Transformers Story Shots

# 9

This was going to be a long story and it just …lost its way…

Percy and Hound are stranded on Cybertron with a Neutral chopper. Prime Universe.

They say you can never go backwards in time. You can merely look back at what has been, and learn. You can learn from almost anything, successes and mistakes. I found that each experience effects me differently. Some weigh heavier on my spark than others, and some pass like the wind: unseen.

Today is not really more extraordinary than any other. It continues in ways that I myself am still studying. These ever changing seasons. Yes, I said seasons, they shift and move. Wax and wane, and we're trying to figure out the cause. Six lasers in smack in the middle of a frigid snap, and the sea of rust is unnervingly hot.

Our orbit has fallen I believe and with the death of the planet our axis has changed, it's hard to tell from the surface, but the star maps do not lie. My optics can see the change in the sky.

I am stationed in Blaster City just south of the Hydrax Plateau. I along with one other mech await the return of my consort. He has been gone investigating the spaceport ruins for days now. We've had no correspondence. I do not fear for him. He has always been brave and cunning. He can care for himself. It is our companion I worry over, he is nervous, scared even. It's hard to make heads or tails of it. - Perceptor head of Scientific Study, Iocon

Apache shifted looking out the port hole. "He's headed our way." Percy stood looking out the same glass Apache had and nodded.

"Ready the medical bay we'll have to scan him." he sighed. "Thank primus." The scientist murmured lightly. "I was starting to worry."

Apache stood and nodded his propeller blades fanning softly as he stood. "Uh huh." he commented. "you've been worried since he left."

Perceptor didn't answer and looked down at his monitor. He logged out and moved toward the cargo bay to open the doors of the grounded cargo ship that had become their home. It's cybermatter reactor was providing them with power and a filtration system for the energon they could salvage.

Hound was coming in across the plateau fast, hauling the rear part of what looked like a cargo container on wheels in tow. Percy looked at Apache who only shrugged. "No clue kid." He said as they awaited the green mech's return

Percy watched with baited vents as the green mech approached beeping his horn twice as he pulled up along side the two. "Unhook that for me will ya?" he asked.

Percy nodded making his way around the green mech to unhook the trailer. "What did you find?"

Hound pulled forward and transformed. "a whole lotta nothing." He stretched and yawned. "Got some more energon tanks, mostly they are full, there's a few with some cracks but they're still holding. I picked up a few battery cells...and," he sighed. "A stasis pod."

Percy lit up. "Perfect I can salvage a few parts-"

"Perce." Hound interrupted. "It's occupied."

Apache blinked. "By whom?"

Hound shrugged. "I am unsure." He said with a sign." "I just couldn't leave it out there." He said and moved to the trailer pulling the doors wide open. "Lets get this stuff unloaded I need some recharge."

Percy nodded. "Understood."

Hound smiled down at him. "Miss me?"

Before Percy could answer Apache snorted. "He doesn't even recharge quietly without you." Apache smirked at Perceptor and grabbed out two energon tanks. "Come on you two can play make up later."

Percy nodded. "Indeed." He reached forward grabbing a hold of a battery cell.

Hound bumped Percy's arm as Apache walked away. "Don't mind him."

Perceptor smiled. "I never do."

It took them a few hours to get things put away and get the two battery cells hooked up. Percy had excused himself to their rear cabin that doubled as their medical bay to look over the stasis pod. "He's been very quiet." Apache said softly swirling the energon around in his cube.

"Has he?" Hound asked looking toward the back of the cabin then back to the helicopter's optics.

"Yes, very." Apache sighed. "He's concerned about the climate change, honestly so am I..." He took a drink. "I cannot get above thirty thousand feet without my blades freeing over."

hound frowned. "There's never been icing issues on Cybertron before."

"Until now." Apache said calmly. "I think we should set up communications relays between here and the plateau." He said kindly. "We need to be able to communicate with you when you're out of sensor range." he shrugged. "I've been working on a prototype."

"Didn't know you were the inventive type." Hound smiled.

"I'm not but the ship's database held very specific communication relay instructions, and I feel we may be able to power them with solar energy to save on energon."

"That would be a boon to us." Hound nodded. "If it works."

"So far, it does." He said. "I'll show you in more detail in the dawning hours."

Hound nodded. "If you don't mind...I think Percy and I will recharge late." He offered.

"It is ...understandable." Apache agreed with such polite stoicism. "I will ensure that a proper demonstration is ready and that you will be able to observe it upon your awakening."

Hound smiled. "I'm sorry this is so taxing for you." He said

Apache looked up. "Taxing?" He questioned and set his cube down.

"Yes. I know you lost your consort, it must be hard to see Percy and myself daily." He said calmly.

"No." Apache smiled, and shook his helm. "Honestly it isn't. I am endeared by your affections, they remind me of him." He said calmly. "He's out there. This war would not have killed him. This small inconvenience of separation is a test of strength. " The flyer rubbed over his torso plate. "He lives." He nodded honestly. "I know this."

"I hope we can find him." Hound said positively.

Apache nodded. "Indeed that is my fondest hope as well." He smiled softly. "Please go peel him away from that stasis pod, you need one another...it is evident." His genuine smile almost disarming.

"Of course." Hound nodded. "Good night."

#10

Optimus and Bumblebee discuss things. (Bumblebee is suffering from a Bond flux, he and Prime attempted to Bond and believed they had, though the matrix finds Bumblebee far from worthy.) This was going to be some HUGE thing and I just decided I didn't like it. POST Season 3 PRIME.

It didn't seem all that uncommon to see them together. There were, after all, so few of them now. Smokescreen knew it was wrong to stare but he couldn't help it. He had to keep his optics on this. Was he jealous? Of course not; He just didn't understand what was going on around him.

Optimus had been quiet as of late, speaking rarely and spending most of his time either in the main command center or in his quarters. It did not strike Smokescreen as odd. What did was the company he kept outside of that. Mostly, mainly, Bumblebee.

Bumblebee nodded in the direction of the door. The gesture had pulled Prime out of his thoughts. "He's been watching us again." The scout said calmly looking out at the mess on the floor around him. "It's not that I mind, but we should talk to him. See what it is he's thinking."

Optimus gave a soft hum of acknowledgement. "I will consider it." He stated. "Though I would feel more comfortable should he come to us." Optimus knelt down lifting up a datapad in his hand. Clicking the top button it flickered and then died. He noted the cracked screen and then tossed it aside. "There's not much here I'm afraid."

"Well I can start by clearing out most of this." The scout said calmly. "If you want me to." He offered.

"That would be of much assistance to me thank you Bumblebee." Optimus sighed and turned around, it would be a daunting task. "Perhaps this would be an opportune time to ask Smokescreen to help us."

Bumblebee nodded. "Are we going to tell him?"

Optimus was quiet for a long moment. "We should say something to everyone but I would like to wait until Ultra Magnus and Wheeljack have returned from Stanix to do so." He said quietly. "Are you uncomfortable keeping the secret?"

"No." Bumblebee answered honestly. "I just dislike all the subterfuge I guess it makes me feel guilty." Bumblebee turned grabbing up an upturned table and righting it on its four legs.

A hand stopped his movements as it rested on his shoulder. "Bumblebee." The name rolled off his glossa like a prayer. "Please do not feel so held back by this. We will tell them, all of them, in due time."

"I need to see Ratchet soon." Bumblebee murmured. "The pain grows worse by the day."

"I know." Optimus squeezed the plating of his shoulders on either side of his door wings. "I know." The Prime's fingers kneeded the metal slowly as they stood in stark silence. This silence didn't last long before the scout turned around to look up at the older mech.

"Do we tell them the truth?" He asked.

Optimus nodded. "You seem afraid of it." such a statement of fact more so than a question.

"I just don't know what they will say." Bumblebee admitted.

"It matters not." Optimus stated softly. His hand came forward and pressed against the side of the scout's helm. "I know you are concerned. The choice we made, was ours. It was not made lightly, and their opinions on the subject mean little to me. This you know."

"I'm frightened." Bumblebee said honestly the Prime's words not giving him an once of comfort.

Optimus nodded. "If I could take your place ...I would." He frowned. "I feel no such discomfort and I know not why."

Bumblebee shook his head. "Don't say such things." His voice morose as he broke the Prime's hold. "I just..." He shrugged.

Optimus feeling cornered stopped. "Take the time you need...I am here for you at any hour should you require my presence." Optimus turned. "I'll go check on how the work on the lower level is coming along." He began to stride to the door. "And Bumblebee?" he paused.

The Scout's helm turned. "Remember my care." The scout nodded in response and went to picking up more debris from the floor.

Night crested over the planet and the switch from 24 hour time to a 38 hour day was a bit jarring at first. The crew did all they could to help clean up the one building they had chosen as both home and headquarters. This building, the old archive, would facilitate the reconstruction of Cybertron. They called it simply The Tower.

Ratchet shook his helm as he stepped off the ground bridge pad. He sighed hefting up his medical kit. "Come on." he said behind himself.

Knockout nodded and moved along with him to the building. "So why expressly did they call us- I mean you?"

Ratchet shook his head but didn't look back. "Something is wrong with Bumblebee but Optimus would not give specifics." He stated. "That's why you're here...between the two of us we should be able to manage whatever it may be."

Knockout nodded. "Sounds logical, but shouldn't he be in tip top shape after that dip in all that cybermatter?"

"We'll just have to reserve any ...opinions until we see him." Ratchet sighed, this was going to be harder than he imagined. "Stay close to me and don't wander off."

Knockout nodded. "Understood." He looked up and let out a long wistle. "Didn't waste time did they?" The city was starting to regain it's old sheen.