In the medical ward, nurses and soldiers frantically began to prepare all available rooms and gurneys, beds, chairs, whatever could be used for patients. Those not prepping were cleaning. Every window had blown out on that side of the compound, and glass littered the rooms and halls. Lights flashed, alarms blared, and chaos reigned.
A nurse ran in to check on their only patient only to find her struggling on the floor.
"I tried to get up, but my legs gave out. What's going on? What happened?!" Danielle cried.
"We don't know yet," said the nurse "but if that was a bomb, we need to get you someplace safer. You can't walk, wait here while I get a wheelchair."
Can't walk? Danielle thought in alarm. She looked down at her legs to see one in a full cast, the other very badly bruised and burned. She reached around to her back and felt stitches climbing low on her spine.
Outside of her window, RV's and hummers, ATV's and golf carts began to roll up. The vehicles carried wounded men and women soldiers, mechanics, and scientists, most dusted in white. The injuries ranged from lacerations to broken limbs. One man was missing his arm from just below the shoulder, and another clutched his face, touching bone. Many were carried in, lucky others were wheeled in on carts and wheelchairs. Most were crying out in pain, others looked defeated, and many were grieving.
The medical wing went from peaceful and orderly to chaotic triage; nurses and doctors assessing who was stable, critical, or beyond help. The vehicles, now empty of the wounded, were now being stocked with tents, cots, and a clutter of other supplies.
The shock wave of the bomb rumbled across the desert landscape. The vibrating waves sped underneath the Autobot base and continued their dwindling journey.
Inside the building, the tremor was imperceptible as it passed. Meanwhile, Colonel Lennox and Optimus Prime were quietly discussing matters.
"We're lucky Mirage got to us when he did," Lennox said. "Had he hesitated to come get us, or been a minute slower, we might have been studying three bodies today. And then, I don't know what kind of chance Earth would have against the Decepticons without you around, Prime."
Optimus nodded humbly. "Yes, but had we fully understood the situation sooner, no one would have had to die," he stated grimly. "But enough of that, it's done. We have only to look forward from here, and build what we can from it." He paused, considering his next words.
"On this point, there is something I would like to discuss with you." Lennox was intrigued, but waited patiently for the Prime to continue.
"We have lost many good soldiers recently, and while there are a few on Earth headed to us as we speak, I am worried that it may not be enough should there be another attack. From this point, it seems to have become necessary to reconsider previous restrictions. General Reims was told she and her team could study the deceased to gather whatever they could learn from them, so long as no weapons were built. And now, while I do not want to give your military any more killing power than it already has, I require its mechanical capabilities."
Lennox couldn't believe his ears. Did Optimus want to build a war machine? A ship or aircraft of some sort to be used to aid in their battles?
"What are you getting at, sir?" he asked cautiously.
"I understand that our race is complex, functioning in ways far beyond what humans can yet comprehend. Do you think General Reims has learned enough yet to be able to build one of us, body and weapons? If so, how long would it take?"
Lennox's mouth hung agape as he stared at Optimus. Were they really hurting that badly? Was there a larger plan or threat in motion that he didn't know about? What would bring the Autobots to ask something that would give humans so much insight into their functionality, their programming, and their weapons?
He shook his head. "Honestly, I don't know. You'd have to ask General Reims. She holds the reins for the research operation. My being on the "need to know" list is allowed only because of how close NEST is to this issue. If you'd like, I can arrange a meeting with her and see what that gets us?" He pulled out his cellphone and waited for Optimus' approval. With a nod, Lennox dialed her office number.
"Huh, that's odd. I would have sworn she had an answering machine on that landline. Let me try her cell." Moments passed before the call went straight to voicemail. "Something isn't right. She runs a tight ship, that phone is never turned off." Concern was etched across his face as he considered which contact to call next.
Suddenly, Ironhide stepped into the room. Not waiting for greetings, he gruffly informed them "We need to go. There's a mushroom cloud from the direction of the military base. Mirage and Bee are already on their way there. Colonel, come with me."
Lennox fumbled to get his phone in his pocket as he ran outside and hopped into Hides' cab without another word, though his head was reeling. Optimus followed suit. They raced towards the military base, following the distant rising dust trail of the two bots ahead. Just over the horizon, a white plumb of smoke bloomed into the otherwise cloudless purple evening sky.
By the time Bumblebee and Mirage arrived at the military base, the situation was just beginning to come under control. The north half of the compound had been evacuated and everyone moved to the southern end. Tents were scattered in a makeshift headquarters and campground outside. Many people under them were clearly wounded.
The two bots scoured the grounds, looking for familiar faces, anyone that could possibly provide answers. Under a white tent, surrounded by pop-up tables and laptops, was a small command group. At the center of it sat General Reims. The side of her head was bandaged and her arm rested in a sling. Several scrapes and bruises speckled her arms and legs. Despite her condition, she was commanding and attentive in getting all personnel accounted for, assessed, and treated if possible.
Upon seeing her, Bee and Mirage approached quickly. Bee transformed and began whirring and gesticulating urgently. Several radio clips blipped in and out, but nothing that formed a cohesive thought. Mirage stepped forward, laying his servo on Bee's shoulder to silence him.
Calmly, he began to translate for the bot.
"What happened? I think that's a good place to start."
"Wouldn't we both like to know?" she responded curtly. "We were about to start closing up shop for the night when everything went to hell! I was walking back to the hangar from a briefing in the west wing, and just a couple dozen feet from the hangar hallway door, the whole thing just blew up. The blast knocked me right into a wall, hence the bandages. When I got my bearings, everything was covered in a fine white powder, no smell like gunpowder or fire. Maybe we missed a bomb in our inspections, I just don't know yet. It's too early to have any real answers." She sighed and rested her head in her hand. "And this is what happened to someone that wasn't in the hangar. Those who were still in there… My teams… Most didn't make it out…" she trailed off, her hands balling into fists.
Bee whirred sadly, and Mirage nodded before asking "Is it safe for us to go there? To see if we can rescue any survivors?"
"No, absolutely not. Anyone that is still inside is dead, that's just the brutal truth of it. We don't know for certain what caused the blast, or what set it off, or the hangar's structural integrity after the blast. For all we know, the white stuff is the same material as the rust weapon Prime is so worried about, so sending you in could end you, too. Everything is covered in it, and I won't be losing any more allies tonight."
The General seemed to be done discussing the matter, and returned to directing local units. As Optimus and Ironhide had yet to arrive, Mirage turned to Bee and asked "Now what? We can't help, and we'll only be in the way. Should we return?" Bee whirred and responded hastily over commlink, asking Mirage to find out from General Reims where Danielle was.
"She's likely out here somewhere. I don't have specifics, so you'll have to excuse me."
Her words roused fear in Bee's circuits; out here were all wounded soldiers. How would he find her in this maze of tents?