A hidden femme's secret - Part One

[usagi_atemu_tom]

Title: A hidden femme's secret
Subtitle: Reveal
Part: 1/3
Author: Usagi-Atemu-Tom
Verse: TF-Bayverse

Anniversary Challenges: Week four prompts
# A hidden femme's secret (Wild card prompt)
# A dream worth keeping

Rating: PG 17
Genre: romance, dark, angst
Warnings: death (no main character), discussions of rape, abuse, slavery and abortion
Pairings: Jazz/Prowl
Feedback: Please, yes, I love feedback! =^^=

Summary: A bonding ceremony is supposed to be a happy event. So why does one trusted Autobot go nuts at the sight of the joyful family unit, leaving everyone but a shy femme deactivated right in front of the Prime? As the saying goes: There is more to this than meets the eye.

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine I don't make money with it and write only for fun and to get better in writing English. ^_^

Helpful Pointers:
Vorn - 83 years
Stellar-cycle - 7.5 months
Orn - 13 days
Joor - 8 hours
Breem - 6 minutes
Astrosecond - 5/6ths of a second
Klick - 1 millisecond

Please note that I've only ever watched the two movies from 2007 and 2009. While I've 'met' a lot of Transformers from the comics and cartoons, that more often than not show up in fanfics I, of course, have not seen them in action and therefore might not be able to interpret their characters right. I am using mostly what I've learned through the movie (and maybe fanfics) and while catching some ideas here and there I am mainly using my very own ideas for things like energon, space bridges and so on.

And not to forget, much thanks to Taralynden for betareading.


Peace, Prowl reflected, felt great and surreal at the same time. The Autobot second in command was sitting behind his desk inside one of the many buildings that had been erected after the government allowed the Autobots and Decepticons a piece of land in one of the bigger and, for humans, harder to penetrate valleys somewhere within the USA.

The mecha who built their city together inside that valley designated their new home "Cybertron City" which, after a half hearted joke from Sideswipe, soon became "Tron City", much to the dismay of mecha like Prowl, Ratchet or Chromia, who did not have much love for nicknames - all three of them after all were victims with a nickname of their own.

Thinking about it now, the Autobot tactician could honestly say that ten years ago no one would have thought that the war could be over so soon. After all, Optimus had just died by Megaton's hand and was reanimated by a human teenager. Megatron himself had been brought back to functioning as well, therefore ending the short one year period of peace the Autobots on Earth had had.

When Prowl arrived on Earth half a year after the events in Egypt and learned not only about Jazz's brush with permanent deactivation - it took the saboteur five Earth years for his spark to strengthen enough to return for his job and the fact that through all the time Jazz and Ratchet had constant fights, because even weak and injured as he was, the saboteur refused with all he had about having to expose his spark to the medical officer, no matter how trustworthy Ratchet was - but the revival of Megatron and Optimus after each of them had died once, he feared, that another thousand vorns of fighting were going to come.

However, as various Decepticons later reported, soon after the death of the Fallen Megatron started to act strangely. They were only small things at the beginning, but through the next five years the leader of the Decepticons started to refuse to threaten and get non Cybertronians involved into their conflict, except those who were fighting side by side with the Autobots.

Then Megatron started to refuse to kill bots if he could help it, until in the end he contacted Optimus Prime in a desperate fit and demanded a cease fire and pleaded for Autobots and Decepticons to work together to find a way to save not only Cybertron but also avoid the extinguishing of their race.

Megatron's change of mind came as a surprise to both factions. Mistrust of course was great at the beginning of this working together. Neither Decepticons nor Autobots knew anymore how to handle the other side peacefully after this long time of energon spilling conflicts. Also, both groups had their reasons why they fought for their comrades, something they believed in with all their sparks.

A lot of Decepticons were on Megatron's side because they had suffered through or found out about the corruption the council executed right behind Optimus Prime's back. While Optimus and Megatron were the highest ranking beings on their planet, the council, it turned out, were the true rulers back then on Cybtertron and they did a lot of things not in the favour of the Cybertronian mecha. Megatron had discovered this and in his shock and hurt made contact with the Fallen, whose influence soon led into that all-consuming, painful war.

It took three more years after the cease fire before Megatron was willing to allow Ratchet, who had the reputation of being the best medic Cybertron ever had, to check him thoroughly. And then only because more than enough mecha - cons and bots alike - had insisted the former Lord High Protector to go through with this because he was acting strangely.

In that check up Ratchet found out the sad and shocking truth: Megatron had not simply been manipulated by the Fallen, but slowly reprogrammed. The old Decepticon used some sort of signal he had to refresh regularly to keep the Leader of the Decepticons in check. Even during his time frozen in the ice, Megatron's processor worked and was automatically sent those orders and ideas that he took purchase the klick he was free.

Even being deactivated and activated again did not get rid of the program. Only after the Fallen, the controller of the program died, did those programs slowly lose their grip on the former Lord High Protector, causing him to act strange and emotional.

The Decepticons took the news with mixed feelings, a lot of them fearing that with the original leaders united once again, the injustice from before might resume. However, Optimus and Megatron agreed that for now it was better to not allow a council to rule beside them. The two leaders of course needed mecha they trusted to do their bidding and help them with the ruling, but all in all they swore to make sure that something like what happened during the Golden Age behind their backs would never happen again.

Things started to look up again when, by a lucky accident alone, a rich energon well was found on Earth. That well did not only assure the survival of the current mecha living on Earth, it also turned out that the two small All Spark splinters, the only two left - one in Decepticon hands, the other kept by Optimus together with the Matrix of Leadership - gained strength from that well. First they grew together into a single shard, then that shard started to grow until soon Megatron and Optimus held a small cube between their servos.

It was decided then, that Earth would become the home of the Prime and reconfirmed Lord High Protector, at least until Cybertron was fully rebuilt again. Bad influence was less likely to reach the two rulers there and it also ensured that every mech who wished to bond or seek for the power of the All Spark, had to leave the safety of Cybertron and journey to the small, blue planet, where they had to suffer through a trial of research about their persona first, before any request would be granted and fulfilled.

As a tactician during war, it was logical that Prowl had become a planner and ambassador for those applicants for a sparkling from the All Spark and events of bonding ceremonies on Earth. Planning celebrations and being able to study the visiting mecha to get an impression of their characters always helped their Prime and the Lord High Protector with their decisions.

And for background information, especially when it came to the creation of a sparkling, he had the team of former special ops agents at his service. Jazz and his mecha did all they could to unearth secrets of mecha who tried to use the war to lose unpleasant history and more often than not, the agents were successful. It also helped that they now had Decepticon allies like Soundwave at their assistance who had collected a lot of information during those long vorns of war. It was after all the con communication specialist who had helped in the Cybertronian's plea to the Earth government to stay and be given some land to built their city. After all, Soundwave found a lot of dirt about the human politicians that was in their best interest to be hidden away.

Reflecting on all those secrets they had already discovered, Prowl thought about one of the few secrets he himself had still to resolve. It was a very personal matter because the secret included the one mech that meant the world to the tactician. It was about Jazz.

The Autobot second and third in command had become friends when they met during war. That was when both of them were still nothing but common soldiers. The war continued and their abilities helped them to climb the ladder of command until they ended up where they were most effective.

Prowl became chief tactician and Jazz ended up in special ops, in the end taking the title of head in command when his predecessor died during a surprise attack of the Decepticons. During all of this, they stayed close friends and the mostly shared everything about the other, be it happiness or pain. It was not until the end of the war that Prowl realised as close as they were, something was not right.

Maybe it should have occurred to him sooner, but during the war the Autobot second in command had not seen any illogical reasons in Jazz actions. It was about the way the saboteur acted when they became lovers. Back then Jazz came up with the interfacing sessions mostly because he realised it was a way in which Prowl could release his pent up emotions, something he badly needed to do but would not trust nor expect any Autobot to help him out with.

Jazz kept the interfacing on the surface. Only cables for data transfer, fields and tactile actions, which back then Prowl assumed was normal for a mech who was from special ops. The saboteur had to keep important secrets after all and a shallow data transfer was not deep enough to even crack the first firewall of a special ops agent.

When the Prowl arrived on Earth seven and a half years ago and learned about Jazz's near death, the relationship between them changed from friends with benefits, as human called it, to something more serious. The tactician had realised he was in love with the saboteur and even though it was dangerous, illogical and out-right stupid, the saboteur accepted and loved him back with open arms.

When the war ended Prowl thought they could finally settle down and put their relationship to the next level. However, the night he suggested to join their sparks for the first time, the saboteur became strangely clammed up and sad, telling him in a regretful voice that joining sparks was impossible for him.

The tone the special ops agent used indicated that he did not wish to answer any questions. Therefore Prowl never asked. And he also never requested to join their sparks again. Instead, to try and get Jazz out of the depression that followed that fateful night, he did his best to cheer his lover up and he gave his all more than ever during interfacing in hope that Jazz would enjoy a surface act of intimacy just as much as other bots enjoyed a deep sparkshare.

It helped, and soon things seemed to settle down, Jazz having forgotten all about that night. Though Prowl secretly wondered about his lover and he of course knew that the saboteur had not forgotten. Quite the opposite. He sometimes found Jazz watching him with an open expression of wonder and admiration that he could not deny made him think about this all even more.

Jazz, Prowl knew, still kept a secret and he wondered if the saboteur would ever trust him enough to share the burden with him. Right now though, that had to wait since the special ops agent was out on a mission to collect information about a family unit that requested the birth of a sparkling. He was expected to return within the current orn and til then the tactician had to wait and see if anything changed his lover's processor.

"Prowl?"

He was interrupted by the polite entry of Thundercracker and Lieutenant General Will Lennox sitting on the Decepticon's shoulderplate. The tactician, now chief ambassador-planner, as the Cybertronian designated the new position, nodded his head in greeting for both.

"Ambassador Thundercracker, Lieutanant General! What can I help you with?"

"Will you ever learn to call me just Will?" was the first thing the exasperated human burst from his place on the Con's shoulderplate before he realised what he just said and looked at the Autobot sheepishly while the seeker did his best to reign in his chuckles.

Venting air through his intakes, Prowl hid his own amusement behind his usual mask.

"I am sorry, Lieutanant General but since we are both on duty it is unbecoming of such high ranking officers like us to not remember protocols."

"Doesn't seem to hinder Jazz to call you 'Prowler' though", Thundercracker couldn't resist to remind, which earned him a slight glare from the Autobot and a snicker from the man he carried around right now.

"And I always reprimand Jazz for his slip of tongue as well", Prowl pointed out seriously before getting back to business. "So, to what do I owe your visit?"

"Ah yes", Will become serious as well, though with an easy smile on his face. "The family unit that asked for a bonding ceremony just arrived", he reported to the Autobot. "Thundercracker and I showed them their temporary quarters and they would now like to go through the questioning for the bonding."

"I understand", Prowl nodded his thanks to the two messengers. "Thank you for your report. Please return to your post with the family unit. I'll be with you in a moment."

Leaving a short comm. message for their Prime, Prowl secured his office and followed the Seeker and human out to the place there they usually met new arrivals.

Six joors later, Jazz finally returned from his mission on Cybertron to find a thoughtful Prowl awaiting him in the living room of their shared quarters. The Autobot second in command was so lost in his thoughts, that he did not even notice the saboteur sneaking into the room where ended up leaning against a doorframe to watch his lover on the couch.

"Ya look like there's somethin' quite seriously nagging on yer processor."

Jazz's sudden, amused voice startled the other badly, though the instant his optics registered the sleek and slightly smaller built mech, their blue glow lit up brighter than ever, while his doorwings quivered in excitement of his lover's final return.

"Jazz! You are back!"

"That Ah am", the saboteur confirmed and quickly crossed the distance in the room until he found himself straddling the tacticians lap to his spark's content. Energy fields brushed intimately against each other equivalent to a human's kiss and soon joined into one while the two mechs busied themselves with touching and basking in their heat of arousal, exchanging feelings of love, tenderness and cherishment until finally both found their exquisite completion in a heavy overload.

Recovering from the strenuous activity, both Autobots laid on the couch in each other's arms, silent but content. It was not until their fields had retreated fully from their joined state back to each mech, that Jazz finally raised his voice.

"So, Prowler, what happened while Ah was gone? Anythin' special or worryin'?"

Prowl snorted and looked up at the other mech still straddling him with amusement in his optics.

"Jazz, as if you do not already know everything that happened, maybe even in more detail than I. We both know how much you love to hack into Red Alert's reports just to aggravate the poor mech."

"True", the third in command admitted with a smirk, "but Ah'll have ya know that Ah only do it t' tune ma skills as special ops. Ya never know when ya might need them, so it's better t' stay 'n shape an' what better way than t' outwit our paranoid head of security. We both profit from this trainin' an' Red can stay just as content as Ah."

"Only if for once you would not succeed in hacking his files, Jazz", Prowl pointed out dryly. "Red Alert certainly does not feel happy or content when someone, even if it's a bot from our own faction, succeeds in hacking his files."

"Guess ya're right", Jazz conceded airily before he became serious again. "But honestly, Prowler, ya looked kind of worried there, so what happened that th' other mecha don't know about?"

Acknowledging that his lover and best friend knew him too well, the Autobot second in command gave in. Besides his thoughts were about a topic he had planned to discuss with Jazz anyway. It was their business after all.

"Six joors before your return a family unit arrived to request a bonding between their femme creation and a mech from Tarn. It is one femme among mechs and as you well know when it comes to femmes we are especially careful with the investigation due to the value of femmes who can produce a sparkling themselves just as the All Spark does."

Jazz mood seemed to darken at those words, but he nodded his head in understanding.

"Yeah, femmes haven't been created often an' their ability t' produce sparklin's has been heavily abused in th' past."

"Exactly", Prowl agreed. "So far our investigation turned out all right, nothing seems to be wrong with that unit, nothing at all. I had Mirage dig up dirt for this, but besides some past tickets for speeding and the usual deeds a lot of Neutrals got involved with during war, he came up with nothing."

Jazz was silent for a moment, studying the mech lying under him with an expressing belaying their positions.

"Even though Mirage 's one of mah best an' ya trust him, somethin's botherin' ya", the head of special ops finally concluded. Prowl nodded his head, faceplates calm and controlled, betraying nothing of his worry and confusion.

"When I met the family unit and the sparkmate to be, they all seemed pleasant and talk active. Only the femme, she barely interacted with us, seldom talked and to be honest the enforcer in me says that she seems to be intimidated more than anything else."

"Did ya try t' get her alone an' ask her about it?"

"Of course I did", Prowl acknowledged. "But she barely got anything out and in the end just confirmed what her creators already stated - that she is very shy around strangers. And especially this foreign planet, the humans and the Decepticons seem to frighten her quite a bit."

"Mmmmh", Jazz mused, "past experiences, especially bad ones coulda made her that way of course. But ya don't believe that either."

"No, I don't and I have no Primus forsaken reason to not believe what that family unit says", Prowl confessed with finally a touch of frustration in his voice. "There is nothing really wrong here, nothing illegal going on, no real hint to make me doubt but I do, I honestly doubt their story and I don't believe that the femme is telling the truth either. I just don't know why?"

The saboteur regarded Prowl thoughtful again. He went through what his lover told him, as well as what he knew from the reports he took from Red Alert. He mostly trusted Prowl, trusted his instincts and if his actions even went behind logic, it was a matter to take very seriously, more so than anything else Prowl said or did.

"All right, so we need t' find out what's going on behind our backs", Jazz finally concluded. "So here's th' plan. Ah read that tomorrow is th' final interview wit' Optimus. As second an' third in command we should be there. Like this Ah can first of all take a personal look at th' suspects an' maybe durin' th' usual trouble that certainly arrives while preparin' for a bondin' ceremony, Ah might be able t' hack into one of th' mecha wit'out anyone noticin'."

Prowl did not look too happy, especially about the last part of the plan.

"We are no longer at war, Jazz", the tactician pointed out. "We cannot just simply take a mech or femme and hack into them to our spark's content."

"An' normally Ah wouldn't suggest it", the saboteur replied, his whole demeanour very serious. "But ya reached a point where ya're actin' wit'out logic. An' tell meh, Prowler, how many times did that happen in th' past? No, this is a femme's fate we are talkin' about an' this is important. Ah'm good at mah job, th' best an' ya know that. They won't find out about it, Prowler, Ah make sure of that. Trust meh."

Prowl watched his Jazz silently from where he laid on the sofa, studying the other's faceplates. Understanding the silent order, the saboteur even went as far as to remove his visor, to allow the tactician to look into his optics unhindered. He knew that Prowl was aware of the fact that this was a gesture Jazz had done for no one else so far.

After studying the third in command for a bit longer, the tactician finally, hesitantly nodded, allowing him to put the visor back on.

"All right, Jazz", the ambassador-planner gave in. "We'll do as you suggested, but the hacking will be a method of last resort. If Optimus consents to the bonding, which he has no reason not to, we still have one orn left to research and find anything without taking drastic measures. I expect you to use the time and your skills to your full advantage!"

"Yes sir", the special ops agent saluted in a mixture between being serious and playful. "Trust meh, a won't disappoint ya. If there's something fishy goin' on wit' th' femme, we find out about it."

Prowl nodded, finally content and slightly more at ease again. He knew Jazz's skills, knew he was the best of the best. If the saboteur did not find anything, then there was nothing wrong, nothing at all.

The next day Jazz and Prowl made their entry to the Sacred Hall, as they called the cathedral like place where Autobots placed the energon resources and the slowly growing All Spark - the latter in full sight of all, right in the middle of the hall - as the first mecha to arrive. Jazz wanted to have a look around and find a place where he could best hide and watch the talk between Optimus and the family unit before he planned to introduce himself.

When Optimus, Ironhide, Ratchet as well as Will Lennox and Robert Epps arrived, Jazz had long since vanished out of sight, with no one but the ambassador-planner knowing he was even there.

It did not take much longer for Thundercracker, Skywarp and Bumblebee to arrive with the family unit, the last two chattering amicably with the two bigger mechs, one a bulky, slightly intimidating looking grounder in grey and dark blue colours, the other a sleek Seeker of a soft magenta and yellow colouring. There were three more mechs, two more bulky looking, the colouring of red and green as well as their frame indicating of a sibling bond. The last one was slightly smaller, thought crafty. He seemed to be a flyer, though not the typical seeker model and his colouring war a soft blue and green. He was walking with the femme, holding one of her servos into his own. It was obvious from his actions, the whispered talking and the soft smiles, that he was the intended to be.

Throwing a discreet glance into the direction where he knew Jazz was hiding, Prowl was surprised to see the saboteur in a stance he barely witnessed him with during the war. The third in command stood rigid in his place, visor glowing brightly, and one of his claws was balled into a tight fist. Jazz was obviously upset and he grew so more and more in addition to each of the mechs he studied.

Something was wrong. Seriously wrong because Jazz - controlled, well taught Jazz - NEVER lost control of his emotions, not since the beginning of the war when once or twice even the special ops agent showed his anguish and anger at the especially gruesome actions of the Decepticons. Back then Prowl thought that his friend just reacted so badly because right at the start of the war Jazz had been a Decepticon himself, until he realised that what the Cons did were not what he was fighting for and therefore switched the sides, gaining valuable information from the enemy. It was one of the many reasons that made Jazz climb the ranks from soldier to saboteur so quickly.

Concentrating back onto the current situation Prowl paid his attention back to the unit greeting him and the Prime now. Jazz had not finished his study of the mecha yet, the Autobot second in command knew, because he noticed that his lover still scrutinised each mech very thoroughly. Optimus had already asked the first question and it was not until the leader of all Cybertron addressed the femme directly, asking her to step forward which she hesitantly did, that a sharp intake through vents could be heard by those, who knew how to listen.

And suddenly there was Jazz storming from his hiding-place, a big smile plastered on his faceplates that the tactician knew was absolutely fake, hands outstretched in welcome. His comm-line announced an incoming message and without thinking Prowl opened the comm. to receive the call.

~Keep the femme with Optimus!~ was all Jazz ordered him sharply before he disconnected again, leaving Prowl to stand closer to the femme, unnoticed blocking her from the rest of the family unit. The sensors in his doorwings told him that the femme at least seemed to suspect something because she tensed up, but the rest of the mechs had their optics on the newcomer, who looked at them oh so happily.

"Scapeground, what a surprise t' meet ya here of all places!" Jazz exclaimed to the surprised mech who had introduced himself as 'Failsafe' and seemed to be the head of the unit.

Watching the mechs closely, Prowl could find surprise on all of the mechs faceplates for an astrosecond, especially when the saboteur continued.

"Frontline, Fretscream, Sandstorm an' Ah see ya introduced a new member t' th' unit since Ah've last saw ya, how nice."

"Excuse me, mech", Failsafe coolly interrupted the special ops agent, by now having caught himself. "But Ah think you're confusing us wit' someone else. My designation's Failsafe, not this Scapeground you were talking 'bout. And my comrades are Scruntstorm, Fetchground and Stormcloud. Ah really haven't the slightest idea how you could confuse us with not only one but four mechs at once."

The light at Jazz's visor tightened to a small line, a clear sign that he was angry and did not believe a word being said.

"Frag that! Ah certainly don't believe in confusing four mechs at once. Besides do ya want t' deny that th' lovely femme over there's designated Softglow?"

A sharp intake of air through vents courtesy of the mentioned femme, who now gazed between Optimus Prime and Prowl at the seemingly newly arrived saboteur, her face showing a mixture of shock and fear.

"Yes, her designation's Softglow, as you might well know since you're part of this base's personnel it seems", Failsafe objected, optics tightened threateningly. "An' now Ah want to know your designation and rank, so Ah can fill out an official complaint about you."

"Designation's Jazz", the saboteur introduced himself before he suddenly grinned in the cruelest way the Autobots had ever seen him look at anyone. "An' Ah'm here t' relay a warm message from Sparksong. Ah've been waitin' for this moment. Finally Ah can fulfil mah dream!"

This time the shock and fear four out of the five mechs showed was undoubted on their faceplates. For the mech who claimed to be Failsafe, the look never even left him ever again. Because before anyone even realised what was going on, Jazz acted. A loud crack filled the air and Prowl watched wide opticed as the body of Failsafe sunk to the ground, his neckplates broken. The bodies of Scruntstorm and Fetchground followed both sparkcases pierced by an energon blade.

Stormcloud was the only one who was able to at least react. Fearfully he tried to run, but Jazz was faster. He pushed the bigger built mech to the ground, his pleas of mercy as well as the screams of agony totally ignored by the saboteur who had gone berserk. By now, Optimus, Ironhide, Thundercracker and Ratchet finally came out of their shock and reacted. But even as a unit of four they were not able to prevent the special ops agent killing the fourth mech. It was not until Megatron, called and brought by Skywarp, arrived at the scene, where Jazz was just about to finish the terrified and already badly injured fifth mech, that the mechs finally gained the upper hand over the berserk saboteur.

Held in the strong grip of the Prime and Lord High Protector, Ratchet was able to inject something into the growling mech, who immediately slumped into the waiting arms of his holders, out cold. The saboteur taken care of, the medical officer immediately paid attention to the whimpering and barely online mech on the ground. Silence filled the hall, interrupted only by the quiet groans of the injured mech. And then, the femme, who had been watching the whole murder right from behind Prowl's back, started to scream.

It proved to be the last straw for Prowl. Shocked to the core by Jazz's actions as well as the sensors of his doorwings reacting badly to the noise of the femme's scream, the tactician's world filled with black and he knew no more.

When Jazz came to - far earlier than he was supposed to, but he always had his little backups against sedatives like Ratchet's - he immediately recognised his resting place not as the medbay but the brig. He lay in a solitary cell, with no one here but him.

On second thought however, when the saboteur allowed his sensors to scan the place again, he realised that he was watched. Sighing he sat up, showing his observer that he was online again.

"Ya know, Prowler, Ah'm rather surprised t' find ya here of all places", the third in command called out to his hidden visitor, a small, fond smile playing around his lipplates.

As predicted, the Autobot second in command stepped out of the shadows and into the dim light of the brigs, right in front of Jazz's cell.

"Hello Jazz", Prowl greeted him calmly, only his slightly flickering doorwings hinting at him being upset.

"Prowler", Jazz sighed and sat down on the berth he just laid on, his tired gaze never leaving the tactician. "Ah'm sorry that this turned out rather different from what Ah'd planned. Ah just didn't expect THIS. By the way, what happened to the femme? If ya allowed t' tell meh."

"Ratchet had to sedate her. As far as I know she is still in the medbay. Ratchet plans to bring her back online soon, to see how she fares and if she might be able to answer some questions."

"Ah", the saboteur acknowledge before silence descended onto the cellblock. Jazz, his optics offline but feeling the studying gaze of the tactician nonetheless, was content to wait for the other to decide what came next. Finally Prowl decided to address him.

"Will you tell me what is going on, Jazz?" he asked quietly, softly. The special ops bot's optics snapped back online and his face moved to study the tactician in return. Coming to a decision, the saboteur groaned and his whole body slumped to the berth.

"Since ya're of course not able t' trust meh, Ah'm offerin' ya a deal", Jazz told the tactician. Prowl interrupted him confused.

"Why should I not trust you, Jazz?"

Wordlessly the saboteur glanced at the second in command before pointedly looking around the brig.

"The decision to put you into the brig was made for everyone's protection, including your own", Prowl explained, after he realised the problem. "It was Optimus Prime's idea and I was against it."

"Ya were?" Jazz asked in disbelief. "After what Ah just did? That's illogical, Prowl!"

That Jazz refused to use the beloved nickname for Prowl when it was only the two of them proved just how serious even Jazz considered the current situation and maybe everything that surrounded the reason for the saboteur ending up there. The tactician was not known for taking anything less than fully seriously, but with this new development, Prowl himself straightened and became extra attentive.

"Jazz, we fought for millennia in a war together. I trusted you, turned my back to you and knew you would look out for me", the Autobot second in command told the special ops agent with a sudden burst of unusual passion. "We have been comrades for the longest time, shared happiness and sorrow. We became best friends and I hope I am not concluding wrong when I dare to say that we have been in a stable and presumably permanent relationship for some time as well. All of this is based on trust. If I do not trust you, how could we have what we have? You do not act without reasons, and however spontaneous and crazy your sudden choice to run amok seemed to be, I refuse to believe that you did this just for some sadistic fun of it. Therefore I see no reason to not trust you and lock you away in the brig."

"Prowler!" Jazz, standing up, murmured softly, his voice indicating that he was touched and taken aback. "Ya humble meh wit' yer opinion about us. An' ya're right, all of it."

For a moment silence descended over the two bots in the brig. The only thing happening was Jazz shuffling closer so he could reach out one of his claws and stroker over the tacticians faceplates with one of the softest touches he could muster.

"What did Ah do t' deserve ya, mech?" he finally murmured, mesmerised. "Ya give meh all of ya, trust meh and accept meh unconditionally. Yet Ah've never been able t' share mah greatest secret of all, not even wit' ya. An' all just because Ah cannot bring mahself t' trust a mech, no matter what. It's been so long... "

He trailed of and Prowl did not say anything. He simply watched his friend and lover, allowed him to touch his body to his spark's content to seek assurance, comfort and strength. Prowl did nothing but to silently support Jazz, accept him as he had so many times before. And finally, Jazz made his decision.

"It's been long enough. If Ah cannot trust ya, who can Ah trust? Ah will tell ya what ya want t' know, Prowl. An' so much more. But mah condition remains."

"And what will that be, Jazz?" Prowl ask softly, finally moving and touching the saboteur's servos with his own, stroking them just as tenderly as the third in command had touched his body.

"Ah want t' be there when Ratch' wakes th' femme. When she's online Ah'll tell ya everythin' ya want t' know. But she must be there, because she has a right t' be involved."

While determined to consider the condition, Prowl looked unsure.

"I cannot guarantee you that Ratchet will allow this."

Jazz nodded in understanding.

"Ah guessed as much", he agreed. "Therefore tell him th' followin': if th' femme shows th' slightest bit of bein' upset an' panics for meh bein' there he can pull meh away any time an' slag meh t' his spark's content. But he has t' give meh a chance t' prove that things aren't as they seem an' ya might be surprised t' find out that th' femme'll need meh t' calm down more than meh bein' absent."

Obviously not sure how Jazz could be right with that conclusion, but willing to trust the third in command, Prowl nodded his agreement.

"I will inform Ratchet."

Satisfied Jazz backed off and sat back on the berth of his brig cell, waiting for the second in command to finish his fight with the moody CMO.

Jazz and Prowl arrived at the medbay where they were welcomed by a snarling, angry CMO, who immediately pounced on the surprised tactician.

"You did not even restrain him, are you out of your slagging processor?" Ratchet balked before slamming the doors to his sanctuary should, locking them.

"Don't blame Prowl", Jazz immediately defended his partner, nerves uncharacteristically strained and obvious to see. "He knows better than any of ya how quick Ah would be out of th' restrains so why bother?"

"And you!" Ratchet put his attention on the saboteur, ignoring what he said. "What the slag did you think you were doing? Did the small parts of logic circuits you used to have finally crash as well? Did you even consider what your actions, without any explanations I might add, could do to the mecha around you? Did you even think of the humans who could have gotten injured?"

"If Ah explained things first", Jazz responded darkly, his servo gripping onto the tactician's tightly, "the mechs mighta had a chance t' flee, even warn th' rest of their unit, not t' mention endangerin' th' femme."

Ratchet started for a moment at the saboteur in open disbelief, but before he could formulate a response, he was interrupted again.

"Did Prowl tell ya about his suspicion concerning the unit Ah killed?" Jazz wanted to know, unfazed by the CMO's mood.

"Of course he did", the medic responded voice dripping with sarcasm. "The first thing he did, when he woke up from his crash", Jazz glanced at Prowl sharply, the tactician after all having neglected to mention that little detail, "was to plead for your case.

"Yes, he told Optimus, Megatron and me about his uneasiness and the plan you came up with. And while I am not against the idea you originally had, I say that what you did yesterday was the furthest away from that plan that I have ever witnessed. The poor thing", here he stroke softly over the still offlined femmes head they had ended up in front of, "was hysterical about what you forced her to witness. She cried and shouted so much, I had no other choice but to sedate her and even that was an act for itself because she suddenly panicked and fought against three of us tooth and claw. I am still not sure why I should not simply take you and reformat you sorry excuse of a mech into a miniature Beetle without any chance for transformation."

"Because ya want answers!" the saboteur replied rather cheerfully, though his faceplate wore more of a grimace than anything else.

"Damned straight I want them!" the medic replied, but with far less force than before. That Jazz, even though still acting a bit uncharacteristic, seemed to have calmed down and did not look like he wanted to run berserk again so soon, helped a lot.

"An' ya'll get'em but first Ah want t' know what happened t' th' one mech Ah didn't succeed in killin'."

Growling but complying at Prowl's expectant nod, Ratchet pointed at the berth furthest away and shielded from prying optics by a curtain.

"He's out and if you so much as THINK about terminating him inside my med bay I suggest you think again."

The saboteur was barely able to keep the snarl off his faceplates, but he succeeded in pulling himself back under control. He turned to Prowl, however, and threw him a rather hard stare.

"Listen, Prowler, Ah know ya're all confused what's going on but ya told meh ya trust meh. Ah'm askin' ya now t' get over there an' chain that piece of slag t' his berth. Ah won't touch him, Ah promise, but Ah want him secured in case he wakes up undetected. Ya will find out th' reasons when Ah'm answerin' your questions."

The tactician looked back at the saboteur for a long time. Finally he nodded and pulled out the stasis cuffs he always kept on him just out of habit.

"Ratchet, will you allow it?" the second in command asked which gained him a huff as answer.

"As if my word would stop you when you are like this", the CMO growled. "But I am inclined to give Jazz the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. And stasis cuffs certainly will not hurt him, so go on if that keeps Jazz calm."

Nodding his thanks, Prowl went over to the hidden mech and fastened the stasis cuffs around the offline mech's servo and connected him to a leg of the berth he was laying on. Done he returned right back to his lover's side and looked at the saboteur questioningly.

"All right ya've t' wake up Softglow first", Jazz said, facing Ratchet. "As Prowl mentioned, Ah promise t' keep mah distance an' ya free t' gimme a new exhaust pipe if she ever so much as looks at mah way funny. However, Ah've a request as well. Ah want ya all t' stay just as far from her as Ah'm because AH predict ya she'll panic more about yer presence than about mine."

Throwing the saboteur a sharp look, Ratchet went over to the berth to insert the substance that would help to get the femme online. Curiosity getting the better of him, the medic then fell back and stood right besides Jazz.

"It will take a moment for her to gain senses", he growled at the two mechs. "So: willing to share some facts with us already?"

"As a matter of facts, yes", Jazz relented. "Ah want t' explain t' ya why she'll be afraid of ya mechs."

"I'm listening", Ratchet nodded, glaring at the smaller built mech.

"Ah'm sure Prowl at least knows about this, but ever heard of the 'Breeders'?"

Prowl's faceplates immediately darkened, but also Ratchet's became a mask of fury.

"Oh I remember some femmes we received as patients after enforcers raided such an organisation", the medic growled dangerously. "They abducted femmes, preferably sparklings who wouldn't remember their past life and creators very well, then used them nearly as bad as those pleasure bots as soon as they were old enough and tried to get them sparked. The sparklings would be sold on the black market, at least the mechs were. The femmes they usually kept as extra breeders."

By the time the CMO ended his tirade, all three mechs were looking at each other darkly, especially when Prowl with barely concealed anger added.

"The femmes we were able to save were usually strongly traumatised. They had to be taken care of by our femme enforcers, because mechs made them... " he trailed of, his optics glowing brightly when realisation clicked in. "Jazz no, you don't mean..."

"Yes, Softglow's a prisoner of Breeders", Jazz ground out. "An' those mechs Ah killed? Breeders, all of them but the one who she was supposed to be bonded to. Everyone else Ah knew personally. They even worked for th' council back then, corrupted as those high and mighty were, fraggers."

Prowl and Ratchet both wanted to say something but at that moment, the femme on the berth gave a small groan, indicating her immediate onlining. While medic and tactician watched with abated air, Jazz leaned forward slightly and as soon as he saw her optics glow in that soft green she possessed, he opened his mouth.

"Hi 'Glow" he addressed the femme quietly, voice soft and tender but also strangely enough a bit higher than usual. The reaction was immediate. She bolted upright and stared at Jazz, her gaze all but ignoring the other two mechs present.

"Sparksong?" she whispered back, fear and hope in her voice.

"Ah'm here, sweetspark", Jazz soothed and slowly came closer to the femme sitting on the bed. "How are ya feelin'? Heard ya had a nasty breakdown, needed t' recharge a bit t' gain yer strength back."

Remembering the events before she went offline, the femme suddenly burst out into tears, her arms reaching out to the saboteur. Before Prowl or Ratchet could react, Jazz was at her side, holding her in his arms, rocking her slightly and making soothing noise.

"It's all right, sweetspark, ya're safe, Ah'm here", he told her. "No one will hurt ya, Ah'll make sure of that."

Watching the scene in front of them Ratchet, the medic in him worried for his patient, tried to take a step forward but Jazz, the femme's back turned to the two mechs, made a sharp movement with his hands, halting him. He pinged Prowl over the comm-line who immediately answered the request.

~She'll be afraid of ya both, good guys or not~, the saboteur stated grimly. ~Better Ah soothe her a bit, then Ah'll introduce ya, right?~

The Autobot second in command nodded and quietly relayed the message to Ratchet, who did not look happy but discreetly nodded to Jazz nonetheless. Satisfied, the special ops agent turned his full attention on the femme again, who was babbling incoherently about him being safe and away, wondering how he reached Earth before her and all that. The saboteur stored that information in the back of his processor because something about what she unconsciously said, made him suspicious.

Finally, after what felt like orns, Softglow calmed down enough, that she was able to look at Jazz again who immediately started on drying her tears.

"There", he soothingly told her, a small smile on his face. "That looks better, don't ya think?"

She nodded, returning the small smile with a barely there one of her own.

"Ya look different", she quietly stated, looking him over once more. "Bit taller 'n bulkier. An' ya havin' claws? Wow, wish Ah had some, too. Am barely able to recognise ya, 'Song."

Curiosity getting the better of him, Ratchet voiced his question before he thought about it.

"If he looks different, how do you know he is the one you call Sparksong?" the medic wanted to know.

Recognising the two other mechs present only now, Softglow gave a squeak like sound and tried to vanish right in Jazz's arms, it seemed. Glaring half heartedly at the CMO, the saboteur vented air through his intakes before smiling down at the shaking femme.

"'S okay, Softglow", he tried to sooth here. "Those two are mah friends. The grouchy one 's our medical officer, designation Ratchet, though ya can call him Hatchet, just like th' oth... OUCH."

Rubbing his head where the growling medic had hit him with one of his famous wrenches, Jazz grinned down at the shocked looking femme.

"See, this is how he takes care of us mechs, though in truth he loves us all I assure ya. However, he has a special spot in his spark for femmes and sparklings, so ya never have t' fear his wrenches."

"Unless you do something really, really stupid", Ratchet added, though in a more gentle manner than anyone else in the room was used to. "However, you really look like you are not as stupid as Jazz or even Prowl here, therefore I doubt you have to fear some of my special treatments at all. They are for the processorless after all."

"Hey!" Jazz and Prowl protested that statement at the same time, the tactician indignant, the saboteur mostly amused.

"Working too long, ignoring your recharge circles, forgetting to fuel", the CMO started to count, gazing pointedly at Prowl before moving turning his optics on Jazz, "getting blown up by your own bomb, helping the twins with their stupid stunts and pranks, do I need to continue?"

"Thank you, no?" the third in command told him humorously before looking back at Softglow who by now was smiling slightly at the antics of the three mechs. "Well and now that you know our lovely medic", Ratchet waved another wrench threateningly at Jazz, growling, "Ah'll introduce ya t' mah best friend an' second in command, though now also known as our ambassador-planner, designation Prowl."

"Prowl?" Softglow asked hesitantly. "Ya look Praxian built. Were ya by any chance an enforcer back before th' war?"

Surprised the tactician nodded.

"How do you know?"

"Ya name was feared among the mechs we know", the femme whispered. "Ya arrested others, similar to those who held us. We kept hopin', before the war that is, that ya might be able to find us too. But then th' war broke out an' no one seemed to care about femmes like us anymore."

She hung her head, optics sad and downcast once again, her body shivering. Jazz on the other hand looked torn between rage and shock.

"Durin' war?" he exclaimed, finally settling on shock for the moment. "But how's that been possible anyway? Imagin' mah surprise when Ah saw ya right in th' middle of those fraggers once again."

Ratchet however interrupted the talk, recognising how upset the femme seemed to be about the topic.

"Maybe we should start with something less unpleasant for now", the medic suggested soothingly. "Would you like some energon for starters? You must be hungry after all the excitement."

Looking unsure back to Jazz who nodded at her encouragingly, Softglow finally nodded her head.

"Ah would like some energon, if ya have some to spare, thank ya", she whispered and shyly accepted the energon Prowl already obtained for her the moment Ratchet mentioned it. Sipping on it hesitantly, Ratchet sought for a fitting change of topic. But it was Prowl who came up with a question he would still like answered.

"Softglow, you mentioned a short while ago that Jazz looks different and you could barely recognise him. But how DID you recognise him, if not for his looks?"

"Yeah", Jazz added curiously. "Ah've been wonderin' about that one, as well. "Ah was already expecting Ah had t' convince ya about mah identity, changed as Ah'm."

"It's about what ya said back then in th' hall", Softglow answered quietly. "'Ah've been waitin' for this moment. Finally Ah can fulfil mah dream!' Ya were th' only one who threatened the mechs again and again with exactly those words. Ya used it like a mantra, kept ya goin', kept ya strong. Th' moment ya said those words, Ah knew it was ya, Sparksong."

She looked curiously from Jazz to Prowl, then Ratchet.

"Say, why DO ya look like this an' why do those two address ya as...", Softglow faltered suddenly, realisation showing on her faceplates and she put delicate servos right in front of her mouthplates in shock.

"They don't know!" the femme exclaimed, surprised and relieved at the same time. "Does no one know? Are ya safe?"

"Softglow", Jazz sighed and pulled the femme into another hug. "Ya're right, they don't know. But they're about t' find out. That's part of th' reason Ah'm here. An' by know Ah'm sure Prowl already wonders, what wit' what ya said before, th' parts ya mentioned that involved meh."

"NO!" Softglow suddenly burst out, throwing her arms around the saboteur, hiding her face in his breastplates and started to sob again. "Ya can't do that! Ya're safe, ya're safe! But if ya reveal that..."

She trailed off and started to sob again. The third in command stroke the distressed femme softly over her head, making soothing noises once again, calming her down.

"It has to be done, 'Glow", he told her dejectedly. "Ah've been livin' wit' this burden far too long. Ah've got t' get rid of th' fear, t' finally be free. They're able t' grant meh just that, maybe ya too, if ya give it time an' a chance."

Whimpering the femme just shook her head in denial as she parted from his embrace and grabbed his servos in a tight grip instead.

"Sparksong, NO!"

But Jazz just looked at her, gaze sad, even with the visor hiding his optics and loosened her grip on his servos, only to pull hers into his.

"It hurts t' say this, sweetie, but Ah've been free for a long time, fightin' in a war, meetin' friends'n enemies. Ah love Prowl! Wit' what happened t' us, we lost all trust in mechs but Ah've reached th' point where Ah need t' let go of th' mistrust. He's th' one dream come true Ah've always wished for an' this dream of mine's a dream worth keeping."

Not losing his light grip on the femme's servos with one claw, he used his other servo to reach for Prowl's, who immediately accepted the silent request. Holding tight to the tactician, Jazz gazed seriously at the second in command.

"Prowl, ya've been nothin' but faithful t' meh an' Ah respect and admire that. Ah want t' trust ya wit' all mah spark, as Ah've not trusted ya before. Please don't betray that trust because it would turn out t' be more fatal than ya might currently guess."

He stopped and his gaze wandered to the CMO.

"Ratchet, our lives've been in yer servos more than once an' even wit' that gruff attitude of yers ya've been nothin' but faithful an' loyal t' us bots. Ya saved mah life more'n once an' ya kept secrets, even some that ya shoulda reported t' Optimus. Ya're also fiercely protective about those ya like an' yer patients even more. That's why Ah decided t' include ya into mah trust. But th' same goes for ya: don't betray that trust Ah put upon ya, because if anyone of ya two breaks it, Ah might be forced t' realise that this life of freedom still has nothin' t' offer for meh an' there's nothin' worth livin' for. Do ya both understand?"

Prowl and Ratchet nodded, serious. They were obviously confused and shocked about Jazz's forewarning, but the honestly serious demeanour the saboteur executed told the two bots that this was very important and no joking matter for the third in command.

Jazz nodded, satisfied and under the pained whimper of the femme his chestplates moved aside to open sight to the sparkchamber hidden deep inside his chest.

"This is th' reason why Ah was never able t' overcome th' refusal t' show ya mah spark", the saboteur whispered with sudden fear obvious in his voice. And right before the optics of one second in command and one commanding medical officer, the doors to his sparkcase moved aside to show those present the strong glow of a dark-blue spark.

Dark-blue, the colour that, as both mechs present very well knew, distinguished the spark of a femme from the light-blue of a mech. Oh how for a moment Prowl wished that he could allow the shock to overwhelm his logic centre and let him crash.

Jazz, his beloved Jazz, was a femme!

tbc...