During the slapdown.

[nottabeater]

((happens same time as this))

Bee glances toward the place that Endeavour lifted off from earlier, then turns her head slightly and listens to the sparklings where they're gathered around Jeimu under the table in the Workshop. The thought that her friends are up in space going against Starscream seems a little surreal in a way. But after everything else that's happened since they came to Earth....

"Yeah," she mutters to herself.

Comments

[dajazzmech.livejournal.com]

"Yeah? What's up my lady love?" Jazz asks standing next to her.

[nottabeater.livejournal.com]

She starts slightly and looks at him. "Just thinking that this all seems weird, that's all."

[dajazzmech.livejournal.com]

"Compared ta all of the stuff I've seen in this crazy multiverse? Weird may not be the right word."

[nottabeater.livejournal.com]

"Yeah." She reaches for his hand, reminded of one more 'weirdness when she notices that he's slightly faded looking. "You're doing the ghostie."

[dajazzmech.livejournal.com]

"Mmm?" He smiles at her tiredly and solidifies to take her hand. "Sorry, got a lot clickin' around in my head."

[nottabeater.livejournal.com]

She puts her other arm around him in a supportive hug, then starts at the sound of gunfire and a bellow of anger from where Epps was stationed on the perimeter a few yards from the base.

[dajazzmech.livejournal.com]

Jazz's horns stand straight up in surprise before launching into command mode. "Rap!" He calls to his youngest. "You're in charge of the little ones. Bee, stay with the wounded and don't argue!"

Before they can even shout Jazz is dashing off to find Epps.

[nottabeater.livejournal.com]

Bee growls, then hurries to shut the gate and lock it before heading for the back one. Jazz will be able to jump back inside, and she'll personally help any of their human friends who decide to retreat in her direction.

Then she stops short with a beep of dismay.

Jazz still has his soda can with him!

Epps is cursing a blue streak as he and a couple of the others try to find cover on the flat patch they've been caught on. One of his friends is down, and he himself is bleeding on the shoulder as he accompanies his verbal assault with one from his gun.

[dajazzmech.livejournal.com]

"Epps!" Jazz shouts firing off a few ion blast close to thier attackers. He gets in a defensive position. "What in the name of the blazing blue pit is this s***!?"

[nottabeater.livejournal.com]

"I dunno! But the Captain says they're attackin' all around the line!" He grabs his wounded friend and drags him behind Jazz, then hunkers over him protectively and starts shooting again.

And the attackers- black clad figures with mean weaponry, fire back at Jazz, calling to one another in a non English based code that Epps can't make head or tails out of.

[dajazzmech.livejournal.com]

"Tell him to-!" He blocks some shots. "Keep em back as long as possible. I'm gonna try something." His horns twitch wildly as he begins to run the code through his CPU and the internet. If he can get the base language, he's sure it's not hard to crack the code.

[nottabeater.livejournal.com]

//Desoto's down!// comes a cry from Epps' radio.

//Man down!// comes another call, sounding slightly frantic and very angry.

//Hold tight!// Lennox calls back to them. //They've got us blocked. I can't reach the base!//

Base language... a Finnish based horse Latin.

[dajazzmech.livejournal.com]

His horns twitch again. //Ratch isn't here to move them out.//

It takes Jazz but a few moments and the code is cracked. The attackers will hear from all around them and over their own radios millions of voices in millions of tones say the same thing. "(Run now, or face a wrath second only to God.)"

And then they will all see Jazz dissappear and reappear standing right in front of the enemy.

[nottabeater.livejournal.com]

It's a good thing the enemy's affected the same way he is, because that move just caught Epps flatfooted and with his mouth hanging open.

Then one of them shouts and opens fire on the Autobot.

//Quick!// calls Lennox. //Get the wounded to the hanger while they're concentrating on Jazz!//

Epps grabs his wounded comrade and shoves him at another soldier. "Get him back there!"

Then he jumps and curses as what looked like an empty pop can explodes with a ping and a whine of shrapnel. "What the @#$%$#%$&#?!!"

[dajazzmech.livejournal.com]

"(LEAVE! NOW!)" He broadcast forcefully as he sends out magnetic pulses to draw away some of the attackers guns or knock them back , then he winces at the sudden feeling of pain. "(And don't ever return!)"

He's gotten away with bluffs before. Maybe he'll luck out this time.

The silver mech doesn't even notice his pop can in his fury to get rid of the invaders.

[nottabeater.livejournal.com]

Epps turns his attention to getting people back safely, though now the channels are open as Bumblebee notices the problem and tears open the block. Calls start coming through, and the sound of copter blades sound in the not too far distance.

The mercenary commander calls the retreat. She and her men were here to kill soldiers and maybe take out some non combatants, not fight ghostly hallucinations that can suck their guns away from them and whose own gun is far too real.

[dajazzmech.livejournal.com]

"Yeah that's what I thought." Jazz huffs slightly as he watches them run off. After the mercs get a suitable distance away he turns and drops the guns as he plods over to his friends and helps to guid them safely back to the base. "Primus, gettin' shot hurts."

[nottabeater.livejournal.com]

"You alright?" Fig looks up with concern, not even wincing at the roar of a chopper setting down nearby or of a pair of jets going over.

[dajazzmech.livejournal.com]

"I hurt man. Like all over. They didn'y fire off that much though did they?"

[nottabeater.livejournal.com]

"Nah, I thought they were too busy yellin' to hit anythin'." He frowns.

//Jazz?// calls Bee.

//Daddy, they lost Aunty Dev!// reports Rap anxiously. //Wait, Aunty 'Mia thinks it was her PINpoint goin' off. AuntyMu's lookin'.//

[dajazzmech.livejournal.com]

//I'm hurtin' but the baddies are gone, from here.// He broadcasts to them. //I-I'm comin' in. Here in a sec.//

He gives Fig a pained grin. "I need to head back in. Somethin's up with the team we got in space."

[nottabeater.livejournal.com]

"Sure, man," the Warrent Officer nods, but then yelps and dives for cover as something hits the ground only ten foot away.

"The @$%$#%$#!" says another soldier. "That looked like one'a the 'Bots!"

[dajazzmech.livejournal.com]

Jazz stumbles over and begins to click and beep in Cybertronian as he investigates the critter who made landfall.

Then gasps in shock.

//Bee, I'm seein' some thing that looks like Dev.//

[nottabeater.livejournal.com]

//No, no! Dev's in Newfoundland. Watch out, the others are coming down,// she says hastily. //Make sure nobody gets squished!//

[dajazzmech.livejournal.com]

"Everybody! Get ta cover! Bee says there's something else comin' down!"

[nottabeater.livejournal.com]

The men look upward, then scatter like well-trained quail at sight of the massive 'rocks' that are plummeting toward Earth. The ground shakes with impacts, and a Rachetish groan come from one of the new craters.

[dajazzmech.livejournal.com]

"What in Primus's name is going on?!" Jazz says from his position of leaning protectively over Epps and Fig.

//Bee? What in the flying blue pit is going on?//

[nottabeater.livejournal.com]

//Starscream shot Dev in the PINpoint that she wore on her shoulder. She wound up in Jeimu's reality, in Newfoundland. Ratch and the others are coming back to regroup and go get her.//

"Easy, Ratch," rumbles Ironhide, fishing the wobbly and battle marked medic out of his crater.

"(Man... I ain't laughin' at that Chicken Little no more,)" mutters Fig.

"English, man," say Epps absently, frowning.

[dajazzmech.livejournal.com]

//Nevermind, babe, they're here already.//

Jazz rises to his feet and carefully approaches Ironhide and Ratchet. "You two okay? Where's Starforge and Chromia?"

[nottabeater.livejournal.com]

Ironhide points to where his son is setting down easily with Chromia in his arms, then puts his hand back on Ratchet. "We're fine. Ratchet just got hit in the gyros."

"Hurry and get me inside. I have to get my tools," the CMO urges his friend.

Conclusion

[nottabeater.livejournal.com]

The soldiers were tended to, Dev was retrieved, and Jazz spent the rest of the day laying down and getting over the shock of having no pop can anymore. By the end of the day everyone was in one piece, and the night was peaceful.

Till Arcee woke up and was miffed at missing all the action.