Chapter 1

The alarms started about two seconds after we got back onto the ship.
"Well, at least we know they work." I commented, turning them off.
Ironhide smiled from where he was tapping a few buttons on the drone panel, and Jazz looked at me like I was mad.
"The drones have found one." Ironhide called suddenly.
"Jazz, go get the co-ordinates. Send Roxy up when you've got them." Optimus ordered, "Ironhide, when Roxy leaves, get the drone to keep searching. Clara, come and help me with the teleport."
I got the feeling Optimus was trying to separate me from the others, as he led me up to the top floor, where the teleport was waiting. Then again, it might just be because I built that teleport. We managed to get it up and running, and I left Optimus keeping it that way while I searched for the remote. I eventually found it, and Roxy came in with the co-ordinates.

Eventually we were all at the co-ordinates Jazz had given to us. The humans were on Optimus' shoulder, even though I still thought they would be safer at home. I shut down the teleport and hooked the remote to my tool belt.
"There's no way we're gonna get through that mess transformed." Arcee commented, looking around. Bumblebee whined in agreement.
We were in a large forest, much to my distaste. The trees were taller than Optimus, and they were pushing in on us from every direction. I found myself automatically raising my battle mask.
"Which way?" Optimus asked Jazz.
Jazz was holding a small device in his hand. He spun in a slow circle, looking at it, then stopped and pointed in what seemed to be a completely random direction.
"That way."
I gave Optimus an uncertain look. He nodded encouragingly and we followed Jazz. I held one of the swords at my side warily, glad of the weight of the teleport remote at my belt.
"What happens if Jazz is wrong?" I asked Optimus quietly, sticking close to him.
Optimus glanced at me, a strange twinkle in his eye.
"The Decepticons will probably get the crystal before us." He replied, "We lose time sorting out the ship. That's all."
"Doesn't stop the Decepticons blasting us to bits." I muttered. Optimus rolled his eyes. "You think I'm strange." I commented.
"A little." He admitted, "But that's okay."
I looked at him, trying to figure out what he meant by that, but his face didn't give anything away. I gave up and we kept walking.

We eventually reached a clearing, much to my relief. There was a large temple-like building in the centre.
"It's in there." Jazz said quietly.
"How could it be in there?" I asked no-one in particular.
"Weak materials used for the roof?" Ironhide suggested, trying to lighten the mood, "Either way, the co-ordinates say that it's in there."
"What if it's a trap?"
"Clara, you're a Rogue." Jazz said exasperatedly, "you're raised not to trust anything. You think everything's a trap."
Normally I would've gone for him, but I remembered Optimus last night. I didn't want to let him down again. I stayed as I was and didn't even look at Jazz. He seemed surprised, and even a little disappointed.
Jazz eventually led us into the temple. It was a maze of twists and turns. I had a feeling that something wasn't quite right. It seemed to be getting quieter with every corner we turned. There was no sign of the crystal or the Decepticons or anything really.
"Roxy, can you sense anybody nearby?" I asked after about half an hour. There was no reply. "Roxy?" I asked, turning around. "Well, no wonder it's so quiet."
The corridor was empty behind us. Everyone had completely vanished.
"What happens now?" Jazz asked after a few minutes.
I couldn't shake the feeling that something very bad was going to happen, any second-
"Clara!" Optimus yelled suddenly.
He slammed into me from behind, knocking me to the ground. There was a loud crash, and then nothing.
"Optimus?" I asked quietly, not daring to open my eyes.
I could feel him on top of me. His head was resting on my shoulder, but he wasn't moving.
"Are you all right?" I asked him.
"Yeah." He said finally.
I breathed a sigh of relief and glanced past him. The whole corridor had caved in.
Optimus shifted his weight, trying to get off of me, and I saw him wince.
"What's wrong?" I asked nervously.
"My leg's caught under the rubble." He answered, his voice tight with pain. I felt his weight shift again and he groaned.
I rolled out from under him and snuggled up to him.
"What can I do?" I asked desperately, my breathing quickening.
"Clara, slow down your breathing or you'll hyperventilate. Just calm down and concentrate on getting the rocks off of me."

Easier said than done.
It took me about five minutes to calm down.
The rocks were too heavy for me to lift, since they were practically holding up what was left of the ceiling. Digging him out was hopeless. Whenever I got one rock out of the way another toppled down to take its place. I was afraid of shooting them out of the way in case I hit Optimus, or the rest of the ceiling came down on us. I couldn't just pull him out. That would just damage his leg even more.
We could hear Jazz and the kids on the other side of the rock pile. The kids had been dislodged when Optimus knocked me out of the way of the rocks, but Jazz had managed to catch them. They were all safe.
I wasn't so sure about us.
"Okay. This isn't gonna work." Optimus grunted after a few minutes. "You go ahead and see if you can find the others. I'll try and get myself out. If I don't catch up with you within the hour, get back here and I'll find you here."
I did as I was told, even though I didn't like the idea of splitting up. Optimus' plan sounded good. I could do that. Thing is, pretty much everything that sounds good in theory works out terribly when you put it to action.

I was lost. I was hopelessly lost. It had been about an hour and a half since I'd left Optimus, and I still couldn't find my way back to him. I turned a corner and stamped my foot in frustration as I entered yet another unfamiliar room.
I found myself on the floor at the foot of the wall, my arms hugging my legs sadly.
Why was I here? Why did Sentinel think I was so ready for a mission like this? I was useless. I couldn't even follow a corridor back to where I'd started. The only reason I'd had to come in the first place was to find the others, and I hadn't even been able to do that.
What had Optimus said to me earlier? I was the one he trusted most on this mission. Then he'd made me first lieutenant. I don't know what Optimus saw in me to make him trust me so much, when he'd known Ironhide and Jazz and the others for so much longer, but his trust was wasted on me.
I felt a tugging sensation. It was similar to how I felt whenever I thought about Optimus, but it seemed so much more….sinister. I looked up. I was still alone in the room, but something had changed. There was a door across from me that definitely hadn't been there before. There was something about it that drew me towards it. I got to my feet and started walking across the room, despite something in my head screaming at me to stop walking towards it, to run as far away from it as I possibly could and to hide. I carried on towards it, like I was in some sort of trance. I opened the door.

Big. Mistake.

At first I thought I'd finally found the exit. There was forest as far as I could see, but it definitely wasn't an Earth forest. It was far too sinister, and the trees were so high I couldn't even see the tops of them. It let out an aura so dangerous and sinister; it could only be the forest back on Cybertron. I found myself frozen to the spot.
I don't know how long I just stood there, but I didn't move when I heard the door open behind me and someone ran inside, slamming the door shut behind them. Suddenly someone's arms locked around me and I was jerked out of my paralysis. I struggled and ended up kicking whoever it was in the shin with the heel of my foot. He cried out in pain and dropped me.
"Was there really any need for that?" Optimus grunted, sitting down in an attempt to relieve the pain in his leg. I'd accidentally kicked him on the leg that had been trapped under the rubble.
Oops.
"Sorry." I said quietly, kneeling down next to him. "Please don't sneak up on my like that again."
Optimus smiled apologetically and I helped him gently to his feet. He kept his weight off of his right leg, which was mangled and sparking.
"Where are we?" he asked me. I got the feeling he knew exactly where we were, he was just trying to help me understand what was going on.
"Forest on Cybertron." I gave him my best 'isn't it obvious?' look. He rolled his eyes.
"Do you know why we're here?"
"No." I said immediately.
Optimus sighed and explained.
"We're not actually in Cybertron's forest. We're still in the temple." He said patiently. "I came through this room earlier while I was looking for you. It was completely different. I think….I think this room projects your worst fears."
"My worst fears?" I repeated, glancing around the room, my mind filled with dread.
"Yes. Why?"
"Because we might want to get out of here."
"Clara, it's just a projection. It's not-"
And that was when the drums started.