Maelstrom Chapter 32
Conversations in the Kitchen: Chapter 3 "Getting to Like You?"
Part A
Author's note: This story is part of a LONG series called Maelstrom. It is strictly Gen. 1 - sorry, but that was all that was out when I started writing back in the late 1980's. It began as a fan-publication so the first chapters are in the form of a comic book! If you have not read the nine original Maelstrom Comics and the preceding text stories, I strongly suggest you do. This is a complex universe. They can be found at http// illmatar. deviantart. com (I have put double spaces between the URL here or FF . Net eats the link.) The comics and art which accompanies this series are there...and believe me I am a better artist than writer.
Most chapters of this series contain strong language and violence. Rated M for adult themes! Really! Transformers characters belong to Hasbro. Critiques adored! This scene contains strong language, violence, and sex. Rated M for adult themes!
Transformers characters belong to Hasbro. Story and OC characters are mine. Critiques adored!
Maelstrom 32
Conversations in the Kitchen _Chapter 3
Getting to Like You?
Part A
They were all exhausted, stressed, and filthy. Turns at the shower came in priority of who was covered in the most blood.
Foul Play got to go first, followed by Hot Rod, then Arcee. Lancer reheated the water for Magnus, Marissa, and Springer on the sly, and she and Rodi even waited for Carly and Spike. The assassin pair felt their hosts needed the emotional cleansing more than they needed a physical one.
Once clean, Rodimus came down with shirt in hand, and Lancer brought out her medical kit. Blocking the building from landing on Foul Play and Hot Rod had damaged Rodi's housing. As a robot, it had been a bad dent for him. As a human, it translated into a long bruise and a slight gash which needed stitching. He hardly felt it, and had wrapped it up in the stall in the restroom to keep it from bleeding.
Neither of them thought a thing of doing minor stitches in Carly's kitchen. It had the best light in the house. Hot Rod, Foul Play, and Springer were already at their seats. They weren't talking. Rodimus nodded at everyone and sat down. Lancer put her kit on the table.
Marissa came in behind them. She greeted them with deceptive energy. The tension at the table bothered her and she was hoping to diffuse it. "Lancer, Rodi how are you guys do...Rodi! You're bleeding!" Marissa exclaimed. She threw the towel she was using on her hair to the floor.
"Thanks, Doc," Rodi said, blinking stupidly at her and smiling. Lancer snorted and threaded her curved needle.
"Be good or I'll give you a tattoo instead of first aid," she threatened.
"How...when did you get that?" Marissa asked.
"Blocking a falling building," Rodi said with a grin, winking at Foul Play.
The Decepticon's mouth fell open and she blanched. All of a sudden she was feeling very out of place and defensive again. Surely, having injured a ranking Autobot, she would be punished. The wink and the grin merely frightened her. They seemed so out of place.
"Forgive me," she whispered to him.
He chuckled, "Oh it was worth it to see the look on Brawl's face when you beaned him." Rodi sobered slightly, "That was brave by the way. Suicidal and stupid, but brave."
"Yeah, and you are talking to a guy who KNOWS suicidal, stupid, and brave Foul Play," Lancer said. "You can trust his judgement. Especially the stupid part."
"You are going to get it later," Rodimus said.
"OO...do you promise? I think you are so sexy when you bleed," Lancer said.
"Cranky!"
"I could have blasted it away dumb ass, but you had to go for the block!"
"I was closer."
"Next time DUCK! Do not feel sorry for him Foul Play. He had other options. He just likes things suicidal and stupid," Lancer growled. She grabbed Rodi's arm, repositioned it, and threw her first stitch. "This takes me back to when we were dating."
Arcee came in and sat down next to her mate without a word. Lancer felt like some weird side show. They all watched intently while she put 8 precise stitches along the wound. Hot Rod turned sort of green, but never looked away. Once she finished no one seemed to know where to look. Lancer and Rodi both sighed. The thoughts that flashed between them contained few words and much annoyance.
"What's this?" Carly asked as she came in with the baby. "You told me at the restaurant no one got really hurt!"
"I'm not that hurt...and I did tell you," Rodi protested.
"You said you got a dent," Carly reminded him.
"Right...and a dent like that turns into a bit of a cut when I shift down," Rodimus explained.
"You should be at a hospital then," Carly informed him.
"Lancer has lots of experience. Besides, I can't go to a human hospital. I'm not human...and they would notice."
"Fine...how's about paying Ratchet a visit?" Carly argued. "That's a bad gash."
"I love you too Mrs. Witwicky. I'm fine. The stitches can probably come out by tomorrow. There's nothing to bother Ratchet about," Rodimus reassured her.
Carly looked to Lancer to disclaim Rodi's assumed exaggerations and was surprised to see the mutant nodding.
"He's telling the truth. It's part of his metabolism. If I can't take them out tomorrow, then the day after for sure," Lancer said. "You'd better eat tonight though."
"I'll be good," Rodi assured her. Looking at Carly's raised eyebrows he said, "I will! Healing uses a lot of energy."
"You shouldn't have to heal at all," Arcee muttered under her breath.
"It's fine Arcee," Rodimus said firmly. "Don't look so worried Foul Play, I'm not going to take it out on you!"
"Why not?" she asked.
"What do you mean 'Why not'," Rodi responded. "Do you want me to be angry with you?"
"I think I'd feel more comfortable with that," Foul Play said in a whisper.
"Don't be silly," Rodimus said.
"Why aren't you angry?" Foul Play said, raising her voice in accusation. "It is stupid you aren't angry! I did something foolish and a ranking officer got hurt! A grunt like me should be punished for that!"
"Hey! You're not a grunt!" Hot Rod cried.
Foul Play ignored him. "Why aren't you angry? Mistakes like that are unforgivable!"
"No mistake is unforgivable as long as it's really a mistake," Rodimus said. "You won't make that mistake again. What good would punishing you for it do?"
"You Autobots make no sense! Decepticon commanders punish everyone under them for failures, even if they weren't responsible, but you won't even make me pay when I AM responsible?"
"Did you mean to get me hurt?" Rodimus asked compassionately.
"No...of course not," Foul Play said.
"Are you the one who decided to block that damned building with my arm?"
"No."
"So punishing you would be a waste of my time and energy Sister Midnight. Not to mention a real boring way to spend an evening. I'd rather spend my time doing something productive, fun, or if I can manage it, both. Maybe after dinner tonight we can stage another raid on Metroplex. I thought of some more nice tunes to torture Op with. See? Fun...and productive!" Rodimus grinned at her. She stared at him as though convinced he was dangerously insane.
"No? Doesn't sound cool? Maybe you'd rather stay home? Carly bought ice cream," Rodimus suggested seductively.
"Ice cream!?" Arcee exploded. "All she cares about is her ice cream! She's...she's one of them! And....and she has the nerve to act surprised about the glass in her ice cream! How dare you? How dare you be upset or indignant or whatever you think you feel?! Three people died today! Died! Even if they weren't hurt they lost their homes! Everything in their lives will be harder and...and sadder...and... YOU!" Arcee snarled, turning on Rodimus. "You are a Prime supposedly and you treat her like one of us. So do you Ultra Magnus! She's the enemy! You are forgetting that! And Lancer! You are teaching her the same as the rest of us! You are arming a Decepticon!"
Lancer's eyes glowed, and she drew herself up. "Keep me out of your arguments Arcee," Lancer said, not quite growling. "I am not an Autobot, nor under an Autobot's command. I am Lancer of the Maelstrom and I teach whomever I choose. If you have a problem with that, you can try stopping me."
"Is that a threat?" Arcee demanded.
"If you try me you can find out," Lancer said with a feral grin.
"Lancer...." Rodimus said.
"Finish that sentence Love, and I'll rip your arm out like I did the last time," Lancer intoned. "See Foul Play? A few stitches are really not something to get too upset about when your mate has already removed your arm at the shoulder."
"You are insane," Arcee pronounced.
Lancer didn't answer, but her grin grew fangs.
"Arcee..." Magnus said ominously. He didn't mind her speaking her opinion, but her tone was approaching disrespectful. Then again so was Lancer's, but she wasn't his to discipline.
In the mean time the blondes were staring each other down.
"You mean to tell me you don't side with Rodimus in your dimension?" Arcee asked shrilly.
"Siding with him and taking orders from him are different things...and you forget. In our dimension the Cons were manipulated into fighting by Vector Sigma. They were its pawns. Now they are Rodimus' pawns. If we win, some day they will be nobody's pawns and we will see how they shake out on an individual basis."
Foul Play and Arcee both shook their heads in unison. "You can't just forgive them!" Arcee cried. "HUMANS like you have died because of them Lancer! Because of you Foul Play! I'm disgusted to be under the same roof as a murderer like you!"
"Arcee..." Magnus intoned again.
"She should be locked up! Not here playing video games and eating ice cream! I don't know why you or Optimus allowed her here Ultra Magnus, but I think you have both lost your logic circuits!"
"ARCEE!" Magnus roared, slamming both hands down on Carly's heavy walnut table. The sound rattled the windows and was only slightly less deafening than the silence which followed.
Hot Rod's and Springer's eyes were as wide as Arcee's. Lancer arched an eyebrow and Rodimus folded his arms, leaned back and shut his eyes. A faint smirk crossed his features.
Magnus leaned forward across the table. No one else would have been able to get their face all the way across that expanse, but Arcee suddenly found her commander's nose just inches from her own.
"You will stop right there. You have a right to say what is on your mind but while you are under MY command you will keep a respectful tone in your voice! One more word out of you and I will make you regret it! NOD if you understand me!"
Arcee, more pale than usual, nodded once fast and saluted.
"Right," Magnus said. "You salute me. I think maybe you forgot that. Now. You have been living under the same roof as Foul Play for months. You've shared space, food, and time with her. You've even played games with her, and NOW you get upset about it? You aren't upset at Foul Play! You are upset about what we saw today! You aren't angry it came as a shock to her, you are angry because it was a shock to YOU! You are just taking it out on her."
Arcee bit her lip and looked defiant, but her eyes filled with tears.
"Ultra Magnus," Foul Play whispered. "This is all my fault. Maybe I should go somewhere else."
"No way!" Hot Rod cried involuntarily. "You shouldn't have to leave because Arcee is having a problem." He sneered a little at Arcee.
Magnus raised both hands full over his head and slammed the table again even louder. "QUIET!" he bellowed furiously. Hot Rod rocked back in his chair in astonishment so violently he almost fell.
There was a faint snort of suppressed laughter.
Magnus whirled on Rodimus, who was plainly struggling to keep a straight face.
Magnus glared lighting bolts at Prime.
Rodimus smiled outright and shrugged. "It's always a pleasure seeing a master at work," he explained. "Nostalgia got me is all."
"You are not helpful," Magnus pointed out.
Hot Rod glared at his twin as if the elder had betrayed him somehow.
"Don't look at me like that Junior," Rodimus said seriously. "If you were my responsibility you would be pulling late watches for a year and be enrolled in one of Lancer's more brutal courses. My troops are VERY well behaved because they think I'm a monster. How do you think I graduated from Ingrate to Asshole anyway? If you can't be respectful then I suggest most humbly that you shut up."
"Don't..." Foul Play said tearfully to Hot Rod, "Don't get in trouble for me! Please Ultra Magnus! Tell me what to do! I didn't mean to cause trouble! I didn't...I didn't understand about ice cream...about anything!"
"What do you mean Foul Play? 'You didn't understand about ice cream?'" Lancer prompted.
Foul Play winced, and looked at Arcee, pleading with her to understand. "When you are a Decepticon...life...never changes. You only know who is above you, and who is below you in rank. You guard against those below you as they try to move up, and you know those above you are suspicious and oppressive because they are guarding against you. They only thing that changes are the names as people move through the ranks or are eliminated. You follow the strongest and try to stay strong so no one will mess with you. That is life....that is all there is." Foul Play took a huge breath and closed her eyes. "You see? It didn't make sense to join the Autobots because what difference would it make? Optimus Prime is just a different Megatron...and getting away to join him is too dangerous. Why bother when it is all the same? As for the humans, why are they fighting? Can't they see Megatron is so powerful? If they would just submit it would save so much time and energy.
You think I am surprised about the destruction Arcee? I'm surprised about everything! I know now...why humans fight... they fight for ice cream... I mean...they fight for a quiet life... to go where you want...spend time just... just having lunch with people you like... having lunch with. I'm...I'm not explaining this well. I've never had to....think this way. Carly asks me what I want to eat and I don't know how to answer. I've...never had a choice to make and I don't know how..."
"Being able to make choices is something you learn Foul Play," Magnus said. "You've never had the chance before. I know what that's like."
Foul Play glanced at him, but she went on speaking to Arcee. "I know you're mad at me because you've seen me in combat. I...I know I've killed humans before...I must have. I worked very hard on my skills. I took...not pride really...but satisfaction maybe? Being a good flyer was all I had. I'm small... I'm easy pickings. If I'm fast and accurate maybe I'm useful enough to keep alive, and dangerous enough that...that someone weaker will get picked on instead." She hung her head and the black hair cascaded over her face.
"I didn't realize how afraid I was ALL the time. All the time. Not until today...when the ice cream came, and I thought 'this is good,' and then they came and the fear came back. I was so scared, and so angry that they made me scared again... and all those people were scared like me. For NO reason! I was furious and I realized this was why humans fight... and why they live like they do. Making silly gardens and swimming pools and video games and ice cream. Because life isn't always full of fear for them. Sometimes it is peaceful, and fun, and sweet... and it is worth fighting for to keep it that way."
She took another huge shuddering breath, "SOME of the Decepticons get real pleasure hurting people, but most of us just don't even know what we are destroying, or that there is anything real to destroy...."
She sagged in her seat and buried her face in her hands. Hot Rod patted her awkwardly on the back. The look he threw Arcee wasn't accusing - quite.
Magnus sighed tiredly. "Arcee...I know you are just thinking of the people we helped today, but Foul Play helped too, and futile as it was she tried to stop them. It would be great if we all knew we had choices, but Foul Play didn't have the advantages you did. She knows now, and don't we owe her a chance? Look at me. You know what I was like. You've heard the stories. If Kup hadn't given me a chance, where would I be right now? Believe me, there were plenty of Bots who thought he was wasting every minute in that cell with me."
Rodimus arched an eyebrow, "You'll have to tell me about that later," he said softly. Magnus nodded. Rodimus looked at Arcee seriously, "I've got a question for you, and I want you to think about it. Why do you still accept me here? I can probably guarantee I've killed more humans than all of the Decepticons in this dimension combined....and one of them was Danny. Why do I get a pass on that? Because I wear an Autobot brand now and then? Because you're friends with my twin? Because I have "Prime" tacked on the end of my name? Because I mean well? Does that really matter? Just because I can't think of a better way doesn't mean there isn't one. Well?"
Arcee looked at Magnus for permission.
"Answer him," Magnus said.
She nodded, but there was a long pause before she answered, "I don't know why I forgive you. I guess because I don't think what happens there is really your fault. You didn't know it was happening and now that you know what's wrong you are doing your best to fix it."
"OK...so I get a pass for stupidity?"
'I didn't mean it like that...you had no way of knowing," Arcee explained. It sounded thin even to her.
"What if Foul Play had no way of knowing, Arcee? Megatron does not encourage independent thinking! He controls their education and their information. Ignorance is the most fundamental chain of slavery and it is a difficult chain to break. Did I ever tell you that Blitzwing is an Autobot now in our dimension?"
Arcee shook her head vigorously.
"Well, he is. He is my self-appointed assistant," Rodi said. He looked thoughtful a minute and then chuckled. "Honestly I wonder some times how I managed before he appointed himself, but it wasn't always that way. Galvatron...that's Megatron with an upgrade by the way, gave him to the Quintissons and they...did things to him. We found him when we were exterminating them, and I...well, let's just say I had enough experience to bring him back to reality." Rodimus sighed, and looked sad. "He was broken...really broken...and he sort of...fixated? On me. I think I was the first person in his life he ever trusted and he was like a whipped dog given his first pat. If I had told him to jump into a quasar, he'd have done it. I didn't really handle him all that well at first and he got into trouble taking things I said too literally. In a way, he was like a child. I had to teach him to think for himself."
"Blitzwing can think?" Marissa asked.
"Yeah, actually. It's amazing what a little practice can do for you. He works with Chromia now, showing our newly activated the ropes," Rodimus said.
"You've got that ex-Decepticon working with my mother?!" Springer asked incredulously. He was surprised, but he watched in satisfaction when the assassins hit the floor. He savored the moment, knowing he was unlikely to ever floor them in any other way. They laughed themselves purple, and Carly declared dinner-time.
Dinner was cold sandwiches eaten in near silence, with little apparent appetite. Rodi didn't pick at his food for a change, but much of the rest of the table did. Arcee threw incredulous looks at various people from time to time, but no one wanted to rise to the bait. Foul Play ate a few quick bites and fled the table.
At least she runs more quietly, Rodimus sent to Lancer.
She'll be fine, Lancer sent back. Hot Rod shoved the rest of his sandwich into his mouth and took off after Foul Play. See? Lancer sent.
"I hate it when you two talk to each other that way," Marissa grumbled.
X
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"Paper plates are my friends," Carly announced, flopping down on the couch.
"Especially when half the table takes off to sulk and doesn't help with their plates," Marissa said with a sigh.
"Well, I guess I should be grateful they usually help these days. It wasn't long ago that I wouldn't let them touch the dishes," Carly said tiredly. Raising her voice towards the office, she called, "My husband usually helps though! I wonder what happened to his chivalrous ways tonight!"
"I'm looking up touch-up paint for the car on my state-of-the-art clunky computer!" Spike called back.
"Ooo, testy," Marissa said to Carly, not quietly at all.
The women were too tired to laugh, but they did manage to snicker a bit.
"What a day this was," Marissa mused. "I've seen Spike through plenty of major skirmishes....this wasn't even a real fight...but having that car scratched really rattled his cage."
"Well, thank goodness Lancer and Rodimus ended it so quickly or we might have really been in trouble," Carly remarked.
"True," Marissa agreed, "But if not for Rodimus we wouldn't have been anywhere near it."
"Oh my God, his scouting expedition from hell! Still, it was better for the people of that neighborhood that we were there. It came as a real shock to our gang. I...I don't know Marissa... maybe it was good for them to see that," Carly said, looking guilty.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. Not that we wish that attack on those people but..." Marissa shook her head tiredly. "I heard Rodimus say something to Magnus about the response time. Twelve minutes...really, twelve minutes isn't all that bad, but I could see Rodimus pricked Magnus' pride there. In the long run, if we can get these guys back to normal it will save lives."
Carly nodded, looked grave, and then suddenly snickered again. Her eyes widened as the sound escaped unbidden. Her hand flew to her mouth and all of a sudden she was quaking with stifled laughter.
Marissa couldn't decide whether to join her or slap her. Carly was turning red with muffled merriment.
"What?" Marissa asked. "What is it?"
Carly gasped, tried to answer, failed, and gasped again. She shuddered with the effort to speak. Marissa stared at her in disbelief, unable to see what had prompted this outbreak of mirth.
Finally Carly wheezed "Response time!"
"What?!" Marissa demanded.
"No...no Autobot...from this... dimension...out-did Foul Play's response time!"
Marissa stared at her friend for one long second and then she was laughing too. She and Carly suffered long bouts of slap-happy, over-tired, over-wrought hysterics.
"Oh my God....she ran! She ran so fast even Hot Rod couldn't catch her!" Marissa said when she could breath.
"All I saw was that hair disappearing down the street," Carly exclaimed.
"OH! You should have seen it! She threw rocks at them! Rocks! She hit Brawl too! Twice!" Marissa told her.
They both fell over, holding their stomachs. It was a while before either spoke again.
"Ow...oh! My tummy hasn't hurt so much since Danny was born!" Carly decreed. "I'm amazed Brawl didn't kill her."
"It was close. One of the invisible assassins threw a manhole cover right into Brawl's face and Hot Rod pushed her out of the way when that building came down. It was pretty brave of him actually. If Rodi hadn't blocked that building it would have probably killed them both, but Hot Rod tried to protect her with his body."
"Aww...The little hero tries to rescue the damsel," Carly said. "It's just like a romance novel."
"Heheh...Did you see his face when Arcee was making her comments tonight? That makes twice in one day he's been out to protect her," Marissa snickered.
Carly snickered.
The snickers tapered off and both women sat very still.
Marissa's fore-finger began tapping ever so lightly on the armrest.
"That's not funny," she said to herself.
Carly looked at her.
Marissa looked at Carly.
"Please tell me you aren't thinking what I'm thinking," Carly begged.
"Oh...I could, but I'd be lying," Marissa squeaked.
"Maybe...maybe we're wrong," Carly said hopefully.
"Maybe...but we aren't," Marissa said with finality.
"What did we do in our past lives to deserve this?" Carly wondered.
"I dunno, but it must have been pretty bad," Marissa groaned. "So do you think he's just got a crush or do you think they are actually doing it?"
"Well, gee Marissa, I'm not sure, but they certainly have a lot of fine role-models for debauchery around here!" Carly said indignantly.
"Don't go there with me Mrs. Witwicky! You and Spike aren't exactly quiet you know!"
"Wha..?! OH! Why didn't you tell me sooner!"
"Tell you what sooner?" Spike asked, coming out of the office. "I got the paint! Only $19.95 plus shipping and handling!"
The women looked at each other, and even with no mental link both knew now wasn't the time to inform Spike of a new, brewing disaster.
"That it's 11:30!" Marissa cried. "Oh so time to go to bed!"