Inspired by Misgel

No P.O.V [Location, Autobots Base]

"Optimus do you read me?:

"Ratchet . . . please open a Space Bridge."

As soon as the comm line went dead, Ratchet swiftly opened a Space Bridge to Cybertron, a planet reeling from a recent, devastating battle.

One by one, the Autobots passed through. Each entered the main room, their helms lowered. Bumblebee, carrying an unconscious youngling, was the first to arrive. Ratchet, confused but determined, quickly set up the Medbay. Arcee and Bulkhead followed, their faces etched with sorrow. Smokescreen and Optimus brought up the rear.

A heavy silence filled the room, broken only by the hum of machinery. Ratchet, lost in his task, was oblivious to the tension.

''Optimus...'' Bulkhead's voice, heavy with grief, cut through the silence. ''Destroyed the Omega Lock.'' Ratchet immediately froze. ''What?!'' he demanded, disbelief coloring his voice. ''No, not Optimus. Not when we were so close.'' Optimus, his voice a mere whisper, spoke. 'It was necessary. There was no time for another battle, not with Earth in danger. Not with the children..." His voice trailed off, lost in the weight of his decision."

"So you destroyed the only device capable of restoring our home? Optimus, we needed that!" Ratchet's voice was a furious hiss. "You weren't there, Doc, and it's not your place to second-guess a battlefield decision," Smokescreen retorted, his finger jabbing at Ratchet. "It is my place! There had to be another way!" Ratchet insisted.

"It wasn't that simple, Ratchet," Arcee interjected, her voice heavy with regret. "What about our planet? All our struggles, the spilled energon, the countless sacrifices-all for nothing?"

"Sometimes, the right decision feels wrong," Arcee continued. "But we have a new problem. The Cons changed the rules when they involved Jack, Miko, and Raf. And now, with the Omega Lock destroyed, everything's changed."

"So this youngling is one of the children-" Ratchet began, but a small moan cut him off. He turned to see the youngling's optics flickering, then dimming. Panic surged through him.

Ratchet quickly scanned the unconscious youngling, cradled in Bumblebee's servos. His optics widened in alarm as the scanner flashed red. "His Energon levels are critical! I need Energon, now!" Urgency propelling him, Ratchet carefully extracted the youngling from Bumblebee's servos and rushed towards the Medbay. "Bulkhead! Go to the storage room!' he barked out, who was already moving."

Ratchet quickly accessed one of Bumblebee's fluid lines and drew some Energon. The scout beeped in surprise as the precious life fluid was drawn from his system. Ratchet then attached a hypodermic needle to the line and injected the Energon directly into the youngling's spark chamber."

With a sigh of relief, Ratchet turned to the others. "Bulkhead and Arcee, get more Energon. We'll need it."

The room fell silent as they waited, their breaths held. Then, a flicker of light-the youngling's optics were slowly coming online. Relief washed over them. In the meantime, Bulkhead and Arcee had headed to the storage room to gather more Energon.

"Ra-chet?"

To be continued. . .