Of The Spark And Heart
Part 1
Chapter 3 pt. 1
Not long after Secretary Kepler left, Optimus moved on to another topic. Without warning, he looked to Solas and said, "You will be Fera's Guardian until further notice. We will keep in close touch over a comlink." Fera could hear the fast movement of the 'Bot behind her and she jumped to her feet to move away.
"What?! Why me?" he demanded. Fera looked up at the black and red Autobot, a pang of hurt coming from his disbelieving stance. "You are the most able, and it will do you well to see the planet of Earth from a human's prospective." Optimus Prime said, turning completely to face the group. Bumblebee and Ratchet were still in the room, Ratchet saying nothing the entire time the Secretary was there, while Bee had just flinched at Optimus' tone.
"But Bee would be a better choice. He's already been a Guardian, why can't he do it again?" Sol went on, causing the small yellow 'Bot to perk up. Fera noted the way the Autobot looked almost excited at this suggestion.
"That is why I did not choose him. You need the experience." Optimus argued, causing Bee's shoulders to sag. Fera, needing the familiar pleasantness of Bumblebee's presence and seeing his disappointment, walked over to him and stood close, her hand on his arm. His mood seemed to pick up from the touch and he buzzed happily from the contact.
"I'm not a sparklingsitter Prime, you know that. I can't even be around our own kind's young ones let alone an entire new race's!" Sol was desperately trying to change his leader's mind, but it appeared useless. "Just be happy this one doesn't talk as much as Sam did." Ratchet piped in from the wall. It was his first time saying anything since coming into the room.
Sol looked to the medic, but knew he was no help. Fera had a small hope in her chest that Prime would reconsider as well. She knew that she wouldn't get along very well with a personality such as Sol's.
"Solas Kaon," Optimus began, using Sol's full name, "Fera holds a form of importance to our cause at the moment. I would ask another one of our peers to do it, however, they haven't the specific abilities you posses." Ratchet pushed off the wall at this, simply walking out of the room before he was suddenly suggested for anything. "Her father had also carried this until his sudden termination. This is more than just a simple act of protection, it maybe the very future of our race." Optimus motioned his hand towards Fera, a saddened look to the plates of his face. Sol said nothing for a moment, opening and closing his hands over and over.
"Alright. I'll do it." he conceded softly.
Fera wasn't sure she liked the way the Autobot caved under the order like he despised the very thought of it.
Optimus gave him a thankful nod and then he peered past Sol to Fera. "As I promised, there will be a time when we shall be able to meet. However, more pressing issues have my attention at the moment. Farewell." he briskly nodded towards her and then turned to leave. "Goodbye. Thank you for everything." she called after him.
Sol turned back to the teen and then he got low, his form beginning to twist and turn. A dull series of screeching parts, hissing exhausts, and reasserting pieces sounded before the sleek form of Sol's black and red Mustang mode stood before Fera. The engine roared once and then the lights flickered. The passenger-side door opened and Fera paused. "Come on!" Sol called from the inside. Fera sighed and patted Bee's arm. "This should be enjoyable." her voice was just soaked in bitter sarcasm, yet she still felt amazed by what she had just seen. She wouldn't be getting over the sight anytime soon. She wondered if her father or Epps ever had.
"I'd let...you ride...shotgun." Bumblebee offered, causing Fera to grin and shake her head. "No, that's ok. I can deal." she left the disappointed Autobot behind and walked around the car to the open door. She climbed inside and purposefully let her damp hair free to drip down the leather seat. "You're such a gentlemen." she noted in fake awe, settling back into the cushion.
"Hey, I'm only following my leader's orders, I'm not here to be a gentleman." Sol said over the radio. The iron door before them slowly started to move up and Sol clicked on his headlights. The yawning darkness was suddenly lit alight by two rows of small LED lights. Sol honked once at Bee and then they were off.
Fera leaned back into the seat and stared out the window, avoiding all eye contact with the steering wheel that seemed to move all on its own. Soft music could be heard playing from the speakers, but Fera didn't pay it much attention. She was instead focused on her thoughts.
Questions on things like her mother and her wellbeing drifted through Fera's mind. She had called 911 before tearing after the Autobots in the rain, but did they come? Fera's body suddenly stilled, her blood running cold. "Open the window." she ordered, unable to do so herself. Sol had locked the button, so Fera was unable to feel the warm spring air early on. Just one more lovely gesture by her new 'guardian'.
"What? Why?" he wondered suspiciously. Fera unbuckled her seat belt, arching her back to reach her rear pockets. "Just do it!" she commanded sternly, finding the small device. The glass beside her began to lower, blasting her with the night air. In the distance, she could see a brightly lit silver arch and a long river that stretched into the horizon. She took the muddy, waterlogged device and swiftly chucked it out of the window, no sound of the break reaching them. Fera sat back and Sol quickly rolled up the window.
"What was that?" he asked with a concerned tone. If anyone got in trouble, it would be Sol, whether someone was driving him or not. "A phone. My phone actually. It was pretty much useless and I needed an excuse to tell my mom for not calling her. Tracking me would also be an easy thing for someone." she explained, looking at the time on the dashboard. It was already past 7:30 at night. And if they needed to get all the way across Missouri from to Amoret, it would take at least 4 hours.
"That's smart, but you couldn't be tracked in the base. The walls were too insulated to allow radio waves from primitive devices such as those to be picked up." he noted, speeding up. Cars packed the highways, but Sol didn't seem to mind as he passed one vehicle after another.
"I swear, if you get us pulled over, I'm walking home." Fera threatened after a moment of quiet.
It must have crossed Sol's mind just to let her do what she said. However, there would be consequences for his actions. Fera briefly found herself wondering what exactly had happened to get him sent to this rock in the first place.
"However, I see that won't be a problem since no one is driving." she stated this with a heavy point, signifying something specific. Sol paused for a moment, seemingly confused. Maybe she bewildered him more than she'd orginally thought.
"What do you suggest I do then?" he asked, on edge of aggravation. Dirty blonde hair was yanked over one shoulder and ice-blue eyes motioned beside her. "You need someone driving you. Like a hologram or something. Otherwise, it looks like you're diving yourself." she explained. Sol thought about that for a moment, then gave up. "Why? I'm perfectly fine like this." he slowed behind an elderly driver, a sharp honk coming from the Mustang. "You're trying to blend in I thought, right? So if you have no driver, you won't blend in." she insisted. There was no immediate response from the 'Bot, but he eventually complied. The radio buzzed and hummed as if Sol were searching for a station. Fera watched the device curiously. "How about this?" he finally suggested, a flash appearing beside Fera. She jumped as a grid in the shape of a person appeared next to her, a wave of color and texture washing over the form.
It was a male, young, with short, dirty blonde hair and slightly tanned skin. He was in full uniform, his gloved hands griping the wheel. Fera couldn't help staring at the image, her stomach twisting. Her heart pulsed with an agonizing beat and her lungs seized. She snapped her head away and held her waist tightly with both arms.
"Turn that off." she said shakily.
The image flickered and then restored, looking over at the girl beside him. "What? Is there something wrong with it?" Sol wondered. "Yes. Just turn it off. Please." she couldn't speak clearly, and she felt almost nauseated. The image immediately flipped off and Fera was left alone once more. "Where did you get that image?" she asked, on the verge of tears.
All the sarcasm and all the irritation was gone from Sol's demeanor the moment he noticed the water on the edge of the female's eyes. Fera prayed that he wouldn't press things further unless he wishd for a crying passenger. Grinding her teeth, Fera blinked away the assaulting tears. Optimus was right; he did need the experience. "It was a picture on a wall back at the base. There were more than just that one hanging there, but I only really noticed that one." he cut off. "Did you...know them?" it was a hesitant question. And Fera literally almost broke down on the spot. She forced back the misty sheen and nodded.
"That was my father. William Lennox."
The silence was a welcome sound throughout the rest of the ride back to Fera's home. Sol found another, unknown soldier who usually roamed the base to be his hologram and Fera said nothing on the matter. She didn't even have to give Sol her address, for the 'Bot was already informed. He silently pulled down the road and crawled towards the home.
"Great." he practically spat. Police cars sit stationed before the small house, their lights blinking. Fera leaned forward, looking over the yard to see two officers on the lawn, looking into a small note pad. "Just park behind this one." she directed, pointing to the closest vehicle. Sol inched closer to the cruiser and came to a stop. The hologram snapped off and Fera crawled across the seat to climb out the driver-side door.
"Fera," Sol called just before she opened the handle. She looked down at the radio as it fell silent. "sorry about your mech creator." he murmured.
Fera took one moment to just stare at the device before she gave a small, tired grin. "Thanks Sol. That...means a lot." she patted the steering wheel and opened the door. "Thanks for the ride home." and she left.
A slamming door had both heads of the policemen in the yard looking up. Fera's body paused, deciding to act like she was innocently confused about the situation. One of the officers flipped close the cover of his notes, sighing. His comrade turned to walk inside the house. Fera walked past the policemen in the yard and into the house.
Almost immediately, she was embraced by her blubbering mother. "Fera Rosalie Lennox, where in God's name have you been?!" it was like her mother was a wrestler, nearly choking out her daughter in her grasp. Fera made a few dramatic sounds of breathlessness to alert her situation and her mother let her neck go, but refused release of her shoulders. Mascara was left to streak her mother's tear-stained face while tissues littered the living room table. "It is 1 'o clock in the morning, I was absolutely worried sick!" Sarah Lennox sniffed and blotted her teary eye. The policemen in the home gathered themselves and started for the door, getting words of appreciation from Fera's mother on their way out.
"Right now, I'm just glad you're safe. You're lucky tomorrow is Saturday, otherwise I'd be kicking you out to school at 5 am." Fera's mother sniffed again and Fera hugged her close to comfort her. "I'm so sorry mom, I will never do that again so long as I live under your roof." she promised. And she meant every word. At least as far as what was in her power.
Fera was left to go to bed with a warning from her mother that she would be dealt with in the morning. Fera just nodded and slyly closed the front door so to close off the driveway. She then retreated to her bedroom, releasing a large yawn and batting her eyes. For the first time, Fera was glad they lived in a small country house outside the city. It was quiet, and most important, unseen to the wandering eye. A flashy black and red Mustang wouldn't be seen by anyone but the people who lived in the home. There would be explaining to do in the morning though.
Sol was left to the night and Fera wondered if he would sleep. Could he? Her hair was left to lay out like spider webs across her pillow while she lay awake in one of those to-tired-to-sleep dazes. Moonlight filtered in from the window and through the thin white curtains that hung across it. Fera's mind was weary and ready for rest, but her heart couldn't seem to settle. Sol would be there in the morning. He had to be.
She repeatedly caught herslef looking out from behind her curtains to make sure that the 'Bot was still there. Every time he was found to be in the same spot, and Fera was once again reassured that the day's events were anything but a dream.
While Fera's father had been alive, it was told to Fera by her mother that he worked in the special forces unit of the army. Nothing more, nothing less. And that was why it was so easy for Fera's mother to prepare herself for the sudden death of her husband. It didn't help much in the actual event of it happening, but it did put a label on his coffin. He would be known for dying in doing what he loved. It gave the family closure. But it still struck grief in their hearts. Sarah Lennox viewed her husband as a hero, someone who'd defended his country and family with the ultimate sacrifice.
She was right about his being a hero. But she couldn't have been further from the full truth.
Unable to hold it off anymore, Fera let her eyes close. It was a welcomed relief, allowing her to process everything. First, she had met massive, emotion-capable robots. Then, they had taken her to their leader, who was probably the most impressive sight she'd ever seen. And not only that, but her father and 'uncle' Robert had been involved with them for a good amount of her life. There was so little she knew about them, and she couldn't wait to ask. She could just go outside and question Sol about everything, but her body refused to do so. Definitely in the morning. Maybe if she slept enough and then got up early on, she could beat her mother to the yard, keeping her from seeing the Mustang in the driveway.
It was almost impossible for sleep to fully overcome Fera, but when it did, she couldn't stop the crushing darkness that enveloped her body. She saw images flash by, some clear, some not. She knew that her father had come up a lot. He often did. But, there were also the faces of people she'd never seen before. And then the ever recurring scene of her father placing one of his most precious possessions upon her.
He was laying in the medical bed, his body set on annoyingly stiff, crisp, white sheets. Fera had once lain beside her father in them, feeling their itchy and rough touch. She didn't know how he could stand it. The large, beeping machines were framed around him, repeatedly chiming in with clear rings ever so often. A mask was placed over his face, with the tube connected to a cylindrical device and pump. There were more wires and tubes slunk under his blanket, but he always refused to let Fera see where they led. She would later find out that they were probably the only things keeping her father's body alive. He had swelling in his skull, a piece of the bone removed to allow room in the space. An IV was set up into the back of his hand and in his neck, running clear fluid. He was still conscious, but barely. Liquid was also building up in his lungs, making it difficulty to talk or breath. The doctors couldn't figure out how he had gotten so sick so fast. And learning where it all had come from would be equally as impossible.
Fera had sat at his side, watching her father steadily while her mother took a well-deserved nap in the corner of the padded guests' bench. His weak voice had spoken up, calling his daughter forward. She came, and took up his offered hand with a worried face. "Fera, you're so big now. I'm so...proud of you." he gave a loud cough, racking his body. Fera jumped as the noise startled her, but she soon returned her concerned expression.
"You know I'm sick, and I know that you've come to realize I'm probably not coming home..." he trailed off again and grimaced. Fear had gripped Fera's heart at that moment, tearing the girl in two. Pain was clear on her father's face, yet he forced himself on. He lifted a hand and slipped the mask from his face, holding it up as he reached to his neck and unclipped the necklace from his neck.
"Take this. And hold onto it with everything you have. It will protect you and someday, it may bring you wonders beyond your wildest dreams." he then let the mask back on and gently, weakly placed the chain and charm into Fera's open palm. She closed her fingers around it and brought it close to study.
The almost-black stone entranced her and she found herself shifting the sleek, sharp faces around again and again. It seemed almost to have smoke trapped inside, the core being the very darkest. "I hope someday you meet my comrades. They will greatly appreciate what you're doing." Will went on, patting her hand. Fera looked up to see her father's smiling face and tears gathered in her eyes. So little time. So little time...
A bright light flashed in Fera's eyes painfully, causing her to wince and squeeze her eyes tighter. The dream of her conversation with her father melted away and she forced open her crusted lids. They were sore and heavy, barely allowing her to lift them fully. But the light wouldn't let her sleep, just standing with white vividness. She lifted an arm to blot out the gleam and she sat up. It was coming from her window, the curtains doing nothing to block it. Fera groaned and moved to the window, throwing back the thin fabric. It was Solas, his vehicle form sitting right outside her window, his blinding headlights ablaze. Fera unlatched her window and swung open the glass, leaning on the frame.
"Are you mentally insane?!" she hissed as low and menacingly as she could. Her mother was surely still asleep, possibly unable to rest now with the light. The illumination flicked off and Sol sat still. "My sensory circuits are fine." he said in an almost confused voice. Fera gave a loud moan and then she clapped a hand over her mouth.
Silence settled on the room and Fera went frigid. No sound came from the direction of the door, so Fera lifted her hand. "What is it?" she whispered hoarsely. Sol opened the passenger-side door beside him and waited. "Something's happened back at base. They need me there." he answered. Fera stood up from the windowsill and furrowed her brow. "Why do you need me to go?" she wondered. Her arms crossed and Sol revved his engine. "It involves you. And I'm your Guardian, so wherever I go, you go." he waved the open door and urged her to hurry.
"Fine, wait here. Just be quiet." she relented, snapping shut the curtain. Fera pivoted on her heels and hurried to pull off the clothes she'd worn the night before, throwing them on the ground. She then grabbed a clean shirt from her closet and pulled on some fresh jeans from the drawer. She pulled back her hair into a ponytail, moving on to slip on her tennis shoes. She ran into the kitchen and started on a short note to leave for her mother when she left. The pen flew from her hand and the words "Went hiking with friends- be back soon" sat on the tabletop.
Fera then grabbed a small bagel from the counter to eat and she threw together some simple makeup. She felt like she couldn't move quick enough to get out the door, almost running to the car as she pushed her arms through the navy blue jacket she wore. Head ducking, Fera slipped into the leather seats of Sol's interior and she shut the door. The bagel hanging out of her mouth jumped as Sol's wheels started moving back and around, the vehicle in full motion in less than a few seconds.
"What took you so long?" he demanded over the radio. Fera clicked the seat belt over her chest and lifted a hand to removed the bagel from her mouth. "And what is that on your optics? Colored preservatives? Humans are so weird." he moved over the uneven ground of the front lawn towards the road before them. His wheels jumped a few more times before they met smoother terrain.
"My eyes? It's called makeup and most the teenagers in the world use it. And maybe if you'd given me a few more hours of rest then just flashing me awake this morning, I'd be out earlier." she took a bite of the bread in her hands and flashed a glare at the radio. "Next time I'll remember. But really, maybe the makeup isn't necessary. I'm sure that's what took you the longest." he noted. Fera stopped her chewing and swallowed, eyeing the radio in confusion. "How would you know that? You were outside." she said, wiping her hands on her jeans.
Sol turned around the corner and flashed on his hologram. "Heat seeking technology. I could see you." he mentioned almost nonchalantly. The hair on the back of Fera's neck rose and she held her arms close. "You...what- please don't do that! It's creepy..." she lowered her eyes and held her waist. "I was wondering what was taking you, so I checked it out." he responded, swerving around a slow tractor on the side of the road. Dull grey blanketed the skies as the morning sun just peeked over the horizon. It read 6:45 on Sol's dash and Fera sighed into the seat. Only 5 hours of sleep. "Moving on," she began, looking over to the hologram. She needed something more familiar to address than the radio. "what is it that you're needed for back at the base?" she wondered. Sol's hologram looked beside him and then back to the road, no emotion visible on the man's face.
"Well I guess you're well enough in this all to hear..." he trailed off uncertainly and his hologram flickered before returning. "A new Cybertronian is on their way towards base. We're hoping it is one of us, particularly a Prime." he reported. "We have two Primes in this world at the moment, which is something extremely rare, if not legendary, even back on Cybertron. One is Optimus and the other is Rethalia Prime." he paused and Fera looked over the road. "Yeah, Epps told me about Rethalia." she said, remembering the smirk on the man's face. "He had? How much did he tell you?" Sol questioned.
"That she was Optimus' girlfriend."
"Girlfriend? I'm not sure what that is."
"It's like when a woman and a man are together, but not married. They are boyfriend and girlfriend when they're dating."
"Well then girlfriend would be an understatement."
"So they're married."
"No, it's different than what you have here on your planet."
Fera fell quiet at this, not completely sure what the Autobot meant. They were together, but they weren't boyfriend and girlfriend. They weren't married either. "Then what are they?" she wondered. Sol became silent for a few moments, the space in the cabin too quiet for Fera's liking. "Don't worry about it now. You'll learn soon enough." he decided. Fera sat back against the leather seat, her body masked in obvious frustration.
They told her they would tell her anything, but they wouldn't admit to her the things she asked! "On Cybertron, a leader would be decided by an ancient group of Cybertronian civilization known as the Council. They held the entire wisdom of the lineage of the Primes and all there is to know of Cybertron from the records. The only others knowing more than them would be Primus himself and of course the AllSpark." he stated, changing the subject. Fera looked back down at the radio and waited for him to continue. He soon did, "Now, Cybertron is ruled by the Prime, who is in turn selected by the Council. Only when that Prime dies or retires does the next become named."
The tone in the bot's voice was interesting to Fera. He seemed to like explaining his culture to her. Despite the annoying edge to the Cybertronian, she could see herself coming to him often for information. "What about the Council? How were they made?" she wondered, watching the device curiously. The hologram Sol permitted just creeped her out, so she would just speak to the small broadcaster. "No one really knows." Sol answered, the steering wheel turning in the hologram's hands as Sol moved the car into another lane. "It's said in legend that they came from the AllSpark itself. They were placed on Cybertron as the first of the Cybertronian race and appointed with responisibility of keeping the life of the planet safe."
The car grew quiet and Sol's body stopped moving so that they would sit at a stoplight. "The rest of the race followed soon after them, becoming what we are now. Of course, your species and even your Earth were not yet created." Sol went on, continuing forward as the light flicked to green. "What about the children on your planet?" Fera asked next, slipping her hands into her pockets. "How long would it take them to grow into a Cybertronian?" Sol didn't answer right away and Fera felt an increasing sense of awkwardness. "Cybertron had a different series of units used as time, but a close estimate would be around 400 of your years." the hologram beside Fera sat with its hands on the wheel, not blinking or moving an inch.
"The creation of a sparkling would better be explained by Ratchet, or Rethalia, but I can comfortably tell you the easiest option." he seemed to be thinking over what to say and Fera suddenly regretted asking what she did. No going back now. "In this way, the AllSpark takes the physical components of the Giver and then uses it to make a sparkling. The personality of the sparkling is its own, the only connection to its Giver being its spark's gridmap." Fera cut in before he could continue, "What is that?" she asked. "The center of all Cybertronians is their spark. It's similar to something you humans would call a 'heart'. However, it is more than that; something that holds our very beings; it holds our entire record of life and can be used in the creation of another." Sol explained, speeding up to come around another car in the road. "However, only when two Cybertronians become One can they create a sparkling. Basically when the two unite both halves of their spark, they can create life."
It was a turn in the conversation that Fera hadn't expected. Unite their sparks? How was that even possible? "I'm guessing this happens with a male and female since that's what happens here." she assumed.
Sol snorted over the radio and Fera's eyebrows came down. "What?" she demanded, crossing her arms. If it was something she'd said, then there was no reason to mock her. "Cybertronians aren't called male and female. We don't separate the class of each other like humanity does. I am a mech. Rethalia is a fembot." he paused and Fera gave him a confused look. "Does that mean that you don't even have genders?" she inquired bewilderedly. Sol gave a sharp honk to the person in front of them and Fera jumped in surprise.
After giving a chuckle at her startled expression, he went on to answer. "Almost. Our fembots have the same abilities to produce offspring like females do, but they cannot do the same things. They cannot nourish their young like human women, and they possess the capability to remove their young from their hold as the sparkling develops." Sol said, moving his rearview mirror to look at the older teen's face. With her eyes as vivid blue as they were, they could be passed for an Autobot's. She had a concentrated expression on her face, her features clear from the hair she pulled back. It appeared like she really was trying to understand.
"A mech like myself can also hold the sparkling, but we cannot offer it nourishment." he put in, catching her attention. Fera looked to the radio for a moment before glancing over at the hologram. "Do you have a...mate I guess?" she inquired in a soft tone. Solas was silent, his lack of words disturbing. Fera sunk into the seat and grabbed her arms, averting her eyes.
"You don't have to talk about it if-"
"No. I don't. And I never have." his voice was flat. Fera didn't want to know why.
Sol had not seemed willing to further the conversation, and Fera could just feel the very tension in the air around her. She instead focused her eyes out the window, watching the rising rays. Sol fit in with the other cars without speeding or honking. The time read 7:15, barely 30 minutes into their drive. 3 and a half hours to go.
Slowly, Fera felt her eyelids growing heavy once more. The small amount of sleep she had gotten was wearing on her, forcing her body into running on nothing but adrenalin. Her head tipped back and her eyes batted a few more times before she sighed and they closed completely. Sol's mirror looked down at the female and it stayed there, reflecting the image of the sleeping woman as he seemed to study her. A mask of serenity laid over her face, seeming to place a sense of peace over her features. Tranquility came from the silence, adding to Fera's weary mind. For once, she didn't dream of her father. It wasn't even her encounter yesterday that she reminisced on. She dreamed of Solas Kaon.
No matter the situation, it was actually nice to have the company of the human female. She asked a lot of questions yes, but Sol almost didn't mind. He would answer what needed answering, and nothing more. The question of his status on a sparkmate had momentarily taken him by surprise, but he responded anyway. It needed to be answered. Fera seemed like the type to go to someone else for the truth if he didn't offer them himself. But somehow, she seemed to sense his apprehension, and she stopped talking altogether. The silence was welcomed for a time, but it soon turned to nerveracking. Was the female in restore? Or was it just a simple recharge stage? Or maybe it was something different completely? Solas thought about forcing her to restart, to check if she wasn't, well, dead.
But then he thought against it. She recharged a lot, and he couldn't think of why. He searched his files that he had accessed from the ones given to him on the human race by Prowl and he found a simple subject on human sleep. He gave it a quick scan and found out a good amount on the ability. Humans needed a balanced amount of daily sleep before they could perform fully. They could also take 'naps' throughout the day if their balance seemed tipped. Sleep allowed their bodies to regenerate and rest its systems by shutting down anything unnecessary. It was also discovered that humankind could 'dream', allowing vivid images of imagination or memory to be experienced in this state. Fera suddenly shifted, moving her head and body to sit sideways on the seat, bringing her knee bolts up close. Sol immediately closed the files and looked at her through the mirror.
He thought about asking Fera what a dream really was before he noticed that her optics were still covered by the fleshy slips called 'eyelids' and he stopped himself. Maybe she was having a dream right now. It interested him to think that humans could be capable of such capabilities. Briefly, he wished to know what it was that one experienced in a dream.
Sol's attention was abruptly drawn to Fera's neck, the small, thin rope of metal around her jugular cable firmly connected to a small black stone. Studying it further, Solas' circuitry flashed though all of his files and shifted through any small records concerning the small piece. He found nothing.
Confused, he scanned it over and over. Nothing came up. He finally left it alone, forcing himself to not worrying over the matter. It stayed in the back of his cranial unit, pushed aside so he could focus on the matters ahead.
Optimus Prime and the others had been prepared to head back to the main base in Washington D.C before everything involving Fera had happened. Now they would have to wait for clearance and patiently stall for the incoming arrival.
If they were lucky, it would be a fellow Autobot. If not, they would be faced with the discovery of one of the secret facilities that housed them. Of course, the humans' form of 'top secret' was fairly primitive compared to that of a Cybertronian security. However, Wheeljack and Optimus himself had added in their points to improve the surveillance. Now, each base was reinforced by Cybertronian technology, making it harder to find their positions by the Decepticons. And it was that much more important to hide the information inside each base, for locked inside were the coordinates of each base on the northern American continent.
Solas couldn't help putting his trust into his comrades, but with the added element of the new human female, things would be getting much more complicated. The star called the Sun rose steadily over the distant land, entrancing Sol with the sight. Cybertron once had a sun, but it had been knocked out of orbit, casting them into a sunless stretch of history. It was truly a beautiful sight, one that Sol captured and stored deep into his CPU for remembrance later on.
The rolling hills of the country as well as the small groups of creatures that Sol passed had captured his interest, and he soon found out the names of the different species. Cows, horses, chickens, and even a few dogs appeared before the flattened ground of civilization came under wheel. Halfway there, he thought.
There should be a faster way to travel from the base to Fera's home than this. There must be. All this driving was making Sol stiff. He rumbled the engine to loosen up the joints.
This noise seemed to rattle the female passenger in his cabin, for he caught a shift of movement from her. Fera's optics shone from behind her lids, the bright blue color peculiarly familiar to that of an Autobot's. The covering on her body called 'skin' was oddly pale, despite the tanner shade her male creator had bore.
Her optics opened wider and her pupils flicked over to the broadcasting device she called a radio. "Are we there?" she asked in a sluggish tone.
Sol moved the rearview mirror so that it no longer showed her image. "No, sadly. You should continue to recharge until we get there." he suggested. Fera moved her head from side to side, refusing. "I think I'm good. That nap really helped me though, thank you for that." she lifted a flesh-covered hand and pushed it into her optic, rubbing it in a circular motion. She moved her legs so that they sat back on the floor, her 'eyes' scanning the road. Sol thought back on the files he'd encountered about the human dreams and he wondered about how to go about it.
"Fera? There was something I'd like to ask you." he began, catching the young female's attention. "Yes? What is it?" she wondered. Sol searched through the file again and picked out the tidbits of information he would need. "In human sleep, you experience something call 'dreams'. What exactly can you tell me about them?" he asked. Fera shifted and placed her hands back into the fabric of her clothing. "Well, it depends. Some people, like me, dream often about dead relatives or memories they had in their lives. Other times though, people have dreams of little creatures or stories they create in their imagination. Sometimes it's even things they experience in movies or storybooks." she finished and waited for Sol's response. He said nothing at first, taking the time to put in record each word she said. Little did she know, Sol had documented every moment of his time on Earth so far. He had stopped for about an earth week before starting it up again in meeting Fera.
"Can we stop? I kinda have to pee." she questioned quite abruptly.
"Pee?" he wondered. He heard the female sigh and he became confused.
"Urinate. The bodily process of releasing liquid waste. Sound familiar?" she explained with a last shot of agitation. It obviously wasn't something she liked to talk about. A timid feeling crossed over him.
So that was what she meant.
Sol drove through the small county town before moving through a gas station. "I'll wait here." he said. Fera nodded trustfully and climbed out of the cabin, walking inside the building. Sol kept up the hologram of his false driver and let his engine run as he moved across the street and stopped on the curb of a nearby sidewalk. "Ratchet to Solas Kaon, what is your status?" he inquired, a slightly irritated edge to his voice. "It's so nice to hear you too Ratchet, good morning." Sol returned humorously. Ratchet huffed, obviously agitated.
"Where is the human girl?" he continued, ignoring Sol's comment. Sol let his attention direct to the door of the building and he found no one exiting yet. His CPU was suddenly crossed by the thought of Fera's actions, but he quickly brushed that thought off.
"She's with me. We are little over halfway to base at the moment." he reported. "Good, have you encountered anything suspicious?" Ratchet questioned next.
At that moment, Fera came from the inside of the station and started towards him. "No, there had been no sign of..." he trailed off as another human, a male, taller than Fera came from the building the same time she did. Obviously, he'd been standing in the shadows, for Solas hadn't immediately noticed him until he stepped off the raised curb of the station. His legs picked up pace and Sol narrowed his attention towards the male. "Sol? Finish your report." Ratchet ordered. "Sol?"
Sol witnessed the scene as the man stalking across the lot got ever closer to Fera. His eyes said it all, the hard expression on his face unmistakable. It was the same face that the Autobot warriors had worn before each battle, the knowing that death may take them like acid rust in the back of their CPUs.
No. Not again.
Sol's wheels screamed across the blacktop, his vehicle mode rushing towards the parking lot. The male human suddenly grabbed Fera, her startled and frightened scream piercing the air.
No, not again. Those warriors had suffered for things they choose to suffer for. Fera was as innocent as the sparklings that hung off their creators' frames. The man was gripping Fera hard enough to get a pained cry from her.
Why couldn't he move fast enough?
Suddenly, Fera saw Sol. Her eyes were full of terror, but there was something more. Something like...anger.
The moment Sol's wheels touched the parking lot, Fera broke one arm free, using it to plunge her elbow joint into the male's abdomen, freeing her other arm. She roughly pushed herself away from the male, separating them. Sol sped up in the space, nearly running the male over. He stumbled back, staring in shock at the car. Sol's door opened, allowing Fera safely inside. "Are you alright?" he asked her, seeing the angered grimace on the girl's face. She nodded and Sol turned his attention back on the male. Sol backed up his form, sharply turning so he would be facing the male. He thought about transforming there, but Fera would be injured in the process. So instead, he let two blades shift from his headlights, the two points nearly cutting off the man's legs.
Sol revved the engine twice, threatening him with the deep, throaty roar. The male's eyes grew wide at the sight of the blades, his body immediately turning tail and fleeing. Sol retracted the weapons and he squealed his wheels, spinning around to face the road. The shifting gears inside of his body clicked and he started, throwing Fera's body back against the seat. His body bounced, cars swerving around him as he sped out of the lot. Rubber met blacktop and Sol swerved down the highway in their original direction. Fera was holding her tank cavity, her eyes closed off. Her oral sheets appeared pressed together from behind her lip plates.
Solas cut all communications with his comrades, sending a message instead that medical assistance was to be needed on arrival. "Fera..." he began, causing Fera's light blue optics to show. "I said I was fine!" she spat. She grimaced again and bent over Sol's steering wheel. There was no doubt that she was anything from ok.
It wasn't that Sol was finally feeing his duties towards the female, or the fact that she had worth to the Autobots that could possibly be lost in her being harmed. It was the thought that any grown adult human would attack a younger. As soon as they reached base, Fera was going to the medic. And Solas would be having a word with Optimus Prime over this arrangement.