The Human Prime

Chapter 4: United We Stand

Sam peered over the computers she would never be able to afford. The previous day, Artemis was acting rather anxious. She poured over her unfinished upgrades in a scramble to get them finished. Luckily, Artemis was one of those types that didn't make mistakes if she increased the pace. Though this morning, she insisted that Sam go out and entertain herself for a couple hours.

This wasn't new. Sometimes, Artemis would tell her to go out just so she could get a significant amount of work done, but today seemed different. Even Sam, who barely knew anything about the situation they were in, knew that this had something to do with the con-nappers. If Artemis really wanted her gone, it was for her protection.

Though it plagued her mind, there was nothing she could do. She forgot to memorize the Darby's address, she had no clue on how to start looking for the Autobots and, even if the opponents weren't skyscraper sized robots, she wasn't a very good fighter.

As she thought about what she would do, she heard her stomach begin to growl. Sam made a beeline to K.O. Burger where she could get something good to eat. That's when she saw the familiar blue bike and the tall teen boy who rode it.

"Jack! Oh god, JACK!" Sam ran as fast as she could over to him before he entered the building. Jack looked oddly enough surprised and glad to see her.

"Samantha! W-where have you been? We've been looking for you and Artemis all over the place." He founded almost angry, but at the same time realized.

"We went home, but I'm scared Jack. Artemis told me that it would be best for me to stay away from our home today. I think she's expecting a Decepticon attack to retrieve her. Jack, you gotta help!" Sam didn't even realize that tears were starting to form. She might have been exaggerating a little, but apparently, in her head she genuinely though that Artemis was going to get hurt.

"Arcee to base." Sam was startled by the found of the bike, but remembered that it was Arcee and calmed down. "I got Sam here with me, but she says she thinks Artemis is in trouble." Jack and Sam waited for a response from whoever was at base.

"Understood Arcee; Knowing this, we have not time to lose. Begin pursuit of the girl, we will rendezvous with you there." Optimus responded through the com-link.

"You heard Optimus, get on and take me to where Artemis is." Sam nodded and got on the motorcycle. Jack sheepishly voted to stay behind; as luck would have it he had a shift to do.

Airplane Hanger

Artemis screwed in the last screw that held the gauntlet's blaster in place. She had to admit, not only did the engineering part of the project surpass her expectations, it looked pretty damn cool.

In honor of this being her final attempt on the armor, she realized that this would be the outfit that she'd someday have a showdown with her sister in; maybe even Megatron too. So, to show sign of respect and in hopes it would give her strength and wisdom to fight, she engraved symbols that stood for Autobots that had perished during the war. At least, all the ones she knew of presently. Memories come in slowly and who knows if one would bring in a new ally to add to the deceased list.

She took out the black spandex suit she would wear underneath all of the madness. She cringed, but still began slipping it on. Artemis then took out layer upon layer of important yet light clothing, most in which were designed to stop bullets and be 'fire proof.' When she was done putting on the material type clothing, she looked in the mirror.

Artemis let out a single puff of laughter. She was beginning to look like an army ranger without the bulky bullet proof jackets and vests. One of her favorite pieces was the black face mask that was curled up against her neck for safe keeping. When debris starts to fly, she knew she'd thank having that to keep dirt out of her mouth.

She took out the metal pieces next. First, Artemis put on metal boots. They were lighter than she thought as she slipped them on and shifted weight in them effortlessly. The small blinking red light meant that neither boot was connected which was expected. She silently smiled at what she'd put in the boots. Not only were they lighter than most running shoes, but they also had a magnetism setting and pressured air launch for when you needed an extra boost in your jump (not that she needed it, thanks to the shard she could jump pretty high). All thanks to Primus' excellent teachings.

Finally she used the pressured lock to secure them onto her legs. There were five that led all the way up the boot from the side. The boots themselves were just below her knee. They kind of reminded her of complex ski boots. Artemis took her gauntlets and slipped them on next. The joints were much better than her old ones and the finger tips weren't pointy, which made it much easier to work in. She traced one metallic finger over the symbols on the opposite gauntlet. Lastly, she strapped them on securely too.

The only thing she could not even start was the torso armor. Unfortunately, she had no more metal to begin forging the shell. Instead, she took out a small red sheet and wrapped it over her shoulders like a shawl and bobby pinned it closed.

"That'll do." Artemis nodded at her reflection in the mirror and took the final piece in her hand. It was a visor that went over her eyes. Due to the lack of metal, she couldn't make a helmet to protect her head. Though, at least she had the equipment most important to it. Communications link, visual display, and zooming features packed into one little piece of equipment. Also, it linked all of the other pieces of armor together so that she could activate each feature with either voice command or by her brain.

Fully armored, Artemis had to do a double take in the mirror. She looked almost like a Transformer herself. Her admiring of her new look was interrupted by booming footsteps outside.

"They're finally here." Artemis raised her face mask up over her nose and switched on her visor. "Come get me Decepticons." The sound of her guns cocking echoed in the hanger as she headed towards the back exit. "I'm ready."

Canyon

Optimus finally caught up with Arcee, Bumblebee and Bulkhead following behind him. He could hear the sound of blaster fire ricochet off the canyon walls. They were close and Artemis was in danger. He went into over drive and as he turned the corner with a skid, he saw a stray Decepticon from the others turn and look at them.

Usually, he wouldn't strike down a defenseless Decepticon scout, but with a human child in danger he had no choice. Optimus transformed and immediately drew out his pistols. The others followed his lead and before he knew it, the scout was motionless against the canyon wall. His warriors continued in front of him, checking direction the scout was headed in.

However, when he finally got a view of what his Autobots saw, he was shocked. Decepticon corpses lay on the ground. Only a few stragglers were left, which when they saw them turn the corner, they too made themselves scarce. Sam came out from behind Arcee and began running into the mesh of Cybertronian bodies.

"Artemis! Artemis!" Sam ran over the large mechanical parts until she got to Artemis, who was standing at the end of the war zone. Artemis turned towards her friend and wrapped her arms around her as she jumped into her. "I thought you were going to die!"

"Stop being so melodramatic, I'm fine. I'm fine." She smiled at her then looked over at the Autobots who were examining the wreckage. A few Decepticons were unfinished and clung to the Autobots, trying to do as much damage as they could, but all were put out of their misery.

Artemis POV

My arm hurt. It wasn't damaged or bleeding, but it hurt. It was my left arm. My arm in which held the sacred Cybertronian relic deep within its muscle tissue. It stung and ached up to my shoulder. Sam touched my cheek and I winced from shock.

"What?" I watched her draw her hand back and show me. There was a tint of red on her fingers which suggested I got a cut on my cheek.

"I'm running out of band aids." Sam scowled at me which was an attempt to make me seem more like the child, but I only shook my head at her in amusement. I followed Sam back into the hanger, but paused when I noticed Optimus staring at me.

"Um, you're welcome to come inside." I gestured toward the hanger. The other Autobots headed towards it, welcoming the opportunity to get out of the sun. Optimus only nodded and waited till I headed inside to join his Autobots.

I pulled off my mask and breathed in cold air. Sam immediately was on me with band aids and bandages. She began sticking them on the one cut on my face which was minor from a stone that simply jumped up at me in the midst of gun fire. When I sat down in my chair that was in front of my desk, Sam had already stamped the cut with three band aids.

To my surprise, I couldn't get my eyes off of Optimus' figure. Every time I tried looking at one of the others, my eyes drifted back to him. It wasn't long before he began to sense my stare and looked at me, in which I ducked my head down to my arm, examining one of my first 'battle scars.'

Optimus POV

I looked down at the human girl in whom we had an interesting track record of finding her cut, bruised, or burned. I could sense her staring at me even since I entered the hanger in which was thankfully large enough for me to stand up in. I couldn't help but realize that she had quite a fascination with me, though if everything was true from what Sam had told us, I could imagine why.

I began to examine her as she had me. The armor she was wearing looked similar to the Autobots' weaponry. The symbols that were etched into its metal reminded me of names of past Autobots, one in particular that had a tail that tied around a gate like a lock; Tailgate, how clever. My optics drifted to a mark on her face which almost made me gasp.

I realized that she had been touched by the ancients. Even more surprising, she looked as if she had been touched by Primus himself. It was then that I remembered she wanted to speak with me. Perhaps those markings, her knowledge, were the contents of that long talk we would soon have.

Looking throughout the rest of the hanger, I saw notes and books on technology and advanced robotics. Something a bit complicated for a child like herself despite being legally considered an adult. Obviously she was bright, but even so. When Bulkhead tipped an old plane that was occupying a small space in the back of the hanger, I took it as a signal to speak up.

"You have been living here for a long time?" I looked down at Artemis who was trying to focus on her arm.

"We've been living here for maybe five years by now. It's not the best home in the world, but it's better than living on the streets." Artemis responded with minor humor in her voice, but then looked up at me with all seriousness.

"I say, with the utmost concern for your safety, that, if you do not have parental guardians to look out for you, it would be for the best that you would return with us to live in our base so that we can guarantee your safe from Decepticon reach." I got on one knee and supported the rest of my weight on the knuckles of my left servo.

"While you do not quite understand that being able to completely keep me safe from Decepticon harm is virtually impossible." With such a sophisticated answer, I couldn't help but feel a bit of respect for her. "I think you are right. It's not safe here while the Decepticons know exactly where to locate me."

"So, we're moving in with the Autobots!" Sam stopped fiddling with the pens and papers on the desk and smiled at Artemis. I could see that she was more than excited.

"If the Autobots wouldn't mind a few house guests." I stared at Artemis; her expression looked content yet hidden behind her eyes was a glint of concern and confusion.

"I'm not sure Ratchet would be too happy with it, but he's not really a people person to begin with." Arcee smiled and looked at Bumblebee who let out a buzzing bout of laughter.

Autobot Base

Artemis opened the door to the large truck, watching Sam jump out of the green car and begin remove boxes from the back seat. She looked around the base and noticed small details that she failed to notice the last time she was there. Before jumping down and joining Sam in unloading, she watched Arcee walk past her and head towards the back of the trailer hitched to Optimus.

As soon as Artemis was down, Optimus transformed and went to go fetch Ratchet who wasn't stationed at his usual position on the computer. Arcee opened the trailer and began unloading its contents, placing them near the stairs. When Sam finished taking the boxes out from the back seat, Bulkhead joined Arcee.

"We got it." Arcee said when Artemis attempted to help them. It made sense since Sam and she would have to unpack the contents of the boxes by themselves.

"Think we got everything?" Sam looked inside the trailer at the piles of boxes that were slowly diminishing thanks to Arcee and Bulkhead.

"I think so, the important stuff anyways." Artemis looked over some of the boxes trying to remember what all they packed. Sam walked over to Bumblebee and gave him a thumb up.

"Hey, Bee, wanna come and check to make sure we got everything?" She smiled wider when Bee nodded and buzzed happily.

"Hey, on the way do you think you could pick up Miko? With all the commotion this morning, I didn't have time to pick her up." Bulkhead said while setting down a few more boxes.

"No problem Bulk. Which reminds me, where is Raf?" She looked up at Bumblebee as he buzzed and bleeped while performing subtle hand gestures. Sam stared at him for a while silently. "What?"

"He said that Rafael is spending time with his family since it's the last day of spring vacation." Artemis answered as she was finally able to sneak a box into her arms and went to place it next to the stairs. Everyone paused for a second to stare, but stopped once they figured they should expect as much.

"What in Primus' name is going on here?" Ratchet exclaimed as he walked into the room. Sam gestured to Bumblebee, taking that as a sign to get out of there. Artemis rubbed the back of her neck feeling sheepish all of a sudden. Optimus had obviously not found him and explained him the situation.

"Roommates, Ratchet, thought you might feel lonely when we are out on missions." Arcee joked as she rolled her eyes at him, realizing that this was leading towards one of Ratchet's long arguments.

"Humans, living here! Twenty four seven!" Ratchet continued on his fit before Optimus could enter from where he was in the back and stop him.

"Ratchet, they do not have a home. It would be safer and more efficient if they live here with us instead of assigning them an Autobot guardian like the others." He peered over at Artemis who was listening to everything. "Besides, I am certain that you will appreciate the experience more than you know my old friend." Ratchet looked down at her as well, bringing a servo to his chin.

"Hmm." He stared at her for a long time before the air was beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable.

"You're making me nervous Ratchet; please don't look at me like that." She finally said with a heavy exhale.

"Hmpf, don't be absurd." He returned to his regular position on the computer. Artemis looked at the stacks of boxes then at Optimus. She walked up to him shyly and waited for him to look down at her with a questioning expression.

"Can you, help me with something?" She said with an almost fading tone. Optimus gave an almost half smile at her request.

"How may I be of assistance?" He knelt down to her so he could hear her better, predicting her small tone to continue.

"I need you to take me somewhere." Artemis looked over at Bulkhead and Arcee then at her watch, not too late. "I need to…pick up something." He thought about the demand before answering.

"Very well."

K.O. Burger

Sam bit into the juicy burger, Miko sitting along aside her. Sitting on Bumblebee's hood, they scrolled through some of Miko's old photos on her phone. Soon after they finished picking up the last of her things from the hanger, they stopped by to eat and pick up Jack; by Arcee's late request.

"How long does it take to take off a hat and punch out?" Sam complained and took another bite of her burger then shoved a fry in her mouth.

"Oh, look at this one. This is Bulkhead and his buddy Wheeljack. He went away for a while, but he's back now." Miko handed the phone to Sam who stared at it for a while.

"There's another Autobot on Earth other than you guys Bumblebee?" She forgot that Bee couldn't speak and was disappointed to get a buzz in return.

"Only him; He doesn't like to stay at the base because he's more like a free spirit. Ya know? Bulkhead said most of the Wreckers were like that." Miko took the phone back, paging through newer photos.

"Wait, He's a Wrecker? Wait! Thee Wheeljack and Bulkhead from the Wreckers! Why didn't you tell me sooner? Oh, Artemis used to tell me all kinds of stories about the Wreckers! I didn't think they were alive. She told me a lot of them didn't make it." Sam smiled at Miko as she put her phone away and crumbled up her wrappers.

"They're the real deal alright. Hey, maybe when we get back, Bulk can take us to see him! We haven't seen him in a while." She got into the car when she saw Jack come out from the fast food place. Sam quickly joined her while throwing her garbage in the nearest trashcan.

"I can't wait." Sam buckled her seatbelt and looked out the window.

On the Road

Artemis held a stack of papers in her lap from the school and watched Optimus pull into the library. She jumped out and gestured him to wait a second as she rushed into the building. She started funneling books into the drop off slot, watching random faces begin to migrate out. Just before she could rush out the door, her boss stopped her.

"Artemis, is that your truck out front?" Minnie was looking out the glass doors out into the parking lot.

"Uh, yeah?" Artemis bit her lip as she thought up an explanation. "I was saving up for a car. You know how long it takes me get from my house to here on foot. He was on sale, cheap."

"He? So you've finally gotten into boys. Though, I hoped your love interest would have more blood than diesel. You sure he was on sale? I mean look at that body detail. Someone must have put a lot of work into it." Minnie almost went to go take a closer look.

"Love interest, ha ha, you're so funny Minnie." Artemis cut her off. "Nope, all I need is my truck. No man could take that machines place. True, the body detail is amazing, but the engine needed to be replaces. Luckily I had one hanging around from my repair shop days that fit him just right. Wow, look at the time, got to fly, bye!" She rushed out the door before Minnie could say otherwise and jumped into Optimus. He began driving again and there was this long silence before she finally thought of something to talk about. "Ratchet, you've known him for a long time, haven't you?"

"We have known each other long before I could call myself a Prime." He said through the speakers which made her feel oddly happy that she could still talk to him while he's driving.

"Who were you before you were a Prime?" She thought about the sliver of memories that came in blurry flashes, never getting the whole picture of who he was.

"I was a clerk in the Iacon hall of records back on Cybertron named Orion Pax." His voice sounded a bit shaky as if something happened recently involving that specific name.

"Just like I'm a clerk at the Jasper Library." She smiled and thought what coincidence it was that they were both once librarians. "Were you smart? Not that you're not smart now, I mean were you." Artemis tried to think of the correct word to fit that situation. "Philosophical?"

"You could put it that way." She couldn't help, but think that this was the longest conversation that he has had with anyone.

"Well, I'd love to hear your thoughts sometime. Knowledge is power and we all interpret it different ways. So in a way, we have infinite amount of power if we all share our knowledge with each other." Artemis smiled, but then gave a weird look. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make that sound power hungry."

"I understood your meaning." With that another long awkward silence fell upon them, which was surprisingly broken by Optimus. "How is it that you know so much of our world?"

"Oh, that. It's a long story." Luckily it was a long ride back to base. She explained about the pods, her sister opening one of them, the commotion she caused raising from the dead five days later and of course her encounter with Primus in her subconscious. "Now, he sends me memories during the day and talks to me in my dreams or when I'm really relaxed."

"It sounds like the origin of the markings on your left arm is from what we call the Shard of the Matrix. It was said that when the thirteen primes did battle with Unicron the destroyer, a piece of the matrix was chipped off. It would stand to reason that during the war of Cybertron that those pods were sent into space to keep it from getting into enemy hands. It would stand to reason that the Shard of the Matrix was in the lightly colored pod while the other-" Artemis interrupted him with something she found out very well.

"While the other had the Spark of Unicron in the other, where did that come from?" Unfortunately she was unfamiliar with the entire story.

"Dark Energon was said to be the blood of Unicron. I can deduce that perhaps part of his spark chamber had broken off during the battle of the beginning and had been empowered by his dark spark. It would explain how your sister had become significantly stronger by absorbing it. However, I'm not certain why you and your sister had been so unusually affected by relics. Usually, something that strong would be very harmful to humans." Optimus could see the base coming into view.

"That is a good question Optimus. I'd kind like the answer to that one too."

Autobot Base

Artemis stepped out of the truck and onto the cement ground. She growled at the boxes knowing too well that she'd have to be awake throughout the whole night to get settled in. Jack, Sam, and Miko sat on the green couch watching TV as Ratchet worked grumpily. Sam automatically shot up when she saw Optimus transform and walk over to talk to Ratchet, knowing Artemis had returned.

"Where have you been? You went on a bonding trip with Optimus without me?" She giggled and ran down the stairs.

"Here," Artemis handed her the papers from the school. "You start tomorrow, okay?" Sam looked over the papers when she realized they were copies of an enrollment application with her name on them.

"You mean I'm going to school?" She looked at Artemis who was watching her face passively.

"Yes, but don't ask me to do your homework. You do it on your own. I can tutor you if you need help, but that's it. You better get good grades or you're going back-" Artemis couldn't finish before Sam hugged her tightly around her middle as if she were a little girl.

"Thank you Artemis!" Sam rushed over to the others sitting on the couch raving about her enrollment into their school. Artemis sighed heavily then looked at the boxes. Opening one, she pulled out a developed photo. It was Sam and her standing in front of the hanger with smiles on their faces. Why did it feel like she'd never see those carefree faces again?