Chapter 75 – Picking Up the Pieces
Phoenix P.O.V
Sentinel growled and lunged at me with his shield trying to knock me off balance but I quickly side stepped around and kicked him in his back, sending him staggering forward a few paces. He retrieved his lethal looking blade from its sheath on his back and swung it back around to slice at me.
I had already drawn my own blade and managed to block the falling blow – though it took some effort. He was strong and he was fuelled by rage. Sentinel grunted and stepped back to strike again. Again, I blocked and slashed at him causing him to step back in surprise.
I stepped towards him and engaged him in a flurry of rapid strikes and slashes before I used my psychokinesis to shove him roughly off balance. Quickly retracting my blade, I stepped forward towards his stumbling form and landed a big right cross to his face. Sentinel went flying backwards towards the vault. A look of satisfaction on my face plates, I strode towards him, blade up ready to take him on again.
Sentinel had risen to his pedes and lowered his blade to a group of soldiers nearby. He retrieved his cannon and aimed it at another group. He had had enough of playing. ''I grow tired of your distraction you metallic fleshling. Hand over what is mine or they are all obliterated.'' Sentinel's face showed no sign of emotion or remorse.
He would do it.
I began to feel fire course through me. My right palm ignited with flames as did my optics and the rest of my body soon followed suit. Sentinel's face registered shock and fascination and for a moment he withdrew his weapons as he took in the sight before him. I raised my servo in the air preparing to attack.
::PHOENIX! Stand down. Do NOT engage Sentinel. Repeat - Do Not engage. Fall back:: Lennox's desperate voice came through my comms. ::We do not have the capacity to fight him::
I growled into the comm, ::I DO!':: I raised my servo higher, the flames burning and flickering in a fireball.
Lennox replied in a voice that brooked no opposition, ::That is an order from ME… COLONEL LENNOX, at present I outrank you soldier. STAND DOWN!::
With a loud and final growl of frustration and anger, I lowered my servo, ::FINE!:: I screamed, disconnecting the link. The flames began to die down though I did not take my gaze off Sentinel.
Sentinel allowed a triumphant grin to grace his dermas, ''Wise decision.'' He abandoned the humans and turned towards the vault.
''GET OUT OF HERE!'' I yelled at the humans. I briefly noticed a familiar face, Olivia Winters, and I nodded to her as she retreated with her team.
I stood back, my body shaking with rage and pain as I watched Sentinel break into the vault and emerge a short time later, clearly having retrieved the pillars. He threw me a smug, arrogant look. ''All I want is for the survival of my planet and its race. Once we have what we need to achieve that, we will leave in peace. Then again, if that means your planet and people must perish in the process, then so be it.''
I shook my helm in disgust at him, my voice dripping with contempt, ''You call yourself a Prime! You are not worthy of the title. Optimus Prime is ten times the Prime you are. This is NOT over!'' My servo was clenched in rage.
Sentinel's optics flashed at me, ''YOU presume to lecture ME on unworthiness?! Who are YOU to think yourself worthy of the attention of a Prime and speak so familiarly of them, even one as lost as Optimus Prime?'' Sentinel's dermas twisted as though he had swallowed something unpalatable. ''I saw the way you looked at him and he looked at you.'' I felt myself tense and fire flowed through me. It was all I could do not to burst into flames. He sneered and all but spat at me, ''A flesh bag such as yourself, though wrapped in a pretty metal casing, is wholly unworthy of being in the presence of a Prime in every sense of the word. You are beneath us, beneath him and Optimus would do well to remember that.''
I felt myself recoil at his words, my own self-doubt raising its ugly head.
Sentinel smirked as he saw my reaction. The words had hit their mark. He began to stride towards the exit. ''Heed my warning. Dare to get in my way next time you repulsive fleshling in metallic skin, and I shall end your miserable life and that of your precious, misguided Prime as well.''
As I watched his form retreat, I called out in an equally threatening tone, ''Heed mine Sentinel. There WILL be a next time and you may find this AUTOBOT harder to kill than you think.''
Though his arrogance prevented him from turning around to acknowledge me or my threat, I saw him pause at the deliberate use of the word ''Autobot', a shudder running through his frame. I smiled /Good, gotcha arsehole/. Though I wanted to scream my anger and frustration and allow the flames to spew forth from my servo and destroy something, I would not allow that smug bastard the satisfaction of hearing my anger and knowing he got to me.
I stifled my rage, closed my optics and leant against the wall near the empty vault. All at once a powerful throbbing and burning sensation travelled up my left arm as I became painfully aware of my severed servo. I let my helm hang down and clutched my arm.
Moments later I snapped my helm up as I heard the distant sound of a truck engine rumble into the hanger. /PRIME!/. I pushed off from the wall and walked back towards the source of that comforting sound. There – transforming amid the burning debris stood Prime. His face reflected the depth of his sorrow, confusion and betrayal.
Mearing arrived on the catwalk above him, Lenox and Sam with her. ''Yeah. Take a look Optimus! This is all on YOU!'' she screamed accusingly at him. I felt my ire rise slightly as she verbally attacked him. Though I said nothing in his defense. I had tried to warn Prime about the danger I sensed in Sentinel, but he had been blinded by his memories of his mentor. He could not – or did not want to - see what his mentor had become. I watched as Optimus flinched at her tone and the weight her accusation carried.
The group of NEST soldiers I had saved ran up to Lennox to report, ''Sentinel hit the vault, he took the pillars.'' Lennox kicked the wire railing of the catwalk. ''Alright. Come on, let's go. We need to notify the 101st Airborne. We need to hunt down this thing,'' He yelled as he charged off with his team and Sam in hot pursuit.
It was at that moment I walked into the room and yelled at him as he fled down the catwalk, momentarily halting his departure, ''I COULD HAVE stopped him Lennox, but YOU ordered me to STAND DOWN! He was right there in front of me. I had a fireball lined up ready to pitch at him.'' The anger and resentment clear in my voice. ''But YOU made me stand down and now he has the pillars!'' I roared at him.
Sam hesitated a moment before continuing down the stairs on his mission, presumably to find Carly or his parents or both.
Prime had snapped his helm in my direction at the sound of my voice. His optics widened in horror as he took in my injured arm as I cradled it. ''Phoenix!'' he yelled and strode over to me.
Lennox also flinched at the sight of me but then threw me an exasperated look. ''DON'T start this shit now Phoenix! I was not aware of your position regarding Sentinel at the time of the order AND you were injured last time I saw you. I did not know the extent of your injuries and did not want to presume you were in a fit state to take out the target. Forgive my concern.'' He threw his arms up in the air. ''Add it to the list of my fuck ups today. Now, if you don't mind, I have a job to do.'' Without another word he raced off with his team to try and intercept Sentinel.
I turned my frustrated attention from Lennox to Prime and rounded on him. ''And where were YOU Prime? What took you so long?'' He was looking at my arm with great concern. Though he refrained from reaching out to touch me.
He sighed, ''I got separated from Sentinel in traffic. I had not heard how dire the situation was,'' he ground out, ''otherwise believe me, I would have found a way to get here immediately.'' He ex-vented deeply trying to expel his building frustration, anger and betrayal. He raised a servo to his helm and activated his comm ::Rachet!:: he barked ::your presence is required in the main hanger immediately. Phoenix has been injured::
I could faintly hear Rachet's voice coming through the the comms ::Of course Prime. I was just tending to Ironhide, though he is now stable. I'm on my way::
Prime turned his attention back on me and his optics softened, ''Are you okay? What happened?'' He gently reached out to me and placed his servo under my right arm and began to lead me in the direction of the med bay.
I sighed as I allowed him the small comfort of touching me as he led the way. ''That bastard lied to us. He used us all. YOU most of all! Turns out he made a deal with Megatron BEFORE he crash landed on the moon. He knew you were not going to win the war, so he decided to broker a deal with Megatron. He was in league with him all along. They needed you to reanimate him with the Matrix so he could carry out his objective of using the pillars to activate the space bridge and try and save Cybertron by transporting all the energy they need form Earth to there.'' I allowed the anger I felt to seep into my voice. ''He played us all!''
Prime shook his helm, ''Not you Phoenix. You knew from the start something was not right. You tried to warn me, but I would not listen.'' He paused a moment and looked at the devastation around him, shuttering his optics sadly. ''Mearing is right. This is all on me.'' He cast his helm to the ground unable to look at me. The depth of sorrow and self-loathing rolling off him chased away any remaining anger or sense of vindication I felt.
Ironhide's words came rushing back to me, /The other would be there to pick up the pieces, rebuild and move forward/. I stopped and turned to face him, using my right servo to raise his helm to me. I tried to fix his optics with mine, which he begrudgingly allowed. ''No Prime. It is not ALL on you at all. Sentinel MUST be held accountable for HIS actions. You were not to know of the depth of his deceit, none of us did, including me. To you he was your old mentor and friend. How or why would or could you possibly foresee this?'' I gestured around me.
He lowered his helm to mine, bridging the gap between us, desperately seeking contact and repentance. ''Forgive me my Phoenix for not listening to you. For my stubbornness?''
I gave a small laugh against his helm. ''Oh Prime, of course I forgive you! You made a mistake. Everyone does. As you well know, what is important is that you learn from them and I dare say you have. Besides, now you are aware of Sentinel's betrayal, I know you will stubbornly pursue and eventually defeat him. You will right your wrong.'' I smiled at him, ''It has been brought to my attention that your stubbornness, while a pain in the aft, is also one of your greatest and most admirable qualities.''
He smiled at me, ''What did I do to deserve someone such as you Phoenix?'' He brought his servo up to brush against my cheek before he leant down and captured my dermas in a kiss. The unexpected intimate contact sent waves of pleasure and happiness rolling through me. I moved to deepen the kiss but the sound of Rachet and the other Autobot's engines filled the hanger and we broke apart. /Damn it to the pits!/. Prime also gave an audible sigh and we broke apart.
''To be continued,'' I winked at him as I turned to face the oncoming vehicles.
''I truly hope so Phoenix,'' was his quick reply as Rachet pulled up before us and transformed.
He looked at my arm and shook his helm, ''How did you manage this?'' He moved to examine it, gently clasping it in his servo.
I gave a small wince of pain but before I could speak Ironhide had arrived and transformed, supplying the answer, ''Sentinel. He shot her with his cosmic rust cannon.'' He growled the words, his anger and vehemence towards Sentinel evident in his tone. Ironhide turned to face me, a look of appreciation and respect on his features, ''Phoenix saved my life. She realised what he was about to do and pushed me out of the way. Sentinel punched her and then shot at her. I guess one of the shots made it through and hit her servo.''
I shrugged my shoulder, ''That about sums it up Rachet.''
''Actually, it doesn't. If he shot you with his cosmic rust cannon, you should be a pile of rust by now. I think I can connect the dots here but, please, humour me.'' Rachet continued examining my arm, raising his helm briefly to shoot me a wry smile.
''Well, when I saw what was happening to my servo, I figured the only way to stop the rust spreading was to, well – sever my servo. So, I used my energon blade to cut it off.'' I felt Prime flinch beside me and step closer, Jazz and the others had also arrived and transformed, and I heard a few whistles and gasps of shock at my morbid explanation. ''Oh, believe me, it was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. In fact, I still think I am in shock.''
Rachet nodded his helm, ''I dare say you could be Phoenix. I have to say though, that was incredibly brave and lucky. Had you not done what you did…'' his voice trailed off. ''Plus, by using your energon blade to sever your arm, the heat of the blade cauterized the wires and lines which helped to stop you losing a lot of energon and possibly bleeding out. You kind of saved your own life.'' Rachet raised his helm and smiled at me.
''Can you repair Phoenix Rachet? What do you need to do and can any of us be of assistance?'' Prime's baritone voice rumbled beside me. Though he was trying not to let it show, you could hear the sense of worrying and urgency in his tone. I couldn't help but feel a wave of appreciation and love wash over me.
''Of course, I can repair her Prime and we should have everything we need right here to do so. I just need the time to do it without any interruptions. I know the timing is bad but as of now, and for the next 48 hours, you are effectively down two on your team while I attend to Phoenix and Phoenix is repaired and healed.''
Prime nodded, ''understood, then that is your priority now Rachet. The timing is indeed not the best, especially if Sentinel has taken the pillars and defected to the Decepticons. No doubt he will try and open his space bridge.'' Prime seemed to get lost in his own thoughts for a moment. ''Rachet, please take Phoenix and begin the necessary procedures without delay.'' He turned to face the others, ''We shall go and try to locate Sentinel and I shall try and reason with him, see if I can't get him to see that this is not the path to take.''
I shook my helm, ''Prime, no. Sentinel cannot be reasoned with, he is too far gone. If you heard the way he spoke to me.'' I turned my helm away for a moment as I prepared to relay what Sentinel had told me just a few minutes ago. ''He told me that he only wants the survival of his planet and his race but to do that he will use our resources here and, if that means he destroys our planet and our race in the process, then so be it. He said you were lost, and he called me an abomination, a flesh bag in a metallic casing.'' I felt my own ire rise to the surface again as I recalled his mocking words. Again, there were some gasps and muttering amongst the other Autobots.
Prime's frame tensed, he clenched his servos and his optics flashed fire. ''He called you that? He has indeed fallen deep under Decepticon influence if he spoke to you that way. The Sentinel I knew..''
''Is gone or twisted!'' I interjected. I placed my right servo on Prime's arm. ''I'm sorry Prime I know he was your mentor and friend but from what I saw and heard of him earlier, you can no longer perceive him in that light. He was willing to kill anyone who stopped him getting to those pillars. He nearly killed two groups of soldiers and he would have tried to kill me if I had of engaged him and tried to stop him. He said as much to me before he left. He threatened me.''
''What did he say? Prime enquired.
I shook my helm, ''It does not matter what he said, the point is he said it! He is in that mindset.'' I squeezed his arm for a moment. ''I really don't think talking to him will help.''
Prime shuffled on his pedes for a moment though his gaze never left mine.
I gave a loud sigh. I knew what he wanted to say but didn't know if he should or could. I released his arm and stepped back, smiling at him. ''But, you are going to do it anyway aren't you?'' I raised an optical ridge at him in silent query.
Prime made no reply.
I let out a loud and somewhat defeated sigh. ''of course, you are, because that's who you are. You are Optimus Prime. The Prime who always strives to see good in others, the Prime who always tries to seek a peaceful resolution and the Prime who is loyal to a fault and never gives up on someone they care about.''
Everyone stood in silence, no one dared speak. Prime looked at me with a somewhat embarrassed yet appreciative and grateful expression as I voiced what he could not and, once again, gave him my support. He began to reach out to me, but I turned to Rachet, I did not trust myself in this moment if he were to touch me. ''Okay Rachet we might as well go and get this seen to. Prime is going to need all, pardon the pun, servos on deck asap.'' I began to walk off towards the med Bay, Rachet right beside me. I could feel Prime's optics on me, watching my retreat. It was all I could do not to turn around run back towards him and launch myself into his arms like I used to do when I was OC.
''Rachet, you look after her.'' Prime finally spoke and his voice was both a command and a plea.
I stopped for a moment and turned to face him, ''Optimus, be careful.'' I flashed him a bright smile, though I wanted to cry and turned to continue walking towards the med bay. Rachet nodded his helm to Prime and resumed walking beside me.
''Well said Phoenix,'' Rachet spoke up when we had walked a distance away, ''I know that must have been difficult for you, not being able to reach out to him and show him how much you love him.''
I silently nodded my helm as I clutched my wounded arm to my chest.
We continued walking for a few paces before Rachet spoke again, ''I don't know if I have ever said this to you before but thank you. Thank you for being there for my friend and my leader in the way you have. You do not know the profound effect you have had on Prime, and all for the better. You truly are a light for him.'' We had reached the med bay door.
Rachet turned to face me, a soft and appreciative look on his features. I didn't know what to say as I had so many different feelings jostling for attention. ''Phoenix, I know I may not show it, but I am so grateful that you came to join us all those years ago. I am so grateful that you survived your transformation, and I am so grateful that you and Prime have finally recognised and realised your feelings for each, other. No two bots are more deserving of happiness.''
I felt myself heat up with the Medics comments, Rachet never spoke this way. ''Well thanks Rachet, but we haven't truly voiced the depth of our feelings yet. At this stage all we really know about how the other feels is that we care very deeply for each other and have feelings beyond that of friendship. We haven't even gotten to tell each other that we….,'' I felt myself baulk slightly at saying the word out loud. I hadn't said that word out loud since Chase. ''You know what I mean,'' I chickened out.
I gave a derisive snort, ''slag, we haven't even had ten minutes alone since that night on the beach! I can't help but feel how everything is going, we may never get the chance to have a proper shot at the happiness you speak of.'' I couldn't help but allow a scowl to form on my faceplates.
Rachet gave a soft human like sigh, ''I know Phoenix. I can understand how difficult it must be for you both. While I can appreciate you both want the chance to explore and confess your true feelings to each other first before you inform all of us, I don't know why you both just don't come out with it! Just so you know, there isn't a single bot amongst us who is not aware of how you both feel and, more importantly, there is not a single bot among us who is nothing but overjoyed at the thought of you both together.''
I felt somewhat embarrassed, but I could not contain the smile that spread across my dermas. Knowing that those who mattered the most to me, well among my Autobot family anyway, approved of Prime and I being together was a huge weight off my shoulder struts.
Rachet keyed in the code and we entered the med bay. He led me over to the gurney in the operating bay and bid me sit down. ''I guess what I am trying to say ever so inarticulately Phoenix, is don't waste time. You have seen how quickly circumstances can change; how cruel fate can be. Why waste a second of being with each other, allowing yourselves to be with each other openly and honestly in front of everyone, when you have the opportunity? If I were you the next chance you get, I would show Prime and everyone else how you feel. Let there be no doubt in his spark or yours of how you feel.''
He began organising the various instruments he would need, and I watched with morbid curiosity. ''Take it from me, after millennia of knowing and serving Prime, he is not the fastest bot to express how he feels. He tends to hold back and play his cards close to his chest until he is certain of his feelings and he has analysed every possible scenario and outcome. Kind of like a battle plan, which I guess in some circumstances the comparison is relevant.'' Rachet laughed out loud. ''Spontaneous he is not when it comes to matters of the spark.'' Rachet administered some sort of pain killer which started to take effect almost immediately and sighed with the welcome relief.
I gave Rachet a lop-sided grin, ''Well, ah, Rachet he was the one who kissed me. He made the first move.''
Rachet nearly dropped the tool he had in his hand and his dermas flew open. ''He did what?''
I nodded, dipping my helm slightly, ''Yeah. I uh, without going into too much detail, I had basically out and out asked him ''DO YOU or do you NOT actually care about ME Optimus Prime?'' When he made no answer, I asked once more ''Well, DO you?'' and about a spark beat or two after that he rushed forward and pulled me towards him and kissed me.'' I laughed, ''quite passionately actually Rachet.''
Rachet gave a snort and laughed out loud, ''Well Phoenix, even if he has not said the exact words out loud to you, I am telling you now, he loves you! They say actions speak louder than words and Prime has never acted that way before.'' He shook his helm, ''You have indeed captured his spark Phoenix, well and truly for our careful, measured and proper Prime to be acting in a such a spontaneous and passionate manner.'' Rachet shook his helm again while laughing. ''Keep leading him astray and who knows, we might have casual Fridays on base.'' Rachet sent me a wink.
I laughed out loud, a genuine, deep laugh. It felt good. Rachet smiled at me and for a moment, all the pain, stress and tension Sentinel's betrayal had caused, melted away. Rachet blinked his optics before sobering slightly. ''One last thing Phoenix, while we are in the sharing mood. I am grateful for being able to count you as one of my closest and dearest friends,'' and the old crotchety mech smiled at me, a genuine, heartfelt smile.
My optics widened in shock and I stuttered. ''Rachet, I..'' I fought to find the words.
Rachet's smile changed to one of mischief. ''Now, if you tell anyone I said that to you,'' he injected me with the necessary drugs to force me into a deep recharge. ''I'll say it was the drugs speaking.'' The sound of his laughter was the last thing I heard as I slipped into unconsciousness.
