I can't believe that this story is getting so many views! Guess I have no choice but to continue
Warning: Self Harm, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Graphic Details
I NEVER intended to torture Jack
Nothern Greenland
Bulkhead and Bumblebee trudged through the icy landscape, fighting against the cold winds threatening to offline them.
"Bulkhead I thought you said it was just over this hill." Bumblebee beeped. "I know, but I think its over that ridge." Bulkhead stated, the scanner in his hands going wild.
The two Autobots clambered over the ridge and looked at the giant metal boulder looking object that greeted them.
Later
Jack, Miko and Raf arrived at the Autobot base. Although, the eldest had gone to his garage to find that Arcee was gone. So he had come to base with Bumblebee and Raf.
Optimus and Arcee were already there, looking as if they were prepared to leave on a mission.
"Did you miss us doc bot?" Miko asked. "Shouldn't they be in school?" Ratchet asked. "Check your calender, Ratchet, its Saturday which means no school; and I don't have work today." Jack said.
"Which means your stuck with us for the whole weekend." Miko grinned. Ratchet grumbled.
"Although I did enjoy driving Bumblebee, I wasn't expecting to have to ride with him today. What gives, Arcee?" Jack asked.
Arcee looked down at him, putting a hand on her hip. "Fact Team, Jack," She said. "my turn for exploration duty." "Oh, well, its a beautiful day outside, and I wouldn't want you to feel guilty." Jack said.
"Arctic exploration duty." Arcee stated, grinning. "Indoors where its warm then." Jack said quickly and walked away. Arcee watched him leave. A frown was evident on her face. His behaviour today was different from yesterday. She shrugged. At least he was easier to talk to today.
The two Autobots stepped through the active groundbridge and disappeared. "Transport complete." Ratchet announced.
Suddenly sparks shot out of the groundbridge controls, making Ratchet let out a shocked "By the Allspark!"
"So what should we do today?" Rafael asked. "How about a video game tournament?" Bumblebee suggested. "Yeah, a video game tournament, sounds great." Jack said and activated the TV. There was complete silence. "What?" Jack asked. They stared at him, then Bumblebee said "You understood me?"
Jack's eyes widened at this revelation. Guess Primus didn't just give him a Cybertronian arm...
"Bulkhead, Bumblebee!" Ratchet called. "I need you over here!" The two bots gave one last look at Jack then walked towards Ratchet, whom was oblivious to the revelation.
"Uhm." Jack rubbed the back of his neck. Raf and Miko were silent as ever, then...
"How can you understand Bumblebee?" Miki asked enthusiastically. Jack thought of an excuse, but sadly he was bombarded with more questions.
"I'm taking a walk!" He shouted and climbed down the ladder before anyone could object.
He was already down the corridor before bots knew.
"What is it Ratchet? You can't just boss us around when the boss bot is out." Bulkhead said. He was about to bring up the subject of Jack's new ability to understand Bumblebee, but the latter beat him to it.
"Ratchet, Jack could understand what I said!" Bumblebee stated, looking joyous. "What?" Ratchet asked again, afraid that his audio receptors had heard wrong.
"Jack was able to understand what 'Bee said." Bulkhead spoke.
Ratchet sank this in, but shook his head. "This can wait for later. Currently we have a bigger problem. The Groudbridge's damaged."
This worried the other Autobots. "Did Optimus and Arcee make it through alright?"
Bulkhead questioned.
"Yes, but its bringing them back that worries me. I need heavy lifting. Chop chop!" Ratchet said.
Jack
Jack was walking fast down the corridors, trying to distance himself from the others.
Why did Primus even give him this? He said it was a power, but it was a curse!
Everytime he panicked, and wanted to protect himself, the Cybertronian skin thrusted out of his skin, and each time it hurt.
It felt like his skin was being ripped apart from the inside out. Jack had almost activated his armor when Miko had bombarded him with questions. And now he could understand Bumblebee?
Sure he thought it would be fun to understand the scout, but the looks they gave him made him uncomfortable. It bothered him.
He then heard a noise. A single lone screw rolled across the floor to his feet. He bent down and took it into his palm.
Hearing a scraping noise, Jack quickly straightened his posture and looked around. More noises. Feeling nervous, Jack ran but stumbled and fell to his stomach.
Suddenly, something appeared at the edge of his vision.
It was a tiny creature with a sphere shaped head with soft purple optics. It had four sharp digit like pedes. "I didn't know the Autobots had pets." Jack muttered under his breath.
He then proceeded to hold up his screw, and then wagged it in front of the thing. "Here boy! Go fetch!" He said and threw it. The metal creature jumped at the bolt, and started eating it. "No wait your going to choke!" Jack called. But the creature had already eaten the bolt. It looked back at him peculiarly, then began rubbing its head against Jack's legs.
Jack was half in shock and half in fear of the little thing. It ate through metal, meaning it can also eat him if he were Cybertronian. But even so, the sight of the creature nuzzling against him softened his anger and made it reside. Besides, he was human. It can't eat him. He isn't Cybertronian. But...
No, Jack shook his head. Besides, it might just eat other material as well, it was probably not dangerous.
He took the creature into his arms. It started to fall into recharge. Jack then carried it back to the main room, despite his rational side's arguement. Besides, the Autobots would need to know what 'it' is.
Upon his arrival, Jack called out "Hey guys, look what I found."
"We're busy." Ratchet's optics settled over the creature, and..."AAAH!"
The other two Cybertronians followed his examples, back away and aiming their blasters at the creature in Jack's arms.
"Scraplet, Scraplet, SCRAPLET!" Bulkhead yelled in fear.
Raf and Miko stood in front of Jack, their arms raised in defense.
"Whats a Scraplet?" Miko asked. "The most dangerous vermin to ever walk upon the face of Cybertron." Ratchet said.
"This thing?" Raf looked at the tiny creature. "It's, tiny."
"You have no idea what that tiny thing can do." Bulkhead argued. "It eats through metal?" Jack asked. The autonomous organisms nodded. Suddenly, the Scraplet awoke, its purple optics searching for anything metal.
As soon as it locked eyes on the Autobots, grinding sounds were heard from the sharp denta it contained inside its mouth.
Everyone let out yells of surprise and fear as the creature jumped out of Jack's hands and rushed towards the Autobots.
Bulkhead and Bumblebee started firing. The Scraplet dodged with great agility, and jumped onto Bumblebee's pede. Bumblebee fell to the floor in surprise. The sound of metal eating through metal reached his audio receptors as the Scraplet started eating his mesh, leaving a trail all the way upto the spike on his leg.
Bumblebee tried prying it off, but the creature merely bit his servo and jumped off. Before it could deal more damage, Jack destroyed the thing with a heavy metal wrench.
He didn't stop smashing until Miko put a hand on his shoulder. "Whoa, I think you got him killer." She commented.
"Wasn't expecting that." Raf stated, standing next to Bumblebee, whom was looking at the crushed Scraplet.
"I'm so sorry..." Jack began, mentally chiding himself for why he thought that this creature was harmless.
"No worries Jack, its fine." Bumblebee stated. "Ratchet?" Jack asked. Ratchet investigated the damage done and nodded. "Its just a mesh wound, he'll live." he stated.
"Well, the Scraplet's gone. Problem solved." Miko said.
"Not yet. If their's one Scraplet, then there's guarantee that there are more." Ratchet's expression worried the kids. "And I fear that I know how they got in here."
Scraplet pod
Ratchet's scanner beeped as it scanned the now opened metal Scraplet trap.
"A Scraplet trap, probably ejected into space and wound up on Earth. The ice must've kept them in stasis." Ratchet explained.
"Which we left to thaw." Jack noted.
"How many are there?" Miko asked. "Thousands!" Ratchet said. "The downed Groundbrigde and the power outages, are sure signs their infection in underway." Ratchet said looking at the ceiling "Primus help us all." Jack flinched at the last bit.
He already did
Meanwhile
Optimus was clambering down a cliff face when a beeping noise caught his attention. His Autobot insignia was glowing blue, meaning he had reached the blue zone.
"Arcee, I have reached the blue zone. Whats your status?" Optimus asked.
"Mine too Optimus," She commed back. Optimus switched frequencies and sent a message to base. "This is Optimus Prime to base, we have reached the blue zone. Send a grounbridge to our coordinates." He frowned when static answered him.
Autobot Outpost Omega One
"Optimus, we have a situation." Ratchet tried sending Optimus a comm. but it looked like the Scraplets had destroyed the communications.
"Our communications are down! They've eaten the grid!" Ratchet sighed.
"I say we bug out of here and let them keep it!" Bulkhead said.
"Seriously Bulk? Your running away from a fight?" Miko questioned, unimpressed.
"You don't know them like I do Miko. You haven't seen them eat a bot whole. I have. They go after the juicy bits first, circuit by circuit, fuse by fuse. Until there's nothing left. Not even your optics!" Bulkhead ended.
"Even so, we can't let them take it. If we do so, Arcee and Optimus will perish." Ratchet said.
"So, let us help. We're not made of metal." Jack said. Well, most of us ain't he added mentally.
"Usually, I find your fleshiness to be your least attractive quality. But it would seem that it has its uses. Very well."
"Great, Bulk, Miko, Raf and Bumblebee can go bug hunting. I'll stay by Ratchet." Jack suggested.
"Lets go!" Raf and Miko said.
Bulkhead and Bumblebee looked at each other and shuddered. Without protest, they were forced to go with the two humans, wishing that they themselves were made of flesh right now.
Nothern Greenland
Arcee stumbled to her knees, groaning. Optimus was quick to help her to her feet.
"What about a drive? I hear Miami's nice this time of year." Arcee suggested.
"No, the nearest climate zone is too far to reach. It's better to save our energy than to waste it trying something futile," Optimus looked at the icy wind that was blaring against them.
"For now we will seek insulation till Ratchet sends for us. And he will." Optimus said grimly.
Autobot Outpost Omega One
Jack heard scrapping sounds in the vents above him. "Are you done yet Ratchet?" Jack asked impatiently, hoping that the medic was going to provide him with a satisfactory answer.
"I'm working as fast as I can!" Ratchet shouted. Suddenly from down the corridors that led to the main room, thousands of Scraplet flew in.
"They fly? You didn't tell me they could fly!?" Jack said as he struggled to bat the things away.
"I was a little preoccupied!" Ratchet managed to say before the Scraplet swarm latched themselves onto him and began eating him.
"Jack!" he yelled. The ravenette began to get them off of Ratchet, whom was feebly squatting himself here and there.
Soon Bumblebee and Bulkhead entered the room. "What the-" Bulkhead managed before the duo was then targeted by the other Scraplets. Miko and Raf struggled to get them off of their guardians.
Nothern Greenland
Optimus and Arcee now lay/leaned against a ridge in the icy terrain, protecting themselves from the main cold.
"Arcee." Optimus called.
The femme jerked awake. "Was just resting my eyes."
"The longer we remain alert, the longer we survive." Optimus shared. "Lets play a game. Who messed things up back at base?" Arcee suggested.
Optimus was willing to play if this kept Arcee from recharge.
"I merely think that it was a malfunction." Optimus said.
"Or it could be Bulkhead. Probably tripped a wire or something," Arcee suggested. "The big guy was never that graceful."
"Bulkhead maybe...too large for this world. But his loyalty to his friends is his greatest strength. One should not judge others merely by their size. It is what is on the inside that matters." Optimus said.
There was silence as Arcee placed her servo on top of his. "It was an honor serving with you, Optimus Prime."
Optimus smiled as he clutched her servo. "The pleasure is all mine."
Autobot Outpost Omega One
Jack and the other humans knew they had lost. Ratchet, Bumblebee and Bulkhead were exhausted, sporting many superficial and critical damage.
Ratchet managed to activate the Groundbridge before falling to the ground.
Now all that was needed was bait.
Bulkhead looked at the other Autobots, who could barely move and was leaking Energon. He looked at the humans protecting them.
With all the last amount of willpower he had, he stood up and waved his arms.
"Hey Scraplets!" He called. "Over here! Come get me!" He said and limped/ran through the portal.
The Scraplets followed after him. Bulkhead saw Optimus and Arcee on the other side. "Get down!" He yelled.
The Scraplets burst through the groundbridge...
Only to freeze up in the cold atmosphere.
Optimus quickly used his back to protect Arcee from the bombardmenf of Scraplets.
Later
The base lay in shambles. But its inhabitants were OK, healing up and enjoying the fact that they weren't offline/dead.
Jack watched the group from afar. He wanted to tell Optimus about his new 'abilities' but he wasn't sure how. For now though, he was going to keep it hidden, as long as it takes...
Another Chapter done. Sorry if the ending (or anything else) was rushed/boring. If you hate me, I understand. Well to those of you who like this, THANK YOU! Review and stay frosty! (Crappy pun intended.)
Spectristic Exit!