Fire of Youth

Chapter 11

*Note to Kaleia: Ha-ha, good. Yeah, the internet is not a good way of conveying emotion. Unless it's worded properly, it can be pretty damned hard to tell what someone's tone of voice is if all you've got to work off of is typed words, and I'm the unfortunate sod who has a mental issue thing that makes it more difficult tell in any event, so that just makes it harder for me in general. Bleh.

Yeah. 'Scream may be a backstabbing little weasel of a coward but he is intelligent. That's what makes him so dangerous in my mind. A lot of his plots are subversive and intended to throw a wrench into the works, confuse everyone and give him the opening he needs. Remember what Optimus said in the episode with the glacier melting scheme: "Starscream is far from predictable." His plans are nowhere near as straightforward as Megatron's. Because here's the thing: overconfidence doesn't necessarily equate to incompetence.

Um. I would, but here's the thing – I know absolutely nothing about SM. Sooo...o-o. Yeah. I'm just not much of an anime person.

If not for the genuine pain in his voice, Daily might've snickered. As it was he managed a wry smile. It was good to see that despite the pain the well-meant hug was giving him that he was able to crack a bit of a dry joke about it. That was the kind of mech he'd come to appreciate – the sort to never let his pain, whether internal or external, truly and completely get the best of him. He always managed to quip or snark about something no matter how dark the moment might be or become. He was the Autobots' living flame of hope, the persistently burning candle in an otherwise pitch black room. And like any flame, so long as it was provided fuel, it would keep on burning.

Prowl eventually managed to coax Bluestreak off the recovering youngling with a little verbal assistance from Ratchet. The gunner didn't seem happy with this course of action but was visibly elated nonetheless. One didn't have to be psychic to understand why. His sibling was alive and was going to be okay despite his wounds. That was all that mattered to him. Wounds healed. So would Infernus.

Off to one side, arms folded over his chestplates, Ultra Magnus observed: "Good to have you back, Prime. You had us worried."

"Worried? Try totally freaked out!" Miko corrected. "We didn't think you'd...we thought..."

Infernus looked at her curiously. Her voice had unmistakably quivered when she'd spoken even if her tone was still strong and lively as ever. It was unlike Miko to get upset over anyone except Bulkhead and Wheeljack. That she was so about him distressed took the Primeling by surprise. He noted that all three of the kids had expressions that were all plainly evolving from worried to relieved – Raf looked like he'd had a mountain lifted off his little shoulders and was smiling happily while Jack was a bit more taught but no less pleased at his recovery. They all looked as though they'd just gotten out of a long, strenuous ordeal, and the stress hormones lingering in the air affirmed that.

His gaze wandered over to June, the nurse's tight smile showing she had been just as concerned for him. Considering the rocky start he had had with her, he was happy that she seemed to be putting that "incident" with Jack behind her. He supposed that, like Cybertronian medics, human nurses had that same line of code that demanded they help their patient regardless of what they'd done in the past or even if they were the same species. That was another thing the two races seemed to share with each other, and an interesting one it was.

"You alright?" asked the nurse. "You looked a little...disoriented."

He smiled wryly, judging it best not to inform anyone of the strange place and presence he'd been in for a while. That might cause unneeded alarm or worry. He believed in telling the truth, but here he considered it best not to tell the whole truth. Partial honesty was still technically honesty if what you were actually saying was still true.

"I'm fine. You know, if you term 'fine' as feeling like you got chewed alive by sharks and then shoved through a slagging wood chopper just for giggles afterwards. And then run over by an angry city-former. So yeah. 'Fine' is a relative term here. So I'm pretty much lying like there's no tomorrow when I say I'm 'fine'."

The Primeling was pleased to hear her muffle a snort of laughter, her visibly tense body relaxing. Any lingering tension in the hangar seemed to disperse then. His smile became less wry and more genuine. Ah, dry humor – the most surefire way of convincing everybody he was okay and to stop the fussing already. Amalgamous was right on all accounts. A good laugh fixed any bad or dark situation, no matter if the humorous comment wasn't really worded to be funny.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be laughing." June apologized. "It's just the way you worded that was...unusual. Even for you."

"I'm weird like that."

June smiled.

He tried to get up only to wince at the pain the movement caused. The pain confused him. That strange mist guy had said he wanted to heal him, and from the lessened pain he'd suffered while...wherever he'd really been it was pretty clear he'd been successful, at least partially. But why then did he still hurt so much? If he hadn't healed him physically, what exactly had he done?

Ratchet heard the noise and came over, scolding him: "Ep, ep! Don't you even think about! You are staying put until I say you can move!"

He groaned but complacently lay his helm back down and stayed as still as possible. Seemingly satisfied, the prickly medic withdrew. A spurt of mischievousness flashed in the Primeling's optics while a smirk formed on his lip-plates. As quietly as he could he tried to lift his helm up and look down at the base of the medical berth where he was picking up a human life signal. Before he could even fully complete the act, Ratchet spun around and eyed him through narrow optics, pointing at him in a silent warning.

"Don't. Test. Me."

Infernus eyed him warily. "Dude, you're scary."

"Good."

The Primeling looked over at the human nurse with a pair of big, terrified, pleading puppy optics and mouthed "save me." June in turn covered her mouth with a hand to hide the massive smile that was forming, doing her best to muffle a snicker of amusement. In spite of all the pain he was no doubt feeling from his wounds he was still able to crack jokes and tease out laughter from those around him. She couldn't help but admire him for that.

"Sorry Infernus. As a nurse, my hands are tied. Healer's words are pretty much law right now. I'm not nearly as well versed in Cybertronian medicine as Ratchet is, but even I can tell you're in no state to be moving around. Have you looked in a mirror lately? You look like you just came out of some alien horror film. No. You're staying here so you can recuperate, not because Ratchet or I want to put you under house arrest or anything."

He looked at himself out of curiosity, his air cycles hitching at what he saw. June's words were true enough. With all the dried Energon caking his frame he really did look like he'd stepped out of a grisly horror movie to have a chat with the terror-stricken audience. He knew he'd lost a great deal thanks to the warnings he'd gotten just before he had blacked out but...this was marginally disturbing to him. It set half-formed thoughts about his strange encounter while out of it into motion. A cold sensation flashed through his spark as realization struck him with the force of an oncoming train.

That place he'd been...The strange mist entity who had healed him in the comforting darkness, warning him not to stay longer than necessary lest he lose everything near and dear to him...And that light he'd seen that had tempted him so dangerously...

His optics widened. He'd nearly died.

"Kid? Somethin' wrong?" Bulkhead wondered. "You look like you just saw a ghost."

Infernus outright lied then: "No. I-I'm good. Nothing's wrong..."

Bulkhead eyed him a bit dubiously but in the end decided not to press the issue. The kid was almost hilariously easy to read and so he had caught the lie almost right away. But in accordance with his being easy to read, the Wrecker had the sense he was lying so as not to worry anyone, not because he wanted to deceive them on purpose. Smokescreen was many things, but a pathological liar? Not one 'em. He would come out with the information when he was ready.

Daily watched these interactions for a time from his spot on the floor. He had the feeling Infernus was well aware of his presence but was too wary of getting Ratchet even more riled up by being active and trying to talk to him. Internally he laughed a little. The man didn't blame him. That mech was nightmare fuel when he was ticked at you. Prickly didn't even begin to describe the old alien healer. According to Fowler, disobey his orders and there was a real risk of him thwacking you over the head with the nearest item at hand.

That wariness of his didn't seem to hold the Primeling back entirely though he noted humorously. He quickly found a rather clever loophole: the man's Bluetooth. One pinging sound later and Infernus's voice rang clearly in Daily's ear.

*Hi Mark. What are you doing over here? I thought you said were super busy.*

It took all of the man's willpower not to break out laughing. He knew more than a few stubborn soldiers and people who refused to let injuries stop them but Infernus seriously took the cake. Hacking a Bluetooth to have a sneakily casual conversation was smart of him – something only a Cybertronian could pull off so easily – but he was directly disobeying a medic's orders in the process. When said medic was Ratchet of all people, that took a certain degree of outright tenacious stupidity. That guy did not fool around in caring for his patients.

And by replying to his oh-so-innocently casual question, he'd alert the old medic of the act. Obviously the Primeling hadn't thought this completely through. Oh well. Live and learn he supposed.

"Well, ah, I was." Daily answered while noting the scowl Ratchet was giving the both of them. "I was actually on my way back from command when I passed by here and...saw what had happened to you. I've actually been here for a couple of hours. Ratchet let me hang around. He...thought it might help."

He noted the curiosity in Infernus's tone when he asked: *Command? What, you get in trouble or something? Spending too much time with the aliens?*

"Heh. Nah. Nothing like that. I was just over there to see if they okay'ed my request. They did."

*And that was?*

"I, well, I asked to be assigned as your...partner. You know, so I can give you a hand when you need it. I am trained in combat too, so you can safely smuggle me out into the field if you need an extra set of eyes watching your back – a set of eyes that have 20/20 vision and whose owner just so happens to be armed with an AK-47."

Infernus ignored Ratchet's warning not to move around then. He was so stunned at this that he leaned over the side of the berth and stared at the man as if he hadn't heard him right. Daily had requested the higher ups to be assigned to him as a human companion? That was...he was speechless. First the talking-to and encouragement, then the interactions with him and Neal at the automotive shop, now this? Judging from the stares everyone else in the hangar was giving the young private, they were just as surprised.

"What...you...I..." the youngling stammered, optics wide as a puppy's. Then they softened and a smile formed. "Thanks, Mark."

Daily smiled back, saluting casually. "Not a problem. Figured you wouldn't mind having me around or smuggling me on a mission or two. Ha! Neal's gonna be jealous."

Ratchet's frown faded away, replaced by a much kinder looking smile of his own that was still somehow stern. The youth would only benefit from this arrangement. And having a second responsible adult human around – a competent, combat trained soldier no less – to help keep Miko under control sounded like yet another advantage. Not only was he emotional support for Infernus, he was also actually useful. He wasn't quite the battlefield liability the children were.

"Alright. That's enough you two. Smokescreen, you need to rest so your repair systems can work. Mark, if you're insistent on staying perhaps you can go retrieve that gun of yours? Normal human weapons like that don't exactly do much against our armor, but perhaps I can modify it somewhat to be a bit more practical. I gathered some information on some of the long-range weapons MECH employs against us. Now might be the time to put it to good use."

Daily nodded and went off on his errand.

As soon as his partner was gone the Primeling comically groaned in protest, rolling his optics. He wasn't tired, and he had no desire to just sit back and do nothing. Megatron's forces were out there right now trying to find more Predacon fossils! Was he just supposed to lay back, let the time tick by, and let them get their oily hands on them? Nuh-uh. He'd stopped them from being able to clone a Hydra but some of the other monsters detailed in terrestrial myths were just as dangerous, if not more so.

'Infernus, honestly.' Vector chided. 'You are injured and you are not going to heal in an instant. Don't make me have Liege put you under.'

He rolled his optics again. The Time Guardian just didn't get it. Did he not understand the pressure of finding the fossils before the 'Cons? If they so much as got one claw or tooth those maniacs could clone a creature capable of wiping them out in its sleep or something. That Hydra had been just one of many, and judging from the myriad other myths it was just the tip of the iceberg.

'Yes, I do understand. I know you despise being inactive and I understand your urgency in locating and securing these remains as quickly as possible. But I also know that you are in no condition at the moment to be hunting down Decepticons. I do not need to be able to see further down the time stream to know that such reckless action would end only in disaster.'

'Do yourself a favor and recover before doing anything stupid, kid.' Liege added. 'Once you can manage to move without wincing, then you can go do something stupid.'

Wow. The devious Trickster actually being helpful and offering sane advice? He must be unconscious and dreaming by now.

'Very funny. Nice sarcasm though.'

Optimus rumbled gently:

'Smokescreen, please. Ratchet is simply trying to ensure your continued survival. I did task him with that. And need I remind you that by ignoring his orders you are going against your promise to me to always listen to your allies. Is that really something you want to do? If you want to earn their full trust and respect, then listen to Ratchet's advice. Get some rest. Recover. You are of no use in the field if you can barely move without agitating your sensory net.'

At that he capitulated. Contrite, he apologized to the the senior Prime. He hadn't meant to sound forcibly ignorant or stubborn. He just didn't like the concept of sitting back and letting the 'Cons get ten steps ahead. Right now such an achieved head start was literal suicide with Shockwave around cloning monsters. And frankly with that threat looming over his helm his processor refused to slow down enough for the power down protocols to initiate. It kept generating ugly possibilities that might occur if they failed. And that would only lead to nightmares.

As he lay there, processor whirring away, a subtle warmth began to spread outward from the Matrix. Try as he might to resist it, he found himself unable to. The sensation was odd, unlike the sensations he'd felt from it in the past, but it was immeasurably soothing, lessening the dull ache in his frame that refused to leave him. It slowed his overactive processor, enticing him to relax. What was an hour or so of down time in a war that had lasted for millions of years? it seemed to ask. He could afford some rest. Besides – doctor's orders, right?

'...This is cheating and you guys know it.'

Within moments, the young Prime was unconscious.

Ratchet did not have to wait long for Daily to return. The low rumble of the Army Jeep met his audials within fifteen or so minutes. He watched the vehicle pull up and the young private jump out. Slung across his chest and over one shoulder was a thick strap of leather that hadn't been there before. It didn't take much to guess that the strap was attached to his weapon. The man was certainly prompt in response time – he'd give him that. How well he fared in armed combat remained to be seen.

A smile tugged at his lip-plates when the three teens ran down to greet him, Miko asking to see his gun and Daily wisely abstaining. There was just something about the man that reminded him of Orion. He had this...way with others, this kind of magnetic effect that one couldn't help but be affected by. It was almost like looking at what would have happened if the gentle archivist had not been named a Prime and had simply become a soldier once the War had begun – naturally kind but firm when it really counted. All together, he was a perfect match for Infernus. He needed someone like Daily to keep him grounded.

June eventually managed to shoo the spunky Asian away while the two boys willfully dispersed.

"Told you I'd be back." he said, slinging the weapon off his shoulders. He held the weapon up to the old medic: "Here. One AK-47 as requested."

Ratchet gingerly took the gun from him in two digits, inwardly marveling at its pristine appearance. "Thank you, Mr. Daily. I will see to modifying it to be more useful to you."

Daily nodded. Without a word he made his way over to the medical berth and set about vaulting himself up towards the top. He made it quite a ways before reaching an impasse, dangling about three quarters of the way up from a think bar of metal like a life-sized ornament. A few attempts to get any higher resulted in him nearly losing his grip and falling to the floor, and it looked like his upper body strength was starting to dwindle. Out of frustration he sighed and rolled his eyes, mumbling loudly:

"..Damn it."

Only his determination in getting so far kept those gathered from laughing at his dead-panning expression. As it was, more than a few badly muffled snickers could be heard.

Arcee went over and provided the much needed leg up. She had to hand it to him. He'd almost made it to the top without any help, and at a pretty decent pace, too. That took some serious strength and agility training. The guy might very well be able to handle himself in a firefight with Decepticons so long as he maintained distance from them and their weapons. If he did that then she had no doubts he could be of practical use in the field. Give him a sniper rifle and some ensuing training with it and he might be even more effective. One well placed round through the helm...

"Thanks. Arcee, right?"

She managed a thin but genuine smile at him, affirming that that was indeed her name. But she turned and left before the private had a chance to speak to her. Nodding to the medic, the sole femme transformed and drove out of the hangar, heading in the same direction Infernus had returned from with the fossil. Soon the sound of her engine died away in the distance. Bumblebee loosed a string of chirps and clicks and followed after her.

Daily looked out in the direction she'd gone, expression puzzled. She had acted as if he'd said something to hurt her. "Was it something I said?"

Ultra Magnus shook his helm, replying: "No. Arcee requested she be put on an Energon scouting mission. With Infernus currently indisposed and unable to retrieve the store he found earlier, she felt the need to retrieve it before it is seized by the enemy. Your return just so happened to coincide with her departure. And she may or may not feel the need to make up for her injuring him. I have the suspicion that Bumblebee might feel similarly about his not being able to better defend him against Starscream."

"Honestly I don't think there was much else he could have done at the time. Neither of them had suspected Starscream to come prepared and had thus expected a quick, clean skirmish." Prowl noted. "You cannot predict the unpredictable, sir. And Starscream is the very definition of unpredictability. I believe he counted on them not being aware of his preparedness. An enemy left in the dark is that much easier to kill – a fact he is well aware of I'm afraid."

"Unfortunately." agreed Magnus. "But I don't believe either of them will be making that mistake again. Such overconfidence in a situation like that is understandable. Everyone on both sides of this war knows Starscream has a habit of making costly mistakes. Trial by error is a hard way for Infernus to learn, especially in this particular instance, but it is effective. Due to it, this mistake of his has a very low chance of happening again."

"Don't jinx it. You saw how close he was to the edge. We nearly lost him..." Wheeljack said.

The Commander's visage turned grim - though for once it wasn't out of annoyance towards the white Wrecker. He didn't believe in jinxes but he was well aware that the Primeling had been on death's doorstep for a short time, hovering in that grey zone between life and death. They were lucky he hadn't stopped fighting even after he had gone down, and even luckier that the heavy armor of his beast form had slightly reduced the damage inflicted. Without those upgrades he would've been in a much worse state, possibly even terminated before help had arrived.

"'Jackie, jinxes to the side burner for a sec – you may not know him as well almost everyone else here but he's a quick study. Like scary fast. You didn't see him take out Starscream while he was in the Apex Armor. He figured out in about five seconds that the only way to beat him was to get him out of it. And so he phase-kicked him out." Bulkhead defended. "I think that says something about him."

"Sometimes you gotta use your processor instead of your fists." Bluestreak chirped. "Smoke was always good at knowing when to play it smart. I think he got even better after he got assigned to Trion. I mean, that's what happens when you hang around a genius, right? Some of those smarts rub off on you. I'd call that an occupational hazard but that's more of a benefit. Smarter you are the less likely you are to screw up."

"True that." Miko said. "Let's just hope he doesn't turn into some mega nerd. That'd be weird. Also scary."

"Miko!" Jack, June, and Rafael scolded in unison.

"What? Just saying."

Author's Note: *sits back in a comfy chair by the fireplace* *sips coco* Aaah. Free time. How I missed you. :3 It's been too long since I could huddle up in my robe in bed and just write till I pass out. Well, actually that last part's an exaggeration but you guys get the idea. I can finally write freely without worrying about anything else.

Sorry this took so long to come my faithful viewers. I've been busy goofin' with Skyrim and writing other stories at the same time. Finally managed to fix my broken Dragonborn DLC so I'm not having buildings glitching into each other. :D Hugs to Christie from Bethesda.

Also, I swear I could hear my stories calling me that final Friday after my History exam. "Come to us, MiniKoontzy. Work on us, MiniKoontzy...Let the ideas out, MiniKoontzy...Wriiiittte..." Hehe. xP Anyways, yeah. 'Ere ya are! A chapter that's not under 4,000 words for once!