Chapter 5

Back at the station, Frederick couldn't understand what was happening, the electronic squeal shorted out the comm link to the Astronauts, alarms sounded as the system failed. Within minutes Trent was forcing himself through the module, "What's going on, what's happened?!" Zeiger shook his head as he frantically tried to reestablish communication.

"We're deaf, Stokes found something out there, I think it's alive. Comms are down." Trent initiated station wide relay, "Porter, Shimizu. Command centre now! We got problems up here."

The team worked urgently, "I got it!" Zeiger boomed, "Nadya, Phil can you read me, what's going on out there?" Static filled the speakers, Trent felt his teeth grind together, "C'mon, c'mon." he uttered under his breath, "Come in over."

"We're here…unintelligeble… we were attacked...garbled… Stokes is losing air fast, we only have one tether! Mine wont…static…make it back with one." Nadya's normally calm voice was etched with panic as she fought to regain control of the situation. Stokes's gasping breaths could be heard over the comms. "Hang on Phil, you can't die here. I won't let you."

"Might not… have…choice…"

"Stop talking!… conserve your air." Nadya clutched onto him for dear life, unable to pull him back to the station, her tether was all that was stopping them from floating into a vast, cold and slow death. She glanced frantically back at the station, desperately thinking of a solution. "Need help guys, please."

Trent licked his lips, a nervous habit he'd picked up somewhere along the line, "Don't worry Nadya, stay calm, we'll get you home… somehow."

"What about the grappling arm used for docking shuttle craft?" Zeiger offered.

"It's too short, they're too far out and we risk permanently stranding ourselves here if we damage it." Porter answered swiftly.

"What about the suit boosters?" Trent suggested.

"Nadya has run out of fuel, they're only meant for short bursts." Zeiger responded grimly.

"What about Stokes's suit?"

"It could work, but he's un-tethered and if he boosts and is facing the wrong direction, the force will snap the remaining tether. We'll lose them both."

"Damn it! We have to find a way people." Trent demanded in an uncharacteristic loss of cool.

"Cut loose."

The three Astronauts turned to face the quiet Shimizu.

"What did you just say?" Porter demanded.

"Protocol states if the risk is to lose one or both Astronauts, we must save the one we have the solution to save." Shimizu's English was rusty, Porter was agitated. "You're not making sense man! You're saying we let one of them die out there?"

"Hai…" Shimizu replied swiftly, confidently. The realisation dawned on Trent, to get them both back was too much of a risk, he had the power to save one, the one still tethered to the station. He took a deep breath.

"Nadya, do you copy."

"Still here, not going anywhere." Trent nodded before remembering she couldn't see him. All eyes were on him. "Nadya, you have to cut loose, we will find another way to save Stokes."

"What?!?!" All the Astronauts cried out at once, Porter in his anger grabbed his superior by the collar,

"You can't be serious! I knew you didn't like him, but this is ridiculous, you can't give this order!" Trent shoved back, "If you have a better idea I am all ears Lieutenant!" Porter stared at him incredulously. "I thought not… Nadya pivot to face the station and when you're ready let go of Stokes. Aim as close to the station as you can." Trent hesitated, knowing his plan had little chance of succeeding. "Stokes, when she lets go of you, fire your boosters. We're going to try and use the grappling arm to grab you as you fly past. Do you copy?" Frederick realising his commander's plan, swung into action. With Porter's help he readied the grappling arm.

"Yes Sir, standby." Nadya stared at Stokes, he grinned at her, "Hey doll… don't you worry about me… free as a bird… I'll be ok." He gave her arm a squeeze, as she pivoted round to the station. Her eyes filling with tears, she bit her lip. Stokes nodded feebly. "We're ready." Her voice caught in her throat. Trent's voice filled the helmet.

"Do it, we'll be watching for you Phil, try to fly straight."

"Didn't…know… you cared…" Stokes coughed as he tried to laugh, his head feeling light and dizzy. Despite himself, Trent allowed himself a thin smile. "Just hang on buddy. We're bringing you home."

Nadya managed to pull herself back to the air lock swiftly, almost too quickly, she stumbled more than once. Stokes was heading straight for the grappling arm, she watched with baited breath as his boosters finally gave out. All was going according to plan, when suddenly, a flash of metal shot across her vision heading straight for Stokes. She screamed, "Stokes behind you!!!"

The small but agile creature collided into Stokes who tried weakly to fend it off. It clawed at his helmet and suit, with one last courageous effort, he thrust the creature into the waiting grasp of the grappling arm and it closed tightly around its metal frame. Its piercing scream was one of pain and rage, it screached a few times more before falling silent. Reaching out, Stokes tried desperately to grab the arm. His gloved fingers brushed against the aluminium before sliding off. Arms outstretched he glided on, past the arm and away from the station.

"Grab him!! Get him back!!" Trent roared, "I can't, he's… he's out of range…" Frederick faltered. The Astronauts watched the white figure drift slowly out of their reach; Nadya rejoined them, her face streaked by tears. "He'll get caught in the planet's gravity field, in approximately… um… 20 minutes." She uttered in a whisper.

Porter placed his head in his hands, the station was silent. They were helpless to save their colleague, their friend. Shimizu started waving frantically and pointing at the view port. "Look, look!" He exclaimed excitedly. They gathered around the tiny window. To their astonishment, Stokes was no longer drifting aimlessly away from them. In amazement, the four Astronauts watched, as five giant metallic beings - which had come out of no where - flew directly toward them. In the palm of the biggest, lay Stokes. He was unconscious and very short of oxygen, but alive. They stared in shocked silence, no one reacted. An electronic signal transmitted through their comms system, startling them. Static cleared and a commanding, yet distinctly non threatening voice, spoke out into the station. "We have your injured colleague; he is in need of immediate oxygen and medical attention. He has suffered some exposure." Trent spoke quietly to Nadya. "Go to the air lock, get him in." She nodded swiftly and exited the module.

"Um, I am flight Commander Rick Trent, not to be rude but um… who the hell are you? Why did that smaller one of you attack us?"

"I am Optimus Prime; I am leader of the Autobots. We have been working with other members of your planet for some time now. We're here to help you."

"Then why attack us first?" Trent demanded, recovering his confidence. Another voice sounded through the speakers, less commanding than the first but no less firm. "The smaller one you mentioned is most likely a Decepticon. They are our enemy and have made it their mission to destroy Earth, if they can. Did you kill it?" Ratchett demanded.

"Um I'm not sure it's located in our grappling arm."

The larger Autobot motioned to one of the flanking smaller ones, "Bumblebee, neutralise the threat." Optimus ordered electronically, Bumblebee nodded and swiftly headed to the docking arm. "Commander Trent, you have nothing to fear from us. We must get to our ship located nearby, I will place Bumblebee and Sideswipe as guards to your station, that should prevent further attacks."

"Thanks… I think. Are you the reason we have no contact with Earth?"

"No, we believe that to be the work of the Decepticons also. Our teams on Earth are at this moment trying to rectify the situation. Please try to remain calm. We will do all we can to help." Optimus turned away from the station. "Bumblebee, Sideswipe remain here, keep watch. Contact me if there are any more Decepticon incursions. Do not face them alone." He commanded sternly, casting a reproving look in Bumblebee's direction. "Keep the station and its crew as safe as you can, we shall return with the Ark as soon as we are able." Bumblebee and Sideswipe both nodded in acknowledgement and proceeded to set up flanking positions at either side of the station. The other three headed in the opposite direction, towards the Earth's neighbouring planet.

Sideswipe grunted in Bumblebee's head, "Let those Decepticon punks attack now, we'll see who comes out on top. Haven't met a Decepticon yet who can best me. Whole lotta' scrap metal, the lot of em." Bumblebee shook his head in amusement at Sideswipe's typically over-confident attitude. He kept watch, scanning the surrounding space for something, anything that could be a potential threat. Suddenly a shot fired out. He raced round to meet Sideswipe. "False alarm bit of space junk." Sideswipe laughed dismissively at the situation and he continued to patrol the station. Electronically Bumblebee rebuked him. Enjoying his smaller friend's discomfort, Sideswipe glanced over his shoulder, his optics narrowing. "What are you going to do small fry?" He teased. Grinning to himself, he spun his weapons round cockily.

"Just be more careful! The last thing we want is to alert more Decepticons to our presence here, which would further endanger the humans. You know how Prime feels about that." Bumblebee retorted impatiently.

"Hey at least I'm on the ball, nothing is getting past me. I got this place locked down tight, all by myself." Bumblebee rolled his eyes, before turning and heading the opposite way. Trust Optimus to partner him with the Autobot with the largest ego in tow. 'It's going to be one of those days' he thought to himself dejectedly.