Disclaimer : I don't own it.
Note : So here's another update, way out of whack. Sorry about that. Been really busy as of late.
I already uploaded these last two chapters, but was messaged about issues in reading them. For some reason they are not showing up. So I'm re-uploading them to see if that helps. If you're still missing out, let me know, and if worse comes to worse, I'll create a new account and try it.
I have no idea if we have writing limitations (space-wise). I have 50 stories and hope that's the worst it is.
(Normal POV)
No one really knew what to expect when the boarded the boat heading for the island. The crew working it were hesitant at best, and Ironhide remained on deck with Bumblebee, keeping an optic out for any sign of the troublesome seekers. The rest of the Autobots were down in the cargo hold in their bipedal forms, exchanging worried glances.
Ratchet watched over Bella as she sat with her legs pulled up to her chest and her optics shut. He knew it was the data packet he'd sent to her, and cursed the fact he hadn't had more time to inform her of what to expect. Instead, he stroked Sunfire's back as Bella's processor struggled to make sense of the medical information and new codings running through her systems.
As a Cybertronian, her mind would be able to pick up and process the information. As a human, however, it would be confusing and draining on her systems to make sense of all the new information soaring through her processors.
I should have scanned more thoroughly. I should have made sure her systems were entirely compatible and sent the packet sooner. It would teach her little to nothing about her internal systems, but contained hastily put together information on how to control her propellers in her alternate form, medical information she'd undoubtedly need, and some of the more common and basic Cybertronian words so her vocabulary could range past profanity. Hopefully this won't take her out of service.
The threat of it overwhelming her young processor was entirely too real, but he sat back and allowed her to dowload and absorb the information, having already disconnected his cable from her port as she did so.
It was a long, tense moment before her optics onlined again, the look slightly dazed. "Wow. That was, uh..." She shook her head and blinked several times before focusing on Ratchet. "I think I understand. I'm not sure how, but I do." Tilting her head a little, she scritched Sunfire's antennae lightly while her sparkling remained in Ratchet's palm.
"Good." He nodded, heavily relieved. "We will be arriving shortly." While there was still no way to tell for sure how long her systems would remain alright, or if there would be any side effects, he was glad she seemed to be ok for the time being.
"Sam." The voice caught their attention, and they both turned to see Mikeala and Sam standing off to the side. "I can't imagine how you must feel. I'm sorry you were thrust into all this. If I'd known..." She trailed off, shaking her head a little, her look troubled.
"It's ok. We're here. We're together. My parents are gonna kick my ass when I get home, but..." He sighed, pulling her to him. "I'm with you. We'll do what we have to and stop the Decepticons again. We'll get Optimus back." He pulled back and smiled at her. "You're amazing, you know that? You're just...amazing." His cheeks darkened.
"I'll be here, with you." She smiled a little, though her face was pale. Glancing over his shoulder, her eyes caught Bella's and she ducked her head. Said femme could see Mikeala licking her lips and tensing up, but after a long moment, she looked back up at him, and pulled him to her for a deep kiss, before leaning in and whispering in his ear. "I love you."
Bella knew it was a private conversation, though she was pretty certain they only forgot just how sensitive Autobot hearing could be. She heard their heavy breathing, heard their whispers, and felt horrible for intruding on a private moment while at the same time unable to look away.
Sam seemed to tense a moment as she pulled away. He stared deeply into her eyes. "I thought you weren't gonna be the one to say it first." He sounded a little stunned. Even as she shrugged and looked away, her expression turning more and more pained as the moments passed, he suddenly smiled brilliantly. "I love you too."
She looked surprised, but Bella dawned a knowing grin. A grin that made Ratchet raise an optic ridge. Any question he'd been about to ask, however, was quickly wiped from his processor as she leaned forward, catching his lip plates with her own in a deep kiss that left his processor blank.
(Bella's POV)
If we'd thought the sound of the base being attacked was bad, the sight was even worse. The tallest structure still standing was a single, gigantic hangar, and considering the lack of bots anywhere else, that's where Ratchet beat a hasty retreat to. Ironhide and the other bots and humans immediately began milling around, looking for survivors, gathering uninjured soldiers and trying to set up some sort of refugee camp.
I just stood there, the sheer volume of the damage stealing all will to move. The mess barely even resembled the base we had come to call home, and it was horrifying to see all the blood and destruction.
"This is horrible." Rika's voice next to me barely phased me. "I mean, we've seen it in the movies, and we've read about it in stories, but to actually experience it? I...dunno what to do." She looked around lost.
I was just as lost, staring at the almost endless sea of damage. Buildings had been completely demolished into piles of unrecognizable debris and clutter, and fires still burned hotly all over. Soldiers limped about, some screaming from parts of their bodies still burning from the fires, while others garbled and choked on their blood, crushed beneath broken buildings.
I listened to heartbeats flutter and die out, and the almost defeaning scream as Will pulled one man out of a pile of debris, only to feel my eyes narrow when I recognized Inspector Galloway.
"Who are you? What are you doing on our base?" The Major snarled, holding the man up by his collar.
"That is Inspector Galloway. The reason the Decepticons knew about the shard and Megatron's body's location in the second movie." I spoke up, watching as his eyes narrowed at me. Seeing something in his hand, I felt my eyes narrow even more, and a tightness entered my chest. I clutched my sparkling tighter to me as an almost foreign feeling of hatred soared through me. "Tell me, did you make a phone call?"
Will shot me a strange look, before glancing at the man. A quick visual scan showed him the cell phone, and his expression darkened greatly. "I wanna know what you spoke of. Now."
The man spluttered angrily, and pulled himself from the rough grasp, only to fall over into the debris, losing his grip on his phone. He glared at me dangerously, a spark in his eyes I didn't like, before turning and glaring at Will, that same spark growing stronger. "You don't have the right-"
"You put countless people and Autobots in danger! On my base no less! You damn well gave me the right! Now start talking, before I let Ironhide decide to see what parts he can pull off without offlining you!" The Major snapped, whipping out his pistol and aiming it at the man.
The fire seemed to flee from his eyes. At first he was terrified, when the black mech leaned over the soldier and him threateningly. Then guilt and realization came to his eyes. "I-I just called to find out why only half the forces were here! I was talking to the director about the lack of security on Diego Garcia, with the allspark shard here, and-" He stopped cold, swallowing heavily. He still refused to back down, but at least it was clear he was aknowledging his error, and not spitting useless insults and threats.
Well, for the moment, anyways.
"FRAG!" I shouted, startling everyone around me. "You f-" I glanced down at Sunfire, recalling Ratchet's commentary about how wise she already was. "Fragging idiot!" I glared at him. "Just like in the movie! You gave away the location of the Autobot base and the allspark shard to the Decepticons!" My eyes widened then. "Did they get both shards?"
Everyone was looking around, but it was Ironhide who was shaking his head. "We'd never told the humans about the second shard, outside our personal friends." His eyes cut to Will briefly and back. "With the ruckus caused by your arrival, and the news you gave us, and all the Decepticon attacks, we've been a little short handed." He glowered down at the human. "We were already at a disadvantage, and now we're even more so."
"We need the other shard. We need one for Sam." I looked to Ironhide, who nodded grimly. "You guys get a hold of it, and brig that dumbass! I don't care if you have to tie him to a freaking buoy in the middle of the ocean-" Was it just me, or was it a little disturbing how many faces lit up at the suggestion, human and Autobot alike? "-just keep him out of the way while we try to fix the damage he caused." I turned and nearly sprinted for the hangar, dodging struggling humans as I went.
I didn't bother to listen to his stupid protests and insults, far too annoyed to care that he was in a position of power at the moment. Right now, in this chaos, we didn't really have a leader, or a plan. We were all more or less milling around, doing what we're best at, and trying to fix the damage. We'd worry about the rest later.
It was as Rika took Sunfire from my hands, that I realized she was following me.
"I'm not a fighter, and I'm not a medic. There has to be something I can do, right?" She shrugged a little, cuddling Sunny to her as she stepped in and to the side, out of the way.
I nodded and shot her a grateful smile before launching myself to Ratchet's side as he tended to the Chevy twins. I'd never imagined her as a babysitter, but then again, this whole new world has quite literally opened up all new options for both of us.
"No. Jolt needs assistance. If we can get him back up to par, we'll have three medics working." He didn't even spare me a glance, his hands moving inhumanly fast as he sealed broken cables, and welded damaged metal into place. "The sooner we get them stabilized, up and running, the better." He growled a little when a stubborn cable gave him a little trouble, and I held it for him as he fixed it, before trailing my hands over his arm.
I nodded again, looking and finding the blue bot sitting next to Sideswipe as Sunstreaker fretted over his brother. Even as the blue bot struggled to fix Sides' injuries, I could make out his own eyes dimming quite a bit, and I hurried over, placing a hand on his shoulder before getting to work.
Still, even as the medical data Ratchet had transferred to me kicked in, I couldn't help but be morbidly curious...
So far we've told them about Soundwave, the shard, the weapon, the key, certain deaths, and so on... Instead of stopping it, we might well have made it happen sooner. I frowned as my fingers dug into lines, causing Jolt to jerk faintly. Optimus is captured, might very well end up dying, and it was again Galloway who gave away the location of the shard, base and the lack of security.
As I worked, I swallowed heavily, my heart feeling abnormally heavy.
What's gonna happen next?
(?, Normal POV)
His optics felt stiff, rusty, but he forced them open. The back of his throat burned, and the back of his skull plating burned hotly, causing an ache to settle into his processor. The first thing he noticed was that he was restrained, the second, that he was lying on his stomach on a cold, damp, earthy floor. Looking around, his optics zoomed in and brightened, adjusting to the darkness of his prison.
Pulling at his wrists, he grit his dental plates when he realized these were at least very similiar to restraining cuffs once used on Cybertron, to secure prisoners. There was no way he could simply break free, and a quick diagnostic told him his weapons were offline.
"Ahh, I see the last living Prime has awakened."
The voice caused his optics to widen. Impossible, Sam offlined him during the war. Still, he found himself glancing up, wary of what he'd see but unable to stop himself. Even as his optics locked on that of his brother, Optimus found himself attempting to deny it. Not possible.. "How..." Somehow he knew he should know the answer, but his processors seemed to be moving sluggishly at the moment.
"My troops finally got their act together and came to get me. They brought me a gift, a shard of the allspark." It all suddenly clicked. The Decepticon smirked as he leaned down. "I don't suppose you can say the same." His voice was gravelly, his joints creaking with every movement. He crouched right down and got into Prime's face. "But don't fret. I do hope they will come for you. After all, I'm quite looking forward to meeting the newest femmes on your team. I heard one even as a sweet little sparkling."
Something about his tone, and the glint in his optic, made Optimus Prime snap. He was normally a much more controlled, calm mech, but the threat to the sparklings and their femme creators tore at a part of his spark he couldn't control. With a loud growl, he dug his toe and knee plating into the ground and lunged upward, headbutting Megatron in the chin and sending him tumbling back.
"I won't allow you to harm those femmes!" He snarled quietly, glaring at his brother from his knees.
With a snarl of his own, Megatron, was up in an instant, forming his blaster and aiming it. Then he froze and slowly a smirk crossed his features. "Ahh, but you can't stop me. I've already been to The Fallen, and he's told me of how to destroy the planet." He began to chuckle, even as something caught in Prime's vocal chords.
The Fallen... I've heard that somewhere before...
"I'll wait for your foolishly loyal soldiers to arrive, femmes undoubtedly in tow, and I'll offline you right in front of them." He held the blaster under Prime's chin, forcing his head back and their optics to meet. "Of course, The Fallen will be arriving soon, and I'm sure he'd love a good show. What better gift than two young femmes, not trained in the art of battle?"
Ironhide never did complete their training, but he did teach them a lot. That at least comforted him slightly. As long as the femmes remained safe that was all that mattered, and considering both of the newest femmes had found their mechs, his main concern was getting out of there.
Megatron rubbed at his chin a little, still smirking at his helpless brother. "What's wrong? No humans around to do your dirty work?" His optics suddenly flashed and darkened. "Too bad, I'd love to have the chance to offline that fleshling boy." He growled a little, rubbing at his chest, before shrugging. "Ah, but I'll have the chance. Once your out of the way, we'll happily rid this mud ball of all the organics crowding it's surface."
"Once again, you forget, you have my men to get through." He was calm again, as he gazed at his brother. A thought crossed his mind and he would play up on it. "The allspark is gone. The war is over. There is nothing left to fight about."
Staring at him a moment, Megatron slowly raised one optic ridge. "And what about the Sun Harvester in Egypt?" He smirked when, despite his best efforts, Optimus flinched at the mention. "You see, Soundwave's been doing his duty. He picked up an errant communications about a strange weapon rumored to be in Egypt, and he's spied your men there on more than one occasion. Of course, I'm also aware of the fact those femmes have knowledge we don't, like the location of the key that activates the machine..."
"That isn't possible. The femmes can't possibly know such things." He struggled to keep his face straight, while his processors ran over countless possible scenarios. How can he possibly know what they know? They're not spies, there's no way they'd have told him.
Leaning down once again, Megatron snarled and grabbed Optimus by the throat, causing his brother to choke at the tight hold. "You think me that stupid, little brother?" His optics glinted with something and he smirked. "You're not the only ones working with former fleshbags."
Optics widened as Megatron swung his blaster back and backhanded Prime across the face, sending him flying. Then, without another word, he turned and left the room, cackling evilly a he went.
Written : Feb 8, 2010
Hope you like it.
R+R Please
Thank you
Tenshi