[Location: Smith's Junk Yard 'n Spare Parts, Quartz Cavern, Missouri]
The night watchman for the junk yard was quickly going through the security footage before the owner showed up to open the yard. He could swear that there was something going on at night. At first he thought it was the usual local teenagers that liked to break in and mess around with the scrap, but they never showed up on the feed. There was; however, a gigantic shadow that the cameras had caught that he unfortunately never got a clear view of exactly what it was. For all he knew it could have just been bugs flying around the cameras, but he was sure that it had to be something. The first time was the internal cameras in the middle of the night between his rounds. The second was actually roughly an hour ago from outside the huge surrounding walls, but the bright morning sunlight blocked any clear view of whatever the object was.
As he fast forwarded through the video to the point between his morning rounds a three tone chime echoed through the room, a signal that someone was at the entry the gate. A glance up at the monitor for the front gate camera showed the usual night time tow truck driver waiting to enter. Grumbling, the guard got up from the desk, the scrape from the feet of the chair moving across the concrete floor sounded extremely loud in the small room, and grabbed the huge key ring from beside the door before he exited. The gravel crunched beneath his work boots as he walked towards the massive sliding door that was the main entrance to the junk yard, the whole time mumbling about the driver and his questionable finds at night as he dug through the key ring for the proper key to open the gate. As he began to unlock the gate the guard frowned. This was the same guy that brought in that odd ambulance a couple nights back and really the crazy things started to happen then.
The ambulance had no identifying marks on it to indicate who owned the vehicle before it had been abandoned on the highway. Nor were there any manufacturing indicators that they were able to track, the icon on the steering wheel and center of the grill looking more like a robotic face than any logo they had ever seen. Then there was the fact that they could access the inside of the vehicle itself but no one was able to lift the hood to see what the condition the engine was in. The last thing that made the ambulance the main culprit was the fact that despite never having been turned on or driven around, every time he passed it in his rounds it was not in the exact spot as the time before. At first the guard thought it was just his imagination getting the better of him, but now thinking back on it he was absolutely positive that the ambulance was haunted.
With a grunt the guard pushed the gate door open, the whole unit sliding along the massive wall that surrounded the junk yard until it locked into place. At least the driver of the tow truck was nice enough to wait until he was out of the way, but as the truck pulled in and stopped the guard stared in a horrific shock at the rusted out 1940s Ford that only had a few patches of the original white paint left and missing a wheel.
"Isn't she a beaut'?" the driver asked after he hopped out of the cab of his truck, staring at the vehicle on the flat bed with his hands proudly perched on his hips. "Found her a half mile up the road, the tail end just barely sticking out of the ditch."
"Y-yeah…" was all the guard could reply as their boss' car pulled through the opened gate and up to the building.
"Nice job," the older man complemented the driver after he got out of his car, tucking in the back of his shirt back into his pants as he walked closer. "Stick it by the ambulance 'n we'll get pictures to post online. Should fetch a pretty penny for this one."
"Will do, boss," the driver replied happily as he got back into his truck and pulled further into the junk yard.
Rubbing his eyes with a groan, the security guard followed their boss back to the main building and prepared to get ready to go home. His replacement would be there shortly and he really needed to get some rest, and perhaps a stiff drink or two.
Kup waited patiently for the human to take him off of the back of the flat bed truck he had chained him to and leave. He had followed Ratchet's signal to the junk yard and spotted the medic from over the top of the wall and piles of junk and rusted out cars. It only took a moment to formulate a plan to get in and thankfully the humans that ran the place were all too happy to unknowingly oblige. He waited a few minutes after the human drove off in his vehicle, enjoying the birds before more humans began to show up. Some were workers and a few were customers, but while they were around he had to keep quiet.
It was during a lull in visitors around mid morning before Kup said, "You're an idiot."
[Location: The Ether]
The darkness that surrounded Elita-One should have unsettled her, but it was actually quite welcoming. Warm and secure, like her mother's arms when she still had that luxury. Her vision remained clear, so when she slowly turned herself around to take in her surroundings and was rather shocked on what came into view. Standing before her was Optimus Prime, but he was not nearly as tall as he should have been, now only standing a head and shoulders over her.
"Optimus, what's going on?" she asked, walking closer to him.
As stoic as ever, Prime focused down on her as she stopped, taking in the puzzled look on her face as a lock of her hair fell over her eyes. Elita reached up, gently pulling the strands into focus before she just stared at her hand. It was not the robotic appendage she had become accustomed to, but a human feature with armored plating over the back of it. Next she felt her face and slowly pulled away the helmet that covered her head, letting her hair fall free as she turned her helmet over in her hands.
"I don't understand," she whispered.
"This is how you perceive yourself," Prime told her gently.
"I guess it makes sense that I would still see myself as human by my mind's eye, the armor representing my Cybertronian form." Elita only paused for a moment before she sharply focused up at him again, "The Star Saber. I must have touched it trying to hold you down."
"As I had hoped," a new voice replied. An ethereal blue light fell on the pair as a third figure joined them, this person by his very presence quietly demanded respect. As Optimus and Elita both turned to face the light, the figure turned a warm smile towards her. "My name is Alpha Trion. We have much to discuss, Eva."
[Location: Darkmount, Nevada]
"The Autobots practically announce their very locations to you as a gift and you let them escape!" Megatron's voice thundered through the first few dozen levels of his citadel, leaving Starscream cringing in the middle of the throne room as the leader of the Decepticons paced around him as a predator circling around its prey. "Three of them practically fled from your very grasp when their base first fell, Starscream, and not only have you been wasting precious time and troops in locating them, you have allowed their numbers to increase!"
"Forgive me, Master," his second-in-command pleaded, "I swear I will locate their new base and destroy that one as well! Please, give me a chance!"
It took a while, but Megatron silently stopped circling Starscream, stared at the cowering bot before him before retaking his throne. Starscream slowly eased back up right as he realized that Megatron was going to spare his life again. Bowing and thanking his 'benevolent' leader for the chance to make things right, he quickly exited the chamber and headed into the citadel to make his plans.
As he watched Starscream leave, Megatron thrummed his clawed fingertips on the arms of his throne as he gave the situation his full focus before he finally came to the conclusion he despised the most. Megatron had made a mistake in sparing Starscream instead of letting Dreadwing finish him off.
It was that last thought that made Megatron smile darkly as a deliciously twisted plan formed.
[Location: The Ether]
Elita shook herself out of her confusion, "You called me that before. It means 'life giver', but that's not my name."
"But it is what you are, my dear," Alpha Trion told her with a fatherly smile, "You have been given a special gift. It is your destiny to bring life back Cybertron."
Turning to focus on Optimus, Elita turned her confused look his way. "That's impossible."
Optimus turned that compassionate smile he had shared with her when she had first joined with the Autobots. "My time is short, Ellan. There is a reason that I had chosen you to lead in my place."
"Two big problems above the others," she interjected, her helmet resting under her left arm as she held up her right hand and the corresponding fingers for her point, "One, I have no idea on how to even begin to even fix Cybertron thanks to the Omega Lock being destroyed; and two, I'm not a Prime, nor a full Cybertronian. They won't follow me."
"Actually, my dear, you will need the Forge of Solus Prime to help with your first issue," Alpha Trion gently placed his hand on her left shoulder, drawing her full focus towards himself, "For your second concern, you are a Prime."
"H-how?" Elita motioned to Optimus, "He's got the Matrix that makes Primes well… Primes."
"I was given the Matrix of Leadership," Optimus explained to her, motioning towards his torso, "which will be passed to my successor when it is time."
Elita's eyes went wide at that information, tears stinging them. "No," she whispered. "They're finding Ratchet right now. We'll get you fixed up." When Optimus only shook his head Elita felt her face grow hot, angry at how he was just giving up. "I will not take it from you," her voice wobbled with emotion.
"It is not for you to take," Optimus explained, "but he will need your support."
"Primus gifted Optimus with the Matrix of Leadership," Alpha Trion began to explain, "When you were reformatted, Primus gifted you with the Matrix of Creation. The Matrix previously held by Solus Prime herself."
[Location: The Dauntless]
Optimus Prime and Elita-One's bodies both relaxed as the light from the Star Saber faded away. Bulkhead caught Elita's larger form as Bumblebee caught her human one as Prime's hand and arm relaxed. As Optimus groaned, his form resting back on the repair berth, his friends and family gathered around.
[Are you alright?] Bumblebee asked down at the human in his hands, kneeling down as the kids came running up to them.
"I'm alright. Thanks for catching me," Elita replied through both forms, slowly finding her feet with her larger one so Bulkhead could relax.
"What happened? Did you and Optimus mind meld? Is he going to be alright?" Miko asked in one breath.
"He's badly injured, but I think I convinced him to hold on a little longer, but we don't have much time." As her smaller form stumbled to its feet, Elita's larger one knelt down so she could combine herself. "Any luck finding Ratchet?"
"Kup's retrieving him now," Jazz answered from the doorway, "but he might have run into some trouble."
Frowning, Elita nodded as she got back to her feet, "Then we'll need a plan B." It only took a glance at the handle of the Star Saber for one to form in her processor. "Smokescreen, Arcee, I need you two to retrieve the Forge. Bumblebee, stay with Optimus. Bulkhead, Wheeljack, you're with him just in case Optimus' wakes in too much pain and starts to struggle again." She turned to their newest member to join them, "Jazz, make sure that as soon as Kup gets back with Ratchet that he gets right to work."
"Yes, ma'am," he nodded.
"Who put you in charge?" Smokescreen asked, a bit upset.
"Optimus did," Wheeljack answered for her.
Elita didn't wait for their surprise to wear off before she walked up to Jazz. "We'll depart using the coordinate from under the base."
"We?" Acree asked right behind her friend, "You're coming with us?"
Elita turned to face her and Smokescreen, since he stopped right beside the blue femme. "I'll split from you both once we're topside. I'm going to head to the base and retrieve the body of Nemisis Prime."
"You're going to use it to repair Optimus?" Rafael asked from beside his guardian.
"I might have to transfer him into it, but that's a last resort. I'll let your mom know you're all ok," Elita said gently, looking at the eldest of the kids.
Jack gave a grateful smile with a nod to her before she turned to follow Jazz to the ground bridge control room, followed by Arcee and Smokescreen. The trio departed through the colorful gateway, stepping into the darkness of the cavern. With their headlights their illumination they took in their surroundings before Smokescreen activated the Phase Shifter on his wrist. With a femme on each arm, he led them up to the surface, just as sunrise began to lighten the horizon.
[Location: Smith's Junk Yard 'n Spare Parts, Quartz Cavern, Missouri]
Ratchet gave an audible sigh in his vehicle form, since the area was actually void of humans. "What do you want, Sippy?"
"Elita sent me after your sorry skid plate," Kup stated bluntly. "She needs your help."
"She's smart enough to handle everything from now on," the ambulance retorted, recalling the last conversation he had with the half Autobot.
"You just don't want to hear her say 'I told you so'." When Ratchet only grunted in response Kup continued, "Optimus Prime remained in the base when it was destroyed."
"I already knew that," the medic snapped before his voice softened with sorrow, "I was the last one to leave."
Kup quickly hushed his response as a group of humans walked past them. "That's why she sent me for you, you tool. Prime survived, but is barely hanging on to life as we speak. Unfortunately I had to waste time looking for your sorry chassis when you should have been heading back towards the base with the others."
Purpose surged through Ratchet again. The others might be mad at him, but let their wrath come later. Right now his dear friend needed him. "Lead the way."
The owner of the junkyard was standing at the window, enjoying a cup of coffee, when he saw both the abandoned ambulance and the broken down antique truck, now having all four wheels, rolling themselves out of the front gate and onto the roadway. Spewing the coffee out in surprise he ran out of his office and onto the roadway, oddly puzzled at how they had just disappeared.
Author's Note: I don't own the show. Thank you for reading.
First of all, I must apologize for taking so long to get this posted. Things went crazy with mine and Tex-MECH's schedules and he wasn't able to write or edit for me anymore. I was hoping that giving space and time that things would smooth out so that we could co-write again, but unfortunately that has not happened yet. Two more blessings later and I decided that I've got to get this story out. It might take me longer with more little pairs of feet running around now, but I will eventually get this out to you all. I know I have probably lost readers who have moved on and gained a few new ones that are waiting for something else, and for everyone that has read these stories: Thank you so much!
