Part 3 - Day Two

On the second day Poppy arrived outside Ratchet's Lair with a stool, a cushion, and a large bottle of water.

'Beat nodded his head approvingly and gestured to the control panel beside the door.

"What did doc-bot say about access?"

She giggled, then caught herself and regarded him gravely.

"That I'm welcome when they're in there, but otherwise to stay out."

"Sensible. All right, look at the panel." As Poppy gazed at the metal rectangle 'Beat extended a small jack-tipped cable from the tip of a finger and plugged into the small socket at the base of the panel. There was a momentary whirring, then he retracted the cable and gestured to the lower part of the metal.

"Touch there."

Poppy did so, and a disembodied voice announced her name and that she could enter as the door opened. She grinned back at the MGC.

"Hey, great! Now I don't have to bother you every time."

'Beat nodded and ushered her in. "I will see you later. Have fun!"

xxx

Poppy made her way to the walkway, then paused - the Prime was sitting on the edge of the least cluttered table, with Ratchet running a monitor over his right arm and shoulder.

"Oh - I'm sorry. I'll come back when you're done."

"It is all right, Poppy. We are nearly finished. Please, make yourself comfortable."

Ratchet and Prime were conversing in Cybertronian, and presumably in their other forms of communication. Poppy settled herself and waited for them to finish.

After a couple of moments Ratchet moved the monitor to Prime's other shoulder: as the device beeped he... did something with what Poppy thought may be a laser extruded from one of his digits. Prime winced, then held himself still as Ratchet rumbled at him.

Whatever Ratchet was doing didn't take long, and at the end he reformed his hand and laid it lightly on the Prime's shoulder. Optimus stood and inclined his head to Poppy.

"Thank you for your patience. I trust you are finding your stay satisfactory?"

"It's fascinating, sir."

"Good. Should you need anything not already provided, have Upbeat let us know."

"I will, sir. Thank you."

With a glance at the medic, Prime made his way out of the lab. Poppy noted absently he used a different exit from the one she was familiar with, in the opposite wall - then smiled as 'Spin made his entrance and waved at her. Ratchet lifted him onto the table and without preamble they began to work...

xxx

Little by little more of Starscream's protoform was being revealed as the armoured plating was pared away. By early afternoon the disarticulated leg was exposed, and 'Spin was working to reconnect almost microscopically tiny cables and lines - far too small for Poppy to see from her perch. Ratchet paused in sorting the excised metals and regarded her for a moment.

"Ms Moss, the next few days will be more of the same. Nothing very much, from your point of view, is going to happen until we have the protoform completely stripped. I believe you will find it boring - you might prefer to spend the time elsewhere. I will alert you as soon as we reach a more interesting stage of the reconstruction."

Poppy considered his suggestion, then nodded.

"You're probably right, sir. But please don't let me miss anything important!"

His engine rumbled, which she assumed was a chuckle, and he glanced down at 'Spin.

"Don't worry. I'd never hear the end of it if I allowed any such thing."

Poppy bit back a giggle, remembering how persistently 'Spin could nag when he put his mind to it. "Thank you sir. Is it OK if I leave the stool here? It'll save me carrying it in every time."

He waved a hand dismissively. "Of course you can, it's not in our way."

"OK. I'll see you later then."

But Ratchet's focus was already back with the metal beneath his hands. Poppy made herself a mental note to remember that the medic wasn't much of a one for small-talk - of the human variety anyway - and slipped out of the lab.

xxx

'Beat was waiting for her outside, along with Private Smith, who grinned at her.

"How's about a picnic on the beach and an afternoon swim?"

Poppy laughed. "Sounds great!"

"Good. There's a lovely shady spot over at East Point, though we have to scramble through brush to get to it." She glanced at 'Beat. "You should be OK in robot mode, sir."

"Sure you want me along?"

"Oh, I didn't think... sorry sir. If you have something else planned..."

The MGC regarded the two women for a moment, then nodded.

"I think this time I'd rather not get sand in me gears."

Poppy giggled. "I'd rather you didn't either! The jeeps are better suited to the roads here anyway. You'll be OK?"

"Yup. I'll be in Wheeljack's lab if you need me - get Cable to call."

Karen had flinched at the mention of Wheeljack, and after 'Beat had transformed and was heading away from the base, Poppy turned to her, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

Karen sighed. "Wheeljack is a scientist - and a good one."

Poppy nodded, a little irritably. "Yes, I know. Highly respected. Very ancient. Instrumental in saving Cybertron at one point."

Karen smiled apologetically. "Yes. But he's... unpredictable. At least, his inventions are. We've had several rather nasty explosions since he joined us - that's why his lab is now waaaay over there" she pointed along the spit of the atoll to the south "well away from anything human."

"Oh." Poppy frowned. Her transformers had occasionally spoken of the multi-disciplined genius with respect, but she'd heard nothing about explosions. "Will 'Beat be OK?"

"He seems quite confident..."

Poppy nodded reluctantly. He knew what he was doing. She hoped...

xxx

'Beat made his way into Wheeljack's compound cautiously: internal comms told him the scientist was at his smelter, a secure area 'Beat did not intend to enter. Ever.

Jolt was in the main lab, testing metal sample densities and resonance with the sensors in his servos, and greeted the MGC as he entered. 'Beat peered at the bar of metal in Jolt's claws, energy sparking and streaming along it.

::How is it going?::

Jolt crackled in frustration and laid down the sample.

::Not good so far. Ratchet and 'Spin are demanding the lightest possible alloy for the plating, something that can be absorbed into the frame once Starscream is online again - assuming that ever actually happens. The metal they're stripping has the correct density but is too heavy. So far we haven't been able to find a terrestrial metal or alloy that will combine correctly. Not for armour. It's fine for making missiles and bullets, but not for the frame::

'Beat glanced towards the triple doors to the smelter: he could feel the heat from here. ::And simply making the plating thinner won't work?::

Jolt waved a clawed servo. ::First thing we tried. It won't stand up to the conditions he'll experience in flight, even in a smaller, slower jet form. And he needs some armouring, even if it's only bulletproof::

::Hm... Anything I can do to help?::

::Not at this stage, I don't think. Unless you have anything in your historical databanks that might apply to the situation::

::Nothing comes to mind, I'm afraid::

::Not to worry. Ratchet's having more metal sent over later; we'll keep working::

::In the meantime, can I get you some energon?::

Jolt's optics brightened appreciatively. ::That would be most acceptable. Will you join me?::

::Of course. I will be right back::

::Bring enough for three - I'll see if I can pry Wheeljack away from the forge...::

xxx

'Beat arrived back at the base as Poppy was climbing out of Private Smith's jeep. Both women were laughing, which pleased the MGC. It was good that his human was interacting with others of her own species, and enjoying her time here.

Karen waved at him, then turned back to Poppy. "There's a film on in the rec room later this evening, if you fancy it. Though you've probably seen it already."

Poppy smiled, then swallowed back a yawn. "If it's OK with you, I'm planning an early night. I've had a couple of early starts and late nights, I'm still not quite caught up with the jet lag, and a nice long night's sleep will do me good. I should check in with the consulate too. I'll stay for dinner, but then I'm heading back."

Karen nodded. "OK. Let me park up and we'll go eat..."

xxx

"I do believe you've caught the sun!" Phil's smile on Cable's screen was a welcome glimpse of home. She giggled.

"Oh, come on! How can you tell from this little screen?"

He grinned. "You'd be surprised... How's it all going?"

"It's amazing. 'Spin is absolutely in his element, Ratchet is a bit scary but not as bad as I was led to believe, and 'Beat seems to be spending most of his time with Wheeljack and Jolt. I've spent some time watching the operation, and some relaxing - the swimming here is gorgeous!"

"Not missing us then."

She laughed. "Maybe just a tiny bit. How's everything there?"

"Much the same as ever. Though Steamy is wandering around looking as though his puppy just died. He's sure you're being starved or poisoned or something."

"Oh dear. Tell him I'm fine, I'm eating as healthily as I can, and I'll bring him back some new recipes, that should cheer him up."

Phil chuckled. "Well, it'll help at least." He paused, then shook his head. "No, can't think of any news, but it's only been a couple of days."

"OK. I'll contact you at the weekend then, unless anything happens in the meantime."

"Same here. You have fun!"

"I'll do my best!"

He saluted and closed the connection, and Cable transformed into root mode and curled up on her chest. She stroked him for a few minutes, then peered down at him.

"You stayed in my pocket this morning..."

"Um... yes."

"Any reason? I mean, I know you're shy of the Prime, but you didn't come out even after he'd gone."

Cable wriggled nervously.

"I... didn't want Ratchet to know I was there."

"Why ever not?"

"... because I heard their conversation..."

Poppy raised an eyebrow.

"What, was it embarrassing or something?"

"Well... not really... but..."

"What did they say?" Cable stayed silent, and Poppy sighed. "I'm not going to tell anyone, Cable. And you've piqued my curiosity now."

The little transformer hung his head, still silent. Poppy petted him.

"Please, Cable? I promise I'll never tell anyone."

Cable whirred to himself, then muttered reluctantly.

"Ratchet said he should have seen him sooner. The Prime said he deserved the pain for betraying both us and the humans. Ratchet growled at him and said not to be so fragging stupid, how could we make any kind of amends with a leader not in the best of health? And the Prime went quiet and then said Ratchet was right. And Ratchet said he always was, and to come back for a check up in two days or Ratchet would hunt him down, and that really would hurt. And the Prime made a laugh and Ratchet called him old friend and asked what he was going to do with him, and the Prime said he was doing just fine as it was. Then they both went back to work."

"Awww..." Poppy managed a slightly watery smile. "He really cares, doesn't he?"

"For all of us. He's the Prime."

"Thank you. I promise I won't tell."

"I know. We trust you." He gazed up at her, then prodded her shoulder. "Weren't you supposed to be having an early night?"

"I was, wasn't I?" She shifted and glanced around the room. "Sure there're no crabs in here?"

"I'm sure. And I have my motion sensors set to automatic."

Poppy slid under the sheet and sprawled out under the fan as Cable scuttled up to the pillow and settled down in his usual place.

"Sleep tight, Poppy. Sweet dreams..."

xxx

© JAT 07.03.12

xxx

I don't care what the film script said, Que was NOT Wheeljack and never will be. Nor was Dino Mirage.