Ok, I guess it's time I put your imaginations to rest. We'll find out who or what is coming towards the Autobot base.
Thanks again for those reading the story! I love the reviews to read peoples reactions. Thanks.
Now, on with the show.
Elita headed straight for the Med Bay. Optimus was quiet, holding onto her tightly as if sensing something was wrong. Prowl was behind her with Ironhide and Jazz, both sparklings were quiet as well. Chromia, along with Magnus and the others, head outside the base to take up their defense positions.
"Set them down over there!" Ratchet ordered pointing to a designated med bed near by.
"Can you look at Optimus' antenna?" Elita requested, carefully setting Optimus on different med bed just incase he and Hide weren't done fighting. "Ironhide bit it. There is some leakage. Please, be careful, his antennas are very sensitive."
Ratchet choked back a laugh. Even Prowl snickered to himself as he set Jazz and Ironhide down.
"Ok, I'll be very gentle," Ratchet chuckled then got immediately slapped across the faceplates. "OW!"
"Yeah keep laughing over there too…Prowlie!" she snapped. "Just keep in mind, whether or not Optimus remembers any of this once he's returned to normal, I will most certainly remember. And will have words with anyone who tries to embarrass him over any of this."
"Lita," Optimus sniffled, one hand up gingerly rubbing his damaged antenna just below the bite marks.
"You be a good mech and listen to Ratchet," she said, kissing the top of his head. "I'll be back soon. Prowl, we have to go."
"Take care, Jazz. I'll be back as soon as I can," he smiled, caressing the sparkling's cheek with a finger. Then he patted Ironhide on the head. "You too, Hide. No more biting."
Both sparklings sat very still, wide optics, unsure of what was going on.
"Go, I've got everything under control!" Ratchet ordered.
Elita kissed Optimus one more time before rushing out with Prowl. They sprinted as fast as they could through the halls to get to their positions.
According to Teletran the target or targets were heading for the designated landing coordinates just outside the base. The same coordinates Optimus provided in a message he transmitted on all Autobot frequencies. However, while Autobots may have received this transmission, Magnus and the others had to be prepared for any Decepticon that might have intercepted the communication as well.
"How did you know my nickname?" Prowl asked Elita as they turned a corner. "Only Jazz calls me that."
"Jazz and I had a long talk over high grade one evening way back on Cybertron while you and Optimus were tied up in diplomatic negotiations over Kaon."
"Hmm, I'm afraid to ask what else he said about me the little fragger."
"Don't worry. Your secrets are safe with me," she smirked just as they ran out the entrance.
"Do we know how many targets?" Elita asked as they joined Magnus and the others.
"Difficult to say. It's either one huge target or a bunch of little ones close together," he answered.
Magnus didn't like not knowing but there wasn't anything he could do about it. He didn't like the fact that Teletran was still far from being what they were used to back on Cybertron. Still, it was better than nothing and was able to give them enough of a warning to prepare.
"THERE!" Bumblebee pointed.
Everyone looked up and zoomed in as far as they could with their optics to see the massive fireball as it penetrated the upper atmosphere. Chunks of debris flaked off, rapidly burning up and disintegrating into nothingness.
"There are two of them!" Sunny shouted.
"Are you sure?" Magnus asked.
"Definitely two distinct trails now," Prowl confirmed. "One appears to be guiding the other. But…now their separating more for the landing."
"They're fraggin huge!" Sunny remarked. "Bigger than you, Magnus!"
"Be ready everyone," Magnus ordered. He could see the two targets now. There were separating for a landing as Prowl suggested. "They have not acknowledged any of my communications so I have no idea who we're dealing with."
There were only a few Decepticons bigger than him. And a few Autobots. For the lives of everyone here, and especially the three sparklings inside the Med Bay, Magnus prayed it was two Autobots. They couldn't really afford a battle with the Decepticons right now when three of their best warriors were down and out.
A sonic boom ripped across the sky and the fireballs descended lower and lower. Magnus and the others raised their weapons and took cover. Each of them knew a 'Con would transform well before touching down.
Only the fireballs didn't transform. They continued their journey, silently blazing a trail across the late afternoon sky. Until finally they both landed, one and then the other in the designated coordinates. Dirt spewed up into the air. The ground vibrated from the heavy thudded impacts. The Autobots approached cautiously weapons aimed and primed.
"Identify yourselves!" Magnus ordered.
Almost immediately one orb transformed to into a tall, slender protoformed mech. The second orb did the same; he was a bulkier mech that stood as tall as the first. The heavy mech immediately dropped to one knee.
"Don't shoot! We mean you know harm!" the first mech quickly said, arms raised in surrender. "Our communicators were knocked out by a fragging solar flare! That's why we haven't been able to contact you."
Magnus lowered his weapon. He knew that voice. It matched the one scientist in the known universes who was taller than him.
"Skyfire?"
"Ultra Magnus? You look…different. Yes, it is I, Skyfire," he smiled and turned back to his traveling companion. "Please, is Ratchet here? Grimlock needs medical attention."
"Me Grimlock don't need medical attention. Long trip made Grimlock tired. Need to recharge."
"Still, it couldn't hurt to get Ratchet to check you out," Prowl said, seeing that Grimlock probably could use one of Ratchet's infamous energy boost injections.
"Prowl! Thank Primus you made it to Earth," Skyfire exclaimed. "We thought you had been killed by the Decepticons."
"I nearly was. I was taken prisoner for a short time but managed to escape shortly after I received Optimus' transmission," he answered Skyfire.
"Who else has made to Earth?" Skyfire asked.
"Elita is our most recent," Magnus answered. "Chormia, Wheeljack, myself all arrived within a month of Optimus transmission."
"Hi, Skyfire," Elita smiled, coming up and giving the big mech a hug. "Glad you made it. You too Grimlock."
"Glad to make it too," Grimlock grunted, returning the hug.
"Remember me big guy?"
"Yes, I remember. Grimlock got shot in aft coz he made Chromia mad one time."
"I'm glad you made it to Earth safely," she chuckled, giving him a big hug.
"What about us? Don't we get some love?" Sunny asked.
"As you can see," Prowl sighed. "The twins managed to make it to Earth too. All on their own I might add"
"Hey!" Sunny yelped.
"We're glad you made it, Skyfire," Bumblebee smiled, shaking the big mech's hand. "Wheeljack could probably use your help."
"I'm always eager to help where I can. Where's Optimus? I have information for him."
"Yes, where is Optimus Prime! Me want to see him," Grimlock said anxiously, rising to his feet.
"That's kind of what Wheeljack needs your help with," Prowl answered solemnly.
Skyfire gave him a puzzled look.
"Just…follow us and you'll see," Magnus said.
"Have you seen any others?" Prowl asked as they entered the base.
"Not since…not since Cybertron was completely destroyed," Skyfire hesitantly answered.
The others gasped, even Magnus and Prowl who were always so composed.
"I was part of the team that discovered the instability in Cybertron's core," he continued. "The Decepticons were desperate for energy and sought to take if from our home. It was only a matter of time before the instability started a chain reaction that…destroyed our home planet. We sent out a signal on all Autobot frequencies to not head home and to seek refuge elsewhere."
"I can't believe Cybertron…our home is gone," Chromia spoke softly, tears in her optics.
"It was already gone when the All Spark was destroyed," Elita said, wiping away her own tears. "Without the All Spark our home wouldn't be rebuilt. Besides, Optimus' message said this was our home now. As long as we're together and remember our ways we will always be home."
"If more come," Bumblebee sighed. "There are so few of us."
"They will come," Skyfire smiled optimistically. "It's what I want to talk to Optimus about. While I have not seen any Autobots other than Grimlock on my journey to Earth, I have received a few communications. More are coming."
"Where are the other Dinobots, Grimlock?" Magnus asked. "Are they coming?"
"Don't want to talk about other Dinobots," he grunted, his head hanging. "Want to see Optimus Prime."
Magnus looked to see the sad face on Skyfire.
"I found him trying to repair their broken bodies on a destroyed Decepticon base in the Gamma Quadrant," Skyfire said over a private comlink with Magnus. "There was nothing I could do…they were beyond repair. If not for the fortuitous message received from Optimus I never would have gotten Grimlock off that moon. It was Optimus' message that gave him strength to keep going."
"That doesn't surprise me, there were few warriors Grimlock respected," Magnus replied. "Optimus being one of them. I'm not sure how he's going to respond to Optimus' current condition."
Magnus lay a comforting hand on Grimlock's slumped shoulder.
"Everything will be ok, my friend," he smiled.
Grimlock numbly nodded his head. Magnus was a good warrior, a trustworthy mech. But he wasn't their leader. Grimlock would feel much better hearing things from Optimus Prime. The strong leader always knew how to talk to Grimlock.
"Everyone doesn't need to be here," Prowl said as they reached the Med Bay doors. "Bumblebee, you and the twins head to the Command Center."
For once Sunny kept his mouth shut and did as he was told. Actually, he and Sunny looked a bit depressed learning about their home world. Hopefully, Optimus can settle things down once he's returned back to normal. They could really use his strength and guidance right now.
"Now, Grimlock, Optimus has changed how he looks," Elita explained. "But he's still the same Optimus. And…well he's had a little accident too."
"But he's fine!" Magnus quickly added noticing how distress Grimlock suddenly got.
"It'll be ok, big guy," Chromia smiled, patting Grimlock's back. "The same accident happened to Ironhide and Jazz so Optimus isn't all alone. Ok?"
"Ok," he mumbled.
Magnus and Prowl exchanged a glance before opening the door. This was either going to work out fine or be really bad. Both mechs knew they might have to subdue Grimlock if he went berserk.
The doors opened and they all walked in to find Ratchet working on the finishing touches of one of Wheeljack's leg. The engineer was still in a medicated recharge and would remain that way until Ratchet finished the surgery on the other leg.
On a nearby med bed Ironhide and Jazz looked like they passed out from drinking energon bottles. A completely empty bottle lay near Hide as he recharged in his usual on the back mouth open position, snoring softly. Jazz lay curled up, recharging on his side, one thumb in his mouth and one small arm wrapped around a half filled bottle. On a separate bed sat Optimus still suckling away on his bottle, a medical wrap on the tip of his damaged antenna.
"This is Ironhide and Jazz," Prowl said resisting the urge to pick up Jazz. He looked so adorable all curled up with is bottle. Prowl just wanted to hug him!
"How fascinating!" Skyfire exclaimed moving closer for a better look. He carefully examined Ironhide and Jazz without touching them. "They look like sparklings."
"They are sparklings except the still have their armor," Ratchet replied.
"Astonishing! How did this happened?!"
"Wheeljack activated an alien device and inadvertently turned Optimus into a sparkling," Prowl explained. "Ironhide did it to himself when he activated the device thinking he was turning it off. And we're not sure how it happened to Jazz. There was an explosion in Jack's lab. When we went in, that's how we found Jazz."
"Wheeljack has been trying to figure out a way to change them back," Magnus said.
"Of course, whatever I can do to help. I will assist with Wheeljack's repairs as well."
"Thanks, Skyfire," Ratchet smiled. "I could use the help."
"This is Optimus," Elita said, leading Grimlock to her sparkling, sparkmate as Ratchet and Skyfire began finishing repairs on Wheeljack. She noticed Magnus and Prowl remaining close by.
Grimlock stared intently at the small Autobot Elita told him was Optimus Prime. The big mech leaned down and even sniffed the little mech.
"That not Optimus Prime," Grimlock commented. "That one puny little Autobot!"
"Trust me, it's Optimus," Elita smiled. "Optimus, say hello to Grimlock."
Optimus pulled the bottle from his mouth and stared up at the large mech with wide optics. Everyone else remained quiet and alert, waiting to see what would happen.
(BURP!)
Grimlock blinked in surprise at the puny Autobot's greeting. Then he transformed into his dinoform and did a greeting of his own. He let loose a loud roar that shook the room and then stared down at the little mech. Magnus and Prowl made a move to pull Grimlock back if they had to.
Elita didn't move. She knew Grimlock better than most having interacting with him because of how close he and the other Dinobots were to Optimus. She knew he wasn't being aggressive at the moment.
After a long astrosecond, Optimus rolled on his back, giggling, grabbing his feet. He thought it was the funniest thing ever.
"Must be Optimus Prime. He always laugh when Grimlock roar in his face!" Grimlock smiled.
Not sure what people were expecting, I hope you liked this chapter. Remember this story is mainly about the sparklings so I don't want to stray from them for too long. Also, I'm trying not to get too serious as this is meant to be a funny story.
Up next: Wheeljack will be whole again. The sparklings have a new playmate.
slag! I forgot! For those reading MBRS (Kaceystar story) there is a poll up to vote on Orion's alt form. Go vote!