Better Halves

Better Halves

A Transformers fan fiction

By Sefiru

Summary: (G1, TFA) a space bridge experiment ends up connecting to an unexpected place.

Disclaimer: I don't own it and I make no money. Ba weep gra na weep nini bong.
Pairing(s): Optimus Prime/Prowl, Optimus Prime/Prowl
Warnings: NC-17, stickyfic , cross-continuity, language, violence

Shozurei : Blurr is fun. What a crap way to go …
Trely : oh, there's plenty more ^^
blue: it should be interesting, ne ?
FuneralRoses : heehee , thanks for reading!

In this chapter: Optimus travels to the other dimension.

***

Chapter 7: The Rabbit Hole

***

      Bulkhead twisted a knob on the warp device, mumbling equations. He had increased the power to create a longer-lasting portal, though that also increased the time between portal events. He finished his adjustments, stood up, and turned to Optimus. "Okay, Boss, try it now."

      Optimus pressed the switch on the small control unit he held at arm's length. Readouts flickered and Bulkhead announced, "Warp flux shifting – it worked! Portal in one point five cycles ."

      Optimus nodded. "Prowl, you're in charge while I'm away. I'll see you all in five rotations." The warp rift formed before him; he straightened his shoulders and stepped through it.

      He arrived in a place that matched Prowl's data tracks: a dry valley carpeted in light brown rock. After a moment of static, radio traffic on human and Cybertronian channels. And then, his Spark – "Primus!" He clutched his chest plating. Prowl hadn't mentioned that it would be so strong; he felt his counterpart react to his presence, he reacted to the reaction … their Sparks flowed into a formless dance. He would have liked to sit down and study the sensation, but the risk of getting caught by Decepticons was too great. In the last few cycles he'd already caught a sensor ghost that might be a drone. He looked around for an overhang to tuck himself under.

***

     Aboard the Ark, Teletraan-1 abruptly announced, "Warp signal detected in sector five-two-romeo ."

     The Autobot officers looked up from the chart table. "Five-two-romeo ?" said Prowl. "Isn't that the same place – "

     "Indeed." Optimus Prime pressed his servo against his windshield. "I believe we have another visitor."

     "Yours this time? Why am I not surprised."

***

      The rumble of truck engines heralded the arrival of Optimus's welcoming party. He knew from the Spark link that his counterpart was among them. His counterpart, the Autobot Supreme Commander. How was that even possible? He could barely keep track of a single maintenance crew. Tensing his cables, he stepped out of his hiding place to meet his match.

       The data tracks didn't do him justice. The other Optimus stood head and shoulders taller than him, with a palpable aura of command – or maybe that was just resonance coming from his Spark. Thanks to his recent reformat, he hardly showed his billions of solar cycles. Optimus could feel wry amusement coming from him. I just know he's going to tell me how stupid this is.

       "Are you certain this is wise?" was the first thing his counterpart said.

       "Well, no." He shrugged. "But it would only get less wise as time went on."

       "Fair enough." A laugh sparkled across their link. "Come on, let's get you back to base."

       Optimus nodded his assent. Strange that he didn't feel nervous; usually he was just a bit intimidated by the senior commanders. But the presence in his Spark braced him, the other Prime's confidence bolstering his own.

      "You remind me of myself at your age," Prime said as they walked to the nearby road.

      "Supposedly, I am you at my age."

      "There's no doubt about it." They transformed, joining the half dozen other Autobots on the pavement, who rolled into formation with the two trucks in the middle. Optimus felt a flash of irritation; his counterpart responded with sympathy. "Let them, it makes them feel better." The black-and-white version of Prowl, driving beside them, grumbled something unintelligible and likely unprintable.

      Optimus wanted to pelt them all with questions, but Prime was right, they had to get to a secure location first. His sensors pinged – Seekers. Of course.

      "What do you see?" Prime demanded. "Where are they?"

      He gave the heading and range. The other bots were suddenly all business.

      "Prowl, recommendations?"

      "We ambush them. Stand by to transform and fire on my mark. Young Optimus, stay back."

      Not a chance. Optimus quietly powered up his mods . He might not have the fighting power of a combat bot, but he was an Autobot too. The Seekers closed; now he could make out the red-white-blue of this world's Starscream . Nearer – nearer – "Now!" Prowl snapped, and the Autobot party transformed as one. Optimus was shoved off the side of the road, next to a bot he IDed as Cliffjumper . While plasma bolts started to rain down around them, he asked, "What's the ID on the Cons?"

        "Well, Starscream's in front of course, and the other ones are Thrust and Thundercracker ."

       "Is he a raging egomaniac?"

       "I don't know , we don't usually stop to chat." A stray round sprayed dirt across their faces, and Optimus shut his face shield on reflex. The battle was three on six and more evenly matched than he was used to, but the Autobots were still struggling. Under the mask, his lips tightened. He could not, would not, stand idly by. He sprang forward, ignoring Cliffjumper's cry of, "What in – Young Optimus, wait!"

       Placing his back to a rock cut, Optimus threw out his lure. "Hey! Starbob Screampants !" The head Seeker turned towards him, and Optimus launched his cables to snare his knees. Starscream stumbled, waving his arms for balance, which gave Ironhide the opening for a shot – Starscream squealed and clutched his shoulder. Optimus retrieved his cables and sidestepped, only to have Thrust's shot hit him in the knee. He stumbled and went down; as if on cue, the other Optimus Prime was between him and the action. A few more bursts of concentrated fire served to drive the Seekers off.

      "I thought you were to stay back from the fight," the elder Optimus said.

      "I couldn't just stand around while other bots risk their lives."

      Prowl clapped a servo over his face. "Oh Primus, there's two of them."

      Prime's optics twinkled above his mask. "You're not fooling anyone, Prowl. Optimus, can you transform?"

      He tried. "I'm afraid not. That shot must have scrambled something." It was going to be a long walk, but worth it in his mind.

      "Ah. That's what the trailer is for." Prime shifted back to his own alt mode, the trailer panels unfolding from subspace. With a slightly weirded out feeling Optimus climbed in and the doors swung closed. The truck rumbled into motion.

      "Uh, sir, do you know you have Prowl was here written in here?"

      "That explains what he was doing with that felt pen."

      "And in different script," which he recognized, "it says twice."

      "Prowl is nothing if not thorough."

      Optimus sat quiet for a few cycles. He could feel the AllSpark fragment, the Matrix, through his external sensors from here. From within, it was a warm blue current underlying his counterpart's Spark. The question was rolling around his processor; he knew that Prime could sense that, and he knew that Prime knew that he knew … and that was the kind of logic loop that eventually made a bot short circuit. He turned on his vocalizer . "So why did you interface him?"

       Prime didn't pretend to misunderstand. "To show him something about himself; I did the same for our Prowl once. There is no need to feel jealous, though – it's you that he wants. Haven't you noticed a change in his behavior?"

       "Yeah, he's gone from ignoring me to stalking me. Thanks a lot."

       "Ah yes, that phase. Prowl wants to be commanded; he's testing you, goading you to be more assertive, but he won't make the first move."

      The truck   rolled around a wide curve, forcing Optimus to brace himself. "What, you mean if I kick his aft he'll start acting like a good little subordinate?"

      He heard a loud snort from outside the trailer, presumably from Prowl.

      "I'm sure you know Prowl well enough to predict what he'll do," Prime said. "What do you think?"

       Optimus blinked. He was aware that all bots had the ability to anticipate the actions of others – it was a basic for any social beings – and that his software was more efficient at it than most. But ... "Is it really that accurate?"

       "The version you and I have is," Prime answered. "Practice it and refine it, Optimus; it is one of the most powerful tools you have."

***

Well, this isn't confusing at all :P … I trust I've made it clear enough which Prime is which.

Next chapter: Optimus !angst and discussion of chins.