Authors Comments - It's been a while since I've uploaded to Fanfiction, mostly due to the hatred I've been getting because of my OCs. Well I'm sick and tired of hiding on Deviantart.
This fic takes place between the Transformers Prime episodes Hurt and Out of the Past. I wrote it at like 4am so it gets a little repeated and reads kinda rushed to me, but right now I'm currently busy with university and such so I can't edit it, plus I already have 15 other fics that I'm going through and re-writing.
I didn't describe the Autobots too much, I assume you know who they are and what they look like. The OCs in this fic I explained as much as I can. Enjoy. I had to spend around an hour putting all the damn punctuation back into it.
Bulkhead groaned. The sound made the small human perk up almost immediately from her light sleep, eyes fixed on the green helm in front of her. She waited in silence, hopeful, but afraid at the same time. Her soft cheeks were still stained from the tears she d been crying not too long ago, her usual perky face downtrodden and full of pain, as if she was feeling the mechs agony for herself.
Another groan. Immediately she stood, looking around before yelling for the red and white Autobot medic as loudly as she could, watching as he practically sprinted in from the opposite room, tools quickly filling his hands as he looked down at the young human.
"Miko! What is it?"
"He's waking up!"
Miko looked back down at her guardian, crawling down his side and stepping onto the nearby desk. She didn't want to be in the medics way, but she wasn't about to fully leave him again. Bad things always happened to bots when she left them, she still felt responsible for Bulkheads current state, even if Fowler had told her numerous times that there would've been nothing she could of done.
She watched intently as the medic finished his scans, looking up at him, eager to know how her friend was. He'd fallen still again, but movement and a noise had to be good, right?
"He's still a little way away from onlining yet Miko, but his status is improving."
Her eagerness visibly faded a little, but the young girl still nodded. It was still good news, Bulkhead was one step closer to regaining consciousness, one step closer to being back with her.
The sound of a motorcycle engine took her mind off the offline green mech in front of her for a moment as Jack came into view, riding on Arcee with Bumblebee not too far behind, probably carrying his human too. She blinked, looking at the time. Had she really been here all night?
"How is he?" The first words were spoken by Jack as he dismounted the femme, pulling off his helmet and storing it away before she transformed and slowly wandered over to the Autobot medic. Raff hopped out and headed for the stairs as the yellow mech followed his Autobot friend in transforming and walking over, hoping to also hear some good news.
"Bulkhead is slowly making progress, but he's not out of the woods yet. It's slim, but there is still a chance that he could falter in his readings."
Ratchet looked from the two Autobots to Miko, then finally to Bulkhead, where his vision rested. He couldn't let him down, not like he had Bumblebee. Shaking his helm, he walked quietly to the main console dominating main room of the missile silo, pressing some buttons to busy himself on something else as the others went about doing whatever.
The perimeter alarm made his spark jump as Ratchet looked up, hitting buttons at a quickened pace to find out who was coming near their headquarters. Agent Fowler normally called ahead of time when he was on his way, his vehicle normally gave off a reading that was known to the main console unit. His spark sank, now was not the best time to be coming under attack.
"I'm picking up a Decepticon energy signature, along with an Autobot one and some unknown life signatures too. They're heading straight towards us"
"How long have we got" Arcee jogged over from where she'd been standing, the humans walking over too on the human sized walkway to see what was going on, all except Miko who had sat back down on Bulkheads large chestplate. She was content on listening from where she was, it wasn't like they would be able to assist in the situation.
"They'll be within viewing range in moments and they're not showing any signs of changing course"
"Any way you can contact them? It might be an Autobot carrying a Decepticon prisoner or something"
"On Earth? Highly unlikely"
Bumblebee beeped in with a suggestion, Raff piping up from the smaller walkway to translate.
"You're right Bee! They could be heading here to help us and not realise they have a stowaway!"
"Perhaps..." Ratchet looked up as the screen bleeped, an incoming transmission from the ship on an old, coded Autobot frequency. His helm turned as Optimus entered the room, the other two turning to face the prime as well as he headed over. The medic had sent him a message that his assistance was required, the Autobot leaving his recharge cycle early to help deal with the situation.
"Ratchet, open the communication channel."
The medic nodded, pressing several buttons before looking back at the Prime. Everyone was silent as the blue helmed mech stepped forwards, optics determined as he stared at the screen. A blue insignia appeared in the area where an image would normally be, the humans looking at one another confused.
"This is Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots. State your designation and intention or we will not hesitate to open fire on your ship. Do you copy?"
There was silence, a tense, awkward silence with nothing but a quiet static in the middle, before the static got louder, as if someone was picking up a microphone.
"Prime? Primus it's been a while! This is Freelancer Commander 5AM aboard the SS Autobot Firestorm requesting landing permission; we were hit in orbit of the planet and are in need of repairs over"
Jacks eyes widened a little, his head turning to Raff for answers, but he was met with a clueless shrug from the younger. Ratchet groaned and mumbled, turning and quickly heading back to his medical area and out of sight, so the older human turned to the leader whose optics had brightened visibly. A small smile was tugging at his battle worn faceplates. He seemed busy, so Jack finally turned to his partner Arcee, the femme crossing her arms as she looked at the screen intently.
"Permission granted, but I suggest you keep your team under control this time Commander"
There was a chuckle over the communication link before the response. "I suggest taking those words yourself Prime, I do recall your medic being the one that started that wrench war the last time we clashed."
"Arcee? Who is that?"
The navy and pink femme looked down at her human companion with her typical neutral smile on her faceplates, optics glancing back up at the screen before looking back at the human whilst the two continued to talk over the open channel.
"That Jack, is the Commander of the Freelancers. They're a team of neutrals, a group of out kind who have either not picked a side or defected from their teams. Decepticon deserters are normally killed on sight for their treachery so many seek shelter with neutral groups that will take them in, Sam being one of those who takes in anybody as long as they can prove they aren't there to harm"
"Neutrals huh" Jack looked back at the screen as Prime finished the call, the boss mech summoning the medic for ground bridge transport. Optimus stepped over, looking down at the blue femme.
"Arcee, I want you to remain here whilst Bumblebee, Ratchet and myself greet our guests."
The femme tilted her helm a little as she looked up at her commander "Shouldn't Ratchet remain here? What if Bulkhead takes a nosedive?"
"I have him on alert and we won't be long, a few minutes at max. If anything happens Arcee, I will be back within a few seconds, but I need to assess the injured so I can make field repairs"
The femme nodded, turning and walking over to the bulky offline mech. She watched the other three transform and leave upon Optimus Primes command, the humming of the ground bridge remaining behind her as she stopped by the mechs berth, looking down at the human still huddled up on Bulkheads chestplate. She smiled sadly, trying to keep positive.
Miko slowly looked up, her eyes lacking the normal spirit they usually possessed as she met the Autobots own. She relaxed the grip on her knees a little, trying to look calmer than she actually was.
"You may need to move soon Miko, we're getting some help and they are going to want to do some scans on Bulkhead."
"I'm not leaving him Arcee"
"I never said you had to kiddo, just that you will need to move off him"
Miko stood without another word to shift, looking up as someone phased through the ground bridge.
Everyone else looked over as Optimus was the first to appear, Mikos eyes widening at the bulky, forest green mech walking alongside him. He was taller than Bulkhead, almost as tall as Optimus in fact give or take a few inches and unlike her offline partner he was slightly slimmer, tracks resting on his legs and the transformed extras of what looked like a turret on his arm, giving away his tank alt mode. On his shoulder sat a human, another girl like her, wearing black trousers with matching black shoes, a royal blue buttoned shirt with a black jacket that had white stiches accenting the pocket on the right. A black fedora hat sat on her head, covering the top of her dark brown hair that flowed down just past her shoulders.
As she turned a little, Miko could see her crimson eyes lit up slightly like the primes, and a bluey silver necklace around her neck, held on by a black string that almost disappeared into the darkness of her jacket. The necklace was in the shape of a yin yang and it seemed to glow a little as it sat on her chest.
"Primus he is fragged up isn't he..."
The words that passed the human girls lips as the deep green mech looked over, his optics black, but still managing to look lit somehow. He took one look at Bulkhead, before he looked back at Optimus, then he turned as more bots phased through the ground bridge.
Bumblebee was next to appear, walking slowly with three other bots. The first was black framed with deep blue optics, his faceplates scratched and armour slightly dented in a few places. A chevron sat on his helm, the centre triangle silver with navy protrusions. On his shoulders were three marks like a logo, three downward pointed strips, each of them a different shade of blue that got shorter the closer they were. The lightest blue sat on the longest, outer strip, whilst the one closest to the mechs chestplate was shorter and a deep navy colour.
The second mech furthest from Bumblebee was slightly shorter than the first, white framed and looking almost identical with the same marks on his shoulders, except the blues were the opposite way around. His frame and helm also looked a little more rounded and two audios sat on each side of his head, the grey aerials twitching occasionally. They both walked slowly, each with an arm around their shoulders from the third mech in between them.
He was older by the looks of things, red framed with grooves accenting his helm, a pair of gunmetal grey rotor blades sitting on his back whilst tyres could just be seen in his shoulders. Miko couldn't see the colour of his optics as he had them tightly closed, the mech obviously in pain and she could see why. His whole left side was charred and ripped, energon dripping from his leg as he hobbled along with the support of the other two, blaster burns and a nasty crack running up it from his peds to just above his thigh.
Ratchet was next to emerge, his pace quick as he practically left the mechs he was walking with in the dust. The Autobot was obviously agitated as he started picking up tools again, mumbling to the human to shift as he readied a scanned for use. Miko sighed and jumped down once more onto the upper walkway, her attention drawn in front of her as a black hand reached down, the other girl jumping off it in front of her.
"Hey, Miko right? Bulkheads friend and partner?"
Miko stood still for a moment, before she nodded slowly, reaching out and shaking the outstretched hand in front of her. The others hand felt cold and odd, almost as if it was metallic.
"The names 5AM, but Sam'll do it's what most others call me. I'm the leader of this motley crew, this bloke here being one of my second in commands, Cannonball."
Mikos attention turned back to the tank as he nodded, mumbling a hello as he stood up properly again. He kept looking over at Bulkhead as the last two mechs to come through the ground bridge headed over to the space. The first was dark grey with ruby red optics, he had two yellow stripes that connected at the front on his helm and red medical crosses on his squareish shoulders, a royal blue insignia printed on top. Ratchet seemed to be watching him like a hawk, almost as if he was paranoid that the other medic was going to take his job, his vision switching to the other mech momentarily as he joined him on the opposite side of Bulkhead. He was silver and had a polite, cheery smile on his faceplates, his frame almost glistening in the artificial light, as if it was glowing. His lime green optics were full of life, the mech looking over the downed Autobot before he was directed to scan the damaged red mech.
The pink and black haired female jumped when the female in front of her spoke again whilst she rested her hands by her sides.
"Prime said you could take us on a tour whilst the medics look him over"
"I'd rather not." Miko replied bluntly, her eyes fixated on Bulkhead once more. "The last time I left him this happened, I don't want to risk it"
She looked back when she felt a hand on her shoulder, the human looking back and meeting the red eyes of Sam in front of her.
"Miko, he'll still be here when you get back. Bulkhead is a good friend of mine and Cs and he's a strong guy, heck he dragged his aft out of the pit enough times back on Cybertron" She indicated the tank still standing by the walkway "I promise you that when we get back, you can go straight back to his side and we won't bother you again unless you want us to."
Miko looked over at Jack and Raff for support, but the two seemed busy talking with the black and white mechs from before. She sighed, looking down in defeat before once again looking at Bulkhead.
"Alright. I guess I should get away for a while, I'll only be in the way here"
Sam smiled a little and walked alongside the female as they headed down the steps, the commander looking back at Cannonball and indicating him to follow as they headed down one of the halls.
"Optimus, I hate to question your judgement but is this a good idea? It has been vorns since we've seen this... 'team', for all we know they could have secretly sided with the Decepticons"
Optimus looked down a little at his red and white medic as the two of them watching Miko and the others leave before turning their attention back to each other.
"What are you implying Ratchet?"
Ratchet sighed, sometimes it was best to be blunt "I don't think it's a good idea that he looks over Bulkhead. He could make him worse"
The Autobot medic scowled at the dark grey medic that was scanning the offline warrior, talking quietly with his silver workmate. Optimus inwardly sighed, shaking his helm as said medic looked up and over in their general direction.
"Unlike you Ratchet, I'm not deaf!"
"Eat bolts Decepticon!"
The other Autobots in the room and the remaining humans looked up at the word, Optimus giving them a reassuring look before he turned his attention back to his grumpy medic.
"Ratchet, Skartplug has proven on many occasions that he can be trusted. If you cannot work with him, then I suggest you busy yourself elsewhere, such as with the other casualty that is awaiting treatment in your medical facility."
The red and white medic growled, his servos balling into fists as he looked at the ground. He nodded, trusting his superior commanders word as he headed over to the red mech, scanning him to get the extent of his injuries before he started making a list of what he d need. He stopped for a brief moment, his form relaxing and a small smile tugging on his faceplates as he realised who the mech was.
"Firestorm, it's been a while"
Firestorm glanced up, opening his grey optics and nodding once in recognition to the Autobot medic. His optics were still squinted slightly in pain from his wounds, but he made no movement as Ratchet started working on the injury, disabling the pain sensors in the area to help relax the patient.
"It's good to see you too Ratchet, albeit it could have been on better grounds..."
"What happened to you?"
"Decepticons. When they shot us out of orbit, it took everything I had to get my rotors working before we crash landed, I didn't want to make another crater in this planet I think I've made enough of those already"
Ratchet chuckled, reaching back for a tool and continuing his work, sneaking the odd glance over at the other two working on his comrade. He knew he should just let it go and trust Optimus's word, but Skartplug still rubbed his wires the wrong way, his Decepticon appearance wasn't helping the situation either.
"So what happened to Bulkhead? I couldn't make out everything Optimus was saying to Cannonball"
The medic looked back down at his patient, reaching for another tool as he looked back at the injury.
"He took some direct exposure to some tox en, then an insecticon took a cheap shot as he was returning through the ground bridge"
"Insecticons... no doubt the same ones that shot at us"
"They're under Megatrons command, I wouldn't be surprised they found you with the signals you were giving out when we picked you up on our radar"
Firestorm turned his helm to the side, lifting his arm slightly to rub at a small cut on his cheek plate.
"They took my signature dampener out, I didn't have much of a choice."
Ratchet let out a small intake of air, before the two fell into silence as he continued his repairs. The chatting and laughing of the humans and others on the other side of the room soon filled the air as the Autobot continued working, occasionally looking up to see if Skartplug and his assistant needed any help.
"And that's the weapons room"
Sam nodded, slapping Cannonball on the leg a little when he glanced in the room at all the weaponry. Miko couldn't help but chuckle a little at the action, it was like she was scolding a child, a large, bulky child.
"Nice set up in here, I'm guessing Prime brought the CP9s with him"
"C get your nose out of there"
Miko smiled as she walked along with the commander, Cannonball shortly following behind as they headed back towards the main room. Sam noticed how the female seemed to slow a little, as if she was trying to waste a bit more time before they returned.
"So er, how did a human like you become a commander of a superior robotic race?"
Sam smiled widely and chuckled, gaining her a confused look from Miko who looked up at the green tank for answers.
"I m not a human Miko, I just look like one. I'm one of them" She indicated Cannonball, smile widening "I was built to infiltrate and spy on the Autobots by the Decepticons, but I booked it out of there before they finished my programming. I tagged along with Prime for a bit until we were separated. Long story short, I got left behind on a planet which is where I met C, we've been together ever since"
"So you're not human?"
"I can do a lot of human stuff, but I'm 99% Cybertronian, hence why I feel cold. It's hard to keep my body temperature at normal human temp"
Sam grinned, she knew her body temperature wasn't normal like a real humans but the Decepticons were far from perfect.
"However, they did give me one fun feature." Flicking her right index finger and wrist a little, the commanders arm seemed to compress a little, a plasma blaster unfolding and pointing downwards in the same direction as her hand. Miko jumped back and blinked a few times, she hadn't been expecting that.
"The cons might be the bad guys, but back then they had some pretty awesome technology. During a small visit to them we commandeered one of their ships, it's what we live on now. And this was made by them too, Skartplugs upgraded it a few times but it's pretty much the same gun still."
She noticed the humans worried expression and flicked her wrist again, the weapon folding back up and vanishing the same way it had appeared.
"Changing the subject, I saw a guitar in the corner of the silo. Is that yours?"
"Uh yeah" Mikos attention turned to the green mech who had spoken. He spoke pretty softly for such a large mech, almost father-like. It was kind of comforting.
"We have a guitarist of our own y'know"
Sam added, regaining the attention. "Diode plays concerts for credits to help us keep going, I'm sure it would make him happy to talk to another guitarist."
"Diode?" Miko perked as they kept walking, before Cannonball stepped back a few steps and transformed, revealing his BMP heavy battle tank alternate mode. Sam shook her head as the human with her practically pounced on him, excited for a bit of fun as she was joined by the commander on the protective track cover.
"Yeah, he's one of the twins that came with us. I'll point him out when we get back if you want"
"Yeah that would be great! Maybe we can do a duet or he can back up play or sing!"
-Commander-
Sam perked up as her comm link crackled to life on a private channel, the commander glancing over at the distracted Miko who was content on asking Cannonball a ton of questions.
-What is it Syndrome?-
-Ah've worked some magic with Skarts, we ve sped tha healing process up ah little if ya wanna head back with tha Sheila.-
The femme smiled and nodded -We're on our way back now, you better not of used too much energy mister. Sam out.-
"Onwards C, to victory!"
The two females laughed as the tank literally rolled out, heading back to the main missile silo room via the large hallway made for SCUD launchers and Primus knows what else.
"So you two grew up on Earth? That is so cool!"
"Cha, born and bred in New Jersey inta ah group called da chillas"
Raff listened to the black mech intently, the slightly shorter white one sitting quietly with the two as he told the story of how they had been left on Earth as sparklings to be protected by the human gang and about how they had integrated them into the group like they were family.
"Did they name you as well Diablos?"
Diablos, the black mech with deep blue optics, grinned and nodded "Dey named me cha. Ma brudda Diode ere ad a bloody name tag on im, ah guess mine must ve fallen off somewer or sumin"
"Do you ever wonder what your real name was?"
"Sometimez, but ah ain't one ta get stuck on da past ya no?"
"And what if it had gone wrong!? You could've killed him!"
"Well it didn't! Syndromes healing isn't something that can go wrong like your faulty wiring jobs Ratchet!"
"What?! Why you!"
"Uh oh doc war agen"
Diablos stood, just in time to see Bumblebee and Arcee grab hold of the red and white medic, Syndrome doing the same with his dark grey partner. It was taking all their strength to keep the two apart as they shouted at each other in their mother language, Ratchet trying to go for a nearby wrench whilst the other medic did the same but for a screwdriver.
"Enough!"
The shout made everyone in the room jump and look up, Optimus Prime stepping forwards. The two medics almost immediately went slack in their restraintees arms, Ratchets optics looking down at the ground whilst Skartplug went back to work, mumbling curses under his intakes.
"Ratchet, I suggest you keep a professional manner around our guests and stop with this childish behaviour before I remove you from your work station."
"But Optimus sir I-"
"Oh can it you bucket of bolts!"
"That's rich coming from a murderous slagheap!"
"Ratchet!"
"Skartplug! You're the last mech I thought I could not trust in here!"
Skartplug perked and looked over, red optics fading a little when he noticed the tank and his commander on top. She growled and jumped off, walking over with a stern look on her faceplates.
"Take a walk."
"You can't be serious! He started it an-"
"Did I stutter docbot?! Take a fragging walk before I make you wait outside like a sparkling!"
The dark grey medic growled, putting his tools down roughly before he walked off down the hall the three had just come from. Miko watched him go, before jumping off the tank and jogging over to the others.
"So what's up with those two anyway?"
Sam rolled her eye-like optics and sighed, crossing her arms as Ratchet ignored the question and got back to work. She tapped Miko on the shoulder and indicated the stairs, the two heading up to the human platform and sitting down on the old brown sofa.
"You could call it conflicting views. Basically, Skartplug used to be a Decepticon, not by choice mind you he was sparked- er, born into the organisation. Ratchet won't believe anyone when we tell him he's not a con anymore due to his view that being a Decepticon is a choice. Skartplug never really was a con anyway, he's too soft. Anyway, Diode! Come here dude!"
The rest of the time went without much of a hitch. Miko sighed as the crew gathered in front of the ground bridge, ready to head back to where they had travelled from. She turned and walked back to Bulkhead, Jack and Raff watching her leave but neither stopping her from doing so.
"Hey Miko! Hold on a sec!"
The female turned to see the Commander catching her up. She perked up a little as the human-looking cybertronian gently took her hand, setting a small device in it. It looked similar to a Bluetooth for a mobile phone, except there were lines running along it that were glowing a royal blue colour.
"This is a private two-way comm link. If you wanna talk or if you need me for anything, just press these two buttons here and it'll patch you straight through to me."
Miko smiled softly and nodded after watching the demonstration, closing her hand around the item and holding it to her chest.
"Thanks Sam"
"No problem. I hope Bulkhead gets better, when he does we'll have to go for an off road trip together, or we'll meet up with C and we can watch them spar. If you want I'll bring Diode along and you two can do that duet you were both talking about"
"Sounds great! I'll see you around then!"
Sam smiled widely, holding out a fist, her smile widening when the brofist was returned. She turned and ran back down the stairs, onto Cannonballs hand then onto his shoulder as he stood upright again.
"Thank you so much Prime, I hope the supplies we gave you come in handy"
"It has been a pleasure Commander, I just wish my medic could've behaved himself this time"
"Ah they're medics, they're always going to fight. Anyway, I'll see you around"
Commander 5AM saluted, before sitting down as the group turned and headed through the ground bridge, Ratchet turning it off the moment they were all out of sight.
Miko sighed as she sat back on Bulkheads chestplate, staring at the wall ahead of her as she absentmindedly listened to Ratchet mumble about Skartplug leaving his tools in a mess. She looked down and opened her hand, looking at the device and running a finger along its smooth surface. She remained there for a while, only leaving for a short moment to fob off some excuses to her host parents saying that she was staying at a friends again for the night. Jack and Raff eventually returned to their families whilst she maintained her guard post on Bulkheads chestplate, shutting her eyes as she hugged her knees close to her chest.
"Miko?"
Her eyes suddenly shot open and widened, Miko closing her hand and looking down, her body shifting as she was met with two dim blue optics looking up at her. Bulkhead gave her a weak, lopsided smile as she practically shot from her point, sliding down the green mechs side and kneeling down by his helm, shaking as she cuddled him as best she could.
"Oh Bulk I'm so sorry! I'll never leave you again I promise!"
"It's ok Miko... everything is going to be ok"
Fin