Chapter 76 – Severing the ties that bind

Prime P.O.V

I pulled up quickly near the Lincoln memorial, having tracked Sentinel to this point. I had come in a last desperate bid to sway his decision and reason with him, in the hopes of preventing this current madness from unfolding. I transformed and stared in disbelief at the large silver and red mech, the figure of my once mentor and friend, as he placed his servos on the pillars to activate the space bridge.

''Commencing transport,'' Sentinel's gravelly voice announced as he began to trigger the disastrous event.

I rushed towards him, my servo outstretched, begging for his attention. ''STOP! NO! No, no Sentinel!'' The disbelief and utter desperation saturating my words.

''Forgive me,'' the two words were spoken in a regretful and saddened whisper as though he had no choice. Even as I continued to move towards him, a column of light and electricity sprung forth from the pillars he had so carefully orchestrated into position. A gateway into the heavens to bridge reinforcements. /What have you done Sentinel? What have I allowed to happen?/. The words echo through my processor and tear at my spark.

For a moment, nothing happened, just a pillar of blue light and crackling electricity pulse and dance above the reflective pool. I was unable to move as the gravity of what was about to occur hung like a weight upon me, fixing me to the spot, forcing me to watch the horror unfold. Within seconds, menacing looking Decepticon figures and spacecraft leap from within the column of light.

Director Mearing's words echo through my processor. /Troops of soldiers, weapons, bombs! Means of an instant strike, that is its military function is it not?/. I closed my optics in silent repentance. /Forgive me/. In the distance I heard the engines of my team, Bumblebee, Dino, Jazz, Ironhide and Sideswipe as they arrived with Lennox and the other NEST soldiers in a vain attempt to contain or confront the enemies spewing forth.

The sound of cannon fire and explosions around me, wrenched me from my observations and roused me into action. Sentinel had begun to withdraw, running away from me, turning to shoot a volley of fire at me. The blasts exploded around me, forcing me to the ground to avoid getting hit. /We cannot hope to engage them here, not now/. As I raced to chase Sentinel down in a final attempt to make him see reason, I called out to my Autobots, and Lennox, ''Autobots – retreat!''

I followed Sentinel as he cut across the reflective pool, splashing through its still waters. Giving a loud and angry growl, I crash tackled him into the set of stairs on the opposite side, bringing both of us down in a loud metallic crash. I sprang to my pedes almost immediately, but Sentinel was surprisingly quicker, and he drew his weapon on me, aiming it at my helm as he shoved me roughly against the concrete pillar of the statue.

I could hear myself grunting and growling in annoyance, anger and effort to fight off my traitorous friend. I thrashed about, trying to push him away and off of me. He easily knocked my servos away. ''WHY Sentinel, Why?'' I begged the answer to my question. The pain of his betrayal, his incomprehensible actions, the hurt and anger, all of it, twisted together in the tone of my voice.

He shoved me back roughly against the concrete monument behind me. ''For Cybertron! For our home!'' He pushed me again, slamming me into the concrete, using my body to accentuate each statement. ''What war destroyed we can rebuild but ONLY if we join with the Decepticons.'' He pushed me once more and brought the blade of his sword against my throat in a menacing and threatening manner.

I was rocked to my core as I stared up into the steely optics of my once mentor and friend as he pinned me down and threatened me. There was no kindness there. No compassion, no wisdom. His whole reasoning defied reason! I grabbed his sword arm and pushed him off me momentarily. ''No! that is not the only way! This is our home,'' his sword arm came back to rest against my neck, ''we must defend the humans!'' His blade pressed sharply against me as I desperately tried to reason with him. He leant down to speak to me in a mocking tone.

''So lost you are Optimus, On Cybertron we were Gods!.'' Sentinel removed his weapon and stepped back from me, turning away for a moment, ''and here they call us machines!'' The disgust and anger rolling off him permeates his words and makes my spark constrict. /Oh, my friend. Where have you gone?/.

He turned back towards me, bringing the point of his blade against my neck cables and his cannon to bear on me as well in a final threatening display. ''Let the humans serve us or perish!'' His face is hard and twisted by hate, malice and a sense of superiority. As quickly as he bought his weapons upon me, he pushes away and begins to stride off.

As his figure retreats into the night, he turns back towards me, sending me a warning, ''you're lucky I didn't kill you. In time, you'll see.'' Perhaps it was a final gesture and acknowledgement of our friendship and student mentor relationship that stayed Sentinel's servo. I will likely never know, though in that moment I knew he was walking away from the Autobot cause, from me, for good.

Slowly, rising to my knees, I feel my servos clench by my sides as the anger, frustration and grief wash over me. ''It's not over,'' I grind out. Though I doubt he heard me, I send the words; a promise, a challenge, and a threat, rolling out into the cool night air.

My gears and pistons groan and hiss as I rise to my pedes once again. I now know beyond any shadow of doubt that there is nothing I can do to get through to Sentinel. He was lost. Just as Phoenix had said. I stared in the direction Sentinel's form had disappeared into the night shadows and I bid him a silent farewell. /Goodbye old friend. When next we meet, it will be as enemies in the field of battle/.

Before tonight I had resolved to try and convince Sentinel to abandon this course of action, to join us again and wipe clean his treachery. Now I felt a new resolve steal throughout every fibre of my being. The resolve and determination to stop him and bring him to justice, and if that meant killing my old mentor and friend, I would do it. As Phoenix said, ''I would right my wrong.''

No matter the cost.

Having returned from confronting Sentinel, I sat quietly in the semi-dark recovery room. ''You were right My Phoenix. Once again, I should have listened to your wise words.'' I sat beside the sleeping form of my dear Phoenix, holding her right servo in mine as she recovered from the operation to rebuild the lower portion of her left arm. My spark ached to hold her and pull her close to me, but she had to rest and recover.

Rachet had seen to my superficial injures I had sustained while engaging with Sentinel and had now left me alone with Phoenix for some privacy. Despite the fact she was in not in any condition to talk with me, just being near her was enough, would have to be enough for now.

I raised my other servo to brush my digits against her cheek and her helm. I ex-vented deeply as I took in her form. /How I loved her/. Thinking back now, I had always felt drawn to her, even as a human. She had a presence about her. I wanted to get to know her. As the years went by, she demonstrated time and again her bravery, honesty, compassion, good humour and loyalty towards my team and me. Not to mention the unique skills and talents she possessed that she used to protect and defend those around her.

She cared so deeply for us all and our cause. She spoke to me with such raw honesty, demanded it from me. She saw through the aura that most others placed around me and reached up to pull me down from that pedestal I had been placed on and offered a hand of true friendship. She saw through me, through the barriers I put up. Saw all my faults and failings that others were blind to or did not want to see, and she called me on them. But she also accepted me for them.

I cupped her cheek and brought my helm down to hers. I do not recall the exact moment my feelings shifted from friendship to love; all I knew was that I loved her. With all my spark. What had started as a friendship, had grown, and blossomed into a deep and all-consuming love. I could not imagine my life without her in it and I did not want to.

I gently kissed her dermas before slowly pulling away and sitting upright again. I smiled down at her. For millions of years my spark had been cold and ached with the loss of another I had loved. I had never thought it possible for that love to replaced, even more so to be eclipsed and yet, as I gazed down at Phoenix, I knew it to be true. Phoenix was not just the other half of my spark; she was my spark. /Tell her! Stop holding back and tell her exactly how you feel, how important she is to you. Why are you waiting? Time, life, is precious – you know that. Why waste it?/.

I smiled at my own foolishness and felt my optics fix on her beautiful face, as if committing it to my processor. Grasping her right servo in mine and squeezing tightly, I allowed the words to tumble out of my dermas, ''I love you Phoenix.'' I brought her servo to my dermas and kissed it. For a moment I thought she might stir, look up at me with bright optics and say it back to me, but she continued to slumber.

I sighed. A wry smile twisting my dermas. /Now, if you can manage to say that to her conscious form, you'll be doing well!/. Once again, on que, my comms unit went off. ::Prime here::

Jazz's voice flowed through my audials ::Prime, I'm sorry ta interrupt ya but I think ya oughtta head up here. Things are getting tense. I have a feelin' our contingency plan is about ta come inta effect:: Jazz's voice held deep regret and sorrow.

I closed my optics as a spike of fear and pain stabbed at me. ::Very well Jazz. I shall be there directly:: I cut off the comm link and looked down at Phoenix. I once again brushed her cheek with my digits and bent to kiss her helm. ''Oh, My Phoenix. How I wish you were awake to be with me now, I need you. I need the strength you offer me. But I have to do this alone without you. It must be this way if what I think is about to happen unfolds, I must keep it a secret even from you, especially from you. We must make the world believe we are gone if we are to change their mindsets and truly help them.'' I rose to my pedes.

''Please, my Phoenix, forgive me. All will be well. I will return to you and I will tell you to your face that I love you. You have my word.'' I gazed at her supine form once more before I turned and walked towards the comms room and the awaiting mayhem.