The base was quiet. Even the low hum of the machinery in the background was quieter than normal. Kind of...eerie. Jack was used to there being some kind of noise, even just the odd conversation passing him by. Did all the personnel head home or was it an off day? Jack vented as he was about to head out the medbay, but stopped when he noticed who was at the end of the hall.

"Mom?"

June blinked, turning to face him. She smiled, but it seemed…nervous. "Hi, Jack. I...didn't expect you to be here. I thought you might have wanted to go with everyone to Cybertron."

Jack furrowed his optic ridges. "I decided against it." he answered, but narrowing his optics. His mother looked different. Her hair was let down, and she was wearing a blouse with an overcoat and a long skirt. She even had make-up on. "You look...nice. Are you going to a hospital event?"

June's eyes widened. "What? Can't I just get dolled up once in a while?"

Rubbing the back of his neck, Jack glanced away. "Yeah, but you don't get all dressed up unless it's for a special occasion." His mother shrugged, but before Jack could leave-Fowler hurried into the hallway.

"June, you look amazing. Our reservations are for-ooh, hi...Jack?" Fowler finally noticed him, and he coughed into his fist. "Well, this is awkward."

You have no idea, Jack thought, as the realization settled in. Fowler was wearing a different suit, even had his hair done. "Are you two going on a date?"

Both June and Fowler tensed up, and his mother's tone was the forced calm when she needed to break some bad news, "I know this is a shock-"

"It's really not." Jack interrupted. He shook his head. "Look, Mom, you don't gotta explain it to me. If this makes you happy, then I'm happy for you."

June's expression became so relieved and warm that Jack's spark pulsed. "Thank you for understanding." she grabbed Fowler's arm. "And he really does make me happy."

"And she makes me happy too." Fowler added.

Jack resisted giving him the third degree, because shovel talk coming from a giant robot might not go over well. Jack just waved them off. "Have a nice time. And at least let me know when the wedding is."

"Jack!" His mother blushed.

Jack snickered, and waved over his shoulder as he retreated back into the medbay. While he genuinely was happy for his mother, it just served to further the agitation of how the world was moving on without him. He couldn't exactly forbid his mother from ever having a life - well, he could try but that would just be horrible, and Jack really didn't want to hurt his mother more than she was still likely hurting. So despite his own misgivings or thoughts, he really would have to try and be happy for her. Jack vented, but his thoughts were interrupted by the console in the medbay beeping.

Scrap, is something wrong again? Jack thought, and answered the call. Smokescreen's face appeared, and the way his expression brightened was enough to know it wasn't anything bad at least. "Hey, Smokescreen."

"Jack, it's great to see you." he replied. "It's so dull without my buddy around."

Snorting, Jack tilted his head. "Oh really? I thought things would have been changing now that Cybertron is alive and kicking again."

Smokescreen shrugged. "It is, but everyone's so serious." He grimaced. "It's all 'this is a serious matter' or 'why don't you more productive'. Even the returning bots know how to have fun!"

Jack raised an optic ridge. "What are they like?"

"They came back from all over the system! The stories they tell are wild; organic worlds, metal worlds, underwater worlds." Smokescreen's optics were widening with amazement. "Maybe when you come to Cybertron I can tell you about it."

"What's stopping you from doing it now?" Jack asked.

Smokescreen's doorwings drooped. "Believe me, I'd love to, but I'm supposed to be keeping an optic on Cinder and Grimwing while Optimus is trying to contact Predaking."

Jack froze. "Wait, you're not watching them?"

Smokescreen waved it off. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Groaning, Jack rubbed his forehead. "You just jinxed it. Okay, this conversation is over. So be a good buddy and do your job, alright? I don't want you to get in trouble because of me."

Smokescreen smiled, but it was a kind of smile Jack hadn't seen before. "You're more than worth it."

Jack blinked. His spark pulsed, warm in his chest before he shook his head. "Goodbye, Smokescreen."

A few days after the first trip (neither Ratchet nor Ultra Magnus were complaining about Smokescreen, so Jack was glad no one caught his slip up), the tension which had been simmering under the surface was...not as intense, and definitely better. Ratchet was less grumpy and Cinder's tail wagged more while Grimwing wasn't so grim. Even Blackbeak was happier. The red and blue mech was harder to read, so Jack wasn't sure how he was doing.

"Alright," Ratchet finished unplating the weld from Jack's injuries, "you're all set. And the next time you two decide to spar-don't."

Jack huffed and looked down at his arm. The scar was a thin white line, standing out along with the other scars littering his form. "What's one more?" Ratchet's optics widened in consternation as he lifted his wrench. Jack raised his servos hastily. "It was a joke, I'm going!"

Jack couldn't stop the snickers though once he was out of range. He made it to the mess hall, and signed out for his ration of energon. His mouth twisted when he drank down the first gulp. Just try not to think about it, he thought. On his trek down the other hall, he paused by the open garage. The red and blue mech was simply staring at the wall, his optics cycling. It was...odd. "Sir?" The mech looked at him sharply. "Are you okay?"

"I'm doing well." he replied calmly.

"Really? You were just sort of...looking spaced out." Jack said, but clarified once the mech's ridges furrowed, "I mean distracted. What's on your-er, what are you thinking?"

Ultra Magnus was silent for a long moment. "Optimus is going through talks of allowing a council to be formed."

Jack blinked. He hadn't actually expected a reply. "A council? Like, from before the war?" Like what caused the war?

The red and blue mech nodded, his expression somehow even more grim. "Yes, and he asked me to draw up the protocol for it."

"Really?" Jack asked and the mech nodded. "That's great! Optimus really trusts you to do something so important." he smiled, a bit cheeky. "And you finally get to make all the rules you want."

Ultra Magnus furrowed his optic ridges, but seemed to figure Jack was sincere enough. "You're much more enthusiastic than Wheeljack was when he found out."

Jack shrugged. "I've never minded the rules you set." he rubbed his neck sheepishly. "Given I've broken them enough to respect why they're needed."

"If only Wheeljack could see that." The other mech said. "He always chaffed and disobeyed my command whenever he could before he left."

"Sounds a lot like Miko." Jack grimaced. "Probably a good thing it wasn't Wheeljack that came to earth with Optimus."

Ultra Magnus' mouth twitched just a little, but it was more of a grimace. "A very good thing that never came to pass." Jack nodded, but he also grimaced when the bitterness of the energon got to him again. "Is there something wrong with the energon?"

"It's probably just me, I've...I've had a hard time getting used to it." Jack said quietly. His optics cycled wide. "Not that I'm trying to sound ungrateful, I'm still trying to get used to a lot of things."

"Were you able to bring it up with Dr. Keen?"

"What?" Jack's optics widened and he flushed. "Oh, yeah! S-she-we're working on it." he said hastily. His helm fins twitched. "Maybe it's just because the energon on earth is more diluted than on Cybertron."

"It's much the same, the only difference in quality is how distilled it is. The higher quality was a high grade called Engex, and it...lead to many overcharged Wreckers." Ultra Magnus said, his tone distasteful.

Jack blinked. Overcharged? "You mean-you mean you can get drunk?"

The mech frowned. "Of course. Engex affects the system in a way I'm told alcohol affects the humans. I cannot say for certain, as I've never had it before. Someone had to keep their processors in check."

Jack wouldn't say the thought of the uptight, stoic mech tipsy was funny-it was hilarious. He stifled his chuckle with another sip of energon. "And how much of a headache was that?"

"Rules broken everywhere, mechs fraternizing while on duty-it was utter chaos." The mech said sternly.

Jack smiled into his cube. "Was Engex the only other type of energon?"

"No, with certain additives, the overcharging properties of it could be dulled to negate the effects. Standard energon could also be modified to suit a bot's tastes." Ultra Magnus stopped, and his optic ridges furrowed. "Would...would this help you grow used to the energon? The number of bots which have arrived will also perhaps be in stock of new additives-which I will have to recommend Optimus sift through to prevent any harmful effects spreading through the ranks."

It seemed so...quaint might not the right word, but 'nice' didn't fit either. It was just strange to be sitting here with this mech and talking about essentially mixing drinks. "Maybe Wheeljack has some. He's been to a lot of places."

"I will take that into account. Should you decide to remain on Earth for the next trip, I will see to bringing samples for you to test." Ultra Magnus said.

Jack flushed. "You really don't have to go through the trouble, I just figured I'd do it whenever I went to Cybertron."

The mech was silent for a moment. "I never knew you before your transformation," he said quietly, and Jack stiffened as he wondered why this was being brought up again, "but this cannot be easy for you. To go from organic to metal is surely drastic, and it is per our arrangement that I...learn to get along with you."

Jack was able to just bite back a snort. He didn't think the mech would take that so seriously, but honestly? It really shouldn't have been a surprise. The words were an affirmation of their last conversation, but sounded no less sincere. He's really trying. "Then I thank you." he did allow himself to offer a wry smile. "Though keep going at this rate, I'll probably be calling you 'friend' before long."

"Friend?" The mech repeated, his optics cycling wider.

Jack flushed deeper and hoped the color difference wasn't too noticeable. "Just a thought." he vented, and tried to change the subject. "I'll leave you to your rule making. I know you'll do great."

"Thank you for your confidence." The mech seemed almost bemused, and Jack waved over his shoulder as he walked out the room.

Once in the hall, his tail wrapped around himself and his face felt hotter. He'd better not be getting sick from the energon.