They had a chance to restore their planet. The dead husk would once more illuminate the surroundings with life. No more dirtball. No more scavaging for Energon. They could rebuild and live like before.
This was Rachet's hope.
Once they discovered the keys, everything would change. His home. He was exhilarated despite outward appearances.
Today was the day. The final mission. Seeing off the troops for this momentous occasion should make history. Once the newly upgraded ground bridge, now space bridge closed he was overtaken with worry. The constant feeling was stressing on his circuits. Having his full attention waiting for the comms, he had no room for anything else.
When the children called about getting a ride, it irritated the old medic. Didn't they know he was busy, they all write. The fight to save their home planet was the most important mission ever. The decision was easy. Telling the children to find another way home simple. Now that his attention is fully on the mission he believes nothing would go wrong. Optimus knew the importance that this mission held.
That's why when they came back thru the portal, children in hand he was shocked and confused. How had the children been taken? Why were they here? What happened to Cybertron? Everything should have ended differently. When Optimus told him the truth he couldn't help but feel something snap. The hope he once carried died knowing their planet was dead forever.
Then to add insult to injure, their location was discovered by the Decepticons. They lost their home and temporary home in one go. He couldn't help but feel it was all his fault. If he just ground bridged the children or went to get them this wouldn't be happening. They would be celebrating. Everything would be amazing. Reality shatters that perception when withdrawing.
Rachet knew this may be the last time seeing his old friend, the one who possibly knew him the best. They had been through thick and thin, looking after one another when friends fell. That thought didn't sit well in him.
It was all his fault.
"I never imagined it would end like this."
The bridge closed behind him with a resounding outcry. Everything had changed and it only took a simple thing like not picking up the children to cause it.
Willam Fowler wanted to punch something. Every since the Autobots fell Megatron was preening like a peacock. His demands were unreasonable. But humankind couldn't argue with fusion canons. He was shocked that the con even wished to speak to them. Then the psycho bot seemed that they could coexist on this planet 'peacefully'. What a joke that was. Having absolute power of life and death over one side of an agreement didn't and would never include the word peaceful. They were prisoners, unable to fight back without heavy casualties.
Humanity's last hope was either dead or scattered with no way to contact one another.
One thing the agent knew, Megatron was never to be trusted. He was a snake. They needed more time to figure out everything.
Nuke happy generals, missing supplies, and a Decepticon warlord attempting to crust their only hope and fill them with false promises, buttering the Earth up to roast later.
What was even worse is looking a desperate mother in the eye every day telling her all she could do was wait. Wait and hope they made it out alive. June was a surprising help around the base, organizing and keeping busy to distract from her son's missing. She was worried just like him. The only two humans on base that truly understood what the Autobots stood for. They were a family that Fowler got roped into. One he desperately wished he could protect.
"No hope."
Smokescreen never thought he would hear the stern Prime say those fatal words. If Optimus lost hope they were all doomed.
How could the bot he looked up to, they all looked up to say those horrible things? Sure Optimus didn't look the best, and he sure as scrap wasn't feeling the best, but they were alive, right? He was alive to keep trying like he always did. If the boss bot gave up now they were sure to lose, so Smokescreen made a choice. He would fight for the Prime. The Prime will survive and fight, no, defeat Megatron ending this war.
Smokescreen made a promise on his very spark.
When you have a phone you want to use it. This was not a different time. When Jack sent the text to his mom, he was clouded with worry and a need to let her know. She must have been going crazy seeing the base destroyed. A simple text could change it.
That simple text did change things. He was stupid. Jack wasn't Raf, the computer genius who could reroute their signal so the cons couldn't track him. He wasn't Rachet who knew of different things to do to get comms working. He was just a worried son using human technology to tell his mother he was alive. He was almost 17 but still crazy worried over the only blood relative he had left.
Once the simple text was sent they were found. He almost died, again. It was a normal thing now. Attempting to be killed by larger bots but they had stormtrooper aim most times. Jack managed to save himself long enough for Arcee to notice. The gas station close by helped with their ambush. They survived but just barely.
Guilt for sending the message was there but he also felt relieved. Even if his mom didn't reply she knew he was alive. That's what truly matters.
Looking up at the sky through his tinted helmet he only hoped the rest were alright, especially Optimus. If the leader didn't survive then the morale of all the Autobots would plummet. They needed their figurehead to lift them from their darkest hour.
