Of the Spark And Heart
Part 1
Chapter 6 part 1
Fera was now healed enough for her trek home. This realization had come to Solas as he spoke with her medic, Doctor Shelby. She would be tired at first, but she would become fresh as new sooner than expected. He had found himself relieved at that point, knowing her importance and recognizing her youth. If she would have died, it would have been a crushing blow. Not only for him, but he knew she would have deserved a better ending. It just went to show how easily one human could lose their life on this planet.
As Fera got herself ready to travel back home, Sol had taken it on himself to report back to Optimus. He also had an apology ready. He had no right being where he was when he was, he knew that now. His steps thudded dully down the concrete halls and he turned, the Autobot symbol in his sights. CPU pulsing with his many thoughts, he lifted an arm to press in the keys to open the door. The metal slid aside and he stepped inside, the doors closing behind him. He took two steps and stopped cold, his form freezing in both shock and awe.
Before him was his leader, seated in his large office chair. He had his side to Solas, but he apparently hadn't heard him come in.
For in his large, made-for-battle hands, was a small fembot sparkling.
She was chirping happily, her small hands playing with Optimus' own. She jumped and clung to his chassis, sliding down as her arms couldn't fully reach across. A deep, soft chuckling echoed from Optimus' vocal processors, a gleeful expression overtaking his faceplates. Sol just stood and stared, feeling as if he were intruding. Optimus laughing? He had never seen the mech so happy.
The small fembot hummed and trilled, joyfully caught up in her mech creator's hands. She was so tiny compared to him, like the organic creature known as a 'puppy' in a human's grasp. Her small frame fell back and she sat with her aft on Optimus' palm. Giggles bubbled joyfully from her as she laughed at her own actions, Optimus' own amusement added to hers.
Solas found it was time, grunting his vocal processors to get the Prime's attention. Optimus' cranial unit snapped to the door, his hand coming up to simply hide the sparkling from view. She was small enough that she was easily just cupped in his grasp, which would have been entertaining if not for the current circumstances.
Optimus found only Sol standing in wait and he slowly opened his terminal joints again. The sparkling looked around in confusion, wondering what the sudden movement of her creator had stemmed from. "I'm sorry to come in without telling you first..." Sol turned and began to leave, lifting a hand to press the button by the door. "Solas, you have come here to talk with me about something, correct? It's alright." Optimus called. Sol turned, seeing his leader had stood.
The small fembot sparkling appeared up by his shoulderbolt, the young one then slipping over his spinal support, crawling into a ball as a holding chamber took its place over her and clicked into place. It was only a small silver bulge on his extensive spinal area, unnoticeable by the untrained optic. The Prime turned towards Sol as he walked back into the room. "Fera has recovered enough that she is able to return home. I wanted to inform you that we may not return for a few Earth days." he reported. Optimus nodded, "Is that all?" he asked.
Shaking his cranial unit, Solas held out his hand, handing his leader the object inside. Optimus reached out, taking the token. Bringing back his arm, he opened his terminal links.
What Sol had given him was a small collection of tiny metal plates strung up together by thin, braided chains. The body appeared painted all in a vivid white, with dark blue detailing done on the chassis, arm braces, and helmet. There was also a small Autobot symbol on the chassis of the object. Optimus' terminal joints hovered over the thing in his hand, the tip of his thumb link gently touching the surface. The amazingly small detailing in the faceplates captured most of his attention, leaving him both amused and impressed.
"Fera told me to give that to you. She had heard that your sparkmate had arrived, wounded, and she wanted to give you something to make you feel better." Sol chuckled at the memory, seeing the small female's arms raised to hand him the craft. She was obviously embarrassed, her eyes traveling anywhere but to Sol's optics.
"What is it?" Optimus wondered, looking up from Fera's creation. "She says it's a small doll made in our image. She had been working on it to keep her busy while she healed." he explained.
The Prime gave one nod and then looked back down at the doll. "Tell her it is appreciated, and that Rethalia will recover nicely." he said, lowering his hand. "One last thing," Sol went on, tapping his terminal links against his leg, "sorry for intruding on you and Rethalia. It was none of my business and I apologize for that." he glanced up and saw Optimus looking down on him. "We all have our curiosities Sol. You are forgiven nonetheless." he noted. Sol gave a brisk, thankful nod and the he took a few steps towards the door. "I'll keep my comlink open." the mech said as a farewell. He watched his leader as he backed up, seeing Optimus again look down on the doll before he turned and walked out of the sliding doors.
Down the halls he went once more, taking the time to check in on Hound, who was getting a replacement chest plating. Sol popped into the doorway and found Wheeljack shaping the piece on his chair. Sideswipe was also there, by another table mixing colors for Hound's paint. Hound glanced up from the table he was sitting on and he lifted a hand in greeting, to which Sol returned. Wheeljack and Sideswipe also greeted him in the same way, quickly returning to their work afterwards.
Sol exited the room and soon found himself in the main entrance to the base. Fera was already there, one hand clasped over the Stone of Primus by her jugular. "Ready?" he called, catching her attention. She dropped the legendary artifact and nodded, slowly walking up to him. "I've been ready since day one." her body stopped just a few feet away as she waited for Sol to finish his transformation. She then climbed into the passenger-side door, settling in with a sigh. The door closed and Sol revved his engine, driving around before growling past the main door. Into the tunnel they went, out the fake bolder, and through Forest Park.
They traveled in silence for a while, Sol watching Fera as she looked out the window. The rearview mirror switched back and he decided to bide time by playing with the broadcast device called a 'radio'. Human voices, drawn long or short, or even clearly tampered with crossed over the air. Sol became confused at the different tones and noises that came from the stations, his interest having him settle on one. It was all said in the English language, but it was different somehow, like their vocal processors were strung to sound out different all sorts of pitches and notes. He let the unfamiliar expressions play in the cabin and Fera looked to it, then back to the window. Was this normal? Why didn't Fera show any expression towards these noises?
"Fera, what is this?" he asked. She glanced up and looked at the radio. "It's Carry On, by Fun." she answered. Sol lowered the volume of Carry On by Fun. "Is that what this is all called? Because every broadcast I collect sounds differently." he switched to a few more stations to demonstrate. Fera's optic ridges came down in confusion. "You mean the music? All it's about is when famous people sing a song that they had written and then add background sounds and noises to help add emotion to something. Like when a loud, repetitive pop song comes on, it makes you want to dance. Or a love song making you want to hold someone. A sad song will make you want to cry." she explained nonchalantly. "It's basically just another form of art...just one for the ears."
Sol thought about this for a moment and then dropped it, taking the information as was. "Do you create this...music?" he wondered, trying to find the right term. Fera suddenly laughed, a soft, bell-like sound. "I used to. But I stopped because I wasn't very good. Now all I do is violin." her voice dropped off and all that was left was the broadcast's music. It was interesting shifting through the many forms of song and when Sol got bored with it, he settled back with the original station.
"Do you mind waking me up when we get back? I'm kind of tired." Fera asked eventually, settling close to the door. Sol felt the small, warm body of the female against the surface and he glanced at her through the rearview mirror. "Go ahead." he said over the music. Fera wrapped her arms around herself and then set her hair-covered cranial unit against the door window. The small vents on her face released a sigh and her 'eyelids' closed. Sol watched her for a moment more and then turned away the mirror. He had forgotten to ask her about the last time she'd slept. But it didn't really seem to matter that much if he'd forgotten about it.
The cities he came across thinned and became smaller, the signs saying one county or city after another. A dip in the road roughly caused his body to bounce and he winced, glancing back at Fera to see if she'd awoken. Her soft breathing continued on. Relieved, Sol focused on the road ahead. The estimated time taken to get to halfway was about 2 joors, meaning they still had 2 more to go. Stiffness could be felt in his form already and he considered stopping. However, the events of the past earth days had that idea instantly flushed from his CPU.
Again and again, he could feel the roughness of the road beneath his wheels and even a few organic insects squashed against his windshield. Distaste echoed through his circuitry and he quickly wiped away the mess. "Stupid fragging...little past-ridden...annoying bugs..." he grumbled. The wind dried his windshield quickly, but there was no cleaning his hood and front bumper. That would have to be delt with later on. The buildings around them lessened and they reached the countryside. A sign that flew past him read their current position as only a few miles from Bates county. Sol headed off the freeway and on the smaller roads, taking the shorter route.
Less than a joor. Sol turned down a side path and across the blacktop. He felt a shift in his cabin and found Fera's 'eyes' breaking open. She lifted herself up and shuttered, looking around. "Are we there yet?" she said in a weary voice, rubbing her hand over her facial area. Sol scanned another sign, sorting the letters. "Yes. If you consider ten miles "there"." he responded, moving back the rearview mirror to see the female. She sat straight against the seat, a large intake of air coming through her oral cavity as she stretched it wide. "That is pretty close. I guess I should start making up something." she looked out the window and Sol moved his attention back forward. "Making up something? Like a lie?" he wondered. He heard Fera shift again and he found her expressing something that looked like guilt.
"Well yes I guess. But it's more like an excuse." she stated, looking to the radio. "An excuse for what?" he was bewildered and Fera didn't seem too keen on going on to explain much more. She placed an arm on the edge of Sol's door. "For the sports car about to pull into our driveway. Oh! And maybe this." she jabbed a finger at her tank cavity and Sol paused. He hadn't thought of the female that Fera lived with. "My mom will be wondering what's been keeping me. Eventually she'll know about the wound." Fera calmed down from her snappy response and Sol rumbled over the road without a word. Finally, Fera seemed to fully return to normalcy. "What if you told her you fell?" he offered. Fera huffed, "Ya, that one's going to fool her." she looked to the radio and crossed her arms.
Sol gave a deep rumble of his engine. "Well I'm sorry for trying to help." he retorted sharply. "She's a grown woman, not a baby. She'll know better." Fera went on. "Has anyone told you I've only been on this planet for a few orns?" he shot back. Fera uncrossed her hands, lifting them palm up. "And has anyone told you that I have no freaking idea what an orn is?" her tone was equally as venomous, like the rare fexas found on Cybertron.
- A fexa is a small, snake-like creature who dwells in the vast mercury seas of Cybertron. They have toxic rust-inducing saliva that excreted from their fang-like oral sheets. They were considered dangerous vermin, not even Decepticon soldiers allowed to find and come in contact with one. On one occasion, an Autobot scout on patrol named Linkpart, had accidentally stepped into a nest of one of these creatures. He was bitten and less than a groon later, his entire body rusted from the inside out.-
"A few weeks. It didn't exactly give me enough time to figure human psychology."
"It's common sense. An easy, quickly made lie would never work."
"Possibly she will not even question about it."
"She's my mother, of course she'll ask about it eventually."
"Well then, what do you suggest?!"
"I don't know, that's the problem!"
"Human minds are not that difficult to figure out, it shouldn't be too hard."
"I didn't know we were so stupid to you mister high and mighty."
Her voice was stone cold, her eyes like ice. Sol's hood vibrated as his vents let out a sigh. "That isn't what I meant." his frustration seemed to melt away, the knowing that his words may have offended the young human sparking in his CPU. Fera crossed her arms again, her eyes narrowing. "I'm afraid I don't see what you actually mean." she seared. Sol knew he had said something he shouldn't have, but the fact he was being talked down to by such a small figure was embarrassing. "Listen," he began with a stern tone to his vocal processor, "I never said that you or the human race was "stupid". A species such as yours is in no way dull." he started, trying to defuse the situation.
Fera just glared at the radio with eyes sharp enough to slice metal itself. "Think about it this way," she began, leaning forward. "in no way are we inferior to you. Nor are we beneath you. We do what we can with what we have. And no matter what you say about me or my "species" we are proud of what we have achieved and we aren't even close to being done yet." she then sat back and stared menacingly out the window. Sol didn't continue, surprise at Fera's intensity holding him speechless. He wouldn't go on anyway, knowing anything he said now would be turned against him.
It was obvious Fera had a temper.
And that she didn't take kindly to demeaning her peers.
They rode on in tense silence, Sol soon pulling into the long dirt driveway of Fera's home. As soon as his wheels stopped turning, Fera roughly grabbed the handle of the door and swung it open, slamming it shut once she had drawn out her leg. Sol winced, carefully watching the female as she stalked up to her domicile. This would come back to nip him in the aft, that was for sure.
The audacity of that bot! He was ridiculous!
Fera felt her anger boiling through her expression as she stared through the dark glass of the window. She noticed the familiar landscape of her home and she waited for Sol to come to a stop. He finally did and she got out as fast as she could, throwing open the door and then purposefully slamming it shut. A soft grunt came from the vehicle and she smiled at herself, feeling marginally better. Served him right.
Her legs carried her to the front door and she relaxed her features. "Mom? I'm home." she called. Her mother quickly came into the room, her hands hidden in a dish rag. She smiled and came over, hugging her daughter. "Did you have fun at Wendy's house? I didn't even know you had that close of a friend at school." she turned and returned to the kitchen. Fera followed her and leaned on the doorway of the room, watching her mother. "Yes, it was really fun. We went hiking and did some other fun stuff." she lied. Sarah Lennox removed her apron and turned to Fera, coming up to pinch her cheek and walk away. Fera chuckled and walked to her room, the door closing softly behind her.
Her anger pulled from her system, replaced by tiredness and soreness and pain. She winced and tenderly placed her hand over her side, walking over to sit on the edge of her bed. The bed sheets dented beneath her and she took in a sharp breath. Her eyes began to wander and she glanced carefully over the room. It had been a long time since she'd had the opportunity to just sit and appreciate. She had a good-sized room, with exposed hardwood floors, beige walls, and a dark wood drawer that held most of her clothing, with a small TV on top. She had a small closet to her right and a medium-sized window to her left. There wasn't much other than that except her bed and a fish tank on a small table beside the drawers. The nightstand beside her bed had a picture of her family and an alarm clock. Her familiar quilt comforter and thin sheets made her just want to lie down and rest her head on her old, deflated pillow.
But she knew she couldn't do that. The argument she had with Solas seemed only to stress out her wound until it was pulsing with new pain. She gently rubbed the spot and decided to lay on her back, staring at the blank white ceiling. She had felt slightly embarrassed at yelling at Sol like a child as she had, but she was also proud of herself. A tiny human had just stood up to the tall, mighty Cybertronian. Fera smirked and laid both hands over her stomach. Maybe he should think before he talks about my "species" again, she thought.
The room was eerily quiet, the silence leaving only room for thought. Fera's quirked lip fell after a moment. She suddenly remembered Solas explaining where he'd came from and then the additional info from Doctor Shelby. Back when she'd been healing, awaiting the opportunity to go home, the woman had gone on to explain what had really befallen the Autobots.
"Sol told me that the Autobots had come here from a planet named Cybertron." Fera started the conversation, boredom overtaking her. Doctor Shelby had sat in her rolling stool then, plainly seeing that the young woman was lonely and too curious to rest as she'd already been told. "Could you tell me about it?" Fera wondered. For a moment, there was a pause. And then the woman had come closer, pushing up her glasses as she often did. "Well I don't really know much about it myself. However, what I do know is this: the Autobots and Decepticons fought there for millions of our years. I think the Decepticons had wanted full leadership over the planet, trying to take it by force." she stopped for a moment to roll back to the counter and spray some sanitizer into her palms. As she returned, she went on, "However the Autobots stood in their way every time, trying to save the planet's freedom."
The doctor had stopped by the bed again and was waiting for Fera's response. The teen said nothing, so she continued, "It'd been discovered that the AllSpark, their most powerful and holy artifact, had been targeted. So they sent it off. But then that decision had other concequences arising. So they went after it." she rubbed the rest of the sanitizer into her hands and crossed her legs. "It landed here and they found it after a few hundred years of looking. It turned out that Sam Witwicky had these special glasses imprinted with the ability to find the AllSpark. All in all, they eventually killed Megatron, the Decepticon leader. Twice. But only at the cost of loosing many of their own comrades." she explained, glancing up over her glasses at Fera. "Now their planet is destroyed and what's left of their species is either here, in space somewhere, or on what's left of their planet."
There had been a small stretch of silence and a saddened realization in Fera. Her eyes looked to the floor as she found herself troubled at the thought of the pain the noble Autobots had to be going through. "I hope that helped." Doctor Shelby said in a soft tone, leaning over to pat Fera's knee. She looked up and nodded, truly grateful. "It did, thank you. It must really be difficult for them..." the conversation faded and the doctor finally stood. Fera gazed up and watched the medic leave. She was headed for the door, but she stopped, turning back. "I'm sure it must be very hard. However they are strong. Don't be fooled by their size and mechanic structure, because they had families and young ones and friends..." she herself trailed off and she reached over to grab the clipboard on the counter. "If I were you, I would do what they instruct. Being stubborn and difficult won't get you a warm welcome back." she shrugged a shoulder and Fera had caught a glimpse of a smirk on the woman's face as she turned to leave. "I mean just look at Secretary Kepler." and she was gone.
This memory had Fera lifting her hands to lay the back of their locked grasp on her forehead. An extreme sense of guilt washed over her body and she sighed. Of course she would feel bad. Of course now she would be too proud to apologize in the daylight. And of course she would be planning a long, thoughtful, and regret-filled speech to tell to Solas. She wanted to make amends with her so-called Guardian.
Make peace, not war. Wasn't that supposedly what world peace was about? If it could work with the world, maybe it could work with an alien from outer space. Fera burrowed her eyebrows. But could a saying here work on someone from another planet?
Suddenly, her door swung open and Fera looked up over her feet. Her mother was standing in the doorway, her face set in confusion. "Um Fera?" she walked out of the doorway and towards the window on the wall, her hand clasping the thin curtains. "What is that?" she drew the fabric away to reveal the Autobot still sitting in the driveway. Idiot! Fera mentally screamed.
She looked to Sol and then her mother. "A black and red Mustang?" she noted with a sheepish grin. Her mother's eyebrow raised and she let the curtain fall back.
"A Mustang. In Amoret Missouri." she said skeptically, placing a hand on her hip. "Yes?" Fera answered, ducking her head after moving to sit up.
Her mother shook her head and rolled her eyes. "And I guess that it's your car right?" she assumed, getting a nod from Fera. Her mother waved a hand towards the window and then placed it back on her hip. "Just where did you find that thing?" she seemed more disbelieving then suspicious, causing the shyness to almost completely leave Fera. "Well...it sorta...found me." she tried to use better wording, but she found none. Her mom huffed and came to sit beside her on the bed. "Now come on, I know you have a better lie than that." she urged, looking at her daughter from the side of her eye. Blue eyes flicked from hazel to the floor and then around the room.
"You're serious." Sarah noted, shocked. Fera again grinned in guilt.
"Tell me the truth." she told Fera with her "mom voice". Fera sighed and leaned against the headboard. If she told the actual truth, she would be betraying everyone and possibly get her and her mother a spot in 'special' jail. But if she lied, she would feel bad about lying. It was a lose-lose situation. "Well..." she paused to think. Think of something! Anything!
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. It closed again and her mother raised her eyebrows. "Tell me you didn't steal it." she moaned, letting her head fall to the side and her face twist in worry. Fera jumped up, getting a pain-filled reaction from her side. She winced and slowly sat back again. "No, of course not." she let her hand fall from the wound.
Then the thought came to her.
"Alright, it's not mine. I'm holding it for a friend." she fibbed. Her mother looked to her and then her side, a suspicious edge to her features. But she just stood and sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose and saying something like "teenagers" under her breath. "Alright. I'll believe you, for sanity's sake. But if the police come here, looking for you, don't cry to me." she then lifted her hands in the air and didn't put them down until she left. Fera grinned to herself, looking down at the floor and then the window.
Right. Back to the apology.
The window's shadow edged across the room like a sly snake, the hours waning on. Fera's eyes snapped open, her faked slumber allowing her to get past her mother's checkup. The room was quiet and dark, the only light being that from the fish tank. The thin curtains allowed the milky sheen of the moon to filter into the room and the wind from the cracked window to gently play with the fabric. Fera removed her blanket as swiftly as she dared, trying to not aggravate her wound again. If she was to be found by her mother, squirming in renewed agony on the cold hardwood floor, there would be questions. And she didn't think she could fib anymore.
Her bare feet glided across the floor as she went to her drawers and silently pulled one out, grabbing a pair of jeans. She pulled them on and stopped as she nearly lost her balance, having to slam a foot down. The loud thud made her wince and shrug into herself. Waiting, the silence drew on. But there was no mom and no light in the hall. Fera sighed and then turned back to her bed, grabbing her shoes to slip them on. Her side seized up as she bent over and her hand flew out to grip the edge of her bed. She fell to one knee and tried taking deep, even breaths. The pain eventually ebbed, allowing more movement. She was eventually able to get on her shoes and she stood.
She grabbed the jacket over the end of her bed and slipped her arms inside. Her feet started for the door and she softly opened it, slipping through. She then tip-toed down the hall past her mother's door. The silence and darkness were unsettling. It was like the anxiety-inducing scary movies that she would watch with her grandmother while she was left to babysit. Sarah would never had approved if she'd known.
Floorboards squeaked beneath Fera's feet step for step, and she winced every time. It was difficult to see in the dark, leading to Fera stubbing her toe on the corner of the wall. She sucked in a sharp breath between her teeth, but kept her cry silent. Once again she started towards the entrance, quickly moving across the floor and gripping the brass handle. Slightly proud of herself, Fera swung open the door and slinked outside. The warm wind brushed over her body and the bright moonlight dazzled the dew-covered grasses by her feet. Fera turned, walking down the driveway with a knot in her stomach. What should she say? She had given herself an entire day to think of something, yet now here she stood, completely blank.
Sol was sitting only twenty feet down the drive, his headlights off. His black form was only detectable by the red lines running on his sides and the red spoiler on his back. Fera came up before him, walking around to his driver-side door. His window rolled down, signifying he knew about her presence. She came close, leaning in the window after setting her arms across the inside as support. Her head ducked in and the lights on the dashboard glowed on. "What are you doing out here?" he asked. Fera lifted a hand and patted the air, glancing nervously back to the house. "Don't be so loud. My mom's still asleep." she set her hand back and returned to the dashboard.
She'd known that she'd have to apologize eventually, but she didn't understand that it would take this much courage. "Listen, I came out here to apologize." she began, averting her eyes before continuing, "I shouldn't have yelled like that. You were only trying to help and I went overboard." she patted the edge of the window and shifted on her feet. Sol said nothing, not even making a noise. Fera looked to the radio and then the dash, uncertain of the quiet. Night air blew through the window and ruffled Fera's hair, causing it to go affray.
Finally, a sound. "You shouldn't apologize. I should. Now I know I need to choose my words more carefully." he said. Fera's eyebrows raised, stunned. She didn't expect that. Nor anything near it.
She grinned and patted the door again, standing. "But there is one more thing I need to ask you." he called, summoning her back. Fera leaned back into the window and waited. "Is there possibly anywhere I could stretch? Because I seriously doubt I can hold this form much longer." he stated. Fera chuckled, moving back. "There is." she gestured over the fields, "An old barn that was built about 50 years ago by the first homeowners. It should be large enough that you can stand and its surrounded by shrubbery, so no one will see you." she started walking, hearing Sol's wheels crunching after her soon after. "However, it is old, so you'll have to be careful with it."
Sol didn't answer, but she was sure he had heard. They came around the house and Fera paused, looking down the hill. Sitting in a grove of large oak and maple trees was the barn. It was pretty old, its roof almost bowed in. The walls were of old, decomposing wood and faded red and brown paint. The doors hung open, one hanging off its last hinge. Sol and Fera slowly moved over the small hill, traveling across the dip in the field and through the long-grassed meadow. Finally they made it to the treeline and Fera stopped, Sol pulling up beside her. "This is it?" he wondered out loud. Fera put a hand on her hip and studied the area. "Yeah, this is it. Welcome to your new hiding spot." she lifted a hand and gestured towards the structure as if it were a new house.
The Mustang just stalled, his shiny surface bouncing off the rays of the lunar light. But he did move after a moment or so, his quietly revving engine carrying him towards the barn. Fera watched him turn around the hanging door and disappear inside. After a few seconds of silence and a couple bites from the local bugs on Fera's ankles, the familiar sounds of a transforming Cybertronian rang out. There were a few steps from Sol and then a loud, racket-filled crash.
Fera jumped and ran forward, turning around the door to see what was happening. Sol had fallen to his rear, a series of hoses, cables, buckets, and other miscellaneous objects scattered around. There was a bundle of the long cords wrapped around him and he lifted a hand to shyly peak from under a few wrapped around his arm.
"Oops." he rumbled awkwardly.
Fera slapped a hand across her mouth, muffling her laughs. Her side jumped at the exchange of giggling and she winced. "Ow." she mouthed, still filled with bubbling laughter. Once again, she made eye contact with Sol and she couldn't help the smile that crossed her face. Sol sighed, lowering his arm. "A little help, please?" he asked, his body still tangled. Fera's legs carried her forward as Sol began to pull and tug at various wires.
"I've known you for a week and there has been rumors that you have the capability to level a house. Wires are not something I would have thought to bring you down with." she laughed again and started to climb up Sol's leg. She made it up and found the mech fiddling with the cords on his hands. He found her looking and he dropped them.
Suddenly, it started low. Then it inclined into a loud, rumbling sound.
Sol was laughing. Actually, sincerely, laughing.
He lifted his hands to his sides, looking to both and then a pleasantly surprised Fera. "It is a little sad, isn't it?" he chuckled again and lowered them, letting Fera climb up his chassis to his shoulder. She grabbed a wire and began to untwist it, moving it out from around a pipe. She dislodged it from a crevice and lifted it up, allowing Sol to take it from her. He did and unwound it from his neck. "Be careful up there. We don't need another injury, now do we?" he teased. Fera huffed and yanked at a hose. It popped out from the spot and she windmilled, trying to gain her balance. Sol glanced down over at her and the sudden jerk helped her up. "See?" he notioned. Fera threw down the hose and looked up at him. "Yes. Now hold still before I leave you to untangle yourself." she threatened lightheartedly.
Her words stalled the Autobot's movement and she was easily able to continued with one of his arms. Sol took each wire and hose after she'd lifted them into the air, allowing her to quickly move on. She finally made it to his other arm and soon she was back on his chest, working on the last of the annoyances. She moved closer to his neck, finding one particular hose especially difficult. "How did this even happen?" she grunted, tugging. She saw Sol's head move and she paused a moment to curl her sore fingers. "I tripped and fell. I guess the movement dislodged these...things from the ceiling." he guessed.
Fera got closer and dipped her hand between some of Sol's wiring to fully dislodge the hose. "Well you're just lucky..." she paused to grunt in effort. "no one saw you." she gave one last tug and the hose came loose. Her body lifted and she threw the hose to the side, seeing it fall off Sol's chest. "There we go." she wiped her hands together and turned to face him.
Right then she froze, her hands slowing.
She was so close to his face, finally able to see what he truly looked like. It was such a complicated series of plating and smooth grey sheets that it looked almost like the inside of the muscular systems of a human face. His eyes were so intricate and interesting, the pupils a blue light surrounded by circles of complex links and inner workings. Two sets of small metal rods were surrounding his inner eye like eyelids. When he blinked, rounds of overlapping metal slips overlaid the light. His nose and mouth were also made of the plates, their shape much like that of a human's. The twisting and constantly adjusting innards of his eyes shifted and moved like they couldn't get enough of their surrounds.
He was a wonder; a near miracle of worlds. Being completely made of metal and then having the abilities to feel and speak and experience life...it was mind-boggling. Sol's eyes darted over her and Fera's eyes blinked, rapidly expelling her from her thoughts. She couldn't help the feeling that the mech was studying her...
"Thank you." he murmured, obviously seeing no reason to be any louder. Fera caught a glimpse inside the mech's mouth, seeing almost a system of gears and relocating parts that most likely helped him in speech. Fera nodded and took a few unsteady steps back, uncertain where to place her feet among the many differing joints and bolts that made Sol's shoulder. She meant to say something, but her side began to seize again, the scared tissues inside having a fit. Fera squatted down, keeping her balance on the piece sticking high out of Sol's shoulder. She figured it was one half of his spoiler, but she couldn't be sure. Right now all she could focus on was the lack of breath; the cramping; the inability to move.
She felt a shifting as Sol moved, but she didn't know where or how much he had. "Fera, are you ok?" he asked concernedly. The twists in her muscles suddenly began to unwind, the pain dulling. She could breath again, allowing her to take steady, slow intakes. She nodded and helped herself to her feet, using the bar by her hand for support. "I'm ok. Just a little sore from the injury is all." she laid a hand on the spot and began to softly massage the area. Sol looked unconvinced, but he said nothing.
Despite her independent nature, Fera allowed Sol to help her off his shoulder, sitting on his hand while he slowly lowered her to the ground. "I'll come back in the morning. Finals are coming up soon, so I have to study." she reported, not even looking back as she almost limped from the room. She could hear Sol moving behind her as she left, but he said nothing.
Through the fields and meadow, Fera began the trek up the hill. Her hand was still on her side and she kept it there until she made it to the door. She could feel a thorn in her shoe and bug bites all over her exposed neck and hands. She opened the door and slipped off her shoes at the door. Thankfully, she had made it back before midnight, so it had only been a few hours. It wouldn't be until awhile longer until her mother would go to work in the morning. And only a few more until Fera had to wake up for school. Sighing, she moved quietly through hall and into her room. Her covers came over her and she closed her eyes. As usual, her father haunted her dreams, and once again, her fingers clamped tightly over her necklace.
It had been right there. Right then he had seen it. Wonder.
Sol leisurely walked over to the main support beam of the structure and gripped it, barely moving his fist. The pole squealed and creaked, causing his terminal links to fly back. "What a weak structure." he mumbled to himself, turning to look around. It was large enough like Fera had said, but it was also small. The walls beside him seemed built as sort of open levels, with the border of the floor being lined with some form of stalls. The material that he'd found making the structure was all of wood. There were barely any metal in the building at all. No wonder why it was slowly falling apart. He tapped the back of one terminal joint on one of the levels and chips of rotted wood fell.
This entire place would possibly fall apart at a touch. Sighing, he sat back down, leaning against the back wall. Even it complained of his weight. It felt nice to finally be allowed to be in his true form, but now he was stuck with a space that was even smaller than the one back at base. Laying one hand on his leg and another on his inclined knee bolt, he let his cranial unit rest back. Here his CPU became occupied with the memory of Fera just about a joor ago. She had frozen at the sight of his faceplates, her eyes scanning over them. He had felt a slightly embarrassed tug in his chassis at the close attention until he actually looked at her as well.
She was an interesting figure.
With bright blue eyes and pale, almost white skin. She had no plates over her body, meaning no armor. There was a form of filamentous biomaterial on her head often called hair, the coloring a mix of brown and gold. The dark series of plastic textile fibers were pulled together at the front by a thin metal teeth-like lock. And as a piece of the ceiling fell, moonlight shined down from the missing material. The dull light of the roof didn't make much different, but it did somehow catch in Fera's small eyes. Their blueness shined and seemed iridescent, nothing like the optics of a Cybertronian. A human's body was so easy to crush, yet it was for that reason that they were so interesting. How had they survived so long as they did? Looking at Fera as he had, she seemed almost beautiful.
In an alien, fleshy-human sort of way.
Solas' optics glanced up at the hold in the roof and he could see apart of the orbital object called the "moon". It didn't give off as much light or warmth as the sun, but it was appealing. Cybertron once had three lunar moons, orbiting unnamed around the planet as it drifted across space. He had not yet had a good opportunity to just sit and look at the Earth's sky. It was filled with thousands of stars, millions others able to be seen if only he had a telescope.
Again he thought back to Cybertron. There was a moment of peace there, one that was eery and unsure. Decepticons, Autobots, and Neutrals alike all hid from one another as crime raved the streets. Ruined buildings and hole-filled homes were a normal sight, the very atmosphere itself being filled with the stench of hopeless souls. Fembots were all but extinct, sparklings just as far gone. The dead bodies of Cybertronians were just now being placed to rest, each side of the war being entombed on opposite spots of the planet. Sol looked back down to the entrance to the barn. The vegetation outside rustled and Sol glanced through the dark. A small creature, tinier than Fera, strode into the room and stopped to look up at him. Sol shifted, sitting up and peering at the thing in confusion.
It was covered in hair, with the color being a bright orange. It had a dainty facial area with a pointed front and two triangular ears. It walked on four sole pads, a long limb curling up from its aft. A long, low sound exited its mouth and Sol's cranial unit reared back in surprise. The creature started forward, walking right up to Sol without fear. It seemed almost bored. Sol watched the thing as it suddenly leapt up to his ankle bolt and started up his leg. It came to one of the larger armor plates on his leg and it stopped, soon settling itself. A soft rumbling began from it and Sol's optic ridges came down. What in the name of Primus...? he wondered. Then one of his files on Earth came up and he recognized the creature in the "organic lifeforms" file. It was a 'cat'. So that was what the humans were referring to when they said "cat in a tree".
The cat was fairly weird, being nothing that Sol had ever seen. Interested, he slowly reached down and tried to touch it, using one terminal link to do so. The cat saw him coming, jumping to its sole pads and arching its spinal support. The hair on its support stood on end and its oral sheets flashed menacingly. Sol pulled back, bewildered. The cat calmed down, laying back down and curling around the long limb attached to its aft. The rumbling started up again and Sol vented a long rush of air, his cranial unit falling back against the wall. His chassis thrummed with the air circulating through his vents and the whirring came at a slow, moderate pace. His sparkbeat slowed and he could feel the weariness settling over him.
Not long after, he fell deep into recharge. The cat on his leg could barely be felt, its presence nothing more than the wind. Sol's optics dimmed and shuttered, finally coming to a close. At least things had been settled between Fera and himself. Besides the barn, maybe Guardianship wouldn't be such a bad thing...
Beep. Beep. Beep. Again and again and again. Over and over. Fera groaned and rolled on her stomach, her hair falling over her face. Her eyes batted open and she lifted a hand to move her hair. Her alarm clock was screaming at her, the time reading 5:30 am. The room has the smell of morning rain and one of her blankets had somehow been pushed off the bed. Her pillow was shoved under her head and her long legs were left overnight in her jeans. She groaned once more and shifted, her entire side tender to the touch. Suddenly, there wasn't enough bed and Fera cried out as she promptly fell over the edge.
Her body hit the ground hard and she grunted, her hand flying to her side as her face twisted in pain. The alarm clock kept ringing on, its annoying tone agitating. Fera, having enough, reached on her bed and grabbed her pillow, throwing it behind her and knocking the alarm off the nightstand. It fell to the ground and clattered away, its noise stopping The silence was welcomed, giving her enough time to try to situate herself. Suddenly, her door swung open and Fera's body jerked in surprise, again making her wince. "Fera, what's going on in here?" it was her mother, her hair a mess and her pajamas still on. Often Fera heard her call this her "morning look" before she could fully get ready in the mornings. Seeing her daughter on the floor, she rolled her eyes and walked out of the room.
"Thanks for the concern!" Fera yelled after her, using her bed to help herself to her feet. "If you have enough strength to attack your alarm clock then I think you're going to be ok." she retorted from down the hall. Annoyance was the first thing Fera thought of, but she couldn't help the grin that crossed her face. Sometimes she wondered if her mother was more teenager than her. Tired limbs stretched and fatigued hands ran through a nest of hair. Fera moved over to her drawer, switching out her pants for her only clean pair of pants: a skirt. Her nose twisted in distaste at the choice and she stood to walk by the door. "Hey mom, do I have any clean jeans?" she called.
It didn't take long to see the woman as she backed into view, her toothbrush in hand. "They're all in the wash. Someone likes to think that running through mud and grass is fun." she then stuffed the toothbrush back in her mouth and walked into the bathroom. An agitated Fera closed her door, clothing herself in the skirt and a long-sleeved shirt. She left her hair down, her scalp too sore to try anything with. She pulled on her shoes, slowly coming to stand after her side seized up again. The time had passed quicker than Fera had thought, only allowing her to swiftly brush her teeth and grab her bag, nearly running out the door. A goodbye to her mom later, Fera was standing in the driveway. Sol wasn't there. Her bag sunk into her hand and she slapped a palm against her forehead. Of course. Last night.
As fast as she could, Fera yanked back on her bag and she tore down the hill and through the field behind her home, towards the barn. She rounded the door and came inside, dropping her bag to the floor. Concern found its way into her heart as she saw Sol. She shook her head, unbelieving. Running up to him, Fera stopped by his leg and placed a hand there. He was sitting on the ground, his back and head laid on the rear wall. His eyes were dead black, his body motionless. "Sol?" she murmured, patting his leg. "Come on don't die on me now." she patted his leg a little harder. Nothing. Finally, she took the last-ditch effort and lifted up her arm, throwing it down.
The side of her hand had hit one of the plates of his leg, producing a loud, vivid ringing. Blue lights flickered in his eyes and finally they came back online, shifting and readjusting like they did before. Sol moaned and his head shifted, lifting up and then moving to look down. "Fera? What happened?" he shifted and there was a loud meowing. Fera peered over his leg and saw a tabby cat standing on his leg. "The question is what happened to you?" she wondered, seeing the stray as it jumped down from its perch and ran off. Sol moved again and Fera looked up at him. "It liked me apparently, so I let it stay." he got up on one foot and he moved to kneel instead of sit. "What are you doing in here?"
One of his enormous hands came too close for call and Fera moved to the side. "I have school. I just wanted to tell you I wasn't going to be here so you'd be here alone." she explained, turning around and walking back to her bag. "Why don't I just take you?" he suggested, his free hand rose in a reasoning gesture. Fera settled the bag on one shoulder and rose an eyebrow. "Really? Because a black and red Mustang won't attract any attention." she set a hand on her hip and smirked. Sol's hand dropped and he sighed. "Fine. Let's put it this way: remember when I said I was your Guardian and wherever I went you did?" he asked. She nodded. "Well I meant it." his tone dropped to a flat sound and Fera rolled her hand in the air. "This will not be a pleasant experience for you." she warned.
"I've been in war. How hard can high school be?" he chuckled and began to transform, each piece of him relocating and shifting and clicking into place. Finally, the top of his roof slammed down and his wheels bounced. The door opened and Fera walked around, still mentally awed. When she'd gotten into the cabin, she placed her bag on her legs. "High school is war. It's not particularly my favorite place." she laughed, but her words were nothing less than what she thought was true. Sol started forward, driving out of the barn and quickly through the fields. Over the yard and on the road, the sun still hadn't completely rose. They traveled in silence, allowing Fera to enjoy the vast meadows and groves of trees.
A single house flew past them and a group of cows grazed behind it. Something bugged Fera at the back of her mind and she knitted her brow, confused. Instinctively, she went to her necklace, which felt oddly warm. "Is there something wrong?" Sol asked over the music. He seemed to really like country, that being all that they listened to recently. She jumped, her head snapping around. "No, I'm fine. Just...thinking." her fingers pinched the charm between them and she noticed it had abruptly gone cold. The conversation she'd had with Epps suddenly came to mind. He had said it was much more than just a charm. But what did that mean?
"Hey Sol?" she began, "Do you know anything about this necklace I'm wearing?" there was a moment of quiet and music. Fera felt as though she were being ignored. "Sol-" she was cut off as the music was suddenly shut completely. "No. No I don't." it was curt and almost forced, like Sol was trying to hide something. Fera narrowed her eyes, but didn't argue. It wouldn't do her any good trying to force the information out of him. She would just have to wait. Ignoring Solas' tone, Fera let go of her necklace and looked out the window instead. It was strange, of course, but what could she do?
To keep her mind busy, Fera took up the job of showing Sol where to go to get to her school. Soon, they came through the parking lot of Miami High and Sol slowly navigated around, trying to find somewhere to go. Busses full of kids moved around the curb of the school and dropped off its riders. Some of the older students filed out of cars. There were only a small few that were brought by another.
She led him to a parking space close to the entrance and he stopped. "There isn't a lot of humans here." he commented. Fera nodded and grabbed her bag. "There really is only about 400 kids here altogether. It's a really small school, but you should see Mizzou." she opened the door and patted the dash.
The books in her bag moved and she shifted the strap. A slammed door later, Fera basically had the entire attention of the arriving group. Embarrassment overcame her and she ducked her head, speedily trying to make it out of the lot. A few of the kids went back to their own business, but the others could be felt watching her as she nearly ran up the stairs and into the building. Just a few more weeks, she told herself once she had closed the doors behind her. Just a few more weeks.
Solas sat idly in his spot, watching curiously as Fera dashed away and into the building she called high school. Suddenly a realization hit him and he nearly roared the engine. Slag! he thought. I forgot to ask how long this would take. There was a moment when he simply thought about retaining Fera's cellular phone code and contacting her, but he thought against it. She had thrown it out the window the week earlier.
A few breems went by and the large yellow cars besides Sol pulled out of the lot. He followed behind them, seeing no reason to stay. Once on the highway, he decided to comlink to base. ~Solas Kaon to base. Is anyone on link?~ he asked. There was a brief pause and then and answer, ~This is Sideswipe. Is there and issue?~ he seemed slightly concerned, but his worries were quickly put to rest. ~No, no. I was just wanting to know how long school was for younglings on Earth.~
Sideswipe gave a loud sigh and then went silent. "I, don't really know. Did you check your files? Optimus should have given you information on Earthlings." he answered, obviously disinterested. It was all fun and fights with that mech.
Sol searched his files, finding nothing. ~Nothing."~ he reported. ~Well then I really don't know. Ask Bee, he was with Sam while the kid was in school.~ he suggested. Sol agreed and cut the link, reaching for Bee. The cyberling opened his side of the contact easily, joyful for the presence. ~Bumblebee, can you scan your files for information on th length of Earth school?~ he asked. There was a pause on Bee's end and then he spoke up. ~About 8 hours.~ he answered. Sol thanked the 'Bot and then cut the link.
8 hours? Was that the same as 8 joors? What was he supposed to do during that time? Sol drove around the city for awhile, searching the buildings and humans around him. They all seemed in such a hurry. But he didn't find anything to do. Was this what Bumblebee had to deal with in his time with Sam? Sol couldn't imagine. He turned into a side street and passed through an abandoned human area, seeing piles of dirt and gravel. Large trucks with long extensions and hooked ends sat around here and there, sitting silently and still. It seemed like no one was around. There definitely wouldn't be another opportunity to transform soon, so Sol decided now was best.
He stopped in the middle of two tall piles and he felt his conversion shaft click, his form code entered and locked in. Now he was no longer one solid shape, but a series of combined parts. His arms detached and opened, his legs following suit. The hood bent and lowered, splitting up to both halves of his chassis. His legs pivoted and his sole pads slipped out and spread, supporting his form. He felt his helmet slide up and over his head when something caught his attention.
Fearing humans, Sol ducked behind a pile of dirt and pressed his spinal support against it. Really? he nearly groaned, looking up at the blue sky. Can't I be in this form for only a breem? There was a shuffling in the dirt and a clang. Sol's optic ridges came down in confusion.
"Mistress Arachnid said that the human youngling was in this Earth city. But where?" it was a mild, full voice.
Not human.
Sol's CPU registered the assault code he entered and a blaster shifted on his arm. The plasma inside began to heat and circulate, circling around the inner workings of the weapon and locking into the lower pulse generator. Sol held it close as he leaned around the pile. His cranial unit stretched his jugular cable to its limit as he craned his faceplates towards the voice. "She says what she says, now stop wasting time and let's get moving!"
Sol's optics got around the dirt and he looked around. Two Cybertronians, both mechs, had the Decepticon emblems on their chassis. They were just soldiers, not warriors, their armor casings being almost identical. One had a holographic map in their hands, the graph showing multiple spot locations. Multiple lights could be seen, but only one caught Sol's attention. It was stationed right on Miami High. Sol's spark beat faster, his arm almost coming around at that very astrosecond. "
Where to?" the other companion asked, gesturing at the map. The Decepticon holding the hologram clicked something on the base and it zoomed in. "Here. Then we'll go on to the others until we find her." he said.
Now, there was a problem. They had zoomed in the map on top of the high school, apparently aiming to travel there. Sol's vocal processor growled, a low, guttural sound. He then shifted, moving around the mound to stand before the Decepticons. What luck for him, finding them when he did. What if he had been somewhere else, leisurely driving as they had planned? The thought was like a rock in his tank. Both the mechs turned, the hologram being dropped.
"An Autobot!" one yelled. It's companion shoved it, running off. "That's obvious you cyberdat!" he yelled in retreat. Sol snarled, watching them both dash off in different directions. He started for the one heading for the road, his blaster at his side. His free hand went to his side, the loose metal there popping off at his touch. He then pinched the middle and it shot out into a four-bladed disc. He drew back his arm and chucked it, catching the mech in the spinal support. He fell and Sol jumped, landing on top of him.
As the Decepticon cried out, Sol pivoted on one kneebolt, the code for his other bracer activated. The two blasters reacted at their closeness, connecting together and combing their ammunition. Sol's toe links dug into the earth, locking on the surface to get a better grounding. The plasma charged and the pulse generator whirred. His blaster abruptly shot, the loud pulse like a sonic boom. Sol's body slid back slightly across the dust, the recoil of the gun loosening his steadying platform. The Decepticon's shape disappeared for a sparkbeat before the explosion happened, burning deep into his support. He was thrown across the ground, his optics already black. His comrade was still beside Sol, trying to crawl away.
Sol stood and heavily dropped his sole pad on the mech, getting another pained cry. He then reached down and dislodged his cyberdisc, placing it back at his hip bolt. His blasters were far overheated, their surfaces glowing. His CPU repeatedly rang with warnings of overheating and his vents started up with a loud vigor. "Get of me you slag-ridden vexpa..." the Decepticon grumbled from underneath Sol, its speech full of pained effort.
-Vexpas were a large, very clumsy series of builders on Cybertron. They'd been programmed specifically for the purpose of building and constructing, but they were often very bulky and inefficient. Their production was halted completely after the invention of the Constructicons, who now still hid among their brethren on Cybertron.-
Sol snorted, getting low and pressing the Decepticon harder into the dirt. The mech's armor casing groaned under the pressure. "You're in no position to make insults, are you?" he noted darkly. The Decepticon moaned under the increase of weight on its spinal support and it's vents suddenly sucked in air as something snapped. "Now here's what's going to happen," Sol began, placing his fists on the ground to get his lip plating close to the 'Con's audio receptor. "if you don't want a hole in your cranial unit, you will tell me everything you know and you will never, ever come back here. Understand?" he growled. The Decepticon didn't answer, causing a flash of agitation to flare up in Sol's chassis. "Understand?" he pressed harder into the Decepticon's spinal support and he nodded quickly, crying out.
Slowly Sol removed his weight, standing with his blaster still on his brace. The Decepticon flung himself onto his support, his optics wide. He was spitting curses at Sol as if that was all he knew how to communicate with. Sol's own optics narrowed, his blaster charging up once more. The Decepticon finally found silence, eyeing the lethal weapon. From a distance, a Cybertronian could survive a blaster. However, point-blank there was no chance.
"Now, speak." Sol commanded. The Decepticon dragged himself on his aft, his terminal links biting the dirt. "If I say anything my spark will be ripped from its case!" he insisted. Sol curled his terminal links into a fist. "And if you don't you'll be no better off."
Suddenly, Sol's comlink came online. ~Solas Kaon, this is Ratchet.~ the medic informed. Sol hesitantly placed his terminal link against his comlink output, right behind his audio receptor. "I'm a little busy." he growled impatiently. The Decepticon dragged himself away a few feet and Sol lifted his blaster, stopping the mech immediately. ~Well don't be, we need an update on the human youngling.~ he explained, equally as irritated. "Ratchet, not now!" Solas yelled, dropping his arm for only a sparkbeat. ~Solas, this is not a matter of your occupation! Where is the girl?!~ he demanded this with an edge of worry. If Sol lost the girl, then basically all that had led up to this would be for nothing, and Sol realized this.
The Decepticon suddenly threw himself to his feet, taking off. Sol's hand dropped from his comlink. "Frag!" he spat, chasing. The Decepticon jumped into the air, shifting his form and taking off in jet mode. Sol moved his terminal link back to his comlink, ~Ratchet, I'm in pursuit of a suspected threat. He had a hologram of possible positions Fera might be in and I think he's going after her.~ he reported, entering his form code and speeding off.
~How is that possible?! She hasn't attracted any attentions to herself. How could they know about her?~ he demanded. Sol's engine roared, the shifts clicking into pace as he screamed down the streets. ~I don't know! Maybe they...~ he thought through everything, every single moment of their time throughout the week. ~Just get back to her Solas and bring her back here. will call her mother and inform her. For now, just keep her safe!~ and the link cut. Solas drifted around the corner, the rubber in his wheels leaving black marks across the blacktop.
No human police came after him, which was surprising until he remembered how small Amoret was. His form sped between the buildings and he circled to the main road, the high school in sight. Sol came close to the lot, then barreled through the area towards the school. The wheels beneath him pivoted at the last moment, allowing him to skid to a stop. Sol's alarms clicked on, their blaring, obnoxious pealing ringing through the air. There was a particular note that Sol himself found annoying. But he kept it on, adding honking to the ruckus. A breem passed. No one appeared.
And then someone was coming out of the doors. It was a female, and it was Fera. She looked like she was ready to tear him apart.
"What is wrong with you?!" she seared as she got close. She didn't wait for Solas' door to open, for she did that herself. "You have a loose bolt in your head, don't you? Turn that off!" the alarms all came off at once, and the door beside Fera slammed close. She jumped and looked to it, then the radio. "Solas? What's going on?" she started for the handle, but Solas locked it. "Hey!" she exclaimed. Solas felt bad for enclosing the female as he did, but he couldn't take the risk. Waiting to respond, Sol moved his form back and he spun around. Fera called out in surprise as her body was flung back when Sol moved quickly across the lot.
It wasn't until his tires met road did he start explaining. "Ok, this is what's happening," he began, moving the rearview mirror to look back on the confused female. "the Decepticons know about you. I don't know how, but they do. Now I'm taking you home and I want you to pack whatever you can as quickly as you can." he explained hurriedly.
Fera's pale face drained even more. Solas grew concerned, rolling down the window to let fresh air inside the cabin. "Oh my God." she breathed. One of her hands came up and ran through her hair, something Sol noticed she often did when she was nervous. "Now I promised I'd protect you, so until we get to the base, we are not stopping. There is no time to contact your mother and there is no time to collect anything unnecessary." he went on.
Fera just nodded. He could tell she was overwhelmed. Who wouldn't be? "Are we coming back? And if so, when?" she asked, looking out the window. Sol paused, unsure himself. "I'm not sure." he admitted. "But what matters now is just that we get you to that base and under our protection." the young female brought both her hands over her facial area and she seemed to say something under her breath. Solas took a sharp turn and Fera's arms snapped out to support herself. "One week! That's all it took for them to find me?" she leaned forward and set her cranial unit in her hands.
There was nothing he could say that would make her stop her rattling. Her going on and on wasn't going to help him or her. But the thought of a Decepticon finding the small human and then ripping her apart had the protective side of his CPU coming into gear.
Just a human. Just a human. Yet more than a human.
"Fera, take a breath and calm yourself. You're almost home." he assured. She did exactly what he told her, taking a few deep lungfuls of air and then sitting back up. The color had returned to her face and she seemed more relaxed. They came up the driveway and Sol stopped, quickly opening his door. "Hurry." he ordered, not even able to finish the word before Fera was out and running to the house.
All the while waiting for her, Sol kept a lookout in the skies. He also would look back to the house, setting on his thermal optics, watching the female as she ran around the house. After about a breem or so, she came running out of the structure, a bag on her back and another in her hand. She jumped into Sol's cabin and he tore off, ripping up Fera's front yard. Fera threw her extra bag on the floor and looked out the window. Sol opened his link and comlinked Ratchet, ~This is Solas. I have Fera and we are on our way to base.~ he reported. Ratchet could be heard over the radio, giving a sigh. ~Good. The others are informed of the situation and we are planning on meeting you here. Secretary Kepler is also informed of this.~ he added the last part as more a warning than anything.
Fera looked down on the radio and rolled her eyes. "Him again? He's not going to arrest me, is he?" she got a worried tone in her voice and Ratchet huffed. ~Don't you know how to use a private comlink?~ Ratchet demanded. Fera threw her hands into the air and shook her head. "I'm not supposed to know anything around here am I?!" she exclaimed. Sol winced with her words and he noticed that they were actually true. He hadn't really said that much to her about anything that important. Maybe she was catching on...
~Ratchet, there maybe a Decepticon on our tail, but I haven't detected them yet.~ Solas reported. Once again, Ratchet snorted. ~Great! Well don't travel the entire way here. One of our comrades will meet you halfway for a hand-off. Be prepared.~ before Solas could say anything else, the link turned off. Fera was still looking out the window, her expression less angered.
For about a joor, they were silent. The discusion with Ratchet seemed over and done, the atmosphere calmer. But eventually, Solas knew he would have to say something, truly explain the full situation. But it was just too dangerous. It all was. The fact that she knew as much as she did was already a threat.
"Solas, I'm sorry." she suddenly said.
Solas glanced back at her from the rearview mirror and saw Fera still with her eyes focused out the window. When he didn't respond, she went on, "I'm sorry for getting involved in the Autobots' business. I'm sorry for causing this much trouble. I'm sorry for...well everything." her head gave a sad shake and her hand came up to rub her eyes.
Sol's engine revved and she looked up. "No, don't be. What happened happened, end of story." he stated simply. Fera looked to the floor and one of her hands held the Stone of Primus. "But its all my fault. I should have known better..." she trailed off and Sol turned to take another highway. "Fera, you did what you did. It was your choice. But it was only a matter of time seeing who your father was." Sol noted. Fera nodded and said nothing else, just avoided looking at the radio. What was wrong with her? Why did she think everything was her fault?
He silently moved across the road, scanning the road ahead for any familiar forms. Suddenly one did appear over the hill, one that Sol was surprised to see. He expected Wheeljack, or Bumblebee, or even Sideswipe. They were the fastest of the Autobots, so why him? Fera looked up and out the windshield, squinting her eyes.
"Why is Optimus driving towards us right now?" she inquired, leaning forward.
"I don't know. I thought they'd send someone else." he said this and came closer to his leader, their forms skidding to a stop just feet from eachother. "Now do you believe how important you are?" Solas demanded over the radio. Fera looked to him and then back to Optimus without answering.
The large Peterbilt truck swung open its door and Sol did the same. Fera grabbed her things and the hesitated uncertainly. "Wait, what about you?" she wondered. Sol paused, not knowing exactly himself. "I'm going to do my job. Now get to Optimus before I hand you to him myself." he threatened lightly. Fera stepped out of Solas' cabin and walked across the bare sideroad to Optimus. With an uncertain look back, Fera gripped Optimus' door handle. But then he seemed to say something, catching her attention. She finally climbed inside and disappeared from view.
Thank you, everyone for reading my shiznit :) I can't explain how happy I am about even the few comments I have recieved and that I'm excited about the others I hope to gain. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to review -Nothing unpositive or considered 'flaming' please, much appreciated! :D
And B.T.W, I just had to do that little 'Fera speech' thing, even though it was kinda uneccessary... I just felt like someone needed to say somethin'! But now that that's out of my system-
Things are going to get a little more interesting from here...