Chapter 14: A Month of Training
Orion Eclipse flew up towards Cybertron's atmosphere as he continued to fly in his jet mode. The wind in his face felt good and the young Cybertronian's mind was racing with excitement and Eclipse thought that if he could just fly farther and farther away from this alien planet, then he would find his way back to Earth and return home to Idaho. Orion thought for certain that he would escape from his Autobot captors and reunite with his human friend, but then he heard police sirens blaring behind him.
"Stop right where you are!" a male voice shouted. "You're under arrest for speeding!"
"Oh, great." Orion Eclipse said to himself. He was in trouble now. Now the young bot had been into trouble with the human authorities before, but he never thought that he would get into trouble with Cybertron's police force.
"Come quietly now and identify yourself," a Cybertronian police officer said.
Orion Eclipse sighed for he realized that he'd been caught trying to escape from Cybertron before he surrendered himself to the police without resisting arrest. Orion didn't want to go behind bars again, but the Autobot authorities had to put him in their custody until Ultra Magnus and his Autobots would come over to collect him and teach the stubborn Decepticon amnesiac a lesson.
Hours passed and Orion clicked his tongue to mimic a clock when a robot officer scolded him to keep quiet much to his frustration. When Ultra Magnus came with Ironhide and Jetfire, they asked the police as well as Strongarm about Orion Eclipse and they brought them over to his cell where they were not surprised to see the young bot pouting.
"There you are, Orion!" Ultra Magnus said to the young bot, opening the doors to his cell before entering with Ironhide and Jetfire behind him.
"Hello, Ultra Magnus." Orion Eclipse mumbled with a grumpy look on his face.
"So, I take it you passed your test in learning to fly like a jet?" Ultra Magnus said, his voice sounded strict in disappointment. "What were you thinking?! Pulling a dangerous stunt like that!?" he exclaimed.
"Magnus," Ironhide began, but Ultra shot a serious look at him to keep quiet while he scolds the young Decepticon amnesiac for breaking the rules.
"Orion Eclipse, you nearly ran over Ratchet at a high speed while you were flying in your jet mode." Ultra Magnus told Orion, "You almost gave him a spark attack! And before that, not only did you refuse to listen to your Ex-Decepticon mentor, Jetfire when he asked you not to fly too fast, but you caused a stir at Iacon City and then you tried to fly off into space!" he scolded.
"Am I in trouble for all of that?!" Orion Eclipse asked, shocked and confused.
"YES!!" Ultra Magnus yelled before he calmed himself down as he sighed, "Look, Orion. I understand that you're an amnesiac and that you're young, confused, inexperienced and that Optimus said that you're not a true Decepticon, but you need to follow the rules and obey the laws of this planet," he said.
"I'm sorry," Orion Eclipse apologized to the Autobot leader. "I just wanted to go home to Earth where I belong. I don't care if I was born on Cybertron and I don't care if I'm a Decepticon or not! I shouldn't be here!" he cried before he told Ultra Magnus, "And besides, you may look like Optimus Prime, but you'll NEVER be as good as him!"
"Sir, may I speak to him?" Ironhide asked Ultra Magnus. The Autobot leader looked at him and he nodded before he allowed the old, red Cybertronian to console with Orion. "Kid, I know you're really upset and I know that you're homesick...but you really shouldn't be talking to our leader like that. The last bot who had told him that he isn't like Optimus...was the mech who wanted to destroy both Earth and Cybertron."
"Oh, so now you're comparing me to Doomsayer?! Is that the way you Autobots saw me when we first met?!" Orion asked, accusingly.
"No, Orion! I was referring to Megatron!... Look, young mech; We just had a word with the police and they said they'll let you be in our custody so that we Autobots can help you learn from your mistakes so that you don't have to be locked up in Iacon prison." Ironhide explained. "I'm very sorry for the way we treated you back on Earth when we first met. Believe me, I didn't expect or even wanted Ratchet and Hot Rod to attack you when you've done nothing wrong when you and your human friend found the Sword of Primus and Optimus Prime made it quite clear that you're innocent and that you're special. And coming from a Decepticon-bustin' mech, that's saying a lot!"
Orion Eclipse looked away, trying to hide the tears forming in his optics. Ironhide gave the young mech a reassuring look before Jetfire came in to join the conversation as he said to the Decepticon amnesiac, "What Ironhide is trying to say is...you're not like all the other Decepticons who have ruined the lives of so many Autobots or any other Cybertronians in the galaxy. In fact, I used to be a Decepticon, and I used to take orders from Megatron before I left and became an Autobot because I knew that what he was doing while harvesting the Dark Energon at Trypticon was evil...and you're not evil at all and you do have some good traits and qualities that'd make you a fine Autobot, but your fatal flaws are that you're reckless, careless, disobedient and that you let your emotions get the best of you." Jetfire pointed out.
Orion Eclipse sighed deeply as he swallowed his guilt and sadness before he asked his mentors, "I don't want to be a Decepticon anymore, but I do not wish to be an Autobot because I'm not sure if becoming an Autobot is a good thing or not. I mean, I really don't want to harm those who have done nothing wrong, I don't want to take them away from their homes and lock them in a cage, and I don't want to turn them into something they're not! I just...I just want Optimus to be the one to help me kickstart my own destiny." he said in all honesty.
"We're not trying to turn you into something you're not, Orion." Ultra Magnus suddenly said. "We just want to help you, to teach you, and to train you because we're trying to follow the wish of Optimus Prime. He warned us about the enemy rising from the ashes to help the Chaos Bringer return for revenge and he believes that you might be the key to our salvation," he said before Orion Eclipse replied.
"I think that you Autobots have chosen the wrong guy. I mean, I'm no hero. I'm not even sure if I'm worthy of becoming a Prime one day," Orion said.
"You may be right; not everyone is the heroic type you know. But with proper training and proper guidance, I'm sure that you will become a better bot than you were before and that you will earn your new insignia by the time your skills are complete." Ultra Magnus promised the young Cybertronian. "And you have my word that you will return to Earth and be back at home again," he said.
"Thank you, sir." Orion Eclipse replied.
After Ultra Magnus and his Autobots bring their recruit back to base, they continue to teach Orion Eclipse everything he needs to know until he starts to get used to being on Cybertron away from Earth. As time went by, the young bot became an honorary member of the Autobots and a star pupil to Ironhide despite being seen as a Decepticon loner with memory loss, and so Orion Eclipse spends an entire weekend of training with his new Autobot friends while learning to master new skills and the arts of combat, flight, and transforming. Once Jetfire taught Orion Eclipse how to transform into his jet mode and fly without showing off and getting in trouble again, Bulkhead decided to teach the young bot how to use his strength in combat while Arcee gave him a few fighting tips. Then Wheeljack taught Orion how to master swordsmanship, Ratchet and Knock Out taught him how to use a medical kit, Bumblebee taught him how to communicate with mute bots using body language and facial expressions.
And so, a training montage begins as the Autobots teach Orion Eclipse more about Cybertron and its culture, its history and its people, and how to think, talk, and act like a Cybertronian and an Autobot before Orion continues to think about going back to Earth and being together with his friend, Anthony Carter.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, Jonathan Dave Carter and his family travel to Jasper, Nevada where the place had been rebuilt five years after Megatron destroyed it with his Decepticons while ruling on Darkmount at his place on Earth called New Kaon. Before they left Boise, Idaho, Jonathan Dave Carter had sent an email to Agent William Fowler, asking him if he and his family could meet him at Jasper, Nevada so that they can tell him about the Decepticon amnesiac that Anthony befriended before Orion Eclipse got apprehended by the Autobots. Agent Fowler had answered his old employee with a reply that he has his permission to meet him at Jasper and then Jonathan brought his family with him to meet William.
When the Carters did make their way to Jasper, Nevada they parked their car over near a place where Agent Fowler is located before they got out of the car and used the car keys to lock it before Jonathan Dave Carter leads his wife and step-son to a special agents building where Agent Fowler was having coffee while talking on the phone with his wife, Beyonce Fowler. (Yes, in this continuity where it takes place 5 years after the events of TFP: Predacons Rising, Agent Fowler is married to a woman named, Beyonce and I'm not referring to the celebrity singer mind you, and William has a son named, Jacob "Jake" Fowler)
Jonathan and his family meet Agent Fowler as soon as he ends his phone call with his wife. William sees his old employee as well as his wife and step-son before he greets them. "Jonathan. It's been a while since we've last seen each other. I'm surprised to see you've brought your family with you." he said. Jonathan introduces his family to his former boss, "Agent Fowler? This is my wife, Katherine, and her son--my step-son, Anthony."
"Hi," said Anthony as he waved at Agent Fowler.
"Hey." William greeted before he asked the step-father, "So, this is your step-son who claims to have met a giant robot in Idaho?"
"Yes, William. You won't believe this, but our son Anthony told us about how he met a young Cybertronian named Orion Eclipse and he told me and his mom about him being a lonely Decepticon amnesiac and that he and Anthony became friends that one night while we were staying at a mini-hotel before Orion Eclipse brought our son over to his place in the mountains where he gave him a tour before Orion was attacked by three Autobots such as Ratchet and his scouts when they found a massive sword in the stone which showed a bright image of Optimus Prime himself." Jonathan Dave Carter explained.
"Hold the phone! Are you telling me that this kid actually met a stranded Cybertronian and a Decepticon with memory loss and that you actually saw Prime himself?!" William exclaimed.
"And that's not all that Anthony told me and his mother. He explained how when one of the Autobots attacked Orion Eclipse while accusing him of holding a young human hostage and being a Decepticon scout, Anthony surprisingly used a crowbar and a wrench to defend himself and his new friend before one of the Autobots touched the giant magic sword in the stone and Optimus Prime himself appeared right in front of them as a holy spirit or some sort."
"I'm surprised that he actually equipped a crowbar and a working wrench he used as tools for defense! Anthony, you know that you shouldn't be playing around with heavy metal items." Katherine told her son.
"I know that, Mom. But what else was I supposed to do? Just sit idly by while they beat the scrap out of my friend who I might add not only understood what it's like to not have a friend in your life but who was also the first Cybertronian that I've ever met?! I couldn't just let those giant robot bastards harm Orion Eclipse when he did absolutely nothing wrong other than looking for some more of these blue giant crystals that are basically fuel for him!" Anthony said.
"Those blue giant crystals you mentioned are called, 'Energon'. Cybertronains use them for supplies and resources." Katherine replied to her son before Agent Fowler asked. "Does Anthony know what happened when Optimus appeared as a ghost in front of him, the Autobots and the mysterious Decepticon amnesiac? Because I'm beginning to wonder what is about to happen since the Great War between the Autobots and the Decepticons came to an end five years ago."
Jonathan looked at Anthony and both he and Katherine gave their son a gesture to explain the whole story of what happened when he and Orion Eclipse met Optimus Prime for the first time with the three Autobots who apprehended them in that cave a few days ago. "This might sound a bit crazy, but when I first met Optimus Prime with my new friend, Orion Eclipse, we were surprised and awed by him and his presence was intense. Optimus told Ratchet and his two Autobot scouts, Ironhide and Hot Rod, that the Decepticons are back...and I think they have elected a new leader, an evil unknown Decepticon who wants to...to...do something like...restart the Great War or something. As for Orion Eclipse, Optimus was displeased with his Autobots for treating him with brutality because he's a Decepticon and he did nothing wrong before Prime said something about how...The Sword of Primus, I think that's what it's called, is meant for Orion and that Orion is like the key to the Autobots' salvation for when their old enemies return for revenge or some shit like that." Anthony told Agent Fowler the whole story.
"And then what happened?" William asked.
"Optimus Prime ordered Ratchet and his Autobot friends to help Orion Eclipse with his memory loss and to treat him with respect since he might as well be the Chosen One or something and if I remember correctly, Optimus didn't tell the Autobots who the new leader of the Decepticons is before Prime disappeared along with the other Thirteen Original Primes who were with him as basically robot gods before Orion Eclipse fainted and he lost consciousness due to shock.
After that, the Autobots told me that they won't continue to harm my friend, but that they will take him back to their base on Cybertron. I was angry because I didn't want those metal bastards to take my robot friend away after the way they had treated him. Then Ratchet turned himself into an emergency vehicle and invited me to get inside him so that he could drive me back to the hotel and of course, I said no because I hated him as well as Hot Rod for treating Orion Eclipse with such violence!" Anthony ended explaining the rest of the story as he panted with frustration.
"Calm down, Anthony." Katherine comforted her son as she patted him on the back to help him let go of his anger. "We're very sorry that the Autobots hurt your friend. Orion didn't deserve to be beaten and then taken away to an alien planet far from here." she said.