For The Race-Seeker Shenanigans.
Chapter Ten.
Barricade turned, about to leave, but then Ratchet spoke.
"Wait, Barricade. You owe me, and I'm calling in the favour."
The black and white mech stopped and turned towards Ratchet. "And just how do you work that one out, medic?" he asked.
"I caught your instrument when Starscream dropped it, and stopped it from being damaged by the fall." Ratchet said. "I then returned it to you, so in fact that's two favours. I know how Decepticons work. You never do something for nothing, you take it as a favour that can be called in later. You owe me two favours, Barricade, and I'm calling both of them in now." He paused, and then spoke again. "Or is it true that the Decepticon's concept of honour differs from ours so much as to be unrecognisable?"
Ironhide looked first at Ratchet and then at Barricade, who had suddenly gone very still. Was Ratchet actually trying to precipitate a fight? The medic had at one point been a diplomat, but Ironhide had no wonder that he'd changed careers if all of his negotiation had been as potentially inflammatory as this. Tensing in case the frontliner attacked, Ironhide watched the two, but as one second stretched into two, then five, it seemed the danger of attack had passed. At first it seemed that the frontliner would instead ignore Ratchet, but then he inclined his head.
"Very well, Autobot, I owe you two favours, as per Decepticon custom. So what do you want me to do to repay them, both of them?" he asked.
"We are looking for Sam, but she is not here." Ratchet explained. "The Seekers took her, so I assume that if we find them, we will find her. You may have an idea where they may be, possibly other potential Base sites you may have found. I want you to help us find them."
"Okay, it seems fair enough, but I have some conditions," Barricade replied. If I am aiding you, I will be using up fuel. I want you to provide fuel and energon for me for as long as this takes."
"Certainly," Ratchet agreed. "I can have fuel and energon brought to you when needed." Barricade nodded, and continued talking.
"Secondly, once we find where the Seekers are, you are on your own. They may have displeased me greatly, but I will not fight them for your benefit."
"Understandable and also agreed," Ratchet said.
"Thirdly, I will go and check each place alone. Then I shall report back to you and let you know if the Seekers are there." As Ironhide opened his mouth to protest, Barricade pinned him with his red glare.
"We may still have need of some of these potential sites, if you know where they are we will be at a disadvantage. If our positions were reversed, you would not want your advantages known to us." He growled his engine low in warning. "Those are my conditions. If you cannot agree to all of these, the deal's off, and I will have to pay my debt off in a more acceptable fashion."
Ironhide moved as if to deploy one of his cannons, but Ratchet grabbed his arm and pushed it down. "He's right, you know, it's only fair, we wouldn't like it if we had to show him all our potential base locations. Anyway, if just he is looking, it will not arouse as much suspicion as it would if we all charged around after him as he looked."
Optimus, who was also present, nodded. "Very well, Barricade," Ratchet replied. "I accept your conditions. Ironhide and Bluestreak, I suggest you wait elsewhere get Barricade to take you somewhere safe and secluded, neutral ground for us all." He looked at the black and white mech to be sure he agreed to this, which he did with a slight nod and a shuttering of his optics.
"The rest of us will retreat back to the Base. I'll come back, letting Barricade guide me to the new meeting place with the fuel and some energon for Barricade, then wait there so he knows where to find us once he's found the Seekers." To Optimus he commed 'Once you're out of sight, send Mirage back to keep an optic on us. I don't think he'll try to attack us and run but it's always good to be prepared for everything.'
"Okay, Autobots, fall back," Optimus said. He headed away, with the rest of the Autobots following, Ratchet bringing up the rear. Once they had left, Barricade turned to look at the two big 'bots who were folding into alt ready to move. Barricade himself folded down to his Police cruiser disguise mode and said "Follow me, I know a place we can wait."
He ignored Ironhide's engine growl as he smoothly peeled away and headed for a nearby turning.
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"What...what do you mean?" Sam asked, uncomfortable with Starscream's vague remark and the undivided attention that was suddenly being brought to bear.
"Well, Sam, at eighteen, our young are still considered close to what you humans would call 'newborn.' Thundercracker said. "Of course, with humans having such a short lifespan, you were almost an adult by human standards when you changed. However, as you're unused to being a Cybertronian and a femme, I'd say that categorises you by our standards as a youngling, old enough to make certain decisions and understand much, but still with much to learn before you make other decisions, such as choosing a mate."
"Does that mean you'll let me go?" Sam asked hopefully.
"Sam, this is our opportunity to teach you some of the things you need to know!" Starscream explained. "We can help you learn about your body, we can teach you Cybertronian culture, and all the stuff that's second nature to us, but that you don't know about."
"Like interface!" Skywarp said excitedly. "We can teach you all about interface!"
"But isn't interface like...sex for you guys?" he asked nervously. "Surely I need to learn other stuff before that?" Starscream gave Skywarp a glance before turning back to Sam, reaching out his hands, not to touch her, but imploringly.
"Sam, there isn't really an equivalent human translation for the Cybertronian term, but it is not merely a sexual thing. It involves two or more individuals giving others – or each other – pleasure, and the term covers everything from the touch of a Creator to a sparkling, up to and including spark-merge and everything in between. Our race in general use touch a little more than yours does in everyday life, although the amount of touch used differs from group to group, and indeed it is claimed that we Seekers as a whole have turned touch into an art form."
"Look, we're not going to force you to do anything, Sam," Thundercracker said. "If you're not ready to try interface, even the innocent form, that's fine by us, we'll try to remember not to touch you." That, Sam thought, was something at least, although the bit about 'trying' didn't exactly fill him with confidence.
"We could show him, he'll see from our reactions how enjoyable it is," Skywarp suggested.
"Now there's an idea!" Starscream said. "Sam, you just sit there and we'll show you how interface can be really enjoyable. You sit there and watch, though if you do feel compelled to join in, feel free!"
"Er – guys - voyeurism really isn't my thing, " Sam said, but as the three began touching each other's cheeks and arms, Sam had a sudden sinking feeling that she either hadn't been heard, or that her comments were being ignored.
With a grimace, she squeezed her optics shut and put her arm over her optics.
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Ratchet brought the fuel and energon to the co-ordinates specified, and Barricade asked if they would all drink energon with him, to ease the tension so nobody would have to worry about being attacked by the other. When Ratchet readily agreed, Barricade called "And that includes you, too, Mirage, I know you're out there and I may have need of your skills." Ratchet sent a quick databurst to Mirage to comply - after all if they had drunk energon together his defensive watch was not needed – and the slender blue and white mech shimmered into existence and asked Barricade "How did you know? How did I give myself away?"
"You didn't," the frontliner said as Ratchet began handing out cubes of energon, "but in Ratchet's position, with someone who can go invisible, I would have done the same."
Mirage didn't respond, but began drinking from his cube, and at this, the other three 'bots and the Decepticon frontliner did likewise. Once Mirage had finished half his cube, he looked up at Barricade and asked "How can I help?"
"Some of the locations are in areas where someone sneaking up will be seen some time before they get close," he explained. "Most of them have enough cover or uneven terrain to make it possible for me to sneak in without being spotted, but there are one or two places where it might be advantageous to have someone with your ability to do the sneaking for me,"
"I guess that makes sense," Mirage said. "So, am I to accompany you?"
"Only to the two places I am thinking of, and then I'll only go there if I can't find them at the other locations," he explained. Mirage nodded.
"I will fuel up and then I will go and search the first places," Barricade said to the group. "I suggest you wait here but find yourself something to do, it could be a long wait,"
Then he crossed to the small fuel dispenser Ratchet had brought, fuelled himself up, folded down into alt, and roared off.