Title: The Temple of Simfur

Characters: Bumblebee, Cliffjumper, Megatron

Universe: IDW (Defiance)

Content/Warnings: The setup from IDW's Defiance series was used, but the words are a paraphrase from the situation, not the actual words used in the comics. Rated for mentions of violence.

Prompt: Panic

Written for tf_speedwriting's Advent challenge, December 2011


Bumblebee continued to walk around the Allspark, his optics probing the dark corners of the temple. Something seemed off, and despite Cliffjumper's reassurances that they were simply guards, Bumblebee felt a deep responsibility for his duty. He would not care to be found lacking by Optimus or Megatron, but the energy spikes the Allspark was sending out spooked him, caused him to see shadows where there were none.

Cliffjumper, a more pragmatic processor, tried to comfort Bumblebee.

"What's got you so twitchy, Bumblebee?"

"I just don't understand why Optimus and the others would spend time on digging up something new when the Allspark is going crazy like this."

"The energy spikes have happened before, Bumblebee. Not, perhaps, with this frequency, but it has happened before. Besides, if they're concentrating on it, it must be an important find."

"More important than the Allspark?" Bee wanted to know.

"Wait, are you upset that you're not out there? Is that what's got you all wound up? We all have our duties, Bumblebee and this is what we've been given to do, so this is what we'll do." Cliffjumper was emphatic.

Bumblebee turned away and said, "I guess I'm just a little jumpy."

Cliffjumper clapped his hand along Bumblebee's back. "Hey, you and I, we're practically in the defense force ourselves. We can handle anything that comes at us!"

Bumblebee chuckled at Cliffjumper's bravado, but it helped him to focus on his duty. He stopped jumping at every sound and focused on simply keeping an optic on the Allspark and the other on the temple itself.

Which made it all the worse when the attack came, and Bumblebee had no idea what to do. Frantically he tried to comm Optimus for instructions, but the communications lines were blocked. Then he tried to get in touch with Jazz. Meanwhile, Cliffjumper was trying to get in touch with Starscream, then Ironhide. The temple rocked under the concentrated fire of a tank-like machine that slowly broke through the wall of the temple.

Bumblebee yelled at Cliffjumper, "I didn't know you were a prophet. 'Let the action come to me'…can you get anybody? Maybe Ironhide?"

"No, I can't, or I'd be able to get us out of here." Cliffjumper yelled back, popping up to fire off a shot at the tank. His gun wasn't big enough to much damage to the tank, but it was enough that he was doing something.

A massive 'thump' sounded behind them, and Megatron scolded them for their caution. Bumblebee felt the reproach down to his spark; it cut through the gibbering fear that had paralyzed him.

Megatron leapt out to deal with the tank, but took massive damage himself. That did not stop him from forming one arm into a flail and pounding the tank into a sparking mass of immobile metal before he walked away.

Bumblebee watched in awe, amazed at the decisive method Megatron used to stop the attack on the temple. He resolved to himself to never again let fear stop him from doing what was right.

Much later, when he was facing Megatron in Tyger Pax, fighting a battle that he knew was a feint designed to draw Megatron's attention while Optimus sent the Allspark into space, he drew on that resolve, facing his former mentor in courage with a fortitude that was greater than Megatron's, as great as Optimus Prime's, clinging to life after Megatron brutalized his frame attempting to rip from him by force the knowledge Bumblebee carried within.

As he lost the battle to remain away, Bumblebee let his blazing optics give Megatron the answer.

"Never. I'll never tell you.

Finis.