For The Race: Prime Protector.
Chapter Four.
A/N: One vorn= about 80 years. Sentences 'like this' are commed speech. Thanks to reviewer Luki Dimension for reminding me that Sam would protest his situation.
Sam found that, once she got used to moving fast in her new body, she was as good as running and dodging as she ever had been as a human, with the added advantage of having weapons that her new Cybertronian vision helped her to aim with reasonable accuracy. Ironhide was pleased with her progress, telling her that she would soon be able to get past the basics and move on to slightly more advanced training.
This was tempered by her fear of what Optimus wanted her in his office for. Now she knew about the role of Prime's Owned, she wished Optimus hadn't asked what he had when surely he must have known, considering the situation, that Sam would accept. She took some comfort from what Mikaela and Ratchet had assured her: that Optimus would not force her into doing something she didn't want to. That didn't completely reassure her, but it was all she had.
She approached Optimus' door with trepidation, startling when it opened when she was about a foot away. Optimus stepped into view. Sam decided that if Optimus tried to take her hand, or kiss her, Prime's Owned or no, she'd take flight and head for the hills.
Optimus didn't, in fact must have seen something in Sam's posture, for he backed off and indicated with a flat hand and stretched arm for Sam to come in. Sam steeled herself and stepped inside.
She had expected that the conversation would take place in Optimus' room, beyond his office, so was gratified to see that he had set up his office for the talk, a chair suiting Sam's size set opposite Optimus' own large chair. As Optimus drew two cubes of energon, Sam was also glad to note, as the Prime put the cubes down on the desk, one in front of Sam's chair and one in front of his own, that the desk was between them. She relaxed a little: unless he was thinking of using the desk as a berth, she was probably safe for now.
The chair was tall, but there were a couple of rung-like structures up the side to facilitate a 'bot of Sam's size to get up to sit on it, which she was pleased to note that she managed without difficulty. Optimus too noticed, giving a small nod of approval.
"Please, Sam, have a drink, Ratchet brews the best energon I have tasted." He waited until Sam had reached forward to pick up her cube of energon and had taken a nervous sip before continuing. "Once we have had a chance to relax, I can begin to teach you how to use your com system. That way, in situations such as that you went through yesterday, you can call for assistance even to people out of audio range."
"Um, yeah. I guess screaming isn't the most effective method of communication," Sam said, lowering her gaze to her energon in embarrassment. The Prime raised his hand and shook his head at Sam's words.
"No, Sam, you used the most immediate and available method you could, comming would be something you would use in conjunction with vocalising, not instead of." Optimus said. "There may well be situations where vocalisation would not be the best option, such as if you are hiding, and then comming while keeping quiet would be the best option, but do not be afraid if the need arises to vocalise as well as com."
He took a data lead from out of his arm, showing it to Sam. "It will be easier if I connect this to one of your dorsal neck data ports, once you can com I can send relevant information that way." He waited for Sam to give a slow, hesitant nod before himself slowly rising from his chair and walking round until he was behind Sam.
Sam unconsciously tensed at the sensation of the big Prime standing behind her, and flinched as she felt large but gentle fingers touch the back of her neck. She felt and heard a click as something there opened, then the fingers returned, and she felt the lead slide into a socket at the back of her neck. Then she suddenly felt information being uploaded into her processors, and in a split-second she knew not just how to com, but also how to scan and transform. For a moment she was unaware of externals, then feeling returned as she felt Optimus remove the lead, close the panel on her neck, and then rest one of his hands on each shoulder.
She found this didn't panic or stress her, on the contrary, the paternal nature of the contact made him relax. 'You have nothing to fear from me, Sam, my primary role is to protect you.'
The sentence had not been spoken aloud, Sam suddenly realised, she had heard it inside her head. 'So, this is comming?' she asked back, using the knowledge she had just received. Optimus did not reply via voice or com, but nodded encouragingly.
Sam had to admit that being able to speak one-to-one like this was exciting: she imagined how much fun this would have been if she could have done this as a human in school: it beat passing notes! 'The other knowledge you gave me, about scanning and transforming, will I be able to use that soon?' she asked. Optimus removed his hands from her shoulders and walked back around to his side of the desk, and Sam noted that he was smiling.
'It is good that you are practicing the use of your com ability, you can ask some of the other mechs, such as Ironhide and Ratchet for their com codes, and later we can practice group comming.' "However, remember that when there are humans around, and if there is no real need to com, we should vocalise as usual." He made the transition from com speak to vocal seamlessly, reaching for his energon and taking another swallow.
"To answer your question, we are still waiting for the Military's small vehicle selection to arrive. When those turn up, you can choose one to take as a vehicle, or alternative, mode." He paused. "Sam, I want you to put aside an hour each day, when you come to my room and we talk like this. If you have any questions, I would like you to ask them, and I will answer them as best as I am able. I will allocate you a room of your own, I can help you code the lock to your vocal pattern."
"Okay, I guess, it's just to talk, right?" she asked. Optimus nodded.
"Yes, Sam, just to talk, to grow used to each other's company, to teach or learn, to relax. We had little enough contact when you were a human, and that was appropriate, but now you are a Cybertronian, you may well wish to fight as part of our group. It is best that all my soldiers, all the mechs, and you, as a femme, feel relaxed enough to approach me and know me well enough to trust me in battle, when you may have to act on an order from me without thinking it through."
"Hey, wait just a minute, you expect me to trust you? After the stunt you pulled yesterday?" she asked. Optimus looked confused.
"What do you mean, Sam? The 'stunt I pulled yesterday'?"
"You know what I mean! Asking me if I wanted you as a protector when it was quite obvious that I wasn't about to say 'no'!" Sam hadn't intended to say a lot more, but as her feelings of outrage took over, she continued. "I had just narrowly escaped being kidnapped, and I can guess what they wanted me for. You took advantage of my feeling vulnerable to trap me into becoming essentially yours to control and command. For all your noble words about freedom, it seems that doesn't apply to me now I'm the only femme and the AllSpark's gone!"
There was a heavy silence after Sam's accusation as Optimus digested the content of Sam's outburst. For a moment Sam felt fear, how would Optimus react? Then Optimus shuttered his optics briefly before looking back up at Sam, his expression uncomfortable.
"Sam, I admit with hindsight that you were manipulated into this position. I did not see it as such at the time, and you did not realise how it was on Cybertron. On Cybertron, with more than one mech around who had charge of a band of people, a request for help had to be formalised, to avoid confusion or fighting between two Leaders over one femme who had been aided by both." He sighed before going on as Sam looked blank.
"On Cybertron, in a battle or in a difficult situation, a femme can ask for one-off help. To differentiate between whether the femme in need is making a one-off request, or requesting permanent assistance, the leader mech will ask her if it's a formal request or not. If a femme says no, than there is no obligation, except from the femme's chosen protector, who owes the assisting mech a favour. However, if she says 'yes' she is considered Prime's - or Leader's, not all Leaders were Primes- Owned. In the confusion of the fight, I did not realise that, having been brought up as a human, you would not know you could say no. Coupled with your panicked state, I misunderstood your request as a decision that you wanted me as your primary protector. Sam, I apologise." He paused. "Ratchet tried to tell me and I did not listen." He dimmed his optics briefly, then continued.
"I hope that you can grow to trust me, despite the misunderstanding that occurred yesterday, so we may fight effectively in battle should the need arise. All of the mechs here have known me for vorns, you and I have known each other a comparatively short time. We need to get used to each other, to get to know each other so we can fight as part of a team."
Sam was about to let rip with a smart-aleck reply to that, but then her audio processors caught up with her mouth, and she stared as Optimus' words sank in.
"You let your femmes fight? On the front line, with you and the other mechs?" Sam said. He was surprised, for although the U.S had women in the services, few were allowed on the front line of any conflict, and even that was a recent development, and not one that everybody approved of. Sam saw a brief smile cross Optimus' faceplates.
"Why not? They are equally capable of doing so, and in some cases more so. Why discriminate against them due to their gender, or body form?" He smiled again. "Had we tried, I think we might have been in trouble, I cannot imagine Elita's team allowing themselves to be locked up in-base while the mechs leave to fight. Ironhide himself tells me you have a natural talent for dodging and attacking, and that you learn fast."
Optimus rose. "It seems that you may get your chance to learn to transform sooner than I thought. Ironhide informs me that Major Lennox has informed him that the vehicles are en-route and will be here in a hour. Come, we can talk to Ratchet and Ironhide and get them to give you their com codes." 'That way, you can get some more practice in, and soon you will be comming as naturally as vocalising.'
Sam grinned and as Optimus moved forwards, fell into step just a pace behind.
An hour later, she looked over the vehicles. Ratchet helpfully pointed out those where she had too much, or too little, mass to manage, and Sam eliminated another few she disliked or thought inappropriate. Finally she chose an Army-issue all-terrain motorbike, one that would not look too out of place in a town, but would perform equally well off-road. After receiving information on how-to from Optimus, she changed the colour to a more civilian shade of green, not too bright but not obviously Military issue, so she'd blend in more in the city.
She had to get used to walking again with all her extra 'kibble', but this didn't take as long as re-learning to walk after her change. She found, after a little practice, that she could connect her legs together to use one of her wheels for getting around, something she found fun once she'd got the hang of it. Her daily meetings with Optimus continued, as did her daily weapons practice with Ironhide. He taught her how to fire and dodge now in vehicle mode, as well as when walking and running, and wheeling in 'bot form. Her days were now so full that she had little time to dwell on the Decepticons, who had not shown themselves since their thrashing a few weeks previously.
Those who knew the Decepticons of old were not relaxed, however. The Decepticons had now had ample time to figuratively lick their wounds and repair themselves. Their very silence indicated they were plotting something, and even as Sam began to get into a routine at the Base, and the memory of their kidnap attempt became less distressing with time, certain Autobots were on the alert for the Decepticons' next move. They knew that the longer they kept silent, the more dangerous they would become.