The Arctic cold was hell on their bodies. Ice and snow clung to their bodies as they tragedy along in the open field. Nothing in sight. The blizzards it was far too strong, it was like being at the edge of a hurricane. The wind howled extremely high and even Optimus felt it pushing him back ever so slightly. The cold was even beginning to affect their joints, it was beginning to get even harder to move. Arcee staggered a bit and caught herself on Optimus who helped her back up right. Both met Optics and looked unwell. The two of them both fatigued as the wind hammered away at them. In the vacuum of space it was much easier due to the lack of oxygen and the temperature difference and nothing causing a sudden temperature drop unlike wind. In theory a human could last a minute in that environment without suffering massive damage from cold and vacuum. Meanwhile on the other hand with the internal heating systems of a cybertronian could go on for years without entering a ship. But I'm worlds with atmospheres and winds it was much harder to keep it all within.
"If he didn't tell us on purpose I'm kicking his ass" Arcee grunted as she began to walk once more.
Optimus low key felt the same but didn't show it. There is always a reason but was there this time?.
"We'll get to the bottom of it. Hopefully" Optimus said as his optics found a small outcrop peeking up from the snowy surface.
Pointing to it they shifted their position and began towards it. It wasn't too big but it would be enough to get out of the snow and let their internal heating systems keep them alive for at least a few extra minutes.
Jacob rounded the corner with fire extinguisher in hand aiming the nozzle dead front. Jack trailed behind as his back up. Miko joined them with a welding torch. The plan has been brief and simple. Weld up the leak and drive the scraplets out with bait, The last bit would still have to be determined but again the ground bridge up and running was most important. Nobody wanted to waste any more time on this. Jacob was the point given his knowledge and Jack was back up. Breathing was tense as they made their way down the hallway slowly.
"How could something so tiny be so dangerous?" Miko mused aloud.
Jacob grimaced as he gave her a look.
"Tell that to the Spanish flu" He retorted evenly.
Miko went pale. Shivers shot up her spine as she trailed behind.
"So do they eat humans?" Jack asked in a hushed voice.
"No luckily. They only go for the living metal of a bot" Jacob explained quickly getting a nod from the two of them.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead hey quick in his pace. With another left the 3 stopped dead. Only 3 feet in front of them lining the entire hall was nothing but scraplet's. Nothing but silver a little balls with sharp teeth and purple optics which had a cuteness to them. One of them turned and looked at them, it didn't look threatening but Jacob knew what they were capable of.
"Totally not what I expected" Miko admitted looking at them with curiosity.
"Ditto" Jack said as Jacob began walking through them.
The two moved after him making sure to step in between a little pests who calmly chirped in peace. It was like a symphony of birds the more they thought about it. Pushing it to the back of his mind Jacob moved even quicker now. Occasionally kicking a few pests he knew how time sensitive they really were. Stopping for a brief moment he turned to Miko.
"Take the fire extinguisher and give me the welder. I'll take care of it just get back to hub in case these little guys make a move" Jacob said bluntly.
They exchanged items and Jacob ran for the leaking pipe down the access corridor.
Jack and Miko ran into the hub only to hear pounding within the vents. The constant banks group louder and louder with each and every inch till suddenly One busted open. Bulkhead wiped around, pointing the nozzle up at the vent he let loose on the trigger. I found of cold white foam shot upwards into the vent catching the pest's off and stopping them dead. Bulkhead cheered as he kept up The suppressive fire.
Jacob kneeling welded the gaps in the pipe shut. Energon stained the floor and his shoes. The room reeked of the substance and one loose spark could end is life in a second. A sobering thought for anyone and thought about it. Lucky I took workshop back in high school. He thought through sweating bullets. After finishing the second hall he made his way to the last one. Keeping his hands steady he began. This hall was significantly smaller and less troublesome looking than the others. Breathing shallowly he was finally able to seal the last hole and kill the welder. Propping himself against the wall he shuddered from the stress.
"Fuck me" He muttered in surprise.
To be honest he expect it to go up in flames. Looks like he was deemed important by the powers that be. One of the pests looked at him and he met its stare. With a grimace he pushed himself down the hall towards the hub. He was expecting to be tired and drained of energy, the energon doing a haymaker on his body. To his surprise he didn't feel a thing despite being drenched in it. Something was off definitely off. His expression was hallow, as lifeless as the sands of The Sahara desert. Suddenly the little scarplets began to stir and shake. Jacob knew what was happening and broke into a tilted run and put everything into it. Dropping the deactivated welder he rounded the corner as The little deadly metal balls began to rise and give chase not to him but the Autobots.
Optimus laid back down next to Arcee, she looked a bit better but not by much. She shivered like a leaf as her tiny body clattered and clanged in the cold air. His blue optics were hard to see in the cold. Arcee with both hands across her chest realised mimicking humans in this moment wasn't the best idea.
"I never though I'd go out like this. I always figured I'd go out against the cons or old age" Arcee said trying to spark a conversation.
Optimus shrugged with indifference.
"Life has many unexpected things, but I do doubt this will be our end" He said reassuringly.
"How can you be so sure of yourself?" She asked sceptically.
Optimus gave a warm smile.
"You'll see" He responded when suddenly the ground bridge ripped open less than 14 feet away.
Arcee looked in awe as Optimus began to rise weakly. Extending his hand Arcee took it and pulled herself up. She looked at the swirling lifesaver and found it low-key ironic. He always did have an thing for timing, intentionally or not.
"I'm gonna need a long hot shower after this" Arcee said relief creeping into her tone.
Optimus chuckled and they began towards the swirling vortex to safety.
Jacob ran in only to see Bulkhead Leroy Jenkins style running through the ground bridge as the scraplets followed feverishly.
"Come and get me ya shiny baseball's!" He bellowed out as he ran deeper into the rift.
Jacob grinned a little as the room slowly emptied. Finally this nightmare was over. He could finally relax for day. Bumblebee covered in bites and scratches looked relieved.
{Thank Primus their gone!} He warbled thankfully.
Ratchet who was leaning against the ground bridge controls also held the same feelings. To be blunt everyone did.
"I won't be missing them" Cliffjumper remarked with a weak smile.
Jacob suddenly felt a wave of relief come over him. Cliffjumper still lived, lucky. Moving to the rooms center he saw a few stragglers but they would be no problem as far as he could tell.
"Everyone good?" Jacob inquired with a sense of urgency.
"One casualty...My wits!" Ratchet sarcastically responded.
Jacob internally face palmed and nodded externally.
"An acceptable loss" Jacob shot back with a pause. "Raf, Miko and Jack help me get these guys fixed up!" He ordered with an elevated tone.
The 3 kids followed and began following Ratchet's exact instructions. Jack moved to Cliff, Raf too bee and Miko to bulkhead when he returned with Optimus and Arcee.
Arcee saw Jacob checking the Monitor one more time, Half an hour since she arrived back with Optimus. The temperature difference head hit them both like solus primes hammer and she needed to sit down. Now she did as her charge checked her vitals. Energon covered his pants as he went over every Single detail the computer screen gave him. He looked surprisingly unaffected by the blue fluid. Ratchet also noticed. Looking at the security feed he saw Jacob kneeling the a large puddle of it. A major health risk on his part but yet he was fine.
"Your good to go, try not to over do it till tomorrow" Jacob said as he powered it all down.
Arcee shrugged.
"I'll play it by ear" She retorted sassily.
Ratchet saw the two give a little exchange before Jacob moved over to him.
"Want to be scanned I see?" Ratchet said stating what he could see on his face.
Jacob nodded and climb the ladder upwards onto the platform. Optimus came into view, surprised to say the least. He cleaned up the entire hallway of energon and it had been enough to give Castle Bravo a run for it's money. Arcee scratched her arms over her head and eyes Ratchet as he scanned Jacob over.
"What brings this about?" Ratchet asked while scanning.
"I feel, great. Whenever I touch it...I feel like new" Jacob honestly said feeling uneasy.
Ratchet casted him a disbelieving look along with Arcee who even found that odd. Optimus took up next to Cee and watched. Leaning in he whispered.
"Their was enough energon to possibly blow up the Empire State Building" He said in a whisper.
Arcee stared at him in disbelief, that amount would've been fatal in under 15 minutes!.
"Then how is he still alive?" She asked quietly.
Suddenly Ratchet gasped in shock. Jacob suddenly looked ill and decided to sit down. He had a feeling this was going to knock him off balance.
"How long?" Jacob asked expecting the absolute worst in a situation like this.
As Ratchet was showing Arcee and Optimus the 3 looked at him oddly. With hands under his chin he looked at them, Their expressions were is unreadable as Stone.
"Your not dying It's something else" Arcee said bringing him some ease.
"Ok shoot" Jacob stood ready to hear it.
Ratchet looked weary and looked at Optimus. Giving ratchet the go ahead he cleared his voice box.
"Your a techno-organic, you were created by primus himself and I can only guess what he did was to prepare you for this" Ratchet said only to hear Jacob scoff.
"Impossible!. No that's preposterous...how can that be!?" Jacob asked his scepticism was off the charts.
Ratchet faced Optimus and gave him the scanner. Optimus then faced Jacob and gave the scanners read out one last look over. The more he thought about it the more it made sense in his mind, even the matrix and all of its wisdom even hinted towards it very subtly. Arcee was stunned Beyond belief as Jacob held firm.
"Contact with Energon has awakened your CNA. Jacob as you said in a longer affects you negatively" Optimus began Before pausing for a brief moment. "And if your one of primus's I feel you were brought here intentionally"
Jacob suddenly went pale. The nightmares he's been having about the unknown thing slowly begin to make sense. If that was the case his whole life at home literally meant nothing and that no matter what he would end up here and now. Optimus held out the data pad in one hand showing him the scans Jacob saw His entire insides had become unrecognizable, all he could recognize was a spark fans, even his brain a transformed into a processor. With shaking hands he suddenly felt sick.
"Oh my god!" He exclaimed in shock. "That's not possible, it can't be possible oh my God!"
Staggering backwards the whole world began to spin around more and more and more till suddenly it all stopped and he found himself on the floor slipping into unconsciousness. Arcee rushed over and picked him up holding him close. He still breathed even though he no longer had to.