Reap What You Sow.

Epilogue.

One Year Later.

Inside the Ark, Optimus stood in front of TELATRAAN-1's screen, watching in amusement as Spike looked around at the blue-winged Seeker that had landed nearby with exasperation.

"D'ya mind not following me around? This is kinda embarrassing, I'm nearly an adult y'know. I mean, it makes a nice change to being shot at by your lot, but that's still kinda fresh in my mind."

Optimus actually sympathised with Spike. Once Soundwave had consolidated his position as Decepticon leader - in quite a clever and elegant manner - it seemed Thundercracker had been assigned to find out more about humans in general by Soundwave. Optimus was hopeful that the fragile ceasefire they had could be solidified.

Soundwave was no fool: he had to realise that the cost of stealing fuel from the Earth's dwindling resources could inflame the humans to attack in force. Optimus hoped Thundercracker's mission was to help Soundwave work out how to best negotiate with the peoples of Earth.

In the course of Thundercracker's investigations, he had found out that Spike was a non-adult, or 'youngling' human. With sparklings at the Decepticon Base, and with Thundercracker himself now carrying a sparkling, he had fixated upon the boy, assigning himself as Spike's guardian when Spike was not inside the Ark. The strange thing was that Soundwave allowed this. Spike had not even been asked his opinion on this, and Optimus was aware that Spike was having trouble taking Carley on dates out of the Ark.

Starscream and Skywarp were sometimes seen in the sky, usually accompanied by their own sparklings. Starscream's and Skywarp's were similar in age. Ratchet had told Optimus that while he had been helping to repair Thundercracker, Soundwave had called Skywarp and Starscream to a meeting. When he next saw Soundwave, the latter was cleaning scuffs off his paintwork. He had guessed that Soundwave had been jumped by the still-twitchy Seekers, who had sought to relieve their remaining stress in a familiar manner: Hook informed him that Soundwave had said it was the other way around: it was he who had pulled Starscream into a kiss while inviting Skywarp to join in.

Ratchet had been curious about the reason behind this, until he found out that once his sparkling was born, Starscream's determination to lead the Decepticons dwindled in the face of looking after a winglet of his own. Ratchet had admired Soundwave's craftiness: he had hit on the best and least dangerous way to secure the leadership for himself, by giving Starscream a different focus, one that would be heightened by his activated programming.

Of course, what Starscream and Skywarp had got, Thundercracker wanted too-in general, if someone interfaced with one member of the trine, they had to go with the other two as well-but he had to wait till the medics had repaired his wings and cleared him as repaired and ready for such.

Soundwave had not objected in the least.

As Spike tried to walk on, and Thundercracker followed him, Optimus decided he'd better intervene, or Spike would not get to the rendezvous with Carley in the woods he had planned. Stopping only to pick up the wristcom he'd had made, he went out.

Spike was in the middle of swearing at the puzzled Thundercracker, who was crouched on all fours to look at Spike, when Optimus came out and tapped Thundercracker on the shoulder, making the blue-winged Seeker jump.

"Thundercracker, you cannot follow Spike around all the time; he needs some space," Optimus said.

"I am his protector. What if he comes into danger and needs my assistance?" Thundercracker said. Optimus held up the wristcom in his hand.

"This has been keyed to transmit Spike's co-ordinates to you in the event that he keys in a distress code, goes unconscious, or falls ill. Wheeljack, Perceptor and Ratchet collaborated on it. That way he can have his independence but you can still defend or aid him if the need arises. It is the closest thing to an internal com we can give him. Now you can allow him to spend some time with his friend."

Thundercracker cocked his head as he gave the matter some thought.

"Yes, that would be acceptable," he agreed. Optimus bent down to offer the wristcom to Spike, who slipped it on and smiled.

"Thanks, Optimus." he said gratefully, before turning and heading into the forest as Thundercracker watched, but did not attempt to stop him or follow him. Both mechs stood and watched the point Spike had gone into before turning away to look at at other.

"I should return to the Nemesis. My sparkling will be put in its own body soon, and then it will need to learn how to fly," Thundercracker stated. He peered at Optimus. "It is an enjoyable situation, being able to raise sparklings instead of fighting. You should Autobots should think about having sparklings of your own, you know."

Optimus chuckled. Many of us have. In fact, many of us have done more than just think about it." He looked thoughtful. "Mine will be ready for its own body soon."

Running a brief scan, Thundercracker confirmed what Optimus had just told him. Indeed, Optimus' Spark-chamber was currently housing two Sparks: he was carrying.

"Congratulations," he stated. "Whose is it?"

Optimus gave an enigmatic smile.

"Now that would be telling," he said. Thundercracker nodded, and took off.

Optimus watched Thundercracker fly off, musing that he really needed to have a word with Cliffjumper about this. Thundercracker was the only other person at present who knew that Optimus was carrying. Optimus though it was only polite to speak to the smaller red mech, and let him know that the day spent alleviating their mutual loneliness several weeks earlier had resulted in the sparkling Optimus was carrying. Optimus didn't think that Cliffjumper would have any problems with the information, not judging by the envious looks he'd directed at Ratchet and Ironhide when they had brought their own sparkling out to meet everybody.

A small smile spread over Optimus' face as he turned and walked back inside the Ark.