A slam sounded as the Autobots lowered the Cryo tube into the corner of the base. All of the bots sighed with relief as they dropped it.
"Well, that didn't take you guys long" Jazz said, dusting off his palms. Ratchet shrugged, going over some scans on his datapad, occasionally glancing up, only at the pod.
"There wasn't anything worth taking, nothing I can't already do. This was the only thing in there we could not let Megatron get"
You blow the place?" Wheeljack asked.
"Kaboom" Arcee chuckled.
"Nice..You alright?" Wheeljack asked her.
Arcee looked at her hand, the scratch glowing. She could feel an aggressiveness biting at her mind. She shook it off and hid the hand as Optimus walked over.
"Arcee, Ratchet, excellent work on finding this tank. The occupant inside is an old friend, and though he is dangerous and extremely powerful, he is very trust worthy"
"I can't believe we found him. Primus knows how he ended up on this ship or how he ended up in stasis" Ratchet shrugged.
"Ratchet, I want you to begin an immediate thawing program so we can open the tank" Optimus ordered him.
"Oh I'd love to" The doctor jogged over to his controls, setting to work immediately. Ironhide bat his hands.
"Whoa, whoa and whoa. You want to open this tank, and let that...beast out?" He asked with an affliction at the end.
"Ironhide, you have nothing to fear. Grimlock is an old teammate, and he knows my face. I hope I can calm him when he thaws. No doubt he will be in a fragile state"
"Optimus, he may be right. Grimlock is larger and more powerful than us, h-he dwarfs you! Should we wait?" Ratchet asked.
"Ratchet, The longer he remains in that tank, the easier it would be for the Decepticons to capture him"
"Well, alright I'll begin the...Arcee? Are you alright?" Ratchet asked, just catching a glimpse of her examining her hand. She immediately hid it.
"Oh yeah I'm fine"
"Arcee, you never were a good liar. Show me your hand" He held his out as he tried to grasp hers. She hid it again with a nervous laugh.
"Honestly Ratchet! I'm fine"
"Arcee" He said sternly. She looked around at the other bots, who looked just as concerned. After a sigh and a lower of her head, angry at herself for being so distracted and stupid to touch the tooth, she offered out her hand. Just under her pink metal armor plate upon her blue palm, was a deep gash. It was pulsating green as the venom was working on her Cybernucleic Acid. Ratchet held her hand gently and looked it over, face never faulting.
"Mmm hmm. What did I tell you about that Rust Basilisk's fang?" he lectured. She rolled her eyes.
"I know, I know. I'm an idiot for being so reckless, blah blah, am I going to be alright?" she asked.
"With some treatment, yes, You will be back to yourself" He stood up, walking over to his array of monitors with the sample.
"Optimus, I'll deal with Grimlock in a moment. I'll make this antidote first"
"Of course. I expect no different from you old friend"
Arcee sat looking at her palm. At that moment, Bulkhead returned with Miko, transforming and helping her down from his palm.
"Yes! It's true! Jackie's back! And Ironhide too" she gasped at realization "All the Wreckers!" She quickly wasted no time, getting her phone out and flicking the pink screen up. "Quick guys! Group photo!"
The Wreckers shrugged and grouped up, looking at Miko's phone. A click and flash later, she had a photo of them together.
"Awesome!"
Ratchet mumbled to himself as he worked. Arcee sat holding her hand, Jazz sitting beside her.
"How is it, the fang bite. You okay?"
"Yeah...I'm good. Thanks Jazz" she smiled. Then...Miko arrived.
"Oh wait, fang? What happened?"
"Well, Arcee over here decided that a Rust Basilisk's mouth is the perfect place to stick a hand" Ratchet chuckled. Arcee rolled her eyes. Miko gasped at this information.
"A rust Basilisk! Whoa, did you kill it? Was it tough? Did the wreckers kick it in the head and-"
"It was already dead Miko...c-can you leave me alone for a while?" Arcee asked delicately. Miko scooted around under Arcee's legs.
"Did it hurt? Are you gonna be alright? Should I phone Jac-"
"No!" she shouted, hand out. "Ahem, I mean no, that's okay" she rubbed the back of her neck. Arcee could feel a loud whining in her ears, like a flash bang, and a white hot rage boiling her Energon as Miko continued to ask questions.
"Did it look like a snake? Were you and Ratchet on Cybertron? Where was it? Is it here?"
"No Miko, can you please-" The rage built and built.
"Are you sure you're okay? Is anyone else hurt? Can you-"
"Miko! Just get the frag away from me, and shut up for five minutes!" She roared, teeth flaring. Miko, staggered back, for the first time ever looking terrified of Arcee. She hid behind Bulk's foot.
"Whoa...Cee" Bulk said.
"I...I...That wasn't...where did that...Miko I..." Arcee couldn't understand her suddenly blackout and rage explosion. All the Autobots stared at her.
"I told you. The venom is affecting your personality. If I don't get this antidote finished within the next few days, you could change all together. Aggressive, brutal...the list goes on" Ratchet explained as he worked on the antidote. Arcee rubbed her aching head.
Suddenly a car pulled up at the door to the base. June leaned out the driver's side, with Jack getting out the other side.
"Hello everyone. Optimus, Doctor" June said to Ratchet as he worked. Optimus nodded back.
"Hmm, yes hello" Ratchet mumbled.
"Hello June. Jack, how was your first debrief?" Optimus asked with the others just as curious.
"It was alright...not sure what to do at first, but I got the gist towards the end. Give it time heh"
"Okay Jack, I guess I'll see you at home sometime tonight. Only a quick visit everyone, nice to see you all!" June shouted as she shut the door. The bots waved as she retreated the car back and pulled away, disappearing.
Jazz leaned down to Jack, offering his hand. "Well done big man" He smirked. Jack nodded, slapping Jazz a high five, like slapping a metal wall at pace. It hurt. Jack hid the pain as Jazz stood up.
He looked for Arcee, who was hiding her hand.
"Hey Arcee, show Jack your ha-" She kept a fake smile to Jack as she slammed her foot down on Wheeljack's toes. He yelped in pain, holding his foot, hopping slightly.
"Cee? You okay?" Jack asked.
"Never better Jack" She was so happy to see him, she forgot about everything else, the venom, the other bots, Miko's questions. Jack felt the same way, totally unable to concentrate through his debrief, only thinking of her.
"Gah, Arcee, my foot, why'd you do that?" Wheeljack whimpered. "Woman's got bite" Ironhide laughed at his fellow wrecker.
"Oh you are so tiny"he laughed, a swift punch from Wheeljack shutting him up.
Arcee rolled her eyes and looked at Jack. His eyes were glowing a bright blue. It seemed the closer he was to Arcee, the brighter his eyes got. Now that he was at beside her, his Iris's were neon blue, and he didn't know.
"There...one venom antido-" Ratchet gazed over and immediately saw Jack's eyes. He questioned it, getting nearer.
"Everyone else seeing this?" Ratchet asked as he bent down to Jack. Jazz looked over his shoulder, along with Bumblebee.
"Actually yeah...Jack what's with the neon eyes?"
Jack gulped, looking at Arcee. She was just as nervous, not sure why they were so bright. Arcee got up, walking away only slightly.
No, no...Please don't let this all come out now...please Primus no
Ratchet looked at Jack's eyes. All the bots gathered around bar Optimus. He was looking straight at Arcee. Optimus was old and wise, wiser than Ratchet. It was at that moment he knew. Arcee gulped and her spark trembled. Optimus Prime knew about her and Jack.
"Wait a minute...I remember reading about these side effects in a published Cybertronian study. But what was it about...Energon transfer..." Ratchet thought aloud, possibly thinking it was a Cybertron infection Jack had received by accident somehow. Suddenly, the old Doctor realized. His eyes widened to the point his optics may fall out. His finger trembled as he pointed at Jack and then to Arcee.
"Oh no...No, no, no, Please tell me you are not that stupid!" Ratchet roared at Arcee and Jack. All the bots were confused, along with Miko. He looked at Arcee, who avoided eye contact and heavily sighed, holding her upper arm. Ratchet flared his eyes.
"Is it..." Arcee didn't look up. "IS IT?!" He roared at the top of his Cybertronian lungs, startling Jack and Arcee.
"Yes alright! Yes it's true!" She cried out. Ratchet's arms dropped to his side and he looked at her with disgust.
"Well..."
"What? What's going on?" Jazz asked.
"Oh the usual, Jazz. Arcee here is Sparkmates...with him!" Ratchet pointed at Jack.
"Probably should have stayed home tonight huh?"
"Oh you think?" Arcee raised an eyebrow at her Sparkmate.
"Have you both...gone completely...INSANE?!" Ratchet lectured. Optimus's hand graced his shoulder.
"Easy old friend, it is Arcee's decision, and if she thinks Jack is a worthy mate for her spark, then who are we to stop them?" Optimus said to him. Ratchet scoffed.
"Oh we're just allowing fraternization now? She abused her power!" He pointed at her. "And he, took advantage of an emotional war torn Autobot!"
"That's a bit cold Ratchet" Jack snarled.
"Oh don't even get me started on the ramifications of this. You are a human Jack, weak compared to us, even with your armor. Now what happens if the Decepticons learn of this...oh let's call it love? What if they use you to bargain with her? Huh?"
"I...I don't-"
"Exactly, you don't know! I thought you were older, smarter than this"
"Ratchet, that's enough!" Arcee defended Jack. The other bots simply stayed out of it and watched. Miko stayed behind Bulk's leg.
"Point is Ratchet, we are in love, have been for months. Only recently did we finally manage too...you know" Arcee explained.
"Unbelievable. We have an Autobot, who hated Earth when she arrived, and a kid who used her to get back at the school bully, and try to impress human females...unbelievable" Ratchet shook his head, furious.
"When?" Ratchet asked them.
"When what?" Arcee asked angrily, standing in front of Jack.
"When did you become Sparkmates?"
"Last night Okay. After several months of trying, we finally achieve it"
"Ratchet, Jack has proved time an time again that he is a worthy ally, and a great friend. If the Allspark thinks Jack is worthy, and allowed this...shouldn't we?" Optimus said once again, supporting them.
"You can't be serious Optimus? This isn't love! This is some Partner crazed bots attempt to fill the gap of Tailgate and Cliffjumper!" everyone gasped. "And when Jack dies, she'll move on to the next, it's what she's good at!" he roared at her, suddenly covering his mouth and gasping, only just realizing what his anger had spouted.
Arcee's eyes were filled with hurt, and emotion. This was not how she wanted them to find out. Her Venom ran course and ravaged her CNA. Her emotions took a toll, and she held back the tears as all the bots stared at her, along with an incredibly sorry Ratchet.
"G-go...Go frag yourself Ratchet!" She shouted, transforming and driving out of the base alone. Jack shouted after her.
"Cee!" He turned to face the Doctor. "What...the hell...was that, Ratchet?"
"I...I got carried away, I haven't powered down in weeks and I took it out on her, Primus I didn't know how to react"
"Oh and that was a grown up, sensible response? You know you lecture me about not being grown up. Maybe you should look in the mirror!" Jack shouted as he turned, running out to find Arcee. Optimus crouched, hands forming a ball of fists over his mouth as he stared at the doorway, thinking about what just happened.
Jazz held his head and exhaled. Ironhide simply stared at the door as well, trying to make sense of it. Bumblebee sat down with a thud, grazing his hand along his head. Bulkhead lowered his head with a deep sigh. Wheeljack tried to comprehend it just the same.
"Jack...and Arcee? Primus, how did we not see it?" Bumblebee asked.
"None of that matters now, because if we don't find her, and soon...the venom will take her over..." Ratchet sighed.
