I hope some answers to questions will be found in this chapter. Enjoy!
Please be safe out there.
Optimus held his humor well, grateful for his mask hiding his amusement.
Prowl's wings were a sharp V as he continued the second joor of the argument with Jazz over Celia's courtship and how it could never happen.
Jazz joked, "Ah didn't know ya like meh that much, Prowler. Ya could have started it before her, ya know."
Prowl hissed, "She's human and will die long before us. Get her to call it off! If you don't, you could be shunned for leaving."
"Ah'm not Praxian, Prowler. Meh city just assumed any courtships lapse if it's not finalized in a quarter of a vorn. No need ta worry."
Prowl growled, his temper flaring, "Jazz…"
Celia's voice cut in, "Does the warble Thundercracker taught me help make this easier?"
Optimus looked up.
Her optics were very red as she looked down on them. She'd obviously been working hard if her optics looked more Decepticon than normal.
Jazz pouted, "Ya weren't serious?"
"Were you about the goodnight kiss?" She countered smoothly.
A long stare down.
Then as if they commed each other or had a sparkbond, they grinned.
"Not serious enough to tweak Prowler's door wings for much longer," Jazz replied.
Celia made a warble which sounded very much like Cybertronian for, "I relinquish my claim."
Jazz gasped, "Ah'm struck with spark break."
Celia rolled her optics, the focused on the mechs approaching from the storage closet, "Wheeljack, Ratchet, do you need any more supplies?"
"Yes!" Wheeljack waved a melted lump of something.
"I'll go get the purse and earbuds again," she walked away, calling, "Starscream, if you want to discuss supplies for the device, get ready."
She collected her purse as Starscream warily glided into the room, keeping near the ceiling.
An argument ensued as Optimus watched her, Ratchet, Wheeljack and Starscream worked out who would be in the bag.
Starscream refused to be in the bag.
Celia left, then returned with some odd fabric.
"This is a cowl," she put it on and then pointed to the spot where the head would go it if was pulled up, "You can sit there and my hair should hide you from humans."
"I will not ride in that flimsy contraption," Starscream scoffed.
"There's four outcomes to this. One, you ride in the bag. Two, you ride in the cowl and hide in my hair. Three, you stay here. Four, you get spotted by a lunatic who wants to part you out since you are too advanced to be a toy!"
Optimus jolted as her voice lowered into a pitch which set his battle protocols on edge.
Starscream hovered a while.
"Two," he replied.
Celia flipped her hair aside, letting him land and settle himself. Fluffing her hair over Starscream to hide him, she looked at Ratchet and Wheeljack expectantly.
"One," Wheeljack cheerfully replied.
Once she collected all her passengers, plus Lazerbeak as a hat adornment, she left.
Tyler returned shortly there after.
"Tyler, may I have a moment of your time?" Optimus requested, noticing Jazz and Prowl sliding out of view.
Tyler smiled, but it didn't reach his optics, something Optimus seen dozens of times in traitors' optics.
His battle protocols refused to stand down, so he mastered himself for a delicate situation.
"Celia mentioned something I wish to confirm with you."
Tyler sneered, "If it's her lie about me stabbing her with your sword, I didn't do it."
"That is not the topic I wanted to discuss," Optimus felt a jerk from the Matrix of Leadership at Tyler's expression.
The Primes of Old whispered to Optimus, saying the human before him lied, and thought he got away with it.
Images and impressions came from those Primes, all right before the liar attempted to kill the Prime who confronted them on their deceptions.
Taking their wisdom to spark, Optimus went to the topic he truly wanted to speak about.
Optimus smiled pleasantly behind his mask, hoping it would make these next words sound better to the human, "She mentioned when you were both younger she was always the Decepticon in your games. May I ask why?"
Tyler snorted, "She acted like Starscream, all prissy and I'm-the-leader. She may be the first born child, but she's always been overbearing and stupid. She doesn't know anything about the Transformers fandom and certainly has failed at life. This is why women shouldn't be leaders. They take on airs."
Optimus found himself very grateful Elita-One and her explosives-happy right-servo femme Chromia hadn't joined them on this trip.
"May I ask what you think she should be in a successful life?"
"She should have married and popped out kids. That's all she's good for," Tyler seemed to warm up to the topic, "She never liked playing with her Barbies. All girls love playing with them but her. She's defective, a freak."
The Matrix whispered again as Tyler's rant devolved into a putrid spiral, "He is not as he seems. He knows he lies. He is deceiving you with every statement."
Optimus politely listened to Tyler as he paced growing more agitated with his meaningless and demeaning list of offenses Celia supposedly committed.
:He's greedy and vile,: Prowl commed, :All of these so called actions he claims Celia did to not be woman enough, are all normal human behavior, regardless of gender. Additionally, every time she refused to behave as he expected, he would have benefited.:
:How so, Prowl?: Optimus inquired thoughtfully.
:If she married this suitor he liked, he would have gained financial backing as well as an additional abuser against her. The suitor he listed is incarcerated for beating his previous wife to death. Celia would have died long before we ever encountered her.: Prowl sent the data.
:How did ya find this, Prowler?: Jazz's voice turned serious.
:Internet. This world's version is significantly more advanced than the one in our universe. Though that could be explained by the timeline difference as this is forty years in the future from our universe,: Prowl stated.
:These other actions benefited him how?: Optimus asked, trying his best to look attentive to Tyler as he grew more angry and agitated.
:Boss,: Cliffjumper looked back at Tyler, :I don't like him getting this riled up. He's as bad as Sunstreaker with a scratch.:
:Hey, he's worse than me,: Sunstreaker interrupted from where his tried to polish his surface with the huge rag Celia scrounged up for him.
Prowl brought them to order then gave Optimus the data file he complied.
Optimus thought it would be only superficial benefits.
He was wrong.
Celia's life would have been nothing more than enslavement, starting with her younger years to her brother.
As if her brother slowly and meticulously planned her destruction.
:Prowl?: Optimus didn't know how to ask what he needed to know.
:I monitored his communications with several so called friends. They display similar and worse behaviors. I believe two have gotten away with first degree murder based on the evidence I've compiled and the others physically abuse women to ensure they don't have to work, or work as hard as they should. He's a human Decepticon and should be treated as such.:
Tyler turned suddenly, "She'd agree to marry my friend Jerry if you asked Optimus."
Prowl's silent disagreement matched the datafile and the Matrix.
Prowl highlighted Jerry as one of the murderers.
"I learned a long time ago to keep myself out of relationship discussions. I am sure you see the wisdom in that considering the Femme Commander and her team, yes?" Optimus hoped it extracted him from the conversation and any vile and dark action Tyler asked for.
Tyler tched, "The toy company just put those twats in to silence critics."
An alarm sounded from Tyler's pocket, which he pulled out and looked at.
"I'm going out. Don't let the liar lead you into a trap," Tyler stalked out.
After the car drove away, all the Autobots turned to him.
:Sir, human mechs who display this behavior are unlikely to change. Statistically, Celia is a death waiting to happen,: Prowl stepped out from his hiding place, :Tyler's aversion to me could be due to my Enforcer history. I am like those who'd catch and try him for his crimes.:
Jazz sounded very dire when he spoke, :Ah don't like leaving Celia here with him. Even though she's planning on bolting for freedom, Ah don't think she's doing it fast enough.:
:We are leaving as soon as the Wheeljack can create a stable device to bring us home, which based on my calculations is within one earth day. We cannot resolve this Optimus by words. Tyler will not listen to reason when he's this mired in his thinking.: Prowl supplied.
Sunstreaker added, :American humans are taught femmes keep the home and mechs work. It's acid from their society working on their plating.:
Sideswipe glanced at his brother, :When you'd get so insightful?:
:Celia is the worker. If there were Gladiator rings here, she'd be the one in them making the money. Tyler is the parasite feeding off her work as he lazes about. He doesn't even work. He's been siphoning her money.:
Prowl looked at Sunstreaker, :Evidence?:
:It's on his data pad. He's been making transactions out of the house fund for months, listing them as repairs, but those aren't that expensive. I know the cost of paint, drywall and paint brushes. This home doesn't look like it's been redone in it's entirety every three months.:
Optimus asked, :How do you know the pricing and scope of these repairs?:
Sunstreaker shrugged :I paint on drywall sections, like humans do their canvases. Easy to read the receipts and figure out he's been charging ten times over and pocketing it. I checked their current prices as well,: Sunstreaker snidely replied, :He's not as clever as he thinks.:
Jazz added, :Celia's practically exiled from the rest of the house so she may not have picked up on it. Ah got ta acknowledge Sunstreaker's insight. Once she attempts ta leave, he's gonna either hunt her down or offline her.:
Ironhide groused, :All over money. Sick mech.:
:Were we so different?:Optimus looked out towards to door out of the house, :The Council refused to give most mechs and femmes their due, stealing from them until they starved, or rebelled. I am not certain how to ensure all participants exit this without some harm done.:
:We cannot do anything,: Skyfire stated softly, drawing all the attention in the room, :We are without resources to help Celia or adjust Tyler's problems. If this was our universe, there would be other problems to deal with, though we'd have money to support Celia into a more balanced life and get Tyler the therapy he could use, however they wouldn't be able to survive the journey.:
Jazz sighed, :Is that cuz how we came over?:
:Yes. The device transports internal matter. If we brought Celia along…:
Ironhide swore, :She'd be just a pile of bones and organs?:
:Or worse. The best we can do it solicit the assistance of Celia's friends. Warn them they need to pull her out of here immediately,: Skyfire rubbed his faceplates, :This Annie would be the best one to approach as she knows something is wrong and has already offered to break the foundations of this house to get Celia free.:
Optimus nodded to Jazz, :Jazz, can you find this Annie and get her to…:
:I have the contact details from the fan girl's website,: Prowl sent the datafile to them all, :This internet is quite a useful tool. I recommend we support it in our universe, assuming we can safe guard it from the Decepticons.:
Optimus nodded, :Prowl, what assignments are available?:
In minutes they were divided and working on their part to get Celia to safety.
The timing would be tight, but if it worked, Celia would be away before they returned to their home.