A gasp left my lips as I sat up quickly. Looking around the dark quarters my optics quickly shifted to night vision mode. I felt the warm weight of Bluestreak's arm across my waist, his smooth vents telling me he was in recharge.
Swallowing, I gazed down at the mech that held my spark. He lived up to his designation in the dark recesses of night, his armor shimmering a deep blue.
A splash, a streak of blue against the pitch black. I smiled wearily and heaved out a sigh. I knew I wouldn't be getting anymore recharge this lunar cycle, not by a long run.
With a tenderness born from trust and love, I gently grabbed his large servo between my own two dainty ones and moved his arm away from my waist. I glanced over his recharging frame, checking to make sure he was comfortable.
I smiled and curled his arm gently under his helm, his wings flared out with a twitch. I froze, hoping the sensitive panels hadn't picked up on the disturbance. After a moment his silvery blue wings relaxed back down again.
Heaving a sigh of relief, I carefully made my way to our quarters doors. Pressing the pad to open it I waited for it to obey the command. I heard a shifting on the berth, my wings perking up at the noise. The door opened, but the smooth sleepy voice paused my voice.
"Love? Where are you going?" I winced and turned around, looking upon my mate's frame. He was twisted to lay on his hip, wings splayed out awkwardly.
His optics dim, but slowly growing brighter, the arm I had shifted under him was flexed out across the berth while his other was propping his jaw up. Primus he's adorable...
"I'll be right back Blue, I promise."
He was quiet for a moment, optics brightening as he studied me. Slowly he sat up with sluggish movements.
"I'll come with you."
Immediately I walked back over and gently pressed him back against the berth, placing a loving kiss to his lips.
"It's alright Blue, just rest." I murmured quietly, my lips hovering above his, optics locked on his. I could see the small rings and bits of metal that made up his vibrant optics, they were twisting and twirling to focus better.
"You sure?" He murmured softly.
I offered a gentle smile, bringing up a servo to smooth my slender digits over his wing. I could feel him shudder slightly at the touch, optics dimming in contentment.
"Yes. I'll be back in a jiff." He nodded and slowly lay back down, I bent over him to place a lingering kiss on his helm. My lip plates pressing the softest touch to the back of his helm, just above the cables and energon lines of his neck.
Once I heard his systems begin to cycle back down I retreated from the room. It wasn't that I didn't want my mate there with me; it was just that sometimes I needed to figure things out by myself.
Sighing heavily I carefully slunk down the halls. I crept as quietly as I could past Prowl's, Optimus', and Jazz's offices. Past the med-bay and into the main hanger. Those lessons with Jazz are beginning to pay off... I thought with a small bit of triumph.
Slowly I allowed myself to relax, the calming sea breeze brushing past my overly warm frame. My wings flexed up and out to catch the cool caressing air.
Sighing heavily I stalked along the shore, the salty mist spraying up from the dark waves. White froth spewing forth from the thunderous crashing water. It greatly reminded me of foam dripping from a rabid foxes mouth.
Sighing, I trudged forward across the sand. My wings flicking in the wind, catching it just right. The sand it carried scratched against my wings in a pleasant way, not painful in the slightest.
I flicked my gaze away from the waves and onto the sand, the usually golden grit was bleached a silver-white in the moons glow. The dream I had awoken from came unbidden. I shivered remembering what had happened. A memory loop taking place of my consciousness.
My wrists burned in agony, the energon chains holding me up were slowly melting my armor. A keen of pain was trying to burst forth, but I grit my denta against the throbbing fire in my joints. I wouldn't scream, nor beg for mercy. I wouldn't, I refused.
The femme stood there, she was a Praxian like I was. Her armor a shade of deep navy blue with highlights of black, inky like the vastness of space. Her vibrant red chevron glowing sharply above her equally crimson optics.
"So you're the famous Smokescreen! Elder sibling of the Autobot Datsuns..." Cruel emotionless giggles and laughter. Agony searing through my chassis as I watched her walk from me and to my older brother. I couldn't just stand there! But I was trapped, chained up and made to watch my eldest sibling be tortured.
I couldn't take the agony anymore, a howl of misery burst forth from my mouth plates...
I shivered and wrapped my arms around myself, closing my optic shutters tightly. A sob making its way up through my throat. The dream had felt so real, as if I really was there! Only it wasn't me... it was through another's optics, it was through Bluestreak's optics.
-tentacles pinning, burning, searing. Intrusion of mind, processor thrumming under another's command...- I clamped my servos against my helm, coolant spilling down my face-plates even though my shutters were closed. A gasp left my lips, spark thrumming with pain.
Suddenly I felt an alertness through the bond. Worry penetrating, a soothing imaginary touch to my spark, to my soul. I could feel the mech on the other end searching for me, distantly I felt two others enter my spark.
Bluestreak's siblings were reaching out to me through the bond they shared with him; I was connected to them as well, albeit weakly.
I dropped to my knees, the agony rising in my helm, the presence of another probing and crushing. Sweeping agonizing imaginary claws along my circuits. Three pairs of heavy pede steps, a pair of strong arms wrapped around me and suddenly my resolve was cracking and breaking. A keen left my lips, warm servos smoothing over my wings.
-pain, merciless. Tentacles probing, tearing, pinning...- I felt something connect with the back of my helm, a soothing presence sweeping through my processors. Gentle imaginary servos pushing the memories back, darkness taking over.
Bluestreak's POV
I awoke slowly to the feeling of warm servos lifting my arm and placing it under my helm. I flared my wings, twitching them. I could feel the waves of energy and movement giving me a blue outline of my mate.
The energy crackling and forming an effervescent blue image of her form behind my closed optics. She was beautiful as always. I knew she didn't believe me when I told her these things, but they were true; and I would continue to tell her every day.
Slowly I relaxed my wings, keeping a silent visual on her with them. Where is she going? She trekked quietly to the door and pressed a few commands. Slowly I onlined my optics dimly and shifted my arm out across the berth in a half afted stretch.
Rolling onto my side to face the door, one of my wings resting lightly on the berth while the other flared up in the air behind me. I casually rested my helm on my servo, the curled digits lightly pressing into my face-plates.
"Love? Where are you going?" I felt her signature spike as she whirled around looking startled. She stood there studying me quietly, as if trying to determine how to speak her thoughts.
"I'll be right back Blue, I promise." I brightened my optics further, slowly shifting to sit up. My movements were slow and strained, joints complaining as I got my energon going a little more quickly through my systems.
"I'll come with you." I grunted.
Primus, I needed to see Ratchet about the grit clogging up my joints. Slagging island sand, far too fine and easily able to grind our rotary joints down. Suddenly Autumn was moving to stand in front of me, even with me laying down and her standing up I found her to be so petite and fragile looking.
She placed a gentle servo to my chassis and tried to force me to lay back down. I humored her by laying back, but hesitation kept me from fully relaxing. Her lips gently touching my own, startling me, but I kissed her back fervently.
"It's alright Blue, just rest." I heard her murmur quietly. How could I not hear her? Her voice was like music to my audios, so silky and sweet. So Feminine.
Her lips hovered above my own, optics locked on mine. My optics were having trouble focusing in on her; not only was she close, but I was just way to tired to concentrate properly.
"You sure?" I murmured softly. She offered a gentle smile, bringing up a servo to smooth her slender digits over my wing. I gave a shudder slightly at the touch, my optics dimming in contentment. She knew just how to drag her digits along the panels to calm my worries.
"Yes. I'll be back in a jiff." I nodded and slowly lay back down in my original position. Laying on my abdomen with my arms crossed under my helm. I could feel her shift; she bent over me to place a lingering kiss on my helm.
I could feel her lip plates lingering on the back of my cranial unit, just above the cables and energon lines. A deep shudder swept through my circuits, but it wasn't unpleasant.
Quite the contrary actually. Shuttering my optics I caved under the commands of my processors, allowing them to override my systems and force me into recharge.
About thirty Earth minutes later, or 3.614 breams later, I felt panic and fear sweep through the bond. Immediately my optics flashed online, the shutters flicking open.
I sat up, all drowsiness and aching joints were forgotten. I could feel my siblings confusion through the bond; I simply held my mate's bond open wider for them to feel her.
I sent soothing emotions to my bonded, silently reaching through the invisible tether to caress her mentally. To hold her close. I could feel Smokescreen react first, reaching through the bond tentatively to my mate.
Prowl not to soon after seemed to have finally caught up to the fact that his student, and my mate, was in danger from something. I threw my legs over the side of the berth and stood up, my wings flaring to pick up pede steps moving my way.
Opening the door I quickly stepped out; the sight of my brothers already moving down the hallway calmed me slightly.
"What's going on?" Smokescreen murmured. His optics holding a harsh gleam to them. I shook my helm in confusion, I was baffled.
"I'm not sure, but if I know one thing we'll find most likely find her by the ocean. She always goes for walks along the shore line!" I took off sprinting to the main hanger, leaving my brothers to catch up.
I pulled on the bond, strengthening the feeling of my mate. We would have to touch sparks again soon to strengthen it. Our first bonding hadn't been strengthened, it had been ignored. The bond would take awhile to settle and sharpen to a healthy link.
I continuously sent her feelings of love; my worry was seeping into it. Turning the feeling almost bitter. Halfway down the beach I saw her tiny frame curled over, holding her helm as if to block out the sound of missiles.
My spark sped up almost painfully as it slammed against its casing. Begging, screaming, and reaching for my mate. I slid to a stop, the pliable ground shivering from the massive steps of my siblings. Crouching down I ran my digits down her back, she flinched.
I cringed inwardly looking her over; I knew what she was going through immediately: a memory loop. I had seen soldiers fall into them plenty enough to know what it was. I had also observed how Ratchet linked up to their systems to alleviate the problem.
I knew I shouldn't be the one to link up to her right now; it was too dangerous seeing as I wasn't a medic. However, if I did not do it I would prolong her suffering by waiting for Ratchet.
Scrap it all to the pit! Slag Ratchets rules! I hurriedly opened my wrist gauntlet, pulling out my cord.
"Bluestreak!" I looked up at the hissed words to see Prowl.
"What?" I snarled back, anger pulsating throughout my systems.
"You should wait for Ratchet, Blue, I just contacted him." I scowled and emitted a rumbling snarl.
"No! My mate's hurting; I won't wait on the old slagger!" That's when the wrench hit me in the back of my helm. I yelped and looked up to see Ratchet glowering, his vents heaving slightly while trying to catch up to his over heated systems.
"I'm not old thank-you very much. Now shut-up and let me work!" He moved past me angrily, pulling a cord out of his own wrist and crouched in the sand. He gently pulled her against him; she immediately began struggling as if in a trance.
Ratchet quickly pinned her beneath him, a snarl rising up through me. I had to force my protective protocols down; Ratchet was only trying to help her.
I watched him carefully as he opened up a panel on the back of her helm and plugged up to her. Within moments she relaxed, her frame sagging into the sand. After a moment Ratchet pulled away and glared at me.
"Why did you do that?" He was growling at me, optics dark.
"Do what?" I was really confused.
"Share your memories! She was having a memory loop of your time behind con lines! Bluestreak, you know the dangers of mating with a Cyberling!" I flinched, I hadn't even thought of that. She wouldn't know how to deal with my memories.
I looked away guilty while Ratchet simply picked my mate up, holding her upper half while trying to get her to respond. My memories could have harmed her, what if she had been driving? A pained keen left my lips.
"Bluestreak." I looked up at Ratchet, his tone was much more gentle. When he was that calm, it was never a good thing.
"Y-yes...?"
"Keep a better watch on your mate... I picked up on something in her processors when I was hacking into the memory loop." I froze and stood up straight, feeling my brothers worry build.
"What did you pick up Ratchet?" Prowl spoke up calmly, a tint of worry laced through his normally stoic voice.
"I picked up on the essence of Soundwave; he's been probing her processors... I don't know how he could do that without being close to her... I know he is a mind reader, but this should be impossible!" Ratchet seemed angry, but I knew it was worry.
"Not unless there's some type of slave programming, or perhaps a connection between them... which I highly doubt considering she's been on base this whole time. Still though, this is odd. We need to report this incident to Optimus and get the security heightened."
Smokescreen spoke up firmly, concern interlacing his tone. He was a psychologist; his guess was a real possibility; especially considering he had had some experiences with this back on Cybertron. Nobel mechs having connections similar to that with their slaves.
"Maybe Wheeljack would know what it is and what to do?" I murmured worriedly. After all, Wheeljack had been a slave in the coal mines at one point back on Cybertron. However, he managed to get rid of his coding and get free to become an inventor.
The thought brought me hope, but I was still crestfallen. We didn't even know for certain if it was that type of coding. I forgot about the memory loop and stared down at my unresponsive mate, thinking back to all the times in the past two weeks she had seemed off.
It was as if... she were someone else at times. Sometimes vicious in training, sometimes striking out at fellow bots for the slightest things. Then there was the time with Hide when she had actually attempted to hurt him. I shivered. Primus... if it is some type of coding... how did it get there and why?
Ratchet huffed a sigh. His large frame hovering over the femme as she slowly came back online.
"It's moments like these that I wish Perceptor were here... Wheeljack may know what it is, Bluestreak, but only Perceptor could fix it efficiently." My wings flicked down despondently. The warm servo of Smokescreen falling on my shoulder joint.
"It's alright Blue, we'll figure this out. If one thing's for sure, that no good computer won't get his filthy servos on her. I can surely bet on that." I grimaced not wanting to think of Soundwave getting a hold of her. Oh yeah? And look what happened with your last bet involving her. I thought irritably. I could only hope that it wouldn't end up with her in the Cons servos, Primus I couldn't bear the thought.