Aqua-star: Transformers Prime

Crossfire

Aqua-star's POV

"So Wheeljack enjoying Earth so far?" I ask Bulkhead as we lob the ball back and forth.

"So far, no complaints" he tells me. "He asked how you and the sparkling are" he states.

"We're both fine, according to Ratchet" I tell him.

"Any ideas on what it is?" he asks me curious.

"To soon to tell yet, but my spark tells me femme" I tell him.

"Any name ideas?" he asks.

"Not yet" I state catching the lob.

"Ep ep ep, no lobbing" Ratchet snaps taking the lob ball from me. "Far to heavy for you to be carrying" he states. And I roll my optics.

"I'm fine Ratchet and so is my sparkling. I can't stop having some fun just because I'm sparked" I tell him. "I haven't been let out since Wheeljack left and I am going steer crazy here" I state.

"Let her enjoy herself a little Ratchet" Bulkhead tells him.

"I agree, it won't be long until she can't do this sort of thing. She should be allowed to enjoy it while she can" Arcee states.

"I understand your concern old friend, but Aqua-star knows the limitations of her own body" Optimus tells him.

"Fine" Ratchet grumbles passing the ball to Bulkhead. And goes back to the console muttering to himself. Optimus and Arcee go out on patrol. Bumblebee is out scouting an energon signal. Suddenly we receive an incoming message.

"What is it?" Bulkhead asks.

"A high-frequency signal with an embedded message" Ratchet answers.

"Again?" Bulkhead asks.

"Starscream" Ratchet states. "I have obtained information of extreme interest to you. Bring medical kit" he reads. "Aqua-star remain here" he tells me.

"Fine" I grumble and activate the ground bridge. Bulkhead goes through first and gives the all clear. Ratchet goes through the bridge and they leave the comm open so that I can hear what's going on.

"Make it fast" Ratchet tells Starscream.

"It would appear that, like myself, Airachnid has gone rogue" Starscream states.

"What's it to us?" Ratchet asks him.

"She is planning to retaliate against Meg Eh mankind. I can provide you with her current location" Starscream tells him. Was he about to say Megatron?

"I don't believe you" Ratchet tells him. Nor do I.

"Why wouldn't you? I directed you to the location of the decepticon space bridge so you could rescue Orion Pax and Aqua-star, didn't I?" Starscream asks him. Wait, he did that? Then again I did never ask how the others found the second space bridge.

"Yeah, but then you helped M. E. C. H. steal Bumblebee's T-cog" Bulkhead reminds him.

"So? He got it back, didn't he?" Starscream asks them. "I admit aligning myself with those vile humans was a colossal error in judgment, but I am alone. I do what I must to survive. But I have paid the price. I am now the one missing his T-cog" he explains. Sucks to be him, a seeker that can't fly.

"You're grounded?" Bulkhead asks shocked.

"Thus of little, if any, threat to you. But Airachnid and her Insecticon intend to..." Starscream starts to say. Wait, did he say insecticon?

"An Insecticon?! Here?" Ratchet asks him.

"How?" Bulkhead asks.

"Well, I would have asked, but I was too busy squeezing through a narrow crevice, trying to keep the vermin from chewing my leg off! While Airachnid watched" Starscream states. Ratchet tends to Starscream's leg and gets Airachnid's location. Before he and Bulkhead returned to base. We called the others back to base.

"The coordinates Starscream provided are within an abandoned decepticon mine" Ratchet states. After explaining about Airachnid and her insecticon.

"Hold on. You just fixed him up and sent him on his way?" Arcee demands.

"What were you both thinking?" Bee asks.

"What were we supposed to do? Take him back here?" Bulkhead asks them.

"Not that I wouldn't jump at any chance to put Airachnid down, but she isn't the only one who's robbed me of a partner" Arcee reminds us.

"You weren't there, Arcee. Starscream was weak, defenseless" Bulkhead tells her.

"Besides without his T-cog he isn't much of a threat and I'm sure he'll turn up again in future" I state.

"And learning of the Insecticon could prove highly tactical. Starscream's intel has proved credible in the past" Ratchet reminds her.

"Sure, when he wasn't busy stabbing us in the back" she retorts.

"Without the resources we possessed on Cybertron, we lack ready means of capturing and imprisoning our enemies. Nonetheless, I do not condone the termination of any defenseless life-form" Optimus reminds her.

"I take it I'm staying behind again" I grumble.

"Of course you are, I'm not losing another partner to Airachnid" Arcee snaps. "Besides you have your sparkling to think about" she reminds me. As Ratchet activates the ground bridge to the abandoned mine.

"Autobots, roll out" Optimus orders and they leave. Ratchet closes the ground bridge behind them. Now we can only wait.

"How are you feeling?" Ratchet asks me.

"I'm fine, just being tired of being treated like a sparkling again" I tell him.

"You know it's only because we care about you and your sparkling" he reminds me.

"I know" I assure him. "But I feel useless being stuck here. At least you have something do while here and sure I can assist you. But it won't stop me from being bored or worrying about the others" I tell him.

"Perhaps you and Arcee can go for a drive later?" he suggests. "That always cheers you up" he states. I give him a grateful smile. "How about a check up while we wait?" he suggests. I nod my helm and he scans me.

Both the sparkling and I are healthy, the sparkling has even grown a little. Ratchet added the new measurements to the chart he is using to try figure the growth rate of my sparkling. So that we'd have a better idea of when he or she will be ready to enter the world.

When the others returned, we learnt Starscream had set a trap for us. Hoping they'd die along with Megatron and Airachnid. Her insecticon is gone, thank Primus. But she escaped along with Megatron. At least everyone is a live and well. Ratchet tended to everyones injuries and then I went for a ride with Arcee.