Chapter 30

-0-On a beach in the middle of the Indian Ocean

"What do ya think?"

"I think you need to pass that bottle."

(Pass. Swig. Pass back.)

"Did that clear the glitch? I was asking your opinion."

"You were. You're good that way."

Springer smirked as he passed the bottle back to Kup, the oldest mech since before the time of Unicron taking it with gusto.

He wiped the lip then took a deep swig. He grimaced then grinned, proffering it to the squirming organic that was currently residing underneath his ped. "Want some, insect?"

Springer chuckled as he gazed at the organic who was pinned, pale and panicked.

Humans and their words.

He looked at Kup who to him was the toughest, oldest, most muley mech he'd ever met. "You know, you might be crushing him. He may be an insect but I don't think he has an exoskeleton."

Kup winked then glanced down. "Let's see where his skeleton is. Maybe you peel them like a … what do they call it? That yellow thing they like to eat ..."

"Banana?" Springer said sipping Wheeljack's rot gut again.

"Yeah, a banama," Kup said looking at Todd with his googly eyes and his battered old helm. "Peel 'em like a banama."

Springer grinned as he leaned back, the sandy bank holding him gently as he watched the sky. "You know, it's been a long time since I had fried food. Do you suppose this organic tastes good fried or should we spit him on a stick and give him to the younglings over there?" he asked nodding toward the party and the mechs having a good time nearby oblivious to the fact that Springer and Kup were watching over them at Prime's request.

"I don't know. Boil him in oil. We can drink the oil and pick out the bad stuff," Kup said leaning back himself. "I personally prefer the oil."

"High grade," Springer said taking a swig. "I think Wheeljack did a good job with this batch. Maybe if we give him this insect he can use it as an additive, sort of like spice or something. Age it to a fine tang."

Kup snorted. "That might be good but I think Prime would have something to say about it. I guess this little hero needs to go in the brig for the night. I don't think I want to comm Prime about it."

"He did give us discretion. 'One Riot," Springer began.

"ONE WRECKER! WRECK 'N RULE!" Kup shouted as he waved the bottle in the air. He raised his leg so Springer could pull Todd away before Kup's heavy ped came back down.

Todd hanging in Springer's grasp looked at the place he'd been pressed into and sobered up completely. Without one robot saving him from the other, he'd be goo.

"I'm going to can this one. You keep watch and I'll be right back," Springer said handing Kup the bottle. "Don't drink it all, old mech, or I'll have to smack your old aft."

Kup smiled as he looked at the human hanging in Springer's servo like a rag doll. "Cheerio, insect," he said raising the bottle to his lips.

Springer smirked and chortled as he rose up to go. He walked back up the trail pausing before the four wheeler. Looking at it then Todd, he reached out to put his ped down smashing it flat into the sand it was parked on. He twisted his ped making sure it was broken, then raised Todd up to eye level. "Get something straight, Todd. We know who and what you are and we're prepared. Don't ever try to bother our kids or anyone else among our own kind again. I would hate to accidentally step on you. Getting slag off my peds would be a bad idea for me. I don't have to tell you how it would be for you would I?"

Todd who was pale as a sheet, swaying in the grasp of his worst nightmare, nodded.

"Do you have a vocal processor or are you a slagger giving me a hard time?"

"What?" Todd asked paling even more.

"Speak, dog," he said bringing Todd closer still. His optics were hard and his voice edgy, deliberately so.

"I understand," Todd said shaking his head. "I understand you. I do."

Springer quashed a smirk then walked onward toward the hangar holding Todd like any other object that he used, down by his side grasped only tightly enough to keep from dropping him. He walked into the Rec Room in the big hangar, nodding to bemused mechs who were sitting around talking as they played games of chance.

Jazz who was sitting with Mirage smiled. "What ya got there, Springer?"

"A little dumb aft. Wanted to bring a gun to the dance," Springer said holding up the handgun that Todd had brought in his other servo. "Cute, huh? If I were bonded I'd make it into a necklace."

Jazz laughed aloud. "I'm not sure it would suit Optimus." They all guffawed, then Jazz reached to pick up the tiny gun turning it this way and that in his digits. He turned in his chair to stare at the terrified human with his optical visor which glowed in the muted light of evening in the Rec Room. "You do know don't ya that these little popguns can't hurt our feelings let alone our hide, boy?"

Todd nodded as tears pooled in his eyes. "Yes, sir."

"Ah, polite little thing isn't he," Mirage said with his contempt barely in check. "Brig perchance?"

"Yep," Springer said with a big grin on his face.

"Come back and have a game with us," Mirage said. "The soldiers taught us a new one, 'Battleship'."

"Sounds great but I left Kup at the party with a bottle and he's on guard duty."

"Prime?" Jazz mentioned.

Springer chuckled. He nodded. "That's why he's Prime. He can see the future and, friends," Springer said holding the human up as he enjoyed his extreme discomfort. "The future is Todd."

They laughed together, then Springer continued onward walking to the second level where Red Alert sat on duty watching monitors as he guarded and manned the Brig during night shift. He jumped up delighted to have a prisoner to take care of, so Springer left Todd in good hands. On the way back he was irritated and it showed.

Jazz called out. "Springer! You look bothered."

Springer slowing as he passed, looked at Jazz with disgust, shaking his servo as he did. "Todd leaked."

Laughter followed him out of the Rec Room as Springer made his way back to guard duty and Kup.

-0-The next day

Epps came into Med Bay, the daily visit to Ironhide a ritual he intended to keep until the big mech was on his peds once more. Looking around, content to see only one patient, he walked up to gaze at Ironhide. "Hey? Hide? You awake yet?"

A dark helm turned, an optic ticked open and a nod indicated that he was online once more. "Hey, Epps."

"Hey, yourself," Epps said grinning at the big hostage to Ratchet's fortune. "You scared everyone. You gotta duck faster, man."

Ironhide turned his head to look at Epps, considering the small soldier for whom he had huge regard. "Ducking is relative."

"Getting slagged is, too," Epps replied as he climbed onto a small stool to stand closer to the big mech. He noted the device was gone on his chest, most of the cords as well and he was spotted with silver metallic plates over his wounds. "You look good with the bling but when are you getting your armor back? You have a style to uphold, you know."

Ironhide grinned in spite of himself. "Wheeljack and Perceptor are smelting the old stuff and will remake the new."

"We gathered it all up when they moved you off the street. All of Ratchet's tools and all."

He nodded as he looked at Epps. "You'll tell me what happened one of these orns. I want to know about Ratchet as well."

Epps nodded. "You'd be real proud of Ratchet, Hide."

"I am," he said turning to gaze at the ceiling. "What else do I need to know?"

"Hound got hit and is fine now. Had a party last night for Trailbreaker."

"He's back?" Ironhide asked turning his big helm to gaze at Epps.

"Yeah. Came the same day as the Aerialbots, the day of the mission."

"Good. Hound missed him. They're bonded."

"I didn't know that," Epps said. "Good to know."

"I heard that a slagger got put in the brig last night when they tried to bring a gun to the youngling's party."

"Which slagger?" Epps asked hearing of it for the first time.

"Some slagger among the new humans," Ironhide said. "Ratchet knows more. He isn't telling. Go to the brig and find out. Come back and tell me. I hate not knowing. I'm the security specialist, after all."

"I thought you were the weapons specialist," Epps said smiling at the big galoot and his unintentional ability to be funny all the time.

"I'm versatile. Can do a lot. Ask Ratchet." He grinned at Epps. "Come back and tell me. Ratchet wants me to rest but I'm going off my processor. Don't tell Ratchet."

"Don't tell Ratchet what?" A tall yellow-aft medico came around the corner and stopped, putting his servos on his hip assemblies to glare at Ironhide with intensity. "You aren't moving, Ironhide, if I have to tie you down."

"Sounds good," Ironhide said, his muddy voice comical in the extreme.

"Too much information," Epps said climbing down from the stool. He grinned at Ratchet. "You done good. It'd be a terrible world with an Ironhide-shaped hole in it."

Ratchet nodded. "I know. Who would I have to kick around?"

"Damned straight," Ironhide said proudly.

-0-Brig

Epps stood in front of the gigantic brig cell looking at the occupant, a man who had seen the elephant.

Todd looked up gasping with surprise and relief. Rising to his feet, he ran forward stopping short of the electrified beams that comprised bars. "Hey, get me out of here! I've been kidnapped by robots!"

"I hear you brought a gun to the party they were having. Didn't anyone tell you that they carry weapons on their bodies even when they sleep?" Epps asked as anger rose in his voice. As he fumed the sound of heavy footsteps was heard. Epps turned to look, then waved to the giant who was walking toward him.

Optimus Prime stopped to stare at the tiny being who was standing in his brig. "Well, it appears that someone has been naughty," he said with a big grin on his face.

Epps grinned. "Ain't getting anything but coal for Christmas, this dumb ass."

Optimus grinned.

So did Prowl who was standing behind him ready to witness the processing of the first non Autobot prisoner in the Autobot brig in the history of their collaboration.

/...Todd, the dumb ass was now a historical figure. Yes, like George Washington, Todd, the dumb ass will be long remembered in these parts for his contributions to inter species amity... not .../ Epps thought with a grin.

What Todd thought about his historic role wasn't remarked upon at the time.