Queen's notes: I was having a bit of a writer's block and then ended up just rambling away here XD So...have a cute Chip?

Added note: I was in a car accident not long ago, and things have slowed down for writing in general for me again, I was sideswiped and run off the road so... yeah, my back and next hurt... so ouchies. But I still worked on my long chapter here, I hope you enjoy the read regardless.

From the Depths

Depth Charge

There were many things you had to get used to when working with the Autobots, more so when you were not, in fact, an Autobot yourself. Such as when your person was made of a far softer material then Cybertronian metal, nor were you anywhere as tall as the smallest of Minibots. For example, if you were made almost completely of organic materials of flesh and blood, but also a few mechanical parts for assisting your movements to, you know, get around.

However, one of the things that Chip liked about being in the Autobot base was being able to get around so very easily compared to many places in the outside world. The metallic flooring was smooth and jointed together in a way that rarely had a large enough gap he couldn't get across. Not to mention it was level for the most part, some areas slanted but not to the point he couldn't get up the 'hill' and costing to other areas. Not to say that Chip made a point of going everywhere in the Ark, not only was that not advisable, but the young man just knew better than that, and respected where the Autobots didn't want humans. Not only for the crew's own safety with possible sensitive areas, but for the safety of their far more squish-able allies being where the mechs' were not expecting humans to be.

Chip also fallowed the unspoken rules that had developed for the humans that worked with the Autobots, staying close to the side walls, if not in arm's reach of one, giving the open space of the gigantic halls to the mechs. It was also a good way to know who was new to visiting the Ark, often it was the military men or the rare few reporters that made the mistake of going into the hearer traffic areas. It was fun to laugh at them from the safety of the side lines or from where he had been put on a desk, table or even settled on a mech's shoulder such as Prowl, Wheeljack or Sunsteaker, or even a Minibot's lap like with Brawn or Bumblebee.

Right now Chip was making his way alone, trusted to do so now, to try and see if Wheeljack was available to talk. It had been several weeks, almost a month since he last talk to the engineer, and though there was no big hurry for what Chip wanted advice on, his due date was coming up, and Wheeljack had long since expressed his willingness to look over things as well as his want to. As fascinated with the ever evolving human technology as much as caring about his soft tiny friend's endeavors. Though that had flustered Chip when that was told to him the first few times, he now liked getting advice from the Autobot. He was never bothered by Prowl or Jazz, or even Ironhide, as Chip wasn't after any Autobot technology, or trying to get the crew's engineer to make him anything. Wheeljack had offered a few times to 'spruce up' Chip's wheelchair, but the young man didn't want much but a few minor things.

At least up until it was broken by Rumble, and had been deeply honored when Optimus Prime had not only found and picked him up, but asked Wheeljack to make a chair a little sturdier. No Cybertronian alloys but the wheelchair that Chip now cruised in had a very subtle assist up slanted slopes as long as it was paved ground. The young man smiled despite himself at the memory of that day, even with the rough housing from the Decepticon, he had gotten to spend some unexpected time with Optimus in a good humor. The young man slowed at an open door way, peeking in to the not so empty bay, scanning the large feet for those he knew as well as Wheeljack's voice. Hearing none Chip wanted to talk to at the moment, not even Ratchet seemed to be in the mist of the excitement, though Sideswipe was there the teen wasn't sure he wanted to get involved as the red front line warrior was being louder than normal and his twin wasn't around to help (not that Chip disliked the twin Autobots, they were great fun and even took him to places he could never get to on his own or with human help). He made due time across the open space to the safety of the wall on the other side, back to half costing and to one of Wheeljack's known, slightly safer domains.

After an incident with Carly and a broken arm, no humans were aloud in Wheeljack's testing area unless Ratchet had a hold of them or the human was in an armor pocket.

Carly still got in past Ironhide and Ratchet somehow, no one but Jazz seemed to have an idea how, and Jazz wasn't saying anything.

Chip smiled as he headed to the engineering bay and parts storage, if Wheeljack wasn't there then he would turn around and leave a message with Rewind. The micro-bot was half on duty with Blaster, and even with the bigger mech in that absorbing level of busy, Rewind always found time to take the non vital messages of a few favorite humans to give to an Autobot. Chip liked Rewinds and Eject, not just of them being human sized but the two were so alike and different and both also liked pushing Chip around, and talking to him. He had found out they even wanted to spend some free time at his place or at work, Rewind happy to learn and Eject to have a human to talk sports with or have something explained.

The human started to slow, noticing fresh tire marks on the ground and tilted his head, becoming a little worried as they really did looked fresh. Yet when Chip stopped to lean over the arm of his wheelchair to touch the closest mark, it was cool.

"Some people have been races." Chip realized, blinking and twisted to look behind him, his right hand still gripping the wheel on the same side... and that was when he remembered the roughdryness behind him, even glimpsing Ironhide. "Oh boy, that's only one set."

"Chip?" it wasn't Wheeljack's voice that drifted out of the next open door, but Perceptor's, "Do not stay out there, the warriors are betting again!"

"Is it safe to come in?" Chip lifted his voice, having spotted a metallic muzzle of one of Wheeljack's pets. Dinosaur like, with a sweeping but low crest that glowed red and orange, yet still bringing to mind the images from the Jurassic Park movie based on the old park.

"It's safe!" Wheeljack's voice called, then gave a chirp-warble that had the Cyber-Raptor vanishing, and Chip started down the hall again, "It's just a few of the little males, they won't hurt you chip."

"Now please get out of the hall of those hooligans-" Perceptor's voice again, but it paused as Sideswipe have a Cybertronian warble that was, as far as the teen knew was the equivalent of a woop. "Before that hooligan gets his hands on you. Would you get the human?" he asked a third mech that was passing the doorway, Chip only caught a glimpse of blue as he had been in the motion of turning partly in his wheelchair to look behind him as he came up to the doorway. Just as he saw Sideswipe's interest perk up as his blue gaze landed on the human, Chip saw Tracks fallowing Brawn out, talking about something.

Chip blinked, confused at first, who was in the work shop if that was Tracks down there? And why was Sideswipe suddenly giving him a strange look...?

The young man turned around just in time to see the large silver cord coming at him. At least what he thought was a cord-robe of the Autobots at that first moment before it coiled around Chip and his chair, the end staying away, and tapering to a thick, half diamond shaped point. The young man could see, in a startled, detached way as he was picked up, that one side almost looked serrated. And then Chip was yelping as he was being moved, pulled into Wheeljack's workshop, but the teen was pulled around the door and to the other side of the wall, near but not close to one of the (confused) Cyber Raptors.

He was set back down surprisingly gently back down onto the copper-golden ground, and the 'cored' uncoiled, lifting up and over the teen to let Chip see what was around him again. He leaned back and to his left, seeing first a set of pedes and realizing that he didn't recognize them. The base of the closer metallic foot was silver, with grasping toes folded together to look like the solid boot-shape most Autobots had. Lifting confused hazel eyes, Chip saw that tarnished yellow of the mecha equivalent of a calf, and a spiked looking knee guard that had a slight curl to it.

"Well, I hadn't meant you to do that Depth Charge..." Perceptor said from behind and to Chips left, walking over to close the door against the next likely indoor agility race.

Chip however wasn't listening, leaning back in his wheelchair and looking up at the mech that turning and crouching down to get a better look at the human. "Whoa..." Chip breathed, forgetting all about the reason he had come as he realized this mech was what some of the Autobots called a 'beast-former.' Only even he could tell that this mostly blue mech was far, far more streamlined then the Dinobots or the Insecticons- and Chip knew both groups. From reading stories to Swoop, to playing poker when 'kidnapped' by the Insecticons (the times with the latter group was oddly fun, as Bombshell and Kickback were great card players...chip just hope no one asked about the strip poker time in the colony).

Then Chip took in the large arching wing like panels, the sweep of them that seemed just slightly off though he didn't know why, and the long silver thing- the tail that waving in slow motion. That was what had grabbed him, the last hand span it looked like as the tail became thicker and stronger looking the closer it came to the mech's body, and then out of the teen's sight.

"Chip, this is the newest guest of the Ark." Perceptor said stepping over to the two as the boy finally looked up into the wide, red oval shaped optics. The red and black autobot rested a hand on the new mech's shoulder as a low growling almost purr came out of the beast former, "He has been in recovery, but has been on earth nearly as long as us, though he has been awake much longer save for a thousand or so years."

The mech tilted his head, slowing offering a hand, the claws fully retracted as far as they could go, but for the tips at the very end. He was very gentle, letting the young man hesitantly reach out to touch the warm living metal, though he was a little cooler then the mechs Chip was used to.

"What's your name?" he asked, wondering a moment later if this new mech had a translation pack. Just as he remembered that this mech might already know, with him being awake on Earth longer then the Autobots, and as Perceptor was just opening his mouth to say something, there was a loud chime from in Chip's wheelchair.

Or rather, from the tablet in the space between his right leg and the chair itself, Chip glanced back up to see the new mech arching an optic ridge at him. He pulled the pad out, glancing at the text that was on the open document.

"Depth Charge?" Chip asked, and looked up startled as Perceptor made a strange sound, and Depth Charge snorted, but nodded to the teen.

"You...fiend!" Wheeljack said from his spot on the floor, laying on his back before half rolling over to point at the beast-former, "I was right! Those nanites of yours have already eaten through the Comm-block haven't they?"

This new mech shrugged, the motion light but it translated to a flex and flair of the strange wings on his back. Depth Charge's face was hard for the human to read, but the ruby optics glittered as if he were smiling, or smirking as the long tail swayed out behind him.

"Yes you are partly a fiend, though some mechs were quite insensitive enough to insist on that block." Perceptor snorted, eyeing the hallway as he stepped lightly over to close the door, avoiding the silvery tail, to block out the sounds and shenanigans outside in the hall before the next race started.

Depth Charge gave a low, almost growling sound, his attention still on the human as he tilted his head waiting until his finger was freed before lightly tapping the chair.

"I can't walk, so I wheel," Chip explained, blinking as the blue and sliver mecha nodded, surprised that he seemed to understand. Most of the Autobots that where first meeting humans, and him, took a few minutes to grasp.

"Depth Charge has been interacting with humans longer then we Autobots have been," Perceptor said noting the confusion on the human's face after coming over to tap on the beast-former's left pectoral wing before checking a spot once it was uncurled fully. Red optics watching the red and black mech carefully, but allowing the contact for now, though his tail tip started tapping on the ground.

"Longer then the autobots?" Chip echoed, confused, blinking and looked up at the new mecha's face, "You've been awake on earth?"

Depth Charge nodded, giving a faint rumble and twitched before rubbing the muscle cables in his next.

"Take it easy on that voice box," Wheeljack warned, shifting to look over as one of his smallest of the lesser male raptors detached from the loving pile to trot over to the other group. The engineer continued as the greenish cyber raptor started sniffing at the human's wheelchair, "Its one of a kind, and needs time to heal. And I know you don't want Ratchet lecturing again."

There was a snort like sound from Depth Charge, but the sound was more... human like to Chip then what the Autobots did most of the time. Almost... more organic in sound, like it was coming from the upper chest and nose like a human.

Chip grinned despite himself as the cittering cyber raptor shifted its head to sniff and scent on the young man's head, shoulder and anther muzzle poked at his middle over the data pad. "Well hello there to you too Peeper, Abby." He reached a slow hand up to touch the blue-silver hide of the first raptor, feeling the heavy head press down into his hand as fingers scritched on the very edge of his jaw line. It was always amazing to him, that Wheeljack was not only the infamous 'mad scientist' of the Ark, but finding out that Wheeljack was also the equivalent of the 'crazy cat lady' as well. It just the made Chip's day with seeing it every time.

More so with the engineer happily sprawled on his back like he was now, with an arm full of the other two raptors and nuzzling them off and on, with another having been sprawled over the Autobot's middle.

How ever nothing beat last year, of seeing Wheeljack bounce outside waving his arms and winglets at the Autbots milling about and yelling 'JAZZ! My raptor queen had EGGS! Come see!' He had just been so happy to no end, not caring about the special or even that he has to put eggs into stasis after, but his 'baby' had eggs and he had to tell the hole of the Ark and get the approval his friends.

That too had been very, human like.

Depth Charge shifted, nudging the raptors off, tapping the ground with the long tail that swung around and wiggled the end. The temptation was too much and both Peeper and Abby darted after the tail with trills and mock growls, playful opal colors flashing through the small head-crests of the males.

"They really are like cats." Chip noted, but he was greatful for his personal space back, "If you've been awake on earth longer then the Autbots, you must have been hiding, or, not 'hiding' but out of sight...very well?" The young man tried to be tactful.

The data pad chimed again, and Chiped looked down before grinning at the text.

Was hiding, staying out of the way, but then I slept in.

Chip had a feeling he would like this new mecha a lot.

Reviews!

Guest 1 'ss' :
If you're asking if I'm pairing up Ratchet and Depth Charge, then no. No shipping of that kind, them becoming slow friends however, yes I'm getting that off the plot bunny.

There is going to be some interactions with Decpeticons later on as well, but not many. Depth Charge knows there's something that can't helped be found out about his frame, but since his frame is mutated into a transmetal, its not really a derect give away to maximal tech. But Depth Charge won't take risks to effect history, and harm countless sparks, Maximal, Predacon and human. (though someone might get tail-whacked out of no where)

Shimmering Dawnstar:
n.n glad you liked the last chapter!

Guest 2 'Giddy' :
.o. thank you so much, that made me so happy when your review came in. not to sound horrible but writing mute characters is a bit fun, of how to get them to still get points across. Also, the Ducky is not forgotten XD I'm happy to see someone else remember that!

MellifluousMondegreen:
I came up with Slipstream years and years ago when I was plotting out beast wars-2007 movie cross over... well, before that really but that's when Silpstream was partnered with Depth Charge in my head space. As the the drones being like the cassettes, not really, I haven't made up my mind if they are sparked in this story (leaning to them not really being sparked) or not.

Where as like Rumble and Frenzy and so on, have sparks of their own and their own minds able to think independent of Sondwave's mind, such as able to do missions on their own and improvise if needed. But Slipstream and Deep Optics here are linked into Depth Charge's mind, if on their own, they're pretty passive, able to do some things on their own if not land-locked, he can take over them to direct personally, or give them orders such as 'scout over here and there. give me another view of this here.' The drones in this story I'm having more that they are like a cross of a young child and puppy when out of combat or duty, such as going 'ooo! PETS!' to Optimus Prime, and playing in the oil bath.

(did I ramble enough there? n.n;)

Guest 3:
Thank you for reading!

Sparks2468:
Err... thank you for reading, and reviewing, but you can calm down sweetie. Seeing text like that is kinda weird, I mean no offence to you, but to writers in general (to myself and all those that I know and talk to) seeing caps locked demands in review spaces like that comes off as... kind of bratty. Take a metaphorical breath (hugs!) you'll get better responses from authers of the stories that you like. And from a writer's point of view, seeing something that's not caps is more encouraging to write more. (hugs again) more chapters are coming I promise, and thank you for reading so far