Chapter 6

(Several hours later)

Sentinel walked into Optimus' quarters, and reached for something he placed on the wall; before he left his quarters. He touched a button on the device and voices are heard.

(The playback)

"I fear that Sentinel will try and take leadership away from me." Optimus remarked. "He will try to prove I am weak, I felt it in his cold stare he wants me out of command."

"All because of me..." Sam whispered, while Optimus glanced at him.

""I do not care what his reasons are; you are the best thing that ever happened to me, Sam. This war has taken everything from me, I won't give up my soul I will not do that. I love you like a son, you are my rock, Samuel; I can't lose you or I am finished. You're my strength, you fed my tired and lost spark; you've been there for me. I will not lose you; Sentinel can go to the pit for all I care. No one stands in my way, when it comes to our family bond. You mean everything to me. My Autobots are also important to me; I will need your help in trying to keep them focused okay?" Optimus said.

"You can count on me, Optimus..." Sam replied as Optimus kissed the boy.

(Playback ends)

"Now I have something to use and change to my liking to tie the noose around Optimus' neck." Sentinel replied as he knew he had to sneak back into their quarters for more damage to be done to them. "Perfect..." he chuckled walking out.

(With Optimus and Sam)

Optimus put Sam on his shoulder armor, and they walked out of the hanger witnessing for themselves the way everyone fawned over Sentinel. Sentinel glanced over at Optimus; he frowned and pointed toward the younger leader and Prime.

"Tell me Autobots, is it wise for your leader to carry on like he is doing for a human." Sentinel remarked.

Silence...

"I am disappointed in you making a family bond with this flesh creature. You're a disgrace to all Cybertronians, Optimus; I failed you as a teacher, that's all I can say." Sentinel remarked seeing the harsh looks from Ultra Magnus; who was once a close friend to Optimus.

Sam's hand glowed with fury.

"Are you trying to make Optimus look like a fool?" Sam demanded of Sentinel.

"Optimus doesn't need me for that." Sentinel snapped.

"You are a real glitch, Sentinel." Sam mumbled.

Sentinel spun around his blue optics lighting up with fury.

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, HUMAN!" Sentinel roared.

"I am Optimus' human youngling, and it's obvious you are not a friend of my sire." Sam snarled.

"Samuel ENOUGH...!" Ironhide yelled.

Sam looked at Optimus; Optimus could feel his spark breaking his men looked disgusted with him. The only two who didn't were Bumblebee and Ratchet.

"I need a drive to think, please come with me, boy." Optimus whispered.

He transformed all around Sam taking off, Sentinel watched as he sped off. The others having mixed emotions start to rise about Optimus now, as Sentinel planted the first seeds of doubt in their processors.

(With Optimus and Sam)

Optimus was silent, while they drove further away from the base. Optimus drove to a secluded forest area, which was hidden from human eyes and robot optics alike. He was hurting badly, he wasn't sure what to do now.

He stopped and transformed, with Sam in his hands; and then sat heavily down on the ground. Sam heard the soft clicking, chirps and whistles; Optimus was hurting.

"Oh Optimus, I am so sorry about this." Sam said as he looked up feeling drops of energon falling from Optimus' optics.

"All I ever did was try to please him, he was my teacher and mentor. I spent days and nights practicing; I memorized every data book he ever made. I...I believed he cared, I mean he was tough on me. I always believed it was; because he thought I had potential to be a good leader, like I always believed he was. But to hear him say those things to me, it really hurt me. Maybe, he's right; maybe I am not the best leader." Optimus whispered.

Sam couldn't believe what he was hearing from his sire, it hurt him so badly to hear him doubting himself like this.

"Oh Optimus, don't do this to yourself." Sam said softly.

"I cannot help it, dear boy; I cannot help it." Optimus replied as Sam crawled up against Optimus.

Optimus moved a shaky finger to his body, and then just ran it over his back.

"Thank you for sticking with me, it means a lot to me; that you still love your sire regardless of how much of a failure I am." Optimus answered, as he laid back offlining his optics his intakes cycling hard.

(The Autobot base)

"Autobots, I will prove to you once and for all, who the greater leader and Prime is. I will reunite Autobot and Decepticon together and peace; I will also bring Cybertron back to its glory." Sentinel stated.

"Optimus tried to do all that..." Ironhide replied.

"Optimus, doesn't care about the cause any longer, all he cares about is that human. I recorded a conversation between him and that human; I would like you all to listen to it." Sentinel remarked as he played a doctored version of the information he had recorded.

(The doctored recording)

"I fear that Sentinel will use my weaknesses against me and take leadership away from me." Optimus remarked. "If he learns what we have been planning I fear all my hard work will be for nothing."

"You mean the energon source?" Sam asked in a whisper.

"Yes, if they learned how I plan on getting the energon source; it could be disastrous. I do not care what the Autobots say or think; you are the best thing that ever happened to me, Sam. I will not lose you; Sentinel and the Autobots can go to the pit for all I care. No one stands in my way, when it comes to you; you mean everything to me. Neither my Autobots nor this rock pile means anything to me; I will need your help in trying to keep them from finding out, okay?" Optimus said.

"You can count on me, Optimus..." Sam replied.

(The end of the doctored voice recording)

The Autobots were silent then; even Ironhide looked shocked at what he heard. Bumblebee clicked sadly and chirped, quickly taking off.

"Bumblebee...!" Jazz exclaimed.

"Let him go, he is hurt by Optimus' words." Arcee said.

"He has to answer for this..." Jolt hissed, as Ratchet looked at Sentinel then wondering what was going on.

"What are you trying to pull, Sentinel; Optimus would never say that and you know it." Ratchet snarled, heading for Sentinel in a threatening way.

Ironhide stepped in front of Ratchet stopping him.

"Back off, Ratch; he's still a Prime." Ironhide warned.

"Ironhide, what has gotten into you?" Ratchet demanded. "Optimus is your friend!"

"A friend doesn't sell us out for a human punk and you know it!" Ironhide yelled.

"My fellow Autobots, if I can make good on my promises; will you allow me to take back what is rightfully mine being your Lord Prime and leader?" Sentinel asked.

"Yes, if you can do what Optimus could not, then yes by all means; you can challenge Optimus for the right to be leader and Lord Prime." Sideswipe answered, as his twin cheered.

"You do realize a challenge will mean... I will have to fight him to the death." Sentinel remarked.

"Wait Sentinel, if indeed Optimus has said those things; then I want more proof of this. If you show me more proof of treachery, and you can pull off peace with Megatron; as you say along with bringing Cybertron back. I will have no problem with you challenging him and killing him in combat; but I want proof real proof. It could just be easier just to exile him and the boy, then simply killing him." Ratchet remarked.

"Affirmative, I shall get you the proof you seek." Sentinel remarked.

"Very well, that is all I ask." Ratchet said, shaking the older Prime's servos adding another nail to Optimus' coffin so to speak.