Less Dirt, More Blushes.

Chapter Twelve.

Autobot Base.

"Sir, I have an incoming transmission from Starscream, no visual, just audio," Mirage, who was manning communications, said. "I think it's a recorded message. What do you want me to do, Sir?"

"Put it on speakers," Optimus said. He wondered if he should call Ratchet, in case the call was about Miles. Was he still healthy, or had one of the multitudes of misfortunes that could affect humans happened to the boy? He held off on calling the medic, he'd listen to what Starscream had to say and contact Ratchet then if he needed to.

The speaker crackled, a feedback whine was heard, and Mirage fiddled with some dials till it stopped. Then he played back the message.

"This is Starscream calling the Autobot Base. I respectfully request the presence of Optimus Prime and two mechs of his choice to discuss matters that will benefit us all," Starscream's voice said.

"And could you ask Sam to come too?" broke in a voice that after a few seconds they guessed was Miles. "I have things I wanna talk about, and he can confirm I'm OK, and not being coerced. Starscream got in some soda, and we can get in pizza, and talk."

"I will personally guarantee his safety, and yours, and those you bring as well, Optimus. We will await your reply. Starscream out. This is Starscream – " Mirage cut off the message as it began to repeat.

"I must admit to being curious about what they have to say. We will have to ask if Sam will wish to attend as requested, but I think Ratchet's negotiating skills may be useful as well. Call Cliffjumper to take over from you, find Ratchet and ask him to go to my office, and come yourself."

"Do you trust them Sir?" he asked. "They're called Decepticons for a reason."

"That is the reason, Mirage, why I shall be taking Ironhide as the second mech they say I can bring, and why I will want you to sneak in with us under cover of your disruptor."

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Sam was enjoying a rare drive on his own with 'Bee, as Mikaela was spending some time with her dad. The day was bright, with a slight nip to the air forewarning that the cold months were not so far off, and Sam was enjoying the opportunity to spend some time with 'Bee. He was just wondering if the alt-wash would be available so he could help wash his yellow friend when Bumblebee spoke to him.

"Optimus wants us to return to the Base, Sam. He says Starscream has requested a meeting, and that Miles spoke up requesting your presence."

"Miles is still okay?" Sam asked, recalling the discussion he'd had with Ratchet and Mikaela about Miles potentially getting sick from Spark radiation.

"Optimus said it was audio only, but Miles spoke on it and didn't sound sick. He had the voice print confirmed by Ratchet, compared to some footage with him speaking on YouTube, so it is Miles, and he said it was an opportunity to confirm he was well, and said they'd get food in and that you could talk."

"Where would this meeting take place?" Sam asked.

Bumblebee paused to ask Optimus, Sam presumed, and then replied "Starscream has, it seems, asked that we all meet at his Base."

"The Decepticon Base?" Sam squeaked. "Would that be safe? I'm not exactly flavour of the month with the Decepticons, especially since Mission City, and don't think I'm likely to be liked by them anytime in the future."

Once again there was a pause, and Bumblebee said "Optimus is allowed to take two other mechs with him, and he's taking Ratchet and Ironhide. He says that Starscream has personally guaranteed the safety of all participants, including you. To be safe, he's asked Mirage to sneak in too, just in case, and his first priority if you are threatened will be to get you to a safe place or position."

"Well, I guess that's reassuring, but I hope Starscream's genuine," Sam said.

"Optimus says there is another factor in your favour, Sam, and that is Miles being a friend of Starscream and his Seekers. As Miles is also your friend, he is honour-bound to protect you, as you are here at his friend's request. I do not think you will have to worry about Starscream and his wing brothers. Barricade and the other mechs do, however, give cause for concern, hence Ironhide's guns and Mirage's presence."

"Well, I guess I should go," Sam said. "I must admit that I want to know what Starscream wants too. Add to that, I want to see Miles and catch up." He laughed. "I guess this means the gag order's kind of pointless where Miles is concerned." He patted the steering column.

"Well 'Bee, I guess I'd better ring my folks and let them know I'm staying over the Base. Let's go, the sooner we get there, the sooner we get to find out what's going on."

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Barricade went up to the hangar, giving an over-loud com signal that he was there.

He wondered what was up, Starscream had bothered him a lot less since getting a pet squishy for washing purposes, and he had to admit to some curiosity in that area, he having encouraged Starscream to get himself one. He had to admit the change in the Seeker's usually acerbic personality was a welcome chance, he'd had more breaks and leeway in the last few weeks than he'd had in the previous two years. Add to that the Seeker had kept off his back and not interfered with what he was doing, and it was definitely a change for the better.

Starscream opened the door, invited him in, and suggested that he sit down with them, offering a freight container as a seat. Surprised, Barricade took it, for the crate brought his face closer up, almost level with their own, a tacit sign that they recognised he had status almost equal to themselves. As some Seekers, Thundercracker in particular, tended to look down on non-fliers, it was a welcome courtesy, and Barricade's opinion of the trine inched up a notch.

When they offered him energon, he knew they wanted something from him, but was happier to be offered a bribe rather than the customary threat the trine had been using since making planetfall. The change in tactics indicated that they were more confident in themselves, and also in him. He decided that if the Seekers were going to recognise that he had something to offer without being disdainful, he wasn't about to complain. He might even, if they could prove themselves, accept their leadership openly, instead of begrudgingly while looking for mistakes to exploit to his advantage.

He took the offered drinking cube, only then noticing the human boy sat on Starscream's leg drinking some fizzy human drink. The boy – for Barricade could tell that he was not yet fully adult – noticed his scrutiny, and stood, sticking out his hand.

"Hi there, I'm Miles," he said. "Pleased to meet you."

Barricade hesitated for a millisecond, accessed the Internet to check for manners and customs, then reached out and delicately took the boys hand between two claws hard enough to shake it. Barricade knew he could have pulverised the hand, followed by its owner, before anyone could react, but guessed that would be a very bad idea. In any case, he was curious about this. Why had Starscream called him in and been so polite? Why was the boy there? Was Starscream's respectful attitude anything to do with the boy? If so, he wasn't going to risk upsetting Starscream.

"Barricade," he said to the boy, and then because the boy had said it and it seemed polite, "Pleased to meet you." He turned to Starscream and asked "Well? What do you think? Being washed by a humans has its benefits don't you think?"

"Indeed it does, Barricade, and more even than you can imagine," the seeker said, and Barricade found himself scrutinising Miles more closely.

"He seems, on first appearances, to be nothing particularly special," Barricade said. "I take it that it is something he can do, or maybe that he can think of?"

"Yes, Barricade, he has more to him than his unassuming little frame give away, several things in fact, but the one I am concerned with is how well he can work things out. I believe I should let you know, as my ground forces commander, that I think that making peace with the humans would be a smarter idea than continuing to be considered their enemies."

Barricade's optics widened at the new title Starscream had just bestowed on him so casually. Ground forces commander was a big step up from frontliner and recon specialist. He digested the rest of Starscream's comment without surprise or argument and nodded slightly. He himself had realised some time ago that they were currently in a stalemate situation. The humans were leaving them alone as long as the Decepticons kept their activities below the human's radar, but the moment they tried to step up their activities, the humans, with the help of their Autobot allies, would likely retaliate. Their numbers, although occasionally replenished with new arrivals from the stars, were too low to wage a sustained war, especially one Barricade suspected they would lose.

"Yes, I believe you are right," the new Commander said. "Would you like me to tell the rest of the ground forces about this?" He emptied his drinking cube and held it up. "Some of this excellent energon, I think, would go a long way towards gaining their agreement." He was pleasantly surprised when Thundercracker noticed his cube was empty and promptly reached over to refill it.

"Certainly I shall give you some energon for them," Starscream said. "It was liberated from Ratchet's store a few weeks ago. We are running low on it, but let them know that peace with humans will necessitate peace with the Autobots as well. As Ratchet is the Autobots brewmaster, perhaps peace with the Autobots gives us a chance to trade for the energon, or find out how he makes it so good."

"We'll have to trade with the humans as well," Barricade said. "For fuel and resources to make the energon at least. What do we have to offer? To offer our technology to such a warlike and paranoid species would be, I believe, a bad idea for us all."

"May I speak?" Miles piped up. Barricade looked at him in surprise while Starscream just nodded indulgently.

"Let Miles speak, Barricade, he's already come up with solutions for the Trine and for Dropkick," the Seeker encouraged.

"Well," Miles said, "with that alt, you could work for the Police, particularly in situations where your armour plating would protect you from standard bullets. And to encourage shooters to drop[ the guns?" Miles grinned. "Just transform and stand up. Or you could be undercover, looking like a plain old Police car – or concealing yourself – and using your super senses and your scanners to identify illegal substances or guns or endangered species being smuggled in."

"Your suggestions hold merit," Barricade said. "Perhaps if I tell you the alts of the other grounders, you could suggest something for them to do."

"Sure," Miles said. "that's fine by me."

Settling down, Barricade began to talk to Miles.