And now we introduce a few familiar mechs to the story! I hope you enjoy it!

Ironhide

It was spark wrenching to see the destruction with one's own optics. I honestly didn't think the Decepticons would actually destroy an entire city, obliterating it and its inhabitants from existence. In fact, so many of us stared in disbelief at the vid screen when the first reports started coming in.

Countless vorns to build and create the great city of Praxus. Less than a breem to destroy it.

It made my spark tremble that fellow Cybertronians were capable of such genocide.

Even as the news feeds kept coming in, Sentinel ordered all available Autobots in Iacon to mobilize. At first it'd been to prepare for battle. Only by the time the first transport was launched Praxus had been destroyed. The mission had turned into one of rescue while on route.

The transport I was on was the first to land. Ratchet and his staff were quick to set up a triage for any survivors. I broke the battalion down into smaller units to begin searching for survivors. But as I marched over the rubble with the slim hope of finding survivors my spark hardened. A burning hate smoldered within.

The Decepticons were going to pay for this!

"Hide! Wait up!"

Turning, my optics widened at the sight of the teenage youngling as he approached. His white long gangly legs moved him with ease and agility as he traversed the rubble.

"Optimus! What in pit are ya doin' here? Your father is goin' to reformat my aft! This is no place for a younglin'!"

"I'm hardly a youngling anymore. I'll be fully mature in another three vorns."

"That's no excuse. Frag it Optimus! Your armor isn't even battle ready!"

"I just wanted to help, Hide," he said, looking up at me with those sorrowful optics.

"That look's not gonna work. If ya get hurt or worse, Sentinel will kill me! Get back on the transport. NOW!"

"I won't get hurt, I promise," he said determinedly. "Besides, it is highly unlikely the Decepticons would return. They've made their statement and moved on."

"The kid has a good point."

"Shut up, Kup. I'm the one responsible for him."

"Then you should have locked him in his room before we left Iacon," the old timer chuckled.

"Hide, I want to help," Optimus said with that fiercely determined look in his optics.

I caved.

I always did.

Optimus just had this way of getting what he wanted. I know I could be more forceful with him but the youngling always made it difficult. He was too smart for his own good, smarter than me. And he was responsible, never getting into trouble or too much trouble.

"The kid can come with my team," Kup suggested.

"No he's my responsibility," I relented. Then pointed a finger at the youngling. "You will do as I say and stick by my side."

"I understand," he seriously replied.

"I mean it, right by my side."

"Hide," he huffed mildly irritated.

"Just looking out for ya," I smirked, rubbing his helm. "Let move out team."

"I have a route mapped of possible locations where we might find survivors," he said, pulling out a datapad and showing me.

That's another thing about Optimus. He's never shirked on a task and always did his research. It didn't matter how mundane or tedious it was he'd see it through to the end. Out of the corner of my optics I could see he was just as determined this jour as we searched for survivors. Six breems later, he still had that drive or so I thought until I noticed a tear rolling down his cheek.

I cursed myself for not being stronger in disciplining him. I should have realized that this may have been a bit too much emotionally for the youngling. He has always been far too mature for his age that I never considered how it might affect him.

"Let's take a short break everyone," I ordered.

I didn't even say anything to him. I simply put my arm around his shoulder and led him a short distance away so we could talk privately.

"I'm sorry Optimus. I should have made you stay behind," I signed, rubbing his helm, while he wiped away his tears. "You're still so young to be seeing all of this."

"I'm glad I'm here," he sniffled. "It's a reminder that we can never under estimate the Decepticons."

"Optimus…"

"No, Hide. I'm not naïve. I hear father talking. I see how upset his is when he returns to our quarters. He was afraid this day would happen and now it has. I need to be ready to fight, to…"

Optimus suddenly stopped, tilting his head.

"Optimus, I wish ya wouldn't try to grow up so fast," I sighed, taking advantage of his silence. "One day ya will be a worthy Autobot and make your father proud. Just…"

"Shh…did you hear that?"

I sighed and was about to give him the odds of us finding anyone alive were slim. But I heard it too. A muffled thumping.

"Here!" Optimus exclaimed as he started yanking debris and tossing it aside.

The others didn't hesitate to come over and help. We all knew that if we found just one victim it was a small victory for the jour. And we were all anxious to find someone, some semblance of hope in all this death and devastation.

"Wait!" Optimus shouted, holding hand up.

We all paused, watching as he pressed his audio receptor against the flat piece of metal that was exposed. However, we didn't need to be that close to hear the thumping again or the weak voice shouting.

"Move Optimus!" I ordered, transforming my hand into a cutting blade.

Moments later I'd cut through enough of the metal. Together Optimus and I peeled it back to expose the precious life it'd been protecting. I blinked my optics a couple of times not quite believing what I was seeing.

Of all things to survive…

"Primus, they're just sparklings!" Optimus gasped taking the words right out of my vocal processor.