(Here is the next part of the story you have waited for. Rated T for some language. I do not own the song, The Prayer by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli. A big thanks to my friend, GoldGuardian2418 for helping me out. I was suffering from severe writers block while I was tying this down. Again, thank you Goldy.)
Chapter 18
New Hope and Prayer
Back on Earth, Oprimus Prime had sent all the Autobots across the planet, to find the Crest Of Primus, but despite their efforts they could not find any trace of the artifact. All of the Autobots were trying their hardest but were unsuccessful. This mounted to heated arguments and accusations among themselves. But none of this had a bigger impact than Optimus Prime. He was very upset and forlorn. He had to find the Crest of Primus in hopes of saving Maria. He loved her so much, and would not give up on her.
As he stood by the monitors, Red Alert came in and saw the worried look in his leaders optics.
"Optimus, Are you alright? You haven't left this room for over two days." Red Alert spoke, and he did speak some truths, for Optimus Prime did stay in the command center and did not leave his post.
"Alright?" Optimus hoarsely answered. "Alright? For almost two days, the Crest of Primus has yet to be located, Maria is suffering the servos of that monster and you're asking if I'm okay?" He than suddenly shouted at the CMO.
"Optimus, please calm down. I know you are upset but we are trying pur hardest. but I am more concerned with you. You haven't left this room to refuel or even help out." Red Alert argued.
"It was my danm fault that Maria is gone, and she will die if we don't find that artifact." Optimus shouted in anger as well as defeat.
"Prime, if you want her to come back safe and sound, you must calm down and take care of yourself. You need to refuel and rest, and as soon as you are refreshed you will join our search and stand around sulking. I am just as concerned for the youngling as much as you, but we must not lose sight of what we need to do, and what you need to do." Red Alert placed his hands on his leaders shoulders, and watched as the Prime breathed hard, both in frustration and sadness. Finally, knowing that Red Alert was right, Optimus sighed.
"Very well. I'll refuel. But as soon as I do so, I will join the search." He said, as he was on his way to his quarters, when suddenly the sirens and alarms rang through the base. Red Alert and Optimus came to the screen to see what was going on.
"It's a mini-con detection, but it's already activated." Red Alert was puzzled.
"Send Laserbeak to the location of the mini-con." Optimus ordered, and the tiny, orange-bird bot flew off to the mini-cons location and zoomed in on the figure.
"It's Swindle, Starscreams mini-con. What is it doing here?" Red Alert said, startled to see that it was a Decepticon mini-con so far away from the Decepticon base. Optimus looked at the mini-con and suddenly began to think that this was something to do with the location of the Crest of Primus.
"Red Alert, which of the Autobots is the closest to that location?" Optimus inquired and Red Alert pin pointed the closest Autobot was Scavenger. "Have him notified and have him bring the mini-con back to base. I'll inform the others to return."
As the rest of the Autobots returned to the headquarters, they were all gathered into the med bay, were Red Alert, Scavenger and Optimus Prime stood watch over Swindle. SideSwipe spoke up. "Hey, you captured a mini-con from the Decepticons and didn't tell us?"
"Hardly, young bot. He came here in search of Optimus Prime." Scavenger corrected the young bot, but then after he said that, Starscream's voice spoke, alarming everyone in the room as they heard where the voice was coming from. The voice emanated from the mini-con itself.
"Yes, very unlikely"
"Whoa! It talks." Sideswipe jumped in fright.
"You imbecile, My mini-con is serving as communicator for me!" The voice snarled. It then turned to Optimus Prime. "Now, Optimus, I have sent my mini-con to this planet only to speak with you and your team." The voice spoke.
Optimus was uncertain, after all it was Starscream who was speaking and he knew that the Decepticon would trick him, but by the way the voice talked to him it almost sounded honest. "Very well, Starscream. Why are have you decided to speak to us?"
"As you may have guessed, I cannot be there with you presently, because I am incarcerated in one of the cells in the Decepticon base."
"Why the hell would they lock you up?"Jetfire asked.
"Whether you believe me or not, I was locked up for I was interfering with the trap set up for you all. I was trying to set the youngling free and bring her back home." Starscream said, and the Autobots were stunned. Why would he help Maria escape? It had to be a trick. "I know you won't believe me, being a Decepticon and all, but that is not the point. I have sent Swindle here to deliver a message to you."
"You said that already. Get to the point." Hoist growled angrily.
"My point is this. I know the location of the Crest of Primus." Starscream hissed, making every one perk up and stare at the mini-con. "If you are willing to believe what I say, the location of the artifact is in the Atlantic Ocean. It is trapped under a crystal-like fortress, protecting the artifact, and the only way to retrieve it is with the presence of a Prime."
Everyone looked at the leader, and Optimus was astonished to hear that Starscream reveal the location of the needed commodity to free the youngling he had loved as a daughter.
"Only with a Prime who has possession of the Matrix of Leadership can the Crest of Primus be retrieved." Starscream finished.
"This is indeed, very useful to us, and I thank you. But what I am still not understanding is the fact that you would go and betray Megatron and tell us all of this. Why so?" Optimus finally asked, and he heard what he thought was hurt in the voice of the seeker.
"The youngling and I share a similar past, and I wish for her to never suffer any longer. But what matters is that you set her free, but I must warn you all. Even if you bring the Crest of Primus to Megatron, the femmling will be killed. That is why I am also going to tell you about the device that I along with WheelJack have created." Starscream admitted through the comunicating cevice he implanted in his mini-con. He then told about the invention and it's purpose. It was an full-body image changer, a device that acted as a disguise that the user would use. Not only would the user look like the intended Autobot or Decepticon, but would also sound like them. He then said that he will help in building the device, two of them.
"But why two?" SideSwipe asked, confused.
"Do you actually think that I would allow you to bring such a powerful artifact to my leader?" Starscream sneered.
"He is right, we cannot risk the safety of ourselves as well as the planet the human children have given to us as a home. Autobots, we will begin the construction of the image changer. Scavenger, Red Alert, you along with Starscream will prepare the device. Jetfire and I will head to the location of the Crest of Primus and return as soon as we can. Autobots, roll out." Optimus Prime announced, and everyone went right to work, creating the image changer and retrieving the Crest of Primus. Optimus Prime now had confidence that this new lead would help them return Maria home, return her to him.
...
...
...
In the cell room, Maria was still chained to the wall, but she didn't care.
No one was going to help her; for there was no hope.
Feeling that her will to live and her strength to believe in her rescue was dwindling, Maria sighed and softly, sadly sang a song she had heard while she was back at the base. A song that touched her spark so much that she cried.
"I pray you'll be our eyes
And watch us where we go
And help us to be wise
In times when we don't know
Let this be our prayer
When we lose our way.."
Maria than let a single tear fall from her optic, the cold, moist tear traveling down her cheek plate, as she went on.
"Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace
To a place where we'll be safe."
She then sighed, and said, with utter hopelessness.
"Primus, if you are there, I need your help. Please...bring Optimus here, and help him rescue me...Please."
(OMG! I am so sorry for not updating this for such a long time. I was so caught up in my Ben 10 stories as well as my Transformer/Tickle stories. I promise I will try to finish this story up as soon as I can. As always, tell me what you think and I will do my best to finish. This is Sparkling Lover and I hope you have a good day.)