might not make it back to the family when it was all said and done. Ironhide and Jazz were in no hurry to repeat their previous death experiences and their mates certainly didn't need that sort of stress right now.Ratchet moved through the group slowly, making sure their heavy hitters were combat ready and capable of bringing the pain. He also paid special attention to Mirage and Prowl, checking that their ongoing pregnancies weren't going to be an issue. If anything, their raging carrier programming would make them even more lethal on the battlefield.On edge, just waiting for the order to move out and prepare for war, the team kept looking towards Optimus and Blade to lead them around the world to bring the pain to Galvatron and his minions.'How fast can that thing get us half way around the world?' Cade asked, rejoining the main group.'Very. It's a space ship.' Drift replied, testing the edge on one sword.'Slag, we got company! Police convoy coming in, lights and sirens. Birds in the air too!' Phantom called, flaring out his rotors in readiness as Cade went to find Tessa.'If we're travelling, now's the time.' Hound warned, backing out of the trees and heading for the ship and Mirage.'All I want is to have our life back. It's your call. Whatever you want.' Cade offered, watching Tessa watch the road. 'Are we safer on our own or are we safer with them?''The choice is yours Tessa.' Beast added, crouching near the small family.Hustling the combined team up the ramp and warning the younglings to stay away from any occupied cages or anything else they didn't recognise, Blade really had to focus to keep his frustrations down, even though he could kind of understand Optimus' point of view.'Move! We're retrieving the seed but then we're done defending the humans.' Optimus called, motioning for the slackers to hurry.'What? Done? What do you mean you're done?' Cade demanded, looking up at Optimus in frustration.'Means finished, see ya, goodbye.' Crosshairs replied, following the humans up the ramp.'We can debate it later, get onboard.' Blade barked, turning his back on Optimus. 'Falcon! Move your fat ass!''I'm moving.' Falcon confirmed, hustling up the ramp last of all. 'Let's get outta here!'At least this time, with Drift at the controls and Bumblebee assisting, the flight was much smoother. On the downside, that gave everyone a chance to start a debate about leaving Earth open to future attacks or invasions. For the sake of human ears, they at least tried to keep their voices down and stayed in the familiar Cybertronian dialects to avoid any external interruptions.'What the hell is going on?' Shane asked, pressed against the wall out of the way.'They're arguing about what dad said.' Beast shrugged, taking a seat beside the humans. 'A lot of us don't want to leave. Most of us were created here on Earth, it's our home as much as yours.''Do you think he'll change his mind?' Tessa asked, looking down at Brains for a moment.'I hope he does. I don't want to leave Earth.' Beast shrugged, looking up at the still arguing bots all around them. 'I think dad might get outvoted anyway, most of the aerial wing want to stay put.'#~#+^*^+#~#By the time they got near Guangzhou most of the arguments had fizzled out and the team were back to making final preparations for the battle to come. Ammunition was shared around, thanks to the Wreckers and their inbuilt manufacturing capabilities. Backup weapons were checked and sharpened, though most hoped they wouldn't have to revert to swords in the middle of a busy city. There was a clear distrust though, most of the team took their concerns and questions to Blade instead of Optimus.Perched in a reasonably comfortable spot, his stolen shot-dart across his lap, Cade watched out for Optimus and tried to make sense of what had been said. Wheeljack had been kind enough to explain the history of Autobots on earth to him, though he had admitted that he'd missed the first two battles and had almost died in the third. Jazz, Speedshot and even Ironhide were able to fill in some of the gaps as well, giving Cade a fairly well rounded history of their kind.'When you said you were done fighting for humans, you didn't mean that did you?' He asked, watching Optimus closely.'How many more of my kind must be sacrificed to atone for your mistakes?" Optimus countered, getting to his feet and turning away.'Well what do you think being human means? That's what we do. We make mistakes. And sometimes out of those mistakes come the most amazing things.' Cade replied, attention drawn to Speedshot coming up behind Optimus. 'When I fixed you, it was for a reward. That was it. That was why. For money. And that was me making a mistake. Without it, you wouldn't be here.''No one is perfect, Prime. We all make mistakes at some point or another. That's part of life.' Speedshot offered, flaring out his armour. 'Don't let Emily's sacrifice be in vain.''Even if you've got no faith in us, I'm asking you to do what I do. I'm asking you to look at all the junk and see the treasure. You gotta have faith Prime.' Cade added, not totally sure what Speedshot meant but it wasn't important right now. 'In what we can be.''Even you have made mistakes, Optimus. There's no one else to blame for the fractures in the ranks.' Speedshot warned, turning and walking away. 'You can leave if you want, but the Wreckers are staying put.'Curled up together in a quiet little alcove, Crosshairs and Sidewinder quietly discussed what they wanted after the battle was over. Crosshairs wanted to leave the organic planet and find a place that didn't leave him feeling like his plating was crawling. Sidewinder had no interest in leaving. He'd already lost two homeworlds throughout his life and didn't really want to abandon a third. Smash didn't really want to leave either, she considered earth to be where she was born and wanted to stay for as long as possible.Watching over his expanded family and sending reassurances across the bond to Nimrah, Ironhide caught Prime's gaze and tightened his hold on his family. He didn't need to make any grand statements about his intentions, his dark blue paint and heavy stare said more than words ever could. Chirring with the twins, Ratchet looked up and nodded faintly in Optimus' direction. They were in agreement on this one and would stay with the humans regardless of his orders.'Shake it off guys. We're almost in position.' Bee called, breaking through the tension filling the ship.'Aerial wing, we'll need you on perimeter guard. Not sure you'll have a lot of space to manoeuvre through the streets.' Blade briefed, wings twitching with excitement. 'Tracer and Drifter, you stay close with the humans and offer whatever support you can. If possible, get the seed and bring it to one of the adults to deal with.''We'll make you proud Blade.' Tracer nodded, standing tall with his twin.'I want the rest of the youngsters on street duty. Protect the civilians and lend assistance with the fight whenever you can safely. Do not take stupid risks with your lives, you are the future of our people.' Blade continued, sweeping Beast up and giving her a hug. 'We'll be around for backup but in such tight confines, we might not be able to get in and help.''We can do it Blade. You can rely on us.' Armageddon replied, resting one hand on Combat's shoulder lightly.'Can we squish Joyce if we spot him?' Smokey asked, clinging to Ratchet's hand for comfort.'Not right away, Smokey. We might need him before the battle is over.' Blade chuckled, relieved to see she was perking up a little more. 'That said, you two are excused from openly assisting Mr Joyce in any way.''I can live with that.' Wrench agreed, looking up at Ironhide again. 'We'll be okay papa.''I know you will, sweet.' Ironhide nodded, scooping her up for a cuddle. 'You can do whatever you set your mind to.'
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Flooding into the city at street level, the youngsters spread out and scanned every street and alleyway for Joyce and the seed. Overhead, Tracer and Drifter weaved among the towering buildings, transmitting their data down to their cousins to help them find their way through the cityscape. Itching for a fight but also aware that they weren't really a match for Galvatron and his minions, they stayed close enough to be able to back each other up if they encountered a major threat.For now they relied on their holoforms to keep their identities concealed, distracting the locals with questions all while paying close attention to any potential threats. Tracking locations and recalling earlier threats, they took action against come of the CIA and Cemetery Wind goons that were also in the city, eliminating their enemies quietly in the dark corners of the city. It went against Prime's order not to harm humans but in these cases, the youngsters were all pretty certain Optimus would agree that they needed to be removed from the situation.Slipping into discrete hiding places and making sure their weapons were charged and ready, they waited for the rest of the team to arrive on scene. Masking their signals, they waited and watched, updating their extended family on the locations of their targets and keeping a sharp watch for Joyce or the bomb."Savoy is in the city, he's hunting for the seed." Road Hammer briefed, watching the Cemetery Wind leader carefully."Joyce is on the tagged rooftop. Scans indicate he'd got the seed with him." Tracer warned, lighting up a towering building in the middle of the chaotic city."I've got CIA bogies over this way." Lacer added, subtly tagging four goons in the crowds."Whoa, picking up a lot of new Decepticon signals in my area." Flash Point yelped, adding more signals to the vast sensor map the Autobots were using."There's more over this side." Stellar added, filling in another section of the map."Keep it up girls, you're doing great." Black praised, adding a few more details. "You'll get some extra support real soon."High overhead, hovering behind a mountain just outside the target city, Drift held the ship steady as the aerial wing launched from every available surface and transformed to sweep around and start circling the city. For now they just circled the city and scanned for threats, tallying up numbers and working out their best routes to get into position to bring down the Decepticons again.Their first concern was protecting civilians and trying to avoid too much collateral damage though. There would be some, it was unavoidable really but at least this time they would try and keep it to a minimum and do their best to lure their enemies away from the most populous areas."Shit! I just got made! Linx yelped, bursting from her hiding spot with a bright green Stinger on her tail. "I need some support over here!""I gotcha sweetie." Fog replied, rolling onto his port wing and racing between the towers. "I see ya, just a little further."It looked spectacular, the sleek little roadster motorbike racing down the street with the bigger sports car behind as a two toned grey F-111 rocketed towards them sideways. Snapping left, the motorbike screamed down a side alley just as the sports car exploded in a fireball and the low flying jet turned and shot skyward."You okay, Linx?" Fog asked, rolling over and circling his kill zone."I'm good. Just a little scratched paint." Linx confirmed, appearing from the alleyway again. "Is it dead, Fog?""Yeah, it's dead. Stay away from it though, just in case." Fog suggested."High alert! We're heading in to collect Joyce and the Seed." Optimus warned from above.Climbing out through side hatches and taking their positions in readiness to defend the ship, the Wreckers anchored their positions against the ship and took aim down towards the threat. Scanning constantly for the biggest threats, they also kept Drift updated on where everything was so he didn't accidentally ram the ship into anything.'Joshua!''Hey baldie!''Hey, it's me! Hey!''Bring it over! Now! Let's go!'"Hold it steady Drift. Wind from the south west." Topspin guided, lifting his aim a little.'Hurry up! Run! Hurry! C'mon!''Go! Forward.''Come on, give it to me!''Looks like we might have company.' Hound added, taking his place on the rear ramp.'Confirmed, coming in from my side.' Roadbuster confirmed, levelling his rifle.'Slag! Brace for impact!' Leadfoot roared, returning fire towards the enemy on the ground but it was already too late.'We're hit! We're hit!'Three missiles slammed into the tail end of the ship, dislodging the Wreckers from their perches as well as sending Bee, Hound and the human team tumbling from the aft ramp. Attempting to make a rescue at the last moment, Ironhide narrowly missed Hound's trailing weaponry and overbalanced, tumbling backwards over the edge."We need to reduce weight!" Prowl called, appearing at the damaged rear doors."Cannonball!" Sunstreaker bellowed, launching out a side door with Sideswipe right behind him."Let's bring the pain!" Jazz crowed, diving off the ramp and plummeting towards the ground."I've got this!" Blaster promised, taking flight as the wounded ship turned and headed away from the city, scraping over the mountains as it went.Bounding up and checking each other over quickly, the split team took a quick stock of their situation, fanning out and protecting the humans among them as they tallied up enemy threats around them. Leading the charge, Ironhide flared out his infamous cannons and growled, picking his way across the rooftops with a delicacy most had never seen from him.'I count ten below!' Hound warned, leaning over the edge.'I've got another five on this side.' Jazz added, cocking his preferred rifle.'I thought you said you had one prototype get infected.' Cade remarked, pinning Joyce with a hard look.'Now he's got operational control of my other 50.' Joyce replied, voice flat and almost dead."Heads up, enemy count confirmed at 51! Repeat: Enemy count at 51!" Ironhide broadcast, putting the pieces together in his processors.'Come on.' Cade sighed, turning and grabbing one end of the seed bag."Make that 50. Already fragged one." Fog corrected, zipping over their heads. "We'll try to keep 'em distracted."'Let's at least try to minimise the collateral this time.' Ironhide nodded, looking around at his motley team. 'Blaster, see if you can broadcast some kind of message to reassure the people and get them to leave the city.''I'll do my best.' Blaster shrugged, backing up a step and plugging back into the networks.'We'll keep Blaster safe. You get that seed out of the city.' Sunstreaker directed, skating back to Blaster's side.'No heroics this time Ironhide.' Sideswipe teased, flicking his blades out in readiness.'I'll leave that to the younger models.' Ironhide promised, briefly checking there were no humans underfoot before leading the team further along the buildings.'I may have started the apocalypse but you brought your family. And that's, you know, terrible parenting.' Joyce remarked, aiming the comment at Cade's back.'Well I'm about one second from knocking you out, taking the bomb and just leaving you here.' Cade replied, keeping the human team moving forward.'And how many families have you risked with this grand plan of yours? The latest deaths in Chicago are all your fault. And now this fiasco, all the lives lost here today will be on your hands.' Lennox growled, glaring at Joyce angrily. 'That's not even thinking about the two young girls you orphaned in your hunt for materials.''Easy William. I need you focused on the mission, not simmering with anger at his stupidity.' Ironhide rumbled, looking back at the humans.'If he makes another snide comment, can we toss him off the building?' Sam asked, checking his borrowed rifle quickly.'No, I promised that Smokey and Wrench could have at him after this was over. He killed their parents; it's only fair they get their revenge.' Ironhide corrected, coming to a stop at the end of the building.'Optimus! Autobots! You alive?' Hound called, keeping a sharp watch as he tried to reconnect with the rest of the team. 'C'mon bitch!''Come on!' Cade yelled, almost dragging Joyce along.'Just like old times.' Sam remarked, covering their rear and hoping for a solid plan.'Lennox, take the humans and head for lower ground. You've got a comm, contact the younglings and make a plan!' Ironhide ordered, trading rounds with a couple of Decepticons on the next rooftop.'I'm working on it!' Brains yelled, huddled in the messenger bag with Wheelie. 'Spook and Low Rider are heading for the intercept. But we gotta get down a few levels to meet them.''What about Drifter or Tracer? They could airlift us out.' Shane suggested, ducking as another missile landed danger close.'Nah, they're too small. At best they could airlift the seed.' Brains corrected, peeking out of the bag nervously. 'Aw hell, this is a nightmare.''Jus' hang on tight Brains. We'll get through this.' Topspin offered, rolling past the running humans and popping up to return fire on another Decepticon.Moving as quickly as they dared without exposing the humans, the ragtag team kept up the heavy fire against any who came after them, falling into an ancient rhythm of fire and reload to keep the team fully covered. Opening fire again and knocking a pink stinger model off the next rooftop, Bee stepped back and turned as Jazz advanced to lay down covering fire.'Evac! Evac! We're getting flanked!' Hound warned, gattling gun spinning up in his hands.'We got company below.' Ironhide added, opening fire with both massive cannons.Running along the very edge of the roof, Speedshot followed Hound across the gap and laughed softly as the bigger warrior got himself stuck ass first in someone's apartment. 'Oomp…my fat ass is stuck.' Hound groaned, feet kicking for a moment.'I gotcha.' Roadbuster guided, landing and putting one foot in Hound's back to lever him out.'Bee! Take the shot! Jazz, cover him!' Ironhide called, launching over a gap and rolling to get a new position.Kicking off in almost matching somersaults over the street below, Bee and Jazz opened fire in tandem, taking out three enemy units in one stunning explosion. Two went down for sure but the third still had some fight in it, launching three missiles up towards the team just as Ironhide leaned over to locate his next target. The first two shots missed but the third caught him right in the chest, knocking the old warrior aft over helm.'Ironhide!' Topspin cried, racing after him just as he tumbled right off the rooftop. 'Ironhide!''I'm still alive.' Ironhide called, dangling from one hand halfway down the building. 'Focus on the mission, I'll be fine.'Trusting in his mates to watch his back, Leadfoot dropped to one knee and opened fire, making sure to shield the humans from the falling casings as he nailed three of the enemy agents with near perfect headshots.'Behind you!' Tessa cried, ducking out of the way and covering her head.'145!' Brains directed, one hand gripping Tessa's shirt.'Got him.' Leadfoot nodded, sidearm firing blindly over his shoulder to score a direct hit to the centre mass and knock the latest asshole off the rooftop. 'Now get outta here you lot. We'll hold the line here.''Into the elevator! Get it! Come on!' Cade directed, hustling the group inside and tucking the seed off to the side.Growling deep at the first human gunshot aimed towards them, Leadfoot twisted and physically blocked the elevator doors behind his bulk and let the tiny rounds ping off his thick plating. Adjusting his fire rate, he calmly returned fire, half expecting Savoy to at least duck for cover.'Close the door! Close the door!''It won't go! It's not closing!''There's too much weight. Get back down to Bumblebee and the others.''Dad, no!''I'll cover him, Tessa' Lennox promised, bursting out and lifting his rifle.'Get the seed to safety, we'll catch up.' Sam added, following the other men out of the elevator.'Hey! You want me!' Cade challenged, making himself a target for Savoy.'We'll deal with Savoy, you focus on getting us an escape route out of the city.' Lennox directed, throwing his command voice towards Leadfoot.'We're on it.' Leadfoot nodded, waiting for the elevator doors to close before charging towards the rest of his team.Sinking back down into the bag and wrapping one arm over the silent laptop containing his best friend, Brains did his best to keep up with the constant stream of reports coming in from all sides. Tuning out the calls from the larger Autobots and the aerial wing, he focused on the younglings as he tried to find a solution out of this disaster zone."Brains, get the humans out of the elevator. That CIA bastard is waiting on the ground floor. We'll meet you on level seven." Low Rider cut in, her voice calm and controlled.'Level seven, copy that.' Brains confirmed, peeking out of the bag. 'We left Cade, Sam and Will on the rooftop.'"Understood, we'll keep watch for them." Drifter replied, confident without sounding cocky.'He's gonna be okay.' Shane soothed, totally focused on Tessa.'Tracer and Drifter are going to watch out for the others. If any of them get into trouble, the twins will keep them safe.' Brains added, perking up a little more. 'We're meeting our support team on level seven.''Why not the ground floor?' Joyce asked, turning to stare down at him.'CIA is covering the ground floor. Probably gonna shoot anyone still in here when it reaches the bottom.' Brains explained, returning the hard glare. 'Not that I'd mind losing your presence. Damned monster you are.'"He'll get his comeuppance, buddy." Wheelie soothed, drawing Brains away from the conflict.Bursting from the elevator on the seventh floor, Brains perked up a little more as the two young bikers came racing towards them, scattering the last few people that were in the area. Without really thinking about it, Joyce shouldered the seed and settled on Spook as Shane and Tessa mounted Low Rider for the next phase of their escape. Engines roaring in tandem, they shot along the narrow corridor in a blur, most people smart enough to stay the hell out of the way at the sight of the strange little group racing along.#~#+^*^+#~#Tag-teaming on Savoy, Lennox and Sam held back a little and watched the way Cade handled the professional asshole. At the very least, they'd managed to disarm Savoy, lessening the risk of collateral damage during what had to be the most ridiculous chase Lennox had ever been involved with.'This is such a bad idea.' Sam muttered, jumping across to another balcony.'At least we've got the guns this time.' Lennox nodded, dropping down to the next floor. 'Be nice if we had a little support though.''We'll get some, trust them.' Sam countered, lifting his rifle and loosing a burst towards Savoy.'Before or after Cade goes splat?' Lennox questioned, finding it quite a challenge to get a shot at Savoy for all the obstacles around them.Trying to keep up as Cade fell down several floors with Savoy right behind him, Lennox growled and looked around for another option. This was suicide, there was no way through to help the trapped inventor. All they could do was hold their position and offer ranged support until Cade either eliminated Savoy or fell off the building.'I'm coming for you!''Shit, now we're really in trouble.' Sam groaned, trying to peer through the filthy windows to see where Cade had gone.'We need support, now!' Lennox yelled, looking around for anyone who could help them.'Up here Colonel.' Sideswipe called, reaching down to the two trapped humans. 'Where are the other humans?''Cade's in that apartment there, fighting Savoy. The rest are with Spook and Low Rider, heading for a rendezvous with the rest of the team.' Lennox briefed, looking up at the gleaming silver mech above them.'Hang tight, Warrior, Dueller and Killer are inbound. They'll get you out.' Sunstreaker directed, leaning over the edge.'Can you at least tell us what's going on over there?' Sam asked, pointing towards the apartment where they thought Cade was currently stuck.'Cade and Savoy are brawling in the apartment. I count two civilians in there with them.' Sideswipe briefed, focused on the apartment. 'Not sure who's going to win it.'Moments later the windows shattered and out came James Savoy backwards, screaming his head off as he plummeted towards the street far below. Then Cade appeared, bloodied and filthy but otherwise unharmed.'Cade, head back inside. Warrior will meet you on the corridor and get you down to the others.' Blaster directed, crouching on the rooftop over Cade's head. 'Killer and Dueller are aiming to collect Lennox and Sam.''On it!' Lennox confirmed, using his borrowed rifle to shatter the nearest window.Bursting out of the apartment he'd so rudely crashed into, Cade barely had time to consider how messed up the situation really was before a brown and grey speedster pulled up beside him and revved her engine. Mounting up and grabbing hold, he tucked close as the zippy bike shot down the corridor and skidded into the nearest elevator. Slapping the controls for the elevator, Cade sagged over the handlebars with a low groan.'Is Tessa okay?' he asked, patting the warm panels under him.'She is safe for the moment, Cade.' Warrior replied, turning carefully in the tight confines.'That's all I need to know.' Cade smiled, sitting up again. 'Thanks for the lift.''Happy to help.' Warrior laughed, gunning it out of the elevator again.Laying a fresh streak of rubber behind her, Dueller blazed around the corner behind Killer with Lennox sitting firm on her back. Together they pulled level with Warrior and Cade just as another marker light flashed up on their comms.'Darcy!''Joshua!''Sam, grab her.' Killer ordered, pulling level with the blonde woman.'Get on, we're all in this together.' Sam directed, hauling the woman up behind him.'We've got three more coming in from that way.' Shane called, darting for cover.'Bee, where's Tessa?' Cade asked, scrambling off Warrior's back.'Dad!''Ironhide! Sunny! Sides! Blaster! Where the pit are you guys?' Speedshot demanded, levelling his rotating cannons down the street.'We've got a real dilemma here. Okay. I created incredible robots. It's all designed to kick that fat transformers ass. So really, this is a no win situation.' Joshua explained, mostly focused on Cade as he insulted Hound. 'It's over.''That was mean.' Hound warned, flicking his cygar into Joshua's back.'Hey! I'm sorry if you can't handle the cold hearted truth!' Joshua yelled, turning back to Hound.'That's enough!' Speedshot snapped, dropping to his wheels and casting out his Emily holoform.Everyone turned to watch as the bloodied and filthy woman moved among them. It looked like she'd been running with them the whole time; her black combat gear ripped and bloodied, hair loose and a pistol clutched in her left hand. Stopping in front of Joshua, she swiped her hair out of her face and snarled as she lifted her pistol.'The cold hearted truth is that you are a murderer and a butcher. Now we're here trying to save innocent lives from the monsters you created! Look around you, asshole. All this destruction, all these lives ruined because you thought you could play god. You might think you're untouchable but make no mistake, we will make certain you pay for all of the lives you ruined with your actions.' She promised, reeling back and slapping the arrogant bastard as hard as was humanly possible. 'I hope you die in agony, you monster.''Optimus, what are our orders with these humans? Can I squish the bald guy?' Hound requested, accepting a fresh round from Topspin."No, his life has been promised to Smokey and Wrench." Blade replied, somewhere close by judging from the strength of the signal.'Aww, fine. I'll keep him alive for them.' Hound agreed, looking down at the humans. 'I'd rather just squish him though.''It's the least he deserves for what he did.' Brains called, climbing up to sit on Tessa's shoulder.'And he will pay for all of his crimes. Have faith, my friends. Joshua Joyce and KSI will pay for all they have done wrong. For now, focus on the fight at hand. There is still much to be done to save this city from this new threat. Fight well, my brothers and take comfort in knowing that I am with you.' Emily continued, looking up at the gathered Autobots. 'Bring peace back to this beautiful world.'Turning again and meeting Cade's gaze for a moment, the holoform simply faded into nothing again as Speedshot regained his feet and turned away from the humans. Weapons unfurling again, he took his place among his family and started discussing the next phase of their attack plan. Heads together, they kept checking for the locations of the rest of the ground team as they plotted and planned.#~#+^*^+#~#Looking around at the team left with Optimus in the mountains, Ratchet sighed softly as he flipped his tools out and did what he could to keep the team operational. Most of their heavy hitters were in the city, he could only hope that they were able to hold out until Prime could reunite the team for the final push.'They're in trouble.' Optimus muttered, looking around at his gathered team.'This isn't our fight. I'm done being an underdog. Underdogs suck. I say they get what they deserve!' Crosshairs insisted, digging his heels in despite everything.'What's the play, Prime?' Mirage asked, one hand resting protectively over his chest. 'I cannot leave Hound back there.''It's time for reinforcements.' Optimus decided, heading back into the wreckage of the ship.'Reinforcements? Now what in the pit is he up to?' Hot Rod question, sinking down to rest his aching cables.'Sometimes it's best not to ask.' Ratchet shrugged, finishing his patch job on Throttle's primary cannon. 'We just have to trust him to make the right choice.''He needs to make that choice soon. I must get back to Jazz quickly.' Prowl demanded, armour flaring out as his agitation grew.'Easy now Prowl. Don't make me give the order to pull you off.' Ratchet soothed, reaching out to the irritated mech. 'we'll get you reunited before the sparkling arrives.''We're going to name him Hunter.' Prowl explained, trying to calm his raging protocols. 'I just…''I know, I've been there Prowl.' Ratchet nodded, sending a calming frequency through his plating.With nothing else to do while they were waiting for Optimus to make his move, the team enjoyed the lush greenery around them and tried not to worry too much about their friends down in the city below. Some of their strongest warriors were down there, along with their aerial wing and the youngsters were patrolling the streets. That didn't really make the mountain team feel any better though. They all wanted to be down there, causing havoc for the Decepticons and protecting the humans from the worst of the danger.'Does anyone else feel that? There's a weird charge in the air.' Modo queried, armour flaring as he backed away from the ship.'I have a bad feeling about this.' Wheeljack warned, backing away from the crashed ship.'Prime, what the pit have you done?' Ratchet called, also picking up on the change.#~#+^*^+#~#Feeling something prickle among his long dormant protocols, Ironhide really didn't have the time to dedicate to figuring out what it all meant. He needed to stay focused and control his ragtag team to bring down the Decepticons. He'd already redeployed the aerial wing to help escort civilians out of danger and to physically protect as much of the city as possible. He'd also sent the younglings around to help bring people to safety and defend the choke points he'd already designated on their shared terrain map.Leading the team to a slightly less densely populated area and hoping that the youngsters had done enough to give them space to fight, he also made sure their small human team was safe, tucking in between Hound's bulk and Topspin's firepower.'Come on.' Cade encouraged, mostly focused on keeping his family going. 'Let's go, come on.''Bee, go!' Sam directed, waving the young scout forward. 'Jazz, Blaster, stay with him.''Wreckers, cover the rear.' Lennox added, keeping his shot-dart aimed away from any civilians.'Incoming!' Sideswipe warned, flaring out his personal shield to protect the nearest humans.'Getting real tired of these bastards.' Sunstreaker growled, catching a bouncing car and dropping it back to the ground.'Let's get this done.' Ironhide directed, skidding into the open square and getting to his feet.'Come on, we gotta move! Let's go! Move!' Cade yelled, leading the human team towards what little cover was available.'Spread out! Full coverage!' Ironhide ordered, secondary shield briefly flaring around him.Spreading out and bringing their weapons to bear, the team fell straight back into the rhythms of battle, picking their targets and defending each other when necessary. Appearing from a side street, Eject, Rewind and Darlin' slipped into the gathering and starting ushering the humans towards safety.'Stay behind me, I'm covering ya. If I stop covering ya, it means I'm dead. But that ain't gonna happen.' Hound briefed, narrowly avoiding a missile and turning to take out another threat.'Lennox, keep moving!' Ironhide barked, shooting low and long to take out threats before they became major problems.'Don't look back, lil' miss. We got this.' Leadfoot added, once again putting the humans behind his bulk.'I'm a wicked warrior robot!' Hound crowed, switching weapons and advancing right into a missile from behind. 'Damn!''Close the gaps!' Ironhide snapped, turning to take down the latest problem.'Come on, we gotta move now!' Lennox and Cade decided, working together to move their group out of direct fire.Watching Hound advance alone, Roadbuster glanced around at his family before breaking formation and heading after the bigger technical specialist. Trusting the others to watch his back, he matched Hound's battle rhythm and opened fire in a hail of rockets. Ducking under Hound's firing line, he dropped another Decepticon with a precision shot to the head and turned, sending one of his remaining missiles back towards the others to support Jazz.Spotting the only real cover they had left, Lennox herded the civilians towards the building and turned to take up a defensive position in the door. It wasn't the best spot to be, the walls were mostly glass but it was better than being out among all those giant mechanical feet.'Oh, this is the perfect place to hide. A big glass box. Nobody will ever find us here!' Joyce protested, tossing mah-jong tiles across the floor.'Sit down and shut the fuck up, asswipe.' Brains snapped, clutching at Tessa's jacket.'Anyone bleeding?' Sam asked, joining Lennox at the door.'Nothing serious yet.' Shane replied, hunkering down and covering his head.'What's going on out there?' Wheelie asked, briefly vibrating against Tessa's side.'Nothing good, Wheelie. Just sit tight, I'll keep you safe.' Tessa replied, bringing the bag up into her lap. 'We'll get through this.'Taking up a new position in front of the tea house where the humans were hiding, Speedshot dropped to one knee and unleashed hell, all four of his heavy gattling guns spinning up and spitting death down the streets. Shifting his aim up, he realised his mistake a second too late as a pair of missile streaked past Sideswipe and slammed into his side. His secondary shielding couldn't quite handle the strain and flared out leaving him vulnerable as he crashed to the ground.'Shot!' Leadfoot cried, launching a salvo in retaliation.'I'm alive.' Speedshot uttered, struggling to lift his bulk. 'I need a medic.'"I'm inbound. Sit tight." Revs responded, somewhere else in the carnage.'Let's get you out of the hot zone.' Blaster guided, darting over to cover him.'Were getting boxed in. We're getting flanked everywhere.' Hound briefed, tossing aside one empty gun and drawing fresh ones. 'Help me out here! Kill anything that moves!''Come on Cade that means us too.' Lennox snapped, levelling his shot-dart and opening fire.'Come and get some, you little bitch!' Topspin hollered, sending out another wave of smaller rockets. 'Incoming!'Picking himself up again, Sideswipe growled low and charged again, swords folding away in favour of his heavy rifle. Spinning around and moving forward to protect Speedshot, he too was taken out by a pair of missiles, this time a badly angled ricochet from Jazz. Crashing through the open façade of the building behind him and landing heavily, he groaned and struggled to rise again.'Slag, sorry 'bout that Sides.' Jazz offered, backing up quickly as another couple of stingers charged towards him.'We're good Jazz. Step left, I'll take these two.' Sideswipe replied, digging his rifle out of the debris and lining up the shot.'We need a new plan!' Sunstreaker called, coming back with the remains of a Decepticon in one hand. 'Ironhide!''Running outta guns and ammo.' Hound warned, adding to their worsening plight.'Argh!' Leadfoot cried, dropping back with a deep hole in his belly plating. 'They're comin' in from this side again!''Close the gaps!' Ironhide demanded, turning to shield Leadfoot behind his bulk.'Come and get some! You're all gonna die!' Hound challenged, sitting up and opening fire with a smaller pistol.#~#+^*^+#~#'You've got to be kidding me.' Crosshairs remarked, not at all comfortable with what had been revealed to them.'Legendary warriors, the powers that created us now want us all extinguished. We must join forces or else forever be their slaves.' Optimus declared, dwarfed by the much larger mechs around him.'I thought they were a myth.' Mirage uttered, backing away from the four huge warriors.'They're meant to be.' Ratchet shrugged, flaring out his shield just in case.'What are they?' Throttle asked, ready to draw a weapon if it was needed.'Dinobots, some of the oldest Autobots in existence. Considered ancient even when I was just a youngster.' Ratchet explained, amazed to be seeing such warriors on earth of all places. 'Stay back, Prime's the only one who has any chance of making peace with these old warriors.''There's no freaking way I'm staying down here with them. No way. No way.' Crosshairs insisted, scrambling up as high as he could reach safely.Climbing up to sit on the rocky slopes around them, the team waited and watched the fight unfold. Most weren't pleased by the delay but they could all see the sense in fielding such powerful warriors against this new breed of Decepticon. 'We need to move soon, the fight is worsening.' Mirage warned, glancing towards the city again.'Yeah, Winder's gettin' antsy 'bout it too.' Crosshairs nodded, trying to stay focused on the fight but it was a challenge.'Even Ironhide is getting worried. They're down two Wreckers and the twins are out of action too.' Ratchet added, unfurling his buzz saw and checking it over.'Is there nothing we can do for them?' Modo asked, watching the distressed trio closely.'Not unless you can climb these mountains.' Prowl shrugged, drawing his attention to the high peaks around them.'I hate this sitting around.' Vinnie grumbled, shifting against the rock face.'Patience, we'll get our chance soon enough.' Ratchet guided, turning his attention back to the fight at hand. 'Oh frag! Shields up!''Oh no.''I was expecting a giant car.'Everyone was on edge as the blazing inferno from one of these ancient warriors washed over their combined shields, setting off warnings and triggering support systems to deal with the heat. As quickly as it came, the fire cut out as the beast of an Autobot turned back towards Optimus for another round. Everyone was on edge, waiting and hoping that these Dinobots would prove to be the vital key they needed to put an end to the threat in the city below.'Never thought I'd see the day that one of Cybertron's Knights waged war against a legend.' Prowl remarked, turning his attention towards Ratchet with a faint smile. 'You don't suppose…''Wouldn't be the strangest thing I've seen on this planet.' Ratchet shrugged, looking down at his hands thoughtfully.Focusing for a few moments, he let out a delighted little noise as the scarred and angular plating shifted and reformed, smoothing out and redefining his forearms. Memories of a more refined time came flooding back as he reached into his subspace and came out with a well loved metal box. Opening that, he tipped the carved silver handle into his palm and tucked the box away.'You were an archer back in the day?' Mirage asked, leaning forward a little more.'I was, but it's been a great many years since I last tried. At least 30 million years.' Ratchet nodded, holding up the carved metal.'What about Ironhide?' Prowl enquired, mostly focused on the sword he'd drawn from subspace.'What are you talking about?' Vinnie asked, flinching as the massive dinosaur tumbled across the grass. 'Ouch. That had to hurt.''Some of us have been in Prime's service for a long time. Part of that included cross training into secondary weapons that fit the archaic style of the court. It was all about looking the part and keeping the civilians from realising that we preparing for war.' Ratchet explained, getting to his feet. 'As for Ironhide, he's got a rather impressive axe that he uses to great effect.''Autobots, we're going to prove who we are and why we're here.' Optimus declared, now mounted on the mighty Grimlock with his sword held high.'Oh, you just wanna die for the guy. That's leadership or brainwashin' or something.' Crosshairs shrugged, climbing down from his perch.'No, that's Optimus Prime.' Drift smiled, heading towards the remaining Dinobots.Splitting up and getting organised, the small team mounted up in readiness for what was sure to be an interesting ride into battle. Getting settled and clutching their weapons to hand, there were a few nervous laughs as Optimus gave the order for them to roll out, though there wasn't a wheel anywhere near the ground.#~#+^*^+#~#Optics widening as he listened to the latest reports from the second ground team, Roadbuster didn't even hesitate, pulling a pair of short swords from his subspace and diving into the fight again. He wasn't great with his blades but with ammo running critically low and more enemies still coming towards them, he didn't have a lot of choices left.'Support is inbound. ETA five minutes!' Speedshot called, left on the sidelines until there was a better time to patch him up.'We might not last five minutes!' Ironhide snapped, tumbling backwards and shaking off his mangled right cannon. 'Jazz, sitrep!''Runnin' outta options.' Jazz replied, standing his ground to protect the downed twins. 'I need support over here!''I gotcha Jazz.' Topspin answered, shouldering his rifleblade and opening fire again. 'Get those shot-darts firing!''Good shootin' Cade!' Hound praised, doing his best to protect Speedshot from further harm. 'I'm like a fat ballerina who takes scalps and slits throats.'Taking the fight to the Decepticons again, Ironhide showed no fear or delay, wielding his jagged war axe in his right hand to replace the cannon he'd already lost in the heat of the battle. Cycling his left cannon back out of the way, he instead called upon a long unused program and ducked his head behind the diamond shield that unfolded from the same plating. Memories unlocking, he shifted his weight and turned, axe smashing through another Decepticon as he swatted a missile up out of the way.Left arm clamped over the hasty patch job Revs had done for him, Speedshot staggered up to one knee and reached into his subspace for another option. Fingers closing on his favoured close combat knife, he yanked it and threw it with all his strength. Flipping end over end, it speared straight through the head of a Decepticon threatening Hound from behind.'Come here you little punk.' Hound growled, grabbing another one and ripping its head off. 'Nice throw Speedshot.''Nothing to it Hound but if you've got a moment, I'll need that back.''Here, take mine instead.''Ohh, I like it.' Speedshot grinned, hefting the replacement knife.'You can't keep it. Raj gave it to me years back.' Hound nodded, turning and using his latest weapon to smash through another enemy.Letting rip with an old Cybertronian battle cry, Ironhide ducked under Leadfoot's line and charged into the next brawl, using his shield to lift a smaller Decepticon up and throw them into the combined fire of the twins nearby. Axe singing in his hand, he turned with a speed that belied his size, only to find himself turning into a massive salvo from long range. Picked up by the concussive wave, he tumbled aft over helm again, sensors screaming as he crashed through at least one building before coming to a rest half buried in a big pile of debris."Ironhide! Answer me, mech!" Jazz called, voice frantic across his scrambled circuits."I hear you Jazz." Ironhide replied, reaching back to push at the debris on his back."Are you okay?" Speedshot cut in, still trying to keep track of everyone."I am in no danger of off lining but am unable to return to the fight." Ironhide offered, sending Speedshot a snippet of his sensor data. "I require assistance.""Sit tight, we'll get you out soon as the area is cleared." Blade instructed, calming the situation with practised ease.Risking a look over his shoulder at a rather heavy thud inside their shelter, Cade didn't even hesitate to abandon his position and hustle to grab the grenade that had just fallen through the window. Following Hound's desperate order, he yanked the pin with Joshua's help and tossed it back out the shattered window into Roadbuster's waiting hand.'Where's that backup?' Hound yelled, lobbing two more grenades across the battle scene.'ETA two minutes.' Leadfoot barked, resorting to using scattered steel pipes as spears to stop their enemies approaching.'Got some bad news, guys. I'm out of ammo. Out of ideas.' Hound warned, landing heavily in the rubble of another building.'Backup is in the city!' Speedshot declared, struggling to gain his feet and level his last resort pistol. 'Just hold on a little longer.'"Prime inbound with…mechanical dinosaurs?" Tar declared, confusion bleeding across the comm system. "What the fuck is going on with that?""Apparently Prime pulled them off that ship we stole from Lockdown. Dinobots, Legendary Warriors that have been around for a fucking long time." Sidewinder explained, taking up a new position over the city."Oh, those guys." Ironhide commented, sounding a little amused by that turn of events. "Cool.""We're coming guys! Hang in just a minute longer!" Throttle called, dismounting on the fly and charging into the raging battle."I'll kill you!" Prime declared, voice far angrier than any had ever heard from him.Standing tall in the heart of the battle, Hound ripped his outer helm off and let fly, using it as a weapon of last resort to take down another stinger before pulling loose an empty ammo feeder and using it as a whip to defend his position. On the other side of the human team, Topspin scrambled back to his feet and went in again, trading punches with a trax that bore a scary resemblance to Roadbuster.Emerging from cover with a makeshift spear in hand, Jazz launched it with all his might, skewering another trax from behind and pinning him to a heavily damaged wall to be finished off by a neat headshot from Lennox. Backing him up, despite his many injuries, Roadbuster flipped one of his short swords around and threw it hard, slicing through another weird looking Decepticon before it could threaten the twins.Huddled in the debris, Brains emerged from the messenger bag and huddled in against Tessa's side, looking towards Shane as the two reached out to clasp hands. Listening to the battle raging around them and the comms chatter from all sides, Brains just shivered and burrowed closer."How you holding up, Brains?" Leadfoot asked, voice low and almost soothing amongst the chaos. "Everyone still okay over there?"'Yeah, we're all still here. Scared to the pit but alive.' Brains replied, crawling back to the bag and retrieving a spare cloth Tessa had tucked in there. 'We'll be okay, Tessa. Just hold on and don't let go. We'll get through this.''You're…' Darcy started, openly staring as Brains wiped Tessa's teary face.'We may be mechanical but we're still human inside.' Brains shrugged, tucking in against Tessa's shoulder. 'Stay down, we're safer in here.'Carrier programming taking over and leading him onward through the chaos, Mirage full sprinted through the ruined streets, deadly blades dripping green as he vaulted fallen debris and sparking Decepticon carcasses. Scrambling around another corner, he slid to a stop and watched in horror and disbelief as Hound was pinned to the torn up ground beneath some double-headed Shockwave look-alike. Stepping forward, ready to defend his mate, he stopped and stared as Hound flipped his cygar around and fired the round into his latest opponent.'Get off me!' Hound growled, heaving the corpse off and collapsing back.'Get up Hound!''I can't go on!''Look, you gotta keep fighting!''Tank's empty, bro.''Hound, you must get up.' Mirage called, breaking cover and running to his mate. 'Get up, we still need your strength.''If you don't get up and fight, we're gonna die.' Cade added, pointing back towards the fight.'You can do this, amore.' Mirage nodded, holding out Hound's battered outer helm. 'For Mustang.''Speedshot, I'm gonna need my knife back.' Hound called, sitting up and snugging his helm back into place.'Comin' your way.' Speedshot confirmed, launching the blade back across the battleground. 'Go, we'll catch up when we can!'Next onto the scene, Ratchet barely even slowed down, circling Prowl and hurrying to patch up the wounded as Hound and Mirage barrelled towards the next wave of fighting. Taking a knee beside Speedshot and getting to work, he relaxed a little more as the rest of the medical team touched down and spread out to help.'There's still more of 'em coming!' Lennox called, picking his way through the rubble.'Don't bother the medics while they're working.' Rumble growled, skating onto the scene.'You'll just have to settle for a handful of bikes for protection.' Frenzy agreed, heading for the trashed building where the others were hiding. 'You can come out now. The fight's moved on from here.'Catching the rifle-blade Speedshot tossed to him, Jazz glanced back at the downed twins for a moment before nodding and taking off with Prowl at his side. Hurdling the debris and trying to direct the youngsters towards the worst of the damage, they soon caught up with Hound and Mirage for the big push.'I'm getting too old for this crap.' Hound remarked, retrieving an older model heavy repeating rifle from his subspace.'Sometimes I fear we will spend the rest of our existence fighting these wars.' Prowl agreed, securing his sword and drawing a small pistol.'Soon we can retire, amore. Then you can focus on raising Mustang instead of these battles.' Mirage smiled, looking up at him as he flared out his blades.'Hey, we could arrange play dates for the youngsters.' Jazz suggested, keeping a careful watch for any humans around their feet.'So long as the twins are not involved.' Mirage allowed, picking up the pace a little more.'Bumblebee could help, he's such a soft spark.' Prowl smiled, opening fire to help protect the younger scout.'Close the gaps! Push 'em outta the city!' Hot Rod yelled, dropping in to join the quartet. 'Any idea how many 'Cons are left?''Haven't been counting.' Hound shrugged, turning to shield Mirage from another wave of incoming fire.Systems screaming as he pushed his body to the limit, Sidewinder landed on Scorn's back and set one knee against Crosshairs' back for support as he opened fire, adding to the chaos around them. Trusting his mate to keep them secure, he focused on keeping the enemy back and providing cover for their team as required."I need extra hands back here." Ratchet barked, sounding just a little frantic. "Non-medical hands at that.""We're inbound Ratchet." Throttle countered, voice strong and steady in the chaos.'Bee, jump!'"Megatron is making a break for the mountains. What's the plan?" Braidy requested, moving aside as Strafe soared straight up with Bee and one of the stingers brawling on his back."Let him go, we've got enough trouble dealing with this mess. We'll get another shot at him later." Blade decided, dropping between the buildings to better support Optimus."Copy that Boss." Emission responded, trying to line up a shot to cover Bee. "Damn it, I can't get a clear shot on it!""Do not hit the Dinobots!" Prowl warned, assisting Drift out of a tight spot. "They are not known for their even tempers."Transforming as he dropped, Rictor cried out in discomfort as he pushed his systems to the limit. Adjusting his angle of descent, he landed heavily and dropped to his side, shielding dozens of humans from flying shrapnel. Pouring extra power into his secondary shield, he caught and flicked aside the remnants of the ugly pink stinger Bee tossed his way."I hate cheap knockoffs." Bee remarked, tossing the head to Strafe as a treat. "You okay Rictor?"'A little tender in spots.' Rictor nodded, accepting a helping hand to rise. 'When this is over, I'm getting a ground form. That was hell on my wings.'"Looked impressive too." Bumblebee agreed, brushing some burnt cloth off his face. "Back to it?"'Yeah, back to the grind.' Rictor chuckled, reforming his preferred rifle and bounding down the street with Bee right behind him.Regrouping slowly, checking each other over and passing around what little ammunition they had left, the team were definitely looking the worse for wear. Every single one of the ground-pounders had at least some damage but none of them were going to let that slow them down for long at all.Barely combat ready but refusing to quit, Speedshot shouldered a pair of rifle-blades as Leadfoot reloaded his rocket launcher with the few rounds still available. Beside them, Topspin waited calmly while Revs patched a ragged gash in his armour and Roadbuster took the chance to realign the duel blades he kept as his ultimate backup. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were currently being held together with salvaged materials from the battlefield, they weren't exceptionally mobile anymore but they were pissed off and looking for revenge in any way they could get it. Jazz and Prowl kept them focused on the main task at hand, keeping the twins from doing anything completely insane.Last to arrive, Ironhide looked like absolute slag, covered in dents and scratches from his heavy impact with the buildings. Flaring out every panel and frame section that would still move, he shook out a storm of debris from his internals and growled about shoddy building codes. With both cannons offline, he retrieved his lost axe from Blaster and reformed his shield, optics turning towards Optimus as they waited for their next impossible task.Keeping their smaller weapons to hand and constantly scanning for trouble, Frenzy, Rumble and Harley stared close to the human team, ready to defend them and their precious cargo. Moments later Eject and Rewind joined them, bolstering the defensive line with fresh rifles.'You!' Optimus demanded, sword pointing towards the humans.'Who?' Joshua asked, still trying to play the innocent card.'You.' Cade and Lennox countered, shoving the engineer forward.'Step forward!''Ohhh, we gonna see a human go squish.' Harley teased, shouldering his rifle.'Shoulda squished him in Chicago.' Brains added, perched on Tessa's shoulder safely.'Your science will be responsible for humanities extinction.''Alright, I know that you're sensitive to this whole bioethical dilemma.''Maybe all he wants to hear you say is that some things should never be invented.''Or an apology for the lives you took.' Ratchet added, coming up to stand with Ironhide.Apparently even Grimlock didn't much care for Joshua, getting right in close and roaring at the trembling scientist. Listening to him scream like a little bitch, Brains laughed for the first time in years as he climbed down to curl up around Wheelie once more.'We'll lead you out of the city. Get that seed safely to the hills.''Use this car!''We'll stay close, you just focus on the road ahead.' Eject directed, looking up at Drift for a moment. 'Be safe out there.''You as well, little one.' Drift nodded, heading to rejoin the rest of the team.'He almost ate me!''Don't be stupid, you're far too soft for Grimlock. He eats metal, not flesh.' Frenzy remarked, dropping into a lower stance and raising his rifle.'Alright, we're good!''I'm not ready for this.' Brains uttered, looking up at Tessa from the safety of their bag.'I'll keep you safe.' Tessa promised, cradling the bag to her chest. 'Maybe I should close it properly though, to keep you both safer.''Yeah, that'd be a good idea. Don't wanna lose myself in this.' Wheelie agreed, sounding outright tired and lost. 'I'm scared.''I'll keep you safe.' Tessa promised, securing the straps and making sure they were snug in the bag. 'We'll get through this together.'Trusting the youngsters to provide close protection against any threats, the rest of the ground team took the distant guard line, some running and others rolling for the bridge that led out of the city. Throttle and his bros took the rear guard, preferred weapons to hand as they at least attempted to protect the convoy and direct civilians away from danger zones. For most, it was a little strange to have the Dinobots running along with them, roaring and blasting fireballs seemingly at random. For others, it was an experience they were in no real hurry to repeat."Red Alert! Red Alert! Lockdown's ship is on scene and coming in fast!" Decal reported, swooping low over the ground team."Aerial team, time to show Lockdown why Earth is a bad hunting ground for him!" Blade called, kicking off and launching skyward again."Be careful up there, all of you." Optimus requested, mostly focused on his own battle."Spread out and protect the humans! We have to keep casualties down!" Beast cried, stepping up to follow her parents into a leadership role. "This is our fight too!""We have a problem down here! The seed is beeping!" Brains cut in, breaking up the family chatter on the comms."Copy that, Brains. Keep us informed if the beeping changes at all." Ironhide directed, coming alongside the speeding vehicle. 'Aw frag, that could be a locator beacon.'Taking stock of their extremely limited options and swearing across the comms, Blade really didn't like the answers coming back to him. Even if they amassed every last round they had up in the air right now, there was little hope they could do much damage against Lockdown's ship. Nevertheless, he took command of his wings and led them in closer to the bigger vessel, coming up with a plan on the fly and hoping for the best. Sending up a prayer to Primus and Ares, he split his team and started running nuisance runs around the ship, picking off sensors when they could find them and just generally making it hard for Lockdown and his cronies to get a direct bead on the rest of their extensive family.Definitely wary when the lower surfaces of the ship started moving, the aerial team stayed well clear from the shifting sections. Their fears proved to be founded this time as the revealed inner systems started sucking up anything metallic and turning it into twisted wreckage. Recalculating flight paths and working together to pull each other out if they got caught in the hot zone, they maintained their efforts to at least distract the larger ship from hunting their friends or opening fire on the innocent civilians all around them.On the ground, uncaring of the dangers overhead, the youngsters pulled together to rescue as many people as they possibly could as vehicles of all shapes and sizes before they were sucked up out of reach. They were only small but their primarily composite bodies and additional anchorage options made it a hard task to shift them from their positions.Drifter and Tracer took insane risks, using their thrusters to push some of the smaller vehicles back down just enough for their cousins to reach inside. At one point, Drifter almost got sucked up but Armageddon was able to grab one wing and hurl him out of the danger zone even as she plucked two screaming women from another car.Doing their best to keep up with the constant stream of updates and warnings from the rest of the extended family, the primary ground team kept their focus ahead, knowing full well that they now had to run the gauntlet of metallic hail Lockdown was causing."Throttle, I need you and your bros up front." Optimus requested, surprisingly calm considering the situation. "The twins can watch the rear.""We're on it, Prime." Sunstreaker replied, pride colouring his voice."10-4, we're on our way." Throttle confirmed, engine screaming as he led his bros forward to assist on the front lines."Breaker breaker." Jazz piped up, effectively breaking the tension for a brief moment."Exercise extreme caution! It's a shitstorm out here!" Armageddon warned, not even sure the bigger Autobots would be able to slip past the magnetic pull."Whoa momma." Modo yelped, transforming and diving clear of a plummeting minivan."Understatement Armageddon." Throttle added, scrabbling clear of a bus. "This is insane."'Fuck, too close!' Rumble cried, narrowly avoiding a flying prop as it cleared the human team.'Shit, shit, shit!' Harley chanted, shaken up by his close encounter with the same large lump of bronze. 'There's no way we'll make it!''Back up! Back up! Back up!' Lennox snapped, glancing over his shoulder as a wave of water rushed towards them.'It's too early for my annual bath!' Eject whined, twisting clear of the blue car and backing up fast.'Get out of the way! Move! Move! Move!' Rewind yelled, focusing on scattering the crowd behind them. 'Run for your lives!''I can't see! I can't see!''Relax, we'll guide you back. Trust the HUD on the windscreen.' Harley offered, casting out the display and tuning it to show clear directions."Jump on the gas! You don't wanna get caught in that thing!" Christine ordered, swinging around and transforming in mid air.'Autobots, fall back!'Engines redlining as she shot across the water, narrowly avoiding the plunging vehicles of every shape and size, she braced her forearms over her head and smashed into Ironhide's flank, knocking the heavier mech clear of the magnetic pull and racing back skyward. Barely a second later Braid came thundering through on much the same flight path, tackling Ratchet clear of the danger with seeming ease then turning and looking for any more allies stuck in the hot zone."We'll cover as much as we can but there are still a lot of civilians in danger." Voodoo offered, using his thrusters to knock a small car into the river."Anything you can do would be great. But primary focus has to be on protecting civilians. We have to keep the death toll down if possible." Throttle replied, fending off another container as he ran for his life.'I gotcha Bee. I gotcha.' Vinnie promised, snagging one bright yellow hand and flicking Bee away from a disintegrating ferry. 'Faster, we gotta get away from that thing!'Fighting down a rather inappropriate snort of laughter as Optimus lost his footing and fell on the narrow road, Roadbuster stayed focused and helped his family up onto the greener strip alongside the road. It was a calculated risk, bringing them closer to the magnetic pull but it also gave them a little more space to try and come up with some sort of a defence against the ship overhead. But when they noticed that even the much larger Dinobots couldn't resist the pull, they broke and ran, instead attempting to protect humans from falling debris as they beat a hasty retreat from that thing.'Everyone, cast out your secondaries to 33% larger than normal. That should be large enough to protect against most of this debris.' Sidewinder directed, sticking close to Crosshairs.'Mine's still offline.' Speedshot replied, diving clear of another shattered car.'I got some action out of mine but barely enough to cover vitals.' Leadfoot added, fending off a crumpled motorcycle.Swatting away another air conditioner, Rumble turned as sharp as he could to avoid another falling car then backed up to take shelter against the building where the humans were hiding. Intakes wheezing, he looked up again, tracking the ship and looking for another way out. He was just a kid, this was all a little too much for him to deal with.'We need more weight in here!' Sam yelled, drawing attention to the threat inside.'Hug the walls!' Frenzy directed, crawling into the building and grabbing the hovering car with both hands. 'Get outta the car! I can't hold it for long!''Get out! Get out!''Faster, faster.' Frenzy insisted, watching a cleaver spiral past his optics.'Oww.' Brains grumbled, one hand poking out of the bag still clutched to Tessa's chest.'Sorry about that.' Tessa uttered, lightly squeezing his hand between two fingers.'Gah, I can't hold on much longer!' Frenzy warned, fingers slipping with a screech of tortured metal. 'Faster!''Help me! Grab the bomb!''I can't get the seatbelt off.''No, no, no.' Lennox growled, grabbing Cade's leg and trying to pull Joshua and the bomb back to safety.'I can't get the seatbelt off.''Help me! Help me!''I'm stuck!''I can't hold on any longer.' Frenzy groaned, losing his grip with a shrieking pop. 'Medic, I need a medic! Blew a main linkage in my shoulder.'"Can you reach my location, Frenzy?" Ratchet requested, pinging his comm with a new position.'Yeah, I think so. On my way.' Frenzy nodded, easing his way out of the building. 'Sorry guys, I gotta get this patched up.''Be safe, bro.' Rumble uttered, turning and ducking into the building. 'Oh frag.''I got Lucky Charms.' Eject called, somewhere above Rumble's head.Picking up on a faint change in the air, Rumble didn't even hesitate, reaching for the hovering humans just as the magnetic pull released the bomb and gravity took over. Bundling them as close as possible, he curled and rolled backwards, protecting the humans from an ugly impact with the floor.'Everyone okay?' he asked, setting the humans aside carefully.'Rumble, look out!' Harley screamed, drawing his attention skyward again.'Car!''Slag!' Rumble yelped, hoisting the humans up and pushing them towards the best escape route.'Rumble! Answer me Rumble!' Reward called, peering in through the damaged walls. 'Rumble!''Shane! Shane!''I'm good!'Sitting up slowly, shaking off the debris and checking for fire damage, Rumble grinned weakly as he crawled out of the building. Resting for a few moments, he shuddered and coughed, shaking dust and smaller debris out of his finer joints.'That was stupidly brave, Rumble.' Eject grinned, helping him to his feet.'Someone had to do it.' Rumble shrugged, wincing as a puff of dust erupted from his shoulder.'Come on, we gotta keep moving.' Harley nodded, dropping to his wheels. 'Mount up!''Let's go, it's the fastest way.' Eject agreed, dropping to his wheels.#~#+^*^+#~#Switching between duties with flawless precision, Ratchet sent little Frenzy back into the battle and drew his energy bow as he turned. Spotting Bumblebee and Strafe engaged in a duel with one of Lockdown's fighters, he activated his bow and drew back, optics automatically allowing for the bright glow from the electro-string. Fitting a larger charge to the plasma arrow, he adjusted his aim and loosed the shot, watching the gleaming purple round arc up and crash down into the cockpit of the fighter with a nice little blast. Falling into the old rhythm, he launched another three in quick succession before moving on, providing the ranged protection to counter Ironhide's up close and personal combat style."Bee and Strafe are down! Looks like a nasty crash landing." Crosshairs reported, somewhere else in the chaos."Get cover!" Optimus ordered, shielding Prowl and Jazz behind his bulk."Whoa, nice one Slug!" Jazz praised, impressed by the skill of the much larger Dinobot.'Cade.' Optimus acknowledged, getting back onto his feet. 'Autobots, get this bomb over the bridge and out of the city!''Dad!''Come on.''We're running out of places to run. We need to break out of this mess.' Lennox agreed, grabbing the bomb and starting to run with it.'Whoa…frag!' Jazz cried, scrabbling for grip as he was sucked up off the ground.'Bee, get out of here! Get the humans to safety!' Speedshot barked, flipping over in midair and reaching for his subspace.Practically redlining his engine, Sidewinder led the race away from Lockdown's ship, formulating a plan on the fly. He wasn't the best for tactical thinking but he knew enough to keep the humans safe and work out the best way to get the bomb away from city limits. He had his selfish reasons too, preferring to at least try to get Crosshairs away from what was sure to be an epic showdown when Optimus went against Lockdown again.Scrambling for a plan, reaching out to each other and straining to get grips on the buildings around them, the rest of the ground team kept looking for answers but most of their combined strength was put towards keeping them from being sucked up into the machine. Anchoring the line as best they could, Throttle, Vinnie and Modo roared their challenge to the sky, wrapping around the building frames and holding on for dear life."I can't hold on much longer!" Jazz warned, scrambling to adjust his hold on Prowl and Leadfoot."Prime, do something!" Ironhide demanded, fighting to hold onto Ratchet and Mirage."I'm trying." Optimus shot back, swinging out from under the building he was stuck beneath."I gotcha Optimus." Blade called, swooping right in close and transforming on the fly.Wings in tight, he drove his feet into the building and managed to hook onto what felt like part of the innermost structure of the building. Grabbing hold of that beam, he wrapped both hands around Optimus' wrist and held on tight, cables and joints creaking as he fought against the magnetic pull threatening the entire team."Do it now!" Blade barked, grip sliding and leaving black streaks over Optimus' forearm."Hold tight!' Optimus warned, twisting around and firing up towards the ship with a mighty roar."Whoa, frag!' Mirage yelped, the pull releasing almost instantly"That's gonna leave a mark." Topspin remarked, curling up as best he could.Crashing to the ground in a weird hail of twisting mechanical bodies, the team tumbled across the already mangled grassy area, kicking up the dirt and crashing into the already weakened buildings. Picking themselves up again, them shook off the dirt and raced back into the fight. No matter what they faced, each one knew that the fight needed to end here and now.Waiting on a relatively undamaged section of roadway, Drift, Crosshairs, Bee and Sidewinder sat ready to do their part and get the humans out of danger. Hopefully that would leave enough Autobots to finish the job without too many more complications.'I got it. I'm getting this bomb outta here.''Give me the gun.''It's you and me now.' Optimus growled, taking off after Lockdown's damaged ship.'Look, Optimus is out there all alone.''What? You can't help him.''I have to Tessa. He came back for us.''Dad, don't leave. Please.''Look, I'll find you. I'll get there. Okay.''Dad, no. You'll die.''You gotta stay with Shane. You're gonna be okay. You promise me you're gonna keep her safe. Rest of her life until the end of time. Promise me!''I promise you.''You're the best thing I ever made Tess. Right, don't ever forget it. It was always you. I love you.''Please.''Get in the car, now!''Dad!'Considering options on the fly and consulting Prowl for the tactical side, Ironhide hashed out a plan that would hopefully prevent any more casualties and minimise further damage to the city around them. Neither of them was happy about Cade's choice to stay and fight but they kept their mouths shut. After all, Sam and Lennox had made it pretty clear they weren't leaving either.'Alright, listen up. We're splitting the team to achieve both goals. I'm taking the Wreckers, Throttle, Modo, Vinnie, Wheeljack and Ratchet. The rest of you will deploy with Prowl. No arguments, you have your assignments!' Ironhide called, taking a moment to resharpen his axe.'Team 2 will be tasked with holding the bridge and retreating with the seed to a safe location until Lockdown has been eliminated.' Prowl directed, looking down at Bee for a moment. 'That includes the rest of the civilian team and there will be no debate on the matter.''Team 1, we're heading to provide backup for Prime. We all know from experience that he takes few precautions and will make wild choices in the heat of battle. It's up to us to try and keep him in one piece this time. If you have the shot, you have full authority to engage with Lockdown in open combat. Do be aware that we have three humans with us, let's make sure we came back to the RV with the same three in similar condition.' Ironhide briefed, motioning for his team to fall out and head for their next battleground.Racing for the bridge with Rictor overhead, Bumblebee tried not to think about the battle raging behind him. He wanted to be back there fighting beside his Prime, every Autobot saw it as an honour to stand in Optimus' shadow and fight beside him. But he had a duty to the humans, one that he would fulfil no matter his personal feelings.'Stop the car!'"You better listen."'No, you listen. I am not leaving my dad.''Tessa, open the bag.' Brains requested, pushing against the fabric until she loosened the flap and folded it back. 'I know you're scared. I know you're worried for your dad but you need to have faith in the team. They'll keep him safe and bring him home to you. If you go out there, you could get hurt or killed. Then what? That's no fate for a young lady like you.''He's my dad, I can't just abandon him.' Tessa insisted, scrubbing her face quickly.'You're not abandoning him, Tessa. Right now, Cade needs to focus on the battle ahead. He needs to concentrate on the threats around him and stay ahead of a pretty mean opponent. He won't be able to do that if he sees you in the middle of that fight. He'll be worried for you, risking his life for yours and who knows where such a noble sacrifice could lead.' Brains continued, climbing out of the bag and reaching up to grab her collar securely."Everything will be okay." Bumblebee chimed in, trying to help lighten the mood.'When this is all over, we'll make sure you're reunited with your dad. Even if I have to go out there myself and bring him back, I will. We won't let anyone else wind up an orphan because of this.' Wheelie added, tired and quiet but he did manage a weak vibration against Tessa's stomach.'Okay, if you guys say I'll see my dad again.' Tessa nodded, wrapping one arm around Brains lightly. 'You've done right by us so far.'"And we always will." Bumblebee chirped, shooting off the mark and racing after the convoy headed for the bridge.'You're family now, Tessa. We look after our own.' Brains agreed, tucking in as close as he could to her. 'That give you a level of protection too, Lucky Charms. But only if you stay with our Tessa. You break her heart and you're on your own against whatever threats show up.'#~#+^*^+#~#Spreading out to cover all possible escape routes, the smaller defensive team readied their weapons and prepared to duke it out with Lockdown once and for all. Whatever it took, that damned bounty hunter would not leave earth alive. He was far too dangerous to be allowed to live and was technically responsible for the deaths of countless humans."I gave you an order." Optimus snapped, barely paying them any real attention."Prowl and I countermanded it." Ironhide returned, totally calm as he waited. "You get first shot but the moment it turns nasty, we're here for backup."Picking their spot, Throttle and his bros came up with a slightly more entertaining plan. Splitting their processing power, they cast out their holoforms to cover the three humans still with them. Much as expected, Cade was totally confused and almost intimidated by their appearance until he realised that they were just holoforms.'Wait, you're Martians?' Cade blinked, hugging the walls and looking the trio over cautiously.'We were. It's not really a story for now, but when the dust has settled, we'll explain everything.' Throttle nodded, tail flicking behind him. 'It's about time Attinger learned that humans will never be alone in this system.''This Lockdown is a fuckin' show off.' Modo remarked, shaking his head slowly. 'Kinda reminds me of someone back home.''I so wanna see Speedshot go up against Lockdown.' Vinnie grinned, tucking one shoulder into the wall. 'Come on, where are you, asshole?'"Team 2 has secured the bridge. We'll hold the line right here." Prowl cut in, briefly reminding everyone that there was more at stake than just Prime's life."Be aware, long range sensors are picking up on new targets. Exact details unknown. ETA fifteen minutes." Fog added, swinging around to get a better read on the new target.Motioning for quiet and winking quickly, the three holoforms faded out as several bullets impacted the wall around Cade. Dropping his shot-dart and raising his hands, Cade pressed back in against the wall harder, spotting Sam and Lennox hiding nearby in case they were needed.'You see it takes patience to make a man. The patience to watch and wait. To protect all of us quietly, for God and country. Without any recognition at all.' Attinger growled, holding Cade at gunpoint as he ranted.'Hey, asshole.' Throttle challenged, fading into view and tapping Attinger on the shoulder. 'Hate to say it but aliens have been living on Earth for a long time.''And we got no reason to leave.' Vinnie added, hand curling over the pistol and pushing down.'Just a pity ya won't get to tell anyone 'bout us.' Modo agreed, wrapping his tail around Attinger's throat. 'Can't risk the secret getting out.'Mechanical arm wrapping around Attinger's shoulders as he used his flesh hand to brace himself, Modo pulled in three directions until a sharp snap rang out and Attinger went totally limp. Tossing the body aside, he flexed for a moment before the trio faded away again. Blinking dumbly, Cade scooped up his dropped weapon and shook his head. Now wasn't the time to be picky, he had far more concerning matters to worry about.Chittering quietly with his mates as they restocked his weapons with the absolute last of what they were able to scrape together, Speedshot peered around one of the large cement silos they'd taken shelter behind. Watching the fight and critiquing Lockdown's techniques, he shifted his weight up onto his pedes and snapped down his battle mask."Only if necessary, Speedshot." Ironhide warned, hunkered down behind another row of silos."You know it." Speedshot confirmed, flinching back to avoid a shower of debris.They all saw it though no one quite believed it. Optimus' attention went skyward for just a moment, but that moment was more than ample for Lockdown to take full advantage of. With a one-two combo that was faster than most could follow, Optimus went down hard, sending up another cloud of debris around the site. Everyone winced at the next kick, a few even reaching for their own necks in sympathy. The team could only watch in horror as Lockdown grabbed Prime's discarded sword and rammed it straight through Prime's chest, effectively pinning him to the silo."Ohhh, that's going to be a tough repair." Ratchet muttered, already calculating how best to repair that new gash.'You bring shame upon us all.' Lockdown taunted, leaning over Prime and forcing his head back."Nobody does that to my Prime and lives!" Ironhide swore, Guardsman protocols running hot."He's mine first, Ironhide. Hunter against Hunter." Speedshot snapped, rising to his full height and stepping into clear sight. 'Hey asshole! You want him, you gotta go through us first!''Speedshot, no! I gave you an order!' Optimus called, straining to pry his sword loose. 'This is my fight!''It's our fight too!' Ironhide countered, unfolding his shield to protect Ratchet. 'Hold it, medic. Ain't safe yet.'In the zone, focus narrowed down to Lockdown and his own capabilities, Speedshot unleashed his heavy duty blade and charged with a roar. Twisting clear of the first strike, he dodged Optimus' reaching hand and jumped, boosters firing for just a second to power him higher. Driving down with the thick blade, tearing Lockdown's cannon from his arm, the smaller mech landed and turned, bending backwards to avoid the next strike.Dropping right back, he twisted and kicked out, landing a brutal one-two kick across Lockdown's upper chest and tumbling over to clear the danger zone. Flowing with a grace not usually seen in Wreckers, he dropped and kicked out again, sending the bigger mech stumbling back closer to Ironhide's limited range. Using everything to hand, even resorting to pelting the bounty hunter with fistfuls of gravel, he continued to push Lockdown away from the team to give someone else a chance to move.Pushed back a step when one of Lockdown's shots caught him in the side, Speedshot screamed a challenge and lunged in again, leading with a couple of mortar rounds and following up with his heavy blade. Kicking up the dust, he spun and skittered back again, avoiding the jagged sword Lockdown wielded. Ducking another slashing strike, he cried out as the ugly mech got in close enough to tear the rocket launcher off his shoulder.Breaking the contact and reaching for his subspace, Speedshot stunned everyone when he pulled out a small bag of goop and launched it at Lockdown full force. Tumbling for a few moments, the bag smashed against Lockdown's lower armour and split, plastering him with the goop and driving him to his knees as the substance went to work on short-circuiting everything it touched.'Whoa! Killer robot my ass!' Sam cheered, picking smaller plates off Lockdown's frame.'Get him Speedshot!' Lennox grinned, adding to the general chaos of the battle.Intakes screaming for cooler air, Speedshot swore as his nemesis regained his feet and came in for another round. Checking where the humans were hiding, he lunged and fired his boosters again, gaining enough height to smash Lockdown across the face with one reinforced pede. Crunching down, he flashed out a smaller blade to stab through Lockdown's wrist and turned, attempting to throw him into the silos behind him.Hollering in shock and pain, his momentum turned against him and Speedshot went down hard as his smaller wrist blade snapped and went spinning away to land in the gravel. Swearing low, he lifted one hand to pummel Lockdown's helm as the other strained to hold back his spark extinguisher.'You see my face your life is done!''Get away! All of you!'Sprinting across the torn ground, Ironhide skidded past a discarded truck and reached out, one war scarred hand curling around the hilt of Optimus' sword. Servos whining against the strain, he twisted and pulled, drawing the sword out and sending it flying up at a near 45 degree angle. Releasing it one he was certain it was clear, he used his remaining momentum to slide clear of Prime's battle charge.Giving a battle cry of his own, Optimus tucked and lunged, snagging his sword from midair and vaulting over Ironhide in one easy motion. Shunting power to different servos, he gripped the hilt with both hands and jumped, bringing it down full force through Lockdown's back just as the bounty hunter drew back to eliminate Speedshot permanently. With almost perfect synchronicity, Speedshot shifted clear as Optimus ripped Lockdown in half from abdominal plating to helm and out before tossing the destroyed machinery aside.'Honour to the end.''Did you have to cover me in his fluids?' Speedshot complained, getting to his feet and looking around at the carnage."Heads up! Remaining Decepticons on route to Team 1's location!" Black reported, swooping low over the silos.No time to celebrate, the team were instantly on edge, ducking back as Lockdown's ship, assumedly crewed by at least a half decent team, opened fire on their locations. Forming a rough plan on the fly, most of the team took off running, weaving past the buildings and heading for a rendezvous with the bridge team.'Prime, take the humans! You've got the best chance to get clear safely!' Ratchet directed, protecting the trio for a few moments.'Quickly. I'm setting off Lockdown's grenade.' Optimus directed, protecting the humans behind his shield. 'Hold tight.'
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Gathering on the waterfront, battered and exhausted, the full team spread out and turned their optics skyward as Optimus circled around and came down with a hefty thump. Crouching and releasing the humans, he barely had a chance to straighten back to his full height before Ratchet was there in front of him, examining the damage to his armour and the components behind.'You were lucky this time, Prime.' He warned, tools flipping out as he started the repairs. 'And no, it can't wait.''Dad!' Tessa cried, darting between the Autobots to reach Cade.Watching the reunion with a certain fondness, Ironhide looked down at the gentle tugging on his hands. Rumbling softly, he crouched and gathered his young twins to his side, holding them tenderly as he rocked back to his feet.'Papa, maybe we shouldn't squish the bad man.' Smokey uttered, head landing on his shoulder.'He did at least try to fix his mistakes.' Wrench agreed, looking towards Joshua and the other humans. 'I still miss daddy though.''If that's what you two want, we won't squish him.' Ironhide nodded, bouncing them up a little higher. 'But we're keeping the money.''What was that? We're not squishing baldy?' Hound queried, keeping one arm wrapped around Mirage's back.'That's their choice, Hound. He gets to live with the consequences of murdering their fathers.' Ironhide repeated, lifting his voice so all could hear the choice.Moving over a bit to make room for the Dinobots to join the gathering, the Autobots turned almost as one to pay their respects to the much larger warriors. Without their assistance, the battle would not have gone as well as it had.'Brave warriors, you are free!''I'll ride with you anytime Spike!''It was an honour to fight beside you!' Blade added, resting one hand on Optimus' shoulder.Still high on the thrill of battle, Mirage missed the first few hints of what was coming, content to lean into Hound's strength and wait for instructions. Then it came, lighting up ever sensor under his chest plate and driving a hoarse cry from his vocaliser. Swaying on his pedes, fingers scrambling for a new grip, he slipped from Hound's embrace and hit the ground hard, servos straining to hold him up on all fours.'Raj? What's wrong, baby? Talk to me, I'm right here.' Hound soothed, dropping beside him and bringing him back up to lean against his chest. 'Let me in, Raj.''He's coming.' Mirage groaned, nudging Hound's hand off his chest. 'Frag, it hurts so bad.''I gotcha Raj, I gotcha. Open your vents, try to keep your temp down.' Hound guided, delving into his subspace for the waiting body. 'We need a medic over here.''Now? Of all the lousy timing…' Ratchet grumbled, throwing a temporary patch over Optimus' injuries and heading to assist. 'Prowl, sitrep!''Get it out!' Mirage snarled, chest plates parting in readiness.'All in time, Mirage. Relax and let me take a look.' Ratchet soothed, nudging the bright red mech back against Hound again.Reasonably sure no one had ever bothered to explain their creation process to the humans; Blaster transformed and cast out his human holoform. He was fairly generic, coffee coloured skin and dirty blonde hair pulled up into a man bun. Blue jeans, a reddish t-shirt almost the same colour as his armour and a dark yellow vest completed the almost hipster outfit.'What the hell is going on over there, Blaster?' Sam asked, turning to the scratched and dented pickup. 'Are they…''Calm down, Sam. Gather around and I'll explain the situation. And if you prefer, I go by Brad in this form.' Blaster chuckled, moving into the group and drawing their attention away from the private moment across the tarmac. 'I assure you, this is all perfectly normal. I wouldn't be overly stunned if Prowl starts off in the next few minutes.''What's going on?' Tessa asked; adjusting the messenger bag she was still protecting. 'He sounds like he's in a lot of pain.''He is, but it will pass soon.' Blaster nodded, glancing over his shoulder. 'No one was expecting he would go into labour right at this point.''Labour? As in going to have a baby real soon.' Lennox blinked, backing up a step. 'No one ever mentioned that before.''Where did you think Nimrah came from?' Ironhide asked, looking down at the group curiously.'I hadn't really given it a lot of thought.' Lennox admitted, shaking his head slowly.'You're about to get an education then.' Ironhide warned, setting the twins down and finding a spot to sit.Ushering the exhausted humans to sit in his tray so they could rest their aching bodies as he explained the matter, Blaster kept part of his attention on the birthing process behind him, offering his support from a distance and hoping for the best. He didn't really have time for a full briefing about their genders and mating practises but he could at least give the humans a basic rundown.'Forget what you know about human genders when thinking about Cybertronians. We defy all your small-minded rules and still survive. There's really no way to explain any of this without sounding crude so just bear with me on that. I'll try to minimise the really gross bits until there's a better time.' He started, rubbing the back of his neck. 'Could really use Ratchet's help with this.''We're smart people, Blaster. Just talk and we'll figure it out.' Cade guided, wincing as Mirage let out a particularly loud screech. 'That hurt.''Must be getting close to separation.' Ironhide mused, cradling the twins close again. 'Rest now, angels. You're safe with me, always.''Right, I can do this.' Blaster nodded, cheeks darkening in embarrassment. 'Unlike humans who have just one set of reproductive equipment, we have two. So instead of classifying as male or female, we classify ourselves as a carrier or sire. There are a couple of other options as well but those are pretty rare.''I'm a sire; my spark chamber lacks the protective pockets to cradle new life. Hound, Jazz and Prime are also sires. There are others in the group but they're keeping it close to the chest.' Ironhide added, watching his twins recharge safely in his arms.'Carriers have several small pockets around their spark chamber, safe places for a new life to nestle and avoid being recombined with the parent spark. There it will stay, drawing power from the parent until they are about six inches in diameter. Then the separation process starts, the connecting stream gets choked off from the smaller end until it breaks and the fresh life can be plucked out and placed inside the prepared body.' Blaster grinned, using his holoform ability to demonstrate the motions.Wincing as another pained scream ripped across the area, Blaster turned in time to see Prowl stagger and sway, coming dangerously close to tumbling into the water beside them before Jazz could pull him back to safety and hold his pained mate close.'Prowl's gone into final separation!' Jazz called, helped Prowl down to sit on the tarmac.'Frag! I can't leave Mirage right now!' Ratchet growled, glancing towards the prospective parents as he took the waiting body from Hound. 'Wheeljack!''I can't, he'll go into full attack mode if I try it.' Wheeljack replied, pushing Perceptor behind him for safety. 'You know how dangerous a Praxian in pain can be. Add in carrier protocols…''I can help him, just need the gear.' Crosshairs called, looking up at Sidewinder. 'Trust me, I'm their best chance.''I believe in you.' Sidewinder grinned, releasing his mate and stepping back.'Here, use mine.' Wheeljack nodded, tossing across the birthing case. 'It's all on you now.'Catching the hard case and turning, Crosshairs approached Prowl cautiously, fully aware that there was still a risk that Prowl would attempt to harm him. Flaring his coat back, he sunk into a crouch and started to weave slowly, humming softly as he eased closer to Prowl. Almost in reach, he set the birthing case down and opened it in readiness. That split second was enough for Prowl to lash out and slap him, denting his cheek plate and cracking his goggles. Wiping at the trace of energon beading along the crack, Crosshairs rolled one shoulder lazily and picked up the deflector from the kit. Remaining calm, he spoke soothingly as he held up the device, waiting patiently for results.Motioning for the humans to remain quiet, Brad/Blaster watched the interactions between Prowl and Crosshairs with great interest. Very few could get near a Praxian in pain; even medics struggled to deal with their unique programming issues. Listening to the quiet words, he nodded and turned back to the humans as he braced for their inevitable questions.'Keep your voices down.' he requested, looking back over his shoulder again. 'From what I understand, humans all react pretty much the same way in certain situations. It's not like that with Cybertronians.''Like how Prowl's reacting?' Shane asked, cuddling Tessa close and protecting the precious bag between them. 'It's different to how Mirage is dealing with his labour.''Yeah. Exactly like that. Like humans, we have our own separate groups that we fit into. Not just frame type but by city or sector we called home. I'm a Polyhexian; it was a quiet little place with a real arty vibe. Mirage came from Iacon, the once sparkling capital of our planet. Prowl on the other hand, came from Praxus. That combined with his frame type and specialised programming makes him act a little strange when exposed to pain stimuli.' Blaster nodded, desperately searching for a way to explain the complexities of Prowl's nature.'Basically, instead of accepting help when he needs it, he lashes out aggressively at anyone and everyone who comes too close. Most medics have a special program they can use to calm those aggressive urges but it's not always successful.' Wheeljack cut in, crouching beside them and looking towards Prowl. 'Carrier protocols make those issues worse; he's running on pure instinct to protect the new life nestled in his chest.''So how is it that Crosshairs can get close and help with the birth? Is he Praxian too?' Tessa asked, checking her small charges were still resting peacefully.'No, he's Voxian. But back in the golden age, Voxians were known for their conflict resolution skills. Didn't think Crosshairs could do it but I'd say he's using those famed skills to get Prowl's trust and help with the birth. If he doesn't make progress soon, we could lose them all from the backlash.' Wheeljack sighed, welcoming Perceptor into his lap. 'Or at least he'll try to keep Prowl calm until Ratchet can get over to assist.'Glancing towards Crosshairs again, Ratchet nodded faintly and refocused. He had little doubt that the paratrooper could handle Prowl; the actual birth was a whole different story. Confident and calm, he shot Mirage a reassuring look as the tether shrank to almost nothing.'Doin' real good, Raj. Just a little more, you can do it.' Hound uttered, totally focused on his mate.'I cannot…it's too much…I cannot do it.' Mirage groaned, head resting on Hound's shoulder. 'It's too hard.''Yes you can, Mirage.' Ratchet corrected, wrapping the forceps around the new spark. 'You can do this, just a little longer.''Non, I am done.' Mirage insisted, sagging dangerously between the two bigger mechs.'Indeed you are.' Ratchet chuckled, twisting his wrist and settling the new spark safely in Mustang's chest. 'Welcome to the world, Mustang.'For a few moments there was silence from the tiny body as the colours deepened and took on a subtle shine. A beat, finally the optics cycled on for the first time, lighting up a dazzling golden yellow. Uncoordinated squirming, the softest rasp of plates as the tiny creature wriggled in Ratchet's sure hold. Finally, he let out a piercing cry and kicked out harder.'He's in perfect health. Congratulations to you both.' Ratchet smiled, placing the child in Mirage's arms.'Grazie Ratchet.' Mirage uttered, looking up for a moment. 'Hello Mustang. I'm your carrier.''You did so well, Raj. I'm proud of you.' Hound praised, nuzzling his mate softly. 'Welcome Mustang. I'm ya sire.'Delving into subspace, Mirage retrieved a sparkling cube and gently coaxed Mustang to latch onto the cube and drink. He was stunning, a complex mix of Hound's heaver frame and Mirage's sleek lines. Those lines were highlighted with white pin striping on a sky blue background and detailed with deep green shadow effects. Optics dimming slowly, the new mechling settled against Mirage's chest and drank happily.Smiling softly at the sight, Blaster turned his full attention back to the humans still resting in the bed of his altmode. Each one of them looked equal parts disturbed, shocked and intrigued by what they'd just witnessed. Cade and Shane looked especially horrified by it. The ladies on the other hand seemed more capable of understanding what it was like.'Don't relax just yet; we're still waiting on Prowl to go through final separation.' Blaster warned, running one hand through his hair.'And this is all perfectly normal for you guys?' Lennox asked, turning to look up at Ironhide.'It's been done this way for millions of years, William. I came into being in much the same way, started small and upgraded through various sizes to reach this form.' Ironhide shrugged, adjusting his hold on the twins in his arms. 'Can take up to twenty-five upgrades for a mech to reach full size. Femmes usually have less, they're not as bulky.''Twenty-five? Shit, I only had nineteen to reach my size. But then, I'm a unique case.' Blaster returned, rubbing his chest briefly. 'We can get to that discussion later.''I had no idea that's how you guys developed.' Sam remarked, looking around for Bee. 'Guess I never really gave it much thought at all.''So how long does it take from creation to separation?' Tessa asked, opening her bag to check on her charges.'Considering how humans breed, I'm very glad to be Cybertronian.' Sideswipe remarked, looking up from his tyre maintenance.'It depends on a lot of factors really. I carried Eject and Rewind for about 5 months before they were ready. Some take longer, others are done sooner. I've heard anything from six weeks to eighteen months. See, it's not the duration that matters but the size. New sparks separate when they're around six inches in diameter.' Blaster explained, rubbing his holo chest absently.'I dunno, Sides. Human females are pretty awesome for being able to do that.' Sunstreaker noted, relaxing beside his brother.'Yeah, I suppose they are. Still really squishy though.' Sideswipe nodded, attention going back to his tyres. 'What? It's not like I intended to run 'em over. Even on two wheels, I can only do so much to avoid impacts.'Crying out in agony, Prowl twisted in Jazz's grip, pedes gouging deeper into the concrete under them. Sagging back, he swore in a mix of German and Spanish, one hand shooting up to grab Jazz's arm and squeeze.Leaning in closer, Crosshairs scooped up the silent body and fitted the forceps around the tiny life. With Ratchet's guidance on his internal comm, he eased the new spark out and nestled it safely in the dark body. Closing the covers gently, he cooed softly as the new body slowly came to life.'Welcome to the world, Hunter.' Crosshairs grinned, nudging the chestplates fully closed.'All systems in the green. He's in top condition.' Ratchet added, resting one hand on Crosshairs' shoulder. 'You did well Crosshairs.''Couldn't have done it without ya Ratchet.' Crosshairs nodded, handing the squalling child across to his parents.Sleek lines of glistening black, graceful curves and sharp angles blending together. An elegant little silver crest over vibrant grey optics. Delicate little white doorwings, pinstriped with silver and shadowed black to make the patterns really stand out. Protesting his awakening with surprising volume, little Hunter made sure no one could forget about him.'Hey there little one.' Jazz uttered, handing over the sparkling cube he'd been carrying.'A fitting end to a day of such devastation. It does my spark good to see bonded mates starting families and looking to the future of our people. Perhaps now we will see more couples settling down and considering if they are ready for the challenge of parenthood.' Blade smiled, wrapping one arm around Optimus' waist.'First how about we worry about a new home? Pretty sure I speak for most of the team when I say I won't go back to the last place. No tellin' what sort of damage those Cemetery Wind goons did to the place.' Speedshot cut in as he guided Harley down into his lap.'Once we get back stateside, I'll organise a team to go over the old base for anything out of place. I'm not sure that even with the funds liberated from KSI that we'd have enough to rebuild a NEST base and make sure the Yeager's are set up properly.' Lennox offered, getting to his feet slowly.'What about the dinobots? Shouldn't we keep an optic on them, just in case?' Plate questioned, looking in the direction the ancient warriors left.'If need be, we can run fairly short sorties to check up on them. We may need to look into moving them, but that's a later sort of problem.' Blade replied, shaking out his wings quickly.'The Yeager's debts are already cleared, William. Samuel can handle arranging for the appropriate people to rebuild their home as they wish it to be. It would be preferred if you focused on securing our accommodations.' Optimus suggested, sweeping Beast up onto his hip.'Before or after we get our reunions?' Sam asked, scrubbing one hand through his hair.'I'll ping Kup and Nimrah, have them bring your loved ones to meet us once we're back on US soil.' Blade grinned, looking up at Optimus. 'But we've got another problem to deal with first.''Yeah, so what are we doing with this thing?' Armageddon asked, cradling the Seed in her arms.'This Seed belongs to our creators, whoever they are. There remains a price on my head; I endanger you all if I stay. I shall take it where it can never be found.' Optimus decided, calling the device to his hand.'But…I don't wanna leave daddy. This is my home, the only one I've known.' Beast protested, clinging all the tighter to Optimus' armour.'We weren't built with interstellar travel in mind, Optimus. No one ever anticipated that we'd have to leave.' Blade added, looking across to his brother.'Will we ever see you again?' Cade asked, approaching the family slowly.'Cade Yeager, I do not know. But, whenever you look to the stars, think of one of them as my soul.' Optimus replied, setting the Seed down in favour of gently coaxing Beast to loosen her grip. 'You must be brave little one. This is something I must do alone, to protect all of us. I will miss you terribly, my precious little darling.''I'll try to be brave daddy, like you. Be safe and come home when you can.' Beast nodded, pressing close again. 'I'll miss you too daddy.''I'll hold down the fort until your return Optimus. Personally I think you're crazy to do this, but then, I wouldn't have bonded with you if you weren't at least a little bit crazy. Be careful out there, whatever you discover.' Blade promised, leaning in for a brief kiss. 'Try not to get lost, we still need you here.'Taking Beast and cradling her close, Blade backed away as Optimus collected the Seed again. In his hand it looked small; it was hard to believe that something so innocuous could cause so much harm to their little organic world.'Defend these families, Autobots. As they have you. Defend all they can be.' With those parting words, Optimus launched his bulk into the heavens, soaring away into an unknown adventure.'Primus bless and keep you safe Optimus.' Blade whispered, bouncing Beast up a little higher in his arms.Turning back to his exhausted and battered team, Blade huffed a sigh and bowed his head for a few moments. After so long sharing the leadership with Optimus, it was a little intimidating to be standing alone again. Gathering his confidence again, he lifted his gaze and somehow found a faint smile for the team.'First of all, I am so proud of all of you for your efforts during this shit storm. Even when things were at their bleakest, you all still came together and showed the world that we aren't easy targets. You all showed great courage and commitment to the cause, even when we realised just how depraved some humans can be. Now, due to piloting issues, we will not be able to return to America in the same manner. Instead, we will retire to an area away from the city and negotiate passage back home through whatever means necessary.' He announced, looking around slowly.#~#+^*^+#~#Directed to an abandoned military base to rest and wait for the next step, the exhausted team spread out a little and lowered their guard somewhat. The wounded found comfortable places to stretch out and rest, some even making use of the open buildings to find peace and solitude to await repairs. Slowly the aura of defensive caution eased back to calmness, weapons disappearing and armour shifting to expose softer areas.Without even needing a cue, Plate and Chaos took off on a routine patrol around the base, making sure they were truly secure. Engines howling in sync, they spiralled up and around the base, reporting back their findings to keep Blade up to date on the situation. Splitting up, they took great care to scour the surrounding area for anything even close to a Decepticon signal. Chaos picked up on the Dinobots again, but they were still heading away from the appointed base, so he left them be.Ironhide stood for a few minutes longer, still clutching his axe as he scanned the area slowly. It wasn't until Wrench reached out to take his free hand that he relaxed and put his weapons away. Sinking down to sit on the tarmac, he gathered the twins to his chest again and chirred quietly to soothe them. Ratchet joined them a few minutes later, gently taking Smokey and stroking tender patterns over her armour. Trilling softly between themselves, the newly formed family reaffirmed and strengthened their bonds. It only took a few minutes of soft echoes for the traumatised twins to settle into a much needed recharge.'I can't wait to get home and hold all my girls tight.' Ratchet whispered, leaning forward to knock helms with Ironhide.'I hear ya, Ratch. Two is nice, but three would make it perfect.' Ironhide agreed, adjusting his hold on Wrench and reaching across to rest one heavy forearm on Ratchet's shoulder.'What about four? Just thinking about the future, 'Hide.' Ratchet chuckled, returning the partial embrace.'So long as you're there with me, any number is perfect.' Ironhide smiled, thumb rubbing against Ratchet's main neck strut. 'Though maybe a mech build next, hmm?''After three sweet little femmes, I think that sounds great. But before we do anything, we should talk it over with Nimrah too. She's smart enough to understand.' Ratchet agreed, looking down at the twins. 'As for these two, they're far stronger than we ever anticipated.''All we can do is support and love them. Given enough time, they should pull through okay.' Ironhide replied, also looking down at the twins. 'Not really sure how they survived the backlash.''They're the strongest little femmes I've ever heard of, that's for sure.' Ratchet noted, nudging into the touch wandering over his neck.Ushering the humans into the shade near some sort of office, Blaster made sure they were all safe before transforming and stretching briefly. He had about five seconds to unkink his systems though, before disappearing under the combined weight of his three youngsters. Roughhousing for a few minutes, simply enjoying the fact they were alive, Blaster laughed freely for what felt like the first time in a year or more. Tumbling onto his back, he crooned softly as his three children crawled up and somehow managed to all fit on his chest.'Well ain't that just the cutest.' Tank chuckled, sinking down beside them. 'I'm so glad that's over.''That makes two of us.' Blaster agreed, loosely wrapping his arms around their trio. 'Or maybe five.''I've been thinkin'…' Tank started, folding his wings back and turning to stretch out beside his family. 'Maybe we should to think 'bout adding another to our family.''Another…yeah, that'd be nice.' Blaster sighed, optics shuttering for a few moments. 'Especially now that things are hopefully back to normal.''Well, as close to normal as it ever is for us.' Tank nodded, resting one arm over their trio. 'Maybe a daughter next time, even 'em up.''A daughter would be nice, but we've got an overpopulation of femmes currently. If we're going to stabilise our people, we're going to need a few more mech sparklings to start.' Blaster admitted, tipping his head back a little more.'Yeah, I suppose you're right. At least we know that's something we both want, just in case the overpopulation swings the other way.' Tank smiled, stroking over Blaster's helm softly.Taking a seat with his family, Bee twittered softly as he reached out to slowly run his hands over Rictor's twitching wings. Engine rumbling softly, he focused on the spots that gave Rictor the most discomfort, soothing around the dents and scrapes. Spreading the gentle vibrations around, he flicked through his radio channels to find something soft and calming.'So when did you two do it?' Fog asked, looking up from his own post battle routine.'We haven't yet.' Rictor replied, lifting his head slowly. 'We were going to on our third anniversary, but Cemetery Wind spoiled that.''I guess it'll just have to be the sixth instead.' Bee suggested, shifting to press against Rictor's back. 'I told you it didn't need to be a special date.''I know. We'll pick a date once we get back to the US.' Rictor nodded, loosely gripping Bee's wrists as he relaxed.'So does this mean we get to throw you two a party?' Fang queried, fluttering his wings briefly.'Party? What party?' Streaks asked, walking past with his daughter Tracks in his arms.'For Pit's sake.' Rictor grumbled, looking up at Streaks for a moment.'Go on, might as well say it.' Bee goaded, loosening his grip on Rictor.'Alright, everyone listen up. I'm only gonna say this once.' Rictor called, getting to his feet.Drawing Bumblebee to his feet, Rictor chirred softly as he loosely enfolded Bee in his arms, mindful of winglets and other bits that stuck out at strange angles. Rictor kept his wings up and wide, shielding Bee under the soft shadows they cast. The older Autobots in the gathering automatically recognised the posturing and turned their full attention to the pair.'Right here and now, we do formally and openly declare our intention to enter into a fully bonded relationship at a time and place of our convenience. Upon the completion of the bond, a formal announcement will be made so arrangements for an appropriate celebration can be undertaken. Anyone who has a problem with us entering into this relationship, speak now or forever shut the fuck up about it.' Rictor declared, tightening his grip on Bee as he spoke.'Well, not quite the traditional declaration, but it gets the point across.' Hot Rod chuckled, rolling over on the tarmac. 'Congratulations on taking that step you two.''Thanks Hot Rod.' Bee replied, leaning back into Rictor.'You two will do well together. Primus' blessings upon your new family.' Ratchet nodded, looking back to his own family.'Wait a minute, did I hear that right?' Sam asked, making his way towards the pair.'Yes Sam. That was a proposal. When the timing feels right, they'll complete their union and share everything. It's almost like a human marriage, but deeper. The bond gives a way to communicate without words and across great distance.' Thunder chuckled, offering out one hand to the battered human.'But…I really thought we'd go back to the way it used to be. I've missed having you around.' Sam admitted, grabbing Thunder's thumb for support.'I'll come to visit sometimes Sam, but I have other responsibilities now. We have to make an effort to rebuild our people and try to find a new place to call home. It's clear the American government doesn't want us around anymore.' Bumblebee explained, reaching out to take Sam.'We'll all have to take a great deal more care from here out. We can never truly relax; one misstep and we could lose more of our people to murders like Joyce. For now, we stick together and protect each other. We can organise the next step once we've rid ourselves of unwanted baggage.' Ironhide added, soothing Wrench when she stirred.#~#+^*^+#~#Huddled in one of the hangers, Stephen and Terrence cooed softly to their traumatised daughters. Back to back, protecting their family from any further threats. Knees raised to further shield their daughters from sight. Moments like this, it really paid off that they were all so close in colouration that no one could easily tell where their daughters were snuggled.'I'm scared daddy.' Brightstar uttered, pressing closer to Terrence's chest. 'What if Joyce tries again?''We'll be right there to squash him.' Sunstreaker promised, approaching the family slowly.'But…I thought his life was promised.' Stephen blinked and turned to look at Sunstreaker.'It is, but it was also decided that if he made a move against us again, all bets were off. Not entirely sure the girls understand the meaning, but they agree that if he misbehaves he should be punished to the extent of our laws.' Sideswipe added, skating up beside his brother.'You really mean that? We don't gotta be scared about him anymore?' Starlight asked, uncurling slowly.'That's right. He's in for a world of hurt if he tries anything. You don't have to be afraid of Joyce ever again.' Sunstreaker nodded, sinking to one knee. 'And if Blade decides it'll be safer to split the team again, we'll be right there to watch over you.''Wait a minute. Don't we get a say in this part?' Terrence asked, turning to face the other twins.'Sure, we're just being open about it so you've got all the facts. We're not going to push you into anything, you can say no at any time.' Sideswipe replied, easing closer and sinking down to rest.'Think about it at least. If nothing else, a larger group would make it far harder for anyone to hurt your girls again.' Sunstreaker agreed, stretching out beside Sideswipe.'Shard will be here soon for another check. Medical is a little slow at the moment since Ratchet's still building his new family bonds.' Stephen noted, looking down at his precious daughter again.Uncurling slowly, Brightstar sat up a little more and looked around. Relaxing slowly, plating settling back against her frame gradually, she eased up onto her wheels carefully. Looking around again, shuffling nervously as if she expected trouble, she smiled faintly and straightened a bit more. Looking back at Terrence for a moment, she released her grip and rolled away slowly. Confidence growing slowly, she scanned the hanger again before making her way over to the other twins. Hesitating for a moment, she turned and settled in Sunstreaker's lap comfortably. Partly curled up, she trilled softly and dimmed her optics again.'Uh, well that was unexpected.' Sideswipe remarked, attention returning to Terrence.'Not really. Everyone's been so busy since the rescue, no one stopped to think about the long term effects of what happened to us. You're the first to come back and promise support and protection. Everyone else checks in, makes sure we're okay, but they've already moved on to the next challenge.' Terrence shrugged, watching his daughter settle.'The girls learned a lot of painful lessons during our imprisonment. It was the first time they ever really saw how fallible we were, both as parents and as soldiers. That was hard for them. We couldn't make it better, no matter how hard we tried. It's going to be a long road to recovery, though I'm not sure the girls will ever fully recover from this.' Stephen added, relaxing his grip when Starlight squirmed.To their delight and wonder, little Starlight skated over to plop into Sideswipe's lap with a little whistle. Chuckling softly, Sideswipe didn't hesitate to wrap the trembling young femme in his arms and start rocking slowly.'I'd say the girls have made it pretty clear. Looks like you're stuck with us from now.' Terrence grinned, twisting around to wrap one arm around Stephen's back.'Oh dear, whatever shall we do?' Sunstreaker chuckled, tender fingers running over Brightstar's back.'We're gonna be okay Terry. Gonna take some time, but we'll make it.' Stephen uttered, pressing closer to his brother.'Together, one day at a time. We'll make it.' Terrence agreed, optics dimming a little. 'I just hope the girls will be okay.''Give 'em time. Who knows, having some extra adult attention might do 'em some good.' Stephen nodded, reaching across to take Terrence's hand. 'I miss Torque and Bandit. They were assholes, sure, but they were still part of the team.''Their memory lives on in all of us. As a team, we'll remind Smokey and Wrench about their heritage.' Terrence sighed, squeezing Stephen's hand lightly. 'That's the least we can do for them.'Entering the hanger, Shard paused and smiled fondly at the sight before him. He almost didn't want to disturb the gentle moment but he knew he needed to examine them all. Sighing softly, he approached the small group slowly, fully aware that Terrence and Stephen were still fairly shaken up.'It's okay Shard. You don't gotta walk on eggshells.' Stephen nodded, releasing his brother as he looked up.'Blade's still negotiating a way home for us. Slash is compiling lists of the team, sorting out the best groups to send home together. You six are already on the wounded list, so likely you'll be on a transport together.' Shard explained, taking a knee beside Stephen.'But first you want to check us over, make sure we're not hiding injuries.' Sunstreaker added, lightly caressing Brightstar's helm. 'Might need to wait a little bit though. She's gone into recharge.''Let her rest, she needs it.' Shard smiled, watching her for a moment. 'So who wants to go first?''I will.' Terrence replied, easing to his feet.#~#+^*^+#~#Cursing Optimus for leaving him with this mess, Blade cast out his human holoform to make it a little easier to negotiate with the Chinese team that had come to discuss the situation with him. Just because he could, he tweaked the outfit to be something of a blend between human and Martian formal military wear. Mostly human in cut, specifically based off the American Army dress uniform, but toned in dusty oranges and faded reds to represent the sands of Mars.Pushing aside his exhaustion again, he focused on the conversations around him and made notes about the various transport options available to them. At this rate it would take months to get everyone home safely. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sighed and shook his head. He needed to get control of the situation and sort this out.'Look, I'm not overly impressed by this situation either. We can stand here arguing about it or we can actually make a start on sorting out this mess.' He snapped, squaring his shoulders and looking around.'Our people must take priority! Look at the havoc your kind have caused to our city!''I understand your concerns. We are willing to assist financially with the rebuilding efforts; we have a fund already set up for such situations. It won't be enough to rebuild everything, but it should go a fair way to repairing the worst of the damage.' Blade agreed, checking the account Fang had set up for such situations.'You would just give us these funds?''On the proviso that you arrange transport for my people to return to America. The exact how is not overly important, just so long as everyone returns safely. Once we have a written and signed agreement about our transport, I will authorise the transfer of funds into an account of your choosing.''I will see what can be arranged. Wait here.''Not like there's anywhere else we can go right now.' Blade sighed, turning back to his scattered team. 'Slash, sitrep!''We've got the first five to ten loads semi-organised. Will depend in what transport options we have available. Got a security team to lead out, no sense making ourselves vulnerable on the other end.' Slash replied, holding up his data pad. 'We're also sorting out those who can make the flight home instead of waiting for transport.''Already working on arranging a fuel delivery, Blade. Not just for the flyers but for everyone who needs a boost.' Fang added, lifting one hand briefly.'I've notified the others that we'll be heading for Rendezvous 25. It's about the right place for us, no matter how we get home. Should give us time and space to sort out the next plan.' Falcon called, shaking out his armour quickly.'RV 25...right, I remember it now.' Blade nodded, looking around for a moment. 'Someone make it blatantly clear that we are not taking responsibility for Joyce and his lady friend.''We're on it Blade. Just focus on getting the team home, we'll take care of the trash.' Speedshot confirmed, moving slowly past him. 'Fair warning Chief, we've got quite a few stuck in base mode due to injuries.''We'll figure it out Speedshot.' Blade replied, pinching the bridge of his nose again. 'Slash; tell me you're tracking who can still transform?''Of course we are Blade. We're also taking notes of weight and dimension to enable easy loading.' Bonfire replied, looking up from his work.Making his way over to where the humans were resting, Topspin crouched beside the building and cast out his holoform. Troy Anderson met every NASCAR fan cliché, from his missing teeth to his pot gut and worn clothes. Spitting off to the side, he entered the office and grabbed Joshua Joyce firmly.'Take your hands off me!''Quit ya bitchin', ya murderer!'Twisting Joyce's arm up high and digging his fingers into the other shoulder, Topspin pushed him towards the door. Looking back over his shoulder, he dug his fingers in harder when Joyce tried to resist.'Ya know, the more ya fight the more it's gonna hurt.' Topspin warned, giving Joyce a shake. 'Su Yueming, I must ask that you accompany us as well.''Of course.' she nodded, coming over to him. 'You do not trust us.''It's nothing personal in your case, ma'am. You're guilty by association, nothin' more.' Topspin shrugged, giving Joyce another shove. 'This asshole though, he's guilty as sin. Were it my call, I'd hang him for his crimes. But since his life is promised to the pair he orphaned, he gets to live.''You have…''I strongly suggest you shut up, Joyce. We may not have rights in your opinion, but we still get mighty pissed off when someone murders one of our own. I hope that this serves as a valuable lesson about taking lives senselessly.' Topspin snapped, shoving him again. 'I'd snap yer neck right now if I could get away with it.'Escorting the pair to the gates, Topspin nodded respectfully to the guards as they opened the smaller section and allowed him to step out with the two unwanted humans. Releasing Joyce once the gates were closed behind them, Topspin backed up a step and smirked as Joyce turned to him, clearly ready to continue to argue. Bringing one foot up quickly, Topspin kicked him hard in the ass, sending the irritating man sprawling on the ground.'You ever come near any of us and you're dead. No arguments, we will not tolerate your presence again. Stay away from the Yeager, Lennox and Witwicky families too. They are under our protection and we will not hesitate to kill in their defence. Now go, before we decide you're too much of a risk to allow to live.' Topspin growled low and hard.Backing up a step, he flickered his holoform well out of range as Joyce scrambled to his feet. Reforming behind the fence, Topspin flipped Joyce off and turned away, ignoring his loud ranting about dead metal and denying scientific advancements. Slipping his grubby trucking cap off, he ran one hand through his hair in a very human gesture.'Fuck I need a nap.' He grumbled, dissipating his holoform as he passed the office again. 'We clear to get some recharge while we wait?''Get some rest Topspin; I'll make sure you're woken if anything changes.' Blade replied, recalling his own holoform.#~#+^*^+#~#Wriggling out of the bag, Brains trembled as he looked around the office slowly. It wasn't the most depressing place he'd spent time, but it was close. Wobbling for a moment, he looked up and smiled as Tessa wrapped one hand around his side protectively. Compared to the last human woman he'd been around, Tessa had handled the stress and general insanity quite well and with only minimal screaming.'You okay?' She asked, giving him a tired smile.'I think so.' Brains nodded, leaning into her a little more. 'It's still sinking in.''How about you, Wheelie?' Tessa queried, free hand resting on the bag.'He slipped into stasis lock as we were leaving the city. Too much damage for him to remain online. He's still alive though, the lock protects his core and memories until he can be repaired.' Brains explained, sinking down to sit in Tessa's lap. 'If he can be repaired.''Hey now, positive thoughts Brains. Ratchet seemed to think he could repair Wheelie, given time and a proper place to work.' Tessa replied, wrapping both hands around him loosely.'Tessa…I think I need a hug.' Brains uttered, twisting around in her gentle hold.'I'm not surprised.' She smiled, helping him up and giving him a chance to find his balance.Scooping him up, Tessa cradled the trembling microbot against her shoulder tenderly; her touch equal parts protective and supportive. Head down, she partly shielded Brains against her neck, fingertips rubbing softly across his plating. Gripping Tessa's shirt with both hands, Brains shuddered and keened low, automatically trying to press closer to her warmth.'You're safe with me, Brains. I've got you.' Tessa whispered, gaze drawn to the silent bag on her lap. 'I'll protect you both.''Emily used to do that for them. Modified her home so they could get around without hassle. She loved and cared for them until her transition. After that, they fell back under the care of NEST but none of the guys there can match the love and care Emily had for those two.' Lennox explained, running one hand through his hair. 'We've just got other priorities on our minds.''I tried taking them in, but it didn't work out well. Carly never liked them and they would stir her up just to enjoy her reactions.' Sam added, looking away for a moment. 'I wanted her more than I ever wanted to baby sit those two tearaways.''I'll take them in. Not sure I can give them the same attention Emily did, but I can still give them a loving and safe home.' Tessa nodded, tapping Brains on the back a little harder. 'But only if you promise to behave.''We'll behave Tessa, promise. Living with Carly was rough, she always sent us out onto the porch even when it was raining. Sam was ruled by his own hormones, so we can't really blame him.' Brains agreed, looking up at her with a smile. 'You really mean we can stay?''If you're going to take responsibility for them, you'll need a crash course on their needs.'Turning slightly, Tessa blinked in shock and twisted again, automatically protecting her new charges from the stranger in the room. Cradling Brains close with her right hand, she dropped her left to the dusty messenger bag in her lap, pushing it behind her hip for protection. The stranger didn't look dangerous; he looked…tired actually. Tanned skin covered in dust and blood, clothes torn and a battered medical bag slung over his shoulder.'Shift?' Sam asked softly.'Yeah. Trying out a new look.' he nodded, swiping one hand through his white streaked hair. 'The team is spread a little thin at the moment. We're trying to stabilise everyone before shipping out.' 'Any word on how we're getting home?' Sam asked, still clutching his shot-dart awkwardly.'Not yet, Blade's still locked in negotiations with the local authorities.' Shift replied, digging in his bag. 'Last I heard he was trading financial support against transport home.'Coming up with a small plastic tub full of various bits of metal scrap, Shift wandered over to Tessa and reached out to gently run two fingers over Brains' back. It took a few moments before Brains lifted his head and turned to see who else was touching him.'Here, you should eat something. I know you're probably not interested, but it's for the best. We need you online Brains.' Shift coaxed, offering out the container.'What about Wheelie? I don't know how much longer he can hang on, even with stasis lock.' Brains asked, clinging tighter to Tessa's shirt.'As soon as Ratchet's finished welding Speedshot back together, he'll be in to work on Wheelie. His holoform will make it a fair bit easier to work with him.' Shift promised, glancing over his shoulder. 'He sent me in first since I've got more idea about tending to humans.''Has anyone arranged for food? Not sure about anyone else but I'm starving.' Shane grinned, wandering over to Tessa.'Christine is taking care of that for you. Not sure what she's planning, but you should get something in the next half hour.' Shift replied, flicking through the scraps in the container.Pulling out a mass of twisted metal, he tried to coax Brains to let go of Tessa and actually eat something. He could partly understand the reluctance though, Brains was worried about Wheelie and that sort of stress could put anyone off their food. But as a microbot, Brains couldn't go long term without proper sustenance in one form or another. And so far, he wasn't admitting how long it had been since he last indulged his appetite fully.'Come on little one, you gotta eat something. You can't do Wheelie any good if you land up in a lock as well due to system neglect.' He tried, holding out the scrap. 'It's one of your favourites, gold with a bit of aluminium mixed in.'That got Brains' attention. Relaxing his grip a little, he tentatively reached out to take the offered metal. Examining it for a few moments, he twisted a little in Tessa's embrace, tucking under her chin comfortably as he chewed on the salvaged scrap.'I'll keep working with him; see what I can get him to eat.' Tessa promised, reaching for the container.'Thanks Tessa. Anything you can get into him in a bonus, he can be a stubborn little bit.' Shift smiled, watching Brains for a moment. 'He's really special to us all.''Someone get me a working phone, I might be able to arrange some extra transportation.' Lennox requested, getting to his feet. 'All respect to Blade, but I can work a military angle.''I suggest you link up with Blaster, or see if the Intel team can get you in touch with whoever you need. Those guys have got secure communications, should be good enough for the paper pushers you'll likely have to deal with.' Shift directed, reaching into his bag again. 'But first, mild painkillers and water. I know you took some hard hits out there.''Such is the life of a soldier.' Lennox shrugged, accepting the drugs and a cool water bottle. 'Wish me luck.''You'll do fine, Major.' Shift laughed, moving aside for the older man.#~#+^*^+#~#Surprisingly still feeling energetic despite their active roles in the battle, Blaze, Fibre and Thump skated away from their resting fathers and started moving through the scattered group. Fibre dialled into a local radio station, and though the lyrics were in Chinese, the beat was quite pleasant to the audios. Keeping the music low for now, they started moving with the beat, weaving between the family groups.Getting an idea, Blaze dropped back a little to grab her younger sister around the waist and slipped into rhythm with her. Moments later, Thump caught on and grabbed Blaze, joining the line as they circled back through the exhausted team. It was such a simple little game, their stride shifting with each song so they maintained a perfect rhythm with the music still coming from Fibre's speakers.One by one, the other younglings started to join in, shaking off their weariness in favour of some innocent fun. Linking up and tuning into the same radio station, they snaked through the gathering happily, winding past their battle scarred fathers and waving as they passed. They really had to think now, picking a path that wouldn't wind up with the leaders colliding with the tail of their dusty snake.Showing the family that they weren't completely broken, Brightstar and Starlight skated out to see what was going on. Timid at first, they clung to each other and watched their cousins at play. Chirring softly to each other, they shifted nervously on their wheels, wary of going too far from their fathers. They wanted to play and start to put the nightmares of Chicago behind them, but the anxiety of going too far from their guardians refused to abate.Watching the traumatised twins, Sideswipe pushed up off the floor and rolled out of the warehouse. Looking around, he stretched and chased after the tail of the skating snake. At the moment Armageddon was on the tail, one hand reaching back in invitation for someone else to join the fun. Dropping into a low crouch, Sideswipe reached out and grabbed Armageddon's forearm lightly as he pushed out, slipping into the rhythm of the game with ease.'Hope you don't mind me joining in.' He grinned as he straightened a little.'Of course not. You're family too.' Armageddon laughed, twisting with the rhythm.Feeling so much younger as he swept around the gathering, Sideswipe couldn't wipe the smile off his face when Fibre swept the whole line around to pass close to Brightstar and Starlight. Swinging the tail out a little more, Sideswipe reached out and smiled wider when Starlight reached out to grab his hand, dragging Brightstar along for the ride.Picking up speed, the youngsters laughed freely as the snake whipped past their parents and other family members in a haze of colour. After all the tension and combat, it felt good to play and act like fools again. So many of them had endured close calls during the tight combat within the city.Last to join the snake, Smokey and Wrench were quiet and still somewhat withdrawn, but their colours had come back to a normal brightness. They both still had a long way to go, but with Ironhide and Ratchet to care for them, the orphaned girls would find their feet again. They simply needed time to recover and the family around them to share the legacy of their fallen fathers.Moving off to the side a little, Sideswipe closed the gap around him, guiding Starlight's hand into Armageddon's grip. Letting go, he stayed beside his young charges, showing off some of his own style as they grew in confidence. He could still clearly remember the time before the girls were given sentience. How close they worked even without the full intelligence they now had. Sideswipe hoped that some of that close teamwork would filter back in and help Starlight and Brightstar settle back into the team properly.#~#+^*^+#~#Closing ranks as the sun set, the team reorganised as best they could given the circumstances. The wounded took shelter in the hangers and other buildings while the rest of the team settled in to pull guard shifts until the dawn. There were still questions about how they would all be getting home, but at least they had some fuel to keep them going and a promise of safety for the night.There had been an offer of hotel rooms for the human contingent, but the offer was quickly refused. After all the hell they'd gone through to this point, none of the humans felt particularly safe leaving the group…even though the suggestion of a hot shower was quite tempting.As a token of friendship, the local officials saw fit to provide a portable shower block with a basic diesel operated generator to heat the water so the group could clean up and change into fresh clothes generously provided by some of the local stores. One of the restaurants to escape the fighting stepped up to provide a full meal to the exhausted group, sending out a wide range of dishes to satisfy everyone. Military cots and plush bedding was also provided, allowing the battered humans to rest in greater comfort.'So, once we get back to US soil, are you guys just going to vanish again or what?' Lennox asked, looking up from the shot-dart across his lap.'Nah, we won't make that mistake twice.' Ironhide rumbled, swinging his attention back to the human team. 'But we won't be making a home on an army base either.''Considering this latest clusterfuck, I'm not surprised you're not interested in N.E.S.T. anymore. But that doesn't answer my initial question.' Lennox nodded, watching his old friend for any hints.'At this point, it's still undecided, William.' Metric weighed in, holding steady as Revs continued patching his wings back together. 'I doubt there will be any decisions made until we get back to the US.''So that's it. After all this shit, you're just gonna walk away.' Shane grumbled, glancing at Tessa briefly.'Watch yer tone Lucky Charms!' Roadbuster growled, head snapping around. 'Nothin' has been decided yet.''Everyone just simmer down!' Slash barked, dropping onto his wheels outside the hanger.Instead of his human holoform, Slash deployed his Martian form, tail snapping behind him as he made his way towards the humans. Even like this, it was blatantly obvious that he'd been in the thick of the battle, chocolate fur and white hair caked with dried blood and multiple bloodied bandaged wrapped around his body. Add in the lack of a left eye and the general posture of someone who had spent several years on combat and he created one hell of a startling display.Striding right up to Shane, Slash snarled and reached out to grab him by the front of his shirt. Clearly showing that their holoform were more than just a handy light show, he hauled the irritating off the cot and up until they were nose to nose. Lip curling to reveal the sharp teeth of a carnivore, he growled low and tightened his hold on Shane's shirt.'Now listen up, you little bitch. The only reason we're paying you any attention, is the fact that Miss Tessa likes you. Why, I haven't got a clue. I can only assume it's because you've got one hell of a big cock, because you sure ain't got any balls. We all know how you bitched out on Lockdown's ship. You swore you'd fight, but the moment shit got real, you surrendered like a little pussy. We all saw, it was recorded and sent to everyone in out network. You left her safety in William's hands instead of proving that you're worthy of her.'Giving Shane a firm shake when he tried to look away, Slash snarled deep and flicked his tail around, the tip cracking against Shane's thigh to get his full attention.'We don't owe you shit. You're just some little tagalong that we have to tolerate. We will face death for the Witwicky's, Lennox's and Yeager's. We will protect them without hesitation. You on the other hand, we do not care for. You're nothing but a whiny little bitch. Miss Tessa has more balls than you. At least she was willing to go back into a war zone to protect her father. You only cared about getting far away.'Glancing at Tessa for a moment, Slash simply let go of Shane's shirt and let him fall to the hard concrete floor with a thump.'Keep that in mind the next time you open your mouth, little bitch. None of us would think twice about abandoning you in favour of protecting Miss Tessa from the threats still out there. If you intend to survive and become a permanent part of her life, I strongly urge you to grow up, find your balls and sort out that shitty attitude of yours.'Turning on his boot heel, Slash flipped his tail again and cut the holoform as Shane got to his feet and rubbed his backside. Some of the youngsters were giggling at his discomfort; pleased to see him put back in his place. Sending his own holoform into the building, Blade walked over and sunk down to sit beside William. His lighter fur was also caked with dried blood and he had a field dressing tied behind his left ear, half covered by his filthy auburn hair. Clothes torn and grimy, he sighed softly as he looked around at the human group.'At this point, the general agreement is that we'll pick a location and start to build a new community. We can't go back to Wisconsin; after we stripped everything out that we wanted it was turned into a community for homeless veterans. Some of us might be assholes, but we're not that low. Isn't safe to go back to N.E.S.T. either, we all saw how easily those Cemetery Wind goons got past security there. I won't let the team break up again; it's far too risky that we'll lose more to monsters like Joyce.' He explained, fiddling with his wristbands as he spoke.'But if you build a new community, aren't you just making it easy for those goons to find you again?' Tessa asked, welcoming Brains back into her lap.'That depends on a few things, Tessa. I suspect that a few families within the ranks will chose to go in different directions. I insist on protective teams accompanying all our human allies and blending into the various communities around them. Another small team will keep watch over you once you're in college. The rest, well, we'll just have to figure that out once we get back to the States.''Aww hell, that means a lot of us are gonna need rescans.' Shard grumbled, flittering his wings quickly.'More than you might think, Shard. Not just aerial frames, but I'd like to see a reduction in the number of super cars and sports cars we have in the ranks. The idea is not to draw attention, so there will have to be quite a few changes.''C'mon, I was just getting comfortable with this form.' Sidewinder commented from outside.'Hey, I'm not exactly looking forward to a rescan either, Winder. But for the sake of our allies, we'll all just have to suck it up.' Blade shrugged. 'For all we know, we're the last of a proud race. We have to do whatever it takes to survive.''But there's still hope, right? I mean, now that Hunter and Mustang are here, there's hope for your people, right?' Tessa asked, looking around for answers.'Two new lives isn't enough to start fixing the damage done to our people. It's a start, sure, but it will be a long time before they are mature enough to find a mate and start families of their own.' Brains nodded, looking up at Tessa. 'Best guess, your great-great-great grandkids might be around to see any offspring from Hunter or Mustang.''We'll survive, that's what we do. The younger generations are already growing, that's more than I expected to witness when we first crashed on Earth. I expected that we'd make a valiant final stand and get wiped out like so many other teams dispatched to seek the Cube.' Ratchet noted, looking up from his repair work for a moment. 'It does this old spark good to realise how wrong I was then.''We'll explain the whole Cube story later. I see similarities between that battle and this one though.' Lennox shrugged, dragging one hand through his hair. 'And all the other brawls we've shared over the years.''Alright, everyone get comfortable and try to get some rest. Early start in the morning to get everyone loaded and on their way back to the States. Remember, we're meeting at Rendezvous 25, Kup and Nimrah should be waiting for us by the time we get there.' Blade called before shutting off his holoform.Spreading out a little more and getting comfortable, the weary and sore Autobots chirred softly among themselves as they settled in for the night. Right at the heart of the group, the equally sore humans stretched out and wrapped up in the provided blankets. The lights above dimmed but didn't shut off completely as the gentle sounds of humming systems and the occasional engine rumble drifted across the base.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Rendezvous 25 was a prepper's paradise, miles away from human habitation, carefully disguised as a working farm near the Nebraska-Kansas border. It had quite a few entrances scattered around both sides of the border and a wide assortment of buildings for shelter. Most impressive of all, the entire farm covered a complex series of tunnels and large elevators, making access a breeze for the Autobots. Down there, a whole pseudo city had been carved out, with more than enough space for every family to have their own accommodation cave. Electric lights and ventilation were already in place as well, running off a series of turbines hidden in smaller outbuildings.Many of the buildings were large enough and angled just right so aerial forms could fly straight into the buildings and down into the tunnel network without too many complications. Of course, such a stunt required some intense concentration and minute adjustments to flight surfaces to make the doors and get down into the tunnels without hitting anything. Coming in from every conceivable direction and using the cover of darkness to hide themselves further, the team made their way onto the property and down into the tunnels. They'd been smart, splitting up and using every trick they had to shake any tails that might be looking for them. Scanning new forms, altering their colours and taking quite long detours to reach their destinations; all carefully coordinated via their inbuilt comms so there was no radio traffic to pick up either.#~#+^*^+#~#Waiting in one of the largest caves in the network, Nimrah bounced on her feet, looking around for any sign of her parents. Ironhide had already contacted her, explaining that she was now a big sister. He wouldn't explain any more over the comms, just promised that they'd be there soon and would explain everything.Beside her, safe on the raised walkways imbedded in the walls, Sarah and Annabelle also scanned the returning Autobots, hoping for a sight of William again. Beside them, Carly held little Thomas on her hip as she paced the length of the walkway in this room, hunting for any sign of Sam.'Over there!' Annabelle cried, pointing off to their right. 'Daddy!'Turning, Nimrah wasn't entirely certain Annabelle was right. That looked like her sire across the room and that was definitely William in his hand. But her sire was dark blue and boxy. Not pale grey and almost soft. Looking around again, Nimrah tried to spot her carrier, but with so many changes it was hard to figure anyone out. No one looked like they had when she last stood among the whole team.Then she felt it, the familiar brush against her EM field. Turning a little more, she spotted her sire and smiled. Dark blue and boxy, with her carrier standing beside him, holding two of the younger motorcycles on his hips. Breaking into a flat sprint, she closed the gap fast and jumped, so relieved to be back with her family.'Hey there baby girl.' Ironhide rumbled, cradling her close and rubbing her back. 'Missed you so much.''Missed you too daddy.' she chirped, clinging on around his neck happily. 'Welcome back.''Hey, what about me?' Ratchet chuckled, stepping closer. 'Don't I get a hug too?''Missed you too papa.' Nimrah grinned, leaning out in Ironhide's grip to wrap her arms around Ratchet's neck.'We need to talk, little one. Somewhere private, this is just for us.' Ironhide uttered, setting Nimrah down with a sigh. 'Almost wish I was stronger so I could hold all my girls at once.'Leading her family towards one of the smaller offshoot caves that no one else had claimed yet, Nimrah watched and waited for the explanation she was expecting. She recognised Smokey and Wrench, but what happened to Bandit and Torque? How did it come to be that her parents were looking after these two?Crawling into Ironhide's lap as soon as he was seated on the floor, Nimrah listened as they told her everything they'd learned since splitting the family. The battle in Chicago, finding out about the murder of Bandit and Torque and the subsequent adoption of the traumatised twins still clinging to Ratchet. The debate about leaving earth or staying and making a home. Hong Kong and all the pain dealt by Joshua Joyce and his monsters.By the end of the story, Nimrah was trembling in Ironhide's arms, disturbed by what she's learned. She'd known for a while that many humans couldn't be trusted, but to think that humans would go that far was absolutely horrifying. Dead metal? They were family. Maybe Prime was right. Perhaps it was time they left the humans to destroy themselves.'Shh, he can't do any more harm baby girl. We ruined him, he can't come after us.' Ironhide soothed, EM field thrumming softly against her own.'Why are humans so mean?' Nimrah asked, lifting her head slowly. 'We just want to be left in peace, right papa?''Humans are a young race, little one. Aggressive little beasts. Most of them aren't ready to realise that there is life beyond this mud ball.' Ratchet sighed; looking down at the twins huddled against him. 'This time we'll be smarter, protect ourselves from the threats that still linger.''Everything will be okay baby girl; we won't make that mistake again. We'll disappear better this time; make sure those goons can't possibly track us down again.' Ironhide promised, fingers gliding over Nimrah's arm softly. 'Won't ever leave you again, baby girl.'Looking over at the smaller girls clinging to Ratchet, Nimrah gently shook off Ironhide's embrace and crawled over to the younger girls. Reaching out slowly, she wrapped her arms around the shaking twins and eased in closer, feeling their EM fields run together and adjust to the new presence around them.Sharing a look over their girls, Ironhide and Ratchet smiled proudly. Nimrah was such a resilient little girl and by the looks of things, was going to make a wonderful big sister to the twins. Moving closer, Ironhide hummed low in contentment at the feedback he was getting from the girls. So what if he hadn't actually sired Smokey and Wrench, they were as much his as Nimrah was and he would do whatever it took to protect them.#~#+^*^+#~#Relieved to be back with his ladies, William set his gear aside and took a seat at one of the tables arranged around this human sized upper level. Emily, or someone with similar resources, must have spent a fortune on this place. Aside from the large tunnels and caverns, a smaller section had been carved out and outfitted to suit a human contingent…or perhaps a Martian one. That would make sense; Emily had proved that she would do anything for the intergalactic refugees hiding on their planet.Sipping a cold drink and cradling Annabelle on his lap, he relaxed for the first time since being dragged out of his home. Maybe now he could find a far less stressful pass time and enjoy his life without the fear of another alien war landing in his backyard.'What happens now?' Sarah asked, reaching across to take his hand. 'Is it over or do we still have to run?''I don't know. At this point, I'm not sure anyone knows what's going to happen next.' William sighed and looked at her. 'I do know the plan is to split the Autobot team again, but Blade made it clear that he wasn't going to leave any of us unprotected either.''Will we ever get our lives back?' Sarah sighed, squeezing Will's hand as she shook her head.Shaking out his wings as he straightened, Hammer tipped his head to the side and approached the Lennox family. Sarah's concerns were completely understandable. She'd never asked to be dragged into this war and now she was trying to work out if she had any chance of a normal life.'Ma'am, this time around we will make all effort to minimise any and all disruptions to your lives. We were unprepared last time, and neglected to account for all possible outcomes. This time, we will not be so careless. Protective teams will be placed around you, carefully selected and disguised to blend seamlessly into the local environment.' He explained, pitching his voice down so he didn't deafen the group.'What will that actually entail?' Sarah asked, looking up at Hammer expectantly.'That's still to be decided. A small team will be tasked to your protection, but rather than an overt presence, they'll be keeping a low profile and trying to avoid notice. So instead of fancy cars and flight modes, we'll all be switching to basic vehicles common in the areas we're assigned. Pickups for rural areas, sedans or hatchbacks for college life, minivans for suburbia…whatever's necessary to completely disappear from detection.' Kawasaki explained, coming up beside Hammer.'And you're sure this'll work?' Will asked, putting his drink down and wrapping his arm around Annabelle.'It should. We're already experienced with disappearing into the human world and we know what to expect this time. We're ready for Cemetery Wind, the FBI and whatever else those goons want to throw at us. And this time, we're insisting on at least groups of six. We can't risk losing anyone else.' Kawasaki continued, motioning to the gathering around them.'Well, I suppose that won't be any worse than the first time you bought Ironhide home. At least this time I know what to expect.' Sarah agreed, looking at Will again. 'Thanks for the explanation.''Of course, any time, Sarah.' Hammer smiled before turning and wandering away.'Mind if we join you?' Cade asked, approaching the table with Tessa and Shane.'Pull up a chair. This is my wife Sarah and daughter Annabelle. This is Cade Yeager, his daughter Tessa and her boyfriend Shane Dyson.' Will smiled, waving to the table. 'Oh, and that's Brains. The smallest Autobot in the team.''Hey.' Brains uttered, burrowing back into Tessa's shoulder.'It's been a rough time for him, probably more so than any of us.' Tessa sighed, rubbing his back lightly.'And this is my wife Carly and our little boy Thomas.' Sam added, joining the group and dropping a tray of steaming chips and chicken fingers on the table. 'Okay, so I'm not the best cook.''Who cares, I'll take what I can get.' Cade shrugged, reaching for the food. 'Has anyone figured out the next step?''Hammer and Kawasaki were just explaining it. We're essentially getting our own assigned guard teams, specifically picked to blend into our local areas. They'll be responsible for our safety if those goons come hunting again.' Will explained, picking up his drink again. 'Not sure who'll be going where or how it'll be decided yet.''Can Nimrah come with us again?' Annabelle chirped, looking up at Will expectantly.'We'll have to ask Ironhide and Ratchet about that, Annie.' Will grinned, stroking her hair lightly. 'I think they'll agree though. I know Ironhide's still got a soft spot for you.''Does this mean we'll have Bumblebee around again? I remember how protective he was of you before we moved too far from the team.' Carly asked, looking around for the bright little scout.'Maybe, depends on the rest of his little family group. He won't leave Rictor and Rictor won't go anywhere without his brother Ripper. But Ripper's already bonded to Thunder so he'll come along as well.' Sam shrugged, spotting Bee and waving. 'We just have to wait and see how things turn out.''You know a lot about these guys.' Tessa remarked, snuggling into Shane's side happily.'I've known them for a long time. Bee was actually my first car, before I even knew aliens were on earth. It's been a wild ride ever since but looking back, I wouldn't change it for anything.' Sam nodded, reaching out to take Thomas.With a flash of light, another human appeared beside the group, Dressed in medical scrubs, she approached the table and looked around slowly. She had a look of exhaustion on her face but also seemed to radiate an aura of calm as she stood there.'Ratchet?' Will asked, looking this newcomer over quickly.'Yes William. Don't be so surprised. We can take on any human form required.' She smiled and looked at Tessa. 'We're ready to try and piece Wheelie back together properly.''Oh, of course.' Tessa nodded, one hand falling to the messenger bag she was still carrying.'Try not to worry too much, Tessa. He's in good hands. Some of the best medical minds will be working to heal him.' Ratchet promised, circling the table.'I trust you. Please keep me informed of his progress.' Tessa replied as she slipped the bag off her shoulder and held it out.'Of course, Tessa. I'll make sure someone finds you with regular updates.' Ratchet promised, taking the bag and holding it close. 'We'll do our best for him.''I'm here if you need my help.' Brains uttered, twisting in Tessa's hold.'Thanks Brains. I'll keep you in mind.' Ratchet nodded, looking into the bag. 'Try and get some rest, all of you. We won't be moving out again for a few days. Everyone needs some time to rest and recover from that battle.'Shifting Brains down off her shoulder and cradling him close, Tessa hummed softly to soothe him again. The last few days had been quite a struggle for everyone, but she was still concerned about how Brains was coping.'So we just hang around here for god knows how long?' Cade asked, looking around for someone to answer him. 'I still have to get back and start rebuilding my home.''And you will, in just a day or two.' Slash promised, appearing on the walkway nearby. 'I can understand your urgency, Cade. You have a family to think about. We also have families to think about and right now, everyone who has the energy, is busily crafting new personalities and figuring out what they want to look like this time. Tomorrow, we'll work out the teams and start heading out in search of new vehicles to scan on the way to our chosen destinations.''Spend enough time around these guys and you'll realise a few important things Cade. Number one you just have to learn to work with their timing. They'll make sure we're taken care of, but some things take a little longer.' Sam shrugged, looking down at his dozy son.'Besides, we've got to get Tessa back in time to take her finals. We pulled a fast one and convinced your school that you had a critical family emergency to attend. The staff agreed to let you take the tests at a later point, so long as you took them before graduation.' Brains explained; optics brightening as he shifted.'I still get to take my finals? But…I don't have any time to study.' Tessa started to fret, staring down at Brains in shock. 'Or any of my books.''You don't need your books, Tessa. I can download any study guide you need and help you memorise the important details.' Brains offered, easing to his feet. 'I gotta do something to distract myself or I'll just go back to thinking about Chicago over and over.'#~#+^*^+#~#Finding Crosshairs in one of the farthest caverns, Sidewinder frowned lightly as he watched his mate for a few moments. He was huddled in the darkest corner, head buried in his knees and both arms up over his helm, as if to protect himself from harm. Then there was the noise, a low keen that warbled across half an octave. Sidewinder had never heard anything like it before.The greatest concern though, was the deep ache echoing across the bond. Alongside that, a tangled mess of fear, anxiety and near panic. Every time Sidewinder tried to sort it out, Crosshairs clamped down on his end of the bond tighter and refused to share whatever was upsetting him. In sheer desperation, Sidewinder had tracked his mate down in the hopes of figuring out exactly what was going on with him. Part of him hoped it was just battle stress finally getting to Crosshairs, but the bigger part had a dreadful feeling that this was something far more severe.Ducking through the lower doorway, he approached Crosshairs slowly. Primus, he looked so pitiful in that moment and totally oblivious to Sidewinder's presence.'Hey, what's goin' on Cross? I'm worried about ya.' He tried as he eased down to sit near his mate.Now that got a reaction. Crosshairs jerked his head up and kicked out, intakes heaving as he reached for one of his pistols.'Whoa, calm down Cross. It's just me, Winder. C'mon, easy now. You're safe, you know you can trust me, Cross. Put the gun down, you don't need it right now. We're safe. No one else knows where we are. It's just you and me now.' Sidewinder soothed, watching Crosshairs closely. 'That's it, just relax. I'm not here to hurt ya.'Gradually Crosshairs relaxed again, weapon slipping back into the holster moulded into his thigh. Curling up again, he twisted back into the corner and hid away with a higher trill somewhere between a mangled fax machine and an overworked electric motor.This close, Sidewinder could see the fine tremors across every plate and strut. Even his coat, currently pooled around his hips, was writhing and twitching in agitation.'I'll be here when you're ready to talk, Cross. No matter how long it takes, I'll be right here for you. I just want to help; I know something's got you upset.'Shifting around to lean against the wall comfortably, Sidewinder relaxed and tried not to stress too much about the sounds Crosshairs was making. He wasn't totally unfamiliar with the various sounds of the Cybertronian language. He could even speak a few basic phrases. But nothing like the keening tones he was listening to now.Concentrating on picking bits of debris out from between his plates, Sidewinder almost missed the first tentative push against his EM field. Looking towards Crosshairs, he pushed back lightly and smiled faintly when he was rewarded with a stronger press.He felt shame and grief from Crosshairs, along with despair and the earlier fear, anxiety and panic. Reaching back, he offered support and love, silently promising his support and protection against whatever was upsetting Crosshairs.'Ah…Ah think Ah killed it.' Crosshairs muttered from his hiding spot.'Killed what?' Sidewinder asked softly as he inched closer.Shame flashed between them again, mingled with embarrassment and anxiety. Sending back love, trust and compassion, Sidewinder waited for the next detail.'Ah know we were gonna wait…Ah didn't mean for it to happen.''You're starting to scare me, Crosshairs. Let me in, please. I just want to take care of you. Whatever happened, we'll get through it together. Just give me a chance to help with whatever is paining you so much.''Ya really mean that? No matter what?''No matter what, Crosshairs. You're my mate; I'll do anything to keep you happy. I love you and I'll stand by you always.'Uncurling again, Crosshairs crawled over to press up against Sidewinder's flank with a low chirr. Twisting in as close as possible, he clung to Sidewinder like a drowning man, his tremors becoming more pronounced. Only once he was firmly wrapped around Sidewinder did he open the bond again and allow Sidewinder to sense everything that was running through him at the moment.Intakes hitching, Sidewinder was deeply pained by what he discovered. Lost in amongst all the chaos of battle preparations, Crosshairs had gone to Ratchet complaining of mild discomfort around his spark. With so much else to focus on, Ratchet gave him a quick once over and suggested that he take it easy as much as possible.It wasn't until after the China battle was over that Crosshairs approached Ratchet again and insisted that he still felt off. This time he got a deeper check, a check that left Crosshairs cold. Unbeknownst to him, a tiny sparklet had split off and was struggling to survive in one of his pockets. The stress of combat and his injuries only made it harder on the tiny life.He'd tried to hard to nurture it, keeping the life a secret for now in fear of losing it before it had a chance to actually live. Crosshairs kept checking on it, trying to divert a little more energy into it to help it grow. Despite his efforts, it remained weak and fragile, the link between them incredibly thin.During the long journey back to America, he nursed the fragile life as best he could without drawing attention. Hiding it from Sidewinder had been the hardest part, but he didn't want to worry his mate with a new life so early in their relationship. He wanted to prove that he was capable of carrying, despite his unique challenges.After all the struggles, the late nights and endless worry, he'd felt the connection break just hours prior. Desperate searching inside gave no sign of the life he'd tried so hard to protect. Fearing Ratchet's reaction, he turned to Wheeljack for confirmation. That visit only confirmed what he already knew. The tiny life was gone.Clinging tighter to his beloved mate, Sidewinder keened low and shifted to rest their helms together lightly. No wonder he was giving off such a conflicted tangle of emotions. It was totally understandable given the circumstances.'You tried your best, baby. Sometimes life just doesn't work out the way we want it to. I'm so proud of you for trying, even though you knew the risks. You gave it your all; you knew what to do and how to help the little one. I wish you'd told me sooner, but that's not important now.' Sidewinder uttered as he ran his fingers along Crosshairs' back struts.'You're not upset? I failed as a carrier. I killed our little one.''I'm more upset that you felt you couldn't tell me you were carrying. It's not your fault, love. Sometimes they just don't survive. I don't blame you for what happened. You tried, that's all anyone can ask.''I feel like such a failure. It was so tiny, not even half an inch across. If it was formed when we bonded, it was underdeveloped from the start.''Let's stop referring to our sparkling as an it, okay? I would have liked a son to balance out the kids. A slim line young mech, maybe with a coat like yours. Dark red and black, sleek but not too skinny. A helm based on my design perhaps, might even add a little crest just for fun.''He sounds like a great kid. Ace seems like a good name for him.''Yeah, I like that. Our little boy Ace.' Sidewinder smiled and squeezed Crosshairs closer. 'It might be good to have a little memorial service for him. A chance for us to say a proper goodbye to our little boy.''That sounds nice. Don't usually do that sort of thing for sparklets that extinguish before they're given a body.''Then we'll just have to start a new tradition.' Sidewinder smiled and kissed Crosshairs' forehead. 'We don't have to tell Smash if you're not ready for that. She'll understand.''Not yet. I need time.'#~#+^*^+#~#'So what's the plan moving forward? Do we split the team again, or do we figure out a way to stay together?' Kawasaki asked as he looked around the group gathered in the largest cavern. 'Keep in mind what happened to some of our most vulnerable members last time.''And just where do you suppose to hide this whole team, Saki? We're still building profiles, but that's 153 different identities to build, back up and fully bring into existence before we can leave these bunkers.' Braid shot back.'In New York, no one knows who lives next door. Moving this many in wouldn't be that hard.' Jazz suggested from the back corner.'Yeah, but that'd eat a lot of our finances. New York ain't a cheap place to call home.' Phantom sighed and sat back. 'Face it; we're screwed no matter what we do.'The debate had already been going on for hours, with no one any the wiser about the best course of action. So far there had been several potential options put up for consideration, but a lack of agreement on any one direction sent the team spiralling back into full on arguments. Some wanted to stay nearer larger population centres, knowing that if trouble sparked off those could be the most likely places for it.Others preferred the idea of a country lifestyle; they could have open space and keep the terrain to their advantage to minimise ambush opportunities.A small minority wanted to split the team into single families again and completely disappear, even going so far as to arrange shipping to other countries to avoid being recognised.A handful had already declared their preference for staying near their human charges. Bee and his extended family planned to stay near Sam and his family. Ironhide had made his promises to the Lennox family and to no one's surprise; the Wreckers were already making plans to stay near Cade and Tessa, with a little consideration towards Shane.'That's enough! Frag, I can't believe you lot! Everything we've gone through and now we're reduced to squabbling like a bunch of bitlets!' Blade yelled as he stood and flared out his wings.Waiting for everyone to fall quiet again, Blade turned and scooped Beast up, cradling her safely as he moved through the group. Everywhere he looked his people showed signs of injuries. But they were still standing, each one still proudly bearing the Autobot insignia on their armour.'I get it, we're all exhausted. We're all hurting and stressed. But screaming at each other won't solve anything. Yelling threats and promising fights won't give us a place to call home. Aside from a few notable exceptions, the human race has turned away from us so the only help we're going to get is right here in this facility now. Now let's all just calm down, take a breather and come back to this topic after we've had a chance to really consider all options.' He continued; showing just why he was such an effective leader.'The final choice isn't truly ours to make though. We are honour bound to guard the humans that have stood by us through everything. We got them into all this mess. We are at least partly responsible for the danger they all face. I know some of you don't exactly adore our human companions, but I know you'll stand by them through whatever comes our way. So what we do, our very future rest in their hands.' Slash added in a quieter tone. 'We may not like it, but that's the reality of it now.''Wait, what? How is this our responsibility now?' Will asked indignantly.'Because wherever you decide to live, we will be nearby. We owe you that much. We'll blend into the communities around you all and disappear from notice. The perfect example of an average family in whatever city or town you choose to call home.' Plate replied as he scooped Warrior up and started rocking on the balls of his feet.'So some of you could help revitalise my home town? Life is tough in small towns lately. The younger folk don't want to stay, so businesses close.' Cade added as he looked at Tessa.'We can certainly try, Cade. It will all depend on what is needed to help your town thrive again and who wants to move out there.' Speedshot nodded. 'And if Tessa decides to move away for college, some of us will be right there by her side.''I think we need to take some time to discuss this in greater depth. You're asking a lot of us with this choice. The fate of your race as we know it rests in our hands.' Sam sighed as he looked at Carly. 'We'll figure it our somehow.''Take all the time you need. We're not going anywhere until everyone's at least got a basic form of their new identity figured out. Final details can wait until we've got a proper plan, but we can at least ensure we've got appearances and general education and employment details ironed out.' Blade nodded and smiled softly. 'For now, I strongly suggest everyone gets some rest. There is access to the house from here so you can all sleep in comfort.'#~#+^*^+#~#Feeling much better after a long, hot shower and a good, home cooked meal Tessa relaxed in the great room of the lovely old ranch house at the middle of the property. The place was easily large enough for the three families to have their own space in almost self-contained suites. The only really shared space was the kitchen, dining room and a large great room that looked out across the property.By her side, wrapped up in a spare t-shirt, Brains sat quietly as he chewed on another scrap of metal. Quite a few of the Autobots had chipped in to fill a bucket with tiny scraps that Brains could gnaw on to satisfy his appetite and help him build his energy back up. It had taken quite a bit of coaxing from Tessa to get him eating again, but he'd finally started in on the options she'd pulled out of the bucket for him.Everyone else was already asleep, but rest wouldn't come for Tessa. She was still worried about Wheelie. There had been no word for hours, not since Ratchet came to collect him to start trying to put him back together. It was nice to relax in the low light, just letting her muscles relax as she listened to Brains eating.'It's too quiet.' Brains uttered as he shuffled closer to Tessa's thigh. 'Ever since I met Wheelie, it's never been this quiet.''I know. I miss having him around too.' Tessa admitted, one hand curling around Brains lightly. 'He'll pull through, he has to.''I dunno. I ain't ever seen a 'bot pull through after taking that much damage. Especially not one so small. Some of the bigger 'bots can take massive damage and survive, but us minibots just ain't got the same survival abilities.' Brains explained quietly.'Sometimes, you just need to have faith that everything's gonna work out.' Tessa sighed and looked down at her small charge. 'Whatever happens, we'll always have each other.''That's more than I've had with any other human. Thanks for that.' Brains nodded and snuggled closer. 'I'm sorry we messed up your life though.''Looking back, I don't mind that at all. Before all this, I was self absorbed and could only think of graduating and getting away from dad and his stupid dreams. But now, after all of this, I think I'm gonna stay close and see if I can help dad with some of his ideas. There's a decent community college in town, it's nothing special but it'll serve my needs. And it'll mean the team doesn't have to split up even more.' Tessa smiled, scooping Brains up and settling him in her lap.Hearing a noise behind her, Tessa kept one hand around Brains as she twisted to look over her shoulder. She'd expected to be alone all night, well aside from Brains of course.Just inside the archway between great room and dining room was an older woman with Asian features. It was hard to be too specific in the low light. Black hair pulled back, exposing a white streak on the left side. She was wearing what looked like loose jeans and a dirty white coat and a surgical mask hanging around her throat.'Our apologies for not keeping you up to date, Tessa. The work was more complicated than any of us initially expected.' She explained as she approached. 'We tried to contact Brains, but he wasn't answering our calls.''My comm hasn't worked right since before I was captured. Just never worried about gettin' it fixed.' Brains replied calmly. 'It can wait until everyone else is patched up.''Well, we're one step closer to that now.' the strange woman smiled softly.Stepping into the light thrown by one of the floor lamps, it became much more apparent that she was of Japanese origins and was also cradling a wrapped bundle against her chest. Stepping lightly, she circled the couch and sat down beside Tessa and Brains.'It took a concentrated effort from the medical team, led by Ratchet and his highly detailed knowledge of minibots. Between the laptop we used to hold his personality and the mangled remains retrieved from KSI, we succeeded in piecing together a working body for Wheelie. However, we were not able to repair his transformation subsystems at this point. He had already endured so much, we thought it best to let him recover from the first round of surgeries before we focused on the complicated subsystems.'Careful of Brains, Tessa twisted and reached out to take the bundle from the older woman. She still wasn't sure which member of the medical team she was talking to, but it hardly mattered. They had all given their best to save Wheelie and as such deserved her respect for their efforts.'Oh Wheelie.' Brains uttered as he moved out of the way.Despite the long repair process, Wheelie still looked like hell. His tiny frame was riddled with fresh weld scars and spots of solder. One optic was cracked through and white while the other was a strange mix of part red and part blue. Most of his internals were exposed, revealing more patch jobs and fused components. Some pieces could easily be identified as laptop parts, but other bits weren't so obvious. And there was one little rubber tire forming a large part of his left shoulder.'Tessa?''Yeah Wheelie. It's good to finally meet you.' Tessa smiled softly as she rubbed her thumb against his arm.'I'll leave you to get acquainted. For now, just give him small meals every hour or so. No more than about 5 ounces at a time. We need to give his systems time to absorb new material and put it to use. Until his self repair can catch up, I expect he'll be reliant on you for help with temperature regulation and basic comforts. Just do the best you can and if you need help, we're all right here to help.''Thanks again Revs.' Wheelie uttered, tucking closer to Tessa's warmth.'Anything for family, little one. You just rest now and let your self repair catch up.''I'll keep him safe, Revs. After all we've already been through, this is easy.' Tessa chuckled softly. 'Everything's gonna be okay.''We can only hope and pray that the peace exists for longer this time. No doubt we will eventually have to hunt down Galvatron; that can wait for a while though. We may not even worry about him if he doesn't cause too much trouble.' Revs shrugged and stood. 'Sleep well, all of you.'Rather than walk back out the way she came, the figure simply disappeared as if she'd never even been there. Even though Tessa had seen holoforms simply appear before, there was still something disconcerting about a person just vanishing into nothing.'We should really think about turning in too, Tessa. It's been a long day at the end of a crazy adventure.' Brains suggested, though he was still mostly focused on Wheelie.'Yeah, sleep sounds good. I think it'll come easier now that I know Wheelie's safe.' Tessa agreed with a tired smile. 'Come on, I'll find you both a nice warm place to rest as well.'Sweeping Brains up onto her shoulder and cradling Wheelie close with her right arm, Tessa grabbed the scrap bucket as she headed towards the bedrooms her family had taken over. Creeping past the room where her father was snoring peacefully, she slipped into the slightly larger room she was already sharing with Shane. He was fast asleep, apparently oblivious to the fact he was alone in the large bed.To her surprise, Shane had built a little nest between the pillows and lined it with a soft blanket he'd found somewhere. Gentle as could be, Tessa unwrapped Wheelie and tenderly laid him down in the nest where he'd be safe and protected all night. Refolding the blanket he'd been swaddled in, she used it to tuck him in to further conserve warmth.'You're so much nicer than the last female who was meant to take care of us.' Wheelie noted as he settled.'So I've heard.' Tessa replied as she helped Brains climb into the nest and settle beside Wheelie.Changing into some pyjamas she'd found in the closet, Tessa climbed into perhaps the most comfortable bed she'd ever experienced and settled with a happy sigh. Shutting off the light, she reached out to rest one hand on the edge of the nest so her charges could wake her if they needed anything.Sure, this wasn't the life experience she'd been looking for. No one could have guessed her life would turn out like this. But that was okay really. Once the shock had worn off and she's had a chance to learn about the Autobots, she's felt drawn to help them. Her friends would never understand. How could they? Not that it mattered. She would soon have new friends around her, people that understood what she'd gone through.Reaching out to Shane with her free hand, she sighed softly as she closed her eyes. Whatever came their way, she was confident that they could get through it. Though, as much as she loved Shane, she wasn't sure if leaving Wheelie with him was such a good idea. Only time would tell if they could at least be friendly.Drifting peacefully, lulled by the soft sounds coming from the nest by her head, Tessa finally drifted off to sleep with a faint smile on her face. Tomorrow was another day, one that was sure to bring about some interesting conversations.#~#+^*^+#~#Over the next few weeks, the debates were rehashed by everyone and arguments broke out often. Even though the decision had been made to place their fate in human hands, everyone still had an opinion on their next step and no one was afraid to make their point known.Underneath all the bluster though, everyone was hurting and anxious. Until a plan was solidified, they were all stuck underground in what equated to some pretty tight confines for the Autobots. Tempers flared when personal space was invaded repeatedly, simply because there was nowhere else to move.Gradually a plan started to come together, new pieces being added after each argument. New identities were closed up, each one adding to the list they all shared. No detail was considered too minor for these new identities. For this plan to succeed they had to appear just like everyone else and that included every little detail and every possible interaction. Those who chose to decorate their holoforms with piercings and tattoos researched hundreds of stores before selecting their artists and technicians. Those who decided to use unique hair colours picked skilled hairdressers and barbers that could have done the work. New alt modes sought out and colours chosen. Nothing too flashy, just average vehicles that looked perfectly normal in an average small Texan town. Some older models that fit well for farming folk, along with some more useful vehicles that could service town needs. One or two fancy modes, specifically for those who chose careers that made good money.Plans drawn up for homes and businesses. Farm plans too, as families sorted out how they would earn a living from the land they selected. Business licenses were arranged, along with building up online reputations that could be used to help sell their abilities. Videos uploaded onto various platforms created interest in performers of all sorts. New architectural drawings of the Yeager home were presented and adjusted before being submitted. A new barn and workshop were added to the design, giving Cade all the space he needed as well as providing access to the network below his land. Complex diagrams for hidden entrances were created and plotted out on the maps so everyone knew where they would be eventually.Plans for a complex tunnel network under the Yeager lands were also sketched out and added to as families purchased land near the original property. Everything was kept well spread out and dug deeper than normal to minimise the risks of heavy farm machinery falling through.Every little detail had to be accounted for, right down to things that no one honestly expected would be a problem. It still had to be considered though, just in case.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Returning his nail gun to the holder on his belt, Finnegan O'Malley nodded in satisfaction at the work he'd gotten done today. The Lennox homestead was almost finished; he was just finishing up the porch construction while the other trades were busy inside. The house looked beautiful, with soft blue walls and crisp white trim all topped off with a slate grey roof.Sarah and her daughter Annabelle were eagerly waiting to move into the homestead and get everything settled before her husband eventually arrived. He was working towards his discharge, but still had some matters to attend to before his superiors would sign off on it.Running one dirty hand through his equally filthy dark ginger hair, he chuckled softly when he caught sight of his wife through one of the windows. Darcy was one hell of a woman. Not just a great mother and wife, but a highly skilled electrician as well. Right now, she was wiring up the lights over the kitchen bench, causing her shirt to ride up and expose the tattoo on her lower back.'Hey! This porch ain't gonna build itself O'Malley!'Turning away from the window, Finnegan shrugged quickly and stepped off the joists to help with the next section of framing to be installed. He liked working with Barry Goldman, he was a no nonsense sort of guy on the job site, but he had a wicked sense of humour when they were off work.'You're just as guilty of starin' at ya wife when she's workin' Goldman.'To be fair, a lot of people stared at Barry's lovely wife Christine when she was working in her café. She ran that place with an air of elegant grace, treating everyone like they were honoured guests. Her staff were just as lovely, giving everyone respect as they worked.In just a few months, Finnegan and his family had really settled into the town. His two kids were already doing well in school; Amber kept talking about the new friends she'd made and Callum was really enjoying being around kids his age that didn't find him weird. They'd even joined a social group that met in the evenings to share a drink and play card games for a few hours.Most of the locals were generally quite happy to have new faces in town. So far Finnegan had only encountered a few assholes, but since they were mostly the older folk, he let it go as them just being set in their ways. After all, a 6 foot 8 Irish guy wasn't to everyone's taste. The younger folk were great though, and weren't shy about asking him for help if they happened to see him in the local stores.Shaking his head to clear such thoughts, he turned his attention back to finishing the framing for the deck. All going to plan, they might have it all done by the end of the week, just in time for the painters to come back and finish it.Nearby, parked in the shade of an old oak tree, three work vehicles sat slightly apart from the others. Nearest the house, an older brown Hummer H1, the paint scratched in places and a few panels bearing dents. Beside that, a smaller green Ford Expedition with spools of electrical wire secured on a frame just behind the tailgate. Third was a much newer Ford F450 Super Duty in black with crisp white pin striping along the panel edges.Though they looked totally normal, they all hid a secret beneath their very ordinary appearance. On a channel that very few people could access, they talked quietly to pass the hours of hard manual labour. Keeping their holoforms running took only minimal processing power; even with the complex skills they were putting into practise. Most of their attention was out in the town and beyond, watching out for any trouble."You might want to avoid the Jackson family over by where Chris and I are living. Not sure why, but they're anti-Irish to the extreme." Braid warned as he shifted.That was the hardest part of their undercover lives. Having to sit around in public view for hours on end. It was especially hard on the younger 'bots; they were so used to tearing around all day that sitting idle was doing their processors in."Which ones? Jason and Margaret or Thomas and Mary?" Falcon asked with a sigh."Surely not Margaret. Remember how many times she's asked for help in the grocery store." Decal added with a bit off yawn."Margaret doesn't have a bad bone in her petite body." Braid agreed with a chuckle. "Mary and Thomas on the other hand. Those are some nasty people.""And they're not that old, so it's not just the usual southern bullshit." Falcon noted with an air of sadness in his voice. "Ah well, can't keep everyone happy.""You really have become so much more relaxed since moving here." Braid remarked as he flared out his EM field in the approximation of a hug."With so many highly tuned sensors watching every aspect of the area, I don't have to be on edge all the time. I'm still alerted if something unusual happens, but otherwise I'm left in peace to just be a husband, father and hard worker." Falcon agreed happily.He really was enjoying not having to be on constant watch for trouble any more. The locals had no idea what was really going on, and so far there had been no sign of Cemetery Wind or any other government body coming to snoop around. "Oh, before I forget. There's a new family to the north of town, out near where Kup and Modo set up their farms. From what I've heard, they're a nasty group. Real racist bits of shit and anti-immigrant as well. We'd' all be best served by staying the fuck away from that Jefferson family." Decal warned as he shared the location of the farm in question."Shit, we'd better made sure word spreads to all the team about them. We've got a lot of immigrant inspired folk to take care of." Falcon noted with a groan. "Suppose I can make up an excuse to go see some of them around the south side of town when I get off work.""Well, we do need fresh produce and we need to get the lawnmower repaired. Perfect reasons to go see Wheeljack, Kup and Metric." Decal suggested with a contented ruffle of his EM field."I'll chat with the folks I see on my way home. Won't take long for the quiet word to spread among the team." Braid agreed even as he passed a warning to Christine. "And with Chris at the café, word will get around even faster."#~#+^*^+#~#Out near the Yeager farm, another new business had sprung up and was already doing a roaring trade. On one side of the compound, a full service wrecking yard. On the other side, a tow yard and repair service. Technically it was all run as one business, with the unwanted vehicles turned over to the wrecking side after owners paid the tow fees. Those vehicles that came in with less damage were often repaired with parts from the wrecking yard and handed back to happy owners after the bills were paid.Some people thought it harsh that bills had to be paid before any property was handed over, but the owners had seen too many honest people taken advantage of by assholes who didn't pay their bills. They had families to think about, they couldn't afford to be stupid with money.For the sake of convenience, they built their family homes within the boundaries of their compound. The Matthews family put theirs at the front of the property, on the towing side of the main gates. The Davis family put theirs to the rear of the property, behind the wrecking yards and securely fenced for the safety of their son.Pulling through the front gates, Harry David turned his well loved Vulcan V-100 heavy tow truck towards the towing side of the yard to deposit his latest catch. A mangled Kenworth sagged on the hook, having come off second best to a sharp corner and some water on the road. Thankfully the driver wasn't seriously hurt.Swinging around and backing up, he slotted the twisted wreck between a twisted Mack and a couple of mangled trailers that they hadn't yet managed to separate. The battered Kenworth let out a tormented squeal as he let it down as carefully as possible. The last thing he wanted was to do accidental damage to his own truck.'Looks like you had some fun out there.'Making her way across the yard with their young son on her hip, Michelle Davis smiled fondly at her hulk of a husband. Most people who saw them together were surprised that Michelle had picked Harry out of all the men in the world. She was slender, with curves in all the right places and the most stunning honey blonde hair. Harry on the other hand, was heavy-set and a little on the short side, thick black hair kept short but matched with a longer beard.'Yup. Poor bastard spun out on a wet corner out near Blum's animal rescue. Driver sustained minor injuries and was taken to hospital as a precaution. For now, we've got to look after this wreck until he can come get his personal effects.' Harry explained as he climbed down.'I'll go get a tarpaulin to cover the cab until such time.' Michelle nodded as she bounced their baby boy on her hip.'C'mere Marcus. Daddy's got ya.' Harry grinned, taking his son and cradling him close.'Try not to get anything on him this time, love.' Michelle chuckled as she headed back towards the supply shed to grab a tarp.Cradling little Marcus close with one hand, Harry continued with the unhooking procedure as he listened to his son babble away happily. At just thirteen months, he still looked more like Harry, but he definitely had Michelle's lighter hair and brilliant blue eyes. He was certainly an explorer too, always on the move and into everything.The very fact they were trying to raise a child in the midst of such a chaotic place certainly got some attention from the local community. There had been a few complaints to the local CPS office, do-gooders whining about a baby in a wrecking yard. That led to a couple of visits from child services and a heated argument about the safety of their son.Apparently the assholes complaining didn't know anything about the child safe play area in the office, or the safety fencing around the house that couldn't be climbed. They didn't know anything about the locks on all doors leading outside; locks that only adults could reach without difficulty.It wasn't quite enough to fully satisfy child services though. So the family was currently subjected to monthly inspections and lectures about moving to a safer environment. Not that they understood how tight finances were currently.'Here we go, this should do the job.' Michelle called, holding up a bright green tarpaulin.'Well, at least we'll know which one is his.' Harry laughed and worked the hooks loose from the chassis.Taking Marcus back and settling him in the carrier she'd taken to wearing pretty much all the time, Michelle helped spread the tarpaulin out and get it tied down over the mangled cab. It wasn't a long term solution but it would hold for a long enough for the driver to be released or for someone from his family to come pick up his belongings.'Just let me park up and I'll be in for some lunch.' Harry grinned, leaning in to kiss Michelle quickly. 'Yes dear, I'll clean up before I sit down.''And Rochelle thought you were untrainable.' Michelle laughed softly before turning and heading back towards the main building.Putting his rig back in order, Harry climbed up and was just about to move out again when his co-worker Ignacio pulled into the yard with a highly questionable load. Instead of just one car on his lift, he had two. A crumpled pickup on the lift, the entire passenger side caved in deep. Behind that, a twisted and partially flattened sedan on the hook.'Well, ain't you just a fuckin' show off!' Harry called as he jumped down again. 'How the hell did ya get away with that?''Highway patrol told me to clear the road and clear it now. So I did some quick figurin' and got 'em both on the hook.' Ignacio replied, mostly focused on backing his awkward load into an empty spot. 'Give me a hand unhookin', will ya? Before Rochelle sees and has a fit.''Yeah, yeah, I got it. Michelle probably already told her, you know she got new security cameras installed.'Between the two of them, it took mere minutes to get the two wrecks unloaded and lined up beside the others still waiting for final payment. At the moment the yard was fairly empty; they'd recently had quite a few older vehicles collected or surrendered. Several surrendered vehicles were still waiting initial assessment and the start of the wrecking process. Such tasks could only really be done between towing jobs though.Jobs done for now, they pulled their trucks around to line up in front of the main office, ready for the next call out. They weren't the only towing business in town, but they were quickly gaining public favour for their friendly and prompt service.'I still can't believe ya got away with that.' Harry muttered, pausing in the mudroom to pull off his dirty boots.'I'll be more impressed if I don't get a ticket for it later.' Ignacio agreed with a shrug.'Why might you be getting a ticket?' Rochelle called from the kitchen area.'I picked up two at once.' Ignacio admitted quickly. 'Highway was on my ass, they wanted to road cleared immediately. Combined they were just under my weight limits so I put the heavier one on the lift and hooked the smaller one in tight.''You did what?! Fuck, I'm surprised highway didn't just arrest you right there for such a stunt. I knew I should have gone out there with you.' Rochelle sighed and shook her head.'What good would that have done mi amor?' Ignacio asked with a grin. 'We both know highway would never allow you to tow anything with that rescue truck.''Which is why I bought a lift assembly for the back of it, cabeza de cubo.' Rochelle shot back with a huff.'That's enough you two. What's done is done. Yes, it was stupid but with Hound busy, what other option was there? We all know that highway wouldn't accept leaving one on the road while he bought the other one in.' Michelle shrugged and grinned. 'Now you two go get washed up for lunch.'Even though they argued fairly regularly, everyone who ever met Ignacio and Rochelle immediately knew how much they adored each other and their three beautiful daughters. Ignacio was tall and broad, with a crop of black curls kept cut close to his head and an almost constant five o'clock shadow on his jaw. Most noticeable however, was the long scar kissing the corner of his left eye and rolling off his jaw. Rochelle stood equally tall, but was far more slender with long hair kept pulled back in a braid and stunning floral tattoos winding down both arms.Nicole was off at college, studying engineering. So far she was doing really well, settling in and making friends with a few students that were from around the same area. She talked about three in particular every time she called home; Tessa Yeager, Ryunosuke Hirano and Amber O'Malley. Apparently the four of them were all in most of the same classes and were turning out to be quite a good study group.Sasha and Wendy were settling in at school, though still very shy. That was only to be expected really; they'd suffered a horrific loss just two years earlier, losing both their parents in an auto wreck and winding up in the foster system. It was just luck that Rochelle and Ignacio wanted to add to their family, but had no desire to raise a baby after seeing what Harry and Michelle were going through. So they applied to adopt, mentioning that they'd appreciate siblings if at all possible and by sheer luck had ended up with the traumatised twins."Just tell me you didn't strain anything, 'Hide." Ratchet sighed as he shifted on his suspension."I didn't strain anything, Ratch. Those two weren't even that heavy compared to some I've dragged around." Ironhide promised , inching closer to Ratchet as he spoke."Still, no reason to be stupid. I can't do much if you break something out there.""Relax, I always scan and calculate before picking a load. I know what's at stake, I won't bring attention to our presence." Ironhide soothed as he reached out with his EM field to further calm his mate."Shit." Mirage groaned, mostly ignoring the other two. "We just got another email from fragging child services.""What the fuck do they want now?" Hound asked with a groan. He was so tired of fighting child services."It's a notice of an impending legal action regarding our refusal to move to a safer location for the welfare of our son.""You have got to be kidding! We've already been through this same shit twice. They just don't fucking give up, do they?""When is it?" Ratchet asked; already planning how best to help the family."Six weeks from now. We're gonna have to take the whole day off due to fucking travel." Mirage growled, absolutely fed up with these assholes."Reach out to the rest of the team, you'll surely find some who'll support you against these charges." Ironhide advised as he worked out who might be the best to ask. "Prowl and Revs both have good standing in the town, their word will be gold.""Can't believe we have to go through this shit again.' Hound grumbled as he sunk on his shocks a little. "Buncha bullshit."#~#+^*^+#~#'Alright, I got an order of nachos, sliders, jalapeño poppers and napalm wings.' Sophie smiled as she approached one of the tables with a laden tray. 'Sorry about the delay. One of our servers decided to quit and left us short.'Balancing the tray carefully, she handed out the orders gracefully and made sure no one wanted anything else before heading back towards the kitchen. She wasn't normally a server, she had enough to juggle as bar back and cook. But since Zoe had a hissy fit at lunch and quit on the spot, Sophie was left to do the best she could.The new bar, simply known as Hunter's, had turned into quite the hot spot in the evenings. It was part sports bar and part Irish pub, with an eclectic mix of stuff hanging on the walls and ceiling. The patrons loved it, often asking questions about various items they noticed.During the day, the place was well lit and filled with the soft twang of Irish ballads and traditional music. The food was heartier, proper meals to satisfy the appetites of families and hard workers alike. Prices were reasonable too, encouraging families to come back time and time again.At night, the lights were turned down and the TVs tuned to whatever sporting events were going on at the time. The volume was still kept low, so people could enjoy the live entertainment in the main dining areas without him being drowned out by the TVs. The food shifted focus too, reverting to more classic American fare that fit in with the feeling of a sports bar.Heading back towards the kitchen to continue her usual tasks, she smiled fondly when her husband, Thomas, waved to her between songs. Her smile disappeared a second later when one of the men in the nearest booth reached across and patted her ass twice.'Unless you want me to shove this tray up your ass sideways, take your hand off mine!' She growled as she twisted to look at the scumbag.'Aww, don't be like that sweetheart. It's a compliment.' he cooed back as he dared to squeeze her ass.Faster than anyone could react to, Sophie spun around, leading with the tray. Turning her wrist at the last second, she went from leading with the edge to presenting the flat of her preferred serving tray.Everyone looked up at the almighty clang of metal meeting skull.Holding up the dented tray, Sophie glared at the asshole with a deadly fire in her eyes. She knew the next ten seconds would determine how this situation unfolded and tried to be ready for all eventualities.'You bitch! I'll have you fired for this!' he snarled as he surged to his feet.'Ain't gonna happen. I'm one of the owners of this establishment. Now, you can either leave quietly or I'll throw you out myself. Either way, you're banned for five years.' Sophie shot back as she hefted the tray again.'What the hell is going on over here?' Luke demanded as he approached.'This bitch hit me with a fucking tray! I demand you fire her!''Only after he touched my ass and called it a compliment.' Sophie shot back even as she inched closer to Luke for safety.It wasn't that she couldn't hold her own in a brawl, all the regulars knew just how capable she was. Luke was bigger though and far more intimidating in his black sleeveless tee and matching jeans. Tall and broad across the shoulders, he had the look of a man who spent a great many hours in the gym when he wasn't working the bar. 'Now see, I know my sister in law. She ain't the violent sort unless provoked. Plus, I saw you move from where I was workin' at the bar. So I'm gonna stand by her on this one. You're outta here for five years. Don't even think about coming round, I'll make sure all the staff knows that you ain't welcome here.' Luke decided; one hand reaching out to push Sophie behind him further.'And if I don't wanna leave?''If you continue to cause trouble, I'll have to arrest you for assault, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace.' Penny Anderson replied as she approached. 'Sophie and Luke have both given you a lawful directive. Leave now Mr Espina. This is your last warning.''c'mon, let's go. This place is terrible.' Mr Espina grumbled as he turned back to his friends still at the table.'Nah, think we're gonna stay. We did warn ya not to try ya usual behaviour with these ladies. Now we're gonna enjoy our food and watch the game in peace.' one of the guys replied with a shrug.'Now, Mr Espina. You will not get another warning.' Penny barked as she reached for her pocket. Everyone knew that Penny always carried her cuffs with her, just in case she needed to make an off duty arrest.Grumbling and swearing about shit service, Mr Espina turned and headed for the doors, followed by Penny and Luke to be sure he left the premises. Letting out a sigh, Sophie looked at her tray and shook her head. She'd have to see if it could be framed as it was and added to the wall.'Sorry about that folks. But I won't stand for that sort of behaviour. Once again, I apologise for the delay in getting food out tonight, we're a server down and couldn't get a replacement on such short notice. Please bear with us as we work to get the food out as fast as possible and let's hope to avoid any more unpleasantness tonight.' She announced to the main dining area.Turning smartly, she left the battered tray on the end of the bar and went back into the kitchen to continue her evening tasks."Damn, I was hoping to see a brawl tonight." Topspin grumbled good-naturedly from his spot behind the bar."You always want to see a brawl or two." Speedshot replied with a soft laugh. "Next time some asshole tries something, I'll give him a proper what for.""That's the spirit." Topspin laughed right back."Hey, I thought it was my job to deck assholes." Roadbuster groused and shifted on his shockers."It is, along with decking drunks that get out of hand. I'm just making it clear that there won't be any sexual harassment of our staff." Speedshot replied quickly. "I'd rather stay in the kitchen, I enjoy the art of cooking.""Helps that you're the only one of us that knows how to cook." Leadfoot agreed readily. "Studying it online is one thing, but you actually get it.""Probably because I spent 30 odd years doing it every day, ya glitch." Speedshot chuckled."Sometimes it's so easy to forget that you were ever human, Shot." Topspin agreed with a hum and a flex of his EM field.#~#+^*^+#~#All across town, the locals barely noticed the extra faces. Sure, 152 new arrivals was more than half the yearly average of new arrivals in town, but the team was hoping the remainder of the year didn't bring many more new faces. So long as the numbers stayed close to average, no one would dig too deep into the stories passed around town.In some cases, the townsfolk were pleased to see the new arrivals revitalising old businesses and properties. The local theatre thrived once more, with live performances every weekend and cheaper movies during the week. They still bought in new releases monthly, but charged a much lower rate for every ticket.Old skills came back to town as well, with a new cabinet maker opening up, specialising in vintage style with modern materials. Across the street, a professional gunsmith moved in and started showing off his engraving and carving work.A brand new cobbler's shop opened on Main Street, right beside a pottery studio, a custom jewellery store and an art studio. Further down the street, a massage parlour and a beauty studio opened up in a larger area, between a new locksmith and a bookstore specialising in older books.Next door to the real estate agency, a new graphic design business opened and flourished as new businesses came looking for signage, business cards and other stationary. One such business was a new butcher in the main street, one that gave equal attention to wild game alongside locally sourced domestic meat. Then there was the school environment. Scattered across the districts, forty-eight new students settled into their classes with barely a ripple. Three enrolled in the local college, the rest were scattered across every year group and student group. None of them were exceptional students; most scored slightly above average in all classes.Their greatest achievement however, was one that no one actually saw. All across town, they had built a network of carefully concealed emitters and boosters to carry their holoforms every day. Thankfully the devices were small enough to be easily disguised. Each one carefully positioned to ensure that the town had total coverage and no place was truly off limits to them.Most of the adults carried an emitter and booster combo pack hidden on their person at all times. Not just to bolster their own holoform abilities but to give everyone options when it came to moving around the town. After all, it would look suspicious if certain people couldn't or wouldn't enter some buildings. They'd all gotten exceptionally good at switching between emitters without any flickering or weird jerking motions.Though technically they didn't need to eat or drink, they still made a point to be seen shopping at least once a week just like everyone else. A lot of the standard ingredients ended up being funnelled into the bar the Wreckers were operating. The rest usually ended up being donated to local food banks and to ensuring students had at least two filling meals every day at school.Day by day, the deception got easier to manage. Each personality changed slowly, adapting to the slow life in small town Texas. No one was immune to the effect. Even those who had stepped up to take high paying, well respected jobs started to show a little more of a country living spirit.#~#+^*^+#~#Rumbling down one of the many secret ramps, Blade groaned low as he transformed and straightened. Both hands digging into his lower back, he kneaded at tight cables and twisted wires to loosen everything and settle things back into place. The last few days had been chaotic to say the least, leaving him with no time to come down and stretch out properly.'Please tell me we're not expecting this busy period to last much longer.' Vinnie grumbled as he transformed with a series of dull pops from under his armour.'I have no idea, Vinnie. I mean, it shouldn't last much longer but who honestly knows with some humans.' Blade sighed and shrugged. 'I'll certainly try and get you more downtime so you can sneak off to rest a while.''But what about you, Blade? You're under twice as much stress as I am.' Vinnie replied, most of his attention on the older 'bot.'I knew it would be a challenge when I first decided to become the new fire chief. I don't mind it as much usually, I can still sneak away one night in three. It's just the last couple weeks where we've been so busy.' Blade shrugged then scooped Beast up onto his hip. 'c'mon, let's go see who else has come down tonight.''How much longer do you think everyone can keep this up Blade? With so many profiles to track and keep together, can we really hide like this forever?' Vinnie asked as they headed deeper into the complex.'I don't know Vinnie. I'd like to believe that we're skilled enough to remain hidden for a long time, but only time will tell how long we can remain invisible here. We can't keep worrying about the negatives of life undercover. If things go wrong, we'll figure out another solution.' Blade sighed as he looked at Vinnie again. 'What's gotten into you? You're not usually this negative about life.''I…I don't know. I just…I can't help but worry about what might be coming our way. We've got youngsters to think about, the survival of the Cybertronian race sits squarely on our shoulders.' Vinnie explained softly. 'I never thought I'd be a father, never felt like I'd make a good role model. But now, with the way things are…''It's okay Vincent. I get it. I wasn't sure about becoming a father either. As for the knowledge that we're possibly the last of such an ancient race…I try not to think about that too much. We've already done a lot to help secure the future of our people, the next generation is thriving and there is talk of more sparklings in the future. It'll work out in the end.' Blade replied with a smile. 'Perhaps it's time you looked into courting someone. Someone to share the daily burdens of life.''Like who?' Vinnie asked with a low snort.'Hmm, well I know Streaks took a female persona. As did Crash, Metric and Wheeljack. Though, with your personality I would have normally suggested Splat or possibly Goggles. I just don't know how the locals would react if one of the town heroes turned out to be homosexual. Could get ugly.' Blade explained as he dropped one hand on Vinnie's shoulder. 'You'll have to figure that bit out on your own.''Come on daddy, I wanna see who else has come down.' Sweetheart insisted as she tugged on Vinnie's hand.'Thanks for the advice Blade. I'll think about it, promise.' Vinnie nodded slowly as he looked down at his precious little girl. 'Alright, let's go see who else is around.'Bouncing Beast higher on his hip, careful not to tangle her in the various hoses and other kibble attached to him, Blade sighed softly as he trailed behind Vinnie. Moments like this made him miss Optimus all the more. All he could do was try to keep everyone focused and wait until Optimus came back…if he ever did make it back to Earth.'I miss papa.' Beast uttered as she tucked in closer to his chest.'I do too, little one.' Blade replied, fingers trailing over her helm softly. 'He'll come back, I can feel it.''I hope so. I can't feel him anymore, he's too far away.''I still can, Beast. Don't worry, I'll do my best to make sure he understands how much you miss him.''Love you daddy.' Beast uttered as she snuggled in and hugged his neck.'Love you too baby girl.'Trying to ignore the lonely ache in his chest, Blade headed deeper into the base to join the rest of the group that had come below tonight. Every night was different; no one knew from day to day if they'd be available to join the nightly gatherings.As impressive as the above ground network of emitters and boosters was, it was nothing compared to the incredible work done deep underground. So deep that the humans above would never be in danger of breaking through and plummeting into the vaulted halls.Down here, they'd built a small town of their own, with all the comforts they'd gotten used to under Emily's care and easy access back to ground level via dozens of hidden entrances. Not that anyone ever got to spend much time down here lately. They'd become too deeply ingrained in the human society above. Too many people would ask questions if their friends weren't around town every day.Listening to the growing burble of voices as he approached the first large room, Blade hummed softly as he stepped through the open doors. Setting Beast down and watching her skate off to find her cousin, he stretched and looked around with a faint smile.At least a third of the team was down here tonight, relaxed and enjoying the chance to walk around for a few hours. Though it did appear that more of the younglings were down here than the adults he could register in the catacombs.That made total sense. This late in the day, it would be expected that all the children would be tucked up in bed, so the younglings could escape below and burn off their excess energy.'Good to see you could make it tonight Blade!' Ratchet called from across the main hall.'Let's just hope that no little asshole decides to light another fuckin' fire tonight.' Blade replied as he headed for the energon dispenser mounted on one wall.Even now, he wasn't totally sure who built the still and hooked it up to a large diesel tank on Plate's farm. No one was overly surprised that a farm with several large pieces of machinery went through a lot of diesel to keep going. And so long as the still continued to produce a smooth, high energy form of energon, Blade didn't really see the point in asking too many questions about it.'Then you'll be pleased to know that we finally caught the glitch that had been setting all those fires.' Prowl responded, lifting his mug in a toast.'Thank fuck for that. We're both exhausted running after that little firebug.' Vinnie added from his spot beside Throttle.'You have our gratitude Prowl. Just make sure the little bastard can't get out on a technicality.' Blade smiled as he pulled out his mug.'I'll be sure to double and triple check everything, Blade.' Prowl nodded and stood.'There you go Magura. That's got everything smoothed out again.' Ratchet noted as he eased one of Magura's dorsal plates back into position.'Thanks Ratchet. That already feels better.' Magura replied happily.'Did Ironhide get called out or something? I expected him to be here if you're down here.' Blade remarked between drinks.'He's down in the deeper hall with Hound, the Wreckers, Modo, Falcon and I think Tank's down there too.' Ratchet shrugged. 'I'll head down after I've made sure everyone's in the best condition possible.''Do I even want to know what that lot is doing down there?''Probably not. Suffice to say, 'Hide's trying to bring back a couple things he used to really enjoy back on Cybertron. Not many of us left to remember the golden age before Megatron started the fragging war.' Ratchet explained with a sigh. 'Part of me hopes he can bring back some of those memories.''Just tell me that they won't make too much of a mess before they're all expected topside again.''At most it'll be a little scuffed paint. That's an easy fix even on short notice. Now come and sit down, let me check you over before your next shift.' Ratchet insisted, patting the spot Magura had just vacated.Wandering over and sinking down, Blade turned to give Ratchet easy access to his lower back struts. As had become habit since Optimus left them, Blade once again cursed his heroic spark for just up and leaving him to command everything. No final tips on how to best balance everyone. No supportive words to help him through the bad days. Nothing at all. Just a final goodbye and then silence."You okay, Blade?" Ratchet asked, this time on internal comms to keep it private."Honestly, I don't know anymore. I'm tired Ratchet. Not physically, I'm getting a full recharge most nights. Mentally and emotionally though, I'm exhausted. I don't know how Optimus used to keep on top of everything." Blade admitted with a low groan."Didn't he leave you any sort of guidance?""You heard everything he said before he ditched us in Hong Kong. There was no leadership guidance in his latest monologue.""Next time I see him, I'm going to kick his aft." Ratchet growled sharply. "You're not alone Blade. Prime had a full court around him, we've been around him since before the war. I had assumed that he told you about the court and knew who to turn to for aid.""Yeah, well he neglected to tell me anything about a fuckin' court." Blade groused, some of his plates flaring in irritation."Then let me explain it to you." Ratchet soothed, hands sending a soft vibration through stiff cables and aching struts.Nodding slowly, Blade let his head droop as he relaxed further. Oh he was going to have some very serious words with Optimus the next time they were face to face. For now, he just had to lean on his people and try to make everything work."Initially his court was simple. Ironhide and I were among the first. Then Kup, Prowl, Jazz, Wheeljack, Blaster and a few others who have not made it to Earth. The rest of the Autobot faction were still important, but outside the official court.""So far I'm following along. So that's the leadership group he relied on during the start of the war?""And beyond, Blade. We became the core leadership that the Autobot cause looked towards whenever they needed inspiration." Ratchet continued with a soft laugh."So who do I turn to for help right now?" Blade asked tiredly. "Because I'm not sure I've got the mental fortitude to continue like this.""What do you need help with most of all?" Ratchet's voice was soft and soothing, offering reassurance and support in equal measure."Keeping track of everyone. I'm just one 'bot, I can't keep tabs on everyone and fulfil my role for the town.""Talk to Blaster, get him to help tag everyone and create compilation lists for you. He can send them to you every few hours, with emergency warnings if anyone acts out of the ordinary." Ratchet guided even as he continued to manipulate Blade's back struts."Why do you say he can handle it on his own?""His specialisation is communications, Blade. Keeping track of our relative small team is easy for him. At the peak of the war, he could maintain communications with thousands of Autobots across Cybertron. Let him take the weight.""Alright, if you're sure about this.""Ironhide has always been Prime's protector. At first it was a ceremonial position, but as war broke out, it became something far more serious. So don't be all that surprised if he rumbles past the fire station a few times a day. If things go wrong, he'll be one of the first to your side and nothing will stop him from trying to keep you safe.""I had noticed him, Ratchet. Six times yesterday. And I know that he doesn't need to come past the station to drop wrecks off at the yard. If he's not careful he'll draw the wrong attention." Blade snorted softly and shook his head. "Who else have I been misusing?'"Prowl also worked closely with Prime, coming up with tactical options for any situation we might encounter. Listen to him when he offers advice, he's already thoroughly investigated the town and surrounding farmland and knows every possible attack pattern the humans or Decepticons could throw our way.""Ah, so that's why he was patrolling around the edge of town late at night. Good to know. He wouldn't explain when I pinged him at 3 in the morning last week.""That's typical. Now, Jazz covers a couple areas. He's one of the best spies Cybertron ever produced and he served as Prime's right hand 'bot from the formal declaration or war right up until he was torn apart by Megatron. Whenever your responsibilities weigh too much, just talk to him. He's used to shouldering some of the burden so his leaders can manage the important things.""Why the fuck didn't anyone mention all this before now? I've been trying to rely on my old leadership structure but that doesn't work anymore. They're all busy with their own projects and Slash isn't sure about stepping on any toes if he tries to resume as my 2iC.""Probably because everyone naturally assumed that you knew what you were doing. I know that's not fair on you, but it's the truth. No one expects perfection, you're doing the best you can with the information you have. But you really need to make a clear line of command again. We can help, but it's on your shoulders to keep the team united."Head dropping into his hands, Blade barely held back the frustrated groan bubbling in his chest. Everything had seemed to simple back in Hong Kong. Get back to America and disappear into hiding again. Rebuild somewhere and wait, ready to leap into action if humanity needed saving again.If only he'd known the minefield he was about to step into. Half his old bros weren't certain about their roles anymore, because Optimus relied on others to fill those slots. Some of the old SAU leaders were comfortable to hand over their roles to others with far more experience."If he ever shows his face around here again, he's sleeping on the fuckin' floor for the next century for this bullshit." Blade growled, barely resisting the urge to hit something. "He knew we were still working to get everyone unified again! He knew there was discontent in the ranks. And rather than face it, he bailed out and left me to try and pull something out of my exhaust."Shifting his touch, Ratchet moved closer as he focused on adjusting some of the tightest cables crossing Blade's lower back. How had they gone so wrong? He'd actually expected the older hands to step up and automatically help Blade get everything sorted out and settled."We failed you Blade. I don't understand why this time it didn't work out, the old ways have never failed quite like this before. I have the time and bandwidth to spare, let me talk to everyone and see what can be arranged." He offered as he softened another tense cable."You? But I thought you were supposed to be the head medic." Blade stated in a confused tone."I am, but that's not all I am. Before the war, I was a diplomat…yeah I know. Go on, laugh it up.""It takes all sorts to build an army. So you think that you can figure out a diplomatic solution to this mess?""I can certainly try. No promises that I can sort everything out, but I can at least make a start so you can focus on your own well being for a while."Looking back over his shoulder, Blade smiled faintly. He honestly hadn't expected this level of help from Ratchet of all 'bots. With so many people to take care of, he'd expected that Ratchet would be up to his optics in medical requests and keeping everyone in fighting form."Are you sure you've got the time to worry about this? I don't want to monopolise your time.""I've got plenty of time, don't worry. Most of those who need repairs either come out to the yard so I can work there or book a time slot down here at nights." Ratchet chuckled softly as he continued working. "Besides, everyone fears the medic-fu."Letting out a soft laugh of his own, Blade nodded slowly and drained his mug. If Ratchet wanted to work on reworking the team into a functional fighting force again, Blade was all too happy to let him try. If nothing else, it might inspire others to pull their weight a little more."Thank you.""Just promise me that you'll take better care of yourself from here on.""I will Ratchet, I promise."'How has Beast been doing? I've heard from my twins that she seems to be settling in well at school, if getting a little bored in some subjects.' Ratchet continued vocally, skilled fingers sneaking deeper into Blade's back.'She's enjoying school, aside from her maths classes. Apparently she feels that Miss McEnroe is dumber than the proverbial box of rocks. From what I've witnessed, I'm inclined to agree with her opinion. The homework she brings home is more in line with what should be taught to eleven year-olds.' Blade replied with a lazy shrug. 'Ha, she's not the only one with similar complaints.' Blaster laughed as he joined them. 'All three of ours are bitchin' every night about how dull school is. They tolerate it, but most of their processing power is directed towards some of those newer video games they got from Ripper.''I think most of the kids are enjoying those games. I know some of them are playing up to six at the same time, but most seem content with just two or three.' Blade agreed with a grin. 'I'm not ashamed to admit that I got my aft handed to me by Flash Point yesterday. She's got one hell of an optic for sniping.''Wait until you get tag-teamed by Rumble and Frenzy. It's honestly scary how deadly those two are in some of the war games. They'll run rings around just about anyone.' Tank added as he sunk down beside Blaster. 'It was nothing to worry about. Just Mr Fitzpatrick dropping off the homework Darlin' missed this week.'#~#+^*^+#~#Down in the very bowels of this secret facility, Ironhide couldn't keep the smile off his faceplates as he backed up quickly. Turning on his left foot, he popped up and caught the ball flying his direction. Landing lightly, he switched the ball back into his right hand and launched it back along the length of the large hall.'I never expected you guys would play sports.' Cade remarked from his spot on one of the walkways around the hall.'We don't have the huge range like humans do, that's for sure.' Leadfoot replied with a shrug. 'Hunting was always popular with the elite. But for the average 'bot, driftball and dragball were the most popular games.''Driftball was the standard game, a lot of players started during their developmental years and continued after their final upgrades. Dragball was the larger forma version of the game.' Topspin added as he stepped out and caught the next return throw.'Had the war not started when it did, I might have gone pro in driftball. It was that or foundry work like my sire.' Ironhide remarked casually. 'I was a star quarterback in Iacon back then.''I remember that. My sister had a poster of you in her room when we were young. She was mighty upset when you announced your retirement the same year your team trounced Praxus for the Iacon Cup.' Hound weighed in with a laugh. 'She moped around for weeks until another hot 'bot caught her attention.''I…wait a minute. Your sister…we talkin' Chromia or SilverStar?' Ironhide blinked as he turned to Hound.'Neither. I meant Nebulae.' Hound replied with a snort. 'Surely you remember her.''She had my poster?! I don't know how to feel about that.''I don't get it? What's wrong with someone having your poster?' Cade asked in genuine confusion.'It'd be like Tessa aged eleven getting the hots for someone in their fifties.' Roadbuster offered in response.'More like a teenager. Nebulae wasn't that young when everything went to hell around Iacon.' Hound corrected as he spun the ball in one hand. 'She was onto her eleventh upgrade.''Puts her around sixteen in terms of development then. Still, bit young to be crushing that hard on Ironhide.' Leadfoot noted with a chuckle.'Alright guys, ease off. Preferably before you give Cade a total brain meltdown.' Speedshot chuckled and held up his hands.'Aww, but he's so much fun to tease.' Falcon sniggered as he approached.'I used to give her so much slag for how she idolised the star quarterback.' Hound continued, bombing their ball back to Modo.Dragging one hand over his helm, Ironhide huffed through his vents and turned away. There were times when he regretted turning away from the game when he did. Times he regretted turning to war so early in the conflict.'Does that say more about your sister, or you Hound?' he asked with a shrug. 'At least it gave her some hope that maybe Cybertron wasn't as divided as the daily news reports made it seem.''Yeah, gave her hope until our home was flattened by a fuckin' seeker raid!' Hound shot back, abandoning the game as an older conflict bubbled up.Moving away from the wall, Ironhide faced Hound's bubbling anger head on. It was time to stop hiding. Time to reveal some secrets that had been left behind over the millennia.'You think I actually wanted to be head of Prime's personal guards? You think I chose such a fuckin' dangerous post because I was built strong? I never wanted anything to do with this Priums be damned war!''So why take the post if you were so against the war?' Hound demanded as he advanced, a wicked looking knife appearing in his left hand.'Take the post or be declared a fuckin' Decepticon! That was the choice I was handed when Magnus came to see me after the third Iacon bombing. Despite what the propaganda of the time said, it was rarely a free choice to join the Autobots. The leadership back then, likely unbeknownst to Prime, did all sorts of highly questionable stuff to collect the best and brightest to their side.' Ironhide replied as he revealed an equally deadly looking knife.Moving before he was even fully aware of it, Speedshot stepped between the two larger mechs, hands up to at least try and keep some distance between them. He'd never even suspected that there had been some less than honourable behaviour on Cybertron, but in a way it made sense. So often in wars, the leadership on both sides bent the rules and threw their moral compasses out the proverbial window in favour of doing whatever it took to win the war.'Settle down guys! Come on now, this doesn't have to dissolve into violence. Arguing about what happened back on Cybertron won't solve anything here and now. That's it, just simmer down and let it go.' he coaxed, gaze shifting from Hound to Ironhide and back. 'That's it, put the weapons away guys.''Wow, I never expected this sort of blow up.' Cade remarked quietly.'Honestly, I'm surprised this is the first time any of this has blown up before. The leadership council back then was full of problems. It was war time though so no one spoke up against it.' Roadbuster explained with a sigh. 'That's just how it was.''All the genuine killers ended up as Decepticons. They liked the shit Megatron was spewing. We had to learn to kill, learn to unleash our anger in ways that made sense. Even those you think were built as killers weren't. We do the best we can and try to live with the endless guilt piling up.' Topspin added softly. 'It's hard, but we've had way too long to get used to how it feels.''I had no idea.' Cade replied, gaze constantly shifting around the gathering.'No human was ever meant to know the truth. Prime was worried how your people would react if they ever found out their lives were in the hands of poets, scholars and builders. How they'd feel knowing that all that stood between them and enslavement were musicians, diplomats and instructors.' Leadfoot shrugged and looked up at Modo.'Sounds kinda familiar honestly. Most of the fighting force on Mars was made of non-combatants forced to make a stand. The Army had some units of fully trained soldiers but most of them were given shortened training and thrown out onto the battlefields before they were ready.' Modo nodded slowly as he remembered his first years fighting for Mars. 'I had no idea what was going on for the most part.''None of us truly knew what was going on, bro. We did what we had to do, whether we understood the war or not. I know a lot of the guys in 14 didn't want to be involved, but there was no option. It was fight or die.' Falcon added as he sunk down to sit against the wall. 'I still get nightmares about the shit I've done for Mars and Earth.'Relaxing slowly, letting out a relieved sigh as the two bigger mechs put their knives away, Speedshot nodded and lowered his hands. He had no way or knowing for sure if this was the end of the spat between Hound and Ironhide or if they'd devolve into violence again at the next chance.'Slagging each other off isn't gonna fix anything, guys. We've still got problems to deal with, real world problems that matter right here and now. This business with the original Autobot leading council has to wait!' he insisted, still watching Hound and Ironhide closely. 'We still have to track down Megatron and make sure he can't cause further trouble. We still have a duty of care towards the Dinobots. We are the last line of defence for humanity.''Meanwhile we're all stuck here, hiding like cowards and waiting for Prime to return from wherever the fuck he went.' Ironhide growled low but didn't reveal any of his weapons again.'We're also giving Blade a chance to adapt to his position. You think you've got it rough. Remember, Optimus just up and left, dumping everything on Blade's shoulders without even a by your leave.' Speedshot countered sharply. 'He's gonna need you two by his side when the shit hit’s the fan next time. Blade may be in charge overall but when it comes to a fight, everyone's watching you two for leadership.''Us? But…' hound started, optics widening as he stared at Speedshot.'Yes, you. You're the oldest frontline warriors among us. Only Kup is older, but his behaviour at RV 32 lost him a lot of respect. The younger 'bots look to you and want to emulate your skills. You'd be surprise how many of them went back to melee weapons because they saw how deadly you were in Hong Kong.' Speedshot continued, barely paying any attention to the group behind him.'They're strong fighters in their own way. They don't need to emulate us.' Ironhide corrected, but his voice betrayed his lack of faith in his own words.'It's a different sort of combat, Ironhide. What we knew as Martians doesn't properly apply to larger, mechanical bodies. We've all learned by watching how you and the other original Autobots handle various combat situations.' Falcon explained from his spot against the wall.'Talk to Blade, both of you. See if you can work out a rotational roster of some sort so some of us can get out there and see if we can track down Galvatron. Give you something to do aside from hiding under butt-fuck nowhere Texas.' Speedshot suggested with a grin.'Hey, it's not that bad out here.' Cade protested with a brief laugh.'I can't go. Not with CPS still sniffing around. Besides, it'd look mighty suspicious if both wreckers in the town suddenly weren't available.' Hound admitted tiredly. 'I wish I knew who kept reportin' us to those assholes.''We'll figure it out Hound. You're not alone against those bastards.' Speedshot promised with a smile. 'But if we're gonna have any hope of surviving on Earth, we've gotta clean up some loose ends. We've got to prove that we're not total assholes.''Just most of us.' Topspin sniggered and shifted against the wall.'Keep it up and you're sleeping in the garage tonight.' Speedshot countered with a smirk. 'I know none of this is ideal, but what other choices do we have? We split up, we risk getting picked off like Torque and Bandit. We set up a place like we had in Wisconsin and we risk the government coming in with heavy weapons to force us out again. Until there's a better option, we have to stay low and avoid notice. We have to sneak under the radar and wait, just in case any Decepticons come back to try for Earth again.''Again?! You think there's another threat coming this way?' Cade blurted out in a semi-panic.'Hard to know for sure, Cade. We know there are some 'cons still here on Earth. Most are in custody, but I'm pretty sure a couple of them are out on the loose. Best we can do right now is arrange scouting teams and keep our optics open for any threats.' Leadfoot offered in reply.'So that's it then? We just hide, try not to draw attention and wait for whatever comes next.' Cade scowled as he leaned back against the wall.'And plan for any eventualities that might come our way.' Falcon agreed with a snort.'I thought you'd enjoy the downtime Yeager. Gives you time to tinker and it's meant Tessa can settle into college life. Relax, she's well protected with Armageddon, Roars and Nimrah around her. No one's getting near your little girl.' Leadfoot noted casually.'Yeah, except for the fact Nimrah is frequently complaining about how shallow and stupid many of the other females happen to be. Her biggest challenge is pretending to care when the females are discussing the latest fashions.' Ironhide snorted through his intakes as he turned to look at Cade.'I'm hearing the same from Armageddon. It's always whining about fashion, or boys or whatever the latest hair trends are. If not for the stimulating conversations from her fellow Cybertronians, I'm pretty sure she would have dropped out by now.' Falcon agreed with a faint laugh.'Spare a thought for Roars. She picked a male holoform, of clear Japanese decent to match Revs and Drift. From what I've heard, she's really getting a rough time. Everyone at college with any kind of Asian fetish is trying their luck.' Modo added.'Ewwww, no wonder she's always so eager to get below ground.' Speedshot groaned and scrubbed one hand over his helm. 'She might need to find a suitable partner to put an end to that behaviour.''Given how disgusting some humans can be, I'm not sure even that will be enough to protect her.' Modo noted sadly. 'Let's just hope she's got the situation in hand.''If she doesn't, Drift will certainly set any troublemakers straight. Don't get me wrong, Revs can be scary but let's be honest here. A multi-disciplined martial arts instructor is a hell of a lot scarier than a general practitioner.' Topspin chuckled as he headed to scoop up their abandoned ball again.'Hmmm, I wouldn't bet on that. Revs can be one scary fucker when pushed. And we all know he's real protective of his baby girl.' Falcon warned as he pushed to his feet.'Can we go back to playing ball, or you two still wanna tear each other apart?' Leadfoot asked as he approached Topspin.'Just don't scratch your paint guys. Tomorrow's a full day of activities for the kids.' Speedshot instructed and moved out from between Hound and Ironhide.'I'm not really in the mood anymore. Think I'll just head up and sit with Ratch for a while.' Ironhide replied and turned for the door.#~#+^*^+#~#Wandering into the small kitchen of the apartment she was sharing with her protectors, Tessa smiled fondly at the sight before her. At first it had been weird living in an apartment surrounded by fake humans, but now, it felt completely normal. Just like it felt totally normal to be caring for a couple of tiny robots who saw her almost as a maternal figure.Amber was already sitting at their dining table, enjoying her breakfast and feeding Wheelie from the scrap bucket beside her cereal bowl. For his part, Wheelie sat propped up against one of the weighted pillows they'd picked up for exactly this purpose.Though his condition had certainly improved since Hong Kong, Wheelie was still pretty dependent on others to help him with even the most basic of tasks. He was still unable to transform, and frequently relied on a makeshift walking aid to get around the living room when everyone else was out.Following Tessa into the kitchen, Brains enjoyed a brief stretch before taking to the ladder built against one leg of said table. Navigating around the assorted items on the table, he sunk down beside Wheelie and reached for the scrap bucket.'Morin' all.' Nicole greeted as she came into the kitchen from the other direction.'Good run this morning Nicole?' Tessa asked with a grin as she headed for the fridge.'Aside from a couple assholes trying their luck, it was great.' Nicole chuckled as she leaned against the wall.Fishing out the orange juice, Tessa once again considered how strange her life was now. She couldn't really bring friends or study buddies around, but in all honesty, she didn't mind that small limitation. Not when compared to the incredible feeling of safety she got whenever she was home.Brains helped keep her focused in her courses, downloading study guides to help and using her small Bluetooth earpiece to utter in-depth explanations on sections she didn't totally understand. Outside of classes, he was easily the best study buddy she could find, showing endless patience as they worked through her assignments together.Wheelie helped with her studies too, mostly by acting as a sounding board when she was trying to puzzle something out. After discussing it with Ratchet, she was even allowed to use some of her new skills to help repair some of the remaining damage holding Wheelie back. Nothing too delicate yet, just basic wiring and getting some of his minor functions back online.Then there was the situation with her trio of especially protective companions. Amber was always by her side, Nicole joined them for about half their classes and Ryunosuke sat with them for lunch and would join their study sessions in the library. He wasn't in any of their shared classes though, but hanging around with them got him away from most of the Asian fetishists on campus.They made for quite a sight together. Different cultures and backgrounds coming together to create a tight knit friends group that could handle anything.Amber was tall for her age, broad like her dad but blessed with the graceful red curls and freckles of her mother. Her skin held a light tan, highlighting the graceful green tattoos on both shoulders. She was definitely more like her father though, first to defend her friends against threats just like Finnegan.Nicole was shorter and thinner, olive skin decorated with symbols from her heritage. Many people underestimated her, not realising that she was the daughter of Ignacio and Rochelle. She'd already put many of the local guys to shame, clearly demonstrating that she knew more about cars than they did.Ryunosuke happened to be the shortest of them all, though not by much. He looked younger than his nineteen years; even the small goatee he sported didn't help him much in that regard. Thin and wiry, he was proud of his Japanese heritage, even if it made him a target for certain people.'I will be home a little late tonight. Ratchet's finished the next set of parts for Wheelie, I'll pick them up after class, download the install guide and be back to get it done before our evening study session.' Ryunosuke explained with a smile as he joined the group.'Ohh, did he mention what components they were?' Wheelie asked excitedly.'Gyroscopes, heat stabilisers, secondary charge subsystems, secondary power converters, a few additional capacitors and the like. Sorry, no transformation cog yet, apparently he's still trying to find the right metal to craft your replacement from.''At this point, I'll take anything I can get. Gyros are a good move, I'm tired of wobblin' like a day-old new spark. Be nice to be able to get my self heating system online again too.' Wheelie agreed happily as he took another morsel from Amber's fingers.'I'll be sure to ask about the latest news on your main converters too. See if we can get you back your electrical recharge capabilities.''Yeah, I'd like that.' Wheelie nodded as he relaxed back into his pillow. 'Would you mind leaving one of the front blinds up a little so I can see out? Gets kinda lonely here with you all gone all day.''Oh Wheelie, I'm sorry. I didn't think about leaving out anything to keep you entertained all day.' Tessa replied as she dropped into her chair. 'What else do you want?''You've got a practical heavy day today, Tess. I could stay home for the day, you've got that laptop Fang set up for you to use instead.' Brains offered quietly, though his voice sounded hopeful.'If someone can give me a ride to campus, I can stay home as well.' Amber added with a grin. 'It's not like I'm using a lot of processing power for my course load.''Really? You'd do that for me, Armageddon?' Wheelie asked softly.'Hey, I told you before, we're all family Wheelie. As a whole, we let you down and left you to those goons. The least I can do is take the occasional day off to hang out at home with you.'Getting to his feet awkwardly, Wheelie hobbled across to the edge of the table, reaching out to Amber with both hands. Tiny motor dropping into a lower purr when she scooped him up, he burrowed into her shoulder and held on tight. To him it didn't matter that Amber was just a holoform. It didn't matter that she technically didn't exist. What mattered was knowing that he wasn't alone, that he didn't have to face anything on his own anymore.'The three of us could take turns to stay home. With the new emitter relays around the campus, it's not so important to have a main body nearby.' Ryunosuke offered with a shrug. 'If that is acceptable of course.''Works for me, guys. And it'll appear a bit more normal if you're absent occasionally too.' Tessa added as she reached out to lightly run her fingertips over Wheelie's head.'Yeah, okay. I'll call in sick for the week. Or is that too long to be out?' Amber nodded as she pushed her chair back a little.'No, that's pretty average.' Tessa smiled as she turned her attention to Brains. 'You staying home too? I don't mind either way, it's your choice.''I'd like to stay home for today, maybe tomorrow too. Just see how things turn out.' Brains replied softly, most of his attention still on Wheelie.Lifting his head again, Wheelie half twisted in her grip and nodded slowly. It was such a relief to know he'd have company for at least a few days. Not just Brains either, though he really did enjoy curling up with Brains and watching something on TV. But now he'd also be able to cuddle up against Armageddon and maybe feed off her EM field to hasten his self-repair systems.'Thank you, all of you.' he uttered and burrowed in against Amber's chest again.'Anything for family.' Amber promised, reaching for the scrap bucket again. 'It's all gonna be okay in the end Wheelie.'#~#+^*^+#~#Hidden from prying eyes of all origins, Crosshairs and Sidewinder stopped by the large copse of trees towards the rear of the Yeager property. Though it had never been made official, this little area had been taken over by the team as a place to remember those they had lost to the war.Hound and Mirage had already left their mark - two ornate metal pillars side by side. One held just two names, Mirage's doting parents. The other listed eight; Hound's entire family wiped out in one blow.Wheeljack too, a smaller memorial hanging in one of the trees to pay tribute to Perceptor's sire and another for the dear friend who had given their life to send him on his way back to Wheeljack.Someone had placed a larger memorial for Torque and Bandit, the ornate carvings topped with the outline of a Martian head as tribute to their joint story.Someone else, probably one of the medical team, had positioned a smaller, more graceful tribute to Arcee, Chromia and Elita. Tucked in between the trees, streaked in pink, purple and blue, it stood out from the others as it should.Another had been set up for Skids and Mudflap, most likely by Bee going by the flakes of yellow along the top of the memorial.Dozens of smaller ones were scattered around the area too, etched with names and dates based off the Martian calendar. Tributes to families lost in rusty sands and left behind on a dying world.And hanging from the lowest branches, wind chimes of every shape and size. One set for each family memorialised among these trees. Every faint breeze stirred a different sound, giving a tranquil and relaxed background to the site. Every so often someone would come out to the memorial and hang another set among the branches, altering the song fractionally.Sidewinder had already placed his for his family, putting it up in a tree near where they were standing now.Picking a good spot, ,nestled in among the trees but not too close that their digging might damage the trees, Sidewinder knelt first and started lifting the grass with care. Slower to kneel, Crosshairs couldn't tear his gaze off the small metal box in his lap.Polished to a light shine and decorated with rows of glyphs and sweeping designs, it looked far too beautiful to simply bury. In the middle of the lid, surrounded by several circles of bright blue glyphs, a single glyph carved deeper and filled in with sparkling gold - Ace.Carving out a hole just the right size for the precious box, Sidewinder piled the dirt out of the way before finally sitting back on his heels and reaching out to curl one arm around Crosshairs.They'd already had a public memorial for their son, sharing their grief with the team before they made the move to Texas. Everyone had come together to offer their condolences and support. The old hands had been especially supportive; the loss of any new life after the destruction of the AllSpark was especially painful.After the memorial came the start of the recovery process. Gradual acceptance, learning to talk about their son without almost choking on what might have been. Explaining it all to Smash, and giving her a chance to say her own private goodbyes to the brother she'd never know. Ratchet had built the body for them, making it fully functional even though he knew there would never be a spark for their little Ace.Red and black, sleek but not scrawny. Lithe strength highlighted with a coat just like Crosshairs and a helm modelled after Sidewinder's broader curves. Brown optics for something different and a little white V crest sweeping back over his head. Just like his parents had imagined under Nebraska.Sagging into Sidewinder's support, Crosshairs keened low, rocking slowly as he ran both hands over the ornate casket. He still wasn't ready to say goodbye to his firstborn son. Much less before he'd even had a chance to inhabit the cold body prepared for him.Keening in harmony with his mate, Sidewinder placed his right hand over the glyph and bowed his head. Pulling Crosshairs in closer, he started to speak softly, the ancient Martian language still so familiar to him. They had already talked this small ceremony over, deciding the details before coming out to say goodbye one last time.First he prayed to the deities of his own youth. Gen-Duv, God of the Underworld. Renla, Goddess of Children. Benka, Goddess of Lost Souls, Lomra and Harla, Goddesses of Family and the Home respectively. Voice rising and falling, he asked them to watch over Ace in the afterlife and to protect his still living family as they looked to the future.Switching languages, he offered up a prayer to Primus as well. A prayer for Ace's protection and for guidance for his family. A desperate hope that one day, far into the future, their family could be reunited at the Well. A final, desperate plea for support and strength as they moved ahead and tried to live with the constant ache.'I'm sorry Ace, I tried so hard. We'll find you again one day, wait for us in the Well.' Crosshairs uttered as he pressed further into Sidewinder's embrace.Reaching out together, they picked up the casket and tenderly placed it in the hole. Starting to softly sing an ancient mourning song, voices rising and falling in harmony, they returned the soil around the casket, packing it down tightly to ensure it was safe and properly protected.'Rest easy, Ace. I'm sorry we never got to meet for real.' Sidewinder whispered as he packed the last handful of dirt into place.Smoothing the sod back over the grave, Sidewinder tucked Crosshair back in closer as he retrieved the freshly cast memorial from his subspace and stuck it into the undisturbed earth at the head of the grave. Handmade by Carbon, it mixed some Martian symbolism with Cybertronian funerary displays to create a tribute worthy of their complex family lines.One last tender pat to the grass and Sidewinder slid back, shifting from his knees to rest on his aft. Reaching out, he tugged Crosshairs over and into his lap, wrapping around his grieving mate as best he could. EM fields tangled together, they sat and gazed at the fresh grave, lost in their own pained thoughts.'It still hurts so much.' Crosshairs muttered as he lifted his head slowly.'And it will for a long time, love.' Sidewinder soothed, fingers rubbing small circles over his back. 'In time, we'll both learn to live with the pain.''Maybe one day we'll try again.''Yeah, one day. No rush, it'll happen when the time is right. Just promise me that you won't shut me out again.''I promise. I was afraid of how you might react. We never even talked about having another kid before we sparked. Wasn't sure if you wanted more than Smash.' Crosshairs admitted, grip tightening as he spoke of his buried anxieties.'I do want more kids, I came from a big family and want Smash to experience that too. But right now, I want to focus on making sure you're okay. We'll have another chance, when you're ready for it to happen. We've got plenty of time, love.' Sidewinder replied, lifting his chin to better tuck Crosshairs in against his neck.Falling silent again, they sat and listened to the chimes sounding around them. The wind also picked up a few fallen leaves, throwing them onto the fresh grave as if accepting the precious treasure nestled below.'We should think about heading back soon. Smash is due home from school shortly.' Crosshairs eventually spoke again.'Yeah, I guess we should. And we'll check in with her again, make sure she'd handling things as best she can.' Sidewinder agreed with a sigh.Uncurling slowly and easing to their feet, they paused and looked across the memorial once more before turning and walking away. Comforted by the knowledge that their baby boy would rest in peace, watched over by some of Mars and Cybertron's best and bravest warriors.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Putting his freshly tuned engine to the test, Kup peeled out the back entrance to his small farm and blasted out onto the rough country roads. Lately it seemed like they were getting new arrivals every couple of days. At most, a couple weeks between late night arrivals crashing down.Sadly, they couldn't always get to the new arrivals in time. With the rise of the new and highly dangerous TRF, it was becoming more difficult to reach new arrivals before they were captured and incarcerated somewhere unknown. That didn't stop the team from frying though. They simply had to be a little more selective in their operations and pray that Blaster's hacked access to several satellites gave them enough warning to get in position for a rapid snatch and escape.This time Kup was hoping to get to the latest arrival before the TRF could track them down. They'd lost the race for the last four and now no one could track down those brave souls. They just had to hope that the humans were treating their prisoners with at least some respect.The odds were in his favour this time. The latest arrival crashed closer to their hidden facility than the nearest known TRF facility. And given the late hour, it would take time for the humans to rally a team to chase the new signal. Plus they would have to rely on second rate technology to track the signal to the landing zone.Whereas Kup could rely on his inbuilt equipment to track the source far more accurately and his reinforced body could handle far more abuse and thus handle these rough country roads at speeds far above what was considered safe. And his advanced sensors meant that he was aware of every vehicle in a thirty mile radius, thus making his likelihood to crash at these speeds far lower.Skidding sideways around the next corner, engine screaming as he powered out of the turn and shot down another dirt road, throwing up a mighty cloud of dust into the still night air."Is this one still heading for the same spot?" he asked as he flew over a small rise, wheels biting at the air for a few moments."Within a mile radius of the initial estimated impact zone." Hot Rod replied from his station back at their hobby farm."Any noise from TRF?""They just rolled out a convoy. At your current speed, you'll beat them to the crash site easily. The main problem will be getting them moving before TRF gets close enough to be a problem." Fang responded this time. "I'll keep you informed if the situation changes.""Anything else I need to know?""Not currently, Kup. Bring them home safely." Blade offered with a hopeful tone."That's the plan Chief. Keep the home fires lit for us.""I'll tend them personally, Kup. Blade out.""Be safe, Kup." Hot Rod uttered as their bond flared bright between them."I will, Hot Rod. And when I get home, we'll talk about that other thing, okay.""Yeah, okay. It's long past time we discussed that.""We'll discuss it as long as you want sweet-spark. I promise."Drifting around another corner, Kup pushed his engine into the red, confident that no one was around to see him breaking the safe speed limit. He just had to make it in time. There were so few survivors left; every one of them was precious.Their numbers were dangerously low.They needed more numbers if their once proud race was going to not just survive, but hopefully one day thrive again.#~#+^*^+#~#"Kup, you gotta pick up the pace! TRF bought in choppers! They're coming in from the east, looks like they borrowed 'em from the Army." Fang reported."I'm already redlining." Kup replied as he swung around another corner. "Chief! Am I clear to engage?""Can you engage without civilian casualties?""Yeah, I'm well clear of any civilian signals.""Then you're cleared to engage them Kup. Just be careful.""You got it Chief."Engine screaming, Kup bounced over the last rise and spun sharply. Deciding not to be a total dick to the local community, he transformed on the fly and stepped over the fence carefully. From here he could clearly see the trail of destruction left behind in the last few moments before this new arrival came crashing down."Fang, how long until those choppers are on scene?" he asked as he loped off towards the flames flickering in the distance."At best, about fifteen minutes. I'm sorry Kup; we weren't expecting the Army to come in from the other side.""Its okay, Fang. I'll handle these birds before coming back. Any update on the TRF convoy?""Looks like they're still about forty out, sticking to main roads currently.""We'll be out of here before they get close enough to track us. If we're lucky, I won't have to down the incoming chopper. But if I do, we'll need extra cover to stop them reporting anything back to TRF.""Already taken care of Kup. IC is on standby above your location. The moment anyone mentions TRF on an open line, he can shut it down instantly. And you know the humans haven't got anything secure enough to keep him out.""So far they're just keeping track of distances to the crash site. And they've decided that this one is Alien Problem 41." Black cut in from somewhere high overhead."Fucking assholes." Kup muttered as he stepped over another fence. "Stay sharp, I'm going in."Stepping over shattered trees and sliding down the new bank of soil, Kup approached the still cooling protoform shell cautiously. He was still reasonably sure that this was an Autobot, something about the lines felt comfortable and familiar. Part of his attention on the distance warnings from Fang and the conversation notes from Black, Kup moved closer to the shell and watched as it cracked open at last. Movements slow and uncoordinated, the newest arrival transformed slowly and stood. One hand up to its head, rubbing at dented plating lightly as they looked around slowly.'Kup? Is that really you?''Springer? By the stars, I thought we'd lost you centuries ago.'Confident that Springer had cooled enough after his landing, Kup stepped closer and tugged the younger 'bot into a welcoming hug. Maybe there was still hope, if some of their better soldiers were still out there to hear the messages still being silently broadcast from this little backwater world.'It was a near thing, Kup. Came too close a couple times.' Springer admitted softly. 'I don't suppose anyone else made it this far?''Yeah, quite a few actually. Look kid, we don't have much time to talk. We've got inbound trouble. Take a couple minutes to hook up to the internet and find a suitable disguise. Nothing flashy though. We're in a rural area, so try to blend in with something fairly basic.' Kup explained as he let go and backed up a step. 'Something from Chevrolet would work.'"You're outta time Kup. Choppers coming in from your south-east. Should have visual…"'I see 'em Fang. I've got this. Just don't let the other convoy catch our afts.' Kup replied and turned to face the oncoming threat.'Who's Fang?' Springer asked, optics brightening as he turned his gaze back to Kup.'One of the many Autobots living nearby. He's part of our Intel team, keeps track of everything going on around us.' Kup replied with a grin. 'Got a new design picked out?''Yeah, found a couple that'll work.''Great, focus on a ground based form for now. We haven't got time to worry about trying to get all your forms loaded right now.'Retrieving his paired blades from his subspace locker, Kup climbed out of the crater and walked out to meet the incoming chopper. He had to keep those bastards distracted so Springer had time to dig up all the schematics of his chosen disguise and put them to use.Ignoring the shocked call from behind, Kup switched on his own headlights, drawing attention to him and away from Springer, still down in the crater. Sure enough, the first chopper turned to him fully, the pilot giving a cruel smirk when he saw Kup standing there.'I don't think so asshole.' Kup muttered and charged.Despite being the oldest of the Autobots on Earth, Kup could still move with far more agility than most gave him credit for. Spinning his paired blades in his hands, he cut out his headlights and moved forward to engage the threat.Four choppers against one very annoyed old soldier.Kup's only promise was that he would try to minimise casualties.Lit by floodlights and a few small fires, Kup stepped into the chaos with his head held high. Blades whistling in harmony around him, he relied on his secret shield system to deflect the incoming projectiles as he moved.Shattering the rotor blades on the first chopper sent it crashing down out of the way.Slicing the tail off number two forced that one out of the fight.Number three limped away to a softer crash landing nearby after Kup stabbed through their engine.Driving his shorter blade up through the belly of number four, Kup tore it open from underneath, splitting the rear compartment and forcing the chopper to land well away from the crater.'You ready to go yet kid?' he asked, partly turned back towards the crater.'Yeah, good to roll.' Springer replied as he emerged from the crater.Turning away from the broken choppers, Kup paused to briefly admire the view before him. Springer had chosen well, the lines of dark green panelling highlighting his form and drawing attention to all his best parts. And there were faint details of a bright yellow along some of the panels, suggesting that Springer had gone for something with a pinstripe.'Right, this way. Try to avoid stepping on anything man made, the local civilians don't deserve that sort of treatment from us. The military is a different matter, we've got clearance to engage them so long as we minimise civilian collateral.' Kup explained as he started to walk away.'So what's our current situation here on this mud ball?' Springer asked when he fell into step beside Kup.'It's complicated. Most of the humans don't know we're around, or just don't care. We've got a few human allies, seven live in the same area, one is still in the military and one…well we don't really know where Shane is at the moment. He got the shits because no one wanted to be his new rally car.' Kup explained as they jogged across the open fields.'What? Did this Shane seriously expect that an Autobot would willingly let him drive them into danger?''Yeah, something like that. I only met the guy once and honestly, he's an aft of the highest degree.''Sounds like it. What about our people? What sort of numbers are we dealing with?''Grand total, with your presence here we've got 155. A lot of them you won't recognise, their back-story is a long and complicated one that isn't mine to tell. Just know that they're all staunchly loyal and we treat each other as one big family. Within that 155, we've now got 69 younglings of various ages. Mostly femmes, couple little mechs to start balancing out the numbers again.''That many? Frag, I didn't think we'd ever get to the point we could start thinking about sparklings again.' Springer remarked, taking great care not to step on the fences they were passing over. 'So who is here from the old guard?''Ratchet and Ironhide, Hound and Mirage, Prowl and Jazz, Bee, Blaster with Rewind and Eject, Hot Rod, Wheeljack and Perceptor, Sunny and Sides, Leadfoot, Topspin and Roadbuster. Not sure if you ever met Crosshairs or Drift.' Kup shrugged as he stepped onto the dirt road. 'From here we can drive. Stay close and try not to get lost.'"I met Crosshairs once. Paratrooper if I remember. Drift…I'm not so sure about." Springer chuckled softly as he dropped to his wheels and took off after Kup."You'd know him if you'd met him. Swordsmech, triple changer like you.""No, doesn't ring any bells." Springer replied, not overly concerned about Drift. "What about Arcee?""I…I'm sorry Springer. She didn't survive the war. She and her sisters were destroyed in Egypt before I even reached this planet." Kup offered sadly. "I'm assuming you know about what Shockwave did to her.""Yeah, I knew about that. Told her it didn't matter, I'd keep all three of them as my bonded when the war was over." Springer admitted softly. "Wait, what about Prime?""He fucked off into space a few years back, haven't heard anything from him since. Ever since he left, we've been following Blade. He was in a close relationship with Prime before he left, not sure if they ever bonded or not. He's a fair leader, mostly leaves us to our own business.""Clearly I've missed out on a lot since the last time we were together.""More than you know, kid. Come on, let's get back home and get you settled in. I'm sure one of the medical team will be waiting to give you a once over before you turn in for the night." Kup offered as he opened up his engine again."Yeah, I've got a few subsystems that could use a proper repair. Surely Ratchet can fit me in quickly." Springer agreed, engine roaring as he stayed in behind Kup."That's a negative, Springer. Ratchet's busy tonight, out working a long shift with Ironhide and Hound." Another voice broke into their comms, startling Springer."Copy that Fang. So who is available tonight?" Kup replied, giving Springer time to adjust."Windvest, Wheelie, Odd Ball or Wheeljack. The rest of our medical team is responding to a messy pile up north of town. No idea when they'll be finished cleaning it up.""What? I thought we were hiding from humans?" Springer asked, thoroughly confused by this new information."Hiding from some, kid. We've all taken on common alt forms and developed super detailed holoforms to blend into the community. You'll have to come up with a design you like and a believable back-story. You don't have to make any choices tonight; you'll be safe in the underground complex until you figure things out." Kup explained kindly. "Of the suggested medics, I'd go with Wheelie. He's a damned good medic.""Yeah, okay then. I'll trust you on this Kup. If you reckon Wheelie's the best option, I'll give it a try.""Alright, I've informed Wheelie about your impending arrival. He'll be waiting in the main hall when you arrive." Fang confirmed after just a few seconds."While you're up, see if you can find out who has the last of the ID tags from the deceased. Springer's got the claim to Arcee and her sisters." Kup added in a softer tone. "I'm sure he'd appreciate getting those back.""Of course, leave it with me guys. And Springer, I'm sorry we couldn't protect your ladies.""Thanks Fang. I'm sure you all tried your best for them." Springer replied as he came up beside Kup. "So how long until we get to the new facility?'"About twenty minutes, give or take. Depends on how fast we're going and if there's any trouble ahead.""You're in the clear for now guys. The TRF convoy has diverted to help the downed birds. You're clear for the run home." This time Black cut into the conversation."That's what I wanted to hear, Black. We'll slow it down and take the back way into my lot." Kup confirmed.#~#+^*^+#~#Breaking away from Topspin when they heard the call across the general Autobot channel, two new arrivals made a few small alterations to the alt modes they'd already selected and finished polishing their fresh holoforms. Lights flashing a warning, they hurried through the town towards the messy wreck on the north side.The scene was already chaos, with smaller tow trucks from several companies pitching in to pull the twisted wrecks away. Larger wreckers and cranes were also gathered around the site, latched onto a quartet of 18 wheelers at the heart of the pile up. People everywhere were talking, discussing how best to separate the larger vehicles without doing any further damage to any of the vehicles or surrounding infrastructure."Hoist and Grapple on scene. Where do you need us?""Thanks Primus." Ironhide replied almost immediately. "Hoist, you stick by me for now. We've still got way too many small vehicles caught up in this.""Grapple, I'm sending you a route map. Get around there and help Hound with the tanker he's got hold of. If it slides much further, it'll tip over and cause an even bigger disaster." Ratchet added sharply."On it." Grapple confirmed as he backed up and turned to take the alternate route."Lead on Ironhide. Human IDs created as Hugó Kemény and my partner Gréta." Hoist added as he followed Ironhide back into the chaos."Welcome to the team, both of you. Not sure if you've got the briefing yet but for now, I'm your commanding officer. Name's Blade, look for the biggest fire truck in the area and you'll find me.""Topspin gave us the basics on the way in." Grapple replied. "Any idea what happened here?""At this point, nothing certain. I suspect a combination of unsafe driving, distracted drivers and fatigue all combined to make this unholy mess." Prowl offered from his spot directing traffic away from the disaster zone."Hound, watch your aft! I'm picking up a growing heat signature coming from the box truck!" Vinnie warned as he worked to contain a couple of other fires that had broken out."I know! Someone tell that asshole driving the box truck to quit trying to move on his own!" Hound shot back."Oh for…" Ratchet growled low.Breaking into a flat sprint, Rochelle surprised quite a lot of people as she nimbly picked her way through the complex accident scene. Sliding over some vehicles and darting around others, she skidded under a tow cable from one of the other heavy wreckers and reached the box truck in question.Ripping the drivers' door open, she bounded up onto the step and reached in quick as could be. Shutting off the engine, she pulled the keys and turned her glare to the driver.'You were told to shut down and fucking wait! There's a fucking fuel tanker lodged in this fucking tangle! You sitting here like a dumb ass revving your engine is generating heat! The sort of heat that could make that damaged fucking fuel tanker fucking explode!' She roared, getting right in his face before jumping down. 'I will be handing your keys to the Police. You can explain to them why you thought it was a great idea to keep your engine running after being told five fucking times to shut it down!'"Whoa, way to tell that asshole Ratchet." Hound chuckled in relief. "Grapple! I'm highlighting the best spot for you to hook up to. Make sure you've got a tight grip, we can't afford to let this tanker move while we're trying to get these trailers untangled.""I'm on it Hound." Grapple replied and backed into position nearby."Ratchet! Look out!" Blade roared across the team chat."Wha? Oh frag…this is gonna hurt."No one could do anything except watch as a green SUV came careening across the lanes and smashed into Ratchet's left side. The force of the impact was so great that it shunted Ratchet a good eight feet to the right and smacked him up against one of the waiting heavy wreckers."Ratchet!" Ironhide cried, hating that he couldn't rush back to his injured mate."I'm alive." Ratchet groaned in reply. "Frag that hurt. Worse than I thought would.""Hoist, you got a car on the hook yet?" Prowl asked even as he ran towards the new accident scene."No, just about to get my first one." Hoist replied hesitantly. "You want me over there instead?""I'm not gonna be rolling out of this one. Frag, the bastard bent my front axle." Ratchet grumbled."I've got another solution!" This time it was Goggles cutting into the comms. "Sit tight, I'm on my way in. I'll grab Ratchet and get him back to the yard.""I'll make it look good. Just get here safely. We can't afford any more problems." Ironhide agreed easily. "It's for the best Ratch. We need as many hands on deck here as possible.""I know. Make it good 'Hide. Sell the panic." Ratchet sighed and groaned low. "ETA Goggles?""Ten minutes. Hang in there Ratchet."Approaching the smoking wreck slowly, Rochelle could only stare in horror at the damage done. The left side was completely crushed from driver's door to rear storage lockers.'Rochelle! Rochelle! C'mon baby, answer me! Rochelle!' Ignacio's panicked voice rang out, shaking her out of her shock.With shaking hands, she grabbed the radio clipped to her shoulder. Swallowing hard once, twice, she watched the police drag a young man from the other crumpled wreck and swallowed hard again before finally keying the mic.'I…I'm okay Ignacio. I wasn't in my vehicle when it was struck. I was talking with Captain Walker about the asshole driving the box trailer.' she replied, eyes squeezing shut as she turned away from the wreck. 'The support SUV is a wreck though. Bastard caved in the left side pretty badly.''We'll worry about that later, baby. Call Garth, he's got a lift system to haul the SUV back to the yard. You decide if you want to stay or head back as well.' Ignacio coaxed, voice softening now he knew his lady was safe.'Yeah, that makes sense. Think I'll head back, not sure I'm safe to keep working after that scare.''Okay. I'll be home as soon as we get this cleaned up.' Ignacio promised softly. 'Love you.''Love you too. Be careful out here.' Rochelle sighed as she clipped the radio back into place and reached for her cell phone.'Rochelle, are you okay? I can get the paramedics here if you need them.' Penny offered as she jogged over.'No, I'm okay. I wasn't near the accident; Captain Walker can vouch for that. I'm just gonna call Garth Hansen to see if he can come collect my car and take it back to the yard. If he can, I'm gonna head back with him.''Okay. I'll talk to the guys; make sure they're okay with you removing your vehicle. I don't think they'll have a problem, but you never know.' Penny nodded, squeezing Rochelle's shoulder lightly. 'Try to resist the temptation to have a stiff drink when you get home. Just in case.''Don't worry; I'm not in the mood for anything stronger that fruit juice tonight.' 'Good. Let me know that you get home safe, yeah?''Of course Penny.' Rochelle grinned as she scrolled through and pulled up Garth's contact information."Hoist, Grapple, you need to stay focused on the task here. We've got other medical hands that can help get me back into shape. Take care of these humans, they don't know we're here and mustn't find out. Be gentle with them, they're scared and stressed. As part of a tow company, your priority must always be protecting people when they get into trouble.""We've got it Ratchet. We'll help clean this up and follow Ironhide back to the yard. Or Hound, whichever works out the better choice." Grapple replied softly. "Doesn't really matter. We're all working out of the same yard. We'll work out living arrangements after all this mess is sorted out. We're all gonna be pretty busy for at least a few weeks sorting out all the finances of this long job." Hound explained even as he hauled the damaged fuel tanker back onto the road proper.'Gréta, reckon you can hold this tanker where it is on your own?' Harry called as he came around the front of his heavy wrecker.'I am well within weight tolerances. So long as I do not have to move it anywhere, I can hold it.' Gréta nodded, one hand resting on the remote for her crane as she stepped up beside Harry.'Good. I'm gonna unhook here, circle around and grab that grain hauler there. The little guys have cleared enough of the road that I should be able to drag it clear and haul it away.' Harry explained, pointing out his plan of attack as he spoke.'Be careful. Look at where the tanker trailer has torn up the ground; it might make the initial tug more of a challenge.' Gréta noted with a grin. 'I have been at this for some time, my friend.''I'll get highway maintenance in to move some of the dirt out of the way while I'm repositioning. If the tanker moves at all when I start pulling, let me know straight away.'#~#+^*^+#~#Herding another small group towards one of the hidden access tunnels, Splat and Crash kept their sensors tuned for any potential risks to their small convoy. They hadn't expected to pick up a new quartet, they'd been asked to go out and secure one signal that had come down within the bubble the team had plotted as their defensible territory.The initial signal they'd been sent after turned out to be two signals twisted together. Siblings apparently, two thirds of a trio who had been torn apart due to the war and their specialisations.Number three came down closer to town and a little east of their initial planned route, so it was a simple matter for Crash to detour and round them up and add them to the convoy on the way home. The other two new arrivals willingly made room for number three to slip in between them.Number four almost wasn't as lucky. They landed quite some distance away from the initial collection route. After a few moments of discussion, Splat took the risk and transformed back to his initial F/A-18E form before jumping into the sky and racing to intercept this latest arrival.It was almost a miss, despite Splat's increased speed capabilities. TRF were closing in fast, a split convoy coming in from two directions at once. Dropping to the ground, Splat barely gave the new arrival time to straighten fully before grabbing them bodily and launching them both back into the air. At first the new arrival struggled, but when they saw the Autobot insignia on Splat's arm, they relaxed, streamlined and held on for the ride.Reaching their small convoy, Splat deposited arrival number four at the end of the line and gladly switched back to his far less conspicuous Chevrolet Avalanche to take up the tail position and usher their rescued quartet home safely. The new arrivals were all quiet on the drive home, mostly listening to the briefing they were given and hopefully creating new identities that could be refined and prepared for their first official appearance in town."HQ, Ama-Mix headin' in. Better get some extra bunks ready. One turned out to be four." Crash reported from the front of their convoy."Copy that guys. Things are kinda hectic here, so you might end up prepping bunks yourselves." Slash replied. "Avoid the north side of town, there's a big mess out there.""We're in from the east, about to hit access under the Lloyd place." Crash confirmed as he swung onto a narrower road that led around a recently ploughed field."Just make sure you stick to the track out there. I just got finished sowing a wheat crop and I really don't want to do it again." Plate warned sharply."Don't worry Plate. We'll stay on the graded tracks around the edge of your fields. All I ask is that someone puts the welcoming lights on for us." Splat agreed with a chuckle."Warrior's on it. Bring 'em home." Plate confirmed happily."Splat, you got any IDs on those four? We've already had three others land tonight. Springer is safe below. Hoist and Grapple are helping with the wreck on the north side." Fang requested before anyone else could speak."Smokescreen, Bluestreak, Trailbreaker and Tracks. No one's real chatty at the moment. We're gonna need at least one medic available to check them over tonight." Crash offered softly as he continued to negotiate the dirt tracks leading them home."Hope no one's fussy about their medical team then. Ratchet's out of action, got caught up in a secondary crash scene. Goggles and Wheeljack are already working to get him back on his feet. Wheelie's on station in the main hall. Windvest and Odd Ball are on their way down to assist with new arrival checks." Fang explained, voice taking on a note of exhaustion. "We nearly lost one to a fuckin' TRF team. The bastards called the Army for air support. It came down to minutes honestly.""Take a break Fang. You sound beat to hell." Crash suggested calmly as he led the convoy into the well lit shed and down the hidden access ramp."Yeah, I will. You're the last rescue team out tonight." Fang agreed with a sigh."How many did we lose tonight?' Splat asked softly, almost dreading the answer that would come."Six, possibly seven. We're still trying to gather up all relevant data." Fang offered sadly. "Two are still unknown. They were down in the ocean, been no sign of their signals since.""Cliffjumper…one could be Cliffjumper." Tracks spoke up, voice low and pained, full of regret. "We got separated by the unexpected gravity of…Saturn. I tried to go back for him…but I wasn't able to get turned around before I hit the asteroid belt.""I'll put him on our watch list. That way everyone will know to keep their sensors tuned for him. Thank you for giving us a name to fit into the ranks when we find him." Fang offered quietly in return."Welcome Tracks. We were starting to wonder if you'd ever show." Sunstreaker offered kindly, voice warn and almost tender."Sunstreaker? What about…""Right here Tracks. We both made it through." Sideswipe cut him off with a soft laugh. "We'll be there to meet you in the main hall.""I…I've missed you both." Tracks uttered, barely audible on the open channel."I had companions on approach to this system. Huffer was knocked off course near… Pluto. I lost track of Gears and Brawn over…Uranus. Windcharger…he veered into a natural comet on the way in. I lost track of him in the aftermath." Trailbreaker explained in a low, broken voice. "I tried to hard to keep them safe.""You got them close, Trailbreaker. Very few of us managed to bring a second along, you herded four of our most…crotchety friends. You should be proud of getting them as close as you did." Wheeljack replied kindly. "We will all keep hoping they make the final short hop to join the ranks here. In the meantime though, we will place them on the memorial wall, so none can forget their existence somewhere out beyond this planet.""But, I failed in my duties. I failed to keep them safe." Trailbreaker replied softly."No, you didn't fail. You got them close, you brought hope that more of our people are still out there, still searching for this, our new home." Ironhide corrected gently. "Get some rest, you've earned it.""Don't give up hope, Trailbreaker. We picked up three signals that also broke atmosphere tonight, but they're too far away to get accurate IDs. For now, we just have to wait and see if any of them start transmitting an aid request from the other side of the planet." Fang added. "Everything will work out in the end."Leading the rescued squad into the main hall, Crash and Splat were first on their feet, greeting their daughters with wide smiles and happy voices. Scooping them up, they turned back and waited for their new arrivals to transform and stand.Trailbreaker was first to stand, subconsciously hugging his own abdomen as he looked around slowly. Armour gradually settling back against his frame, he relaxed a little more when no one paid him too much attention.'Whoa, talk about basic housing.' Smokescreen remarked as he straightened and looked around.'It's better than some places we've sheltered over the millennia.' Bluestreak added with a shrug. 'At least it's got a solid roof this time.'Skidding in from another entrance, Jazz transformed on the fly, body twisting around the tiny life cradled in his arms. Smile growing, he jogged over towards Smokescreen and Bluestreak were standing, looking around at everything.'Hey Jazz! Long time no see!' Bluestreak called the moment he spotted Jazz approaching. 'Wait…where's Prowl? I thought I picked up on his signal.''He's here, Blue. He's not available right now though. I'll explain everything after you've been checked out by one of the medics available.' Jazz replied with a grin. 'He'll be thrilled to know you're both here and safe.'Picking just that moment to raise a fuss, Hunter squirmed and started keening in a high tone.Ignoring the stunned looks from the brothers in front of him, Jazz retrieved a small bottle from subspace and offered it to Hunter with a low chirr. Helping his little boy latch on, Jazz propped him up a little more and smiled fondly as he started suckling away quietly.'You two sparked? When did that happen?' Smokescreen asked in disbelief.'About seven years now. Right before Prime up and disappeared into space again. We've done pretty good for ourselves ever since.''So what's their name?' Bluestreak asked, though he never took his attention off the sparkling.'We decided on Hunter. It's not traditional, but it's a name that means a lot to us both.' Jazz replied, most of his focus on his son.'It's a good, strong name.' Smokescreen agreed with a chuckle. 'And he's got a good appetite too by the looks of that.''No doubt about it. He's developing faster than the medical team first thought likely.' Jazz noted proudly. 'There's real hope for the next generation now. Hunter's one of many younglings among us now. Last count was seventy one younglings, with only two sparklings currently.''Who else sparked on this dust ball?' Smokescreen asked in a lower tone.'Don't let anyone else hear you insulting this place. It's not Cybertron, but its home to us now. I died for this world. Ironhide died for this planet. Prime abandoned us on this planet. Not one 'bot living around here will ever leave and go back to the dead remains of Cybertron.' Jazz warned with a low growl.'Whoa, we've missed a lot by the sounds of that.' Bluestreak cut in, trying to diffuse the situation before it got violent. 'Got somewhere we can sit and talk it over.''Yeah, we can use one of the smaller halls. Can't take you up to our place, there's not enough space in the garage.' Jazz nodded and turned, scanning the coloured lights mounted in the ceiling. 'There's a lot you guys don't know yet. I'll do my best to bring you up to date tonight so you can get organised and make a public appearance tomorrow.'#~#+^*^+#~#Racing back down into the underground facility with his prize, Sunstreaker weaved his way between the folks coming down to meet the new arrivals and zipped into one of the smallest rooms.Behind him, Steve and Terry moved to block the door, preventing anyone else from sneaking in and causing further upset. Their daughters were hanging back too, playing with their niblings to burn off energy and unwind.'It's okay Tracks, no one else will see it. You can trust Odd Ball, he'll keep it quiet. The only other 'bot who'll know is Ratchet. He's still the CMO for us.' he coaxed softly, watching Tracks closely. 'C'mon now, it's okay. You're safe here. It's only us, no one will disturb us.'Tucked back in the farthest corner, Tracks sat silently on his wheels, uncertain and frightened in the face of what had been revealed. Like all the new arrivals, he'd been asked to go through a quick medical check just to make sure he wasn't hiding injuries or carrying anything infectious.Unfortunately for Tracks, he was pressed to reveal an injury that he'd rather have never exposed to anyone in such a public area. The left side of his face was badly dented and torn open in places. His optic framework was warped and cracked, so his left optic was slow to respond to commands and in some sectors didn't work at all. The side of his helm faired little better. Crisp white plates crushed in with blue and red fragments caught in the tightest crumples.Odd Ball had tried to patch the damage, revealing a deeper concern regarding these injuries. The damage to his helm came out easily enough. The damaged plates still needed more work to properly smooth them out, but they weren't pressing on anything sensitive anymore.But the facial damage was a different story. Despite Odd Ball's best efforts, the plating kept reverting back to the same broken mess. He had managed to get some of the optic unit repaired and so far Tracks wasn't complaining about his vision again.'You know us Tracks; we won't judge you for this. Come on, you can't hide forever. No pressure, we'll take care of you until you're ready to stand on your own again.' Sideswipe coaxed softly, backing up a little so he wasn't crowding Tracks quite so much.'You promise?' Tracks asked softly, engine hitching as he shifted on his suspension.'We promise. We've already discussed the idea; you'll stick with the four of us for as long as you need.' Sideswipe nodded slowly.'Who knows, two pairs might become a quintet now.' Sunstreaker added with a soft smile. 'I've got something here that might help. If nothing else it'll hide what happened until Ratchet knows how to repair it permanently.''I'm open for that idea, so long as everyone agrees to help with childminding.' Stephen chuckled softly as he glanced over his shoulder.'You would trust me with your children, despite this?' Tracks asked, easing out of his corner a little.'Of course. If you want to be part of our family, we welcome you with open arms.' Terrence replied with a grin. 'No pressure, it's your choice.'Gradually, as though afraid the offer would be torn away, Tracks transformed and stumbled back to slide down the wall to sit in his corner. Turning his disfigurement away, he trembled as he sat there, not sure what to do anymore.Approaching slowly, Sunstreaker took a knee and opened the bag he'd gone out to retrieve. Moving slowly, fully aware of how dangerous Tracks could be when cornered; he gathered the contents of the bag in his left hand and reached out to bring it closer to Tracks' damaged face.Responding to proximity and intention as he'd been told it would, the silvery glob in his hand jumped across and spread across Tracks' mangled plating smoothly. Slipping under the damaged plate sand winding around delicate components, the silver substance finally settled and almost solidified in place.Catching Tracks' hands when he went to touch the substance, Sideswipe handed him a mirror and sat back on his heels to watch the reaction. The damaged half of his face was now smooth and perfect, the silver mask glistening under the lights.'What? But how? Those injuries have resisted all repair attempts.' Tracks asked; optics wide in disbelief as he looked at the twins.'This isn't a repair; it's a mask to hide it until Ratchet figures out what's wrong. It's a malleable alloy, a gift from the Martian people. I don't fully understand how it works, just that it does.' Sunstreaker explained with a shrug. 'Do you like it?''It will take some getting used to silver face plates, but I like that I don't have to worry about further damage.' Tracks nodded and lowered the mirror. 'You don't think it looks weird?''Not at all. You look great.' Sideswipe smiled as he reached out to lightly touch Tracks' undamaged right cheek.Sure, he looked a little strange with his face half red and half silver. But when compared to the looks of some of their fellow Autobots, a two-toned face wasn't so bad.'It's only until Ratchet figures out what went wrong. Then you'll be back to how you used to look.' Sunstreaker nodded as he put the storage bag away. 'Everything will be okay in the end.''I'm not sure I'll ever be okay. The things I've endured. Things I've witnessed.' Tracks whispered and ducked his head again.'No matter what, we'll stand with you. Whenever you doubt in your own strength, know that we'll all be standing here by your side.' Terrence promised as he entered and knelt behind Sunstreaker.'You'll always have a place in this strange little family. We're all a little broken, but together we're stronger than ever.' Stephen agreed as he curled one arm around Sideswipe happily.Watching the quartet in front of him, Tracks shook his head slowly. It was certainly tempting to move in with them and see if they could make it work, but he knew that if he did, he might miss out on a better option elsewhere in the ranks.'I appreciate the offer, but I think it'd be better if I stayed on my own for a little while. What we had back then was nice, but I can see you've both found great mates that suit you perfectly. Maybe I'll find my perfect match here too.' he offered with a faint shrug. 'No hard feelings.''No hard feelings, Tracks. There are some great mechs out there, I'm sure you'll find someone who'll adore you.' Sideswipe nodded slowly.'Modo's a sweetspark, always puts his lovers first. His little girl is adorable too. There aren't many single guys left, but I hope you find a good companion among them.' Terrence agreed with a grin. 'But know that at any time you need it, you can always come hang out at our place and just chill.''I'll keep that in mind, thank you.' Tracks replied with a softer smile. 'That's not a name I've heard before.''Ah, well that's an explanation for after you've gone through the new arrival data files. Everything you need to know about us and our operations here is included in the new arrival folders on the mainframe. Everything else you ever need to know about our extended operations and our allies can also be found on the mainframe.' Stephen added as he offered out a welcoming hand. 'If it's not clear, you can ask anyone for help at any time.'#~#+^*^+#~#Finally finishing the cleanup at the first rays of dawn kissed the eastern horizon, Blade groaned as he surveyed the scene again. Most of the emergency services had already left the scene, heading back to file reports and hopefully get some sleep before their next shifts.Prowl and Vinnie had already gone too, promising to get their paperwork done before heading below to stretch out and rest a little while. Prowl in particular was excited to get below, eager to see his brothers after hundreds of years apart.That just left Blade to supervise the final clean up and give the road a quick wash down to remove the last debris before it was opened up to traffic again. In the distance, he could see the last traffic teams packing up and waiting for the signal to move away and let traffic resume. Hopefully before the morning rush kicked into gear.One of the swampers for one of the smaller towing companies was still sweeping up glass. Another was busily gathering up bits of twisted metal torn off the various wrecks during the night. Someone else was sweeping dirt and pebbles off the roadway to make it safer for everyone on the road.Leaning back against the chill bumper, Bianca unwound what remained of her braid and combed her fingers through her hair as she watched the final cleanup efforts. For all the chaos, the long night had made it clear to everyone who saw her that she was just the sort of little firecracker the firehouse needed in charge.These quiet moments were some of his favourite moments. A moment to just breathe and decompress before plunging back into the tangled roles he had to balance. Glancing skyward for a moment, he briefly cursed Optimus for leaving him again and sighed softly.Tying her hair back up into a slightly neater braid, Bianca sighed and looked towards the road crews again. She had really developed a strong relationship with her family at the firehouse. All of them were all too happy to pick Ofelia up from school and either drop her at home or bring her back to the firehouse until Bianca was done for the day.There had been a few flirtatious attempts in the beginning, but after they saw young Matthew knocked on his ass when he tried to kiss Bianca's cheek, they eased off. There had only been two conversations about Bianca's missing husband Bartolomeo. Both had ended in near tears and promises not to pressure her for more information.It really was like a family most of the time and strangely, it was a break from the insanity that came with leading the Autobots in secret. No matter how stressful it got trying to control the Autobots, it was always a delight to walk into the firehouse and get swept up in the excitement of another day."Blade, you got a minute?" Black cut into his thoughts softly, sounding like he wasn't quite awake either."Yeah, what's up Black? You sound pretty tired too.""I was on overflight last night. That's not important though. You've got a priority one coming in from China. Beijing to be exact." Black offered, drawing a low curse from Blade."Put them through. I think I know what this is gonna be about." Blade instructed with a low sigh. "Then do a call around the ranks, rattle me together a small strike team for a dark mission. And make sure there are at least two who can fly that little shuttle of ours. They're gonna need it.""We'll get it arranged Blade. I'm heading off shift, but Speed can take over." Black confirmed and passed the incoming call straight into the same channel.As he'd expected, it was someone from the Chinese government demanding that he dispatch a team to either retrieve the Dinobots from Chinese soil or eliminate them and send the debris for scrap. China still had a large repair bill to finish dealing with after the Hong Kong disaster.Inner voice full of respect and courtesy, Blade promised to dispatch a team as soon as possible to help sort out the Dinobot incident and bring in some additional supplies to help with the ongoing building work. That offer helped to ease at least a little of the tension between them.Negotiating for the supplies deemed most essential for rebuilding Hong Kong, Blade sent the list to Wheeljack and Wheelie, instructing them to get it together as fast as possible along with an explanation of what it was all for. Trusting in them to have everything ready, he assured the diplomat he was speaking to that he would contact their office again when the team and the shipment were ready to be dispatched. That way they would hopefully avoid any further tensions between their peoples.With one last reassurance, Blade ended the call and groaned. Great. What the ever living fuck was he meant to do with the Dinobots? More importantly, where the fuck was he going to house them?"You free to talk Blade?" This time it was Wheeljack, reaching out on one of the private channels."Yeah, just finished with the Chinese diplomat. What's up Wheeljack?""I'm not going to be available to help with this new Chinese job. I've already got something else in the works that needs my full attention.""Something else? Wheeljack, what the hell are you up to now?" Blade groaned, already thinking about who he could assign to minimise any damage Wheeljack could do. "And no dodging the questions this time. I don't really have time to diffuse another incident on your land."Bracing for the worst when Wheeljack hesitated for several seconds, Blade got quite a surprise when he was instead sent some extremely complex diagrams and plans for something. Looking the diagrams over carefully and running a translation program over it, he was left in complete disbelief over what he'd uncovered.Wheeljack had come up with a huge engineering project, not for their benefit but for the benefit of humanity. He'd taken a mix of Cybertronian and Martian technology, blended them with some common human building technologies and come out with a full plan on how they could protect Venice from the water that constantly threatened to destroy the beautiful city."How long have you been working on this, Wheeljack?" he asked, still turning the plans over even as he pulled out to start hosing off the roadway."About a year. I saw the story about the sea gates they installed to try and stop the inundation. When I heard the gates had failed, I wanted to see if I could figure out a way to help without sullying the views of Venice." Wheeljack explained happily. "I've been in touch with the Venice government; they want me to travel to Venice in a couple weeks to show them my prototypes.""Am I to assume that someone from 14 has been helping with the project?""Of course. Slash, Magura, Dakota, Fang, Fog, Falcon, Speed, Ripper and Streaks all offered their knowledge and expertise with the systems."Thinking for a moment, Blade chuckled softly. That was just about everyone with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Martian secondary shielding system. There were a few others, but what they knew wasn't really all that important."Do you really think this can work?""I do Blade. We've done some small scale tests, up to briefly diverting the stream that runs through the back of my home block. We can make this work." Wheeljack promised, voice brimming with confidence."Do you have a team picked out?" Blade asked, already planning ahead and preparing for what might come from this."Streaks, Magura, Speed and Ripper. With Perceptor and I, that's a strong six that can get the job done."Considering the team for a moment, Blade chuckled softly. Perhaps Wheeljack had the right idea here. Something to definitely consider in the next few days. Right now, he had bigger issues to contend with."Alright, I'll mark you and your team as unavailable for the foreseeable future. Keep me informed of your progress, you might have just opened up a whole new avenue for us." Blade directed happily. "But Wheeljack, next time you start a big engineering project for the humans, make sure you tell me first.""Of course Blade. We were planning on telling you about this, but in the chaos of everything it just kinda got forgotten.""We've all been busy since arriving in town, I know." Blade agreed with a low hum."If you're available tonight, we can go over everything in detail." Wheeljack offered readily. "It's been fun for us all, working in a smaller scale that humans can readily maintain once it's all installed.""I look forward to seeing what you've put together for them. Right now though, I've got to get back to work. I'll see you tonight." Blade signed off with another soft chuckle.Satisfied that the roadway was clean and safe for use, Bianca waved to the waiting traffic crews and bounded up behind the wheel of her favourite truck. Executing a near perfect three point turn, she gave her audience one quick blast of the horn before heading back to the firehouse for a much needed shower and some rest.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Trusting his team to get the job done, Speedshot turned his attention to the Chinese delegation waiting nearby. Sinking to one knee and casting out his favoured Emily holoform, Speedshot settled back on his heel and bowed his helm respectfully.Dressed in a perfectly tailored blue suit, Emily approached the delegation with her head held high. Instead of a traditional Western suit style, hers is cut in a more traditional Chinese style, with two dragons picked out in silver and gold. Tails coiled around her forearms, the pair entwined around her torso and rested their heads on her shoulders.Hair done in a simple braid, decorated with a few fresh flowers and two tiny gold birds nestled among the strands. Unlike a lot of Autobot holoforms, her eyes were the same deep, rich brown she had been known for when she was still alive. The only big difference was the removal of the big scar that used to mar her neck.Giving out an impression of confidence without arrogance, she stopped short of the delegation and offered a respectful bow before introducing herself in perfect Mandarin. Polite without appearing weak, she explained the stockpiles of supplies that had been bought for use in rebuilding Hong Kong.Picking up one something from one of the delegates, she continued with her detailed report, revealing that the delivered supplies had been marked and there would be future inspections to be certain that these donated supplies were used to rebuild homes for everyone first. To be absolutely certain that local bureaucrats couldn't sell the donated goods to line their own pockets, she also presented the delegation with multiple copies of a new contract signed by their own central government. Everything was laid out in clear, concise details and listed the agreered upon penalties if any of the rebuilding goals in the contract were not met in a timely fashion.Watching the emotions flit across their faces, she kept a straight face and held back a giggle as they flipped through the contracts in search of any loopholes that would allow them to still make a profit off these goods. Unfortunately for them, there was no such loophole. Any attempt to profit off these goods would result in a massive loss of face for everyone involved.Satisfied that she had made her point, Emily smirked at the delegation and simply disappeared before anyone else could say a word.'Before you leave, these is something else you should know.'The speaker was young, waiting at the very back of the delegation. Almost immediately the senior members of the delegation tried to silence the speaker, insisting that he had no idea what he was talking about.Reappearing to the right of the group, Emily snarled low as she advanced on the delegation. Gone was her elegant suit and neat hair. Instead, she wore black fatigues with her hair pulled back in a low ponytail.'Let him speak or I will personally order all these supplies loaded up and returned to our holding facility.' she growled, one hand resting on the large pistol snug on her hip.Reaching out, she lightly propelled the young man away from the main group, ushering him far enough that no one else would overhear their conversation.Moving closer, Speedshot settled on the ground between the delegation and the lone man speaking with his holoform. He couldn't protect the young man forever, but at least he could ensure his information was safely passed across.'Five of your kind are here. They arrived months after the battle, leaving trails of smoke in the sky. Rather than inform your people of their arrival, it was decided to keep them as prisoners. I know where they are, but not their current condition.' he explained quietly as he withdrew his phone from inside his jacket. 'The address is…''Say no more. I can take the address from here with your permission.' she replied softly, one hand hovering over the phone.'Take it. Save your people. I dread to think what my government will do to them when their usefulness is at an end.'Concentrating on the phone, Topspin rifled through the files before coming to an address that didn't match anything else in the phone memory. Using Emily to verify it was the right one; he downloaded the address file and wiped it from the memory chips. At least that way there was no direct proof that this young man had given away such a national secret.In its place, he planted a file that detailed a quick and dirty plan to get him out of China if he felt that was the best course of action. He wouldn't be able to bring much if he chose to run, but at least it would give him some protection from Chinese retribution.'Thank you. Your kindness will not be forgotten. Now, you must be careful. No doubt your superiors will try to punish you for what you have revealed here. Go that way; we'll do our best to cover you until you can get away. There is a new document on your phone. I hope it helps.' Emily whispered, low enough for him to hear but no one else. 'you have not just earned our respect, but we will make sure all our people know that you are the reason we can bring more of our people home.'Head snapping up when he received a copy of the information, Topspin growled low as he looked towards the delegation. Nodding slowly, he turned back to their team and thought for a moment.'Frontal, Dirt Track, Steel and Ash, I hope you've still got your aerial modes. We've got a rescue mission.' he briefed as he shifted his armour to expose his hidden heavy weaponry.'You know it Spin.' Plate grinned as he straightened.'A rescue mission? But we haven't received any signals from this region.' Carbon noted as he started reforming his sleeker flight capable lines.'Apparently the Chinese have been keeping some of our number hostage.' Topspin replied in a low tone. 'Exact IDs unknown.''Are we sure they're Autobots?' Raider asked as he set down another load of I beams and stepped back to begin his switch from ground to aerial mode.'Even if they aren't, it's a better option to offline 'em rather than leave 'em in Chinese hands. We all know what Joshua fucking Joyce did. Anyone wanna bet these pricks are worse?' Topspin shrugged as he spoke. 'Either way it's a mercy.''Let's get going then. You've got a map I take it?' Plate nodded as he shook out his wings.'Yeah, it's just finalising now.''Be safe out there. We'll arrange a secure location to wait for the shuttle to swing back around.' Speedshot directed as he approached the group. 'Don't take any stupid risks. If you need them, call for Bias and Heads.''Hey, I'm not the one who goes for heroics.' Topspin chuckled and shrugged again. 'I swear I'll call for backup if the shit hits the fan.''You're just as bad as Buster when it comes to stupid shit. Now get going, before I decide to tag along too.' Speedshot laughed and pulled Topspin in close for a quick kiss. 'Soon as you've got IDs, let me know.''Count on it lover.'Turning back to his smaller team just in time to watch them launch skyward on revitalised thrusters, Topspin reached out and laughed in delight as Modo caught him by the forearm and tossed him almost straight up.Rolling over mid air, he laughed again as Plate snatched him up and pulled him close to his chest. Tucking weapons away again and streamlining his body, Topspin passed the final route map to his team and held on for the ride.#~#+^*^+#~#With Blade perpetually busy and almost permanently on station at the fire house, Slash took over a lot of the daily running about that needed to be done. With his position working at one of the local farm supply companies, it wasn't all that surprising to see his truck parked anywhere around town. Everyone needed something from his business for some reason.Today that meant a trip to talk with Wheeljack about the latest advances on the Venice project. So far it was going quite well, small scale tests were already indicating that the modified technology would be more than capable of saving the city from the rising tides.Satisfied with the progress on that project, he turned his attention to another pet project Blade had started. At this point, no one was totally sure it would work, but it was at least a step in a new and potentially lucrative direction for their team. Provided of course that they could convince Ratchet to take the lead. No one else in the team had the particular set of skills that would be needed for the job.Thankful that the rain gave him an excuse to back into the main workshop behind the house, Slash accessed the shield program to add his own image to the static holoform display before turning and easing down the ramp leading to the secret workspace Ratchet had cleared out under the yard.Getting to his feet once the space opened up a little more, he approached the main workshop Ratchet had set up and knocked lightly on the metal panel imbedded in the wall.'Come on through Slash!' Ratchet called, though he sounded a little distracted.Pushing the door open, he stepped through and paused, not quite sure what to make of the sight before him. Ratchet had Crosshairs sitting on the workbench and he was busy carving something into one of Crosshair's chest plates. Sidewinder was sitting nearby, rubbing some sort of grease into a fresh etching on his chest plate.'Am I interrupting something here?''Nah, we're just about done. This is another step on the long recovery after losing Ace.' Sidewinder replied with a shrug. 'We've got to get back to work soon anyway.''How's that treating you anyway? Aside from the regular issues with sick livestock in the region.' Slash asked with a faint chuckle.'Well, most of the ol' boys have stopped tryin' to sabotage my career. Earned a reputation with some of the local farmers since we arrived, that's been a huge help. A few don't like dealing with a Muslim woman, but most are okay.' Crosshairs explained over the sound of Ratchet's tools. 'Might have decked one of 'em when they tried to be a smart mouth.''Yeah, I heard about ol' Marcus Jackson. He came in looking to get more winter feed since he refused to let some "stupid towel head" swindle him out of thousands of dollars by selling his stock to her "terrorist friends.".' Slash replied, complete with air quotes. 'I told him to take his business elsewhere. That I made better sales to you and your charming husband that we ever had selling to his family. He didn't much appreciate that.''No, I can imagine he wouldn't. I've had the pleasure of dealing with that prick too. He's a total ass to anyone who isn't white.' Ratchet noted quietly as he put his tools down. 'There, all done. Make sure you treat it with the same nano-infused grease so it doesn't heal over.''He's not much better to anyone who he deems of lower social standing than he is. He tried the same shit with me, I told him to take his business elsewhere. I didn't need his toxic behaviour around my clinic and staff.' Sidewinder added as he stood.'I'll take proper care of it Ratchet. This means a lot, to both of us. Thanks for squeezing us in on short notice.' Crosshairs replied as he slid to his feet.'Least I could do for you two. I should have been paying more attention at the time.' Ratchet offered with a small smile.'You had other priorities. Besides, even with my unique situation, you couldn't have expected it to happen that fast.' Crosshairs shrugged.'No, I didn't expect it to happen as it did. Honestly, I expected it to happen much sooner. Either way, I should have been paying closer attention to you for a while longer.''We don't hold it against you Ratchet. This is war, sadly. So of course some things are just not that important.' Sidewinder replied as he sidled up beside Crosshairs and started to rub the grease into the fresh engraving.'Go on you two, get on out of here. I'll check the progress tonight.' Ratchet waved them away before turning to put his tools away. 'I may also have something else to discuss with you, but we'll just see how some other discussions go first.''You know where to find us.' Sidewinder offered as they wandered out of the workshop and disappeared from view.Shifting to lean against the wall as Ratchet started clearing away his tools, Slash reached out to his brother to confirm that this was still the plan. Blade gave him a super quick confirmation before cutting the connection. Probably busy training again.'What brings you down here Slash?' Ratchet asked as he started cleaning the engravings heads he'd used.'Blade asked me to come and discuss one of his ideas with you.' Slash replied, shifting against the wall briefly.'Which plan? I know he's got a lot of things going on currently.' Ratchet pressed, turning to Slash and indicating the chair Sidewinder had abandoned. 'Sit and relax, this might take a while.'Pushing off the wall, Slash was quite surprised when Ratchet handed him a cube of the latest high grade. He didn't know who was making it; he was just thankful that someone was making it.'He wants to call you into action as our best diplomat. No, let's be real here. Our only diplomat. He's got this idea that you could dust off your long unused diplomacy skills and start working out some agreements with the humans. I'm not entirely sure what sort of deals he's thinking about, he didn't want to reveal too much until after he got your opinion on the matter.''I expected as much. When I first told him I used to work as a diplomat, I expected Blade would turn around and ask me to negotiate with the humans on his behalf.' Ratchet nodded as he sunk into another chair. 'Any suggestions on where he'd want to start said negotiations?''I can think of a few things he wants to change. But I also know he wants to offer some of our tech to communities that could use it. Blade was inspired by Wheeljack's plan for Venice; he wants to see if we could turn the same idea to protect vulnerable people the world over.' Slash explained with a low hum.'If anyone can make it work, Wheeljack can. He has done remarkably well to eliminate almost all of his usual explosions when experimenting.' Ratchet chuckled softly as he relaxed. 'Did Blade mention any sort of timeline?''At this point, he's not even confident you'll agree to the position. It's a big job and I'm not sure there's anyone else that can really help out. As you well know, none of us are well known for out diplomatic tendencies.' Slash admitted with a shrug. 'Well, maybe Throttle but he's prone to violence just like the rest of us.''I'll take the position, but I'll need more to work with that just a few vague ideas. When we all have some time, we'll gather the leadership group together and come up with a list of items to be discussed with the humans. I'll talk to Wheeljack; see what other scenarios he's tested the modified shields against.' Ratchet offered.It felt good to be returning to his fundamentals. To be able to put aside his military responsibilities and focus on forging a diplomatic path forward. He wasn't totally sure how he'd go negotiating with humanity after such a long hiatus though.'I'll ask around, see if anyone else is interested in helping out with your new workload. Surely I can find a few volunteers to help.' Slash agreed with a smile. 'Hell, if I wasn't so busy acting as Blade's go between, I'd help out.''You've got enough on your plate, Slash. Let me take care of this one, I know the sort of people I need in my staff.' Ratchet replied softly. 'You and Blade have enough to deal with, just trying to keep everyone working together.''Ain't that the truth.' Slash laughed and drained his cube. 'It's good to see you up and walking again. We were all worried about you after that crash.' 'I'm still not back to my best. At the moment, I still can't transform easily, hence the complex disguise in the workshop. Could be a few months before I can get back into action properly.' Ratchet explained as he lightly touched some of his crumpled armour. 'I'll get there though.'#~#+^*^+#~#Stepping off the shuttle again, Tank scanned the area around their landing zone slowly. Pistol held lightly in his left hand, he adjusted his sensors and scanned again. There could be no mistakes. They had to get this job done fast and get back to China before the team there got into further trouble.'I'm not picking up on any threats in the area.' Chaos reported from the front of their shuttle.'Acknowledged. The rear sectors are clear as well.' Tank replied as he secured his pistol. 'It's on you now Blaster.'Trooping out of the shuttle, the rest of the team spread out and scanned the horizon, enjoying the moment to get out and stretch their legs a little while waiting for their companions to arrive.Most of them were still thinking about the news from the China team. To hear that they had somehow missed a mass arrival and left their friends in enemy hands hurt deeply. They all knew how dangerous humanity could be, their memories of that place in Chicago still felt far too fresh.'I don't like this. We're too exposed here.' Crimson warned from his perch atop the shuttle. 'Any lunatic with an RPG could take one of us out.''Crimson, this is Australia. Finding some nutcase with an RPG is a hell of a lot harder than it is in America. We'll be okay for the duration of this short visit.' Braid replied with a lazy shrug. 'Everyone is constantly scanning the horizons, we're safe here.''Be honest, Braid. We ain't safe anywhere outside our city. Humanity hates us…and honestly, I can see why sometimes.' Crimson countered as he scanned the horizon again. 'You can't tell me you haven't noticed it too.''We've all noticed it Crimson. Rehashing it doesn't make the situation any better. Remember what Blade said in our last officer's meeting. Give him time. He's still trying to unpick the problems Optimus dropped on his shoulders.' Braid continued, turning to look up at Crimson. 'Trust him, as you always have.''I do trust him. But let's be real here. We can't hide forever and we have no fucking clue about Ratchet's capabilities beyond what we've already witnessed.' Crimson snapped in frustration. 'He talks a big game but come on, when has he ever been the voice of diplomatic fucking reason?''Then who else do we turn to Crimson? If not Ratchet, who will stand up and argue for our rights? I get it; we're all frustrated and tired of hiding from humans. We're all fed up with the situation. But we also can't go firing off half cocked. Think about the next generation. You think any of us enjoy knowing that our kids can never roam free?' Braid countered, voice rising as he spoke.'I know Ratchet doesn't immediately come across as a diplomatic sort but come on, did you honestly expect Ironhide was a star athlete back before the war? Or that Mirage is a high noble? Wheeljack was a teacher back in the golden age. We all had different careers, or we were still in school trying to figure out what we wanted to do with our lives.' Blaster weighed in angrily. 'Fuck, I was an up and coming DJ, I almost had my big break when the clubs were shut down on Ultra Magnus' order.''a'right, that's enough! We're here to do a job. So let's all just simmer down and focus on what is most important here! We don't have time to be arguin', not with lives at stake in China. We can argue about all this shit later!' Bandana snapped from his spot on the perimeter. 'Fuck! It's not like we've been working and living together for years or anythin'!'For a few moments, the area was completely silent. Even the distant wildlife had gone quiet in the face of Bandana's outburst.'Bandana's right. We can discuss this once everyone is home safely again. Lives are at stake. We have to be ready for any and all eventualities.' Braid nodded and sighed as he looked up at Crimson again. 'I get it, I really do. But we all knew there would be changes when we lost Emily's protection.''So why can't Speedshot take up the diplomatic role? He knows the humans better than anyone.' Crimson asked in a lower voice.'Emily was the least diplomatic of us all. Her transition to Speedshot didn't temper her aggressive nature, bro. If anything, he's even less likely to put up with political bullshit than she ever was.' Splat offered sadly. 'It won't hurt to ask Speedshot if he'll join our delegation though.''I doubt he would. He's got less patience for political bullshit than anyone else.' Babe scoffed from her spot near Splat. 'C'mon dad, you know Speedshot better than that. He's more likely to blow their brains out than actually negotiate.''Yeah, I know. It's nice to live in hope though. We're gonna need to build a team around Ratchet's skills, no matter how rusty they are.' Splat nodded as he pulled his little girl closer. 'Blaster, got any updates on our missing people?''They're inbound. ETA ten minutes.' Blaster replied as he turned his attention back towards the horizon. 'IDs have been interrogated and confirmed. They'll make some of the old hands real happy when we get home.''C'mon sweetspark, you can give us more than that.' Tank chuckled as he turned to Blaster. 'We're not all familiar with the folk who used to fill the ranks.''Alright, spoilsport.' Blaster laughed and wandered over to tuck under Tank's left arm happily. 'They're a quintet that came into the initial war late. Not just brothers, but also a rare combiner team.''A combiner team?' Babe asked as she turned towards Blaster.'Yeah, they were always a pretty rare occurrence on Cybertron. I can only remember encountering five or six of them before the AllSpark was launched from Cybertron. After that, I don't think any new ones ever appeared.' Blaster explained softly. 'I honestly thought the war had claimed them all.''So they combined into strong teams that worked well together? Why would the loss of the AllSpark change that?' Babe continued to feed her curiosity.'Not quite, little one. Combiner teams have a unique skill that can't be replicated by any random team. They have a special adaptation to their transformation subsystems. I don't really understand how it all works.' Blaster chuckled as he slid away from Tank.'You have more experience with them than I do, Blaster. I knew of two teams, neither survived the fall of Cybertron.' Drift offered from his spot on the ramp of their shuttle.'Okay, let me see if I can explain this in a way that makes sense.' Blaster nodded as he started to pace.Figuring it was probably best to just forge ahead and deal with any questions as they came up, he turned to Babe again and sank down to sit on the ground. Within seconds she flew across the gap and plopped down in front of him.This was something familiar. All the younglings were eager to learn everything they could about the Cybertronian people and their history. Whenever one of the older hands sat down, those that were close would gather around for another lesson on their heritage.'Most Cybertronians only have one transformation subsystem. That's all we need. Triple changers like Springer and Drift have three. One from base to each of their alt modes and one from alt to alt. combiner teams have one solo subsystem and one that can only trigger if everyone in the group activates it at the same time.'Nodding along, Babe briefly glanced towards Drift before bringing her full attention back to Blaster. She knew a lot of this already, the adults were great for making sure all the youngsters had their questions answered, no matter how awkward they might be.'This team subsystem triggers a different sort of transformation. Instead of becoming five individuals, they are drawn together and form one much larger Autobot. I don't know the deep details, you'd be better off asking Ratchet about those points.''Ohhh, just like Devastator in Egypt. Bumblebee recorded footage of him before the US Navy blew him up.' Babe replied excitedly. 'But he was made from eight Decepticons if I recall.''I wasn't on Earth for the Egypt battle, little one. I arrived much later.' Blaster remaindered her gently.'Oh, I forgot.' Babe uttered, looking away for a moment. 'Hang on, I think I can…'Activating the small holo-generator in her right hand, Babe concentrated and reached out to Bee across the vast distance. Voice communication was so easy; they could piggyback on any human communication link for that. But data communication over such a distance was far more of a challenge.Turning her right hand over, Babe was able to project a short sequence from the longer recording, giving Blaster a close view of the monstrosity that had been Devastator. The footage was a little degraded by distance, skipping and freezing in sections before repeating.'Whoa, never seen one that big before. I didn't even know a gestalt could be that big. Five always seemed to be the maximum that worked.' Blaster muttered as he watched the footage again.'Heads up, here they come!' Crimson called, pointing to the south-east.'We'll continue this later, little one. Time to meet some new friends.' Blaster chuckled as he rocked to his feet.Switching off the display, Babe started to get up, left hand out for balance as she pushed up. Something was wrong though. Warnings flashed into her awareness as she stumbled and almost fell back into the dirt.'Whoops, easy does it little one.' Blaster soothed as he lifted her up. 'Bit too much of a strain, yeah?''I don't get it. I was fine just before.' she uttered as she relaxed into his kind embrace.'That was a long distance call without a bond to aid you. It's not a surprise that it took a lot out of you.' Blaster explained softly. 'You should be proud that you were able to hold it as long as you did.''Shh, get some rest baby girl. Daddy's got you.' Splat uttered as he gently took his daughter back and cradled her close.'She's gonna be one to watch in the coming centuries. I think she'll move up in society to take her place quicker than anyone else.' Blaster remarked proudly. 'You've raised a real little firecracker.''Yeah, she's really developed into a curious little girl. Far more than even I gave her credit for. It's good though, I was initially worried that she wouldn't want to know about her new heritage.' Splat nodded as he settled Babe in closer. 'Didn't even think she had the capacity to reach Bee without a lot of support from others.''Youngsters have a habit of surprising their parents. Take that from a sire who used to have six young sons.' Blaster sighed and turned away to greet the new arrivals.Throwing up a cloud of red dust, the new team skidded to a stop among the waiting team. Well four skidded in as the fifth swooped down from above and blew the dust away before landing among his companions.'Well shit. That's gonna make hidin' this lot a fuckin' nightmare.' Bandana remarked in disbelief.His comment wasn't completely unexpected. Most of the team were thinking along the same lines.All five new arrivals were liberally festooned with reflective markings in blue, red, yellow and green. Four of them had red and blue lights affixed; the last simply had a large spotlight slung under their nose. Branded on all sides with their duty stations, they no doubt made for a reassuring sight to any human in need of help.Once the dust was fully cleared, the new arrivals transformed slowly, groaning and complaining as they untwisted and stood. Reacting without thought, the rest of the team gathered around them, offering support and help until the new members of the team were standing tall again.'Whoa, you didn't mention all the new faces Blaster.' one remarked as he looked Braid over slowly.'I wouldn't get too excited there Groove. Braid's firmly mated with four younglings already.' Blaster chuckled and shook his head. 'It's a long story and we don't have time right now.''All I wanna know is if we'll ever have to stress about being cramped in alts for too long again.' another commented as he leaned on Tank's shoulder for support.'That we can promise. You'll still have to be cautious, but Blade will make certain you all get plenty of time to get up and stretch properly.' Tank promised with a smile.'Who the frag is Blade?' that came from the reformed helicopter.'Current commander of the Autobots here on Earth. At one point, he was in a relationship with Optimus, but since Optimus up and fucked off into deep space again, Blade's been doing his best to keep us all on track and safe.' Bandana replied with a low sigh. 'I strongly suggest you learn respect for him real fast.''Easy Bandana, don't go starting anything right now.' Braid warned in a low tone. 'Like Blaster said, it's a long story and we don't have time to discuss it right now. There are lives at stake; we need to get moving before things deteriorate further.' 'You'd better make time then. We're not going anywhere.' this time the fire truck spoke, pushing away from Cosmo to stand on his own.'I don't recall you ever being this much of a hard-aft Hot Spot.' Blaster growled as he stepped up to the reformed fire truck. 'Now, unless you want the knowledge that your stubborn aft indirectly caused the undue suffering and potential deaths of another gestalt, you're gonna get your afts on that shuttle.''Wait…you know who is in danger in China?' Braid asked as he turned to Blaster.'Well yeah. I'm still the main comms 'bot. None of the crew over in China had the clear signal to inform Blade of the updated situation. So Speedshot and Topspin doubled down to send be a data burst about their situation. I unpacked it and linked into the main network to pass it to Blade.' Blaster shrugged as he spoke.'Who responded first?' Tank asked with a grin.'Rewind. Darlin' and Eject were out playing with Harley and her brothers.''See, I told you they'd be fine for a couple days.' Tank soothed as he tucked Blaster in against his side again.'So, you gonna tell us who we're rescuing or are we meant to fly blind?' Crimson asked as he joined the group. 'We're in the clear, no signs of any sort of tail.''At this point, we should be more focused on ensuring there's a safe extraction site when we reach Chinese soil. Somewhere away from population centres since we've got to pick up those Dinobots somehow. What I will say is this…we're about to get more flyboys to fill the ranks.''Well, that'll make some of the current flyboys happy. I know some want to keep their ground modes if we're ever called into action again.' Braid noted quietly. 'Look, we haven't gotten off on the best foot here so let's just take a few moments to introduce ourselves before we head off.'For a few moments no one spoke, optics drifting from face to face as they waited for someone to break and speak up.'Oh for…this is stupid. We don't have time for a dick measuring contest right now.' Tank growled in frustration. 'I'm Tank, part of the security detachment. Blaster and I have been bonded for almost nine years now.''Chaos, also part of the security detachment.''Splat, demolitions expert and this is my daughter Babe. Don't ask, she's had the name since before she was truly sentient.''Head of the sniper team, name's Crimson.''We're the Protectobots. Hot Spot is our team leader. I'm First Aid, that's Blades, Groove and Streetwise.''I'm Braid, head of the Heavy Gunners. That's Bandana and Cosmo. And Drift over there keeping watch for human activity. I get it. You don't know us and for the most part, we don't know you. You've got no reason to trust us, I know. But think about it this way. If you choose to stay here, you'll likely be trapped in your alts until the humans you work with decide that you're not useful anymore and sell you for scrap value. Where's that leave you?''Ouch, harsh Braid.' Blaster remarked with a wince. 'He has a point though. Obviously you've already figured out that you can't reveal your presence to the humans.''Yeah, we got that. Groove was shot a couple times by unwelcoming humans.' First Aid nodded slowly. 'We had no idea they were so protective of their structures.''Yeah, that's pretty normal sadly. Our people have done more than a bit of damage to this beautiful world since it first drew Prime's attention. Because of that, a lot of humans hate us…and honestly, I can understand that.' Blaster explained with a shrug.'Yeah, no denying that we've done a lot of damage to this fragile world. Hopefully the new plan for diplomacy will work out.' Tank agreed softly. 'We've all worked hard to disappear from human attention, so the hostility has faded at least somewhat. It's not a perfect situation but it's the best we've got.''We need to hurry! A large group of local authorities is inbound.' Drift warned as he turned to look up at Crimson. 'Can you confirm?'Taking a knee, Crimson hefted his rifle and adjusted the scope. His optics were highly tuned and gave a greater visual range than most, but his scope further boosted that to the point he could see the individual hairs on the officers in the lead car.'Yeah, we've got company. State and federal marked cars. Looks like they've bought along their SWAT equivalent as well. We gotta go now or we're all gonna be picking lead out of plating for days.' Crimson confirmed loud enough for everyone to hear. 'Australians or not, I really don't wanna put Babe at risk right now.' Splat nodded as he turned and headed for the shuttle. 'Saddle up! We're getting outta here!' Braid ordered in a booming voice.Sharing a quick look, the Protectobots joined the race towards the shuttle. As much as they liked the relatively laid back attitude the Australians had, they didn't particularly enjoy the idea of being stuck in their alts for the foreseeable future.'Blaster, take the helm! Get us outta here! Crimson, rear guard! Just don't kill any of 'em this time!' Braid continued as he used his broader frame to shield Babe from view as they raced up the ramp.'Buckle in guys! This is gonna be a little rough!' Blaster warned as he raced forward.'I've got it Braid. Give me some credit.' Crimson nodded as he spun back to the closing ramp. 'EMP bursts will take the fight out of them.'Hugging the walls, the Protectobots simply watched as Crimson stretched out on the half-closed ramp and lowered his head to his rifle. Fingers caressing the side of his weapon, he adjusted his aim and opened fire.#~#+^*^+#~#'Are you sure we're ready for this?' Revs asked softly as they looked over the new infirmary they'd built in one of the larger underground halls.'I hope so Revs.' Ratchet replied softly. 'I wish you had more information, but I know you won't get much until Blaster's gotten the full briefing from Speedshot.''And you're sure about leaving this in my hands?' Revs asked again, shoulder panels twitching nervously as he looked up at Ratchet.'I have faith in you Revs. You can deal with this.' Ratchet promised as he rested one hand on Revs' shoulder. 'The team has to start realising that I'm not always going to be available. You're going to lead this one with your team, with Hoist and Grapple in reserve. I'll be close if you really get stuck, but I want you to give this your best.''You know I will. Doesn't ease my nerves though. I'm not as well trained as you. I don't have the experience you do.' Revs replied and looked away in shame. 'I'm still far better versed with flesh and blood than anything mechanical.'Turning to face Revs fully, Ratchet reached out to grip his shoulders firmly. He could understand Revs' anxiety, it was a heavy burden to become the main medic for such a large team. But if Ratchet was going to step aside and take the diplomatic post, Revs had to step forward and prove he could take charge of the medical side.'You're not alone Revs. I know this is frightening. I felt the same when I first took up the mantle millennia ago. But you have the advantage of a far larger team than I ever had. You can do this Revs. You are ready to be the next CMO of this unit.'Intakes catching, Revs lifted his hands to loosely grip Ratchet's forearms and nodded slowly. Thinking back, he could still remember how nervous he was when he first accepted the CMO posting for SAU 14. He'd done pretty damned good with that job once he got through the first few days.'Go on, call your team. Take your post and show them all that you're ready for the challenges ahead.' Ratchet coaxed proudly."Medical team report to the infirmary!" Revs barked across the comms. 'Go on, best you're not here when they arrive.''I'll only be a comm call away if you get stuck.' Ratchet nodded and hugged Revs briefly before withdrawing from the room.Looking around the room again, revs still his shaking plating through sheer force of will. He could do this. It wasn't like this new infirmary was huge either. Ten beds, a triage room, operating theatre, recovery ward and storeroom. Everything he would need arranged in the most efficient way.Now he just needed his team to arrive and take their places.Filing through the double doors, his larger medical team formed up and waited for their instructions. He had no doubt that most of them would fall in under his direction easily. The question was if Hoist and Grapple could do it too.'Where's Ratchet?' Grapple asked as he glanced around.'Unavailable.' Revs replied calmly. 'I am the new permanent CMO for this unit.''But…' Hoist started to speak.'If that is going to be a problem, you can both get the hell out of my infirmary! I will not let your concerns put my patients at risk.' Revs cut him off sharply.Though he lacked the physical size of Ratchet, Revs could be a scary sight when it came down to protecting his patients. And right now Hoist and Grapple were privy to exactly why he had the respect of everyone. Not only was his newly sharpened surgical saw spinning slowly above his left forearm, but his favourite missile launcher had folded out from behind his right shoulder to aim at the pair.No one was particularly surprised when Hoist and Grapple turned and left the infirmary at a fast walk.Taking a few seconds to calm down, Revs tucked his launcher away and flattened his saw back against his arm. He would deal with those two later. Right now, he had to ensure that his crew knew their roles and could handle whatever was thrown at them.'Now that that is out of the way, down to business. Word from the away team is that they've got five injured coming back from China. Exact status is unknown at this point. We may not know the full details until after the pick up in China. Given that they are also attempting to collect the Dinobots, I anticipate there will be additional injuries to many of those onboard before they arrive home.' Revs briefed, gaze drifting along the line.'We're ready for them Revs.' Wheelie declared proudly.'Of that I have no doubt Wheelie.' Revs nodded once. 'I know I can rely on all of you to handle your responsibilities and remember to ask for help if you get bogged.'Feeling far calmer now, he started directing her team to their new tasks. As a team he talked them through everything he'd learned from Ratchet, explaining the set up and making absolute certain they knew where everything was and how to use everything in the correct way.Midway through his explanation of the monitoring systems, Revs was distracted by the sight of Hound standing in the doors, looking around the room slowly. Sending his team to study the various systems around each bed, he wandered over to see what bought Hound down to see them.'Did you need something Hound?' he asked softly as he ran a scan over the larger warrior. 'I can't detect any damage that requires attention.''Wheeljack suggested I come by. With him busy on the Venice project, he won't be available to help with emergency fabrication. I can do it though. I'm not as fast as he can be, but I can fabricate any part you need.' he explained with a slight shrug. 'I already got a workshop set up and ready for your order.'Nodding slowly, Revs smiled and reached out to rest one hand on Hound's broad shoulder. He had been wondering about specialty parts, it was reassuring to know someone was ready and capable of replicating anything they didn't have on hand.'That'll be helpful Hound. I don't have enough information yet, but as soon as I have more information on who is coming, I will let you know so you can prepare.''I'll make sure everything's clean and ready for the call.' Hound replied with a smile.'Good. It's a relief to know that no everyone still wants Ratchet helming the infirmary. I already had to toss Hoist and Grapple out for refusing to accept the change.''Sounds about right for them. Ignore 'em, you've got far more important things to worry about now.' Hound replied as he lightly squeezed Revs' shoulder. 'You've earned this Revs. You're more than capable of handling this responsibility.''Thanks Hound, it means a lot to hear that from you. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a team to train and an infirmary to get fully operational.' Revs grinned and turned away. 'Oh, and make it known that if anyone tries any shit, I will not hesitate to medic-fu their afts into waffle irons.''I'll make sure the word gets around, CMO Revs.' Hound promised before ambling off deeper into the facility.#~#+^*^+#~#Making it perfectly clear why it was often said that Wreckers lead the way, Topspin flipped over mid air and crashed through the thin roof blocking his path. Crashing down hard, sending scientists and soldiers alike running in terror from him, he swept his rifle-blade from his shoulder and started to hunt.Closer now, he could sense the presence of the five imprisoned Cybertronians nearby. Deeper inside the facility, underground most likely. Outside, the rest of his team were busy securing the area and clearing a space big enough for the shuttle to land. And hopefully Plate was in contact with Speedshot, bringing him up to date on the change in plans. For a brief millisecond, he wished his brothers were with him. They always used to hunt together. Even the greatest Decepticons knew to back down when the Wreckers were on the hunt. Well, all except for Megatron. Growling low, he pushed those thoughts out of his processors and moved deeper into the facility."What's with the change in plans, Spin?" Speedshot asked in a concerned tone."Just go with it, Shot. Trust me, please.""You know I do.""We picked up some chatter from this facility. Things are worse than we first thought.""I've sent Heads and Bias ahead. The rest of us will catch up.""Copy that, we'll hold the fort until you arrive.""Soon as they're in range, get the IDs to Blaster. We need to let HQ know.""I will shot. I gotta go, I need to focus on this nightmare place.""I'll be there as soon as I can."Switching back to sweeping all available comm frequencies for any hint of their imprisoned compatriots, Topspin pushed deeper, easily cutting through the human defences and leaving the dead strewn everywhere. These humans did not deserve his mercy. They were no better than Joshua Joyce. Worse actually. At least Joyce used the thin excuse of bettering humanity. The Chinese only cared about protecting their own interests.Crashing through another door, he finally locked onto a genuine signal, subsystems automatically interrogating the signal and offering up his own identity in response. Then it split, spilling over with information released in a mass burst. Five identities tangled together, anchored in an older name rarely heard.Compressing all the identity information, he fired the packet across to Speedshot with instructions to beam it to Blaster as a data burst. They could worry about the rest of the details once they were all united."Wreckers lead the way." He stated, a promise and a reassurance in one sentence.Anger building in his chest, he dropped onto his wheels and charged, leaving ugly black streaks on the concrete floors. Heavy weapons roaring out a challenge to any who dared confront him, he ripped through heavy metal doors and barrelled through the defensive lines that tried to block his path.Ignoring the minor damage to his bodywork and keeping some of his attention on the readings from his secondary shields, he rammed straight through a human barricade and skidded around the next corner, throwing up a cloud of smoke thick enough to choke anyone who was too close.Forgoing the last door in favour of blasting a massive hole through a weaker wall section, he launched through the dust and debris, tires biting air for a few seconds before he caught the ground and spun to a stop in a large underground hall.In the middle of the hall, bound with heavy chains, they looked completely broken. Hunched protectively, trying to shield vital components from those who sought to do them great harm. The chains looked to be too short to allow them to reach each other, but also kept them close enough that they couldn't avoid witnessing their individual suffering.Each one had been bound differently, exposing different areas to the cruel experiments of the humans. One had even suffered the incredible agony of having several thinner panels torn away to expose the delicate components beneath. Another had been cruelly chained to the wall by thick rings punched right through their wings linked to chains that were too short for him to even rest comfortably.There was no doubt they had suffered greatly either. Each one was covered in dents and scratches, with deeper gashes in their delicate wings still oozing slowly. One had an optic ripped out, another looked like one of their jaw hinges had been shattered by something. Small components from all five were scattered across the floor, tossed wherever their tormentors felt like it.Fluids of every colour stained the floor, pooling and puddling around the bound figures. It was a wonder how any of them had survived this long in enemy hands. But when one shifted, Topspin noticed a smaller tube running from a secondary fuel inlet, normally used in case of emergency, and vanishing through a metal plate in the wall behind them. So these bastards were giving their prisoners at least some fuel, probably just enough to keep them alive for the next round of torture.'You actually came.' one of them uttered tiredly.'I'm sorry it took this long.' Topspin offered sadly.'You came, that's what matters.' another replied as they trembled under their bondage.Relaxing his guard a little more, Topspin allowed his EM field to unfold and spread, brushing against these five as he approached and started to examine their chains.'I'll have you out shortly. Then we'll see about getting a shortcut out of this place.' he soothed as he reached into his subspace for the best tools for the job.'Slingshot first…he took the worst of the torment.''I won't leave you behind Silverbolt.' Slingshot replied weakly.'No's leaving anyone behind. We're all getting out of this nightmare place, even if I have to carry you back out the way I got in.' Topspin insisted as he approached Slingshot. 'It's gonna be okay, you're in safe hands now.'Examining the chains and shackles closely, he came up with the best option to break them, but he also had to minimise the harm done during the rescue. The risks were high, the chains were short and could easily tear through thinner plates if he wasn't careful with how he cut them.'This will hurt, I can't do a lot about that. I'll do my best to minimise it though.' he explained softly, adjusting his EM to help comfort the smaller 'bot.'I don't care. Just get me outta here.' Slingshot uttered, optics brimming with pain as he looked up at Topspin.'I will. You're gonna see the sky again today, I promise.' Topspin nodded once. 'Now, I want you to grab my shoulders. Gonna have to lift you up a bit to cut these without tearing anything.'Engine rumbling a low, soothing rhythm, Topspin shifted his feet and helped Slingshot hop up just a couple of feet. Leaning closer, he reached up and set the small charges against the shackles, angling them to hopefully push the broken chains up and away.'I've got you. Just hold on, it'll be over real soon.'Shielding the battered 'bot as best he could, he triggered the charges and braced for what could be an awkward fall. With a little double pop, the charges detonated, sheering through the last link between the shackles and the chains. Backing up quickly, he pulled Slingshot clear of the dangling chains and lowered him to a relatively clean spot on the floor.'There you go. That's the worst of it for now. We gotta leave those shackles in for now. Better to wait for a medic to get them out, yeah?''Yeah, I can live with that. Just…take care of my brothers.' 'I will. Here, it's not much but it's gotta be better than the crap these bastards were giving you.' Topspin offered as he plucked one of his emergency rations from subspace.'You have no idea how bad that stuff is.' Slingshot agreed with a snort.Head snapping up when he heard engines coming their way, Topspin didn't hesitate. Whipping around, he physically shielded Slingshot as he levelled his rifle-blade at the still closed doors and the large hole he'd blown through the wall.To his surprise, instead of a credible threat, three familiar motorcycles raced through the breach and slid to a stop in front of him. Stunned for a few moments, Topspin put his rifle away and looked back to where Slingshot had pulled in closer to his back for protection.'What the frag are you three doing here? I swear you were still back with Speedshot and the others.' he asked as he reached back o lightly run his fingers over Slingshot's shoulder. 'It's okay, you can trust these three. This is Lil' Hoss, Intruder and Vision.''Dad lost contact with your signal. Everyone attempted to reconnect, but you went completely dark. Even Speedshot couldn't read your position. Visor and Centre Line lifted us in and we were sent into this hellhole to establish contact.' Intruder explained as she looked around. 'This is worse than what happened in Chicago.''Yeah, I know. One of you go back up towards the entrance and see where you can re-establish contact. I had it during the run down, I didn't realise I'd lost it since I got into this room. The other two can start clearing this room. I want you to pick up every little component that's been torn off and discarded in here. I don't know what bits belong where yet, so just gather it all and we'll get the medics to sort it out.' Topspin instructed as he glanced up. 'There must be some kind of signal blocker in this area.''That makes sense. We couldn't feel your signal until you got closer. When we all answered your ID request.' the largest of the bound 'bots noted in a low, weary tone.'Who ever goes back to make contact will have to work as a comms relay. I can't leave these guys to keep running back and forth with messages.''I'll do it, Topspin. I've been learning from Eject and Rewind how to help with a comms overload.' Vision replied quickly.'Good girl. As you're heading back up, keep pinging back to me. If I don't respond, come back my way. Hopefully we can find a good spot that works for full comms. We're gonna need a solid plan to get these five outta here.''Leave it with me Topspin. I'll make it happen.' Vision nodded then turned and raced back out the same breach.'I'll take the right side, you get the left. We can check each other's areas once we've done a first sweep.' Lil' Hoss suggested as she reached into her subspace.'And we'll have to do another sweep once Topspin moves the wounded clear.' Intruder agreed with a nod.'Younglings? With the loss of…' one of them started, lone optic watching the girls starting to move around the chamber.'The AllSpark was destroyed, true, but we were never truly dependant on that for new life on Cybertron. It was easier to use the AllSpark, less strain on carriers trying to build a family. Now, we've got dozens of youngsters in various phases. I've got three of my own, with hopes of more in the coming years.' Topspin noted proudly.'Do you have a bag or something for some of these larger bits?' Lil' Hoss asked as she picked up a larger section of plating, possibly a shin panel by the shape.'Yeah, I've got a couple of tarpaulins you can stack them on.' Topspin replied, already reaching for them as he moved towards one of the still bound 'bots."Topspin! What the fuck is going on down there?" Plate barked, briefly startling him as he reached for the next chain."I see Vision got comms up again. Basic points, I've got five torture victims down here and it's highly unlikely they'll be able to walk out of this hellhole. So I need you guys to figure out another option. Just make sure it's a big opening, I'd rather avoid anyone scraping against walls.""Are you fucking serious? We're not equipped for that sort of thing.""This isn't up for debate, Plate. Figure something out. These bots won't last another day in Chinese hands. I'm honestly surprised they've lasted this long.""Give me some parameters Topspin and I'll see what I can arrange. You're lucky that you've got one demo tech in your arsenal today." Raider cut in before the discussion could further devolve."Can I safely assume that you are aware of where Vision is currently standing?""Yeah, I've got her location.""Good. I'll send Intruder out to mark the entrance into the torture chamber. See if you can turn the space between them into some sort of access ramp or the like…preferably without bringing this chamber down on our heads." Topspin suggested as he prepared another charge. 'Intruder, I need you to go stand just outside the wall breach so Raider can figure out our escape route.''Sure, I can do that.' she nodded and set down the bag of stuff she'd already collected."Soon as you've got the info you need, would you send her back in. there are still a lot of small parts that need to be collected." Topspin continued in a softer tone."Sure, I'd rather have her out of the way anyway. I'll send Vision back too. She'll be safer in with you than out in the corridor.""Yeah, that'll work."#~#+^*^+#~#"Hey Bee, you busy right now?" Black called, startling Bee out of his light doze."Not today. Rictor's home from work, figured it was time for a sick day.""Good. Got some signals I want you to check out. Initial interrogation has been done, but with the issues we've had, I'd feel better if someone could get a visual confirmation as well." Black explained as he transmitted the details. "They're not real open to me either. I get it, I'm not a familiar signal to them. Hopefully you'll be able to bring 'em out a little more.""Leave it with me Black. Soon as I've got the details, I'll let you know.""Thanks Bee. Be careful, we don't want any surprises.""I'll take all precautions." Bee promised as he backed out of his garage and headed west to meet up with the signals.As he drove, he pinged eight of the nearest Autobots, alerting them to his planned route and the situation as he knew it. They all promised to be ready to race to his aid if the TRF showed up in the vicinity.The savagery from the TRF had left everyone rattled in all honesty. Though they knew humanity's penchant for violence, the sheer scale of it since Hong Kong was disturbing. Even Ironhide was perturbed by how violent the humans had become.Sadly, the TRF was proving harder to counter than first anticipated. Globally, they had managed to slaughter at least twenty Autobots who had come seeking refuge. Though it was possible that the number was as high as forty seven going by the number of signals that had abruptly disappeared after atmospheric entry.The news from the shuttle team helped buoy spirits somewhat. Bringing home ten to safety would do wonders for morale. But lately it felt like all any of them could do was make another memorial and place it in the copse among so many others.The last one had been for Jolt and four tiny lives he'd been caring for. No one knew who had sired the sparklings, nor who built the bodies for them. All they knew was from the footage the humans had splashed across the evening news for almost a week. As a team, they crafted the memorial for them, listing the four young lives as known only to Primus. Blade had placed it personally, tucked in among their best and bravest.There had also been news of a big fight in China, specifically Hong Kong in the days before the shuttle team left. Reports had stated that the monsters in the forest there had been dealt with, but also had been seen running back into the forest with the TRF in hot pursuit. So far there had been no public report back from the China team, so no one knew for sure if the Dinobots had survived their first encounter with the TRF.At night, the hottest topic of conversation was the latest atrocities from the TRF. Some nights someone would mention someone lost to the TRF and the soft remembrances would fill the air for a few hours. Inevitably the remembrances would end with someone speaking up and insisting they start to move against the TRF and put an end to their heinous acts. The last cry for justice had come from Trailbreaker, in sheer desperation for something to change.Delving into his radio files for the right choice, Bee let out a scream of anger, frustration and anguish, the shrill notes hidden behind the comforting rumble of his engine. He was so tired of losing friends to this war and now the place he'd come to think of as a second home wasn't safe anymore either. He didn't want to leave Earth. He liked it here and he enjoyed spending time among humanity…even if they didn't know he was there.Five signals, gathered tightly…four…three…Spark racing as fear raced through his systems, Bee took a huge risk as he accelerated to an almost dangerous speed. The only saving grace was that at this hour of the day, a lot of people were either at work or busy at home. He just had to hope that the local law enforcement was also busy elsewhere."This is Bumblebee requesting medical standby. I'm en-route to potential Autobot intercept. Lost three signals in previous five minutes.""Understood Bee. We'll convene at my workshop. That'll be the closest entrance from your current area." Goggles replied calmly. "If you get stuck, you know who to call.""Bumblebee! Drop your speed immediately! You're about to enter this week's speed trap!" Prowl warned sharply."I sure do Goggles. I'll get you details as soon as I reach them." Bee replied as he rapidly downshifted and smoothed back to an acceptable speed. "Thanks for the warning Prowl.""Please be more careful Bee. I don't want to have to bring you in for speeding.""Sorry Prowl. I panicked a little when signals started fading out.""I've still got them locked Bee. It's okay, still got five but three are pretty weak and another is fading." Black reported from his watch post."Goggles…""We're already on standby Bee. The full medical team is ready and waiting for whatever you bring home.""If needed, Hoist and I can meet you at their location to tow anyone who cannot continue under their own power." Grapple offered quietly."I'll let you know Grapple. Until I've seen the situation, I can't call it." Bee replied kindly. "Be ready, if the signals are dropping this fast, I doubt they've got a lot of reserves to draw on."Reassured by the support waiting behind him, Bee cruised the last few miles to a quiet rest area for 18-wheelers heading through the area. At the moment, only three vehicles were parked there. Two were sitting down the far end, cold and lifeless. The third was at the town end, parked in the shade and not drawing any attention. The trailer was kind of weird though, with soft sides stretched over some kind of hard frame that dipped and pushed against the fabric at weird points.And behind the canvas barrier, five Autobot signals were still barely pulsing on the network."I've got them, unable to confirm a visual identity currently. I'm going to try talking to the driver, see what I can find out." He reported as he passed the scan results to everyone he might need.Flipping through his holoform options, he went for a younger male form with longish brown hair and bright green eyes. Blue jeans, yellow t-shirt with the sleeves ripped out and a backwards Kenworth cap to match the truck he was parked beside.Bracing for the worst, he stepped out and looked up at the truck casually. He had to tread carefully. He had no way of knowing if the driver of this rig was working with the TRF or not.'Can I help you?' the voice was definitely female, not quite what Bee had been expecting.'Sorry, I was just admiring your rig.' he replied as he turned to face her.Looking her over for a moment, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Sure, she was a lot older and maybe a bit heavier but he'd recognise her face anywhere. For all the years since he'd last seen her, she looked just as good as she had that day near the Golden Gate Bridge.'Sorry, where are my manners. I'm Barry Solomon.' he offered with a smile as he extended one hand. 'My dad used to drive Kenworth's, I've still got a real love for them.''Charlie Watson. It's not my rig, I'm only borrowing it for a little while to deliver something over this way.' she replied with a small smile.Looking down when her phone whistled a merry tune, she backed up a step as she pulled it out of her pocket. Looking at the screen, she snapped her attention back to Bee and tipped her head to the side.Attention going back to her phone, she typed something and waited for a reply before looking at Bee again.'Bumblebee?' she uttered, looking at him in disbelief.'Hey Charlie. You're looking really good.' he replied with a wider smile.'I can't believe this. They kept assuring me that you were here and would know a safe place.' Charlie uttered as she pocketed her phone.'They were right. I know a safe place, I'll lead you there. But first…' Bee nodded before reaching out and drawing Charlie into a hug. 'I've missed you so much.''I've missed you too Bee.' she replied happily as she returned the hug. 'But we don't have a lot of time. These guys are in bad shape. Worse than when I first found you.''Follow me, I can lead you straight to our nearest medical team.' Bee nodded and stepped back. 'Did any of them give you a name?''Cliffjumper, Windcharger and Brawn. The other two aren't up to talking.' Charlie sighed and shrugged. 'I'm afraid one might already be too far gone.''Don't count them out yet, Charlie. We're a resilient bunch.' Bee grinned as he opened his door. 'Stick with me, we're only a few minutes away from the help you all need.'Sending his updated findings to the medical team and checking with Prowl to be sure they had a clear path through, Bee spun around and waited for Charlie to get her rig rolling before leading the way out of the rest stop and back towards town.Packing the gentlest route to avoid shaking anyone with excessive cornering, Bee headed back through the outskirts of the industrial side of town and out towards some larger housing lots. Many of the people living out this side ran small businesses from their homes and sheds, including Wheeljack, Carbon, Metric and Goggles.Turning past Metric's thriving market gardens, he led Charlie up the street then turned into Hansen's Heavy Diesel Mechanic Shop. Pulling up out of the way, he cast his holoform out again and ran towards Charlie's idling truck.'Turn around and back into that big shed there. The medical team is already in position to assist as soon as you're inside.' he explained as he motioned to the slowly opening doors in front of them.'You're sure about this?' she asked, hands tightening nervously on the wheel.'You can do this Charlie. You've got plenty of space to turn and I'll be right here to guide you back inside.'Looking down when her phone whistled again, Charlie nodded and glanced over her shoulder. Sitting up straighter, he relaxed her grip and eased the accelerator down a little.'After I've dropped them off, we've got a lot of catching up to do.' she smiled as she looked at him again.'We sure do. I'll be right here when you're unloaded. We'll take all the time you want to catch up.'Shutting his holoform off so he didn't distract Charlie, Bee moved closer to the shed in readiness as she turned her rig around on the gravel and started easing back towards the shed."Don't you go running off either Bee. I may yet need you." Revs warned on a side channel. "I won't know…""You don't have to explain Revs. I know what you might need me for." Bee replied before Revs could finish. "Hardly the first time I've been called on to help in a medical emergency.""That's refreshing to know. Didn't realise how strange it'd feel to head this team alone." Revs admitted quietly."There's no one I'd rather see step into the role." Bee replied. 'Everything's okay Charlie. You're about to see a lot more of us, just stay in the truck for the moment. You'll be safe there.'Waiting a moment longer for the big double doors to slam closed, Revs led his team up out of the tunnels. Spreading out around the trailer, they made use of multiple holoforms each to get the soft sides unlatched and pulled out of the way to reveal the quintet tucked inside.Scanning each one quickly, Revs couldn't quiet believe what he was seeing. How had one woman managed to keep five such badly injured Autobots alive without assistance? He could detect all manner of human technology scattered across them, holding them together against all odds. One was being held together with a large quantity of duct tape, another had hundreds of zip ties holding internals together and a third had some kind of reformed tank acting as an emergency external fuel reservoir.'Ki-Arva, guide my hands. Ki-Arli, guide my thoughts. Primus watch over us all.' Revs uttered as he finished his scans.'Primus watch over us all.' the rest of the team repeated softly.'Bee, I need runners.' Revs continued, gaze never leaving the trailer as he spoke.'Already pinged the girls. Racer, Camill and Lightning are inbound.' Bee nodded sharply.'Hound, grab a team and head for your workshop! We're gonna need a lot of specialty parts!' Revs continued as he started working on the straps holding these five secure.'We're on it Revs. Got Roadbuster, Hoist and Grapple on the assist.' Hound responded on an open channel.'My three can assist as runners.' Roadbuster added a moment later.'Hound, you're in charge. Any hesitation and you throw 'em out.' Revs added sharply.'I got 'em under control Revs. Where do we start?''Got IDs on three. Cliffjumper. Windcharger. Brawn. You know 'em?''I can ID the other two from here.' Bee cut in before Hound could reply. 'Huffer and Gears.''I'll start pulling up data files. When you need a part, just tell me who and what. We'll handle the rest.' Hound confirmed before clicking off the channel.'Let's get this done!' Revs barked and stepped closer.Thoughts flying, categorising injuries and considering the skills of his team, Revs barely glanced at them as he finished pulling the straps loose and laid his hands on the smallest figure on the top deck.'Shard, second red. Shift, green. Odd Ball, grey. Wheelie and Goggles, you've got the big one. Basic triage here then down to the main infirmary!' he ordered as he carefully lifted the smaller red 'bot carefully.'Revs, Gears. Shard, Cliffjumper. Shift, Brawn. Odd Ball, Windcharger. Wheelie and Goggles, Huffer.' Bee added as he moved back to make space.Taking in everything as fast as he could, Shard carefully gathered Cliffjumper to his chest and lifted, muttering soft reassurances when the smaller bot cried out in pain. He was a right mess, every plate dented and scraped back to the dull grey of his protoform. One optic wasn't lighting properly, probably something to do with the vicious dent in the left front panel of his helm.'Hound, full right arm assembly for Cliffjumper. Include a full shoulder as well.' he requested as he eased Cliffjumper down to the ground.'You…I don't…' Cliffjumper tried, functional optic rapidly adjusting and readjusting focus. 'Who…''I'm a friend, my name is Shard. I promise all your questions will be answered but right now, let's focus on putting you back together, okay.' Shard soothed as he continued checking Cliffjumper over. 'You're in good hands now. We'll get you back on your feet as quickly as we can.''Windvest! I need more hands here!' Odd Ball called as he sunk to his knees.Recognising that tone, Windvest didn't waste a second and dove through the trailer rather than go around it. Skidding on his knees, he reached out to help with the badly mangled 'bot half draped over Odd Ball's thighs. Whatever had happened, he was barely holding together. Most of his dorsal plating was just gone, leaving huge gaps in his protoform and exposing quite a lot of his inner workings. The layers of duct tape were enough to hold things vaguely in place and minimise the amount of internal components that could fall out but that was about all it could manage. 'Hound, we're gonna need a full rebuild for Windcharger. Everything dorsal is roached.' Windvest warned as he started trying to sort out the mess.'Everything dorsal!? What the hell happened?' Roadbuster asked with a shocked voice.'Some kind of high explosive round. We'd almost made it to safety when the military cornered us. Windcharger risked his life to protect Gears from the incoming fire. In all the chaos after the attack, Huffer was able to snatch Windcharger and we made a break for it.' Charlie explained from her perch atop her truck.'You always were far braver than most your size, Windcharger.' Bee remarked quietly.'Better add some general internal components to that list Roadbuster. We've got shrapnel buried deep in here.' Odd Ball added as he did his best to make Windcharger comfortable. 'Easy now, we'll get you back together soon. Just try to stay relaxed for us. You're in good hands here.''Bee, get over here. You just got promoted to nurse.' Shift called without looking up from his patient.Trying not to think about the damage he could see everywhere, Bee circled the truck and dropped to his knees beside Shift and Brawn. He barely had a moment to take in all the damage before Shift was setting up a transfusion relay.'Bee? You look…different.' Brawn uttered.'Had a couple upgrades since the last time we met.' Bee explained with a shrug. 'It's a nice place once you get used to it.''Did…did 'Breaker…''Trailbreaker made it through. He took it hard that he lost the four of you on the way in. he'll be so pleased to hear that you caught up.''That's it Bee, keep him calm.' Shift smiled briefly before going back to the task at hand. 'If it gets too much, don't be afraid to speak up Brawn. I can't give you much for the pain up here, all the equipment is below in the infirmary.''It's not…so bad now.' Brawn admitted. 'Travel was bad…''Yeah, humanity isn't always the best at maintaining roads.' Shift agreed with a faint laugh. 'Someone better start on a couple pumps for Brawn. His main energon pump is trashed and two secondary coolant pumps are also in a bad state.''Grapple's on it. We've got runners standing by so as soon as parts are ready, they'll be inbound.' Hound replied.'Send everything to the main infirmary. We'll be heading there as soon as everyone is stable.' Revs instructed calmly. 'And get someone busy on internal tubing for Gears. He's been through the grinder.''Safe to assume we can blame all this on the TRF?' Goggles asked over the response from the fabrication team.'I didn't see any insignia on anyone. We were all kinda busy trying not to get killed.' Charlie replied with a shrug. 'Definitely military though, all in black with some serious firepower.''Yeah, that's the TRF. Buncha assholes really. Every time there's a new signal, it's a race to see who gets there first. Us or those bastards.' Goggles sighed and shook his head. 'You did an amazing thing to step up and risk your safety for us, Miss Charlie. Most humans either don't care or will report us to the TRF for the reward money.''Most people aren't like Charlie. I'd be dead if it wasn't for her. She was the one who rebuilt me after I crashed here the first time. She taught me to use the radio to replace my voice.' Bee explained happily, leaving Charlie stunned to hear her younger voice coming from his speakers.'You kept that recording all this time?' she asked in disbelief.'Someone's got a crush.' Wheelie teased distractedly.'Don't be a dick, Wheelie.' Revs warned sharply.'Before Charlie, I was just B-127. Another use of a standard frame, just happened that I got a yellow paintjob. 126 was green and 128 silver. Ask anyone from back then, I was always B-127.' Bee explained with a faint shrug. 'Once I got Prime using it, everyone else picked up my name fairly quickly.''Shit…fuck…we need more hands here!' Goggles demanded even as he frantically worked to save Huffer.Spark jolting as his anxiety spiked again, Revs looked down at Gears again, then threw his attention to Huffer. He couldn't leave Gears, the rush job on his internals was already leaking, the zip ties unable to hold against the foreign substances slicking everything.Glancing up to where Charlie was sitting, he shifted restlessly and dropped his attention back to Gears. She'd done well to get them this far, but her small size and fragile humanity would only be a detriment if Revs called on her now.'Where do you need help?'Head snapping around, Revs nodded sharply and went back to Gears' care once again. They weren't medically trained, but right now he'd take whatever support he could get.'Rictor, here! Ripper, to Goggles!' Revs directed in between muttering curses.'I'm on rove.' Thunder nodded as he took in the situation. 'What a mess.''Camill, go back and make sure all the doors between here and the infirmary are open wide. If you can, ask people to stand at the doors and make sure no one blocks the route.' Bee instructed in a softer tone.'I'm on it uncle Bee.' she replied before swishing around and zipping back down the ramp.'Thunder! Get over here!' Goggles ordered as he made room for Ripper to join the huddle.Finally getting the larger 'bot laid out on his back, Wheelie and Goggles worked fast to get him stabilised. Heavier saw screaming as he worked to get his mangled chest plates open, Goggles briefly indicated the various smaller energon leaks and handed Ripper a soldering iron.Armed with only a most basic medical knowledge, Thunder hit the deck beside Wheelie and immediately reached out to clamp one of the bigger energon lines exposed by the mangled plating. Before he could ask, a medical kit landed beside him, already open so he wouldn't have to struggle one handed. Digging into the kit, he set to work clamping every leaking line he could find, taking care to colour coordinate them for easy identification later.'Talk to me! I need a triage order!' Revs demanded.'Brawn can hold with a transfusion line! Main energon pump is trashed, two first stage coolant pumps also fragged.''Cliffjumper is stable. Dents, scraps, a few armour rifts and a concerning optic relay issue. Biggest effort will be rebuilding his right arm from a mostly absent shoulder.''Windcharger is category two. Full dorsal rebuild. Every internal is mangled. The duct tape bandages are buying time, but he's in bad shape.''Huffer is a complete mess. Category one. I'm not even sure we can stabilise him up here. Haven't even had a chance to do more than a basic exam, too many systems are fading at once.''How long can you hold Windcharger? Gears is category two as well. These zip ties are degrading faster than expected.''He's stable enough to transport now. Once we get him hooked up to medical support, he'll hold long enough.' Odd Ball noted with a faint smile.#~#+^*^+#~#'So who's the lucky bastard who gets to brief Blade on this mess?' Braid asked in a low voice as he leaned back against the wall.'Yeah, like it'd be that simple Braid.' Speedshot scoffed in reply. 'We're all on the hook for some part of this chaos.''I'll step up for the Australian side of this job. Not sure what you'll tell him about the throwdown in China.' Tank offered with a shrug. 'Any luck with medical yet?''Nothing. I've tried every registered medic and no one will answer my hail.' Blaster sighed as he leaned into Tank's side. 'I even tried asking the kids, they came back telling me that the medical team was busy and not to be disturbed.''Not to be disturbed?! What the fuck is that supposed to mean? They knew we'd be coming back with casualties, with no idea that we'd end up adding a couple unexpected medics to the list.' Crimson spat angrily.'Try it again Blaster. We need to get the warning through. Between the Dinobots and the Aerialbots, we need medical assistance in place when we land.' Modo coaxed, trying to keep the peace despite the tensions onboard.'Hey 'Aid, you got a second? I wanna see if adding your code onto my call will get the medical team to start paying attention.' Blaster called as he heaved to his feet.'Yeah, but only a second. It's still touch and go with Strafe.' First Aid replied as he emerged from the makeshift infirmary at the rear of the shuttle. 'Does anyone else have any reliable medical training? Anything at all?''We do. It's not a lot, but it'll buy you some time.' Speedshot nodded and stood. 'C'mon hero. Back to work.''I'm never gonna hear the end of this, am I?' Topspin grumbled as he stood and followed Speedshot aft.'Not a chance.''Well fuck.''Hey, watch your language in front of the little ones!' Plate growled in warning.Splicing First Aid's ID code into his message, Blaster nodded and sent him back to the wounded before once again opening the line and trying to reach any of the medical team. He wasn't in the least bit fussy, he just needed someone to answer this call and reassure them all that help would be waiting."First Aid? Blaster, what's going on?" Ratchet responded at long last."Ratchet, thank Primus you answered." Blaster replied with relief. "We need a medical team on standby when we land.""I can't help with that Blaster. You need to talk to Revs.""I already tried that! Apparently he's too busy to hear about the casualty list we're bringing him!""He's been up to his elbows in casualties here too. Five lucky survivors rescued from TRF custody.""He's about to get another eight. Five Aerialbots and three Dinobots.""And at least one Protectobot.""No Ratchet, we've got the whole Protectobot team. They're doing their best to keep the wounded comfortable, but it's a losing battle.""Send me what you've got, I'll see that he gets the message. Not sure how many he'll have available to assist when you land though. He almost lost three before they even got to the infirmary here.""At this point, we'll take anyone with any medical knowledge. We're up the proverbial creek right now.""I'll see what I can arrange.""That's all we can ask for. Sending initial reports now." Blaster nodded and dimmed his optics. "Hope you haven't recently fuelled up.""Dear Primus…I'll make sure there's a team waiting. Even if I have to lead it myself.""Thanks Ratchet. It'll mean a lot to everyone to know that help is at hand.""Just don't make a big fuss about my presence. I've already stepped aside for Revs. He has to be the top 'bot in the infirmary.""I'll make sure everyone understands Ratchet. See you when we get home."Sending off the updated reports, Blaster glanced back at Tank before heading for the makeshift infirmary. Hopefully the news from home would be enough to inspire the tiny medical team to keep pushing hard. They only needed to buy a couple hours, most of which would be needed to sneak everyone back into the community.Pushing the tarpaulin curtains aside, he slipped through and looked around. At least it was a little quieter now, with everyone quietly resting as the stretched medical team moved from patient to patient.'Got some good news at last. Got through to the medical team, they'll have someone standing by at the rendezvous to help with initial treatment. I don't know how many we'll get, or who might be available though. Turns out that another group arrived in the last few hours. Three nearly died before they made it down to the infirmary.''What? Any idea where they came from?' Speedshot asked in disbelief.'No, and no identities either. There were bigger issues to discuss.' Blaster shrugged as he turned his attention towards First Aid. 'There's more, specifically things that you need to know about.''Me? What, doesn't Ratchet trust me to know what I'm doing anymore?' First Aid asked with a snort.'I'm sure he still has every faith in your abilities.' Blaster replied with a smile. 'But he made the choice to step aside in favour of a new CMO.''What? Ratchet would never willingly step aside. He's devoted to his medical duties. Why the frag would prime demand he step aside after so many millennia of dedicated service?' First Aid demanded to know.'Well, for one Prime had nothing to do with this. He fucked off into space years ago and we've got no clue where he went.' Speedshot corrected sharply.'Ratchet made the choice on his own. What you never knew was that before Ratchet wound up as CMO for the Autobots, he served as one of Iacon's diplomats. One of the better ones if the stories are to be believed.' Blaster added before First Aid could start arguing again.'The hope is that once humanity sees us trying to do right by the people, Ratchet can start working on diplomatic solutions to the problems before us. At this point, no one knows if his attempts will be successful, but we've got to try.' Topspin offered from where he was sitting with Slingshot and Skydive huddled against his sides.'So what about his replacement? What's his medical background?' Blades asked with a low snort.'CMO Revs, he's been studying under Ratchet since the first month Ratchet arrived here. Shit, that's gotta be getting close to twenty years now. Might not sound like much time, but with the action we've seen on this planet, Revs has gotten more than his share of hands on training repairing all sorts of battle damage.' Speedshot nodded and moved to check on the Dinobots again. 'He really got into it in Hong Kong. Not only patching up battle damage but assisting in the safe arrival of two sparklings. One for Mirage and Hound, the other for Prowl and Jazz.'A slight stretch of the truth, but only marginally. Revs had been there for both births, and had assisted afterwards in making sure carriers and sparklings were in good health and fit to travel back to America. The parents in question had all agreed to the small fib to help cement Revs' place as Ratchet's worthy replacement.'Right now, you've got a choice to make. You can either accept that Ratchet has chosen to go back to something he enjoyed before the war, or you can argue it with him. Only one option ends with you getting access to the infirmary. CMO Revs has already laid down the law once with dissenters. Hoist and Grapple were both stripped of their medical tags. At best, they'll be assigned fabrication with Hound. You really need to decide if you're willing to throw your training away over something you can't change.' Blaster warned as he fixed First Aid with a serious look. 'But know this, if you try anything against CMO Revs, you'll have the full strength of our revitalised team baying for your energon.''Harsh…but certainly true. Revs has more than earned his title.' Topspin agreed. 'Don't worry though, he's had plenty of experience tending to flyers. For a while, he had wings too but decided on something a little less obtrusive when we went into hiding.''We remember Revs. He showed great strength in battle.' Grimlock spoke up, voice slow and halting.'And kindness after the battle. No fear of us either.' Slug agreed in the same halting pattern.'I'm gonna kick Kup's aft when we get home. All the stories and he never once suggested that the legendary Dinobots fuckin' spoke.' Topspin grumbled softly as he settled his charges closer.'Add him to the list of older 'bots who could have said something but never did.' Speedshot agreed with a shrug. 'It's probably a low priority with all the other shit we're trying to deal with.''Makes me wish for the simpler times. When everything made sense.' Topspin noted sadly.'The sun will shine on us again, Spin. If nothing else, we just wait for the little maggots to nuke each other back to the Stone Age and step out as the new dominant force on Earth.' Speedshot countered with a soft laugh. 'At least then we could teach them how to care for the only planet they'll ever have.''Yeah, pretty sure Blade would frown on that one.' Blaster muttered as he turned away.'You promise we will be safe now?' Scorn asked as he caught Speedshot's hand and held tight.'I swear it. I know a place where you will all be safe from humanity. It will mean that you will have to stay in one area though, but I am confident that the area will be suitably large enough for you to be comfortable.' Speedshot promised easily. 'If it isn't enough space, please let someone know and we'll do what we can to enlarge it.''Thank you.' Grimlock offered as he turned his attention back to the miniature Dinobots resting in his shadow.'I'm sorry we didn't come for you sooner. We wrongly assumed that humanity would not try anything against you.' Speedshot added softly as he checked Scorn's injuries again.'No one knew they would come for us.' Slug replied with a shrug. 'You are not at fault.''Try and get some rest, all of you. It'll be another hour or so until we reach the landing pad. Then we'll all need our strength for the trek back to HQ.' Speedshot guided with a smile. 'You are safe now. They will not get near you again.'#~#+^*^+#~#Briefly wondering why she'd been called down to the infirmary, Christine hurried through the quiet base and tried not to worry about Braid. She trusted him to be careful, knew he'd take extra care to come home to their growing family. Especially now, with the promises they had shared before he left.Entering the infirmary, she slid to a stop and looked around. The place was in total chaos, with people bustling every direction. No sign of Revs or most of his medical team. Only Odd Ball was out here, directing traffic and trying to get control of the situation.'What do you need Odd Ball?' she asked as she approached him.'Chris? What are you doing down here?' he asked as he turned to her. 'I didn't call you.''I did.' Speedshot called as he emerged from a side room. 'I couldn't think of anyone better suited to this job.''What do you need from me Speedshot?' Christine asked again as she headed towards him. 'And where is Braid, is he okay?''Braid is fine. He's busy helping Windvest in one of the side wards. I need your maternal side. We've got four terrified youngsters who have no idea what's going on.' Speedshot explained as he ushered her through to one of the larger side rooms.Stepping through the doors, Christine felt her spark lurch in anxious concern. Sprawled out on makeshift berths, the Dinobots were all in various stages of recovery and repair. Wheelie was busily welding up a rather long tear in Grimlock's side as Leadfoot worked to patch together a tangle of cables in Strafe's back.And in one corner, contained within a fairly open structured playpen of sorts, four mini Dinobots huddled together, not really paying that much attention to what was going on beyond their tiny group.'What? Where did they come from?' she asked in disbelief.'Apparently the Dinobots are so old that they reproduce in a different way to most. Instead of just carrying a new spark, they are able to carry the full build and then birth their young fully formed. Grimlock's resisting full treatment until he knows the younglings are safe.' Speedshot explained quietly. 'I can't take them right now, I have to get back and help Topspin with the Aerialbots.'Approaching the timid quartet, Christine carefully stepped over the barrier and crouched. Modulating her EM field, she settled her engine into a low purr as she watched the little ones and waited for their reactions.Slowly they uncurled, chirring and trilling to each other. Still clinging tightly to each other, fields coloured with their uncertainty and confusion.From across the room, Grimlock gave a low rumble, the dialect unfamiliar to most but comforting to the youngsters. Then Slug added to the sound, a lighter, higher rhythm that wrapped around Grimlock's encouragement.'Have they eaten today?' Christine asked as she reached out to the tiny Dinobots.'No, we had nothing for them.' Slug admitted softly.'Will you trust me to tend to their needs until you have recovered?' she asked, then looked down and smiled as one of the little ones crawled into her lap.'Yes. They need care. More than we can give now.' Grimlock agreed softly.'I will care for them as if they were my own.' Christine promised as she welcomed another into her lap. 'I have four of my own, they are old enough to care for themselves now.'Digging into her subspace stash, Christine pulled out two small tarpaulins and refolded them quickly to form a hasty carrying harness. Tying them off quickly and making sure they were secure enough for her new charges, she picked them up one at a time and tucked them into the cradles. Mini Grimlock and Scorn on her left side, mini Slug and Strafe on the right.Rocking to her feet, soothing the youngsters when they chirred unhappily, she stepped over the barrier again and looked down at her charges with a tender smile.'At any point, you can reach out to me for updates on your brood. I know the anxiety a parent feels when they leave their children with someone else.' she offered kindly as she swept her gaze around the room slowly.'Thank you.' Grimlock replied and settled back on his berth properly.Soothing the youngsters when they started to keen low, Christine turned and left the room so they weren't further traumatised by the situation. She knew they were probably already traumatised. Who knew what they'd been witness to in China. Had these sweet younglings been there when their parents were attacked? Had they seen their guardians torn up?Lightly caressing the found unsettled youngsters, she crooned to them in an older dialect, one she'd learned from Kup to pass the long hours. It wasn't quite the same as the dialect from the Dinobots, but it was close enough to calm their children."Ratchet, I know you've stepped aside but with the chaos in the medbay, I don't want to bother Revs right now." She called as she made her way out of the infirmary."What do you need Christine?" Ratchet asked, though he sounded a little distracted."I have been asked to care for a quartet of mini Dinobots. They have not been fed recently. What precisely should I be feeding these little ones?" Christine briefed as she sent Ratchet a few pictures of the little ones in question."You got…by Primus, I never expected…and they just…" Ratchet rambled away, words making no sense."Ratchet! What do I feed them? They are constantly keening, I can feel their hunger in their fields.""Scrap metal, small pieces. Look for stronger materials. Iron and steel would be good. Anything resilient. Their armour structure is different from ours. No aluminium or the like, that would be dangerous for their development.""Swing by my workshop, Christine. I've got plenty of the scrap you need. I'll get one of the girls to start gatherin' up small bits for the bitlets." Hound offered quickly. "I'll also arrange for one of the runners to bring you scrap buckets every so often.""Thank you Hound. I was just wondering where I'd find enough scrap." Christine nodded as she picked up the pace. "I'll set up in the third common room for now. Don't want to take them too far from their parents.""Head that way now, Racer's almost got a full bucket. She can meet you there with it.""Sounds like a plan. Christine out."Modulating her EM field to hopefully keep the youngsters calm until the food arrived, she hurried up towards the smaller common room. Deep down, she knew exactly why Speedshot had called on her specifically. She was the only femme around and had demonstrated her maternal nature on many occasions over the years. Not just for frightened youngsters either. Her tender care worked just as well on panicked soldiers coming around after battle injuries. Even Ironhide could attest to that skill.Reaching her chosen room, she chuckled softly at the sight of Racer waiting by the door with two sizeable buckets of suitable scrap. Thanking the younger femme and sending her back to her tasks, Christine grabbed the buckets and entered the room to pick out a good spot to settle down and feed her charges.To her surprise though, the room was already partially occupied. Bumblebee sat in one corner, talking quietly with an unfamiliar human female. At the far end, Tracks and Smokescreen were deep in conversation, voices too low for her to hear clearly.'Oh, hey Christine.' Bee called happily.'Hey Bee.' she replied with a smile as she headed for one of the benches in the middle of the room.'Wait…I didn't know you and Braid…''Oh no, these four aren't mine Bee. I'm only looking after them temporarily.'Settling quickly and bringing the quartet around in front of her, she started feeding them scraps, engine shifting into a low purr to further soothe them.'Where did they come from?''Turns out there's a lot we didn't know about Dinobots. Not only can they actually talk but apparently they can reproduce without medical assistance.' Christine explained with a shrug. 'I was asked to care for them while the Dinobots are in the infirmary.''Without…whoa, I knew they were old…but that's wild.''Funny, Ratchet had a similar reaction.' Christine chuckled softly. 'So, who is your new friend there?''Oh, this is Charlie. She is my first true human friend. She saved my life back in the 80s.''Please don't take this the wrong way; I just never expected one of your kind to have such a…human name.' Charlie remarked as she turned her full attention to Christine.Getting up, Bee came over to sit closer to Christine so they could talk easier. Reaching for the scrap bucket, he also started to help with feeding the chirring younglings.'It's quite alright Charlie. Unlike Bee, I haven't been Cybertronian all my life. This is a relatively new form. Many years ago, members of this extensive team came up with a unique solution to a problem we were facing. A woman we all cared about and respected deeply was dying of cancer; there was nothing modern human medicine could do to save her. The team worked hard on a solution and eventually came up with a device that could convert organic to mechanical.' Christine explained as best she could.She didn't really understand how the technology worked; it wasn't even close to her areas of expertise. All she knew was that the tech worked and had greatly improved the life expectancy of everyone involved.'I don't understand. How can anyone convert organic into mechanical?' Charlie asked as she looked up at Christine again.'I don't know how it works, Charlie. I was a cook before the transition. I just know that it works.''I told you that we weren't the only aliens on Earth at one point.' Bee added softly.'Despite what humanity believes, they aren't alone in this galaxy…much less in this very solar system. You might be surprised by just how close aliens have been for hundreds of years. It was only because of a conscious effort on their end that humanity never discovered their existence.''I don't understand. Where could aliens be hiding?' Charlie asked, head tipping to the side as she puzzled it out.Soothing her charges quickly, Christine held out her left hand and triggered the small holoemitter hidden in her wrist. Flaring out in full colour, a lovely white Martian female appeared on her palm. Wearing blue jeans, a burnt-orange t-shirt and a dark red vest, she looked around slowly as she brushed her inky black hair off her shoulder.'Christine Fouliser at your service.' she offered with a quick bow. 'A proud daughter of Mars and a member of the Martian Army.''Mars? But how? Scientists can't prove that life can exist on Mars.''That's what the Martian people want humans to believe. Martian mice, like me, have already got way too many problems to deal with. The last thing we need is more interest from Earth.''So your people somehow fooled the rovers that we sent to Mars?''That was pretty easy. Most Martians live below the ground. Those that do travel the surface know to stay well away from human tech. now though, I'm not sure it even matters. Multiple wars have left Mars damaged and the local populations dangerously low. Those of us who were trapped on Earth decided it was better to transition than age and die out. At least that way the memory of a living Mars will live on.''Well, I guess that destroys the little green men theory.' Charlie shrugged and chuckled as she looked at the holo display. 'I never considered our nearest neighbours were giant bipedal…mice you said.''That's right. There used to be other species that also called Mars home, but after so long away I don't know which ones might yet survive.''That's so sad.' Charlie noted, though she still hadn't taken her gaze off the Martian figure. 'And that was you before the transition?''That's right. I wasn't considered especially beautiful either. I accepted that, I was good enough to attract a big, strong mate who could provide for me as I cared for him. We're still together now, with four children of our own.'Adjusting the holoform display, Christine proudly showed off her family. The kids were still developing, figuring out what they wanted to be as they continued to upgrade their bodies into adulthood. The older pair, Rebel and Hunk, were sticking to ground based forms. The younger two, Tracer and Drift, had chosen an aerial route for their upgrade path.'Do I spy wings on little Drift?' Bee asked as he peered at the shifting hologram.'Yeah, he and Tracer both decided they preferred the thrill of flight over tearing up the highway.' Christine agreed with a laugh. 'I can't say I blame them, they've spent more time with wings in their lives so far.''Wait, does that mean you can choose your final body type?' Charlie asked as she turned back to Bee.'I couldn't. My frame type was set when I was first created. I can switch between other vehicles in the same weight category, but that's it.' Bee explained quietly.'Those of us who were created on Earth have more freedoms. We can switch between frame styles at will. Many of us first went with aerial forms because that's what was readily available. Now, we've all got aerial and ground forms stored and available. What we can't do is switch from aerial to vehicular form without having to stop, revert to base mode and select the alternate form we wish to use.''So you're not triple changers? Cliffjumper told me about them one night when I couldn't sleep.''No Charlie, we're not technically triple changers. They are a truly rare type. In our ranks here on Earth, we only have two genuine triple changers. There could be more on their way, but it's impossible to know for certain.' Christine sighed and looked back to her charges.All four were quiet at last, huddled up together in their slings as they recharged peacefully. Softening her EM field again and using it to keep the quartet comfortable and settled, he turned her full attention back to Bee and Charlie with a soft smile.'I never realised your people were so complex. I suppose I should have worked it out. What I learned just from knowing you should have given me a clue.' Charlie remarked as she shifted to settle back against Bee more comfortably.'There was no time to really talk about my people. I was still finding my voice, figuring out how to replace what had been destroyed. It's easier now, with streaming and the growth of video sites.' Bee added in a lower tone. 'I didn't have the words then to tell you the things I wanted to say.''What things? I thought we got along pretty well considering the situation.'Lifting his left hand, Bee triggered his own holoemitter and looked up as an older image flared into life between them. It wasn't as sharp as Christine's, the colours a little washed out and some of the pixels simply dead. Hovering there above his hand, a lonely little 'bot looked around as they shifted from foot to foot.Optics dimming a little, he explained how he'd come off a production line in the depths of Cybertron's inner core, another B unit that no one would genuinely care about. Drafted into scouting before he'd even finished drying from his post production spray down.A life lived quickly, developing into his upgrades faster than anyone genuinely considered safe. Mismatched upgrades, making do with whatever could be found as the war efforts ramped up. Listening as medical professionals argued about what was best for little B-127.Getting caught up in the Autobot cause, taking shelter with Ratchet and Ironhide, since he knew they would stand up for him when things got difficult. Learning how to fight, how to scout and how to blend in with his peers. Developing his skills with ranged and melee weapons, finding his feet among warriors twice his size and even bigger.Gaining trust and crawling up the ranks, taking risks and proving his bravery mission after mission. Making new friends all around, earning their trust and demonstrating that he was more than anyone ever expected from a B unit. Across Cybertron, B units were failing at every term. Their frames weren't meant to hold up under such intense abuse.'I had no idea you went through so much.' Charlie remarked softly.'War is hell for everyone. For us, it's harder. We live so much longer, see so much more and learn to live with so much pain.' Christine offered sadly. 'I can't imagine the things some of the older Autobots have witnessed.''Save yourself the pain and just don't ask. Lot of pain buried deep in us all.' Bee offered with a faint shrug. 'We've all learned to live with it.''Some of you were on Earth during the World Wars, weren't you?' Christine asked gently, watching Bee closely as she spoke.'Yeah, some of us. Hound and I had a mission, Ironhide took one and Wheeljack aided with a couple. Think Kup and Hot Rod had a piece of that action too. I don't remember exactly, it sort of got pushed aside in favour of more recent situations.' Bee nodded slowly.'You've been fighting for that long?''Charlie, we've been at war since dinosaurs roamed this planet. We weren't all there for the opening salvo, but that hardly matters now.' Bee nodded again. 'At this point, I'm not sure there's anything left.''After what Sentinel tried, I'd be surprised if Cybertron is still intact.' Christine agreed softly. 'We have to try harder to keep this planet safe. Humanity doesn't deserve that fate, no matter how much they hate us.'#~#+^*^+#~#Head snapping up when a loud alert sounded from the main ward, Revs barely paused before breaking away from Silverbolt and racing to investigate. The last thing he needed right now was a crashing patient. He was already running on fumes and still had more patients waiting for his care.Shoving Blades out of the way, Revs barely paused as he slipped to a stop beside Huffer's berth. Reading the data streams, he once again pried Huffer's chest plates open and swore at the sight of energon and coolant pooling in his chest cavity.Before he could even think to call for assistance, First Aid was there, suction nozzle already extended as he skidded into place on the other side of the berth. Nodding once, Revs turned his full attention to tearing at Huffer's armour, determined not to lose him now.Wiping his hands quickly to clean off the worst of the energon, coolant and other fluids slicking his armour, Revs examined the situation with a critical view before plunging his hands into the freshly cleared internals of Huffer's chest. First was the reopened split in a main energon line running along his inner spinal struts. It had already been patched twice, but the damage was so severe that the patches kept tearing through.'Windvest! 2 inch bracing pipe!' he barked without looking up. 'Hound! Main energon lines for Huffer! I need them as soon as you can!''I'll get on it soon as I've finished this dorsal plate for Scorn. Be 'bout an hour…that okay?' Hound replied quickly, voice tired and low.'I can hold him for a couple hours at most.' Revs confirmed as he patched another tear threatening to burst open. 'But the sooner the better. His primary won't hold much longer, even with bracing pipe.''Shit! I'm on it. Scorn will have to wait.''2 inch bracing pipe on the list for later!' Windvest snapped as he raced back in with the requested pipe.'Copy that.' Hound confirmed and cut the connection.Making space for Windvest to join him, Revs kept trying to stay ahead of the leaks as Windvest positioned the bracing pipe and wrapped it around the severely damaged main conduit.They all felt it before the alarm sounded. The damage was too severe, Huffer's spark was sputtering before their very optics. They were going to lose him, despite all their efforts and what Charlie had done to get him this far.Growling low, refusing to give up without a fight, Revs folded his mini cutter away in favour of his emergency spark support subsystems. He had to at least try and stabilise Huffer's spark before they lost him for good. He had to give Huffer another chance. Give him a chance to see this planet and how beautiful it could be.'Make a hole!'Everyone looked up at Carbon sprinted into the chaos, slipping past Blades in his mad rush. Armour shifting, exposing components he rarely relied on, Carbon ducked Odd Ball's reaching arm and glided to a stop behind Revs.Ignoring the looks he was getting from all sides, Carbon approached the table and unfurled his static inducers. Calm as could be, despite the risks he was taking, he placed the panels against Huffer's armour and started a gentle flow between them.'Carbon, are you sure? You know…''I know Revs. I want to do this. I'm not afraid of what might happen.' Carbon nodded slowly. 'He deserves to live.''Okay. If at any point it feels like you're gonna lose him, speak up.' Revs instructed as he tucked his spark support systems away again. 'Hold him stable. You're the last line.''I won't fall.' Carbon replied with a nod. 'Any doubts, I'll speak up.'Sinking to one knee, Carbon shifted to rest his forehead against Huffer's. Partly reading his EM field, he focused on smoothing out the pulsating chaos of Huffer's spark, cajoling it into a rhythm with his own spark. He knew the risks, they all knew the risks of doing this. But for Carbon, the risk was worth taking. He was still single, so if it happened and a bond did form, there was no relationship to jeopardise.'You're doing great Carbon.' Windvest uttered as he continued his efforts to put Huffer back together.'He's doing great. I'm just the support.' Carbon corrected with a smile.Paying no attention to the squeals and sparks pouring from Huffer's battered frame as the team worked, Carbon opened up his field and wrapped around Huffer a little more. Anything to keep him from off lining permanently. He didn't know Huffer, but that didn't matter. It felt right to risk his bachelorhood for this particular mech."Are you sure about this Carbon?" Black asked on their private family channel."You don't even know that guy." Speed added quietly."I'm sure Black. This feels right." Carbon offered in reply. "I may not know him personally, but the stories I got from those who do are enough.""If you're absolutely sure, I'll support you bro." Black agreed after a few moments. "I want you to be happy.""I know Black. I know I haven't really looked seriously at dating before, but I've never felt this sort of interest before. I can't explain it…I feel…complete. Even if nothing comes of this, it feels right to be here, anchoring and stabilising Huffer.""If you're sure, we'll make a space for him in our corner of the base." Speed offered."I…I'm certain. Even if nothing comes of this, I still want to try. It might work, he might decide he doesn't want me. Either way, it feels right to at least try for him.""Whatever happens, we'll support you." Black promised as a familiar warmth wrapped around Carbon's awareness. "Never thought you'd be the first of us to start dating.""Don't get too excited yet bro. Still not sure he'll even survive the surgery." Carbon warned softly. "Just…""We'll be right here until the end, bro. Whatever happens, we're here with you." Speed added easily. "I'm proud of you bro, I hope you know that.""I do Speed. It means a lot that you're both here right now." Carbon replied softly."There's nowhere we'd rather be." Black confirmed as another warm hug washed over their connection.Drawing strength from their presence, Carbon pressed closer and concentrated harder on keeping Huffer's spark stable. Focus narrowing down, he wrapped his field around Huffer as best he could and tried to reassure the critically injured 'bot that he was safe now. He would never have to fear humanity again.'Keep it up, Carbon. He's steady now. Hold him there so we can patch all this damage.' Revs noted proudly.'You got it Revs. Take all the time you need, I got him.' Carbon replied with a smile.Amazed that Carbon was able to hold Huffer stable despite a lack of training, Revs shook his head briefly and went back to the mammoth task of putting Huffer back together properly.'Are you sure…' First Aid started to speak as he held the bracing pipe in place for Revs to solder it.'Leave it Aid. We all know the risks. I trust Carbon. If he wants to take that risk, I'm not going to stop him. If it bothers you that much, by all means pull him off, but if you do that, I'll hold you personally responsible for Huffer's death.' Revs warned sharply.'Dunno how it was done in the past but in here, you shut it and trust Revs to lead. If you can't do that, get the fuck outta the infirmary!' Windvest snapped as he glared at First Aid. 'You don't know shit about this organisation. We ain't like any other Autobot team.''Leave it Windvest. I'll deal with him later. Right now I need as many trained hands as possible. I'll deal with his shit attitude once we've got everyone sorted out.' Revs growled and swatted at First Aid's hands. 'If you wanna be useful, go tell Wheelie that Scorn's repairs are on delay.''But…''Go, before I have you thrown out anyway!''You got a problem over here Revs?' Falcon asked as he approached. 'Just got done helping settle Silverbolt in the warehouse ward. Seems to be helping him relax.''A small disagreement Falcon, that's all. Some still think I stole Ratchet's post.' Revs replied casually as he continued working on Huffer.'Ah, another of those.' Falcon nodded and turned his gaze to First Aid. 'Unless you wanna end up removed from the authorised medic list, I strongly suggest you pull your head in and follow Revs' orders. You don't believe me, talk to Hoist and Grapple.'Finally managing to properly stabilise Huffer's main energon conduit, Revs switched his focus to the rest of the shredded lines he hadn't been able to get sorted out yet. There hadn't been enough time between Charlie's arrival and the return of the shuttle. He'd barely had enough time to administer pain relief, fluids and patch the worst of the damage. He just had to hope that Gears was holding under Shift's dedicated attention.'I need hands!' Shift hollered from further down the ward.'Go! Do not argue or you are out! I don't care about your opinions right now!' Revs demanded as he glared at First Aid.'What do you need?" Blades called as he ran past their table.'Start soldering the patches to his spark case properly!' Shift directed as he reached for another rag to clean his hands again.'I need support!' Shard bellowed from the other end of the ward.'Ready to assist!' Falcon responded as he turned and hustled off again.'Parts run!' Frenzy called as he raced into the infirmary with several bundles strapped to his frame.Skating through the chaos, he delivered each bundle to the appropriate patient, checking and rechecking that everything was right before moving on. Before he left, he collected several requests for parts from the storerooms across the base. Recording everything, he nodded once and zipped back out while calling to Terrence and Stephen to start gathering the requested components.Realising that he was sorely out numbered and would have to deal with this later, First Aid nodded and hurried away from the table. Wiping off his hands as he moved, he slipped into place beside Shard and immediately started working to solder up the leaking tears in Gears' internals.'Now you're getting it rookie. You follow Revs or you're out the door. Learn that lesson and you might just survive among us.' Shard noted quietly as he continued relacing components as fast as he could.'I expected Ratch…''You expected wrong, rookie. Ratchet stepped aside. Took himself off the medical roster. He is no longer part of the medical team. He will not miraculously come down here to save you from your own stupidity rookie. You follow Revs, or you lose your medic status.' Shard continued in a low tone. 'We did just fine before you got here, so don't even start to think you're irreplaceable.''Be very careful what you say next, rookie. I have full authority to throw you out if I feel there is a security risk in allowing you to stay in here.' Falcon warned as he crouched and hooked up a fresh energon container to Gears' main line.'I'm not…''Shut your trap!' Shard growled low. 'You're a rookie until we say you've earned the title medic. The longer you argue, the longer you're nothing but a rookie. Show that you can follow instructions and maybe you'll earn some respect from those of us who have been here longer.'Ignoring the splutter from First Aid, Shard turned his full focus back to Gears, fingers flying as he replaced component after component, gradually rebuilding most of his internals. The zip ties Charlie had used had done an admirable job, keeping him together long enough to reach help, but the damage would take quite some time to fully repair.At this point, they weren't even worrying about replacing armour panels unless it was deemed of critical importance. The fabrication team was hard pressed to keep up with the internal component orders. Scorn's dorsal plate was an exception. Some of his critical components were exposed and at risk until the panel was replaced.Skating in with another load of parts, Rumble completely ignored First Aid as he set his crate down and started unpacking the contents onto the rolling table beside Shard. Setting it all out in accordance to the diagram he'd been shown, Rumble gathered up all the damaged parts and tossed them into the crate before scooping it up again.'Thank you Rumble. I'll need the next crate in about ten minutes.' Shard instructed as he reached for the next piece.'Harley will bring it. I need to refuel soon.' Rumble replied with a smile. 'Anything else you need?''Not currently. Go on, get some fuel and rest a little.' Shard smiled as he dismissed the younger 'bot.'You got it Shard.' Rumble replied and left, neatly swinging around Racer as she came in with another supply box.#~#+^*^+#~#Pushing down his own exhaustion at the end of a long shift, Blade made his way through the quiet base towards the infirmary. He'd heard all the reports from almost everyone involved, and the additional reports from the medical team relating to all their new arrivals.He'd even made the time to talk with Charlie Watson for a little while before suggesting she get some sleep. He would have to make time later to hear more of her amazing rescue story.Right now though, he wanted to check in on all his new arrivals and reassure them that they were truly safe now. Plus he wanted to show the Dinobots their new home range, safe away from humanity and discovery. Then there was the question of the quintet rescued from Australia. He had so many questions about them.Rubbing absently at the smoke residue smeared across his face, Blade entered the infirmary and looked around slowly. For all the chaos detailed in the reports, the place was scrupulously clean now. Everything in its place, ready for the next emergency that would come through these doors.'Oh, I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow Blade.' Revs remarked as he emerged from his office. 'Come to check on everything?''Just a quick look around. Not sure when I'll be able to get back down here overnight.' Blade admitted with a shrug. 'And I wanted to hear your opinions on the five from Australia.''At this point, my opinion of them is mixed. Hot Spot stepped up to help with the Aerialbots. Groove and Streetwise stayed out of the way as much as possible. Blades turned out to be a competent medic; he jumped in to help save Windcharger. My biggest gripe is First Aid. He spent far too much time arguing my calls and focusing on the wrong things.' Revs explained with a shrug. 'He might smarten up, but I don't know. Right now, everyone on the medical team aside from Blades is calling him rookie.''Think it'll help?' Blade asked as he reached out to rest one hand on Revs' shoulder.'I have no idea. I know he went searching for Ratchet when I dismissed him. Beyond that, I don't really care anymore. I've got bigger concerns.' Revs offered as he leaned into the contact. 'Come on, I'll take you around.''Are you sure? You look absolutely beat Revs.''I'm sure Blade. I can't rest yet, not until I'm sure everyone is safe. As it is, three are still touch and go.''Three…shit; I thought everyone was doing better than that.''I won't know about Windcharger and Gears until their self repair system allows them to regain consciousness. As for Huffer…if it wasn't for Carbon's decision, we would have lost him. We'll just have to wait and see how that turns out.''Carbon…what the hell did he do this time and why wasn't it in the reports?' Blade groaned and shook his head.'He stepped up and took on the responsibility of stabilising Huffer while I was busy trying to reinforced his main energon conduit. As for why it's not in any of the reports, I didn't want to make anything official until we know if they linked or not. We know that bonds can form under extenuating circumstances, but I don't know if Carbon's efforts created one or not.''How long until we know for sure?''That depends on when Huffer comes out of emergency stasis. So far Carbon can't feel anything, but until Huffer's awake, we won't know for certain.''What else wasn't in the reports?' Blade asked with a low groan.'I know you were briefed on the injuries to the Aerialbots, the status of the Dinobots and their young and the insane levels of damage in Charlie's team. Braid was meant to brief you on the situation with the Protectobots, and Topspin had supplemental info on the Aerialbots.' Revs listed off quickly. 'That should be everything.''You forgot the supplemental from Charlie about her run in with the TRF and the mad escape to join us here.' Blade added with a faint grin. 'I honestly can't believe she kept them alive long enough to reach us.''You'll be even more surprised when you see them. Windcharger survived because of duct tape. Gears was held together with zip ties. Huffer…he should have died several times over.' Revs admitted with a sigh. 'Come on, I'll take you around.'Disturbed by what he was hearing and the note of exhaustion Revs had in his voice, Blade trailed after him on a tour of the wards. Perhaps he'd been wrong to suggest Ratchet surrender his medical clearance? Perhaps he should have insisted that Ratchet stay on and at least support Revs for a little while before he went solo.'As stressful as it was, I'm grateful Ratchet left me alone to sort this out for myself. I had to know that I was still capable, despite everything.' Revs uttered and looked up at Blade. 'I had to know I was ready.''I wouldn't have put you in this spot if I had any doubts about you.' Blade replied with a gentle smile. 'You did great Revs. Don't ever doubt that.''I won't Blade. Now that I've shown I can handle the infirmary with multiple critical casualties, it'll get easier.''Good. Now, where do we start?' Blade asked.'Through here with Charlie's little group.'
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Looking back over the last eighteen months, Blade couldn't quite believe how much things had changed. Not just as a team, but on an individual level as well. New friendships formed and old flames reignited as they continued to evolve their team dynamics.One of the first changes had been more of a nod to the past than anything truly important, but it gave them all a sense of stability and unity. They kept the traditional Autobot insignia, shifting it from a pure red to a rusty red-orange, and added a set of antennae at the top in tribute to the large Martian contingent who had fought for Earth for so many years. Even the newest arrivals accepted the modifications, though they had never truly met a Martian.The issues in the medical department had been sorted out too, after Ratchet made it extremely clear just what would happen if they refused to knuckle down and obey Revs' leadership. To put an end to any further arguments, Ratchet pried the old and worn medical insignia he'd been given millennia ago out of his armour. Wiping it clear, he held it out to Revs as he accepted the welding torch Windvest handed him. Right there, in front of everyone, he attached the medallion to Rev's chestplate, right where everyone could see it.There hadn't been any questions about Revs' fitness as CMO since then.There had been surprises along the way too.Modo and Tracks had been one such surprise. No one had expected them to pair up, but Modo's gentle compassion was a great help to Tracks as he tried to move on from the tortures of his past. Tracks still wore his silver mask, the underlying metal still refusing to stay repaired despite the best efforts of the medical team.The Aerialbots were another surprise. Not just because of their willingness to surrender their wings in favour of wheels and treads. As they took their new forms and developed their human disguises, they settled under Throttle's watch, trusting in him to help them get settled in small town America.He took them in happily, helping them form solid identities and ensuring they had a workable home near his own. A larger place, with a large shed to house their vehicle modes when they weren't working their highway maintenance roles. The hardest part of their transition was making the machinery they were replacing disappear without anyone noticing. It took quite a lot of delicate finagling under cover of dark to make the switch without drawing the notice of any human in the area.The Protectobots went a different route, splitting their skills across the town. They chose to share a house, picking a place equidistant from the fire station and the police station. A few of the local men tried their best to catch the attention of the five Italian beauties, but every attempt was brushed off.That wasn't to say they remained single though. One by one, they picked up a public romance with another Autobot. Some of them developed into full romances, others were happy to stay as friends. It was all about deflecting attention and keeping the humans from realising the truth.Vinnie and Hot Spot were one such unexpected pairing. No one had seen it coming. One night, about six months after the Protectobots joined the ranks, they made their relationship known to the team and spent many quiet evenings curled up together, lost in their own little world. Sweetheart liked Hot Spot too, listening with rapt attention when he would tell stories of Cybertron, the war and his time in Australia.First Aid moved in with Odd Ball, learning more about the composition of the team the longer they shared a home. Their relationship was more platonic than others, but in public they made it look like they were madly in love. Patches helped a lot with that projected image, happily spending time with the new woman who was now part of their family.The other three Protectobots were happy enough to live near their gestalt mates and continue to deny any of the local humans a chance at a date. Even after Cade and Sarah had explained the basics of human dating, very few of the singles among the Autobots even considered attempting to face the dating scene in town.The human aspect of their team had changed too. They now had a few more allies scattered across the country. Each one gifted with a small device that would reassure any Autobot within range that the human bearing the device could be trusted to keep them safe and bring them to the team hiding in Texas.#~#+^*^+#~#'Didn't expect to see you out here, Blade.' Cade noted a he wandered over to where the exhausted leader was sitting. 'You okay?'Tearing his gaze away from the stars, Blade offered out one hand to Cade as he shuttered his optics. He was so tired, the constant requirements on his time to keep everyone safe and hidden was starting to really tell on him.'Didn't mean to disturb you, Cade.' Blade sighed as he rested his now occupied hand on his knee. 'Truth be told, I'm exhausted. Mentally and physically.''Can I do anything to help?' Cade asked, settling and looking up at Blade's weary face. 'I know I'm only human…''There isn't any one specific thing making my life hard currently, Cade.''Tell me about one of your issues. Something that can't easily be fixed, but that's weighing you down anyway.'Staring at Cade for a moment, Blade nodded slowly as he shifted his empty hand to lightly rub at a dent in his chestplates. It wasn't a real problem; he'd been unlucky to be parked in just the wrong spot to be hit by a driver trying to escape Groove and Streetwise. He knew he could go to Revs and have it pulled out, but personally, Blade didn't mind a few battle scars like that.But there was one issue that Blade hadn't told anyone, not even his dear little Beast. He was fully aware that she likely already knew, but he didn't have the spark to ask her about it. Didn't want to see her spark broken over the loss of a parent she'd genuinely adored.'I can no longer sense Optimus.' he admitted softly, optics dimming as he once again tried to find his mate somewhere out beyond the solar system.There had been no answer to his calls for months, no hint that Optimus was out there somewhere. As far as anyone knew, Optimus had died in space and was drifting among the stars.'We bonded in secret years ago, before we even met you and Tess. We never made a big deal over it; we both preferred it to be a private thing. Think of it like a wedding, but on a much deeper level. Soul mates, but more tangible. We could speak silently across the bond, sense moods and emotions even at distance. There are risks to a bond though. If one dies, the other can be killed by the backlash across the shattered bond.' Blade explained softly, gaze returning to the stars.'But if you're still alive, surely that means he's still out there somewhere.''Our bond didn't break traumatically. It was allowed to simply fade. Another year or two and it'll be like we never bonded in the first place. I suspect the family bond that Beast established with him is weak, if it hasn't already completely vanished.' Blade corrected sadly, still looking up at the stars.Cade recognised the pain Blade was feeling. He'd felt the same agony after losing his wife. But at the same time, he knew he couldn't fully understand what Blade was going through. There was still a chance that Optimus was out there, somewhere among the stars.'So what do you do now?' he asked gently, absently rubbing Blade's palm in what he hoped was a calming manner.'I don't know. There's a part of me that wants to wait and hope Optimus comes back one day. There's also a part that tells me I should move on and find a new mate.''Have you asked anyone else for advice?''I haven't told anyone else about this. I don't want anyone to start worrying that Optimus is genuinely dead this time. I can't destroy their hope that he'll come back one day.''Some of us already know Chief.'Moving Cade closer to his chest, Blade twisted around to see who had dared intrude on his solitude. To his surprise, Ironhide and Prowl were standing there, with Ratchet and Jazz a couple of steps behind them. All four were using holoforms to get closer, which explained why Blade hadn't heard them roll up behind him.'You know? But how? I did everything I could to keep it hidden.''We were among those closest to Optimus. Hand picked to be his inner circle when war became inevitable. Of those who have made it to earth, we're the ones who have been by his side the longest.' Ratchet explained as he came closer.'Well, Kup should be included too. But he's still frustrated that Optimus had forsaken most of his promises and duties years ago.' Jazz added with a smile.'But…I don't understand.' Blade uttered, turning to face the quartet fully. 'How did you know the bond was dead?''We did not know that, Chief.' Ironhide corrected as he went to one knee. 'You are now recognised as the new Alpha by my guardsman protocols. It changed two days ago, during a regular system inspection.''I…I can't just take his place. I'm not…''No's asking you to take the Prime sigil.' Prowl insisted as he stepped forward and took a knee. 'We're just asking if you are willing to accept solo command of the Autobots on Earth.'Looking down at Cade for a moment, Blade huffed through his vents and looked up, optics focusing and refocusing on the distant stars. Was he really ready to take solo command? Up until this moment, it had been his understanding that Optimus would always have the top spot. His centuries of experience made Blade seem like a freshly commissioned officer.Sure, most of the Autobots living around him respected him as a leader. A couple of the newest arrivals still weren't sure, but he was working with them to make them feel more comfortable in his presence. Then there was the endless burden of trying to discover the fate of those they hadn't been able to reach in time.Reaching out across his family bond, he asked Slash his opinion on the topic. All he got back was steadfast support and a promise that nothing would change between them, regardless of what Blade chose.'If I agree, you four will-' he started, turning his cautious gaze back to the four old hands nearby.'We'll still be right here. Bodyguard, Master Tactician, Spymaster and Diplomat.' Jazz promised as he too knelt before Blade. 'You can assign your own First Lieutenant, figure it's not my place.''Slash stays as my Second.' Blade nodded slowly, fighting back the anxious knot trying to crawl up his intake. 'I'll step up. Let the unit know, I stand alone for us all. I won't declare Optimus dead, we need any fragments of hope we can scrape together.''Will you accept a leadership sigil? Not Prime's mark, but one that will show any new Autobots that you are the chosen leader for the contingent on this planet.' Ratchet asked as he retrieved an engraving stylus from his subspace pocket.'I will.' Blade agreed and looked down at Cade again. 'Thank you Cade.''I didn't really do anything.''Not true. You gave me the courage to talk about something deeply personal and painful to acknowledge. Because of you, I've found a new path, one I didn't know was there until I was ready to open up.' Blade smiled as he gently set Cade back on the ground.'I'll make the announcement to the ranks.' Prowl offered as he bowed his head respectively. 'Unless you would prefer to do it personally.''No, you can do that Prowl. Let Slash know first, he deserves to know before anyone else.' Blade instructed calmly.Leaning back on his hands and lifting his chin, Blade shuttered his optics and tried to relax. He'd been through similar engravings over the last few years, scattered across his armour inside and out. But this would be the first truly official mark of his position in the unit. Most of his external engravings were symbols of family, friends and battles fought and won.Under some of his plates, designations of those he had killed in battle. Not just battles on Earth, but also going back through his many wars on Mars. In a lot of cases, he had no names for them, just lists of species and how many of them he'd killed in each skirmish.Settling beside him, Ratchet gave him a few moments to settle before starting on the design. Centred across his chestplates, avoiding the small dents, it would stand as a beacon to any Autobot who saw it. Graceful curves and sharp angles, designed to catch the light and flash a challenge to any Decepticon unlucky enough to face him."You actually did it, bro? You actually declared solo leadership?" Slash asked across their family bond."Yeah, I did bro. We're not declaring Optimus dead, just unavailable.""Congrats Blade. And thanks for keeping me as your Second.""There's no one else I'd rather have at my side.""I'll do what I can to field questions and concerns tonight, give you a chance to settle into the title.""Thanks."#~#+^*^+#~#'Finally got some new assistants, Sukhdeep?''Ah, yes Mrs Thomas. Bruno and Carlos. Very hard workers and enthusiastic to be working here.' he replied with a smile. 'I am relieved to have them here, now I can take Balwinder to school and be there to collect him as well.''Now that is excellent news. Your son is such a delightful little boy. I was delighted to see him helping old Dr Jameson with his shopping on Saturday.''I'll be sure to tell him that Mrs Thomas.' he grinned as he finished packing her groceries in her basket. 'You have a lovely day now, Mrs Thomas and I'll see you again in a couple of days.'It had taken a bit of juggling and some extra work outside over the weekend, but that brief conversation with Mrs Thomas proved that their efforts had been worth it.'What was that all about?' Bruno asked as he came up to the counter.'Proof that Bruno and Carlos have been fully accepted in the community.''You got that from that brief conversation?''Mrs Thomas is the most suspicious person in town. If she's satisfied that you're not alien killing machines in disguise, you're safe. She pointed the finger at Ignacio for a while; she was absolutely convinced he was one of the monsters that destroyed Chicago. She was the laughing stock of the town for weeks afterwards, but she's started on it again recently.'"Are you for real?" Cliffjumper asked on across the public comm channel."Yup, she's crazy. Every new arrival in town gets scrutinised pretty hard by her." Kup confirmed with a chuckle. "You get used to her strange ways. Just smile and remember your manners. If you get stuck in a conversation with her, just ask for help. Pretty much everyone here can help you handle her.""I'm guessing we all need to worry about her and others like her." Skydive remarked with a sigh."She's the worst one in town, but there's a few others. Don't worry; someone will always be around to guide you." Throttle promised gently. "As part of the highway maintenance team, you won't be exposed to her as much.""Let's be honest, it's really only those who work in retail that will be forced to deal with her on a regular basis. Well, the fire department sees her fairly often too, mostly to get her cats out of stupid places." Blade added with a soft laugh."But she's harmless?" First Aid asked again, wary of this strange human."Yeah, she's harmless." Blade confirmed to hopefully help settle everyone. "It'll be okay, we've been doing this for a while."#~#+^*^+#~#Spotting a particular woman sitting outside Christine's café, Prowl felt a certain thrill run through his neural net. It had taken months of secret investigations, digging through layers of intrigue and figuring out where the connections were. He'd had to do it very carefully, not wanting to rouse suspicion or leave clues that might cause the women under investigation to move faster on their plan.Making sure he had all the paperwork in order and double checking with Smokescreen that this was all above board, Prowl pulled into a space out front of the café."What's the deal Prowl? I thought we had to be at the station." Streetwise asked as he pulled into the next available spot."Yeah, you said the current chief is a hard ass." Groove added as he too pulled in and cut his engine."See the three older women sitting at table 5? The one in the green dress is the one who has been giving Hound and Mirage hell since we arrived. The one in pink is also part of the plot to steal their son away. I don't believe the other one is involved, she appears to be a regular retiree enjoying small town life." Prowl briefed as he scanned the three ladies. "Smokescreen, anything I need to know about the third woman?""Let me check." Smokescreen replied. "No, there's nothing to suggest that she's connected to the attempts to steal Mustang. Couple parking tickets, but those are paid off.""Thanks Smokescreen. Hopefully this doesn't devolve into hysterics." Prowl huffed as he prepared for the worst.Climbing out, Penny straightened her uniform and pulled on her hat as she collected a folder from the dash of her patrol car. Waiting for Silvia and Gabriela to join her, she glanced towards the women at table 5 before approaching the café.'Oh, morning Penny. The usual?' Christine greeted as she emerged from the café with a tray of coffees.'That'd be great Chris, thanks. Meet Silvia and Gabriela, the newest faces on the beat around here.' Penny grinned as she indicated her companions.'Welcome ladies. What can I get you this morning?' Christine nodded, mostly focused on the coffees she was handing to her customers.'If you want coffee, I can bring it for you Gabi.' Silvia offered with a sweet smile.'Grazie sorella.' Gabriela replied with a chuckle.Trusting the sisters to stay out of trouble, Penny approached the ladies at table 5. Projecting calm, she waited for a lull in their inane conversation before stepping up beside the table.'Ah, Sergeant Anderson, how lovely to see you.''Miss Amelia Wainwright. You've been served.' Penny recited as she laid the first packet of papers on the table. 'This also contains a restraining order against you by Mr and Mrs Davis. Any attempt to contact them will result in you being charged with harassment and child endangerment.''What? How dare you…''Miss Wainwright, your behaviour towards the Davis family is well documented. Their lawyer currently has fifteen witness statements that describe the things you have done in an effort to steal their beloved son away.''That angel deserves a proper upbringing.''And by proper, I assume you mean strictly religious. Your actions have already caused your friend Mrs Tabitha McWilliams to be fired from her position with child services. Ms Rebecca Jones has also been fired for allowing you to peruse the private medical files for any children you could attempt to steal away.' Penny continued, sharp gaze shifting to the other two women at the table. 'I suspect that more of your friends and church members will also face penalties as the investigation continues.''So that's why Tabitha has been so upset with you lately.''And why Rebecca refused to come to brunch today.''Have a safe day ladies.' Penny added before turning and walking away from the table. 'Thanks Chris. Fair warning, you might have some problems with table 5. Dropped a couple of bombshells on them.''So just another ordinary day with those three.' Christine chuckled as she handed Penny a fresh cup of coffee and a paper bag. 'Have a good day at work Penny.''You too Chris. You still okay to baby sit Hunter this Saturday night?''Yeah, still on for it. Rachael is excited to help.''Good. I suspect she'll start advertising as a babysitter if she enjoys caring for Hunter.' Penny agreed with a soft laugh. 'You two ready to go?''Si, we're ready.' Silvia nodded as she opened the door on her patrol car.#~#+^*^+#~#Freezing when he heard a faint whisper across a channel long silent, Speedshot motioned for silence as he tried to track the signal. It was so weak though, flickering in and out despite his best efforts to stabilise the contact. For a moment he wondered if perhaps the being on the other end was intentionally trying to avoid contact, but that didn't make sense. If they were trying to avoid notice, why not just cut the channel the moment Speedshot responded?"Blaster, you down below?" he asked on a second channel, desperate not to lost this new contact."Yeah. What's up Shot, ya sound worried.""I'll explain everything in a minute. I need a signal boost.""You got it. Standing by in the main hall.""Thanks man."Hauling aft through the underground passages, Speedshot kept most of his attention on the faint signal. Why it had come to him before Blaster, he didn't know. All that mattered was holding onto that signal for as long as he was able to.Transforming on the fly, he skidded across the scuffed floor, sliding to a stop right beside Blaster.'Everyone shut the fuck up for a minute!' Speedshot hollered as Blaster plugged in and gave him the go ahead.With the extra boost and a silent room, the weak message became clearer.A weak voice, quivering on every word. Partly drowned out by rattling intakes and creaking metal. Desperate pleas in a tiny voice, crying out for any kind of mercy."Please. Someone answer me, please. Prime…Ironhide…Jazz…Prowl…anyone. I…I don't know how much longer I can hold out. Please, someone answer my cry. Please, I just want to go home. Ratchet, can you hear me? Smokescreen? Please, I don't care about affiliation. Someone help me, please. Is anyone listening?"He rambled on and on, his terror almost palpable in every trembling word. He was so desperate; he even resorted to trying to call on a handful of Decepticons to help him. Or at least put him out of his misery in a merciful way.There was confusion in his voice too. Questions about the humans and why they were trying to kill him. Anguish over the humans he had been forced to kill just to stay safe within the underground nightmare where he was trapped.A near whisper of a name, another Autobot he thought he'd seen in the darkness but they had vanished before he could investigate further.'I hear you.' Speedshot confirmed in a pause between desperate cries for help. 'My designation is Speedshot.'"Please, can you help me?"'I will. What is your designation?'"My…Beachcomber."'Do you know anything about your location? Anything that can help us find you?'"My power is low. I hope you can understand this."'I do. A team will be dispatched to bring you back to safety as soon as I know where to send them.' Speedshot reassured him softly, trying to keep Beachcomber from panicking again."The co-ords…did they come through?"'Yeah, I've got 'em.' Blaster uttered; most of his focus on tracing the location.'We have your co-ordinates; a team will be there as soon as they can.'"Thank you. Thank you so much."'Stay out of sight until the team gets to your location. They know how to get you out without alerting the humans.'"How long?"'Four cycles. They will be in contact as soon as they're in range.'"I'll be waiting."'Be strong, my friend. Rescue is on the way. If you happen to find anyone else trapped down there, let them know we're on the way.'"I will. Please hurry."'I will always be right here. I'll keep this channel live, if you ever feel lonely or afraid, or if you just want someone to talk to, I'll be right here.'"Thank you Speedshot."'Here, this'll help keep that channel open.' Blaster grinned as he handed over a small booster.'He's in Chicago. Best guess, he's managed to get down into the abandoned tunnels of the old base there. Risky, but I don't think the humans have got the courage, equipment or numbers to risk too many sorties into that unstable mess.' Speedshot briefed as he stood.'So, who's going on this mission?' Blade asked as he looked to the group gathered around him.'I'll go.' Sunstreaker offered after a few moments of silence.'Not alone. I'll go with you.' Sideswipe agreed with a grin.'I'll go. Crimson can look after the girls.' Wheelie declared as he stood.'I want in on this as well.' Cliffjumper insisted as he stood.'While I'm thrilled there are so many of you willing to volunteer, we need to be smart about this. A lot of us are strangers to Beachcomber.' Blade warned; looking around again as several hands went down. 'And we need to be able to explain why those who are on this mission aren't around town.''What can I do to help?' Cade asked from his perch on the upper walkways.'What can we do to help?' Sarah corrected with a smile. 'This is as much our problem as yours.''Cade, I've got a special idea for you.' Blade nodded, gaze flicking to Cade for a moment.'Sarah, can you help out bar in my absence? I love my mates, but they know nothing about how not to kill humans with their cooking attempts.' Speedshot requested, huffing a laugh when Topspin and Leadfoot protested loudly.'Sure, I can do that. You've got everything set up and ready?''There's a delivery due on Wednesday. I keep the recipe folder under the bar; they all know where it is. Christine is familiar with most of my dishes, and if you really get stuck, I'm just a call away.' Speedshot grinned; confident they could handle the bar in his absence.'Shot…' Blade started, turning to regard the darkest Wrecker.'Nope, not taking the lead. Better to have one of the known Autobots lead this one. He might know my name and voice, but he knows their features.''I'll take lead. Not the first time I've done a mission like this.' Sideswipe offered as he skated up beside Speedshot.'Okay. Organise your team and let me know the full roster before you head out.' Blade confirmed as he offered out his hand. 'Best of luck.''We'll bring our mech home safely.' Sideswipe promised then turned and skated out of the room with Sunstreaker at his shoulder.#~#+^*^+#~#The team peeled out of the town after midnight, scattering across several routes to avoid drawing notice. After several hours of discussion, they ended up with a team of fifteen to ensure there was enough cover and protection if the TRF did get wise to their progress towards Chicago.They had also arranged for a secondary support team to remain on standby, ready to be activated at the first hint of serious danger. Everyone was hoping that they wouldn't need to activate the second team; it would be harder to make people believe everything was normal if too many members of their team headed out at the same time.Cade had been reluctant to step up and assist the support team, but after some further discussion, he agreed to be the human face of the support team and do his best to keep the support team from blowing their cover or doing anything else that might draw attention.Back in town, Blade could only listen to the comms and hope that his troops could stay ahead of the humans and pull at least one survivor from the ruins of Chicago.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Under cover of darkness, with just a pair of small red lights to guide them, the first team slipped into the partly demolished underworld of Chicago. Even down here, they didn't dare use full lighting. This mission was dangerous enough without any glowing beacons telling the TRF where they were hiding.Most of the remaining tunnels were large enough for all but the tallest members of their team to pass without difficulty. That worked to their advantage though, leaving Plate, Modo and Bits hiding above ground to keep watch and alert the team if trouble came their way."Man, it sure is spooky down here." Gears muttered across the comms."Didn't used to be. Was a time when these tunnels were home." Sunstreaker replied with a sigh. "Em would be so upset to see it like this.""Who?" Cliffjumper asked as he started to scan the darkness around them."Emily Hunter. She was a truly generous human. Spent most of her fortune outfitting two homes for us before she died. What money was left after her passing has been hidden away for our ongoing needs." Scorpion explained with a sad smile. "You won't find anyone who knew her who has a bad thing to say about her.""She's the one who helped keep Jazz alive, right?" Smokescreen asked as he backed out of a demolished room."Yeah, and Ironhide. She really was something. All the years I knew her, she wasn't afraid to pick the hard fights. No matter the threat, she was always on the front lines." Wheelie confirmed with a proud smile."Shot, you reading anything?" Sideswipe asked as they slipped deeper into the base. "Fog, what about you?""Signals are kinda garbled, but I think I got one." Fog confirmed as he marked a location on their HUDs."Got him. But his code is coming from this way." Speedshot added as he placed a different mark on their HUDs."Eject, what you got?" Sideswipe continued, looking at the two markers."A shit ton of static." Eject offered after a few moments. "I'm trying, but the amount of metal down here is making it hard.""I got one.' Rumble piped up from further back in the group. "Unidentified being, please identify. Unidentified being, please identify.""Speedshot? I can hear movement in the tunnels. I think the humans have found me again." Beachcomber uttered, voice full of fear and anxiety. "I don't know if I've got the energy to run again.""Be calm, Beachcomber. Stay where you are, help is on the way." Speedshot soothed, just hoping he could hold out. "Eject, with me. Beachcomber thinks he's been found again.""Be careful you two and stay in touch." Sideswipe confirmed and moved aside to make space for them to pass.With only the two of them, it was much faster progress through the ruined facility. Making use of smaller passages that would have stopped others in their tracks, they pushed deeper into the darkness.'There it is!''Kill it!''You won't get away!''Please, I don't want to fight.'Kicking it into high gear, Speedshot gave up trying to avoid every piece of debris and bolstered his shielding to protect against flying debris. Thundering forward, the old structures ran with the screaming of engines and the explosive shattering of concrete.'Why do you hate me? I haven't done anything wrong.''Your kind…'Crashing through another pile of broken concrete and twisted rebar, Speedshot skidded across the littered ground, throwing up sparks that flashed against his black paint.'You will not touch him!' he roared with a voice that shook the walls and promised endless pain if challenged.'Like you could stop us!' one of the humans shot back, underslung torch landing on Speedshot's face.Before anyone could stop him, Eject made the next move. Emerging from behind Speedshot, he charged towards the speaker, engine howling an angry challenge. Picking the speaker out of the group, he swept in, one clawed hand grabbing the asshole by the throat as he tore away the pitiful rifle the soldier was holding and tossed it into the darkness.'Give me one reason why I shouldn't pop your head like a grape, asshole!' he snarled, shoving him up against the mangled concrete behind him.'Eject! Let the human go. You are better than this.' Speedshot chastised him sharply.'He deserves to die for this.''That isn't your choice to make, youngling. Let the humans leave, they are of no concern to us.' Speedshot insisted calmly, though his machine guns were still rotating slowly.Shifting his weight so he was in a better place to defend Beachcomber from any threats, Speedshot cast out his holoform. This time Emily was wearing regular blue jeans, a white singlet and a red shirt. Hair back in a loose braid, she had a pistol on her belt and a rifle over her shoulder.'Let him go, Eject.' she insisted, approaching the TRF team as she spoke. 'Let him scurry back to the surface. He is of no importance to us.''We will hunt you down!''You will try, and many will die for the effort. Do not think that your lives mean more than ours. You are a young, violent species. Still blind despite the evidence that you are not alone in the universe. A pity that your stubborn pride will doom so many.' Emily shrugged and shook her head. 'A shame that America will likely be the last to benefit from anything on offer.'Backing up, she turned to look at Beachcomber sadly. Whatever he'd endured since landing, it had left an indelible mark on his plating. He was filthy, scratched and dented, with smears of grey, brown, purple and blue all over his damaged armour.As quickly as she appeared, she vanished again.Folding his heavy weaponry away, Speedshot turned and approached the weary mech slowly. Offering out a hand, he trilled softly, reassuring Beachcomber that he was safe now. Helping the smaller mech up, Speedshot tucked him close and started back into the tangled remnants of the tunnel complex.'You should all know that these tunnels were built by Emily. I'd be careful, she was well known for her booby traps.' Eject warned before skating after the departing pair.'Thank you.' Beachcomber uttered as they walked."I'm sorry we couldn't get here sooner. You're safe now, we won't let those glitches hurt you again." Speedshot reassured him on a private comm channel."You should know that I connected with two other Autobots since you found me." Beachcomber warned softly. "Pipes and Tailgate.""Rumble, got an ID on your contact?" Eject asked as he gently took one scarred hand in his own."Swerve. What about you?""Beachcomber is confirmed. He also had contact with Pipes and Tailgate.""Everyone on high alert. The TRF is in the area and they're baying for blood." Speedshot warned sharply.Rejoining the main group, Speedshot gently handed Beachcomber off to Wheelie for care before standing and looking around slowly.'We can't afford to keep fucking around down here. We know of at least three more of our people down here and the TRF is hunting with the intent to kill. We don't know what those assholes have done to previous victims. I will not lose anyone else to those animals.' he growled, looking around at the team.'So what do you suggest? Let's be real, this old place can't hold up to the abuse it used to get.' Sideswipe asked with a shrug.'Can we agree that since Prime ain't around, we can play a little fast and loose with the rules?' Black asked with a smirk.'Hey, if it means our people are safe, I got no problems with that.' Sideswipe chuckled, waving towards the expanses of shattered concrete around them. 'Do your thing. We'll meet up at the rendezvous when we're sure the place is clear.''But…' Beachcomber started, looking around nervously.'You'll be fine, Beachcomber. I'll be right by your side. I know you don't know me, but I had the privilege of training under Ratchet.' Wheelie offered with a gentle smile. 'You're in good hands.''Is he…''He's in fine health. Got three daughters now. Ironhide spoils them all. I heard they were considering trying for a fourth, but with how things are, I think that's been put away for now.''Just got word back from Chief. We get our people and we get back to base. Keep civilian casualties to the minimum, but TRF is fair game.' Sideswipe instructed, bringing all the attention back to him. 'No mistakes, we scan every inch of this facility before we leave. I am not leaving any of our people to the mercies of these assholes.''No one goes alone. We know how TRF acts, let's not give them the chance to take anyone else.' Sunstreaker agreed with a low growl. 'Our people come first.'With a new plan formed, the team gave up their stealth options, flooding the crumpled tunnels with light and sending them echoing with the angry snarl of their engines. And in the middle of it all, Wheelie gently took Beachcomber by the hand and led him back towards safety with the security team.#~#+^*^+#~#"Ironhide, do you have time to talk?"Closing down the simple FPS game he was playing and pausing the documentary he'd been enjoying, Ironhide turned the majority of his attention to the encrypted phone call.'Of course. What troubles you, Sarah?'He could easily picture her. At this hour, she'd still be at home, having a cup of coffee after sending Annabelle off to school. Sweatpants and an old Army t-shirt stolen from Will's collection, hair pulled back in a rough bun to keep it out of her face.Though Ironhide would never say anything, he was worried about how much older Sarah was looking now. He wasn't sure if that was because she was getting older, or if all the stress she was dealing with was leaving a mark on her as well."It's about Will."'What has that pit forsaken glitch done now?'"Wow, I thought you reserved that for people you actually hate."'He is fast climbing my shit list, I believe humans term it.'"Dare I even wonder how long that list would be, given your long life."'Shorter than it was before Sentinel.' Ironhide rumbled low, not liking to talk about that incident. 'Now, what's William done this time?'"I emailed him, asking if he'd be home for Anna's birthday next week. He wrote back just three minutes later, telling me he couldn't get leave. I know the US Army, they don't make decisions that fast."'They do not even decide that day it is that quickly.' Ironhide agreed, familiar with that particular detail of human militaries."Exactly! I don't know what I'm going to tell Anna. She's so excited to have Will come home for her birthday. She doesn't want anything else. Just her daddy home at long last."'I can reach out, she if he will talk to me. Maybe we can work out an alternative.'"Do you really think that will work?"'Honestly, no.' Ironhide admitted with a sigh. 'He has withdrawn all contact with our people. Blade has tried several times, but William refuses to make contact.'"What am I going to do? I don't want to hurt my little girl again. I can't keep doing this to her. She deserves a father who will always be around for her. She deserves a stable family, with parents who will always make time for her. I-"'Sarah, take a breath. I know you are under stress right now. Breathe, you are not alone with your struggles.'For a few minutes, all he could hear was her ragged breathing, and the faint ding of the dishwasher finishing a cycle. Then came the sobbing of a desperate woman taken to her lowest.Flipping through his contacts, Ironhide tried to decide on the best option to help Sarah. For all their years on Earth, most of the Autobots were clueless about a lot of the intricacies of humanity. Even the former Martians weren't as well versed about certain human aspects as they might have liked."Are…are you still there Ironhide?"'I am, Sarah.' he confirmed softly, still looking through his options. 'I wish I could be of more use to you.'"Sometimes all we need is an attentive listener. We don't always need answers, just to talk."'The blanket or the sword.'"Huh? What's that mean?" Sarah asked, latching onto the new topic as a way to escape her troubles for a while.'Do you need comfort, or solutions? The blanket or the sword.'"For now, the blanket. If I had a sword, I'd…well I'm sure you can use your imagination."'Which is exactly why I promised Ratch that I would never teach either of you how to wield a blade.' Ironhide chuckled, enjoying the squawk Sarah gave in reply. 'I happen to like certain things still attached where they are.'"I would never…"'Yes you would. We have all seen how protective you are of Annabelle. Need I remind you of the playground incident -'"She still hasn't been game to look me in the eye after that."Near silence again, with Sarah's hiccuping breaths the main focus. Ironhide kept scrolling through his contacts, but there was no one he could quietly ask for help. The only real option was Speedshot, but he was on a strict radio silence to minimise the risks to the Chicago team."Ironhide, do your people have any concept of divorce?"Of what?Shifting focus, Ironhide delved into the intricacies of that word. He wasn't set up for rapid data processing on this level though. He was set for war, instantaneous friend or foe choices."Ironhide?"'Apologies. I had to delve into the terminology.' he offered, sending a ping to Ratchet for additional information."And?"'It is not a concept that Cybertronians can truly understand.' he admitted, partly focused on the packet Ratchet had sent him."So what happens when you decide to separate from a partner?"'We cannot. This is why it used to be common for a couple to enter a courting phase for several million years before deciding if a bond was the right option for them.'"So you really can't split if it turns out to be a mistake?"'Not unless the relationship is so toxic that one or both are contemplating death.'"Ironhide, stop scaring her!" Ratchet barked, shattering the moment of contemplation."I'm not scared, I'm horrified and kind of sad. To only get one shot at finding your perfect match…I can't imagine how hard that must be." Sarah corrected before they could devolve into an argument."So you are now considering divorcing William?" Ratchet asked, doing his best to keep the conversation on track."I don't know what other options I have. I can't just sit back and let him tear Annie apart. She deserves better." Sarah admitted again, voice starting to quiver as she sniffled. "I just…I don't know if I truly want to give up on him."'How many times does he have to let Annie down before you decide enough is enough? You said it yourself. All she wants for her birthday is for her daddy to be home.' Ironhide reminder her gently, trying not to upset Sarah further."I don't even know where he is right now. There are so many considerations if I should choose to take this route. The biggest being can I survive as a single mother without having to sacrifice too much.""You will not be alone, Sarah. The house you have is yours free and clear. If you struggle with the utility bills, we can help. We still have most of the fortune taken from Mr Joyce after his monumental mistake." Ratchet offered kindly. "You and Annabelle will always be part of our extended family.""I can't ask you to choose sides in this mess."'William chose sides by continuing to keep secrets and hide from you. He will be fine, you two need to be the priority.'"Thanks Ironhide. You've given me a lot to think about. I'll let you know what I decide to do next."'I'm glad I could be of some assistance Sarah.'With that the channel closed, leaving Ironhide alone with his thoughts. Even Ratchet seemed to understand that Ironhide needed time alone, to reflect on what had been discussed and contemplate what the future might bring to the Lennox family.#~#+^*^+#~#Sick to the depths of his tanks when he learned what the TRF were doing to those they captured, Black lost his cool. Screaming a challenge to the humans still skulking in the ruins around him, he charged deeper into the network, tracking a signal that was steadily getting weaker.At his side, Smokescreen had no other choice but to kick it into high gear just to keep up with him. Scrambling through the rubble, he swore across the comms as his doorwings scraped against all manner of debris. He could read the signal ahead, knew it as an Autobot but the exact designation escaped him in that moment.Relying on old memories of the network when it had been intact, Black slid down at the next intersection, then took a left, a right, then two more lefts before turning right again. Reverting to his long unused Dassault Rafale form, he reached out and grabbed Smokescreen then kicked off and fired his thrusters.Above them, screams of fear and agony echoed through the abandoned structure. As they got closer, the sickening sounds of power tools screeching against armour plating. Gunfire, interspersed with louder explosions and the screaming broke into wailing and desperate words begging for the humans to stop the torment.Secondary shields flaring bright, they crashed through the weakened ceiling and split. Landing heavily, Black swatted three TRF agents away as he folded out his smallest pistol. No sense using a heavy duty weapon on such squishy little humans.Physically shielding the other two Autobots with his body, Black levelled his pistol and snarled low, daring the humans to try anything. Most of them were frozen, either in fear or anger. Black didn't really much care. For now he focused on subduing any human holding power tools or heavy weapons.Trusting Black to keep the humans at bay, Smokescreen turned his attention to stabilising Powerglide. Thankfully they'd gotten to him before the humans had managed to do too much damage, but it was still clear that Powerglide wouldn't be walking out of the tunnels.Starting with a much stronger pain inhibitor, he focused on sealing off the deep gashes littering Powerglide's armour. It was clear the initial attack was intended to cripple him and remove any ability to escape the TRF.Chirring softly in their native language, Smokescreen set to patching the damage as best he could. There was little he could do to put Powerglide's right leg back together; the knee joint was in pieces and many of the internal structures had been torn apart with what looked like explosive force. His left was in slightly better shape, the knee was intact but his calf was only really holding on by one thin plate.'Let this be a warning to you all. This is a declaration of war. Anyone who is seen in a TRF uniform is now considered an enemy of my people. You can take that promise up the chain to all who serve under the TRF badge.' he warned, flicking another human as they levelled a light machine gun his way.'Come on Black, we gotta get him out of here.' Smokescreen warned as he detached the remains of Powerglide's left shin. 'Slag, they've done a number on you, Powerglide.''Just glad you came, Smokescreen.'Dismissing the humans with a low growl, Black turned and took a knee beside the wounded Autobot. Trilling softly to help calm him, Black gently gathered him close and stood, apologising repeatedly when his movement caused further pain. Chest to chest, Black kept one arm up around Powerglide's shoulders as he used the other to support his right leg.'Lead us out. I don't care what you have to destroy. Get us out with minimal strain.' Black instructed calmly, ignoring the shouts from the humans.'You got it.' Smokescreen nodded then casually tossed a modified shock grenade towards the humans.It wouldn't do them any real harm, but it would certainly stop them following the trio back into the network."Wheelie, we're inbound with a crit patient. Caught the humans attempting to cut him apart right here and now.""They what!? I'm up with our heavy hitters, figured that was the safest place.""Did you get a designation?" Sideswipe asked."We got Powerglide." Smokescreen confirmed as he focused on clearing them an exit route. "We could use some help on the exit strategy.""I got ya location. Keep heading due east, I'll carve down to you." Plate confirmed softly. "You're safe now Powerglide. We won't let anyone hurt you.""Powerglide?" Beachcomber uttered across the comms. "I was so worried.""They…they got Warpath." Powerglide replied weakly. "He tried to fight them.""We'll find him. No matter what, we will find him and bring him back to base." Speedshot promised. "We will not stop until all our people are safe from these animals.""They got Outback too.""Pipes? Is that you?" Beachcomber asked, voice brightening up a little."Yeah. Good to hear your voice Beachcomber.""I've already called ahead to let HQ know we're going to be bringing in five wounded." Wheelie confirmed to reassure them all."Five? Who else did you find?" Powerglide asked, shifting in Black's hold slowly. "I'm not too heavy?""No, you're fine. My brothers are heavier." Black reassured him softly."I've got Swerve and Tailgate here as well." Wheelie added, though his voice was starting to show his exhaustion. "We've got to get on the road soon, Swerve is a mess.""Better call ahead, tell Hound we're going to need all components to rebuild Powerglide's legs. Say mid thigh down, just to be sure all the damage is found." Black warned, trilling softly when Powerglide tensed against him. "It's okay, I'll stay with you through it all.""I'll add that to the report I'm about to bounce back."#~#+^*^+#~#Anger turned to full fledged rage when word came through about the latest group of survivors. Even the calmest voices started to cry for retribution.They had been pushed to their limits, sacrificed too much in the name of maintaining some kind of peace. But with TRF still on a rampage and Ratchet struggling to make any connections to start negotiations, the cry for full war grew louder.Blade tried to talk them down, tried to ask for more time for Ratchet to do his duty. He was shouted down. Diplomacy was out. It was time to prepare for war.The humans were a violent species. Violence was all they would understand.With great reluctance, Blade made the difficult choiceThey would go to war against the TRF and answer violence with violence.Civilian casualties were to be avoided at all costs. They had to do all they could to minimise collateral damage to civilian structures.Aside from those restrictions, Blade declared humanity as fair game.
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Making use of the mostly destroyed tunnel network and the massive piles of debris throughout the city, the small Chicago team made their way through the restricted area. They had to tread carefully, avoiding open spaces and relying on their Martian tech to hide from TRF search patterns.‘Fuck! They just killed another one! That’s five this week!’ Hammer swore, holoform kicking at loose rubble.‘We’ll grieve for him later. I’ve got five human kids in the hot zone.’ Rictor warned, also highly agitated by their satiation. ‘We need to move!’‘I’m tracking sentinels. Routes three, nine and twenty-two are blocked.’ Springer warned, peering out of the mangled warehouse they were hiding in.‘Let’s do this.’ Cade declared, heading for his modified jeep.They were only a small team, just thirteen strong. But so far they’d managed to safely get a handful of lost Autobots out of the rubble and on their way to safety in Texas. Each one was in terrible shape, suffering from grievous injuries and a lack of proper fuel.Two hadn’t even had the strength left to leave, passing on to rejoin the Well in the shelter of the old tunnels.‘I’m done with these assholes! Let’s roll out!’ Ironhide declared.Engines roaring, the group charged out of their hiding place, weaving among the debris piles and spreading out to provide the best cover for each other.Taking their roles extra seriously, Racer and Smash kept hold of Cade’s jeep, weapons up as they scanned for up close threats. The rest of the team were great for dealing with big problems, but sometimes a delicate touch was better.Moving with the larger vehicle when Cade skidded to a stop, the youngsters drew basic pistols for close protection.‘What the?’ One of the kids muttered, peering at them.‘Hey! It’s all I got in my bag of tricks, so you might wanna hop in.’ Cade warned, already on the move.‘Sentinels incoming!’ Topspin called as he rushed forward, missiles already in the air.‘Death to the TRF!’ Crosshairs challenged as he moved up as well. ‘Go Smash! Get it!’Shoving off the jeep, Smash ducked under the heavy fire from both sides. Skating around debris, she came sliding to a halt in front of the latest casualty of the TRF.‘Rest now brave warrior. Until all are one, you will never be forgotten.’ She uttered, reaching out to lightly rest on hand on his helm.‘You stay away from him!’Turning to look at the young girl beside her, Smash crouched down a little more.‘I understand your anger, young one. I am not your enemy.’ She offered, knowing fingers moving across the damaged armour of this fallen warrior. ‘I will show you I mean you no harm.’Finding the right spot, she opened a hidden panel to expose a small metal plate. It was tiny, requiring extreme care to retrieve it. Checking it quickly, she offered it out to the young girl still watching her closely.‘Here, take this. It contains his Cybertronian designation and whatever name you chose to give him.’ She explained, watching the young girl closely.‘Thank you. I called him Canopy.’‘He will be remembered. When we return to our hidden community, his name will be engraved among the others we have lost to the TRF.’ Smash added softly. ‘Thank you for showing him such kindness since you met him.’Reaching out again, Smash delved in deeper, finding the larger metal designation plate partly melted against his chestplate. Breaking it loose, she turned it over in her hand once, making sure all the details were intact.Tucking it safely behind her own chestplate for later, she pushed back up onto her wheels and drew her pistol again. Looking down at the young girl once more, she turned and zipped back to the jeep.‘When we get home, I’m going to get my first honour engraving.’ She admitted to Racer with a grin.‘What is his designation?’ Racer asked.‘Canopy.’‘Go! Go! Go!’ Topspin barked, scanning the air for threats.Kicking up dust and debris, Cade and the two bikes made for the nearest fence line. They had to get the kids to safety. Dealing with the TRF could wait until the innocents were out of the line of fire.The rest of the team stayed back, scattering back into the shadows and debris. Cade and the youngsters could handle getting the kids to the fence. It was up to the rest of the team to keep the TRF busy and distracted so Cade could do what he did best.They had a system by now, keeping the TRF on the hop hunting for them as they popped in and out of cover seemingly at will. They’d come close to being caught a few times, but had always slipped away at the last second.Every member of the Chicago team now wore a set of tally marks on their armour, a visible show of the TRF troops they’d killed or seriously injured. It wasn’t that they cared about it, but it did well to frustrate and annoy their enemies and that made them easier to pick off.“Pick it up Cade, I’m picking up a live signal but it’s fading.” Hammer warned, making his way back towards the target he’d noted.“On our way.” Smash replied after a few seconds. “Coords?”“Pinging them now.”“Got ‘em.”“I’m gonna go shake ‘em up.” Sidewinder said, already on the move to his new target point.“Give ‘em hell Missile.” Ironhide replied. “For Canopy.”“And all those who died unjustly.”“I’m on route to the fading signal. I’ll try to stabilise him before you get there.” Hoist noted, also breaking away from the main group.“We’ll buy you what time we can.” Topspin confirmed as he broke away from the main group as well.“They’ve still got birds on station. Be alert.” Rictor reminded everyone.Converging on the fading signal, Hoist didn’t even hesitate, smashing through the damaged canopy of the fighter to reach the pilot. He didn’t recognise this particular model, but it had been several millennia since he’d last been on Cybertron so that wasn’t a surprise.Talking softly, Hoist first requested a designation before giving his own and explaining his role in the team.Cade and the girls rolled up moments later, immediately getting started on arranging the block and tackle they’d need to pull the wounded pilot out of his ship.‘Hoist, what have we got?’ Cade asked as he started climbing up with the ropes.‘He’s in rough shape. I’m not sure he’s strong enough for the transit.’‘Shit, that’s not the news I wanted.’ Smash groused, scanning for trouble again.‘Easy. Easy, all right? We’re here to help you.’ Cade coaxed, moving slow to avoid stressing their new contact. ‘Easy buddy. Yeah.’Recognising what this mech was trying to do, Hoist gently guided his hands away and reached out to work the two halves of his mask loose. The face behind showed the pain this mech was in, optics fading with every second.‘You’re hurt really bad. All right?’ Cade kept talking softly, doing what he could to stem the fluid loss that Hoist couldn’t reach.‘Protect from Quin…qu…’ just those few words took a heavy toll on the wounded mech..‘I’m sorry.’ Cade uttered, feeling the loss as keenly as any of his Autobot friends.‘You will not be forgotten Starchaser.’ Hoist added, one hand reaching out to cradle his helm.‘Take the…’ he wasn’t quite ready to die yet, still trying desperately to pass on a final message. ‘The talisman will protect you.’With all he’d seen, Hoist didn’t know what to make of the strange talisman being offered out. He’d never seen anything like it. Perhaps Ironhide would know what to make of it.‘You don’t owe me anything.’ Cade replied, nudging his hand away. ‘I can’t. You keep it.’‘It’s not about owing anything, Cade. He’s asking you to protect it.’ Hoist corrected softly, mostly focused on the dying mech. ‘It will be safe.’‘Quin…Qiun…’‘He’s gone.’ Hoist confirmed, hanging his head sadly.Helping Cade out, Hoist reached in to break away the small designation panel from it’s place and settled it between the two mask halves he still held. Wrapping the items in a square of canvas, he subspaced it and slid down to join the group.‘This is turning into one shitty-ass day.’ Cade grumbled as he repacked his bag.‘And I think it’s gonna get worse.’ Racer muttered, turning to look behind them. ‘Fuck, I thought Barricade was dead.’“Language young lady.” Rictor chastised sharply. “I thought he was too.”‘Apparently not.’ Smash confirmed, also picking up on the signal.‘Uh, we’ve got another problem.’ Cade uttered, looking down at the collection of green laser points on his chest. ‘TRF.’Hands up, the three Autobots separated and sunk to their knees, familiar with the TRF bullshit. Cade dropped his gear and looked around, counting troops as they started to emerge from their hiding places.“Stay cool, we’re almost in position.” Bumblebee directed calmly.“Not like we’ve got any other choice.” Smash muttered back.“That’s enough. You’ll get your chance.” Sidewinder warned her.“They deserve to die for what they’ve done.” Smash insisted.“Don’t make me order you back to HQ.” Sidewinder growled. “I know you’re upset, but you aren’t strong enough to fight them all right now.”‘It’s over. Help yourself out here.’“Uh, guys, I’m picking up another weird signal. Ain’t ever seen anything like it before.” Hammer warned, passing his reading around the group.“It’s from Starchaser. The pilot we couldn’t save. Don’t worry about it.” Hoist confirmed, though he wasn’t sure exactly what it meant.‘Where are the others? The ones you’re hiding?’‘I don’t sell out friends.’‘Friends. This is an invasion. One day we wake up…They’re in charge.’‘You see anybody in charge? They just keep falling out of the sky. Something’s coming, and you can’t shoot your way out of it.’“Bee, now!”What happened next could only be described as hilarious chaos.Bumblebee came roaring onto the scene, attracting all the attention. Bursting into a transformation, he launched up and over before fragmenting into multiple parts that ended up scattered around the TRF troops.‘What was that?’‘That was a mistake, asshole.’ Racer snarled.‘Temper, temper.’ Cade replied with a faint grin.Cued off their words, Bee launched into the next phase of this backup plan. His head grabbed onto the asshole in question as the rest of his scattered parts came to life and started causing wanton destruction to the vehicles and men surrounding his team.Cade took the chance to grab one of Bee’s panels and used it to batter on the asshole still being dragged around by Bee’s disembodied head.Racer took her chance too, launching up and kicking two TRF agents in the head with the harder side of her foot. She’d have to add two more to her kill count when they had a minute.Smash wasn’t as elegant about it, launching forward and driving one agent into a standing concrete pillar before throwing another one as hard as she could towards the nearest building. One dead, one critically injured.‘Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.’‘Next time you shoot somebody, don’t go near ‘em till you’re sure they’re dead.’ Bumblebee warned through the radio as he picked up his head.‘Put the weapon down, trust me!’ Cade tried to regain control of the situation. ‘Easy, Bee. Easy.’“Oh…I’ll kill that slagger!” Ironhide roared.Bee did at least let the guy go, dropping him to the ground and shoving one of his cannons practically up the asshole’s nose.‘I’ll burn you so bad you’ll wish you died as a child.’ Bee continued, frustration bubbling over at last.‘Shoot him!’‘You’re dead before I hit the ground.’‘I said stand down!’‘Shoot! Shoot!’‘Don’t do it Bee!’That voice!Bee paused, sensors swinging around to examine the speaker. It couldn’t be! There was no way this was happening!‘Hold your fire! Hold it!’ Lennox demanded as he walked out into the middle of the situation. ‘You! Drop it!’‘I’m not dropping shit.’ Cade replied, not even looking at Lennox.‘Hey. The military doesn’t want it this way Bee, you gotta believe that. it’s a new world order now and these guys are calling the shots.’ Lennox tried, keeping his hands in clear view.‘All they want is a home and you know it. You push them and they push right back.’ Cade replied, finally looking to Lennox.Throwing up a cloud of dust, Ironhide came around from the other side, rolling through his transformation to come up with his favourite cannon mere feet from Lennox’s face.To his credit, Lennox didn’t even flinch. He just lifted his gaze to meet Ironhide’s furious expression.Cannon whirling softly, Ironhide held his position and cast out a holoform. This one was tall and broad, wearing a rather nice three piece suit. Red hair worn in gentle waves, with a small and stylish bear to match. In one hand he held an official looking manilla envelope, one of the large ones used for protecting important documents.‘I hope your treachery was worth it, Lennox. These are divorce papers. Sarah filed them some months ago but the army refused to accept them and pass them on. She is fighting for sole custody, due to your dangerous job and inability to provide a stable home for your daughter. She has been provided with the very best legal team money can buy. She does not wish to see you or hear for you. All communications are to go through her lawyers. Any attempts to contact her or Anabelle directly will be met with a request for a restraining order.’Ironhide spoke loud enough for everyone to hear the proclamation. He wanted there to be no doubt of what was said and what was in the envelope. He wanted to humiliate Lennox as he had humiliated Sarah in the past.He enjoyed the look of stunned disbelief on Lennox’s face. As if he’d never expected Sarah would even consider something like this.‘Ironhide, I…’‘Save it, Lennox. We are finished. You are an enemy agent and will be treated as such. This is war. A war that your people started. Now you must live with the consequences of attempting to stab us in the back.’Weight shifting, Ironhide’s holoform let fly with a brutal left that snapped Lennox’s head back and dropped him to the dirt.‘Me and my crew are rolling out of here.’ Cade demanded, watching Ironhide as the old warrior stood.‘Call off your birds.’ Ironhide instructed, cannons still humming softly.‘Let’s go. They’re not gonna touch us.’Walking away, the team ignored the chatter among the TRF agents. Everything that needed to be said had already been said. They had won this battle, but the war against the TRF was far from finished.‘You okay Ironhide?’ Hoist asked as they left.‘Yeah. Not the first time I’ve been stabbed in the back. I’ll call Sarah later, let her know he got the papers. That’ll make her happy.’“Should we be worried that he can reveal our HQ?” Sidewinder asked.“No. He won’t risk it. He might be a backstabbing asshole, but he won’t put Sarah and Anabelle in danger.” Ironhide replied. “We should still keep a close eye on him though, just in case he spills something.”“Already got Fang on it. Soon as I realised he was around, I was able to lock onto his phone and ping the stream to Fang. He’s got full access to Lennox’s phone and is constantly listening to everything he says.” Hammer added proudly.‘Come on, we’ve got a long road ahead.’ Cade sighed, glancing towards the crashed fighter where that old pilot had tried to give him that talisman. ‘Until all are one Starchaser.’One by one, the rest of the team emerged from hiding to join the convoy out of the destroyed city. There would be another chance to face off against the TRF. Another chance to wage their war on their terms. For now they needed to regroup, discuss their options and plan for the next step.Their war against the TRF was far from over.
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Despite the risks and challenges that came from his decision, Blade didn’t regret the choice. He needed to get away and do something before he really lost it.Sneaking a replacement fire truck into the station hadn’t been too hard. They’d kept his original in storage, just in case it was needed for any reason. The harder part had been telling the fire crew that their chief was taking a much needed break and would be away for a month. They had a temp in from another city to get them through, but the crew were all sad to see Bianca leave even for a short time. That was how much they all adored her.But Blade was tired of hiding, tired of having to be the one with all the answers. He needed to do something productive in a different way.With some help from his team, he’d tracked down one of TRF’s holding facilities. It wasn’t very big, just another non-descript official looking compound in the middle of nowhere. According to what they’d discovered, it was listed as a military storage facility for excess vehicles that the Army didn’t want to discard just yet.Typical governmental bullshit to hide their true motives.He’d been advised that it wasn’t wise to go alone. Even Slash had wanted him to take backup. Blade refused though. He needed to do this alone. He needed to know that he wasn’t as useless as he felt most days.Sure, his role was important. But he had always been one for action. Paperwork was his worst enemy. Getting stuck in his office was a nightmare as far as he was concerned. Lately, it felt like all he was doing was kissing ass, reading reports and dealing with paperwork.He’d traded in his bright emergency paint scheme for something more subtle – desert camouflage. It wasn’t perfect, he was still mostly straight lines and sharp angles. It would be enough to get him close to the facility, the rest would be up to fate and luck.“Are you sure about this bro? I can still catch up.” Slash asked, breaking the silence in Blade’s head.“Yeah, I’m sure. I need you to trust me on this. I can handle this on my own.”“I’m still going to worry about you until you’re safely home again.”“I know and I appreciate that. I just…I’m tired of sending everyone else off on important missions while I’m trapped in town. I’m tired of having to watch as my people are returned him in pieces and all I can do is sit in the station and wait for the next crisis.”“I know. Be careful Blade, we can’t lose you to those assholes. Morale is already in the toilet.”“Morale has been in the toilet since we first encountered the TRF.” Blade corrected. “I’ll take care, promise. I’ll keep pinging you every hour so you know I’m okay. If the pings stop, rally the cavalry.”“On the hour or I’m sending the calvary.”“On the hour. I’ll send a data burst on the way home so you can alert the medical team if required.”“They’ll be on alert regardless of whether you think it’s required or not. You know that.”“Yeah, I do.” Blade laughed. “I’ll see you when I get back.”“Looking forward to it bro.” Slash replied. “Ride free Chief.”#~#+^*^+#~#Rolling up on the compound under the cover of darkness, Blade transformed cautiously, scanning for threats constantly. If he got in trouble, it would take at least a few hours for his backup to arrive.So far the TRF were unaware of his presence. The perimeter guards were still on their routine patrols and the internal guards didn’t seem to be moving for the exits.As much as this was an opportunity for Blade to get out and fight, it was also a chance for him to test some prototypes for the team. He hadn’t mentioned that detail to many though. He trusted the team that had built it; they had each tested it under lab conditions. This was the first real world test.Moving closer, checking and rechecking that his secondary shield and other protective subsystems were working, Blade turned his sensors back to the enemy compound.No changes detected.Running a deeper scan, he picked up two weak signals. When he attempted to ascertain their allegiance, he got nothing back. Perhaps not a huge surprise. Their power levels were quite low based on what Blade could read from them.He had to hurry.Hugging the ground, he got as close to the enemy facility as he dared before scanning it again. Still no change in the guard patrols.This was it.Activating the new subroutines, he kept his attention on the enemy compound as his body changed. The shift didn’t hurt really, it merely felt wrong on all levels. Soft clicks and whirrs as components turned and parted in readiness.One last check. The humans were still maintaining their patrols.A moment to consider his plan.Then Blade triggered the new subroutine.It was certainly a strange sensation. His awareness was split across multiple views, each one at a slightly different height and angle. It was quite a peculiar way to view the enemy facility. It also left him wondering just how the fuck humanity had come up with this idea.It blended the ideas that Joyce had put into his monstrosities with the tricks the Decepticons had used to raid NEST facilities in the past.One of the earlier concepts had been given to Bumblebee. Giving him the ability to break his body into multiple parts for a diversion or a sneak attack. Something that was sure to be of value to a scout.Shelving all his concerns for later, Blade gathered up his awareness and moved towards the enemy compound again. It didn’t feel like driving, more like trying to guide a river. He had to concentrate and not allow any of his component pieces to wander off. He would need all of them if this was going to work the way he’d planned.Flowing through the fences, he navigated around the various patrols to reach the main building. He moved almost silently across the sandy ground, weaving around obstacles and huddling in even the smallest of shadows.So far, so good.Swarming into the main building, he slowed down to better focus on what he needed to accomplish here. First he needed to find a place to hide from human patrols while he delved into their computer systems. He needed to know how many other potential hostages might be trapped in this place.#~#+^*^+#~#Huddled in the darkness, a lone prisoner listened for any hint of what was happening beyond his cage. He scarcely dared to hope that what he’d picked up earlier was actually real. After so long sending out desperate pings for help and getting nothing back, someone was supposedly coming for him.Though, after all he’d suffered down here, even a Decepticon rescue would be preferred.Hearing the humans approaching, he recoiled again. He couldn’t get away from them. Couldn’t move enough to avoid their cruel weapons. Every time they appeared outside his cage, he ended up losing another piece.He had tried countless times to reason with the humans. Offered them everything he could think off just to avoid the torture for an hour. They would not stop. They kept insisting that he had to pay for the destruction his kind had caused.Exposed components grinding and sparking with every agonising move, he huddled back against the walls as best he could. He couldn’t even plead for mercy anymore; not since the humans had used their vicious tools to shred through his vocoder.“Holy shit! Shoot it! Shoot it!”“There’s another one!”“Radio for backup!”“Shoot it! Shoot it!”“Fuck! Another one!”“We need backup immediately!”The cacophony of gunfire and screaming gradually died down, replaced by wet thudding and metallic rattling. A roar of something that sounded like Cybertronian, but the inflections were different. It wasn’t like any of the dialects he could remember from Cybertron.Another scream. More gunfire followed by a wet, sucking sound.Then silence.A haunting kind of silence.Then came that metallic rattling again. Getting louder as whatever it was came closer to his cage.The lights started coming on, driving back the shadows and revealing blood splashed across various surfaces.What appeared left him stunned.A broad, boxy mech. Painted in shades of brown and beige in random patterns all over his form. Around his feet flowed a mass of rounded cubes decorated to match his colours. Those were the source of the strange metallic rattle.When the mech turned, the overhead lights flashed against the sigil on his chest. A sigil that any Autobot could recognise instantly. Not a Prime, but someone regarded with almost the same level of respect. His Autobot insignia was strange though, with antenna at the top and orange instead of red.But he was marked as a leader, second only to a Prime in terms of importance. But who was he?‘Peace, I will not hurt you, friend.’ He offered gently as he approached the cage. ‘I am Blade, I came to get you out of this nightmare. What’s your designation?’Creeping forward, still highly wary of Blade, he tipped his head to expose the damage done to his throat.‘I see. I’m guessing your comms are damaged too.’A sad nod, fingers twitching against the bars.‘Did you manage to download much from the internet before you were captured?’Another nod, head tipped in curiosity.‘Could you write your designation if given the tools?’A happier nod this time, optics glowing with anticipation.Gratefully accepting the datapad Blade offered out, he only needed a moment to figure out the strange tech before writing his designation and turning it so Blade could read it.‘It’s nice to meet you Cosmos. Sorry it’s under such dismal conditions.I’m just thankful someone finally came. I feared I’d be trapped here until these humans managed to offline me.‘Do you know if there is anyone else imprisoned here?’I heard the humans mention two others. I recognised one of them, but I lost contact with him some time ago. The other refused to open his fields enough for me to ID them.‘Can you share the info you have on the one you did recognise? I might be able to locate them.’I think so.Tuning his sensors to give him the best odds of tracking the other known prisoner, Blade turned most of his attention to the cage holding Cosmos. It was a pretty simple creation, thick steel rods buried into the concrete floor and ceiling. The door was built out of the same rods, reinforced to the max and held closed by some complex electronic locking system.The cage had been built to keep a wounded mech imprisoned. But the TRF hadn’t counted on the power of a fully charged and angry Autobot.Getting both hands around the locking mechanism, he squeezed and pulled at the same time, causing the materials to crumple and sheer apart. Tossing the mangled parts aside, he pulled the door open and eased down in the opening.The cage was too small for him, even at this smaller size. The last thing he wanted to do was crowd Cosmos after all he’d already endured.TRF had made a mess of him, seemingly without reason or logic in their choices. Some armour panels had been cut off, leaving clear scars from their torches. His throat was an even bigger mess, with loose wires and other delicate components left hanging. More wires dangled from his side, roughly bundled with duct tape and zip ties bearing tags that explained what each bundle was for.His left foot was completely missing, leaving more components just dangling in the air. His right thigh had also taken heavy damage, but that looked more like combat damage than anything scientific. More combat damage to both arms, some of which had been crudely welded back together at some point.‘When we’re out of here, I’ll shoot a message back to HQ, let the medical team know your condition.’I can share my scans if that would be helpful to them as well.‘That would be great.’Doing what he could to stabilise all Cosmos’ various injuries, Blade helping him out of the cage and lifted him onto his back. He would need to find somewhere to stash Cosmos while he went after the other targets.Cosmos was in no shape to get into a pillow fight, much less a full scale war.‘I know a safe place you can hide until I’ve found the others. It’s already cleared and I’ve set up defences there. Wasn’t sure how many I’d find down here, but wanted to have a safe area just in case.’ Blade explained softly as he started trekking back towards the upper areas of the facility.The area in question was one of the other buildings in the compound. It wasn’t overly large, with just three parking bays. But it was fully enclosed, had no windows low enough for humans to peer through and he’d been able to override the security system, effectively locking the humans out. By adding a few weapons to the perimeter, Blade was fairly sure it would hold until he could get back to Cosmos if the humans tried to reclaim the building.#~#+^*^+#~#Plunging deeper into the bowels of the base, Blade kept his attention on two targets. He wasn’t sure why one was almost 300 feet lower than the other. The deeper target was much larger, but refused any attempts at communication.Blade was well aware that it could be a trap. He would have to tread carefully, and if need be, scatter into the ventilation ducts to make his escape back up.He’d already sent a few scouting components out to calculate the best way to reach the third target, depending on the outcome of this deeper investigation.Adding to the mystery, there was very little sign of frequent human presence in these lower passages. Very few human sized doors or elevated walkways. It was almost as if these lower areas had been built specifically for someone of Blade’s stature, or possibly larger.Now that was a worrying thought.Reaching the bottom floor, Blade pushed to his feet. Thinking it over, he switched to his old F-35 model. He had no idea what he’d find on the other side of those doors and didn’t want to accidentally expose his team to a threat they weren’t ready for.There was nothing obvious to show his faction, nothing to mark him as something special. No leadership sigils on his torso, no insignia to hint of where he’d been. He was just a random Cybertronian.Opening the doors, he stopped dead.What the ever-loving fuck was going on here?Instead of a cage, or a torture chamber, he’d stepped into what appeared to be a comfortable apartment of sorts. Artwork on the walls, a massive TV on an equally large cabinet in one corner, a sofa the likes of which Blade hadn’t seen since Wisconsin.‘Who are you?’Turning to face the speaker, Blade didn’t believe what he was seeing.This mech was clearly displaying several Autobot insignia across his armour. He was a boxy sort, with tall structures atop his shoulders. There wasn’t a scratch on him, everything was spotlessly clean and polished to a high shine.‘I could ask the same of you.’ Blade countered as he swept his gaze across the other mech again.But something about this mech stuck out, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. A fragment of a memory, teasing him with knowledge just out of his reach.‘How dare you! I am Ultra Ma…’There is was.Leaping forward without a conscious thought, Blade let off a right cross powered with all the rage he’d been holding onto since Optimus left.It was an impressive shot, causing the other mech to stumble back and slid down the wall to land in an undignified sprawl on the floor.Snarling low, Blade stepped closer and crouched, pistol forming in one hand as he reconfigured his chest panels just enough to reveal one of the sigils he wore proudly.‘I know you recognise that sigil. I know you understand what it means.’ Blade spoke low, voice filled with deadly promise. ‘Your judgement day has arrived.’Pushing back to his feet, Blade watched Ultra Magnus try to get his circuits sorted out again. He still looked punch drunk, something Blade was fairly proud of.‘I know of your actions against the Autobots. I know of the dirty deals you made to force compliance.’ Blade continued as he backed up a step.‘Prime never cared.’‘Optimus is dead! As his bonded mate, leadership has fallen to me. Do not count on him doing anything to save you from your tomb.’‘I will tell the humans about you.’‘There is nothing you can tell them about me that they don’t already know.’ Blade snorted. ‘You can certainly try to tell them I was here though.’Backing out of the room fully, Blade waited for Ultra Magnus to get to his feet and start to approach before making his next move. Calling on his scattered components, he pulled the doors shut moments before Ultra Magnus could make his escape.Holing firm against the attempts to haul the doors open again, he put some of his components to use in welding the doors shut. He had no intention of letting that monster out again.Though he was open to reconsidering that option after talking to everyone who knew Ultra Magnus.Getting confirmation that the doors were sealed as best could be done at the time, Blade released his hold, watching as the doors jiggled and shook but held firm.Turning, he sent about a third of his components to scour the facility and sever all connections between the now sealed chamber and the outside world. Even if the TRF did come back to this facility after the raid, he wanted to make it as difficult as possible for them to reconnect with their prize.If he made it too hard to reach Magnus again, so much the better.‘Ares curse you for dumping all this on my shoulders, Optimus.’ He muttered as he started the journey back up to find his third target.#~#+^*^+#~#The first splashes of dawn were just starting to stain the sky when Blade pulled away from the facility. He was exhausted and looking forward to getting home with Cosmos and Outback.It had taken some interesting manoeuvres to make it work, but he’d eventually managed to transform around the pair, safely ensconcing them both behind his heavier armour for the long drive.Cosmos had brightened up a bit more, using various parts he’d scrounged up from the safehouse to bolster his repairs. Communication was still a challenge, but they made it work.Outback was still on the brink though. He only had about 10% of his armour left attached, the rest had been carved off in various viciously cruel ways. The only bits that were left were those covering especially delicate areas.“You’re late on your ping, Chief.”“Sorry about that. I was a little busy trying to save a life.”“How many did you find?” Slash asked, flooding their family bond with love and support.“Two. I was just about to send Revs all the relevant data so he can get organised for our return.” Blade confirmed, sending Slash the names of the rescued pair. “Spread the word, but remind folk not to crowd them when we arrive. Make sure Revs understands that when I tell him to bring the strongest neural blockers he has, I am not fucking around with him.”“Shit, that sounds real bad. What happened out there?”“The bastards practically skinned Outback. The only armour left is around his head, spark chamber and spinal struts. His spinal area has damage, I’d say TRF tried to remove those areas but realised that doing so would likely kill him before they’d managed to extract all pertinent information.”“Holy shit. I’ll make sure Revs understands the situation.” Slash confirmed. “Anything else I should know?”Sensors sweeping over his precious cargo, Blade sighed softly. He didn’t want to burden Slash with the discovery of Ultra Magnus living it up under a TRF facility. But he also knew this wasn’t something he could deal with alone.“Yeah, but we’ll discuss the rest of it face to face. It’s not something I want to put on the comms just yet.”“That sounds serious.”“That’s one way to put it bro.” Blade confirmed softly. “Everything good at home?”“Yeah. Everything is going well. Hound and Mirage are much happier now that the CPS calls have stopped completely.”“Good. Let’s hope that crazy woman doesn’t start with someone else’s kid.”“I doubt it. She’s been shunned by her church for what she tried.”“She deserved it.” Blade noted. “I get the feeling there’s something you need to tell me, but you’re anxious about it.”“Don’t be mad at me, bro. Beast lit out of here in the middle of the night. It looks like she’s headed to join the Chicago team, but I have no idea why. I’ve tried reaching out to her but she won’t answer my queries.”“I’ll reach out to her, thanks for letting me know.” Blade replied gently. “I’ll see you when I get home.”Focus shifting, Blade pinged his daughter for information. At first she ignored his presence, but when he reassured her that she wasn’t in trouble, she opened up the bond again.She couldn’t explain it, but there was something pushing her to join the away team. Some signal that she needed to be with them, needed to stay near Bee as much as possible.Blade didn’t like it. He’d hoped to spend most of his leave with Beast, strengthening their bond and discussing the future. After some discussion, he asked her to be careful, stay in contact and try not to get in over her head.She accepted his terms and promised that she’d come home as soon as she could. She also made it clear that when she figured out most regarding this feeling she had, she’d reach out and talk it through with Blade before making any decisions.A few reassurances of love and she broke the connection.“Blade, what the hell is going on? I just got the warning from Slash about the neural blockers.” Revs chimed in and he sounded pissed.Sensors flicking back to his patients, Blade sighed again.In lieu of a verbal answer, he sent Revs copies of everything he’d collected on the two newest arrivals to their ranks. There was no warning attached, just an upfront and raw review of everything they had gone through.“This might cheer your two up, Chief. Wheeljack’s team just checked in. They were able to rescue another one.” Carbon cut in. “Designation is Seaspray.”“They found Seaspray?” Beachcomber asked joyfully.“Are you for real?” Swerve added in excitement.The comms crackled for a moment, before a different voice joined the channel. It was strange, like the speaker was underwater or something. Lots of bubbling noises between words.“I’m here guys. Never thought I’d hear your voices again.”“Are you okay?” Powerglide asked, sounding genuinely concerned.“I’m intact and mostly unharmed. The Venetians have been really nice. They allowed me to stay as long as I did what I could to help protect their city from flooding.”“They’re not currently able to use comms due to injury, but Cosmos and Outback are pleased to hear your voice.” Blade offered in a break in the chatter. “I’m Blade, the team probably explained the situation to you.”“Yeah, they did. I look forward to meeting you one day, Blade.” Seaspray confirmed with a faint laugh. “It’s a relief to hear so many familiar voices after so long. Can’t wait to see everyone after the Venice job is done.”“We’re currently working on installing the underwater components and Seaspray has been a huge benefit to getting the job done faster.” Wheeljack added proudly.“You don’t need to convince me, Wheeljack.” Blade chuckled. “Sounds like the project is going well though.”“We’re ahead of schedule. If things keep going as they are, we’ll probably shave six months off the initial plan.” Wheeljack continued.“Six months? I’m impressed, I kinda expected that it’d run long.” Blade remarked with a chuckle. “Keep me up to date on progress.”“You know it Chief.” Wheeljack agreed.“Jack, you should know that several other nations are now watching what you’re doing in Venice. Fiji were the first to reach out. They’re worrying about rising water levels and the sinking of their lands.” Ratchet weighed in. “Samoa, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Japan, the Seychelles and the Netherlands have all started to open diplomatic negotiations with the aim of getting on the list to get their own protective systems.”“By the Maker. Are you sure?” Wheeljack asked, disbelief and concern in his voice.“We also received a formal letter from the President of Kiribati. Their situation is quite dire, it might be a good idea to put them near the top of the list.” Fang added in the next lull in the conversation. “She also requested aid in securing their borders from illegal fishing.”“We can handle the illegal fishing issue. That’ll give us a chance to see just how close Kiribati is to going under permanently.” Bits suggested.Putting the pieces together, Blade considered if they had any other options. It wasn’t that he had doubts about Bits’ ability to handle the assignment. He was more worried about leaving their home vulnerable if the TRF came at them in full force.“Take just your small family unit. I want to keep Falcon and his family close in care the TRF try to play hardball.” Blade allowed, scanning the lists of various teams that were already working on other projects.“You’ve got it Chief.” Mark confirmed eagerly. “We’ll head out in the morning.”“I missed all this chatter. Didn’t realise how much I’d miss being in the loop while on this mission.” Blade admitted. “I’ll be back on base in a few hours, we can do a deeper debrief of everything then.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Still fuming over the betrayal he’d witnessed, Ironhide led the team back to their isolated hide out in the middle of bumfuck nowhere, South Dakota.It was a decent hiding place, no one really looked for more vehicles in a junkyard. As long as no one did anything to really draw attention, they were relatively safe to stay.‘Yo!’Getting to his feet, Ironhide barely glanced at their other human ally before turning and stalking away. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with Jimmy’s attitude after what he’d already dealt with today.‘Next time, ease on the brakes!’‘I wouldn’t push him, Jimmy. He’s about five seconds from really kicking off.’ Hammer warned as he sat on a nearby pile of scrap.‘You’re getting dust all over the campus!’‘Give it a rest, Jimmy. This is a junkyard, dust is part of life.’ Topspin countered with a snort. ‘I’m gonna try and stop Ironhide from doing anything stupid.’“Stupider, you mean?” Bee asked.‘This coming from the guy who thought now was the best time to trial a new program?’ Topspin growled, turning to the younger mech. ‘What were you thinking?’‘Jimmy!’‘Hey, don’t take any aggression out on me.’‘Guys! Fucking focus!’ Sidewinder snapped, cannon cycling out of his arm. ‘Walk it off, all of you!’‘Who put you in charge?’ Springer snapped back, drawing his sword.‘You got in some shit, huh?’ Jimmy asked, mostly watching Cade,‘Yeah, neck deep!’‘Cade, that-’ Crosshairs started, but was quickly silenced by Sidewinder.‘Not now.’ Sidewinder growled right in his audial sensor. ‘Turn ya ego off, right now!’‘Everyone just simmer down. We’re all agitated and upset. We all witnessed Lennox’s betrayal in Chicago. But getting pissed at each other ain’t gonna make this better! We need to stand together, or we’re as good as dead. No matter how mad any of us are, we can’t deal with the TRF alone!’ Rictor challenged, voice ringing across the junkyard. ‘The future of our people depends on our ability to work as one unit!’‘Our people are counting on us! We need to stand strong and show the TRF that they can’t bully us!’ Hoist agreed, moving to block Springer from getting at Sidewinder.‘This is not a startup, okay? I don’t do this shit for the money. It’s for the higher cause.’‘You don’t do this shit for the money? What is wrong with you? How you gonna eat?’‘What’s he doing here?’ Cade asked, instantly drawing attention from everyone else.‘More importantly, what’s she doing here?’ Bluestreak asked, pointing to another figure approaching.Rising up onto her wheels, Beast let out a holler of delight as she skated amongst the debris.Matching her joy, Smash and Racer sped off to greet her, eager to play with their cousin among the wreckage.‘Daytrader’s here.’ Crosshairs confirmed with a scowl.‘Here comes the most irritating, annoying mech on Earth.’ Sidewinder grumbled.‘What did he give you to get past the gate?’ Cade asked, turning to Jimmy again.‘Beast, what news from HQ?’ Topspin called as the girls headed back to the group.‘Three new rescues confirmed. Venice is ahead of schedule. A team has been sent to Kiribati. Diplomatic communications are opening around the world.’ Beast briefed with a smile.‘Why are you here?’ Bee asked, voice catching a little.His current vocoder had taken damage, making it uncomfortable to use. As such, he’d gone back to using his radio to speak as much as possible to give his self-heal system a chance to fix it. There was also the option of trading for a replacement from Daytrader, but that was never a certainty.‘Two things. Hound gave me a list of parts he needs, things that he isn’t fully comfortable manufacturing.’ Beast explained, looking around the junkyard. ‘I don’t really know how to explain the other. Something is driving me to be here, to stay close to you, Bee. I don’t know if it’s because of the family bond, or something else. All I know for certain is that I need to do this.’“I assume you asked your father.” Bee nodded, reverting back to his radio for comfort.‘Yeah. He’s not thrilled, but he understands.’ Beast confirmed.‘Should I frag him?’ Sidewinder asked, motioning towards Daytrader.‘Yes, definitely frag him.’ Drift agreed readily.‘I heard that!’ Daytrader complained as the first explosion went off right behind him. ‘Easy! Oh, God. You always resort to violence right off the bat.’‘I love violence.’ Sidewinder replied with a smirk.‘Daytrader! The hell are you doing here?’ Cade hollered as he approached.Narrowly avoiding some of the random crap that fell off Daytrader’s back, Beast considered the list she was carrying. She was briefly distracted when two of the items transformed into some weird flying contraption…that very quickly met its end between Bee’s hands.‘That’s where that’s been. Come on!’ Daytrader groused, attention on Bee for the moment.‘Look what I found in Buffalo. Starscream’s head, ladies and gentlemen.’‘That’s not Starscream.’ Rictor corrected, taking it from Daytrader. ‘This is Bandit, most of us knew him.’‘Look what else I got. New voice box for Bee.’‘Is it gonna work this time?’ Cade asked as he 4eached out to take the device.‘I only got the good stuff, Cade. Come on.’‘You hear that Bee? You’re gonna talk again.’ Cade called, holding it up.‘If it doesn’t work for Bee, it might be good for another mech who needs a new voice box.’ Beast suggested, gaze flicking between Cade and Daytrader.‘Daytrader! I warned you on the consequences if I ever saw you around here again!’ Ironhide roared, cannons whirring as he jogged over.‘Ironhide, wait!’ Beast challenged, skating out to meet him. ‘HQ needs special parts, things that they can’t make. HQ needs him alive. Please.’‘For HQ.’ Ironhide agreed, weapons folding away again. ‘Everything okay, aside from parts?’‘We’re coping, best that can be said.’ Beast shrugged, rocking on her wheels. ‘Next time you rotate back, Command wants to speak with you.’‘Any idea why?’‘No, just that it’s got Command spooked.’‘Where’d you get that piece of junk?’ Daytrader asked, distracted by something on Cade’s worktable. ‘A Knight of Iacon talisman in this dump? Nah, it’s not real. Is it? No, definitely not.’Ironhide came closer, looking at the talisman in Cade’s hand. Where the pit had that come from? What was it doing here of all places? More importantly, why did it appear to respond to Cade’s touch?‘Hey, give it to me, I’ll take it off you.’ Daytrader continued, offering out one hand.‘You think I don’t know what the hell this is? How valuable? But I know it’s something, because it’s got you licking your chop, you skank.’ Cade replied, full attention on Daytrader.‘Words hurt, Cade. There are exactly seven…count them. Seven signs of the apocalypse. And that talisman showing up here is numero uno. If that fancy pancake was real, I’d grab the spaceship and blow this dirtball planet.’ Daytrader explained, straightening and backing up a step.Just about everyone was staring at Cade and the talisman he was holding.‘All right, I’m gonna go slather myself in oil. Turn your back, Drift, if it offends your sensibilities.’ Daytrader added as he made to leave.‘Now, that is something you can’t unsee.’ Drift muttered, shuddering in revulsion.‘Daytrader, I’m sending you a list of components and a set of coords. You do your thing and HQ will see you are rewarded for your efforts. But know this, if you expose HQ to the TRF, what will happen to you will wish you’d let Ironhide use you for target practise.’ Beast challenged, voice filled with power and command.‘Now why would I listen to a little femme like you?’ Daytrader asked, turning back to look at her.‘Because if you don’t, I’ll personally see that the TRF gets their hands on you.’ Ironhide snarled back, axe appearing in his hand.‘Fine. I’ll see what I can do.’ Daytrader agreed before ambling away.The team barely had a moment to relax before a young girl started running towards Cade.‘Hey mister!’‘This isn’t happening. You cannot stay here, kid. I got enough strays.’ Cade insisted, trying to fend her off as he returned to his workshop.‘I’m not a kid! I’m useful. I fix shit.’‘Yeah, good for you.’‘Better than anyone. And I have a name, you know. It’s Izabella. Izabella with a Z.’‘I don’t care if it’s a Z, an emoji, or a dollar sign, all right? This is no place for…just go home. Please.’‘I don’t got a home. And they…They just killed the last thing that I called family. So no, I’m not going anywhere. I want to stay and I want to fight them.’‘You can’t fight them, and you can’t beat them. All right? They have the support of the entire world. You, you’re a kid.’‘Whoa, way to be an ass, Cade.’ Smash muttered, loud enough for Izabella to hear.‘Let him go, he’s taking it hard that he can’t see Tess.’ Racer added, drawing her away from the conversation. ‘Ironhide, what’d you know about these Knights of Iacon and their talismans?’‘You’d be better off asking Kup, but I’ll see what I can remember.’ Ironhide agreed, finding a suitable wreck to use as a chair. ‘Gather around, it’s time for some ancient history.’#~#+^*^+#~#Returning to his preferred lookout position, Topspin settled among the wrecks and looked up. He missed his family, missed falling into recharge tangled with his bonded mates. He was surrounded by his people, but that didn’t ease the loneliness sitting in his chest. He wanted to be home with his loved ones.That wasn’t an option though, not anymore.His paint scheme was too obvious, his form too distinct. To return to Texas would draw the TRF closer to their home. He couldn’t risk that. Couldn’t risk bringing harm to the amazing community they all called home.Then there was the added burden he carried. One that he hadn’t shared with anyone outside his small family.If anyone else knew, he’d be in so much trouble from every angle. So he kept his mouth shut and did his best to deal with the situation day to day. He had time. This war against the TRF couldn’t go on forever.He just had to hold on, maintain his current power levels and keep the secret safe for as long as possible.His mates all knew. That was fine.He didn’t think anyone else was aware of the situation though.If they were, he’d have already been relegated to rear guard support. Or perhaps ordered back to HQ to face Blade. Not a pleasant idea at all.So he sat watch every night, using the quiet time to focus on the tiny life nestled against his own spark. It was still quite small, barely an inch across. The bond between them was strong though, allowing Topspin to vary the power flowing to the new life.They had already agreed that this new life would be another daughter. Harley had mentioned a few times that she wanted a sister, so they’d all agreed that the next new life to be born until their family would be a femme.Roadbuster had tried, but due to old battle damage that had never been repaired properly, his carrier pockets weren’t capable of sustaining a new spark anymore.Leadfoot and Speedshot were both sires, though Speedshot had mentioned asking Revs if it was possible to install carrier pockets around his spark. Turned out the answer was a resounding no.That left Topspin to be the lucky carrier. A task he’d taken with reverent excitement. After all he’d gone through in his life, he’d never expected to be tasked with carrying new life. Wreckers rarely got that sort of opportunity.He’d already chosen a name for this little one. A name they’d all agreed would be perfect for this little femme.Hope.#~#+^*^+#~#“Cade. Uh, that thingy…That code. It’s a red- red thingy. There’s somebody coming.”Those words shattered the peaceful calm in the junkyard.‘Predator drone overhead!’ Bluestreak called, folding out his rifle.‘Sixty seconds to evac! Let’s move!’ Cade directed, sprinting to grab weapons and gear they’d need. ‘We’re blown, guys! We gotta roll out now!’‘Hey, those are the Feds. I know the government when I see the government.’ Jimmy complained, hurrying after Cade.‘Grab as many weapons as you can!’ Cade directed, mostly ignoring Jimmy’s complaints.‘Go! I’ll hold ‘em off!’ Ironhide roared, cannons already starting to glow.‘We’ll hold ‘em off.’ Topspin agreed, folding out his heaviest weapons.‘Wait! Wait!’ Izabella screamed, running towards them with Sqweeks. ‘You’re not leaving me! You leave me, they take Sqweeks.’‘Leave Sqweeks! He’s a survivor!’ Jimmy hollered back at her.‘I got him, don’t worry.’ Rictor promised, scooping them both up and into his transformation. ‘Go! Go! Go!’Around them, other rescued Cybertronians also stood, revealing just how many lives Cade and his team had managed to save.Throwing up pillars of dust, the majority of the team threw it into high gear and made for one of their escape routes. They had to trust that Hound and Topspin could buy them enough time to make their escape.“Oversight, tell HQ that our cover was blown. Ironhide and Topspin stayed as rearguard.” Hammer warned.“Understood.” Black confirmed from wherever he was hiding.Spreading out a little more, the team kept Cade in the middle of their group. The rest of them could take a hit or ten, they were built tough. But their human companions were always super vulnerable.“Tactical positions, let’s go!” Cade ordered as they raced into some little ghost town.Spreading out, most of the team took covering positions, using the buildings to hide their presence from anyone coming directly after them.‘You two stay here, you’ll be safe.’ Rictor directed as he ushered his new companions into the nearest building.‘Decepticons are coming.’ Drift nodded, looking back the way they’d come.‘All right. We all know our hiding places.’ Crosshairs added, looking around quickly.Everyone was on edge when Drift found the tiny tracker still glued to Bee’s armour.‘When are you gonna grow up?’ Crosshairs snarled, getting in Bee’s face again.‘Stow it Crosshairs!’ Sidewinder warned, pulling his mate back a step. ‘We’ve got bigger problems that a tracker no one saw until now.’‘Come on, Ironhide and Topspin but their afts on the line for us. Don’t let that be in vain.’ Bluestreak added as he finished putting his rifle together.‘For Canopy!’ Racer yelled, raising her rifle overhead.‘For Starchaser!’ Hoist cried, moving further into the shadows.Settling into their positions, the team were all on high alert. They couldn’t be certain about who had the numerical advantage this time. Not without potentially risking their intel team. They knew the TRF had managed to crack some Cybertronian encryption, but not which levels exactly.‘Here they come.’ Cade warned from his position in a storefront.‘Girls, keep our allies safe.’ Rictor instructed calmly. ‘Do not argue.’“We’re on it dad.” Racer confirmed.“Sqweeks, get your aft back here!” Beast growled.‘Autobots, get ready. Don’t attack until I say.’‘Aw yeah, Decepticons is in the streets.’Blasting out from behind cover when Megatron grabbed Sqweeks and hoisted the tiny mech up, Beast roared her anger to the heavens. She wasn’t afraid of Megatron, she’d already faced him before. The other Decepticons weren’t familiar, but that hardly mattered. She had a job to do.‘Hey! Put him down!’ Izabella demanded as she ran out from one of the buildings. ‘Go to hell!’‘This planet is hell.’ Megatron returned.“Did anyone else see that?” Hoist asked, briefly distracted by a flash of energy.‘Put him down!’‘Shit!’ Cade hissed, distracted from Izabella by the talisman now locked on his arm.“Accept it Cade, the talisman has chosen you.” Springer offered from across town.‘You think I’m afraid of you cabrón?’ Izabella continued, ignoring all calls to get under cover.‘Cade Yaeger.’ Megatron challenged, dismissing the small girl from his attention. ‘I need that talisman.’That did it.Cade proved that he wasn’t going to be intimidated by Megatron, opening fire on the much larger mech.“Fire in the hole!” Sidewinder crowed as he detonated the first set of charges scattered in the town.‘Christ kid, use your head.’ Smash growled as she dragged Izabella to safety. ‘Ya can’t avenge Canopy if ya get stepped on by Megatron.’Transforming on the fly and dumping Izabella in the saddle, Beast spun and took off, making use of her much smaller stature to get into areas the Decepticons couldn’t easily chase her.Moments later Racer caught up to them with Sqweeks awkwardly strapped to her saddle. It wasn’t pretty, but it would get the job done.“What’s the plan?” Racer asked as they blasted into another building.“Keep under cover. We’re doing our bit.” Beast directed, weaving through the chaos. “Smash, how you doing?”“We’re in the clear so far.” Smash replied. “Jimmy’s being a little bitch.”‘Come here you little cretin!’ Sidewinder challenged, running straight at Megatron.Diving over Cade, Sidewinder tackled Megatron back into one of the buildings, fists flying as they smashed through the brick walls.“Guys, we’ve got another problem. I’ve got TRF signatures coming our way at speed. Drones.” Hammer warned as he opened fire on the smallest Decepticon on the battlefield.‘Decepticons, retreat!’ Megatron called, emerging from the building Sidewinder had thrown him into.‘Chickens!’ Crosshairs taunted.‘Medic!’ Sidewinder hollered from within that same building.Swearing, Crosshairs turned and sprinted towards his mate as Hoist leapt into the unstable building.Regrouping, the rest of the team turned their attention skyward, hunting for the drones Hammer had warned them about. They could be any one of a number of variations they’d seen from TRF so far.‘Coming in from our 10.’ Bluestreak confirmed as Bee rejoined the group. ‘One mothership and a lot of hunter-killers.’‘We gotta get inside. Come on. Run.’ Cade instructed, glancing at Jimmy and Izabella.‘We’ll cover.’ Springer nodded, bringing his sidearm up. ‘Go!’‘Scatter! We’ll pick ‘em off.’ Rictor agreed, already moving back towards cover.“Keep them away from our position. Sidewinder’s been hit badly.” Hoist insisted, sounding more than a little stressed.‘Shit, that’s all we need.’ Cade groaned between heavy breaths. ‘Any other ideas?’‘Not to add more stress, but I’ve got another signal in the city. It’s not Autobot or Decepticon.’ Racer warned as she ducked and weaved through a different building. ‘HUD ping now.’‘Racer, you stay with Bee! No arguments! Stay with Bee!’ Rictor demanded as he straightened.‘Dad? What are you going to do?’ Racer asked in a fearful voice.‘Get a little payback.’ Rictor replied.Components shifting, he kicked off and soared, reverting to his older F-15E mode. Thrusters lighting up, he dipped his wings briefly to the team on the ground before turning and racing away.‘Daddy!’ Racer cried, terrified of what might happen to him.“Racer, I need your help! I’m outnumbered!” Smash almost pleaded, engine roaring louder in the distance.“Shit, I can’t get there. I’ve got my hands full with the situation here.” Beast added over a rattle of gunfire from a drone. “Get back here you little bastard!”“I’m on my way Smash.” Racer confirmed after a few seconds.#~#+^*^+#~#Chasing down another drone, Beast froze when a strange sensation rippled across her neural pathways. It was uncomfortable, but in some sway it was also familiar.
Flashes of images, smeared and warped.
Garbled words and echoes.
Sensations of hot and cold.
Flickering constellations and swirling galaxies.
More voices, the words becoming clearer.
Cryptic hints about something she couldn’t understand.
“The humans are with the unidentified signal.” Bluestreak warned. “I can’t get a clear shot.”“Hello Master Cade. I have been sent to collect you.”“Collect me?”“That is correct.”“You’re not collecting shit!”“Hostile agent!” Bluestreak declared the moment Cade fell out of the glass elevator he’d been in. “Cade’s on one of the drones! Support required.”Breaking out of her trance, Beast growled and took off. She didn’t understand what this new information feed was but right now it didn’t matter. Cade was in trouble.Picking off drones as quickly as she could draw aim, she did what she could to protect Cade from the ground.
He was critical to the survival of both races.
Where the fuck had that thought come from?
The destroyer of worlds is awakening. The staff…the talisman…the five faces…
Doing her best to ignore the constant rumble of voices in her head, Beast kept picking her shots, taking out each drone that got too close to Cade. She almost took out the mother drone, until she realised that Cade intended to use it to get back to the ground.Tracking it down, she shot down another pair of the smaller drones and ran forward to check on Cade. He was a mess, but thankfully unharmed.‘Sorry about that Cade, should have been paying more attention.’ She offered, watching him closely.‘It’s okay Beast.’ He grinned as he sat up. ‘Any update on Sidewinder?’‘He’ll be out of action for a while.’ Crosshairs replied as he approached the pair. ‘Hoist is putting him back together enough to get him back to HQ.’‘There you are. Good to find you alive. Just like nothing happened.’Tucking Cade in closer, Beast aimed her weapon at the unfamiliar mech approaching them. He was far more complicated in appearance than any mech she’d previously seen. Far closer to human, with countless tiny pieces moving to make the mimicry even more incredible to watch.‘You touch him and I’ll blow you back to whatever’s left of Cybertron.’ She snarled, finger brushing the trigger of her pistol.‘And what makes you think that I’ll follow your orders?’ the mech countered, moving closer to the pair.‘Because if you don’t back the fuck off right now, I’ll destroy the talisman. I don’t care who the fuck you think you are, you do not get to push my human out of an elevator and act like nothing happened!’ Beast snapped back, drawing Cade closer.‘Who are you?’ Cade asked, grateful for Beast’s protection from this mech that just tried to kill him.‘My name is Cogman, sir. And I am here because of that. And that is here because of you.’Looking down, Cade reached out and picked up the talisman again.‘It will not leave you until your quest is fulfilled.’ Cogman continued as the talisman disappeared up Cade’s sleeve. ‘You have been chosen.’‘What do you mean chosen?’‘I will explain everything if you’ll kindly come with me.’
The talisman calls you. Defend the staff!
Everyone jumped when Beast suddenly let out a snarl of pain and launched back away from Cade.‘The talisman…the staff…five faces…world eater…the creator…he is alive…he will return…’ She uttered, both hands coming up to grip her helm. ‘Five faces of creation…awaken the devourer.’‘Beast? Are you okay? Come on, talk to me Beast.’ Cade tried, whipping around to face her. ‘Beast!’Intakes heaving, she cried out again and arched her back as every plate twisted into new shapes. Her black and gold elements diminished, allowing her red and blue patterning to take over. Angular plates softened into gentle curves, highlighted with silver pinstriping. Even her helm changed, sliding to something that looked more like the mech who had passed the talisman to Cade in the first place.Hunching forward, she gasped for air, fans whirring in an effort to cool her frame once more. There, in the middle of her chest, was a design to match the talisman Cade held.‘Beast?’ Cade asked again, reaching out to her.‘I’m okay…I think.’ She nodded. ‘I don’t know what’s happening. I’m getting fragments of data from somewhere else, they’re so fleeting though. I can’t pinpoint anything more than this sense of wrongness.’‘So we’re meant to stick together?’ Cade nodded, looking her over quickly.‘Yeah, we’re meant to do this together.’ She agreed with a soft smile.‘Now then, I’m afraid all this ballyhoo is on your account. If you want to save your friends, you will leave them.’ Cogman spoke again, apparently unimpressed with whatever Beast had just endured.‘What, and run off with some crazy ninja butler?’‘Your friends will be safe in your absence. In your presence, unsafe. You are more important than you can possibly imagine. You are needed, sir. Urgently. My master is fond of saying that all the important decisions in life often come down to just one moment.’Accepting Beast’s support to get up, Cade ran to say his goodbyes to Izabella and Jimmy as the rest of the Autobots gathered around Beast.‘Are you sure about this Beast?’ Hammer asked softly.‘I am. I don’t know what any of this means, but it’s meant to be.’‘Keep your head down. We’re just a comm call away if you need help.’ Bluestreak grinned.‘I know. I’m more worried about you guys and the TRF. Please be careful, we can’t afford to lose anyone else to those assholes.’ Beast nodded, looking up at the older mechs around her. ‘I don’t like that this is splitting our forces, but this is war.’‘The plane is waiting. We are going to England.’‘Bee?’ Cade called, turning away from Izabella.‘Ride free, until all are one.’ Drift offered with a small bow.‘Ride free, until all are one.’ Beast repeated before turning and following Cade towards the waiting vessel.#~#+^*^+#~#‘You okay?’ Cade asked as he sat beside Beast again. ‘Aside from the obvious.’‘I don’t know anymore. I’m scared. I can’t make sense of the information I keep getting.’ She admitted softly. ‘I have so many questions but I don’t know who to ask for the answers.’‘Have you tried asking some of the old hands?’‘I don’t want to worry them. It’s not like they can do anything about this anyway.’ Beast shrugged. ‘I don’t want to upset dad either. I think some of this is coming from Optimus, but I can’t be certain.’‘That might explain the colour choices.’ Cade agreed with a chuckle.‘Whatever we encounter, I’ve got your back. Trust me on that. Bee might not be able to always stay within range, but I can.’ She nodded, glancing towards Bee. ‘No offence big man.’“None taken, little knight.” Bee replied with a bubble of canned laughter. “Though, you should let your father now what’s going on.”‘I sent him a data burst before we left US airspace.’ Beast confirmed softly. ‘I don’t think he’ll be happy.’
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Why you, Beast?” Blade asked gently, reaching out across their bond once more. “I don’t understand.”“I don’t fully understand either, dad.” Beast sighed as she returned the love she felt from him. “I need you to trust me.”“You know I do, my dearest child. I can’t help but worry, especially now that Cybertron is so close to Earth.”“As soon as I know anything, I’ll let you know. I don’t know where this will lead us, I just hope reinforcements will arrive in time for the final battle.”“We’ve got teams around the world. No matter where you end up, there will be people nearby to help and a s soon as I know where, I’ll dispatch as many aerials as I can spare.”“Thanks dad. I love you.” Beast replied, a hint of sadness in her voice. “We’re about to land, I’ll call you later.”“Be safe. I love you too.”Closing the channel, Beast glanced towards Cade as the plane prepared for landing. She still had so many questions and nowhere near enough answers.The chatter in her head was getting louder and clearer, but it still made no sense. What was the nemesis? Who was the Mad Queen? Why was she so drawn to stay with Cade and protect him from whatever was coming? She’d already given up on trying to work out what five faces was supposed to mean.‘You okay Beast?’ Cade asked as he stopped beside her.‘Given the circumstances, I think so.’ She nodded, fluttering some of her plates back into position. ‘You?’‘Physically, yeah. Mentally, not so much.’ Cade admitted quietly.‘Sounds about right. I’ll be right by your side, no matter what.’ Beast reminded him with a smile.Emerging from the plane, Bee transformed and stretched, shaking out a few cramps from the close quarters.The spot they’d landed was really scenic, with a magnificent castle in the distance. A far cry from what any of them were used to seeing. It was so quiet and peaceful, isolated from the noise and filth of modern life.“What’s it feel like to be so short now Beast?” Bee asked with another canned laughter track.That was quite true. She was now only just barely taller than Cade. She’d bulked up in other places though, so she was still the same weight overall. She’d gone from a modern, sleek sportster to something far more medieval. And honestly, she was really digging her new look.Her look could best be described as ornate medieval plate armour. Most of her plates were dark blue, with small red flames detailing her pauldrons, greaves and gauntlets. Her torso had been redefined, adding bulk to protect vital areas while also displaying the talisman face front and centre. She also had new neck plating and some additional protection to her shoulders.Her helm showed the biggest change though. It was blocky, with a split retractable battle mask to protect her face and a pair of low horns that swept forward to almost look like a crown atop her head. Between those horns, where it was clear for all to see was a rendition of the modified Autobot insignia in silver.‘I like it. It’s a little weird, but after everything else we’ve been doing, this ain’t so bad.’
Nemesis comes…protect the talisman…the creator god…the staff…Nemesis…the talisman will show the way
‘Figured out your weapons yet?’ Cade asked, one hand running through his hair quickly.‘‘Mostly. Won’t know for sure until I need them.’ She admitted with a grin. ‘Relax, I won’t let you down.’‘Alt mode?’ He asked, curious to see what the changes would create.‘Still a motorcycle. Three wheels instead of two, with dual front wheels.’“Dang girl.” Bee remarked with a laugh. “Trendsetter.”‘We’ll see Bee, we’ll see.’ Beast laughed again. ‘Reckon some of the girls will be jealous when they see this new look.’‘You know it Beast.’ Cade agreed. ‘You know Armageddon is gonna be jealous.’‘That’ll depend on weaponry. She’s got four wheels, remember.’ Beast added ‘That’ll depend on weaponry. She’s got four wheels, remember.’ Beast added. ‘Striper is gonna be pissed. It’ll be interesting to see how dad reacts to it.’Tuning her sensors a little more, Beast paused when she got back a handful of Cybertronian signals. They were old signals, using a code she wasn’t familiar with. One identified as Bulldog. Another as Lieutenant. The others weren’t as eager to surrender their designations to a stranger. Beast couldn’t say she was surprised to hear that.“You still with us Beast?” Bee asked privately.“Yeah, just making sure we’re clear. We’re too far from HQ, intel team is no help to us. We have to watch our own afts here.” She replied. “I don’t like this.”
The staff…protect the talisman…the creator god…Nemesis…the talisman will show the way…Nemesis comes…
“Agreed. There’s something hinky going on here. We’re isolated here, it’s far too easy for TRF to pick us off here.”“We’re not completely alone. I’ve got three Cybertronian signals here at the castle and two additional signals fast approaching.” Beast confirmed with a faint smile. “I can’t detect any TRF chatter, but that doesn’t mean a lot right now.”Attention snapping around when she picked up movement again, Beast stepped forward to shield Cade.Moments later, a single cannon shell exploded behind the group, causing everyone to jump.‘Stand down solider! The Jerry’s are dead! Stand down!’ Beast called, waving one hand overhead. ‘We won! Stand down Bulldog!’‘You know him?’ Cade asked, looking at Beast in disbelief.‘Nah, just met him. He was kind enough to offer a designation when I scanned him.’ Beast replied with a shrug. ‘I’d say he’s dealing with corrupted memory banks.’‘Hello there.’ An older man greeted as he approached the group. ‘Good girl.’‘Master, he’s a complete knucklehead.’ Cogman noted as he took the dog from the old man.‘And you’re a malfunctioning psycho but here we are.’ Beast countered with a snarl. ‘Bee, stay with Cade.’“Where are you going?” Bee questioned, watching her closely.‘To make friends.’
Protect the talisman…the staff…Nemesis…the creator god…Nemesis comes…the talisman will show the way
Ignoring the rest of the group, she stepped forward, offering out her hand to the confused tank. He was still attempting to pick up all his bits, but every attempt to pick something up resulted in more pieces falling off.Guiding him to sit down in the shade, Beast started gathering up his components and piled them up beside Bulldog. Talking softly, she helped him put his pieces back together, reinforcing welds and solder alike to help keep him together.‘You are so young.’ He uttered, watching her every move.‘Barely a youngling.’ She confirmed. ‘I’m Beast, descendent of Optimus Prime.’‘The Prime? You’re a Prime child?’ Bulldog asked, optics widening in disbelief. ‘I thought…’‘I’m the last one.’ Blade reassured him, lightly running her touch up his arm. ‘Rest Bulldog, I’m here to help.’Leaning closer, she plugged a small device into the back of Bulldog’s head. There was no certainty it would work, but she had to at least try. If for no other reason than to counter her own guilt for not being able to do more.‘This is a medical device, it’ll check you over and make note of anything concerning so when the medical support arrives, they’ll know exactly how best to get you back to your very best.’ She explained as she went back to reattaching components.‘Thank you, young lady.’Getting him back together and transformed again, Beast guided him to park in the shade, promising that support was already on the way. Moments later, the medical chip triggered a stasis lock, sending old Bulldog into a deep stasis to keep him safe. As a final touch, she placed a signature blocker under him, effectively disguising the fact that he was in fact Cybertronian.‘Did you just-’ Cade started, confusion across his face.‘He’s fine Cade, just resting. I’m hoping that with time and some additional support, he’ll make a good recovery.’ Beast replied. ‘Provided he doesn’t draw any other attention.’‘Did you drag me to some Cybertronian retirement home?’ Cade asked, attention going back to the older man. ‘Look, somebody better start talking, or we’re outta here.’‘Okay.’ The old man nodded, looking up at Bee. ‘Bumblebee? We only met when I was a little boy in short pants. I must have been that tall. Maybe taller. Or maybe shorter, I can’t remember. But never forget a face.’‘Bee, you know this guy?’“I don’t…with you.”‘Give the word Cade and I’ll see what can be arranged to get us back to America.’ Beast offered, one hand landing on Cade’s shoulder lightly.‘Let’s have a look at this thing. please. Very interesting.’Only partially listening to the old man rambling about secrets and wondering about the truth, Beast turned her attention towards the approaching signals. Whatever this was about, the old man was apparently waiting for whoever was approaching.‘I do so love perfect timing.’ The old man remarked with a grin. ‘What a bitchin’ car she is!'
Protect the talisman…the talisman will show the way…the staff…the creator god…Nemesis…Nemesis comes
Engines roaring, two vehicles turned into view in the distance. The first was a sleek, low slung sports car. Behind it came a large fire truck with its lights flashing.“What the actual?” Bee remarked, turning to face the new arrivals.‘This just keeps getting better.’ Beast agreed with a faint groan. ‘Oh yeah, that Lambo is a sleek looking machine.’“Curves in all the right places.” Bee nodded along.‘Seriously, you two.’ Cade groaned, giving Beast a shove. ‘I heard enough of that shit from Hoist.’‘No mention of CrossWinder?’ Beast teased, avoiding another shove from Cade.‘Don’t even mention that.’Though they usually tried not to expose their human allies to certain parts of Cybertronian life, it didn’t always work out. Case in point had been Cade’s accidental discovery of Crosshairs and Sidewinder in a compromising position in the junkyard. That had led to a discussion about sex which had left Cade red faced and suitably embarrassed by what he’d discovered.Coming to a smooth stop, the Lambo exploded through his transformation, tossing a well-dressed young woman out in front of him as he twisted and flipped to avoid hurting her. Didn’t seem to matter, she was deep in her fight/flight response, wielding a polo mallet as a weapon.She was in a righteous snit, scrambling away from him and swinging the polo mallet whenever he was too close.‘No, no, no, little lady. Way do you have to be like that? Pourquoi?’ he coaxed, offering out his hand.‘Get down!’‘So, is this a kidnapping sort of situation or her first Cybertronian experience?’ Cade asked, watching the young woman defend her position again.‘It’s both, really.’‘Do not hit me again’‘But she does have a rather nice fight-or-flight response.’‘She’s very difficult.’ The Lambo protested as the woman tumbled down the slope to the side of the roadway.‘Kinda reminds me of Carly.’ Beast muttered. ‘Wonder how this one would do with Wheelie.’“Before or after he was housetrained?” Bee countered with a laugh.‘I don’t want to know, do I?’ Cade asked warily.‘Probably not. It’s old news.’ Beast reassured him. ‘We don’t have time for this.’Shaking his head, Bee walked over to where the reformed Lambo was still trying to deal with the woman. Keeping the Lambo from going closer, Bee motioned towards the castle with one hand. That seemed to work. The woman scrambled to her feet and took off towards the castle as if the hounds of hell were chasing her.‘It’s gonna be a long assed day.’ Beast grumbled.#~#+^*^+#~#Settling on the floor beside Cade’s chair, Beast looked around the grand library. Ever since she’d first gained her full sentience, Beast had been fascinated by the history of earth and all the people who called the planet home. It was so unlike Mars, so vibrant and full of fascinating twists and turns to explore. Even with the vast life before her, she wasn’t sure she would ever be able to learn everything she wanted to know.She never lowered her guard though, constantly sweeping the area for threats or warning signs. Just because they were far from the rest of the team didn’t mean that they were safe from the TRF. Even now, those assholes could be tracking their movements and preparing to strike while they were separated from the main force.‘My name is Edmond Burton. 12th Earl of Folgan. Last surviving member of the Order of the Witwiccans.’That made Beast sit up a little more. Was this somehow connected to Sam? Surely he would have mentioned it if he was aware of this Order. So perhaps he was oblivious to the organisation that shared his name.
Protect the staff…the talisman…the creator god…Nemesis…the talisman will show the way…Nemesis comes
‘What’s up?’ Cade spoke up, drawing Beast from her thoughts. He was just being friendly, or at least trying to be.‘Does he have to loom like that?’ Viviane asked, watching her watcher in the window.‘Bonjour chérie. Je m'appelle Red Alert.’It was actually kind of amusing watching Viviane try to figure out that strong accent.‘Red Alert. It’s his French accent.’ Edmond put an end to the language issue.‘Is he French?’‘No, he just likes the accent.’‘No, no, no! I hate the accent. But I can't get rid of it. I’m stuck with the accent.’ Red Alert protested and jumped down from his perch outside.‘He’s a soldier, Miss Viviane. He swore an oath to your father to protect you.’ Edmond continued.‘Some dad you got there.’ Cade remarked, glancing at Beast.‘Did ya really have to wind him up again, Burton? You know he hates the accent.’ a different face in the window this time. ‘I’m Inferno. Red and I are a package deal.’‘I had to do something to end the struggle.’ Edmond replied, turning to the window again. ‘They would have kept going around in circles.’‘I don’t believe this. It’s gonna take me hours to calm him down again. You know better than to set him off, especially if you want something from him.’ Inferno grumbled before leaving the window. ‘Red! Where are you now?’“Lover’s tiff.” Bee chimed in from outside.‘That’s a nice ride you got there. I mean, you can roll right up to Buckingham Palace in that thing.’ Cade tried to bring the conversation back around.‘Okay, you, American man, shut it.’Beast growled low, shifting her weight up and forward in readiness.
Protect the talisman…the staff…the creator god…Nemesis…Nemesis comes…the talisman will show the way
‘Easy Beast.’ Cade uttered, one hand landing on her shoulder.‘What am I doing here?’ Viviane asked, attention going back to Burton.‘Yeah, why is she here?’ Cade agreed, relaxing again when Beast settled.‘Introductions. Miss Viviane Wembly. Master of History, Oxford. Doctor of Philosophy, also Oxford. And Doctor of Letters, again Oxford, I think. Anything else? Anyway, meet Cade.’‘Yaeger. Cade Yaeger. I’m an inventor.’‘Oh you’re an inventor.’‘Yes, I am.’‘What have you invented?’‘I’m sure that you have heard of the Venice Project. A multi-billion dollar plan to put an end to Venice’s flooding problems and ensure the city will not sink further. Cade was instrumental in getting the first phase underway. He’s also helping out on a large scale plan to deal with the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. I believe there is also a project happening around Kiribati that will require his technical know-how.’ Beast replied, watching Viviane closely.‘Ah.’‘Ah. Don’t say that. What’s ah? You know, I can do that, too. I’m English, and I’m too cool for feelings. What, I’ve come here to be insulted by some over-educated ivory-tower princess in a stripper dress?’‘Stripper?’‘Well, only in America is a finer education an insult. And if my dress makes you feel uncomfortable, then maybe I could take it off.’‘Slut.’ Beast snarled, panels flaring out in annoyance.
Protect the talisman…Nemesis…the staff…the creator god…Nemesis comes…the talisman will show the way
That set Cogman off, bringing him charging across the room to defend Viviane’s honour.Beast was just as fast, bounding to her feet as a three-foot glowing yellow lance appeared in her right hand.Everyone was stunned when she threw her left hand forward and stopped Cogman cold mid-leap.‘Beast!’ Cade snapped, jumping to his feet.Optics narrow, she drew him in closer with a wave of her hand, positioning the tip of her lance between his chestplates.‘You lay one finger on my human and I will tear you down to the very last circuit. You are a psychopath and a danger to society. This is your second warning. One more attempt to harm Cade and I will destroy you.’ She growled, pulling him fractionally closer. ‘Do we have an understanding?’They all heard the sounds of metal under strain.‘Yes, we have an understanding.’ Cogman agreed after a few seconds.‘Good. Do not make me warn you again.’ Beast nodded and withdrew her lance.Waving her left hand casually, she sent Cogman back across the table to land in a sprawled mess on the floor.‘Wasn’t expecting to develop magnetic capabilities.’ she uttered as she returned to her place beside Cade. ‘I told you I had your back Cade. Dunno why you’re surprised by that.’‘Control, Cogman. You must learn to control that impulse. Channel it into other things.’ Burton explained as Cogman started to get back to his feet.‘Yes, my Lord. like making beds or cooking food. Polishing the silver. I am trying, my lord.’‘He is a “headmaster”. A very rare breed.’‘Can you verify that?’ Cade asked under his breath, tapping Beast’s shoulder lightly.‘Sent the data to HQ. We’ll find out soon.’ Beast confirmed.
The creator god…Nemesis…protect the talisman…the staff…Nemesis comes…the talisman will show the way
#~#+^*^+#~#‘Ah, glad I caught you Kup.’ Blade called, hurrying to catch up with the much older mech. ‘I need some help.’‘What’s up Chief? I can’t stay down long, we’ve got a school group coming out to the farm.’‘Does this mean anything to you? Beast sent it back from England, wants verification if it’s legitimate or not.’Accepting the files, Kup wasn’t quite sure what he was looking at to start with. The sensor data had Cybertronian roots, but it was also quite heavily altered from what could be considered standard. The footage provided raised more questions than answers, leaving Kup wondering if it was safe for anyone to be around this unstable mech.‘The human is right on one thing, Headmasters are a rare breed. Could be that this one is malfunctioning due to damage, or due to a violent disconnect from his binary bonded partner. I can’t tell from these readings. Certainly seems like your daughter has him under control though.’ Kup offered, flicking through the data again.‘Should I be worried for her?’‘Nah, I’d say she’s got the situation well in hand.’It didn’t take a genius to realise that young Beast was more than capable of holding her own against this malfunctioning mech.‘You want me to tell her, or will you handle it?’‘You know more about headmasters than I do. She might have other questions about him. Just be aware that she’s a little on edge currently.’ Blade warned. ‘It’s not just this Cogman, but some of the others she’s dealing with currently.’‘She’s a tough one, your daughter. I’m sure she’s fine.’‘She’s my baby girl, it’s my job to worry about her.’ Blade laughed. ‘Thanks for handling this for me, I gotta go find Revs and see if he can spare anyone for an urgent job in England.’‘Last I saw, he was headed out to Bias’ place. Something about a minor accident.’ Kup directed with a grin. ‘I better run, Hot Rod doesn’t have as much patience for the young kids.’#~#+^*^+#~#“Are you sure about this Kup? I will not take risks with Cade’s life.”“I’m sure, Beast. He may be the last of his kind.”“That doesn’t make me like him any more than I already do.”“I know, kid. Bear with him, he might be dealing with more than you know.”“So I just need to rein in my temper a bit.”“Nah, just be a bit more understanding of him. If it was a violent disconnect, he might not even be aware of his snaps until after the fact. That could explain his mood swings.”“And if he’s just an asshole?”“Trust your gut.”“My gut still wants to catapult him off the battlements.”“Based on what you sent, I can understand. I’ll keep a link open so you can ask any other questions about anything you encounter. You’ll get through this kid and you’ll be stronger for the experience.”“I appreciate the support Kup. Just don’t overdo it on my behalf.”Trailing the group into another room, Beast looked around again. The history unfolding before her was fascinating, and made far more sense when it wasn’t tangled up in Burton’s ramblings. After this, she’d never again whine about how Kup’s stories tended to waffle on at times.‘That’s the watch that killed Hitler. Don’t screw with it.’Okay, now that demanded further research at some point.‘These are all the Witwiccans. In our halcyon days, we were quite the club. Brilliant minds, explorers, scientists, artists, world leaders. Renaissance thrill seekers.’“Can someone warn Sam to keep his head way down for a while? Apparently whatever’s happening has something to do with the Order of the Witwiccans.” She requested with a groan. “We all know what that means.”
Protect the talisman…the staff…the creator god…Nemesis…Nemesis comes…the talisman will show the way
“Already taken care of. They’re safely settled in at Safe House 781. New IDs and all.” Blaster confirmed.Safe House 781 was in Cuba. A perfect place to hide. No one was likely to look twice at the family.“Beast, what’s this about a request for medical intervention?” Revs spoke up, sounding a little stressed.“I encountered a Cybertronian dealing with severely corrupted memory banks. Far as he’s aware, it’s still the middle of the First World War. I got him back together as much as possible before putting him into a deep status with a signal scrambler underneath. If you can spare someone to come out and examine him, I’d greatly appreciate it.” Beast explained, sending him all the relevant data. “His designation is Bulldog.”
Protect the talisman…the staff…the creator god…Nemesis…Nemesis comes…the talisman will show the way
“No promises, but I’ll see what I can do. I assume that these coords are where he’s currently parked.”“Yeah. Seems to be his spot, judging by the divots in the ground.”“Leave it with me.”‘They all belonged to a secret society, you see. All united in one cause. To protect the secret history of Transformers. Here. On Earth.’ Burton continued, indicating some of the artwork on the walls. ‘Now, this is the Witwiccan family tree. Merlin, Viviana. Goes back 40 generations. Go over to that desk. There’s a photograph there. Your father was a member. He very much wanted to tell you that.’‘They prefer to be called Cybertronians.’ Cade corrected him, wandering over to get a better look at one particular poster.‘My own family had some…small part in all this.’‘ZB-7. That looks just like Bee.’ Cade remarked, staring up at the poster.‘It is. He was attached to the Devil’s Brigade. Pretty vicious military unit. Helped turn the tide of the war, you know.’‘Bee?’ Cade asked in disbelief. ‘But he’s so nice.’‘Yeah, it’s true. He don’t like to talk about it. Much like any veteran really. Leave it in the past Cade. Won’t do anyone any good prodding at old wounds.’ Beast warned him softly. ‘He was called many things back then. Nice was never one of them.’Partially zoning out again, Beast first checked in with Bee as she trailed after the humans yet again.“Just so you know, Burton told Cade about your Second World War efforts.”“I’m not going to discuss it with Cade.” Bee snapped, instantly on the defensive.“Hey, easy now. I told him not to ask. Told him not to prod old wounds. Cade might be a dick sometimes but he’s not a total asshole.” Blade soothed. “It’s okay, I got your back.”“Just who are you anyway? I got nothing in my databanks about you.” Inferno asked.“Name’s Beast. It’s kinda complicated, but I’m sort of a descendant of Optimus Prime. I already existed in a half-sentient state when my carrier entered a bond with Prime. If we survive whatever is coming, I’ll do my best to explain it properly.”“You can trust her.” Bee offered. “If my word isn’t enough, you can reach out to Ironhide, Hound, Prowl or Kup. They’ll all tell you the same thing. She’s young, but she’s fiercely protective of her people.”“Why are you here?” Red Alert asked, still wary of her presence.“That I’m still figuring out. I’m guided by something I don't fully understand. A voice, warning of grave danger to come. A name that signals the end for Earth. I’m hoping that I can put a stop to whatever is coming, or at least mitigate some of the potential damage.”“Lofty goals for one so young.” Red Alert noted, but there was a hint of pride in his tone.“You’re not the first to suggest that.” Beast agreed with a laugh.‘You still with us Beast?’ Cade asked, one hand landing on her shoulder again.
Protect the talisman…the staff…the creator god…Nemesis…Nemesis comes…the talisman will show the way
‘Yeah, just doing a perimeter sweep and getting to know our new friends. Bulldog is still resting peacefully, Lieutenant is enjoying the sun and there are no threats detectable on the long range scans.’ Beast replied with a grin. ‘Kup sends his regards. Dad’s worried about our safety. Ironhide’s got a head of steam up again. Oh, and Tess scored an A+ on her last assignment.’‘Which one was that? I know she had a few due in the last couple of weeks.’ Cade grinned, ignoring the look he got from Viviane.‘She built a working model of a medical robot. One that could be used to treat highly infectious patients without risking human safety.’‘Oh yeah, I remember her talking about that one. She must have figured out how to avoid seal degradation when exposed to harsh disinfectants.’‘Was there ever any doubt she’d figure it out?’ Beast chuckled. ‘She may have given you shit in the past, but girls’ got a good head on her shoulders.’‘No TRF sightings?’‘Nothing within a 200 mile radius of HQ. We’re in the clear for now.’‘Still getting that weird signal?’Beast just nodded. She didn’t want to reveal too much, just in case it turned out they couldn’t trust their current company. She wanted to believe that Red Alert and Inferno would stand with her, but that wasn’t a certainty. She had to bide her time and try to make sense of the repeated warnings.
Nemesis comes…protect the talisman…the staff…the creator god…Nemesis…the talisman will show the way…the staff is key…awaken the devourer…the last knight has been found…Nemesis hunts…five faces of history…the staff…world eater
Turning the muttered words over in her processors, Beast tagged along behind the humans like an obedient guard dog. Whatever this was about, it had to do with Burton and this castle. But what was Nemesis and why was it so important? It felt more like a name than just a warning or a threat.The talisman was easy, she knew where it was at all times.The staff was still a mystery, one that she hoped would be solved soon.The creator god was trickier. There were several creation stories from Cybertron and thus far no one could agree on which of them could be the one Beast needed.The last knight was unclear too. Too many options and no clear leads yet. It could have been a reference to Prime, or to Beast’s change in appearance. It might have even been to do with Cade.Then there was the “five faces” references. Five faces of history. Five faces of creation. Five faces of knowledge. No one had any idea what that was supposed to reference. Again, there were mentions of five-faced deities in Cybertronian myths, but again, there was no hint about which one.She hadn’t dared to ask about the devourer yet, wanting more information before asking for help. She didn’t want to end up in another situation with many answers but no clear result. She was tired of puzzles with no clear path forward.With no other clear path, she followed along and listened to the ramblings of old man Burton. She also started researching many of the topics he mentioned, deepening her understanding of earth history and the whole Arthurian legend. There was so much to learn, so many pieces to stitch together to make something coherent.Could it be true?Collating the various data points, she fired off a packet to Ratchet, asking for his opinions on the subject. She didn’t expect a prompt response, he already had a stupidly high number of tasks on his plate. It would be interesting to see his take on what she’d uncovered thus far.Watching Beast out the corner of his eye, Cade wasn’t sure what she was thinking. He’d gotten fairly good at reading Cybertronian body language, but she was harder to read. Her archaic armour certainly made it more of a challenge, but it was also because he just wasn’t as familiar with her.She was certainly protective, never straying more than a few feet from him. It was strange, he’d always expected that his shadow would be one of the bigger ones, rough and hard working with a head for inventing weird things. Not a fierce little lady with a sharp tongue and a hot temper.‘Cogman?’ Edmond called, putting an end to the echoing organ music. ‘You ruined the moment again.’‘I was making the moment more epic.’‘Just be quiet. What’s the matter with you? If I could find his neck, I'd strangle him.’‘Did you manage to verify that stuff earlier?’ Cade uttered, leaning closer to Beast.‘Yeah, it’s confirmed. Kup’s still looking for more intel.’ Beast confirmed. ‘I’ll brief you on it later.’‘Can he be trusted?’‘As long as I'm nearby, I’d say so.’‘Good to know.’Turning his attention back to Edmond, Cade couldn’t help but wonder what all of this meant. He was just an inventor from Texas, he was no knight or warrior.‘Now, legend held that one last knight would someday be chosen and the struggle to save the world would begin. It would appear, Mr Cade, that that last knight is you.’‘What? You’re saying Starchaser travelled the whole universe to find me?’ Cade was dubious of the very idea.‘No, not you specifically. Not a failed inventor from the state of Texas. No, God forbid.’ Edmond corrected.‘He ain’t a failed inventor, get it right.’ Beast warned, armour flaring out a little in irritation.‘Easy, don’t let him rile you up.’ Cade uttered, giving her a reassuring grin. ‘It’s all good.’‘Stop it!’‘What?’You know, if you don’t stop it, I will send you back to Cybertron in a little tiny box.’‘Oohh, scary.’‘No, he meant the qualities of a knight, Mr Cade. Miss Viviane, the qualities of a knight, if you please.’‘Qualities of a knight, purity of heart, valour, honour, virtue, integrity.’‘I have those.’ Cade nodded, starting to put the pieces together.‘And most importantly, is he chaste?’‘Chased?’ Cade countered. ‘Dude, I was getting chased when your little weirdo buddy brought me over here on the plane.’Beast sniggered again, realising what Cade was trying to do.‘Chaste. C-H-A-S-T-E.’ Viviane corrected him sharply. ‘Celibate?’‘Yeah, I know…I was making a joke.’‘Let it go Cade, Brits don’t have a sense of humour.’ Beast muttered.‘No whoopie, Mr Cade?’‘It’s been a while.’ Cade admitted quietly.‘Well, how long’s a while? A week? A month? A year?’‘Kinda hard for whoopie when the world wants you dead.’ Beast growled, turning to Viviane. ‘How about you, princess. How long since you did the nasty? Can’t have been too recent, not with your attitude. Gotta be at least a few years, probably more.’‘You’re not helping, Beast.’ Cade warned, tugging on her shoulder. ‘It’s been a while. That’s all you need to know.’‘She don’t get to judge you without being judged to the same standard. If she don’t like it, she can fuck off.’ Beast growled, her anger bubbling just barely under control.‘Walk it off! Go on! I don’t like this either, but threatening her isn’t going to fix this. I don’t appreciate the comments, but I can handle it. I’ve put up with shit like this since I was a kid. It’s nothing new. Go, walk it off. You can come back when you’re ready to be civil.’ Cade snapped, squaring up to Beast and staring straight into her optics. ‘Go!’‘No.’ Beast replied, standing her ground. ‘You can spark up all you want, but I’m not going anywhere. I’m here to keep you alive against whatever the hell is coming our way. She’s got no idea about the war you’ve been fighting. She doesn’t care about the rising death toll on both sides. She just wants to play with you like a cat plays with a mouse. You know I'm right.’Cade couldn’t really argue with that. He’d felt off balance ever since landing in England. Meeting Viviane had only made it worse. He didn’t know why he was here or what all this meant, but he couldn’t just bury his head in the sand. He had to make this work, regardless of personal feelings or personality clashes. He couldn’t go back to his simple life until after this was finished.He had to do it for Tess.‘The talisman is the key…the staff is the prize…Nemesis seeks the staff…the creator god…the great devourer… the talisman…the staff…five faces of creation…Nemesis…Nemesis approaches…Cybertron…the talisman…’ Beast started reciting, helm in her hands as she dropped to her knees. ‘Nemesis awakens…Nemesis seeks the staff…worlds will die.’‘We have the talisman. We need to find the staff. How? Where do we even start?’ Cade asked, looking at Burton for answers.Stepping up, Cogman grabbed Viviane’s wrist, forcing her hand against the table. With a spark and a crackle, the swords resting on the surface jumped up, untouched by anything except the ancient table.‘They had their name for it. We have ours.’‘The staff of Merlin.’ Viviane nodded, still staring at the table.‘Bequeathed to him by an alien race. Fused with his DNA. so that only he would have the key to unlock its alien power. Or, as they knew it in those days, magic. The staff was buried with Merlin’s body. A thousand years we’ve kept it hidden. If it ever fell into the wrong hands, it would mean the imminent destruction of everything we know and love.’Now the pieces started coming together. Cade with the talisman and Viviane with the blood of Merlin in her veins. They were the only ones who could wield the power left behind so long ago. The fate of two worlds rested on their shoulders.‘Two worlds colliding, only one survives.’ Burton stated, meeting Viviane’s shocked face. ‘Your words exactly. Only lecture time is over. You were born for this. This is the latest image of their world coming here. And you’re all that stands in its way. So you’d better find that staff quickly. Now!’‘Where do we even start?’ Cade sighed, looking around the room for any hints.“TRF inbound! TRF inbound!” Bee’s voice crackled across the comms.‘MI6 and TRF are here!’ Cogman warned, sprinting through the grand castle.
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“Dad! I need you to listen real close.”Jumping a little, Blade was instantly concerned. Beast sounded like she’d gone screaming through hell a few times.“What happened? Are you okay?”“Yeah, we’re okay. TRF nearly had us. I need you to get everyone on high alert. The talisman is the key to finding the staff. The staff is the key to saving Earth from the coming apocalypse.”“Did you get the data burst about the weird horns that started to appear around the world?” Blade asked, wanting to make sure she had all available information.“Yeah, but I haven't had much chance to study it. Little busy trying to avoid MI6, TRF and Barricade. Get everyone on high alert. As soon as I’ve got more details, I’ll tell you where to send everyone. I know this sounds crazy, but I need you to trust me on this.”“We do Beast, we all do. Wherever you need us, we’ll be there.”“Thanks dad. That’s a weight off my processor.” Beast replied. “Oh, and let the team know that we met up with Red Alert and Inferno. Red’s got an awesome time dilation weapon, the guys will love it.”“Wilco. Be careful princess, I can't lose you.”“Love you too dad.” Beast signed off, leaving a cold dread in Blade’s tanks.Even without knowing an exact location, Blade knew he needed to get teams out there. There was no telling just how much time Beast would be able to give them to get to wherever she needed them. They were already spread a little thin, with teams investigating the six metal horns that had started growing out of nowhere. Not to mention all the good will teams he had scattered around the world.‘Blaster, I need an open channel to all our people. Top priority, this must not be ignored!’ he directed, trusting Blaster to get the contact he needed.‘Everyone Chief? You got it, might take me a few seconds to link with some of the remote teams.’ Blaster nodded and turned to the large comm system he’d installed just in case it was ever needed.Starting to pace, Blade had to reach deep for calm. Beast hadn’t sounded a panic alert, she had only asked for readiness. So things weren’t completely out of control just yet.‘I’ve got everyone but the team in England. They’ve got their comms locked down real tight.’ Blaster confirmed after a few minutes.‘They already know the situation.’ Blade replied.Even though most of them couldn’t see him, Blade straightened a little before speaking.‘Autobots, we are moving to high alert status. The team in England is currently in a mad race to reach a valuable artifact. An artifact that is believed to be able to stop whatever is happening on Earth right now. Beast has asked that we be ready for rapid deployment to anywhere in the world to keep her and her human charges safe. I want as many teams as possible scattered around the planet. I know this is short notice, but we must be ready to defend Earth once more.’“We got any clues on where might be likely?” Scorpion asked.“That’s asking a lot, Chief.” Braidy worried.“There’s not enough of us to cover everywhere.” Cliffjumper protested.“We have to try.” Prowl insisted.‘Yo, Chief! Got a call coming in from an unexpected place. It’s Simmons!’ Blaster cut in, hooking in another connection. ‘Go for it Simmons.’‘What have you got Simmons? I’m up to my optics in trouble right now.’ Blade requested, digging deeper for his patience. ‘I really don’t have time to play 20 questions.’“Won’t ask it of you. Not with the current situation. Pangea, the six horns were pulled apart by time. Whatever is coming, it’s going to happen at Stonehenge. You need to get your people there ASAP.”‘Are you absolutely certain?’ Blade pushed, unwilling to take a risk with his people.“I am. They knew, way back in the Dark Ages where the end would begin. There is Cybertron and there is Earth. Only they don’t call it Earth at all, they never did. They called it something else. One will suck the other dry, a giant succubus until only one remains.”“Holy Primus, preserve us.” Ironhide uttered. “Quintessa.”‘Stonehenge. Thanks for the intel, Seymour. Hopefully we’ll be able to catch up once all this is over.’ Blade offered, hoping to get him off the call fast so they could plan.“Looking forward to it. Sam and his family are safe.”With that Simmons hung up, leaving the team to plan and prepare for the upcoming fight.‘Rictor, can you shoot Bee a message across the bond? Tell him Stonehenge is the final battlefield.’ Blade requested as he attempted to send Beast the same message.“You got it, Chief.”“How are we going to get to England without causing mass panic here?” Hot Rod spoke up, sounding somewhere between anxious and angry.‘I don’t know. I’m all for just rolling out of town and taking flight.’ Blade admitted.There really was no easy way for nearly 200 people to just suddenly leave this small town. They’d become too deeply embedded among the locals, too well known and relied upon for their services. For them all to leave would scare the locals and possibly turn them hostile.What other choice did they have though? They needed to get to Stonehenge ASAP and get into positions for whatever was coming.Around and around the conversation went, everyone trying to come up with the best way to leave their small community and get to Stonehenge. The risks of exposing their location to TRF was super high. They couldn’t bring that sort of heat down on the local community.#~#+^*^+#~#After many long hours of fierce debate and some name calling, they eventually decided on a plan. It was drastic and would sour relations with America but what other choice did they have?Hiding wouldn’t save Earth from what was coming.So, they packed up their most important things and rolled on out of town.Anything they couldn’t take was moved as deep into the facility as they could get it.Those who were still too badly damaged to be safe moved out into a smaller facility built within the bounds of the Dinobot home range. It wasn’t fancy, but it would keep them safe and secure until the situation in England was sorted.As a sort of apology and explanation, they left behind copies of a formal apology for leaving and a grateful thanks for welcoming the Autobots into their community. They expressed a hope to one day be able to return to this beautiful patch of Texas, but also stated that they understood if the locals didn’t want them to return.Tess chose to stay with Wheelie and Brains for company and connection.Sarah and Annabella stayed as well. It made no sense to traumatise Annabelle yet again.Sarah and Tess both agreed to travel out and visit with those who stayed behind, checking on their recovery and making sure they were all keeping their reserves up. Whether Annabelle went out to visit was still undecided.Even Sidewinder, mottled with welds and patches, took to the air with the rest of the aerial builds. No one would have faulted Sidewinder for staying, he’d taken a severe beating from Megatron. But he refused to stay back. He wanted another shot.Those that didn’t already have an aerial mode were given a choice. Either scan an aerial form and learn the basics of flight or rely on an old friend of Emily’s to arrange a cargo hauler to get them to England.To Blade’s surprise, every last one chose an aerial mode. Even those who had often insisted that they were sucky pilots, were afraid of heights or generally preferred to keep their feet firmly on the ground.They made for quite a sight as they launched skyward.Sleek fighters in a rainbow of colours flanked civilian passenger jets and the unmistakable outline of a lone Concord. Larger military transports lumbered along behind, protecting a handful of smaller civilian planes among them. There were even a few helicopters scattered among the flight, moving faster than most human built helicopters were capable of.Mini-jets and drones darted around the formation, always staying close to their families while still enjoying the freedom of flight. They all knew that the coming battle would be tough, and that some of them might not make it out alive. That was a sacrifice they were willing to make for their people.When they reached international waters, a change took over the team. Starting from the front of the formation, colours and patterns changed. One by one they took on the same colour scheme, taking on a deep, dusty orange. Glyphs were picked out in dark red with brown details to highlight various details across their armour and gold pinstriping that formed personal designs for each of them.This was the first time that a lot of the older generation could remember ever having some kind of uniformity. Not just an insignia or a line of glyphs, but something that showcased their history. The orange and brown came from Mars, the red and gold chosen for one of the brightest stars that had once orbited Cybertron.The new colours also meant that they couldn’t just blend into the surrounding population anymore.That was an intentional choice.From this moment onward, they were going to show the world that they would not be cowed by the TRF.They would not be bullied into submission.They would fight for this planet and their place on it.Only time would tell where that place would end up being.#~#+^*^+#~#“This is where it gets tricky. Keep it tight and clean. By the numbers.” Blade directed from the head of the formation. “We don’t want to give the humans any new reasons to hate our presence.”They all knew that the eyes of the world were on them. They had all picked up on the radio chatter as various organisations started noticing their manoeuvres.Thus far no one had sent a military force against the Autobots, though there had been some chatter about it from the Americans. The British refused the offer, stating that they would deal with the situation if it became necessary.The eyes of the world were on them.Drifting down, everyone traded in wings for wheels again and settled into formation. Once again they protected the smaller members in the middle, putting the larger, heavier alt modes to the outside. Everyone kept their weapons hidden, even those who usually showed their firepower proudly.Last to come down, Blade landed lightly and looked across the formation. As a unit they made for an incredible sight. Their favoured alt-modes really didn’t match, with their random mix of military, emergency services and civilian vehicles. But with everyone wearing the same colours, they looked like a proper military force.Nodding once, he turned and transformed down, returning to his fire truck form. Now they just had to wait until the battle came to them.“Chief, I’m picking up a knot of military signals coming our way.” Carbon warned. “Mostly British, with three American signals as well.”“Do not engage them. If they attempt contact, I will take their call. Otherwise, observe only.” Blade directed, sensors turning skyward.“And if they engage us?” Kup asked cautiously.“Defence only. Let them see that we are not aggressive.”“You sure about this Chief?” Streetwise weighed in. “We’ve all seen how violent the TRF can be.”“We have to give Cade time to finish whatever he’s doing. We know the final battle will happen here. If the shit hits the fan before Cade’s team arrives here, we’ll defend Earth. But until that moment, we stay calm, quiet and wait.” Blade explained.He fully understood why everyone was anxious and on edge. They were taking a huge risk by gathering so close to a valuable and precious landmark. The wrong move and all their efforts to show humanity they were friendly would be wasted.“We must keep Stonehenge safe, no matter what happens. I don’t care how, just make sure nothing is damaged.” He instructed.“Soon as we can get closer, I’ll throw a larger secondary shield over it. That’ll keep it safe from pretty much anything.” Odd Ball replied.“Good. Can you colour it so the humans can see it? It’ll probably be less scary for them if they can see it doing its job.”“Any particular colour?”“Something that’ll stand out. Aside from that, I don’t mind.”“No problem, I’ll make it a vibrant neon pink. No way they’ll miss that.”To pass the time, some of them started playing various games they’d downloaded over the years. Most were multiplayer games, so it didn’t take long for just about everyone in the formation to be thoroughly enjoying their various matches.Blade chose not to get involved though. He had too many other things he wanted to think about. Things that he wasn’t sure how he felt about.He hadn’t said anything to anyone. He didn’t want to cause concern when his people needed his steady leadership.After so long silent, the bond he had created with Optimus was alive again. It was different though. There was no warmth. No joy at the reunion.At first he hadn’t even realised the bond was awakening again. the presence at the other end was vastly different to the last time Blade had felt anything across their bond.He’d attempted to make contact across the bond, reaching out with delight. His first attempt had been firmly rebuked, the force of the rebuttal startling to Blade. Every attempt after that was rebuked again, but with less force. It was more like he wasn’t worth any great effort, a mere insect to be ignored.“You okay?” Jazz asked softly, strangely tentative with his contact.“How do you always know when I’m struggling?” Blade asked back, sensors drifting over the formation to reassure his mind that they were safe.“Your EM field gives it away. It’s never much, but there’s a shadow in the field when you get bogged down with something.” Jazz explained. “I don’t think anyone else really notices it.”“I do, but I know you’ll reach out when you need my help.” Slash offered with a gentle chuckle.“I appreciate that, bro.” Blade replied. “I didn’t want to worry anyone. The bond is back, but it’s not Optimus on the other end. It’s someone much darker, I can read evil intentions even with the other end closed.”“Evil intentions?” Jazz sounded worried now.“Enslavement. Massacre. Rage. Violence.” Blade listed, skimming the edges of the bond. “I’m not sure even Megatron could be this dark inside.”“Quintessa.” Ironhide spoke up. “The Mad Goddess.”“The fuck is that?” Slash asked, stealing the words Blade was thinking.“It makes sense, fucked up as it is.” Jazz agreed with a snarl.“Explain!” Blade snapped, not in the mood to put up with any bullshit.“She is a powerful deity of Cybertron, as old as Primus and Unicron. If she got her tentacles around Prime, she could have easily turned him to her will. Add that to what Simmons said and we’ve got a major problem. She’s coming here to take back what the Knights of Iacon stole from her.” Ironhide explained as best he could.“The six horns are the first signs that Unicron is awakening. How did we miss that?” Jazz added, putting the pieces together. “Shit, if Quintessa is bringing Cybertron here…”“We’re in for a galaxy of hurt.” Ironhide agreed.Prodding at the bond again, Blade uncovered something else about the mysterious presence on the other end.“Nemesis…is Optimus.” He uttered, sending the discovery to Beast as an urgent message. She needed to know what had just been untangled.“Blade, you need to make a choice. When it comes down to it, you may have to decide which planet to save. Earth or Cybertron. Trust your spark to know the right choice. Whatever you choose, the team will support you.” Prowl offered quietly on a separate, private channel.“But…”“Ever since you took command, you have been available for everyone. No matter the situation, you were right there to help. You put your life on the line to bring our people home. You’ve tended the sick, calmed the frightened and held the broken. You’ve shown that you honour the fallen and respect the past.” Prowl continued.“I’m not doing anything that I haven’t done for Mars.”“You are our Prime in all but name. I know you said you never wanted to replace him, but the team has made their choice.”“I won’t take the glyphs.”“And I won’t ask you to accept them. Just know that we stand with you.”“You’ve given me much to think about Prowl. I don’t know if I’m happy about that or not.” Blade admitted with a low groan.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Get them to safety! I’ll keep ‘em occupied!” Inferno directed, struggling to keep up with the smaller, nimbler members of his team.“Be careful.” Red Alert replied. “We’ll find you later.”“Head for Stonehenge. The rest of the team will be there!” Beast cut in sharply. “Try to minimise the collateral Bee!”“We counting police with TRF or not?” Bee asked sharply.“Yes.” Cade snapped. “We have to assume they’re all trying to capture us.”“Copy that. See you there.” Inferno confirmed.Dropping back and slipping behind Bee, Beast transformed up onto her wheels and turned. Left hand on Bee’s rear corner panel for connection, she moved with him as she retrieved her weaponry from subspace.‘Take the hint, asshole!’ She roared and opened fire.Aiming low, she bounced four explosive rounds off the pavement and up into Barricade’s undercarriage. The combined concussive force was enough to bounce him up and force his transformation as he tumbled across the street.“That’s how you get to the big leagues.” Bee cheered.“Nice work, young Beast.” Red Alert added proudly.‘My daddy didn’t raise no fainting flower.’ Beast crowed as she turned back around. ‘Felt good to tank that asshole.’Skating alongside Bee, Beast flipped through the latest data coming in from the rest of the team. With them all assembled near Stonehenge now, it was a lot easier for her to reach out to whoever she needed.‘Oh fuck me.’ She uttered when one particular piece of intel jumped out at her. ‘I know what Nemesis is! Optimus has been turned, he’s gone rogue! He is Nemesis!’“Are you sure?” Bee asked, deeply uncomfortable with this revelation.‘Yeah. Dad could read it across the bond. He must have gotten close enough for it to reopen. Apparently it’s a real dark maelstrom at the other end.’ Beast confirmed. ‘No surprise dad doesn’t really want to talk about it right now.’‘Well that certainly complicates matters.’ Cade agreed. ‘We’ll deal with that later. We need to get this staff first.’Skidding to a stop outside the Navy Museum, Beast vaulted the turnstiles and started herding people away from the HMS Alliance as Cade and Viviane made their run at the silent submarine.‘Hey, stop! You didn’t pay!’‘It’s all right, I’ve got them.’ Edmond called, bringing up the rear of their little procession. ‘They just love submarines!’‘This is gonna be brutal.’ Beast muttered.‘What now?’ Cade asked, looking up at her.‘I’ll explain in a minute, just let me concentrate.’ Beast replied as she looked up at the sub.Waiting until the last visitor left, Beast peered inside and swore softly. There was no way this was going to be a fun trip for her. Concentrating hard, she slowed her transformation right down, moving component by component to not only transform, but also to work her body through the narrow door and into the submarine.She didn’t have much room to move, but it was enough. She just had to hope that they didn’t encounter any more serious problems for a little while.‘That was actually kind of impressive, Beast.’ Cade remarked with a grin. ‘I didn’t know you could do that.’“We don’t do it often because it’s such a strain on delicate components. But it was the only way I could get inside. I’m not built for high pressure environments like Bee, and probably Red too.” She replied. “Besides, I can still do this if I’m needed elsewhere onboard.’Just as she finished speaking, a holoform version of her mechanical form appeared beside Cade. It was a perfect replica down to the finest details, just shrunken down to a size that could easily manipulate things on a human scale.‘That’s…wow.’ Viviane uttered, staring at Beast’s holoform in disbelief.‘This is just one of many forms I can replicate. I’ve got seven different human profiles I can flick between, plus a few others.’ Beast shrugged as she walked over to lean against her own alt mode.‘My dear, your father left the Alliance to you, for you alone. She knows the way to the staff.’ Edmond continued, bringing everyone back on track. ‘Good luck to both of you.’‘It won’t be the strangest thing I’ve done today.’ Viviane muttered as she settled at the controls.The moment she touched the controls, the old sub started to come alive. Shuddering against her moorings as controls moved and her long silent engines started kicking over again.‘Bee’s onboard, Red’s gonna meet us at Stonehenge later.’ Beast relayed, shifting her feet as the old sub started to slide. ‘Everyone hold on, this is gonna be rough.’‘Beast, you able to get a name for this old lady?’ Cade asked, tightening his grip as they started to move faster.‘Working on it. She’s in rough shape, still got battle damage from World War II. I’ll keep trying, she probably just needs some time to build her strength.’Not really too worried about the ongoing arguments between Cade and Cogman, Beast settled and went back to all the data she’d been given. There were still gaps in her understanding of the situation, but the longer she turned the data over in her head, the more she was able to pick out and put back together in the right order.“You got a moment to talk, kid?” Kup asked gently.“Yeah, not like I can do much more right now.” Beast sighed, looking up from her studies. ‘Would you two fucking grow up!’“Cogman still being an ass?” Kup chuckled.“Not sure he’s capable of anything else.” Beast agreed with a soft laugh.“You got the news about Nemesis?”“Yup, already passed it to the team here.” Beast confirmed. “Safe to say that no one liked that news.”Launching forward, she got between Cade and Cogman once more. The one downside to using her holoform was that she couldn’t really call on her weaponry to reinforce her position.But what she did have was an excess of power surging in her systems.Drawing on that power, she sent a strong surge through her hands, stunning Cade and forcing Cogman into a deep stasis. Ignoring the confused spluttering from Viviane, she grabbed Cade and dragged him back towards her alt form before turning and grabbing Cogman.Hauling Cogman into a different chamber and dumping him on the floor, Beast returned to the main compartment where Cade was just starting to coming around.‘I don’t want to hear a word from you Cade. Not a single fucking word. Just sit there and shut the fuck up for a few hours before I decide to fuck my goals and wring ya fuckin’ neck!’“Everything okay in there?” Bee piped up from outside.‘Aside from me wanting to kill Cade and Cogman equally?’ Beast groaned, looking up vaguely towards where Bee was.“Do it to Cogman. Human blood is hard to clean up.” Bee countered with an electronic snigger.‘Don’t tempt me Bee. I’m already out of patience.’ Beast warned. ‘I am not getting paid enough to deal with this.’Plopping down on a nearby bench, Beast hung her head. She was so tired. Knowing the truth behind Nemesis weighed heavily on her shoulders. She didn’t want this job. She wanted to be back home, safe with her father.“Beast? You sure you’re okay?” Blade asked gently, sending his love and support across the bond. “You seem stressed.”“You have no idea, dad. I…I’m so tired.” She admitted softly, barely holding it together. ‘I don’t know what to do anymore.’“I can send reinforcements, but they won’t be able to reach your exact position. The best they can do is circle the area and wait for you to return to the surface.” Blade offered, genuinely worried about his daughter.“Anything you can send will be helpful. I don’t know what’s coming or where we’ll end up, but I can’t take this anymore.” Beast accepted the offer readily. ‘Just make sure whoever you send is armed to the teeth.’“I’ll send you the best I can field for you. When this is all over, we’ll take a long holiday. Just the two of us.”“I’d like that dad. I miss when it was just the two of us.” Beast replied, drawing strength from his support.“I do too, kiddo.”‘What do you mean, whoever you send?’ Viviane asked, staring at Beast’s holoform.‘Dad’s gonna send reinforcements. They won’t be able to reach us, but they’ll be circling above my GPS tag. Whatever we find down below, we’ve got cover up top.’ Beast explained, gaze flicking to Cade again.‘Just how many of you are there?’‘Hundreds, Ms Wembly, hundreds.’ Blade replied, lifting her head slowly. ‘I mean, you had no idea about Red Alert. There’s no telling how many more slipped past your notice on a daily basis.’“Feeling better now kid?” Kup asked with a laugh.“No. I hate this. I wanna be at home, safe with dad. I never asked to be the hero of this story. I was never asked if I wanted to be some sidekick dragged along on this nightmare.”“I get it, kid. You’re doing the right thing, much as it don’t feel like it right now. I don’t know why Primus picked you, but it’s meant to be. Stay strong. We’re all with you.” Kup offered, trying to bolster her shattered spirits.“I don’t know if that’s enough anymore Kup.”“It’ll have to be, Beast. We can’t fight this for you.”“Hate to add to your worries, Beast, but the US Navy is locked onto your signals. I’d say they’re planning an intercept.” Carbon warned.“Shit, that’s all I need. Keep me locked on their course until we lose contact.” Beast directed, digging deep for further energy. ‘US Navy is on the move, converging on our location. Safe bet is that TRF is also converging on us.’‘This gets better and better.’ Cade muttered, getting to his feet slowly. ‘We’re still stuck in this metal tube with a sociopath.’‘And you keep fucking egging him on. I shouldn’t have to police your behaviour like a fucking toddler.’ Beast snapped right back. ‘Fuck me, wrangling the dinobots solo would be preferred to this assignment, but here we are.’“Easy now, Beast. Take a breath.” Ironhide weighed in now, trying to help bring her back down. “I’m going to suggest something, but I want you to actually think about it instead of just lashing out again. You need to evaluate your own mental state first.”“I understand. Give it to me, Ironhide.” Beast replied, trying to control the worry in her voice.“Your moods are being effected by the bond you share. Blade’s dealing with it too, but he’s got more support to temper it. You need to try and block the bond with Nemesis. Hunt it in your systems and squash it. You have to shut him out. We don’t know if he can read your intentions through it or not.”The family bond.Beast hadn’t given that bond any real thought since it had started to fade. It wasn’t worth holding onto, not after the way Optimus abandoned them so easily.Focusing inward, she searched for any lingering shadows, any trace of corruption coming from her deep core. The traces were faint, but in the deepest corner of her core, she found a small connection that was pouring rage, hatred and anger freely.“I found something. I don’t know if it’s the cause of my frustration.”“Focus on it. Seal it off. Don’t be afraid, you’ll never lose contact with your father. You have to protect your team. They’re counting on you to keep them safe.” Ironhide coached, sending her pride and support across their connection.Concentrating harder, she imagined a series of thick rubber caps, each one slightly larger than the previous. One by one she squeezed them over the leaking contact, choking it off and stemming the flow corrupting her core.“I…I think I got it. I can’t sense anything more coming from that point.” She uttered, tentatively prodding at the point. “Dad, you still with me?”“I’ve got you baby girl. You okay now?” Blade replied, wrapping her in warmth and tenderness again.“I don’t know yet. I need to give it time to clear my systems I think.” Beast uttered, feeling vulnerable and alone. “I’m scared dad. What if I’m not good enough for this?”“I believe in you, Beast.” Raider declared.“I believe in you, Beast.” Tracks this time.Two became four became a chorus of the same. Everyone gave their love and support. They were all behind Beast, waiting on her call before making their next move.‘You can do this, young warrior.’ That voice was unfamiliar. And spoken aloud, not over the comms.She spoke with a regal tone, voice warm and kind, though somewhat clipped. She sounded tired too, as if awakening from a long slumber.‘Who was that?’ Cade asked, looking around quickly.‘My designation is Alpha-146. I was given the designation Alliance by Winston Churchill when I joined the Royal Navy.’‘You’re…the submarine?’ Viviane asked, eyes wide in disbelief.‘I am. I am sorry I cannot be of more help, my systems are still quite damaged.’‘Would you consent to a different name? As a sign of my great respect and admiration.’ Beast asked, hoping not to offend the much older femme. ‘Mentla. Goddess of the Stars.’‘I accept your offer, young warrior.’ She replied politely. ‘I must rest again, forgive me.’‘Rest as long as you need, Mentla.’ Beast nodded, looking around her small team. ‘I’ll keep the watch.’With that said, Beast switched off her holoform. She had a great deal to think about and didn’t need to keep the holoform active to track everything going on around her.
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Despite everything else going on, the team in New York couldn’t join the main force in England. They simply had too many meetings, negotiations and events on their shared calendar. Even deploying multiple holoforms to cover multiple events at the same time, they still had more work than they could comfortably manage.At least with their office now fully set up, it was more convenient for everyone involved. Instead of having to do everything with holoforms and video calls, they now had spaces where they could do face-to-face meetings of a sort. The fact that they were only a few minutes’ walk away from the UN Headquarters made it even simpler.Their office was a point of pride for the team. It wasn’t huge, but it didn’t really need to be. From the outside it looked very similar to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel ventilation shaft that was just across the street. The only hint that it was something more was the small, subtle Autobot logo on a small plate beside the human-sized front door.They’d made all efforts to make the building as energy efficient as possible, and set up to use as much renewable energy as possible. They’d already managed to convince a few nations to look into some modifications to current renewable energy technology to make it more efficient and cheaper.Inside, the space was divided into three levels. At the bottom, mostly built underground, was a spacious garage with plenty of space for them to turn around and even transform. They’d gone to great lengths to insulate and soundproof the garage to minimise the chance of humans hearing their movements.The main lobby had a reception desk in the middle, a comfortable waiting area for guests and a selection of models relating to their current projects. Most of it was regarding the Venice project, since that was their biggest and most visual project currently on the books.The other big display in the lobby was one of their more ambitious plans. So far it was only in the first phase of contemplation, based off rough sketches and quick calculations. But if it worked, the system could be used to eliminate not only the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, but could also be tuned to help break down microplastics and remove them from the oceans.The top floor was where the real work was done. nine offices arranged around a smaller lobby, with vast picture windows creating an almost unbroken 360-degree view of their surroundings. Most of the offices were smaller, as befitted their junior status.Ratchet’s office was larger, with plush leather seating and a spectacular desk sitting pride of place. His office also had a small conference table for meetings and a simple refreshments station for any visitors. His windows looked out towards the UN Headquarters and the city beyond.There was still a long way to go when it came to forging relationships with various nations, but the good will shown already was certainly helping. The Venice project was still garnering attention, and Kiribati was quite vocal in their praise for the Cybertronian intervention to protect their fishing grounds.Several nations still protested the Autobot diplomatic efforts, insisting that an alien race had no rights on Earth. Russia and China were their two loudest opponents. South Africa and Iran was getting louder by the day. Spain had also raised concerns, but thus far were remaining polite with their arguments.Every day bought progress and regression, a constant balancing act to make sure everyone felt heard and respected. Making promises of support but never offering anything military related. Any requests for military aid were shut down hard, those that still pushed for it were told in no uncertain terms that the Cybertronian delegation would sever all diplomatic ties with any nation who continued to demand military aid.#~#+^*^+#~#Though he knew it’d kick on hell of a hornet’s nest when the time came, Ratchet continued his secret discussions with several nations around China. Most were ecstatic to have a shot at securing their borders, but a couple were still understandably cautious. That was a totally understandable stance. The nations in question were a lot smaller than China.Just about every day he ended up discussing border disputes, EEZ challenges, unrecognised nations and overly aggressive posturing along controversial borders. It was no surprise that China and Russia were among those most frequently mentioned in his office.Today was a little different though. He wasn’t just offering to reinforce a nation, but to help birth a new one. After decades under China’s rule, Tibet was starting to awaken. There was a lot to hammer out, but the first stirrings of a newly independent Tibet were there.“Ratchet, you got a minute?” Chaos asked, sounding a little concerned.“What’s up Chaos?”“Yukiho Kakuta is on line five. She sounds really worried about something but wouldn’t explain it beyond insisting that she needed to speak with you immediately.”That was unusual. She was always the picture of calm and collected. Nothing seemed to worry the Japanese emissary.“Put her through. It’s rare that she’s rattled by anything.”Switching gears, Ratchet waited for the call to connect. He enjoyed talking with Yukiho, she was always eager to explain her culture if asked. Negotiations with her were always smooth, she always explained exactly what her government wanted from the Cybertronians and what they’d be willing to accept in return.“Thank you for accepting my call, Shisha Ratchet.”“It’s always a delight to speak with you, Shisha Kakuta. How can I be of assistance today?”Without real consideration, Ratchet slipped into Japanese for the conversation. He always wanted to make certain his contacts were happy to discuss anything with him and using their native language tended to open a lot of doors when it came to delicate negotiations.“I do not know how best to explain. My government has been keeping one of your people in secret for several years. They were severely damaged when our navy retrieved them from the Tsushima Straight. The intent was to repair the damage, ensure their health and help them reunite with your people.”“The intent?” Ratchet asked warily. He was all too familiar with the intent of some humans.“I do not have all the details. I was told that our equipment was unable to do much for any of the larger tears in his armour. The repair team was able to do some minor work, welding up smaller gashes and patching damaged wiring. I have full reports from several people who were involved with their care.”“Where is my compatriot now?” Ratchet asked, already looking at his options to run a rescue mission. “Do you have a name for them?”“They are currently hidden in a modified transport container at JFK Airport. The container has been declared a diplomatic pouch by my government, so the TRF cannot touch it.” She offered, though she sounded a little distracted. “Those charged with their care have been calling them Sensō no michi.”Bringing up maps of JFK airport, Ratchet started scanning them for the best way to retrieve the container. He’d have to send Throttle out to pick it up, no one else had an altmode capable of hauling back a transport container.Seconds later the translated designation slammed into his processor and he groaned. Of all the mechs to suddenly land in his lap, why did it have to be them?“Can you please repeat the name.”“Sensō no michi. Do you know them?”“I know him.” Ratchet confirmed. “One moment, I need to speak to my colleagues regarding this development.”“Of course.”#~#+^*^+#~#Fully aware how strange he looked, Throttle pulled up near the large diplomatic crate he’d been tasked with retrieving. He didn’t know all the details, just that Ratchet wanted the transport container bought into their facility as quickly as possible without drawing unnecessary attention.The holoform he used for the job was a semi-familiar one. Anyone who had been to the Cybertronian embassy had seen it. But the sight of him in his immaculate three-piece suit jumping out of a gleaming bronze Mack truck was quite strange.Straightening his jacket, he ran one hand through his hair quickly as he looked around for Yukiho. His hair was always the same shade as his fur had once been. It was his favourite way to honour the legacy he left behind so long ago. This time he’d chosen an older look though, landing somewhere in his late 40’s with a hint of grey at his temples and a few wrinkles to further sell the age.‘Ah, it is good to see you again Shisha Throttle. Thank you for coming out to meet us.’Slapping on a smile, he turned to face Yukiho. She looked as lovely as the last time he’d seen her face-to-face. Navy blue suit, with a crisp white shirt and a flash of red at her throat. Never a hair out of place or a smudge in her makeup.‘It’s always a delight to work with you Shisha Kakuta.’ Throttle replied with a polite bow. ‘We are all deeply grateful for the efforts your people went to for one of our people.’‘This is Reiji Kunai; he was the lead engineer tasked with taking care of Sensō no michi.’ She explained, indicating the older man standing beside her.He was an older man, with grey hair at his temples. He looked a little out of place in his clean overalls among everyone else in their suits.‘We cannot thank you enough for what you have done.’ Throttle offered, giving the older man a deeper bow. ‘We will never forget the kindness you have shown.’‘It was a privilege to work with Sensō no michi. We all learned a great deal. I am sad to say goodbye.’Attention flicking towards the transport crate, Throttle smiled softly. The signal was weak, but the intention behind it was strong.‘This isn’t truly goodbye. When he is stronger and we have a place to call home, he’ll travel back to Nihon-koku to see you again. He wants to know more about your nation; a sentiment many of us share. At any time, you are welcome to email him, or anyone else you wish to contact.’ Throttle offered, indicating the container as he spoke.‘He can speak to you? We struggled for several months to establish communication.’ Reiji remarked in wonder. ‘We resorted to using text messages through a specially modified computer.’‘We have many ways to communicate. At this distance, it’s a heavily encrypted shortwave radio.’ Throttle nodded, attention going to the container again.“I want to speak to Reiji, thank him properly for what he did.” Warpath requested quietly; voice heavy with exhaustion.“Give me a moment to grab the external speaker.”“Thank you.”Returning to his true form and retrieving the small speaker unit, Throttle approached Reiji with it. Offering it out in both hands, he watched the confusion morph into delight when Reiji figured out what was about to happen.‘Sensō no michi?’ he asked in awe, staring at the speaker cradled in his weathered hands.“Kon'nichiwa, meiyo aru hīrādesu.”‘Is that…?’ Yukiho asked, eyes widening in wonder.‘That’s Warpath.’ Throttle confirmed with a grin. ‘I’m going to load up the container, just in case TRF does start poking around.’#~#+^*^+#~#Working together to ease Warpath out of the container, Chaos and Christine guided the battered warrior to his feet. Aware of his multiple injuries, they guided him across the garage and down into a soft nest made from thick foam pads wrapped in heavy duty tarpaulins.His armour was covered in the residue from all the attempts to repair the damage. Some of the wider gashes had been bridged with various metals, attached in some rather inventive ways. It was honestly kind of impressive to see.‘Welcome Warpath. I’m Christine and this is Chaos.’“Where is everyone else?” Warpath asked, looking around as he settled back. “I expected to see at least one familiar face.”‘Ratchet will be here shortly, he needed to finish up a meeting first.’ Chaos offered. ‘Our forces are scattered across the planet, preparing for the battle to come.’“For Cybertron.”‘And for Earth. We don’t know the full plan; we’re doing our part by being here.’ Christine nodded as she adjusted some of the padding.‘I’ve already spoken to Ms Watson. She’s agreed to transport you down to our base in Texas. You’ll be safe there, and around some familiar faces.’ Ratchet added as he joined the group. ‘For now, you’ll stay here. Human sensor equipment can’t breach these walls.’“TRF?”‘Sort of. There are other human organisations attempting to spy on us. We have to tread carefully, lest years of work be wasted.’ Ratchet admitted, sinking to one knee beside Warpath. ‘There is a lot for you to catch up on now that you’re here.’‘Don’t worry, we’ll all be around to answer your questions. When you move down to Texas, you’ll have others around to continue the catch up.’ Christine noted as she settled beside Warpath.“I have so many questions.”‘And you can start asking them after I’ve patched you up a bit. Nothing against the Japanese, but this isn’t the first time we’ve seen that human equipment can’t repair a Cybertronian body.’ Ratchet replied as he reached out. ‘Rest now, you’re home.’Giving Warpath a moment to think about that, Ratchet eased him into a deep stasis so he could work. It would take several days to get Warpath ready for transport, especially considering there were no trained medics in Texas.‘Were you followed?’ Ratchet asked as he bent to his task.‘No. I checked several times. No one paid us any attention.’ Throttle confirmed as he stretched.‘Uh, I hate to complicate matter Ratchet, but the Peruvian ambassador is on the line. Says he has something vitally important to discuss.’ Fang warned as he joined the group.‘Handle it. Tell him I’m in a critical meeting that cannot be interrupted. If it’s genuinely important, let me know.’‘You got it Ratchet.’
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Uncoiling from her cramped position and shimmying out of Mentla’s aging hull, Beast looked around in wonder at the gigantic ship around them. In all her years, across several different planets, she’d never seen a ship this monumental.This place was something special, almost seeming to pulse with life and energy. Whoever had first sent this vessel down into the depths of the ocean had never intended for anyone to see it again.Jumping off the sub, Bumblebee ran a primary scan around the ship, getting a very basic understanding of what this place was and what it represented.‘What now?’ Cade asked, looking around in awe.‘You’re the Last Knight. You’re the Earl’s special guy. You figure it out.’ Cogman replied sharply.Sliding down the side, Viviane landed lightly in the water and shivered. Even with the layers stolen from the onboard lockers, the temperature down here was just barely above freezing.‘Let’s go.’‘I’m not going in that water.’ Cogman insisted.Streamlining her panels as much as possible, Beast launched off the bow in a graceful arch, slipping into the water with barely a splash. Behind her, Bee shoved Cogman into the water as well, putting an end to his insistence.‘Now you’re both on my shit list.’‘Seriously, shut the fuck up before we see if it’s possible to drown a fucking robot.’ Beast snarled, anger building again. ‘Come on, no doubt the US Navy is still hunting for us. Let’s not be here if they eventually get inside this ship.’“Beast, can you hear me?” Blade’s voice rang in her head, equal parts fear and horror. “Beast!”‘I’m here dad. What’s going on?’ Beast responded, freezing mid step to better focus on the message.“Cybertron has reappeared. It came from the far side of the sun, moving methodically. It just made contact with the moon, throwing up lunar dust storms visible from our position.”“Contact with earth will be in a matter of hours. My team is enroute to rendezvous with the main force in preparation.” Wheeljack added in.‘What about Venice?’“Saving the world takes precedence. After we’ve dealt with what’s coming, we’ll finish with Venice.”‘I still don’t know why we’re down here, looking for Primus only knows what. All I know is that Mentla is in rough shape and we’ve got the US Navy on our asses.’ Beast sighed, looking around slowly.“I’ve already dispatched a support team to your location. The moment they can reach you, you’ll have heavy fire support, medical and rescue support.”‘Good, because I don’t think Mentla is capable of another long cruise.’“Be careful, kiddo. I can’t lose you.”‘I will be dad. Keep me informed of any changes.’‘What does the old man want us to do?’Attention shifting back to her human companions, Beast whistled low as a gap suddenly appeared in the wall. Did that mean that this place as at least semi sentient? Was it aware of their presence and guiding them or was it simply being keyed by that talisman Cade was still responsible for?‘Bee, go around. Find another way! Come on!’ Cade directed, motioning towards the new passageway.“What? Are you serious?”‘I’ll come with you, Bee. I can’t fit through that gap.’“Think I like winding up in a place like this?”‘Yeah, yeah. I know. They owe us both a good scrub when this is over. I am never going to get my leathers clean.’ Beast agreed as she shimmied up one of the thick cables draped nearby. “You got any idea what this place is?”“Nope. Been pinging stuff back to the guys up top, asking for answers. So far they can’t agree anything aside from it being an ancient vessel.”“Wonderful.” Beast groaned. “Did you hear that?”Looking down, Beast barely contained a low snarl at the sight of more humans following them. With a certain William Lennox in the lead. Bee reached out to her, motioning for her not to do anything about the humans trailing them and instead focus on reaching Cade and Viviane as quickly as possible; preferably before Cogman did something to get them all in deeper shit.Tightening her grip with one hand, Beast dug into her subspace locker for a few moments. Optics sparkling with mischief and cruel intentions, she retrieved two small blue metal balls and cradled them to her chest. Activating them both, she dropped them, aiming to land one on each side of the human group before scrambling further up the cables to seek her escape with Bee.“What did you just drop?”“Smoke bombs with a little extra sulphur in them. Won’t kill ‘em, but they’ll regret it for a long time.”“This way, there’s a wider path for us.” Bee chuckled, swinging from one bundle of cables to another.‘I see a path I can fit. Primus watch over you Bee!’ Beast called, delving deep for strength.Body arching up, she released the cable at the height of her swing and flipped, hands coming together over her head. Clearing another chasm in this mangled wreck, she slid head first into another tube that led her down deeper, back towards Cade’s tracking signal.It also led her closer to the cluster of signals that represented Lennox and the TRF.A strange sensation raced across her plating. Gravity continued to pull her down, ever downwards. Around her though, the vessel was rising from the seabed. How? The vessel wasn’t seaworthy anymore, much less flight capable.Sensing the bottom of the chute approaching, she braced for her exit, flipping through her weapons for the best choice in this situation.‘-pon. Do it!’‘You drop it or I will.’‘You don’t know what you’re doing, Lennox! Stop!’‘All I want is that weapon.’‘Go ahead, shoot me!’‘No!’‘Only I can wield it.’Landing heavily behind the humans, Beast straightened slowly. She knew she made for a terrifying sight in that moment. Her brighter colours had been replaced again by jet black panels picked out with gold borders and small gold embellishments where the various panels fitted together to make it seem like everything was riveted together.In her right hand she held a simple yet heavy war axe and on her left arm, a beautifully designed rondache shield with intricate detailing on the front. The heart of her shield was a glistening Autobot symbol, with Martian antenna gracing the top.‘Protect the staff.’Everything went to hell.At least three more of the ancient guardians came to life, charging head on into the TRF goons standing around.Taking advantage of the distraction, Beast moved to position her modified bulk between Lennox and Viviane. Weight settled low, she kept her attention on Lennox, watching and waiting for him to make a move.‘You will never see Sarah and Annabelle again. You are going to die alone and forgotten.’ She uttered, just loud enough to those closest to her to hear.Beyond their little moment, the sounds of battle changed. As the last of the reawakened guards fell, Optimus stood tall behind them. but something was different about him.‘I’ve come for that staff.’Protect the talisman…the staff…the creator god…Nemesis…Nemesis comes…the talisman will show the way‘Nemesis.’ Beast uttered, spotting Bee making his appearance behind Optimus.‘Optimus…What are you doing?’‘Give it to me.’“Nemesis is here!” Beast warned, reaching out to Blade for comfort again. “It looks and sounds like Optimus, but it’s not him.”“Be strong. I’m with you, he can’t hurt you.” Blade soothed, wrapping her up in a digital hug.‘It’s me, Cade. We fought together.’‘I fight for my own kind! My own planet!’‘Cade?’‘This isn’t you Prime.’‘Give me the staff, human.’‘Cade?’‘Give it to him.’ Beast instructed, squaring her shoulders. ‘Now!’This couldn’t be the end. They had gone through too much, chased too many puzzles to just let this be the end of their efforts. but what more was there to do right now? Everyone witnessed how easily this infected Prime was able to throw TRF troops around. Bumblebee would be no challenge. Beast would be even less of one.‘D-daddy?’ Beast hated how weak she sounded, but she had to try. She had to know.Nemesis didn’t even look at her as he walked away.‘It’s all wrong Bee. Something happened. That is not Optimus. You gotta find him Bee. Remember ZB-7? You gotta be that Autobot again.’ Cade guided, trying to gather up what hope they had left.‘Daddy?’ one of the TRF goons asked, looking up at Blade in disbelief. ‘Your father is Optimus Prime?’‘He was, kinda. More of a step-father, I suppose. Blade’s my real dad; I’ve always known him. Prime came later.’ Beast explained softly.‘I’m sorry you’re going through this.’‘Thank you.’‘Beast, you coming with us or going back with Viviane?’ Cade called, shaking her out of her thoughts.‘I’m going back to Mentla. I need some time to process all of this.’Watching the men run off, Beast offered out a hand to Viviane. Now that the adrenaline was starting to wear off, it was colder in this section of the ship.‘Come on, I’ll give you a lift back to the sub. You’ve had a hell of a day and it’s not going to slow down just yet.’ She offered with a tired smile.‘You don’t exactly look the pinnacle of energized either.’ Viviane remarked, but she did accept the hand up onto Beast’s shoulders.‘I’m not, but I figure I’ve got enough power to get us both out of this nightmare place. Then you can get some dry clothes on and maybe I can find some dry towels.’‘We’ll see what we can arrange.’