"Wake up, Aiyras." Primus voice was distinct activating the silver, red and gold femme that has been in stasis lock for eons.
Groans of pain from a femme that held her helm after it collided with the wall across from her in a locked compartment within the ship, it took a moment for her to regain her sense and the pain to subside. Last thing she remembers was fighting Megatron somewhere in someplace she couldn't remember. The place had looked dead though, she remembered hunting down after what he did to her. What he did to Cybertron. She didn't want to think about the eons of torture, stasis lock and awake repeatedly, experimenting on her.
She looked around the dark cramped space before placing her pedes on the door and kicking, she fell in the air when the door easily gave. She tumbled out onto grey sand, she immediately got onto her pedes hearing the sound of footsteps and familiar voices. From the corner of the room she couldn't believe what she was seeing was real, she gaped at the diseased fellow Autobots around her. She had failed, she had failed and all of these Autobots were… dead, she stood up and began checking herself over. She turned to the door opening.
…
"Optimus, you're not going to believe this." Ratchet clicked on a blinking beacon on the screen, "I've just pinpointed the location of a Decepticon warship," Ratchet suddenly announced.
"How did you penetrate their cloaking shields?" Optimus asked.
"I didn't. I was experimenting with variable frequency wavelengths when I stumbled upon it. Even still, the ship might be experimenting some kind of electromagnetic breach," Ratchet remarked.
"With Megatron deceased, and the element of surprise…" Arcee started, smashing her fist in her hand.
"…We can cause some serious damage," Bulkhead finished.
The computer started beeping along with a another brain appearing on the screen.
"Also on the same frequency, an Autobot Emergency Beacon," Ratchet reported in surprise.
"The Decepticons can wait. There could be Autobots in distress. Ratchet, get your medical kit," Optimus instructed.
…
Optimus and Ratchet broke through the barriers of the Groundbridge portal, and shut behind them.
"A crash-landing. Buried here for centuries," Optimus observed.
When they reached the stronghold of the ship, they activated their laser drills and began drilling holes into the ship. Once a decent-sized hole was cut, Optimus knocked the wall down and the two went inside. A ship full of rust.. Optimus and Ratchet turned on their flashlights the ship was more visible.
"If they travelled in stasis mode, there may be survivors," Ratchet reported.
The ship shifted, Optimus and Ratchet braced themselves as the ship settled. They began to explore the long-lost ship. In front of them was a closed off door, most likely, sealed rust with rust. Optimus pried open the doors. Upon entry, a horrific sight greeted them.
Bodes. Bodies of their fellow Autobots. Each lying in a pool of their own Energon which was abnormally lilac rather than its crystal blue.
Diseased Energon.
"Optimus. These Autobots didn't perish in the crash…," Ratchet gasped as he performed a body scan on one of the dead bodies, "They're displaying the effects of a virus."
"This is a plague ship," Optimus proclaimed quietly as he went to walk forward, only to have Ratchet stop him in his path.
"Don't touch anything! The virus could still be active," Ratchet said cautiously reaching out towards Optimus Prime.
"Get out!" A voice yelled, a slender silver figure came out of thin air.
The unknown bot threw Ratchet out, he went to protest but when he seen who it was, he just stared. He hadn't seen her in so long, he convinced himself she was dead like so many other fellow Autobots, but like Optimus she wasn't easily killed. The ship shook as he watched the legendary femme warrior disappear into the ship. There was only one word to decipher this situation, inconceivable. A couple moments later, she was struggling to pull out their Autobot leader.
"He's been infected," the femme said struggling to drag her leader across the metal ground toward Ratchet.
The sound of metal on metal would be excruciating to native earthlings.
"No," Ratchet gasped shortly, he looked at the silver and red femme in front of him. "Aiyr?" Ratchet inquired in utter astonishment, she looked up at the call of her name.
"Hey, Ratch," She grimaced while dragging her father to safety.
…
Ratchet helped Aiyr carry Optimus through the ground bridge portal back to the middle silo in Jasper, Nevada. Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Arcee stopped in their tracks in utter astonishment at the sight before them. They stared at the femme helping Ratchet carry Optimus through the ground bridge.
"Some help would be nice!" Ratchet shouted.
Bulkhead took Aiyr's place, she stepped back and then looked around at the missile silo as their base. She glanced down at the Autobot insignia on the floor under her feet. She looked around and she found three unknown species gawking at her.
"Welcome aboard," Jack greeted, "Jack," He introduced.
"Rafael," Raf added, waving at her, she waved back.
"Who are you?!" Miko asked with excitement.
Aiyr's head tilted as she looked at the eager teen awaiting for her name, "My name is Aiyras, what's yours?" She tilted her head to the other side as she scanned them, she approached them.
"My name is Miko!" She answered bouncing on the balls of her feet with her hands behind her back, smiling widely. "What's your story? Are you Optimus' sister? What are you? A car? A jet? Are you a swords woman? You look pretty badass. And sexy."
"Miko," Jack scoffed.
"How is all of that coming out of you? You're so tiny. You seem rowdy," Aiyras observed, Miko took offense to the last one.
"Oh," Aiyr's optics shifted towards Arcee's location behind her and back towards the grinning humans, "you have no idea," Arcee smirked.
Aiyr turned around to her right towards Arcee, the fearless two wheeler back on Cybertron.
Aiyras smirked at the smaller femme, "Hello, Arcee, we meet again."
"Hello, Aiyras," Arcee smirked, holding up her servo for a secret servoshake.
Aiyr froze when she seen Bumblebee, those memories she didn't want to remember demanding to be acknowledged, ravages her mind. She didn't institute any moves towards him. Bee didn't know if she was real, he didn't know if she was a hallucination of his lost love in a sick dream while recharging. Aiyr picked up on movement from her right peripheral, Optimus's face turn towards her reaching towards her. Bumblebee and Aiyr shared a look as she walked past him, the three humans also shared a look of confusion but also knowing.
"I sense an Autobot romance brewing," Miko says grinning.
Rafael has recalled Bumblebee reminiscing about a femme the Autobots believed was fallen along with others, the trio of humans watched as Bulkhead picked up the new Autobot right off her pedes.
"Ay! Welcome back, Aiyras. We missed ya!" Bulkhead said holding her upside in the air.
"It's nice to see you too, Bulk. What gives?" Aiyras tried to get herself freed from bulkheads grasp.
"What gives? Are you really not going to say Hi to him?" Bulkhead asked while setting her back on pedes before pushing in a different.
"Bulk," Arcee scolded lightly.
Aiyras regained her footing looking away from Bulkhead to Bumblebee in front of her, Bulkhead edged her closer with a smack to her back.
"Bulkhead," Aiyras threw a kick at him that he dodged.
"Firecracker," Jack snorted.
Aiyras turned back to Bumblebee, oh she hated the feelings rising up in her but it was always unavoidable since it happened when they first met in the orphanage before they were fully able to speak correct sentences. She was rescue from Decepticons and he lost his parents in a recent Decepticon demolition. He had found her, she was one of the other outcasts, small and afraid. All she knew was her father, Megatron, but once Bumblebee came up to her, she forgot everything else.
He had been her one and only for eons, she had been his one and only for eons.
"Hi." She choked, and she looked away from him when Miko squealed.
"I knew it!"
Bumblebee greeted her and she looked back up at him, she felt like she was going to burst being in his presence but she couldn't move.
"Aiyras…" Optimus groaned, raspy.
Aiyras turns and strides quickly to her father's medical bedside, she took his servo and glanced over at Ratchet.
"Cybonic plague," Ratchet proclaimed after scanning the infected area around Optimus' optics.
The infection had already begun to spread. The area surrounding Optimus' left optic had lost its usual metallic stark blue coloring. The area just under his optic was purple and a neon white. Outwards, it was a horrific navy and it continued to spread across his face. Aiyr found it horrifying to see her father in this state, and she could feel the rage begin to build inside her. She loved Optimus more than anything, he was her father, this was her fault if she had been able to stop Megatron maybe things would be different. So nothing at moment was going to keep her away from him.
"What is that?" Miko asked.
"The only way you can contract the Cybonic plague is if you come into physical contact with the infected Energon," Aiyras answered tightening her grasp as her father also tightened his grasp around her small servo compared to his that envelopes hers.
"But what was it doing inside of an Autobot ship?" Miko wanted to know as she turned to Jack and Rafael.
"It's passengers were infected. The virus wiped out millions on Cybertron during the Great War," Arcee answered sadly.
"The Cybonic Plague was engineered in the Decepticon Biological Warfare Program by Megatron himself," Ratchet announced gravely.
Aiyr nodded, she held onto her father's servo with both of her own, she stood up from her kneeling position.
"You have a cure, don't you?" Raf asked worriedly.
"No…, cure," Optimus rasped.
Aiyras went to speak up but Ratchet cut her off, Raf noticed she wanted to say something but she looked back down at Optimus.
"Optimus, please. Save your strength," Ratchet coaxed him gently, "We all need you."
"Would Megatron create a disease without a cure? I mean, what if he caught it by accident?" Jack suddenly asked as he held onto the railing of the platform.
"It's not like we can ask Megatron, Jack. He's pushing up lugnuts," Bulkhead retorted with a short delighted chuckle.
"Yes, we can. There is a cure, I had this, Megatron will never forget the formula."
"Whoa, wait." Arcee stepped forward.
"What?" Miko quired.
"But we may be able to access the Decepticon database. For a moment, we still have a fix on their warship's coordinates," Ratchet observed.
"Wait, back track a moment," Jack interjected, "You had it?"
"We don't have time for this," Ratchet snapped.
"Well, I can't sit around while Optimus goes through absolute torture. Bumblebee, wanna come with?" Arcee offered, earning hums in agreement.
"Don't go…," Optimus begged quietly.
"I want to be able to save you, Optimus. I'm not gonna to sit around watching you die." Arcee remarked.
"Arcee, Bumblebee, work quickly," Ratchet warned.
"We will," Arcee replied.
"Don't hesitate to call for backup," Aiyras says not looking away from Optimus.
The GroundBridge portal shone in the middle of a hallway aboard the Nemesis. Through this portal, Arcee, and Bumblebee flipped their way through the portal. Arcee and Bumblebee had their arm cannons unfolded and charged.
"Let's start with the lab," Arcee suggested.
Bumblebee beeped quietly in agreement as they made their way around carefully, their weapons still armed and ready. When they reached the miniature hallway leading to the lab, they made sure they were well hidden in case any of their Decepticon drones decided to make an appearance. When the doors opened, they realized they made the right choice. Knock-Out walked out of the lab with Megatron's silhouette behind him hooked up to Cybertronian medical equipment. Once he was gone, Arcee peeked around the hallway as he disappeared down and then turned back to the others.
"Okay. I'll search the databases. You stand guard," Arcee unfolded her other blaster and stood guard at the doorway.
Bumblebee guarded the doors. Arcee immediately hacked into the systems.
"I'm in the network," Arcee announced, "How's Optimus doing?"
"His condition is on a slow downhill climb," Ratchet answered with a sigh.
"Ratchet," Optimus rasped, drawing Ratchet's attentions from the vitals before him to his old friend, "Were you…?"
"Infected? No," Ratchet shook his head, causing Optimus to breathe a sigh of relief as the light in his optics slowly dimmed.
Aiyr closed her eyes as Bulkhead sighed deeply with a optic roll as she tried to regain control of her slowly lost her sanity over this situation. Kicking herself for not attending a union with Megatron.
"If it's here, I don't see it."
"Are you certain, Arcee?" Ratchet demanded.
"Bumblebee and I have searched every file. Nothing," Arcee reported.
"Well, search again! Clearly, you missed something!"
"We've scanned their entire database," Arcee retorted angrily.
"Did you use a redundant quantum algorithm?"
"Don't tell me how to research! You think you're the only one who cares about Optimus?" Arcee snapped.
Bumblebee beeped in caution.
"What is it?" Arcee immediately demanded, she also instantly regretted it. "Whoa."
"What is it? What's going on?" Ratchet inquired as Aiyr joined his side at the computers.
Arcee, and Bumblebee certainly got the shock of their lives over the sight before them. Lying on a stone cold berth with half a dozen large wires hooked up to his body keeping him alive was the head of the Decepticons himself:
"It's Megatron! He's alive!"
"That's not possible!" Ratchet shook his head in disbelief, "That's just not possible!"
"Well, we're staring right at him," Arcee retorted. "Good news is: Megatron's not exactly staring back."
"What did I miss?" Aiyras asked and turned to Bulkhead who came to her side.
"Megatron…," Optimus gasped from his berth.
"Condition's critical. He's hooked up the life support," Arcee reported. "Time to finish this once and for all," Arcee proclaimed as she aims her blaster.
"Wait! Stop!"
"Give me one good reason why we shouldn't and fast," Arcee snarled.
"Megatron may be Optimus' only hope for survival."
"The Cure." Aiyras ran her servo over her helm and through her cybernetic hair falling from the back of her helmet.
"Does he display brainwave activity?"
"Spiking hard. His sick mind is still at work," Arcee answered bitterly.
"Perfect! If a cure exists, Megatron may be the only one who knows it. You must enter his brain and find it."
"Enter Megatron's brain? Ratchet, are you out of your fragging mind?" Arcee demanded.
"The Decepticon lab should contain all the equipment you need for a cortical psychic patch," Ratchet went on.
"Have you even performed the procedure?" Arcee asked.
"No. But I have thoroughly studied the theoretical literature. Invented by Decepticons. Outlawed by Autobots," Ratchet recalled.
"Whoa. Can't we just haul Megatron through the GroundBridge and buy us some time to figure this out?"
"Time is one thing that Optimus doesn't have! I will not allow Optimus to pass knowing that Megatron will outlive him. The cure is in his mind, you need to retrieve it from within." Aiyras snapped, she walked over to the computer screens, "You, or Bumblebee, or Bulkhead, or Ratchet, or myself. We don't have the time to discuss who will extinguish Megatron's spark. If you don't want to enter his mind, I will."
Ratchet opened a Groundbridge, and Aiyras ran through.
Bumblebee protested and snuck away with one end of the purple glowing cable. Arcee watched in disbelief as Aiyras Groundbridge to their location, from her hiding place as Bumblebee hooked up the end of the patch he took with him to Megatron's body. When she came back, she squatted down to where Bumblebee had crouched down, she held the other end of the patch in her servos.
"Bumblebee," Aiyras murmured, a short silent conversation between them, she nodded.
"Ratchet, we're ready." Arcee reported into the commlink.
"Initiate cortical psychic connection," Ratchet instructed.
Aiyras connected the other end of the patch to the back of Bumblebee's head and twisted it to ensure the connection. She guided him back against the wall and slipped away to his side, Aiyr locked eyes with Bumblebee as reality began to fade all around him.
When he opened his optics, he wasn't on the Nemesis air ship anymore. He took in his surroundings. Fire. Metal. Tall structures. Gunfire. A Decepticon or three. Within moments, Bumblebee knew where he was. But he didn't dare to say the name aloud. He felt around his body, making sure that everything was still in place.
Bumblebee beeped in understanding as he began to take tentative, cautious steps forward.
"Communications downlink activated. This will allow us to see and hear everything Bumblebee does while in Megatron's subconscious mind," Ratchet explained.
"Whoa. Where is that?" Jack asked in amazement as he glanced at the screen.
"Kaon," Aiyras answers while crouching with her sword ready for an attack, her optics are sandy, like golden sand on a beach during golden hour.
"I forgot she can do that," Arcee murmurs after shaking off her shock.
"The Decepticon capitol back on Cybertron," Raf clarified for a confused Jack, and Miko from his conversations with Bumblebee.
"Ratch, Optimus' vitals are…," Bulkhead trailed off, unable to finish what he was saying.
"I know. Quickly, Bumblebbe. I know you're in unknown territory. But you must figure out where information might be filed in Megatron's mind."
Bumblebee walked up the stairs before stopping at the sight before him, staying as silent as he could. Standing before him was Optimus. He was rid of the Cybonic plague. In fact, there wasn't a thing wrong with him. He stood there in perfect working condition. Ready to fight any oncoming enemy. Bumblebee cheered as he ran forward, but a golden sheer film wall stopped him.
"Bumblebee, that is not Optimus. But a figment if Megatron's mind. He cannot see or hear you," Ratchet told him gravely.
"Optimus Prime! Your Autobot army has been defeated! And your family lies together in a shallow grave with them. Bow before your master," Megatron told him.
"It was under your hands that my family is gone, Megatron. I will never bow before you. Not after what you did to them. One shall stand. One shall fall," Optimus proclaimed as he turned around and unfolded his blade.
"So be it," Megatron sneered as he unfolded his arm cannon and jumped to the ground below.
Bumblebee watched from behind a molten rock as Optimus and Megatron ran towards each other at equally high speeds. They went to punch each other at the same time. Optimus missed. Megatron didn't. In fact, as soon as Megatron touched Optimus, he disintegrated into blue dust and flowed in the wind.
Bumblebee's eyes widened in shock and his body shook with anger. He saw Megatron; the lifelong enemy he shared with the Autobots.
"That never happened!" Bulkhead cried in protest.
"It's not a memory. We're seeing Kaon as Megatron has created it. In his darkest dreams," Ratchet growled.
The rock Bumblebee was hiding behind suddenly changed color, texture and shape. Bumblebee bleeped as it did catching himself before he fell. There he was. Standing before him once again. Was Optimus.
"Megatron! Your treachery ends here!" Optimus declared as he unfolded his arm blade.
Megatron didn't say anything. He just folded his sword back into his arm and charged his cannon.
Bumblebee beeped in disapproval and ready to fight for his leaders life.
He went to shove him away but instead, of knocking Optimus out of the way, she was too late disintegrated behind her. Suddenly, Bumblebee felt Megatron's eyes on him.
"Ah, Bumblebee. I thought I had killed you a long time ago. In front of your lover… what was her name?... Aiyry? Oh, the pleasure I had of watching her try to revive you as you bled out before her. Either way, the punishment for trespassing on my domain is your destruction!" Megatron snarled as he held up his blade.
Bumblebee glared up at him. Megatron took his swipe. He closed his optics as he held his arms over his head as he braced for impact. But he didn't feel anything. In fact, Megatron's swipe went through him. Bumblebee opened his optics and looked at Megatron in confusion. It was an expression they equally shared.
"How can this be?" Megatron demanded as he swiped at Bumblebee again… only to have it go through him.
Bumblebee gave Megatron devilish grin and stood to his feet, you could see his face in Megatron's disoriented faceplate.
"Megatron can't touch, Bumblebee?" Rafael asked.
"Because he is not a creation of Megatron's mind, Bumblebee is immune to his physical attack," Ratchet explained.
"Your eyes track my movements. So you're not a hologram. And I do not believe in spirits," Megatron pondered aloud as he walked around her, "So tell me, Bumblebee? What are you?"
"Megatron."
Both Bumblebee and Megatron turned around at the sound of the familiar voice. Optimus was standing before them ready to fight. And this time, he brought along back up, Aiyras and Bulkhead stood beside him ready to fight.
"Uh-oh. Special guest stars," Miko observed.
"This is not good," Ratchet remarked.
Megatron shot at the Autobots approaching him with blasters firing, they disintegrated like the others had upon impact of Megatron's shots.
"You are real. They were not," Megatron chuckled as he realized how this was possible, "A cortical psychic patch. How unexpected."
"We've stirred Megatron from his oblivion. He's becoming self-aware," Ratchet warned.
"Just how much danger will he be in exactly? Now that Megatron knows that he's in his mind?" Jack asks nervously.
"Only time will tell," Ratchet sighed gravely.
"If this is my subconscious… What are you doing inside my head?!" Megatron screeched.
Suddenly, Arcee and Aiyras heard the doors to the room open. Arcee aimed her blaster ready for anything. Aiyr immediately snapped out of her connected link and returned to her post after signaling Arcee to be quiet and keep an eye on Bumblebee. Arcee nodded, when Aiyras took to her post, she saw Starscream walking into the lab with Knockout and Soundwave following him like lap dogs.
"Knockout, if you would be so kind as to provide your expert medical opinion to Soundwave for the historical record," Starscream requested… rather nicely.
Aiyras knew he had something up his sleeve, when didn't he?
"Simply put. Unaided, Megatron could remain in this deathless slumber forever," Knockout proclaimed.
"Megatron would not have wanted to be seen this way. To stand idly by while he remains captive in his own body. It's not just," Starscream sighed sadly, sarcastically.
Soundwave didn't by the act Starscream, and Knockout were putting on for him. He walked up to them and pointed to the screen where Megatron's vitals were being monitored. Pointing to his spiking brainwave activity.
"Brainwave activity. Not evidence of consciousness," Knockout corrected, "Merely in an endless dream from which Megatron may never wake."
"Soundwave, we must face reality. Megatron is lost to us," Starscream added.
"The only honorable option would be to show him mercy," Knockout mumbled sadly.
"A simple throw of the switch," Starscream clarified.
"Quick. Painless. Compassionate," Knockout added.
This worried Aiyras and Arcee. If they flip the switch off Megatron's life support while Bumblebee was still inside his mind, what would happen to him? They dreaded the answer, but they had to know for certain. But would they lose Bumblebee and Optimus?
That wasn't something that settled well with Aiyras.
"Ratchet, are you hearing this?" Arcee whispered through the commlink.
"If Megatron perishes, Bumblebee's mind will remain separated from his body forever," Ratchet announced gravely.
"We'll lose Bumblebee and Optimus?" Miko demanded with a thick voice.
"The only way you could have entered my mind is via cortical psychic patch. But the question remains: what happened to me?" Megatron desperately wanted to know.
Bumblebee didn't answer his question. Bumblebee didn't know the answer. Megatron saw something in his optics that he had never seen before. His optics were triggering subconscious hidden memories. Just like a portal. Like a Space Bridge.
Megatron found himself back at that fateful day, the day the Autobots succeeded in the destruction of his Space Bridge. He stood and watched as the structure collapsed around him. He reached into the portal to retrieve his army while he still can; just nanoseconds later, the Space Bridge exploded all around him. Presumably destroying him along with the structure.
"The Space Bridge explosion? And yet, if you're in my head, I am not one with the AllSpark!" Megatron gasped in realization. "So tell me, Bumblebee. Do I still function?" Megatron demanded.
"Bumblebee, we are out of time!"
Bumblebee answered him.
"Cybonic plague? Someone else is unwell?" Megatron asked in concern a nod came from Bumblebee as he realized who else is unwell, "Optimus! Such irony! But after ages of endless battle, the mighty Optimus Prime is fallen by a simple virus from the distant past! And what makes you think I would save the life of my oldest enemy?"
"Megatron, your treachery-!"
"Not now!" Megatron shouted as Megatron shot Optimus.
Bumblebee negotiated with Megatron.
"I find the thought scary as well," Megatron agreed, "Oh? And just what is it that I want most, Bee?"
Bumblebee answered him again.
"I must admit. You really are quite adorable sometimes… for an Autobot, of course. But did you not see? I do slay my enemy by my own hands. And in this reality, I have destroyed him and everyone he cares about the most; his precious, Elita-One, Stratoslock, Aiyras. At will anytime I desire," Megatron retorted.
Bumblebee argued some more.
"Wow. He's playing on Megatron's desire to destroy the real Optimus. That might actually work. Good strategy, Bumblebee," Bulkhead complimented.
"Smart," Jack remarked.
"Twisted," Miko smirked.
"Soundwave, do we take your silence to mean you concur with Knockout's medical expertise?" Starscream asked, earning no response from Soundwave.
"Speak now or forever hold your peace," Knockout threatened as Starscream reached for the main life support cable.
"Going… Going…," Starscream taunted as he slowly pulled at the life support cable.
Aiyras unfolded her arm blaster and aimed at Starscream in case he went to fully pull out the cable and end Megatron's life.
"Come on, Bee, come on," Aiyras mumbled to herself, preparing for a fight.
Soundwave managed to distract Starscream from pulling the cable. He was pointing at the cord linking Megatron and Bumblebee together. Humming in curiosity, Knockout walked around he was behind Megatron's berth. He noticed the beginning of the cord connected near his head. Arcee heard Aiyras curse and she knew that they were in trouble. She never swore unless they were in deep trouble, she tapped back into the cortical psyche patch watching what happening before the fight broke out.
"After our deep history together, to not watch the spark end from Optimus' eyes with my very own," Megatron started.
Bumblebee responded.
"Well played, young one," Megatron complimented as he revealed something in his hand, "The chemical formula for the cure you seek… not that I expect you know how to read it."
Bumblebee reached for the formula. Then it was gone, he growled and glared at Megatron.
"Not yet," Megatron sneered.
Bumblebee sighed in frustration.
"Just how am I supposed to destroy your leader as you propose while I'm trapped here in a perpetual daydream?" Megatron pondered aloud before finally deciding, "Once you release me from this prison, you will have the cure."
"Come on. Come on," Arcee begged Bumblebee quietly as she heard steps coming closer, "Come on, Bee."
"You must guarantee my recovery. Or Optimus fades to ground metal graves… the real Optimus," Megatron threatened.
Ratchet rewinded and fast-forwarded the video multiple times. Until he found the frame he wanted. The frame of Megatron showing Bumblebee the cure for the virus he had produced himself.
"Arcee, we have the formula! Disconnect Bumblebee now!" Ratchet instructed, "We know how to save Optimus!"
"About damn time!" Arcee snapped as she moved to the connective end of the cable attached to Bumblebee's head, "Come on, Bee. Time to come home."
Inside Megatron's mind, the world began to crumble around them. Fantasy was dissolving. And reality was coming to light. Bumblebee just stood there. That was when Megatron realized what was going on.
"You were watching. You tricked me!" Megatron cried.
Bumblebee waved goodbye he began to disintegrate along with Megatron's fantasy world.
"No! Take me with you! Take me!" Megatron begged screeching, as he began to disintegrate as well.
Arcee pointed his guns at the oncoming intruders just as Bumblebee came to life. In an instant, he joined Arcee and Aiyras in pointing their guns at the approaching footsteps. And those footsteps belong to Starscream.
Starscream shrieked as a Groundbridge appeared behind them, "Intruders!" Aiyras tackled him to the ground before dodging shots from Soundwave, drawing her sword and swinging her right arm as navy blue flames burst from the blade and knocked Soundwave into the wall. She turned to Megatron, and jumped into the air, and she sliced the life support cables off of Megatron's chest. Soundwave recovered just Aiyras ran past him to the Groundbridge.
Arcee gave a half wave before she, Bumblebee and Aiyras jumped into the portal just as it closed.
"Was that?..." Knockout trailed off as the ground bridge closed.
"It was the inevitable outcome," Starscream sighed sadly, despite his shock. "Of course, it would be wrong to allow Megatron to perish by an Autobot's hand," Starscream grumbled. "Knockout!"
Knockout just looked at him and shrugged before waving at them in the style of, 'Yeah, yeah yeah.' He reached for the cable Aiyr had sliced off and reconnected it to his chest.
…
Night had fallen upon the small town of Jasper and it's outskirts over the Autobot base, the mood in the air was no longer somber. After Ratchet discovered the formula, he set about to create the cure and save Optimus from succumbing to the plague. By the time Arcee, Bumblebee and Aiyr had returned to the base, Ratchet was just feeding Optimus the cure. They just waited. With Bulkhead, Ratchet, Jack, Miko and Raf.
Anxious.
Worried.
Waiting for any sign that the cure was working. That Optimus would be cured. When Optimus groaned and opened his eyes, everyone released the breath they didn't know they were holding in. Ratchet immediately ran over with Aiyr following suit, and helped him sit up and eventually up on his feet.
"That's it. Steady," Ratchet coaxed carefully.
Everyone jumped and cheered at the miracle recovery Optimus had just made.
"Please. Save the hero's welcome for my physician, my scout and my second-in-command, and my youngest heir. Who are also my family," Optimus smiled proudly.
Aiyras yelped when Bulkhead picked her up off her pedes again, hanging her upside down laughing as she flailed and tried to free herself.
…
Meanwhile, back aboard the Nemesis, Knockout was running his usual diagnostics on Megatron to see whether or not his condition was improving or not. Starscream was certainly in for a surprise with this report. As if it was cued, Starscream walked in.
"And how is the patient doing today?" Starscream asked.
"Funny you should ask. Not sure what the bots did in there. But Megatron's registering zero brainwave activity," Knockout announced.
"Meaning?" He pressed.
"Physically, he's stable. But now," tapping Megatron head, "there's…no one home," Knockout clarified.
…
Aiyr walked into the tunnel to her recharging room when suddenly she froze, she went rigid and her back straightened.
Inside her mind was a inconceivable sight. Megatron.
"I'm out. Or should I say…in?" He chuckled lowly and cynically.
To be continued…