Author's notes: Sorry 'bout the delay everyone. Busy week and everything. This chap's a bit short too. Sorry, can't be helped.
Chapter 7
(Cybertron)
Blaster sighed.
It was endlessly frustrating that Ultra Magnus blatantly refused to act upon any of the pulse waves coming in from Optimus Prime's group. Surely Prime wouldn't continue asking for help if the situation didn't call for it; that was just the kind of Mech he was. Prime didn't like to overcompensate. If he could win a battle with just three Mechs, then by Primus he would. Extra Mechs were just a higher possibility for more casualties. Ultra Magnus knew this, Blaster was certain; and this little fact disturbed him. He was very familiar with just how dire the home front battle was going and, while on the surface, Magnus's stance seemed logical and even necessary, something just didn't sit right.
All Blaster knew was, if they continuously ignored Prime's hails for reinforcements, they would all pay the price sooner or later.
Looking around him cautiously, he pin-pointed everyone's position in the communications bunker before turning back to his own monitor. Reaching up to his audio receptor, he extracted a thick, black cord which he then jacked into the console, interfacing with the mainframe. His optics turned to static as his cognitive processor dipped into the computer to retrieve the last message sent from Prime's group. Latching onto the file, he downloaded a copy into his databanks before back-tracking the message to its source. Making a quick copy of the address, Blaster removed himself from the mainframe. Casually glancing around him to make sure no one noticed his actions, Blaster returned to monitoring the channels, all the while contemplating what exactly he planned to do with the information he had just stole.
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The early morning sky glittered above him as he stood sentry-like atop the hill. A light breeze swept through the valley, causing the tall grass around his feet to sway. His black and white armor that normally had a glossy sheen was dull in the faint morning light.
Jazz silently sighed. Earth was very beautiful. Its natural wonders were a treasure unlike anything he'd ever come across. In times of war, it was always nice to have some place to be able to get away and relax your mind. While the serenity of the valley before him was indeed relaxing, he had not come out all the way there to star gaze.
He was waiting for someone. And that someone was late.
Experimentally, Jazz reached over to his right wrist and checked his comm. All he received was static.
Comm. channel's still down. Slag, Jazz thought to himself. Wonder what's keepin' Cosmos.
A little more then a half hour later, the faint sound of a descending craft caught his audios. Looking around he locked onto an Autobot signature and waited. Soon enough, the stout form of Cosmos came into view from behind a grove of trees just to the side of the hill. The Autobot's model was definitely not meant for ground travel as he waddled over to Jazz.
"Greetings Jazz," Cosmos said pleasantly offering his hand.
"How's it hangin' Cos," Jazz said, shaking the Autobot's hand with a smile.
"Oh, not well I'm afraid," Cosmos replied with a solemn shake of his head. "Not well at all."
Jazz's smile faded and was replaced with a stern gaze in a small attempt to prepare himself for whatever news he was about to receive.
"Did you get the surveillance I requested?" Jazz asked carefully.
"I did," Cosmos replied as he pulled out a small disk drive from subspace. "Indeed I did. That's the bad news I'm afraid. I'll let you read the details for yourself."
Jazz nodded as he except the disk drive, stowing it away into his own subspace. "Thanks. Any news from Prime?"
"Nothing significant to report," Cosmos replied. "Prowl's latest request to Ultra Magnus has been refused."
"I can't say I'm too surprised," Jazz sighed. "Hopefully we can change their minds before it's too late."
"'Too late' may already be heading their way," Cosmos replied forebodingly.
The saboteur eyed the stout Autobot. "What do you mean?"
"While I was orbiting over the Midwest I spotted a Decepticon ship leaving Earth's orbit," said Cosmos. "The entire shuttle was giving off absurd energy levels. I have no proof to truly support my assumption, but I believe what I saw may have been the first shipment of Earth Energon."
"Frag," Jazz cursed and began to pace. "Have you informed Prime?"
"No," Cosmos replied. "I spotted the shuttle after leaving Optimus Prime, several breems prior to our rendezvous."
Jazz nodded his understanding. "Right," turning to Cosmos, Jazz placed a friendly hand on the Mech's shoulder and smiled, "Thank you Cosmos. You're efforts are a great help."
"I should return to my post then," Cosmos replied with a nod. "If I see anymore shuttled coming in or out of orbit I'll inform you at once."
"Let Prime know the situation too when you meet up with him again," Jazz said. "And tell the guys I said 'what's up', 'Kay?"
Despite the grim news their meeting brought to light, Cosmos couldn't help but laugh. "I will do that, Jazz. Take care."
With that, Cosmos transformed and hovered mid air for a moment before zooming back into the sky from which he came.
"Take care, man," Jazz waved as his comrade disappeared from sight.
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Spike lay still as silence fell over the street in Burbank once again. Small shards of glass scattered around his small form from the freshly broken window just above him. Ravage's body having been flung through it after Bumblebee's well timed shot caught him in the side, just below his rocket launchers, and the force of which sent him spiraling through the window.
The barrel of Bumblebee's gun smoked slightly and he waited, his audio receptors at their peek, trying to decipher any sign of a possible counter attack.
None came.
Feeling certain that Ravage had been put out of commission, at least temporarily, Bumblebee stowed away his weapon and rushed to Spike who remained on the ground unmoving.
Bending down, Bumblebee carefully slipped his hands under him and flipped the boy over, his optic software running full speed as they scanned feverously for any injuries. There was a long gash across his left cheek and blood dripped down his face, but the child didn't appear to have sustained any other form of damage. Spike's eyes were wide, his breathing came in sharp unsteady gasps, and he was trembling in Bumblebee's hands.
The boy was in shock.
"Sammy," Bumblebee said gently and stroked the boy's unscarred cheek with the tip of his index finger, trying to coax the boy back to reality. "Come on kiddo…snap out of it…come back to me Sammy."
Spike's eyes focused slightly, and he turned to look up into his guardian's face. His bottom lip trembled and realization of what had just happened seemed to suddenly strike him like lightning. Little hands, scrapped and bruised, reached up and grabbed onto Bumblebee's arm and Spike began to cry.
Bumblebee sighed in relief. He was crying. That was a good sign; at least he was coherent. Gently picking the crying child up, he cradled him against his body and stood up.
"It's Ok," Bumblebee soothed the boy. "You're alright, little guy."
Turning, Bumblebee began making his way down the street the way he had come. Silently he cursed himself for bringing Spike out on patrol with him. He had put the boy in danger all because he was being petty. If Spike suffered any lasting harm because of him, Bumblebee didn't know if he could forgive himself.
Stumbling slightly over a pile of bricks, Bumblebee tried patching into the comm. channel to call for aid; all he received was static.
Damn glitched comm., Bumblebee thought bitterly. You never realize how reliant you are to something until it's -
"Bumblebee!" A voice suddenly rang out of thin air, startling the Autobot from his train of thought. "Behind you!"
Instinctually, Bumblebee whirled around and his optics caught onto the black form of Ravage, very much alive, standing in the middle of the road. The Decepticon's right rocket launcher was gone, having been destroyed by Bumblebee's earlier shot, but the left rocket launcher however was still intact…and in perfect working order.
"Die Autobot!" Ravage roared as he launched his one remaining rocket at Bumblebee and Spike. Bumblebee saw a long contrail of white smoke tailed the rocket and it reached him far faster then he could react. All he could do was turn, his arms wrapping themselves around Spike protectively.
The rocket made contact with yellow armor, catching Bumblebee in the side; sending out a shower of sparks and shrapnel. His sensors screamed in pain and warning banners flashed across his vision. Energy levels plummeted as the blast severed a major Energon line and he lost all feeling in his right leg. His processor ran hundreds of miles a second and nothing was decipherable.
He dropped to his knees, fighting valiantly to keep from collapsing. His upper body drooped forward and Spike slipped from his hold. The boy landed awkwardly on his feet and tumbled to the ground. Spike began to cry harder then ever, his screams nearly drowning out all other sound; Bumblebee was only faintly aware of the distinct Shew of a high powered rifle and the sharp tink of it hitting its target.
Bumblebee felt a soft thud vibrate the ground under him as if something relatively heavy had fallen over. Shakily he turned his head and saw a familiar blue and white Mech rush towards him, stowing his sniper rifle into subspace as he ran. Bumblebee couldn't recall the last time, if any, he had been so relieved in seeing the spy.
When Mirage reached Bumblebee, the yellow Minibot lost all bodily strength and fell to his side. Catching the smaller Mech just before impact, Mirage laid him out and immediately focused his attention to the gapping hole in his comrade's side that was now leaking Energon, lubricants, and shooting the occasional spark.
"Primus, Bumblebee!" Mirage snapped irately, sounding not at all like the calm and mild mannered Mech he usually was. He immediately began first aid treatment. "What the Pit were you thinking?! If Ratchet were here, he'd ream you're audios off!"
"R-ravage…" Bumblebee managed to utter, his voice hoarse and static sounding.
"Neutralized," Mirage paused before answering and added with clear-cut malice, "I made sure."
As Mirage worked as fast as he could to close off the severed lines, Spike crawled over to Bumblebee's other side and grabbed onto his guardian's hand, his small form trembling.
"Bumblebee…don't die," Spike sobbed. "Don't leave like Mommy…I'm sorry…I was bad…I'm sorry…"
Slowly, Bumblebee turned his head to stare at the human, astonished. The boy shook worse then ever, his green eyes wide and desperate; primal fear shone through and Bumblebee could feel the little human's small fingers franticly squeeze his hand.
He smiled weakly.
"D-don't…be…" He told him, bringing his hand up to cup Spike's face. "Y-you did...nothing…w-wrong. You're a…good b-boy…S-sammy."
Spike's eyes widened at Bumblebee's words as if they were a holy epiphany. The young human let out a sob and nuzzled his face into the Autobot's hand, blood and tears smearing across his palm.
"B-bumblebee…" Spike sobbed, swallowing thickly.
"I need…f-for you to…be brave…" Bumblebee told him. "Can you…be brave…for me…S-sammy?"
Another sob escaped him as he coughed, pressing his face into Bumblebee's palm.
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His Mother's words floated back to him and seem to rest in his head like a fog.
"Can you be brave for mommy?"
He hadn't been brave for her. He had been scared; very scared. Was that why she was gone? Because he couldn't be brave for her? The mere thought of it pained his greatly. No more dieing, he didn't want to be sad anymore. He wanted bad things to stop happening. He wanted Bumblebee to be OK, he wanted to laugh again, he wanted…he wanted his Mother and Father back.
"Sammy?" Bumblebee's fading voice brought Spike back from his trance and prompted more tears.
"Uh-huh…I can," Spike replied unsteadily through the tears. "I'll be brave…"
"Good boy," Bumblebee replied faintly.
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"OK," Mirage said hurriedly. "The worse hit cables and lines are closed off, but you need immediate attention; you've lost a lot of Energon. The comms are still not working so we gotta work fast."
Mirage forced a hand underneath the Minibot as if to push him upright, but Bumblebee protested.
"No…" He said weakly. "…faster..i-if y-you…just…g-go…Take…s-Spike…"
"No!" Spike refused, grasping tighter to Bumblebee's hand. "Won't leave!"
Mirage was in no mood to debate the subject and Bumblebee didn't have that sort of time to spare. Quickly getting to his feet, Mirage stepped around Bumblebee to fetch the boy who struggled violently against the spy's grip. As he was lifted off the ground, Spike tried desperately to keep a hold onto Bumblebee. Little hands grasped onto sleek black fingers. Bumblebee's energy depleted form let his arm to fall back down to the ground and as the black fingers slipped out of Spike's hands, the boy began to cry and scream.
"Bumblebee!"
Mirage secured the squirming boy in the crook of one arm, ignoring his cries, and placed a bracing hand on his comrade's shoulder.
"Hang on Bumblebee," Mirage told him. "I'll be back; I promise."
Bumblebee nodded slightly before slipping into emergency stasis.
Shooting to his feet, Mirage turned and began running as fast as he could down the street back to the Ark with a distraught child wailing in his arms.
