I know, I know. It has been an obscenely long time since I have updated this story. I apologize for that. I can only blame real-life, severe writer's block and being abducted by a horde of plot-bunnies. Here is another chapter. I will not attempt to estimate a time frame for the next.
This is for all of you who continued to review this story or otherwise lovingly pestered me with encouragement to continue. I do not want those efforts to go unrewarded. ;-)
To everyone who let me beat ideas back and forth about how to pull this part off convincingly, I thank you. Unfortunately, I have to admit, I didn't use ANY of the ideas bandied about. Even ones I came up with. Nope. As I wrote this I still had no idea how, exactly, I wanted to take it and still did not know for sure until my fingers were typing it out. So… hope it works. :D
Please enjoy!
Optimus and the others actually reached the intercept point well ahead of the speeding human vehicles. Though he could not pick up the conversation taking place with his audio preceptors, Optimus's sensors could pick up Sam and Mikaela's increasing stress levels.
/His systems are reaching critical levels./ Ratchet announced at the same time Optimus came to the same conclusion.
/I do not understand tho'/ Jazz murmured over the channel as he took the position Optimus instructed him to take. /How can tha' kid be more afraid o' his own kind than he is o' us?/
/He wasn't at first./ Bumblebee reminded them, a hint of chagrin in his electronic tone. /But it is true that it was not this bad./
Optimus let them chat as he quickly reviewed once more the files Bumblebee had sent concerning Sector Seven and realized that Bumblebee was correct to be concerned for his charge. That organization had more in common to the Decepticons in its proclivity to using secrecy and deceptive tactics to achieve its aims.
As the black vehicles drew closer, Optimus was able to discern the conversation. What he heard made his systems heat with rare anger.
A human male was turned back to face the two young people, clearly agitated. "I can make you disappear. Forever. It is time to talk!"
Optimus growled, his engine rumbling threateningly enough to cause the other Autobots to look at him curiously. He might not be an expert yet on human customs, but that did not stop his ethical and protective subroutines from throwing up warnings. To hear that man threaten the younglings at all, let alone threaten them because of him and the other Autobots… that was not acceptable.
No decent sentient creature threatened children. Especially over a situation said youth had no control over. He had already watched far to many innocent lives extinguished by the Decepticons - including far to many younglings - unable to prevent it from happening. While these humans were not Decepticons, they were acting like them. And it made the energon running through his system boil.
Optimus carefully computed the physical tolerances of the vehicle's human passengers even as he made his decision. Transforming as the human vehicles passed under a bridge, Optimus dropped to the ground in front of them. He let his impact with the ground, perhaps a hint more forceful than necessary, bleed away some of his sudden and un-Prime-like fury. After all, as angry as he was, Optimus was not about to harm the humans.
"Optimus!" Ironhide called out to him as the leading vehicle slammed into his pede with enough force, yet at a sufficient angle to halt its progress while not killing its occupants. He had calculated the angle and the forces involved necessary to ensure the black vehicle only glanced off one pede before it hit the other. The first impact was sufficient to dissipate enough force so that the second impact was only jarring rather than life threatening for its fragile organic occupants.
Ironhide continued to gripe at him for improvising, but Optumus ignored the weapons specialist as he reached down, grasping the vehicle by its ridiculously frail frame. He ignored the terrified screams of its passengers. These aggressively arrogant humans needed a lesson and he could not let guilt at causing them fear prevent him from delivering that message.
No, he could not bring himself to feel bad about making the adults feel the same terror they had subjected the children to. That thought alone helped to dispel the red haze that was slowly starting to cloud his optics. He only hoped the children would continue to trust them after this episode.
Optimus briefly scanned the other humans, who had quickly stopped their vehicles and were climbing out to confront him. All of them held some kind of primitive weapon, which they were leveling at him.
/Jazz, Ironhide, Ratchet, Bumblebee./ Optimus commanded, feeling the weak metal begin to crack under his prying fingers. /Create a perimeter./
His command was acknowledged as the body of the vehicle fell free from the segment of the hood Optimus had been holding. It fell the few feet he had been holding it and bounced on its wheels.
Thankfully, the screaming stopped as he tossed the handful of scrap metal to the side.
Optimus turned back to see four organic faces staring up at him in shock. Then they blinked, squinting against the glaring of the headlights that were now imbedded in his chassis. For Sam and Mikaela's sakes more than the offensive adult's, but still not wanting to subject any of them to more hardship than necessary, Optimus offlined those lights.
All four humans grew still as they stared up at him with lower jaw slightly agape. Even if the language files had not included information about human body language, Optimus would doubtless have had little trouble in interpreting those expressions. Even so, a part of his processors took a moment to ponder over what an unusual response to surprise it was, as well as the interesting scientific ramifications that every human, regardless of ethnic heritage responded the same way.
Then, inexplicably, a hint of a smile glossed over Sam's highly expressive face as he leaned forward. His words were addressed to the two adults of his own species, even if his eyes never left Optimus.
"You A-holes are in trouble now." Sam's erratic heart rate started to slow as his confidence grew, regardless of the fact his arms were still restrained behind his back. "Gentlemen, I'd like you to meet my friend: Optimus Prime."
It might have been a touch premature for the boy to call him a friend – at least from a Cybertronian perspective – however the title pleased Optimus. Besides, for all he knew, it might be perfectly normal for a life-form that only lived a single vorn to form friendships so quickly.
The adults were looking up at him, looking for all the known worlds like startled sparklings. That observation helped ease some the remaining anger Optinus felt, reminding the Autobot leader that humans were indeed a young race. It was for that reason alone that his next statement was phrased more like he might address a wayward youngling than a Decepticon.
"Taking the children was a bad move." He noticed the other humans with the weapons were starting to get a little too bold. He glanced at Jazz. "Autobots, relieve them of their weapons."
With well-practiced efficiency, the other Autobots swung down from the bridge. The relatively soft ground of Earth – even if covered with their rather brittle concrete –shook under the combined force of their landings, causing the standing organics to stumble and flail for their balance
Ironhide was the first arrive, his cannons whirling to life as he defensively covered the group of increasingly agitated humans. Optimus knew his weapons' specialist would not actually use those cannons on the humans. But at this point, there was no need to let them know that.
Jazz ran up quickly, activating his magnetic grapple. "Give me those."
The annoying human who had been in the vehicle holding Sam and Mikaela had been vainly been attempting to regain control of the situation finally uttered a particularly meaningful "Woaha!" as all of the human agents' miniature weapons sailed from their grips.
Seeing that he finally had the adults' attention if not their respect, Optimus finally lowered himself to his knees. The stress hormones they were giving off soaked the air around them and like any organic creature, Optimus was well aware that if they were too stressed, they would not be able to handle the lesson he wished to give them.
"Hi, there." The leader waved weakly, though in general he kept his hands up. All of the humans were now keeping their hands up and in plain sight.
Interesting. It must be something significant to their culture, as he had certainly not asked them to do so.
For that matter, while they reacted with only a little fear they did not react with shock. Furthermore there was a light in the leader's eyes, something that spoke of excitement rather than sheer terror. Not how Sam had behaved, according to Bumblebee's report. It was, of course, possible that he was misreading the situation.
Deciding to either confirm or refute his suspicion, he asked, "you do not seem afraid. Are you not surprised to see us?
"Look." The dark headed adult waved one hand in a manner Optimus took to be almost dismissive. "There are S-Seven protocols. Okay? I'm not authorized to communicate with you except to tell you that I can't communicate with you."
That made Optimus' vents hitch. This human sounded like an old-fashioned bureaucratic glitch. The type that had helped feed the discontent that had eventually led to the war that had destroyed Cybertron. All because they stubbornly stayed buried in regulations without even trying to respond to the situation around them. He knew the dangers of imposing Cybertronian standards on aliens, but he felt the Matrix stir within him, confirming his impressions.
Regardless of what comparison he might choose to make, such an individual was impossible to teach.
Optimus' patience with these humans was nearing its terminus. First they treat younglings of their own kind in such a despicable manner, and now this? His anger growled through his chassis
"Get out of the car."
"Wha…? You want me to get out of the…" The humans voice had turned patronizing.
Patronizing!
"NOW!" Optimus barked, not about to let this glitch mouse of a sentient being speak to him in such a manner. Not after what he had done.
Thankfully, the human hastened to obey. The ones standing idly beside the vehicle even hopped into action to get the two adults and the two teenagers out of the vehicle.
Mikaela helped Sam out of the cuffs that bound them, for which Optimus was glad, as he seriously doubted the adult humans would be willing to provide that service. Meanwhile the leader of the humans was mumbling something about 'big guys with big guns.'
/What is it with the adults of this species?/ Ironhide asked incredulously. /They are more outlandish than the younglings. Isn't that… backwards?/
/They aren't all like that./ Bumblebee warned quietly.
/All the ones we've met so far have been./ Ironhide countered. /Glitched. The lot of them./
/Now 'Hide that ain't a very nice way ta speak about our hosts./ Jazz chided as he absently investigated the weapons he was holding. /These 're nothin' more than primitive chemically propelled metal projectiles. Wouldn'ta done a thing to us… 'cept ding tha paint a little./
/Don't underestimate them./ Bumblebee warned again. /They've managed to hold Megatron captive for several of their decades./
Optimus cleared his vents as he continued to watch the beings in front of him. The human adults seemed unsure what to do and were quite nervous. /We need information. If they know where Megatron is, they may also know the location of the AllSpark./
/That one seems quite unstable mentally. Even for the standards of their own species./ Ratchet interjected. /I do not believe he will be able to answer questions intelligibly. Not from one of us./
As if he had been privy to their conversation, Sam had left his discussion with Mikaela and was approaching the adult who had terrorized him. All of the Autobot's fell silent to observe the upcoming conversation, each one curious as to how this youngling would face someone who had so clearly frightened him earlier.
The boy began a series of rapid-fire questions, all of which the adult shrugged off.
/He still thinks this is a game./ Ironhide grumbled. /Glitch./
/If one of our younglings were acting like this supposed adult, we would wash his glossa with solvent for such rudeness./ Ratchet growled, his engine revving.
/Forget cleaning it./ Jazz argued. /His needs ta be loosened so he'll spill./
Optimus was wracking his processor to find a way to get what he needed from this human without doing further harm. He did not doubt Bumblebee's assessment of this Sector-Seven's danger. But at the moment, they were rather harmless.
It remained, however, that they probably did have information he needed. This left them at a dilemma. While they needed the information, they could not take it by force without becoming like the very ones they were fighting against. This thought process was leading him a direction Optimus did not care to explore.
It was at that moment that Bumblebee unstopped one of his fluid intake valves. Gravity caused the lubricant in the surrounding lines to spill out. Optimus started to rebuke the impulsive scout for the reckless loss of fluid when he saw that the stream of fluid had a target. The annoying human adult.
That human was sputtering and Bumblebee seemed inordinately pleased with himself. Releasing a vent as the human demanded Bumblebee be made to stop, Optimus flicked his hand toward the scout.
"Bumblebee, stop lubricating the man." /We do not harm humans!/ He added silently, wanting to remind his soldiers, but not wanting to make these Sector-Seven humans too comfortable.
/He wasn't harmed, sir./ Bumblebee returned, oddly petulant as he shrugged.
/You know what I mean./
/Yes, sir./ Bumblebee still appeared unrepentant and Optimus gave him a glare while the human male continued to sputter. /He threatened my charge./ Bumblebee finally relented. /That's all I could do without actually hurting him./
Mikaela was telling this Simmons character to take his clothes off, something that seemed a further humiliation in line with Bumblebee's lubrication of the man. Perhaps his scout had been onto a legitimate method of dealing with such things. They had not been on Earth long enough to know all the customs. Bumblebee, who had been here the longest, was in the best position to know. Optimus filed the scenario for further review and analysis later when time permitted.
It was for this reason that Optimus chose not to chastise the scout further. Even so, he felt the necessity to remind all of his warriors of the principles for which they fought, the reason they were here to begin with.
/With the AllSpark on this world it is only a matter of time before our war follows us here. Unless we can regain custody of the Cube before the Decepticons find it. Even then, we cannot guarantee that the Decepticons will not try to punish this world for the role it unintentionally played./ He looked at each one of his Autobots. /We must not allow harm to come to the people of this world. We must do what we can to protect them from the actions of our own kind./
One by one his warriors gave indications of assent and agreement. Just then, Optimus thought he heard the sound of an approaching rotary-winged aircraft.
"Optimus, we have incoming!" Ironhide proclaimed suddenly, pushing Ratchet out of the way so that he could send a sonic blast through the cement roadway. It was a non-lethal blast but it served to disable the vehicles approaching them.
However, that maneuver did nothing to stop the aircraft. The last Prime ground his denta, Earthen aircraft were very fragile. It would be far too easy for the humans inside said aircraft to be offlined if they were to allow an open confrontation with one. He could not allow that. He had to act quickly, knowing there was no way they could defend themselves against such an assault without harming the humans.
But these seemed like a persistent species. Even so, they could not hope to accost all of them. Limited in resources as they were and facing such a plainly superior foe, Optimus considered it likely that the humans would choose to focus their efforts on one target. Very well.
It was not a risk he could ask any of his soldiers to take. But it was something he could do himself.
/Split up, I will draw the humans away./ Optimus ordered. "Autobots, Roll Out."
To their credit, all of his Autobots followed orders, despite a bevy of commed protests, folding into their earthen alt-modes.
Bumblebee started to head for where the two teenagers where frantically backing away, scanning the sky for the helicopter they could now hear as well. But Optimus ordered the scout to move out, not wanting the youngest of his warriors to risk getting caught.
/I will protect the children, Bumblebee./ He reassured. /Retreat. Now!/
Clearly unhappy, Bumblebee did as he was ordered.
Optimus lowered his hand towards the two frightened youth, belatedly realizing he had no guarantee they would trust him. Perhaps he should have let them go with the scout, whom they had already learned to trust.
"Up you get." He told them in what he hoped was a friendly and reassuring manner; not wanting to sound like a master barking at a pet.
The two glanced at each other, glanced in the direction of the approaching aircraft and then, surprisingly, hurried toward his open palm.
I know it was a long wait and I know this was relatively short (a couple of pages shy of the average on this fic). I wanted to get something up, so this is what I came up with. I wish I could say the next one will be up quickly, but… yeah… you know my track record on that. I will keep plugging away at it though. Let that be motivation to review frequently and often :) I can use all the loving encouragement I can get :D
Again, thank you for your patience. Hopefully that much will not be required in the future.