So, funny story- I actually worked really hard to get this out by Christmas Day. I only had a few pages left and I was going over everything….and realized I'd completely screwed up the middle.
Yeah, rushing it through during exam week left a mark, I don't know what I was thinking with that first draft… So anyways, I had to cut my doc in half and finally finished this version last night! So yeah, sorry about that. This author cares, I swear.
Yay! We have completely switched arcs!
Happy belated New Year everyone!
Oh, hey, before I forget. This site has been screwing with my paragraphs. I'm sure you guys have noticed weird typos and repeating lines in my work recently. I proof the hell out of this stuff before publishing, I think my editing program and this site are glitching out when I publish docs here. I turned off my proofing program on my browser so hopefully things will be looking much nicer again.
"...and I'll never forget the planet we came across while travelling through Gamma Eight, we hadn't identified any life for a couple of orns by then and these two scientist-type mechs, I forget their designations, were getting antsy.
"So they convince my squad leader to check out one of these planets, it was full of strange gas. We should've been on our way to the outpost but my squad was full of bored rookies and my squad leader was clearly trying to impress this one femme with how adventurous he was, or something. Lousy piece of- Er, I mean-"
-So what happened?- Harry burst bravely, wonder winning over any trepidation he might feel about daring to urge Ratchet to continue his story.
"I'm getting to it, little one. We searched and searched for any sign of life but there wasn't anything besides gas, rock, and what residue occurs when you put those two things together. The scientists were practically sulking. Right as we were gonna leave, my squad leader notices something- the gasses were shifting in composition and space in a very strict pattern! These chemical clouds were sentient!"
-Really?- Harry gasped in wonder.
Ratchet's mouth plates tilted upward into a smile, stilted and slight like a half-dead flower still trying to face the sun. "That's right. They couldn't speak or hear, but they could communicate through carefully fluctuating mixtures and chemical bonds. It was one of the oddest things I'd ever seen."
Harry tried to picture what those gas aliens must've looked like, clouds of color that could think and feel like he could. The idea might be even more outlandish than alien robots who could turn into cars at will. -Could you understand what they were saying?-
Ratchet hummed. "In a sense. The scientist mechs got to translating right away and it wasn't long until we had a general notion of what they were communicating. It would've taken longer, but the cloud aliens were a very simple species. They weren't organized enough to be considered a society by Cybertronian standards, just barely sentient enough to attempt speaking to us."
-Did they have designations?- Harry wondered, just how smart was barely sentient?
Ratchet gave a rumble, it might've been a laugh. "Yes, though not like yours or mine. It was more like 'seven percent oxygen, ten percent nitrogen, twenty percent…' it went on and on. Their designations were very slight and specific volumes of gas, it was ridiculously hard to mimic back."
-How long did you- Harry cut off his transmission with a shudder, suddenly hyper-aware of how drafty it was in the military hangar they were stashed inside. In his fascination, he had inched his way up to the edge of Ratchet's palm where the heated plates ended, pressing himself against the much colder components of his wrist.
Ratchet swiftly pressed him back in place and curled his digits around Harry like a makeshift cove that kept him away from the airflow. "Are you feeling okay? Is that better?" He asked, smile gone.
Harry hoped it would come back, Ratchet had told him wonderful story after story since leaving the edge of that city and helped distract him from the vapor trails Lord Megatron left behind. He made an effort to beam at the other robot, shining all the light he could past his mouth plate. -Much better, now. Thank you, Ratchet.-
To his delight, the smile crept hesitantly back onto the yellow robot's face. "Of course, it's my pleasure."
"It would be my pleasure too if you ever deign to share the sparkling." Ironhide grumbled from his position by the door. Optimus Prime had left with the human military officials a while ago to talk about something that sounded very serious and Jazz had been put in charge, his first command had been to place Ironhide on guard duty. None of the Autobots appeared particularly concerned for their leader despite how angry those men had looked, but Ironhide hadn't shifted from his post even once.
"Harry's not a toy, if he wants to move he need only ask." Ratchet snipped back, running a thumb down Harry's spine in a manner that robbed him of any desire to move he may have held.
Ironhide gave Ratchet an unimpressed look before glancing down at Harry.
"If he ever lets you go, you should know everyone here has the ability to warm their servos." He said this with an ill-fitted kindness, almost too gruff for the higher tone he adopted. The Autobots, Harry was beginning to find, were an awkward group. Lord Megatron was much more confident and direct when he spoke to Harry, no hesitation or mixed messages.
Harry looked away, down at his own servos. It hurt to think of Lord Megatron, he missed him so much. It was an ache as fierce as the cold, but without any relief.
-Hey, why does Harry like heat anyways? I didn't want it at all as a sparkling.- Bumblebee transmitted in a public broadcast, giving Harry an inquisitive look.
Harry turned bodily away from the other yellow robot, allowing Ratchet's cupped hand to block him from view. It was mean, but Harry wished Bumblebee would've gone with Prime. Or even better, would've been placed in a completely different hangar from them.
"You were just never placed in unoptimized quarters during your first frame, you probably don't remember, but Cybertron was warmer than Earth. Harry's too young to properly regulate himself and the optimal temperature for our race is higher than the optimal temperature of humans, so these rooms are far too cold for him."
Harry blinked. -Does that mean I'll get warmer when I grow up? How long will that take?-
Ratchet hummed, petting Harry all the while. "That depends on a lot of things, but once your spark's strong enough for your first frame upgrade you'll have a lot more control over yourself."
-But how long exactly?- He pressed.
"The average is about fifteen deca-cycles. But don't worry about it too much, little one, your first frame only lasts a very short time compared to your other frames."
Harry was pretty sure a deca-cycle was a year, which meant he might have five more years of dodging the cold since he was ten years old now. Harry felt his wings droop as he furiously wished he would be an early bloomer in something and grow a...second frame or whatever.
-How do I get a second frame, Ratchet?-
Ratchet raised Harry to optic level, staring across at him curiously. "Once your spark has grown to the point of becoming too big for your frame, a second one is built for you. Your core features are transferred over, but usually parental units remove everything else and replace them with larger, more complex components."
Like when Vernon got his car fixed, almost everything ended up having to be replaced after he crashed it into a stoplight. Harry stared up owlishly.
-Will it hurt?-
"'Course not!" Jazz huffed. "Nothing's torn off'a ya, just disconnected. Worst part is feelin' tingly an' shit, but no pain."
"Language." Ironhide grumbled.
"Ah, sorry! I meant…stuff?"
Harry tuned them out and gazed back up at Ratchet. The yellow robot wasn't smiling anymore, but his bright blue optics twinkled affectionately as he cradled Harry close in hand. Ratchet was so nice and warm, like a new art teacher who hadn't heard the rumors but better. He was swiftly becoming Harry's favorite Autobot, the cuddliest alien he'd met by far.
Not long afterward, Optimus Prime came back flanked by sweaty, scowly soldiers.
"What's the deal?" Jazz prompted eagerly while the Autobot leader swept his intimidating gaze across the hangar, landing on everyone individually.
"Temporary asylum." One soldier barked, hand firmly placed on his gun.
"In return, we will help the humans protect themselves from the Decepticon threat until we can come to a more permanent solution." Prime elucidated.
"Why bother? Let's just leave." Ironhide growled, cannons spinning ominously. The soldiers bristled but said nothing.
"To where? What other planet is hospitable enough for a sparkling? We are too few to safely escort Harry through deep space, nevermind without a protected destination."
Deep space? Harry shivered, did he even want to leave Earth? Certainly not without Lord Megatron.
"You will remain in this hangar until 2100 hours, then you will be relocated to a more secure location until further notice. If you do not comply, any agreement will be null and void and you will be an enemy to the United States and its allies." The soldier shouted, his hand shaking ever so slightly on the handle of his gun, but he held his ground and met every Autobot in the eye. Harry had to admire the bravery, he wouldn't dare do the same even in a fellow robot body.
"You think your puny threats scare me, human?" Ironhide ground out, straightening to attention with murder in his optics.
"Easy, Ironhide." Optimus Prime snapped, stalking in front of the shivering human soldiers while they scurried back in fright.
"Yo, we'll comply." Jazz reassured the humans, none of whom looked away from Ironhide for even a second.
"Isn't that right, Ironhide?" Optimus prompted tersely.
Harry wondered if he could actually hear the grind in Ironhide's gears as he fought with himself and eventually dragged his head down into a resentful display of submission, or if it was just his imagination.
"Fine."
The humans left soon afterward, stinking so strongly of sweat that Harry could smell them all the way up from his perch even after their departure.
"Little one, how do you fare?" Optimus Prime caught his attention, leaning in too close for comfort.
Harry pulled himself flush against the wall Ratchet made with his digits before dredging up the courage to respond. If he were even braver, he wouldn't speak at all. He didn't want to talk to Lord Megatron's enemy, especially after all the awful things he said about Lord Megatron at the city outskirts.
-I'm fine.-
Neither Harry's cold tone or flighty body language deterred Prime from staring, his optics bored into Harry's helm like he could rifle through his thoughts on will alone.
They remained this way for at least half a minute, silent and watchful for any movement on the other's part. When Prime finally did speak, it was to Ratchet.
"Is the sparkling's lack of vocal response a reason for concern?" He still hadn't looked away, scanning Harry over and over as though he were memorizing every inch of him.
"Not really. His controls are underdeveloped, especially the fine-tuning. But he's articulate enough for a first frame sparkling, just needs to keep practicing."
Harry looped his arms around Ratchet's thumb, anchoring himself to the mech in the intrusive wake of Optimus Prime and also seeking his attention.
-You mean I can speak? When I try everything comes out...- Harry grimaced under his mouth plate, -screechy.-
Ratchet cooed, a heady thrum that made Harry feel a little bit safer in his grasp. "Don't worry about a thing, your speech programs haven't been accessed nearly enough for your age but you have a fantastic grasp on your comm unit. You can speak, you just need to keep working on it until you can use your vocal processor as easily as your broadcasting system."
He glanced over at Bumblebee, mouth twitching. "Bumblebee had the exact opposite problem. He was a scout-class sparkling who barely knew how to ping others with his comm unit until well into his second frame, we thought he might've been glitched but he just wouldn't stop using his vocal processor long enough to work on his transmissions."
-Hey!- Bumblebee whined, affronted. -You really thought I was glitched?-
"Thought? I think that's still up for debate." Jazz cackled, dodging a playful swipe from the yellow Autobot.
Harry stubbornly ignored Bumblebee as he continued pondering his problems as a robot. He could barely do any of the things he was apparently completely capable of, he was so small among all these other robots and had so few things to offer. With the power of speech and steady temperature, he had been much more powerful as a normal boy. Maybe it would be better if he could gain height all on his own.
Unbidden, his wings straightened out, stretching out across his back like a proud cape.
-Could I fly if I kept practicing too?- Harry asked innocently.
"No. Absolutely not."
Harry clutched Ratchet tighter, he didn't have any more room to shrink away from Prime and he didn't dare ignore him like he did Bumblebee. He looked away from the big blue robot by pressing his face into the pad of Ratchet's thumb.
-Really? Not even a little bit?- He didn't look at Ratchet either, maybe it would make it less obvious that he trying to get around Optimus' order. He didn't want to get in trouble, but he also really wanted to use his wings, by far the most interesting thing about his new body.
"Well, it would probably help your underdeveloped controls." Ratchet hummed speculatively.
"Ratchet…" Optimus ground out.
"Oh, cool your engines, Prime." Ratchet huffed, "Harry barely has the power to glide with those wings and better to risk a bumpy landing than a bad fall."
"I suppose..." Was his grudging response.
-Thank you, Ratchet! Thank you, thank you!- Harry cheered, his wings fluttering as though excited to be used as well. He was going to fly!
"Are you going to undermine me in front of the sparkling every time?" The Autobot leader leaned back on his struts, looking none too pleased with Ratchet's veto.
"Don't go getting mad at me, now. It's your own fault you're unpopular."
Ratchet shuffled Harry around until he was placed back in the center of his palms. "And don't think there isn't a catch, little one. You can only practice gliding under direct supervision and you have to start practicing with your vocal processors as well."
Harry nodded furiously, there was very little he wouldn't agree to in order to try out his wings and he'd wanted to learn how to speak anyways.
"You may as well start now, try to say affirmative." Ironhide coached, dragging out the word helpfully. "Affirmative, like that."
Harry studied Ironhide's mouth, trying to mimic the movements under his mouth plate. "Zhhhxxxt." The noise he made in return sounded more like a broken blender than speech, he hunched his shoulders.
"Maybe somethin' easier, try yes!" Jazz suggested.
It was easier, Harry knew how to say these words! It was so frustrating that his mouth wouldn't obey his thoughts and whatever replaced his vocal cords was constantly on the fritz. He didn't remember learning to speak as a baby and relearning it now was incredibly frustrating.
Yes! He wanted to say, knew how to say. Could picture saying it perfectly when he had flesh lips and a voice box.
"Zzhhhtss!" The pathetic blurb of noise seemed to echo endlessly in the Autobot's silence, each time digging a little deeper into Harry's spark.
"You're doing great, little one." Ratchet praised, reaching to pet him again.
Harry wrapped his arms around the digit, hugging it the way he would probably be hugging Ratchet if he weren't so gigantic. -I didn't say it.-
Careful not to jostle Harry's grip, Ratchet pulled him in closer. "That's what practice is for, no one here expects you to get it down in a single cycle. Just keep going." He encouraged.
Harry cuddled up to his captured digit, feeling a little better about his failure.
"Let's start with something more simple." Prime decided, "Practice making single vowels and work from there."
Harry reluctantly complied. Maybe once Prime was satisfied with his progress, he would go away.
Ahhhh… "Vvvvvxxh!"
He doubted it would come anytime soon though.
"Lord Megatron,"
Megatron looked away from the horizon, back into the dark recess of a rocky mountaintop.
He had been quick to move his Earth-bound Decepticons to a central location, their previously scattered, half-cocked arrangement completely unacceptable. It hadn't taken long to come across the desert rock formations so removed from human infestation, and even less time to carve out a suitable cave in order to remain undiscovered.
"Lord Megatron, Frenzy has reported movement from the Autobot unit."
Megatron surged into the cave, interest more than peaked as he finally stared down at Barricade. The mech looked appropriately subservient, Brawl had made an effective example for any disobedience. "Where are they headed? Has he seen the sparkling?"
There, Megatron saw the flicker of Barricade's optics. The mech was always a suspicious one, and that clearly hadn't changed. He didn't believe Haeree actually existed and he probably wouldn't until it was back in Decepticon custody.
Nonetheless, so long as Barricade was smart enough not to question him, Megatron was willing to excuse the disbelief as another symptom of being constructed from vastly inferior stock. With so few troops at hand, he had no choice but to remain sickeningly merciful.
"He's currently in pursuit, they are headed further into the desert, to an isolated human army establishment." For all that Barricade's optics gave him away, his tone remained even, "Frenzy has not spotted the sparkling, but he hasn't gotten close enough for visual confirmation."
"Tell him to keep it that way, I want Prime to be confident in his safety among the humans." Megatron bared his denta. He knew the soft-sparked glitch of a mech would join forces with those slimy insects, but he abhorred how Prime forced the sparkling into similar proximity. If it wasn't such a delicious gap in security, he may have just burnt every nearby human dirt mound into oblivion to avoid the situation entirely.
"Will you move Blackout, then? They are no longer in the city."
Megatron sneered. "Don't question me. Blackout remains incognito, I have plans for him."
"Of course, Lord Megatron, I...I just believe spreading out so thinly carries a great deal of risk. Especially with Starscream away, we lack air support."
With feline lethality, Megatron had Barricade pinned to the wall of the cave by his throat, razor-tipped servos pressed precisely across the tubing exposed under his jaw. Barricade froze, Megatron could almost feel the stutter of his spark underneath his digits.
Then Megatron spoke, staring straight into Barricade's wide red optics.
"That you every relied on a sole seeker, never mind the single most loathsome seeker in my ranks, for 'air support' is a failure so great I'm appalled you have the gall to continue existing in my presence. And now you question your lord a second time, as though your personal shortcomings wouldn't cause a better mech to rip out their own spark and escape themselves, I'm almost impressed at your daring."
Barricade remained stock still, not looking away for even a nanosecond.
Smart, Megatron mused, pressing down a little harder on his throat. Not smart enough to rise any higher in Decepticon ranks and clearly not smart enough to recognize his own stupidity and remain silent, but still, not every Decepticon knew not to look away from a predator.
-Lord Megatron!- Even in long-range transmission, Starscream had the insufferable habit of interrupting him.
Still, it could be important.
-Report.- Megatron allowed his optics to finally slide away from Barricade, who managed to communicate abject relief without moving a single gear.
-I've made contact with Soundwave. We plan to rendezvous in Delta Thirteen before returning.-
Soundwave, his most loyal follower. No doubt he had been drawn closer to Earth by Megatron's transmission from the lab, how perfect.
Infinitely more pleased now, Megatron allowed Barricade to slide out of his clutches.
The black trooper was out of range and out of the cave within scant spark-beats, nearly falling on his aft in his hurry to escape. If Barricade knew what was good for him, he'd remain in contact with Frenzy and complete a swift patrol of their new hideout. If he was smarter, he wouldn't utter his 'concerns' in decent company ever again.
-Lord Megatron?-
-Does Soundwave still possess Ravage and Laserbeak?- More stealth class mechs would be a great boon in infiltrating the Autobot base.
-That's why we're meeting at a fixed location, my liege. Soundwave deployed them before I made contact, all three will join us on Earth.-
-Excellent. Continue broadcasting my command and instruct Soundwave to do the same, all Decepticons are to head to Earth and submit themselves to me.-
There was a pause, Megatron held no doubt for its deliberation. It must burn Starscream to the core that he could only summon a handful of mechs under his own cause in the millennia he remained the highest of his rank, but within a single Earth cycle, one of the most decorated and powerful of Decepticons was rushing to Megatron's side.
Megatron allowed his second in command to stew for a time, to remind him of what true power really looked like.
-As you wish, my Lord.- Starscream finally projected, and the connection was cut.
Megatron grinned to himself, looking back out the mouth of the cave and on the crisp line of the desert horizon.
It wouldn't be long now, he'd get what was his soon. Prime should never have picked this fight with him, began a war he was doomed to lose from the start. He just couldn't seem to resist stealing things from Megatron, taking the most illogical stance possible and opposing a force he didn't have a chance to overcome.
Soon, Megatron would have Haeree in his grasp and the Allspark under his control. He just had to be patient a little while longer and everything would be righted.
Just a little while longer and he'd see bright green optics and fluttering wings and everything he'd never expected to yearn for before his horrid captivity.
Just a little bit longer.
"Little one, wake up. It's time to rise from stasis." Ratchet murmured.
Harry stirred, blinking sleepily up at the ceiling of Ratchet's cab. The drive from the hangar to wherever they were now had been so long, and after Ratchet had turned his wonderful heaters on Harry hadn't stood a chance.
The pleasant hum of the heaters still whispered throughout the cab, making his struggle to full awareness slow and reluctant. He blearily peered out the windows to find an isolated military base in the middle of the pitch black desert, harshly lit by a dozen spotlights.
-Is this the place we were supposed to get to?- Harry mumbled, watching a pack of soldiers in jeeps encompass the transformed Autobots as they drove into the middle of the base. There was a tension in every American soldier as they glared at the Autobots, but Harry wasn't frightened from the confines of Ratchet's car seat. He was more intimidated by the cube strapped in the back with its own seatbelt than the humans outside.
"Affirmative. Optimus will go over the humans' protocol and we'll be directed to where we'll stay for now."
Harry hummed distractedly from his place by the window, the stars were out. He hadn't seen the stars or moon in what felt like months since being turned into a robot and trapped in a lab. They seemed so very far away even then, and it was bizarre to think that Lord Megatron and the Autobots lived even further past them.
With the exception of Ratchet, all the Autobots transformed back into their bipedal form, towering over the concrete and steel boxes that made up the military base. Every soldier visibly stiffened, but a commanding officer stepped forward.
"Are you Optimus Prime, the leader of your group?" She shouted up at the giant robots, dark eyes glinting in the spotlight as she craned her neck to stare up at Prime.
"I am. You must be Lieutenant colonel Jacobs."
"Yes," she answered, though it wasn't a question. "You will be under my command until further notice. As well as my major, Chen. He is currently securing the area so we will begin without him."
"Begin?" Ironhide echoed suspiciously.
"Discussing the terms of your stay, you'll find I run a very strict operation." She replied coolly and spun on one heel to turn her back on the Autobots.
"Follow me, I'll give you the tour."
And so the Cybertronians trudged slowly behind her, glowing lamplight optics taking in the barren desert that was to be their temporary home.
"This base is placed in the middle of 320,000 acres of land owned by the government. You are permitted to occupy fifty acres of it without escort. Trespassing without consent will declare you an enemy of the USA and all her allies so be careful of how far you wander."
"What about all the other acres?" Jazz demanded.
"If you remain fully compliant during the duration of our treaty you may be rewarded further clearance, but for now be thankful our goodwill doesn't stop at the door of a shipping container." Jacobs retorted without looking back, her subordinates were not nearly so steeled and maintained a noticeably wide berth even as they escorted the bunch.
-Fifty acres is a lot bigger than my box in the lab.- Harry comforted, looking down at Ratchet's dashboard as a replacement for his face.
"It certainly is, but I'm afraid we've been rather spoiled. There aren't many borders in space, you know." Was Ratchet's hushed response.
"Most of the space here is dedicated to surveillance and providing military support. The command center is over there." Jacobs gestured toward a squat cement block in the center of the camp. "We'll go over anti-extraterrestrial terrorism efforts there,"
"Those barracks to the side are for military housing, but you will be placed in our largest hangar for semi-private...extra-curricular activities." Jacobs kept her back to Harry, but he could sympathize with her thinly veiled confusion. He hadn't known robots needed rest either, it was strange to think that these Autobots might appreciate a soft bed too.
"What about the smaller warehouses over there?" Prime pointed toward a row of little blocks, darkly dressed soldiers stalked them in perfectly timed circles.
Jacobs didn't follow Prime's servo with her gaze. "That's where we keep the guns," she said bluntly. "The reason this base was chosen for your detainment was that we have the closest ties to Sector Seven, and therefore, all their anti-NBE gear."
She meant things like the cold hoses they'd used on Harry, Lord Megatron, and Bumblebee, he could tell. What else had they kept hidden away in case they actually thought Harry was a threat? More prongs and knives and freezing cold?
Infinitely more aware of the proximity between himself and humans who worked with those awful scientists, Harry cringed away from the window to press himself into his seat.
-They have weapons that really hurt, even for cybertronians.- Harry warned Ratchet.
The cab gave the slightest jerk, as Ratchet almost imperceptibly halted and resumed rolling behind Ironhide within the span of seconds.
"I'll keep that in mind." Ratchet promised aloud, but his tone was strangely bereft of emotion.
Harry tuned his attention back outside just in time to hear one of Prime's questions about the military base's weapons.
"-effective they can be against Decepticons?"
"Sector Seven kept the NBE-01 completely immobilized using technology from nearly a century ago. I have complete confidence that our cutting-edge weaponry will be an asset in battle."
Harry stiffened, they were- they were talking about doing all those horrible things to Lord Megatron!
-No!- Harry hadn't realized he'd shouted that across a broad transmission until Bumblebee prodded.
-What's wrong, Harry?-
Harry kicked his way to the other side of the cab, glaring up at Bumblebee's round optics. -You can't hurt Lord Megatron like that! I-I won't let you!- He declared, feeling both completely out of his depth and burning hot and cold with anger.
Didn't they know that ice hurt? Why wasn't Bumblebee opposed to using more human weapons against the Decepticons? Just the thought of Lord Megatron, who'd already been frozen for years without anyone to even talk to, being put back was horrifying.
-This is war, sparkling. Megatron has done much worse to us than anything these humans could accomplish and doesn't deserve your protection.- Prime rumbled.
Lord Megatron wasn't nice or friendly-looking, Harry wasn't stupid. He had probably been very mean to these Autobots, but still. -I don't care! You can't keep taking him away from me!-
Over and over, these Autobots made him watch Megatron shrink into the distance, and now they were planning to keep him away indefinitely? Even the scientists pitied him enough to bring him back to Lord Megatron after the endurance test, there was no such reprieve among the Decepticon's enemies.
-You would be better off being raised by humans than your lord.- Prime had inclined his massive head toward Ratchet's interior, steady gaze slicing clean through the window and car door and straight into Harry.
Harry begged to differ, he had received more care and warmth from a robotic alien military leader frozen in place than he ever had with his own relatives. He wasn't even sure the Dursleys were still looking for him, if they'd bothered alerting the authorities at all.
-It is through no sense of malice that we keep you from him, sparkling. He would only use you to-
"Optimus? What are you looking at?" Jacobs unknowingly interrupted, rigid posture hunching just the slightest bit as though preparing for an ambush.
"Just keeping alert, the Decepticons are still avoiding detection so it would be wise to remain vigilant." Prime lied quickly, gaze wandering away from Harry as though he had merely been staring across the open desert.
-We will continue this later.-
Harry dared to huff furiously from inside Ratchet and clambered back into his passenger seat. He had no interest in hearing more insults and accusations hurled at his guardian, especially after learning of their plans to try attacking Lord Megatron alongside the American military.
"Yes, so Major Chen is carefully monitoring every vehicle cleared into this base." Jacobs relaxed a fraction. "The Tranquility escort incident earlier today will not happen again."
"Speaking of which, follow me into the command center, I believe we should look over possible security risks to this base before going any further. The tour has concluded."
Prime nodded amicably but swept a servo over Ratchet and Ironhide.
"Acknowledged, but first I'd like some of my team stay behind. My medical officer will be unnecessary, for instance."
Jacobs only inclined her head before stalking into the center building, a flank of soldiers shadowing her. The others stayed behind, shrinking just the slightest bit without Jacobs to bolster them, but nonetheless keeping position around the Autobots.
"Ratchet and Ironhide, take our cargo and establish how suitable our hanger is for occupation." Prime commanded audibly, loud enough that most soldiers could hear him clearly. Harry bristled at being referred to as cargo, but couldn't bring himself to protest. Prime could crush him with a single hand if he wanted to so Harry was trying to pick his battles.
-Be careful.- Prime privately sent, before setting off after Jacobs. "Jazz, Bumblebee, with me."
And so the Autobots split up, Prime and his selected mechs ducking into the partially underground command center while Ratchet rolled slowly after Ironhide in the opposite direction.
In the back of a carefully vetted and registered jeep, a beat up junky boombox blinked innocently away.
Thankfully, the soldiers didn't follow Ironhide and Ratchet into the building designated as their living space.
The hanger was even larger than the one from before, with ceilings almost as vaulted as the lab under Hoover Dam and enough uninterrupted concrete flooring to fit three basketball courts easily. There weren't any humans inside either, more isolated and silent than the desert outside.
"Hang on." Ratchet mumbled from his speakers and transformed slowly into his bipedal form.
Harry allowed himself to be shuffled into Ratchet's hand, the cube in the other, wings twitching madly.
"It's not so bad in here, Prime will be relieved." Ratchet mused, rolling his joints as he peered around the hangar. "There might even be room enough in here for me to unpack some equip-"
-I hate it here! I hate Optimus, I hate Bumblebee, and I hate those...bloody...weapons!- Harry exploded, flaring out and boiling over right in the palm of Ratchet's hand.
-I need to warn Lord Megatron! He can't be captured again, he won't! I'll make sure, I'll warn him! I'm going to stop Optimus Prime from freezing Lord Megatron again!-
"Little one…" Ratchet said in an almost chiding tone, digit reaching out to pet him.
Harry wanted to be touched, to be comforted and pet like that. But not by Ratchet this time, he wanted Lord Megatron!
-Don't!-
He dodged the touch, leaning as far as he could away from Ratchet's other digits.
Ratchet visibly flinched.
-No! You're all trying to hurt Lord Megatron! I want to go back! Let me go! He doesn't deserve to be attacked by the humans again, it's not fair!- Harry wanted so badly to say his tirade aloud, to hear it echo satisfyingly off the lifeless walls of the hangar, but all he had were popping transmissions.
-Freezing hurts! Bumblebee should know that, why do they want Lord Megatron to hurt so much? It's mean! I hate them! You're all so mean!-
Being frozen stiff, paralyzed and in pain and helpless to stop it. It was horrible. Harry only had to endure minutes of it and he never wanted to be cold again, only the meanest people would ever want to make others feel like that!
Terrified and angry and completely vulnerable to strangers and hurting-
"Harry, calm down."
Harry blinked, the blue mist of liquid nitrogen and white coats falling away abruptly. In its place, he was staring up at a different shade of electric blue from Ratchet, deeper and darker and framed by pitch plating.
Confused, he pulled himself upright and glanced around to find Ratchet hovering a few feet away, face blank.
He looked back up at Ironhide, who had somehow plucked Harry from the medical officer without his notice. Harry sat in the square of his servos, but he wasn't petted or cuddled, Instead, the planes of Ironhide's palms were smooth and flat.
"There you are," Ironhide sighed out, optics shuttering with relief.
Harry squinted, still confused and muddled with anger and worry. -I...I never left?-
"Harry," The black mech started, "You like Megatron, right? You think he's your creator?"
He stared up at Ironhide, perplexed at the random question right in the middle of Harry's furious rant. Was this why he picked Harry up? To call Lord Megatron bad names again?
-I know he didn't make me or anything.- Harry finally answered.
Ironhide hummed dismissively, absolutely still for all that his tone was sedate. "But you agree with everything else, Megatron is your guardian or something and you respect him."
Harry nodded guardedly. He was Lord Megatron's, which meant Lord Megatron would take care of him and Harry trusted him to do just that if only the Autobots would let him go.
"But you hate Optimus Prime?"
Harry bristled, back snapping straight. -Yes! He's a big, mean, scary bully!-
"Hey now-" Ratchet stammered, but Ironhide cut him off.
"But Megatron entrusted you to him."
Harry gaped up at the black mech, so, so confused now. Optimus Prime was the leader of the Autobots, the enemies of the Decepticons. Prime was the direct adversary of Lord Megatron and had stolen Harry just because he hated Lord Megatron so much. Lord Megatron had promised to get him back, there wasn't any trust involved. Right?
"Don't you remember what Megatron said a few hours ago?" Ironhide continued confidently when Harry failed to respond. "He told Optimus to take care of you, put him in charge of your wellbeing in front of everyone."
Harry thought back to right after that tank attacked, when Lord Megatron had been atop a building roaring threats down below. He had spoken mostly to Prime, and he could remember the two discussing Harry's safety at one point.
"Bumblebee...Optimus kidnapped me, Lord Megatron wanted me back and Optimus wouldn't let me go." Harry protested, Lord Megatron had promised to get him back. He hadn't given Harry over willingly, Harry wasn't stupid.
"And what did Megatron say next? Do you remember?" Ironhide remained unfazed.
Harry scowled up at Ironhide, he didn't know what the Autobot wanted from him. He didn't know what Lord Megatron said next, he could barely hear their distant conversation from Ratchet's cab and he hadn't been paying attention besides. He had just wanted to leave! He still wanted to leave.
"He made Prime swear to keep you safe." Ratchet murmured, realization flashing across his faceplates.
Harry peered warily at the both of them. -He...he did?-
Ironhide nodded firmly, making direct optic-contact. "He told Optimus to keep you safe in the meantime, he trusts that you'll be good and listen to us."
Harry shrank away unsurely, had he really said that? Had Lord Megatron intended for him to respect Optimus and the other Autobots until he was finally retrieved?
-He- Lord Megatron told me to stay with the Autobots until he could get me.- Harry looked down at his own clawed servos. Lord Megatron had told him to stay, had trusted Optimus Prime to keep him safe.
But still…
Harry sprang back to life, a wordless vrrr! of indignation sprang from his chest.
-But what does that have to do with Optimus being mean? He's trying to hurt Lord Megatron! I still hate him!- That's right! No matter what Lord Megatron's intentions were, that didn't mean Optimus wasn't still trying to freeze him all over again.
"It has to do with how you're treating us. Megatron told you to let us care for you, but look, you made Ratchet so sad screaming at him just now." Ironhide sternly replied. "You don't have to like your situation, but we're just trying to look after you like Megatron said. If you keep resisting, you might end up hurting yourself."
Harry stared up at Ironhide for a while, optics wide. Had he...had he been mean too? He was so angry and frightened for Lord Megatron and himself, he didn't want to be there and the Autobots were his enemy. But was Harry disobeying Lord Megatron by rebelling? Was his rage not only useless but inappropriate as well?
Harry wasn't sure.
But, Harry turned back toward Ratchet, Ironhide was probably right about one thing. He had screamed at Ratchet and hurt his feelings on purpose, even though the medical officer had been the nicest one by far.
-I'm sorry, Ratchet.- He sent sincerely, tugging uncomfortably on his clawed digits. -You're not mean...I shouldn't have said that.-
Ratchet drew himself up. "Of course, little one. There's nothing to forgive, you're only worried for your prev- your guardian."
Harry watched Ratchet for a moment, there was still something stiff in his manner. Harry flinched, was Ratchet still made with him? Or worse, still hurt? What else could Harry do to make it better?
He'd deliberately rejected Ratchet's touch out of anger, maybe…
Feeling ridiculous but willing to give it a shot anyway, Harry raised both his arms, reaching out to Ratchet in a universal request.
Immediately, Ratchet swooped in and Harry tumbled into his warm warm servos. Ironhide's had been warm too, but Ratchet seemed to throw off blissful heat throughout his entirety.
A rattling purr came from deep within the medical officer as he pressed Harry to his chest plate, clearly pleased with Harry again. Harry slumped in relief, ecstatic that Ratchet had forgiven him. He didn't know what he would've done if the cuddliest of the Autobots wouldn't pet him anymore.
"You're fine, little one. You're okay." Ratchet cooed a familiar comfort, though Harry wasn't upset. He let Ratchet rub his head and say things he didn't need to hear, for some reason he seemed so happy doing it.
-I'm sorry, Ironhide.- Harry remembered to say to the black mech watching them in satisfaction. -I shouldn't have yelled at you either.-
"Didn't really yell, though, did you? You can make it up to me by being able to properly scream, affirmative?" Ironhide cocked his helm. He didn't seem angry or sad like Ratchet, so Harry was content to bob his head obediently and start working on his vowels again.
"Vvvvvvvh!"
Harry practiced screeching in front of his oddly enraptured audience for a while before Prime, Jazz, and Bumblebee ducked into the hangar.
"Prime," Ironhide barked in lieu of a greeting, "Look at how good Harry's gotten."
Suddenly, all Autobots' optics were zeroed in on Harry, intense and unblinking. Harry ducked away shyly, looping an arm around Ratchet's thumb.
"Go on." Ratchet encouraged, lifting him a little higher in the air, like the world's most elaborate stage.
Harry stalled, tugging on his claws and shuffling in place. It wasn't anything impressive, babies could do it upon birth.
When the Autobots showed no sign of getting bored with his awkward hesitance, Harry pulled himself together and got it over with.
"Ahhhhh!" He got out, the first clear clean note he'd been capable of in days.
Despite himself, Harry was a little proud of the lack of static and burbles. He'd worked hard on that one vowel after he'd finally achieved it, repeated it over and over until it sounded like it came from a living creature.
He peeked out toward the three Autobots still standing at the entrance of the hangar, what did they think?
Bumblebee and Jazz spoke at the same time. Or, rather, Bumblebee began playing a loud and enthusiastic applause while Jazz actually spoke.
"That was amazin'! An' you just started today? Better communicator than our communicator already!" He cheered.
"Well done, sparkling. You're improving quickly." Prime praised, mouth plate tugging up into an almost-smile.
Harry didn't like Optimus Prime at all, but he wasn't ready to start fighting again. So he gave a grudging blink of acknowledgment before letting Ratchet pull him back against his chest plate.
"How's the security here? Anything in particular we should be watching out for?" Ironhide sobered up as the three other Autobots began exploring the hangar.
"Well, there's no way this base would survive a full frontal assault. But we already knew that." Optimus peered up at the high ceiling thoughtfully.
"Over than that, this base doesn't have much aerial support or anything to stop tunneling Decepticons."
"So we're sitting ducks from above and below." Ratchet grumbled.
"Hey, at least they're keepin' an optic out fer strange vehicles now. We can spot 'em coming from a helluva while away like that." Jazz pointed out.
Ironhide's frown deepened. "These humans can monitor their land vehicles, but not ones capable of flight?"
Optimus switched his attention to the walls next. "Not if they enter the atmosphere from high enough, it's a straight shot from space to here."
"So we gonna need one bot monitoring the skies, which is you, 'Bee." Jazz appointed. "Look out for strange transmissions and all that shit."
Bumblebee saluted. "Aye, aye, captain~"
"I'll monitor seismic activity in the area." Ironhide volunteered.
Prime glanced away from the hanger interior to look at the weapons specialist. "You're not equipped for that kind of sensitivity, at best you'll pick up activity a few feet deeper than human scanners can."
"But-"
"Ratchet, you're on underground duty. Seismic or radar, whatever works best."
"Affirmative."
"So what am I supposed to-" Ironhide cut himself off before he could finish his outburst, dark blue optics wide.
"Oh." He swept his gaze over Ratchet, smugness draping over him like a cloak, "Alright then."
"What?" Ratchet stared uncomprehendingly at both Prime and Ironhide.
"Ironhide will be in charge of caring for the sparkling fulltime. When we separate right now, Harry stays with him."
Harry straightened, this was about him? Was he being taken away from Ratchet?
"Come on, little one!" Ironhide chuckled, leaning in and spreading his servos flat and inviting against Ratchet's own.
"Next we can work on your wings."
Harry chirped excitedly, all but springing into Ironhide's servos. Any hesitation he had about letting them remove him from Ratchet flying away.
"You're also in charge of the cube, don't lose it." Prime warned, the nearly-forgotten artifact lay discarded by Ratchet a few feet away.
"Yes, sir!" Ironhide preened, scooping up the cube.
"Prime, why can't I do both? All I'm going to do is a periodic radar check." Ratchet protested.
Optimus looked like he wanted to roll his optics. "I'm not barring you from interacting with the sparkling, but he needs to be a top priority at all times. The Decepticons have already attacked a human base from below so you need to be vigilant."
Ratchet slumped his shoulders. "Affirmative."
He began gloomily poking at the device on his wrist, incomprehensible lights and symbols flashed under his quick digits.
"Okay, Harry." Ironhide regained his attention by raising him to optic-level. "First you're going to work on some wing exercises."
Harry jumped to his peds and immediately set to getting his wings to twitch up and down on will. He wanted to fly! Lord Megatron had started him on wing practices too, would he be surprised if Harry got better while they were apart? Would he praise Harry? Or rub his head like Ratchet did?
"That's the spirit." Ironhide chuckled, but Harry imagined it was a different mech before him, with a rougher voice and violently red optics.
Would Harry impress Lord Megatron like this if he learned to fly? What would he sound like if he were proud of Harry? He'd never had that kind of approval before, the parental pride that Dudley practically drowned just for existing.
If Harry felt warm now, how good would it feel to hear Ironhide's words come from Lord Megatron's vocal processor?
With a wish burning as fiercely as the light in his chest, Harry practiced.
It happened when Harry was dozing in the crook of Ratchet's neck and shoulders. Tuckered out from wing exercises, he'd allowed Ratchet to swipe him from Ironhide and cuddled under their constant gaze. Warm and lulled by the hum of Ratchet's components, he let his optics fall shut and relaxed somewhere in between wakefulness and sleep.
As one, on some hidden cue, every single Autobot shifted to stare at the entrance of the hangar. Even Ratchet, who hadn't moved a single digit since Harry had slumped against his pauldrons, moved ever so slowly.
Nothing happened for a while after that, so Harry relaxed and went back resting lazily on the medical officer. They could be speaking on a private transmission Harry was excluded from, maybe this was some sort of ritual he didn't know about. Either way, it seemed boring.
Then, the quiet tap of footsteps slowly found their way into Harry's helm. Somewhere distant, on the ground and outside of the hangar, people were heading toward them.
A knock resounded once against the wall outside, quick and to the point.
Optimus' thundering steps made their way toward the entrance, everyone else remained still and quiet, their stare unbroken.
"Come in." Prime called.
Harry peeked out sleepily, curious to see what was going on.
What he saw chased every iota of heat from his frame, struck him like a blow and left him dazed. He didn't think he'd ever see the braided scientist again, hadn't realized how much he wanted to never see her again until that moment.
Jacobs accompanied her, a mix of soldiers and people in suits trailing reluctantly behind. She looked just as harsh as before, dark eyes piercing and face unforgivingly severe. The braided woman, on the other hand, had changed drastically since Harry was in her lab.
Her arm was heavily bandaged and hanging limply in a sling, numerous flaring burns decorated her skin followed by ugly dark bruises, a painfully bright mosaic. Underneath the extensive injuries, she was waxen, even her customary braid was limp and disheveled.
Pained eyes behind crooked glasses slowly took in the room before her, unerringly finding their way to Harry, still laying on Ratchet. Any clouded misery cleared as her pupils visibly sharpened into focus, interest surging past pain once she'd spotted Harry in the hangar.
Harry deactivated his optics for a moment, wishing he'd fallen asleep before they got to the hangar. Even heavily wounded, she was still scary.
"Good afternoon," Jacobs greeted tonelessly, "This is Dr. Monroe from Sector Seven, she's here to collect property stolen during the Hoover Dam attack."
The braided woman, who Harry supposed was named Monroe, winced at the reminder. "My apologies for taking so long to reach you, the destruction was...massive and we're only just recovering our operations." Her voice was raspier than Harry remembered it being.
Optimus looked coldly statuesque, optics unblinking. "You are mistaken, we haven't stolen anything that belongs to your people. The cube is a relic from Cy-"
"I was referring to the NBEP-00, I already know you were cleared to possess the cube."
Harry shuddered, he hadn't realized how much he hated that name. It made his plates crawl and his joints ache in memory of those horrible prongs, he pressed himself flatter against Ratchet.
"What the frag is an NBEP?" Jazz scoffed.
Optimus seemed to understand though, for he grew infinitely frostier without moving a single plate. "A child is not property to be stolen."
The other Autobots bristled when they realized exactly what Dr. Monroe was after, Ironhide placed himself in between Ratchet and the others while Ratchet hunched as though to shield Harry from their sight. Both looked murderous.
"The NBEP-00 is not a child, it is an experimental test subject that holds no relation to your species." Dr. Monroe corrected, the glint of her glasses catching in the fluorescent lights.
Harry couldn't bite back a whimper of fear at being referred to as a test subject, it was clear she fully intended to put him back in that box and do whatever she wanted to him. Would she freeze him again too?
-Hush, little one. No one's taking you away from us.- Ratchet transmitted instantaneously, though he remained watchful of the group of humans only a few feet away.
"Harry is a sentient infant of my kind, he was created by cybertronians on Earth but is still a cybertronian himself. To experiment on him would be to torture a child. Anathema on our planet." For all that the words he chose were courteous, there was no mistaking the threat in Prime's expression.
Harry cringed, the clear ringing wrong in Prime's words impossible to overlook. He hadn't said anything before for a multitude of reasons, all staked deeply in fear and loneliness, but there was no hiding it now.
Both Lord Megatron and the Autobots had assumed Harry had robot parents, had been born a robot, it was clear to see now. And it was a lie. Harry wasn't normal even by cybertronian standards, he had been a human boy only a week ago. He'd let them continue assuming, but it was a lie.
-A-actually…- Harry stuttered weakly.
"No, it's not." Dr. Monroe grinned at Harry, all teeth.
Boom! How's that for a cliffhanger? I bet all that fluff threw you off guard huh?
So just a side note, I actually hate writing Jazz's dialogue more than Bumblebee's. Uncomfortable racism aside, there's just no way to write ebonics in a TF fanfic without it coming off as cringey. So there it is. I can't win here. I now completely understand why most authors kill him off early in the game.
How was Harry's tantrum btw? I wanted to get him to lose control, but I didn't want to get too OOC. Baby Harry never had a big tantrum in the books, a little too downtrodden for explosive freakouts- those he saves for teenaged Harry. I think the stress here makes the tantrum work, but I also think he would immediately lose steam no matter how righteous he feels about it. Especially after Optimus retreated as fast as he could and definitely didn't bring it up after coming back.
Okay, onto questions!
Zzxxphaser asked if Megatron was gonna start massacring humans in order to get Optimus to surrender. The answer is sort of no- in that he has no reservation massacring humans in the future for his plans, but he won't do it specifically to guilt Optimus out. The Optimus that declared Earth under his protection and tried to make it a new home was not the Optimus with an Allspark and a sparkling in his possession. Both of them know he'd rather just risk raising Harry on Mars than hand him over to save some other species he owes nothing to.
CallmeCrazylol asked what vehicle Harry is. He's built to transform into a vehicle that flies but he can't transform right now. So he's not any kind of vehicle right now. (and since I grew up with TF I have the exact opposite problem with Metatron haha)
Alright, that's it! Thank you all so much for your reviews, they're such an inspiration to keep writing and I love every single one! I hope everyone's having a good start this year and please leave a review if you can! They are writing fuel!