A Decepticon ambush.

Arcee raced past the blasting Bumblebee and ducked behind cover. Peeking out from behind the wall, she turned her servo into a blaster gun and aimed carefully at the 'Con shooting at Bee and Bulkhead. With one precise shot, he was down. She couldn't stop there. Immediately afterward, she received a few blasts on her left. Swiftly, she ducked away and shot a few times, but only managed to scrape his legs. Bulkhead turned his mace to Arcee's opponent and smashed him into a wall. Arcee got up quickly and took of for the next enemy.

Bumblebee got busy with the vehicons charging towards them through the mining tunnel. Receiving heavy fire, he turned into his alt. mode and raced towards the 'Cons. They realized his intentions a little too late, Bee crashing into them and making them fall like a stack of dominoes. He quickly transformed back, blasted their helms to make sure they were down, and scanned the area for his next fight.

After Bulkhead had slammed the 'Con into the wall for Arcee, a brave vehicon had jumped his back and wrapped his arms around Bulkhead's neck cords. With a growl, Bulkhead turned left and right sharply, trying to mace his opponent, but couldn't reach. The 'Con's grip grew tighter before quickly loosening, followed by the limp vehicon sliding off his back. Bulkhead turned to see Bee's blaster straight at his back. Bee gave him a warning buzz and Bulkhead quickly whirled around and tossed two more 'Cons with his mace. He gave Bee a grateful nod and they both raced after more Decepticons.

Optimus was busy taking down several vehicons eager for the chance to gain the glory of taking down the Optimus Prime. Optimus turned left and right, one servo a blade and one a blaster. He wielded both skillfully, leaping and slicing one opponent open before turning on one pede and blasting someone else down. The vehicons came at him relentlessly. Optimus managed them well, but one was able to cut one of his shoulder plates open with his claws and another blasted him right below the neck cords. Optimus merely grunted and threw the first Decepticon into the other.

Then he heard a warbled cry of pain, and Bulkhead screamed, "Bee!"

Optimus turned sharply and saw Bumblebee holding a new gash on the right lower side of his chassis. He took fire and fell over, his gaze rolling around dizzily. Optimus dealt with the remaining vehicons on his tail and raced over to aid his friend. Bulkhead was at his back, one servo a blaster and the other his infamous mace. Arcee, busy with other 'Cons, desperately tried to help, but was cut off by the vehicons, one of which that was on the ground managed to slice her leg open. She growled in pain and shot the 'Con one more time.

Optimus could see that they were growing vastly outnumbered by the minute, and brought a servo to his com link.

"Ratchet! We need a bridge!" he ordered as Bulkhead stormed off to help Arcee.

For a moment, there was no answer. Then Raf's voice came through, saying, "Did you guys get ambushed?"

In the heat of battle, Optimus had forgotten that his old friend was no longer at base, watching on his monitor like he usually did. He felt a pang in his chest chassis, worry returning all over again for the medic, but another blast to his left snapped him out of it.

"Raphael, we need a bridge," he told the boy urgently, shooting at two 'Cons heading for Bumblebee, who was trying desperately to get back up. Optimus had to resist the urge to order for sick bay to be prepared. 

Seconds later, a swirling Groundbridge appeared behind Bumblebee and Optimus. "Hurry!" came Raphael's worried voice over the com.

"Autobots, fall back!" Optimus hurriedly ordered, cutting away two more Decepticons making their way towards Bumblebee before he kneeled down to help the scout. Bulkhead carried Arcee in one arm. She looked perfectly fine, and plenty angry, but her leg was cut badly. Without protest, the Autobots all hurried into the Groundbridge, letting it swallow them into base.

"Bumblebee!" Raf exclaimed in fear and worry for his friend. Optimus had the young bot's arm slung over his shoulder plate and helped him to the medical station, setting him down on the medical bed. Bulkhead brought Arcee as well, but she sat on a ledge.

"My injury isn't as bad as Bee's," she told Bulkhead when he gave her an upset look. "I'll be fine sitting here for now."

Instinctively, they all turned, expecting to hear Ratchet's frustrated and flustered voice scolding them. When all was silent, they looked down and a grim aura gripped the room.

Optimus looked over his team once more. Bumblebee was fighting to stay conscious while at the same time reassuring Raphael that he would be fine. Arcee was trying to hide her pain behind a mask of worry and annoyance. Raf was looking Bumblebee with fear for his friend's life written all over his small face. Jack was giving Arcee stressful glances, his eyes glinting with the same worry as Bulkhead's. Miko had joined her partner on his shoulder, but remained surprisingly quiet. Optimus himself had a few injuries from the Decepticons that were beginning to throb.

Return soon, old friend. The team needs you. And please, be safe.

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Ratchet winced when he felt the melder turn slightly from the gash on his back. "Careful!" he ordered in anger and pain. "How many times do I have to tell you to trace the wound?!"

"Sorry, sorry, really sorry!" Omega apologized for the sixteenth time since she had started, readjusting her servo.

"And for Primus' sake, stop apologizing so much! Just do as I tell you!"

"Sorry," she apologized again, before cursing at herself.

Alpha stood across the room, trying to hide his amusement. "Maybe I should have done that. My precision is a bit sharper than yours."

Omega looked up from what she was doing angrily. "I knew that already! And I already told you that you should have done it! Why didn't you?"

"Ow! BE CAREFUL!" Ratchet growled once more. Omega glanced back down and apologized again.

Alpha shrugged his shoulder plates, uncrossing his arms. "You seemed really eager to help. You've been worrying over him since we found him."

"I have not!"

"Argh! Oh, for Primus' sake. Just put the thing away. It's done well enough," Ratchet sighed, waving the melder away from his back. Omega retreated and placed the medical equipment back on the shelf, glaring at Alpha all the way.

Ratchet crouched forward with a sigh, resting his elbow plates over his legs and letting his servos hang down limply. So far, these young Autobots had done nothing but bicker and drive Ratchet to the brink with their beginner's level medical "help". He wasn't sure how much more of this he would be able to take.

"Again, I'm really sorry. That was terrible." Omega's voice was quiet, and her head was down. Her optics looked sorrowful as she placed her servos behind her back.

Alpha gave her a sorry glance before looking away. "I probably wouldn't have done much better. Neither of us are medics."

"Obviously," Ratchet muttered in flickering annoyance. Omega cringed and shifted uncomfortably. Alpha didn't look his way.

"Look, just stop apologizing all the time," Ratchet told Omega. "I know you mean well, but repeating yourself isn't going to change what happened."

Omega nodded, looking back up slightly with a glint of hope in her optics. 

"And for love of the Allspark, quit quarreling over every little thing!" He ordered, pinching the bridge of an imaginary nose with his servo. "I'm grateful that you want to help, but it's loud and my processor already hurts."

The stunned silence made Ratchet look up, wondering if he had gone a bit too far. He was surprised to see that Alpha bad a bemused look on his faceplate, and Omega looked like she was about to burst out laughing. A moment later, that's exactly what she did, startling the medic.

"That really sounds like us, doesn't it?" she laughed breathlessly, doubling over.

Alpha snorted, holding back his laughter. "Have to agree with you on that one, Omega."

Ratchet looked back and forth between the two. 

"You sound just like Freezecharger!" Omega shouted, still chuckling, and this time Alpha guffawed into loud, deep laughter. 

Ratchet deflated, defeated. He seriously didn't have the energy to ask what they were talking about.

I really hope I can find my way to Optimus and the others soon.

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Ratchet looks like he's having fun.

*evil laughter*

Seriously, these guys are torturing him. It's so funny I could die. I was literally laughing at myself as I wrote this. Maybe I am losing my sanity.

Also, this was a surprisingly long chapter. At least, as far as I've written. I'm proud.

Btw, Omega is a lot like me. I'm always worrying and apologizing. I'm really friendly (I hope) and argue with my brother a lot, but we're really close. Alpha is a bit like my brother, but not a lot. He's a little bit more crazy, like me. ;P

I'm really enjoying writing this book so far. Can't wait to see how you guys like it!

*waves*