Atonement
Chapter 18-Suffering
Disclaimer: I don't own the Transformers. They officially belong to Hasbro and Takara. I'm taking them for a short spin.
Polyhex, Cybertron
Optimus Prime stood with Galvatron and Jazz, watching Red Alert and a team of Enforcers go over a shuttle sitting on a landing pad at the city's only functional space port. Galvatron kept rubbing at his cannon, lips pursed in a grim line while they listened to Jazz.
"Omnitronian civilian medical transport, crew of four, including the pilot, navigator, two Enforcers and 11 adults and five sparklings. The adults are all dead and there's no signs of the little ones," Jazz said, looking back over his shoulder at the carnage in the passenger compartment. "The supplies and energon are all gone, too."
"Like the other incident, only that was just theft," Galvatron said.
"Whoever is doing this is stepping up their game, if it's the same bunch," Jazz said. "Kup's working on questioning the ones we have in custody right now. Stealing medical supplies and energon is one thing, but killing and taking sparklings. . ."
Optimus felt the spike in Galvatron's energy field, and watched the other mech balling both hands into fists. "Whoever did this won't live to do it again," Galvatron said.
"They must be brought to justice," Optimus said.
Galvatron didn't answer, and Optimus kept his silence. Organized crime was becoming a problem, opportunists looking to fill the niche left behind by the Decepticons. Ultra Magnus and Cyclonus had suspicions one or two members of the Polyhex ruling council might know something about the recent crimes, but they had no hard evidence yet.
And now he was going to have to explain to the Omnitronian High Council what had happened to the bots they'd sent, and the supplies they'd given freely to help rebuild their home world. That council trusted his word as Prime, still believed in what the title meant, if not the mech holding it. He'd handle it, with tact and discretion, as he always tried. He also trusted that Soundwave would help keep the incident off the news feeds until the Enforcers could complete their initial investigation.
"Got a life sign," one the Enforcers yelled, then Jazz was gesturing at Prime, who followed him back inside the transport. The Enforcer, Blindspot, was kneeling by one of the grey bodies, pushing it aside, revealing a flash of color.
"Those butchers missed one," Blindspot said, standing, holding a little red and silver mech in his arms. His color was faded, and he whistled, the sound weak, and he was in obvious distress.
Jazz took the sparkling from Blindspot, handing him over to Optimus, who shot the specops mech a look. "You better get him out of here," Jazz said.
"Jazz, your or Kup should take charge of this bitlet," Optimus said.
"I've got to stay here, and he's got nobody," Jazz said. "Besides, you know what kind of mess it'll cause with the council."
"I concur," Galvatron said. "The refugee processing center is nearby, and they have several medics stationed there."
"They're good medics, but they don't have the facilities to deal with a fading sparkling," Jazz said. "The Trion isn't far away on patrol, and they can be here in a few minutes. One orbital bounce away from having that little guy in Iacon."
"Do it," Optimus said, turning to Galvatron.
"You'll help Jazz finish up here?" Optimus asked.
"Yes," Galvatron said. "Cyclonus and Ultra Magnus are going to have their hands full with the council when they hear what happened."
"Which is why I'll deal with them later," Optimus said. "They know their powers and their limitations. If they don't, they will be reminded.
Jazz grinned, knowing Optimus would set one of the Enforcer advocates on them, reminding the council of the laws and protocols regarding their duties and powers. If that didn't suffice, they had a couple of magistrates willing to do the same, only not so politely.
"Trion's within orbital jump range," Jazz said.
Optimus cradled the little red and silver mech in his arms, willing him to live until they reached Iacon.
88888
Prowl was catnapping, curled on his side, Echo recharging in her own berth next to his. The second in command was relaxed, resting easy for the first time in a long time, until he felt a slight impression of what felt like annoyance tinged with hunger. Then Echo was whistling, letting him know he was hungry. He shot off the berth, to his daughter's side, causing Ratchet to stick his head out of his office.
"Are you all right?"
"Fine, I think," Prowl said. "I think I just felt Echo through our bond."
"About time," Ratche said. "You've been so wound up you'd be lucky to be feeling anything from your bond mate, if you had one, let alone a sparkling. And this is good news. If Echo keeps doing as well as she has, she'll be out of here by the end of the week."
"Really?" Prowl asked, picking her up, extending a line so she could feed.
"Really," Ratchet said, coming over. "She's eating well, recharging, growing, and you and Springer have the beginnings of a routine. It'll take time, but I think the three of you are going to make it."
"I'm glad you think so," Prowl said.
"You two need to keep up what you're doing," Ratchet said. "Support and trust each other, and love and nurture Echo. It's not difficult."
"But. . ."
"I'm not talking about bonding," Ratchet said. "You've established a system, that for now, works. Do. Not. Break. It. You will answer to me. Have you two even talked about what's going to happen when Echo is released?"
"Not really," Prowl said. "I've been thinking about asking Springer if he and Echo could stay with me. I have enough room, and it makes sense."
"If you present it to Springer that way, he might say yes," Ratchet said. "Are you sure that's what you want?"
"Echo needs both of us," Prowl said.
"No kidding, sparky," Ratchet said, quirking his lips up in a smile. "You can quote facts, Prowl, but what do you want?"
88888
The orbital bounce from the Trion placed Optimus and the sparkling in one of the emergency bays of the Iacon Medical Center. He had only a few moments to wait before he was set upon by a medic, a silver, blue and white Praxian.
"I'm Remedy, I'll be your medic," he said. "Jazz asked specifically for me, so I know something of what's going on. Prime, you're lucky I'm available because we're having an. . .uneventful night so far. Now, let me see the patient."
Optimus held out the sparkling, and Remedy took him, placing him on a berth, transforming his own hand into a scanner. "Do you give me permission to save this sparkling?" the medic asked, sparing Optimus a glance.
"Yes," Optimus said.
"Jazz said the parents are both dead, correct?" Remedy said.
"Yes," Optimus answered.
"I'm going to have to work fast, so don't mind me," Remedy said, turning toward the Autobot leader. He reached up towards Optimus' neck, but he batted the medic's hands away. Without warning, the medic forced him to sit, suddenly driving a needle into one of the energon lines in Optimus' neck. Turning back to the sparkling, injected its contents into the same spot on the sparkling. Running a quick scan, the medic smiled at no one, pleased with himself as he set up the necessary supplies to start an energon infusion for the sparkling.
"What did you do?"
"Saved his life, I think," Remedy said. "He's new enough it should work. It's not often done, but it's been successful in preventing stasis lock 89.675 percent of the documented cases."
"Meaning?" Optimus asked.
"He'll need another infusion from you—more than just nanites this time," Remedy said. "Hopefully his body will accept your nanites, and they'll do their magic, convincing his systems to integrate your coding into his. Fine-tuning the spark resonances will take a day or two if you're game, but at this point, I think it's the best option."
"What?"
The medic stopped what he was doing, only for an instant, to give him a scathing look, but went back to starting the energon infusion. "This sparkling just lost his sire and creator, his bonds with both severed. I've stopped the stasis lock for now, and I can almost guarantee his survival if you let me do what I need to do, and that involves creating a bond between you and mechling here. I'd do it myself, but I'm already carrying, so you're it. I've already begun the process, so if you're having second thoughts, it's more than a little late."
Optimus sat back, crossing his arms, watching the medic work, considering it probably wasn't a good idea to cross a medic.