Chapter 3

I stood with Chromedome and Rewind with all the other bots in the room. Everyone had gathered cause Domey said before landing, they lost about fifty mechs that had flown out of a breach in the haul.

I looked up to see Rodimus, Drift, and a large blue mech I was told called Ultra Magnus standing on a ledge that overlooked the crowd. They seemed to be discussing stuff so I turned my attention to the crowd.

Swerve and Tailgate were together with a dark blue mech named Skids. It appeared from his head retracting into his body, Tailgate was attempting to transform. I just couldn't stop thinking about how he looked like a snail.

Rodimus's soon started discussing names for our group with the crowd (mind you, I noticed he said "till all are one" again, right off the bat). I didn't participate much. I felt I was too inexperienced to participate in something like this.

This went on for a bit until Drift pulled Rodimus over and handed him what looked like a phone. He spoke but didn't seem bothered, despite Drift and Ultra Magnus's worried looks.

'Listen up everyone,' he said finally, 'There's been a bit of an incident on the lower decks. Nothing to worry about but, as a precaution, I'd like everyone to pair off, find a habitation suit, and wait inside till I give the all clear. Everyone, that is, except Ratchet, Tailbreaker, and Chromedome. You three are with me.'

I frowned under my mask. I hardly knew anyone on the ship and one of the few bots I knew had been called. Rodimus finished his speech. He said some people could tag along but we had to have certain experiences which I... happened to have none of.

I turned, looking for Rewind but felt my spark sink when I saw him running to catch up with CD. So much for finding someone I knew.

Bots were clearing out quickly so I just ended up making my way down the halls. I didn't want to be alone right now. The message from my sire had left me feeling pretty lonely but I had to face the fact that I would have to spend this alone.

'I'll just listen to some of the music he left me.' I mumbled to myself and went to my room.

As I opened the door, I heard someone approach and turned to see Rung, smiling and coming toward me. 'It's probably not good for you to be alone during a crisis.' He said. I shrugged, 'Domey and Rewind went with Rodimus so I figured I'd spend some time listening to the songs my parents left me.'

He sighed, 'And did they ask you if you were alright with it?' I hesitated, not wanting to expose them. Unfortunately, that was all the psychiatrist needed. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and shook his helm. 'I may need to discuss a few things with those two.' He said.

'It's fine, really.' I said, waving my servos, 'I don't mind.' 'Well, would you like to stay with me for a bit?' He asked. I stayed silent for a moment before, 'Yes please.' I said quietly. He smiled and opened his door before turning and standing to the side, waiting for me.

'Thank you.' I said and hurried in. Rung's office was a lot bigger than mine, with multiple shelves, a bigger desk with a chair and computer, two pillars, and a berth. 'Nice room.' I complimented. 'Thanks.' He replied and went over to a box containing small orange ships.

I sat in the chair and crossed my legs, looking at a portrait of a city. Seeing it sparked a question in my mind. 'So what happened to the remaining Decepticons?' I asked, 'After Megatron fell? Where'd they all go?'

'Most fled to far corners of the galaxy.' Rung replied, 'Others went to seek out higher, greater leaders but most lie in wait in case Megatron were to return.' I lay my helm back against the headrest and started up at the ceiling. Where was my sire in that dynamic?

Nothing much happened for a bit so I helped Rung position all his ships on the shelf. 'How's this?' He asked and moved for me to see. I moved my head a bit, looking from all sides. 'Bit to the left.' I said. He moved it and turned back to which I gave a thumbs up. 'Perfect.' He said, standing back and admiring the room.

I began to nod but stopped and turned my helm toward the door. 'Something wrong?' He asked, seeing my attention turned. 'Thought I heard something.' I murmured and got up, making my way to it. Strange, unearthly sounds were coming from outside. I pressed my helm sideways against the door, trying to listen. Scraping echoed through the halls and my optics widened as I realized what was happening.

'Get down!' I yelled back and dove to the side but my warning was too late as the door was thrown off its hinges, into Rung who screamed as he was hit.

Then it entered.

It didn't see me when it came in, its attention focused on the orange mech backed against the wall. I felt my spark start speeding up and my frame freeze up as it walked, no, hovered, towards him.

I had no words to describe what the hell it was. It was Cybertronian, but it looked decayed and mangled, green liquid dripping from its body and tentacles snaking out behind it, its sparks and processor exposed. I saw Rung clutch his throat and make a choking noise as it advanced. 'Rung!' I yelled and tried to step forward.

But someone beat me to it. The vent above him popped open and Skids appeared. 'Come here Eyebrows.' He said, grabbing his arm and lifting him through. I felt relieved he was out of the way but dread took over when that things helm slowly turned in my direction.

It gave a low, horrible screech and stalked toward me. I stumbled back till I hit the wall, my breaths getting shorter and harder to draw as I felt myself starting to panic. I desperately gulped but just became more hysterical the closer it came.

It hissed and hunched down to my height, its servos making grabbing motions in my direction. I choked as something felt like it was in my throat. Just do it! My processor screamed. I did my best to take a deep breath.

I spread my digits (fingers) and pushed my palms outwards toward its chest. 'Leave me alone!' I screamed and let loose. It hesitated, stopping for a moment but sound waves blasted from my servos, hitting it square in the chest and sending it flying into the opposite wall just as Skid's helm reappeared. 'Woah!' He yelled, quickly ducking back into the vent as the monster flew where he'd just been.

It crashed into the wall and crumbled onto the floor where it lay, briefly paralyzed. At that moment, I realized there was something else that creeped me out far beyond its immediate appearance.

It looked like my fellow bots after the DJD attack.

My breath became short and frantic again when its frame started changing, becoming different bots I used to know. 'Come on kid!' Skids yelled, breaking me out of my trance, 'Move!'

I pushed off the wall and used the fallen door as a launch pad, jumping towards him. The blue mech caught my arm and pulled me into the vent. I looked down and caught a glimpse of that thing starting before I was reeled up, my wings barely making it in.

'What in the Pits of Kaon is that?' I gasped and crawled to where Rung was waiting. 'Sparkeater.' Skids said casually and herded us along, 'That was a pretty cool thing you did back there. How'd you do it?' 'The sound waves?' I asked then shrugged, 'Just something I've always been able to do.'

'Thanks for the save.' Rung said, 'How did you know we were in trouble?' 'The terrified screams kinda gave it away.' Skids replied behind me, 'And I don't want to panic you guys further, but that thing is right behind us.'

I turned and my optics widened when I saw it, its intake open wide and slithering towards us. I gave a muffled shriek and picked up the pace. I tried not to whimper as my sensitive wings kept hitting the sides. I had to squash them as close as possible, an uncomfortable position in which even then, they barely fit through the vents.

'I've got an incoming message.' Rung said and a screen detached from his back. I saw Rodimus's familiar face pop up on it, 'It's Rung right?' I heard him say, 'Ultra Magnus said you and the kid might have a sparkeater on your tails, in which case I'm sorry. We thought everyone would be safe in their rooms, but it seems the Hab suite doors are a lot thinner than the ones down here.'

'Ya think!' I yelled to him. 'The engine rooms have reinforced walls.' He continued, 'We think the neutrals managed to trap the spark eater and feed it turbofoxes to keep it docile.' 'Lovely.' I mumbled.

'Listen you two. I need you to do something for me.' Rodimus asked, 'I need you to head down here, to the engine rooms, and bring the sparkeater with you. I'll be waiting. Don't worry, I've got a plan- and it's a cracker.'

'Congratulations.' Skids said, coming up next to me, 'How does it feel to be used as bait?' I groaned and thumped my helm on the floor.

The vent soon came to a stop so Skids went in front and kicked the hatch open. I looked out to see it was a dead straight drop downwards. 'Okay, so the quickest way to the engine rooms is down the elevator shaft.' He said and transformed his servo.

'How come you get a grapple hook and all I get is a thumb with a microphone in it?' Rung asked, looking at it. 'A thumb with a, wow! No wonder our friend is so interested in you.' The blue mech said, 'Speaking of which.'

He hauled Rung and I onto his shoulder where we both grabbed onto his neck. He fired the grapple at the ceiling and jumped, 'It's time we made a move.' I looked up as we descended and saw sparky not too far behind.

He landed and the two of us fell off. Skids opened the hatch beneath us and stuck his helm through, 'Engine rooms!' He yelled. 'What's going on?' A new voice inside replied, 'Its Skids right? We all thought you were de-' 'JUST TAKE US TO THE DAMN ENGINE ROOMS!' He yelled and shoved me through where a light blue and white mech caught me.

As he did, the sparkeater jumped down and ripped the ceiling apart like it was paper. Skids grabbed me and Rung and hurried us through a half-open door, 'Go! GO!' He yelled. 'But Brainstorms trapped!' Rung said.

'Then I'm sorry,' Skids said, basically throwing me in front of them, 'He's already dead.'

We continued running till we turned a corner and saw Rodimus standing in the middle of a room. 'You two!' He called, 'Over here!' Rung and I darted in but Drift jumped out from behind the doors and stopped Skids, 'Hey!'

'I'm sorry.' Rodimus said, holding his servo to Rung, 'What I'm about to do isn't pleasant.' I dodged past him and skidded to a stop behind a ship's landing gear. I peeked out only to notice a blue bot, suspended in the air and sticking half out of the engine and then the sparkeater making its way towards the engine room, screeching like a maniac.

I immediately ducted behind it, went into a sitting position, and pressed up against the cold metal, bringing my knees as close to my face, squeezing my optics shut, and pressing both servos as hard as I could to my audio receptors.

I heard Rung's muffled voice crying out and then more of Rodimus's, but the sparkeater's growls were somehow clear as day. Yells penetrated my servos and I felt the deck below my pedes start vibrating.

Everything was becoming a blur at this point, every noise and flash on my optic lids making my processor nothing but a smudge and mess of thought. My venting shortened to the point where I was desperately gasping, like a fish out of water. I started crying when that day came rushing back to me, the yells became screams and the flashes of the engine were guns going off.

Then everything stopped. It went quiet for a second before I heard Drift's voice. The sparkeaters shrieks had stopped but I didn't come out, instead stayed in that fetal position, my limbs locked together, my servos still clutching my helm. I was choking at this point, with no air entering my lungs.

Someone must have finally heard or realized I wasn't there because rushed footsteps hurried to where I was hidden. Someone shouted my name but it sounded like it was underwater. A servo then grabbed my shoulder and shook me but I ignored it, focusing more on trying to draw a breath.

The servo left and I heard more talking before I was gently picked up and put down a bit further away. I felt them all then back away but one person came forward and behind me.

Gentle digits trailed down my wing, tracing the different grooves and joints in the plating. I immediately started calming down, a soothing feeling running up my spine, and the fog started clearing in my mind. My grip loosened and my vents slowed. My servos slackened, allowing me to hear what they were saying.

'Easy kid.' Skids said and rubbed my shoulder, 'You're all right.' 'Told you it'd work.' Drift said. I realized he was the one behind me, patting my wings and calming me down.

I slowly lowered my servos and rested them on my knees. My optics eased open and I saw all of them looking at me worriedly. I sucked in a few deep vents and my wings subconsciously spread at the touch.

'What the frag was that?' Rodimus asked. I looked up and noticed he was missing both his arms from the elbows down. 'Just a panic attack.' Rung said, 'Nothing to worry about.' 'Nothing to worry about?!' The red mech yelled, 'She just looked like she was suffocating!' 'I'm f-f-fine.' I stuttered and tried to get up.

'Hey hey hey.' Skids said and tried to push me back down, 'You're in no condition to be walking around.' 'I-I said I was f-f-f-f-f.' I tried to stammer out. Skids raised an eyebrow at me, 'Really?' he asked, 'Well maybe you should try telling me that when you can say the word.'

I shoved him off and shakily got to my pedes before stumbling over to the door, 'I-I just need s-some time alone. Thanks for the h-help.' I said and walked out, not waiting for an answer. I hurried as quickly as I could down the hall without drawing any attention to myself. The last thing I wanted to do was to be treated like a child right now.

Still didn't stop me from running into Chromedome and Rewind.

'Are you ok?' They asked as they ran up, 'We heard it came after you.' 'Ya, I-I'm fine.' I said for what felt like the millionth time that day. 'You seem a little exhausted.' Rewind said, 'You sure you're ok?'

'Yeah, I'm sure.' I grumbled, starting to get annoyed, 'You aren't lying are you?' Chromedome said, seeing through my mask, 'You're shaking like a leaf.' 'I s-said I'm ok alright?' I snapped, a little harder than I intended, 'J-Just drop it.'

They both looked at each other and I ended up pushing past them and sighing under my mask, 'I just need to g-go l-l-lie down.'

I realize I was being a jerk to them but right now, I wanted to be alone. More people asked me how I was but I ignored them, wanting nothing more than to get back to my room.

When I finally did, I shut it behind me and immediately went to my berth, sitting on it and leaning against the wall, closing my optics and sighing in relief, letting my mask and visor slide up.

I sat in silence for a while, letting my thoughts rearrange themselves and just listening to the sound of my breathing. I enjoyed it for a while until other bots started coming to my door and knocking on it, asking if I wanted to talk or if I was ok but like before, I ignored them.

I groaned when the fifth person came and soon resorted to putting the earphones in and blasting some music by a band called 21 Pilots. A song called "Chlorine" started playing and for some reason, a tear rolled down my cheek the further it got in. I don't know why. I just listened to the last lyrics and thought about my family.

I'm so sorry I forgot you,

Let me catch you up to speed,

I've been tested like the ends of

A weather flag that's by the sea,

Can you build my house

With pieces?

I'm just a chemical,

Can you build my house

With pieces?

I'm just a chemical,

Can you build my house

With pieces?

I'm just a chemical,

Can you build my house

With pieces?

I'm just a chemical...