Chapter One

The Beginning

The last thing I remember is Sentinel Prime shooting and leaving me for dead after he betrayed us. I am Ironhide this is my story of survival and what took place after.

I am alive because Simmons and his Sector-7 buddies helped me to recover. I was heavily damaged; Sentinel's Cosmic Rust Cannon which disintegrated my torso. The people of Sector-7 found my Spark.

My Spark is like all other Cybertronian Sparks; it is my life and my soul. A Spark can survive a short time without a body.

The Sector-7s found my Spark just before I was completely extinguished from energon depletion. The men placed me within a Spark sustaining chamber. While I was in the chamber the humans gathered all of my remains together and used massive amounts of energon to restore my body. I felt them pick me up.

Energon is our fuel supply and is the fluid in our hydraulic systems. We cannot survive without Energon.

I heard Simmons say, "Bill, be gentle he's very fragile in his current state. He is the orb you are holding."

Then, I heard the man named Bill say, "Wow! They have souls I thought they were just machines."

After hearing them, I telepathically communicated to them saying, "I can hear you, and we are mechanical life forms not just machines."

"If I could, I would like to return to my body."

"You can communicate!" Bill exclaimed.

"Yes, we are telepathic in our most vulnerable state."

Simmons spoke, "You need to stay calm; you are very delicate."

"I am not as delicate as you think," I growled. I began making a human form for my Spark to inhabit. My human form is a muscular man in his forties with short black hair who looked like an army sergeant.

"Wow!" Bill cried, "how is it possible that he is making a human form for his Spark?"

After I created my human form, I growled, "I am no more delicate than you are."

"Your body is ready for you to return to," Simmons said, although I knew my intimidating form frightened him.

"Right," I said awkwardly. "I am ready." I then returned to my Spark form and the men placed my Spark within my body.

I have awaked, and I must rest to regain full control of my body. Now my system is too weak to walk or to transform . . . . . . . . . .

"He's been out for six days; is he even still alive?" Bill asked.

"He is a tough one, and according to the vitals monitor, he is alive. Be quiet; he is very grouchy when someone calls him a weakling," Simmons whispered.

"I can hear; am I now so feeble I cannot listen?" I grumbled. I am now able to transform and walk, but my weapons are still offline. I have been cleared to leave the Sector-7 base. I will keep myself hidden from all cybertronians and humans, if it is possible, until I am fully recovered. Simmons has allowed me to scan Bill's Chevy Astro, to better hide myself from the others.

Bill has decided to come with me. The human government has set up many places for our kind to rest. We must still remain hidden until we have no choice but to fight.

We set off on our journey to give me some exercise. We are going to a vast forest in the mountains.

I then saw two cars. After I turned numerous times I knew they were following me. We pulled over to let the cars pass, only to find out that they were Decepticons (Cons). Then I realized the Cons knew I was an Autobot.

"Ironhide, you know you have no weapons. We should keep driving and get away," Bill told me.

"He'll just keep following me until I am exhausted; then the cons will go for the kill."

"You don't have any functioning weapons how will you fight?" Bill asked.

"I have fists don't I?"

"Fine, let's go for it."

I drove over to them and lead them away from the civilians on the highway. After I did that, I transformed and they did to. I then charged at one of the pair. I slammed the Con in the face and then he fell. I killed him by punching him in the face. Just then, my weapons came online; now I am able to really fight. The other Con then called for backup just before I shot him. The reinforcements came quick before I knew it There were forty to fifty Cons surrounding me. I managed to take out ten Cons with my cannons, but many more were closing in fast. I continued to fight killing another ten of the Cons before my body started to weaken.

Just when I thought I was going to perish, I heard gunfire behind me. I saw five Cons fall to one shot. After three more shots, the remaining Cons ran, leaving their dead behind. I looked at the dead Cons and said, "Only one weapon could do this kind of damage: the Cosmic Rust Cannon. I was told Optimus terminated its owner. Maybe he saved the Traitor by reasoning with him. Now, I will track and kill him for nearly destroying me."

"Are you saying Sentinel Prime still lives?" Bill asked as he was coming out of his hiding spot in a nearby bush.

"I'm saying he might. Or someone stole his gun," I growled.

Then I got Sentinel's scent. I now know for sure that he does exist. I am now on the hunt…

"You have been searching for three days now, and you still haven't found Sentinel. Are you sure he even exists?" Bill asked me.

"Yes, he does. I have been following his scent. He is close; I know it."

We are now near a Firehouse. Then I knew where he is hiding. He hid in the Old Firehouse to not be very conspicuous because he took the form of a Fire truck. As we neared the Firehouse, I had to hide quickly because someone was coming.

It was Ratchet. As he walked he said, "Good thing Optimus forgave you. We needed a Bot to handle random Con attacks that bother the humans. Your wounds are healing nicely. Out of curiosity, how did you get them?"

"I fought some Cons making trouble for the morning commute three days ago," Sentinel replied.

"That is why that gun is still warm. How many were there at the battlefield?" Ratchet wondered.

"Twenty to thirty," Sentinel replied.

"I'm heading back to the camp," Ratchet declared as he left.

Once Ratchet was gone Sentinel said, "Come out. I know you are there Ironhide. I know about how Sector-7 brought you back from the brink of death."

"I am here!" I exclaimed as I left my hiding spot, "I challenge you to a fight without any weapons; only our bodies and wits."

"Fine. Shall we battle?" Sentinel spoke.

Then our fight began. First, Sentinel grabbed me then through me into a wall, which cracked one of my ribs. I fought back, punching him in the chest. Then he kicked me. The blow caused a wave of pain, which nearly caused me to black out, but I continued to fight. When I slammed Sentinel in the ribs he fell down and admitted defeat.

"Finish me if you wish," Sentinel said, as he moved his chest plates to allow me access to his Spark. His Spark was bright and it glowed with a blue light, which had an ever-changing pattern.

Just then, a military truck with huge spikes coming out of its frame in various spots mostly in the front shot at both of us. I managed to shield Sentinel just in time to save him from being shot in the Spark, which would have killed him. I knew the truck was Megatron. Sentinel has now decided to help me hunt Megatron…

Five days later, we trapped Megatron in a canyon near the Autobot camp. I shot Megatron in the side. Sentinel was slammed in the back, and then Megatron came over to Sentinel. Megatron raised his gun to Sentinel's head. Before Megatron could shoot Sentinel, I was able to muster up enough strength to tackle him. After I helped Sentinel get to his feet, we were attacked again. Megatron then threw me in to a wall I landed in a way that caused me to break my leg. Then he came to me and stabbed at my chest. Sentinel ran to Megatron and stabbed him with his sword.

Just then the other Autobots came to save us. I knew I was about to die because I couldn't move at all, and my entire body hurt. I decided to go into Stasis Lock to preserve what remained of my strength so I may slow the death of my Spark, in the hope I may receive help before it is too late.

Though my body is out cold, my Spark is still able to hear. I heard Optimus' footsteps coming closer to me, then I heard him say, "Ratchet, who is this Bot? Is he still alive?"

"You're not going to believe this, but my scan indicates that this Bot is Ironhide! It seems someone, somehow, has brought him back to life. What is even more amazing is that he has teamed up with the very Bot that killed him! He is in Stasis Lock at the moment," Ratchet said.

Optimus asked, "What are his chances for survival?"

"He has been stabbed in the chest repeatedly, and his left leg is broken. He will die if he does not receive help soon. The Stasis Lock only slows the progress of his death. We have to get him to safety! Get Sentinel to help us move him. I just don't know how much fight is left in him."

I had to show Ratchet I still had some fight left in my body for him to save. I then awakened from Stasis Lock and said, "Optimus, Ratchet, Sentinel; I am an Autobot not a Decepticon."

"Relax Ironhide; you will die if you don't go into Stasis Lock." Ratchet told me.

I obeyed him only because I would die if didn't, so I went into Stasis Lock…

I began to hear Optimus saying, "Ironhide has been out for a month. I'm worried he may be permanently damaged."

Then I heard Ratchet speak, "This is Ironhide we're talking about. He has already recovered from the effects of Cosmic Rust. He is well on his way to recovery but he was wounded in the spine and I need him to awaken so I can see if he has been permanently paralyzed." I moaned, shifted position and started to awaken. When I was completely awake, Ratchet came over to me and started to prod my spine, which was very painful, and give me a checkup. When he finished, he said, "Your spine has healed exceptionally well; you are almost fully recovered.

When he was finished, I asked, "Is Sentinel alright?"

"He is fine. He has stayed with you since we saved you. I sent him to his home in the camp yesterday," said Ratchet.

"Am I strong enough to leave the infirmary?" I asked.

"Yes; you may leave if you want."

"I will show you to Sentinel's and your home." Optimus said.

After about an hour, Ratchet unhooked me from the machines that had been keeping me alive.

Optimus and I walked to a building with an overhang large enough for both of us to stand under. Optimus called out, "Sentinel you have a visitor."

Sentinel yelled, "Be patient; I'm coming."

"Sentinel, it's me, Ironhide. I have survived."

Sentinel opened the door and allowed both of us inside.

Sentinel said, "Glad to see you alive and well."

Then I said, "I'm glad that you survived. Megatron was about to finish you when I tackled him."

"He had me pinned, but I was not hurt badly. Ratchet checked my wounds; he said that they were not life threatening. Then he told me you were near death and barely holding on. I stayed with you until yesterday when Ratchet said you would survive and that I needed to rest. I obeyed Ratchet."

"Thanks; I feel exhausted,"

"Ratchet said he would tire quickly after what he went through. Ironhide will be this way for a few more weeks," Optimus said.

Then Sentinel said, "I have set up a place for him to rest."

After that, Sentinel led me to a room with a bed. I laid on the bed and quickly fell asleep….