Chapter 127
=0=On the way back from Med Bay
Ratchet walked along nodding to the night shift who were just going off duty from Ops Center. It was early morning and he'd been up all night helping via video the separation of Gear Shift's little femme. It had been a rousing success, the second sparkling born in their new city and he felt a lightness of step even as he was weary through to his superstructure.
Entering the cabin, he walked softly to his side of the berth and smiled as he looked down at Ironhide and Orion lying together, Orion cuddled into Ironhide's chassis as the big mech draped his big arm around the little bundle. He watched them a moment, the incongruous sight of one of the fiercest warriors he'd ever seen so tender with the tiny sparkling that had become his constant and boon companion.
Moving with care, he lay down beside them lying on his side to rest his helm on his crooked arm. Staring at them, the large economy size and the pocket size of the same individual, he felt once more thrilled that he'd been so adamant that they resemble each other. The tiny bands of yellow were crisp and bright against the satiny black of his sparkling's protoform. It was altogether a handsome effect. Two handsome mechs all his own
Two, count them, two.
Orion was sleeping just as soundly as his big old pa and looked so sweet that Ratchet had to hold his servos still rather than risk awakening him from his recharge.
Ironhide shifting slightly moved his arm closer to his chassis, pulling the little bundle closer, then fell back into recharge.
Ratchet smiled and thought about how fortunate he was in his personal and professional life. As he did, Ironhide stirred and then his optics opened, pools of blue in the darkness shining into being.
"Ratchet?"
"Hi."
"What happened?"
"Gear Shift separated. A femme."
Ironhide smiled. "Cute, I imagine."
"Luminously beautiful."
He reached out to pull Ratchet closer, the infant between them disappearing into the shadows of their bodies.
Ratchet put an arm over Ironhide, too, leaning in to kiss him. "You thought he was lonely in his little bed?"
"Called to me."
"He did? What did he say?"
"Come and get me. I miss you."
Ratchet chuckled. "Projecting are we?"
"Probably," Ironhide said. He smiled. "I could see it in his little face, though, so it's probably true anyway."
"Well, we can't make a habit of it. Either of us roll over and he's done for."
"I have him on a proximity sensor," Ironhide said peering down into the darkness at his little sparkling. "I get within a filament's breadth an alarm goes off."
"Ah, good thinking."
"I'm glad you think so."
It was quiet a moment. Then Ratchet grinned. "We haven't 'faced since his separation."
"I know. A mech can get down in the back without a little of the old Sexy."
Ratchet grinned. "I'd hate to have you get down in the back. I'd have to take you out of the duty schedule. You'd have to be one of them stay-at-home dads taking care of the sparklings and cleaning house and all."
"Wouldn't mind," Ironhide said with a grin. "Could get used to that idea."
"Cleaning house or taking care of the sparklings?"
"Is this a test?" he asked as he smirked slightly.
"You wouldn't pass it. I see that there's still slag here that belongs in your locker."
"I'll move it tomorrow. Orion and I, we'll do it together. We have a system."
"A system?"
"Yeah. I do the work and he watches. He's amazingly good at watching."
"He is, that," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "You have him tomorrow. I have to do physicals and the refugees are getting closer every day."
"Such hard duty," Ironhide said. "We'll try and get along."
"Keep a firm hand, Ironhide," Ratchet said with a smirk. "Just keep a firm hand."
They both looked down at the sleeping sparkling and smiled. Then they drifted off into recharge together.
=0=Later that morning
Sunstreaker stood on the tarmac waiting for Silverbolt to load. He stood with Bluestreak who had his arms around the yellow Lamborghini and his brother was beside him holding his duffel bag. Beyond them over by the Aerialbot's monsoon hangars, mercs lounged and watched them as they gathered to go.
Sunstreaker was irritated and more edgy than usual. It was bad enough being sparked without having to rotate out to Autobot City, too. He wasn't an invalid, Ratchet had said, so he still had his regular duty. Sideswipe and Bluestreak had asked about his placement on the duty schedule and Prowl had said without a notice from Ratchet he was good to go as long as he paced himself. They were nervous about him being gone and he was irritated about going.
At the call, they parted. Sunstreaker kissed Bluestreak and nodded to his brother, duffel in servo as he walked up the ramp. They waited until it closed, then Silverbolt rolled away taking off without runway toward the sky above. They watched it disappear, then walked back to the hangar. As they did, Sideswipe watched the mercs staring at them. He saw a camera and then he saw it flash. Whispering to Bluestreak, he skated swiftly toward them.
The mercs began to run.
Sideswipe passed by and cut them off.
The group skid to a stop to stare at him terrified to their cores.
Bluestreak, terrified as well called for Prowl over their internal comm system as he ran forward toward the fracas.
Sideswipe with an expression of murder on his face moved slowly toward them, his swords sheathing and unsheathing as he went.
Bluestreak called to him catching his attention for a moment. Behind him charging out of the door of the hangar, Prowl and Jazz hurried.
Bluestreak turned around to step toward them with fear on his face as he waited for them to catch up. They all gathered as the three turned toward Sideswipe.
"Sideswipe, what's going on here?" Prowl asked his tone calm and low.
"These fraggers are taking pictures of us. I saw their camera and a flash." He looked at Prowl with an enraged expression. "They're taking pictures of us in violation of the rules."
Prowl looked at them then stepped forward to stop next to Sideswipe. "You need to give me your cameras and phones."
Tim Bolton looked at Prowl then shook his head. "No I don't."
"You do," Prowl said taking a step closer. "You can give them to me or you can give them to the officer of the day when you get thrown into the soldier's brig."
"Call the soldiers," Bolton said defiantly.
"I already have," Prowl said watching as a jeep careened around the corner and drove toward them. It screeched to a halt as Epps jumped out followed by Graham.
"Prowl?" Epps said jogging to stand between the Autobots and the mercs.
"Sergeant Epps, these mercenaries were taking pictures of our soldiers in violation of the regulations. We need to take their cameras and phones to ensure that the images don't get sent out."
"You can't take our gear," Bolton said turning on Epps defiantly. "We don't have to give them to you. We're with Daniels."
Epps who was filled with fury stepped forward. "And I'm with Uncle Sam and if you don't give me the cameras and your phones I'll have to take them."
Graham stepped closer, his fists balled. "Give up the cameras and phones. The rules are clear and you had to sign in agreement of them before you could come here. This is a top secret base and cameras are forbidden." He stepped closer. "Give them over or we're going to take them."
"You can try," Bolton said squaring his stance for a fight.
Prowl and Sideswipe watching intently glanced at Epps. He was livid and ready to go.
As Prowl opened his mouth to speak, Epps' arm flashed out, his fist catching Bolton on the jaw.
Bolton staggered and corrected moving toward Epps with speed and fury. As he did, Graham squared off with the others who stepped back out of the way.
Epps and Bolton clashed, the two trading blows hard and swift, then Epps connected again. Bolton fell on his backside and sat with a dazed expression.
"You ready to give up, merc, or do I kick your ass some more?" Epps asked with his fists up and his feet moving as he watched the figure on the ground.
Ray Cristie and Dustin Carter, the other mercs shook their heads. Christie stepped in and took the camera and phone from Bolton's pocket handing him the two items and his own phone. "I wasn't taking any pictures."
"I don't give a damn," Epps said hotly as he handed them back to Niall Graham. "Get your sorry asses out of here before I drag them to the brig myself."
Christie grabbed Bolton's arm and dragged him up, the hothead shrugging off the other man. He looked at Epps, then the two Autobots. "You'll be sorry you did this."
Prowl who was looking at Bolton with a bland and emotionless expression shook his head. "I'm sure I won't."
The mercs walked back in the direction of the barracks, one enraged and furious while the other two looked relieved to be alive.
Epps and Graham watched them go, then looked at Prowl and Sideswipe. "You two all right?"
Prowl nodded. Glancing back at the two disappearing mercs he looked at Epps. "Nice punches."
"Thanks," Epps said grinning slightly. He felt ridiculously pleased that a master martial artist considered him praiseworthy. "Felt good to hit one of them finally."
"I can imagine," Prowl said with a slight grin. "The cameras and phones?"
"We'll go over them and if they took pictures we'll take it up with Daniels. Thank you for calling us, Prowl. We don't like this anymore than you do."
Prowl nodded. "Thank you for your intervention. I don't want trouble but they seem to insist. One would think they were told to provoke."
"I'm sure they were," Epps said walking to the jeep. He and Graham both jumped in, then pulled out to drive toward their building.
The Autobots watched them go then Prowl turned to Bluestreak and Sideswipe. "Next time call us and allow us cover when we do something like this. Without the right people and bots here this could look really bad even if things turn out to be wrong."
Sideswipe nodded.
Bluestreak walked to him and hugged him.
Prowl watched the mercs disappear from sight then looked at the two. "How is Sunstreaker?"
"Impossible. He hates this so much," Bluestreak said sadly. "But he doesn't get violent. He just moans and groans about it."
"He's doing what he's supposed to isn't he?" Prowl asked.
"He is," Sideswipe said as he walked with them and Jazz to the hangar. "He's sort of divided about this. Most of the time he's angry and sulking but then he'll say something that's happy and glad about it. I don't know."
"Well, we just have to help him," Prowl said as they entered the hangar.
Jazz smiled and slapped Sideswipe on the back. "Eyes on the prize, my son. Eyes on the prize."
=0=Autobot City, Mars
They arrived, settled into barracks, then walked to the rec room for a meal.
Sunstreaker, not the best company in normal times was in a funk and not having it from anyone. Most of the mechs who were used to his pattern avoided him when he was this out of sorts. But as he walked to a table to sit and sip his energon alone he found himself near to the mini-cons who had their own permanent table next to his.
He sat staring into his energon and considered the next seven orns on duty at this station. Around the room as Autobots relaxed, Ultra Magnus and Kup entered then spotted him.
Magnus paused beside Springer a moment as Kup continued onward, getting energon, then walking over to sit beside Sunstreaker. "What's up, Sunny?" he asked putting his peds on an empty chair.
Sunstreaker who loved the old mech just shrugged. "Stuck here for a few orns in rotation."
"Well, we'll try and make it worth your while," Kup said. "I'll have you detailed to me."
Sunstreaker warmed to the idea immediately. "Thanks, Kup."
Cliffjumper who was watching him with his usual disdain snorted. "What's the matter, Sunshine? You too good to be stationed here?"
Smoldering optics affixed themselves to the red mini-con and a feral look informed Sunstreaker's beautiful features. He clutched his energon tightly as he stared.
Cliffjumper, hotheaded and suffering from small mech syndrome ignored the warning signals as he leaned forward to sneer at Sunstreaker. "Too good. Too arrogant. Too much of a femme to stay here where the living is harder."
That was all that Cliffjumper got out before Sunstreaker launched himself over the top of the table, the top of Kup who had straightened up to turn around on Cliffjumper and over the top of the mini-con table. He launched himself, landing on his prey to disappear into a spray of shattered furniture and overturned mechs.