Chapter 53: Troubled Breathing
Cliffjumper was not having a good cycle. He'd woken up that morning with a very heavy spark. It seemed the sparkling had decided to double in size in a single night. His chassis felt like it was full of rocks and his systems felt slow. After classes, he had headed to the archives again for more research, much to the sparkling's displeasure. It liked learning, but the library had gotten boring after the first two mega-cycles. It perked up whenever anything of Galvatron popped up, but that wasn't very often.
Cliffjumper had started going through every file after his stasis he could get his servos on, particularly the reports of those Autobots based off-planet. He'd gotten lucky today and learned that Galvatron had been sighted, once, after he'd left Cybertron, on a planet at the edge of Autobot territory. Planet Junk sat right on the border between the Autobot commonwealth and the Quintesson pan galactic co-prosperity sphere, and much to its namesake, it was basically a trash planet, where all the waste from other planets ended up. The file had a footnote saying that the bot that'd seen him had been overcharged and a veteran of the First War. That made it unreliable, but Cliffjumper was still hopeful. There weren't that many robotic planets past the Benzuli Expanse or the beyond other end of Quintesson territory; and the few that did exist weren't exactly booming with Cybertronian products. That meant that Gavlatron had to stay on this side of those two systems in order to have access to the materials needed to build and raise Megatron.
Before he had a chance to look for more clues in some star charts however, his alarm went off. Alpha Trion had asked to meet him and he was close to running late. Leaving the pad behind, he hurried to Alpha Trion's office, scanning his ID to gain access to the main building. Taking the elevators he braced himself for the maze that was the fifth floor. Cliff didn't know who designed this building, but if they wanted bots to get lost in it, he did a great job. After taking several wrong turns, Cliffjumper finally recognized a decorative painting that was two left turns from Alpha Trion's office. But as he turned the corner, he met a most unwelcomed sight.
"Bang! If it isn't the coward from the bar!" Warpath greeted, blocking his path. The bot had been leaning against the wall, waiting for a meeting to finish. He hadn't expected the mini to be here, but at least he'd get some entertainment out of it.
Growling, Cliffjumper glared at the tank. "Move, afthead. I've got more important things to do then waste my time with you." He didn't have the patience to deal with this bot. He was already frustrated about having to leave the archives when he'd finally gotten something and his spark was still too fragging heavy.
"Where you off to in such a hurry shorty?" Warpath mocked, "Pow! Get in trouble for ditching battle practice?"
Glowering darkly at the bot, Cliffjumper used every ounce of restraint he had to just ignore the jerk bot when his fists were twitching for a fight. A bar was one thing, Autobot headquarters was another. With the sparkling so much larger and in a small space, the odds of coming out unscathed were not looking good. If he didn't have the sparkling to worry about, the bot would already be kissing the floor…but as that wasn't the case, he just ducked under his arm and continued to Alpha Trion's office.
But as Cliffjumper moved to head down the hall, Warpath suddenly turned around, striking him in the neck with his cannon. The mini was knocked to the floor as Warpath snickered under his breath.
Snapping, Cliffjumper jumped up, and without even giving himself time to process what happened he grabbed the other bot's cannon and kicked his shin-plate, denting it and making the bot sink to knees with a curse. He was carrying some very important contents, slag it!
Getting in his face, Cliffjumper snarled, "WHAT the frag is your problem!? I kicked your skipplate before but don't think for an instant I won't do it again! You call yourself a warrior!? More like a prissy fragged up glamor bot too chicken to face me head on! Having to resort to dirty tricks like some two…bit…bully-" Cliffjumper began coughing harshly as he little rant went on.
"What's the matter baby? Wham! Throw too big of a hissy fit?" Warpath sneered. Glaring between coughs, Cliffjumper yanked hard on the cannon in his servos, making the bot fall completely on the ground.
As Warpath grunted and cursed, Cliffjumper spun on heel and headed towards Alpha Trion's office, still coughing. He hardly made it five feet before was forced to grab onto the wall as his vision grew blurry. Taking a few heavy gulps he tried to regain his breath. His spark was too heavy. It felt smothered.
"You little glitch!" Warpath growled as he stood up again, more than ready to punch the mini's lights out, only to stop short. Cliffjumper was gasping but it didn't look like any air was getting filtered."…Hey? What's wrong with you? Hey!" Warpath asked with growing concern. The bot looked like he was suffocating, the way bots did when they forgot to close their vents in water or outer space, water flooded in or their air got sucked out so rapidly they didn't know what the slag had happened before they were offline.
Cliffjumper sank to his knees, clutching his chassis and trying to even out his intakes as he gasped desperately. It was like they were blocked, like he wasn't getting enough cool air. His spark felt swollen, like it was reaching out and pushing against his other systems. His vents felt like they were jammed and he was slowly overheating. His processor started to throb and his vision grew blurry. Sinking even further to the ground he wondered frantically if something was happening to the sparkling.
Suddenly he felt a soft servo on his back, rubbing soothing circles. An image of Galvatron flashed into his mind. Forcing himself to look, he saw a white and gold bot crouching beside him instead, and couldn't fight the flood of disappointment. The bot wore a fancy helmet and a cloth wrap around his waist. His pale face glowed with calm serenity as he reached to pull Cliffjumper's servos away from his body. "Release your limbs; you are preventing your energy from flowing." he said in a soft but rich voice, patient but firm.
Despite a panic-filled moment of insane doubt, Cliffjumper let his hands sink to the floor, shifting his shoulders back. After a painful moment, he felt the sparkling sink a bit lower in his chamber, removing some of the pressure from his air filter, letting him breathe a bit deeper. The cool air started flowing again and the red warning signs stopping blinking in front of his optics. "I...I can breathe..." Cliffjumper managed to gasp out softly. "t-thanks..."
The bot nodded, still rubbing circles on his back, before he shifted his gaze to Warpath. The red tank had stood aside, nervously checking the package quickly after the white bot had arrived. Detecting the silent question, he began,"Master Yoketron…" but stopped, not knowing what to say. He didn't think the hit would cause that kind of reaction. "I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. He was fine an instant ago!" he added, the barest hint of a alarm in his voice.
"Warpath." Yoketron murmered softly, making Warpath's voice seem so much louder. The tank recognized the tone in an instant, Yoketron knew there was more to it than that.
"I'm sorry Master" he said softly. "…we argued despite my duty to keep the package safe, but I didn't think that would happen!" Warpath added. "He's the bot I told you about. The one from Macadam's." Warpath had told Yoketron the whole story when he returned to the dojo that night. It often helped settle him down to vent.
"Ah." Yoketron nodded, helping the mini to his shaky feet now that his breathing had stabilized. They heard quick footsteps coming towards them and an instant later, Alpha Trion turned the corner.
"Cliffjumper!" he exclaimed, instantly moving to help the mini.
"I'm fine" Cliffjumper mumbled.
"If you were fine, you wouldn't be collapsing in the hallway" Alpha Trion admonished.
"He had great difficulty breathing." Yoketron interjected, making the mini frown at him. Warpath could practically hear the bot hiss, did you have to tell him?
"Let's get you to Perceptor and Wheeljack" Alpha Trion decided with a final nod. The mini sighed in exasperation as he was led towards the elevator. "If you would be so kind as to join us Master Yoketron, we can conclude our business in the Lab" he added to the white and gold bot.
"I shall be along shortly" Yoketron answered, nodding to the two bots. Cliffjumper struggled to stand up straight without Alpha Trion's help, but the taller bot kept a firm grip around the mini's shoulders.
When the two bots had vanished, Yoketron returned his gaze to Warpath. After a moment's pause, he spoke softly. "…This is no different from Prowl's entrance into the dojo." He said, thinking of the young bot they had accepted into their folds. He and Warpath had a difference of ideology and did not get along, but Yoketron had found a good friend in the young bot. Perhaps in this situation, Warpath could find a friend as well. From what Alpha Trion had told him, the red minibot was a lot like Warpath in character. "Great friendships can grow from the strangest of circumstances, Warpath." He said sagely. Warpath had to keep himself from snorting in protest. Him? Friends with the mini? Yoketron let a small smile reach his faceplate. He knew perfectly well what his student was thinking. "Remember your meetings, Warpath and think of both of your actions."
Suppressing a roll of his optics, Warpath did as his master asked. When he had first met the mini, his large chinned friend had spilled oil all over him. The mini had stepped up to defend him…he supposed that was a good quality…When Warpath had tried to make him fight, the mini had turned him down, going to help his friends. It was cowardly, but honorable…he guessed. They had gotten into a fight when Warpath called him coward. The mini had a temper…a bit like his he could admit. It showed today too. The mini could fight even if he was small. He obviously had some skills, might have even seen some battle. Compared to that draft-dodging peacenik Mater Yoketron had accepted, Warpath supposed the mini wasn't too bad…and it had been him to start both fights…
Seeming to realize Warpath's epiphany, Yoketron smiled more broadly. "I must speak to Alpha Trion about a private matter" he said, "You may give me the package."
Warpath took the hint. Opening a compartment under his cannon, he pulled out a small transport pod and handed it to the white bot with a soft reverence. "I'll return to the dojo, Master Yoketron." He replied with a formal bow. He needed to burn off some energy…and think.
Nodding goodbye, Yoketron headed for the lab, keeping a secure hold on the tiny pod. Alpha Trion had enlisted his help with the mini. The bot was in a very delicate condition and along with some inconspicuous protection, Alpha Trion had requested private lessons for both the mini and the forthcoming sparkling, once he became of age. But that came later. Today, he had come to deliver the protoform that would become the sparkling's body. He had brought the youngest he guarded. It was not even a vorn old, much too young and small to be considered for an adult spark, but perfect for a newborn sparkling.
Protoforms were created from the living protomatter found deep in the Sonic Canons of Cybertron. Every ano-cycle, protomatter became more and more rare. What they could find however, was placed in stasis and nurtured for many vorns until the protoforms could fit in the existing molds and be infused with the remaining All Spark energy. It was Yoketron's duty to protect and manage the Autobot's existing score of protoforms.
Yoketron sighed softly. The remaining All Spark energy in the molds was dwindling just as quickly as protomatter. He had long foreseen the standstill of their species. Efforts had been put forth to allow for conservation and population control, but it was difficult. Eventually their resources would run out…or so he had thought. Cliffjumper and his sparkling challenged everything. It was not yet known how it happened to the mini, but if it could be solved, if they could rediscover the skillthey had lost so long ago, there was certainly hope.
Finally arriving at the lab, he saw Cliffjumper arguing with Perceptor, Wheeljack and Alpha Trion, trying to get down from the examination table. The image brought a smile to his face. The minibot certainly had spirit to be up and arguing so quickly! Yoketron had a good feeling about this mini. Perhaps it came from the AllSpark-like energy he had felt flowing out of the bot when he helped him, but it was very much like the feeling he had about Prowl as well. There was a lot of potential for good in them, though he may not know what form it would take, he was looking forward to seeing it.
"Ah!" Alpha Trion greeted when he noticed Yoketron arrive. "Good! Cliffjumper, this is the bot I wanted you to meet." He explained, looking to the mini as he stopped his struggling to smile at the bot that helped him out. "Master Yoketron is head of the Cyber-ninja Corps."
Cliffjumper nodded respectfully in greeting. "Thanks again for your help, Sir."
Yoketron smiled softly. "Such difficulties, and their accompanying aid, are to be expected in your condition."
Cliffjumper blinked in surprise, gaping.
"Master Yoketron also guards and matures our supply of protoforms," Perceptor explained. "He is providing us with one for your sparkling."
"Our youngest." Yoketron answered, placing the pod next to Cliffjumper on the examination table.
The mini looked into the small glass opening of the pod, gasping in awe at the small, faceless silver form curled into a small ball. "Wow" Cliffjumper whispered in wonder, feeling his spark swell as the sparkling reached out, like it knew the body was meant for it.
It was a feeling everyone in the room shared it. Even Yoketron, who saw Protoforms every day, felt the astonishment at such a marvel. That such a small thing held so much potential. That soon, it would be alive and bright wither an energy unseen in millennia! A new bot, unlike any other…!
"With this, we have everything ready for the sparkling." Perceptor said, eyeing the protoform with care. It seemed perfectly stable. They would store it in the lab until it was needed, in the same space they had placed Cliffjumper into stasis. It was the safest place for such a treasure. After all, it had survived 5 million steller-cycles of war and reconstruction.
"Only a few mega-cycles left" Wheeljack said softly, thinking of everything that come before this. Cliffjumper may not have been around for it, but he had. 5 million steller-cycles wasn't anything to scoff at! He'd seen two wars, the split in their species, the reconstruction of their culture…and it didn't hold a candle to what he saw when he saw the protoform that would be the sparkling's body. "You have to be super careful Cliffjumper. Today was just a single instance of what the sparkling could do. It's not even finished growing yet!"
"I request that you stick closely to Sentinel, Cliffjumper" Alpha Trion intoned, "Or anyone really, so long as you are not alone, in case something like this were to occur again. Alright?"
Cliffjumper nodded, optics still glued to the pod. It shouldn't be that big of an issue, after all he hardly spent anytime completely alone anymore. During his first quarter, he really only left his dorm for classes, medical exams and some trips to the gun range. Now, he was hardly ever home. In fact, in between classes, the impromptu trips to medical and his search at the library, he hadn't even been to the range this quarter! Mark-5 probably thought he was dead. After the first trip, he'd gone at least twice a mega-cycle. He should stop by after finals, when the sparkling wasn't so sensitive.
He placed a servo softly on the pod. It was really happening! The sparkling was going to have a body of it's own! It was coming. Cliffjumper didn't even feel the huge grin grow on his faceplate, but Yoketron did.
Yoketron smiled and bowed in goodye. "I am sure we shall meet again soon." he said to the mini. but for now it was time for him to return to the dojo, hopefully before Warpath and Prowl got into another argument.
As the bot glided out, Alpha Trion watched Perceptor and Wheeljack hide the pod away, Cliffjumper never taking his optics off it. It was a good sight. Or at least Alpha Trion thought so. Because it meant the mini was looking forward to the sparkling existing in a physical form. The mini had slowly but surely changed since he'd woken up, really for the better. He was quieter, more observant. He listened before he acted. There were still instances when his temper snapped, such as today, but those incidents were singular and rare. He knew Cliffjumper worked hard to protect the sparkling, from his own temper included.
All of them were eagerly awaiting the sparkling's arrival, at long last…everything was coming together.
End chapter 53
