TG 'verse. Panacea's repair facility in Iacon. Five days after the attack.
Chromia sighed as she closed the com link to Rodimus, feeling bad for the guilt and pain that she'd heard in his voice. The Prime had had more than one person injured while protecting him in his lifetime, Optimus Prima among them, but this was the first time a sparklet had taken a hit for him and he wasn't handling it well at all.
Especially since, five days after the attack, Nova had yet to show any sign of coming out of stasis. Her shell was free of the nanite infection, and her spark was recovering from the shock. But her processor activity had been negligible, and Chromia could see that despite Panacea's encouraging words that the white femme was worried.
-Anythin'?- Ironhide's soft whisper sounded in her spark.
-Not yet,- she replied in the same way, feeling strengthened by his love and encouragement. -How's 'Forge'?-
-Still wonderin' when the two 'a ya 're comin' back. Don't think he really understands what bein' hurt means yet.-
Chromia shook her head. -We doin' the right thing, makin' 'em so innocent 'n helpless?-
He sent her a spark snuggle. -They ain't that helpless, darlin'. Look what our lil' gal jes' did.-
-'N lookit what happened t' 'er.-
-Same as would'a happened ta a grown mech,- he countered gently. -She knew what she was doin'. That's our lil' soldier.-
-'N she nearly turned out our lil' free spark.- Chromia scowled. -We got enough 'a those in the family.-
-It wasn' anythin' you done,- said Ironhide, knowing the source of her spurt of anger. -She's ben wired military-like since she came outta the tank. She's made 'a us, 'n you know dang well we'd 'a both've us done the same thing.-
Chromia sighed and nodded, then turned back to Nova and started as she saw two big blue optics looking up at her. -She's awake!-
Nova frowned, then cleared her vocalizer. "Mama?"
"Shhh, darlin'. Jes' take it easy." Chromia stroked the little golden helm, then blinked as Nova squirmed angrily.
"Nuh uh...." The sparklet's frown deepened, and then her face cleared into worry and a trace of angry fear. "Uncle Roddy!"
"He's alright." Chromia wiped away tears, seeing Ironhide in his daughter's focused determination. "Jes' worried 'bout you."
"...'Bout... me?" The scowl turned to confusion, and then Nova turned her head and saw all the machines that she was attached to. "Uh...."
"You're gonna be alright, baby." Chromia took her hand and squeezed it gently, then cleared her own vocalizer and gathered her close as Panacea hurried in. "You did good."
Especially since, five days after the attack, Nova had yet to show any sign of coming out of stasis. Her shell was free of the nanite infection, and her spark was recovering from the shock. But her processor activity had been negligible, and Chromia could see that despite Panacea's encouraging words that the white femme was worried.
-Anythin'?- Ironhide's soft whisper sounded in her spark.
-Not yet,- she replied in the same way, feeling strengthened by his love and encouragement. -How's 'Forge'?-
-Still wonderin' when the two 'a ya 're comin' back. Don't think he really understands what bein' hurt means yet.-
Chromia shook her head. -We doin' the right thing, makin' 'em so innocent 'n helpless?-
He sent her a spark snuggle. -They ain't that helpless, darlin'. Look what our lil' gal jes' did.-
-'N lookit what happened t' 'er.-
-Same as would'a happened ta a grown mech,- he countered gently. -She knew what she was doin'. That's our lil' soldier.-
-'N she nearly turned out our lil' free spark.- Chromia scowled. -We got enough 'a those in the family.-
-It wasn' anythin' you done,- said Ironhide, knowing the source of her spurt of anger. -She's ben wired military-like since she came outta the tank. She's made 'a us, 'n you know dang well we'd 'a both've us done the same thing.-
Chromia sighed and nodded, then turned back to Nova and started as she saw two big blue optics looking up at her. -She's awake!-
Nova frowned, then cleared her vocalizer. "Mama?"
"Shhh, darlin'. Jes' take it easy." Chromia stroked the little golden helm, then blinked as Nova squirmed angrily.
"Nuh uh...." The sparklet's frown deepened, and then her face cleared into worry and a trace of angry fear. "Uncle Roddy!"
"He's alright." Chromia wiped away tears, seeing Ironhide in his daughter's focused determination. "Jes' worried 'bout you."
"...'Bout... me?" The scowl turned to confusion, and then Nova turned her head and saw all the machines that she was attached to. "Uh...."
"You're gonna be alright, baby." Chromia took her hand and squeezed it gently, then cleared her own vocalizer and gathered her close as Panacea hurried in. "You did good."