Bluestreak was chosen to try to befriend the human. The younger mech's generally cheerful attitude and friendly nature made it hard for anyone to stay angry at the sniper. Also, Jazz had failed to get anything out of the woman.
After a shower and a short nap the human had emerged from the human quarters dressed in borrowed jeans and a shirt. With her dark jacket tied around her waist and hair let loose, she immediately returned to the medbay and none of Ratchet's words could persuade her to move. The medic hadn't let the earlier threat go and his irritation took form in swear words and snappy comments.
The young praxian peered into the medbay to see Shay resting next to the container, head tilted back and eyes closed. Now that she wasn't wearing her jacket the medbay lights caused all the bruises on her arms to stand out. The woman hadn't gotten up yet and wasn't acting very social. Jazz had questioned her, trying to persuade her to talk about herself, but she said very little and remained vague. She'd refused to leave the medbay to see the rest of the Ark as well. It seemed that the plan to befriend her was failing. So now, Bluestreak was bringing her food.
Hound said offering food to humans (and animals) was a friendly gesture. So the gunner was going to give it a try, hoping she would open up a little. With a quick look at Wheeljack and Ratchet working on the other side of the room, he slipped in carrying a small (to him) paper bag in his hand. The two working bots didn't notice, speaking back and forth as they fixed damage on the Twin's unresponsive frames.
Bluestreak shuddered slightly, gray form quaking. They had all thought Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were dead, but now... Now there was a chance to get them back. He had been let in on this development when Jazz asked him to speak with Shay, but had warned him to keep it quiet until they were absolutely sure the Twins would be alright. No point in raising false hope and all. Not to say the rest of the Ark's inhabitants hadn't noticed something going on. But all the Commanding staff along with Mirage and Windcharger weren't saying anything (under orders from Optimus, not that anyone could find Mirage right now).
He slunk over quietly, walking like Jazz had taught him, trying to make as little noise as possible. Apparently the young warrior needed more practice because the woman opened both eyes and looked right at him. Her arms didn't move from her lap, legs didn't twitch or head turn in the slightest. It almost seemed as if she hadn't been asleep at all. She just opened her blue eyes and seemed to stare through him. It was almost creepy but Shay didn't look that scary to him. She smelled like coconut now too, since she'd had a shower. With a frown she blinked at him.
"Hi!" He said brightly and after a second of standing awkwardly and trying to remember what to do and not do, he thrust the paper bag at her, "This is for you. Everybody figured you'd be hungry and you haven't eaten and Ratchet said for someone to make you eat food, but you didn't want to leave which makes sense. I mean you have been taking care of them and you don't really know us and probably don't trust us, so if I were you I'd probably do the same. We are a lot bigger than you, aren't we? I know I'd be freaking out if I had to go meet people who're four or five times bigger than me..." He prattled on for a few seconds before the startled woman held up a hand and raised her voice.
"Hey!"
The gray bot stopped and tilted his head slightly. With that she stood and opened the bag which was actually medium sized to her. Inside was a variety of sandwiches in plastic zip lock bags and a few bottles of water with condensation on them. They were apples tosses in there as well. She leaned over the bag, light brown strands falling in her face, and pulled out a sandwich. It was cold like the water.
Her brow furrowed slightly and then mildly cautious eyes looked up at him, "Did you raid a fridge?" The tiniest hint of disbelief snuck through her words.
Bluestreak knelt on his knees and rested elbows and servos on the table, "Yup! Well, most of that stuff was in the refrigerator because Spike and Carly and Sparkplug come by pretty often. But the apples were in this bowl that Carly calls a fruit bowl, and there's oranges at the bottom."
Shay nodded and gave a polite smile, "Aha. And I can eat some of this then?" The bot nodded and started to speak but was once again cut off by her gesturing, "Okay. First, thank you. Second, there is absolutely no way I can eat all of this."
The gunner's door wings drooped causing the young woman's eyes to tighten just slightly, "I'm quite hungry though. I'm sure I can put away at least a few sandwiches. But it may be best to save some of this food for those other people." With that she pulled out another sandwich and an apple before sitting down cross-legged.
The response to this was the mech starting to bounce slightly as he started up again, "I didn't think of that. It's probably good not to eat all the food then. My name's Bluestreak by the way and Prowl told me your name is Shay, isn't that a funny name? I've never heard it before..." He started chatting again as the human opened one of the plastic bags and sniffed the food. After deciding it was alright the sandwich was gone in a few bites. A serious face watched him as he continued talking about anything that came to mind.
"Bluestreak!" Bellowed Ratchet from across the room. The medic had one cherry servo on his hip, partially turned to look behind him. Wheeljack didn't look up from the welder in his hands, used to the CMO's usual rants.
"Okay, sorry Ratchet. I was just talking to Shay," but the medic had already turned back to his work.
The praxian brushed it off, used to dealing with people irritated over his constant talking. With a frown he suddenly whipped his head back to the woman who had watched this interaction with an odd look on her face, "I'm sorry. I've been talking a lot and you haven't and that's not really fair. Everyone in the Ark knows to interrupt me when I do that but you don't. So I'm sorry. You talk now." Sky blue optics looked at Shay and unknowingly gave his infamous 'puppy dog' look. It wasn't really his fault. But the Datsun was upset, and and an upset Bluestreak meant a pathetic looking Bluestreak. So the spark's guardian got treated to a world class 'I'm guilty and I'm sorry, please forgive me' look.
The apple paused halfway raised to her mouth and she blinked twice before speaking, "Aaahhhh...What is it we're talking about?"
Bluestreak cheered up, "Oh! Do you have siblings?"
"Um...no. I'm an only child," She frowned, still on autopilot as she recovered from the puppy eyes, "Do you have siblings?" She questioned. This bot reminded her of a hyperactive kid.
"Nah, not technically. But Prowl looks out for me, so he's sorta like an older brother. And everybody in the Ark is like family. Well, most everybody. Not everyone gets along." He mulled over that for a second. "What about parents? Everyone has those, right?"
A frown, "I just have my dad." The young woman could tell he'd been sent in her to get information, but this Bluestreak person seemed alright. He had a certain sort of innocence about him. He was asking because he really wanted to know and was curious. Shay decided this one was okay.
"Oh, no mother than?" He looked slightly forlorn, trying not to poke at a delicate subject.
The woman shrugged, "Nah."
He mulled over that for a second as she continued to pull sandwiches out, "So...are you going to go back then, to your dad? Once the Twins wake up?"
Silence as she paused, blue eyes dulling a bit. The question hadn't surprised her, no. She just hadn't really thought about it yet.
"Yeah."
The meeting was called with quick efficiency. Prowl had spent the last several hours gathering the necessary information and compiling data, so now they could get on to business. It was just a matter of everyone actually showing upon time.
The commanding officers filed into the room. Optimus Prime of course, followed by Ironhide the weapon specialist, Red Alert the Security director, and Ratchet. A few moments after the appointed meeting time Jazz waltzed in with a smug smile and self-satisfied walk. Once everyone had settled and Prime called the meeting to order, Prowl started.
"Everyone is up to date on the situation with Shay and the Twins, correct?" A pause as there was a collective nod, "First on the list, the Twin's frames." The SIC turned to the medic.
Ratchet sighed, red servos placed in front of him on the table, "Wheeljack, First Aid and I have made enough repairs for the frames to be stable. We could technically put their sparks back now but I'm highly recommending we wait. It would be an easier transition for them if we finished all repairs first. With a smaller amount of damage there is less a chance of unstable energy waves or spark collapse."
Prime nodded, "And how long will it take to complete the rest of the repairs?"
A thoughtful silence before the CMO replied, "At least another day. Twenty-four to thirty hours."
"Another day?" Questioned Red Alert, "It doesn't usually take you that long. And you've already started on the repairs."
"They had the energon beat out of them!" Snapped Ratchet, "Do you know how much damage it took to actually take them down!? This is Sunstreaker and Sideswipe we're talking about!"
"I'ma guessin' a lot," Jazz put in, feet crossed and stuck up on the table. Prowl slapped them down without even looking over. The saboteur pouted.
"You can bet it was a lot! Their frames are meant to take a lot of damage. They get busted to slag and still walk into my medbay on their own! To actually almost kill them...It's not just patching up and fixing dents. Interfuel lines need completely replaced, along with several motorary function chips that I'll need Perceptor's help with, joint relays have to be rewelded into place and countless other problems. Frankly, the fact that they went against a combiner by themselves and didn't get completely ripped apart surprises me. We're lucky we found Sideswipe's leg." Growled the medic.
"I suspect it would take longer had you not already started repairs as soon as we brought back their bodies." Prowl spoke quietly, cool optics looking at his data pad.
A few surprised optics looked at each other while Ratchet huffed, "It is a habit. I've put them back together enough, I just couldn't leave them damaged." He gave the tactician a slightly irritated look.
Optimus nodded, "Then they will be returned to their frames soon. What is next?" The tall bot turned his helm toward his second in command.
"The human female, Shay. I have found some information in the last few hours. Jazz was slightly successful as well."
Said bot smirked again, "She's talkin' with Blue right now. Nobody can stay mad at that kid."
"That one dahn't like us too much Prahm." Rumbled Ironhide, shifting a little and making his chair creak.
The medic turned to look at the weapon specialist next to him and snorted, "She was chased by cassettes. What do you expect?"
Optimus held up a servo for silence and returned his gaze to Prowl. The black and white tactician ignored the arguments from his comrades and stood to hook a data pad up to the terminal. Light appeared in the air above the table. Images and text floated on the holoscreen, the largest picture showing the woman in an image most likely taken from her license. She wasn't smiling.
"Shay Brenna Carpenter. Age twenty-two. Residence in Jade Creek, Iowa. Mother dead. Father works as a part time farmer and at a local bank as a teller. Shay herself is employed at a local pawn shop but has worked part-time for a number of jobs around town. She is not enrolled in college. Both live together a few miles from the town. Ms. Carpenter is currently missing and the law is out looking for her." Red Alert twitched, about to say something but Prowl pulled up more data and continued.
"Her father reported her missing last week on Thursday after she couldn't be found the day before. The police consensus is that she left on her own motivation as her father's vehicle, a navy blue chevrolet silverado, was gone as well."
Up came a police report next to an image of a small house by a road and some fields. A barn and garden could be seen off to the right with a number of trees stretching across the background. The picture below that had Shay sitting in what was most likely a restaurant with friends. Two women and a man were with her, one woman and the man obviously laughing. The other female had her eyes sent upward, probably rolling them in exasperation as she put up with the others. Shay herself was only partially turned toward the camera. Settled on a stool with arms leaned forward, one was up to rest against her face as a pillar, supporting her weight against the counter. Her expression could be called mildly surprised and irritated. The one eye they could see was narrowed and seemed to emit a cold feeling toward whoever had taken the unexpected photo.
"It was noted in the report that Ms. Carpenter is mildly antisocial. Her contact with other people is usually limited to co-workers at her varying odd jobs and her father. She doesn't go with friends to town often. Her behavior is often said to be quiet, cold, unresponsive toward others and those around her as well as temperamental at times. Not associated with any groups or clubs, no volunteer work, no social media online, and doesn't have any online accounts besides those for legal purposes."
"So...very antisocial." Offered Red finally.
Prime rested his chin on his palm, "It would seem her current behavior is not so much to our presence then, but what is normal behavior for her."
The TIC frowned, visor tilted, "I don't know if it's completely normal, though she seemed a mite more defensive earlier than she is now, talking with Bluestreak."
Prowl's door wings gave the slightest twitch, pulling up a video, "I searched for any video evidence related to the vehicle type and design which she was supposed to have been driving. This was recorded roughly a day and a half ago in Riverton, two states over. Ten forty-nine p.m., from a camera at the corner of a bakery." On screen, in a grainy colorless frame, was a parking lot with a dark pickup truck sitting close by. It was late, the sky behind a hazy sort of gray due to the parking lot lights. A human with long, gray looking hair, wearing the same leather boots but a different jacket, walked up and unlocked the driver door. She put in a small grocery bag and rummaged around inside before climbing out again. Turned around you could see it was Shay, albeit the quality of the video was fuzzy. Carrying a different bag, this one paper, she approached the sidewalk closer to the security device and tossing her item in the trash can. Another turn and she retreated to her vehicle.
Just as she was getting back in some men came up. Although it could be reasoned that they weren't quite men. They were young, most likely not much older than Shay herself, and one in particular looked no more than a teenager who hadn't quite hit his twenties. One had a ball cap on and he gestured toward her truck. The woman stood stock still in front of the open driver's side door, the light inside giving the edges of her head a haloed effect. The face would have been completely in shadow, had the other lights around not picked up on her features. It was hard to tell her expression from the video. They just weren't close enough.
Finally her lips moved a little, speaking. The men laughed, the youngest with his arms around his midsection as the other tossed his head back with his mouth open. The apparent leader with the hat waved a dismissive hand in her direction. Still she didn't move. He started speaking again, arms spread wide as he gestured to gain her attention. To the side the younger one crept closer around Shay to the open door. She suddenly threw out a fist his way as he fell over onto his back to escape being punched. The other two moved forward, one tried to grab her arms while the last landed a blow to her midsection. In the conference room Ironhide let out a quiet rumble.
Back on screen, the fight progressed. Obviously none of them were professionally trained, however the men looked like they'd done this a time or two and Shay was giving it everything she had. The woman thrashed, smashing a foot in one of their guts, headbutting the other. The youngest looking one got up and leaned into the truck, trying to grab something.
The woman went nuts. She grabbed one of the men who was trying to hold her and with a heave, threw him to the side at least a couple of feet. The other one got his head grabbed on either side as she jerked him down while bringing her knee up to his face. He slumped over and didn't move.
She stalked to the side of the youngest. With both hands, she dragged him out of her vehicle and shoved him to the ground. The teen tried to get up but a kick to the face crushed his resistance. Shay gave another kick (this one to the ribs) and then took to pummeling his face as she sat on him to stop him from escaping. The woman wasn't kidding around and quite obviously, by the force of her fists, in a rage.
The first man downed, the one who'd been thrown back, got up and tried to pull up their leader. Both took one look at the youngest getting the tar beat out of him and took off across the lot and out of the camera's view. Shay surged up, chasing them a few feet while the kid rolled over and then scampered in the opposite direction. Shay seemed to be shouting something, one hand raised in the air, both fisted. She whirled, hair flying, as she turned back to her truck.
"Pause," demanded Red Alert, leaning over the table to get a better look. Prowl obliged, stopping and rewinding a few seconds, "There." Stated the security director, "Zoom in."
The frozen image pixelated before becoming slightly clearer, "That's as much as I can do." Returned Prowl. On screen a close up of Shay's face filled the image plane. It was when she was turning, mostly facing the camera. The quality was still bad, as the edges blurred a little, but you could see her face twisted in anger. Brows drawn together, a snarl on her mouth, but what really caught the bot's attention was her eyes. In the grainy picture they appeared startlingly pale, almost glowing white in the gray-scale video.
"Hmm," rumbled Ironhide thoughtfully, "That ah reflec'ion from thah lights?"
Red Alert's optics narrowed in speculation and the lamborghini frowned, "Maybe." When nothing more was said Prowl zoomed out and started at where they had left off. The video continued, showing her checking out the inside of the vehicle. Everything must have been fine though because after a few seconds she climbed in fully and shut the door. Almost a minute passed before the truck started and pulled away.
"Due to the location of the camera and the license plate being unseen from the view, the police are not completely sure of the identities of the persons in the video, save for one man who turned up at the local hospital. He was apprehended after he had seen a nurse for a fractured jaw, cracked rib, busted nose and a number of bruises and scratches." A pause, "The one she stunned with the knee to his face."
Optimus spoke, "So the law does not know that it is Shay in the video?"
His second in command shook his head, " Without the license plate they cannot make a certain identification. This was taped a fairly large distance from where Ms. Carpenter was last officially seen. Teletran-1 was able to make the video clearer for us, the original is much more difficult to view."
Ratchet sighed, hands resting on the table, "So what do we do with her now? Send her home?"
"Ah, Ratch! Ya know she said she wasn't leavin' til the Twins were fixed. Yer just mad she threatened you." Jazz grinned smugly while the medic puffed up.
"If that little brat thinks she can threaten me in my medbay...!" his rant was cut off as the Prime spoke up.
"Wait. She threatened Ratchet?" The poor guy looked surprised.
The TIC grinned even wider, denta showing, "Oh yeah, she told im, said, 'I trust ya to keep em safe an' all, but if they're hurt ya gonna lose a limb.' Somethin' along those lines." Jazz started cackling at the looks on every bot's face while Optimus rubbed his optics.
Prowl merely raised an optic ridge, "That is not surprising considering her evident protective nature toward them. They are vulnerable in their current state."
Optimus sighed. It had been a very long last few days. Best finish this.
"She wills stay here in the human guest quarter for now. The matter is settled," A nod to the CMO who gave a huff, "If those matters are clear and there is no outstanding objections or questions?... What is next on the list?"
A red chevron dipped as Prowl checked his data pad, "The updated security programming for the front door and Wheeljack's proposals for a few new inventions.
And the meeting continued.