As always, anything you recognize, and possibly some of the things you don't recognize, I don't own. I simply enjoy playing with them.
Chapter Nine - Close encounters
"So what, you'll lead her along until it's time for her to die?" Lennox demanded harshly.
"For them to lead me along would necessitate my ignorance toward what must happen." Mikaela stated calmly, Optimus held back a flinch, looking down at her as she lay cradled over his spark.
(MPOV)
"Mikaela, we will not destroy you to-" Optimus began.
"Optimus," I said quietly, opening my eyes to look up at him and running my hand along the plates of his palm, "leadership often means making difficult decisions. You would sacrifice yourself countless times over to save Cybertron. It would shame me to not do the same." I struggled to sit up, feeling lightheaded and weak.
"You would-"
"I would leave this body to save millions more," I said firmly, looking up at him, "Millions like myself, and millions of lives radically different from my own, and yet we share the best and worst of all civilizations."
"You would not survive the journey to Cybertron," Ratchet stated calmly, "your body is not built to..." he trailed off with a frown. "You aren't built to survive more than one hundred and twenty years at best. Not yet..."
"Ratchet!" Optimus almost snarled. "You can't possibly-"
"We could possibly upload her," Ratchet said blandly.
"Out of the question, I would not put her through such an ordeal."
"Optimus," I said quietly, "I will die eventually, at least let mine have meaning."
"We will discuss this later," he stated, barely touching a commanding tone, but it was still there never the less.
"Yes, we will," I replied in a deliberately light tone, his optics imperceptibly narrowed at me as I squirmed to the edge of his hand. "Lennox, how have you been?" I called out as I dropped onto my toes, resignedly ignoring the sharp pain in my thigh.
"You, young lady, are not going anywhere," Ratchet stated firmly, reaching toward me.
"Of course not, we're on a plane thirty-five thousand sixteen feet above the ground. Where am I gonna go Ratch?" I grinned up at him and walked toward Lennox, refusing to so much as limp. The IV in my arm tugged. I looked down at it in irritation.
"Talk yes, walk about while you're still hooked up absolutely not," Ratchet said grumpily, I could still hear the amusement lurking beneath the gruff tone as I swore quietly.
"Why the scrap do I have tubes stuck in me?" I demanded just as grumpily.
"Being as you managed to ignore losing over five pints of lubricants I won't take that personally," Ratchet snorted, lightly picking me up and handing me back to Optimus.
"Mikaela, any idea how the Decepticons managed to find you?" Lennox asked curiously. "You were pretty far off the radar."
"I have no idea," I said tiredly, poking at the IV in my arm until a strangely familiar hand firmly grabbed my wrist. I looked up curiously.
"Leave it be," Ratchet's voice commanded briskly from the human form.
"Wow Ratch, nice avatar," I grinned up at him. He rolled his eyes as the plane shuddered lightly.
"It comes in handy," he grumbled. "Now behave will you?"
"Oh fine," I sighed, "But can I please at least pace a bit?"
"Why?" Ratchet asked suspiciously.
"It um..." I scrambled for a reason, "It prevents blood clots in the legs while flying." I stated, mostly truthfully.
"You don't have enough blood in your veins to clot, and we're landing soon." Ratchet stated unhelpfully.
"All the more reason to prevent what little blood I have from clotting?" I shot at him hopefully.
"The real reason, please," Ratchet glared at me. I closed my eyes and sighed.
"Moving about seems to help keep the symbols at bay." I finally murmured, barely loud enough for the bots to hear me. I crossed my arms again and curled into myself slightly, fighting back the urge to begin writing again.
"Hold on, little one," Optimus rumbled softly, pulling me closer to his chest.
"I need a bigger processor," I whispered in defeat, curling up in his hand.
"All this weird crap," one of the soldiers muttered. "At least E equals MC squared still."
"In this dimension," I replied automatically, the symbols swimming through my vision, I began tracing a few of them on Optimus' palm with my finger.
"Great, so we got more dimensions now? Bugger."
"Have you found out what the warning meant at all?" Lennox asked patiently, looking up at Prime.
"What warning?" I muttered, still tracing. Optimus sighed and played a soundbite.
"The fallen shall rise again."
"Origins unknown," he rumbled softly.
"Grandfather Blackbird knows," I muttered, then looked up, "That was weird," I said with a frown. I closed my eyes and watched the hypnotic, dancing symbols.
"Grandfather Blackbird?" Epps called out, "Sounds like an old plane at the Smithsonian or something."
"We need to find out what that Decepticon punk meant, The Fallen-" Ironhide grumbled. Another memory snapped into place. My eyes flew open.
"In the beginning there were seven Primes, the original leaders." I cut Ironhide off. "They set out into the universe seeking distant suns to harvest Energon. Harvest Energon. The Primes set out with one rule, 'never destroy a planet with life,' l-l-life life until one of them tried to defy this rule, his name was f-f-for-forever more the Fallen." I began gasping under the overload of information, my hands flew to press into my temples. I could only see the mass of gold in front of my eyes. "He built in the desert a great machine to harvest energon by destroying suns, intending to wipe out the human race by turning it on with the key."
"What key?" Optimus asked intently, lifting me toward his face.
"Matrix... Matrix..." I babbled, rocking. "The only way to activate the machine was with the key, the matrix of – There was a great battle over possession of the key, bu-buh-but the fallen was stronger than his brothers. So they had no choice but to steal the key away and hide it-" I began gasping again, doubled over and wrapping my arms around myself. Cold fire made my head throb as I fought to understand.
"Optimus, she's overheating," Ratchet barked out.
"The seekers came, to find... searching for..." I choked out, writhing and curling into myself. "Searching for..." my eyes closed of their own accord. My thoughts stilled as blissful darkness enveloped me.
(OPOV)
"Searching for what?" Optimus asked urgently, frowning worriedly at the tiny carbon unit cradled in his palm.
"She's unconscious, and the better for it," Ratchet stated firmly, Optimus barely heard him. "Prime, we cannot leave her like this. She needs..."
"It is impossible," Optimus murmured to himself. The plates in his palm still tingled with the symbols she'd drawn. Impossible.
"It's completely possible!" Ratchet protested.
One of the most bizarre counterparts he'd heard in a while.
"That... that was frickin' messed up," Epps stated flatly, staring at the girl. "What the hell just happened?"
"An information burst, triggered by Primus only knows what," Ratchet grumbled.
"Optimus? What triggered it?" Lennox looked up at him.
"Primus, not Optimus," Ironhide chuckled darkly, garnering curious looks from the soldiers. He quietly began explaining Cybertronian names and titles.
"Major, we cannot leave her unguarded," Optimus stated firmly.
"Well, we're going to need a damned good reason to have an 'un-read' civilian staying at base." Lennox stated calmly.
"She will be my assistant?" Ratchet suggested, "her knowledge of mechanics will prove helpful, and she's already acquainted with us."
"That I can probably sell," Lennox nodded, buckling himself in as the plane began to descend. He glanced at his watch. "Ugh, it's going to be a nightmare to get her into housing at this time of night."
"She will remain with us for the night," Optimus rumbled quietly, "Either on Ratchet's stretcher or in my sleeper."
"Straight to bed then, excellent!" Epps crowed, settling in his seat.
(RPOV)
::. She's not waking up.:: Optimus commented softly to the Medical officer as they walked toward the Hanger. Ratchet looked over, scanning Mikaela again.
::. She needs rest, there's an excess of energon built up in her tissues, if she woke now, she'd be in agony.:: Ratchet replied grimly. ::. She isn't designed for it, it needs to be released, and we both know how..:: He gave Prime a knowing, stern look.
::. Humans are not open about such things.:: Optimus frowned.
::. Her pheromones suggest otherwise.:: Ratchet smirked, remembering the burst of pheromones the femme had released when Prime had first transformed. Practically intoxicating for all that it had been alien, even Prime had stared at her for a second before returning to the mission at hand. Ratchet had onlined an extra processor in interest.
"Are you Samuel James Witwicky, descendant of Archibald Witwicky." Optimus glanced at the femme before obviously forcing himself to concentrate.
"They know your name," the femme had whispered, looking up at Prime, then around at everyone else. Her pheromones had been... unique. There was no revulsion, just astonishment and perhaps a bit of arousal. Her pupils were dilated as Prime made the introductions. She had looked up at Ironhide with no fear, although her scent had almost been washed out by Sam's. Ratchet decided to experiment.
"The boy's pheromone levels suggest he wants to mate with the female." he stated as Prime spoke his name.
Her pheromones had dropped so fast Ratchet was tempted to re-evaluate their sensitivity to gravity. The contraction of her pupils re-iterated the shocking blue-green of her eyes. Fascinating.
::. Take her somewhere private if you have to.:: Ratchet stated, leaving a smug, unspoken suggestion hanging in the air.
"It's so cold," Mikaela whimpered softly in Optimus' hand, startling both bots.
::. She's still asleep, she'll actually rest once she releases.:: Ratchet looked at his leader with a broad, knowing smirk. ::. I'll do it if it's so distasteful to you...::
::. Not a word.:: Optimus commanded the Medi-bot, delicately tucking Mikaela into his chest, shutting his vocal processors down before a grunt of pleasure could escape him.
Ratchet stood for a moment, weighing his chances of getting a good parting shot off at Optimus. Deciding against the numerous voyeur comments he could have chosen, he made his way toward the hanger. Thought processors turned toward segregating a space for his new assistant to work in. He hoped the opportunity to work in a superb shop would prove a lure for her.
"Yo Doc Bot!" one of the infernal twins shouted out.
"What did you do this time? No! Don't tell me. At this point I don't even want to know." Ratchet grumbled irritably, aiming a laser scanner at Mudflap. "Only a pair of twins could do more damage to each other than a Decepticon, hold still!"
One re-attached servo and a good scolding later, Ratchet looked about the massive workspace and vehicles lined up for repair.
"Hay Ratchet!" a soldier jogged up to the contemplating bot.
"Chance, shouldn't you be asleep?" Ratchet rumbled musingly.
"Insomnia again. Word's out you got yourself an assistant, need help setting up?" the Australian Lieutenant asked curiously.
"Mmn, prospective assistant," Ratchet rumbled, "She'll need a lift or two, and a workbench."
"Oh prospective assistant. She know what a grump you are yet?"
Ratchet shot a withering glance at the lieutenant.
"Let's see what we can find," Chance grinned. "Who knows, if we bribe her with nice things she might overlook your grumps."
Hmn. Maybe.
(OPOV)
Optimus cradled the unconscious girl as the second C-17 taxied in beside the first. She shifted minutely in his spark-chamber, sending an exquisite thrill through his sensors. He strode pensively along the runway, finally choosing a spot and carefully sitting, leaning against a massive concrete tower.
Mikaela began talking again, dreaming.
"Run... don't let them find you... no... please..."
Curiosity finally got the better of him, he offlined his optics and reached for the energon running through the human's system. Her dreams rose on the currents, he brought a backup processor online to keep watch and lightly caressed her mind, observing.
...
"Uncle," Mikaela was crying, hanging onto a distinctively Asian man not much taller than her.
"Tinny's spirit can rest in peace now," the Asian said calmly. "I want you to do everything you can to stay free, the rest of us understand, we want you to be safe. Look at me Cricket." a gentle hand lifted Mikaela's face to look up at the man. "Beautiful little Cricket, there are hard times ahead of all of us, remember what I taught you."
He calmly sat her down in a chair. Optimus watched with tearing pain in his spark as a sobbing Mikaela allowed herself to be tied up.
"Please Uncle, run, don't let them find you," she whimpered, "you'll die in there, or they'll send you back. You didn't use a gun, they can't trace you. Please."
"Cricket I did wrong, even if it was for the right reasons." the Asian said firmly. "Don't you do what I've done wrong in my life." he picked up a stun gun and adjusted it to a low setting. "I'm so sorry little Cricket, I hope you can forgive me." He kissed her brow as the distinctive blue red of police lights shone through the darkened window.
"I love you Uncle," a tear-streaked face looked bravely up at the Asian as he set the stun gun to her throat and pulled the trigger.
The scene dissolved into darkness.
...
"Now listen Miss Banes, can I call you Kaela?" a man in a suit was sitting in front of her. Mikaela was dressed in an orange jumpsuit.
"I'd appreciate it if you'd continue to call me Miss Banes," the girl said civilly, "or just Banes if you get tired of the 'miss.' please."
The man in the suit frowned.
"You've got some very serious charges against you," a second man growled, glaring at the diminutive girl sitting very still in her handcuffs.
"I know, sir," she said quietly.
"Listen," the man in the suit said coaxingly, "we can overlook all of this messiness if you cooperate with us. Come now, you don't want to go to prison do you? Have a record?"
Mikaela sat silently, hands clasped in front of her. Eyes staring off into the distance.
"Yo Banes!" the second man, unshaven and smelling of tobacco waved a hand in front of her eyes.
"Sir?" she said politely, looking at him.
"You gonna cooperate or not?" the man growled.
"I apologize, but no," she said quietly. "I have nothing more to say."
"Diego! Murphy!" a man burst into the room angrily. "You've had her in here for six hours, Child services is crawling up my ass! Get her out of here!"
"Sir she..." the unshaven man started.
"She ain't no closer to giving anybody up than she was when she stepped in here, cut her loose!"
"But Captain!" the man in the suit shouted.
"I don't think you heard me Murphy! Cut. Her. Loose." the Captain snarled, "It's an open and shut case on her. They're transporting her to holding, give her to the feds boys."
"Welp, here's my card if you wanna talk," the man in the suit handed Mikaela a small white piece of paper. She held it in her hand numbly as two guards entered the room, she rose obediently and followed them.
"You need to use the bathroom?" one of the guards asked calmly.
Mikaela nodded and offered her ankle to him. The guard smiled apologetically and fastened shackles to her feet.
She never said a word.
...
Darkness.
Optimus thought her dreams were done until he heard her voice, singing in barely more than a whisper.
"Fare thee well love, fare thee well love, far away, you must go. Take your heart love, take your heart love, will we never meet, again no more. Far across love, far across love, o'er the mountains, and country wide, take my heart love, take my heart, love, no one knows, the tears I've cried. So I'll drink today love, I'll sing to you love, in pauper's glory my time I'll bide, No home or ties love, a restless rover, if I can't have you, by my side.
"Well come back love, oh come back love, the sun and moon, refuse to shine. Since you've gone love, gone away love, this lonely girl has had, no peace of mind..."
Optimus couldn't stop himself, he reached for her with all of his spark, lighting up the cage she slept in. He surrounded her fragile form with the light, warming her against the cold.
Energon seemed to seep from her, making his light stronger as she clung to him. The traces of her blood that had gotten through his armour flared, another processor fired up, idly examining the dried iron and energon rich solids. His nanites were going berserk over it, consuming it rapidly and using it to repair the hole and several dings in his armour.
As gently as he could, he rocked her, warmed her, kept the darkness at bay until she finally slipped into a proper, restful sleep. As carefully as he could, he transformed around her, laying her in his sleeper and driving slowly into the hanger.
"Optimus!" Will Lennox shouted from the top of communication central.
"Shh!" Ratchet whispered desperately. Gesturing urgently for the humans to keep their voices down.
Optimus resisted rolling his optics and hacked into one of the speakers beside Major Lennox.
"If at all possible, Major," his voice came quietly from the speaker, causing the soldiers around it to jump. "I would prefer to delay communications with the Pentagon. I just got Mikaela into a proper sleep, moving her does not feel like a good idea at the moment."
"Is she badly off?" General Moreshower's voice asked quietly from the other speaker.
"She will heal, but her system has taken several rather nasty shocks over the past twenty-four hours." Ratchet piped up seriously.
"Why is Optimus the one taking care of her?" Morshower asked quietly.
"Of all of us, Optimus is the best to care for another's mind," Ratchet answered promptly. "They know each other well enough to be friends. It is better to touch the mind of a friend than a colleague, far less invasive."
"Understandable," Moreshower nodded, "Will, when your lot are free to talk, I'll be back here at oh eight hundred."
"Yes sir," Lennox saluted smartly.
"Thank you, General," Optimus rumbled quietly before he parked in his usual spot. The hangar slowly shut down around them for the night. Optimus sat silently, contemplating the tiny human sleeping in his cab. Wishing he could ask her who the Asian was, why she had slept in a cage. He searched the internet, looking for faces, grumbling quietly when nothing showed up.
::. Bumblebee.:: he finally transmitted to the scout.
::. Sir?.::
::. What do you know about Mikaela?.::
::. That she's brave and kind and does a really good oil change, she pestered Sam constantly about taking proper care of me.:: Bee responded automatically.
::. What else?.::
::. She's smart, and made a lot of sacrifices in her life.:: Bumblebee replied in a musing tone ::. She's never really said anything about it, but she smells of grief and worry even when she smiles, and anytime Sam asked her she'd say something vague and re-direct the conversation to his favourite topics. She's very good at it. Got me when I asked, we were talking about the stars forty seconds later.:: the scout quickly replayed the year old conversation.
Optimus nodded, returning to his contemplation of the sleeping girl.
::. Sir?.:: Bumblebee asked after a while.
::. Bumblebee?.::
::. Is she gonna be okay? She used to come over to Sam's just to talk with me, clean and wax my armour when Sam was busy. Her phone was always on when I needed her, she's a good human.:: the energetic scout's tone was worried.
::. We will keep her safe.:: Optimus stated firmly, warming his cab when her external body temperature began to cool slightly. ::. Get to your re-charge cycle, old friend.:: he added gently.
Bumblebee agreed readily and was soon deep in his cycles.