Chapter Fourteen
Firestorm, age 5, whined as his frame grew uncomfortable warm. Nightshade hovered next to him in worry while the Doctor scanned his twin and their Creators watched a bit further back.
"What's wrong with him?" Nightshade demanded, feeling his brothers' discomfort through their bond.
The Doctor finished her scans and looked at the results before relaxing.
"Nothing is wrong with him, he is just going into heat" she proceeded in explaining that Firestorm was a Carrierbot and it was natural for male Carrierbots to go into heat much sooner than females.
"How is this possible? No mech in our family tree were Carrierbots, I believed it was genetic" Megatron demanded.
"It is, however the wiring of the Spark Chamber to the Frame is another way for a Carrierbot to be created" She informed.
Megatron nodded slowly, "what do we do to make him comfortable and to make this process less stressful for him?"
The femme proceeded in giving them instructions and giving them a list of the stores, they could find the items to help with the Heat-Cycle.
-2 Groons Later-
Ratchet coughed and onlined his optics, everything was dark and gloomy and there were dust particles everywhere. He restarted his optics but the environment didn't improve. He tried to get up but cried out when pain raced through his leg and side. He looked back and saw dried Energon, like he had been there for joors.
Another cough caught the Medics attention and he turned his head to further into the dark space and saw a dark figure as well as green optics.
"Nightshade?" Ratchet whispered before wincing when his throat spiked in pain.
The green optics instantly went to him, "Ratchet?"
"Wha-" he coughed again, trying to clear his throat, "what happened?"
The green optics seemed to flash in confusion before Nightshade began speaking.
"You... don't remember?" he asked suspiciously.
Ratchet shook his helm, trying to remember but only getting a black screen.
"Well, it all started last orn-"
-1 Orn Ago-
"Optimus" Ratchet called and the Prime as well as all the Autobots circled the Medic, "I just picked up a Cybertronian emergency beacon"
"An Autobot could be in distress, Ratchet bring your Medkit" Optimus Prime ordered, "Rafeal man the Groundbridge"
The Autobots left through the swirling vortex and were ambushed instantly after the Groundbridge closed. They went to attack, Darkshadow covering Ratchet as the Medic continued to follow the signal. It led to a large cave. They went in and found, not a Cybertronian, but a Relic box. Ratchet knelt down and opened it while Darkshadow covered the entrance of the cave.
Ratchet gasped and Darkshadow looked over, giving his own gasp.
"A Carliblast" the Medic whispered, looking shocked, "created by Redempt and her partner Firestorm-"
Darkshadow glanced at him, narrowing his optics when the Medic said his twins name.
"can change the appearance of any Cybertronian when worn"
Darkshadow wasn't paying attention to the entrance of the cave, too busy listening to the Medic. Due to this, he didn't notice Starscream landing in front of the cave and pointing a missile at him and Ratchet.
Ratchet turned, holding the small device with delicate servos, still talking, "We have to get this back to base before the Dece-" his optics widened, "LOOK OUT!"
Before Nightshade could react, Ratchet grabbed and pulled him. With the momentum, Darkshadow hit the back of the cave and looked up in time to see one of Starscream's missiles hit Ratchets side and the other hitting the cave roof. Rocks crashed down around the two; Darkshadow covered his helm instinctively, but the rocks were too big and soon Nightshade was hit heavily on the back of his helm.
-Current Time-
Ratchet was silent and looked at the Carliblast that miraculously survived the collapse; he subspaced it. He then looked at the wound in his side and winced, it was very deep.
"Slag" he tried to move to a sitting position so that he could see the wound better but his legs wouldn't budge.
The Medic looked behind him and saw that some of the rocks had fallen to pin his legs underneath. The mech gave an annoyed groan and moved his arm so that his servo was covering the gaping wound.
"Nightshade, are you injured?"
Nightshade was quiet before answering, "just a few dents"
Ratchet nodded, relieved.
"Can you help get these rocks off?" Ratchet asked, Nightshade seemed to think about the request before moving over and examining the earth.
"Seems easy enough" the fighter hummed before removing the rocks.
Ratchet exhaled and relaxed when the pain and pressure on his legs slowly disappeared.
"Thanks"
Nightshade didn't answer, he just returned to his side of the cave while Ratchet shifted to a sitting position. Ratchet opened his subspace and took out his emergency kit before sealing off the Energon lines and putting a quick platinum gauze over the wound and made sure it stuck correctly before leaning against the wall, breathing heavily at the extent.
His Energon levels were at twenty percent and the first aid had slowed it down, but if they didn't get out soon, then Ratchet most likely will fall into Stasis than Offline.
Ratchet shakily stood and began moving rocks out of the way; Nightshade joined in soon after.
-2 Hours Later-
Ratchet groaned and blinked rapidly as his vision flickered and swam, he leaned against the wall and shuttered his optics.
His Energon levels were at 6 percent and dropping.
The Medic invented and exvented, trying to get the dizziness to lift up. Nightshade looked over before resuming with moving the rocks. Ratchet slid to the ground and laid his helm against his knees.
{R-zzzzztt-chet}
{Rat-zzztch}
Ratchet slowly lifted his helm, blinking blurrily.
{Ratchet, Darkshadow, Do you read?!}
{Loud and clear Prime}
{We are almost through, what is your status?}
{I only have a few dents and scratches; Ratchet is wounded badly. He's low on Energon, below ten percent}
{Understood, keep him awake until we get there}
{Understood}
Nightshade turned and headed to Ratchet, crossing his arms over his chassis and glared at the Medic.
"Why did you kill Firestorm?" the Warrior demanded.
Ratchet blinked and slowly registered the question; when he did, he looked at Nightshade in confusion.
"'s th't wh't R'pt'r s'd h'pp'n'd?" the Medic slurred; his optics dull.
"It isn't?"
Ratchet shook his helm, but stopped quickly, it made him dizzier.
"If you didn't kill Firestorm, then who did?"
Ratchet looked at the warrior, blinking sluggishly.
"Ratchet, who killed Firestorm?!" The Warrior demanded.
Ratchet shuttered his optics, his vocalizer stopped working and he fell into stasis.
Energon Levels: 60%
Stasis Aborted
Ratchet groaned and onlined his optics before opening his optic protectors. Nightshade and Moonlasher were the first ones he saw, a quick glance showed that the other Autobots were not in base.
"Where is everyone?" the Medic croaked.
"Arcee, Bulkhead and Bumblebee are out with their Charges, and Optimus is on Patrol" Moonlasher stated, her optics hard.
"Who killed Firestorm?" Nightshade suddenly demanded.
Ratchet frowned and accessed his memory on the cave before murmuring a soft curse.
"I shouldn't have said anything" the Medic admitted.
"Yes, you should have, now explain" Moonlasher snapped.
Ratchet looked at her before sighing, "As you both know, Firestorm and Redempt built the Carliblast. While Firestorm was giving it a test-drive, he was ambushed. The Carliblast was damaged, trapping him in the disguise. When he awoke, the War was already in full swing"
"How do you know this?!" Moonlasher demanded, her temper rising.
Ratchet blinked at them before lifting his servos to his Carliblast, taking it off. Both of the Decepticon Spies let out gasps.
