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Sitting beside Lennox and Colonel Fulton, she watched the trial run of the feeds from the Moon a few hours later.
The media channels constantly chattered about the plan to secure the solar system, how a live feed would be on soon disclosing what would arrive shortly to support that plan. Scientists were grouping up to be the first to use the new interplanetary transport system that would debut shortly.
Optimus spoke into the communications center with Fortress Maximus, detailing all the battles so far, using code words.
"...that is our current situation. What are you thoughts for this plan, Fort?"
Fortress Maximus spoke respectfully after a long pause, "I conferred with the others. This is the best plan with our available resources. There may be more of our size routing this way, but we cannot tell the arrival timing."
Sarah frowned as the picture from the cameras flickered then died, "The picture gave out again. Would you see if Wheelman can adjust settings again?"
Bee's chirp echoed, then the picture returned.
"Is that better?" Wheelie's nervousness rang clear.
"The picture is back," she smiled right before she stood on a new world.
Sighing, she looked around, the near darkness worrying as a cold wind whipped by.
Stepping through ankle high ash, she walked towards voices.
Cybertronian voices.
She didn't hesitate on the threshold of the cavern the voices echoed from, instead striding into their place calmly.
A Cybertronian about Prowl's size sat with three mechs her size, contemplating a fire.
When the universe told her who she faced, a pang of guilt made her pause.
She spoke softly, "Soundwave."
He stood, guns appearing in his hands, his three companions snarling soundlessly as they moved to circle her.
"Primus has a message for you, one that you need to hear," she walked by the three small mechs, "Will you finally listen, or lose another you care for?"
His visor showed her nothing of his thoughts.
They stood still, considering each other.
His guns vanished, then he waved to a rock, before sitting down.
She sat, looking up at him, before speaking, "Your family resides in the Matrix with Primus. They don't want you to suffer anymore for a mad mech like Megatron. You are better than this. They want you to remember who you were and should be."
He shook his helm.
Sarah sighed, "They want you to know that Ballast is on his way to Earth."
His helm whipped around so fast she swore she saw only a blur.
"He's looking for you. Will you stay here, among the ash and chill, or step into the light and future you deserve?"
He looked away, tapping his dagger like fingers on his knee.
One of the mechs asked, "Ballast have Shrill and Trill?"
Sarah listened as her question flared outward.
"Yes, but Trill is ill. He's in medical recharge," she blinked, "The universe says your side has only a couple medics. Is that true?"
Soundwave grumbled, "Assessment: Accurate. Ratchet: Closest medic."
"If Ballast and you are willing to come in peace, perhaps Ratchet will help Trill."
"You: incomprehensible."
"What do you expect from a Priest of Primus? The solution clear and easy?" she joked.
The tiny mechs crowded her, "You really Priest of Primus?"
"I am. I've been honored to travel the universe by the side of Primus and the Primes."
"Why you here?" they asked.
"The deities set me where I'm needed."
"Soundwave: Needs nothing."
She looked at his visor, words curling around her thoughts, "Then why do you wear the visor? If you need nothing, surely following your family's tradition is meaningless."
He shifted away from her, then shook his helm.
Sighing she continued, "You want what your genitors had. Love. You hide your optics and face so no mech nor femme can hurt you, but you know in your spark your arms are for only one mech in the entire universe."
"Assessment: Faulty. Love: Unneeded."
"Look to him and say that," she nodded to the regal Cybertronian sitting beside Soundwave.
Soundwave turned his helm, paused, then made a horrible noise. Like his spark broke into pieces.
"Our Priest speaks truly. Will you listen to truth or be swayed away from redemption?" Primus spoke softly.
Soundwave hung his helm, then leaned into Primus.
He shook, almost unheard keens filling her ears as Soundwave grieved, Primus' arm coming around to hold him.
Blinking tears she found herself back to watching the video feed.
The timer blinked with the time she'd been gone, twenty one minutes and six seconds.
She realized a countdown was ticking away, "Three...Two...one...Set down commencing."
A vast shadow filled the video before dust obscured the view.
"He's in position," Jazz's voice laughed, "It's great to see him again."
Bumblebee warbled something, which made Wheelie whine, "I'm tiny and the blowback is harder on me than you, tin plated yellow bellyaching slobberpus."
"Calm, Wheelman," Sarah soothed, "You're doing fine."
"I am?"
"You are keeping the video on, right? We have a clear signal."
"Yeah, that's right," he made a sound like a raspberry.
Bumblebee played a clip, "Better be careful around these parts, partner."
"I have set down," Fortress Maximus replied, "Dust will settle in five...four...three...two...one."
As if they were suddenly magnetized to the ground, the dust cleared.
The video showed white metal sides, the Autobot mark dead center of the video.
Then it zoomed out, showing the new moon base in all his glory.
Massive guns pointed upward along with a communications dish.
"Relays coming online. Adding exterior monitors to feed," Fortress Maximus starred.
Then she saw a doll sized Bumblebee next to an equally small Jazz. She couldn't see Wheelie very well.
"Welcome, Fortress Maximus. We look forward to your assistance," Sarah smiled.
"Thank you, Chief for welcoming me."
