Ch. 89

Miko pouted a little from the passenger seat of Bumblebee's vehicular form as the group drove into a ground bridge, "Not that I'm upset to see you, Breakie, but why didn't Bulk come to get us?"

Breakdown sighed, "Wasn't much time. I said I'd get the doc, he said he'd get Jackie."

The girl huffed, "Well, I mean I guess they haven't really gotten time to just hang. But I think the four of us Wreckers should totally go out and let- WHOA!"

Miko felt Bumblebee swerve before she saw what had made the bot act accordingly. Arcee screeched to a halt with Jack as they came through and Knockout and Breakdown transformed to help come to a stop.

"CLEAR!" Ratchet called, zapping Soundwave's lifeless chassis on the floor of the base; he pulled back to examine the mech, then looked up at Knockout, "I have a pulse, but it's weak. He needs to go into surgery, NOW!"

Knockout stared with wide optics, unsure of how this could have happened. Breakdown had told them Soundwave went to get Starscream and Optimus. What could have caused this?

"Knockout!" Ratchet yelled, pulling the red mech from his thoughts, "We don't have time to dwell on how he looks, only how he recovers! We need to move!"

Knockout nodded and helped move Soundwave's fragile chassis to the med berth, both beginning to work.

"I need you in here," Knockout called as he put a tray of tools together.

Breakdown wordlessly removed himself from the group and joined the two medics in the medbay, getting energon lines set for a transfusion, which he was sure they would need.

Arcee looked on, her optics wide, then turned to Bulkhead, "Bulk..."

The green mech shook his helm, "They barely made it out as it is..." he stepped aside, revealing Optimus, still encased in the Apex Armor.

Bumblebee beeped in worry, asking what happened and the Prime shook his helm, "As I am sure you are all readily aware, this was a ploy to separate us and get Starscream on his own for capture. Megatron has... become something else entirely."

"What?" Arcee asked softly, "What happened? How did this happen? What-" she stopped herself, looking around, "... Where is he? Where's Starscream?"

Optimus sighed deeply, wincing within the armor, "Megatron is very aware of Starscream's more enhanced attributes... After assaulting myself and Starscream, Soundwave moved to protect us and gave up his only means of protection to save me. Megatron did not take kindly to this."

Arcee frowned, "Optimus, where is he?"

Optimus moved to stand, but Bulkhead stopped him, shuddering, "This armor's the only thing keeping Optimus going," he murmured.

The Prime nodded, then shuttered his optics softly, "Starscream..." he shook his helm slowly, "I am not even sure if he is alive..."

Cold. Dark. There was something both loud and quiet about it. Tranquil? Maybe... Peaceful? ... Ow.

Starscream groaned. His blue optics reflected off a large block of ice above him... and beside him to the right... and the left... His back was freezing, and when he tried to sit up, the front of his helm bumped into that block of ice. He was encased in the ice he had blown out from under Megatron's and his own peds.

"What were you thinking?" the seeker grumbled to himself, "You are the one that can't fly right now..."

Starscream tried to move again, shuddering at the cold that was still at his back. He seemed pretty pinned down. The seeker took a large intake of air slowly, reaching to tap his claws against his chest plate. It wouldn't take long for the Autobots to find and extract him. He just had to wait...

A swishing noise caught the seeker's attention and his optics blinked, looking to the side. He couldn't see what was making the noise and that irritated Starscream. Until he heard a very soft crack. The seeker frowned and he stopped moving, just listening...

Cold... Dark...

The swishing noise came back and Starscream shuddered then gasped loudly when something cold dripped on his cheekplate from above. Water.

Starscream gripped his servos tightly to stop himself from shaking. He needed to remain calm, as calm as he could. Another drip made the seeker whimper as he slowly realized what kind of situation he was in.

Starscream was not only trapped and pinned in layers of ice. He was also underwater.