Time Froze Still Yet The Way Forward Was Clear
The air on this wretched planet was freezing cold. Ultra Magnus could feel it in his joints and systems. He was a strong bot, one of the largest of the Autobts, but it was enough to make the normally stoic bot grow frustrated. Still, he knew to keep his intake shut as the smaller bots had it so much worse.
Ultra Magnus decided to go on a solo patrol, taking the back ways of their territory. He had joined the Autobots a few cycles ago, but he was already in a decent enough position to go out on his own. Most others apparently still had a buddy system at this time, but Prime trusted him and Ultra Magnus wasn't going to abuse it.
He actually didn't mind the time alone, even if the constant wind and this… white stuff, which according to Bumblebee's friend Spike was called snow, kept making his steps sluggish and hard to see just where he was putting his pedes. It was bad enough he had to keep all his sensors on high to make sure he didn't step on or bump into anything, he didn't need this icy water to make his life worse.
As Ultra Magnus continued his control, something caught his optic. Something black in the snow, clearly metallic. A Cybertronian just like him!
He ran over to the bot and found it was a small black and gray mech, covered in armor cracks and chunks of metal missing. He was shaking like a leaf and immediately clung to Ultra Magnus when he found he could move his arms.
His faceplate had a massive gash in it, revealing some sharp denta underneath. But the most obvious issue was his optics. Not only were they orange, a deviation of the Autobot blue or the Decepticon red, but they had a weird white fog over them.
The bot clung to him tightly as soon as he was wrenched from the snow, practically scrapping his claws into Ultra Magnus' back. The giant couldn't find it in himself to be upset as he held him close and began walking him back to base. He considered transforming but worried his tires could get stuck and the last thing Ultra Magnus wanted was to delay the young bot's treatment anymore.
"U-unca…" The young bot rumbled against his throat cables, voice crackly. Ultra Magnus somehow couldn't find it in himself to correct the bot. Instead, against his very nature, he just held the bot closer.
"That's right… Unca's here. I'll keep you safe."
Only after Hoist did some looking over did the young bot speak again. He revealed his name was Shortfall and that he didn't recall what happened to lead to him getting trapped in the ice and that his injuries had been there since his new build stage, injuries he wasn't interested in repairing it seemed, even flinching when Hoist or Ratchet approached.
It was becoming clear fast that the fog in Shortfall's optics was because he was blind. He wasn’t completely blind, just mostly, the world being made of countless colors and vague shapes but with no real detail. But he was smart, which Ultra Magnus respected a lot. Shortfall could seemingly read other bots' energy and could use that to sense who was nearby or what they were up to. Despite his young age, he was a bright mech.
"Well, other than your cosmetics, I'd say you're fine," Hoist nodded, helping Shortfall stand up. Almost immediately, Shortfall scrambled over to Ultra Magnus, clinging to his arm. He didn't pull away, only using his free arm to pet his helm and rub one of his horns.
Ratchet bit his derma at the sight but Ultra Magnus just ignored him, his attention on the younger bot. He stood slowly, almost as if worried he'd startle the blind mech. He scooped him up and held him to his chassis. "Perhaps it'll be good to introduce you to some of the other Autobots, at least until Prime decides what to do with you."
Shortfall nodded, wrapping his arms around Ultra Magnus' throat as the giant mech shifted him to be more comfortable. "Thank you Unca."
He knew he should correct this, but at the same time he liked the idea of taking this mech as a kithkin, or a nephew as he heard Sparkplug refer to that position for human families. So instead, he just held his new kithkin close and walked to the main area of the Ark.
There were only a handful of bots around, some going off to begin work on Autobot City, or Metroplex as he's heard it called from time to time. Perhaps he'd take Shortfall there once it was completed, if Prime decided to let the blind mech stay.
Bumblebee seemed to perk up immediately as he came over, moving to put a servo on Shortfall's knee. "Is this the bot that stole your spark?" he teased.
"Yes, he is my kithkin. Shortfall, this is one of our scouts Bumblebee. He's the closest thing we have to a human expert."
Bumblebee gave a shy grin. "Awh shucks, I wouldn't say expert. I just have a lot of human friends. Being small and approachable helps." He traced Shortfall's claws with his thumb. "Nice scars, bet you're a real fighter."
Shortfall looked away. "I'm just clumsy…" But Bumblebee waved away his shame. "Aren't we all?" That actually got a laugh out of the younger bot.
"Ultra Magnus," Optimus' voice caused Ultra Magnus to almost flinch. "I'd like to speak privately about this situation."
Ultra Magnus nodded before moving to set Shortfall down. "Stay with Bumblebee for now, let him show you around. I'll be back in a moment."
Shortfall nodded. "Okay Unca." He smiled, the best he could with his ripped open faceplate. He took Bumblebee's servo and let the minibot lead him down the hall.
Ultra Magnus' fuel lines seemed to spike as he watched Optimus settle into a seat beside Teletraan-1. He knew he was being ridiculous but he couldn't help it. As much as he loved Shortfall and took such a quick affection to him, he couldn't help but feel like this is wrong, that he should be above this. He was a Magnus after all, one of the last of the name.
"You can calm your vents Magnus, you're not in trouble. Have a seat." Ultra Magnus moved to perch on one of the few seats big enough for a mech his size, after checking thrice that he wouldn't accidentally break it.
"You and Shortfall have grown close, that's good. I've noticed you've had issues relating to your comrades outside of the battlefield. That's not necessarily a flaw, it came from the Magnus culture of doing things isolated. Be close but not too close, correct?"
Ultra Magnus, not sure where this was going, nodded.
Optimus went on. "Clearly Shortfall is staying. It would be cruel to leave a mech who can't see to try and navigate a planet he's not from without some support. It's just the Decepticons that worry me."
"I'll make it my duty to keep him safe," Ultra Magnus vowed and Optimus nodded. "I believe you and I know you will. But I also know Decepticons do not play fair, they might be willing to do something underhanded to get to you."
Ultra Magnus chose not to directly comment on that, instead watching the Prime as he thought. "There's an old emblem for the Autobots, I'm sure the Decepticons have their own version. A mark that meant that, while a bot is on our side, they do not participate in battle. Therefore attacking the bot would be seen as shameful and honorless."
The blue giant perked up. "Do you think such a thing would work?"
Optimus dipped his helm. "Perhaps. Megatron is ruthless and cruel, but surely he'd see doing something of this sort as beneath him, perhaps a waste of time. It's not preferable, but I'd rather that than Shortfall getting hurt."
Shortfall had the emblem stamped on him that night, right on his chest plate. It was similar enough to the standard symbol, just with what looked like wings on the side.
Ultra Magnus scooped his little kithkin in his arms and pressed his nasal ridge against his smaller neck cables. He will always be glad to have found Shortfall and will do anything to keep him safe.
Shortfall was much more of a social butterfly than Ultra Magnus ever expected, certainly a lot better than he was at it.
Sure he was respectful, only being around mechs who certainly didn't mind his company. That list being a lot longer than anyone expected. There were times he was found sitting on the floor by Prowl's desk, talking for klicks while the second in command would work and occasionally pat his helm.
It was actually thanks to Prowl they found Shortfall could in fact read, but only with datapads that could make the font as large as possible or show it in different colors.
However it wasn't a long term solution. Ultra Magnus found him tapping his claws, which had gotten duller and more close to proper digits, with each word he read. When asked, the younger bot explained that he was associating letters with patterns.
This got all three of the Autobot commands interested. "What do you mean patterns?" Optimus looked almost ridiculous, sitting in a much too small seat to be closer to Shortfall's level, Prowl and Jazz on either side of him.
"You know, like uh…" Shortfall paused. "Like a rhythm?" Jazz supplied and Shortfall tilted his helm. "Maybe… I find that certain letters have longer and shorter sounds than others. So if I tapped this glyph out, it would be like this," he tapped his digits in two quick, short beats. "While this one is more like," he tapped the table once, paused, and followed it by two quick ones.
"So this full sentence would be like," Shortfall used two clawed digits, swapping between more quick, short taps to longer, slower ones, even going back to repeat it a few times until it seemed to click.
"Oh I get it. It's like an encrypted message," Jazz grinned and Shortfall nodded. "Yeah! Makes it easier for me, hearing it, but I could see it being used to pass messages along that we don't want Decepticons intercepting."
Optimus dipped his helm. "I like it. Prowl, Jazz, work with Shortfall to properly make a language code, learn it so we can teach it to the others."
He leaned over to pat Shortfall's shoulder. "I knew bringing you on would be the best decision."
It unfortunately didn't take long for another discovery about Shortfall made itself known. This one not as pleasant but way more important.
Ultra Magnus knew better than anyone there were times where Shortfall went quiet, almost deadly still aside from the occassional tremble of his servos.
Truthfully, and regretfully, Ultra Magnus always assumed it was just his version of a short power nap.
To anyone else, that theory would be ridiculous. But to the blue giant, it made all sorts of sense. He himself slept with his optics online all the time.
Like the rest of him, his optics were big. So big he's gotten the likes of Nightlight asking if he was part dragonfly insecticon. He wasn’t, not that he knew of, but he wasn't dumb to think there was no reason for the question, he's seen Prey before.
But it wasn't simply because he couldn't close them, he could. It just took effort to shut them fully, time and effort he couldn't always afford to have thanks to him being the most commonly recruited soldier. So it was just easier to sleep with his optics like that.
Shortfall himself had some decently sized optics. Nothing like his, but bigger than some he's seen. Plus he knew what caused Shortfall's blindness may have something to do with his internal systems, part of why the surgery to fix them is not exactly top priority. They were in the middle of war and common parts were difficult to find replacements for, so finding the specific piece they needed would be downright impossible right now, assuming Shortfall himself even wanted to go through with it.
But for all Ultra Magnus knew, that could lead to him having pain in his optics so he probably would avoid offlining them similar to how he did. So he never thought to bring it up, only providing him a tarp and sitting beside him till Shortfall came back online, ready to carry him to the recharging chamber.
But when Ultra Magnus found him one day, thrashing on the floor with lubricant filled optics glowing white, he was incredibly unprepared.
Immediately he slid over, picking Shortfall up and holding him close. "Medic! MEDIC!" He practically howled.
It took what felt like mere moments for Rarchet to run over and look the thrashing mech over. "I… I've never see anything like this before," Ratchet admitted, moving to stabilize Shortfall's helm by gripping the back of his neck.
Lubricant tears were already running down the young bot's face, intake open in a silent scream. Though soon, he went deadly still and his optics slowly offlined.
Ultra Magnus didn't want to let his kithkin go, holding him tighter as Ratchet and Hoist tried to take him. It was only thanks to coaxing from Optimus did he pass the black and gray bot off.
Shortfall woke up a few cycles later, his optics back to that foggy orange. He immediately flung himself into Ultra Magnus' arms.
The giant held him close, gently rocking the blind mech like a newly formed sparkling.
"Unca! Unca!" He just keep repeating that one title over and over until Ultra Magnus soothed him with a shush. "That's enough, mech. You gave everyone a scare, are you alright?"
Shortfall nodded. "Yes… yes I am. I was just having a vision."
"A vision? What do you mean?" He's never heard such a thing. Shortfall nodded. "Yeah, I can… I can see the future, I think. I've always been able to."
His wide, foggy orange optics looking into Ultra Magnus' blue ones. "Usually when I have visions, I just go still and maybe shake. Sometimes I go so still I can seem asleep."
Ultra Magnus glanced to the side, feeling slightly exposed. Who knew that what Ultra Magnus saw as so innocuous seemed to be a lot more?
"And sometimes… when I get bad visions, I tend to… well do what happened." Ultra Magnus nodded.
"Well don't think I don't believe you, I really do. I just… I've never heard anything like this before." He glanced at the smaller bot, but Shortfall didn't look offended, instead understanding. "I've had this conversation before with you, in other times so I think I can answer this right."
He pulled up three digits. "I usually see three similar situations at once. They all have something different occurring, usually based on a decision. I can see what happens if one action is taken, if a different one is taken, or if no action is taken at all."
"But sometimes…" Shortfall paused. "Sometimes I only see one thing at a time, one serious thing." He seemed scared, curling up closer against Ultra Magnus' frame. "That's what cause me to have the big, scary reactions."
The giant mech just held Shortfall close and slowly rocked him. "It's okay, I… I think I get it. Can I… can I ask what this latest vision was?"
Shortfall wiped his faceplate. "I saw this strange planet… one that was devouring another planet and all the life on it…"
The battle with Unicron caused the Autobots to lose many members. Optimus, Ratchet, Prowl, Wheeljack, all lost.
One had hit Ultra Magnus the most.
The young bot seemed to disappear, completely missing after the battle at the Autobot city Metroplex. It tore Ultra Magnus' spark to shreds when they boarded the ships and he found he wasn't anywhere to be found.
They had a new Prime now, Rodimus, and Ultra Magnus was now the second in command. Sometimes he wondered how his kithkin would react to this information, or the fact he was temporarily leader of the Autobots at all.
He was so lost in thought, he didn't hear a voice calling him until something literally jumped in his arms.
Ultra Magnus scrambled to keep his grip before looking down, seeing the grinning faceplate of Shortfall.
His old injuries were still there, part of his denta were still exposed, and his optics were a bit foggier. The blue giant didn't care though, as he quickly squeezed his kithkin tight.
"I thought… I thought you offlined?" Ultra Magnus could feel himself tearing up.
Shortfall shook his helm. "No, I was in hiding with the Aerialbots. Silverbolt insisted I barricade during the attack and they all stayed with me."
He laid his helm against Ultra Magnus' chestplate, practically feeling his sparkbeat through the metal. "I tried to contact you but…" Ultra Magnus understood, there was a lot going on, plus he himself was out of commission for sometime.
"I'm just glad to have you back," he rumbled, resting his chin on the smaller bot's helm. "Don't want to be the last Magnus anymore."
Ultra Magnus just about jumped out of his plating when Shortfall ran around the corner, practically almost crashing into a wall.
"UNCA! UNCA LOOK, WE HAD A SPARKLING!"
He jumped right into Ultra Magnus' arms, wrapping his own around his throat and nuzzling, doorwings flicking in excitement.
Silverbolt rounded the corner, a small little mech clinging to his back, magnetized. He came closer and the sparkling perked his helm up.
He was so small, with mostly black, red, and white plating. He had little horns like Shortfall but he also had wide wings and a long tail fin. What they said about seekers having strong traits was true, it seemed.
Slowly Ultra Magnus extended one servo, the other supporting Shortfall. Silverbolt slowly detached his son and set him gently in his giant, white palm.
Carefully he lifted the spark closer to his faceplate. The sparkling's faceplate already favored Silverbolt's, but his optics were blue and a deep yellow, almost orange. Ultra Magnus could feel his spark melting as he watched the little one's big optics stare into his.
"His name is Smokevision," Shortfall smiled. "I have a feeling he's going to inherit your height, Unca." That got a laugh out of all of them.
Silverbolt approached when Ultra Magnus took a seat. For once, the blue giant could comfortably say he was the most happy he's been in a long time, especially since the war began.
He was content like this, a full family. And it would be okay if time decided to freeze right then and there.
