A/N: Don't own it.
Chaser's POV
"So these are the blueprints for the space bridge?" I asked. Ratchet had pulled up the equation onto the main computer, and me, Raf and Miko were on the balcony, watching the doc-bot.
Well I was, they were playing video games.
"That would explain how Megatron plans to transport Cybertron's dead here, and Dark energon to them." Optimus said, joining Ratchet.
"So how do we stop him?" I asked.
"The space bridge is high in earth's atmosphere, impossible to reach."
"Use the ground bridge." Miko said, not looking up from the race.
Ratchet sighed, explaining how it only had limited range, how lots could go wrong. But he'd lost her when he started talking science.
Before anyone could speak again, the base was filled with the sound of Arcee's engine. Turning on the spot, I nodded at the rider, allowing a smile to cross my face.
"Welcome back, Jack," I said, a smile forming on my face.
All of the Autobots, excluding Ratchet, walked through the bridge. Ratchet tested the comm links, and all were safe.
I tried to finish the work I'd started, but couldn't concentrate on it. So I locked my arm blades onto my casts, and started beating the scrap out of the punching bag.
I sliced and chopped, the blades retracting under the pressure, continuing with my bare fists, only to stop when I felt a hand on my shoulder.
It was Jack. "Don't worry, they'll be fine." He said.
Behind him, Raf and Miko were staring at me. I winced as the punch bag fell off it'd chains, a loud thunk filling the silence of the base.
Meanwhile, Ratchet was tracing the signal helping the space bridge lock onto Cybertron. It was a global tracking centre in Texas. Ratchet sent all of us through the ground bridge, (due to Fowler still recovering from the energon prod) so Raf could hack in and stop the satellites.
"Something isn't right," I murmured, arm blades at the ready, "Where are the guards?" The others were ignoring me, watching Raf work his magic on the system.
Slowly, but surely, the satellites moved away from Cybertron. However, they kept turning back.
I turned, all set to curse Primus and the Thirteen, and came face to tentacle with Soundwave.
"Move!" I yelled as it lunged. Raf ducked down in his seat, allowing the claw to destroy our computer. As it backed away from the mess, it began to turn to Miko and Jack in the corner.
I ran towards it, my blades ready to stab it.
It lifted in that section, I went under and the sharp blade went in the wall, meaning I was stuck.
Miko grabbed the fire axe, but Soundwave snatched it from her and raised it high. "You gave it a weapon!" I cried at her, closing my eyes.
When I opened them, the tentacle had taken the axe and was leaving the room. Jack helped me pull the blade out and we followed the others in chasing the limb.
I ducked my head to stay streamlined, shooting ahead of the kids. Nothing can outrun me, even in this form. When I got to a hanger and immediately noticed the axe had severed the main wires, my focus stayed on the con invading.
The others caught up with me and Miko took a picture of Soundwave on the roof. I saw his visor flash back and I realised, the kids were in real trouble now. The cons, if they hadn't before, had brand new targets.
Normal POVThe kids and Ratchet sat watching the ground bridge.
Optimus and the others had had to destroy the space bridge using schematics for a reference. They were still going now.
"Arcee, follow the line from the flow regulator to the energon pump. There should be a valve."
"I see it."
"Good, to turn all that power against itself, all you need do is reverse the current."
There was grunting and finally, "Current reversed."
"Yes, right?" Fowler cheered, noticing the weird looks everyone was giving him.
"I'll ready the ground bridge." Ratchet started..
There was shooting on the comm link, and Arcee yelling. The CMO's optics widened, immediately looking at Chaser.
The kids could only watch in horror as Chaser fell, weak, into Fowler's arms.
The ground bridge roared into life, as she settled back in her seat, visibly shaken. "He got her…"
"Optimus, Arcee has been hit, can you verify her position?" Ratchet asked, as he checked the life signals. One was weak.
"How do you know Arcee's in danger, just from her falling?" Jack demanded. No-one answered.
They all stood together watching the bridge.
Optimus jumped through first, followed by Bulkhead. Miko gave a squeal and ran to him.
Chaser, Raf and Jack stood together as Bumblebee ran through… carrying an unconscious Arcee.
Chaser's POV
Me and Jack ran to her. Jack holding her arm, me hugging her. Her face was peaceful, missing its usual frown.
I remembered my instructors reminding me that this war will have losses that we don't want. But regardless of this, I forgot my training and did the only thing I could think of.
Normal POV
Jack watched as Chaser held on to her sister's limp form. Her face was buried in Arcee's stomach, so no one could see it.
As he watched, her shoulders started shaking and strange noises were coming from her. She pulled away and everyone saw the pain in her eyes. But no tears.
Ratchet came closer to the group. "We've already lost one this week; by the AllSpark don't let it be two!"
Arcee stirred a bit and her optics opened. "Jack, Chaser, really? There are other bikes in the world."
"But you were my first." Jack said, smiling.
Chaser's POV
After a few weeks, life returned to normal.
Well, as normal as living with giant transforming robots can be.
Ratchet fixed Arcee's injuries, so she was able to spend more time with Jack and me. Whenever the kids came to base, they would bring textbooks to help me study. I was going to attend school in Jasper as soon as we found a suitable cover story.
It seemed only natural that the kids should do their science projects at the base. This only resulted in Raf's volcano exploding and Ratchet and Optimus thinking it was cons invading our base. After a short rant courtesy of our CMO, the sensors went off, so Optimus went with Bumblebee, leaving the rest of us at the mercy of Ratchet.
He soon took over the projects, causing me to evacuate to a very high air vent with my arm blades and my prototype blaster. The next day, they had to tell Ratchet that their projects had basically destroyed the school. But we were not drama free for long.
Bulkhead and Bumblebee had been following a signal in the Artic. It was so cold when we opened the ground bridge for them; I huddled near the computers warm circuitry!
Anyway, they had brought back a frozen pod, which we'd left in the training room to defrost.
Arcee and Optimus were going back to find out more about the pod. Before they left, Bumblebee and Bulkhead arrived with Jack, Miko and Raf.
"Wasn't expecting the carpool Arcee, what gives?"
"Tag team Jack. My turn for exploration duty."
"Too bad, it's a beautiful day for a drive. Would hate you to feel guilty for leaving me indoors…" I rolled my eyes,
"I didn't know you were a fan of the North Pole, Jack!"
"Indoors where it's warm!" Jack finished heading for the couch.
Ratchet gave the pair warnings about the temperature and through they went, Optimus promising Raf a snowball. Shortly afterwards the ground bridge short circuited.
Normal POV
Raf and Bee were deciding what to do. "Video game marathon?" Raf suggested. Before anyone could answer him, Ratchet yelled for Bumblebee and Bulkhead to help him out with some heavy lifting.
When they were gone, Raf reached for the controller, only for Miko to snatch it away and pass it to Jack, "You and me, Darby!"
"Yeah, not feeling up to it."
"Scared to lose to a girl?" Her goading worked.
The pair was soon tearing up the race track. Jack did offer it to Raf, but he was refused.
Chaser, who was reading the latest textbook, put it down sighing. "Hey Raf, why don't we explore the base?"
"Don't you know it off by heart?"
"I left some doors unopened." She said shrugging.
They were about to leave, but…
"CHASER! Here now!" Ratchet called.
She rolled her eyes and passed some paper and a headset to the kid. "That's the map of the base. If you get lost, call me, stay where you are and I'll come get you."
"Chaser!" Ratchet called again.
"Coming!"
On the main floor, the panels hiding the ground-bridge components had been lifted up. The CMO explained that they needed her to get into the smaller areas to check for more damage. Pulling down her goggles, Chaser hopped in, careful of the wires and circuitry.
Chaser's POVI passed Ratchet up a part that had what looked like bite marks all over it.
While I was looking for more, Raf came back from exploring. "Hey guys, look what I found!" "We're busy!" Ratchet yelled, and then all three macho mechs let out the loudest shrieks I'd ever heard.
"Hey, what's going on?" I asked, popping my head back up.
"SCRAPLET! SCRAPLET!" Bulkhead yelled, waving around his wrecking ball.
Turning in dread, I shrieked, clambering out of the circuits and onto Bulkhead's shoulder.
Raf was holding the most terrifying thing that Cybertron had to offer.
A/N: Uh-oh, trouble at the base!