Jeez, this was incredibly challenging to write... But it was really worth the trouble. Enjoy! ;D

Transformers Prime: Ordeal

~Act I, Chapter IV~

The clash with the seeker had been thunderous. After having hauled him into a building, providing Prowl and the children with a free path, I brought forth my Energon Axe and battled Starscream. He sought out methods to subdue me, opting for evasive tactics than engaging in close combat. He was persistent, but he knew he could not win this fight. The glare of his single optic is what betrayed his thoughts. His strengths never lay in servo-to-servo combat, but it made his assault all the more questionable. Decepticons, especially someone as conniving as Starscream, would never risk exposing their existence to humanity, not unless there was something at stake. Yet according to Prowl's intel, the Decepticons fired at will, destroying anything that came their way, without any particular goal.

Incapable of hiding my curiosity, I lowered my Energon Axe and sought out answers. "Starscream, your onslaught is uncoordinated and meaningless, and you of all Cybertronians should know that you cannot succeed. What could you possibly gain from deliberately destroying this city at the risk of revealing yourself and losing soldiers?"

The Decepticon allowed himself a moment of repulsive mirth. "Are you so confused, so desperate that you will resort to negotiations in a time like this, Optimus Prime?"

"I am not negotiating with you after all the destruction and deaths you've wrought on this city." My statement was firm and unwavering. "I am ordering you to stand down, to comply and to answer for your crimes. I will end your rampage, one way or the other."

"Hah, neither your threats nor your bravado mean anything to me!" the Decepticon spat back, "There is no promise you can make that I can't break!"

The Decepticon conformed to his jet mode and took off into the skies. I converted into my vehicular form as he spiraled his way back down and initiated the Maximum Overdrive, bolting down the streets as missiles rained down from behind. Detritus and rubble erupted from my surroundings after every missed aim. Escape was futile, yet retreat was never my intention.

I engaged the brakes, tires grinding to a screeching halt as another round of explosions detonated nearby and billowed a thick, gray shroud my way. Rendering my vision unclear, I shut off my optics and increased the volume of my audio receptors. I remained in my place and focused on the sound of my surroundings: the spurts of water escaping the broken hydrant, the crackling of fire that ate away at a burning Earth vehicle... And then, the screech of a jet booming as it drew closer. I waited for the right moment, and as soon as I heard it soar over me, I brought forth my Ion Blaster and fired. I dashed out of the smoke and, reactivating my optics, watched as the thrusters of the jet caught on flames. I understood that the damage was exponential, which would at least deprive him of flight capability until repaired. I did not hide my relief; flight was Starscream's greatest asset, and without it, confronting him was less of a challenge.

The broiling jet dove uncontrollably towards the west section of the city, the sound fading and the form disappearing behind buildings until the impact of the crash thundered throughout the entire area. I chased after him in vehicle mode and zoomed through streets in the hopes of reaching Starscream before he made any more irreversible damage. However, as I drove by a courthouse, I immediately hit the brakes as my internal scans picked up multiple heat signatures from within the crumbling building. Little orange and red forms appeared in my visors, human civilians who desperately struggled to the exit the building and down the tiled stairs. After a loud rumble resounded, the entrance suddenly caved in, trapping the remaining civilians from within.

I assumed my protoform and dashed up the insignificantly small steps, but as I drew nearer, I detected that the fissuring pillars were slowly tilting forward towards the stairs that led to the streets.

The building was falling apart.

I launched myself at the entrance and removed blocks and debris one after the other. The cracks grew louder, and as bits and dust of the crumbling building rained on me, I hastened even more. Once the doors were visible, I ripped them open and placed my servos above the entrance, steadying the building. Many eyes stared up at me, and in fear, the humans were paralyzed in place.

Another loud crack sounded off, and I averted my optics from the civilians and ran for the pillars. I grabbed hold of one of them in time to prevent it from falling out of its place and bringing the whole building down. I couldn't hold long; fissures ran up every pillar, and it was a matter of time until the rest of the courthouse collapse in on itself.

"Hurry, humans! The building is about to collapse. Out, NOW!"

Those words violently burst out of my vocoder and, from the fierceness of it, instantly knocked the humans out of their paralyzed state. Most humans screamed as they ran out of the building and down the stairs, pushing others aside to get away from any harm. As I struggled to keep the building from caving in just yet, I felt a slight hit on my feet. I looked aside. A woman had fallen down, and as she looked up with those terror-filled eyes, she scurried away from me before finally running away.

There no was doubt that they misinterpreted my actions, judging me to be their enemy when I was only helping them. I couldn't linger on those thoughts, for every ounce of concentration was needed to keep this building steady. Their lives depended on me, whether they were aware of it or not.

Shrill screams of terror suddenly joined in on this chaotic incident when a Vehicon appeared from the corner of the street and released a barrage of lasers upon the fleeting humans. I steadied the pillar with my one arm and brought forth my Ion Blaster and aimed carefully. He hadn't detected me yet. Once he was still, I discharged my first round into his left leg. He stumbled backwards with a loud, pained yell, and now wary of my presence now, was ready to retaliate, a chance which I didn't give him. I repeatedly fired at him, watching him dodge until another bullet pierced through his armor near his spark chamber. The trooper crumpled and dropped to the ground. Moments later, I knew the extent of the damage of my gun when his chest exploded, engulfing him in a fiery, deathly embrace.

I averted my optics, unable to witness the sometimes cruel death of soldiers during war. The struggle of keeping the pillar standing kept me from drifting asunder and I noticed then the humans nearest to me staring at me once more, their facial features marked by amazement instead of disdain and terror.

I seized the opportunity as I caught their attention. "Do not waste anymore time and evacuate the area. Tell the others to move discreetly to the East, and I promise you that you'll find safety there. You have my word for it."

I was complacent with how well the civilians within hearing range followed my instructions and descended the broken stairs, alerting others to head East. Once I knew that human heat signatures had disappeared from the area, I leapt aside and rolled away to a safe distance. The pillars collapsed on each other and the frontal part of the building tilted forward, the brunt force shattering the stairs and some of the fragmented pillars bowling down to the streets. In a matter of nanoclicks, the courthouse was reduced to a pile of broken rocks.

As I rose to my feet, I realized that I had found myself near the destroyed Vehicon. I walked up to the burning carcass and stared at the magnitude of my damage. The fire which had died down scorched his chassis, and his chest had burst open, revealing the Energon that had oozed from his wounds and filled his empty, lifeless Spark chamber.

Many of my fellow allies have questioned me about my inexplicable sympathies to the enemy, who have killed more friends than I can count. What they seem to forget is that the fallen enemies fought for ideals – misguided, but often about acquiring satisfaction in their life. I have had several confessions from close ones who had lived in Kaon, some of which had momentarily joined the Decepticons before switching their allegiance. The residents of Kaon were considered to be of the lower castes, a guild that had been set up by the High Council throughout all of Cybertron. No other Cybertronian suffered as much as the Kaonians have, who were mostly labor workers thrown into harsh, unjust conditions. Their lives depended on that strife, and I can't blame them for being resentful, for having this twisted perception of the corrupted guild and wanting to take matters into their own hands. That is what gave rise to the nameless gladiator, later to be known as Megatronus. Kaonians and other Cybertronians witnessed the birthing of a powerful hero, inspiring them – inspiring me – to make a difference...

Alas, Megatron only knew how to make a difference through violence and war while I opted for peaceful negotiations.

With one last glance and a respectful nod to the fallen enemy, I quickly resumed my mission and transformed into what humans referred to as "the truck". I chased through every street, following the directions from the estimated coordinates of Starscream's crash site before I arrived at the designated place. The absence of seeker in the crater created by the impact caused me to be very alert for any movement, and so I moved diligently and cautiously with the Ion Blaster at my ready. It had begun to rain, but the smoke of debris and ashes still emanated from the streets. Death lingered; this area had been savagely destroyed, and it may have even been prior to Starscream's crash-landing.

I looked around me, taking in my surroundings, observing and inspecting the broken streets and the shattered homes. So much destruction... I always question myself the purpose of the Decepticons' warmongering. What is so versatile, so thrilling in seeing the agony of others? I almost hesitate to activate my organic life form scanners, but I finally give in.

46... That was the numbers of victims my sensors had picked up in this area alone. As I trod throughout the street, the death toll increasing in my scanners, I trembled at the sight of the many corpses cluttered on the street. Every once in a while, I stopped and briefly inspected the victims' cause of death. Time and time again, I needed to remind myself what horrific, volatile means the Decepticons used to execute anyone who crossed their paths, regardless of their size. My Spark pulsed and churned violently, grief coursing throughout every circuitry of my system as I found the most harmless and youngest of human children among the victims. I can only pray to Primus that their pain was momentary.

Watching the havoc and destruction wrought was like reliving the war in the past. Housings and relics of the Golden Age, destroyed in less than a nanoclick, empty shells of Cybertronians, my brethren, strewn on the shredded, rusty streets of our home planet. I've seen soldiers whose spirits were broken and violated by the atrocities of arduous skirmishes, friends who were brought to the brink of desperation and madness.

Those are only few of the horrors that I've witnessed on Cybertron, and yet I see them reemerging as shadows of the past on another planet, whose inhabitants endeavored to deal with their own share of worries and problems. They proved to be a strong, surviving race, but they could not have predicted the unexpected terror-strike that befell this city, nor find a counter-attack quick enough before innocent civilians paid the price.

Why must this war go on? Why do the Decepticons relish in the pain and destruction of others? Why must things be conquered violently and not negotiated peacefully? And how, by the All Spark, can any Cybertronian lack so much empathy?

All I know is that while this planet is not Cybertron, it is our home. Whether the humans choose to accept us or to reject us, we will defend them and their planet. Megatron and the likes of him will be – must be stopped, no matter the cost.

I cast my thoughts and emotions aside as I recalled how invaluable every cycle was in war. I heightened my senses, raising the volume of my audio receptors in the hopes of either locating Starscream, or having the chance, the miracle of saving a life in an already death-lingering area.

A quiet rattle caught my attention, accompanied by a faint cry. I hurried towards the source while answering an incoming transmission from Arcee, who informed me that they had taken out a large amount of the Decepticons while others had retreated. She was ready to pursue them if need be.

"Arcee, our priority now is to find survivors." I advised, "There are many who are harmed, but alive, and they will require our immediate assistance, whether they want it or not. We need to locate them, check their conditions and ensure their safety."

A short while after I had ended the transmission, I followed the noise into an alley. Two lifeforms were crouched in a corner. A blonde, young mother, clutching onto her own wailing infant of barely a year of age, attempted to crawl back, but found her foot stuck under some rubble. She was wounded, bleeding from the side of her head, and her face was covered with dirt, blood and horror.

As I reached out my servo to her, she began screaming.

"Remain calm, human. I am not here to harm you."

It was a poor attempt, as I reminded myself that humans saw us no different from any other Decepticon. Unwavering at her desperate plea, I grabbed for the chunk of debris and tossed it aside. Her scream had abated and ended when she felt her foot being freed.

"Can you walk?" I asked.

Her face was blank, eyes creased in disbelief. She stood up, staggering with her infant. I prodded my finger at her, catching her fall as she rested her arm on it. She looked at me and pushed herself up with her free arm.

"Y-Yeah, I... I can walk..." she whispered, her eyes never parting. Her child had stopped crying; what surprised me was that it laughed, its hands reaching out to me.

Though appreciative and smiling behind my battle mask, I nodded in relief. "Then you must listen carefully. The West section of this city is still under attack, so I cannot guarantee your safety if you remain here. Retreat to the East and stay out of sight. Do you understand?"

She nodded, her whole body trembling along with it. Though slightly injured, her face brightened to a warm smile. Contentment was an expression that was rarely seen in war, and it did soothe my Spark. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing ever came out. Eyes widened in horror, she lifted her shaking hand and pointed her finger at me.

Me? Or maybe-

As it dawned upon me, in alarm, I immediately spun around only to feel the impact of a missile exploding on my chest-plate, propelling me into the building to the right. The powerful blow to the chest as well as the hit against the wall left me momentarily dazed and in pain. I pulled myself up, hearing the clattering of shards from my broken windshields hit the ground. I grew aware of tremors that had brought the ground to quake, and I understood then that the building I had been projected into was about to collapse. I leapt to the woman and her child, scooped them up and scuttled out of the narrow alley in the opposite direction from where I had come from. I placed my servo on top of the other, shielding the humans in my palm as bricks and debris fell from the building and bounced off my plating and my armor.

It was with great, hasty effort that I rolled out of the alley, and after a series of subsequent, rumbling cracks followed, the building came down behind me. A strong gust of dust blew from the crumbled housing, multiple-sized rubble hitting the tips of my feet. The silence that ensued was short-lived as the clicks of footsteps grew louder. I lowered my servos, allowing the femme to jump off.

"Run." I urged, grunts following thereafter. The pain wasn't all too significant, but I needed a while to grow accustomed to it. The woman hesitated, her eyes displaying concern for someone unbeknownst to her.

I nodded my head, appreciating her hesitation. "I'll be fine. Just go."

I watched the mother run away with the child and rose to my feet once more, shifting my head in the direction of the assailant. If he truly believed that his sneak attack was going to be a hindrance, then he was sorely mistaken. I had already taken missiles with my bare servos in previous fights, and it will take more than some minor damage to the chest-plate to defeat me.

As expected, Starscream emerged from the thick cloud. "Your sympathy for those wretched worms has always been your greatest flaw, Optimus Prime!" he stated in a flat, mocking tone. He strode his way through the debris of the broken building, steadily cocking his weapon. "You may have rendered me flightless, but your vulnerability has just cost you the battle! Now, beg for mercy as I extinguish your Spark!"

"You're wrong, Starscream. It's your arrogance and overconfidence that just cost you the battle."

I picked up a chunk of debris that had rolled to my feet and chucked it towards the one-optic Decepticon, who dodged aside as per my intention. I sprinted and fired my weapon at him, clipping at his right wing before one of my shots hit him straight on the chest. He clumped and staggered backwards, and landing him a definitive punch on his face brought his entire body down to the ground. He tried to get up and run off as he usually did, but his plans to escape was thwarted as I instantly set my foot down on his chest. Being too weak, he could only squirm as my foot kept him down and immobile.

"You've brought this upon yourself, Starscream. You chose the path of destruction, and in the name of Cybertron and humanity, by destruction you will be undone."

I aimed my Ion Blaster at his head. His optic flared in desperation while a throaty screech escaped his mouth. "No! No, please! Have mercy on me!"

I charged my cannon, firm and determined to see this through. He and his soldiers had destroyed homes and houses, killed humans, some of who were unfortunate enough to be tortured before meeting their end. Even those as harmless as infants, children younger than Rafael, weren't given any of that mercy which Starscream was now pleading for.

He deserves to die.

My Spark pulsated as daunting feelings accompanied the beat. I retracted my cannon in response. "Killing you would be too easy." I conceded, my adamant voice maintained, "While Autobots and Decepticons will never mend their ways, we Autobots will never give into your ideals by finishing off already-defeated opponents."

His expression softened into a pleading, relieved smile... But there was a malicious glee tucked in the corner of his mouth. Suddenly, a throaty cackle escaped his mouth. On cue, the sound of a discharged cannon resounded the area. An agonized yell burst from my vocoder as a hit to my shoulder sent me sprawling, wheeling beyond control until I lay on my back.

"Predictable, Optimus!" Starscream sneered, staggering to his feet, "You throw away your chance to offline me all because you believe I was defenseless. Do you really think I would have confronted you without having my own back-up?"

The laughter of Starscream was forced and pained, but he reveled in his amusement as long as he believed to have the upper servo, a fact that I was going to prove him wrong. I sat up and groaned in anguish as immediate pain shot at my left shoulder. My arm hung by only a few cables and circuits, the damage of the discharge having melted through the armor. Lubricants flowed out of what would have been the intersection of my arm and shoulder, the entanglement and exposure of them all causing them to erupt in sparks. I wheezed and cringed; the searing pain was vivid, and while the damage rendered my arm limp and useless, it did not become a hindrance to my thoughts and vision.

My sensors detected a fluctuation in radiation, which explained the melted plating. As I stood up, legs wobbling, I watched a police-vehicle speed down the road and transform into another Decepticon.

"Meet my loyal second in command, Barricade." Starscream announced as his soldier walked up to him, "He's a great asset to the cause, an infiltrator capable of providing me with invaluable intel."

I forced myself to my knees, hearing the grunting laughter of the new second in command. "Huh, so that's how the Prime looks like now. Sure nice to see you again, Orion Pax."

Barricade... It had been more than Giga-cycles since I had last seen him. He was, after all, the one who welcomed when I went to meet Megatron for the first time in Kaon, long before the civil war had begun.

"Barricade... I see you've switched your allegiance to Starscream."

"Times change, Orion, and so do loyalties."

I cast away his unearthing of past events, clutching onto my arm. "Barricade, look around you. All this war has ever done is cause more grief and destruction than victory on either side, and it has cost us all Cybertron. All of this can be avoided if we choose to cast aside our differences and live a life of peace."

"That's something you never understood about us... You think we WANT to live in peace? Hah! We enjoy the war and the battles. Personally, I get quite a thrill when I kill, and it's more exhilarating to make a sport out of it."

I was revolted by his sick pleasure. "Your methods disgust me."

"You're the one to talk!" he spat back in anger, "I still remember the day you walked up to the doorsteps of Kaon, and I could hardly believe it when I heard the news that you, a weak, flimsy clerk, had become the next Prime. I'm still convinced you wouldn't have been able beat me back then, but..." He produced his gun. "As I've said, times change, and now I won't take my chances."

Anticipating his attack, I jumped aside as he missed his shot. "You are terribly mistaken if you believe that this wound will change anything." I responded as I returned fire, "I'm made of more sterner stuff."

The Seeker allowed himself to laugh in mockery as he displaced himself. "Ah yes, I don't doubt that... But no matter the outcome of this battle, in the end, I win."

There he was again, taunting me with the confusion he was creating, reminding me that his unknown plans were still in motion. The certainty imprinting his vocoder and his optic gleaming with conviction led to me worry about his true intentions. He mildly succeeded in placing me under stress.

What have I overlooked?

After a short moment of pondering silence, the grin on the Decepticon's faceplate indicated that he had read my mind. "You still haven't figured it out, have you? Well, I wouldn't be surprised. Large-scale assaults do tend to hide the true nature of smartly concocted schemes."

"You can't mean to tell me that this assault was a ruse to solely get your servos on Rachel?"

The Decepticon scoffed incredulously. "What? Don't be absurd! You think I lack that much ambition? Discovering that she was hiding in this little city was nothing more than dumb luck. While there's no denying that I wouldn't let such an opportunity fly by, plans come before vendettas, so I do have to stick to my schedule." He inspected the tips of his needle-pointed fingers. "Oh, but I'm still wondering what I should do with her when I find her. Should I immediately kill her as I have attempted before, or should I capture her and keep her as my human pet? I find the latter more intriguing... Imagine the countless possibilities one can do with a bag of flesh..."

There was no need to imagine how Decepticons treated their pets. The mass of corpses layered on the streets spoke out more truths about the enemy than mere words. A defenseless human such as Rachel would not withstand the horrors, the suffering and the tortures that the vile Decepticon would subject her to, no matter how long he planned on keeping her alive. It was his enjoyment, and I did not doubt him incapable of depraved means.

A Cybertronian instinct took over as my right arm produced my Energon Axe. "As long as Energon courses throughout every circuitry within my system, you will never get to her, Starscream. You will have to get through me first."

Barricade charged up his cannon as he cackled in a playful manner. "That's what I want to hear! Come on, Prime, I'm up for this little game! Show me what you've got!"

He came at me with his vibro-blade, an attack I countered with my Energon Axe. The other arm was no use, the control of it entirely disconnected and hanging limply at my side, but as long as I kept my will resolute, I would succeed. Barricade was strong, hammering his blade at my axe, bits of the friction grazing my face. I swung once, twice, three times from left to right and back again, then thrust the butt of my axe into his chest. He reeled backwards, but pounced back in immediate rage. He was slower, if not more weary than I remembered him to be. He was worn out, as if he had been implicated in a previous fight before battling me.

The flailing attack of his blade had become less of a challenge to dodge, and as the speed of his movements decelerated and the strength of the blades' impact decreased, I seized the moment and rammed my fist into his face. He was disoriented to many faults, unable to come around quick enough before I grabbed him by his shoulder, hauled him over me and slammed him back first to the ground. As he was down, I allowed myself the time to recuperate. The brusque movements I had made caused all the more agony of my nearly-detached arm to my body. Time was of the essence, for I knew that longer this battle dragged on, the more likely my defeat was.

I suddenly noticed from the corner of my optic that Starscream was behind me, and as the firing of a missile resounded, I sprung aside in time before the spot I was previously on detonated and burst into flames, sending shrapnel all around. I wound up on my knee, instinctively holding my arm which had become excruciatingly afflictive. I watched Starscream snicker as he aimed his missile-equipped arm at me.

"And so falls the Prime..."

An unexpected series of fire bursts fulminated before Starscream, forcing himself to dance and to back away. I was momentarily stunned; both Starscream and I turned our heads to the assailant, which was none other than the newly-designated second in command.

"Barricade, what is the meaning of this?!" the leader shrieked, restraining himself from showing panic.

"Orion Pax is mine, Starscream!" Barricade yelled back, "Stay out of this fight and let me enjoy it."

I discerned only then how much Barricade truly had changed. He had always been loyal to Megatron, but now he seemed to be loyal only when he wants to – needs to be. His defiance was remarkable for a soldier serving under a leader, and what's even more extraordinary was that very fact that he had demonstrated a few nanoclicks before.

Barricade is capable of offlining Starscream without any trouble... But if that's the case, then why does he play the loyal soldier?

What are his actual motives?

I surmounted the ache and pulled out my Ion Blaster, ready to resume the fight. On my feet, I took a few steps when I stopped in my tracks. On the spur of a moment, a high-pitched, anguished cry pierced through my concentration and drew me away from the battle. Startled, I twisted my head towards the back with widened optics.

"Rachel."

Although faint, her voice was distinct and recognizable, and it led me to worry about her whereabouts. She was located nearby, but why was she still here in the city? What was Prowl doing?

Movements in the background sucked me back into the heat of battle, and I evaded Barricade's surprise attack and caught him off guard as I grabbed hold of his arm. "You underestimate me, Barricade." I tugged his arm strongly and as he lurched towards me, I swung a few powerful kicks across his face and kneed him in the abdomen. I brought forth my Energon Axe and took a swing, but he flipped backwards, far enough to be out of my reach. I transformed my servo back into the Ion Blaster and fired as much as I could. With every passing moment, I feared for the worst for Rachel, for Michelangelo and for Prowl. This battle had to end now.

In the middle of our battle, as I vaulted aside to avoid the pellet of his Super Blaster, a portal had suddenly appeared behind Starscream. The Decepticon leader did not hide his anticipation or his great sense of relief. "Barricade, it's time. Let's move!"

I lowered my weapon. Barricade, his faceplate dented and leaking lubricants, hissed. "Wait! I ain't done with you-"

"Don't be a fool, Barricade! I order you to move out, or I'll leave you behind to deal with Optimus and his lackeys on your own!"

The second in command growled furiously and pounded his fist against the wall of a building. "This ain't over, Pax. You can bet your Spark that we'll fight again. Count on it!"

The Decepticon transformed and darted after his master into the ground bridge. There was no point chasing after them, not when I wasn't certain about the humans and Prowl. Sensing a foreboding dread, I turned my back on the escaping Decepticons and attempted to establish contact with Prowl when another voice broke into the communication.

"Prime, do you read?"

"Loud and clear, Ratchet." I replied, "What's the situation?"

"Optimus... I... I don't know where to begin..."

I halted, digesting in shock the grave news. Desperation and denial overwhelmed my senses, and I found myself running, listening to the words uttered by my old, trustworthy friend, suppressing the pain in my arm that had rendered me unable to transform. The precipitation was now accompanied by rolling thunder, the booming sound rumbling in the skies. The ground, wet, had become slippery enough to trip and fall or to cascade through the streets.

I arrived at the location directed to me by Ratchet. It was with a daunting horror that I discovered the realization of my dread.

The skies showed no mercy as the clouds emptied their tears on all of us. The pounding footsteps made me tilt my head to the end of the street, with Optimus Prime rushing his way onto the scene in protoform. As he drew nearer, I found myself baffled by his physical condition. The joint between his arm and his shoulder was completely destroyed, connected by only a few cables and leaking lubricants and Energon. His chest displayed the scorched marks of a missile that had impacted there, having broken the windshields as a result. He had dealt with both Starscream and Barricade; the sudden spike in radiation confirmed it. Despite his wounds, he seemed to be holding on his own. I only wished I could show greater concern, but I couldn't. I lacked the strength to do anything else but utter a single word.

"Prime..."

He trod with hesitant steps towards me. Our optics met, but I looked away in shame, focusing instead on the ground. In my vision I see Rachel who, in all her grief, held a bloodied Michelangelo in her arms. Her face displayed so much anguish, tattered by her tears and by his own blood as she held him close, her head resting on his.

My servos tremble as they hang loose at my sides. I ran calculations through my motherboard while reflecting the course of the mission. This boy was mine to protect. I was his guardian, and thus responsible for his safety. That was my mission, which was far more important than initiating and taking part in the counter-attack of the Decepticon assault. But what did I do? I neglected and misplaced all of my priorities; against Prime's direct orders, instead of escorting the humans to safety, I focused on the mission of eliminating the Decepticons and left Michelangelo and Rachel to run on their own and to find their own way back.

How could I, the team's tactical strategist, have not foreseen the countless possibilities of hazard to their safety during this full-scale assault? How could I not have foreseen this?

Rachel's sobs and laments bring my whole chassis to shudder, the boom of thunder resounding up above us. These agonized cries heard in battle reminded us of the precious things we fight for and what we risk of losing as a collateral damage. I should have gotten used to experiencing this, but even with time... It's impossible.

We Cybertronians had waged war against each other for eons, but this planet called Earth is far different than Cybertron. Humanity is a young race full of faults, naive most of the time, but innocent nonetheless, enforcing us all the more to protect them...

… To ensure that the events that occurred on Cybertron would never replicate here on Earth.

I can't bring myself to say the truth out loud, but my processors keep reminding me of the cold and hard facts. And as a military strategist, I must acknowledge them and take them into account, even if they are accompanied by burdening, irreversible, agonizing mistakes.

I log into Teletraan 1's database via comlink and demand the files pertaining to the list of members and allies of Team Prime. The data displayed on my visor, I access the list of names that have been recently registered and select the most recent entry.

As I watch the rain fully drench the wailing girl and the silent boy, I tremble even more and heave out a hesitant, heavy sigh.

I update the latest entry.

Michelangelo Sullivan, age 19: deceased.

Hope you liked it. I'm a sap for tragedy... But hey, makes the story all the more memorable! Read and review, people! Constructive criticism is very much welcomed!