Old Friends, New Problems
Chapter 8
#Laurentian Abyss base#%Rem's POV%
Rem looked up from her data-pad as Atti and Brimstone trudged by her work station in the med bay, helms bowed in shame. Returning to her reading, Rem hoped that she wouldn't be disturbed the remainder of the night. But, as usual, she spoke too soon, because the doors to the med bay snapped open and let in a very annoyed-looking Ratchet. Uh oh, she thought, shutting down her data-pad and laying it down on her desk.
"Everything OK, Ratchet?" Rem asked, walking over to the railing.
"Fine!" the medic snapped.
Rem cocked her head. "Megatron do something wrong? Or is the sparkling giving you trouble?"
Ratchet turned to Rem, servo on his swollen abdomen, face plates twisted in a look of frustration and annoyance. "Guess what Skylynx and Darksteel decided to do?" he growled, pinching the bridge of his nose and shaking his head.
"I'm afraid to ask," Rem replied, leaning over the railing a ways.
"Those idiots got Tommy sparked! Irresponsible fraggers!"
Rem leaned back and shifted to where her cheek was resting in her palm, and whistled, amused. "Wow, thought they hated each other," Rem said with a chuckle. " And seeing as he's one of your best apprentices - and that he hangs out with you most of the time - gotta say I'm quite surprised. So, how'd you found out? Tommy tell you?"
Ratchet exhaled deeply, sitting down on one of the med berths, and shook his head. "No," he said, then looked down at his abdomen. "This little pit spawn let me know..."
Rem smiled and nodded her head in understanding. "Sparklings - even unborn ones - can feel when another sparkling's nearby. Bet you chewed the three of them out pretty good."
"Only Darksteel and Skylynx, left Tommy alone - but I told him to come by tomorrow for an examination."
With that said, Ratchet pushed himself off the med berth and walked out of the med bay. Rem turned back to her desk, and slumped back into her chair. Grabbing her data-pad, Rem turned it on and picked up where she left off.
"Rem."
Shockwave's voice sounded loudly in her comm. link, making her jump slightly. She hated it when the mech did that. It was almost like he was trying to give Rem a spark attack.
Rem pressed her fingers to her comm. "Yes, Shockwave?" she asked.
"I need you in the lab. I have discovered something rather odd in the synthetic and red energon mixture."
Rem nodded, and stuffed her still-on data-pad in her knapsack, then tossed it over her shoulder. "OK, I'm on my way." she said. The line cut off, and she pulled up the ground bridge controls on her HUD. Soon, a swirling green-blue portal opened up with a pop and hiss, and she walked on through.
#Scrap yard#%Bumblebee's POV%
As Bumblebee laid down for the night, the lieutenant couldn't help but think about what he had said to his team - especially Strongarm - when he miraculously ground bridged on top of Grimlock - the Dinobot went back to his paranoia after that.
They weren't happy that he had went off on his own to meet up with Rem - pointing out that she was a killer and a Decepticon. After they were done reprimanding him, Bumblebee replied with a "She's my friend." and "I'm the only Autobot who she will talk to." - that got him a couple of curious looks.
"It's a long story," he'd said, rubbing the back of his helm.
He had hoped they wouldn't pry, and would just leave it as that. A long story - one he didn't want to disclose with his team without Rem's permission. But, unfortunately, Strongarm had taken it upon herself to point out that they had the right to know if they were going to trust Rem. At that, Bumblebee looked at Strongarm forlornly, and said, "Trust isn't something she's gonna give you guys, I'm afraid."
Bumblebee turned and left after that, hoping to make it to his makeshift quarters before he was bothered, again.
"Lieutenant."
Stopping, Bumblebee turned and faced the blue and white cadet, and said, "Yes, Strongarm?"
The cadet stopped just a few pedes away from him. "Can I ask you something?"
Bumblebee nodded. "Of course."
Strongarm sucked in a breath before exhaling deeply.
"Before Rem left with her comrades, she shot me a glare - as if I wronged her in some way. Why?"
Oh no, not this again, he thought, scrubbing his face with a servo. This was a story Bumblebee definitely didn't want to share. It would dig up too much of the past (and Rem would reformat him into a waste disposal shoot). Sighing, Bumblebee laid a servo on Strongarm's shoulder, then said, "That is something you should ask her yourself, Cadet. But, to put your mind at ease, the glare wasn't meant for you - just someone your connected to."
Who could Bumblebee be talking about?
Find out in Ch. 9.