TFA: Youngling
Ch.8~ Corrupt?
I walked down the corridors of the ship; Ratchet brought me along with him. He said he needed to do some work and would watch me while the others were busy. I felt bad, they had to help repair all the things the Decepticons destroyed. I stopped as I felt something, I recognized this feeling. Was someone here?
I pressed my backstruts to the wall, I could sense someone, but it felt weak… I remember I felt this the last time I was on the ship; it must be something. I activated my scanners, there was an energy signature not too far from me. I began to walk toward it, trailing a servo along the wall. Soon I stopped, it was near here, I saw part of the hall was jutting a bit out.
"What's this…?" I muttered, pressing my servo to it I saw a panel appear. "What?"
Pressing my servo into the panel the wall folded away, I stepped back a bit in surprise. Looking in I saw it was a small room with a bright blue light in it. Stepping in I felt my sensors light up with emotions, pain, sadness but they felt muddled. Taking a few more steps I looked up and saw a large bright ball, that looks like a spark?
"Hello? Are you okay?" I quizzed; I felt the ship rumble which made me stumble back. "Wait, are you the ship?"
The rumble worsened and I fell down, I remember Rache told me about bots like this. Titans, they could be as big as cities or as small as ships. Was this a titan? Wait did the others know this? Was he stuck or hurt? I have to tell Ratchet this, getting up I saw him slide into the entryway.
"How did you get in here?!" he screamed, I raced to him. "Omega, you okay?"
I could hear a rumble-like response, I heard Ratchet sigh, he patted my helm and stepped into the room and brought up a panel. I watched as he worked on the panel and soon room quieted. I no longer felt those feelings, all that was left was a presence. Ratchet looked upset, he slowly stepped out of the room and shut it up again.
"Rache?" I quizzed; he ran a servo over his faceplate.
"What were you doing?" he questioned.
"I felt something like there was someone so I followed an energy signature and it led me here. I touched the wall and a panel appeared and I touched it. Whoever that was they're hurt, I could tell. Do you know them?" I explained, he looked at me sadly.
"Yeah, this ship is my friend Omega Supreme, he was created to end the War, he was hurt badly ending it. The council didn't want to waste resources to fix him, he's stuck in his ship mode now. I keep him in stasis, keeps away the pain for what I can't fix…" Ratchet answered, I grabbed onto his pede. "You getting into his spark chamber must have woke him up."
"Can you fix him? I mean if you had the resources?" I asked, he sighed.
"I'd like to think I could…" he stated, this was like Rache with Bee…
"I'm sure he's glad he gets to be here with you, he seemed happier when you went in there." I chimed, he smiled down at me.
"Now how do you figure that." He stated.
"That's the sense I mentioned to you, even without my doorwings I could feel him. He must be really strong." I answered he chuckled.
"That he is." He muttered.
"Rache, I'm sure one day you'll be able to fix him up." I soothed; he smiled a bit.
"I hope so kid." He stated.
Rache is just as amazing here…
(Later)
I raced over to hug Prowl, he and the others must really have a lot of work ahead of them. It's almost night and he had just come to get me. I looked up at him, he had a gentle smile on his faceplates that made me feel happy. I was so glad that I get to be with him while I'm stuck, it was like a dream. When the other Autobots arrive I'm sure I'll be taken away… I don't want to leave him or the others…
"Did you have a good day?" he quizzed, I stood back nodding.
"Yep, Rache let me help him with some of his work," I explained, he nodded.
"Mostly cuz this bratlet can't be trusted on her own." Ratchet called, I turned to the old medic pouting.
"I can handle myself fine." I huffed, he turned me a smirk on his faceplate.
"Handling yourself and staying out of trouble are two different things." He teased, I pouted harder. "Cute kid."
"Did she get herself into trouble?" Prowl asked placing a servo on my helm.
"She needs to learn to mind her own business." Ratchet huffed, I guess he was still upset I woke up Omega.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake him up. I'll be more careful." I apologized, he sighed.
"Wake who?" Prowl quizzed; I saw Ratchet putting a finger to his lipplates shushing me.
"Is it a secret?" I quizzed looking to Ratchet confused.
"I am lost." Prowl stated.
"Well, I guess I can tell you but don't go telling the others got it Prowl." Ratchet stated, I turned to see Prowl nod. "The ship…"
"Is a Titan!" I finished; Prowl looked to me confused."You know their Cybertronians but huge, their altmodes are like ships and other big things."
"Titans aren't a thing here Omega here was made by the Autobot science division during the war. He was meant to be the last of defence for the Autobots during the war. He was injured during the last push of the war and has been locked in stasis. The council said the resources couldn't be spared." Ratchet explained, I felt bad he was left in such a state.
"I see, I had no idea." Prowl stated.
"He's Rache's friend, he is super strong I was able to sense him even without my doorwings," I explained, he nodded. "Rache maybe I can talk to the Autobot leaders and get you resources to fix him."
"Don't bother." Ratchet stated, I ran over to him.
"All you need is resources right, I'm sure I can talk some sense into the high command. I mean they'll listen to me cuz I'm a princess, won't they?" I insisted, he sighed.
"It ain't that easy kid. High command is… stubborn to say the least."
His look told me more than what he said, I felt a wave of anger build up inside me. Omega had worked hard to defend the Autobots but they abandoned him when he was no longer needed. I was right, this Cybertron is corrupt and it slipped into the Autobots. Why are bots like this? How much were they hiding, was this just like before the war?
"Are we even the good guys?"
"Star…"
"Uncle Opmis would never let something like this happen, he would do anything to make sure the Autobots, no, all Cybertronians were going to have a bright future. Yet here the Autobots leave Omega here injured and forced into stasis. This sounds just like the council before the war. Are bots suffering?" I ranted, I pulled off my visor. "Are bots slaves?"
"I'm not gonna lie and Cybertron is perfect or the Autobots are… But we're the good guys, I can assure the Decepticons would be ruling worse." Ratchet stated, like that was a high bar to beat… "But you really should keep that visor on."
"I know…" I muttered and slowly slide back on my visor. "I want to help. And if being a Princess matters to those in charge then I'll do my best to sway them. I don't want bots to keep suffering if there's something I can do."
"You're a good kid." Ratchet soothed rubbing my helm. "Ya got a good spark, but you're too young to be butting your noseplate into things like this. Leave this to the grown bots."
"I just want to help…"
"I know kid."
"I wish Uncle were here, he always knew what to do…"
"You'll back to him soon…"
"I'm not stupid."
"What ya talking about kid?"
"I'm not stupid, I know I'm never going back. The chances of that happening are like 0.000001, basically astronomical! I want to believe but I know better, I know I'm never going back. So, if I'm gonna be here, then I'm gonna do my best to make this world a better place."
"Kid…"
"I'm sorry I yelled… I want to keep believing that I'll be able to see my Uncles again but… My stupid battle computer keeps telling me it's not possible…"
"You may be right there, kid, but you'll be fine. Ya got a lot of bots here to look out for ya."
I felt him rub my helm and I looked up at him, he had a sad smile on his faceplate. Even if I won't be able to go home, even if I am stuck here… I've gotten to meet and spend with some great bots, even if I'm sent away… I'll always remember the time I had here… I stepped closer and hugged him, I don't want to leave them. He continued to rub my help as I buried my faceplate into his abdominal plating.
"I'm glad I met you…" I muttered.
(Prowl's POV)
I felt my spark break as Star clung to the elder medic, she never told me that. She really didn't believe she was ever going to go home… How much else was she hiding from us? She was in a new world, far from all she had ever know and those she loved… I had been wondering if sending her back to that world would be right… Seems fate has made that choice for her…
She slowly pulled away from the old medic and pushed up her visor to wipe tears from his optics. Ratchet knelt down and grabbed her shoulderplates meeting her gaze with a soft smile. He was showing a gentler side lately, had Star awoken something in him… Maybe she would be better off with him…
"You'll be fine kid, you got a pretty great mech there looking after you, and ya got the rest of us here too. Stop bottling things up, it ain't good for ya." He explained, she nodded her helm. "Good feme, now go on back to base with your caretaker, I'll see you later."
"Thank you." She replied and hugged him by his neckcables before turning to me.
I knelt down and opened my servos for her, she teared up and raced into my arms. I scooped her up and got back to my pedes and she clung to me clearly crying. Ratchet gave me a nod, I nodded back before he went to work on something. I turned and began to leave the ship; the walk was silent besides her small almost silent sobs.
"I'm here whenever you want to talk." I hushed; I really hope she'll open up more…
(Stargazer's POV)
I sat under the tree in Prowl's room, I liked his room and the little bit of nature that crept in. It was peaceful. I only wish he and the others weren't still busy looking for the Decepticons. Something deep down told me that Megatron was not gone. I mean he survived worse in my world…
"Star?" Bee said, I looked up to see him in the doorway.
"Bee, are you guys done?" I quizzed running over to hug his waist.
"Yeah, actually Boss-bot wanted to talk to you." He replied, I nodded and let him lead me to the main room.
I saw them all standing around, so they were back on base, but they seemed upset. Did they find them? I held Bee's servo a bit tighter as he led me over to Optimus he knelt down and Bee went to stand by Bulkhead.
"Stargazer, we were able to confirm that an Elite Guard unit is heading to Earth." He explained; I guess that blast sent of enough power to be traced across galaxies. "We need to get your story ready."
"My story? Oh, you mean to tell them about my royalty?" I quizzed, he nodded.
"And a bit more, Cybertron only has one royal family." He stated; I guess that would make this a bit harder.
"Well, I explain the basics of the groundbridge accident, explain the whole different reality thing." I mused, he nodded. "Should I mention the war?"
"Probably best not to."
"Okay… So, I'll introduce myself as Princess Stargazer, explain the groundbridge accident and that I am now stuck here. I'll say I'm from the kingdom of Praxus."
"I think they'll listen to what you have to say with that."
"Optimus, would they really not listen to me otherwise?"
"I believe so…"
"Okay…"
He reached over and rubbed my helm, I leaned into his touch. Just like I learned earlier, this world was still corrupt. With the Senate running the Autobots, the only things that held power were those with born power… I reached up to touch my visor, I guess I'll have to make sure I keep this on. I wonder what you'd have thought of all this Ja…
"Stargazer?" Prowl quizzed, I turned to see him kneeled next to me. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I just… Nevermind…" I muttered, he scooped me up and carried me to his room.
"Is it easier to talk without the others?" he quizzed setting me down under his tree.
"How can Cybertron still be so corrupt? This kind of thing is what started the war in my world, I just… I feel like something bad is going to happen if this continues…" I muttered, he put his servos on my shoulderplates.
"I understand, but this is just a temporary lie. Just so they will listen to what you have to say."
"But you warned me about this already, if they see my optics nothing I say would matter."
"Just keep your visor on."
"It's not mine…"
"What?"
"It's not mine, it's my Ja's…"
"Yes… I noticed the glyphs on the side."
I reached up and traced the glyphs, I wasn't fluent enough in Cybertronian to read it by touch. But I knew what it said, it was Ja's name engraved into the visor that Prowl gave him. I wonder how Ja felt about this, it was given to him by Prowl but it's purpose… Was Ja ashamed of his optic color..? I wish I knew what he had felt…
"It's important to you, isn't it?"
"It's all I have left of Ja… But I wonder if he even liked it…"
"He gave it to you, I'm sure he must have like it to do that."
I never thought of it like that. I was a sparkling the Autobots wouldn't have cared about my optic color much. Yet he had taken the time to put it on me before he turned to face Megatron. I felt a sad smile form on my faceplates. Maybe the visor meant something different to him.
"Thanks, that makes me feel better."
I felt him rub my helm, I don't know what this visor meant to Ja but it meant enough for him to gift it to me. That's all that matters.
