Runaway

Chapter Fifteen - Squabbles Internal and Out

Gun shots in the offcycle woke the nine-vorn-old.

Steeldust sat up with a jolt, reaching automatically for his nearby knife. He sat silent, optics wide, even after they adjusted to his dark room, as he listened.

They were close, but not terribly.

After several more shots, all was silent. After several kliks had ticked by in silence, Steeldust placed his knife back in its spot on the table beside his berth and laid back down.

Gun shots had been normal to hear before the 'Cons had moved in once every so often. But now, they'd increased since.

Steeldust soon fell back into recharge, wondering if his nightmares would let him recharge peacefully for the rest of the offcycle.

The loud noises that had once sent him running for cover or to a familiar mecha's servos now were lessening and lessening to bother him.

///

It was hard to get a dream across to someone who woke up at the slightest noises.

Or one who just missed recharge as often as the youngling actually did.

Vector sighed and shook his helm at one of his open viewing windows. He almost considered taking Amalgamous up on his offer to shake sense into the youngling.

"Like seriously," the younger Prime had said. "Doesn't he know he needs to recharge and not disappear off to the roof when it's not raining?"

But Vector knew they both knew the reasons for young Steeldust's insomnia.

And if repeating dreams was what it took to get something through to one that had no interpreter? Then that is what they'd do.

Vector turned his attention away from his newer charge to observe an older one. Another one who was traveling away from the path he'd hoped him to take.

The Prime of Time and Space had less hope for the young computer expert serving under the Decepticon leader than he did for the young speedster who'd joined a criminal organization.

Hopefully, he was wrong about him. But Vector knew that while there was a slim chance, it was likely not the one that would be chosen. The young mech was too loyal to Megatron.

Glancing back to the young speedster's window, the Prime considered whether or not he would take a break from trying to get through to him. He could let him get some well deserved rest, now that he was actually recharging for once.

Or, he could try and train him. If you could really call it training that was. It was unfortunate that they had to resort to such methods, but their interference in the mortals' lives was best if it was minimal. And unfortunate it was, that they had to choose someone so young.

Why hadn't the Primes given the youngling they'd chosen anything more than seemingly normal dreams yet?

So that when they did, he would know it was different.

///

"Are you two seriously at it again?"

The two younglings stared somewhat defiantly up at Roadrage, energon bleeding from cuts on both of their faceplates.

The mech knew that that meant they'd been throwing punches this time instead of just their usual tackle and wrestling.