Episode 5 - Operation: Bumblebee (2)
[Amanda]
"Of all the scrap-brained ideas, taking Bumblebee into a potential chase scenario when he no longer has the ability to access his wheels?!" Ratchet demanded, voice almost shaking in anger. Bulkhead, Finn and I didn't say anything.
"Hey, Bee's waking up!" Raf exclaimed from his spot next to the cot Bumblebee lay on. As the scout was falling off the cliff earlier, I quickly opened a ground bridge to a grassy field that softened his blow, saving him from most of the damage. But it was still a pretty hard hit.
Bumblebee sat up, rubbing his head while buzzing something.
"You've already lost your voice box and your T-Cog," Ratchet said, still angry but now at Bee. "Were you really trying to add your spark to the list?"
That was harsh.
Bee buzzing mournfully and apologetically.
"Don't say that." Raf told his guardian. "You're not useless."
"Look," Arcee stepped forward. "I hate to break up the pity party, but the Cons just added unknown Iacon payday number two to their armory."
Optimus walked forward, saying the first things since he asked about Bee's condition when he arrived. "Neither blame nor praise will modify past events, but we cannot afford to take further unnecessary risks." He looked at the scout. "Bumblebee, you are not to leave our base until we can retrieve your missing biomechanism."
With that, the Prime walked back to the computers and Ratchet followed. I chewed my lip, wanting to follow as well, but figured it was sort of my fault this happened too and wasn't looking forward to a lecture, so I headed to the living area and slumped down on the couch.
"So we found the wrong coordinates," Finn said, sitting next to me. "Doesn't mean that we're too far off."
I shook my head. "But look what happened. We sent two Autobots, one who can't transform, right to the Cons."
"Mistakes happen."
"I know, but-" I glanced to the med bay, where the others were comforting Bumblebee. "This team can't afford too many mistakes. From now on, we keep what we find between us. We can't take any more risks."
Then Ratchet came over. "We aren't getting Bumblebee's T-Cog back."
"What?" Raf demanded.
"Because I will be donating mine." The medic finished. "Obviously since I am the other patient involved, I will be unable to perform the surgery. Therefore, one of your must serve as my proxy." Bulkhead and Arcee exchanged a weary look as Ratchet walked in front of the wrecker, shaking his head. "Better at breaking things."
"Phew!" Bulkhead instantly deflated in relief.
"Arcee." Ratchet decided.
"Optimus has steadier hands." Arcee said immediately.
The medic gave her a look. "Steady and much too large to be rooting around beneath my hood." He moved to his work lab, setting a few things up as Arcee steeled herself for the job.
"Does this mean Bumblebee will transform into an ambulance or be cranky?" Finn asked. "Because that'd be weird."
I shook my head at him, watching as Ratchet and Bumblebee lay down. Arcee plugged a cord into Ratchet, then headed back to the lab computer.
"Inducing stasis." She announced.
Bumblebee started to buzz something, which Ratchet cut off.
"Ep, ep, ep," The medic's voice was becoming drowsy. "You can... thank me when it's... over...." And with that, he fell into stasis.
"Okay, Bumblebee," Arcee said. "You're turn-"
The words barely left her mouth when a beeping noise filled the base.
"Don't tell me that's what I think it is." I said, moving to get a look at the main computers where Optimus was standing.
"It's an Iacon homing beacon." He said, confirming my thoughts.
"If we're picking up the signal," Bulkhead said, heading over. "It means the Cons just unearthed another relic."
The Prime nodded. "Autobots, prepare to roll out."
"Yes!" Arcee whispered. Bumblebee began to stand when Optimus walked over to him.
"Except for our patients." He said firmly, then looked at Arcee. "It would be best to interrupt stasis."
She nodded, doing as he said. Optimus turned to me next.
"Amanda, operate the ground bridge and monitor the comms." He said and I nodded, heading over to the computers next to the ground bridge controls. "Finn, stand by if Amanda needs any assistance."
"Guard this relic, Solus Prime. Use it wisely, but never allow it to fall into the wrong hands." That voice... Cleona.
"Yes, my lady."
The words echoed in my mind and, somehow, I knew the relic was the one that was just unearthed. Before firing up the ground bridge, I spun on my heel to face the Prime.
"Optimus." I said, causing him to step closer so not everyone would hear our conversation. "I don't know what it is... but this relic is important. Important enough for Cleona to warn the one who had it about never letting it fall into the wrong hands."
He nodded. "Understood. We will treat the relic as more important than the others when we retrieve it."
Satisfied, I started up the ground bridge to the coordinates on the main computer. "Ready to go."
"Autobots, roll out!"
As soon as they disappeared through the bridge, I closed it and chewed my lip anxiously.
I hate waiting.
I didn't have to wait long. Just seconds later, a call came in and a certain voice exclaimed,"Prime! Breaking news-" Agent Fowler then looked around the base. "Huh?"
"Over here, Fowler!" I waved at the screen and his gaze went to me.
"Amanda, where's Prime?"
"Out dealing with the Cons. Can we take a message?"
He shook his head in the 'why not' gesture. "Let him know I just received access to satellite imagery which I believe pinpoints the center of operations of Mech."
My heart lurched at that. "You did?"
"I'll send the coordinates," He continued. "I trust you'll get them to him. Fowler out."
He ended the call and the sound of metallic footsteps made me whirl around.
"No, Bumblebee." I said, stopping the scout in his tracks towards the ground bridge. "You can't go out there. Optimus said-"
Bee cut me off, buzzing rapidly. I looked to Raf for the translation.
"It's something he has to do, A," the younger boy said. "MECH started this by stealing his T-Cog, he has to end it."
I shook my head. "Not like this! Bumblebee, you can't possibly think that risking your life to go out there, alone, to take on MECH to get your T-Cog back is a good idea!"
The scout shrugged, giving me an innocent look.
"Bee-" I rubbed the bridge of my nose. "You'll be facing who knows what alone and-"
"Maybe he won't go alone." Finn said, startling me. "Send us both. I can take care of my fair share of MECH goons, and if they do have some big weapon waiting, Bee can take that."
"No." I said immediately.
"Amanda." He gave me a look.
I looked between him and Bumblebee, every part of me screaming it was a bad idea, but it was something that had to be done. Sighing, I inputted the coordinates into the ground bridge and fired it up. Just before the boys stepped through, I called out one last time.
"If either of you dare get hurt, I will personally tell Optimus!"
~~
My eyes were glued to the monitors, tracking every movement of Finn and Bumblebee. How did they manage to convince me this was a good idea? Why did I even consider this? So many things could go wrong and-
A groan from the lab cut through my thoughts, and I turned to see Ratchet sitting up. Raf raced over to him.
"Ratchet!" He said. "How're you feeling?"
The medic looked himself over. "Fine. In fact, I feel as though nothing's changed."
Scrap, he thinks the operation is-
"Prime!" Agent Fowler's call appeared on the screen again and I chewed my lip. This was already not looking good.
"What is it, Agent Fowler?" Ratchet asked, answering the main computer.
"Has Prime reached the coordinates?"
"Coordinates?"
At this point I was refraining from cutting off the call. Seriously refraining.
"Possible MECH location!" Agent Fowler said exasperatedly. "I sent them ten minutes ago!"
That was it. I stood up. "Don't worry, Agent Fowler. It's taken care of."
"Optimus had to go lock fenders with some Cons." Raf explained, even though I shook my head at him urgently. "So Bumblebee and Finn went instead."
"WHAT?!" Ratchet demanded, basically yelling at us. "Bumblebee can't do that! He's recovering from surgery!"
I tasted blood in my mouth from all the lip chewing I was doing. "Yeah, about that. The surgery never happened. As soon as you were in stasis, we got an alert about another relic being unearthed. Optimus, Arcee, and Bulkhead went to deal with it and they took you out of stasis. Then we got a call from Fowler about the coordinates, Bumblebee, Finn and Raf ganged up against me so Bee and Finn went to investigate the coordinates. And now you're awake so.... I think you're all caught up."
Ratchet looked like he wanted to punch something, which unnerved me because I'd never seen him punch something out of anger. Then he became angry-calm, which was worse.
"Are they still there?" He asked me.
I nodded. "Yeah."
"Then contact Optimus."
I was hoping he wouldn't say that.
Still, I did as he said, bringing up the comm link with only Optimus on a separate channel. I was about to call in when Finn contacted me first.
"Amanda, we have a situation." That made my stomach twist.
"I'm getting a hold of Optimus now. Hold tight." I replied quickly.
"Got it."
I was about to click the call when a scene flashed before my eyes.
Megatron was holding a golden hammer, his gun pointed at Bulkhead. Optimus and Arcee put down their own guns. But the hammer in the Decepticon Leader's hands.... It felt wrong. More wrong than any other relic.
"A relic of the Primes, here on Earth?" Megatron said, satisfaction in his tone. "The Decepticon cause is once again indebted to the contributions of Orion Pax."
And with that, he stepped back through a ground bridge.
"A?" Raf said, shaking me out of my thoughts.
"Sorry," I blurted immediately. "I- Never mind."
Refocusing on the computer, I called the Prime, which he picked up immediately. "Optimus, we have a problem. We got the location of MECH's center of operations, and Bumblebee and Finn need backup."
"Amanda, open the ground bridge and transport us back to base. Then set locations for MECH's center of operations." There was no mistaking the urgency in his tone. I did what he said as quickly as I could, the Autobots only lingering for a second for me to reset the coordinates and then disappearing again. The base was suddenly quiet when they left.
I hate waiting. I hate waiting. I hate waiting.
"I hope Bee's alright." Raf said and I noticed he had moved to stand beside me.
I put a hand on his shoulder. "He's probably fine, Raf. He's a fighter."
Finn too. They had better be okay.
"Amanda." Optimus' voice came over the comms again. "Reopen the ground bridge and tell Ratchet to prepare for surgery."
~~
"The forge of Solus Prime." I said, repeating what Optimus had just told me. "And why is it important, besides being a relic of a Prime?"
"The forge can create whatever its wielder wishes out of simple materials." He explained.
I looked at him from my spot on his shoulder. "We don't have that ability, but the Decepticons do. Why are you so calm?"
"Megatron cannot use the forge," he said. "Not without the power of a Prime. Cleona ensured that when Solus first created his forge."
"That's why I've been getting flashes of it." I thought outloud. "Because she had something to do with it."
He nodded. "I suspect it'll be as such for most matters that have to do with the goddess. You've taken her place in this world, thus you must be knowledgeable on all that you may face."
Both of our attention turned to the med lab, where Ratchet was walking away from the operating table as Bumblebee woke up from his two hour surgery, with Raf right next to him the entire time. Optimus moved forward, meeting the medic.
"I did what I could." Ratchet said, his neutral tone making it difficult to tell whether he fixed Bumblebee's T-Cog or not.
"Our scout could not have been in better hands, old friend." Optimus said, placing a hand on the medic's shoulder.
Bumblebee buzzed something, standing up.
"Easy!" Ratchet scolded. "Recovery takes time. The damage was severe."
The scout didn't listen, stretching before trying to transform. The first time it didn't work, the second time too. The hope started to drain from him face as he tried one more time and- transformed into his signature black and yellow Camaro. Ratchet grinned and Raf cheered. Bumblebee made a few donuts, before opening his passenger door while buzzing something. Raf ran forward, hopped in, and Bumblebee peeled out of the base.
"Go easy!" Ratchet called after them, but there was a smile on his face. "Adhere to standard break-in procedure!"
"Whoa." Bulkhead said, also grinning. "Bee's T-Cog looked like it was ready for the scrapyard."
I nodded in agreement, unable to keep the smile off my face. "I'm kinda surprised Ratchet was able to fix it."
Optimus finally spoke up, his small smile also evident. "That is not all that Ratchet repaired today."