Arcee factor Chapter 5: Secrets Revealed (WIP)

Chapter 5: Secrets Revealed.

Jack couldn't see Arcee from his vantage point, he had promised her to stay down and to lay low. Now he wanted to see, as Arcee had been out of his view for way too long. So he disobeyed and moved out of hiding. Now he didn't expose himself, he kept low and kept an eye on the space ship. He had seen the ramp come down confirming their suspicions about the object but after that Arcee had vanished from his view. As he moved around to get a better view he traversed almost half a circle before he was able to see part of Arcee.

She was in the ship and all he could make out was her feet, what was she doing? He couldn't see inside so he moved in closer, this was definitely strange; what was going on? Since there was no sign of a struggle he felt it was somewhat safe to proceed nearer to the spacecraft.

As he did, he didn't get far as Arcee walked out of the space craft and shouted at him, "Jack Darby what did I say!"

"Uh oh." He thought, she used my last name. He stepped out into the open, knowing now Arcee had given his position away to everyone, he was confused and a bit perturbed about her not coming back. "What's going on here Arcee, you disappeared?"

"It's not your concern, now go back up to where you were and wait there for me." Arcee shouted back but as she did she felt a hand on her shoulder; she knew at this point it was a hopeless; Jack wouldn't return now.

Jack stood there in awe, actually he was sure his jaw dropped open. For what he saw was another female robot, exiting the ship and putting her hand on Arcee's shoulder. She looked almost exactly like Arcee. She had some minor different features but she was Arcee to really look at except she was green in colour.

"What is that?" The robot said in cybertronian to Arcee and pointing to Jack.

Arcee sighed and waved Jack forward to where they both stood. "That is my mate, they are called humans. This ones name is Jack." Arcee said back to her new robot companion in cybertronian.

"That is very interesting, it looks very fragile." The green robot replied.

"Yes it is they are easily damaged." Arcee was trying very hard to remain calm in the light of this situation, one that she didn't want to happen. Jack and his rotten sense of curiosity Arcee thought.

Jack stood in front of the two hardly really telling them apart as he looked at both Arcee and this new comer. They could be twins, but due to Arcee's ability to transform to a motorcycle he could see the slight differences. "Arcee who is this?"

Arcee rolled her eyes, she really didn't want to explain this but she really had no choice now. "Jack this is my sister R-one."

Jack just stood there quiet for a moment trying to take in what Arcee had just revealed to him. "You have a sister?"

R-one spoke up, "What is he saying? That is not Cybertronian, even with my skills it is undecipherable."

Arcee looked at R-one "I'll explain but first." She turned her attention to her mate,
"Jack give me a minute and I will explain everything." Arcee said sincerely.

There wasn't much Jack could say, "Uhm…ok." He watched as the two went back into the spaceship for what he felt was eternity but they both again emerged to face him.  

"Jack say hi." Arcee prompted.

"Ah…Hi." Jack said in wonder. Waving his hand slightly in greeting.

"Hello human Jack." R-one said in response.

Jacks jaw again fell open, she was now speaking perfect English. "Hello R-one…ah welcome to earth." He turned his attention to his girlfriend "Arcee what is go on here?" It was then Jack noticed something very different about R-one, something that he hadn't really noticed on his first examination of her. "She's a Decepticon!" Jack said pointing at her.

"Yes, is that a problem?" R-one didn't really understand what had this human so upset.

Arcee turned to R-one, "We will have to talk about that, it seems you are a little out of date on the current events."

"Oh…then we will have to talk. First though I have a few more adjustments and I have to wake the others to complete the repairs. Perhaps you can use this time to bring your mate up to date as well."

Arcee sighed, "Yes that sounds like a good idea,  R-one we will talk again soon."

Jack saw the female Decepticon walk back into the ship leaving them alone. "Arcee who is she?"

"Come let's walk and talk, its safe; believe me R-one means you no harm." She looked down at Jack and she could see by the look on his face that he was having a hard time believing her.

Jack sat on a rock and Arcee sat on the ground now they were about face to face with each other. Jack looked at her awaiting her to start, "I'm waiting?" He said with impatience in his voice.

Arcee sighed, "I was hoping that the damage to their ship would be minor and they would be on their way again, without me having to explain all this but here we are."

"So you wanted this to be a secret from me."

"I had hoped to for the time being, it really doesn't affect anyone anymore it's just a part of my past. One that well in this context now is a bit of a problem. One that R-one doesn't really understand yet."

Jack wasn't sure about keeping secrets but that was an argument for another time it seemed. "Ok…R-one really is your sister?"

"Yes, but she isn't the only one, I have five others."

Jack just blinked and blinked some more. "Five?"

Arcee sighed and then added this, "Sorry that is incorrect I have one more but I do not consider her my sister."

"Oh?" Jack said, "Ok go on, I'll try to keep quiet until you finish filling me in."

Arcee began to talk, this would be a lot to absorb and well she had hoped to tell Jack later on but now fate forced her. "In truth Jack I am also a Decepticon..."she paused for she knew Jack wanted to speak but he kept his word and stayed quiet. He just motioned with his hands for her to continue. "My sisters are R-one through six. My true name is R-three I changed it slightly to Arcee it made me feel different from the others. Although they really only know me as R-three. We are constructs of an engineering genius known as Krayzar. He made many amazing things including us and the one other; Arachnid."

Jack couldn't stay quiet on this, "Arachnid is your other sister?" Jack saw Arcee's face turn to one of anger, although he knew it wasn't directed really at him.

"She is not my sister Jack, she is only the one who came first."

Jack tilted his head in thinking and then it came to him, "Prototype."

Arcee nodded, "That she is, we are her superiors."

Jack could see so much anger in Arcee's face, she was really upset. "She is not here Arcee, take a deep breath. I can see Krayzar made some definite improvements." He smiled up at her.

Arcee tried to calm the rage within her, Arachnid always got to her. "We don't speak of her, anyway Krayzar made us with the intentions of using us more as tools then actually anything else. He adopted a different form for us than most Cybertronians, giving us more curves; he was an artist as well as a genius. We each have our talents, R-one is linguistics, so it was easy to get her to learn English. R-two is mechanical, R-four is electrical systems, R-five and six are a little of both."

Jack saw that she intentionally left herself out, "And you?"

"Security, that's why I have blasters and thicker armor."

"Oh…so the others have no combat skills or weapons?" Jack was surprised, every cybertronian he had ever seen to this day had both.

"They were never designed for that Jack, in the end we were Krayzars companions until Arachnid changed all that. She came to despise Krayzar and us in the end she was his undoing. She killed him and then we came next. We fled, I stayed behind to protect the others as they had no real defense against her assaults. They managed to escape but just barely, I was separated from them as I had been damaged severely. I found a small ship and escaped from Cybertron, my ship drifted into a void and I put myself in suspended sleep and it wasn't until my ship crashed into an Autobot strong hold that I understood for how long.

I was updated to what had happened to Cybertron in my absence and was detained due to the fact I wore the Decepticon insignia. I was repaired but eventually was released. My conduct showed the Autobots that I was not a threat to them. In fact due to their kindness repairing me and how I was treated I burned the Autobot symbol into my frame over my Decepticon one. I was ashamed at my heritage and I wanted nothing to do with them ever again." She was quiet as she let it all settle in.

Jack had wanted to know more about Arcee and now he got a whole bunch in a very short time; perhaps too much. "So they don't know about the war?"

"No, from what I have gathered they too were in sleep, its why I never heard from them. I assumed they had been destroyed during the war, due to the fact they are not combat units."

Jack just sat there in silence, "They all look like you?"

"Yes our armor is the same although I am somewhat different but not that much; as you saw."

Jack didn't know what to say to her, this was such a shock. "Arcee… I wanted to know more about you, in time…you know how I felt and I didn't want to push you."

"I know Jack." She put her hand near him and he placed his on top.

Jack felt for her, this was a shock to her as well, she had thought they were dead and now here they were. "Do you want me to go back home and let you work on things here with them?"

She looked at him and saw his deep concern, "Would you mind, I know you want to meet them but right now they have a lot of catching up to do."

"It's ok, I understand." He patted her hand gently, he was sure she understood the gesture.

"Thanks, I promise Jack you will get to meet them."

"I know, it's going to be a long day for you."

She smiled at him, it was his understanding of her inner being that was what she loved about him. He was always thinking of her, even though he was not a Cybertronian he was in heart. She put her hands to the sides of her face and sighed, "Yeah it will be a long day."

Jack and Optimus awaited the ship at the hangar. Jack had gotten word from Arcee that the ship could fly again. Optimus had cleared a landing spot in the back for it to land. Jack was grateful to him, for it was a lot of heavy lifting. The ship now could land in front of one of the rear doors for easy access to the hangar. No one would be the wiser due to the cloak of the ship.

Jack enjoyed his afternoon with the leader of the Autobots. It wasn't often he got a chance to talk with him. "So you didn't know about Arcee's sisters?" He asked Optimus.

"I was unaware of their existence Jack, until you told me. It is nice to know there are other Autobots out there."

"Yeah, it's nice to see new faces and hopefully this won't be the last time."

Optimus looked at the young human, he had grown used to seeing him and now considered him a good friend. "There are many of us both Autobot and Decepticon Jack that fled Cybertron. Many like Arcee's sisters who are not combat units or would be able to fight. I hope that we will be able to reach those in time so they can come here to be with their own kind."

"Yeah, I hope though you will still be able to find a way to revive Cybertron, there has to be another way."

"I am still hopeful as well in that respect too Jack, if there was one there is another."

Jack heard Optimus's com click, the ship was close now they were to open the door. Jack and Optimus awaited as the ship landed close to one of the large back doors. He felt the ship touch down and he watched as the ramp lowered from the cloaked ship. It was fascinating watching what was just a ramp appearing from what looked like no where. Arcee came out first then R-one then the others, they were all different colours, yellow, purple, white, pink. They all looked like Arcee it was a bit strange seeing them all together.

Jack had wished his mother could have been here but she had to stay on for a second shift as several of the nurses at the hospital were sick. He knew she'd be really tired when she returned home so he had made a dinner and left it in her fridge. He could cook minor things and that's what it was but he knew she would appreciate it.

The group sort of by passed Jack for the time being as Optimus was the big attraction but his time came soon enough as one of Arcee's sisters broke from the pack and knelt down to speak to him; it was the pink one.

"Hello Jack I am R-six, Arcee has told us all about you and your kind. It seems your world is a very different world than ours."

"Yeah we are different, but in many ways the same. It's nice to meet you R-six. Your sisters seem very interested in Optimus."

"Yes, we haven't seen another of our kind in a long time. Seeing Arcee was a total shock, we had believed she had perished."

He could only imagine what they went through, "So who's who over there?" Jack said really wanting to know.

"Ah…the yellow one is R-two, purple is R-four and white is R-five." R-six said pointing each one out.

Jack brain thought he was talking with Arcee, R-six sounded just like her. Although she didn't act like her, she was different. He really couldn't pinpoint how but she was. Still it was nice to meet her. "So did Arcee fill you in about what has happened."

R-six shook her head, "Yes, it was a lot to absorb; I still do not understand a lot of it. I will have to research what I can from your records to fully grasp it." She smiled but Jack could see there was something going on with her.

"Are you ok?"

"Your kind are strange, my sensors are off they don't seem to register you properly, I will have to get Arcee to help me get them in sync with hers."

"Oh I'm sorry you are having a problem." He was concerned that the Autobot was having some discomfort. "Do you want me to get Arcee now?"

"Perhaps later I can live with the discomfort." She changed the subject, "But for now it is very nice of Optimus to have us here. The ship is badly damaged, it can barely fly and the cloak is about to fail."

Jack grimaced, "Uh oh, that could be a problem. Does Arcee know?"

"Yes she was going to talk to you about it."

Jack was sure that was going to be about a large tarp order, they really would need to cover that thing up. It might not be seen by passer by on the road but by air it would stick out like a sore thumb. "I'm sure she will."

Jack wanted to do a test, it was something he had in the back of his mind ever since he saw R-one. "Uh…may I touch you?"

R-six was a bit surprised by the request but she didn't think there was any harm in him doing it. "Yes."

Jack asked R-six to move in closer to and then he put his hand to the side of her face. It wasn't there, in a way he was surprised but in a way relieved it wasn't. He removed his hand. "Thanks very much R-six." She smiled at him, it was the way Arcee did but to him it wasn't quite the same.

R-one looked at the human Jack, she didn't really know what to make of him. He was a fragile looking thing, his face had a wide range of expressions that confused her somewhat. "Are you ok? Your face looks to be in…question?" She wasn't sure if she said that correctly.

"Yeah I'm ok and you are right I am a bit confused about something but you answered part of my question, thanks."

"I am glad I could help you Jack." Although she did not know how or what she did to deserve such thanks.

Jack was introduced to all the sisters and it was the same experience with each one. Each sounded like Arcee but was different in a small way. In the wake of everything Jack eventually got over looked an sort of forgotten. However Arcee saw him and waved but her attention was taken away before she got back to him. So he went and sat down in an old recliner they had pulled out just for a temporary seat. As he listened to the clanking of the metal hitting the floor he grew more and more weary and eventually his eyes closed and didn't reopen.

He was roused from his slumber with a gentle poke to his chest. "Huh…what?"

"You fell asleep." Arcee comforted him.

"Ah…I see." He sat up and rubbed his eyes, there in front of him was the face he knew so well. "Sorry Arcee."

"Its ok, everyone is settled now, I saw you here but you shouldn't be sleeping in that old thing; it's not good for you."

"You are right about that." He rubbed his back, it ached now. "How are your sisters?"

"They are happy, they want to stay…at least for awhile anyway. They really don't know for how long but as far as I am concerned they can stay indefinitely."

Jack looked at Arcee and noticed that she was laying down on her side. He pondered this for a moment then it came to him. "You were watching me."

Arcee always knew that her Jack was observant, "Yeah I was, you looked so comfortable I really hated to disturb you."

Jack reached out and touched her face, it was that close to him and there it was; that feeling. It was something that wasn't present when he touched R-six's. Something inside him knew that he was meant for Arcee and this proved it to him. "You know you are so different from them."

"Jack? Not really we are the same basically, as a group we are all specialized that's all." She smiled at him, his touch did something to her. Something she couldn't understand but it was welcomed.

"No you are wrong, there is something about you that is very different than the others; I can feel it."

Arcee wondered about that, "I think I understand a little about what you are saying." She knew when she was around him she felt different. She moved herself into a standing position, "Come I have something to show you."

Jack followed Arcee to the main elevator that lead down to the lower levels, there were controls for both Autobot and human. Arcee pushed the button that lead to the third level, her room. The door opened. Jacks eyes went wide, the room was a multitude of colours ranging from bright reds to exotics greens. "Wow."

"Yeah that's what I said while we were painting it."

"It's beautiful." Jack said as he entered, he noticed it wasn't quite finished, one wall hadn't been done yet. He looked up at her, "I thought you wanted to have it done before showing me."

"Tonight seemed an appropriate time, today was a day of shedding secrets and well I have one other to share with you. I think you best sit on the bed for this one, it will take awhile to do."

Jack couldn't help but notice the large bed in the room, it was the only piece of furniture. "To do?" Jack said in confusion.

"Jack I am not exactly as I appear to be."

He didn't get what Arcee was getting at, "I'm not sure what you mean Arcee." He said while climbing up onto the large bed that was in the room.

"I've explained this to your mother, my armor is an extension of my being, it is alive sort of but it can be removed."

Jack didn't know what to say, "Arcee I…"

"Jack removing my armor is a custom of our people it shows complete trust to the other but it puts us at our most vulnerable. It shows respect and trust to one you feel close to. I feel its time for you to see the true me; although the process will take me some time to do."

He was going to say that she didn't have to but he remembered what she said it was respect and trust between each other. "Arcee, is there anything I can do to help you."

"Thanks but I can do this." She smiled.

Jack watched fascinated as Arcee began to remove what she called her armor. The first parts she removed were the arms, which were concealing what appeared to be elongated slender tentacles. They were split off into many different smaller ones about halfway down to what appeared to be her arm appendage. The smaller tendrils all moved independently. To some this might have frightened them but he knew Arcee and this made him love her even more, she was showing him her inner self. He knew it took courage to do so, he knew also after he would do the same, it was time.

When she was done, she stood there in front of him. Even though he was sitting on the bed her slender body was still much taller than him but he didn't have to strain too much. She was grey in colour all over except for her chest where there was what appeared to be a glowing jewel. He reached out and she took his hand gently and guided his hand to it.

"That is where my spark is kept, like your heart; it is where our life force flows through."

He felt it again, that feeling, "That's where it comes from." He said softly.

"What?" Arcee said.

Jack smiled, he now could look directly into Arcee's naked eyes, they sparkled with a life of their own. The blue energy called Energon seemed to ignite inside them creating a firestorm of beauty. "Your eyes are beautiful." He said forgetting what he had just conversed about.

"Thank you but you were saying something…" Arcee said trying to get him back on track.

"Oh yeah," his mind returned to what he had started moments ago. "Every time I touch you I get this feeling like we belong, like a form of energy that ties us together…like what you said a spark."

Arcee's eyes went wide, "I get that too! I really couldn't put my finger on it but now you have said it, yes that is exactly what I feel as well."

Jack felt her smooth skin, it was hard but it some how flowed beneath his fingers. "How is it you can be rigid and seem soft at the same time?"

"I do not know." She smiled.

He stared again into those eyes, "It's a shame your armor hides those eyes of yours."

"Well without that I don't have all that great of vision, not bad for close up but at a distance not so good."

"Ah." Her whole body was a slender smooth figure, including her head. She had no hair to speak of and her two legs again seemed tentacle in structure. They ended in what appeared to be smooth feet. There were no toes just what looked a lot like shoes. One other thing he noticed was that she didn't appear to have any feminine genitalia but his view was not the best. It was possible that she did but he couldn't be totally sure. He wasn't going to make it an issue, it didn't matter anyway. He smiled, "You are beautiful."

Arcee looked at him and gave his a questionable look, "Jack you are just saying that I don't look anything like a human female."

"No that is true but you are truly beautiful to me; I am honored to see the true you." He smiled and he began to take off his shirt.

Arcee reached out with her fine tentacle fingers and stopped him. "Jack?"

He smiled at her and raised and eyebrow, "Well if you are going to run around naked, I better join you."

Arcee understood that humans felt modesty and sometimes embarrassment being naked in front of others. "Jack you don't have to."

He nodded to her, "Yeah I do." He motioned for her to bend down and she responded. He kissed her on her lips feeling the warming energy once again flow through him then he broke off separating himself from her ever so slightly, "There are no secrets today." He said.

The end of chapter 5. December 11, 2012