Surrender:

Chapter 11: Shifting sands

It has been too long...
I'm so sorry

Starscream blinked his optics online and rolled over in the berth. His hand reached out to his right and he felt around the berth. Empty. His optics opened and he blinked several times hoping this was some bad flux.

Panic over took him for a moment and he sat straight up. The cybercat was lying at the bottom of the berth but didn't move as Starscream's feet flipped over the edge of the berth and the seeker stood. "Ironhide?" He questioned and walked into the main living area they'd created by pulling back the tarp. "Shifter?" He looked around again and both mechs were gone.

Starscream checked behind him and made sure the feline wasn't going anywhere and moved to the hanger door. Exiting the hanger Starscream sent out an urgent communiqué that was pinged back by Ironhide almost immediately. The bond they shared was strengthened and he felt Ironhide's shameless joy.

Starscream found him, and Shifter out on the firing range on the fringes of the base. "AGAIN!" Shifter said running out onto the range. "I'll set up a few more canisters."

Ironhide chuckled. "Four this time youngling." Ironhide said turning his weapon to the ground to reload the large chambers.

Starscream strode up. "What do you think you're doing?" he hissed out.

"You're attractive when you're irritated." Ironhide laughed but didn't look up from the chamber as he loaded it.

"Answer me!" The seeker demanded turning the pick-up to face him.

He laughed again. "Fine." He stated and put up a hand to calm the seeker slightly, though it did nothing to calm him at all. "I came out of recharge feeling like a million credits." He smirked. "Let me enjoy it before I cannot." He said lowering his voice to more acceptable levels.

Starscream nodded slowly taken back slightly considering the words a moment. "Forgive me I was …concerned." He stated and put a clawed hand against the black chassis. "For you…them…I just."

"I know." Ironhide nodded and took the hand in his own lowering it off his body. "It's fine. You're forgiven." Ironhide turned as Shifter walked up. "Ready?"

"And what sort of non-sense is this?" Starscream asked turning to face the field now scrutinizing it. "More Autobot weapons training?"

"No." Ironhide scoffed. "This is just pure.." He cocked the rifle with his thumb. "Fun." He pointed to two adjacent posts. "Post one, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th cans. Post two and first can." He aimed slightly only turning his only once. He focused back and pulled the trigger on the colt replica.

The Cybertonian colt fired and it pinged off the second post taking out three cans before hitting the fist post and snapping backward to knock down the last standing can. "Gotcha."

"WHOA!" Shifter laughed and jumped. "That was awesome! Can you do that again?"

"Five cans." Ironhide instructed and the youngling ran off to set up more canisters.

"Show off." Starscream muttered. "Are you sure that was very impressive, but five? Are you sure you're all right?"

"I feel fine." Ironhide shrugged off the concern with a smile. "Whatever the doc gave me late last night just reloaded me." He nodded. "I feel excellent….newly manufactured even."

"More like newly manufacturing, and you are acting reckless." Starscream muttered, but it didn't have much bite. He just wanted Ironhide to be aware.

Ironhide snorted. "Reckless…" He waved a hand. "Says the mech who took on the driller."

"I thought we decided we weren't going to talk about it." Starscream stated. "I thought that was behind us." He said defensively.

Ironhide smiled at him, and it defused him entirely. "It is." He smiled and held up a bullet in his hand.

Starscream reached out taking it. "Is this trillium?" He blinked examining the tip of the bullet.

"Tipped it myself this morning." He nodded taking it back.

"You realize it won't ricochet like the other bullets will." He stated. "And we need the trillium for energon filtering."

"Yes I know that and there's plenty for a few filters without this. Ratchet said so." He nodded. "He gave me a bit to use for special rounds." Ironhide nodded. "Cause he likes me so much."

"Cause he wanted you to stop asking is more the case." Starscream rolled his optics. "Oh you're going to be insufferable now."

"And you already aren't?" The pick-up jabbed back. Starscream locked gaze and gave him a death glare and the pick-up raised his colt pointing down the field.

"I'm clear." Shifter ran to a spot between them effectively killing their tension. Ironhide didn't look away from Starscream's optics as he cocked back the trigger. "All cans." He stated and fired at the first post, which splintered with the impact of the trillium bullet. All the canisters were rough with shrapnel and collapsed down on the ground.

"YES!" Shifter jumped up and down.

"You only succeeded with a technicality." Starscream rolled his eyes waved a hand and walked away. Ironhide and shifter were still reveling in his wake.

Optimus' optics onlined and he groaned shifting slightly. When did his berth last feel so small? Looking down at his torso the cruiser lay over him helm shaking slightly as he was still recharging, and apparently fluxing.

"Prowl." Optimus' hand touched his helm petting softly. "Prowl." He stated louder. Optimus bit his lip considering but spoke anyway. "Barricade." He rumbled.

Prowl's helm shot up and his voice was gruff. "Sir?" He blinked. "Oh.." he cleared his vocals softly looking around. "Optimus." He smiled. "I'm uh- sorry."

"It's fine." Optimus smiled up fondly. "How are you feeling Prowl?"

The cruiser nodded as he sat up. "Stiff." He admitted with a small smile as his door wings fluttered softly.

Optimus nodded "I myself could stand to flex my joints."

Prowl blinked. "Let me get off you."

Optimus grabbed his arm. "I don't want you to move just yet." Optimus stated calmly trying to pull the smaller mech back to him.

"Prime I…" He looked down.

"It's alright." He smiled. "You're more Barricade than Prowl." He touched the cruiser's face. "This transition is hard. I both understand and respect any space you may need through the transition."

"Very." Prowl admitted. "I spent so long in their ranks…trying to flush out who the traitors in the Autobot ranks our that reported to the Decepticon side…that it became who I was." He nodded. "I lost Prowl all together, my mission was always true, but my name…" he shook his helm.

"I don't think that's true." Optimus said his hand lowering to Prowl's shoulder and then down his lower back-strut. "I think you're still here…the mech I knew." He smiled. "I just think that you need more time." Optimus nodded. "If there's anything you need." The semi rumbled.

"I have all I need." Prowl nodded but Optimus pulled him down. "Optimus I-" His words ran short as the Prime pressed their lips together softly.

"Kiss me." Optimus offered and smiled up at him. "Please Cade." He murmured.

The cruiser's engine revved with vigor and he nodded. "You don't know how long I've waited to hear you call me by that name."

"Barricade." Optimus rumbled up to the cruiser.

The Cruiser's optics were almost violet and he moaned against the Prime.

"Easy." Hook said leaning back on the berth. "You'll strain my back strut with your weight." He gouged pushing back.

"Good thing I know a good medic." Ratchet said as their bodies pressed further. "Hold still! I'm almost there..." He said calmly. Snapping back off Hook he nodded holding up a pair of metal tweezers. "Got it."

Hook growled from the berth and rolled slightly clutching his optic. "SLAG YOU RATCHET!"

"Awe come now…just an insect." He held the tweezers up. "Grasshopper." He nodded. "Very nice specimen …even still alive…minus one appendage." He turned. "Is that still in your optic?"

"Slag you." Hook had rolled off the berth and stood to the side helm up dripping energon into the optic to flush out the particles from the insect.

"Well that's fine then." Ratchet turned and dropped the creature in a clear jar and placed a lid on it. "very small." He marveled.

"It's a bug." Hook shook his helm having finished flushing the optic and came over looking down at the creature. "How can that fascinate you?"

"The same way the reptile fascinates you." Ratchet countered pointing to the very large aquarium hook had set up for it.

"It's an experiment…I removed it's tail and I am tracking it's regrowth." He stated. "That is fascinating."

"It has a name… Scale" Ratchet said. "It's a pet you could feed it the grasshopper if you like."

Hook rolled his optics and turned away. "What's on our docket for today besides Ironhide?"

"Nothing that I'm aware of, besides Optimus' talk but that will be MUCH later tonight." He stated calmly and silence began to permeate the air. "Hook?" Ratchet stood eyeing the dark green medic seriously.

Hook turned marginally back. "Yes?"

"Are you happy here?" Ratchet frowned at former Decepticon as he stood tall. "With me?"

"No." Hook shook his helm. "I am not." He stated honestly. "But I will be alright. I will live." He gave a half sparked smile. "I promise."

Ratchet nodded and stepped up to him. "If you are displeased with me in any way-"

Hook frowned at that. "It's not you." He sighed. "It's earth." He shrugged lightly folding his arms over his spark chamber. "We don't get to leave. This planet is so small, and you and I are stuck on this miniscule base." Hook turned away and opened a jar of food for his pet lizard.

Ratchet smiled. "I understand." Already a plan was forming in the CMO's mind as he watched the hunter green Decepticon open Scale's tank and place in food with a long set of sterile tweezers. Ratchet felt a bit badly at how sorrow filled the other medic looked; despite the insistence he was fine. Ratchet having made up his mind turned. "I'll be back in a few minutes I'm going to check on our carrier."

Hook nodded and waved a hand but said nothing. Ratchet, confident the other medic would not follow him, left out the hanger and rather than head for Ironhide; he turned in the direction of the command center.

To be continued...

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