Transformers Prime: Princess of Cybertron

Chapter 18: The Polarity Gauntlet

Sari's POV

"Arcee, a vehicular form is approaching," Ratchet said as he zoomed in on the image shown on the computer screen.

"Decepticon?" Arcee asked.

"Mom," Jack responded.

"Again?" Arcee asked her partner.

"She worries," Jack told her.

"Hi, honey," June said as she got out of the car.

"Hey," Jack responded.

"Hey, I finished my shift early at the hospital, so I thought I'd swing by," June explained. "Good to see you again, Doctor. Arcee. So, where's Optimus?

"On a scouting mission with Bumblebee," Ratchet told her. "Sorry to disappoint."

"And I wore heels and everything," June said jokingly.

"Mom!" Jack exclaimed.

"That's odd," Ratchet said. "This is an extremely unusual magnetic flux for any planet." Just then, Melody, Raf and Bulkhead arrived at the base.

"Did you feel the G's on that last turn?" Miko asked Raf as they got out of Bulkhead's alt form. "Bulkhead's an animal!" Just then, they noticed June looking at them. "Remember when this used to be a secret clubhouse?"

"Uh, don't worry, Ms. Darby," Raf said. "We were wearing seatbelts."

"I'm sure you were, Rafael," June said before turning to face Melody. "Hi, Melody. How's school going?"

"Why?" Melody asked. "What'd you hear?"

"Let's do this thing, Jack," Arcee said, holding some sort of tube.

"But I just got here," June said. "I brought sandwiches."

"Mom!" Jack exclaimed. "I really need to help Arcee test her upgraded tracking system."

"Well, just be careful," she said.

"There's nothing to be careful about," Arcee explained. "It's a routine diagnostic."

"Are you sure you need Jack for that?" June asked, and I could see Arcee visibly tense up.

"Uh-oh," Bulkhead remarked.

"Bulkhead, I need you back in the field to investigate an odd magnetic disturbance," Ratchet said.

"I'll go with!" Melody exclaimed.

"Whoa," Bulkhead said, catching her. "Stay put, Miko."

"I'd better go too," I said. "Besides, we're still trying to figure out how I got here, right?"

"Why aren't you going with him?" Raf asked Melody.

"Someone thinks it's not safe," Melody pouted.

"But it's safe for Jack to go with Arcee?" June asked.

"Mom, totally different," Jack said.

"Oh," June said. "How?"

"Mother knows best, Jack," Arcee said. "Wait up, Bulkhead. I'm going with."

"Don't take it so personal, Arcee," Bulkhead said as we walked towards the source of the disturbance (technically I was flying). "Jack's mother's just... protective."

"Well, I protected her son for months before she had a clue," Arcee told him. "Suddenly she wakes up to reality, and I'm not enough."

"No kidding," said a familiar voice behind us. It was Melody. Can't we ban her from the base?

"Melody, how did you...? Bulkhead asked.

"Gonna need a bridge," Arcee said over the comms.

"Wait, don't send me back to helicopter mom!" Melody said. "It's just... I miss the way things were."