Hunter Green (Part 14)
Dec. 9th, 2008 08:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ante_luceTitle: Hunter Green (Part 14)
'Verse: G1 Transformers
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Same as before
Ratchet stared across his med bay, focusing on the black and white mech sitting on a berth, and the security director linked to him. A troubled cycle of air escaped his intakes, and he turned away to rearrange his tools, the motions doing little to distract him from his thoughts. Bluestreak had not said a word since the ‘Cons had left the Ark, and Skyfire was either holed up in his lab, or out flying on his own, doing Primus knows what.
Then there was Prowl… They had their SIC back, and while his injuries had been simple to fix, the tactician was not in a good mental state either. His first words to them had been a request that Ratchet scan him, not for damage or viruses or sleeper programs, but for Hunter’s presence. And when Ratchet had been unable to detect the younger mind, the tactician had demanded that Red Alert try.
“Again.”
“Prowl, I’ve scanned you twice already.”
“Please.”
The Lamborghini sighed, gently disconnecting from the mech. “He’s not there, Prowl. From what Mirage said, it’s unlikely Hunter managed to return in time. Even if he’d started, your connection was terminated too early for anything significant to get through.”
“He might be dormant, as I was.”
The CMO walked over to rest a hand on Prowl’s shoulder. “Prowl, I’ve scanned you, and Red Alert’s scanned you. Even when your mind was in stasis, we found you. Hunter… if Hunter was in your CPU, we’d have detected something.”
The Datsun did not say anything for a while, just staring at the ground. As Ratchet began to shift uneasily, the black and white mech looked up, expression completely calm, and asked if he could leave. The medic stared once again, before nodding.
“Yes. But you’re not cleared for duty yet. So stay out of your office. I don’t care how much backlog you think you have, I will weld you to your berth if I find out you’ve tried to do any work.” The old threat barely got a smile out of Red Alert, and Prowl only replied with a brief nod, then rose and left without a further word.
========================================
Prowl found Skyfire in his lab, not that the shuttle had been located anywhere but recently. The larger mech looked up as he entered, and the SIC’s spark panged as the researcher’s expression lifted, then dimmed before Skyfire greeted him. The tactician drew closer, then noticed what the mech had been looking at.
“Is that…?”
“Yes. Wheeljack let me hold onto… it.” There was an almost tender brush of digits across green plating, before the larger mech glanced at the black and white. “Mirage’s already been in here to try and apologise, by the way.” He chuckled half heartedly at Prowl’s startled look. “Neither of you have reason to.”
“I should have been the one to do what Hunter did.”
Skyfire shook his head. “Mirage told me what happened. Taking over the Decepticon base’s systems would have been easier for Hunter, since it bears some similarity to what he’s been doing with this frame.”
Prowl smiled then, and Skyfire looked askance at him. “I apologise. He argues… argued, almost like you.” The shuttle smiled as well, before both mechs sobered once more and the Datsun continued in a soft murmur.
“Logical and tactically sound or not, I would rather that he be the one standing before you right now.”
Skyfire placed a hand on the helm of the empty chassis in front of him. “And I know Hunter would have said the same thing about you if he were.”
========================================
Bluestreak was harder to find, and likely would have stayed unfound a while longer if not for the twins, who rapped on the door to Prowl’s quarters, and, when the SIC answered, shoved the stammering gunner through.
Sunstreaker pointed at both of the doorwinged mechs. “Talk. And properly.” He growled, before he and his twin let Prowl’s door shut and dropped to the ground outside, as if to ensure that the mechs within did so.
Bluestreak stared at the SIC, immobilised, voice dying the moment the tactician had set optics on him. The grey mech’s doorwings drooped, and he glanced away, suddenly unable to make a sound. Prowl strode forward to take the gunner’s helm in his hands, gently forcing Bluestreak to look at him. “You are unhurt?”
The grey mech nodded, then, as if that action jumpstarted his servos and vocaliser, clung to Prowl, babbling and apologising non-stop. Prowl let him run on for a while, before interrupting the gunner mid-word with his own apology. Bluestreak immediately protested.
“But you couldn’t have known what would happen!”
“And I could say the same for you. The Decepticons took you by surprise.”
“Because I was careless. Hunter shouldn’t have had to give himself up. I got him killed.”
“Can you predict where Skywarp will teleport to next? Few, if any, can. I would have done the same in his place. Enough of this, Bluestreak.” The gunner fell silent, and Prowl tugged him over to seat both of them on his berth. “I managed to speak to Hunter only briefly, but I know he cared for you. Tell me about him, please?”
Slowly and hesitatingly at first, the grey mech began to talk. As his volume and ease increased, the twin mechs seated outside the room glanced at each other, shared a satisfied nod, and left the pair to it.
========================================
“Jazz, can I speak to you for a moment?”
Prowl had settled back into his role as Autobot SIC, and had (after being cleared by Ratchet) reassumed much of his original workload. The Porsche halted in the doorway of the tactician’s office, clearly hesitant.
“What about?”
“You’ve been avoiding me.”
The Ops mech looked like he was going to try and deny the statement, but one look at Prowl’s expression had him discarding the thought and re-entering the room proper.
“Just… helping, I suppose.”
“How is keeping away from me outside of work, helping?”
Jazz shifted uneasily, one of the rare occasions he was without a snappy comeback. The tactician sighed. “You know the feelings are reciprocated.”
“Hunter told you, then.”
“Yes. So why are you doing this?”
“Like I said. Helping. Don’t want to distract you from your work.”
The Datsun could only shutter his optics in surprise. “What?”
“Well, what else could it be? You knew and you returned the notion, but didn’t say a fragging word. The only reason I could come up with was because you didn’t want to be diverted from more important things. Pairing up wouldn’t have put us at too much more of a risk. We’re pretty high up on Megatron’s ‘To Deactivate’ list already, right up there after Prime in fact, and I know you trust me to be able to keep my aft in one piece, and you’re more than capable of the same.”
“Jazz…”
“Nah, s’alright. I understand, and I’m okay with it, really. Plenty of time after we beat the ‘Cons.”
“Jazz, please shut up.”
Jazz shut up, assisted by Prowl’s lips covering his own. As the tactician drew away to meet his startled optics, the saboteur could only gape at him. Prowl lifted a hand to cup the Porsche’s cheek, and quietly murmured his next words.
“You occupy my processors nearly all the time. Every mission I plan, every battle we fight, you are one of my first considerations. I couldn’t be more distracted by you if I tried.”
“Then… Why?” A resigned cycle of air, and the Datsun dropped his gaze at last.
“Because I had no idea what else to do at the time. I didn’t understand or know how to deal with the emotions you brought out in me, didn’t know if what you felt was affection for a friend or something more, and with my social programming in the state it was, I was terrified of inadvertently hurting you and driving you away.”
“You do all right with Blue’.”
“I have you to explain it to me when I make a mistake with Bluestreak, but who would help me when I eventually do the same with you?”
“Primus, Prowl.” Jazz dipped his helm forward to press his forehead against the other mech’s. “Then why tell me now?”
The reply was quiet. “Because I realised my first regret was never telling you.”
The saboteur shuttered his optics at that, reaching up to overlay Prowl’s hand with his own, then, keeping a hold on it still, pulled it down and between them. “And I regretted not telling you either. So, what now?”
“If you would still have me, I’d like to see where this will take us.”
“… Yeah, I like the sound of that.”
A pause, a spark beat in which Prowl saw Jazz flash him a smirk, then ask. “So, I’m on your mind all the time?”
“Almost all the time. I do have to recharge eventually.” The visored mech’s grin grew wider at the Datsun’s answer.
“Hah, so that’s why you keep on going without recharge. Wait ‘till I tell Ratchet. But doesn’t it affect your work?”
“Unlike some individuals, I learnt long ago how to multi-task.”
“Very funny, mech. One last question.”
“Yes, Jazz?”
“Kiss me again?”
With a faint smile, Prowl did as asked.
========================================
He’d been coming here for a while now, ever since Prowl and Mirage had returned to the Ark in fact. It was out of the way of any Autobot or known Decepticon patrol route, so it was unlikely that he would be attacked, but near enough the Ark to still be in comm. range.
It was also quiet, which wasn’t as favourable as one would normally consider. It left him alone with his thoughts, and those tended to take some rather dismal turns. Prowl had come by his lab again, offering to upload Hunter’s memory files into the empty frame, and the sight of dimly lit optics as the shell was powered up for the process to take place had driven him out here once more. As he sat there, brooding, the silence was interrupted by the sound of thrusters landing a mech behind him, and a transformation.
“I thought you weren’t reckless.”
“Sitting out here is hardly dangerous, Starscream. No one else comes here.”
“I’m here. I could attack you.”
“But you won’t.”
The seeker made no answer, coming up to the shuttle without a word. Skyfire broke their silence first.
“Are you alright? Did Megatron…”
“Megatron couldn’t find his aft with both hands and a map.” The shuttle frowned. Even though he couldn’t see Starscream’s expression, he knew the other mech well enough to hear the falseness in his bravado. He twisted ‘round to look at the smaller flier.
“Starscream…”
“Here.” The Decepticon held out a datachip.
“What is that?”
“All deleted files are sent to a secure location before being truly erased from the system. Security measure, one that Soundwave handles.”
As Skyfire directed a startled look at the jet, Starscream looked away. “It’s just programming now. I don’t know what will happen if you upload it to a CPU. And since it was going to be destroyed immediately anyway, so that Megatron never gets a chance to look at what he deleted, I thought it would be fitting to return him to you. Take the damn thing already.”
The shuttle held out a hand, and the chip was placed carefully onto his palm. As he considered the small item, Starscream fired up his thrusters and hovered in mid air, facing him.
“Self sacrificing, impetuous idiot. He would have fit right in with your lot.” There was no heart to the sneer, and Skyfire murmured gently in response.
“We are all capable of recklessness when it comes to protecting the things that matter the most to us.”
There was more silence, before the shuttle heard a quiet, “I suppose so.” Then the sound of thrusters faded, and Skyfire was left alone once more, staring at the chip in his palm.
========================================
“Are you sure about this?”
“Ratchet has checked the chip. It doesn’t contain anything unsafe.”
“I didn’t mean it that way. That’s just data now. It won’t bring him back.” Perceptor looked at his friend worriedly. The shuttle sat there, toying with the chip that held Hunter’s data as the microscope connected the empty chassis to assorted pieces of equipment.
“No, but he deserves to be laid to rest in a proper frame, not a chip.”
“Skyfire, this… isn’t healthy.”
The larger mech paused, staring at the lifeless chassis. “Perhaps not. But this may be the closure I’m looking for.”
“As you wish, then.”
The final preparations were made, and the contents of the datachip was transferred to the CPU of the empty shell. Once the process was complete, both mechs turned away to start disconnecting things. A sound caused them to look back, and before their horrified optics, the frame sat up, and looked at them.
A/N: Methinks I've put you all through enough cliffhangers already. So here.
'Verse: G1 Transformers
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Same as before
Ratchet stared across his med bay, focusing on the black and white mech sitting on a berth, and the security director linked to him. A troubled cycle of air escaped his intakes, and he turned away to rearrange his tools, the motions doing little to distract him from his thoughts. Bluestreak had not said a word since the ‘Cons had left the Ark, and Skyfire was either holed up in his lab, or out flying on his own, doing Primus knows what.
Then there was Prowl… They had their SIC back, and while his injuries had been simple to fix, the tactician was not in a good mental state either. His first words to them had been a request that Ratchet scan him, not for damage or viruses or sleeper programs, but for Hunter’s presence. And when Ratchet had been unable to detect the younger mind, the tactician had demanded that Red Alert try.
“Again.”
“Prowl, I’ve scanned you twice already.”
“Please.”
The Lamborghini sighed, gently disconnecting from the mech. “He’s not there, Prowl. From what Mirage said, it’s unlikely Hunter managed to return in time. Even if he’d started, your connection was terminated too early for anything significant to get through.”
“He might be dormant, as I was.”
The CMO walked over to rest a hand on Prowl’s shoulder. “Prowl, I’ve scanned you, and Red Alert’s scanned you. Even when your mind was in stasis, we found you. Hunter… if Hunter was in your CPU, we’d have detected something.”
The Datsun did not say anything for a while, just staring at the ground. As Ratchet began to shift uneasily, the black and white mech looked up, expression completely calm, and asked if he could leave. The medic stared once again, before nodding.
“Yes. But you’re not cleared for duty yet. So stay out of your office. I don’t care how much backlog you think you have, I will weld you to your berth if I find out you’ve tried to do any work.” The old threat barely got a smile out of Red Alert, and Prowl only replied with a brief nod, then rose and left without a further word.
Prowl found Skyfire in his lab, not that the shuttle had been located anywhere but recently. The larger mech looked up as he entered, and the SIC’s spark panged as the researcher’s expression lifted, then dimmed before Skyfire greeted him. The tactician drew closer, then noticed what the mech had been looking at.
“Is that…?”
“Yes. Wheeljack let me hold onto… it.” There was an almost tender brush of digits across green plating, before the larger mech glanced at the black and white. “Mirage’s already been in here to try and apologise, by the way.” He chuckled half heartedly at Prowl’s startled look. “Neither of you have reason to.”
“I should have been the one to do what Hunter did.”
Skyfire shook his head. “Mirage told me what happened. Taking over the Decepticon base’s systems would have been easier for Hunter, since it bears some similarity to what he’s been doing with this frame.”
Prowl smiled then, and Skyfire looked askance at him. “I apologise. He argues… argued, almost like you.” The shuttle smiled as well, before both mechs sobered once more and the Datsun continued in a soft murmur.
“Logical and tactically sound or not, I would rather that he be the one standing before you right now.”
Skyfire placed a hand on the helm of the empty chassis in front of him. “And I know Hunter would have said the same thing about you if he were.”
Bluestreak was harder to find, and likely would have stayed unfound a while longer if not for the twins, who rapped on the door to Prowl’s quarters, and, when the SIC answered, shoved the stammering gunner through.
Sunstreaker pointed at both of the doorwinged mechs. “Talk. And properly.” He growled, before he and his twin let Prowl’s door shut and dropped to the ground outside, as if to ensure that the mechs within did so.
Bluestreak stared at the SIC, immobilised, voice dying the moment the tactician had set optics on him. The grey mech’s doorwings drooped, and he glanced away, suddenly unable to make a sound. Prowl strode forward to take the gunner’s helm in his hands, gently forcing Bluestreak to look at him. “You are unhurt?”
The grey mech nodded, then, as if that action jumpstarted his servos and vocaliser, clung to Prowl, babbling and apologising non-stop. Prowl let him run on for a while, before interrupting the gunner mid-word with his own apology. Bluestreak immediately protested.
“But you couldn’t have known what would happen!”
“And I could say the same for you. The Decepticons took you by surprise.”
“Because I was careless. Hunter shouldn’t have had to give himself up. I got him killed.”
“Can you predict where Skywarp will teleport to next? Few, if any, can. I would have done the same in his place. Enough of this, Bluestreak.” The gunner fell silent, and Prowl tugged him over to seat both of them on his berth. “I managed to speak to Hunter only briefly, but I know he cared for you. Tell me about him, please?”
Slowly and hesitatingly at first, the grey mech began to talk. As his volume and ease increased, the twin mechs seated outside the room glanced at each other, shared a satisfied nod, and left the pair to it.
“Jazz, can I speak to you for a moment?”
Prowl had settled back into his role as Autobot SIC, and had (after being cleared by Ratchet) reassumed much of his original workload. The Porsche halted in the doorway of the tactician’s office, clearly hesitant.
“What about?”
“You’ve been avoiding me.”
The Ops mech looked like he was going to try and deny the statement, but one look at Prowl’s expression had him discarding the thought and re-entering the room proper.
“Just… helping, I suppose.”
“How is keeping away from me outside of work, helping?”
Jazz shifted uneasily, one of the rare occasions he was without a snappy comeback. The tactician sighed. “You know the feelings are reciprocated.”
“Hunter told you, then.”
“Yes. So why are you doing this?”
“Like I said. Helping. Don’t want to distract you from your work.”
The Datsun could only shutter his optics in surprise. “What?”
“Well, what else could it be? You knew and you returned the notion, but didn’t say a fragging word. The only reason I could come up with was because you didn’t want to be diverted from more important things. Pairing up wouldn’t have put us at too much more of a risk. We’re pretty high up on Megatron’s ‘To Deactivate’ list already, right up there after Prime in fact, and I know you trust me to be able to keep my aft in one piece, and you’re more than capable of the same.”
“Jazz…”
“Nah, s’alright. I understand, and I’m okay with it, really. Plenty of time after we beat the ‘Cons.”
“Jazz, please shut up.”
Jazz shut up, assisted by Prowl’s lips covering his own. As the tactician drew away to meet his startled optics, the saboteur could only gape at him. Prowl lifted a hand to cup the Porsche’s cheek, and quietly murmured his next words.
“You occupy my processors nearly all the time. Every mission I plan, every battle we fight, you are one of my first considerations. I couldn’t be more distracted by you if I tried.”
“Then… Why?” A resigned cycle of air, and the Datsun dropped his gaze at last.
“Because I had no idea what else to do at the time. I didn’t understand or know how to deal with the emotions you brought out in me, didn’t know if what you felt was affection for a friend or something more, and with my social programming in the state it was, I was terrified of inadvertently hurting you and driving you away.”
“You do all right with Blue’.”
“I have you to explain it to me when I make a mistake with Bluestreak, but who would help me when I eventually do the same with you?”
“Primus, Prowl.” Jazz dipped his helm forward to press his forehead against the other mech’s. “Then why tell me now?”
The reply was quiet. “Because I realised my first regret was never telling you.”
The saboteur shuttered his optics at that, reaching up to overlay Prowl’s hand with his own, then, keeping a hold on it still, pulled it down and between them. “And I regretted not telling you either. So, what now?”
“If you would still have me, I’d like to see where this will take us.”
“… Yeah, I like the sound of that.”
A pause, a spark beat in which Prowl saw Jazz flash him a smirk, then ask. “So, I’m on your mind all the time?”
“Almost all the time. I do have to recharge eventually.” The visored mech’s grin grew wider at the Datsun’s answer.
“Hah, so that’s why you keep on going without recharge. Wait ‘till I tell Ratchet. But doesn’t it affect your work?”
“Unlike some individuals, I learnt long ago how to multi-task.”
“Very funny, mech. One last question.”
“Yes, Jazz?”
“Kiss me again?”
With a faint smile, Prowl did as asked.
He’d been coming here for a while now, ever since Prowl and Mirage had returned to the Ark in fact. It was out of the way of any Autobot or known Decepticon patrol route, so it was unlikely that he would be attacked, but near enough the Ark to still be in comm. range.
It was also quiet, which wasn’t as favourable as one would normally consider. It left him alone with his thoughts, and those tended to take some rather dismal turns. Prowl had come by his lab again, offering to upload Hunter’s memory files into the empty frame, and the sight of dimly lit optics as the shell was powered up for the process to take place had driven him out here once more. As he sat there, brooding, the silence was interrupted by the sound of thrusters landing a mech behind him, and a transformation.
“I thought you weren’t reckless.”
“Sitting out here is hardly dangerous, Starscream. No one else comes here.”
“I’m here. I could attack you.”
“But you won’t.”
The seeker made no answer, coming up to the shuttle without a word. Skyfire broke their silence first.
“Are you alright? Did Megatron…”
“Megatron couldn’t find his aft with both hands and a map.” The shuttle frowned. Even though he couldn’t see Starscream’s expression, he knew the other mech well enough to hear the falseness in his bravado. He twisted ‘round to look at the smaller flier.
“Starscream…”
“Here.” The Decepticon held out a datachip.
“What is that?”
“All deleted files are sent to a secure location before being truly erased from the system. Security measure, one that Soundwave handles.”
As Skyfire directed a startled look at the jet, Starscream looked away. “It’s just programming now. I don’t know what will happen if you upload it to a CPU. And since it was going to be destroyed immediately anyway, so that Megatron never gets a chance to look at what he deleted, I thought it would be fitting to return him to you. Take the damn thing already.”
The shuttle held out a hand, and the chip was placed carefully onto his palm. As he considered the small item, Starscream fired up his thrusters and hovered in mid air, facing him.
“Self sacrificing, impetuous idiot. He would have fit right in with your lot.” There was no heart to the sneer, and Skyfire murmured gently in response.
“We are all capable of recklessness when it comes to protecting the things that matter the most to us.”
There was more silence, before the shuttle heard a quiet, “I suppose so.” Then the sound of thrusters faded, and Skyfire was left alone once more, staring at the chip in his palm.
“Are you sure about this?”
“Ratchet has checked the chip. It doesn’t contain anything unsafe.”
“I didn’t mean it that way. That’s just data now. It won’t bring him back.” Perceptor looked at his friend worriedly. The shuttle sat there, toying with the chip that held Hunter’s data as the microscope connected the empty chassis to assorted pieces of equipment.
“No, but he deserves to be laid to rest in a proper frame, not a chip.”
“Skyfire, this… isn’t healthy.”
The larger mech paused, staring at the lifeless chassis. “Perhaps not. But this may be the closure I’m looking for.”
“As you wish, then.”
The final preparations were made, and the contents of the datachip was transferred to the CPU of the empty shell. Once the process was complete, both mechs turned away to start disconnecting things. A sound caused them to look back, and before their horrified optics, the frame sat up, and looked at them.
A/N: Methinks I've put you all through enough cliffhangers already. So here.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-10 01:11 am (UTC)In one hand, I'm More than happy to know that Prowl is back and with Jazz (I was feeling a bit anxious for the Porsche, you know ú_u), but on the other hand... O.O THAT CHIP!! ::wails and run in circles:: I'm off to read the next chapter...
THANK GOD that you didn't leave us hanging on this one! óOò
TAKE CARE!!
MISAO-CG
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-10 07:27 am (UTC)