Chapter 114 - New Arrivals
(APOV)
Mid-argument, Mikaela was the first to hear the echoing boom of the ship entering the atmosphere, she was watching it intently, her wing folding back somewhat to allow the soldiers to see.
Anyone could see the battle readiness in her stance, she was prepared to take action. Every human NEST soldier had taken refuge from the sun beneath her wing.
::. You're figuring out the best way to provide cover and evacuate the men if the absolute worst happens, aren't you?.:: Arcee sent on the private channel.
::. Little bit...:: Mikaela replied softly.
::. Good girl.:: Arcee murmured with a small smile. ::. Just so you know? The jeeps you resurrected from the dead are on the C17's for the soldiers, just get them there.::
::. Perfect.:: Mikaela smiled ::. now could you please please fill me in on what I'm supposed to do? Why the hell am I first lieutenant? I'm a day old!.::
::. Chrome, Flare.:: Arcee called patiently.
::. You're covering your Prime insignia.:: Chromia stated in a confused tone.
::. I don't want anyone doubting Optimus.:: Mikaela stated firmly.
::. That's true, as a Prime she outranks the lot of us.:: Arcee stated calmly. ::. As a gorgeous Femme the only conquest would be a gorgeous Femme, they would see her as Mikaela, not Archangel Prime.::
::. Prime nothing.:: Mikaela grumbled ::. Accident of casting, Optimus is far too intelligent to let the same thing he grouses about to define a person. Why the hell am I first lieutenant?.::
::. Because you earned it!.:: Flareup grinned won the challenge! the only bot you went down to was Optimus. That makes you the first lieutenant.::
::. You're a day old as an auto-bot, but we'd be fools to not take reckoning of the nineteen years you've been online as a human.:: Arcee added calmly. ::. You are the youngest, but as a human your maturation was accelerated. In spark you are older than your brother.::
::. ... oh...:: Mikaela murmured, sounding somewhat more mollified. ::. Alright, I guess, if that's how you want to play it. Now what the hell am I supposed to do!?.::
::. Stay back for a second to observe.:: Flare stated firmly ::. Stand the way either Ratchet or Sideswipe do.::
::. Good, yes!.:: Chromia stated with a bright laugh ::. or mix the two, you are a healing predator after all. Just don't take the same posture Optimus does if you don't want everyone to know you're a Prime, otherwise, just follow his lead.::
::. That I can do.:: Mikaela laughed softly.
Ratchet grinned as Arcee leaned against him somewhat, watching the ship descend and brake over the ocean, coming to land lightly on the tarmac.
::. In formation.:: Optimus ordered silently.
Arcee wheeled to her place at the head of her sisters. Autobots walked slowly from the ship, standing tall.
::. that's Mirage!.:: Chromia stated suddenly.
(WPOV)
Will couldn't help but fidget slightly, Kae was hovering over them cautiously, her wing stretched out to shade the soldiers.
The ship finally came in, braking over the ocean and coming for a light landing on the tarmac. Kae straightened, moving to stand on Optimus' right.
Autobots walked slowly from the ship, standing tall and un armoured.
"Prowl!" Optimus rumbled with a broad grin. Will grinned, the men relaxed around him.
"Prime!" the bot roared, stepping up his pace and catching Optimus' left arm in a strong greeting before dragging the larger bot into a hug. "You've alive! Look at you! Ratchet! Ironhide! Good to see you've survived! Sideswipe!" he grinned. "Thought you were dead you scrapping ghost!"
"Prowl," Sideswipe stated calmly. "Have you-"
"SUNNY!" Prowl bellowed over him, trustingly turning his back to Prime and waving at the ship. "It's all clear! Get out here bot!"
"He's HERE!?" Sideswipe bellowed in a shocked tone. Another bot emerged from the ship, walking almost shyly. Sideswipe was rolling at high-speed toward him the next second.
"Brother!" the stranger bot shouted suddenly, running toward Sides.
"Sunny, you made it!" Sideswipe howled, catching the mech in a bearhug. "Flare! Jacobs!" Sideswipe grinned, dragging the smaller mech forward in the circle of his arm. "Guys this is my brother, Sunstreaker!"
"Oh Primus you brought the terror twins together again?" Ratchet demanded, Will whipped around to stare at the Medic. Optimus glanced down and rumbled a low laugh.
"If you think Skids and Mudflap are bad," Ironhide drawled with a snort. "You should have seen Sunny and Sides in their heyday."
"You're alive!" Sunny was shouting. "I knew it! I knew you wouldn't go to the well without me brother!"
"Of course I wouldn't!" Sides choked, holding his brother tightly. He pulled back. "Systems diagnostic brother!" he commanded sternly.
"I'm fine!" Sunny complained immediately. "Primus Sides! You thought I'd get busted up!? Ain't nobody but you allowed to bust me up!"
"Well you're going in for a physical regardless," Sides growled.
"The lot of you are," Ratchet added sternly.
"We're in fair enough shape," Prowl stated calmly, "no sense wasting good energon fixing what isn't broken or unusable."
"Which means you have something acting up," Mikaela stated calmly, looking at Prowl patiently.
"Who's this then!?" Prowl asked cheerfully, eyeing Mikaela.
"My first lieutenant, Archangel," Optimus rumbled quietly. Kae nodded shyly.
"Prime," another stated softly, looking up at Optimus.
"Jazz took severe damage," Optimus rumbled softly. "His spark went out, and was retrieved. He is in stasis now, regenerating Mirage."
Mirage smiled.
(RPOV)
Mikaela stood patiently on Optimus' right, nodding with a small smile when Optimus introduced her as his first lieutenant. She spoke calmly when the details of Jazz's recovery were answered. When Optimus relaxed, Kae did so as well.
Ratchet proudly watched her greet and speak with the new arrivals easily. But anyone who really knew the bot on her left could see Optimus fidgeting, his hand occasionally reaching ever so slightly toward Kae.
::. What the scrap has Optimus fidgeting so much about?.:: Ratchet murmured.
::. That his Kae is gorgeous and getting a lot of attention from Prowl, Mirage, Wheeljack and the Wreckers?.:: Arcee replied softly.
::. Definitely think we got them out of bed too soon.:: Ratchet grumbled. Arcee smiled and rolled forward, wrapping an arm around Wheeljack's shoulders.
"How have you been Que?" she asked cheerfully.
"Inventing!" Que laughed, "My but this is an incredible place, hello! You're a human!" he looked down at Graham staring up at him curiously.
"Why I do believe you're correct," Chance stated with a broad grin, poking at Graham as the man batted him off with a laugh.
"Oh sod off you squishy Aussi!" Graham laughed.
"There is laughter on this planet!" Wheeljack announced brightly, "remarkable!"
(OPOV)
Optimus watched his Kae as she met and greeted each of the new arrivals, smiling as they flirted with her while he struggled to keep the unwanted jealousy from surfacing. The travel weary bots met the humans with different levels of ease, Wheeljack instantly taking a liking to the British troops as they did to him.
Optimus looked at his Kae again as she laughed at the Wreckers' bawdry jokes. Watching her, he was instantly alert when her face whipped to the sky.
"Everybody down!" she bellowed, instantly taking two rapid paces forward and spinning, her wings flaring and providing cover for the soldiers and un-armoured bots.
He watched in horror as a small squadron of Decepticon marked fliers buzzed toward them, missiles landing close to the Xantium, running too far. Evidently they hadn't got used to Earth's lighter gravity. Yet. Shrapnel tinged against his Kae's wings and the temporal forcefield she'd extended from them.
"My thanks," Prowl growled to her before sprinting to the Xantium, going for his armour and weapons with his unit hot on his heels; Ironhide and Sideswipe quickly followed, providing cover for them.
"Get to the Jeeps!" Kae commanded the soldiers in no uncertain tones, crouched and walking carefully forward as the soldiers gratefully ran beneath her wings. As one they made a mad dash for the planes and Kae straightened with a feral snarl, sprinting and taking off, transforming mid-air and chasing after the intruders.
::. Kae!.:: Optimus bellowed over the primary as Jetfire took off after her.
::. What are your orders Prime?.:: she demanded ::. Chase them away or bring 'em back?.:: the squadron turned around.
::. That answers that!.:: Optimus snarled, sprinting to the planes as a helpful jeep pulled his flight deck from the carrier. He lifted it off their tail and they shot forward, Chance shooting him a rapid salute as they sped to join the other Jeeps.
::. Granddaughter! Split fire!.:: Jetfire growled, coming alongside Kae.
::. Aye!.:: she snarled back, guns emerging from her wings. Together, they fired, playing a high-speed game of chicken. Neither balked, at the last possible second, Jetfire peeled away, making a sharp turn mid air. Kae rolled and buzzed between a gap, successfully terrifying the fliers. They scattered, struggling to regain formation rather than firing as they passed overhead. Optimus watched as his Kae rolled, cut her engines, angled her wings and fairly flipped in the air, firing her engines the next second and riding Jetfire's airstream.
Every Auto-bot aimed and fired, several blasts finding targets, one fell, Prowl and Ironhide immediately went after the downed 'Con. It snarled, struggling to free itself from the flier. A familiar helmet.
It couldn't be.
Ratchet was snarling the next second, guns he rarely, if ever used emerging from beneath armour, a true rarity for the medi-bot.
"This is for Alia, Jackal!" Ironhide snarled, a spark-chamber imploded.
Ratchet was infuriated, distracted as he scanned and confirmed the identities of the bots whom had killed his mate and daughter.
The wolfpack.
"Revenge is not attractive!" Ironhide roared, "but justice needs be met!"
"We kill them all!" Optimus snarled, aloud and over the primary.
::. Yes Prime!.:: Mikaela snarled back, her engines blasted overhead, propelling her into a screaming pace as she raced after the murderers, Jetfire hot on her tail.
Optimus slammed a hand into his flight deck, in moments the trailer transformed, he stepped into the deck and integrated into it, wings settling over his back and afterburners firing up. He took off after his Kae, growling softly as he struggled to catch up. As hard as he pushed the afterburners, Kae was getting farther ahead from both he and Jetfire, keeping pace with the fliers.
::. Jetfire, Prime!.:: she bellowed ::. Fall back!.::
Jetfire automatically slowed and took formation with Optimus as Kae shot forward, touching mach four and overshooting the fliers.
::. Kae what are you doing!?.:: Optimus bellowed at her.
::. Cutting off the flock.:: she growled, transforming mid-air.
Directly in front of the fliers. Her wings flared around her then snapped closed, forming cannons and firing the next second. Terror turned to shock, turned to pride as Optimus watched his Kae effectively scatter the fliers' formation, they turned tail and Kae rapidly folded back into her plane form, flashing after them, harrying them, herding them right back toward Optimus and Jetfire.
::. What a Femme!.:: Jetfire bellowed proudly, guns emerging from his wings and underbelly as Optimus snarled his agreement. due respect, take the left Prime, let's drive these bastards to the ground!.::
Optimus grinned, he couldn't help it, acceding to the more experienced flier's tactics and cutting to the left, firing at the squadron. He spun around in the air and flew on the edge of the formation.
::. I got top if you two want to squeeze 'em together.:: Kae announced, her tone as calm as though she were doing nothing more strenuous than walking in a rose garden.
::. Ground forces ready!.:: Ironhide bellowed as land came in sight again.
::. Get ready to peel away.:: Jetfire added, harrying the formation a bit more toward Optimus. The formation made a desperate bid to get out, pulling up, Kae was above them the next second, firing with precision, taking out weapons and engines, ruthlessly driving them down as they came over the land. Blasts of plasma, and heavy sabot rounds rose from the amassed bot and human soldiers on the ground, Optimus shot to the left as Jetfire peeled away to the right. He looked back in horror as Kae stayed in place, blasting fliers from above as they were riddled with fire from below.
::. Kae! Pull back!.:: he bellowed at her. She obediently launched herself into an almost vertical lift for a moment before pelting after the final flier as it made a bid for freedom.
::. EM burst! NOW!.:: she bellowed, Jetfire immediately obliging her as she fired on the final flier, Optimus felt the deactivation and targeting codes bounce against the burst and dissolve into static as Kae transformed and caught the flier, directing the disabled vehicle to crash safely among it's compatriots; well away from soldiers and bots. Jetfire transformed and landed heavily among the damaged and burning fliers as the ground forces converged on the wreckage. Optimus landed and strode to Ratchet's side.
"I don't care if there's a single usable part among them!" the medi-bot was snarling as Ironhide and Prowl both struggled to restrain him, "I want no part of those monsters to survive!"
Kae transformed and landed lightly beside Optimus, she strode to Ratchet and grasped his shoulders.
∂Decide, my spark-father,∂ she commanded sternly as the soldiers stared at the irate Auto-bot medic.
"They killed my Alia!" Ratchet howled, "rounded up an entire compound of civilian bots, Femmes and younglings and executed them!"
"Then calm yourself and stand in witness," Kae stated coldly, holding Ratchet firmly in place and catching his optics absolutely. Optimus watched in relief as his Medical officer stared at his spark-daughter and calmed, his optics slowly returning to their normal blue.
"Witness what?" he asked in a drained, grieved tone. Kae released his shoulders and nodded to Prowl and Ironhide.
"Destruction," she murmured, lightly touching Ratchet's back and guiding him forward somewhat. She raised her hand and snapped a levitation field around the wreckage.
Every bot watched with combined horror and satisfaction as the twisted and burning metals rose from the ground and clustered together. Kae's other hand rose as a look of concentration crossed her optics. A violent gesture and the fliers collapsed in on themselves, another and they compressed together, Kae began vibrating as she controlled the dual fields.
"Auto-bots ready!" she barked, "Aim!" cannons emerged from hands and armour, out of the corner of his optic, Optimus watched Ironhide disconnect his largest cannon, offering it to a stunned Ratchet. Mikaela waited patiently as Ratchet integrated the cannon.
"Ready father?" she asked softly, Ratchet nodded firmly. "On your command Prime." She stated firmly.
Optimus surveyed the waiting bots and humans with grim satisfaction, aiming his own cannons.
"Fire!" he barked
Bots and humans both fired simultaneously at the crushed metals. Optimus watched with pride as his Kae directed the sphere to collect the raw plasma and rounds, crushing the metals and heat tightly, melting them into a single, perfect sphere. It lowered gracefully to the ground, rolling slightly on the minute grade.
"Now tha' I kin use," Roadbuster growled, rushing forward with Topspin and Leadfoot hot on his heels to take control of the sphere, immediately rolling it toward the Xantium.
"They're dead, Ratchet," Arcee murmured softly.
"And burning in the pit, there is no possibility of resurrection for them," Ratchet murmured, he stood, looking completely lost, Ironhide gently touched the cannon on Ratchet's arm, the medic automatically disconnected it, and Ironhide collected it carefully, integrating it back into his systems.
"Ratch?" Kae murmured softly.
"Now what do I do?" Ratchet asked in a stunned, lost tone. "I never..."
"Never thought you'd see the day that Nova and Alia would be revenged," Optimus rumbled calmly, reaching out and laying a gentle hand on the older bot's shoulder. "I would suggest that you hold your Femme tightly, and then make sure that your spark-daughter has not injured herself on her first day after being cast."
"Injured, no," Kae mumbled beside him, Optimus turned and lightly caught her as she staggered against him. "Really, really tired, how the hell do you keep going like that? You're bigger than me!"
"It takes a while for your cells to break into charging properly, daughter," Ratchet stated immediately, moving forward and reaching up to cup Kae's cheek as he scanned her. "Showing green or not, you only had a half-charge, let's get you back."
Kae nodded wearily, struggling to stand upright.
"She is a day old and managed to do that much damage!?" Prowl demanded, his optic twitched slightly. Ironhide reached up and lightly tapped his helm a couple of times.
Prowl looked at him with a mix of gratitude and curiosity in his optics.
"'Fraid there ain't much logical in her existence, Prowl," Ironhide rumbled cheerfully. "Just think of her as another Arcee, that'll be the easiest."
"That much damage!?" Prowl demanded again.
"She is talented," Optimus rumbled blandly, smiling as Bumblebee bounced forward to catch Kae in a hug.
"You really are my big sister now," he grinned up at her.
"That feels so weird," Kae snorted, winding a gentle arm around her little brother's shoulders.
"How are we supposed to get my sister home?" Bumblebee asked worriedly as she sagged against him somewhat. Optimus frowned, her energon reserves were dipping low into the amber again.
"Do you think you can manage to integrate into the flight deck?" he rumbled gently, Kae looked up at him wearily and nodded.
"This feels ridiculous," she murmured grumpily.
"Granddaughter you just crushed the wolf pack with half-charged cells," Jetfire snorted, "In seven hundred vorn I haven't seen the like."
"Opened up a can of whupass!" Skids called out with a broad grin.
"And if you don't let me take care of you we're both going to go insane," Ratchet added firmly. Kae looked up at him quickly, her optics sharpening for a second before she nodded acceptance. Optimus gently released her to lean on Ratchet and Ironhide as he shrugged out of the flight deck.
"Welp, I'm going to scout around," Jetfire announced brightly, "nothing like a nice little skirmish to get the lubricants flowing."
"Hourly reports," Optimus rumbled.
"If any more of 'em even dare to make an appearance, yeh'll know before they even know they've been spotted," Jetfire snorted. "Good recharge, granddaughter," he added with a broad grin.
"You want to refuel first?" Will shouted up to him.
"Excellent idea!" the bot grinned, leaning down and offering a hand. Chance grinned and promptly sat in the bot's palm.
"Over to the hanger there mate!" the australian grinned, "we'll fix you up proper!"
"So yeh got wings on yer arm," Jetfire snorted. "Pilot are yeh?"
"Mate, if I could even come close to withstanding the G's you were pulling I'da been in your cockpit the entire way!" Chance exploded, grinning at the infiltrator.
Optimus chuckled as the pair wandered off, transforming the flight deck and collecting his Kae again.
ΩStill feel ridiculous,Ω she murmured to him, integrating into the flight deck.
"Get some recharge, my Kae," he rumbled, cupping her cheek, she nodded obediently and transformed with the flight deck, back into the trailer. The hum of her spark softened into a recharge cycle.
Humans and bots stood silently for a long moment.
"So, holy crap," Will stated in a conversational tone.
"You can say that again," Ironhide snorted, he looked at Optimus and promptly began howling with laughter. "Thrice blessed bloody bastard bot!"
"Right, well let's load up, get back to base, remind me to thank Kae for cleaning up the wreckage when she wakes up," Will snorted.
Optimus chuckled.
"Dude, did you see that manoeuvre she pulled!?" Epps called out with wide eyes.
"What, you mean when she took off without a runway, buzzed through the ranks or when she turned one-eighty and went right back after them again?" Jacobs grinned.
"Fucking all of em man! I thought she was impressive in Egypt, but that was just... fuck!" Epps stated with wide eyes.
"The kind of thing that makes you really, really glad she's on our side?" Jacobs stated blandly.
"Uh, yeah," Will snorted, Optimus looked down at them and desperately tried not to laugh as he recorded the conversation for Kae to watch later.
"You have fought together before, but she is a day old?" Prowl asked with a frown, his optic twitching somewhat more violently.
"Long story," Ironhide rumbled cheerfully, guiding the enforcer toward one of the carriers. "You see..."
Optimus shrugged back into his truck form and backed into the trailer, hooking up with the ease of long practice. Kae roused somewhat, adjusting the balances on the trailer and hesitantly extending her binder cables to connect to him properly before dropping back to her recharge. Optimus smiled and delicately towed her onto the plane, allowing the soldiers to tie him in. Ratchet sat down beside him, still looking a bit lost.
"She crushed them absolutely, didn't even stop for parts," he mumbled.
"She heard you, Ratchet, what would have happened if she had tried to convince you otherwise?" Optimus rumbled gently.
"We'd still be arguing," Ratchet snorted softly.
"Would you have felt better if you were still arguing?" Optimus asked in amusement.
"... no..." Ratch stated quietly.
"Then you're not mad at me for completely destroying them?" Kae asked softly, her holoform onlining in front of the mech, standing as she always had as a human.
"No, no I'm not mad," Ratchet whispered, leaning down and picking up the holoform, "the wreckers can use that sphere of metals just as easily, they were going to melt them down anyway." he cuddled the holoform gently. "I don't... I don't know what to do," the bot whimpered suddenly, "I swore to myself that I would be the one to make the shot."
"Ratch, you built me," Kae murmured gently, her holoform reaching up and stroking the mech's face, "You purified my protoform metals, stretched and folded them to the point that I doubt that anything will ever dent them. You made me a spark-chamber, cradled me as a hatchling, I felt you, Ratch, you're such a gentle father. I'm sorry, I can't let the most compassionate of all of us go against his base codes."
"Compassion my foot," Ratchet grumbled, "says the femme who terrified a drone before replacing his damaged eye."
"Yeah... after I broke it with a torch," she shot back at him guiltily.
"So I build you strong and you take down the bots that killed my family and wear yourself out doing it. You should be recharging daughter," he scolded her gently.
"I... am sleep holoforming?" Kae shot at him innocently.
"Sleep Kae. Now." Ratchet commanded sternly.
"Love you too, ∂Father∂ she murmured, coiling the holoform against his chest.
The look of shock on Ratchet's face was priceless.
"Sleep, my beloved daughter," he whispered in a choked voice, cuddling the holoform as Mirage watched curiously.
"Ask Bee," Optimus rumbled with a quiet snort. Mirage nodded with a grin and turned to the scout.
"Mikaela's nineteen solar-cycles old," Bumblebee started with a broad grin, "I met my big sister two annum ago... when she was still a human..."
"Go to your recharge," Ratchet murmured gently, stroking the holoform's cheek. "I'll make sure he doesn't get the facts mixed up."
"See you in the morning Ratch," she murmured, offlining the holoform. Her spark quieted again.