Preface for Soul Flyer series

Preface for Soul Flyer series

One of these days I'll get around to writing the 'connector' stories that I've used to interface this series from my Raptor Chronicle – TF G1 – series. But, here's the basic gist: Raptor's human soul gets disheartened by the fact that she lives through 50 generations of her 'human family', so she's becoming a tad morbid (like Dead end); About this time the Quintessons just about kill her in a botched assassination attempt; While she's hovering between life and death, she finds out that neither the transformer afterlife nor the human afterlife will accept her soul.

This causes her to further enter the realms of a deep depression, ending with her teleporting while dreaming of how Cybertron once was.

Well, turns out that the physicists were right about teleportation being a trip between dimensional bubbles! Raptor ends up in the ancient Armada dimension. Gets conned by Sideways, and by the time she realizes her error – the only way she can save the ancient Cybertron is by self-sacrifice.

This is just my theory on how the 'mysterious cataclysm' that stopped Unicron the first time – could have occurred. And with the three minicon 'presents' that Raptor's creator had made for her – Unicron used them for his own purposes once Raptor was encapsulated within him.

Awaken

Part 1 – Armada Soul Flyer series

A flash of brilliant light intruded upon the unending blackness that was her reality. The gray/green Seeker's optics stirred, tracking the light source. The first conscious thoughts in a millennium fleeted seductively across her soul. Was this finally her invitation into a true afterlife? The former Decepticon Queen mused, as her soul could not resist the temptation of that beautiful light.

Pain became her reality, sensors offline and system alarms ringing throughout her entire system! No outside sensory input was available! In terror, Raptor instinctively pictured her home world, a safe zone, a place of peace from this torment – then she blindly teleported. Using almost all of her final reserve power to do it.

Ghosts..

The Autobot soldier who was starring at the ancient remains of the heavily damaged grey/green Seeker, which he had unwittedly uncovered in his quest for a hiding place from the Decepticon attack – jumped back in fear as the remains blinked out of sight. Shaking his head and trembling at the mere thought of ghosts!

Falling…

The cool plasma sensation of warp phase abruptly released her into the harsh phase of reality. She felt the winds of Earth's atmosphere embrace her, as she tumbled out of control towards the blessed ground of her home world. She was too weak to fight it, had no engines, no radar, no ability to resist it anyway. A smile crossed her blind face; she would finally rest in peace on Earth! This thought soothed her, for even if there were no afterlife that would accept her – at least her human soul could wander in peace on this blue planet.

UFO (Unidentified Falling Object..)

"Optimus, sir, something strange on radar." Red Alert reported.

"Put it on screen." Prime's deep voice commanded, striding over in interest.

The children ran over to see, along with most of the troops. They gasped as the screen filled with the image of a gray/green Seeker – in robot mode – tumbling in apparent unconsciousness. It was currently at an altitude of 10 miles, and coming down fast – straight towards the mountain that hid their base! Decepticon symbols shown dully on its wings.

"Starscream, do you recognize that Decepticon?" Prime asked the bright red Seeker, standing in the back of the group.

"I've never seen one like that!" Starscream answered, his optics widening at the sheer amount of damage showing on the tumbling Decepticon's fuselage.

"Sir, he appears heavily damaged, and if he's not already dead.." Red Alert started

"-he will be when he hits the ground. Sir." Blurr finished for him.

Alexis cried, "We can't just let him die like that!"

"But, sir, he's a Decepticon!" Hotshot chided.

Optimus sighed and turned toward the troops. "Alexis is right, Autobots just don't watch as a helpless Transformer falls to his death – Decepticon or not!"

"I'm on it! Sir!" Jetfire yelled, running towards the warp gate.

Starscream started after him, "I'll help!"

Repair..

Falling, blessedly falling. Raptor's soul sung, as she approached 'death' in total acceptance. She was so tired, tired of fighting, tired of flying, tired of being! Waiting for the peace of being shattered to a million pieces.

Then, arms beneath her! Slowing her descent until she was no longer falling, she felt the thrust of the unseen Transformers' engines as they strained under their combined weights. Then a second set of arms were beneath her, a second unseen Transformer adding his thrust to the firsts'. Guess I'm not going to die.. A Pity.. Raptor thought to herself.

Repairs..

"Well, Optimus, sir, I've never seen anything like it!" Red Alert exclaimed, as everyone watched in wonder as every minicon seemed to be frantically working on the prone Decepticon lying on the repair table. "It looks like a femme, but I've never seen that model and her circuitry is not standard!" he said as he ran the computer's scans over the heavily damaged Seeker. He'd never seen any transformer survive with the sheer extent of her damage, almost every system was completely offline – with the exception of a small secondary power core, which was the only thing keeping her meta-processor from crashing.

"How is her spark?" Prime asked.

The spark glowing an eerie green, unheard of! But it seemed strong and stable. "Sir, I've never seen a spark like this one, but it seems strong!" the medic said.

Starscream looked at the Decepticon femme with interest. "Can you save her?" he asked, rare concern showing in his voice.

Red Alert sighed, "It's not me that's going to save her – it's them!"

They all watched in awe as the minicons danced over her, diving in and out of her crumpled fuselage, a slight hum coming from them as they repaired her.

Optimus nodded his head in amazement. "Absolutely amazing.."

For days the minicons worked with a focus never before seen by the Autobots. They patched the gray/green Seeker's circuits together, slowly rebuilding her air frame and fuselage. Then Red Alert thought her primary power core was ready to recharge. So he hooked her up to the main life support systems, as everyone gathered around, he pushed the sequence to enable the recharge.

The Seeker began to twitch, and then suddenly she began to flat line, as their 'alien' power flow began to interfere with the functioning of her circuits. The minicons frantically began to disconnect all of the life support cables, trying to desperately to save her from crashing! "Sir! She's dying! She can't interface with our power core!" Red Alert said, desperately running into the bay to rip the last of the connecting lines from her systems.

The children started to cry, they couldn't believe this was happening after all of the hard work of the minicons. Then Sonar flew in the room and babbled in his encrypted speech – motioning desperately for Starscream to do what he was trying to tell him. Starscream's optics got big. "She needs the sun – or she's going to die!" he gasped, as he finally understood what the minicon was trying to tell him. He pushed the astonished Autobots aside as he ran into the bay and picked the Decepticon off of the table. "Help me!" he implored.

Jetfire was at his side, and then the rest of the Autobots led the way as they ran toward the warp drive. Then they all warped to a far desert; Red Alert, Starscream, the kids and the minicons staying at the prone Seeker's side – monitoring her vitals as she lay on her belly, the few solar-cell's that were still functioning – slowing recharging her shocked systems.

Optimus and the others warily scanned their surroundings, watchful that the Decepticons might choose to attack.

To Feel Again..

The comforting little hands and feet running over her metal skin soothed her soul. As systems were slowly repaired and brought online, her processor ran it's automatic diagnostics: Optics – almost functional, Combat processor – online, Hydraulics – 50 functioning, Combat systems: lasers – online, missile bays – empty, radar – offline, shields – online, 90 ; Communications: Voice processor – offline, Audio receptors – online, Wireless digital card – online, radio – offline; Engines – port online, starboard offline, stabilizers – online… Her meta-processor calculated her abilities and limitations. Her primary and secondary power systems were now up to 50 capacity, automatic repair systems were now functional and activated.

Using what sensors she had, she began to listen and feel what was going on around her. She needed to know what was going on!

Curiosity..

"I think she's coming to!" Rad said excitedly, he and his friends hugging the celebrating minicons.

Red Alert looked at her system readings. "Half her systems are still offline, but she's now charged up 50 percent - so she's outt've the woods!"

Everyone gathered around as the mystery Seeker slowly stretched her limbs, testing her hydraulics and motion sensor array. Then she slowly rolled herself over and sat up, her crimson optics slowly brightening as she began to activate them. She looked at the dancing minicons; a smile crossed her gray face as she weakly reached out and lightly ran her fingers over some of them.

Scavenger and Optimus looked at each other. "Well, she can't be that bad if the minicons are so happy to see her!" Scavenger mumbled.

Then Alexis boldly patted her hand on the Seeker's fuselage. "It's going to be alright. We're here to help you" she told the jet.

Crimson optics looked quizzically at the girl, and the Seeker tipped her head slightly to the side. Then she reached out her hand and slowly circled the girl with her light gray fingers.

The Autobots gasped in apprehension, as the mystery Decepticon slowly lifted Alexis to eye level. But she was gentle with the human, and Alexis felt no fear – just curiosity. "Who are you?" Alexis asked her.

The jet merely cocked her head, and then touched her own lips with her other hand, shaking her head weakly. "I don't think her vocal processors are working yet, Optimus." Rad said, understanding the almost human non-verbal cues the Decepticon was using.

Optimus dropped down to a knee in front of the Decepticon, who boldly met his optics. She smiled slightly and nodded to the boy. "So, I guess your identity remains a mystery – until the minicons finish your repairs." he stated. "But, are you ally or enemy?" he asked the Decepticon. In answer, she gently handed Alexis to him. An unspoken truce.

Then she caught sight of Starscream standing with the group of Autobots, all staring at her in curiosity. His Decepticon insignia strangely out of place. She looked questioningly at Prime, and then traced a question mark in the air between them, then spelling – S-T-A-R-S-C-R-E-A-M out.

Carlos got excited. "She just asked if that was Starscream! Hey man, she's knows your name!"

Optimus nodded to her question. "Yes, it's Starscream and he's part of our team."

Then the Autobots and kids all began to wonder how she knew Starscream's name. For the red con looked at her brilliant optics and swore he'd never even met a female Decepticon! She motioned for him to give her his hand, and she weakly stood with his help. Then she smiled at him and wrote – Another-in the air.

No one could figure out what she meant, so they decided it'd have to wait until she was fully repaired. But with her very expressive face, and almost 'human' body language she was able to communicate many answers to their questions.

"What is your name?" Side Swipe asked her. And –Raptor- was slowly spelled in the air.

Smokescreen gave her a big smile, "Well, Raptor, I guess – Welcome to the team!" She silently returned his smile.

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