Transformers Prime: Project Predacon

Prime

Ratchet finally deemed me fit enough to walk again as the sun began to set. I transformed into my bot mode, it was a little uncomfortable, but I managed well. Ratchet then began to lecture me about how I needed to see him every few hours so I didn't get an infection and just for him to check up on me. I acknowledged his wise words, then followed Optimus back into the base. He walked me around again, just to be sure I knew where I was going. He led me down a pretty dark hallway, which was a little creepy too. We were about halfway down the hallway when I noticed something different. My acute sense of smell picked up a strange scent, one I didn't recognize. I stopped and Optimus stopped as well, turning to see what was so much more important than our tour. Optimus's lips parted to form words but I cut him off quickly. "There's someone here, someone who's not an Autobot." I took a few cautions steps back, retracing my steps to see if I missed something. I did, there was a very small, almost unnoticeable breeze that came from a solid, metal wall. I approached it and pressed my hands flat against the cool metal, trying to figure out if it was just a small hole that lead to outside that was causing the fresh air to pour into the hallway. It wasn't a hole and for a second I was about to give up when my fingertips ran over tiny, miniscule seams that were in the form of a door.  

"There's a door here, Optimus." His footsteps echoed as he settled himself next to me, confused and trying to determine what it was I was looking for.  

"Impossible. I had the entire place scoured over several times to be sure." I ignored his comment, keeping my palms flat against the wall, searching for any button or lever or switch that would open the door in front of me. My fingertips bumped into a tiny, but much deeper groove and I experimentally pressed it. I drew my hand back quickly, it had pressed itself out of the wall and was glowing a bright red, gently pulsing in the dim light. I turned to Optimus for permission to continue and found him staring at the button, his cheek plates reflecting the bright light that came from the button-like object. His optics held a small hidden fear, but he quickly disguised it and nodded for me to continue. If anyone could protect him, it was me. I barely made contact with the glowing button when the wall in front of me began to hiss with air and move, trembling at first then sliding smoothly and soundly. Optimus stepped forward into the doorway and I made sure to follow his footsteps, I had no idea what was beyond the door, it was too dark to see, but what I could smell gave me chills.  

"Optimus, I smell. . . scraplets. They're everywhere." I took a step back, fear crawling its way slowly up my spine. Scraplets were the most dangerous things known to Cybertronians, and that meant me too. Optimus turned slowly, but while we had our backs turned the door had closed.  

"It's a trap," He hissed quietly, not wanting to disturb the sleeping vermin. It was a trap for Autobots obviously, I was sure it was. Optimus stepped forward a little, and I could hear his foot hit something and the screech of metal grinding on the floor was loud in the silence. He didn't move and I could smell the fear pouring off of him in large waves. I flinched when the sound of thousands of tiny metal feet clinked on the walls, the floor, the ceiling, everywhere.  

"If we could see, then maybe we could have a chance against these things." I heard him whisper fiercely. Optimus was terrified, but his tone held no note of fear or any other emotion. As if Primus was watching over us a light turned on when the last word left Optimus's mouth, and we could finally see how large the room really was. It was barely large enough to hold both of us in, and there was a dark set of stairs that lead down to somewhere. Hundreds of tiny, beady eyes stared at us and out of the corner of my optic I saw Optimus look around at the room, he moved very slowly, not wanting to provoke the scraplets to attack.  

"When I say three, we run straight down those stairs and look for a way out." I didn't say a thing to acknowledge him, and he went silent. He waited a few seconds to see if the vermin would get uninterested in the two of us. They didn't.