Carry The One

Orion Pax pt 3

It had been some time since we last heard from Jack and Arcee. The space bridge rumbled, still open as Ratchet had promised. There was a nagging at the back of my mind of something that wasn't Arcee or Jack coming through and attacking the bots. I complimented my anxiety by sitting down and taking every weapon I had down, and laying it on the ground. I had three knives, three pistols, my shotgun, fourteen grenades, and two lines of ammo. Bulkhead watched me curiously as I took each shell off the belt, and placed it back on after a quick inspection.

"What are you doing?" he asked me softly.

"Killing time," I answered, completely focused on memorizing each shell. I held the next one up, fourteenth on the belt. "This one," I stated, holding it up for Bulkhead to see. "This is the one I'm firing at Optimus when he gets his slagging brain back to him." I gently placed it back in it's hold, pretending not to hear Bulk's vent.

"Cara.." he kneeled next to me, servo reaching out to stop my peddling. "You cannot blame Optimus --"

"I don't blame him," I reassured the green mech. "But he still broke a promise. And he lied to me."

Bulkhead rolled his optics, before grinning at me wickedly. "Hey, at least you'll get another chance to yell at him,"

"You bet I will," I grinned back. "Glitch head has a lot coming to him."

Jack's voice suddenly thundered through the comm, the four of us turning to gather around the control panel. "We're being attacked by some kind of giant bot-beetle!"

"An Insecticon!" Ratchet growled angrily. I shuddered, shivers running down my spine as I made my way up Bulkhead's leg.

"What are decepticons doing on Cybertron?" Raf asked.

"A few remained in stasis -- sentries -- should the .. enemy return."

"Jack, GO!" I heard Arcee yell over Jack's comm.

"Seriously?"

"Without Arcee?" June asked. "But she's his guide!"

"No, June," I reminded her. "Arcee is Jack's back up. The keycard is his guide."

"Listen to her, Jack," I heard the woman assure her son after a few moments. "You've made it this far, Optimus is counting on you,"

I shuddered as Jack assumingly agreed, the sounds of the battle over the comm fading.

"Hey everyone," Jack called after a few moments of agonizing silence. I had climbed my way to Bulk's hip before he lifted me the rest of the way to his shoulder. It wasn't as high as I was used to, but I was able to see the screen now. "I'm in,"

Relief rushed over me. Soon, Optimus.

"Commencing download... I think."

~---~

"This is taking a while..."

"Of course it is," Ratchet mumbled. "We are talking about the collective wisdom of the Primes."

The other end was silent for a moment, before Jack commed back in. "Scraplets!"

I stood on Bulkhead's shoulder, looking over to see my range of weapons still scattered on the ground far below.

"What's a scraplet?" June asked worriedly.

"Why did it have to be scraplets?" Bulkhead asked while Bumblebee threw his hands to his head.

"If they chew through Vector Sigma..." I trailed off, looking to Ratchet for help.

A ground bridge roared to life, and I turned expecting Miko.