A Hollow Victory

Moving on.

There will not be much to this chapter. Just a summary and a little bit of dialogue.

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As the old saying goes: Take what you can get. Precisely the montra Optimus utilized to aid his team in licking their wounds, and to pacify Agent Fowler to a level of rationality. Not unfamiliar with having to spin stories for his superiors, this woven tale transcended the realm of awkward and uncomfortable. Agent Fowler can appreciate the hardship and traumas the Autobots experience on every mission they venture forth on. As a retired serviceman himself, it is one the most thankless careers known to man. Second is being a politician. But he would hope, after god knows how many years of living on earth, they'd learn to exercise some sort of restraint, and mind certain critical, important, and priceless objects around them.

(Brief A/N. Thank you men and women who have fought valiantly for this country, or simply joined to help make a difference your life and your family's. Do not let the media, or the ignorant wane your resolve.)

Optimus accepted the scolding mirrored by Fowler's superiors. Team Morale was already wavering forward and back on their low point. Their excursion through the gradually melting arctic was hardly their finest moment. The lens belonging to the Kauahi Naval Observatory was destroyed in the battle ravaging the delicate tundra. It was supposed to be a retrieval mission. Decepticons aside, their task was to reacquire the lens and return it to Agent Fowler for safe passage to the Naval Observatory. Instead, because the situation was becoming dire, Optimus ensured the lens would never again be used for evil purposes. Or any purpose. Putting a dead halt on Starscream's catastrophic schemes.

On another bright note, Selena chose to linger on the sidelines. Optimus, Arcee, and Bulkhead spotted her flying for the site of the destroyed facility where she was nursed back to health. Her reasoning eluded the skulking bots. Optimus, on the other hand, theorized the part of her memory home to her Tsulena counterpart wished to pay her respects to the humans who saved her. What significance they held to Selena is anyone's guess. Her memories during her stay with the Autobots merged with her old ones. It may have been a curious impulse.

In the midst of their fortune, a horrid nightmare was transpiring within the Nemesis without anyone's knowledge. Save the interferences by Rafael and Ratchet. Megatron was in possession of Bumblebee's body. An after effect and act of desperation by the Decepticon warlord to escape his dormant body. Bumblebee fought the spector for as long as his mental synapsis would hold. Random, violent outbursts triggered during moments of weakness dealt minor damage to the base. Megatron forced his will upon Bumblebee, obtaining the last shard of Dark Energon that would reawaken his deathless form.

Rafael and Ratchet followed the possessed scout to the ship. Shocked were they to find dead and barely conscious Decepticon Troops. Selena was amongst them, left battered and weakened by the uranium piece Megatron had stashed away. Thank Primus for Rafael that Selena was tough skinned. She was less than happy to see them, but was by far more dismayed at the thought of Megatron being reborn.

How unfortunate their efforts were wasted. Megatron was reborn. The rightful ruler of the Decepticons returned to his throne, and donned his crown. Now fate's dice have been rolled. The odds will fall in the favor of the strong and persistent. What lies ahead for the Autobots, Selena, and Earth is unknown. All that is certain for now is that Megatron will rebuild whatever Starscream has altered, and commence with his onslaught on the unsuspecting human world.

For now, the Autobots, Rafael, and others are glad their Scout is alright. No traces of Megatron lingered in his brain pan. And the lens can no longer be abused. Also, a small victory in itself, Selena helped Rafael, Bumblebee, and Ratchet escape the ship before they could be surrounded. There is no doubt they would have died on that ship had she not been there. Too bad she wasn't able to come with them. Not that she would.

Jack strolled for the video game, excited to get an advantage on Miko's current high score. Between her and Rafael, Jack hardly gets a chance to play and up his game. He paused at the last couple of steps. Rafael was slouching to the crook of the couch arm. His favorite RC car lied on his stomach, rising and falling with his breathing. Rafael's dreary eyes spied Jack as he sat at his feet.

"Hey, Raf." Jack waved softly. Rafael bounced his brow in somber response. A red flag erected in Jack's head. "You okay? Why aren't you out with Bumblebee racing? You guys normally run laps with Bulkhead and Miko this time of day." Miko and Bulkhead are dead set on beating Bulkhead on the open road.

"She saved us, Jack." The responsed baffled Jack. "Selena saved us."

Jack should have suspected, but was surprised nonetheless. Rafael's been offbeat for the past couple of days. Granted, he's beyond happy Bumblebee is alright. It showed. Then there are times where Rafael seems to drift to another world. At school, he's hardly maintaining focus. Mrs. Esquibel called Jack and Miko and asked if Rafael was being bullied. He wasn't his usual sunshiney self at home either. Here he is at the base, letting his favorite RC collect dust, and he hasn't touched the Game Box in forever.

"How?" Jack leaned to the other arm, showing vested interest.

Rafael sat up straight, holding the car in his lap like a cat. "Megatron ordered for us to be killed. Ratchet, Bumblebee, and I were outmatched and outgunned." His little heart is racing just thinking about it. Watching Megatron get off the table. All of those Cons coming out of nowhere for their master, and to kill them. "It would have been easy for Selena to kill us, and end it right then and there." Like she swore to do if she ever saw any of them again. "Instead...she showed us how we could escape." It happened faster than he could follow. Before the Cons opened fire, Rafael can see her lips clear as day revealing their escape route. Caught up in the moment? A sudden impulse perhaps? Either way, Selena risked having the Cons ostracize her again by helping them. And with Megatron back, and that uranium in his hands, she was going to be a punching bag for him.

"What are you thinking, Raf?" Jack wanted him to say. He needed Rafael to say it. Deep down - in spite of him standing as the objective, conservative, realist - Jack had to know whether or not Selena held on to the tiniest bit compassion for them. She's their friend. He couldn't bear it if she hated them. "Does Selena still hate us? Or...does she…"

"Selena doesn't hate us. Not entirely, anyway." He corrected. Rafael sunk somberly, caressing his RC Car. "Selena protected me the whole time I was there. She even took a hit for me so I wouldn't be hurt." Selena tackled Rafael like a football star, receiving the full brunt of Megatron's hit. She held him close, pouring her unadulterated terror into Rafael as Megatron awoke. "That look in her eye when Megatron rose, seeing me in the same room…" It was very brief. Selena's eyes gleamed in horror for him.

"I don't want to doubt you, Raf. Selena's gone against her personal feelings and saved us multiple times." Rafael heard the reluctance in Jack's tone. There's a rub to his claim. "But there's no way she's let go of what happened here."

"And she won't, Jack. Selena will never let us forget that." Rafael reassured him of that. Anger at the Autobots and Kids abusing her amnesia continues to boil Selena's blood. There is no doubt about that. Her vulnerable pride and her emotions were played upon. She will never allow that to slide. "Even so, I think there's an ever so slight, needs to be pried with pliers, chance Selena won't let Megatron or the Cons come anywhere near us."

"With that Uranium in his hand, I doubt Megatron will give her the chance."

"Maybe he won't. But Selena won't let him bully her around forever." Rafael jumped to his feet, towering over Jack with hardset faith in Selena's strength. "Selena versus Megatron. Who do you really think is going to pull out on top?" Rafael put it to him, folding his arms with a confident smirk.

Jack snickered at his unwavering faith in Selena. "To be honest, I'm on the rope." He bounced his shoulders. "Selena and Megatron are not only fierce, they're smart, crafty, ruthless, and neither one likes taking orders from those they think are weaker than them."

"Then Megatron better start bending his knee and saying Yes Ma'am. Because Selena's ten times stronger than him."

"I sure hope you're, Raf." Jack folded his arms across his body. Gloom shadows hued his brow with uncertainty. Megatron. Selena. Two powerful beings who placed everything on the line even when they have nothing left to lose. Nothing to lose. No reason to hold back. The one difference being Selena's unsung mercy. It's all that prevents her from unleashing her wrath upon the world, or letting the Decepticons redirect their vengeance on her. I really do.

Till next time.