Silence In the Skies
"Speech/"Thoughts"
"Tailed-Beast speech/ "Thoughts"
AN at bottom.
Chapter 1 - Discovery
All was quiet in the cold desert night of Jasper, Nevada. A crescent moon illuminated the dusty landscape and a solitary vehicle. A red-and-blue 1992 Peterbilt left a small dust trail as it drove across the sand, before slowing to a stop far from civilization and the prying eyes of humans. With a series of clanks and metallic clicks, the truck transformed into a nine-meter-tall bipedal robot with glowing blue optics. Scanning the peaceful environment caused a small smile to appear on the mechanical giant's face plates, as he spotted numerous small creatures in the seemingly barren clearing.
"Even here, life is plentiful… such is the beauty of this world," Optimus Prime spoke as he detected a small owl flying out of its home in a cactus. The Prime usually drove out into the vast sea of sand when he wanted time to himself, when the situation permitted. As leader of the Autobots, this did not occur often, but tonight allowed him this moment of reprieve from his duties. Kneeling down, Optimus shuttered his optics and let the serene environment wash over him. Reopening his visual sensors to gaze at the starlit sky, he searched for a particular one while idly identifying each one by the name both the natives and his kind–Cybertronians–referred to them as. Soon, he found the star of his home.
How he longed to return and rebuild his world Cybertron. Once golden and vibrant, the mechanical world had been reduced to a blackened shell of what used to be due to their eons-long war with the Decepticons, led by Megatron—someone Optimus still considered his brother, despite their conflict. Helm dipped low, the Prime once more wondered if there were still some way to reach Megatron to peacefully end this needless spilling of Energon. With a deep venting—an action humans would see as a sigh—Optimus stood up and returned his optics to the lights above.
'What is that?' The Prime wondered when an unknown light appeared. A meteor, perhaps? Optics zoomed in on the object and widened as he saw this was no meteor. The ship sailed overhead and crashed a few miles away from the Prime's location. Transforming back into his truck mode, Optimus contacted one of his fellow Autobots and Chief Medic. "Ratchet, come in."
"Optimus, our scanners have picked up an ancient Autobot ship."
"Yes, I saw it during my drive; heading to its location now. Please dispatch backup and contact our human allies to assist with clearing the wreckage."
"Bulkhead, Arcee, and Cliffjumper have already left to investigate—calling the humans now."
Now knowing potential surviving Autobots needed his help, Prime poured on the speed, engine roaring as he kicked up large amounts of dust. Arriving within half an hour, Optimus found a blue motorcycle, Arcee; a green SUV, Bulkhead; and a red 1970 Dodge Challenger, Cliffjumper, waiting for him. All four transformed, quickly moving towards the downed ship. The small vessel had sustained a high amount of damage.
"Did they go through a space bridge like this?" Bulkhead questioned as he searched for a hatch.
"Let us focus on helping whomever is within this vessel, so they may give us the answer," Optimus advised, as he and Cliffjumper located an entrance and pried it open. Entering first, Prime asked if there was any information about the craft available. He was quickly informed the signals used by the ship were ancient, and there was a very powerful, but unknown, energy signature inside.
"Yes, my sensors are reading it," Optimus confirmed, his fellows also picking up the same reading.
"Primus, whatever's giving off that energy has some serious power!" Cliffjumper exclaimed as they ventured further. Soon, they found bodies, but confusion soon entered the Autobots' minds.
"This isn't adding up—the ship is a relic, but the bodies are fresh, just like the damage outside," Bulkhead noticed as he stared at the deceased Autobots. Spying an operational console, Arcee went to see the ships records to get some answers, but only found more questions.
"How is this possible? The last entry was over a million years ago, yet everything looks like it just happened?" Arcee told her fellows. The Autobots gave each other odd glances, suddenly very uncomfortable being in this bizarre ship. Optimus, however, asked Arcee to tell him the crew's mission.
"They were on a mission to investigate Decepticon activity in a solar system a few hundred lightyears from Cybertron… and interfere if needed," Arcee read aloud.
"Seems to me they took something, and the Cons didn't take kindly to that," Cliffjumper said as he looked around again. He then shifted his optics to his leader. "You think whatever's giving off those readings is connected to all this?"
Optimus said nothing, but headed towards the source of the reading, his team closely following behind. Shortly, they found the cargo hold where yet another reading was detected. This one was faint and heavily obscured by the larger one they picked up earlier, but it hastened Optimus's actions as he forced the door open. Quickly scanning the inside, the team's optics widened at the sight of a barely-operating red femme Autobot weakly holding some type of canister in her palm.
"Contact Ratchet and tell him to prep the medical bay!" Optimus ordered, as he delicately picked up the surviving crew member before handing her to Bulkhead, removing the cylindrical object from her hand. His sensors indicated this was the source of the unknown energy. Storing the object in his subspace, Optimus told his team to exit the ship, and ordered Cliffjumper and Arcee to stay outside while he and Bulkhead returned to base.
"Guard this ship until our human allies arrive, and assist them with getting it ready for transport. We will move our fallen comrades to be buried when Ratchet opens the ground bridge."
As Optimus finished his sentence, a green vortex opened and two more Autobots, Ratchet and Bumblebee, came from it. Moving quickly, they moved the bodies of seven Autobots and whatever supplies they could salvage from the ship. The surviving femme had already been placed into the medical bay, and Ratchet was pleased to say she only suffered from a lack of Energon and moderate injuries shutting down all but her biological functions to preserve fuel.
"It may take a day, but she will be online. What is her name?" Ratchet asked.
"Ship's records identify her as 'Windblade'," Arcee answered. With a nod, the Autobot medic returned to base through the ground bridge, followed by Bumblebee, Bulkhead, and lastly, Optimus Prime. Now back at Autobot outpost Omega-1, Optimus quickly went to the Med-bay to get a more detailed report on the survivor.
He found Ratchet hard at work welding Windblade's wounds shut, occasionally removing armor plating to check on the protoform beneath. Having heard his leader enter, Ratchet spoke before a question could be asked. "Her armor took most of the damage, but a few injuries did reach the protoform. Thankfully, none of her main fuel lines were ruptured," The Medic stated without lifting his optics up from his patient. "I have also already checked for any damage to her processor and found nothing—all she needs is to be patched up and refueled."
Optimus nodded at this good news, before delicately removing the item she once held from his subspace. Placing the cylindrical item in his mechanical palm, the large mech studied its appearance for the first time. Obviously Cybertronian in nature, its size seemed more fitting for a minicon, being less than two earth meters long and under one meter wide. Lots of grime and scratches had ruined what would have been a smooth purple surface, aside from a long slit in the side. The object did feel hollow, yet the energy inside made Prime guess this was a stasis pod. He was unable to detect what was inside, yet this was not what made him hesitant to open it.
No. It was the feeling of the energy. In this close proximity, Optimus could feel an unrelenting rage and hate emanate from the pod. Whatever Windblade stole from the Decepticons was alive… and not happy.
Optimus felt a warm thrum from within his spark chamber, the Matrix—a fragment of the very soul of Primus himself—activated in presence of this negativity. The readings dropped completely within a matter of nanoseconds in the aura of the Life-Giver, after which the Matrix returned to its previous state of dormancy. Optics lingered on the object, before Optimus walked to Ratchet, who spared a glance to briefly scan the pod in his leader's palm.
"Whatever's in there is biological in nature and contains an absurd amount of energy inside," spoke the white-and-red Medic as he finished welding a nasty gash on Windblade's forearm plating shut. "We need to wait for our comrade to awaken and tell us what she found."
Nodding in agreement with his chief medical officer and longtime friend, Optimus Prime left the area to let Ratchet work in peace. His thoughts went to the being within the pod. 'Please wait just a while longer, until we know it is safe to awaken you.'
The next day gifted Optimus Prime with good news. Their human allies managed to clear up the wreckage, and Windblade had awakened. After introducing her to the rest of the team, they learned she hailed from Caminus—a former colony of Cybertron—serving as a city-speaker and was a triple-changer. Optimus was about to inquire the details regarding Windblade's mission, when a voice called out to him.
"Prime! Heard about the crashed ship!"
Team Prime turned to see their primary human contact: Agent William Fowler. He was of African descent with dark eyes and slightly receding black hair, wearing a blue suit with matching pants, a white button shirt, and striped tie. He seemed slightly annoyed, but this wasn't unusual given his work outside of dealing with the Autobots. His eyes went up to the large red-and-blue mech.
"Glad you were already out there—made salvage real easy and free from prying eyes." His eyes then went to the new bot. Another femme like Arcee, this one predominantly red-and-black with hints of gold, including a fan-like crest in the back of her helm. She also had rather interesting red markings on her otherwise pristine white faceplate, which reminded him of something from Japan. Another detail he noticed were the red wings with fans built in like a V-Tol jet.
A flyer… That was going to be a complicated alt-mode to authorize...
He then noticed her blue optics locked onto him before widening in alarm.
"The stasis pod!" She suddenly exclaimed, quickly opening storage ports on her chassis before Optimus removed the item she searched for. The other Autobots gazed curiously at the item, recalling the absent energy they once sensed from it, while Fowler wondered the reason behind her panic. Cautiously, Windblade took the pod from her leader before explaining how she came in possession of the device and its contents.
"My team and I were sent to investigate Decepticon activity in a nearby solar system. Arrival went smoothly, and we were undetected by the singular vessel."
Optimus and Fowler listened intently as Windblade described how her team infiltrated the Decepticon ship, learning they were performing experiments on the native species of an organic world identical to Earth. The inhabitants possessed the ability to use an internal energy to manipulate the elements and enhance their physical abilities. Of more interest to the head Decepticon scientist, Shockwave, were individuals who could create and shape crystals at will. Shockwave experimented on these innocent beings to see if they could be made to create raw Energon. Optimus became silently furious as he learned the number who perished of Energon poisoning.
Mechanical fists clenched as plating swelled and optical ridges narrowed. If it weren't for the fact Optimus knew the emotionless mech had perished in a collapsing spacebridge, then he would have vowed to make Shockwave answer for his crimes.
Windblade then revealed Shockwave learned of a nearly extinct clan known for incredibly robust genetics, living much longer than the rest of their species. "This pod contains one of the last members of that clan… and the only successful experiment," she revealed, all optics and a pair of eyes on the pod in her grasp.
"Well, what in Uncle Sam's stripped hat are we waiting for?!" Fowler suddenly shouted, finger pointed at the purple object, "Let's get them outta' that thing!" Nearly all the Autobots agreed with the human—Ratchet especially wanted to make sure this alteration would not have long term side effects and hoped to minimize genetic damage.
Windblade, however, shook her head while shuttering her optics. "Believe me, I would've already done so if I thought it was safe." She sighed in light frustration. "But there's… something inside him. Something evil."
"What do you mean 'evil'?" Cliffjumper questioned, but the answer was given by Optimus as he reminded them of the massive energy signature they felt in the ship.
"Yeah… come to think of it, I don't sense it anymore," Bulkhead realized, his fellows nodding in agreement.
"That is because while I checked on Windblade, my proximity to the pod let me feel darkness from inside," Optimus explained before he gently touched the stasis pod, then looked to his spark chamber. "However, the Matrix responded to this evil and seems to have temporarily banished the source."
Fowler raised a skeptical brow and crossed his arms, but Ratchet immediately defended his leader's words. "The Matrix of Leadership is a fragment of the very spark—the soul—of our Creator, Primus himself! As a being of pure benevolence, it is only natural evil would shrink back from his divine presence."
Windblade was silent as she listened to the exchange. She recalled what happened as her team scrambled to escape and when the youngling—he couldn't have been anything but—had entered into a state of pure rage. He had turned an entire hallway into an inaccessible hazard of sharp red-and-blue Energon spikes. She recalled the sick, ruby-red hue his eyes took—it was as if Megatron himself had possessed the boy.
He was so scared when he first saw them…
'And he'll be scared again when we let him out...' Windblade was well aware the boy would probably relapse back into his previous state of rage, but if what the Prime said was true... Resolved, Windblade placed the pod on the ground which gathered everyone's attention.
"Alright Fowler, open it up."
"Wait... me?"
"Yes, you," Windblade gestured for him to go to the waiting pod, "I doubt the first thing he wants to see is more Cybertronians."
Optimus closed his optics at that. He had seen numerous species stare at his kind with dread due to Decepticon actions. Even the human in the room had once looked at them with suspicion, pointing them to be the cause of Decepticon activity on his world. However, Optimus opened his visual sensors to see Fowler in front of the pod while Windblade knelt nearby. He placed a tentative hand on the purple metal.
"Man, I hope you look like you're from this planet-" Fowler mumbled as he lifted the lid which deactivated the stasis field. The Autobots saw what looked no different than a normal earthling of about 13 or 14 earth-years with a head covered by pale blond fuzz and somewhat pale skin—a possible sign of lack of nutrients—however, whether this was due to Shockwave or the incredibly long time he was in stasis remained to be seen. Another detail were three pairs of black lines on his face. Scars, maybe? He was garbed in a heavily-torn white bodysuit which would've covered all but his head. The Autobots leaned in slightly yet kept their distance, while Fowler gently touched his arm, concern etched on his face when he saw how young the boy was.
The agent soon regretted his action.
Intense blue—Energon blue—eyes snapped open, and Fowler felt a vice grip on his throat, before he was forcibly turned away with his back to the once-still captive. However, despite his surprise at the sheer strength and speed the child possessed—restraining Fowler in one second—the agent was FAR more afraid of the solid spike of Energon sliding out from the alien child's now-bloody wrist. He shouted in a language unknown to Fowler, but he thought it sounded familiar.
The Autobots froze, unsure what to do aside from Optimus and Windblade. Windblade drew the formerly dormant child's attention by speaking lowly to him. His inhumanly blue eyes widened in recognition at her, but his grip tightened as he shouted again, wrist spike moving closer to his captive. It was now when Optimus Prime spoke… in surprisingly the same language as the child, to everyone's shock.
The Prime's tone was low and calm. Slowly, he got down on his palms so he was level with the child. Fowler remained silent, praying to both his God and Primus that Optimus would get him out of this situation. The child shook as he listened to the calm giant, denial clear in his tone, but each time Optimus spoke with assurance, his faceplates and voice filled with sincerity. Optimus even indicated to Windblade, who smiled when the child looked in her direction, warmth evident. So unlike the blank red light of the one-armed golem.
His head turned low as he choked and sniffled.
The Energon spike snapped off his wrist and clattered on the ground, as the child let go of Fowler and began to wail. Optimus rose up and watched along with the other Autobots as Fowler turned to the crying child and gently raised his head so he could look him in his alien blue eyes.
"It's OK. You're OK now."
It was clear he didn't understand the words, but the meaning was conveyed as Fowler embraced him, which made the child cry harder. Within minutes, the emotional episode seemed to have drained the kid as he fell back into unconsciousness—thankfully natural—under the watch of Windblade who knelt over the pod. Meanwhile, Fowler and Optimus spoke with the former standing on a catwalk level with the latter's line of sight.
"Prime… this is a complicated situation," Fowler stated the obvious, looking down to where the child slept. Optimus also gazed at where the topic of this conversation laid, optics filled with pity as he listened to Fowler speak.
"I have no idea how I'm going to explain this to General Bryce…" Fowler sighed. "Not only are we going to have to create an identity for the kid, fabricate a history, and teach him how to live on this world, we have to make sure ABSOLUTELY NOTHING happens involving his Energon shenanigans." William shook his head at the nightmare of paperwork he was going to have to deal with.
"Agent Fowler, while I understand the burden this places on you, but I must make you aware it is imperative the child remain here," Optimus spoke without turning his head. The man just looked at the metal giant in disbelief, before sighing in defeat.
"Ratchet needs to examine him to see the full extent of Shockwave's alterations," Optimus began. "And as Energon is toxic to humans, it is for the best he is isolated until we can determine if close proximity is hazardous for others," adding a few moments later, "And in case unforeseen complications arise, the greater population won't be around."
Fowler agreed with this reasoning. However, he pointed out they couldn't keep the kid in here forever. "He's gotta' have his time in the sun, breathing fresh air, but under supervision."
Optimus nodded, already aware of the solution. "That is why I am assigning Windblade as his guardian."
Fowler raised a brow and turned to the new bot. She hadn't moved much aside from switching which leg she knelt on. Fowler supposed the latest addition to Team Prime already had taken it upon herself to watch over the one she liberated. He also remembered a somewhat positive reaction to the red flyer.
Yeah, this could work… but there was one problem. "Prime, the government isn't going to let a child ride around in a fighter jet."
Optimus let his faceplates adopt a small smirk. "Then it is a good thing Windblade is able to possess two alternative modes."
"That's possible?" Fowler spoke in surprise.
Optimus nodded. "Records recall there have been some capable of over eight different forms, but three is the most common and are normally referred to as 'triple-changers'."
Recovering from his initial shock, Will saw how this could make authorization of a jet for Windblade to scan easier, as she would have a lower-profile form to assume.
"Alright, Prime, I need to inform Bryce about what's going on. I'll let you know what the final decision is," Fowler turned to leave, but looked back at Optimus. "I'll try to get him to allow you to watch the kid, but I can't guarantee anything."
"I understand."
"…one last thing: How did you know his language?"
"I recognized some of the word structure and quickly compared it to native languages, and found the one he spoke was very similar to an old version of Japanese."
"…Japanese? God, this just keeps getting weirder." Fowler sighed, before saying he'd be back and to let him know if anything happens.
Optimus nodded and turned his optics back to the child, wondering what would become of him.
CUT! CHAPTER OVER!
Firstly, thank you ekaterina016 for BETA services.
What will become of the child indeed OP! God it's nice to combine two of my favorite childhood shows together, been watching Transformers since the Unicron trilogy(Cybertron was my favorite). Nostalgia aside, I know some of you are wondering how Naruto's still alive despite supposedly being in stasis for a few million years. Next chapter will explain this.
Nothing else I want to say other than which Cons or Bots you guys wanna see in here. That's all from me, read and review.
Later! Greyblueflames burning out!
