ante_luce | Secrets of the Groundbound Kind [Part 9]

Title: Secrets of the Groundbound Kind [Part 9]
'Verse: G1 Transformers
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: TF cussing.

The atmosphere in the room after Mirage’s statement quickly became stifling. Bumblebee was still staring at the ground, expression as inscrutable as an Ops mech’s could get. Jazz sent out a tentative nudge over the bond, and though the blue spy reciprocated, the scout immediately pulled up whatever barriers he’d been taught earlier. The Porsche retreated with a faint sigh as Mirage brushed across their link again in sympathy.

“This bond. How will it affect us?”

Jazz looked up sharply at Bumblebee’s question. The yellow mech’s tone was as unreadable as his faceplates. Quietly, he made his reply.

“It’s in the early stages, but we’re connected now. Emotions are pretty much all that we can exchange at the moment, unless we’re blocking. And I’ll be able to sorta sense where you are and vice versa.”

“So that’s why I felt like I had to find you that afternoon.” Mirage murmured to Bumblebee, before turning back to Jazz, who was staring at them in slight confusion.

“What else? What happens if we let this grow to full strength?”

“More than feelings’ll come across. We’d be able to communicate across the bond, words, thoughts, feelings, sensations… the whole shebang. You’ve seen how Prowl, Blue’ and Smokey are, right? They’ve got the full end product.”

The scout shot a piercing look at the Porsche. “About that. Prowl was the one who taught us to shield. We thought it was something he picked up as a tactician, but if what you say about them is true, how did they end up in a trine bond?”

“They’re seekerkin. Just not like I am… was. Praxus and Vos used to be one city, long ago, then the Praxian bots went groundbound. Some of their programming, dunno the full extent though, still matches Vosnian protocols, those routines included.”

“Frag, what else don’t we know?”

Mirage answered Bumblebee this time. “It was pretty common knowledge from before the war started. But after…well, I suppose no one thought anyone would need to know anymore.”

The yellow mech blinked, taking a moment to process that statement before speaking again. “Fine. Can we still break the connection when it reaches its final stage?”

“S’not a sparkbond, ‘Bee. There’ll be backlash, but we’d survive.”

“Huh. Guess we could let it stay.” Two questioning looks were directed at the yellow mech, and he elaborated, tone matter of fact.

“Think about it. We’d have a jam-proof communications system. Real time sitreps between us on missions, we’d always be able to track each other, and we’d never have to go to complete radio silence. Unless Soundwave’s hanging about, and we do that normally anyway.”

“No.”

“Excuse me?”

Jazz’s visor was dim, and his hands were clenched into fists by his sides, mirroring his already tense posture. “I said no, ‘Bee.”

“Why not?”

“This isn’t something to be taken lightly!”

“How is improving our chances of survival out in the field taking things lightly?”

“We’ve done alright by ourselves without it, haven’t we? A trine bond is supposed to be more than just a means to an end! Skywarp, Duskflight and I didn’t get that when we first formed up, and I’ll break this one myself before I let it happen again!”

The scout just stared at him for a moment, before the blocks on Bumblebee’s end of the connection slowly withdrew. Apology filtered through the bond and Jazz sagged a little, an arm coming to rest across the yellow mech’s shoulders as the scout drew close to him with a sigh. Mirage relaxed as well, tensions he hadn’t realised he was carrying suddenly easing.

“Little glitch, testing me, weren’t you?” Jazz’s murmur was rough, but affectionate. Bumblebee snorted, but didn’t move away from the contact. “Can you blame me? But Mirage has a point. You trust us.”

“I do, and I’m sorry I kept this from you two. I… just got so used to hiding it, and I thought I’d never be able to tell anyone.” The Porsche vented air slowly, and Mirage settled on Jazz’s other side, pressing closer when the black and white mech smiled hesitantly at him. “Why not?”

“Dunno. Scared, I guess. And that ain’t exactly conducive to thinking logically.”

“And we both know you weren’t the most logical of mechs to begin with. The odds were rather against you from the start.” The spy let a sly little smirk flash across his faceplates, and Jazz chuckled.

“I think I should be offended.”

“Why? It’s the truth.”

Saboteur tugged on one of Bumblebee’s helm horns in retaliation for the cheeky comment. “Right now, I’m far too relieved that you no longer want my laser core on a stick to quibble over that.”

“Oh, I’m still mad as all get out. You could have done this before Earth.”

“I agree. It’s not like we onlined here suddenly trusting each other a whole lot more than on Cybertron.”

“You… want this?”

“Haven’t we made that clear enough?”

“You don’t have to.”

“Good to know. Your point?”

“My previous trine shattered like a rust eaten bolt. I screwed up once, that means I could do it again.”

Mirage shook his head. “Your old trinemates had equal share in what happened. You can’t take on all the blame.” He cut off the visored mech’s attempt to reply.

“At any rate, we aren’t Skywarp and Duskflight. Our team and our faith in each other were long established before this trine thing reared its head. We will not end up like them. You won’t let that happen, and neither will we.”

“… You’re right. I know that, should have realised it sooner.”

Bumblebee huffed exasperatedly. “You know, I’m glad your subroutines decided to kick your scaredy aft processors to the kerb. Now you can get on with what you should have done a long time ago.”

“Alright, alright. I know when I’m beat. Soon as Ratchet clears us, I’ll take you through everything the trine bond entails. Then, if you still want to-”

“Jazz.”

“Humour me, ‘kay? If you still want to form a trine, we will.”

Both mechs smiled, gradually feeling their way across the tentative link they now shared to silently assure Jazz that they would.