Author's Notes: I...don't know what I should say about this chapter. It's a weird and funny chapter mostly, but it has some angst too. I guess it's mostly a languid chapter to allow the characters to breathe before the intense part of the story comes back. I enjoyed writing it, and hopefully you guys enjoy reading it :)
Chapter 16
Scary Medic
It took over a week before Bulkhead and Ironhide regained consciousness. PR-35 had learned while listening in on the humans that Miko and Wheeljack had hunted down the Insecticon that did this to the Wreckers and killed him. What was even more shocking was that Miko was the one that pulled the trigger. PR-35 knew humans were more than just organics, and now he had solid proof of their unnerving wit and aggression. What surprised PR-35 was that rather than be afraid of Miko's ability to kill, VS-5000 seemed to want to hang around her more because of it.
Miko pushed Bulkhead hard in his recovery, and in fact seemed like a different person than the one PR-35 had met when he first came to their base. She was bossier, and there seemed to be a darkness behind her liquid optics that wasn't there before. PR-35 asked Ratchet what that darkness meant, and Ratchet said it was what happened the first time someone took a life.
Now that PR-35 knew that was the reason, he could actually see it behind the optics of every Autobot he encountered. He wondered if there was such a thing as an innocent Cybertronian anymore, and the potential answers bothered him. Did he look like that the first time he killed? He didn't even remember the first time, and was sure he felt nothing. He was a Vehicon. Killing Autobots was his job. Yet now the very thought of it made him sick. What had changed?
He tried to refocus himself away from those foreboding thoughts. The girl would be okay. After all, the Autobots continued to survive despite their guilt, and he was also still alive despite the recent awakening of his processor. The past was the past, and he couldn't change it. All he could do was his job, which at the moment he wasn't doing because he was too busy thinking.
Focus, glitch head! PR-35 chastised himself in his mind. This isn't hard! It's just a computer! Oh pit, did my servo slip? Did my sire see that? Is he looking at me!? Please tell me he isn't-! Oh good, he isn't looking at me. Phew, that was close. Okay, focus...now!
The job he was supposed to be focusing on was the setup of the medical computer for VS-5000's spark scan. He and Ratchet had been preparing the medbay all morning to ensure everything was calm and comfortable so the new Vehicon wouldn't freak out. Now all they needed was for Optimus to lure the drone to the medbay. That shouldn't be too hard, considering the Vehicon refused to leave him alone.
A few minutes later Optimus came into the room with an eager VS-5000 trailing behind him like a playful puppy. VS-5000 had a sponge in one servo and a bucket of soapy water in the other, and he was practically skipping as he entered the room.
"Okay sir, where's the berth?" VS-5000 asked Ratchet as soon as he saw him.
"Um...Do I even want to ask?" Ratchet deadpanned to Optimus.
"I ordered him to clean the med berths," Optimus replied almost sheepishly, "It was the only excuse I could think of to bring him here."
"Excuse?" VS-5000 squeaked, "Wait, you mean I'm going to be salvaged after all? No! You can't! The berths aren't even clean yet!"
"Hey, calm down buddy!" PR-35 exclaimed placatingly, "No one is going to scrap you. We just want to scan your spark."
"No way! You'll never take me alive!" VS-5000 screamed.
VS-5000 then dumped his bucket of soapy water onto the computer console, and the entire thing began to spark as systems malfunctioned.
"VS, I needed that!" Ratchet yelled belligerently at the drone, "Great, this'll take all orn to fix!"
"VS-5000, you shouldn't have done that," PR-35 sighed, "We need that scanner to find out who you really are."
"No you don't! They don't want me! Can't you see? Optimus Prime is annoyed by me, and the others are afraid of me. They want me deactivated!" VS-5000 raved, "I might not be the smartest drone to ever exist, hence the term drone, but I'm not stupid either. They only wanted you because you can do medical stuff!"
"No, that's not true!" PR-35 pleaded with him, "Sire, tell him it isn't true!"
"Well of course it's not- Wait, did you call me Sire?" Ratchet asked quietly; cutting himself off mid-rant.
"Yes sir. Is that bad?" PR-35 asked nervously.
"Bad?" Ratchet chuckled at the absurdity of the notion, "No, it's not bad. Bluestreak, I have been waiting for this moment ever since you came here!"
Ratchet then hugged PR-35, and PR-35 finally felt comfortable enough to return the gesture. VS-5000 looked on in confusion, and Optimus couldn't help but smile at the warm scene between father and son.
"You hug your troops?" VS-5000 asked critically, but then after a pregnant pause asked, "So, can I have a hug too?"
Ratchet scowled, but PR-35 decided that he didn't want the mood being killed and hugged VS-5000. The Vehicon had been joking and now tried to escape the older Vehicon's embrace, but after a moment just gave up.
PR-35 led the other drone to a berth, and VS-5000 ran a finger over it to see how much dust was on the slab. Deciding it wasn't too bad, he sat down.
"So, this really isn't a trick?" VS-5000 asked for reassurance.
"It's not a trick," PR-35 replied, "Though we'll have to do the spark scan later, we can get the rest of your physical over with right now."
"And the spark scan will be safe?" VS-5000 asked nervously.
"I didn't even feel mine," PR-35 replied with a Vehicon approximation of a smile by tilting his helm back, "My sire is the best medic on the entire planet. He makes Knockout look like a joke."
"Yeah, well no one's laughing on the Nemesis," VS-5000 said darkly while Ratchet began the preliminary scans of his structure, "Knockout is gutting everyone like a bunch of dead poultry. Actually, I've been nervous around Megatron lately too. He's gotten crazier since we came to earth. I actually once hid in Knockout's quarters to get away from Megatron. That was a few months ago, but you won't believe what I found under Knockout's berth."
"What was it?" PR-35 whispered as he leaned in closer like a kid listening to a scary story.
"A severed helm," VS-5000 stage whispered, "It didn't belong to anyone in the crew registry, but it was too unique to be a drone's helm. It looked like it had been deactivated for vorns. I also found other body parts too, but not enough to rebuild the mech. It was freaky! I'm telling you, Knockout is messed up."
"Breakdown deserved a better friend than him," PR-35 said quietly as Ratchet drew some fuel out of VS-5000's elbow joint, "He deserved a better job too. If only he had known how welcoming the Autobots are, then maybe he would still be alive."
"Friends come and go," VS-5000 shrugged as he hopped down from the berth after his examination was complete, "After awhile you learn to tune them out. I like other Vehicons, but I know better than to get attached. What was the name of that friend of yours, TGP-555?"
"TGP-538," PR-35 replied sadly, "He was a pessimist, but he was a good listener. I will miss him, especially since now we'll never know who he was before Megatron got a hold of him. You don't have to have that fate, however. If we know who you are, then we might be able to locate your family and old friends. You could have a mate, parents, and children! You could have siblings, or even a gestalt! Just think about it, VS-5000...you could be anybody!"
"I could be Soundwave!" VS-5000 declared happily.
"Um, Soundwave is still alive, and he's a Decepticon," PR-35 pointed out awkwardly.
"Oh. Okay. I could be...Shockwave!" VS-5000 tried again.
"Again, Decepticon," PR-35 replied, "Also, he invented Vehicons, so he wouldn't be a Vehicon."
"Okay dream squasher, is Silverbolt taken?" VS-5000 huffed as he crossed his arms over his chassis.
"No, you actually could be Silverbolt," Ratchet interjected, "Though given your current behavior I find it unlikely. Silverbolt was a fearful mech but he was never quite so...goofy."
"Goofy? I'm not goofy! I'm helpful!" VS-5000 protested, "Also I might not even be a mech. I could be Moonracer or Darkwind. Maybe I could even be Metroplex! Yeah, that would be funny. A Metroplex-sized Vehicon."
"That would be cool," PR-35 agreed.
"Well whoever you are, your scan is complete," Ratchet said impatiently, "Now get out of my medbay! I need to repair this scanner if we're ever going to know for sure who you are."
"Okay, cool," VS-5000 replied agreeably, "Hey, Optimus Prime left! I know, I'll bring him his favorite data pads! Then he'll be sure to like me! Oh, Optimus!"
VS-5000 left the room then, and PR-35 and Ratchet went back to work in the medbay preparing the machine. PR-35 didn't remember any of the drones acting so weird when he lived aboard the Nemesis, but VS-5000 was practically a cartoon character with the way he behaved and the antics he would pull. Then again, PR-35 had to admit to himself that he wasn't the same drone anymore either.
School break was the best time of the vorn for Bluestreak. He and his friends Sideswipe and Sunstreaker had gone to the park and goofed on some tourists, and then raced at the kiddie tracks. Sunstreaker had been embarrassed that they weren't at a real track, but Sideswipe was happy as could be as sparklings fawned over his daring stunts and perfect turns. Bluestreak was just happy to be included.
Now here they were, two of the most popular kids in his school were in his house, sitting on his couch, and hanging out with him. Bluestreak was used to doing things with the terror twins, but he had never invited them over to his house before. Usually his sire was home, and Ratchet didn't approve of Bluestreak befriending teenagers, especially troublemakers like the twins. Bluestreak had waited until his sire was at a medical convention before inviting his friends over.
Sunstreaker ran a digit over the nightstand next to the couch as if he could see the filth radiating from the furniture, and Sideswipe came back from the fuel room with every unhealthy energon treat he could find.
"By the way Blue, you're out of cobalt cubes," Sideswipe announced as he plopped down roughly on the couch and passed around the snacks to the others.
"I know," Bluestreak pouted, "Sire doesn't stock them so much since Prowl went off to the police academy. Cobalt was his favorite."
"Pfft, you talk about him like he's dead," Sunstreaker scoffed insensitively, "I still can't believe someone as cool as you has such a screw for a brother."
"Hey, Sunny, don't insult Blue's family," Sideswipe chided his brother while never losing his lopsided grin, "He can't help who he's stuck with anymore than I can. Hah!"
"Shut up, cherry aft," Sunstreaker griped, "Anyway, you got any good video games around here? All I see is Calculus Adventure and Turbo Fox Targets."
"Um...I have Puzzle Planet version 6," Bluestreak simpered, "Okay, so my games are scrap! I can't help it! Sire doesn't let me play the good games. He says it'll give me bad ideas."
"Yeah, well I say your current collection is a bad idea," Sideswipe remarked, "Don't worry Blue, I've got your back. I'll bring by my copy of Lost House of No Return Ever III. You can keep it for as long as you want."
"Really? That's awesome! Thanks, Sideswipe!" Bluestreak replied gratefully.
"Shh!" Sunstreaker suddenly hissed as he walked over to the window, "Hey Bluestreak, there's an ambulance in your driveway."
"Huh? Oh no! It's my sire!" Bluestreak exclaimed in a panic, "He's home early from the convention! Oh, what are we gonna do?"
"We?" Sunstreaker asked as he pointed to the now empty couch.
They heard the door to the storage closet slam, and realized Sideswipe had run off and locked himself inside. Sunstreaker sneered and ran after his twin, and then began banging loudly on the door.
"Sideswipe!" Bang bang, "Sideswipe you coward! Don't you dare leave me alone to deal with Bluestreak's psychotic sire! Sides!"
Sideswipe didn't come out, however, and the other two mechlings had no choice but to face the medic as he casually walked into his home. Bluestreak took that moment of obliviousness from his sire to hide the messy energon snacks in between the grooves of the couch's metallic slabs.
Ratchet was looking down at a data pad and not paying attention to the boys at first, but then he noticed a glint of gold in the corner of his vision. Ratchet looked up and saw the two mechlings; his son's optics bulging nervously and the taller boy's stance stiff and uncomfortable.
"Bluestreak, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" Ratchet asked calmly; though Bluestreak knew that probably wouldn't last.
"Um, yes Sire, this is my friend Sunstreaker," Bluestreak replied nervously, "He goes to my school. Sunstreaker, this is my Sire. He's a medic."
"I could tell," Sunstreaker deadpanned, "It's nice to meet you sir. I know I probably shouldn't be here when you're not home, but we had a long day of racing and wanted a snack. I assure you that everything is as clean as we found it."
"Mhm," Ratchet grunted; suspicious of the older boy, "So Bluestreak, where is your babysitter? He was supposed to watch you for four orns."
"Beachcomber went home early," Bluestreak replied, "He said something about drinking some bad energon. He didn't feel well, and I knew you didn't want me to stay by myself, so I called my friends so we could go out and play. The park looked really pretty at dawn. Sunstreaker painted a portrait of this femme that has a crush on him. He's a real good artist, Sire. Show him that one you did of the lob players!"
Sunstreaker rolled his optics and rifled through his subspace for the painting in question while Ratchet muttered something about how he shouldn't have trusted that little blue lush of a neighbor to watch his sparkling. Finally Sunstreaker pulled out three fabric-based canvases.
The first was a scene showcasing the Praxus Primary School's lob ball players from a distance. It had clearly been painted from the bleachers. The second picture was a rather unflattering caricature of their school principal. The third was an Autobot sigil with swirling bright neon colors against a black backdrop.
"Hm, these are impressive," Ratchet commented, "With some discipline I could see your art hanging in galleries someday."
"Thank you sir, but it's just a hobby," Sunstreaker replied respectfully, "What I'd much rather do is become a professional racer. My twin brother and I are the fastest kids in school, and someday I think we could really make it as professional athletes. Of course I hear that much racing really grinds the dirt into your tires. I'd have to have replacements fairly regularly to keep myself in pristine condition."
"Heheheh, pristine condition," Ratchet chuckled as he made his way to his office, "Oh, to be young again. You boys play quietly now. I have a lot of work to do in my office."
"Yes, Sire!" Bluestreak promised, then when Ratchet closed his office door both boys rushed to where the storage room was, "Sideswipe!" Bluestreak whispered, "Are you okay in there?"
"Is he gone?" Sideswipe whispered back worriedly.
"Yeah he's gone, you overgrown newspark," Sunstreaker growled softly, "Get out of there! We gotta get home!"
"You're sure he's not out there?" Sideswipe asked for reassurance.
"What are you so afraid of, slag heap?" Sunstreaker snipped.
"Well...I kind of...made a mess in the fuel room," Sideswipe admitted, "HadfunBluegottadothisagainbye!"
With those quickly spoken words Sideswipe ran out of the house with his annoyed brother in tow. Bluestreak, worried about what he would find, tiptoed into the fuel room.
PR-35 awoke feeling disappointed that he never found out what kind of mess was in the fuel room. Then he realized something. He remembered his dream clearly. He remembered what happened that day!
"VS-5000! Wake up!" PR-35 shouted as he jostled the Vehicon in the next berth, "Wake up! I remembered something!"
"Hey, quit it!" VS-5000 groused as he onlined with some difficulty, "Whatever you remembered tell whoever it concerns. I'm kinda busy here."
"You don't understand! It was a memory from when I was a sparkling, and it involved mechs that were my friends back then!" PR-35 exclaimed, "I remember Sideswipe and Sunstreaker!"
"Who?" VS-5000 asked groggily.
"Sideswipe and Sunstreaker!" PR-35 repeated happily, "They were older sparklings that went to the same school as me! Sunstreaker was an artist and Sideswipe was a freeloader that was scared of meeting my sire. Sire was in my dream too! He was telling the truth! Ratchet is my sire!"
"Okay, that's great," VS-5000 snapped irritably, "Now go back to recharge! We don't have work for another half a joor."
"Okay, I'm sorry. I was just so excited," PR-35 apologized, "Can you imagine? I have friends out there waiting for me. I have a sire, friends, and a new family with these Autobots."
"And humans," VS-5000 reminded him.
"Yeah, and humans," PR-35 replied wistfully, "I really need to find a way to thank Rafael. I wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for him."
"Yeah he's okay, but Miko is the fun one," VS-5000 commented, "I wonder if I could be her butler? I bet her orders would be more interesting than the Prime's. Nah, he'd never give me up. We're tighter than rivets on a cartridge. Hey, do you think Prime is any closer to wanting to adopt me? I already know what I want my new name to be."
"Oh yeah? What's that?" PR-35 asked curiously.
"Alfred," VS-5000 replied.
"Alfred? What does that name even mean?" PR-35 asked skeptically.
"I dunno," VS-5000 shrugged from where he lay, "But he is the most famous butler in human media. Just think about it, I could be Alfred Prime, or Alfred Pax if he doesn't want me carrying the title."
"You are so weird. I think you might actually be broken," PR-35 remarked half-jokingly, "Seriously though, we'll know who you are soon enough, and then everything will be better."
"Yeah...Alfred Pax Nakadai..." VS-5000 muttered as he drifted back off to sleep.
PR-35 was close to drifting back off into recharge himself, but then suddenly sat up and asked "Nakadai?"