Midas Touch
ChapterThree
Sam and Mikaela told Optimus, Ratchet, and Bumblebee what had happened on the way back to the Autobot base. Once they had come to a more isolated spot where Bumblebee could stop, Bumblebee pulled in, turned off the hologram, and allowed Sam and Mikaela to get back in the front seats, and then has swiftly caught back up with Optimus and Ratchet. Once that had been done, the Autobots had opened a three-way communications bridge between the three vehicles so the three adult Cybertronians and two adolescent humans could all converse.
When they got into base, Optuius and Ratchet herded all the AllSpark babies over to a startled Ironhide.
"What am I meant to do with these?" asked the astonished Weapons Specialist.
"Look after them and keep them occupied until I've finished looking over Sam. Get Mirage and Hound to help, I'm sure a disappearing mech and a display of holographic excellence will keep them out of trouble." said Ratchet. "They have enough data to understand simple data burst and verbal commands."
"Okay, come with me in an orderly fashion, no trampling each other, you'll all get to see." said Ironhide, and went off, his entourage following. As Mirage and Hound, who had obviously been summoned by data burst, Sam was suddenly reminded of a school trip out. He wondered if Ironhide would get them to get into groups of two and hold tight to each other's manipulatory appendages. Ratchet beckoned Sam and Mikaela in as he walked into the med bay.
Mikaela was scanned first, and Ratchet pronounced her healthy, with a swiftly-dissipating residue of AllSpark energy. Then he lifted Sam gently up to his operating table and performed a deeper-level energy scan, as well as a general health scan on him.
"There are low levels of AllSpark energy in your body, Sam, but not enough to cause the situation we found at the store upon arrival. I can only assume that the likelihood of it happening again any time in the next two to three months is remote. After all, it has taken until now for this to take effect, and it is now one hundred and twenty-seven days after the events of Mission City. If you are lucky, this will be a one-off effect, a last discharge of the AllSpark energy that somehow became stored in your body. that will never happen again, but in case it is not, I now have approximately four of your months to work on a collection device."
"Hey, hey, you mean this could happen again?" Sam asked.
"I am hoping not, Sam, I am hoping that some of its energy passed to you, and has discharged itself as a delayed reaction, and that that is the last effect you will suffer." Ratchet explained. "I am assuming that your fragile body could not contain what is, after all, a very powerful energy. That would explain why it made you feel ill. However, there is a possibility that, as the AllSpark was a self-generating energy source, some energy, if it is still left, could build up to create a similar effect. However, it took four months to build up to that level that time, why should it build up any faster this time? Four months should be long enough for me to work out some plans for a device you can use to drain off the energy, should it become necessary. " Sam sighed with relief.
"Thanks, Ratchet." he said.
"In the meantime, Sam, to keep an optic on what, if any, permanent effects such unprecedented contact with the AllSpark as you had may have had on your body, I want to check up on you once a lunar month. Report to me here in twenty-eight Earth days. However, if you feel ill again sooner, or get any more unexpected effects, Bumblebee is to bring you to me the moment any such effects are noticed." Bumblebee, who was in the room, nodded as Ratchet turned to look at him.
"Yes, Sir." said Sam, reflecting that not only must he be the only human in the USA-no, the world-to have an alien medic as well as a human one, but this medic charged no fees for his services. Like all medics, however, Ratchet insisted that his patients follow orders.
As he and Bumblebee were dismissed, he saw Ironhide bringing ten of the largest AllSpark babies-comprised of widescreen televisions and cookers-over. "Hound and Mirage are entertaining the others." he explained to Sam and Mikaela.
Recalling how many of them there had been, Sam reflected that Ratchet was in for a lot of work that day, to check them all out and make sure they were all healthy.
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The Essence knew that the delay in releasing the energy build up had endangered its current Vessel's existence. This part of the Essence was merely the portion that extended into this plane, for the unlimited energy of the Essence could not be contained by any physical form, but even this was too much for the fragile Vessel within which it now existed. It could not allow such a dangerous build-up to occur again.
To protect its Vessel, it would have to discharge more often, or allow a constant slow leakage of the energy when it got to dangerous levels.