How long had it been? Human centuries, human lifetimes, or perhaps even a whole human civilization worth of history gone by right before Sam's optics. Sam did not know, but he did ponder. He wondered what would have happened had he remained human. Would he have grown old, married, had children, and through the twilight of his years find the joy of being human before slipping away through time?

No. Sam shook his helm in frustration, ridding himself of such thoughts before turning his optics to, as a distraction, watch the glowing lines of circuitry that outlined the contour edges of Iacon. Today was the day.

Today was the day that would change it all.

Sam watched, feeling the nervous buzz of Orion's EM field against his own. A gentle torrent of ecstatic energy that briefly reminded Sam of a hyper child drowning in sugar. The mental image would have been amusing if Orion's own tension and fears were not felt by Sam as well.

Yet, Sam hid this when he felt the recognizable yet hesitant touch of Orion asking for permission across their bond, and, with Sam's permission, found themselves swaddled by the comfort of their own mind. It was a soothing touch, bonded across their processors and a single reminder that the other was there. That single thought alone giving them peace.

They were asked to represent the growing community of rebels that had steadily poured across the outlets of the grid. The outrage at the High Council's response at dealing with previous protestors rebounding into a heated flare of anger that washed its way across the community.

Sam worried, he really did, but right now, Orion Pax and Megatron, the two semi-leaders that understood the recent fad had been asked to speak before the council. For once, the council promised to listen.

Sam was nervous, but it wasn't him going in there; it was Orion, and Sam was determined to reassure the other. The two now embarked on the journey across the fast paced highways of the mid range of the city. Towering ceilings of intricate metal and glass that flashed on occasion across Sam's processor in a haze of bright light. But none was more grand than the Great Dome.

A golden hued, half egg-shaped dome that stuck out against the bleached shades of white and gray. The dome's structure rounded at the sides before peaking at the top met with an intricate web of golden vines binding the upper glass panels into a permanent shell.

It was hard to miss such structure, and Sam could immediately feel the strong buzz of a protective force field through his own EM field the second his stabilizing servos touched the path of the center city. It tickled at the exterior of his processor and remained a warning presence to all who dared approach Iacon's greatest treasure.

The Great Dome not only the basis of the High Council but the shield of the celestial spires. The literal representation of the central city of Iacon and perhaps Cybertron's most lustrous creation that imbued power. Sam was nervous, fearful, and silently praying that he didn't fall into stasis lock and collapse into an utter heap of stupidity on the ground. (Sam visibly flinched at the horror.) But here it was. Something that only humans could dream to create and something only Cybertron has ever achieved.

The group, Megatron, Orion Pax, Sam, and a few other zealous rebels included, were ushered into multiple tunnels that scanned the radius every few nanoseconds. A slight humming exuding from the interior, one of only four entrances into the dome, which guarded its secrets fiercely. Sam could feel the probing scans and the sudden sense of exposure but remained undeterred (while denying it had anything to do with appearing weak in Megatron's presence) as the group, surrounded by guards and the echo of their steps, reached the gilded gates of the second entrance.

It was beautiful, breathtaking, utterly inspiring, and it pained Sam. For every step he took towards the High Council that inhabited the top of the celestial spires, the closer and closer he got to the undeniable future that was his past.

It was faint, but the closer Sam got to the spires that soared upward, the stronger and more persistent the buzzing in the back of his processor's became. It took only a nanosecond for Sam to notice it and another for him to identify it.

The Allspark.

For its own protection the Allspark is transported across Cybertron on a need to know basis. It's whereabouts never advertised and few have actually ever set their optics on the object but Sam could feel its presence within Iacon, located in one of the spiraled tiers in the Iacon dome. It was here, and it was warning Sam. The bitterness he felt over the Allspark, withered over the ages, suddenly returned leaving bile to rise up within his sensors as the Allspark continued to yell at him, blaring its own fear into Sam's mind. He ignored it.

His servos clenched, optics set forward, and his mouth set into a permanent frown, Sam refused to listen and after a while, the Allspark merely stopped trying, dimming down into the background humming that was the rest of Cybertron.

The group continued forward, surrounded by guards in case of an outbreak, yet Sam held suspicions that it was merely a ruse. A guise under the pretense that they were being protected. Regardless, he said nothing.

The group then stopped at one massive spire that pierced the sky in its glory.

A huge tower with paths that circled the main body ran across the entire structure. A single dome placed at the top made of bullet-proof glass which hosted the High Council on meetings and special occasions. The base of the tower surrounded by reinforcements of metal structures and guards, plenty of guards strewn outside and inside the dome.

The group was guided towards the Council Chambers but Sam, and the other rebels, were barred by their guards holding long staffs with pronged ends. The buzz of electricity threatening Sam's processor with power that could short circuit and force a bot into stasis lock. Sam immediately back away half from surprise and half from fear (and no, he did not flinch) as one staff came dangerously close to his chasis.

"The council only wishes to speak with the instigators," their guide spoke in a monotone voice that dully reminded Sam of his math teacher's slow drawl that could put a grown man to sleep (Sam would know), but it was the way the fem bot said instigators with scorn and contempt with the brutality of saying a curse word that caused Sam to glare at her bitterly.

Orion Pax glanced at Sam nervously as Sam merely nodded his helm in reassurance as Megatron walked forward, persistent on ignoring Sam's presence, and urging the guide onward.

Sam was intent on watching them leave, that was the plan, that was what he had planned on doing. But he couldn't stop himself from reaching out to Orion Pax one last time. His servo's moving before his processor could block the action and his voice already speaking for him before he had realized his mouth had even moved.

"Good bye, Orion Pax," Sam said softly, gripping the others servo tightly.

Orion had immediately turned around to give Sam a reassuring smile. "What do you mean? It will take a few hours, but I'll be back by the next cycle, I promise."

But he did not come back. The next time Sam would see him, the two would be from completely different worlds. One that would become the savior of the future, and the other who had failed to save the past. There would be no more Orion Pax and Ante Finem, there never really was them. It would just be Optimus Prime and Sam.

Sam reminded himself that this is what he had been waiting for. After this is when the true battle would begin, when Sam would be able put to action what he could not in the past. Yet there was loss too for the time spent with Orion Pax would be forgotten by Optimus Prime and the bot he once knew would be gone.

Instead of saying 'I promise' back, Sam merely shook his helm."I'll treasure this."

Orion opened his mouth, a questioning look upon his face, but before he could ask, the taller bot was ushered away, only allowed one last glance at Sam in a surprised gaze. Sam said nothing, merely watching as the staffs continued to hold him back.

For a brief moment, Sam hated himself. He hated himself for not being able to help, he hated himself for his weakness, but worse, he hated that he had allowed himself to care for one that he had known from the very beginning would leave him. He hated how he couldn't stop himself from caring, that he couldn't just sit by and let everything happen despite already knowing.

Curse his human heart.

AN- So in the next chapter there should be a brief time skip between now and then. This chapter was supposed to show Sam's somewhat conflicted feelings where as in the past he disliked Orion Pax because he knew Optimus Prime, but now he has come to know Orion and once again feels the loss of losing a friend. At least that is what I was trying to convey. Err ... I suck at feelings. But thank you all for your patience in my long updates and thank you so much for reading. It always brightens my day!