Title: Define Human
Rating: T
Disclaimer: not mine, never will be mine. No money is being made. Plain and simple right?
Summery: Vengeful Decepticons turn Optimus Prime into a human thinking he will be easier to kill as a 'flesh ling'. Now Optimus has to adjust to being a human as the threat of a Decepticon attack hangs over his head. Luckily the Autobots and Sam and Mikaela are there to help, but for how long?
Author Note: as I said before… I did not kill that Autobot. But, I have badly tortured him so we'll have to see the outcome when it happens. (Because I don't even know what's going to happen) anyway, this chapter might get a little weird but I want to say and I hope people read this so they're not complaining afterwards so I'll bold it. I am in no way a religious person and I often do the 'live guy meets dead guy who knocks live guy's head back on straight' as a way to finalize the situation. I am what is called a heathen, haven't been the church in several years but I do write these type of things. If this offends you, you don't have to read this chapter/story. Not a spiritual person, don't believe in life after death and all that stuff. And I'm just rambling now, so please do continue down to the story and keep the above statement in mind, because I don't want to get an e-mail saying I'm talking about one religion because I'm not. (this is to cover my own ass)
Chapter 10: aftermath
(Optimus…yay!)
My optics feel hot and painful, tiny electrical currents seemingly to spark and misfire as I struggle to open them. Finally, after much debate of whether or not I want to open them I decide I do and snap them open, finding the world bathed in a soft light. Tall buildings stretch above me and several vehicles whiz past, their motors drown out by the conversation going on to the my right. With a curious optic I turn towards the source of the sound, finding a walk bridge spanning the area, crowded with Mechanoids. Pushing myself up I look around, finding myself to be in a very familiar place, an area up until my men and I left Cybertron stood deserted and dilapidated, reeking of death and mayhem.
"If memory serves me correct…" I turn slightly and look behind me, finding the place I was looking for. The Black Hole was one of the oldest bars in all of Cybertron, although located in the seedier section of the lower quadrant it was one of the few places I could go in the early days of the war and not be bothered. Here is where I met Jazz so many astro cycles ago, leaning against WorkForce's bar sipping idly on an Energon cube. Not understanding why I am suddenly here I make the decision to stand and making a futile attempt to brush the dirt from my armor. I freeze, looking down I'm relieved to find my armor to be that of the red, orange and blue big rig I had tran-scanned, the flames dancing almost wildly. Not understanding the whole situation I head into the bar, opening the old sheet metal door I have to fight to keep my cooling system moving as I find the interior of the bar exactly as I remember it, several tables placed randomly out in the center, the bar at the back. Several heads turn towards me as I enter before retutning to their conversations and drinks. With a shaky step I make my way to the bar where WorkForce is cleaning tap cubes, his drummel hand wrapped in a clean rag that he pushes into the washed cube and spins around. WorkForce is a stocky Mech, basically the same structure as Ironhide but with a few more years on my old but testy friend. Some Mech's say that those two were created at the same time because they are both crabby and short tempered, but where Ironhide turned his specialty to weapons, WorkForce created a well know and well loved bar. For being so much alike the two of them annoying the slag out of each other, which is no surprise, it's like having two Ironhide's bickering with each other. But
I don't understand though, because The Black Hole was destroyed when Megatron discovered it was being used as a medical field hospital. WorkForce wanted nothing to do with the war, he was neither Autobot or Decepticon, he was himself as he would say but as the war progressed his bar became known as a sanctuary of sorts, a place for you to go if you were separated from your unit or injured and catered to both sides. The only rule the ornery Mech had was there was to be no fighting within his establishment and for the longest time the rules were kept to and respected. I remember that day, when I got radioed that the establishment was under attack by Megatron. My team had arrived in time to see the building explode with deadly force, the towering figure of Megatron retreating, laughing.
No one survived, Megatron had killed both his own and mine.
"Optimus!" a large hand slams down on the metal bar top and I jump, having been lost in my thoughts. I blink rapidly and sit up, finding the cocked optic ridge and the scowl of my old friend.
"I haven't got all day you know. What do you want?" he barks gruffly and I can't help but smile, missing the other Mech terribly
"House Mix." Is all I reply and with a nod WorkForce heads down the bar to the taps and fills up one of the clean cubes. He returns and gestures rudely to one of the corner booths, a place I had sat numerous times with Jazz, Ironhide and Racthet. At that point Bumblebee was still too inexperienced to be brought along and would have drawn far too many looks from other patrons. Back then, after Bumblebee came online and his programming finished he was to be our secret weapon, who would have ever thought he would become such a treasured member of my team? Nodding my thanks I make my way over to the shadowy booth and sit heavily, smiling at the sleek silver head plating and the ever present smile
"Jazz." I greet and the other Mech laughs and holds out one of his hands
"How you doing Prime?" he asks and I take his hand, gripping it in the old style we used.
"I think I'm dead." I tell him flat out and take a swig from my cube, wincing slightly at the wicked bite it has. Jazz snickers and shakes his head
"No, your not dead." He laughs and I give him a questioning optic.
"How can you be so sure?" I ask slowly and Jazz shakes his head and points at his highly polished chest plate, now whole and unmarred
"Because I know dead." He says simply and I nod, feeling the slight ache in my spark at his words. I look away and down a large gulp of the mixed energon, brewed by WorkForce himself and look around the establishment
"Than why am I here? What's the purpose of showing me this place?" I ask slowly and lower my gaze at the other mechanoid, having always found it hard to see jazz's seriousness behind the visor.
"Because you gave up and Primus decided it was time to kick your ass. So, he sent me here to kick it." He smiles and sips off the cube in front of him, smacking his lip plate. I eye the other Mech carefully, finding his warm smile almost too enticing.
"Did he now?" I ask idly and swirl the energon around
"Oh yeah. Both him and Sentinel Prime were pissed at you." He laughs and I find myself hurting, having missed that laugh since Jazz's untimely death at the hands of my brother.
"and… they thought now would be a good time to tell you about the unease they have and the stirrings of a problem." My audio perks up, hearing the words 'problem' and 'stirrings' I get the sinking feeling again in my pump.
"oh really?" Jazz looks sharply at me and leans closer, through the visor I can see the dull glow of his bright optics and know my First Lieutenant isn't about to lie to me.
"Megatron isn't dead." He says simply and my processor races to understand
"how do you know?" I ask out of habit and Jazz gives a barking laugh before getting serious once more, his vocal processor turning grave
"Think about it Optimus. Megatron wanted to rule Cybertron, what would stop him from doing it again in this 'Cybertron for the dead'?" he asks and I ponder on this for a few minutes and it does make sense. Since the battle for mission city I've had this inkling that something wasn't right. Put couldn't put any real reason onto it for feeling that way, now I understand.
"Even in death he wouldn't give up." I mutter and Jazz nods, leaning back against the seat, gaze watching me closely.
"So, the big guys… that is all the Prime's before you, were slightly annoyed when you gave up so easily with that human. Believe me, they know your tired of running, tired of fighting Optimus but if you checked out on them now, who would lead the Autobots against this new threat?" he asks slowly and I sip at the energon cube, pondering over his words and finding myself feeling my several hundred millennia.
"I'm exhausted Jazz, there are times I seriously doubt my abilities, even now when there's only three under my command." I start and suddenly feel the pressure of my decision to stay on earth, to allow Bumblebee to stay with Sam, the conversation and agreements with that world's government all bearing down on me. Jazz was always my confidant at times when life just got too much and for all his due credit the smiling and mischievous Mechanoid was a good listener and a good secret keeper.
"I know you do Optimus. Primus knows if I could I would be there in a piston pump but I can't. I have duties that hold me here." He says sadly and I know if given the chance jazz would be fighting beside myself, Ironhide, Ratchet and Bumblebee.
"I understand friend, but can you tell me… how will this one turn out?" I ask slowly and see the usually grinning face faulter and he shakes his head
"I'm not allowed to disclose that information Optimus. But I can tell you, you aren't going to be alone for this battle, more of our side are coming to your aid. With complete certainty I know. Also, the Primes-that-be as we call 'em here have decided to bestow upon you a gracious power." Jazz says imitating one of the preaching mechs from the temple district, his laugh at the end making the antic worth sitting through.
"They have decided to let you keep the transformation ability to become a human at will." I wince at the thought, having to go through all that pain? I'm about to say that they can keep that but Jazz holds up his hand "Newly reformed and easier to use. No pain no gain Optimus, they've decided you could help the humans better if you were actually among them instead of.. ya know above them." He giggles, making a platform with his hands to show the major height difference. I roll my optics and snort at the playful mech deciding that talking to my friend and getting to see him has done something to my mood.
"Well, Optimus. I think it's about time you got back to your day job. No more moonlighting as a dead mech, leave that to the professionals." Jazz says and downs the rest of his energon before standing, his small form shining brightly in the dim lighting of The Black Hole. I smile up at my old friend, saddned by the fact that after this I will no longer see him or hear his laughter or roll my eyes at his jokes.
It feels like he's dying again.
"Aww Optimus, don't start blaming yourself for something you can't change. I'm happy here, it's actually not too bad being dead and living in what the humans call a soap opera. I call it 'Cybertron: The other side of Death'." He makes an erratic gesture and almost takes out one of the low hanging lights. WorkForce looks up sharply and glares at the expressive Mech. Standing as well I clasp my old friends forearm once more and smiles at him
"Keep up the good work then… and please Jazz, for the love of Primus, don't piss any of those guys off alright?" he laughs and smiles once more before giving a sloppy salute and heading out the door. I wait till he's gone and take one last look around the place before realizing I never asked one vital question
"How the slag do I get out of he…." And then nothing.
Author Note: Wow, I hope you all read the warning I posted up at the top. I have a tendency to do stuff like this so yeah. Also I have a surprise for all those people out there who are going 'damn, Jazz isn't alive again'. But I'm not telling. So, there you go, I'm thinking I should make a series out of this but haven't decided yet. Optimus goes human… lol. Anyway I have to go to work now… back to the hot cell so please review and I'll probably update on sat. if not earlier.