CHAPTER TWO
Streamer's Fire
***
We returned to the base, where the military was waiting for us.
Jetfire, Jetstorm, Blitzwing, Starscream, Stream Fire, Hornet, Moth, Dragonfly and I landed and transformed, just as the others drove up and transformed also.
The two Mercedes Guardians transformed last. The yellow one was Sunchaser, and the blue one was her twin sister, Moondancer.
Great, just what we needed. More twins around here.
"So, the enemy is planning to strike." Cray asked, looking around at us all, unafraid. I really had to admire that man, except for the time he had placed me and Zi in foster care. "And we are going to defeat them before they can bring about the end of this world."
"I blame it all on the fact that there are robots here in the first place." A woman's voice suddenly said, and a stern-looking woman wearing a suit stepped forward. My mind instantly carved hatred around her – she was disgusted by the very sight of us. "We all know why these evil robots are here," She looked directly at me then. "Because you are here," She blinked once when Screamer and Bee stepped up on either side of me and glared at her, but continued right on with: "A lot of damage has been done in Australia and Detroit. Not to mention all of the things that happened recently in Bali. The evil robots are here to try and, according to my facts, steal some sort of spark-thing that is inside of her," She jerked her thumb in my direction, and now most of the Autobots were glaring at her. "So if she leaves, then the evil robots will leave too."
Nobody said a word. None of us could believe that she had just said that.
"Uh, Ma'am, with all due respect, we've worked alongside the Autobots for years now…" Someone began to say, but the woman shut him up with a fierce glare.
Then she turned to me. "You bring humans into this battle of yours," She glanced at the 'humans'.
"Uh, look lady, I may be a human but I'm not gonna abandon these guys now." Said Angelina, from atop Skids' shoulder. "These guys are da only family I've got." She nodded firmly.
"And I'm not all human," Zikya said firmly, standing beside Wheeljack and glaring at this strange, uneducated lady. "And neither is my unborn son." She added, placing a hand on her stomach.
The woman began spluttering: "Wh-what!? You mean…you had…you had sexual relations with…with…" She looked up at Wheeljack in disbelief. "With that!?"
"No, with a toaster oven." Sunny muttered to 'Sides, who snickered.
The woman heard them, and said: "That's all it is, really – horrible, disgusting even to think about, a machine…" She glanced at Honey Bee and Shooting Star. "And those two are..?"
"Our daughters." I said firmly, linking my hands through Starscream's and Bumblebee's.
"This is…this is unthinkable!" The woman's face was red with anger. "You mean, you and both of them are..!?"
"Married." I snapped. "Deal with it." I'll bet you can't even get one husband…
She glared at me, and then went back to looking around. Her gaze landed on Kelsi, who was sitting on Ironhide's shoulder. "What about her? What's she?"
I read her mind so quickly I'd put a physic to shame. If she knew Kelsi was just a regular (regular?) human Andy and Sunny had picked up off the streets, then…
"She's a highly evolved techno-organic, Ma'am." I said, lying through my teeth. "And a part of this family." Okay, that last part wasn't a lie.
Kelsi's deep green eyes lit up, and she smiled radiantly at me. I smiled back at her.
"Well then…still," The woman went back to glaring at me. "This entire war is still all your fault," And I recoiled visibly. She smirked with satisfaction. "So, if you leave, then the evil robots would follow you, and we'd all be safe."
Optimus suddenly came over to her, and knelt down so that he was closer to her. "Alright then," He said, in a deep voice that made my spark stand still with shock. He was…a leader. "But what if we leave…" His blue optics pierced into her grey eyes intently. "And you're wrong?"
*
KA-BOOM!!
Stream Fire stood there, holding the cannon, and grinning at Ironhide. "I added more energy to the…" Her voice was drowned out by the after-explosion, as all of us watched from a safe distance. Angelina, Kelsi, Shooting Star, Honey Bee and Zikya were all wearing sunglasses.
"Okay," Ironhide called to us all. "Everyone in division A, come on and try out your new toys!" He held up a large laser gun, and Sunstreaker hurried forward quickly, followed by Andy, Barricade, Skids, Mudflap, Elita1, Sentinel, Optimus and Bianca.
"You gotta make yourself useful." Moondancer said to Wasp diplomatically, and he nodded, never taking his optics off of her.
Sunchaser, Blurr, Bumblebee, Jazz, Shadow, Prowl and Arcee began working on their speed, reflexes and dodging.
The Jet-Twins combined to form one robot, called Safeguard.
"COOOOOL!!!!!!" Shooting Star yelled, as Safeguard took to the skies where Starscream, Blitzwing, Moth and Hornet were practicing aerial manoeuvres.
"With the two of us out there tomorrow, it should be alright." Sky told Ratchet reassuringly. "But…just to be on the safe side, we should split up."
Ratchet didn't look pleased about this, but what could he do?
I walked over to where Angelina, Wheeljack and Zikya were with the kids, and noticed the unhappy looks on said kids' faces.
I guessed what was wrong. "You guys are all too young to fight," I said gently. "You've gotta stay with Angelina, and keep her safe, okay?"
Angelina coughed.
"Actually, Ems," Zikya said thoughtfully. "It probably isn't such a good idea to leave the kids totally defenceless…"
"Oh?" I looked at her. "And just what did you have in mind?"
*
"My babies are using jet-packs." I muttered woefully.
Above our heads, Shooting Star and Honey Bee were trying out their new 'wings'. As were Angelina and Kelsi, as Dragonfly showed them how to fly.
Zikya grinned at me, and I'm sure Wheeljack did too, but I can always tell.
"Hey, kids!" Streamer flew up to them, and handed them something.
"What is she..?" I murmured, shading my optics with my hand.
"COOOOL!!!!" It was Honey Bee's turn to yell, as she fired the laser gun.
I groaned.
*
We were at the military airport, in Area 21 – yes, Area 21.
"It'll be fine." I told Starscream, who looked doubtfully at me. He was going to leave with all of the other flyers first, including Sky Dragon, and then the rest of us would follow. Them in the hangers of HUGE jets, and my flying with them.
Screamer didn't want to leave me, but he knew he had to. We had a formation, and we couldn't break it.
At last, he kissed me, I kissed him back, and it was a beautiful, Long Kiss Goodbye, before he transformed and flew into the air with all the others.
I watched him go, my spark growing heavy.
Bee came up behind me and said: "It'll be okay."
I glanced at him. His aqua optics shone in the moonlight, and I was struck once again by how handsome he looked. "Bee…if anything happens out there…"
"Shh…" He said, putting a finger to my lips. "Nothing is going to happen…" He leaned close to me. "You know that." He kissed me, and I kissed him back.
When we broke apart, we smiled, and he transformed and drove into the hanger with Sunny, 'Sides, Andy, Arlexa, Sunchaser, Moondancer, Blurr and Wasp. The jet took off.
Jazz, Shadow, Ratchet, Barricade, Wheeljack, Skids, Mudflap and Ironhide went in the next jet.
I hugged Shooting Star, Honey Bee, Kelsi, Angelina and Zikya before they got onto the next, smaller jet, and then came the next one for Optimus, Bianca, Sentinel, Elita, Prowl and Arcee.
"Optimus," I said, and he came over to me. I handed him the pouch containing the dust of The Matrix. "Here," I said. "This is The Matrix dust. I dunno if you can still use it, but…" I shrugged. "Hey, if it can defeat The Fallen, we'll take it."
Optimus nodded, and put his hand on my shoulder for a moment before stepping back to transform.
Suddenly, I heard a communication open up over my com-link.
"Meet me at the meadow overlooking the city," Came the cold voice of Megatron. "We will settle this battle once and for all."
My spark practically stopped beating.
Megatron wanted to challenge me?
To what?
A battle to the death, most likely, or…you know. A battle until once of us couldn't fight anymore.
And then…what if the one who couldn't fight anymore was…me?
It wasn't going to happen.
"And you can end the war you started, once and for all." He added.
"I'll be there." I muttered.
"Good." I could tell he was smirking.
I mean, I wasn't going to lose.
Of course I was going to fight!
I transformed so quickly that my circuits screamed in protest for a moment, before I took off into the skies without even telling anyone where I was going.
Because they might try and stop me.
So, I opened up a dimensional gate, and went through it.
*
Optimus Prime's P.O.V:
Emma didn't know it, but I had heard her entire conversation with Megatron, and my spark nearly broke in two.
My brother was the cruellest, most evil creature in the known universe! He had played on Emma's one weakness, the belief that she had started the war, fuelled by the events with that woman this afternoon.
"Emma!" Bia called in alarm.
I turned to her. "Go, my love – you are all needed in Egypt. I will find Emma." I promised her.
Her blue optics filled with purple energon tears. "Opti…please stay alive."
I kissed her gently, and she kissed me back. "I promise." I told her, before transforming and following in Emma's wake, afraid suddenly of what might happen to her – and this world – if she lost.
