Here's part three. This story may end up not being all that long… But it'll include all the stuff from the movie.
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Dawn came all too quickly, and the Autobots regrouped… or at least they tried to. "Bumblebee," Sarah asked, having transformed back first thing. "This transmission you caught… What was it?" He looked to her. "Well, archaeologists the world over have discovered inexplicable consistencies among ancient human cultures all over the Earth. The same symbols, over and over. Here, I'll show them to you." Bending down, he traced a series of odd glyphs in the dirt. Ratchet identified them. "These are in the ancient language of our people… Somehow, some way, we and the humans have been in contact before!" Ironhide had a question of his own. "Can you read them?" Ratchet shook his head. "No, I can't. I doubt there's anyone alive who can. This language is beyond ancient, even for us. It'd be like pulling a human off the street and asking him to read something written in Latin." It was then that Sarah spoke up, having previously just sort of stared at the symbols. "I can read these…" That statement elicited a simultaneous double take from everyone present. "What?" She pointed to the glyphs. " It says 'When dawn alights the dagger's tip, the three kings will show the way'. It's a clue of some sort… Directions to something. Maybe this is what stirred the Decepticons up, aside from the imposter. And if it's what stirred the Decepticons up, which I'm betting it is, I'm thinking we ought to take up the hunt and find it first, before they do." Megatron stepped closer. "Directions to what, though?" Sarah stood back up. "Darn if I know, but it can't be anything good if the Decepticons are after it. Like Ratchet said, this stuff is ancient. We'd need to find somebody equally ancient to explain it." It was then that Sam decided to pipe up. "Who's to say we can't? If they already came to this planet, I'm betting they decided to stay. After all, why leave if you're just going to come back at some point? And if it's important, wouldn't you leave guards?" Bumblebee nodded. "He's right. That has to mean at least one of them is still here. Now, where can a really old car or jet hide itself away while ensuring that it will be as well cared for as possible?" The answer came to Sarah in an instant. In the whole world, there was only one place where old, historically important planes could be kept in the best shape possible… "The National Air and Space Museum down in Virginia!" she crowed delightedly. "Nobody takes care of relics anywhere near as well as they do! Let's go, everyone. Ironhide, I'll ride with you and show the way if you like." Megatron voiced an opposition, but she cut him off. "Navigating through streets isn't like flying. It's best if I help from the ground." They were ready to go, but they had one last task to perform before they left… Swiping a super-long truck trailer from a shipping facility, they made an impromptu tomb for Optimus and laid him to rest as best they could. When the time came for them to return home, they would come back to take the whole thing with them. For now, they only prayed he would not be disturbed. In his absence, Ironhide was supposed to be the official leader, but somehow even he had ended up taking orders from Sarah. She had been the one to step up when they needed someone to take charge, so in everyone's eyes, even Ironhide's, she had become the leader. Traveling from California to Virginia would be a long trip, but no one seemed to mind. If it meant stopping the Decepticons, there was no such thing as traveling too far.
It took a few days, but they got there. Soon the Autobots sat in the building's parking lot in vehicle form, while Megatron flew off to hide out in the nearby airport. "It's up to us, Sam," Sarah said as they walked toward the door. "All we have to do is find him, and I'll work my special magic to wake him up if need be. All we need is a couple admission tickets and we're golden." Sam ended up having to pay since Sarah had no money. The amount didn't bother him, since thwarting Decepticons was worth anything. He shrugged off her offer to pay him back, since she really had no way to do so, short of illegally hacking his bank account. Stepping inside, they discussed their 'battle plan'. "We'll start on the left and go clockwise. Stay near me, all right? I'm betting the Decepticons would still like to get their hands on you. Why were they after you, anyway?" Sam shrugged. "Besides revenge? I'm not sure. The imposter Megatron blamed me for the fact that he had to trade in his jet form for a tank." Sarah winced at that. Losing the ability to fly was about the worst thing imaginable for all who were flight-capable. Sam continued. "But there was more to it than that. They kept talking about ancient machines, hidden keys, and somebody they called the Fallen. They seemed to think I was the key to getting whatever they wanted, but I didn't understand any of it." It was Sarah's turn to shrug. "That makes two of us, because I don't understand it either. That's why we're here, looking for this guy." As fate would have it, her power chose that moment to alert her to the fact that they had found what they were looking for, in the form of the sleek black jet at the center of it all… "The SR-71 Blackbird! The crown jewel of the collection, or so I believe. Man, this guy's savvy and then some. Taking the place of the most important plane they have…"
Ducking under the barrier protecting the jet, she approached slowly. "Makes more sense than replacing the space shuttle prototype, too. They practically dismantled it after the Columbia disaster, if you remember." Reaching out, she hesitantly ran her fingertips along one wing's leading edge. "That's right, big guy… We're talking about you. It's time to wake up, if you can hear me." It only took the slightest flicker of her power to awaken him, and an instant later the jet rose up higher and higher… A deep voice spoke, the thick Scottish brogue sounding almost laughably out of place, given the source. "Organics, approach me or face my wrath!" A single detail made both of them freeze with fear. Red eyes. "Run, it's a Decepticon!" Sam turned to run away, but Sarah grabbed his arm as the black-armored jet crouched down, complaining of his aching joints. "It's all right, Sam," she said, "I think this guy's seen better days and lots of them, if you get my meaning." Giving him a moment to calm down, Sarah stepped a little closer and got the aged jet's attention. "Hello there," she called, pulling him out of his irritated rant about itchy rust, stupid organics and the inconveniences of old age. "Do you have a name?" Looking down, he turned his irritation upon her. "My name? Of course I have a name! It's… uh…" Sarah sighed at what she deemed bad luck. They just had to run into a senile delinquent. "…Jetfire! Yes, that's it. Jetfire. My name's Jetfire." He paused. "What planet am I on, anyway?" It was then that Sam spoke up. "You don't even remember what planet you're on?" Jetfire looked down at him with a scowl. "The passage of time does that, especially when you've lived as long as I have. You suddenly find that your hardwiring isn't so hard anymore, if you get my meaning." He paused again. "Say, is that civil war still going? Are the Decepticons still out there? Bloody heathens, the lot of them. No respect at all. That's why I defected." Sam stepped closer. "You defected?" Jetfire nodded. "Darn straight I did. That's why I'm hiding here, so they can't find me. Of course, humans aren't much better. They don't know the first thing about maintenance."
Straightening up as much as he could, pulling out a cane that had previously been the rear axle of his jet form, he pushed past the other planes and headed toward the hangar door. "Keeping me in a bloody mausoleum, too. Don't they know how creepy it is being stored among a bunch of husks?" Prying the doors open, not a care for who might see him, he stepped out onto the airport tarmac with Sam and Sarah chasing after. "Got a mission to do, but I don't remember what it is. Supposed to protect something." Sam called out to him. "Maybe we can help you. Maybe we could even help each other." Jetfire paused, disregarding the approach of the Autobots, and the lone silver jet that transformed to stride closer to the trio. "And how do you think you can help me, you tiny little…" Sarah stepped closer. "Well, maybe what we found relates to your mission… 'When dawn alights the dagger's tip, the three kings will show the way'. Sound familiar, maybe?" Sam chose that moment to speak up again, to offer his two proverbial cents. "We think it's what the Decepticons are after, or at least related to it. They kept talking about keys, great machines and some guy they called the Fallen." Jetfire snapped to face him again. "The Fallen, you say? So it's that time…" Looking around, he motioned the rest closer. "I'd best be on my way, then. Gather around and stay close…" They all huddled together as a ring of energy formed around them, dissolving into a cascade of blue-white light that whisked them all away in a roar of displaced air and sudden, violent skyward motion…
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Next up, the back story… done MY way!
Read and review, please.