Chapter 112
-0-Outside Med Bay
The corridor was lined with mechs who'd come to wait. There was a miracle going on, one so unknown to most that it was almost frightening. The sounds, pain and tension, it was fascinating as well as repellingly strange. For most of them this was a first, something attributed to ancient times, so rare that it'd become a legend or myth to most.
So few mechs had seen a sparkling let alone a separation that it was a learning opportunity to the senior Autobots, those charged with keeping their species alive. The moment had been seized, the group gathered and they waited together.
Sitting in the doorway leaning back against Sideswipe, Bluestreak watched. Sunstreaker nervous and attentive sat on the other side. Behind them, standing, pacing, sitting patiently, all the others waited, too. Hound sat with Silverbow on his lap. The Prime's little mechs were distributed among the group. All they had to do was wait for the miracle to happen.
First Aid glancing at Ironhide filled him in. "What we're going to do is take the sparkling out and put it into the protoform. All you have to do is hold Ratchet's hand and don't interfere, Ironhide. Do you understand?"
Frightened optics met First Aid as Ironhide agreed. He felt his throat constrict with fear as he swallowed. He swallowed again, seemingly unable to speak. First Aid grimaced, disturbed by Ironhide's fear, then he leaned down to Ratchet. "Here we go, Ratchet. Okay?"
Ratchet, his pain intense nodded, his optics off line against the increase in activity in his chest. Gripping Ironhide's servo tightly, he felt another wave flash through him followed by nausea.
First Aid triggered his spark chamber and the metal plating folded back slipping away to reveal the brilliant light of his agitated spark. The sparkling had already separated one of the four long tendrils of energy that had connected him to his carrier. It was flailing wildly as the sparkling flitted this way and that in agitation.
First Aid powered up the grid on his servos, the energy soft and warm, attractive to the sparkling light of the infant spark. It halted its agitated movement abruptly, sensing a safe harbor nearby so the flailing tendril reached out tentatively touching then anchoring itself on the grid of First Aid's servos. Another groan and another tendril snapped seeking the grid to anchor itself. First Aid waited, the sparkling waited and Ratchet groaned as the little life force gathered itself to leave.
Ironhide felt tears obscuring his optics as he held Ratchet's servo. He wanted it over and he wanted them all safe so half of the wonder was lost to him. Yet this was his son, his some day adult mech. This was their greatest collaboration and if he hadn't been so frightened he would've been more aware of how wonderful the moment was.
Prime shifted nervously pulling Prowl closer. They were all watching and waiting tensely when the third tendril parted as Ratchet's loud groan shimmered across their own taut nerves. Shifting tensely, they were all ready for it to be over.
"You're doing great, Ratchet. One more," First Aid said calmer than he felt as he held the little life force in his servos. "One more to go."
Ratchet lying in great tension, his optics off line, his face contorted in pain vented a sigh. "All right," he whispered as another wave washed over him. It was like getting shot in the spark chamber and as he groaned, a long low moan, the last tendril snapped.
The sparkling was separated.
First Aid stood still a moment allowing the sparkling to connect with his grid, then he slowly walked toward Wheeljack and Perceptor, his hands cupped with a little glowing light shining out of them. He stepped forward toward the protoform as Perceptor and Wheeljack stood to the side waiting through the separation. They moved forward to lift up the protoform and tap the tiny spark chamber. The tiny plates slid as the chamber was revealed.
Wheeljack manipulated a scanner and the spark core inside began to glow, warming to be receptive for the new occupant of the protoform. When it was bright enough he glanced at First Aid who lowered his glowing servos into the tiny chamber. For a moment he waited silently, watching the sparkling resting in his hands. Then a tendril, two, then all of them reached out to touch the spark core which flared as the sparkling accepted its new home.
For a moment there was nothing. Then tiny blue optics opened and looked at Wheeljack, a tiny servo moved, then a leg. It opened its mouth and wailed loudly, its body coming alive with movement.
Ratchet lying stricken, waiting for something tried to rise.
Ironhide pushed him down as First Aid turned to him. "Just wait a moment, Ratchet. He's coming."
Ratchet felt tears filling his optics and a sob in his throat as he lay back looking up at Ironhide. "Is he all right, Ironhide?" he managed around his tears.
"He's slaggin' awesome, Ratchet," he said looking over his shoulder at the tiny black sparkling with the three bands of yellow on his little arm. "He's fraggin' above average."
At that remark the spell was broken as everyone in the room relaxed and laughed. Down the hallway through the corridors relief spread as clapping and cheers began. A new life was born, a new future was made and the hope of their people to survive the hell of their lives was remade again.
-0-A few minutes later
Ratchet sat up swaying slightly as he hung his helm, his body filled with nausea and pain. Looking up, watching as First Aid, Wheeljack and Perceptor ran their sparkling's first diagnostic he waited as Ironhide stood nervously beside him. He leaned on the big mech as Ironhide squeezed his shoulders. "You need to lie down, Ratchet."
"I want to see him first," Ratchet said wearily.
When they finished, First Aid wrapped him in his blanket then held him out to Ratchet. "No, First Aid. Ironhide holds him first."
Ironhide looked at Ratchet and swallowed hard. Then he held his servos out taking the bundle to hold it in the crook of his arm. They both looked at it, the familiar face looking back the spitting image of his creator. Tiny blue optics looked at them both and a small arm with a clenched servo lay outside the folds of the blanket.
Ratchet took it, squeezing it gently as the blue optics looked toward him. Then he wailed loudly as he gripped Ratchet's fingers tightly.
"He wants you, Ratchet," Ironhide said handing him off.
Ratchet took him, this most needed and wanted little mech and kissed his helm, running his digits over his little face. The blue optics followed him, the gaze never wavering and Ratchet knew that the little mech remembered that they had shared sparks. "You're right, Ironhide. He's truly seriously above average."
The room relaxed, the mechs and femmes laughing as they stepped forward to see the sparkling. Then Ironhide stepped in front of Ratchet and the sparkling. "You can't see him for three days. We have to present him in the naming ceremony."
"Damned Praxian culture," Jazz said with a chuckle. Prowl thumped him with his fist as they grinned at each other. The room felt relief from the tension endured so long.
"Let us all go now," Prime said as he began to shoo people. They went grudgingly and when all of them had, he looked to look at Ratchet and Ironhide. "You made us all proud, old friends."
Ironhide swallowed hard. "It was all Ratchet," he said.
Ratchet smiled as patted Ironhide's aft. "Don't sell yourself short, big boy. It takes two to tango."
They chuckled as Prime left, walking out to the celebrations that were going on all over the facility.
First Aid thanked Wheeljack and Perceptor who left as well, then he turned to Ironhide and Ratchet. Smiling, he rubbed his hands together. "Now comes the hard part," he said.
Ratchet and Ironhide exchanged glances of doom.
-0-A few later
"Hold still, Ironhide."
"Do you think I need this? I mean … uh, what do I mean?"
"Nice save, Ironhide." First Aid glanced at Ratchet with a grin.
A piercing optic impaled him from Ratchet so he shut up and let First Aid fit him with a feeding tube in his wrist interface compartment. Apparently, it was a design affectation to include The Sexy and The Sexy Outcome in the same port space.
"Your energon will be the right consistency and temperature, Ironhide and Ratchet. It will be better than feeding with a bottle for now. He can cuddle and feel secure."
When he was finished and his scan checked out, First Aid reached for and received the sparkling. He put it into Ironhide's arms, settling him against Ironhide's chassis. "Now, take the cord and hold it out, tapping the sparkling's mouth with it."
Ironhide did, clumsily pulling the cable and tapping the sparkling. It looked at him narrowing his optics. Then he tapped it again and the infant opened his mouth as the cable slipped inside. He held it in his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, then spit it out. Ironhide looked stricken. "He doesn't like me."
Ratchet grinned. "You sparkling. He's two breems old. What does he know. Try it again."
Ironhide looked at Ratchet who was sitting on the med berth getting his own tube installed. Then he tried it again. This time the little mech got it. He began to suck on the cord as Ironhide's energon filled his little tanks for the first time.
To say that Ironhide was in love was a small fragment of a statement about the totality of his feelings. He leaned against the berth looking at the infant in his arms memorizing his features, his heft and his bright blue optics ... baby optics that stared and never blinked. "This sparkling is above average, Ratchet. Look at him. Got champion written all over him."
Ratchet chuckled, tucking the cord away as the panel slid shut. "Won't get an argument from me, Ironhide," he said rising wearily.
"You can go to your cabin, Ratchet, or you can stay in the visiting medic quarters."
"I thought you were, First Aid," Ratchet said looking at the youngster.
"I have another place to stay," he said gathering up the gear on the table, putting it in a pan for cleaning and storage later.
"You do? Anyone I know?" Ratchet asked with a smile.
"Yenta Claus," First Aid said. "I heard about you. We hope you find … uh, what is it you said, Ironhide?"
"Your marbles, Ratchet," he said with his optics fastened on the little mech in his arm.
"Yes, your marbles," First Aid said as he folded his arms defiantly across his chassis.
"So who is it?" Ratchet asked, his focus laser-like and unwavering.
"Go. Rest," First Aid said as he walked to the door. "Unless someone loses their helm this place is off limits." With that, he walked out the door.
"He's got someone."
"Let it go, Ratchet."
"I will. When I know who," Ratchet said smiling brightly. He ed to look at Ironhide and the little mech. "Awwww."
Ironhide looked up. "You did good, Ratchet. I don't know how to thank you."
Ratchet smiled. "You don't have to. But Ironhide?"
"What, Ratchet?" he asked looking up at Ratchet with a look so warm and loving that Ratchet that he felt his spark flutter.
"Ironhide, when we have a sibling for this one, you carry."
"Not on your slaggin' life, Ratchet," he said with a smile.
-0-Bluestreak
They sat in a corridor with friends all around celebrating the separation of the sparkling. Sideswipe held him in his lap and Sunstreaker was next to him. Tomorrow, they would be bonded in a simple short ceremony in front of the whole community. It would be final and for Bluestreak, overdue. He smiled and listened, the talking and laughing around him the part of his life that he loved the most.
He'd traveled alone in space for a long time before finding Sunstreaker. They had begun the journey to Earth together following the call of Prime. It had been a slaggin' miracle to find Sideswipe already here. Now they'd be joined and nothing short of death could divide them. The idea of a trine was the only logical solution because he couldn't divide his feelings. They were both lovable and both loved by him. The logistics of a trine, something most Autobots didn't do was lost on him.
It was a good thing he had screwed up his nerve and gone to speak with a Seeker. He smiled. A good thing indeed.