The techno-organics
Chapter 27
Nikolai sat in the lab, hunched over and muttering under his breath. He put on protective glasses before torching two pieces of metal together. The glasses didn't serve much purpose except making it easier to look at the white burning metal. He didn't care if he got hurt or not, he has never had the need to worry. But this time, he cared even less than before. He simply didn't care about anything, he didn't want to care or feel anything. He needed to occupy himself. He had to do something with himself or he would keep drowning in stress and keep being taunted by the voices and the hands that tried to grab his legs. Nikolai took off the glasses and studied the gun and the new set of bullets. When he deemed them done he placed them on another table that started to overflow with newly forged weapons and modified machines and medical instruments. Nikolai rubbed his hands over his eyes and over his dark circles. He was so tired, but he didn't want to sleep or sit down to rest; he had to keep working. Make some use of himself, keep himself busy with something and not think of anything other than his work.
"Nikolai," Rachel greeted carefully as she entered the lab. Nikolai turned around with half closed eyes as he forced a smile.
"Look, I made new weapons for everybody and upgraded all your equipment."
"I see that," She simply answered without taking another look at the pile. Nikolai ran to the pile of weapons and took out what looked like fake vampire teeth.
"I got inspired by the human we met at the Autobot base to make these. She said I looked like a vampire. They look like nothing but I made them from different animal teeth and I installed a syringe in each canine. You can fill them with anything of your choosing. Me and Anastasia will have so much fun scaring drunks..." He got quite and dropped the teeth. The enthusiastic look on his face gone. Rachel rolled over to him and gently placed a hand on his back.
"How long was it since you rested?"
"I can't recall," he sighed and was about to turn back to his work table when Rachel asked another question.
"How long was it since you took your medications?"
"I can't recall that either."
"What would you say if I added a sleeping pill along with your regular ones?"
"I don't want to rest," He dropped his tools on the table and took a moment to correct himself. "I can't rest, no matter how tired I am. I don't want to sleep, I want my sister." A lump grew in his throat and chest, he wanted to cry, just a bit more; but his mind was too tired to even do that. Nikolai heard the sound of something being placed on the table and turned around to see a steaming cup of tea.
"I intended it for myself, but you might need it more than me."
Nikolai looked at the cup for a moment and realized how long it had been since he ate or drank anything. He grabbed the cup and took a sip, letting the warmth spread trough his body. But it quickly vanished and he was in need of more. He drank all of the tea with heavy gulps as the warmth spread from the inside out. Growing in his throat and gut before spreading trough his legs, his arms as the steam from the cup warmed his face. He seemed to finally gather enough strength to let a few tears escape their prison. Letting them drip down his cheeks like light rain.
"How about you go back to your room and get some sleep?" Rachel said gently and handed him the pills. He swallowed them without having to drink anything.
"I can't. I have never slept alone before."
"Do you want to sleep in my room tonight?"
Nikolai's eyes shone briefly up for a moment.
"Can I?" His voice broke with relief.
Alabaster brought her kitten closer to her chest. Petting and scratching it as tears once again streamed down her tears. It seemed to be the only thing she did recently. She felt powerless, useless with no way to save Freedom. The kitten squealed in discomfort, and Alabaster loosened her grip. She apologized to it as it rubbed its face against her hand. She had seen the kitten in the window of a shelter. She had by then learned that you just couldn't go in and take things you wanted in stores without paying. The cat was very expensive, but she didn't care since she was so in love with it. She loved its big eyes and ears and its beautiful pink fur less skin. Money was not a difficult matter for the hybrids, they had found ways to gather money in less than legal ways. No one got hurt, no one who didn't deserve it. The salesman told that Sphynx cats was popular among collectors and breeders of rare cats, but a lot of people didn't like them since they looked weird without their fur.
Alabaster returned from her memory and brought the kitten to her face, kissing it on its forehead.
"Just because someone's different doesn't mean they don't deserve to be loved," She whispered to the kitten as the thoughts started to wreck trough her head again. She thought of how she was to blame, how she might never see Freedom or the others again, among other things. It was so much, so fast, all at the same time, that she had to keep herself from breaking apart or losing control of her powers. It was more then just sadness, it was also different shades of anger, frustration, hopelessness and self loathing that ran around in her head. She had been trying to silence those thoughts ever since she got home. She tried sleeping it off, then to play and take care of her kitten, eat and drink something, and then talking to the others. Nothing helped, no matter what she did or what she consumed; she wouldn't get any better.
She then remembered how Optimus held her in his arms after they all came back from the warship. His body was hard and uncomfortable because of the metal, but it still comforted her. She thought he would feel cold, but he was warm; and she could hear his heart beat. It wasn't like the heartbeat of a human. It had a similar rhythm, but the sound was...fuzzier. She couldn't find a fitting word for it. It was more rapid, and it had this undertone like... almost like a hollowness, an echo. She wanted to hear more of it. To be back in his arms.
Ratchet was had just finished mixing a new batch of synthetic energon. Since they weren't able to get the whole formula before losing it, he had to figure out the rest of the formula himself. Up until now the synthetic energon had shown great need of improvement. He took a sample and dripped it on a sheet of glass which he then brought under a microscope. Ratchet was just about to take a look when he heard the blaring of the proximity sensor. Green blinking light filled the room as the other Autobots came.
"Is it Fowler?" Arcee asked as Ratchet pushed a few buttons, and the screen showed the rooftop with a familiar albino girl.
"Alabaster?" Bulkhead said as Optimus was already making his way to the lift.
She looked out over the mountaintop and saw the sun setting as the sky turned gold and red. Such a beautiful sight. Alabaster loved the sky, she loved it in all its colors and hues. Even when the sky was covered in grey clouds and rain poured down from the sky. To her it was all so amazing how the sky could both destroy and give life, like a moody god. The rain was amazing. The first time she felt it... Alabaster closed her eyes and remembered the feeling. It was unreal, like nothing else she had ever experienced. First rain she experienced was shortly after their escape. They had wandered around in the wild for days, not knowing where to go and frightened by whispers of the forest. From living in isolation in a single place for their whole lives and then deciding to escape into the real world. The world beyond the classroom was an entirely different from what you read about. They knew what the forest was, they knew what river, trees, clouds, birds, insects and plants were; but they had never seen it in person before. The world was so big, and forgiving.
It didn't care about the blood on their hands, it didn't care about what they were; it only cared that they all existed in it. The river and streams of the lake flowed no differently around them than with a wild animal. It welcomed them but also frightened them. Everything was new and exciting and terrifying and beautiful. And so was the weather. They all were taking shelter in an abandoned building they had stumbled upon a few days after their escape. They all slept together on the floor, cuddling close to each other like penguins did when huddled together in order to keep the warmth. The first thing they heard was the smattering on the roof. They all woke up and drew their weapons thinking they were being shot at. Flash ran outside, ready to immobilize the enemy but stopped shortly after exiting the building. Alabaster remember seeing him suddenly stop in his tracks and look up to the sky. His entire stance relaxing as he looked at the sky like enchanted. Alabaster couldn't figure out if it was just the rain or if tears were also among the water drops that ran down his face. She stepped outside, wanting to know what had made Flash immobile. She then saw the water pouring from the sky harder, hitting the roof and leaking trough the boards. First she stretched out her hand and retracted it, chocked by the new sensation. Alabaster then took a full step forward and was overwhelmed by the cold raindrops that fell upon her. The way they all fell was caught between both both gentle and fierce. She kept walking into the rain under the same trance as Flash, wanting to feel more of what the rain brought. Like all the traces left of blood on her body was washed away, chasing away the demons; the water enveloping her like the mother she never had. It was like being reborn, like the planet sent a message.
'It is over, you are forgiven'.
Alabaster heard of what sounded like an elevator but didn't turn around to look. The techno-organic could identify who it was from the vibrations of his footsteps.
"There was a time were I couldn't even start to imagine what the sky looked like. I knew what it was, but knowing about something, and seeing and experiencing it for yourself is something completely different." Alabaster turned around, looked up and met the friendly gaze of her original.
"I'm glad to see you again. Is something the matter?" Optimus asked gently and Alabaster's lips started to quiver, but she didn't cry. Instead her antennas started to point downwards like animal ears.
"I'm miserable. I thought it would get better since we all were experiencing the same pain, but it's not." She leaned forward and rested her head against his chest. Listening to the humming beat of his spark. Optimus tensed for a moment before looking at her sympathetically and stroking her back. He was not used to physical contact or showing affection like this, but he was willing to make an exception since she looked to be in need of it. He then noticed the blue antennas that looked like his own and the thin blue gauntlets that encased her forearms, leaving only her scared fingers free. He then remembered that she had those antennas after turning off her cloaking wall, when she attacked Fowler.
"How is it that you now have antennas?"
"'Antennas?' I thought they were horns." She giggled for the first time in a long while. Optimus let go of her and showed her the lift.
"Maybe it's best to go inside the base. It would be great trouble to have a human seeing us," Optimus suggested and Alabaster followed with a faint smile. Alabaster didn't see what he did to make it move, but when it did she slightly yelped and held onto Optimus's arm.
"Sorry, should I had warned you?"
"I would like that."
Optimus looked at the antennas again and saw how it stretched over her temples, jaws and parts of her scalp which her hair hid.
"I can project illusions," She explained, feeling his stare. "It's how I was able to hide when that mean human came, and how I hide my horns and gauntlets." Optimus was baffled. He had expected it to be the result of a cloaking device, not her own powers. Just what more powers did she hide under that seemingly harmless exterior? He recalled that Alabaster and Freedom was equal in strength. But how dangerous could she be when she looked so thin and with limbs falling apart?
"I guess it would be inconvenient for you if anybody could see them."
"It actually happened one time. A human saw me by accident and ran away thinking I was a monster," she told innocently.
"Were you born with them?" Optimus asked and Alabaster's grip on his arm tightened. Not in a menacing way, but in a way similar to a weak animal seeking protection from a stronger animal. He could sense the increase of fear born adrenaline and the quickening of her heartbeat. What was it that upset her about them? If she wasn't born with them how else could she have them? Optimus decided not to ask though. He saw how it made her react and he didn't want to scare her further. The elevator stopped, making Alabaster falter for a moment. She felt a small tearing where parts of her left leg was sewn together and hissed.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm fine, it's just my leg," she explained and walked of the platform with a slight limp.
"You don't look fine." Optimus protested.
"It's just my stitches. It happens sometimes."
Optimus gave her a doubting look.
"I promise. Besides, I'm used to pain. This is nothing," She said nonchalantly, not realizing how it deeply it disturbed Optimus. No one should be used to pain, especially not a child.
"Our severely outnumbered warriors have been rapidly burning through our stockpile of late as the Decepticon army continues to run us ragged and grind us down. Natural energon is in such short supply on your planet, and Megatron seems to have his oily claws buried deep in all the earth's deposits. But if we can successfully produce a synthetic form, we can manufacture all the energy we'll ever need. "Ratchet finished telling Rafael before the computer started to blare, detecting an energon signal.
"More energon on the move." Arcee reported.
"Again?" Bulkhead complained.
Optimus just entered the room with Alabaster as they heard the alarm.
"I'm sorry, Alabaster. But I must leave for moment."
"But I just got here," the hybrid whined.
"I'll be back soon," was the last thing he said before turning to the team.
"Autobots, roll out," he commanded before they all transformed and drove trough the groundbridge. Alabaster slumped her shoulders and whimpered disappointed before noticing the gloomy expression on the doctors face. Alabaster walked over to him and put a lock of her hair on his shoulder like a hand.
"Is something the matter?" she asked, tilting her head slightly to the side. Ratchet raised his head towards the tall albino and sighed.
"Our energon deposits are almost empty. If anyone comes back injured then there nothing I can do to help."
"Maybe Rachel will be able to help," Alabaster suggested. Ratchet thought about Rachel's amazing healing powers. What he wouldn't do to have such a power even half as strong. The lives he could have saved. The limbs and organs he could have healed, making sure that none of his patients would live with any complications. Maybe he could then have saved Bumblebee's voice box.
"I just... Sometimes I wish I could do more," He sighed as his gaze fell to the floor. Suddenly an idea appeared in his head and he raised his head with wide eyes. Ratchet left Alabaster and went back to his workstation to pick up one of the containers with synthetic energon, put it in a device and injected it into his arm. He started to slightly shake as the strange substance flowed trough him. It didn't last long before his eyes turned green and he fell on his back unconscious, dropping the device in the process; glass shattering at impact.
Alabaster's eyes slowly widened as her antennas pointed further downwards. She didn't understand what had just happened or why, they were just talking and then suddenly he decided to do that to himself with something.
"Ratchet!" Raph shouted, but the doctor didn't respond. His scream made Alabaster jerk out of her unmoving state. She ran forward and sat beside Ratchet, but had no idea what to do. She put her hands against his chest, trying to feel if something was wrong inside of him. Listening after anything that could be damaged. But she knew nothing of cybertronian biology. On the hybrids or the humans she could hear if there was something wrong with their organs or if there were any broken bones. She focused on his spark, listening for any signs of it getting weaker. Alabaster gasped slightly as she saw Raph crawl onto Ratchet's frame.
"Ratchet!" He shouted again, no response. Alabaster tried giving Ratchet a soft slap, making him groan weakly.
"Ratchet!" they both shouted again, finally making the medic open his eyes. Alabaster noticed they were green instead of blue now.
"How is it that such small beings can be so loud?" He asked irritated looking at Raph and rose back up.
"You gave us a fright," Alabaster said.
"Are you hurt? You fell."
"I'm fine. I'm... more than fine." Ratchet looked on the data pad on his arm.
"Ah! Energy efficiency is up 30%? Motor function's optimal?" Ratchet said delighted and astounded over the results before remembering the mission. "Any word from the others?"
"No," Alabaster answered as Raphael shook his head.
"Ratchet, lock on to Arcee's coordinates and prepare an emergency ground bridge." Optimus's voice suddenly came as Ratchet rushed to the groundbridge controls.
"I'm locked on. Arcee, decelerate and prepare to return to base."
"Save it, Ratchet. I'm too close."
"Don't be a fool!" Ratchet yelled at her but with no response. One of the screens started to beep rapidly.
"She's hurt." He realized. "Man the ground bridge." Ratchet was stopped when he saw Alabaster walking up beside him with an determined look.
"I'm going with you." Knowing he couldn't waste time arguing he let her come. Ratchet transformed and drove trough the groundbridge, Alabaster following as her armor took its place.
The Vehicons surrounded Arcee, leaving no way for her to run as one of them stepped up to her and pointed his gun at her head. The groundbridge appeared above them, Ratchet fell right in the middle of the group of enemies, attacking the Vehicon who was about to shoot Arcee. While Ratchet took care of them, Alabaster turned to the mountain of rocks that kept the Autobots on the other side. She heard them trying to climb over and figured they would appreciate some help. She flew over and placed herself on the top and looked down to see the Optimus, Bulkhead and Bumblebee climbing. Each one of them was embraced by Alabaster's light blue glow. Quickly realizing what the blue light meant, Optimus gasped before all three of them were lifted to the top.
"Hi daddy."
"Alabaster? What are you doing here?"
The techno-organic pouted disappointed at her father. "That's not polite. You're supposed to thank the one helping you." She put them down on the top with her. The Autobots could now see how Ratchet seemingly without effort took out a dozen Vehicons. They quickly jumped down, on their way to assist him and help Arcee. Optimus ordered Alabaster to stay, to her displeasure. Although she wanted to help she also wanted to be on good terms with her original, and so she obeyed. From there she saw two vehicles who seemed to watch the fight and were on their way to drive away at the sight of the Autobots. Alabaster saw the blue cube one of them carried. Energon.
Just as they were retreating, Breakdown was suddenly unable to move forward. His tires was moving with increasing strength but was still not moving forward, like something was trying to pull him backwards.
"Breakdown, what's happening?" Knock Out yelled stressed.
"I can't move," the other Decepticon answered strained. Suddenly he was lifted a short distance over the ground, the ropes that held the energon cube onto his roof was crying from the restraint until they snapped and the cube flew into Alabaster's hand. She looked down on them with a satisfied smile and a hand placed smugly on her hip.
"Scrap," Breakdown cursed as he was finally able to drive away with Knock Out. When the battle was over and all the Vehicons had been neutralized, Alabaster flew down and held the cube for the bots to see.
"What happened?" Raphael asked when the team returned.
"I almost didn't believe my own eyes, but I saw the doc fighting like a one-bot wrecking machine," Bulkhead said amazed. Ratchet never fought unless necessary and when he did it was never as good as he had been a few moments ago.
"And we found energon," Bumblebee showed off the cube before placing it in the lab. Ratchet walked up to Raphael on the platform, placed the human in his hand and greeted him in a an unusually cheerful tone; like he was talking to a pet. He placed the human down again who crawled away somewhat scared.
"All right, what's your secret?" Arcee asked.
"No secret. Just a little something I like to call synthen." Ratched threw her a container of the green liquid.
"From the data Bulkhead transcribed? I thought the formula was..."
"Incomplete? Not anymore."
"This is great." Bumblebee said passing the container to Bulkhead.
"So, Ratchet makes a better tough guy than I do a smart guy?" The container was passed to Optimus who was observing it with a very skeptical look. Alabaster was also looking at it with a worried expression. She knew first hand what consequences chemicals meant to enhance physical abilities could have.
"Ratchet, I question the wisdom of using yourself as a test subject."
"Optimus, you didn't see Ratchet out there," Arcee defended. "He was in overdrive. We should all try this stuff."
"Or give Ratchet more so we can take a vacation," Bulkhead joked.
"I agree that the initial results seem promising," Optimus said getting closer to Ratchet. "But I recommend that further testing be confined to machines, not Autobots." He put a hand on Ratchet's shoulder. "Outnumbered though we may be, old friend, we need a warrior in the laboratory right now more than we need another in the field." Optimus then turned to Alabaster. She quickly swallowed as all the attention was suddenly turned to her.
"Is something the matter?"
Optimus put down the container before addressing Alabaster.
"As much as we all are thankful for your help, you and the other techno-organics will not be helping us on the battlefield unless necessary."
Alabaster widened her eyes and gaped.
"That's not fair, I helped. We can all help."
"That is true. But no matter how old you all look, how strong your powers are and how much combat training you have received, you are all too young and inexperienced to be fighting a war. I acknowledge that you helped us by retrieving the energon, but children don't belong on a battlefield."
"Optimus," Arcee made her way into the conversation. "It's one thing not letting us use synthetic energon, but at the disadvantage we are at, shouldn't we use all the resources we have? If it wasn't for her we wouldn't have the energon right now."
Optimus listened to what she said with an unreadable expression. Alabaster on the other hand got a glimmer of hope in her eyes as she heard Arcee defending her.
"Three of the techno-organics are already in the Decepticons captivity. One of which have been confirmed helping on the battlefield. Most likely they're being threatened to cooperate, we can't risk letting the rest of the hybrids fall into the enemies mercy." Optimus said but then thought about how Alabaster might react. He turned towards her and saw her shaking with arms wrapped around her. Rock had told her about Freedom helping the Decepticons. They all knew she wouldn't do it willingly and it only fueled Alabaster's desire to save her. She knew she had to trick Optimus into believing she was following his orders. And she knew how to.
"Thank you."
Optimus was taken aback by the unexpected response, he had expected more resistance from her and he had no idea what she was thanking him for.
"Why are you thanking me?" he asked raising a suspicious eyebrow. Alabaster then walked towards him and rested her forehead onto his chest.
"Thank you, for being the first one to ever treat me as a child," she answered with a cracking weak voice. Her hair was cascading over her face, not letting any of the Autobots see her smirking like fox. Optimus's suspicion melted as he looked at her sympathetically.
A few days earlier:
Valkyrie couldn't figure out how long it had been since she had been put in this cell. The sensations in her body had slowly over time gone from hot fury, freezing, to aching. It began in her bound arms before painfully going down her shoulders, attacking her neck before going for the rest of her body. The ache lasted for hours before disappearing and leaving an even worse numbness over her whole body. She tried to move her head, her finger and toes; at most she tried to swing her legs. It barely worked. All she got was small movements and disturbing sensations. Valkyrie tried to sleep trough it until someone came for her, but all she dreamed about was the escape, and her brothers death. She never got to see it clearly in the dream, only fast pacing blurry clips before it changed to something else. She dreamed about the training, the experiments, the total absents of emotions. Her brother. What more was it? It's so blurry. Why is she trying to remember that hellhole? She wasn't, she was dreaming. Valkyrie wanted out, to leave. Dream about something else. The ocean, yes, that works. No, where are those chains coming from? They're grabbing her, pulling her down into the water. She tries to breath but only cold slimy water fills her lungs. But she's not drowning, she's breathing the water. Valkyrie threw and struggled to get out of the chains, to swim to the surface, to breath air. She can't, she's sinking, it's getting darker, colder. What's that on the bottom? Thor? He's swimming up towards her. As he gets closer he starts to fall apart. Skin, muscles and machine parts falls down to the cold dark. He swims in front of his sister and puts a cold decaying and rusting hand on her cheek.
"Valkyrie," he gurgles as blood and energon emerges from his mouth to be mixed with the water. "Valkyrie," Thor said again. This time Valkyrie lets out a blood curling scream and feels something shaking her awake.
"Valkyrie," this time it wasn't Thor's distorted voice calling her name.
"Freedom?" Valkyrie sighed relived, her voice weak and hoarse from both dehydration and screaming. She felt a layer of sweat over her skin and her breath steadily grew more rapid, her body demanding air but couldn't keep it inside her long enough to absorb the oxygen.
"Slow your breath. Just like we learned." As Freedom spoke she reached upward and took of restraints holding Valkyrie up.
"Take a breath, hold it in for 3 seconds, and let it out slowly," Freedom instructed and held onto Valkyries numb body. As those chains let go of her it was like every muscle in her body sighed in relief. Blood was finally rushing trough her arms the way they should, letting the numbness melt away. The white haired girl tried to move but it hurt so badly. Freedom held her in a tight grip, keeping her weak body off the ground and hoping Valkyrie could forgive her for not coming sooner.
"I feel like hell," Valkyrie groaned and nuzzled her face closer to the crook of Freedom's neck. She answered by drawing her dark hand trough Valkyries white messy hair. "I'm sorry you had to wait for so long."
Valkyrie didn't say anything for a moment as she tried to make her legs support her. Finally able to somewhat stand, though still leaning on Freedom, she spoke.
"Normally I would scream and bitch about it, but right now I can't be more grateful."
"It really takes this much to shut you up?" Freedom joked.
"Just give me a few hours and I'll be back," Valkyrie grinned before trying to stand on her own. She faltered for a moment before holding onto Freedom's outstretched arms. Finally stabilizing her breath her eye widened as she realized the weird situation.
"Wait a second, h-how did you get here? Did you escape?" She smiled and tried to straighten her stance, getting ready to save whoever else were prisoner and leave.
"No, we're still all trapped," Freedom sighed, quickly making Valkyrie's smile disappear. "But I was able to convince Megatron to move you and Anastasia to your own cells."
"Megatron?"
"He's the leader of the Decepticons." Freedom took a deep breath, looking at the wall beside them as she thought whether or not she should tell Valkyrie. Anastasia reacted well, maybe she will react well too. Before Freedom could continue ponder, Valkyrie asked, "How were you able to convince the leader of the robot bastards?"
Freedom cringed before answering, "He's my original."
Valkyrie took a moment to take off her eyepatch before staring at the bigger girl with seemingly unfeeling eyes, but the way her body was shaking with concealed fury told the truth. She clenched Freedom's biceps uncomfortably, but it didn't seem like she meant it to hurt. Valkyrie stood like that for a moment breathing heavily and shaking with anger. Finally she took a deep breath and relaxed her grip.
"Of course the leader of the biggest group of sadists in the galaxy is your dad," Valkyrie commented sarcastically and her grip loosened. Freedom stood confused, still not understanding if this was a good reaction or not.
"I don't understand. Are you fine with it?"
"You fucker," Valkyrie cursed. "Don't get me wrong, I love you just the same. It's just..." She tried to find the right words as Freedom watched with an expression caught between relived and offended.
"It explains so much."
Freedom laughed at the statement. It did explain a bit, not that she was a huge sadist, but how she liked to boss around and become slightly violent when angered properly. Her laugh gradually vanished as she remembered what else she had to do. Freedom reached for a collar that hung around her arm, looking similar to the one that Anastasia had. She handed it with an apologetic expression, feeling very disturbed with the idea she was about to suggest.
"Giving you your own quarters comes with a condition. They demanded that you'll wear this tracking collar."
Valkyrie looked at the collar with a disgusted expression.
"I am not an animal," she snarled. Unexpectedly Freedom got closer and hugged Valkyrie tightly. The white haired girl stood unmoving trying to understand why this suddenly happened; then heard Freedom whispering in her ear.
"Something is coming. I don't know what it is or when, but it'll be huge. And we're gonna use that to escape." She then let go, still keeping her hands on Valkyries shoulders. "Trust me."
Present time
Freedom breathed in the thin air which didn't feel as uncomfortable as it did before. After spending some time outside the warship she started to notice how she no longer felt dizzy or struggled to breath like before. It was like her body was adapting itself to the lack of oxygen. It most likely was because of her cybertronian side. Freedom felt a pang of guilt though as she could walk freely around the spaceship and her sisters couldn't. She had asked Megatron if she could at least take them out for walks from time to time, since being alone and stuck in the same place could badly effect them. Megatron had clearly expressed that that she had to earn his trust before asking more of him. Freedom laid down on the cold metal and looked up at the sky above her. She thought back to what she told Valkyrie. Something was coming, she didn't know exactly how she knew it but it had to do with the dark energon inside her. It was like it slowly grew more potent inside her, making stinging sensations all over her body; especially behind her eyes.
"Freedom," Megatron called for her trough her chip. She groaned pained and brought her fingers up the her temples. She really hated that they hacked into her communication chip, every time they contacted her it would buzz and give her a headache.
"What?"
"Come to the upper deck." He commanded. Freedom rose up and walked across the roof until she saw Megatron's back turned to her. Attacking him was tempting, but also foolish. She put her finger and her thumb in her mouth and whistled loudly. Megatron turned around to see Freedom jump and land with a loud thud.
"Good to see that the air doesn't effect you anymore," He remarked. Freedom made an angered sound at the idea that knew all along that she had trouble breathing this high up.
"Where are we going this time?" Freedom asked, too tired to even argue. Megatron proceeded to walk forward.
"You'll see. Think of it as a surprise," He half joked. Clearly enjoying to tease Freedom. She drew her hands trough her thick curls annoyed. Megatron took a running start before transforming as Freedom followed, taking off before diving to the ground below.
"Too bad you can't come and fight with us," Arcee said as she walked around the base with Bumblebee and Alabaster. "We could really use help from all of you." Alabaster smiled flattered.
"It might be for the best. We don't want to get mixed up in any war. It would be counterproductive to escape being soldiers just to be thrown into a war." Although the dark meaning Arcee could muster a chuckle. Bumblebee said something but the hybrid didn't understand until Arcee translated.
"Bumblebee wonders if it would be alright for us to know the location of your base. So we would be able to visit you too."
Alabaster's antennas flickered back and forth as she thought about the suggestion. Personally she didn't like it since she feared it would cause suspicion and attract unwanted attention from the humans. And she also feared it would make it easier for the Decepticons to find them.
"We will have to talk it over," she answered as her antennas came back to their upright position. Both Arcee's and Bumblebee's attention was drawn to the metal structures on her head, which Alabaster saw. She chuckled before saying, "I can see it on your faces that you want to ask me something else." The two gasped embarrassed before stuttering.
"It's just...How... Did they..." Arcee stopped and calmed her nerves. "Can we touch them?" Alabaster looked around herself uncomfortable before sighing.
"No, I don't like that." A loud crash was suddenly heard as the walls started to shake. The three rounded the corner to see Bulkhead leaning upside down against the wall as the opposite down had huge hole in it.
"What was that?"
"What the..." Alabaster said in disbelief.
"You have competition, Bulk. I'm a bit stronger than I used to be," Ratchet said as he walked trough destroyed wall. "Also a bit faster," and pretended he was going to punch Bumblebee in the face. He chuckled as he saw the scout flinch.
"Think you can take me, muscle car?" Bumblebee raised his arms and beeped something that made Ratchet look at him disappointed. "Wimp." He turned to Alabaster and transformed his hand into a blade and held it beside her face.
"Do you think a techno-organic can take me on?" He said on the verge of a challenge. Alabaster merely threw an unimpressed glance at her reflection in the blade before answering. "As a matter of fact, I do."
Ratchet retracted his blade before calling her a freak, earning him a disgusted glare from the albino.
"How's it humming?" He flirted at Arcee as he walked away.
"Did he just?"
Bulkhead rose up and rubbed a soar spot on his helm.
"Stronger, faster, studlier."
"And much more of an ass," Alabaster added in her adorable voice, to the surprise of all three of the Autobots.