Peter stared at the amazing machine in front of him, ignoring the captain still looking at the ground,

We cant unfreeze you right now, we dont have a spare power supply for someone your size. We’re barely coping with your friend.

I am prepared to wait. I have been trapped here while your species conducted its test, I can wait a little longer. Can you tell me who else survived?

Well, shit thought Peter. He didn't even know how many there were originally.

Only Arcee is awake,

She was one of the last of us to be created, we learned to make ourselves more energy efficient as the energy ran out. Are there no others?

I'm sorry no. we have a hanger with the remains, but Arcee was pretty mad at there being Decepticons there as well.

There are Deceptions here? You must free me immediately. Your planet is in danger.

Woah Woah, big guy. There have been no transforming robots of any kind popping up in the news. We’ll get a power supply here for you, start getting this ice off and then we can talk okay?

Transformer is a derogatory term, one I would prefer you did not use. We are Cybertronians.

Shit, meet a cool as hell giant robot and call it a racial slur, good going, Pete.

Sorry, I’m Peter, Peter Parker. Once Arcee is recharged we can get her in here to help free you. It might not be a lot but even the small reactor would help.

Thank you, Peter Parker. I am finally glad to be able to communicate properly with your species. And if you find my finger, I would like it back.

Peter grimaced at that, as he had a feeling it was used to make Master Mould.

I'm going to check on Arcee, I’ll be back soon. And he let his symbskin connection retract back into his skin.

“Captan. The aliens aren’t hostile but are asking to be freed. You have my word they won't attack, can you turn the liquid nitrogen off?” It wasn't a question, and with a telepathic push, the captain nodded blankly.

“I need to contact the control room. Having the kill switch in the same building is pretty dumb.” He replied.

Peter nodded and started to examine the hole. It would probably be the best palace to start, letting Optimus see. The ice down by his legs was already cracked, and as he looked around, he decided that would be better.

“The systems will take a bit to shut off. They were designed to run constantly and only stopped during repairs.” Lennox explained,

Liv, how is Arcee? I need her to help free Optimus. Even using Extremis, melting a few feet of ice will take forever,

Arcee is remarkable peter, and she is slowly recovering, her system isn't compatible with our reactor. They use something called Energon. It’s a strange blend of energies but even I'm having problems with some of the math on how to create it.

Damn, he thought to himself, that was a new one.

Right, do your best. 

“Hey, do you have the backplate to his part?” Peter asked Lennox, figuring leaving the back of Optimus’s skull wide open was maybe not the best thing. And Lexxno pointed to a shelf that had been added to the ice. 

“The panel was kept there in case it started to leak anything toxic,” and Peter nodded and lifted the small hatch clipping it back in place. 

With a deep breath, he let his claws extend out and they blazed a deep red as they heated up, sinking them into the ice at either side of the borehole he managed to get a grip on some of the ice, ignoring the freezing cold as it hissed against the hot symbskin.

When they were sunk in enough he pulled, and the ice creaked and cracked as his muscles bulged under his clothing. A piece a few inches thick snapped away on either side and while it wasn't much, it was a start.

Once Arcee was recovered enough, Liv and Natasha could come and help.

Liv, we might need to use the stone to clear the base. I'm going to start working on freeing Optimus while Arcee recovers but I dont think the soldiers will be too happy about it.

No, they are already gathering Peter. You might need to do it. I can keep them calm but altering minds is not my strong point, and Natasha is getting antsy.

Will do. Once she is stable, come here and we can swap, but I was warned about holding more than one stone, so I need you.

I’ll be five minutes tops. I will show Natasha how to read this and she can take over.

The ice wasn't difficult to clear, even with liquid nitrogen blowing on it occasionally it was just boring. His Extremis was hot enough to melt but the symbskin could only work so far in before he lost enough tensile strength to pull the ice away after it was weakened.

Peter had managed to clear the back of Optimus's head when Liv knocked on the scissor lift and Peter lowered it. Carefully swapping gems Liv nodded

“He is amazing as well. But I wonder why he is so much larger?” she mused as she picked at the ice around the exposed leg.

“He said they were running out of food, so they made newer Cybertronians like Arcee smaller.”

Liv frowned, “do you think there are more?” 

Peter could only shrug. “Lennox mentioned they give off a unique type of radiation. I'm sure if we borrow a satellite or two, then we can find out. Doesn't the military have satellites tuned to detect energy?” and 

It was Liv's turn to shrug, “I know Oscorp didn't, but Stark probably does. I'm sure he won't mind if we borrow them for a little bit.” and Peter laughed. Sure he wouldn't, because they wouldn't ask.

“You know, if we work together, we should be able to clear more of this leg.“ and Liv pointed to a few fracture points where the ice had already been removed. 

Looking closer Peter could see the plating over his leg had been welded back on, and he groaned. “They were salvaging components,” he explained and Liv's eyes narrowed.

“Bloody savages,” she said and Peter let his symbskin finger heat and slide into the ice.

Where there were holes Liv extended her harness arms and jammed the pincers into them. She spun the ends, letting the bladed ends drill further in. He stood on the other side and gripped the base of the ice sheet, hoping that he wasn't hurting the giant robot.

“And one.” Liv pulled while Peter pushed, and they were rewarded by a series of large cracks across the ice. Peter huffed and as it lifted more and more Liv slid her own hands under the ice, she lifted as much as she could. They both grunted and yelled as a section of ice, almost a meter in length and three meters long splintered and cracked away from the main block.

Liv huffed, “you haven't made me grunt like that or a while dear.” 

Peter laughed. “At least a few days.”

Removing even a small section of the meter-thick ice was a good start,

“Maybe that is the way to go. Rather than melting it, we should shatter it off. If we aim our repulsors at the top layer, we could,“ but 

Peter shook his head, “We have no idea how hurt Optimus is, or if his metal can resist the temperatures. No, slow and as gentle as possible,” and Liv placed a hand on the exposed metal leg,

“Of course, of course” and Peter moved over next to her, slipping a hand around her waist,

“Do I need to be worried? I mean, it's probably the same size as me.” and Peter nudged her on the shoulder.

“There is a limit to even my depravity dear. There is such a thing as too big you know.” She turned and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek, “but if a little jealousy will earn me some alone time, then I’m all for it. Giant robot or not.” 

Peter laughed as she leaned her head on his shoulder,

Peter shook his head as he wrapped his arms around her, he did feel guilty though, was he doing enough?

Liv pinched his side, “leave that thought alone until the giant killer Sentinel is gone and everyone is safe. Nobody is thinking about dating, Safety first, then dinner.” Peter nodded

Unless your offering to do me like Nat, and a quickie in the toilets is on offer, and while Peter thought about it,

No, he replied. A top-secret military base would be an accomplishment, but being caught having sex in a top-secret military base wouldn't be.

No, your right, safe, then sex. Liv tutted, Talked my way out of it, and she shrugged, this is nice though.

They waited until the lines pumping the liquid nitrogen around the ice stopped hissing, the gas being blown over the block faded into a fine mist and the security measures were all off before stepping apart.

“While repulsors might be bad, pincers and brute strength should be fine,” and as his armour thickened at the arms, Peter lay a punch into the block of ice, cracking it. “I’ll work my way around, shattering it as much as I can, use the harness to remove chunks and see what you can do. I’ll meet you back here once I've done a circle.”

Liv cleared her throat, “It might be better to start at the top dear, once you free his arms he might be able to help himself.” 

Looking up Peter shrugged, “You’re the boss,” and his own harness sprang out and as the four pincers anchored him to the ice he began to climb and once at the top anchored himself.

The ice was no thinner here, in fact as Optimus’s head was smaller than his body the ice was thicker, but Liv was right, freeing him from the top would be better. He placed both feet on the ice and wound up a punch, pulling back letting his fist become as hot as he could make it and then pushing himself forward with the tendrils to smash into the ice.

Chips flew everywhere and the mechanical arms waved batting time to one side as she saw the damage. A huge cracked crater now sat where Peter had punched and Liv nodded. “Make the next one about a meter to the left, free the back first as there is already damage there.”

“Okay,” he shouted back and lifting himself he moved, stuck once more and then again. He needed to punch the block five times before Liv was happy. Each crater was close enough that the cracks overlapped, but far enough away that he wasn't compressing the broken pieces too much.

Her own harness brought her to the first crater and with two holding her in position, two became blades and she plunged them into the centre impact, stabbing over and over.

Seeing what she was doing Peter moved to her right side, “you got that way and I’ll go this way,” and they moved around the head stabbing and beaking up the ice around the head.

It was slow but eventually the last of the ice fell away in huge sheets revealing the robotic face of Optimus. His head was humanoid but rather than a mouth he had an angled faceplate, covering where his nose and mouth would be. On either side of his head his ears were two antennae, one of which had been broken and on his forehead was a hexagonal design, pointing down his brow.

“Hey Optimus, you okay?” Peter asked, he really hoped they hadn't knocked anything loose with all the pounding.

“I am fine Peter Parker. I am glad to be free of the ice, even if it is this part. Are you continuing?” and Peter nodded.

“They didn't have large excavation tools, so it’ll be slow. We’re going to work on the side that's partially uncovered, so you can move your arms, okay?” 

Optimus nodded, “Proceed,” he said, and Peter noticed the faceplate moved up and down as he spoke, must be his mouth he thought and he moved down with Liv to finish cracking the ice around the partially exposed arm.