Hear My Spark Speak

Chapter 1 of 6

The first time it happened Jazz had just returned from a day of patrolling on muddy roads. He was frustrated when he walked into his quarters. His partner on the patrol had been Sunstreaker, who had whined about the dirt constantly, when neither of them could do anything about the weather. Jazz was about to go straight in to the washtracks, but then he stopped in the middle of the room. There was an unfamiliar datapad on his berth. Jazz was sure he hadn't left anything on it. Very carefully he approached the foreign thing and scanned it. It appeared to be an ordinary datapad. Jazz took the datapad cautiously in his hand. He scanned it for malware. The scan found no suspicious entries on the device. Curiously Jazz onlined the datapad and noticed there was only one datafile in it's directory.

Jazz didn't want to waste anymore time and opened the file. He glanced through it fast. It appeared to be a poem. Jazz read it more closely and almost dropped the datapad from his hand. Someone had give him a love poem. Jazz read the poem a second time. Yes. It was a love poem. Jazz make a list of bots who would think this was a good prank. The list was long. After that Jazz make a list of bots who could get into his quarters. That list was very short.

Jazz put the datapad down on the small table next to his berth. He should investigate this, but first he needed to go to the washracks. He was filthy after the muddy roads. Jazz was lucky. He had a private washrack. One of the good things about being an officer. He cleaned himself in record time.

The rec room was full when Jazz got there the datapad in his hand. Mirage and Hound were sitting back table and waved him over to their table. Jazz returned their greeting and picked up his rations. He put the datapad down before him at the table and gave his friends a questioning stare.

"Has either of you seen this before?"

Mirage looked at the datapad and took it into his hand. "It seems to be an ordinary datapad. What's in it?"

"A poem."

"I didn't know you to be interested in poems." Hound said.

"I'm not. This was left for me. In my quarters."

Mirage glanced at Jazz. "In your quarters?"

"Yes."

"Someone left a poem in your quarters?"

"Yes. Read it."

Mirage onlined the datapad and started reading. After glancing through it he hand it to Hound.

"Someone give you a love poem", Mirage stated.

"Do you recognize it?" Jazz asked knowing that Mirage being a noble would know more about literature than he himself. Jazz's cultural knowledge was very musically aligned.

"Yes in fact. This is one of Mooncrystal's pieces. It's from one of his less known work. His texts were mostly about the injustices of society. Interesting choice for a love poem."

"But appropriate timing", Hound said and continued when others looked at him. "Today is a Valentine's Day."

Mirage watched him questioningly and Jazz made the connection.

"Valentine's Day is a human holiday which celebrates love. People confess their feelings to their loved ones and bring them gifts. Hey, maybe we could have a party to celebrate it?" Hound asked and looked over at Jazz who hardly needed a reason to party.

"Celebrate what?" asked Sideswipe who walked near their table and overheard Hound.

"Today is a Valentine's Day", Hound answered the red frontliner.

"I don't know. Prowl probably won't give us the permission", Jazz said hesitating.

"I can ask", Sideswipe said getting exited about the idea. "The crew could use some cheering up. Prowl will understand it. Leave it to me."

"You are not one of Prowl's favorite bots" Hound said doubtfully.

"But I know him. Spending as much time as I do in his office getting lectured. I have picked up on a thing or two in the process. Wait here." Sideswipe said and vanished before anyone had time to say anything.

Jazz, Mirage and Hound looked after the red frontliner and wondered what just happened. Jazz was doubtful. Prowl wouldn't permit a party with a one day notice if at all. Sideswipe was wasting his time.

"What are you going to do?" Mirage asked Jazz and pointed at the datapad between them.

"I don't know. I'll go to see Red Alert after this. Maybe if I'm lucky who ever left the poem was caught on the surveillance tapes."

"Red will love the fact that someone has broken into your quarters" Mirage said and smiled wickedly.

Jazz and Houd winced. The Security Director had a well known paranoid streak.

"Do you have a list of suspects?" Hound asked sipping his energon.

"Usual pranksters in the Ark."

"And if it's a real love letter?" Mirage said in a questioning tone.

Jazz shook his helm and the trio fell silent weighting their options. They were finishing their energons when Sideswipe came back with a victorious smile on his face.

"We have a party."

"How?"

"It's a secret" Sideswipe answered to Jazz. "No high grade and the party is over at midnight. Those were the terms. So. We need music. Jazz?"

"Yes. If we have to. Or I can handle the music."

"Good" Sideswipe said and turned. He started to distribute tasks to the bots present. They all accepted their assignments with great enthusiasm.

"It's probably best that I go and choose the music right away." Jazz said and got up.

"Don't forget your datapad" Mirage said in tantalizing voice.

Jazz glared at the spy, but grabbed the datapad quickly. He really didn't want to leave it on the rec room table where everybody could read it. He didn't want to answer the questions that would arise.

When Jazz got to his quarters he put on some music. He set the datapad down and decided to forget about it. Why care about a little prank when he had a party to prepare for.

AN: This is a 6 chapter long story. I have already written it. It just need to be translated and proofread (my own English isn't so good, so my spouse has promised to do that).

The title is a variant from Shakespeare's play The Tempest, (3:1):

"Hear my soul speak:

The very instant that I saw you, did

My heart fly to your service."