-1Everyone was more than ready to leave Earth and rejuvenate their home, the planet that had lain desolate for so many eons. But how? The only one who could fly in space under his own power was Megatron. The others couldn't get off the ground, much less leave the atmosphere. Research into human technology was yielding no results as the lot of them, save, of course, for Sarah, searched the entire internet en masse. The girl, for her part, was convinced that the answer lay in the knowledge bestowed upon her by the All Spark, so while the others ran around and did things she didn't concern herself with, she just quietly sat and went into what could almost be described as meditation, trying her hardest to consciously access the knowledge she'd only previously been able to see in dreams. The answer, when it came, seemed so absurdly simple that she just had to laugh in delight. All the others were confused by her sudden, apparently reasonless rejoicing, but none more so than Optimus, when she came up to him and all but begged him to call a meeting.

"Everyone," she said as she stood atop the table to others were seated round. Instantly all eyes were on her. "I have found the answer… A way not just to reach your world but also to cut out the normally long trip it would take for the lot of us to get there." That really had their attention. She paused, making sure everyone was listening. "We are going to build a space bridge… A space bridge which will be constructed piece by piece right here inside the Ark and then assembled outside the main entrance. And right when planetary conditions are correct, we activate the space bridge and off we go!" It made perfect sense. Space bridge technology had seen widespread usage among their kind before the war, and their planet had been a hub for anything in transit via that mode of transportation. It would be a simple matter to align their side of the bridge with their destination, especially with Sarah to pinpoint the target area and guide the beam as it passed through space.

The first few months saw the Ark itself all abuzz with activity as Sarah created as many parts as she possibly could while everyone else disassembled what could be spared for use in their space bridge. With each passing day, Sarah seemed to grow sadder, more distant, pulling away from the lot of them. No one noticed, however. They were all too excited about finally going home. She supposed she should have felt happy. She was finally going to travel to the place of her dreams and fulfill her destiny, after all.

The second phase of construction didn't take nearly as long as the first, as it was merely a matter of moving already-created parts outside and then putting them together. The atmosphere in the Ark was fairly electric with excitement and enthusiasm as work continued around the clock. Her work largely finished save for whatever fine-tuning couldn't be accomplished by Ratchet's brilliant mind or Rumble's dexterity, she merely watched it all happen with a semi-melancholy smile, waiting for the time to come when she would be called upon to align the bridge itself and guide them all across it.

That day came soon enough. Standing at the control panel, she called upon the All Spark's power and became one with the machine itself, her mind filled with data more ancient than the planet she called home as she entered information she really shouldn't have known. Entering the data with precision usually unknown to mere humans, she calibrated the space bridge to connect to their destination. "It's ready," she said finally. Everyone gathered round the odd-looking thing they had created, which resembled nothing so much as a fairly large ring of metal on the ground. Once side of the circle opened up, two sliding door-panels parting to admit those who would soon be its first, last and probably only passengers. Sarah smiled at the others. "Ready to go?" The response was unanimous.

In seconds she was standing within the circle and watching those doors close. Abruptly she found herself being plucked off the ground and placed upon a shoulder… Megatron's shoulder, as it turned out. They all already knew the proper way to ride a space bridge, but she instructed them anyway. "Stay close, and hang on tight. I'll be guiding us through it." A moment later the vortex opened and they were all drawn inside. A moment later she was no more than a pulse of energy traveling down a line of light, a corridor of what seemed almost like liquid electricity, whipping past stars and galaxies alike as she focused on the line, letting it take her where she wanted to go, her and those who rode with her…

It was mere seconds before the ride was over and she stepped out into a vast metal plain beneath a star-filled night sky that seemed to stretch beyond even infinity. They had arrived. There was no doubt about it, the time had almost come. "I'm finally going to fulfill my destiny," Sarah said to the empty air. "Did you say something?" Megatron asked as he stepped out from the space bridge. "Oh… No, nothing," she said with a semi-fake smile. Megatron felt a bit uneasy about the reply but shrugged it off. "Ah, home…" he started but looked at the completely damaged and bare metal based planet. It hurt Sarah too, the sight of such devastation. Her dreams had shown her the planet's heyday. For things to have changed so much… The Autobots stood still as they silently looked around and paid their respects to those lost in the war, that was finally over. The planet creaked and metal on the surface groaned, as if the planet were screaming for help. The All Spark within Sarah literally heard those screams. Doubling over, she shuddered with the planet's pain. All eyes were on her, most running to her side seeing if she was all right, wondering why she'd had that reaction. "I feel it," she said in a whimper. "The planet is screaming." They all strained to catch the screams she spoke of and heard not a sound except for themselves. She fell to her knees, her arms wrapped around herself, shivering violently. It was horrible… like her whole body was filled with the planet's pain.

The planet stopped its screaming all of a sudden and was quiet, utterly and completely silent. She went still. "It… it knows?" A moment later, she got back up and marveled. "It knows I'm here…" Shaking her head, she got down to business. "Where do I have to go to do this?" Optimus picked her up and walked towards an indentation in the planet where a crater gaped like a hellish eye. He set her down. Looking down into the hole, she only had one question. "Here, then?" He nodded. She smiled, a little sadly. "I need some time to prepare. We'll begin the process first thing in the morning… or whatever passes for morning around here." Optimus nodded again. "Take your time, Sarah," he told her and began walking back to the rest of the group who headed towards a type of building, where they were going to take shelter until she was ready. Quietly withdrawing, she spent about an hour writing something none of them could really see. After that, she went and joined the others. They talked and laughed together for hours before retiring for the night.

The next morning, Sarah was uncharacteristically solemn as she got ready to go. She knew Megatron would be along in a few minutes, and she didn't want to be there when he arrived. There would be too many questions to answer, and she didn't want to… to… No, she would not think of that. Better to do it this way; quietly, without him knowing the truth. Laying a data pad where she was sure he'd find it, she turned and followed Optimus to the crater. "The time has come," she said to herself. "This is my destiny."

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Wonder why she's so depressed? Wonder what she's hiding? Well, you'll find out… In the next chapter!