Chapter 8, The Little Things Give You Away

If anything, guilt had been the thing that hit Optimus the most. The pounding feeling of guilt, anger and fear as he realised Sam had been captured by the Decepticons. One of his worst fears relived once again.

"Optimus, the Decepticons are retreating!" Ironhide called out to the Autobot leader. Optimus nodded in acknowledgement "Autobots fall back!"As the Autobots began to fall back, Optimus commed Ratchet to find out if Sam and Mikaela were alright and more importantly, alive.

"Ratchet, how are the children?" there wasn't an immediate reply, but when he did, an unease practically resonated through the line.

"Mikaela is... alright" Ratchet finally responded

"And what about Sam?" Another silence

"He hasn't returned" This time it was Optimus who didn't answer. A surge of fear hit Optimus like a tonne of rocks; he frantically opened the bond between him and Sam. Nothing.

"Optimus are you receiving me?"

There was only one logical explanation that his processor seemed to conclude was that Sam was either dead, or worse. Captured.

"Samuel, I'm sorry"

Optimus looked at his second in command, and both to one conclusion, Sam was captured. No body means no death, and the body of Samuel Wittwicky was not found. This led them to the next question. Why capture Samuel Wittwicky? Ransom? Torture? Or was he needed?

"Is it possible that the Decepticons know of Samuels current... position among us?" Prowl asked, somewhat cautious of his choice of words.

"As much as I hope not, we must assume the worst and that indeed they are aware that Samuel is a prime" Optimus answered "We must get a lock on the Nemesis's location, it is most likely Sam has been taken there"

"Understood" Prowl replied as he took a hold of the nearest datapad. Optimus looked at the scene in front of him, a significant amount of damage was taken and it was clear that his comrades were demoralised to say the least; including one of oldest friends. Almost cautiously, he approached Ratchet, who was busy helping the injured comrades.

"Ratchet" he started, hoping it would spark him to say something as since the battle, he had not spoken a single word. "How are you feeling old friend?"

"Guilty, if anything" Ratchet answered "I should have gone after him, told him to come back, anything. We would not be in this position if I had"

"You are not to blame for this" Optimus interjected "Nor you or I could have told that this would happen"

"But I still should not have let it happen, we have no idea of possible cost this will do to us" Ratchet rambled, nervousness in his voice. Optimus placed a servo gently on Ratchet's shoulder

"You cannot stress on what you should have done, only on what can be done right now" simple as they might have been, those words were effective. Ratchet looked back at Optimus and nodded in agreement. No other words were needed. And with that, Ratchet got back to help any mech which needed it.

Optimus could only hope that they wouldn't be too late to fix any wrong which had been done.

"Shit, shit, shit" muttered Sam as Starscream took him to the nemesis, the notorious Decepticon warship. This was bad; this was very, very bad. It was clear the Decepticons wanted him for something, if they didn't; he would be dead by now.

They were getting closer and closer to the warship, eventually landing roughly on the hard metallic surface. Starscream transformed quickly, causing Sam to fall hard onto the ground. This caused Sam to mutter several obscenities under his breath, unfortunately Starscream heard and proceeded to kick him in the back, only further increasing the pain.

"Walk fleshling" Starscream growled after kicking him hard. Sam grudgingly got up and limped in the direction of a big metal door Starscream was pushing him to. The doors opened as the two approached, and then closing violently as they had entered. The floor below Sam started to move and the two moved deeper into the heart of the ship. The lift descended in what felt like eye of the beast, flashes of light seeping through the elevator on the decent. After what felt like hours, the lift finally halted abruptly to a stop and the doors opened.

The Nemesis was just as Sam had imagined it, dark, cold and metallic. It looked like the light hadn't touched it in its entire existence. He was pushed towards a huge set of doors which opened as soon as the two were present. There, right in front of him was Megatron. He sat on his self-proclaimed throne, with Soundwave standing closely by his side. If nightmares could be real, then Megatron would be the first thing Sam would see. And it wasn't as if he could try and hide, there was nowhere to run, he was stuck where he was, trapped and scared.
"Ah, Sam, nice of you to join us" Megatron spoke, his voice feeling like ice.

"Not as if I had much choice" Sam snapped, trying to hide his obvious fear.

"No, you didn't" Megatron agreed "But somehow I feel that you wouldn't have come if I hadn't forced, am I not correct?"

Sam didn't answer, he didn't even make eye contact, just stood there, waiting for Megatron to make the next move. Feeling Sam's fear and his unease, Megatron stood up from his throne and began to towards Sam.

"I suppose you're wondering why I have summoned you here" Megatron spoke, Sam still didn't answer but he continued anyway. "Due to the failure of the Fallen to try and harvest your sun, no thanks to you, we have had no energon or power, it is even a wonder that we are able to keep the nemesis functioning"

Sam watched as Megatron moved towards Soundwave, who gave him some sort of object. He moved back towards Sam and showed him the object.

"This is a power forger, an ancient relic of the primes, in the most desperate of situations, a prime can simply use this relic to convert any matter into energon or power"

"What's that got to do with me?" Sam spat, this only received him an icy cold grin from Megatron, and some over Decepticons around him too.

"You are a Prime; you will get it to work" Megatron replied as he glanced towards Soundwave, who drew out a sword from his arm "One way, or another"

Mikaela watched the others around her as they prepared to head out for the possible battle ahead. Discreetly and carefully she readied herself, hair tied back, gun fully loaded, body pumped full of adrenaline. If Lennox and the Autobots were going to save Sam, then she was going too Mikaela watched as Lennox and Epps walked past her to join the Autobots, quickly she hurried to her feet, trying to catch up with the two.

"Lennox!" Mikaela shouted, getting the attention of the Major, who looked towards her with concern.

"You alright 'kaela?" Will asked "I'm going with you" Mikaela stated, cutting him off. Immediately, Will's expression changed from one of concern to one of sternness.

"No" was his immediate reply

"But..."

"No Mikaela!" Will snapped "It's far too dangerous, you're not even trained"
"I wasn't trained when I went to Mission city and Egypt!" she argued back "Oh and I wasn't trained when I was thrown into an alien war!"

Will frowned at the young girl of 19, as much as he hated to admit it, she had a point. None of them was trained when they were forced to fight against a completely alien threat. But she was still young, with her life ahead of her. He couldn't let her throw her life away like this. Yet, there was something about her which showed just how determined she was, she already survived two alien battles, so the odds were in her favour, but for how long? With this dilemma running around in his head, he finally came to an answer.
"Ask Optimus" he answered, his voice softer than before "Convince him, and you convince me"

The quick spark of hope in Mikaela died down very quickly, convincing Optimus would be something else completely. But Sam needed her, and if she had any chance of repaying him then this was the least she could do. She looked at Will and nodded in agreement before walking off to find Optimus and the other Autobots.

Sideswipe finished up being checked over by Ratchet and quickly went over to find his brother testing out his swords in anticipation for the fight ahead.

"Sunny!" Sides called out to his twin, who stopped upon hearing him

"What do you want" Sunstreaker replied harshly "and don't call me that" Sideswipe narrowed his optics in concern, there was something clearly troubling his brother.

"Hey, Sunny" Sideswipe said with slight concern

"What?" Sunstreaker snapped

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing" lied Sunny, knowing his brother almost too well, he stopped his brother in his tracks, forcing him to look at him.

"Don't lie to me"

"You want the truth?" Sunny snapped "I don't see the point, what's the point of going after this kid who's nothing but a liability!"

"He brought back Optimus" Sides argued "Everyone here is grateful except you, every human has played their part but you still hate them"

"Because they are nothing more than a liability, how are they supposed to help us in our cause when their nothing more than weak squishies?!" Sunstreaker shouted to his brother, who was somewhat startled by his reaction.

"They're a lot the stronger than you think, I doubted them too but they've proved themselves, especially the two kids"

"Yeah well you can stay here on this planet of dirt, but should the chance come, I'm leaving"

"Sunny" Sides called out

"Don't!" Sunstreaker replied "We got to go, Prowl's calling us"

Prowl had started to gather up the needed bots for the assault on the nemesis. Nearly all of the Autobots were ready and waiting for their next orders, and some of the NEST operatives, including Lennox and Epps started to join. Prowl was in the middle of roll call when he heard a voice calling him.

"Prowl, Prowl!" he looked down and saw Mikaela running towards him "Have you seen Optimus?"

"He should be arriving promptly, is there something wrong?"

"I'm coming with you" Mikaela responded, immediately, Prowl's optics narrowed, he hadn't known the humans for long, but he knew they were fragile, far more fragile than any mech, if she went along, she would be putting herself in extreme danger.

"Mikaela, I would highly advice that you rethink your decision…"

"Prowl, is everyone ready to roll out?" Optimus asked the SIC, cutting him off

"Optimus, let me join you" Mikaela asked promptly, much like her other responses, Optimus denied her plea.

"Mikaela, we are going to be attacking the nemesis, it is full of Decepticons, there is no way I could guarantee your safety"

"You couldn't guarantee me safety when we went to mission city, or when in Egypt, what makes this any different?!" Optimus did not reply, only looked at her as the question whirled around in his processer. Should he let her go?

"Please Optimus" Mikaela plead, taking on a softer, almost childlike tone "Sam needs me, and I need him, he's helped me so much over the past few years and I owe a lot to him. This is the least I can do"

Optimus took in her confession, she had proven herself before, what would make this time so different? The time she offlines perhaps?
He knelt down to Mikaela's level "Do you know how to defend yourself?"

Mikaela couldn't help the smile the spread to her lips "Yep" Optimus let out a sigh as he gave in.

"Very well, you may join us" he said "But you will obey any instruction given to you, we tell you to run, you run, we tell you to hide, hide, we tell you to head back to base and leave us behind, you do that, understood?"

"Yes sir" Mikaela obeyed, and with that, she joined the other Autobots, awaiting further orders.

Prowl turned to Prime, concern on his face plates

"Are you sure she, or even any human within NEST is capable of defending themselves enough to take down a hostile threat" Prowl asked

"It is not that which I am worried about" Optimus answered "I am worried about how much longer she, or Sam or even Major Lennox will be able to stay with us before they become fully entangled in our war, a war they shouldn't even belong"

With no answer, Optimus simply turned to the other Autobots, and announced their mission.

"Autobots, our mission is clear, rescue Samuel Wittwicky and put a stop to any plan the Decepticons are planning, understood?"

The Autobots nodded and showed their understanding of the mission ahead.

"Alright, Autobots, transform and roll out!"