Love, War, and Sparklings {Transformers Story}

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

"Can't you keep them quiet?! We're trying to recharge!" Ratchet roared, storming into the main room where Bumblebee was trying to hush crying sparklings. The sports car made a few desperate bleeps, holding Knockout up for Ratchet to take. "I don't think so!"  

There were a few more buzzes and clicks. 

"So they just woke up and started crying?"  

Bumblebee made a few beeps and nodded.  

"I think they need a good refuel." Ratchet said, looking at how lackluster Knockout's optics were. "Stay there. I will get some energon for them."  

Ratchet returned with three bottles of filtered energon, handing two to Bumblebee whisk he took the third. Picking up Starscream, the grouchy medic offered the bottle to him. Starscream hushed and reached out for the bottle with tiny claws, optics curious.  

"Hurry up already!" Ratchet snapped, glaring at the Seekerling. Starscream winced and started sobbing again, curling up hiding behind his claws like he thought he would be hit.  

"Ratchet! Come on, you can't yell at him all the time!" Smokescreen's voice growled from behind the medic. He quickly took Starscream from Ratchet's arms and snatched up the bottle as well. "He's nervous, is all."  

Starscream latched onto the bottle the moment it was close enough, suckling quietly while Ratchet fumed. This was madness! They were doting over killers and backstabbers! He shot another glare at the two for good measure before stomping off to his room to attempt to get some recharge.  

"What's gotten into him?" Smokescreen asked, raising an optic ridge at Bumblebee. Bumblebee made a few whirs and shrugged. No one would ever really know what Ratchet was thinking. All one could do was go along with it.  

*** 

"Jackie, you came!" Bulkhead laughed, crushing his old friend in a tight hug. Wheeljack grinned and clapped him hard on the back when they pulled apart.  

"I had to see this for myself! Are you telling me you have three of the nastiest Cons in your grasp?"  

"They aren't too nasty now..." Smokescreen chuckled, pulling all three of the sparklings from their little box. "Here they are, the all powerful and dangerous Decepticons!" he snorted, passing Megatron over to Wheeljack.  

"You gotta be kidding me! Is this actually Megatron?!" Wheeljack yelped, looking down at the tiny creature that was the former warlord. The silver mechling made a soft mewl and stared up at the new face with untainted blue optics.  

"That's him. We have no idea how it happened, but we have all of them except for Soundwave." Bulkhead explained, taking Megatron back.  

"What are you going to do with them now?"  

"Keep them, I guess. Until they get dangerous, anyways." 

"Sparklings? Become dangerous? Highly unlikely." Wheeljack laughed as Megatron nestled into his chest plating. "Even this fragger is cute. I hate to admit it."  

Knockout let loose a happy squeal when he finished his energon, squirming around in Bee's arms like crazy. Bumblebee made a few nervous beeps and set him down on the floor before he dropped the tiny sparkling. The scarlet sports car giggled and was instantly running to see Optimus who was just padding into the room.  

"Opi!" Starscream squealed, optics bright. Optimus nodded, a thin smile playing at his lips. For being rather emotionless, it was hard to keep up the Prime facade when sparklings were involved. Parental programming was strong despite his best efforts to suppress it.  

"The little monster can't even say your name right." Arcee growled, stalking into the room as quiet as a cat. She glared at Starscream who squeaked back, instantly reaching out for her.  

"Mama!"  

"It would be a disgrace to be the mother of such an evil being." Arcee hissed, lip curling into a small snarl. "It is an insult to think I look at all like your carrier."  

"Come on, Arcee! You can't be serious! He's hardly a few months old in Earth time!" Smokescreen growled, keeping a puzzled Starscream away from her. 

"You have no idea what he and the rest of them have done! You're hardly any older than he is, Smokescreen. You have more to learn than you want to admit." Arcee spat back, ready for a fight.  

"That will be enough, Arcee." Optimus said firmly, tone implying there would be no more fighting between them. "The sparklings are here to stay until we find somewhere else for them."  

"You wouldn't let them out of your care, Optimus. You are not fooling me." Arcee retorted, servos on her hips. "Sometimes you need to realize they will always be evil and they must be stopped." 

"Arcee, that is enough." Optimus growled, far more assertive this time. Arcee glared but backed down, knowing it was best to stay on good terms with the mech. "We cannot lose focus on our values now. There is too much to lose."  

*** 

"You keep them in a box?" Wheeljack laughed, doubling over with laughter when Bulkhead placed Knockout in the box again, the little sparkling quite fast on his pedes for being so young.  

"That was my idea! Jack helped!" Miko giggled, sitting on top of Bulkhead's shoulder. The truck grinned and jostled her a little bit.  

"That's my Miko, always thinking up something." Bulkhead snickered as Wheeljack peered into the box.  

"I guess it does keep them out of trouble." he chuckled, watching Knockout tumble around in a tangle of blankets.  

"So far. They are barely old enough to talk yet, so we don't know what will happen once they get older. Starscream is the only one who says anything right now. I assume Megatron can, but just doesn't want to. He only responds to Optimus." Bulkhead explained, stepping back with Wheeljack. "We think Knockout is pretty much his usual self, so we aren't expecting too much from him. Those fancy models are pretty empty in the processor."  

"No kidding!" Wheeljack snickered, already getting bored watching the little ones. "So, how about a rock session?" he asked brightly, a grin spreading across his face when Miko and Bulkhead perked right up. That always got their attention.  

*** 

"Shockwave...it is good to see you again." Arachnid purred, watching as the massive mech shouldered his way into the abandoned ship. Soundwave said nothing, just glancing over his shoulder as he tapped away at a partly functioning computer system.  

"Where are the dead?" Shockwave demanded, not one for small talk. Arachnid laughed softly, making her way delicately to the bulky purple mech with only one optic.  

"They are long terminated, incinerated in the wreck of their ship." Arachnid assured, laying one servo on his shoulder. "No need to worry. I have made sure of their deaths."  

"Then where are the bodies?" Shockwave demanded, moving away from her touch. "One can never be sure unless they are recovered."  

"Trust me-"  

"I trust no one. I will look for them myself." Shockwave snapped, turning to go. He knew she would be an incompetent leader, so he and Soundwave would have to kill her themselves later.  

"You will not find anything, Shockwave. We have already scouted the area with Lazarbeak and Soundwave found not a trace of them."  

"Megatron does not keel over and die. He may be wounded, but I highly doubt he is dead." Shockwave said, shaking his helm. 

"You may go search if you wish, but you will not find anything." Arachnid sighed, waving him off with a dismissive servo. "Report back to us once you are satisfied. We will have some energon waiting."  

Shockwave said nothing as he made his way from the abandoned hull of an ancient ship. He knew Soundwave would have done a thorough scan of the area, but he needed to be sure so he could recharge in peace that coming night. For Shockwave things were never finished unless he finished them himself.