Hi again people!

Okay so this part... idk, I'm hoping it's not to OCish... I really tried hard to keep Optimus the way he is in TFP so PLEASE forgive me if you feel I wrote him out of his character... I do my best to envision what I know of how Optimus speaks and acts in the show, and put these facts to my story as if it too is an episode, but sometimes with circumstances I haven't seen in the show, it's hard to guess how Optimus behaves. Anyway... let me know what you think!

Starry Surprise

pt11

Elita One was glad they didn't have GRID monitors on earth like they did on Cybertron. Otherwise, Ratchet would have been able to plug into the GRID feed for the right coordinates and they would have all gotten to sit and watch the fight take place on one of the "tv" screens, (as the children called it). It was much easier NOT to see what was going on with Optimus and his troops and simply hope that things were going well, compared to seeing everything as it happened and wishing every second of the fight that she was right there with her Prime, fighting those Cons and whatever threat they presented. Elita One was born of the Alspark not of any violent nature, but the courage to do and fight for what was right had nurtured that harder, courser part inside of her, making her into the perfectly balanced soldier. She could fight hard and with determination, but without malice, prepared to act in compassion and mercy when she felt it necessary. Now, she stood, unaware of how the battle was going on and still completely unsettled. All she could do was stand stiff in her same position and try to focus on the occasional question Mikko or Jack asked her. They were odd questions, ones which she couldn't figure out why they were important, but she answered them to the best of her ability all the same.

"How long have you been fighting for the Autobots?" Raf asked politely.

"A very long time, since the very beginning of the war," she responded.

"What did you do before that?" Jack inquired.

"I was a librarian in the great hall of records. That is how I knew Optimus Prime, long before he became Prime, back when he was called Orion Pax," Elita explained smiling slightly at the old memories that rose to her mind when she thought back.

"You must be one kick butt librarian then," Mikko snorted. Elita One wasn't positive how to respond to that comment but luckily she didn't have to. Jack asked another question.

"We overheard Optimus talking about how you have a spark power... What kind of spark power do you have?" Jack inquired. For a moment, Elita One wondered if this was information she should so readily give up to the humans. Could she trust them? She knew Optimus Prime did but her spark power was supposed to be classified information. Then again... if Optimus had even said anything as far as her having a spark power, he must have trusted them...

"I can halt time, for a short period," Elita One answered after a brief silence of contemplation.

"What?" Mikko looked flabbergasted.

"Wow..." Raf's eyes glazed over as his mind seemed to tick with all the possibilities having such a power could give a person.

"That's amazing," Jack stated, looking still shocked himself, "That must have come in handy quite a few times," he noted.

"It has, though I make a point not to use it often. It drains much of my spark energy and puts me into instant recharge for several mega cycles after use," she stated.

Flashback...

There had once been a time, she recalled, when she and Optimus had been fighting in Iacon side by side. She had been fighting for what had felt like terracycles and in between a moment of respite she'd caught glimpse of a Decepticon flier soaring above. He had sent a missile directly towards Optimus from above. At the time, Optimus had been locked in a fierce sword fight with another brute sized Con had didn't even see it coming. Elita One tracked the missile through the sky and noted itss speed and size. She decided then and there that she would not risk the Prime's life and triggered her spark power instantly. Time had slowed to a blur around her, everything stopped, the chaos of the bots falling in death the the ones slicing in victory, everything was at a stand still. Like statues, Elita One perceived all those in trouble and grieved that she did not have the time to rescue every one. But Optimus needed to be saved and so she rushed forward, and grabbed a hold of the mech as best she could, pulling him away and out of the directory of the missile aimed his way, hoping to finish moving him in time. Then, time began again, and as quickly as it had stopped every bot was moving once more, unaware anything had happened, except of course, for Optimus and Elita One. Optimus had blinked and suddenly he was not in a sword lock with any mech but on the floor, a ways away from his last position. He turned hi head, and saw Elita One, on the floor beside him, looking drained and tired.

"Elita?" she remembered him saying her name in dreadful concern.

But before he could work out what had happened the missile from the sky shattered into the ground where Optimus had been but a moment before, sending splinters of cybertronian ground flying everywhere, the mech he'd been fighting blowing up along with it. Optimus blinked, his cycles working fast to exhale pent up air. Then he remembered.

"Elita!"

She had used her spark power! He turned to look at her once again and saw just in time as she began to black out, her systems falling into recharge. All Elita had last remembered of the incident was hearing Optimus shout her name, but she'd been told what had happened afterwards...

With Elita having fallen to the ground, optics closed, systems in lock down, Optimus had known he couldn't leave her out here in the middle of the battlefield like this. The Autobots were in the process of pushing the Decepticons back and so right now was as good as time as any to relocate her till the end of the battle. Optimus Prime had scooped her up quickly, carried her through the battle dodging various dangers, and even slicing into enemy bots with a free arm when he could use it. Finally he found a fallen pillar of the nearest building and deemed it fitting to shelter her beside. She was out of sight and out of harms way. So he set her down gently and went back into the fray. Only after he and his soldiers had successfully fought off the Decepticons, had he returned to her. Jazz had acquainted Elita with all these details, (for Jazz had been with the Prime most of the time and had seen almost everything) saying the look on Prime's face when staring down at her in recharge had been spark throbbing. Jazz had never seen a mech's face painted with so much gratitude ever before.

When Elita One had come to consciousness several mega-cycles later, she had found herself in an Autobot medic station, lying on a berth with other mechs being treated by doctors around her. Jazz was waiting by her bedside, and had perked up the moment she'd opened her eyes.

"Whew... I was startin' ta think ya'd never wake," he said, standing up and coming closer. Elita One blinked in confusion, momentarily forgetting what had happened, but it came back to her soon enough.

"Where is Optimus?" she asked, wanting to know for sure he was alright.

"He's back at the Autobot Command Quarters. He asked me to stay and alert him when ya woke up," Jazz explained, then blinked, "which... I'm gonna do now.." he said with a guilty grin, almost having forgotten. He turned away a second to send a message to the Prime. When he turned back around, it was then that he told the entire story of all that had happened since she'd blacked out. Elita One could still remember her emotions, and how they'd swelled within her spark upon hearing how Optimus had in turn saved her life. Jazz had just finished, the story wrapping around to the present when the sound of the medical ward doors 'shunked' open. Elita's smile grew wider as Optimus Prime neared her berth. His optics shimmered with relief. Jazz could tell right away when he wasn't wanted anymore so he quickly saluted the Prime, informing him that he would now be leaving back to the barracks. Optimus had conceded and as soon as Jazz had left, Optimus went to his knee near the berth, as he was definitely a large mech, and took her hand in both of his.

"How are you?" he asked.

"Just a little tired..." Elita One admitted, "Nothing I won't recover from," she promised him.

"There are not words I can use to communicate to you how grateful... how honored, I am... that you would use your spark power to save me," he stated.

"You are the Prime, of course I would save you. You mean everything to the Autobot cause and to your troops, myself included," Elita responded softly. Optimus hesitated to respond, his mouth open but he did not speak, looking frozen in uncertainty for how to reply. Elita One didn't need him to.

"Will you aid me to stand?" Elita One inquired. Optimus nodded right away and stood to his own two peds before offering her his pair of strong, yet gentle hands. One he placed on her back, the other she gripped with her own hand, and slowly she stood. Elita resisted the dizziness that came to her processor upon having been lying down so long and forced herself to pause a moment before feeling steady once more.

"Thank you," she said. Optimus had squeezed her hand a little tighter.

"You are most welcome,"

To the Present...

Elita brought herself back up out of these fond memories to look over at the children who had asked her something which she had not fully heard.

"I'm sorry, do you mind repeating what you said?" she inquired politely.

"Do you think the Decepticons will still be hunting you?" Jack repeated in curiosity.

"Most certainly, which is why Optimus has made it clear to me that I should stay inside the base, away from discovery until something else can be arranged," Elita responded.

"That's like imprisonment!" Mikko pointed out. For some reason Elita One felt a twinge of sharp displeasure. How could Mikko suggest Optimus was imprisoning her? Did she know nothing of the Prime's character? She must not, for Elita had known him long enough to be perfectly assured that Optimus would always do what was best.

"Call it what you like, but I will follow the Prime's instruction till the end of my days," Elita professed with certainty. Jack smiled, impressed with Elita One's unshakeable loyalty towards the Autobot commander. He briefly wondered if there was in fact any feelings that went even deeper than that between the two. Mikko on the other hand just looked away a bit awkwardly, thinking she wouldn't mind taking back her last set of words. She tried to redeem herself.

"I just meant... you may get really bored pretty fast... But don't worry!" Mikko said with more enthusiasm, "We'll show you everything we humans use to entertain ourselves!" she offered. Elita One smiled.

"I look forward to it," she conceded kindly. That was when Optimus Prime's voice rang from the comm-system within the base computers.

"Mission accomplished Ratchet, requesting ground bridge," he stated. Elita One felt warmth swell inside her chassis, glad to know all was well and excited that she would be in Optimus Prime's presence soon...

Downtown...

"I can't believe they ran so easily, and without any sign of an ulterior motive... " Arcee stated thoughtfully. The four Autobots stood now in the wilderness not far off from the town, where they had finished their fight with the two Cons. It hadn't been that long after their arrival, that Knock Out and Bulkhead had high tailed it at full throttle.

"Yeah it was kind of odd, they just seemed to be attacking things for no reason. Not as planned out or strategic as the last set of times we've come up against them," Bulkhead added. Bumblebee made a series of chirps and Bulkhead chuckled.

"Your right Bee, it is Starscream who is in charge now. Maybe we shouldn't be surprised," Bulkhead shrugged.

"I still don't like this," Arcee huffed, hands on hips.

"It is probable that Starscream is planning something much darker than it appears. We shall remain vigilant and watchful. Perhaps a specific pattern in his actions will soon lead to the discovery of his true intentions," Optimus interjected wisely. The sound of the ground bridge swirling into life, ignited behind the troops and they all began to turn towards it. That was when a sudden green and black muscle car revved out from behind the nearest alley way at full capacity towards the ground bridge. Optimus panicked. He knew that paint job and he knew those spikes! Optimus shouted quickly into his com-link, panic surging through his system.

"Ratchet shut down the ground bridge! I repeat shut it down!" he commanded in desperation as he transformed his gun from his arm and began firing towards the green and black car. Lockdown was heading strait for the blue swirls and Optimus fired off rapid shots in succession, Arcee and Bumblebee following his lead as they all began to charge forward in attempt to intercede the bounty hunter. The ground bridge began to circle faster, the transwarp hole becoming smaller while the loudness of energy circling away began to fill their audios. The gun blasts pelted into the dirt around Lockdown but he swerved, just narrowly escaping the shots. Optimus ran as fast as he could, but even as he ran, dread gripped his spark. Lockdown was going too fast! They weren't going to get there in time! And then, right as the Autobots were coming near enough to intercept the hunter, Lockdown zoomed right past and strait into the swirling blue vortex. It closed and soon Optimus was looking at empty air.

"NO!" the Prime shouted in anger and frustration. Fear swelled within him, pulling his spark into the pits of his stomach.

"Ratchet!" he shouted worriedly into his com-link, "We have a breach!"

TO BE CONTINUED...

AHH! What now!? OMG, Lockdown in the base! Lockdown in the base! Next part will be up tomorrow! Oh and by the way, did you think I did Optimus okay? Thoughts people! I want your thoughts!

-Stokin D Embers