Going Green

Chapter 30: One-Servoed

Verdant wasn't paying much attention as Optimus directed all combatants to go investigate a signal. Ratchet had saw it just moments ago, and Verdant assumed it was likely the Decepticons and a new energon mine. It was right along the outskirts of her prediction line for energon growth.

Even if she found the discovery underwhelming, Optimus was still determined to ensure the Decepticons weren't up to anything.

So, as mentioned, Verdant didn't care much. She was busy, optics forced into offline, trying to go gray. She hadn't connected deeply to any sort of tech since she was unplugged on the Nemesis, and the idea that she no longer possessed the ability was unnerving.

Time seemed to fly by as she sat there, half-patiently, slowly, meticulously sifting through data with no particular purpose in mind. This is how old textbooks from Steelbend used to instruct students of technology into going gray for the first time. The books had never been of much use before, considering she only discovered them after she discovered her abilties, but now she was trying—vainly—to use some old-fashion tactics.

She hadn't gotten very far since she started, aside from some refreshing mindfulness. Her processor was doing well in not wandering like yesterday and she was rather calm, but something was missing. There was no click, no connection that told her she was doing well. It seemed crazy to her that after countless years of easily going into this state, she had lost it so quickly.

Verdant onlined her optics when she felt a small tap on her arm. She looked down to see Raf, who was sitting on his butt next to her, wincing.

"Sorry," he muttered. "I tripped."

Verdant smiled. "Don't worry about it."

He stood up and looked at her curiously. "Is something wrong? Usually you've passed out by now."

Verdant chuckled. "A little trouble, but nothing I can't fix."

"Oh," Raf smiled shyly.

She unplugged her tentacles and leaned back. "You know, I never had the opportunity to ask. How are you, Raf?"

He blushed. "I'm good."

"How did you meet the Autobots?" she questioned. "Optimus doesn't allow any other humans to know we exist."

"Oh," Raf's eyes twitched across the room toward his other small friends. "Well, Jack was admiring Arcee, because he loves bikes, and the Decepticons attacked, so he got a free ride around and eventually ran into me."

"They hit you?"

"No!" Raf exclaimed. "No, no, they were attacked near where I was playing with my car. Bumblebee came and rescued us."

Verdant sighed in relief. "Oh."

The comms activated and Verdant looked up as Ratchet pressed a button. "What?"

"We're requesting a groundbridge back to base." Arcee said. "We've knocked out the outermost portion of a Decepticon mine."

"Yeah, yeah," he opened the bridge and returned to his work.

Verdant looked at the doctor. "Do you know what he is working on?"

Raf nodded. "Synthetic energon formula."

"Wow," Verdant tilted her helm. "It's quite impressive how much he has managed to adapt from a field medic to everything his team needs."

"It takes from his health," Raf told her quietly. "I've heard Optimus talking to him about it late at night."

"Hm," Verdant leaned back thoughtfully.

"Ratchet, we need a groundbridge," Bulkhead spoke through the monitor.