Precipitous
Chapter 34-Mistakes
Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers. They belong to Hasbro and Takara. I am merely taking them for a short spin.
Hot Rod stood by, listening as Springer dressed down Roadbuster and Drift. With no humans around, Springer had switched back to Cybertronian, which allowed profanity with nuances and combinations the humans couldn't begin to imagine. The young Autobot had kindly offered Optimus Prime's office for Springer's use.
". . .and if you EVER use those kind of weapons and tactics that close to humans again outside of a real combat situation, you'll wish you'd never been sparked," Springer finished. He looked at Hot Rod. "Have anything to say?"
"I think you said it all," Hot Rod said. "Besides, they're under your direct command, not mine. You answer to the Prime, remember? That hasn't changed."
Drift and Roadbuster exchanged a glance.
"Did I give you permission to move?" Springer snarled. "Get out of here."
The two Wreckers beat a hasty retreat. Springer waited until the door was shut to throw himself down in a chair. "Primus, I hated having to do that, but they deserved it," he said. "I wonder how Jazz is faring with Prowl."
"I don't know," Hot Rod said. "I feel kinda sorry for Jazz. I told him I'd handle it all, but he volunteered to tell Prowl what happened. It would've been quicker than getting an account from Skids and Mudflap."
Springer grinned. "I know," he said. "But they provided a perfect opportunity for me."
"Yeah. Wonder how long it'll be before Drift kills you in your sleep because you said the twins conducted themselves with more maturity than he and Roadbuster?" Hot Rod said.
"He'll get over it," Springer said. "Maybe he was right though--they have been cooped up too long up on the Xantium. Would you consider working the crew into the duty rotation here at the base?"
Hot Rod sat back in his chair, considering the request. It was actually a good idea.
"And we could rotate some of the personnel here up to the Xantium, just to give them a change of pace," he said.
Springer raised an optic ridge. "You don't have to get Optimus to approve this?"
"No," Hot Rod said.
"Speaking of the Wreckers, why don't you talk to Red while she's here? I'm sure she'd like some normal company after she and Ratchet finish with Ironhide's leg. . ." Springer said, testing the waters. Rodi was spending entirely too much time lately wrapped up in work, and not taking any time for himself.
"Spring, I've told you before--not a chance. We're just friends," Hot Rod said, suddenly turning his attention to a data pad on the desk.
"So there's no chance you're interested in starting a relationship with anyone? Not even Optimus?" Springer asked. "I told you before--if you want something, go after it. It's not like you to just walk away. Is something keeping you from it? Or are you just afraid?"
Hot Rod didn't have a chance to answer. The door to the office was chiming.
"Duty calls," he said.
-----
Ratchet watched as Red Alert put away the last of the tools. The med bay was back in proper order, excepting the large black metal mass occupying a surgical berth.
"Do you need anything else?" Red Alert asked.
"Besides some high grade and a ticket off this planet? No," Ratchet answered. "I'm going to stay a while and keep an eye on aft head here."
Red Alert regarded Ironhide's inert form.
"I don't think he's going anywhere," she said.
"He won't stay under much longer and when he wakes, he'll try and leave," Ratchet said.
"If he needs a sitter, get Springer to do it. Or I can stay until he can. You need to get some rest," Red Alert said. "No arguing this time. And I promise to stop by and check on Optimus."
Ratchet sighed. He was tired. Damn crazy slaggers anyway.
"All right. Stay. Call me if you need anything, and I'll check on Optimus on my way to my quarters. He better still be in his," Ratchet said.
Red gave the mech a friendly squeeze on the shoulder as he passed by.
-----
Kup slowed as he reached the stretch of beach that was quickly becoming a favorite. He wasn't alone. Another Autobot already occupied the spit of sand, and considering who it was, Kup didn't mind sharing. Arcee smiled up at the ancient mech when she saw him coming her way. She stood, hugged Kup, then sat back down, and he followed suit.
"Exciting day, wasn't it?" Arcee asked.
"'Exciting' isn't the word I'd use," Kup said.
"How's Prowl?" Arcee said.
"Angry, and relieved of duty until tomorrow," Kup said. "And damn Hot Rod. . .he picked *me* as duty officer in ops for tonight, I'm also to take over special ops until Jazz gets back. He also managed to tick off Springer, making him acting third in command. . ."
"He's just doing his job," Arcee said.
Kup snorted.
"Enough about all that. There's something I've been meaning to ask. . .Sunstreaker? Mind if I ask why, or is that too personal a question?"
Arcee smiled. Same old Kup.
"Not really," she said. "You're the only who's asked. He's self-centered and crazy, but once you get to know him, he's not so bad."
"I know, lass," Kup said. "Congratulations. I know it's twins, but are they mechs or femmes?"
"Thank you," she said. "A pair of mechs."
"How'd Ratchet and Prowl take it when they found out it was twins?"
"About as well as you'd think," Arcee said. "Prowl crashed. Ratchet collapsed, although I think he had help with that from Red Alert. It's funny now, but at the time. . ."
"Chaos. No matter their respective opinion, new life is a gift, regardless of who sparked it," Kup said. "Considering we're on the verge of being an endangered species, it's a blessing. I wish you and Sunstreaker the best of luck."
"Primus knows we're going to need it," Arcee said. "But Sunny is happy and nervous, and Sideswipe is almost as excited as he is. He even suggested a name we both like, and we're going to use it. We still need another name, but we have a little time."
"I have another question," Kup said. "What about Hot Rod? He chased you for years. What changed?"
Arcee wasn't expecting that. She knew she could save herself the trouble, but it was Kup who was asking. He deserved nothing short of honesty. She had her own personal reasons as to why it wasn't Rodimus who was the sire of her offspring, but Kup didn't need to know that.
"It isn't me he wanted," Arcee said.
-----
Optimus Prime dimmed the lights to his quarters, laid back on his berth, ready for recharge. It was early, compared to his usual standards, but he was under strict orders to rest. Threatened within an inch of his life was more like it. Ratchet had stopped by not long before, exploded with a short tirade and left. Optimus knew the CMO could've made him stay in the med bay, but the presence of his two most fractious patients at the same time was too much to deal with, even with one unconscious. The Autobot leader was glad for even a brief respite from the med bay and Ratchet's constant presence.
He was almost in recharge when the door to his quarters opened. With difficulty, Optimus propped himself up with his one arm, raising an optic ridge when he saw who had entered. Rodimus.
"I think I just did something incredibly stupid," Hot Rod said.
"Whatever it is, I'm sure you did what you thought was best," Optimus said. From where he was sitting he could sense Rodimus' buzzing energy field and he could see the uncertainty on the young mech's face.
Hot Rod snorted, showing a bit of his customary cockiness. "I'm sure you won't be so calm and reassuring when you find out what I did," he said.
"Then explain," Optimus said.
Hot Rod sighed. No use in postponing the inevitable.
"I just gave Jazz permission to take Drift and go looking for the Combaticons," he said. "Look, it all happened so fast and I didn't know what to do and Kup had to help me separate Jazz and Prowl before they tore each other apart. They were yelling at each other, and we could hear them from the corridor, and I think we interrupted something personal from the way things sounded and before I could ask what was going on Jazz was saying he needed to get away, he's suffocating here with the same thing day in and day out, and he asked and I said yes, and they're probably in Mexico by now because that's where the last NEST intel was, and oh Primus. . ."
Optimus stood, grabbed Hot Rod by the shoulder, dragged him back to the berth, forced him to sit, sat down beside him. Against his better judgment, he decided to listen, because he felt Rodimus wasn't done.
"And Prowl. . .I told him he was relieved from duty until at least tomorrow, and Kup's in charge in ops tonight. I also pissed off Springer with making him acting third in command until Jazz gets back, so if he drops by and complains, you'll know why," Hot Rod said. "Ironhide's fine, by the way, but I suppose you know how all that happened, right?"
"Ratchet said it was a 'training accident,'" Optimus said.
"Yeah. . ." Hot Rod said. "Did he bother to elaborate?"
"As usual, I assume Ironhide's lack of good judgment snowballed into the situation you've been dealing with?" Optimus asked.
"Something like that," Hot Rod said. "But this thing with Jazz and Prowl--that's new. Jazz hasn't been very happy about something the past few days. . .and Prowl's been spending a lot of off-duty time with Sideswipe. . ."
Optimus watched as realization set in.
"Maybe I should be paying more attention to what's been going on around me and I wouldn't be having to deal with this now," Hot Rod said.
"Wise words," Optimus said. "However, even I do not know everything, no matter how hard I try."
"And we shouldn't let personal matters spill over into how we do our jobs," Hot Rod said. "Except I can't even follow my own advice. . .I should let you get some rest, or Ratchet will kill me. I'm sorry, Optimus. I should have handled this better. . ."
He started to stand, but Optimus put a hand on his shoulder.
"You handled the situation the way you thought it should be handled," Optimus said.
"You mean you're not angry?" Hot Rod said.
"No," Optimus said. "As I told you earlier today, you are in charge right now, not I. And yes, I should get some rest. So should, Rodimus. You can stay here. My offer to use my quarters still stands."