Ghosts of the Present (Rescue Bots AU)

12. Burns Remembered

Dad!? The bots can't take much more of this, they're getting too weak!

"I know, son. But we have to respect their choice..."

Chief turned back towards Chase as his chassis creaked, watching the police-bot's frame slumping a little more. "...As much as we hate it."

Chase's optics wearily lifted up from the ground to look Chief Burns in the eye, "It...It is the least we could do, Chief Burns...After you have done so much...so much for us..."

"And what about what you've done for us, Chase? So much more, so many things we couldn't have done without you."

Chase's lips twitched to a slight smile, "We were happy to...to do it..."

Chief walked up as his partner sat down in the snow, relaxing a little more. "Save your strength, partner. We'll be home soon, just hang in there..."

Chase's metal felt cold under his hand, not just from the air around them, but the usual warmth from the energon flowing through his limbs was nearly gone. The constant, but gentle thumping of his pulse had slowed, and Chase's optics flickered dimmer as the minutes passed.

Then the ground shuddered, and Chief looked as the dome faded away; the island had landed back in place. He wasted no time pulling the plug on the generator, removing the tube that was draining his partner's lifeforce out. "Chase, Chase, are you still with me, partner?"

Chase's optics were dim, almost dark completely, but he managed to tilt his helm in a slight nod. "...S-Stasis is... Stasis is try..."

Chief placed a hand on Chase's arm, trying to keep his voice clear. "Rest, okay? You did good... You saved us, just like always."

Chase smiled, and it remained even as he slumped entirely and his optics closed. His job was finished, at least for now. "Thank you..."

________________________________________________________

Within the hour, the bots had all been carefully transported back to the Firehouse, all of them in varying stages of stasis and shutdown.

Optimus had requested his medic to come and attend to them, and Cody only got a brief view of the bot, an older mech with armor of red and white and the frame of an ambulance, before Chief ushered him out of the garage and upstairs to the command center.

Cody could hardly think straight, all he could think about was the bots downstairs. They'd all looked so still, their armor so pale and drained of color. He trusted Optimus and his medic to do what they could, but... Would it be too late? He rested in the chair, head in his hands. He wanted to do something to help, but there was nothing.

Just like always, there was nothing on the field he was trained for that could help.

It was several hours, but finally, Chief came and told him that Optimus wanted to speak with him. His tone did not give him hope.

He trudged to the elevator and went down to the garage, gripping his father's hand tightly. Optimus stood in the middle of the garage, his medic close behind him.

"Optimus..." Cody mumbled, trying his best to sound friendly, but he was too scared, too afraid of what was about to be said. "Please... Please..." He whispered; his eyes were already beginning to burn with tears.

Optimus was quiet for several seconds, "My medic has tended to the Rescue Bots... But unfortunately, nothing more can be done."

The medic spoke up, "Their sparks took too much strain, they just can't recover from the shock of being so weakened... They're barely hanging on, but-"