Optimus sat at his desk, writing in his own Covenant. While he was a data-clerk in the Hall of Records under the great Archivist Alpha Trion, he had seen the older bot scribbling in a massive book called the Covenant. It told the past, present, and future. It was the journal of the world.

Now Optimus had settled into a habit of writing about his past, his present, and a little bit about the future. Right now, he did not like the last bit.

As he finished writing the last word, the door swung open and he looked up to see Airachnid in the doorway.

"In this base, you will learn an ancient art that will allow you to enter any room," Optimus said without looking up. "It is called knocking."

"Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt you writing in your diary, but I came to report abuse."

Now Optimus looked up. There were bruises on her arms. And from the tiny servo-prints, he could only guess that his mate had delivered them. "What did you do?"

"What did I do?"

Optimus nodded as he closed the little notebook and he tucked his pencil under it so it wouldn't run away from him. "Arcee does not attack unless provoked. I want to know what you did to provoke her, and do tell the truth, because I will ask her myself later."

Airachnid growled. "I was bathing."

"Ah. That is very offensive around here. Are you not aware?"

She snorted at him. "Clearly. But I was bathing, and I turned around, and Arcee was staring at me and she said that since I killed Tailgate, she should return the favor."

Optimus nodded as he covered his mouth. He knew how sensitive Arcee would be, and though he coul dhave avoided this entire mess by telling Airachnid to hit the road, he couldn't let the chance of helping Arcee heal pass by. "Yes, she is very sensitive. Tailgate was her mate."

Airachnid continued speaking. "She rushed me, so I blocked her blows, but when I stopped because she seemed out of breath, she attacked me and didn't hold back. Bulkhead separated us and told me to go to you."

Sounded like a Bulkhead-thing to do. He huffed as he stood. "Let us see what Arcee looks like, shall we?" He led the femme to the wash racks and was surprised to see Bulkhead scolding Arcee. While Airachnid was bruised, Arcee wasn't. She was panting, and her knuckles showed signs of use (probably from punching Airachnid, but Optimus wanted to be certain before he punished his mate for being wild and not-Autobot-like).

"What happened here, Bulkhead?"

The former Wrecker looked at him. "Seems Arcee here got a little tension built up and took it out on Airachnid while she was showering."

Optimus gave his mate a disapproving look and he motioned for the femmes to follow him out into the hall. He was all for humility. He learned it from Alpha Trion, who had the data-clerks shower. Together. Every day after their shift was over. He had said that if it was up to him, every place would have a shower. He wanted the rest of the team to hear what he had to say to them in case they had any ideas.

"I am disappointed in you both. Arcee, you engaged in an unprovoked fight. You need to let go of the past and look to the future. You cannot drag the past into the future, or it will consume your light and it will leave you as an empty husk. And you, Airachnid..." He turned his gaze on the femme that didn't back down. Ever. Not even when he was a data-clerk and she was a healer who was mocked and humiliated every day.

"Yes?"

"I am moving your quarters. You will have mine. It has a private shower stall. It is sound-proofed and isolated from everyone else. And it is close to my office. Arcee, we will move back into your quarters."

The blue femme growled. "I understand."

"Good. Now, then. It is time we put our goals together and make it a goal for the team. We are a unit. Remember?"

Both femmes nodded, but the way they glared at each other told Optimus they didn't care so long as the other was within six galaxies of them.

The Prime sighed and walked away, leaving them to storm off in separate directions.