"Again," Sam insisted clearly. His desperation showing through and his panic threading its way through their bond. "One last time."
But he had said that hours ago as well and the two had gotten no where since that time lapse, yet Bumblebee continued without complaint. His optics shuttering down as he concentrated and desperately reached out for the bonds of their parents. Sam, standing on Bee's chasis, watched his parabatai with an attentive gaze, searching for any signs of success.
But there were none. No indication that his message had been reached.
They had been trying for hours to communicate with Sam's parents and Bee's creators,but it was all in vain as their former source of connection, which included instant messages that could connect two bots' minds from galaxies away, had been shut down since the first marks of war. Now, the two were left with only their spark bond as the final connection, yet even that remained utterly silent.
"I can try again," Bumblebee spoke softly as Sam only shook his head in defeat. His exhausted form slumped over Bee as he tried to calm his own racing heart. Communication did not come without consequences and Sam was exhausted from the constant use of energy that had been sapped from his usual reserve. It was a complicated procedure that Sam knew little of, yet all bots and humans were taught the complexity of their symbiotic relationship since stage one.
Bots, created from the Allspark's flow of power, had the large metallic bodies of invincible strength while humans, born with the planet's life force in their veins, were naturally capable of producing energon within their bodies as the only organic life forms on Cybertron. Thus, bots protected a human as their parabatai who in turn provided the much needed life force that all bots relied upon.
But for times like now, it held its downfalls. Sam could feel his arms beginning to shake from the over exertion of energy and his mind clouding with exhaustion.
Bee was quick to take notice and warbled out in warning at Sam as Sam tried to clear his head from the fogginess that had already begun to take over. "Yes, yes. I hear you Bee," Sam mumbled quietly. "Let's give it a break for now." The flow of energy, a soft blue hue that exuded from the human body, suddenly slowing until it stopped completely and left only a silver haze that soon disappeared as well. Energon, as beautiful as it was, came at a price which was why most humans could only provide enough energy for their own parabatai.
Thus, depending on the person, a bot could range from many sizes all based upon one's ability to create enough energon. The larger the bot, the larger the energy required to keep them stable. Yet, there were also alternatives as other planets, found to contain fossilized liquids, were mined and extracted of their oil which was given to bots who had lost their parabatais and thus had to find a new energy source, and while it was a cheap energy guzzler, many found it as the last resort and most bots refused to take it for its vile appearance as well as taste.
Indeed, society had despised the use of oil so much that many bots preferred death over drinking it after the death of their partners. It was a sad yet ringing truth that left the ideology that one did not deserve to live if they could not protect their own soul partner from death.
"Sam Witwicky, Bumblebee," a voice called out causing Bee to jump up from his sitting position and for Sam to scramble for a hold on the bot's armor. "Are you ready?" a women asked by the front desk from her own position next to her own parabatai, a small mini-bot that continued clicking at the computer. "Yes, ma'am," Sam sputtered nervously, his exhaustion forgotten.
The bond sporadic with nervous energy, Sam watched as they were lead towards one of many rooms that lined the hallway. A tall burly man, standing on a centered metal desk with his towering bot behind, waiting upon the other side of the door. "Samuel James Witwicky," the man began speaking quickly before Bee could even place his hand on the table to create a bridge for Sam to cross.
Sam could already tell he would hate this interview.
"Any special skills I should be aware of?" the man continued as Sam finally touched down on the table slab. "Err, no-"
"Is there any job in particular that you would like or think you would do well in?"
"Umm mechanic-"
"How do you think you could benefit the army?"
Wait, wasn't he being drafted? Did he have a choice?! "By doing my job?"
"And is there any special skills or talents that your parabatai has in any particular field?"
"Ugh, he's fast-"
"Very well Mr. Witwicky. You and your parabatai are to report to sector three for your first job. Come to the station tomorrow and four in the morning. We will then move and reassign you depending on your suited skills," the man said not even looking up once before he shooed the two back towards the exit. "What? Wait, what is our job-?" Sam's voice died down into confusion as the door was quickly slammed as soon as Bee's doorwings got through. Sam could only stare in pure befuddlement before glancing at Bee who only shrugged.
Sam then let out a resigned sigh of frustration before giving Bee a slight smile. "Let's go home big guy."
The next morning, it was way to early to even be considered morning, Sam awoke at the ungodly hour of three and jostled himself awake as the two then left for the morning train. The large metal contraption already stock full of other men also being the second wave of drafted future soldiers. The bots sitting on the large berths chained to the ground and ceiling, yet, despite this feature, continued to bump and rattle at each turn the train made. The men were then given seats above their parabatais upon a large metal slab with metal hooks nailed to the ceiling for quick movement using the grappling gloves, every humans first tool kept close at hand, yet even those appeared rusted and weathered down to the point that Sam didn't dare put his weight on them or face the wraith of falling.
That would hurt.
Instead, Sam kept close to Bee. Sitting on the other's shoulder while listening to the sound of moving chains and the occasional cough and shuffle from their cramped neighbors. It would be a long ride to sector three and an even longer night of rest as the day fell away to night. The rattling of chains keeping everyone awake and only the bots, who could shut down their audio receptors, were able to fall easily into a stasis nap.
Regardless, Bee stayed wide awake with Sam despite the other's protests before Sam finally resigned.
"Bee try again," Sam whispered quietly through the silent train, but the two tried, they tried many times for hours and yet still no results. Finally Sam collapsed exhausted against Bee's chasis where he had been sitting on top of the other in an effort to pulse more energy into Bee's already exhausted form. But to no avail, they could not contact Sam's parents nor Bee's creators. "I'm sorry," Bee spoke softly to Sam in which Sam only shook his head because it was partly his fault to. He couldn't provide enough natural energy to give to the other anymore due to the lack of food making their attempts weak at best. "We'll try again tomorrow."
Bee nodded his helm once, optics dimming down as he began to offline. Sam only watched as the train fell into darkness and he was left alone, the last soul awake on the train that would lead to their deaths.
AN - Sorry for the long wait, but thank you so much for you patience. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.