As always, anything that you recognize, I do not in fact, own. A billion thanks to my betas, who give me the struts to keep going, and a billion more to my reviewers, your kindness and critiques are both greatly welcomed and appreciated, so without further ado:
Chapter 41 - Marked
(OPOV)
Optimus roused himself an hour before the first light of dawn would stain the sky. Mikaela woke with him, caressing him gently as he withdrew the neural fibres from her skin.
He onlined his holoform, laying beside her in the hammock. She smiled at him, a warm, loving smile that he knew was for him, and him alone. She stretched, and he could feel the pleasant tingle of her muscles preparing themselves for the day.
"Morning," she whispered softly.
Optimus smiled and ducked down to press a gentle kiss to her lips.
A loud bang startled the both of them.
∂Rise and shine lovebirds!∂ Ironhide's voice rumbled gleefully, banging lightly on Optimus' roof with his knuckles.
Mikaela's face sank into what Optimus thought was quite possibly the most adorable pout he'd ever seen. A pout that said they'd been interrupted in something that she well and truly wanted, made all the better because now, now he could lean down and kiss that adorable pout.
(MPOV)
I jumped about a foot as Ironhide banged on Optimus' roof, interrupting the kiss he certainly seemed to have been intending. In the safety of his cab, I let my initial reaction show for once. I knew I looked ridiculous when I pouted. But the point stood.
Optimus looked down at me and smiled, leaning down and kissing me regardless.
The dear, sweet-sparked bot.
"I'm going to get him for that," I stated calmly, pointing toward where Ironhide would be.
Optimus looked down at me with an amused expression.
"Just make sure I am around to laugh," he rumbled with a low chuckle.
"Deal," I grinned, "now where did you put my clothes?" The holoform stared at me for a second before bursting into a full, rumbling laugh. He reached up and pulled open a small panel, pulling out a pair of jeans and shirt I'd never seen before.
Bluejeans, silver tank and bright red lingerie.
He looked down at me with hopeful, questioning eyes. I reached up and cupped his cheek.
"I'd be honoured to wear your colours," I smiled, kissing him lightly before rolling out of the hammock. I pulled the clothes on while his holoform stared.
"What?" I asked curiously.
"My mark," he murmured softly.
"Hmn?" I raised my eyebrows. The holoform rose and turned me around to look in a reflective piece of chrome, lightly tugging my shirt down. Low on my chest, just below the small necklace holding the cube splinter, a cobalt blue symbol lay beneath my skin, glimmering with an almost silvery sheen.
"It's..." he started softly.
"It's beautiful," I murmured, reaching up to lightly caress the mark. Optimus grasped my wrist and spun me around, pressing a bruisingly powerful kiss to my lips.
"My love," he whispered, pulling me tightly to his chest, "Oh my beautiful Kae."
"I love you too," I whispered back, holding the holoform just as tightly. We pulled away from each other finally, and the holoform gently re-arranged my clothing, he gave me an impish smile and tugged the hem of the shirt down so that the neckline just brushed the tops of my breasts – and showed off his mark clearly. He reached up and cupped my face in his hands, his eyes glowing the richest blue I'd seen yet before the holoform flickered out.
I looked down at my now rather low shirt and shrugged, climbing out of the sleeper hatch and stretching my muscles out.
"Morning," I yawned, walking toward the group of grinning, energetic Auto-bots and yawning soldiers.
Bumblebee looked toward me with a smile, waving. He turned back toward Ironhide then whipped around again. The look on his face was nothing short of shocked.
∂No way!∂ he almost shouted. The rest of the 'bots turned to stare at me. Chromia, Arcee and Flareup onlined their holos a second later, running toward me and squealing. In moments I was surrounded by excited females.
∂I knew it!∂ Arcee shrieked, hugging me tightly. Optimus transformed and strode toward us. Every male Auto-bot looked at him and burst out laughing.
∂About scrapping time!∂ Ironhide bellowed, walking forward and clapping a hand on Optimus' shoulder with a resounding crash.
∂Figures he'd have to go to another planet to find a femme strong enough to take his mark,∂ Chromia murmured in my ear, I turned to see her holoform grinning broadly.
∂There isn't a Decepticon in the universe who can stand up to him now!∂ Flareup added with a joyful laugh.
"What's happening?" Lennox asked curiously, walking toward us, "hey, I didn't know you had a tattoo."
I couldn't help the blush that crept up my cheeks as I glanced at Optimus. My eyes widened, he looked bigger this morning, his armour polished to a gleaming shine and somehow more imposing.
"That, is no ordinary tattoo," Chromia giggled, wrapping her arms around me.
"So what's it mean?" Jacobs asked, wandering over and handing me a cup of coffee.
"It's a guardian's mark," Ratchet grinned, "or at least, that's about as close of a translation as I can manage for it. There are plenty of parallels in earth cultures, but they don't quite fit."
"Well, what's the closest?" Lennox asked curiously. Ratchet looked at Optimus.
Optimus stayed silent for a long moment, looking down at me. I gave him a tiny smile and shrug, he nodded, knowing I meant for him to say whatever he wished.
"It is my own mark," Optimus rumbled gently, kneeling down rather than bothering with the holoform. An infinitely careful finger touched my cheek. "A mark that I had despaired of seeing upon another until I woke this morning. And when Mikaela has chosen her own mark I shall wear it proudly, if she will allow me."
"Heh?" Chance piped up, the confusion on his face almost comical.
"It means he's become her guardian, absolutely, think of it as a territorial mark." Chromia supplied blandly, the master of understatement. "It announces to any Cybertronian that she has accepted his service and that if anything happens to her, Optimus will tear apart the universe to find her, protect her or wreak vengeance on the one who hurt her."
"It's a mark of whole spark trust, that she has absolutely no doubt in him," Arcee finished calmly. "It is an honour to have your mark accepted, an honour which is not offered nor accepted lightly." she cast a quick glance at me as I stood lightly stroking the slightly raised pattern. "And should be worn proudly, not covered," she added, looking at me pointedly.
"I'm sorry," I said, quickly dropping my hand. The girls gave me an amused look. "It's raised," I laughed softly, reaching up to touch it again, "I like the feel of it, it feels warmer against the rest of my skin." I closed my eyes and let the girls see the smile that I was struggling to hold back.
"That is so cute," Chromia murmured.
"What is?" Will asked with a broad grin.
"That mark is a part of him, etched into her skin, which should hurt," Arcee stated placidly. "But she still likes the feeling of it."
"It doesn't hurt, it's warmer than the surrounding skin," I repeated softly. "Like a star in..." I trailed off as memories clicked.
I looked at the pyramids and looked at the stars.
"A star... The three kings," I said softly, Optimus and Ratchet followed my gaze to look at Orion's belt. "So named, because the three kings of egypt, built the pyramids to mirror those stars. They point like an arrow. Due east to the mountains of Petra."
"We go that way," Optimus rumbled firmly, we broke apart to look at the soldiers. There was a rumble across the sky. Jetfire transformed just before landing, but the second he was on his feet, he was running toward us.
"We've go' company!" he announced loudly. "A lot o' fight coming our way!"
In the distance I could hear the roar of vehicles coming in from the northwest.
Optimus looked down at me grimly, one glance and I knew what his orders were going to be.
"Bumblebee-" he started.
"No," I said sharply. I turned to Jetfire.
"Grandfather you're the fastest of us. We need the matrix, take me due east!" I commanded, running toward the rapidly transforming 'bot. Optimus onlined his holoform in front of me, glaring as he caught and held me firmly.
"I want you out of here my Kae! Get to safety!" he growled, just touching the voice of command.
"I will not be sent away from you!" I snarled back, reaching up and cupping his face as we stared each other down. "My life is worthless without my soul, I will not be made useless, and I will never leave you behind!"
He cupped my face gently for a long moment, looking into my eyes as though searching my mind.
"Do not use your pack unless it is absolutely necessary," he commanded firmly, "do not take any undue risks on your life. My life is worthless without my soul." he leaned down and pressed a fast, powerful kiss to my forehead. I stood on my toes and kissed his jaw before I ran to the waiting Blackbird. Green fire shot from his twin jets as I scrambled up onto his wing, I turned and stood facing the soldiers for a long moment, snapping a fast salute before scrambling into the cockpit. The canopy closed around me and Jetfire roared into the sky.
"Due east," I said firmly. "We're looking for the doorway."
"Aye," he growled, a rapid burst of speed and we were coasting above the mountains.
I looked up and saw a horrifying spectacle. A dozen comets, Decepticons entering the atmosphere. Directly toward us.
"Evasive manoeuvres!" I shouted, Jetfire accelerated to mach three in a heartbeat. I fought the tunnel vision, flexing and trying to get the blood back into my brain. A barrel roll and a turn and the darkness won.
...
I opened my eyes in a strange place, looking around and noting landmarks that could not exist on earth. There was movement, my hand flashed to the activation on my pack. It was gone. I scanned about for a place to hide. The landscape was twisted, surreal.
The second presence beside my own though, she found it familiar.
"We have been watching you, child," a voice whispered gently.
Immediately, I was looking for the source of the voices.
"You accepted her anger."
"Stood ready to die. To pay for a crime you were forced to commit."
"You have lived and fought with bravery, and sacrifice."
"Have given yourself to others without hesitation. The marks of a true leader."
I stood straight and faced the towering forms in front of me.
"I learned from the greatest of your number," I said in a strong voice, waiting to die. The mark on my chest flared. Searing pain. I touched it and worried about him.
"You are bonded to Optimus, our last great descendant." The first said gently, reaching forward and touching my chin. "Born a leader but willingly you follow him, defer to his wisdom. You do not desire our power for yourself but for him. Take the Matrix, spark daughter of earth, present it to your guardian as you wished."
"Where do I find it?" I asked worriedly.
The Primes smiled down at me, surrounding me with blinding light.
"The Matrix is not found, it is earned - Prime!" I opened my eyes with a gasp, clutching a hot, sharp object in my hand.
"About time you woke up!" Jetfire rumbled irritably. "Maybe you can explain how the key managed to bridge into your hands without crashing us!?"
"Later!" I bellowed, "we need to get back! He's hurt!"
Jetfire let out a bloodcurdling war cry, dipping almost vertical to the side and circling sharply back.
"Have you got a parachute?" I demanded.
"You're strapped to it," Jetfire rumbled, I felt the harness pull a bit tighter to my chest.
"Good, if you're making a dramatic entrance eject me and let me chute down," I commanded, carefully tucking the matrix into my shirt and onlining the pack. We shot over a dune and dodged a falling fighter. Explosions. Fire.
"Time to go!" Jetfire shouted gleefully, he transformed around me, tossing me forward lightly. I flattened myself into the wind and narrowed my eyes, streaking toward the group of brightly coloured Auto-bots. Two miles south from where I'd left them.
Last possible second I pulled the chute, coming to a screeching halt mid-air. That'd leave bruises later. The filament pack on my back dug a bit deeper into my flesh, the glove on my hand transforming into an almost-gauntlet. I began firing shots before the vision of nightmares finally registered.
"KAE!" Ratchet bellowed, hovering over a badly damaged Optimus. I touched down and began running. The chute snagged on something. I tore the straps off and kept running.
"What happened?" I bellowed back, running along the inside of his leg, I jumped and kept running up his thigh, scrambling across the overheated metal to Optimus' chest. I fairly dove at his guttering spark, the matrix in my hand and merged with it the next second.
His spark chamber sealed itself quickly. The noise around us softened, a lull.
"Kae, Kae you're back," Optimus murmured softly.
"I'll always come back," I whispered, I began feeding his nanites a slow burst of energon. There was a crack of thunder, of air rushing out of a suddenly filled space.
"My matrix!" the Fallen hissed gleefully, gillspikes rattling. The matrix flew past me as a forcewave pushed everyone else down and away. A downed F-22 rocked on it's fuselage. A crack of thunder and he was gone.
I knelt frozen for a second, listening to the deafening silence amid the roar of battle. Missiles whistled, fire sent searing heat around us. The muted sound of men shouting, bots yelling for their leader to fight back.
"PRIME! GET UP PRIME!" Lennox bellowed. I snapped back into focus, running to the plane with symbols dancing madly in front of my eyes, becoming a part of my memories. At speed I understood them, they were instructions. Secondhand memories, brand new instinct.
An almost dead Decepticon aimed for me. A rapid shot of plasma imploded his spark chamber a second later, I reached toward him with my free hand and made a violent tugging motion. A massive amount of neural fibre exploded from him, blackening for a second before glowing a brilliant white and flying in an orbit around me before shooting toward the Hornet. The barest piece of concentration and I was running easily up the incline of the plane's wing, scrambling through the half-open canopy.
Men were yelling at me, commanding me to return to Optimus. But my guardian was down, injured.
There were creatures that needed to pay for that.
"It's destroyed!" Jacobs bellowed at me.
"GET BACK!" I bellowed back. Men ran, turning to stare a safe distance out.
Neural fibres flashed around me, neutralized, integrating into the titanium and steel of the structure. Instruments came online, engines righted themselves and my wings adjusted themselves as I called a few loose missiles back into their settings.
"WHAT THE FUCK!" Epps bellowed two hundred yards away.
"NOBODY THREATENS MY FAMILY!" I snarled, my voice amplified as my pack fully integrated with the newly upgraded and transformed flier. I glanced up and felt myself lift off. Straight up.
Fuel lines righted themselves. A low whine, a loud, exploding roar and the engines came fully online. A flash and I was speeding toward the pyramids, an enormous dinosaur looking thing was tearing one apart. The radio came alive.
"Mikaela how in Primus name did you do that!?" Ratchet demanded.
"You know how there's a basecode in every species for when you come across something new or dangerous that tells you to avoid it or proceed with caution?" I asked with a grim smirk.
"Yeah," Lennox called out.
"Advancements in technology occur when you tell that base-code to fuck off," I thundered, dropping several bombs onto the enormous conglomeration of mechs. I circled around. A separate missile streaked in from the water, I caught Simmon's form scrambling down the Pyramid, cheering as what appeared in my vision as 'Devastator' broke apart above him. I swooped away, dodging flying rocks and plasma bursts. I caught sight of a familiar silhouette.
"Hey Starscream!" I shrieked, streaking after him, "You wanna dance bitch?"
I sent a surge of energon into the plane, gathering up a spare bit of metal. It formed into a grappling hook and heavy chain. I fired it and caught the spying bastard excuse of a bot on the wing, throwing on the brakes he lost control of his vector, careening around uncontrollably for a second before I released the grapple. He spun into the damaged devastator in a rather impressive crash, I circled back and joined a formation of fighter jets as they circled in for another strike.
"Vector vector these are the hellhounds reporting for duty. Unmarked aircraft squawk ident." a familiar voice called over the radio.
"Hey Bear," I called out over the radio with a grin, "Whatever my handle is I'm reporting for duty! How's it hanging man?"
"Where in the hell did you get a plane!?" the pilot demanded.
"This one crashed, I 'jacked it!" I laughed.
"Well then mark the targets," the man commanded, I shot ahead of them and fired smoke bombs, a number of Decepticons began firing up at me. I rolled and fired back before darting away as the airstrike took them down.
"You are the angel," Optimus' voice stated as I careened toward the Auto-bots. I let out a whoop to see him standing firm, returning fire beside Ironhide and Ratchet.
"Good to see you back Optimus," I called out, knowing he could hear the fierce grin on my face as I buzzed high over top of them.
"Mayday mayday mayday! I can't get my canopy open!" a nearby jet reported in a near panic. Without even thinking about it I threw on a burst of speed, got beneath him and rolled.
"Don't drop your load on me!" I commanded, flying dirty and catching him on my landing gear. We shook violently for a second before I stabilized us. "How high do we need to be for a safe ejection boys?" I demanded.
"If you can get us up another hundred feet we'll be balmy!" the man announced, I could hear his grin as I frowned in concentration and slowly brought us up. In moments he shouted, "Canopy is free! Eject eject!" I heard the minor blasts as two men shot free of the disabled jet.
As an afterthought, I pulled most of the fuel and munitions from the plane before directing it to crash against a wall being used as cover by a couple of Decepticons.
I looked up and saw the Fallen bridge in on top of the pyramid beside Megatron. My vision zeroed in on the matrix.
"That don't jive," I growled, arrowing back toward them. "He's turning on the machine!" I shouted into the radio, reading the symbology flying before my eyes as Mico courteously scanned the area for me.
"All units, target is the top of the pyramid!" Epps' voice shouted back. Tanks began firing, a massive ring of rocks began to circle the area, deflecting the shots.
"Mikaela! Get back!" Optimus roared.
"What's coming?" I shouted, pulling up hard into the sky, dodging rocks easily.
"We got nothing! Air strike in five!" Epps shouted.
"That thing's going to be at firing strength in three," I shouted, "If it fires up we're all dead anyway!" I pulled back and looped over, skimming low to the earth for a second before pulling up to buzz the side of the pyramid. "Time to thread the needle." I growled. Hyperfocus returned, I could feel the matrix's presence, I called it to me as several heavy bombs dropped into the gaping hole beneath me.
The Fallen followed the matrix, grabbing hold of my wings as I rocketed upward, propelled in part by the explosion beneath us. I snarled as his claws dug into my fuselage, the matrix making it's way into my hands, laying pressed to my stomach.
The Fallen clung to me, trying to dig himself in against the massive G-forces we were battling against.
"Come on Banes!" Jetfire's voice roared suddenly over the radio, "Come on tiny Angel Prime give him what for! BLOOD AND VINEGAR!"
"Burn in hell nameless one!" I bellowed as several missiles loosed themselves from my underbelly and directly into the Fallen's chest. A jolt of power and the Fallen was blasted backwards and off of me. I rolled and followed him, my last missile blasting him into the ground. Megatron took flight, following me. I let my engines continue to smoke for a second, slowing and playing crippled. He reached toward me. I blasted my engines to full power and watched with satisfaction as it caught him in the face. He fell back toward the ground.
"Mikaela! Get back here!" Optimus commanded. I turned and flew back, stalling mid-air before coming down slow, like grandfather had taught me. I landed and concentrated, drawing a tiny amount of power from the matrix as I transformed the plane around me into a flight deck. I looked up and around myself, frowning as I struggled to disconnect. Neural fibres receded into the deck and the pack on my back.
Something felt wrong. I had two gloves now, there was silence around us as the injured were brought to the central area. I fought to reach the button on the original glove, the right one struggling against me.
"That's enough," I snarled, a flush of energon neutralized the neural fibres, which was strange, I thought I'd done that already. I reached over and pressed the button.
(OPOV)
Optimus watched in horror as the ancient Prime latched onto his beloved's borrowed flight frame.
"Oh god, oh gods we've got to do something!" Lennox bellowed beside him.
"They're too close! We hit him we'd hit her!" Epps shouted back.
"Come on Banes!" Jetfire bellowed suddenly, "Come on tiny Angel Prime give him what for! BLOOD AND VINEGAR!"
"Burn in hell nameless one!" her voice bellowed back. Humans and Auto-bots alike froze in shock as the Fallen was blasted away from her, she rolled and followed his descent, firing her last missile at him, blasting him into the ground.
"Nobody survives that," Sideswipe whispered in shock. Optimus watched his spark-mate with fear and amazement. Terror that she was damaged, awe that that tiny, powerful creature had chosen and accepted him.
"Oh god! No!" Epps bellowed as Megatron flew after her, her engines smoked, there was a definite lean in her flight, as though she were fighting to control her vector, there were no missiles on her wings, no munitions. Time slowed to nothing. Megatron transformed and reached for Optimus' beloved. Every man and bot stood frozen, watching her doubtless death in horror.
Mikaela's engines fired full blast.
"YEAHHHH! THAT'S MY BIG SISTER!" Bumblebee roared out, punching a fist in the air as Megatron flew backwards and Kae shot forward into the sky. She buzzed over top of them at high speed.
"Mikaela! Get back here!" Optimus commanded, she turned neatly in the air and pulled back, stalling and landing in a classic Blackbird move. The plane screeched to a sudden halt and shattered, transforming around her until a nicely formed flight deck stood framing the tiny Femme. Afterburners sat in good repair, and dozens of slots sat empty and waiting for weapons.
She struggled to control her right hand as she disconnected from the new flight deck.
"That's enough!" she snarled, a flash of light and the neural fibres lay neutralized. She reached over, pressed the button on her glove and squirmed, grimacing as the pack disconnected from her nervous system. She set it down on the deck and walked toward Optimus, bearing the Matrix of Leadership in her hands. She stopped, looked up at him and bent gracefully to her knees.
ΩGladly do I respect and give my deference to Optimus PrimeΩ she stated proudly, offering the Matrix up to him, it floated kinetically from her hands to the level of Optimus' spark. He looked down at her to see his mark burning bright on her chest beneath the all-spark sliver. His spark flared with pride.
ΩGladly do I respect and give deference to my SparkmateΩ Optimus replied, standing straight and tall as he spoke the language of his caste. He took the matrix from the air and knelt down, offering her a hand. He wanted her on his shoulder.
Mikaela smiled, that beautiful, loving smile that was just for him as she stood. She took a step toward him before her eyes rolled back.
She collapsed.