Transformers The Hatchling

Bug hunting

Storm POV

After the shock had run it's course I found myself by the ground bridge. Ratchet was at the controls trying to contact Optimus. "Ratchet to Optimus, do you read me? We have a situation. The Scraplets have gotten into the com-link system! If we don't eradicate these creatures immediately, they will reduce the entire base to a scrap heap!" Bulkhead smelled of fear which nerve wrecking. "I say we bug out of here and let them keep it!" He replied looking to the exit. Bumblebee nodded in agreement both mechs looked ready to bolt for the base doors out. "Evacuation is not an option. If we don't get the ground bridge back online stat, Optimus and Arcee will perish." The human younglings looked scared surely they would be safer outside the base. "They will.." Jack looked terrified for his guardian Miko turned to Bulkhead angry. "Bulkhead you never run!" "Miko, you haven't seen a swarm of these things devour a bot. I have. They pick you apart from the inside out, going for the small juicy bits first, fuse by fuse, circuit by circuit, till there's nothing left, and I mean nothing... not even your optics." I physically shivered if I hadn't of woken when I did or had eaten less energon before deep stasis I would have been eaten alive in my own nest, the thought made me want to retch. I couldn't think of a worse death. 

"You have to let us help." I growled is disapproval it was too dangerous they should be evacuated from the base for there own safety. "We're not made of metal." Raf reasoned. "Yeah. the scraplets can't hurt us." Miko chimed in. though it was true there was still danger, the base was being dismantled by these scraplets which could lead to the structure of the base being compromised beams could fall. Torn electrical cables could electrocute them, their frail bodies wouldn't survive an accident here. "Typically, I find your fleshiness to be your least engaging quality.. but it would appear to provide an advantage under these extreme circumstances." I growled not agreeing with this. "Enough Storm they'll be fine." Ratchet scolded me for all the growling. 

"Okay good. So we pair off one to one human. I stay here and guard Ratchet while he fixes the ground bridge." Jack said taking the lead. " Ain't we one human short." Raf looked to me, sweet. " She can take care of herself better than we can she should stay with the ground bridge to prevent further damage to it." Bulkhead said Ratchet nodded in agreement. I walked closer to the ground bridge ready to defend. "Okay now that that's sorted we go on a bug hurt." Miko said resulting in a gulp from Bulkhead.

.......

I stood near Ratchet as he worked the rattling of tiny feet were everywhere so I couldn't pinpoint the scraplets which frustrated me and left me with a headache. "How's it going over there?" Jack asked Ratchet wanting to break the silence. "I've repaired the damaged conductors and rerouted the central conducts, but the ground bridge won't receive power!" Ratchet exclaimed hitting the floor, angry at his own short comings. I heard clicking nearby looking past Ratchet to the far wall which was covered in scraplets. Now I was wide wake they would not get me this time. I snarl at the sight letting Ratchet know that danger was close. They opened their mouths wide as they began a feeding frenzy. They could fly, they group together one one big swarm. "Whoa. They fly?! You said they could fly!" Jack shout I sent a long stream of fire out into the air taking half of the scraplets before the combined force knocked me and Ratchet to the ground. I rolled and thrashed at the attack hurting as they sawed at my armour. It took longer to get loose but after a minute I just had enough and breathed fire over myself frying the scraplets. It irritated my exterior but it worked. I then focus on helping Ratchet picking the scraplets off him with claws and teeth while jack froze them with the extinguisher soon all the scraplets were off Ratchet. Bulkhead and Bumblebee limped in clearly hurt. 

A much larger swarm hovered above ready to attack I stood in front of the Autobots just as the swarm descended to attack. I let out everything I had left aiming at the head of the swarm my flame turning them to ash some had slipped through but the human younglings were taking care of them with ease. With the last ones dealt with I collapse to the ground in a heap, all energy reserves depleted. 

The human younglings went around after the assault to make sure they were all dead. "We get them all?" Jack asked looking around to all the carnage. The answer came as a mechanical whirling and thud in the distance. "Hardly, these were just scouts." Ratchet groaned. "So the rest of them know we're in her?" Bulkhead wheezed. "And if we allow ourselves to become their next meal, Optimus and Arcee will never make it home. We must get the ground bridge operational." I whimper at his comment it was all I could do the pain was everywhere, I couldn't move. "Then we can use it to send the scraplets anywhere on earth." It was a good plan if the ground bridge was working. "What about back to the arctic, we already know that they don't do cold, now that our flamethrower is temporarily out of juice." I couldn't even argue that with a growl reeving on the ground. "Sweet one-stop shopping." Miko seem excited by this plan. "Given the body mass of the scraplets the sub-zero temperature should freeze them of contact. So think Ratchet, think! If the ground bridge is still down, then there must be a breach in the energon fuel line." No idea what that meant but if it could be fixed great. "If we weren't breaching, one of us could get back over there and fix it." Bulkhead said the human younglings stepped forward. "Where do do we find it?" Jack asked determined. "And how do we fix it?" Raf asked this could go so wrong. Ratchet then spent several minutes explain where to go what to look for and how to fix the problem. 

While they were gone I groaned in pain. "Easy girl. Thing could be a whole lot worse." Bulkhead comments and I so wanted to hit him but I couldn't even lift my tail to hit him up side the head. "When we get the ground bridge open, do we send the creepy-crawlies out or bring our bots in?" Bulkhead asked Ratchet. "Optimus and Arcee will be fresh meat. If we bring them in first the scraplets will have no reason to leave we'll need bait." Ratchet gruffed out. "Where are gonna get bait?! The scraplets already helped themselves to everything in here." At Bulkhead's angry tone, a loud humming sound began to get closer and closer before swarms burst from the vents. I still couldn't move I was going to be eaten alive. I whimper in fear. Jack, Miko and Raf came running in suddenly. "Ratchet, All systems go!" He yelled. "Fire it up!" Miko screamed. Ratchet struggled to get up up managed to pull the lever down activating the ground bridge. Bulkhead then stood and waved to get the scraplets attention. "HEY! OVER HER! READY FOR THE MAIN COURSE! COME AND GET IT!" He yelled and ran into the ground bridge the entire swarm following him in.

After five minutes Bulkhead limped back into base followed by Optimus and Arcee they were frozen ice coated them in some places but they were alive. They had all made it and in relief that it was over, I succumbed to darkness.