Mazikeen sat with Sunstreaker and Sideswipe as she waited very patiently for Optimus and Ratchet to return,
"Did they find anything?"
Sunstreaker sighed,
"Aero, you already asked us, and our answer remains a no,"
They heard footsteps and Elisabeth came running up to Mazikeen,
"Maze! It's your brother!"
Mazikeen frowned and immediately took off running,
"Where?"
"With Lennox!"
She spotted Will talking to Sam, Mikaela, and three people she has never seen before, one she briefly recognizes,
"Sammy!"
Sam looked up and smiled in releif,
"Maze!"
The two hugged,
"What the fuck are you doing here?"
Will sighed,
"You Witwicky's have a knack for trouble,"
Mikaela sighed,
"Sam's new job got attacked by a Decepticon,"
Mazikeen's eyes widened,
"They are back,"
Sam nodded,
"Yeah! This one almost fucking killed me, and Tthis Wang guy recognized me. He told me to warn you, he was talking about the dark side of the moon, and then they killed him."
Mazikeen sighed and looked at Will,
"We need to get Director-"
"And that is when he made his first quick-look science report, that's what we want- who's the chick? Okay, excuse me!"
Mazikeen winced as they all turned to see Mearing storming over to them,
"Colonel Lennox? Commander Witwicky?"
"Director Mearing, this is Sam Witwicky-"
"I know his name, Colonel. I want to know who gave him clearance? And if you say one word Commander-"
"Who gave me clearance? How about Optimus Prime, when he touched down in suburbia looking for my house?"
Mazikeen face palmed and Will nudged Sam,
"This is the National Intelligence Director, in case you..."
Sam's eyes widened and he smiled nervously at her,
"Hey,"
Mearing stared at him,
"Disrespecting a federal officer? Huh! Maybe that'll get you somewhere. Who are the rest of you?"
Mikaela stepped up,
"Mikaela Banes, Sam's girlfriend,"
Mearing narrowed her eyes,
"I know you. The other three?"
"Carly Spencer, my cousin Alyssa Spencer, my brother was in the army,"
"Amethyst Black, my pops is in the army,"
Will stepped in front of the three,
"She knows all about the Autobots, okay? She knows Bumblebee. I can vouch for them. Mikaela helped us in the battles alongside Sam,"
Sam crossed his arms,
"Hey, I- I- have an idea. How about we get back to the important topics, like the fact that I almost had my face cut off by a Decepticon? As a taxpayer, I would like to lodge a complaint, a- as a matter of fact."
Mazikeen put a hand on his shoulder,
"Okay, okay, listen, all right? One of the software engineers at Sam's office was murdered today. He was involved in NASA's lunar mapping probe."
Mearing stepped up closer to Mazikeen and Will as they stood together in front of the younger adults,
"Here's the thing. Colonel Lennox, Commander Witwicky. We cannot entrust national security to teenagers, unless I missed a policy paper. Are we doing that now? No. Good. I don't care who you are. If you breathe a word of what you see in here, you will do time for treason. Do you understand me?
Sam stepped up in front of his sister,
"I'll take my orders from the Autobots or my sister. I know them. I don't know you."
Mearing glared at him,
"You will,"
Mazikeen sighed as she turned around. She whacked Sam's chest,
"You idiot, do you want to get arrested?"
Mikaela sighed,
"Look, we are sorry, Maze, but we had nowhere else to go,"
Will sighed,
"Just stick by me at all times, okay? Just like always,"
Mazikeen nodded,
"I have to help out with offloading the newbie that Ratchet and Optimus just radioed in. You better not cause any more problems, got it?"
Sam sighed and nodded,
"Yes,"
"Where the fuck is Rover?"
Mikaela sighed,
"They took him, Wheelie, and Brains when we got here,"
Mazikeen nodded,
"Lennox, get Damion to go get them out,"
Will nodded and patted her shoulder,
"You go be the Liaison again, I'll watch over the kids,"
Mazikeen sighed,
"I know,"
Mazikeen turned on Phoenix and flew to Jazz, and landed on his shoulder,
"So, anything new?"
Jazz chuckled and looked at her,
"Tex went over to free Rover and the other two. I am just waiting for Optimus and Ratchet to come back with Sentinel,"
Mazikeen sighed,
"Do you remember Sentinel?"
Jazz nodded,
"Yes, I do. He was a good warrior, very strong, and worthy of the title of Prime. He was a mentor to Optimus and many more."
Mazikeen smiled and patted his shoulder,
"Whelp, let's hope the Matrix is enough,"
Jazz looked at Mazikeen,
"What if it's not?"
Mazikeen sighed,
"I don't know,"
Jazz nodded, and they looked as they finally spotted Ratchet and Optimus rolling in with Sentinel Prime attached to a metal contraption to hold him up. Mazikeen had Phoenix turn on her helmet as she flew up a little, just hovering above Jazz. Ratchet backed up close to Mazikeen and looked up at her,
"Are you feeling better?"
Mazikeen nodded,
"Yeah,"
They watched as Optimus opened his chassis to take out the Matrix,
"Let us begin,"
Mazikeen felt something off as she watched the two,
"Squishy, are you okay?"
Mazikeen glanced around before realizing it was Barricade communicating through their link,
"Yeah...I just have a bad feeling about something,"
"Okay, if you need me, you just need to call,"
Mazikeen smiled softly,
"I know,"
Optimus held up the Matrix,
"Sentinel Prime, we bid you return."
Mazikeen closed her eyes at the bright light as she heard gasps. She turned and saw her squad and friends looking with Will, Sam, Mikaela, Mearing, Carly, Amethyst, Alyssa, and Rover found his way back on Sam's shoulder. Mazikeen flew up when Sentinel came alive and threw himself on Optimus,
"HOLD YOUR FIRE!"
She flew closer and pointed her guns at Sentinel as Optimus spoke,
"Stop! Sentinel! It is I- Optimus- Prime! It is all right. You are safe."
Sentinel stopped, and Ratchet cautiously stepped forward,
"There is nothing to fear."
Optimus stood up,
"We are here. You are home, Sentinel."
Sentinel looked around,
"The war... the war!"
Optimus sighed,
"The war was lost. Cybertron is now but a barren wasteland. We have taken refuge here, on planet Earth. Its human race is our ally."
Mazikeen flew over them and landed next to Mearing as she let her helmet slide down. Sentinel looked around,
"My ship! We came under fire. The pillars. Where are the pillars?"
Optimus put a servo on his shoulder,
"You saved five of them, including the control pillar,"
Sentinel narrowed his optics,
"Only five? We once had hundreds!"
Mearing stepped up to the ledge of the walkway,
"Excuse me, gentlemen. May I ask... what is this technology you're looking for?"
Sentinel leaned closer to her,
"It is the ability to reshape the universe. Together the pillars form a Space Bridge. I designed, and I alone, can control it. It defies your laws of physics to transport matter through time and space."
Mazikeen frowned, and Mearing hardened her stare at them,
"You're talking about a teleportation device, aren't you?"
Optimus nodded,
"Yes, for resources, for refugees."
Mearing glared at them,
"Refugees, or troops of soldiers, weapons, maybe bombs! A means of an instant strike! That's its military function, isn't it?"
Mazikeen took a step back in complete shock. Sentinel stared at Mearing,
"It is our technology, and it must be returned."
Mearing crossed her arms,
"Yes. If humans say so! You can't just bring weapons of mass destruction into our atmosphere!"
She pointed a finger at Mazikeen,
"You. Did you know anything about this?"
Mazikeen immediately shook her head and turned Phoenix off as she raised her hands in surrender,
"No-"
Mearing glared at her and turned to Sentinel and Optimus,
"You kind of have to clear customs first. A little formality called paperwork, kind of separates us from the animals. You no longer have a Liaison, so you have to go through me, got it?"
Mazikeen felt a weight crush her shoulders at the last part of what Mearing said. Sentinel glared at Mearing,
"I will overlook your condescending tone if you heed the gravity of mine. The Decepticons must never know the Space Bridge is here. For in their hands, it would mean the end of your world."
Mearing stared at him as he walked away, and Optimus was quick to follow him. Mazikeen looked at Mearing,
"Director-"
Mearing shook her head and put up a hand,
"You do not have any authorization right now to listen to any of this. I strip you of your stripes. You are being demoted to a simple soldier of NEST. I will not take away any of your weapons in an act of our past relations. I warned you, Mazikeen Witwicky. There are consequences to your actions."
Mazikeen nodded and watched as Mearing approached Sam, Mikaela, and three friends before she led the group away. Will immediately walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder,
"Mynx?"
Mazikeen looked at him and shook his head,
"Not now...I um...I have to clear up some of my space. I am sure Mearing will assign Sammy a protection squad...so can you just make sure it's Bee, Sun, and Sides? I think I got a shit ton of paperwork to do,"
"Mynx-"
"I don't want to talk about it,"
Alexandra ran up to Mazikeen and hugged her,
"Maze! She's making Sophie and I go protect Sam. We don't want to leave,"
Mazikeen chuckled and patted her back,
"Hey, you stick with Sammy, watch over him so he's safe, okay?"
Alexandra sighed,
"But what about you?"
Mazikeen smiled softly at her,
"I'll do what I do best,"
Alexandra sighed,
"Fine, fine, just stay safe, please,"
Mazikeen nodded and ruffled her hair,
"I will,"
Will sighed and walked with Mazikeen,
"Why are you following me?"
Will grabbed Mazikeen's arm,
"Maze. Stop pretending!"
"I'm not fucking pretending!"
Will narrowed his eyes,
"Mynx. I know you! I have for a long ass time! I know you love this job as much as I do. You were just fucking demoted, and we ARE going to talk about it!"
Mazikeen sighed and sat down against the wall,
"I messed up,"
Will sighed and sat down next to her,
"No, you didn't. You did nothing wrong,"
Mazikeen looked up at him,
"None of them trusted me enough to tell me about the space bridge...Will...how the fuck am I supposed to be a Commander, a Liaison, and the AllSpark if no one trusts me?"
Will wrapped an arm around her shoulder,
"You are Mazikeen Michela Witwicky. I trust you with my life. I know damn well most of these soldiers in this base do as well. You are not a Commander, or a Liaison, or the AllSpark. You are Mazikeen. The daughter of Judy and Ron Witwicky, crazy older sister of Sam Witwicky. You are my best friend and the godmother of daughter. If you think for a second that this changes how any of us sees you, you are dead wrong,"
Mazikeen smiled softly and hugged him,
"I love you, Will,"
"I love you too, Mynx,"
She slowly fell asleep in his embrace. He looked down at her and sighed,
"Mynx, you mean so much to so many people...I just wish you would realize that."
He slowly picked her up and walked over to her room. He was met by nine holo-forms waiting outside her door. Will sighed,
"What is it?"
Ratchet frowned,
"We wanted to check up on her,"
Will sighed and looked down at his friend in his arms,
"She needs time...and I don't think we have that,"
Mirage crossed his arms,
"That Mearing lady can't just do that to Maze. Did we not appoint her as our liaison?"
Arcee sighed,
"Can we do anything?"
Will shook his head,
"No. None of you can do anything to fix this. I'm sorry, but it's the truth,"
He opened her door and set her down softly on the bed before leaving and closing her door,
"I don't want any of you going in there-"
Elita-One frowned,
"She is our friend-"
Will crossed his arms,
"Is she?"
They all frowned at his words. Will sighed and rubbed his eyes,
"Listen. You know that I like you guys, I do. We all do. But you have to put this into our perspective, okay? Mynx was just demoted to a meer foot soldier because you guys weren't honest with her. She has worked fucking hard to get to where she is right now. When I met her all those years ago, she was closed off. It took Epps, Fig, and I months to crack her walls down. She started trusting more and more people, and you guys...well...she saw all of you as her family. Hell, Sides and Sunstreaker are her brothers. I still don't completely understand that, but we both saw you guys as one of us. All of us here at NEST did, and I'm sure some still do. No matter what you say to any of us, that's not getting her ranking back. She will have to start from scratch all over again, only this time with Phoenix right with her. Just please give her space, I'm getting us some food, and I'll be back. Just go do whatever you guys always do at this time."
Que stepped up in front of him.
"Colonel Lennox. We all care about you, too. We never meant for this to happen,"
Will sighed and patted his shoulder,
"I know you never did...but that doesn't change what happened."
Jazz frowned,
"How can we-"
"Jazz. There is no fixing what happened. I don't want any of you talking to the director unless I am present, or I'm wondering if Mynx is ever able to be around, too. I need you guys actually to be on your best behavior. Sides and Sunstreaker are with Bumblebee and the kids making sure that they stay safe, Sophie and Alexa are with them. Dino, you stick with Angel, Jolt, you stick with Kaitlyn. All of you buddy up. Jazz, you just watch Tex, I think I saw him with Rover and the other two mini-autobots, but I know they just left, so try finding him. Just stay away from Mynx for the night,"
Chromia grumbled,
"But is this not the best time to be with her?"
Will chuckled,
"Mynx is not like other people, right now she needs something familiar, and to rest."
Ratchet sighed,
"Just make sure she remains stable,"
Will laughed and patted his shoulder,
"Ratchet, Mynx will be in the best care,"
Ratchet crossed his arms,
"The best care is myself, and she will not be with me, so therefore, she will not be in the best care,"
Will rolled his eyes,
"Okay, I know. But I don't want you guys to worry anymore. Let me handle my partner,"
He watched them all slowly leave and sighed as he glanced at her door,
"Oh, Mynx...they care more than you know,"