Mean while over at the Decepticon base, Megatron was taking his latest defeat out on his lackeys.
"HOW COULD THAT PATHEDIC AUTOBOT BEAT ME AGAIN!" Megatron was throwing barrels of oil across the room. One barrel almost hit Blitzwing square in the back of his head, but he ducked quick enough to dodge it. He stood up again and laughed only to get a second barrel thrown at him which hit him dead on.
Blitzwing stood up rubbing the back of his head. "Maybe zey just happen to have a bit of luck on zeir side today?" Blitzwing's face changes from serious to 'hot-headed'. "But next time zey won't be so lucky!"
Lugnut throws up a hand in approval. "Next time we meet the Autobots, they will tremble at the might of the great and mighty Megatron."
Megatron shakes his head. "The next time we meet the Autobots will be the last time they will ever dare stand in my way."He pauses for a while, thinking. "If only there was something I could use against the retched Autobot leader…Oh how I loathe that accursed Autobot!"
"You know Megatron, if you want to beat that Autobot, I may be able to help." A shadow stands in the back corner of the base.
All ammunition from Decepticons loyal to Megatron point at the intruder, including Megatron with his cannon. "Who are you? Show yourself!"
"What's the matter Megatron, don't recognize me?" Starscream steps out from the shadows.
Megatron looks at Starscream curiously. "Starscream, I didn't ever think I would see you again…alive." Megatron smiles and lowers his cannon. "but not for long." Megatron turns to walk away and signals the others to fire. Blitzwing and Lugnut raise their weapons.
Starscream quickly raises a hand. "WAIT!"
Megatron turns to look at Starscream; he's running out of patience. Starscream steps forward. "I know the Autobot's weakness." Megatron steps forward toward Starscream. "Really, and what would that be?"
Starscream grins evilly knowing he has Megatron's attention. "Let's just say that I know of a way that you could literally destroy a piece of his spark…forever."
But back with the Autobots things were looking much brighter… for now. Optimus had captured Nanosec and placed him behind back behind bars where he belonged. And now was back at the base recuperating from his run in with the human villain. That evening was a long one and everyone was exhausted. But mostly StarChaser, for what reason I don't know, she was just…tired. She was sitting on the floor playing Ninja Nights 3 when she had to stop and rubbed her optics. Bumblebee turned and looked at her and asked sarcastically.
"What's the matter kid, you can't handle being beat?"
StarChaser scowls. "No, I just…have something in my optic."
Ratchet leans over to Prime and whispers. "Looks like someone needs to go power down for a while."
Optimus nods and gets up off the couch and walks over to StarChaser. He leans down beside her and smiles. "Are you getting tired?"
StarChaser glares sleepily at Optimus. "No."
Optimus shakes his head and smiles. "Well, I think I'm going to put you in your berth anyway."
StarChaser shakes her head trying to deny it. "But I'm not (*yawn*) sleepy."
Optimus laughs while picking her up into his arms. "Of course you're not."
Optimus excused himself as well as the sleepy StarChaser from the presence of his comrades. He gently cradled StarChaser in his arms as he ventured down the long, dark hallway until he came to her door. Carefully he opened the door while trying not to disturb the child. He walked across the room and laid her down gently onto the berth. She opened her sleepy optics and smiled.
"Optimus I'm not tired."
Optimus gently stroked the child's head and whispered. "How about you argue with me tomorrow."
StarChaser closed her optics and began to slip into stasis. "Okay."
Optimus sat with her just stroking her head until she fell deep into stasis. He then leaned down next to her and put his forehead against hers and whispered softly. "Sweet dreams StarChaser."
The next day was going to be the turning point for Optimus and StarChaser…even though neither one of them knew it. The morning even began strange considering Ratchet actually was feeling generous and let all the 'young bots' sleep in. But even with that StarChaser was the first to get up…and…the first to want her oil. She walked into the recreational area of the base to see if anyone else was up yet, but when she noticed she was alone, then she figured she'd just get her oil herself. But how? She was nowhere near as tall as any of the others, and the shelf was so high. How was she supposed to reach it?
She looked around to see if there was anything she could use. That's when she spotted a couple of old crates next to each other on the other side of the room. She ran over to look at them closer. Yeah, these would work. She pushed the crates all the way across the room. One by one. Then tried to stack them up on each other and stepped back to look and see how far they would reach up. They would definitely reach, but StarChaser had another problem…how was she going to get on the top of the crates?
She growled to herself. "Well, that's not going to work."
"What's the matter kid, can't find a logical way to get your oil?" StarChaser quickly turned to see Ratchet standing behind her with his arms crossed and laughing.
She looks down embarrassed and starts to shuffle her feet. "I'm too short."
Ratchet walks past StarChaser and grabs a barrel and hands it to her. "If you want help with something, just ask."
She looks up smiling. "Thanks doc bot."
He smiles as he reaches over to grab some for himself. StarChaser takes a drink then looks past Ratchet down the hallway, then back up at him. "Ratchet, were is everybody?"
Ratchet turns around to look down the hallway, then turns back to StarChaser. "Well, Bumblebee and Sari went to a local amusement park for the day and Prowl and Bulkhead are on Dinobot Island."
StarChaser looks back down the hallway. "What about Optimus, where's he?"
Ratchet points behind him toward Optimus' door. "Aww, he's still asleep…" Ratchet turns around and starts for Optimus' door. "…but not for long."
StarChaser jumped in front of Ratchet. "Wait doc bot, I'll get him up."
Ratchet for a moment looked shocked but soon smiled and walked away. "Okay kid, if you want to…" He quickly turned around putting up a finger. "Oh, by the way…good luck." He then turned around and walked away laughing to himself; whereas StarChaser stood there dumbfounded.
What did he mean by that? All well, she had to go get her big, dumb mech off his berth and up and moving.
She ventured down the base hallway until she came to Optimus' door. At this point she wasn't sure whether she should go in or not. She had never been allowed in that room before and didn't want to get in trouble. But, then again Ratchet didn't object when she volunteered to wake him up, so… she won't get in trouble, right? She slowly began to open the door.
As she ventured into the room, she was a little bewildered by how dark the room actually was. There were no windows thus making the room incredibly dark making it difficult to see. But after a few nano-clicks, her optics adjusted. She was fascinated by these turn of events and was trying to take every new sight in. I mean there was so much to see, because in all respects, Optimus' room was fascinating even though there wasn't a lot to see.
His room was something different. Even though it was dark, StarChaser took it all in. Everything from the 12-foot tall mirror with the crack down the left side on the right side of the room to the various shelves and silver hubcaps on the walls. She never knew her sire really didn't keep much, she thought that a room was where you were supposed to keep all your possessions. Well, apparently Optimus didn't have much; that was until she saw the large orange box under his berth. What was that? She had never seen anything like it. She slowly approached the box, she carefully extended a hand to touch it but pulled away quickly and flinched at the sound of something moving…up on the berth. StarChaser looked up and could see her sire's face. He was sound asleep. Slowly and quietly she climbed up onto the berth were Optimus lay. She stood there and watched in awe and fascination at the sleeping mech. And watched as he slept quietly. She never really realized how similar she and Optimus actually were. In some ways she admired Optimus but not just for the way he looked, but for the way he acted, with such pride, and humility. Just then Optimus started to move. StarChaser dove off the berth in an effort of not being seen and hid under the berth. After a few moments of silence, StarChaser peeked up over the edge of the berth. Optimus had rolled over and now had his back to her. She shook her head and laughed quietly. What a silly, dumb mech. Oh well, no matter, she had a job to do. Slowly and quietly she again climbed up onto the berth, but this time, she didn't jump at a sudden movement made by Prime. Instead, she froze and waited until he was still before proceeding. She walked along the edge of the berth keeping her balance but yet not falling on Optimus. She came up to his face and got down onto her knees, her face next to his.
Now there are some people (and robots mind you) how know when there being watched…and Optimus…is one of those bots. Slowly, one of Optimus' optics began, but suddenly opened wide, when he discovered a face right next to his. He flinched and jumped at the sudden realization of StarChasers presence.
Optimus blinked a few times before he squinted trying to figure out why StarChaser was right there. "StarChaser?"
StarChaser shakes her head laughing. "No, I'm Ultra Magnus."
Optimus slowly looks at his door then back at StarChaser. "What are you doing here?"
StarChaser hits her forehead. "Duh, I'm getting you up ya' lazy bolts."
Optimus groans and lays his back down shutting his optics. StarChaser crawls up onto Optimus' chest and opens one of his optics. "Apparently you didn't understand me…" She sits up on her knees and Optimus is watching her with just one optic. "…GOOD MORNING STARSHINE, THE EARTH SAYS HELLO!"
Optimus just shakes his head, closes his optic and turns his head away. StarChaser crosses he arms and grumbles. "Ratchet was right, you are lazy."
Optimus laughs quietly. StarChaser gets up and tries to shake Optimus' head. "Optimus, Ratchet said it's time to get up!"
Optimus didn't do anything but turn away until his back was to StarChaser. She could hear him grumbling. "Wake me up in ten nano-clicks."
StarChaser stood up pouting. "Oh no, Ratchet said it's time to get up now!"
With that, StarChaser rammed herself into Optimus' back hitting him hard enough to force him off the berth. He immediately hoisted himself up onto the berth and glared at the child who was now sitting on her aft laughing hysterically. That was until she saw the look she got from Optimus…
Ratchet was working on fixing some complications with Teletran 1 when he heard a mix between a giggleish and somewhat oil curdling scream. StarChaser streaked out of Optimus' room faster than lightning with Optimus hot on her tail. Ratchet couldn't help but gasp and laugh at the sight.
Optimus was blaring like a freight train. "Get back here you little…"
StarChaser could help but laugh and cry as she tried to out-run the mech. "RATCHET, HELP ME!"
Ratchet laughed hysterically. "Sorry kid, you're on your own."
She stopped suddenly to look at Ratchet with a pleading look before looking back to see Optimus lunge at her. She screamed and tried to jump out of the way, but failed miserably. Optimus TACKLED her to the ground and they both rolled several times. Optimus finally stopped in a sitting position with StarChaser in his grasp. She looked up and smiled sheepishly before looking at Ratchet, almost begging.
"Ratchet, please…help me!" She then tried to jump out of Optimus' hands but he was too quick.
"Oh, no you don't! You're not getting away that easily!"
Ratchet walks away laughing to himself. StarChaser watched Ratchet leave and yelled after him.
"Ratchet, don't leave me! If you leave, Optimus is going to beat me up!"
Optimus has StarChaser in a head lock and looks down. "I'm not going to beat you up, sheesh, I'm not that mean."
StarChaser is trying to pull Optimus' arm away when she looks up. "Then…what are you going to do?"
Optimus grins evilly. "Oh nothing….just…THIS!" Immediately Optimus started to tickle StarChaser around her mid-plate (stomach) and she laughed and screamed hysterically. Ratchet rushed back in to see what was going on, but laughed at the sight. StarChaser was on her back on the ground laughing and trying to squirm away but Optimus had her pinned in his lap. StarChaser was screaming and laughing with tears running down her face plate. And she pleaded while laughing for Optimus to stop. It was then that Ratchet stepped in.
"Alright, alright you two that's enough. Prime, I think you've gotten even."
Prime stopped in order to allow the child to lower her rpm's. He looked up at Ratchet with a look of satisfaction.
"Yeah, Ratchet, you're right. I think she's had enough."
StarChaser giggles and smiles evilly as Optimus talks to Ratchet. He unknowingly doesn't think to put StarChaser down before she does something that he…doesn't want.
Ratchet was talking to Prime about the problems with Teletran one when StarChaser poked Optimus in the side making him yip and jump. He looked down at the laughing sparkling. Ratchet laughed.
"Apparently you and StarChaser have more in common than looks."
Prime looks down at StarChaser, then back up at Ratchet.
"Okay, so I'm ticklish, what's the big, WOAH! HEY!"
Optimus jumped and landed on his back. StarChaser jumped on him and started to tickle him on the sides. He laughed and rolled over on his stomach. StarChaser climbed over him onto his back and continued to tickle until he had tears. Ratchet laughed so hard, HE even started crying.
Optimus screamed out. "OKAY! OKAY! I GIVE! I GIVE!"
Optimus again rolled over and StarChaser climbed up onto his chest and sat there…triumphant.
Ratchet shakes his head still laughing. "Karma stinks, doesn't it Prime?"
Ratchet shakes his head and laughs as he walks away. Prime looks back at StarChaser who smiles.
Prime chuckles and shakes his head. "What am I going to do with you?"
StarChaser's smile got even bigger because she knew she had beaten Optimus, and Optimus smiled because Optimus knew he had been beat.
"Prime, come here. We've got a problem…"
Prime put StarChaser on the floor and walked over to Ratchet who was standing by Teletran one.
"What is it Ratchet?" Prime looked at the screen.
"Teletran one is picking something up…"
Ratchet pressed a few keys and flipped a switch of two. Just then a horrifying image came up on the screen. Ratchet swallowed hard.
"…Decepticons."
StarChaser stood up and walked over to the two mechs. She stood beside Optimus and hung on to his leg. Optimus looked down at the concerned child. He gently patted the child's head and looked back to Ratchet.
"What are they doing now?"
Ratchet crossed his arms and took a step back while watching the screen.
"I honestly have no idea."
