Prime Blood: Swiped Away Chapter 10 (Casey gets used to Autobot life. Swipe hears Ratchet's rant for his own mate. Sideswipe returns to battle. Megatron captures Casey)

As soon as the post attack debriefing was over and Prime pointed to Casey. Sideswipe was standing behind her with his arms crossed. To most, it looked like as military stance paying deep attention to their leader. But his brother knew better. If anyone had been watching closely, they would see Sideswipe clutching his biceps tightly glancing between the new embellishment on his hand and the striking femme before him baring the mate. Swipe was clutching his arms in order to keep his paws off the femme. Sunstreaker tried to send telepathic messages to his twin, but Swipe wouldn't even respond again.

Prime pointed to Casey, "And we have a new member of our team, Casey. Yes, she is Sideswipe's mate. And that is the end of my conversation about it." He turns to Sideswipe and Casey making it clear they are not to answer anything without it going through him first. They nod in agreement. "Fine. Dismissed." And most everyone scatters.

Now Sideswipe sends his brother a message I need a moment alone with my mate. Help?

Sunstreaker shakes his head Wimp

Sideswipe touches Casey's elbow and she follows him to a corner of the base. A dark corner. Bee's crying corner. Optimus' sulking corner. Ratchet's wrench throwing corner. And right now, Sideswipe's make out corner. With Casey tucked securely in the corner his kisses her most passionately. Casey feels giddy like in high school under the bleachers. And then he takes one of her hands and guides it into the cresses and joints of his pelvic plate. "Feel it? Ah! Yeah, that's one. Ohhh, that's a real gooood one." Casey's finger tips figure out how to tease and stroke the sensitive circuits. She takes his other hand and guides it to her chest plate helping him find her own sensitive areas. His mouth trails down her neck and nips other areas. Casey can feel her body beginning to get aroused in a way she never expected.

"If you thought making love to me last night was Earth shattering, wait until you experience my interfacing."

"I don't think so!" Ratchet's voice cuts through their foreplay by ripping Sideswipe's arm off Casey and slamming him against the wall. "We need to talk. NOW!"

Sideswipe is not happy with the medic, "Look Doc, just because you haven't-"

"Don't think of finishing that statement!" Ratchet nearly growls trying to shake his own images entangled with Connie. Ratchet snaps his fingers and Prowl arrives at his side, "Take Casey for some fresh air." Casey silently follows Prowl away. Sideswipe scowls and tries to move but Ratchet whips out his EMP tazzer. "We have a couple ways of handling this conversation. You could listen to me. Or I could null you from the vocorder down and you can listen to me. Or," he taps Sideswipe's chest plate making him wince at his aroused intimacy cord, "I could cut or disconnect that and you can listen to me." Sideswipe relaxes and crosses his arms making it clear he will just plain listen.

"Good. Now tell me, how many new sparkling have we had here on Earth?"

Sideswipe had to think about it, "Ah… Wroughtiron?"

"Can you name any others?" Sideswipe shakes his head. "So your mate is carrying a rather unique miracle, right?" He nods. "Now then, tell me what happens to the body during interfacing?" Sideswipe blushes. "What does it do to your Energon consumption?"

"Increases."

"Yes. What happens to your spark rate?"

"Accelerates."

"Temperature?"

"Increase.. Highly."

"How does that effect incubation of a sparkling?"

Sideswipe is confused, "I don't know. You're the Doc."

Ratchet turns soft, "Yeah I am, and I don't even know." He points to Prowl and Casey looking at a huge sunflower growing just outside the base. "So, one night of interface worth loosing your offspring?"

Sideswipe doesn't even respond. How could he? Ratchet turns Sideswipe's head to face him and smiles, "She's attractive and she loves you very much. There's no question about her devotion. You are mates. She will understand."

Sideswipe can't help but smirk, "But she's sexy."

Ratchet laughs. "That I do understand quite well. Been there myself recently." Sideswipe raises his eyebrows. "Now, go cuddle her, support her, but please don't provoke her to join. If need be, I will be her body guard and have Prime change your duty assignments until the pod hatches. Got it?"

"Can I tell her?"

Ratchet chuckles, "Damn well better. Other wise, she'll wonder what happened to you!" Ratchet steps aside and lets Sideswipe join his mate and Prowl examining the beauty of nature. Prowl steps aside soon after and Sideswipe loops his arms around his mate talking softly in her audio. Casey gives him a "poor baby" look and lays her head against his chest.

~~ A few hours later, Ratchet comes to the couple still embraced looking out to the setting sun. "Come on you two, recharge time."

Casey yawns, "If by that mean a nap, I'm all for it."

Ratchet smiles, "Yes, my dear. You too Swipe. I'm sure you burned more than enough calories last night." Swipe is confused, but Casey giggles. Ratchet just points to one berth. "Go together, but no interfacing." He taps Swipes chest with a lone finger in a particular spot in warning again.

Swipe swallows nervously and takes Casey's hand leading her to the berth. He lays down and tugs her hand to lay beside him. He spoons up behind her back clutching their hands together over their offspring. "Never forget I love you Casey."

Sleepily Casey begins her prayers. Swipe is silent as he listens to her pray to her God for the blessings for giving her a mate from far across the universe. She prayed for their new life that he will be healthy and protected. As her prayers continued, Swipe found himself lulled to sleep by her comforting faith.

~~ Swipe awoke to voices just beside his berth. Casey was still in his arms, although their position has shifted. Currently he was on his back with Casey's body half draped across his and his own arms around her waist and the nape of her neck. Swipe didn't open his optics but listened in on the conversation.

"Ratchet!" Optimus was calling through the latest wrench thrown clatter across the room. Ratchet stopped. "What has gotten into you?"

"Nothing!" Ratchet barks.

Optimus actually chuckles, "What has she done this time?" Ratchet doesn't say anything. So Optimus tries again with a softer tone, "Go see her."

Ratchet growls, "I can't!" Optimus doesn't have to say anything. "She's doing surgery on an eight year old this week," he sighs heavily. "The kid fell off the family's roof into a dry swimming pool while trying to get their cat out of a tree. Stupid feline."

"Ratchet…." Optimus draws out his name. Ratchet throws another wrench. "When's the last time you saw Connie?"

"She sent me a picture last week. Primus she's huge. I can't believe she could expand so far."

"Ratchet…" Optimus warns again.

"She has no business traveling right now."

Optimus actually sounds worried, "Is she alright? How are the sparklings?"

Ratchet grumbles, "She says fine."

"But?" Optimus asks, but the silence remains. "Like I said, go see her."

"She won't let me. She said she's perfectly healthy and the boys are fine."

Optimus actually chuckles. "You should have known better than to pick a fellow healer for a mate."

He throws another wrench, "I didn't choose her."

Optimus laughs, "Then who put the coupling ring on her hand?"

Ratchet switches tactics, "Oh and you weren't concerned about Elita. Or should I say Poco?"

Optimus defends, "You know slagging well I was terrified."

"And?" Now Sideswipe turns his head to watch the fight.

Optimus waggles a finger in his face, "Do you really want your own words back in your face or do you want me to order you on leave with your mate?"

Ratchet snorts, "Yeah, you try that. Don't forget to order her has well. Oh yeah, she isn't an Autobot, go figure."

Optimus puts a hand on his shoulder, "No she's not. She's more valuable than a shield. She's your spark mate. Yeah, I will contact her personally if I have to."

Ratchet points to Casey and Swipe, "And who is going to look after her?"

Optimus puts the other hand on his friend's shoulder, "I will. Ironhide is going to train her to protect the pod."

"Chromia -"

"Ordered it." Optimus finishes the argument. Ratchet knows he lost the fight. He just nods his head. "Alright, I'll give you a couple days to get things in order, and then I don't want to see you. I'll tell Connie myself. Now would you stop throwing wrenches, some of us are trying to recharge."

"Sorry Prime." Optimus yawns and turns back to his own bunk.

Sideswipe still a little confused asks, "Ratchet?"

Ratchet comes over to him, "How are you feeling, Swipe?"

"Confused. You have a mate? Sparklings?"

Ratchet puffs out some air, "Back to recharge, Swipe. Don't think about it. Hold Casey a little tighter, alright." Sideswipe does so and returns to his recharge.

He knew it was true when Ratchet disappeared a few days later. When he returned, he looked more content and cleaned up his wrenches whistling.

~~ Casey had to admit, staying back at the Ark while watching Prime, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe and Ironhide board the C130 tore at her gut. Ratchet's tender hand on her shoulder and smile of support was a comfort as he races off to join them. Wheeljack comes to her side. He watches with her as the transport curves across the sky and disappears. She feels a flutter in her chest and lets her palm fall to soothe the little life.

That night while the others are playing basketball or some Cybertonian game of lots, she sits watching the stars. Preceptor comes to her side. She smiles up at him. "What do you see?" he asks her.

"I used to see God's amazing gifts of light. A way for ancient sailors to navigate the world. Now I see that He made miracles of the universe. There is so much out there, isn't there?" He nods softly. She strokes the panel of her chest containing the new life. "How can it be that you have lost the ability to create a new life? With all the amazing things I have see you do?"

Preceptor shrugs. "I don't know. Just another one of those wonders of the universe. The true miracle is the gift of life."

"Chromia has Ferrous, correct?" Preceptor nods. "Wrought iron… he belongs to Ironhide?" Preceptor nods over to the young bot working beside Wheeljack to repair a piece of Teletran 1. "So there is hope for your race?"

Preceptor nods, "I guess so. We just hope the Decepticons don't find out about this side effect of Ratchet's serum. The last thing we need is more Decepticons to fight," he jests. She returns his smile. He gets up and goes back inside the base leaving her to ponder the mystery of God's universe. And her gift.

~~ A few days later the C130 is coming home. Hot on it's tail are firing fighter jets. The Autobots guarding the Ark come dashing out and start firing off at the fighter jets. The C130 buzzes as close to the tarmac as possible and the Autobots leap out of the back carrying as many humans in their grasp as possible. The transport crashes to the ground in a ball of fire. The Autobots tumble and roll to the ground. The humans roll out of their grasp and everyone comes up fighting. Casey takes a knee and zeros in on one fighter jet. She fires repeatedly at it, covering her comrades and sends it smoking to the ground. Then races towards it to finish it off. A shot hits her in the shoulder. She takes the hit but keeps charging the grounded plane coming up to it's injured but angry protoform. Before she knows it, Sunstreaker zips in front of her taking a blast aimed at her chest. He is weak but makes it clear he was shielding her. She raises his gun arm and bellows, "Come on. Together!" So together they concentrate their fire power at the assailant's chest. They take it down.

Prime bellows, "Move it Casey!" Sideswipe dashes to her side. "Everyone! Protect her!" She finds the group rallying around her. She gets her pistols out and fires off her rounds over their shoulders to take on the incoming barrage.

As Megatron comes face to face with Prime, he enjoys the show of weakness in the Autobots. He manages to get around Prime and pick a hole in the defense around Casey. "So who is this new bot you protect so fiercely?" She fires and takes one of his fingers off.

"Oh wouldn't you like to know." She aims for another finger smirking. He snaps the pistol from her wrist in retaliation. She grimaces but doesn't cry out.

"Come with me, little tart! If Prime finds you so important, then we must find out why." He reaches for her other arm. Sideswipe is angry and stabbing with all his might. Megatron is able to snap a blade off Sideswipe's arm. Megatron yanks Casey out of the circle of defense. He starts to leave the ground. She cries out for Sideswipe. Sideswipe looks up in horror. Megatron has his arm around her waist with a weapon to her neck. But his head is focus on his flight path. Casey is able to peal back the panel of her chest. She reaches in and with a cry of pain rips the pod from her chest. She lets it fall.

Sideswipe, Ratchet, and Sunstreaker all cry out, "NOOOOOOO!" The pod is falling from Casey's grasp. Megatron just laughs. He thinks their cry is for his captive, never thinking of the item she is releasing. Prime makes a leap and catches the pod in mid-flight. He clutches it carefully and takes the impact with the ground on his back. The pod rolls from his grasp to Sideswipe. Ratchet crawls to Swipe's side quickly and opens his chest cavity. He gently shoves the pod as close to his spark as possible. Sighing, Ratchet watches the pod's glow grow back to bright blue. Sideswipe goes unconscious as the pod brightens. The others look up. Megatron, Casey and the others are gone leaving only a vapor trail. Prime looks aver at Ratchet.

He nods, "It looks good. For now."

Prime sighs heavily, "It's all we can hope for. For now." Tenderly he puts a hand on Sideswipe's forehead. He turns to Sunstreaker, "I need you to stay by his side."

"I would rather go with you to rescue her," he asks respectfully.

"I know you would. But right now, my concern is the well being of Sideswipe. He must stay here and be positive. I'll send Bee and Ferrous for recon. We will take it from there. You must keep him here. Restrain him if you must. We are all counting on this." He carefully closes the panel on Sideswipe's chest with a prayer.

~~ A few hours later when Sideswipe comes around, he finds Sunstreaker by his side. "Casey," he groans.

Sunstreaker puts a hand to his brother's shoulder. "Bee and Ferrous have gone for recon." Sideswipe starts to get up, but feels a pain in his chest. He doesn't see a mark on his chaise but sees his panel bowed out. Sunstreaker puts a hand on it, "She wouldn't let the pod fall into enemy hands. She released it. You hold it right now. Until she returns." Sideswipe lays back heavily.

"What are the pod's chances?" He is fearful.

Wheeljack comes to his side to check on his progress, "Better than in Megatron's hands."

"Will Megatron know?"

"I have no idea." They are all grieved. They know what Megatron is capable of. They know Casey may never return. And if she does, no idea in what condition. Wheeljack puts a hand to Sideswipe's forehead, "You need to stay hopeful. Remember this pod will need you. You still need to heal yourself. You are healing and grieving together." Sideswipe just nods and closes his eyes to rest. He has to stay positive. So he returns to the good memories of dancing with Casey and laughter they shared.

~~ Casey finds herself in Megatron's lair. She is restrained to the wall. Maybe she can't move, but she can observe. Mindwipe is carefully examining her. As his scanner comes to her chest, he is very curious. She recognizes the voice. Oh she is furious. This is the one she really wants for ruining her life. This is Dolce's controller.

He leans in closely peering into her optics closely. "Have we met before?" She smirks. She has the upper hand here. She remains silent. As he turns away and back to Megatron, Casey silently relaxes. She can't be totally angry with Mindwipe. No, she changes her mind, this wasn't Mindwipe's doing. This is God's plan. She will not give credit for her new life to an evil being. She will turn it over to God. The life she carried is now safely with his family. She must pray that releasing it from her chest gave it life. She had over heard Ratchet talking with Ironhide about Wroughtiron's incubation. She prayed her son had the same chance with his own father while laying her head back against her prison wall. She will keep her prayers focused. If Paul, Silas and even Chromia could withstand imprisonment and torture, so can she. She has a husband and a child waiting for her. Far more than when she had worked for Mindwipe's pawn.

Megatron comes face to face with her. He is fierce. He is Prime's rival. He is the leader of her new family's enemy. He is cruel. He is deadly. But she knows she is actually in God's hands. She will not cower to Megatron. She faces him directly.

"You do not fear me?" he sneers. She doesn't answer. The less said, the less can be used against her or the Autobots. He grabs her chin with one hand and uses the other against her throat. "Why does Prime protect you? What makes you valuable?" She doesn't answer. She crosses a thumb over the stone embedded into her left finger. She smiles, but doesn't answer. Megatron roughly releases her chin, "I have ways to make you talk." She still doesn't answer or show fear. She goads him with her glare. He is angry. Not at her lack of answer, but her lack of fear. He snaps at Mindwipe, "Start the scan of her memory banks. I want to know everything about this tart of Prime's."

Mindwipe comes back with a device. He crams it to her forehead much harder than need be. Then turns it on. She can't stop the cry of anguish as the device bores into her cranium. Then she can see projected on the screen for all to see.

The image begins with a flash of orange and red fire mixed with blue and green electric shocks. Then her first awareness in Ratchet's temporary medic ward. Megatron is confused, "This is where her images start? On Earth? Not Cybertron? Check again."

Mindwipe checks his machine, "This is where it starts. There are other strange cranium waves, but this machine can't translate them. Maybe she isn't from Cybertron." Megatron growls, "Try again. I want to know who she is."

Mindwipe turns the machine back on and tries again. Casey cringes at the revelation of the pod. Megatron gasps and turns to her slowly. The words seethe out of him, "Pod? What pod?" She can't move. Mindwipe and Megatron rip her chest cavity open. There is a gap where the pod was. He turns to Mindwipe, "Where is the pod?"

Mindwipe shakes his head, "I took nothing from her. I don't know."

Megatron curls his lips back at her, "Where is the pod?" She doesn't answer. He shoves his hand into her chest cavity and touches her spark, "I will rip your spark from your chest if you don't tell me."

She smiles, "I will rip it out myself before I will tell you."

Megatron growls and punches her in the chest. She gasps and passes out.

"Oh good job, Megatron. Now I can't access the memory because she is unconscious."

Megatron turns his wrath to Mindwipe, "Then I suggest you revive her. I must know how the Autobots have managed to create more life. I must have that technology for myself. Now!" He stomps off furiously.

~~ She finds herself running through the fields of foxglove with a her son by her side. They laugh heartily as they drop to their knees and slide beneath two silver pillars avoiding a large set of hands trying to catch them. Then they roll over and continue laughing as the hand reaches between the silver pillars to try catching them. She looks up. The silver pillars are the legs belonging to the hands trying to catch her and her son. They get up and continue to run. The silver hands can't catch them. They run faster mocking the silver hands and legs. They dash faster and faster. As sliver sports car comes dashing through the field with its door open. Her son jumps in and then she jumps in behind him and closes the door. She looks out the window as the Corvette tears out of the field. The silver hands and legs come after them. She follows the hands up to the massive arms and the face with glowing red eyes full of furry and anger.

"You can not run from me. I will have your son. And your mate. And of course you."

The hand reaches out and grabs the sports car, lifting it off the ground. Casey opens the door and climbs out. She climbs onto the hand holding the car above the ground. She pulls the sword strapped to her back. Standing on the forearm, she makes a swing with the sword, severing the arm at the wrist. She watches in slow motion as the hand releases and the car falls. The voice above her bellows in pain. Her own voice cries out for her son and the car to flee. She watches as the car tears out of the field dodging the impact of weapons fire around them. She encourages them to flee. The other silver hand comes down and grasps her fiercely trying to squeeze the life from her. She dies with a smile on her face watching her mate and son go off into safety.

Sideswipe awakens gasping for breath. The pain in his chest is great. He can see his chest is growing outwardly again. He puts his left hand over the bulge. Eternity looks back up at him. His brother comes to his side. "How are you doing?"

Sideswipe doesn't look up, "This waiting is driving me crazy."

"How much longer?" Sunstreaker asks him, also anticipating the birth of the bot.

He shakes his head, "Even Ratchet doesn't know. He said each time is different."

"Well, it will be interesting to see how much larger you can get."

Sideswipe swings his legs off the bench. "Come spar with me. I have to keep my mind occupied."

They make it over to the sparring area. Sunstreaker asks him again, "How long has she been gone?"

"Over a lunar cycle."

"Any word from Ferrous or Bumble Bee?"

"Nothing encouraging. Megatron has her very secure. He thinks she is Prime's prize. He won't give her up easily. He knows about the pod. I just hope he's not trying any experiments."

Sunstreaker doesn't say it, but gives him a look. They all know Megatron is using her as a Guinea Pig. Sideswipe crouches into position and they spar. Sideswipe is not at his best. Sunstreaker doesn't parley for long. It's not even worth it.

"Come on, you have to get your head together. If you are going to protect this life, you have stay in more than top form. Or do you want me to carry it?" Well that put the fire in Sideswipe. Sunstreaker starts loosing his challenges.

Sideswipe forgets Sunstreaker and starts fighting for two. Now fighting for three. He is bound and determined. Sunstreaker is starting to get dents in his chasse. As soon as this pod is birthed he will find it's mother. He vows.

~~Casey is still bound to the wall. She feels awful. Physically. Emotionally she has been turning spiritual. She remembers from her NSA training about the mind of captures. She knew she had to hide her true identity for as long as possible. It pained her, but she had to keep her mind away from the pod. No her son. Her son and his father.

Come on, Casey. Paul, Silas, Peter… keep your focus there.

Mindwipe calls to her again, "So Autobot, we know they call you Casey. Not Prime's tart, but Sideswipe's. Eh?"

She closes her optics John, Paul Silas, Peter, Barnabas… who were the other disciples? She keeps her mind focused. She tries to recall her days in church and the Old Testament. Daniel, Moses, Joseph…

"Come come Autobot tart, tell me what you have to say." He crams the mind reader back onto her head. The readings are coming up fuzzy again. Casey had figured out that if she kept her memories to human memories, they couldn't read her mind. But occasionally they resorted to shock and other cruel means that drifted her brain back to her short month as an Autobot. The location of the base. Certainly they have fled from there by now. Casey tried everything to keep them distracted and derail their plans.

Casey did see Bee and a human woman sneak into the base. They saw Casey and gave her a smile of hope. But they couldn't get her released. Casey smiled back letting them know she was doing well, as could be. But that had been a month ago.

Mindwipe suddenly gasps. "Megatron, I'm an idiot."

Megaton is not amused, "Tell me something new."

Mindwipe is not amused by his retort and scowls. "These are human brainwaves."

"Human?" Megatron asks. Then he ponders again, "Human!"

Mindwipe comes to Casey and looks closer at her. He examines her very closely. He notices her hands. He holds up the hand for Megatron's inspection. Megatron gets a wicked sneer across his face. Mindwipe smiles, "This is Casey. My Dolce's assistant. I don't know how, but she was a human."

Megaton laughs, "Well well, this is a revelation. Find out how she became a human. That must be the key to the pod. The human factor." He strokes his chin, "Think of the possibilities. Not only could we turn this miserable planet's technology to our advantage, but we could turn the humans into our slaves. Mechanical slaves. Not just this flesh creatures. I want all the tests you can think of. I must have this new technology."

"Should we try to capture Wheeljack or Ratchet?"

Megatron waves his hand, "No. They would never help us. In fact it would be hazardous to have them in our lab. They would just cause more detriment. They would sabotage the experiments. No, we will dissect, interrogate, and rearrange this little bot until we have the key."

"What if she dies?" Mindwipe is afraid for his own safety.

"Ah, oh well. One less Autobot. Get to it now. I want results immediately." He cackles as he walks away, "A human-bot breeding! Intriguing."

Mindwipe leans in sneering, "I told you Casey, I would let you have that day, but you would be all mine after that. I have you now. And the tables have turned. You are under my control."

Casey smiles, "As long as there is free will, you will never own me." She manages to wiggle her finger in his face, "And I have eternity."

Mindwipe quickly laser cuts her left ring finger off. Casey cries out in pain. He laughs, "Now you don't!"

She won't cry. She won't give in. She lifts her head in pride, "You will never own my soul. Do what you want to me. But I am secure in my eternity. I am at peace with what ever you do. Bring it on!"

This angers Mindwipe even more. He starts to walk away, but then a thought comes to him, "How do you feel if I turn you into my little toy and use you against your mate? Are you at peace with that?"

She shuts up quickly. That one didn't occur to her. Mindwipe cackles. She quickly changes her prayers of peace to sanity now. Strength of mind.