This one is Operation Bumblebee Part 1
Here's the new chapter! Hot off the press! :)
All in Jack's POV
I don't own Transformers Prime, all rights to Hasbro. I only own my OCs.
Chapter 24
Loss
Jack POV
"Hi, Optimus, hi Elita," I greeted, walking up the stairs to stand by Miko and Raf.
It felt so weird not to call them Mom and Dad.
"Hello, Jack," Dad said as he and Mom stepped off the Groundbridge platform.
"Anything happen out in the field?" I asked.
"Bumblebee is explaining…" Mom answered, "He seems very proud of himself."
I watched as 'Bee took Raf's RC car and acted out his adventure, chirping excitedly.
I don't know why I can't understand him, even though we are the same species. Maybe it was because I've only learned English and some Franglais too (I never was too good in that subject), not Cybertronian.
"Loop-de-loop huh?" Arcee asked as 'Bee hopped forwards, handing Raf back his toy car.
"You have some brass bearings, Bumblebee," Bulkhead laughed.
I gave a smile as 'Bee held his helm high.
"Remember, 'Bee…" Dusk warned, "You get too big a head…it'll drag you down."
He waved his servo at her in a not worried gesture.
"I can always tell them how you squealed like a femme when…"
He let out a series of indignant, loud chirps and whirls…
My guess is it was along the lines of "don't you dare tell them or I…"
"You'll what?" Dusk asked, smirking, "You don't have any dirt on me."
He leaned down and chirped softly into her ear.
Dusk's eyes went huge.
"You wouldn't!"
He gave a two tone sentence. Probably "I would".
"Optimus!" Ratchet yelled, Dad went over while Mom came over to us.
"Are you alright?" she asked softly.
"Fine," I replied, "Got a few bruises from my big sis over there…but I'll live."
"What happened while we were gone?" she asked.
"Well…I found out my Legacy doesn't just extend to my bipedal forms…"
"You got an alt form…" Mom said, "Without me…or your father?"
"Dad okayed it," I answered, "Dusk took me…"
"And we found out he cheats," Dusk muttered.
"I do not!" I growled, "If I was winning, you'd change and fly just to beat me to base!"
"You were racing?" Mom demanded.
Oops.
"Way to go, Jack," Dusk mumbled, "Now we're both in trouble."
"Jack," Mom growled, "You know how I feel about racing…I don't care whether you're driving or not!"
"But Mom!" I explained, "It's not like that! I was learning how to drive!"
"And you were speeding…"
"What is going on over here?" Dad asked as he walked over.
"Mom's being overprotective…again," Dusk muttered.
"Only a week of her being around base…and you've already started calling her 'mom'" I noted.
"What?" Dusk asked, defensively, "He's my dad, and she's married to him…so that makes her my mom too!"
"She's right," Dad said, "Now, again, what happened?"
"We got Jack's alts but…"
"Alts?" Mom asked, "You mean he has more than one? He's a triple-changer?"
"Well…" I said, "It's more complicated…"
"It's more like he has an unlimited choice," Dusk finished, "I think…if he can scan it…he can become it,"
Both my parents stared at me and I shifted my weight uncomfortably.
"That's what you meant by your Legacy extending to your alts…" Mom said.
"And I don't have to transform back to Ultimus to switch forms…" I continued, "It just switches."
"It looks like he's going to transform…and then he's another vehicle!" Dusk finished, "He might even fly later on."
Again, my parents stared at me.
"Fly?" Dad said, finally.
"I think he gets it from his grandsire, Optimus," Mom whispered, "Your sire was a Seeker. Just as your brother is,"
"Apparently," Dad nodded, "Have you tried scanning an aerial form?"
I nodded.
"It didn't work," I sighed, "And I was looking forwards to it as well!"
"Flying is a unique experience," Dad said, "Dusk would be the best choice of asking,"
"Although you flew for a while as well!" Dusk replied, "Remember? Chicago?"
"Where my wings were clipped," Dad growled, "I never forgot that,"
Dusk nodded sadly.
"Once you taste flight…you want more," Dusk warned me, "You've got to be careful…otherwise you get cocky…right Dad?"
He narrowed his optics just a little, "You will never let that incident go…will you?"
"Never," she smirked, "You getting tangled up in a bunch of cables! We had to get the Wreckers to cut you down!"
"Not. Funny," he mumbled, looking away as Mom and I started to laugh.
"You're right," Dusk said, thoughtfully tapping her chin, "It wasn't funny…"
"It was hysterical," I snorted.
"If you think that was funny," Dad growled, "You both can clean the base…without using your gifts."
"DAD!" we both protested.
"Now that is funny," he chuckled as he walked off.
"No, it's not," I muttered, "You and your big mouth, sis,"
"My 'big mouth', as you put it, has gotten me out of more trouble then you could count!" she retorted.
She looked around…finally stopping and looking at me, her evil smile building up again.
"Speaking of trouble…" she said, walking past me and picking something up, "I want to get into one more bit…"
She revealed what she was holding.
Raf's RC car.
I looked from it, to her, and back again.
"No," I said, flatly, "No freaking way. I will not!"
"You wanted to see how far your Legacy goes…"
"Doesn't mean I want to be a shrimp!" I growled.
"You'll be fine!" she said, dismissively, "Go on!"
"No,"
"Jack…" she warned.
"I said no, non, nicht, aon!" I said, backing up, "No! A thousand times no!"
Dusk froze as soon as I said that last one.
"Jack," she said, shocked, "You…you just…"
"I just what?" I asked.
"You just spoke Cybertronian,"
"It sounds English to me," I said, "I mean…"
"It was like that for me too," Dusk said, "That's when I heard 'Bee for the first time,"
"Bulkhead to base!" he yelled, "We need a Groundbridge! Something's wrong with 'Bee!"
Dusk and I looked at each other as Dad stormed into the room.
Someone had hurt our brother?
The Groundbridge fired and Bulkhead and 'Bee walked through.
"He got hit hard by something…" Bulkhead explained as 'Bee went over to Ratchet, "But we couldn't give chase because…"
"I don't see anything wrong with him…" Ratchet interrupted, looking 'Bee over, "I don't think there's a problem…"
"So saying that I can't transform isn't a problem!?" a tenor, almost teenaged voice snapped.
I stared.
"W-was that…?" I asked my sister.
"You heard 'Bee…didn't you," she said, smiling, "I knew it'd come in one day…wasn't expecting it to be this soon but…"
"You can't transform?" Ratchet asked, "Med Table…now,"
'Bee laid down on the table and Ratchet scanned him.
"You can fix 'Bee…can't you?" Raf asked, worriedly as Ratchet finished scanning.
"Bumblebee was hit pretty hard, the stun blast might have fried his T-cog," Ratchet said, starting the scan up again.
"Oooo," Dusk hissed, "That's not fun,"
"Is that like a T…bone?" Miko asked.
"Not exactly…" Arcee said, "It's the organ that allows us to scan vehicles and transform,"
"Which means yours is probably really advanced," Dusk muttered to me.
"By the All Spark…" Ratchet breathed, "Bumblebee's T-cog isn't damaged…it's missing!"
Shock doused us all. Who would do such a thing!?
"But the Decepticons transform too!" I protested, looking up at my parents, "Why would they need that?"
"Megatron may be known to raise zombies but he's no ghoul," Ratchet scoffed.
"I could say otherwise," Dusk growled.
"But if Megatron wasn't behind this…" Raf reasoned, "then who was?"
"The ones who cannibalized Breakdown," Bulkhead hissed, darkly.
"And tried to gut me," my aunt snarled.
"MECH," Ratchet growled, "And it would appear their knowledge of Cybertronian bio-tech is grown more sophisticated."
"But…why would they want Bumblebee's part?" Raf asked.
'Bee gave a low growl.
"Why they want it…doesn't matter," he snorted, getting up, "'Cause I'm getting it back!"
Dad put his hand on 'Bee's shoulder.
"Bumblebee, please," he said, firmly, "You are not presently…equipped…to handle this."
"You don't understand what it's like to lose a part of yourself, Dad!" 'Bee growled.
"You are mistaken my son, I do know what it's like to lose a vital part of one's self. And as a result, I know the value of putting one's faith in the strength of those around you," he looked right at me, and I smiled at him, "We vow to do everything in our power to make you whole again,"
"And if not…Ratchet can just make you a new...cog thing right?" Miko asked.
Right away, I knew something was wrong.
"WHAT!?" 'Bee screeched, and he let out a wail before falling back down on the berth, helm in his servos.
"What I say?" Miko asked.
"Miko, a t-cog is a bio mechanism not a scrap yard find," Ratchet sighed, "If it were that easy don't you think I would've replaced Bumblebee's voice box by now!?"
"Don't remind me!" 'Bee sobbed, "It's bad enough I can't talk right, now I can't even transform! I'm USELESS!"
"You're not useless, 'Bee," Raf objected.
'Bee looked at Raf, mournfully before setting his helm back on his servos. I felt bad…the day I get my wheels…Bumblebee loses his.
"Thanks, Raf," he whirred, unconvinced.
"Alright, alright," Bulkhead announced, "I say none of us transform until Bumblebee gets his cog back,"
"Your spark's in the right place, Bulkhead," my aunt started.
"But I don't think now is the time to be limiting ourselves," Mom finished.
"Not with Megatron potentially seeking other doomsday devices," Dad continued, "and I fear not while MECH uses Bumblebee's T-cog for their own sinister purpose…"
….
I drove out of the Base as soon as I was sure everyone was asleep.
Well…my parents caught me, but they understood that I wanted to be alone for a while and let me go out into the night.
I stopped out in the middle of nowhere and transformed into my mech form. The stars were beautiful tonight. I sat down on the ground and looked up, pinpointing the many stars that Mom had taught me when I was little.
"That little one by the moon is Cybertron," a familiar voice said.
I turned to see Mom coming towards me.
"I thought you said I could be alone for a while?" I asked.
"We did," Dad said, coming up as well, "but you seemed more troubled by your thoughts than usual."
I looked up again, looking straight at home.
My desolated, grey, lifeless home.
I didn't notice myself slipping back into human form until I saw Dad sit next to me. I reached out my hands to him.
Could I use my Legacy with him?
He flinched back just slightly as my fingers brushed his armor. I jerked them back.
"Your hands are cold," he rumbled, before extending his servo towards me, "Go on,"
I laid my hand in his servo and the electric buzz ran right through me and through his frame. The edges of his armor blurred, becoming softer, paler.
Soon, the great Prime was gone. A youngish, maybe mid-thirties, man with blue-black hair and bright royal blue eyes sat beside me. I would have thought it to be his holoform…except for the fact that his mech frame wasn't there.
He rolled his new shoulders and looked at his hands.
"Quite the experience…isn't it?" Mom asked as she put her human arms around the both of us.
"It is," Dad agreed, still looking over his hands.
"And now you can switch between the two forms," Mom said, "As both Jack and I can."
Dad's form flickered slightly as he returned to his original form. Mom and I reverted as well.
"I plan to enjoy this," he purred, grabbing us both and holding us close.
"Can't…breathe…!" I wheezed.
"You don't need to," Dad pointed out.
"…point there," I sighed.
…
The next morning was the last weekday of our spring break. I opened my eyes…just to see data scroll down them.
"Scrap!" I yelped, frantically trying to transform back.
I had gone to sleep in human form…I swear I did!
And I wake up as Ultimus. This…was not good.
I finally felt the electric buzz run through me and I knew I was back. I let out a sigh of relief and lay back down on the bed.
I had just closed my eyes when...
A loud blast of bass guitar and a strong drum-line rocketed through the Base, I gave a sharp scream and fell out of bed, clutching my ears. Super-strength, super-sight, super-speed…and now super-hearing in a Base with two rockers.
The Thirteen have a sense of humor.
"MIIIKKKKOOOOOOOO!" I heard more than one voice yell, "AMMMMMMBBBBEEEERRRRRRRR!"
I sighed as I got up off the floor and walked into the main room.
"What's wrong with you people?" Amber asked, "Can't handle the raw power?"
"Not at seven in the morning!" Ben snapped.
I looked at Dusk, who was frantically putting her earbuds in and turning on her iPod.
"Must. Have. Non-shriek metal music!" she gasped, hitting play and cranking up the volume.
She kept hitting the volume control, willing it to go up.
"AAAARRRGGGGHHH!" she wailed, "Why isn't it turning up! Curse you Apple!"
I started cracking up, earning myself a glare from my Cybreian sister.
"Um…Arcee?" I asked, "H-how about we go for a-a drive…? Like now!"
My aunt chuckled as my sister's eyes darkened and she came closer. I looked up, begging.
Arcee smiled and transformed, I hopped on and we sped out of the Base right as Dusk pounced.
A few minutes later we finally stopped.
"You think she's cooled off?" I asked.
"I think so," my aunt replied.
"I've got an idea…Arcee? How fast can you go?"
"Dunno," she said, "Never had the time to see…"
"Let's find ou...whoa!" I yelped as she gunned it and we shot towards the Base.
We raced through the entrance and through the hallway, finally coming to a stop…Arcee came up on the front tire before settling back down on the ground.
"Personal best, Arcee!" I cried, "You hit 120 easy…"
I felt a burning anger from one of my siblings…it didn't feel like Dusk…I looked up…
And saw 'Bee giving us a death glare.
"Uh oh," my aunt whispered.
"Oh…" I muttered.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOO!" 'Bee hissed, stomping off.
Oops?
I got off Arcee and walked closer to Dusk, who was sitting on the stairwell.
"Bumblebee!" Ratchet yelled, "Where do you think you're going?"
"For a walk," 'Bee growled.
"You can't just go for a walk!" Ratchet exclaimed. "We are robots in disguise…leaving the base in this form puts you at risk of being seen and of us being discovered. You'll just have to remain in the silo until..."
"Until what? Yeah! I know! Until you can fix me!" 'Bee snarled, storming out.
"Yes, Bumblebee," Ratchet whispered sadly, "Until I can fix you."
"He's really upset," Dusk said, looking sadly at our brother.
"I know," I said, "I mean…just yesterday, he had his wheels and I didn't…now…"
"You have yours…but 'Bee lost his," Dusk said, "It's a horrible thing, having something that was given to you as a natural ability to be taken away…"
"Like when you over extended your T-cog…and the Scraplets attacked," I said.
"Or like Jolt…who can't use his weapons system or he'll offline," Dusk said.
"Why does it always happen to the good guys?" I asked.
"I don't know, little brother," Dusk said, softly, "I don't really know."
…
I am really thinking about quitting my job. Really.
I was this close to accidentally revealing what I am.
The intercom thing was giving me fits…and I accidentally gripped it too hard.
Hehe…it almost snapped in two.
If Mom or Dad saw me do that…
I don't want to think about it!
It made it worse when Vince showed up.
I took a deep breath and fought insanely with myself.
No, Jack, you know it's not right.
But he deserves it!
You're a Prime, start acting like one.
I…don't know how to get around that one.
I put a smile on my face and gave Vince his food…keeping a wary eye on him…just to make sure he didn't steal it…again.
Thank God he didn't.
This time.
Arcee came to pick me up as soon as my shift was over…and we came back to base…
To see my brother on the Medbay table…unconscious.
Ok, Jack's "no" are in English, French, German and Irish. (The "franglais" is a term my French teacher uses when we say pour example: le turkey (le dinde) I love my french teacher and the class, so I'm not dissing her or any of that class).
The part where Dusk spazzes out and tries to turn her iPod up even further comes from an event that happened today at school. Let's just say: Crazy person at our lunch table+Best Friend with iPod=DEAR PRIMUS WHY WON'T IT GO UP MOOOORRREEE! XD
Eventually, Jack will try to scan the RC car...I won't reveal any more...but it'll be good.
Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please R&R! :)
Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)
Máriessë ar mára tecië
Farewell and fair writing
Elhini Prime signing off.