Wishing had not stopped the truth. Prime knew his choice was made in a click. To save this planet he would happily give up anything. A planet similar to Cybertron filled with intelligent life. Humans are just beginning to grow into their own. They had made many mistakes and surely more in the future.

Thought that was not his main reason. Despite outward appearances, he had emotions, thoughts all his own. Just like any bot, he was simply Cybertronian. One with a very vulnerable core.

He was motivated to save the Earth for his family.

It was a concept that the two species shared. They both had bots related to one another and those that they considered a part of the group despite not being related. The Autobots have always been family in his optics. They filled him with a strength none would truly comprehend.

The three smaller children were his reason. Fragile human children were brought into their war. Brave and persistent in the face of danger. These children have grown deeply attached to the Autobots, and so have they. They saved them. Bringing a light by simply arriving. It was the ability all younglings, even of different races, had. Jack, Miko, and Raf had saved the bots from depression and the ever-spiraling hopelessness.

Before the children, each bot was worn down. They felt like they lost. Being forced from their dying planet, hiding from the natives on an organic planet was something none expected. The cycles were mundane and repetitive. Scout and salvage whatever little Energon they would discover. They were biding time till the end.

That was why, despite not connecting with the children as much, he was forever grateful. They saved his team and allowed them to move forward.

That was why now, opening his spark chamber, he had no regrets. He was standing before Unicron to save his family. Save the planet that they now called home. Prime understood the consequences of losing the matrix. He would lose so much more than his team knew. Telling them would only cause conflict. They would never condone Optimus sacrificing himself for them. They were just too devoted.

Which is why he left the key. The one way for him to regain what was lost.

Optimus felt the energy of the matrix exit his chassis, the decreasing energy making him feel relieved and lonely all at once.

Closing his optics he recalled Jacksons' face when he told a lie. Disbelief etched in his face as Prime lied, a terrible one at that. The hand that clutched the key subconsciously glowed in tandem with the keys. The light spread down the boy's arm, going unnoticed to the child, stopping once it reached his eyes. Stormy blue had been replaced with optics. The blue glowing alongside the rare gold. Jack was still examining the key as Optimus took in the…,Prime had no clue what the boy was at the time. All the Prime knew is Jack was not human. That thought terrified and excited him. Clarity cleared up his processor that moment. The answer was simple.

Jack was Cybertronian. He was not human.

That last revelation ebbed away with the Prime's memories. The processor of Orion Pax returned after much time, vulnerable to Megatron's manipulations.


The pain, not physical, pulsated through him. Despite the security and peace that Earth gained only a few knew the cost. A cost, not even the bots had known. They had lost their leader, Optimus Prime no longer existed in the same way he once did. Instead, he was someone once lost to the past. A simple archivist that Ratchet once compared to Jack himself.

The idea at the time was shocking, but now he understood. Orion was young like the teen and that always left the room to grow. Orion and Jack shared a similar starting personality. They both wanted to help and had a more mature air about them.

Those similarities didn't help when Megatron was the only bot that the confused data cleric could recognize. He remembered how the bots described Optimus once he stopped Unicron. The former leader had lost all memory of who they were. His processor was sent to the past before the war broke out.

When Jack had heard this, that Optimus didn't know them, didn't know him, he was overwhelmed. Emotions he hadn't even recognized flashed over him. When Ratchet told those stuck at base about the true nature of the key Jack held, he was worried. Ratchet seemed certain that Optimus wouldn't be coming back. The reality was far harsher. Having an amnesiac Prime being brainwashed by Megatron would be comical if it hadn't been happening. The simple idea was so hilarious many would never believe them.

A soft blue glow caught his attention. 'It only seems to glow,' he mused, admiring the complex design. 'I guess me and the key are similar.' His conclusion seemed strange.

Clutching the Cybertronian metal tightly he recalled his last words to the Prime.

"I won't let you down."

He had full intentions to fulfill his promise. Being the only one to be able to use the key was nerve-wracking. The burden of that was something he never understood till now. All the Autobots looked at him differently. When they saw him they held the hope that one day Optimus would be returned to them.

Jack still can't wrap his mind around it, that Prime has been gone for three days. It may not seem like much but in the base, you could tell. Everyone was on edge. One of the few good things about the storms that Unicron caused was no school for some time. The storm hit Jasper harder than expected, taking down power lines and buildings. The middle/high school was one of the few to take the most damage. Sadly, unlike the school, KO Burger was fine. Once the power was fixed the first day he took over shifts for many coworkers.

That's what he was doing when Arcee came by. Just like the previous days, riding to base was filled with silence. It was depressing. Arcee was taking Primes absences hard just like them all. Sighing he let himself enjoy the desert surroundings as a bridge opened up before them. The vortex never failed to impress Jack. For him, each time he entered felt like a static rush. It energizes him more than coffee used to. It was marked down on his strange list of oddities.

The smile soon slipped off his face once he heard yelling. The sound is unwelcomed but a norm now. Hopping off Arcee he observed the two bots going at it.

"We haven't seen any signs of cons in days! We need to find another way. I say we make a disturbance that the cons can't ignore. Your scans are getting us nowhere!" Explain Bulkhead, optics narrowed, stance ready for a fistfight. Considering his opponent, the fight would never happen. Ratchet stood there, faceplates scrunched up in silent rage and shock.

"Now look here, even if we made a disturbance there is no guarantee the cons would come. It would only put us in trouble with humans. You just need to be patient, we will find Optimus." The medic's voice stressed in his usual pointed tone. He then proceeded to turn around but stopped when his optics alighted on Jack's form. The wrecker turned to see what distracted the bot.

Jack found it strange how the bots seemed to stop when he entered the room. It had only been a few days, but he had become accustomed to ignoring it. He couldn't change the way he was viewed, but he sure could ignore it. Making his way up the stairs, he rested on the railing by Ratchet's usual station. Finally situated, he eyed the two frozen bots. Bee and Arcee were in the back observing the strange standoff.

"I assume there have been no changes?" Jack asked with humor in his voice. He wasn't making light of the situation, no, he was laughing at the bots. They could act so human sometimes. The constant bickering was only proof of his statement. Turning to the screen he saw Ratchet's work. Though not understanding it as much as Raf would, he knew that Ratchets was trying to find the Decepticons ship.

"I think we best stay put till we hear from the cons. I know for sure Optimus didn't like to bring any more humans into this war so being discreet is best. Plus if you guys wait for the cons to pop up all the damage you can blame on them." Jack simply stated what was on his mind all day. The looks he received from the bots made him squirm, 'maybe I overstepped.' He wondered.

The tension that was between Ratchet and Bulkhead dispatched. The old wrecker rubbed his helm looking down sheepishly. "Yeah, you may have a point. Optimus wouldn't like to come back to a bunch of government stiffs breathing down our plating." That was all the green bot said before leaving the room, heading down the hall. Bee and Arcee shortly followed but not before giving a respectful nod to him.

He squirmed once more at feeling their gratitude. He didn't deserve it for speaking his mind. Jack's thoughts halted when the medic voiced his thoughts.

"We are falling apart at the seams. Thank you for...stepping in." Ratchet's voice was lacking his normal snark. He was tired, just like during Jacks' checkups. The medic went back to work, acting like the normal grumpy and snarky bot they all knew.

Going over to the couch, he opened up his gum container, popping two into his mouth. He barely finished the two before going for more. By the time he was satisfied only three remained. Getting up he rummaged through a draw and found extra containers of the same gum, Ratchet had made some just in case.


They had been searching for two days now. Space bridges were hard to find if you knew nothing of where to look. Gaining the information from a reliable source grated against her joints. Starscream wasn't a reliable source. Watching Jack convince his mom was heartwarming. He had so much faith in them. Jack was ready to save Optimus.

She hadn't realized what it meant for him to see Cybertron till they arrived. The wreckage of the war had left nothing. Desolate metal, rusted buildings, and no life. Her home was nothing to be amazed about. It wasn't how she thought Jack would witness it. She never thought any human would, having Jack go was shocking.

His apologizing just made it worse. She remembered how they fought so hard and got so little in return. Now they were following a glowing key. A key, to her, shouldn't exist. Vector Sigma was a legend, one told to sparklings, filling them with amazement. Now she was in her dead home with a human, Jack, that she had grown to see as family. He was the little brother she never thought possible. She would do anything to protect him. This is why facing down an insecticon didn't bother her. She would keep him safe. They had a mission. One that must not be failed.


The door closed on Arcee and the insections fight, Jack only hoped it was the right choice, but there really wasn't much he could do. The light ebbed away once it was fully sealed. He had to keep moving. The high-pitched chirping from the key grew as he walked down the dark hall. The tunnel was massive and partly destroyed in areas. Starches and shrapnel were littered throughout the tunnel leading down. A shiver ran down his spine, 'Perfect settings for a horror movie." he noticed. Shaking himself from the thoughts he kept moving, the pulsing of the key guiding the way. That however didn't stop him from finding a weapon. Whatever made those marks could still be here, crawling in the darkness just beyond the light.

It wasn't long till he hit a wall, or what he thought was a wall. The key glowed and just like the entrance, the wall glowed, flickering to life and collapsed. Light poured from the opening revealing an open room. The design and space were spectacular. He had found it. Vector Sigma.

Placing the key in was the easy part. Shock and alarm followed soon after. The platform shifted and caused him to slide off, but it was worth it. The floor once sealed opened to reveal a glowing sphere. Rings orbited around it like a planet. The beauty was spectacular, but it was the feeling that drew him in. Even in the suit, he felt safe. At home with the sphere's light upon him. Every muscle in his body relaxed and basked in the light. The exclamations of awe were lost to his ears. He was only brought out of the trance once he confirmed the download.

When he reached to activate the coms his arm came into view. Between the seams of the suit, blue light poured. He looked down and noticed his whole suit was glowing. Realization struck. He was glowing. Lastly, he had no Energon to stop it, or a way to even eat it. If Arcee saw him like this there was no more hiding anymore. Grinding his teeth, he attempted to concentrate.

'Come on. You have done this before, you can control it again.' He wanted to yell as nothing worked. Hanging his head he continues to wait. The download was slow, stating the obvious got only snark from Ratchet.

Jack honestly would take Ratchet's version of a bedside manner any day if he hadn't had to deal with scraplets only a second later. The small vermin came flying toward the key. Getting in a stance, Jack prepared to start swinging the metal pipe. It wasn't a very effective strategy. Where there's one scraplet there was bound to be more. He watched helplessly as only a few didn't make it to the downloading key. He had to stop them. So he went to work. Using the pipe to take them out. Just like before, it hardly made a dent in the number of them eating.

Pulling back, he yelps when one yank on his arm, chewing on the metal there. Quickly he bashed it against the ground and kicked it away. The damage was gone though. The suit's display was destroyed. He knew he had enough oxygen before so he only prayed that stayed true. Lifting the pipe once more he was about to get to work when he heard an engine.

"Arcee.." He wasn't sure if that was good or bad. If the scraplets went after her instead he would be of little use, but if she could help they may just make it. His hopes were dashed as he watched the bot bug from before transform. Standing his ground he was prepared to fight. He may be small, but he had a lot of spirit. Watching the larger bot approaching halt caused him to pause. The bugbot seemed scared. Then it hit him. 'Scraplets' he thought with a wicked grin. Picking up one of the vermin he launched it. It worked. The main course of a living bot was more delicious than the key download. Jack watched the rest abandon the downloading key, swarming the bot. It was better than watching a shark week-feeding frenzy. Though the sight of a cybertronian being eaten alive left the same queasy feeling. The bug was falling apart, then falling down the endless pit. That bots sure didn't have a lucky day.

The beep that signaled download commenced relieved him. They could save Optimus now. Retrieving the white glowing key, he noticed his glow subside as Vector Stigma disappeared beneath the floor. Jack noted that information to tell Ratchet later. He stood there staring at where Vector Stigma now rested, morning the feeling of safety being gone.

A sound brought him out of his sadness.

The sound of an engine echoed through the chamber. Arcee's headlight illuminated the dark tunnel ahead. He was never so happy to see her unharmed. Smiling he lifted the key to her, the transformed bot smiling back. They did it.

There was only one problem.

As Jack got on Arcee, sparkes were coming from his air supply tanks strapped to his back. The lack of air leaving the tanks went unnoticed by both. The system alert was not functioning thanks to the scraplets.

Jack was out of the air, and he didn't need it.


"Are you...certain I am worthy."

Orion was so confused. He had been lied to by someone he looked up to. Megatron was a brother. They had forged strong bonds fighting for what was right. Now he was stuck in a world that put the two on opposite sides. They were like this for good reason too. Megatron had changed. He was as corrupt as those they once fought against.

Now he kneeled before a being he had never met. The human holding a key he had only seen in the archives. The key to Vector Sigma. It held the answers, his memories of what happened. He knew once he did this he would never be Orion again.

He was scared of no longer being himself.

Looking at the human, he saw it smile. Joy was in its...optics. For some reason, he knew that wasn't normal. Those golden blue lights filled him with reassurance. He would be fine.

"You have no idea." That was the only response he got.


Jack would be a fool to say watching Optimus stop a sword between his servos was not spectacular. The mere sight of both titans fighting was better than the movies. Sure he wasn't as crazy as Miko, but he still found the bots amazing. The fight was a one-sided beat down, leaving Megatron in the dust and dirt below.

The time for admiring was cut off as the warlord recovered. Arcee rushed over to him, picking him up. They were all set to go. That's what he thought. Arcee took a jump, heading to the portal when a sudden shock hit them both. Human and bot were separated as Arcee uncontrollably let go, causing Jack to fall short of the bridge. The look of shock on Arcee's faceplates was lost in the vortex.

Jack prepared for impact as he dropped upon the dirt cavern below. His senses were jared from the landing. He couldn't focus. Sounds echoed to where he lay below the metal platform. Opening his eyes, he found himself observing something dreadful. Acree hadn't made much noise when he was dropped so the bots didn't know. That was evident as Optimus disappeared into the portal before his eyes. The bridge shrank until it disappeared. His way home was cut off.

He got left behind. Hearing Megatron's roar of rage didn't help. Pushing himself up, the aches from the fall were surprisingly minor. What mainly hurt was the shocks still coming from his back. Pulling up his arm, he cursed seeing the damaged control screen. His eyes widened as Megatron stood and surveyed the area. Jack had to move.

Crawling, he made his way to hide under the metal platform. Pushing his body against one of the support beams below he waited.

"Soundwave, I need a bridge."

Those words spoken by the warlord were music to his ears. In a matter of seconds, Jack heard the telltale sound of a portal opening. The resounding metal clanging steps of Megatron disappeared not shortly after.

Jack didn't dare to move till he heard the ground bridge close. His body slumped against the metal beam, sliding till he reached the dirt. Shaky hands fumbled with the helmet. The hiss as the seal disengaged, fresh air flowing in. He took his time and breathed in a large deep breath. The air was damp and stale but better than the suits.

Looking at the plate form above his head, he started to laugh. The whole situation was just hilarious. He had gone to another planet! A dream he always had but never thought would come true. Better yet, he saved someone he highly respected. His laughter reached new heights, helmet slipping through his gloved fingers and hitting the dirt next to him.

Now, he was accidentally left behind.

That sobered him up. He had no time to rest. The Autobots surely knew he was gone by now. They were no doubt hesitant about coming back, fearing Megatron. They nearly didn't get away last time. Trying to do it twice was stupid.

Reaching up he hit the comms.

"Ratchet? Can you hear me? I am alone here. Megatron just left and I really could use a ground bridge." His voice echoed as static was the only answer. Sparks hit his back once more, causing him to yelp. Faster than he thought he could, the suit was off and laying on the ground a safe distance from him. Rubbing his back, he was thankful that he had worn his normal clothes. They insulated him from the worst of the shocks. The holes he felt in the cloth made that apparent.

The lack of shoes couldn't have been helped. He looked at the suit and found the boots scattered some distance from it. In his panic, he flung everything off. Once he had the heavy-duty boots back he realized one thing.

He had no way of communicating with the bots. No phone. No comms. And he didn't understand enough to use the computer above. He was stuck.

"Scrap."


Arcee had him. Jack was in her servos, secure as she jumped. Until he wasn't there anymore. The electrical shock came out of nowhere. She hadn't seen a bolt come flying or another con.

The shock had enough juice to cause her motor function to fail briefly. She was paralyzed, her momentum taking her through the bridge. Optics watching Jack fall downward thanks to her uncontrolled jerking. The electric sparks flashed around his suit. His eyes wide with fear was the last thing she saw. Systems were shutting down. The world went black as she hit the metal floor at the base, skidding in as the others followed.

'Jack...'