So here I am, my next update.
Soooo sorry about last week, went out of town unexpectedly again. I know, BAD ME! Anyways, I will be updating the next chapter tomorrow or the day after since I promised two updates last week and I might even get it in to night.
Still, I'm curious, I'm not getting any reviews and I have 10favs and 17alerts, I know it's not much but I was hoping to get more reviews. It seems my biggest reviewer is Brianna L. Random (thanks by the way). To me, it seems like maybe my writing is getting worse but I can't know that unless you guys review and tell me! So please, please review. It helps me improve and get to know what you guys like better.
I hope you guys enjoy.
Ironhide refused his frame to move, and his frame honestly didn't want to move. With energon levels dropping below the minimum requirements he knew that anything more demanding than walking would quickly drop him into stasis. It was especially dangerous with his systems now functioning at low-standard capacities. He owed his life to Ratchet yet again as the medic's prestige knowledge kept him alive, lowering the functions throughout his systems to help reduce stress on the single energon reserve that was now having to pick up on the duties of twice the work on his massive frame. Also, many of his brethren Autobots knew of his unstable condition as well and had been close by, keeping an optic on Ironhide to make sure the weapon specialist wasn't taxing himself too greatly. Not knowing why all his comrades were crowding around him, Ironhide at first refused any and all help, but when he realized what their true intentions were he relaxed and let them.
"Ironhide," his name spoken from the voice of the commander caused the weapon specialist to jump in surprise. He looked over his shoulder and found Optimus standing at the doorway, optics lazily scanning over the room and the many mechs inside. For once, Optimus noted, his soldiers were lax at his presence, probably had to do with the orders he put out a few orns back. With the shortage in energon, the Autobot leader had cancelled all shifts for any kind of work till further notice to delay deprivation for as long as possible. This left Red Alert, Prowl and Optimus to care for and watch over the ship while Ratchet and Wheeljack took care of the medical issues. Just sparing that much for five mechs was harshly cutting into the last of their energon stock.
"Over here, Optimus," Ironhide called, raising his hand from the couch to catch the large mech's attention.
"I came to give you a recent update on Bee," he said dropping down heavily by Ironhide's side on the couch.
"Is everything alright?" Ironhide asked, adjusting to sit up straighter though his joints much protested against it.
"As well as it can be during this point, but Ratchet is taking very good care of him
"Thank Primus," Ironhide sighed, slouching back with relief, "I thought you were here to tell me of another bad attack. That seems the only reason you come here."
"I didn't realize. It's been so busy with everything around the ship and only three mechs to do it together. I'm just glad that I don't have to worry about the medical stuff. Forgive me my friend for being insensitive."
"Insensitive? Whoa, Optimus, don't beat yourself up. Guilt is that last thing you need on your processor at the moment. I didn't mean for it to come out like that so just forget I said anything."
With a loud sigh, Optimus dropped his head to his hands and his shoulders fell slightly as if there was truly a heavy weight of guilt upon them. Worried, Ironhide watched his leader and friend for a moment, fearing the recent increase in work was beginning to take a heavy toll on the mech.
"Anyways," Optimus finally said, looking back up, "Both Ratchet and Bee are getting some recharge. I figure I should do the same for myself."
"Please do," Ironhide told Optimus with apparent concern in his tone of voice causing the Autobot leader to laugh. Rarely, his rough and tough friend allowed his emotions to break free and show the true kindness and concern Ironhide held for those closest to him. It had warmed Optimus' spark to know that Ironhide was always watching out for him, no matter his condition, making sure that he would not push himself too far.
Ironhide looked over to say something more but instead found the red and blue mech deep in recharge, exactly in the same position.
Shifting his frame around to more a more comfortable position, Ironhide turned back to staring mindlessly at the holo-display before him. He was trying to chase the dark thoughts of what could happen to his friend away but the holo-video wasn't distracting enough and slowly they crept back into his processor.
The Autobot leader was stretched dangerously thin during a dangerous time. The Decepticons could easily launch a second attack, something not unknown for them to do, and quickly take the ship under their control: a most tempting target, no doubt. Artemis was in a fragile situation with only three mechs covering security as they all worked multiple shifts alone to keep the battleship operational and looking to repairs. Despite everything that Optimus had upon him to do, he still performed his usual tasks as leader and somehow managed to squeeze in time with Bumblebee. However, such a schedule was deeply cutting into the already small amount of time he had for recharge. But none would dare to stand up to Optimus and declare the leader was doing too much. Every mech and femme aboard the Artemis now completely relied upon Optimus and the other four mechs to get them through this and keep them alive. It hurt them to just have to sit by and watch as their leader and fellow comrades worked through a delicate situation where they could easily overheat critical systems and fall into stasis but that was all they could do.
As Ironhide thought over this, he hardly noticed the holo-display anymore. Once the holo-video ended, he finally did realize it had been a few joors and Optimus would need to wake up soon.
"What? Is it time already?" Optimus asked groggily after Ironhide woke him gently.
"No exactly but I know you want to check in on Bee before your shift."
"Thanks," he said, grateful for the thought of getting some time with the youngling before another long agonizing shift. With a grunt, Optimus pushed himself up off the couch to his feet and stretched his weary joints before heading out the door.
"Tell Bee I said hi!" Ironhide called out to his commander's retreating back and a wave from Optimus let him know the request was heard.
"Heonlyrechargedthreejoors," Blur commented, sitting nearby at a small table flanked by two recharging mechs who were slumped up on the table. It seemed nearly every Autobot was in recharge the majority of the orn due to the increasing deprivation.
"I know but it's not like I can force him, you know how Optimus is. It won't surprise me if he keeps on going even after the shipment gets here. Nope, not until every mech is on his feet will he finally relax," Ironhide sighed, knowing full well the possibility of such a thing happening if Ratchet didn't see it before it happened. Ironhide made it a note to point out this possibility to the medic the next time they spoke.
"Blur, I've been wanting to ask but I'm not sure if I'm ready to handle it," Ironhide said quietly, moving to stand but Blur beat him to it and came to sit down next to him, not wanting the weapon specialist to over exert himself, "do you have the battle in your vision files?"
"Youwishtoseewhathappened?" Blur asked quietly.
Ironhide nodded. He wanted to know, no….needed to know just how Bumblebee had gotten into such fierce injuries.
"It'. Givemeaclick. Iwillprojectit."
The fast mech put a finger to the side of his left faceplates and paused. Then the light streams projected from his eyes. Ironhide saw that Blur started from the very beginning of the battle when four Decepticons had ambushed him and Sunstreaker.
As the fight raged on, Ironhide watched with surprise when Bumblebee ran up to the two mechs and refused to leave, giving plausible reasons in an attempt to stay and fight. He was impressed when he saw Bumblebee spot the two Decepticon sneaks he hadn't noticed at all but was unable to suppress a fearsome growl as the youngling and sneaks fought. He nearly roared in outrage when he saw the spark wrenching horror of Bumblebee being attacked from behind without warning and the sudden change in the youngling who quickly took down the remaining three Decepticons.
The projection vanished with the last image of Bumblebee covered in bright energon, confusion clear on his face and Blur looked up at the weapon specialist to gauge Ironhide's reactions to the battle.
"He's…he's" Ironhide stuttered, trying to express clearly what he was thinking.
"He'sawarrior," Blur finished and Ironhide nodded helplessly. There was no other way to describe what he had seen. Bumblebee, the youngling training to be a spy had instead performed fighter like movements when his intended profession instead called for quickness and evasion. But, Ironhide couldn't deny that the espionage training had come in handy, keeping Bumblebee sharp and quick in the battle to fight the much larger Decepticons. It seemed that Bumblebee was more than a spy, more than a fighter; he had become a strange blend of every mech aboard the ship. Each Autobot had a hand in raising him.
Wheeljack taught the yellow mech science and experimentation which lead to the youngling's own personal discovery of how to make quick, rough, and effective explosives on the battlefield.
Rachet had given Bumblebee the secrets of the trade, attacks that were only known by medics till now. Ironhide knew well from personal experience that Bumblebee could drop a mech in seconds with a simple pinch of the right wires. Also, he had learned how to treat the simpler injuries that didn't require surgeries or major patch jobs.
Red Alert taught him strategic defense and the need for security.
Prowl taught him patience and how to do the monotonous tasks required throughout the ship that were neglected and dodged by most Autobots.
Sunstreaker had taken up Ironhide's intended job and took Bumblebee out to practice on the range while his twin Sideswipe took over sparring matches and hand to hand combat.
Jazz taught him hidden offensive moves and crippling strikes while Mirage taught stealth and information gathering along with whatever other skills that were needed for his espionage training. Both Autobots were the two prime teachers in his over all training.
Optimus taught Bumblebee the responsibilities that came with leadership and how to make hard decisions. The Autobot leader also put the youngling's patience to the test in keeping calm in certain chaotic situations.
Blur worked out with the young mech, mostly to try an increase his speed and accuracy while moving.
There were many other traits from many other Autobots Bumblebee had learned from but the list seemed endless.
In the end, Bumblebee learned from each Autobot on the ship and had melted all of them down into the one frame that was his. No Autobot would be able to match him once he was an adult because now the youngest of their race was left to harbor a piece of each Autobot deep within his spark. Still, it was not a reassurance to Ironhide. He could feel that if Bumblebee was capable of learning Autobot qualities easily then it was possible that he could absorb Decepticon traits as well. While, aversion and deflection were among espionage skills, it was also a Decepticon quality. Ironhide made it clear to note that Bumblebee was especially sly and quick to manipulate others' words if the situation was not headed in his intended direction. Some times the hidden Decepticon in Bumblebee crawled out too far and was shown in the cruel rare humor the youngling expressed when he was angry or upset. Before, every Autobot dared not to anger Ironhide or Rachet, the two mechs on board with the worst, most legendary tempers, but then they saw their little youngling's anger. None would even think to upset Bumblebee and would rather face Ironhide's wrath or Ratchet's well-used wrench. They were all equally surprised when Bumblebee was rather meek and didn't argue with Ironhide no matter what happened.
The behavior had occurred when Ironhide completely lost his mind the first time he saw Bumblebee and Sunstreaker out practicing on the firing range. Bumblebee did not take to the assault from his guardian well and clearly expressed he wasn't happy with Ironhide controlling his life.
All the Autobots present had watched in shock when Bumblebee seemed to match Ironhide's wrath inch for inch although the youngling was still significantly smaller. It grew heated and came to a point when Ironhide only saw red and horrified himself by allowing the thought to hit Bumblebee cross his processor. Since that argument, Bumblebee had kept quite when Ironhide was mad and took the anger without a voice of complaint.
It wounded Ironhide to see the young yellow mech bend so easily from fear of his actions. After Ironhide had lost his temper, he had instantly requested a long mission to run away from the mistake and when he finally returned a vorn later he was shocked by Bee running up and grabbing him in a hug.
Still, Bumblebee had a nasty temper that lashed out at unexpected times. No one seemed to really know what sensitive topics set the youngling off and a few had be subjected to the feared raged. The one incident that no mech would forget was when it was Ratchet who had been the one to trip the wire to Bumblebee's anger.
Ratchet, naturally, had found it his duty to give the young mech a hard talking to about not training and the inexperience of younglings. Bumblebee had not taken to the conversation well; he had not taken it well at all. Many Autobots will swear the expression on the medics face didn't change for orns after the shock he received from Bumblebee's retort to the confrontation. Ratchet had never given the rumors surrounding the youngling any weight and never anticipated such a wrath that could out do his own and decided next time he would listen a little more closely to the whispers.
Other than the smaller things that Ironhide noticed, there was one more Decepticon part in Bumblebee that terrified the guardian. It happened once but Ironhide prayed to Primus daily he would never have to witness it again.
Bumblebee and Sideswipe had been doing their usual wrestling, one of the few things the weapon specialist allowed since the youngling had always wrestled with the twins since he was a sparkling. At some point the light fighting had become more intense and a few of Sideswipes snide remarks and taunts had gotten under Bumblebee's wiring and brought forth his terrible anger. The youngling had successfully managed to complete one of Jazz's signature moves and gotten Sideswipe in a tight lock that pressed down on vital wiring which was key in sending the mech offline into reluctant recharge. Usually, in fights, a simple lock and the acknowledgement that the opponent could do no more was the end of the fight but Bumblebee's rage had gotten the better of him and he refused to ease up off the twin. The vicious look of hatred in Bumblebee's optics scared all the mechs present and it took both Sunstreaker and Ironhide's brute strength to rip the mech off of Sideswipe. From then on, no others could find the courage to go up against the youngling other than those who hadn't been a witness and surprisingly, the twins.
Being the last youngling of the race, Bumblebee was more than just a living memory of the Autobots; he was a living memory of the Cybertronian race, both Decepticon and Autobot.
"Hereallyisthelastyoungling,isn'the?" Blur asked quietly, interrupting Ironhide's thoughts and making the weapon specialist realize that he was no the only to know of the discoveries about the youngling.
The rest of the orn went by as uneventfully as the orn before with Optimus once again ending up next to Ironhide, recharging on the couch. This time, however, Ironhide allowed himself to rest and let his own frame relax and slip into recharge.
"Ironhide," Blur said, tapping the weapon specialist on the shoulder to wake him up, "Theshipmentisalmosthere. Afewjoorsaway!"
Ironhide managed a smile despite his grogginess and looked over to find that Optimus was already gone. However, his brief moment of happiness dropped away as the overhead comm clicked on and relayed a message he didn't want to hear ever again.
"All able medics report to the med bay immediately," Rachet's voice said.
First Aid, the only other medic in the entire ship to not be in some stage of deprivation, groaned and stood up slowly. His frame and systems were specialized since creation allowing himself to function with minimal energon requirements meaning he wasn't falling into deprivation as fast as his fellow Autobots. Still, with a lack of energon, he wasn't at a full 100% and had to wait a moment as he stretched to help get the flow of energon to certain parts of his frame before he could begin properly functioning again. Catching Ironhide's optic before leaving, First Aid gave a quick nod and quickly left.
Fearing for Bumblebee, Ironhide scrambled to get up and follow the young medic but Blur was all ready there, pinning him down and shaking his head.
"No. Stayhere. Youaren'tamedic,letRatchetdohisjob. Besides,you'. Beedoesn'tneedthat," Blur reasoned quickly and Ironhide sighed with defeat as he nodded and stopped resisting the fast talking mech.
Ratchet couldn't suppress the grimace as he watched Bumblebee struggle to breathe against the energon flow coming out of his mouth. The last of the energon stored away for the youngling had been hooked up with the hope that the attack would end soon enough but the medic knew he was cutting it close. The shipment was still a few joors away and too much could go wrong in between. If these attacks kept up, Bumblebee would need that shipment much sooner.
However, the yellow mech was making no sound of pain or discomfort past the usual noise of trying to breathe and choking on the life sustaining liquid.
"Bumblebee, what's wrong?" Ratchet asked, knowing something wasn't right, "How is the pain?"
"Distant, like a dull ache," Bumblebee gasped, his voice weak and his optics dull and seeming far off, trapped in another world.
"What! No! Bumblebee, I need you to focus on my voice," Ratchet yelled, his voice laced with an edge of panic as he lost his composure for the situation. Quickly, he thought of what to do before deciding to pull the youngling's chest armor off without administering any anesthesia.
Bumblebee gasped at the sudden pain but fell back into semi unconsciousness the next moment.
"Come on Bee. Embrace the pain."
He could barely hear what Ratchet was saying but Bumblebee was sure he wasn't hearing it correctly. The medic was telling Bumblebee to go towards the pain, why would Ratchet want him to suffer? All this time with the medic he had been trying to prevent pain and now the same CMO was causing it. Still, the youngling knew that Ratchet wouldn't betray him and with a trust that ran deep, Bumblebee did as Ratchet said, crying out when the medic hit sensitive wiring.
"That's good Bee, really good. Just hold on, the pain means you are alive, you are still here," Ratchet said, digging through the frame of his patient.
First Aid was the first medic back and immediately went to his superior's side for assistance.
"I'm here Rachet. What do you need me to do?"
"Stay right here and hand me the tools. I need to lessen his energon flow and can't worry about focusing on other things."
The young medic nodded and looked at the tools doing a mental check to make sure all the essentials were there. Waiting for the word, First Aid stood by Ratchet's side handing the CMO tools and taking back the unneeded ones. It was a simple process but critical since the medic working on Bumblebee wouldn't have to waste valuable time looking for the correct item needed.
"The others are energon deprived, Rachet," Wheeljack said, entering and going over to his partner's side, "So I came in their stead."
"You'll do just fine. I've given you enough training. Right now I just need alert optics. Keep a sharp look out on Bee's vitals and possible new leaks," Ratchet told him not even bothering to look up from what he was doing.
"Ratchet! Bee's not offline," Wheeljack exclaimed when he saw the youngling conscious and clearly suffering from the intense pain Ratchet was inflicting on Bumblebee as he worked.
"I know," Ratchet growled, digging deeper through Bumblebee's frame, nearly to the main line, "I can't risk putting him under. He needs the presence of pain for his processor to grasp to the fact that he can die easily if he's not alert and fighting it."
A few breems later, after Ratchet was nearly at the end of what he was doing, he hesitated to solder the opening on Bumblebee's main line knowing full well it would just rip again in one or two more joors throwing the youngling yet again into another cycle of intense pain and close calls. But, it had to be done to help preserve the precious little energon the youngling had left. Ratchet sighed and pulled back from Bumblebee's exposed frame as he studied the youngling. There just wasn't enough energon to wait.