Fic: Burning Another Bridge
TITLE: Burning Another Bridge
Imperfection Deviation
SERIES: Imperfection
AUTHOR: Macx
RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: None of the characters belong to me, sadly. They are owned by people with a lot more money
Author’s Voice of Warning (aka Author’s Note):
English is not my first language; it’s German. This is the best I can do. Any mistakes you find in here, collect them and you might win a prize The spell-checker said everything's okay, but you know how trustworthy those thingies are....
FEEDBACK: Loved
He had expected the question sooner. Maybe not immediately after ‘joining’ the Autobots. His interpretation of that particular move was more like a loose affiliation that was necessitated because of current circumstances. These circumstances were still valid, but a lot had changed in the past two years. That his partner was an Autobot had nothing to do with his decision. The moment they had met they had already been leaning toward different factions. The war breaking out just briefly after their initial spark bond had only driven that fact home.
Jazz’s death at Megatron’s hands… it had been a trigger for Barricade to reevaluate his life, his purpose, and his continued survival on this planet. He could have hidden forever, to be eventually discovered. Or he could step out in the open and see what happened.
He had become part of the small Autobot force, though he would never call himself an Autobot, nor let them mark him as one. Barricade chose his alliances and right now he served Optimus Prime, had accepted him as a commanding officer, and the Autobot now held his loyalty. A particular kind of loyalty, one with a Decepticon slant to it.
So the question about the Nemesis, her last position and general condition shouldn’t have come that late. But it had and Barricade looked at the much taller Autobot leader, trying to see where this was going. Starscream had fled the planet right after the defeat in Mission City and Barricade knew he would have gone back to the Decepticon ship. There was nowhere else to go and nowhere else could he get tech support, energon and a place to recharge.
“Starscream most likely took her out,” he now said slowly.
“What was her last position?” Optimus asked again.
“Just behind the planet called Mars.”
“So Starscream could have easily reached her and left.”
Barricade frowned. Of course he could. And of course he would leave. There was nothing on this planet that interested the former lieutenant to Megatron any more. Their leader was dead - not that it was of much interest to Starscream. He preferred it that way. The Nemesis had been one of the last few transport vessels still intact enough to travel long distances when the small Decepticon unit had searched for a ship. Starscream had used the transporter as a war ship, though her weapons capabilities were limited. Barricade suspected Starscream would seek out surviving Decepticons, gather troops, and declare himself new leader of the Decepticons. After that, he had no idea what would happen.
Attack Earth and kill its inhabitants for Megatron’s death? Starscream wouldn’t seek revenge. Humanity had done him a favor.
The Allspark was destroyed. It served no purpose to linger on this organic world. Barricade knew of the shard in one of the storage rooms of the base, but it was a weak shadow of its former glory. It had given most of its remaining power to restore Jazz. Now it was useless. Starscream wouldn’t risk his life for it, even if he knew about the sad remains.
“It’s logical for him to leave this solar system, look for survivors,” Barricade finally said. “I doubt he would return here.”
Optimus didn’t look convinced. “Perhaps.”
They were alone in what Prime called his office, a separate area in the base, just like Ratchet’s med bay, and Barricade, while not feeling unwell in the presence of the powerful Autobot leader, had the urge to shift nervously from one foot to the other. Looking down Ironhide’s gun barrel was preferable to the steady gaze from the blue optics. Barricade held a hidden respect for the former Head of State, the Lord Protector’s co-ruler of Cybertron. There was power and command there, drawing others to follow Prime.
“Word of our existence is spreading,” Optimus finally said. “I’ve come to meet the heads of different states of different continents and different political factions in the past year. John Keller thought it was necessary. I agreed. We cannot ignore the possibility of Starscream returning or another Decepticon arriving on this world.”
Now Barricade shifted a little.
“The Nemesis is a powerful transport ship.”
“So is the Ark,” he argued, voice quiet. Part of the shock trooper was slowly coming up with the point of this conversation.
“Yes. Bringing her here would in fact aide this planet.”
Bingo! Barricade thought, then groaned internally at the word. Jazz was really rubbing off on him.
“Mr. Banachek gave everything Sector Seven had on their first space faring vessel, the Ghost 1, to Ratchet. It would be our way of returning to the Ark and bringing her here. To reveal her position would also draw attention if the Nemesis is still here.” Optimus’ intense optics were now burning into Barricade’s. “I’m asking for your help to look for your ship.”
Barricade grimaced. “The Nemesis is a ship, not mine. A tool. I piloted her because it was my job.”
“And you know where she is. You were also the chief science officer, if I’m not mistaken. Your rank allowed you total access to the guidance and flight controls. Help us find her.”
“You really believe Starscream would linger?” Barricade asked evenly.
“Yes.”
He snorted. “He’s not that much of a fool. He cuts his losses and leaves.”
Prime didn’t look convinced. “There’s only one way to make sure.”
The former Decepticon shrugged. “You won’t find him. I’ll give you the last known coordinates, but he’ll be gone.”
“I also request the access codes, Barricade. Everything you have of the Nemesis.”
Part of him roared in outrage. Prime had never asked anything of the like of him. Barricade had been wary at first, expecting the Autobots to question him for Decepticon secrets, but nothing of the like had happened. He had slid into their small unit, though not seamlessly, always at the fringe, and he had been tolerated without too many questions. Sometimes Barricade wondered what Optimus Prime already knew about him, what he hadn’t told others, because to tolerate a former Decepticon in his team meant he had knowledge of him in a way. The spark bond alone wouldn’t let anyone but Jazz trust him that deeply.
Another part just shrugged in indifference. He was no longer serving the old faction. Whatever Starscream would do in the future, Barricade would never accept him or anyone else as his commanding officer. He had served the Lord High Protector of Cybertron, even when Megatron had destroyed their homeworld. Now he served Optimus Prime. At least in a way. Starscream might still call his followers and himself Decepticons, but in Barricade’s mind that was solely reserved for Megatron. Those days were over.
“You want a download?” he asked emotionlessly.
The Autobot leader looked mildly surprised and Barricade sneered a little. Prime hadn’t expected such cooperation. He enjoyed unsettling the others from time to time. Right now was such a time.
“Ironhide will handle these matters. I know the two of you have your differences, but…”
“He’ll have what I know by tomorrow,” Barricade interrupted, then just turned and left. He hadn’t been dismissed, but he knew the conversation was over.
Outside in the main hangar, Barricade transformed and left the base. Downloading his knowledge and information would take time, necessitating a quiet place where he felt safe. Of course, he could have used the medical area, and have Ratchet do the download, but that was out of the question. He had only once entrusted himself into the medic’s care and that had been once occasion too many.
Barricade accelerated and tore across the uneven desert ground, the bumps and shocks rattling through his chassis. He didn’t care. It actually felt good.
* * *
Jazz had been privy to Optimus’ plan and he knew it was vital to a) know whether the Nemesis was still there or not and b) find access to the Ark. For b) to happen, a) had to be confirmed. Ratchet was still thinking about remote access to the Ark’s systems, using a very much modified version of the Ghost 1 as a relay station. But whatever they did, the Nemesis, if she was still around, might be able to pick it up.
So Prime had decided to request assistance from their only possible source of help: the former pilot of the Nemesis.
Jazz had wanted to be there for the talk, but Optimus had asked him not to. In a way he understood. Like he understood Barricade leaving the base to be alone. He wanted to be with his partner now, too, but he would give him some room for now.
Walking back into the base he passed Ironhide, who was frowning at the disappearing dust cloud.
“Tough decision,” the weapons specialist rumbled.
“He has already made up his mind,” Jazz told him quietly.
Blue optics shot him a surprised look. “How do you know?”
Jazz smiled. “I know him. That behavior means he has made the decision, isn’t really all too happy about it, but realizes it’s necessary. You’ll have what you want, Ironhide. Maybe even by tomorrow.”
Ironhide regarded him closely. “It’s that spark bond, right?”
“If you mean it’s knowing him for a long time and recently getting as close as we were meant to be, then yes.”
The larger Autobot grunted, gazing at the outside once more. Then he turned and walked away. Jazz remained where he was, then made up his mind and transformed. He headed out, but not where Barricade had driven off to. He went toward Mission City. Sam’s exams were today and Bumblebee was waiting for his friend. Jazz decided that hanging out with those two after Sam was done would be more fun than staying at the base.
* * *
Barricade had chosen a rather unusual hiding place: the car park of the Mission City Police Department. Sitting in a corner, camouflaged as just another police vehicle, he had started the download while his sensors kept a minimum of attention on his surroundings. There was a coming and going of police cruisers and motorbikes, patrol officers on foot, even one surveillance vehicle, but it was no threat to him.
The former Decepticon went through all his data files on the Nemesis, chose those that fit Optimus Prime’s required information, and stored them on a separate data chip that could be easily removed.
Night fell, lights went on around him, and twice within an hour he was startled out of his work by sirens going off and police vehicles tearing out of the parking lot. Out of curiosity, and maybe habit because he had done it quite often before, Barricade listened in on the radio traffic. Both times it had been accidents involving drugged drivers, driving under the influence.
He completed his download of the selected files by early morning. Barricade looked at the compiled data, feeling strangely detached to that life. The Nemesis meant nothing to him anymore. All access codes and security files were nothing more but data. He was sure they were already changed when Starscream had flown the transport ship out of this solar system, but if Optimus felt he needed the old data, so be it. What wasn’t old were the blueprints and information on the weapon systems.
But he didn’t care.
Not any more.
The Saleen left the parking lot between shifts, sneaking out as invisibly as he had come in. His holographic driver was in place and he headed down the familiar streets, patrolling. Barricade had done it countless times before, knew both Mission City and Tranquility inside out. Since Sam Witwicky had started to attend college in Mission City, Barricade’s visit to the human’s hometown had grown less and less.
Rolling to a stop at a red light, he scanned the streets and found nothing amiss. One shop had closed down and was currently being refurbished. From the announcement painted on a piece of white board in the window, it would soon be a Health Shop, whatever that was. All the other merchants were still the same. Barricade took a right and drove slowly up the main street, then headed into the industrial sector. On a Sunday morning it was the quietest of places.
And it was where a silver Solstice was parked next to a closed factory entrance. Barricade slowed, then rolled to a stop.
“Checking up on me?” he asked coolly.
“Do I have to?” Jazz asked lightly.
Barricade grunted.
The other rolled noiselessly closer until his fender came to rest against Barricade’s. The former Decepticon let him, not pulling back, and the Autobot sent a little electrical energy through his skin, touching Barricade’s outer shell. He felt a soft hum.
They stayed like this for a long time, neither talking, and Barricade felt some tension flow out of his system.
“Am I expected?” he finally asked, his voice close to a growl.
“Not by me,” was the simple answer.
Barricade snorted. “I have information you Autobots want. I suspect someone will be breathing down my neck soon enough about it.”
“Ironhide’s back at the base.”
“Not much longer.”
“Cade… there’s no ultimatum, no pressure. Optimus said you agreed to help and he trusts you to deliver what you promised. In your own time. We’re still not ready to launch the first phase of the plan.”
Barricade knew that. The human vessel that would have to act as a relay station wouldn’t be finished within just a few days. Even though he was just a soldier, Barricade understood politics, and these were alien politics. Since their existence among Earth’s people was a secret, launching a ship into space would be just as secret. It needed a crew, it needed ground support, and while Sector Seven employees now manned different posts in the human government system, it would take a lot of preparation.
Barricade let low electrical currents race across his skin and he felt the answering shudder from the Solstice. The other spark pulsed softly, invitingly, but this wasn’t the place to be caught unawares, even for a second. He also had the information to deliver.
The Saleen started his engine, a soft rumble breaking the silence. Jazz followed, reluctantly pulling back. Barricade sent a wordless promise and Jazz followed him out of Mission City.
* * *
Ironhide looked at the data disk in his palm, then at the downloaded files on the screen. He knew he had a whole lot of work ahead of him. The amount of data was extensive, more than he had expected. Barricade had slapped the disk onto the desk, red optics flaring a challenge, then he had turned and left. Ironhide had exchanged a brief look with Optimus over the silent delivery, before going off to check the contents.
His opinion of Barricade kept changing, almost weekly. The former Con managed to surprise him again and again, had acted differently than Ironhide expected him to. His association with Sam alone had kept Ironhide on his toes. He had suspected all kinds of vile and foul things to happen, but according to Bumblebee, the Con was really helping their human ally. Sam himself insisted that the training was doing him a world of good in the way he handled technopathy. He actively sought the Con out.
The weapons specialist let the disc slide onto the desk and turned to the data. It was all in Decepticon code, but he would have no problem cracking it. It was actually fun to put his mind to something, not just got over already broken code. Barricade probably thought it to be amusing to leave it in the original encryption. Ironhide was almost thankful to have a challenge.
Not that he would tell the Con.
Ever.
* * *
They had had a work-out. It had been one on one, with Jazz giving it everything. Going up against Barricade was a full-blown challenge and avoiding those sharp claws was more than difficult. His partner wasn’t one of the prime class shock troopers for nothing. He hadn’t made it into Megatron’s inner circle for nothing. He was good and Jazz, while fast, didn’t have the ruthless fighting style Barricade called his own.
Their regular sparring sessions also drove home the point that he could have bought it on that alien world when the Decepticons had engaged the Autobots, with the human crew of the Ghost 1 trapped between them. They had never talked about the possibility that they could have been facing each other back then. Jazz had had his share of trouble with Barricade’s former comrades, while the shock trooper had tried to take out some of his partner’s friends.
The ‘What if’ had been on Jazz’s mind ever since the beginning of the war. What if he actually had to go up against his partner? What if Barricade was sent to kill someone and Jazz was in the way? There had never been an answer to that, never a real confrontation.
Jazz moved to the left and was just fast enough to evade another blow suddenly coming from the right. Still Barricade caught him, claws closing around one wrist and then Jazz found himself on the ground, looking up into brightly glowing, red optics.
Maybe he should be glad for not encountering the shock trooper in battle. The mech was ruthless, intense, deadly, and he didn’t give up. Add to that a much harder armor than Jazz’s and the specialist knew he would draw the shorter straw.
“Still can’t figure out how you can move like that,” he drawled, grinning.
Barricade drew back. “You get easily distracted.”
“Must be your incredible charm.” The red optics narrowed dangerously and Jazz laughed. “You might just want to teach me that move, hm?”
“And lose my advantage over you?”
“I think you got more than one move, Cade.”
Barricade chose not to answer and Jazz grinned even more. His optics glowed affectionately and he sat up, looking at his partner who was equally sitting on the ground.
“You think it’s a bad idea, right?” Jazz asked softly, all serious all of a sudden.
“Teaching you new tricks? Hardly. Your survival is in my interest,” was the even reply.
He chuckled. “Thank you. It’s appreciated. And I wasn’t talking about fighting techniques, though I wouldn’t say no. This is about getting the Ark to Earth. Looking for the Nemesis.”
“You know my opinion on that matter.”
Jazz did. They had discussed it.
“The technology on the Ark might just help defend this planet. Even if Starscream never comes back, what if some stragglers find this planet? What if someone intercepted the message Optimus sent to the others out there?”
“No one’s come so far.”
“Remember how long it took us to find this world? It might be another human lifetime until we have a new contact, but the planet should be ready. The last fight was bad enough. If not for Sam, we would have lost.”
Barricade was silent. He knew that only too well. “You know I will cooperate,” he finally said.
A gentle touch against his armor had him start a little. “I know,” Jazz said softly. “And Prime knows he has your allegiance and loyalty. I know I can depend on your word. I trust you, Cade. You know that.”
He did. Unconditionally.
“We might be the last ones of our kind. We might be lost in the vastness of the universe, on a planet no one else knows about. But we might also face a battle again one day. I, for my part, want to know that the people of this planet are protected. Leaving the Ark hidden out there… it’s a waste. Sector Seven experimented with the technology gleaned from Megatron. They didn’t even know what they were truly doing. But with our help and the Ark’s technology we can guide them.”
“We’d give them weapons to destroy us.”
“They already have them.”
Barricade’s optics narrowed. “The people of this planet are a destructive force. They will find better and faster and more efficient way to terminate us, a threat to them, with our technology.”
Jazz shook his head. “They aren’t that much different from us.”
“Which is why I think this is a bad idea.”
“You thought the spark bond was a bad idea as well,” Jazz teased.
Anger flared. “What are you talking about, Autobot?”
“Kidding,” was the easy reply.
Jazz’s hand kept running over the black armor. Barricade found it distracting and he didn’t object to the closeness.
“We live here now, Barricade. I think of this planet as a home. A new home. I love Cybertron, but… our home is dying. This is it. Here and now. And I think we need to protect this planet, with everything.”
The former Decepticon caught the distracting hand, keeping his silence. Finally he nodded once and rose. Jazz got to his feet and made a grab for Barricade’s arm again.
“Barricade… it’ll be fine. Nothing will happen within the next months or even year.”
“But when it happens it might be too late.”
“Which is why I live for the moment.” The cocky grin was back. “Like right now. This moment. I think we’re missing out on something not using it.”
Barricade shot him a slightly annoyed look.
“Cade?”
“You are a nuisance, Autobot,” was the growl, but Barricade didn’t resist the closeness again.
“I’m your nuisance.”
“Which is even worse.”
“Idiot.”
“Idealistic do-gooder.”
“Now that we’re clear on that…” Jazz teased, then turned serious. “You know that any input you have will be listened to.”
“I already said what I think of the idea.”
“You only said you suspect Starscream has left, taken the Nemesis along. If she’s still there, we could need your ideas again.”
Barricade didn’t say anything for a while, then nodded. He was their ally. He would help. The survival of the Autobots was his as well. Jazz let go of his arm, smiling invitingly, then transformed.
“Any plans for today? Or tomorrow?” he asked lightly.
“Patrol,” Barricade answered gruffly and transformed as well.
“Fun.”
“Exactly.”
The Solstice laughed. “Only you.”
It got him a flash of annoyance in form of blue and red lights winking on and off. Barricade started his engine and drove back toward Mission City. Jazz watched him, fondness rising inside him, then he headed for the Autobot base. Barricade wasn’t an officer of the law, any law, on any planet. He had no obligation to patrol the human town, but he did. It was something that chased away the boredom, that let him study the people of this planet, and Jazz was happy that he did it with such intensity and doggedness. It helped in learning about this culture, even if it was only one town, in one country. Jazz loved getting to know new cultures and he was soaking everything up, from soap operas on TV to news to action movies and romance mini-series.
Switching on his favorite music, he allowed himself to drive just above the speed limit.
* * *
Barricade didn’t know why he had ended up in front of the building complex where Sam Witwicky had his college apartment, but here he was. It was late, close to midnight. He detected faint energy signatures from Bumblebee, as not otherwise expected. The Autobot was parked close by. Barricade himself powered down and let his sensors sweep the area.
Nothing amiss. Everything was quiet.
Good.
Barricade took an interest in the human’s health and survival. He couldn’t logically explain it and he refused to think of Sam Witwicky as a friend. He was an ally. A useful weapon. So he checked up on him.
There was a brief burst coming over the com channels normally used by the Autobots. It was the human’s guardian. Bumblebee had discovered him, asking if something was wrong.
Barricade sent a negative, refusing to explain why he was here. The Autobot didn’t ask any further questions. The former Decepticon couldn’t explain his presence here, nor could he really explain his continued interest in the training of the technopath, so he argued it chased away the boredom. It did, of course, but it also brought him ever closer to the Autobots. Each connection reaffirmed the others, already present ones. It was a dangerous path he was walking, but he couldn’t stop himself from taking new steps.
The Mustang left the street in the early morning hours, resuming patrol.
Imperfection Deviation
SERIES: Imperfection
AUTHOR: Macx
RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: None of the characters belong to me, sadly. They are owned by people with a lot more money
Author’s Voice of Warning (aka Author’s Note):
English is not my first language; it’s German. This is the best I can do. Any mistakes you find in here, collect them and you might win a prize The spell-checker said everything's okay, but you know how trustworthy those thingies are....
FEEDBACK: Loved
He had expected the question sooner. Maybe not immediately after ‘joining’ the Autobots. His interpretation of that particular move was more like a loose affiliation that was necessitated because of current circumstances. These circumstances were still valid, but a lot had changed in the past two years. That his partner was an Autobot had nothing to do with his decision. The moment they had met they had already been leaning toward different factions. The war breaking out just briefly after their initial spark bond had only driven that fact home.
Jazz’s death at Megatron’s hands… it had been a trigger for Barricade to reevaluate his life, his purpose, and his continued survival on this planet. He could have hidden forever, to be eventually discovered. Or he could step out in the open and see what happened.
He had become part of the small Autobot force, though he would never call himself an Autobot, nor let them mark him as one. Barricade chose his alliances and right now he served Optimus Prime, had accepted him as a commanding officer, and the Autobot now held his loyalty. A particular kind of loyalty, one with a Decepticon slant to it.
So the question about the Nemesis, her last position and general condition shouldn’t have come that late. But it had and Barricade looked at the much taller Autobot leader, trying to see where this was going. Starscream had fled the planet right after the defeat in Mission City and Barricade knew he would have gone back to the Decepticon ship. There was nowhere else to go and nowhere else could he get tech support, energon and a place to recharge.
“Starscream most likely took her out,” he now said slowly.
“What was her last position?” Optimus asked again.
“Just behind the planet called Mars.”
“So Starscream could have easily reached her and left.”
Barricade frowned. Of course he could. And of course he would leave. There was nothing on this planet that interested the former lieutenant to Megatron any more. Their leader was dead - not that it was of much interest to Starscream. He preferred it that way. The Nemesis had been one of the last few transport vessels still intact enough to travel long distances when the small Decepticon unit had searched for a ship. Starscream had used the transporter as a war ship, though her weapons capabilities were limited. Barricade suspected Starscream would seek out surviving Decepticons, gather troops, and declare himself new leader of the Decepticons. After that, he had no idea what would happen.
Attack Earth and kill its inhabitants for Megatron’s death? Starscream wouldn’t seek revenge. Humanity had done him a favor.
The Allspark was destroyed. It served no purpose to linger on this organic world. Barricade knew of the shard in one of the storage rooms of the base, but it was a weak shadow of its former glory. It had given most of its remaining power to restore Jazz. Now it was useless. Starscream wouldn’t risk his life for it, even if he knew about the sad remains.
“It’s logical for him to leave this solar system, look for survivors,” Barricade finally said. “I doubt he would return here.”
Optimus didn’t look convinced. “Perhaps.”
They were alone in what Prime called his office, a separate area in the base, just like Ratchet’s med bay, and Barricade, while not feeling unwell in the presence of the powerful Autobot leader, had the urge to shift nervously from one foot to the other. Looking down Ironhide’s gun barrel was preferable to the steady gaze from the blue optics. Barricade held a hidden respect for the former Head of State, the Lord Protector’s co-ruler of Cybertron. There was power and command there, drawing others to follow Prime.
“Word of our existence is spreading,” Optimus finally said. “I’ve come to meet the heads of different states of different continents and different political factions in the past year. John Keller thought it was necessary. I agreed. We cannot ignore the possibility of Starscream returning or another Decepticon arriving on this world.”
Now Barricade shifted a little.
“The Nemesis is a powerful transport ship.”
“So is the Ark,” he argued, voice quiet. Part of the shock trooper was slowly coming up with the point of this conversation.
“Yes. Bringing her here would in fact aide this planet.”
Bingo! Barricade thought, then groaned internally at the word. Jazz was really rubbing off on him.
“Mr. Banachek gave everything Sector Seven had on their first space faring vessel, the Ghost 1, to Ratchet. It would be our way of returning to the Ark and bringing her here. To reveal her position would also draw attention if the Nemesis is still here.” Optimus’ intense optics were now burning into Barricade’s. “I’m asking for your help to look for your ship.”
Barricade grimaced. “The Nemesis is a ship, not mine. A tool. I piloted her because it was my job.”
“And you know where she is. You were also the chief science officer, if I’m not mistaken. Your rank allowed you total access to the guidance and flight controls. Help us find her.”
“You really believe Starscream would linger?” Barricade asked evenly.
“Yes.”
He snorted. “He’s not that much of a fool. He cuts his losses and leaves.”
Prime didn’t look convinced. “There’s only one way to make sure.”
The former Decepticon shrugged. “You won’t find him. I’ll give you the last known coordinates, but he’ll be gone.”
“I also request the access codes, Barricade. Everything you have of the Nemesis.”
Part of him roared in outrage. Prime had never asked anything of the like of him. Barricade had been wary at first, expecting the Autobots to question him for Decepticon secrets, but nothing of the like had happened. He had slid into their small unit, though not seamlessly, always at the fringe, and he had been tolerated without too many questions. Sometimes Barricade wondered what Optimus Prime already knew about him, what he hadn’t told others, because to tolerate a former Decepticon in his team meant he had knowledge of him in a way. The spark bond alone wouldn’t let anyone but Jazz trust him that deeply.
Another part just shrugged in indifference. He was no longer serving the old faction. Whatever Starscream would do in the future, Barricade would never accept him or anyone else as his commanding officer. He had served the Lord High Protector of Cybertron, even when Megatron had destroyed their homeworld. Now he served Optimus Prime. At least in a way. Starscream might still call his followers and himself Decepticons, but in Barricade’s mind that was solely reserved for Megatron. Those days were over.
“You want a download?” he asked emotionlessly.
The Autobot leader looked mildly surprised and Barricade sneered a little. Prime hadn’t expected such cooperation. He enjoyed unsettling the others from time to time. Right now was such a time.
“Ironhide will handle these matters. I know the two of you have your differences, but…”
“He’ll have what I know by tomorrow,” Barricade interrupted, then just turned and left. He hadn’t been dismissed, but he knew the conversation was over.
Outside in the main hangar, Barricade transformed and left the base. Downloading his knowledge and information would take time, necessitating a quiet place where he felt safe. Of course, he could have used the medical area, and have Ratchet do the download, but that was out of the question. He had only once entrusted himself into the medic’s care and that had been once occasion too many.
Barricade accelerated and tore across the uneven desert ground, the bumps and shocks rattling through his chassis. He didn’t care. It actually felt good.
* * *
Jazz had been privy to Optimus’ plan and he knew it was vital to a) know whether the Nemesis was still there or not and b) find access to the Ark. For b) to happen, a) had to be confirmed. Ratchet was still thinking about remote access to the Ark’s systems, using a very much modified version of the Ghost 1 as a relay station. But whatever they did, the Nemesis, if she was still around, might be able to pick it up.
So Prime had decided to request assistance from their only possible source of help: the former pilot of the Nemesis.
Jazz had wanted to be there for the talk, but Optimus had asked him not to. In a way he understood. Like he understood Barricade leaving the base to be alone. He wanted to be with his partner now, too, but he would give him some room for now.
Walking back into the base he passed Ironhide, who was frowning at the disappearing dust cloud.
“Tough decision,” the weapons specialist rumbled.
“He has already made up his mind,” Jazz told him quietly.
Blue optics shot him a surprised look. “How do you know?”
Jazz smiled. “I know him. That behavior means he has made the decision, isn’t really all too happy about it, but realizes it’s necessary. You’ll have what you want, Ironhide. Maybe even by tomorrow.”
Ironhide regarded him closely. “It’s that spark bond, right?”
“If you mean it’s knowing him for a long time and recently getting as close as we were meant to be, then yes.”
The larger Autobot grunted, gazing at the outside once more. Then he turned and walked away. Jazz remained where he was, then made up his mind and transformed. He headed out, but not where Barricade had driven off to. He went toward Mission City. Sam’s exams were today and Bumblebee was waiting for his friend. Jazz decided that hanging out with those two after Sam was done would be more fun than staying at the base.
* * *
Barricade had chosen a rather unusual hiding place: the car park of the Mission City Police Department. Sitting in a corner, camouflaged as just another police vehicle, he had started the download while his sensors kept a minimum of attention on his surroundings. There was a coming and going of police cruisers and motorbikes, patrol officers on foot, even one surveillance vehicle, but it was no threat to him.
The former Decepticon went through all his data files on the Nemesis, chose those that fit Optimus Prime’s required information, and stored them on a separate data chip that could be easily removed.
Night fell, lights went on around him, and twice within an hour he was startled out of his work by sirens going off and police vehicles tearing out of the parking lot. Out of curiosity, and maybe habit because he had done it quite often before, Barricade listened in on the radio traffic. Both times it had been accidents involving drugged drivers, driving under the influence.
He completed his download of the selected files by early morning. Barricade looked at the compiled data, feeling strangely detached to that life. The Nemesis meant nothing to him anymore. All access codes and security files were nothing more but data. He was sure they were already changed when Starscream had flown the transport ship out of this solar system, but if Optimus felt he needed the old data, so be it. What wasn’t old were the blueprints and information on the weapon systems.
But he didn’t care.
Not any more.
The Saleen left the parking lot between shifts, sneaking out as invisibly as he had come in. His holographic driver was in place and he headed down the familiar streets, patrolling. Barricade had done it countless times before, knew both Mission City and Tranquility inside out. Since Sam Witwicky had started to attend college in Mission City, Barricade’s visit to the human’s hometown had grown less and less.
Rolling to a stop at a red light, he scanned the streets and found nothing amiss. One shop had closed down and was currently being refurbished. From the announcement painted on a piece of white board in the window, it would soon be a Health Shop, whatever that was. All the other merchants were still the same. Barricade took a right and drove slowly up the main street, then headed into the industrial sector. On a Sunday morning it was the quietest of places.
And it was where a silver Solstice was parked next to a closed factory entrance. Barricade slowed, then rolled to a stop.
“Checking up on me?” he asked coolly.
“Do I have to?” Jazz asked lightly.
Barricade grunted.
The other rolled noiselessly closer until his fender came to rest against Barricade’s. The former Decepticon let him, not pulling back, and the Autobot sent a little electrical energy through his skin, touching Barricade’s outer shell. He felt a soft hum.
They stayed like this for a long time, neither talking, and Barricade felt some tension flow out of his system.
“Am I expected?” he finally asked, his voice close to a growl.
“Not by me,” was the simple answer.
Barricade snorted. “I have information you Autobots want. I suspect someone will be breathing down my neck soon enough about it.”
“Ironhide’s back at the base.”
“Not much longer.”
“Cade… there’s no ultimatum, no pressure. Optimus said you agreed to help and he trusts you to deliver what you promised. In your own time. We’re still not ready to launch the first phase of the plan.”
Barricade knew that. The human vessel that would have to act as a relay station wouldn’t be finished within just a few days. Even though he was just a soldier, Barricade understood politics, and these were alien politics. Since their existence among Earth’s people was a secret, launching a ship into space would be just as secret. It needed a crew, it needed ground support, and while Sector Seven employees now manned different posts in the human government system, it would take a lot of preparation.
Barricade let low electrical currents race across his skin and he felt the answering shudder from the Solstice. The other spark pulsed softly, invitingly, but this wasn’t the place to be caught unawares, even for a second. He also had the information to deliver.
The Saleen started his engine, a soft rumble breaking the silence. Jazz followed, reluctantly pulling back. Barricade sent a wordless promise and Jazz followed him out of Mission City.
* * *
Ironhide looked at the data disk in his palm, then at the downloaded files on the screen. He knew he had a whole lot of work ahead of him. The amount of data was extensive, more than he had expected. Barricade had slapped the disk onto the desk, red optics flaring a challenge, then he had turned and left. Ironhide had exchanged a brief look with Optimus over the silent delivery, before going off to check the contents.
His opinion of Barricade kept changing, almost weekly. The former Con managed to surprise him again and again, had acted differently than Ironhide expected him to. His association with Sam alone had kept Ironhide on his toes. He had suspected all kinds of vile and foul things to happen, but according to Bumblebee, the Con was really helping their human ally. Sam himself insisted that the training was doing him a world of good in the way he handled technopathy. He actively sought the Con out.
The weapons specialist let the disc slide onto the desk and turned to the data. It was all in Decepticon code, but he would have no problem cracking it. It was actually fun to put his mind to something, not just got over already broken code. Barricade probably thought it to be amusing to leave it in the original encryption. Ironhide was almost thankful to have a challenge.
Not that he would tell the Con.
Ever.
* * *
They had had a work-out. It had been one on one, with Jazz giving it everything. Going up against Barricade was a full-blown challenge and avoiding those sharp claws was more than difficult. His partner wasn’t one of the prime class shock troopers for nothing. He hadn’t made it into Megatron’s inner circle for nothing. He was good and Jazz, while fast, didn’t have the ruthless fighting style Barricade called his own.
Their regular sparring sessions also drove home the point that he could have bought it on that alien world when the Decepticons had engaged the Autobots, with the human crew of the Ghost 1 trapped between them. They had never talked about the possibility that they could have been facing each other back then. Jazz had had his share of trouble with Barricade’s former comrades, while the shock trooper had tried to take out some of his partner’s friends.
The ‘What if’ had been on Jazz’s mind ever since the beginning of the war. What if he actually had to go up against his partner? What if Barricade was sent to kill someone and Jazz was in the way? There had never been an answer to that, never a real confrontation.
Jazz moved to the left and was just fast enough to evade another blow suddenly coming from the right. Still Barricade caught him, claws closing around one wrist and then Jazz found himself on the ground, looking up into brightly glowing, red optics.
Maybe he should be glad for not encountering the shock trooper in battle. The mech was ruthless, intense, deadly, and he didn’t give up. Add to that a much harder armor than Jazz’s and the specialist knew he would draw the shorter straw.
“Still can’t figure out how you can move like that,” he drawled, grinning.
Barricade drew back. “You get easily distracted.”
“Must be your incredible charm.” The red optics narrowed dangerously and Jazz laughed. “You might just want to teach me that move, hm?”
“And lose my advantage over you?”
“I think you got more than one move, Cade.”
Barricade chose not to answer and Jazz grinned even more. His optics glowed affectionately and he sat up, looking at his partner who was equally sitting on the ground.
“You think it’s a bad idea, right?” Jazz asked softly, all serious all of a sudden.
“Teaching you new tricks? Hardly. Your survival is in my interest,” was the even reply.
He chuckled. “Thank you. It’s appreciated. And I wasn’t talking about fighting techniques, though I wouldn’t say no. This is about getting the Ark to Earth. Looking for the Nemesis.”
“You know my opinion on that matter.”
Jazz did. They had discussed it.
“The technology on the Ark might just help defend this planet. Even if Starscream never comes back, what if some stragglers find this planet? What if someone intercepted the message Optimus sent to the others out there?”
“No one’s come so far.”
“Remember how long it took us to find this world? It might be another human lifetime until we have a new contact, but the planet should be ready. The last fight was bad enough. If not for Sam, we would have lost.”
Barricade was silent. He knew that only too well. “You know I will cooperate,” he finally said.
A gentle touch against his armor had him start a little. “I know,” Jazz said softly. “And Prime knows he has your allegiance and loyalty. I know I can depend on your word. I trust you, Cade. You know that.”
He did. Unconditionally.
“We might be the last ones of our kind. We might be lost in the vastness of the universe, on a planet no one else knows about. But we might also face a battle again one day. I, for my part, want to know that the people of this planet are protected. Leaving the Ark hidden out there… it’s a waste. Sector Seven experimented with the technology gleaned from Megatron. They didn’t even know what they were truly doing. But with our help and the Ark’s technology we can guide them.”
“We’d give them weapons to destroy us.”
“They already have them.”
Barricade’s optics narrowed. “The people of this planet are a destructive force. They will find better and faster and more efficient way to terminate us, a threat to them, with our technology.”
Jazz shook his head. “They aren’t that much different from us.”
“Which is why I think this is a bad idea.”
“You thought the spark bond was a bad idea as well,” Jazz teased.
Anger flared. “What are you talking about, Autobot?”
“Kidding,” was the easy reply.
Jazz’s hand kept running over the black armor. Barricade found it distracting and he didn’t object to the closeness.
“We live here now, Barricade. I think of this planet as a home. A new home. I love Cybertron, but… our home is dying. This is it. Here and now. And I think we need to protect this planet, with everything.”
The former Decepticon caught the distracting hand, keeping his silence. Finally he nodded once and rose. Jazz got to his feet and made a grab for Barricade’s arm again.
“Barricade… it’ll be fine. Nothing will happen within the next months or even year.”
“But when it happens it might be too late.”
“Which is why I live for the moment.” The cocky grin was back. “Like right now. This moment. I think we’re missing out on something not using it.”
Barricade shot him a slightly annoyed look.
“Cade?”
“You are a nuisance, Autobot,” was the growl, but Barricade didn’t resist the closeness again.
“I’m your nuisance.”
“Which is even worse.”
“Idiot.”
“Idealistic do-gooder.”
“Now that we’re clear on that…” Jazz teased, then turned serious. “You know that any input you have will be listened to.”
“I already said what I think of the idea.”
“You only said you suspect Starscream has left, taken the Nemesis along. If she’s still there, we could need your ideas again.”
Barricade didn’t say anything for a while, then nodded. He was their ally. He would help. The survival of the Autobots was his as well. Jazz let go of his arm, smiling invitingly, then transformed.
“Any plans for today? Or tomorrow?” he asked lightly.
“Patrol,” Barricade answered gruffly and transformed as well.
“Fun.”
“Exactly.”
The Solstice laughed. “Only you.”
It got him a flash of annoyance in form of blue and red lights winking on and off. Barricade started his engine and drove back toward Mission City. Jazz watched him, fondness rising inside him, then he headed for the Autobot base. Barricade wasn’t an officer of the law, any law, on any planet. He had no obligation to patrol the human town, but he did. It was something that chased away the boredom, that let him study the people of this planet, and Jazz was happy that he did it with such intensity and doggedness. It helped in learning about this culture, even if it was only one town, in one country. Jazz loved getting to know new cultures and he was soaking everything up, from soap operas on TV to news to action movies and romance mini-series.
Switching on his favorite music, he allowed himself to drive just above the speed limit.
* * *
Barricade didn’t know why he had ended up in front of the building complex where Sam Witwicky had his college apartment, but here he was. It was late, close to midnight. He detected faint energy signatures from Bumblebee, as not otherwise expected. The Autobot was parked close by. Barricade himself powered down and let his sensors sweep the area.
Nothing amiss. Everything was quiet.
Good.
Barricade took an interest in the human’s health and survival. He couldn’t logically explain it and he refused to think of Sam Witwicky as a friend. He was an ally. A useful weapon. So he checked up on him.
There was a brief burst coming over the com channels normally used by the Autobots. It was the human’s guardian. Bumblebee had discovered him, asking if something was wrong.
Barricade sent a negative, refusing to explain why he was here. The Autobot didn’t ask any further questions. The former Decepticon couldn’t explain his presence here, nor could he really explain his continued interest in the training of the technopath, so he argued it chased away the boredom. It did, of course, but it also brought him ever closer to the Autobots. Each connection reaffirmed the others, already present ones. It was a dangerous path he was walking, but he couldn’t stop himself from taking new steps.
The Mustang left the street in the early morning hours, resuming patrol.