A Need For Contact
Chapter Three
A/N: The promised Op/'Cade smut will happen, but first it was pointed out to me that it might be interesting to see the rest of the Base's reaction to 'Cade, so that comes first.
They stayed like that for several hours, the only movement from either mech the occasional change of position of an arm or a leg, or a head, as Optimus provided the level of interaction that Barricade needed, but not enough to cross the boundary into potential abuse. After a time, Barricade's grip transferred to Optimus' shoulders as his sense of insecurity lessened.
Optimus gently moved a hand to first cup the back of Barricade's head gently, in a comforting gesture akin to that used to comfort scared Sparklings, then moved it to his shoulder in a gesture that on Cybertron as on Earth, signified comradeship, or intellectual equality, a gesture that told Barricade that that the first gesture was not meant in a patronising manner, but combined with the second gesture was a comfort-gesture from adult to adult.
Optimus did not then remove his hand from Barricade's shoulder as was customary, but ran it down Barricade's arm, and placed his other hand on Barricade's other shoulder as the first hand gently encircled Barricade's wrist, and the second hand ran down Barricade's other arm and encircled his other wrist in a similar fashion – a loose grip not intended to capture or restrain, but made Barricade tense nonetheless.
Optimus' grip stayed light and loose, leaving Barricade with the option to pull his wrist free if he should so wish, and slowly lifted the hand up towards his face. Curious to see what Optimus wanted, Barricade allowed Optimus to continue. Optimus stopped when Barricade's hand was level with his face.
Optimus' battle mask was not raised: he drew Barricade's palm towards his lips, and placed a kiss – and not just a peck – on it, then repeated the action with Barricade's other palm. He kept his optics unshuttered, even though the claws on the tips of Barricade's fingers rested on his optic ridges with each kiss, and if Barricade had wished to, with a quick clench and twist, could have extinguished the light that shone from those beautiful blue optics.
That was when Barricade realised he'd heard of this gesture. It was a trust and respect gesture from one warrior to another. It was one that was not often demonstrated, particularly as the war had dragged on, for it was a gesture that more than one Decepticon had taken advantage of to blind and then despatch an enemy.
Even as the thought that he could himself continue this Decepticon tradition, that maybe Optimus was being too trusting of him, Barricade realised that Optimus' instincts had been perfectly sound. For the first time since joining the Decepticon army, Barricade found somebody who was giving him trust that he didn't want to betray. Optimus had no reason to trust Barricade, particularly as he had proved himself to be an enemy of the Autobots on more than one occasion, yet still he gave him an honour gesture that required trust on his part. Barricade almost laughed at the irony: he, Barricade, the master of betraying a hard-earned trust and enjoying it, wanted Optimus' trust in this case to not be misplaced.
Optimus released Barricade's wrists, sliding his hands down the plating of Barricade's arms again. The hands lifted as Optimus leaned forwards to enclose Barricade in an embrace, an embrace not of passion, but of the same type he'd used to bring him into the base, an embrace that immobilised his arms and legs, an embrace leaving him no room to fight. Abruptly, Barricade himself felt betrayed at this after being given a gesture of trust, and tensed, getting ready to struggle and, if he got free, to fight. As if reading his thoughts – or maybe he was just good at reading body language – Optimus spoke.
"I brought you in as a prisoner. Until I have informed the rest of the Base that you are here, and decided on the amount of freedom you can have, and assigned you a named companion, I cannot allow you to simply walk about the base freely. We have more than one cannon-happy Autobot here, and I do not think that you would like to be subjected to the indignity of having your hand held by me, as if you were a Sparkling who has just found out how to use their ambulatory limbs. Until everybody has been informed, this is how I must transport you." Barricade stopped struggling as he saw the sense in what Optimus was saying, and Optimus strode out of his office, heading in a diagonal up the corridor.
"Where are you taking me?" Barricade asked, as Optimus continued up the corridor, his stride unbroken. His question was answered as the door he stopped in front of opened, and he was taken into a room that was quite obviously Ratchet's med bay.
"As stated in your rights under Protocol Three, you will be checked over and any repairs you need will be carried out." Optimus stated. "You may feel better after recharging as well."
Ratchet approached as Optimus put Barricade down. Barricade tensed, and Ratchet stopped, and moved his hand towards his work surface, palm up, fingers straight. Not exactly a command, but more than an invitation.
Barricade didn't move, and Ratchet sighed, indicating that Optimus should stand aside. Optimus did so, and Ratchet scanned the black and white Decepticon from where he stood.
"You have no major injuries, but there are several minor scars and problems that could do with being seen to. Although you are not close to shutdown, your energy levels would suggest that you would benefit from a few hours in recharge – perhaps half a joor or so." Ratchet translated, although it was likely that Barricade had learned the time-units of this world.
When Barricade still didn't move Ratchet sighed, lifting his hands in the air in frustration.
"I don't know what rumours you've heard, Barricade, but I do not carry out experiments on captives, neither do I physically remodel people, reprogram them, remove Sparks or dismantle Decepticons into spare parts." He waited to let the information sink in, then continued.
"What I do do is repair systems essential to life, make cosmetic alterations that the patient wishes, and all levels of repair in between. I also get to know the limits of my comrade's endurance, suggest they get into recharge when they need it, and if they don't, will physically offline them and drag them into recharge personally – don't I, Prime." He said, turning to scowl a little at Optimus, who nodded his head slowly in agreement.
This drew a low chuckle from Barricade, who got a mental image of Ratchet dragging Optimus into a recharge berth by his antennae. He relaxed a little and moved towards Ratchet.
"Then I shall have to trust you and go voluntarily." He said, still a little wary. He turned to look back at Optimus uncertainly, who nodded again.
"No harm will come to you by going with Ratchet, Barricade, I swear by the energy of my own Spark." He assured him.
"I'm a Decepticon, a sworn enemy." Barricade said. "Why would you want to repair me and be certain of my health? Would it not just be easier for you to destroy me?"
Ratchet blew air through his vents noisily, the equivalent of a sigh.
"For the same reason that I would repair the Unmaker if I came across it in need of such attention." Ratchet stated. "I am a medic. Faction and affiliation do not define whom and what I repair. The need for such attention does. Now, are you going to come to recharge, or must I ask Optimus to pick you up again and bring you for me?"
Barricade almost smiled.
"I'll get by on my own legs, thanks." He said.
"Once you are recharged, I would like to sort out those minor repairs I mentioned earlier and do a thorough check-over. If you want to, I can numb the area requiring attention so you can stay online and make sure I don't do anything you don't want done." Ratchet stated.
"Thank you." Barricade said, surprise and gratitude replacing the sliver of fear that still remained.
"I still cannot yet allow you to roam the base unsupervised, Barricade." Optimus stated. "I shall assign you a companion – a guard, if you like, although I hope that you will not give any of us reason to think you need one. He will be here to go with you when Ratchet releases you from his care."
Barricade nodded, and Optimus turned to go back out as Ratchet beckoned to Barricade and headed towards the back of the med bay.
When they got there, Ratchet was lifting the canopy on a recharge chamber, and Barricade wasted no time in climbing in, for although he would never have admitted it, he was feeling fatigued. Since learning that the other Decepticons on Earth were dead, and that no more were likely to arrive, all his attempts at recharge by shutdown had been sabotaged by his own subconscious fear of being alone bringing him out of shutdown just an hour or two into it. Ratchet closed the canopy lid, and as the recharge mechanism activated, Barricade's processors slowed down as the recharge began.
oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
When he awoke, feeling better than he had in months, he was at first confused, not sure where he was, but when Ratchet lifted the lid to let him out, he remembered. He went with Ratchet who, as promised, allowed him to stay online, but disconnected his sensory linkages to make the repairs on him one bit at a time. Once Ratchet had done this, deep-scanned Barricade, fixed anything he had missed, and deep-scanned him again, he gave a nod.
"Okay, you're in good repair now, but don't forget to come into recharge when you need it." He stated. Barricade sat up from his prone position on Ratchet's worktable, and stood.
"Your companion is outside, waiting to give you a base-orientation tour, and then take you into the rec-room and the Armoury to meet people and get your weapons checked by Ironhide." Ratchet said. As Barricade started towards the door, he called after him. "Oh, Barricade?"
Barricade stopped and turned towards the medic.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Welcome to the Base." Ratchet said, then turned back to his next task.
Barricade came out of the med-bay, and looked with a mixture of disbelief and amusement at the mech who was stood outside waiting for him.
"You're my assigned guard?" he asked the mech. The mech nodded.
"I am." He stated. "I am to show you about the Base, and introduce you to people. My presence should avoid any unfortunate incidents. Although Optimus has informed everybody of your presence here, there are still a few who would react by instinct first before engaging their logic circuits."
Barricade chuckled. "I think that we will be causing some confusion amongst the other Autobots." He said with a smile. "Without even trying."
Prowl nodded, the ghost of a smile flickering across his features.
"It would seem so." He agreed.