TF-P: A rekindle hope (chapter 4)

“Absolutely not!”

“Oww, come on Doc!”

“I said no! And don’t call me ‘Doc’!”

“But Wheeljack always call you Doc.”

“And Wheeljack is Wheeljack.” He tolerated it only because he knew the engineer will not quit. It didn’t mean he liked it, even if it was just teasing. Miko pouted, “You are not fun”. Ratchet rolled his optics; it was not his job to be ‘fun’, as Miko putted it. His job was to make sure his charges (and yes, this include Optimus) were in good health.

“Come on Ratchet, the kids will be with me. I promise to keep them safe.” A cold glare was sent to Smokescreen, the younger cringing before stepping down. The Medic sure could be scary. “Guess we will have to wait for the others.” He said to the humans and Bumblebee, Miko visibly deflating and Bumblebee’s doorwings sagging in disappointment. The youngling then turned pleading optics to the older one, but Ratchet merely crossed his arms.

“I will not change my mind, Bumblebee.” Then came the false tears. “It may have worked on the Twins, but you know it won’t work on me.”

“The Twins?”

“Sides and Sunny!” Bumblebee piped.

“Who are the mechs?” Miko asked with a teasing grin, already knowing she would like them if they annoyed the resident Medic like this. But an incoming call from the others interrupted them – to Ratchet’s relief – and the red and white mech opened the groundbridge.

“How was it?” He asked as soon as the bridge was closed, internal sensors and scans telling him the others didn’t sustain any injuries during their trip. Good.

“We discovered a small deposit of Energon, enough to last us a moment. There wasn’t sign of Decepticons activity either.” Optimus announced with a small smile. Behind him Arcee and Bulkhead had an armful of Energon crystals, both sporting satisfied smiles. And they could, since their reserve was always on the small side.

“Okay, so you found Energon,” Miko cut, not liking being cut off from something she found interesting. “Can we go back to who ‘Sides and Sunny’ are?!” The newly arrived Bots looked down at her, optics ridges raised in question and wondering where this comes from.  

“Sideswipe and Sunstreaker.” Optimus answered. “Two of our best frontliners.”

Ratchet scoffed, “Rather two terrors who love making my work difficult. Worse than a certain Prime I know.” The last part was said with a glare, and Optimus turned his head, a little smile on his face-plate, almost sheepish, keeping quiet on the subject.

“Sides would always play with me! And Sunny taught me how to draw!” Bumblebee said.

Ratchet grunted, “I lost count of the times you were caught in their pranks. The worst one was when they used these slimy strings and putted them everywhere. I spent days to remove them. They would stick to the circuits, between joints,” Ratchet shook his helm in hope to forget about it. It had been a walking nightmare; some of the Bots had barely been able to move, some having even been carried to his medbay because their joints were stuck together. And they say he tend to be cranky, ha!

“And where are they?” Jack inquired.

“Somewhere.” Arcee answered, a small frown adoring her face plate. “Hopefully alive. I never met them personally, but I heard of them. They may be hard to live with from what I heard, but they are good at what they do.

“Are they … dangerous?” Raf wondered in a small voice, already imagining violent mechs who don’t care for others but themselves and bullying those smaller than them. He didn’t think he wanted to meet them.

“No.” Optimus responded sternly. He knew how some view the younger ones, and while they could act violent, most of the time it was because they were provoked. Subtly, but provoked nonetheless. The high in command and he tried to quench it, but they couldn’t always be here. And they couldn’t let fights go unpunished, even if they – mainly Sunstreaker – tried to ignore the petty jabs. “Then can be rash, but they not ‘dangerous’.”

“Not for us anyway.” Bulkhead corrected. “I met them a few times during battles when I was with the Wreckers, no Cons were left standing in their path.” He scratched his chin, “I think I even saw some running away crying for their Creators.”

Raf was not reassured, but Miko gained a glint in her eyes. She wondered what they looked like! She knew they were twins, but did they look alike? How could they be twins by the way? Humans, she knew, but what about Cybertronians? She was about to ask when she was again interrupt;

“Can we go now?” Bumblebee said, having grown tired of the adults’ discussion and wanting to go play outside. He didn’t leave the Base since … well, since a long time, and he wanted to go outside. He didn’t know why Ratchet didn’t want to let him, even with Smokescreen. He was an adult, so it should be okay, right? So why was he like this? Was it because of the Decepticons? It was a little fuzzy in his processor, but he knew they were scary, especially the big grey one, Megatron. Ratchet sighed and turned away as Optimus looked down to the little scout with a raised optic ridge.

“Little Bee here wanted to go play outside,” Smokescreen explained. “But Ratchet is insisting it’s too dangerous, what with the Decepticons on the prowl.” A pause. “So ... can we?” He asked eagerly, bouncing on his pedes and looking hopefully at his leader.

Optimus was silent for a moment, debating whether he should let them or not, before finally nodding. Three shouts of glee was his answer, and he smiled a little at the joy his acceptance of such a simple request brought. He exchanged a look with Ratchet while the younger ones talked animatedly together, sharing their apprehension but knowing they couldn’t keep them indoor indefinitely. They would just have to be cautious. Ratchet harrumphed, still miffed if somewhat placated by their silent discussion, and returned to his work.  

“Arcee,” Optimus stated, and the blue two-wheelers immediately stood at attention. “You will be accompanying them with Smokescreen. You are to return immediately at the slightest sign of enemy activity, do not engage them. Security will be your priority. Bulkhead and I will return to the deposit and scavenge the energon.” The two nodded.  They didn’t have the same reservations than Ratchet and Optimus, even if Arcee was still a little doubtful about Smokescreen abilities, and if trouble there was, it wouldn’t take long to groundbridge them to safety.

Minutes later the groundbridge deposed them in a clearing hidden in a vast forest, clear from prying eyes or optics and secluded enough to not risk a human adventuring near their position.

“S-weet!” Miko exclaimed, letting the fresh air caress her face. She was never one for nature, preferring the city any time, but even she could admit a change in scenery was agreeable from time to time. All that’s missing now was some good music. Lost in her thoughts, she almost startled when a yellow blur shot past her, giggling like a mad Bot’. “Hey!”

Arcee watched as Miko started running after Bumblebee, growling when the little mech kept evading her, and she propped herself on a boulder, arms around her knees, losing herself to her though of the past. When was the last time she heard a youngling’s laugh? She was not very old herself when the war had started, and the conflicts had rapidly became more violent, the largest cities rapidly becoming the center of it, and soon everything was destroyed. She knew a lot of them weren’t that old, even on the Decepticons’ side, so seeing Bee like this, playing and smiling like a youngling should was a balm to her spark. Because with time they almost forgot the reason of their millennia long fight, their spark hardened  to the point where she wasn’t even sure they would be able to live normally after all that.

They just lost too many things.

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Knockout was bored. Completely and utterly bored out of his mind. There was nothing to do- literally – and he couldn’t eve play with Lazerbeak since Soundwave needed her for a recon mission. So yes, he was bored, and he didn’t even have the will to annoy some Vehicons, and he would never dare go after an Insecticon. He repressed a shudder; these things were scary. He briefly wondered how some could work with them? From what he saw, they didn’t like receiving orders (aside from Megatron, the ‘most powerful one’ of them, or simply one more powerful in their hive), and everyone beside the aforementioned were painfully remind that they didn’t have the right to order them around. If you don’t want troubles, leave them alone. Now if they could only stop shrieking like some banshee …

So here he was, wandering the ship alone and hoping almost desperately that something funny to do would pop up. He stopped by a group of gossiping Vehicons (yes, Vehicons do gossip … more so than most would though), but alas another came to reprimand them and they scattered back to their posts in a hurry before he could fully approach them. He sighed. Maybe he could just ask Soundwave if he had time to play with him, or maybe he could go and annoy Starscream. The Seeker was so easy to rill up, he thought when said Seeker turned into the corridor he was in. “Hey, Screamer!”
“Don’t call me that!” Starscream respond automatically, optics searching for the source and then narrowing on him. Too. Easy.

“Why?”

“Because I have a designation I happen to like, sparkling.”

“Hey! I’m not a sparkling!”

Starscream scoffed, a superior smirk on his faceplates, “Are you sure? Because you sure are quite small.

Knockout growled, “At least I don’t look like a femme!”

An optics ridge twitched, and Starscream clenched his servos. Oh no, he didn’t. “What. Did. You. Say?” He gritted out between clenched dentas, resisting the urge to strangle the other. It wasn’t difficult with his programs actives, but few knew about it, and even if Knockout knew it when he was an adult (after all he was a Medic), there was a good chance he didn’t remember it now. That and he would never kill a young one, be it sparkling or youngling, not if he could avoid it, but then again, it always depend of the circumstances. He remembered, at the beginning, that they had tried not to involve femmes, carrier mechs and younglings, but it soon degenerated into an all-out war, and the majority of them were lost. Some survived, like that blasted Autobot Scout, Bumblebee, Arcee, and even Knockout wasn’t very old if his records were true. Younger that most of them, that was for sure...

“I said you look like a femme, Screamer!”

... But that didn’t mean he couldn’t mess with them. “Come back here you little runt!” He screeched while giving chase, the younger one having hightailed the moment he ended his phrase. And frag it the youngling was fast on his pedes for something this small! But he gamely chased on, faking movements to grab him and threatening him at the same time, ignoring the startled looks of the few crew’s members they crossed. What, he can have fun sometimes too! And he was bored either way, so he may as well indulge the younger one. It continued for several cliks till he ‘lost’ the little runt. He huffed, still a little irked at the ‘femme’ comment, but gave up nonetheless. Let the runt think he outmatched him, he could get back at him later.

.......................................................

Knockout looked out from behind the safety of a door, and grinned when he didn’t see nor hear Starscream. Yep, he could do this all day. His good mood vanished when he turned around, curious to see where he had end up, and realized in just what room he was. Or rather, whose room. Now he wasn’t afraid of him, but the mech was intimating even when he wasn’t doing anything. Especially when he was doing nothing. He took a quick look around, not moving an inch, and vented when he saw the coast was clear. Nobody. Well at least he wouldn’t go into trouble. He would just make sure to remember to check out the rooms he hides in.
But now that he was in ...

..............................................

Shockwave considered himself one of the best scientists from Cybertron, having studying under the best and having proved his intellect numerous times before and after joining the Decepticon, but now he was facing one of the most mysterious case of his long existence. And having been a Senator, strange cases were not new to him.

Some would say it is not the same, that working as a Senator was not even close to working as a Scientist, but for him, the resemblance was here. Politics are similar to a game of logic, just as working on a new formula or invention is. But now he was simply a Scientist, only occasionally playing the role of a mediator when his Liege demanded it, and for now all his time was taken by the new puzzle presented to him, deft digits working on the datapad in his servo and legs taking him to his lab without looking where he was going, only a small portion of his processor focused on his surroundings. Crossing the part of the equation he was working on, he wondered not for the first time if he wasn’t missing something? Had the Autobots, as he had briefly though before, taken with them a piece he needed? Or was there a parameter he was forgetting? He will have to start from the beginning again to make sure, and tell Starscream to do the same. The other was rather ... volatile in his experiments, but two minds were sometimes better than one.  

Stopping in front of the door leading to his working place he absently wondered if the vain Medic will have to grow up naturally again. They of course could not wait for this since nobody knew where Hook was, and he was the only other ‘expert’ they have. It was a mater he will have to see with his Lord; since Breakdown’s demise, Knockout will have to choose another assistant or two in case he couldn’t operate normally. Just like now. Of course the majority of them could make some repair on themselves, it was only logical for a being to be able to do minor repair on their own being, and some, like Seekers, could help other Seekers when they couldn’t. It was vastly know Starscream and his Trine did the majority of their repair themselves for instance, and he would not be surprise to learn the others did the same. But it didn’t replace the work of a trained Medic, and they were so few to begin with that they were now almost non-existent. And those who still exist preferred to work at Delphi, what with it being the only ‘authorized’ neutral infirmary.
Yes, he will talk about it with Lord once he finishes his actual work. He doesn’t need to concern himself with it for now.

The door slide close after him at these thoughts and he stopped when his scanners indicated he was not alone in the laboratory, and that it was not one accustomed at being here. Raising his helm from his datapad a standoff occurred between the two, one surprised and a little fearful at being discovered in a place he shouldn’t be in, and the other perplex by the other’s presence.

.................................................

Soundwave stopped tapping, limbs tensing minutely before relaxing. Sensing her Carrier sudden state of agitation Lazerbeak chirped, but Soundwave sent a wave of reassurance, resuming his work. He watched for a moment the camera video that got him tensing, but then closed it, confident that nothing wrong would happen. Lazerbeak hesitated, wondering, but decided otherwise when Soundwave didn’t move from his place before the monitors. If something was really amiss, then he would have done something, by himself or by sending someone else. Still, she sent a demand and the moment she got the okay she detached herself from the safety of his Carrier’s chest-plate and flew outside the bridge, her wings keeping her high in the air so she wouldn’t hit a random Vehicon or who know what else. Really the others knew better than to attack her, but one was never too careful. Speaking of others, Starscream suddenly appeared on the other side of the corridor, face scrunched up more than usually and visibly annoyed with whoever he is communicating with.

“And why should I recount them again? I already did it! Seven times!” Starscream said, using all his willpower to not scream at the cyclops who kept bothering him. He didn’t make a mistake, he knew it! Restarted from the beginning enough time to know which part, even the smallest ones, they had without needing to look it up! Really, would it offline him to trust him a little?! If there was something he didn’t play with, it was science, he should know better after all these millennia...

“Then do it an eight time.” Came the reply before the com-link went dead. Starscream hissed and kicked the wall, making a small dent, all the while fuming about the one optic mech who believed he was above everyone. It was at that moment that he saw the little flyer: “And what do you want?” He said between his dentas.

“Don’t twist your wires, Screamer.” She sent, and the frown on the Seeker’s face deepened once he read the message on his HUD. “I was just stretching my wings.” She decided to say, moving a little just to prove her point. “Maybe you should do the same? It helps relax.” She added as an afterthought, and Starscream could practically hear the smirk in the message.

“I don’t need a pet to tell me what I need.” He sneered, one sharp clawed finger directed at her, which she avoid. “Now go pester someone else. Who know, maybe you will find someone to play fetch with you!”

Now that was rude, she though as Starscream left –  probably to recount whatever he had to recount – but then again it was not surprising considering who the mech was. But she will be sure to record his next humiliation. She already has quite a collection that was rapidly growing, and she could not wait to show it to her brothers and sister. She didn’t know where they were, but she was certain they were online, and she would show them everything they missed while being away. She only hoped it would not take too long ... she was happy to be with their Creator, but even then it gets lonely sometimes. And she knew this prolong separation was affecting him too, more so than her.

But now, where to go ...?