Chapter 104 - Plan of Attack
(OPOV)
"Which reminds me," Arcee continued, smiling around herself benignly. She kissed Kae's cheek. "I will see you in the morning." Arcee strode gracefully to stand in front of him, peeling back her helm and unplugging a processor. "You're going to need that, Optimus. We made very certain to pick out a spectacular berth for you and Kae, and if you don't take this opportunity to utilize it while you're small enough to fit on it, I will be very upset with you. And you," she continued on while Optimus watched with amusement, delicately holding the processor.
"Yes dear?" Ratchet asked innocently. Good move.
"If you do not report to our quarters in less than ten breem I will be most put out," Arcee stated, throwing one of those trademarked, carnally commanding looks at the medic.
She turned and walked toward the doors, glancing over her shoulder.
"You may wish to plug that in before the transfer codes wear out," Arcee added patiently, nodding to him. "Good evening Major, General."
Mikaela was leaning against the berth, watching Arcee in awe. She whistled softly, then turned back to her work.
Optimus stared down at the processor Arcee had so calmly given him, then looked back at his Kae.
If he didn't utilize the chance to hold her tiny form with his own arms while he still could, Arcee wouldn't be the only bot deeply disappointed in him. He'd have to contend with himself, as well.
Optimus calmly receded his helm and offered the secondary processor to his circuits. A port gleefully accepted it. Optimus dimmed his optics and waited.
::. Optimus.:: Arcee's voice began calmly ::. First off be warned that I am expecting this processor back, you have plenty in your own body.::
Optimus nodded to himself, making a personal note to return the processor.
::. Second, stop worrying about what your Kae says behind your back, or to your face in the language of femmes.:: Arcee stated in amusement ::. When the two of us are standing around, gossiping about how often she watches you, and I watch Ratchet, that is not for the males to hear or understand. Look at your femme, Optimus.::
Optimus looked up at Kae and felt a small surge of shock run through his spark. Kae was working on his body, gentle hands repairing his systems, eyes roving everywhere.
::. Look closely.:: Arcee's voice coached him softly ::. If you cannot see the devoted love in her eyes as she looks at even your empty body, as she goes over every last one of your circuits to be sure that they are worthy of you, then you need to look harder.::
Optimus felt his spark flare as he watched his Kae.
::. She is your femme, and always will be. I have no doubt that when you inform her that she is free to interface with whomever she wishes while you are bonded, she is going to look at you in surprise and ask why she would bother with it. She is yours, Optimus, now go hold your femme. Because as much as you need her, she needs you. You are her love, her balance and joy.::
Arcee's transfer note completed itself and Optimus felt the secondary processor come fully online. He was surprised at it's power, no wonder Arcee desired to have this one back. He'd have to remember to ask her for the specifications.
But that was less important at the moment. Arcee was absolutely correct.
He needed to make sure his Kae knew how much he loved her. He checked his chronometer.
"Well, Ratchet you have eight breem, I wouldn't leave it longer than that," Optimus rumbled calmly, smiling at the old medic. "Ironhide, I would suggest you find your Chromia."
"Mmnph," Ironhide grunted. "Kae, you got his back?"
"I do," Mikaela stated in a gentle tone, turning to smile at the weapons master.
"Good," Ironhide grunted, rising from the bench. "Good recharge you lot." he rumbled over his shoulder, wandering out the med-bay doors.
The General glanced at his watch.
"About what time do you think you'll be back in your body?" he asked calmly, sliding off the bench. Ratchet glanced at Optimus' body.
"Oh, around noon," he shrugged. "Did you want a call before he's set to take his body back over? For as many times as I've witnessed a hatchling receiving their adult body, it's always rather spectacular."
"Oh absolutely," the General grinned. "I'll bid you good evening then."
"General," Optimus nodded calmly.
"Prime, Major, I know my way out," Chris grinned. The humans saluted each other and the General marched out. Will yawned.
"See you guys in the morning," he stated, stretching.
"Night Will," Kae called over calmly.
"Night Kae, Optimus, Ratchet," Will nodded around before wandering to the doors.
Ratchet smirked at him before striding out of the med-bay.
Then, it was simply the two of them.
Optimus rose and walked quietly to stand behind his Kae, sliding a gentle hand around her waist. She smiled at him gently.
"I am afraid we are not going on that drive," Optimus rumbled softly.
"A walk will do just fine," she murmured gently. She glanced at her exo and frowned. "Ratchet forgot to take my pack," she murmured.
"We trust you enough to keep it out of the hands of the humans, it is not as though they can truly do anything with it," Optimus rumbled gently. Kae smiled at him.
That beautiful, loving smile he so adored.
"Do you know just how much I love you?" he asked softly, reaching up to cup her cheek. The fact that he had to reach up felt rather bizarre.
Mikaela laughed softly and leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to his jaw before pulling away. She moved to the side of the med-bay and lightly disconnected her exo, piling it neatly in a corner. It appeared to be nothing more than a pile of parts to be dealt with later.
She frowned at it for a moment and picked up one of the central connectors, bouncing it on her hand as she walked back to him. Final insurance that nobody could take it.
She came up to his chest now. Come to think of it, Optimus would happily revert to this form every now and again, just so they'd be so close in size.
Kae reached up and gently threaded her fingers into his, walking in silence.
"Arcee gave me a secondary processor," Optimus rumbled in amusement, "we can speak and walk at the same time."
Mikaela laughed softly and tilted her head to look at him.
ΩIt never occurred that sometimes I simply enjoy listening to the hum of your spark?Ω she asked gently. Optimus felt his spark flare at that softly spoken admission. ΩEspecially when you sound like that,Ω Mikaela added contentedly. ΩWhen you sound so happy, so peaceful. Yours is such a beautiful sound.Ω
Optimus was at a loss to how to respond to that, he thought for a moment and smiled.
ΩFlatterer,Ω he murmured, parroting his Kae's normal response. She smiled up at him, the smile that made her eyes sparkle.
ΩTruth,Ω she murmured, leading him gently through his quarters and into hers.
Optimus glanced guiltily at the door he'd tried to get out of.
"It won't lock anymore, but I never really locked it to begin with," Mikaela told him in amusement. "It's an easy fix anyway."
Optimus looked down at his Kae and couldn't help himself, he reached forward and cupped her face in his hands, memorizing the sparkling, mischievous laughter in her eyes.
"It is unimaginable," Optimus rumbled softly.
"What is?" his Kae asked in amusement.
"Going a day without your smile," Optimus murmured, he leaned down somewhat hesitantly and pressed his lips to hers, his spark flaring as she kissed him back.
"Finally," she whispered against his lips.
"What?" he murmured in soft amusement.
"I finally get to hold and kiss you, not your holoform, the chance to finally make love to you in body and spark," his Kae murmured.
Optimus groaned softly, kissing his Kae again. He could gladly spend a lifetime kissing his Kae.
"You will tell me if I hurt you," he whispered.
"The same applies," she murmured, sliding her hands along his frame and tangling her gentle fingers into bared neural fibres. Optimus couldn't have stopped the moan of pleasure if he'd wanted to, he began tugging on her clothes, mentally blessing Arcee for providing him with that second processor. It made figuring out how her armour worked far easier.
Shirt went up over head. He knew that one, it was annoying that he had to stop kissing her to get it over her head, but the way her lips attacked his chest the second she was free was a rapid consolation to that annoyance.
Her brassiere was the next issue, he toyed with it for a moment, he couldn't find the correct hold to make it's hooks release. He began growling softly. If it would not co-operate it would die. His auditory receptors cheerfully greeted the sound of it's threads breaking as he increased the pressure against it.
The satin of her skin against his frame was an intoxicant he could not get enough of, bra ceased to be bra, it was now the annoying strappy thing that was to be removed post-haste. Optimus dragged it away from her skin and realized his delightful mistake.
If he got rough with his Kae, his Kae would be just as rough with him.
That was an incredibly pleasant realization as her hands caught in his frame. She began dragging him somewhere, he couldn't focus on that, though, the majority of his focus was on how soft her lips were against his, just how incredible the sensation of those fingers buried in his sensor nets felt.
He'd go anywhere she led so long as those fingers kept wriggling there.
Come to think of it, next time he regressed into this form he'd be bringing an extra half dozen processors. Just to deal with the flood of sensation his Kae was evidently capable of imparting to him.
Of course that line of thought was immediately released the second he felt his balance leave. He was falling backwards under her arms.
That of course, was only realized the second he was beyond the point of no return. Her lips left his as he fell backwards.
Onto her sofa.
So that's where she had led him.
That didn't matter the second she joined him there, though, straddled across his legs and pressed tightly against him.
"Okay?" she whispered into his auditory receptors.
"Better than okay," he managed to get out before he became far more interested in the soft, bare skin somehow pressing into his chest. He'd played with her breasts before, but that was as a holoform, now he knew what those felt like pressed to his frame firsthand.
No wonder her species had kept them.
Her lips and... her teeth! Became very busy teasing his neck struts, nibbling down his shoulder. Optimus determinedly began sliding his hands up her back, utilizing the pressures that he knew would make her moan.
He barely reached the spot, heard her spark humming with lust and some fragging glitch knocked on the door.
"For the love of all that is fragging holy," Mikaela grumbled, burying her face in his neck as he sagged backwards slightly. "Maybe if we're really quiet and don't answer they'll go away," she murmured softly.
The soft whisper of her breath served to tease his sensor nets as she spoke, her hand began gliding up his chest.
That glitch knocked again and opened the door.
"Hey Kae! You in... here..." Jerry's voice called out, trailing off in shock.
"Ah, yeah," Mikaela sighed, rising from Optimus' lap to his extreme disappointment. "What's the sit-rep Jerry?" she asked in a resigned tone, picking up her shirt and pulling it over her head.
"Oh... god... I'm so..." Jerry stammered, blushing furiously and averting his eyes.
"Never mind that," Mikaela sighed. "You never open my door without a good reason."
"Uh... the..." Jerry stammered, pointing behind himself toward communications central.
"Director, General, President," Mikaela listed off calmly.
"Director, CIA," Jerry muttered. Optimus actually found himself feeling sorry for the man, he looked so blasted uncomfortable right now.
"Alright, I'm coming," Mikaela sighed. "I'll make you a deal Jer, you build me a 'do not disturb' sign and we call it even that you saw my tits?"
"Deal!" Jerry exploded, nodding vigourously. Mikaela looked up and down the hall.
"Bee?" she called out calmly.
"Kae?" he chirped curiously.
"Could you take over watching Optimus' back for a little while?" she asked hopefully.
"You got it sis!" Bumblebee chirped cheerfully, Optimus listened to his footsteps and saw his cheerful yellow scout enter his quarters. Bee's holoform onlined the next moment, plopping down beside him on the sofa.
"I will be back," Mikaela called out quickly.
"I will hold you to that!" Optimus rumbled after her.
He could hear her laughing softly as she followed Jerry.
The two of them sat in silence for a moment. Bee sniffed at the air and snorted.
∂Wow. That sucks.∂ he commented mildly, looking at his sister's bra laying torn and rather forlornly on the floor. Optimus couldn't hold back the snort of amusement.
∂My poor Kae's duty never seems to end,∂ Optimus rumbled with a nod.
∂Well...∂ Bee started musingly, Optimus looked at him interestedly.
∂Bee?∂ he rumbled curiously.
∂Whenever she's helping Director Matteer out, it usually takes about an hour...∂ Bee stated musingly. ∂Between the two of us we could probably get her some food and stuff...∂
∂That. Is a brilliant idea,∂ Optimus rumbled with a broad grin. He looked over at his scout's body. ∂You are going to have to open the door for me, though.∂
∂On it boss!∂ his scout stated cheerfully, offlining his holoform as Optimus rose from the sofa. Optimus strode after his scout, admittedly finding it rather bizarre to be looking up at the young bot. Bee glanced down at him.
∂Primus that feels weird,∂ Bee snorted. ∂Jazz being shorter than me was one thing. You being shorter than me is just scrapping bizarre sir.∂
∂And yet you still call me sir,∂ Optimus rumbled with a snort.
∂I'll probably keep calling you Sir to the end of days,∂ Bee shrugged.
∂This from one of the most stubborn younglings I'd ever come across?∂ Optimus rumbled in amusement.
∂Yeah, okay but I was stubborn for a reason, you actually have my respect, I don't mind calling somebody I respect Sir,∂ Bee shrugged. Optimus looked at the young bot with a smile.
Bee looked curiously down at him.
∂You have never actually said that before, old friend,∂ he rumbled gently.
∂Well... it's kinda implied isn't it?∂ Bumblebee asked embarrassedly. ∂I mean...∂
∂You actually follow my orders,∂ Optimus rumbled with a low laugh, reaching up to gently pat his scout's arm.
∂Right, 'cause your orders are just so hard to follow,∂ Bumblebee snorted.
Optimus looked up at his scout guiltily.
Bee looked down at him and snorted again.
∂Before you even start doing that guilt dance of yours, what other Prime can you think of that would bother to learn scout just so I'd be able to keep in contact with you?∂ Bumblebee asked with a laugh. ∂That's not the best example. Okay, what other Prime would actually let me talk in scout to his face?∂ Bumblebee chirped gleefully.
Optimus was at a loss to answer that, he hadn't known that that had meant so much to his dear friend.
∂Bet you didn't know how much that actually meant to me, and that just made it better.∂ Bumblebee stated gently. ∂You just did it, it's part of who you are.∂
∂Truly?∂ Optimus rumbled softly.
∂Well, Chromia's right, we don't just follow you 'cause you look good.∂ Bumblebee stated with a smile, looking down at him. ∂Don't get me wrong, you look awesome, but it's the spark that counts. My big-sister is tiny, her body is terrifyingly fragile at times, but her spark is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen.∂
Optimus smiled at that thought.
∂Just because you are speaking so openly,∂ he rumbled with a small smile. ∂I have been meaning to ask you why you are so keen on your sister and I being bonded.∂
Bee fell silent for a long moment, his spark humming in deep thought.
∂She is my sister, but you are her mate,∂ Bee shrugged. ∂I don't know how to explain it, it just... feels right. Kae must be rubbing off on me, It's like watching Ratchet and Arcee, even before Nova left for the Well, It's like they just... Belong together.∂
∂You onlined after Nova left for the Well,∂ Optimus rumbled in a confused tone.
∂I watch the archives sometimes,∂ Bee shrugged, ducking into the human's mess hall, he onlined his holoform. ∂And Ironhide loads a lot of his memories for me, even on the recordings I can see the connections.∂
∂Connections?∂ Optimus asked interestedly.
∂Yeah, the connections, you know, the lines drawn between two sparks...∂ Bee trailed off, staring at him. ∂Don't you see them?∂
Optimus stared at his scout in awe as his words unlocked a piece of almost-forgotten information from his ancestors.
∂Our scouts did not begin as star searchers,∂ Optimus rumbled softly, looking at Bumblebee with a fresh dose of respect for the young bot. ∂They found our mates, the most gifted of Scouts saw the spark-connections, often before they were even established.∂
Bee stared at him for a long moment.
∂Well... that's cool, but anyway, I want the two of you together 'cause your sparks have been joined since the night you arrived, Pit, if she hadn't shown up for school I was planning on dragging you along, follow the trail between your sparks,∂ he grinned before frowning at the kitchen. ∂Scrap. Now what?∂ Optimus followed his line of sight and found himself frowning as well as his scout began wandering around the kitchen, the two of them inspecting the various items on shelves.
∂I don't have my signal carrier,∂ he rumbled irritably.
"The hell are you lot doing in here?" Jacobs asked with a snort, wandering into the mess hall.
"Originally? We were gonna get something for Kae," Bumblebee grumbled, glaring at the kitchens. "She makes this stuff look so scrapping easy!"
"Cooking is an art," Jacobs nodded, crossing his arms beside them. He wandered over to one of the steel boxes and opened it up. "Woo! Strawberries!" he rumbled victoriously.
Optimus looked at his scout.
"We need some of those," he stated seriously, looking back at him. "I think..." Bee promptly began looking as confused as Optimus felt.
Jacobs looked over his shoulder and burst out laughing.
"One of those times huh?" he grinned.
"Runnin' around with no idea what we're doing," Bumblebee nodded with a snort.
"Okay, so what's your intent toward our little sister?" Jacobs rumbled in amusement, looking at Optimus.
"They got interrupted mid-" Bumblebee started with a snort.
"Not mid," Optimus rumbled irritably, "we did not even have the chance to be caught 'mid.' We got stuck with 'pre' when the knocking began."
"Primus, she was kicking out that many pheromones 'pre'!?" Bumblebee demanded. "When I get a mate you're gonna teach me how to do that!"
Optimus snorted and looked at Jacobs.
The man looked like he was desperately trying not to laugh.
"It is not funny! The first chance the two of us have ever had to couple on an even level, and she gets pulled away by her duty." Optimus grumbled.
"No, you're right, that's not all that funny," Jacobs rumbled with a frown. "Right, you want foods to seduce our Kae with. Bee, grab a colander."
Bumblebee scrambled to obey Jacobs' requests as Optimus stood uncertainly.
"Right, while we take care of this bit, you're gonna lay out your seduction plan," Jacobs rumbled over his shoulder.
"But first, gotta ask why you're helping," Bee piped up cheerfully.
"I will second that," Optimus rumbled curiously.
"Matter of intent," Jacobs shrugged. "Prime, I sat on the sofa and watched you propose to our Kae. If even a quarter of what you said is true, it's in everybody's best interest to see you two happy together."
"But humans..." Optimus rumbled in a confused tone.
"We don't talk about that stuff in public," Jacobs rumbled with a shrug. He gestured vaguely around the empty kitchen. "I like to consider you and Bee as my friends, this isn't public."
Optimus leaned against the wall in shock.
"Human males do brag about their conquests, but primarily they do it with their male friends," Jacobs snorted. "If a female hears a male bragging about his conquests, it's common belief that they'll assume that the male is either lying or not worth the effort to catch."
"Scrap." Optimus rumbled quietly.
"Dude, you've got Kae, what are you worrying about? She's not a typical human female by any stretch of the imagination." Jacobs snorted. "Now come here and pay attention so you can do this with your holoform when you're back in your big-man body."
Optimus snorted and stood behind Jacobs, watching intently as the man sliced the tops of the 'strawberries' off and sliced them in half.
"Now, after tonight you're going to better know what foods Kae likes and dislikes," Jacobs rumbled, setting the final strawberry on a plate and going to dig around in the 'refrigerator' again. "Although usually you can figure that strawberries... woo! Cherries, chocolate and yes! Whipped cream are a safe bet." Jacobs grinned, he looked over his shoulder at Optimus.
"Can you eat in that form?" he asked curiously.
"No, not this time," Optimus rumbled quietly. "Next time I will remember to bring more processors and my conversion unit to this form."
"Ah well," Jacobs shrugged. "Right then, fruit, chocolate and whipped cream."
He set everything down on the counter and pulled down a second plate.
"Make myself some while we're at it," Jacobs snorted. "Twenty bucks, you've got me all excited now we're in on the scheme. I'd'a walked right back out without my own snack."
Optimus snorted in amusement and watched interestedly as Jacobs arranged the foods onto the plates.
"Here," Jacobs grinned. "I'll carry these back to your quarters. Then we'll poke about and see about setting the mood properly."
Optimus couldn't help but laugh as Bumblebee scouted ahead, making sure Kae wasn't in the corridor before the three of them headed back to his quarters.