Transformers Prime: Shattered Glass (Completed)

Chapter Twenty

*Some graphic depictions I guess*

***

"No!"

The two stared in fear at the pod. They were at a loss of what to do. Pieces were on fire, debris was everywhere, Optimus was looking for two pieces in particular, and slowly fell into despair when he couldn't.

A piece of debris landed at their pedes. It was charred, and half melted, but it was partly yellow, and Optimus recognized it immediately.

"No..."

He didn't allow himself to mourn in that moment. He couldn't. Someone could have survived. He couldn't miss that. His optics adjusted multiple times as he scoured the wreckage in the air and on the ground. Fortunately, they were in the middle of the desert somewhere with a large dirt clearing, so a forest or a grass fire wasn't a concern.

"There!" he pointed to a falling piece of debris. Megatron transformed and flew over to it immediately, praying to Unicron that he would reach it in time, and they wouldn't be further injured.

With his thrusters at their maximum, he transformed and caught a small pod. The rest of the fall wasn't long, but it did jerk the beings inside. Optimus drove up next to him and transformed, his optics asking him the dreaded question;

Are they dead?

Megatron finally allowed himself to look at the pod. The glass was severely cracked and hard to see through. He removed the lid, and the two peered inside.

"By the AllSpark," Optimus whispered. The three were huddled together, Jack shielding the other two, but shaking. Miko had passed out over Raf in fear, and Raf was shaking as well as whimpering. Jack had blood running down the lower half of his face from his nose. Looking up and seeing Megatron's blue optics and the Optimus he knew, he opened his mouth to say something, but went limp instead and fell onto the floor of the pod. Raf never uncurled from the fetal position.

"Optimus, we saw the explosion. Laserbeak is giving us visual feed. Are the children...?" Arcee trailed off, watching the screen expectantly, where she saw Optimus receive her transmission.

"Alive."

"Thank the AllSpark."

"And...Bumblebee?" Ratchet added.

"I...am not certain."

Just then, Autobots and Decepticons surrounded them, aiming their blasters and priming.

"You have broken the terms we've agreed on," Bumblebee hissed, static thick in his voice. They could still hear the venom dripping off his words, however.

"The pod exploded without us doing anything about it, do you think we would do it with our team members still inside?" Megatron replied, shielding the kids from the blasters. The sound of falling debris and weapons charging was soon replaced with the sound of an opening GroundBridge. It was purple, indicating the other dimension, and a flash of white flew through. Soundwave.

The other Autobots and Decepticons soon arrived in their own GroundBridge, and they surrounded the troopers, who surrounded Optimus, Megatron, and the kids. They were in that standstill for a few seconds, before Optimus caught Ratchet's optic and vaguely gestured with his helm to go find the others. Ratchet nodded to indicate he understood before he transformed and peeled out.

"What-" Bulkhead started.

"Leave him," Arcee replied. "He'll meet his counterpart soon enough. Meanwhile, we'll deal with ours."