[Fic] Story of a Lifetime, part 10.1
Warning: semi-graphic slash
Part 10: Win some, lose some
Chapter 1 of 6
After the disaster in the Plutes sector Prowl had wondered how long those events would haunt him. The answer, it turned out, was not long at all.
Carefully conducted research showed that if memories were suppressed they were likely to return when he attempted to recharge or in similar situations, but nothing bothered him. There were no memory loops, no flashbacks, no flares of panic. He tried a few times to force the matter, attempting to recall the details, and once even asking Sideswipe to tell him what he had seen - which the frontliner flatly refused to do - but still there was nothing more than the dismaying sense that he had somehow allowed what had happened.
Even the ache from his spark dissipated eventually. The first time he had to report to the medics he had been nervous about what they might find, but nothing was said. And if Ratchet did call him in several times for what seemed like spurious reasons, the CMO certainly never gave any indication he knew what had happened.
So it was easy to ignore it all, to focus forward and ignore the rest, and there was certainly plenty to focus on.
Following the successful evacuation of carriers to Luciana the Decepticons were fully active once again, striking at Autobot targets with frightening numbers and with dismaying success. The tactical hub was busy at all joors of the orn, Smokescreen, Trailbreaker and Spangle now each joined by their own set of subordinates, and Prowl had moved across the corridor into a separate office for a little peace.
Not that there was much peace to be found. Between the problems of the fleet, the outposts and the Escaphalion's crew, there was simply never enough time to keep up with everything.
Prowl's solution had been simple, if rather unpopular with his staff: work harder and handle more than one issue at once, and he led by example.
Passing the newly adjusted plans to the waiting ensign to return to Trailbreaker, he returned his attention to the conversation that had been interrupted four times already without bothering to stop filing the latest battlefield data. Another rout, but at least no lives lost this time.
"Can we mitigate the shortages by substituting other materials?"
"We can probably make do with duratonium for awhile." Hoist said doubtfully. "It depends on who gets hurt and what parts the construction team want us to fabricate."
Hoist remained Safestore's subordinate, but over the vorns Prowl had come to rely on him to provide timely and accurate information about supply shortages. Safestore's reports arrived via Ratchet, creating layers of bureaucracy that Prowl would prefer to avoid. Thankfully Ratchet was content to leave things as they were and Safestore had made it plain that he had only ever been responsible for tech supplies and ordnance; everything else could sort itself out.
Prowl frowned faintly, making a mental note to talk to the CMO about his subordinate's lax attitude, then responded to Hoist's assessment.
"Assuming no major repairs are needed in the next..." he paused to check against the planned missions, "three orns?"
"Then we're probably okay until we get back to Ovacalix. But we're also running out of xenon which we need to synthesise energon."
"I understood you were experimenting with a different mix?"
"We are, but it's very unpopular." Hoist grumbled. "The magnesium base makes it bitter and leaves a gritty residue in the mouth and tank. Besides the magnesium often binds with the other elements and destabilises the mix. If we have to substitute for xenon we should change the whole process and use..."
"One moment, please." Prowl interrupted as a figure was seen in the hallway. "Sideswipe. Front and centre."
The toughline heaved a dramatic sigh and slunk into the room.
"Yeah, boss?"
"You were four breems late on duty today."
"I had to..."
"And you did not complete the rostered tasks as ordered."
"There were too many interr..."
"Unless you wish to spend some more time contemplating the walls of the brig, I suggest you are on time to your shift tomorrow. Understood?"
Sideswipe sighed again.
"Sure. Can I go now?"
"Certainly you may go. Specifically, you may go and dismantle that illegal high-grade refiner you have hidden in the storage closet on the fifth level and return the parts to the quartermaster then present Hoist with the recipes you were experimenting with. I will be inspecting that level in two groons and I don't need to tell you what will happen if I find it. Dismissed."
Satisfied, he turned back to Hoist.
"Please continue."
Everything was under control. Why anyone thought otherwise was beyond him.
"It's your move."
"Yeah, but anywhere I go, you're gonna annihilate me."
Prowl smiled at him, an expression he rarely permitted to cross his face when on duty.
"You're finally getting better at this if you can see that already. There are a couple of possible solutions - do you want to keep going, or start over?"
"Start over. I just don't get how I can start with five times the number of pieces you have and still can't beat you. Just once! Are you sure you don't use your tac-comp for this?"
"It's switched off. Otherwise you would be finished within a breem of starting."
"Oh yeah?" Sideswipe challenged. "Show me."
Prowl shook his head, amused, and began resetting the board but was interrupted by the door chime.
Sideswipe sat back in his chair as Prowl rose to answer it.
The interruptions were common; they never got through more than a groon at a time without a report being delivered or someone causing trouble or an urgent meeting being called. It had become so common that they now played in the the charging room where Prowl could leave the board set up between sessions. Frequently they did not get to continue for orns.
Stretching, he wondered idly what his twin was doing. As soon as they had gotten back on board the Escaphalion Sunstreaker had started avoiding Prowl, preferring to do his own thing. Typical of him, but a bit disappointing. There had been something nice about how they had gotten along together while stuck on that barren rock and it was a shame to let it disappear again.
Anyway, Sunny had been spending increasing amounts of time with a new lover. Who it was, Sideswipe had not yet been able to get him to say, but probably someone pretty. That narcissistic mech Tracks was back on board but he doubted it was him. Sunny had better taste than that.
He heard the door open and reached out to finish resetting the board, then leapt to his feet as he heard a clash of metal and sounds of fighting. Whipping out his rifle he charged to the doorway then stopped in shock as he took in the scene.
Prowl was not fighting with an enemy, though he had been pinned to the closed door with a great deal of force and he was certainly leaving dents and scratches in the other mech's finish.
"Jazz?" Sideswipe whispered, not quite believing what he was seeing.
Neither of them seemed aware that he was there, hands moving frantically, mouths alternating between desperate kisses and passionate whispers.
"...missed you... Primus, feels so good... there, more there... can't believe... been so long... more..."
Prowl's vocaliser crackled with static as Jazz shifted his position and Sideswipe realised belatedly that they were already intimately connected. It had only been clicks, but they were fast approaching a powerful overload.
Unable to slip out quietly given that they were blocking the only exit, he took a step backwards to at least give them a little more privacy. But then his optics landed on the berth. Sure they were out there right now, but this was certainly their next destination.
Feeling a bit grumpy at the awkward position they had put him in, he tried to listen without listening too closely in order to figure out when they could be interrupted.
An extraordinary length of time went by with only grunts and moans and the sizzle-crackle of overcharge - how in the name of Primus were they sustaining it for so long? - before the noises quietened and Prowl gave a sated sigh.
"Can't believe you're really here."
"I'm here, I'm here." Jazz murmured. "An' you're even more beautiful than I remembered."
"You've been gone so long..."
"I was wit'ya, Sparkles. Jus' not in person, tha's all."
"It wasn't enough."
"True, dat. Missed yer party too, di'nt I?"
What party? Sideswipe wondered, hesitating in the hope of learning more.
"It doesn't matter."
"Does to me. I had plans t'ravish ya."
"You don't need an excuse for that."
On second thought perhaps he should not take the risk of delaying and letting them get started again. He stepped out into the antechamber averting his gaze as much as he could while figuring out where they were.
They were on the floor now, Prowl curled up in Jazz's lap, doorwings held down and back on an awkward angle so he could wrap his arms around the other mech's waist and rest his cheek on his chest just over his spark. They were both still crackling with excess energy generated by the overload, and the cover plates that usually hid intimate parts were retracted.
"Uh..." he began.
He got no further as Jazz was suddenly moving - on his feet and across the room, and Sideswipe yelped as he felt the heat of an energon blade near one of the vital tubes in his neck. Prowl looked around dazedly from where he had tumbled onto the floor, apparently just as startled as Sideswipe was, but the blade was already moving away.
"Sideswipe." Jazz said coldly. "How did you get in here?"
"He was visiting me." Prowl grimaced, covering himself over and rising to his knees. "I forgot all about him when I saw you."
Jazz's expression was dark and inscrutable and Sideswipe gulped.
"Y'know it's not like I really saw anything since I know you two aren't really together so why don't I just leave and pretend I never even saw you?"
"Don't you want to know where I've been all this time?" Jazz challenged him.
"Uh... not really?"
"He knows, Jazz." Prowl explained, walking slowly across the room. "Remember? He had questions, and I told him you work for Curveball." He stepped up beside Jazz, putting one hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "It's okay. He's a friend."
Jazz hung his head, nodding jerkily.
"Yeah, sure. Sorry. It's just... been awhile since I've been 'round friends."
Prowl's fingers tightened a little on Jazz's shoulder plating, and Sideswipe edged to his left.
"So I'll be going then..."
"I've gotta go." Jazz sighed, apparently not hearing him.
"Already?" Prowl asked, sounding hurt.
"Wasn't s'posed t'detour, I haven't reported in yet. CB'll be goin' fritzy by now, but I had t'see ya."
"He'll forgive you. He needs you."
Jazz opened his mouth to say something else, but then focused on Sideswipe who froze in place.
"I gotta go." he repeated, straightening. "You stick to your routine - whatever you were doin'. I'll be in touch when I can."
He turned, his hand rising to caress Prowl's cheek, then he was striding out as if the past two breems had not occurred at all. The door closed behind him and Sideswipe turned to stare at Prowl.
"So." he said finally. "I guess time and distance really don't make a difference when you're in love, huh?"
A/N: there, he's back. See, I told you all I'd bring him back eventually!