randomplaces | TG'verse. Prime's compound in Iacon. Safe port after the storm

Panacea watched the readouts next to the examining table, one hand resting on the chest of her mech patient. Everything looked stable, and unless something was glitching in the monitors he'd be waking up....

"Gnnnnnn...." A clawed hand went up to rub the felanoid face, then paused and was turned as ruby optics opened and regarded it with curiosity.

"I took the liberty of putting yourself and your spark-mate into new shells after my son and daughter found your sparks floating around our courtyard." Panacea tried to coach her voice into sounding kindly instead of dry, but she was still bemused at finding live sparks drifting around freely.

"What...?" The mech looked at her, his confusion plain. "Floating... but how?"

"No idea." She checked his optics, then straightened and regarded him with one brow ridge quirked. "Do you remember your name?"

"My name...." His foreplate furrowed in thought. "Tigatron. I am Tigatron."

Then he tensed to sit up. "Airazor!"

"If you mean your spark-mate, relax. She's right behind me on the other table." Panacea pushed him back down firmly. "You're in no shape to go running around yet, so just stay put."

He lay back obediently, though his head turned to seek the femme on the other table. Panacea softened as she saw the expression on his face and gave his chestplate a gentle pat. "I'm pretty sure she's going to be alright, too, once we've sorted out a little aftermath of your bond forming."

"What do you mean?" He looked back at her, frowning.

She moved to read the monitors at Airazor's bed. "It seems Primus saw fit to give you a gift. There's a new spark budding off from hers. As soon as it's fully formed we can get it into a CR tank and start its shell growing." She looked up to see his blank stare. "Yeah, that's what I did too. This is like a one in two thousand thing. But don't worry, she's going to be fine."

"I do not understand." The frown returned.

Panacea sighed. "The two of you are going to be parents, something like organics do. Only without any embarrassing stuff involved."

"Ohhhh." His optics widened, concern rushing back to his expression.

-Mechs.- Panacea snorted to herself, then put her hand on the femme as she twitched and moaned softly, murmuring her mate's name.

"I'm here," he rumbled, propping himself up on an elbow. "Can you hear me?"

"Y... yes." Her green optics came online and blinked at Panacea with confusion, then turned toward Tigatron's voice.

Panacea watched them, then made a throat clearing sound. "You're probably wondering where you are, and who the slagging pit I am."

"Ah... I would not have put it that way, myself." Tigatron gave her a charming smile. "But yes, please, we would like to know those things."

-Seems to have some catlike instinct,- Panacea noted to herself, her own smile creasing the corners of her optics as she said, "You're currently parked in the private medical lab of the Autobot CMO. On Cybertron, in the city of Iacon. And I'm the Chief Medical Officer. Panacea."

"Autobot!?" Both of her patients stared at her, only then noticing the badge that she wore.

"But..." said Tigatron slowly. "The Autobots are gone. They are our ancestors."

Panacea frowned. "What year was it the last time you looked?"

Tigatron exchanged a glance with his mate, and the medic could nearly hear the silent communication between them. She wondered at it, but kept silent as he looked up and told her.

Then she nodded and told them the current date. "You've either been shoved back in time, or you've somehow wound up in an alternate reality. Whichever it is, you're welcome to stay here till you figure everything out."

"I... do not even remember Cybertron." Tigatron forgot her admonishment and sat up, looking a little overwhelmed and confused.

Panacea resisted the urge to shove him back down, instead folding her arms across her chest. "It's a pretty nice place, so long as certain people aren't in the middle of prank wars."

"Prank wars...." Airazor gave a soft laugh. "That... makes it seem strangely homelike. I think we might have had those... before."

"How much do you remember, from before?" Panacea looked at her keenly, gladly grabbing a change of subject so that she didn't have to wonder what Springer had tried to booby trap her with this time.

Again that speaking glance went between them, and then Airazor said, "I'm not sure... everything seems like a dream."

"Don't worry about it." Panacea gave her a gruff pat, and then took a last glance at the monitors before ordering the tables to move together. "Get some rest. I'll be back in the morning. If you really need something in the meantime just press that button there." Her arms crossed and she gave them both the look that struck fear into a good chunk of the Autobot Home Guard and the Galvatronian inner circle. "And when I say get some rest I don't mean staying awake talking, or kissing yourselves stupid. Understood?"

They blinked at her, both of them blushing as they indicated their understanding.

"Good." She turned toward the door. "Now Primus help that idiot Red Alert if he hasn't got Sideswipe back to her room by now...."

Airazor watched her go, then turned back to her mate with wondering optics that held a trace of fear. "...I remember Tigerhawk... we died, didn't we?"

"I thought that we did." Tigatron lay down and pulled her close, reassured by the familiar feel of her spark close to his. "But now we are here.... Perhaps Primus is giving us a second chance?"

"But what became of the others?" She frowned with concern. "That ship...."

"If we are here, and Autobots are here... doesn't that mean that we won?" He gave her that spark melting grin, then nuzzled her cheek gently, feeling her weariness. "But you need to rest, my love. We can try to find everything out after you're stronger."

Airazor sighed, but nodded and snuggled against him, her optics shuttering as she looked inward, trying to sense the new life taking shape inside her. -Yes... this is all so strange.-

-But we are together.- His arms tightened slightly.

-Yes.- Her mouth curled into a smile as she faded back into recharge.