And here we are, final chapter until my return. As always your reviews are very much appreciated, either for each chapter, or whack 'em all together. A bazillion thanks as always to my dear sweet beta Bee, and energon goodies to every one of you. I actually feel guilty that I'm gonna go visit the sun and whales... just a little. Aloha everybody!
Chapter 155 – The Aftermath
(IPOV)
Ironhide strode down the streets and alleyways, Skids and Mudflap close behind, flushing out the last few cons in the area. Taking prisoners more than dispatching now. Megatron had disappeared, again. Not much of a Lord High Protector, cowardly little twist-sparked scum. Ratchet and Kae were busily repairing injuries, mending their prisoners under the watchful guard of Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. He was mildly surprised when he turned the next corner.
He'd given a rather large, rather... challenged con something of a beat down, then told said con to stay down. There were three cons there now. Two smaller trying to encourage the larger to get up and leave with them. He had gotten up, somewhat, he'd sat up and was sitting against a building now.
"Come on Papa, we gotta go!" one... a femme! A femme dressed in mech's armour! "Papa please!"
"Lugnut we gotta move!" the femme's brother snapped. "We gotta move or we're gonna be offlined! By Megatron or by those auto-bots!"
"Gunbot said stay, Lugnut stay," the con stated densely, sitting like a lump of metal against the building. He hadn't even scanned in an alternate form yet!
"Papa is your t-cog working?" the femme asked softly.
Lugnut nodded proudly.
"Wing we gotta go," her brother whispered hoarsely. "They're gonna be here any breem!"
"We can't leave him Bolt," the femme whimpered, cuddling herself against her paternal creator. Who'd a thought? Family values in cons.
Ironhide cycled his cannons to half-power.
Bolt was weaving back and forth somewhat, obviously torn between running and joining his sister. Finally, he crouched down, crawling under Lugnut's free arm and curling up there.
"We're gonna die Wing," Bolt stated softly.
"We're gonna go together." Wing stated softly.
"Y'aint gonna go," Ironhide rumbled calmly, striding patiently toward them.
"Gunbot!" Lugnut stated with a grin.
"Who's there?" Wing demanded, Ironhide nodded, impressed. The femme had immediately switched her vocal processors to emit a mech's vocal frequency.
"Ironhide of Sigma three. I ain't gonna dispatch ya if you disengage your weapons and come along quiet. The medics'll fix ya up and the Primes'll give you yer options." Ironhide rumbled patiently. "And ya don't gotta worry 'bout the mech disguise, femme, y'aint gonna be harmed."
"Says you," Bolt growled at him.
"Yeah says him!" Mudflap snarled back.
"At ease Flap," Ironhide barked gruffly. "Come on then."
Lugnut stood up, and began striding obediently toward Ironhide.
"Drop the guns Lugnut," Ironhide rumbled to him. There had to be something wrong with the bot's processors, no-bot in his memories had required such... patient ordering...
Lugnut's cannons, and a number of blades ejected from his frame. He promptly stood, staring.
"Come on, Lugnut," Ironhide rumbled gently, he shot a curious glance at the larger bot's creations.
There was gratitude in the femme's optics, wary suspicion in the mech's.
Skids and Mudflap led the way, Ironhide bringing up the rear. The femme dropped back somewhat, striding within easy conversation distance.
"Why aren't you offlining us?" Wing asked softly.
"That's a Decepticon tactic," Ironhide rumbled gruffly. "I ain't Decepticon."
The femme seemed somewhat surprised at that.
"What happened to your creator?"
"We..." the femme hesitated. "The Decepticons raided our base, Lug..." her shoulders sagged. "Lug was a really good fighter, Bolt gave me his youngling armour to hide me when Megatron came. He..."
Ironhide couldn't help it, he reached a gentle hand to rest across the femme's back.
"Megatron gave Shockwave our creator, and he..."
"He destroyed our creator's processors, slagged him and waited until damn near all his memories were gone before puttin' him together again. He made us watch," Bolt stated harshly, turning to glare over his shoulder. "Lugnut-"
"Lugnut!" Roadbuster shouted. "What the slag areyou doing with Decepticon insignias!?"
Lugnut turned and looked at Roadbuster dumbly, and that sight, Roadbuster looking back in horrified understanding at what had obviously been a comrade... that was burned into his permanent memories.
"Where's Wing!?" Roadbuster demanded the next second, looking at Bolt. "Where is your femme creation Lugnut?"
Lugnut turned and pointed at Wing proudly.
Wing was blushing furiously.
"Mech's armour eh?" Leadfoot asked approvingly. "Bolt, haven't seen you since you and your sister were hatchlings!"
"Where were you then?" Bolt demanded harshly. "Where were the Wreckers when Megatron stormed our stronghold? Where were you when they dragged the lot of us to Rheon?"
"Rhe-" Leadfoot choked.
"Ratchet!" Roadbuster was bellowing the next second.
"Soundwave did everything he could to get Lugnut's memories back," Wingnut whispered. "He got him to the point that he actually recognizes us as his creations again..."
Ironhide couldn't help but reach out and pull the femling against his side.
"We were called to battle, Longbolt," Leadfoot was stating in a grieved tone. "Told that the stronghold had been abandoned, that everyone had evacuated..."
"We never abandoned our hold," Longbolt stated coldly.
"Your femme creator?"
"Stopped when Lugnut couldn't remember her anymore," Wing whispered under Ironhide's arm.
"We'll find a safe place for you," Ironhide rumbled softly. Chromia wheeled into the area, looking at him somewhat suspiciously with his arm around a femling. Rather than bother with stuttering, he sent the femling's story right off, a bot could tell the second the femme received and processed the file, her optics growing wide and her protective circuits snapping into place.
Ironhide gave his femme a small smile as she immediately rolled up beside the femling, winding her arms around her.
(OPOV)
Optimus surveyed the masses of fliers all surrounding his Kae as she worked over-time, repairing every injury that went past her. Jetfire was lounging comfortably among them, patiently relaying the co-ordinates of the final pockets of Decepticons that yet more fliers were scouting out.
Ironhide was glowering, flinchingly torn between staying and guarding Optimus and refusing to be anywhere near the former and undecided Decepticons.
Undecided. Starscream was deep in communion with his trine, no doubt attempting to decide their next move. Whether to seek out their injured master, to seek neutrality or join.
The choice he had given all of the bots.
To state that he had been shocked when several dozen fliers had landed around him, led by his Kae?
Understatement.
To state his shock that the majority of those whom had followed her had sworn their fealty to the host of the All-spark. Less shocking. Particularly since the mild irritation humming from his Kae's spark tempered his reactions.
Irritation, simply for the fact that the fliers were insisting on calling her mistress.
Optimus had taken Jetfire's example at that moment, the two of them laughing at his mate. It'd likely take his beloved Kae a few vorn, but eventually she would learn to at least tolerate the name.
"Not. Happening." Mikaela stated flatly, flicking a glance at him.
"Eventually," he rumbled in amusement.
"No."
"Problem?" Sentinel asked patiently.
"My Kae is stating she will never accept the title of Mistress," Optimus rumbled in amusement, looking at his femme fondly as she continued repairing minor injuries, the major traumas having already been attended to.
"Give her a few vorn-"
"No."
"See?" Optimus rumbled in amusement.
Sentinel strode to his side, the both of them surveying the femme as she worked.
"Five vorn," Sentinel murmured, nudging him.
"Pool?" Jetfire called out with a snort. "Three, it's no that bad a title."
"You're all bastards," Mikaela grumbled. She lightly closed a hatch in another bot's leg and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder. "Go easy on it," she added gently, "give your systems time to integrate properly."
Hesitantly, the neutral nodded, going to join the dozen others.
So many bots, and yet so few choosing neutrality...
Optimus vented a low sigh and felt his mate's spark gently winding around his somewhat more, comforting him amidst the loss of life.
(MPOV)
I wound my spark somewhat more around Optimus' even as I continued mending the last few stragglers brought in by Ironhide. I knew my mate's grief, the grief that so many had died by his hand, by the hands of his unit. He understood the necessity, but that did not make it any easier.
Instinctively, I knew I'd be dealing with the politics of this mess, looking around at the destroyed city.
I shuddered to think what would have happened had the humans not been bridged away from the central part of the city. The outlaying had been rapidly deserted, I prayed that they had made it out safely.
As yet, there weren't any reports coming in of human casualties outside of three soldiers.
The suits did nothing about being stepped on.
But I could see it my spark-father's optics.
The suits did nothing about being stepped on.
Yet.
Three ships hovered high overhead, now manned by the fliers, seekers whose first loyalties were to their eldest. I glanced at Jetfire and smiled somewhat, he was in his element, sitting relaxed amidst his brethren.
"Mistress," one of the fliers stated calmly, standing at my side.
"Please stop calling me that?" I asked, fighting to keep the tone of petulance from my voice.
I failed.
"The fliers wish to speak with you, Lady Prime." the flier... Thrust stated in an amused tone.
Ratchet waved an errant hand at me, he had the last few patients under control. I nodded and rose, striding to stand beside my Grandfather.
∆We have agreed, the Femme Prime will need her Seeker status to lead us.∆ Thundercracker announced firmly, standing beside Starscream.
∆The Seeker training will take a great deal of time, time required for battle∆ Jetfire responded beside me. ∆Priorities!∆
∆My first priority∆ I stated calmly. ∆Is the protection and revival of Cybertron. The politics will come after, true, but there is no sense in rebuilding Cybertron for her to simply be destroyed again∆
~Kae?~ My Optimus sent softly, his spark asking my situation.
~I am alright, my beloved~ I sent gently.
∆The Seeker training would be nullified, the femme is bonded∆ Thrust stated patiently.
I glanced at Jetfire curiously.
∆To become a full Seeker, you will be taken out among the stars and rendered unconscious, you must then find your way home without aid, your bondmate, and the knowledge of where he is, nullifies that.∆
I nodded patiently.
∆Would the disregard of my bondmate's location factor?∆ I asked patiently.
∆It will∆ Starscream nodded, half glaring at me.
∆Problem?∆ I looked at him patiently.
∆You shot me in the face,∆ he grumbled.
∆You recognized me even while Megatron didn't?∆ I asked in amusement. ∆Props for that Starscream. Although in fairness, you were trying to slag my Optimus.∆
∆He wasn't yours at the time∆ Starscream started with a small pout.
∆I beg to differ, according to our scout, our sparks were connected the moment we saw each other∆ I informed him in amusement. ∆Besides, put in my place would you really want to be handed over to Megatron? For what other reason were you chasing me?∆
The Seeker looked at me appraisingly for a moment before nodding agreement.
∆You have loyalties to this planet still∆ Thundercracker stated musingly.
∆I do∆ I nodded calmly.
∆Why?∆
I snorted in amusement, I simply couldn't help it.
∆Surely you must understand my motive to keep my birth planet from being torn asunder as yours has. Once I am assured that this planet will not be ravaged by the Decepticons, my focus will be free to turn entirely to Cybertron.∆
(JPOV)
"You promised," Jolt whispered.
"I thought you were dead," Lena whimpered back.
Jolt was sitting against a mostly-standing building, barely watching the goings-on as he cradled his intended over his spark.
"I told you Lena, no matter what happens I'd come back for you," Jolt murmured.
"I'm sorry," Lena whispered.
Jolt nodded, and insomuch as he was capable, pulled his intended closer.
"Why did Sunstreaker call me Banshee?"
"'Cause you scream like a Banshee Hawk."
"Should I be insulted?"
"No."
"They aren't gonna make that my new nickname are they?"
"Uh..."
"Hey Jolt! Is Banshee with you?" Sideswipe bellowed.
"Apparently." Jolt snorted. He glanced down to see his Lena pouting.
"Banshee? Really?" she asked through that pout. Jolt onlined his holoform, just to kiss that pout.
"There are far worse," he teased her, he glanced up at Sideswipe as the predator crouched down beside him.
"What're you doing in the battle zone? I thought your lot didn't like femmes in battle," Sideswipe asked curiously.
"I thought they'd killed Jolt," Lena stated simply.
Sideswipe looked confused.
"What else did I have to live for but to kill them back?" Lena asked softly. The look of confusion turned to one of stunned astonishment.
"Prime!" Sideswipe shouted out, turning to look at their leader. "Did you know the humans have a serious vengeance program against beings that kill their mates!?"
Optimus glanced at them and nodded, a tiny smirk on his face as he looked at his Kae, still deep in conversation with the fliers. A couple of the fliers glanced at Sideswipe in astonishment before looking back at Kae with something akin to a furtherance of wariness.
"Not all of us," Lennox stated mildly.
"You don't?" Sideswipe asked curiously.
"Oh! No I totally do," the Colonel nodded calmly. "If someone were to hurt my Sarah then I'd be completely berserk for the chance to hurt the offending party back, I'm just saying not all of us have the same programming. Some of us would even forgive the assailant. Takes a long time though."
Sideswipe was shaking his head.
"Primus you lot are weird," he stated flatly.
"You've only just figured that out?"
(RPOV)
Ratchet watched with something akin to patience as the human cleanup crews began entering the area. Sentinel had wreaked havoc in their headquarters back in DC, he wanted to go back and start repairing the damages no doubt caused to his med-bay. Day three, Chicago, the bots had practically camped out here, the humans beginning to show the fatigue of being surrounded by such destruction.
Ratchet not only wanted to get to his med-bay, he wanted to get the soldiers home. An ominous cracking sound caught his attention. Another building succumbing to gravity. He scanned it and scowled, there were a couple of soldiers in the building. Of course.
He onlined his holoform and ran it toward the soldiers.
"This building is falling," he announced flatly. "Get out."
It was something of a relief that the soldiers immediately heeded him, running from the building as the creaking, groaning reverberations of rubbing metals sounded again. He jogged after the soldiers for a moment before winking the holoform out again. He stood up with a groan and went to stand beside Optimus as the mayor of Chicago rolled in in a limousine.
Ostentatious, ridiculous.
Ratchet honestly wondered just how much rubble the driver had had to move just to get the vehicle into the area. The mayor got out of the back of the car and looked around. Ratchet didn't even have to scan the man to know he desperately needed to lower his blood pressure.
That. Was a walking aneurysm. He looked livid besides.
Ratchet couldn't help but roll his optics as the human began screaming obscenities at Optimus. Sentinel began looking livid that the human had the bearings to scream at a Prime.
::. Archangel calling Gouge.:: Kae sent softly over the primary, Ratchet looked at her curiously for a moment before turning his attention back to the argument.
::. Responding.:: Gouge sent back.
::. I don't suppose you've happened to come across any diamonds?.:: Mikaela sent placidly.
::. Diamonds?.::
::. Carbon heat-compressed to the point of clarity and extreme density.::
::. Load of those, they're goin' into the concrete with the rest of the rubble.:: Gouge snorted.
::. Would you mind reserving several of them for me? The humans consider them to be valuable, to the point that they use them for currency.:: Mikaela sent in amusement.
::. Weird creatures, will do, any other minerals in particular?.::
::. Silver, gold, platinum, but I figure since you're close to coal, you might find some diamonds.:: Mikaela sent in amusement.
::. Mmnph, call you when I've got a decent amount.:: Gouge sent with equal amusement.
::. Thank you, Gouge.::
::. Oh, bring me some more rock distilled and Energon if you get a minute, will you?.::
::. Will do.:: Mikaela smiled, nodding. Gouge's presence left the primary the next moment. ::. Optimus, stop allowing him to upset you my spark, none of this is your fault. Clear your expression Sentinel.:: she added in amusement. ::. The humans are still ignorant as to what a Prime is.::
::. I will gladly inform him...:: Sentinel replied flatly, suggestively.
::. Have you ever listened when you're in the same mood?.::
::. ...no...::
::. So you'll cause him to soil himself, embarrass him and gain nothing more than a further irate human in a place of power. Let him yell-.::
"I want all of you out of my city! Now!" the man finally shrieked.
"As you wish," Optimus rumbled patiently. "However we have bots capable of-"
"I don't want your help!" the man shrieked. "I want you out! And don't even think of returning!"
Well. That was that. Ratchet subspaced the last of his tools and strode toward the neutrals and prisoners, already ready to roll.