eugenesis-text

‘Me Yeah, this is just… I got this, er…’
The body groaned.
‘Thunders, there’s something I want to show you.’ Frenzy dragged the prisoner towards a slit in the
canyon wall, where strange lights were disturbing the thick spread of shadow. ‘I’ve found some weird
energon deposits, pure crystal, tucked at the back of this cavern. Here, you go first…’
Cybertron – 24th December 2012
‘What the hell are you doing to him’ cried Kup, lunging at the intruder, arms flailing. His optics
were cold and luminous, like oil on tarmac.
First Aid waved a conciliatory hand and stood his ground. ‘Don’t panic, Kup. I’m only disconnecting
the ones he doesn’t need.’ He looked at Rodimus Prime’s body, which lay between them like an anointed
corpse. ‘Only the ones he doesn’t need…’
Kup folded himself back into his chair and pressed his palm against his head. He couldn’t take much
more of this; he was jumpy and fatigued – the humans would have said he was over-tired, or in shock, or
both. In descending order of bodily deterioration there was function-failure, there was overheat, there was
circuitburn, and then there was him. How many more times could his jaded little lifespark complete its
ancient circuit How many more times could it tunnel through circuitry that was already outdated when
the First Ones birthed their successors
No wonder he was over-tired; no wonder he was in shock: 37 hours casting a shadow over his best
friend’s body and then First Aid storms in and starts pulling out cables…
‘Sorry, doc, but you gotta admit it looked pretty strange.’
‘You need to rest, Kup. Shut yourself down for an day or two.’
‘Not until Prime’s out of it.’
First Aid began stripping another life support machine, disengaging fat green tubes and looping them
roughly round his hand. ‘Prime doesn’t need this hardware now,’ he reiterated, switching off screens.
‘You’re saying he’s getting better’
‘I’m afraid not. He’s slipped so deep into his coma that it’s just a matter of keeping his energon levels
steady. And we only need one machine for that. You’re looking at a case of progressive deterioration, Kup,
and it’s difficult to—’
‘How’s the patient doing’ Prowl strode into the medi-vault looking as if he had a hundred other jobs
to do.
‘I heard your speech on the intercom just now,’ said Kup without looking up. ‘Are you sure it’s wise
to hide away in Autobase while the Quintessons decimate half the planet’
Prowl studied Rodimus’ bodywork with affected scrutiny. ‘If you’d attended the last command
meeting,’ he said, ‘you’d understand my strategy.’
‘I have more important things to do than rearrange items on an agenda. Since you started playing
Dead Man’s Boots all we’ve had is this…’ He mimed a chattering mouth with his hand. ‘When are you
going to make some real decisions’
‘Bickering like Viroids over a vial of Hypergrade isn’t helping Prime,’ said First Aid. ‘Let’s leave the
infighting to the Decepticons, eh’
Prowl withdrew as Search and Rescue wheeled trolleys through the door. ‘I have matters in hand. I
just wanted to check on him, First Aid. I’ll leave before I get in someone’s way.’
A few seconds later, Prowl was walking into Ward B. Red Alert was tucked away in the corner,
practically nailed to his circuit slab, heat-wrinkled and scabbed around the mouth. Prowl felt a pang of
shame for not visiting sooner. Sorry Red, affairs of state and all, you know how it is.
The Security Officer was staring at a ceiling that seemed to mirror the dents and fracture lines in his
face. Prowl groped for an opening line but Red Alert beat him to it.
‘I’m sorry, Prowl, I—’
‘What are you saying You haven’t done anything wrong.’