Chapter 10: Chapter 9
Chapter 9
And now, back to Optimus...
I own the O'Connors, Sector Sweep 12C, and any other unrecognizable characters. Otherwise, it all belongs to Hasbro.
Optimus drove in silence, his spark heavy with worry. The incident reports weighed on his processor. Having been a historical archivist before he was a Prime, Optimus tended to file and categorize data as he gathered it. The file pertaining to the Kaonian province attacks was growing exponentially, and had been for months.
A sparkling disappears from an asteroid settlement in 12E, investigation teams reported sudden and intense cold before disappearing as well. A town in 12D is found torn to shreds and completely massacred. Three patrol units - all on separate planetoids - report unusual weather conditions, and are later found savagely murdered. Unidentified life signs and sudden cold lead to the utter destruction of Outpost Gallimimus in 12C.
Optimus did not regret sending soldiers to 12C. If he had not, the Sector Sweep team would have died just like the others had. A secret part of his spark regretted sending Jack, however. The boy had remained calm throughout the entire affair, and Arcee's reports reflected that his skills in leadership were developing well. Still, that was his boy, and in some ways he had been as panicked as June when he heard the words "Keller's Holt".
The Prime turned off of the bridge and transformed, preferring to walk the rest of the way. Hands clasped behind his back, the mech walked through the gardens, taking comfort in the beauty surrounding him. If only he could insulate this civilization from harm...but such thoughts were impractical. Exventing heavily, he strolled down to the waterfall, ducking under tree branches.
He smiled softly at the scene before him. June knelt on the back porch, tending a box of flowers, while Jack, Arcee, and the younger Esquivel kids stood waist-deep in the pool at the waterfall's base. Bumblebee sat on the shore, dithering about whether to get in or not. All were completely absorbed in a game involving air cannons, splashing, and a decidedly unorthodox use of kumquats.
Raf saw him first. The sixteen year old pushed his goggles up onto his forehead and grinned. "Hi Optimus!" he shouted, before Pilar ducked him under the water again.
"Hello, children," he rumbled, spark lightened immeasurably by their noisy innocence.
Just as Bumblebee finally decided to get into the water, Jack scrambled out of the pool, the sunlight quickly evaporating most of the moisture from his clothing.
He didn't salute, and there was no need to. This was no military setting, this was home. His eyes were filled with a relief mingled with affection. Jack darted over to the porch to rummage through his jacket, which was slung over a chair.
He fished out the key and held it up to Optimus with a smile. "Yours, I believe?"
Optimus responded by snatching the boy up with a low chuckle and depositing him on his shoulder.
"Welcome home, Optimus," Arcee greeted him warmly.
"How did your meeting with Megatronus go?" Jack murmured from his position next to his godfather's helm.
"Megatronus will not pursue the matter. He is of the opinion that it was the fault of the young Seekers, and they have been... punished accordingly," he answered.
Jack winced in sympathy. He knew as well as anyone that Megatronus would not take the matter lightly. He wouldn't have been surprised if the triplets had been grounded until they were old.
With a weary groan, Optimus lowered his massive frame to the grass. For a little while, he watched Bumblebee and his honorary "siblings" in their playful water-fight, as Arcee stretched out to dry in the sun. As the sun climbed higher, someone's comm buzzed.
"Darby family," June answered, "Oh, good afternoon, Doctor. Yes, they're here. Yes, all six of them. I'll tell them, hang on."
She turned and shouted to the mock combatants, "That's Ratchet, guys. He says your parents want you to come home for lunch."
Protesting lightly, three young men, two young women, and Bumblebee dragged themselves away from the water. The scout shook himself dry, (nearly soaking Optimus, Arcee, and Jack) and transformed so that the Esquivels wouldn't have to walk the whole way. With cheerful and boisterous farewells, they departed, leaving the Darbys and their extended family to themselves.
Arcee sat up and drew her knees to her chestplate. "So, Megatronus doesn't want a war. Not that I blame him, but what about Endline? She's still in trouble, isn't she?"
Optimus turned to face her, careful not to dislodge Jack from his perch. When the boy Metamorphosed, he decided, this would be something he'd miss.
"Endline will be properly reprimanded for her behavior," he said solemnly, "and I believe that the disciplinary tribunal will likely require her to personally apologize to young Slipstream."
June shrugged and leaned against the porch railing. "That sounds fair. I might have her look into professional help though, Arcee's report makes it sound like she has some pretty major unresolved trauma involving Decepticons in her past."
Optimus met her gaze with an interested look. "Indeed? I will speak to her commanding officer about it. Would you be willing to speak with her, June? I am sure we all wish to help her through this as best we can."
"I'll see what I can do," the nurse said softly, "for now, though, I believe there was a matter we were going to discuss with Jack?"
Ah, that was right - they were supposed to discuss Metamorphoses with the boy. He held out his hand, and Jack hopped nimbly from his shoulder. Once safely on the ground, he sat next to his partner and fixed his eyes on his mother and father-figure. June and Optimus glanced at each other, unsure of where to start.
"Jackson, you will be twenty-one in one lunar months," the Prime began.
June continued, "Metamorphoses is a lengthy process, and you're going to be vulnerable while you transform. Preceptor sent the necessary paperwork while you were gone, and I looked through it. It requires your signature and mine, but mostly Optimus's seal."
Optimus nodded seriously. "The signature will be invalid if you wait until after Metamorphosis to sign. You will be considered legally an adult only so long as you are human," he said.
"I know," Jack replied, and he did. Given that Cybertronians and Cybaartarians lived for so long, they took longer to grow up-especially in times of peace. Once he Metamorphosed, Jack would be under the guardianship of his mother and Optimus Prime until he was at least one-hundred and thirty years of age. Patrols and political action would be considerably limited, just as they had been on Earth during the war. That didn't bother him as much as he'd have thought it would, he decided.
"Of greater concern are the spreading attacks by the unknown life forms," Optimus spoke in a grave voice. "If they continue to move from sector to sector, your Metamorphosis may not be as safe as we could have hoped. Do you wish to wait until the threat has been dealt with? Your mother and I worry that Eden may become a target, and we thought perhaps you might prefer to Metamorphose on Cybertron?" Jack considered silently, then glanced up at Arcee to gauge her reaction as he spoke.
"I'm not sure I'm any safer as a human than as a Cybaartarian, and I don't know enough about the attacks to know what dealing with it entails. To be able to transform on Cybertron would be beyond amazing, but I honestly don't know if I can wait that long. If you'll agree," and here he leaned forward to look at June, "I would prefer to Metamorphose as soon as is legally possible. But I'd like someone to be there with me, if that's alright?"
His mother beamed at him and smoothed his hair. "Of course, sweetheart. Optimus and Arcee and I can rotate out to sit with you, if you want."
As daylight once more faded into dusk, the discussion began to turn to less pressing matters, and Arcee excused herself for the evening, eager for some rest.
"I don't know about you," she smirked, "But the oil bath has my name on it. Consider the washroom off-limits for the next three hours. And then, I'm - what's the expression? - hitting the hay"
"You too, mister," June playfully scolded Jack. The boy smirked, but hugged her tightly.
"Ok, ok. 'Night Mom." She returned the wish with a motherly kiss to his forehead and pushed him towards the back door.
"Goodnight Optimus," he called over his shoulder.
The Prime smiled gently back. "Get some rest, son," he advised quietly.
Left alone for the time being, the woman and the Prime found themselves sitting in comfortable silence, each contemplating the challenges that lay in their future. Optimus broke the silence first.
"June, in cases of Metamorphoses similar to Jackson's, the young Cybaartarians are sometimes formally or nominally adopted by their legal guardians after changing. Would you be offended if this were to be the case?"
June squinted for a moment, trying to work out what her friend was saying. "Do you mean would I be upset if you officially adopted Jack?"
Upon seeing Optimus's embarrassed expression, June began to giggle. "If I was going to get mad over something like that, do you think I'd have made you his godfather?" She laughed again. "No, Orion. I'd have no problems with that. I know you would never try to negate my claim on parenthood." Optimus looked relieved, which made the woman laugh once more.
The stars began to emerge above them, and June's face fell a little. "He's so ready to Metamorphose, but I all I can think is that I'll never be able to hold my baby again. Do all parents feel like this?"
Optimus shook his mighty helm. "I do not know, June. If it is any comfort, I will miss being able to carry him on my shoulder."
He chuckled suddenly, and the rumbling sound echoed into the night. "Though I doubt Jackson will appreciate such a mode of transportation when he is bigger."
The nurse allowed a smile to creep across her tired features at the image. "I guess it's just hard to think of him as growing up."
A mischievous twinkle lit her eyes. "If this is hard for me, I can't imagine what it's going to be like for Ultra Magnus and the Wreckers when boys start hanging around Miko!"
The idea of the hook-handed commander and his posse sitting on a porch, cleaning guns while some nervous young man inquired after Miko was enough to melt any remaining tension.
Megatronus quietly patrolled the halls of Pred'akngard, as he always did. He passed Kaonians of diverse shapes and sizes, going about their daily lives. Peace, how strange it felt. He had cleared the first two wings when he caught sight of Ramjet skulking along the corridor.
The young Seeker was holding a bizarre creature that looked like the mutated offspring of a squid and a chipmunk.
"Ramjet!" the Prime barked, "What is that hideous thing, and why is it in my home?!"
The youngling squawked in surprise, then turned bright optics upon the strange animal. "I...dunno?" he answered slowly. The former warlord blinked.
"You don't know. And where are you taking this unfortunate monstrosity, pray tell?"
"I'm gonna show Knock Out!" Ramjet chirped happily.
Megatronus's left optic twitched violently as he pondered all the possible meanings the child's declaration might have had.
"Why?" he demanded. The little grey and white mech frowned, deep in thought.
"You mean I gotta have a reason for everything I do?" he blurted out.
Now Megatronus's other optic was twitching as well. Ramjet tended to act younger than he was, but there was no possible way that his plans for that creature were as guileless as they sounded! Someone was going to be on the receiving end of that foul little beast, and it was not going to be pretty.
Megatronus stood silently for several more seconds before he made his decision. Against his better judgment, he stepped out of the way.
"Carry on," he sighed with a flourish of his hand.
There was sure to be a horrifying incident later, he knew, but it was Knock Out's problem now! He didn't suppose there was any harm in letting the Trine create a little chaos, every now and then. Better than running off to neutral spaces looking for a fight, anyway.
...well, Knockout's in for an unpleasant surprise! I've basically decided that the triplets' personalities are
Sunstorm: a little like Sokka from Avatar: the Last Airbender
Slipstream: kind of like Toph from the same show, mixed with Rue from Princess Tutu when Slipstream has a bad day
Ramjet: Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes.