Thank you all who supported last chapter! It means a lot to me, especially the reviews encouraging me to continue writing!
ElizellaGalaxyPrime said: Yeah! Starting the climax! Now, let's see how Optimus will respond.
Actually, we're not at the climax! Well, perhaps for this particular arc in the story, we are, but not the in total climax. That's still down the line. As for how Optimus will respond, well... that'll be in next week's chapter.
Alexandria said: Another great chapter! Can't wait for chapter 4 and keep up the amazing work!
Aw, thank you!
THE Ellie said: Wow, what an interesting cliffhanger! This story is sooo interesting and refreshing in a way. I love the whole idea behind this story, cause I myself have wondered a few times what would it be like if the Autobots left. I can't wait for the next chapter; keep up the good work! THE Ellie xoxo
I'm really happy to hear that you're still interested in my story, and I like that I wasn't the only one who thought of this scenario.
Wacko12 said: I want Annabelle reunited with Ironhide!
Annabelle and Ironhide reunite in the next chapter, promise!
Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers
I glanced at my HUD and grimaced, a sense of dulled excitement building as Jaguar and Llama walked into the bay. Our suits, thanks to the Knights, looked closer to combat gear than space wear, but it was less bulky and allowed us to communicate more clearly.
"Iggs said you found a trail?" Jag asked, her voice quiet. I nodded and they gained small smiles. "Who else is coming?"
"Bunny and Meerkat." Scorpion answered from where he was finishing up on the recalibrations for the shuttle. "A small team of five, enough firepower to get by should things go belly-up, but small enough to where the Autobots won't see you as an actual threat."
"But either way we should be cautious," I added. "We have no idea what is planetside, and with the Ion storm in the stratosphere, we won't be able to contact the bridge until it passes, which could be anywhere from hours to even weeks. There's no guarantee that even if we do reach the Autobots that they'll let us stay with them, much less grant us an audience with Optimus Prime."
"That's assuming that this group of Autobots is the one with Optimus at all," Scorpion piped up. "There were hundreds of Autobots by last count before they left Earth, and it would be our luck to find 'bots that can't contact Prime."
"Thank you, Scorpion, for jinxing us," I informed him dryly, making him smirk at us and wink. Cheeky asshole. "We leave at 1500, so now is the time to say your farewells to any friends or family for the next two weeks.
"I love you," Robbie murmured as we stood in the middle of our quarters, foreheads connected and arms around one another. "Don't be a hero Annie. Don't be like our fathers."
At the mention of Will and Robert Senior, I felt my heart break. I was almost four when they died and because of this, I didn't remember them, but Robbie was a few years older than me. He had been with his mother on base when the attack happened, and as a result he had seen them perish. "And leave you to take over my command? Never," I promised, shifting to nuzzle his neck. I didn't want him to see my tearful eyes; it always broke him when I cried. "Robbie, the Fallen, when I was captured, I overheard him and Megadouche talking. What if what they said was true? What if Optimus really is…" I trailed off, choking up and his arms wrapped around me tighter.
"Then we go to the others, the ones we know will take us."
"In the Rhaki galaxy? It would take a decade to even get there; there's no way to guarantee that by the time we get there, they will want us anymore."
"But there's that relay over by Mars. They told us how to repair it."
"Robbie, it's by Mars. That means going back, into Decepticon territory. Humanity is barely hanging on as is, if we go back, we're dead. Our entire race, gone with a single, well aimed missile."
"I know, Annie, believe me, I know. But if going back is our only option, well, we won't exactly have a choice." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. He was right, but she just… didn't want to hear it. What they had said, it had to be a lie, to make her break. "Let's not leave with an argue," he murmured, voice soft. "Don't be a hero."
I couldn't bring myself to say anything else but "I love you too," back, as a sharp sense of foreboding lurked over my shoulder.
A little fun-fact about Annabelle in this fic: she was a POW when she was 13 and was held captive for almost a year and a half. When the Knights rescued her and gave her Merlin's Staff, she also had to get her right arm and leg augmented with a whole ton of Cybertronian cybernetics so that she could use them again due to a certain thing Scalpel did to her.
Anyways, if you like the fun-fact of the story, and this chapter, please leave a follow or even comment and give it a favorite!