Kinda a short chapter... sorry all. Hope you still like it though!
[Amanda]
"And then Smokescreen was just... gone," Arcee recounted from where she sat in the medlab. "Like he turned to dust."
"Poor kid..." Bulkhead said.
"Arcee, do not blame yourself," Ratchet said, his tone as close to reassuring as I'd ever heard. "It could have just as easily have been you."
Arcee looked past him, towards me perched on the platform over the medlab. "Can't you- I don't know- sense something about him?"
I shook my head. "I tried. I didn't make a strong enough connection with Smokescreen while he was here. There is a flicker, but I can't say for sure what it is."
The sound of a gun firing up made everyone's attention go to Bulkhead, who said, "Well, I say we go claim a piece of Megatron's miserable metal hide!"
Bumblebee buzzed in agreement and they both turned to the ground bridge.
"No," Optimus spoke up for the first time since hearing the news. He was facing the ground bridge already, his back to us. "We have already lost another one of our own today. I will not risk more lives."
"Optimus-" I knew that tone. It meant he was going to do something selfless that would probably get him killed.
His expression cut me off as he walked towards the group. "Given what Arcee witnessed, it stands to reason that Megatron now possesses might equal to that of the Star Saber, which means only I have a chance of recovering the Omega Key."
"The fate of Cybertron rests upon its retrieval," Ratchet commented.
"Whether Megatron knows it or not," Bulkhead finished.
I turned to Optimus. "You can't go face Megatron alone! I saw the weapon he has, its made of dark energon. Sure, you may have better sword fighting skills, but that stuff will weaken you!"
He gave me a long look. "Cybertron's revival is at stake, Amanda. I'm afraid this is a risk I must take. Ratchet, open the ground bridge."
The medic did and Optimus gave me one last, almost reassuring look before walking through. I was tempted to pull a Miko and run through the bridge after him, but if I did, I'd be in the middle of the battle with nothing but the powers of Cleona, though they were probably enough. Still, I didn't want Optimus to lose, or worse, get hurt, because I was in the way. He also told me to never use my powers in front of a Decepticon unless absolutely necessary. He was afraid they'd try even harder to find me and take me away. So I didn't run into the ground bridge. But another idea popped into my mind.
I hurried to the couch, closing my eyes and rubbing my temples. I never tried to start a flash, they usually happened by themselves, but I really needed to know what was going on. I focused on Optimus, the Star Saber and even reached out to the Omega Key, feeling the odd but powerful aura drag me in. Soon, my vision went silver and the flash had begun.
"Claim your prize, Optimus," Megatron stood behind the Omega Key, which was shoved into the ground. The Prime stood far off, his eyes narrowing as he saw Megatron's new arm. The arm of a fallen Prime from Cybertron. Disgust crossed his face, then anger.
"By the Allspark, Megatron," He said, voice tight with that anger. "What have you done?"
Megatron lifted his new arm. "This? I find it affords me certain advantages... such as the use of the Forge of Solus Prime." He hefted his sword, which glowed as though anticipating the fight. "My first creation, fashioned from the very blood of Unicron. I call it the Dark Star Saber- Slayer of Primes, if you will."
Wow, real original name, Megs. Clearly they didn't teach you creativity in Decepticon school.
Megatron charged at Optimus, who put up his mask and met his opponent with his own blade. They sent blast after blast from each of their swords, never really clashing but also never gaining a foot against the other. Once their blades did meet, they were locked in a defense-attack situation where no one was able to damage the other.
"At last, we take our rightful places, Optimus," The Decepticon leader grunted as he defended from a blow. "As gods, wielding the power of the cosmos just as our patrons did! Valilorna and Cleona were nothing compared to us now!" He punctuated his last word by slamming Optimus into a nearby stone pillar.
"I am but a soldier, Megatron," The Prime said, trying to get out of the Decepticon's grasp. "And you are a prisoner of your own twisted delusions!" With that, he shoved Megatron aside and blasted him back. They were in the defense-attack sequence again, until the Decepticon managed a hit on Optimus, hitting the Prime's shoulder. He stepped back, and Megatron took the moment to gloat.
"My Dark Star Saber has already tasted one spark tonight," He sneered. "It still thirsts for that of a Prime!" He swung at Optimus, who blocked, and then punched him. The Prime fell back, Megatron looming over him with his sword raised. As he swung, Optimus was suddenly on his feet, Star Saber lifted to meet the blow-
-And shattered upon impact.
I cried out, the shattering of the sword causing pain to shoot through my mind. I dimly heard my name being called, but the sudden pain made me get lost between the flash and my body. For a scary moment, I was lost in the between, unable to safely feel either until I snapped back to my body. My eyes shot open, but I couldn't see anything because it was all silver.
"Amanda!" Arcee's voice jarred me back, causing the silver to clear. I gasped, realizing how I had no air in my lungs, and tried to regain myself. The four Autobots were huddled as close as possible to the platform, practically leaning over it in concern. I slumped back against the couch, steadying my breathing.
"What happened?" Ratchet demanded.
I shook my head. "I needed to see what was going on with Optimus, so I tried to do a flash- I told you about those, remember?- well, I did it myself and got sucked in. Optimus and Megatron were fighting, but then-" I sucked in a sharp breath, eyes wide as they shot to the medic. "You need to send in backup, now!"
"Wha- why?" He sputtered.
"Because the Star Saber shattered!" I exclaimed. "That's what shoved me out of the flash! I hooked onto it's aura when trying to do it, so when it shattered I felt it. Optimus is fighting Megatron, who has an evil version of the sword, without the Star Saber!"
Just as the last words left my mouth, Optimus' voice came over the comms. "Ratchet, ground bridge!"
Ratchet was already ready, throwing open the ground bridge. I stood, ignoring the nausea that rolled over me, and hurried down the platform stairs to stand in front of the bridge. The others assembled behind me, anticipating the Prime's return. To everyone's surprise, he didn't return alone.
"Smokescreen?!" Bulkhead exclaimed.
"And Omega Key number one!" The rookie added, grinning.
Arcee was more shocked than the rest of us. "But- how? I mean- I saw you-"
"I, uh, decided to borrow the Phase Shifter," Smokescreen admitted.
"Again?" Ratchet demanded as he scanned the wound on Optimus' shoulder. The Prime used the medic's shifted attention to slip past him and walk back to the main computer.
"Good thing too," Smokescreen said, then proceeded to telling the others about how the relic saved his life. I tuned them out at that point, heading back up the platform and towards the main computers.
"Back to work already?" I asked softly.
"I cannot allow the Decepticons to decode the coordinates for the Omega Keys first," He replied, though I could tell his spark wasn't really into it. "Cybertron depends on it."
I sat down in front of him. "I know, and I probably shouldn't be distracting you, but I'm going to talk anyways, because I know you and I know when you need someone to talk to." He paused for a moment. "Optimus, you're always there for everyone. Why can't you just let someone be there for you?"
His eyes went to me, before flicking back to the screen. "It's not important."
Crossing my arms, I raised an eyebrow. "I really think it is." No reply. "Fine, I'll do the talking. First, I know you felt awful today when we thought Smokescreen was gone, which is why you went out there to fight Megatron, which by the way scared the scrap about of me. Next time, don't. What if Smokescreen hadn't been there? Megatron could have..." I didn't finish that sentence, unable to wrap my head around the thought, so I shook it instead. "Anyways, make a plan next time. You can't rush off to be the hero alone. Truth be told, I think you do it because you get to pull those cool action poses."
A small smile crossed his face, so I continued.
"Also, I know you feel terrible because the Star Saber is... out of commission," I said. "I get that, it did tip the scales in our favor, but one weapon won't win the war. Megatron crossed a line when he stole the arm of a Prime to use the forge and that's going to hit him in the face one day. Soon. Trust me." I glanced at the broken sword behind him. "I could... try to fix it?"
He shook his head. "Cleona crafted the blade herself, and only with the help of Solus Prime. Though you are strong, your powers are not near that of the goddess, and I am not the craftsman Solus Prime was."
I frowned. "Well, you were doing just fine without the sword anyways. Besides, look at your team. We've all got a bond that the Decepticons can't even comprehend. This is what's going to win."
Optimus looked down at me. "Wise words, Amanda."
I smiled. "Thanks. I made them up on the spot." That got me a small smile. I stood, turning to look at the computer screen. "I think I get this, a bit. Those are all numbers, jumbled up and twisted, right?"
"Correct," He nodded. "The numbers translate into ancient symbols they associate with, then into the patterns that equate the symbols, and finally into words and coordinates. Would you like to see?"
I nodded eagerly and he offered me his hand, which I climbed onto, before lifting me to his shoulder. As he decoded the Iacon coordinates, I found myself understanding it a bit more. Maybe it was another perk to being the Champion of Cleona. Regardless, I was just glad to spend time with the Prime, especially after everything that happened today.
Enjoy this now, because soon Cybertron will be revived and they'll all be gone.