Infection

Arrival

Arcee's POV

"Ha ha ha." Jack laughed while she played with the scrap metal like an earth feline. He turned back to the tv while she rolled over and gave Ratchet his piece of metal back before watching him work. She had no idea what he was building but he used to just tinker with scrap a lot and she was glade he got back into it even if he said it was just to figure out his tools some more.

Ratchet was sitting on the floor facing the kids tv with some tools and pieces of metal laid out in front of him. Arcee sat on his right with Bumblebee on his left, Smokescreen was sitting behind her, and Bulkhead sat behind them. The kids were up in the human area watching a movie she was only half paying attention to. Except for Raf who was siting between Bee's front paws.

Agent Fowler was their and thankfully he wasn't starting an argument with Bulkhead this time. Him and the wrecker were intently watching while she, Smokescreen, and the kids were switching between the movie and Ratchet. However Bumblebee seemed to have absolutely no interest in the movie and was focused on Ratchet alone. The medic in turn was interacting with the scout and giving him attention he should have had years ago.

     She watched Ratchet give Bee a welder and have him melt another piece of metal while he bent it with a pair of cybertronian pliers. The whole thing he was working on was a complicated twist of bent and spiraled pieces of metal each one turned and twisted in a different direction but over all it was quiet small for a cybertronian. In fact she was pretty sure one of the humans would have no problem lifting it.

Her attention was soon drawn to Optimus as the prime came over from his work station. He walked past them and paused looking over their group and what each of them was doing. Making sure they were safe even though their was no reason for then to be in danger.

"Are you going to stand their or join us?" Ratchet spoke up without looking away from his work.

"Mmm." Optimus responded signaling he was listening.

"You should stay and socialize with your team." Ratchet said rather bluntly earning a few looks from around the room but succeeding.

Optimus vented before sitting next to Bulkhead and behind Bumblebee.

They managed to keep him their until the end of the movie but while the credits were starting the proximity alarm went off.

     Ratchet jumped up and rushed to the monitors. He only made it half way before something crashed close to the base and the ground shook enough to make them all stumble. They quickly recovered and raced to the monitor were Ratchet was, as Agent Fowler held Miko back and told the other kids to wait in the human area.

     "Something landed in the desert, it appears to be cybertronian." Ratchet said as he struggled to operate the monitors. "Someone's in the tunnel." He said, they all rushed their just as whatever it was reached the base.

     They froze with shock when they saw another predicon emerging from the tunnel. He had the all too familiar four legged structure with a long neck and a tail that had a blade at the end of it. He was grey with red and green highlights and Arcee was relived to see the wing-like shoulder plates that signified he was not a flier and, with his colors, their for not a decepticon. Infact she knew exactly who this was.

     "Somebody better have a good explanation for... this." He said gesturing to himself.

     "Jackie!" Bulkhead yelled as he gave his friend a stronger version of the awkward hug he gave Bee.

     Arcee couldn't help but laugh with most everyone else as Bulkhead slipped in his "hug" and Wheeljack couldn't support his weight. The two wreckers fell over with Wheeljack landing underneath Bulkhead.

     "Get up ya old wreckin' ball I can't breath." Wheeljack gasped trying to shove Bulkhead's shoulder plate farther away from him. They laughed before touching helms in greeting and standing up.

"Hey doc," Wheeljack stopped as they passed Ratchet, "I tried to land the Jackhammer outa the way but I might need some help."

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me doc." Ratchet answered as he pulled up an image from outside. Arcee couldn't see it that well but she assumed it was were the Jackhammer had landed.

"Yes, you clearly do need help." Ratchet said, "but it shouldn't be too much work. Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Smokescreen go help Wheeljack!" He called.

Arcee went to the top of the base to watch for any humans while the four bots pushed the Jackhammer up against the base. It was small enough to be well hidden and if anything came to close the proximity alarm would alert them.

Afterwards Miko insisted on playing her music, and since all of them were confined to the base at the risk of being spotted, they all had to listen. And Miko knew it.

At first she played the music on her guitar but then she turned on an album and let it play. She then took out her sketchbook and pencils and started drawing their new forms. While she was, they slowly slipped down the hallway, one by one, to escape the noise.

Arcee was among the first to walk out, going down the hallway and around the corner. When she couldn't hear the music anymore she sat down and took a few deep breaths before walking back. She passed Optimus on her way as the prime walked around the corner to his berthroom. But that wasn't what surprised her. Not far behind him was Wheeljack.

"Know were I can go for some quiet?" He said as he walked up to her.

"I thought you liked this music?" She asked.

"Not as much as Bulkhead." He admitted but, knowing their was more, she motioned for him to keep talking. "Alright, its also pretty loud." He gave in.

"Follow me." She said smirking as she walked back around the corner and he followed. They stopped when they could no longer hear the music and she turned around as he sat down.

"Thanks." He said as she turned to leave.

"No problem." She replied before she walked back to the main room to try and get Miko to turn off her music.