A/N: Welcome to the third an possibly final arc of Occasions! I meant to have this done for Easter, and then I meant it to be done for spring. Which it still is, right? Technically?

Well, hope you enjoy!


Arc 3: Springing fresh from the world


Chapter 1: This place could be much brighter than tomorrow


This time, Megatron didn't make elaborate arrangements. He simply commed ahead, and let the Prime know – by way of Bumblebee – that he would be there in a little while.

Prowl couldn't pinpoint the exact moment that such a prospect had ceased to make him nervous.

Prime took it all in stride, simply asking Blaster to let the front guards know that the warlord was coming and to just let him in when he arrived. Blaster merely nodded and relayed the message. Trailbreaker and Brawn, on the Ark entrance, both answered with a simple and unafraid 'Yes sir'.

Prowl could distinctly remember a time when this whole scenario would have made him crash. It wasn't all that long ago, either. It just seemed longer.

Red Alert, of course, was still wary. But even he had stopped demanding Megatron be escorted everywhere in stasis cuffs with Ironhide's cannons trained on him. He still grumbled, and muttered under his breath, but Inferno was doing a marvelous job of distracting him.

Prowl had made sure that the two were always on shift together. It seemed to help.

"Do you know what he wants, Bumblebee?" Optimus asked.

The yellow scout shrugged. "He didn't say, Prime. But I suspect it has something to do with the peace proposal, he's been fretting a lot over that lately."

Prowl reveled in his crash-free state.

"I can't remember seeing anything problematic in the last draft he sent over," Prime mused. "Prowl, did you notice anything?"

"It's probably nothing," Ironhide said, a small smirk on his face. "Megs fusses worse over that proposal than a creator does over a new sparkling."

"He just wants to get it right," Bumblebee said defensively. "We've gotten so much wrong already."

"I didn't notice anything strange," Prowl replied. "But he has a different perspective. His last few amendments have been sound."

Bumblebee flashed him a grateful smile.

"He's here," Blaster reported. "Coming inside now."

Prowl walked over to stand behind the communications officer, watching the screens to follow Megatron's progress.

"Soundwave is with him," Blaster commented.

"Let Ratchet know his Intended is here," Optimus said, grinning behind his facemask.

"First Aid says Ratchet is busy rewiring the sensor circuitry in Bluestreak's doorwings," Blaster reported a minute later. "He'll be busy for the rest of the day, most likely, and First Aid doesn't want to disturb him right now."

Prowl winced internally. Bluestreak, Smokescreen and the twins had taken advantage of the armistice to go racing on a track that had turned out to be inefficient for Cybertronians, and Bluestreak wasn't the only one who'd come out with injuries. But he'd been the worst off. The doorwings had had to removed for repairs, and Bluestreak was currently leaning more heavily on Sunstreaker than usual to make up for his lack of equilibrium.

"Are they heading for command?" Optimus asked. As Blaster confirmed, Prowl took a step back to evaluate.

Aside from himself, Optimus, Blaster and Ironhide, there weren't that many Autobots present. Steeljaw was recharging lightly under Blaster's station, Rewind was manning the security desk, and Cliffjumper was seated at the secondary monitor station. Though Cliffjumper was normally one who needed careful watching, he had mellowed slightly since their stay in the Decepticon volcanic base, and there was now a 64.9% chance that he would behave. Prowl refused to divert processing power to examine the reason for his mellowing. Some things it was best to not know too much about.

It wasn't long before Megatron entered the command center. He had the same presence about him as always, and not for the first time Prowl wondered what had possessed Bumblebee to approach him during the first truce. The Decepticon leader was dangerous, even now that they were working on a real peace treaty.

"Megatron," Prime greeted. "Soundwave."

"Prime," Megatron replied. "We need a breem of your time. Prowl's, too."

Prowl calculated that there was a 83.2% chance that at some point, complications were going to arise from the fact that the Decepticons and Autobots were no longer using the same time measurements. Fortunately, there was only a 16.4% chance that said complications would be serious.

"Certainly," Optimus replied. "Ironhide, you have command."

There was a time when Ironhide would have shadowed Optimus everywhere, most especially when there were Decepticons around. Now, the red mech just nodded, walking up to stand where Prime had stood before.

Prowl followed Soundwave as Optimus led them all into the adjoining meeting room. "Please take a seat. How can we help you?"

Megatron sat down in the slightly too small seat, frowning. The Autobots in general were smaller than the Decepticons, and the seating arrangements were a demonstration of the fact. Soundwave's chair fit him even worse.

"We're abandoning the Nemesis," Megatron said, once they'd all sat down in various degrees of comfort. "It was never built to be permanent, and keeping it whole and operational is costing us more than it's worth at this point."

That wasn't surprising. Prowl had read every report Spec Ops had handed in about the state of the Nemesis, and the base was slowly deteriorating. Its location was hardly ideal for general maintenance.

"I see," Prime replied. "Are you moving to the volcanic base?"

"The Neo, yes," Megatron said, a small smirk on his face. "Most of my Decepticons have already relocated."

"Apt name," Prime murmured, and Prowl knew his leader was grinning under the battle mask.

"I thought so, too."

Prowl silently took an image capture of the two leaders smirking at each other and sent it to Jazz.

"It is a sound decision," he said then, as neither leader seemed to be continuing the conversation. "Do you require assistance with the move?"

"Not the move, no," Megatron replied. "Soundwave?"

The carrier nodded, and pulled out one of his connector cables. "Permission to demonstrate?"

"Go ahead," Prime nodded, and Prowl watched carefully as Soundwave connected himself to the holographic table. The thing was Grapple's pride and joy, letting him and Hoist demonstrate whichever project they were working on as holographic models, but it wasn't connected to the main computer terminals. Soundwave couldn't hack them through it – though Prowl suspected that he wouldn't have tried to do so even had the table been connected.

A model of the Nemesis appeared on the table. "Move: almost complete," Soundwave intoned. "Terminals. Equipment. Personal items. Next: salvage."

The model turned, showing parts of the ship that Prowl knew to be submerged in water.

"Engines: unreachable when base inhabited. Storage, hangar bays also."

"We've also decided to dismantle the whole thing," Megatron interjected. "Many of the materials may be reusable. Also, I've been told recently that we should take better care of this planet, and leaving an entire base to rust at the bottom of the ocean does not constitute good care."

Prowl suppressed a smile – not that Megatron would notice if he smiled or not. If he were a betting mech, he would bet that Bumblebee was the source of that little tidbit. The minibot certainly had a better connection with the warlord than anyone could have expected in advance.

"So we came to ask you for the loan of some of your Autobots," Megatron said finally. "To help taking the base down. The Constructicons are already working on it, but the Seekers are useless for this, and the Combaticons… Vortex and Blast Off are already doing the heavy hauling, but I can't trust Swindle and Brawl to work unsupervised, and Onslaught is being an arrogant bastard. The Stunticons have done some work, but they require an equal number of mechs for supervision, and it's just not feasible. I'd rather have those two gestalts at the Neo, where they can do less harm, and where the triple-changers and the Coneheads can mind them."

"You need mechpower," Prime nodded. "It shouldn't be a problem. Prowl?"

"Certainly." He was already accessing the duty rosters, marking who was available and who wasn't, rearranging shifts where necessary. "Grapple. Hoist. Brawn and Windcharger. Hound and Beachcomber – they will be able to tell what needs to come down for the sake of the ocean life and what can stay. Bumblebee, since I imagine he knows your base well." He didn't miss the pleased look that graced the Decepticon leader's face plates for a moment. "Seaspray, since he's aquatic. And Blades, to help haul. I'd give you the twins if I could, but they're both on medical leave."

"Query: Ark crew sufficient without these mechs?" Soundwave asked.

Prowl nodded. "It shouldn't be a problem. We run fewer patrols now that there is a ceasefire. It's tight, but it will do."

"I can spot you some of mine, if that helps," Megatron said, turning to Prowl now. "Reflector and Starscream's trine, for instance."

"That would be helpful," Prowl replied, still focused on the roster. "Reflector can be paired with Blaster's cassettes, letting them cover more shifts. And I know the Aerialbots have been itching for a chance to train with the Seekers."

His leader also looked inordinately pleased that Starscream was coming. Prowl quietly rearranged the roster again, giving Prime and Starscream the off-shift together. After a moment, he did the same for the Aerialbots and the other two Seekers, and he sent Ratchet a message to let him know that Soundwave was at the Ark.

And mechs said he had no feelings.

*Prowler, what are ya up to?* He could feel Jazz's wry amusement at him over the bond.

*Oh, I'm merely being accommodating,* he replied. *We're going to have visitors for a while, and I'm only making sure that everyone gets to spend some time together in private.*

*Matchmakin' looks good on you,* Jazz chuckled.

*Oh, shush,* Prowl replied, but he sent a burst of affection to his mate. *I will see you later, love.*

*Yeah, ya will.* The image Jazz sent back was definitely unsuitable for a meeting, and not for the first time Prowl was relieved that he had iron control of his doorwings.

Well.

Off-shift was starting to look very tempting indeed.

"Are you leaving right now?" Optimus asked as Soundwave disconnected from the table. "You're welcome to stay for energon, if you like."

"That would be appreciated," Megatron admitted. "We're not lacking fuel anymore, but between going back and forth between the Nemesis and the Neo there hasn't been time for refueling."

Prime nodded. "I'm still on duty, but I think you know your way by now."

"That we do, Prime," Megatron smirked. "Thank you for assisting."

"Of course," Optimus said, as if Autobots helping the Decepticons handling hazardous materials for the good of Earth's environment wasn't unheard of. Jazz would have what Carly affectionately called a 'giggle-fit' when he heard.

Prowl watched the warlord and his TIC walk out of the room, then headed over to watch their progress on Blaster's monitor. Old habits died hard, after all.


*Can I come out now, Soundwave?*

*Affirmative.* He opened his chest, and Ravage sprang free.

"There a reason you kept her in there until now?" Megatron asked, a slight frown on his face.

"Ravage: in recharge," Soundwave replied. It was the truth, just not the entirety of it. He was not going to tell his lord about Ravage's personal animosities, though, and if the cat wanted to stay away from Steeljaw for now that was none of Megatron's concern.

"If you say so," Megatron replied. Then he smirked. "I know I don't have to tell you of all mechs not to jeopardize the peace."

Soundwave nodded. "Affirmative." He wouldn't risk what he'd found for anything. And even without the added joy of courting Ratchet, he would have worked towards peace for his cassettes' sake.

Ravage stretched languorously, looking more like an Earthen feline than a Cybertronian one, and then turned to face them. "I am going to stretch my legs a little," she announced loftily. "I will find you again before you leave, Soundwave. Lord Megatron." Then she was off, loping easily and gracefully down the hallway.

Megatron smirked when the cat was out of sight. "So who is she running off to meet?"

"Unknown," Soundwave replied. "Ravage: her own. Interference: unneeded."

"You're not keeping them on that tight a leash, then," Megatron mused, eyeing his third speculatively.

"Cassettes: trusted," Soundwave agreed. "Must learn, grow. Autobots: won't harm."

"Like Rumble?" Megatron asked, chuckling, and not too long ago Soundwave would have been very guarded around that look, would have felt a need to defend his cassettes. Now, he just nodded resignedly.

"Affirmative."

Megatron grinned. "Like master, like cassette."

Soundwave would have glared at him if he'd thought it would have any effect. Thankfully, at that moment, a small yellow form entered the hallway in front of them.

Soundwave smirked, hidden by mask and visor, as Megatron's entire focus was taken by the smiling minibot. His lord straightened, probably unknowingly, and grinned down at the little Autobot.

"Hello, little scout."

"Hello, sir," Bumblebee chirped. "Hi, Soundwave. Prowl asked me to meet with you, to help coordinate the Autobots involved in the work done on the Nemesis."

"Don't call me sir," Megatron grumbled good-naturedly, and Soundwave almost missed a step. He had never heard that tone from the warlord before.

"Well, then, don't call me little scout," Bumblebee retaliated with a grin, falling into step next to the warlord easily – even if he had to take two steps for Megatron's one.

Soundwave wasn't entirely sure what to make of the pair of them. There was obviously a strong friendship there, and he had a feeling he was looking at one of very few mechs that Megatron trusted with all his spark.

It was a strange, unexpected, but not at all unwelcome development. Bumblebee was a positive influence, and Megatron seemed truly happy for the first time in a long time.

Like many of them did. Starscream and his trine would be elated when they learned of their new placement. In the quiet privacy of his processor, Soundwave doubted that they would get any work done while they were here, but thankfully that was not his problem to deal with.

When a quiet ping came over his private comm channel, he nodded briefly to Megatron and his companion. "Soundwave: requested elsewhere," he intoned, and he knew by their suddenly matching grins that they knew exactly who had pinged him.

"Go," Megatron said, waving him off. "I'll comm you when it's time to leave."

"Affirmative." Soundwave turned and walked away, heading towards medbay.

He didn't think Megatron would comm him anytime soon. Most likely, the rest of their day would be spent on the Ark, previous engagements be damned.

Soundwave didn't mind very much. Not when he saw Ratchet's face light up as he approached.

Yes. He'd be perfectly happy spending the rest of the day here.

"Hey, you," Ratchet said softly, as Soundwave stopped in front of him. Hesitantly, the carrier retracted his facemask and reached for the medic's hand. Ratchet surprised him, though, lifting their joined hands up and nuzzling against the back of Soundwave's fingers. "It's so good to see you."

"Ratchet: beautiful," Soundwave blurted, and was instantly mortified. Without the mask, his blush was easily visible, but he'd promised himself that he wouldn't wear it in Ratchet's presence.

The medic smiled, almost shyly, and Soundwave's spark did a funny little twist. "Thank you. I have a small break before I have to continue rewiring, want to spend it with me?"

"Affirm- yes," Soundwave replied, making an effort to be less formal. This was his Intended, it would only be appropriate to speak more familiarly.

"Good," Ratchet said, smiling again. "Come on, mech."

Soundwave willingly let himself be tugged by the hand down the hall. He checked his subspace for the seventeenth time, making sure the gift was still there.

*Oh, calm down, Soundwave," Ravage sent, amused. *You'll be fine.*

*Ravage: will cease snooping,* Soundwave sent back, a little peeved.

Her mirth was clear and clean as it came over the bond. *Then don't think so loudly.*

Soundwave frowned and muted the bond down to where she was just an awareness in the back of his mind.

"Coming?" Ratchet said, still smiling at him and palming open the door to his own quarters.

"Yes," Soundwave replied, more confident this time, and followed his Intended inside.


Sideswipe smirked as Megatron followed Bumblebee into the rec room. "Like a puppy. Wonder how Bee managed that."

"Magic," Smokescreen deadpanned, winking at him. "I have it on good authority that Bumblebee's a fairy in disguise."

"I think it's cool," Bluestreak argued, grinning. "Come on, Bee's tamed him with just words and presence, that's beyond impressive, right? I mean, that's Megatron right there, and he's just following Bumblebee around like – like a –"

"Puppy," Sideswipe repeated, dumping his cards in the discard pile.

"Yeah okay, puppy," Bluestreak said, nodding. "But it's good, right? Because the war's definitely over now."

"It's good," Sunstreaker said softly, cradling the sniper in his lap closely. The lack of doorwings meant Bluestreak fit even closer against the golden frame than usual.

Smokescreen grinned, leaned forward. "So I've got odds on who bonds first," he said conspiratorially. "You mechs want in?"

"What are the bets?" Sideswipe eyed his mech curiously, one optic ridge raised. "Are we in there?"

"Yeah, we are," Smokey confirmed, "and you two are. Prime and Screamer, Thundercracker and Fireflight, Skywarp and Silverbolt, Ratchet and Soundwave. And the wild cards."

Sunstreaker eyed him. "Wild cards?"

"Yep. Rumble and Eject. Blaster and Blast Off, though nobody really believes that rumor. Ravage and Mirage."

Bluestreak choked on his energon. "Ravage and Mirage?"

"I thought Mirage was with Hound," Sideswipe said. This was news to him; and granted, he didn't keep his ear to the ground as much as Smokey did, but he felt more than a little dense to have missed this.

"Word is, those two are just friends," Smokey replied, shrugging. "I know Hound's been eyeing Trailbreaker lately. Course, Trailbreaker's busy eyeing Wheeljack." He smirked. "It's a total mess."

"Why would you put them in the pool, though?" Bluestreak asked. "I mean, I watched Ravage for Valentine's day, she was just wandering around wherever she wanted. We never saw her with Mirage at all, and we would have, don't you think? I mean, I didn't even see Mirage anywhere near her!"

"Exactly," Smokescreen grinned, shuffling the cards. "You never saw Mirage. Besides, I just take the bets. I don't control who goes in the pool. But I can tell you that more than one mech's betting on those two."

Sideswipe stared at him, then grinned. "Oh, that is interesting. Not likely to happen, though. My money's on Prime and Screamer."

"Nah," Sunstreaker said. "Prime'll need to make it some sort of public occasion, and Screamer's too much of a preener to do something on the fly. It'll be months in planning." He grinned. "Thundercracker and Flighty. That Seeker fell hard and fast, and Flight's usually set on what he wants."

Sideswipe shook his head. "Doubt it, bro. Flight's got four brothers."

"One of whom is also in the pot," Sunstreaker argued. "Silverbolt won't argue."

Smokescreen grinned. "Blue?"

"Ratchet and Soundwave," Bluestreak said, leaning back against Sunstreaker's torso.

"They're good old-fashioned courting, though," Sideswipe felt compelled to point out. "That could last forever."

"I don't care." Bluestreak giggled. "Call it a bet on good old-fashioned romance, if that helps. What are the odds on us, anyway?"

"Me 'n Sideswipe are outsiders." Smokescreen winked at him, and Sideswipe smirked back, letting his pede caress his lover's under the table. "I think that's got more to do with me than you, Sides. Apparently I'm considered unreliable." He chortled.

"And us?" Sunstreaker asked. Sideswipe could sense his focus – Sunny was dead curious about this, for some reason.

"You've got better odds," Smokescreen replied, looking down at his cards. "I fold, there's nothing here. You guys are up there with the cross-faction pairs, actually. Above the wild cards – almost equal odds with Screamer and Prime, and they've got the lowest odds of the top four."

"Huh."

Sideswipe stared at his brother. Sunstreaker was pleased.

It was freaky as all get-out.

*Uh… bro? Anything I should know?*

*It's nothing.*

Like slag it was nothing. Sideswipe prodded at the bond, but Sunstreaker had reined in that moment of pure happiness so Sides couldn't get a read on it. He watched, scrutinized really, as Sunstreaker hid behind an air of couldn't-care-less, one hand stroking softly over Bluestreak's side.

Sideswipe watched that hand move up and down, sometimes tightening possessively, and he suddenly got it.

It made perfect sense, too.

*It's like they approve of you for him.* He was awed as Sunstreaker's happiness flooded the bond again. *Like they finally have faith in the two of you.*

Sunstreaker didn't reply. He didn't have to. Sideswipe could feel his contentedness.

*It's about slagging time, too. I know you love him, bro.*

Sunstreaker didn't have to reply to that either. The small smile on his face was answer enough.


"So when are we leaving?"

Megatron raised an optic ridge as he sat down. "Leaving?"

"Yes, for the Nemesis," Bumblebee replied. "I figured we were coming with you?"

"Hm." He looked down at the energon. It was far superior to what they had had access to on the Nemesis, though the yield from the Neo proved to be a good rival. "Not today. I need Astrotrain or Blast Off to get the mechs that Prime's lent me to the base, and they're not available today."

"Oh." Bumblebee's face fell slightly. At least, Megatron was fairly sure he didn't imagine it.

"Yes."

For a few moments, neither of them said anything. Then the little scout perked back up.

"I can come with you today? And then go back with one of the shuttles to pick up the others?"

Megatron gave him a bemused look. "Do you have antigravs?"

"You know I don't," the minibot grinned. "But I'm tiny. Are you saying that big strong you can't carry a minibot during flight?"

Megatron had to smirk at that. He could appreciate courage, and this little mech had loads of it. "What if I drop you, little scout?"

"What if you don't, sir?" Bumblebee shot back.

"You'd come stay with me all by yourself? A solitary Autobot in the Decepticon base?"

"Wouldn't be the first time," Bumblebee winked. "And this time there's a treaty in place, so I won't have to hide." He sipped from his small cube again. It was less than half the size of Megatron's. "So what do you say?"

Megatron considered. The flight shouldn't be a problem – it wasn't that far, and as Bumblebee had said he was hardly a heavy-weight. And it would be good to get the minibot's input on the latest amendments to the treaty. "Very well. But you clear it with Prime first."

"Already done," Bumblebee replied cheekily. "So when do we leave?"

Soundwave and he were supposed to leave together. Megatron suddenly didn't care. His Third was with his Intended, and Megatron felt charitable enough to not tear him away from the insufferable medic quite yet. And getting out of the Ark was tempting – peace treaty or no peace treaty, he had a hard time shutting down his defense protocols while surrounded by this many Autobots.

*Soundwave. Take the rest of today off and return to the Neo at your leisure.*

*Affirmative. Time: appreciated.*

"Finish your energon," Megatron ordered. "Then we're out of here."

Bumblebee grinned. "Yes, sir."