A Bet's A Bet
Chapter 10
Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers. They belong to Hasbro and Takara. I am merely taking them for a short spin.
Kup watched Red Alert repair Ultra Magnus. The femme wasn't being very gentle, and the ancient mech figured Magnus had done something to deserve such treatment. Red Alert was usually fairly sympathetic about injuries, unlike Ratchet, but the femme was silent as she reattached Magnus' arm. And strangely enough, Elita-1 hadn't stuck around to see the repairs done.
Elita had it bad for Magnus. Kup was positive Magnus cared for the femme, and had for a very long time, which was why the other mech had never had many relationships, serious or otherwise. Why settle when he couldn't have what he really wanted. Except now, things were looking up for the pair, and Magnus was being an aft. Not much of a stretch. . .but things weren't going well between the femme and Magnus. Kup wondered why, when they were free to be together. Unless it was Magnus' reluctance to get involved with the femme who was once his closest and oldest friend's mate. Stubborn as hell, Kup mused. At one time, he was certain Optimus, Elita and Magnus would form a trine; however, the war and Magnus' stubbornness shot down any chances of that.
Magnus wouldn't even meet his optics. A sure sign he was feeling guilty about something, but he wouldn't fess up. Damn. He'd just let Magnus fester until he decided to come clean. If he wanted to wallow in guilt and self-pity, Kup was willing to let him do it for a while. Besides, it would be fun to see how long Magnus could go before breaking.
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The next evening
Ultra Magnus twitched as he watched Springer and Arcee pull up side by side. They transformed, going their separate ways. A few seconds later, another pair of Autobots returning from patrol pulled up, transforming. Ultra Magnus twitched again, watching Optimus Prime chat with Hot Rod a few moments before the younger Autobot joined his brother, both heading for the rec room. Magnus glared at Optimus, who was walking toward him, optic ridge raised in interest.
"Problems, old friend?" Optimus asked.
"You're patrolling with Hot Rod? Switching the roster for Springer to patrol with Arcee is one thing, but now I know you're just being difficult," Magnus said.
"And you're taking longer than I expected to break," Optimus said. "If you want to talk to me, we can do it over energon."
He threw an arm around Magnus' shoulders, dragging his friend toward the rec room. Optimus went to get to them both energon while Magnus took a slight detour. The big mech made for Prowl's table, where the second in command was sitting with an arm thrown around Sideswipe's shoulders. Sunstreaker was sitting on his other side, close, but not touching. Ultra Magnus was receiving the "frag off" vibe from across the room, and the yellow twin's expression deepened to a scowl as Magnus approached. He ignored the twins, gunning for Prowl instead.
"Did Optimus order you to make those duty roster changes?" Magnus asked.
"Orders are orders," Prowl said. "But it's none of your business."
"It is my business, if it concerns members of my team," Magnus said.
"There is no 'them' or 'us,' Magnus," Prowl said. "Your crew is being integrated into the duty roster and however Prime sees fit is how it will be. You have a problem, take it up with him. I'm off duty right now."
"But. . ."
"No buts, Magnus," Prowl said. "I'm off duty. So are you. If you want to sit down, sit down and we'll talk. Otherwise, I'm sure Ratchet would love to hear you're overtaxing yourself."
"What is it with all of you and blackmail?" Magnus asked.
"Who's blackmailing who?" Sideswipe asked, suddenly interested.
"Wouldn't you like to know," Magnus muttered.
Prowl smiled sweetly at Magnus. Frag. Frag. Frag. Prowl never smiled.
"Magnus, you're in over your head," Prowl said. "Bow out gracefully while you've still got a chance."
"What. . ."
"I've said my piece," Prowl said. "And Optimus is waiting for you."
Magnus balled a fist in frustration, at a loss for words, but he made his way over to the corner table where Optimus was sitting.
"Did you tell Prowl?" Magnus asked, sitting down.
"Tell Prowl about what?" Optimus asked innocently. "He figured it out on his own, if you must know. I told him nothing. Have you told Elita of the wager yet? I'm sure if you explained. . ."
"No," Magnus said.
"Why not?"
"I'm trying to teach Springer a lesson," Magnus said. "He hasn't shirked his duties once in the past two weeks."
"You're being an aft-head," Optimus said. "Which reminds me. Why are you so hell-bent on proving a point? Bad blood with Springer and Hot Rod?"
Magnus didn't say a word, so Optimus switched tactics.
"Did you frag them?" Optimus asked.
"That you would suggest I would interface with a subordinate, let alone two. . .speaking of such matters, why are you letting Prowl exhibit such behavior?" Magnus said.
So, he knew about Prowl and the twins.
"Prowl's happy, so are twins, so that's the end of it," Optimus said. "And during combat operations, we've worked it out. The twins are under Jazz's command. Besides, I don't see how it's any of your business."
"Protocol is my business," Magnus said. "As it should be yours, as you are my Prime."
So, the were going to have that talk again, and soon, from the looks of things.
"Things have been quiet lately. Since we've moved back to Tranquility Base from Diego Garcia, we have the time, space and numbers to try and have some semblance of normalcy," Optimus said. "I've told you before, I'm not going to take away anyone's chance at happiness because we're still at war. Including yours, so get that through your head."
Magnus frowned, taking a sip of his energon, trying to ignore Optimus.
"You need to loosen up," Optimus said. "Prude."
"Libertine," Magnus snapped. "You and that overdeveloped interface drive of yours."
"I haven't been involved with anyone, even casually, since Elita," Optimus said. "I've been too busy."
"And you know you hurt her deeply when you ended things with her," Magnus said.
"The decision was mutual," Optimus said. "Besides. Towards the end, we were growing apart, and she cared for someone else. Someone she never told. I guessed, and she never confirmed it until she arrived here on Earth. She's been waiting for you a very long time."
"Are you done?" Magnus asked.
"I could go on," Optimus said. "But answer me this-why are you so hostile toward Hot Rod and Springer?"
"Despite their. . .quirks, they're two of the most savage frontliners with whom I've ever served," Magnus said. "And two mechs I'm proud to call my friends. However, they both seem to share something in common with you-an overdeveloped interface drive."
"That's the problem?" Optimus said.
"They let their urges get in the way of their duties," Magnus said. "I do not approve."
"Magnus, you need a good, hard overload. Actually, more than one. Have you ever had an overload, because I'm sure Elita would be glad to help you with that. . .besides, you don't deserve her," Optimus said. "She's waited for you for so long, and you can't even give her the time of day. . ."
Optimus was on the ground suddenly, on his back, seeing stars. Magnus moved so fast. . .he'd meant to provoke him. . .
"Good. . .you do care. . ." he muttered before offlining.
Magnus quickly found himself being pulled off Optimus by Ironhide, who promptly hit his knees, purging all over the place. Then Ratchet and Hot Rod were there.
Ratchet and Hot Rod found them that way.
"What in the Pit have you done?" Ratchet asked Magnus, as he helped pull Ironhide to his feet. "Hot Rod, check Optimus."
"Out cold," Hot Rod said.
"'Hide, do you feel well enough to assist Hot Rod with Optimus?"
He nodded, helping the younger mech haul their fallen leader between them.
"You've upset my mate, and you struck a fellow Autobot. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't repeat the process with you," Ratchet said.
Magnus said nothing.
"Talk," Ratchet said.
"Optimus. . .provoked me," Magnus said. "He said something about Elita. . ."
"You always were a puritanical asshole," Ratchet said as Prowl reached his side. "Get out of here before this gets out of control more than it already has."
Magnus quickly commed the Xantium, and was bounced back to the ship, leaving Ratchet with Prowl.
"What was that all about?" Prowl asked.
"I'm going to find out," Ratchet said, turning on his heel, headed for the med bay.
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Hot Rod helped Ironhide lay Optimus out on a medical berth, and he noticed the big black mech was still shaky.
"Are you all right?" Hot Rod asked as Ironhide sat down on one of the other berths.
"I just feel a little off," Ironhide said. "I have for a couple of days now, but this is worst it's been."
"What do you mean by 'off?'" a voice asked.
Ratchet. Slag.
"Nothing," Ironhide said. "Queasy."
"Nothing, my aft," Ratchet said. "Lay down."
"What about Optimus?" Ironhide said.
"He can wait a few minutes," Ratchet said. "Now lie still. This will only take a moment. . ."
He ran a quick scan of his mate; vitals within normal operating parameters, although he could use more energon intake, the current mineral concentration in the energon mix wasn't sitting well with Ironhide's systems, and. . .frag. A tiny little variance in Ironhide's spark pulse. Ratchet calibrated the scan, and found he was corrrect. A new spark connected to Ironhide's.
Ratchet grinned. Ironhide frowned.
"What's wrong?" Ironhide said.
"You're sparked," Ratchet said.
"What? How in the Pit can that be? We've only tried a couple of times. . ." Ironhide spluttered.
"Too much information," Hot Rod interjected, but Ratchet ignored him.
"We're going to have to switch you to medical grade energon, and fix the mineral concentration, but other than that, we have a healthy sparkling so far," the medic said. "Start picking out names, 'Hide. Remember our agreement? The one carrying gets to pick the name."
"Slag," Ironhide said. "Really? I'm sparked?"
"Yes," Ratchet said, giving his bond mate a squeeze on the shoulder. "Go get some rest, and I'll deal with aft-head here. I'll let you know how he's doing."
"All right," Ironhide said, heading off. Ratchet watched him go, a frown on his face when he saw Hot Rod still standing there.
"Youngling, it's all right. I can take care of Optimus by myself. I'll give you an update on his condition, also," Ratchet said.
Hot Rod vented air in a sigh, but he obeyed the medic, walking away.
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