Soldier

Chapter One

Loss

"Hey, Raf, what's up?"

Getting calls from everyone in Nevada was a great surprise now and then. Even though the whole extraterrestrial robot adventure thing was dangerous, there did seem to be a spark of excitement. It was a good break from studying, and the Ground Bridge was an efficient way to Nevada and back from school in Portland.

"D-Di? It's Ratchet, he's... he's gone."

Her pulse froze, her chest swelling and growing in weight.

"He's gone."

Diana swallowed. "Gone...? How? Is he... dead?"

It couldn't be. Ratchet was still alive. As human beings, they had shorter life spans and were more vulnerable, but the Autobots? They were titans compared to them. Was Ratchet shot in the field by a Decepticon?

"No, his signal's still on, it's just... the team caught Soundwave and brought him to base, though he somehow managed to escape and that's when he took Ratchet with them."

Diana breathed. The Decepticons took Ratchet as hostage. Her alien friend... in the hands of obviation. First her cousin, now that monster of an overlord was going to harm her best friend? Come hell or high water, she was going to bring Megatron down, limb from limb.

He was going to pay.

"Bridge me, there," she said, forgetting she had class in the next hour. "I'm coming."

Once she was on the other side of the massive portal, Raf was the first thing in sight to see. Once the cousins met, they went in an embrace.

"Diana, I am so sorry... Out of all of us, you were closest to him."

"He was also close to you, Rafael..." she breathed, her insides rippling, tears coming out of her eyes. Her embrace tightened. "He may be an old grouch, but he adored you."

"It's gonna be okay, Di... It's gonna be okay!"

Looking up, she saw the rest of the Autobots were all at the base. Miko and Jack were there too. Once she finished greeting everyone, she walked over to the human sized screen.

"Where have they taken him?" she asked, fury slowly growing inside her. "Is he hurt?"

"His signal is still active," began Optimus. "Though we do not know what Megatron plans to do with him."

Her chest tightened, hands forming into fist.

Ratchet was disagreeable. He could throw verbal barbs at will, though he always looked out for the team. He was a grouch, though his heart was in the right place. He had so much good inside of him, and now he was held hostage? A tear drop left her eye.

"I can assure you Diana," began Optimus, as she and Raf went into a hug. "We will do our utmost to bring him back. He is just as important to us."

Miko joined in, and she felt Jack's hand on her shoulder. If it were Bulkhead, if it were Arcee... If it were Bumblebee, each Autokid would know what Diana was feeling at that moment.

Once they breached away from the embrace, Diana breathed.

"I'd... I'd like to be alone for a moment," she began. "Is there anywhere on the base that's safe?"

They called Agent Fowler, and he assigned a scout escort to pick up Diana to a more comfortable, human friendly location.

She waved goodbye to everyone, thanking everyone for comforting her, though her smile disappeared once she saw who the escort was in the vehicle.

Rick Mercer was a troublemaker. A prankster. It was a wonder he wasn't discharged from service, though upon learning he was the nephew of one of the major lieutenants... He was probably in the military to whack some sense into him. Diana met Rick when she was interning for the army. Perhaps they did got on the wrong foot, and Diana was a little harsh on him during a medical procedure, though he had some serious growing up to do.

She got into the jeep, arms shaking, brow crunched.

"Hey, peach, I heard what happened to your friend," he began. "General Bryce briefed us all. I'm so sorry..."

Usually she restrained herself from trying to slug him and retorted how she didn't like being called a fruit. Besides the annoying flirtations and when he couldn't take things seriously, he was a decent team player.

She breathed.

"About that drink you asked me about when I was interning? I think I'm going to need it..."