Okay, you may have to bear with me for a moment. Because this evolved from a drabble, I'm not sure where it's leading. If you have any ideas, please let me know.

Chapter 2

Moonracer looked around her new quarters with bright optics. This was her new place; her new desk, her new shelves, her new berth. Her new start.

She sighed. It was completely different to her old room with its comfortable lived-in atmosphere and wealth of memories. She stopped herself before she went down that track. She'd promised herself that the past was the past and nothing could change it so there was no point thinking about it. She needed to focus on the future.

A tinkling chime drew her attention to the door. Chromia smiled at her over the security screen. Moonracer grinned and pushed the access button.

The blue femme strolled into the room. "Hello, Moonracer. Is everything all right?"

She nodded. "It's perfect. Thank you so much for doing this for me."

"You're welcome; us femmes need to stick together. Although, I was surprised that you wanted to transfer out of Prime's unit. Was there a problem?"

Moonracer shifted on her feet. She didn't want to lie to Chromia but she didn't want to broadcast her humiliation either. "No."

The blue femme picked up her hesitation. "It wasn't because of the command, was it? It was a mech."

Moonracer nodded glumly. Chromia growled and clenched her fists before moving closer to wrap an arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry, sweetspark, I won't tell. Elita-1 will need to know if it's going to affect your work."

She shook her head. "It won't. I promise."

Chromia nodded and smiled. "Firestar will want to know all the details, so do I but I won't harass you for them the way she will."

Moonracer chuckled. "I don't doubt that." Her expression sobered. "When I can finally process everything, I'll definitely share with you."

Chromia nodded. "Okay…Your first shift is tomorrow." She looked down at the datapad in her hand. "A patrol, just so you can get used to the base layout. Powerglide will be your partner. He'll show you around."

Moonracer's smile froze on her face. She hadn't anticipated spending some of her first day at her new command with an unknown mech.

If Chromia noticed her diminished enthusiasm she didn't show it. Instead she waved and left Moonracer's quarters with a smile on her face and a promise to share some energon.

The door closed and Moonracer was alone again. As much as she adored the older femme, Chromia didn't sugar coat what she had to say. Pushing the news of the unknown mech aside, she strolled around her quarters picking up bits and pieces that she'd unpacked already. The little statuette of two mechs that she had received on the day she'd been fully upgraded, gleamed dully in the light.

A fairy-tale went with the statuette. It told of two lovers, bound by the spark but separated by time. One living hundreds of vorns after the other had perished. Their lives had been filled with pain and emptiness. It was said that nothing had eased their sorrow until they had met in the matrix.

Moonracer couldn't explain why she liked the story so much. It wasn't a particularly uplifting tale but it spoke to something in her spark and she'd clung to their ethereal love since she was a sparkling.

Throughout the years she'd come to realise that the love between the two mechs in the story was nothing like the love you found in life. It burned hotter than the story had led her to believe.

Her fingers picked over the angles of the statuette. She hadn't known that love could heat the energon in her veins while at the same time pulling her spark to pieces.

Shoving the painful memories back to their locked room in her processor, Moonracer returned the small statue to its place in a shelf. With time the pain of his betrayal would ease and she would be able to face those memories with a calmer state of mind.

Moonracer tried not to grimace as she caught sight of the mech she was supposed to partner today. He stood next to Chromia in the entrance hall. He was bright red with projections on his shoulders and a face mask.

On top of that, she could hear his voice from half a room away.

The battered instincts Moonracer still possessed told her to turn and run back to her room. Too late, Chromia had seen her.

The blue femme waved her over and Moonracer had no choice but to force her legs to move.

"Powerglide, this is Moonracer."

His blue optics gleamed happily. "Happy to meet ya, Racer."

She smiled and replied appropriately even as she flinched. She'd run from the last mech who called her 'Racer'.

Chromia said goodbye and left them alone in the entrance. Moonracer shifted on her feet and avoided looking directly at Powerglide.

The mech wasn't put off. "Come on, the best way to learn is by experience." He started walking.

Moonracer nodded and moved to keep pace with the jaunty mech. This was going to be one of those partnerships that left you tired. She just knew it.

Surprisingly, Moonracer enjoyed her time with Powerglide. The loud mech was happy to tell her all about the military/civilian facility. His open and bright personality broke through her dismal mood, and eventually he even got her to laugh.

They were walking through the outbuildings and Powerglide was telling her amusing story about Chromia and Ironhide. His persistence at lightening her mood was admirable but Moonracer was wary about putting her trust in another mech so soon. That said, by the time they had reached the end of their circuit she wasn't so opposed to him.

"Thank you for showing me around today, Powerglide."

His optics smiled. "I'll take you out to the training center next time. Chromia wanted you to see the main base and civilian sections today."

Moonracer processed that as the red mech transformer and took off. Chromia had intended Powerglide to be her permanent partner? Elita-1's second in command had been pulling the strings today while not telling her everything. Racer was curious why.

There was no way she could have known about Moonracer's relationship problems when she'd organised the patrol shift, and Chromia wasn't the match-making type.

It had to be because their personalities matched. Some tension eased from her shoulders. Usually she wasn't so withdrawn. Shy, yes. Withdrawn, no.

Dragging a hand over her face, Moonracer realised that she needed to refuel. Ever since her break-up with him she hadn't taken in as much energon as normal.

"Dearest Moonracer. I'd heard rumours that you had joined us but I had to see for myself."

Racer turned to see a handsome red face and a shinning blue chassis. She smiled.

"Tracks. It's good to see you. I thought you were still with Ultra Magnus's team."

He gave an elegant shrug. "There were a few altercations with those ruffian Twins."

Moonracer's smile widened. No doubt he and Sunstreaker had gotten into an argument over who was the most beautiful and Sideswipe had jumped in for fun.

"You look drained, Moonracer. When was your last energon ration?"

After some quick mental calculations, she replied. "Too long ago. I'm heading there now."

"May I escort you then?" He held out his arm.

She smiled as she curled her hand through his elbow. Memories invaded her processor. He used to walk around with her like this. He used to treat her like a treasured princess. He was full of lies.

"Are you all right, Moonracer?"

She pushed the memories away and looked up into Tracks' concerned face. "Yeah. I just, uh, remembered something."

His hand closed around hers warmly. "I can't slay the demons in your memories. Were they real, they'd meet the business end of my rifle."

Moonracer smiled wanly and hoped fervently that the two mechs didn't meet. She didn't want energon on her hands.

Putting the incident behind her, she steered Tracks towards the mess hall. Focusing on the past would only lead to uncomfortable questions and revelations.

"You look very well buffed, are you using a new wax?" She asked.

Tracks took the bait and changed the topic. He was only too happy to preen and pose for her admiration. Moonracer listened half-heartedly as the good-looking mech explained the benefits of his newest treatments. Despite telling herself that this was what she needed, she couldn't quite feel comfortable with all the mechs and femmes she'd known for all these years.

A pair of bright optics and a suave smile always hovered at the edge of her processor.

What do you think? Does it have potential?

TammyCat