And another chapter is ready - but now I probably have to focus on my paper Again; enjoy though - and I do apologize for misspelling and accidently grammar faults. I try to fix it, but it really ain't my forte. :)
Chapter 7: Surrogate father and Surrogate son
Wheeljack came into base quickly and opened his doors. June jumped out and was going to rush to the other side to get her son. But Wheeljack transformed the second she was out, and he was gently holding the buy in his servos looking at Optimus and Ratchet. Ratchet carefully took the boy into his own servos and rushed to the med bay. June wanted to go with him, but she was afraid to go there. She was scared she would be in the way, afraid of what was going on with Jack and afraid that Ratchet wouldn't be able to fix it.
When she was sure that all but Optimus was out of the room, June broke down and openly cried. She had wanted to do that ever since she had put Jack inside Wheeljack's vehicle mode. Optimus bend down and put a finger on her shoulder to let her know he was there and to comfort the fragile woman. He offered her his servo and she climbed on, still sniffling through the handkerchief she held up. She tried to compose herself and she thought of the word Jack had uttered only moments before.
"Optimus, what is this Allspark that Jack mention."
Optimus looked at her: "Simply put, it is the Spark that gives all cybertronians life. It holds the essence of our creator's life and soul."
"Your creator?"
"Yes, our creator Primus. In some ways like the one you refer to as God. When a cybertronian is brought to life, its spark was created and originated from the Allspark. We also believe when we die that we are to be reunited with it. The Allspark was like the heartbeat of Cybertron and without it Cybertron has withered and died. Also we can no longer gain create new cybertronians without the Allspark. But all this is a simple way of explaining things, and it is so much more. When we die and reunite with the Allspark og emotions, memories and experiences merges with that of the Allspark, and so the Allspark gains the knowledge of every Cybertronian ever lived. We call this 'Wisdom of Ages'. But this is still a very simple explanation."
"But where is the Allspark?"
"No one knows where the Allspark is. During the war on Cybertron, it was decided that it was too dangerous to let it stay on Cybertron. If it fell in enemy hands the war would most likely be lost, and we feared what the decepticons would do with it. We sent it off into space, hoping it would find a good hiding place. But when Cybertron died and we had to evacuate, we lost the means to track the Allspark down. It was to be forever lost in space."
"But why is Jack talking about it?" June couldn't stop her voice from quivering a little and the tears threatened to find their way down her cheeks again. Why did it always have to be Jack, her only son?
"I believe it has something to do with the latest developments. Maybe it has something to do with the Key of Vector Sigma or maybe something happened to Jack while he was on Cybertron. Something that even he does not know."
Arcee came in the room. She had waited in the med bay for when they brought in Jack. She left when Ratchet had become increasingly annoyed with her hovering presence and had threatened to dissemble her, if she didn't leave. June looked up at the femme bot and nodded once in an understanding nod. They were both scared for Jacks wellbeing. Optimus turned to Arcee.
"How is Jack?"
"When I left Ratchet was still treating him. His fever had risen to a dangerously high number and so he has given him something that should bring it down. Also he has given the boy something for the pain, since his elevated pulse and nervous system is extremely aggravated by pain. He hadn't woken up yet, when I left, and Ratchet is still scanning and taking test of him. Wheeljack is by his side recording, if Jack should say anything else that might have to do with the… the Allspark."
Arcee almost had to stutter the last part out and she wasn't quite sure if shehad heard it right over the comlink, when she had hear the Allspark being mentioned. She looked intense at Optimus.
"Optimus, do you think that there's a chance to find the Allspark? Do you think Jack knows?"
"I do not know Arcee, but I know this is going to be a hard trial for all of us, especially Jack, whatever this is."
Jack didn't know how long he had been stuck in the white limbo, but when it got dark he felt a mixture of relief and worry. Relieved; that he was no longer blinded by the white and that he could no longer hear that annoyingly loud pulsating. Worried; that he might be in serious trouble and maybe he was dying. But when he no longer had the feeling of just floating around, he felt something cold and hard under him. He was lying down. The next thing he felt was pain. The Pain in his knee was dull, but the pain in his head, neck and spine was far worse. What had happened to him?
Jack tried to open his eyes and found it a struggle. When he finally managed a small crack, the pain intensified because of the light in the room. Apparently one of the bots was in the room, and he understood the problem the light provided. I few seconds later Jack heard the sound of the light being turned off. He slowly opened his eyes once more, and though there was still pain, it was not as bad as before.
Jack noticed the screeching and buzzing in his head was quieter than it had been lately. It was back to being a dull annoyance, like the buzzing on a television. Jack looked around and found he was in the med bay. He vaguely remembered Wheeljack and his mom taking him to the autobot base, but halfway there all he remembered was pain before being stuck in white limbo.
"Jack? How are you feeling?"
Jack nearly jumped in surprise, he had completely forgotten about the bot that had been kind enough to turn off the lights. Jack looked at Optimus Prime and was bewildered, honored and slightly embarrassed that it was the autobot leader, whom was playing the bedside nurse for the moment.
"My mom…?"
"She is sleeping at the couch in the main room. She is exhausted and greatly concerned for your wellbeing, but other than that she is fine. Now how are you feeling?"
"How long was I out?"
Optimus noticed how the boy averted his gaze and kept avoiding his question. He couldn't hold back the disapproving frown as he watched the boy.
"Almost 48 hours. Jack, you are not answering my question."
Jack sighed and stopped fidgeting the blanket he had developed the sudden interest in moments before, when he wouldn't look Optimus in the optics.
"The buzzing and screeching has quieted down, but still there. My knee is only a dull pain… The rest is what it is."
Clearly Optimus wasn't satisfied with the answer, but he could tell that at the moment, Jack didn't want to elaborate.
"Jack, tell me what happened after you lost consciousness, please. This could be very important."
Jack looked up. Optimus had masked his great concern for the boy by going into his Prime mode. And as Prime and leader he had to know, if Jack contained knowledge of the Allspark. Jack sensing the urgency in Prime's voice struggled but told him about the pure whiteness, the pulsating and the voice. Optimus gathered that the pulsating was connected to the key glowing and pulsating. But he was more interestedin the voice.
"What did he tell you, Jack?"
"I couldn't hear it well, so it's only bits and pieces…"
"Please Jack, tell me everything, anyway."
"It started by sounded something like Trion. Then it talked about…ehm… me being the key. It mentioned me by name. Something about finding something or something is lost or going to be lost, I don't know… The only thing that came out loud and clear was that word: the Allspark. I am sorry this isn't helping much."
But Optimus didn't answer. He was thinking it through, and Jack could see that more than one of the things he said, had the leader worried. Jack didn't like it. He was scared enough as it was, especially about him being a key of sorts. But being able to see the distress on the Prime's face was even scarier. He never looked that worried before.
"Trion? Maybe it was the voice of Alpha Trion…?" Though he formed it as a question, it wasn't meant for Jack to actually answer it. Optimus was thinking out loud, talking to himself.
"Who is Alpha Trion, Optimus? I mean, I know that Smokescreen knew him, and that he had something to do with the Omega Lock…"
"Alpha Trion worked at the Iacon Hall of Records and I saw him as a mentor." It was clear that Optimus definitely didn't like to talk about this one. "But if you are supposed to be a key, I guess it would make sense that Alpha Trion would have something to do with it, although I do not know how. "
"But Optimus, how can I be a key? I'm a human being. I guard a key, but I am not one."
"I do not know and I do not understand all aspects of this yet. I am sorry that I do not have the answers, Jack".
Optimus observed Jack, as he leaned forward a bit and rubbed his temples. It was becoming an ugly habit and Optimus knew it was because of the noise in the boy's head was getting louder.
"Jack?"
Jack sighed and leaned back winching because of the pain in his neck and spine. Optimus looked intensely at the boy. He suddenly looked older and more tired. He didn't like it. Optimus clenched his servos once before standing up and turning his back to the boy. He couldn't show Jack how much this upset him.
"I will find Ratchet for you, so he can give you something for the pain."
"Thanks, Optimus"
Since Optimus stood with his back to Jack, he didn't need to hide the grimace that sneaked upon his face. Jacks voice was slightly hoarse. It trembled, whether it was fear or pain, Optimus wasn't sure about. He sounded tired and fragile. Optimus didn't like it at all.
As soon as Ratchet was back in the med bay, Optimus couldn't stop himself from hitting his servo into the concrete wall.
"You care so much for him."
Optimus blinked and turned around. June sat up on the couch, watching him. He had woken her up with his remodeling of the wall. There was no hiding now. Optimus walked over.
"I do not like what is happening to Jack, Ms. Darby."
"You feel that it is unjust. You fear for his health and sanity. You fear if this will destroy him, but at the same time you dare not tell him or reprimand him. You wish, you could take this burden of his shoulders."
It felt as if June had seen into his spark.
"That is the feelings of a leader, Ms. Darby"
June shook her head. Then she looked up and smiled to him.
"I am no leader, Optimus, and I feel the same. I promise I will not tell the other autobots, and maybe you can discard those feelings as being part of a leader, but those feelings are feelings of a parent also. If I may be so bold, Optimus, I think you see Jack as your son."
Optimus Optics widened. He had never shared these feelings with anyone, and here stood a woman who saw it all. Was she angered by the fact that he saw Jack as the son he never had? It didn't seem so. She was still smiling.
"It is nothing to be ashamed of, Optimus. I am proud that someone like you is here to take care of him. I know he sees you as the father figure he never really had."
It was like a weight had been sitting on his spark, like something had clenched it had; and it had just let go. The weight was gone, and Optimus felt like warmth he never knew spread across his systems. He didn't know Jack felt that way, and he was honored.
"I couldn't ask for anyone better to be his surrogate father, Optimus, and I mean that." She smiled a broad smile and hold out her hand. Optimus reached his finger for it and they gave an understanding "handshake".
"Just don't tell Jack that I told you." June winked and Optimus smiled. He could keep quiet for the mother of his surrogate son.
