Chapter 14
Dreams
Onboard to the cruiser, they left the Quintesson's ship with the black hole savaging whatever was near. Optimus was the only one that looked desperately broken when Skywarp presented Jetfire to him. Blurr who came in last closed the entrance to received the sadden faces from everybody. He went off and ignored everyone as he sat alone on a corner of the room. Skywarp approached a table and set down his mate. With the expression of heartbreaking and anger, Skywarp managed to kept himself sane. He personally asked Wheeljack to check any possibility to revive his lover's life. The answer was no, and Skywarp already felt defeated. He no longer cared about Sideswipe's warning about the unstable black hole that grew bigger every second as it has the chance to destroy everything. He just wanted to die and join his lover's side.
"Skywarp, you can't blame yourself." Scavenger claimed as Skywarp ignored him completely.
Optimus stared off at the black hole that was coming closer and was all set to kill anything that gets its way. He looked at his left to spot Elita resting on a berth beside Jetfire. Unsure what had happened, he asked Sideswipe to explain that she had an extreme pain experience that was going on with her head so with her lack of strength, she fainted but also he ensured Optimus that Elita-One was alright that she is simply recharging, not hurt.
"Prime," Optimus flinched for a second as he turns around to see everyone frozen at their spots. With the voice calling his name, he recognized that voice.
"Elita…?" He called, he saw her walk up to him, take his hand and guide him towards Jetfire's side. With Skywarp beside them, Optimus realized no movement was happening; no sound, no, nothing, weird. "What happening Elita?" He asked his wife.
Elita looked at him, alive and very realist. "You know that I'm a Guardian right?" She asked him, Optimus said yes. She looked away at stared at the dead mech. "As like Jetfire, he was made to create life but I possessed the power of time." Optimus seemed confounded as he stared at the pink mech. "There's a high chance I can save him but I need your help."
"Okay what do you need?" Optimus questioned as Elita showed her right hand outward above Jetfire's body.
"Your connection with Jetfire, we need to seek his spark fragment buried deeply in his systems." Optimus was pleased as held Elita's left hand. Their eyes flashed into a scene which seems impossible.
On a field of plentiful flowers, Optimus realized a figure stood beyond a hill humming a tune like a lullaby with a blue clear sky above their heads. Optimus looked at Elita who nodded as both of them ran up to the figure. "Jetfire…?" Optimus called as the figure looked around and presented it self as a female. Her armor was pure like Jetfire's. Familiar designs as him as well and her eyes clear of the color of yellow. She carried a bundled in her arms as she looked at the strangers. "I'm sorry; we thought you were someone else." Optimus said.
"I know." She spoke looking down at her white bundle; she smiled and glanced up to them. "I also know who you are looking for." She gave out her bundle as Optimus accepted her gift. "Please take care of him." The wind blew as she turned to rust and later disappeared like dust.
"She's a ghost." Elita confirmed to Optimus. Optimus agreed as he opened the bundle to reveal a sparkling that looked just like Jetfire.
Their minds flashed once again this time on Cybertron in a city that was in flames. Quickly Optimus reminded that this was a dream from a horrible memory. Elita laid her hand on his shoulder, calming down his systems. Before them was a blue and red figure facing his back on one of his knees to a body that lay on the ground. The two approached him to see Jetfire was a youngling with a damaged head and immediately Optimus remembered his first meeting with Jetfire. The blue and red figure before them was Optimus himself. "Optimus that female before, do you think that she's..." Elita stopped herself realizing the situation around her. "Never mind you probably knew." Optimus looked at her.
"What is happening?" He asked as Elita confirmed her answer.
"We are in Jetfire's dream zone with his powers he managed to give us an opening to his zone and travel around it."
"That explains how we meet his mother from before."
Elita nodded. "That is right. Right now, he let us in to his memories."
The two looked on to the frozen scene of Optimus and Jetfire but slowly the frozen Optimus faded away. "What…?" Optimus replied as Elita as well looked confused until she realized something.
"Optimus take his place!" She cried as Optimus obeyed her command. Positioning his spot, the scene unfroze itself.
"Daddy…?" The young Jetfire spoke weakly, remembering his youthful armor, Optimus smiled. Slightly petting his helm afterwards he thought about Jetfire's current condition, it was possible this was the last moment he would see his adopted son alive as he slowly cried as he said.
"I'm here…"
As if that was the magic word, Jetfire's young figure grew his current size with his eyes staring at Optimus. Jetfire replied. "I'm sorry, dad." Optimus spooked as Jetfire faded away.
"No!" He cried as his boy completely disappeared from him into crystal fragments that floated upwards to space. Optimus shuddered as he was on his knees, hands covering his face. Elita also cried as well, she looked away ashamed to experience Optimus's worst nightmare. "He's gone…I can't believe it…he's completely gone…" Optimus murmured as Elita called for him.
"Prime," She said as Optimus looked up to her. She was looking out as Optimus followed her glaze.
There at close distance was Optimus's old friend. Slimmer orange, the individual smiled.
"Hello Prime, Elita. It's been awhile hasn't it?"
"Smokescreen…?" Optimus called as the figure nodded his head.
"You two are looking at the wrong place. If you want to revive Jetfire, you must find his spark fragment." He said to them.
"Where can we find it?" Elita questioned the spirit.
Smokescreen raises his fingers. "Earth," He snapped them as the scene changed, Optimus and Elita landed on a shallow water. Around them was pure nature galore except two mech in a middle of a battle. Optimus and Elita recognized them as Jetfire and Skywarp.
"What is this?" Elita questioned, unsure of this memory field.
"I believe his first time meeting Skywarp." As they watched the two brutally savaged each other with guns and a saber.
"Playing a little rough aren't they?" Elita recalled as Optimus shrugged his shoulders.
"They're boys." Optimus replied. The battle ended as Jetfire lay on the shallow water with Skywarp pointing his saber near his neck.
"I'm expecting more from you the next time we meet." Skywarp said as Jetfire smiled.
"You wouldn't be disappointed." Jetfire replied with a smile.
Suddenly the scene froze as Optimus and Elita walked up to them. "Do you think Skywarp has it?" Elita said as she circled around the violet and grey seeker.
"Why do you say that?" Optimus asked her as Elita stopped and looked at him onward with a bit of surprise.
"Because they're lovers, aren't they not?" Elita questioned.
"Indeed we are, like you two." Optimus and Elita flinched as they looked beyond Optimus's back. There stood their answer was Skywarp looking very fine.
"Skywarp, are you dead…?" Optimus questioned, Skywarp shook his head.
"I'm not. I'm just involved with Jetfire's dreams." Skywarp said then he raises his fist. "Here," He opened his hand revealing a blue sparking spark fragment floating above his palm. "I think you'll need it Prime. To save your son…" He swipes his hand away from the fragment as it quickly moved towards Optimus. As Optimus snatched it, Elita and he glanced upon Skywarp. "If you're wondering why I have it. It's because he gave it to me to exchange for mine."
The two only blinked to realize that they were back on the cruiser and everything was back to normal to them, time had unfrozen itself as Optimus and Elita seem aware of what's going on when they were beside Skywarp and front of them was the corpse of Jetfire.
Skywarp spooked as he realized their appearances. Optimus glanced to Elita as they both agreed. Revealing a spark in hand, everyone in the room was amazed. "Where in the primus you get that?" Skywarp asked.
Optimus smiled, "From you," As he handed the fragment to Skywarp, exchanging looks, Skywarp found the strong leadership skills within Prime's optics. "He told me that Jetfire gave this to him." There Skywarp understood what he must do. Facing his loved one, he opened his chest panel, touching his own spark fragment. He snapped a bit of it since he knew if he taken out the whole thing, he would have died. Skywarp flinched as he taken the small chuck from his own fragment and scratched it onto the spark fragment that Prime gave him.
"What are you doing Skywarp?" Wheeljack questioned as he watches him.
"If Jetfire personally gave me his spark that means I must exchange mine for his." Skywarp said as his fragment chucked dissolved into Jetfire's piece. "In reality that is impossible but maybe a bit of it would work." As Jetfire's fragment grew brighter, Skywarp brought it over above Jetfire's body.
"This is only belongs to you…" He swiped his hand away just like the dreamed Skywarp in Jetfire's head. Optimus and everyone watched with amazed looks upon their faces. The fragment shattered itself among Jetfire's armor sprinkling him with life. As the tiny lights faded within his body, Skywarp cringed. Suddenly Jetfire gasped with his eyes flickered opened. He sat up and scanned the room to everyone amazement and the experience of revival.
"Skywarp…?" Skywarp smiled widely as he came up to embraced him.
Everyone except Starscream in the room was relief. The ship rocked ruining the seeker and the flyer moment together alive as the black hole grew big enough to swallow a planet. Realizing the situation, Jetfire got up and stood by the exit. "I know what to do and I need your help, Optimus." He glanced towards his leader. They both went out to space, approaching the sucking organism.
"Jet Convey, Dad?" Jetfire recalled to Prime beside him.
Optimus nodded his head. "Of course, my boy…" Together they formed a combination of two personalities into one, calling him as Jet Convey. As the others waited inside the cruiser, they watched as Jet Convey calls beyond his energy pulling his Matrix in sight. A blast of light was shot towards the black hole, shrinking it quickly. Only the unstable force reverse the process as the blue light shoot back towards Jet Convey.
"No!" Elita cried as Jet Convey set up a force where the light could not pulse through him. Skywarp quickly went to the exit only Scavenger caught him and held him before he went out to his suicidal attempt.
"No! Let me go, they need our help!" Skywarp cried unwilling to watch lives lose their sparks. Starscream came up to Elita and shook her.
"Freeze time, Elita! I can help them!" He pleads as Elita entrusted with him and did what she was told. Time stop once again except Starscream and Elita was moving about.
"You…how did you know that I had powers?" She asked as Starscream moved towards the exit.
He smiled. "I was raised to be a G-Unit bodyguard."
Elita looked impressed. "You and Skywarp, I presumed?" They both looked at Skywarp held down by Scavenger and then left the cruiser.
"Yes but since our mentor died, our uncle took us in." Starscream said concealing Thrust's identify. "I was supposed to be apart of the security system that Alpha Q made up long time ago. Since then…a lot has changed."
"You remind me from a friend of mine but she died. Is it possible that she's you're…"
"Be quiet it. I don't want to talk about it." Starscream floated on towards the Matrix. "In situations like these, we must open the Matrix."
"But…if we did…you'll get hit if you stood in that position."
"Well it would be the first thing for everything." Starscream announced as Elita pulled herself away.
"You don't have to do this…" She replied as Starscream looked back to Jet Convey.
"It better to sacrifice one then two and plus it would be for the best…"
"Starscream…" Elita said beginning to feel unease. Starscream floated between Jet Convey and the Matrix as he pulled out his saber. Elita begin to have second thoughts. "No Starscream, don't!" She screamed as Starscream raise his saber and slashed between the Matrix armor revealing the ultimate energy within it. The light blinded Elita as everything went back to normal speed.
'Screamer…?' Jetfire thought after he spotted a glimpse of him in front of him, blasting the Matrix's power. "No, Starscream!" Jet Convey cried as everything turned very bright.
The Black Hole died as the blast hit back to it, and Jet Convey floated in zero gravity with Elita grabbing his hand and guided him too safely.
When Elita straighten out the story about Optimus and Starscream experience with time, the Autobots became remorseful about Starscream sacrifice since they couldn't find his body in space. Returning to Earth was a long one as Skywarp completely slipped into recharge with his head lying on Jetfire's lap. The flyer looked up at Wheeljack that gave him a body language of guilt. As the black mech walked away from Jetfire's view, Optimus sat down beside the flyer.
"How are you doing?" Optimus asked carefully as Jetfire glanced back to him.
It was same look that Jetfire had when he meet up with Scavenger about Smokescreen's death. If Scavenger had been there any longer, Jetfire couldn't have held it anymore. Without breaking out in front of Scavenger, Optimus remembered he watched Jetfire as he headed for his room. Behind that door, Optimus could hear him clearly that he was crying. Just like him, concealing their true emotions, Optimus could feel whatever Jetfire could feel. If he was hurt, he would be hurt. Even if there was no way that they were relatives, there was always a connection between a father and a son. That day on Cybertron where Alpha Q was on the hunt, Jetfire could have chosen to leave Optimus alone or Optimus avoiding the youngling but that day when they first met. Optimus felt something worth wild; they have combined into Jet Convey and more then that, they became a family.