Smugglers 3: The Beginning Is The End
Chapter 9: Earth
"Why are we going to Earth again?" Prowl asked.
Not at all surprised by the question for he had been expecting it ever since Bulkhead's announcement an hour earlier Optimus said, "Because Bumblebee wanted to check up on Sari while we were near the Bassan Galaxy since we're fixing to head back Cybertron."
Prowl was silent for a few minutes then hesitantly he said, "Prime, do you…have you noticed how scared Bumblebee's been recently?"
Optimus nodded. You'd have to blind not to notice how jumpy the little bot had grown over the past week. "He's been like that ever since we found out that Wasp escaped."
"Exactly," Prowl said triumphantly. "Why should Bumblebee, who's only met Wasp once and in a courtroom at that, be so terrified of him? It doesn't make any sense unless…" Prowl's voice drifted off as he looked meaningfully at Optimus.
"Unless what?" Optimus asked. Prowl merely raised an optic ridge as Optimus's optics suddenly narrowed. "You don't honestly think that Wasp was responsible for that do you?"
"Why not? It makes perfect sense," the black-and-gold ninja bot argued, leaning forward across the rec room table. "According to Bulkhead on the same day that Wasp escaped he received an anonymous note telling him to go to the planet where he saw Wasp. That sounds just a little suspicious to me."
"I suppose you're right," Optimus admitted rather reluctantly.
"And, no offense to Bulkhead, he's just a little naïve about some things. It probably never occurred to him that Wasp might be the one responsible."
"Responsible for what?" a voice from behind Prowl asked, causing both bots to jump.
"You scared us, Ratchet," Optimus gasped, placing a servo over his spark chamber, feeling his spark trying to settle back to its normal rhythm.
"Sorry," Ratchet said as he sat down at the table with them, not looking apologetic in the least. "Responsible for what?"
Prowl and Optimus exchanged glances then Optimus said, "We were discussing whether or not we thought Wasp was responsible for Bumblebee's accident."
Ratchet didn't look surprised but merely nodded; a thoughtful look on his faceplate. "Wasp could have been responsible," he said. "Bumblebee's memory chips from that time are scrambled beyond repair and the rest are so jumbled up I couldn't make any sense out of them," he admitted.
Optimus checked his chronometer then rose to his pedes saying, "Well as interesting as this conversation is we should be arriving on Earth any moment now so we might want to go ahead and make our way to the cargo bay."
"Probably a good idea," Ratchet said as he and Prowl stood as well then followed Optimus.
Thankfully the landing wasn't quite as rough as it had been the last time for which Optimus was eternally grateful. He didn't think his frame could have survived it a second time. All the same it was still rather difficult to get off as he was nearly trampled by Bumblebee who immediately began trying to climb a tree the second his pedes touched the ground.
"I can't believe we're on Earth again," Optimus moaned as he stepped aside to let Bulkhead out.
"I know exactly what you mean," the big green mech said gravely. "I mean it was kinda fun to travel to another dimension and all that but still I'm just glad we're on our Earth."
"Especially since the other Earth had those pit-spawned twins Sideswipe and Sunstreaker," Ratchet grunted. "They were worse than the Jettwins."
"What happened to the Jettwins anyway?" Prowl asked.
Meanwhile…Prowl was enjoying his day as it had turned out to be peaceful so far which, while it had been a rarity before, only happened once every few months thanks to the three new additions that had suddenly appeared without any warning. Not entirely sure how to return them to their home, Optimus Prime had given them an empty room where, no doubt, the head of their little trio was probably recharging. Prowl wasn't sure where the two smaller Autobots were which made him slightly worried as it meant they were probably playing another prank. What was it about twins and pranks anyway?
His thoughts were interrupted by the bots in question as two blue and orange blurs flew down the hallway, knocking the datapads that Prowl had been holding in his servos to the floor. "Brother and I be sorry," one of the twins called before they disappeared.
Prowl glared after them then looked at the jumbled up pile of datapads on the floor before bending over to pick them up. He had just gotten them re-arranged when Sideswipe and Sunstreaker came zooming down the hall, knocking Prowl flat on his back and scattering the datapads again. "Sorry," Sideswipe apologized breathlessly as he and his brother turned the corner.
Prowl could feel his right optic beginning to twitch as he slowly rose to a sitting position and began stacking the datapads once more. Just as he finished however he heard two mighty roars of rage then the sound of heavy footfalls before both Ironhide's appeared, their armor covered in pink paint and weapons at the ready.
"Where did those fraggers go?" the orange Ironhide demanded.
Normally Prowl wouldn't tell a very furious Ironhide where to find the objects of his wrath but Prowl was fed up; he was tired of the pranks and everything else so he pointed in the direction where both sets of twins had gone then went with the weapons specialists', leaving the pile of datapads on the floor behind him.
The drive to Detroit was quiet…again. Optimus didn't know what it was about Earth that seemed to always sober Bumblebee but today he felt the same somberness overtaking him as well. Apparently the other three felt the same way for they were all silent. The only sounds coming from them the rumbling of their engines or the tires screeching when they took a corner too sharply.
It wasn't long before they reached Motor City and Sumdac Towers. It looked the same as it had last time yet the ground around the tall building was infinitely different. Last time it had been brown and slightly squishy. Now it was green with purple and other colors thrown haphazardly though it.
"What is that?" Prowl asked, indicating one of the colored objects.
'"Those are flowers," Bumblebee explained. "Humans plant them to make the ground look pretty."
"I see." It was obvious from the way the motorcycle sat that he didn't explain but Bumblebee didn't explain any more.
Once again they waited in the parking lot for what seemed like hours. Optimus resisted the temptation to sheck his internal chronometer and see how much time had passed; instead he observed their surroundings and watched the organic creatures go about their daily lives. How anyone could stand going around all day without an alt mode confused the red-and-blue bot but he didn't comment on it, figuring that was their choice.
Finally they spotted the two humans they were looking for or, more accurately, Prowl spotted them then informed the others. They watched the humans enter the tall building and then waited some more. Having been warned earlier that they were going to be in the parking lot for a while Optimus decided to use the opportunity to take a stasis nap and told Prowl to wake him up later. By the time Optimus re-awoke it was night, the moon shining brightly over the city, casting shadows on the pavement and bathing the Transformers with its golden light like a beacon beckoning to travelers afar off.
"What are we doing?" Prowl asked quietly, as if afraid that anything louder than a whisper would disturb the planet's inhabitants.
"We're going to leave Professor Sumdac a gift," Bumblebee answered.
"What kind of gift?" Ratchet grunted.
"Oh nothing much," Bumblebee said airily, "just some technology and instructions on how to use it."
"But no weapons right?" Bulkhead asked worriedly. "Right?" no answer. "Right?"
"Of course not," Bumblebee sounded slightly indignant. "Would I give weapons to a violent, primitive race?"
The answer was resounding and immediate. "Yes!" they all said.
"Meanies," Bumblebee grumbled.
A/N: The next chapter will have Bumblebee's accident-I promise.
A/N/N: 15 reviews, will accept 10.
A/N/N/N: If anyone was wondering why they went to Earth it was because Bumblebee is worried that he's never going to see any of them ever again so he wanted to go ahead and check up on Sari one last time.
A/N/N/N/N: If anyone was wondering: yes, Ironhide and the Jettwins are still in the G1 dimension.