CHAPTER 12
Secrets and Stories
"He was a jerk!"
"From what you told me I'm not going to argue."
Mark seated himself down in the human sized chair in Hound's office. He was annoyed, severely annoyed in fact, at both Coulton and the rest of the panel that didn't seem to listen to him. "I mean he actually tried to imply that you didn't care about me at all and I was brainwashed or something!" Mark added in frustration "I really wanted to punch in the face, and I would have if I knew I wouldn't be sent to juvie."
"Well that couldn't be further from the truth." Hound reassured him "Seeing as you're single-handedly the most important thing in my life at the moment." Mark smiled a little at that "So you don't need to listen to him at all, he's simply a cold, cruel man. One that should no longer be serving on the NEST board." He grunted "You're so far from brainwashed for that matter."
"I know." Mark replied with a sigh "It just hurt that someone said that to me is all."
"If I had been there, he'd have gotten more than a bad word thrown at him."
Mark didn't doubt that much, knowing Hound's protective nature of him. It was clear that the mech had a very protective nature when he came to most people he cared about, but with him there was something deep. He guessed it was because of his age, though he had never outright asked. "It's okay, Hound, I can defend myself." He replied "I didn't put up with his crap."
"That's m'boy." Hound chuckled "If ye hand't, I'd have been disappointed with you."
"You're encouraging letting an authority figure have it?"
"No." Hound looked thoughtful "Yes." He then added "Honestly, I'm a little torn when it comes to that situation."
Mark only snorted a bit as the door to Hound's office slid open. Mark almost didn't want to meet the stare of Crosshairs, unsure of how he was taking the news of him being there. "Well, well, well..." Crosshairs began as he looked over at the young human "Good to see you again, Mark." Mark arched his eyebrows "Don't look so surprised. You're going to be living with us for a long time now, I have to try and get along with you."
Mark rolled his eyes, and leaned back. "I really missed that optimism of yours, Crosshairs." Mark replied "You really should think of raising a kid yourself." He added sarcastically.
"I thought about it, but then you came around. And I realized just how much better I have it this way."
Mark actually had to laugh at the mech's obvious joke. And for once, he did notice the playful smile that seemed to tug at the mech's lips. Perhaps Crosshairs was serious about getting along with him now, after all, he and Hound seemed to be friends. "Was there something you needed besides mocking my ward?" Hound jested at Crosshairs "I'm busy, y'know."
"Oh, I could hear from out there." Crosshairs snorted "I'm sorry to interrupt your wonderful trash talk." Hound rolled his optics at that "But Lennox wants you to look at these plans for the raid on that possible Decepticon outpost in Africa." He explained, putting a data pad on his large desk "If you're still leading the strike team for that raid."
"Indeed I am." Hound noted, taking the data pad "That it?"
"Mmmmhmmm." Crosshairs replied "Oh wait, no. We also have a problem with the Dinobots." Hound raised an optic ridge "That's what we've dubbed the "Legenndary Warriors" Optimus released." He explained "We got them to come back to NEST with us finally, but they aren't exactly... Enjoying the accommodations." Hound rolled his optics absently at that.
"What's a Dinobot?" Mark asked.
"Nothing I want you around until I know how dangerous they are." Hound replied "Sometimes I wish Prime wasn't dealing with the "Creators". Primus help me, being temporary leader is not all it's cracked up to be." He explained.
"Who even named you that?"
"Well Bumblebee sure isn't in the right mindset. And I rank above you." Mark stared over at Crosshairs, who seemed to grumble at that "Now, where are the Dinobots? I need to talk to them obviously."
"Don't expect to get through to them. They're leader, Grimlock, is kind of..."
"Rude?"
"A moron."
As Hound stood, Mark started off towards him, but Crosshairs quickly blocked his path. The boy crossed his arms at this, not amused in the least. Whoever these "Dinobots" were, he definitely deserved a chance to see them as far as he was concerned. "No dice, small fry." Crosshairs told him "I agree with the big guy, they've already nearly hurt three of us, we don't need children around them too."
Mark rolled his eyes, and simply made his way back to the seat. "I hope you know I'm going to run out the second you leave."
"I figured. Lucky for me, I know the code to lock the door outside." Crosshairs snorted "Stay put until we've handled this, will you?"
As Crosshairs left, Mark heard the door lock. He tensed up and cursed under his breath quietly as he stood. Of course, the door didn't open for him, though he still felt compelled to kick it for good measure. "Some first day this has been." Mark grunted "This sucks."
He hoped he wouldn't miss all the fun.
...
By the time they let him out, the newly dubbed "Dinobots" were subdued. Despite the fact that Mark wanted to meet these strange Autobots, Hound insisted that he give them at least a few days there before approaching them. Mark hadn't seen them transform yet, but from what Hound said, it was at least part of the reason that they didn't want him near them yet. And by the form of their biggest, the leader, Grimlock, as far as he was told, it was pretty obvious why between the mace and the fact his head almost hit the ceiling.
Though he did his best to keep his distance, he would often keep an eye on them. As if expecting that at any moment, they'd transform and he'd get to see whatever the hubbub was about for himself. Eventually though, the Dinobots retreated to their quarters without so much as acknowledging anyone other than Hound. "They don't look that scary." Mark told Hound later that night.
"You didn't see them in action during Hong Kong." Hound noted.
By this time, they had situated themselves on the roof of the base. Hound was finally off of work for the night, and had decided to take Mark up to the roof for star-gazing, something he often did with his son when he had been growing up. Mark was balanced carefully on his knee, with his hand carefully resting at the boy's side. "Wait, they were in Hong Kong?" Mark asked "Which ones were they?"
"They weren't in any of the aftermath footage." Hound told him.
Mark nodded his head, figuring that was the only answer he'd get from him. He shifted a bit on his guardian's knee and stared around at the stars in awe. From their perch on the roof of the base, the expanse of space seemed long and beautiful. "They're so pretty." Mark commented "Where's Cybertron, or can we not see it from here?"
Hound shook his head. "It was destroyed during Chicago, I fear." Hound commented "It used to be somewhere around a galaxy some miles to the right of the Big Dipper... But now it no longer shines." His voice seemed to quiet, as if his spark were breaking for his lost home "This is the only home I know now..." He admitted.
Mark frowned, and patted the large green mech's leg. He knew what it was like to lose his home, though it was not on the scale of a planet, thankfully. But he still knew how hard it felt to be ripped from the only home you had known - forever. "I'm sorry, big guy." Mark told him calmly "That has to be hard... I can't imagine losing Earth..."
Hound shook his head, stroking Mark's back gently with his thumb. Though his optics seemed to look absently at the sky, he let out a long, labored sigh. "It had been lost long before that in a lot of ways." He admitted "We tore it apart with our war and left nothing but destruction and ruin." He explained "I can't say I don't miss it, but I definitely can say I don't miss what it became."
Mark nodded his head, he understood that. He wasn't sure he could miss a planet like that either. "I guess Earth wouldn't be your first choice either." Mark laughed "We blow each other up and kill each other all the time." He concluded "Hell, even to others too. Look what we did to YOU guys." He explained, shaking his head "I'm surprised it hasn't happened to us yet."
"You're not all bad." Hound noted as he leaned back "You're not a perfect race, but neither are we." He explained "And Earth has yielded rewards still. Our friendship with the Witwicky's, the Yeager's." He then added "And of course, my personal plus, meeting you." Hound poked Mark's stomach gently, avoiding his likely still sore ribs "So it's had its pluses as well."
"Kiss-up." Mark joked.
"Nah, I just happen to be fond of ye."
Mark smirked and hugged one of Hound's fingers gently. The mech smiled as the boy let go, and continued to stare out at the stars. "So, how many of those stars have you traveled to?" Hound raised his optic ridges "Oh come on, you can't tell me you've only ever been to Cybertron and Earth." He explained "There had to be other stops along the way here."
Hound laughed. "Of course." Hound teased "I've seen about four or five thousand stars up there. Ones that are considered planets, that is." Mark's eyes widened "Mostly seen from within the confines of our ship, though. I've only actually been on five or six of them." He explained thoughtfully "We even made a pit stop on Mars before we came here."
"Did you see any Martians?" Mark joked.
"What's a Martian?"
Mark only laughed a little bit at that, the mech had a lot to learn. "Aliens." Mark replied "I thought maybe if you guys existed, they did too." Hound chuckled a little as the boy leaned back and yawned "What were the other planets you visited like?" He looked up curiously.
"Oh Primus, where do I begin?" Hound began "Perhaps with the Junk Planet... I think you'd find that one amusing. Especially the peculiar fellow I met by the name of Wreck Gar."
And so Hound began, with his many stories of what adventures that he, and his crew mates had encountered. Mark grinned at the stories that ranged from Wreck Gar, who talked through the television. To the desolate planet of Chaar, which had been a Decepticon outpost that Hound and the others had had to fight their way out of. For Mark, it was like listening to an amazing movie. "So, ye see, it was just me, and about five guns left against eight Decepticon enforcers."
"How did you get yourself out of that one?" Mark asked in surprise.
"That's why I carry my trusty grenades." Hound told him, amused "I threw one into an Enforcer's mouth. He didn't have enough time before his head blew apart, and the rest of them went nuts." Mark's eyes widened "Don't worry kid, they were Vehicons. Drones. They don't have sparks, they're more like machines on your planet." Mark's mouth moved in an "O" shape "I didn't even really need any of my guns after that, I took them out with my bare hands." He clenched his fists for emphasis.
"That's pretty epic." Mark replied "I can't even imagine taking on one Decepticon with my bare hands, let alone eight."
Hound shrugged, and held up a hand. "Well, I am a bit of a badaft. I think we have established this before." Mark chuckled as he laid his head against Hound's thick armor "Alright, that's enough storytelling for one day." Mark groaned a bit as Hound picked him up "I think yer ready for bed if those heavy eyelids say anything."
"Am not."
"You're my foster son now." Hound replied "You have to listen to me."
If Hound were human, he might have flicked him for that jab at his previous comment in the barn. But before he could argue more, he was barely aware of being set into his bed, with his coverings being pulled over him. "Hound?" Hound stared down at him calmly "You're going to let me see those Dinobots and what they are at some point, right?"
"Yer still on that? After all those stories?" Hound snorted "Eventually... Just don't blame me if they scare the slag out of you. They have that effect on people."
"I'm a tough guy."
"Very true." Hound chuckled, rubbing his back "Goodnight, Mark." He then added "Sweet "dreams", as I hear you humans have."
"Goodnight, Hound."
Mark smiled and snuggled deep into his bed for the soundest sleep he had had for a while. That night, his dreams would not be filled with fears, but rather with Dinobots, Junkions, and Hound's amazing adventures on other planets. As adventurous as dreams should have been, but hadn't been for quite some time.