Chapter Seven - Boss Bot Talk
"She's a girlbot," Bukhead murmured, looking amazed as he peeked into the common room where Sparkbit and Kia sat, surrounded by tools and small, basic gizmos.
"Wow, Bulkhead, really?" Bumblebee said sarcastically. "I hadn't noticed. She totally looks like a mech to me."
"You're just grumpy because she still calls you Doofus," Bulkhead chuckled, watching his friend turned indignant.
"That's the stupid little techbot's fault," he said. "He confused her, and she's not that bright. OW!" Bumblebee leapt up as a tool hit him in the shin plate.
//Talk about her like that again and I'll take off your servos. She's smarter than you'll ever be, she's brilliant,// Sparkbit growled over the radio, but smiled assuring at Kia as she started.
"Can you hand by the cyber-wrench?" he asked gently.
"Uh..." she turned from side to side, looking at all of the tools and chewing on a finger. "Oh!" She brightened and reached out, picking up a tool and offering it. "This is it, yes?"
"Yeah, that's perfect," he grinned. "You'll be one of the best techbots yet, mark my words." Kia positively beamed, then leaned forward to watch him work on the magnet. He finished, then offered it to her.
"Your turn," he said. She took the tool carefully, slowly working on her magnet.
"This is right?" she asked, presenting her magnet for inspection. Sparkbit looked it over.
"Just a little tighter on the top screw," he said, smiling at her. "But otherwise, perfect."
"Oh," she said, quickly working to correct the error.
"Do you remember why it's important for that to be tight?" he asked.
"Because... whatever the magnet's holding attaches there and must be secure, or the magnet's no good," she said, looking at him.
"Awesome. You catch on really quickly," he marveled. Kia hid her face, then blinked and looked up as Optimus Prime came in, looking a bit glum but then blinking when he saw the pair.
"Oh. Teaching her more about building?" he said, looking at Sparkbit.
"Yeah. She's catching on really quickly, sir," Sparkbit beamed.
"You did remember to teach her the code of the Autobots and the Cybertronian laws," he said, looking at him.
"Of course, sir, but she picked them up really quickly," Sparkbit said.
"In one afternoon?"
"Yeah," Sparkbit said, looking at Kia, who quickly got to her feet and in recital form, opening her mouth.
"It's alright, I believe you," Optimus said, holding up a servo. Kia stopped abruptly and looked embarrassed, sitting down again and fiddling with her magnet.
//It's ok, he's just got a lot to think about. He's proud of you, though, not many bots can learn the Cybertronian and Autobot codes in one day!// Sparkbit reached forward, patting Kia's hand and smiling at her comfortingly. She brightened slightly, her shy smile returning, and Sparkbit felt a surge of affection for her.
"Sir, may I ask if you got my plans for the Allspark detector?" Sparkbit ventured.
Optimus blinked, looking away from the TV. "Yeah, I did. I think it's definitely worth a shot," he said. "But, speaking of all that, can I talk to you somewhere private?"
"Of course, sir," Sparkbit said, then turned. "Um, Kia, can you make two more magnets while I talk to the boss?"
"Sure," she said, looking astonished at being trusted with such a task. She looked around quickly, then started gathering the pieces she needed, organizing them carefully as Sparkbit had taught her.
Sparkbit smiled, then turned quickly and followed Prime out of earshot of the other bots in the base.
"Do you think you can build the detector quickly?" Optimus asked once they had closed the door to the medbay, which Rachet was currently vacated from.
"Well... you see... I think it would really speed everything up for me to have an assistant, someone who could help construct and monitor it, and operate it if we were called out on a mission," Sparkbit said, tapping his hip-plate nervously. "And... since Kia's not checked out completely yet, and would probably do better on Earth for a while...."
"If she wants to, she may assist you," Optimus smiled. The young bot brightened at once.
"Thanks, sir!" Sparkbit beamed.
"It's not problem. Do you have everything you need for it?" Prime asked.
"Mostly, sir. Sari, Kia and I got everything we think we'll need from the company, just in case she gets locked out, but besides that all we need are Allspark fragments and basic scanning ware, which we can make out of a lot of everyday Earth stuff," he said.
"Good," Optimust said. "And... good work, Sparkbit."
"We haven't done anything yet," Sparkbit said, scratching his helmet.
"I meant with the report. And looking after Kia," Prime said. "Sparklings can be.... difficult."
"Oh, she's not at all, sir. She's wonderful," Sparkbit said. "And she really does like to learn."
"Do you know how she was created yet?" Prime asked.
"No. But she has a spark, true as mine or yours. Ratchet said she's full Cybertronian," Sparkbit said. "I'm thinking it might have been that there's an Allspark fragment in the electrical system that's sparking randomly. The surges would most likely be triggered by something and vary in degrees. Might explain the trash cans that have been acting up lately, too. Impossible to trace, though, without this machine."
"You think more Cybertronians could be created?" Optimus frowned.
"I... don't know. But I'd think not. For a spark strong enough to survive made by a single shard... it must have been an extremely potent flux. I'd assume that the recent rainstorms would have helped, and the certain pathway ideal. But I hacked the city and lowered the powerbreaker's tolerance. Shouldn't affect any systems, but if there's another surge like the one that lead to Kia, it would blow out the power to half the city."
"Good," Optimus said. "I can't imagine that's a good way for a spark to be born."
"Oh no, sir," Sparkbit said. "Honestly... it must have been very painful and confusing. Without proper care it could permanently twist a bot's processor. That's what Ratchet said, at any rate."
"Do you think Kia's suffered any of that?" Prime frowned and concerned.
"Honestly, no. Ratchet gave her a 10/10, and some bots are just not fighters. And she's not, doesn't have a weapon on her," Sparkbit said somberly. "But she's real smart. I... I think she could really help the team, if you let her stay."
"You care about her?" Optimus said, arching a brow ridge. Sparkbit blinked, then looked embarrassed.
"Um.... yes, sir," he mumbled, looking down at his heel wheels.
"May I ask... in what way?" Optimus asked.
"Huh?" Sparkbit looked confused.
"Like... you know," Optimus rubbed the back of his neck. "Do you want to be joined with her one day?"
"Like.... oh! No! No, not like that," Sparkbit started and put up one arm defensively. "No. Like... I don't want her to get hurt. I want her to be happy."
"Ok," Optimus said. "I normally wouldn't pry, but your reaction to Bumblebee...."
"He was making her feel bad. She's just been sparked," Sparkbit said crossly. "She's just learning stuff, he shouldn't be making comments, especially when she can hear him."
"How did you know she heard him?" Optimus inquired.
"Because she's a well built bot with decent audio receptors, and he's a loudmouth," he said firmly.
"She didn't say anything," Optimus pointed out. "Or visibly react."
"No, but she felt bad about it," Sparkbit said. "And... I think I might have accidently bonded us just a little when I helped her transform. I can kinda feel what she's feeling if she's feeling it enough."
"A bond? How did that happen?" Optimus frowned deeply.
"I... I don't know, sir," Sparkbit looked at the floor again.
"Well... alright," Optimus sighed. "I guess it's all the more reason she should stay. Just don't throw anything at Bumblebee again. I'll talk to him, and you can report him to me next time he upsets Kia."
"Yes sir," Sparkbit mumbled, then blinked. "Sir?"
"Yes?"
"Would.... would you please not tell anybody you don't have to about the bond? I... I don't really know what it means and I haven't told Kia yet, and I don't want anybody to worry her or upset her about it," he said.
"Alright. But you should probably tell Ratchet. He has a lot more experience than any of us, and might have heard of this kind of thing before," Optimus said. "And if it causes any complications we'll need to know about them."
"Yes sir," Sparkbit smiled slightly. "Thank you, sir."
"Thank you for your honesty, Sparkbit," Optimus said, hiding the inward relief that he hadn't had to pry anything from the bot. If anything it surprised him, as Sparkbit had been difficult and confusing at first meeting, and a spy when he was with the Decepticons. Now, if anything, he looked startled at the idea that such openness needed to be recognized.
"Of course, sir, you're the boss. Wouldn't hide anything from you," he blinked. Optimus hid a smile. So he was still a sparkling under all the bravado. Probably still too young to be out in such a hot area and on such active duty, but there was nothing to be done. He'd earned the right to be here, which was why Optimus had fought for his posting on his team.
"Well, you'd better get back to Kia," he said.
"Thank you, Optimus, sir!" Sparkbit said, saluting him smartly and then turning, bolting from the room to return to the sparkling who'd been steadfastly working since her mentor had left.