The Prime of His Youth: Book II: Quest for Fire: Ch07: Milk Run
Jack rode Arcelia as she towed the trailer. Roxana was just behind her. "How did it go?" Arcelia asked.
"He was majestic." Roxana stated.
"Trying out some of Knockout's newest weapons." Jack replied. "Which, he says is ethical."
"He is likely working with Earth's First Rangers." Arcelia stated. "Terran Rangers?" she asked.
"Wait, what?" Jack asked.
"You didn't ask?" Arcelia replied.
"Knockout is just..." Jack stated.
"Then I guess you haven't read the Decepticon records?" Arcelia stated.
"Why would I?.." Jack asked, and stared off into the distance.
"That answers quite a few questions I've had." Arcelia stated. "Well, for Knockout, he was a qualified surgeon when the war broke out, but was having problems. He wasn't very interested in medical ethics."
"And that's why he joined the Decepticons?" Jack asked.
"They let him practice." Arcelia stated.
"And how did he end up in the field?" Jack asked.
"The Decepticons value competence." Arcelia stated, "Which is a nice way to put that failure is punished, often harshly. The reason Knockout was in the field is that he succeeded. Every success was rewarded, and he was given more responsibility. Their love of treachery taught him treachery, and he was rewarded. It wasn't until he realized all of the respect her had earned was temporary. It only took one time to not win for it to disappear, and he was worth nothing to them. Ever since he switched sides, he's being doing everything he can to contribute."
"So, I shouldn't be so harsh on him?" Jack asked.
"You should show your appreciation." Arcelia stated.
"I should." Jack replied.
* * *
Arcelia and Roxana drove into the base and up to the waiting Windblade. Jack climbed off of Arcelia, and moved over to the supplies. Windblade walked over to them, "If my vigil will soon be complete, what should I do with myself?"
"Explore?" Jack asked, and Windblade's eyes remained fixed on him. "No go?" Jack asked.
"You want me to scout?" she said harshly, but he was starting realize she was a lot like Arcee, just less sarcastic.
"Windblade?" Arcelia chided, still hooked up to the trailer.
"What?" Windblade firmly asked.
"You can relax once in a while."
"I have kept Caminus safe since!.."
"The exodus." Arcelia finished for her, and Windblade paused, unsure of what to say. "I hate to say it, Jack, but she needs something to do."
"Alright." Jack said, and thought it over. "I guess you can scout?"
"What would you like me to scout?" Windblade asked.
"Did Fowler give you a map of the US?" Jack asked.
"Indeed." she affirmed.
"If you leave the US, you have to follow their airtraffic rules, which probably have not been ammeneded for Cybertronians. You also need to land at a border checkpoint."
"Why the secrecy?" she asked.
"That's exactly it." Arcelia stated, "Until the end of the war, it was secret."
"And Bumblebee is working on getting the governments to create new laws for Cybertronians." Jack stated.
"And how is that working?" Windblade asked.
"How well do governments normally work?" Arcelia asked.
"That bad?" Windblade asked. "I see. So, what exactly did you want me to scout?"
"Why don't you start with Jasper, and work your way out?"
"Strategic locations?" Windblade asked, "Supply routes? Likely areas of advance?"
"Sure." Jack said with a smile. "And where's Sirenia?"
"She's hiding." Windblade strongly said, though not as strongly as before.
"Why is she's hiding?" Jack asked.
"The same reason she always hides." Windblade simply stated.
Jack looked at the sky and shouted, "Siren!"
Sirenia's head immediately appeared overtop of a nearby tent. "Master?" she exclaimed.
"She gets to call you master?" Arcelia asked, and Jack sighed. Still looking at Sirenia, he waved her over. Sirenia stepped out and quickly walked over to him. "And where's Arcee?"
"She went home to help June." Sirenia simply said.
"Let's get loaded up and head home."
"Should I accompany you?" Windblade asked.
Jack looked at her and then Sirenia, "You should accompany Sirenia."
"Understood." she said.
* * *
Arcelia pulled into the parking lot outside of the garage. Roxana pulled in behind her. Sirenia transformed into a landing, followed by Windblade.
"This is your abode?" she asked, trying to hide her disappointment.
Jack breathed in deep trying to hide how much that hurt. "Yes..." he quietly said.
Windblade then looked at Sirenia, and then Arcelia, and then the house. "Is there enough room for you?"
"My bed can hold two femmes." Jack stated. Windblade looked from the house to Sirenia and then finally Arcelia. "Because she wasn't..." Jack voiced, "When we built it."
"And now what are you planning to do?" Windblade asked, and Jack sighed. "Ah."
"Siren, can you open it up?" Jack asked her. A split second later the central door garage started to open.
"A Cybertronian signal?" Windblade asked.
"Well, yeah. It was originally a Human garage..." Jack said to her.
"Vehicle maintenance facility." Sirenia interjected.
"Yeah." Jack stated, "One of the only places that are tall enough for Cybertronians." Jack stated. There in the open garage door stood June in her housewife dress, along with a 10ft tall Arcee.
"Welcome home." Arcee said, both firm and what he knew to be loving, "Jack."
"Love you." Jack said to her with all of his heart and soul. He then turned to Windblade and then Roxana, "Windblade, Roxana..." he said and trailed off, steeling himself to say this, "We don't have room for you to sleep."
"Then why am I here?" Windblade harshly asked.
Jack breathed in deeply, "A port in the storm?" Jack asked, "Not that it rains much in Jasper."
"We also don't need to sleep." Roxana added.
"It was strange how peaceful it was to watch June sleep." Windblade uttered.
"As I said," Jack replied, "You are free to do whatever you want." He then turned to Windblade, "You already know what you are going to do." Jack looked back at Roxana, "And what do you want to do?"
"Bask in the majesty of the Human Prime." Roxana stated, and Jack glared at her. She then looked back and forth at their empty surroundings, before looking back at him.
"She does have a point." Arcee said from the garage.
June was excited, until something occured to her, "Can we fit 3 of you girls around the table?"
Sirenia transformed into her helicopter form and then transformed back into her 10ft fall form. "We can if we dollform."
"I can join you as soon as you guys unload me." Arcelia stated.
"Dollform?" Windblade asked, with a noticeable lack of judgement.
"It is what the Prime has declared our smaller forms to be." Arcelia stated, and then paused, "Unload, please?!"
Windblade turned to step away and paused, before turning back around, "Where should I go for Energon resupply."
"I have already ordered a significant supply of Synthetic Energon from Knockout." Sirenia stated, walking towards the garage. She paused and looked at Jack, "I apologize if I overstepped."
"How much did you get?" Jack asked.
"Enough to sustain our group for the quest." she replied.
Jack looked up at her for a moment, "Good girl."
"Pardon, synthetic?" Windblade asked.
"Literally what rebuilt Cybertron." Arcee stated, and Windblade gave her a curious look.
"She's not exaggerating." Arcelia stated, "Or even embellishing. The completed Synthetic Energon was one of two key incredients to making the undifferentiated cybermatter used by the Omega Lock." She then paused for a moment, "Unloading, PLEASE?!"
"You heard the lady." Arcee said, as she walked over. "Oh, and Jack, why don't you go and have a shower?" Jack looked happy for a moment before something occured to him, and he looked vexed, "What's up." Jack looked back at Arcelia. "Ah." she said, and Jack looked back at her, "You can show her tomorrow. Right now, you're a Human, and you need to relax. We'll unload, and then we have a wonderful dinner ready."
"Arcee did most of it on her own!" June excitedly said.
"You weren't supposed to tell him that." Arcee said as she glared at the woman.
"But, I'm just so proud of you!" June exclaimed, causing Arcee to Tsk.
* * *
Arcelia looked down at June, "And what should I be doing?"
"I'll get changed and help you with a bath." June said. "This is our house."
"I didn't mean to..."
"You didn't do anything." June said to her.
"And my... bath?" Roxana asked.
"I'll get you both." June replied, "Jack will probably want a long shower, since it's the first one in 3 months."
* * *
Jack walked out of the kitchen in his street clothes and sat at the table, with June in her dress beside him. Arcee, Sirenia, and Arcelia leaned around in the dollforms. Away from the table stood Roxana. "You can relax." Jack said to her.
"I did try that." June stated.
"What are you going to do for power down?" Jack asked.
In reply Roxana transformed into her motorcycle form and leaned on her kickstand.
"Won't that be a little disorienting?" Arcee asked, "You know, coming out of power down into your vehicle form."
"I will be quite alright." Roxana stated.
"Alright, but if you fall over, I get to say I told you so." Arcee stated.
"The food is wonderful." Jack said.
"You're just saying that." Arcee nervously said, but found Jack's smile contagious.
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