The lift reached its destination, letting the three of them
off into the command center. Fascinated, she walked up to the main computer
console. The equipment was slightly different; she didn't recognize a
number of the commands.
[So this really means that…]
"Please don't touch that."
Cheetor's voice brought her back to the immediate present.
"Big bot and the others are out, so we should probably just wait here for them."
Examining the interior of the Axalon, Maybelle saw a vivid repainting of the Arc in her mind. The Maximal base was relatively small, but she felt a strange sense of ease in it. [It's as though I've come home, but not quite…]
"They're back! Sentinel, lower shields."
Tigatron quickly moved past her to receive his fellow crewmembers. The lift opened as Optimus Primal and the remaining Maximals entered the room.
"Cheetor, we left as soon as we got you message. What's this about finding an Autobot?"
"Optimus, you're not going to believe this! We found her just borderline of Grid Tetran."
Cheetor motioned towards her. Maybelle, overwhelmed, comforted at the sight of some many other robots, stared at the commander. He bore a slight resemblance to the Optimus she had known. She regarded all of them in curiosity; their secondary modes all consisted of various …animals? Beasts would be the better word to use, since they all portrayed a sense of wild ferocity.
In an authoritative tone, Optimus Primal stepped forward and addressed her. "This is really extraordinary, but I don't want to make you feel too overwhelmed. As you know, I am Optimus Primal leader of the Maximals on this planet."
"Greetings can be spared for the moment, what I really would like is information." That sounded incredibly rude to her own audios, but she was at a point where further delay would prove disastrous.
"Alright I understand," decided the commander, "Cheetor, please escort her to the conference room. Rhinox and I will try to pull up some files to help."
The cheetah-bot nodded, and motioned for her to follow him. In an attempt to ease the awkwardness, she spoke to the Maximal leader in a pleading tone.
"My name is Maybelle, former communications specialist amongst the Autobots. Please, all I want is to find out what happened to colony G-281… and me." Optimus nodded, giving her a surprising sense of reassurance.
******************************************************************
"Any luck, old friend?" Optimus questioned Rhinox, the Maximal technician and only one among his units with a cool head he could turn to at times of despondency. There were data tracks dating from centuries ago that were pulled up on screen. Rhinox typed an access command, as a particular article was pulled up.
"Optimus," he started in an undecipherable tone, "what I've found is remarkable. There aren't many files on Maybelle in particular, but take a look at the this." The commander peered at the screen, noting the print that appeared in late Cybertronian.
"Galvatron issues Decepticon attack on Autobot laboratory in Delta Gigma sector of Cybertron. The Decepticons were believed to be searching for an Autobot communications expert by the name of Arcee. Currently her location is unknown, but it is believed that Autobot Leader Optimus Prime has secured her to an orbiting station around the planet Earth."
Optimus shook his head. "Well, whatever the Decepticons were after, they sure were desperate. Anything else?" Another article appeared, dated slightly later than the previous one.
"There is buzz on Cybertron about the apparent disappearance of Autobot communications specialist Arcee. Last seen with her squadron on planet Earth, there is a frantic Cyclonus led search for her. However, there have been reports of an individual bearing physical resemblance to Arcee, as well as being entrusted with her former position. Rumors have also been surfacing that Arcee was remodeled and renamed in a secret laboratory."
The Maximal leader solemnly absorbed the information he had been just presented with. "I knew she looked familiar when I first saw her, but never would I have guessed that-"
"That she would be the communications specialist our planet almost waged war over," Rhinox finished decisively for him. Neither spoke for a while, their silence a reflection of what had been brought upon them.
"She'd be an asset to our ranks," mentioned Optimus, "and it's now our responsibility to have her safely returned to Cybertron. The Maximal Elders would want to examine her, and decide what her future would be from there."
"Only where do we start by informing her that she's been out for, say, three centuries?"
"I know…" replied Optimus grimly, "we'll just have to somehow ease her into reality."
******************************************************************
After a detailed tour of the Axalon, courtesy of an overly talkative Cheetor, Maybelle had been assigned temporary quarters, and managed to catch bits of the Maximal version of Cybertronian history. The fact that Maximals were descendants of Autobots astonished her, presenting itself as a seemingly unlikely possibility. Descendants? But how…]
She also met each member of the Maximal crew, as they passed him or her going about the usual routines. Surprisingly, they treated her with nothing short of respect and welcome, of course, after they got over the initial shock of learning her identity. She felt their curious stares and maybe a bit of edginess from some such as Dinobot. The engineering expert Rattrap, however, had bombarded her with questions. They had walked in on a small, obscure room that she would normally have bypassed without notice, and found him busy assembling a spherical metal device.
"Yo Rattrap! Leave the scrap metal and say hi to Maybelle."
The short robot looked annoyed to be dragged away from his invention, but once the conversation was underway, he found himself fascinated by the surviving Autobot.
"So what exactly are dose human thingies ya keep talkin' about," he asked for the third time. Maybelle rolled her optics, but in some ways felt she could empathize with him. [He has the same sort of curiosity running through his circuits as I do.] Before she could answer his flurry of questions, the door slip open to admit a grave looking Rhinox.
"…Maybelle, could you follow me to the command center? Optimus has the information you need."
******************************************************************
The news hit her hard. No… the straight facts weren't what hurt her. Rather, the actuality that she had let herself settle into a false mindset, believing that she could somehow elude the awful occurrence; that shook her, and caused a sea of emotions to swell in response. All the while, snatches of Optimus' report resounded repeatedly in her mind.
"A sudden Decepticon raid on colony G-281,"
" -resulting in the destruction of the planet,"
" No recorded survivors-"
"Autobots and Decepticons alike are now theoretically extinct,"
She could only prevent herself from going insane by focusing elsewhere. Slowly, she transported herself back in time. Back on the Ark, where she had been with comrades, and Springer. But the memory only served to emphasize the loss she had suffered that day, centuries ago. [Time will not quell my hate.] She clenched both her fists, and prepared to make a resolution. [But… I have won. Victory is ours. The Autobots have outlasted the Decepticons!]
Her fist relaxed, as a wave of grief settled over. [Yet, if this is victory, why am I far less happier that when the war was still occurring?] Raising her head to the roof of the base, a silent scream of agony played at her lips. Rhinox, along with Cheetor and Optimus who were present, took in her obvious pain, and felt each of their sparks go out to her. But something in Maybelle's mind suddenly clicked.
"Optimus," she asked with a quavering voice, "what about those Predacons you spoke of earlier? If the Maximals are Autobot descendants, then aren't they…"
"Decepticon descendants? Yes. That is where Maximal and Predacon origins
differ."
Tightening her hold on a nearby seat, Maybelle felt the metal give way due to the rapid increase of pressure. [Then each Predacon on this planet shall perish as I avenge my former comrades.]
Optimus sensed her accumulating anger, and proceeded to guess her intention.
"There will be no revenge carried out. I understand your emotional state, but many things have happened since the Great War. Our situation here must be taken into account."
Reason and understanding had been temporarily wiped from her conscious being. "I don't care about how the situation limits me," she turned on the Maximal commander sharply, "but I know that vengeance is within my reach." Her optics blazed a fiery mauve, unleashing the fury within. "Think of it as a favor to your crew. I sacrifice myself and in the process, take out as many Predacons as I can."
"You'll do nothing of the sort," he countered firmly, "not only is it irrational and uncalled for, it puts you in unnecessary jeopardy." She cursed him, furious that he put himself so resolutely in her way. Noticing that she had become even more flustered, Optimus tried to calm the shaking bot before him.
"It has been quite awhile since the events you remember. Besides Maybelle, there were no absolute evil participants in the war."
Bitter tears swelled in her optics. [Yes, there were those who ruined lives…and those watched their lives become ruined.] Without another word, she stormed out of the command center, leaving a trio of staggered, perplexed Maximals staring after her.
******************************************************************
He appeared before her, a mixture of sadness and disappointment written on his familiar, though unsmiling features. "I never expected you to be so rash and...violent,"
She shot him an incredulous look; how could he blame her for attempting to take certain action?
"They took you from me, and destroyed a future we could have shared."
Her companion look unconvinced, and continued his disapproving look.
"Mass murder isn't something that the Arcee I know would be bent upon."
His words hurt, they dug deep into the spiritual scars already present in her new form. In response, she turned tearfully to face him. "Several centuries locked away in a cramped escape pod can vastly change one's mindset…"
******************************************************************
The loud knocking on her door snapped Maybelle out of her reverie. Earlier, she had escaped into the temporary quarters she had been assigned, vowing to plan the death of all Predacons. "Come in," she grumbled, getting off the recharge bed she had collapsed onto. At her invitation, Cheetor and Airazor both entered, each wearing a cautious, concerned look.
"Maybelle, we just got the news from Optimus…"
"And we understand your present state completely!" Cheetor looked annoyed at being rudely cut off, but the female Maximal casually waved him away. "I'd like to hear your plans, like, what you're planning to do now." She walked over and sat beside the other femme, genuine sympathy radiating from her optics. Similarly, Maybelle felt as though she could entrust Airazor with her feelings. They had taken a liking to each other when first introduced in the engineering bay, and Airazor was overjoyed to at last have a female crewmember she could turn to.
"Well, I don't give a damn about what Optimus was raving about. All I know is that those forsaken Predacons are all going to be scrap metal by the time I'm through with them." Fist clenched, she glared from one to the other, daring them to contradict her. Cheetor made a soft noise in his voice synthesizer, and then shot a helpless look at Airazor.
"You know what Mabe, you should spend a week or so touring the planet with me. There are loads of beautiful sites out there."
"Yeah," chimed Cheetor, glad that his fellow comrade had taken the dive to ease things out, "like, what's your transformation?"
His question brought back the reminder that she could no longer be in a vehicle-mode Arcee had.
"…A F-22 " she replied grimly, remembering that Prime and Springer had chosen the form without any say on her part.
"Ultra gear, another flyer! Man, those Preds are gonna get theirs in the keister now!"
The room remained silent for several nanoclicks, until a beep over the intercom broke the uncomfortable situation.
"AIRAZOR, REPORT TO THE COMMAND CENTRE IMMEDIATELY FOR MISSION BRIEFING!"
Maybelle thought she heard a slight groan from the other, as Airazor got up in a cadet-like manner and stated brightly, "That's my cue. Optimus there had better have something fun for me tonight." Chuckling to herself, the hawk-femme was almost out the door when she turned abruptly. "Oh, I'm going on a solo flight tomorrow over several sectors, but I'm sure no one would mind if you came along. So you'd better, okay?"
Jumping at the opportunity to familiarize herself with the planet, Maybelle agreed.
"Great, I'll see you at 3.5 cycles then." As Airazor left, Cheetor, who had meanwhile been standing awkwardly in the corner of her quarters, suddenly felt the need to justify his presence.
"Really Mabe, don't take anything Optimus says right now personally. I can tell he's just concerned for your own safety."
He had moved to the middle of the room, standing prominently in a way that made him look like he was seeking self-assurance. "You probably know by now that I really have no idea what you've gone through and the hell you're experiencing now. But if you accept me as a real friend, I'll do everything I can to understand and help you."
The words rolled off his tongue like they had been rehearsed and practiced days in advance. The earnest look he gave her made her think of pleading, pre-adolescent humans. No, she wasn't being ungrateful, but the fact that he made friendship sound like something so, so casual…she couldn't appreciate that.
[True friendship has to be formed through eons of trust and camaraderie.]
Judging from the cheetah-bot's age portrayal, he was most likely too young to have gone through such an experience. However, there was a warm aura radiating from his being. He was friendly, definitely a comfort in an alien world to which she had yet to be accustomed. And he might be on her side concerning the issue of revenge.
"Of course, Cheetor. I'll always consider you as a good friend."
******************************************************************
"WHO did ya say she was?!"
"You heard me Cheese-lips, I said she was Ar…ah ha! Didn't you once refer to her as your great aunt-"
"No way am I related to that dame, Chopper-face!!"
Such was the scene in progress inside the training center, where Maybelle and Cheetor ventured after leaving her quarters. It was actually quite ridiculous, watching Rattrap size up to Dinobot who was twice his height, in an attempt to fervently argue his point. Both of them turned in her direction when she entered, resulting in Dinobot pretending to polish his sword, and Rattrap turning away in clear embarrassment. Only Silverbolt, who had been observing from the other side of the center, approached to greet her.
"How are you making out, Maybelle?" His noble and handsome features were quite impressive, but it was his tone of voice that she was fond of the most. It sounded like he had known her for centuries, and was ready to commit a gallant act of chivalry at her very command. When she had first seen him in the command center, she had immediately pegged him as an extremely efficient warrior. Only now after some small talk, did it become apparent that he also had the perfect disposition of a…gentleman. That word described Silverbolt to the last fibrillary strand in his microchips.
"Well I'm glad you'll be getting acquainted," he said after several minutes. Dinobot and Rattrap had long since seen a chance to discreetly leave the center unnoticed, and were nowhere in sight.
"You have to give Cheetor credit. Without his guidance, I'd be sulking away in my quarters still." The younger Maximal, who had looked upset in missing out on the conversation, evidently brightened at her remark.
"Ah, it's nothing…" he said while lowering his optics bashfully to the ground.
"Great, with Cheetor as your guide, you can't go wrong. Welcome to the team, Maybelle. I'll be seeing you around then." She watched carefully as the charming fuzor made his way towards the exit, engrossed in how he managed to almost always say the right thing.
"What do you think of him?" Cheetor was regarding her with a half quizzical, half disappointed expression that entertained her.
"He's pretty spectacular," then she added for her friend's benefit, "almost as attractive as you!"
That well-aimed comment put Cheetor in a flabbergasted state for the next few cycles.
******************************************************************
Infuriated and extremely volatile, Maybelle flung herself into the cramped desk in her quarters. More of her precious time had been spent in a conference with Optimus, and the results were not appreciable.
"Maybelle, it's not that you aren't trusted," the commander had explained firmly, "nothing could be further from the truth. I just don't want you emotional overdrive interfering with your logic in situations that could be perilous."
The recollection of his words stung her pride and self- esteem sharply. She could not partake on any missions for the time being, and the entire length of Predacon territory, along with its surrounding sectors, was restricted. She found herself with an overwhelming sick desire to shoot Optimus in the faceplate, and then tell him her personal opinion on restricted areas.
[What's gotten into you?]
The clear voice of her logic system forced her to restrain the vicious urges.
[Calm down, he already thinks you're a madcap lunatic who'll shoot
everything in sight. Don't want to prove him right now, do you?]
Dismally, she also reminded herself that Optimus had assigned a unit to watch over her. [An attentive guardian he had called it.] Fortunately, Optimus had ever so wisely chosen Silverbolt for the task. Knowing the noninterventionist fuzor, he couldn't care less what she did, so long as it didn't result in a direct reprimand from Optimus.
She was finally benefiting from the tranquil silence, when a loud, curt knock announced her supervisor's arrival.
"Come in," she called flatly, slightly irritated at the missed chance for peaceful meditation. [What I wouldn't give for a nice escape spot, far away from the unnerving reality in front of my face every nanoclick.] The idea appealed to her immensely, and she continued to ponder the possibility while Silverbolt strolled leisurely inside.
"Well ma'am, I guess I'm the one who'll have the pleasure of escorting you around now. I was wondering if there's anything you required." He smiled broadly, causing her to fail in detecting any note of insincerity on his part.
"Nothing at the moment," she replied smoothly while watching him stand unobtrusively against the barren gray wall. He had seen her heated conversation with Optimus, and was keeping his distance knowing she was in a pretty corrosive mood.
"So, um, I take it you won't be undertaking any missions soon?" Unfortunately, his apt choice of conversation topic wasn't cleverly picked, and the thought that he wasn't as perfect as she first thought him to be, struck her. [Shouting and complaining won't get you anywhere. You're way past the mark of being a young, spontaneous bot, May. Deal with it in a way that will actually work.] This quiet internal conversation enabled her to maintain a civil outlook.
"Honestly Silverbolt, I don't know why I'm being treated in such a 'unique' way. I feel as though I'm not part of the team." True, she had personally requested yesterday to Optimus that she keep her present form and Autobot insignia. There were personal reasons for doing thus, but she still vowed that her commitment would be 102% with the Maximal cause. After considerable hesitation, the Maximal leader had finally agreed.
"Don't think that," Silverbolt encouraged wholeheartedly, "Optimus is just uneasy about how you'll respond to a Predacon encounter. Give him a few days, and I'll speak to him for you."
She nodded, but the cheerless mood she was in never lifted.
"Why don't you take some time to visit an area in our territory that you really enjoyed? It'll take your mind off some incommodious things." His suggestion reawakened her earlier idea of having a secret hideout. The more she thought about it, the more the idea appealed to her. [Why not? Maybe I'd be in a better mood around everyone altogether.]
"Silverbolt, about your earlier offer of assistance…" She looked directly at him, an earnest request forming at her lips. "Could you lend a hand with a small project?"
******************************************************************
"Remind me again why I ever agreed to help you,"
"Because you're a really nice bot,"
"…Fine, but I can't help tonight. I deserve a break of some sort."
It was four days since Silverbolt had agreed, in a rather confused way, to help her construct some "desperately required" structure. She had caught him in a burst of "Anything, ma'am!" attitude, and when her intent was finally revealed, it was too late for the valiant fuzor to back out without doing serious damage to his character. Grudgingly, he followed her to Grid Klyma the following morning, where on a previous visit with Airazor, Maybelle had spotted a magnificent looking set of falls. When Silverbolt first saw the landscape, the brilliant beams of early morning sun illuminated the entire setting in a golden rain-wash.
"Wow, it's beautiful. Only, how do you intend to build a hideout here, ma'am?"
"My idea," she answered earnestly as he followed her towards the cascading aqua-colored water, "is to set up a voice activated screener behind the fall itself. There's a large cave concealed by the running water, so the screener will redirect the water flow and expose the cave opening at a voice signal." It was simple enough, nothing technically very fancy. She smiled in anticipation of having such a beautiful residence, when she caught the funny expression on Silverbolt's face.
"What's the matter?"
The Maximal warrior shook his head diffidently, and looked around at the green and gold landscape. "Sorry ma'am, but innovative design really isn't my department. You should've gotten Rhinox, or even Rattrap to help." The helpless look on his face was really amusing to observe; she almost snickered aloud, but managed to keep it in knowing his pride was a very sensitive element. She simply placed a trusting hand on his shoulder and noted,
"If you could help me get some of the parts and tools I require, I'd be indebted to you." She paused. "Oh, and Silverbolt,"
"Yes?"
"Don't call address me with 'ma'am' anymore. 'Mabe' seems to have caught on with everyone else, so why don't you go for it too?"
Thus went the daily ritual for the initial four days: Silverbolt snuck into Rhinox's equipment room, constantly carrying the fear of discovery, when the other was occupied elsewhere, and salvaged whatever materials were needed that day. He then proceeded to rendez-vous with Maybelle at the falls, where the two of them engaged in the construction of the voice system. On day five, the voice-activated component was installed, and the task at hand was moving other equipment, including a long-range comlink, into the cave.
"So I take it you won't be spending much time back at the base," he asked slightly downcast. She looked at him in surprise; it was obvious that he really didn't welcome the idea of her residing outside the Axalon, but he throughout the days they spent together, he had been trying to keep his opinions to himself.
"I'll be at our base often, this is just somewhere for me to be when I want an…escape." [It's also somewhere that I can plan the untimely death of all Predacons.]
But even this idea seemed farfetched at the moment; she had never seen a Predacon before, let alone engage one in combat. Yet, it was probably just a matter of time.
"Silver," she called him by the nickname that had stuck after hearing Rattrap call him such, "don't mention my hideout or its location to anyone, please?" Her optics searched his, seeking for the reassurance that she knew he would give her. He gave a sort of half-grin in reply and joked, "I didn't exactly think you'd be announcing this to the planet when you requested that I sneak the parts from Rhinox." She gasped in mock surprise.
"Could this actually be our fuzor friend's first attempt at underlying sarcasm?"
"Not really," he replied wryly, "you weren't present for the unsuccessful ones."
The untaintable sun went down on their humored exchange, highlighting the release she felt when spending time in that golden paradise.
******************************************************************
[How the heck am I going to move all of this?] Maybelle was contemplating how she could fit a recharge bed along with her desk into her cargo storage, when heavy steps outside her quarters hinted someone's timed arrival. "Come in," she called, fully expecting it to be either Silverbolt or Optimus checking up on her current state. She was quite astonished, when the door slid open revealing Rhinox standing outside her room.
"So the 'great move' is finally done?" His tone contained no traces of sarcasm or disdain; instead he was smiling at her, his optics glowing like she had somehow let him in on her secret. Her features must have shown her shock then fear, for he immediately walked towards her, and placed an access key in her hand.
"There's a rather outdated CR unit that's stored in the equipment room on the lower level. I fixed it up a bit yesterday, so it should be running decently now. Take it." With no intention of saying more, he proceeded to leave.
"Wait," she beckoned softly, "so you know…"
The computer expert chuckled lightly at her seeming amazement. "I kind of figured it out when stuff started disappearing out of the supply room every day. And Silverbolt isn't exactly the most discreet bot in the universe." He resumed his light chuckling, causing her to relax much more in his presence.
"Thank you," she started awkwardly.
He immediately put his hand up, in a gesture that indicated he required no gratitude on her part. "I only want to remind you of one thing," he stated solemnly, "self-fulfillment can be easily achieved when one takes a step back, and looks at a situation from totally different perspective. Remember that, and be careful."
She absorbed his words, realizing they contained age-old proverbial wisdom that she was often fond of. Only, how they were associated to her situation, she failed to grasp that. By the time she snapped out of her deep trance, Rhinox was gone. He said little, but from what he had said and how he said it, she felt he was trustworthy of any secret she had.
[There's a lot more to him than I first thought.] But she had no time to deliberate his exact role, for the intercom sounded, carrying an announcement she had been long waiting for.
"MAYBELLE, REPORT TO THE COMMAND CENTRE FOR MISSION BRIEFING IMMEDIATELY!"
Something inside her stirred, eager to be released from captivity. It was powerful, and more potent than any emotion she had ever experienced. [Revenge… it is time.]
******************************************************************
The command center was deathly silent, save for the occasional bleep coming from Sentinel that indicated the finish of another processed command. Cheetor, being the restless, action-seeking bot he was, could hardly keep still, especially after the news Optimus had relayed to them. [Mabe's gonna be so happy! ] It was a small, no, more of a second-priority mission, but nonetheless it showed that Optimus Primal was ready to have Maybelle extend the duties she owed to her faction.
The cheetah-bot would have been bouncing up and down, if he didn't know that the more serious attendants such as Dinobot and Silverbolt would be throwing him harsh and disapproving looks. [Sheesh, what's taking her so flippin' long?] He had barely the reservation to look attentive, so contented himself in counting the number of times Dinobot's nostrils flared until she showed up. For what seemed like Vons, the entrance finally hissed open to admit a very alert-looking femme.
"Commander Optimus," she addressed him in a very formal tone, "I suppose you're giving me the brilliant chance of proving myself?"
"In a way," smiled the commander, ignoring her attempt to pique him, "it's essential that you be prepared for any mission, whether it be critical or seemingly minor to our struggle."
Gesturing towards the members behind him, he added, "And from what I've been hearing, you're more than prepared."
She didn't care if the last statement was genuine, or if it was an attempt to criticize: it was time to prove that she was a credible member of their faction now.
She spotted Silverbolt across the room, and he gave a quick thumbs-up sign. Thank you, she mouthed, realizing that he must have put in a good word for her. The Maximal Commander went directly to the main computer console, and uploaded the grid map of the planet.
"A medium patch of securable energon was detected in Grid Veta. You and Dinobot are assigned to gather a stable supply. However, I'll be accompanying you both as precaution, since our scanners are detecting Pred signatures in the surrounding areas."
A mild snort of contempt came from Dinobot's direction, but it was expertly ignored by all present as Optimus activated the lift. Inconspicuously, Silverbolt nudged his way through the chain of exiting bots, and stood beside her.
"Don't worry about the stuff for your hideout, I'll move it all there for you soon as I get out of here. Rhinox had a talk with me too." She almost caught a wink from him, but he pushed her ahead before she had a chance to thank the helpful fuzor.
"Psst, go for it Mabe," whispered Cheetor as she passed him on her way out. The comforting look he gave her proved the extent of his confidence in her abilities. [This mission matters a lot on my record, looks like I'll have to put impulses aside to accomplish it to satisfaction.] That would be hard.
[So this really means that…]
"Please don't touch that."
Cheetor's voice brought her back to the immediate present.
"Big bot and the others are out, so we should probably just wait here for them."
Examining the interior of the Axalon, Maybelle saw a vivid repainting of the Arc in her mind. The Maximal base was relatively small, but she felt a strange sense of ease in it. [It's as though I've come home, but not quite…]
"They're back! Sentinel, lower shields."
Tigatron quickly moved past her to receive his fellow crewmembers. The lift opened as Optimus Primal and the remaining Maximals entered the room.
"Cheetor, we left as soon as we got you message. What's this about finding an Autobot?"
"Optimus, you're not going to believe this! We found her just borderline of Grid Tetran."
Cheetor motioned towards her. Maybelle, overwhelmed, comforted at the sight of some many other robots, stared at the commander. He bore a slight resemblance to the Optimus she had known. She regarded all of them in curiosity; their secondary modes all consisted of various …animals? Beasts would be the better word to use, since they all portrayed a sense of wild ferocity.
In an authoritative tone, Optimus Primal stepped forward and addressed her. "This is really extraordinary, but I don't want to make you feel too overwhelmed. As you know, I am Optimus Primal leader of the Maximals on this planet."
"Greetings can be spared for the moment, what I really would like is information." That sounded incredibly rude to her own audios, but she was at a point where further delay would prove disastrous.
"Alright I understand," decided the commander, "Cheetor, please escort her to the conference room. Rhinox and I will try to pull up some files to help."
The cheetah-bot nodded, and motioned for her to follow him. In an attempt to ease the awkwardness, she spoke to the Maximal leader in a pleading tone.
"My name is Maybelle, former communications specialist amongst the Autobots. Please, all I want is to find out what happened to colony G-281… and me." Optimus nodded, giving her a surprising sense of reassurance.
******************************************************************
"Any luck, old friend?" Optimus questioned Rhinox, the Maximal technician and only one among his units with a cool head he could turn to at times of despondency. There were data tracks dating from centuries ago that were pulled up on screen. Rhinox typed an access command, as a particular article was pulled up.
"Optimus," he started in an undecipherable tone, "what I've found is remarkable. There aren't many files on Maybelle in particular, but take a look at the this." The commander peered at the screen, noting the print that appeared in late Cybertronian.
"Galvatron issues Decepticon attack on Autobot laboratory in Delta Gigma sector of Cybertron. The Decepticons were believed to be searching for an Autobot communications expert by the name of Arcee. Currently her location is unknown, but it is believed that Autobot Leader Optimus Prime has secured her to an orbiting station around the planet Earth."
Optimus shook his head. "Well, whatever the Decepticons were after, they sure were desperate. Anything else?" Another article appeared, dated slightly later than the previous one.
"There is buzz on Cybertron about the apparent disappearance of Autobot communications specialist Arcee. Last seen with her squadron on planet Earth, there is a frantic Cyclonus led search for her. However, there have been reports of an individual bearing physical resemblance to Arcee, as well as being entrusted with her former position. Rumors have also been surfacing that Arcee was remodeled and renamed in a secret laboratory."
The Maximal leader solemnly absorbed the information he had been just presented with. "I knew she looked familiar when I first saw her, but never would I have guessed that-"
"That she would be the communications specialist our planet almost waged war over," Rhinox finished decisively for him. Neither spoke for a while, their silence a reflection of what had been brought upon them.
"She'd be an asset to our ranks," mentioned Optimus, "and it's now our responsibility to have her safely returned to Cybertron. The Maximal Elders would want to examine her, and decide what her future would be from there."
"Only where do we start by informing her that she's been out for, say, three centuries?"
"I know…" replied Optimus grimly, "we'll just have to somehow ease her into reality."
******************************************************************
After a detailed tour of the Axalon, courtesy of an overly talkative Cheetor, Maybelle had been assigned temporary quarters, and managed to catch bits of the Maximal version of Cybertronian history. The fact that Maximals were descendants of Autobots astonished her, presenting itself as a seemingly unlikely possibility. Descendants? But how…]
She also met each member of the Maximal crew, as they passed him or her going about the usual routines. Surprisingly, they treated her with nothing short of respect and welcome, of course, after they got over the initial shock of learning her identity. She felt their curious stares and maybe a bit of edginess from some such as Dinobot. The engineering expert Rattrap, however, had bombarded her with questions. They had walked in on a small, obscure room that she would normally have bypassed without notice, and found him busy assembling a spherical metal device.
"Yo Rattrap! Leave the scrap metal and say hi to Maybelle."
The short robot looked annoyed to be dragged away from his invention, but once the conversation was underway, he found himself fascinated by the surviving Autobot.
"So what exactly are dose human thingies ya keep talkin' about," he asked for the third time. Maybelle rolled her optics, but in some ways felt she could empathize with him. [He has the same sort of curiosity running through his circuits as I do.] Before she could answer his flurry of questions, the door slip open to admit a grave looking Rhinox.
"…Maybelle, could you follow me to the command center? Optimus has the information you need."
******************************************************************
The news hit her hard. No… the straight facts weren't what hurt her. Rather, the actuality that she had let herself settle into a false mindset, believing that she could somehow elude the awful occurrence; that shook her, and caused a sea of emotions to swell in response. All the while, snatches of Optimus' report resounded repeatedly in her mind.
"A sudden Decepticon raid on colony G-281,"
" -resulting in the destruction of the planet,"
" No recorded survivors-"
"Autobots and Decepticons alike are now theoretically extinct,"
She could only prevent herself from going insane by focusing elsewhere. Slowly, she transported herself back in time. Back on the Ark, where she had been with comrades, and Springer. But the memory only served to emphasize the loss she had suffered that day, centuries ago. [Time will not quell my hate.] She clenched both her fists, and prepared to make a resolution. [But… I have won. Victory is ours. The Autobots have outlasted the Decepticons!]
Her fist relaxed, as a wave of grief settled over. [Yet, if this is victory, why am I far less happier that when the war was still occurring?] Raising her head to the roof of the base, a silent scream of agony played at her lips. Rhinox, along with Cheetor and Optimus who were present, took in her obvious pain, and felt each of their sparks go out to her. But something in Maybelle's mind suddenly clicked.
"Optimus," she asked with a quavering voice, "what about those Predacons you spoke of earlier? If the Maximals are Autobot descendants, then aren't they…"
"Decepticon descendants? Yes. That is where Maximal and Predacon origins
differ."
Tightening her hold on a nearby seat, Maybelle felt the metal give way due to the rapid increase of pressure. [Then each Predacon on this planet shall perish as I avenge my former comrades.]
Optimus sensed her accumulating anger, and proceeded to guess her intention.
"There will be no revenge carried out. I understand your emotional state, but many things have happened since the Great War. Our situation here must be taken into account."
Reason and understanding had been temporarily wiped from her conscious being. "I don't care about how the situation limits me," she turned on the Maximal commander sharply, "but I know that vengeance is within my reach." Her optics blazed a fiery mauve, unleashing the fury within. "Think of it as a favor to your crew. I sacrifice myself and in the process, take out as many Predacons as I can."
"You'll do nothing of the sort," he countered firmly, "not only is it irrational and uncalled for, it puts you in unnecessary jeopardy." She cursed him, furious that he put himself so resolutely in her way. Noticing that she had become even more flustered, Optimus tried to calm the shaking bot before him.
"It has been quite awhile since the events you remember. Besides Maybelle, there were no absolute evil participants in the war."
Bitter tears swelled in her optics. [Yes, there were those who ruined lives…and those watched their lives become ruined.] Without another word, she stormed out of the command center, leaving a trio of staggered, perplexed Maximals staring after her.
******************************************************************
He appeared before her, a mixture of sadness and disappointment written on his familiar, though unsmiling features. "I never expected you to be so rash and...violent,"
She shot him an incredulous look; how could he blame her for attempting to take certain action?
"They took you from me, and destroyed a future we could have shared."
Her companion look unconvinced, and continued his disapproving look.
"Mass murder isn't something that the Arcee I know would be bent upon."
His words hurt, they dug deep into the spiritual scars already present in her new form. In response, she turned tearfully to face him. "Several centuries locked away in a cramped escape pod can vastly change one's mindset…"
******************************************************************
The loud knocking on her door snapped Maybelle out of her reverie. Earlier, she had escaped into the temporary quarters she had been assigned, vowing to plan the death of all Predacons. "Come in," she grumbled, getting off the recharge bed she had collapsed onto. At her invitation, Cheetor and Airazor both entered, each wearing a cautious, concerned look.
"Maybelle, we just got the news from Optimus…"
"And we understand your present state completely!" Cheetor looked annoyed at being rudely cut off, but the female Maximal casually waved him away. "I'd like to hear your plans, like, what you're planning to do now." She walked over and sat beside the other femme, genuine sympathy radiating from her optics. Similarly, Maybelle felt as though she could entrust Airazor with her feelings. They had taken a liking to each other when first introduced in the engineering bay, and Airazor was overjoyed to at last have a female crewmember she could turn to.
"Well, I don't give a damn about what Optimus was raving about. All I know is that those forsaken Predacons are all going to be scrap metal by the time I'm through with them." Fist clenched, she glared from one to the other, daring them to contradict her. Cheetor made a soft noise in his voice synthesizer, and then shot a helpless look at Airazor.
"You know what Mabe, you should spend a week or so touring the planet with me. There are loads of beautiful sites out there."
"Yeah," chimed Cheetor, glad that his fellow comrade had taken the dive to ease things out, "like, what's your transformation?"
His question brought back the reminder that she could no longer be in a vehicle-mode Arcee had.
"…A F-22 " she replied grimly, remembering that Prime and Springer had chosen the form without any say on her part.
"Ultra gear, another flyer! Man, those Preds are gonna get theirs in the keister now!"
The room remained silent for several nanoclicks, until a beep over the intercom broke the uncomfortable situation.
"AIRAZOR, REPORT TO THE COMMAND CENTRE IMMEDIATELY FOR MISSION BRIEFING!"
Maybelle thought she heard a slight groan from the other, as Airazor got up in a cadet-like manner and stated brightly, "That's my cue. Optimus there had better have something fun for me tonight." Chuckling to herself, the hawk-femme was almost out the door when she turned abruptly. "Oh, I'm going on a solo flight tomorrow over several sectors, but I'm sure no one would mind if you came along. So you'd better, okay?"
Jumping at the opportunity to familiarize herself with the planet, Maybelle agreed.
"Great, I'll see you at 3.5 cycles then." As Airazor left, Cheetor, who had meanwhile been standing awkwardly in the corner of her quarters, suddenly felt the need to justify his presence.
"Really Mabe, don't take anything Optimus says right now personally. I can tell he's just concerned for your own safety."
He had moved to the middle of the room, standing prominently in a way that made him look like he was seeking self-assurance. "You probably know by now that I really have no idea what you've gone through and the hell you're experiencing now. But if you accept me as a real friend, I'll do everything I can to understand and help you."
The words rolled off his tongue like they had been rehearsed and practiced days in advance. The earnest look he gave her made her think of pleading, pre-adolescent humans. No, she wasn't being ungrateful, but the fact that he made friendship sound like something so, so casual…she couldn't appreciate that.
[True friendship has to be formed through eons of trust and camaraderie.]
Judging from the cheetah-bot's age portrayal, he was most likely too young to have gone through such an experience. However, there was a warm aura radiating from his being. He was friendly, definitely a comfort in an alien world to which she had yet to be accustomed. And he might be on her side concerning the issue of revenge.
"Of course, Cheetor. I'll always consider you as a good friend."
******************************************************************
"WHO did ya say she was?!"
"You heard me Cheese-lips, I said she was Ar…ah ha! Didn't you once refer to her as your great aunt-"
"No way am I related to that dame, Chopper-face!!"
Such was the scene in progress inside the training center, where Maybelle and Cheetor ventured after leaving her quarters. It was actually quite ridiculous, watching Rattrap size up to Dinobot who was twice his height, in an attempt to fervently argue his point. Both of them turned in her direction when she entered, resulting in Dinobot pretending to polish his sword, and Rattrap turning away in clear embarrassment. Only Silverbolt, who had been observing from the other side of the center, approached to greet her.
"How are you making out, Maybelle?" His noble and handsome features were quite impressive, but it was his tone of voice that she was fond of the most. It sounded like he had known her for centuries, and was ready to commit a gallant act of chivalry at her very command. When she had first seen him in the command center, she had immediately pegged him as an extremely efficient warrior. Only now after some small talk, did it become apparent that he also had the perfect disposition of a…gentleman. That word described Silverbolt to the last fibrillary strand in his microchips.
"Well I'm glad you'll be getting acquainted," he said after several minutes. Dinobot and Rattrap had long since seen a chance to discreetly leave the center unnoticed, and were nowhere in sight.
"You have to give Cheetor credit. Without his guidance, I'd be sulking away in my quarters still." The younger Maximal, who had looked upset in missing out on the conversation, evidently brightened at her remark.
"Ah, it's nothing…" he said while lowering his optics bashfully to the ground.
"Great, with Cheetor as your guide, you can't go wrong. Welcome to the team, Maybelle. I'll be seeing you around then." She watched carefully as the charming fuzor made his way towards the exit, engrossed in how he managed to almost always say the right thing.
"What do you think of him?" Cheetor was regarding her with a half quizzical, half disappointed expression that entertained her.
"He's pretty spectacular," then she added for her friend's benefit, "almost as attractive as you!"
That well-aimed comment put Cheetor in a flabbergasted state for the next few cycles.
******************************************************************
Infuriated and extremely volatile, Maybelle flung herself into the cramped desk in her quarters. More of her precious time had been spent in a conference with Optimus, and the results were not appreciable.
"Maybelle, it's not that you aren't trusted," the commander had explained firmly, "nothing could be further from the truth. I just don't want you emotional overdrive interfering with your logic in situations that could be perilous."
The recollection of his words stung her pride and self- esteem sharply. She could not partake on any missions for the time being, and the entire length of Predacon territory, along with its surrounding sectors, was restricted. She found herself with an overwhelming sick desire to shoot Optimus in the faceplate, and then tell him her personal opinion on restricted areas.
[What's gotten into you?]
The clear voice of her logic system forced her to restrain the vicious urges.
[Calm down, he already thinks you're a madcap lunatic who'll shoot
everything in sight. Don't want to prove him right now, do you?]
Dismally, she also reminded herself that Optimus had assigned a unit to watch over her. [An attentive guardian he had called it.] Fortunately, Optimus had ever so wisely chosen Silverbolt for the task. Knowing the noninterventionist fuzor, he couldn't care less what she did, so long as it didn't result in a direct reprimand from Optimus.
She was finally benefiting from the tranquil silence, when a loud, curt knock announced her supervisor's arrival.
"Come in," she called flatly, slightly irritated at the missed chance for peaceful meditation. [What I wouldn't give for a nice escape spot, far away from the unnerving reality in front of my face every nanoclick.] The idea appealed to her immensely, and she continued to ponder the possibility while Silverbolt strolled leisurely inside.
"Well ma'am, I guess I'm the one who'll have the pleasure of escorting you around now. I was wondering if there's anything you required." He smiled broadly, causing her to fail in detecting any note of insincerity on his part.
"Nothing at the moment," she replied smoothly while watching him stand unobtrusively against the barren gray wall. He had seen her heated conversation with Optimus, and was keeping his distance knowing she was in a pretty corrosive mood.
"So, um, I take it you won't be undertaking any missions soon?" Unfortunately, his apt choice of conversation topic wasn't cleverly picked, and the thought that he wasn't as perfect as she first thought him to be, struck her. [Shouting and complaining won't get you anywhere. You're way past the mark of being a young, spontaneous bot, May. Deal with it in a way that will actually work.] This quiet internal conversation enabled her to maintain a civil outlook.
"Honestly Silverbolt, I don't know why I'm being treated in such a 'unique' way. I feel as though I'm not part of the team." True, she had personally requested yesterday to Optimus that she keep her present form and Autobot insignia. There were personal reasons for doing thus, but she still vowed that her commitment would be 102% with the Maximal cause. After considerable hesitation, the Maximal leader had finally agreed.
"Don't think that," Silverbolt encouraged wholeheartedly, "Optimus is just uneasy about how you'll respond to a Predacon encounter. Give him a few days, and I'll speak to him for you."
She nodded, but the cheerless mood she was in never lifted.
"Why don't you take some time to visit an area in our territory that you really enjoyed? It'll take your mind off some incommodious things." His suggestion reawakened her earlier idea of having a secret hideout. The more she thought about it, the more the idea appealed to her. [Why not? Maybe I'd be in a better mood around everyone altogether.]
"Silverbolt, about your earlier offer of assistance…" She looked directly at him, an earnest request forming at her lips. "Could you lend a hand with a small project?"
******************************************************************
"Remind me again why I ever agreed to help you,"
"Because you're a really nice bot,"
"…Fine, but I can't help tonight. I deserve a break of some sort."
It was four days since Silverbolt had agreed, in a rather confused way, to help her construct some "desperately required" structure. She had caught him in a burst of "Anything, ma'am!" attitude, and when her intent was finally revealed, it was too late for the valiant fuzor to back out without doing serious damage to his character. Grudgingly, he followed her to Grid Klyma the following morning, where on a previous visit with Airazor, Maybelle had spotted a magnificent looking set of falls. When Silverbolt first saw the landscape, the brilliant beams of early morning sun illuminated the entire setting in a golden rain-wash.
"Wow, it's beautiful. Only, how do you intend to build a hideout here, ma'am?"
"My idea," she answered earnestly as he followed her towards the cascading aqua-colored water, "is to set up a voice activated screener behind the fall itself. There's a large cave concealed by the running water, so the screener will redirect the water flow and expose the cave opening at a voice signal." It was simple enough, nothing technically very fancy. She smiled in anticipation of having such a beautiful residence, when she caught the funny expression on Silverbolt's face.
"What's the matter?"
The Maximal warrior shook his head diffidently, and looked around at the green and gold landscape. "Sorry ma'am, but innovative design really isn't my department. You should've gotten Rhinox, or even Rattrap to help." The helpless look on his face was really amusing to observe; she almost snickered aloud, but managed to keep it in knowing his pride was a very sensitive element. She simply placed a trusting hand on his shoulder and noted,
"If you could help me get some of the parts and tools I require, I'd be indebted to you." She paused. "Oh, and Silverbolt,"
"Yes?"
"Don't call address me with 'ma'am' anymore. 'Mabe' seems to have caught on with everyone else, so why don't you go for it too?"
Thus went the daily ritual for the initial four days: Silverbolt snuck into Rhinox's equipment room, constantly carrying the fear of discovery, when the other was occupied elsewhere, and salvaged whatever materials were needed that day. He then proceeded to rendez-vous with Maybelle at the falls, where the two of them engaged in the construction of the voice system. On day five, the voice-activated component was installed, and the task at hand was moving other equipment, including a long-range comlink, into the cave.
"So I take it you won't be spending much time back at the base," he asked slightly downcast. She looked at him in surprise; it was obvious that he really didn't welcome the idea of her residing outside the Axalon, but he throughout the days they spent together, he had been trying to keep his opinions to himself.
"I'll be at our base often, this is just somewhere for me to be when I want an…escape." [It's also somewhere that I can plan the untimely death of all Predacons.]
But even this idea seemed farfetched at the moment; she had never seen a Predacon before, let alone engage one in combat. Yet, it was probably just a matter of time.
"Silver," she called him by the nickname that had stuck after hearing Rattrap call him such, "don't mention my hideout or its location to anyone, please?" Her optics searched his, seeking for the reassurance that she knew he would give her. He gave a sort of half-grin in reply and joked, "I didn't exactly think you'd be announcing this to the planet when you requested that I sneak the parts from Rhinox." She gasped in mock surprise.
"Could this actually be our fuzor friend's first attempt at underlying sarcasm?"
"Not really," he replied wryly, "you weren't present for the unsuccessful ones."
The untaintable sun went down on their humored exchange, highlighting the release she felt when spending time in that golden paradise.
******************************************************************
[How the heck am I going to move all of this?] Maybelle was contemplating how she could fit a recharge bed along with her desk into her cargo storage, when heavy steps outside her quarters hinted someone's timed arrival. "Come in," she called, fully expecting it to be either Silverbolt or Optimus checking up on her current state. She was quite astonished, when the door slid open revealing Rhinox standing outside her room.
"So the 'great move' is finally done?" His tone contained no traces of sarcasm or disdain; instead he was smiling at her, his optics glowing like she had somehow let him in on her secret. Her features must have shown her shock then fear, for he immediately walked towards her, and placed an access key in her hand.
"There's a rather outdated CR unit that's stored in the equipment room on the lower level. I fixed it up a bit yesterday, so it should be running decently now. Take it." With no intention of saying more, he proceeded to leave.
"Wait," she beckoned softly, "so you know…"
The computer expert chuckled lightly at her seeming amazement. "I kind of figured it out when stuff started disappearing out of the supply room every day. And Silverbolt isn't exactly the most discreet bot in the universe." He resumed his light chuckling, causing her to relax much more in his presence.
"Thank you," she started awkwardly.
He immediately put his hand up, in a gesture that indicated he required no gratitude on her part. "I only want to remind you of one thing," he stated solemnly, "self-fulfillment can be easily achieved when one takes a step back, and looks at a situation from totally different perspective. Remember that, and be careful."
She absorbed his words, realizing they contained age-old proverbial wisdom that she was often fond of. Only, how they were associated to her situation, she failed to grasp that. By the time she snapped out of her deep trance, Rhinox was gone. He said little, but from what he had said and how he said it, she felt he was trustworthy of any secret she had.
[There's a lot more to him than I first thought.] But she had no time to deliberate his exact role, for the intercom sounded, carrying an announcement she had been long waiting for.
"MAYBELLE, REPORT TO THE COMMAND CENTRE FOR MISSION BRIEFING IMMEDIATELY!"
Something inside her stirred, eager to be released from captivity. It was powerful, and more potent than any emotion she had ever experienced. [Revenge… it is time.]
******************************************************************
The command center was deathly silent, save for the occasional bleep coming from Sentinel that indicated the finish of another processed command. Cheetor, being the restless, action-seeking bot he was, could hardly keep still, especially after the news Optimus had relayed to them. [Mabe's gonna be so happy! ] It was a small, no, more of a second-priority mission, but nonetheless it showed that Optimus Primal was ready to have Maybelle extend the duties she owed to her faction.
The cheetah-bot would have been bouncing up and down, if he didn't know that the more serious attendants such as Dinobot and Silverbolt would be throwing him harsh and disapproving looks. [Sheesh, what's taking her so flippin' long?] He had barely the reservation to look attentive, so contented himself in counting the number of times Dinobot's nostrils flared until she showed up. For what seemed like Vons, the entrance finally hissed open to admit a very alert-looking femme.
"Commander Optimus," she addressed him in a very formal tone, "I suppose you're giving me the brilliant chance of proving myself?"
"In a way," smiled the commander, ignoring her attempt to pique him, "it's essential that you be prepared for any mission, whether it be critical or seemingly minor to our struggle."
Gesturing towards the members behind him, he added, "And from what I've been hearing, you're more than prepared."
She didn't care if the last statement was genuine, or if it was an attempt to criticize: it was time to prove that she was a credible member of their faction now.
She spotted Silverbolt across the room, and he gave a quick thumbs-up sign. Thank you, she mouthed, realizing that he must have put in a good word for her. The Maximal Commander went directly to the main computer console, and uploaded the grid map of the planet.
"A medium patch of securable energon was detected in Grid Veta. You and Dinobot are assigned to gather a stable supply. However, I'll be accompanying you both as precaution, since our scanners are detecting Pred signatures in the surrounding areas."
A mild snort of contempt came from Dinobot's direction, but it was expertly ignored by all present as Optimus activated the lift. Inconspicuously, Silverbolt nudged his way through the chain of exiting bots, and stood beside her.
"Don't worry about the stuff for your hideout, I'll move it all there for you soon as I get out of here. Rhinox had a talk with me too." She almost caught a wink from him, but he pushed her ahead before she had a chance to thank the helpful fuzor.
"Psst, go for it Mabe," whispered Cheetor as she passed him on her way out. The comforting look he gave her proved the extent of his confidence in her abilities. [This mission matters a lot on my record, looks like I'll have to put impulses aside to accomplish it to satisfaction.] That would be hard.
