TFA: Youngling

Ch.15~ She Needs Help

I gently ran my servo over Stargazer's side, she was recharging peacefully…

Ratchet's assessment only brought to light the scale of problems she had, losing her creators so young… It left a mark. Her spark was small, far too small for her age. It was clearly struggling to keep up with her growing youngling frame. Her frame was also so different from ours: one of which was her spark was bound to this frame. Meaning she would not be able to get upgrades like most other younglings did.

He said while she had been able to answer his questions previously, he was unsure how much about her developmental stages. Meaning we were flying blind. He admitted he was not the mech to do this, he was a war medic, trained in injury repair, not younglings. She needed to be seen by a more knowledgeable medic…

"Jazz, we'll figure this out." Prowl hushed; I turned my gaze to him.

"I know she doesn't want ta go ta Cybertron, but she needs ta be seen by a medic who knows more about youngling's," I stated, he nodded.

"I agree, perhaps we can return to Cybertron with Magnus and then return to Earth with the twins once she is seen by a medic." He suggested.

"Will she accept that?" I quizzed, he sighed.

"She will not be happy, but we both know it's what's best for her in the long run."

"It is…"

"Then we have to do this, even if she is upset by it. We can always return once we know more about her condition."

"Yer right. I just don't want her ta be upset…"

"I know. But we must do this."

I'm sorry, but this is all in your best interests sweetspark.

(Stargazer's POV)

I looked to Carrier and Sire in confusion, they both looked too serious. Was this about what happened at Sumdac Systems? No, if it was wouldn't Sari be here too?

"Sweetspark, all of us are going back to Cybertron with Magnus." Carrier stated.

"What?! Didn't he say you could stay on Earth?!" I yelled; Carrier nodded.

"He did, and we'll come back. But ya need ta get seen by a medic, one that knows about younglings." He stated.

"Why?" I questioned.

"Sweetspark do ya not remember last night?" he questioned looking surprised.

"No… Why?"

"Ya said yer chestplates hurt, we rushed ya ta Ratchet. Yer spark is weak, ya had to feed of my spark energy like a sparkling." He argued, his spark energy?

"I don't understand," I stated, none of this is making any sense. "I'm fine, my Rache would have known if my spark was weak?"

"Your spark is the size of a sparkling's, given what happened to your birth creators… We don't know what else could be wrong, and Ratchet said he was not skilled enough to handle this." Sire added, I bite my lipplate.

"Rache would have known!" I insisted, Carrier grabbed my shoulderplates.

"We just want ta make sure yer okay, we'll come back here after yer seen by a medic." Carrier hushed; I shook my helm.

"Even if something was wrong with my frame, it isn't like yours, they wouldn't know anything more than I do," I argued.

"This isn't up for debate." Sire stated.

"I won't go!" I screamed; Carrier cupped my cheekplates.

"I know ya don't wanna, but me and yer Sire are worried about ya. We'd feel so much better if ya get seen by a medic who might know more. Also, we'll be picking up some very special bots on the trip." Carrier hushed.

"Special bots?" I quizzed, he nodded.

"Yes, they're my charges, ya could call 'em yer big brothers. They're back on Cybertron, they'll come to stay with us on Earth." He explained, big brothers?!

"What are their names?!" I exclaimed, he smiled.

"Jetfire and Jetstorm, they're split spark twins." He answered.

"Just like…" I muttered; he brushed my cheekplates.

"Just like what?"

"Back in my world, I had older brothers, they were split spark twins too, they were adopted by my creators long before I was born."

"I see, you must miss them."

I nodded, Carrier brought me into a warm hug, I leaned into him. My brothers were out in space still looking for me. What would they say when they learned I was gone…? I hope they don't get mad at Rache…

Carrier hummed softly as he ran a servo up and down my backstruts. It was comforting. I could feel a tinge of worry from his field, he must be really worried about me. I don't even remember last night, but it must have scared them…

"I'll go…" I muttered.

"Thank ya sweetspark, I promise ya we'll come back ta Earth as soon as we can." He comforted, I nodded snuggling up to him.

(Later)

"You're going to Cybertron?!" Sari exclaimed, I nodded. "Why?! I thought you didn't want to go?!"

"I got sick last night, Carrier and Sire want me to be seen by a medic on Cybertron… We'll come back though, and we'll be bringing Carrier's charges with us." I answered.

"More younglings?" she quizzed.

"Older ones but yes, Carrier said he wanted to bring them here," I replied. "Anyway, Carrier seemed really worried about me…"

"Do you still feel sick?"

"Not really."

"Then you're better, right?"

"Carrier said my spark's small…"

"Your spark? That sounds bad."

"It doesn't make sense; Rache would have known…"

"Our Ratchet or yours?"

"Mine, he would have known if something was wrong with me."

"Oh… Well maybe he didn't tell you, I mean that would be a scary thing to know, right?"

I never thought of that… Had Rache known but just been unable to do anything? I knew they all hid things from me that they didn't think I needed to know. Would he have hidden that from me? Had I been sick the whole time but he never told me?

"Maybe I was always sick…" I muttered, I sat down and I felt Sari rub my backstruts. "Maybe that's why my glitch activated…"

"Hey, it'll be okay. Prowl and Jazz are gonna get you checked out, I'm sure the doctors on Cybertron can help. Then you can come back feeling even better than normal." She soothed, I nodded. "You'll have to tell me all about Cybertron when you get back. Need an Earth-minded perspective."

(Jazz's POV)

"Sentinel you and Optimus will be in charge while we are away, listen to Optimus as his knowledge of the planet will be imperative to our success in finding the All-Spark shards," Magnus ordered; Sentinel nodded.

"Understood sir." He stated; something tells me this wasn't going to go as well as Magnus thinks.

"Let us depart, the sooner we can return the better," Magnus stated, I nodded.

"See you soon," Stargazer said waving to the Earth team.

"I'll master that game before you get back!" Bee called.

I scooped her up and carried her into the ship, she leaned into my plating. The ramp raised and I felt her bury herself into my plating her grip on my plating tightening. She was scared, I hummed and I ran a servo over her backstruts.

"Everything's alright Star." Prowl soothed; he gently began to rub her helm. "There's nothing for you to fear."

"I remember the last time I went on a ship… We got on, but before the ramp closed… Sire pushed Carrier back and jumped out… Then my spark hurt and Carrier screamed… He was in pain too… I guess that was our bonds with him snapping…" she explained, I felt my spark break.

"I'm sorry that happened to you and him…" Prowl hushed, she snuggled closer to my plating I could feel her tears.

"Yer safe, me and yer Sire and right here now, we ain't going nowhere." I soothed, she clung to me tighter.

"Don't go…" she pleaded, I held her closer.

"I'll hold ya till ya feel better, don't worry about that sweetspark." I lulled.

I hope this trip will be worth all this…

(Stargazer's POV)

This ship wasn't like the one I remember from my sparklinghood. It was much smaller and there were almost no places to see outside the ship. Only having windows in the command deck.

Every day on this ship brought memories of my sparklinghood. It left me not wanting to do anything. Carrier seemed to sense my discomfort and held me most of the time. He let me cuddle in his lap when he worked in the command deck. Sometimes I would watch the stars while he worked. Other times I would cuddle into him like I was right now.

"We're getting closer sweetspark, only a few more cycles." Carrier hushed petting my helm. "On the way back, you'll have yer brothers ta play with, doesn't that sound fun?"

I nodded his plating; he gently patted my helm before moving the servo to rest on my backstruts. His thumb gently began to move against my backstruts.

"How are you feeling today, Princess?" Magnus asked, he sounded worried.

How was I feeling? Exhausted. Too many memories, making me feel too many things. I was so exhausted, I just wanted to be off this ship. I felt Carrier's other servo begin to pet my helm.

"Not feelin' herself today, not much fer talkin' either," Carrier answered, I guess he's right I haven't said a word all day.

"When we arrive, I can recommend the best medic I know, I trust them with my own creations." He offered; he has creations?

"I'll take ya up on that offer." Carrier replied, "We're getting close now, got anotha few cycles till we arrive on Cybertron."

"We're making good time." He stated.

A few more cycles. I think cycles is what they've been calling days. We've been on here for four days now, so this trip was going to take six or seven days in total. I guess a week on a ship isn't so bad. Felt longer though… I hope the way back isn't this hard…

(Jazz's POV)

Nearly there, only half a cycle now.

I hope Stargazer will perk up more once we arrive, she's barely spoken the last four cycles. Every night she has nightmares, bad ones. It takes both Prowl and I to calm her down. We're both exhausted, barely getting two vorns of uninterrupted recharge.

"Jazz, I'll take her." Prowl offered, I turned to see him standing before me.

"I'm good, might get ya to watch her a bit when I start piloting," I replied, he sat down next to me.

"You should try and catch some recharge before your shift." He stated, I smiled shuffling closer to him.

"I can catch some charge like this, mind letting me lean on ya." I hummed, he smiled and pulled me close so I could lay my helm against him.

"Of course, I'll wake you before your shift." He soothed, I nodded and offlined my optics.

(Later)

I felt something moving against me, I onlined my optics and turned my gaze down. Stargazer was moving, but she looked to still be in recharge like she had been before. Was it a nightmare? Usually, she's more vocal? Carefully I moved a servo up and gently shook her shoulderplate. To my surprise she turned her gaze to me, she wasn't recharging.

"What's wrong, sweetspark?" I quizzed.

"Don't feel good." She whined; I gently pulled her close.

"Is it your spark?" I quizzed; she shook her helm. "Are you in pain?"

"Not really, just don't feel good." She muttered; I began to pet her backstruts.

"What can I do to help you feel a bit better?" I asked.

"Feels better when you rub my backstruts." She stated, I pulled her closer as I continued to rub her backstruts.

"That help?" I quizzed, she nodded into my plating.

"Jazz?" Prowl stated, I turned to see him in the doorway.

"Prowl, when did ya head out?" I asked, he moved over to me.

"You were pretty exhausted so I took some of your piloting shift, we're almost to Cybertron now. Something wrong with Stargazer?" he replied.

"Thanks Prowl, guess I needed that recharge." I began, I adjusted Stargazer slightly. "she's just not feelin' tha best."

He knelt down before me and gently reached over to rub Stargazer helm. She turned her helm to look at him, reaching forward he gently scooped her up and rose to his pede cradling her. Settling her against his chestplate he began to gently pet her backstruts.

"We're almost to Cybertron Stargazer." He soothed, "We'll get you feeling better soon. Mind staying with me while your Carrier pilots the ship."

She nodded her helm and I rose to my pedes, stepping close to him I leaned my helm to his. I placed a gentle kiss on his cheekplate then placed another on Stargazer's helm. Stepping back, I playfully saluted him.

"See ya two after I land this ship on Cybertron." I hummed, he nodded and waved to me.

"We'll be waiting." He replied, I nodded blowing a kiss before heading out.

Only a bit longer sweetspark.

(Prowl's POV)

"What's troubling you today, Star?" I asked, she raised her helm to look up at me.

"Don't feel good…" she muttered, I nodded.

"Not too sure what isn't feeling good?" I pressed, she nodded. "I see, we'll take you to see a medic as soon as we can."

"The council will want to talk to me, won't they?" she muttered, I sighed but nodded.

"I'm sure they will," I admitted, she tightened her grip on my armour. "Don't worry Ultra Magnus is going to handle them."

"I can use my battle computer and act like I did with Ultra Magnus."

"You'll irritate your glitch."

"If it gets them to listen, then that's fine…"

"No, it is not."

"I don't want to become their pawn…"

"What do you mean?"

"My weapons, the knowledge that the Decepticons are active… I'm sure if they had their way, they would turn me into a weapon for their uses…"

A weapon, she thinks they would make her a weapon? That wouldn't… No… They would if given half the chance.

"We wouldn't let them. You know that don't you?" I soothed.

"I know you'd try your best…" she replied.

"You think they'd win?"

"They have the tools to overpower you…"

I wanted to argue, that we could win if it came to it, but I knew I couldn't… Her battle computer was right, if it came to it, they would easily overpower us… All I want to do is comfort her, but her logic is sound. All of our hope resides with Ultra Magnus…

"Ultra Magnus knows them; he will be able to reason with them in your place," I stated.

"I refuse to sit by and do nothing." She insisted.