Sun Flare

Anyone miss me?

Requested by Aura Black Chan. I hope this is what you had in mind! Sorry it took so long to flesh out something for ya.

*SEE AUTHOR NOTES AT BOTTOM*

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"Deactivate them," Sunstreaker growled as soon as he stepped over the threshold of Prime's office.

"Excuse me?" Prime asked, looking up from his datapad. It was times like this he wondered why he kept an open door policy. "Who are you talking about?"

"The Dinobots," Sunstreaker said, stalking like golden death toward Prime. Sunstreaker's optics were dark, narrowed, frame tense in suppressed rage. "Deactivate them. Now."

"On what grounds?" Prime asked, putting down his stylus and looking at Sunstreaker with a curious expression.

"They're more trouble than they're worth," Sunstreaker said, flinching at his own words. His gaze turned steely as he bore directly into Prime's spark. "Give the order to deactivate them. You are the only one who can."

"Why would I do such a thing?" Prime asked. The Dinobots had proven to be the heavy metal back up the Autobots needed to countermand the Triple Changer threats, at least when they were fighting with the Autobots and not against them. Their loyalties wavered from hour to hour.

"They're… stupid," Sunstreaker said, hiding the wince at the lameness of his statement.

"They are immature," Prime corrected, keeping his tone even. Just why the golden menace was so insistent was a mystery. Sure the Dinobots had shown him up on a couple of occasions, but they had done that to the entire Autobot forces at one point or another. To bring the matter up, now, after nearly a year of activation… it seemed out of place.

"They'll never mature," Sunstreaker spat. "They're processors weren't built for such growth. Ratchet admitted they don't have the same type of processing power as Cybertron built."

"So, because they lack the added augmentations that would allow them to grow, you think I should have them… terminated?" Prime asked.

But he didn't want to provoke Sunstreaker. Prime may have strength to rival Megatron but when Sunstreaker went into a berserk frame of mind, no one could contain him. Just as that thought crossed his processor, Sideswipe walked in, standing on the inside of the open door. His expression was thoughtful, his gaze focused on his brother as he was trying to solve a partially difficult puzzle. Apparently, whatever Sunstreaker was feeling was filtering through, causing Sideswipe to investigate.

"I didn't say terminate but that would be the best option," Sunstreaker said, feeling his brother's spark close by. He could tell Sideswipe was worried about him, but this was important. Sideswipe would understand. Prime would see Sunstreaker's point. Everyone would see it and put a stop to it. They had to.

"Termination is not an option," Prime said with a stern snap. He rose from his chair, leaning on the desk that separated him from Sunstreaker. "Why would you ask such a thing?"

"They're stupid and they cause more problems than assistance during disasters," Sunstreaker said, copying Prime's pose and staring him down. The duo looked like they were in an old war movie, arguing over a displayed map of enemy territory.

"They can't help their awkwardness. But it is something they are trying to overcome," Prime said, not backing down from the golden warrior. "Given time and supplies, Ratchet is confident he can alter their processors to allow them a regular developmental growth rate."

"Doesn't matter," Sunstreaker said. Face set in determination. "Deactivate them until after the war."

"Why would I do such a thing?"

"Because it's the right thing to do."

"Really? Care to elaborate?" Prime asked. He wasn't going to back down and relent to Sunstreaker's temper. Well, now that Sideswipe was in the room, too. He didn't want to admit it, but sometimes he questioned Sunstreaker's loyalty.

"They cause trouble," Sunstreaker said, feeling a pang of affection in his spark from his twin. He ignored it. "They cause destruction and mayhem and are uncontrollable."

"Titles given to you and your bother on many occasions," Prime argued, rising to his full height and surveying the shorter mech with a critical optic. They were almost a head difference. "I refuse to allow either of you to be deactivated due to such claims. Why would I alter my standing now with the Dinobots?"

"Because if you don't deactivate them they'll end up terminated anyway," Sunstreaker said, fists forming as his ire rose to dangerous levels. Sideswipe frowned and took a step closer to his twin. "It would be kinder to terminate them now and not make them suffer."

"I will do no such thing!" Prime growled, matching Sunstreaker's vehemence. Sideswipe's action had not gone unnoticed by Prime. "They have done nothing to warrant such a penalty."

"They don't need to do something to warrant it," Sunstreaker snarled, his fists slamming into Prime's desk and leaving indentations. His optics darkened in rage as he leaned over the minimal barrier. "If you are truthful about not letting Cybertron fall back on the old ways, then you will have the Dinobots deactivated."

"Deactivating innocents just because you believe in a past transgression is something…" Prime started, but Sunstreaker's anger had reached its tipping point.

"You're just as corrupt as your predecessors!" Sunstreaker yelled, drowning out Prime's voice.

"I am not corrupt!" Prime bellowed, refusing to back down. "How dare you..."

"You're no better than the antiquated relics that started this war in the first place!" Sunstreaker snapped.

"That is enough!" Prime thundered.

Sunstreaker wasn't to be deterred. If anything, the resistance was what he needed to fuel his argument.

"You are no different than the monsters who enslaved us," Sunstreaker spat, his face twisted in disgust as he looked over Prime's much larger bulk, as if surveying him for the first time. Sideswipe was standing at Sunstreaker's shoulder, his own frame tensed for action. "Building warriors for your entertainment."

"I have condoned no such thing!" Prime said, his voice angry and tinged with impatience.

"Bullshit," Sunstreaker spat, using the human term and knowing how much it riled up Prime to hear vulgarity. "You are no better than the senate and those tower brats that thought a mechs life was for sport and entertainment."

"What would make you think such thing?" Prime asked, sounding hurt that he was to be put in the same category as those vile politicians. "I have fought against such tyranny my entire existence as Prime! I fight for everyone. To make everyone equal."

"Then tell me, oh wise Prime" Sunstreaker sneered, injecting venom into his voice. "Explain how you are so different than your predecessors when you build soldiers for combat."

"Soldiers are scarce," Prime said as if this was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yes, they are," Sunstreaker said, "But you did the exact same thing as the senate and tower mechs."

"How?" Prime countered.

"You built soldiers for war without even stopping to consider their lives," Sunstreaker said, glaring in contempt at the mech he once believed to the harbinger of the second golden age. "You allowed bots to be built to fight your battles! You may not put them in an arena and charge an admission, but you certainly send them blindly to the Decepticons, and you admit yourself that they are not cognizant adults!"

"Entertainment and war are two completely different things," Prime said. He couldn't stop the stalling of his engine as Sunstreaker's motives started to sink into his processor. And the Matrix was humming with activity.

"War, entertainment, destruction, they are all the same, it's just the change in spectator," Sunstreaker said, his voice losing its vehemence. He looked sickened and defeated as he continued, "I have fought for the entertainment of the crowd. The glory of a master. The promise of credits and freedom." Sunstreaker's voice turned icy cold, with a cruel, biting edge as he fought back the emotional tide trying to rise in his spark. "Mechs like you are all alike and it makes me sick to think that I willingly agreed to your campaign."

Prime sat down heavily, his hydraulics giving out in his legs and sending him crashing into the cushioned chair. The full magnitude of Sunstreaker's words hit him like Megatron and Motormaster combined.

Sunstreaker wasn't trying to deactivate the Dinobots out of a vendetta or hatred. He was trying to... protect them. Protect them from being turned into what he and Sideswipe had become when placed in a similar situation.

"They're not us," Sunstreaker said, his voice sounding supplicating. "They don't have the processing power to learn and adapt. They'll get themselves slagged before they have a chance to grow. This is a situation they can't escape and they don't have the skills to keep themselves, or us, alive."

Prime sat, dumbfounded, his optics shuttering slow and uneven as his processor caught up.

Sideswipe stood open mouthed, staring at his twin. He understood where Sunstreaker was coming from, but slag if he had ever made such a connection before. The Dinobots were so young, by any species standards, and yet they had been forced into the front lines of a war they knew nothing about. When Sunstreaker put it into that context, Sideswipe found his tank threatening to rebel. He never realized the youth of the Dinobots, and how easily the Autobots had placed the younglings on the front lines without considering their age and inexperience. Most forget that they are young, the false assumption helped along by their sheer size. But size doesn't mean intelligence and maturity.

"Don't make them fight. Deactivate them and save them the agony of a painful termination," Sunstreaker said, his optics boring directly into Prime's own.

Prime's posture instantly snapped rigid. Without warning he stood from his chair and within a few strides, was gone from his office. Curious, the twins followed, Sideswipe a step behind his brother who was flooding their link with worry and relief. That relief quickly turned to annoyance as Prime's destination was the med bay. Both made it through the doors in time to find Ratchet and Wheeljack in Ratchet's office.

"Ratchet, Wheeljack, I want you to finish the augmentations to the Dinobot's processors," Prime said as he entered the room. "This is to take priority, regardless of circumstance."

Wheeljack hid his frown behind his blast mask. He knew that his current projects were getting placed on hold until Prime gave his authorization for them to continue.

"Might I ask, why is this a priority now? A year after their activation?" Ratchet asked, his optics narrowed in suspicion. He had been petitioning for the Dinobots to have upgrades but time and resources were not available. Now, out of the blue, Prime was giving the green light to allow the Dinobots the chance to upgrade and potentially grow into functioning adults.

"It has come to my attention that we, myself especially, have become negligent in their education and have overlooked a very vital piece of information," Prime said.

Ratchet's optics caught the blur of red and gold and had a feeling who was behind this change of spark, but he wasn't sure to the motive.

"And that would be?"

"That the Dinobots are but children, and I have blindly sent them to the front lines without proper thought to their safety." Prime looked down to the floor, shame burning from his frame. How could he have been so blind? He sighed a heavy gust through his vents and looked to Ratchet. "I want their augmentations to be your top priority, and then I wish to assign mechs to teach the Dinobots what they need to learn to be Autobots, Cybertronians," Prime paused and looked to a stunned Sunstreaker. "Friends and allies."

"We can teach them some fighting techniques." Sideswipe offered, liking the idea of teaching his skills to others. He was especially anxious to teach the Dinobots the proper way to jump on seekers. Sideswipe's meta was active with all kinds of hilarity and mayhem that the Dinobots could bring to the sky dwellers.

Ratchet looked to Wheeljack, who was smiling behind his mask. There came the thundering of heavy feet and like a growling mass of disorganized metal, the Dinobots appeared in the med bay.

"You, Wheeljack, call for Dinobots?" Grimlock asked, stalking up to the inventor and lowering himself so he was eye level with his co-creator.

"Yes, Grimlock. I wanted to inform you that Prime has agreed to the augmenting of your processors to allow you to learn and absorb information via Cybertronian cerebral uplinks." Wheeljack offered an affectionate pat to the snout that was the width of his body.

"What that mean?" Grimlock asked, withdrawing to look at the assembled bots. His eyes narrowed at Optimus. He still held a rebellious spark when it came to the Autobot leader who only called upon the Dinobots to fight the battles he couldn't win. Grimlock thought that was a sign of poor leadership.

"It means that with Ratchet's help, each of you will be fitted with updated processors and software that will allow you to learn and mature." Wheeljack explained, looking over his creations with a paternal optic.

"We…. Learn?" Grimlock asked, his head canting to the side like a giant puppy curious to a new noise.

"Yes, you will be able to learn. And once you learn, you can do anything you want." Wheeljack motioned to the other Autobots. "You can be an inventor, like me. Or a medic like Ratchet."

"No! One maniac throwing wrenches is enough!" Sideswipe corrected, earning a hateful stare from Ratchet.

Wheeljack went on as if not interrupted. "Or if you want, you can train others with hand to hand combat. Learn to be pilots or engineers or a scientist like Perceptor."

The Dinobots were silent, taking in the information. Swoop looked over to Prime, his expression naïve as always.

"We no longer fight with you?" he asked.

"You can when you learn some fighting techniques," Prime explained. "It's recently been brought to my attention that none of you were given the choice to fight. You were told that was your function, and placed on the front lines, expecting to do a job that many trained soldiers would have balked. For this oversight, I do apologize."

"You no want us?" Grimlock asked, his teeth shining in the light and looking very much like an overgrown metallic shark.

"Yes, we want you, but we want you to be able to grow up," Prime said, stepping forward and giving Grimlock a look that meant he was supposed to transform.

Grimlock gave a low growl but obliged, taking a robotic mode and standing before Prime.

"You will learn, and in time, you may also choose to become officers, like myself and my staff," Prime said.

Grimlock frowned, staring at Optimus as if never seeing him before. It was Swoop who stepped forward, transforming and regarding the Autobot leader with bright blue optics.

"We can… be as smart… as… you?" Swoop asked hesitantly.

"Eventually," Prime nodded in agreement. "You just need the opportunity to mature and learn."

The Dinobots looked pleased at the information. Swoop flexed his wings, his optics going even brighter. Slag's tail curled into a happy little 'Q'. Sludge took a step toward the bots and headbutted Prime as a show of affection, but underestimated his own strength and sent the semi flying through the air. Prime crashed into the wall and slid down the metal with a sickening screech that made everyone wince.

"Sunstreaker! You are to teach the Dinobots the limits of their strength," Prime said, pulling himself unsteadily to his feet. Sludge looked crestfallen, like he expected Prime to beat him for such a transgression.

"Me, Sludge… sorry," he said, lowering his long neck in submission.

Prime smiled, despite the slight limp to his left side and gave a soft pat to the Brontosaurs head in the same manner he saw Wheeljack do to Grimlock.

"It was an accident," Prime said, wondering how he could have missed the childishness of the Dinobots. Sludge relaxed under Prime's ministrations, his eyes drooping closed. Prime turned to Sunstreaker and asked, "Will you agree to furthering the Dinobot's education?"

Sunstreaker glanced to the Dinobot's, all of whom were looking pleased with the prospect of learning and joining the Autobot ranks in a more 'official' capacity. Well, Sludge was currently being petted into a slumbering lump, his head going to Prime's shoulder and resting. The weight made the hydraulics in Prime's legs give a hiss as they bore the added poundage. Prime continued to stroke along Sludge's cheek, and around his head, close to his audial indentations.

Slowly, Sunstreaker gave a nod. The Dinobots were to be granted the chance to learn, and grow, and have the opportunity to choose whether or not they wanted to fight, instead of being forced into it by someone who didn't see them as sentient beings. It was a step in the right direction. And now that Sunstreaker thought about it, he felt guilty for what he said to Prime.

Optimus was nothing like his predecessors. Had he been like them, Sunstreaker would be facing a firing squad and the Dinobots would remain childish oafs with no chance at an alternative existence.

"Ratchet, how long until you can do their upgrades?" Prime asked, nudging Sludge so the Brontosaurus would wake up and Prime could return to his duties. Sludge gave a sleepy rumble that shook Prime's entire body before he lifted his head, craning it high in a stretch and towering above everyone else.

"Should be ready by the end of the week," Ratchet said with a smile. He had been planning such a thing for awhile. He had most of the materials already, but the more intricate circuit boards would require a microscope's touch. Between Ratchet, Wheeljack and Perceptor, the Dinobots would be ready for their upgrades in record time.

"I will assign Prowl the task of allotting duties and classes between the Dinobots and assorted mechs," Prime said before looking to Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. "I would appreciate it if you could also teach the Dinobots some leisurely activities that don't require high grade consumption."

Sideswipe looked disappointed, but Sunstreaker nodded. "I can teach them art."

"Swoop learn to… paint?" Swoop asked hopefully. The other Dinobots perked up instantly. They had witnessed Sunstreaker's skills with a brush.

"Very good," Prime said. He looked to Ratchet and Wheeljack, and as he turned to leave, he saw the indentation he had left in the wall from Sludge's nudge of affection. "And make sure that gets fixed."

Prime took his leave to assign Prowl the new duties and to get some volunteers before Prowl had to dishearten sparks and assign them anyway. The twins followed him out, Sideswipe prattling about the different techniques he wanted to teach the Dinobots and the large, open space that was going to be needed for his lessons.

"Yeah, right," Ratchet snickered, looking at the spot where Prime had impacted.

Ratchet had decided to keep the Prime's impression on the wall. There was a human expression that stated, 'put a mark on the wall' when something monumental occurred.

And Ratchet believed this qualified.

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My muse got preoccupied by string and I couldn't get her to focus. On another note, go check out "Prime Cuts: Prelude to Maladyne Murders" on Amazon and support the author that even acknowledges this site. There's a link in my profile... if the site doesn't block it. I expect to hear good things and be warned... "I" will be quizzing you, my readers! Muahhhahhaa~

PS.- My old comp couldn't handle the stress I was putting on it so I bought a new one. And in less than a month, the new one had to go into the shop 7 times. The IE keeps having seizures and they said it may be a bad OS. I'm taking it sometime this week to exchange for a new one.

I plan on continuing this series, but with work and real life obligations, I'm going to be doing just the regular Tuesday posts like before. and I kinda figure that ya'll will be mad at me for taking two months off. I am sorry. :"( Just know that I didnt forget about you, or this story, and I was able to jot down little notes for upcoming story ideas that I can work on when I find that elusive thing known as Free Time.

* hugs and love to all *

PJ