Return (A Ratchet TFP Fanfiction Story)

Chapter 20

Shocked silence fell upon the team for a short amount of time, maybe a few seconds, but the horror made it seem to last forever. Finally, Omega moved, glancing back up at her brother with fearful optics. Alpha put his arm down with a solemn look.

"Well, I'd hoped we would have more time than that," he grumbled with a light sigh, rubbing his helm in exasperation. His optics were lined with worry as they fell upon his sister.

The medic took one good long look at the twins, and his already tense chassis stiffened even more. He was instantly reminded of those he had previously lost in the war. The young bots he hadn't been able to save in time. The countless younglings that had been brutally murdered with no hope left. His mind flashed to his own sparkmate he had once had. 

Ratchet knew instantly that there was no way they could win this battle.

His denta grit so hard he could feel the metal grinding and sparking a little. He surged forward and took Omega's servo, turned and pulled her forward. A surprised look fell over her faceplate as she was tugged after him. Alpha shared a similar expression as he trotted quickly after them.

"What are you doing?" the young mech asked sharply. 

Ratchet didn't reply, instead heading towards the entrance of the maze they had come from. Omega nearly tripped over her own pedes as the medic hurried along with a determined and wary look over his faceplate. Alpha finally matched the old doctor's pace, jogging right beside him. His features were set in a firm frown as he glared harder at their new mentor.

"I said, what are you doing?" he repeated, a little gruffer this time. "Where are we going?"

Omega opened her derma to add to it, but something crossed over her optics and she closed it again, looking down a bit sadly.

"We can't stay here," the medic finally snapped as they entered the halls once more. "We're going back."

"With no GroundBridge?" the younger mech retorted. "We came on this mission knowing we couldn't get away without the help of Team Prime!"

"Perhaps you did," Ratchet said, looking at his path instead of the one speaking to him. "The Decepticons wouldn't have a mine this size without a means of some sort of travel, one that didn't require the warship."

Alpha caught on quickly and raised an optic ridge. "So you're saying there's a control center here somewhere? And we're heading over there so that we can make our escape." He scowled, sidestepping the medic and blocking him, outstretching his arms. "So you're saying we're just giving up?!" he shouted this time.

Ratchet remained unfazed. "We are making a tactical retreat," he argued. His hold on Omega's servo tightened a little and the young femme took a step closer to him from behind.

Alpha seemed pretty upset about this. "I am not about to waste all that we've done just to run away!" he protested angrily. "Ratchet, this isn't just about one battle. I'm talking taking you back to your team, finding something for us to do! Our  future, not just yours!"

The medic finally got a bit unsettled, flinching before his plates flared up in anger. "Alpha, we can't win this battle! It's a death sentence!"

"We have to take the chance!" Alpha cried, taking a threatening step forward, making wild gestures as he spoke. "If we go back now, we may never get another chance like this again! All the things we've done, all our Energon scouting! The Con's are gonna catch onto us sooner or later, and then what? My ship's weapon systems are totally crashed, there's no way we could survive a frontal assault!"

"This is a frontal assault!" Ratchet yelled, obviously angry, but seriously worried about their safety. "Alpha, if we stay here, there will never be another chance! Do you understand me? Never!"