Chapter 77 – Shattered Alliances
Prime P.O.V
As I strode into the comms room at our HQ in Washington DC, I was immediately aware of General Morshower on screen liaising with William Lennox and other JCS members. I walked over to stand beside Jazz, nodding my helm in greeting.
''Combantant commands are now at DEFCON 1,'' Morshower intoned, his voice laden with concern.
Lennox replied, ''There are now approximately 200 Decepticons in hiding. Energon detectors have been triggered as far away as South America and China.'' My spark twisted painfully and felt heavier at this news. /My fault. I told them whom to trust/.
At that point I saw another soldier approach Morshower, ''We received an encrypted audio file. Say it's from the leader of the Autobots.'' I felt a flash of anger roll through me. /I am the leader of the Autobots! Sentinel relinquished that honour when he betrayed us and the people of this planet, we now call home/.
A familiar gravelly voice, once filled with wisdom and kindness, now radiated and exuded hostility and arrogance. ''Defenders of Earth. We have come for your natural resources to rebuild our damaged planet. When we have transported all we need, we will leave your world in peace.'' I felt my servos clench by my sides, /How misguided he is to think Decepticons would honour that!/. ''For such a peace to exist you must immediately exile the autoboot rebels you have harboured. Non-negotiable! Renounce the rebels. We await your reply.'' At that last comment the lines of communication went dead.
The message had been delivered. The message was clear.
The treaty between Earth and the Autobots was officially terminated. Our alliance was at an end. With a heavy spark, I closed my optics and let the thought sink in and permeate throughout me. The humans could not and would not say no to this request. Our allies knew our number - nine Autobots. The Decepticons now numbered in the hundreds and Sentinel had the means to deploy countless more. In terms of military tactics, numbers and statistics it was a sensible choice and the only option. In terms of honour, courage and sacrifice, it was a low blow and one that was a bitter pill to swallow.
Opening my optics, I turned to Jazz and in a low whisper gave him my command. ''Jazz. Tell the Wreckers to go ahead with our contingency plan. It is only a matter of moments before Director Mearing contacts me to formally request our surrender and exile. I had already contacted Arcee and the others back in Diego Garcia when Phoenix was injured in case we needed more back up. I have diverted their plane to head to Cape Canaveral. They should arrive there shortly.''
Jazz nodded his understanding and then added, ''And Phoenix? Will she be comin' with us? Should I have Rachet wake her?''
I shook my helm. ''Negative Jazz,'' his face registered his surprise at my comment, ''if this plan is to work then we need everyone to believe we are gone. This includes Phoenix. I doubt Sentinel will notice Phoenix's absence as he sees her as beneath him and, as such, not worthy of his attention.'' Jazz slowly nodded his agreeance.
''Okay Prime. But I think she is gonna be pissed when she wakes up and we have all done the Harry Holt and disappeared on her. Especially you! I HOPE your relationship is strong enough ta survive tha wrath she will bring your way.'' Jazz made a low whistling sound and shook his helm.
I allowed a small chuckle to escape my dermas, ''Me too Jazz, me too. But it has to be this way. Hopefully, in time, she will understand why we had to do this.''
At that point I heard my comms go off /Mearing/. ::Director Mearing, this is Prime:: Jazz gave me a knowing nod and I dipped my helm to him as he headed off to put our plan into motion. As I listened to Director Mearing relay to me what I had already known was going to happen, I felt my processor leave the conversation, /Am I doing the right thing? Should I take my Autobots into hiding and refuse to leave? Should I wake Phoenix and take her with us?/.
::I'm sorry Optimus Prime. But you must surely understand the situation we are in and why we must take this course of action. I wish you all well:: Mearing gave the closest thing to an apology I have heard.
::You must do what you feel is right, naturally, Director. I had hoped it would not come to this, but I have given my word. If you ask us to leave peacefully, we will honour that request. Though I do recall telling the previous Government liaison Galloway, what if we leave and you are wrong? I hope you are prepared to accept the consequences of your actions. I wish you well too:: At that the line went dead. Silence filled my audials for a moment. The calm before the storm. I steeled myself for what was about to come.
::Rachet:: I commed my Medic, ::Please check on Phoenix to ensure she is sedated enough for the next 24 hours and that she will be in good health upon waking. I will be by shortly to - say goodbye myself:: My spark constricted.
::Affirmative Prime:: Rachet replied.
::Ironhide?:: I commed my weapons specialist. ::Inform all Autobots we will be departing for Cape Canaveral and the Xanthium within the hour. We have been asked to leave Earth::
There was a moment's silence before Ironhide replied ::Understood Prime. Consider it done::
Taking one last look at the screens before me and the images of the JCS Lennox and Morshower discussing military tactics. For a brief moment Lennox looked up and caught my gaze. His face expressed all the bitterness and sorrow I felt in my spark and he gave me a brief nod of thanks and farewell. Dipping my own helm in acknowledgment, I turned and walked away towards the Med Bay.
It was their fight – for now.
The Sound of a helicopter's rotor blades echoed overhead as my Autobots and I were escorted towards the awaiting Xanthium. The human soldiers we once called our allies, were now on hand to ''make sure we cooperated and left peacefully''. As we pulled up on the landing pad, I heard the cars carrying Sam and Simmons also come to a stop. This was going to be hard, but it had to be done.
''Check the nitrogen levels, we're booking outta here!'' Leadfoot, one of the Wreckers announced as Sam walked towards me. He seemed in a weird mood. His right arm was held tightly against his body and he was very twitchy, more so than usual for him. I was on alert.
''Optimus?'' It was a one-word question laden with so much pain, fear and concern. Sam looked imploringly at me.
I slowly turned to face him, ''What your leaders say is true. This is all my fault. I told them whom to trust. I was so wrong.'' I shuttered my optics and let the pain and self-recrimination flow through me.
Sam shook his head at me, ''That doesn't make it your fault. It just makes you human for a change.'' His words offered some comfort for me.
''Remember this. You may lose your faith in us, but never in yourselves.'' I tried to send him some comforting words as I could tell he was becoming upset.
He flinched in agony and clutched at his wrist. /Something is not right/. I gave a quick scan of his body and detected faint energon readings coming from the watch on his wrist. I inwardly growled. /Decepticons!/. I did not let on to Sam that I knew he was being manipulated. Even if he wasn't under their control, I would not be sharing with him our plan.
Slowly, in short, gasping breaths, Sam asked what I knew would be coming, ''I need to know how you're going to fight back. I know there is a strategy. You're coming back with reinforcements, or something! I know there is a plan. You can tell me; no other human will ever know.'' He exhaled roughly as though what he said had taxed him greatly.
The way he said ''humans'' he was trying to alert me in his own way. I felt a flood of warmth and endearment towards Sam.
I blinked my optics at him before replying dead pan, ''There is no plan.''
Sam became upset and agitated, ''But if we just do what they want, how are we going to live with ourselves?''
I bent down towards him to address him one last time, ''You are my friend Sam, you always will be. But your leaders have spoken. From here, the fight will be your own.'' I do not trust myself to keep speaking. What else do I say? I turned away from him and walked towards the Xanthium. My spark felt heavy with sadness and a bitter taste assailed my mouth at the sound of my own deceitful words. /I am sorry Sam. It is for your own good. Soon, all will be revealed/.
As I walk towards the shuttle, I noticed Bumblebee lurking behind one of the pillars of the launch structure. He was itching to talk to Sam, pleading with his optics. I relented at seeing my young scout so wrought with emotion. ''Make it short, we're loading up.'' I did not hear all Bumblebee had to say to Sam as I continued on my path to enter the ship.
I was eager to get our journey underway and put our plan into action.
Later that night, I tried to settle into my cramped position within the first booster rocket, surrounded by my team. We were all crammed in and the air felt heavy with mixed emotions. The rocket itself is not just a powder keg waiting to ignite, several Autobots' simmered on the edge as they painstakingly awaited what was in essence, a very risky gamble.
My thoughts turned to Phoenix who was still sedated back at NEST HQ in Washington DC under the watchful eye of trusted medics who promised to watch over her. I felt my spark weigh heavy with the burden of deception it bore. First Phoenix, formulating this plan and not telling her, and now Sam and our human allies. I closed my optics and tried to justify my own deceit. /Our plan's success relies on total secrecy and believability. We, I, had to omit certain truths. I had to keep Phoenix in the dark/.
Even though I am surrounded by my team, my friends, I feel utterly alone. The other half of my spark, my spark itself, lies slumbering in her own darkness hundreds of miles away, abandoned by our human allies, totally unaware of our plan and our departure.
Jazz's words echo through my processor. /I hope your relationship is strong enough ta survive tha wrath she will bring your way!/. I inwardly sigh as I silently battle my demons and count the moments 'till dawn sets in motion our plan -our greatest deceit and what will hopefully lead to our greatest victory.
/Please Primus – let it work!/.
