It was a cold night. Stars shined brightly as a brilliant red and green flash stepped out a humanoid figure into the cold Wisconsin air. His height was close to 6 feet but he was far from human. Death's Head with his photo receptors looked around as his internal scanners gathered all the details on this timeline...the Sacred timeline in the flesh. The timeline where primus is the victor over unicron in the end of their conflict. The last desperate attempt to foil those plans and restore his master. Movement pinged on his radar down the hill. Turning he looked down. His silver head glinted in the light of the moon. His eyes glowed a deep purple as he saw a human campsite below. A toothy smile formed on his robotic face. Lambs to a slaughter. He thought as he started towards the human site. A fire crackled and glowed brightly as he filtered its light out of his vision. A human stumbled from the closest tent. It was Death's head's size in both stature and clothing. The man was tall and slender and looked about towards Death's head and squinted.
"Joey is that you?" The human said making Death's head extend a blade from the fore arm.
The human gasped and stepped back in fear. He was looking at a metal monster as it suddenly shimmered into a perfect reflection of himself. How!?. The human thought as he began to turn to run. Suddenly the blade straight against the man's back and an ear piercing scream rang out quickly over taken by Death's heads own laughter.
Jacob gasped suddenly and awoke. Pulling himself up he rubbed his eyes quickly. Vision cleared as he looked around quickly to see he was in Arcee's room. Somebody must have put me here. He thought as he grabbed his watch and saw the time. 12 am. Pinching the bridge of his nose he set the watch aside. For the past week he'd been getting these Vega nightmares...same one every time, getting clearer and clearer And this was the clearest it was almost real. Suddenly a light blue and pink shined on him from behind. Looking back he was Quickly assaulted by Arcee's brilliantly shining optics. It was like being flash banged without the ear piercing noise.
"You ok?" Arcee asked as his eyes adjusted to the light.
"I dunno. It's clearer now. I could see it" Jacob said his face looking tired and droopy. "I think it's a warning" Jacob added resting back down.
"Are you sure?" Arcee asked.
Jacob nodded laying on his back. Arcee looked at him to see his eyes holding a weakness behind them. He looked afraid.
"Is this apart of what happens?" Arcee said hoping it was.
"No, I wouldn't be telling you if it was" Jacob responded with a sober tone. "I'll tell everyone in the morning. I've got a real bad feeling about this" Jacob added rolling over to get some sleep.
Arcee raised an eyebrow and watched him for a minute. He was bitter to himself. Self defeating and he had said when she was recovering: "I hate it. When I can be of help I have to hold back and not risk The natural flow but seeing her like this only makes me hate Myself even more" she had only been semi conscious and he was talking to Optimus. Optimus had reassured him but it was useless as Jacob was showing signs of traumatic stress in his sleep.
He laid there with eyes closed as she dimmed her optics. Something about him being here seemed right. Even though she was supposed to be with Jack originally. She couldn't help but find Jacob interesting. He knew all of them front to back and was mostly reserved. Of course he was fallible and his blank moment almost lead to his death at the hands of Starscream. She moved from her bed to the floor, resting next to his mattress she rested next to him. Closing her optics she nodded off next to him.
Death's head moved over another car as he failed too see the meaning of them. Such an insignificant technology compared to his masters power. The roof creaked under his weight and he leapt off easily. The dent was surprisingly large and hard not too see.
"Weaker than I expected. Master won't be pleased by this" He muttered to himself as he looked around.
Nobody was out at this time and his human form kept him well hidden. He had destroyed the previous body to absolute atoms so nobody could trace him. The car itself was red, nothing spectacular about it. Just earth car from the 21st century. Earth, such a odd name. He mused now grabbing the handle. With a pull the door didn't budge. Frowning Death's hand lightly cursed inaudibly. Best if I take something more open. He thought as he stepped away from the car. A low profile was best, he needed the advantage of surprise to destroy Primus's champions. Optimus prime and Jacob Allston.
Optimus listened to Jacob keenly. Jacob told him everything you told Arcee who was taking her morning energon.
"It's probably just a recurring nightmare. I'm feeling blind here" Jacob said ending his explanation with doubt.
With a hand firmly planted balled into a fist at his side Jacob tapped himself anxiously. Optimus processed it all and grimaced.
"I'll have Fowler look into it" Optimus paused as he looked to Ratchet for a brief moment. Looking back to Jacob he continued. "Everything alright with you and Arcee?" He asked.
Jacob didn't know whether to answer fully honestly or ad-lib a little. Arcee had no problem being nude around him but nether of them had performed in a sexual manner towards each other.
"Just peachy. Nothing exciting aside from sleep and showering together" Jacob responded deciding to be honest about it.
Optimus nodded and then saw Arcee approaching. Jacob looked back and then up and felt dirty right then and there. She was significantly taller than the human and had a body that cliff told him "wouldn't quit". He doubted she'd want a human to do it to her.
"What is it Arcee?" Optimus asked as Jacob felt like between a rock and a hard place.
"It's about Jacob. I'm thinking of getting him an actual bed instead of that rubber mat" Arcee responded and Jacob felt relief come over him.
"Air mattress" Jacob corrected.
Arcee nodded and left it at that. Optimus pondering on it nodded and saw the ups of it. Besides who'd want to sleep on a rubber mat?. Adjusting himself Jacob saw it in his optics.
"I'll ask Fowler about that after our patrol" He said indicating to himself and Arcee.
A nagging feeling swept up from within as Cliffjumper pulled in with Bulkhead and Bee. Moving away to the platform Jacob gave the two the thumbs up. He could swear he was getting déjà vu. And to be bluntly honest she did sleep rather late. As far as he knew his memory wasn't going he was just missing information. The kids joined him, it wasn't 3 PM yet more like 11 am. Must be Saturday. He thought as Arcee and Optimus left through the open ground bridge. Shutting it down ratchet said something that made Jacob jump.
"I've got to do some maintenance. I just fixed it three days ago and now it's acting up again" The dismay and slight anger in his tone caught Jacobs attention.
Miko was sitting with her guitar in her hand as you adjust the volume to something less than earsplitting. She saw the worried look on Jacobs face as Cliff moved in to help Ratchet.
"Maybe it's the flux coil acting up again" Cliffjumper offered and Ratchet shrugged as he grabbed his tool kit.
Jacobs face was close to a ghostly white and his hands began shaking. Miko gave him a worried look as he began off the platform and down the hall.
"Where ya going?" She called after him.
"Checking a hunch!" He called back before breaking into a jog.
Bulkhead looked weary as he saw the boy turning down the hall into the depths of the outpost.
{I wonder what's got him spooked?} Bumblebee beeped as he looked away from the television.
"When isn't he spooked in some way?" Raf said grabbing a water bottle from the coffee table. With a swig of water he added. "He hasn't relaxed much since he got here. I'm surprised he hasn't had a stroke at this point"
Jack agreed along with Miko who tuned her guitar. Only the humming of the air condition could be heard. In the bridge tunnel ratchet removed the armor plates of the ground bridge main control box and thought it was completely intact. With a frown he snapped it back into place and looks Cliffjumper.
"Now we check those blasted coils" He said moving to the lower hatch and opened it.
As soon as he entered the originally empty storage room he gasped. Jacob saw the scraplet pod laying before him with a massive hole in its side. Looking sharply up he saw nothing. His heart begins a pound with his chest as he turned back to the door. Nothing I can do here. He knew and picked up his pace. Breaking into a full winded run he raced for the hub.
Breakdown upon seeing his handy work couldn't help but smile. Despite the fact his leader was in a coma but brought him some comfort that he at least and look like it upon first glance. He's blue and black if paint job along with his orange colored face where key stand out upon him. He wasn't the most intelligent mech Unlike his partner Knockout who had a sense of elegance wherever he went. On that topic he knew knockout was basically kissing Starscreams aft just in case Starscream decided to pull the plug. Luckily the crew voted on it and Megatron was given a chance to live. The dimly lit and colored and med-bay was often times comfortable to him. He preferred using his fists but those were for combat use and one away from combat he preferred a more relaxed approach. He also wasn't and aft kisser, well unless he absolutely had to. Looking to the helm of Megatron he saw no signs of consciousness, if not for the brain patterns He would been a lost cause.
"You've always been the lucky one haven't you?" He asked mainly to himself. "I wonder how long you would've lasted without it?" Probably not long but he wasn't certain on that.
Carrying two fire extinguishers Jacob rounded the corner into the main area only to hear a blazing guitar. Bulkhead saw him enter at full speed. Bulkhead saw the sheer terror on his face as he raced to the ground bridge. Miko saw it and abruptly stopped upon seeing the fire extinguishers. Reaching the hatch he peered over. He groaned lightly as his face twisted into annoyance.
"Put those back right now!" He yelled down into the hole.
"Why?!" Ratchet asked from below.
Jacob grunted and gave the doc a unamused look.
"Scraplets!" He responded and Bee suddenly beeped out a very long string of beeps.
Raf looked at his guardian with a both intrigue and confusion.
"What are Scraplet's?" Raf asked as Bulkhead looked as if he'd seen a ghost.
"Parasites, they eat cybertroians till nothings left" Bulkhead quickly responded now going for the larger fire extinguisher on the wall.
Ratchet and Cliffjumper began putting the coils back into rapidly as Jacob gave Jack a can.
"Short controlled bursts" Jacob said as he checked the pressure.
Suddenly a rusting sounded from the hallway. Jacob grunted pointing the nozzle towards it. With a hand tight on the trigger he drew a deep breath. The whole room was silent as everyone's eyes remained glued onto the hallway. His hands tightened as he moved down the stairs and into the rooms center. Bulkhead was quick to join him lagging behind by 12 feet. He's afraid. Jacob pondered now taking steps towards the hallway entrance. Hands shaking he drew a deep but futile breath. God I wish I had a blaster. Jacob mused stepping closer.
"Come on I know your there just jump out already" he whispered under his breath.
The world seem to slow as he stepped more and more towards destiny. Heart pounding within his chest he continued. If not Optimus and Arcee would die!.