Starscream's Secret

Twenty-five

Optimus looked at his gathered team. "Arcee, I would like for you to stay here and watch Starscream and Swindle. Ratchet will be accompanying me and the others for the time being. Autobots! Roll out!"

The bots with Optimus for the mission transformed and went through the groundbridge.

They looked around the bright white expanse.

Ratchet pulled out his scanner. "The signal is coming from this wayn it's a bit weak but it's surprising we are getting any signal at all."

Bumblebee beeped and whirled out that he didn't see anything but snow and ice.

Bulkuhead agreed. "What exactly should we even be looking for Optimus? Do you think it might be scraplets or cons?"

Optimus vented. "I am unsure but if it is an injured Cybertronian then it is our duty to help them."

They came to a stop when Ratchet stopped near a large crack in the ice. He pointed his scanner down the abyss kneeling down. "The signal's coming from down here. Bumblebee we are going to have to lower you down.  You are the smallest of us and Arcee's not here to do it."

Bumblebee whirled sadly.

Optimus gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder. "You will do fine Bumblebee."

Bumblebee perked up. He was curious to know what he would find down in the crack.

Ratchet pulled out a rope from his subspace. He gave one end to Bulkhead. He then walked over to Bumblebee and tied the rope around the bots waist and chassis. "And... done. Now take the scanner with you just in case."

Bumblebee did as asked and carefully went down the crack. All he could think was that it better be worth it.

Bumblebee reached the bottom and turned his headlights on in order to see in the dark. He turned the scanner on and listened as it showed where the signal was coming from. He took a step forward and tripped on his pedes. He beeped in annoyance and sat up rubbing his helm as it had hit the ground. He looked up and bolted back in shock. There in front of him was a mech in white and blue from what he could see the mech was huge! He scanned around the mech and noticed the guy was frozen in the ice but had thawed out a bit. An arm, a leg, and a wing all on the right side was no longer in ice. He noticed the red blinking light on the mech's half frozen chassis. He wondered how he was going to free the frozen mech. He told Optimus and the others what he found over his comm.

Optimus spoke. "Bumblebee, is there any way for us all to get down there without crushing you and the mech?"

Bumblebee vented, responding that he wasn't sure but if they could excavate, it would be easier. The mech was halfway unfrozen.

Bumblebee looked around for a second. He noticed that the cavern was big enough to break the crack a bit to make the others fit.  He told them that if they focused some blasts around the edges the crack will get bigger and they all could fit.

Optimus and Bulkhead got to work breaking the ice, hoping that Bumblebee wouldn't be trapped himself.

The bots shivered in the cold Arctic air. Thier joints getting frozen as they kept moving. They finally were able to make the crack bigger and Ratchet and Optimus were able to get down with Bulkhead holding the ropes in case the fall was too far.

The three got to work melting the ice on the mech. They were lucky that there wasn't an ice storm to deter them. They were even more lucky when no Decepticons came.

It took about an hour and a half for them to get the mech unfroze from the ice holding him hostage.

The large mech fell from his place in the ice. Optimus, Bumblebee, and Ratchet had to stop him from falling faceplate forwad on the icy ground.

Ratchet looked the frozen mech over. "We need to get him some much needed repairs. He's been here for a thousand years Optimus. His circuitry is completely in disrepair. First things first though, we need to get him out of this chasm. Bulkhead's going to need to bring up you Optimus and then we can bring Bumblebee up and the three of you can pull the big guy up while I make sure he doesn't break. Looking at his frame he sustained injuries before being frozen. It's going to be awhile before he'll be able to awaken. If... he'll awaken at all."

Optimus vented. "We must not give up hope that he will awaken."

The two with him nodded.

Ratchet got the rope that was attached to them and attatched it to the large mech's chassis after he made sure the other two got up.

Optimus yelled up at Bulkhead. "Bulkhead! Pull up me and then Bumblebee."

Bulkhead pulled uo Optimus and then Bumblebee.

Together the three pulled the large mech up and then Ratchet.

Optimus called into base. "Arcee, we require a groundbridge a our coordinates, please."

Arcee replied. "On it Optimus."

A groundbridge opened up in front of them.

Together the four of them grabbed a limb and pulled the large mech into the bridge. All they could think was hopefully they could save him.