Chapter Two
Optimus watched, as Claire stared at him coldly. Optimus was tired, so tired of the death and mistrust. He never meant any harm to anyone, but yet there was always mistrust.
"I-I will not trouble you, I will leave you all in peace," Optimus replied his voice betraying how badly he truly felt.
Stewy gripped the Prime tightly, and kissed him on the cheek.
"No, we have to help him, he is my friend, Claire," Stewy begged.
"You're really lucky, Stewy is special and has a sixth sense about things and people. I will allow you to stay with us, I will repair you. There is a body of a dead robot, which those evil ones just dumped." Claire said.
"Our home is a bit away from here, can you walk?" she asked.
"Y-Yes, but I do not wish to be a burden to anyone, Claire," Optimus whispered.
"You won't be, when you're well enough, you can pitch in and help us do things." She remarked, as Optimus merely nodded.
"Is that your sword?" Stewy asked pointing toward Optimus' Star Saber.
"Yes, it is my Star Saber, only a prime can wield such a weapon." Optimus replied his own words making him choke on his tears once more.
Stewy ran his hand over Optimus' face; the giant Autobot commander hadn't sobbed so much in vorns. He'd hidden his emotions from his team, even the other human younglings they protected. He had protected Earth twice, but the second time at the expense of his home world. Everyone was angry with him, the only one who didn't seem to second guess him was Smokescreen. He knew that wouldn't last, he would soon grow tired of his mistakes as well. They all would, he toyed with stepping down as leader, when he found any of his old team. He would pass the Matrix, and leave the Autobots they didn't need him messing up anything else. Perhaps, he could stay with Claire and her family, he would earn his stay protect them.
"I will earn my keep, Claire," Optimus answered, as she nodded.
"I can transform when I am functional, I transform into a semi cab," he said hoping he pleased them with that knowledge.
Claire, Eddy and Stewy smiled then.
"You can transform into a truck, that will be a blessing," Claire said.
"Affirmative, I can help you in any way I possibly can," Optimus vowed.
Claire smiled at him, as she watched him slowly get to his feet. She could tell he was in agony, the way his eyes dimmed and shined with threatening tears.
Eddy and Stewy raced ahead, while Optimus took one painful and agonizing step after the other.
"Take your time, Optimus, one step at a time; there is not race, okay?" Claire replied, while the weary prime merely nodded.
All the while, the defeated and broken prime kept thinking about his team. The only one who respected him now was Smokescreen, he knew he had to step down as leader no one truly wanted him now. He would pass the mantle to Smokescreen, and stay with his new friends the Autobots didn't need him anymore.
He held his side, his optics filling with energon once more. He had sobbed more now, then he ever did. He couldn't sob in front of his team like this; it was not good for a leader and prime to act that way. But here he was just Optimus, not a leader or prime just Optimus.
Claire glanced up at him, she could tell there was so much to this alien being; she wanted to learn all about him. He was like a complex puzzle or a terribly long book; which held so many secrets hidden inside. Claire knew a lost soul when she saw one, and Optimus was a lost soul; one who needed help.
She glanced at her brothers running toward their large underground cave, Stewy was special, and he had a unique way of knowing; who was bad and who wasn't. He trusted Optimus, so she trusted his instincts.
They finally reached the cave; Optimus was able to get into the cave. It was then, Optimus scanned the cave; and picked up energon readings.
"There is raw energon in this cave, it is our life's blood." Optimus whispered.
"What does it look like?" Claire asked.
Optimus using his one good optic made a hologram, Eddy's eyes widened.
"We found that stuff, when we first moved in, it was scattered around." Eddy said running into the deeper part of the cave.
He returned with raw energon, and handed it Optimus.
"There is a ton of this stuff down below," Eddy said. "Come on, Stewy help me bring it up for him," Eddy said as he stopped and moved closer.
He nervously ran his one hand through his hair, and glanced up at Optimus.
"I-I am sorry for hurting your eye," Eddy said as he and Stewy ran into the deep part of the cave.
"It is okay, Eddy," Optimus started to say.
"He never apologizes," Claire noted.
"There is a first time for everything, Claire," Optimus replied.
"I am starting to see that," she chuckled, as Optimus smiled for the first time.
"This cave must have been stripped by the Decepticons, and they just left the rest." Optimus said.
He paused, and looked at Claire.
"I will need to refine it, so I can use it for fuel." He said.
"Okay, just tell me what you need, the boys can get it," she replied as she got up. "If you can pull the dead one from the side over there, I can start your repairs." She stated.
Optimus nodded, and got up; but he froze at identity of said Cybertronian.
It was Dreadwing.
Optimus offlined his optics, he felt a sting of regret for his death.
(Flashback starts)
He and his Autobots faced Dreadwing; everyone's weapons were drawn, except for Dreadwing.
"I did not come here to fight, I came to give you this," he said.
"The Forge of Solus Prime…?" Arcee asked.
"It could be rigged to blow," Bulkhead snapped.
"Dreadwing, what do you ask in return?" Optimus asked.
"Only that you use it wisely," Dreadwing said.
"And the Omega keys," Arcee said.
"Megatron has them under heavy guard," Dreadwing answered.
"Scream did make a deal with the Cons," Bulkhead remarked.
"Why?" Optimus demanded.
"A shadow has been cast upon the Decepticon case; it is a case I do not wish to be a part of anymore." Dreadwing replied.
"Then I appeal to you again, join us and help us end this conflict once and for all," Optimus replied.
"Betraying my kind is not the same as accepting yours," Dreadwing said wistfully as he turned and slowly transformed taking to the sky.
(Flashback ends)
"Till all are one, my friend; till all are one." Optimus said as he pulled Dreadwing's body toward Claire.
Optimus looked sad once more.
"Optimus, what's wrong?" Claire asked.
"This was Dreadwing, he had left the Decepticon fold bringing me The Forge of Solus Prime; I am assuming Megatron offlined him for betraying him." Optimus said as he sat back down.
"I am sorry, Optimus," she said as he nodded.
"Thank you for doing this for me, Claire," Optimus said, as she nodded starting to get to work.
(Jasper Nevada)
Wheeljack was feverishly finishing his ship; his energon alerts started to go off. That meant there was raw energon, it was small but it was still energon.
"Come on, you two buckle down, we are off," he said.
"Where too…?" Fowler asked.
"Utah the readings are concentrated in one area," Wheeljack replied.
Wheeljack had put The Forge of Solus Prime into his ship for safe keeping. That is, until he could reunite it with Optimus Prime, then he could forge whatever was needed to stop Megatron once and for all.