Alpha 'verse. Iacon. Start of the story.

[random_xtras]

Ratchet had just gotten back from the bar in that nexus between realities, but even a rousing good poker game with his alternates hadn't helped him to feel better. The murder of his friends Bladewing and Skystriker was just too recent, and the uncertainty over the fate of their newly sparked Seeklet worried him so much that his energy wasn't sitting properly in his tank.

He sighed as he turned into an alley that was a shortcut back to his clinic, and then froze and scanned his surroundings as he thought he heard something. "Hello? Is someone there?"

Comments

[random_xtras]

Ratchet glanced with kindly understanding toward his brother.

"You just don't want to see Skyfire take Astra to Earth without you," he said quietly. "Don't worry. We'll be there ourselves in another couple days."

[alpha_prime]

Wheeljack nodded then looked at Skyfire and said "I'll see you at the space bridge"

[random_xtras]

Ratchet turned away so that the other two bots couldn't see his smile. He knew why his brother was in such a hurry to go back home. Wheeljack had no intention of waiting a few days. He was going to pack and go that very evening.

Skyfire, for his part, nodded in reply to Wheeljack and then took his leave.

[alpha_prime]

Astra chirped, and tapped at the wall of the hold.

Wheeljack left soon after, and went home to pack.

[random_xtras]

Skyfire boggled slightly. "Ratchet, is it normal for sparklets to have such rapid sleep/wake cycles?"

"What do you mean?" Ratchet frowned up at him with concern.

"Astra will sleep for a few moments, and then wake again. She's done it repeatedly in the short time since I put her into my hold," said Skyfire worriedly.

Ratchet's frown deepened. "Let's see her. Something might be miscalibrated."

"Very well." Skyfire opened the hold to take his niece out.

[alpha_prime]

Astra blinked as the hold opened, she chirped at Ratchet.

[random_xtras]

Skyfire's big hands came to the opening of the hold, asking Astra to come out and be held in them.

[alpha_prime]

Astra crawled out onto Skyfire's servo, she then began to twitter happily.

[random_xtras]

"She looks alright." Ratchet frowned, then clicked to the bitty and scanned her to see if some glitch was keeping her from sleeping for more than a few minutes.