This chapter took forever to come into existence. My muse just wasn't with me on this one. I hope the final result is satisfactory.
I leave for college in six days. While I will attempt to keep a semi-regular updating schedule during the school year, I cannot make any promises.
Many thanks to all you wonderful readers! I appreciate your faves, your follows, and most especially your reviews. You have my gratitude and I hope to have your continued support as I keep trekking down the never-ending path of being a writer...
Chapter 14
Safe
Skyfire sent a confirmation signal after receiving his landing instructions from the human air traffic control tower, then banked and came at the runway on a gentle slope. His passengers were both in recharge. Though he expected Starscream would online upon landing, the human might sleep through a little jostling. Perhaps it would be better to wake her beforehand, so she had a few minutes to prepare before meeting their welcoming party. After a moment's debate, Skyfire gave the girl's safety harness a slight squeeze, hoping it would stir the girl from her slumber. It did, but not in the manner he expected.
Feeling the sudden tightness around her torso, Jasmine came awake fighting, her fists flailing about to find purchase on something more solid than air. A few kicks landed against the control panel before the girl realized where she was. Eyes wide, she took a deep breath, then let it out all at once. Slumping in her seat, Jasmine gasped, "Sorry, Skyfire, did I hurt you?"
"I am fine. Are you all right?" The white mech made a mental note to find a different way of waking humans in the future, one that was less stressful – and less painful.
"Just had a bad dream. Thought I was back at the orphanage." With a small shudder, the girl leaned forward to peer out of the cockpit. "Is that an airport?"
"Yes and no. It is the landing strip of the NEST base," Skyfire replied. "The building to our left is the traffic control tower. I just received permission to land, and thought you might like to watch."
"I've landed before with Skywarp," Jasmine said, shrugging, though she continued to crane her neck in order to watch the wide landing strip come ever closer. "Is Starscream awake?"
"Recharge," Skyfire said, half-wishing the other mech had stayed online. Ratchet would not be pleased. Not that Skyfire saw it as his own fault, since he had been flying and not in the position to do anything to stop Starscream from dropping into recharge. At least it wasn't stasis lock. He had done a few quick scans to ensure that, knowing Ratchet would have his aft otherwise.
Ratchet commed him as he extended his landing gear. "Skyfire, due to a slight delay, I will be at the landing site in two minutes. Maintain position."
"Yes, Ratchet." The landing was gentle, barely a bump as he touched the ground and coasted to a stop near the base hangar. Now that he was grounded he felt the urge to transform, but the white mech held his systems in check. Starscream was still in recharge, so he pinged the mech, hoping to wake him before the medic arrived. No response. "Jasmine, do you want to check on Starscream?"
The girl began to struggle with her harness. "Yes, please!"
Skyfire released the restraints and opened the door to the cargo hold. Seconds later the girl dashed out, almost sliding on the floor in her impatience.
"Starscream!" she called, running to the silver Seeker and tapping on his leg with a loosely made fist. "Starscream, time to wake up, we're here."
Sensors picked up the minute signs of a mech's systems coming online, too slowly for Skyfire's comfort. Outside sensors warned of Ratchet's swift approach. Silently thanking Starscream for returning to consciousness just in time, Skyfire lowered the loading ramp. "Watch out for the human," he warned Ratchet, suddenly concerned for the small organic being overlooked in the medic's haste.
Ratchet skidded to a stop and transformed from his altmode. "What human?" he demanded aloud, as several other Autobots arrived – the belated welcoming party Skyfire had been expecting. Ironhide, Prime and Prowl stood guard in case Starscream tried something. All looked surprised by the medic's outburst.
"Skyfire?" Optimus said, stepping forward. "I was unaware that a soldier accompanied you. That was a dangerous oversight on my part."
"Actually, she's not from NEST," Skyfire said, watching Ratchet head up his loading ramp toward the injured mech. "The trine was keeping a human youngling on their base."
Ironhide's eyes narrowed and Prowl's doorwings twitched. Prime maintained his normal countenance of calm, though he asked for confirmation, just in case his audio receptors had processed wrong. "They were keeping a child on their base?"
"This is a matter they should have mentioned," Prowl said.
"Later," Prime said. "Let them rest." Switching to comm, he contacted the medic. "Do you require assistance, Ratchet?"
Ratchet's answer was the terse one of someone who did not want to be interrupted. "Not yet." The medic was still taking in the scene before him – a small human cowering beside a mech still half in recharge but attempting to shield the girl with his hand. Whining systems protested Starscream's every move, and his red optics watched Ratchet warily.
"Relax," said the medic, raising his hands before his chest. "I have orders to haul your aft to medbay for repairs and refueling, not dismantling, however tempting that might be." He hesitated, expecting a snarky response from the Seeker.
What he received instead was a sudden cry from the human. "Leave him alone!" Bristling with fury, the human scrambled to the top of Starscream's hand, somehow not injuring herself on his sharp claws. Drawing herself to her full but not very considerable height, the girl all but screamed, "Starscream is hurt, I won't let you hurt him more, so you better back off or I'll-"
"Enough, Jasmine," Starscream said, tilting his hand just enough that the girl tumbled gently into his palm, silencing her outburst by knocking the wind out of her lungs. The Decepticon turned weary optics toward Ratchet. "How far is your medbay, Autobot?"
"Far enough that you will need to walk or be carried," Ratchet said, already running preliminary scans. "Carried," he confirmed a second later. "You are lucky to be online. Ironhide! Prime!" he shouted to the mechs waiting outside. "Give me a hand in here." Turning back, he held out his own hand. "Jasmine, was it? You better come with me. The human doctor will want to check you over."
"No." The human folded her arms and raised her chin. "I'm staying with Starscream. He needs me."
"Right now I need a peaceful recharge cycle," Starscream said, dumping the girl into the medic's hand. "Behave and I will see you soon."
"Starscream!" Jasmine shrieked and lunged toward the silver mech, but Ratchet adjusted the angle of his palm and the girl landed in a heap against his upcurled fingers. "Starscream! Please don't let them take me away, I don't want to leave-"
Starscream dulled his audio receptors until the medic had moved out of the cargo hold. By then Ironhide and Prime had arrived as summoned and helped the Seeker to his feet. He was not surprised when the weapons specialist was a little rougher than necessary, but the pain kept him focused on moving one foot in front of the other. Ratchet joined them a moment later, having sent Prowl off with Jasmine.
"Careful, his injuries are severe and I don't want those energon lines reopening," the medic said, watching his helpers' movements for misstep. Once they had cleared the loading ramp, Ratchet signaled Skyfire, who transformed at once.
"Do you require my further assistance?" asked the white mech, expecting confirmation but hoping for dismissal. His wish was granted by Ratchet, who waved him away.
"Refuel, then report to my office for debriefing," Prime called over his shoulder, and Skyfire nodded in response before walking away. He could still hear Starscream's hissed complaints when he reached the building that served as the mechs' rec room. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker descended upon him with questions before he had even reached the energon stacked against the far wall.
"Did you really bring Starscream back to base?"
"Were there hundreds of Cons waiting in ambush for you?"
"Did you have to fight your way out?"
"Did Starscream put up a fight?"
"Was he unconscious when you found him?"
"Were you tempted to offline him?"
Prowl saved him from having to answer any questions by entering the rec room just then. "Enough," said the Autobot SIC. "Sunstreaker, you should be on guard duty right now, and this is your recharge cycle, Sideswipe, don't waste it." The twins raced away, and the black and white mech turned to Skyfire. "Prime would like to see you in a few breems."
"Understood." Skyfire offered the other mech an energon cube, but it was waved away.
"Still on duty," Prowl said, and headed off to deal with the next item on his never-ending list.
Finishing his energon in a few gulps, Skyfire placed the empty container with the others waiting to be refilled and headed for Prime's office. He walked in to find it much the same as always. A small room - by Cybertronian standards – with a mech-sized desk and chair piled high with datapads and paper in equal proportions.
"The human government continues to impede our progress in any way possible," Skyfire noted, moving to stand before the desk.
Optimus stood as well, in order to see the mech he spoke with. "Unfortunately." He vented air. "Skyfire, where did the human come from? Did she say anything whatsoever on your journey here? What were the conditions she was kept in on the Decepticon base?"
"I do not know her origins, but she seems to believe the Seekers saved her. From what or how I am not sure – she babbled quite a bit for a while. When I arrived I found her wandering alone on their base, but we ran into Starscream not long after. He was in bad shape but seemed to have dragged himself out of hiding to find the girl. Despite his condition he threatened me should I harm her."
Prime vented air again, then shook his head. "Of all the Autobots, you perhaps knew Starscream best, no matter how long ago that was. Could this be a trick, some twisted plan of his and Megatron's?"
Much as Skyfire wanted to believe it was, he had seen the look in Starscream's optics back in the Decepticon base. It was a look he had not seen there for a very long time. He shook his head. "No. He meant to protect her with his life, Prime."
"Very well. Until this matter is resolved, the trine will remain here, under our protection, but as prisoners. I would like you to serve as primary escort."
"I respectfully request that this assignment be given to another mech," Skyfire said, voice tight. Babysitting Starscream and his brothers was the last thing he wanted to do.
"Request denied," Optimus said, with just a hint of disappointment in his voice. More than enough to make Skyfire's wings droop a little and withhold any further protests. "Dismissed."
"Sir." Skyfire walked out, letting the office door shut behind him before he vented air as forcefully as possible. He understood Prime's reasoning behind the matter – as the only Autobot capable of flight currently around, Skyfire was the best choice to guard three winged Seekers. That did not mean he had to like the task. It just meant he had to do as commanded. Deciding the best way to start would be to know where the mechs in question were, Skyfire commed the medic. "Ratchet, what is the status of your Decepticon patients?" No response came within a reasonable time frame, and Skyfire picked up his pace, wondering what could prevent the medic from replying to a simple inquiry. Part of his spark still insisted this was all an elaborate trap, and Skyfire's weapons systems were almost online when he burst into the medbay.
Ratchet looked up from his work with a heavy scowl. Had he been holding one of his infamous wrenches, Skyfire had no doubt that he would have been ducking for his life. "What are you doing in medbay?" demanded the medic in a tone that told the white mech his reason had better be a life or death situation.
"You failed to respond to my comm," Skyfire said, backpedaling at once. In this mood Ratchet had been known to throw whatever he had handy at the time, and Skyfire did not want sharp scalpels directed toward him. In the air he had no problem dodging projectiles. Enclosed space was a different matter entirely.
"Considering that you were the one to bring this mech in here in his current state, I would expect your processors to be capable of hypothesizing that perhaps I did not respond because I was busy with emergency repair work." Ratchet resumed his work, still scowling. "A sparkling could take him down in this condition, anyway."
"Where are the other Seekers?" Skyfire asked, deciding they would be his best chance at avoiding the medic while still following orders.
"Brig, both recharging. Don't disturb them unless you want to join them. If you need something to do, go check on the human, I heard some odd sounds coming from the human medbay not too long ago."
"She was little more than a sparkling, I doubt they could be having trouble," Skyfire said, but a sharp glare sent him on his way with all available speed toward any space not also occupied by the medic.
Looking down at the mech before him, currently in a medic-induced stasis lock, Ratchet shook his head. Though stabilized at last, Starscream's condition remained deplorable. Between his old wounds and the newly inflicted ones, the mech was lucky to be online. More than lucky. Either Primus himself had intervened, or the cowardly Seeker was tougher than he appeared.
Not that that would take much, Ratchet mused, recalling all the times Starscream had run from a battle when things began to go wrong. The medic could not help but wonder who would have inflicted so much pain upon a mech without offlining the victim. Definitely a Decepticon, no Autobot would torture another in such a manner, not even Ironhide or Sunstreaker in their berserker rage. Megatron was the most likely cause, though Ratchet wasn't sure why the Decepticon hadn't just finished the job. Perhaps he still needed Starscream functioning, or wanted to give the mech a slow and excruciatingly painful death. Probably the latter, knowing the Decepticon leader.
"Prime's too soft," Ratchet muttered at the prone form, knowing Starscream could neither hear him nor respond. "Saving you is going to cause us a lot of trouble when Megatron gets wind of it, and there is nothing stopping you from turning around and stabbing us in the back. Be easier just to let you die." But Optimus would never allow it. To be honest, neither would my medical programming. With a brisk shake of his head, Ratchet adjusted his grip on the medical tool he currently wielded. "You better watch your own back," he muttered, sliding back a panel of armor in order to reach yet another roughly patched energon line. "Because if this is another infernal trick of yours, it will be your last."
When the black and white mech – Prowl? – deposited her in the hands of the human doctor and several accompanying nurses, Jasmine had been led against her will to the base hospital for a thorough checkup. Fighting every step of the way, the girl managed to get a few good blows in before she found herself on an examination table with one nurse shining a bright light in her eyes while the others stood by.
"Pupil dilation normal," said the nurse, setting down the flashlight. She picked up a flat wooden stick. "Say 'ahhhhh'," she coaxed.
Teeth clenched shut, Jasmine stubbornly shook her head. She wanted to demand to be taken to Starscream at once, or to Thundercracker and Skywarp – they were here, too, weren't they? – but opening her mouth would give the nurse a chance to strike. In protest of her treatment, she folded her arms and shook her head again.
After a few more attempts to convince the girl to cooperate, the nurse turned to her companions, complaining, "You could give me a hand. We don't have all day."
"The sooner we're done with you, the sooner you can go back to your friends," the doctor told Jasmine, making a few notes on the clipboard he held. He glanced up, meeting the scowl directed his way with a smile. "We aren't going to hurt you, kid, we just want to make sure you aren't sick or injured."
"I'm fine," Jasmine snapped. "Let me out of here."
"Wood, Rhodes, give Miller a hand," he said, tucking his pen into one of the many pockets on his lab coat. "Don't forget a blood sample in case of energon poisoning. Have someone take her down to the mess hall for a hot meal once you're done, she's probably hungry. Room 14 should be free if she wants a nap. Paperwork on my desk this evening, as usual." Pausing in the doorway the doctor added, "By the way, kid, I didn't quite catch your name?"
"Jasmine," she muttered.
"Your last name?" he prompted.
"Don't have one."
The doctor and nurses shared an unreadable look. "My name is Dr. Davis," the man said finally. "If there's anything you need, please ask the nurses. You aren't diabetic, are you?"
She shook her head. Some of the kids in the orphanage had had diabetes and she remembered being horrified by all that entailed, from strict meals to daily injections. Except for her meat allergy, there was nothing wrong with her, as far as she knew.
"Good," the doctor said. "Well, carry on." He shut the door and Jasmine could hear footsteps receding down the corridor.
The three nurses shared another look, then turned their eyes toward the girl.
"This can be done quickly," said the first nurse, picking up a syringe, "or slowly, but you aren't leaving this room until we're satisfied you are healthy and not carrying any foreign diseases."
"Then I can see my family?" Jasmine demanded.
"Once you tell us where they live, yes," said a second nurse, her voice gentle. "Until then you will stay here."
"They are here," Jasmine said, pulling her arm away when Nurse Miller tried to take hold of it. "I want to see Skywarp. And Thundercracker."
"After your checkup is finished." Miller shot her companions a sharp glance, warning them not to protest. Better to get this over and done as soon as possible. She hated dealing with kids. Soldiers, adults, you could reason with them, but there were times when kids simply refused to listen. Like this one. As a nurse, not really part of the military operation beyond patching up soldiers when they came back injured, Miller had only heard rumors of their latest engagement, but she knew there were three bad mechs currently being held in the Autobot's version of prison. Since she didn't recognize the names the girl kept spouting at every opportunity, they had to be those mechs. Which fit with the little information Prowl had given them upon dropping off the human, namely that she had been a prisoner and should be cared for accordingly. Which included not letting the girl anywhere near her former captors.
"But I want to see them now," Jasmine insisted, eyes narrowing. She didn't trust this woman at all, but it looked like she would have to do as they asked if she wanted a chance to escape. Sighing, the girl bit back further protests and held out her arm to the nurse. "Hurry up. Please," she added belatedly.
"That's better," Miller said, and drew the blood sample. Wood took it and left, trusting Rhodes could provide sufficient backup should their patient turn recalcitrant again. There was no need to worry. Jasmine was the picture of innocence for the next few minutes. Once her examination was finished, Miller went to find Wood, leaving Rhodes to escort the girl to the mess hall.
As they walked along, Jasmine's eyes darted from side to side, taking in every inch of the halls they walked down. She even looked up at the ceiling, which seemed far too low to her, being made for human passage, not Cybertronian. After accepting the Decepticon base as her home and learning the corridors there almost by heart, the girl felt claustrophobic in this unfamiliar territory. She did her best to hide it, though, and waited for an opportunity to make her escape. It came as they left the hospital building and headed toward the mess hall. Rhodes was greeted by a passing soldier and she paused mid-step to return the favor, taking her eyes off Jasmine for one crucial second.
Without knowing where to go, there was little Jasmine could do but choose a direction at random, but she refused to spend another moment in the custody of adults who refused to listen. The girl took off across the compound at full speed, ignoring the shouts that immediately followed her.
"Hey, wait!" Rhodes cried, realizing her mistake too late to grab the girl.
"Watch out," called the soldier, seeing the danger before Rhodes or even Jasmine did.
THUNK! Jasmine ran blindly into a tall white object moving in the opposite direction. She bounced off and landed on the ground with a thud, knocking the wind from her lungs. "Owww..."
Rhodes caught up while the girl was still trying to catch her breath, and grabbed Jasmine's wrist tightly. "Don't run off, it's dangerous." She shot a glare at the mech standing over them, still as a statue since Jasmine's attempt to pass through his very solid foot. "Watch where you're walking," the nurse scolded. "Someone could have been seriously hurt."
"Let me go!" Jasmine protested, twisting in the woman's grip. "You're hurting me."
Skyfire would normally never interfere with the humans, but the girl had asked for help, and he did not like this woman at all. With a twitch of his wings he demanded, "Let the girl go."
Rhodes's dark look intensified. "This child is a patient of mine, mech! You can't order me around."
"But I can," said the soldier, who had been standing back a step, watching the exchange. "There's no reason to manhandle the kid, let her go. Now."
Scowling, Rhodes released Jasmine's arm. "Come along, Jasmine, and we'll find you something good to eat."
"No, I don't want to go anywhere with you," Jasmine said, taking a step back.
Without knowing why, Skyfire crouched and offered his hand to the girl. She scrambled on without hesitation, holding onto a finger for support as he rose to his normal height.
"Skyfire, you be careful with her, kids are a lot less durable than soldiers," the soldier warned.
"Do not worry, Major Lennox, I will be cautious."
"Where are you taking her?"
"I have duties in the brig," Skyfire said. "She may accompany me if she likes."
"Yes, please," Jasmine said immediately, settling down on his palm before leaning over the edge to call down, "Thank you, Major Lennox!"
"You can call me Will," the man replied with a smile. "Looks like she's happy to stick with you for a while, Skyfire, so carry on. If she needs anything and you can't leave your post, just give me a shout on the radio and I'll send someone over."
"Thank you." Skyfire left the major to deal with Rhodes, who had stood open-mouthed during their entire exchange, and headed for the brig. Once they were a good distance away from the other humans, he looked down at the human in his hand. "What happened?"
"They gave me a checkup but they weren't really nice," Jasmine said. "And they told me they'd take me to see Skywarp and Thundercracker afterwards but instead that lady wanted to take me to the mess hall. I'm not hungry-" her stomach growled, as if in protest, but they both ignored it "-and I really want to see Skywarp and Thundercracker."
Skyfire pushed open the brig door. "Unfortunately, they are imprisoned right now, but I think a visitor will be allowed." He made his way through the other door to the holding cells, where the Seekers were waiting in separate cells, both in recharge. The bars were wide enough for a human to slip through, so Skyfire deactivated the EM field enveloping the two cells, then set Jasmine down. "I will be just outside the door," he said. "Call me when you wish to leave. They are both in deep recharge so might not wake." Just in case, though, he sat down before the monitoring system in the front room so he could keep an eye on all three present.
Jasmine peered into Skywarp's cell, then Thundercracker's, before moving into Skywarp's where she immediately curled up on the mech's hand and fell asleep. Skyfire shook his head. He still could not believe how trusting this tiny human was of the three Seekers. Even Starscream's strange attachment to her would have been unbelievable if the white mech had not seen proof before his optics. Guessing that the three would be in recharge for some time, he settled himself with a few datapads and began working, keeping one optic on the video feed at all times.