Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers
Time remaining: 6 months
In the past two months, Ratchet has succeeded in regrouping all of the Autobots except Optimus and Smokescreen, and they have taken refuge in the abandoned Decepticon ship the Harbinger, due to the decreasing amount of room in Ultra Magnus' ship. Bumblebee and Ratchet had a hell of a time sneaking Magnia from the ship to the Harbinger, but they managed. She has been recovering in a small tucked away corner of the Harbinger, which was formerly the brig, unknown to the other Autobots.
Bumblebee was visiting Magnia in her cell. As the months had passed, his attraction to her had grown stronger to the point where he could hardly stand being without her, and he burned to tell her how he felt. So, most of his time was spent in the brig, talking to Magnia. She pretended to be annoyed every time he came down but he always found some way to make her laugh and forget about it.
"How much…longer…do you think?" Bee asked her.
Magnia sighed, twitching her wings, "Not long. A few more days I think." Her wing was almost completely healed, and soon she could leave this awful place.
Unknown to Bumblebee, Magnia had discovered that their sparks had created a sort of bond during the time he had spent with her. It was weak, and not at all like an actual bond, but through it she could sometimes tell what Bee was thinking or feeling. She tried not to use it to her advantage, but sometimes she couldn't help it. Like now.
Now he was thinking about how much he didn't want her to leave, how he had enjoyed their days spent together. He opened his mouth, wanting to convince her to stay, but he shut it quickly, realizing nothing he could say would make her stay. His thoughts instead wandered to thinking about Magnia herself.
Primus she is so beautiful, Bee's thoughts echoed and Magnia hid a grin. I wish I could tell her… he sighed deeply, but she doesn't want to hear it. Just look at her though; those stunning purple optics, that gorgeous smile, just everything about her is…beautiful.
Magnia smiled, feeling Bee's optics roaming over her form, but her faceplates flamed when she heard his next thought. Oh my Primus, she thought, stifling a giggle and quickly severing the connection. Bumblebee thinks that way about me? she wondered, bashfully recalling their heated encounter a few months ago. Well why wouldn't he? He's obviously very attracted to me and…
She struggled not to laugh again, knowing how absolutely mortified Bumblebee would be if he knew. Who knew Bee could be so…naughty?
Ratchet came down the steps just then to check up on Magnia's progress. Magnia greeted the medic quickly, eager for a distraction.
After performing a quick scan, Ratchet nodded, "You should be ready to fly in about two days. Don't do anything to aggravate your wings until then."
"Right," Magnia bit her lip. "So, how goes the war?"
"Terrible," Ratchet said grimly. "We're trying to disable the fusion cannons of Darkmount so the humans can get through to destroy it, but every time we get close they pick us off. And without Optimus…" Ratchet sighed. "Well, everyone seems to be losing hope."
"Well…." Magnia trailed off then shook her helm. "No, forget it."
"What?" Ratchet raised an optic ridge. "Do you have some brilliant plan in processor?"
"I might," Magnia said hesitantly.
Ratchet's optics widened, "Well spit it out femme, before I whack it out of you!" He reached for his wrench and she caved.
"Alright, alright!" she eyed the wrench nervously. "I'll tell you. But you're not gonna like it"
She breathed deeply and continued, "My plan was to trick the Decepticons into thinking I had taken Bee prisoner and that would get him into Darkmount so he could destroy the fusion cannons. Once they took him inside Darkmount and put him in the holding cell, I would sneak in, disable the cameras, and release him. It helps you because you get a clear shot at disabling the fusion cannons and it helps me because it gets me back into the Decepticons good graces."
She flicked her optics up, "The only parts I'm not too eager about is where I have to betray the Decepticons and where Bee is put in danger."
"Are your circuits fried?" Ratchet stared at her. "We can't let Bee take that risk; how do we know you won't just leave him in the holding cell?"
"Hey, I didn't say you had to like the plan, Doc," Magnia said sourly, crossing her arms.
Ratchet's optics flashed, "Don't call me-", but Bee interrupted him.
"Enough!..." he yelled. "I'll…do it."
"You will?" Ratchet and Magnia said in unison.
Bee smiled at Magnia, "Sure….I….trust her."
Ratchet blinked, "Bumblebee, I cannot let you do this. It's too dangerous; Optimus would kill me."
"It's…not really…up to you…Ratchet."
"And you don't really have any other options," Magnia pointed out.
"Who doesn't have any other options?" Ultra Magnus said, coming down the stairs. The three froze as he frowned, "Why is she out of her cell?"
"Well, we um," Ratchet stammered, but Ultra Magnus cut him off.
"How stupid do you three think I am?" he growled.
Magnia blinked, "Excuse me, sir?"
"You think I couldn't see what was happening right in front of me?" Ultra Magnus yelled. "The way you two look at each other; how he was carrying you when you first stepped on my ship? The richest part was when you had Ratchet pretend to be some sort of torturous fiend." Ultra Magnus cackled, "I knew the whole time!"
"You-" Ratchet's jaw dropped, "you knew? Why in Pit didn't you say something?"
Ultra Magnus smirked, "I wanted to see how long you could keep it up. Now, what is it you three are planning?"
Magnia explained her plan again and when she was finished Ultra Magnus sucked in his breath, "It's very risky."
Ratchet sighed in relief, "See? I told you."
"I wasn't finished," Ultra Magnus continued. "It's very risky, but we are running out of options here."
He turned to Bee, "You trust her?" Bee nodded and he continued, "Then I suggest we go through with it as soon as possible."
Ratchet protested, "But Ultra Magnus! What if something goes wrong?"
"Then you can bridge Bumblebee out of there as soon as there's trouble," Ultra Magnus said smoothly. "Magnia! Can you manage to fly yourself and Bumblebee close to Darkmount? If we bridge you there, the Decepticons will detect the signal."
"Yes, sir," Magnia saluted. "Thank you for understanding, sir."
Ultra Magnus winked at her, "We've all been in love once." Bee and Magnia protested at this, but Ultra Magnus ignored them, "Begin preparation for the mission you two. We will commence in two days' time." He disappeared up to the upper levels of the ship, and Ratchet scowled at his back.
"Can't believe he led us on that whole time," he grumbled. "Bumblebee! May I speak with you in private?"
Bee nodded to Magnia who obligingly stepped out of audio range and then turned to Ratchet. "...What's up Doc?" Bugs Bunny's voice asked.
"Do you really trust this femme?" Ratchet narrowed his optics. "Or is your spark clouding your judgment?"
"Yeah I…trust her," Bee grinned. "Don't…you?"
"Not half as far as I can throw her," Ratchet sighed. "Be careful, Bumblebee."
"Don't worry…Ratchet," Bee clapped him on the shoulder. "Careful is…my middle name."
Two days later, the four of them went up in Ultra Magnus' ship for Magnia's test flight. Ratchet had removed the bandages from Magnia's leg and she stood uncertainly at the edge of the hatch.
"You sure I'm ready?" she shouted back at the medic. He nodded and she bit her lip and looked forward.
The wind called to her, whipping past her faceplates, making her wings ache with longing. But she held back, still afraid of falling after all these years. She remembered the first time she had flown, how excited she had been. It had been Starscream who had taught her of course; he had begrudgingly done it after Megatron had ordered him to.
Bitterly, she remembered her mission, to betray her family, and refocused on the task at hand. What was it Starscream had always told her? "Don't be afraid to fall. Falling is the best way to offline". Magnia grinned and leapt off the edge of the hatch into the air.
She whooped, turning cartwheels through the clouds, feeling the wind breeze by. She felt so graceful and free; she was the wind!
Bee grinned, seeing the blissful expression etched on her faceplates as she dove and twirled through the air. It almost made him wish he was a flyer so he could join her, but then he remembered how much fun driving was.
Magnia swooped back to the hatch and grinned, "Ready, Bee?"
Bee eyed her nervously, "Don't…drop me."
"I thought you trusted me?" she mocked and Bee reluctantly let her grip him under the arms.
"Don't like…heights."
"I promise I won't drop you."
"Be careful," Ratchet said worriedly. "Magnia, if anything happens to him I'll have your helm on a platter!"
Bee gulped and closed his optics as Magnia took a few steps forward and then jumped. For a few seconds the two just hovered there, and then Magnia beat her wings quickly and they were off.