I took a little break ... and I started to write this short story. I hope you like it. I recommend you do not forget to review!
AN: all the characters in the story do not belong to me!
It was a Saturday afternoon like many other at the Autobot base.
Miko was sitting on the old couch in front of the television. She was holding the remote control and reluctantly changed the channels.
"Ugh ... how boring... "snorted the young Asian girl. But her comment was lost in the great silence that reigned at the base.
The only other person present at the outpost Omega One was Ratchet. As usual, the doctor was involved in the observation of screens for signs of energon or Decepticons movements. He took his eyes off form the screen only to roll his eyes in an annoyed way.
Bumbleebee, Arcee and Bulkhead were somewhere in China to investigate a strange energy signal, probably energon's underground storage and no one knew when they would be returned to headquarters.
Jack was at work. He should recover the shift that had lost the week before due to misadventure with Airachnid. Certainly he could not tell his employer that he had not present for his shift because his mother had been kidnapped by an alien psychopath spider in league with a crazy paramilitary organization ... he just told his boss that he had a bad indigestion.
Raf was forced to stay home all weekend. It was not a punishment ... and how could he ever be punished? Raf was a genius at school and a great guy, sober, attentive and quiet. Simply his grandparents had arrived in the city and, since his family was very united, his parents "forced" him to stay with them. Miko knew that the young hacker was not enthusiastic about this situation. Although he was very fond of his family, Raf considered the-family-that-understand-him the Autobots.
Mrs. Darby was on duty in the hospital ... fortunately. That woman could sometimes be really annoying ... and apprehensive ... and suffocating ... and protective ... as almost all mothers!
Agent Fowler was in a training camp and would not be back until Tuesday!
Optimus had to be somewhere in recon ... alone as usual. The mech sometimes was really strange.
For Miko the Autobot leader was a mystery. He always looked calm, always in control of his emotions. It seemed that nothing or nobdy could dent hir armor. For someone like her, a young exuberant girl, outspoken, sometimes the big red and blue mech was really unnerving. She tried to ask Bulkhead if Optimus had always been so. His guard had put the question to Ratchet.
He was the only one who knows the Autobot leader when he was Orion Pax. But it wasn't a great help: the doctor merely said "There is always more than you can imagine" ... well, who knows what he meant.
To the best of times it was irritating, but Miko had a great esteem for Optimus. He was the glue of their team, a guide not only military, but also spiritual. You could easily see how Bumblebee looked at Prime as an example and try to emulate him ... only that he did it in his own way, as a young could see that even Bulkhead tried to make proud his Boss with his actions. And Arcee was not able to hide the affection she felt for their leader. Several times Miko had wondered whether the two Autobots could be more than just a friendship, but with time she had to convince (under the pressure of what his guardian said her) that among them there was only a strong bond of brotherhood ... but Miko was a very stubborn girl and hope to see a love story between the giant robots.
And then there was Ratchet. He considered the whole team as a group of unruly children. All but Optimus. He was the perfect son, the example to follow. Although every now and then he was entitled to the outbursts of the doctor.
Miko began to smile alone. It was really a strange family, but they loved each other and that was what mattered.
An hour passed and boredom had become an unbearable burden. She looked at her watch. Jack would not come before another hour and Miko decided to do one of the things she loved most: explore. But what? The base of course.
Ratchet had forbidden access to the three boys in different areas of the outpost Omega One, such as laboratory, warehouse, training room ... but he had never mentioned any restriction to the personal accommodation.
It had been several times in Bulkhead's quarter. She had spent even nights in the weekends there. Even BumbleBee's one was not new for her.
Arcee was very private and had never let anyone in her room, not even Jack. It was a good start. Slowly and stealthily Miko descended the stairs, trying not to make noise so as not to attract the attention of the doctor and walked quickly to the most hidden area of the base, where the Autobots went to rest after their long and tiring day.
She passed in front of his guardian's and the young scout's quarters. She paused at the door of the doctor, tried to push with all her strength ... but nothing to do! The damn door would not open. Miko snorted bored and tested by effort. Then the smile reappeared on her lips and her feet took her right in front of the only Autobot femme's room.
She pushed the door and this time, she found it open. She entered with caution. She found the room's light on. She noticed that, like those of her other comrades, Arcee's quarter was not very big and it was simple: a table, a chair, a berth and a few shelves where were resting a few objects cubic form.
Intrigued, the girl walked over to one of the shelves. She picked up one of those strange cubes in the hands and turned it over several times, trying to figure out what its function. Then she saw a small red button at the base. She pressed it and the cube came to life. Miko was alarmed at the sudden beam of light which illuminated even more the room. She dropped the cube to the ground. The object began to project a holographic photo.
"A holocube" Miko whispered as she tried to figure out what the picture was forming.
Everything was clear in a moment. It was an image of Arcee holding tight to whether other two robots. Cliffjumper to her right, Tailgate to her left. Miko smiled bitterly.
she picked up the cube and put it back in its place. she took the next, activated it and this time the projected image was the Prime team. In front there were Arcee and Bumblebee; behind them a smiling Bulkhead. Ratchet had the usual corrugated expression and Optimus had his arms crossed over his chest, the mask on the face and that annoying unreadable classic expression.
The next cube projected an image of her, Raf, Jack and June. It was all four smiling and happy. Miko remembered that trip to the lake ... As we were amused when Ratchet had fallen in the water!
The next cube showed an image of Optimus. It was made in the same day of the previous. Prime in this picture, however, did not have the mask. He was staring at a point not well defined and he smiled. It was a rare pleasure to see a smile on the face of the Autobot leader. His eyes, however, concealed a sort of sadness that always accompanied him. If it were human it would probably be the classic boy nice and dark, the coolest guy in school who hid a damn soul ... nah! It was not really her type.
But why Arcee kept a holocube with the photo of his commander? The smile of Miko exploded from ear to ear. The young Asian girl was now more and more convinced that the femme Autobot had a crush on Optimus. Just Arcee had returned to the base, the first mission of Miko would test her theory.
Apart from these holocubes, the room of the motorcycle did not have much more to offer. There was some datapads on the table that Miko could not understand why written in alien language. She put them in the same order in which she had found them, she went to the door and left the room.
The last quarter at the end of the corridor was Optimus Prime's one. Miko thought that possibly also the Autobot leader held locked his room as the good doctor did.
"Well ... try does not cost anything! " she said to herself the young man as she shrugged. She walked to the door, made a first attempt. Nothing. It was closed as she imagined. Not satisfied, however, she made a small run and pushed open the heavy door with all her strength.
Swam! The door burst open revealing Prime's room.
Miko could not believe it. Smiling, she looked around to make sure no one was watching. Satisfied then rubbed her hands.
"Yes!" And entered the dark room.
Her first challenge was to find the light. Luckily one of the puppets on her belt also served as a torch. With it she made her way in the enormous room.
Maybe it was the privilege of being the Boss Bot or maybe it was simply a matter of size. The fact is Optimus' quarter was larger than those of the other members of the team Prime.
she looked around. She saw a chair, a table full of huge datapads and other junk and a kind of giant size notebook. She also saw that there was a lamp on the table. Then climbed the big chair and turned on the light.
What would have never thought to see in Prime's room was the chaos. Of course, a sort of organized chaos, but still mess! On the shelves were piles and piles of datapads cataloged in a incomprehensible manner to the girl because all the signs were in cybertronian language.
The berth was huge and well-placed. Optimus could not be defined fat, but it definitely had a considerable amount.
What caught Miko's attention was a box under the berth. She walked near it and with difficulty drew it. On the cover was an inscription that Miko was able to understand why it was written in human alphabet. The writing consisted of one word: Elita.
The girl could not understand the meaning of that word. Maybe it was a name, maybe something related to the history of Cybertron. Whatever it was, her curiosity led her to open the box.
Inside there were holocubes and some items that were very similar to the USB flash drives.
Miko took one of the cubes and turned on it as she had done earlier in Arcee's quarter. The image depicted a series of robots. The girl could easily recognize Prime among them, but the others were complete strangers.
The next cube projected the image of an old robot with a sort of beard on his face. He was photographed in front of a huge building ablaze.
Miko activated another cube. This time she found herself in front of an image of an Autobot femme. She did not have much experience with female cybertronian frames. Her only point of comparison was Arcee and she considered the bike very beautiful.
Even the femme in the holophoto was beautiful. She was tall. Her body was lean and strong pink color mixed with gray chrome, bright blue eyes with a lavender circle outside them expressing sweetness but at the same time determination. And she had the smile of a goddess.
Miko wondered who was that beautiful femme of which Optimus kept a photo.
Then she took one of the flash drives and climbed back in the chair to reach the table.
She put the device in the notebook which came to life. At first she saw nothing but a series of static as when the TV is not tuned.
Then on the screen appeared the smiling face of the femme she had seen in the holophoto. But this was a video clip.
"Dear Optimus ..." began Elita with angelic voice. Miko could not take her eyes off the screen.
After about 30 minutes ...
Ratchet was so focused in his work that he did not notice was left all alone in the hangar. She noted the absence of the girl just because the room seemed too quiet.
"Miko ... Miko!" No answer. Just as he was heading to the area for housing to look for that little brat, he heard the call of the com-link.
Ratchet we need the ground bridge
It was Arcee. Probably they had finished their patrol.
Ratchet retraced his steps and activated the portal. From the green swirl emerged three figures.
All three wore a small amount of raw energon in thier arms. The doctor greeted tehem with one of his rare smiles.
"Great job ... good!" said the old Autobot satisfied.
"Chiiiirbeeeepchhirpbeeep?" asked the young scout.
"Optimus is on patrol ... or so he said before leaving... " said Ratchet as he tried to track the position of their leaders.
"Miko!" the scared scream of Bulkhaed attracted everyone's attention, including that of the red and white mech who immediately looked away from the screen.
"What happened to you? Why are you crying?" The big green mech asked, kneeling down beside the girl. The others formed a circle around her. Their faces showed concern. It was the first time they saw her cry. Her eyes were shiny, swollen and very red, tears streaming down her cheeks, and her lower lip trembled slightly.
With a slow movement, she raised a device in her hand and showed it to Bulkhead.
"But this is a video key... Where did you find it Miko?" asked her guardian.
The girl began to speak between sobs "I ... sigh ... I was bored ... sigh ... and I went ... sigh ... exploring the base ... " but the sentence was interrupted by tears.
"You were in our quarters!" he asked Arcee angry.
Miko just nodded her head.
"What the hell were you thinking Miko?" Bulkhead asked annoyed.
The girl continued to cry.
"Where did you get this key?" The doctor asked menacingly.
"Sigh ... in the quarter of ... sigh ... in the quarter of ... sigh ... " The sobs made difficult to speak.
"Oh for Primus' sake ... in the quarter of those?" cried Ratchet.
"Optimus' one!" the girl said in one breath.
She barely had time to respond. Ratchet gave her another question "What was in the clip?".
"Elita" said Miko before the sobs and tears would take over.
The doctor's eyes widened. Then his eyes grew sad. He passed his hand over his face and shook his head several times.
"Who is Elita?" asked Bulkhead.
Arcee was to answer "Elita One was one of Optimus's commanders on Cybertron" then stopped and stared at Ratchet "Rumors said that their relationship went beyond the professional type ... but they were just words" the Autobot femme shrugged as not to give importance to this last statement.
The doctor in the meantime, was sitting on a chair.
"They were not just rumors" said with a solemn tone the red and white mech "Elita and Optimus loved each other deeply. But the war and their positions did not allow them to have a relationship ... you know ... in a traditional way" he got up and walked to the other. He took the key out of the hands of Bulkhead "Optimus feared that if Decepticons knew about his and Elita's relationship, they would hurt them both. Thus, despite her first refusal, Elita hid in a secret place" the doctor continued while inserted the device in the computer "After she left, things on Cybetron precipitated and Optimus had to go on this mission ... "
The three Autobots listened Ratchet carefully.
They felt sympathy and understanding towards their leader, who had to give up everything for their cause, even the joy of having a companion at his side.
"So...Do you wish to see Elita or not?" he asked in a tone unusually sweet for the old doctor.
"Er ... maybe we should not violate the privacy of Optimus, Doc Bot" said Bulkhead.
"We're just looking" suggested Arcee "I'm just curious to see the femme who won the spark of our leaders".
Perhaps the tone used by the femme was too ironic because everyone stared strangely.
"If I did not know you better, I'd think you're jealous of this Elita" the laughter of Bulkhead, however, were interrupted by a "Ouch."
The Autobot tough femme kicked the big green mech in the knee.
Meanwhile the doctor had activated the video.
"But she is ... beautiful" escaped to Arcee.
"Beep!" confirmed Bumblebee.
"Dear Optimus, I'll leave this video on the last day we can be together "
The charming face of femme became dark, as well as her bright eyes were dulled with tears.
"I still do not agree with your choice, but I understand how necessary it is. But before I leave you ... who knows how long ... one thousand jorns, one thousand orns ... forever ... "
Now the femme was crying.
"I know, I know ... you would tell me not to cry. But losing you is like losing my all being, my life ... There is no fortune, no destiny, no surprise to me. There is no victory or suction so important to me. There is no beauty, striking phrase or absolute truth, but there is a moment in the universe, eternal moment in which I am the only one. That moment is when I'm with you.
No need to sacrifice neither intent nor a temptation for me. The wish to disappear
remains a memory for me. Even the silence I feel, when it wraps me, becomes music when I'm with you. There is no obsession only emotion that I dedicate to you. There is no dark, there is no star that looks like us, which is so unique. Remember ... Because nothing is like you and me together. Nothing is as good as you and me together. We are two sparks which vibrate together over the evil and the good
Nothing is like you and me together. Everything is like you and me together.
I hope, listening to my message, you are smiling now. Please. Do not stop smiling.
I love you ... always remember this ... till are one, my love ... till are one "
Elita reached for the camera. Then the video ended with the same static as it had begun.
None of the Autobot was able to say a word. Miko had begun to cry, again. And it was not the only one. Even Arcee and Bumblebee had tears in their eyes. Bulkhead had his eyes fixed on the ground and Ratchet was staring into space, as if he was lost in distant memories, half smile touched his lips.
On the roof of the outpost Omega One ...
Optimus never lied. That afternoon he went was out with the intention of going on patrol. But something had kept him.
There were some days that the memory of his sweet Elita accompanied him. Cross and delight, as said a strange human expression.
Think about his love always made him feel good. She was his lifeline, the one for who was worth to keep fighting. But think of her was also very painful. The distance, the uncertainty about the future, thinking that perhaps Elita did not survive ... Sometimes these thoughts were as heavy as boulders in the spark of the young Prime.
And today was one of those days.
So Optimus did not go on patrol. He decided to spend some time alone and achieved one of his favorite places: the roof of the base. It was a quiet and solitary place, where he could see the vast expanse of the Nevada desert.
Optimus loved the view. And he loved the sunsets.
Even today he was there, sitting on a large rock overlooking the void. With his arms hugging his left leg, the right leg dangled back and forth in the air, his head on his arms.
And as had asked him his dear Elita, he was still smiling ... despite everything.
AN: Elita's words are taken in part from a song called "Due respiri" (Two breaths). I liked it and I wanted to use it (the original text doesn't belong to me and it has been modified to fit the story)