'I'm sorry sir, but we can't do anything about it until we get a proper medic in.'
Useless drones
Soundwave gripped the table he was sitting in front of, staring at the numbers that flashed past him on the computer screen. The words rang through his helm, over and over, reminding him how much he had failed.
He looked down to his lap where Enigma was, leaning back against him and snoring softly while hugging one of his tentacles and her little sword.
Yet he frowned and reached down, gently rubbing and turning her helm up without waking her, exposing her face which was now dent-free, but her left optic was covered in a sheet of metal to resemble an eyepatch.
Of course, they didn't have the resources or the proper bots on this ship to fix it. It could even be years until she could see out of it again and then she'd have to readjust to that again. It was already hard enough it had taken her months to adjust to only seeing through one eye, especially when fighting, and that was over a year ago.
He let out a sigh and gently lowered her helm back down to rest on his arm, watching her mumble a bit and shift before settling back down. His little sister didn't deserve this, especially at such a young age.
Ravage hopped up onto the table and lay down, looking at her and then back up to his master.
'Soundwave: Alright. Worried: About Enigma.'
He didn't want to admit he was worried that something would happen. It had been almost a year and a half and there had been so few attacks, all of which he was able to protect his sister. But there was word of new Autobots having arrived and that troubled him. The short times he'd had to leave her behind with someone else were going to start becoming unavoidable and he hated to say it, but Enigma was also growing up.
She was getting more adventurous as she regained her confidence and more than once had gone wandering off away from her caretaker. He didn't blame her considering how long she was cooped up on the ship but it was evident in her height and attitude that she was no longer a little sparkling.
'Sir?'
Soundwave turned and looked at the drone behind him. 'Oh, sorry to disturb you but, there's been another raid, this one's really bad,' The vehicon said, 'They've already taken a third of the mine and there have been reports that there is now a blue femme named Chromia and another mech called Ironhide with them and...' He leaned down and lowered his voice to a whisper, 'Rumors they have younglings as well.'
The navy mech was silent for a bit before he gave a muted sigh and stood, calling Astrotrain over. 'Duty: Take care of Enigma,' He said, handing the sleeping femme to him. Luckily it seemed that this was the only mech she'd yet to run away from.
'Understood boss,' He grinned, tucking her into the crook of his arm and making her look so tiny in comparison. Soundwave gave a single nod and stood for a few seconds before he finally went out after the drone.
Astrotrain sat down at his desk and continued plotting the ship's navigation course, looking down at the small femme now and then and gently rubbing her helm with his thumb since she was so little.
Minutes passed by and he soon took her example and closed his optics, drifting off into sleep. Unfortunately, Enigma chose the same time to yawn and wake up, sitting up and looking around as she rubbed her optics. She looked up at Astrotrain and then chirped, frowning when he didn't stir.
Only to then smile and scribble, 'Be right back,' On a datapad, leaving it in his arms where she'd just been and giggling, climbing down to the floor and landing lightly. Taking after her brother, she took off running, making barely any noise. She quickly crawled into the vents and made her way down them to avoid any drones or bots that would take her back.
Knowing where to go, she very quietly unhooked the grate on the opening to a room and snuck out, grinning when she saw the active groundbridge in front of her, open for use. A few vehicons were working but they all had their backs turned and were facing the computers.
This was all just like a game to her. Be as quiet as you can to go out and finally see action again.
She pressed herself against the wall and inched along it, never taking her optics off the workers until she was right by the portal, taking a deep breath before spinning around and jumping through it.
Enigma landed on hard ground, dust kicking up under her pedes as she looked around. The hot sun glared down on the chasm, right at the edge of the desert as the opposite cliff started to become pine forest. She grinned and ran over to the edge of the ridge she was on, crawling over to the rim and looking down into the narrow pass that divided the two cliffs.
A groundbridge opened up and two familiar mechs that her brother had shown her jumped out, both grinned and running for the entrance. Enigma looked up and over the rock she ducked behind, crawling up onto it slightly as it was just a bit bigger than her. She watched how the Autobots ran straight into the mine, even laughing with their guns out and ready.
'We shouldn't be here Roddy!'
Enigma jumped and flattered herself against the rock, the voice coming from right in front of it. She slowly crawled over and looked down to the next step down the mountain. She covered her mouth to stop a small squeak from escaping.
Three sparklings, two looking a year or two older than her while the third was the oldest, probably just entering his teenage years.
'Oh don't worry Bee,' The red and orange one grinned, looking to the oldest, a yellow bot with black stripes and door wings, 'We're just here to watch the fighting, not getting involved. I want to see if Blaster fights as well as he claims to.'
'That's not the point!' Bee hissed, 'You know Ratchet will mount our helms onto the wall if he finds we snuck out again.'
'Bumblebee's right, Hot Rod,' The last one said, a white and red mechling that looked the same age but was a lot taller than the one called Hot Rod, 'You know how that mech gets when we disobey Optimus.'
Enigma felt her optics widen when she spotted the wings on his back. She thought that only the Decepticons had fliers. And yet here this one was.
'Just a few more minutes Jet!' Hot Rod begged, not even looking at him as he peeked over the rock at the entrance of the cave, 'I know he's gonna come back out any second now!'
I thought sparked in Enigma's processor. If she was somehow able to bring one of them back to the Nemesis, maybe he could help her brother find the Autobot base. She looked down and studied them.
Definitely not Bumblebee. He looked like he could easily take her down. And that left the two youngsters. Hot Rod seemed most suitable for her to fight but then again, he seemed stubborn and likely wouldn't give any information. "Jet" as he'd been called, was a helm bigger than her but he could be more compliant.
She narrowed her optics, trying to decide while quietly bringing her cloth visor down over her face, looking through the holes down at them.
The young femme crept up into a crouch right over them, getting ready to pounce. A small stone was jostled as she did, sending it down and clattering softly by them.
Jet and Hot Rod were still arguing so neither noticed. However, Bumblebee turned and looked down at it. He was still for a second before his helm slowly turned up, eye contact with her. Both held each other's gaze for a second before he yelped and jumped back, making the other two spin around.
Enigma took her chance and jumped, letting out a yell before copying one of Soundwave's moves, planting her pedes on the white mechlings chassis and kicking off. She couldn't do the backflip he was able to, but she still managed to jump back just as Hot Rod threw a mistimed punch at her.
'Jetfire! Are you ok?' Bee asked, helping the younger mech up as he'd been pushed back against the rock they were leaning behind. 'I'm fine, just a scratch,' Jetfire said, looking at his back.
All three then turned and looked back at her, their optics widening just like hers when she first saw them.
'That's...' Jetfire started but was cut off but Hot Rod, 'A femme,' He said, 'And she's younger than us!' 'Not to mention she looks like that one con,' Bee added, 'What was his name?'
'Soundwave and he's my big brother,' Enigma said, taking her wooden sword out and holding it just like Cyclonus had shown her, 'Now surrender! You're coming back with me!'
They stared at her before Hot Rod and Bumblebee burst out laughing, probably because of how much smaller she was and how little of a threat she posed. 'Come on guys, she's trying her best,' Jetfire said though he was grinning.
Enigma growled before she let out a yell and ran at Hot Rod. He cried out as the wood connected with his chassis, stumbling back as she hit him over and over.
'Woah!' He called, grabbing her by the wrists and holding them. Hot Rod took a step back, only to trip over a stone and fall back, Enigma going down with him, only it was the advantage she needed.
The turquoise femme pinned the older mech to the ground, both of his servos occupied with keeping hers from hitting him. She smirked under her mask and the ports just under her chassis snapped open, releasing the two tentacles that hovered above him.
Hot Rod caught a glimpse of them and yelled as they moved closer to him. Enigma was certain she was going to win only for someone to interrupt.
Arms wrapped around hers, pinning them to her sides as Bee picked her up, lifting her clear off the ground so her pedes dangled in the air and she gave a furious cry. Jetfire ran over and grabbed her extra appendages, yelling and holding them away as they lunged and snapped at his face.
'That's enough!' Bumblebee yelled, squeezing her harder. The femme froze and looked down, the yellow arms suddenly becoming thick and black, threatening to cause her chassis to collapse while low, dark laughter rang in her ears.
She let out a shriek and threw her helm back so it smashed into his face. Bee yelled and dropped her, holding his face and stumbling back. Hot Rod ran forward and swiped, trying to grab her only to get a fistful of fabric. There were the sounds of bands snapping before sunlight shone on her face and the red mechling looked down at the mask in his servos.
Enigma gasped and fell to her knees, servos shaking as she stared down at them, her breathing shallow and labored.
The three mechs went silent, watching her struggle before one slowly walked over and kneeled next to her. She then felt a servo on her back, resting just below the sharp spines on her back that were currently sticking up due to the adrenaline in her veins.
'It's ok,' The voice said and she looked up into Jetfire's bright blue optics as he smiled down at her, 'We won't fight if you don't want to.'
Enigma just stared up at him in surprise. Why was he helping her? Weren't Autobots supposed to be ruthless and cruel? So why was he acting so kind?
'What the frag happened to your optic?' Hot Rod asked, appearing behind him. 'Language!' Bumblebee yelled, glaring at the younger mech. 'You can't tell me what to do!' The red bot cackled.
'Ignore them,' Jet grinned, looking back at her, seeing the look on Enigma's face, 'Roddy pretends not to care but you should see how he reacts around Optimus. He's like a fan girl.'
'Hey! I am not!' Hot Rod cried, running at him while blushing. Though Jetfire merely grinned and sidestepped, watching as the energetic bot ran into the wall behind him. Enigma hid her giggle behind her servo, getting the Jet to laugh and help her up. 'See? There's no reason to fight,' He smiled, 'I'm sure you just want to impress your brother, don't you?'
'Yeah,' Enigma said, giving a small nod while looking at him, 'I want to make up for making him worried.'
'You made Soundwave worried?' Bumblebee asked, sitting down on one of the rocks and tilting his helm. She just nodded again and pointed at her covered optic, 'Barricade attacked me and he wasn't there to help.'
'You see! The Decepticons are savages!' Hot Rod said like this was a point he'd been trying to prove. Only Enigma puffed up, fury filling her small face, 'We are not savages!' She said indignantly, 'Is that what you Autobots think? We are proud and brave and...' She tried looking for another word.
'Volatile?' Hot Rod offered with a grin. Enigma narrowed her optics and looked at the other two, 'That doesn't mean something good, does it?' She asked.
'Not in this context.' Jetfire laughed, stepping in between them before the turquoise femme launched herself at him.
'Hey! They're coming out!' Bumblebee called, getting their attention. The three mechs ran over to the rocks and leaned against them. Enigma tilted her helm but walked to join them and looked over as well.
At the cave, a red and black mech was grinning as he ran out, looking behind him. Soon, three vehicons came running after him, including...
'ST3V3!' Enigma cried, watching her friend shoot at the Autobot, 'Who's that he's chasing?'
'That's Blaster,' Bumblebee said, looking down as he dodged a shot from K31TH, returning it with a punch to the face and sending the drone flying back. Enigma felt her digits scraping at the rock as she watched, her spark swelling with anger.
A second Autobot, Jazz I heard Jetfire say, drove out suddenly and skidded behind the vehicons, knocking the remaining two off their pedes and to the ground, speeding back over to Blaster and grinning as he transformed.
'Oh! Here comes the move he was telling us about!' Hot Rod grinned while Blaster bumped his fists together and the speakers on his forearms rippled and shook. Enigma pushed herself up so she could see better, only for her to yell out as a shockwave blasted the three drones away, sending them slamming back into the rocks.
Letting out an enraged sound, the small femme ran and jumped off the edge of the cliff, transforming into a military drone and flying down.
'Stop it!' She yelled, quickly switching back and running to the red mech. She punched and kicked his pedes, anything to get his attention away from her friends, 'Stop it stop it stop it stop it!' Jazz walked over and grabbed her leg, lifting her into the air so she was looking at their faces upside down.
'Huh, so this is the kid Prime told us about?' He asked, blue visor shining, 'Gotta admit, she's got a flare in her spark.' 'Yeah, never would I imagine a sparkling thinking about attacking us.' Blaster grinned and leaned down to her level.
'Don't you dare touch my friends!' Enigma yelled, taking a swipe at his face and missing due to the distance. 'Woah, calm down little lady,' Jazz said, 'We're not trying to hurt ya.'
'Yet you hurt them!' She countered, pointing at the drones groaning and struggling back to their pedes. Blasted scoffed, 'Let's be real kid, they're nothing more than blaster fodder for the cons.'
Enigma glared at him sharply, 'You're wrong!' She screamed, 'They're my friends! They're just as important as anyone and don't deserve to die! N04H didn't deserve to and neither did LUK3 or P4U1!'
'Jeez kid, take it easy!' Blaster said, rolling his optics, 'We get it, you care for them. Now stop acting like we're torturing you!'
'Should we bring her back to base?' Jazz asked, lifting her up higher, 'Bossman may want to speak with her.' 'Yeah, let's take the little monster back.' The red mech said, poking her.
'Stop!'
They both looked up as the smaller white and red jet came flying down, Jetfire transforming and holding up his servos despite the fact he only came up the their waists, 'Guys, let her go! She's just a sparkling!'
'Jetfire? What are you doing here little dude?' Jazz asked, kneeling to him. 'He's blowing out cover, thats what he's doing!' Hot Rod yelled from the rocks, making them look up as Bumblebee just facepalmed next to him.
'Didn't Optimus specifically order you three to stay in the base, especially after what happened last time?' Blaster asked, looking up at the two climbing down and to the little flier.
'Yes except Roddy then decided to go against that cause he wanted to see you fighting,' Jetfire said hurriedly, 'The point is, we found he and she didn't hurt us! You know Optimus would be against this!'
'You left out the part where she jumped us from behind,' Hot Rod said as they walked up, getting Bee to slap one servo over his mouth and Jetfire to glare at him.
'Well she's coming back with us anyway,' Blaster said and started walking back to the groundbridge. 'Come on man!' Jazz said, getting up and running after him, the three right behind, 'Maybe they're right. For all we know, taking her will cause old Screen Face to declare another war on us or something!'
'That doesn't matter, we're already in a war and we need to do whatever we can to end it,' Blaster said sternly. The black and white mech just sighed and rubbed the bridge where his nose would have been, 'You've not forgiven him for attacking you yet, huh?'
'No, and I never will. Soundwave is my nemesis and I will not let him win!'
'But this isn't Soundwave!' Bumblebee said, running next to him, 'Sure she looks like him but she's different!' 'You can't blame... uh... her!' Jetfire cried.
'My name's Enigma, now let me go!' She yelled, wiggling in his servos so Blaster clamped her mouth shut and walked into the bridge. 'As much as I'm his friend and as much as I hate to say it, that bot's got some serious grudge issues,' Jazz frowned, running in after him.
They burst through the bright blue and green light into a base with many more Earth tome colors. 'Finally, we've been waiting forever for you two! A large red mech cried and walked over to them, 'I swear you two do that on purpose. The second Prime calls to us that the mission is done, you go off and blow something else up.'
'Easy man, we're just having fun!' Jazz said, backing away from Ironhide as he came closer, 'But hey, we can't worry about that now because-'
'And just where do you three think you're going!?' Ratchet yelled, storming over with his optics locked on the three young mechs trying to sneak around the group, 'Oh you are in for it now! What was the one rule I gave you!?'
'Not to follow on dangerous missions,' All three mechlings muttered at the same time, Hot Rod trying to hide behind Jetfire.
'And what did you do?' The medic demanded, standing over them.
'Follow on a dangerous mission,' They said, retreating back.
Ratchet was about to say something else when there was a loud hasp. A light blue and white femme came running in, 'Blaster! What are you doing?!'
They turned to see the red mech wrestling with Enigma, the turquoise sparkling doing everything she could to escape. 'Is that a femmling?' Ironhide asked while Ratchet gave an outraged cry and hurried over.
'You fool! Do you have any idea who this is!?" He yelled, 'And you brought her back to base?!'
'Excuse me for just thinking about the team!' Blaster snarled, trying to restrain the little appendages flailing around, 'Don't you see how this could change the war for us!?'
'Don't you see how you've just put all of us in danger?!' The orange medic countered, 'We bearly know anything about her brother, more or less her! Bringing her here could put the last of our resistance in jeopardy!'
'Well, we'll just have to see what the big man says when he- YEOW!' Blasted screamed and shook his servo furiously, showing a bite mark that was leaking energon made by many sharp dentas. Enigma landed on the floor and spat furiously, trying to get the taste out of her mouth.
She looked up and her optics widened when she saw Chromia reaching for her, giving a small yell and taking off running. Jazz lunged and tried to grab her but only ended up running head-first into Ironhide.
Enigma dodged around Ratchet's servos, ignoring everyone's yells and dove into the space under the desk that held the main computer, flattening herself against the wall and kicking at them as they tried to pull her out, soon resorting to biting again.
She saw Jetfire and Bumblebee running over to her, only to be stopped by Chromia who was kneeling by the desk. 'Give her some space you two,' She said, 'She's just scared. Do you know what her name is?'
'Enigma,' Jet said, turning and looking down at the little femme curled into a ball under the desk, 'Her name is Enigma.'
Jazz is going to be his g1 design, Hot Rod from Cyberverse, Chromia and Ironhide are from the War For Cybertron series, and Jetfire and Blaster's designs are in the comments :).