Optics looked toward Eclipse as she stood a few paces from Shocksurge and Cobalt as they faced off. "What about my mother? When is she coming back?"

Cobalt was about to step forward but Shocksurge snapped a whisper in his ear. "Stop! This is my mistake so I'm going to be the one to tell her."

Cobalt hung back and watched Shocksurge usher Eclipse toward a berth. She leaped on and Eclipse followed. "Come on," barked Shocksurge as she helped Eclipse up onto the berth. She sat beside Shocksurge with bright and unblinking optics. She was no longer the sick and weak pup.

"So where's my mother," asked Eclipse as she looked around madly. "Is she coming soon?"

Shocksurge didn't answer but she tapped her claws impatiently. "Hey do you want to hear a story?"

Eclipse perked up and wagged her tail. "Yeah! What's it about?" She looked up at Shocksurge with eager eyes and Shocksurge felt her spark break in her spark chamber.

"Well it's kind of about a Cybertronian who met her friend in an alley. The one was a mother, proud and strong and very beautiful. She had a tiny pup who she loved very much but then her friend attacked and they fought very hard. The mother even died," confessed Shocksurge. She blinked her optics darkly. "Then the friend tried to kill the father and the pup but she then turned out to save them. However the hardest part was telling the pup about her offline mother that that friend killed."

Eclipse whimpered and drew back, shaking. "I-I don't like this story," stammered Eclipse as she looked up to Shocksurge with fear in her optics.

Shocksurge turned around and sighed. "Eclipse I did something very wrong," she breathed as she hung her head.

Eclipse gulped and jumped back in terror as Shocksurge spun around and padded toward her. She lowered her head so that it was even with Eclipse's head. "Your mother's not coming."

Eclipse's optics filled in lubrication and a whimper escaped from her voice box. "No," she cried as she took a shaky step back. "No."

Shocksurge went to take a step forward but Eclipse's muscles bunched and she turned and ran. "Eclipse," she called but Eclipse kept going.

Eclipse surged into the group, looking around madly in shock. She gasped as Cobalt tried to come near her to comfort her. She leaped away and Cobalt was left a bit stunned. He was about to bound after her but Optimus stretched out a servo and stopped Cobalt from following.

Eclipse surged forward and out of the base. Lumber let out a yelp of shock an spun to face Shocksurge. "What did you do?!"

Shocksurge turned her muzzle proudly in the air but inside she felt weak and defeated. "I told her the truth," she confessed.

"Maybe you shouldn't have," suggested Brisk gently. "I mean a little lie wouldn't have hurt her, would it?"

Shocksurge rounded on him and Brisk extended his claws, in case he needed to defend himself. "I was lied to my whole life. I was not going to do that to her!"

"I have to go after her," barked Cobalt as he shook a bit in shock. He was just told the true nature of his sparkmate's death and now his daughter had gone out to who knows where.

"You just recovered from a very deadly virus," pointed out Jolt as he tilted his head. "I'd rather you stay here and send someone else."

"No," muttered Cobalt sternly. "She is my daughter and it's my fault I couldn't protect her mother."

"I want to go to," pipped up Shocksurge as she padded up to Cobalt, her optics pleading.

"Great Primus no," snapped Ironhide, his canons ready as always.

"I'm sure that would be wise Shocksurge," advised Optimus as his optics turned troubled. "I'm not sure that's what she needs right now."

"Look this is also my fault-" she began but before she could finished Jolt cut in as usual.

"Yes it is your fault, murder," Jolt growled as he lashed his tail. Brisk rose to his paws and pressed against Jolt to try and calm him down but it just riled him up.

"It's your decision Cobalt," murmured Lumber gently as he gazed at his grief stricken brother. "I'd prefer you took someone though."

"Shocksurge can come," Cobalt finally decided as he looked to Shocksurge before his optics burned in determination. "But you will listen to me. Step when servo out of line and you'll regret it."

Shocksurge dipped her head in respect. "You're the leader. I'm the follower."

Cobalt looked at Shocksurge before he started forward, trying to break out into a run. However when he did his front servo gave out and he rolled sideways, grasping into Ironhide's berth. He yelped a bit in shock and Shocksurge bolted to his side. She helped him to his stabilizing servos and smiled sheepishly.

"Take it slower," she advised gently. "Eclipse can't run that quickly."

Cobalt shrugged her away before he continued forward, taking it a bit slower but not much. Shocksurge followed him just as she had been told. She just prayed to Primus that Eclipse wouldn't get herself into trouble.