For readers who have not seen Transformers: Dark of the Moon yet and wish too, do not read. This story does contain spoilers.
The hillside offered a magnificent view of the desert and its great rock features. The humans had called it the Valley of the Gods, and as Optimus Prime looked over the land on the hill he stood on, he could understand why. The Autobot's valiant leader marveled at what Nature had taken millenia to carve.
It drew his mind momentarily from what made this land sacred to him. Those who had fallen on Earth under his command were buried. They were perhaps the first to be given the honor since the war's outbreak. Jazz, who had fallen at the hands of Megatron himself, was the first. Then Jetfire, the ex Decepticon who sacrificed himself to aid Optimus in defeating the Fallen. Arcee, who was still re-adjusting to life in her single and original body, had her fallen "sisters" laid here as well, even though they were extensions of her own consciousness and little more.
And not more than a year ago, the newest additions to this graveyard. There were only three, but Prime felt a mixture of raw emotions over them. The brilliant Que, executed during the Battle of Chicago, who's gadgets made victory possible. Were it not for Que, the battle would have been lost.
But the two others caused Optimus the most pain. Ironhide, his oldest friend, and one of greatest warriors on either side, had fallen. He was the realist to Prime, the dreamer. The hard edge the Autobot's needed. He had survived countless battles and lived. Only to fall here.
And then Sentinel Prime, Optimus' predecessor. His great teacher and the greatest mind of a generation. His mind unraveled some of the greatest mysteries the Universe had to offer. Then he became a warrior. And then a commander. And then the leader of the Autobots. Until Optimus succeeded him, there was little hope that the right individual would be found to take his place, should the need arise.
He was a legend, a hero, a visionary.
He, Sentinel Prime, was Ironhide's murderer.
When Optimus first heard of his friend's death, he was in shock. Then he was given the details. Sentinel had made a deal long ago with the Decepticons. He sought to rebuild Cybertron, their home world, at the expense of Earth and the humans. Knowing Ironhide wouldn't stand by and let him carry out his plan, he killed the warrior, utilizing special a special acid that accelerated oxidization, turning Ironhide to dust.
On hearing that, a fire sparked to life deep within the Autobot leader. A pain that overshadowed all else. His failure to stop Sentinel summoning Decepticon reinforcements, the exile of the Autobots, all of it overshadowed by Sentinel's betrayal and the void that would never be filled.
Optimus looked over this peaceful, beautiful landscape, and felt no peace. In over a year, the fire that burned so furiously during the Battle of Chicago as he had avenged Ironhide and ended the Decepticon's invasion had been replaced by an emptiness. While he had not let on to his fellow Autobots or his human allies, he found it was growing more and more noticeable by the day. His visits to the grave more frequent. Though he would always take a drive, he came here more and more often. And it was during these visits, he began to toy with an idea.
It was at his request that Sentinel be buried up here with the other fallen Autobots, but as the year had wore on, he found himself regretting it and resenting his former leader and mentor more and more. Just as the void built up to a longing to see Ironhide, Jazz, Que and Jetfire again. To speak to them, to say how much they meant, how if it wasn't for them, battles and lives would have been lost.
He opened his chest, and withdrew the Matrix of Leadership. A small object, when compared to Optimus. The spiraled object with a glowing diamond shaped center floated between his massive hands as he mulled over his idea.
He was so lost in thought he failed to hear a vehicle drive up. And then to hear the mechanical transformation and the footsteps of a colossus. The deep, intelligent voice however caught Prime's attention, "I thought you'd be up here."
Optimus turned to see Ratchet, the Autobot's chief medical officer walking up and coming to a stop, gazing at each grave individually, "What are you doing up here, Prime?"
"Just paying my respects," Optimus said, his own voice resonating off of the landscape.
To his surprise, Ratchet huffed, "With the Matrix out and about? Are you showing it the sights?"
"No," Prime said, the rare tinge of annoyance in his voice, "Just thinking."
"You can't bring them back," Ratchet said bluntly.
Optimus didn't move. The Matrix floated between his hands as he stared at his friend, "How..?"
"Optimus, the first rule of a battlefield medical officer is soldiers die," Ratchet said, kneeling down and resting a hand on Ironhide's marker, "Rule two is no one can change rule number one. Not me. Not any other medic. Not even a Prime."
Optimus stared at Ratchet, sadness throughout the medical officer's face, "As much as I would love that old scrapheap up and about, as much as I'd love to see Jazz and even that crotchety Blackbird, we can't bring them back. We can only make them proud, make their deaths mean something. And besides," he said, standing up, "If you were able to raise them, then what? Who would you stop with? Would you ever stop?"
Optimus looked down. He saw the Matrix, which had brought him back to life, silently spin in the air. If it could work, would he stop? Would he ever give up that power?
What would stop him from becoming like Sentinel?
Prime then opened his chest and brought the Matrix back in. Sealing himself once again he said, "You are right, my friend. I.. What I was thinking was monstrous."
"No," Ratchet said, resting a hand on Prime's shoulder, "What you were thinking was, as they say here, human."
Optimus smiled at that, "Perhaps so. Perhaps… Sentinel was human as well. Seeking to rebuild our home.. Something we all wanted."
"Of course. A noble idea. Just horrific execution."
Optimus felt ridiculous. He should have come to Ratchet sooner, "Come my friend, let us continue to make our friends proud."
Ratchet nodded and walked off, soon transforming into his ambulance form and driving off. Optimus stopped short for a moment, turning to look at the graves. He no longer felt anger towards Sentinel, the sadness and disappointment remained, but the anger was replaced with an understanding.
The void Ironhide's death would remain, he knew. But he would not give in to grief. He had wallowed in it for too long He would honor his fallen brothers and sisters by never succumbing to this weakness again. He would miss them, but they would live on.
Their inspiration would be the light in the dark.