Virus (Transformers Fanfiction)

Warning Too Late

Ratchet had finally drifted off to recharge. He had worked very hard to drain every last drop of energon from Eclipse's respirator. Luckily he had and now she was breathing fine. Her cough had only gotten worse though as well as her core temperature. He couldn't bare to look at her and see her in that much pain. She had just began to use larger and more complicated words and Ratchet realized she had been copying him. He had wanted to explain to her that he wasn't her father but he decided to wait. He may have to step up if Cobalt hadn't made it.

However for right now he was getting some much needed recharge while he knew that Eclipse was out of danger, at least for a little bit. It was interrupted by Shocksurge and Ironhide bolting forward.

"Ratchet," called Shocksurge as she leaped off the ground a bit and bolted past Azure who had just drifted off into recharge as well. He shook his head to clear it and realized that Shocksurge needed to tell the Doc Bot something very urgent. He whimpered before he hauled himself to his paws and sprang after her.

Ironhide followed right behind her, shaking the ground as he ran. Surprisingly enough Cobalt slept through it but Ratchet wasn't so lucky. He jolted awake and narrowed his optics. "Can't a bot recharge for one stinking cycle!"

"Ratchet this is urgent," panted Shocksurge as her mouth gaped open a bit. She changed her focus when she saw that even more wires were hooked up to Eclipse since the last time she checked. "What happened?"

Ratchet fiddled with his fingers. "Energon in the respirator but she's good now. Anyway what's so urgent you had to wake me up?" Eclipse stirred as well, whimpering in pain from her ordeal. "And Eclipse?"

"Sorry," apologized Shocksurge as she shook her head madly. "But this is urgent. When I was patrolling outside I was attacked by Fireblaze and Lavaspray from the Dark Sparks."

"Dark Sparks," echoed Ratchet as he slammed a fist against the ground and made a dent. "Can't anyone give us a break?!"

"Let her finish," chided Ironhide before he looked back down to Shocksurge, wanted her to continue.

"Anyway Ironhide saved my life and killed Lavaspray. Now Fireblaze and probably all of the Dark Sparks have wedged a war between us," Shocksurge explained. "And they want us offline."

Ratchet stood up and began to pace. "Okay so Optimus isn't back yet and we have a medic, a Decepticon-"

"Don't bring the Decepticon into this," snarled Shocksurge as she jolted out a paw. "I told you that I'm loyal and yet you don't believe me. I haven't killed or injured anyone. I just want to help."

"She's telling the truth," assured Ironhide.

"Since when do you believe a Decepticon," asked Ratchet in shock. Boy had he missed a lot while he was recharging.

"I believe her ever since I saw her fighting to protect us when she knew she was outnumbered and probably would go offline," Ironhide replied sternly to his medic. "If you want to doubt her loyalty you'll have to go through me."

Shocksurge felt warmth spread through her for Ironhide. She had secretly hoped to be killed in battle. She had nothing to live for and she felt loyalty to both sides now. She wasn't sure whether to stay with the Autobots or remain a Decepticon. She felt more torn now than ever.

Ratchet raised his servos. "Far be it from me to go against you. I would obviously lose," muttered Ratchet as he made his way to his monitors. "So how many Dark Sparks do you think are coming?"

"I'd assume all of them," replied Shocksurge as she shuffled her servos. "Fireblaze seemed pretty angry."

"Then there is no way we are going to be able to survive this," sighed Ratchet as he shook his head gravely. "Get ready to meet the Alspark."

"Hey," broke in Azure as he strode forward. "We can't give up now."

Ratchet sighed and turned to look at the ragtag team he had. He had a weapons specialist, a Decepticon who he was still debating whether he could trust her, two very ill Autobots who on a good day right now could probably take down a single bolt since the illness, a rouge who had just gotten into a group that was already fighting now two wars against two different side, and a medic who couldn't fight if his life depended on it. "Some team," he grumbled, half to himself.

"I'm sure there's been a worse team," muttered Azure as he looked to Shocksurge. "Right?"

Suddenly Azure felt the ground shake a bit. He gulped and looked up. "Please tell me that's what Optimus sounds like when he arrives."

"I wish," groaned Azure as he braced his shoulders. "Well who's ready to die er I mean fight?"

Ironhide took out his weapons and readied himself. "Finally I get to use these. I've been polishing them for stellercycles."

Shocksurge sheathed her claws and bared her fangs. Her spikes stuck out and her optics narrowed to slits. Azure lowered into a crouch and snarled, drawing a sword from his back and readying it. Ratchet really wasn't equipped for battle but even he had an old rusty sword that would do some damage.

"Wait," rasped a voice and when Shocksurge looked over her shoulder she saw Cobalt staggering forward. He coughed heavily and his optics darkened. "I want to fight too."

"Cobalt," growled Ratchet. "Get back to your berth!"

"I can't let you defend my daughter if I'm not willing to do the same," he rasped as he looked to Shocksurge. "I can at least be another body they have to get through to get to Eclipse."

Ratchet sighed. "Look I know you want to protect your daughter Cobalt but you just aren't strong enough. You may die and-"

"So might Eclipse," broke in Shocksurge, lashing her tail. "Sorry Ratchet but he has to know."

"What what," coughed Cobalt painfully.

Shocksurge looked into Cobalt's optics sternly. "Cobalt your daughter is a lot worse off than we let you believe. She not as critical as you but she's close. If you want to fight to protect her I won't stop you, I'll help you."

Ratchet couldn't argue with that. "Fine but don't let any of whatever he's coughing up touch you or you're better off offline."

Shocksurge nodded and pressed against Cobalt's side to support him before the sound of paws drew closer. "Now we do this as a team," she barked sternly as Cobalt coughed. "We never leave a friend behind. This will be our chance to go down in history."