History Uncovered

Chapter Six|Arctic

I shivered as I stepped through the ground bridge. "Oh, Primus, why does it have to be so cold here...?"

Optimus glanced at me but doesn't say anything. Neither does Arcee. Optimus then speaks. "Split up. If you find anything, let us know."

I started walking in a random direction, making sure to note which way was the way back. I looked through the snow, I smiled at the memory of young Rafael wanting a snow ball, and Optimus promising to bring him back one. Of course, the snow ball would be bigger than Rafael, but it would be fun to see them play in it. Perhaps at some point, we could take them somewhere it actually snows, that's not as cold as the Arctic.

After several hours of searching, and no luck, I checked with the others.

"Hey, guys. Find anything?" I asked through the comm unit. After getting two negative responses, I sigh. Before I could say anything else, I heard my sensor go off. My core temperature was reaching the blue zone. "Anyone else's sensor go off?" I ask.

After hearing two positive responses, I sighed. "Time to head back to base then."

Optimus told us to go back to where we first arrived, which we did. However, a blizzard was starting by the time we all got to the original coordinates. Optimus had tried to call Ratchet for a ground bridge, but to no avail. Ratchet was not responding.

I frown worried. What could be happening back at base that made the communications to go out?

Optimus spoke. "We must find shelter before this blizzard gets too bad. We will freeze if we stay out in the open."

Arcee and I quickly agreed with Optimus, and we began to trek around the area, looking for shelter. After Optimus tried to contact base again, Arcee spoke up.

"Are you sure a nice long drive wouldn't help? I hear Miami's beautiful this time of year", she says.

Optimus, however, quickly ruled it out. "The nearest temperate climate is too distant, Arcee. Attempting to reach it would expend too much energy and hasten the freezing process."

I laughed softly. I was freezing, but trying not to show it. Arcee is much smaller than me and she doesn't seem to be shivering. I guess I just got used to the blistering temperatures of Jasper, Nevada.

"I never want to come back to Arctic. Ever", I mutter. Arcee laughs slightly at this, while Optimus smiles softly

Soon, we find shelter, and I collapsed into the snow, face down, unable to hold myself up. How had I gotten this weak without even noticing it? I was just fine a minute ago...

Optimus quickly rolled me over onto my back, concern shining in his optics. "Historia. Are you okay?"

I just looked at him, pain shooting up my legs and arms. I look at him with fear in my eyes. "Optimus... I don't think I'll be able to get back up again..."

He frowns before laying down close to me. Arcee comes up next to us, and lays down in the snow as well, resting the best she could.

We were quiet for several minutes, but I felt my optics drooping. "Arcee, Historia, wake up", Optimus commands.

"Just... resting my optics..." Arcee murmurs.. I tried to keep my optics open but they didn't want to stay open. I felt someone touch my servo, and my eyes shot open and I see Optimus holding it.

"The longer we remain alert, the longer we remain alive", Optimus says. I look around, trying to spot anything besides white. I sigh softly when it's all white, everywhere around us.

"I never want to see snow again for as long as as I'm alive", I say bitterly. "I am so glad it does not snow in Jasper."

Arcee chuckles softly before speaking. "What can we do to stay more alert...?" She paused for a moment. "Wait. How about a game? Let's play 'Who Screwed Things Up Back At Base?'"

Optimus thought for a second. "Our predicament could be the cause of a simple malfunction."

"Caused by Bulkhead", Arcee adds. "Let's see. No com-link. Possibly even no power. The big lug probably tripped over a cord. He's never been too graceful."

I was losing focus and I could tell Optimus could tell because he squeezed my servo gently. "Historia, think of something that would keep you awake at night."

I immediately thought of Optimus and my feelings for him. Optimus and Arcee were still thinking about Bulkhead but then it went silent. Should I tell him? Especially if... if this is where we die...? If we are to perish here, I think I would be okay to tell him.

After a few moments however, Arcee spoke. "You know the worst part? After battling cons all these years- getting smacked down, shot at, blown up- this is how our lights go out?"

"Arcee, this may not be the finish that we had planned,  but if this is indeed the end, if we are to become one with the Allspark..."

Optimus trailed off and Arcee spoke again. "It's been an honor serving with you, Optimus Prime."

Optimus smiled down at her as she reaches up and places a small servo over his large one. He turns his servo and wraps his digits around her servo before looking over at me. I could feel my immense sadness about not being able to admit I liked him sooner but I had decided I was going to do it now. Maybe.

"Optimus, I am so glad I joined you in the fight for our planet. I was lost, and broken when I joined. You gave me a home. Somewhere I could always come back to. I never had that growing up. I was constantly on the move. So, I have to thank you for that. Thank you for allowing me to be on this team with you. I never would have survived if you hadn't, because of how broken he left me. You healed me, Optimus Prime, and I am forever grateful", I say as I look up at him. He smiles and tightens his grip on my servo. I smile softly.

"Optimus... there's something I've been afraid to tell you. It's something I want to share with you if we are indeed going to join the Allspark... I-" I was cut off by a ground bridge opening, and my optics widen. I was just about to confess my feelings to Optimus because I thought we were going to die, but we were saved. Yes!!

I tried to stand up, but couldn't finding that my joints had been frozen in place. Optimus and Arcee got up just fine.

"Optimus... I... I can't move..." I whimper... Optimus looks at me, fear in his optics. However, when Bulkhead came through the ground bridge, his optics widen in relief. That is, until scraplets followed him out. My optics widen in fear. If I can't move... I'm dead... I'm so dead...

But then... I noticed that the scraplets were starting to freeze. They froze before they ever reached us. I was so lucky. I can't believe it. Optimus quickly picked me up, and walked slowly and unsteadily toward the ground bridge. I cried out in pain a few times, because my joints were trying to move but couldn't.

We got through the bridge to see the mess that was caused by the scraplets. "Woah", I say, but soon crying out in pain as Optimus dropped to one knee, unable to hold both my weight and his.

Ratchet's eyes widen. "Get her to the medbay! Now!"

Bulkhead took me from Optimus, but my optics never left Optimus. We were all attached to defrosting technology, and Optimus and Arcee defrosted quickly, but me... I took a lot longer. And Ratchet was fretting over me. After a while, the humans went home, and my teammates were healed and able to do what they could do before, as long as they were careful. I was the only one still stuck on the medbay, crying out in pain every so often.

My teammates couldn't stand hearing my cries of pain, and neither could the humans, so those with human charges went home, while Ratchet watched over me, making sure I was doing okay. After a while, my cries of pain diminished, and I was able to relax a bit more. I could shift my joints slightly, but they were still frozen quite a bit.

Soon, Optimus made his way back into the main room, his optics immediately going to Ratchet.

They spoke in quiet tones but I could still hear them. "I don't understand... she should have been defrosted by now, but she isn't... I'm worried for her."

"As am I, old friend, as am I", Optimus murmurs.

They stepped further away and it was then that I was unable to hear them. And it was with this, that I was also finally able to sleep.