You always liked to make the point of how bad my injuries from that Christmas night were, partner.
I think you especially regretted me losing my wings.
You didn't get it.
I never needed those stupid wings when I had you.
-0-0-0-0-0-
When she woke up, it took Jenna about five seconds to realize how much trouble she was in. She was on her knees, her hands were cuffed behind her back, heavy chains were wrapped around her body, and she was chained to the floor at the center of a dark cell with a single spotlight shining down on her.
"... Well, fuck."
"Language," a voice spoke, and Jenna looked up in surprise. Ratchet was there, his servos cuffed, and he seemed to force himself to gaze at her in annoyance momentarily before sighing quietly. "What were you thinking? You could have been killed."
"Well, Doc, excuse me for trying to save your tail," Jenna commented dryly, then she closed her optics and tried to break the chains, grunting quietly in effort.
Ratchet shook his helm. "Miss Darby, it is no use. We are both trapped here until Megatron decides to reveal what he has planned for us."
"I think I've got a pretty good idea of what he has planned for me!"
"... I'm so sorry, Jenna." Ratchet closed his optics. Jenna opened her optics and looked up at him. "Soundwave wanted me. You were just an opportunity... If they try to use you as a hostage to make me do something to benefit the Decepticons, I-..."
"Ratchet." Jenna sighed, and he opened his optics and looked at her as she gave a small, sad smile. "I know... It's okay. I told you way back when, with the fake Wheeljack." She gave a weak nod. "Take care of the others. Whatever happens to me is on me, not you. Remember that, okay?"
"I shall try to, but-..."
"It's gonna be okay, Ratchet," Jenna assured him, then she gave a small smirk. "I mean, come on. 'Jackie is totally raising Hell, right now. They'll be coming for us, they'll find a way."
"You have strong faith in your allies," a voice spoke, and the Autobot and the artist looked up as a door opened. Megatron, Soundwave, Starscream, Shockwave, and Knockout entered the room, and Shockwave approached Jenna and looked down at her. "Faith is illogical."
"They haven't let me down yet," Jenna stated, her optics narrowing. "Factor that into your calculations."
"Always ready with a witty remark," Megatron noted, then he regarded Shockwave. "I need to speak with our esteemed guest alone, but I may be requiring your aid."
"My assistant can remove the hybrid."
"I would rather not." Knockout cringed. "She scares me."
Jenna blinked, and Starscream sighed. "You don't ADMIT that, Knockout!"
"Eh, I think it was a good idea," Jenna disagreed, then she smirked. "Fear's half the battle, so maybe I won't hurt you too badly when I break out of here."
"... Knockout." Megatron regarded his medic. "Take our more-diminutive guest to the next cell."
Knockout squirmed, but he walked over, unfastened the chains from the floor, and grabbed all six of them in his fist rather than touch Jenna as he picked her up. The girl deadpanned, finding herself hanging upside-down in the medic's grip, then she rolled her optics.
"Whee..!" She cheered dryly as she was carried to the door, then she looked at Ratchet with narrowed optics. "Hang in there, Doc!"
"I shall do my best," Ratchet assured her.
Jenna nodded, then she was outside the cell and Ratchet was out of her sight. "... I'm gonna start trying to annoy you into letting me go, now."
"You honestly think that annoyance can outmatch my fear of Lord Megatron's wrath?" Knockout snorted, carrying her into the next cell. "Or that I would not just dismember you or squash you?"
"Let me go, or I'll sing one of the cursed songs of my people," Jenna informed him, and Knockout blinked. Jenna was almost as surprised by her own words as he was, but given that she had managed to unbalance the crimson mech, she decided to go for it—stage-fright be damned. "Oh, haven't you heard? Humans developed a series of songs with a nefarious property: once they're in your head, they never leave."
"Oh, really?" Knockout set her down on the floor and started re-fastening the chains. "I find that hard to believe."
"Last chance." Jenna was smirking when Knockout stood up. "Let me go, or be treated to Allstar, Take On Me, Secret Tunnel, I'm Gonna Be, YMCA, Party in the USA, a whole other assortment of ear-worm goodies, or the worst of the worst: the fucking Rickroll itself, Never Gonna Give You Up."
"Enough." Knockout crossed his arms. "I'm not letting you go."
Jenna quirked an eyebrow up. "Wanna bet?"
Ratchet raised an optic-brow as he was left alone with the other Decepticons.
"Are you through poking around inside my head?" He asked dryly, then he sighed. "You didn't find what you wanted, did you? You wouldn't be here, if you had."
"What I want apparently does not yet exist," Megatron informed him.
"That would be-..?"
"We would very much like for you to complete your work on the formula for Synthetic Energon."
"Even if I were capable, do you think that I would hand you a limitless supply of fuel and ammunition just so you could turn around and use it against the Autobots?" Ratchet turned his back on the warlord, his optics narrowed. "Miss Darby and I have already agreed that we will do nothing to aid you in your endeavors... If you threaten her to try and make me comply, you will be greatly disappointed. We will protect our allies to our dying solar-cycle."
"You misunderstand, dearest Ratchet," Megatron informed him, and Ratchet blinked. "I intend to use your formula for the purpose of creation, not destruction—and your little techno-organic friend is perfectly safe, so long as she behaves."
"Hardly safe, then," Ratchet murmured, then he turned back to face Megatron. "What are you talking about?"
"We have fortuitously discovered that your Synth-En, when combined with Cybernucleic Acid, may in fact form the basis for an alternative cybermatter."
"You are attempting to rebuild the Omega Lock." Ratchet hated how hopeful he sounded.
"We stand on the verge of a great moment in time, you and I—the restoration of our very homeworld," Megatron insisted.
"... Collaborate with the barbarian who essentially destroyed our planet in the first place?" Ratchet forced himself to argue. "Who sadistically crushed Bumblebee's voice-box while looking him in the eye? Who brainwashed my allies, turned us against one another? Who hurt and captured the child in the next room, targeting her for her species?" He shook his helm. "No, thank you."
"Then, I present you with a choice," Megatron decided, his optics narrowing. "Coplete your research, or..."
Soundwave stepped forward and displayed a series of pictures on repeat: one of Jack, Miko, and Raf, one of June and Fowler, and one of Captain Fanzone and Isaac Sumdac.
"Humans." Starscream chuckled, leaning against a wall and crossing his arms. "Always the weak link."
"Are these... humans... supposed to mean something to me?" Ratchet questioned the warlord. He hated how real that question would have been, not so long ago.
"Hm." Megatron raised an optic brow. "And the child in the next room, the techno-organic? What if I brought her in here and finished her off, right in front of you? Would the promise of her life being spared sway you, or are the terms of your endearments so easily changed?" Ratchet's fists clenched. "Very well. If that will not convince you, I'm certain this will."
Soundwave displayed a picture of Hangar E.
Optimus, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Arcee, Smokescreen, Elita-1, Ultra Magnus, the Predabots, Wheeljack, Sari. Maybe even all of the humans, who would certainly rush there to try and help upon hearing of his and Jenna's capture.
"As you must certainly be aware, we know the location of your current base," Megatron confirmed the obvious. "Accept my offer, and I will allow your fellow Autobots and organic pets—human and abomination alike—to go unharmed. I might even spare the little menace in the next room, depending on the quality of your work... Think it over, good doctor."
With that, Megatron and his allies departed, leaving Ratchet alone with his thoughts.
/\
Back at Hangar E, the situation was tense.
"Peeled some paint off Laserbeak," Smokescreen explained quietly, watching Arcee examine a metal shard. "If I'd been a better shot, Ratchet and Jenna would still be here."
"Chin up, soldier," Ultra Magnus advised. "We've combed the entire floor. For the moment, that and the tendril Jenna managed to slice off of Soundwave remain our only clues."
"Nothing in the ground bridge log," Bulkhead reported. "If they bridged Ratchet and the kid out of here, they used theirs—not ours."
"Why take Ratchet and Jenna but leave these two behind?" Arcee asked, gesturing to Bulkhead and Smokescreen.
"If Megatron intends to hold our medic and one of our techno-organics hostage, I find it curious that he's made no demands," Ultra Magnus added, his optics narrowed.
"It would stand to reason that Ratchet must possess something the Decepticons want," Optimus decided, then he looked down with narrowed optics. "As for Jenna..."
"The techno-organic must be destroyed," Elita-1 concluded, crossing her arms, only to cringe as she heard footsteps. "Uh-oh. Do you think he heard me?"
"I did," Wheeljack confirmed, his expression still set in a scowl as he approached the others. "I searched every inch of land within a five mile radius of this place, and there was no sign. I need someone to bridge me to the Jackhammer so I can start searching the skies."
"I would not advise any rash action, Wheeljack," Optimus tried, raising a servo.
Wheeljack's fists clenched. "What part of the techno-organic must be destroyed didn't you get?! She's running out of time, and so is Ratchet!"
"'Jackie, please." Bulkhead frowned. "Jenna's a resourceful kid. She'll hold out until we get to her, and so will Ratchet." The green Wrecker looked at the others while Wheeljack fumed. "Whatever the 'Cons are after, Ratch won't give it up... right?"
"He might, if they threaten Jenna," Bumblebee buzzed. "He wouldn't just let her die."
"... To protect the rest of us, he might," Sari said, and everyone looked at her in alarm. Leona placed a servo on Lupa's rotator-cup when the Predabot let out a quiet snarl. "And Jenna wouldn't argue, would she? She's been willing to lay down her life for us so many times, it's like second nature... She'd tell Ratchet to let her go." The techno-organic in yellow closed her optics. "And since we've lost Prowl, Cliffjumper, and your last two homes... he might just decide that he'd be willing to do anything to save as much of our family as possible, even if that means losing one member. She'd agree." She opened her optics and looked at Wheeljack. "Wouldn't she?"
The white Wrecker's clenched fists shook at his sides as he fought to maintain his glare. He saw MECH, he saw Darkmount, he saw the desert on Christmas... He knew his partner.
"We're running out of time," he repeated, the bite gone from his voice. That was answer enough.
While Fowler called in some favors to get some eyes in the sky, Wheeljack decided to try and figure out what Megatron might have wanted from Ratchet by searching the doctor's old files.
"You understandin' all of this stuff?" Bulkhead asked quietly, watching as Wheeljack's optics rapidly scanned the passing documents.
The white Wrecker gritted his dentas. "Now's not really the time for this talk, Bulk."
"Are you?"
"Yeah, it's simple enough. What of it?"
"... You didn't start slowing down, did you?" Bulkhead shook his helm. "You're sharper than ever. You'd have to be, going from readin' data-pads to fighting a war. You have to be a quick-thinker to survive, especially if you go out on your own." Wheeljack said nothing in response. "Those little mistakes I mentioned, the lucky guesses... They didn't stop or even become rare. You let things slide when you figured no one would get hurt, and you just acted without explainin' instead of tryin' to talk us out of bad decisions. You still looked out for us... but you were a kid, 'Jackie, and you wanted to fit in."
"Bulkhead-"
"Because as much as you'd never admit it, you can't stand bein' alone," Bulkhead put it together. "But that doesn't explain why you left the Wreckers, or why you left Earth after you first showed up. Why isolate yourself like that, 'Jackie?"
"I'm not havin' this discussion right now." Wheeljack paused on a certain document and blinked, then his optics narrowed. "That's new..." His optics widened. "Not just new, genius... I've really gotta hand it to the old Doc 'Bot, this is-..." He paused, then he took a sharp intake of air before raising his voice. "... Maybe Buckethead's after the techno-babble."
"The Synth-En formula?" Arcee rested a hand on her hip, she as well as Bumblebee and Smokescreen having come over to get a good look at the screen.
Smokescreen raised an optic-brow. "Why would the 'Cons need the artificial stuff if they already control most of the planet's Energon reserves?"
"Greed," Bulkhead offered, gazing at Wheeljack with an odd sadness. "What else?"
"If Megatron is truly rebuilding the Omega Lock, as Ratchet surmised, Synthetic Energon might be a necessary component," Optimus theorized, his expression grim.
Fowler leaned over the railing, his eyes narrowed. "I hate to be the one to bring lightning to a thunderstorm, but there's one thing we're all ignoring: if the 'Cons found Ratchet here, they know the location of this base."
"In short, we're fragged," Sari surmised, frowning. "We'll need to bail out, find someplace else to hide. Maybe the Harbinger again?"
"That would be the first place the Decepticons looked, if you've already used it once," Elita-1 disagreed. "What are our other options?"
"Detroit," Bulkhead proposed. "We can go back to the plant and hide out with Jazz, or go to Dinobot Island."
"If the Nemesis tracked us there, Omega Supreme would blow it out of the sky." Arcee shook her helm. "Ratchet and Jenna would be killed, along with any hope of restoring Cybertron."
"Perhaps the site where I've docked my ship," Ultra Magnus said, then he looked at where Wheeljack was still working at the monitor. "Or wherever it is that you've hidden your ship, Wheeljack."
"Unnecessary," Wheeljack stated, and everyone blinked. "Say I'm Megatron and I want to get rid of all of those pesky Autobots. I don't want to waste anymore resources than I have to with my big project goin' on, so every drop of Energon counts," His optics narrowed. "I send in my fliers, and I tell them to target the specific building where I know the Autobots are hidin' out. I don't know a slaggin' thing about the alphabet these humans use, but I know its 'Hangar E' and I make sure they know what an 'E' looks like. They fly out, bomb that building, and fly home—very efficient, very careful of waste." He glanced up at the others. "All we need to buy us some time is some grey and white paint. We're pullin' the ol' switcheroo." His optics found Fowler. "Give your superiors our apologies in advance for the loss of the mess hall."
Wheeljack looked back at the monitor, shifting uncomfortably at the feeling of all of the stares on his back and the sides of his face, and he forced another deep 'breath'.
"... Wheeljack, that's brilliant," Elita-1 admitted, and the others nodded. "I mean... wow."
"You have outdone yourself," Leona agreed, crossing her arms. "And quite possibly saved our home."
"I'll get the paint!" Lupa exclaimed, then she shifted into her beast-form and bounded off.
"It was nothin'. Just common sense," Wheeljack insisted, closing his optics. "I'm sure you would've figured it out."
"Wheeljack." By now, Wheeljack was used to how Ultra Magus's servo felt on his rotator-cup, and he huffed. "... I know that you are scared. You have every right to fear for your partner... But falling back into old habits and shutting everyone out will not help her or Ratchet." The white Wrecker looked up at the commander, frowning, and Ultra Magnus managed a small smile. "I wish that you had vocalized some of these more-brilliant and less-Wrecker-ish strategies during the war, soldier. Had I known the real Wheeljack back then instead of the façade he put up, I believe we would have gotten along then as we do now... doctor."
"Ew, quit that." Wheeljack looked away again, trying to hide how flustered he was. "Ratchet's the real Doc. I can't even remember the last time I used any of my MDs or my PhDs, aside from the engineerin' one."
"I can," Ultra Magnus said, and Wheeljack blinked. "I think you mentioned your acting degree?"
Wheeljack blinked again, then he deadpanned and pushed Ultra Magnus's servo off. "Har-har. Very funny."
"I'm not joking, Wheeljack," Ultra Magnus tried, but Wheeljack was already back at work, scanning surveillance for any sign of Decepticon ground activity. "... We'll find them."
"Yeah. Sure."
The Decepticons had gone silent, having gathered all they wanted from the Earth. All that was left was finishing the Autobots off.
Fortunately, Wheeljack had been right. A coat of paint was enough to fool Starscream.
The mess hall was a necessary sacrifice.
"Good work, soldier." Ultra Magnus nodded at Wheeljack in a show of approval. "You were right."
The white Wrecker just watched the flames, his expression unreadable. "That's not always a good thing, commander. We still have to get our 'bots back... and I sure as the Pit hope I'm wrong about the kid."
Ultra Magnus placed his servo on Wheeljack's rotator-cup again—and this time, he was not pushed away.
/\
Ratchet had been easier to crack than Megatron had expected, but that did not matter.
The medic agreed to recreate and perfect his Synthetic Energon formula so that the Decepticons could recreate the Omega Lock. Cybertron would be restored, but not before Megatron cyberformed Earth; of course, Ratchet did not need to know that part.
"Between her two captures, I have acquired enough of a CNA and DNA sample from the techno-organic as well as multiple scans of her structure and subspace," Shockwave told Megatron as they both walked through the brig. Starscream was escorting Ratchet to the laboratory. "She is no longer necessary."
"You're certain?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Then, I see no need for us to keep her." Megatron folded his servos behind his back. "It's almost a shame that the little menace will not perish upon the battlefield. Regardless of her allegiances, she has a spirit worthy of the pits of Kaon." His optics narrowed. "All the same, she has been a thorn in my side for far too long."
"How shall we terminate her, my lord?"
"I'm thinking the reactor." Megatron paused before the door to the techno-organic's cell. "Damaging her body has not been enough to kill her. Destroying her completely is the only way." He regarded Shockwave. "Could the Nemesis take the energy she may give off?"
"I calculate an eight-three percent chance of successful termination."
"And the seventeen percent?"
"An sixteen percent chance that the reactor will explode and terminate us all. A one percent chance that she will survive the reactor, escape, and attempt some ridiculous scheme."
"... We'll have her in chains and in a storage container," Megatron decided, then he opened the door.
"COUNTRY ROADS, TAKE ME HOME
TO THE PLACE I BELONG:
WEST VIRGINIA, MOUNTAIN MAMA!
TAKE ME HOME, COUNTRY ROADS..!"
"FOR THE LOVE OF PRIMUS, UNICRON, THE THIRTEEN, THE MOONS OF CYBERTRON, AND THE STARS ABOVE, WILL YOU PLEASE SHUT UP?!" Knockout wailed, covering his audial sensors with his servos.
Jenna smirked in triumph, still chained to the floor but in no way the intimidated prisoner. "Oh, no—I'm just getting started, Red. Next one up is fucking Secret Tunnel, and I guarantee that it will rob you of whatever is left of your will to live."
"That won't be necessary," Megatron interjected, and both Jenna and Knockout looked at him in alarm. "Am I to believe that that's your people's poor excuse for torture?"
"Poor excuse?" Jenna raised an eyebrow. "Oh, buddy, you asked for it." She took a deep breath. "Time to break out one of the big guns...
SomeBODY ONCE TOLD ME-!" The girl paused as Megatron unfastened her chains before she shouted in surprise as she was suddenly picked up from the floor and dropped into a cylindrical container. The container brought back memories of Darkmount, and the girl's optics widened and she instinctively pulled her knees to her chain-covered chest. "Oh, shit."
"Afraid, little abomination?" Megatron questioned her, smirking.
Jenna blinked, then her optics narrowed. "Where's Ratchet, Bucket-Head?"
"Ah, your medic friend? He's safe... for now." Megatron turned and started walking, carrying her out of the cell as Shockwave and Knockout followed. Soundwave had arrived at that point, and he stood outside the door. "Shockwave, Knockout—you will go to the laboratory. Soundwave and I will escort Miss Darby to her final destination."
"Oh, I do NOT like the sound of that." Jenna cringed, then she frowned as Shockwave and Knockout departed. "You wanted Ratchet, and you're having those two go to a lab... What are you planning?"
"Nothing that concerns you," Megatron informed her as he and Soundwave began walking in the opposite direction. "After all, you won't be alive to see the end of this war."
"Yes, I will be," Jenna said, and the utter surety in her voice almost made Megatron pause. "The war will come to a complete end on Cybertron, in a final battle." She tilted her head. "I'll see the end because I'll bring it. Funny, but I didn't see you there."
"What are you playing at?" Megatron bared his fanged dentas in a light sneer, trying to hide how unsettled he was.
Jenna gave a small chuckle. "Megs, Megs, Megs—you can't scare me, not anymore. Once you know how a certain story-arc ends, it kinda loses the punch." She shrugged her shoulders. "Spoilers, but... Harry is a horcrux, Red is the real Adelaide, Taylor was on Earth the entire time, Darth Vader is Luke's father, and Daniels is Laeddis." She pauses. "Actually, Zuko's redemption arc and Bruce Willis being dead the whole time still hit different—but they're outliers."
"What are you trying to say?" Megatron was getting frustrated. Soundwave seemed to subtly be doing research to figure out what in the name of Primus the girl was talking about.
"... I know how I die," the girl replied quietly. "It's not here." Her optics narrowed again. "So, have fun while you can still think you've one-upped my real 'final destination'. I guarantee that whatever you've got planned for me is nothing compared to the bitch of an ending I've been dealt by the universe."
Jenna blinked as her container moved another space down the conveyer belt, watching as a block of Energon at the far end tumbled into a reactor and instantly burned.
"Well... That sucks." She glanced over at the door as it closed behind Megatron and Soundwave, then she looked up at the ceiling of her container with a frown. "Okay... I know I make it out of here... I just have to figure out how."
/\
It was discovered that the shard of metal Smokescreen had taken off of Laserbeak was part of its transponder. Raf was called in to crack the code, Miko and Jack accompanying him; Jack and Raf had to comfort each other and receive comfort from Miko after learning that Jenna and Ratchet had been taken.
Wheeljack, although showing the same aversion to being praised for it or offered anymore attention than usual, used his intellect to come up with a plan: he would give the transponder fragment some wings so that it could lead them to the Nemesis, to Ratchet and his partner. Optimus would serve as the tracker.
"The frequency modulator keeps shorting out," Raf complained as he and Wheeljack worked, the boy handling the programming while the 'bot handled the rocket science.
"Easy, champ," Wheeljack chided, giving the boy a small smile. "Let me try uncrossing some wires."
"Now, there's something you don't see every day," Smokescreen commented from a safe distance.
Bulkhead sighed. "Wheeljack wasn't always a loner, y'know? Being a Wrecker was always about the team." His face fell. "And I think I figured out why he left. I thought that, by leaving, he was being selfish and uncompromising, but... hiding his real talents, he was already making this massive sacrifice just to be accepted." He shook his helm. "Being asked to change even more, it was probably too much for him. He was our youngest, during the war—and I realize now that I shouldn't have left him behind when I joined Optimus. 'Jackie should have come with me... Maybe that would have helped."
"But you didn't—and now, he's got abandonment issues." Elita-1 crossed her arms. "He leaves so that he doesn't get left first."
"'Jackie never stays," Arcee recalled, then she sighed. "But he still cares too much, so he always comes back... He took a real chance on us, didn't he? Staying, and... showing us even a little bit of who he was before the war."
Bulkhead went to respond, but then there was a clatter and an exclamation from a far-too-young voice: "Ep-ep-ep! Miko, I needed that!"
"Oh, God—there's two of them," Sari managed, watching Raf scold Miko with mannerisms eerily similar to Ratchet's. "What have we done, letting Ratchet influence that one?"
"We made a monster," Bumblebee decided, and everyone nodded solemnly.
Soon enough, the drone—nicknamed Chip by Raf—was ready for takeoff and it was on its way, Optimus on its tail.
"... You two realize what you've been doing, right?" Sari raised an optic-brow, and Raf and Wheeljack blinked before looking at her. "Raf is being cranky and handing out orders? Wheeljack is being weirdly understanding and encouraging towards a little kid while also being emotionally-distant, awkward, and a bit of a mood-kill 'cause something bad has happened?" They just looked at her, and Sari sighed. "... Raf's acting like Ratchet and Wheeljack's acting like Jenna, and it's adorable."
Raf scoffed, wrinkling his nose. "Puh-lease!"
"Uh..." Wheeljack looked at the boy, then he glanced at Sari. "Yeah, that's... not right, is it? We sure he and Doc didn't get Freaky Fridayed?"
"Example A." Sari crossed her arms, smiling. "I can't wait to tell Jenna about this one."
/\
Another cube of Energon tumbled into the reactor.
"Damn it," Jenna cursed as soon as she noticed, still trying to wriggle out of her chains. "Come on, come on..."
The Decepticons had been thorough. The chains had been wrapped in such a way that they could not be affected by the deployment of her blades from her forearms and wrists (even though that much managed to break her cuffs), meaning that Jenna could not cut herself free. She tried activating her gauntlets to snap the chains, but it did not work. Her arms were pinned to her sides, unable to move or flex with her superior strength.
She was stuck.
"Damn it!" The girl hung her head, then she gritted her teeth. "Okay, to Hell with it. Gotta save Ratchet... It's worth a shot." She took a deep breath, then the techno-organic screamed in pain as she deployed her mangled wings.
As the damaged appendages sprung out, they did so with enough forces to snap the chains, and Jenna forced more deep breaths as her vision went fuzzy, black spots dancing before her optics.
"Oh, shit," she managed, then the girl closed her optics. With another cry of agony, she managed to force her wings back into her body, but the pain was overwhelming this time.
Jenna fell over onto her side, her whole body shaking and her hair covering her face, and it was all too much for her. The techno-organic's optics drifted shut as she passed out cold.
Loud footsteps rang out, and a shadow fell over the little figure. Predaking gazed down at Jenna, his yellow optics narrowed and his fists clenched, then he sighed quietly.
"A noble effort, little creature," he noted, resting his servo on the jar. Every molecule of his being wanted to slay the tiny Autobot, to make her suffer for her crimes and for the deaths of his brethren...
But reason told the Predacon that the adolescent being had gone through enough, battling against dishonorable tactics and enduring great suffering, and he was more than a mindless beast. He was better than the ones who hurt him, better than the ones who created him... The girl could pass on quickly and in her sleep.
"Consider this mercy as repayment," Predaking murmured. "For the two you spared. You may have turned them, but they may still be saved... I am not alone."
With that, the Predacon turned and left.
/\
All could have been lost when Chip was destroyed. Fortunately, Primus seemed to be on the Autobots' side.
:Autobot base, can you read? This is Ratchet! Can anyone hear me?:
Cheers rang out through Hangar E as Optimus joyfully responded to the message. :Loud and clear, old friend!:
"Aw." Sari grinned. "I can practically feel that smile. Wholesome."
:Listen to me. Megatron has managed to rebuild the Omega Lock onboard his warship,: Ratchet explained. :I've deactivated the Decepticon shielding system. You should be able to get a fix on my coordinates.: The sounds of blaster-fire rang out :Optimus, you must hurry. Megatron is preparing to cyberform Earth as we speak!:
"Where's the kid?!" Wheeljack asked, stepping forward to face the monitor. "Is she with you?"
:I believe she may still be in the brig, but I'm not certain.: More blaster-fire. :I'm sorry, I have to go!:
:Ratchet?: Optimus sounded worried as the call cut off, then he grew serious. :Autobots, lock onto those coordinates and prepare to storm the warship.:
"You heard our leader." Ultra Magnus looked at the others, his optics narrowed. "We're going in and we're going in heavy. Gear up!"
Arcee grabbed a small blaster, Bumblebee grabbed a blaster and shield, Bulkhead hefted a heavy cannon. Smokescreen took up a bow-shaped blaster and readied the phase shifter, Wheeljack grabbed a grenade and a blast-rifle (he could hear his partner making some bad joke, probably quoting Sarge from Red vs. Blue), and Ultra Magnus took up a blast-shotgun. The Predabots shifted into their beast-forms, Elita-1 powered-up her spider stingers, and Sari readied her energy hammer.
Raf activated the ground-bridge, and Optimus' voice rang through the base as they departed. :Members of Team Prime, Autobot and human, it has been my honor to lead you. On this day, the fates of two worlds hang in the balance—and the battle to come may very well be our last. But for Earth, for Cybertron, for our comrades Ratchet and Jenna... we must take the Decepticon warship!:
/\
Right out of the ground-bridge, everyone knew what Wheeljack was going to do. That was why, in-transit, Ultra Magnus quickly formed three teams and gave out assignments.
Arcee, Bumblebee, Sari, and Smokescreen would head to the Omega Lock to try and secure it. Elita-1, Lupa, and Leona would search for Ratchet and try to meet with him and Optimus to provide cover. The rest of the Wreckers would take the bridge.
It seemed that Optimus had a similar idea of how things would go, as the Prime gave the exact same orders as soon as he received the location of the Omega Lock from Ratchet. The teams parted ways soon after reaching the interior of the ship.
"Oh, boy. There he goes." Bulkhead cringed, watching Wheeljack charge down a hallway full of Vehicons. "Cover him!"
The white Wrecker did not need cover. Wheeljack raised his rifle and blasted his way through five drones before dropping the rifle and throwing a punch that slammed a sixth into a wall and knocked him out, causing the enemy to drop to the floor.
Wheeljack hacked his way through three more Vehicons, dodging blasts all the way, then he stabbed two more and decapitated another before knocking the final Vehicon remaining to the floor and pinning the drone with his ped.
"What have you done with the girl?" Wheeljack demanded, raising his sword over the fallen Decepticon. "TELL ME!"
The Vehicon just looked at him, then he scoffed. "Didn't you get the message, Autobot? The little freak's probably already gotten what she deserves."
"Message?" Wheeljack asked, then his optics widened. "Oh, Pit..."
"The techno-organic must be destroyed," Ultra Magnus realized, then his optics narrowed. "Where is she?"
"Lord Megatron dealt with her himself," the Vehicon told them, sounding smug. "Took her down to the reactor contained and in chains. The abomination's probably long gone, so why don't you-? Ah!"
Wheeljack tore his blade out of the Vehicon's chest, sheathed his blades, and grabbed the blast-rifle from the floor before starting to run. Bulkhead and Ultra Magnus exchanged glances before following him, knowing that Optimus would understand and would have made the same call.
/\
When Jenna woke up, her head was still spinning.
"Ugh..." The techno-organic sat up, her fallen chains rattling around her, and she raised a hand to her left temple before opening her optics and looking up woozily. She was just in time to watch the last Energon cube between herself and the reactor fall into the engine and burst into flames. "Oh, no."
Using the glass for support, Jenna forced herself to her peds, her optics wide, and she quickly activated her built-in blades and started slicing through the glass to create a hole for her escape. She was so dizzy...
"Come on, come on..." The girl whispered frantically, then she let out a sharp and involuntary cry as the conveyor belt began to move her towards the reactor. "No, no, no, no, no, no- FUCK IT!
Jenna deactivated her blades and punched through the glass, creating a jagged hole, and she leapt through it just before her container toppled into the reactor. The girl hit the floor with her shoulder and grunted at the impact, rolling for a few feet across the floor before coming to a stop.
Her whole body still ached due to her earlier breaking of her chains, but the young techno-organic managed to push herself onto her hands and knees, panting for breath she did not need.
"Agh…" Jenna winced as she reached back and rested a hand on her lower-back, then she sighed and opened her optics. "Can I never catch a break?" The sound of blaster-fire above answered her, and Jenna blinked before wearily forcing herself to stand. "I'll just... take that as a 'no'."
With that, the techno-organic took off running towards whatever battle was taking place.
/\
Wheeljack was not having a good day.
His partner and his favorite 'bot to bug had been kidnapped.
The rest of Team Prime seemed to nag him about the intelligence he had confessed to possessing, expecting him to somehow shift into a soft little schoolbot now that they knew he was really intelligent.
His drone got blown-up. Rest in pieces, Chip.
Now, he was storming a warship to try and save two planets from total Decepticon domination—which, for Earth, came with the added bonus of a planet-wide extinction—and he couldn't just blow the joint up because they still needed the Omega Lock to try and revive Cybertron.
And his partner might have been dead.
No pressure.
No stress.
Just shooting and stabbing until things got better.
Just like the good ol' days with the Wreckers.
"This way to the reactor, right?" He asked a Vehicon he had cornered, only to shoot him when he hesitated to respond. Wheeljack did not have time for this.
The Wreckers were running into a lot of resistance, and what the first Vehicon they had interrogated had done nothing to help the white and gray Wrecker's already-frayed nerves. They had a time-limit that they were not aware of, and that was if it was not already too late for the kid.
Pit, how many times was Wheeljack going to have to go through this complete and utter terror for the life of his partner? If he was not already gray, he would be by the time she was through with him.
Jenna would have laughed at that.
"Wheeljack, look out!" Bulkhead warned, snapping his friend from his thoughts, but it was too late.
Wheeljack grunted as a pair of Vehicons managed to land a couple of good shots—one blast landing in a way that made him drop his rifle, one getting in a decent punch that made Wheeljack stagger back.
"Frag," Wheeljack cursed, then he drew his blades and raised them, his optics narrowed as both Vehicons aimed cannons at him. "Go ahead! Make my day!" Something tapped the back of his helm, and Wheeljack looked back with wide eyes to see a third Vehicon with a cannon ready. "Oh, scrap."
"'Jackie!" Bulkhead shouted, frantic as he threw a Vehicon aside. He and Ultra Magnus were still too far away to help; in his rage, Wheeljack had gone too far ahead.
"Tough luck, Autobot." The third Vehicon chuckled, only for his helm to suddenly be pierced by a blue blast. The other two Vehicons facing Wheeljack raised their weapons and aimed at something behind him, but they each received a blast to the spark and dropped to the floor.
"What the-..?" Wheeljack blinked, then he looked back and around for the source of the blasts. Ultra Magnus and Bulkhead were only jut finishing their fights and turning to him, just as surprised as he was, then they heard someone clearing their throat and looked down at the floor.
"What would you do without me?" Jenna Darby smirked, raising an eyebrow as she lowered a smoking gauntlet. She looked tired and a little battered, but she was there and alive.
Wheeljack blinked again, then his optics widened as he sheathed his swords and dropped onto one knee to pick his partner up in his servos. "Kid, I-... I'm so-"
"Hey, we were both overdramatic idiots," Jenna crossed her arms, still grinning up at him. "Let's just move on and finish this fight. No chick-flick moments."
"I..." Wheeljack was at a genuine loss for words, then he smiled. "Tch... It's good to see you, kid."
"I know." Jenna winked, then she drew her blades and ignited them. "Now, come on! Let's do what we do best!"
"That's the spirit." Bulkhead chuckled, and Wheeljack placed Jenna on his rotator-cup before picking up his rifle. The Wreckers began making their way to the bridge, unaware of the danger that awaited them there.
"So..." The girl raised an eyebrow. "What did I miss?"
Storming the bridge was easier than expected. There were not nearly as many Vehicons as expected.
"Secure the bridge!" Ultra Magnus ordered, leading the charge. The Wreckers cut down several enemies, then the last turned to face them just after the Wreckers' techno-organic finished slicing the back of a Vehicon's leg and sending him dropping to the floor.
"Oh, great." Jenna cringed at the mere sight of Soundwave, taking a step back. "This asshole." A shadow fell over her, and Jenna blinked before looking up to see her partner standing between her and the Decepticon. "'Jackie?"
"I've been waiting for this, 'Con." The white Wrecker growled as the other two mechs moved to stand with him. "You're gonna pay."
The three suddenly charged, but Soundwave opened a ground-bridge beneath them and sent them falling into the unknown. Jenna, not knowing what else to do, ran forward and jumped in after them.
The ground-bridge ended up leading to a cell in the brig filled with Vehicons, and the four Wreckers had to fight their way out. By the time they were done, Jenna's body trembled with exhaustion, but she managed to stay standing.
"Well, great." Wheeljack deadpanned, looking around the brig and finding the sealed exit. "We're stuck."
Jenna rolled her optics, raising her hand and aiming it at the door.
"Don't be so dramatic," she told him, smiling as her hand shifted into a gauntlet. "We're not done, yet." Jenna closed her optics, taking a deep breath, then she opened her optics and focused as her gauntlet began to glow brightly. "The door's probably reinforced. I need to hit it hard." She reared her fist back. "Here goes a lot of Energon... HYAH!"
Jenna punched forward, and a massive beam of Energon shot out and blasted a massive hole in the door. The techno-organic in blue shouted in surprise as she flew out from the force of the attack, but Wheeljack's servo was waiting for her and he caught her.
"Kid, you're amazing!" Wheeljack grinned, holding her up.
Jenna laughed, standing and shifting her gauntlet back into a hand before brushing herself off. "Just doing what I do best, partner."
"Are you alright?" Ultra Magnus questioned her, frowning. "You seem tired."
The techno-organic was more than tired. She was low on Energon, aching from her battle with Soundwave and the effort of her escape, and she had not slept since waking up in the cell with Ratchet.
Still, she smiled. "I'm fine. Let's finish this."
The Wreckers noticed several Vehicons rushing in one direction and followed them, and they found themselves on the platform above the Omega Lock. Bumblebee, Sari, Elita-1, Lupa, Leona, Smokescreen, Ratchet, and Arcee were all there and fighting on a platform above while Optimus and Megatron battled on the lock below.
"Oh, no." Jenna's optics were wide as she looked down at the Omega Lock and saw that it was filled with a strange blue-green substance. "That's cybermatter, isn't it?"
"As bad as the situation here is, we have to go," Ultra Magnus informed her gruffly. "The bridge still needs to be taken. As long as Soundwave is in command, we cannot hope to win."
"... You and Bulkhead should go," Wheeljack said quietly, and the other two mechs looked at him in surprise. "Against Soundwave, the kid and I are a liability." He glanced at Ultra Magnus, frowning. "We'll stick around here, help out as best we can."
"'Jackie, you're not-" Bulkhead's words died in his throat as his old friend looked at him, then he sighed. "Be careful."
Ultra Magnus and Bulkhead turned and ran off, Lupa and Leona breaking from the fight to cover them.
"Thank you," Jenna said quietly as Wheeljack set her down on the floor.
The white Wrecker nodded. "Just stay close to me."
Jenna nodded, then she and Wheeljack went into the fray.
As Wheeljack stabbed a Vehicon in the spark, Jenna noticed that Smokescreen had been shot in the rotator-cup and knocked to the floor. The rookie's optics were on a massive sword that laid on the floor, something that only a bot like Megatron, Optimus, or maybe Ultra Magnus could probably wield well.
Acree covered Smokescreen—protecting him from Starscream—and Elita-1 tried to help Ratchet with Shockwave, but Ratchet kept placing himself between the mad doctor and the sparked femme anyway. Sari and Bumblebee—like Wheejack and Arcee—were trying to deal with Vehicons. Jenna felt so tired all of the sudden, so out-of-focus and pained...
But something drew her attention to one of the monitors and the odd words and images on it. Jenna blinked, then she walked over and looked up at it. If she was reading it right, she was looking at Shockwave's methods for synthesizing Cybernucleic Acid and the ratios necessary to combine it with Synthetic Energon and make cybermatter.
"That looks important," Jenna murmured, then she drew her phone, held it up, and took a picture. Ratchet would probably be able to make sense of it.
Just a second later, the screen went dark.
Bumblebee suddenly threw two Vehicons aside and ran for the sword; Starscream followed him, and Arcee followed him. Sari lagged behind to try and deal with the Vehicons, and Jenna ran over to blast one away from her fellow techno-organic while Wheeljack's sword went through the abdomen of the second.
Across the way, Shockwave threw Ratchet aside and knocked Elita-1 to the floor before running for the sword as well. Arcee managed to knock Starscream to the floor, and Bumblebee dodged four blasts from Shockwave before he was able to pick up the sword. The young scout threw the blade into the air, punched Shockwave in the optic and knocked him to the floor, then caught the sword and hefted the blade onto his rotator-cup.
Bumblebee started climbing down towards Optimus and Megatron, and Ratchet ran to a computer. "Optimus, you must use the Star Saber to destroy the Omega Lock! It is the only way to save Earth!"
"Am I missing some lore, here?" Jenna asked in confusion, glancing up at Wheejack, then she blinked. "And wait, you can't just-!"
"Cybertron had its chance, kid," Wheeljack told her quietly. "We're not letting Earth pay the price for our mistakes."
Jenna blinked, then she looked down at the Omega Lock with a forlorn expression. "... I'm sorry, 'Jackie."
"I've got the sword, Optimus!" Bumblebee shouted, dropping down a bit. Optimus and Megatron's struggle intensified, then Megatron managed to free his cannon arm and fire three blasts at the scout just as he jumped.
The first struck Bumblebee's chest, making him drop the Star Saber. The second and third broke the young Autobot's momentum, setting his chest ablaze. The Star Saber dropped onto the edge of the Omega Lock. Bumblebee plummeted into the cybermatter as his optics went dark, the scout quickly vanishing beneath the surface.
Jenna stared down at the scene in disbelief, the girl suddenly remembering that very first day when the yellow scout had beeped apologetically after crushing Raf's toy car and peered down the pipe that Jack, Raf, and herself were escaping through to make sure that they were alright.
"No," she whispered, horrified. He was just a kid.
Apparently, Optimus agreed. "NO!"
The leader of the Autobots was on his peds, slamming servo after servo into Megatron's faceplate and frame, and the battle was renewed. Jenna blasted Vehicon after Vehicon with her gauntlets as they came through the doors, but sometimes she was not fast enough to get to them before an absolutely devastated and unhinged Sari Sumdac did.
The other techno-organic was crying and screaming as she tore through the Cybertronian warriors like they were made of tin-foil, her face obscured behind her helmet while her optics and blades glowed with an unfamiliar intensity. Sari had cyber-ninja training, Sari was usually so calm and collected in battle, Sari had all of the experience... and Sari was making kill-strikes while the others mainly moved to disable, like always... but Sari had just lost her best friend.
Jenna knew she would be the exact same way... but Wheeljack would not want that.
And neither would Bumblebee.
So... that's how Jenna ended up disengaging her gauntlets and running across the relatively small battleground so that she could reach Sari, force her to stay still a moment, and pull her into a hug.
"It's okay," the techno-organic in blue whispered, feeling Sari squirm in her arms. She did not let go. "It's okay, it's okay. It's unfair and total and complete bullshit, but it's okay." Sari was still shaking in rage and grief, her breaths escaping in sobs mixed with growls, but Jenna closed her optics and raised a hand to the back of the other girl's helmet. "Until all are one."
Sari went still, then her forehead fell to rest on Jenna's shoulder as she let out a shuddering sob. "I-I never got to say-..!"
"He knew." Jenna opened her optics. "I know he did. He had to've." She closed her optics again. "Let's do this for him, okay? For him, for the Wreckers, for Detroit, for Jasper, for Cybertron, for Earth, for Prowl, for Cliffjumper—for everyone, okay? This ends today. No more."
"... Okay." Sari pulled back, her optics narrowed as her helmet disengaged to reveal her determined face, tears still falling from her optics in streams. "No more."
Jenna nodded, the she activated her gauntlets again as Sari readied her blades. The two techno-organics exchanged one final glance, then they charged back into the fray. This time, both of them targeted limbs to disable movement and weapons, and Vehicons hit the floor one-by-one as they prevented the arrival of backup for the top Decepticons.
Still, it was too much. There were too many, there always had been. Besides, this would all be for nothing if Optimus could not cut the head off of the snake and kill-
"MEGATRON!" An unfamiliar voice snapped, and it was followed by the sickening sound of metal piercing metal.
Sari and Jenna glanced at each other before running to the edge of the platform, Sari slicing one more 'whatever the Cybertronian-equivalent of an Achilles tendon was' as they went and sending a Vehicon dropping to the metal. They arrived and looked down, and Jenna's optics widened while Sari gasped.
Bumblebee kneeled at the edge of the Omega Lock, covered in cybermatter and gripping the hilt of the Star Saber with both servos. The hole in his chest rapidly sealed up, and Bumblebee adjusted his grip on the sword; the blade was buried deep in Megatron's chest, in his spark.
"You took my voice," Bumblebee spoke, sounding absolutely livid. Megatron weakly grabbed at the blade, which was slick with his own Energon. "You will never rob anyone of anything ever again."
The light faded from Megatron's chest and optics. Starscream's shout fell on deaf audial-sensors. The warlord slipped off of the Star Saber and plummeted towards the Earth in a fireball.
"Son of a bitch," Jenna managed, stunned. "Did that... just happen?"
Sari placed her hand on her fellow techno-organic's shoulder for support. Her optics were wide and fixated on Bumblebee as the scout helped a battered Optimus over a ledge and to safety.
The remaining Decepticons either fled into the ship or surrendered. Those who fled could be tracked down later, as there were other matters to be attended to.
Bumblebee and Optimus finished climbing up to where Ratchet, Arcee, Wheeljack, Elita-1, Smokescreen, and the techno-organics were waiting for them.
"Bumblebee..." Ratchet managed, staring at his former patient with a disbelieving grin.
Arcee decided to state the obvious. "Your voice."
Or maybe... not-so-obvious.
"My voice?" Bumblebee seemed confused. "What do you-..?" He blinked, then his optics widened. "My voice!" He dropped his battle-mask—ignoring Jenna's shout of "ah, he has a mouth!" and Wheeljack's responding optic-roll—before he ran over to Ratchet and hugged him. "Ratchet, I have my pipes back!"
"Yes! Yes, we noticed!" The medic laughed out-loud, beaming.
Jenna looked up at Wheeljack. "Bumblebee speaking? Ratchet laughing? Holy shit, this war is really ending. That, and maybe the universe."
Bumblebee pulled away from the medic and glanced down at his chest, as if only just realizing that he should—by all reason—be dead. "... The cybermatter."
"It is the only possible explanation," Ratchet agreed, nodding.
Optimus smiled. "It would seem the old field medic made good after all." The Prime opened his comm-link. "Optimus Prime to all units: Megatron is no more!"
Jenna took a deep breath. "That's exactly the sort of thing someone says before-"
"Don't." Wheeljack looked down at his partner with a small smirk. "I get it, but don't."
"Wreckers, Predabots: a job well-done, securing the bridge," Optimus went on.
:It wasn't us, sir,: Ultra Magnus replied. :The credit belongs to the humans.:
:HOO-YEAH!:
"That's our girl." Jenna smiled as Wheeljack chuckled. "... I wonder what her kill-count is."
"... Damn it!" Sari shouted, and Jenna actually jumped at the loud curse from the other girl before watching with wide optics as the techno-organic in orange marched up to Bumblebee. "What were you thinking, making that jump?! You scared the Hell out of me! If you ever do that to me ever again, I swear that I'll-..! I'll-..!" Sari threw her fists down to her sides, her narrowed optics tearing-up again. "I'll something! I'll figure it out!"
"Sari." Bumblebee got down on one knee to face his friend, his expression forlorn as he raised a servo and rested a finger on one side of her face. "I just-... Please, don't cry. I just did what I felt was right, a-and I'm okay." The techno-organic in orange sniffled and wiped her optics with her sleeve, and Bumblebee sighed. "I... I'm sorry..."
"No." Sari opened her optics and lowered her sleeve, looking up at Bumblebee with a weak-but-devious smirk. "I'm Sari. You're Bumblebee."
"Huh?" Bumblebee blinked, then he huffed out a small laugh and grinned. "That's okay. I like my name."
Sari's optics shone, and she raised a hand and rested it on Bumblebee's finger. "And I like your voice, 'Bee."
"... Raf is gonna freak," Bumblebee said, his face lighting up, and they both laughed.
"Okay, that was adorable." Jenna chuckled along with a few of the Autobots, shaking her head. "I don't understand all of the references, but damn."
Wheeljack snorted, glancing down at his partner in amusement, then he blinked before his optics widened and he looked at Ratchet in near-desperation. "Wait, this Cybermatter saved Bumblebee's life and fixed a really old and bad injury?"
"Why, yes." Ratchet glanced at Wheeljack, an optic-brow raised. "I thought that was clear. Why do you ask?" Wheejack silently gestured to Jenna, and Ratchet's optics widened. "Oh."
"Hm?" Jenna blinked, then she seemed to grasp the silent conversation and gasped softly, raising her hands to her mouth as she looked towards the Omega Lock. "You think-..?"
The Autobots all looked down at the girl, one who had been so injured and had been in so much pain. They saw a spark of hope in her optics, one she did not dare allow to grow too big.
"... Kid." Wheeljack sheathed his swords and suddenly scooped Jenna up in his servos, frowning at her. "It was a dumb idea, too risky. We'll figure something else out, so don't-"
"I want to try," Jenna said firmly, lowering her hands, and he blinked. "Come on, 'Jackie." She gave a weak grin. "We both know that I don't have a lot of options..." Her face fell. "This is my best shot."
Wheeljack blinked, then he sighed and deadpanned as he walked over and held Jenna out over the Omega Lock. "I've become such a fraggin' enabler."
"It could damage your organic components," Ratchet announced warily. "Are you willing to take that risk?"
"Yeah." Jenna nodded, smiling. "Let's do this." She stood up straight in Wheeljack's servos, then she looked up at him. "... You know I've got to try, right?"
"Yeah, kid. I know." Wheeljack gave a small grin. "You know I'm bettin' on you, right?"
The techno-organic beamed. "Yeah, 'Jackie. I know... Here I go."
Jenna took a deep breath, then she closed her optics and let herself fall back, down, and into the cybermatter. A few moments passed, then Wheeljack blinked.
"Kid?" He asked, then he heard a splash from below. "Scrap, did she fall out?! Kid?!"
"WHOO-HOO..!" A voice crowed, and Wheeljack blinked as a figure in blue shot up into the vacuum on the other side of the Omega Lock before flying into his line of sight and flying circles above the pool of cybermatter with a massive pair of wings. Jenna closed her optics and laughed as the Autobots watched her go, and Wheeljack slowly began to grin.
"... YEAH!" Wheeljack did a fist-pump. "There you go, kid!"
Jenna opened her optics and flew over to Wheeljack, and he held out a servo for her to land on. She looked up at him, beaming as she collapsed her wings into her back.
"I'm back," she announced, placing her hands on her hips.
Wheeljack smiled fondly at his partner. "Don't be so dramatic. You never left."
"The Omega Lock is under our control." Ratchet seemed to only just be starting to believe what was happening, that two of his 'failed' patients were healed and his world could be saved. "I propose that we put it to good use."
"Agreed, old friend." Optimus nodded, then he opened his comm-link. "Ultra Magnus, set a course for Cybertron. Ow!" Optimus looked to his side and saw Elita-1 looking at him with narrowed optics. "What?"
"Did you think I wasn't watching that fight? That was for almost dying on me, moron," the femme informed him, placing her servos on her hips. "You are beyond lucky that Bumblebee was able to come back and save you."
"Huh?" Bumblebee looked back, lowering his finger from his comm—he had been calling Raf—and raising an optic-brow. "What was that?"
Elita-1 nudged Optimus towards the scout. "Well?"
"... Bumblebee," Optimus began. "I have not-..." The Prime paused, thinking, then he sighed. "Risking your life like that, it was very reckless... but I could not be prouder of you. You were so young when this war began, and it has been a great honor to witness you becoming such a strong and brave mech."
"Thank you, Optimus," Bumblebee replied, beaming. "That means a lot, coming from you. I'm... really glad that I've made you proud." Optimus placed a servo on Bumblebee's rotator cup, and the scout's door-wings fluttered.
"Just hug your boy already, boss-'bot!" Jenna shouted, her hands cupped over her mouth and a grin on her face, and Wheeljack snorted. Bumblebee made himself roll his optics while he really seemed embarrassed, a nervous smile on his face, and Optimus sighed before pulling Bumblebee into a hug; the scout blinked, surprised, then he closed his optics and hugged back. "Whoo, yes! Supportive found-family win! Ratchet, next—he needs a hug, too! In fact, all of you sad losers better start hugging each other!"
/\
Raf, Fowler, and June were bridged up onto the Nemesis, then they used the Decepticons' space-bridge to send the warship to Cybertron. Long after all of the Decepticons they could find were moved into the brig, Jenna watched a monitor with narrowed optics and blinked in surprise before sighing.
"Well... there go Shockwave and Starscream," she murmured, watching an escape pod drop towards Cybertron's surface on the screen. "Maybe that Knockout guy, too."
Knockout could probably go, Jenna decided. With her little concert earlier that day, she had already made him suffer enough.
Wheeljack noticed and walked over, frowning as he watched with her. "We'll catch 'em, kid—just like Jack and Miko caught Soundwave. Don't worry about it."
"We'll have to let Soundwave out of this 'Shadow Zone' sooner or later," Jenna reminded him. "He'll die, if we don't."
Before Wheeljack could respond, Ratchet spoke up. "Optimus, I was never able to learn Shockwave's side of the cybermatter equation. This may be all we ever have, and Cybertron is a much larger planet than Earth."
"Then, we must launch the cybermatter at Cybertron's very core," Optimus replied, his expression resigned.
Ratchet's optics widened. "Into the heart of Primus himself?!"
"... 'Jackie, you're about to roll your optics at me so hard that you'll be able to see your processor," Jenna informed her partner, and he blinked as she walked over to where Optimus and Ratchet were standing. "Err..." The techno-organic in blue held up her phone, smiling awkwardly. "I think I pulled a minor Miko, Doc."
Ratchet blinked, then he got down on one knee to examine the picture on her screen. "... Miss Darby, you never cease to amaze." The medic looked up at her, stunned. "With that, in time... we can restore all of Cybertron through the use of cybermatter."
"Fun." Jenna grinned sheepishly as everyone stared at her. "Saved by teenage 'wow, that's cool-looking' instinct. Humans, am I right?"
"... For frag's sake." Wheeljack placed a servo on a consul to steady himself, raising another servo to his mouth. "You little-..." He lowered his servo and grinned at the girl, then he closed his optics and started laughing. "You actually stopped in the middle of a fight over the fate of two planets to take the most-important picture in Cybertronian history! That's my fraggin' partner! Ha!"
"Fuck, I broke 'Jackie." The techno-organic in blue cringed as her partner just kept laughing, then she threw her phone up for Ratchet to catch before running over to Wheeljack. "Hey, I just thought- Whoa!" Jenna blinked as she was suddenly picked up and prought to Wheeljack's chest, his other servo cupping around her as he gave one of his odd 'hugs', then the girl smiled and closed her optics. "I guess your home's gonna get put back together a bit faster than expected, 'Jackie—especially if Ratchet decides to fix the old Omega Lock with this new one."
Ratchet's jaw dropped as Bulkhead, Smokescreen, Bumblebee, Sari, Jack, Raf, and Miko started laughing much as Wheeljack had. Arcee snorted while June covered her mouth with her hand, Fowler and the Predabots chuckled, and both Elita-1 and Ultra Magnus grinned broadly at the merriment.
No one was prepared for Optimus Prime himself to glance at Ratchet's face, start smiling, then close his optics and laugh out-loud.
Maybe everything was really going to be okay.
Wheeljack glanced out of the window then back at the monitor, and he triggered a series of controls that slowed the Nemesis upon approach to a large hole in Cybertron's surface.
Jenna—now on Wheeljack's rotator-cup—saw it and blinked, surprised yet again that day, then she swallowed something that rose in her throat; what it was, she did not know.
"Commander, we've arrived... at the Well of Allsparks," Wheeljack announced, parking the Nemesis above the massive pit.
Jenna snorted. "Nice dramatic pause. Very cinematic."
"Shut it." Wheeljack's expression of annoyance broke down into a smile as soon as he turned his helm to look at his partner. "And really, drama comments from you?"
"I'm not dramatic," Jenna insisted. "I adapt to situations in an aesthetically-pleasing way... when my Cybertronian brain-cells decide to pull their fucking weight, that is."
Sari looked over at Bumblebee with a grin. "Your home's coming back, 'Bee. Are you excited?"
"More than you know," Bumblebee replied, a soft smile on his face.
The cybermatter was fired into the Well of Allsparks, and after a few moments, all of Cybertron began to glow as the long-dead planet was brought back to life.
"Whoa." Jenna gazed down at the planet in awe, and Wheeljack still had a grin on his face as he glanced at her. This being her first real look at his home was sort of perfect. "It's incredible..."
"Such luster," a voice commented, and everyone looked back to see Knockout standing there with a smug grin. "What? I'm joining the winning team."
Miko punched him out, and Jenna winced as the unconscious Decepticon medic hit the ground. "That's rough, buddy."
There was suddenly a loud flapping sound, and everyone looked outside to see a massive figure fly out in front of the Nemesis and become silhouetted against the Cybertronian sun as it flew away.
"The Predacon," Ultra Magnus muttered, his optics narrowing.
Lupa crossed her arms. "Worry not. We will find him."
"... Cybertron can sustain life, now," Jenna noted quietly, glancing over at Wheeljack. "And King 'Con is dead, Earth is safe... but your planet's gonna need some brainiacs and maniacs to get back on its feet, between the cybermatter synthesis and the inevitable throwing of hands between refugees post-war."
"Yep." Wheeljack nodded, suddenly a little stiff. "It's gonna be tricky... and I wouldn't blame anyone who didn't wanna get caught-up in it."
Jenna blinked, then she deadpanned and lightly punched the side of Wheeljack's helmet. "Idiot."
"What?" Wheeljack raised an optic-brow. "I'm just saying, you don't have to."
"Tch. Yeah, I do." Jenna gave a small smirk, crossing her arms and leaning against his helm. "You'd probably die if I wasn't around to keep you from doing the really dumb shit. I think I'll keep my schedule clear, keep tabs, renew my passport."
"Earth is your home, kid," Wheeljack reminded her. "You can't just-"
"Dude, don't even try to give me any of that bullshit." The techno-organic in blue chuckled. "I've mentioned that I wanted to travel with you forever, right?"
"... Yeah." Wheeljack gave a small smile. "I think you have."
"Then remember it, Wheel-jackass," the girl remarked. They just looked at each other for a moment, then Wheeljack cracked and started laughing again, his partner soon joining in.
The war was over.
The war was won.
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The Autobots returned to Earth and took their time to say their goodbyes. Finally, only one more decision had to be made...
"What about us?" Sari asked, gesturing to herself and Jenna. "We're part-Cybertronian, and you need all the help you can get with the rebuilding."
"You should stay here, Sari," Bumblebee said, frowning. "Your dad probably misses you."
Sari placed her hands on her hips. "I can just space-bridge to him at any time."
"Hm." Arcee crossed her arms as she looked between the two girls. "The both of you have Unit E to think a-"
"Prime." Jenna looked over at Optimus. "Can you make it so techno-organics have full and equal rights on Cybertron?"
Optimus blinked, surprised, then he smiled and nodded. "Of course."
"Cybertron, it is." Jenna grinned, and the humans' jaws dropped. "Let's get this show on the road."
"Jenna, no," Jack protested, walking over to her. "Mom and I weren't even fully-okay with your six-month trip to space or your year on the road. You can't just-"
Jack blinked as a hand was placed on his shoulder, and June stepped forward and gave a small smile.
"... This world was never big enough for you, Jenna," she announced quietly. "If you really want to, go and give Cybertron a chance." Jenna blinked as June stepped forward and placed her hands on the girl's shoulders. "We will always be here for you—if not here, then-" She placed a hand on the techno-oraganic's exposed spark-chamber, then she slid her hand slightly to the left side of the girl's chest. "Absolutely here."
"I..." Jenna's optics teared up, then she stepped forward and hugged June, closing her optics as tears raced down her face. June hugged her back, tears of her own falling from her eyes as she rested a hand on the back of the girl's head. "I'll see you again."
"I know," June whispered, beaming. "Be careful, baby."
Jenna pulled away, wiping her tears away, then she looked over at Jack. Slowly, the boy stepped forward and held his hand out.
"Idiot," he whispered, giving a sad smile. Jenna grinned, reaching up and clasping his hand.
"You know you love me, Jackson," she told him, then she blinked as he pulled her into a hug. Slowly, the techno-organic hugged back and closed her optics. "In case I've never said it... you're the best older-brother anyone could ever have."
Jack gave a small laugh, closing his eyes. "I'm just the awkward guy who works at the K.O. Burger and screams at red-eyed talking robots."
"Unless it's Megatron, in which case you lose all sense of self-preservation."
"... Point."
"Hm," Jenna hummed in amusement, pulling away and placing a hand on Jack's shoulder. "I repeat: best older brother, ever—of all time."
"... You'll always be my little sister," Jack told her, and she blinked. "No matter where you go, no matter what you do, no matter if you change or stay the same... you will always be Jenna Ann-Marie Darby, sis, and I'll love you." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Now... go and crush some bad-guys while you rebuild an alien planet, Snow Queen."
"Y'know, you and Wheeljack are always gonna be the only ones who ever get away with calling me that." Jenna gave a small smirk, then she looked back at the Autobots. "... I'm ready."
"No, you're not!" Miko shouted as she and Raf suddenly ran up, Miko tackling Jenna in a hug from behind. Jenna almost fell over, but she righted herself as Miko grinned. "You're my sister now, ain'tcha? You've gotta say 'goodbye'!"
"I don't say 'goodbye'." Jenna smiled lightly. "'Goodbye' means 'forever'... 'See ya, Miko' means 'I'll see you, again'."
Miko beamed and hugged Jenna a little tighter, closing her eyes. "Tell Cybertron that Miko sent you, okay?"
"You've got it." Jenna grinned, turning to face Miko after she was released. "Look after Earth, for me. Special attention to Jack, Mom, Raf, Fowler, and Ratchet."
Miko nodded, saluting jokingly. "You've got it."
"... Do you have to go?" Raf asked quietly.
Jenna blinked, then she smiled again. "Yeah, kiddo. I need to help the gang get Cybertron up and running again... Just promise me one thing." She spread her wings. "Stick together, flesh-bags—and make sure Ratchet doesn't get bored. You do remember our science-projects, don't you?"
"Yep!" Raf laughed, and the techno-organic in blue seemed relieved. "Stay out of trouble!"
"No promises, kiddo."
"Ready?" Wheeljack grinned, holding a servo out. Jenna spread her wings, flew up, and landed in his servo, beaming as she collapsed her wings into her back and nodded.
"Absolutely," she told him. Wheeljack beamed, then he set Jenna on his rotator-cup as he turned to the opening space-bridge. "... Is it bad that I'm kinda nervous?"
"No... I am, too," Wheeljack admitted, looking over at her. "My planet's been dead for millennia, and now the war's over and I actually get to go home... but that's okay. Wanna know why?"
"Why?"
"... My partner gets to see the best of Cybertron, and I'll be there to see it." Wheeljack gave a crooked smile.
Jenna blinked, then she raised an eyebrow. "Uh, did you miss a memo? I've seen the best of Cybertron."
"Wait, what?"
"Tch." Jenna smirked, knocking on his rotator-cup twice. "What would you do without me, you big grey moron?"
Wheeljack blinked, then he looked at the portal with wide optics before his smile returned. "Heh."
"... They won't last a week." Miko grinned, crossing her arms. "Say 'goodbye' to your sweet, 'innocent', little baby sister, Jack! You won't see her again."
The boy looked at Miko, annoyed. "Hey!"
"I'm just saying."
Jack rolled his eyes, then he looked forward as—one by one—each of the Autobots disappeared into the space-bridge... and he had a strange, sinking feeling that Miko was right.
He wouldn't see his baby sister again.
-0-0-0-0-0-
I never needed the wings. Not when I had my friends, my family, my partner...
I think that's why Primus gave them back.
Where I was going, you could not follow.
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Hey, guys!
Big, BIG chapter to make up for a bit of absence. Sorry about that, but that's life for you!
The next few chapters won't take nearly as long. I've taken the last few days before my next semester starts to seriously work on this so that I can get them done as quickly as possible.
I'm not done with this story, not by a long shot.
Thanks for your patience, guys. I promise to make it worth it.
I only own my OCs. Please read, review, check out my other stories, etc. Thanks! :)
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Comments Hall of Fame!
I'm Just Here for the Memories / Don't Judge Me I'm a Fangirl
" AAAAAHHHHH I CANT BELIEVE I DIDNT KNOW YOU UPDATED"
(I was wondering where you were. XD )
"I LOVED THIS CHAPTER!"
(Aw, thanks. I had a lot of fun writing it. :) )
"Jenna's response to my question was HILARIOUS! Well, initially at least..."
(It was great, and you know it. XD )
"I have so much to say but I also have more chapters to catch up on, so it will all be said eventually!"
(Will it, though?)
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"OK NEVER MIND ABOUT THINGS I HAS A QUESTION"
(Aaaand, there we go. XD )
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Ask a Character!
I'm Just Here for the Memories / Don't Judge Me I'm a Fangirl: "WHEELJACK, what are you going to do when you get your hands on Soundwave? EVERYONE ELSE, do you have the bearings to try and stop him?"
Wheeljack: *smirks* "Oh, trust me—when I get my servos on that faceless creep, he's gonna wish he was never protoformed. I haven't worked out all of the details just yet, but I'm thinking that there will be some slicing, some welding, and some grenades involved."
Jenna: *sighs, smiles, shakes her head* "Isn't that a little dramatic, 'Jackie? I mean, I'm okay."
Wheeljack: *crosses his arms* "So? Soundwave crossed a line, and he's gotta pay."
Jenna: *crosses her arms* "Shouldn't I be the one to decide that?"
Wheeljack: "You're the JUNIOR partner, kid. I call the shots, when it comes to things like this."
Jenna: *optics narrow* "Excuse me?"
*the others watch as the pair starts to bicker*
Bumblebee: *cringes* "So... who's up to stop the vengeance?"
June: *shakes her head* "Stop it? I'll be cheering Wheeljack on."
Jack: *exasperated* "Mom!"
June: *defensive* "Soundwave hurt my baby. Let Wheeljack soften him up a bit before I get my hands on him."
Jack: *sighs* "... Yeah, I'm probably not going to stop him either. That's my little sister, after all."
Ratchet: *scoffs* "Miss Darby is perfectly fine now, and Soundwave is detained in the Shadow Zone. Let this end, here and now. There's no need to go about causing-"
Ultra Magnus: *optics narrowed* "Bulkhead, you and I shall restrain Soundwave's arms while Wheeljack punches."
Bulkhead: *surprised* "What?! Uh, I mean... yes, sir?"
Optimus: *perplexed* "Commander?"
Ultra Magnus: *crosses his arms* "I said what I said."
Elita-1: *smirks* "Aw, how cute. Maggie's gone native and unleashed his mother-bear instincts. Look at him, getting all paternal and protective."
Ultra Magnus: *deadpans* "Stop."
Smokescreen: *cautious* "Uh, so... should we get ready to let Faceless out?"
Arcee: *rolls her optics* "Let's wait for 'Team Ride or Die' to stop bickering."
Lupa: *raises an optic brow* "Why? Release him, and I will simply avenge my charge and end all discussion myself by tearing the mech's head off."
Leona: *shakes her head* "Too quick. He needs a good mauling."
Raf: *wide-eyed* "Uh..."
*back with the partners*
Jenna: *arms crossed, looks away* "I'm healed, now. Why do you still feel the need to protect me? I can take care of myself."
Wheeljack: *sighs, gets down on one knee* "Look, kid, I know. I just-... I do what I do because it's like second-nature to me, and... I want to do it. I want to take care of you and keep you safe, even when you don't need me to. Pit, you always seem to look after me and keep me safe..."
Jenna: *looks up, confused* "You want to? Why?"
Wheeljack: *blinks* "Well, um..." *deep breath*
Everyone Else: *watches with wide eyes/optics*
Wheeljack: "... Why do you look after me like you do? It's probably the same reason."
Jenna: *flustered* "Well..."
Miko & June: *about to lose their shit*
Jenna: *smirks* "Someone's got to look after the universe's dumbest genius."
Wheeljack: *grins* "Ha! Why, you little-..!"
*partners start playfully bickering*
Miko: *sighs* "I don't know what we were expecting. They're dorks."
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That's all, for now! See ya! :)