Surrender
Chapter 10: Family Matters
Long time coming ... :D
Read and review please...
"What is it?" Optimus asked as Starscream checked the readouts of the main computer. "Autobot? Decepticon?" he blinked "Drone?"
Starscream shook his head. "Weak signal for being so close." He murmured
"We're not sure sir." Red looked up at Optimus answering his question. "I'll have a better Idea once I get better visuals from the UAVs." He said slowly. "But the MED that set off was in the southern quadrant." He moved to another keypad. "Transmitting you all coordinates now." He said and everyone's hud flashed with the digits.
Optimus gave a slow nod. "Rollout everyone." He motioned sideswipe and Bumblebee to the door." The doors sealed shut and Prowl vented quietly. "It is never dull around here that's for sure." He murmured tightly.
"You said it Prowl." Red smiled softly and pulled up another screen.
Ironhide entered the command center, stomping his way forward
"Prowl, I'll be relieving you. You're in the field."
"But I …I haven't been in the field since the war started at Tripticon station." He said slowly. "Ironhide what's happened?"
"I'm not able to go into the field, as third in command you must go and take my place." Ironhide looked at Red Alert. "Screens up!"
"What's wrong Ironhide?" Prowl asked him voice filled with concern.
"You can ask Starscream on the way, but you're wasting time, and that …is not like you Prowl. Report to Optimus." Ironhide was extra grouchy this time about it.
Prowl bowed slightly in front of Ironhide. "Yes Sir." He said slowly and turned to the door, as paddle-shifter walked in.
"Ah our new archivist." Ironhide rumbled with a sadistic satisfaction. "Sit little one and take notes." He looked at Red Alert. "I need eyes Red….where are the UAV feeds?"
"Yes sir. They are coming up on screen now."
Ironhide clutched his torso plate leaning down over the command console and took three large vents. "Shifter please escort Ironhide to Optimus' chair…he needs to sit." Red gave Ironhide a stern look. "Ease him back into the chair we don't want him falling."
Shifter stood and moved to the large mech who nodded slowly shifting his arm around the smaller hatch back. "What's wrong Ironhide?" Shifter asked slowly.
"I got seekers." He mumbled cryptically and shook his head leaning back into Prime's chair and sitting. "Ok back to your post…screens up…Hook to the command center." He nodded to Red alert who made the call. Ironhide shifted to one side and noted a large canister near Prime's chair. Good. He thought. If I need to purge I can. He looked up and saw the video feeds. "Can you clean any of that up red it's horridly dark."
"I'll see what I can do sir." Red looked back as Hook appeared in the doorway jogging in and pausing at Ironhide with a scanner.
"Sit back." Hook said softly. "I'll try to give you something for the discomfort." Ironhide could only nod and do as the medic asked.
Starscream and Optimus landed near one another on ledge that overlooked the deserted area where the detector had been set off; Starscream landing slowly both feet settling evenly. Optimus landed in step, one foot after the other and tried to slow himself. "You're a lot better at this than I am." He murmured.
"Variable trajectory." He smirked looking out as if that was the only answer to his better capability in the air. "Where is it?"
"I'm unsure." Optimus held out his scanner and took a long look out ahead of himself. "Prowl and Bumblebee are on the eastern half of the grid, Sideswipe is on the southern." He said slowly.
"We're western who's covering the north?"
"Ratchet." Optimus said slowly and looked down over the area. "This signal is strong so where is it?"
"It's not a seeker or I'd have felt it." Starscream said slowly taking a single step forward. "There… movement." The small thing darted across the open area below them.
Optimus moved his scanner. "Yes …its readout is very weak." He reached up hitting his comm. "Ironhide do you and Red have a UAV visual?"
"Nada." Ironhide responded extremely quietly. "Be careful."
Starscream froze. "I'm picking up a decepticon signal." He lifted his hand to his helm. "Prowl are you reading it as well?"
"The signal? Yes." He said softly. "Homing beacon." He sounded concerned. "You want to meet me there?"
He glanced at Optimus who gave him an affirming nod. "Yes go."
Starscream moved into the green area trying to avoid walking into trees he looked around. His sensors were playing havoc with him, until it hit him. Literally hit him. The creature below whined and pawed against his legs.
"Ravage?" he blinked. "You were killed." He knelt down slowly and looked over the cybertronian feline that rubbed against him. Starscream raised up his head his hand cresting over the feline's back. "I've got it…it's Ravage…he's very low on energon I'm bringing him in."
Prowl appeared just next to him. "That's not Ravage." Prowl said quietly.
"Who is it?" Starscream asked his head turning to one side. "It's not a drone …look at how it's acting."
"Possibly a different hatchling." Prowl smiled and leaned down offering his hand to the feline who hissed and rubbed against Starscream some more. "I guess he told me didn't he?"
Starscream laughed. "That's right hiss at the evil Autobots." He smirked as Prowl laughed lightly.
A shadow appeared over them. "What do we have?" Optimus asked kneeling down beside prowl.
"It's like Ravage but it doesn't seem to want anything to do with me…he seems alright with Starscream." Prowl shook his head, but his optics were locked on the sad creature. Much to his chagrin he was very maternal when it came to creatures. He'd taken a shine to young Paddle-shifter, and now, much to his aching he was taking a shine to the creature that was scared of him. He longed for the creature not to be afraid.
The creature moved to Optimus slowly and appeared to be scanning him before pressing his head against the Prime's hand. "Oh well I give up." Prowl laughed and stood. "It hates me." He said like it was funny, but his spark hurt over it. The look Optimus gave him let him know the Prime could feel his irritation too.
Optimus let his hand trail over the back of the feline. "Oh he does not." Optimus shook his head but gave prowl a soft, bright glance letting his mask retract. "Lets take him in and get him some energon." He nodded. "See if we can't get him to adapt into our little fold."
"And if we can't?" Starscream asked.
"We'll figure that out when it happens." Optimus stood the creature reaching up pawing at his legs. "easy …" Optimus held a hand to it and it knelt down.
"I'll transport it back, it's not very far…" Optimus said and lifted a hand to his comm. "Stand down …stand down…base back to blue alert the situation is taken care of. Everyone back to base."
Prowl sat against the far wall as the feline followed Optimus around the room. "Where is Paddle-shifter?" Optimus looked around confused he'd come back and the youngling who had usually been there was gone.
"Starscream and Ironhide were going to watch after him tonight so you and I could be alone." Prowl's optics kept following the feline. "Though we now have him…when I made these plans a week ago this little …addition was not calculated in."
Optimus looked back slowly. "Ah an unaccounted for variable how …unfortunate." It was a Jab at Prowl and Prowl knew it.
Prowl picked up a piece of cardboard and tossed it at prime but it bounced off his foot. "You're not helping."
"I apologize." He looked down. "He seemed alright with Starscream as well, I could take him to their hanger and return to you." Optimus' mouth was a thin line, as his soft Optics trailed over the black and white body that sat against the wall.
Prowl's leg was up his ankle joint resting on his opposite knee, his arm stretched over the back of the seat. Optimus smiled at him and could see the flutter in his door wings. "We don't have to Optimus." Prowl said softly. "Not unless you wish to."
Optimus held his gaze and nodded then looking down he pat his leg. "Come …you're going to Starscream."
The feline tipped his head and shook his tail slightly as he moved backward and moved to sit along the back wall.
Prowl turned his head to the feline and shook his head. "Guess that settles that."
Optimus shook his head. "Come." He repeated but the feline backed up into the wall.
"Stubborn" Prowl smiled as he observed turning his head into his palm. "Now what? How do you deal with insubordinates again? I forgot?" He smirked.
Optimus stepped over lifting the feline up in his hands and turned. "I'll deal with you when I return."
Prowl had a satisfied smirk and just laughed sitting back. "I'll hold you to that."
Optimus' optics brightened marginally and he nodded. "Of course…come along…cat." He murmured to the beast.
The feline wiggled in his arms and tried to get out but Prime glared down at him and he stilled. Optimus stepped to the door and slid it back. "Get comfortable I'll be back."
Once Optimus was out the door; Prowl picked up a data-pad and began to write patrol schedules. "Absolutely comfy." He said softly and laid back.
"Is Ironhide going to be okay?" Shifter asked softly as he moved another piece on the board.
"Yes he will be fine he just needs rest." The seeker's optics trailed over the board. "You've been playing with Optimus." It was fact, the last time they'd played Shifter had made half the moves he'd made tonight.
"Yes he taught me." Shifter nodded slowly as he watched the seekers optics moving across the board.
Starscream picked up his knight and moved it to another square grabbing the pawn up before setting the knight down. "Check."
"Ugh!" Shifter sighed and looked around. "I can't make any moves can I?"
Starscream scanned the board again and shook his head. "I'm afraid not but it was well played." He nodded. "Very good…would you like to go again?"
"Yes." He smiled and picked up his pieces from Starscream's side of the little table. "What are my Sire and Optimus doing tonight?"
Starscream blinked and looked up. "Discussing family matters." He said softly.
"Oh." He looked down. "Are they going to bond?"
"You would have to ask them." Starscream paused. "Why are you against it?" Before the youth could answer there was a small knock on the hanger door. Starscream gave him a knowing look to stay put and he rose moving to the door. "Hold that thought."
Optimus stepped inside and set the cat down. The feline moved to shifter and hopped up on the seat beside him. "Is it a problem?" Optimus asked.
"No it's fine he's more than welcome." Starscream smiled back at shifter.
"How is Ironhide?" Optimus smirked.
"He's so deep in recharge not even Unicron the un-maker could rouse him." Starscream smiled.
"And his charges?" Optimus smirked.
"Ratchet and Hook are monitoring him and I am privy to his mood more so than he would like, but he can't seem to block me out." Starscream tapped his helm. "He's exhausted." He said softly. "And he is still purging."
"Are you sure it's alright that Shifter and the feline stay?" Optimus asked, there was serious concern. "I do not wish to inconvenience you, or add undue strain to you or Ironhide." He said softly.
"It's not …" Starscream smiled. "I've been playing chess with Paddle-shifter." He smiled. "I think we'll play checkers next he may have a better time at it."
Optimus nodded and lowered his arms slowly. "Thank you."
"Of course Optimus." Starscream smiled.
"I'll see you tomorrow Optimus." Starscream nodded. "Enjoy yourself."
"I shall." Optimus gave Shifter a nod. "Behave or your sire and I will reconsider these…over night stays."
"Yes sir." Shifter nodded, and with that Optimus left as Starscream closed the door behind him. The seeker shifted a moment and gave a soft smile and a little wave.
"Stay here for a moment Ironhide has awoken I need to check him." Starscream said softly and crossed behind shifter's chair to move into the area they had curtained off as their berth room.
"Alright." Shifter moved to set the chess pieces back in their proper places.
The curtain shifted and Starscream looked into those blue optics, that looked thinly back at him. "Hurting?" he asked as he pulled the curtain closed behind him moving to the berth.
Ironhide gave a nod. "Gonna purge." He shifted over the canister, beside the berth, and choked the rancid energon from his tanks.
Starscream activated his comm. "Hook, it's Starscream he purged again." He said softly. After a ping and a confirmation that the medic was on his way Starscream sat down on the edge of the berth and ran his clawed hands over the black mech's back. "Easy."
"I want them out." Ironhide rumbled. "I'm dying." He confessed.
Starscream shook his head. "No you are not." He scoffed. "You've only known about them for a week." He laughed very softly as his hands made circling motions over Ironhide's shoulder. "You agreed to keep them. …you've had them for over six months now and it's almost time for us to remove them." Starscream leaned toward him. "Don't back out of this."
Ironhide nodded. "Won't ….just feels good to say I want it over with quickly. Vent the frustration."
Starscream smirked. "I respect that." He smirked and pressed his helm to Ironhide's in an awkward leaned down motion.
"Ugh." Ironhide vented hard. "ugh." He groaned.
"Easy." Starscream shook his head and looked up as he heard a bang on the hanger door. "Hook's here I'm going to go let him in…I'll be right back."
Prowl giggled softly. "You can still laugh." Optimus smirked and ran a digit over a door wing.
"Yes of course." Prowl smiled silencing his giggles. "I do have ticklish parts, or when I'm over charged. He leaned down over Optimus' chassis and his fingers began to trace lines. "Though this is the latter."
"I can see that." Optimus smirked at him. "I do so like you like this…shame we can't keep you over charged all of the time." He said with an amused tone.
Prowl's optic's thinned. "I dare you to try."
"Unfortunately for me I cannot with our energon supply so low." He wrapped his arms around the lithe mech. "How long has it been?"
"A long time." Prowl murmured. "Since Cybertron…since Jazz." He murmured softly.
Optimus nodded slowly in understanding. His digits trailed up to trace lines along the cruiser's torso and against the bright red chevron that adorned his forehead.
"How long has it been for you?" He asked.
"Terrianis four." He said slowly. "Magnus." Optimus admitted. "Though it was a …" he froze trying to explain it politely was a chore.
"Frag of convenience?" Prowl surmised.
"Yes." Optimus nodded. "This will not be that."
Prowl shook his helm as he leaned down. "No…I should think not." he said and captured the Prime's lips against his own and felt Optimus clamp down on him as his own digits clamped into the Prime's shoulders. "Firewalls."
"In place…and holding." Optimus nodded. "Merge with me." He pressed a wave into the cruiser from his own spark, the pulse radiating to the black and white's core.
Prowl moaned and pushed against him focusing a pulse back at the prime and groaned as it was received. "You needn't ask." He murmured and pressed their lips together clumsily as they rolled off the settee and onto the ground knocking over large plastic containers as they did so. The containers tipped to the side releasing their contents; data-pads.
The data-pads scattered and the two didn't stop their movements. Emotions assaulting them from all angles; they pulsed against one another with moans and groans and finally the snapping sound or retracting panels caused them to take pause.
TBC