Mirage was still trying to process everything as he watched Optimus sleep in their shared berth. He didn't know what to do, as when Mirage was sparked, it was easy to hide and deal with. No one would miss Mirage fighting. But with Optimus it was different. Optimus was the leader and a strong fighter. Optimus was also starting to more often show signs of his former profession thanks to being sparked and that worried Mirage too. Would Optimus still be accepted as leader if they knew he was a former pleasure bot? The question weighed heavily on Mirage's mind.
He wondered who he should talk to, as Jazz and Prowl didn't know anything about it and he didn't want to tell them. Orion, Optimus's mother, might be helpful but Mirage didn't know if Hide knew. Mirage felt a bit alone and unsure, though he hid it from Optimus.
Slowly, Optimus woke. "Love?" he called softly to Mirage.
"I am here, beloved" Mirage replied lovingly, hoping Optimus didn't sense what Mirage was feeling at the moment.
But Optimus did. "What's wrong?" Optimus asked, his sweet blue optics leaving no room for lying or trying to hide what needed to be said.
"I… I'm worried about you being the sparked one, my beloved" Mirage fessed up. "I am worried that Megatron with find out and do away with you. I am also worried that while being sparked, you have been dropping more and more into your former role, and while I don't mind it in the room, I fear your leadership nay suffer if others know."
Optimus was a bit stunned. He hadn't even realized that or even thought of that. When Mirage explained, Optimus realized that while worry did nothing, Mirage had some valid concerns. "We will just have to trust Primus, my love. He will help us get through this" Optimus said, trusting Primus.
Mirage nodded. Optimus was right. "I still want you to be careful" Mirage said softly with a smile.
"I will. Now be a dear and help me out of this bed, I am a bit stiff" Optimus replied, smile on his face. Mirage did as asked.
Meanwhile, at the Decepticon base, Starscream was getting closer and closer to sparking the brats that had been forced upon him and he was getting more and more out of control thanks to being locked away. Megatron didn't realize it, but Starscream was becoming more and more defiant and more and more aggressive from being trapped in the room. The only thing that kept Starscream sane was his brothers visits when they took him to the med bay. Otherwise, Starscream would be even more dangerous and unpredictable.
This day saw Skywarp coming for his triplet brother. Starscream had already started leaking oil and was in massive pain, but had no way of communicating it other than the triplet bond. Skywarp quickly came to see if things were as Starscream had pulsed. Once inside the room and seeing that things were as described, Warp transferred himself and Starscream to the med bay instantly. Hook was shocked until he realized that the screeching seeker was sparking. Starscream was cussing and swearing in every language he knew as pain wracked his systems. The seekerlings were preparing to come. Hook, for all the times he had checked over the seeker, had no idea how many brats the seeker carried.
Starscream let out a strangled scream as the first of the litter was coming forth. IT was a black seeker with silver flares on its wings. The mechling looked angry as it screeched from being out of the warm place. The next in the bunch soon followed, seekerlings wings painfully stretching the seeker captain. This one was also black, but had streaks of purple down its back. IT was also a mechling. The next mech, which soon followed, was red with black flares on its legs. And while hook thought things were done there, they weren't. There was still one more sparkling that had hidden behind her brothers. She soon came shooting out, her gun alt mode leaving no doubt who her sire was. Her coloration was a deep shade of blue with gold markings. She also had fangs. Starscream, exhausted, passed out. Warp was more concerned with his brother while Hook commed Megatron.
"Four healthy sparklings, my lord" Hook informed Megatron.
"Four? Four?" Megatron asked, pissed at being interrupted in planning.
"Yes, three mech seekers and a femme gunformer" Hook replied. Though unseen, Megatron smirked. Seekers were deadly and femmes could be deadlier.
"I will be down there soon. I do not want Starscream there. DO what you must, but he will not have those sparklings, they are mine to deal with" Megatron said.
"Yes, my lord" Hook replied and did as he was asked. Starscream was kicked out of the med bay without the little ones and sent back to his brothers, as he was too weka right now to be much of a threat.
Meanwhile, back at the Autobot base, Mirage and Optimus decided to talk to Orion and Hide, hoping that they could help. Orion was a bit surprised to see them, as Optimus was usually pretty busy.
"To what do we owe this pleasure, Prime?" Orion asked as he greeted his son at the door.
"My mate and I have some questions and would like to speak with you" Optimus said and Orion invited the pair in closing the door.
Orion led the pair in to living area where Hide was, little Bee asleep elsewhere.
"Hey Mirage, Optimus" Hide said with a smile. "What brings you by?"
"Well…Optimus is sparked and…." Mirage started before he was interrupted by hide.
"Sparked? I though Primes didn't get sparked" Hide stated.
"Well I am" Optimus stated matter-of-factly, a little annoyed, though it was sort of cute as it was coming out sounding more like little Orion Pax. Orion was a bit alarmed.
"Yes, he is sparked, with 5 and I have some concerns. My biggest one is how to stop him from falling back into his former persona at the drop of a hat. I fear his leadership will suffer if others know" Mirage stated, a bit wary of hide.
"Mirage, I know Optimus' secret and have been keeping it along with my mate and his mother Orion. I am not sure how we can help with this, as he can't stay in his room. We will just have to be extra vigilant and help him out as much as we can" Hided stated, making Mirage feel better.
"As Ratchet said, this will be a learning curve for us all" Optimus stated, snuggling close to his mate as they sat and chatted. Mirage was glad their older twins were at Jazz and Prowl's for the time being. Now they could talk and maybe think of some ideas.
