"All rise."

I stand with the others as the judges file in, sitting down once they do. It's becoming routine at this point. Any moment now Rachel will stand up and call the first witness.

Except she doesn't. Instead, the prosecutor stands up. "Your honors, the prosecution wishes to make a motion."

The middle judge nods. "Do you wish to approach the bench?"

"That won't be necessary." He smirks, and I know instantly that I won't like whatever they've come up with.

The prosecutor glances towards me, then back at the judges. "We move to have Cynosura's testimony stricken from the record."

Rachel's on her feet again. "On what grounds?"

The prosecutor's looking right at me now. "Because they built her. Cynosura is not real. She's a construct."

Oh, I knew I wouldn't like this.

The left-most judge looks down at him. "Do you have any proof of your allegations?"

"Yes, your honor." The prosecutor turns towards the Alliance aliens. "Yesterday, Ket of the Axxai was near the Cybertronians' hangar. He heard them talking. He made this recording." He holds out a hand, and that blasted lizard beast places a small gadget in it. The prosecutor pushes a button, and a moment later I hear familiar voices streaming out into the room.

"… makes a pretty picture."

"She is well put together, I'll give you that much. Only the very best materials and skilled labor."

"Did you plan out the technical specs in advance?"

"Some. Some of it needed to wait until we saw what kind of spark we were working with. But we had plans for this frame design all along. And I have to say, she turned out spectacular. Of course she did, we made her like that…"

FUCK.

"We've identified these voices as the Cybertronian Ratchet and Dominic Porter, one of the human guards," the prosecutor explains. "As you hear, Ratchet is admitting that they built her."

"This isn't admissible in court." Rachel sounds furious. "That is an illegal recording."

"It is enough to sow doubt," the judge in the middle says slowly. "From what we have seen of Cybertronian technology, it would not be impossible for them to build an automaton that looked and acted like them, but repeated only what it was told. It could be advantageous for them, especially with such a keystone defense." He straightens. "We'll need to get to the bottom of this. Ratchet, please take the stand."

I watch, frozen, as Ratchet does as he's told. I can tell enough from his expression to know that he's irate.

At least he's not being questioned by the prosecutor. The judge seems to want to do that himself. "Explain the recording we heard."

"What you heard was good-natured ribbing between friends," Ratchet growls. "It has no place in a courtroom. As for Cynosura, it's true that her frame was constructed. But she's as Cybertronian as the rest of us. She has a spark, a transformation cog. She's Cybertronian."

"How was she constructed?"

"Her spark was formed from our sparks. Then we built a frame for it while the spark was strengthening." He glares at the prosecutor. "Building frames like that isn't unusual. The main difference between Cynosura and other constructed mechs is that her spark was formed from ours, not harvested from Vector Sigma. Instead her spark was created like a gestated sparkling's spark, formed directly from the parents' sparks."

He's skating elegantly around the fact that I'm from Earth originally. That's probably wise. Hopefully he won't be found out. I hate to imagine them dismissing his testimony as well.

"If you built her frame, and her spark is formed from yours, how does that make her not artificial?" The judge's tone is neutral, but Ratchet bristles.

"Because she has a spark," he almost snarls. "She's as Cybertronian as the rest of us. Or are you making the case that we're all constructs now?"

"Not today. But as for Cynosura, I'm afraid we can't take the word of her constructor for it," the prosecutor says smugly, and I want to claw his eyes out. "We'll need further proof that she's not simply a drone, or an android. That she's not simply repeating what she's been programmed to say."

"And how would you suggest we prove that?" Rachel bites out. "This can't be resolved with a DNA test, or a cellular scan. She's metal and energy, just like the rest of them are. There's no test that can say for sure whether she's Cybertronian or not. The biological species concept doesn't apply here."

The judge at the right, the one who wanted proof of my identity, frowns slightly. "Maybe it does." Ignoring the way the others are staring at her, she leans forward to stare at me. "They do reproduce. And if she wasn't a full Cybertronian…" She turns to Ratchet, who's looking at her like she's a species he's never seen before. "Could a Cybertronian reproduce with a drone? Even one you've built yourselves?"

The look of disgust on Ratchet's face is clear as day. "No. We don't build drones anymore. And even when we did, drones were weak-sparked. Enough life-energy to stay alive, enough processor capability to do simple tasks. Cynosura is no more a drone than you are."

"So Cynosura should be able to reproduce with another Cybertronian."

"Yes." Ratchet looks ready to be done with the entire conversation. "She has a full, vibrant spark. I have no doubt she would be able to reproduce. Are you going to wait ninety years to see if she can produce viable offspring?"

This is surreal. I feel like I stumbled into an alternate reality here.

"The biological species concept is a very backward way to prove someone is the same species." Ratchet is sneering now – I've seen that exact same expression on Starscream. "I can't see how this is relevant."

"We need to take the motion seriously." The judge to the left is at least bothering to explain. "We need to be certain that Cynosura isn't simply an automaton acting under orders." She straightens, addressing all of us. "The rest of you are known quantities. William Lennox and Alice Decker both kept detailed journals of their time with Cybertronians, and many of you are known and described, or at least mentioned. Most of you we have pictures of. But Cynosura is an unknown. There is no record of her at all. Which is why we need to make certain she is what she says she is." She focuses on Ratchet again. "Which methods would you suggest to prove she's one of you?"

The technical lingo goes straight over my head. Over the judges' heads too, I can tell. Ratchet is talking about spectrum analysis and spark fluctuation identification and core radiation, and I sigh. "This is going to take forever."

"They can't drag this out too long just for this," Sideswipe protests quietly, but Streetwise shakes his head.

"They totally can. It's not an unusual tactic on this planet, to throw off the trial by introducing an unknown element like a wrench in the works. I don't see why they bother with it now, though. It's not like we won't outlive all of them. There's no sense in playing for time."

"Unless they're waiting for something." Groove suddenly looks thoughtful. "Unless they know something we don't."

"Like what?" Sunstreaker is leaning forward, so he can look past Sideswipe.

"Think about it." Streetwise seems to be completely onboard with whatever his brother is thinking. It's good one of us is getting it, because I have no idea. "Most of Autobot and Decepticon high command is right here. Plus most of our space-worthy fliers, and parts of one gestalt. Taking us out here…"

"…would not only be simpler than taking on all of us, but it would be disastrous for the mecha back home," Sideswipe finishes for him with a sigh. "Damn. I haven't missed having to think defensively all the time."

"We can't let them stall for time," Groove decides. "The worst-case scenario is too risky." He gets up, walking quietly down to where Rachel is sitting.

"What's he up to?" Sunstreaker asks. He looks at me like I should know, but I have nothing.

"No idea." Streetwise looks as confused as I feel. Whatever Groove knows, he's the only one who knows it.

It must be good, though, because Rachel brightens at whatever he's saying, and she turns back to the judges with something approaching eagerness. They're still listening to Ratchet's technical rambling, but I can tell it's not doing any good.

Rachel interrupts them. Brave lady. "If it pleases your honors, I think we've found another way. Thank you, Ratchet. You may step down for now." She smiles up at Groove. "I would like to call Groove to the stand."

The judges nod and they switch places, Ratchet giving Groove the most suspicious look I've seen on his face since the war ended. He doesn't go back to sit down, just stands at the edge of the rows of seats.

"State your name and relationship to Cynosura, please." Rachel smiles up at him.

"My name is Groove. I'm a Protectobot." He smiles up at me. "I'm Cynosura's chosen mate. Well, me and my brother. We're a triad."

I'm glad Earth seems to have come far enough that less orthodox romantic groupings don't inspire the kind of shock they used to. Everything's normal among the Autobots, but that wasn't always the case here.

"Your brother is back on Cybertron, correct?"

"Yes. He's chief medic in Ratchet's stead."

Rachel seems almost smug as she continues her questioning. "Groove, do you have anything to add to the discussion on whether or not Cynosura is a full Cybertronian?"

"I do." There's something in his optics. Almost guarded, but also excited. "I believe I can resolve it. You see…" And now he looks nervous, what the heck is going on? "I've recently learned that I'm sparked. I'm carrying Cynosura's sparkling."

What the actual fuck.


Ratchet somehow manages to convince the court to take this to a more private location. So now all five judges, Rachel, and the prosecutor are in an empty hangar with me, watching Ratchet examine Groove's spark.

I can't take my eyes from it. And I can't believe it. But the evidence is there.

There's a tiny, sea-green sparklet spinning around Groove's spark.

"There's no doubt," Ratchet says finally, straightening. "He's carrying a new-spark. Only a few weeks old at most, I'd say. Definitely conceived after we left Cybertron." He smacks Groove's helm. "Careless idiot. I thought you had an inhibitor installed."

"I thought I did too." Groove rubs his chest as the seam over his spark closes. "First Aid installed it way back. It must have malfunctioned."

Ratchet sighs. "More likely, you merged enough lately to break the damn thing." The frown falls away to reveal a grin. "Well, congratulations. Both you and the sparklet are healthy." He shakes his head. "I can't believe I'm to be a sire and a grandsire at the same time."

Groove's optics meet mine. "Belle, are you okay?"

Rachel takes one look at me and starts ushering the others out of the room. "Come on, let's give them some privacy. I trust that takes care of the motion?"

"She's as Cybertronian as the rest of them," my favorite judge agrees. "And I do wonder at the motivations for throwing this in doubt at the first place."

The door closes behind them with a slam. Ratchet manages to wink at me before he's out of sight.

"Belle?" Groove says again. "Are you okay?"

I can hear there's more to it than that. Are we okay. Is this okay.

I don't know how to react. In all the insanity that's happened, in everything I had to get used to, being a dad was so far out of the scope of my imagination that I hadn't even considered the possibility.

But there's a tiny spark in Groove's chest to prove me wrong. And the color is evidence enough that it's mine.

It's much sooner than I'd thought. And I always thought I would be the one carrying it.

But I want this.

I finally manage to move. Groove's arms are right there, catching me as I step into them. "Primus, Groove." I lean my head against his chest, the way I've seen others do to Optimus. "We made a sparkling."

He laughs softly. "We did. Kind of unanticipated. First Aid's really frustrated, by the way. He wants to be here for this too."

"Of course he does." I nuzzle Groove's chest. "Is it his too? I mean, obviously it's his too, we're all in this together. But is it his too?"

"It's most likely too young." He leans against me, lets me take some of his weight. "You heard Ratchet, he thinks it was conceived after we left Cybertron. It was you and me, Belle. Even with that, though, it's most definitely his sparkling too. He's very excited to be a sire."

"A few weeks. That means we have a vorn to go." I giggle. This is too weird. "I can't believe we made a sparkling." And now I wish I'd gotten through that sparkling development file Ratchet gave me. "What does this mean? What do we do?"

"What we've been doing." Groove smiles. "We don't have to change anything. I'll need to fuel more, and when construction begins I'll need to take supplements with my energon. Aside from that, you won't notice much." His optics are on mine, and oh my goodness I could drown in them. And I can feel the thrum of his spark under my fingers. Maybe, eventually, I'll be able to feel my child as well.

My child. This is so surreal.

"You sure you're okay with this? It was kind of unintended." He sounds worried.

I beam up at him. "It's amazing. I can't believe it, but it's amazing."

That earns me Groove's lips on mine, and for a long while that's all I know. And I would be happy staying like this for the rest of the day at least. But of course we're interrupted by a knock on the door.

Streetwise sticks his head in, grinning widely. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." Groove doesn't let go of me, though. I'm glad. "It's not like we could keep you out anyway."

"Not for long," Streetwise agrees as he closes the door behind him. "Primus, Groove. How long have you known?"

"Couple of days. I was going to tell Belle when the trial was over." He kisses my forehead. "Sorry for springing it on you like this."

"I don't mind. You had good reason for revealing it like this." In theory, anyway. Hopefully the Alliance aren't actually planning anything, and we're just being paranoid. But with the history of these mechs, there's no such thing as too paranoid.

Well, there is. But it's called Red Alert, and even he's doing a lot better.

"Congratulations." Streetwise puts an arm around each of our necks, as much as our kibble will allow for anyway, and pulls us tight. "I had a feeling this would be happening. The three of you love each other too much for anything else." He grins. "And now I win the bet. Blades was sure you'd bond first."

"We probably would have, if this sparklet hadn't decided to happen anyway." Groove's hand rises to his chest, almost unconsciously. "This is a good thing."

"Are you kidding? It's a great thing." Streetwise is still beaming. I have a feeling he's going to be the most attentive uncle ever. "Though I think you shocked a few of the others."

"He shocked me," I point out. "And I'm apparently partly responsible."

"True. Congratulations, sweetie." He leans in to plant a quick kiss on my cheek. "Now. Ratchet sent me in here to tell you two that you won't be needed for the rest of the day. They're apparently going to be grilling Star's trine, and Starscream does not need to be here for that. So he asked that you go with Cliffjumper and Skyfire to keep him company."

Groove looks a question at me, and I nod. Starscream's still my patient. "Sure. We'll meet them outside."

Streetwise hugs us tight again. "Good. I'll see you later, okay?"

I sneak one more kiss as soon as Streetwise has left. It goes on for a bit longer than intended, but who cares. The others can wait.


Dear diary,

This is the most insane thing that's ever happened to me. And I count being turned into a giant alien robot in that.

I'm going to be a parent. A dad. A sire.

We're going to have a sparkling.

I CANNOT WAIT!

Our own little version of Level, all soft and chubby, a perfect tiny blend of us. It's amazing. I'd get goosebumps just thinking about it, if I could still get goosebumps.

We need a bigger apartment. Maybe even a house, with room to play outside. Somewhere close to the other Protectobots, but not too close, and somewhere close to work so I won't have to spend too much time commuting.

I wonder how maternity leave works on Cybertron. Streetwise will probably know.

Coming back to the hangar was hilarious. Because Dominic was there, to supposedly guard the entrance, but he spent all his time switching between apologizing for his role in the recording that the Axxai made and asking a million questions about sparklings and laughing like a crazy person over the fact that someone who's practically human managed to knock up a Cybertronian, and will the kid be a hybrid?

I was torn between forgiving him and wanting to punt him through the door. Groove laughed at how defensive I'm getting.

It's weird. I'm not normally a violent person. But I feel like right now, if someone threatened my mate and sparkling, I would probably try to tear them apart with my bare hands.

Maybe I should talk to Ratchet. In the few talks we've had about sparklings, he never focused on the sire's role and reactions. He's been one for a little longer than me, maybe he could give me a few pointers. If not, I'll just have to sort through it. And it's not like I'll be doing anything alone.

I can't wait to go back and talk to First Aid now.