Atonement

Chapter 1-Condemned

Disclaimer: I don't own the Transformers. They officially belong to Hasbro and Takara. I'm taking them for a short spin.

Cybertron was the world that gave Optimus Prime birth, but Earth was home. Earth was where he discovered his purpose once more, it was the world giving him back his life. He missed it, at the moment, but standing on Cybertron once again reminded him of his purpose, he was his people's Prime, and he welcomed that burden. Though no longer a heavy one, a burden he now shared with others. The sight before him was proof of that.

Kaon's rebuilding was making it into something magnificent; Galvatron seemed pleased with its progress. He was glad he hadn't reconsidered making the former Decepticon Lord High Protector of Cybertron. Galvatron split his duties with Ultra Magnus, who shared his position in all but name. Ultra Magnus helped look after Optimus' interests when he was away from Cybertron, but the two mechs had a working agreement. They knew what was at stake, and so did everyone else.

Re-establishing the High Council was one of the first major steps taken in rebuilding Cybertron, and it was going better than expected. Cyclonus held a seat on the High Council representing the city-states of Vos and Kaon. Starscream was responsible once again for Vos, and Cyclonus had Kaon, but let Seeker let Cyclonus represent both city-states because he had his hands full with running Vos. Chromia represented Iacon and the rebuilt Praxus. Iacon and Praxus were free—they each had a democratic system in place with a ruling council as they had in the past, but all ultimately answered back to the Lord High Protector and his Prime.

Not just one Prime now, but two. Optimus smiled at that thought. Hot Rod was still a Prime, but he'd taken back his old name. Working with the volatile young mech made Optimus' spark lighter, but Hot Rod also was the most vexing being in the universe—chaos personified. He was just one of many working to make Cybertron something more than it once was, and Optimus marveled that they could work together at all. Galvatron was the muscle; Ultra Magnus provided logic and reason. Hot Rod was a force of change and chaos, but Optimus bound them all together in a single purpose—a united, thriving Cybertron.

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Earth, Autobot City

Optimus Prime overlooked the construction going on at Autobot City. Repairs still weren't finished, but the healing process was well under way. Eighteen months since his resurrection, and the end of the great Cybertronian war. Not long by the reckoning of a Cybertronian, but long enough for lasting change. Autobot City was being expanded bit by bit to accommodate the influx of personnel from Cybertron, and to provide quarters for the humans now making the city their home. Mostly EDC personnel and their families, but they were a welcome presence. Optimus hoped human families would give way to Cybertronian families.

A happy thought to consider his first day back on Earth in weeks, but it wouldn't last long. Klaxons started blaring, and his Autobots ran to their battle stations. Vexing, because they'd signed a peace treaty with Galvatron and any Cybertronian, Autobot, Decepticon or neutral who didn't honor it would face dire consequences. Apparently the Decepticons who were attacking didn't get that memo, Optimus mused as he helped defend the city from the short incursion.

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The battle didn't last long and casualties were minimal, as far as Hot Rod knew. As head of security for the city, he was supposed to know, but his commanding officer hadn't given Hot Rod a report yet, and he was probably facing a lecture at some point. Not that he cared, considering the attack had happened at all. That any Decepticons passed through their defenses was a fluke, and Springer was in the line of fire when they had was his only concern. The young Prime was in the med bay, waiting on a casualty report when Ratchet forcefully removed him from the med bay as he shouted orders at First Aid and Wheeljack. Hot Rod didn't know what was going on, but he knew it was serious.

And hours later, as quickly as he'd been removed by Ratchet, he found himself once more accosted by the CMO. Taking Hot Rod by the arm, the medic yanked him inside the med bay, dragging him toward the ICU, where First Aid and Wheeljack were working on a patient that was not Springer. Ratchet was blocking his view of the other two mechs, so Hot Rod looked toward the berth where Springer was laying, wires and energon lines attached, with Perceptor standing watch.

"Springer almost went into stasis lock," Ratchet said, once again jerking him along, to stand by the berth where First Aid and Wheeljack were. "It was triggered by his injuries and the forced, premature emergence of his sparkling."

The medic watched for any signs of reaction, but Hot Rod's only reaction was a brief shuttering of his optics.

"This is. . ."

"Springer's child," Ratchet said. "Anything you want to tell me?"

"He never told me he was seeing anyone," Hot Rod said. "Is it. . ."

"She's lucky to be alive," Ratchet said, checking over the monitors attached to the gunmetal grey protoform. "You honestly didn't know he was sparked?"

"Springer's my friend," Hot Rod said. "We're close, but he's like a brother. Look, like I said, I didn't know if he's seeing anyone or maybe it was just a one-night thing, but. . ."

"You're going to got get Optimus," Ratchet said. "Now."

Hot Rod frowned, but didn't further balk at the medic's orders. He found Optimus outside, where he'd last seen him, helping with the cleanup efforts. Hot Rod ignored the way Optimus' optics lit up when he saw him.

"Optimus, you should come with me," Hot Rod said. "There's something you need to see, and Ratchet wants to talk to both of us."

"What is it?" Optimus asked.

"It's better if you see for yourself," Hot Rod said.

They walked in silence, and Optimus watched Hot Rod had to use his command override to get into the med bay. The Autobot leader noted an unconscious and how First Aid and Ratchet were hovering around a smaller berth. Ratchet left it, replaced by Wheeljack when he saw the two Primes enter.

"My office," Ratchet said.

"What is going on?" Optimus asked.

"He didn't tell you?"
"No, I didn't," Hot Rod said, giving the medic a defiant glare. Ratchet ignored the mech's insolence, filing it away for further reference.

"Springer was sparked and didn't know it. I managed to explain what was going on with his injuries and condition before he went into emergency stasis lock, but we managed to stabilize him. Just barely," Ratchet said. "The sparkling's emergence was premature, triggered by Springer's injuries. She's small because she is premature, and lucky to be alive from the stress she's been under."

A sparkling. A femme sparkling, Optimus mused over that fact, but he knew the situation was serious.

"Will she live?"

"Hard to say," Ratchet said. "Would you like to see her?"

Optimus nodded in affirmation, and suddenly found the protoform thrust into his hands. "She needs to be held," Ratchet said. "Considering her carrier isn't in any shape to do it, and I don't have time."

Optimus cradled the sparkling, so tiny in his large hands.

"Who is the sire?"

"I don't know," Ratchet said. "I was hoping Hot Rod could shed some light on that matter."

"I don't know either," Hot Rod said snapped. "I already told you, and stop insinuating I'm not telling the truth."

Optimus recognized when Hot Rod was on the verge of a meltdown, and considering the circumstances, it was the last thing they needed, so he decided to intervene. "Why does she need to be held?" he asked.
"Because she needs to be near a spark," Ratchet said. "A spark resonance will help her, and so will a feeding, but I don't think you want me to activate your feeding protocols. Just hold her for a bit, will you? Cradle her to your chest. That damn Matrix you carry has to be good for something, doesn't it?"

"What about feeding her?" Optimus said.

"We'll have to tap one of her lines for a peripheral feed for now," Ratchet said. "And hope it works until Springer wakes up, or we find out who the other creator is. That's what would be best, energon from someone she shares code with, considering her size and how she's been stressed."

Optimus held the femme a little closer, watching Ratchet walk away.