Notes:
First we will see what happened in the cockpit before Starscream and Mika took action. Then the story continues. Will Powell live? Is bee still alive? What will happen when the bots are freed? SO MANY QUESTIONS?! Haha. This is not the last chapter but it is close to the end.
Please leave a review if you like it, or have tips for me. I'm already working on another idea, the fic "the pound from steena motivated me for that one. But I will start it up when this one is finished.
Chapter 9: Together again
A few minutes earlier;
Mika observed the mechs and soldiers literally rip into the building. She saw the video feed of the lab thanks to wheelie. Powel was frantic and cursed as he didn't even bother trying to hide the Prime. He just shouted orders to the other scientist, but it was in vain as they were already gone, running for their lives.
"Come back cowards!" he spat and prepared something in a corner of the lab, when he turned she could see it was a syringe as Wheelie zoomed in on what he held before she had to ask.
"What is that?" she said worried. Starscream gave a hiss "I don't know but it can not be good" he spoke. "Do you have your weapon" he asked. Mika nodded "yeah, I grabbed it when I was changing why?" she asked.
"I am going to dive down and transform, when I do I will do my best to intimidate him, so he is distracted. Then you fire, understand, you kill that disgusting fleshling" he said sternly. Mika swallowed nervously. "What if I miss? I haven't fired a gun in quite a while i.. ill mis" she stammered.
The jet would have smirked if he could have. "No you will not" he said with certainty. "You never miss" he added trying to sound amused by referring to their showdown where she had shot him out of the sky. Mika gave a morose chuckle before shaking her head keeping her eyes on the screen "I do" she said softly and grabbed her gun unlocking the safety and giving it a brief check. For a brief moment, all was well.
Then their little moment of tranquility ended as she saw chaos ensue in the lab and Powell taking big strides to Thundercracker, who was still strapped down, with the syringe.
-"Oh god" Mika said realizing what was most likely happening.
"Ready?" Starscream asked though Mika knew it was a rhetorical question as a second later he dove down with his thrusters blaring. Mika Before she knew it the jet was already transforming, snarling as he did so. Taking a deep breath, she managed to land on the others servo that came up and aimed her gun straight at Powell and fired.
-Present time-
Time seemed to slow down as Mika fired, she smelled the gunpower. Saw the shocked face of Powell and then, nothing.
The man in front of her collapsed. Starscream quickly moved to his trinemate and shot at the locks holding the other down with his null-ray, freeing the other seeker. "TC.." he said softly, his vocals rough with emotion at his lost trinemate. He felt a surge of guilt and his wings drooped.
The blue mech gave a weak smile "Star, you came" he said raising a trembling servo. The other was clearly exhausted from the torture and lack of fuel. Starscream grasped the servo in his and gave a reassuring squeeze. "Of course, I came you slag-head" he muttered red optics scanning the other worriedly.
Mika smiled at the scene and cleared her throat "Sorry to interrupt, but we have to find the others " she said making TC's optics widening in surprise at seeing an organic on his Air commanders frame.
Starscream snapped out of the moment of his reunion with one of his trine and looked down at Powel's body. "He's dead, I know it" Mika said her voice trembling slightly because of the whole ordeal, she was used to blast other jets out of the sky, or blast buildings but never shot a person one on one.
The adrenaline was running its course and she started to tremble slightly.
Starscream gently turned and brought her to Ratchet and Prime, the latter glanced at Starscream wearily but was too tired to crawl away or defend anyone. His blue optics focused on Mika.
"Mika" he rumbled with his baritone voice that still held a commanding tone. It came so natural for the prime that it was scary.
Mika looked up "Op.. oh op I missed you" she said as tears were blurring her vision. Ratchet gently took her from the SIC and deposited her in front of Optimus who was unable to stand up yet. The prime grasped her and hand her against his faceplates. "And I you, my little blackbird" he rumbled.
His spark was flashing excitedly at having Mika close, his Conjux Endura. He glanced at Ratchet for a klik before adjusting his that thought. Their Conjux Endura. He could feel it in his spark.
Mika softly cried against his faceplates. "I'm sorry I made you worry so Mika" he said making the girl pull back with a frown. "Don't be silly, those sick fuckers took you down, nothing you could have done" she said hiccupping.
Ratchet stayed close but dared not to interfere, she was supposed to be with Optimus, and now she was. As long as she was happy, it didn't matter to the medic how he was feeling. His spark gave a twinge of pain but he ignored it.
TC was clicking wildly in cybertroninian to the aerial commander, the tones frantic. "Don't leave, I hurt, please be real, don't leave" . Starscream was holding TC up and clicked back to the other "I'm here-I'm sorry-I will not leave, you are safe".
Soldiers were gathering around the transformers and Optimus hissed in anger as he tried to get up. His pistons and calipers working overtime. He ignored the orders from Ratchet to stay down and roared in anger as he saw the soldiers. "I will kill you!" he spat in anger swiping his arm. The group scattered in fear as some of them were toppled over by the large mech.
"Optimus!, OP please love calm yourself" Mika said gently stroking his chest. "They are on our side Optimus, please calm down, I know your hurting" she said softly.
The prime shook his helm and spat out some very un prime like curses before collapsing again on one knee, vents working full time to stop his body from overheating after that little spat. Mechs needed coolant and his levels much like his fuel had dropped to a critical level.
When things seemed to settle again Barricade came in with Skywarp, Soundwave, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, all of the mechs were able to walk, though barely as they were severely malnourished.
The medic looked around "Where is Bumblebee?" he asked Barricade. The scout scrunched his optic ridges together before answering. Apparently the rough around the edges scout had not liked what he had seen. "He is.. just outside the lab, I am no medic but he looks slagged" he said briskly.
Ratchet shoved everyone aside and moved to the injured bee.
"Miss Vandetta, erm.. Mika?" came the hesitant call. Mika looked away from Optimus his optics and looked down to a rather pale and very rigid looking General Moore. "General Moore" she said and nodded to Optimus to put her down. A whine noise escaped the Prime's intake and he merely shook his helm minutely. It was clear the other wasn't going to let her go.
Mika understood, they all had a lot of healing to do and she understood the other wouldn't let her go. She didn't want to go either, so she stayed.
Turning a bit so she could properly look at the General she nodded "I'm glad you came, you guys took out the Cemetery wind soldiers that were on the area, thank you " she said and took a deep shuddering breath.
"I think we would all like to be returning to our old base, get refueled and recharged before we do anything else." She said and the General nodded "I will make the call" he said and grabbed his phone. He stopped suddenly and seemed very uncomfortable before trying to look Optimus in the eye, or optic.
The cold angry stare of the red and blue mech was almost too intense to hold. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry" he said and lowered his gaze before turning on his heel and making a few calls.
Mika stared at what was left of the door and wall that Ratchet went through and bit her lower lip "I hope bee is ok" she said softly. Feeling optimus tighten his hold on her slightly she looked up and gave him a kiss on his lower derma.
"There is so much I need to tell you" she said and gave the other a smile. Optimus just closed his optics for a klik and leaned into her kiss.
Ratchet came back into the room, servo's covered in energon. "Bumblebee is stabilized but he is hurt bad. I put him in Stasis lock for now and did an emergency fuel transfer" the medic grunted and as he said it he swayed on his pedes lightly before finding footing once more.
Mika frowned "Ratchet, you need to re-fuel" she said stating the obvious, but it warmed the medics spark that she was thoughtful. "I can make it back to the junkyard, to home" he said gently his optics warm.
The femme looked unsure and raised her arms towards the medic in a signal to pick her up much like a sparkling would do. "Out of my way" he muttered as he practically shoved sunny and skids aside ignoring the protests and rude comments and digit signals from the two.
Optimus frowned lightly as he fought his programming to keep holding the femme, but this was Ratchet, he trusted Ratchet. With a series of loud clicks, he relinquished his hold on the femme and gently opened his servos for the medic, who in turn picked her up and pressed her against his faceplates.
"Let's go home" she said softly before turning and raising her voice. "All are welcome, my home is neutral terrain so fighting will NOT be tolera - I swear to primus I will shoot those pretty sirens if you are being an ass" she said interrupting her own speech as she noticed Barricade starting to snarl and throw up his arms in anger.
"Starscream that squishy is so cute!" came the squeal from TC, who had, thanks to some heavy petting from both Starscream and Warp, recovered somewhat from his ordeal. The Air commander gave a chuckle. "hmm.. did not perceive her as -cute- but I suppose you are not wrong".
"Good grief, I am done. I'm hungry, dirty and in need of a drink" she said making both Prime and Ratchet chuckle.
"Oi OOOOOI" came the shout from somewhere in the destroyed lab. "Don't forget about lil old me, you know the one that provided all the intel and all!". The little transformer was still stuck in his glass box made from tempered glass.
Barricade moved towards the box and made quick work destroying it, freeing the little former. The crazy mech actually hugged the scouts arm before climbing up on his shoulder, chittering away in Cybertroninan.
"How are we going to get -home- we have almost no fuel and a mech in stasis" Optimus asked the group. "I might be able to help with that" General Moore said who just returned from his calling spree.
"I understood they can all go to your house for now? Where do you live that you have the space to hold all of them?" Moore said frowning. "Junk yard "Mika merely said proudly. "Lots of ground, lots of junk and Metal".
Moore nodded " I will call in assistance, an- " he was interrupted by the prime who held his hand up. "Fuel, I merely need some earth fuel so I can transform and drive. I have not done so in 3 human years, I want to drive" he said simply.
The General nodded " I will have some Fuel and transport for the wounded arranged to your house Mika. The president offers his apologies and wishes to visit Tomoro-". Once again Moore was interrupted but this time it was Mika.
"With all due respect General, I think we need a few days to recuperate and properly recharge. After that we can talk. What you can do is arrange a press conference, explaining that Transformers are no longer illegal, that there is a heavy penalty for hunting them and that there is an alliance between the Decepticons and the Autobots and as such the Decepticons are also off limits" she said ignoring the heavy protests from Barricade and the flash of Soundwave's Visor.
She gave both of them a look hoping they understood what she meant, she had no idea if the Decepticons would want a treaty, but she needed something to give to Moore so they wouldn't continue hunting Decepticons. No mech deserved what had happened, yes this was a human planet, but this was a cybertronian war.
Soundwave picked up on the concept and conceded with a slight tilt of his helm. Barricade didn't say a word, he wasn't unintelligent, he understood the concept he just didn't like it very much. Folding his arms over his chassis the scout made a chuffing sound before looking away.
The general didn't look convinced, but he trusted Mika, she would make it work. He just prayed that the Autobots wouldn't leave earth for the Decepticons. " Yes, I will speak with the president today, and we will prepare the base" he said before turning and walking away inside a jeep with a few men and drove off.
The group that remained were busy collecting body's of scientists and Cemetery wind. Starscream saw one of them squirming and moaning in pain and hissed in contempt before smirking "not so tough now huh" he said and swiftly stomped his pede on top of the human ending his life with a squelch.
"oops" he merely said in fake innocence. "uhg now you got organic goo under your pede starscream." Skywarp said pulling a face.
Almost no one had seen the action and those who did kept silent not wanting to antagonize the jet and also not feeling up for defending the very monsters that hurt them so.
Soon a few trucks pulled over, one filled with fuel and the other a platform for Bumblebee to be transported on.
The mechs greedily took the fuel and guzzled it up not caring that it was earth fuel, their tanks could convert it to energon. After about a half hour of feasting Optimus wiped his mouth and took a deep shuddering inhale of air, his chest expanding and deflating with a series of hisses as his form slowly recovered.
After that Bumblebee was carefully loaded on to the truck by Ratchet, tied up and covered with a Tarp. The medic made sure that the mech would remain in stasis during the trip not wanting him to wake up afraid and do more damage to himself.
Optimus didn't trust the humans that remained and stood up to his pedes, finally. He stretched his spinal strut and cracked his neck, and rolled his shoulders. "Autobots, formation around the truck, I do not want to have it out of sight, I don't want any of you out of my sight" the leader said in a stern tone.
They were so close to freedom once more, he did not want to lose his men again thanks to mis placed trust.
"Decepticons, you are free to follow us, or travel to Mika's home on own accord. But I ask you to remain together with us until the news is out and we are truly free" he rumbled.
Most decepticons were too tired still to fight the Prime and nodded, especially since their areal leader had already nodded his consent. Starscream spoke up "We will follow your formation, I do not trust the humans and refuse to have anyone end up in the situation we were half a day ago" he nodded.
"Decepticons, mobilize and follow" Starscream said glancing at Mika one more time before he and his trine transformed and blasted off to the sky. "Autobots, transform and roll out" came the reply as he transformed in the flaming Peterbilt truck. The gears were stiff and there was a bit of trouble transforming but he managed.
Mika saw them all transform and smiled when she saw the large Peterbilt slowly rolling in front of her. He opened the door.
"Ride with me Mika?"
Optimus hadn't finished the question, or the femme had already climbed in and snuggled into the seat. She was exhausted from the whole ordeal but refused to fall asleep as she wanted to be alert incase something happened despite protests from the Prime.
The first few minutes afterwards were silent as the group cruised around a very nervous truck driver transporting the injured yellow Mech.
Suddenly Optimus radio released a short burst of static startling Mika before settling "Sorry, everything is a bit- rusty- "he excused himself. Mika gave the other a wave with her hand showing him that it's fine.
"So.. you and Ratchet?" he said casually making Mika almost choke on her own spit. "Well uhm.. Yes? But I mean it just happened, remember what we talked about before- before all this went down?" she stammered. Optimus gave a hearty chuckle. "Sweetspark do not fret, I meant nothing bad with it. On the contrary, I am quite enthralled by the idea" he said cheekily sounding like his old self.
"Optimus, I would want nothing more than that" the femme said closing her eyes and nuzzling the seat. Just a little while resting her eyes, she wouldn't fall asleep.
"I love you Optimus" the femme said. "And I love you little blackbird" he rumbled deciding not to ask about how she ended up in Starscream's cockpit during the attack, they had time to chat later. Scanning the femme he noticed that she had dozed off into a light sleep. Chuffing air trough his fume stacks he tightened the seatbelt around her as he drove on happy to be free once again.
