Jack and the Griffin Rock Technorganics have been captured! Sari is in Tokyo with Miko, and they have met up with Koji, but the TechnoCons are not far behind...
After getting a groundbridge from Soundwave, Kālī reappeared beside Starfury and Thunderbolt. They were hanging together in human mode, not far from a house in the Tokyo suburbs.
Kālī derisively looked at Thunderbolt. "Well, well," she mocked. "Hammerboy here is holding back rather than rushing in and blowing up the house? I'm impressed."
Thunderbolt's teeth and fists clenched but Starfury put an arm between him and Kālī.
"Now that you're here, what is the great plan, O mighty huntress?" the British TechnoCon asked.
"The only thing that matters is the target. I'll handle Sari while one of you occupies the Predagirl. The other one catches the target and flies as far away as possible to call for a groundbridge. Put enough distance between yourself and Nakadai or Sari to prevent them from reaching you until you cross over. Then I and the other will disengage and take our leave."
"What about that warp mod that Sumdac has?" Starfury questioned. "That was what ruined our last mission."
"It caught me by surprise." she retorted dryly. "This time I'm ready."
Inside the Onishi residence, only Koji, Sari and Miko were in the living room. Koji's parents were both out.
"My dad was supposed to attend the International Scientific Symposium in New York about…"
"A symposium?" Miko cut him off.
"It is a conference of a certain scientific topic before an audience." Sari explained and Koji continued:
"Anyways, it was about themisuse of Earth's energy sources. Even though my dad's an archeologist, he's an expert on the use of energy. But after the aliens wrought havoc on the city, those plans were aborted." Koji sighed. "Now, you said that we're some kind of partly mechanical alien creatures, like those who assaulted New York, right?"
"Correct, though we're not the same species. There's still much of our origins that are unknown. We are the Technorganics, and while we may bear many physiological similarities to Decepticons and Autobots, we're not them." Sari paused momentarily. "Recently I have discovered we are an artificial race manufactured by some other billion-year old ancient, super-advanced species."
"Wow." Koji gasped silently. "That's too much to take in." he laid his back on the couch. Sari let him take time to relax and assimilate the revelation. A few minutes afterwards, he replied. "Then, I wasn't born...I was built. But why?"
"Get down!" Sari's Cyber-Ninja senses alerted her to incoming danger, but it was too late; a wall of the house exploded to expose Starfury, Thunderbolt and Kālī! The purple Technorganic had dampened Sari's senses and completely shut down Miko's danger mod.
"Second time today I make an entrance like this." Kālī mused.
"Hand over the pipsqueak so we can wipe the floor with ya!" Thunderbolt snarled.
"Koji, get out of here!" Sari ordered, activating her upgrade bot mode.
"My chance to try this out!" Miko eagerly transformed and let out her two heads, much to the surprise of their enemies.
"Wow! The frig!"
"Shockwave warned me this could happen." Starfury groaned to himself. The Decepticon scientist had instructed Starfury on several scientific matters, one of which being the physiology of his original Predacon clone, whose powers now flowed in Miko Nakadai's veins. Then the TechnoCon smirked to himself. "Luckily I came prepared."
"Thunderbolt, go after the target. I'll handle brimstone breath." Miko pounced on Starfury, not bothering with collateral damage. The Onishi living room was pretty wrecked now, anyway. The TechnoCon fired an orb point blank, but it only bounced off Miko's armor plating and blew through another wall. "Get real, jerk!" She laughed.
Thunderbolt spotted Koji racing away in his Technorganic form. It was obvious the kid didn't even know how to fight.
"All too easy!" he jeered and flew after him.
"No!" Sari saw that but was entangled in her fight with Kālī. She attempted to warp herself out of the struggle and catch Koji. But to her shock, she found she couldn't.
"What's the matter, Sari?" Kālī mocked, throwing a punch. "Is my anti-warp field generator causing you trouble?"
Meanwhile, Starfury had managed to break away from Miko's clutches. She was using her two Hydra Blasters to fire barrage after barrage at him. He was barely able to keep dodging. Twice he had avoided being burnt to a crisp!
"Miko, save Koji!"
"Alright, Cap!" she spread her wings and took flight, preparing to blast at Thunderbolt.
"Not so fast!" Starfury unleashed his secret weapon: an audio burst device, courtesy of Shockwave. The Cyclops scientist had put together a gadget that emitted the exact frequency to drive Predaking's audio receptors to madness. And Miko was vulnerable.
"AAARGH!" she roared in agony, falling from flight. The pain was unbearable! The frequency screamed through her processor at first and then...silence. Landing hard, she clutched her ears with her taloned paws.
"All too easy." the British TechnoCon jeered.
"I've got him!" Thunderbolt shouted through the comm link. Starfury looked afar to see his partner going through the bridge.
"No!" Sari cried out, disengaging from Kālī, but it was too late now.
"Two victories in a row, all in the same day," Kālī bragged. "This is definitely my day. Now I must bid you adieu, sayonara, arrivederci, adeus and hasta luego."
"Bring him back, now!" furious, Sari pounced at her disdaining foe but she flew away and jeered. "See you next hunt, sweetheart," and blew a kiss.
Starfury flew along with the Technorganic huntress. Sari flew over to her team mate.
"Miko! Miko!" She called out, but the Predacon girl didn't respond; she just lay there rocking back and forth, moaning, holding her ears. Sari landed next to her and talked, but Miko looked back, saying loudly "WHAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" The weapon had rendered her deaf.
The Captain helped Miko up, whose ears were bleeding Energon.
"Oh, man, oh geez. This hurts!" she groaned feebly.
"Hold on." using her white energon, Sari healed Miko and completely erased the pain.
"Thanks, Captain. Much better," she said, and transformed into "human" mode.
Despite her friend being fine, Sari couldn't help but feel angry at herself. She had failed. One of the Technorganics had fallen into the clutches of that lunatic!
"What have you done?" a voice asked hysterically.
Both girls turned around to see a shocked couple, the man bearing a great resemblance to Koji; even the same hair style. They were undoubtedly his parents.
"Dr. and Mrs. Onishi," Sari activated her diplomatic mod. "I understand this is a terrifying situation but please allow me to explain."
Sari made a quick, summarized explanation of the events. She first confirmed with Dr. Omishi that Koji's DNA came from him and that he and his wife raised him as their own child. Sari revealed to them briefly of Koji's true nature and his relation to hers.
The strain came when she told them their son had been kidnapped by the same alien monsters that invaded New York. Mrs. Onishi was worried sick and the husband did his best to comfort her.
Sari couldn't think the situation could get any worse, until she received a message from Area 51.
"Sari, come in!" it was TFA Bulkhead.
"What is it, Bulky?"
"We got a major crisis. Jack and two other Technorganics were kidnapped by the TechnoCons."
"Oh, no!" she looked at the distraught couple before making a quick decision. "Alright, Bulkhead. Four to bridge."
"Four?" he asked.
"Yes, four." she confirmed. She went to the Onishi couple and whispered softly. "I know you two are concerned for your son, but we are going to do everything in our power to get him back. However, should the Decepticons find you two, they might use you for blackmail. I must ask you to trust me and come with us."
Just then, the groundbridge vortex opened and Sari had to lay her hands on the couple's shoulders to calm them down.
"Please, come with us. We are talking with the other Technorganics' parents. I know you have many questions, we'll answer as many as possible."
At Area 51, Lord Richard and Lara were already settled in. Doctor Greene and Captain Charlie Burns and his biological children were there as well. Agent Fowler had received a call from Charlie, who nervously told him about his abruptly cut-short meeting with Jack. So they opened a groundbridge to Griffin Rock to get all the Burns family and Frankie's father.
"My God!" Mrs. Onishi sighed.
"Amazing." Dr. Onishi said.
Sari preemptively warned them not to panic before TFA Bulkhead, like Ben's mom had previously done. They were guided to the human-sized conference room. There waiting for them was agent Fowler, Lord Richard and the families of all the other kidnapped Technorganics, sans June.
Since Dr. Onishi spoke English fluently, there was no need for Sari to stand in as an interpreter.
"Dr. Onishi and Mrs Onishi, Captain Burns and Dr. Greene." Fowler addressed all the parents whose children were abducted.. "As of right now, your children have been kidnapped by our enemies, the Decepticons, who assaulted and conquered New York City."
While Lara Croft was having her first Cybertronian medical check-up, Lord Richard was asked to attend. Fowler and Sari intended to relay more information than just the Technorganics in general.
"But why would they do that?" Lord Richard questioned. "From what I gathered, these aliens already have their own Technorganic soldiers."
"They have allied themselves with a rogue Technorganic clone of Sari - Kālī. For a long time we thought she was KIA. But she has returned with a new job and a new boss." Fowler let Sari continue.
"When Kālī returned, I was beginning my mission to find all the Technorganics. She appeared demanding custody of my first recruit, Aang. I was bewildered to see her again." Sari paused. "During the confrontation, Kālī revealed to me that her new masters are these so-called Creators, those who made the Technorganics like me and your children."
A stunned silence followed.
"Miss Sumdac," Dr. Greene said. "if that is true, why have they ended up on Earth?"
"I don't know for certain, but I have been piecing things together over time. I believe that another unknown race may have stolen us from the Creators, when we were Sparklings - that is, the silver baby bodies you found in the pod capsuled." Sari explained. "They stole us from the Creators and dropped us on Earth to nurture us. Help us grow into what we are today."
"And now the Creators want us back."
"For what? What will happen to Koji." Mrs. Onishi asked.
"I have no idea why they made us." Sari shook her head. "Though Kālī has led me to believe that we are tools of the Creators."
"Or perhaps something more menacing," Dr. Onishi voiced thoughtfully, drawing everyone's attention. "If Technorganics are as powerful as you describe, I believe they're more than powerful tools. They are weapons to these Creators."
"I have met a despicable amount of militant warfare scientists, and that has taught me something; nobody creates a powerful weapon if they don't intend to use it." he spoke ominously.
"I had feared something like that, yes." Sari nodded somberly.
She proceeded to answer some more of their questions and added details before getting up, along with Agent Fowler.
"As of now, we are planning a rescue mission with the Autobots. You should stay here for your safety. We will bring back your children." she vowed vehemently.
June and Quicksync were chatting with Buildup out in the courtyard of Protihex Medical Mechanics University.
"This is it, June!" said Buildup, "final exams. We finish this semester and we go off for our practicum!"
"I know! I'm so excited; I'm going back to my dimension to spend it with our Ratchet as his nurse."
"And I've got my practicum all lined up at Micro," said Buildup.
"So I heard!" Said Quicksync. "An enviable slot working with the Rescue Patrol Team! How'd you manage that?"
"Oh, let's just say I happen to know a friend of a friend," he smiled, then coughed "Clipper!"
Quicksync rolled her optics and chuckled. "Not surprised."
"You're headed back to Omnitron, Quicksync?" asked June.
"Yes," she replied. "I'll be working at our Infirmary."
A small, translucent virtual bot appeared in June's line of sight, floating to her right, near her helm; her private university avatar, it was only visible to her.
"June, you have visitors in the Administration building."
"Oh, thank you Avatar!" she replied.
"My pleasure, June!" it replied, and disappeared. "Excuse me, you two," she smiled, and headed to the Admin building. Sitting there were both Ratchets, Arcee, and Ultra Magnus!
"Oh my!" said June, "What's going on?"
"June, please sit down," said Ultra Magnus. She complied, very worried.
"I'm afraid I have bad news," said T:Prime Ratchet. "Jack has been abducted."
"Oh, no! By the Decepticons?"
("June, it's much worse,") said Arcee. ("Kālī has returned")
"Kālī?! I...I don't understand!"
Arcee and T:Prime Ratchet then proceeded to explain what had transpired regarding Kālī, Sari's rebirth, and the search for the hidden Technorganics.
("Jack and the two Technorganics he uncovered were captured by Kālī. They are being held somewhere in New Kaon - the former New York City")
"Optimus is planning a rescue operation," said T:Prime Ratchet.
"I've got to return!" she replied.
"Of course you do!" said Ultra Magnus. "Which is why both Ratchets approached me. June, I have discussed your unique situation with the Provost and Dean of Students. Fortunately, I still have a level of influence around here," he smiled. "They have agreed to grant you a leave of absence from the University, and once Jack and the other Technorganics have been - we all hope - rescued, you can take your final examinations, proctored by your dimension's Ratchet."
"Oh, thank you, Ultra Magnus! Thank you!" said June.
"You are welcome, June," he replied.
"After your examinations, you can begin your practicum. I expect great reports from Ratchet, of course. Now, gather your things, and head back to Outpost Omega One. Your Prime will be waiting for you."
"I will, right away!" she replied.
"Oh, June, I'm so sorry!" Said Buildup. "You keep in touch, OK?"
"Will do," she replied. "The Dean said that I can keep my avatar and all of my mods, so I'll email you both."
Take care, June," said Quicksync, putting a servo on her shoulder. "We hope you get Jack back safe and sound!"
"Ditto!" Said their Micromaster classmate. And putting a few necessary things in a storage compartment in her chassis, June bid farewell and joined Arcee and both Ratchets at the University gate.
"Optimus, I must go on this rescue mission!" June sat in the Autobot's Area 51 conference room with Minerva, and the T:Prime Ratchet, Bumblebee, Arcee, and Optimus.
"June, that would be extremely risky," he replied. "While I certainly understand your concerns, you lack the battle experience. Kālī is extremely dangerous."
"Besides, June, I could really use you here," said Minerva. "Greenlight's bein' called back to the Cybertron Infirmary, and I'll be in desperate need of a nurse."
June sighed. "Far be it from me to turn away from an assignment where I'm needed," she smiled weakly. "Glad to be of assistance, Minerva!"
Arcee put a servo on hers. ("We'll get him back; I promise you!")
Minerva and Greenlight gave June a tour of the sick bay. "Wow!" June was impressed. "You all did an incredible job here!"
"Ya should have seen it when we started, June. Eh, Greenlight?" said Minerva. "I requisitioned all of this from Red Alert, and Greenlight set everything up."
"Looks just like the training sick bay at the university," June replied.
"Now you'll have a chance to do it for real," chuckled Greenlight.
Suddenly, a comm message came in. "Incoming wounded!"
"Well, there ya go," the medic sighed. "There was a skirmish out near Connecticut today with the 'Cons." Sure enough, Hound came running in carrying a wounded Autobot in his arms; the soldier was unconscious and missing a leg. "Hey doc!" yelled Hound. "My bud here got ambushed! Can ya patch him up?"
"June, take them over to bay six please," said Minerva. And June led them over to the bed. She lay the injured bot down and did an initial assessment.
"He's bleeding Energon from the hip," June told Hound. "I can close off the wounds,", and transforming her servo to a surgical tool, she started sealing off the leaks.
"Hey, thanks a bunch, miss!" said Hound. "What's yer name?"
"I'm June," she smiled, and checked the wounded bot's vitals. "He's stable otherwise. It's good you brought him in when you did."
June was returning to sick bay after getting her Energon intake from Aang and Bumblebee.
"Hello, June!" a voice came from below. She looked down to see a silver and gold Technorganic.
"Hello there!" June replied. "Are you one of the newly found Technorganics?" she smiled.
"June!" Sari chuckled, "It's me, Sari!"
June's optics opened wide! "Oh! Sari! Forgive me! Ratchet told me about your upgrade; my goodness, you certainly look different."
Sari smiled at first, but then her demeanor changed. "I'm so sorry about Jack," she replied remorsefully. "We're planning a rescue."
"Yes, I know. I had wanted to join you all, but Optimus wisely advised against it. Besides, I'm needed here, helping Minerva. Greenlight's returning to the other dimension to go back to the Infirmary."
"Oh! I didn't know about Greenlight," Sari replied. "I'm glad you're here, June," she said, "even though it's for these circumstances. Minerva's lucky to have you."
"Thanks, Sari," she smiled back, then said seriously, "be careful in your rescue mission; I hope you bring everyone back safely."
"I promise you, I will do everything in my power to succeed in this!" Sari answered.
Sari, Miko and Ben met with both Primes, Arcee, Ratchet, both Bumblebees and Agent Fowler to discuss an escape plan. But first was the matter of the Decepticon's new Predacon weapon that was used on Miko.
"We need Miko in this mission," said Sari. "She has the power of Predaking, but if the Decepticons can take her down, our chances of success are diminished - or worse, they could capture her."
"Agreed," said Optimus, then turned to the Predacon girl. "Miko, what exactly happened in your battle with Starfury?"
"He aimed something at me, and suddenly my audio receptors went haywire! I heard this high frequency pitch and felt incredible pain; I went deaf, but the pain kept on. Then Energon bled out of my ears."
"It must have been some kind of sonic weapon designed by Shockwave," said Ratchet, "meant just for Miko."
"Just for me?"
"That'd be my guess. He did create Predaking, and so knows all about his - and by extension, your - strengths and weaknesses. The weapon probably generates some specific frequency that destroys your audio receptors. I'm not aware of any frequency that does the same thing to Autobots."
"Oh, great! So the 'Cons can knock me down with a dog whistle," griped Miko.
"Dog...what?!" Ratchet frowned.
Sari smiled. "Human whistle with a specific high frequency that only canine animals can hear. Increase the volume and it generates pain."
TFA Bumblebee chuckled, then said, "Hey, Sar! Maybe your dad can come up with something to shield Miko's ears!"
"Wouldn't Professor Sumdac need to know the exact frequency?" Asked Optimus.
"I can help with that," said Ratchet. "It's all stored in Miss Nakadai's processor logs."
"Ratchet, contact the Professor and ask him to meet with you, Miko and Sari."
T:Prime Ratchet, Sari and Miko later were in the other dimension, in one of Sumdac Industry's laboratories. Miko was in her Predacon form.
"Alright, Miko," said Professor Sumdac, "I have fashioned these implants for your ear canals. They will pass through every frequency except that specified by Shockwave's weapon." He held two discs in his hands.
"When I transform, will they go away too? I don't want those things still in my ears!"
"Oh, yes, yes. I double checked with Dataminer. Whatever is installed in your Predacon body stays with your Predacon body." And Isaac handed the discs up to Ratchet.
"Let's go, Miss Nakadai, and get these installed."
"Okey dokey, doc!" And the headed over to another room.
After they were installed, it was time for a test. Isaac had fashioned a sonic generator which produced the same exact frequency that previously had destroyed her auditory receptors.
"Oh, geez, oh geez!" Miko nervously backed away. I don't wanna go through that pain again!" Sari stood by to heal her in case the implants failed.
"Miko, we must test the implants," said Isaac. "It is an important part of any technological process."
The Predacon girl whimpered. Sari put a servo on her shoulder. "I promise you I will heal you immediately if the implants fail," she said reassuringly.
"OK...OK," Miko replied. "I'm ready."
"Let us begin." And he turned on the generator. Everyone stared at Miko, waiting for a reaction.
She blinked her yellow slitted optics. "You sure that thing's working, Professor?"
Professor Sumdac checked his sensor. "Yes, it's generating the precise frequency."
"Hey! Those things work! Woo hoo!"
The problem with the new weapon solved, the group reassembled.
"They must be hiding some place secluded, perhaps a prison, a fortress of sorts," said TFA Optimus.
("Sari, is there any way you can detect their presence, as you did before, and thus their location?") asked Acree.
"I can certainly try," she responded, "but if as Jack had told you via the Spark Bond, they've been put into a Stasis Pod and shut down, I can't guarantee success. Let me go to the meditation room."
On the way, an old, familiar presence came to her Spark.
"Sari, please come. We must talk. I have important information."
"Jarlie?"
She got on her comm to T:Prime Optimus. "I must journey to Australia."
"Is that where they are?" he responded.
"No. I received an urgent message from Jarlie. Will return soon."
"Very well, Sari. Good luck."
She exited the ground bridge next to Ayers Rock. Jarlie was sitting beside a campfire.
"Hello, Sari," he said in his native Yir-Yoront. He recognized her even though she was in her new chassis. "I am so sorry about Jack."
"Thank you, Jarlie," she replied. Sari had come to not be surprised at her wise friend's knowledge of things, or how he came to know about events.
"Sari, I know you are in a monstrous battle with this evil ally of the red eyes. She seeks to capture all of the human-sized blue eyes and take them away. Uluru senses that this purple devil is extremely devious, and wants to warn you: things may not be as they seem."
"Terrible danger lies ahead. I sense that you are on the edge of a knife. Please tread with caution."
"I will, Jarlie. Thank you for this warning. I have not been as cautious as I should have. I deeply regret my mistakes."
"Do not dwell on the past. Look to the future. I will lend a hand where I can."
"Thank you, my friend."
"Be well, Sari. I will meditate for your success." And Sari contacted Bulkhead for a ground bridge back.
Getting back into Zazen, she attempted to locate, not additional Technorganics, but Jack and the captured ones.
"Jack, Jack, where are you? Koji! Frankie! Cody!" She called out through her Spark sense. Sari had never met the two from Griffin Rock of course, but learned of them from their fathers.
Suddenly, a location came to her! Even though they had all been shut down, their proximity to each other somehow was causing a directional sense to grow in Sari's Cyber-Ninja meditation. Four sparks barely awake, surrounded by thousands of Decepticon sparks tainted with the desire for battle, in the city of New Kaon.
"I, I know where they are," she said to herself.
"An island?" said T:Prime Optimus.
"Yes," replied Sari, and put up its coordinates on an overhead display. It showed an island in the East River, between what had been the New York City boroughs of Queens and the mainland Bronx.
"That's Rikers Island," said Ben. "It's a prison island. A lot of the bad guys I caught got sent there."
"No doubt it's been refashioned by the Decepticons," said TFA Optimus.
"Or to Kālī's ends," said Sari.
"It's a pretty big prison," said Ben. "can they be found quickly?"
After TFA Bulkhead input the coordinates, everyone was prepared for the rescue. Both Primes, Arcee, Bumblebee, Ben and the Skystrikers were armed and ready to bring back their friends. Sari gazed at the conference room where the families of the kidnapees were. "I must do my best!" she told herself.
"Let's roll out!" T:Prime Optimus called.
They dove into the bridge to wind up on a dark and gloomy large space where even the Autobots could fit with ease. Nobody lit their lights to avoid the chance of being spotted by the enemy. The Technorganics and Autobots enhanced their optics to see in the dark while Raf put on his night-vision glasses.
"No sign of the enemy." the super-soldier reported.
"I was kinda expecting a 'Con welcoming committee." Bumblebee commented.
TFA Optimus asked: "Sari, what can you sense?"
Sari focused and again felt the four faint sparks. They were in a location two hallways away.
"I can guide us to them. Strange; I pick up no Decepticons."
"Nonetheless we best remain on guard." T:Prime Optimus advised.
Sari guided the group there. They eventually came into a narrower space and the Cybertronians had to go in vehicle mode.
"This is going too quiet for my liking." Ben spoke tensely.
"Yeah. By now we should have run into something. A trap, an alarm, maybe Kālī." Rafael agreed.
"Guess we're in luck." Miko shrugged.
"Maybe." Sari whispered half-doubtfully.
"Guys, check this out!" Ben, who was on the front, stopped by a cell. The place had been enhanced with a Cybertronian laser shield, currently deactivated. Inside the cell was an empty stasis pod.
"It appears this place is already set to hold Kālī's prisoners. There's no doubt we're on the right path, now." Sari said.
Finally they came into the corridor where the cells continued. The last four ones had their shields activated and the stasis pods occupied.
("Jack!")
"Careful Arcee." Sari cautioned. "Those laser shields will trigger an alarm if they are disturbed."
"Maybe to break them, we gotta make some disturbing." Miko suggested, eager to attack. Sari used her mojo mod to feel the defensive systems. If the shields were broken, attacked or even deactivated, the alarm would trigger an immediate lockdown of the prison. And Kālī would be upon them like scraplets over cybertonium.
"Or maybe, I can convince the shields to cooperate." Sari put a servo over the machines and activated her mojo mod. Pads separated from her digits and engaged the electronics of the circuitry. They offered resistance and it took Sari longer than she expected. But eventually they relented and deactivated without triggering the alarm.
"Let's make haste before they change their mind." Sari said, referring to the shields.
"Bulkhead, a groundbridge." TFA Optimus said. The two Primes, still in vehicle mode, carried one pod each, Frankie's and Cody's. Arcee took Jack's with great care. Raf, Ben and Miko helped Bumblebee take Koji's. Now that Sari looked at him, Koji's chassis was mostly white with purplish highlights. His right wrist possessed a big pincer-claw above his servo.
"This was incredibly easy." Ben grinned, walking through the bridge.
"Yeah...too easy." Sari sighed, taking another look at the empty cells before going into the vortex.
Later Kālī watched the footage of her prisoners' rescue. Anyone else would be enraged and embarrassed that their prisoners escaped right beneath their noses. But Kali was smirking:
"Everything is going according to the new plan."
They carried the pods into the Area 51 infirmary. June walked up to Jack's and opened it up. "Oh, Jack," she said, and picking him up, she gently lay him down on one of the beds. Minerva helped with the other three.
Hooking him up to the monitor, June scanned his vitals. "He's alright, just shut down," she said, relieved.
"The others are the same, June," said Minerva. "I'll take care of these; you look after Jack, eh?" And June proceeded to reboot Jack's systems.
Jack's POV
Power Levels 80%
Initiating System Reboot
Stand By...
Mechanical Systems Online...
Weapons Systems Online...
T-Cog Functionality Online...
Internal Systems Online...
Backup Systems Online...
Processor Online...
Energon Levels Nominal...
Spark Rate Nominal...
Final Systems Check Complete...
Reboot Complete
The Human-turned-Autobot acting nurse looked down at her son. "Jack?" He slowly opened his optics. "Mom? Is that you?"
"Jack!" she hugged the small frame of her son. Watching the whole thing was Arcee, Raf, Miko and Ben with barely contained grins. "Uh, a…little…tight…!" he said in protest.
"Sorry!" she relented and rested him in the berth. "But don't you ever do something like this again. Arcee and I were worried sick!"
"Sorry! I tried to get Cody and Frankie to safety." he sounded defeated, then he remembered something. "Scrap! Shockwave took CNA samples from them both."
("Yeah, we know partner,") Arcee said. ("We assume they did the same with the Tokyo kid, Koji.")
"Wait, you think they might recruit more TechnoCons?" Miko sounded revolted.
"No idea. Maybe Megatron wants to keep that for the future, for now." Jack shook his head. "Where's Sari?"
"Meditating." Raf sighed. "She blames herself for Kālī capturing you and the others. She says this is her mission and only she has the power to accomplish it."
"We tried to convince her otherwise." Ben shrugged. "But she says from now on only she will find the Technorganics."
In the infirmary of Area 51, the rescued Technorganics had been reactivated and delivered into their families.
Jack got up and approached his teammates. He touched Ben's shoulder momentarily, sending a tiny spark which Ben promptly ignored.
"We have to convince her otherwise, Ben. She can't do this alone and Kālī will be furious when she finds out we're missing. If she hasn't already.
"I was unprepared for Kālī because I insisted on explaining everything to Cody's and Frankie's fathers, first. If I had taken them to Area 51 right away…" he let that statement hanging.
"Don't get all mopey because of it. The Captain and I made the same mistake." Miko punched him friendly in the arm. "Enough talk, let's go haze the new fresh meat! Even Aang is here."
"What do you mean 'here'? He went somewhere?"
"Yup, he just finished basic martial training on Cybertron." Ben grinned. "Let's go."
The Technorganics were rescued, but at what cost? Jarlie warned Sari that all may not be as it seemed.
Another cooperative effort between yours truly and TheSealer!
Thanks for reading. Please review.
