27- Orion Pax (part 1).
"In high sight, we accomplished what was required. With Unicron's awakening, extreme measures needed to be taken: enemies became allies, allies became confidantes. And with the Matrix of Leadership, the planet Earth was saved." Ratchet was retelling.
"Though at an immeasurable, personal cost. When Optimus surrendered the matrix, he lost more than the collective wisdom of the Primes, he lost himself." Elita finished.
"That doesn't follow. Optimus knew Galvatron." Arcee started.
"They were like BFFs." Warpath added.
"(Well, more like worse enemies forever.)"
"Then why our leader acted that way with us?" Sideswipe asked.
"If Optimus did not know his own name, perhaps it is because the title of Prime hasn't yet been granted to him." Elita concluded.
"Huh?" Tracey asked.
"What?" Ritchie asked.
"Say again?" Bonnie added.
"With the power of the matrix no longer within him, it would stand to reason that Optimus has reverted to his pre-Prime state." Ratchet explained.
"The historical archivist, Orion Pax." Elita finished.
"You mean in his mind." Ranger Solana assumed.
"So are you telling us that Prime thinks he's a librarian and a Decepticon?" Ranger Lunick added.
Meanwhile, in the Nemesis's bridge…
"Attention crew, our guest is currently in isolation to help ease his transition. But when Orion Pax emerges, he is to be showed every courtesy. And the first to address him as Optimus Prime will have their voice box torn out." Galvatron announced.
"Lord Galvatron, is it wise to allow an Autobot, current or former, full run of the premises?"
"Nothing happens aboard this ship without my knowledge. You would do well to remember that, Airachnid. But there's no need for concern: Orion does not possess the same fight Optimus' is so renowned for."
"Then what use is he to our cause?"
"Ah, rest assured. Orion Pax will indeed earn his stripes."
Inside the ship's medical bay, Knock Out was doing something on Orion's shoulder.
"Welcome back to the winning team." Knock Out said, revealing that Optimus now had the Decepticon emblem instead of the Autobots'.
Back at base…
"Being a Decepticon is a choice, Ranger Lunick. One that I have a hard time believing Optimus would make, at any point in his life." Elita clarified.
"So if he's ridding with the Cons…" Hot Rod started.
"It's because Galvatron is working some kind of voodoo." Wheeljack ended.
"Orion Pax may not currently be an Autobot up here." Ratchet said pointing his head. "But we must believe he will never stop being one in here." He pointed to his spark.
"Nevertheless, we must locate him, to know for certain." Elita added.
"Hold on. We pokémon rangers have trackers somewhere in our equipment to let headquarters know when we are taking a break. Are you telling us you can't just track Prime?" Ranger Lunick asked.
"Optimus's signal has not reappeared since he embarked for Earth's core. But we must get to work finding him, if we have any hope of initiating his contingency plan."
"What are you referring to, Ratchet?" Elita asked surprised.
"Contingency plan?" Moonracer asked.
"What contingency?" Sideswipe followed.
"Is that even a word?" Max asked.
"The key card." Ash said pulling out the key. "So what's it do?"
"It grants access to Vector Sigma: the repository of the wisdom of the Primes." Ratchet answered.
"Is that some sort of supercomputer?" Clemont asked.
"I see where you're going, Ratchet. You think that if we could use the key to reload the Matrix of Leadership, Optimus will recover his memories instantly." Elita deduced.
"So it would be like downloading Optimus's memories back to him." Serena translated.
"Precisely." The Autobot medic confirmed.
"Great! Which one is Vector Sigma? Over here? Somewhere in back?"
"Vector Sigma is more than a supercomputer, Ash. It is an ancient source of mystical power…on Cybertron." Elita revealed.
Back in the Nemesis, Galvatron was accompanying Orion into the bridge. He saw all the Decepticons turning at him, stopping on what they were doing, but nothing more.
"You have been a captive of the Autobots, and locked in stasis for quite some time, Orion. Long enough for us to be in exodus on another world." Galvatron told him.
"Exodus, why?" Orion asked.
"Because the warlord Ratchet's careless actions led to this."
What Galvatron showed next let Orion without words, horrified by what he was seeing.
"Cybertron."
Seeing his planet dead, Galvatron could observe Orion's face showing pure anger and rage, which made him smile. Meanwhile, at base…
"Ash Ketchum, you will not be travelling to another planet." Delia objected.
"I can take his place." Ritchie volunteered.
"Me too." May followed.
"You're not going either. Not when one of you can." Delia said looking at the Autobots.
"Miss Ketchum is right. Why send a boy to do a Bot's job?" Ranger Solana defended.
"Because only a Prime can access Vector Sigma, or one chosen by a Prime." Elita explained.
"Optimus gave the key card to Ash, it is now imprinted with his unique bio signature." Ratchet revealed.
"So, you mean Ash is like some kind of honorary Prime?" Misty asked.
"Let's just say Ash is the only one who can return Optimus to the Autobot we knew." Elita clarified.
"But why would Optimus willfully endanger a human? A child?" Delia demanded.
"Mom, I'm already not that young." Ash complained.
"Maybe because Optimus believes there's more to Ash than meets the eye. We already know the great things you did in your adventures before you met us." Arcee suggested.
"All of which is moot, the key card is useless to us without a means of reaching Cybertron. Which we at present do not possess." Ratchet reminded.
"Hum, Ratchet, what about that?"
"Bonnie, the ground bridge barely got them into Earth's orbit, remember?" Clemont retorted.
"Yeah, but Ratchet built it. Can he and you just turbo charge the thing?"
"Hey, that's true. Think it can be done?" Max supported.
"I don't know. Ratchet, what do you think?" Clemont asked.
That made Ratchet think about it. Back to the Nemesis…
"I cannot believe Ratchet's capable of such horrors." Orion said in disbelief.
"Yes, and to think the Doctor of Doom's mad quest for power continues. His marauders pursued us to this planet's orbit. We feel it's species are not ready to behold us, but we have resolved to protect this world from the same tragedy which was dealt to our own."
"One question, Galvatron. Why are we called Decepticons?"
"Another craven Autobots scare tactic: the name was meant to demonize us. Instead, we wear it as a badge of honor: for us speaking the truth is a deception, then we are gladly guilty." Galvatron invented, earning a nod from Orion. "Now please Orion, there will be plenty of time for catching up, you must rest."
Galvatron was about to leave when…
"Galvatron, I will do my part to stop Ratchet's unspeakable crimes of aggression." Orion said as he balled up his fist. "This I vow, with all my spark."
That made Galvatron smirk as he left Orion on the bridge. Moments later, he was with Soundblaster.
"It seems we have successfully achieved control of Orion's spark. Now to put his mind to work. Have you sanitized the data core?" Galvatron asked, earning a nod from Soundblaster. "Excellent. Our new archivist will require unlimited access to our files, and would be counterproductive for him to stumble upon any sensitive information."
Sometime later, Ash, his mother and Serena were having a picnic in the plains alongside Serena and Ash's pokémon (all the ones living at professor Oak's lab). While Serena and his mother were talking about certain things, Ash decided to lay under a tree observing the landscape with Pikachu sleeping on his feet. He heard a few footsteps and saw Hot Rod observing it too besides them.
"What a view, heh?" The Autobot asked.
"Yes, indeed. I never realize how beautiful and peaceful my home town is." Ash admitted.
"It seems a good picnic is always the best way for making family members to connect."
"So, any new about Optimus?"
"Not today." Hot Rod lamented lowering the head.
"Not yet." Ash said, doing the same.
On the Nemesis, Galvatron was walking with Knock Out, talking about their next step of the Decepticon campaign.
"When we stormed the Iacon Hall of Records in the waning days of the War for Cybertron, we acquired highly classified files. Files written with Autobot codes, which we have been unable to decipher."
"Autobot codes which the Iacon archivist Orion Pax should have no trouble cracking. Considering what's at stake, shouldn't we beef up the security around here?"
"Knock Out, I believe that Orion will perform most effectively if he does not feel threatened or confined in any way. However, it is no coincidence that Orion's workstation is located in direct proximity to the energon storage vault."
"Which is under constant surveillance. Well played."
Meanwhile, at the Autobot base, Tracey was teaching Max how to draw like him while Bonnie watched them, as May and Dawn were debating what performance to use in their next pokémon contest. Suddenly, they heard some beeping noise. Bonnie looked over and saw Ratchet and Wheeljack working on the ground bridge, while Clemont operated the main terminal checking the ground bridge schematics.
"What are you doing, big brother?"
"I'm taking a review to the ground bridge designs, trying to see if there is something we can upgrade."
"So, you guys are turbocharging the ground bridge?" Dawn asked.
"Tinkering." Ratchet corrected. "No need to get anyone's hopes up just yet."
"But it doesn't hurt anyone to give it a try." Wheeljack added.
Back on the Nemesis, Orion was working on his workstation, typing on the terminal, until one of millions of red cybertronian letters turned blue. In that moment, Galvatron arrived.
"Orion, how fair's Project Iacon?"
"I am a bit rusty; I fear. I've only managed to decode three entries."
"And what do these entries comprise?"
"They were logged by Autobot archivists during the war, after I entered stasis. My only knowledge of their contents so far is that they are coordinates. Targeting locations on this very planet." Orion reported showing a hologram of some locations of Earth. "I surmise that they could indicate hiding places for vessels, shuttled from Cybertron for safekeeping."
"Such as historical documents or cultural artifacts?" Galvatron asked looking at the hologram.
"My greatest fear would be weapons of mass destruction, hidden away for later use."
"All the more reason it is essential that we do everything in our power to keep said vessels from Autobot reach. We are fortunate to have you on our side, Orion Pax." Galvatron said before heading to the exit.
"Lord Galvatron, I am puzzled by one particular finding: I have discovered several historic references to Starscream as your second-in-command." Orion said as he showed an image of the former Decepticon. "Yet I have not seen him aboard the ship."
"Sadly, commander Starscream is dead." Galvatron simply answered before leaving.
Galvatron returned to the bridge, where Soundblaster was with his duties.
"Orion ask many questions. A valuable trade in an archivist, but not in a Decepticon. It is a matter of time before he unravels our fabrications, and his innate sense of right and wrong rises to the surface. I only hope that Orion will complete Project Iacon before I am forced to destroy him. Once and for all."
At the Autobot base, Ratchet and Wheeljack continued their job when the terminal sounded and showed a transmission.
"Elita! Are you there? We have an emergency!"
"Ranger Lunick, is it Optimus?"
"It's Cons. They are assaulting the same military research lab they hit last time."
"(I wonder if they are there looking for what they came for the first time.)"
"Another space bridge?" Sideswipe suggested.
"But for all we know Optimus is riding with them." Arcee pointed.
"Autobots, roll out." Elita declared.
A line of tanks and a trio of military Steelix were firing their projectiles and Dragon Pulse beams at Breakdown and Knock Out. As Breakdown grabbed the power source, he fired his shoulder turret, the same as Knock Out a blaster in place of his hand, which impacted in front of the tanks and the big pokémon. In that moment, they saw a ground bridge appear next to them and the Autobots coming through it in vehicle form, transforming and running at them.
"Drop the power source!" Warpath shouted.
"Be good guys and we will spare your finishes." Sideswipe added.
"Aren't you missing someone?" Knock Out mocked.
They aimed their weapons at them, but unfortunately a few Decepticon air troopers appeared from the smoke and fired at them. The Autobots managed to take them down.
"Ready for that bridge!" Knock Out called through com-link, making a ground bridge portal appeared in front of the two Decepticons. "We'll be sure to tell the Big O you said hello." Knock Out said saluting them before he and Breakdown entered the portal.
But for everyone's surprise, Elita One changed to vehicle form and went after them.
"Elita!" Wheeljack yelled.
"Commander, wait!" Moonracer called.
She managed to evade the last air Decepticon's shots and jump into the portal before it closed, passing Knock Out and Breakdown and getting inside the Nemesis.
"Scrap." Knock Out cursed.
Elita continued driving through the ship's corridors until she encountered some Vehicons who fired at her. She engaged them in robot form, disposing of them one by one in close combat until she took down the last one, who survived, and she put her feet on his head.
"Where's Optimus? Answer me!" She demanded, threatening with her sword.
A trio of Decepticon heavy soldiers approached her from the front, but she used the Vehicon's body to cover herself. Next, she dodged the shots and eliminated the first one with her swords, the second with some acrobatics and shot down the last one. Next, she changed back to vehicle form and continue the search. Unfortunately, Soundblaster already detected her and was showing it to his leader.
"What? How did she managed to get aboard?!" Galvatron shouted in disbelief.
"Who is she?" Airachnid asked.
"Elita One. The leader of all female Autobots, and Optimus's sparkmate."
"So she's Arcee superior." She smirked, activating her spider mode. "Allow me to welcome her aboard."
"No, you won't have a chance against her, she's good as Optimus. Besides, if Orion so much as lays eyes on another Autobot, let alone be allowed to witness its destruction, everything he currently believes will be called into question. And what I witnessed before getting out of Unicron, he still remembers something about her. See to it that Elita is escorted off this ship immediately." Galvatron commanded to Soundblaster, who nodded.
The sounds of Elita engaging the Decepticons reached to Orion's workstation, which caught his attention. Elita continued making her way between the Decepticons, dodging their shots and running over some, passing them through. Taking a look out, Orion saw some Vehicons with guns ready moving.
"Orion, please return to your station. Lord Galvatron's orders." One of them told him before going with the rest.
But Orion's instinct told him to go investigate it. Soundblaster stood in middle of an intersection, waiting for Elita, who speeded up once she spotted him as Orion was getting close to Soundblaster's location. Once Elita was close enough, Soundblaster charged the ground bridge, and when she was about to jump at him, he activated it and made her jump through it. When Orion met him, everything was done.
"I heard a commotion." Orion said, but Soundblaster simply looked at him before walking away.
The portal took Elita somewhere near the Frost Cavern, on the mountains in middle of a snow storm. She changed form, seeing where she was.
"What the…? NOOOOOOOOO!"
Moments later, Ratchet was checking her back at base.
"You weren't able to determine the Decepticons' location? Or if Optimus was even aboard ship?" Ratchet asked.
"I…couldn't confirm." She answered.
Enraged, Warpath hit one of Ratchet's tools hard.
"Warpath!" Ratchet shouted.
"What?! You needed that?! The only thing I need is our head honcho back!" Warpath shouted as he slammed his fists together.
"Is not your fault." Tracey said.
"If any of us needed rescuing, Optimus would've found a way. I didn't, simply as that."
"Commander, you're good as you are. No one of us are as good as Optimus." Moonracer said, trying to comfort her.
"Ratchet! What happened out there? Reports indicated at least a dozen of men and pokémon wounded. Our superiors are going to try to give the high military leaders an explanation. You Autobots better get your act together or our leaders will shut down your base." Ranger Solana communicated through the com-link before it shut down.
"But where would you go?" Max asked.
"Who knows? Maybe they'll ship us out to some island! Or fire us into space!" Ratchet answered.
"Yeah, wouldn't that be a welcome relief!" Sideswipe said sarcastically.
"I don't blame Solana. Optimus would've evacuated all humans and pokémon in the area before engaging the Cons." Elita defended.
"(That's the first thing he would have done.)"
"We don't actually know what Optimus would've done because he's not here!" Wheeljack retorted.
"You're pretty good at stating the obvious, Jackie. Anything else you'd like to mention that we already know?" Hot Rod asked annoyed.
"Nothing I can say in front of the children."
"Hey! You guys are taking this discussion too far!" Misty interrupted.
"Aren't we overlooking one positive? Nobody is talking about what the Cons just got their claws on." Ash said.
"Yes. We've managed to allow them to finally acquire a power source for their space bridge!" Ratchet reminded.
"And how exactly would that be a positive?" Arcee asked.
"We let them finish building their space bridge." Ash started.
"Why? So they can bring more zombies back from Cybertron?" Warpath asked.
"No, so we can commander it, and use it to send me to Cybertron."
"Whoa, that's a pretty good idea." Bonnie remarked.
"Well, if Bonnie opines it could be something good in that for us…" Sideswipe started.
"Hey, if you mess with her, you'll have to answer to me!" Moon defended.
"Actually, I'm with my sister on this."
"Whoa, seriously, big brother?" Bonnie said surprised.
"Ash has realized something important: the Decepticons are the only ones with the proper resources to reach even Cybertron."
"Exactly. And nobody said it would be easy." Ash supported.
"Wait, didn't you guys seize a space bridge before?" May reminded.
"We blew up one." Wheeljack corrected. "That's a whole lot different than us seizing and holding one."
"(Let's not forget about its location.)"
"Bee's right, we'd have to find the thing first." Arcee supported.
"Uh, hello! If it's a space bridge, isn't it…" Dawn began as he pointed upwards.
"The term space refers to its transport range, no its physical location!" Ratchet corrected. "And we've been monitoring Earth's orbit since the last one! We'd know if it were there."
"So the bridge could be somewhere right here on Earth." Serena realized.
"Like trying to find a servo in a scrapyard." Warpath remarked.
"Then maybe we better start looking." Hot Rod declared.
"But the fact remains, we do not know what the Decepticons have in store for Optimus, of if he is truly safe from harm." Elita said.
Around the Nemesis, a squadron of air soldiers was finishing their patrol and was about to return to the ship. But they were not aware that suddenly, another jet appeared from behind them and followed them into the ship's hangar. Its form was unmistakable, it was Darkscream. The air troops transformed once inside the hangar, Darkscream managed to get inside before the doors closed and waited for the cost clear so he could transform. Once inside, he moved sneaky through the corridors, until he arrived to his destination: the energon store vault. But there were two guards at the door, so he simply walked at them. When they saw him, they pulled out their weapons.
"Darkscream."
"That's commander Darkscream. What's your malfunction? Lower your weapons immediately." He corrected them.
"I'm sorry, sir. But lord Galvatron ordered that you'd taken into custody if should you ever return to the ship." The other guard explained.
"What? Clearly there has been a mistake." Darkscream retorted, right before he decapitated one of them with one of his double chainsaws.
The other tried to shot at him, but missed and hit the light. Darkscream took advantage of this and finished the other with his claws. Moments later, Darkscream walked out of the vault, carrying four energon cubes. Suddenly, he heard footsteps getting closer, so he was forced to hide. He decided to do it in the closest room, but once inside, he was surprised at seeing who was working on a terminal, especially when he turned at him.
"No. Optimus Prime?" He questioned dropping the energon and aiming his missiles at him, while he looked confused.
To be continued…