This story is roughly based on the IDW verse, Sunstreaker is the traitor, and Ironhide is from the four part IRONHIDE mini series, this goes on to show what happens AFTER, but it will not wrap back up with the Transformers on-going comic as this will verge into my own cannon. Thanks Reviews appreciated and as always they help me write.
I have a lot on my plate right now, including the second chapter of Shattered Glass: Dodge; however my extensive research of Quintessons has delayed its release somewhat.
Stuck with you
Chapter one: Fortification
It was hard to fathom, what had just happened, this realization was hard, and strong. "Ironhide." The yellow chair clad mech spoke quietly. "I guess it's just us now isn't it?"
With deep thought the red mech nodded as he watched Metroplex move off into the distant sky. "Do ya think he'll be back?" Sunstreaker asked adding the tense question last.
"For what?" Ironhide asked rhetorically and turned moving past the young mech to stand next to their never-ending power cell. "I'm going to find something to put this cell on, and we'll move somewhere safer."
Sunstreaker's chair hovered forward. "Like where?" He looked around at the vast skeleton of a planet that was now theirs. They could live wherever they liked, if they could reach it.
"Well, seeing as we're in Iocon." Ironhide turned around slowly and then smirked pointing up. The last place he remembered, their old command base. "There…. in the archives."
Sunny rubbed the back of his helm with his hand. "Hide I don't mean to second guess your decisions but. This sounds like a bad idea somehow."
"No, we need to be there, if we have questions; it has answers." Ironhide said having already made up his mind. "Things there need preserving." He murmured. "History, passed to us by the Ancients." Ironhide's reverence was quiet. "By the First Thirteen." He looked back at his yellow companion. "Perhaps I can see how I can fix your legs."
The yellow mech looked for a moment hopeful. "Okay then the archives it is." Sunny looked up at the building, it wasn't far, but it would take them the better part of an orbital rotation to get there.
"The council all had chambers at the top of the Archivist's tower that is directly connected to the Council court chambers. We'll at least have shelter." He looked back at the power cell. "And with that we won't need Energon."
"No Energon?" Sunny asked softly. "But that's…." he didn't say anymore.
"I know, come on …stick with me there are still Insecticons loose in Iocon." He checked the power cell pressing a digit into it and closing his eyes as he felt his power reserves fill. "Power yourself up doing so should power that chair of yours…it's most likely working off of your own systems." He pulled his hand free. Looking around while Sunstreaker refueled himself.
"I'll need your help." Ironhide said finally.
"With what?"
"I'm going to load this big cell on that cart over there. Once I transform I need you to plug it into my primary systems so I can power it."
"I think I can do that yeah…just load it and back up to the thing and I'll make sure all your connections are solid."
"I'll drive slow so you can keep up ok?" Ironhide put a hand on the yellow mech's shoulder
"Look Ironhide I really need to tell you-"
"Sounds bad." Ironhide broke over him. "Look, whatever it is," Ironhide knelt down by the chair. "I don't want to know. Honestly I got holes in my memory the size of Unicron." He said slowly. "I know it's eating at you kid, but look at it this way." Ironhide looked to the tower, their destination, and smiled. "We're starting over, no regrets, no set backs." He nodded. "Once we clear out this Insecticon mess we're going to figure out the location of the All Spark, we're going to make Cybertron live again. "
"Do you think that's possible? Vector Sigma was erased. Alpha Trion said so." Sunstreaker asked already forgetting his need to tell Ironhide of his betrayal to his own faction. Willing to give what Ironhide had said a try.
"If Primas can do it all by him self, I'm sure the two of us will have no trouble. Figuring it out. Sigma just gives the spark its code; Sentinel always said that. I'm sure we can replicate our codes if we have to." Ironhide smirked. "If we can find the all spark, and bring it Protoforms, it can bring them to life. I'm certain of it."
Sunstreaker nodded giving thumbs up. "I'm game to try." He smiled "Go get that cart and let's get this thing loaded and latched down, so we can get you hitched up and get going. I don't want to be out in the open in the dark." Sunstreaker looked up at the gleaming city and shook his head.
"Agreed." Ironhide said turning around to move away from the chair bound meh.
Sunny looked down at his broken leg and sighed. He'd been damaged badly when he'd been left on Cybertron; he had thought he was going to die. He had wanted to die, to make up for what he had done. The humans called it: Making a deal with the Devil. That devil was Starscream. He thanked Primas that Ironhide had found him, saved him, brought him to Alpha Trion. That he wouldn't go to the well of all-sparks so soon, he couldn't face Primas' light at the moment. He wasn't sure he'd ever be ready to.
There was something there though, even though Ironhide had said the past was behind them, this was eating at him. He couldn't be carefree again; the guilt would eventually eat him alive.
Steeling his emotions Sunstreaker looked up as Ironhide returned pulling the cart with his hands, its two old wheels squealed in protest from eons of sitting alone. "This will do I think." Ironhide pulled it closer and lowered it next to Sunstreaker's chair.
"Yes the connections look to be viable." Sunstreaker leaned slightly to the left to reach his hand down to thumb over the connections. "It'll be dark soon lets get you hooked up."
Ironhide lifted the power cell onto the cart with considerable effort. Once the cell had been centered; Ironhide locked the cart locks around their precious cargo.
Sunstreaker heard it first, and then Ironhide. That humming. That Buzzing. Sunstreaker didn't need to say it but he did. "Insecticons…"
"Very faint." Ironhide said and turned running toward the sound. "Stay with the power cell!" he called back.
"I'm not really gonna run off Hide." Sunstreaker turned his chair and bent at the waist. "Lets see if I can get you to at least power up." He said of the cart and began to check all it's lines. "You'll come in handy later."
Ironhide stopped short of the corner of the block and saw it the lone Insecticon as it buzzed and bounced off a wall. It was glitched for sure. Ironhide came around the corner his head tilted to the side. It didn't move to intercept him, in fact, it just kept buzzing and banging it's metallic head against the wall. "Yer making quiet a racket." Ironhide said and jumped forward grabbing the Insecticon in his hands.
The creatures mandible opened and gave a loud cry that sounded like: "MAW". Ironhide clamped it's mouth shut and was about to finish it when it stilled completely and looked left.
He felt the swarm crash into him before he saw it as the 15 Insecticons came at him. "Oh yea?" He asked and lifted his rifle and began to take them out two at a time until they were just crushed metal below his feet.
As reality sank in he began to hear it, the sound: clank, clank, clank. Turning he saw the small Insecticon, it didn't look like the others, but it was still banging it's head into the wall.
"I'm insane." Ironhide decided quietly. "Optimus this is your forte not mine." He said grabbing the small creature under his arm. "You know when they are coming, you're going to be my beacon." He murmured and turned back. "No biting either."
The little creature chattered. "I'll take that as your agreement." Ironhide sighed as he came around the corner seeing Sunstreaker still working on the cart.
Looking up Sunny blinked. "You're holding one."
Ironhide looked down at him. "He's glitched but he goes quiet when they show up…" Ironhide extended the small Insecticon to Sunstreaker.
"Ironhide I don't think…" The yellow mech shied away.
"Take him." Sunny nodded and pulled the creature into his lap.
"Well let's see what we have here." Sunny pulled open and access hatch on the helm of the creature. Ironhide watched as Sunstreaker pulled a few wires loose and then shorted two out.
"What are you doing?"
"Making it so the swarm can't feel him, but he can feel them. One way signal, so he can go with us and won't drive them our way." Sunstreaker said slowly. "You think I want those things chasing us?"
"Always knew you were creative kid, but that's new."
"Mirage taught me how to do it years ago." That name caused the mech to go silent. He looked up at Ironhide and shoved down the feelings as much as he could, and continued to work.
"Easy…Just get me hitched up and we'll get out of here." Ironhide transformed and backed up to the trailer.
The archives were a large empty building; frozen in time. Ironhide rolled into the main corridor slowly pulling the cart. Sunstreaker's chair hovered up beside him. "The great lift." He said slowly his hand idly petting the creature in his lap.
"Go on ahead see if it has power…we need to go up get off the ground levels of the city." Ironhide said slowly and pressed up on his suspension to try to work out some of the discomfort he was starting to feel in his joints. The power cell was Heavy, it was like pulling the dead weight of Optimus behind him.
Sunstreaker moved forward and then looked over the control panel of the lift. "Looks to be operable." He said slowly and reached down pressing the switch. "Back up power online." The lifts massive base lit up. "There's room for you and the cart on there. Roll up." He said slowly.
The Insecticon on Sunny's lap Chattered and then his winglets fluttered and he settled humming softly. Sunny's hand ran over it's back. "Easy there little guy." Ironhide rolled forward and then made a turn and backed the trailer up onto the lift he fit barely and then flashed his lights at Sunny who set the lift and moved to Ironhide's side.
Ironhide felt the hand on his left side. Sunny was touching him. Comfort. He didn't say anything and didn't react. He just allowed it. The kid has been through enough. He thought.
"How high?" Sunstreaker's hand pulled from Ironhide and touched the panel.
"Level 13." Ironhide responded. "Those are the council and Prime Quarters."
"Optimus' room?" Sunny asked confused.
"No the war started before Optimus could live there…they belonged to Sentinel."
"I never met him." Sunny said softly as he held their new Insecticon pet.
"Be glad you never did." Ironhide said slowly.
Sunstreaker moved to the lift control and waited until the glyph for 13 appeared and he stalled the lift. "Level 13, living quarters for the last two Cybertronians on Cybertron, unruly Insecticon pets, and the fate of the planet." He said dryly.
Ironhide had enough room to pulls straight into the lobby area of this floor. "Disable the lift leave it up here." Sunstreaker responded locking the lift plate and disabling the lift. "That'll keep them from just flying in." He said "If they find us. Now come unhook me."
"On it." Sunny moved to his side slowly his chair coming right up along the red vehicle and he began to pull the connections. "How are your power reserves?"
"I'm all right…I'll charge up on the power cell after I'm done." Sunny nodded as he pulled the last connection free and gave two raps on Ironhide's rear door. "Thanks." Ironhide rolled a slight bit forward as he transformed and stretched.
"Not a problem." Sunny turned to the main lobby control. "Looks like fourteen rooms. Ironhide nodded "Big level…it's enough for the two of us…we'll put him in one of the other rooms." Ironhide said evenly. "You and me will stay in the Prime's quarters."
"Together?" Sunny asked.
"Safer together." Ironhide said "And you'll need help."
"Yeah." Sunny said slowly. "There's going to be a lot of down time so we're going to start recharging on our own."
"But we have a power cell." Sunstreaker Protested.
"I know that but we can't be going all the time, it'll drive us mad, so we need to do the traditional recharge thing. Ironhide grabbed the power cell and lifted it then set it down on the ground by the lobby counter computers.
"We going to move that back to the room?" Sunny asked of the power cell.
"No it'll stay here and power the whole level from here." Ironhide said and knelt down. "I can wire it up to the main computer I think." He said slowly. "with your help."
"Of Course."
"Lets set to work." Ironhide said slowly. "We'll need to get this set up before we can recharge safely."
"This is the council quarters I'm sure the security measures for this level alone are …unimaginable."
"Yup, that's why I chose it." Ironhide looked up at him from the ground.
"What do you need?" Sunny asked. He was eager to get started as he pulled a small box from off the top of the lobby table. "Looks like I have a couple of spanners and a couple of regular drivers."
"Give me the drivers I'll see what I can use." Ironhide reached his hand back as Sunny laid out the drivers in his palm.
The two mechs had labored long into the night. "So you really don't remember anything after that party?"
"Not particularly no."
"So you don't remember earth?" Sunny took back one of the drivers and placed it back in the case.
"Should I?" Ironhide looked out at him then shook his head and continued his work. "Doesn't much matter now; does it?"
"I suppose not." Sunny smiled briefly. As he looked up the console flickered to life. "That's it! You did it Ironhide!" He moved his hands forward and started clicking away. "Main tower security systems are online, cameras up and running, recording, atmospheric controls are being activated, we've got power, lights." The lights around them began to flicker on as Sunstreaker activated all the appropriate systems. A three dimensional grid appeared on the main desk beside his arm and it formed into a rotating map of the building.
Ironhide peered out from under the desk with a smile. "I think it looks pretty good don't you?"
"Oh Ironhide you were right, we've got everything we need right here."
"I don't lie kid." Ironhide said slowly. "This is the best command center we could have." He smirked as he slid out standing. "Security protocol Ironhide. Chief Bodyguard to Optimus Prime. "
"Authorization acknowledged please enter primary passcode."
"Alpha Delta Tango Two." Ironhide turned slowly. "Armorhide." He said evenly.
"Armorhide?" Sunstreaker blinked.
"Confirmed Armorhide welcome back." The computer Droned out it's prompt.
"Set security to code red lockdown the upper and lower floors. Level 13 is to be left accessible within the level. The lift is to be locked on level 13." Ironhide turned and pat Sunstreaker on the shoulder.
"Confirmed." The computer said. The diagram before them began to glow red, every level below the 13th was red, and a small section of their level was red too, that was the locked lift.
"Come on Sunstreaker lets get some rest." Ironhide turned to make his way out from behind their new command post.
"Wait a minute you're Armorhide?" Sunny blinked.
"No." Ironhide turned. "He was the one who created my protoform. He went to the all spark and came away with me. He raised me."
"I saw him on stage once." Sunny laughed, "He was really funny."
"Artist…" Ironhide nodded. "I know…come on." He motioned to the chair bound mech. Sunny pressed a few buttons on his chair and followed the dark red mech, who seemed he didn't wish to speak to his creator.
The door to the former Prime's grand room opened slowly, the ventilation in the building had started to move the air, a mixture of Nitrogen and Hydrocarbons, around. "Dusty." Sunstreaker said slowly.
"Once the environmental vents take over and the particle sweeps begin it'll get better." Ironhide stepped inside and moved to the smaller adjoining rooms doing a complete sweep. After returning he pointed to the far room on the left side. "That's the berth room, go on inside and I'll join you shortly." He said slowly.
Sunstreaker nodded and slowly moved into the large room. "Whoa…that's a big berth." He said slowly as he came in. Rolling up along the right side of the berth he reached out a hand to run over the plastic covered berth mat.
"Sentinel was a big mech." Ironhide said slowly turning to close the door behind them. "Park your chair over here in the corner." He pointed across the room from himself and then moved forward to the berth control. Pressing a few buttons the plastic mat retracted downward and then was closed over. A microfiber mat slid into place over the top of it replacing the first. Ironhide grabbed two microfiber pillows from under the berth and tossed them on top.
He turned to see Sunstreaker eyeing him quietly. "Oh don't be like that there's no one to see save for the Insecticon in the lobby, and he can't see cause he's in there." Ironhide said as he came over and knelt down pressing a release on the chair. "banging his head on the wall." Ironhide added with the shake of his head.
The chair gave up its hold on the splinted leg and Ironhide slowly and gently picked up the smaller mech. "Easy I got ya."
"I didn't doubt that Ironhide." Sunstreaker said slowly as he wrapped his arms around the larger mech's neck. "Just be careful with me please…"
Ironhide grumbled slightly as he moved around to the left side of the berth and laid out the younger warrior. "Oh that's better." He murmured slowly as his body settled, and the conforming foam took his weight. "Oh very nice." His servos and stabilizers were glad for the reprieve.
Ironhide slid his hands back and turned making sure to plug the chair into the main power supply that was hooked to their power cell in the lobby. He looked around and content that they were safe, he made his way to the right side of the bed. "Why do you get the right side of the berth?"
Ironhide looked at him calmly. "Walk over here and put in a protest." He said with a smirk and then laid down on his right side putting his back to the yellow mech.
"Tsh…fine." Sunstreaker shook his helm slightly. "Been ages since I recharged like this."
"Power down anything you can…and just think of nothing." Ironhide said slowly. "Power cycle as much as you can." He murmured already starting his shutdowns.
"Ok." Sunny said slowly and closed his optics. "Powering down."
Sunstreaker awoke on his right side facing a still recharging Ironhide, whose face was contorted in a sneer. A memory file was replaying, a flux, a dream. Light from two suns show through the large plate windows. Sunstreaker pushed up on his elbow and turned mindful of his leg as he lay back on his left side to look out the window. What a sight, but it wasn't a sight that was alive, there were no transports, no seekers in the air, and the factories smoke stacks didn't pump harmful ozone into their atmosphere. Talk about going green. He thought using the old human adage.
His head pitch back as he took in Ironhide's face again. How could he tell him? What could he say? Ironhide I'm the traitor, I sold everyone out to Starscream. I tried to make it all right to stay behind. To blow the bridge, and to die; but you saved me. Sunstreaker shook his head. He doesn't even want to know. His hand rose and he rubbed at his optics clearing away some of the congealed Energon that tended to cog the ducts near the bridge of his face on either side. He reached up an stretched out his arms to the best of his ability.
"Morning." Ironhide said slowly.
"Hide…. oh yeah Morning." Sunny gently rolled back over a bit started at the voice that had broken his internal monologue.
"What's wrong with you kid?" Ironhide asked slowly. "You're just not yourself"
Sunstreaker reminded himself that Ironhide didn't want to know a damn thing about what he had done. "When I came to the academy, you trained me." He started simply. "You said war changes mechs, well it changed me ok?" He thought this dismissive tone would give Ironhide the hint he needed.
"Ready to get back in your chair?" Ironhide smirked.
"Yeah lets get this day started…how many cycles did we recharge?"
"Ten." Ironhide said slowly. "Ten Cycles, which gives us 18 cycles to get stuff done before it gets dark again." Ironhide pushed up off the berth and stretched out his arms. "We'll go down to the lower levels today with the bug and weed out anymore Insecticons in the building, and then we'll get a few things from the archives."
"That sounds like a plan." Sunstreaker sat up on his elbow joints and waited for Ironhide to lift him to his chair. "Ironhide?"
"Yeah?" Ironhide turned back to him giving him a quizzical look.
"Look I know you won't understand, but I'm sorry." He waved his hand slowly as if to stop Ironhide from speaking. "You didn't want to know and you don't have to, I just did something and I'm sorry."
"And you're forgiven for what ever it is." Ironhide came around and slid his arms under his yellow companion.
"Why?" Sunstreaker blinked. "I mean…why?" He asked again as his arms wrapped around Ironhide's neck.
"Cause you need forgiveness and since I'm the only one left to give it. Guess it has to come from me." Ironhide straightened and walked to Sunstreaker's chair and slowly lowered him down into it. "There we go, now don't go worrying your little chip-set over it." He pointed down as Sunstreaker adjusted his leg brace. "Got me?"
"Yes sir." Sunstreaker laughed a bit.
"And none of that, we aren't exactly at war." Ironhide smirked. "its just Hide."
"Than its just Sunny." Sunstreaker mocked.
"I'm not calling you that." Ironhide shook his head.
"Oh come on everyone did…save for you …and maybe Prowl, but he was a tight aft." The look on Ironhide's face dared Sunstreaker to say that again. "Oh come on Hide he was."
Ironhide's optics pitched to one side and he nodded slowly. "He was."
"Told you." Sunny reached over pulling the chair's connection to the power supply out of the wall. "Just Sunny."
Ironhide looked at him slowly and nodded. "All right fine, … Sunny." It sounded odd coming out of his mouth. However he knew he didn't have anything to be embarrassed about it was just he and Sunny.
"Well that wasn't so hard was it?" Sunstreaker slowly hovered past him in his chair. The largest smile crossing his face. Clapping his hands together Sunstreaker let out a laugh "Lets go Insecticon hunting."
Ironhide smirked and pulled out his side arm. "Indeed…."
To be continued...