Title: A Bond of Convenience (Chapter 2 of ?) written for the April 2011 challenge
Verse: G1 AU
Rating: PG
Other Characters: Optimus
Warnings: none
Summary: Jazz has to make a choice.

(I do not own Transformers.)

Arranged bonds were unusual but not unheard of. Usually they were done for political reasons although the High Lord never presided over those ceremonies. Noble families arranged these types of agreements well in advance. The nobles which were to be bonded knew of their situation from an early age and were raised to believe it was perfectly normal. Less common were arranged bonds where a noble had trouble finding a bondmate. These arrangements were nearly spontaneous with the nobles which were to be bonded not even meeting one another until the actual bonding ceremony took place.

Jazz knew all of this but there was something that troubled him deeply. He was not a noble. He realized that Optimus knew that Jazz was aware of this as well. The silence stretched until it grew uncomfortable.

Jazz finally spoke. "Optimus, Ah'm gonna state tha obvious here. Ah'm not a noble mech. So far as Ah know, arranged bonds only take place among tha nobility."

Optimus nodded slowly at Jazz. "Normally that is true. This is a different situation. The noble in question made it clear that the choice of a bondmate was mine to make with no restrictions." He set down his cube before continuing. "If you have no interest in this, leave now and I will not think less of you. If you stay, you will be committing yourself to this agreement. The bonding ceremony would take place three cycles from now."

Jazz stood up. Being a commoner he never had any expectation of interacting with the nobility other than when they were in the audience when he was singing. Now he was being asked to consider a whole new way of life. It would undoubtedly be far more comfortable that what he was used to but he had to make the choice now. He would never have to worry about his next cube of energon or paying his rent. The drawback was that he would have no idea who his bondmate would be until he stood before the High Lord for the ceremony.


Jazz picked up the image he had of his carrier and sire. He brushed a servo against the frame. He missed them greatly but had the hope of rejoining them in the Matrix. He sat heavily on the narrow berth. He hoped he wouldn't regret his decision. Jazz had considered that if he said yes to the High Lord's proposal that he could end up being bonded to a mech he didn't even like. Jazz did not like that idea one bit. Jazz was not an overly spiritual mech but he did respect the High Lord of Cybertron. Jazz had asked only one question before making his decision.

"Why are you doing this?" he had asked Optimus.

The reply had startled him. He pondered the words again in his processor. "I am trying to help a friend." Because Jazz respected Optimus he had agreed to the proposal trusting that the High Lord was wise in specifically choosing Jazz.

Jazz put the image he was holding into the small box which held all of his meager possessions and left the room. His rent was paid in full and the contract was terminated. He had given his last performance the previous cycle without telling anyone why he had no more performances scheduled. He didn't tell anyone where he was going.

Jazz decided to walk to the palace. It was a long way but he had plenty of time before he needed to be there. He didn't even know if he would still be residing in Iacon once this was done. As he walked he again reflected on the words Optimus had spoken. This was to help a friend. If Optimus had said anything about duty or honor Jazz would have politely declined. Helping a friend was something Jazz could not fault no matter how hard he tried.