Chapter 79
-0-On the way to Autobot City, Mars
Ratchet sat in the hold of Cosmos as he winged toward Mars at the usual astonishing clip. Beside him, relaxing against the bulkhead was Hoist and Ironhide. They were on their way to run a complete diagnostic on the Med Bay in The Fortress and Ironhide insisted in coming along to 'carry slag' and the like.
Ratchet who was filled with amusement at the offer agreed, so they went to the city where their sparkling was going to be born in less than three decaorns. The previous decaorn had been hectic...
-0-Ops Center
"They want a statement about the incident in Washington, D. C., Ratchet," Prowl said, pausing by Med Bay. "They will take it over a secure link and you can give your statement at the comm station in Ops Center."
Ratchet walked to Ops Center after putting away a number of datapads that had reports about inventory and half of the physical service results of half the Autobots in the garrison. He entered then walked to the monitor to spend about an hour discussing what had happened, what he had seen, how he had reacted and helped, what the possibilities for a cause were and who the perpetrators might be in his professional estimation. It went on and on. By the time he was finished, it was Ironhide's turn so he sat nearby, put up his peds and listened in.
Interrogator: (INT) "Sir, what did you see when you stepped toward the window and walked outside the venue?"
Ironhide: (IH) "I saw people scattered all over. There were windows blown out on two buildings besides our own and there was chaos."
(INT): "What did you do yourself in that situation?"
(IH): "We, my junior officers and I began to scan for threats, determining that there were bombs placed that had exploded. We couldn't assume that there weren't more. Our sensors didn't pick these up. The exploded munitions had been dampened in some fashion to hide their presence and locations. That's Decepticon tactics. I doubt that humans have that capacity."
(INT): "And then? Did you go over the site and the evidence?" the Federal prosecutor asked, glancing at the communicator that sat on the table in front of her, a phone-type device. She didn't see Ironhide. The interviews were held without video. Only audio was reaching the lawyers and investigators.
"I did," Ironhide said. "I scanned the area, locating on a data grid all of the pieces and parts of the bombs, the locations of blast items such as concrete and steel as well as the location of the blast victims that were reached by the explosion."
(INT): "You didn't disturb the evidence or the scene did you?"
(IH): "Frag no! What do you think I am? A sparkling?"
Ratchet grinned. It was going to be a long interview.
-0-Later that morning
"Ratchet, can I talk to you?"
Ratchet looked up to spy Sideswipe standing in the doorway uneasily glancing over his shoulder as he did. "Sure."
He rolled in and passed Ratchet, entering his office to wait and watch the big medic.
Ratchet put down his travel pack for the trip to Autobot City then walked into his office as Sideswipe closed the door. "What's up?" Ratchet asked.
Sideswipe shifted uneasily, his embarrassment suppressing him for a moment. "I was … I wanted to know how you keep from sparking?"
"Ah," Ratchet asked with a smirk. "What brought this all about besides your bonding with Bluestreak one of these vorns."
Sideswipe rolled back and forth a moment, then sat in a chair.
Ratchet who noted his expression sat as well to wait.
"We had this thing with Blue. Sparklings came up because of you, I guess and the next thing I know Blue is mad."
"Why?" Ratchet asked, knowing the answer already.
"He thinks we think he's somehow supposed to be a carrier."
"Is he?" Ratchet asked.
Sideswipe was silent a moment. "I only know I'm not cut out for it."
"Why?"
Sideswipe frowned. "Because I'm a warrior."
"Bluestreak is a warrior."
"Bluestreak is younger … uh, he's sort of smaller and more sensitive … I'm really pissing you off aren't I," he asked, noting the lack of expression on Ratchet's face and the way he crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"Slightly, but continue," Ratchet said.
"I don't know how to say this right ... correctly," Sideswipe said leaning forward a little, "but I don't think I can be a carrier. I want sparklings. I always wanted a family at some point but I never felt it would ever come to that, that we could find enough peace to have things like that."
Ratchet nodded. "What about Sunstreaker?"
"He's not even going to consider it. He's just … Sunny," Sideswipe said. "Blue is mad and wants an answer. I know Blue wants sparklings, maybe more than one. And with a trine, all that sort of thing is magnified."
"Have you ever considered not being a part of this, of seeking someone else to bond with?" Ratchet asked.
"No," Sideswipe said. "When we'd be with other mechs or femmes, we never had this happen. Just with Blue. And now, Blue's pretty hot about this."
"I can see that," Ratchet said. "You're making him the weak one, the femme one, the lesser one. Or so it sounds to me."
"We don't mean it," Sideswipe said. "Blue is shorter and smaller. He's a tough fighter and shoots better than us long range. But he's just ... sweet and … I don't know. I just know he's mad and I want to make sure that I don't cause a sparking. We haven't figured that out yet and I don't want to complicate things by being unprepared against this."
Ratchet nodded. "I can make sure you don't spark but this issue and how you view each other, you better square it out. Prowl won't take to his son getting disrespected and you need to work out the idea of family or no family before you bond. It's hard enough figuring out how to balance what you want with one partner but you're going to be three in this bond."
Sideswipe nodded. "I just need to know I won't spark."
"Come with me," Ratchet said. "I can do that," he said, pausing at the door. "The rest you have to do yourself and the sooner the better. And tell your brother to get in here to get this done, too."
Sideswipe nodded so together they walked to the private surgery in the back to make it so.
-0-Autobot City, Mars
They landed in the airfield. Ironhide and Ratchet stepped out, laying their gear on the ground. Ironhide transformed first so they loaded everything in his truck bed. Transforming themselves, they drove together down the winding dirt road that led to The Fortress.
Driving under the arch, entering the main compound, Hoist and Ratchet formed back to their robotic configurations and unloaded Ironhide so he could as well.
Greeting the mechs and Arcee who were garrisoned here, they walked to Med Bay and began to spread out. Ironhide walked to the Ops Center with Springer while Arcee settled in to chat as Ratchet and Hoist began to shake down the Med Bay.
-0-Three joors later, Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
The message came in garbled and static-filled. When they received it at the Center, Ironhide commed Ops Center at Diego Garcia.
"Prowl here."
"Prowl," Ironhide said. "We have a situation," he began.
-0-Diego Garcia, Earth
They walked to the jets, loading as fast as they could. They didn't bother to tell the N.E.S.T. HQ what they were doing beyond a 'training exercise'. Optimus Prime walked out with Jazz and First Aid, boarding Silverbolt then lifting away into the sky with Cosmos and Sky Dive.
Will Lennox stood in the doorway of his barracks, coffee cup in hand as he watched them go. He wondered where they were going since Prime was with them and made a note to ask. Maybe there was training potential in their exercises for the soldiers, too. Turning with a yawn, he walked inside out of the sun.
-0-Autobot City, Mars
The ships set down, then Silverbolt and Sky Dive discharged their passengers after a flight through space made at the top speed they could manage. Reaching the planet, they transformed after off loading then waited with their sensors aimed at the skies above them.
It was midday on Mars, the sun bright overhead as it rolled onward toward evening. On the ground waiting together, Ratchet and Hoist, Ironhide, Prime, Jazz, First Aid and Springer looked up as well. Behind them primed for their first emergency, the garrison was on edge. Then the word came.
:Autobot City Ops Center to Prime:
:Prime:
:Sir, they're on our radar. They're coming in together:
:Very well. We are ready:
Prime stepped forward, his optics focused well beyond the upper range of normal human vision, watching as tiny speaks began to appear. Some of them, many of them flashed into the thin atmosphere of the planet, burning very little as they thundered in to hit the ground at enormous speeds. They hit one after another, burying themselves as they did. When they struck the ground, teams moved quickly, hurrying to the craters to help the occupants up and out.
Beyond them slowly descending were three ships of Cybertronian design making their way to the beacon marked landing strip and the directions of Silverbolt as they made their way to the ground. Slowly they came to settle down, rolling to a stop as they did.
Prime who was moving toward them was joined by others as they came to the ships whose doors were lowering slowly.
Inside, huddled on the floor were numerous mechs and a couple of femmes, all of them worn, ill-appearing, famished, weary and frightened. Prime moved forward, stepping up the ramps to walk inside to kneel down beside a mech who was lying under a ragged blanket shivering uncontrollably. He looked toward the door to call out. "Ratchet!"
The medics hurried inside, Ratchet to Prime while Hoist and First Aid went to the other vessel. Ratchet looked at the mech, then the others, swearing to himself softly. "We better get them to Med Bay, Prime. We have to examine them and take the worst cases first."
Prime nodded as he hurried outside to give orders to organize the relief. He personally transformed so they could load refugees into his trailer as others followed example. Springer who was formatted into a Top Kick pick up truck took a load of younglings and two relatively young sparklings who were clinging to shocked ill looking femmes. Driving toward the garrison, he radioed to Diego Garcia that they had an emergency and would need support.
Prowl who was taking the call sent the second wave into readiness as they gathered in the Rec Room waiting for the ships to return. Before they did, Silverbolt walked to the three vessels that had brought the refugees, smiling with delight at their presence amongst their company once more.
Transforming with difficulty, Fireflight, Air Raid and Slingshot returned the welcome with all their exhausted delight.