And we get our first episode tie in chapter! Obviously I don't own that stuff. :(
Hope you enjoy this one!

Chapter 6

It was not until the next day that the medical bay was filled once again with visitors to see the latest Autobot arrival to Earth. Everyone had been informed of Violetwind's memory loss and instructed not to ask questions regarding her past so as to not distress her. With this in mind, Miko, Jack, Raf and their Autobot partners were recounting tales of some of their missions on Earth.

"So there I was with two bots who were stuck to each other and I couldn't even use my phone to take a picture of it!" Miko yelled in exasperation

"I'm glad you didn't. I don't need any more reminders about when I was the eyes on Bulkhead's back," Arcee sent the girl an unamused glare, her arms folded.

The yellow scout whirred and beeped, something akin to a chuckle, Raf joining in as well. "I agree Bee, it would have been pretty funny."

Nods and chuckles went around as they pictured Arcee dangling from Bulkhead's back.

"Only cause it wasn't you anchored to somebody," snapped the blue femme, light-heartedly.

"Hey, we beat the 'Cons and got the polarising gauntlet," interrupted the green mech, "so it turned out alright in the end. Even if it was a bit 'sticky,' during it." He chuckled lightly.

Arcee shot him a slight glare while the rest of them laughed.

A voice interrupted the group's fun. "You guys having a party without me? I thought you knew that a party doesn't really start until I arrive!" It was Smokescreen, grinning away as he entered.

"Smokey!" Miko greeted.

"Hey, Smokescreen. I guess we were just keeping the place warm for you then," Jack spoke to the newcomer, the twinkle of a smirk in his eyes.

"Come on and join us, Smoke," welcomed the girl.

The mech grinned, "Don't mind if I do." Looking over at Violetwind he asked, "How're you doing, Violet?"

"I'm feeling much better, thanks," she replied. Glancing around at her the Autobots and humans she smiled, "The surroundings are much nicer here. Company is much more friendly too."

The voiceless scout chirped happily at the compliment, "Good to know we aren't like the 'Con's."

"Yeah, I like to think I'm good to look at too," jested the cocky rookie.

While everyone else chuckled, Arcee started to chide the mech, "Smokescreen-"

He broke her off, "When you've got it you've got it."

The blue femme groaned, but Violetwind was giggling, finding the bots interactions amusing.

I wish everyone was as welcoming as these guys.

Have we come across those that weren't? Violetwind questioned her inner voice.

Yeah.

Was it bad?

It could've been worse but we made it through...

Before there was any time to continue with their antics (or Violetwind her inner conversation) they were interrupted by Optimus Prime. "Autobots, I require you to divide into teams."

"I'm team one! Whose with me?" Smokescreen jumped in quickly. Even after rescuing Violetwind he was still eager to prove his worth to the team.

"I'll go," Arcee spoke up next, already heading out to the ground bridge.

"Bye everyone," Smokescreen waved, "I'll be back before you know it with the relic." Catching up to the two wheeler he stayed behind a little, allowing her to go in first. "After you, sir. Err, ma'am?"

The femme just groaned lightly with a roll of her optics as they stepped into the vortex.

The remaining Autobots went back to chatting. Bumblebee chattered away in trills and whirs with Raf translating for Jack and Miko, and also Violetwind. She was a little slow to translate what he was saying in her head but was quickly learning. While they talked on, the purple femme wondered what they were going after. There was something going on she did not know about. Something that seemed to hold particular importance for their group.

...

When the two Autobots rolled out of the ground bridge they were on high alert, drawing out their weapons, holding their guns charged and at the ready.

Looking about Smokescreen checked for the presence of Decepticons but there was nothing to indicate they were there. "First ones here."

"And no locater beacon, which means the relic's still buried." Arcee looked down at the scanner in her hand, consulting the screen, "Right about... there," she nodded in the direction of some ancient pyramids.

Together they headed towards it, keeping alert and walking in silence. That was until the mech did the inevitable and broke it, asking casually "So what do you think of the new femme?"

"She'll be a great help to us if she can fight like Prime said she used to," replied Arcee. She turned to give him a hard look, "But you know you acted recklessly trying to rescue her on your own. You could have gotten yourself killed and we would have had no idea of her existence on Earth. Team Prime can't afford any casualties. I've already lost two seasoned partners. I don't need to add a rookie on my scorecard."

"Yeah. I know that," he lamented as they walked. Putting a hand to his chest he promised, "And not gonna happen. Elite guardsman's honour." A short moment passed before realisation hit the mech about her last words. "Wait, you lost two partners?"

The blue femme smirked, wondering if this made him worried at all but she did not look back to check his face.

They entered the human ruins, the tunnel just too small for Smokescreen to stand up in. He had to bend forward, ducking his head so it did not scrape on the roof. "Nice of the humans to pile all of these rocks on top of our relic, huh?" he joked dryly, his voice the only thing in the quiet other than their footsteps.

Walking along, Arcee guided them closer to the Omega Key with the scanner. Before long they came across some pictures etched in the stone wall; it was of some humans and an object they clearly revered. They had found their ancient cybertronian artefact.

"Well, that spells things out doesn't it?" Smokescreen grinned.

The femme did not respond to him, instead nodding to the large stone. "Come on, help me move this."

Working together they heaved out the stone to find that which they were searching for; the first of the Omega Keys. The pair grinned at one another. Team Prime was on its way to restoring Cybertron. Once they had all four, their home planet would be able to support life again.

Smokescreen picked it up and they started making their way back out. "The ancient humans must have thought that the Omega Key was a gift from the gods," he smiled in amusement.

Nodding with a wry grin, the blue femme added, "And in a sense, they weren't wrong."

Stepping out of the ruins they were ready to bridge back to base when they were confronted with an unexpected sight in the waning light. Waiting for them was the Decepticon leader.

"The relic. Now," demanded Megatron.

The rookie took a stance that was ready for battle. "Two against one. We can take him," the mech said confidently.

Grinning maliciously the Decepticon drew a long purple glowing sword from his back. The two Autobots looked upon it, their optics wide with both awe and horror. I glowed like it was made of dark energon.

"Ratchet! Ground bridge, now!" Arcee yelled into her comm link, realising the power in Megatron's new weapon.

Showing off said power, the silver mech swung the blade through the air releasing a purple wave of energy which hit both the bots. Knocked back and tumbling through the air, the Omega Key flew from Smokescreen's grasp.

Rolling to a stop, he groaned. Shaking his head he quickly got to his pedes. Once upright he drew his weapons, firing upon their enemy as he ran towards the Decepticon.

Arcee was a little slower to recover from the hit but she too quickly sat up adding her shots at Megatron.

None of their blasts actually reached him though; each one deflected with a single flick of his new blade. Megatron grinned; he liked his new weapon. The white mech was approaching fast but he was not worried. Slicing through the air the Decepticon sent another energy wave at Smokescreen before the mech got too close. Unable to avoid it, the Autobot was sent flying.

Arcee could only watch in shock as he slammed into the side of a pyramid, a cloud of dust created upon his impact. "Smokescreen!" she shouted her optics filled with disbelief. The tightness she felt in her chest was about ready to consume her. She was unable to fully comprehend that she had just witnessed the death of the rookie but when the dust settled nothing of the former Autobot remained.

The femme slowly stood, her head hanging in sorrow, hardly paying attention as Megatron picked up the key.

"What manner of treasure did Iacon send us this time?" his gravelly voice asked approaching the female Autobot. Using the tip of his sword Megatron lifted her chin so that she was looking up at him. "I would slice you in two right now but I need you to deliver a message. Tell Optimus Prime that if he wants this relic, he must come and claim it himself. And make sure he brings with him that which belongs to me. I would like back what that young Autobot stole. We had her first and will have her again. Knock Out would like her 'advice' in some things."

Dropping his sword from her, the mech threw the relic into the ground, where it stuck like a spear. Slowly Arcee plodded off, calling for a ground bridge and stepping inside.

Walking alone back into the base, she tried to think of a way to tell the others about Smokescreen but nothing came to mind. All she could do was look up into the expectant faces of the Autobots – their humans having been taken home. The grief in her optics told her all they needed to know. No one uttered a word, knowing that the mech would not be walking through the bridge.

Optimus dropped his head, letting out a deep groan of sorrow for the loss of the young bot. Ratchet was the next to move, making his way over to Arcee wanting to check her over for injuries.

Suddenly a chipper voice broke the silence. "I heard the ground bridge and thought I'd come out and see if the mission was a success." It was Violetwind, having taken it upon herself to get off her berth and find her way into the main hub.

Everyone turned to looked at her; her bright smile faded upon seeing their sombre faces. Noticing that a certain someone was missing she tried to ask but her voice cracked when she did, "Smokescreen?"

Nobody said a word but then again they did not have to. A pain shot through her chest like someone had kicked her with all of their might. Smokescreen was gone...

The femme's legs buckled, dropping her to the floor. The Autobots all rushed over, Bumblebee and Bulkhead supporting her as they helped her back to her pedes.

"You shouldn't be out and about yet anyway," scolded Ratchet, albeit half-heartedly.

Ratchet can go frag himself the voice suddenly grumbled, sounding very irritable.

Neither Ratchet's nor the voice's words mattered to her though. All Violetwind's mind could think of right then was one thing, everything else was lost on her. "He's... he's gone..."