Astrosecond: .498 seconds

Breem: ~8.2 minutes

Joor: ~1 hour

Deca-cycle: ~3 weeks

Nano-klik: ~1 second

Orn: 13 days

Solar-cycle: 93 hours (Cybertronian day)

Orbital-cycle: 24 solar-cycles/93 days (Cybertronian month)

Stellar-cycle: 20 orbital-cycles/480 days(Cybertronian year)

Chapter 7:

Like Carrier or Like Creator?

"I am curious about whether Resonate will take after you or LightChaser when it comes to her alternates," Shockwave voiced, it was a topic that had been eating at his processor since he'd met the sparkling.

Soundwave turned to face him, "Resonate's alt-form capability: currently unknown."

"You believe she will have more than one?" Megatron asked with a tilt of his helm.

"Affirmative. Soundwave has… an unknown amount—" was that a slight hint of amusement? "—and LightChaser had been a triple-changer."

"Wait a moment," Starscream interrupted, "What do you mean Chaser was a triple?"

Thundercracker snorted, shooting his Trine leader a look, "LightChaser had both a ground and flight frame, Star."

Starscream just stared at him for a moment, "Why wasn't I aware of this?"

"I thought you were," Thundercracker continued, tone dry.

"Whether Starscream was aware or not, is not the topic of this conversation," Shockwave hinted.

"Right," Megatron's lips twitched upwards, he glanced towards Skywarp and Resonate, the former throwing the latter up into the air, where she was giggling each time. She seemed comfortable within the air—even for that minute amount of time, "The likelihood of the femmeling having more than one is practically guaranteed, yes?"

They all followed his gaze to the purple seeker and femmeling.

"Yes," Shockwave confirmed, "But whether she has a ground and flight frame can be up to debate. There are some who have two ground forms, or two flight frames."

"LightChasser: born grounder," Soundwave informed, "Soundwave: grounder. Likelihood of Resonate having two flight frames: minimal."

"Well, that answers that," Starscream added offhandedly.

"So, we can assume that the sparklet will have a ground and flight frame—can we leave it at that?" Thundercracker asked—this entire conversation was all based upon genetics and probabilities that won't be revealed until her youngling frame, and she was far from that with another ninety stellar-cycles to go.

Shockwave turned to him, probably knowing what the blue seeker was trying to do. He let out a quiet vent, "As you wish."

The squealing of laughter made the group all turn their attention back to the Seeker and femmeling to see that Frenzy had latched onto Skywarp's back in an attempt to scale him. The Seeker had taken on the role of the 'bad guy' with Frenzy acting as the good and trying to rescue the damsel in giggles—distress—they meant distress.

Resonate was wiggling in Skywarp's grip—she wasn't going very far, she was tiny and 'Warp was very much larger than her—in some vain attempt to escape, clicking and chirring out to Frenzy. Rumble gave a war cry of his own suddenly and charged. Skywarp yelp at the attempted tackle, stumbling as Rumble managed to knock him slightly off balance.

Then Ratbat appeared, swooping slow and cawing slightly as he got close to Resonate who in turn chirrup back at him. Then when Skywarp had his attention on Rumble and Frenzy, Resonate stood within his servos.

As Ratbat came by for another fly, Resonate leapt from Skywarp's servo—and oh Primus, she was falling.

Soundwave went to rush forward, his spark pulsing in momentary terror before realising that Ratbat had timed his swoop so that she'd fall onto his back. His frame sagging in relief, the others doing something just as similar.

Resonate's giggling continued, unaware of the slight horror that the adults had felt when she'd jumped.

"I think I was about to have a sparkattack," Starscream rasped, servo coming to rest above said spark.

"You are not the only one," Shockwave agreed. The others all murmured in agreements.

Ratbat flew their way, or more appropriately towards Soundwave, where the mech snatched his femmeling from Ratbat's back. She cooed up at him, grinning away, completely unaware of what she'd just caused.

Soundwave rested her against his chassis, stroking a digit along her helm. Her optic lids drooped at the feeling, a soft purr escaping.

~please reframe from leaping from any servo's again, even if there is another to catch you~ his spark voiced.

Resonate blinked, optical ridge furrowing, ~bad-bad?~

~no-no-worry-high jump~ He sent over a pulse of reassurance at her unsurety and worry, ~What you did was risky, what would have happened had Ratbat not caught you?~

He watched the realisation flicker onto her face-plate, ~bad?~

~no-no~ he repeated, ~Worry-worry-could get injured~ Soundwave assured.

~oh-sorry-sorry-understand~ she nodded, nuzzling his chassis.

"I think Resonate's likely going to have a flight frame," Starscream murmured, "I mean did you see the way she just jumped? Only seekerlets do slag like that."

Soundwave suddenly found himself repressing a groan.