Little Star: Chapter 2

Crystal jolted awake, the base was dark and quite. Everyone was in bed, the security systems were running their scans silently. Crystal smirked suspiciously, she had been studying Ratchets movements and patterns over the course of a few days. She quickly placed her meager items into a nap sack and slung it around her shoulders, "Ok" she stretched her arms around with her fingers interlocked. "Ow! That's looks so much cooler on movies." She whispered to herself shaking her hands. She began pushing buttons on the keypad making images and scans appear on the screen. "Get Ready Megatron, because I'm coming for you."

"She's not in the back."

"Not in the simulation room"

"She not in the bathroom either."

Everyone had come into the main control room, they had been searching for Crystal for hours to no avail. "I haven't been able to pick up her strange energy signature either." Optimus sighed, he had a bad feeling that she was about to do something that she would forever regret.

Crystal hide behind a corridor, waiting for the guards to pass. She had snuck her way onto the warship and was heading right for Megatrons quarters. Crystal slowly crept along the wall, keeping her ears open. Listening for the cons coming around the corner, a familiar voice sounded in the Hall. "Lord Megatron is still recovering from his injuries." Another familiar voice sounded, "What's the matter screamer, disappointed the big boss wasn't killed by that human?" Crystal peaked around the corner, Knockout and StarScream were walking down the main hall. "Don't be stupid you fool!" StarScream shoved him up against the wall, "there are camera everywhere." He whispered. That's when Crystals heart skipped a beat, she hadn't thought about that. "Easy on the paint job!" Knockout hissed as StarScream backed off, StarScream cocked his head, "Listen." Crystal backed up against the wall. Scrap, she thought as she backed away slowly. "what?" Knockout asked, StarScream shushed him again. "It sounds like...like" StarScream smirked evilly as he sent Knockout flying backwards. "YOU WHINING!" StarScream laughed, "Pathetic just like that human!"

Crystal let out a sigh of relief, "i have to meet with our glorious leader!" StarScream moaned, Crystal smiled, this was her chance. She slowly followed StarScream, it was time for Megatron to pay.

Optimus drove the long Nevada road, the sun as begun to rest behind the mountain as the stars slowly began to shine. They still had detected no sign of Crystal, Optimus feared the worst. Her anger was evident with every training session she had been a part of, though Optimus had hoped she was learning to control it. SilverStorm flew over top of her brother, she could tell by the way the Prime was driving that he was upset. "Optimus? You ok?" Optimus responded to the com, "I am fine. I worry for Crystal, her life is at risk."

Crystal had been on the warship for ten hours now, she had to go to the bathroom really bad but her mission overruled that. She was impatiently waiting for Megatron be alone, he had been in the command center for hours now, "Come on!" She whispered, she needed him alone and vulnerable. Megatron finally sighed, turning around he began to slowly walk back to his quarters. Crystal slowly snuck behind him, jumping through his door. Megatron smiled but kept going, he knew she was there. Crystal jumped out, "Now we are alone Megatron!" Megatron laughed, "i could have 30 vehicles in here in two seconds." Crystal laughed. "Good thing I only need one!" A battle erupted as loud crashes rang through the ship, StarScream jumped from his reading and came running out of his quarters to find Megatron swatting at a human flying around him. "I shall help you my liege!" Megatron growled, "She is mine!" StarScream ran to a jump landing a punch right on Megatrons face sending the warlord flying back, "Oops." StarScream wimpered back, Crystal laughed, "Good one StarScream! Now he is distracted!" Crystal netted full force toward the Decepticon, landing a high powered punch to his lower abdomen sending him through a wall. "StarScream! Open the airlock!" Before Crystal could brace herself a hole in the ship opened pulling her through. "Nooo!" She hollered as the gravitational pull forced her to the ground 30,000 feet below.

SilverStorm felt a strange surge go through her, "Optimus this way." She comes turning her flight pattern north as the two arrived on the scene they found Crystal walking and cursing herself. "You two!" She hollered angrily. She was a bit beat up when SilverStorm looked closer at her, "What happened?"

"I had him! Right where I wanted him! Then StarScream has to show up and screw up the whole fragging thing!" Optimus transformed his face was concerned, "Crystal going after Megatron alone was foolish, you could have been killed."

"Good! Maybe I want that! At least I would be with my family!" She stormed past him only to be picked up, "You are coming back to base, to which you will be confined until further notice." SilverStorm stepped back, she hadn't seen Optimus this angry since that time he had caught Arcee, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, and Jack racing. Optimus transformed with Crystal being strapped inside his cab, she was fighting back trying to get out. Optimus didn't say a word, he rarely did especially when he was angry. SilverStorm transformed alongside him. "Ratchet we need a bride she commed."

Optimus had locked Crystal in a room, though she fought using her powers and trying to escape. SilverStorm had put a protective barrier around the room, "Ouch." She would say every few minutes, "she's really strong with that power, geez." Bulkhead cocked his head, "You can feel that?" SilverStorm nodded, "Everytime she strikes it I had to send more power to it to keep it stable." Bulkhead nodded still confused. Optimus stood typing at the computer, his focus was intense which Miko saw as in opportunity. "Now Raf." She whispered, Raf shook his head, "He's not in a good mood Miko, look at him." Miko looked over at him, "He's fine he always looks like that." Raf shook his head, "Nope not doing it! Don't even know how you talked me into this on the first place!" Miko playfully pinched him, "You wanted to!"

SilverStorm watched the interaction, knowing full well what Miko was planning. She laughed internally, Poor Optimus. She smiled.

Megatron growled, "You idiot I had her!" He punched StarScream sending him flying, "Please Lord Megatron! I only meant to help!" Megatron pushes him heel into StarScreams stomach, "You can redeem yourself! Get her and bring her here! Alive!" StarScream whimpered as Megatron released the pressure, StarScream gripped his chest, "I will not fail you!"

Crystal panted heavily she had given up, SilverStorms power was to much for her. She was too angry to cry, the rage caused her heart to pump harder, she could feel her blood pressure rising. She had to take Megatron out or die trying, "I will get revenge for WindCharger! Do you hear me Prime! I will get revenge!"

Optimus closed his eyes, his spark was low. He knew the pain that she was feeling but also new that if she continued to let it eat her it would destroy her. SilverStorm could feel her brother anger, concern, and sadness. She had learned that the best thing she could do for him was to give him time to himself, let him work it out.

Optimus walked back to the room in which Crystal was contained, SilverStorm had to remain awake to keep the forcefield going, "She's sleeping" she yawned, Optimus smirked at his sister. "Get some rest SilverStorm" Optimus placed a hand on her shoulder, "I will sit here tonight and guard her." SilverStorm nodded, "Ok." She yawned, and stumbled slowly back to her quarters. Optimus smiled, when SilverStorm was tired she was practically what Miko referred to as a zombie. Optimus had learned early on in their childhood that a tired Stormy was a cranky stormy. Optimus backed up the wall, slowly sliding down it. It was going to be a long night but after years of war it was something he had grown accustom to.

StarScream paced his quarters, his mind was swirling, how was he gonna find that human bug? If she with the Autobots her energy signature would be impossible to track. StarScream hissed as he paced when the door creaked open, "Screamer will you stop that! I can hear you in my room and your driving me nuts!" StarScream rolled his eyes, "Oh shut up and go back to sleep! You didn't get pounded by Megatron today did you!?" Knockout smirked, "No but once again big brother I had to take care of you." StarScream just scoffed, "Then why don't you and help me figure out how to capture that human annoyance!" Knockout came into the room shutting the door behind him, "Ooh finally I've been wanting to run those experiments on her!" StarScream just rolled his eyes, "We have to get her first you fool." Knockout shrugged "leave it to breakdown and myself! We will bring her in!" Megatron shook his head standing in the hall, listening to the conversation. "Fools, I command nothing but fools." He rapped on the door, "Speak of the devil." He heard StarScreams voice come from inside. "Yes my liege?" Megatron cocked an eyebrow, "Why are you here and not searching?"

"Well because...I...uh..."

"Because my lord" Knockout butted in "we have been formulating a plan, besides it's the middle of the night. I doubt that the human is still awake. It would be most prudent to continue the search in the morning." Megatron nodded, "Fine then. Get rested for as soon as the sun rises you will begin hunting." He pulled the door closed on the two and walked away shaking his head.

Optimus felt his head fall as he jerked himself awake, "oh no." He quickly tapped the data pad that had a camera link to the room. He sigh in relief, "Thank Primus," the human was still sleeping. He shook his head and stood up to stretch. The data pad read; 05:37. Early morning, he thought. Crystal was still sound asleep. Optimus began walking toward the command center, she would not be able to escape without coming to the command center first. Optimus punched in a few keys checking the scanners, no activity had presented itself a threat. Just as Optimus was about to leave the computer he notice a small blinking icon, "hmm..." he clicked the icon only for a digital picture to appear, "PRIMUS!" Optimus shouted jumping backwards nearly knocking into the wall.

SilverStorm jolted awake, someone had hollered, she slowly crept out of her bed into the hall where she was met by the whole team, "what in the name of Cybertron was that?" Ratchet whispered. SilverStorm shook her head, "Maybe Crystal got out." She looked behind her to where Optimus should have been. See if he wasn't there made her heart skip a beat, an evil laugh seemed to fill the silo every few seconds then it stop. "Crystal?" She slowly opened the door to find the human sitting upright. "What the heck was that?" She asked. SilverStorm shook her head, "I don't know." The team along with Crystal slowly made their way out to the command center blasters and energy ready to fire. SilverStorm spoke first, "Surrender or..." the team looked shocked to find only Optimus present, he was standing at the computers. "What was that shout?" SilverStorm asked, Optimus shook his head. "Merely this." He pulled up the image as the team jumped, "Scrap!"

"What is that?" Bumblebee bleeped, Optimus shrugged slightly, "I believe it is what the humans call IT."

"It?" Ratchet asked "It what?"

"He Looks like a clown" Crystal spoke up, "but he's an evil murdering clown." Everyone nodded, "Crystal how are you feeling? You were quite enraged last night." Optimus spoke softly as the team dispersed to their daily duties. "Still angry but I slept on it and had to think about it a lot." Optimus nodded, he liked where she was headed. "And you were right, being angry doesn't solve anything and I should get justice not revenge on those who are the reason for getting WindCharger killed." Optimus nodded, "I am glad you are able to finally see that." Crystal smiled, "I'm gonna go wash up." Optimus nodded returning to his duties.

Crystal glanced over her shoulder, "What a gullible sucker." She whispered, "if I can't get to Megatron without interference from them then I will use them to get to him." Crystal washed up and came walking out to the Autobots. She kept her cool, acting calm and collected so as not to attract them to her scheme.

It was around 15:30 when the children had come to the base after school. Optimus smiled inwardly, he knew the culprit behind his scare that morning was Miko. "Milo may I speak with you?" Miko elbowed Raf with a wink, "Sure thing!" Optimus held out his hand for her climb into as the two went to the hallway to talk. "Miko, are you responsible for the image within our computer system?" Miko tried not to giggle, Optimus liked to give his family members a chance to tell him before he bluntly accused them. Miko shrugged, "Uh What image?" Optimus twisted his lips and cocked his eye, "Miko?" Miko busted up laughing, "it got you good!" She held up her phone showing the Prime a video of his fright that morning. Optimus's eyes widened slightly, "Miko...this needs to be...you should be careful with whom you scare. If it had been someone who had a weak spark you could have killed them, or the computer system could have been destroyed in self defense." Miko still laughed, "You-got to admit this was funny!" Optimus shook his head, "You are planning a way to make me...laugh? Is that correct?" Miko stopped laughing, "Hey who told you?" Optimus looked at her, "Yes we...well I am! I figured if you could be scared then that means you are a totally emotionless zombie and I could make you laugh!" Optimus turned to walk back to the Command Center, "be mindful of your pranks Miko and of whom you prank." Miko jumped off his hand to the humans pad, "Awh!" Optimus shook his head, "No Miko, No more." His voice was stern, causing Miko to look down as her pigtails drooped. Jack looked at her, "Told ya! Optimus has more important things on his mind then pranks and jokes." Miko angrily crossed her arms, "Well some of us like to have fun Optimus Jr." She slunk into the sofa. Crystal just shook her head, "Childsplay" she mumbled as she flicked through the channels on the tv before her.

A dark force was rising, a dark force that would soon present itself, Optimus could feel it. His spark screamed it and it got louder everytime Crystal was present.