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Megatron woke up again when his systems had recovered from the shock of feeding both Optimus's spawn and Watch in the same cycle. The damn parasites would be the death of him. And Prowl somehow expected him to produce three as was soon as physically possible? His energy levels were rising, slowly albeit, from Velocity's energon drip into his transfluid lines. And thankfully no one had approached him wanting to spark him since the birth of Watch. The longer he could hold off on carrying another bitlet the easier it would be for him.
And as his sensor suite rolled up to normal levels, he suddenly noticed that Watch was not upon his chest next to her half-brother. The still-nameless firstborn lay there in recharge, mouth still connected to the nozzle of the feeding pouch, but the younger sparkling was missing. Looking about he expected to see that she'd slipped to the side, ending up between his frame and the railing about the medberth. But on not finding her there, a sense of worry gripped him. He sat up, hoping to Primus that she'd not fallen to the floor. If she were dead, he'd never hear the end of it. If law enforcement didn't execute him for her murder, Whirl certainly would. The psychotic Autobot, as much as he'd come to regret sparking Megatron, and as much as he'd tried to step away from his involvement with the former Decepticon warlord, could not seem to make a break with the fact that he'd sired a child.
But before he could panic, he heard her cooing nearby. His gaze led by her voice, he looked over to see the tiny femme cradled in the arms of another mech... one that shouldn't have been there. He recognized the blue and white minibot, one he'd seen working about the corridors and rooms of the Lost Light but didn't know by name. Some sort of maintenance technician; the outer plate on his forearm was marked 'Waste Disposal.' He was sitting on a chair nearby holding the mechling tenderly, a finger delicately tracing her helm. Watch seemed to be enjoying his attentions, for she burbled happily at his touch, a smile evident on her tiny face. The minibot was smiling likewise and cooing back to her, charmed completely by her.
“Excuse me?”
The minibot looked up with a horrified gasp. His blue visor went nearly white with fear, and he choked out a tumble of words worthy of a racer on circuit boosters. “Oh you're awake now and I'm sorry but I was just holding her. You see the door was open and I've never seen a sparkling well I have now well I've held one now but she was looking at me and then she was reaching for me and you were asleep but if you were awake I would have asked but then I didn't want to wake you and she was reaching for me and making a noise like she was going to cry so I just took her and she wanted to be held because then she calmed down and was just sucking on my finger and putting her hands in my mouth and oh gosh she's so sweet and lovable and oh gosh my mask is still open!” He ceased his panic for a moment to slap the mask over his faceplate closed. “I'm sorry I'm sorry sorry I won't ever come in here again I really just wanted to see a sparkling and you must love her so much and I know that I sure would.” He quickly hopped up, deposited Watch into the crook of Megatron's arm, and hurried out of the room.
From the hall there came a crash and another apology and the cry of the minibot. Velocity could be heard scolding someone, telling him to be much more careful.
In a few moments Velocity entered Megatron's room. “Is everything all right in here?”
“Just fine,” said Megatron, settling Watch back on her nozzle, where she immediately began to feed again.
“Was Tailgate in here?”
“Tailgate?” So that was his name. “The blue and white thing? 'Waste Disposal' on his arm?”
“Yes. That Tailgate.”
“He was just looking in. He seemed nice enough.”
Velocity sighed. “He was in for repairs, but he wasn't supposed to be in here,” she huffed. “We'll need to go back to locking the door.”
Megatron settled against the raised head of the berth again. “No need. He was all right. Apparently he just wanted to see a sparkling.”
Velocity looked unconvinced. “I'm locking the doors again. Never know when Whirl might show up yet again either.”
The former warlord smirked. If things were different, he could have solved the problem of the pesky rotary permanently. No, it wouldn't happen, but the thought was nice. “How about I move into your quarters? No one would find me there,” he said instead. Over his stay he'd come to find the Camien medic quite appealing. She would have made a fine empress had things been different.
“How about we work on getting you back into your own quarters first,” she huffed, apparently just as uninterested as before at any sort of a relationship besides professional with him. She stepped out, and Megatron heard the door lock behind her. Optimus' brat began to stir, and as he came online he began to suck again.
The former warlord sighed, and the little blue and white mech came to mind again. At least someone liked at least one of his children.
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"Strange Constellations" continues in Chapter 2: "Getting to Know You"
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