18- Metal Attraction.
Everything was normal at the Autobot base, when Ratchet saw something in the screen.
"Arcee, a vehicular form is approaching."
"Decepticon?" She asked.
The screen zoomed until it revealed what was: a Jedi starfighter, flying right at the top of the base.
"Curious. I don't remember have called any Jedi. And definitely they haven't reported us about anything yet." Ratchet said.
"Wait. I recognize that fighter colors." Arcee started.
"Hey, its mom."
"Commander Tano? Again?" Arcee asked surprised.
"Maybe she comes for a visit." Sky suggested.
Ahsoka exited the elevator once it reached the base's main hall.
"Hi honey." She called walking at him.
"Hi mom." Sky said before she gave him a huge hug. "What takes you here?"
"I can't come here and see my son? I took a break, so I thought I'd swing by." She explained before turning at Ratchet. "Good to see you again, Ratchet. Arcee. So, where's Optimus?"
"On a scouting mission with Bumblebee and Cliffjumper. Sorry to disappoint." Ratchet answered.
"How I wanted to see him again in the field, like the old times."
"What old times, mom? You mean the Clone Wars?"
"Exactly. I haven't seen him in action since I was a teenager."
Ratchet was detecting something on his monitor. "That's odd. This is an extremely unusual magnetic flux, for any planet."
Ratchet wasn't the only who detected it: on the Nemesis, Soundwave showed the same reading on his screen to his leader.
"I recognize this magnetic signature, Soundwave. And it would be unfortunate to have a Decepticon invention such as this used against us." Megatron said.
"I will secure the weapon, Lord Megatron."
"Breakdown? Ha. If you could be bested by mere droids, what chance do you have against the Autobots?"
"Allow me to redeem myself, master. What I have lost is a constant reminder that I must never again fail you." Breakdown pleaded, showing that in place of where he had before his lost eye now wear an eye-patch.
Moments later, Bulkhead arrived to base in vehicle mode, and all the rest of the children went out of him laughing before the Autobot changed form.
"Did you feel how the ground trembles when Bulkhead stomps hard?"
"You're right, Han. Bulkhead is an animal." Leia agreed.
But once they saw Sky's mother was present, they stopped laughing.
"Remember when this used to be a secret club house?" Han asked.
"Well, it still is. His parents were the last ones to know." Luke reminded.
"Don't worry, master Tano. We're far from the cannon's controls."
"I'm sure you were, Leia. By the way, where's Aris?"
"She's assisting an important event with her family back on Mandalore." Sky answered.
"A shame. There is not such a smart girl like her. Hi Han, how's school going?" Ahsoka asked.
"Why? What'd you hear?" He demanded suspiciously, making the others laugh.
"Relax Han, I'm not going to use my abilities on you."
"Let's do this thing, Sky." Arcee said walking with a wire in her hand.
"Oh, right." Sky said as he was about to follow her.
"But I just got here. I brought Meilooruns, they're in my starship." Ahsoka offered.
"Really?!" The other kids asked excited.
"That's one of our favorite meals!" Leia said jumping around.
"Sorry mom, but Arcee needs me to help her test our upgraded tracking system."
"You can let BB-8 do that. Let's get some sweet fruit." Luke suggested.
"No, I promised Arcee I would help her." Sky defended.
"Well, just be careful." His mother asked.
"There's nothing to be careful about. It's a routine diagnostic." Arcee reassured.
"Are you sure you need Sky for that?" Ahsoka asked.
That question irritated Arcee enough that made her groan. "Calm down, Arcee. Remember she can sense your humor status." She said to herself.
"Uh-oh." Bulkhead said.
"Bulkhead, I need you back in the field to investigate an odd magnetic disturbance." Ratchet told him.
"I'll go with!"
"Whoa. Stay put, Han." Bulkhead stopped him, so he groaned as he went back with the others.
"Why aren't you going with him?" Ahsoka asked.
"Someone thinks is not safe, even knowing I helped him a few times." Han said looking at Bulkhead.
"But it's safe for Sky to go with Arcee?" Ahsoka asked.
"Mom!"
"That's totally different, master Tano. Unlike Sky, Han wants to be in the front, dangerously near the action." Luke explained.
"Well, that explains a lot of things." Ahsoka said.
"Thanks for throwing me out of the sand crawler, pals!" Han shouted.
"Arcee and me already did a lot of scout missions. We know what we do."
"That's right, Sky. Actually, I think you and I could give Bulkhead a hand with this. Is more secure when you had a Force radar to track incoming threats. Wait for us, Bulk." Arcee decided as she threw the wire to the ground.
"I'm not sure about this, Sky." His mother confessed.
"We don't have time to argue." Arcee interrupted as she allowed Sky to climb to her hand and next, she put him on her shoulder. "Let's go."
Both Autobots and Sky went through the ground bridge. When they were gone, Luke and Leia shot a glare at Ahsoka.
"What did I say?" She simply asked.
Ryloth
Breakdown was in middle of a wasteland looking at his scanner. It showed him that, whatever he was looking, it was right in front of him.
"Jackpot."
He went to a big rock that his scanner signaled him and started smashing it with his hammer. After a few swings, he unburied a little metallic device. What he didn't known it was that he wasn't alone. Once he noticed that, he aimed his turret at any possible enemy. Then, he heard the sound of rocks coming from behind. He turned and saw Airachnid above him, hanging on the rocks with her spider legs. She laughed before launching herself at him and kicked him in the face, making him collapse and throwing the device, which she took next.
"For me? You shouldn't have." She said.
"I didn't." Breakdown answered grabbing the device and whacking her with his hammer.
Airachnid only stepped back a few steps before hissing and facing Breakdown.
"I heard a rumor about a rough Con. How about I hog-tie you and haul you in?" Breakdown suggested as he charged against Airachnid, and tried to smash her, but she dodged.
"The primitive type." She noticed.
Breakdown roared charging again to strike with his hammer, but she climbed up the rocks.
"Not much for depth perception anymore, aren't you?"
"Well, not much for looks, anymore." Breakdown said activating his turret and fired a missile.
Airachnid dodged and disappeared. But Breakdown heard a digging sound nearby before Airachnid's spider legs appeared below him and dragged him into the ground, burying him. After that, Airachnid came out of the ground and took the device.
She laughed. "It was a lovely burial." She deactivated her spider legs as she walked away, hearing Breakdown mumbling under the ground. "Sorry, can't quite understand you."
But Breakdown emerged from the hole quickly, and roaring mad, which made Airachnid to get ready for another round before both Cons charged. As for the Autobots, they walked above the rocks while Arcee and Sky finally sighed in relief.
"Glad that now we're just the two of us alone, except Bulk."
"You said it, Sky. Now we can rest for a while, meanwhile doing some scouting." Arcee nodded.
"Come on, Arcee. If this is from what happened before, don't take it so personal. Sky's mother is just protective." Bulkhead said.
"Right now? Coincidence? I don't think so. I protected her son for months even when she had some clue. And now, after a few days, now she comes at base constantly, probably thinking that I'm not good enough or Sky is not yet prepared for this." Arcee expressed in frustration before turning to her partner. "Is not something serious, Sky. I'm just relieving myself."
"Is fine. It's true than mom is actually coming to base more times, and seems more concerned about me than before. I love her and dad too, but I think this is too much. I also want to be with you alone some time."
"No kidding, Sky." A voice sounded behind them, and saw it was Han, who followed them. "Can we ban her from the base for some time? No offense."
"Han, how did you…?" Bulkhead started.
"Why I'm not surprised?" Sky asked.
"We're gonna need a bridge." Arcee started to call through the com-link.
"Wait, don't send me back to the controller Togruta." Han pleaded. "It's just I missed the way things were."
"Strike that, Ratchet. It's only recon, he's safe with us." Arcee communicated.
"What did you call my mom?" Sky asked in disbelief.
Arcee chuckled a little. "Just forget it, Sky."
"Sweet!" Han said climbing up Bulkhead's hand before jumping at his shoulder. "Crack up the usual, Bulk."
"The usual?" Both Sky and Arcee asked.
Bulkhead turned his radio on and they started to listen their usual cantina music. The problem is that it was too loud, making Sky cover his ears.
"This is another thing I wanted to get away from base!" Sky confessed.
"Don't you think that's a little loud for recon?! How can Sky perceive something with this noise?!" Arcee asked, making Bulkhead turn off the radio and Han sit bored.
"Arg. So, he can stay here because he's not making noise but I can't?" Han asked.
"No. Because unlike you he doesn't cause problems, cooperates." Arcee explained.
"That's right. When Arcee and I scout, I always use the Force to perceive everything around to see if there are menaces. That's called teamwork."
"Exactly. Besides, a scout should be silent but deadly." Arcee added.
But Bulkhead and Han looked at each other and laughed, so Arcee and Sky looked each other confused.
"What? What's so funny?" Sky asked.
"Silent but deadly means something completely different on this galaxy." Bulkhead responded.
"Bulk, let's get our recon on." Han said as they passed Arcee and Sky.
"But Arcee and I always take point." Sky argued.
"I know, but Han likes to be in front so he could see." Bulkhead said continuing walking.
"And Sky likes it too. That's why we go first usually." Arcee argued.
"Doesn't matter who goes first or last here, just let's go, do our job and return home." Bulkhead simply said.
"You said it, Bulk." Han expressed.
"This is not how I expected our scouting." Sky said.
"No matter where we turn, we're the third wheel." Arcee said before catching up with Bulk.
In that moment, Sky started to sense something ahead.
"Arcee, I sense something. Is just ahead, and from what I think I'm seeing, you're not gonna like it." He whispered her to the ear.
"Okay." She nodded, getting her gun ready. "Let's report this to our partners."
By the other hand, Bulkhead was detecting something else on his scanner.
"Hum, looks like Ratchet's magnetic flux is coming from…" Bulkhead started when he heard a noise.
Right below them, they saw Airachnid punching Breakdown hard, sending him to the ground. But before she could grab the device, Breakdown got up and grabbed her by the spider legs. Next, he tried to hit her with his hammer, but she took the chance and kicked him.
"Airachnid." Arcee said angrily.
"And Breakdown. Both your arch enemies, and they're smashing each up." Han added.
Breakdown managed to grab the device and started powering it up while Airachnid tried to pull it from him.
"Over that." Bulkhead spotted.
"The source of the magnetic disturbance." Arcee deduced.
"Alright. What's the plan?" Han asked.
"I think we might need your help after all. Are you good at shooting?" Arcee asked.
Bulkhead laughed. "You have no idea."
"Sky, you stay with him to cover him and call us in case the Cons send reinforcements."
"Got it, Arcee. But please be careful, its Airachnid who are you going to deal with again."
"Don't worry. This time she has no advantage."
"Go for them, guys." Han cheered pulling out his blaster. "We'll be watching your backs."
Both Autobots pulled out their guns an made their way. Airachnid jumped out of the way when Breakdown attempted to smash her again, and hit him on his back with her legs. That made him drop the device in front of her, but before she could take it a shot pushed it aside.
"Arcee." Airachnid spotted. "And look, you brought a new partner for me to snuff."
"That would be Bulkhead." Breakdown saw too.
"Who asked you?" Airachnid said to him.
"Launch me." Arcee told Bulkhead.
He lowered his hand for Arcee, who placed her foot on it before he threw her high in the air. As she descended, she shot at both Decepticons. Once she landed, she charged against Breakdown, who did the same until Airachnid put herself on his way.
"No. She is mine." She said before going after her rival.
That distracted Breakdown enough for Bulkhead to hit him on the face.
"Watch out for…" He started.
"Got it." Arcee nodded pulling out her blades.
Both girls started to fight: Arcee was blocking Airachnid's spider legs until she saw the chance and hit her with her blades on the chest, making her to leak some energon.
"I see you still have very visible the scars Sky made you." Arcee visualized. "And not the first ones he gave you."
Airachnid groaned in pain. "It obvious that I had more trouble than I expected in dealing with him more than with you."
"Good to know. And it's curious, but they suit you well. For someone like you." Arcee mocked.
That hit Airachnid a nerve. "Don't worry, I'll make some ones for you."
Both Autobots were back against back.
"Whoa, they're really good together." Sky observed.
"Okay, time to give them some advantage." Han said aiming his gun.
"Han, just fire at where I say. Into their weak points." Sky offered.
"Got it."
Both Cons and Bots faced their rivals, blocking their attacks. Breakdown tried to push Bulkhead back, until he noticed Han's shots, hitting his eye-patch, allowing Bulkhead to headbutt him and push him aside hard. Arcee dodged Airachnid's attacks constantly before she tried to jumped at her. But then, Airachnid was paralyzed on the air, before receiving a storm of shots at her head, forcing her to cover herself with her spider legs. That was Sky and Han's doing. Arcee took the chance and kicked her, sending her with Breakdown. Now both Decepticons were tired, but Breakdown saw the artifact next to him, so he picked it.
"Thank you." He said pressing one of the device's buttons.
"Do you even know what that does? It isn't a toy!" Airachnid shouted before running away.
Arcee tried to stop her with her shots, until Airachnid started to make a hole to escape beneath the earth. She continued firing even when she disappeared under ground. In that moment, Han saw how his blaster flew away.
"Eh! What are you doing?"
"Nothing, Han. This isn't my doing." Sky defended.
Bulkhead was ready to continue the rumble, until Breakdown aimed the device at him and made Bulkhead fall before being dragged toward him. The same happened with Arcee.
"What's going on?!" She asked.
It seems the device was using a magnetic beam to drag them close. Once they were close enough, Breakdown levitated them up with the device.
"Hahaha, what this switch do?" Breakdown smirked.
After pressing it, he sent the Autobots flying against the rocks. Sky and Han went to check if their friends were okay.
"Hmp. Ha, Megatron's gonna love this." Breakdown said before he changed form and drove away.
"Bulkhead." Han said arriving alongside Sky.
"Are you okay?" Sky asked.
Bulkhead only groaned, a little dizzy.
"The Cons are getting away! Hey, my blaster." Han saw it on Bulk's chassis. He tried to get it, but he couldn't pull it off. "It's stuck."
"Where's Arcee?" Sky asked while Bulkhead got up.
Han groaned. "Why don't you just marry her?"
"What?! I can't do that! She's my big sister, not my girlfriend." Sky answered.
"I'm right behind you." She called.
Bulkhead ended getting up. "Where?"
Han already saw where she was, but still didn't believe it. "Let's just say she's got your back."
When Bulkhead turned around, they saw Arcee stuck in Bulkhead's back. She tried to free herself, but without results.
"Scrap." She cursed.
Meanwhile, Breakdown was driving right to an ancient battlefield, still fully of remains of vehicles used by the Separatists during the Clone Wars.
"Breakdown here. I'm gonna need a…" He called through the com-link until he missed a rock that almost crushed him.
That distracted him and ended getting into a web trap. He wasn't able to escape in vehicle mode, so he changed to robot form, but that trapped him even more while a familiar shadow observed him from the rocks. Back with them, Sky was trying to separate Arcee with the Force. At first it seemed to work, until she went back. Han tried to help pulling from her foot, but without results. So they called to base and reported everything.
"You've been magnetized?" Ratchet asked surprised. "Together?"
"Oh, they're inseparable." Han said after finishing pulling.
"And the device that did this is on its way to Megatron." Bulkhead added.
"A polarity gauntlet." Ratchet identified. "A deceptively simple but diabolical creation."
"Just tell me you can unhitch us, Ratchet." Arcee asked.
"It may simply be a residual magnetic charge providing your current attraction." Ratchet theorized.
"They're not attracted to each other!" Han yelled.
"Yeah. I know that's not true." Sky added.
"But I'm afraid retrieving the gauntlet is our surest bet for reversing its effect. Once Megatron gets his hands on the gauntlet…"
"He'll use it for a whole lot more than attacking notes and family photos to the fridge." Luke finished.
"Kids, I'm not following." Ahsoka said confused.
"Commander, we are forged by metal alloy. If Megatron could repel us with the flick of a switch we might never again have another shot at him." Ratchet explained.
"Instant forcefield." Leia translated.
"Worse yet. He might use it to melt us all into a scrap pile. The good news is the gauntlet hasn't traveled far. I would strongly advice pursuit." Ratchet reported.
Bulkhead heard it and stood up slamming his fists together. "We can catch up faster on walker legs."
"Whoa whoa whoa, and snapped me in half?" Arcee reminded.
"No please! Don't do that!" Sky begged.
"Right." Bulkhead supported.
"Sweet. We'll take point." Han said.
"Not this time, kids." Arcee objected.
"Okay. We'll wait for you at base." Sky nodded.
"What? But you said…" Han started.
"That was recon. This is war. I'm not risking your wellbeing the same as Sky's just so you can hit your daily adrenaline quota." Arcee clarified. "Ratchet, the children need a bridge."
"Coming up."
They could hear Han groan annoyed. "You think Sky's mom is bad? You sound just like her!"
"Han!" Sky shouted.
That caught Ahsoka by surprise before turning at the kids. "Is that such a bad thing?"
"Don't look at us. We never said that." Luke reassured.
"Like I always said, is a Han's thing." Leia added, even BB-8 nodded.
Back to the old battlefield, Airachnid was checking the device, now on her hand.
"It fits! You know, a girl can never have too many accessories." Airachnid told to Breakdown, who was hooked to the wall of a crumbled transport by lots of webs.
"You were a Decepticon once. We could bring the prize to Megatron together." Breakdown offered.
"Go back to that boys club? I struck out on my own because I don't like to share. This will provide the perfect repellent against Bots and Cons alike."
Bulkhead was not far from there, but he had to walk all the way because of his and Arcee's condition.
"Never had eyes in the back of my head before, or blasters to cover my rear. And you get a built-in shield." Bulkhead said, trying to raise Arcee's spirit.
"Bulkhead, you don't really think I sound like Ahsoka, don't you?"
"Hum…"
"She's overprotective, at least now. I'm just protective for Sky."
"Totally different. She's his mother, and you are his guardian, and like his older sister, don't forget it."
"Is just all of this that had happened…I don't know, but I think she's starting to be…jealous of me because Sky spends so much time with me right now."
"Look Arcee, you know Sky more than any other Bot of our team. He didn't spend much free time with his parents like a normal family. And he enjoys to spend that time with you. Besides, don't take it bad, but even with Cliffjumper's support you were the loneliest Autobot of our team. And he has helped you to enjoy a lot of company without even notice it. You two are indeed very close, that's what matters. Not talking about the many things you have learn each other, don't you?"
"Yeah, I never thought about that." She said before chuckling. "And I thought Cliff was the only one who made me feel different. Thanks Bulkhead, I think that's what I needed to hear."
"Anytime." Bulkhead ended before he heard the scanner beep, signal they're getting closer. "The gauntlet is close."
They finally arrived to the ruble. Bulkhead tried to check if the Con who had the device was inside the ruins, but it was too dark and small to investigate. Still, Bulkhead readied his blaster.
"Don't this bring you back memories?" Bulkhead asked.
"The battle of Ryloth. One of the first in which I participated in disguise. Only Cliff and I know what happened here." Arcee told.
When they reached a clear between the ruble, Bulkhead heard muffed grunts and saw Breakdown trapped by the webs, including his mouth. And Airachnid appeared from above.
"I assume Arcee isn't far behind." Airachnid deduced.
"You might say that." Bulkhead said.
"Blaster hands in the air and turn around." Airachnid asked with the gauntlet at hand.
"Whatever you say."
Bulkhead did what Airachnid told him, and Arcee took the chance to shot her. One of her shots made her drop the gauntlet, but when it hit the ground itself activated, generating a magnetic force field that started attract everything around. Airachnid managed to stand on her spider legs; Bulkhead fell to the ground as the gauntlet was pulling Arcee. The same for Breakdown, which finally broke free from the webs, grabbed the gauntlet and turned it off. The final part of the magnetic effect pulled Bulkhead and Arcee in middle of the two Cons.
"Still up for a truce, muscles?" Airachnid asked to Breakdown.
"Only because I hate Bulkhead more than I hate you." Breakdown answered with his hammer ready.
Breakdown and Bulkhead started punching each other as Airachnid and Arcee fought by their own. But because of the hits Bulkhead received from Breakdown, Arcee swung around and had no time for defense against Airachnid.
"Bulkhead, would you stay still?" Arcee asked as she blocked one of Airachnid's spider legs.
"My bad." Bulkhead answered before punching Breakdown hard, sending him backwards. Next, he turned to face Airachnid. "Need a hand?"
"No, she's mine." Arcee answered while Bulkhead fought Airachnid.
"Two Bots, one stone." Breakdown said activating the gauntlet.
Breakdown grabbed a huge metal pillar with a magnetic beam.
"Bulk, duck!" Arcee saw.
But when Bulkhead turned to see what to duck, Breakdown hit him with the pillar, sending him back, trapping Arcee against the ground.
"Bulkhead, get up!" She demanded before seeing Airachnid's foot stomping one of her hands.
"Pinned like a bug. Of course, I can think of one permanent way out of your predicament." Airachnid declared activating her spider legs.
"I'll take topside." Breakdown said referring to Bulkhead.
But when he was about to smash him, Bulkhead grabbed his hammer and pushed him aside, also pushing Airachnid. And for their relief, when they got up they saw they were not magnetized anymore.
"I'm free." Arcee said relieved.
Breakdown ran for the gauntlet, but Arcee grabbed it first and jumped above him before landing on him hard. She managed to punch him in the face a few times before he got up. As for Airachnid, she saw the gauntlet again on the floor, but she had to pass Bulkhead first.
"Wanna dance?"
"You're not my type." Airachnid simply said.
Before Bulkhead could hit her, she hit him at the face with her body drill effect.
"Scrap."
Airachnid picked the gauntlet and activated it. "Let's leave the boys to themselves."
Airachnid grabbed Arcee's hand with a magnetic effect and dragged her face to face with one hand stuck at the gauntlet.
"That would be the up-close of personal setting." Airachnid swore as she and Arcee started another close combat fight.
Breakdown and Bulkhead punched each other a couple of times until Breakdown pushed him hard. As he got back to his feet, Bulkhead charged his gun and fired at Breakdown at full power, sending him against the ruble. During their fight, Arcee managed to make an ugly cut to Airachnid's face, making her leak energon. After that, Airachnid pinned her in the ground and tried to nail her claws on her.
"One hand tied, five more to play with." Airachnid said trying to nail at Arcee's head, but she managed to grab her hand.
"Quality, not quantity." Arcee answered as she took the gauntlet from Airachnid before kicking her back.
Before Airachnid could jump at her again, Arcee activated the gauntlet and pushed her aside with it.
"Opposites do not attract." She smirked.
Breakdown pushed the ruble aside while Bulkhead changed his gun for wrecking ball and both robots tried to smash each other with their weapons. But before they could touch, they were mysteriously pushed back. Breakdown tried to launch a missile at him, but before it could touch Bulkhead, who tried to cover himself, the invisible force sent the missile back to Breakdown, and next to the sky, where it exploded.
"We can't touch metal." Breakdown observed.
"We're polarized." Bulkhead deduced.
Before Arcee could use the gauntlet again, it was taken from her by Airachnid's webs.
"Always leave on a high note." She said before changing to her interceptor form and started taking flight.
"Bulkhead, the gauntlet!" Arcee yelled.
Before she could take too much distance, Bulkhead jumped and grabbed Airachnid. His weight was making her lost control as Breakdown was about to leave. But in the last moment, Bulkhead threw Airachnid at Breakdown, making them both to crash against the ruble. Arcee managed to secure the gauntlet while Bulkhead gave her a thumbs up before turning at the Decepticons, who laid unconscious.
"Let's finish this." Bulkhead proposed.
"And risk becoming twins again?" Arcee reminded before they walked away.
They returned back to base and gave the artifact to Ratchet.
"Souvenir." Bulkhead started. "But…"
"We don't advise indoor use." Arcee finished.
"Ew! They even finish each other's sentences." Han said with a face of disgust.
"Han, check it out: new battle scars." Bulkhead announced pointing his shoulder, making Han take some pictures.
"Arcee! How was your mission?" Sky asked, but she had no time to answer since his mother put herself in front of them both.
"Arcee, Sky, I need to talk with both of you." She started. "First of all, Arcee, I think I owe you an apology."
"You do, Ahsoka?"
"Yes. For quite some time, I became worry of thinking there were things I cannot control, and of my son facing this kind of situations all of his own. That's the why my efforts of teaching him all that my master taught about the Force and the Jedi values, to prepare him so he can defend himself when I wasn't around. But then, I realized maybe a guardian could be a good help too. I thought about that, but honestly, for all the candidates, I never expect an Autobot to be the one he would choose. But then, I remembered how good you and I fought alongside in the Clone Wars. So, I cannot think of anyone better than yourself. But…I admit it: I was a little jealous about how much time you two spend together. Even I started to fear that Sky would prefer to be with you instead with his parents."
Arcee smiled. "It was about time you realize that. The thing is…Sky sees me as a big sister, the same way I see him as a little brother for me. Is true we two are close, and I know one of the reasons of that: your son told me that normally you and his father don't spend much time with him as a normal family do. Jedi training and great stories looks great, but is the only thing he has as memories with you. Ahsoka, he doesn't deserve his childhood to be only that, he needs you as his mother, not only as a teacher. He wants to do things like going to the beach, play in the water, imagine seeing forms of clouds in the sky… Happy memories with his family, something simple like that. Nothing more, nothing less."
"So that's it." Ahsoka said as she knelt to her son's height, something that everyone saw. "Sky, is that true? Is that what you really think?"
Sky nodded. "Those are the only moments I have about you and dad. But you two are too busy with your duty that most of the time I spend it with my friends or practicing. And I don't want that. I like that you care about me, and all the things you taught me, but sometimes I want the three of us to feel like any other family, I hope that is not much to ask, even for a Jedi, right?"
Ahsoka hugged him. "No honey, you are right. I'm so sorry I didn't realize that. From now on, I promise things will be different. Your father and I will spend more time with you. No only Jedi training and history lessons, just only the three of us."
"Really? You promise?" Sky asked surprised.
"I swear, by the Force." She assured.
"Thank you, mom."
The two ended in a deep and lovely hug. Of course, the others seemed like the scene affected them: because both Skywalker twins hugged each other crying with BB-8 trying to conform them while Han and Bulkhead were trying their best to not cry, while Ratchet and Arcee smiled. But in the end, Bulkhead ended using one of Ratchet's tool to clean his tears, that caused it to short circuited and broke.
"Bulkhead, I needed that!"
Arcee laughed. "I think we've all been a little guilty of staying attached to the way things were."
Meanwhile, Breakdown returned back to the Nemesis.
"Breakdown, you dare to return empty-handed?" Megatron asked mad.
"No, master." Breakdown answered before he turned around, showing Airachnid magnetized to his back.
"Airachnid. It has been some time."
"Lord Megatron." She saluted. "What can I say? It's good to be back."