Prologue
August 14, 1988
"This is Ratchet from Earth, Chief Medical Officer of the Autobots, to Teletraan-I, does anyone copy?"
"This is Arcee from Teletraan-I, Intelligence Officer of the Elite Guard, to Ratchet, I read you."
"Greetings, Arcee! I've successfully landed on Earth without damage."
"That's great to hear, Ratch! How's the exploration so far?"
"Well, Arcee… The organic creatures known as 'humans' have made a civilized society, similar to ours. The humans are a young species, learning how to advance their technology. But I sense energy nearby."
"How are you holding up?"
"Wonderfully. It's interesting to learn about the human race and their culture. I have already invented a device called a holoform; it helps me blend in."
"How so?"
"The holoform creates a physical projection of a human figure. The holoform appears and functions quite similarly to of a human. It is controlled by the Cybertronian the device is bound to, which at the moment, is me."
"That's quite the invention. How'd you manage it, Ratch?"
"Spending an entire year around humans gets you thinking. All I was at first, was some automobile driving around with no driver, which apparently freaks humans out. I cannot let myself getting caught as a Cybertronian here."
April 18, 1989
It had been nine months since his last contact with Teletraan-I and his usual answer, Arcee.
About a couple months ago, Ratchet had met a human female who both had seemed to take an interest in each other. Human courtship was quite an adventure for Ratchet. An odd one at that, but it was fairly similar to Cybertronian's, just without spark to spark relationships.
The name she went by was Jasmine Lauriana-Mae McKlee. She told Ratchet "Jasmine Mae" meant gift of heaven in West Indian tribal.
The human femme was only a few inches shorter than the six foot four figure Ratchet houses in his holoform. She had long, wavy dark hair, beautiful sea green eyes and olive skin. Her age seemed to be around early to mid-thirties.
Ratchet had taken the cover-up name of Richard Noah Dash, but commonly goes by Ratchet, as usual.
Ratchet's nineteen eighty-five Range Rover smoothly ran over the asphalt road. The Range Rover was yellow with red accents along the trims. His holoform was inside, being a human male in his late-thirties to early-forties, he had red hair, a white cardigan with a light blue button-up shirt under and khaki pants. A red stubble was forming on his chin and jawline. And placed right on his nose bridge, were his horn rimmed glasses.
The Chief Medical Officer drove Jasmine someplace special, his landing area. And here they were, the two of them, walking in the field hand in hand. Over the course of the month, their relationship had grown into a courtship the more they hung out with each other. Ratchet had never thought he would find another femme to love after his first was killed during the bombing of Praxus.
He subtly shakes his processor of the thoughts and looks over to Jasmine, she's looking down at her leather boots that step their way through the grass in long strides while smiling to herself, both hand in hand.
Ratchet couldn't describe how beautiful she was, and couldn't count how many times he's said that to her. She is, however, the most beautiful human Ratchet's seen.
March 17, 1990
It has been several months since Ratchet and Jasmine have been together. Ratchet had still not contacted Teletraan-I. The New Year came and went, it was nineteen ninety in March, and Jasmine had announced she was pregnant to Ratchet. Their relationship had progressed even further to a love unimaginable to the Chief Medical Officer. And one day, the two shared intimacy.
And that resulted in Ratchet and Jasmine expecting a child.
Ratchet was overjoyed at the news. Never had he expected his exploration ending up like this. But he enjoyed every little bit of it.
But it soon faded after Ratchet realized, how he was going to break the news to Jasmine. How he was not human. He was a Cybertronian. Staying on Earth for a five year exploration, looking for Megatron and the Allspark. She would be broken-hearted, and it would break his spark too.
He'd have to break it to her eventually.
His holoform's hand hesitated over their bedroom door. Jasmine had invited him to live at her house for as long as they were together.
His knuckles softly beat on the door, he turned the knob when he heard the invitation to come in, a quiet "enter."
What he found, was his tired love, lying in bed with a progressing stomach. She was only a couple months into the pregnancy.
"Hey," he whispered, carefully climbing onto the bed. He planted a soft kiss on Jasmine's cheek, "How are you doing?"
"Fine, just a little tired," she replied, swinging an arm over her eyes in exhaustion.
"Would you like anything?" He smiled as her green eyes met his blue eyes, her arm had moved up onto her forehead.
She sighed, then smiled, "I'm okay, thanks. How was your day so far?"
"Great. Kind of lonely with you lying in bed all day," He caressed her cheek with the back of his index finger, "I've been thinking for the past couple months. It's probably not what you're thinking. But, mind if I show you outside?"
Jasmine let out a "sure" before she carefully sat up and slipped out of the covers of the bed.
The Chief Medical Officer waited by the door for her, arm outstretched and hand open for her to grab, and she did. The two went downstairs and into the entrance of the house, they both slipped on their shoes and Ratchet led her outside.
"It's kind of a huge secret. I need you to not tell anyone. And not to freak out. Promise me that, Jasmine."
She nodded, and whispered, "I promise."
"See the Range Rover you've been trying to get me to sell?" She nodded, "The only reason I kept it is because I'm not human," He waited for a response, it didn't come, "I'm an alien. The car, is me."
Her eyes widened a fraction, she let out the faintest of whispers Ratchet had a hard time hearing, even with his advanced hearing, "I trust you. And I want to believe you," She cleared her throat, her voice became clear, "Show me."
He allowed his holoform dissipate in a flurry of sparks. Jasmine tried her best to keep her cool and stay calm as the yellow Range Rover shifted itself into a different figure with whirrs, clicks and hisses. It had to of been around twenty five feet tall.
Ratchet knelt down to see Jasmine's smaller frame, her hand was placed on her stomach.
"This is you?" She muttered, as though in a trance.
"Yes," Ratchet shifted himself a little, "I'm sorry if it's made you uncomfortable. You must be…Angry at me, for not telling you sooner."
Jasmine snapped out of her staring and smiled, "No, no! It's...It's astonishing. Great, even! You weren't human this entire time? And...Aliens are really...Real," She stopped and gasped, "I'm having a half-alien baby." She said with realization.
"I meant to tell you sooner, but I never got to it. And now that you're pregnant with my child, I felt that it was right for you to know."
"You're a sentient robot that can convert into a car and can disguise itself as a human. That's amazing."
Ratchet laughed at her amazement, "I thought you were going to be scared of me."
"Might as well be scared of you when you were 'human.' I know you aren't going to hurt me."
Ratchet held a finger to Jasmine, and she placed her hand on it. They smiled.
November 23, 1990
Ratchet held the small bundle in his arms, its tiny cries had ended once the baby was with him. Jasmine lied in the bed, arm covering her sweaty head, legs still slightly splayed.
The Chief Medical Officer walked over to the brunette, showing her the face of the child she has given birth to. Ratchet smiled, "It's a healthy girl."
"A girl!" Jasmine breathed. Ratchet deposited the bundle into Jasmine's awaiting arms, she inspected the newborn baby. It looked to be human.
"She's got your red hair, and I have a feeling her eyes are going to be yours," she said, looking up to Ratchet, and back to the child.
"And she's got your nose," Ratchet replied, poking the baby's nose softly.
Jasmine stopped, and looked up to the disguised Cybertronian, "what should we name her? You pick."
"She reminds me of the Cybertronian legend," Ratchet said, giving another Cybertronian history lesson to Jasmine, "Her name was Kardiness. She was a beautiful and graceful Prime, also being the first female Cybertronian. Kardiness was also one of my direct relatives."
"Shall we name her Kardiness?"
"Are you alright with the name?"
"I love the name."
The two agreed on the name, being Kardiness McKlee, in honor of Kardiness Prime. But as a cover-up, Jasmine chose a more humane name to fit her in better.
It has been almost three years since Ratchet's arrival to Earth.
Ratchet hasn't hesitated to tell Jasmine anything since he told her about him being Cybertronian seven months ago. He's told her about his culture, history, etc. He loved sharing it with her, and she as well.
September 26, 1992
Two years passed since Kardiness' birth. Three and a half since the last time Ratchet talked to Teletraan-I. And five years since his arrival to Earth.
Kardiness was currently going through her terrible twos, unaware of her mother's despair of Ratchet's news that he was leaving shortly back to his people.
"This is Ratchet, Chief Medical Officer of the Autobots, to Teletraan-I, does anyone copy?"
At first, static. Ratchet repeated the same message.
"This is Ironhide, Weapon Specialist of the Autobots, to Ratchet, I copy."
That was odd, no Teletraan-I?
"Long time, Ironhide. May I ask, where is Ark-7?"
"Shot down by the Nemesis stellar cycles ago."
Ratchet's spark froze, "A-any survivors?"
"Not that we know of. Some might have survived through escape pods, since some were missing amidst our search for survivors after the ship crashed." A pause, "What brings you to use the comm link?"
"I have finished my exploration located on Earth."
"Ah, yes. I've heard of that. Are you returning?"
Ratchet didn't want to, but he couldn't leave his Autobots hanging while he accompanied the rank of Chief Medical Officer, "Yes."
"We'll prepare the ship for your arrival."
"One last thing."
"What is it?"
"May I speak to Optimus Prime?"
Silence filled the other end before a baritone voice, a different one, filled that silence. A familiar voice, "This is Optimus Prime to Ratchet. What is it, old friend?"
"The Allspark."
"Pardon?"
"It's here. On Earth."
"Are you positive?"
"Absolutely. And Megatron as well, as we have presumed."
"We'll prepare a ship for your return. We will discuss the Cube once you arrive."
"See you then."
