Chapter 11: Cancelling the Apocalypse
Optimus stood on the deck of Metroplex, looking out at the afternoon sun.
It was a truly beautiful day. Cybertron looked so beautiful with the sunlight reflecting off it.
It was perfection. The wind was weak, just enough to feel.
Prowl walked up behind him.
"It's almost time to address them." He said, as he walked next to the larger mech, and turned to look up at him. "You wanted to see me?"
"Yes." Optimus replied. He looked down at the energon river. "Prowl, when we were in that bunker, hiding out from the decepticons, in my early days of..." he trailed off, searching for the word.
"Primehood?" Prowl suggested.
"That works. Primehood. In my early days, every decision I made was important, a matter of life or death. The future of the autobots was in my hands."
"And it worked out." Prowl said with a smile. "Here we are."
Prime nodded. "But back then...whenever I felt a sense of doubt, I also felt a sense of..." He trailed off again. "It is...very hard to explain. It felt like reassurance. From the matrix. Guidance. Like the matrix was leading me to the correct decisions."
"That sounds like it could be really helpful." Prowl replied, frowning. "Like. Really really helpful. What's it guiding you to do now?"
Optimus sighed, and bowed his head.
"It isn't." He said bluntly.
"It isn't? Like...isn't what?" Prowl asked, his optics looking puzzled.
"It isn't guiding me." Optimus said, a hint of frustration to his voice. "Ever since the battle for Iacon it has gone...silent. That feeling, that sense of reassurance is gone."
"Maybe it's decided that your destiny is in your own hands now." Prowl speculated. "It's telling you to trust your own judgment. You do trust your own judgment, right?"
"Of course." Optimus replied. "I just...can't help but have second thoughts, when the weight of our world is on my shoulders. There can be no mistakes, Prowl."
"So don't make any." Prowl replied with a dry chuckle. "You're a Prime, you don't make mistakes anymore."
Optimus managed a laugh at that, but he couldn't help feeling dread in his fuel pump, at the threat that was looming.
"It's time to address them." He said, turning and walking inside.
"Agreed." Prowl replied, following him in.
"All autobots report to the hangar bay immediately." Blaster called over the intercom.
Bumblebee and Seaspray were awkwardly working on a special handshake with Jazz, when Optimus walked into the hangar.
Other autobots began filing in, as Optimus stood, with Prowl at his side, next to the wounded, but recovering Sky Lynx.
"So what's the deal, big guy?" Ironhide asked, arms crossed.
Optimus cleared his throat, as he looked out at the group.
"Autobots...today we have learned of a grave threat posed by the decepticons. Some of you have already been informed..."
"Bring it on." Brawn said, pounding his fists together angrily. "I'm gettin restless."
"Megatron is attempting to raise a titan from stasis." Optimus continued. "A Titan which is resting within the Manganese mountains."
Brawn's optics widened.
"A what?"
"Shut it." Ironhide muttered, slapping him on the back of his hard head.
The autobot rookies looked around with wide optics, suddenly looking a lot less confident.
"Hey!" Ironhide called out. "Shut up. Go on, Prime."
Optimus nodded to the mech.
"We have a plan. The best one we can work out on such short notice." He looked to his infiltration team.
"Mirage is going to lead a team of Jazz, Bumblebee, Ratchet, and our new addition, Seaspray, into the Titan. They will enter via an underground energon river. While they enter the Titan, I will lead a team to engage Megatron on the surface, to keep him from discovering our infiltration. We must keep him distracted, until Mirage can successfully deactivate the Titan. Any questions?"
Several hands shot up.
"Sunstreaker?" Optimus asked.
"Am I still suspended?" He asked.
"Yes." Optimus replied sternly.
Sunstreaker pouted in reply. Optimus turned his optics to the rookies.
"Bluestreak?"
"Yeah, Hi, um, how are we going to distract Megatron exactly?"
Optimus frowned, cocking his helm to the side.
"By...shooting at him. And his soldiers. It's combat."
Brawn's hand shot up.
"What about punching?" He called out.
"Well...yes, obviously we will be punching as well. Combat. Combat, Ironhide you've trained them in combat I assume?" Optimus asked, stress in his voice.
"Yup, sure have." Ironhide replied, giving his rookies a dirty look. "They're just bein stupid right now."
Seaspray raised his hand. Optimus pointed at him.
"Hi, just wanted to introduce myself, in case I don't come back from this, I'm Seaspray." He called, waving at them.
"I like him." Arcee said, walking over and patting him on the head. "You better come back little guy."
"I mean, I'll certainly try, tall lady." Seaspray replied.
"What is it with you and short mechs?" Sideswipe asked, rolling his optics.
"They're adorable!" Arcee replied. "Look at his little face." She said, pointing at Seaspray's faceplate. "Am I wrong?"
"Nah they're kinda cute." Jazz agreed.
"They're a damned treasure." Ironhide agreed.
"Is there anything else?" Optimus asked. "Anything important?" He clarified with a somewhat annoyed voice.
Silence.
"Very well. Ironhide, Arcee, Bluestreak, Brawn, Warpath, Sideswipe, you're with me. Prowl, you're running things from here. Mirage, you're going to take a MARB inside the cave, and use it to find and if necessary carve a path into Trypticon. Grab whatever you need from the armory and report to your teams. We roll out in ten minutes."
The group separated, and Sunstreaker walked straight to Optimus.
"Optimus." He called anxiously. "Optimus, please. I need to be in on this. I can fight, you know that."
"When your head is in the right place, you're a good fighter." Optimus replied. "But I'm not confident it is. You are still suspended from duty. You will stay here."
"Optimus, my brother..." Sunstreaker began.
"...has performed up to his expectations. He hasn't pulled any stunts like you have. He is cleared for combat." He said sternly. "You aren't."
"Optimus, I've always fought at his side, please let me..." He began. "You said this is about Megatron raising a Titan, this is the most important mission we've ever had..."
"And that's precisely why you're sitting it out." Optimus replied firmly. "Sideswipe will be alright, I'll keep him covered. Don't worry. Take this time to reflect, Sunstreaker. You need to figure out whether you're serious about having a future with the autobots."
Sunstreaker let out an exasperated groan, turning his optics to Arcee.
"Please Arcee, you said you believed in me, talk to him!" He urged.
"My hands are tied, Sunny." Arcee replied.
Sunstreaker let out a defeated sigh.
"Fine." He replied, turning and walking away.
Sideswipe walked up to him.
"Hey. I'll be okay. Just be patient, okay? Are you good?" Sideswipe asked sympathetically, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"I'll be fine, don't worry about me. Just come back in one piece." Sunstreaker replied, walking past him.
He turned the corner of the hallway, until he was out of view of the others.
He began pounding the wall angrily, letting out all of his frustration on the bulkhead with a hopeless fury.
He sighed, as he leaned against the bulkhead in defeat.
"Sorry Metroplex." He muttered.
"It is alright, large eared one." Metroplex replied. "I felt nothing."