Chapter 10 - Lessons
The alarm no longer echoed through the base and the sounds of bots rushing towards the base entrance had long since passed. Ratchet had gone out with the others this time while Joe and Wheeljack stayed behind to prepare the bay for injured. Joe hated this part, the waiting, the not knowing. Wheeljack had turned on the med bay's radio to listen to the "battle traffic" so they would know what to prepare for. Both of them practically radiated nervousness and concern for their colleagues and friends. They listened to the radio and hoped it wouldn't be too bad this time.
Joe glanced over at Wheeljack and wondered what was taking him. Bluestreak was the autobots' official chatterbox but when Wheeljack got nervous he pulled a close second to the title. She guessed it was his way of not dwelling on the possibilities that battles could bring. Joe had deployed twice to Iraq over the last few years but this bot had been in countless battles in a war that had lasted millions of years.
"So" Wheeljack startled Joe out of her thoughts "any questions today? Perhaps I can help with a lesson that Ratchet hasn't hit up yet or didn't explain all the way."
Joe blinked. Well a lesson was always welcome, and if that's how Wheeljack wanted to break the tension this time around she'd be more then happy to play along. Besides, she could always count on Wheeljack to give information on the more…awkward…topics that Ratchet and his datapads seemed to neglect. "Sure! Did you have something in mind or do I get to choose?"
Wheeljack leaned his back against a repair berth facing Joe. "Pick a topic, surprise me."
Over the last several months Joe had gotten pretty good at reading the half of Wheeljack's face that was visible. Right now he was giving his 'happy face' which meant bright optics, voice indicators flashing a light blue, and slightly elevated optic ridges. 'Ok, let's not spoil the attempt at the happy mood then' Joe thought to herself. She pondered for a moment trying to come up with an acceptable topic. "Tell me about bots' sparks. I mean I know that you are sentient robots and all but exactly how do feelings and emotions fall into the mix?"
"Feelings, emotions, and sparks. Riiiiiight." Wheeljack pulled himself up onto the repair berth and sat with dangling legs as he debated on where to start. "Well without a spark a bot is no more then a drone. It is what makes us individual beings and able to express feelings and emotions. Our programming can be altered, our bodies changed or replaced, and our processors can be adjusted. But the spark…the best way to describe it is to compare it with what you humans call a soul."
Joe listened intently. She had been wanting to know more about this for quite sometime. But for some reason the others seemed to almost shy away from the subject. It was as if speaking about sparks was almost taboo.
The lecture paused for a moment as both of them listened to the radio briefly. The battle had begun. Wheeljack turned back towards Joe after a moment and continued where he left off. "Each bot has a spark, though in cases like Sideswipe and Sunstreaker the spark is split. They each have a spark that pulses within their chassis, but each spark is a half of the other. That is where their bond comes into play and why they are able to sense and communicate with each other. It is also, I'm sorry to say, why when one dies the other will follow."
'Ok, happy mood gone' Joe sighed to herself. She suddenly brightened at an idea. "Are twins the only ones who share a bond?" Joe already knew the answer but she really only knew the basics behind it and wanted to know more. She smiled as she saw Wheeljack perk up at the question and gave herself a mental pat on the back for asking.
"That kind of bonding is a wondrous gift from Primus. It is when ates choose to take their relationship to a higher level. Their sparks bond and they are united as one. Sort of like your marriage concept but something more. A bonded pair are able to share the same affects that twins share. They can communicate with each other and sense each other's feelings and thoughts. They can also share physical affects." Wheeljack's voice indicators glowed a soft lavender in his version of a blush. "Interfacing between a bonded pair is extremely intense from what I understand."
Joe grinned. She could well imagine what Wheeljack meant by intense. If interfacing was what she figured it to be, then interfacing when you could share feelings, emotions, thoughts, and physical touch…well damn that's just mind blowing.
"It can occur between mechs, femmes, or a combination. I never understood why you humans would restrict your chances at finding your true other half based on sexual preference. When Sam first heard about berthmates and bondmates…well lets just say it took him awhile to get over his homophobia" Wheeljack chuckled.
"I don't see a problem with it. It is hard enough finding someone that special as it is without limiting your choices. I have known several people who live an alternate lifestyle and they are no different from anyone else."
"Well it's nice to see that at least some humans understand."
"So, other then what you've listed what else can you tell me about bonds?"
"A bonded pair can also share the other less desirable physical affects. When one is injured the other will feel it too."
Joe frowned at that. So much for choosing a happy topic. "Will the same thing that happens to twinned sparks also occur in this kind of bond if one dies?"
Wheeljack nodded soberly. "It is possible to survive if your bondmate perishes, but it is rare. When one dies the other just does not want to live, and I mean that on more then one level. Although a bot may survive his bondmate's death, they can be permanently changed by such a traumatic experience. They are usually only a shadow of what they once were. It is rare to survive a bondmate's death, it is near unheard of to survive and still flourish."
"Ok obviously a twinned spark is permanent, what about the other one?"
"Once the firewalls that protect our core programming are brought down and keyed to the other half, it is irreversible. It is still possible at that point to not complete the bond, but the one who let their firewalls down will forever be open to the other and will not be able to take on another bond. A rare occurrence fortunately as both parties are usually ready to complete the bond if they have reached that step."
"Gotcha, so…excluding the twins, do we have any bonded bots running around base?"
Wheeljack chuckled. "None that I know of. It isn't done much anymore due to the war. Though there are a few couples that should probably just go ahead and get it over with. Some of them act as if they've been bonded for a millennia as it is. And there are those who should at least be a couple and are either too stubborn or are in denial."
"I've heard a few bots joke that you and Ratchet act like an old bonded couple" Joe teased. She laughed as Wheeljack's optics narrowed.
"Ok that's just gross. Ratchet and I have been best friends since our academy days. There has never been, and there will never be, a romantic thought between us."
"Awww, why not? He's smart, funny, and cute." Wheeljack's splutters and protests just urged Joe on. 'Why quit when you're winning?' she thought smugly to herself. "Oh come on now Jack, everyone dreams about landing a doctor. Or has someone already landed him?"
Wheeljack sighed and let Joe have her fun…for the moment anyways. 'Alright Joe, time to turn the tables, it's my turn' Wheeljack thought to himself with a grin. 'And I might just be able to help Ratchet out a little in the process, the glitched hopeless romantic in denial that he is.' "Actually Ratchet has been single for quite sometime. Speaking of single I don't exactly see you parading around with anyone."
Joe's laughter cut off sharply.
'And Wheeljack scores a point.' "You've been practically living at this base for what? 4-5 months now? I'm beginning to think you aren't interested in human males anymore." Wheeljack blinked at the sudden glare directed at him. 'Ok, that might have been a little too direct a little too fast' Wheeljack mentally berated himself.
"Wheeljack, prepare the med bay for the following injuries…" Ratchet's voice carried across the bay's speakers.
'Thank Primus for small favors. Thanks for the interruption Ratchet, I thought I was in trouble for a second there.' Wheeljack sighed in relief as he dug out the specific tools required for the injuries now being listed across the radio.
It didn't take long for the first patients to appear. Those who were in more serious condition were transported by Skyfire, which meant they were also the first to arrive. Ratchet crashed through the med bay doors just ahead of Ironhide and Hoist who were carrying an offline Hound.
"Place him on that berth over there!" Ratchet pointed to a berth on the far wall. "Wheeljack! I need you to work on Huffer. They are carrying him in next; he took shrapnel to a coolant pump. I'll help you out as soon as I get Hound stable."
Ratchet removed several sections of plating from Hound's chassis and frowned at the numerous leaks awaiting him. A clamp suddenly appeared in his peripheral vision and he smiled at the offered tool Joe had held up to him. "Alright, you can help with the tools but remember…"
"Hands off in first phase" Joe cut him off with a grin.
"Wise aft."
"Takes one to know one."
"Well that's an immature response."
"Well it would seem like a child's response to someone as ancient as you are. You've got how many millions of years on me?"
Ratchet muttered as he accepted defeat and returned to working on Hound. Although Hound's wounds were serious, they were luckily easy to repair. Joe's eyes followed everything he did her attention never wavering. Ratchet offered a hand to Joe as he moved on to assist Wheeljack with Huffer.
The rest of the injured were carried in or followed shortly after by the walking wounded. Joe was cleaning off a repair berth that had just been vacated when Cliffjumper limped in. He glared at her and she straightened. Cliffjumper started to snarl when an unexpected look of fear crossed his faceplates. He lowered his optics and limped off to stand in line to await his turn to get repaired.
Joe frowned in puzzlement then looked behind her to see Sunstreaker standing behind her. His arms were crossed across his chest and he was sending his best homicidal grin in Cliffjumper's direction. "Well hello sex on wheels, what are you up to?"
Sunstreaked puffed up at the nickname and offered Joe a smile. "I got nicked by a cheap shot. It glazed the back of my knee."
Sunstreaker shifted so Joe could see. She nodded as she saw the trickle of energon dripping down his calf. Normally a small injury like that could be handled by internal repairs as long as he wasn't already overtaxing his systems. But joints like the knee were funny when it came to injury, it would not repair unassisted.
Sideswipe walked up and stood beside his brother. "Hey Joe, what's the repair wait time looking like for Sunny?"
Joe sighed and shook her head. "Gonna be awhile Sides so get comfortable. The 'cons gave us lots to put back together today. Wish I could help."
Sideswipe frowned and looked around the med bay. "Well why can't you fix it?"
Joe offered the twins a look of sympathy. "Sorry guys, the Hatchet says no playing for me. First phase of training or some slag like that. So I get to help out with tools and help clean up."
"Well slag that" Sideswipe replied as he walked over to where Ratchet was reattaching Prowl's arm.
"What's he doing?" Joe asked Sunstreaker.
"Doing what he does best" the yellow twin replied.
Ratchet frowned as Sideswipe strolled up and stood next to the repair berth where he was currently working. "It had better be important, I'm busy" he snapped as he returned to welding another piece of Prowl's arm in place.
"Well I was hoping to get Sunstreaker fixed so we could get out of your way and out of your med lab.
Ratchet glanced across the bay and did a quick scan of Sunstreaker. "His injury is minor and can wait."
"Yeah, I know, that's the problem. I don't wanna wait. And I know you don't want us waiting in here…for a long time…in your med bay…while you work…annoying you…and causing Primus knows what kinds of mischief…you see where I am going with this?"
"Oh I know very well where you are going with this you piece of slag" Ratchet snapped. Prowl raised an optic ridge at the exchange between the two but remained silent. "But that doesn't change the fact that his injury is of low priority. I am not going to put him on the list ahead of everyone else just to save myself a headache which I know you two are going to give me before this night is out." Ratchet had raised an arc welder and held it uncomfortably close to Sideswipe around the time he mentioned headache.
Sideswipe looked at the welder with worried optics. "Well, if you're busy, and Wheeljack an Hoist are busy why can't Joe do it? You said it yourself that the injury is low priority."
Prowl's other optic ridge rose at that and both bots looked at Ratchet awaiting his response.
"Absolutely not Sideswipe. Joe is a very bright student and although she is progressing faster then most bots I have trained in the past she is not ready for actual hands on practicals."
"She fixed up Sunstreaker back when we found those Stuntacons didn't she?"
"He has a point!" yelled Wheeljack a few berths down.
"Shut up Wheeljack! You're not helping!" Ratchet returned his attention to the red twin. "Joe stabilized Sunstreaker, she did not fix him, his injuries required the med bay. And that was an emergency situation so the point is moot anyways."
Sideswipe smiled "please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No, now go away, I have work to do."
"Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please…"
"Knock it off!!" Ratchet shouted as he set the welder down and hefted his favored weapon of choice.
It took a moment for Sideswipe's optics to refocus. 'Wow, wrench at point blank range, I get bragging rights for that one' he thought to himself. He stood up and made a show of brushing dirt from his legs and shoulders. He looked back at Ratchet and took a deep breath. "Please, please, please, please, please…"
"FINE!! Tell Joe she can do a slagging primary energon pump transfer for all I care!! Just go away!!"
Sideswipe smiled happily and walked back to where his twin and Joe waited.
"Ok Joe, you're good to do your thing now" Sideswipe said as he walked up.
"You're good" Joe answered with reverence.
"I am the Admiral of Annoyance" bragged the red Lamborghini. "I hope you were watching closely Joe cause out of all the lectures and lessons you've received from Ratchet and Wheeljack, this is the one that's gonna help ya out the most."
"Hey 'Admiral' you have a dent the size of China in your head" Sunstreaker smirked.