I only own my OC's!
Cultists Attack
NIGHTFALL
I tuck Star into her new bed and sigh softly. "Maybe we can get a good night's sleep—or something close to it, anyway."
Graham and I head into the main room. "You'll have to get her into school sooner or later."
I sigh heavily before sitting across Graham at the table. "Not until the Kaiju Cultists are taken care of. I'm not letting my baby get sent into that-that—hellhole!" I growl. "I had a hard enough time in school without being completely different from everyone." I sigh. "And no one her age besides, well, her, can be covered in Kaiju Blue and survive!"
Graham sighs. "I didn't have an easy time in school either, but she still has to go."
I cross my arms. "Not if we can find someone to home-school her." I lean back in my chair.
"You look tired."
I sigh. "Tell me something I don't know. Between Blades and the kaiju, as well as my duties to the Autobots and my guardian, I've barely had the time to sleep."
"I'll be all right if you want to get some sleep."
I sigh softly. "All right, but I'd better not find you still up when I wake up."
"I can help you for one night, Sheyenne." He stands and starts for the cafeteria. "I'm just going to see if there's anything left in the cafeteria."
I nod slightly. "I'll be here."
I stir when I feel someone tapping me on the shoulder. "Mommy?"
I sit up. "What's wrong, Sweetspark?"
"I can't sleep."
I sigh before pulling the covers back. "Come on. You can stay with me tonight, little one." I turn to Graham's bed curiously, then smile when I see him asleep.
"Mommy?"
I sigh softly. "I was just checking on Graham."
She looks at me. "Graham's okay?"
I nod to the little girl beside me. "Yes, Star, he's fine. Just go to sleep, Sweetheart." I move Star behind me before laying down.
I'm almost asleep when I hear a sound that chills me to the bone. A gun firing nearby. I had been used to it when I lived in the country, but moving into the city, then to Hong Kong, changed me. Now, when I hear it, I know nothing good is coming.
"Graham!" He stirs, but doesn't wake up. "Graham, wake up!"
Graham sits up straight. "Huh? What?"
"Gunshots. Someone's attacking."
He looks over at Star, who's still curled up in my bed. "What are you going to do about Star?"
I sigh before activating my comm. "Team, to the meeting room."
"What's wrong?"
I sigh softly. "Meeting room, and lock the door."
MEETING ROOM
I sigh before turning to the others. "Gunshots in the vicinity. I'm assuming it's the Kaiju Cultists from what Charlie and Chase have reported. Humans need to be inside the Autobots until everyone is outside. Human weapons won't damage them as badly as they will us. Defensor, combine as soon as possible. You and I will defend the humans and get them out. Rescue Bots, with us. Chase, you take Cody, Dani, Blades will be with Defensor, so I want you to go with Heatwave. Frankie, with Boulder."
"What!?"
I sigh heavily. "You heard me. We're in an emergency situation. You don't have a choice." I sigh. "Okay, Prowl, Optimus, hang back. We need you to defend our HQ. It's not much, but it's all we have. Ironhide, Bumblebee, Twins—both sets—you're on offence. Disarmament only. We're facing humans, after all." I sigh softly. "Ratchet, Que—med bay. I don't know who will be hurt, and we may need you." I look around the team. "Any questions?"
Dani turns to me. "What about Star?"
I sigh softly. "Star will be with me. I know how to transform with a human inside, and keep them there without hurting them. Heatwave taught me. Anything else?"
"What about Graham?"
"He'll be safe." I shrug. "You're rescuers, Charlie. It's his job." I sigh. "Besides, it's not safe to leave him in the room." I slip my Green Lantern ring on. 'In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight, let those who worship evil's might, beware my power, green lantern's light!' My Ranger uniform changes to a long sleeved mid-thigh length dress with a green stripe in the center and two black sleeves with silver stripes on the top and bottom, the bottom continuing to the end of the skirt and a Green Lantern logo on the chest, black leggings, silver gloves, a green domino mask, and black boots. My silver Green Lantern ring blends into my gloves almost perfectly, the emerald stone being the only green on my hands. My strawberry blonde hair hangs down my back in curls, held back by a green headband. I turn to the group as a whole. "Rescue teams, make sure everyone's evacuated. I'll be on hand to assist. Strike team, don't tear this place down, and try not to damage it too badly. I'll help once everyone's out. Officers, defend this sector. If they get through our defenses, we'll never be safe again—no one will. Ratch, Que: be ready. Aid, it's up to you when to detach. I don't know how bad it will be, but Ratch may need us." I look up to the team with a determined look. "You've got your orders! Now let's roll!"
The Rescue Bots transform and let their partners in. I shift into my Cybertronian form before transforming into a Lambo with white pearlescent stars on the doors and hood, the Autobot logo in the center of the star on my hood. In this form, the Green Lantern symbol is within the star, surrounding the Autobot logo. I allow my jaeger to climb inside before transforming again, my Green Lantern symbol moving to my chest plates. Once everyone's secured and buckled in, we transform into our robot forms. My white Star Saber is visible, clipped in a holder attached to my left shoulders, while the rest of my weapons are secured under my plating.
RESCUE TEAM
We run out the door as one. Once we're out the door, Defensor combines. We both head over to the jaeger pilots quarters. Once there, we split up. "Defensor, handle the mechanics. Rescue Bots, transform. Let as many pilots inside as will fit. I'll do the same. Once they're inside, get out. I'll rejoin the strike team once everyone else is safe." I sigh before running into Gipsy's room, where both her pilots as well as my co-pilot are, and transform. "Mako, Becket boys, Gips, get in!"
I can hear the others through the comm links. Frankie and Graham are in the Kaidonovsky's suite. "Sasha! Aleksis! Cherno! Quick! Get inside!"
Kade, Dani, and Heatwave are in the Hansen's suite. "Herc, Striker, Chuck, let's go!"
"I need to—"
"You can do that once we're all outside!"
I roll my eyes.
"What's wrong?"
I sigh heavily. "It's Kade and Herc, Mako. That's all."
Charlie, Cody, and Chase are in Stacker and Tamsin's suite. "Hurry, get inside."
Charlie's voice comes over the comms. "Sheyenne, who's left?"
I sigh softly. "The Wei Tang's. I'll get them."
I feel a hand on my shoulder. "You do not have the room."
"Prowl—"
"Optimus sent me to help."
I nod. "Then go get the triplets and Crim—and watch that third arm. It may be metal, but it's as sensitive as our doorwings."
"Understood."
I nod. "Stick with me. We may need your help on the strike team." I tap my comm. "Rescue Bots, let's roll."
We transform outside and let our passengers out.
Heatwave turns to me when he sees Prowl. "I thought you told—"
"Optimus told Prowl to help us since Blades is helping get the mechanics out." I turn to Prowl before glancing back to Heatwave. "'Sides, 'Wave, the first plan never survives contact with the enemy. You need to be able to adapt your plans to the situation. I realized we needed an extra hand the second I sent Blades off with Defensor. Optimus must have noticed too, because he sent Prowl." I sigh. "Prowl, let's get back inside."
"What are you going to do about Star Warrior?"
I kneel to Mako. "Keep an eye on her. Don't let her out of your sight." I turn to Star. "I'll be right back, Sweetspark. Just listen to Aunt Mako."
STRIKE TEAM
The strike team runs to the Bays and joins the soldiers waiting on the evacuation to end before striking. They stay back as Defensor shields the mechanics as they evacuate. Prowl and I run to them as they prepare to attack. "We're ready."
I nod. "Then let's roll."
We strike as one force. I choose to use the blue inferno, knowing that it won't kill like my other weapons will. I notice Prowl is aiming his acid gun off a bit to avoid hitting the attacking cultists.
"Looks like my assumption was right."
"It appears so."
I wince as a bullet hits my doorwing, and turn to glare at the offending cultist. "They've been around our kind!"
"How would you know?"
"That slagger just hit my doorwing!" I growl before turning to the Lambo twins. "Sides! Sunny! You two need to have Bee's back!" The two turn to me before nodding. "Mudflap, Skids, guard Prowl." They share a look before nodding. "Hide—"
"I've got your back."
"Thanks." I shrug and use my ring—physically attached to me in this form—to put up a shield in front of me, with an opening so I can use my blaster. "Even though that's not necessary." I smile gently. "I'll try to get some of the Army Rangers that used to be in NEST transferred here. I know you miss Will and Annie."
"More than you know." He fires a shot near a cultist, kicking up cement and dust and knocking the cultist off his feet.
"Ya gonna get Sam here for Bee?"
I nod. "Plan to, Skids." I activate my own plasma cannon and start firing carefully, avoiding hitting the cultists head-on, instead aiming slightly to the right. The cement fragments alone are making this room a dangerous place for them, but the splintering concrete is far less damaging than a plasma cannon.
HALF AN HOUR LATER
We regroup in the Jaeger Bays once Chase, Prowl, and Charlie have taken the last cultist into custody. Instead of Herc taking the proverbial stage, he steps aside, asking me to step up instead. Thankfully, being on the Autobot team, I've had more than my fill of public speaking, and I can handle it better than I could in school.
I sigh softly before turning to the group, still in my Green Lantern uniform, but now back in my human form. "This attack may have been different from the ones we are here to defend against, but I for one believe you have all done quite well. My team, good work. Rescue Bots, Protectobots, everyone has been accounted for, so great job out there." I sigh before turning back to the group as a whole. "This attack has hit home for us all." I sigh softly. "But as with 9-11, as with Chicago, as with Praxus—" The Autobots look down, save Prowl. The only sign of his emotions over the destruction of his homeland are his lightly trembling doorwings. "We will rise from the ashes, as we have several times before. United we stand, divided we fall." I smile. "No lives were lost, and that is a victory in itself—one we are all grateful for. Trust me when I say you all have the heart—the spark—of a true Autobot. We may be from different races, and different walks of life, but we are one in our mission, and therefore, we are one."
Herc turns to me. "Your team—"
"My team is safe, and was able to clear out the cultists with minimal injuries. Charlie and Chase handled them, and they are being detained on the lower levels until they are able to be retrieved."
"Thank you."
I smile weakly. "It wasn't all that, Marshal. We're just doing our jobs to protect humanity." I sigh. "My team, return to your quarters, and good job."
SUITES
"Mommy?"
I look down to Star. I'm still wearing my Green Lantern uniform, having left the chain I wear my ring on in our suite. "Yes, Sweetspark?"
"Why did those men attack us? Don't they know we're trying to save their lives?"
I sigh softly. "It's like America with the Autobots, Star. We did everything to keep them safe, but after they tried to exile them, Chicago was attacked by the Decepticons, and the Autobots blamed for it. Since the attack in Chicago, they've been attacking the Autobots—the good guys—because they're afraid."
"They're afraid of us?"
I sigh softly. "Sort of. You're killing the monsters they worship."
"So they're mad at us."
I nod. "And the humans are mad at the Autobots because they weren't there in Chicago."
"But you were."
I nod. "But the Cons weren't supposed to know I was there." I sigh softly. "And when I was supposed to do something, I got scared. It wasn't until after Chicago that I earned this." I hold out my hand so she can see my ring. "Not that it helped me when Ratchet was killed."
"You saved them, though."
I shake my head. "Not everyone. Red, Longarm—Arcee, Chromia, Elita-One, Jetfire, Leadfoot, Roadbuster, Topspin—They're still gone, Star."
"But you can bring them back, right?"
I nod. "If we had them. They're still in the Laurentian Abyss." I sigh softly. "But we can only deal with one thing at a time, and we've still got kaiju to fight."
She falls silent until we reach our door, then looks up at me as I key in the code for the door. "Mommy?"
I kneel to her after we're inside. Thankfully, Graham is still with his family in their suite, discussing the experiment and his condition, and allowing Star and I to change for bed. "Yes, Sweetspark?"
"Am I an Autobot?" She slips her dress and leggings off before reaching for her nightgown on her bed.
I laugh softly. "You can be." I smile down at her. "It's a choice, Star. I chose to follow their code, even before I met them." I slip off my ring, then my jacket and T-shirt, before reaching for my pajama top.
She smiles up at me. "I want to." She points to the tattoo on my hip, normally hidden by my clothes. "I have the symbols on me too." She points to the Autobot logo on her own bare hip.
I laugh softly. "That's thanks to Graham and Boulder. They painted them on your jaeger frame when you were built."
"I know." She looks closer at the symbol on my hip before turning and slipping on her new star-print nightgown.
I turn and slip into my own pajamas before turning to her. "Now let's get you back to bed, Young Lady." I smile. "And yes, you can be an Autobot. We're always needing more." I cross my arms, but smile to let her know I'm not mad. "But you're not fighting in the field until you're at least fifteen. The only reason you're facing kaiju is because we need you out there." I sit on the edge of her bed and stroke her curls. "Now get to sleep, Sweetspark."
"What's a Sweetspark?"
I smile down at her. "It means you're my heart and soul—my very essence."
"Love you, Mommy."
"I love you too, Sweetspark. Now, get to sleep. It's late."
Graham walks in. "When are you going to revive Jazz?"
"Tomorrow. Why?"
"Are you going to have any of the bots there? I—"
"Relax, Graham. Ratch will be there, and so will Que and Prowl. I'll be safe."
