Rush

Part 5

Autobot base:

The proximity alarms went off in the base and everyone jumped. Ratchet sighed and made his way over to the monitor. "It's Fowler," he announced. Optimus reached down and picked up a giggling Skyrider,

"Should we tell him, Ratchet?" He asked, "Skyrider can be kept a secret." Ratchet shook his helm, 

"No. We will tell Agent Fowler and hope for the best." Just then, the little elevator doors opened and in stepped Fowler. 

"PRIME!" He bellowed, "do you have any idea what I've had to-!"

 "WHAAAAA!" Skyrider screamed and kicked at the loud noises. What was this other strange thing? Why was he making loud sounds? She didn't like the loud sounds this strange thing made. She would make louder sounds until this strange thing shut up. She ignored the soothing noises from the red and blue mech and focused on the strange thing, screaming. It's squishy optics had grown large and his servos had cupped his strange audios. This thing did not appreciate her screams. Good. Her wails died down but her legs still kicked lightly and her glare was still strong. 

"Agent Fowler," Optimus began, "Please refrain from yelling around Skyrider. She does not like it."

Fowler glared, "Well I don't like the screaming that thing was doing. What is it anyway?" Optimus sighed and began to recite his story.

Meanwhile, a black and purple beatle buzzed around the Autobot base. It flew around the medic's head and landed on Optimus Prime. From his perch on the Prime's helm, he studied his sparkling. She was so beautiful. At first, he was alarmed when Skyrider started to scream and kick. Had she sensed his presence? Was she scared? No, it seemed Skyrider was fed up with the Agent Fowler's yelling. 

The beatle flew from Optimus' helm and landed on his sparkling's knee. Skywriter's optics snapped to him and she squirmed. She was set on the floor. tThe beatle followed and found its place on her knee again. Skyrider chirped, confused. This beatle was giving off a signal only she could feel. It felt nice, homey almost. She liked this beatle. She stretched out her thin servos to grab the beatle, but it buzzed and flew to her other knee. She froze, did it not want to be picked up? No, it seemed it didn't. 

She chirped an apology at the strange beatle. It sounded like it chirped back. She stretched her servo out again, but this time she held it there, waiting. The beatle climbed into her thin digits and up her arm. It rested on her shoulder. It was still emitting that comforting feeling. She liked it. 

Then, the beatle flew off her shoulder and onto a beam on the ceiling. Skyrider felt the red and blue mech's strong servos pick her up. She barked angrily at him. He scared her beatle! How dare him! Her small servos thumped again his chest as she 'hit' him. All she got was a quizzical gaze and his servo stopping hers. She huffed. 

She heard a faint buzzing and saw the beatle land on her pede. It chirped quietly and crawled up her leg, across her torso, up her chest and onto her nose. It chirped again. she lifted a serve and it climbed onto a digit. It sat there. She laughed.

Optimus finished his story and the base was silent. Until Skyrider barked a laugh. Gazes turned to her. On her digit was the smallest beatle he'd ever seen. It buzzed up and landed back on it's perch again. Skyrider giggled. 

"Aww!" June cooed, "She found a friend!" 

Optimus was glad Skyrider was happy, but this beatle was strange. It was weirdly shaped and it wasn't even scared of her or him. It was weird. 

~SW~

Later that evening, Skyrider was getting tired. The humans had left and base was quiet(er). Bumblebee and Arcee were on patrol and Bulkhead called it an early night. Smokescreen wandered off so only Optimus, Ratchet, and Skyrider were still in the main room. Skyrider was giggling less and starting to slow. She was tired. The beatle gave up on buzzing around the sparkling's helm and was content just laying on her knee. 

Skyrider yawned and stretched her  arms into the air. She chirped tiredly. Optimus scooped her up and held her close, mindful of the small beatle. "It looks like someone is ready for recharge, Ratchet." He said as he placed a free servo on the medic's shoulder. Said mech just huffed. 

"She's tired? Put her to bed." 

Optimus rolled his optics, "Yes, Ratchet. I'll put her to bed, but where do I put her to bed. She has no berth of her own and she's to small to have a room to herself. She'll get scared." The medic stopped working then sighed. 

"You're right, of course. She can sleep with us tonight and tomorrow I'll make her a 'crib'."

Optimus nodded but made no move to go to the shared quarters. "What are you waiting for, Prime. Isn't she tired?"

"I'm waiting for you. Hurry up."

~SW~

Optimus woke to a rhythmic tapping on his chest plates. Skyrider was awake and was tapping his chest plates, staring up at the beatle who was perched on her nose. But what disturbed him was WHAT the sparkling was tapping. It was an old tune. An old tune that femmes sang to their young a long time ago. Very few femmes still sang it. He had only known one femme. Overdrive. 

His spark sunk. His small hopes that at least one of Skyrider's creators were alive was wiped away. Skyrider truly was an orphan of war.