Notes:

'Verbal' , 'Thought', //Spirit-speak//, Cybertronian

Chapter 2 - Spooked

'Bee met up with Ironhide at the base of the mountain, the early light scathing in it's brilliance. The older black 'bot was busy chewing scrap as he cleaned out his cannons. Above them, sitting perched like some confused bird was Mikaela, her hair pulled back and tied behind her head to keep the wind from whipping it back into her face. Sadly, her feeble attempts at fighting nature were failing miserably. She was staring out across the sandy beach out over the ocean, watching ships sail by in the distance. Below her, on the sand, Genesis sat cross legged and frozen as if in a trance.

'Why does she do this again?' Mikaela asked, tearing her vision away from the water to 'Bee. 'Bee shrugged.

'Says she needs the sun to recharge some of her ...' 'Bee paused, scowling. 'Mechanisms.'

'At five-god-knows-what in the morning?'

Another silent shrug from 'Bee. He looked intensely human when he did that.

This had been one of Genesis' bizarre habits from the first day she had been tolerated among Autobot ranks. She would get up when the sun hadn't risen and slip into what seemed to be a trance. Only when the sun was well over the horizon would the femme pull out of her slumber. It had caused quite the stir the first time when she hadn't moved despite constant prodding, even after repetitive scans from Ratchet. It appeared she was dead - literally DEAD - to the universe and only when Ironhide had threatened to 'show her' his cannons that she had sprung to life. There had been challenges from everyone at that point, Optimus acting as wrangler. Sideswipe started mouthing off and Jolt had to hold the mech back before he left a few dents in the red and black femme's armour. Then Ratchet, who had been scanning the smaller femme, nearly dropped his instrument when he discovered she carried two sparks, one of which had not existed during his first few inspections.

Genesis had remained tight lipped about why she had the second spark. Optimus had dragged her aside for a polite game of questions and answers. The only one who had gotten anything from the femme had been 'Bee and even then it had been limited. Only after his admission he had a crush on her and they had started the mating game did she loosen up and explain minor details about herself. Most of it didn't make sense to him. Something about seeking a Ka and needing a vessel in which to carry it in.

But there were physical aspects to her morning soaks under morning sunlight. Her dips into her death mimicking stasis (Or so Ratchet could only surmise) drained her so deeply of energy that she needed the sun to recharge her enough that she could move. She always returned to base terribly weakened yet once she had seen the sun and had basked in its rays she was normal. Yet it kept everyone, especially Ratchet, a tad flabbergasted. The femme had no control over her actions. It had taken one order to keep her at base once to keep her in stasis lock for three days.

No-one questioned her need for the sun rise after that.

Mikaela cringed when a particularly annoying squeal came up from ironhide's chewing.

'Why do you guys eat scrap again?' she asked.

'Nanites need the scrap to form ammunition' the Topkick said with a grunt.

'-So there's no need reloading. Yeah. Now I remember.' There was a pause as Mikaela watched Ironhide stuff another round of scrap into his mouth. She couldn't help but stifle a giggle when she immediately had visions of Ironhide hunting after the cars on the highway for their steel like the T-rex from the first Jurassic Park movie. The image of a car door hanging from his mouth was too good an image to pass up. 'So.. Any news from 'Sides about what Optimus has planned today?'

Bee looked up from his half hearted digging in the sand. He knocked the accumulated dirt off his foot before staring off at his mate. 'Decepticon watch. Keep an eye out for news. There's going to be something when things have been this quiet for this long.'

Mikaela's expression became grim at the news and she slowly made her way down from her perch, grabbing rocks and testing them before stepping down them backwards. 'Bee gently took her and let her hop off it and into the sand with a 'thump'.

It was several more minutes before a shudder and sigh caused everyone to look up and 'Bee smiled as he saw Genesis slowly rouse from her stasis. She seemed dazed and her eyes were almost black she was so weak. He went to his mate's side and helped her up, carrying her instead when she couldn't stand to walk. 'Bee was glad someone was always assigned to stand by her during her early morning ritual. If the Decepticons, or heaven forbid humans attempted to attack her she would have not fared well. 'Bee shuddered to think of the consequences.

'Morning bugz,' she muttered, snuggling close to the 'bot's neck.

'Bee simply chirped a happy noise and lay her down further up the beach where the sun would have the best effect on her and the sand drier. Ironhide stuffed the last of his scrap into his mouth and made his way to the pair with Mikaela in tow. 'Bee was stroking his mate's head, the pair silently sharing comments via their private comm link. Bee suddenly chuckled and leaned over lay his head against his mate's head, going through the motions of a human peck on the forehead before he rose.

The sound of another mech behind them made them turn and Jolt appeared over the low line of rocks bordering the beach.

'All is well I take it?' he said loudly and with a smirk. 'I saw movement and thought I'd check.'

Ironhide grunted. 'All's clear.' He stared out across the ocean and transformed. 'It's a bit boring if you ask me. '

'Bee immediately mimicked the motions used by Sam when he rolled his eyes.

'Don't you be starting that on me,' Ironhide said, trying to hide an annoyed tone. 'Bee could almost feel the older Autobot shove a finger into his chest as he made his point. 'It's bad enough the human boy does it.'

'He spent several years in the boy's garage' Jolt said calmly, letting Mikaela. 'Give him some slack.'

Ironhide simply snorted.

At this point Genesis suddenly sat straight up, eyes bright green. She hacked several times and seemed disoriented before 'Bee grabbed her arm to gently steady her. She rose, still wobbly.

She muttered something in Cybertronian, which her mate cocked his head at, obviously not comprehending what she said. She shook her head, the action almost sending her landing on her aft. Jolt stood staring at her a moment before hopping down to join his comrades.

'Do you need more time?' he asked the femme and she shook her head. Her ordeal had left her weak but she seemed stronger than she had been the past few times they had acted as her guardian. It wasn't the first time Jolt was grateful that Optimus had them take the most inactive shore on the coast. It wasn't perfect but it provided enough sunlight away from human activity that Genesis could fulfil her needs in peace. It also allowed the Autobots to wander in biped mode without alarming anyone.

It also gave him the room to play a prank or six as no-one was close enough to hear Ironhide scream for miles.

'Where to from here?' 'Bee asked. He and Genesis both turned to Jolt who looked down at Ironhide.

'We have a meeting with Sideswipe and the others back at base.' Ironhide answered after a thought. He started rolling foreword as Jolt transformed into his blue and black alt mode. 'Chromia and the others are awaiting.'

'Hopefully without Galloway make a mess of things. Again.' 'Bee huffed as he, too, transformed. His mate wobbled slightly before she joined him at his side as a red and black Suzuki Aerio. She was slow starting but soon followed the others as they made their way back to their temporary home.

By the time they made it back to the small set of buildings built into the side of the mountain, Genesis was torn between wanting to sleep and being to tired to think straight. She didn't bother transforming as she followed her companions into the dark maw that served as an underground garage and followed the Topkick, Volt and Camero down the steep ramp to the bunker below.

The scene there was as it always was. Military automobiles milled about carting boxes of every random item imaginable from weaponry (both human and Cybertronian) to food and spare parts. The others easily avoided these obstacles and with the exception of Genesis, grunted a random greeting to the individual humans who called out to them.

Lennox and Epps stood on a mobile walkway having a deep discussion with Sideswipe as Optimus looked on. Bumblebee was first to transform and greeted the others with a cheerful chirp. Jolt wandered to Sideswipe, Mikaela in hand, to give him a playful swat on the shoulder before going to see what his human companions. It seemed he was curious if they needed help as they chattered loudly over a sheet of blueprints and a large pile of wiring and tubing lay scattered at their feet. Wheelie was busy picking through it making weird chattering noises that were reminiscent of an excited, oversized rat. Ironhide joined Optimus' side, leaving the lone femme to roll towards her quarters in peace.

It didn't last long. She was soon followed by a cool draft that startled her at first. It was immediately followed by a familiar presence that had greeted her ever since her appearance among the Autobots.

//Hey babe!//

It was more of a thought that wasn't heard with physical audio sensors. If anything it was similar to the communication between Mecha when they used their personal comm frequencies, only more subtle. It was also very VERY hard to ignore when the spirit speaking to you suddenly materialized as a floating, glowing blob right beside you.

With an internal sigh Genesis rolled her optics. She was NOT in the mood for this. Not now.

//Hey. I heard that. Jus' trying to be nice.// came the crestfallen reply.

'Not your fault, Jazz,' the femme muttered under her breath. Thankfully she was alone so she didn't have to make up excuses for her apparent, sudden insanity.

//How was the 'trip?'//

Genesis snorted. As tired as she was, he kept her amused.

'Same as always. Sit in sand. Die. Wake up, alive. Sun still shiny and not blown up due to insane God-wanna be. All is good.'

//Could be worse.//

'Like what?'

//Die and NOT wake up. Oh! Better yet, No sun!//

Genesis couldn't avoid a mental smirk at the comment. She transformed when she got to the quarters she and 'bee shared. Jazz had been her constant companion ever since she had been pulled from the tomb of the Primes. She lay her head against the doorframe before popping in her code. She hated feeling this exhausted. It was like that after sitting in the dark for too long. Far too long. Jazz had been the one to find her when Bumblebee had been attacked. As all spirits, they knew who was aware of the dead and the living and as the early Primes had been attracted to energon, Jazz had been drawn to her. He was one of the few spirits who she tolerated. Everyone else, including the few fallen human solders she had seen, had avoided her after a snap, growl and a stern warning to leave her be. She sighed a depressed sigh when the doors slid open with a soft hiss. She turned to face the glowing orb only to hear him going through her stuff behind her. She groaned.

'I would have invited you in, but you know how 'Bee hates it when you-' she said, knowing her lecture would go unheeded.

Jazz waved her off, and stuff randomly started falling off the table on the physical level as Jazz tossed them to the side. //I told you I lost it last time. That's why he couldn't find it.//

Genesis growled and made her way to the basic set up that made up the kitchen. She flicked on her ultraviolet light and like a tired bird, settled under it on the small berth that she had set up for herself, arm wrapped over her head. She laid her head on the shelving beside her and settled down to soak up much more needed light, already feeling better. Beneath half hooded eyes she could see Jazz trying desperately to pick up the things he dropped and failing miserably. He would reach for it, only to have his fingers slide through the solid mass. Several times he stopped to concentrate. On his sixth swipe he managed to do what he wanted and laid the mass of data cards back on the table.

//Why you need that anyways?// he said. // You're the only one I know who's ever needed something like that.//

'You wouldn't understand.'

//Try me. I won't tell. Promise.// The silver Autobot crossed his chest in a gesture of honesty, then held up his fingers in the humans' two fingered salute of honour.

'Only if you tell me why you keep stealing 'Bee's access cards for the main storage hanger.'

//Spooks guarding it don't want me in. I can't imagine why.// Genesis snorted at the look of innocence the Autobot gave her. Last time he'd been there she had seen him running hell bent from two mecha guardians. From what she had wrangled from the two invisible and nameless security mecha, he had found their private stash of energon. Being the prankster-at-heart he had tried swiping a cube but ended up scaring a troop of human officers in training when he ran THROUGH them when he had been caught. Some had scattered like ants chased by Raid. It didn't help that the silver Autobot had managed to convince the entire troop that there was a resident poltergeist in the hanger when he knocked something over in his fleeing, sending an entire row of shelves clattering to the floor. The ring of that echoing through the Bunker still hummed in her audios. Genesis smirked at the memory. Sometimes it was amusing being the only living being on base to experience the astral plains.

Jazz cheered softly when he found what he was looking for and he and the card suddenly disappeared as they dropped through the floor as if it didn't exist. The femme shook her head, grateful for the silence at last. There was only a few minutes peace as she attempted to slip into recharge when she heard an angry yell from one of the guards and the sound of the security mecha running after Jazz.

Genesis sighed, annoyed. 'Primus, why me?' she sighed and rolled over in her berth to bury her head between her elbows.