Infected

Chapter 14

Solar POV.

I explored the ship a little. This was Mr. Thundercracker's prized possession? Wow. It doesn't disappoint. The ship contained a fair sized storage room, a wreck room/lounging area, a training room, kitchen/dining area, a small med bay fitting about ten or eleven, at least 16 private quarters, one being for the captain. I think the seekers should take that one, it would let them stretch out. There were also barracks, a few offices and the control room. The control room was absolutely massive. This ship has definitely seen larger crews.

I find myself a roomy private quarters and set my stuff down. Standing in the doorway the berth was in the back left corner and the desk was in the back right, straight in front of the door. A fairly large window sat above the desk, letting sunlight in. The wall opposite of the berth plus a bookshelf, between the two was a closet. The wall between the desk and door had long, single shelf build into the wall. Yep, this was definitely the room for me. I unpack my school bag, setting my textbooks on the bookshelf, the virus research on the desk, and my precious war journal on the single shelf. I hook my bag on the desk chair and look outside. Eclipse was sitting on the ground outside. I frown. Her wings were low. Stepping out of my new room I make my way outside.

"Hey. How are you feeling?" I walk up behind her.

"Take a guess." She mumbles into her arm.

She was curled up around her leg struts.

"Not well." I answer my question and sit down.

I close my optics as the wind moves gently around us.

"This all feels surreal." She admits. "Just two days ago we were at the arcade having fun."

"Then the news broadcast."

"Then we spent the night at Harmony's. Just yesterday we were at my home, scared to death."

"Everything felt normal before all of this."

"An hour after we left the Arcade we witness a massive mob and quarantine order."

"How did those two days even happen? It all felt like a blur." I sigh.

"Do you think my brothers were right?"

I look over at Eclipse. Her green optics were focused on the metal grass beneath us. She's the only bot I know with that optic color.

"What do you mean?"

"About our families. In the war. Do you think they had this same feeling? Regret? Fear?"

I look down as well.

"I don't know. Sire thinks that a kid shouldn't have to learn about it. Carrier refuses to talk about it. So maybe. I know their scared that New Cybertron is to young for any new conflicts."

"Does that fuel their impulse? What if we took another day to think about it?"

"I- I don't know Eclipse... I really wish I did. I feel like I'm driving blind. All I have to guide me are overheard conversations. All we have is each other. Wavelength and I have never been to bootcamp like you and your brothers. You two got lucky that Mr. Thundercracker made you do it. The most exciting thing I've done is skip class. None of us are soldiers..." I admit as well.

"What if we fail?"

"Then I guess we can say we tried. Right?"

"I suppose." Eclipse looks up. "This feels so wrong. But it felt worse being at home."

"Optimus has this phrase." I offer.

She looks over.

"There's never a good or bad option. There's actually six. Worst, bad, not so good, good, better, best."

"Where are you going with this?" She uncurls a bit.

"I'm saying that there's unpredictable amount of ways that night could have gone. I don't think we made the best choice, but I definitely don't think we made the worst. There's still room to learn and improve." I offer a smile.

She gives a small one back.

"Yeah. You have point."

Ped steps behind us pull me out of my thoughts.

"We all need to refuel!" Wavelength grins, holding up energon.

Flare ran out from behind him, Harmony giggling on his shoulders. The other two sat down next to us. Siege called over the red blur of his brother and took a sip of his drink. Wavelength handed me mine before giving Eclipse's hers. She smiles at him and he returns the gesture. Mech is lucky he's wearing a visor, even if it does just cover his optics.

"We need a name!" Flare set down Harmony before flipping to ground breathless.

"A name?" Eclipse looks over confused.

"Yeah!! Here we are! Doing exactly what our parents were!! Leaving everything behind, launching ourselves into the unknown, trying to save our people! We need a cool name! Like they did!" Flare grins.

"Like Decepicons and Autobots?" Siege raises a brow.

"Those are fractions thick head, technically cultures now. I mean something cool like-" Flare continues.

"The Wreckers!!!" I quickly jump in excited.

"Sure!!" Wavelength grins. "Or the Black Ops!"

*Or the Arks!* Harmony adds.

"Like the Nemeses!" Wavelength chirps.

"See Siege! A cool name!" Flare waves his servos in the air.

Siege chuckles. "Ok! Um..."

"What is your Uncle's ship called ?" I ask.

"The Golden Retriever. It's in honor of the puppy he found on Earth."

*Why not the Golden Crew?* Harmony offers.

I look over and grin. The group all smile.

"I like the ring it has." Siege approves.

"Golden Crew. Makes us sound important!" Wavelength nods.

"It's perfect!" "Uncle Thundercracker would be proud!" The other two seekers chime.

"Golden Crew it is!" I hold up my glass.

Harmony happily raises hers.

*To the Golden Crew!*

"To the Golden Crew!!" We all cheer.

(End comic 1)