Chapter 3: Silent Wounds

Astra POV

On Cybertron

"Come on, let me come with you. I have completed my training and sire says I am ready to go out on missions," my younger brother said as he followed me around Iacon within the Hall of Records. "Come on Astra, let me come with you already, others on your team really want me to come with you," he pleaded loudly as we walked down different halls.

I stopped and huffed before turning around and looking down at him. I knew sire didn't actually tell him he could accompany me or my older brother on a mission. He had already begged our oldest brother and he had ultimately said no and went out on a different mission. His bright blue optics begging to come with me on a mission, to out and prove himself as a warrior of the Elite Guard. "I know you want to go out and prove your metal like the rest of us in our family and within the war. I am aware of all of this, however," I stop and just see his optics turn more to sadness to try and sway me more.

I release a sigh and place my hand on top of his helm and push him back before walking away and glancing back down at my datapad. Some of my soldiers had been injured during our last few missions. Since the war has gone on the Elite Guard have gone from guarding members of the high counsel and important bots amongst the Autobots side to doing more secretive and dangerous missions. I had just came back from a few missions and was given a break by a couple other commanders due to the mental strain of the missions.

"Astraaa," he whined as he began to follow once more, like a youngling wanting an energon treat. I stopped once again and turned towards him before glancing up and seeing sire talking with Optimus Prime. It was rare to see Optimus Prime in Iacon during such hazardous battles across the planet but it was probably to convince sire to lead another band of Autobots into dangerous situations across the planet. Then again it was rare to have sire in Iacon as well since becoming Optimus Prime's key lieutenant during the war. I glanced down at my younger brother once again and frowned. "Ask sire, and if he actually allows it. You can accompany us to an ancient archive with recent Decepticon activity," I simply say before going over to some of the other Elite Guard generals.

"I take it the youngling finally wants to come along since he has completed his horrible bootcamp?" one of my friends says. I glance up at the white armored mech and nod before glancing down at my datapad. "You think Magnus will let him go along with you? After all of the stunts he pulled while everyone was away on missions?"

I shrug it off and go about my business at checking over which members of my group were able to come along with me on the upcoming mission. "With how many of us are unable to go on the mission tomorrow, my guess is that he will allow Smokescreen to come along on my joint mission with a small group of Wreckers. And with how likely it is that more of us will fall, the rookies will have to accompany us more with only a select amount remaining here to protect the high counsel and important members of Cybertron that are on our side," I elaborated.

Wreckers and the Elite Guard, two sides of the same blade, both sent on missions to get things done quickly due to the many skills that both groups have earned over the cycles. One, however, following the rules and respecting the commanders. The other breaking their own rules and not being the most respectful war unit. Both groups over recent cycles have seen more lights fade as missions became more dangerous as the Decepticons became stronger and more ruthless as the war progressed.

"Smokescreen.." I thought about as my mind drifted to my brother as Bulkhead spoke about the familial bond that the Wreckers held during the war to his human partner. Bulkhead didn't seem like the other more brute in both mind and strength Wreckers that I had worked with over the cycles during the war on Cybertron. I had not seen Smokescreen since the incident and since he was assigned to be stationed at the Hall of Records to guard Alpha Trion as the rest of us moved closer to the front lines of the war and going on more dangerous missions. I leaned against the wall and listened to the group talk about the different aspects of the Wreckers.

After a while, Bulkhead wandered over and came to stand in front of me as I was leaning against the wall staring at the floor of the base. I glance up slowly and our optics meet, his kind bright blue optics. I tilt my helm waiting for him to say something but he holds out his hand. "Trust me," he said simply before I push myself away from the wall to stand. I glance over towards Optimus who was watching us. "Why is he being so observant of me and caring? Must have something to do with how him and sire were rather close before and during the war" I thought to myself before the Prime went back to work.

I then glance down at the mech's hand again before taking it. He holds my hand and leads me towards the base elevator. We ride up to the top of the base and takes me to the small hidden cave on top of it, Inside was my ship that I had arrived in, covered in scratches and broken glass. Though part of it seems to have already started to get repaired, and repaired well rather than a quick repair job that many bots did with their ships on Cybertron.

"Me and Bumblebee have been coming up here after late night patrols and beginning repars on your ship," he said. I walked over and placed my hand on the side of it and ran my hand along the silver scuffed paint job. "Though I did notice a few things about your ship as we began to repair it that say alot about you as a warrior and a pilot," he elaborated.

I glanced over to him and raised and optic ridge before leaning against the side of my ship. I motion for him to continue talking. "Your ship is hand built it has alot of similarities to both faster models and ones that can take hits when out on patrol away from the planet as well as when getting shot at during a battle," he said as he walked closer.

"Those are all correct, I built it as I made my way through the Elite Guard training during the early cycles of the war," I say with a small smile. "I wanted a ship I could get out of places quick if in a bind and one that could take hits if need be."

Bulkhead smiled as he leaned against my ship as well. "This is also not the first time it has crash landed somewhere,older scratches and repairs suggest it was crashed somewhere on Cybertron as well."

"You are correct, my younger brother took it out for a joyride when I was out on my mission and ended up crash landing it and not telling our family until I saw my ship was wrecked and being hidden in a hanger," I say as I slowly begin to let my guard down around him. Though part of me was wondering more and more about why he was being so nice to me.

Bulkhead looked at me and still kept his hopeful smile. "We met once on Cybertron.." he tailed off and began to get a little nervous. I tilt my helm not knowing where we could have met or even interacted. His smile faded as he tried to find the right words. "I was on the mission with a couple Wreckers and some Elite Guards where…you um." he stops and my optics widened.

I glance down and take a deep breath into my system before glancing back up at him. "I would rather not talk about that mission," I elaborate before turning and running my hand along the side of the ship once more. "That mission, as you can tell…still has effects," I say as I struggle to talk as I can psychologically feel the energon pouring down my neck. I stop and lean against the ship with my back to Bulkhead. I shakily reach up and touch my neck to make sure it was all in my helm.

I hear ped steps come closer to me and I feel his hand on my shoulder. I turn quickly and see Bulkhead right there. I push his hand off of my shoulder and walk away and take a few moments to compose myself before turning back towards him. "Please…do not bring this up to the rest of the team. Optimus is the only other one here that knows about what happened on that damn mission," I explained before moving past him and heading towards the elevator.

I stop and take a deep breath into my frame before glancing over my shoulder, "Thank you, for beginning to repair my ship," I say as I turn around and come over towards him. I lean up slightly and place a peck on his cheek before walking away.