Ch. 180

Miko growled loudly as she rolled herself off a makeshift couch, letting out a big yawn with displeasure after, "That's it. I can't take much more of this torture. I'm going to find our bots."

Raf looked up from his computer screen, voicing for Jack and June his concern as the young girl walked to the door of their room in the Harbinger, "Miko! They said to stay in here! We have no idea what's going on and-"

"That's the problem!" Miko frowned, "Ever since we had to pack up and go, they've kept us on the sidelines! I get it, don't think I'm stupid, they have a war they're fighting and we just sort of got roped into it."

June stood up from a box she was using as a chair, already wagging a finger, "That's not all. This a matter for them to deal with that none of you should have had any part of in the first place. What they've just been dragged through is taking everything they have left to fix. What we're doing now, staying out of the way, is the most help we can give."

Miko whined, "It's not enough!"

The door of their room opened loudly and Optimus looked down, blinking softly, "Miko. Is everything all right?"

"No, Optimus," the girl started, "it's not all right. We can't stay in here, or at least I can't. I gotta do something to help you guys. I can't sit on the sidelines forever! Wrecker number four can't sit in here forever, Optimus!"

The Prime carefully stepped around Miko so he could enter the room, "I am fully aware of your concerns. Ultra Magnus has updated me with every quarterly report."

The girl glared, "Then why can't we help?"

Jack shrugged, "Optimus, I gotta be honest, I agree with Miko on this. It's been days now-"

"Not to mention," June interrupted, "that the kids can't survive on gas station snacks forever. I know you're all doing what you can, but if our presence is second on the list, then it means we need to leave."

Miko's eyes widened, "WHAT?! We can't just leave! They need us now more than ever!"

"I don't think we've been much help since Starscream started filling in the gaps," Jack frowned.

"Even better!" the girl retorted, walking over to poke the boy in the chest, "They need us more now that Mega-creep has him! He can't tell us what might happen!"

"If we're in the way, we're not doing any good!"

"If we're not here and they need us, Megatron wins!"

"Kids!" June finally yelled, pulling the pair apart, "Both of you, stop," she took a deep breath, "The two of you fighting doesn't change what we're stuck with: we can't help right now. We need to get a hold of Agent Fowler and get somewhere safer, somewhere the Decepticons don't know about. What about Raf's family? What about yours, Miko?"

Miko huffed, "My family is all the way around the world, they don't know about any of this."

June nodded, "And what are we supposed to tell them if something does happen?"

The girl crossed her arms and turned away, shaking her head, "I'm not leaving. I'm not leaving Bulkhead."

Optimus said nothing, watching each human in the room. Their agony was justified. The bots they called 'friends', even 'family', were in pain and they could do little to help. They were trapped in an alien's war with their own power to stand and fight unique in very delicate situations. Situations that Starscream had very carefully changed to prevent them from occurring.

"Please, Mrs. Darby," Optimus said gently, "may I speak?"

June sighed softly and nodded again, "Whatever you need to say, Optimus, we're listening."

The Prime shuttered his optics, "Thank you... Miko, I am glad and unhappy to say that we do know some of what is coming. Starscream left a video file for us to find, which Wheeljack presented a couple days ago. While the rest of our team watched a more imperative portion to help us better understand the situation we are in now, I took it upon myself to watch the whole of the file."

Raf shifted, closing his laptop to hold it close, "W-was it a good thing?"

Optimus shook his helm, "I needed to watch to see Starscream. The events he relayed in the message are irrelevant."

Jack let out a soft breath of air, "Cause they may not happen, right?"

"Precisely," the mech continued, "What we know now is that Megatron may be in possession of a large creature called a 'Predacon', a being which became extinct many millions of years ago. Shockwave seems to have created this Predacon for Megatron. It was supposed to be tasked with our destruction."

"So... where is it then?" Miko blinked.

Optimus hummed, "I am uncertain. But whatever the case may be, the creature is most likely here by now, on Earth. Its lack of presence does not mean Shockwave would have missed the opportunity to present it to his master."

June crossed her arms tightly, "Then where do we go from here? As a group, separated...?"

The Prime nodded, "There is a plan we are looking to put into action. Unfortunately, should it succeed, we will lose this location to destruction."

"Lose to destruct- Optimus!" Miko stomped a foot, "That is the opposite of 'succeed'! That is like the worst thing that could happen! This is the new Autobot base!"

Jack gently held Miko at the shoulders, looking up at the mech, "Optimus, why would you plan towards something like that?"

"Megatron drew our forces to him using what he knew would entice us," Optimus admitted, "We intend to do the same, but only if we can find a new location to house us and create a formidable base of operations. Should we find a new location, we will draw Megatron here and create a surprise attack. Succession will come with his destruction and Starscream's rescue."

June shuddered, "And the others? They agreed to this?"

"It did not take much to convince them. They are eager to end this war and bring Starscream home..."

"But not as much as you..." Raf said quietly.

Optimus looked to the small boy and nodded, "I could have done far more to protect Starscream and did not. I am at fault as a leader and his friend. I am doing all that I can now to rectify what has happened, but nothing will be accomplished if we do not strike. Megatron will find us, eventually. But to use this new base, a former Decepticon research vessel, as a lure will not be something he will ignore."

Jack nodded, "Especially this early on. I mean, yeah, you have ex-Cons with you, but if a Bot messed with something they shouldn't have?"

Miko smiled, "Ooo, 'accidentally' sends out a distress signal? Maybe opens a video chat by 'mistake'? That bucket head would totally fall for it!"

"Which is why we can't stay here," June frowned, "Optimus. Where will we go?"

"That decision has been entirely up to you, Mrs. Darby," the Prime replied, "We can send you back to Jasper, Neveda should you so chose. Raf has made contact with Agent Fowler, who could provide accommodations. We are also prepared to house you in whatever new base we discover so that we may ensure your protection. The choice is yours to make."

The woman sighed softly, "Well, we should probably call Bill-"

"I'm staying."

June's wide eyes fell on her son, who looked back at her with a small smile and a shrug, "Sorry mom..."

June's mouth fell open and her voice became shrill, "Jackson Darby, you may have made it this far through everything Optimus and his team have dealt with, but all of this has changed! And because of a Decepticon that lived through it all once and decided to change it!"

Jack nodded, "Yeah. And now that he's not here, now that anything could happen, I need to do whatever I can, as little as it might be, to make sure the Autobots defeat the Decepticons. That's what it comes to, mom. Me helping fight for my planet. And for my friends."

"Our friends," Miko smiled, "Anything we can do, even if it's just keeping the base warm while you guys are away, so long as it helps."

Raf hugged his laptop tighter, "Anything we can hack that they don't have time to. Maybe even think outside the box."

Jack smiled more confidently, "It's what we do. It's what we've been doing and we're pretty good at it. Yeah, Starscream did a lot, changed a lot, but that didn't change us. We still need to be here. Every option needs to be left open for the Bots, especially now. Whatever advantage we can help give... Mom, you understand, right?"

June had tears in her eyes and she trembled as she took hold of her son, "I do. Don't think that I don't... But if something happens, Jack," she held him tighter and hugged him, "Jack, you're all I have left... I won't lose you."

"Mrs. Darby," Optimus said gently, "the safety of these children, and the safety of this planet, has always been our top priority. I give you my word, should they be allowed to stay, they will continue to be treated with the utmost care."

The woman nodded and let Jack go so she could look at him, "... If they stay, then I need to be with them, too. And Optimus? We really need to find better food options than the closest gas station..."