Zelena sat on the couch in the Autobot's secret base staring at the astronomy chart on her laptop and contemplating, thinking over the problem again and again in her mind, as she did from time to time, just wondering if there was a solution.
Jack and Miko were on the ground next to her playing a racing game and Raf was sitting beside her working on some homework. Bumblebee and Bulkhead were standing nearby cheering the gamers on. Arcee and Smokescreen were out on a reconnaissance mission and Ratchet and Optimus were by the controls monitoring the mission from there.
"Hey what's that?"
Zelena turned to see that Raf, who had gotten on a particularly difficult homework question, had paused in his homework to lean over and look at her laptop.
"The cycles of the moon. What's that for?" He curiously.
Zelena shrugged. "Just my own interest. I was thinking about doing a decal of something like this." She smiled and it made sense as working in her own automotive shop she often did personal decals.
"Oh wow that's going to look really cool. You should make one up for Bumblebee too!" The boy said eagerly.
She and Raf had always gotten along better than with the others. They were both rather quiet individuals who enjoyed video games and books, but didn't need to make a huge fuss over them to really enjoy them. His friendship had been an unforeseen benefit to being a ward of the autobots and something she never had before.
As a recluse she never really got along with...well anyone. Her social skills were severely undeveloped and she tended to completely miss social cues and courtesies. Most people ignored her and she ignored them right back. But not Raff, his innocent nature seemed to draw him closer to her, and she tried not to ignore him or push him away as she did others. Miko was a good friend too. A bit loud and over zealous at times, but a kind and sweet girl at heart. Jack and she were...okay. Really they just tried to avoid conflict with one and another, and that was fine for her.
Glancing over at his things Zelena noticed he was still on the same question he was on ten minutes ago.
"Having some trouble huh?"
He followed her gaze then sighed and nodded. "Yeah, this week we're learning about Greek mythology. We're supposed to explain the story of Lycaon of Arcadia, and the god Zeus. Then explain what Lycaon's transgression against Zeus was and what his punishment was."
Zelena smiled, her violet eyes shone with sincerity. "Oh I know that one, here let me help." She scooched over and re-told the story of the Arcadian king and the Greek god. After a few minutes he smiled as he finally understood the whole thing.
"Thanks Zelena. How did you know that story anyways?"
"I'm actually a fan of Greek mythology believe it or not." She smiled back.
"Slag it all!"
She heard come from the control panel, all four of them looked over to see Optimus chastising Ratchet for swearing in front of the kids.
"Well this is the third one in a month!" Ratchet grumbled back glaring at the monitor.
"Another dud boss-bot?" Zelena asked her guardian.
Optimus turned and nodded to her. "We believe it was MECH."
"Again?" She asked her eyes wide.
"Yup. Damn bastards." Ratchet cursed and then opened the space bridge for Arcee and Smokescreen. Both Autobots entered from the swirling blue vortex rather disheartened as well.
"I just can't believe it." Smokescreen groaned as he entered. "How is it they're always beating us to the energon?"
"Maybe they're tracking our position?" Bulkhead offered.
Ratchet scoffed. "Doubt it. If they could track us they would have found and attacked our base already."
Optimus sighed and nodded. He looked over to their ever dwindling energon stock. They were running lower than ever and were in desperate need of a new supply, their counter was in the lower double digits.
The beeping of Zelena's digital watch drew his attention away. He looked at the clock at the controls, 6:50 PM and turned to Zelena.
"Ready to go?" He asked.
She closed her laptop and put it into her tote. "Yup." Sliding down the ladder she headed over to Optimus who had transformed into his alt-mode. He opened his driver side door and she climbed in. He buckled her in and headed out.
0o
The drive was silent as they drove through the Nevada desert. Optimus noticed Zelena was being more quiet than usual, she was just staring out the window at the evening sky. Usually they would converse on the way back. Nothing usually important but about the little things that happened throughout their days. He'd found their conversations relaxing, they helped take his mind off other problems. The high points of his now very stressful days were hearing of Zelena's day at the garage where she lived and worked, what kinds of people and cars stopped in, if she heard any good gossip, or spotted a certain vanity obsessed red Decepticon. But these last couple of days she had been quiet.
"Zelena, are you feeling alright?"
She didn't answer.
"Zelena?"
Again silence.
Optimus tugged slightly on her seat belt, gaining her attention.
"Huh?" She asked looking at the steering wheel where his optical sensor was.
"Zelena are you feeling okay, you're being very quiet?"
She smiled at his concern. "I'm alright Optimus, just tired."
"Do you think you're getting sick, if so you should see Mrs. Darby." It was a tad odd that she always seemed to grow more tired around this time of the month. It never seemed serious, she was always just a bit more exhausted, tended to sleep later into the day during this time. He'd eventually thought that perhaps she had more work to do around this time. Besides, he reminded himself, it was never serious and she had never offered any reason for it, so he had decided to let it go.
She shook her head. "No I'm fine, it's just been a long week, you know?"
And he did, things weren't going so well for the Autobots.
"Either way you should get some rest." Optimus advised worrying for his charge.
Zelena smiled warmly and placed a hand on his dashboard. "I will boss-bot, thanks for the concern."
Optimus mentally smiled as he looked at his small human friend. She was one of the few remaining good things in his life. A kind and gentle person, if not a bit of a loner.
Her smile was always so warm and comforting and her eyes sparkled with life. And her eyes were quite an interesting feature. Zelena had bright violet eyes like lilac flowers. Optimus had never seen such colored eyes in any human before, it was apparently a very rare color. And to him his friend was rare.
He remembered the first time they had met.
0o
He had been doing his usual patrols and was on his way back to the base. He was passing an abandoned garage that was a little ways outside of town when he happened to glance back into his rear view mirrors and spotted an all too familiar red car parked in the building. Optimus wasn't sure what the Decepticon was doing there but he was certain he was up to no good. His put on his breaks and kicked into reverse, turned around and headed straight for the 'Con.
Knockout didn't miss a beat. There was the sound of transforming joined by a shrill scream that made Optimus freeze in his tracks.
Knockout emerged from the garage in his mech-form holding a rather terrified human woman in one hand and wielding his electro-prod in the other. The garage was less abandoned than the Prime had thought.
Optimus transformed but dared not to move as knockout's weapon burst to life with bolts of electricity sizzling upwards.
"One more step Prime and the human gets fried."
"Let the human go Knockout." Optimus commanded.
But Knockout laughed. "So you can kick the scrap out of me? I don't think so. I think that me and dollface here will just be on our way."
Optimus was at a loss of what to do. If he made a move he knew Knockout wouldn't hesitate to kill his hostage, but if he did nothing then she would remain a hostage for however long the Decepticon thought she was useful for, then disposed of.
The woman in question however seem to have no plans of being a hostage. She had apparently been washing the 'Con before she was grabbed and was still holding the hose, which she quickly turned on Knockout. Spraying his optics with a stream of water, and blinding his momentarily.
The prime acted quickly, rushing forward he knocked the electro-prod from the con's grip and grabbed his other wrist, twisting it and forcing him to let go. The woman fell to the ground but quickly got to her feet and ran back to the garage and out of the way.
But Knockout recovered and quickly brought out his buzz-saw and the two Cybertronians engaged in grappling match. Unfortunately for Optimus, Knockout was able to reach his electro-prod and with a powerful shock sent the Prime to the ground. Stunned from the shock the prime was momentarily paralyzed, and the con made to seize the moment, enclosing in on the prime, saw at the ready. He failed to notice however the human woman run out in front of his legs with the hose pulled taught, effectively tripping him.
"Why you little!" The red con reached for the human, but was in turn grabbed and hauled up by his neck by a very furious looking Prime.
Knockout managed one more good kick, getting loose before transforming and zooming off into the distance in a cloud of dust.
With a sigh of relief he knelt down, allowing himself a brief respite. That electro-prod was no laughing matter and he was certain Ratchet was going to chew him out about some sizzled wires he was sure to have.
But as of right now he had another concern, the human woman, who was standing and looking up at him curiously.
Before he could do anything else she spoke.
"You alright?"
The question caught him off guard. He had never been asked that by a human before and he was a bit unsure of how to respond, but finally he managed a nod and a hasty, "Y-yourself?"
The woman glanced back in the direction Knockout had escaped. "I've dealt with worse from better." She said with a hint of a chuckle, and again Optimus was caught off guard by her attempt at humor.
"So...what exactly are you?"
The prime felt like introductions were due. "I am Optimus Prime, my companions and I came to earth from the planet Cybertron."
She nodded calmly, taking in the information. "So you're an alien, alright. And the red fellow, an alien too, but not one of your friends I'm guessing."
The prime shook his head. "Knockout is one of the Decepticons, a faction that caused a war and much devastation on our home world."
"Shit. Wish I'd known that before."
The statement caused him to look at her in surprise. "He has been here before?"
She nodded. "Comes in about once a week for a wash and a wax."
Optimus frowned. This wasn't good, if Knockout knew her and where she worked then she would be in constant danger from now on. It was beginning to look like Ratchet was going to have a new reason to chew him out, aside from a few burnt wires.
0o
He was brought out of his thoughts as they approached her garage. Zelena lived here alone in the second floor of a large automotive garage here in Jasper. Had lived here for just a little over 11 months now.
He'd sometimes wondered why she didn't live with or even speak of her family like the others did, but the few times it had come up she avoided the question or said she didn't like talking about it, and he respected that.
He pulled up beside her front door, unbuckled her and opened his driver side door.
"Thanks for the lift boss-bot, have a good night."
"And you as well Zelena." He waited till she got inside before driving away heading back to the base.