Author's Note: Sorry for not updating sooner! I had planned to update earlier this week but life got in the way. Thanks to Riptide2 (comedy hour is right!) for reviewing the last chapter! Enjoy and I own nothing but my OCs
What It Takes To Live-Tempting Idea
"Standing in the middle of the road is dangerous; you get knocked down by traffic from both sides."-Margaret Thatcher
It all started out as another chaotically typical day on Diego Garcia. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were at the proving grounds with Ironhide trying valiantly to stay out of trouble. Skids and Mudflap, the other set of troublesome twins, were in the med bay because they hadn't realized sitting in the middle of the road was a good way to get hit. Will Lennox had just calmed down the angry truck driver who had hit them and sent the man home and Ale was holed up somewhere with Laura looking over possible political problems. That left Starscream wandering lazily through the air outside, not really interested in anything in particular.
His processor whirled with old memories of Cybertron before the war when he and his trine mates had been able to fly aimlessly around and simply enjoy the day. Today in a time of peace those memories brought up an all too tempting idea. Cybertron had been around for thousands of years before this planet and probably exist for thousands of years after it. Who was to say then that they couldn't return and rebuild their home?
Despite the brief hope Starscream never allowed himself to believe that this idea would be accepted. The Autobots had human friends and allies. They would never want to leave what they had found to return to the wreck that their war had made of their planet. No, it was best not to mention these things.
What Starscream did not know was that Optimus Prime was also considering the same thing. It was true that they had not completely destroyed all of Cybertron's resources and there was the possibility of making it everything that it had been. It was also true that they had the technology to return and visit or aid their human allies if they were in need. Still the Autobot leader knew Sam and Mikaela would be adverse to idea and the Decepticons had given no sign of how they felt one way or another. The difference between Starscream's musings and Optimus Prime's however was the fact that the Autobot leader's thoughts had purpose. That was why while Starscream pushed the thought away Optimus went to find Ale.
The diplomat in charge of human-Cybertronian relations was sitting outside with her laptop squinting at some article and scribbling on a notepad. Now that elections were getting ever closer she was constantly watching what was going on and looking for ways to encourage the presidential candidates to be Cybertronian supporters. "I was wonder if I could speak to you for a moment," he said and Ale nodded, putting the laptop aside. "I have been considering our planet and think that perhaps we could rebuild it to what it was before our war tore it apart," Optimus informed the young woman, unsure of what she would say.
Ale's expression was thoughtful as she considered her options. It would be cruel to refuse to consider this angle but she also knew that the Autobots would want to come back from time to time to visit their human friends or help them if they were in need. That would require careful negotiation of a treaty which was at least three month's work, maybe more. "When would you be planning on departing?" she asked, trying to calculate everything in her mind.
"Probably in four months because it would take time to construct a ship that would take us home," Optimus explained.
"That should be enough time for me to make the proper arrangements," Ale said, already reaching for her cell phone.
"What arrangements?" the Autobot leader asked curiously.
"I'm assuming you are planning on coming back from time to time so some sort of official alliance documentation which could take a couple months," Ale said. "Are you sure about this?"
"I am sure but I haven't spoken to the others," Optimus said.
"Let me know definitely in the next day or so," Ale ordered, pulling her laptop back onto her lap. Optimus shook his head and went off to find Starscream.
He was lucky. The Decepticon leader had just landed on a lonely cliff on the island when Optimus arrived. "Did you need something?" the Seeker asked, curiosity flickering in his optics. It was times like these that Optimus was reminded that Starscream was younger than him and less experienced.
"I wanted to know if you had considered going home," Optimus said, trying to word his sentence carefully.
"Yes," the Seeker admitted.
"I have spoken to Ale about it and she agrees that it would be possible to arrange a treaty that would allow us to return from time to time if we wish," Optimus told the Decepticon leader.
"Very clever of her," Starscream commented.
"So we are agreed?" Optimus asked. "We will speak to our respective groups about returning to Cybertron?"
"We are," Starscream said and with a slight nod of his head he took off into the sky again. Optimus turned and headed back to the Autobot meeting hanger, comming the others and telling them to meet him there. The assembled Autobots studied him, trying to decide what this meeting was about.
"Fellow Autobots," the last Prime began. "I have called you here today because of an idea. Starscream and I have both spoken and come to the conclusion that Cybertron could be salvaged. We plan to return there in four months and attempt to save our planet. To come with us or not is your choice. I cannot assure that there will be an in between. Sometimes in these things there may be no middle ground. You may have to decide whether to come with us or remain on Earth forever." Optimus could have continued on but he stopped there because of what he saw. Yes there was sadness but for the first time in a long time he saw something else they hadn't been able to keep. Hope.