Chapter 113

-0-That night

"You all right?"

"I'm fine, Ironhide."

[Silence]

"Can I getcha anything? Energon? A pillow?"

"No, Only One. I'm good."

[Silence]

"Do you suppose I should leave the light on or watch him or something."

[grin] "He's probably okay. I don't hear him. Do you?"

[glance over there, lean, listen] "No. He's recharging."

"Good. Lay back here and keep me warm."

[Silence]

"You cold? I'll get ya a blanket."

"No. I just need you."

[Silence]

[grin] "Easy. Ask for something hard."

[grin]

-0-At the shebang

Bluestreak danced with Sunstreaker moving slowly with him as Blaster played someone's request. The dance floor was packed and everyone who could be was there. He considered his visit earlier in the day...

-0-Near the Seeker's barracks

He stood nearby looking at the Seekers as they sat in the sun talking together. They'd noticed him but were ignoring his presence. He recognized them all, the elite Seeker squadron that had done so much damage to them and their Cause. They were here now, refugees and not everyone was happy about it.

They were glad the Seekers had given their oaths and the dishonor it would engender to break them guaranteed they would no longer be the enemy. But the spark knows what it knows and it would take longer for the bitterness to fade. Coming here, girding up his courage, he knew he needed to talk. So he stepped forward and stopped before two, Ramjet and Skywarp.

They looked at him warily, their optics cold and hard.

"What do you want, Autobot?" Skywarp asked.

"I want to talk to you about trines."

Ramjet looked surprised and Skywarp looked neutral, the latter a much more cunning devious mech than the former. "What about?" he asked.

"Trines," Bluestreak repeated. "I'm going to be bonded tomorrow and I want to know about trines."

"What's to know?" Skywarp said glancing at Ramjet as he arose and walked inside.

Bluestreak watched him go, the deliberate snub rolling off his back. He'd shot the Seeker more than once over the years so they were even in his mind. "We don't have many trines. I don't know what to expect. Enlighten me."

Skywarp considered his request. "You do what you want. You just do it with two others."

"That's all?" Blue asked as he moved to sit next to the taller transformer. "That's all I need to know?"

"What do you want to know? About 'facing? About orn to orn?"

"Sure," Blue said as he leaned back against the wall.

"Whoever wants to 'face, faces."

"And the other one? Do you have to be alone or are they with you or what?" Blue asked.

A smirk formed on Skywarp's face as he looked at Bluestreak. "Either way. The other is going to know anyway. You do understand how a bond works don't you."

"Mostly," Blue said.

"You give up privacy."

"All of it?"

Skywarp thought a moment. "You can keep things from the others if you're good with firewalls and you'll become good at building them. If there's nothing that's yours its easy to get lost in the others. You need to save a place that's yours and yours alone. The others should respect that and if they can't learn to firewall."

Bluestreak nodded. "What's the benefit of a trine?"

"Company, 'facing, strategy," he said. "You can have help when the others need it, if they're ill or something needs doing. You aren't left to do it alone unless you want to. Privacy matters but after a while the company counts for more."

"You get along? You don't have problems between you? Jealousy or things like that?" Blue asked considering the volatility of Sunstreaker.

"Sure," Skywarp said. "A bond like Starscream is high maintenance. There are jealousies but mostly we work them out. You have to. You live in each others minds. Rancor is a heavy load when you do."

"Are you equals?" Bluestreak asked.

Skywarp snorted. "Of course not." He looked at Bluestreak. "What do you expect? That personalities will be different because you're bonded? No one can be equal to Starscream. He's Starscream. If you're equal now, fine. But don't expect it to be different when you bond."

"So it doesn't help personalities."

"No," Skywarp said smirking a moment. "What they are before, you will be after but you'll be connected through the bond and everything will be stronger and closer." He considered things a moment. "The good is good and the bad is worse. You can't truly hide anything but you can have allies in a trine that you don't have outside of one."

Bluestreak considered that. "Thank you, Skywarp." He arose taking a moment to look at the sky and the stars overhead. "It'll be tomorrow. You and the others should come."

"Why?" he asked.

Bluestreak looked at him. "Because we all live here together," he said quietly. Then he walked back to the lights and noise beyond.

Skywarp watched him go and sat a moment in thought before rising to walk inside the barracks.

-0-Nearby

"Party sounds like fun."

"You can go, Ironhide."

"No."

[Silence]

"Why not?"

"Because you and the sparkling need me. What if you need something? What if he cries?"

"I'm fine and the sparkling is recharging. If you want to go, you can."

[Silence]

"I know. ... do you think he's hungry?"

"He'll let us know, I think."

"Do you think he's too hot? Or maybe he's too cold?"

[grin] "I think he'll let us know, Ironhide."

[Silence]

"What about tomorrow?"

[Silence]

"We need to take him with us, Ironhide. I also think we need to make sure no one sees him," Ratchet said. "You want to present him so we'll keep him covered up. If he gets fussy I can take him back here."

"I'll come with you."

[grin] "You don't have to, Ironhide. You can stay and play."

"But you might need something. You might need … something or other."

[Silence]

"Ironhide?" [grin]

"What?"

"Did you know that you're above average?"

[Silence]

[grin] "If you say so, Ratchet."

[Silence]

"WAAAAAAAAA!"

[CRASH! THUD! SCRAMBLE! LIGHTS!] "He's crying!"

"I noticed, Ironhide. Move and let me get him."

"Don't fall over."

"I won't, Ironhide. You … move a bit and … here."

[Both peer at little screamer in the bundle.] "You or me?"

"You, Ironhide. Good practice."

[Walk. Sit. Pull out plug] "Here ya go."

[Chew.] "Splut."

"He spit it out."

"Try it again."

"Here."

[Chew. Chewchewchew.] "Splut."

[frown] "He doesn't like it."

"Give him a chance, Ironhide. Try it again."

[Tap. Tap. Tap.] "Come on. Open up. You know you want to."

Tiny blue optics narrow and glare. Mouth frowns. [Chew. Chew.] "Splut."

Large blue optics narrow and a HUGE pout begins. "He hates me."

"Awww, Ironhide. You poor sparkling. Have you checked the other end?"

Large blue optics get as big as truck tires. "The other end?"