Disclaimer: Not mine

There's a timeskip from the last chapter as there is just too much time between events for me to fill. From the timeline I found, the Allspark was sent out around 10,000BC and the movies aren't till 2007. Consider this a bit of a filler

Chapter 4

Optimus stared out into the vastness of space. They had been in space for ten Decavorns already and where no closer to finding the AllSpark or Megatron. They rarely received communications from home, the longer they were gone the less frequent the messages, and what they did get was not encouraging. The fighting was becoming worse than ever, their people ever dwindling in number and being forced from the surface. He knew his beloved still lived but that was all their Spark bond allowed at such great distances. He moved from the view of space to look down over the bridge, seeing the various mechs at their stations. Morale was starting to fall, and he didn't blame them, he had thought there would have been some sort of sign by now.

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Ironhide laughed as Bumblebee danced happily while Sideswipe got back up, shocked the small scout had managed to take him down. Ironhide was proud of Bee's ever-growing skills. He'd come a long from the barely alive mech at Tyger Pax, but they all still missed his voice. He prayed the youngster never faced an opponent like Megatron again but if he did, he would be far more prepared for such an event.

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"Prime," Prowl greeted as his commander joined him in his office.

"What is it?" Optimus asked his tactician. Prowl brought up the sensor data and they examined it together. "Thoughts?"

"It could be a trap, the Decepticons know we seek the Cube," Prowl warned, and Optimus nodded. "However, it could also be a real trace. In either case, it would be best to send a scout to see."

"Agreed, I shall ask for volunteers."

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Optimus watched as his Weapons Specialist and close friend blew away targets and he didn't blame him. He should have known when he asked for volunteers amongst the Scouts on board that this would happen. His Spark was heavy with regret and yet he knew what the Scout had said was correct, he was the best of those on this ship and Optimus knew he was probably the best scout they had in their army. That did not make his volunteering any easier, even after so long the memories of his almost dead body being rushed to Ratchet stayed with them. "Ironhide," he called, and the shots slowed.

"Why him?" Ironhide demanded as he kept shooting.

"A scout must be sent, and you know he is the best we have. Do you think I want to send him? We know Megatron followed the Cube and I would never wish for them to meet again."

"But you'll still send him."

"Do you think I could hold him back?"

"You're the Prime."

"And he would resent such an order, especially if the one sent in his place was killed."

Ironhide slumped but nodded, Bumblebee would not thank them for holding him back.

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Bee looked around his quarters, triple checking he had everything he wanted to take with him. Who knew when, or if, he would return to this room? He knew it could be a trap, that he could die out there, alone, but if it was real…they could finally go home. He missed Chromia, missed his friends who had been left behind or on other ships. He made sure everything was safely stored in subspace before going to ensure he had enough Energon rations as well as let Ratchet check him over as well as ensure his protoform was in perfect shape for the trip after he reabsorbed what he could of his armour. Once that was done, he headed for the bay where he found several of the others waiting to see him off.

Ironhide was the first to move to Bumblebee's side, already missing the normal bright yellow paint. "Be careful out there young one," he warned gruffly, getting a cheeky chirp back.

'I will,' Bee promised over comms. Then Jazz was pushing in to say his goodbyes and the others soon joined in.

Finally, Bumblebee moved away to stand in front of his Prime who stared down at him with warm blue optics. "Be safe Bumblebee, our hopes go with you."

Then they all watched as he moved away, taking on his transition form, looking like a comet as he took off into the dark, cold of space, all alone.

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He'd been following the signs and trail for so long, he missed everyone, but he didn't dare risk sending messages. He was too far away now for comms to work and sometimes he regretted volunteering. But he'd had two run-ins with Decepticons over the Decavorns and he was positive he was getting close. Every Orn the trail got stronger. It had been just over four Decavorns since he had set off and sometimes, he wondered if they thought he had perished in the vastness of space.

He entered a system with a yellow star and multiple bodies but more than that…life! on the reaches of the system he found lifeless metal husks, small and unpowered but they had power once. And there were signals spreading out from one of the planets, basic radio but the contents unlike anything he'd really seen before. He slowed his approach, watching carefully for any sign of the enemy as he moved closer to the third planet from the star. He continually scanned and analysed every signal he could intercept, working to decode them and perhaps the local languages, to try and understand what kinds of life forms lived on the planet. The planet was rings in satellites, none of which answered his hesitant calls. No…these were just soulless drones, used to transmit data. And as he began decoding visual signals, he was surprised to realise the life of the planet was organic and so different to his own. And yet…there was something almost Cybertronian in the signals. It was a puzzle but also gave him hope he had finally found what he was looking for. Using their signals as cover he sent out a swift, compressed burst of data, aimed for the ship. He remained in space for several Orns before moving closer and choosing a potential landing place. These humans did not know of other races in space, but the planet was aware of meteors, so he would mimic one.

The streak of fire across the night sky had many people pointing excitedly but by the time anyone got to the remote location to look he was long gone, and it was assumed the meteor had burnt up before hitting the ground.

TBC…