I'll be posting this every chapter, just in case you guys need to refer back to it.
Autobots;
Aria/Aria Prime- Orion Pax/Optimus Prime
Rivet- Ratchet
Pacer- Prowl
Jive- Jazz
Rebound- Springer
Mistveil- Smokescreen
Frequency- Blaster
Uplift- Wheeljack
Lectura- Perceptor
Skydancer- Skyfire/Jetfire
Afterimage- Blurr
Hornet- Bumblebee
Swiftstrike- Sideswipe
Sunspot- Sunstreaker
Whisper- Bluestreak
Brightarrow- Silverbolt
Skyfall- Skydive
Reverie- Fireflight
Windsweeper- Air Raid
Arbalest-Slingshot
Hopper- Cliffjumper
Flashfire- Hot Rod
Steelspark- Ironhide
Figment- Mirage
Ace- Arcee
Steadfast- Hound
Flit- Drift
Brightflare- Inferno
Siren- Red Alert
Outburst- Broadside
Dusty- Sandstorm
Stalwart- Roadbuster
Twirl- Topspin
Twist- Twin Twist
[Rivet/Ratchet]
Watching Optimus leave with Megatron made all of Ratchet's renewed circuits twinge with worry. Enough that he… she could feel her Amica reaching out to envelop her spark in warmth like a physical hug. A small smile crossed her face as she stepped away from the Con she had been working on. "Better?" She asked with a critical optic as the mech lifted and rotated the arm at the shoulder.
"Huh. Much better." The mech stared at her for a moment before giving her a small grateful smile. "Where'd you learn to work on Warframes, femme?"
Ratchet stiffened, optics narrowing slightly. He… she knew that Barricade wasn't just a simple enforcer. He was smarter than most gave him credit for, but not her.
She'd been online longer than any of them knew, save perhaps Optimus or Skyfire.
Putting a hand on her hip she glowered at him and brandished the wrench in her hand. She would have to talk fast if she wanted to throw off any suspicion. "I used to work in a neutral clinic, the head medic there would take in anyone who was injured no matter what side they were on or frametype they were created with. Not that I think it's any business of yours, mech." Once again she felt a gentle warmth from her Amica, underlaid with a feeling of concern.
"No offense meant, femme. Just curious." The mech said, raising his servos in a defensive gesture in front of his chassis.
"Hmph." Turning away from Barricade she took in the others that Megatron had brought with him and had to force herself to keep a neutral expression. Or at least a disgruntled one. The old Slagmaker must have seen the Wrecker's ship and decided to bring the big guns. Standing awkwardly, where Megatron had left them, were the Constructicons. Scrapper, Bonecrusher, Scavenger, Mixmaster, Hook, and Long Haul were all watching the sparklings with mixed interest. Nearby Breakdown was going between looking at Knock Out nervously and watching the sparklings with something approaching wonder. Meanwhile Knock Out was still standing speechless, optics wide as he stared at the femmes and sparklings.
That was a lot of crazy to bring on a mission and leave alone with 'the enemy.'
"Steelspark!" Came the stern voice of Smokescreen. "Do not pounce on Reverie!"
Turning to see what was going on Ratchet rolled her optics. Ironhide had decided that Fireflight wasn't paying enough attention to their game, it seemed, and had pounced on the larger sparkling. Of course this meant that the rest of the Aerialbots had taken notice and flocked to protect their bonded brother.
Fireflight, who had been climbing on Skyfire, jumped off as if to dive bomb the tough little grounder.
"I've got them, Mistveil." Skyfire said as she scooped Fireflight out of the air and picking up a sniffling Air Raid. "Windsweeper, no diving. You could hurt yourself." The large femme scolded with all the gentle grace of a seasoned caretaker.
Ratchet was going to get a helmache trying to keep all of their new designations straight.
"Why are none of you concerned about your paint!?" Knock Out finally said in exasperation. "Look at you all! You're so- so- drab!"
Ratchet snorted in amusement. Wheeljack just looked at the fussy Decepticon and shrugged nonchalantly in that almost infuriatingly blasé manner of his… hers.
"It's not like we have any paint lying around here to work with. Trust me mech, if we had any paint we would have given the little ones some color first thing." Ratchet could feel how disturbed her Amica was at the idea of gray sparkling frames.
A sentiment she shared but was carefully ignoring for her own sanity. She'd seen enough dead frames, sparkling frames, in her function to last for an eternity. She had no desire to see more.
"Uh, hate-to-interrupt." Blurr said, helm on a swivel as their optics swept across the sparklings. "Has-anybot-seen-Figment?"
Ratchet felt her spark grow cold as they all quickly took a count of the sparklings.
One was missing.
"If Figment is with one of you, mechs, I hope to Primus you hand them over quickly." Ratchet's optics went wide with surprise as something cold washed through her frame. She turned toward Skyfire, who'd been the one to make the threat, and for the first time in a long time realized that the gentle scientist was, in fact, quite large. Large and imposing as she stood at her full height, though it wasn't enough to tower over the larger Decepticons.
"Remain calm, Skydancer. I know your caretaker programming is overworked right now, but I've been keeping an optic on them and they have not interacted with the sparklings." Prowl said carefully. "I'm certain that he is nearby."
"Steadfast." Prowl turned to look down at the sparkling that had once been Hound. The newly made femme smiled gently, something Ratchet had only ever seen her do when around the twins or Jazz, and ran her digits over the little mech's helm. "Can you find Figment for me? I know you're very good at finding things."
The little mech chirped an affirmative and walked a few paces away before stopping and going almost unnaturally still. His blue-green optics seemed to gleam as he took in everything around him before chirping again and pointing toward one of the pillars. He looked up at Prowl and chirped again, more insistently this time.
"Thank you, Steadfast. You did a very good job." Prowl said as she rose and walked over to the pillar the sparkling had indicated.
Although walking wasn't quite right anymore. No. The Praxian almost seemed to glide across the floor. Rather than a predator stalking their prey the femme looked regal and graceful.
"Figment. Come out now, please. You gave Skydancer a scare and owe her an apology." Prowl stood with hands on hips and looked down at the pillar, doorwings twitching slightly.
Ratchet had to hold back a curse as the sparkling almost seemed to materialize before her very optics.
A sparkling… shouldn't have that kind of ability. While Mirage had specialty mods installed early into the war he was currently a sparkling and had no space, let alone the hardware, for that sort of thing.
Which meant that his ability to cloak himself was no longer a mod.
He was an Outlier.
[Aria/Optimus]
"For starters, we can provide you with Energon." Megatron said evenly. "Although it is not configured for sparkling consumption it wouldn't be hard to dilute it down and find the right additives. There are many under my banner who have special needs due to their place of origin or unique modifications."
Aria wasn't surprised. For all that Megatron was a warlord he had accepted anyone who wished to join his cause. In all their time as enemies she had noticed that any prisoners they'd taken had looked quite healthy, despite whatever wounds needed to be treated in the medical bay after the fighting was over. Ratchet had never had to give any of them an infusion except medical grade energon to promote healing.
"I'm certain that once Rivet has looked over the sparklings she will have a proper list of their current needs to share with whoever you have as your current quartermaster." Aria said politely. "Lectura," she turned to the scientist, who looked up from her notes, "you know how to safely dilute and modify energon, correct?"
"I do, P-Aria. I'm certain Rivet and I can work with whomever is assigned from the Decepticons to be our overseers, since I assume we wouldn't be left to our own devices." Lecura reached up as if to adjust the monocle she used to have before realizing it was gone and lowering her servo.
Out of he corner of her optic she saw Megatron's gaze narrow slightly. A shiver of worry ran through her frame but she kept her expression polite and impassive.
"I'll be sure to assign someone who is willing to work with your bots without being disruptive or combative." The large mech said easily. "After all, this is for the little ones. Regardless of your faction, sparklings are our future." There was a weight to his glyphs as his crimson optics shifted to regard Aria carefully.
"Thank you, Megatron, for now that is all we will require. What is it you-"
"If I might make a suggestion?" The warlord interrupted.
Aria's optics narrowed with suspicion. "Go on."
"You need paint." He said firmly, optics scanning both of their frames before flicking back up to meet Aria's. "Regardless of faction, seeing bots walking around in a color so similar to that of sparkless frames is frankly disturbing. Especially the sparklings." There was a hint of something in his tone, the way his optics twitched slightly, that made Aria wonder if it was really Megatron who was disturbed by it.
An odd thought about someone who was colloquially known as the Slagmaker.
"Energon for the sparklings and paint then." Lectura said beside her. "And what will that cost us, Sir Megatron?" Her blue optics were sharp as she stared across the table at the large mech.
"I am certain we can come to a mutually beneficial agreement." An amused smirk crossed his face before his expression turned more contemplative. "What can you femmes do for my faction, I wonder?" There was almost a playfulness to his voice now.
Lectura bristled next to her and Aria held out her servo as she opened her mouth to reply. The other femme looked at her, frame stiff with anger, but Aria shook her head. She let out a vent and sat back slightly, offended but willing to let her Prime handle the situation.
"Among our number we have a tactician, a medical trained professional, a communications specialist, two scientists, an inventor, a courier, a psychologist, a musician, and two warriors. Which are myself and Rebound." She stared him in the optics, waiting to see what he would do.
"Hm." The mech quietly mulled over the information for a moment. "We have no need for a musician, psychologist, courier, or an inventor. But I'm certain we can find other tasks that they might be able to perform in exchange."
"Are you suggesting that-" Lectura began.
"Lectura. Stand down." Aria said firmly, voice only slightly raised above the other femme's outburst. She turned towards Megatron, optics like precious crystals as they shone with inner strength. "I will not allow my companions to be taken advantage of, Megatron. I know you are a mech of your word, and although I disagree with the way you govern your faction I know you to be a mech of honor in some respects."
The mech's optics bore into hers as he stared her down. Yet oddly she did not feel threatened by it. The fact that he was listening so intently meant he was taking her seriously.
"I do not believe you mean to suggest we use our frames as a means of payment. Even if I am mistaken, and that is what you are suggesting, I will tell you right now- that option is not on the table. Nor is it up for debate." She sat straighter, shoulders squared and helm held high. "My femmes will not be coerced. Do you understand me?"
[Megatron]
It was fascinating how easy it was for Aria to command those who followed her. The first time the other femme had reacted to his words all it took was a simple raised servo and small shake of the helm to stop her in her tracks.
The make up of the femme's team was quite odd, if you didn't take into account the majority of them were civilian frames with battle upgrades. Why would they need a tactician, two scientists, and a comms specialist? The psychologist and medical professional made sense, they were taking care of sparklings after all, but a tactician? Was there a reason for the odd mix of femmes or was it that they had all been thrown together by circumstances out of their servos?
Aria's words rang in his audials.
She thought he was honorable? A mech of his word?
He'd styled his comments to get a rise out of her, to test her reaction, but this was not what he'd expected. The fact that she believed he hadn't meant his words in the more degenerate form they could be taken in had him blinking in shock.
He cleared his intake. "You are correct to assume it was not meant in that manner." He clarified. "We have many manual labor positions open and other errands that could use extra servos. I assure you that I do not condone that kind of violence, regardless of what others might say about my warriors. If I find one of my warriors has committed such an act they are imprisoned, tried, and executed for their crime."
No, Megatron would never condone forcing someone into a berth. His early days as a Gladiator flashed behind his optics and his servos clenched against the table. He knew what it felt like to lose the ability to choose, to have the safety of knowing ones frame belonged only to oneself taken away and crushed under pede.
Aria's crystal blue optics dropped to his servos for a moment before her expression darkened. Her servo twitched as if she wanted to reach out but she refrained. Instead she looked up into his optics and gave him a smile that in another bot he would call pity but on her he would call sympathy. "We would be happy to perform labor tasks in exchange for the sparkling grade energon and paint. If that is all you wanted to suggest?"
"Unless you have a store of weapons hidden somewhere in this temple I don't believe you have anything else to offer, do you?" He said with a chuckle.
Aria rolled her optics before she froze, cheeks reddening from embarrassment. "Then we have a deal." Standing she held out her strong servo to him, palm facing the table.
Megatron's processor was racing as he stood and reached out his own servo, palm up, to grip her arm in the Kaonian form of agreement. Her digits curled around his wrist, all that she could realistically reach, and they shook on the deal. He hesitated to release her for a moment and heard her make a small noise of confusion. His optics were trained on their clasped arms before he looked back into her optics. "You seem to have some interesting knowledge at your disposal." He said as he released her. "I have never known of an Autobot who understood Kaonite etiquette."
Aria nibbled on her bottom derma for a moment before seeming to remember she had retracted her battlemask and stopped. "I… used to spend copious amounts of time in the Archives." She explained, tone almost shy.
"You were an archivist?" Now that was certainly a surprise, although a welcome one.
It only made his interest grow.
"Ahem." The other femme interrupted them as she also stood. "I believe that with the negotiation finalized we should begin working on the logistics. We-" Suddenly the femme twitched slightly, helm canting to the side as if listening to something. Likewise Aria reached up to tap at the side of her helm, nodding to whatever was being said on the other end of the transmission.
"Is there a problem?" He asked, raising an optic ridge in question.
"Only a small incident. One of the sparklings disappeared momentarily. Figment likes playing hiding games, he caused a bit of fuss before he was found. But he's safe and back with the others now."
He was surprised that the sharp opticed femmes could lose one of the sparklings but with his warriors standing nearby he knew their attention must be split. He reminded himself that they didn't know that the Decepticons would never hurt a sparkling. At least not yet.
"Well, since we're finished here we might as well-"
His comm crackled. ||My Lord!||
||What is it Barricade?||
||You need to return immediately. Starscream and his Trine are here and causing a disturbance.|| The mech reported quickly.
Megatron cursed internally. ||We'll be there momentarily.||
Looking at the sudden fierce looks on the femmes faces he assumed they'd also been contacted about his second in command. Letting out a harsh vent of frustration he waved toward the door. "I believe that is our cue to return. It appears my second in command is making a nuisance of himself. He will be dealt with the moment I arrive, I assure you."
There was a small flash of appreciation on Aria's face before she nodded. Her battlemask slid back into place but he thought he could still hear her mutter, "why is he even in the chain of command to begin with?"
Megatron let out a snort of amusement but didn't reply as they turned and headed back to the main chamber of the temple.