"They're coming," called Lumber as he reared on his hind legs and looked to his brother who looked like he was recharging on his paws. His optics were closed and his breathing was labored. Lumber nudged a servo against Cobalt's shoulder. His optics flew open and he looked to his brother.

"Did you hear me," asked Lumber urgently. "They're coming so get ready!"

Cobalt nodded and took out his weapons. He coughed and fell forward. Lumber rushed to support him. "Cobalt," he gasped in shock. "Are you alright?"

Cobalt coughed again and he stood up and shook his head. "I'm fine. I just lost my balance," he lied.

Before Lumber could say anything more Wrench surged forward and leaped for Lumber. His front servo collided with his face and sent him flying. Cobalt reared on his hind legs but Fireblaze darted forward and kicked his servo against his chest and sent him backwards. His head collided with Optimus's foot and he let out yet another harsh coughing fit.

"What is this," asked Fireblaze in mockery. "The great and powerful Cobalt is taken down by a cough?"

"Shut up Fireblaze," snapped Cobalt as he withered in pain, his optics stretching wide as he struggled to breath.

"Come talk to me when you can walk, Cobalt," he barked before he turned to the berth behind him. "What do we do have here? A sparkpup?"

"No," wailed Cobalt but before he could lunge Optimus stepped in front of Fireblaze and kicked him backwards. Fireblaze yelped but Wrench darted to his side. He helped his friend to his servos and they snarled at the Autobots, ready to attack.

"Is that all you got," asked Wrench mockingly as he rolled his optics. "Because if that is, then you're even more pathetic than I originally thought!"

Cobalt growled but lapsed into another hacking fit and crumpled to the ground a bit, his body heaving with every antagonizing breath. Optimus stepped forward to protect Cobalt and he readied his weapons. "If you are looking for pathetic don't look any further," he growled as he lunged forward and slashed his sword against Wrench's shoulder. It sliced right through and Wrench yowled in agony as energon spilled from his shoulder. He grasped onto Optimus's sword and tried to push it out of them but Optimus pushed it deeper.

Cobalt knew that Optimus had this under control. However Fireblaze wasn't giving up. He darted forward, toward Eclipse's berth. Cobalt looked over his shoulder and saw Bumblebee, Ironhide, and Jazz were fighting more Dark Sparks that trickled in, ready for action. He have to defend his daughter.

He took a shaky step forward and fell sideways. He looked up and saw Fireblaze leap onto Eclipse's berth. "I didn't know the great yet sick Cobalt had a daughter."

"Leave her be," rasped Cobalt as he lifted his head and coughed heavily again, feeling something set in the back of his throat. He looked down and realized that he had coughed up energon. He felt his whole body seem to turn cold and he whimpered in pain. "What's happening to me?"

Fireblaze took the opportunity and raised a paw, ready to end Eclipse's life. "Leave her alone!"

Suddenly Ratchet leaped into view and grabbed a steel pipe. He thumped it against Fireblaze's flank and pushed him off the berth. He fell beside Cobalt who was sill coughing up dangerous amounts of energon. He couldn't stop his coughing and fear made his chest clench, making it even harder to breath and now his breaths sounded like rasps filled with fluid.

Ratchet stood upright with his steel pipe and swiveled it in his hand. "You come near her again and I'll shove this right through your spark!"

Fireblaze lifted his head, fluid dripping from the back of his head from a dissembled tube. "I'd like to see you try!" He weaved between Ratchet's legs and pushed his spikes against one of his servos and he fell backwards, harshly. He landed with a painful grunt. "You're just a healer," taunted Fireblaze as he leaped onto Ratchet's chest and extended his claws toward his spark chamber. "You're not meant to fight."

Ratchet's optics widened in shock. Suddenly Lumber bolted forward and sunk his enlarged fangs into one of Fireblaze's legs. Fireblaze yowled in shock as Lumber dragged him backwards and thrust him against the ground, one of his optics turning dull from the impact.

"Get up," Lumber growled at Ratchet, hunched over a bit. A large dent shone on his flank while oil and other lubricants pooled out of him. "If you're not online who's going to be able to patch me up?"

Ratched grumbled a bit back. "You're going to need more than just a patch," he argued as he hauled himself to his servos and stumbled backwards, catching himself. He then rushed to Eclipse's side and touched her. "She's overheating but she wasn't touched, thanks to us."

Lumber nodded before he saw his brother, laying in a pool of energon. "Cobalt," he cried as he surged forward and lowered beside his brother. He nudged him and whimpered. "Cobalt can you hear me?!"

Cobalt coughed painfully and lifted his head. "Thank you for defending my daughter," he rasped thankfully. "I owe you Lumber."

Lumber shook his head. "No you don't," he barked before he turned his head to the sound of Optimus pulling his sword from Wrench's shoulder.

Optimus narrowed his optics at Wrench. "Leave here before I change my mind about letting you live."

Wrench snarled before he looked to Fireblaze. "Retreat! Retreat!" He turned and limped forward, favorite his shoulder which leaked energon. Fireblaze followed as the rest of the Dark Sparks on their tails and Optimus looked to his Autobots.

"Is everyone alright," asked Optimus as he looked around in concern.

"We're alright," assured Jazz as he looked up in pride. "We sent those mutts crying for mercy!"

"Yes we did," murmured Optimus as he sheathed his sword. He looked around and his gaze rested on Cobalt who could no longer lift his head without coughing up deadly amounts of energon.

"Cobalt," gasped Shocksurge as she darted forward. She skidded to a halt as Bumblebee shot out his servo to stop her. She drew back and plastered her ears against her head. She stayed where she was and whimpered as she saw Lumber press against Cobalt.

"Come on," urged Lumber as he pressed against his brother and hauled him to his paws. He fell back down and whimpered, sliding a bit in his own energon. Lumber looked up to Ratchet who stood stiff in shock. "Help him!"

Ratchet shook his head to clear it. He kneeled down and touched his hand gingerly to Cobalt's head. Coblat flinched from the touch. He looked up, his optics becoming dull. He managed to flop his head over and he looked to Eclipse. "Ratchet," he rasped and Ratchet leaned forward so he didn't have to strain himself.

"Yes Cobalt," he asked gently.

"Eclipse is sick, isn't she?" Ratchet didn't know what to say so he just stayed silent. "She caught this from me." He squeezed his optics closed. "I killed my daughter!"

"No you didn't," argued Lumber as he pressed against his brother, pain clutching at his spark. "I-I killed her."

"You killed her," echoed Optimus in shock. "How?"

Optics turned to Lumber and he shrunk under the pressure. "I was the one who transported the virus that infected Cobalt and it spread to Eclipse through fluids and energon. If Eclipse goes offline it's my fault."

"I will kill you," Cobalt sputtered before he coughed up more energon and he whimpered in agony.

"Yes good luck with that," snorted Lumber before he looked to Ratchet with widening optics. "Is there anything you can do?"

Ratchet thought for a moment. He knew that he could do nothing to help either Cobalt or Eclipse but there was one Cybertronian who could help. "There's nothing I can do but I do know someone who can help."

"Who," asked Shocksurge as she darted between Bumblebee's legs and bounded up to Optimus, her optics flickering.

Ratchet looked down at her. "Jolt."