A/N: Meta-cycle = ~13 months. Also thank you to everyone for reading and enjoying my story. I appreciate it greatly.
Stasis was abuzz with conversation. Rapid and anxious one moment, reassuring and slow the next, fluctuating in its quality every few moments depending on who was speaking. It was definitely a vibrantly discussed topic of importance and one that Alexandria found herself nodding along with while having no clue as to what was actually being said.
She stood amid the three Cybertronians as they conversed back and forth above her head in their rumbling language woven full of clipping pulses and modulating pitches. It was rather difficult keeping up with who was speaking as one would end and another would start without allowing a breath of time to lapse between sentences; likely the benefit of being able to process information at speeds far exceeding the capabilities of the human brain. Alexandria thus was resorted to deciphering the subtleties in their speech in order to keep up. Optimus had the deepest voice, making him the easiest to pick out when the responses of each Autobot started to bleed together. Whenever Optimus spoke, it would set off the other two into rather lengthy replies. Based on Bee's stance and expression, he seemed the most open to what was being discussed while Ratchet was ever the more reserved and cautious. Alexandria quirked her head curiously as she listened to Ratchet's speech, noticing that certain sounds he made tended to be drawn out compared to similar ones voiced by the other two. She wondered briefly if it was deliberate or unintentional. Perhaps what she was hearing was a Cybertronian version of an accent? She decided it was something she would like to ask the medic about, but based on how little opportunity she was being given to speak, it would have to wait for another time.
Alexandria sighed as she trailed her fingers over her chin, whether in frustration or as a result of the vibrations she could feel when the Autobots uttered certain low frequency sounds. Every so often, one of the bots would look her way, reminding her she was the awkward third, or rather forth, wheel of the group and yet it was abundantly clear she had been the catalyst spurring the need for this meeting.
Finally the reserves of her restraint ran dry and she huffed in annoyance. "Can I know what's going on?" she cried out over the sound of their voices, effectively halting the discussion.
Optimus and Ratchet redirected their attention; however, Bee didn't meet her gaze initially, as if ashamed they had so easily excluded her.
"Alexandria, this—" Ratchet started, but she stomped her foot putting an end to the sentence she didn't have the patience to hear again.
"No! This is my concern." She glared up at him with balled fists, challenging him to say otherwise. "I have alien writing on my arm"—she thrust the limb high above her head toward them—"and you guys are all talking about it like I'm not even here!"
"I… wasn't going to say that," Ratchet replied.
"Oh." Her arm dropped to her side and she cleared her throat as embarrassment started to flush its way up her neck. "Well, even so. I deserve to know what you guys are talking about," she mumbled.
The request was out on the table and at the full mercy of the Autobots as she had no leverage to get the answers she sought; her angry demand being little more than simple noise.
Ratchet shook his head, taking pity on the little organic. "This situation is delicate," he tried again, "and its information has a severe cost. I for one feel that excluding you from it would yield the best chance of keeping you safe."
"Safe?" she echoed. "Safe from what?"
He ignored the question, looking to Optimus instead. "But of course, this is not my decision to make."
Optimus once again knelt down to be closer to her level. "Alexandria, what I am about to tell you must never be shared with another," he said, his somber tone and grave expression pulling at the threads of her desire for answers. "Even the knowledge of our existence has me putting my trust in you to keep silent. This is not solely for your own protection, but for the safety of my Autobots as well."
"I don't want anything bad to happen to you," she said, her voice trembling as she looked to each of them, gaze lingering on Bee who hummed softly in response. "I won't say anything," she promised. "Though, I don't think anyone would believe me if I did."
The light jest tugged at the corners of Optimus' mouth and he stared down at her with sad eyes.
"Very well." He nodded, accepting her promise as truth.
A quietness settled as Optimus began detailing events of importance from the history of their race; a grand stage set across light years on a planet far from the one she called home. "Before time began, there was the Cube. We know not where it comes from, only that it holds the power to create worlds and fill them with life." He spoke with reverence and awe in remembrance of the ancient artifact. "That is how our race was born. For a time, we lived in harmony, but like all great power, some wanted it for good, others for evil. And so began the war — a war that ravaged our planet until it was consumed by death, and the Cube was lost to the far reaches of space."
One giant hand was brought close to her arm. "I believe the shard you found was a piece of the Cube, broken off during its travel across the galaxy. When you were struck by lightning, the magnitude of electricity must have reacted with the AllSpark and the remnants of that reaction sensitized you to the energy signatures we transmit when we are in stasis."
"AllSpark? What's that?" she asked, the foreign word sounding odd on her tongue.
"The AllSpark is the very life essence of Cybertron, a power unlike any other. The Cube is its physical manifestation." Optimus explained.
"And you think the Cube is on Earth?"
"That, we do not know." Optimus shook his head; it was only one possibility out of an infinite number of destinations, even in light of such promising new information garnered from the human. "The fragment could have been the result of damage to the Cube at any point along its path from our world."
"If it was though, would it be dangerous?"
"It depends." Ratchet spoke up, resuming his analytical stare and making Alexandria feel as if she were a specimen under study. "Would an unfathomable source of power on your world cause complications for your species?" The carefully selected words and curiosity within them made Alexandria believe the question wasn't asked solely in concern of the Cube itself being the issue.
Random media images flitted across Alexandria's mind, their depictions of humans amidst moments of upheaval and subsequent loss causing a sour downward turn to the corners of her lips; reminders to one of humanity's uglier sides. Her brow creased as she wasn't quite sure how to put her answer. Power tended to be the common factor in determining the victor of conflict and could be found in a variety of forms but in the end, however, it didn't really matter the source as it all led to the same conclusion; the suppression of those in the path to the idolized finale and, if history class was any sort of indicator, humans didn't tend to respond particularly well to power, no matter its origin.
It was difficult to look at Ratchet in the eye. She couldn't deny the bad taste left in her mouth at the thought of speaking aloud the atrocities committed by humans; not when her and her kind were still under first impressions.
"Your expression says a lot," Ratchet remarked, breaking the silence. "Bumblebee"—he addressed the other bot without redirecting his focus from Alexandria—"in the information you studied, was there anything detailing strife among her people?"
Bee clicked in discomfort, knowing exactly where Ratchet was leading the discussion. "None," he answered.
"And the overall impression it gave of the humans?"
"A young, peaceful species, in the midst of a technological revolution."
"Peaceful…" Ratchet repeated. "Is this true, Alexandria?"
The flinch in response to his words was more than obvious. "We aren't all bad," she whispered, skirting around the question. She hoped the topic of the conversation would be dropped if she showed reluctance to engage but the others remained quiet, patiently waiting for her to continue. Alexandria looked up to see what she could only guess was judgement and concern gracing the features of the bots. Her cringe brought forth a soft hum from Bumblebee who motioned with his hand in encouragement.
"We aren't all bad," she repeated. "But there's humans who are."
"You are familiar with the concept of war then?" Ratchet asked.
"Yes. There have been a lot of wars. Some even so big the whole world had to get involved to stop the fighting."
"And your people have access to weaponry? Projectiles?"
"Um, yes if you mean guns. We have those and…" she paused, clearing her throat after hearing an irritated snort from Ratchet, "and ah… bombs." Her fingers twiddled the edge of a pajama sleeve, tugging at the digital depiction of cloth as her voice quieted with each word.
It was Optimus who spoke next. "And what is it your people fight over?"
Alexandria couldn't help the weak burst of bitter laughter that she let forth. "I don't think there's anything we don't fight about. Money, land, and resources seem to be the big ones and I know a lot of wars in the past were over religious beliefs being forced on others. There are even some who kill just because they like it..."
Ratchet huffed as the idea of a retrieval excursion to the insignificant backwater of a planet was no longer looking as simple as it had before. "This… complicates things,' he muttered, moreso to himself than his companions. He sighed briefly, addressing her again. "Then in answer to your question, Alexandria: yes, the Cube is very dangerous."
Optimus' gears whirred as he stood tall.
"Autobots, it is time we depart," he said; the command firm. There was work to be done, urgent work that demanded their attention and they could no longer take the time to indulge the youngling in conversation. The AllSpark was out there waiting for them to find and claim it.
Alexandria was surprised by the sudden order and frantic worry constricted within her chest.
Optimus nodded at her. "Farewell, little one. May the stars ever guide you." His words were touching in the face of what Alexandria felt was a hastily bittersweet goodbye.
She didn't know what to say; how was one supposed to respond after meeting such great beings if only to be left soon after.
Optimus' form shimmered and dimmed as the void absorbed it back within its encompassing darkness. Ratchet moved to follow, pausing momentarily to glance back her way.
"I do appreciate your honesty with me," he said, the sternness of his features softening somewhat before he too was gone.
Now only one Autobot remained; the first she had met and the one she hoped would give her some inclination of a positive outcome.
"Will I see you again?" Alexandria knew it was borderline on pleading but she didn't care. She wasn't about to give up on their fledgling encounter.
Bee whirred, picking up on the tenseness of her voice. As much as he wanted to promise a return, it would be cruel to give her false hope, especially as he wasn't quite sure the full extent of her ability to connect with his kind in stasis.
"Perhaps," he said, as truthful of an answer he could provide. It still didn't stop her features from crumpling or stop the tug at his spark. "I will, however, try my very best," he continued, placing a hand over his chassis and capturing her gaze with his solemn one. "Besides, I did promise you I would answer more of your questions, right?"
Alexandria sniffled and nodded, on the verge of tears. So much had been cast her way over the past two nights she could feel her composure cracking. "I like talking to you, Bee, " she admitted. "And I still have so much to talk to you about..."
"Then, when you sleep, keep watch for my signature and know that whenever you find it, you are always welcomed."
"I will," she said, his words bringing forth the smile he enjoyed seeing.
"There...is something else I must ask of you before I go," he said softly, hesitating as if unsure of what he was about to say. "And I know much has already been asked of you, but I feel this is important."
"Of course, Bee."
"I need you to promise you won't try to contact any of the other voices you hear when you sleep."
Alexandria was surprised by the request. "But aren't they Cybertronians too?"
Bee grimaced. "Cybertronians yes. However, I don't believe they're Autobots." He had given much thought to the other "voices" and since the last Autobot in their region of space to have undergone stasis had been Jazz and the voices were an active occurrence, it only left one disturbing option. "When Optimus spoke of others wanting the Cube's power, he was speaking of another of Cybertron's factions. The one we are currently at war with; the Decepticons."
"And you think the other voices belong to these Decepticons?"
"It seems that way."
"And they're dangerous?"
Bee rumbled, shaking his head sadly. "No... not all of them. Some just—" It was hard to explain for after as long as they had been fighting, things weren't as black and white as they once had been—"they just have a different opinion on how things should be. A lot of Decepticons were friends at one time and became misled..." he trailed off, familiar faces of old allies resurfacing and bringing with them painful memories. He grunted, not having the time to dwell on old wounds. "I need you to understand though there are Decepticons who are very dangerous and if they ever knew about you, about what you can do, I fear what would result from it."
He knew he couldn't her stop her from making contact nor would he even know if she did unless she chose to tell him of such. He just hoped their interactions had given her enough of a reason to put value to what he said.
After a brief pause, Alexandria looked to him, her mind set. "You don't need to worry, Bee. I promise I'll stay away from the other voices."
"Thank you," he said softly, bowing his head. "To hold someone's trust, it means a lot to me."
The momentarily silence that followed was comfortable and Bee enjoyed it for as long as he could before time constraints made him whirr with regret. "I need to go. They'll be waiting for me."
"I understand," Alexandria said. She couldn't bring herself to tell him goodbye; it felt far too final. Instead she remained hopeful. "I'll see you later?"
"I certainly hope so," he replied as his form flickered with the initiation of the stasis termination code.
Alexandria felt herself being pulled away as her surroundings vanished into the void and she was left standing alone at the point where she had started; one less light in the distance.
0-0-0-0-0
The trio were greeted by Jazz and Wheeljack on entering operations; Optimus having sent an urgent alert immediately on exiting stasis.
Jazz leaned casually against one of the curved railings engaging in small talk with the engineer while they waited, only to immediately straighten at Optimus' arrival, clasping his hands behind his back; the image of a disciplined soldier. Wheeljack had taken residency near the navigation unit, alert and ready to input coordinations at a moment's notice. Brief flashes of soft white light pulsed alongside his helm in anticipation as his optics flickered back and forth between the three who joined them in the room.
"Well, what's the verdict?" Wheeljack asked, unable to keep silent for long. "I know you found the answers you were looking for, seeing how we're all together at present and, since none of you are scowling, it would be correct to assume that the news you bring is positive?"
Optimus took his place at the centre of the group, nodding at Wheeljack to let the other mech know his deductions were indeed accurate. "The human, Alexandria, has been in contact with the Cube and as this is the first physical evidence we've found since leaving Cybertron, the human homeworld of Earth is now our priority lead."
"Optimus, if I may." Ratchet raised a hand, taking a step forward. "I am familiar with the markings of the Cube, just as any other bot here, but I have to admit I didn't recognize the ones branded into the human's flesh. I don't mean to second guess you, but how do you know they came from the Cube?"
"The Cube depicts Cybertron's history, all of its history, in the form of its runes," Optimus reminded them. "The runes we are familiar with are only a reflection of our most recent past, however, Sentinel Prime theorized that as time flows, new runes are added to the Cube's surface while older ones are stored in a method we have yet to understand and decipher."
Ratchet crossed his arms, his brow plates lowering in a slight frown as he pieced together the new information. "And what we just saw are these older runes?"
"Far older, my friend," Optimus replied. "Alexandria's markings have been passed down from generation to generation through the lineage of the Primes, dating as far back as the original Seven and perhaps, even beyond."
This brought about a few shocked expressions and weary glances between the others. The original Seven, the Dynasty of Primes, had been the first of their kind to achieve true sentience and was said to have occurred thousands of millennia ago; a period of time that was considered long even to a Cybertronian. The thought was a bit circuit boggling.
"Wheeljack," Optimus acknowledged the white and silver mech, "you will rendezvous with the other Autobots who are currently planetside then set immediate course for the outskirts of the Solar system, at which point further instructions will be relayed to you depending on the situation. The rest of us will proceed on ahead of you via protoform."
Rapid flashes of light pulsed in response as Wheeljack shook his head. "That is a lot of individual jumps. Our energon reserves are low, maybe too low to support them all if I am to be making sequenced Ark jumps as well. We need to refuel."
Bee's antenna lifted and he clicked for their attention. "Ironhide mentioned finding some raw energon veins in his last report. I know it isn't the most ideal fuel grade but it would do the trick, right?"
"Yes. Raw energon would be sufficient and, depending on how much, I could harvest an extra reserve and purify it at a later time." Wheeljack's digits drummed together as he ran through conversion formulas. "Much more than sufficient for our current needs. I have no further concerns, Prime."
Optimus nodded. "Good, then roll out!"
0-0-0-0-0
A large metal section of the hanger bay folded in on itself, revealing the open expanse of the cosmos beyond. Blue light washed over the relatively empty space that had once held an impressive assortment of shuttles and military units used in deep space travel. Now only a lone planetary lander remained, the rest having been taken by those currently groundside or destroyed over the past number of years in combat against foes. Bumblebee stood near the craft watching as the external environment was exposed. He shifted back and forth on his feet eagerly, bringing forth a chuckle from his Lieutenant, who was operating a series of controls behind him.
"You're that excited for protoform, huh?" Jazz remarked with a teasing grin.
Bee warbled a negative answering tone and continued his repetitive swaying motion. "Not in the slightest. It took me a long time to find this plating and I really don't want to go through the process all over again," he said, referring to the black and gold template of his alt-mode. The ground vehicle it was based on had been a lucky find during their last disembarkation to a small copper planet dubbed Tallon IV by the avianoid natives. Prior to that, Bee's alt-mode had been a rather rushed option from a refueling trek to Velocitron, as his native Cybertronian form hadn't exactly been adapted for the extended off road travelling required for uninhabited planets. Wheeljack had been the one who selected the Velocitronian unit as it fit the parameters of their situation but the overly rounded shape of the tan colored chassis was something Bee hadn't been too keen on, especially when Sideswipe likened it to a "sandy bubble". Suffice to say it had been an overly joyous moment when Bee found the sleek stylish answer to his problem.
"I hear you. Let's hope these humans have some good tech of their own." Jazz finished preparing the transwarp drive for interspace travel and joined Bee near the edge of the energy field that separated them from the weightlessness of the outside. He cast a side glance at the younger bot who hadn't stopped fidgeting. "Gotta love the prep for these trips though," he laughed, knowing exactly the cause of Bee's newfound energy.
Bee chirped in agreement. "I can never say no to new energon packets. I like feeling as if I can take on a whole squad of Decepticons by myself." He shivered as there came another surge in his thermoregulation system, increasing the temperature of the fresh energon coursing through his lines by a tenth of a degree.
"How many cycles were you on with your last one?"
"Fifty-two."
"Ouch." Jazz grimaced, eyeing Bee carefully. "I'm surprised your gears weren't starting to rust. I can barely get myself out of my bunk with sludge at half that age."
"You can barely get out of your bunk on a normal day," Bee retorted with a laugh, cuffing his friend on the shoulder.
Jazz chuckled along with him.
"Well… you ready for this?" Jazz asked, hearing the uncertainty in his own voice. They now all stood on a precipice about to jump into the unknown as they followed delicate threads of information.
"I'm always ready," Bee replied. "You?" When he didn't receive a reply right away he gave a concerned whirr, as a quiet Jazz always indicated a worried Jazz. "Everything alright?" he asked.
"If...this lead turns out to be the one we've been waiting for," Jazz spoke softly, optics distant and unfocused, "you realize we won't be a lost species anymore. After all this time, we'll have a future again."
An odd silence settled over them, the only sounds the low thrumming of the engine in the belly of the ship below and the soft hum of the energy field nearby.
Bee shook his head. "We make our own future," he replied, trying to keep irritation from entering his voice, as the idea of a chunk of metal determining everything they were and would be was bordering on degrading. He sighed, not wanting to belittle his friend, however, and acknowledged Jazz's sentimental words with his own. "But… it will be nice to finally go home."
"That it will be," Jazz agreed before opening up his comm to access ship wide frequencies. "Optimus, we're ready to jump. Awaiting your order."
Optimus responded, his ever commanding voice heard by both mechs over the channel. "You can proceed. Ratchet and I are on route and will follow."
"Acknowledged." Jazz switched off the comm and clapped a hand against Bee's backside. "Well, after you, Half-Pint. I'll see you on the other side."
Bee warbled his goodbye, not wanting to say it aloud. He knew he wouldn't be seeing his friend in stasis over the long journey to come as Jazz chose to spend the time as close to an unconscious state as possible. Knowing the potential risks a bot faced during interspace travel and even though he wasn't the superstitious one, it always seemed to Bee that a formal farewell tempted fate just a tad too much.
The energy field crackled as Bee stepped through it. The magnetic pads in the soles of his peds activated as gravity vanished, keeping him stabilized as the physical motions of his stride threatened to propel him off in a random direction away from the Ark. The muffled sounds of the ship's thrusters at the aft of the ship were barely picked up by the more sensitive of his auditory receptors. The thudding of his footsteps fell in time to their pulses as he made his way across an open expanse toward a circuit of flashing lights that ran in a perpendicular strip to his course. He stopped just shy of the them and crouched briefly before simultaneously jumping upward while deactivating the magnets that kept him firmly in place against the hull. He allowed the force to take him several yards before engaging his vents to slow his ascent, until he hovered a sufficient distance away from the ship.
Below him, the lights began to flash in mesmerizing patterns and nearby sections of the Ark began shifting; long thick arms unfurling from their holding compartments and locking into place with heavy clunks. His own body began to contort and shift in response to the activation of his protoform program. Gold and black plates began to lose their sheen as metal parts folded inward over and over again, becoming the dark iron grey coloration that provided protection against harmful elements a bot was exposed to during solitary space travel. Bee's form increased in density as it shrunk slightly in size, finally forming the irregular oblong shape of his protoform's alt-mode.
Electricity began to snap and arc from the metal arms closest to Bee as energon was exposed to high levels of radiation. Visible currents of energy swirled around him as the Ark's computer recognized his form as the one intended for the jump and soon he was engulfed by rolling surges of the transformed energon; its power vibrating along his body, connecting him to the forces of subspace that flowed between their dimension and the countless others that composed the omniverse. The moment that contact was made, there was a brief flash and Bee was propelled forward at speeds of faster than light.
Jazz watched from below as his friend vanished into deep space. A sharp beep sounded behind him, signaling the jump was a success and had reset; now primed for the next traveller. He gave himself a mental shake, hating the long claustrophobic trips in protoform, and double checked the estimated distance between their location and Earth. It would only take a few meta-cycles to reach, nothing close to some of the extreme timeframes other bots had been known to endure. Still, he couldn't help but shudder as he prepared to step through the field to follow Bee's path; the jump to the Solar system, as short as it was, definitely could have been shorter in his opinion.
"Here's hoping it's at least uneventf—"
A loud crescendoing siren interrupted him with its sudden repeated wails. Jazz froze briefly at the ship wide alert, indicating they were under attack, before instinct and training took over and he ran for a nearby terminal, calling out his personal code that would override and reverse any previous commands that had been logged into this section of the ship. The cargo bay began sealing itself off from the outside and the arms of the transport drive sliding back up against the safety of the ship.
Jazz made it halfway to the terminal when his world was flung to the side as a massive explosion tore open the hull, ripping off one of the bay doors and propelling it across the room to pass within a few feet of his helm. The door crashed into the far wall while Jazz's chassis connected forcefully with an access ladder, breaking it into useless fragments, and he landed in an ungraceful heap on the floor. Static flickered across his vision, distorting his surroundings, and he blinked several times to stop things from jumping. Emergency lights had been activated and washed everything in a harsh red glare and the siren continued to blare. Managing to collect himself Jazz got back to his feet, crossed the remaining space, and vaulted over the guardrail between him and the terminal, reaching it a fraction of a moment before Wheeljack's voice sounded over the comm.
"Decepticon ship, starboard. Two attackers; Starscream identified. Shields at eighty-two percent."
Jazz swore harshly as any plans for heading outside, lancer rifle primed and ready to destroy some Decepticon aft, fizzled into non-existence. Megatron's second in command and prior leader of the Cybertronian seeker force wasn't one to take on in head to head aerial battles. Jazz punched in a rapid sequence of commands into the console and a second set of panels shifted down from the ceiling to cover the torn gaping hole left by the blast.
Faint vibrations in the floor signaled Ark cannons being fired. There came a subtle shift in momentum as the ship changed course, either to pursue or disengage, Jazz wasn't sure. He activated his comm.
"Jazz reporting. Hangar bay took some damage but all breaches are sealed." Streams of data rolled across the console screen and Jazz's optics quickly scanned over them in search of any other pertinent issues in their systems. A small discrepancy in pressure sensors near maintenance caught his attention; something small had made contact with the exterior and they were leaking atmosphere. "Possible breach a few decks down but effects are negligible. Please advise."
Wheeljack replied, listing off quick clipping updates. "Decepticon ship, Nemesis, has yet to advance and has taken a defensive position. Optimus is on route to engage Starscream. Cannons have diverted subsequent attacks. I'm currently having trouble identifying and getting a reading on the second attacker. Location and status unknown. Investigate all breaches."
Jazz took off, heading for the nearest access hatch that would lead him down into the belly of the Ark. He hated being blind during an attack; away from operations and the visual maps of the battlefield. He leapt down the shafts connecting each level, not bothering with the much slower use of the rungs, and landed with a loud clang of metal against metal before ducking into a roll and using the momentum to push himself into a sprint again toward the next hatch.
The final jump, longer than the others, had Jazz hitting the ground with a grunt, his shocks handling most of the impact but some force travelled up his legs leaving a burning ache in its path. Another curse was uttered, although silent this time, and it was followed by rapid clamping of his afferent sensors to temporarily stop the discomfort and allow him to remain still, crouching low with lancer drawn.
Maintenance was dark and foreboding, a thin layer of silver dust lining the various tools arranged systematically upon rows of shelving units. The area had been in disuse since Arcee had been sent planetside and Wheeljack moved his lab closer to operations in order to fill in for Cliffjumper's absence. Jazz scanned the area, the lights on his shoulders flashing on and creating long shadows to dance across the floor and walls. Soft hissing of leaking atmosphere could be heard on the other side of the room and Jazz wove his way over to its source; a hole roughly half his size lined with jagged metal edges where something had torn through from the outside.
The ship lurched as there came another resonating explosion from above and Jazz grabbed the nearest handhold to keep from pitching forward.
"Slaggin' Cons," he said, grimacing as a bearing in his shoulder was pulled a tad too hard, sending an irritating twinge up through his neck. He rotated the joint, making sure the motions were smooth but froze as there came a string of profanity that made the things he had said earlier meek in comparison. The unknown voice made him drop into defensive stance, shutting off his lights while bringing up his weapon scope to optic level in one fluid motion. With silent footsteps he moved toward the direction it had come, pressing up against the bulkhead as he came to a bend in the room. Just beyond, another rapid series of fragmented, incomplete sentences were uttered along with purposeful tapping as digits struck against a surface.
Knowing who it was even before line of sight was established, Jazz readjusted the level of his lancer, aiming the muzzle downward to compensate for the much smaller stature of the intruder. Rounding the edge of the wall, Jazz took careful aim as he would only get one good shot.
Frenzy was often an underestimated adversary in battle yet his agility, speed, and ability to avoid critical injuries due to a decentralized, modular nervous system, made him a very deadly foe.
The prior Autobot-turned-Decepticon was currently occupied, having patched himself into one of the Ark terminals and Jazz could only guess at the kind of information the bot was attempting to steal from them. Jazz lined up his crosshair with Frenzy's helm and as he pulled the trigger, be it too slow on his part or just bad luck, the ship pitched again causing the energy bolt to miss its mark. Frenzy screeched as the blast hit the upper part of his chassis and he jerked away from the terminal, disengaging his hacking servos from the interfacing port and turning on Jazz, letting loose a barrage of disc-blades launched from his chest. Jazz twisted quickly out of the way and most of the blades passed a breadth away from their mark; the others embedding themselves into Jazz's shield that he'd activated in response. Jazz's return fire seared the walls as Frenzy lept erratically about the room, using his knife-like extremities to grip the walls and ceiling; utilizing the surfaces to his advantage.
A quick flash of silver cut through the air as Frenzy leapt at Jazz, blades slashing for the soft parts between protective plates. Jazz hissed as one cut connected with its target and a line in his side was severed; glowing blue energon splattering in an arc across the floor. Jazz clamped the area, the injury failing to dull his reflexes, and he followed Frenzy's projected path as the Con landed and immediately launched himself again. Jazz's shield connected with a sickening crack as it smashed into Frenzy's helm, sending the small Con flying across the room to crash into a bank of tools. Frenzy was quick to recuperate and he disappeared behind the debris and clutter.
"Seal all access points to maintenance," Jazz called over the comm as it would be easy to lose Frenzy into the many ducts and small connecting points between areas of the ship and Jazz couldn't allow the Con to resume whatever directive he had been trying to achieve before being interrupted. "Frenzy is on board, I repeat, Frenzy has boarded!"
A new, even more shrill, alarm sounded followed by a gushing howl as numerous vents were purged; forcing their contents back into maintenance and creating a negative pressure flow. Steam and other vapour bellowed out obscuring Jazz's surroundings and he braced himself, knowing Frenzy wouldn't pass up the opportunity to use the poor visibility to his advantage. His optics scanned the thick haze, turning toward each heavy thud that signaled hatchways sliding shut with excessive force.
Jazz didn't have to wait long.
Frenzy dropped down from above, landing on Jazz's back; cutting deep gouges in the Autobot's plating with the digits of his peds. Jazz reached around attempting to grab hold of the Con but Frenzy ducked to the side, shoving his mini gun under the guards at Jazz's neck and unleashing several rounds inside the chassis. Jazz yelled in rage and pain as the bullets grazed his spark casing and he threw himself back, slamming himself into the nearest wall, attempting to crush the Con. The pressure wedged Frenzy's hand in Jazz's parts and, unable to dodge Jazz's grasp, Frenzy was pulled off the Autobot; sickening snaps and a screech of pain signalling his weapon and part of his arm being ripped off.
The Con was thrown against a far wall and he slid to the floor just as a bolt from Jazz's lancer struck true and part of Frenzy's head disappeared in a shower of metal and fluid. Frenzy twitched, his remaining hand grasping at the gaping area where part of his face used to be. Metal began to twist and shift as he started to reconfigure himself using non essential pieces of his body. Not about to let that happen, Jazz lunged forward, preparing to blast him into oblivion but he stopped short of firing when Frenzy let loose a gurgling chuckle, his remaining blue optic looking up at the Autobot with smug defiance. Hesitating, Jazz had a heaviness settle on his spark, feeling as if he was missing a vital bit of information as he listened to the maniacal laughter.
He received his answer as Wheeljack came over the comm.
"Second attacker identified. Soundwave identified."
Jazz realized it was the size of the breach that hadn't made any sense. Not when you were trying to sneak someone onboard; someone of Frenzy's stature. The breach was much too large for the Con he was currently facing, however, it was the perfect size for someone else, someone larger…
A low rumbling growl was the only warning to the danger behind him. Jazz twisted around, bringing up his weapon but it was knocked from his hand as something large crashed into him, causing him to fall backward and hit the ground; body pinned by a snarling, leithe form. Ravage's maw clamped around Jazz's shoulder, serrated teeth tearing into him. The feline-like mechanimal was the most brutal of Soundwave's counterparts; preferring to kill his enemies with fang and claw rather than projectile weaponry. Jazz gripped Ravage's head and tried to push him off but to little effect. There was only the span of a few moments before Frenzy would be back in the fray and Jazz wasn't too keen on battling both in such close quarters. Seeing how his lancer was out of reach and he needed to maintain his death-hold on the Con, he adjusted his grip to each side of Ravage's head just behind the eyes and switched on the magnetic bands in his hands, turning them up to full strength. The resulting conflicting forces on cranial circuits had Ravage spasming in pain; his optics turning outward in their sockets and ears flattening against his helm, a muffled yowl vibrating against Jazz's chassis. Finally the beastial Con couldn't stand it any longer and released Jazz, shoving himself away and shaking his head as circuit signals misfired, making his body jerk erratically.
The lancer rifle was back in Jazz's grip a moment after and he unleashed a full clip in Ravage's direction, striking the Con numerous times on the body and keeping him from retaliating. One bolt was sent Frenzy's way just as the other bot began to move to join the battle again and this time his back strut was severed; the two halves of his body flung in separate directions. The lower half twitched, curling in on itself and becoming still as its communication with the nervous system centre was lost. The top half flailed about where it landed, the excessive damage causing an extended delay in reconfiguration.
Jazz readied himself for another attack from Ravage who had recuperated his senses, however the Con jerked his head, looking to his companion and pausing as if suddenly realizing the state they were in. Ravage hissed at Jazz, firing a few rounds from the mounted cannon on his backside, but the shots went wild as they were only meant to keep the Autobot at bay. Ravage grasped Frenzy's working half in his mouth and took off for the breach.
"Optimus! Ravage and Frenzy exiting a breach; port side, section 2F!" Jazz yelled through the comm, hoping his leader was still on the outside and could provide interference. He ran after the two but couldn't match Ravage's speed and lost them through the hole in the Ark's hull.
"I see them," Optimus replied, his voice strained, "however, I am unable to pursue. Nemesis cannon fire has me pinned down"
"Optimus get back inside, we need to fall back," Wheeljack said with urgency. "The Ark won't be able to endure much more."
Jazz's fist connected with a wall. "Frenzy was connected with one of our terminals. He may have retrieved some of our intel," he informed them. "We can't afford to let them get away."
"We don't have a choice," Wheeljack countered. "We'll all be scrapped if we don't leave this sector immediately."
"I'm secured, initiate full retreat." The order came through from Optimus, ending any further debate on the matter.
Jazz grimaced; his failure at letting the two Cons escape gnawing at his spark. Unfortunately there wasn't much else he could do at this point aside from repairing the breach itself and securing the room. A large heavy sheet of titanium was borrowed from a pile of materials and heaved over the gaping hole and welded into place. Rumbling vibrations followed and Jazz felt a mild sense of vertigo as the Ark entered sublight drive; propelling them rapidly away from their attackers.
He clutched his shoulder, the movement and weight of the repair straining injured lines and sensors and he flicked on his comm once again.
"Hey, Doc, you in the med bay?" he asked, moving gingerly toward the exit. "I've got some work for you."
0-0-0-0-0
Massive shadows loomed over the battle damaged Cons, who sat nervously on the floor of the Nemesis' bridge. Frenzy skittered in his spot, the spider-like arrangement of his remaining body clicking against the ground, earning an irritated growl from Ravage, who was positioned nearby.
A large hand was placed on the top of Ravage's head, the silent gesture comforting, and Ravage settled with the attention from his symbiotic counterpart.
"Are you sure of what you found?" Starscream glared down from above, his red optics flashing. "If you are mistaken or I find out you are lying, I will tear you apart piece by piece until there is nothing left except for your pathetic excuse for a brain module!"
Frenzy shrunk lower as Starscream hovered menacingly over him, the Commander's digits twitching with eager anticipation at the thought of dismembering him.
"It was his signature, I'm sure, I'm sure," Frenzy clicked rapidly. "Megatron's signature on the alien ship. No mistake. I don't make mistakes!"
"You'd better not, for your sake." Starscream turned away from the pair, disgust dripping from his words. "Pathetic, the both of you. Not being able to take down one lone Autobot."
"It would seem that it proves to be difficult for even the best of us." The monotone voice of Soundwave answered; the Decepticon communications officer regarding Starscream with veiled contempt from his position beside Ravage.
Starscream bristled at the subtle insult and rounded on Soundwave. "Is there something on your mind you wish to say?" he growled, advancing on the other Con until he was just a few meters away.
To his credit, Soundwave didn't flinch, unlike most other bots when on the receiving end of Starscream's wrath; the Commander was known for acting on impulse and with great violence.
Soundwave responded with the same level coldness as always. "Of course not, Commander. My purpose is to advance the Decepticon cause via Lord Megatron's orders, and as such, your orders as his proxy. It is not my place to challenge decisions or… pass judgement."
It took all of Starscream's restraint not to rip Soundwave's spark from his chassis and feel its pulsing life force die in his grasp. The blatant mockery at his inability to destroy Optimus during the battle, when the Autobot leader had been at such a disadvantage, was infuriating but, unfortunately, as Soundwave possessed unique abilities essential for the war and Starscream had yet to possess absolute power over the Decepticon force, the arrogance-bordering-on-insubordination had to be endured… to a point.
Starscream straightened, casting a side glance to the dismembered Con, who still cowered on the floor. "Log your data and I'll review it later. We must pursue our enemy while their ship is damaged and crew is weakened." The Decepticons hadn't missed witnessing the jump of one Autobot member and Frenzy had been quick to indulge the others on the injuries of their irritating Lieutenant. "You were able to track their ship's trajectory?" he asked Soundwave, who nodded; a celestial map appearing on a nearby screen with coordinates.
Any further orders to make chase were interrupted, however, when a deep rumbling voice spoke up behind Starscream.
"The Autobot data must be investigated immediately. Any leads to Lord Megatron are priority."
The main hindrance to Starscream's achievement of control over the Decepticon force lay in the hulking black form of Megatron's staunchest supporter. As long as there was rumor the Decepticon leader was still functioning, Starscream would never sway the ever loyal hound of Megatron to his own personal vendetta.
He turned, noting how Blackout had moved quietly up behind him and was observing him closely with fierce red eyes.
"Unless…" Blackout continued, "you wish to be the one to explain to Lord Megatron that we knew of his location but chose to do nothing about it."
A cold ripple of fear travelled through Starscream's plates. It was obvious to every Decepticon that if Megatron was alive, he was in a situation severe enough to require aid, or they would have received some kind of communication from him by now. What kind of situation remained to be seen, however, and the idea of Megatron finding out he'd been left to rust… well… Starscream couldn't even begin to imagine the kind of torture that would befall him.
Starscream had so far been successful in reducing the investigations into the location of their glorious leader, but then again, there had been little to no information regarding his status ever since he'd gone through the wormhole after the AllSpark. Now with this rather sudden and, in Starscream's opinion, unfortunate insight, his control over his companions had taken a severe hit.
Blackout waited patiently for a reply and Starscream knew that if he did not acknowledge the chance to find Megatron through action, he would be forced to fight the large mech. Blackout was no simpleton and whereas Starscream could easily overpower other bots who challenged him intellectually, such as Soundwave, Blackout matched Starscream in firepower and physical prowess on and above the battlefield.
The others wouldn't be of any help either in supporting Starscream's cause. Soundwave was just as loyal to Megatron as Blackout was, and no doubt would assist in Starscream's extermination if Blackout decided to try. Bonecrusher, the tawny hunched giant watching the exchange from his place near the viewport, hated everyone with a fierceness that even extended to himself and only fought for their side simply because he hated the Autobots even more. The remaining two members of the Nemesis crew, Barricade and Brawl, would simply follow whoever was strongest and the most likely to achieve victory over the Autobot faction. As having Megatron back would give them the best chance at succeeding in their war, Starscream could easily see them backing Blackout over him.
"But of course we will investigate," Starscream answered, hating how sniveling his voice seemed to have become. "Do you take me as a fool?"
"No," Blackout replied, his expression thoughtful as if imagining how the conversation would have ended should Starscream have chosen the alternate option. "Your decisions are always made in the interest of Decepticon rule. Megatron's rule."
"Yes, yes," Starscream hissed, not breaking optic contact; noticing how the edges of Blackout's mouth plates lifted slightly. "But," Starscream pressed on, raising a pointed digit, "as the Autobots only sent one of their own, we shall do the same. The rest of us will follow the Ark and put it to destruction."
Blackout began to interject but Starscream stopped him.
"Or would you rather explain to Megatron why we had Optimus Prime within our grasp and chose to let him go?"
Now it was Blackout's turn to appear uneasy at the thought of disappointing his esteemed leader and he found himself nodding along with Starscream's plan.
"I await your orders, Commander," Blackout stepped back, allowing Starscream to take rein over the situation once again.
Starscream pointed at Barricade. "You will go to the alien planet where Megatron's signature originated from. Find him and report back. Destroy anything that gets in your way and kill the Autobot scum who is traveling there."
"It'll be my pleasure," Barricade rumbled, a wide grin splitting his face.
"For Cybertron!" Starscream roared, thrusting a fist high in the air. "For the Decepticons!"
Blackout nodded, following suit. "For the Decepticons and all hail Megatron!" he boomed, the others echoing the acclamation.
"All hail Megatron!"
0-0-0-0-0
Bumblebee knew something had gone wrong.
He stood at the edge of his stasis field searching for the signatures of the other Autobots who should have appeared soon after his own jump. Panic began to raise its ugly head as he continued to remain alone in the void.
Bee ran through his immediate options. Stopping his jump prematurely would provide the best way at keeping him close to his starting point, however, it would also only leave him with a new set of problems; stuck in an uncharted part of deep space with no method of rapid interstellar travel and possibly facing dangerous and unfamiliar obstacles. Staying on course meant arriving in a situation that wasn't completely unknown to him; the human data and his brief interaction with Alexandria having somewhat prepared him on what to expect from Earth and its native species. Continuing his jump, however, would set him back considerably in time and distance if the mission parameters had changed since he left the Ark.
It was frustrating to say the least, especially when his strong sense of duty conflicted with his need to ensure his friends—his family—were alright.
Grimacing, Bee forced himself to remain the disciplined soldier and he syphoned all possible power he could; rerouting it into strengthening and amplifying his communication signal as someone was bound to contact him eventually, knowing he was out here.
Unless the Ark was destroyed...
He shook his head, running a hand over his helm in frustration at the thought. He needed to stay positive or least he drove himself mad with worry over the remainder of the trip and what good would result from that?
The digital environment of his stasis program flickered from the reduction in power; his own form phasing in and out of existence. Reluctantly Bee shut off the visual component to become a disembodied presence in the dark.
With nothing to look at, Bee could only wait; alone with his thoughts, which starting to fringe on the negative once again.
Just as he was beginning to picture all of the horrible ways a bot could meet his end in space, a familiar signal contacted him.
It was Optimus.
Bee acknowledged the other Autobot's presence by sending security bypass codes that would allow Optimus to establish connection with his stasis programming.
Optimus' signal was faint; the result of the increasing distance between them. Bee managed to restrain himself from barraging his leader with questions.
Optimus spoke rapidly, his words edged with urgency. "Bumblebee, the Ark was attacked by a Deception ship and we sustained heavy damage, resulting in a change in course to avoid destruction. We are currently preparing to jump to Ironhide's location for fuel and repairs." Optimus' voice crackled with static as his signature weakened. Bee remained silent, not wanting to interrupt least of all they lose the connection suddenly. Thankfully Optimus' next words contained the information Bee needed the most. "No casualties resulted from the attack. Jazz did receive several injuries during the fight but Ratchet says he will make a full recovery."
The relief from knowing everyone was still functioning was immense and some of the heaviness lifted from Bee's spark.
"We have reason to believe the Decepticons know of Earth. You must continue with the mission. Find the AllSpark and secure it by any means necessary. We cannot let it fall into Decepticon hands or else the human world...Cybertron...all life would be at stake."
"I understand," Bee said. "You can count on me."
Optimus hummed in approval; his trust in the young Scout always well placed.
"Maintain your cover unless absolutely necessary. The fewer humans who are aware of our presence, the fewer who become involved in our war."
"And Alexandria, Sir?" Bee couldn't help but ask the question in regard to their human acquaintance.
"You may speak to her as you have been if she continues to contact you in stasis as it may offer greater insight into her species, however, do not let her know you travel to her world. Even though her actions have given us reason to believe she personally doesn't mean us harm, we cannot determine her loyalties at this time. Once you are on Earth, only seek her out if you have no other choice."
There came another fluctuation in Optimus' signal and Bee knew the connection would be soon lost.
"We will (kzzt) there soon… Stay saf—"
Optimus' signature cut out leaving Bee alone once again and Bee uttered a soft whirr; the ache left behind by the final words spoken to him, raw and emotional.
"You too," he whispered to the dark.
0-0-0-0-0
The days passed by, following disappointing nights spent within stasis, yet the search for a familiar voice remained ever hopeful. The other voices continued to speak their language to unknown audiences and, as much temptation as it was to investigate their associated light, the promise that had been made remained unbroken.
Then, on the twelfth night, there came a faint point of light off in the distance; displaced far down and off to the side from its original location. It was accompanied by a sound that evoked an unparallelled excitement and its listener ran toward it immediately upon its discovery.
The neverending blackness of the surroundings changed to the green of the digital world after stepping through the light into its source. Upon entering, a giant form moved within, crossing over the platform once it noticed the new presence; eyes lighting up even brighter at the sudden appearance.
Alexandria smiled as she looked up at the one she had been seeking; her voice betraying her happiness at finding him again.
"Hello, Bee."