Author's note. It could be a while until I update again, the weekend after next I'm going on a trip which means I won't be near a computer for at least ten days, probably longer.
Suggestions are welcome.
Enjoy and please review.
Ratchet scowled as he watched his three fellow Autobots smash lumps of rock which were clustered around a partially buries Space Bridge. But his animosity was not directed at any of them, despite the fact that one of them was an annoying Youngling with no respect to his elders. No, he was angry for how they were utterly helpless in the role of Space Bridge Technicians and were stuck on this Primus forsaken asteroid.
If they'd been Elite Guard, they would have had the equipment and the resources to go after their leader who been captured by the fragging Decepticons. He'd nobly but damn foolishly sacrificed himself so that the rest of them could escape the Decepticon's attack. He'd fought so well but eventually, before his team could help him, he'd been taken down and then taken away.
Ratchet cursed under his breath, he was a veteran of the War and he knew just what could be happening to Optimus at that very moment. What had likely been happening for the past Lunar cycles. The old Medic's optics closed tight shut, he knew so well that he hadn't been able to recharge well since the young Prime had been taken, his dreams were just too vivid.
Of course, they'd reported what had happened in the hope that something, anything could be done but it couldn't. Though the Elite Guard were very concerned by what had happened, they said their hands were tied. They just couldn't investigate every lone kidnapping performed by the Decepticons, unless of course, someone vitally important was kidnapped.
A Space Bridge Technician, who was also an Elite Guard reject, just didn't cut it was important enough. It made Ratchet's fuel lines boil with rage, Prime was no reject, he was just a noble idiot who'd taken for the fall for another Mech who didn't even have the decency to speak up in Optimus's defence.
No one was going to try and help Optimus.
So for the past few Luna cycles, they'd been forced to just carry on with their job, clearing and maintaining Space Bridges. But without their leader, it was close to pure torture. Without him there to cheer them up, to encourage them to do their best, to tell them how important their work actually was...
Well, needless to say, things weren't going well.
"Can we stop for a break?" Bulkhead suddenly asked, pausing in his smashing of a particularly large boulder.
They were all looking at Ratchet, he had unofficially taken over as leader although no one ever referred to him as that. And frankly, he didn't want them to, Optimus was still their leader, even if they were never likely to see him again.
"Go right ahead," Ratchet said, waving a hand, he was busy fixing something from their ship.
"Thanks," Bulkhead softly, looking almost disappointed that Ratchet hadn't griped at him.
But Ratchet just didn't have the energy to shout and yell, there just didn't seem like any point.
"You guys want anything?" Bulkhead now asked, turning to Bumblebee and Prowl.
"I'm good," Prowl said, folding his arms and half turning away.
Since Optimus had been taken, Prowl had steadily been withdrawing into himself, becoming more and more depressed. Ratchet was exceedingly concerned but just didn't know what he could do for the CyberNinja.
"Um, I'll fuel later," Bumblebee now said after a moment's hesitation.
Normally, the young Mech was always up for getting out of work and having some Energon but apparently, he felt so nauseas all the time that he was having trouble to refuel. Ratchet was even more worried about him, but once again, had no idea what he could do. It wasn't as though he could conjure Optimus out of a vacuum.
"I don't want anything," Ratchet said tiredly as Bulkhead shot him a questioning look.
"But you guys shouldn't go without fuel, we're no good to anyone if we collapse on the job."
"We're no good to anyone stuck here, especially to Optimus," Bumblebee burst out loudly causing a deathly silence to fall.
Prowl sighed very heavily.
"There's nothing we can do for him," he said, very quietly.
"Why the slag not?" Bumblebee almost screamed, flinging his pickaxe down and stamping his foot.
"What good are we just rusting away on this Primus forsaken asteroid, we should be out looking for him?"
"And where would we look?" Prowl asked harshly, his temper finally snapping.
"We have absolutely no idea where Optimus could be, none whatsoever. And even, if by some incredible chance, we came across him, how would we free him? We wouldn't, and his sacrifice would have been for nothing when we ended up as slaves as well."
There was another, ringing silence.
"So you think he's a Con slave?" Bumblebee demanded, still angry but much more deflated than he had been previously.
"It's highly likely," Ratchet answered gruffly before Prowl could say anything.
"He's not important enough, at least in position to warrant a ransom demand. And it would be a waste to deactivate him, so I think he's still alive. But..."
He broke off, turning away from them as memories washed over him, each grimmer than the last.
"So...," Bumblebee said hesitantly but determinedly. "What do you think has happened to him?"
Ratchet sighed heavily but knew he had to tell them what he thought. Better a harsh blow now than a festering worry which could morph into something worse. He had to say something, try to help them understand.
"He's a very good looking Mech," he said quietly. "He will likely be taken as a slave for his looks rather than his work ability."
This was true, if a Mech like Bulkhead had been taken, he would have simply been set to work. Someone like Prowl would perhaps be used for his fighting ability, Cyber Ninja's were hard to capture and would be a valuable prize. He wasn't sure about Bumblebee, he'd probably be used as a simple servant, delivering messages and taking care of other such tasks.
But a Mech like Optimus? He was far too good looking to waste on hard labour, fighting or valet chores. His fate would be far worse than any of theirs, especially Ratchet, who would simply be forced to act as a Medic, though he'd be considered valuable.
"And there's two ways that could turn out," Ratchet continued. "The first and best way, is if his owner just wants a trophy. That means he'll have to be waxed up all the time, maybe wear some ornaments and serve his master. But this would mostly include looking pretty and serving Energon and while it's humiliating, it's survivable."
What he meant was, it wouldn't be too hard for a Mech like Optimus to mentally survive such an experience and he could find ways to cleverly go against his master. Ratchet had met bots who'd been in this position, and while they'd all hated it, recovery had not been that difficult.
"But there's a worse way this could turn out," Ratchet said, even grimmer.
"Because the first kind of master would just want Optimus around, maybe have him on his arm to show off but he wouldn't really be interested in...touching him. At least not that much. But the second kind of master would."
"You don't mean?" Bulkhead said, optics wide as Ratchet nodded.
"I do. He'd use Optimus as an interfacing toy and barely any bots survive such an experience. Especially f their master forces them to Spark for them or even forces them to Bond with them."
"On no," Bulkhead said gravely, his expression showing just how horrified he was.
Prowl was standing ram rod straight, his expression hard and cold, no doubt locking in all emotion. But Bumblebee looked like he was about to have a fit.
"You...you think...the boss bot...is...is going to be made a...?"
"A Decepticon pleasurebot, yeah," Ratchet said, spitting out the word with a fair amount of venom.
"But...but he might not be," Bumblebee said hopefully. "It could be the first one, we don't know for sure he's...that thing."
It seemed the Youngster couldn't bring himself to say the name Ratchet had just uttered.
"We don't know," Ratchet concurred. "But chances are...he hasn't had that much good luck recently..."
"No," Bumblebee cried out, his optics now watering with oily tears.
"I won't believe it, I won't, he's not...a...a...he's just not."
And he transformed, racing away in a cloud of asteroid dust, leaving the three adult Mechs.
"Poor little guy, he doesn't want to believe Optimus could be hurt," Bulkhead observed quietly.
"I think he's been hoping Optimus has just been in a cell or something, nothing like that."
"Yeah well, I'm afraid that's the reality of the situation," Ratchet said in a defeated tone.
"And there's nothing we can do about it."
There was silence again, they had no idea what to say or do now.
"Guys, get over here quick," Bumblebee's voice suddenly and unexpectedly yelled over the comm.
They all stared, they hadn't been expecting Bumblebee to speak to them so soon. Something was up, Bumblebee never got over a sulk or an upset just like that.
"Kid, what's happened?" Ratchet yelled into the comm. as they started to head in the direction he'd gone.
"There's something coming right at us, I think it's some sort of ship?" Bumblebee cried right back.
"Let's go," Prowl called as he transformed, he was obviously eager for the distraction and frankly, so was Ratchet.
He transformed and so did Bulkhead and the three of them raced to Bumblebee's position. And soon they could detect what Bumblebee had seen, there was a small ship rapidly approaching their asteroid. And they had no way of knowing whether it was a friend or enemy.
"It's a Shuttle," Prowl cried, seeing Bumblebee had stopped, he was obviously watching the Shuttle as it aimed straight for them.
They transformed right beside the smaller yellow Mech and watched the slightly out of control Shuttle as it came closer and closer. None of them could speak, they just watched as it landed hard and skidded across the asteroid's surface, finally coming to a screeching halt. Dust and sparks flew everywhere but it seemed the Shuttle was still in fairly good condition.
"Do you think it's a Con?" Bumblebee asked, an edge to his voice that made Ratchet think the occupants of that Shuttle better hope they weren't.
"Only one way to find out," Prowl said, cautiously going closer to the Shuttle which had stopped just a short distance from them.
He examined it closely, looking for its hatch. It was big enough to hold two or three bots fairly comfortable, but not much more. But then he found it and he carefully took out his Ninja style weapons, ready for action. Seeing this, Bumblebee also tensed up but Ratchet didn't bother, this could be an innocent traveller.
They jumped slightly as the hatch opened but no one appeared. For a moment, they mentally debated if they should enter or call out but then a voice called out from within.
"R-Ratchet?"
"Optimus?" Ratchet cried in total disbelief, his jaw dropping in shock.
Honestly, if Megatron had just appeared and kissed him straight on the mouth before declaring his undying love, Ratchet wouldn't have been more surprised. As it was, it was a few more moments before he could react.
"Come on," he yelled, charging right in, not caring if it was some sort of trap.
Prowl and Bumblebee followed, Bulkhead was a little too big for it but he was ready for action. Ratchet's Spark was beating madly in its casing as he rushed through the outer room into the inner room where he cried out again.
"Optimus!"
There was their lost leader, lying on a berth and covered in fuel and Energon. He weakly raised his head at Ratchet's cry and smiled, despite the fact he was clearly in pain. Ratchet was over there in an instant, scanning Optimus to determine his most serious injuries.
"Boss...I can't believe it," Bumblebee said, in a dazed tone. "You're here, you're really here."
"Yeah," Optimus said weakly, fighting to stay awake as his optics travelled to a spot a few feet away.
"R-Ratchet...V-Valour."
"Valour?" Bumblebee repeated dumbly as Prowl suddenly turned to where Optimus was looking.
He walked over to that spot, which was a medical capsule just as Ratchet got the results of his scan. As his optics widened, Prowl bent down and gently lifted something up for them all to see. As Bumblebee gaped at the sleeping red and blue Sparklings, Optimus coughed and said.
"My son, Valour."
And with a sigh, fell into statis lock.
Author's note. How do the team cope with what happened to Optimus and what are their plans now? Find out next time, until then.
