Hey, so I think, just me, that i got this updated in a reasonable amount of time. really working on getting these chapter out sooner, especially now that its summer and i got no job...working on that one. but anywho, the pace will pick up here for a bit so enjoy!

Shout Outs!:

challishanlon99

Oh no, there will be a lot more, don't worry ;) Thanks, it means a lot, hope you like this chapter as well

Aloris2.0 the great

oh, yes, cackles evilly. yup, yup, exactly how i felt, they can deal with it-though i did feel slightly gilty for Galvatron, mine too ;)

Guest

I will, it's being proofread but please, please, PLEASE stop asking me to update on every story. i know you love it and i'm glad for that, but it gets on my nerves when its on other stories, unrelated, and honestly, makes me want to update it less. but i'm very happy you enjoy it so much. but please keep it there for asking me to update

BarrelRacer1205

Because i'm evil! There is a reason why i like Loki and its not because he's cute, which he is. Oh Sparklings, soon, hush. it will be fun!


Galvatron sat across from the council. Not much was getting done today, as they didn't want to discuss anything major without the Prime, they spent the better half of the cycle staring at each other in avoidance of another shouting match. They were currently having a civil, meaning neither side was shouting and/or threatening to offline the other, conversation about restoring the metal refinery in Tyger Pax. Silence had fallen in the Hall as they typed in some things.

The doors were thrown open, triumphantly disrupting the silence, and startling all present mechs. Heavy peedfalls rushed into the room, only to be stopped when Optimus nearly collided with the table to stop.

Galvatron blinked at him, momentarily forgetting the Prime, and seeing the easily excitable Orion Pax. Optimus vented heavily, like he had traveled full speed over a vast distance, and gripped the table, a pad clutched tightly in his free servo.

The counsel stood, shocked, at Optimus Prime's unorthodox entry.

Galvatron was the first to shake off the surprise but almost screwed up his name, "O-Optimus. What is the matter?"

His vents continued to pump air through his systems as he spoke, as calm and collected as ever but with an undertone of excitement. "I have found a way to restore Cybertron." He laid the pad on the table for all to see.

Optics widened as Leviticus reached for the tablet, only for Galvatron to grab it first. "By the pits of Kaon."

Aggravated, Leviticus pulled it from his servos and looked it over with the other council members. On the data pad were the exact plans for building an Omega Lock along with the formula for beam used. There were also coordinates to where several pieces of the Lock lay in hiding—no doubt built by Solus Prime for such an emergency.

Avalon struggled to grasp its true meaning. "Wh-what is this? Is this what you've been wasting time on?"

Both Galvatron and Optimus glared at him, Galvatron saying more than asking, "Do you truly not know what this is?"

Avalon let Longarm take the pad from him, "It is ancient gibberish that has no consequence today." His attention turned to Optimus, "You are not an archivist anymore Optimus Prime, we do not have time to waste on some foolish want to explore ancient and decrepit technology."

Galvatron's optics were wide but it was Optimus who answered, "This 'decrepit technology' has the ability to restore Cybertron with the flick of the switch."

Galvatron nodded, "Two were built. The first was destroyed in saving the mud ball planet."

Optimus fixed him with a hard look, "It is called Earth."

"Earth, yes. Still a mud ball."

"And the second?" Leviticus growled, none to please that such a device was destroyed for such an inferior planet.

"Was used to restore Cybertron's core." Optimus answered, "There was not enough of the formula to fully restore the planet."

Longarm cut in, "Why's that?"

Galvatron answered this time, slight remorse in his tone, "It was intended to be used in Cyberforming Earth, so, not as much of the formula was needed."

Avalon's face hardened, "If it was possible to rebuild this Lock before, why hasn't it been done again?"

Galvatron stood, servos behind his back and face plates neutral. "Shockwave headed up its restoration. When it was destroyed again after Unicron's second rising, it was crushed beyond recognition, with no hope of piecing it back together I assume it was used for building metal."

He glanced at Optimus who nodded. "We also have no knowledge of the formula used. Ratchet has managed to figure out the Synthetic Energon piece but has yet to discover the CNA portion. Until now, all knowledge of the Omega Lock may as well have been lost."

Leviticus was the first to respond, "So, you're saying that we now have all the pieces to rebuild Cybertron quickly and efficiently?"

Both mechs nodded.

Longarm grinned, "Well then, I believe that this has become a new priority."


Ratchet walked through the Space Bridge, per Optimus' request. Aliena was there to greet him. She smiled broadly but he remained gruff, "What is it? You're not dying so that's something. You do realize that I was working on the CNA formula?"

She grabbed his servo and began dragging him out of the Bridge Bay. "Forget that! Optimus just decoded the data base from Iacon that we found!"

Ratchet's face brightened a bit. "Oh. Well what is so interesting about it that you drag me away?"

"It has the CNA formula."

He stopped, "This isn't a joke is it? Because if it is, it isn't funny."

She shook her helm, "No, it's not. It really does have it. And the SynthEn formula. And the Omega Lock schematics."

Ratchet's jaw dropped, "W-what? You're serious?"

"Completely." Aliena grinned, dragging him again.

"I can't…this is…why do you need me?"

"Optimus thinks it's best to have someone who's already worked with the formula previously to work on it now." She pushed the Hall door open. "Besides, I thought you'd be ecstatic to work on it."

Ratchet finally came out of most of his shock, "I am but—when do we start?"

"Now if we can!"

They entered the room and saw Optimus, Galvatron and the council not arguing for once and actually cooperating. Optimus turned at their arrival, "Ratchet, it is good to have you back."

"It is good to be back under such happy circumstances."

A map of Cybertron slowly rotated above the table, a dozen red dots scattered across it. The council nodded at Ratchet before Optimus pushed a data pad towards him. "The formula is stored on this."

Ratchet took it eagerly and began scanning over it, "By the Allspark…Hmm…"

Optimus smiled faintly, "You may use Preceptor's lab as you work on the formula."

He nodded simply, optics never leaving the pad as he speed walked out of the room.

Aliena smirked, "We won't be seeing him for a while."

Optimus' attention returned to the map. "The file contained several locations of already completed pieces, once we have them we'll start construction of the pieces that are missing. Galvatron and his team shall begin reconstruction of the Omega Lock's base and power connection.

"Aliena, you will take two Aerialbots, Jazz and Arcee and recover this piece." He pointed to a spot near a blank patch, too far away to be the Sea of Rust but too small to be nothing. "Bumblebee, Prowl, and Ultra Magnus will take the three near Iacon and Kaon."

Aliena stared at the map, focusing on the dot over Kaon, her optics whirred quietly as they focused. She turned her helm but her optics remained on the dot for several seconds longer before fixing them on Optimus. "Isn't that were the gladiatorial arena was/is?"

He glanced at the dot before nodded, "Yes."

Her lips drew into a thin line, "And it's buried under there?"

"Yes." Optimus sounded less sure, not understanding what was bothering her.

"Isn't that where, uh, you-know-what with Jack happened?"

His optics widened, finally understanding. "That will cause a problem."

Galvatron and the council looked at the two with very questioning looks, practically demanding answers. Galvatron's processor was spinning madly trying to figure out just what the ridiculous code between the two meant and why they just weren't saying it, when it clicked. Optics widened in disbelief as he asked, "You don't mean to say that that's where it was hidden when you…?"

Optimus' optics narrowed slightly and nodded, "It is."

Leviticus frowned, "What is it?!"

No one bothered to answer him, however, just continued speaking. "I will collect Jackson and recover this piece."

They nodded and Galvatron left.

Longarm spoke, his voice near a growl, "Just what you talking about that he knows about but we can't?"

Both Primes continued to ignore them. Aliena kissed him, "Be safe, looks like I'll get to have some fun exploring somewhere new."

He smiled, "You as well."


Aliena found Jazz and Arcee waiting at the Bridging base, but was still waiting for Silverbolt and Skydive to arrive.

Arcee smiled, "How'd Ratchet take it?"

"Like a kid at Christmas."

They laughed while Jazz frowned, "Like a what at what?"

"Earth talk, Jazz." Arcee grinned. "Go visit some time, I'm sure Miko will love you."

Two engines cut off as the mechs landed, Silverbolt saying quickly, "Sorry for the delay."

"Not a problem." Aliena turned to type in the coordinates and the Bridge swirled to life.

Jazz whistled, "You know, I've seen these used during the war, never actually went through one myself."

Arcee smirked as she walked through, "This'll be fun then."

Jazz frowned as she and Aliena walked through, "Wait, what does that mean!?" The Aerialbots followed them through and Jazz's optics widened as he hesitatively stepped through, "Guys?"

On the other side of the Bridge was an expanse of nothingness. The plane was clear for several hundred klicks. Aliena took a minute to look around, "What was this place?"

Arcee answered without much emotion, "Crystal City, it was destroyed before the war broke out."

"Oh." She looked down at the scanner that held the coordinates. "Well, wherever this is, it's probably underground. If we can find any remaining tunnels that'll probably help a lot."

Silverbolt looked around before looking at the group, "Anyone been through these tunnels before?"

Various 'no's' and shaking of helms was exchanged before Aliena raised the scanner and turned around. "I guess until we either see something or come upon the coordinates, we can just go towards them."

Jazz transformed, "I'll go look for a tunnel entrance. Let you know soon."

Aliena turned to Skydive, "Go with him and check from the air."

He nodded and transformed.

They walked for several minutes, she lost track of time as the continued to walk through the metal plane. They were near the softly blinking dot and she still didn't see anything different. Remorsefully she thought to herself that there was going to be a butt load of digging to do to reach the piece when Jazz's voice came over the coms like an angel from heaven.

"Hey ya guys! We found an entrance!"

"Oh sweet Primus thank you." Aliena whisper/mumbled.

Arcee smirked at her and she proceeded to ignore the look.

She turned her helm to address Arcee and Silverbolt. She paused in what she was going to say as she looked at Arcee. It felt weird and, if she was being honest, wrong to order someone like Arcee around who she knew was older than her in every way. It felt like she was a child ordering their mother or aunt or someone like that around. She shut her optics and shook her helm to dislodge the thoughts for now. "Let's transform and regroup at Jazz and Skydive's coordinates."

She and Silverbolt arrived before Arcee but not by much, having kept a slower speed for her. "Did you check any of the tunnels?"

Silverbolt shook his helm no while Jazz nodded, "Stuck ma helm in, they looked alright."

"Alright then, let's go."

They walked through the tunnels with rhythmic steps, weaving through several tunnels for almost an hour before they were only a few feet from the piece. She stopped by a wall, "It should be only a few feet behind this wall."

"Start digging?" Arcee asked.

She nodded and grabbed a bit of the metal wall that was cracked and bulged slightly and pulled, the metal groaned but didn't give. She put a peed to the wall and pulled more, grunting as the metal refused to move. Skydive and Jazz joined her a moment later and pulled on the stubborn metal as well. It held firm for a moment before it gave suddenly, sending all three crashing on top of each other.

More solid metal lay behind the sheet and Jazz's shoulders sagged, "Scrap, really?"

A whirring sound started up beside them as Arcee got the hand drill running. Aliena smiled and laughed quietly, "Couldn't have gotten that running' two minutes ago?"

"Had to get it started first."

White sparks flew around the tunnel for several minutes until the drill hit a solid wall that wasn't breaking. Silverbolt stopped the drill as Arcee took a closer look, "It's a door, but it's got some kind of lock."

Aliena frowned and took a closer look at it. Her optics ridges creased in thought as she pulled out the scanner from her subspace and flipped through a couple of its functions before sighing and opening a com link. It was silent for a second before Optimus' voice crackled through, "A-Aliena? What—need?"

"Optimus?" She moved locations trying to clear up the signal, "Are you underground already or…"

"-es, -need…?"

"We found the piece, I think, but it's in a vault or something and it's lock. Did you decode a passcode or something?"

Only static answered her.

Her frown deepened as she moved again, "Optimus? Optimus, can you hear me?"

Arcee placed a servo on her arm, "It's probably nothing, we're almost halfway across Cybertron and both of you are underground. It more than likely just some sediment interference."

She nodded, "Probably." But something nagged at her spark that there was something more too it.

Jazz looked back at the door, "Anyone got any other ideas?"

She walked back to the door and tapped the console, it blinked for a moment before activating entirely. Her optics narrowed as she fiddled with it for a moment then placed her servo flat on the metal. She focused on the lock and a moment later it clicked, unlocked.

Silverbolt, Skydive and Jazz all stared wide optict. Silverbolt fumbling, "H-what? How did you do that?"

Aliena bit her lip as the door hissed open before saying simply, "It's just something I can do."

Jazz frowned at her, "Sorry, but that's not a natural 'something', what was that? Is that a part of your other, abilities?"

She stuck her arm and helm into the vault, "No."

"Then what-" he sighed, "We won't tell the council or any of the other bots, right?" He turned to the Aerialbots who nodded and voiced their agreement.

She shook her helm as she grabbed hold of the piece and started pulling, immediately she knew it was large, "Arcee, some help?"

Arcee shot the bots a look of 'drop it' before she slid under Aliena and pulled from the bottom. They got enough of it out that the others could pull its end while the Aliena pulled from the middle and Arcee crawled into the vault and pushed. At one point they reached a conundrum as the tunnel's width wasn't wide enough for the piece's length. It took some finagling but they managed to maneuver it, inch by inch, to pull it out.

Silverbolt and Jazz looked at it despondently, Jazz optics so wide it hurt to look at them. "Well that was fun…how are we going up to the surface to bridge it back?"

Aliena buried her helm in her servos and sighed, "We couldn't have gotten a smaller piece?"

Arcee looked at it with thin lips, "I don't know if any of them will be small."

"Ok, Arcee, head back and see if you can get a couple carts or something to bring down and we'll start trying to push it, or something."

Arcee hid a grin as she transformed and sped out of the tunnel.

Silverbolt turned to Aliena, "Push it? Are you kidding me?! We barely got it out of there."

She made a calming gesture, "I said 'push it or something'. For now let's just get it on its side so we can get the carts underneath it."

The wings and doors on the back of the bots relaxed a bit as Jazz sighed, "Oh…I can manage that."

Arcee returned two and a half hours later with a couple extra bots who were pulling the carts. They immediately got to work on carefully lowering the piece again onto the carts without crushing them. After it was finally down Aliena turned to Arcee, "Any word from Optimus?"

She shook her helm, "No, but he did have to go to Earth to get Jack, along with a, uh, spacesuit for him so he had a later start. I'm sure he's fine Aliena."

She smiled, but nervousness lay beneath it, "Yeah, thanks anyway Arcee."

As they walked through the tunnels she got lost in thought again, she subconsciously rubbed her upper leg as little needles seemed to stick it. The tunnel's exit was in sight and she, along with several others, vented in relief. Only a few peedsteps away from the entrance everyone stopped. An earth shaking roar shook everyone, the sound reverberating and echoing through the Omega Lock piece.

Aliena stared straight ahead at the exit while the others glanced between it and her. Jazz finally breaking silence after the roar, "Uh, please tell me that that was your Predacon friend."

She took off for the exit and whispered as she passed him, "I hope so."

A blank, cloudless sky greeted her optics. Fear still rushed through her lines as she did a 360 scan of the area. Just as she got to about 270 degrees did her fears become warranted. A very large shape was quickly flying towards her along with a smaller one. "Frag."

She ran away from the entrance to draw their attention and commed Arcee. "That roar, Shockwave's Predacon, I think Starscream's with him. I'll draw their attention and you guys get that piece through!"

"I'm coming and I'll handle Starscream."

She suppressed a sigh/groan, "Fine, just make sure the others know to get that piece back to Iacon."

She didn't have time to say anything else as the Predacon shot a large stream of fire at her. She raised a shield until it passed and activated her foot thrusters to jump over the lake of now molten metal while firing at him. She had to twist and land awkwardly as Starscream added his own to the mix.

The seeker was going to reach her first when Arcee landed on his wing and proceeded to fire at his canopy and controls. The Predacon landed heavily, nearly missing her, as she kept pelting it but all the shots continued to bounce off his armor. Foot thrusters activated again to dodge a swipe of his claw and flip over the tail. She heard Arcee yell but she couldn't tell if it was a war cry or one of pain and was too focused on her own fight to pay too much attention.

Another stream of fire engulfed her shield, it lasted longer than the last one and began melting the metal beneath her before it finally let up and she jumped out while sending a subsonic wave at him. It caught him in the snout and dinged the metal but did little more than startle and anger him.

She dodged another torrent of flames and claws and hit the ground, rolling out of the failed landing. She fired at a crack in his armor as she ran to get clear. His helm swung around, optics blazing hatefully as he eyed her, and she tracked its movements, preparing for the next torrent but missed his tail. It crunched the metal in the back left thigh and sent her skidding several hundred yards with a cry.

Her intakes and vents matched heavy breathing as she pushed herself up with a servo and blaster, wincing as pressure was placed on the leg. The ground trembled as he stalked over and she stood with a grimace, blaster switching back to a servo so she had both hands to use her abilities with.

He jumped at her right and she stumbled left while hurling another subsonic wave with a bolt of energy. She hit the ground with a gasp of pain and weariness, not realizing how much she had put into the shot. It hit his side and significantly dented it while much of the wave bounced off and slammed her into the ground.

He stumbled as the energy bolt coursed through him and she pushed herself up to run when a large claw slammed into her and pinned her to the ground again, tearing through her side as he did so. A pained yell ripped from her vocalizer. He continued to press down until she could hardly move, one arm stuck under a talon while the other tried to push it off her neck cables.

The claw suddenly eased off, though still there. Energon rushed back to her helm and color and sound returned. She saw a form standing off to her right before she head him speaking. "—need her alive."

It growled, no doubt Starscream called it something rather rude and demeaning. Starscream looked up and frowned before looking down at her as she squirmed under the claw, "So what were you transporting that you left yourself so vulnerable? To a Predacon no less?"

She saw a small form quickly but quietly making its way up behind Starscream. Her attention returned to Starscream and as he leered over her, though still coming nowhere near close to Megatron. She clicked her response to him and his face plate melted into a livid glare, knowing she got the words right she felt internally proud but the thought was ripped away a second later as the claw constricted again.

Arcee was still too far away to attack and she was quickly losing consciousness. No other options coming to mind, she clenched her jaw shut and switched her forms. The claw fell instantly at the loss of mass beneath it as she rolled between the talons. Her lungs were already burning for air as she stood to get out of the claw only to slip on her own Energon, jarring her wound even more, blood began flowing and dripping off her torn jacket into the Energon.

She switched her forms just as she pushed herself up and out of the talons.

Starscream cursed as she escaped the Predacon's hold only to have his attention snagged by Arcee as she sent him careening into the Predacon. The Predacon snarled at Starscream who argued for it to be mad at Arcee.

A Ground Bridge opened up directly behind Aliena. She turned, blasters glowing, as bots ran out. They deactivated as Silverbolt, Skydive and Jazz came through. Silverbolt grabbing her arm to steady and help her through but she shook her helm, "I can manage, help, Arcee."

He looked at her hard, "Just get through that Bridge."

Not having the strength to argue, she just held her vents to reserve what little energy she had left and trotted—somewhere between walking and fast walking—to the Bridge. The blue/green/white glow faded to a dimmer but still well-lit control room. Knockout was there and grabbed her before she stumbled too far but her attention was still on the Ground Bridge, optics wide with fear until the other ran through—all relatively unharmed.

Knockout growled, knowing what was running through her processor, "They're all here now, now move or-"

She grunted as her left leg gave out, the side that wasn't supported, fell into a kneeling position. Her more pointed digits digging into Knockout's armor—again he curse because of the paint job.

"Scrap!" His helm whipped around to the group, "Someone get Ratchet to the med-bay now!"

The Bridge operator raised a digit to protest, "But he's-"

Knockout snapped as Aliena's hold on him began to weaken, "I don't give a slag what he's doing just get him THERE!"

Arcee had already transformed and was out the door by the time he finished the little rant.

Silverbolt rushed over and grabbed Aliena's other side and helped carry her. Knockout let go as both were too big for him to properly assist, she grunted as she managed to move her peeds in some kind of sync and didn't notice when they made it too the med bay—having clenched her optics shut and let Silverbolt guide her.

She did realize that she had been laid down and vaguely hear Ratchet mutter something before she fell into recharge.

*O*

Silverbolt, Skydive, Jazz and Arcee stood outside the med-bay, some looking more concerned—Silverbolt, Skydive and Jazz—than others—Arcee. They sat in silence until little footsteps ran into the bay.

A small figure stood hunched over, hands on his knees as he took in deep, gasping breaths, "Ne—need R-Ratchet or, Knock-out."

Arcee was on her peeds instantly, "Jack?"

Galvatron almost staggered in, "KNOCKOUT!"

In his arms dangled a nearly unconscious and heavily bleeding, Optimus Prime.


Starscream growled as he clutch a bloody arm. The Predacon glowered at him and he scowled right back, "You're the one who let her slip through your claws."

His tail swished behind him threateningly, his only response.

Starscream turned his back to him as he attempted to stem the flow of Energon.

A large pool of Energon lay not ten feet from him. He knelt by it and growled again, we were so close! His train of thought stopped as he noticed a small pool of red, no wider than a human's hand, within the pool of blue—neither mixing. He reached a clawed digit and scooped out a bit of both the red and blue. He grinned dangerously, "Oh yes, this will do quite nicely."


Duhn, dun, duuuu! Another semi-cliffhanger! i know no good bone, actually i do but i also enjoy these. don't worry though, next chapter you'll find out what happened.

Also, i wanted to make a note of this since this was never addressed in the series, i personally like the idea that Optimus made Jack the guardian/keeper of the Key to Vector Sigma so that's what's happening here in case that connection wasn't made. but that it! until the next chapter you all can wonder...and i wonder what Starscream/shockwave has in plan for poor Jemina ;)