This fic has been giving all kinds of merry grief. I wanted it to really show the Aerialbots and the way they think. I also wanted it to feel real, that it was happening. Writing in this style was brutal, and will continue to be untill this story is finished.
On that note, this is an odd style, and while my two friends who proofread it for me (THANK YOU you two! ) say that it's excellent, telling a story from multiple first-person angles is not usually considered a good idea. After all this work, I can see why. With all that in mind, please do leave a review, and if it seems that this format is not appreciated, I'll change it to a more common style. That is all.
We were all expecting it. We didn't even bother to pretend we weren't. All of us just sat in a group, waiting for the door to open. Someone would come; someone would tell us if Silverbolt had survived.
Chapter 1 – You Have to Understand
- 365 days left -
-May 5th. Approx. 5:30 pm. Airraid's POV-
We'd be in medbay, by his side, but the medics needed room. They yelled at us to leave, and when we didn't, yelled for some others to drag us away. I think it was the twins, Ironhide and Blades, I can't remember. I was too busy trying to stay with my commander.
It was my fault, me and my damn hotheadedness. When I saw Starscream, did I say to myself "Airraid, it's a trap. Listen to Silverbolt and stay in formation"? No, I yelled "He mine" and rocketed off after the Decepticon. Fastrack yelled for me to break off my attack and to get back on Skydive's tail. Silverbolt ordered it. And I ignored them. And now Silverbolt's dieing. Why did he have to play the hero? I could have taken that volley.
Skydive's got his head in his hands. I don't think he's moved since he was forced to sit down. Silverbolt's his brother, and now his brother's dieing. Fastrack's staring off into space, I know she blames me but won't say anything. What's she thinking? She's moved even less than Skydive… My brothers are sitting beside and across from me. I can see Slingshot rubbing his head, Flight's leaning on my arm. Every once in a while he'll shift away or huddle closer…
The door! It opens; we all look up. It's Siren, Prowl's assistant. "Skydive, may I speak with you?" Oh Primus no…
-Same day, Approx 7:00 am. Silverbolt's POV-
"There's Starscream!" Airraid breaks formation and goes after the red Seeker.
"Raid! Get back in formation!" Yells Fastrack.
"Back in formation Airraid," I order. "Leave Starscream."
"He's MINE!" Roars Airraid. He dives for the Decepticon. Damn it! It's probably a trap. Why won't Airraid follow orders?
… My proximity alert! Oh slag, four missiles headed straight for Airraid! There's no way he'll survive!
Well… I-if I can't make him obey me… I can at least… Save his life…
"Airraid! LOOK OUT!" Nose up, times… Slowing down… Down… Don't look down; don't think about how far I'll fall. I gotta… Gotta save Airraid… Even if… I have to… have to ram those missiles!
"Silverbolt! NO!"
… Skydive?
- Same day, Approx 5:15 pm. Slingshot's POV-
Worst slagging day of my life. I just keep thinking about what I should 'a done. Damn it! Bolt should 'a followed his own advice and not flown higher. Why did he do it? Why? I could 'a shot the missiles down! I could 'a shot Airraid down for Primussake! It's not like it would 'a hurt Raid; he can take anything.
Damn, we all expected Airraid to charge in like that, but no one expected you to fly up and take the hit like that! Primus Bolt! You went down like a rock. I-I… don't think…Somehow, you weren't afraid…
-Same day, Approx 7:03 am. Silverbolt's POV-
Warmth… No, searing heat… Its blue… Or is it red? I hear… Sounds?
"Silverbolt!"
"PULL up you… veRBOLT!"
They… Mean something… I was… Doing something…Important. Oh well… What could be wrong? I'm flying aren't I?
…No wait… I'm… Falling… funny, I'm supposed to be afraid of falling. Actually, it's very nice… Feels like flying but easier… Maybe I should pull up? Nah… I'm too tired…
-Center Skydive-
He could see his brother point his nose upwards. What could he… Silverbolt's planning to ram the missiles! A bang, a SCREECH! Of ripping, shredding metal. Silverbolt plummets.
"Silverbolt!"
"Pull up you glitch!" Yells Fastrack vainly. "Come on! SILVERBOLT!"
Skydive plunges after his elder brother, forgetting everything except that his brother's in trouble. Silverbolt is muttering unconsciously into his comm, terrifying his younger brother. "Silverbolt! BROTHER!"
The Concord drops straight down. When he impacts the earth, it is with the force of a bullet. As the dust clears, it reveals Silverbolt, laying crumpled and smoking in the center of a blasted crater, missing his wings, one leg maimed beyond recognition and a fountain of energon spraying from his sparking chest.
-Silverbolt's POV-
"Silverbolt! You're gonna be okay! You gotta be okay!"
… Voices?
"Damn… You HEAr me!?" Hey Skydive, I can hear you. Why are you talking like that?
"SILVer… To me! Don't…Sleep okay?" Sta… wake!"
I don't understand what… I'm tired… Maybe I should sleep?
"SILveboLT! Don… DIE!
Die? I'm… Dieing? No way… This is too nice to be dieing…
"WHADDYA mean… hoUR! He's Fou…ning energ…"
What are they saying? It's so hard to understand… Oh, the sky, it's beautiful… such… a pure… lovely blue…
…
"OUT!" Loud… I see… movement? Colours?
"He's my BROTHER!" "Put a clamp…" "Losing him!" "Slaggit! Get…"
So many voices. So many colours… But what does it all mean?
"…VERBOLT! SILVERBOLT!"
"You ain't… OUT!"
Can't see… Colours… are leaving… I feel… Cold.
-Same day, Approx 5:35 pm. Fireflight's POV-
"Silverbolt?" Its all Dive can say. I don't blame him. I don't blame anyone. Somehow, I always knew this would happen. But it doesn't make it any easier. Oh Silverbolt, you're our commander. We need you. Siren's saying something, I can't hear what. Skydive looks numb, he's just nodding mutely. Raid's shaking, I can feel it. He's been shaking since we sat down. He never afraid, but right now, he's terrified. Fastrack's… Fastrack? She looks angry. Why?
"B-but… He'll be alright… Right?" Skydive's talking… Wait… Does that mean Silverbolt's alive?
Siren's shaking her head though… "I don't know, but he'll live."
He will!? That's great! Silverbolt's gonna be okay! But… Siren looks so sad… and why does Fastrack seem so angry?
"I just though you should know Skydive, I'm sorry." Skydive's nodding again. Siren turns and leaves.
"Catch him."
What? Fastrack's looking at me. "Catch him." She repeats. Oh! Skydive collapsed! Airraid and Slingshot caught him though. Fastrack's stood up, but she's headed for the door.
… I-I'd better help my brothers revive Skydive.
-Fastrack's POV-
"Catch him," I say it quietly. Fireflight looks over. "Catch him!" Skydive's about to collapse! Good, Airraid and Slingshot caught him arms before he hit the ground. I should stay, but htere's something I need to do.
Gah! That idiot! Why did she do that? Telling only Skydive and therefore forcing him to have to tell us. Never mind that we don't know how to comfort him. Damn it! We were there too. I remember every detail. When Silverbolt went down, the others dove after him. I whirled on the Seekers, wish I could say that I shot them down, but the cowards fled. Then I went to join the others. Silverbolt was shredded, there's no other way to put it. I could see that it was too much for the Aerialbots; their young minds could not- and still can not - accept what's happened. Skydive was shaking Silverbolt's shoulders, trying to get him to wake up. I shoved him away and grabbed Silverbolt's gushing fuel lines to try and keep him alive.
I don't know if he could hear me, but I kept yelling at him to stay awake...
They came for him... Of course they did. Optimus sent Ratchet and First Aid with Skyfire the instant he got the comm. They stabilized him as best they could and carried him into Skyfire's hold. Ratchet tried to get the othr Aerialbots out, they were in the way. I don't think that they really knew what was going on. I grabbed Slingshot and dragged him out, Ratchet forced Skydive away...
I just realized something, Fireflight was the one who dragged Airraid out of the medics' way. And... when we were back at base, he was the only one who didn't struggle when we were dragged out of medbay... Skydive was hysterical. Silverbolt's his brother. Which is probably why Siren felt that only he should be told what's happening.
And that is why I am going to talk to her.
"Siren."
"Fastrack," she gives me that look of sorrow. "I'm so very-"
"No, you're not," I'm in no mood for sympathy, Siren. I am gonna tell you exactly what you did wrong. "Why did you do that?"
"I don't understand." Hmph. She's treating me like I'm frantic with grief. I'm not; grief makes me hurt, but it clears my mind.
"Siren, why did you talk to Skydive like that? I don't care about protocol or that "relatives only" clause, that was cruel of you."
"Excuuuse me?" Well, at least she has the decorum to look affronted.
"Did you expect him to tell the rest of us? To understand? Siren, the Aerialbots are young. They've never experienced death before, never mind the death of a teammate. And the fact that we're flyers makes it worse!"
"It does?"
"Yeah, we flyers are really codependant by nature, we rely on each other. I can tell you this right now; every single Aerialbot blames himself for what happened." I make a cutting gesture across my chest with my thumb to emphasize my point. "And the Aerialbots are a combiner, which means, in the eternal words of Ratchet that they're "clingy little buggers." They can't be without each other for extended periods of time."
Siren bows her head. "I'm sorry... It was rather ignorant of me."
I nod. "Yes it was. Now tell me what's going on. I'll tell the others."
"Okay.. Well..."
-Slingshot's POV-
"It's alright Dive, it's alright." Flight's been saying that since we got Dive to sit back down. I dunno if he can even hear it. Damn it! I gotta know what's happening to Silverbolt, but I can't ask Dive!
"Bitch!" SLAM!
Eh? Oh, Fastrack's back, where did she go? She's standing by Skydive now. She looks pretty grim. "I'll tell them Skydive, you don't need to be here if you don't want to."
"Th-thanks." He stands up and stumbles into his quarters.
Fastrack isn't sitting down though, she's just standing there grimly. She looks like shes steadying herself. "I'm gonna say it like it is guys. Silverbolt's critical, but stable. There's a fifty-fifty chance he'll live, and getting better."
"That's good right?" Asks Flight before I can.
"Yeah, he should be physically fine."
"YES!" Airraid looks thrilled. Well I am too, and so is Flight. So why does Fastrack look so worried?
"But..." But? What could be wrong? Fastrack's hesitating. "There's a good chance that his spark's damaged."
"What?" Spark damage? B-but... Silverbolt's... He can't... Anything but spark damage... Fastrack musta heard wrong. There's no way that he won't wake up. it can't happen!
"Guys, listen to me," We're listening dammit, how can we not? "Look, they don't know for sure, and even if his spark's damaged, it might be minimal. But if... it's not... Do you all understand what it could mean?"
"No..." Primus, my hands are shaking, I can see Flight gripping his arms fearfully... Raid's just staring at Fastrack. She puts her hands together and shakes her head.
"It could mean a lot of things. Silverbolt could lose some of his memories, he could have some of his abilities or functions erased. I-I've seen cases where they lost the capability to talk... Or transform... Or forget everthing, becoming blank slates, no more than living drones."
Fireflight jerks. "What!? So Silverbolt could die but his body would still be alive!?"
Fastrack's nodding. "That's it exactly Flight. But there would still be some awareness, some feeling in that shell."
I-I'm not the only one who's shaking, Flight and Raid are leaning on each other. I-I... Silverbolt... Primus, what have we done to you? I can't take it...
"Sling? You okay?" Fastrack's holding my shoulder. Of course I'm not okay! Dammit... Dammit...
-Airraid's POV-
I can't... This... It's too much... Silverbolt... A drone? Is Fastrack still talking? I can't hear. There's a hand on my shoulder.
"Hey kid, you alright?" Powerglide? What's he doing here? "Listen, I just saw Ratchet, he wants you and skydive in medbay ASAP."
"Why?"
"Dunno, but you'd better go. Where's Skydive?"
"H-his quarters."
"Ah... Oi Fastrack!"
She's got Slingshot's arm, I don't think he even realizes that he's hugging himself. Fastrack looks up. "What?"
"Ratchet wants Skydive and Airraid in medbay. Now."
"Thanks. Hang in there Slingshot," Fastrack walks to skydive's room and opens the door. "Dive, medbay, now."
-Medbay-
"You wanted to see us?" Ratchet glances up to see Fastrack, Skydive and Airraid. He nods.
"Well, only those two, but you can stay."
Fastrack bows her head, please that Ratchet understands. She looks around. "Since I'm here, anything I can do?"
"Yes," Ratchet gestures to the others. "But in a minute. Firstly, Airraid, Silverbolt's missing some vital components that could be substituted from your secondary systems. Do you mind lending a few spare parts?"
"Anything! Bolt's damaged because of me, it's the least I can do."
Ratchet nods. He'd been relying on the Aerialbots' codependancy because he needed those parts and there were no spares. "Okay, good. Skydive, Prowl wanted to talk to you, and I'm sure you won't want to hear it, but it's important. Fastrack, tell Prowl he's a glitch and it my orders that you're along."
Fastrack nods. "Yes Ratchet. You know, you deserve your own set of wings." Ratchet catches the meaning of her comment and nods curtly. He gestures to Airraid and leads the F-15 down to Critical Repairs. Fastrack gently prods Skydive towards Prowl's office. "Come on you."
-Same Day, Approx 6:45 pm. Fastrack's POV-
"... Why?"
"Because it's logical. Compassion rarely enters Prowl's systems."
Mental note: Teach all Autobots snsitivity with an atom bomb. Really, that was just too much. First off Prowl tells Skydive about his responsibilities, and then about the Choice. No softening the blow, no comforting words, just cold efficiency.
Well... Time to bite the bullet and tell the others.
"Come one, you need to be here, but I'll do the talking." I open the door and usher Skydive in. Airraid's already back, good. He's talking to Fireflight and Slingshot. Powerglide and Skyfire are just stayinmg out of the way. "Hey guys."
"Hello Fastrack." Skyfire gesture at himself and Powerglide. I nod and they both casually leave, thank Primus for that... The remaining Aerialbots are looking at me and Skydive. Well, time to tell them.'
"Prowl had a few things to tell us, firstly, Skydive's Aerialbot commander while Silverbolt's in repair. And I won't bore you with the details."
"Real nice to know they've got it all organized." Mutters Slingshot.
"Yeah, I know. But that isn't it... Prowl got the full diagnosis off Ratchet. It's confirmed that Silverbolt's spark is damaged."
"What..." Fireflight's and Airraid's optics are glassing over, damn, I hate that look... It means that they want to stay with Silverbolt - Or to go with him. Slingshot's face has gone blank. He's too used to concealing emotion. Primus, I wish that there wasn't anything else to tell them... I really do...
"Ratchet doesn't know the full extent of the damage, but Bolt's gonna be in a coma for a while, maybe even forever."
"H-he's never gonna wake up?" Asks Airraid quietly. I think that the reality of all this is finally hitting them.
"They don't know... Listen.. If he doesn't wake up after a week..." I can't help but to gflance over at Skydive, he's shaking. I don't want to do this... but I have no choice." If he doesn't wake up after a week, they're gonna make us chose if it would be kinder to cut his fuel lines."
Fireflight jerks. he looks horrified. "Are you saying that we're gonna have to choose whether or not to kill him!?"
I bow my head, there is no way to soften this blow. "That's exactly what I mean Fireflight, I'm sorry."
Well, there's chapter one. Please review and leave crit/comments because it'll inspire me to write more, and this is a difficult tale to tell.
And if you don't like, fine, but flames are not allowed.