"I'm sorry Raf, but we don't have any more positions available at this time," said a much older Sari Sumdac who is sitting at her desk in an office, opposite her now 20-year-old Rafael Esquivel. He's still wearing his trademark glasses, but his hair is a lot less spikey and he's growing a bit of a mustache.
"Please Sari, my girlfriend's father just passed away, her family could really use the money, she needs the money to start her own business. And I want to help her, there's gotta be something." Raf begged but Sari could only shake her head.
"I'm sorry Raf, I know you couldn't apply until you finished college, and for a kid your age you did so in record time, but your application came in too late, Sumdac Systems is filled up, I'm sorry." she sympathized as Raf lowers his head in disappointment.
"You know, I distinctly remember Jack and Miko promising to help you with anything you needed, maybe you should call them up," Sari suggested but Raf only shakes his head.
"Even if I wanted to I can't, Miko's too busy with their kids and being on tour, and Jack is too busy due to his job with NEST, I'm tired of having to rely on their help so much, I want to do my own thing, you know," Raf explains to which Sari ponders, but then her expression brightens.
"I just remembered, (she pulls some paper out of her desk before giving it to Raf to look over), an old friend of mine is looking for some employees to work at his accounting firm," she explains as Raf looks over the sheet.
"Dylan Gould, never heard of him," Raf says replies.
"You wouldn't he just recently took over after his dad passed, like...me," Sari lamented as she briefly looks at a picture on her desk of her father and her when she was a little girl, Raf gently puts his hand over her to reassure her to which she shows gratitude with a smile.
"Anyway, this firm pays good money, should be enough to get you and Charlie off your feet. I'll give him a call after our meeting, sound good?" she asked giving out her hand to shake which he took.
"Thanks, Sari, for everything," he said grateful for her help, but she waved it off. "Think nothing of it, Raf, honestly, you deserve more," Sari replied as they walked out of the office and began making their way out to the parking lot.
As they got closer to the building exit Sari speaks up and asks, "By the way, how's Bee doing, haven't seen ol Goldbug in a while. " Raf laughed as answered," Also busy, but you know Bee, when he shows up he'll-
The two heard two honks from a car and look to see a familiar Yellow and Blue Muscle Car. "Make sure you know," Raf finishes as they both grin, Raf turns to Sari.
"Wanna come," he proposes.
"Wish I could, but you know, duty calls," he nods and begins to turn away but before he leaves Sari grabs his hand.
"Between you and me, if you sign up for next year's applications, you'll definitely get in," she whispers as Raf grins affirming he heard her before walking to Bee and getting in. Sari waves as Bee zooms off.
"Forgive me, lord Megatron. While I do not question the wisdom of our tactical retreat, know that Airachnid and I are fully prepared to lead the troops in a counterattack against the Autobots." Dreadwing reports to his leader, Airachnid standing right by him. Megatron turns to his subordinates.
" Counterattack? Perhaps you failed to notice Optimus Primal cleave an entire mountain with a single blow. And that is only a fraction of The Star Sabers' might. With it in his possession, my enemy can obliterate us all with a wave of his hand! I must find a way to tip the balance of power back in our favor." Megatron declared.
"Lord Megatron, forgive my intrusion, but do we not also possess a relic of the Prime," Airachnid interjects.
"Indeed, the Forge of Solus Prime. But it is useless, except in the hand of a Prime." Then Megatron begins to laugh which causes Dreadwing and Airachnid to glance at each other.
"But I might wield that power if I were to control such a hand!" Megatron quipped as he walks past them.
"Dreadwing you're with me, Airachnid you are in command in my absence," Megatron commanded as they exited. Once they got to the ship's bridge, Dreadwing noticed they were flying toward the moon.
"Earth's Moon is a barren rock, is it not?" Dreadwing inquired of his leader. "Not exactly Dreadwing, the moon holds many secrets, one of which may soon be discovered. But the Moon is not our destination." Megatron explained. After he says this a Spacebridge comes into view.
"Come, Dreadwing! We shall travel to the one place in the galaxy which may provide us with a means of defeating Optimus Primal." Megatron declares as he and Dreadwing transformed and flew into the Spacebridge.
"Man, I've missed this, "Raf laughs as he and Bumblebee are sitting around talking about life on top of a building.
"Me to pal, sorry for not keeping up for a while, the war with The Decepticons has been heating up ever since they've been searching for the relics of the past," Bee explains.
"You don't have to apologize to me, Bee, I know you're busy, but I'm just happy to spend time with you, whenever I can," Raf assured, and Bee smiled.
"That reminds me, I've had the coolest news drop on me," Bee said excitedly.
"Oh yeah, and what would that be," Raf inquired, and Bee stood up dramatically doing a pose to make himself seem cool which made Raf laugh.
"You see Raf, your old pal Bumblebee is going from a sparkling to a mech, I'm becoming a Sire!" Bee sang as Raf gasped in shock before giving the biggest smile.
"Congrats Bee! When is the sparkling due?" Raf questioned.
"She's due next week if I'm not mistaken," He answered.
"Really, that fast sounds like you just learned about it," Raf wondered.
"Yeah, we Cybertronians have our younglings much faster than humans. Carriers hold the sparkling sparks in their own for a few weeks, once their protoform is ready, the spark merges with the protoform forming a sparkling," Bee explains.
"Fascinating, question though, aren't you nervous?" Raf inquired but Bee adamantly shook his head.
"Nervous, me, no way, I don't deal with nervousness," Bee exclaimed crossing his arms but Raf only looked unconvinced which Bee noticed and sighed.
"Okay I'm slightly, and only slightly nervous, I mean I've never done this before Raf, what if I mess it up," Bumblebee faltered but Raf merely shook his head.
"Bee, I don't think you have to worry, you're gonna be fine. You had a great Sire, who set the example of what to do for you," Raf assures, Bee slightly perks up at the mention of Optimus Prime before sitting down again.
"I only wish he and Sire could have been here to meet her," Bee reflects bitterly.
"They are Bee" Raf assures.
"Yeah, I know," Bee responds. As Bee looks at the sunset his optics suddenly go wide, as he is seemingly transported to a blue reality. Standing in front of him is Airachnid, he tries to move but finds he cannot. As they simply stare at each other they are suddenly transported to a barren wasteland. Airachnid's optic grows wide in fear while Bee only looks confused but then what appears to be a giant spider appears behind Airachnid and her body briefly flashes into another femme one that is familiar to Bee. A yellow, aqua, and Black femme on the back of her helm has something akin to a human ponytail.
"Carrier?" Bumblebee stammered before suddenly being shifted back into reality hearing Raf call out his name.
"Bee! Are you okay, do I need to call Ratchet or Rhinox?" Raf proposed a worried expression across his face.
"No, I'm fine," Bumblebee answered though not sure himself.
A Cybertronian door opens and Megatron and Dreadwing walk inside the room revealing a tomb. "Please tell me you're not averse to desecration." Megatron inquiries.
"It is just that being in such a place evokes powerful emotions, considering the fate of my twin.'' Dreadwing states.
"Then you should delight in our purpose here, to exact our revenge on Skyquake and of all our fallen brethren," Megatron responds as Dreadwing opens the tomb once finished he steps back in shock and disgust at the state of the body. Megatron merely smirks and unsheathes his blade.
Primal works on the monitor, The Star Saber is close by him, glowing as it feeds him the information to decode the Omega Keys location. He hears a sizzling noise he glances behind himself to see Ratchet working on something. Ratchet glances at the young Prime and smiles.
"You shall require a more practical means of carrying such a blade," Ratchet states, to which Primal smiles and nods in appreciation, before continuing to work.
"Thank you, Ratchet, ever since I've got here you have been kind to me, which is more than I can say for others," Primal states somewhat bitterly, Ratchet notices this.
"Give it time Primal, they aren't used to being led by someone younger than themselves, especially someone they've just met," Ratchet told him.
"But Ratchet, you're the oldest-, "Ratchet glared at Optimus daring him to finish that sentence, the young Prime chuckled nervously. "You have the most experience out of everyone, yet you accepted me as the leader quickly."
"Not exactly," Ratchet says confusing the young Prime. "I hid it well, but honestly, I didn't think it would work out, I even somewhat blamed you for Optimus's death, but I knew you were trying your best, and I didn't want to lower morale," Ratchet explains.
"What made you change your mind," Primal asked curious about what the answer would be.
"It took time and deep reflection, but I realized that you were in the same position that Orion was when he became Optimus, so, I decided to give you a chance, and you proved yourself time and time again. From keeping Megatron away from powerful relics to retrieving Bumblebee Tcog from MECH. And you've stumbled, we haven't always won, but no one's ever perfect.
Ratchet finishes his project and walks up to Primal handing him his newly made scabbard for his blade. ''Optimus chose you, and I trust him, and so, I trust you," Ratchet assured Primal.
"Thank you Ratchet," Primal thanked, suddenly The Star Saber glowed once more and Primal turned back to it, he walked to the monitor following the instructions given to him by the sword inputting the final coordinates, Primal gasped at what he saw.
"By the Allspark," he whispered in shock.
"What is it Optimus," Ratchet asked of his leader. "The final coordinates point to the keys converging at one location, the moon," Primal answered shocking the medic.
"But that would mean-,"
"We have been lied to," Primal grimly states.
Airachnid walked into the med bay reflecting on her vision, and why the Autobot Scout was there. Ever since that vision her spark has been pulsing nonstop and she wanted an answer for why.
Inside the medbay, she found a taller, bigger, purple mech with a huge cannon as his arm working on a project. The mech with the one optic looked up from his work to face the femme.
"Airachnid, I'm in the middle of important research, what is it?" the mech asked stoically but somewhat impatiently.
"Is that how you greet an old friend, Shockwave, honestly I'm hurt," she mocked and pouted, Shockwave sighed.
"Airachnid, I have no time for this, either state your business or leave," Shockwave demanded stoically causing Airachnid to frown. "Aren't you the patient one, before I tell you, I need you to keep everything I tell you between you and me, or else I'll rip out your spark," she threatened but Shockwave was unfazed.
"Only if it's logical," Shockwave replied, Airachnid growled but continued.
"Ever since the battle with the Terrorcons, my spark seems to pulse around the Autobot Scout, Bumblebee. And recently I've found some level of connection control his mind like the Insecticons. However, while I haven't tried it yet, with the way my spark beats and the intensities of my visions I'm sure my control over him is stronger than my control over the Insecticons, I want to know why," Airachnid explains, Shockwave looks down for a second before standing up and going over to his tools, looking for something.
"Lay on the berth," he orders, Airachnid is confused but she does as he asks. Shockwave pulls out a scanner, he walks over to where Airachnid is. He rotated the scanner button and flipped a switch on it.
"Open your chassis," he commands.
"You're not gonna do anything weird are you," she snickered causing one eye to sigh. " Airachnid," he said annoyed.
"Alright, alright, don't get your gears twisted, I'm just messing around," she joked but Shockwave didn't reply. She rolled her optics before opening her chassis revealing her spark. Shockwave moved the scanner around for a few minutes, Airachnid was starting to get annoyed. She was about to protest when a beeping noise was heard.
"Finally! So, what is it," she probed, Shockwave merely stares at the device for a moment before looking up at Airachnid. "Results reveal a familial bond in your spark."
Airachnid eyes grow wide in shock, "What are you saying?" she frightfully asks. "Airachnid, scanners indicate that you are a Carrier. Considering what you told me, you are The Autobot Scout Carrier. It lines up with the results of my scanner," Shockwave states.
Airachnid goes cold as she starts to have flashbacks of moments in her life, her time being trapped on Archa-Seven, Shockwave finding her, becoming a Decepticons, everything with Arcee, and her vision.
"Carrier,'' she remembers Bumblebee saying. "How can this be," she muttered.
"Reports do indicate that Optimus Prime's spark mate, Elita One, went missing on Archa-Seven, and I found you there. It may be possible that your memories are locked away in your processor."
"I Fragged Optimus Prime!" she screamed; Shockwave sighed again.
"It's possible that your memories and connection to Bumblebee were reactivated with his resurrection," Shockwave theorized.
"You said that Optimus and I were spark mates, but I felt nothing when he died, why?" she asked distraughtly.
"I... don't know," Shockwave truthfully answers, she nods before getting up and walking out. Before she leaves, she glances back at Shockwave. "Please don't tell Lord Megatron, and especially Dreadwing," she pleads.
"In this case, I find your request...logical, "he replies, Airachnid smiles slightly. "You're a good mech Shockwave, still an aft though," she snickers as she leaves. Shockwave stares at where she left off before continuing with his work.
Suddenly his door opens again and Megatron storms into his lab with a red arm in his servos. He places it on Shockwave's work and lays on the berth, "I need you to remove my arm and replace it with this one," Megatron demands, and for the hundredth time today Shockwave sighs.
Multiple black cars and SUVs are driving to the Autobot base. Inside one of the SUVs is Jack Darby, now taller and slightly more muscular, wearing a black jacket with a white shirt and black pants. Next to him is an older lady in a black suit with a ponytail. She is currently on the phone. "Senator, I suggest you remember that when the NSA wants funding, they call me. When the CIA is gonna take out a target, they ask first for my permission. And when the President wants to know which members of Congress are politically vulnerable in terms of, let's say undiscovered criminal conduct, I'm the number he dials." she states before hanging up the phone.
"CIA is up my ass about this mystery attack in Europe. So, it's time to come clean. Was your unit involved?" she demands.
"Well, I'm not sure ma'am," Jack hesitantly answers.
"See you already messed up, no ma'am's, got it," she requisitioned.
"Ye- Yes, ma'am. Yes." he stammered. The SUVs pulled into the base and the Autobots and Maximal turn to their visitors. All the human operatives get out of the cars.
"Well, well, well, look what the scraplets dragged in," Rattrap jeered, Airazor smacks him in the back of his helm.
"Arcee, hate to make you feel guilty, but it's been a while since you've taken me on a drive." Jack teased.
"Sorry Jack, but it's not fault that the Con's are ramping things up, would you rather have a drive or deal with the Con's yourself," she joked.
"Still got the suit, they'd be a piece of cake," he laughed.
"I hate to interrupt the reunion, but we have business to take care of," Ironhide interrupted.
"I agree, you requested us, we're here, now what do you want," The woman asked with little patience.
"Yo Jack, who's this bitc-,'' Hound began but Bulkhead put his servo over his brother's mouth, Smokescreen and Cheetor snickered at this, and the lady glared at the green Autobot.
"Pardon my brother, still working on his social ques, what he means to say is that it would be nice to get to know ya," Bulkhead interrupted to ease the tensions.
"Uh yeah, this is Charlotte Mearing, our Director of National Intelligence," Jack introduces, Primal kneels down in front of them.
"It is an honor to meet you Director, I am Optimus Primal," Optimus introduces himself.
"The honor is mine, now then, you had a question for us," She questions.
"You damn right we do, you humans lied to us," Warpath snapped.
"Lied?'' she ponders.
"He's referring to a recent discovery of Autobot technology on the moon," Prowl explains and Merring is shocked that they know this. "Everything humans know of our planet we were told had all been shared, clearly that's not true," Chromia spat.
"Recently, we have come in contact with a relic of our past, The Star Saber. Only a Prime can wield its power, and through the knowledge it provided Optimus learned of the locations of something," Airazor disclosed.
"What was it?" Jack inquired.
"The Omega Keys, powerful relics that could restore our planet, and its creator The Great Sentinel, Zeta Prime, he was the leader of the Autobots before my predecessor, Optimus Prime, director, whatever you know about what's on the moon, you must tell us. The Decepticons have the advantage of space travel, it's only a matter of time before they learn of its existence." Primal states hoping to get through to Merring's.
Jack looks at her with a pleading look and she sighs before beginning to explain, "This is a secret few men knew, and fewer still remain alive. Our entire space race of the 1960s, it appears, was in response to an event. Astronauts investigated a crashed alien ship, there was one lifeform they found, but he was deceased. We landed six missions in all. We took hundreds of photos and samples. We locked them away forever when the moon program was shut down." Merring divulged to the Autobots.
"Can provide us with a means of transport," Rhinox asked, Merring's nodded in affirmation.
"Then I'm going,'' Ironhide declared.
"Which means I'm going too," Chromia announces. Smokescreen and Cheetor glance at each other and nod. "We'll go too," Smokescreen states and everyone just stares at them.
"What it'll be fun," Cheetor answers. The humans leave, and the Autobots discuss their plan to get Zeta and the keys. However, Bumblebee is distracted and Arcee senses this. She bumps into him to get his attention.
"Bee, you okay,'" Arcee asked worried for her sparkmate. Bumblebee is about to respond before his optics goes wide. He's in a Dark Void but he can't see anyone or anything.
"Return to me, my sparkling, return to your creator," he hears. Bumblebee's optics turn purple, he grabs the closet bot to him; which happens to be Rattrap. He aims his blaster at him.
"Why me! It's always the good-looking bots, "Rattrap cries out as the other Autobots standoff with the Scout. "Bumblebees stand down, or we will fire," Hound says machine gun aimed.
"What! Do not fire, I am still here," Rattrap sputters.
"Wait, look at Bee's optics, there purple," Prowl points out which catches everyone's attention. "Prowl's right, it looks like he's being controlled," Rhinox theorizes.
"Bumblebee, snap out of its old friend, don't forget who you are," Ironhide pleads, Bumblebee's optics slightly twitch but there is no change. Arcee steps forward, and Chromia tries to grab her sister to no avail.
"Cee!" Chromia calls out but Arcee keeps walking up to him. Bumblebee makes no movement as she comes up to him, and she slowly removes his grip from Rattrap who quickly runs away. She puts her servo in the center of his chassis over his spark. She looks up at him as if she was staring into his soul and Bumblebee's optics slowly turn from purple to blue. He slumps over but Arcee catches him, Primal and Ironhide rush over to lift him up.
"Are you okay," Optimus asked concernedly, Bee shakily nods his head before passing out. Suddenly the monitor lights up and a much older Agent Fowler. "Primal, our boys have the ship you requested, whenever you're ready, we'll be here,"
"Thank you, Agent Fowler," Primal acknowledged before turning back to The Weapon Specialist, "Go, I'll make sure he's taken care of, "Primal promised though Ironhide looks uncertain.
"Trust me," Primal requests, Ironhide ponders for a second before giving in after seeing Chromia give him a look. "Alright," he gives Bumblebee to Optimus and walks to the ground bridge which Ratchet activates.
"Chromia, Cheetor, Smokescreen, let's roll," Ironhide commands as he and the others he called out transformed, or in Cheetor's case Maximize. They all proceed to enter the ground bridge.
Megatron walks up to a table holding a small slab of Dark Energon, he laughs as he gets a feel for his new appendage. "Yes," he cackles to himself before lifting the Forge of Solus Prime. The hammer sparkles and glows in the hands of the evil warlord. "At long last, the power of the Primes belongs to me!" Megatron declares before bringing the hammer down upon the Dark Energon as Dreadwing and Airachnid watch on, though Airachnid is not fully paying attention.
"The forge of Solus Prime possesses the ability to create anything from raw material," Dreadwing marvels but he notices Airachnid's lack of attention. "Airachnid," Dreadwing calls out getting the femme's attention.
"You seem distracted, is something troubling you," He questions but Airachnid rebuffs him saying, "It's none of my business," before leaving. Dreadwing narrows his eyes for a moment before turning back to his master.
In space we see a cargo spaceship fly by the moon, inside are the bots who are partaking in this mission. "Xantium approaching Tranquility Base," Ironhide reports to the speaker.
"You're a go for landing," a voice obscured by static, Chromia leans up to her sparkmate, "Hide look," she points. They both see a spacebridge floating by the moon. "Decepticons," he growled.
Once the ship landed all the bots exited the ship. Smokescreen immediately started jumping high and laughed loudly at the fact that he was floating in space. "Come join me, bro, unless you're too scared!" Smokescreen calls out to Cheetor.
"Why do you always challenge me in stuff, I always beat you anyway," Cheetor responds.
"Stay focus boys, we got a mission to complete," Chromia calls out as she and Ironhide walk to the wreck, but the two young bots just keep arguing. "I'll just let them have their fun," she decides.
"You know Hide, you should stop being such an aft to Primal," she noted.
"I'm not an aft," he gruffs out.
"Nope, you're an aft," she repeats.
"Listen the kid's gotta earn my trust," Ironhide defends, but Chromia rolls her optic.
"Like Optimus had to earn your trust," She replies but Ironhide shakes his head as they enter the ship. "That's different Optimus was born for it, and he was great for the role, this kid hasn't shown me that greatness," he answered.
"Sure, it's definitely not because you two were best friends," she mumbled to herself as she follows behind him. They come to the main hull of the ship and Chromia presses down on a lever that opens the circle in the middle of the ship and out from it is the body of Zeta Prime being lifted in front of them, the 4 keys encircling around him.
" Alpha Trion must have locked him away to guard the keys, Hide," Chromia commented as she grabs one of the keys. Ironhide picked up his fallen former leader. "Welcome home, old friend," he smiled.