Darkness

Ch. 22 Back Baby Back Baby

Three million years. Prime had used those words. Three million. He had mentioned it so passively as if it were just another part of the conversation. Just a fact of the matter that added some context. He launched it himself, three million years ago. He was joking? He didn't seem to do jokes. But a million by itself was such an unimaginable period of time. And to think someone could live and have seen all three million of those? And just talk and act like a normal person? I observed the hallway passively as it flew by. Bumblebee was taking me back to the thing, the 'auxiliary,' the Medbay. Should I be more shocked by the news?

I mean, sure, it was shocking. There was really no question that it was shocking. Three million years was an absurdly long time. I had known there was probably an age gap between me and the robots. Misdirect had to be older than me, and it's not like 'young adult' or 'teenager' meant the same thing between two different species of alien. I had imagined it more like him being 60 or something and me being 16. Where he just seemed younger because he was a different species. But maybe I just should have known better. Of course, it would be something ridiculous like three million. Maybe it was just fitting.

Bumblebee's dashboard chirped. Was he millions of years old too? Was Misdirect?

Words popped up on Bumblebee's screen.

how did — it go?

"Good, I think. He was pretty understanding actually."

you looked — very worried

"Was I that obvious? So you two seem close. Have you known each other for a long time?"

Yes! He taught me — all I know

"Like way back? Like before the war?"

way before — the war

I swallowed thickly. He absolutely was millions of years old. Why had no one mentioned this to me? Why hadn't Misdirect? I felt an unhappy pit form in my stomach. No, I probably knew why.

And it was stupid because if I got home it wouldn't even matter how vastly different our lifespans were. And if you don't get home, then what?

Then, well. Then I'd live here, on this ship, for the rest of my life. It wasn't like I didn't know robots lived longer than humans. But millions of years longer? Why in the world did these guys care about me or my planet if I lived a blink compared to them? And Misdirect. Why would he care so much if I'd be gone so quickly from his perspective...or had he even thought of that yet? I remembered the way he looked uneasy back in the Medbay when we had been talking about injuries, he had seemed ready to move on from the topic of age immediately. Maybe it was just as shocking to him too.

Bumblebee made an inquisitive sort of noise and I remembered there had been a question I had wanted to ask him. "Why did you leave the Bridge earlier, are you ok?"

His screen hesitated noticeably and I immediately panicked and tried to backtrack. He answered before I could apologize.

I am ok

The screen flickered around and he visibly slowed down. The massive hallway arched above us like a cathedral, bots were passing left and right. Colors, activity, and pounding steps, Bumblebee smoothly weaved around walking robots. I spotted a few other alien vehicles doing the same, zipping around. Other Bots that were transformed. There was an organized chaos to the large space, it seemed like a central hub of some kind. I was almost about to apologize again when the words popped up.

don't know — where to start

"Jazz said it had to do with the Decepticons?" I asked.

He made a small warbling noise.