Thanks for the reviews: HeartsGuardianSol, Khalthar and TriplechangerSpeedster1

thanks for follows: TriplechangerSpeedster1


Sarah rolled her shoulders, dropping another empty can to the box below.

Optimus had many moving parts and tiny plates, all needing oil.

She'd finished his face, but Ratchet added Optimus' face guard came next.

"Ratchet?" she asked, pulling another can, gingerly shaking it.

"Yes?" he replied gruffly.

"How did you do this on Cybertron? Did you have something like a shower?" she asked, thinking back to the soldiers who'd asked questions about improving the Autobots' situation.

"We had wash racks for most grit. There were specialized pools to accomplish deep cleans, but that required vats of chemicals and oils to accomplish what you are doing by hand."

"Could we assemble a wash rack or two? Something to make it nicer for you?" she asked, preparing to work on the face guard.

"I'm not sure," Ratchet thought for a moment, "The cleansing chemicals for the wash racks is not one humans have produced yet."

She looked back at him, "Then get with Mark and see if you two can invent it. A chemist and someone with your experience should be able to come up with anything."

Ratchet considered it as she worked first on the outside of Optimus' face guard.

"The stockpile of alloys is sufficient for now. I'll ask if he can assist."

"Allow me," she said before speaking to Mark, (Mark, I want you to work with Ratchet starting tomorrow on a new project.)

(What sort of new project?) he sounded excited.

(Ratchet will fill you in,) Sarah looked over at the grumpy medic, "All set."

"Too fast," he snorted at her.

"This is one area where I can make it swift. Everything else is crawling slowly," she smiled, "Plus, no forms needed."

She finished as Ironhide entered the hanger.

"The warehouse is up and cleared for use," he smiled at Sarah, "We already have spots selected for each of us."

She blinked as Optimus lowered her to the floor. She hopped off then looked up at her three friends, "That reminds me. One of the soldiers asked if you use beds. Is that something we need to request?"

They looked at each other, then Optimus replied, "We can discuss this in the near future. We are content with a building where we can rest at our leisure."

Her heart lurched at his simple acceptance of the situation. She recalled stories River told of sleeping on the ground so long that having a normal bed was strange.

"Optimus, White...the US Military understands the need for appropriate accommodations and equipment to ensure their men are able to respond to threats. If you need beds or cots or whatever, I can convince them to get it."

He stood, smiling down at her, "Sarah. You have done enough. The deep cleaning and monthly cleanings are more than we hoped for."

Fighting her inner rage, she looked up at him, "This isn't enough, Optimus."

"She's right," Lennox joined them, "We'll discuss necessary equipment."

Ratchet snorted, "Wash racks and berths. What's next?"

"Whatever is needed," she glared up at him, "That's why I'm liaison."

Squealing tires distracted her as Sunstreaker spun into the hanger, then opened his doors.

John stood, carrying a box with the care of a bomb expert towards Ratchet and Optimus.

Once he had no humans inside him, Sunstreaker transformed, scowling down at John, "Your assistant insulted me."

John looked back at him, "She thinks hot pink is a good color. Think about the source before getting insulted."

He walked over to a table and set the box on top before unlatching the lid, opening the box.

Sarah looked in at the tiny statue, the symbols similar to the ones on Optimus and his mechs.

Looking up at Optimus, she reverently asked, "Is it one of your artifacts?"

He nodded, some emotion in his optics, "It was made at the beginning of the Golden Age. The gallery where they stored pieces like this was among the first razed."

Ratchet exhaled, drawing Sarah to him in alarm. It sounded like he had bad news.

"My scan detects that it has been booby trapped," Ratchet explained as he gingerly picked up the statue, "Someone has put an explosive device in the center of it."

Optimus lowered his head, silent for a long time, "We will need to destroy it."

Sarah swallowed, "There's no way to deactivate it and save part of your history?"

Annie, Mark and Frank trotted in as Optimus shook his head.

"Decepticons made it so that anything they trapped would either kill or be destroyed," Optimus held out his hand, "I'll take it off-base and dispose of it."

"Can't we make a copy of it before you do?" John asked.

"Copy?" Optimus looked at him in question.

He nodded, "Are you aware of 3D printing?"

All the Autobots paused. Then they stared at John.

"How accurate is this method?" Ratchet asked.

"We 3D printed some of the internals of the armors," John shrugged, "Depending on the size and detail of the scans used determines the need to refine the piece. Mark, do you have the videos from when we did Sarah's armor?"

Mark pulled up the videos and let the Autobots copy and watch them.

Ratchet looked at Optimus, "I have a box that could contain an explosion so we can store it while we explore this."

Sarah spoke, "John, you have some printers at your R&D department right?"

"I will make sure they are available," he looked up at Optimus, "We should preserve what we can, even if it's not the original. Your people need this. I'll inform my recover team to look for objects like that, in case more made their way to Earth."

Ratchet took the statue and secured it in Medbay.

Mark asked, "How did you get the statue, John?"

"My recovery team purchased a sealed vase. When they took possession, they noticed the seal was younger than the vase. They did some tests and found out the seal was fifty years newer. They opened the vase as we've had some drug traffickers use Native American artifacts to push their business. They found the statue. The story about the vase is that some," he looked at Sarah changed what he would have said, "European immigrants killed the original owners and took possession. They never looked inside. My theory is that the last Native American standing hid the statue inside, hoping that no one would peek at the remains."

"Remains?" Lennox blinked.

"Markings on the side of the vase said the person inside was of great importance. Plus a warning to let the warrior rest in peace," John smirked, "The vase is supposedly cursed. All prior attempts to open the vase resulted in accidents. Four deaths, sixteen injuries, two nervous breakdowns."

Sarah looked at him, "You returned the remains."

"The chief of the tribe was grateful to have the warrior returned. He forgave us opening the vase and performed a ritual to ensure no ill fortune follows us. He said the statue was not his tribe's and happy to let me keep it," John looked at Sunstreaker balefully, "Which is why I took so long."

One of their ancestors hid the statue.

Her people helped preserve a piece of Optimus' culture years before he'd arrived on Earth. Now she had to expand that until they had their own space.

Sideswipe rolled to the hanger door, "Optimus?"

Optimus looked at him, "Yes, Sideswipe?"

Silent communication flowed, then Optimus shook his head sadly, making Sideswipe nod.

(What did he ask?) Sarah privately requested from Optimus.

He looked down at her, (He requested we spent some of this night to speak in our native language.)

(Go for it. If anyone complains, send them my way.)

(Our language is painful on human ears.)

(If you want, all five of us liaisons can start it off with our languages so if the base men complain, I can call them bigots. Plus, you'd be able to understand us and they can't. A prank on the base which the entire team is in on. Then you can talk in your language.)

(You would find it uncomfortable to listen to us.)

(Did you find it uncomfortable listening to me cursing out all the...European descendants?)

He shook his head, then said to Sideswipe, "Gather everyone inside the warehouse. We would welcome our brothers and sisters in arms."

Optimus walked out, Lennox trotting to keep up.

Everyone else followed to the assembled warehouse.

When Sarah entered, she grinned at the size of it. The Autobots had space to stand or sit in robot form. No more need to stay in vehicle form.

Humans gathered around the Autobots, looking up at Optimus.

"We are grateful for the support and unity of our brothers and sisters. We face challenges both within and beyond ourselves, but the strength of our comrades will carry the fight. This place for us to be ourselves will be appreciated," Optimus stated then looked at Sarah, "We have a tradition to make a barracks more welcoming. We speak in our native language, telling stories of good times, solid friends and gathered families. We would like our human comrades to begin."

Lennox looked a little worried.

Sarah smiled, "May I be the first, Optimus Prime?"

"Please," he stepped back, ceding the floor.

She wasn't a good singer, but she offered up a song her grandfather taught her, a prayer for good fortune and plentiful times ahead for the tribe. When her voice died, Lennox stepped forward, offering a tale of holidays with his family.

Time slipped by as different languages of earth filled the space.

Sideswipe spoke after the Mark finished the human contingent, the hisses, chirps, clicks, whirrs and beeps making the Autobots chuckle, laugh.

They got to Ironhide when a private broke in, alerting them to another Decepticon attack.

Optimus Prime looked around, "Those who stay, please continue," he called for half the team and left with Lennox.

Sarah didn't get a moment to mourn their leaving as Ratchet continued, his voice filling the space.