Freddy listened to Optimus as he explained the war and their world. He was surprised and bit his lip. Miko the newest of the group which made Ratchet and Freddy do a double take which got a few laughs. Freddy leaned up against the wall which lead up to the elevated platform.
"Oh my god"
Raf muttered in shock as Optimus finished. Jack rubbed his arm as Miko Blankly looked on. Freddy breathed deeply and covered his mouth. What did I walk into this time?, He thought as he crossed his arms and shivered.
"That's insane, What the absolute fuck did I walk into?"
He muttered which was heard by Arcee who was off to his right. She glanced at him seeing him shuffle a step away from her. Suddenly their was a large wail of klaxons as the main computer demanding attention.
"Alright who burned the Turkey!"
Freddy joked getting a laugh outta Miko, Raf and Jack. Ratchet checked the computer and gasped in shock. He couldn't believe his optics!.
"Optimus your not gonna Believe this but Cliff's energon signals back up!"
Arcee snapped up attention and looked at the screen in shock. Each of the bot's looked surprised as Freddy's eyes widened as he pulled himself onto The elevated platform.
"How?, they blasted him with the ships gun's!. I felt the damn Ground shake when it happened...It's a damn trap that's it!"
He cut in catching everyone's attention. Optimus now realized Freddy was the last person to see Cliffjumper alive and saw The nemesis open fire on the spot he was at. But the chances of cliff being alive were still good enough to warrant a rescue attempt, He was family after all.
"Ratchet lock on and bridge us in"
Optimus said making Freddy nearly shout at the top of his lungs.
"Optimus I respect your loyalty to your men, but please take my word on this. He's dead their is no way in hell he could have survived that blast!"
Ratchet somewhat agreed but he seen to much strange shit to full commit. Ratchet opened the ground bridge and the Autobot's filed out into the possible trap. Miko, Raf and Jack marveled at the bridge and Miko asked eagerly.
"That's incredible, Can it really take you anywhere?"
Ratchet nodded and added seconds later.
"Only to low orbit, any higher and the bridge would snap like a rubber band"
Raf looked up at the computer and suddenly an error EXE message appeared. Ratchet groaned and nearly face palmed. No no no no not now!, He thought as he saw Raf hooking his laptop into the processor.
"Surly you can't fix that"
Ratchet said, Raf smirked and began typing. Suddenly the error vanished shocking Ratchet.
"It's just the over load of files and the processors are reaching their max heat levels"
Ratchet nodded and flipped the fans switch. He always forgot it, He was still so used to Cybertroian computers which never over heated.
"Thank you Raf"
He thanked as he saw Freddy's disapproval written on his face.
"What is it?"
He asked and Freddy responded bluntly.
"Prepare the medical bay for peat sake. God knows what happening over their!"
Ratchet raised a brow. This kid is always 5 steps ahead is he?, He thought as he began preparing the medical bay. He was surprised that one of the humans was so blunt and a step ahead of himself. He would have shot back but Freddy proved to be a necessity in keeping him and the kids on their toes.
"Freddy bring it down a notch or two..."
"Go fly a kite Darby"
Freddy shot back as he walked off the platform and walked to the med bay to help ratchet.
Less than 15 minutes later the bridge opened and in drove the Autobot's. Prime jumped in as the bridge closed. They all transformed and all had a dower expression.
"What happened?!"
Jack asked as Arcee shivered.
"How was it how many did ya take out!"
That triggered a response from Arcee and not a good one.
"This isn't a game Miko and if you keep thinking so, you're gonna end up with a hole in your chest"
Miko backed off feeling worse.
"Arcee report"
Optimus asked and Arcee nodded.
"I found cliff. He was laying in a pool of purple energon and was still active but it was a monster...I I oooooo"
She dropped to her knees feeling weak. Ratchet ran to her side and began scanning her. He saw a splotches of purple fluid on her hand and began wiping it onto a clear trey.
"Arcee quarantine"
Optimus ordered and Arcee lifted herself up and walked to the scanning booth and closed the door behind her and let the machine do it's job.
"I was right, God dammit I hate it when I'm right"
Freddy cursed himself as he breathed a heavy sigh.
"What now?"
Miko asked catching everyone's attention. Optimus knew what to do for this, They couldn't live in base now.
"Elita you'll be partner of Jackson. Bulkhead will be Miko's and Raf will be with bumblebee"
Bumblebee and Raf both cheered as Miko let out a 'yahoo'. Jack and Elita nodded keeping their cool.
"Ratchet?"
Optimus asked and Ratchet quickly responded.
"Busy"
Just as he said that Arcee exited the scanner. Optimus looked at her and she faked a yawn.
"Uhh, Still dizzy"
Ratchet rolled his optics and cut in.
"Your fine Says your physician"
Arcee gave ratchet a cut eye as she transformed and rolled up next to Freddy. Before hopping on he signaled Optimus to come closer. Optimus kneeled close as Freddy told him
"In that fight yesterday my bike got totaled and my Mother is wicked observant and can tell when I'm lying I don't know how but she can. I am pitching that I let her in the loop, she's a nurse and could help if needed"
Optimus looked to Ratchet and understood that Ratchet's knowledge on the human anatomy was nonexistent at best. He nodded and said much to Freddy's relief.
"Yes that is ok. Good luck"
Freddy nodded and mounted her and they began to drive home. (Mounted her sounded so wrong) Freddy pulled into the garage and dismounted Arcee. He took a few steps before turning to look at her. He cleared his throat as he adjusted his shirt.
"Arcee I'm sorry for your loss, I know it's hard I've delt with my fare share of death. I just can't believe I was the last one to see him alive...I could have prevented it if he'd hit me instead of nearly"
He said trying to keep himself from losing control as he looked away. He walked to the desk and pulled out a small tape reel and slid in into position on the player. He threaded the magnetic tape and pressed play. He breathed a deep sigh as he let out a weak curse.
"I never fought a war so my opinion is basically void so feel free to take my ass over the fire"
He said as Is it you by crush 40 began playing. He kept the volume down as he watched the reels turn.
"Thank you"
Was all she said before a car pulled in behind them. Freddy kicked stop and turned to face the car. He placed a hand on Arcee to quell her worry. Here we go, He thought as he took a deep breath.
"What the hell where's your bike?"
Alicia, his mother asked as her eyes landed on Arcee in her bike form. Freddy sighed as he moved to the door controls and closed the door. God damnit I had a whole Explanation lined up and now can't think straight, He thought as he tapped his fingers on the wall as he turned and leaned against it with a nervous look about him.
"Well the bike is fucked to put it lightly. And and and...ahh shit"
He cursed as he walked past Arcee and guiding his mother to the chair. He backed up a few steps before looking at Arcee.
"Ok Arcee when you're ready"
With that Arcee transformed and took a crouching position. Alicia nearly fell outta her seat as Freddy placed a hand on her shoulder to put her at ease.
"F-Freddy what the fuck is going on?!"
Alicia stuttered as she tried to not lose it completely. Freddy responded with control.
"This is Arcee, a living alien robot from another planet millions if not billions of light years from here. And well I kinda walked in on a Intergalactic war like the rebel galactic war from Star Wars"
Alicia nodded and looked Arcee over.
"Arcee here has been put in charge of keeping us safe...if it comes to that. Why am I dragged in you ask, well Ratchet has a very limited knowledge on us flesh bags so that's why and with my bike fucked it was a given"
He finished as he kissed her on the forehead, but she didn't react all of her attention was on Arcee. Freddy sighed and slapped her behind the head and scolded his mother.
"Will you please say something instead of looking at her like that!"
Arcee snickered as Alicia snapped out of her shocked state. She couldn't believe he hit her and looked at him and nearly shouted.
"That didn't give you the right to hit me. Forgive my rudeness it's just so strange and sudden"
Arcee smiled and warmly said.
"It's alright. Nothings ever easy"
That's goddamn right, He thought as he began to set up a projector and memory drive. Arcee looked in bewilderment as Alicia took the opportunity to leave. She closed the door behind her as Arcee asked as Freddy rolled down the white screen.
"What are you doing?"
Freddy smirked as he powered the projector and chose a movie, It was Star Wars.
"Oh just figured we could relax a bit given how busy yesterday was"
He responded grabbing the chair and placing it next to her and sat down crossing his legs. Arcee found the settlement touching.
Jack chuckled as his mother June looked at the car in a mix between shock and disapproval. She couldn't believe he got a Dmc 12 without even telling her. She was perplexed on why Jack chose one of the worst cars in history.
"Before you ask, Freddy's uncle left him the car and you know Freddy isn't a car guy. He rather two wheel's than four and beside's I can't drive a ten speed forever"
June figured it was someone else's and also figured Freddy was the one. That boy has a heart of gold under that thick skin, She mused as she pointed towards the car.
"Ok, but I expect you to be responsible with that thing and if I hear you've raced or drank I'll personally drive this car to the scarp yard"
She said firmly and Jack nodded with a,
"Yes mom, and I will be careful. You worry way to much it's suffocating half the time"
Arcee watched as Freddy slowly awoke in his chair. He had fallen asleep just 30 minutes into Return of the Jedi which was a 12:30 am. It was now 8 am and Arcee was done waiting and poked him in the arm. He only twitched and Arcee frowned. This kid sleeps like a ball of steel, She thought before rolling him off the chair waking him. He shot up like a missile exclaiming.
"I'm up I'm up!...Damn I'm late!"
He cursed as he saw the clock and ran inside. In less than 7 minutes he came back fully changed and ready as he ate a banana for breakfast. Arcee saw his panic and Transformed as he opened the garage doors and set them on a 30 second timer. He mounted Arcee and slid his backpack on his back and grabbed her handle bars. She gunned it and sharply turned onto the road.
"I knew binging the whole trilogy was a bad idea!"
He said aloud, gripped her tighter as they drove down the road and turned right.
"It was fun though, I never expected Vader to be Luke's father"
Freddy smiled and said.
"No one did back then, hell they weren't even sure till return of the Jedi which was 3 years later"
Arcee let out a week yikes as the pulled up to the school parking lot. Pulling to a stop Freddy hoped off and a holo rider took his place.
"See you at 3 and tell the others I say good morning"
He said as he began walking towards the school. Arcee watched him go before driving past him and outta town. He reached the school, Arcee was still on his mind. A badass who clear wanted to protect the ones she love's...Like cliff jumper. He mentally cursed himself, If only cliff had hit him. No don't it wasn't you fault it was the Deceptacon's who murdered him, He told himself as he reached the steps only to be cut off by Vince.
"Dropped of by a gorgeous babe I see. Mind passing me the number spaz"
That made him both pissed and relieved simultaneously. Thank god he only saw the moment we talked, He thought in relief as he moved to his left only for Vince to match him. Freddy inwardly groaned as he tried and failed again.
"No I won't, besides she's much to old for either of us"
He calmly said as he pushed past Vince and marched into the school.
Freddy walked up to Arcee with a bruised lip and cut above his eye brow. Arcee saw this and wondered what happened to him.
"I know I'm late I fell down a few stairs and ended up hitting my head. It's nothing serious says the nurse"
He said lying through his teeth rather convincingly. Arcee had her suspicion, but put it on the back burner. She'd rather him tell her naturally than her pressuring him too a breaking point. He mounted her and began backing up. It was 3:20 and Freddy felt like a moron as usual.
End chapter
