30 Days and 30 Nights: Day 24
Title: 30 Days and 30 Nights
Day: 24
Prompt: "Am I that transparent to you?"
*Verse: G1 AU
Rating: pg
*Words: 1598
Other Characters: Prowl, Jazz
Warnings: none
Summary: Prowl makes a few observations about Jazz.
Notes: I'm still working on promt 22. It's killing me!!! Or my muse is. lol I'm not really happy with this fic for promt 24. But it was the best I can do. I received a request for a certain type of fic for this challenge that I will be doing after the month is over.
Cybertronian time references similar but not equal to our own: astrosecond ~ second, klick ~ minute, joor ~ hour, cycle ~ day, deca-cycle ~ week, orn ~ month, vorn ~ year
Day 24: "Am I that transparent to you?"
For the longest time Prowl observed how many mechs interacted on and off the battlefield. It had become a habit and then later a duty of his as he served his Primes.
Yes, Primes.
Only perhaps Ratchet and Ironhide know Prowl's true age. He was an orphaned youngling when Ironhide found him and mentored him.
He was a young soldier during Nova Prime's reign, rising and maturing through the ranks. By the time Nova passed and Sentinel was made Prime Prowl already had a reputation for his keen intellect, quick thinking in the heat of battle and life saving tactics. So it was with little wonder that Prowl was quickly appointed Sentinel Prime's Second in Command and Chief Tactical officer.
Little did he know that he'd bear the full weight of the entire Autobot Army upon his shoulders for six long orns after Sentinel's assassination. But he did so without hesitation or complaint knowing the Autobots needed a strong leader until the Matix chose a new Prime. And he was rewarded when the young Prime already so wise knew to retain Prowl's services as the SIC and CTO.
That cycle seemed so long ago.
Once again, there were new and younger mechs and femmes on Prime's main base in Iacon. They were all so typically eager to please their Prime and eager for battle. Very few didn't fit the mold of an average Autobot. One such mech did catch Prowl's optics the first time he saw the mech arrive in Iacon.
This mech had a look in his optics Prowl found intriguing. The mech was an enigma, puzzled that needed solving. Prowl loved to crack codes and solve puzzles. He had the patience to try again and again until victories.
And so, Prowl patiently watched this mech for a century as he rose up from the bottom of the ranks to a rather prolific and dangerous position of saboteur, performing bravely and beyond the call of duty, even seemed to be a little bit cocky at times but never so overconfident that it caused any lapses in judgment. In general the mech was highly intelligent, had good common sense, and was pure of spark.
Prowl learned that this mech was special.
And what surprised him was that no one else realized it. No one else saw the mech for who he really was.
Prowl knew. He recognized the look, the walk, the talk. Having lived so long, he knew all to well about this young mech. This mech who reminded him so much of himself when he was so young.
Alas, the cycle had come to see if this young mech was ready to achieve his full potential.
As the norm, the recreational room fell silent once they realized Prowl was present. It didn't bother him that they thought he was sparkless or emotionless. Living for so long during this war tends to dull ones emotions. He'd seen so much that of course he didn't react emotionally. Besides, as the SIC he doesn't need their friendship, just their respect and he had already earned that via his reputation and his actions on the battelfield.
After one quick scan of the room, Prowl spotted the mech he'd been looking for.
"Jazz, come with me please," he ordered and then left expecting the young black and white mech to follow him.
"Have I done somethin' wrong, Sir?" the young mech asked, quickly falling in stride with Prowl's steady gate.
"No. I've something to discuss with you and my office is the most appropriate place."
"Ya could have just commed me instead o' botherin' to come an' fetch me, Sir."
"I was in the vicinity. It was no bother."
"Oh."
The rest of the journey through the base was in silence. Prowl observed out of the corner of his optic how Jazz seemed in quiet contemplation. Presumably trying to figure out why he was being escorted to the SIC's off by the SIC himself.
"Please, sit down, Jazz," Prowl instructed as he took his own seat.
"I'm sorry 'bout my comment, Sir. I didn't mean to imply…"
"Jazz, relax, it's no bother," Prowl reiterated giving the mech a rare small mile.
To Jazz's credit he seemed to notice and relaxed.
"As you may or may not know, I'm in charge of key personnel evaluations," Prowl said, noticing how Jazz's tensed up slightly. "Part of the evaluation is an interview."
"But I just had one last orn with my superior, Sir."
"Yes, I know. I have it right here," Prowl said picking up the data pad for a moment before pushing it aside. "You are our top saboteur on the base. You have a ninety percent mission success rate. You're not afraid to do dirty work. However, my evaluations go beyond mere performance in the field. My evaluations are based on careful observations on how a mech or femme interacts with the other Autobots, how well they follow orders, how often they see fit to bend the rules to get the mission done."
"Beggin' yar pardon but ain't that the psyche departments? Sir?" he joked smiling nervously.
"To be honest, I never cared for my processor being evaluated. I've been around a long time and have seen many things. If I was going to crack I would have done so long ago. I suspect the same could be said of you. You do not crack easily. You simply will yourself to hold steady and take it no matter how unpleasant things are around you."
Jazz sat back in silence, stunned.
"You are a pragmatist, not the optimist everyone else sees," Prowl continued. "You only let the others see what you want them to see. You always smile and never let anyone see your pain. You are friendly and well liked by everyone and yet friends to no one. And you keep everyone at arms length because you feel you have to because of your job as a saboteur. You think that if you have no ties to anyone then no one will miss you if a mission goes wrong, that no one will be hurt when you don't return. Sound about right?"
"Wow," he gasped. "Am I that transparent to ya?"
"It's part of my job," I simply replied. "Most mechs or femmes I can pick apart right away. Not with you. You were a challenge. It took time. You're different Jazz. You're above the others in a class all your own. I believe with my spark that you can make a difference in the right position. As the result of an unfortunate incident the right job for you has opened up. I'm offering you the position of Head of Special Operations and Third in Command of the Autobots."
"Head…ops…third in…Primus…Command!" he stammered completely taken aback. "Wow, mech. I wasn't expectin' that! Ya really think I'm the mech for the job?"
"You wouldn't be here if I thought differently, Jazz."
"Hang on…ya mean…oh slag," he swallowed, covering his mouth.
"Yes, I am sorry. Prime is going to make an announcement later in cycle after next," Prowl solemnly answered. "Freeway was a good friend of mine and will be missed. He spoke very highly of you. Said you were a natural improviser when a mission didn't go as planned. You bend the rules for results, not for fun. And you have an inner strength the others are drawn to."
"He taught me so much," Jazz spoke softly, bowing his head.
"The decision is ultimately yours Jazz. But I believe you would honor him best by stepping into his place."
"O' course," he replied confidently, straightening up in his seat. "It would be an honor an' I will continue to do my duties to the best o' my abilities."
"Very well. I will inform Prime," Prowl said, rising to his peds. "He will want to meet with you personally later this cycle at the end of your shift. Do not be late."
"Yes, Sir."
"Congratulations, Jazz."
"Thank you, Sir!" he grinned humbly, shaking Prowl's hand.
"Don't thank me yet. You have a lot of hard work ahead of you."
"I'm up for the challenge, Sir."
"I believe you are. If you like, I would like to extend to you the same offer I gave Freeway when he was first became Head of Ops and TIC."
"Sure, I'll need any advice ya can give me."
"What I have to offer is more valuable than advice. It's my friendship. I understand your need to keep your distance from the others. For those of us in command it is a necessity when we know we could be sending a mech or femme to their death. What I'm offering you is the chance to be yourself around me. Believe me, I've been in this position a long time. It can get very lonely. You'll need an outlet…an ally."
"I understand and I'm honored, Sir. Freeway told me a lot about ya an' that he greatly valued his friendship with ya. He said behind that stoic face is a mech who has a passion for his work an' for others. I look forward to gettin' to know him. Sir."
"Well, you can start by calling me Prowl. I should warn you though, I am not as transparent as you."
Jazz laughed, "Well Prowl, I love a good challenge."
The End.