Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers Prime. I only own the OC George Edwards/Bladewolf.
"In hindsight, we accomplished what was required. With Unicron's awakening, extreme measures needed to be taken. Enemies became allies, and allies became confidence. And with the Matrix of Leadership, the planet Earth was saved. Though at a measurable personal cost. When Optimus surrendered the Matrix, he lost more than the Collective Wisdom of the Primes. He lost himself." Ratchet explained to those still confused.
"And Megatron has used that to sway Optimus to his side." I concluded. "Right now, Optimus, in his mind and sight of things, is still Orion Pax BEFORE he was made a Prime."
"Are you telling me Prime thinks he's some kind of librarian? AND A DECEPTICON?" Fowler yelled.
"Being a Decepticon is a choice, Fowler. One that I'm sure Optimus would never make in his life." Ratchet shook his helm.
"So if he's riding with the 'Cons..." Bulkhead trailed off.
"It's because Megatron's working some kind of voodoo." Arcee finished.
"Orion Pax might not currently be an Autobot up here," Ratchet pointed to his helm. "But I must believe he will never stop being one in here." He put his hand on his chest.
"We must locate him." I said seriously. "Before we departed the base, Optimus told me that should anything happen to him while taking down Unicron... I was to lead the team in his absence."
"Wait, what?" Jazz asked in shock.
"When was this?" Cliffjumper added.
"Just before we left the base with Megatron." I said with a sigh. "To be honest guys, I'm not exactly sure I'm proper leadership material like Optimus is. Which is why I want Elita and Ratchet's help in this."
"You can count on us to help." Elita said with a smile and Ratchet nodded.
I nodded back before looking at the team. "I know I have no right to ask this of you due to not being the actual leader of this team. But will you follow me?"
The Autobots exchanged looks with each other before Arcee walked up to my side and smiled at me. "I'll follow you." She said softly. "You're a Prime in the making no matter what you think."
"I'll follow you. As long as you point me in a direction, I'll listen to anyone. Well, except Fowler." Bulkhead said, getting a glare from said agent.
Bumblebee then gave me a thumbs up.
"We'll follow you." Ironhide said, Chromia nodding in agreement. "Time you start to learn how to be a leader, kid."
"And you got all of us, your family, to help you." Chromia added with a smile, the other Autobots nodding as they gave their own responses.
I smiled at my family. "Then let's start looking for Optimus."
"But even if we do find him, how are we going to make him remember who he is?" Trailbreaker pointed out.
Ratchet and I looked at Jack. "Optimus clearly had a contingency plan." I said.
Jack's eyes widened and he brought out the keycard Optimus gave him. "This? What does it do?"
"It grants access to Vector Sigma." Ratchet explained.
"The repository of the wisdom of the Primes." I smiled.
"Is that some kind of supercomputer?" Raf asked.
"So we can just download Optimus' memories back in to him?" Jack asked. "Great! Which one's the big V? Over here? Somewhere in the back?"
"Unfortunately it's not that easy, Jack." I said with a sigh. "Vector Sigma... is on Cybertron."
"Jackson William Darby, you will not be traveling to another planet!" June immediately declared.
"I'm in!" Of course Miko would pipe in.
"Neither are you, Miko!" June said, stopping her before turning to us 'bots. "Not while one of you can."
"June's right. Why send a boy to do a bot's job?" Fowler asked aloud.
"Because only a Prime can access Vector Sigma. Or one chosen by a Prime. Optimus gave the key to Jack." Ratchet explained. "It is now imprinted with his unique bio-signature."
"So, you mean Jack's like some kind of honorary Prime?" Miko asked in disbelief.
"Let's just say that Jack is the only one that can return Optimus to us." I said.
"But why would Optimus willingly endanger a human? A child?!" June exclaimed.
"I'm not a child, mom!" Jack objected.
"Maybe Optimus believes there's more to Jack than meets the eye." Arcee said, taking the words right out of my mouth.
"All of which is mute." Ratchet sighed. "The keycard is useless to us without a means of reaching Cybertron."
"Which we don't have." Cliffjumper grumbled.
"Dude, what about that?" Miko gestured to the Groundbridge.
"Miko, the Groundbridge barely got them in to Earth's orbit, remember?" Raf reminded her.
"Yeah, but Ratchet built it. Can't he just turbo charge the thing?" Miko asked.
"Autobots." I said, getting everyone's attention with the firm, stoic tone of authority that Optimus used when giving an order. It made the 'bots straighten. "We must find the 2nd Spacebridge that the Decepticons have built. It's the only way for us to reach Cybertron."
"But we don't know where it is." Flareup pointed out.
"Then we have to begin looking. As well as search for the Nemesis." I said.
With our search thoroughly underway, I quite literally was searching across the entire planet. I'd scouted across parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, North America, and South America. But still no sign of the Spacebridge. I had actually just returned to base from searching the whole of North America.
"Nothing still?" Ratchet asked but I shook my helm, causing him to sigh. "The others' searches have come up with nothing as well. They're busy recharging."
"We'll find it, Ratchet." I promised him. "Even if we have to interrogate a Decepticon into giving up the location."
Suddenly the monitors started beeping and Ratchet answered the call to display Fowler's face on the screen. "Ratchet! Bladewolf! You awake?"
"We're here, Agent Fowler. What's the situation?" I asked seriously as the others came into the central hub.
"Its 'Cons. And they're busting into the same military research facility they hit 2 months ago." Fowler answered.
I narrowed my optics. "They're most likely looking for the final pieces to build their Spacebridge. Agent Fowler, evacuate all humans in the area before any casualties happen. We will handle the Decepticons."
"On it." Fowler nodded before the call cut out.
"Ratchet, open the Groundbridge." I said and turned to the team as Ratchet opened the bridge. "Autobots... roll out!"
We transformed into our vehicle modes and drove through the bridge, me at the front. As soon as we were through, we transformed, deploying our weapons and pointing them at the Decepticons, who were being led by Knockout and Breakdown.
"Stand down!" I ordered.
"Aren't you missing someone?" Knockout taunted.
I heard engines above us and looked up to see Vehicons flying towards us before they opened fire on us, causing us to start shooting them out of the sky. I heard a Groundbridge opening and turned to see Knockout and Breakdown about to leave.
"We'll be sure to tell the Big O you said hello." Knockout smirked before he and Breakdown ran through the bridge.
"Autobots! Deal with the Decepticons and protect any humans that may have been wounded when they attacked! I'm going after Knockout and Breakdown!" I said before transforming and driving off after the 2 Decepticons.
"Be careful!" Arcee and Cliffjumper shouted before focusing on the Decepticons.
I drove right through the bridge and slammed right into Knockout and Breakdown, taking them down before I drove onwards.
"Scrap!" I heard Knockout shout.
I turned a corner and saw a trio of Decepticon drones up ahead and transformed, blasting 2 of them with duel Path Blasters, then dropkicked the 3rd and pressed my pede down on his helm.
"Where's Optimus?" I demanded but got silence in return, making me narrow my optics before I stomped his helm with my pede, killing him instantly. I saw more Decepticons running down the corridor towards me and activated my battle mask, unsheathing my swords before I charged at them and started slashing and slicing them to pieces.
Once I was done, I transformed back into vehicle mode and drove off fast.
Normal POV
Currently, Megatron and Airachnid were watching Bladewolf carve a path of carnage through the Decepticon troops through Soundwave, the silent 'Con having walked up to Megatron to show him what was happening.
"What?!" Megatron exclaimed in anger as he watched Bladewolf go on the hunt.
"My Bladewolf." Airachnid cooed seductively while activating her spider legs. "Please, Lord Megatron, allow me to welcome him aboard."
"No!" Megatron turned to her. "If Orion so much as lays his eyes on another Autobot, let alone witnesses it's destruction, everything he currently believes will be called into question!" Megatron turned to Soundwave. "See to it that Edwards is escorted off this ship immediately!"
Soundwave nodded.
George/Bladewolf's POV
I continued to drive down the halls of the Nemesis, gutting through Vehicons and Eradicons like a hot knife through butter. So far, my search for Optimus had come up with no results, but I wouldn't stop until Megatron himself decided to kick me off. As I drove down a very long straight corridor, I saw a certain faceless 'Con come around the corner.
"Soundwave." I muttered before accelerating right towards him. Soundwave didn't even twitch at all as I drove right for him. Just when I was about to hit him, a Groundbridge opened and I drove right through it and came out... into the Artic? I transformed and ran for the portal but it closed before I could get through. "Slag!" I cursed, punching the ground in frustration before calming down.
I stood and looked around, seeing this was the Artic.
'Great, haven't been here since after Megatron took control of me to get back to his own body.' I thought.
I contacted the base. "Ratchet... I need a bridge."
There was a pause before Ratchet asked. "Why are you in the Arctic?"
"Ran into Soundwave before I could find out where the Nemesis was located." I said before a Groundbridge opened and I walked through into the base where everyone was waiting.
"I was unable to find out where the Nemesis was located, or if Optimus was safe. I do know he was onboard as Knockout said he'll tell the 'big O' we said hello. Ran into Soundwave before I could finish searching the ship." I told the team.
"I hate that faceless, silent 'Con." Jazz muttered.
"What do we do now?" Bulkhead asked me.
I was silent for 5 seconds before I announced to the room. "The Decepticons now have a power source for their Spacebridge... so we let them complete it."
"WHAT?!" The Autobots, Raf, Miko and June yelled.
"That's a good idea!" Jack agreed with me. "Then we can commandeer it and use it to send ME to Cybertron."
This caused everyone to pause and exchange looks before Arcee spoke up. "George, I'm all for it but we blew up the last one. Holding one is very different from that."
"Had it just been us before Elita and the others arrived, it would've been much more difficult. But we now have more Autobots than we did when we destroyed the first one." I pointed out. "There's enough for us to hold it while Jack is on Cybertron. But he won't be going alone. I will go with him."
"But we need to find the Spacebridge first." Ironhide pointed out.
"Then we turn our attention to that." I said with a nod.
"But the fact still remains. We do not know what the Decepticons have in store for Optimus." Ratchet said. "Or if he's truly safe from harm..."