It's been a long few months. I apologize for the long hold. Working National Writing Month project side tracked my habits along with it being too darn busy on the work front. On with the story, at least until I can find a good point to tidy some of the threads in this weaving.
Thank you for the reviews: angel897, Savage Kill, C. S. Stars, and two Guest posts.
Welcome new follows and favs: dramaticninja10, kage kitsune 14, greivergf, and nathanaelprime1
Exhausted from cleaning all the hatchlings, Sarah slowly made her way towards food.
Ratchet paced her, muttering about medical supplies and procedures.
Chinook raced ahead, ran back, pointing at people or objects which caught his attention.
She told him the word or name, then he'd run off again.
Rustwind hovered at her side, darting to hide behind her when they passed soldiers on their way to duties or downtime.
Her mind drifted, thoughts swirling.
Had she gotten the list of toys and supplies to her father? Yes. Ballast had happily compiled it and sent it on. Time would be the factor on those back.
They needed a play area or school area. Maybe both. They would be educated so they could be anything they wanted to be. They'd need a safe place for them to play in and be children.
Allow monitored play time with humans and human children. Better to start their unification at a young age.
Annebelle's laughing face filled her mind along with Chinook's excitement. The young held no prejudice but those forced on them by adults.
She needed to tend the armors normal maintenance in the near future.
A group of soldiers ahead gave very fake smiles at Chinook then her.
The same group who slammed her into a wall.
They continued on their way, but her back itched.
Like they plotted a prank on her, or worse.
Except the world told her she wasn't seeing the whole truth.
The mess hall buzzed with voices, human mostly with a couple Cybertronian.
Good mingling, based on the chats and smiles.
Unification at the finest.
Sarah got to the line, then blinked at Ratchet picking up a tray.
His mutter of "Both hands on your crutches. I won't reset that leg a second third time," made Chinook snicker.
Sarah teased, "Laugh while you can. He'll get you. It's called physical checkups."
He chittered back, huffing in amusement.
She looked at Ratchet, "He doesn't understand, does he?"
He piled up plates with foods easily, as if he did it all the time, "He'll learn. Either running and failing like Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, or coming in on time and getting it done quickly like Prowl and Optimus."
"I can't imagine either of the latter two running, nor the former two coming to you," she smiled, moving with him, "It would worry everyone if that happened."
He snorted, "Not for me. Had it happen a few times. They experimented with some high grade energon that tweaked personalities, not reverse. Prowl as a paranoid tactician twice as slippery as those prankster twins? I don't recommend trying to chase him down nor cornering him. Worse than Red Alert on a bad day."
"That's hard to think about. Red on a normal day..."
She paused as Mark pinged her.
She covered her face, "NASA noticed first?"
"Chi?" Chinook crooned, patting her.
Ratchet huffed, walked to a table, "Space battles are not easy to disguise. Ours are much harder."
Sarah sighed, gave a few pointers to Mark, then sat beside Ratchet, "Having NASA equally freaking out and geeking out will help Mark improve. He can talk their language and guide them through this."
Ratchet slide the tray in front of her, "Eat."
She dug in as Rustwind sat at her feet, hiding under the table, peeking out.
Chinook ran around, chattered unintelligibly to soldiers and base personal then swept away.
Those that were parents laughed, pointed him to another group, or smiled. Others were hesitant. Curious rather than alarmed.
She looked at Rustwind, "Don't you want to join your brother, Rustwind?"
Rustwind hugged her leg, curled closer.
"Give him this," Ratchet passed her a crystal, "Sweetened energon. It's like a hard candy."
She took the crystal, "This looks like a diamond."
"The structure is like it. I had to sit with Wheeljack to ensure he didn't forget a step while growing them."
Sarah nodded, "Yes. I rather have someone with him when making candy," she offered the sweet to Rustwind, "You did good today, Rustwind. I know it's been scary."
Rustwind took the crystal, sniffed, then put it in his mouth.
His optics twirled, then he hummed, curling against her, sucking the candy.
She petted his helm, "We'll get you there, Rustwind."
Ratchet handed her a second, then nodded to Chinook who ran her way, wings wiggling in interest.
She had a bad feeling, "Ratchet, how many of these do you have on you?"
Chinook sat next to her, perked up.
She handed him the candy, watched him take it. Lick it.
Then he sucked into his mouth and he leaned on her, humming contentedly.
"You can't be the only one to make them hum," Ratchet groused, handing her another, "I pinged Wheeljack to bring more."
She spotted the hunting flight of hatchlings enter the room, searching for something.
"I may have to hurt you later, Ratchet," she hummed, immediately catching the attention of the hatchlings.
Several soldiers nearby turned to watch the children scamper around to reach her.
Lucky for her, Wheeljack arrived and she handed over the energon candies, one at a time, until all the hatchlings were curled around her sucking on their sweets, humming like a pile of kittens.
With her trapped in the middle with Ratchet.
Who looked uncomfortable.
She looked at him, (You dismiss your holoform and I will find the smallest wench I can wield from your collection to smack upside your helm. This is twice today you've gotten me into the middle of the entire hatchling flight.)
Ratchet petted a helm leaning into his shoulder, (I have no doubt you could hit me with the micro wrench with a good toss. The hatchlings coming over was unplanned both times.) he raised an eyebrow at her, (For a human you are surprisingly like a seeker genitor. May be why Chinook and Rustwind attached to you so quickly.)
She resisted the smile, (Trying to keep me from a Starscream-worthy fit?)
(I think Starscream would bow to a Sarah-worthy fit.)
Smiling finally, (Okay, I'll cool it. Though next time the flight of hatchlings come by, you are the one they mob.)
Ratchet snickered, then laughed, "If there is a third one, I'll be the one they curl up with."
She finished her meal, then watched the hatchlings continue sucking on the hard candy, some doing wing wiggles in contentment.
"I wonder what they'll be like once they are fully grown. Will they be artists, scientists or craftsmechs?"
Ratchet thoughtfully considered some distant point, "They can be anything now. Before they had two paths, death or soldier."
"Then some good has been sown. I hope they continue to nurture it, rather than those horrors Megatron forced on them," Sarah stroked Rustwind's helm, getting a deeper hum in return.
"There is one thing they all will have," Ratchet grinned, "They'll have the sky and stars. They'll fly for themselves as masters of those elements," he lowered his voice, and she could tell he changed languages as the soldiers and others watching looked confused or leaned closer to listen, "All because you saw them and sent us to bring them home."
"How soon will they try flying?" considering the whole group she had a bad feeling, "Is this something I need to warn the Control Tower teams about?"
Ratchet snickered, "I can imagine that conversation, and yes, they will try soon, as in the next three Earth years soon."
One of the Air Force pilots asked, "We'll have to watch for the little ones on the runway and in the air?"
"Once the rest are back, there will be enough to keep the whole lot out of your paths," Ratchet assured, "Until then, entertainment will keep them in safer areas."
"Just no kid movies without a liaison present. I have enough headaches with you all watching them," Sarah huffed.
Then felt horror run through her when all the hatchlings huffed in return.
"Were you a prophet in some earlier life, Ratchet?" she sent him a glare.
Ratchet guffawed, earning a deeper glower from her, "I would say Starscream better watch his wings. Someone may prove to be better than him without their own pair."
"I hope he is more amused by this then me," she inhaled to blow a breath, then paused.
No sighing. Knowing her luck, she'd make them all mirror her.
"Might as well act normal. No more stress on your system," he picked up her dishes and easily extracted himself from the pile.
She sighed, then relaxed when none of her hatchlings mirrored her, "Perhaps not having all the hatchlings looking to me like I can move the world for them is stressful."
Ratchet set then dishes away, "I beg to differ."
"How so?"
Ratchet folded his arms, "Science."
She burst out laughing, "Okay Mr. Scan-happy. You win."
"Don't bash his scans," a soldier called, "He caught my appendicitis early."
Chatter rose as each recounted stories of Ratchet and his wonderful scanning results.
Ratchet smirked.
Sarah leaned down to Chinook, her trickster side prodded into action.
Whispering to Chinook, she nodded to Ratchet, hoping she conveyed enough to get him to follow along.
Instead, Rustwind took up the torch.
He gave a chittering squeal, which made all the hatchlings focus on Ratchet.
Ratchet gave her a glare, "Physical therapy will be fun."
"You don't know what I told him."
"You will learn their nosies," he rolled his eyes, "Come along. Wheeljack has more treats."
They all followed him out, excitedly chirping at him.
"That's one way to clear a room," she grinned, slowly standing.
"Out of curiosity, what did you tell them?"
She looked over at Colonel Fulton, "If they followed Ratchet, they'd get more treats. Though I asked they do so until evening. I doubt they picked up that distinction."
"Do you have a few minutes for a non liaison discussion?"
"Yes. Some walking would be wonderful."
She paced him to his office, stepping pass his secretary to his much nicer office.
Ranks and privilege frolic together.
Sitting down at his motion, she waited for him to close the door and walk around to sit at his desk.
"May I ask how long soldiers on my base have been slurring you, both with racial and gender cuss words?"
She blinked, puzzled, "Colonel, I've been slurred as long as I can remember. Being on base hasn't changed that."
"You are aware you a superior officer in some areas than most of the base personnel?"
"Yes. I am also aware that women who report such transgressions while in a position of power are viewed as weak. I have maintained a professional level of behavior in face of the slurs."
He shook his head, "The MPs called it."
"Pardon?"
"When you got rammed into the wall, injuring your shoulder, two of our MPs overheard the interaction, start to finish. They opened an investigation and found those in the group were applying it to many of our soldiers on the down low while recruiting others," he held up a hand, "I understand you have to seem as pure as the Virgin Mary in your stances, but this is my base. I will not tolerate this sort of black-ops backstabbing in my ranks. They have been dealt with, but to enable you to both maintain your professionalism and your dignity, we will be meeting once a week. Those who are treating you with disrespect need to be made known," he smiled, "It also gives me an opportunity to discuss things with you in a more private setting so you can speak your mind."
Sarah smiled, "Mr. Ranthorne or General Burkes?"
"I imagine you already know. I also want to be kept apprised of your unique insights," he looked at her firmly, "To ensure they are not dismissed by the uneducated."
She agreed.
"I'll have my people call yours for scheduling," his amusement crossed his face.
"Certainly, General."
She left with one mystery solved, but more work.
It was the way of life.
However, she had more joys.
Even as two of them ran to cling to her, Ratchet following in a more languid pace, her mind turned to the battle in space lighting up NASA's monitors.
