Chapter 95 – The Cat's Away
(RPOV)
Ratchet stood in the entrance bay, watching his spark daughter with pride of her composure. Mikaela stood in front of Optimus' holoform now, the two of them communicating silently, no frequency could pick up the messages in their eyes.
"You stay safe," she commanded firmly, finally cupping his face in gentle hands.
"I will return," Optimus rumbled firmly, leaning down to lightly touch his lips to hers. She kissed him back delicately.
"I'll be here," she replied calmly. She stood for a long moment, watching bots and soldiers both as they rolled out before turning to walk back to the med-bay.
Ratchet frowned slightly, he'd intended to work on her new body tonight.
"We got this one," Arcee murmured with a small smile.
"GIRLS NIGHT!" Flareup shouted with a broad grin
"Hawhaat!?" Mikaela called out in shock.
"C'mon, they aren't doing anything but getting on the plane tonight," Chromia stated with a grin, "We've got plenty of time to worry about the menfolk, tonight we stay together."
Mikaela smiled at them.
"You're keeping me away from the Med-bay so that Ratchet can work in peace." she stated wryly.
"That too," Arcee grinned.
"Alright fine, see you in the morning Ratch," she said, looking up at him with a laugh.
He chuckled and watched as the femmes whisked Kae away. He moved into the med-bay and knelt down beside his assistant's body
(MPOV)
I woke up automatically, swung out of my hammock and padded to the mats. For the first time in three months, the demanding sequences did nothing to calm me down. I paced the familiar corridors and heard Ratchet still working in the med-bay.
With a sigh I covered my eyes and walked in.
"Mikaela? What are you doing awake?" Ratchet asked worriedly.
"Can't sleep, is it okay to look?"
"Not really, no..." Ratch trailed off with the sounds of a frown.
"Mkay, I'll go... somewhere," I said quietly. I turned around and walked back out again to the sound of Ratchet's quiet laughter.
"Thank you Kae," he rumbled gently.
"See you later Ratch, get some recharge yourself alright?" I said gently, my back still turned to the bot.
"Alright Kae," he rumbled with a grin.
I walked the corridors again, the place was so empty with everyone gone on mission.
Finally, I walked into my common room and curled up on the sofa, sitting and staring at nothing. My hand drifted up to caress Optimus' mark.
"Kae?" Chromia's holoform asked softly, I turned to watch her as the Femmes rolled carefully in.
"I should be used to this by now, shouldn't I?" I asked softly, "the being left behind?"
"The first time a spark-mate has to leave is difficult," Chromia murmured, sitting down beside me and pulling me in tightly against her holoform. I wrapped my arms around her and cuddled into the group of girls.
"If it makes you feel any better, Prime has the flight platform you made," Flare said quietly, "they're going to be just fine."
"I'm alright," I said softly, "it's just too quiet, I can't hear him."
"You will, in time," Arcee murmured gently, "In the meantime, come on, we'll invade Ratchet's quarters, there's enough room for all of us to fit on the berth."
(APOV)
Mikaela laughed softly and rose. Their fourth sister walked on light feet across the corridor and into Ratchet's quarters. Chromia tucked her in between herself and Flare, she curled up and laid in silence for a long time.
"Kae?" Chromia asked softly.
"Chrome?" she replied curiously.
"Do... do you mind if..."
"You're being shy, Chrome," Kae murmured with a snort. "It's me, say it."
"Will you touch my spark?" Chromia whispered, Arcee stroked her sisters' faces, feeling their loneliness at the absence of their males. Kae rolled over to her other side and gently stroked Chromia's bared spark chamber as the femme hummed softly. Chromia reached a cable toward Kae, looking to connect to her and provide the same comfort.
"Don't worry about me, Chrome," Kae whispered. The femmes looked at her in mild astonishment, she sounded so gentle... motherly.
"But..." Flare murmured.
"My primary comfort is the sound of your sparks," Kae murmured with a smile as Chromia gasped softly, gently overloading as energon swirled from the tiny human. She smiled as Chromia dropped into instant recharge. Ratchet chose that moment to wander tiredly into his quarters.
"The cat's away?" he rumbled in a quiet, amused tone.
"And now the mice are lonely," Flareup giggled softly as Chromia shifted slightly in her recharge, cuddling against her as Kae did the same.
Arcee dropped into her recharge cycle curled against her Ratchet, thankful that he didn't have to be gone yet.
She onlined in a panic.
"Where'd Kae go?" Chromia shouted in shock, looking around wildly
Ratchet's optics onlined, he laughed softly.
He rolled to his feet and walked calmly toward the med-bay.
::. She's not here!.:: he sent in a panic. Arcee quickly jumped to her tires and stopped, she rolled quietly to Optimus' door, it hissed open softly.
::. Found her.:: Arcee stated gently.
Kae was curled up on Optimus' berth, one arm had snaked out to rest where he should be. She silently memorized that image and sent it to the bots on base before quietly backing out again.
::. That dear little Femme.:: Chromia stated quietly.
::. Her body's almost finished.:: Ratchet stated quietly. ::. All call, I'm going to continue working on it, I want it finished, give me warning if you're coming in.::
Arcee smiled at the thought, sending up her own prayer for the sweet femme. No matter what size she would be, the Femme would be a beautiful addition to their ranks.
(MPOV)
I stretched and walked into the Med-bay, smiling up at Ratchet as he waved an errant hand toward me. Today was going to be a quiet day, obviously. I immediately began working on a few of the services, honestly enjoying the clean atmosphere of Ratchet's preferred Medical bay. I glanced over my shoulder as Barry wandered in behind Jerry.
"Good afternoon, Director," Ratchet nodded vaguely, obviously concentrating on the servo he was repairing.
"Good afternoon, Ratchet," Barry nodded with a small smile. "I'm sorry, I was actually hoping I could steal you for a couple of days. My man in Montana reports that Gouge seems to have seen better days, which is 'Gramps' for he's got a few aches and pains. If he's to be in my employ, I'd like to make sure he's kept in good shape."
Ratchet looked up at Barry with mild astonishment in his optics.
"What?" Barry asked after a moment of silence.
"It is... refreshing... to see care for another after all this time," Ratchet stated finally. "However as first Medical officer, I need to remain here while my Prime and his troops are in the field. Kae could probably go," he added, looking at me.
"Trying to get rid of me Ratch?" I asked with a snort.
"The sooner I have completed your body, the safer I will feel," Ratchet snorted. "I doubt Optimus will mind if you are escorted by Jetfire."
I nodded musingly and glanced around at the tools I'd likely need.
"ETA?" Barry asked me with a grin.
"Well, I'll call Optimus, Jetfire will probably take a few minutes to get here," I murmured, absently accepting my energon pack from Ratchet.
"Kae?" Optimus' voice called out a second later, I jumped and grinned at Ratchet.
"Optimus, permission to go into the field for a couple of hours to tend to Gouge?" I called out with a small smile.
"Permission granted, Healer Archangel," Optimus rumbled through Ratchet's speakers. I could hear his smile. "Jetfire will escort you there and back."
"Thank you, Optimus," I smiled, looking at Barry. Ratchet rose and began collecting a few parts.
"Knowing Gouge's kind, you're going to need some new plate metals, some extra neural fibres wouldn't hurt, don't forget to neutralize them," he muttered, tossing the parts onto my workbench as I quickly packed them away. "Some new optical lenses, you know how to re-shape them... raw living metals, be careful while you're remodelling his joints, if he's gotten particulates in without the proper lubricants they're going to be rather worn down..."
"So I should add a bit more to the existing joint, rather than entirely replacing it," I began murmuring in counterpoint, delicately linking to Ratchet through my pack and memorizing his analysis of Gouge's form.
"Mmn," Ratchet nodded musingly, "Lubricant wise, if you can give him enough of a base charge he'll be able to modify twenty forty non-synthetic himself to his own preferences," I nodded in counterpart to Ratchet's instructions, adding a few last things to my haul of parts. "I think that's about it, be careful, daughter, type five behaviour."
I nodded with a frown and added a few more neural fibres to my haul, just in case.
"Type five behaviour?" Barry asked curiously.
"Burrowers are a somewhat more... elemental personality," Jetfire reported calmly, walking into the med-bay. "If they are badly damaged their protective circuits rule entirely, at which point they should be treated as a wounded, but still highly intelligent animal. Shall we go Granddaughter?" I nodded with a smile, following the seeker back to the entrance bay.
"Meaning?" Barry asked interestedly, walking beside me.
"It means that if Gouge has become more damaged than when I left him," Jetfire stated mildly, "Kae and I shall have to remember to approach him cautiously, to not corner him. Her smaller size will be an asset in this, she is far less threatening than I, unless she's pissed." Jetfire added with a low snort, winking down at me before he transformed.
I laughed and set my haul in the co-pilot's seat, turning to see Ratchet carrying several large jugs of oil into the entrance bay.
"Be careful, daughter," Ratchet repeated himself, looking at me calmly.
"I will Ratch, don't overwork yourself," I smiled, hugging his hand. He onlined his holoform to kiss my temples.
"Did you wish to come along, Director?" Jetfire asked politely, looking at Barry. "Gouge'll put on an excellent show of being grumpy, but when someone's providing for him, he'll gladly build you whatever you wish."
"Convey my greetings, unfortunately I need to stay here for another few days," Barry stated with a snort. "Gramps has my contact information if Gouge wishes to speak with me. Actually, if you'd kindly ask if I could visit Wednesday next week, if it's convenient to Gouge."
"Yeah, he's gonna like you," Jetfire snorted, offlining his holo. "Let's go granddaughter."
I laughed and buckled myself into his seat, relaxing in the cockpit and waving to the soldiers opening the doors for us. Jetfire blasted his engines the second we were clear, getting up and into the air in moments.
"Is there anything I need to know about Gouge in particular?" I asked once we were coasting.
"Aye, let me introduce you as my granddaughter, we'll go into the complex a dozen or so paces and announce ourselves before going to find him if he can't make it to us." Jetfire stated calmly. I nodded and relaxed into his seat, idly watching the co-ordinates showing on his screens.
"How are you doing by the way?" I asked interestedly. "We haven't been flying together very much, is the new conversion unit working alright?"
"It's just fine," Jetfire snorted softly. "At this specific moment, I'm dated to offline one of your centuries from now, unless I get a repair on the transistor in me spark chamber, o'course I won' need tha' for another fifty years or so."
"Good," I smiled gently. "But you know you're under orders to report to Ratchet and I if you have so much as a mild cold right? I'll not have you simply putting up with an ache if I can repair it."
"Aye," Jetfire chuckled, banking north somewhat. "Prime said the same damn thing, first time I went out scouting out of headquarters for him. Mark o' the true Primes showin' in yer optics. Proud to serve with you granddaughter."
I laughed softly and ran a gentle hand over the instrument panelling.
"Proud to serve with you, gran'da," I replied, automatically tightening my muscles somewhat as he began pulling stronger g's, circling around the hidden landing pad in the mountains. I looked around curiously as he transformed and landed lightly, holding me in one hand and my box of parts in the other.
"Jetfire!" Gramps called out with a broad grin, coming out of the tiny complex door. "'Bout time you showed up. Did you bring us a healer for ol' Gouger? He's movin' slower than I've seen him yet do!"
"I did Gramps, how's his temper?" Jetfire rumbled with a snort, lightly setting me down on the pad, I collected my box of parts and settled it onto my hip easily, smiling at Gramps as the old man beamed at me.
"Angel! You're a healer now?" he demanded.
"I am, daddy taught me well," I laughed softly, reaching out and hugging the old man.
"Excellent, c'mon then, Gouge ain't said it aloud, but y'kin tell he's hurtin' some," Gramps stated seriously, leading me toward the complex. We walked in and I couldn't help but laugh. The place was completely gutted, save for a small area which obviously served Gramps as a living area. "He's this way," Gramps stated, I looked a bit more closely at the dear old man, hearing the worry in his voice.
"You've gone and got fond of him, haven't you?" I murmured with a small smile.
"That I have little angel," Gramps nodded, "Gone out of his way he did, kept the foundations and structure sound in this old place, e'en as he started diggin' us a basement. Got boys comin' in next week, they're modernizin' the inside o' the old girl. She'll be shipshape again in a couple o' three weeks."
"Hold back a moment," Jetfire rumbled softly, ducking through the doors and striding toward the area Gramps had indicated. "Gouge!" he called out calmly. "Permission to approach."
"Per...miss..." a mechanical voice called out wearily, I canted my head to the side and began striding quickly toward the voice behind Jetfire. The sight I laid eyes on tore my heart out. Loose plates, spots of rust, crooked struts...
"Brung you my granddaughter, Gouge," Jetfire murmured gently. "What happened, did a weak spot collapse on you?"
"Aye," Gouge whispered. "How'd..."
"Gramps sent for us," I murmured, walking carefully forward and setting my kit down. I onlined the energon pack and lightly touched Gouge's side.
"Why're you callin' a fleshlin' yer granddaughter?" Gouge wheezed, looking up at Jetfire curiously.
"Cos we're proud to call her one of us," Jetfire murmured as I began scanning Gouge's systems and reading the damage reports.
"Your sensors got knocked out," I murmured, "That's why you got caught in that sinkhole. Why haven't you been recharging?"
"A digger what gets crushed don't usually make it to the surface, it's tradition for them to simply stay where they're being buried and offline." Jetfire murmured.
"Silly tradition," I murmured, calling a massive surge of energon and pressing it delicately into Gouge. He began looking far more alert. "Pull this in as a base charge," I stated calmly. "We'll take care of repairs in a minute."
"Aye, How'd you get here?" he asked curiously. "Jetfire flew you, yeah, but how..."
"Told you," Jetfire snorted, "Gramps here sent for us. Fleshlin's migh' not be good for too much there, can't shoot without an outside weapon, can't dig, can't fly, but kin be sure they're gonna put a bunch of us to shame fer compassion."
"Yeh," Gouge snorted, he rose and stretched somewhat, straightening out along the tunnel floor, I patiently began going over every chink in his armour, frowning at the sheer amount of crud he had stuck in.
"Right, I am unarmed, and friends are close by to stand guard." I stated firmly, "Please remove your armour to allow for medical attention."
"She knows the drill!" Gouge snorted, releasing the forces that bound the armour to his frame, I backed up slightly and patiently began levitating it out of my way. First things first I grabbed a few extra neural fibres, neutralizing them and connecting them to my pack, they began dancing gently along the burrower's frame, cleaning away the grit and grime as the burrower began humming cheerfully.
"Help any?" Gramps asked curiously.
"If Gouge doesn't mind," I smiled, "You can grab a few oil rags and start wiping his frame down behind me, I don't want any sand in his joints."
"Paradise right?" Jetfire snorted behind me.
∂Amen∂ Gouge snorted. "So who's payin' the Healer, anyway?"
"Barry, the guy you were talking to 'fore you showed up here," Gramps stated cheerfully. "He'll be the first ta admit he don't know all that much about you lot, but he'll also be the first to send help out if'n yer needin' it."
"He's the guy I'm building the complex for yeah?" Gouge rumbled curiously. I couldn't help but smile, fully alert, his voice sounded like a rockslide.
"That's the one," Gramps snorted. "Good leader he be, for all that he's a young buck. Y' coulda tol' me how t' maintain ya proper, Gouge."
"Old diggers don' bother with the maintainin'," Gouge mumbled. "We just dig 'till we die, an' lay in the ground fer the nex' generation to scavenge."
"Well we don't got no young bucks t' scavenge ya," Gramps snorted. "S' we're gonna have to stick with the maintainin' ya."
"Mmnph." Gouge simply mumbled as I picked out the last of the veritable concrete from his joints. I moved up to his face and gently began inspecting his optics. Two were cracked, one stuffed with sand, and three barely functioning at half-power.
"Did you want me to do your optics one at a time, or will you power them all down so I can do it in one shot?" I asked calmly.
"Jetfire, you got my back?" Gouge called out.
"Aye, you had me back at Teletran, I got yours," Jetfire rumbled over his shoulder. I smiled as the optics darkened, carefully unplugged them and laid them out on the ground, picking out new lenses and connecting to them, working them into the same shapes as his previous ones. They got plugged carefully in.
"Alright, online and diagnostic," I stated calmly, squinting at my work. Six lenses flickered on, flashing to a rather youthful hazel. Gouge looked around and his face plates shifted, becoming a rather humanoid face. "Well this is a sight for sore eyes," he grinned. "Look at that, gave me me eyes back." he looked over at Jetfire. "Scrap Jet, 'f I'd'a seen you afore I'd'a asked where you got the work done!"
"Aye, kin understand why I'm happily calling her granddaughter now eh?" Jetfire snorted, glancing over his shoulder.
"Yeh," Gouge snorted as I delicately removed any possible grit or grime from the chinks and joints in his face and neck. Cleaned, I walked over to my kit and opened up several packs of living metals, flashing energon through them and cleaning out any possible impurities.
"Did you want to integrate and form your repairs, or would you like me to do it?" I asked with a small smile as Gouge eyed the metals with an almost greedy gleam in his optics.
"I kin' do it," Gouge stated cheerfully, he turned to look at Jetfire, his optics narrowed.
"'S all yers," Jetfire snorted. "Kae already fixed me up, remember? She and the first Med Officer picked those out specific fer ya."
Gouge gleefully rose, scuttling toward me as I floated the neutralized, living metals on the energon filaments. His own cables extended toward me, and I connected to one, gently sending a constant stream of energon for his own utilization. The metals levitated around him for a long moment before shifting and integrating into his frame. He stretched again, moving far more easily.
"Right," I smiled. "We also brought you some twenty forty that you can convert however you want, lubricant-wise anyway. Let's see to your armour and blades, and we'll leave you be for a recuperative recharge."
"Spoilin' me, tha's what they are," Gouge stated cheerfully, crouching down and offering me a filling point. I grabbed the bottles and carefully began filling him up. "Rock distilled, yer medic's got good taste." Gouge mumbled. I listened with a small smile as the oils began running through his conversion unit. I picked up another bottle and raised an eyebrow at him.
"'S enough for now," Gouge grinned, "mind leavin' tha' behind though?"
"I have a few bottles to leave with Gramps, yes," I smiled at him. "Armour?"
"Please," Gouge sighed contentedly. I immediately walked to his plates and levitated them one at a time, cleaning and repairing each plate before I sent it to rest in it's proper place around the digger. When the last plate settled into place, Gouge summoned them to his form.
"Have I got them about right?" I asked worriedly. "No spurs in the wrong place?"
Gouge scuttled around for a moment and shook himself somewhat.
"Got a spur, fourth plate," he grunted, detaching the plate. I inspected it closely with a frown, it was absolutely smooth.
"If I may?" I stated perfunctorily, reaching toward him. He laid down and I quickly inspected his frame. "Got it, this one right here?" I asked, lightly pressing it.
"Yeh, tha's the one." he grunted. I sent my neurals to surround the spur and flashed it down, the nanites taking care of the rest. Gouge replaced the plate and shrugged for a moment. He began pacing, shaking himself and testing each joint.
"Can't find anything to complain about, can you," Jetfire snorted. Gouge glared at him.
"I could complain about your ugly face," the burrower retorted with a snort.
"Aye, and I can rightly complain about yours, I mean your repairs," Jetfire chuckled, turning to crouch down to Gouge's level. "I have learned something of my Granddaughter, she accepts nothing short of perfection in her own work."
"Systems diagnostic," I added in counterpart. "Have I missed anything?"
Gouge promptly scuttled around for another moment before his optics dimmed.
"Got a short in me depth perception," he stated with a frown, I crooked my finger at him and he obediently pulled back the armour protecting the back of his neck.
"That's friggen impressive," Gramps stated with a grin. "Wish brain surgery were that easy in my form." Gouge snorted. I squinted at his neural fibres and read the symbols flashing in front of my eyes. I reached with a gentle hand through the dense fibres and found the burnt fibre by touch, my own neurals followed the path my fingers made, tweaking his wiring back to a proper functioning path.
I stood back and watched as Gouge performed another diagnostic and grinned.
"I haven't been in this good a shape since Teletran," he commented cheerfully. "Jet, scan me, what's my dating now?"
"You seem to be good to run for another five vorn before repairs need to be made to your spark chamber," Jetfire stated a moment later, grinning at the burrower. "Figures, you're gonna live longer than me again."
"Five vorn huh? That's enough time to build a good thirty city complexes for this lot," Gouge snorted cheerfully.
"After you have recharged properly," I stated firmly. "I'll not have your repairs rejected for the sake of an eagerness to get back to work."
Gouge and Jetfire promptly stared at me.
"Congratulations, Jet, your granddaughter seems to be growing into a Prime," Gouge murmured, looking up at the larger mech. "Is that even possible?"
"Aye, believe she already is," Jetfire stated calmly. "We're waitin' 'till her casting though, fer the confirmation. Prime or not, she'll make a good bot."
"Agree with you there." Gouge snorted. His optics dimmed and a frown crossed his face. "EMP Jet, gettin' company," he growled the next moment.
"Kip the pack on, granddaughter," Jetfire rumbled softly, turning to watch the entrance.
"Hush that," Gouge muttered, "three walking, come away from the entrance." he immediately scuttled to the entrance and blades erupted from his frame, collapsing the front of the tunnel as Jetfire ushered Gramps and I to the back of the tunnel. I laid my palms against the rock and scowled, I felt deaf, surrounded by the stones.
"This way," Gouge murmured in the pitch black.
"Where are you?" Gramps muttered. Gouge promptly flashed a few lights along his frame, lighting up the dim tunnel.
"Mon,' got a bunker dug out already," Gouge murmured, "There's a fracture bringing fresh air in for you two." he promptly began scuttling down the tunnel as Jetfire grunted, shifting into a more compact form.
I followed Gouge in silence, helping Gramps keep his balance from time to time.
"Feel that?" Gouge muttered at one point.
"Aye, four, one big three small." Jetfire rumbled quietly.
"Five, there's a large symbiont piggybacking the large one," Gouge murmured.
"Take your word for it, you always were better at the stone sensing," Jetfire snorted.
"Will you teach me?" I asked softly. Gouge looked over his shoulder at me and nodded.
"When we get to the bunker, I'll show you," he rumbled gently. "Almost there. Gramps ride on my back, you are not conditioned for this anymore."
Gramps nodded, wheezing as I carefully helped him clamber onto Gouge's back.
"Ridiculous," Gramps wheezed. "Were that I were twenty year younger, I'd be whippin' this young rip on this climb."
"I don't think less of you, Gramps," I laughed softly. "You're forgetting that I've read your documents, there's no doubt in my mind that you'd whup me. We age, it happens. Come fifty years in my own body and I'll either be twenty in my grave or so badly beat down I'll need a nurse to take care of me. You've already whupped most of us for sheer bloodymindedness."
Gramps promptly began chuckling, looking at the tunnels interestedly as he lightly sat across Gouge's back.
"Where does the rubble go?" he asked curiously.
"Use it to shore up the weak spots, that Barry of yours picked a nice spot for a complex," Gouge snorted. "Got all the right stuff around here." He jerked his head toward one of the walls and I looked at it in shock.
"You make concrete?" I asked, wide eyed.
"Yup," Gouge stated cheerfully. "Hold tight Gramps, hittin' the slide." Gouge promptly tucked his legs in and skidded down a steep incline disappearing into the darkness. I could still hear Gramps whooping his enjoyment.
"I'll go after you," I told Jetfire with a low laugh.
"Aye, crushin' factors," Jetfire snorted, edging past me and disappearing down the slide. I followed after him quickly, lighting my neural fibres and gazing around in shock at the polished granite walls and roof flying past. Gorgeous. The incline tapered out, and I skidded into an absolutely gorgeous chamber.
"Love your work, Gouge," Gramps stated cheerfully as he slid off of the digger and wandered toward a little stream of water running down the rocks. He grabbed a sip of the water and promptly buried his face in it, coming up for air a long moment later. "Gotta love mineral water," he grinned at me. "Keeps you young."
I laughed at him and drank a handful of the water before walking around the enormous chamber.
"Gonna make this the hub I am," Gouge stated cheerfully, indicating a few tunnels leading out. "Double that entrance tunnel I think. Granddaughter, we might be here a while, waitin' for that lot up there to move along. Come along, let's teach you."
"I'll be over here, nappin'," Gramps snorted, wandering over to a ledge and promptly laying down. He was snoring in moments.
I smiled as Gouge and Jetfire both extended a binder cable toward me, connecting and slowly beginning to learn the secrets of sensing through any medium.
I listened to the hum of Gouge and Jetfire recharging, feeling the movements of the single bot that had been left behind above. I bristled slightly at the thought of a destroyer being left in one of my favourite places. Jetfire snorted, and his spark hummed back to his tones of alert watchfulness.
"Rolling out?" Gouge muttered, his voice blending with Gramps' snores. The old man started awake and looked blearily at me.
"Come visit, if you've a mind," he muttered, rolling over and going back to sleep. I smiled and looked at Jetfire.
"Aye, between the two of us we can take that one left behind," Jetfire rumbled quietly. "How do we get out of here."
Gouge lifted a claw and pointed out a tunnel.
"Take that one, goes straight up." he murmured. "Comes out in cover. Get rid o' that little one for us, I'll take Gramps up in the morning."
Jetfire nodded with a grin and transformed, opening a door for me.
"Be faster," his holoform grinned at me. I laughed softly and climbed into the single seat, we were off in a flash, driving up the tunnel at breakneck speed. I saw moonlight shining dimly through a hole for a moment before Jetfire was transforming around me, blasting into his flight form the second he was above ground.
"Let's lead them away a bit," he rumbled gleefully as I watched a flier take off and try to follow us.
::. Get back here! Coward!.:: a most distasteful voice snarled.
"Did you hear that? Granddaughter? He called me a coward!" Jetfire rumbled with a snort, slowing slightly. In moments he had circled, blasted an EM burst across the flier's frequencies and shot him down. We followed the flier to the earth.
"Jetfire! You bastard son of the unmaker!" the stranger bot snarled. "You will die, Jetfire, I promise you! You will burn in the pit double-crosser! The Decepticons are strong! You will all d-"
Jetfire silenced the ranting with a single shot.
"Sorry, did you want to hear more?" he asked in an amused tone, calmly collecting the flier in a forcefield.
"Nah, let's get back before Ratchet starts worrying," I chuckled. Jetfire snorted and took off, blasting to Mach two and coasting across the continent. We chatted idly until Jetfire leaned back, slowing and landing easily, taxiing into the bay.
"You're late!" Ratchet called out, scowling.
"Sorry father," I stated immediately, "we got pinned down by Decepticons, five to three, Gouge took us down to the bunker, and we waited them out."
Ratchet stared at me for a long moment and nodded.
"Good move," he rumbled finally. "Food, bed," he added, making a shooing motion with his hand.
"You know I'm tired when I'm not even going to argue," I snorted. "Good recharge, you two, thanks for ferrying me about, Gran'da." I smiled up at Jetfire.
"Thank you for healing my comrade," Jetfire grinned down at me. "I'm going back out, try to pinpoint where those other four went, see if Prime needs any backup, sleep well, granddaughter."
I smiled and waved at them, making a beeline for my quarters. I stood in the silence for a long moment and walked through to Optimus' quarters, curling up on his berth and falling into an uneasy sleep.