Orion hesitated before finishing decoding another Iacon entry, closing his optics as Megatron walked in.

"Orion Pax, my lovely mate, how goes Project Iacon?"

"Well. I have concluded that the entries consist of coordinates on this planet."

"Coordinates leading to historic artifacts or knowledge of the Ancients?" Megatron stood beside him.

"My greatest fear would be weapons of mass destruction, shipped off-world to keep them out of other's servos…"

"So we must find them quickly," Megatron said and he kissed his cheek.

"Yes…" Orion closed his optics and he heaved a sigh. "Megatron?"

"Yes?"

"I can't let you do this…"

"Do what?"

"Go after these relics. They were shipped off Cybertron for a reason. I fear you will use them against the Autobots, who appear to be the good guys more and more."

"And how would you know this, Orion?"

Orion looked away and he frowned. "I feel it in my spark…"

"Could it also have something to do with your side-project?" Megatron tapped a key and the monitor displayed images of Optimus Prime, images of all the Autobots, images of the Autobots helping others.

"I just wanted to know…"

Megatron swung his arm, and he back-handed the surprised data clerk. He growled and he made the younger mech submit. "You want to know everything, and sometimes you learn and know too much for your own good, Pax!"

"Megatron, I'm sorry…" Orion whined up at him. He didn't understand why Megatron was so angry. "Please don't be mad… I'm sorry…"

"You better be."

Orion could have been in for a greater punishment, but he was saved when the door opened and I drone padded in.

"Lord Megatron, Soundwave has something very interesting to show you."

Megatron stepped away from Orion. "Very well. Guard the prisoner." He addressed Orion then. "If you have not completed the Iacon database by the time I return, I will cut out your spark before your very optics."

Orion knew he meant it. Tears welled up in his optics as he slowly backed up to the monitor and he tapped on the keys obediently. He did not want to be hit. He wanted his mate back, but he knew that that was impossible.

Megatron had changed.

And he couldn't change him back.

Orion stood in the room, hearing the drones chatter to themselves. He turned to them. "I believe that Megatron will use these doomsday devices against the Autobots. Come on. We could warn them."

He was then knocked to his belly, and the drones made sure he got the idea that he was outnumbered, and not welcome. He was kicked, beaten, punched, and he begged for mercy, but they laughed and mocked him.

Then one drone laid him over the keyboard and Orion heard a panel slide back. He whimpered and squirmed.

"Megatron said to punish him accordingly," the drone muttered. Orion dug his digits into the keyboard. "It feels good to finally use the leader of the Autobots the way I've always wanted to."

Orion looked up at the image of the Prime, the leader of the Autobots. He blinked tears out of his optics when he saw the picture stare down at him. The mech in the picture was a brave mech, a mech that he looked up to (and not just literally). He snarled softly, surprising himself as he kicked the drone back and out of him. "Enough!" He whirled on them, then his servos were replaced with…cannons? He was armed?

The drones hesitated, looking at each other in surprise. Orion took that opportunity to fire…

…and he missed. He was a terrible shot!

"Well, our fun is over," the drone that had once been in Orion said with a shrug. He charged his cannon.

That made Orion heat up with anger, and he tried again.

This time he hit his marks and he stepped over their bodies.

"Sorry," he whispered down at them. He started to walk down the hall before he realized that he was completely lost and had no idea where he was going.

It took a few threats and a few drones, but Orion finally found Megatron and his SpaceBridge. He drew his cannons and he chirped shyly for his former mate to turn. "Megatron…"

The warlord turned and he blinked in surprise at the mech before him. "Orion… Or should I say Optimus Prime now?"

"I do not know who or what I was before, and no doubt you were involved with my forgetting. But I know now that I am sided with the Autobots, and you are not one of us." He ran at Megatron.

He wasn't sure what he was expecting when he did, but he wasn't expecting an easy victory.

And he didn't expect a fist smashing into his abdomen, either. He fell to his servos and knees, gasping and whimpering. He whined for his mate, whined for what he had before he started to question. He wished he could go back and forget, forget completely…

And then he saw the Autobots.

A medic laid on his belly, his optics closed and his limbs in awkward positions, but other than the obvious fact that he was not breathing regularly, he looked like he was sleeping. He fell in love with him immediately, and he wanted to curl up and be in a peaceful near-death slumber as well.

His optics found a bulky mech, an obvious warrior, and an obvious softy. He whined for him to stir, and he did slightly. His mouth moved and he sighed a name. "Optimus…"

The last mech was a little mech with door wings that fluttered and twitched gently in time with his breaths and his spark pulses. Orion felt the urge to protect him, and he whined loudly up at Megatron.

"You've hurt them!"

"Of course," Megatron chuckled. "They attacked first. You would say it was self-defense."

His optics fell on the smaller mech. "But he's so tiny…"

"He is a warrior, and I treated him as such. You should know that I have the right to defend myself against anyone who attacks me."

Orion saw a blue femme run through the SpaceBridge and he blinked when the little femme tackled Megatron to the ground. She was furious and Orion was impressed with her skill and with her ferocity.

He looked down, about to get up from his belly, and he saw the tiny fleshy being. The little being lifted his servo and he showed him the Key to Vector Sigma, something he had only seen once, and that was a picture.

If the being had it that would mean…

"Are you certain that I am worthy?"

The being nodded and he held up the Key higher. "You have no idea."

The memories were being transferred into him, or rather the Matrix of Leadership. Orion was surprised to see that it was already nestled in his chest.

The memories were strong, and they were powerful as they found their way into his helm.

Solus purred as she leaned against him, kissing his cheek. "I love you, Optimus. We're going to be together forever."

And then pain.

"Optimus, no! Optimus, stay with me, please… Optimus!"

Tears rolled down Orion's cheeks.

"He is to be called Orion."

"Orion!"

"Hi, Orion!"

"How are you today, Orion?"
"Orion, are you okay?"

Gentle optics, gentle servos.

Gentle.

"Optimus." The medic that Orion had seen earlier kissed his face. "Optimus…"

Orion closed his optics and his chest plates folded back over the Matrix. He wiped his tears, hearing Megatron roar in outrage. He moved to face the leader of the Decepticons and he caught the sword in his servos.

"Megatron…"

The battle mask slid over his mask.

He was no longer Orion Pax.

He had kissed that life goodbye.

He was Optimus Prime.

He was the Last of the Primes.

He was the leader of the Autobots.

And he was back.

When he opened his optics, he saw fear and shock spread over Megatron's face.

"Be gone."

He let Megatron have it. He beat Megatron back with all the anger and all the rage that he possessed in his body. He gave a third punch that sent Megatron flying, and then he looked back at the Autobots, his Autobots.

"Ratchet, how have we arrived here?"

The medic, his mate, nudged his shoulder fondly. "Long story, Optimus. Jump through that GroundBridge!"

He made sure his family went through first before he finally jumped through himself. He smirked at Megatron's scream of rage as the GroundBridge closed.

Optimus found himself in front of the Autobots as they cheered, sobbed, and hugged each other to provide comfort for each other.

He slowly pulled away from the celebration. He didn't like to celebrate, not because he didn't want to, but because he would celebrate when it was right.

"Optimus?"

He turned to see Arcee walking to him with concern in her optics. "Yes, Arcee?"

"You were with Megatron for a long time. What did he have you do? What happened to you while you were with him?"

Optimus closed his optics. He didn't remember everything, but he remembered being tucked against Megatron, being attacked by Megatron, fearing Megatron all over again…

And he remembered the rape.

He whined softly. "I do not remember…"

He wanted to keep the personal things to himself, part way to make the illusion that he was fine mentally and physically, and because he wanted to remember Megatron as Megatronus, and not the warlord he knew know.

"I just wanted to know, Optimus… It's good to have you back. We really missed you."

"And I have missed you all," he whispered as the femme walked away.

At least when I knew you were a part of my life. I never want to forget again. I will be here as long as I possibly can. I won't ever leave you unless I am sure it is time, and that you will be safe without me.