"Then Jack asked you—erm, Optimus, if he wanted to see something funny and he said no! So nonchalant, not being rude or mean of course, because Optimus wouldn't do that, wasn't like that…but it was so funny! I wanted to laugh so hard! And the look on Jack's face—"

"Answer me, hear me, my brother, my Orion…"

Immediately, Miko sensed the tension fill the great mech that held her, could see a distance fill his optics and she let her sentence trail off, dying into silence.

"Orion?"

"My brother…hear me…"

Orion shuttered his optics; let that familiar growl of a voice roll through his processors. He could feel the pain, the sorrow that drenched his brother's call, could feel the vibrations through the channel. His spark yearned to answer, yearned to find, to cling to someone he could trust, he could believe in. But something kept him from opening the channel, kept from acknowledging his brother's call…

A touch, a faint pressure against his chest, against the panels that protected his spark. Surprised, Orion looked down…looked at Miko who had pressed both of her palms flat against his chest, her eyes were wide and worried.

"Orion? What is it? What's wrong?"

Someone he could trust…

Miko looked up at him, waiting, watching. Here was an innocent child, here was someone whose words had stirred familiarity within his spark, her stories, her tales of this Optimus Prime, had awakened memories, touching on fragments and building fragile connections. Her words had begun to help him slowly, painfully, piece a larger picture together.

"Someone is trying to contact you, huh?"

Considering, Orion paused wondering how she could have recognized the subtleties that a mech exhibited when communicating on a private channel. But Miko had taken that farseeing expression in his optics, the slight shift in his stance all in stride. She shrugged at the puzzled expression that darted across his features, "Hey, I'm with the Autobots more than I am with my host parents…So I know you bots probably better than I do most people…" There was pride in her voice, pride and something else, something more; perhaps wistfulness? Regret? Here she was, just a child who knew so little of life and who apparently knew their species better than she knew her own.

After a moment he nodded, having absorbed her words and their implications, "Yes…on a private communication channel…"

"Megatron…" Her stance, her tone, her entire demeanor darkened, and it pained Orion to watch as that bundle of youth and exuberance seemed to wilt under that shadow of Megatron.

Megatron…Megatronus…Orion's processor wrestled with the two identities. The invocation of the name Megatronus brought familial feelings to his spark, his friend, his brother, Megatronus had always been there for him, always ready and waiting to defend, to protect him. But this Megatron…Who was this that could cast so many shadows with just the sound of his name? Miko clearly had no love for this Megatron, rather she seemed to fear him as much as she loathed him.

"So…are you going to answer him?"

He could sense fear rising within her, and it pained his spark to know that he was the cause. "Despite all that you say of him, Megatronus is still my brother…"

Impatiently she stamped her foot, "Don't you understand! There is no more Megatronus, only Megatron!"

Orion winced under the insistent power of Megatronus' call; he would not be able to ignore his brother much longer, "I fear I must witness such for myself."

Miko huffed out a sigh, "Fine," crossing her arms she sat down in the middle of his palm, "Answer, but I'm not going anywhere."

He almost smiled at her antics, almost, "I did not expect any less from you."

"Orion…brother…hear me…"

Orion let his optics flicker closed, turning inwards to answer the communication.

"Megatronus…"

"I fear for your safety, Orion. Tell me, where are you that I may come and rescue from our foes."

"…Are they are foes, Megatronus?"

Even through the communication, Megatron heard the uncertainty in Orion's words; always was it within the archivist's nature to try and reach out to others, to help, to connect with and to understand. Megatron would have to be careful, would have to put a swift end to such curiosity, especially in the Autobots, "Tell me, Orion…would friends keep you confined?" It was a suspicion only, but if he knew Ratchet at all, it was an accurate guess. Only when a full-bodied silence elapsed between them did Megatron realize that he had guessed correctly.

"Orion, brother hear me…whether these Autobots are your friends or foes cannot matter at the moment. You are needed here, with me at the helm of the Nemesis, you belong with us."

Again, the familiar ache filled his spark and processor, Megatronus was his friend, his brother, but Orion was beginning to weary of being told of where and to whom he belonged or owed allegiance to. It was such weariness that led him to doubt. "Megatron…I am afraid I no longer know where I belong."

Megatron grew very still as anger and pain seeped into his spark, his voice dropped a full octave, became looming, "What did you call me?"

But Orion did not hear him, "You say that these Autobots are our foes…and though they do keep me confined, I cannot discern if they truly mean me any ill—"

"Orion, you are weary, you do not know what you are saying."

"Perhaps not, Megatronus…" He sounded so strained, so alone; how well Megatron knew what Orion felt.

"Hear me, Orion…I spoke with the Warlord Ratchet—"

Immediately, Orion perked up enough that even Miko felt the change in his stance. "How, Megatronus?"

"Not how, my brother, but why…for you…" Megatron took a moment to leash his emotions, to regain control, "For you I spoke with the Warlord Ratchet and I tried everything in my power to negotiate your release—"

With disappointment did Orion discern the inevitable result from Megatron's dulcet tones, "But you were unsuccessful…"

"I am sorry Orion, but it seems as though the Doctor of Doom is convinced that we are holding the Autobot named Arcee hostage. He was adamant that we return her within three days and only if we do so would he consent to let you go."

Dread gnawed at Orion, as the question sprang instantly to his mind, he had to know, had to be sure, "Forgive me, brother, but I must ask…are you indeed holding the one named Arcee hostage?"

"I swear upon the Allspark, upon Primus himself that I do not know where she is…but I promise you I will find her and return her to the Autobots unharmed so that you may be free."

"I would not expect anything less of you, Megatronus." Comforted for the first time since his arrival to the Autobot base, Orion now found his thoughts turning toward the missing Autobot. That Arcee had been pivotal in deceiving him, in helping the Autobots bring him against his will to the base, he could not forget. But it was not within his spark to wish any ill upon her, and perhaps, just maybe, if he and Megatronus did find her, if they could only manage to reunite her with the Autobots, could it not be a step towards peace between the two factions? Orion could only hope. "If only I could be with you, if I could help you search for her…"

"My spark yearns for that as well, but Ratchet could not be moved. Unless…"Megatron kept his tone hesitant, tentative, as he planted the idea within Orion's processor, " Unless you could escape from the Autobots some how…if only you could find your way free of the base, then we could be rejoined and search together for their missing comrade…"

Ever aware of his surroundings, Orion keenly felt the weight of Miko in his palm; he felt her presence, the presence of a human who had intimate knowledge of the Autobot base. Miko had already proven herself to be a key, helping him piece some of his memories together with her words, could she not prove another type of key for him now?

"Megatronus, I believe there may be a way for me to join you sooner than the Warlord Ratchet would have…give me time, I will be in contact with you soon."

Though unseen to Orion, a fierce smile bloomed across Megatron's faceplates as satisfaction filled his spark; sometimes, with Orion it was all too easy. "Very well," he kept his tone stately and solemn, "Primus be with you, brother."

Cutting the communication, Orion let his optics flicker online as he immediately looked down to Miko, who perked up under his gaze, an innocent, hopeful smile upon her lips.

"So what did Mr. Con of Doom say?"

Orion couldn't help but wince under her caviler tone, but let her words go unchallenged, "Miko, I need your help…"

"Anything, Boss Bot!" She jumped at the chance, hoping, wishing that this was a glimmer of the old Optimus reappearing from beneath the façade of Orion.

"I need you to help me leave the Autobot base without the other's knowledge."

Hopes dashed into pieces, Miko wilted, "Orion…no…please…you can't leave…you can't go back to him…"

"Miko…" he placed a gentle, comforting digit upon her slight shoulder, "I do not ask for myself…I ask so that I may be free to help one of your fellow Autobots."

"No! Whatever he has told you it's a lie! It's a trick! Once you go back to him…" Miko's eyes watered dangerously, knowing all too well that once Megatron got his claws upon Orion, they would never get Optimus back.

"It fills my spark with sorrow to tell you in this manner, but the Autobot that you know as Arcee has gone missing."

"What?"

"It is no trick, Miko. I merely wish to help her, to return her to her home safe…please, Miko will you not help me so that I may in turn help her?"

She searched his face, but just like Optimus, she could find no lie within Orion. He truly wanted to help, and after all, if Arcee really was in danger who better than Optimus to help her? She leaned forward wrapping her arms around one of his fingers, "Promise me that if I do this, if I help you leave that you will come back…once you find Arcee, promise me you'll come back?"

So many promises, so many beings that pulled upon him, upon his spark. Still, for all that Miko had given him he couldn't bring himself to turn his back upon her; with great reluctance he nodded, "I promise Miko."

Disentangling herself from him she straightened, "Deal then. I'll help you."

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Please R&R!