Chapter 112 - The Morning
(RPOV)
::. Ratchet, we got a problem.:: Ironhide sent to him.
::. What happened?.:: Ratchet sent immediately, rolling off of his berth and summoning his armour. Arcee looked up at him worriedly.
::. We've got communications.:: Ironhide rumbled worriedly. ::. Jolt's having trouble pinpointing it, about all we can tell is that the ship is damaged.::
::. What are the humans doing?.:: Ratchet demanded.
::. Will convinced General Moreshower that we should take the risk, let them land.:: Ironhide rumbled proudly.
::. Which means we need to get the Primes up.:: Ratchet stated innocently.
::. That's going to be interesting, I'm almost there.:: Ironhide rumbled gleefully.
::. You're just letting me in on the action, aren't you, old friend?.:: Ratchet laughed, smiling at Arcee as she flew into her armour. He stepped into the corridor and looked at the Weapons Master, his most unlikely, but dearest friend for over three hundred vorn.
He was carrying the plate armours Ratchet had set aside for his spark-daughter, just in case she might need a bit more to form herself properly.
"No sense in having her decrease herself to be properly armoured," Ironhide shrugged. Ratchet stared at him for a moment and snorted.
"You just want her to stay the perfect size for him," he stated in amusement.
"Hey, the bigger she stays, the better capable she will be to bear sparkings to the hatcheries," Arcee stated behind him. Ratchet turned to look at his femme with a smile.
"So you're both conspiring to get hatchlings off of them?" Ratchet snorted.
"What's wrong with that?" Ironhide asked innocently, handing the plate metals over.
"I didn't say there was anything wrong with it, I'm hurt that you didn't involve me in the conspiracy, I wouldn't mind having some grandchildren around." Ratchet grinned at them.
::. Got the cameras on?.:: Chromia sent gleefully.
::. I do my love.:: Ironhide sent silently, stepping into the door activation zone.
Ironhide and Ratchet both strode into the Prime's quarters and stopped for a moment, just to survey the scene.
Optimus had rolled to his right side, as he always did. Ratchet couldn't help but smile, he'd been caught in that embrace every now and again.
You'd wake up warm, pinned, and after a moment of coming fully online, realizing that he was covering every last one of your vulnerable spots. Protecting you even in his recharge.
There were far worse ways to wake up than being caught in the Prime's embrace.
Kae though.
Ironhide was grinning like a madbot, of course. Kae had wound herself into Optimus' embrace, covering his spark even as he did hers, her arm had snaked around the bot, a hand covering the vulnerable circuitry across his back. The two of them so tightly entwined the only thing separating them was the darker tint of Optimus' metals.
Adorable.
::. See if you can wake Optimus without rousing Kae.:: Ratchet sent quietly. Ironhide reached forward, cautiously grasped a leg and shook it, backing up quickly.
Good thing it was quickly, the two of them were online in seconds, hands and cannons side by side as they automatically prepared to defend the other.
Ratchet and Ironhide stood frozen for a moment, presenting non-threatening stances.
::. No, that was Kae's leg, apparently.:: Ironhide rumbled over the primary. "Sorry to break up the honeymoon, lovebirds."
Ratchet desperately tried to hold back a snort, letting it out the second Kae powered down her cannon and sagged into her Optimus.
(MPOV)
A strong hand grasped my leg and shook me.
Optimus and I were fully online in seconds, hands close together, both aiming at the intruder.
"Sorry to break up the honeymoon, lovebirds," Ironhide rumbled with a broad grin as I sagged back into Optimus. My energon levels were insanely high in the green, so were his.
That most certainly didn't mean I wanted to move from this spot just yet. I had another hour before I went on duty, and the little surges coming from Optimus were suggesting some incredibly interesting ways to pass that hour.
"Come on you two, I sure as hell don't want to break that up, but we've got work to do," Ratchet stated apologetically.
"Who's injured?" I asked immediately, flexing to my feet in seconds. Optimus was beside me a moment later, his armour flying onto his frame in a series of muted clangs.
"Nobody yet," Ironhide rasped, "but we got communications, a ship coming in and requesting permission to land."
"So we should probably get you dressed," Ratchet added, grinning at me and offering a massive bundle of plate armours. I rolled my optics at him and pulled up the schematics a wayward processor had worked the glitches out of last night. I sent a surge of energon over my frame and incorporated the plate armour, flashing it silver with rich blue flames dancing up my legs. I adjusted my balance slightly and cocked my head at Optimus.
He was staring at me in shock.
"Too whorish?" I asked innocently, looking down at my armour.
"Woah!" Ironhide rumbled.
"Nice paint job," Ratchet added with a grin. "You've already got your schematics in mind! Share!"
"You have covered your Prime insignia," Optimus stated in a quiet tone.
"Optimus," I said with a small smile, "you are my Prime, my guardian and my beloved. Why would I need to show the insignia of the Primes? You are my leader. I'll not have it interfere with order."
He reached forward and pulled me into a gentle embrace.
"That's adorable, now what are you going to transform into?" Ironhide demanded.
"Let's roll," Optimus rumbled, laying a gentle hand at the small of my back. "You have wings," he added, raising a brow ridge at me.
I began laughing softly as we walked down the corridors, the three senior males pestering me, and trying to get me to tell.
"Hey Kae! You got your clothes on!" Will bellowed up at me. I began laughing harder.
"Yes Major, I've got my armour. You going my way sailor?" I leaned down and let him sit on my hand.
He squirmed for a second before laying down in my hand.
"I've totally figured out why you loved this spot," he grinned up at me. "you can totally hear a ton of vocal undertones from here," I laughed and grinned down at him.
"You're forgetting that I could hear those tones anywhere," I said with a smile, "guess again?"
"It's comfy as hell," Lennox stated, squirming around, "the view's incredible up here."
"That and it's remarkably comforting to be in the hand of a bot you trust," I said with a gentle smile, glancing at Optimus.
"So what do you change into?" Will asked with a broad grin. "Did you want us to bring you in a specific car or something?"
"Nope, I've got my schematics down already," I laughed, letting Optimus guide me into the entrance bay. "You lot already have a pool going on, don't you?"
"Mikaela, if you would be so kind as to change into some sort of airplane I promise my winnings will go to Anabelle's college fund!" Chance shouted up at me. I snorted and set Will down beside him.
"I've already got my form set," I laughed.
"Well what is it?" Ratchet demanded.
"It's me," I grinned over my shoulder, walking out into the sunshine and loving the feel of the light shining off my armour. I stretched and flared my wings, testing each connection and joint. "So where are we going anyway?"
"Down to Florida! They're going to touch down in the ocean!" Will shouted.
"Awesome!" I called with a grin, turning around and folding into myself. I sat, gleaming in the sunshine and knowing that any pilot in the area would be staring at me.
"For Primus sake Mikaela!" Ironhide roared as Optimus sat down on the ground, roaring with laughter beside an already sitting Ratchet. "You're supposed to pick a disguise! Not completely hot-rod an F18!"
"That ain't no F18!" Epps bellowed with a grin. "That's an entirely new generation! Look at that configuration!"
"We need an entirely new designation for her," Chance moaned, anyone could see the man staring enviously at me.
I transformed back and stretched.
"Archangel," I smirked, "So we going or what?" I asked with a broad grin, bouncing a bit on the balls of my feet. My wings moved on my back, re-settling themselves into a more comfortable position, there was a crash of thunder in the sky.
"Where's ma granddaughter!?" Jetfire shouted, stalling mid-air and landing beside me. He stared at me for a long moment before breaking out into a grin. "'Bout time you got your wings lassie! Let's go greet the family!"
I clapped a silvery hand onto his shoulder for a second before walking over to Optimus, hauling him to his feet before picking Ratchet up.
"So are we going or what?" I asked again, grinning up at Optimus.
"Alright alright," Optimus laughed, reaching forward and cupping my face. "But so help me if you crash I will kick your pretty aft-plates."
"Yes dear," I laughed, bouncing up to peck a kiss on his jaw before sprinting down the runway. I fired up my boosters and transformed mid-air, launching myself into the sky in a flash. I circled for a few minutes while Jetfire took off, then gleefully swooped toward him, flying in formation wherever he decided to go.
(OPOV)
Optimus flashed awake as someone shook his Kae's leg. She was online and aiming for the intruder right beside him. A femme to be proud of.
"Sorry to break up the honeymoon, lovebirds," Ironhide rumbled with a broad grin as Kae sagged back into him. She felt incredible, pressed tightly against him. Optimus couldn't hold back the small smile as he surveyed her, a processor devoting itself entirely on what they could do with a free hour.
"Come on you two, I sure as hell don't want to break that up, but we've got work to do," Ratchet stated apologetically. Optimus bit back the petulant groan as Kae flexed to her feet. It was too soon, no doubt their nights together were numbered, it was too soon for this recharge cycle to end...
"Who's injured?" she demanded, Optimus followed her, summoning his armour.
"Nobody yet," Ironhide rasped, "but we got communications, a ship coming in and requesting permission to land."
"So we should probably get you dressed," Ratchet added, grinning at Kae and offering a massive bundle of plate armours. Kae rolled her optics at him and onlined an extra processor. A surge of energon flashed over her frame, incorporating the plate armours and shaping them precisely how she wanted it to sit.
Optimus stared at her in shock. She stood, perfectly balanced and beautiful. Blue flames danced up her legs, and wings settled lightly down her back, her insignias hidden. She turned and looked at him with a smile, cocking her head.
"Too whorish?" Kae asked innocently, looking down at her armour.
"Whoa!" Ironhide rumbled.
"Nice paint job," Ratchet added with a grin. "You've already got your schematics in mind! Share!"
"You have covered your Prime insignia," Optimus stated in a quiet tone.
"Optimus," she said with a small smile, "you are my Prime, my guardian and my beloved. Why would I need to show the insignia of the Primes? You are my leader. I'll not have it interfere with order."
Optimus couldn't help but reach forward and pull her into a gentle hug.
"That's adorable, now what are you going to transform into?" Ironhide demanded.
"Let's roll," Optimus rumbled, laying a gentle hand at the small of her back. "You have wings," he added, raising a brow ridge at his Kae.
Mikaela began laughing softly, walking on silent feet as Optimus gently guided her to the corridor.
"What form have you chosen?" Optimus asked curiously. Mikaela just laughed as Optimus and his senior officers united to try to convince her to spill.
"Hey Kae! You got your clothes on!" Will bellowed up at the femme, she just laughed harder.
"Yes Major, I've got my armour. You going my way sailor?" Mikaela leaned down and let him sit on her hand.
Will squirmed around for a second before laying comfortably in her hand.
"I've totally figured out why you loved this spot," he grinned up at Mikaela. "you can totally hear a ton of vocal undertones from here," Kae laughed and grinned down at him.
"You're forgetting that I could hear those tones anywhere," she said with a smile, "guess again?"
"It's comfy as hell," Lennox stated, squirming around, "the view's incredible up here."
"That and it's remarkably comforting to be in the hand of a bot you trust," Mikaela murmured with a gentle smile, glancing at Optimus. He felt his spark flare at the simple statement.
"So what do you change into?" Will asked with a broad grin. "Did you want us to bring you in a specific car or something?"
"Nope, I've got my schematics down already," Kae laughed as Optimus smiled, gently guiding her to the entrance bay. "You lot already have a pool going on, don't you?"
"Mikaela, if you would be so kind as to change into some sort of airplane I promise my winnings will go to Anabelle's college fund!" Chance shouted up at them. Kae snorted and set Will down beside the lieutenant.
"I've already got my form set," she laughed.
"Well what is it?" Ratchet demanded.
"It's me," Kae grinned over her shoulder, striding out the doors and into the sunshine with the bots hot on her heels. It was an incredible sight as she stretched in her armour for the first time, her wings flaring as the sunlight danced over the sleek curves of her frame. "So where are we going anyway?"
"Down to Florida! They're going to touch down in the ocean!" Will shouted.
"Awesome!" Kae called with a grin, turning around and folding into her secondary form.
A flier. A streamlined, aggressive, gorgeous flier.
Ratchet sat down on the ground beside him, and Optimus joined him, the two of them roaring with laughter.
"For Primus sake Mikaela!" Ironhide roared. "You're supposed to pick a disguise! Not completely hot-rod an F18!"
"That ain't no F18!" Epps bellowed with a grin. "That's an entirely new generation! Look at that configuration!"
"We need an entirely new designation for her," Chance moaned, Optimus smirked as the pilot stared enviously at his femme.
Kae transformed back and stretched.
"Archangel," Kae smirked, "So we going or what?" she asked with a broad grin, bouncing a bit on the balls of her feet as her wings re-settled themselves across her back, there was a crash of thunder in the sky.
"Where's ma granddaughter!?" Jetfire shouted, stalling mid-air and landing beside Kae. He stared at her for a long moment before breaking out into a grin. "'Bout time you got your wings lassie! Let's go greet the family!"
Mikaela reached up and clapped a silvery hand onto his shoulder for a second before walking over to Optimus, hauling him to his feet before picking Ratchet up.
The fact that she could do that was most certainly not lost on him.
"So are we going or what?" Kae asked again, grinning up at Optimus.
"Alright alright," Optimus laughed, reaching forward and cupping his Kae's face. "But so help me if you crash I will kick your pretty ass-plates."
"Yes dear," Mikaela laughed, bouncing up to peck a kiss to his jaw before she spun and sprinted down the 'runway,' she levitated first, folding into her secondary form and blasting into the air.
Gorgeous.
Jetfire was following a second later, laughing at his grandchild's antics as he launched himself somewhat more ponderously into the air.
Optimus couldn't help but track her silhouette in the air. He glanced down at Chance worriedly.
"Can you tell if she's doing alright?" he asked the lieutenant worriedly.
The soldier stared at him. Optimus rolled his optics.
"I am not a flier," he rumbled grumpily, "I do not know how to track an atmospheric flier to see if they are in trouble or not."
"Oh," Chance nodded the next second, he looked back up into the sky and squinted at the silhouettes. "She's flying straight, I don't see any list in her vectors." he commented mildly. He cast about for a second. "I need some binoculars."
Rather than having a search ensue, Optimus generated a pair and leaned down, handing them to the man.
"Thanks," Chance nodded, immediately holding them to his eyes and adjusting them as he followed Kae's flight path. He moaned.
"Chance!?" Optimus demanded worriedly.
"Zoom in on her," Chance moaned. "Have you ever seen a more graceful flier?" Epps reached for the binoculars and Chance handed them over.
"Whooaaa..." Epps sighed. "that is quite possibly the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen, the girl knows aerodynamics, that's for sure."
"Which is plane geek for she's fine," Will added consolingly as Kae disappeared from view. Optimus vented a deep sigh.
"Quit worrying," Ratchet snorted. Optimus looked at him irritably.
"Optimus, you're forgetting that you inherited your flight deck from her," Ironhide snorted.
"It wasn't the flight deck that was in trouble, her body wasn't built to withstand the forces the deck was," Ratchet added with a snort. "Not to mention she spent a great deal of extra time bearing the casting heat, it's going to take one spectacular crash to damage her."
"Which she isn't going to do," Chance snorted, looking over the schematics Bumblebee had brought up of his big-sister. He was poking at the holoform, testing it's balances. "See? Look, the only thing that'll make her crash is if she decides to dive straight at the ground."
"You aren't listening to her," Optimus grumbled.
"Why, what'd she say?" Epps asked curiously.
Optimus put the conversation on his speakers.
"You with me lassie?" Jetfire rumbled brightly.
"Let's see how fast I can go!" Mikaela called back cheerfully.
"Well then watch your engines and frame," Jetfire commanded.
Chance burst out laughing.
"She's got Jetfire flying beside her, he's got years of experience, they'll be fine," Epps grinned. He jumped as his beeper vibrated and sprinted toward the hangar again.
Optimus followed worriedly.
"Epps! Good you guys haven't left!" Jerry shouted from the catwalk.
"Optimus, Will," General Moreshower called out from a screen. "I need to contact Jetfire-"
"And Mikaela," Optimus nodded.
"She's a plane!" Chance added brightly.
"Hah!" Moreshower called out with a laugh. "Barry owes me a steak, right-"
"Blackbird, Archangel, do you read me," Epps called out across the frequencies.
"Loud and clear Epps," Mikaela's voice called back cheerfully. "What's up?"
"We need to load up," Will muttered up to Optimus. He nodded and gestured toward his unit.
::. Auto-bots, Roll out!.:: he sent silently. He transformed and waited for Will, the Major climbing into his cab the second he was free.
They drove onto the planes, and prepared to wait.