What Makes No Difference Is no Difference (WMNDIND 8)

-0-Early morning

They gathered around the table listening to Ratchet as he explained the situation regarding the energon find. It was by all intents and purposes untouched, so they would go there and bring back the ore to be processed here. All of them would be involved but Ratchet who would tend the store watching for trouble.

Prime nodded to the medic and the bridge flared to life under Ratchet's deft touch. The others transformed and drove onward heading for a desert location that Jazz and Bee had helped discover and scout the orn before.

Jack and Raf watched them go, then turned to Ratchet.

"This should be interesting," Jack said. "You need more sources now with more bots."

"We do," Ratchet said. "I'm still working on the synthetic formula but for now we're dependent on Seeker drones from the distant past." He looked around. "Where's Miko?"

-0-On the road in Utah

They drove toward the site on a bouncy pitted dirt road. It was more traffic than usual and the content of said traffic would give a state trooper pause. The big truck and other heavy pickups and SUVs wouldn't raise an eyebrow. The others would.

Wheeljack's formula 1 Lancia Strata, Bee's Camaro Concept format, Arcee's futuristic motorcycle format and Jazz's Porsche Turbo were not seen often in the boondocks of Utah. They followed along behind Prime bitching about the dust as they exited the bridge onto a little used track. Turning off at the end, they bumped along, the low slung models adding that to the litany of gripes good naturedly playing over their internal comm systems.

When they arrived at the bottom of a broken slide of rocks crumbling off a low slung mesa they transformed and gathered around Prime. He gave instructions which they began to carry out. As they did, more Autobots were winging their way toward Earth.

-0-Out there

They flew in transitional format, Autobot comrades who'd been searching for their faction and the AllSpark through the endless tracks of space. A chance signal from a refugee camp far from them had allowed them to triangulate on a small planet where it was possible to assume there were others. Of course, assuming makes an ass out of you and me but that was irrelevant. They were homesick and needful of a clear idea of what was happening in the bigger picture so they made their way toward the small planet the signal identified as Earth.

-0-Utah

The digging was slow going. Ironhide straightened up and looked around in the dust filled chamber that they'd gouged out. "Sideswipe should be here. How did he get a patrol?"

"He asked to look around," Wheeljack said as he slammed a pick ax into a wall breaking lose several big crystals of energon. It fell at their feet in a pile.

"Do that again," Ironhide said with a grin. "You have the knack. I'll watch and get pointers."

Wheeljack snorted. "Get the lead out."

They both bent into the job together. Nearby, collecting it into carts that hovered in the air, Arcee and Bee worked to stay ahead of the bigger stronger bots. They would be ready to ship another load back shortly.

-0-On the road

Sideswipe drove along the roads of Nevada in his format, a Lamborghini Aventador convertible, a car starting at more than $440,000 with acceleration from zero to sixty in less than 4 seconds in a normal car. In his format, it was zero to four hundred in less than three seconds. He drove slightly above the speed limit on the endless rolling roads of the local area. It was a desert world, under populated and rather majestic in its beauty. Having been born and raised on a metallic planet, organic worlds took a bit of adjustment but this was easy. It was really that beautiful.

Speeding along, he passed other cars some of which slowed to look at him. He felt the scrutiny of the locals and enjoyed it greatly. He was supremely aware of his format and good looks. This form was both worthy and enhancing of his ample natural attributes. He passed a car, a red and yellow one that was concept as well. He didn't give it much thought but the other automobile did apparently because it slowed, turned and headed back the way the Lambo had gone.

-0-At home base

Raf sat on the mezzanine watching the ebb and flow of the business of protecting the Earth. Ratchet was distracted with a number of projects which he worked on as well as monitoring two groups off base. Raf himself was working on a report due in science Monday. It was about physics and the concept of traveling beyond the speed of light.

It was pleasant and comfortable. It was also missing Miko.

-0-Utah

A stirring in his chassis alerted Bulkhead to the inevitable. A tapping sound in his audials told him the story, one he was used to reading. Pausing to step around a boulder, he popped his plates and a tiny head peeked out. "Hi, Bulk. It was getting a little hot in here."

"Miko," Bulkhead said with exasperation. "What are you doing here?"

"We're partners, Bulk," she said climbing upward. He took her into his servo and held her up. "I can help. You know me, Bulk. I'm a team player."

He looked at her and shook his helm. "Optimus is going to kick my tailpipe, Miko."

"He probably will," Wheeljack said as he came out of the growing cavern for a moment. "Hi, Miko."

"Hey, 'Jack," Miko said.

Then Optimus came out behind Wheeljack.

-0-On the road

The car following behind him was a beauty, an Aston Martin DBS V12 with a red paint scheme and yellow rim tires. It was beautiful and very fast, coming up to ride his tailpipe. Sideswipe's rear mirror shifted so that he could see the other vehicle better, then he shifted gears taking off so fast that the vehicle following looked parked in place.

"What the frag," Knockout said as he watched the beautiful Lambo disappear ahead of him. Shifting himself, he put metal to the pedal and disappeared in pursuit.

-0-Utah

"Miko," Prime said with surprise.

"Hi, Optimus." Miko grinned at him as Bulkhead in his uncertainty turned to place her on the rock next to him. She stared up with a smile. "I came to help."

Prime looked at her, this force of nature that was half help and half hell, then grinned slightly. "I can see that. If you decide to come along, I would appreciate knowing in advance. As commander, I have the last word. It is called the chain of command."

She nodded. "You would let me come then?"

"If the mission is benign," Prime replied. "If there is danger, I do not want to see you popping up in the middle of things. You will get killed and so will everyone else. We can not take care of you and fight at the same time."

"Deal," she said with a grin. "So … I can stay now?"

"Yes but next time you will be sent back. At the first sign of trouble, you are gone," Prime said glancing at Bulkhead.

"Got it," Bulk said with relief.

Optimus walked to the growing pile of energon to speak to Ironhide as Miko turned to Bulkhead. "Well … what do you want me to do?"

Bulkhead shook his helm with futility.

-0-On the road

They flew down the highway, Sideswipe leading as Knockout followed. Few cars passed but those that did were left in the dust, the four hundred miles per hour speed of the two cars was completely out of their experience. Heading toward a city in the distance Sideswipe took a side turn, a paved road that led up into a mountainous region of broken ridges and distant sheep ranches.

Knockout followed.

-0-Utah

They gathered the energon and began to take it through the open bridge. Disappearing with each barrow full, they finally cleared the decks. Ironhide and Prime stood to one side consulting on the situation, then walked to the group who was left, Wheeljack and Bulkhead who had placed Miko on his shoulder. "The majority of the energon is removed but we want to seal this excavation. Let's put these boulders in the hole before we leave," Prime said nodding to a pile of over sized rocks nearby.

The four of them began to carry heavy rocks to the holes dropping them into the opening. It would take a while.

-0-On the road

Sideswipe twisted and turned until he reached the point he wanted to be. Slowing slightly, he transformed and flew through the air, his long swords sliding out of his wrists for battle.

Knockout slammed on his breaks, then transformed. He flew through the air and collided into Sideswipe with a crash.

-0-Later

They entered with their haul moving it to the inner most parts of the base. The stockpile would last them a long while even with newbie soldiers coming in and the hidden cache waiting to be excavated was marked on their maps with sensors that would alert on intruders posted nearby to prevent theft without a fight. They were dirty and tired but satisfied.

Ratchet turned to alert Prime. "We have a new signal. An Autobot signal."

He walked to their homespun version of Teletraan to look. "There appear to be two signals. Do you have an idea of who they are?"

"Not yet. Their accretions are blocking their transponder signals," Ratchet replied. "They're going to be touching down shortly and we need to get them quickly. It might work to our advantage for the Decepticons to not know how many of us there are here."

Prime nodded. "Where will they land?"

Ratchet checked, then looked at Prime. "They'll be landing outside a town called Anchorage, Alaska. It's in the area called Wasilla."

Prime considered the location. "Send Ironhide and Wheeljack to get them. Make it a quick snatch and grab, Ratchet."

Ratchet nodded, then began to get the coordinates down pat.

Ironhide and Wheeljack walked to the station to watch. "That means two more soldiers. This could be interesting. I wonder who it is?" Ironhide mused.

"I don't know. They have too much ice around them to make a prediction," Ratchet replied. "I have the coordinates. They're coming into the upper atmosphere. If you hurry no one will get them but us."

Ironhide with Wheeljack in tow walked to the bridge which flared into life under Ratchet's direction. They stepped into it and disappeared.

Miko who was standing next to the bridge watched them go, then walked to Ratchet. "What's up?"

"We have new Autobots," Ratchet said turning back to monitor the situation.

"Awesome. Who are they? Are they warriors? Do they fly?" she asked in her usual staccato style.

"We don't know for sure. Only a few Autobots fly. Sideswipe can fly," Ratchet said in a slightly distracted voice. "They've touched down."

-0-Wasilla, Alaska

It was a swampy area where the two big streaks of light came slamming in. They hit the marshes and water plumed as ducks scattered into the air. Wheeljack and Ironhide stood in the water which came up to their knee assemblies. Down below the surface, beneath layers of slime and rising steam, two Autobots were working to unwind themselves. The water was dank, dark and filled with sediment that would cling to the new bots like glue.

Wheeljack who was watching them moved closer as one of the bots began to untangle themselves and emerge from the pool. The other was still working at it.

The bot who rose up was tall and well made, their protoform showing a winged format. The wings were large and of one piece unlike Bumblebee who had the divided wings that mini-cons favored.

Ratchet teased him that they did that because they thought it made them look taller.

He was big and bore a dark chevron on his helm. He sputtered water, then smiled. "Wheeljack!" Glancing at the other bot he nodded with a grin. "Ironhide."

Ironhide grinned back. "You two have to hurry," he said as the other bot rose up and staggered toward them sputtering water and curses. "Let's roll. Ratchet, we need a bridge."

A burst of energy opened and with a tug and push, the four hurried through just in time. A high altitude flight of Seekers were scanning. They hit the right spot just as the bridge closed.

Foiled again.

They hurried through the maelstrom, then exited into a base that appeared to be underground. Stone walls going upward forever it seemed greeted them along with the bots who were already on base. The two protoforms stepped forward to greet them.

Ratchet scanned them, then downloaded their data and schematics files.

They stood side-by-side silently absorbing the information, then began to change. Their bodies shifted forming this and that until two bots with the familiar look stood in front of the group. One was a tall winger with a black and white format topped by a gray chevron. The other was bigger and taller with a yellow and black paint scheme.

Prime who was watching stepped forward to greet them. "Hello, Bluestreak," he said to the winger. "Welcome." He turned to the disgusted uptight format next to Bluestreak who was muttering about his finish. "Hello, Sunstreaker."

The big Lambo quit squirming to look at Prime. Extending his servo, he gripped Prime's. "It took a while but we got here. Have you seen Sideswipe?"

"He's here," Prime said.

Bluestreak smiled then smirked at Sunstreaker.

That bot said little but looked around. "Who else is here?"

"Springer and Drift, Ratchet, myself, Ironhide and Sideswipe. Arcee and Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Jazz and Wheeljack as well," Prime said.

"Sounds good. Where's Sideswipe? I have to kick his aft," Sunstreaker said as he glanced around.

"He left to do a patrol," Ratchet said as a call came through. "Here he comes now." He opened a bridge and the energy formed.

The three human kids walked to the railing of the mezzanine as the figure of Sideswipe appeared. He was carrying another bot in a fireman hold. He stepped down and dropped the bot who bounced. He looked dented and was off line. Grinning at his catch, he looked up with amazement and surprise. "Sunstreaker! Blue! You made it!"

"We did," Bluestreak said with a big grin.

Sunstreaker grinned, then pasted Sideswipe in the face.

He fell backward and bounced himself. Before either could do anything more, Prime cleared his throat, a non-necessary action but one that carried his point. They turned around to look at him.

As they did, Ratchet moved closer to look at the figure on the floor. "Well, look what the targs dragged in," he said as he planted a kick on Knockout's aft with one of his own big old peds.

Ironhide actually smiled.

-0-TBC August 12, 2013 01-23-2021