Author's Note (Mini-Story): The gang was sitting on the grass when Allora came barreling out of her car.

A- "Quick before the homework monster comes back."

D and C - "Homework Monster?"


Ch.27 Hiding in Plain Sight

After we had finished our cubes, Jazz, Huffer, and I rounded the Ops team. Jazz let Blaster and Ramhorn know that they were exempted from cleaning duty. We ended up having to track down Trailbreaker because Hound had forewarned him, causing him to skedaddle shortly after retrieving his cube.

We found him hiding out in Sciences. Most likely hoping that he could get out of cleaning duty if it looked like he was helping out on an important project. That was quickly sorted out and since Sciences was close to where the cleaning supplies were kept, Trailbreaker had to carry said supplies for trying to avoid work.

When we arrived at my office, I explained what I wanted while changing the code back to the default 1234.

P- "You are to clean the surfaces that were covered in dust. You are to stay our of my desk and to leave my datapads on the shelves. If an item was damaged, ask Huffer if it can be repaired. If it can seek his advice before attempting to repair the item. If it can't, ask Huffer were you can find a replacement for that item in storage. You are to help Huffer install a report drop box, and repair the ceiling grate. Now, I have changed the door code back to the default code so you all will be able to come and go without any difficulty. I'll be working from my quarters today, so if you need to contact me please either email or comlink. That is all."

The team scrambled into my office, moans and "What did you do, Bee?" were asked. I motioned to Huffer to stay behind for a sec.

"Huffer, I would like you to only be an observer during the clean up. Don't let them rope you into helping them out."

Huffer crossed his arms, "Ok, got as much from your little spiel. Anything else you want?"

"When repairing the ceiling grate, would ti be possible to use one that has the same weight capacity as the original?"

"Why would you want that? Isn't that why your office got messed up in the first place?"

"Yes, but if it could catch Bots it could catch..."

"Cons! *Gives me a funny look* Geez, you really think that the Cons will be crawling around in the vents."

"Yes, if our team can do that, why couldn't the Cons? Now if you'll excuse me, I have to visit Ratchet before I disappear into my quarters for the day."


My appointment with Ratchet was basically the same old. Yes, I'm taking my meds. Yes, my brain is still fine. No, I don't think you keeping me from practicing with Ironhide is a good idea. Have you figured out the virus protection thing yet? No? Well, we kind of need that.

Everything checked out normal, so let Ratchet know that I would be pretending to be online today and then vamoosed from the bay.

I send out a quick email letting bots know that I would be working from my quarters, they could hand me their reports at lunch and dinner if need be, and that they should email or com me if they needed to get in touch.

I logged out and headed over to visit Kaylie for my Earthside check up. The same questions were asked except the antivirus one. But Kaylie had to throw me a curve ball.

"You haven't noticed any signs of a cold have you?"

"Huh?"

"A cold silly. One of the guys came in this morning complaining about a sore throat. Have you had any cold symptoms recently?"

"No, not really."

"Not even a little sore in the throat?"

"Ok, sort of."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I never thought it was a big deal. How do I explain this? Do you normally sleep with your mouth open?"

"No."

"Have you ever slept with your mouth open for one night?"

"No."

"Well, I've done it a few times, and each time my mouth felt sore for an hour of two afterward. So I wouldn't call my sore throat a cold. I've probably just been sleeping with my mouth open."

"Well, I still think we need to check if you have a virus or not."

Kaylie turned away for a sec to retrieve a swab for a strep throat test. I decided to sit on my hands. I didn't want to react the same way last time I had this done.

"Do I really need to have my throat tested for strep? I'm feeling fine."

"Doesn't matter. We are enclosed in a small bubble with a small population. Both Doctor Raphael and I are worried that something will infect the whole team. We don't want a mini-epidemic on our hands. And now I think I know why Doctor Raphael said you'd be a problem child."

"I'm not a problem child."

"Then why are you sitting on your hands?"

"Swab then tell."

"Fine. Stick out your tongue and say ahh."

"Ahhh. Ak!"

Goosebumps rippled down my back as I tried to pull away from Kaylie's swab. Yep still as gagging as ever. Good thing I was sitting on my hands.

"There, now why are, um, were you sitting on your hands?"

She asked this as she was putting the swab into a test tube for analysis.

"I last time I had to have my throat swabbed, I grabbed the nurse's wrist and pulled it way from me."

"Well, that isn't the worst thing to happen to me while doing that. I had a kid puke on me once."

"You one, that nurse said the same thing after mine."

"It's the gag reflex. It's designed to save your life if you choke on something. I think your reaction is really good if your first instinct is to actively try to remove what's causing you to gag."

Getting off of the bed, "Yay, well I rather avoid grabbing nurse's wrists in the future. Am I go free to go? I have a lot of stuff to take care of in the Greenhouse today."

"Shouldn't you be resting? I thought you had a graveyard shift tonight."

"I can't nap during the day. Throws off my whole sleep schedule. It's better that I stay awake until tomorrow."

"Ok if you say so. And you're free to go. See you at lunch."

"See you."


As I settled down to work in the Greenhouse, all I could think about was how I wasn't the only one with a sore throat.

I really hope that the flu isn't going around. That is the last thing we need at the moment. I really don't want to rework this week's schedule.

My thoughts were interrupted when my communicator started playing the original Transformers theme song. That was the song I picked for calls coming in from Gameside. I also had it set to answer calls when I said answer.

"Answer... Prowl here."

"Hey Prowl, this is Sideswipe."

Why would Sideswipe be calling me? "Hello Sideswipe, what can I help you with?"

"Where are you?"

"Did you not receive the notice this morning?"

"I did, just wanted to confirm."

Uh oh. That isn't a good sign. "Sideswipe, if you attempt to set or pull a prank you'll be cleaning the entire Mess hall and the Communications deck."

"Too late. Prowler. Prowler. Prowler. Prowler."

"Sideswipe, it's Prowl. Desist this instant."

"Can't hear you. Prowler. Prowler. Prowler. Come on out Prowler."

"It's Prowler and you're not going to make me come out of my quarters."

"Prowler. Prowler. Prowler. Prowler. Prowler."

"Sideswipe, you're being a child. Prowl out."

The call ended since that was the phrase I set to turn of the communicator. Signing in relief at the silence, I went back to checking the aquaponics system when my communicator went off again.

"Answer...Prowl here."

"Prowler. Prowler. Prowler. Prowler."

"Sideswipe, you now have to clean the Mess hall and the Communications deck. Prowl out."

Again back to work and not too long after, Transformers theme song.

"Answer... Prowl here."

"Prowler. Prowler. Prowler. Prowler."

"Prowl out."

Transformers theme song.

"Answer...Sideswipe! Enough! Prowl Out!"

5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Transformers theme song.

"Answer... Sideswipe! I'm now adding the Science Labs to your..."

"Prowl, I'm not Sideswipe."

"Optimus Prime, I sorry sir. I thought you were someone else." And that was probably the whole point of Sideswipe's prank calls. Well played. But you realize this means war.

He chuckled, "I figured as much. How's working Earthside?"

"It's going well. Is there anything you need from me?"

"No, just checking up on you. What with the shock, Bee trying to land on your head, and everything else you have to deal with, I just wanted to see how you're doing."

"I'm doing ok. I do have a graveyard shift tonight, not sure if I'm looking forward to it."

"You know that you don't have to do it. You are the master of schedules for the team."

"A leader should only give order that they themselves would be willing to follow. Besides, it wouldn't be fair to last minute say I don't want to do this so you have to to someone else."

"If you say so. By the way, how is that your voice is that of Prowl's when I know that your Karen right now."

"I looked at the comlink app in my processor."

"Are you going to add this feature to the Processor 101?"

"Nope, the last thing we need is people tag teaming and playing Macro Polo with the com. It's better that only officers know about this feature and let everyone else figure it out."

He chuckled, "Alright, sounds good. Enjoy your day."

"You too, Optimus. Prowl out."

Transformers song. Sigh.


"Karen? You in here?"

Was that Logan? "Yay, I'm in here. Just give me a sec to crawl out of my hidy whole." Why is he here? I really don't want to deal with hiding from the Terror Twins right now. Well, maybe if I talk to him for a sec he'll leave me alone.

Crawling out from where I had been trying to track down a leak, I looked up to find Logan looking around the Greenhouse.

Dusting off my pants, "Hey Logan. What's up?"

He held out a folder, "I got your drawing."

Taking the folder, "Thanks, you know that you didn't need to do that right?"

"I know. *Shrugs shoulders* But I figured that it'd be nice to make you one since, I think Wes over did it last night."

"You always cleaning up his messes? *Opens folder* Oh wow, thanks."

It wasn't the scene of Optimus carry me. It was the Mess hall scene, but different. Huffer wasn't alone anymore. Instead, the scene was shifted so the viewer could get a better view of my table, and you could see Jazz and Huffer having a discussion with Prowl.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes, thank you. Why'd you?"

"Draw this instead of the Prowl's injured scene. Well, that scene seemed to freak you out. Why did it freak you out?"

Well, that's blunt, "It was the first time I say Prowl like that. I wasn't around to see him, so I only have second-hand accounts about what happen. I guess I thought that everyone was just exaggerating how bad Prowl looked."

He nodded his head and then the conversation fell into silence. Not much of a talker. I wonder if Sideswipe pranking me today was because Logan was around to be Sunstreaker for him in the game today.

"So, did you draw fanart before the contest?"

His eyes swept the room before answering me, "Yep, I've been drawing since I was 9. Starting drawing Transformers when Cybertron came out."

Yeah, something we can actually talk about, "Cool, Cybertron was what got me into Transformers. Which bot was your favorite?"

"Crosswise."

Crosswise, one of the oldest bots on Earth. He was basically a noble that decided to protect early humans from his partners that turned evil. That kind of cool that Crosswise was his favorite bot. Maybe him playing as Sunstreaker meant that we would get a kinder version of Sunstreaker.

"Cool. Mine was Landmine."

Landmine, a yellow bulldozer who was a nature loving bot who had helped train some of the Autobots. He was the first bot the kids on the show met. Because of how old he was, the kids ended up having to help fix he often.

"Makes sense. He was one of the few bots that actually like nature, right?"

"Yep, I kind of tend to like bots who are into nature. Guess it's just one of my quirks."

Transformers theme song.

I grabbed my communicator from my belt and groaned. It was Sideswipe, again.

I decided to ignore it and placed the communicator back on my belt.

"Aren't you going to answer it?"

"I don't feel like talking with them."

"Why?"

"I'm mad at them."

"Ok."

Silence. That seemed to happen a lot around me. What time was it anyway? I glanced at the room's wall clock. It was 10 minutes to noon.

"Do you want to head over to lunch? It should be starting soon."

He shrugged and started off. Well ok then.


I logged into the game quick so that I could get a cube before I eat Earthside. But I first, I had to run the Sideswipe gauntlet.

I threw my sensors out so I could see if there was anything amiss outside my room. The only thing outside was some bot sitting on the floor.

Did he really?

Opening the door a crack and sticking my helm out, I spotted Sides offline. Oh, this was too perfect.

Comming, "Jazz. Huffer"

J- "Hi Prowler. What's up?"

H- "Hello Prowl.

P- "It's Prowl. Are you two going to join me for lunch today?"

H- "Yes."

J- "Of course my mech."

P- "Well, you two should pick up some supplies before coming over to my quarters."

I sent them an email of the supplies we would need.

H- "Holy cannoli"

J- "Just what are you up to, Prowler?"

P- "Prowl and it's just some just deserts."


I walked out of the VR room with a big old grin on my face. With Wes offline till dinner, he wouldn't know what's happening until it was too late. This was just too perfect.

This was going to be so good and I couldn't wait for dinner.

Kyle run up to me, "Hey Karen, you ready for lunch?"

"Starving."


Author's Note (Mini-Story): Deep Thought pulls to a stop and everyone jumps off so he can transform. He then promptly sits down and Cliffhanger joins him.

D- "Did we get away from the Homework Monster."

A- "Sorry Thought. I didn't mean to scare you. I was joking that I had a short break from homework so we should get a chapter done quick."

C- "Not funny."

L- "Ok guys, we have three reviews. Allora."

A- "Ok, first for What Lies Beyond. I haven't read Epic in years, there's a three book in the series called Edda I think. I'll keep an eye our for Eye of the Mind. *Giggle* I've never played Animal Crossing. Miss Sherly Rabbit is a mix of random characters that I remember from my childhood. Rabbit from Winnie the Pooh, Shirly Temple, and possible Piglet. The characters in Karen's dreams are usually just random things I throw together.

Now, Animekitten99. Oh dear, I hope not. If you ever slept talked your friends could record your dreams and send them to AFV. They'd probably win the 10,000 too.

adephle24, that's very sweet of you hon but I would never wish my workload on anyone else. I'm glad too that I could share my mini break with you guys."