And I'm back! Yay! Hope you all enjoy this chapter!
Transformers Prime: The Medic's Assistant
Chapter 11: Scrapheap
Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers Prime
(Autobot Base)
"Alright, Stormracer," Ratchet's voice said over the commlink, "open the ground bridge."
Stormracer activated the ground bridge and watched Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Ratchet, and Optimus bring in a large round pod coated in ice.
"Where should we put it?" Bulkhead asked.
"In a giant freezer?" Stormracer suggested jokingly.
"Very humorous, Stormracer," Optimus said.
"Let's put it in one of the empty hangars down the hall," Ratchet said.
Once they dealt with that, Ratchet immediately had Bulkhead and Bumblebee in the med area, making sure they were okay from being out in sub-zero temperatures for so long.
"I told you Doc, we're fine," Bulkhead said in annoyance, removing the tubes off of him as he got up.
"The only way to be certain you are fine, Bulkhead, is to endure standard defrosting procedure," the medic said, making him sit back down, "You know prolonged exposure to sub-zero conditions can cause permanent system damage."
"We're doing this because we care, Bulkhead," Stormracer said.
Bulkhead frowned at her. "Couldn't you care a little less?"
"Nope, not happening," she said with a grin.
The green bot let out a groan.
"Ratchet," Optimus said, walking over, "have you learned anything more about our Arctic find?"
"The pod can't be opened while its frozen solid," the medic told him, "once it thaws, then we will see what is inside."
Soon as they were free, Stomracer and the others, minus Arcee, left to pick up the kids. It wasn't long until they drove back into the main area, just as Optimus and Arcee were about to leave for the Arctic.
"Miss us, Doc Bot?" Miko asked as she hopped out of Bulkhead.
Ratchet groaned. "Shouldn't they be in school?"
"On a Saturday?" Miko said, "we have the whole weekend off to spend with you."
Ratchet only frowned at that.
Soon as Sierra hopped out of the teal car, she saw Optimus and Arcee in front of the active ground bridge. "Hey, where's Optimus and Arcee going?" she asked her guardian.
"To the Arctic," Stormracer said after she transformed into robot mode, kneeling down in front of her friend.
"Oh! That's... cold," the girl said with a slight chill.
"Yep. It's even cold for us bots. If we were to stay out in sub-zero temperatures for too long... well, its bad. But Optimus and Arcee will only be out there for a short time, so they'll be okay." Deciding to change the subject, the femme clapped her servos together. "So, what do you want to do? Go driving? Watch funny cat videos?"
"Don't you have to work today?" Sierra asked.
"Not at the moment. As long as nothing happens, I'm free for the next little bit."
"Well in that case, why don't we-"
Just then the groundbridge controls sparked, gaining their attention as smoke emerged.
"By the AllSpark!" Ratchet exclaimed.
"Hold that thought," Stormracer told Sierra as she got up and rushed over to Ratchet. "What happened?" she asked him.
"I don't know," the medic said.
"Did Optimus and Arcee make it through okay?" she asked.
"Yes, but we have to get the ground bridge operational again if we are to get them back to base safely. I'm going to need Bumblebee and Bulkhead to do heavy lifting for me. I need you to run and grab my tool kit."
"On it!" she said before rushing off down the hall. Soon as she got to the storage area, she saw the tool kit sitting off on the side.
"Gotcha," she said as she went over to grab it. Just then the power went out for a second, making the lights flicker as she stopped in her tracks.
"Okaaay," she said, looking up at the lights, "that's weird."
She grabbed the kit and went to leave, only to hear something scurrying across the floor.
"Huh?" she said as she looked around the room. "What was that?"
The power went off and on again. She started feeling a little bit scared as the lights flickered.
"Okay, nothing to be scared of," she nervously said to herself, backing away, "just a slight power malfunction. Just gotta get this kit to Ratchet and-"
She heard a clinking sound right beside her, making her look down. Just then a small cute metal creature came into view, blinking its big purple optics at her.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" she screamed as she dropped the kit and frantically ran out of the room, "Scraplet! Scraplet!" she yelled as she ran into the main hangar, "guys, there's a scraplet in the- Aaah!" she screamed again as she skidded to a halt, seeing one recharging in Raf's arm.
"Whoa, whoa, what's wrong?!" Sierra asked her.
"K-keep it away!" Stormracer shrieked, backing away from them. She looked up, seeing the others staying clear away from it as well with Bulkhead and Bumblebee having their weapons out.
"Why?" Raf asked, "what is it?"
"Scraplet," Ratchet said, "the most dangerous vermin to ever walk across the face of Cybertron."
The kids looked at the bots questionably before looking at the cute sleeping creature.
"This?" Jack asked, "are you kidding me?"
"Just get rid of it before it eats us!" Stormracer exclaimed.
Sierra gave her friend a look. "Okay, now you're just exaggerating."
"No I'm not!"
"Come on," Miko said, looking at the other bots, "you're giant robots. Scrappy here is... teeny."
"You don't know the damage that teeny thing can do!" Bulkhead exclaimed.
"Aw, he wouldn't hurt anything," Raf said, just as the small creature woke up.
Soon as the scraplet saw the bots it revealed its whirling sharp teeth, chomping the air as it hopped out of the younger boy's arm and towards the mechs. Bumblebee and Bulkhead immediately tried shooting it, only for it to dodge their attacks. It leaped and latched onto Bumblebee's leg, eating away at his armor. The scout fearfully fell back, trying to get it off of him. He was able to swat it away, making it land back on the floor.
The scraplet went for the attack again... only for Raf to kill it with a crowbar. He kept hitting it until Jack finally grabbed the crowbar, stopping him.
"Easy there, Killer," Jack told him.
Raf let out a sigh before rushing over to Bumblebee. Ratchet was already checking to make sure the scout was alright.
"I'm sorry, Bumblebee," Raf apologized.
"It's okay, Raf," Bumblebee said, "you didn't know."
The young boy looked up at the medic. "Is he going to be okay?"
"Only a mesh wound," Ratchet told him, "he'll live."
"Now do you believe us?" Bulkhead said to the kids, "all scraplets do is dismantle machinery and eat anything metal. Especially living metal."
"Well, bug squashed," Jack said, "game over, right?"
"Yeah, it was just one," Sierra said.
"Sierra, there's no such thing as just one scraplet," Stormracer told her.
"And I fear I may know how they got in here," Ratchet said gravely.
Everyone made their way into the hangar where the pod was being held, seeing it thawed with a big hole in it.
"It's a trap," Ratchet said, "a scraplet trap."
"Uh, an empty scraplet trap," Bulkhead said nervously.
"Most likely ejected into space eons ago," the medic said, "only to wind up in the Arctic, where the temperature kept them in stasis."
"Until we brought the thaw," Jack said.
"Now they're wide awake and ready to brunch," Miko said.
"And we're on the menu," Stormracer said with a shiver.
"So, how many are we talking about?" Rafael asked.
"Thousands," Ratchet said, "and the power malfunctions and ground bridge damage are sure signs that their infestation is well underway. We have to contact Optimus and tell him the situation."
The group then headed back to the main area, Ratchet immediately trying to contact the Prime.
"Ratchet to Optimus, do you read me? We have a situation," the medic said, only to get no response as the computer glitched, "the scraplets have gotten into the comm-link system! If we don't eradicate these creatures immediately, they will reduce the entire base to a scrapheap!"
"I say we bug out of here and let them keep it!" Bulkhead fearfully suggested.
"I second that!" Bumblebee agreed.
"We can't," Stormracer said, "if we leave, then Optimus and Arcee will be stuck in the Arctic."
"Stormracer is correct," Ratchet told them, "if we don't get the ground bridge back online stat, Optimus and Arcee will perish."
"They will?" Jack asked worryingly.
Miko frowned as she marched over to her guardian. "Bulkhead, you never run!"
"Miko, you haven't seen a swarm of these things devour a bot," the green bot told her, "I have. They pick you apart from the inside out, going for the small, juicy bits first- fuse by fuse, circuit by circuit, til there's nothing left, and I mean nothing. Not even your optics."
After hearing Bulkhead's description, Stormracer groaned as she pinched her brow. "Great," she said, "now I'm seeing it in my helm. There goes a week of recharge."
"You have to let us help," Jack said, looking at Ratchet.
"We're not made of metal," Rafael said.
"Yeah, the scraplets can't hurt us," Miko said.
"And you really don't have any other choice," Sierra said.
Ratchet thought for a moment. "Typically, I find your fleshiness to be your least engaging quality," he told them, "but, it would appear to provide an advantage under these extremes."
"Okay, good," Jack said, "so we pair off. One bot, one human. Sierra and I will watch yours and Stormracer's back while you repair the ground bridge."
"And we go on a bug hunt," Miko said.
Both Bumblebee and Bulkhead fearfully shudder. Soon as the kids armed themselves with pipes and tools, Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Miko, and Raf made their way down the hall.
The medic looked at his assistant. "Let's get to work."
"Got it," she said before realizing something, "Oh scrap!"
"What?" he asked.
"Your tool kit," she said, putting her servo on her helm, "its still in the storage room. I dropped it when I saw the scraplet."
Ratchet let out a vent. "Alright, I'll go get it."
"No, no, I will," Stormracer said, "you know how the ground bridge works better than I do. It's best that I go."
"I'll protect her, Ratchet," Sierra told him.
Ratchet wanted to argue, but knew they were running out of time. "Hurry and be careful," he told his assistant, "I'll see what I can do until you get back."
Nodding, both the femme and girl rushed out of the room and down the hall.
Keeping a close eye/optic out, the two made their way to the storage room. Once they were at the door, Stormracer activated her EMP generator and let out a nervous vent.
"Maybe I should go in first," Sierra suggested to her.
"Yeah, good idea," the femme said nervously, stepping off to the side before opening the door for the human.
Sierra held up her pipe and made her way in, scanning the room for any sign of scraplets. "Clear," she said.
Sticking her helm in through the doorway, Stormracer made her way in, still scanning the room. Letting out a vent of relief, the femme looked down and saw Ratchet's tool kit still on the floor. Quickly putting the tools back into the kit, she picked it up and gave Sierra a thumbs up. Just then they heard scurrying coming from the vents. Stormracer began trembling as Sierra readied herself.
"Just stay close, Storm," the human told her friend.
Stormracer couldn't help but let out a nervous chuckle as they made their way towards the exit, "you know, its funny. Not that long ago, I was your body guard."
"Let's just get that kit to Ratchet," Sierra said.
The two made it into the hall. But before they could rush back to the main area, they saw a small group of scraplets in their path, eating away at a large pipe along the wall.
"Oh no," Stormracer whimpered, having her EMP generator ready.
Sierra gripped her pipe. "Maybe we can quietly walk right by them."
Stormracer gave her a terrified look before looking back at the scraplets, making her shiver. Ever so quietly, the two slowly made their way by the scraplets as they continued feasting, staying close against the other side of the hall as much as possible. The scraplets didn't even notice as they walked by. But just when the two thought they were okay, Stormracer's pede hit a chewed up piece of metal. The scraplets stopped and looked up, seeing the cybertronian fearfully looking back at them. Teeth out, they went for the attack.
Stormracer tried using her EMP on the vermin, only for them to dodge. She fell back as they jumped onto her, making her scream as she tried getting them off. Sierra immediately started hitting the scraplets with her pipe as they began eating her friend's armor. After a struggle, Sierra managed to get them all, allowing the femme to sit up.
"Are you okay?" she asked her friend worryingly.
Stormracer shivered as she got back up. "yeah, though I think I just lost another week of recharge."
Grabbing the kit, the two rushed back to the main area.
"Got it!" Stormracer said, rushing the kit over to the medic.
Seeing the bite marks all over her, Ratchet's optics widened. "Are you alright?!"
"Yeah," she said, "let's just get the ground bridge fixed."
Both immediately went to work while Jack and Sierra kept guard.
After a while, Jack asked the two bots, "how's it going over there?"
"I've repaired the damaged conductors and rerouted the central conduits, but the ground bridge still won't receive power!" Ratchet said in frustration, even hitting the floor with his fist.
"We'll figure it out," Stormracer said, "I just hope Bumblebee and Bulkhead are okay."
Just then they heard scurrying, making everyone look up to see scraplets making their way into the room.
"Uh oh," Sierra said worryingly.
Seeing the two bots, the scraplets bared their teeth and flew towards them.
"They fly?!" Jack exclaimed, "you never said they could fly!"
Stormracer tried using her EMP generator on them, but there were too many as they reached the two bots and latched onto their armor. Both the medic and assistant fell to the ground, flailing and yelling as the scraplets feasted on them.
"No!" Sierra exclaimed as she used her pipe to hit the scraplets off her guardian.
Jack tried helping Ratchet, using his pipe to get them off of the medic.
"Jack!" Ratchet shouted, pointing off to the side, "the fire extinguisher!"
Looking over to see the fire extinguisher, Jack grabbed it and rushed over towards Ratchet, using it on the scraplets. The scraplets soon froze up and fell off the medic. Jack then used it on Stormracer, making the scraplets fall off of her.
Bulkhead and Bumblebee came back with the kids, both bots having bite marks all over them.
"Ratchet, get the patch kit," Bulkhead said, "We're leaking energon like- whoa!"
Jack and Sierra looked up, seeing more scraplets above them. Soon as the scraplets saw the other two bots, they attacked. All four bots were down on the ground, covered in scraplets as they screamed and flailed, trying to get them off. The humans immediately tried saving their friends, attacking the scraplets with everything they had.
Finally after a long while, all the scraplets in the room were offlined. The four bots groaned weakly, resting off to the side while the humans made sure all the scraplets were dead.
"Did we get them all?" Sierra asked as they made their way over to the bots.
They heard a noise echoing through the base.
"Hardly," Ratchet said, "these were just scouts."
"You have got to be kidding," Stormracer moaned.
"We're so scrap!" Bumblebee bleeped, flopping back.
"So the rest of them know we're in here?" Bulkhead weakly asked.
"And if we allow ourselves to become their next meal, Optimus and Arcee will never make it home," Ratchet said, "we must get the ground bridge operational."
"Then we can use it to send the scraplets anywhere on Earth," Raf said.
"Why not back to the Artic?" Jack suggested, "we already know they don't do cold."
"Sweet!" Miko said, "one stop shopping."
"Given the body mass of the scraplets, sub-zero temperature should freeze them on contact," the medic said, "so think Ratchet. Think! If the groundbridge is still down, then there must be a breach in the energon fuel line."
"Great," Bumblebee bleeped before falling back again, "just one problem."
"If we weren't breaching, one of us could get back over there and fix it," Bulkhead said.
"Where can we find it?" Jack asked.
"And how do we fix it?" Sierra asked.
The bots glanced at one another, agreeing sending the kids is the best option. Soon as Ratchet told the humans where and what to do, they quickly headed for the fuel line. While the bots waited, Stormracer looked at the mess around them.
"Hey," she said weakly with a light laugh, "maybe we should clean up the place before Optimus gets back."
She only got frowns from the three, making her smirk disappear.
"Too soon?" she asked.
"Too soon," the three mechs said in unison.
They remained quiet for a while until Bulkhead broke the silence.
"So, if we get- when we get the groundbridge open, do we send the creepy crawlies out or our bots in?" he asked.
"Optimus and Arcee will be fresh meat," Ratchet told him, "if we bring them in first, the scraplets will have no reason to leave. We'll need bait."
"Where are we going to get bait?!" the green bot exclaimed, "the scraplets already helped themselves to everything in here!"
Hearing a sound, Stormracer hushed the others. "Shhh, listen."
They heard the sound getting louder and louder. Just then the scraplets bursted out from the vents, flying around up in the air.
The bots quickly ducked down as they fearfully looked up at the swarm above them, seeing some of the scraplets already starting to eat parts of the room.
"Ratchet, all systems go!" Jack shouted as he and the other kids ran into the room.
"Fire it up!" Miko yelled.
Still very weak, Ratchet got up and grabbed the lever on the console. "Ground bridge... activated." Pushing down on the lever, the medic fell to the floor.
Bulkhead looked around as a metal beam fell from the roof, making him look over at the now active ground bridge.
"Bait, huh?" he said as he got up and made his way over to the groundbridge.
"Bulkhead, what are you doing?!" Stormracer fearfully exclaimed.
Bulkhead began waving his arms, getting the scraplets attention. "Ready for the main course? Come and get it!"
All the scraplets chased after the green mech as he ran through the ground bridge portal, Ratchet having to push back Stormracer and Bumblebee so not to be seen by the swarm. Everyone watched as the last scraplet exited the base, making them worry about their friends. They waited for what felt like a life time until they finally saw Optimus, Arcee, and Bulkhead making their way through the ground bridge. Happy to see their friends still online, Ratchet, Bumblebee, and Stormracer let out vents of relief while the humans sighed in relief.
(Later)
Having to help one another out, all the bots made it to the med bay area. Bumblebee, Arcee, and Stormracer were laying on the medical berths while Ratchet, Bulkhead, and Optimus sat on the ground. Since Ratchet was injured, he instructed the kids on what to do as they helped their friends.
"Report bio circuitry status," Ratchet said to Jack.
"Levels are rising," the teen reported, giving him a thumbs up.
"Excellent," Ratchet said before looking at the other humans, "Rafael, keep a close watch on Bumblebee's electro pulse monitor. Miko, check Bulkhead's interface patch."
"It's steady," Raf said.
"Looking good," Miko reported.
"Perhaps you should get some rest yourself, old friend," Optimus told to the medic, "you saved quite a few lives today."
"It wasn't all my doing," Ratchet said, looking at the humans, "we're just fortunate that this infestation happened on a Saturday."
"Our human friends may be small," Optimus said, "but they are strong."
Just then Sierra and Miko screamed in terror, gaining everyone's attention.
"Scraplet?!" Jack asked, he and Raf now on guard.
"Spider!" Miko yelled.
"Ew, I think it's on you!" Sierra fearfully said, getting away from Miko.
"What?!" the exchange student exclaimed as she started panicking, "get it off!"
"I'm not touching it!" the red head argued as she quickly backed away, "stay away from me!"
"Get it off! Get it off!" Miko fearfully shouted as she started flailing, running towards Sierra.
"Miko!" Sierra yelled as she ran, Miko running right after her.
Everyone couldn't help but watch the two girls run off as they screamed.
"Did they just scream like little girls?" Bulkhead asked.
And that was chapter 11! I hope you liked it. I have already started working on the next chapter, so hopefully I will update that one soon. Until next time! God bless!