Ooookkkaayyyy… So. My internet is back. Sort of. It decided to die, again, and then not come back for another week, and now I don't have any clue what's going on with it. But, it let me update this, so-chapter! Hooray! Thanks to all who have stuck with me, I'll try to get on a somewhat regular update schedule again (provided my internet doesn't decide that it wants another break). There should be a couple chapters tonight, so the second one'll be up as soon as I'm done writing it. Enjoy!
There was a pause as this information sunk in to their processors, and then Ratchet's ancient, wise optics narrowed with a renewed determination as he turned back to his screen and began to work at a furious pace, blind to all else in the base. Bulkhead and Bumblebee both stood quietly for once, watching Ratchet work, and Optimus remained still as well, awaiting his CMO's word. Arcee glanced around the room, scowled slightly when she caught sight of Switchshade cowering in the corner, and then turned to leave the base, offering a respectful nod to Optimus as she went. "I'm going to go check on Jack."
"Why? Aren't I good enough for you anymore? Am I being replaced by a human?" Cliffjumper's good-natured teasing was in stark contrast to the solemn mood that had fallen over the other Autobots, but it was enough to chase the scowl from Arcee's faceplates. "Not at all. It's just… I almost lost you, and after Tailgate… I'm just not ready to let anyone else go, yet."
Cliffjumper's optics softened, and he gently wrapped an arm around her shoulderplating. "Alright. Then I'll go with you." She smiled back up at him, before realizing what she was doing and wiping her faceplates clean of any expression, though a slight flush of energon rose to betray her. "Fine. Let's go." Optimus did not object, merely turning to watch calmly as they transformed and took off, his attention quickly returning to Ratchet. Nearly a joor later, the medic suddenly turned and declared, "Optimus, I've pinpointed the location of Megatron's spacebridge-high in earth's orbit."
The Prime's expression was grave. "Out of our reach." Miko leaned against Bulkhead's pede, raising an eyebrow and stating, "Okay, so you guys don't fly. But can't you just groundbridge there?" Ratchet looked down at the human in mild distaste. "A groundbridge has limited range" his servos moved animatedly as he tried to explain. "Stretched all the way into orbit, it's vortex could snap, and scatter us to the stars." Miko's eyes widened in surprise and horror, but she continued to listen closely as the mechs debated what to do.
"Since Megatron is likely already in transit, I'm afraid we must take that risk. Reaching the spacebridge first is our only means of stopping him." The Autobots all turned to look at the groundbridge with no little trepidation, though they were each clearly willing to follow Optimus wherever he might lead them, even unto the gates of the Pit itself. The revving of two powerful engines came into audial range just then, and all present turned to look as Arcee and Cliffjumper came driving in at top speed, screeching to a halt a few pedesteps away from the others. Jack was on Arcee, and when he stepped off, pulling off his helmet, Switchshade realized he must have missed something while unconscious, for Rafael and Miko were both present, but Jack had not been with the 'Bots when they had left, and they all seemed quite happy that he had returned to them.
Optimus offered a slight nod in acknowledgement to the human, before commanding, "Autobots, prepare for departure." Arcee tilted her helm, and Cliffjumper offered a grin to their leader. "Where to, boss-bot?" Miko smirked. "The final frontier." Jack's eyes widened. "Space? I thought they didn't have any way to get there." Bumblebee knelt to lower Raf to the ground at the youngest human's behest, and he answered Jack hesitantly. "They don't… really."
Jack blinked, and then glanced back up at Arcee and, after a moment, Cliffjumper. "Be seeing ya?" he offered with a smile, and the femme shrugged, grinning back, while Cliffjumper offered a careful fist bump. As Ratchet powered on the groundbridge, Rafael bade Bumblebee a fond farewell, while Bulkhead cautioned Miko against attempting to follow him again, but Switchshade's attention was instantly drawn back to Ratchet when he spoke. "Optimus, if you leave me stranded on a planet teeming with humans, I will never forgive you." The dark mech's spark nearly stuttered out. What. What. Without thought, Switchshade stumbled forward a step, reaching out futilely to try to draw the Prime's attention away from the medic who had just spoken so disrespectfully to him. If any, any mech had ever spoken in such a fashion to Megatron, they would not have walked away. At all. Lord Prime would not permit… He…
Against all odds, at such insubordination, the Lord Prime smiled. It was small, and nearly lost amid his solemn optics as he prepared for the battle before him, but it had been present for an astroclick nonetheless. "Until we meet again, old friend." His battlemask slid into place with a click, and then the Prime began to move towards the groundbridge, leaving the medic unscathed. "Autobots, roll out!" His deep, commanding voice rang throughout the base, and the three mechs and the femme immediately transformed at his command, following their leader as the lead the way into the portal that would take them into space. As they disappeared, Switchshade heard the Prime command, "Maximum overdrive!" and then they were gone.
Switchshade watched as Ratchet patched into Optimus' comms, and then increased the volume until his voice could be heard clearly in the base as he described what could be seen from the spacebridge. All five warriors had safely reached the spacebridge without the groundbridge's vortex destroying them, but now the Nemesis approached. As Optimus commended Bulkhead on destroying the satellite that would have permitted the Decepticons to aim directly at Cybertron, Switchshade carefully shifted on his pedes, until he was inching along the wall to avoid the medic's attention. Lord Prime and Ratchet spoke back and forth for a time, and Rafael interceded once as well, offering information on an array of satellites in Texas that would be a very likely target for the Decepticons to use to achieve the precision needed for their aim.
Lord Prime appeared pleased with the young human's ingenuity, and commanded Ratchet to alert Agent Fowler and have him get in contact with the array staff of the facility and inform them of the potential security risk. However, the agent was still recovering from being under Starscream's care, and when his name was mentioned, he sat up from his temporary berth, exclaimed, "You, soldier! You're out of uniform! Put on some pants." and then collapse back down. Ratchet scowled, "That may be a challenge."
Switchshade wanted nothing more than to get back to his cell and hide there in peace until this fight was over, but he knew he could not. He wanted to fight, to prove himself, prove he could be trusted, but he knew it would take a great deal of time, if ever, for the Autobots to believe his sincerity. However, when the humans began to scheme of hacking into the satellite system from the base itself so that Rafael could keep the Decepticons out with his own computer skills, the black mech stopped edging his way back towards his cell, and took notice.
Optimus seemed to be against it, stating, "The risk is too great. The Decepticons will be there, perhaps even on site." Privately, Switchshade agreed, but that glint in Rafael's clever eyes told him that the human was more than likely to try anyway. Shockingly, it was Jack who dared to speak up and argue with the Lord Prime. "Optimus, with all due respect, you said it yourself. This is bigger than the safety of three humans." Miko immediately jumped in in agreement. "Yeah, if we let the 'Cons win, then we're fragged, along with everyone else on our planet." There was a brief pause, and then Optimus asked, "Raf?" The youngest human glanced at Jack and Miko, and then his face set into a determined expression. "I want to give it a shot."
On the other end of the comm. line, the Autobot warriors became engaged in battle, and Ratchet turned the connection down, so that it couldn't be heard unless Optimus tried to get in contact with him. Switchshade stepped forward as the medic prepared the groundbridge to send the humans to the satellite base, and forced himself to meet Ratchet's optics. "Ratchet. Please, allow me to accompany them. I… I know I cannot be trusted, I realize that you should not trust me, but I beg you, let me go. I would not see them come to harm, and if you are to stay here and control the groundbridge, then allow me to make myself useful to you and go with them. If nothing else, perhaps I will be able to buy them some time."
Ratchet's clever optics bored into Switchshade's determined if still nervous red ones for a long moment, and then the Hatchet sighed. "Come here." he muttered, grumbling under his breath about Primus knows what. When the younger mech hesitantly complied, the medic's deft fingers opened the plating at the base of his helm, causing the black mech to freeze in surprise and fear, but it was only for a moment, as he suddenly felt his weapons systems and long-range comms come back online.
"I am trusting you in this, Switchshade." Ratchet said, as he stepped back, and met the ex-'Con's eyes again. "You proved yourself in the previous mission, against all odds you chose to be loyal to our cause, and protected the humans. Do so again now." Suddenly, the medic's optics glared, and his field flared with rage/fury/power/intimidation so strong it was enough to cause Switchshade to flinch violently back, and he dared not meet the medic's eyes again. "But know this. If you betray us, if any harm comes to the humans at your servos or by your doing, I will hold you personally responsible, and I will find you myself. Do you understand me?"
Shaking, Switchshade quickly nodded, stumbling over to the groundbridge and moving to follow the humans as they leapt through, not daring to look back at Ratchet. He was only just beginning to realize why he had been nicknamed 'The Hatchet', and wondered what it would be like to have that raw power and reckless fury directed at him. The black mech shuddered. Slag what the vehicons might say. Megatron had nothing on Ratchet in the 'terrifying' department.