Chapter 184 - While you Were Sleeping

Phoenix P.O.V

Muffled words, a voice.

Not a deep, rumbling voice that filled my soul with warmth, but a familiar and dear voice nonetheless greeted my audials as I slowly followed the light and awoke.

''That's it lil' lady, time ta wake up.'' I slowly shuttered my optics and groggily glanced around. ''You're in tha Med Bay Phoenix, you've just had some intensive repairs carried out on ya. Do ya remember?'' Jazz's voice drifted down to me.

''Ja.. Jazz.'' I closed my optics and fought to regain my equilibrium as my processor kicked in and fed me images and memories. ''I.. remember.'' I furrowed my brow. ''Wh.. where's Optimus?''

Jazz smiled warmly at me. ''He sent me ta sit with ya till ya woke up. He's still in his meetin' with Morshower an' Lennox about Unicron an' tha end of tha world, ya know, typical stuff.'' He sighed. ''Sorry for tha poor substitute.''

I snorted in amusement, and I felt a dull ache in my chest. /That's right, there was a hole there/. ''Well, I guess you'll do Jazz.'' I winked up at him and he laughed.

''Tha's tha spirit lil' lady!'' He pulled his makeshift chair closer towards me. ''So, how are ya feelin'?''

''Awesome Jazz, really good.''

He quirked an optic ridge. ''Really, tha's good ta..'' He paused and grinned down at me. ''Ya shittin' me aren't ya?''

I nodded slowly. ''Clearly been a while since you've been on the operating table Jazz.''

''Tha's 'cause I'm too skilled ta get injured.'' He flicked both servos towards his body, waving them up and down his torso. Ya can't fix what ain't broke baby!''

I snorted out loud. ''Well, if you've come here to make me feel better Jazz, please, continue.'' I really didn't care; it was all part of the game we played stirring each other up.

''Well, Prime should be finishin' his meetin' soon an' then he'll be straight over here ta see you.'' I smiled brightly at this bit of news. ''Though not sure how long he will be able ta stay 'cause no doubt Morshower will be settin' up a meetin' with all the JCS in tha Department of Defence, SEC DEV and Homeland Security Advisor to disseminate what Prime tells him and perhaps come up with a plan of attack to report back to POTUS himself.'' Jazz sighed wearily. ''Secret's out Phoenix. Soon tha all tha Nations of tha World will know what is headed their way.''

''Again, way ta go with the cheering up Jazz!'' I shook my helm. ''Do me a favour and steer clear of kid's hospitals okay?'' The silver Special Ops bot just flashed me a cheeky smile. I closed my optics and ex-vented deeply. ''So, this is it Jazz? The beginning of the end?'' I cast a concerned glance towards my friend.

''Seems ta be lil lady,'' he replied softly.

I gave a small laugh. ''Who would have thought when I first met you all those years ago in the alleyway that night as OC, we would end up in this situation!''

Jazz laughed out loud. ''Certainly not me!'' His laughter faded and his expression sobered. ''Though I for one wouldn't have it any other way. No one else I'd rather have by my side goin' inta this than you Phoenix,'' Jazz reached over and clasped my servo.

I smiled brightly up at him and squeezed it back. ''While I appreciate the sentiment mate, it's a big fat lie! There's Prowl for one, and Prime himself, not ta mention 'Hide and..''

Jazz groaned and removed his servo and held them up in surrender, a smile on his dermas. ''''Okay, okay, ya got me. How about, ''You're ONE of a number of bots I'm glad I have by ma side goin' inta this?''

''That's better.'' I sighed out loud again and lay my servos gently over my stomach. ''Any news on Prowl anyway? I mean, wasn't he meant to show up here by now? He is Prime's 2IC, where Prime goes, he shouldn't have been too far away.''

Jazz shrugged his shoulders. ''Your guess is as good as mine. Haven't heard from ol' Prowler since before we arrived here on Earth. My guess is he got waylaid somewhere.'' A distant look appeared on Jazz's face as he considered his friend. ''I sure hope he gets his aft here soon though, cause we sure as shit could use his help.''

I had heard Jazz and Prime refer to Prowl over the years. He had a bit of a reputation as being a walking battle supercomputer and a straight as an arrow good cop kinda mech. I smiled to myself as I wondered how it was possible that Jazz and he got on so well given Jazz's propensity to see rules as more of ''guidelines.'' By all accounts Prowl was even more serious than Prime was when I first knew him. Thankfully, Prime had since mellowed a bit, though he would always have that sense of responsibility and air of authority about him – came with the role and it was just part of who he was. Perhaps Prowl could also be encouraged to lighten up a bit should he ever make it here? /If he makes it here!/.

I sighed out loud yet again as my thoughts turned to what we faced. ''We'll be okay Jazz, won't we. I mean, we have the Matrix safely with Prime, there is a truce between the Decepticons and Autobots, and if we find the Star Saber…''

''We also have a Phoenix,'' Jazz winked at me.

I rolled my optics. ''I'm being serious Jazz.''

''So am I lil' lady!'' Jazz flashed me a brilliant smile. ''And by the way, it's more like when we get the Star Saber to us, as opposed to when we find it.''

A sent him a confused look. ''Hunh? What do you mean when we get it to us? We are yet to find it,'' his smile broadened as I continued, ''Aren't we?''

''Not as of a few joors ago lil' lady. While you were sleepin', we managed ta find tha Saber's location.'' Jazz leaned back on his makeshift seat and placed his servos behind his helm as he grinned triumphantly at me.

I felt my newly repaired dermas part in shock, and I started to sit up. ''What do you think YOU are doing?'' Rachet accused as he entered the Med Bay to check on his patient, an annoyed scowl plastered on his face. ''Phoenix you know my rules, you must give your body time to recover. You have had some extensive repairs carried out and you'll recover quicker if you take the time to heal NOW!''

I closed my optics and counted to three and the spike of irritation began to fade slowly. /Hunh, maybe Lennox was on to something here?/. ''Rachet, I always abide by..''

Rachet folded his arms across his chest and stared down at me, one of his optical ridges raised questioningly at me. ''Would we use the word ''Always?''

I groaned out loud, ''Fine! I mostly abide by your post op rules, but Rachet, Jazz just informed me they have found the Star Saber!''

At this the medics optics widened and his arms fell by his sides. ''How? Where? When?''

Jazz laughed, ''I was jus' about ta go inta that when ya came barralin' in here all ''Nurse Ratched'' style an' killed tha vibe man.''

I gave a small chuckle at the comparison, though was quickly silenced when the bot in question glared balefully at me and then Jazz respectfully. ''Rules are rules,'' he barked. ''Now, what of the Star Saber?''

Jazz sighed and continued in his explanation. ''As I was sayin' we discovered where it was a few joors ago. Prime, 'Hide an' I were discussin' where it could possibly be as tha search team assigned with locatin' it continued ta be unsuccessful in their mission. We, as in 'Hide, was beginin' ta think it may not even exist.'' Jazz rose to his pedes and walked a few paces around. ''It was at that point that Cade Yeager, ya remember him?'' Jazz looked to us both.

Rachet nodded as I replied, ''Of course I do Jazz! He's the guy responsible for restoring Prime to us and helping to infiltrate KSI, not to mention he was one dedicated dad to Tessa,'' I nodded my helm and smiled. ''Yeah, I remember that guy, top bloke.''

Jazz smiled and proceeded to pace about again. ''Yeah, well he jus' happened ta call out of tha blue wantin' ta say thanks for all we did ta help clear their names an' get their lives back an' ta check on how we were doin'.''

Rachet grunted. ''How odd he chose now of all times to do that.''

I grinned up at them both. ''My mum used ta say, 'Life's all about timing'.'' I groaned in recollection. ''Mine was usually pretty shit. Well, except of course for the night I met you guys.''

Jazz smiled warmly at me. ''Never have truer words been spoken lil' lady, on both counts. Ta cut a long story short, Prime told Cade we had important business ta attend to so could not continue our chat. Cade asked if he could help an' I jokingly said, ''not unless he could tell us where the Star Saber was 'cause that would be mighty helpful''. Jazz laughed out loud. ''Turned out, tha dude did know where it was!''

''Where? Where was it?'' I could not keep the excited and incredulous tone out of my voice as I began to slowly sit up in anticipation, ignoring Rachet's hard stare.

''And how did Cade of all people know where it was all this time?'' Rachet added.

''Well, you remember how we snuck aboard Lockdown's ship to rescue Prime, Rachet?''

The Medic gave a shudder. ''Yes, I remember that.''

''Well, while on board Cade, Shane and Ironhide stumbled upon the armoury whilst looking for Tessa. Turns out Cade remembered seeing the Star Saber amongst all the other sword and weapons.'' Jazz shook his helm. ''Lockdown musta somehow got his filthy servos on it at some point in his wanderings. Thankfully, he didn't realise what he had in his possession.''

''So, it does exist!'' I had sat upright on the gurney. ''We found it!'' A euphoric feeling washed over me. /Perhaps we really did stand a chance of winning now/.

''It does indeed Lil' lady, but jus' so ya both know Prime wants this information kept on a strictly need ta know basis.'' Jazz smiled at us. ''I figured he won't mind you pair knowin'. 'Hide knows, as does Lennox, but I have a feelin' Prime will try an' keep that information under wraps from tha JCS for tha moment, but tha's it. So, let's keep it that way.'' I nodded my helm in understanding.

''Well, that's all well and good Jazz but as we know, that ship – and by default, the sword - are lightyears away on Cybertron - with Elita!''

My spark skipped a pulse, and I closed my optics as that euphoric feeling slipped away like an early morning fog on a sunny day. /Of course, there would have to be a fly in the ointment/, I thought morosely. I had failed to connect the dots.

''Already ahead of ya doc bot. Prime has put Ironhide an' Hound on tha case of sendin' an encrypted message ta Elita informin' her of tha Star Saber's location an' urgin' her immediate return.'' Jazz sent us both a weak smile. ''It's now a waitin' game.''

I sighed out loud. ''But what if Elita doesn't get the message or something has happened to her and..''

Jazz walked over and placed a servo gently on my shoulder. ''Then we make do with what we got lil' lady. Tha Matrix, Two Primes,'' he smiled down at me, '' A Phoenix, a deceitful, back stabbin' Decepticon Warlord an' a mish mash a pissed off 'Cons an' Autobots.'' Jazz squeezed my shoulder. ''An' don't forget we will likely, hopefully, have tha support of every major Nation an' their respective arsenals. Prime is workin' on that right now as ya know.'' I smiled up at Jazz and placed my servo over his, accepting the comfort he offered.

Rachet walked over and placed his servo on my other shoulder. ''Point is Phoenix, Star Saber or not, we're not going down without one hell of a fight. And what's more,'' he shook his helm, ''against all reasoning and against my better judgement, I think there is a chance we can win this fight.''

I tilted my helm towards my friend and grunted. ''Oh yeah Rachet? And what makes you think we can?''

He smiled at me. ''Because I choose to believe we can.''