Chapter Text
Bumblebee didn't know exactly how long he’d been in hiding.
Despite his broken chronometer and the fact that he was currently in a tight cave, sheltering against the rust-causing rain somewhere in the middle of some random desert in Arizona, he was sure that it was more than a little while longer than the few months Optimus had originally promised him.
He was slumped against one of the rocky surfaces, processor whirring as he tried to remember what to do next.
“I have a very special mission for you, my scout.” His prime had comforted, speaking over his shoulder offhandedly, and as the memory file played he tried to imagine the caring eyes of his mentor that shone in some of his earlier memories.
He still recalled the way the sun had looked on that day, rising early in the morning, unobstructed by clouds. It swirled in shades of red and orange, fading into a clear and calm blue.
“Yes, my prime?” he had said, his wide eyes and small smile reflected off of Optimus’ pristine plating, physically symbolising the respite in fighting that had come in the last months as if thousands of years of warfare had melted smoothly away.
“I know this is perhaps short-noticed, but i need you to-”
Bumblebee’s memory file cut off abruptly to the sound of his metal churning as his tanks attempted to cycle energon that did not exist, his faceplate crumpling as an alert made itself known on his HUD.
*WARNING! Energon levels depleted, refuel within ____ cycles or risk immediate shutdown.*
These warnings had been happening for the better part of around 13 lunar cycles. However, it had been hard to tell and so Bumblebee ignored it for the most part.
“I should have another half-cube worth…” he mumbled, digits fumbling around in the dark of his arm’s subspace, his night vision flashing briefly to life before shutting down with a click. “Ugh! So stupid, why won’t you work-”
He liked to think he was pretty independent compared to other bots stories at his age. Despite his shortcomings he always managed to stay online and fuelled, but within the latter half of the past 5 solar-cycles Optimus had stopped responding to his status reports to give any information of upcoming energon deposits. While more recently usually he expected a short, to-the-point report, but even those had dried up.
While the prime didn't have the best track record of responding to his comms, bumblebee liked to think that after all this time he would at least know his reports were being listened to, even if Optimus was far too busy to take time out of his day in helping humans to assist his personal scout.
His tanks remained empty and his comm inbox emptier, still.
This wasn't the first time Bumblebee was independent, recalling a past before the Autobots, partially corroded memories of a sparkling knowing cycles of starvation and the faint image of a blue mech beside him, but disappearing one day silently.
“Get ahold of yourself bee,” he straightened as he refocused on his situation, doorwings rising anxiously in concentration. “The last deposit was some 80 miles ago, so if I get going soon, I can make it to the next one in a cycle or two…”
He rubbed a digit on the insignia on his chest, paint chipping off slightly at the edges, the nervous tick plaguing himself since the earlier days of his deployment. In the past he was reprimanded and told to keep it clean, but it's not like he had the resources to repaint it any time recently, so the many cycles of weathering and scratching had taken its toll on the red symbol and now marred it with wear.
“Okay, if I head out now I can get further in less time, but then I would probably have to stop and recharge,” he glanced outside the mouth of the cave, seeing splatters of water creep through the opening. “Or… I could wait out the weather and head out once it's cleared. Yeah, that sounds better!” his low voice crackled slightly at the clipped inflection in his voice, the sudden outburst bouncing off the cold stone walls in a mockery of a response.
Following this, he nodded to himself in lieu of reply and slumped over, peddes scratching against the floor and kicking up dust that clung to the insides of his transformation seams and shifted into a more comfortable position to power down, holding his sides.
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A loud alert blaring in Bumblebee’s comms startled him awake, scraping his fists against the floor in panic and leaving small indents where the knuckles were sliced open to reveal bright energon sluggishly pooling in between his digits.
*INCOMING CALL from: Optimus prime [commander]*
Stunned, he reset his visualisers and scrubbed his optics with the back of his servos for good measure, in case he was imagining it, but the sound and text on his HUD remained even still.
He answered immediately after, having not acted that fast for many cycles and sputtered trying to respond.
“Hello, Optim- uh, my Prime” He reset his vocaliser as it garbled out hints of static. “Is.. everything okay? Not that it's weird or bad for you to call, or anything… just-”
“I am aware, Bumblebee. It has been a little while now.” Optimus said. He could tell that his Prime said it with a smile on his face, but the slight decrease in volume near the end of the sentence told him that he must’ve looked somewhere else, even just for a moment.
A stagnant pause crept between the two, Bumblebee didn't dare to breathe, leaning slightly forward while sitting crossed on the floor as he cycled his optics. “So- uh.. What's going on? Is… Is the war back on?” He drifted off, awaiting an answer.
“The war? Oh no, no Bumblebee- don’t worry about that. No, what I'm calling you about is that I need your help for something. Please meet me at the autobot base as soon as you can, I'm afraid this line isn't fully secure.”
“Oh, in that case of course Optimus! I’m…” A quick glance at his navigation system told him it would take around a full day of driving to get to the base if he left right then.“-a little far away right now but- i can leave right now actually! Uhm, what time should I-”
A look at the call showed that the user had disconnected, a smiling image of Optimus illuminating his face and showing the sagging metal underneath his dull optics.
“Okay. That's fine, I’ll head out when the rain clears, it's okay.” Bumblebee said, glancing out at the spitting weather, nevermind the fact that the Optimus hadn’t called him since- like forever.
It's fine, he’ll just head out in a Klik.
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Driving up to the Autobot base, Bumblebee transformed from his alt mode. His yellow plating of a VW Beetle had recently been swapped out for a much faster, but still relatively compact muscle car, after faking his death he had to change modes to remain in hiding; including choosing a mode that packed more power behind its wheels.
He assumes he’s not in hiding anymore, as Optimus called him into the -relatively publicly known- base, but just to be sure he tried to avoid any fellow Autobots on his way, however luck was on his side and he didn't see any.
The tall, looming door stood against him, reaching out to the hand scanner to allow himself entry, and stepped inside.
While walking through the empty, sterile hallway, he felt his mind race thinking about the call.
Was there something he missed?
What time did Optimus even want him to get here? Maybe he was too early, or even too late after he had taken a short break so that his suspension didn’t fail on the way.
Maybe Optimus had told him something and he wasn’t listening. Stupid, that would be so stupid, of course he would miss something so important like a time, what if Optimus turned him away, maybe lecturing him about how obvious he was being. Aren’t scouts supposed to be quiet and sneaky? Right now all he could hear was the shallow in and out-vents expelling increasingly hot air from his chassis.
What if-
Oh, he made it.
The sign outside the Prime’s personal office simply read Optimus, with the exclusion of his full title implying to Bumblebee that this was more used for informal meetings and handling paperwork, instead of the larger-scale human and Autobot meetings he assumed the Prime had.
Not really sure of what he was meant to do, he simply knocked on the door twice, then waited only a few kliks before the door slid open.
“Ah, Bumblebee! It's so good to see you, please come in quickly.” speaking while he pushed him in, causing Bumblebee to stumble slightly at the entrance.
“Optimus, hey!” He walks forward towards the desk, isolated at the back centre of the room, "What's been going on recently, any news with G.H.O.S.T? Is… is that why I'm out of hiding? Because they’re safe?” He wrung his servos together.
“Oh I wouldn't say out of hiding,” at that statement, Bumblebee’s faceplate fell, smile straining subtly. “I still don't trust the organisation. No, what I came to you for help for was different, I need someone who they don’t know about, and I'd say my most loyal soldier would make a great fit.”
Despite the relatively bad news, Bumblebee’s spark spun at the, relatively minimal, praise, dull optics brightening slightly.
“So.. what is it? Is it a recon mission, or…”
“Your job is to help teach a fresh, young group of transformers.” He interrupted, "They went online just over a few months ago and, while their current caregivers are doing great, they aren't getting a first hand account from someone like you, I would help but I am a busy mech after all.” He looked proudly at Bumblebee, despite the scout’s bewildered expression.
“What?” He slid his pedde back a step, hardly listening as the commander spoke on, remembering small bits of information. Something about Terrans, and Maltos, and they just need a good teacher, but most of it went in one audial and out the other.
“However! You have to promise me one thing…” Optimus’ light voice cut through the monotony, before returning to a calmer, low tone. “Is that okay?”
“Of course, my Prime.”
“I want you to remember that these sparklings are incredibly important, their lives show us a hope for a better future away from war.” Optimus put his servo on his shoulders, "As I'm sure you especially would understand that this situation must remain hidden from G.H.O.S.T at all times. Please, protect them with your life, just as I would.” He stepped back as he continued “Thank you, my scout.”
“Of course, Optimus. I will do my best.”