Klik- under a second
Breem- 8.3 minutes
Joor- 6 hours
Orn- 2 weeks
Vorn- 83 years
::Comm. link::
Sparkling speak.
((Emotions through bonds))
/Bond speak/
~Seeker language~
Disclaimer: I do not own transformers. I do own all the OCs, though, and the plot. Enjoy, folks.
Chapter 10
Breakfree giggled joyfully as her mech tickled her abdominal platings. At the moment, the Chief Medical Officer was headed to the medbay, where Bumblebee and Jolt were expected to be. Blaster would join them once he was off-duty, but until then, the two younglings would be watching them while Ratchet was away with Prime and thirty-eight percent of the crew. Ratchet had spent quite a bit of time preparing datapacks for the junior medic, just in case something were to go wrong. The door to the medbay hissed opened, and Ratchet wasn't surprised that Prime was no longer there.
"Bah bah bah bah bah…" Flamefall mumbled from his spot on Ironhide's lap. The Prime's sparkling was talking to his little Breakfree plushie, which was situated on his lap. The doll didn't reply, but that didn't dampen the Seeklet's mood at all. If anything, it made him talk even more. Ratchet grinned lightly as he moved toward his office, where Jolt was currently taking refuge. He had to pause when he passed Ironhide's berth, though, because Flamefall finally noticed his giggling leader. "Bah!" he exclaimed. Breakfree turned her gaze away from her opiluk to look at her trinemate. Her optics lit up happily.
"Miiiiine!" she squealed. A tired, yet inquisitive squeak rose from across the room, followed by a muttered curse by Sunstreaker. Ratchet didn't even look as he chunked the wrench from his subspace. There was a loud "Ow, slaggin' medic!" followed by Breakfree's mad laughter.
"Don't cuss around my sparkling!" Ratchet snarled.
"Your sparkling woke mine up!" Sunstreaker snapped.
"Does he look upset by this fact?" Ratchet asked sarcastically. Sunstreaker looked down at Bluewing. The mechling was raised up on servos and knees, looking over his red opiluk's frame to see his leader. His winglets twitched a little, but he was otherwise silent, the sole focus of his attention being his leader. Sunstreaker prodded their bond lightly and was rewarded with a creation's love. Bluewing dropped to his stomach and rolled onto his back to look at the golden warrior. He gave a single chirp, causing Sunstreaker to smile.
"Good joor, sparklet," he greeted, lifting the Seeklet into his servos. Bluewing's winglets wiggled, and he twittered as he kicked his pedes as he was held in the air by his golden opiluk. He gave a mad giggle, and Sunstreaker rolled his optics. "You get excited too easily," he claimed. Bluewing squeaked as he heard his father's voice deep voice. He loved his father. The medbay door suddenly hissed open, completely grabbing Breakfree's attention, and a certain yellow scout trotted into the bay.
"Bumblebee, reporting for duty," he chirped as he stopped in front of Ratchet. He gave the medic a lazy salute he had seen Jazz give once. Ratchet, for his part, looked irritated at the gesture.
"I already have plenty of disrespectful bots on this ship. I don't need another," he snapped irritably. Then again, any bot would be irritably if they were giving their sparkling over to a babysitter after only being with the child for a few joors. The medic carefully set the Seeklet into the scout's servos and looked Bumblebee straight in the optics. "She receives one bottle of med-grade in two breems. She needs to take her nap after that. I have set up a playpen in my office, and a few of her new toys are in there. Keep a close optic on her. I will have my comm. active at all times if there are any problems."
"Yes, sir. I will take good care of her," Bumblebee promised. Ratchet nodded crisply once, a bit hesitant to trust his hatchling's safety with a youngling.
::Ratchet, we are leaving.:: The comm. from Prime pulled Ratchet from his thoughts, and he grimaced as he walked away. He stepped outside and was not three paces away when he heard it.
She was crying. No, she was wailing, panic surging her side of the bond. He was gone. Why was he gone? He had just been there! Did the door eat him? The door ate him! She gave another wail and whistled in distress. She wanted her opiluk back! However, she only received a rush of love, followed by a silent apology. Her creator was apparently not eaten, but he was still leaving.
"Sh, sh, sh," Bumblebee murmured. He clicked comfortingly at her, but to no avail. A small, curious click rose from the mechling on Ironhide's lap, and Bumblebee looked over to see coolant gathering in Flamefall's optics. Ironhide followed Bee's terrified gaze and felt the first curlings of panic in his spark.
"Oh, no. No, no, no, no," he muttered, then, to his complete horror, Flamefall began to wail as loudly as his leader. "No, no, sparklet. It's okay. Hush, now," Ironhide murmured as he lifted Flamefall over his spark.
"Fraggit!" Sunstreaker suddenly yelled. Seconds later, Bluewing was bawling like his trine mates. The yellow mech scooped up the blue-winged Seeklet and pressed him close to his chassis.
"Wha's wrong?" Sideswipe slurred, his optics dimly lit.
"Nothing, Sideswipe. These three are just a bit moody," Jolt stated as he moved to the downed front-liner's side. "How are you feeling? Any pain?"
"No… Just tired," Sideswipe murmured. "Wha's the probl'm?"
"Ratchet had to go on a mission with Prime. Breakfree, who bonded with him, started crying when he left. Of course, that caused Bluewing and Flamefall to join in, so now we have three screaming sparklings." Jolt's explanation ended with a frustrated huff of air. The junior medic had officially decided that he was never going to have sparklings. Tracks was right. They really were little monsters.
"That sucks," the red mech remarked, and he dropped back into recharge.
"Well, he was helpful," Ironhide muttered from across the bay. Flamefall, hearing and feeling the mech's deep voice, paused in his crying to look up at the faceplates of the black mech holding him.
"Bah?" he squeaked sadly.
"Sure, kid," Ironhide grumbled. Flamefall's intakes hitched, and he burrowed his helm into Ironhide's chassis.
"Bah mah grahbuh-guh," Flamefall chattered mournfully. His tears were stopping as his attention moved on to explaining his woes to Ironhide in what was apparently great detail.
"One down," Ironhide said cheerfully.
"Two to go," Sunstreaker grumped. He rubbed Bluewing's helm as the hatchling sobbed, trying in vain to calm the little bot down. "It's okay, Bluewing. No need to cry." Bluewing ignored him, keeping up his tears.
"Breakfree, sweetspark, he'll be back," Bumblebee cooed as he bounced the sparkling in his servos.
"Miiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnne," she wailed, twisting her body around to reach for the door. He little wings wiggled, and Bumblebee let out a wordless exclamation when she pushed away from his chassis. He tightened his grip on her, trying to keep her from launching herself from his arms.
"Breakfree, stay still," he ordered gently. All mechs looked up at the door when it hissed open, praying desperately that it was Ratchet coming back. Their optics dimmed in unison when the red form of Blaster stepped in.
"Primus, mechs," he exclaimed. "Wha'd ya all do t' 'em?"
"Ratchet left, which made Breakfree cry, which made Bluewing cry," Bumblebee explained shortly.
"Got'cha. So if we calm down li'l Breakfree here, Blue'll calm down, too?" Blaster questioned, moving toward the femling.
"Unknown," Jolt replied. Breakfree, seeing that the strange red mech was walking toward her, turned back toward Bumblebee and burrowed her helm into his chassis. Blaster grinned as he stopped in front of the smaller scout.
"Breakfree," he crooned in his smooth voice. Breakfree squeaked and cuddled closer to Bumblebee, letting out another spark-wrenching sob. "Aww, c'me on, babyspark. Don' be like tha'."
"I don't think just talking to her is going to work," Jolt said flatly. Blaster looked up from Breakfree for a second, a contemplative look on his face, before his smile returned.
"If I could, I would tell you why the first time I saw her, I could touch the sky."
Breakfree froze when she heard Blaster's voice singing gently in an unknown language. The words melded together, flowing easily into each other with perfect fluidity. Across the room, Bluewing went quiet, only giving a curious squeak as he listened to the tape deck sing.
"I turned to stone, and I could not breathe... She had the ability to make me weak."
Breakfree cocked her head and squeaked, reaching out one servo to the red mech with the pretty voice. Blaster easily lifted Breakfree into his arms as he continued the song.
"Always wishing. Always hoping that you'd get the message from the bottom of my spark. Let's together… share forever. It's just a matter of time."
Blaster didn't miss the looks of awe on the other mechs' faceplates. To Blaster, this was nothing new. He had, after all, raised four other sparklings, all of which had their own little tantrums. He had found that music could calm each of them. A glance over at Sunstreaker proved that Bluewing was beginning to fall into stasis. Flamefall appeared to be headed in the same direction. Breakfree, however, was silently listening, complete and utter awe in her optics. As he sat on an empty berth, Blaster continued singing the song by the human designated Michael W. Smith about the first time he saw his sparkling. The mechs around him relaxed, suddenly happy the tape deck was able to come and save them.
Optimus was not looking forward to this meeting. He was completely certain it was going to be rather stressful, and by the looks on the faces of the three Seekers before him, the Decepticon Command Trine was not going to make this easy for him. Still, Optimus stepped forward, Prowl and Ratchet moving with him. The meeting was taking place on a close-by and completely deserted planet. The ground was covered in a navy-colored dust, and it stuck to his pedes like he was magnetized. Starscream, Thundercracker, and Skywarp were standing a few feet away, each holding an expression that was a mix of anger and pain.
"Starscream," Optimus greeted in a grim tone.
"Prime," Starscream replied. "It's nice to see that you showed up, though the reinforcements are rather needless. I said I came to talk, and that is all I plan on doing."
"I apologize for my lack of trust, but it has been my past experience that luck favors the prepared."
"Touché," Starscream mumbled. His optics hardened as he got to the point. "You know why we are here. Our sparklings need Seeker influence in their lives."
"Yes, but they need their bonded creators, too," Ratchet interjected.
"So we have two choices: either your bonded mechs come to live with us, or we stay with you," Thundercracker claimed. Prowl twitched, Ratchet scowled, and Prime frowned.
"I don't think that will work, either way," Optimus stated slowly. Starscream glowered at the leader.
"Are you saying that we shouldn't be allowed to raise them? Are you insinuating that you can raise them as Seekers better then we can?" Starscream snapped.
"No, but I do not think my men would enjoy your company," Prime replied smoothly, keeping his temper in check.
"Then I suppose three of your mechs are coming with us, then!" Starscream hissed.
::Prime, I have a suggestion.::
::Go ahead, Prowl.::
::What if we brought them back to the Ark? I believe they will behave for the sake of the Seeklets. Keep their interaction with other Autobots to a minimum, and we may be able to maintain peace.::
::Hmm… What success rates are your battle computer and logic centers giving you?::
::78.62893 percent success rate. If you add in the factor of Seekers dealing with Seeklets, and it rises to 92.28301 percent.::
::Very well.::
"I have made a decision," Prime announced suddenly, cutting off a heated discussion between Ratchet and Starscream that he had completely missed. All attention turned to the Autobot leader.
"And what is your decision, noble leader," Starscream spat, earning a scowl from the surrounding Autobots.
"You and your trine will come with us to stay on the Ark. Your interactions with the Autobot soldiers will be limited to your trips to the rec room to refuel, the times when you are changing sparkling caregivers, and when your presence is requested by officers. You're weapons will be disarmed, and your targeting system offlined. Any fights you cause will land you in the brig, and you will not be allowed any time with the sparklings for two orns for every occurrence. Do you, Trine Leader Starscream, accept these terms?" Optimus held out a hand to the Seeker before him. Starscream scowled down at the hand as he considered his options. Finally, he took the proffered hand.
"I, Trine Leader Starscream, accept these terms."
"Very good," Optimus said with a grin. That grin fell when his comm. pinged.
::Optimus, we've got good news and bad news. The good news is we found Barricade. The bad news is he's destroying his cell in the brig.:: -Hound
::We've got more bad news, Prime. Megatron didn't know about the sparklings before, but Barricade knows now.:: -Mirage
This joor just got better and better, Prime thought dismally.
::Acknowledged,:: Prime replied, trying to keep the sigh out of his voice. ::I am heading back with Starscream, Skywarp, and Thundercracker right now.::
::Oh! They surrendered? Do I get to shoot them with my cannons?:: -Ironhide
::If those cannons online, even for a klik, I will disassemble them and weld them into an energon dispenser!:: -Ratchet
::Ratchet! Kindly desist from threatening your patients until you are no longer on the public comm. line.:: -Prime
::Yes, sir.:: -Ratchet
Optimus groaned. The CMO sounded hurt by the mere suggestion of not publicly yelling at Ironhide. He wondered vaguely if this was how the femmes at the Youth Sectors felt when they were caring for the sparklings after their morning cube of energon.
"Starscream, if you will accompany us back to our transport ships, we will take you to the Ark, where you can refuel and receive medical attention," Optimus stated.
"I wish to see our sparklings first thing," Starscream retorted haughtily.
"Maintenance first, then you may see them," Optimus replied in a voice that brooked no argument. Starscream simply nodded curtly and motioned with his helm for his two trine mates to follow him. As one, the Autobots and the three Seekers made their way back to the transport ships, more than ready to return to the Ark and the three bundles of joy the ship currently housed.
OMG! Lunar Mist updated something other than Through a Cybercat's Optics!SHOCK! I must rant for a second. FANFIC IS SO ANNOYING! IT WOULDN'T BRING UP THE LITTLE LINE-BREAK BUTTON SO I HAD TO USE FRAGGIN' HYPHENS! GRAGH!
Okay. I'm calm now. I do not own "Just a Matter of Time"by Micheal W. Smith, and I do not own Micheal W. Smith. I own the situation of Blaster singing it, though. Somehow, him crooning out Micheal W. Smith is just... *melts into a puddle* I imagine Blaster having Jamie Foxx's voice. (If you don't know who that is, then I can say that he has recently been famous for being Nico (the yellow bird) in the movie Rio (which I also do not own))
Yeah. Reviews are amazing! So please place some. Even if they're anonymous! XD Y'all will love the next chapter. Here's a hint: Sunstreaker meets up with the Trine, and Bluewing officially learns his first word. Basically, it's a chapter filled to the brim with Sunny-torture. :)