Chapter 35
-0-Outside the Autobot Complex and Embassy
They gathered in the hangar watching through the open doors. On the runway, Silverbolt transformed into his alt robotic format to walk toward HQ, his expression one of distaste and anger. The shadow he cast was mind boggling as everyone turned to stare upward at the Autobot, marveling at his present format because he had never used it on Earth until now.
It would further boggle the human's mind to know that as tall as he was, Silverbolt wasn't considered anything more than average height for his type and model by Cybertronian standards.
Now Metroplex and the Supremes ...
Bending down on one knee, Silverbolt leaned toward Optimus. "Are you well? Do you need assistance, Prime, with this fool?" he asked.
Optimus shook his helm. "We have it under control, Silverbolt. It will be fine."
He glanced angrily at Daniels and his party, then rose to walk back to the runway before halting next to his parking space. Staring back at the group, he stood with arms folded over his chassis, his face cold and intense in expression as he watched them.
Daniels who was stunned by the figure of the gigantic Autobot looked at the assembled group. "What the fuck?" he said with a look of astonishment on his face.
Springer shook his head. "His name is Silverbolt."
Prime quashed a smile as he looked down at the human. "You wished to speak to me."
Daniels glanced upward to Prime, his train of thought lost for a moment. "If you think you can intimidate me with this show I want you to know I won't be."
The whole group stared at him without comment. He looked from one face to another, waiting for someone to speak or even challenge him. No one did. He had no idea that silence was the manner by which most Cybertronians communicated contempt for another. But he would know now.
"Is that all?" Prime asked quietly.
Daniels stared at him with a certain amount of confusion, then anger took over again. "No, actually. You threw a member of my party into your brig. I'd like an explanation."
Prime looked at Springer.
The big Wrecker glanced down, then knelt on one knee assembly. He leaned a little bit into Daniels' face. "Your boy brought a gun to a gathering of our youngling soldiers and was drunk out of his skull. He was going there to cause trouble. I was on guard duty and intercepted him. He ended up in our brig because he was trespassing, waving firearms and constituting a public nuisance." Springer stared at him a moment, his glare a clear indication of his contempt for the man. "Oh, and he's ugly." Then he rose up and stepped back to stand beside Prime.
"That isn't what he told us. He said he was riding a four wheeler and was attacked. Then he was held under a robot foot for an hour or so before taken into that building to be humiliated in front of the robots that were sitting around. He was threatened and made to fear for his life. Then he was literally thrown into the brig."
Prime glanced at Springer whose optics had not left Daniels.
Springer, his voice cold and frightening, shook his head. "No. He lies."
"He's telling the truth." Daniels was adamant. He glared at all of them.
"He was armed, drunk and trespassing." Springer was adamant, too.
"He wasn't armed," Daniels said in reply.
Prime watched the exchange silently as the others carried the conversation. He noted that the man had little sense. Springer, one of the nicest mechs he knew but a terrible foe in combat was not causing any of the normal reactions in the man before them. He should've been terrified or at least intimidated. Few could stand up to a mech like Springer who was the chosen successor to Impactor to lead the Wreckers for a reason.
That wasn't a good thing. He was either beyond the hope of common sense, someone who could count on big power or thought he did, thereby believing he was invincible. Either way was trouble.
Springer reached into subspace, a sight that caused Daniels to step back in surprise. It always did someone saw it for the first time and this time was no exception. He held up a gun, a gun that was tiny in his gigantic servo, then he dropped the weapon which clattered onto the ground at Daniels' feet.
Daniels jumped back in surprise, staring at it with fear on his face. "What's this?" he asked looking up at Springer with an intensely angry expression on his face.
"The gun he never had," Springer said, his voice as calm as if he was giving a weather report. "It sure doesn't belong to any of us."
Snickers met that remark. They were watching with contempt and amusement, staring at Daniels with varying degrees of disgust.
Daniels to his own credit didn't waver. "You could've put that gun there," he said. "Or they did." He pointed to the three highly amused and highly pissed off soldiers watching the show next to Springer.
Lennox and the two soldiers groaned as they shook their heads.
"You hired dirt to work for you. Dirt. These mercs are the scum of the earth."Lennox glanced at the SUVs then leaned closer. "SCUM!" he yelled to the mercs inside them. He glanced at Daniels in a fury. "I can tell you right now, if they get out of line one time around us they're going to be in cuffs and out of here. You may be happy to associate with scum but we aren't. All of us, mech and human are professionals. We're a team and you'd do well to keep your scum on a short leash around here," the big human said.
"Are you threatening me? Do you understand the tonnage of trouble I can bring down on your heads?!" Daniels asked as he moved closer to Lennox.
Lennox who became enraged at the aggressive doofus moved toward Daniels but Springer's hand ended that confrontation.
He looked at Lennox with a grin. "Don't waste your time." He glanced at Daniels and the mercs. "Oh, by the way. Nothing that has happened here, happened here." He stood, then glanced around at the mechs. "Right?"
They nodded as some of them chuckled.
"What might you be talking about?" Sideswipe asked with a smirk of contempt toward the humans.
"Mr. Daniels," Prime said as he moved forward, then knelt on one knee. He brought his helm closer to his foe. "We are a tight knit community here and it is part of what keeps us alive when we go out to hunt the enemy. We are not going to allow discord among our team. You would do well to keep your men out of our territory which is sovereign by treaty agreements.
"My soldiers have orders to ignore yours but there can always be that moment when things happen that can not be undone. You would do well to heed the advice you have been given here. And I would like to remind you that there are treaties governing us as well as our living and working space. It would stand you in good stead to read them." Prime rose, staring at Daniels coldly. "You may not disrupt our relationships and our commitment to each other, the soldiers and us."
"So you're blowing me off?" Daniels asked with genuine surprise. He clenched his fists in outrage. "You think you can ignore the authority I bring to my position?"
"I am going to ignore you, Mr. Daniels until I do not have to. We have important work to do here. We did it before you came and we will continue after you go." Prime was glacial and Daniels got it.
"We'll see," Daniels said glaring at all of them. "You fuckers will be sorry that you started this," he said to the soldiers grinning at him. He walked to his SUV, then climbed inside. The SUVs revved then jumped forward to swerve as close to Springer's peds as they dared before thundering off at speed.
The group watched silent with disgust.
Jazz stepped forward, staring at the trail of dust that was Jase Daniels and Company. Then he grinned at his Prime. "Well, I think that went well. Don't you?"
The laughter was long and loud.
-0-Later in Ops Center
Mirage materialized as he walked toward Jazz to pull an empty chair over to sit. His knees touched his lover's. Jazz who was reading code smiled then leaned in for a kiss.
Mirage obliged. "I have something astounding for you, my wondrous companion."
Jazz smiled again.
-0-Med Bay
"And I want you to make sure that you blah, blah, blah."
Bumblebee schooled his face to listen to Ratchet but he was itching to go. Sunstreaker had nearly though inadvertently broken his tiny little spark embarrassing him in front of the gods of his existence with his little stunt. He was sure that there was something he could do in return.
It was The Mini-Con Code.
"And then you'll do blah-blah-blah and then take this and bluck-bluck-bluck..."
Bumblebee sitting on a med bed, his peds unable to reach the floor. He kept nodding as he plotted his revenge.
-0-At a computer station in the Teletraan nexus room
"You're kiddin' me," Jazz said. His processor seemed unable to grasp what Mirage was telling him. "Show me."
"You'll absolutely glitch, Jazz. I'm not kidding you," Mirage said rolling his chair over to tap into the massive capabilities of the Teletraan computer system.
Jazz leaned over his shoulder, the impossibility of what he was told ringing in his processor.
-0-In Prime's Office
Prowl leaned over next to him, his optics scanning the plans that Optimus had spread out on his desk. "This is extraordinary, Optimus. You should have told me. I could have helped you."
Optimus who was sitting in his chair watching Prowl's facial expressions grinned at the winger. "How much of the load do you want to carry, Prowl? You do so much already. Too much."
"I want to help you, Optimus," Prowl said looking into Prime's face. "Always."
Optimus slipped his arm around Prowl's waist. He leaned against Prowl's chassis with pleasure. "You do, Prowl. And you will."
-0-At a computer station in the Teletraan nexus room
"Oh, sweet Primus. Oh, Mirage. This is ... this is impossibly stupid." Jazz looked at Mirage, then the confirmation on the screen before him. "We have to get Prime."
Mirage agreed as he sat back watching as Jazz marveled, an altogether beautiful sight.
"Jazz to Prime."
:Prime:
"Prime, come to the nexus room. Mirage found something utterly stupendous."
:On my way:
Jazz stared at the screen with a huge sappy grin on his face. "He'll never believe this. This is too stupid to be believable."
Mirage smiled. "But it is."
Jazz chuckled in delighted agreement.