The Day We Hailed The Heavens

Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Threaten

Rose glanced over her shoulder uneasily as she exited the Hummer, almost tripping over the laces of her shoes as she did so. Barricade's lights were visible through the open door, and she could feel the cold fear clenching around her heart like an iron fist. Mikaela jumped down after her and grabbed her arm, dragging her out of the way so that Ratchet could transform safely.

She watched in awe as the Hummer's grille detached from the front of the hood and the entire vehicle began to unfold, shifting and reshaping itself back into the bipedal form of the medical officer. Being new to the world of the Autobots and the Decepticons, she still retained the initial wonder of them that the others had lost after several years of seeing daily transformations, and she could not stop looking at him even when the last few gears and gizmos had slid into their appropriate places.

"Quickly, both of you," he urged them, beckoning with one hand. "Stay behind me; I will not let him harm you."

Beside her, Mikaela nodded and made her way forward without hesitation. "Careful, Ratch'," she warned him as she took up her place behind his leg, Rose following hesitantly. "You'd better call Optimus out here. You don't want to be by yourself if he makes a move."

He nodded, establishing a radio link with the commander. /Ratchet to Optimus./

Optimus was only in his office, so the response was speedy and clear. /Optimus to Ratchet. Is something wrong?/

Ratchet crouched a little in a defensive position over the two females, uncertain of whether he ought to arm himself for their protection. /Barricade has followed me back to the base; I do not believe he has hostile intentions, but he has expressed a wish to speak with you directly. Request that you come to negotiate with him./

To his credit, the commander barely seemed to be affected by the worrying news. /Very well/ he agreed simply before the link was broken.

Nodding to reassure himself, the medic glanced down at the two females. "Are you both alright?" he asked concernedly, noticing Rose's pale face and Mikaela's erratic heartbeat. "There is no need to be afraid. Barricade is outnumbered eight to one - what harm could he possibly do by himself?" His voice was persuasive, and Mikaela looked as if she was comforted by it.

"Got'cha," his charge nodded, taking a moment to steady her breathing before she gave him a smile to show that all was well. "I'm good."

Rose's eyes were a little feverish, fixed on the doorway with a glaze of fear across the irises, and Ratchet remembered what she had said about being unintentionally hit by Barricade's vehicular form.

"Rose?" he called lightly, and she looked up at him as if he were a ghost. "Your bio-signs inform me that you are still afraid."

Her cheeks coloured a little under the scrutiny, but she did not make a fuss of his analysis of her internals. "I'm... I'm okay," she murmured, shaking her head and managing to form a weak smile. "Don't worry about me, Ratchet."

Optimus appeared at the exact moment that Barricade transformed in the doorway, shifting himself from police car to bipedal Decepticon in all of five seconds. Sunstreaker, Sideswipe and Ironhide all appeared from their quarters, too, Ironhide apparently having been attracted away from the disciplinary he had been giving the twins by the movement of Optimus and Ratchet's signals on their internal radars. Their shamefaced expressions vanished when they spotted Barricade.

"Barricade!" Sideswipe exclaimed, and Sunstreaker tightened his fists. "What are you doing here, you slagger?"

"Ugly slagger," Sunstreaker added in a saccharine tone, prompting Ironhide to smack both of their heads with a metallic thunk. "What was that f - ?"