I don't own Transformers Prime.

Chapter 14

A few days after the hold busy day of Bulk downing the Decepticon Warship, Tripticon awaking, their invading it, the world wide scavenger hunt, etc. it was thankfully quiet around base. Well except despite her best efforts Wheeljack and Miko did end up going off on their own and took out Hardshell. Miko than admit that Amber had been right that revenge did not feel better about the whole situation.

Bulkhead regained consciousness soon enough but he was very weak. To which Ratchet informed him he would have to do exercises to build up his strength once again. Hearing this MIko made it her mission to help get her guardian fully recovered and back into fighting shape. They were in fact doing leg exercises well Jack and Raf were busy scrubbing yet another photo of Bee on the net and replacing him with a tap dancing monkey. "The tap dancing monkey strikes again." Jack said well high fiving Raf.

"Bumblebee sighting on the World Wide Web are no laughing matter." Ratchet snapped from where he was working at his terminal well also keeping an eye on Amber who was going over her new weapon that Fowler had had made from one of her sketches. It seemed that during one of his visits Fowler had found and looked through her notebook that was quickly filling up with sketches of different weapons or devices she had thought of. The new rifle was a sleek design that was perfect for her build, it fired small rounds that acted as homing beacons for the bolts of electricity that were released from the weapon. According to the technicians that had actually made the rifle they had thought it ingenious and had asked Fowler to have the original designer take a look at it. That was why he had had it in his chopper that day and had meant to have her check it over but instead just gave it to her. She had to at might that it was cool to have something she had designed be made and know it was being used for the greater good. Or it would be well it was in her possession.

Amber was currently checking all the wiring and such well Ratchet observed her and Bulkhead while he worked. Hearing metal groaning Amber took a look at Bulkhead and saw that he was struggling to keep lifting his leg. Taking a break he groaned. "Why can't I just drive from now on?"

"Because your legs will atrophy if you choose not to use them." Ratchet said not budging on Bulks need to put the work into his recovery. Bulk groaned again and started to do his leg exercies with Miko counting and doing them with him.

"Miko remember that he shouldn't overdo it either as it will do more harm than good." Amber gently remind her of June's advice that she had given the Japanese girl earlier. Just then Raf and Jack found a picture of a Cybertronian escape pod entering Earth's atmosphere. Unable to tell if it was friendly or not all the bots, save Bulkhead, went out in the field, leaving Amber and Raf in charge of the ground bridge, base communications and operations. They were gone for 45 minutes before they returned with a new bot in tow. Amber looked at the bot with a scowl on her face, seeing Arcee's own unappeased expression at who was quickly introduced at Smokescreen.

Miko of course was ecstatic. "We haven't had somebody new here since Wheeljack. What's your story Smoke, Where's you come from, how'd you get here, how many blasters you packing?"

"So these are the lifeforms we're supposed to protect." Smokescreen asked a bit taken back by her energetic enthuziamum. "Are they all like this?"

"No we are not." Amber growled, on guard not being very welcome to the new bot, not ready to believe that he was an ally or wondering if he was a con spy.

"They are all very different in their demeanors but I too share Miko's fascination with how you came to arrive on earth." Ratchet said not really surprised by the hostility the older teen was giving the new bot.

"In a Decepticon escape pod." Arcee add also trusting the new guy.

"Still got trust issues huh? Tuff crowd." Smokescreen said before he told them his story. He told them o the last days of the war on Cybertron and how he had been excited when the cons attacked the hall of records. Then everything gone black till he came back on line in a Decepticon Prison ship, where he over powered a guard, stole the pod and had crashed landed on Earth.

"The Decepticon Warship must have picked up the pods beacon and guided it to earth." Ratchet surmised.

"Which would explain Smokescreen's welcoming committee. Heh, bet those cons were disappointed to not to find one of their own inside." Arcee said with a smile.

"Smokescreen. Do you know of Alpha Tryoins fate after the fall of Iacon?" Optimus asked the new bot, picking up Amber's surprise at hearing that. Being Solus's reincarnation Optimus had told her Alpha Tryion's true identity as one of the thirteen. Her curiosity had been picked and had wondered what the old mech would think of her being his sister reborn. Now hearing that it was unknown what had become of him Amber feared that he worst had happened to him. She was however brought out of her deep thoughts when she heard all the gusto and "destined for greatness" talk Smokescreen was saying. She frowned at him and felt a slow dislike of Smokescreen growing inside here which Optimus felt. 'What is wrong dear one?'

'He is so green and inexperienced.' Amber explained well glaring down at the new comer. 'If he goes out into the field with that attitude he'll get someone killed.' Thankfully his gusto was tampered down some when Bulkhead entered the room in his weakened state and Optimus informing Smokescreen that he needed to take time to a just to his new surroundings.

"A tour of the base would be an excellent start." Prime offered looking at the humans for help. Miko was excited at first to take the job but hearing Bulk groan in discomfort made her change her mind. "I mean, Amber could-"

"Don't even think about it." Amber growled well walking away, heading it to the elevator and going to the top of the base. Optimus wanted to go up and speak with her but before he could he first had to comfort a grumpy Bulkhead. It seemed in his weakened state the former wreaker feared that Smokescreen was there to replace him. Prime and the rest of the team were reassuring him that was not the case when Raf showed them picture of a human dig site where red energon had been found. When contacting Fowler they learned that the red energon had already been transported to a shipping yard where it was waiting to be transported. So Fowler evacuated the shipping dock and they went to retrieve it.

The mission did not go as planned however what with Starscream showing up with the Apex armor wanting the red energon for himself. He easy was stronger than all of them with the armor on but Smokescreen proved that he could use his processor to come up with a viable plan. He use the faze shifter to force Starscream out of the Apex armor but then the former con commander fired on the energon destroying it.

With the mission finally over Optimus was finally able to talk to Amber in privet, well taking her home for the night. "Amber, what is bothering you about Smokescreen?" She shrugged well staring out the window not really feeling like talking to him, much like how it once was when she had first joined Team Prime. "I know you do not trust easily but you will need to give Smokescreen a chance to-"

"It's not that I don't trust him dad." Amber said cutting him off, a look of frustration crossing her face. "Ok that may be a small part of it but there's more to it than that. He… brings up a sore spot from my past that I have not told you about, that has to do with my mom's death and I'm not really ready-"

This time it was Optimus cutting her off. "Amber you need not say anymore if you do not wish to. Take all the time you need to sort out your feelings about the past. However I do ask that you "observe" Smokescreen. Perhaps take the time to get to know him before you judge him." she was more than willing to agree to that. But as the days went on since Smokescreen's arrive Amber became quieter and angrier, which made all the bots around base worry.

It seemed Smokescreen picked up on it and tried to engage Amber in conversation or see if she wanted to help him out with learning about Earth. Amber was nice at first saying that she was either busy or simply not interested but as he kept bugging her Amber stopped being so nice. Seeing their oldest charge becoming more and more frustrated by the rookie Arcee to the initiative and would make Smokescreen move on. All of the other bots approached Optimus about what he knew about Amber's sudden change to her old behaviour. He simply told that Amber was working through some things and to give her some time and space. They all finally learned the truth on Saturday morning when Jack got off the phone with a grounded Raf. Amber was walking into the main area, having been with Optimus in his room/office working on homework well he did some much needed work.

She was just about to walk up the stairs to the siting area when suddenly a vision hit her, making her drop her homework. Hearing things hitting the floor, Ratchet and Smokescreen looked at her, the older of the two quickly realising what was happening. Approached Amber and doing a quick scan, Ratchet was surprised to see that her heart rate was elevated right before a scream ripped out of her throat. Amber held her head well she took a few hurried steps backwards and tripped over her own feet. Ratchet was only just able to catch her before she could fall back and hurt herself.

"Whoa is she ok?" Smokescreen asked concerned, coming to stand next to the medic.

"Amber has simply had a vision which is curtesy of the Light of Primus which is around her neck." Ratchet explained to the rookie, pointing the relic out to him well he saw the signs of Amber coming out of the vision. She blinked her eyes in an attempt to bring them back into focus and the first bot she noticed was Smoke and she growled in disgust.

It seemed that was when the rookie had had enough. "Ok what is your problem fleshy?"

"Fleshy?!" Amber growled at him well she unsteadily stood up in Ratchet's hand, glaring at Smokescreen. Though he found her glare intimidating, a shiver of fearing going down his frame Smokescreen held his ground and glared right back at her. "I may have a problem rookie but it is my problem and none of your concern."

"It is my concern when I'm the one you're being grumpy with." Smokescreen snapped.

"Well I'm sorry but I am dealing with the fact that you remind me of the rookie that got my mother killed!" Amber snapped and almost immediately she slapped both of her hands over her mouth, realising what she had said. Looking around the room she saw that all of them were looking at her in shock surprise. A wave of regret reached her through the bond and she looked at Optimus, who was standing in the door way, a sad but understanding look on his face. A whine down by Ratchet's feet made everyone look down a Casper who was looking up at her, which made Ratchet lower his hand allowing the dog to jump on. Amber held Casper close well Ratchet went to Optimus and carefully handed them over to him. Neither Prime nor Amber said anything well leaving the room but Ratchet had a thoughtful look on his face well heading to his work station.

-o0o-

Later on that evening Fowler arrived at base with a two files under his arm and bad news. "At 16:30 hours a satellite was stolen from a high security military vault. Surveillance shows the Decepticon known as Breakdown at the scene."

"I haven't seen him in a while." Bulkhead said.

"It looks like Breakdown entered the base in vehicle mode with someone behind the wheel." Fowler informed them.

"A Decepticon paired with a human?" Ratchet asked in disbelief.

"And I have a pretty good hunch who. The stolen satellite was project Damocles." Amber's body went rigged, and she quickly became angry.

"Invented by Silas." Optimus said scooping his daughter up and putting her on his shoulder telling her to try and calm down through the bond.

"I guess the former Colonel Bishop wanted it back."

"But I thought Silas was dead" Bee asked.

"Yeah I thought Silas was paste." Arcee commented.

"I did warn you guys that unless we found a dead body you had to consider him alive." Amber grumbled having calmed somewhat.

"Even if he were alive are you suggesting that Silas has allied MECH with the Decepticons? I highly doubt that Megatron would entertain such an idea." Ratchet said, thinking it crazy.

"Why not?" Jack asked. "The human bot alliance works for us."

"Most of the time." Arcee added

"I don't think that is what is going on."

All eyes/optics turned and looked at Amber who was now white as a sheet, having finally realising something horrible. "What do you mean?" Jack asked her.

"The vision I had earlier, it…" Amber took in an unsteady breath and was glad she was sitting on Optimus's shoulder because it kept her shaking unseen. "I watched a huge figure in shadows killing a group of humans. He gunned them down with no remorse. I couldn't see who was killed or who it was that attacked them but I know it was in the same building MECH was hold up when they took Bee's T-Cog."

Hearing this Fowler suggested that they go and check the building out, which Optimus really agreed, taking a moment to comfort Amber before ordering her to stay at base. If she was right, which was a very strong possibly, they were going to be walking on to a bloody crime scene. It didn't take them very long to find the very massacre that she had seen in her vision. Upon their return to base they informed Fowler also giving him the computer data they had been able to recover. However now was the time to go over that data on Silas and his weapon. "Damocles is a particle beam cannon so powerful it can slice up the Pentagon like a birthday cake. Or give everyone on Mount Rushmore a Mohawk, all from a satellite in orbit. It's the work of a madman and in Megatron's hands a threat to anyone."

"Um- actually Agent Fowler the original idea for Damocles was mine." Amber said with a grimace, seeing all of their shocked faces again. "When I was 3 I had seen on news that a huge storm had decimated a city. I theorised that if a particle beam was fired into the heart of say a hurricane it could disperse it before it made ground fall. Silas of course saw other potential."

They all stared at her, shocked beyond words until Miko asked. "You came up with that at the age of 3?"

Amber shrugged.

"Well whatever its origins the cons may have the satellite but they can't use it without the interface code. The only existing copy is stored on the secured servers at headquarters in Colorado." Fowler informed them but when he saw Amber grimace again he frowned. "Ok Amber what you have to add now?"

"Actually Silas had a copy of the code made, sort of." she said nervously well looking away from the government agent. "He used my photographic memory and had me memorise it."

"You mean to tell me that you have had that code rattling around in your head this entire time and you didn't feel like I don't know telling us?" Fowler snapped to which she held her hands up and shrugged again, this time blushing.

"Be that as it may we must keep the code out of Decepticon hands at all costs." Optimus said telling Amber that since she knew the code that she was staying at base. Bulkhead wanted to go with them but Ratchet reminded him that he was not fully recovered. The others went to the base and engaged the cons that were already there. Soon after a particle beam was shot from base and nearly took out Smokescreen. Hearing this Amber felt her blood run cold.

Why are you scared?

Solus? Amber asked in her mind a bit surprised that once again she was hearing from the Lady Prime.

It's time to face the past and conquer it. Hearing her past self-talking to her caused an emotion to grow inside of her, one that she had never really felt all that much. Courage.

(("Ratchet, we require back up.")) Optimus said over the coms.

"I'm there." Bulk head said but Ratchet stopped him again.

(("Can you remotely disable project Damocles under Agent Fowler's advisement?"))

"On a human-based computer network without my back up, without Rapael?" Ratchet asked but they all knew the answer to that. So using the ground bridge they went to Raf's room and Fowler quickly got him up to speed on the situation. With them doing that Amber climbed out Raf's widow and hide in a bush outside his house with her new weapon. She of course quietly apologised to Optimus about leaving base but he understood. She didn't see anything but hearing the others taking thanks to an ear piece and was quickly impressed by Raf's plan to down the satellite.

Suddenly Breakdown appeared in the street, his tires skidding to a stop and a cannon popped out, targeting Raf's house. Amber took aim and fired off a burst of energy, which hit right before Bulkhead plowed into him. Amber had to cover her ears against the screeching of metal well Bulk pushed Breakdown out of sight. Amber abandoned her position and followed them to an old reservoir that was dry. They both transformed and began to circle each other. Amber arrived just as they started to exchange words. "Been itching to trade paint with you again. Where you've been Breakdown?"

"Be patient. I'm about to send you there."

Amber recognised Silas's voice right away and almost couldn't believe what she was seeing or hearing as the two fought. How in the world was he inside Breakdown's body? She could only stand there and watch Silas used Bulk's weakened body to knock him down to the ground and was about to finish him off. Thankfully Smokescreen arrived sending Silas flying back with a kick and bringing Amber out of her stupor. "Assist. What the new guys for." Smokescreen said helping Bulkhead back onto his feet.

They both turned back to Silas who was ready to keep the fight going. "From one new guy to another, this is your final day on the job." He brought out his hammer and went to charge the two bot when a bolt of electricity hit him, bringing him to his knees. Looking at the side of the canal they all saw Amber standing there glaring at Silas, her rifle smoking a bit from the barrel but they could all hear it charging back up.

"One way or another, it's over Silas. If you don't surrender to the bots do you honestly think Megatron will let you have a place at the table?" she asked him well she got ready to fire again. "He thinks all humans are insects and will turn on you at the slightest failure."

It was then that a plasma blast shot and barely missed Raf's house, which made her look away. Seeing her attention drawn Silas fired on Amber. Thankfully the Light put up an energy shield and protected her from the blast. This gave Bulkhead and Smokescreen the opening to tag team and soon sent him flying again. A moment later Silas retreated through the con's ground bridge. "Amber you alright?" Bulk asked.

"Yeah I'm good."

They heard a sound and looking up they could see Damocles burning up in orbit. "Looks like someone's plan just burned up in re-entry."

"Good riddance." Amber said joining them. "That thing has haunted me for years."

-o0o-

Going back to base Amber was put her rifle away when Fowler approached her, offering her a thick file. "What's this?"

"Ratchet contacted me and informed me that you had been having a hard time with the new bot and that you had brought up the circumstances of your mother's death. I called in some favors and got your mother's service record. Thought you might want to take a look." Fowler explained and wasn't surprised when she looked a bit startled. She looked at the offered file, not really sure if she wanted to read what it said about her mother. "Why don't you tell me what it says about her." Amber finally said looking at him.

Fowler nodded, opening the file unaware that al the bots now stood behind him, curious about what it said about Amber's mother. "Captain Cadence Maria Bishop was a decorated officer in the Marine core a skilled sniper and strategist. Two purple hearts and a bronze star. It says here that she led a small group of commandos on a mission to rescue some hostages from a group of terrorist in Libyan. They were able to retrieve the hostages, taking out half of the force in the process. They were loading up the hostages into the back of a truck when back up for the terrorist arrived. A new recruit by the name of Joe Summers tried to engage them on his own. Giving his teammates time to load everyone on the truck so they could get out of there but he took two shots to both knees from a sniper. Your mother saw him go down and she, along with Sargent Matt Hudson tried to lay down cover fire well another member of their squad retrieved Summers.

"It was well they were loading up Summers that a grenade landed near the back of the truck and the your mother dove on it. She was killed instantly but in doing so she save not only her squadron but the hostages as well. The report goes on to say that her body was transported back to the states and was laid to rest." Fowler closed the file and looked at Amber who stood there, her face unreadable but he could see the storm of emotions in her eyes. "I guess we know where you truly get your sharp shooting skills and your quick thinking under pressure from. After I reading this I can't help but think how brave and noble your mother was and how prod she would be of you."

"Amber." She turned and looked at Smokescreen and for the first time she didn't glare or even get hostile at him. "I understand now why you were so untrusting of me, especially after today with fighting your father Silas. The others had explained about him, MECH and your connections to them well we were at their base. I can't begin to imagine what you went through but I hope that you will in time give me a chance."

For the first time since Fowler had opened the file Amber spoke, her voice soft. "I am sorry about how I was treating you Smokescreen but your cocky attitude just brought up an old memory that I had forgotten. It was the first time I met Joe Summers and he was a lot like you, but he also was like my mother. He came from a military family and because of that he had a legacy that he felt he was entitled to his position with my mom and her team. They were considered the best of the best and he was not as skilled or worthy of his position on the team as he thought. Or that's what I had come to believe till now. I will give you the chance you rightly deserve, however you are going to have to not only prove to all of us that you are truly a member of this team but earn my trust."

Optimus couldn't help but smile on the inside, proud of how much Amber had changed and grown since she had first arrive in their base. She had gone from not trusting any of them and downright hostile to all of them, to the strong and loyal young women that now stood with them. He felt the emotions that had been storming inside of her but he reached out to her and his spark soared when she grasped on to his comfort. It was also during this time she had shared with him about Solus speaking to her briefly earlier that day. And there was something else that she shared with him privately.

'Optimus I think it's time we check out those co-ordinates I got a few weeks ago.' She told him ready to see what fate had instore for her.

A/N: I am actually further along in my writing this story but I have always found editing a daunting task but one I have to do myself. Yes I know I am far from perfect and there is most likely still mistakes in there that I have missed but I have found improvement with my own abilities over the years since I started writing fan fiction. That is impart thanks to you readers and your comments over the years. So once again I ask that you review and tell me how I'm doing and what you think of the story so far.