Disclaimer: Don't own TF: Prime, just a love for big trucks.

Summary: New Armor, New Body, New Alt mode, new everything for Optimus Prime from the Forge of Solus Prime...well, one thing did carry over...and least to say it wasn't expected. Set after "Thirst".

Chapter One

Spark Beat(s)

xxx

The military base the Autobots had been given refuge in had been rapidly retrofitted to suit their needs. Mainly allowing Ratchet to continue operating within a med bay as Wheeljack and Ultra Magnus still were unable to get along.

The rec room doubled as their mess hall, the limited energon set on a programmed dispenser for each bot, allowing the humans to safely be near the fuel source.

These and half a dozen other thoughts worked their way through Bee's processor as he lounged on the "couch", watching Bulkhead and Smokescreen race on the video game. Wheeljack and Arcee were compiling their monthly mission report off to one side, as far away from Ultra Magnus at the "table" as possible. The commander was browsing a data pad while consuming his energon ration, nearly completely unmoving.

Bumblebee looked up as heavy footsteps preceded Optimus entering the rec room, activating the energon dispenser for his own ration, as it processed the mech shifted on his peds, leaning on the counter before taking the energon cube and knocking it back as quickly as he could.

Bee couldn't blame Prime, the energon tasted terrible, and having such a large, power demanding frame required more energon...meaning more of the awful taste. The scout turned back to the video game as Prime remained at the counter. Their leader did this every morning, rise early, attend to the early morning patrol or data pads, consume his ration of energon mid morning, take a possibly five minute break to observe his troops and then back to work.

"Aw come on!"

Bulkhead laughed as Smokescreen pouted, shutting down the video game and standing to head to his patrol, jesting with the sore loser rookie as Smoke headed to monitor duty to relieve Ratchet.

Bee turned at the five minute mark to wave to Prime as he left the rec room, only finding the leader still standing at the counter, braced with his fore arm as one servo covered his mouth plates.

The scout watched as Optimus' frame shuddered faintly, only visible if you were truly watching him.

:Ratchet?:

:Yes Bumblebee...I'm rather busy right now.:

:Could you come down to the rec room?:

:Why?:

:I'm not sure...but I think something's-:

:Bumblebee?:

Bee had jerked to his peds in the middle of the comm. conversation, a second after Optimus began purging into the sink, bringing up unprocessed energon.

Arcee radioed Ratchet instead, standing out of the way as Bee and Wheeljack helped brace Optimus upright, the Wrecker rubbing Optimus' shuddering back plates to alleviate the discomfort.

"Prime? What the Pit happened?"

The leader shook his head, coughing heavily as he regained control of his systems, a servo went back over his mouth plates as he stiffened, convulsing once before purging again, this time the energon was tinged light green, saying it had begun the processing into Prime's systems before being ejected.

Ratchet sighed, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall, waiting out the purging spell. Optimus' systems refused to let him relax for several more minutes, finally shuddering to a stop as his intakes began to groan in strain.

"See if you two can get Prime to the med bay without dropping him."

xxx

Nurse Darby watched Ratchet set up his monitors to accept scan results, the medic completely oblivious to the prone form of Optimus on the medical berth, the leader had just about fallen asleep as his CMO turned on the monitors, picking up on Prime's spark beat.

"Ratchet, that's way too uneven."

Ratchet nodded with a soft sigh, watching the readout silently for a moment before glancing at Optimus' unconscious form.

"It is, but I don't dare scan without Prime removing this new armor of his, it's too dense to get a clear result."

June nodded, looking over the endless strain of pulses on her own remodeled data pad, something wasn't sitting right...

The nurse pulled up Miko's music recording program, applying the "waves" of the spark beat to it.

With a simple press of a program formatting, the beat was split into a pair of pulse waves, each steady and rhythmic...and familiar...

"Ratchet..."

"I'll give Optimus ten more minutes to recharge...then I'll have to wake him...that spark beat is too abnormal to be safe..."

"Ratchet..."

"Slag the scrappin' forge...that dense armor is way too much of a hassle..."

"RATCHET!"

The sharp yell not only got the medic's attention, but also woke Optimus, both mechs staring at the human female.

"Look at this."

Ratchet did, optics narrowing before widening in shock, the medic stumbling back before rapidly turning to adjust the monitors, allowing the uneven and confusing spark beat to separate.

"Optimus...go into the side room and take off your armor."

"Ratchet?"

"Just...do it..."

The mech sat up slowly, swinging his legs over the edge of the berth and standing. Out of reflex he glanced to the monitor, freezing in place before sitting down heavily.

"Oh-h...n-no..."

Ratchet turned in confusion, watching as Optimus pressed a hand to his chest plates, head bowing as he inhaled shakily.

"Prime...is there something you'd like to share?"

Optimus shook his head, sighing before opening his chest plates to allow Ratchet and June full view of the spark chamber within, and the mass of wires, thin tubes, and protoform membrane sitting just below it, level where a human's diaphragm would be.

Ratchet sighed, folding his right hand into itself and revealing a highly complex scanner, sweeping it over the bundle before turning away to begin ciphering the readouts.

"Optimus? Uh...may I?"

The last Prime nodded, holding out a hand to allow June to stand on and see. The nurse made a thorough visual examination of the parts, eyes taking in the details to the point it made Prime shift uncomfortably.

The nurse leaned back when done, allowing Optimus to set her down as he closed up his chest.

"Ratchet, I'm going to go distract the kids, I'm pretty sure the other bots are outside waiting."

The CMO nodded, not facing his leader as he bowed his head with a heavy sigh.

After she left Optimus waited for several tense minutes for Ratchet to speak, finally breaking the silence.

"Ratchet..."

"Just...out..."

Optimus complied, standing and exiting the med bay; he stepped past the other autobots, ignoring their questioning optics as he headed to his quarters.

"Where in the Pit do you think your going Prime?!" Ratchet boomed, making Optimus halt and turn slightly

"I..."

"No! You're not going anywhere! Not until you explained to me why in the so called primus forsaken situation you ended up like this!"

"Ratchet..."

"And not only that you glitched drone...but why don't you tell all of us why you went off and not only hung around our enemy...but then got sparked up by fraggin' a Pit damned Decepticon!"

Optimus could have officially said then that everything went to hell.

Whatcha think?