OLOBA: The Light Was Yellow Sir (28)
Title: OLOBA: The Light Was Yellow, Sir (28)
Author: cazcatharsis/Cassiopeia1979
Rated R for the moment
Disclaimer: shit, if you don’t know I don’t own these dudes after this long, you got a glitch somewhere. Though if I did own em, I’d make em drive me to warmer climates til April *brr*
Characters/Pairings: Mikaela, Jazz, OFC, Frenzy, Barricade, Ensemble cast
Feedback: loved, but not required.
Previous chapter: http://cazcatharsis.livejournal.com/73133.html
A/N: *phew* fuckin took for fuckin ever. Nervewrackin’ too. I lost half the damn chapter and had to rewrite. THEN my monitor imploded. I can only hope I did Wheeljack justice in my own way and made you guys laugh a little.
Waitaminute…
Maybe it’s BECAUSE I’m writing Wheeljack that my moniter imploded. *twilight zone music*
And yes, I know, the smut… next chapter, I promise. I just got sick of waiting. I’m sure you did too, so here’s some stuff to tide us both over til I get the damn smut written.
Thanks to the girls (you know who you are) for the funny as hell msn talks.
OH!, and for those of you who might be interested…
http://community.livejournal.com/carbutts/
:D you know you want to. *molest molest*
(28)
Why am I even here? I’m no saviour of the world, I’m no politician, I’m no soldier, I’m just a bitch with a ‘Bot in her house. I looked around at the Mechs and all the ‘Important People’ around me and sighed, feeling just a little uncomfortable.
After Jazz said something about Wheeljack arriving tonight, I could barely keep him still. So I kicked him out of my room (which was decidedly difficult considering what I’d just seen) and took a quick nap. I didn’t even get twenty minutes before I was quite literally glomped by an over-excited holoform babbling something about me coming along for the official meet & greet. Zoned out as I was I barely heard him, but was quickly shuffled along, forced to get dressed (I was smart…or dumb…enough to kick him out of my room again for that) and was practically shoved into Jazz’s real-form.
I was more awake by the time we’d arrived and had actually started listening to his babbling. Apparently Wheeljack was ‘pretty cool’, and a brilliant inventor with a tendency to accidentally blow shit up, and could drive like nobodies business. And apparently, unlike the others here on Earth, he could fly a little. “You’ll love him!”
“I’m sure I will.” I patted Jazz’s steering wheel. He was so excited about this I could feel him vibrating through the seat, and the happy music playin’ through the stereo was a HUGE clue. I could see why though. Even if they weren’t good friends (and they were from the sounds of it), it’d be nice for him to see other Cybertronians other than the guys he showed up with. I could only imagine how lonely it would be for these guys being the only five of their species on the planet, not counting the Decepticons, who were bastards anyways. If I were in his proverbial shoes I’d be the same way.
As soon as we got to the projected landing sight I was promptly ejected and got to watch my boy transform into a bouncy smiling silver clump of giddiness, and it was infectious as hell. Not only did he glomp Bumblebee, but Ironhide too, which was entertaining to watch as Ironhide wasn’t exactly, well, the glompable type. But amazingly enough he took it in stride having a silver mech attached to his leg like a giant sock, and only threatened a light ‘pistol-whipping’ if he didn’t get off.
Then Ratchet and Prime showed up with the Secretary of Defence and Simmons in tow. Lennox, Sam and Mikaela were already here, the latter perched on a rock trying to get some last minute studying in while they waited, and failing miserably, especially when Keller and Simmons were booted out of Prime’s cab and the big Leader transformed. Why they bothered bringing their textbooks I couldn’t say.
I made myself scarce, finding a rock not too far away but nicely out of the immediate line of sight to sit on. It was cool just to sit there and watch them all interact, even Simmons got into the spirit of things, talking and gesturing wildly with his hands and eyes and his head tilted wayyyy up to look at Prime. Mikaela and Sam were swiftly brought into the chaos and greeted by Keller like they were old friends, and Simmons shook Sam’s hand.
It was kind of cool to watch them from a distance. This way I wasn’t in the middle of the chaos and could take the entire thing in. Simmons was acting pretty cool, and it didn’t seem like the behavioural change was for the benefit of the Autobots either. I think the sort of scientist in him was excited at the prospect of another ‘NBE’ that he didn’t have to keep frozen. Keller himself was a fairly funky looking individual for a politician. I could tell even from here the man had seen and done things that a lot of us probably wouldn’t, and he made decisions that could affect the entire country… he had an interesting face to prove it too. Seemed like the type of dude I could listen to talk for a long time.
“What’re ya doin’ over here by yerself?”
I leapt at the voice in my ear and held in a surprised scream. Goddamn sneaky little bastard.
Jazz was crouched behind me, grinning wide, visor up and optics sparkling. I didn’t have the heart to give him shit for scaring me, so I just told him I was watching.
“Watchin’? Ya sure yer just not hidin’ from Legs?”
I dropped my head into my hands and groaned. “You’re never gonna let me live that down, are ya?”
Jazz shook his head. Ever since I told Prime he had nice legs, Jazz’d been razzing me about it. I was mortified at myself for saying that when I first met him. The dude was, like, the robotic Dalai Lama with a cannon. It felt almost sacrilegious to tease a dude like that. It’d be like giving Buddha a wet willy: Just Not Right.
That and the big fucker still scared the shit out of me. Noble, Heroic, the epitome of Inspiration and Honour… I couldn’t go near him. It was almost like… I’d dirty him just by being around. He was intimidating as hell without even needing to be.
I watched the giant blue and red Mech and the little human Keller separate from the group and go off to speak in relative privacy as Jazz settled on the ground next to my rock, elbows on knees, and joined in the watching.
Ironhide and Ratchet, Lennox and Mikaela were in another small group laughing about something. Bee, Sam and Simmons were in an uncomfortable little cluster, sober-looking yet….wait…Bee and Simmons just shook hands (or, well Simmons shook his finger). Simmons smiled as if relieved. Was that an accepted apology? Sam looked a little reluctant but he stood by Bee. It was cute how protective little Sam was over Big Bumblebee. I didn’t even think the big mech knew it either.
“Didja hear that?” Jazz sounded a little astonished.
I laughed. “Hun, I’m not the one with the fine tuned audio receptors, but I think I got the gist.”
“And I think I know why you like watchin’.”
“Repressed voyeurism bolstered by anthropological study?”
“Nice excuse.”
“Thank you.” I winked.
Jazz winked back (which was still a little weird, it was more a dimming of an optic than a wink), then wrapped his big left hand around my waist and set me against his arm and shoulder, so I was sort of cradled between it and the rest of his body. I felt like a toddler getting’ hauled around my it’s mom, but I had to admit he was warm and comfortable, despite all his pointy bits. And I didn’t even mind that he didn’t ask me first either. That was Mikaela’s peeve. Anyway, how could I be all mad when I got to be all snugly with a warm sleek silver mech who vibrated a little all the time?
We sat there like that for a while, watching the groups of mechs and humans crumble and reform, talking hardly at all to each other, just listening. From all the late nights, early mornings, and the soothing hum of Jazz’s systems, I started to nod off, allowing my head to rest against some plating that hopefully wouldn’t yank my hair out if he so much as moved.
Even when somebody’s heavy footsteps crushed the rocks nearby I didn’t stir. I was in that happy place between awareness and the dream-world and DAMMIT I was going to stay there a while.
“Is she alright?” said a voice from fairly close, but still above.
“Yeah, Prime, she’s just tired. Works too damn hard.”
I was awake enough to mumble a “Do not” protest, and snuggled deeper into his shoulder and tried to ignore them. I got shaken a little in retaliation and that happy half-asleep feeling seeped away. “Nnnngh… you suck.”
“Y’ love me.”
I glared up at those mischievous blue optics and growled. “I’d love you more if you let me sleep.”
A second, much larger pair of blue optics shifted and shone above us and I finally got the guts to acknowledge Optimus Prime. Sure, I didn’t hide behind someone’s leg when he was around anymore, but he was still intimidating. He gazed down at us with a small smile, and it was really difficult for me to resist the urge to call him ‘Legs’ and then run like the wind. So instead I just smiled back at the big mech and waved as nonchalantly as I could muster.
“Malena Banes, it’s good you came.”
I hated it when he addressed me like that. But good gods, is it possible to have a crush on someone’s voice? Cause his was amazing. It made me blush. But it also made me call up what small reserves of civil speech I had left and NOT call him ‘Legs’ like I wanted.
“Honoured to be here.” I almost added ‘Sir’.
I still didn’t know why I was here but I wasn’t about to ask either.
He leaned down closer so we were nearly face to face, and I felt very small… Wasn’t even as tall as this dude’s head.
“Jazz says you are working too much.”
Great, I’m in for an Optimus Prime-style Nagging. I headed him off as best I could. “Jazz is a worry-wart.”
I could tell Prime was confused at the expression but he got the general idea. Jazz on the other hand…
“I’m not th’ one workin’ double shifts.”
I poked Jazz in the neck. “I don’t start that til tomorrow.”
“Don’t get enough sleep as it is.” He grumped.
“Cause you keep waking me up!”
Prime shook his head at our childish bickering. “You two sound like Ratchet and Ironhide. I just hope I won’t have to remind you to behave in front of official company.”
I couldn’t help myself. “He started it.”
“Did not.”
Prime spoke again, “Miss Banes…”
I cut him off (stupid of me, yes, but…), protesting. “Please, PLEASE, just call me Malena. The ‘Miss’ thing is too… formal.” Next they’d be kissing my hand like true gentlemen and opening doors for me…
“Malena then...” Prime leaned just a little closer, like he was going to tell me something secret, and I tilted my head. “If he bothers you overmuch, I give you permission to let the air out of his tires.”
“Hey!”
“And disconnect the oil plug.”
“Docility through fluid loss?” I grinned.
“Exactly.”
“You wouldn’t…” Jazz didn’t look too happy, looking back and forth between me and Optimus.
Prime just chuckled deeply, rose back to his full height and rejoined the group, but not before casting a glance over his shoulder at me and Jazz bickering again.
“Quit gigglin’, squishy.” Jazz’s arm squeezed me little in mock irritation.
“Make me, tiny.”
“I’ll show you ‘tiny’.”
I grinned, “Oh, I’m sure you will…”
He got the reference and I found myself plopped back onto my rock with a growl, Jazz ready to pounce. “Why you…”
The ground beneath us began to rumble and the air seemed to thicken and heat up, a loud thunder-like roar overtaking everything. “Holy sh…” I cried out as I nearly slipped off the rock, scrambling for purchase where I could find it and rode the trembling out.
Jazz was looking up into the sky at the steadily growing ball of fire coming straight for us, smiling wistfully, “Ol’ boy’s comin’ in low again.”
“He’s early!”
As the ball of fire shot over our heads, the humans cheered and the Autobots all revved engines in celebration, but the racket died down as the flaming descender missed his targeted landing site and flew into the nearby hills, hit with a resounding bang, bounced, and slammed into a cove of trees.
BOOM…BOOM…Crunch!
The silence was deafening. I swear I heard crickets.
Then Jazz twitched, buckled, fell to his knees and laughed his little silver ass off. Soon Ironhide was heard in the distance bellowing laughter and Ratchet was cussing up a blue streak. Bee was leaping around squeaking and playing ‘Click Click Boom’ and Optimus Prime just hung his head and sighed.
Between wheezing laughs, Jazz managed to squeeze out “Motherfucker always has ta make an entrance!”
Needless to say, everyone who could transform did and those who couldn’t got comfortable in their interiors, and we were off to assess the damage. The entourage didn’t have to go far to find the scorched trail or the strangely coloured smoke of the new mech’s landing. Prime naturally was the first up and transformed while the rest of us waited til he gave us say-so. Jazz was unusually quiet, but he was still trembling a little.
“You okay?”
Jazz’s trembling subsided a little, and he replied, “Always get a lil’ nervous when Wheeljack explodes.”
In case one time he doesn’t get back up again? I patted the door handles and seat encouragingly, staring out the window. “It didn’t sound healthy, that’s for sure. But I’m sure he’s fine, cause from what you tell me he blows himself up all the time and comes out grinning. And if he’s not, Ratchet’s here.”
Jazz rumbled and the seat seemed to soften a little so I sunk in deeper, and the belt he insisted on having around me whenever I was inside him tightened just a little. It felt nice, like a bit of a hug. I smiled and made myself comfortable.
The tension flew out of him when a couple trees were pushed aside and the new guy emerged. I’d only seen one of these guys without their armour, Soundwave, but this guy looked vastly different. Where Soundwave was all jagged edges and super-sharp planes, Wheeljack was smoother, and lighter toned. His movements were fluid as he stepped out into the open, picking something out of his shoulder joint with what I could only interpret as frustration… and he had blinking lights on his shoulders… which were currently flashing a dull orange. Heh, neat. Just watching the guy move filled me with child-like excitement.
As he cleared the trees and finally got the splinter out of his shoulder (Splinter my ass, that was a sapling!), he seemed to finally notice the cluster of welcomers, and the strange lights on his shoulders bled from dull orange to a bright flickering blue, his strange eyes seemed to brighten and he threw his arms out wide. Prime stepped forward and Wheeljack started chattering in Cybertronian and practically hugged the big Leader.
It seemed Bee couldn’t hold back any longer, promptly ejecting his startled passengers, transforming, and rushing over to where the two mechs were entangled, and leaping right onto the new mech. Wheeljack stumbled back a step and Prime laughed. The rest of the bots seemed to take that as their cue, ejecting their passengers as well and transforming.
It was like watching a long lost family reunite, how Bumblebee would barely leave Wheeljack’s side, Jazz practically climbing him, Prime watching the entire thing with that little smile of his… and of course Ironhide had to clap the fragile protoform on the back and send him stumbling again, resulting in Ratchet telling him off and cuffing him upside the head, then giving Wheeljack a scan and chewing him out for his crappy landing AND for buggering up some weird mechanical part I’d never be able to pronounce… Just like Thanksgiving dinners!
The human contingent stayed well back from the mechs, sort of milling about chatting quietly and watching the family get reacquainted. We were all curious but I’d be damned if I’d interrupt this for my petty questions, and it seemed to be the same with the others. Mikaela stood by me and we watched as Wheeljack greeted everyone, fascinated by his unarmoured form. It was neat, there were no discernable Earth-like motor things on him, gears that were visible were very obviously not a human creation, and his face was funky… like Bumblebee, he didn’t have a mouth, but a plate like Optimus in battle mode crossing the lower half of his face. I wondered if it retracted, or if it was permanent. His eyes were extremely expressive though, and easily interpreted. Alien or not, eyes were the windows to the soul, and it seemed Wheeljack’s soul was extremely happy right now.
I don’t know when the staticky sounds of their language died out and ours seeped in, but the human group suddenly found themselves the centre of the new mech’s attention.
~*~*~*~*~
CONTINUED IN PART TWO
(click click boom - saliva)