The Power Within - Transformers Prime (2)

Chapter Three

Episode 2 - Orion Pax (2)

[Amanda]

  The next day, it was just me, Raf, and Ratchet at the base again. The boys were working on turbocharging the ground bridge while I tried to pick up the metal rod with the silver dust again. Arcee, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead were popping in and out of the base, scanning quadrants of the world for energon spikes and then returning when they found none. Jack was working a shift, Miko was in detention, and Finn was at a military meeting, leaving just the three of us at base.

  Focus. Focus...

  The silver dust covered the rod, trickling down from my extended hand. Once it covered it, I took a breath and willed the rod to lift. One side tipped up slightly, twitching around before dropping with a clang, throwing off my focus.

  Scrap.

  I had been trying for hours, never getting passed the whole lifting it up bit, which was getting more and more annoying. Why wouldn't it just work? Still, I could use a break, so I stood and leaned over the railing to watch the boys work.

  "Rafael, is the test subject ready?" Ratchet asked and Raf placed a remote control car in front of the ground bridge.

  "Check." Raf confirmed. "Long range GPS activated."

  "I have doubts whether my recalibrations have successfully extended the ground bridge range," The medic admitted. "But there's only one way to find out."

  He fired up the ground bridge, the machine coming to life, and then Raf controlled his car to go through. I bit my lip, hoping that it would work so that we wouldn't have to take control of the Decepticon space bridge in order to send me and Jack to Vector Sigma to get Optimus' memories back. Around halfway through, an electric shock went through the remote control car, causing it to blow to bits. Ratchet closed the ground bridge, shaking his head in disappointment.

  "It was just the first try," Raf tried.

  "No, Rafael, it was pure folly." The medic said, sounding slightly defeated. "A misguided act of desperation. It takes eons to master space bridge engineering, and no one is more accomplished than the Decepticons."

  But the younger boy wasn't about to give up. "You know, there's this thing in gym class where you have to climb a rope all the way to the ceiling. It's really hard and I've never been able to do it. But, when I told Bee about it, he believed in me, which made me practice a ton. Finally, just a couple weeks ago, I made it to the top!"

  "What does any of this have to do with gym class?" Ratchet snapped.

  Raf shot me a 'help' look, but I shook my head. There was no getting at Ratchet when he was in a mood. Last time we tried, we had wrenches thrown at us.

  "I- I'll give you some alone time." Raf sighed and trudged towards me.

  I beckoned him over and we took a seat on the couch. "You know Ratchet, he just doesn't like getting it the first time around."

  He nodded. "I know. I just wish he'd try again."

  "This is just how he works," I pulled out my phone, pulling up some specs. "But here, you can still help. Pass me your laptop." He did so and I got to work, connecting a few things and tinkering with some others. Raf watched over my shoulder the whole time, face full of focus as I uploaded the information

  "What are you-" He started and I handed him the laptop. "What- You connected this to a satellite? You have a satellite?"

  "Not just any satellite. The state of the art BeckIT one that I keep for personal use. This'll let you keep track of the search for energon and a space bridge. I already uploaded the information about the chemical signature for energon, so you just have to monitor and record it. You up for it?"