Transformers Prime: Miami
A/N : This next chapter will be unique as they will be split into different segments featuring characters from the story. The will all run concurrent of each other. With the final segment tying them all together and setting up the next story arc.
Chapter 21: Reflections
Mirage and Prowl:
The hot sun bore down on the plains of Veracruz. It was one of the southernmost states in the country called Mexico. On the lonely highway a vulture feasted on his dinner of a rotting carcass of what was once a Coyote. It quickly looked up and squawked as it flew aside to avoid the two sports cars racing down the highway that led to the tiny town of El Silencio. The cars raced with a purpose, there were very little highway cops in this part of Veracruz so they didn't waste time with speed limits. The terrain was barren and filled with hills. They stopped a topped the final hill that led into the tiny town.
Dust kicked up in the air as Mirage and Prowl transformed and took a long look at the town that lay before them in the horizon. Prowl stretched his arms, and shook out any tight kinks from driving a good 3 hours.
"Ok Mirage you wanna tell me why we ground bridged at good 70 miles from this town? , We have about three hours to find Ironhide or Miami goes boom!" Prowl complained.
"Ironhide an old vet, he would have sensed a ground bridge if it formed close to him, I couldn't risk him getting a lead on us and hiding out." Mirage said. As his optics scanned for energon signals, He didn't sense any then again he figured they might still be too far away for an accurate reading. "Ok when we get into town we'll split up and look for any energon signals. "
"Woah Woah Woah, "Prowl stopped Mirage, " I thought you said you knew where to find him?"
Mirage looked down and to the left , "Well…I knew the vincity to find him, C'mon how hard can it be? It's a tiny town down there!" He said to Prowl in a half assed attempt to placate him.
"Ok, we call each other as soon as one finds him, got it?" Mirage said.
Mirage didn't tell this to Prowl, but he had an issue with him coming, Ironhide and Prowl knew each other through reputation alone, there was an occasional mission or two but beyond that they were in different Autobot units. Prowl didn't have the same reporiethat Mirage had with him, Mirage knew the exact reasons why Ironhide left to bury himself in this tiny part of Mexico.
"Ok so far so good, We have a little over three hours to get him to Miami to authenticate the passlock codes. "Mirage said
Then suddenly behind them a Ground Bridge opened, they looked in shock as they stepped back and out came their arm cannons, pointed and ready to end whatever Decepticon came through the portal. They were completely thrown off by the orange and black Autobot then jumped through, Mirage rolled his optics as he instantly knew who it was.
Moving quickly Mriage rushed forward and grabbed the bot by this chestplate, He quickly took the Autobot to the ground and slapped the ground bridge sensor that was placed near the left side of his temple. It quickly cancelled out the Ground Bridge vortex.
"By Primus Sandstorm! What the glitch are you doing here?!" Mirage yelled.
Mirage knew Sandstorm by reputation only, and from what he knew of it , the young Autobot was green behind the Audio sensatory relays. Just a Sparkling when the main bulk of the Cybertronian wars began, He had found company with a group of Autobots that had just landed on Earth and were in the process of acclimatization. All that Mirage knew of the young spark was that he was impetuous and a thrill seeker.
"Hey man! Slow your roll, im just here to help!, Springer sent me." He said as he loosened himself from Mirage's grip.
"We have things covered here, besides should you be getting to learn the earth and their inhabitants up there in wherever Fowler placed you?" Mirage said in the not of warmest tones.
"it's Indianapolis and we are, just we heard over the Autobot channel the trouble going on, I was sent to see what I can do" His eyes soon drifted to the shoreline….and maybe check out the beach.."
Mirage though with him and Prowl here this was going to complicate things further than it already was, With a ground bridge opening up Ironhide for sure was going to sense it and flee. If that happened there was going to be a very large hole where the southernmost tip of Florida and Cuba used to be.
Mirage thought for a bit and then finally spoke " Ok here is what we're going to do, Prowl you cover the main part of the city scan for an Energon signals. Sandstorm covers the beachline by the city, see if he is encamped there. When you find him you radio the others, go!" He barked as Prowl and Sandstorm transformed and drove off into the city. He sighed as he sent them off on their wild Cyberygoose chase. For Mirage knew very well where Ironhide was, he also knew he was the only one who could make the approach to him, if Prowl or Sandstorm were to accompany him, it might aggravate Ironhide to no ends. This was a scenario that could not be realized, and it was worth ticking Prowl off. If it meant saving the eastern seaboard, Prowl's and Sandstorm's hurt feelings were worth it.
Mirage transformed and traveled to the edge of the city line, he went up a large hill that was covered with palm trees and overlooked the city below. The path up the side of the mountain twist and turned until finally the road gave way to a clearing and a large Hut, overlooking the side of the mountain where the ocean could be seen in all her glory, and to the left of it was the city of Veracruz. Mirage pulled off to the side of the road and kept close to the edge of the tree line. Activating his holomatter avatar he made the short walk to the hut. Mirage getting closer to the front of the hut expected an ambush anytime now but instead he saw a beach recliner with an aged old man wearing a peach sun shirt and white shorts, keeping him company on the chair was a lovely young woman with long jet black hair, dark olive skin and pouty red lips. They were busy engrossed in playful whispers and laughter. On the outside it looked like an old American retiree enjoying his golden years with a mid life crisis sponsored girlfriend. But by the looks of what they were drinking, she with a martini glass and he with a slender glass with a slice of pineapple, an umbrella and a blue glowing fluid, Mirage knew he had his right Bot.
"Took you long enough, what did you get lost?" He said in a gruff voice.
"It's good to see you too Ironhide." Mirage said "Glad to see you aren't sleeping alone these days."
Ironhide whispered something in Spanish to his partner, as she got up with a giggle. She giggled even louder when he sent a hard slap across her rear end. It jiggled like a bowl full of jello as she disappeared back into the hut.
"New parter? " Mirage asked taking the beach chair by him.
"You could say that, only what we do wouldn't fly under Optimus's orders!" Ironhide bellowed loudly "Don't give me that look, if I learned anything, if you ain't got it in the hips make sure you get it in the lips!" the old Autobot said as he leaned back in his chair.
"I'll remember that, but I'm not here for tips, I'm here for something altogether different."
Ironhide blew out a breath through his holomatter avatar "They're both down aren't they?" Ironhide stated as Mirage nodded slowly "and there's no one to ratify the codes in just under two hours "he said as he brought up a holoscreen from his wrist.
"I don't have to remind you what happens if that doesn't happen." Mirage said flatly.
"So what makes you think I'm just going to drop what I'm doing to help you now…" Ironhide said in a not so flattering tone.
Mirage stopped as she shook his head "Oh no, no c'mon you aren't doing this tell me you aren't going to sacrifice over 10 million lives Ironhide!" Mirage shouted
"How bad is she hurt Mirage?" Ironhide asked as Mirage turned his head, he was dreading that question from the time he bridged in to Mexico.
"HOW BAD?" Ironhide shouted.
"it's bad ok! She used that damn power of hers…" Mirage whispered.
Ironhide shook his head "Did she do it for Optimus? Was it Optimus?" Ironhide pressed as his holomatter avatar began to turn a certain shade of red in anger.
"Yeah she did it to save him." Mirage said finally as Ironhide stood up and turned away " Damn it Ironhide she made her choice!, She chose him over you! I'm sorry that happened but for Primus sake don't punish the humans because of it!"
Ironhide shook in anger as his head lowered, the sting of that day was still as fresh as before. Ironhide assumed command when their leader Hound was found murdered in the everglades. It was he, Elita-one, Mirage, Perceptor and Sunstreaker who all had just arrived on earth with hound not more than two months. Optimus had placed them in charge of guarding the Energy reserve. With Hound's murder they vowed to find the killer. The time getting use to Earth was hard especially for Elita who was having trouble dealing with her issue with Optimus. In that time she and Ironhide grew closer and closer. For a brief time they were happy together, It was during their search for Hound's killer did they learn that is was a human organization, called Machination behind it. They were a human company who wanted to dissect and pilfer the Autobots for their own twisted needs. They lured Hound into the everglades where one of their crudely produce mech fought Hound, Hound fought him off but not before succumbing to injuries he sustained. When it came to light who had killed Hound, Prime ordered the team not to encounter the human instead allowing Agent fowler and his men take care of the rouge corporation.
On top of Ironhide's disgust at the humans they were told to protect, attacking them for their own selfish purpose, Elita broke off their relationship as she could not deny her feeling toward Optimus. All of this caused Ironhide to turn in his resignation; He left the Autobots disillusioned and opted to live a life in peace here in Mexico. He saved the life of a little tavern girl named Rosita, who he divulged his secret to. The two lived together happily, she was his link to the world and the only company he needed. Still as bitter as he was he still harbored feelings for Elita, the thought of her near death didn't sit well with him.
"What would Elita want you to do?" Mirage asked, knowing full well he was hitting below the belt.
Ironhide went back into the hut where Rosita was making beaded necklaces on the table. She stood up to greet him as he bent forward and whispered something to her in Spanish.
She wasn't happy with what he told her as she pouted and stamped her foot, He quickly calmed her down when he took her in a loving embrace and kissed her passionately.
"I'll be back tomorrow, I promise." He said in spanish to her and walk out to Mirage. "Let's go, sooner I do this the sooner I get back…." The holomatter avatar disappeared as the red truck by the hut transformed into a large Autobot, Ironhide's true form. Mirage also transformed as he clicked on his radio.
"I need a bridge to base…."
April
April screamed as she sat up in bed covered in a cold sweat and breathing hard. She wasn't sure if this was a legitimate nightmare or the after effects of the fear toxin. She buried her face in her knees as she sobbed softly. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Delilah's cold eyes staring back at her. The pain and torture she endured was still fresh in her memory, she told everyone she was ok, When June saw something was wrong she played it off with a cute joke. When Mirage asked if anything was wrong, April declared she was fine. She couldn't fool Verity or Agent Greene however, though they lacked the family bond April shared with June, Jack and Mirage, They knew there was something defiantly wrong. For you can't just shrug off a traumatic experience. It sits in you burrows a hole, eats away until there is nothing left. Agent Greene had to get back to DC to head off any trouble at the pentagon cause by the light of the past events, on the way out however she made Verity promise her if April got any worse to call her and she would come running.
Verity however was a seasoned detective; it was her job to be able to read people. She knew April wasn't ok, and that she would need the help and support of her family friends and the Autobots to get her through. Above all this of course, Verity knew April needed a friend the most; It was the option that April now considered as she looked at her alarm clock that read 1:45 in the morning. April sat up in her bed and took her cell phone; she dialed Verity's number as she picked up after the third tone.
"Hey April, are you ok?" A groggy Verity answered.
April gulped as she struggled to get the words out "uh-um about your offer to crash at your place a couple of days."
"Yeah!, yeah! Of course "Verity said sitting up in bed "Do you need me to come get you?"
"N-No I'll ground bridge in, "April said " Perceptor got the bridge controls back up and running just tonight, Besides isn't Prowl still in Mexico?"
"Yes but I also have a non-transforming car in case of emergencies." Verity smiled. "Take your time; I'll have the guest bedroom ready."
April dressed and packed a small duffle bag with a couple days' clothes and a toothbrush, She made her way down to the Autobot base where Yuri, Bumblebee and Sunstreaker were finishing up returning the base to normal functionality. Bumblebee awoke from his injuries but Green Light was still under stasis. It was cause of this that Bumblebee decided to stay in Miami for the time being to help out until Perceptor was able to return from repairing Elita.
April emerged from the elevator and slid down the ladder, she could see them off to the side check every part of the base computers and testing every program clearing it of any bugs and viruses planted by Delilah. April quietly got to the ground bridge controls, Keyed in her code and inputted coordinates. She started her friends when she turned on the ground bridge as both Sunstreaker and Bumblebee readied their guns at the opened portal.
"Waoh! Woah! Guys! It's just me!" April said holding her hands up
Bumblebee beeped and quipped something along the lines of "That's not cool!" as Sunstreaker agreed "Dang missy as if we aren't jumpy enough as it is!"
Yuri went to April "April?, what is matter? , Where are you going?" the Russian asked her and touched her arm softly.
She looked down as she moved away uncomfortably " I-I just am going to stay at Verity's a bit, I'll be fine."
"I-I – I don't understand, Is there something I can do?"
She looked at him softly "N-no there's nothing you can really do right now, they need you here."
Yuri took her by the hand as she griped his hand tightly, she had grown close to him in the past few days, but right now she needed to get away and clear her head. She turned to walk away as Yuri kept his grip on her hand stopping her from moving any further.
"April." He said as he took her in a warm embrace, April closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around him and hugged back.
"You can however, when you get done, come visit me at Verity's if you want.." She said as she kissed him softly on the mouth.
She broke away as she left through the portal and found herself in Verity's garage. She blinked as a trip through the portal always rattled her from the inside out. She walked into her kitchen as Verity was already there with two pints of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.
"C'mon chica!," Verity smiled "Let's get chipped faced!"
Green Light
"Well this is a fine mess I've gotten myself into…" Green Light thought as she sat Indian style in the dark. She checked her systems over and over, it read active but not active. Whatever limbo she was in, she didn't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. She would see occasional flashes in her memory banks. They were mainly of flying, Yuri and the last few moments of the fight with Grimlock.
"Go put the Red Energon grenade in his mouth they said "She mumbled " He won't see it coming they said, you'll be fine they said…." Even in this ghost world she could feel the aches and pangs of when Grimlock's massive jaws closed in on her piercing her like a soda can. The last moments she remember was being shook like a rag doll and then being flung high into the air.
"I seriously need a major career evaluation when I wake up…." She looked around " IF I wake up…."
"Great, Now I'm talking to myself…"
Really Green Light was doing the best she could with Team Elita, She was sparked and didn't know who she was or where she was or even WHAT she was. She then saw she was a being who could transform into a flying mechanism, which would be very cool if she didn't have a fear of flying from the start. Oh and get this kid, your also in a war with evil giant robots on a planet that isn't even supposed to know you exist! If it were all the same Green Light would have like to go back into the spark chamber from whence she came
Still It wasn't all bad, The Autbots weren't a bad bunch. She missed them; she even missed Mirage calling her kiddo, or sunstreaker getting after her for every little mistake she made. Perceptor was funny, even if he did have the personality of a wet fish. Elita was a good leader, but she worries too much about this city and whether or not she's doing the right thing as leader. She wasn't vocal by it, by any means, but somehow Green Light could sense her fears and paranoia.
Hm , Paranoia. The word seemed so logical in this state of mind. Was she worried if her team liked or, or by some chance was Green light worried if she liked her own team. They were by no means perfect, but then again was she really one to judge that?
"What are the differences between and Autobot and a Decepticon?" She thought.
She sat in silence pondering the question. "Rate of success." She finally said.
She didn't like to be this negative, at least she thought. Green light liked this planet well enough, she always heard old stories of Cybertron in its heyday but all she had to go on was stories and holoimages. Even so it really wasn't her home, Earth was. She liked the humans here, April and Verity and to an extent Agent Greene. It was Yuri however that she had a bond with. She remembers that day where he helped her get over her flying issues. She liked the way he talked too, he had a funny accent and he would always bite into those "Wobble-u's" . She was his guardian; at least she is supposed to be. She wasn't sure if she needed to protect him from anything, unlike the kids back in Nevada. The Autobtos there were practically busy by the week with the messes they had to pull them from.
"Wow you're whiney." She heard a voice say from behind her. Green Light turned to see another Autobot sitting behind her in the same Indian style. He was green just like her, only slightly bigger and slightly different. She turned to see the stranger better." I mean wow; you must have come from my paranoid side…."
"Um Hello, do I know you?" She asked the green Autobot.
"Sorta ,kinda " He said " In another spark I was you!"
Green Light arched her metal eyebrow. " I think I'm confused…"
The Autobot rolled his optics" Sweetie my name is Springer, You remember all those flashes you would get of past battles and different scenes of carnage. Yeah they were my memories. You're my re-insparknation. "He looked at the lost look on her face and realized more explanations would be in order.
"You know your spark right? Well what happens to it when you go offline? "He asked as she thought hard about it.
"It goes back to the all spark, only my spark somehow got into a Spark Shard. Something that holds a spark until it is ready to be transferred into another suitable host" He said "Looks like those Quintessons were right, I was reborn, into you!"
"Oh, well that actually makes sense…." Green Light said cocking her head to one side.
"You know it's a good thing this happened; I've been meaning to have a chat with you for some time." He said as he smacked her upside the side of her head.
"OW!, What was that for!?" She yelled
"You need to buck up and have more confidence!, I mean how you fought against the renegades was good but, it's not enough. Look one day you're going to lead, and you can't do it if you're going to act like a little whiney sparklebot!" Springer chastised. "This world is going to need you and the Autobots will need you. Be who I used to be!"
"And what was that? ,Pray tell" she asked
"I was an ass kicker!" He said proudly "and a triple changer, which means YOU are a triple changer." He placed a hand on her forehead " I'm gonna give you a little wake up tap, but remember what I said, and also find a third car mode! Flying is nice but driving is better!" He said as flash of white light engulfed Green Light. She opened her eyes to see the bright lights of the Medical chamber shining over her.
She sat up in the table to see she was alone, pulling the tubes and hoses from her body she checked herself to see that everything was normal and running smoothly. She didn't know where the others were but she had a nagging sensation to do a task out in the city. She slid open the door and sneaked to the submarined docking bay, jumping into the waters she swam until she found the way to the outside world. Popping up in the waters she transformed into her helicopter mode and flew towards South beach. It was morning so people were just barely moving about their day, she was on a mission and she knew how to complete it. It didn't take her long to see a very expensive sports car driving along the beach way overlooking the ocean.
She followed the red 2013 Ferrari Enzo and waited for it to stop at the stop light. When it did, she quickly scanned it. She flew forward and lowered herself to the ground before transforming in to her third mode the same Ferrari Enzo with a beautiful dark green coat. Activating her holomatter avatar she grinned as she went for a drive.
Verity
Verity Carlo rubbed her eyes as she lost count how many reports she typed up in the past day and a half. She had been through a lot this month alone. Especially last night when the city was nearly tore apart. This was her first week back from suspension and she had a mountain of paperwork to do. She had spent the previous night comforting April. She was there as a friend and a shoulder to cry on which April desperately needed.
Verity had seen this before in cops who had been through traumatic experiences. She knew what Post traumatic stress disorder could do. April was going to need time, and she was determined not to see her end up like some people who lost themselves to PTSD. Still this was the life that came with helping the Autobots. This too Verity had seen, and she lost two friends because of it. She looked at the picture that sat on her desk of her and Hunter and Jimmy. Still to this day their loss hurt, Especially Hunter. They had unresolved love, and that's the worst kind of loss to have. Verity knew it from her very fiber of being. She found other ways to ignore the pain, Such as burying herself in her work, and keeping an eye on the Autobots. But knowing April and Yuri these past few months awakened a feeling of comradire she thought she lost when Hunter and Jimmy died. She only hoped against all hope she wouldn't lose they would not share their fate.
"And here is one of our Star Cops, buried in her paperwork, Detective Verity Carlo!" She looked up to see the Police commissioner Daniel Watkins with another gentleman as his guest. He looked to be in his 50's dark scraggily brown hair with bits of grey in it, he had a thick bushy mustache and dark rimmed glasses.
Verity stood up to greet them "Commissioner Watkins!" She greeted with a firm handshake.
"Detective Carlo!," He said "Glad to see your back, hopefully all that paperwork will keep you away from the range!, "He said backhandedly as he turned to his guest " Detective Carlo I want you to meet a visiting friend of mine this is Commissioner James Gordon"
Verity smiled and shook his hand " I know you, you're the commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department. I hear you have a flying rodent problem…"
Commissioner Gordon smiled awkwardly "Not so much a rodent problem than a clown problem…" Verity could tell from the way he delivered that last statement, that it more weight to it than he let on " I've my share of tales about you Detective Carlo!, Nice work on the Medrano case."
Verity smiled a bit as she tried to show modesty "Well it wasn't all me sir, I had a lot of help. "
Commissioner Watkins then coughed as he cut into the conversation that was threatening to maybe take one of his best Detectives from him. "Yes well if you excuse us, we have a meeting now." Commissioner Watkins said Taking Jim Gordon by the arm and hustling him to his office. Verity chuckled on the inside as she leaned back in her chair. Her thoughts drifted to April. Last night was a tough night for her as she didn't get any sleep at all. Verity was more than willing to sit up with her and let her vent her feelings of anger and frustration. They were talks Verity was all too familiar with. Her thoughts then turned to the night she killed Delilah, the vicious hacker who had no qualms about doing anything to complete her goals. Verity had to admit that the kid was good at hacking more than just a computer. With her words she hacked into Verity's mind, and managed to push that one button in Verity that set her off like no other.
She then took a quick break to type in the name that set her off, her sister Constance Carlo. She brought her name up on Google to see if there were any new hits on her name, there was none. She then entered the name into the police database, She knew in her sisters line of work the odds of finding her name here was highly unlikely, She was about to stop after the fifth page of names ending with Carlo, until she stumbled across a report coming out of Venice Italy. The entire report was in Italian, a language she didn't know at all, but there was her sister's name at the top of the report, next to the word "esorcismo". She didn't know what it was at the time, but she printed it out. She had work to do now but this was something Verity was going to have translated later.
It was about two O'clock when the Miami Detective's phone rang, without hesitation she picked up the phone.
"Detective Carlo" She announced, She could hear a slight ragged breathing on the other end. It immediately got her attention as she heard a fatigued drenched voice on the other end.
"N-Nice work there D-detective." Verity knew by the tone of the voice it was her mystery informant. The person that filled her in on the best details for her case, she didn't bother to file his tips for he didn't give a name nor could she track his location. Each time he called he timed his call and info to end just less than 30 seconds. Plenty of time to avoid the trace, still his information checked out every time, so she let the fact she couldn't track him down pass. By the way he was talking Verity knew she was about to find out who he might be.
"Hey there, you sound…tired "she said finding the right words.
"Y-You could say that, "he said " I've been on the run ever since that night "
"Your information help us greatly, it saved the city. Tell me stranger what can I do to help you?" She said hoping he would take her offer.
The voice on the other line laughed, "I-I don't think there's much you can do, Pretty soon I'll be gone, I-I just never wanted anyone to get hurt.."
"Are you sure? " Verity asked "I could offer the reward money, but something tells me you would rather want Energon.." The voice on the other end grew deathly silent.
"You don't have to hide anymore, "Verity added "I've known for some time."
The voice on the other line chuckled "They always said you were good Carlo, Heck the way Magnus talked about you I'd swear you could fly!"
"There is just one thing I could never figure out, who you are; after all that's happened don't you think I deserve at least that?" She asked sincerely.
The voice sighed " T-Tracks, I'm Tracks.." He said reveling himself to her.
"Tracks, its ok, come in Optimus will understand, you don't need to run anymore." She said trying to reach out to him. She had heard of Tracks through reputation alone. He was always seen as the vain sort. Never willing to do more than he had to for fear of denting his coat, it was this pattern of behavior that frustrated his fellow Autobots to no end.
"I-I don't know Verity…" He said "I've been a part of some awful things."
"But you still had the good conscious to seek me out, you knew I could help. " Verity said "I'm begging you please, let me help you. "
In what seemed like a lifetime Tracks final answered back " O-Ok , I'll turn myself in…." He said in a voice that said he was tired of running, tired of fighting. He was lost and wanted to be found.
"I promise you Tracks everything will be ok." She said "you have my word as a Wrecker."
Elita-one and Optimus
Perceptor finished replacing one of the motor relays in Elita one's chest, she had over 344 to replace, each had to be taken out, cleaned reconstructed and placed back in. It was an incredulous tedious work. He would normally allow the nanobots to take care of this work, but work like this had to be done by hand. It was a delicate procedure that Perceptor had to be sure this was done right. He didn't want to risk even the slightest error that would put Elita's spark at risk. He looked over to Optimus who was also in stasis. He was keeping Elita's spark safely within his own.
Perceptor sighed as he rubbed his optics, Never had he seen anybot in as bad condition as Elita was. Still he was determined to do everything he could for her, He owed her that much. He looked at the monitor that showed the cortex scans of both Elita one and Optimus. They read minimal activity, To a human this would-be called a dream state. He looked at his patients and wondered what kind of dream they were in.
Elita one opened her optics and blinked, where ever she was it was bright. Light filled everywhere as she squinted. She felt no pain, wherever she was. She also felt light as if she were weightless. " I have to focus…need to focus.." She thought to herself.
"Remember….." She heard a familiar voice whisper in her ears
"Remember" she repeated as thought flew back to a simpler time, a time when she had no worry and no want. When the universe was still a new and innocent place to be, where wonders filled her and miracles were a very real thing. Where happiness was tangible like if joy were a blanket she could wrap herself in, Soon everything came into focus, She was no longer in an unfamiliar place. She looked to see she was by a stream with silver water she was on a shiny golden surface when she sat up the two suns beamed down on her and she saw the metal trees with silver leaves that glittered in the light. She knew where she was.
"This is the Capali basin in Kalis, " She said " I'm home…"
She looked in the stream and saw the reflection staring back at her, It was her, but it wasn't her. The face she saw was a face she hadn't seen in a long, long time. It was Elita but when she was called Ariel. She moved her hands over the smooth contours of her face.
"Elita?" Ariel eard as she turned to see a figure behind her, her optics focused to see the image of an old love standing behind her. The shape of the figure at first told her it was Optimus Prime, but then the shape shifted into a form she remembered loving.
"Orion pax?" She whispered in amazement.
"Where are we?" Orion asked. " I don't know how we got here.."
Ariel smiled as lubricant leaked from her optics, she rose up and hugged her boyfriend. " Oh Orion! It was awful, I had a dream, that we were apart and there was this war. And I," She stopped as she griped her arms around his waist "Oh Orion, don't leave me please."
Orion hugged back" Hey don't worry, I'm not going anywhere!" He assured her. " I don't have to go back to Iacon till tomorrow!"
"Just you being here, I feel better already." Ariel mused.
"Elita one you have to remember….." The voice called out again.
Ariel opened her eyes as her environment suddenly grew dark, as if someone had switched off the lights. She looked up to see Orion's smooth face had changed. It was him but different, she looked to see had grown in size, and now a face mask covered the lower part of his face.
"Elita, remember" He said in a voice that was now lower and more commanding than his old voice. "Remember…."
"Optimus!" Elita screamed as she opened her eyes to darkness,
"I'm here Elita.." Optimus said "I never left you " As he approached her in his holomatter avatar, Elita looked to see it was an older gentlemen with black hair peppered with grey hairs, He had a black mustache and wore a red dress shirt and dark blue jacket and pants. Elita looked at herself to see she too was in her holomatter avatar.
"Is everyone ok?" she immediately asked "Optimus where are we?"
"Elita, do you remember what happened?" Optimus asked "Before you woke up?"
Elita thought and tried to remember, She remember her mission, her team, they were tasked with protecting the Autobot Energon reserve, but more importantly they were tasked to protect the City of Miami and her people. She remembers the city was under a major threat, not from Decepticons, but from Autobot and Decepticon deserters. She remembered one of her human allies April Sullivan, had been kidnapped and tortured. She remembered leading the mission to recover then remembered seeing an old misunderstood friend Grimlock, and stopped him from making a huge mistake. Then the memory Elita was supposed to remember appeared in her mind. Optimus, her former love, faced execution by these same Renegades. She Elita unlocked her power to stop time; it was an awesome power that came at an incredible price. However it was a price she was willing to pay, if it meant saving Opitmus's life.
"I'm inside your mind, aren't I?" Elita asked finally putting all the pieces together.
"For now, I am keeping your spark in mine, So Perceptor and Ratchet can repair your body. " Optmus said "So for the time being we are both out of the fight. " He said as he sat on a couch that appeared from nowhere.
Elita joined him "Did we do it? Did we save the city?" She asked wondering of her sacrifice saved more than just Optimus.
"Yes, we stopped the Renegades, " Optimus said
"Optimus about Sunstreaker, he never turned on us, I knew from the beginning he was going deep undercover…" She said immediately thinking of her teammate.
"I figured as such, which is why I was hesitant to deal with him." He said "I am more concerned with you, why did you choose to use such a power? , if you knew it would kill you?"
Elita turned away from him slightly, " Im hurt you would even ask that, " She sadly said " Optimus, I did it to save you, because after everything we have been through, after everything we've lost, I-I still love you…." She admitted.
Optimus eyes softened as he held her hand "I was afraid of that answer, Because I still deep down care for you , I just know I can never give you the full love you so richly deserve."
"Optimus, know I never stopped loving you, but I gave you up, "she admitted "I gave you up so you can fulfill the destiny Alpha Trion knew you had set before you. "
Then Elita turned to him to look him dead in his eyes "But for now, for just this moment. Let me have this time, let me remember you, love you like we used to have. "She said as she kissed him deeply. " And then I'll let you go again." She said returning the kiss again.
Yuri
"Autobot Base Gamma two! Hello! Come in!"
Yuri Makarov opened his eyes at the sound of Raf Esquival's voice. Yuri had been up all night repairing the damage to the Autobot computers and helping to stabilize Bumblebee and Greenlight, On top of Monitoring Grimlock and his Energon flush. The former Cosmonaut was working overtime in Perceptors absence.
"Yuri!, Are you there?" Raf called again
"Da! Yes, Yes I am here Comrade Raf!" Yuri said waking from his short siesta.
"Ratchet need the cycle rate on Elita's thermo conductor, He says you can pull it up on Perceptor's schematics. " Raf said as Yuri picked himself up from the chair and made his way over to one of the many base's laptops. After a passing moment he was back to his normal clear minded self, It was still the Cosmonaut training. It was part of the training he had to endure, learning to master difficult tasks on little or no sleep. It was nearly two months since Yuri was shot from the portal into Earth's atmosphere into a new time and a new world from the old one he left.
In two months, he dealt with the fact that he no longer existed to a nation that no longer existed. He acclimated himself to living in America and in a new century. He at first noticed how loud everything was, plus the weather in Miami was hot, too hot for someone that was raised in the bitter Russian winters. With the help of the Autobots and April Sullivan, Yuri gradually got used to living life outside of the Soviet Union. Yuri delved himself into being an ally for the Autobots, Learning the tech from Perceptor, and learning the in and outs of repairing a damaged Autobot. Yuri learned at an amazing fast rate, faster than any of the kids from Jasper or April. Perceptor chalked that fact up to his superior teaching style. Yuri allowed him to think that way, but Yuri knew better. Yuri for some reason could learn if he did something first hand, It was how he learned to fire a rifle when he was 10, How he mastered flying at age 19, It was his ability to learn that helped him survive Cosmonaut training. Yuri knew he had gifts, and he was more than happy to use his gifts to serve Mother Russia.
But Mother Russia changed in the past 45 years he was gone, Russia had taken to democracy as the West soon settled in the East. He didn't dwell on this too much, April wouldn't let him. Yuri smiled as he thought of her. She was the first person he met when he emerged from the space capsule; She had been with him every day since. Slowly he found himself growing fond of the young Doctor, These feeling became evident the night she was kidnapped, although he appeared calm on the outside, inside he was twisted and turned with concern. The images of her being tortured were still burned into her memory. It was something he never cared to see again.
Yuri finished reading off the rotation rates for Raf and went back to his work, monitoring the Autobots that still patrolled the earth. He checked his phone to get an update on April from Verity, She reported after trouble sleeping she gave April a dose of her sleeping meds before going off to work. Yuri placed the phone back in his pocket as he saw Green Light approach him.
"Hey Yuri" She said returning from her morning trip. "Perceptor sent me in to relive you, he says you've been working all night."
"Babushka!" He said happily as he saw his guardian "Where did you go? I go for Coffee and you are gone!"
Green Light smiled " I felt a little better so I decided to go off for a drive." She said as she transformed into her car alt form.
Yuri let out a wolf whistle as he saw his reflection in her shiny coat. "Looking hot! I thought you only changed into helicopter?"
Green Light transformed back into her robot form "Apparently I'm a triple changer; I know the thing you learn when you're in stasis!"
With a few more pleasant words, Yuri retreated back to his room to rest for a bit. He didn't have much in his room, A few books by some of his favorite authors, a radio, and his space suit. He went to his suit and pulled a small black and white picture from the front pocket. Sitting on his bed, he looked at the photo of a beautiful woman dressed in a Nurse's uniform; she had raven black hair and pouty lips. It was his former fiancé`, Kataya Lojenko.
They were from different worlds her and Kataya, He was from the small fishing town of Leningrad, and she was from Moscow. He remembered fondly the sexual tryst they had hours before his space flight, She was one of the medical team at the Baikinour Cosmodrome in Khazisthan . They kept their relationship a secret from the superiors, as if they found out both would be expelled from the program. He vowed to marry her when he returned from the moon. Sadly he never got that chance, One of the first things he did when he returned to Earth was to try to locate her. He did so to find out that she had passed away in her sleep in late 2008.
He could not deny his feelings for April, but he knew he at least owed it to Kataya to say good bye one last time. He lay on his bed and tried to sleep, but sleep never came as it was dashed away about his current dilemma. Yuri was never one to dwell on any one situation, he got up and got dressed as he made his way out to the main autobot base, He didn't pay any mind to Mirage arguing with a large red Autobot he had never seen before. He didn't have time to explain to them that he found a way to reset the security protocols on the Enegon containment unit, buying the Autobot another day. Instead Yuri quietly activated the ground bridge and went through.
He blinked as he saw he arrived in Verity's garage, He went inside her home to look for April, he had to find her and explain to her what he had to do in order for him to go through with their relationship.
"April?" He called out "are you here?"
Warning ! mature content ahead!
April got dressed after the hot shower, after a restless night of sleep she got up to face the day. Verity had a nice house, after the conflict with the renegades Elita thought it would be best if April and Yuri stayed a couple days away from the base so they could better secure it from attacks. It was only temporary but April didn't complain. She needed the time away to clear her mind.
Her trauma suffered at the hands of Delilah Danzig was still fresh in her mind. Verity recognized the signs of Post-Traumatic Stress in April and offered to take the young doctor in. It was a rough night that was spent with Verity comforting a crying April. She was there to listen to offer a hand and a shoulder to cry on. Yuri was going to be by in the morning as he was helping to lock down the base. Again Verity saw it was ok as she felt April needed some girl time to sort her feelings out.
April sat on the edge of the guest bed and sat there for a long time just lost in her thoughts. What was she doing here, could she continue this life and what would happen the next time something like this happened. All these thoughts plagued her mind and threatened to rip her sanity into pieces.
She gasped as she heard footsteps approach the hallway, She knew it wasn't Verity as she left for work a few hours ago. Her heartbeat raced as a panic started to set in.
"Who's there!?" She shouted gripping on the bed railing tightly.
"Is just me, April.." Yuri said calmly his hands up.
April let out a breath " Yuri! Didn't I say to call before you came over!" She snapped
Yuri pulled out his cell phone, something he was still trying to learn to use "No power, I keep forgetting to plug it in."
"Yuri you were a fucking cosmonaut, you can't remember to plug in a phone charger!" She griped.
Yuri nodded " I- I am sorry…" He said softly.
April gulped and realized she was taking her anger out on him " I-I'm sorry Yuri, I don't mean to take it out on you…"
He sat next to her on the bed, "The Autobots are worried about you, they are still securing the base, but told me to come to you anyway. "
April nodded " I-I'm ok really, I am…." She said as she tried to lie as best she could.
Yuri held her hand softly and held rubbed it assuringly, as he gazed into her eyes with compassion. "I could think of nothing else but to get you back when you were taken, I never want to lose you again. "
Those words seem to sink into Aprils heart as tears began to bead up in her eyes, emotion overtook her as she softly laid her head on his shoulder and cried . Yuri held her tightly and shared her pain, he held her close and could feel her breath on his chest.
"Why is she still hurting me?' She sobbed
"Because you are still allowing her too, You are alive now, and she will never hurt you again, not as long as I am here." He said defiantly.
"Yuri" April whispered " I love you."
"Da April," He whispered " I-I love you too…"
April looked up to meet his gaze, and soon their lips met. Softly and tender at first they began to kiss. He could taste her on his lips, he felt her warm breath on his. They kissed for what seemed an eternity. Their hands explored each other's body as gradually clothes began to be stripped away. They were in their underwear as Yuri suddenly stopped and realized what was happening.
"I-I'm sorry! Should we be doing this?" He asked fearfully
"it's ok Yuri, I want you too, I need this, I need you.." April whispered.
Yuri laid her back on the bed as the last vestiges of their clothing were removed. The soft light of sunlight filled the bedroom ad Yuri continues to kiss April as his hands explored her breasts. She threw her head back and moaned as his lips captured her nipple in his mouth. April's mind raced as she realized she was about to lose her virginity to Yuri. It was something she never gave much thought to, She had boyfriend's before but she never let the relationship progress to that level. She always put her responsibilities first, to her school, her family, her job. Since then, since the past day, her life had changed drastically. She realized she could be making a huge mistake now, but unlike other times, now she simply didn't care. She loved Yuri, and chose to be lost in this moment that was now presented before her. Whatever happens will happen she told herself.
He hesitated as he moved into position over her, "Um no protection…." He whispered
"Don't worry, I'm ok." She whispered as she took the tip of his penis and guided it into her. Yuri grunted as he slid into her feeling her warmth and tightness envelope him. April bit her lip in pain as he broke through her womanhood. She caught her breath as she felt him move further inside of her.
April cried out a bit in pain, "No! Keep going….." She grunted as she pushed him further.
Gradually Yuri found his rhythm as they made love. She could feel him inside of her, as Yuri felt her body react to each thrust. She held his face as their gazes met, Yuri gripped on to the sheets as he trusted faster in pace. He could feel himself building, as his breath quickened.
April grunted in pain and pleasure as she could feel him stiffen and grow more inside of her. Yuri grunted in sexual climax as he felt himself release into her. April let out a soft scream as she held on to his butt cheeks and waited until his climax had finished. She felt his hot seed fill her and warmed her. He collapsed to the side of her, sweat both glistening off of them as they smiled and held each other close.
"April, why didn't you tell me it was your first time?" He asked
She looked around and tried to dodge the question, "What makes you think it was my first time!?" she said awkwardly, as she got up to use the bathroom in the hallway.
"is just a hunch " Yuri said softly as he touched the small blood stain on the mattress.
Yuri laid back in the bed and looked up in the ceiling, This was the first time he had sex since the day before his launch in 1968. He heard the toilet flush and could see the naked form of April standing in the doorway of the bedroom. She beckoned him with her finger.
"C'mon, let's take a shower…" She smiled.
After the shower they sat in the kitchen and had lunch, April explained how Verity was helping her deal with the trauma she endured. She explained she still had nightmares but they were lessening by the day.
Yuri smile as he heard she was going to be ok, Still April noticed a look of slight sadness in his eyes.
"Hey, "She said rubbing his arm softly "Are you ok?"
Yuri wiped his mouth and sat up to let out a sigh "Da April I am, but something is on my mind, something we need to talk about."
April blinked as he had her full attention "Ok, go on."
"April , I have to go home…" Yuri said finally.
The words sank into April deeply, as tears began to fill her eyes. Soon in a flash sadness turned to anger in an instant as she blinked back the hot tears "Oh ok…I see, you just want to fuck me and the leave! I-I get it!"
Yuri looked in shock as she didn't let him finish "April wait you don-"
"What? don't understand!?" She shouted "Obviously we don't mean that much to you if you're taking off to a country that you have NOTHING TO GO BACK TO!"
Yuri stared at her hard as he decided to let her get it out of her system and hoped she would figure it out.
"I mean Yuri it was my first time! Don't I mean anything to you?" She yelled "Why are you going back if….." Then she stopped as she saw the look in Yuri's face and suddenly something dawned on her "And, you're coming back?"
Yuri smiled as he pointed at the tip of his nose, April then realized she had jumped to conclusions again.
"Oh God Yuri, I'm so sorry!" She wailed as she laid her head on the table in shame.
"I should have explained better, "Yuri said as he lifted her face up and kissed her "Before you I had a fiancé` , and she died in 2008. I just want to go home to say bye to her properly, and then I can move on to us." He smiled as he stood up to take her in a warm embrace. "The Autobots need us, but I also need you. He said to her softly.
"Yuri, I've got a little vacation time coming, Could I go with you?" April asked looking up at him with her big blue eyes.
Yuri smiled "You would want to visit Russia with me? He asked surprised.
April smiled "Yeah! I'd love to go!, I've been polishing up on my Russian!" She smiled as she kissed his deeply.
Shockwave
The Bermuda Triangle
"Run the test again!" Shockwave ordered as the dimensional relays were rest for another test. For the past few months the Enslaver had stayed under the waters of the oceans of this Earth. Shockwave spent his time researching and planning. Every painstaking detail to his master plan had to be perfect. He left no stone und turned, He planned each experiment and he recorded every piece of data he collected. He knew this particular piece of ocean on the earth held significant magnetic powers, and he was hard at work mastering them. He was determined to not let anything stand in his way.
"Sir we are being hailed!" Astrotrain called out, not even Megatron. " It's the Nemesis"
Shockwave didn''t fret, He knew this day would come eventually. The price connected with his experiments was a possible detection of unknown energies by Megatron's forces. He knew one day he would have to deal with the Decepticon leader, and today seemed to be that day.
"Put the call through" He ordered
Soon Megatron's voice filled the bridge of the Enslaver. "To the Decepticon vessel, you will identify yourself and then surrender you ship to me!"
"I'm afraid that cannot be done Megatron…." Shockwave said coldly as he came into view.
Megatrons red optics widened " S-Shockwave!? , what are you doing here!?" He ordered.
" I am engrossed in my own design Lord Megatron. " Shockwave told the depcticon leader.
"But I left you in charge of Cybertron! Why did you leave your post?" He demanded to know.
"My post Megatron? You left me in charge of a dead planet!, Devoid of any life!" Shockwave said spitefully "You left us to die."
"Know that when you decided to leave Cybertron, you committed treason.." Megatron said angrily " And you know what comes of treason"
"Perfectly," Shockwave said "Now I can say I was provoked.." He said as he turned to his bridge " Raise this craft into the sky! And ready the Pylons!" Shockwave ordered.
Slowly the Enslaver began to rise up to the surface of the waters, as it broke the stillness of the ocean and began to rise up in the air. From high above the Nemesis began to descend as its cannons began to point towards its target. The Nemesis fired it's batteries as bolts shot from the sky down onto the Enslaver, The shots absorbed into the Enslavers shields as the massive ship rose into the sky to meet it's aggressor. The Enslaver fired off its missile's at the Nemesis as the explosions rocked the shield and shook the Nemesis to it's core.
"Sir, Batteries 5 and 6 are off line!" Dreadwing reported.
"Fire everything at the Enslaver!" Megatron roared, as the Nemesis fired off Missile after missiles and lasers fired down on the Enslaver. The Enslaver shook as the shield began to falter, the Enslaver shook under the massive attack from the Nemesis.
"Lord Shockwave! Shields are at 60% and falling!" Blitzwing called out.
"Turn the ship and lead the Nemesis further into the triangle." Shockwave said calmly.
The Enslaver turned and moved farther into the barren waters of the Bermuda Triangle. The Nemesis gave chase as Megatron called again.
"Running Shockwave?" Megatron gloated "If you surrender now I may allow you to keep your limbs!" Megatron kept the Nemesis on its current pursuit of the Enslaver.
"The Nemesis is now in the target range!" Astrotrain called out.
"I have you now…" Shockwave said as he activated the Dimensional pylons placed all over the waters. Soon the sky in the triangle turned into a fire red orange. As clouds and winds began to gather, The Nemesis soon saw it was caught in a gravitational anomaly.
"What is happening!?" Megatron demanded to know.
"Sir, We can't get a fix on where we are!? "an Eradicon cried out " The ship isn't even registering our mass, It's saying we don't exist!"
Megatron fired his cannon at the Eradicon for speaking such foolishness to him "I want answers! , not excuses!"
Soon the Nemesis was caught in a spin, as the gravity sized it and began to hold it in its grasp Shockwave saw this and knew Megatron had no idea the weapon Shockwave now possessed.
"You will release this ship Shockwave!, I am the leader of the Depcticons! You will obey me!" Megatron roared over the comms.
"I will allow you to keep that title, for another five minutes, "Shockwave said smugly, as he activated the full power of the Dimensional pylons. Then from above the Nemesis, a giant portal opened up and began to pull everything in it's path into it's mouth. Ocean air and even time were lost to the massive anomaly that now was present in the Triangle. The Nemesis then twisted and began to be swallowed up into the massive portal now open.
"SHOCKWAAAAAAAVE!" Megatron screamed as the Nemeisis, was swallowed up and lost into the portal, as soon as the anomaly was created, it dissipated. The waters and the skies inside the Triangle soon returned to calm, as there was no sign of the Nemesis. It was lost to the space in between the spaces of dimensions
"Return to the waters below " Shockwave ordered and he returned to his laboratory, Shockwave was pleased that the test was a success, even more so that he was able to quiet the nuisance known as Megatron, Now nothing stood in his way of freeing the worst criminal Cybertron had ever known. Soon this planet would know destruction, as with every other planet that lay in Shockwave's path.
A/N: Wow that was a long chapter!, sorry for that and thank you if you stuck around long enough to read it. I wanna give big thanks to Hypersonicseeker,Ratchetsfangirl, and Exactlywhat, for chatting with me and motivating me to finish through this writers block.
NEXT TIME: The pieces start to move into place, as Elita's condition takes a turn for the worst that forces Perceptor and Ratchet to take desperate measures. Yuri and April begin their trek to Russia, but Yuri finds a surprised he never saw coming. Also Verity reaches out to a vulnerable Tracks, but she finds out she isn't the only one tacking him. Also Grimlock learns the meaning of "keeping a low profile."