Energon is Thicker Than Water (RID2015 Fanfic)

Chapter 5 - The Last Straw

"Watch the stacks, guys!"

Flashdrive sat on the front of the Command Center, watching the other bots and humans hurrying back and forth with boxes and crates. "Denny, why do you keep buying stuff when you have nowhere to put it?"

"I will find somewhere to put it!" Denny replied.

"She has a point, Dad." Russell expressed. "You never sell anything, or give anything away."

"Steeljaw blew up half of my stuff that day! It means that I have to replace it."

"Right..."

Flashdrive didn't know much about Steeljaw, only that nobody she knew liked him. But if he'd attacked the yard, then he must not be a good guy.

"Can I help you?" She asked. "Lots of servos make bright work."

"It's 'Many hands make light work,' Flash." Russell replied. "But I'm sure we can find something for you to do."

Flashdrive ignored the uncertain expressions on Strongarm and Denny's faces, hopping off of her seat and following Russell across the yard. "What can I do?"

"Just take these crates and move them over to that group over there. Simple."

Flashdrive nodded, and immediately chose a crate to start with. She placed herself against the side, pushing with her hands. She grimaced as she pushed harder and harder, finally getting it to move forward a little bit.

"Uh...You sure you don't want help, Flashdrive?"

"I've got it...!" Flashdrive hissed. She wasn't going to be a bother today. Today, she was helping. She moved the crate a few more inches before suddenly it moved and she fell forward. "OOF! Hey!"

She looked up at the crate, which was now in Strongarm's hands. "I was moving it!"

"Not fast enough."

"Oh come on!" Sideswipe complained as he came over to the pair. "She had it, Strongarm!"

"Yeah, and it was going to take all afternoon for her to move one crate!"

"You could have at least grabbed another one! She just wants to help."

"Well then." Strongarm shoved the crate into Sideswipe's arms. "Why don't you set a good example to her and help out too...!?"

"Perfectionist!"

"Punk!"

Flashdrive watched the pair get into another argument for a few moments, and then went to start pushing another crate across the clearing. She got it a few more steps before something fell out of it and rolled across the yard. "Oops!"

She hurried over to collect the object, a small metal disc that Russell had called a compass when she'd first arrived. As she checked to make sure the glass cover hadn't cracked, she heard loud footsteps and turned just in time to see Grimlock trip over the unsupervised crate she'd just been moving. "Oh no!"

Grimlock attempted to catch his footing, but was getting dangerously close to stepping on Russell. "Russell!"

"Whoa, look out!" Denny snatched his son out of the way as Grimlock came crashing to the ground. "You okay, Son?"

"Yeah...Yeah..." Russell stammered.

"I-I'm sorry, Grimlock!" Flashdrive whimpered. "I was gonna move that in a second, and then I-"

"I'm alright..." Grimlock replied as he got back up onto his feet. "No harm done...Well, except for maybe to the crate..."

Flashdrive looked at the half-crushed crate, and then rushed over to investigate the contents. Fortunately, nothing on the inside looked damaged. "I just...I didn't mean to-"