Ironhide

There was devotion, and there was loyalty, and there was duty, and there was love. For Ironhide, Protector, Captain of the Prime's Guard, there were all of these.

He was a young man when he became a Protector, fresh out of the Academy. There he'd been at the top of his class, marked by his instructors as officer material. He had his moment of glory when he bowed and then looked up into the eyes of the Lord High Protector and saw his future already being mapped out there.

He remembered pulling the armor on for the first time, Protector's silver armor, learning to run, fight, roll, contort in all directions, turning it into an asset rather than a cumbersome load. He learned from the best, devoting himself to fighting and to commanding with equal passion. He was on first-name basis with everyone in his unit, with his superiors, even with Lord Megatron himself. He knew how to lead; he knew how to talk to his men and learn their strengths and weaknesses. They were comfortable with him, comfortable enough to share their barracks chatter with him, talking about food and women and the kid who'd been put in the Elite, the youngest ever, and what Minister had been in a scandal, or whose kid was turning ten.

"You'll be in the Elite for sure," they told him. "Lord Protector likes you… you're the best commander we've got… you'll be in the Elite soon and then you'll never have time for us."

The Protector's Elite. How he longed to join their small numbers: hand-picked by Megatron, the best of the best, the strongest, the fastest, the cleverest. Under the command of Megatron and only Megatron. The ones called in when all seemed lost, who could turn the tide of the battle within cycles; the ones everyone knew, even without the brilliant red shirts under their armor, because they were heroes to the Protectors. Each face was known to every Protector, each name, each individual, personalized weapon. Ironhide was ready. He was worthy to be one of the Elite. It was only a matter of time.

He remembered the day that Sentinel Prime was assassinated; the day he'd received his new command. Megatron had not started the conversation in the way that Ironhide had expected.

"Do you think this tragedy could have been averted?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"The Prime's Guard should have been more watchful. Whatever they were doing, it wasn't good enough."

"I count you among my best men, Ironhide. I know it is a burden, but you are the best suited to bear it: I've chosen you to command the Prime's Guard."

The Prime's Guard. Equal to the Elite, under command of the Prime, sworn to protect the ruler of Cybertron at all costs. They didn't associate often with their fellow Protectors, staying by the Prime's side. Their Captain had the power to override even the Lord Protector's orders, if necessary.

"The… the Guard, sir?"

"It's a tremendous power. You answer to the Prime alone."

"I'd rather answer to you, Lord Megatron."

Lord Megatron, Lord High Protector, greatest of the warriors of Cybertron, object of Ironhide's loyalty.

"I'm touched. But you are the best man for the job. You can handle the responsibility. You have your pick of Protectors for the Guard, outside of my Elite. I know one or two I might recommend."

He remembered meeting the new Prime for the first time. She'd thrown him off balance at once with that smile and those blue eyes. Optimus Prime was chosen by the Matrix three orns after Sentinel Prime's assassination. Ironhide didn't meet her until an orbit after she was chosen. He was interrupted by a soft, polite "Excuse me?"

Optimus Prime was a young woman, small, pretty. She didn't look like much… her hand was dwarfed by his when she reached out to shake it… but after only a few minutes of conversation, it was clear that she was something special. She was open, compassionate, personable, a façade of softness and weakness over a solid core of strength. She asked to be introduced to each member of the Guard individually and spent several minutes with each, getting to know them in a way that Ironhide recognized as how he'd known his unit, before returning to Ironhide.

"I'd like to learn to fight," she said.

Caught off-guard again. Ironhide found he liked her. "What?"

"I'd like to learn to defend myself. I can't help but feel that if Sentinel Prime had…" She trailed off.

"I will… we will do all that we can to protect you," Ironhide answered. "What happened to Sentinel was a tragedy, but it won't happen to you. I promise."

She smiled at him. His stomach flip-flopped oddly. "I trust you. But I want to help make your job easier. Anything that you can teach me would be appreciated."

Ironhide goggled at her (but tried not to be too obvious about it). He couldn't help but smile back. "As you wish, milady."

She was his duty, the object of his loyalty now, and he was devoted to her. When he fought, he fought for her. When he smiled, he thought of her; when she smiled, he hoped she thought of him.