Pahahaha! 20 chapters in and it was brought to my attention that the fic title had a spelling error. Thank you for that.
Anyway, this is part two of three.
This chapter has more characters and has bits from the Orion Pax episodes (s2e1-3).
"What's that noise?" Liliy had to ask even though she knew the answer, but she did so in an uncertain and almost frightened tone.
Orion had stopped working and turned to listen. He frowned. "It sounds like blaster fire... But we are on a ship. Who would be shooting?" He moved to the door.
"Whoa, whoa. You're not going out there, are you?"
"I am just going to check."
"What if somebody sees me?"
He froze, his servo hovering over the keypad for the door. He had obviously forgotten that she was sitting on his shoulder since she was there almost all the time now.
"Then hide quickly."
Sighing, she clambered over his tire and slipped between the layers of armor plating on his back. It wasn't the most ideal hiding spot but it provided her with some cover without having to leave his person. As an added precaution, she adjusted her hololayer to camouflage mode, turning herself nearly invisible. A feature that was only useful when she was not moving.
Orion stepped to the side of the door as he hit the keypad. He simply peeked out after the door slid open in case the commotion was right outside. There was no one in the hall but he heard the approach of pedfalls. Two vehicons came running around the corner, blasters activated. One of them stopped to address him.
"Orion, please return to your station. Megatron's orders," he said before running after his partner.
"Maybe you should do as he says," Liliy offered.
Orion ignored her as he stepped out into the hall. He wanted to know what was going on. He went down the hall in the direction of the blaster fire at a casual pace, just in case. He did not want to get caught in the trouble.
As they got closer, Liliy picked up on Arcee's spark signal. So that's who was causing all the ruckus. Then she noticed another spark, one that sent chills down her spine. Soundwave was ahead them and he was going to intercept Arcee before they did.
Orion became very aware of his passenger when her grip on the edge of his plating suddenly tighten. The farther he went, the tighter it got. They were almost to a junction in the hallway. There was the sound of a high pitched motor approaching.
Liliy's sensors picked up the ground bridge before she heard it. Arcee's signal was practically right on top of Soundwave's before it suddenly disappeared. She bowed her head in disappointment. She was hoping that maybe Arcee would be able to at least get a glimpse of Optimus so that the Autobots would know that he was alright but they were too far away.
The grip on his plating was almost painful as Orion reached the junction and found Soundwave. He was unaware that the silent mech had just bridged an Autobot off the ship.
"I heard a commotion," he said, hoping for an explanation.
Soundwave just glanced at him and walked away. Orion watched him go, slightly disappointed. After he was sure that Soundwave was gone, Orion turned to head back to his station. The grip on his plating did not relax.
"Liliy, are you alright?" he asked quietly. "Your grip..."
Liliy looked at her hand. She hadn't realized her grip had gotten so tight. Bracing herself so she wouldn't slip, she let go with her hand. There were slight grooves in the plating where her fingers had been.
"I told you the robot without a face was scary." Her voice was barely a whisper.
"And you are strong for an organic."
"I'm sorry."
"It is alright. You are safe now."
They were back in Orion's work lab. Liliy climbed back up to Orion's shoulder.
"Did you know that that engine we heard belonged to a motorcycle?"
"A motorcycle?"
"It's a two-wheeled vehicle that humans use to get around."
"But why would a motorcycle be on the Nemesis?"
"No idea. Maybe it accidently got up here by using one of those bridge thingies like I did."
Orion looked thoughtful. "Perhaps."
Liliy was tired of the Nemesis. She was tired of hiding. After being on the Nemesis for two long months, she really wanted to go home. But she needed to get Optimus off the ship, she just didn't know how to do it. At least she knew that the Bots were still trying to find him. She laid her head back and sighed. She frowned. A familiar spark approached the room. One that she did not expect to find on the ship.
It was Starscream. He entered the room carrying a few large cubes of energon. Orion stopped working and turned to face him.
"Optimus Prime," the seeker gasped, dropping the energon and aiming his missiles at the archivist.
"Oh boy," Liliy muttered. This was probably not going to end well. Or maybe... the seeker could give Orion the push he needed.
"Please." Orion took a step back, clearly as startled as Starscream. "I mean no harm."
"Oh? Then, what are you doing here?" Starscream demanded.
"Research," Orion replied honestly. "For Lord Megatron."
"I-is this some kind of joke?"
"I do not understand."
Starscream looked surprised and lowered his arms.
"And why did you call me Optimus Prime?" Orion asked.
"Uuuh… why wouldn't I?" Starscream replied.
"Because my name is Orion Pax. I am far from being a Prime."
As Orion spoke, Starscream noticed the Decepticon insignia on his arm in place of the usual Autobot one.
"Ah. You…" Starscream searched for a suitable answer. "...reminded me of someone I once knew, that's all."
"You are Starscream."
"Yes," Starscream answered warily.
"Lord Megatron told me you had been terminated."
"Lord Megatron says many things, only some of which are true."
"You do not suggest that our leader would speak falsehoods?"
Starscream laughed. "You truly are being kept in the dark, aren't you?"
Orion moved closer to him so they were both standing in front of the door. "You speak in many riddles, Starscream. Please, tell me what it is that you know."
"And, in return…"
The door slid open to reveal eradicons in the hall. They aimed their blasters at the seeker.
"Starscream, surrender!" one ordered.
Starscream shrieked and quickly hid behind Orion.
"Hold your fire," Orion ordered.
Liliy couldn't really see what happened but Starscream suddenly transformed and blasted out of the room.
"Remain in the lab," said one of the eradicons in the hall.
"But, I-" Orion started.
The eradicon cut him off. "Lord Megatron's orders."
The door slide shut.
Liliy leaned out of the vent. "O.P.?"
He looked up at her. "Liliy."
"What just happened?"
"Starscream was here." He looked down at the door as if the seeker was standing there. "And he said that Lord Megatron has been lying to me."
"Well, the Mega-fellow does carry the title of Decepticon."
"But Lord Megatron said we were called that by the Autobots to demonize us even though we speak the truth."
"That was probably just another lie to deceive you." Starscream had already planted the seed of doubt in Orion's mind, Liliy just needed to help it take root.
"To what end?"
"Hiding the real truth."
"What is the truth?"
"That, my friend, is the real question. One that you must find the answer to."
Orion stared wide-opticed at the monitor as the image cleared.
"How could I possible be Optimus Prime?"
He leaned heavily on the console and stared absently at the keyboard.
"This cannot be true."
"Is something wrong, O.P.?" Liliy's voice asked from somewhere behind him.
Orion raised his head slightly, remembering what Liliy had said after she learned his name. He slowly turned to look at her. She stood in the middle of the floor, looking up at him with concern. He stepped toward her and knelt, offering her his servo. She did not hesitate to sit carefully on his palm and let him lift her off the floor.
"Liliy," he started hesitantly, almost afraid of what the answer was going to be, "why do you call me O.P.?"
She tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
"After you learned my name you said you would call me O.P. because those were my initials no matter who I was and that way you would not have to differentiate. What exactly did you mean by that?"
"I think you already know what I meant by that, O.P.."
"So you know about this?" He turned and pointed at the image on the monitor.
Liliy glanced at the image and looked back up at Orion, her face sad.
"All this time and you still don't remember anything, do you?"
That surprised him. "Remember?"
Her gaze went to his chestplates. "It would seem that when the power of the Matrix left you, it took everything, even your memories. You probably knew something like this might happen, so you…" realization dawned on her face, "...you gave that key card to Jack!"
"I did what? Who is Jack?"
Liliy ignored him and pulled out her phone.
"What are you doing?"
"Calling Jack," she said as she put the phone to her ear.
Jack left his cell phone sitting by the computers when he suited up for his trip to Cybertron. The remaining humans at the base were startled when it started ringing. June picked it up and looked at the caller ID.
"It's Liliy. I'll answer it." She flipped the phone open and turned on the speaker. "Hello?"
{Nurse Darby? Where's Jack?}
"He went to Cybertron with Arcee."
{Nurse Darby, who are you talking to?} asked Ratchet thru the comm.
"Liliy. She called Jack's phone."
{What does she want?}
{The key card that Optimus gave Jack,} Liliy asked, {what's it for?}
"Ratchet said it is the key to Vector Sigma," explained Raf.
{Vector Sigma?}
Faintly they heard Optimus' voice thru the phone. {Vector Sigma is on Cybertron. It is said to be where the collective wisdom of the Primes is stored.}
"Wait!" said Miko. "Was that Optimus just now?"
{Optimus?} asked Ratchet.
Liliy didn't reply right away. Instead they heard her speak in a muffled tone. {O.P., I think someone is coming. Put me down and at least pretend to be working. I'll explain more later.}
{Understood.}
There was some shuffling and a couple thuds.
{Ok. I'm alone now.} Her tone was soft. {Yes, that was Optimus. I am with him on the Nemesis, in case you guys hadn't figured that out yet. How did you get Jack to Cybertron?}
"The Autobots commandeered the Decepticons' space bridge," Raf answered.
{Well done. But how were you planning to get to Optimus after that?}
"We hadn't planned that far ahead yet," said Fowler. "But maybe, if you are with him, you could get him to come to us?"
{I'll see what I can do. Sorry. Megatron's here. Gotta go.} And she hung up.
{What is it? What did Liliy say?} asked Ratchet.
"She is on the Nemesis with Optimus and she said she'll see what she can do to get him to come to us."
Liliy peeked over the edge of her hiding spot and listened.
"Orion, have you made progress with Project Iacon?" Megatron asked as he paced into the room.
Orion turned from the console he had been pretending to work on. "It seems I am a bit rustier than I thought."
"Might that have anything to do with the nature of your after-hours research?" The warlord asked, turning also to face the archivist. "Did I fail to mention we would be tracking your activities?" He crossed the space and hit a button on Orion's console. The profile for Optimus Prime appeared.
Orion was silent for a moment. Then he made a decision. Looking at the warlord, he asked, "Why does history portray me siding with the Autobot aggressors? And why did Starscream call me a Prime?" He leaned forward slightly and gestured to himself. "I must know. Who am I?"
Liliy facepalmed. Megatron was not the person to ask.
The silver mech glared. "You are my clerk. Now get back to work and decode that database."
Orion straightened and glanced at the monitor.
"No," he said firmly, shaking his helm. "I would rather erase my findings than make them available for your questionable use."
Liliy smirked as one black digit pressed a key and the monitor went blank. That was their Optimus. Megatron glared at him as he turned from the console. But, as he walked away, the warlord started laughing. Orion looked back at him as he pushed a button and the data reappeared on the monitor, much to the surprise of Orion.
"Did you really think that we wouldn't be tracking and documenting every iota of your invaluable research?" Megatron wanted to know.
Liliy sighed. Figures.
The door slide open suddenly and Soundwave entered. Liliy pulled back. The communications officer brought up an image of Cybertron on his facemask. It showed a signal.
"One of our sentries was activated," Megatron asked, "on Cybertron?"
Well, scrap! The Bots have been discovered. Liliy needed to help Orion. She pulled out her phone and sent an encrypted message to Ucon asking for his help.
"You told me our planet was dead," insisted Orion.
"That is beside the point," growled Megatron.
He called for the guards and two vehicons entered.
"You will finish Project Iacon by the time I return," he commanded threateningly, activating his blade and forcing it to Orion's throat. "Or I will carve out your spark before your very optics."
Megatron deactivated his blade and pushed Orion aside as he headed for the door.
"Make sure he does his work," he ordered the guards as he and Soundwave left the room.
Orion watched him go and then slowly moved over to the main console. He typed away at the keys for several minutes slowing down as each one past until he finally stopped typing altogether.
"No one told you to stop, Pax," said one of the guards.
"You were right, Liliy," Orion said. "I am not suited to be a Decepticon."
"Who are you talking to?" asked the other guard as they activated their blasters.
Orion turned from the console and approached the guards. "We have to warn the Autobots."
"You're not going anywhere," said the closest vehicon as he punched the larger mech in the chassis. He hit Orion again, across his back with his blaster as he went down and then kicked him in the side for good measure.
Orion looked up at them fearfully.
"Are you going to get back to work now?"
"No…"
"Well then."
The other vehicon kicked him. They took turns kicking him after that. Liliy flinched with each strike Orion took. There was nothing she could do to help him without killing the vehicons.
"Hold on, O.P.," she whispered. "Help is coming."
The Cons stopped kicking him for a moment and Orion started to shakily crawl away from them.
"You have to admit," one said to the other, "it's a privilege to stomp the former leader of the Autobots."
Orion stopped and looked up at monitor where Optimus' profile was displayed. Liliy facepalmed again as dots were connecting in Orion's processor. He looked up at the Cons. The vehicon who spoke punched Orion in the face and sent him crashing into one of the computer console. As they advanced on him again, the door slide open. They turned to see a matte black eradicon stepping into the room, visor glowing bright orange.
"Who are you?" one vehicon demanded as they both activated their blasters again.
The eradicon, who already had both blasters activated, fired on them without warning. Both vehicons dropped to the floor, convulsing as electricity raked their systems. The eradicon had used an electrical charge instead of a usual bolt since he did not want to kill them.
"What took you so long, Ucon?" Liliy asked, coming out on the console that Orion sat against.
"Apologies, Madam. Sneaking away from my duties on this ship is not as easy as you think." He turned to Orion. "Are you alright, sir?"
Orion flinched when Ucon offered his servo but then he looked up. The eradicon's mask was perched on top of his helm and he had a kind smile that was mirrored in his blue optics. Orion accepted the servo and the smaller mech pulled him to his pedes.
"You are not a Decepticon?"
"No. I work for the Cybertronian Rebel Corps. My job is to spy on the Decepticons from the inside. According to our intel, the Autobots have taken the Decepticon space bridge. Megatron left a little bit ago to go and get it back."
"We have to stop him. Can you help me?"
" 'Fraid not. I have a cover to keep. The Autobots will be there though. You just need to go and help them."
"But I am unarmed."
Ucon raised an optic ridge. "Are you sure? Check your systems. Focus on your servos. You might be surprised."
Orion did as he was told and was utterly shocked when his servos turned into blasters.
"But how can this be?"
"You are an Autobot, O.P.," answered Liliy. He looked down at her. "You are Optimus Prime. You just lost your memories. Your friends-your family," she corrected herself, "is working right now to get them back for you but it won't do them much good if you remain here. You need to go to them."
"Family?"
Liliy smiled. "You will understand if you go."
"Alright."
Liliy pulled out her phone again.
"What are you doing now?"
"Making another call." She put the phone to her ear. "Hey, Alfa. It's me. I need a ground bridge from my location on the Nemesis to the Decepticon space bridge."
A moment later, a ground bridge opened up on the other side of the room.
"Thanks a lot, Alfa." To Orion as she hung up the phone, "Go, O.P.. They are waiting for you."
Orion Pax hesitated for a moment. Then he stood up straight and marched into the ground bridge.
"Do you really think he'll be ok?" asked Ucon as the vortex spun shut.
"I certainly hope so," Liliy replied.
"What are you going to do now, Madam?"
"I'm going to go home, get some energon, and then probably recharge for a week straight. I am that tired. I've been running on light recharge and fumes since I got here."
"Well then, Madam, I wish you a good rest. I shall return to my duties now."
He turned and headed for the door, his paint job changing back to the customary Decepticon purple as he went.
"Ucon," Liliy called after him.
He paused and looked back at her. His optics had changed color too.
"Thank you for your help today. Please keep up the good work."
With a smile, he bowed.
"Your wish is my command."
Liliy smiled back as he pulled down his mask and left the room.
"Time to go home," she muttered, dropping her visor over her eyes. She paused before calling up her own bridge back to the CRC base. There was one last thing she needed to do. Going over to the main console, she brought up the Iacon database. It would be too risky to download it. Soundwave would immediately notice that. But there was nothing stopping her from recording it. She quickly scrolled thru the whole thing, beginning to end. Twice.
Satisfied, Liliy finally activated her ground bridge protocols and left the Nemesis.
To be continued... (more or less...)