The flight to Diego Garcia was a long one, and this time would be longer than usual for Sam since Mikaela wouldn't be with him. She usually accompanied him and he'd be lonely without her. Even worse was the reason she was staying behind. The morning sickness from carrying his child was too debilitating, and a knot of guilt and anxiety had tangled and grown in his gut all day.
It was pushing ten o'clock at night – 22:00 hours, he mentally corrected – when Bumblebee rolled them into a C-17 bound for Diego Garcia. At least he had 'Bee. And at least Mikaela had RaFly to keep an optic (and all the other sensors and scanners Rachet could talk the femme into using) trained on her.
Bumblebee parked in the cargo hold and got settled into position for take-off. "'Kaela's gonna be...just fine," he said by way of quotes.
"I hope so."
"Relax…so you can...talk to your brother."
Sam drew a deep breath through his nose and slowly blew it out. "As soon as we've hit cruising altitude."
...
In their shared bond-dream, Optimus was waiting for Sam on the flight deck like usual, but the staff he held in his hand was out of the ordinary. Sam tilted his head as he approached Optimus. "What's that?"
The mech held up the tip, and it glinted in the sunrise. "The staff of Alpha Trion. He carried it before I was even spark-forged, and it was carried by a long line of his fathers."
"Impressive it could take that kind of wear and tear," Sam said, curiously glancing at the staff. Even more curious was Optimus' swell of surprise at his words.
"It bears the mark of Solus Prime," the mech added. "I did not realize that until earlier today."
Sam tore his gaze away from the staff to look at Optimus. "Solus Prime? Who's he?"
"Unknown." Optimus held the staff out so Sam could examine it.
Sam picked it up and squinted at the tip. "Well, he's not one of the first seven Primes – we know all their names."
"Thirteen," Optimus said, straightening. "There were thirteen Primes at first. The Fallen, his six brothers, and their six mates."
Sam blinked as he processed that. "You think Solus is a femme?"
"Possibly."
"How would you find out?" he asked as he returned the staff to Optimus.
"That is an excellent question. One possible source is The Legend of Alpha Prime." He brought them back to a memory he'd shared with Sam years ago in one of their first bond-dreams as brothers. It was a Cybertronian art museum. The centerpiece of one whole gallery stood before them again – a statue of the first of their race, of Alpha Prime. But it was more than just a statue. Its surface was covered in layers of miniaturized data that made it an entire history, too.
Optimus focused again on the glyphs near the statue's "spark." The first time they'd visited this place, Sam hadn't learned to read many Cybertronian glyphs and had just allowed Optimus to translate for him. As they both looked more closely now, Sam recognized that some were very different from the style of glyphs he knew.
"Can you read all this?" Sam asked.
"Some of it, though I'm probably one of the last Cybertronians who can. The statue's alleged maker Iron Wright was extinguished by a virus when Alpha Trion's creator was still a youngling. This is a middle-dialect, a language that has both modern and ancient features. Even in Iron Wright's day, it would have been considered archaic."
"So you think you could read it with help from Jetfire's databases?"
"Possibly. I've never tried, and I don't have access to those linguistic databases while in recharge. This one, though," he said, pointing to a particular glyph, "is the one I suspect might be her. The Cybertronian word 'solus' has roots related to 'healing.' And the glyph for the Builder Prime – Seneschal – is interlinked with the glyph for 'healer.'" Pointing to several smaller glyphs that surrounded the "Healer" mark, he added, "Some of these glyphs, however, are undecipherable."
"What can you make out?"
"Sword, forge, blaster..."
"Why would those words be associated with a healer? I mean, a forge makes sense, maybe, but sword and blaster?"
"Also unknown."
"Got it. We'll solve that mystery as we go."
"Agreed," Optimus said. "Jetfire's databases are our best starting point. In the meantime, though, you've been vacillating between guilt and terror all day."
Sam snorted. "Yeah. I can't believe I'm leaving her to deal with all this by herself."
"She is in good hands."
"Yeah, tell me that when Elita One is carrying Elita Two," Sam quipped and then instantly regretted it.
A wave of Optimus' grief and longing swept across their bond, but forgiveness and understanding followed in its wake. Sam sighed and leaned into it, pouring in his own wordless apology.
To make sure there was no potential for misunderstanding, Optimus said, "No Cybertronian build can become pregnant with a sparkling..."
"I know, Optimus. I know. I'm sorry…"
But Optimus spoke over him, his affection for Sam swelling to drown out his brother's apology. "Only Mikaela can bear our hopes that way, and we honor her courage and sacrifice. Radio Flyer keenly feels the honor and weight of responsibility that comes with keeping Mikaela safe and in good health while you are away. We all wish it was an easier pregnancy for her, but human medicine is better equipped to manage her symptoms than anything we could offer. The entire process is so delicate that we dare not interfere. But we do what we can to watch over and support her. And you."
Sam surrendered to that affection. "Love ya, too, Optimus."
…
Sam woke up shortly after Optimus pulled out of recharge. He tilted up the driver's seat he'd slept in and climbed out of 'Bee's cab so the mech could transform. In the hold of the C-17, it was impossible to tell what local time was, and he'd long ago learned to not care. It was sunrise on Diego Garcia, and he'd live that schedule until they were on their way back. He could sleep all he wanted to then.
But first things first, he checked his phone for text messages. There was a picture of Mikaela and RaFly's holoform both grinning through mud masks and with the caption, /Girls' night in!/
Sam's heart warmed a bit. /Good morning, beautiful!/ But that was all the distraction his growling stomach would allow.
'Bee had developed the habit of keeping a stash of granola bars and, embarrassingly, 100% juice pouches in his subspace for his favorite humans. (Sam had asked once why he didn't stock Gatorade, and in explanation, 'Bee had played a rant from Ratchet about what all those artificial ingredients did to the human microbiome. Even if it was Sam's own GI tract, it was still TMI for him.) Awake and several hours away from the next MRE the NEST personnel would serve, Sam wasn't too proud to make a breakfast from Bumblebee's emergency stash.
Around his mouthful of granola, he said, "Optimus has shown me a fair amount about Ultra Magnus before they even got here. What can you show me about the others?"
'Bee lifted his wings with happiness at the request and turned on his projector.
…
"Just get to the good part, already," Sam said, and it was the good part: Optimus bringing out the Matrix, the new Autobots' reaction to harvesting energon, the Earth-based Autobots' delight at their friends' joy and relief. Anytime they performed this rite for a new arrival, Sam had a better appreciation for what they were building together. It might take the rest of his life to complete the solar harvester, but seeing the crew of the Iron Will respond to the flavor of hope as they drank their fresh energon, he couldn't think of a better life's work.
Later, when 'Bee brought him to the human barracks, Sam expected him to head back over to the main part of the base. Instead, 'Bee powered down.
"You going to spend some time with Arcee tonight?" Sam asked from the barrack's doorway.
In answer, he spliced quotes to say, "She just needs some time...with her sister."
"Well, thanks for keeping me company," Sam said and headed inside. As he settled in for whatever sleep he could get, he noticed his cell phone screen light up the room with an incoming text.
Unlocking his phone, he saw another picture, this time of a belly button he could only assume was Mikaela's. The caption said, /This had better be a baby eventually, because right now this naughty boy just seems like a month-long bout of the stomach flu./
Sam half-smiled and texted back, /Naughty boy?/
Her response followed seconds later. /No daughter would be this rotten to me./
/I don't think that's how this works.../
/Yeah? You think you know so much? You don't get to offer an opinion until you've got a uterus./ But she softened it with a laughing emoji.
/Love you, Mikaela./ He added icons for a heart, a bouquet of flowers, and a baby pacifier.
She responded with a vomiting emoji and the words, /Love you, too, Samuel Prime. Get some sleep and hurry home to me./
…
Optimus met Sam in his dreams again, of course, but he surprised Sam by announcing, "I found more information regarding Solus Prime in Jetfire's databases. She was the first Cybertronian physician, but she didn't just heal individuals – her handiwork was intended to help heal the hurts Unicron left in the universe. As such, her works should always be handled with the utmost care, since they deal in the fabric of reality itself. Those databases confirm that she made many powerful, notable artifacts – but none of them were a staff."
"What did she make, then?"
"In addition to a forge, a blaster, and several swords, she also made a quill, a lathe, and even some items that remain an enigma to this day. As I said, she made many things – but none of them recognizable as a staff."
"Maybe this is one of the enigmas then."
"Perhaps. I am reluctant to use it or even experiment on it without knowing more. I wish Alpha Trion had given me better information."
Sam shrugged. "If wishes were horses…"
Optimus gave him a puzzled look. "If wishes were horses?"
Sam laughed, realizing Optimus had never heard the phrase before. "...then we'd all ride."
"I wouldn't," Optimus said, somewhat baffled.
Sam just laughed even harder.
...
When Optimus pulled out of recharge, Sam woke up and reached for his phone. Going to the window, he snapped a photo of the palm trees and beach. Then he texted it to Mikaela. /Morning, beautiful! Feeling any better?/
The picture she sent in response was of bare trees, gray skies, and patchy snow on the neighbor's yard. /Don't ask./
/You're amazing for going through all this. You know that, right? Even Optimus says so./
/I was going to tell you to shove it up your tailpipe, but...tell Optimus thanks for me./
/Will do. Love you!/
Bumblebee was still out front when Sam headed out a few minutes later. "Working 9 to 5," 'Bee cheerfully sang, followed by the quote, "Check your email."
He climbed into 'Bee's cab and pulled out his phone while the Autobot drove. Apparently there was a briefing about the new arrivals, and Optimus had been tapped for their orientation and training, leaving Sam stuck as the token Prime in the meeting.
He grabbed a bagel from the NEST breakroom and then headed up the stairs to join Lennox on the command scaffolding. He arrived just seconds before Morshower joined the connection and had to eat the bagel on the sly.
"I've read your reports on these new 'bots, Prowl," General Morshower said, "and they're going to be incredibly useful assets."
"Agreed," Prowl answered. "They have been assigned to human integration training and are already learning to adapt their individual fighting styles to Earth's terrain and atmosphere. We will be able to introduce you to them soon."
"Good. But I gather they didn't come here just to meet the natives."
"Correct. Autobot Intelligence on Cybertron is convinced that the Decepticons are preparing for a major assault on Earth."
Sam blinked at that. "More major than when The Fallen attacked Earth seven years ago?" His mind filled with memories and his heart with horror.
"Yes. Considerably larger," Prowl calmly said. "Ultra Magnus' team was never able to determine the exact nature of the pending attack, but the focus of Decepticon activity has shifted. I concur with Lancer's analysis that Earth is the most likely target of that activity."
Lennox shifted uneasily. "What exactly do Magnus and Lancer know, then?"
"The Decepticons have been gathering somewhere off of Cybertron," Prowl answered. "The precise location is unknown, but it is accessible via space bridge."
"Why would Earth be the target instead of Cybertron, though?" Sam asked.
"Because they mostly hold Cybertron, or what's left of it," Prowl answered. "The most-logical reason to remove themselves from one of their strongest positions and from potential sources of energon is to hide their numbers and movements from us. They haven't felt the need to do that in any of the more-recent skirmishes on Cybertron, and the fiercest battles of the last decade have been on Earth. They are shifting tactics in response to a shift in the battle front."
"And that's the reason for the buildup," Lennox realized. "They haven't encountered such stiff resistance for a while."
"Correct," Prowl answered. "Nor were they likely anticipating Wheeljack's upgrades to BINDS, though the Seekers who had been harrying the Iron Will have no doubt already reported it to Megatron. That might buy us some time as they amass an even larger army, or there's a slight chance it might make Megatron reconsider, though that's not likely."
"What about the Iron Will?" Lennox asked. "What kind of firepower does it have?"
"None to speak of," Prowl said. "The designation of Iron Will is given to any ship commanded by Ultra Magnus. Previous ships would have been an asset, but this one was a lunar ferry that was a derelict until it was pressed into service. It had enough engine power to get through the space bridge and navigate Earth's solar system, and enough shield strength to survive a few blasts, but had we not used BINDS to intervene, the ship probably wouldn't have made it safely to Earth's surface."
"Could it be repaired?" Lennox pressed. "Maybe upgraded? Even a derelict Cybertronian lunar ferry is more advanced tech than anything human-built. If we've got the Decepticon army coming down on us, I'll take every asset we can get."
Optimus blocked the bond. Sam perked up in curiosity and focused on his brother. He had occasionally picked up on Optimus' louder thoughts about taking the new mechs down to the training range, but nothing that out of the ordinary. Why block it now?
The conversation shifted to talk about metal refining quality and repair parts for the Iron Will, so Sam mentally checked out and leaned into the block on the bond.
Optimus was feeling playful. Sam could probably count on one hand the number of times Optimus had felt playful in the seven years since they'd forged a bond. And in all that time, that playfulness was for him.
"Prowl?" Morshower said a bit louder than usual, bringing Sam's attention back to the call. "Lennox?" To the side, he asked someone, "Did we lose them?"
"Um…" Lennox finally responded, looking up from his phone.
"I apologize, General Morshower," Prowl said half a second later. "I was distracted by the sparring match. It won't happen again.
"What sparring match?" Sam demanded.
"The one between Optimus and Ultra Magnus," Lennox said, though his tone made it sound like he was missing the Superbowl.
Prowl's doorwings twitched in annoyance. "The one that Cliffjumper is currently livestreaming to every Autobot on Earth via a hijacked command frequency. I'll have him in the brig as soon as this meeting is over."
General Morshower looked as antsy as Will sounded. "We should retain the video for training purposes."
"And as evidence," Prowl added. "In the meantime, however, there are not many tactical uses the Iron Will could be put to, to answer your question. Not without better Earth-made weaponry."
"We're already struggling to get the needed metals for weapons and repairs," Lennox said. "We put everything we had into upgrading BINDS."
"True," Prowl agreed. "Beachcomber's expertise could be very useful in that regard, though."
As they babbled on, Sam again focused inward on the bond and on Optimus. His brother was having fierce, competitive fun. Pushing hard against the block, Sam mentally hollered, Your timing sucks!
How so? Optimus answered, his focus only fleetingly on Sam.
Lennox and Morshower were almost reduced to tears when they heard they were missing your sparring match.
Sam felt more than heard Optimus' chuckle. This is far from the last time Ultra Magnus and I will spar.
Then Optimus reinforced the block on his bond, and Sam felt a flash of jealousy. He wasn't used to being the one stuck adulting while Optimus was off having fun. Usually, they were in it together on the adulting or Sam was the one who got to go play. With a huff, he focused again on the meeting.
He caught Prowl mid-monologue. "... in northern Nevada. That refinery came online just two months ago. Adapting it to whatever needed metal Beachcomber can locate for us should be relatively easy."
"Depending on the metal," Lennox pointed out. "And on how business-friendly the governments involved are inclined to be."
"Better Earth-made weaponry for NEST – I like the sound of that," Morshower said. "Mr. Witwitcky, anything to add?"
"Only that Optimus promised he'd give you guys an encore when there isn't a meeting already scheduled. As for the rest, it all sounds good to me."
"And on that note, unless there's anything else…" Morshower began, but Prowl interrupted him. "Actually, I have an updated ore and synthetics requisition list from the med bay. The new arrivals used up most of our stores and we will need to replenish them, some quite urgently."
With a sigh, Morshower said, "Send it over and let's review it."
…
After the meeting was finally over, Sam thumped Bumblebee's front side-panel. "Alright, 'Bee, I need a holo of that fight before we head down to the training range."
In answer, 'Bee popped his driver-side door open and Sam slid into the seat. The mech drove them to the Autobot barracks and, after Sam climbed out of the cab, eagerly transformed. As 'Bee turned on his projector, Sam was fleetingly grateful for Autobot 3-D TiVo.
Instead of making him feel better, watching holo!Optimus fight with Ultra Magnus only made Sam increasingly angry and bitter and selfish and...and...jealous. It was deeply satisfying to watch Optimus lay out Ultra Magnus, and when his brother's swords hovered over Magnus' neck, Sam was surprised at the ugly part of him who wanted Optimus to follow through and decapitate him.
After the match was over, there were cheers and excited chatting from the humans who had been there realtime, but Sam was deeply unsettled. He'd never been this jealous in his life! Even when Mikaela was dating other guys before Bumblebee had gotten them together, he hadn't felt this way.
The difference, he decided, was that Mikaela didn't have any obligations to him in any way at that point. Optimus did. Optimus was his bond-brother. They were connected in ways no other human could hope to truly comprehend and here he was blocking the bond and having fun with somebody else.
Sam jumped at the gentle touch on his shoulder, and he looked up into the concerned optics of Bumblebee. "I'm okay, 'Bee. I just...I've got a lot to think about. Let's head down there."
As Sam climbed into his cab, 'Bee said through radio quotes, "It was just...sparring."
"I know, I just...I guess I was kind of blind-sided by my own feelings. I mean, Optimus and I have been each others' only brothers until now."
"Ooooh!" Bumblebee answered and then fell silent.
Sam remembered the way the two giant mechs had clashed, and he'd always enjoyed it when Optimus had shared similar memories. Of course, that was before Optimus had brushed him off so he could have fun with Magnus.
Sam's jealousy flared again. He couldn't do that. Even in their bond dreams when they were the same height, he wouldn't stand a chance in a sparring match with Optimus. He didn't have any training in hand-to-hand combat, and Optimus had thousands upon thousands of years of experience in fighting for his life. His brother could probably teach him a few things, but no way would Sam be able to give Optimus a run for his money the way Ultra Magnus could.
So where did that leave them, then?
He honestly wasn't sure. Until he could get it all figured out, Sam did his best to block the bond on his end, too.
"Alright, 'Bee, let's head down to the training range."
