Chapter 108
-0-Two days later
They reached a point in which an interdiction could be made at last. Silverbolt dispatched Sky Dive and Air Raid in the direction of the sensor reading. They barrel-rolled to the side and streaked off, their weapons online and sensors cast far and wide. Flashing forward, Silverbolt, Slingshot who was complaining loudly about being left out of the 'fun' and Fireflight raced toward the shuttle which was growing on their sensors as they closed the distance.
-0-On a hillside on Mars
They stood together having flown to this spot, the highest place on the plains in which Autobot City could still be seen. Starscream had come along, flying erratically. He was exhausted so they picked this promontory and set down to rest together.
Starscream sat slumped with his helm hanging down almost in defeat Thundercracker moved to sit beside Starscream who leaned over to lay his helm in Thundercracker's lap. "I'm so tired. Why am I so tired?"
"You almost died, Starscream," Thundercracker explained patiently. "You will get stronger. You already are."
"I think so, too, maybe stronger," Starscream replied, rolling over so he could look at the sky. "This is a strange sky."
"It's ours now, all of it," Sky Warp said squatting down beside them. "The Autobots gave it to us."
"The Prime is an Autobot. I remember that."
"He is and he promised. We can stay here and fly all we want. All you have to do, Starscream, is get well. Then we can show the grounders what real flight looks like. Even the Aerialbots can't touch us."
"No," Starscream replied. "They cannot. They try, though. I think I liked a couple of them. Or did I? I can't remember."
"Don't worry, Starscream. We'll remember for you until you can," Thundercracker said, rubbing Starscream's chassis gently.
"It isn't Iacon is it? Or Vos? Or Kaon?" Starscream asked quietly as he struggled in the ashes of his memory to find the past.
"No," Thundercracker said softly. "Its Mars. Its a beautiful place, Starscream. Do you want me to tell you about it?"
Starscream nodded. "I would."
So Thundercracker did.
-0-Far away
The resonance on their sensors began to move away, paralleling their flight as the two Aerialbots sped toward it. It was a single entity of unknown design and origin. They would have to come a lot closer to ascertain what it was but that wasn't the plan. Springer wanted them in between the shuttle and the entity and prepared to engage if necessary.
Slingshot with his usual loudmouthed egotism running wild, nevertheless obeyed Sky Dive as they arced together and began to shadow the unknown.
-0-Autobot City, Mars
They began work on the new quarters. This would be easier. They would tunnel out of the existing structure, make the central corridor longer, then tunnel sideways for secondary passageways. That would provide the necessary framework to dig out living spaces. As they worked, plans were being drawn up on Earth to increase the Med Bay and begin a facility for the younglings. Their population demands were changing and the needs of civilians would have to be taken into consideration.
-0-The soldiers
They were put through their paces, their drill instructor watching them with a critical optic. They listened to the low rumble of Ironhide's voice with absolute attention, absorbing the lessons he was handing them. If they were going to be a part of N.E.S.T. Striker teams, they would have to understand how the Autobots worked, how to work around them and how they functioned as a team. The Autobots already knew what they would do. The soldiers were learning how to function without getting crushed or killed.
As they went through their paces, Ratchet walked out to stand beside Ironhide. They watched together as the soldiers showed their prowess as marksmen.
"So, these are the new meat?"
"Ratchet, respect."
"I'm only repeating what you said," Ratchet said smirking at Ironhide.
"Not so loud," Ironhide said as he grinned at his Only One. "How do you feel?"
"Ready to drop this sparkling in your lap," Ratchet said as he shifted on his tired peds.
"You and me both," Ironhide said, rubbing Ratchet's back gently. "Won't be long now."
"A little more than a decaorn."
"I suppose you like the arrangement in the cabin," Ironhide said, peering at Ratchet sideways with hope in his optics.
"I don't know, Ironhide. Could be there's better arrangements. And you haven't moved all your slag to your locker in the armory. That would help settle my processor a lot."
"Done," Ironhide said grinning with amusement at the 'eternal argument'. "You came all the way out here to rag me on my slag?"
"No," Ratchet said leaning against Ironhide. "I missed ya."
It was silent a moment.
"Are you telling me the truth or is there some sort of angle you're working?" Ironhide asked with a critical optic fastened onto Ratchet's face.
"I can't tell my Only One I miss them without you throwing a rod?"
"Nope."
"Oh."
[Silence]
"What have we come to, Ironhide? What does it all mean?"
"That you need to drop this sparkling and find yer marbles. The mechs are telling me that you're playing something called a 'yenta' with their lives."
"Love, Ironhide," Ratchet said turning to go. "It will find a way."
Ironhide watched him go with a smile. "It sure will, Ratchet." Then he turned back to watch the soldiers once more.
-0-Far away
They reached the shuttle in time. Overtaxed from running, it was losing systems and was completely vulnerable. Communicating together, Springer supervised the transfer of the passengers into the hold of the various ships, salvaging what they could of the shuttle and blowing the rest to bits. Signaling Slingshot and Sky Dive to return to their party, they began to fly back toward Mars and home.
As they did, they sent a message to Mars and Earth. Prime received it in the Ops Center of Earth and was struck with shock. He glanced at Prowl then handed him the datapad.
Prowl read it then looked up sharply. "Optimus," he said quietly. "This is good news."
Prime nodded. "It is."
Now they had to wait for two Earth days or longer for the ships to arrive on Mars.
-0-Ratchet
He received word that refugees had been picked up and would be arriving in Autobot City anywhere between two and five days Earth time. Now that they were in convoy, the need for speed was lessened. All they had to do was wait at his end for the new mechs and their families.
He organized the Med Bay for overflow, informing Prime that the majority of the refugees should be handled at Autobot City to lessen the stress of another journey. Anything that was out of hand would come to Earth as a last resort. Prime was good to go because it meant less explanations to the humans who were already asking about the 'training exercises off world' that they were involved with.
He didn't know who the five soldiers were but he was pretty clear that they'd be someone he'd patched up one time or another. There were few Autobots that he hadn't. Maybe they had news about their people elsewhere. Prime's call was paying off and he was glad. The more families, the more sparklings and younglings, the better chance at survival they all had. And it meant the more friends his own sparkling would grow up with.
It was a win-win all around.
-0-Senior Autobot Staff Meeting, Earth, three days later
They went through the daily slag, working over this or that idea and finalizing this or that plan. They talked about the refugees and the five new soldiers but in little detail. Prime was holding this one close to his chassis and they let him. He was the Prime. He had his reasons. And in all likelihood Ratchet would find out anyway and tell the bunch of them.
They sat and shot the slag as they waited for Lennox, Epps and Graham to arrive for the weekly 'shoot the shit' session that they had with the humans. New soldiers were here and they needed to get it all straight.
A horn tooting outside alerted everyone inside and brought a smile to Ratchet's face as he sat across the table staring at Prowl. Prowl, mystified, looked at Ratchet with inquiring optics. Ratchet waved him off and schooled his smile into that little room in his processor stem where all the fun lived.
The soldiers came inside and climbed up the ladder, traversing the table to flop into two more comfortable chairs that Ratchet had taken down from the shelf on their behalf. They all sat and said howdy.
Then Prime began, working through the list of agenda items as Ratchet sat and fiddled with a datapad, writing on the sly his magnum opus, "The Sexy Doctor and the Mom Van". No one noticed, expecting that he was a professional doing something professional instead of being an underdeveloped sparkling working out a post-adolescent itch.
"And so I think we've reached full strength in our squads with this batch. They seem to be good team players and willing to learn. Right, Ironhide?" Lennox asked as he glanced at Ironhide who was leaning back trying to read Ratchet's datapad.
Ratchet for his part was hunched over in his chair, blocking Ironhide's view.
"Uh, right," Ironhide said, jerking his attention back to Lennox.
"Right, what?" Ratchet asked, lowering his datapad. "What did he just say, Ironhide?"
Everyone from Prime to Epps fastened their optical accouterments onto Ironhide who leaned back to look at them warily. "Uh, he said ..."
"Yes?" Ratchet asked, grinning wolfishly at his stuttering Only One.
"He said ..."
"He said, Ironhide, that he needs you to move some stuff at the HQ."
Ironhide glancing at Lennox then back at Ratchet with a wary optic looked at Lennox. Leaning forward, confusion firmly in place, he asked "Is that right, Will?"
Lennox glancing at the smirk on Ratchet's face nodded with his own grin. "Yeah, Hide. We have some 'stuff'."
"Alright. When?" Ironhide asked, glancing at Ratchet with a look of triumph on his face. /... ha ha, Ratchet … nice try.../
"Uh, about a half hour from when this ends," Lennox stuttered, impaled as he was on the expression Ratchet gave him.
"I'll be there." Ironhide sat back then glanced at Ratchet, giving him a smug look.
Prime who was biting on his lower lip glanced around. Wheeljack was looking at Ratchet like he could do voodoo, which he sorta could. Perceptor, his servo in a vice grip by Wheeljack looked confused. Jazz was smothering a raucous laugh and Prowl was looking confused as well, glancing from Prime to Ratchet to his datapad agenda and back again. The datapad was his only friend at that moment as he sat in the Ratchet Triangle, lost and alone.
All the others looked at Ratchet with deep admiration including the soldiers and when they all rose to leave, Ratchet got pride of place.
He swished out, his story in hand and new ideas of what to do to a trash-talking little red mom van in the plot he was making up as he went. Ironhide walked out last and no one bothered to inform him that he'd been had. He would find that out later when he moved the pile of boulders and trash behind the soldier's mess hall from where it was to 'a better spot' for the fifth time.