For The Race – Prime Protector.
Chapter Twenty.
"These suggestions mainly come from the femmes themselves," Optimus said. "Anything we agree to must also be agreed to by them. The rules as they stand are that bonded femmes are cared for by their bonded, and I take unbonded ones under my care, in exchange for complete obedience, off duty as well as on."
"But, as you said, that does restrict all the other mechs, and us femmes as well," the green femme interjected. She was sat on the corner of the Prime's desk closest to Starscream, one leg dangling over the edge, the other hooked up and over it.
"Exactly, Moonracer, which is why we are here," Optimus said. "Perhaps we can find a way to adapt the custom so that it is fair to the majority of us all, be we Autobots or Decepticons, mechs or femmes."
"Can I have your assurance that the taboo on forcing will remain a taboo?" This was from an orange-red and white femme who had a broad stripe of metallic blue around her top left arm.
"Yes, Flareup, you are correct, that should be something that remains," Optimus said, looking at Starscream and Skywarp who, wanting to hear more, both nodded.
"How about...if a femme dates a mech, the mech becomes responsible for her safety?" Sam asked.
"That would make sense," Optimus said, "but what worries me is the consequences if we battle. If the mech and the femme are on opposite sides, the mech might be faced with a conflict of loyalties."
"Well, the answer to that seems simple enough to me," Starscream said, not quite believing that Optimus could not see the potential solution that he could. "We call a ceasefire for the duration of any courting."
"What if that courting took vorns? Would you willing to end hostilities for that duration?" Optimus asked, and the look he shot at Starscream was challenging. "And what would protect any resulting sparkling if hostilities resumed? I know nobody here would deliberately target sparklings, but accidents happen."
"Would the Autobots be willing to listen to our grievances and give in to our demands?" asked Starscream.
"As Autobot Leader, I can say that we would listen to your grievances and consider your demands," Optimus said, and continued, as Starscream opened his mouth to make another statement, "especially if they were couched as requests. If we feel they are unworkable or unrealistic, or just too much to expect, we can discuss them, and maybe come to some sort of compromise and understanding. However, there is one thing I must request of you before we even do that."
"What would that be?" asked Starscream.
"Call a ceasefire in your dealings with humans. As our allies, they must be factored in to everything we wish to do on this planet."
"Will they share their resources if we do this?" Starscream asked. Optimus gave a small smile.
"If you were willing to negotiate a truce, or even an alliance, as we have done, and factor in the provision of fuel as part of the deal – but don't demand, that'll annoy them and make the negotiations difficult – then I don't see why they shouldn't, and while the deal is being brokered, we could allow you some of what we have," Optimus said. As Starscream went to speak again, Optimus cut him off. "We are willing to share, but you must remember that it is the humans who provide for our needs here. If we were found to be providing fuel to those they see as enemies, it could give them reason to withdraw the same from us. If you want us to share, you must give something back. Sharing should go both ways. The humans give us fuel in return for alliance. Could you not do the same?"
"Peace with humans?" Starscream asked. "Peace with puny organics?"
"Peace to live your lives without being shot at as you try to steal fuel!" Elita said, jumping to her feet still on Optimus' desk, and looking at Starscream. "Peace to fly without worrying about being targeted by missiles! Peace to live, and court, and love, and peace to have, and rear, sparklings!"
She took advantage of the silence her cry had caused. She spoke again, but this time to everybody.
"I have had the pain of losing sparklings, and one of those was due to the war. I am sick of fighting, sick of having to watch my back at every turn. With the AllSpark gone, our race is in even more risk of extinction, especially if we continue to try and destroy each other. I thought the concern was to save the race, but if you are happy to blow each other up, fine, go ahead, but I am not going to even attempt to bear a single sparkling unless this now-pointless war is over!"
"Pointless?" cried Starscream. "The point is equality with the Autobots, for us all to be treated as equals. We Decepticons had to stand by and watch while Autobot nobles and senators lived in luxury while some of us could barely get enough energon to stay alive, and the things we had to do to get it!" He shuddered. "Seekers down mines, locked away from the sky because they were strong enough to haul ore. Qualified problem solvers and dancers and builders left to scavenge because the work wasn't available, or only available to those from certain areas, certain families, or with certain connections!" He growled. "And you call that pointless?"
"It is now! Elita said, glaring back at him. "Cybertron is destroyed, lifeless, because of the war. The old regime, the senators, the corruption, the nepotism and intrigue are gone with it. We are all on a new planet, with new chances and new lives. Why do we have fuel and you don't? Because we are allied with those who provide it, and you are actively attacking them! You expect them to hand out fuel and resources when you're their enemy?" She stood forwards, her optics never leaving Starscream's. "If you want equality then earn it! Make peace with the humans, then maybe you'll get the equality with us that you desire!"
In the silence that followed her outburst, Skywarp spoke out uncertainly.
"Sparklings? Would we – would I – be able to have a sparkling, with one of you?" His optics darted around the room, lighting briefly on each of the femmes. One of them, a red and white flame-patterned femme, wandered over to him and put her hand on his arm. He jumped slightly, having not expected the contact.
"Why not? I wouldn't deny you my berth." She purred and stroked his arm, as Moonracer eyed Starscream and made suggestive gestures with her hands. Starscream tried to ignore her, focusing on Optimus, but his optics kept being drawn back to Moonracer, particularly when she began crossing and uncrossing her legs as she sat provocatively on the edge of Optimus' desk.
"So...if we have peace talk with you, and with the humans...?" he asked.
"You will be included in my alteration to the Prime's Own rule. A femme can state her willingness to allow a mech to court her, and you are as eligible as any other.
"And if the talks lead to a permanent ceasefire...sparklings?" asked Skywarp. Optimus nodded.
"If the femme is agreeable," he said.
"Okay, if this is gonna be definite, can I put in my choice to not be courted? By anybody?" Sam asked. A few eye ridges shot up in response, but Optimus nodded.
"It is her right," he stated.
"So, you only want to go with Autobots?" Starscream asked, and was surprised when Sam shook her head.
"No, I don't want to go with anybody, Autobot or Decepticon, at least not until I've been adequately taught," she explained. "I'm not used to this, any of it, and I just want to get used to the idea and the sensation first." He looked at Starscream and Skywarp, then at Optimus, Ironhide and Ratchet, imploringly. "I'm not stipulating this forever, just until I'm used to the idea, and I know what I'm doing and what's expected of me, how to do things and what I can expect. Maybe then I'll allow dates – and I can probably ignore faction – but I need the time to learn and to adjust."
Starscream realised he had something to offer, and bowed to Sam. Having now got her attention, as she stared at him with wide optics, he spoke.
"If you would accept having more than one teacher, I believe you might find it advantageous to allow me to participate in your teaching, after all when it comes to interface, we Seekers are, I believe humans would call "pass masters" in the subject."
"Hey, wait a minute, you were willing to force me and now you wish me to trust you to teach me?" Sam cried. "Why should I?"
Starscream cringed, then bowed again.
"Now I see what a great mistake, what a bad idea that was and I offer unreserved apologies for the folly of those misguided attempts. I understand if you do not trust me, but I have nothing more to offer you but my word. I promise you that I would only teach what you permit, that if I break my word, you and yours have the right to whatever retribution you see fit." He finished, then his optics brightened.
"Wait! There is something I can offer you. I can mark you as my kin, this will give you my protection and that of my trine, as well as Optimus'. If anyone were to harm you, I would be honour bound to defend you, and to mete out a suitable punishment, and as your surrogate Creator, I would be subject to deactivation if I were to deliberately harm you while under my care."
Sam was not sure what to say to this, but then Optimus spoke.
"Starscream is correct when he tells you that he could teach you about interface. There is little about interface that a Seeker does not know, and much knowledge that is lost to me that he could teach you. He is also sincere when he talks about what benefits his marking you would bring, and what that would require of him if you needed that protection, and if he himself harmed you. If you wish to accept his offer, I would be willing to allow that."
"Well, yeah, okay, but can the teaching be at my own pace?" Sam asked. Starscream nodded solemnly, and reached for Sam's arm. Sam leaned back, alarm in her optics.
"What do you want? I asked at my pace and I'm not ready now," she told him.
"Allow me to put my mark upon you so that others from my faction may see it, and know to let you pass unmolested," Starscream said. Sam allowed the Seeker to take her arm, and he carved a glyph on the outside of her elbow, a thin string of paint curling up from Starscream's claw, the silver beneath gleaming in the glyph's lines.
"Well, now that's settled, who's willing to be courted?" asked Elita. "I am myself, however I want Optimus to have my first sparkling."
"And I want Hidey to have my first," said the stunning blue femme. "He is my bonded."
"Heidi?" Sam asked, getting an image of a seven year old girl with blonde corkscrew curls against the backdrop of the Swiss alps.
"Ironhide" said Mikaela with a giggle "and its spelled H-I-D-E-Y, Hidey, not like the girl's name, before you ask," Mikaela said, smothering a giggle.
"Well, I guess we can wait if we have to," Starscream said, unable to keep the disappointment out of his voice.
"Oh, I don't know, why wait? I don't have a bonded," said Moonracer.
"Nor I," said the red and white flame patterned femme.
"Are you both asking permission to court the two Seekers, Starscream and Skywarp? You, Moonracer , and you, Firestar?" asked Optimus, and the pair both nodded, Moonracer actually getting up and taking Starscream's hand.
"Then if it is what you both wish, as the Prime, I grant your request and ask you, Starscream, and you, Skywarp, to protect these two femmes to the best of your ability should the need to arise."
"Well, our agreement is based on the assumption that there will be a ceasefire leading to some sort of discussions about peace talks," Moonracer said, looking up at Starscream with wide, hopeful optics.
"Oh, yes, of course," Starscream said. "If you are agreeable, Optimus, I will call a seventy-two hour ceasefire, effective immediately, and start talks about a longer peace tomorrow."
"Then why delay any further?" Moonracer asked. "Come to my room, lovely sleek Seeker, and let's get to know each other, intimately."
"What about Thundercracker?" Starscream asked. "We can't leave him out!"
"Bring him in, I'll give him energon as well," Ratchet said.
"And I'll give him a proper welcome, if I like what I see," the small, purple femme Arcee said.
"Optimus, can you contact your human friends and invite them to the peace talks?" Starscream asked. The Decepticon Leader sent a comm to all the Decepticons ordering a seventy-two-hour ceasefire, a suggestion of great reward if they obeyed it, and the threat of permanent deactivation if they disobeyed. He called Thundercracker to the Autobot base, ordering him to report to Ratchet when he arrived, and then ceased fighting Moonracer's increasingly insistent tugs on his arm, and followed her out of Optimus' room, Skywarp and Firestar following.
As the doors closed behind them, Optimus quietly dismissed the rest of the assembled, and put in a call to Major Lennox and SecDef Keller.
As he waited for them to connect, he opened a comm channel to two of the femmes.
'Sam, Elita, my room tonight, 2100 hours, in my berth if you please.'