Enter Dante, The Rev-9: Book 2: Revelations

Chapter 5: Operation: Bumblebee: Part 2

3rd Person POV

Autobot Base

Dante immediately bridged over to the Autobot base just in time to see Bulkhead set Bumblebee on a berth while Ratchet fussed over him.

"What happened?" he asked Arcee as he jumped up to a platform and set his shotgun against a wall.

Arcee explained how Bulkhead had found Bumblebee crashed at the bottom of a gorge after pursuing Knockout. "And where were you?" she asked suspiciously.

"Tried getting some intel out of a MECH soldier I found," Dante replied. "No luck. I snagged his phone, so I'll see if I can hack into MECH's database and track down Bee's T-cog."

Arcee nodded and was about to respond when Raf called out, "Hey! Bee's waking up!"

Bumblebee sat up, whirring in complaint as he rubbed his head.

"You've already lost your voice box and your T-cog," Ratchet berated him. "Were you really trying to add your spark to the list?!"

Bee whirred something else.

"Don't say that, Bumblebee," Raf protested. "You're not useless."

"Look," Arcee spoke up. "I hate to break up the pity party, but the Cons just added unknown Iacon payday number 2 to their armory."

"Neither praise nor blame will modify past events," Optimus stated as he entered the room, Elita at his side. "But we cannot afford to take further unnecessary risks. Bumblebee, you are not to leave our base."

Before Bumblebee could protest, Elita spoke up. "At least until we can get your T-cog back."

Optimus walked off, Elita following along with Ratchet.

Turning up his hearing, Dante listened in as Ratchet spoke with Optimus and Elita.

"—to be less than hopeful," Ratchet was saying. "But you two know as well as I that there exists another way to make him whole again."

"You mean a transplant?" Elita gasped. "But that would require a donor."

"You need look no farther than the medic before you," Ratchet told the two of them somberly, earning a surprised look from both.

"A generous offer, old friend," Optimus said hesitantly. "But your solution would only trade one Autobot's handicap for another's."

"I don't rely upon my T-cog," Ratchet protested. "Not like Bumblebee does. The ability to transform is virtually wasted on me. This," he gestured around at the base, "is where I spend my days. Where my thoughts and hands are of value, not my weapons or wheels." Ratchet glanced over at Bumblebee. "Our team can't afford to be shy even one warrior in the field."

"Okay, so we have a plan B," Elita said. "But when we find Bumblebee's T-cog, you won't have to--"

"Elita, Optimus," Rachet cut in, "MECH are savages. Who knows what damage they have already inflicted upon it! Or... or if I will be able to repair it."

Dante frowned. Something told him that Ratchet's ability to repair the T-cog was not what the medic was going on about.

"Ratchet," Optimus reassured. "You did everything in your power."

"Puh-lease," Ratchet huffed. "Do you really think this is simply about my ability to restore Bumblebee's voice box?!"

Optimus remained quiet, his silence answer enough.