Ratchet's intel, wherever he had gotten it from, had proven true. As the two mechs walked through the Bridge, they arrived to a secluded mine. It looked as though there had been no activity for weeks. While there was not a lot of Energon, the veins were ripe and mostly untouched. Optimus found himself smiling at the sight of their life force, relieved that they had found some without a problem. Ratchet looked around nervously, but was satisfied when he found no activity.

"It seems we have been given a stroke of luck, old friend," Optimus said to Ratchet, walking over to the veins and placing a servo on them. "Can you help me cut it?"

Ratchet nodded, drawing his blade. "It will take a lot longer to cut it without the use of a laser, since they aren't processed into cubes."

"We will have to make do with these, then," Optimus said, drawing his own blades. He felt a twinge in his spark as he remembered that these were the only weapons he could wield, but shoved it away and focused on the task at hand. Ratchet told him how to carefully cut the Energon out without endangering the roots. Optimus nodded and did as he was instructed, Ratchet following suit.

The process went on for a few hours. When their servos were full of freshly cut Energon, they would open a Bridge and bring it back to their new base, before returning to continue. This repeated on and on as they mined, the work slow but the amount satisfactory. 

After about three hours passed, both bots were startled by a small clattering noise behind them. Ratchet swung around in a flash, his entire chassis tense and blades at the ready. Optimus turned around warily, fear pricking at his spark slightly. They were both confused when they heard small whispers but saw nothing. Ratchet got up and edged toward the noise, his optic narrowed. Optimus followed him as they turned the corner, before both were completely shocked at what they saw.

Two human femmes were huddled in a corner. One was being hugged by the older woman, her eyes squeezed shut with tears brimming and falling down her face. Her skin was tanned and her long hair was a platinum silver. She looked rather tiny in her tattered clothes, even for a human. She was shaking violently, and when she dared look up at the two Autobots, her watery ocean blue eyes were wide with fear. She held her hands over her mouth, as if she was afraid to make a sound, but they could hear soft whimpers from behind them. She looked away, closing her eyes again and shaking even harder.

The other was a middle aged woman, reaching the beginning of older age. Her eyes were a familiar deep blue, her face cupped like a heart. She was pale and thin, but still seemed like a strong women. She had her hair tied back in a loose ponytail, bangs swept to one side of her upper forehead. She was hugging the younger girl tightly, her own eyes wide in surprise. Behind the shivering young girl was a full nurse uniform, a yellow white coat over blue fabric. Her face turned from surprise and terror to one of shock and utter disbelief. Her mouth gaped open, but no noise came out for a few moments. Her grip loosened around the other femme, but the little one didn't let go of her.

"O-Optimus?" the older woman asked in disbelief, her eyes watering.

The two Autobots were taken back, before Ratchet recognized her and widened his optic in shock. "June?!" he cried, quickly going over to the woman.

"Ratchet!" she exclaimed. Relief flooded over her as he bent over, Optimus behind him. "You're both alive!"

Ratchet sighed, relieved as well. "Praise the Allspark that you're alright." He reached out gently with his good servo.

The other femme shrunk back, but June gently consoled her, reaching out and brushing Ratchet's digit with a smile. The young one relaxed only slightly, unsure of what to do next. She reluctantly let go of the nurse and looked up at the two bots. Optimus gave her a small smile. She didn't return it, backing away slowly.

"I thought for sure you were dead," June sighed, leaning forward and hugging Ratchet's servo. When she looked back up, her face twisted to one of worry and fear. "Ratchet... what happened to you?"

The medic blinked, before shaking his helm. "It is not of importance right now."

The nurse frowned, but instead looked over to Optimus, smiling again. "It's good to see you, Optimus."

He nodded her, giving her a grin of his own. "It is good to see you alive and well as well, Nurse Darby. May I ask how you arrived here?"

The nurse nodded, standing up. The younger femme started and ran behind her. 

"After Megatron... took control, he took most of the population as slaves, or experiments." The woman shuddered. "I was the previous. For a few months, I worked in the mines. It wasn't very pleasant." Her face twisted in dislike.

Ratchet sighed. "I was aware of what had become of the humans. But why are you in this mine? I haven't read any Decepticon activity in weeks."

"That's because there hasn't been," June answered with a small smile. "This is a hideaway, a base. One of few. After a few months of my capture, some of us managed to escape. We came here, the closest trek from where we were located. Though, it was a long journey." She looked back to the other girl worriedly.

"Are there other humans here?" Optimus asked.

June nodded. "Yes, there are many. People from all over the place have come here, in hope of starting over under the radar. We're managing, but it's still hard without the proper nourishment or medicine.." She rubbed her arm, eyes darting to the ground.

The young femme noticed this and hugged her from behind. The nurse smiled and returned the backwards hug. "This is Taylor," she explained. "She escaped with me, and has been sticking with me since."

The tanner femme glanced back up at the Autobots warily. "Are you sure we can trust them, June?" she asked quietly, her voice sweet and scared.

The nurse slid out from Taylor's hug and took her shoulders firmly. "Taylor, I have every ounce of trust in these two. They would stop at nothing to help us rid this world of the Decepticons and protect us. They're my friends."

Taylor looked at the ground, thinking it over, before biting her lip and nodding. June smiled and hugged the girl again, whispering something to her. Taylor smiled slightly, squeezing her back. Optimus and Ratchet looked at each other during the embrace. They gave each other the slightest of grins as well; they were both happy and relieved that at least one of their human friends had come out of it alive.

Optimus took a step towards the two femmes. "I cannot ask that you join us back at base; it is apparent that you are needed here."

June nodded hesitantly. "I wish I could go with you, but I'm one of the few doctors here. I don't feel as if I should leave right now." Taylor hugged her harder as if to prevent her from leaving.

"And we probably shouldn't follow you back to your human base," Ratchet said gently, gesturing to Taylor, who shrank back a little. "We could frighten more of them. We do not want that." 

Optimus nodded. "We will have to go our separate ways. I am sorry," he apologized, noting the downcast look on June's face. 

"It's alright," she assured him, looking back up to the Prime. "I understand. But, please, keep in touch."

The two mechs nodded. "We will come here every so often, seeing as this mine is uninhabited besides you humans," Ratchet told her, standing back up with a small grunt.

"We will check on you as well," Optimus said, before looking over to Taylor. "It was nice to make your acquaintance," he said gently.

The young girl blinked, her face neutral for a moment. She threw him a weak smile and nodded once. "Please," she said, a pleading look in her eyes. "Protect us."

Optimus nodded, while Ratchet turned his helm to hide the sadness in his optic. June smiled again at her two friends, reaching up and touching Ratchet's leg. They looked down at her, saying their farewells silently, before Ratchet once again took out his remote. He pressed a button, and the Groundbridge opened behind them.

"Stay safe," June told them, her voice cracking.

"You as well," Ratchet said, his own voice sad and low. "Both of you." He looked over to the younger femme with a sad look in his optic. Taylor's eyes widened just as they stepped into the Bridge.

"Wait!" they heard her cry, but a moment later they had stepped though and the Bridge closed behind them. Optimus turned to Ratchet, confusion on his faceplate, but the medic turned his helm.

"I.. should probably go process the Energon," he said quietly, his voice steely. He turned on one pede and made his way over to the Energon pile, bending over and beginning his work.

Optimus sighed, deciding not to continue. He felt it wasn't wise to press on, so instead he turned to the monitors and began his own research.

His thoughts wandered over to Megatron as he began. When I find a way to stop him, I will shut his reign of terror down forever. 

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YAY!! June's back!!! I was so happy about this chapter, a totally different feel from the previous chapters while I cried my heart out while writing. XD I was also exited to put my other human character into the story. (Does anyone know who she is? You have to read one of my stories to find out. ;) Hehe.)

I'm glad you guys are reading the story more! I have no idea what I said or did, except maybe mention that it wasn't getting very many reads, but the reads suddenly shot up! Yay!

See ya later, peeps!

*waves*