Reunions, Part Twelve - Epilogue
Out in the Atlantic Ocean, a lone aircraft carrier sat on the waves, its deck bereft of planes and crew. There was a large satellite dish partway out from the tower which was the appropriate place for receiving equipment. This satellite dish, however, was broadcasting jamming signals and general Bermuda Triangle-like interference.
Below deck, in the lowermost level of the ship, six large mechanoids worked around a pool leading into the ocean. They operated three separate winches and hauled lines of cable around, fishing out pieces of metal that used to be part of robots like themselves. Several had been carelessly tossed aside; one of the latest pieces read "4500X".
Above, the satellite dish moved of its own accord, the base shifting as the disk itself retracted at two different points. Soundwave trusted that the skies would remain empty with Skywarp and Thrust patrolling farther out. He entered the base of the tower. The floor automatically lowered to the second level. He stepped off and approached an assortment of monitoring equipment. On two screens with intersecting views were the Constructicons. He scowled behind his visor when he saw the increasing number of Blackout's parts ending up on the scrap pile. He had hoped more of his fellow spy and saboteur had stayed intact given the way he had been brought down. Perhaps at least a processing unit had survived.
He accessed several other cameras and a few data files. One screen showed a race track, another an empty junkyard. A third came in fuzzy and in hues of red, until something gray walked over the red ground. One of the file screens displayed a scrolling list.
Ratbat... ... .Status: repairs
Ravage... ... Status: repairs
Laserbeak... Status: MIA
Buzzsaw... ..Status: MIA
Rumble... ... Status: en route
Squawktalk...Status: en route
Beastbox... ...Status: in field
Frenzy 2.0... .Status: in progress
Bombshell... ..Status: MIA
Shrapnel... ... Status: in progress
Kickback... ... Status: in field
Scorponok...Status: DESTROYED
Soundwave watched the pool, adjusting a third camera. There could be only so much scrap. They would have to find their leader soon.
Two names on the list began to blink, their status changing to on base. A few moments later the upper floor lowered again. A bird-like mech tottered coolly in, while an irate pile of cutlery stomped over.
"I wanted to KEEP that other body! I coulda flattened that Autobot, and his little human, too!"
"Howelse did you expect to pull out from that situation?" Soundwave asked without looking at Rumble.
"Situation, nothin'! That was me trashin' the place and a lousy Autobot that could block my punches! If you ask me, Motormaster's strategies stink!"
"Yet we were able to progress this far."
"This far?!" Rumble leaped onto the monitoring console and pointed at one of the pool-level screens. "We got no key, we got no ship, we got noway of gettin' in their base again, and I ain't got no real body!"
Soundwave emitted a long buzz. Rumble crossed his arms and tapped one foot, then went on, "The Stunticons coulda taken that base. If they'd just destroyed the Autobots right there we wouldn't'a lost the key!Broadcast or not." He put extra emphasis on the comm officer's name.
"Motormaster answered to Onslaught's command. Who are we to question the Generals?"
"Who are we, indeed." Rumble's multiple optics flashed bright red, then he jumped down from the console. "I'll be rechargin' if anyone comes up with any more stupid plans."
"Rumble."
The small mech looked back at Soundwave and folded his mouth pieces into the approximation of a sneer. Soundwave merely stared at him until the smaller mech hurried away.
Prowl's team provided excellent security for both the Ark site and Autobase One once Inferno and Firestar had found more suitable alt modes, a fire truck and fire helicopter, respectively. Perceptor, Ratchet, Huffer, Rattlelatch, and Moonracer had accomplished much in salvaging the ship and getting some of its equipment switched from the embedded front to the cargo area in the back, which was now serving as the ship's communications hub. Rattlelatch and Perceptor had set up a console they had dubbed "Teletraan-1" and were still in the process of transferring data from the Ark's files when Optimus called Perceptor back to Autobase to work on something else.
It had been three months since the Ark crash. Optimus entered the back chamber of Autobase with a sinking feeling already hitting his spark.
"Good morning, Optimus," Perceptor called from his seat at a side console.
"Any progress?"
Perceptor turned and shook his head. The question had become a ritual so he did not need any further details. "Very little, I am afraid. There is something involved in the energy transfer that I have yet to duplicate. As our sparks are a constantly renewing source of our individual energy levels, so too did the Cube renew itself. Yet it will not absorb energy from an outside source as we can. This will take more time and study."
Optimus nodded, walking over to the open-sided stasis tube that held the shard of the Allspark that he had taken from Megatron's wound. It remained suspended in the fluid Perceptor had synthesized to protect it. Prime placed one hand on the glass. For a moment a blue sheen flashed across the surface of the shard, but nothing more occurred. Optimus turned away.
"Please, take what time you need to find the answer. By any means, we must try to restore the Allspark. For now, it is our only hope."
"Understood," Perceptor replied with a nod. Then, with some hesitancy, he said, "I have noticed that verbal altercations have resumed amongst our forces. I would say it is advantageous that we are now split between two bases."
Optimus sighed. "I know, and in part agree." He cast a glance toward the Allspark shard again. Then he headed out of the room, clasping his hands behind his back as he walked toward the elevator. He chose to go up two levels to the guard tower, deciding he could find an empty area there to think.
He went past the front guard platform, not announcing himself. No need to invite more questions or concerns he had no answers for. He went to the platform that overlooked the train tracks and took hold of a tree branch serving as part of the camouflage. He pulled the end of it down until the leaves were level with his optics. He studied them for a few minutes, noting how they moved in response to the air cycling out of his intakes. With increased interest, he watched an insect take tiny bites out of one leaf.
He heaved a great sigh, causing the leaves to whip about. He quickly grabbed the leaf with the insect on it. It was clinging to its spot. He increased his optical magnification and saw the creature had sticky pads on its feet. Resuming regular optical input, he carefully released the branch.
"Optimus?" came Bumblebee's voice.
Prime turned, surprised. "Bumblebee. I did not expect you to be here. I thought you were still going to stay with Sam."
"I came by to chat with Arcee about something, but there is another thing I was going to report. I prefer to speak with you about it now, if that is all right."
Prime considered for a moment, then nodded. "Go ahead."
"I have noticed something about Sam and Mikaela recently. I detected Cybertronian energy residue around them, like an aura. I have determined that it is not from the proximity of my own power core, and it seems different from power core radiation, anyway. I cannot say if it is simply in a higher or lower range on the scale, or reacts on a separate scale altogether."
"Is it having adverse effects on them?"
"No. They appear perfectly healthy."
Optimus nodded thoughtfully. "Keep checking on them. Perhaps Ratchet could provide further insight when he is free." He then startled as something occurred to him. "Wait. Ratchet mentioned that Will was able to trigger the key into regeneration mode. Will handled the Cube..."
"...As did Sam and Mikaela," Bumblebee finished for him. His face plates crinkled with worry. "Do you think it will do long-term harm to them? The Cube was, after all, meant for mechanical life."
"That may ease our concern right there. The Allspark energy did not saturate into the rock it was embedded in. It might have only temporary effects on a living organic creature."
"Given that there are no transforming dinosaurs in Earth's paleontology records, that is plausible. I will record readings and any changes."
"Good. We must find out for certain. This would be an unintentional experiment." Prime frowned. "It is the last thing we would intend for our friends."
Bumblebee nodded. "I'll be on my way, then, if there is nothing you might need me for?"
"No, you may go. Thank you for offering. ...I always appreciate your dedication, Bumblebee."
"Sir." The yellow mech saluted.
Prime saluted him back. Bumblebee bowed graciously then left the platform. Optimus filed the news in with all of the other concerns weighing on his processor. How many other humans touched the Cube?
Chromia was staring at the western horizon as the sun was setting, her optics taking in the seemingly endless uninhabited scenery. She sighed heavily.
"Are you all right, Chromia?" Ironhide asked softly as he walked up, stopping behind the low rock formation chosen to mark the outer perimeter of the Ark's territory. When she did not respond, he inquired at her in Cybertronian, using a word that had no Earth equivalent.
She repeated the word and turned to look at him. "Apologies. I was...lost in my thoughts."
"Share them with me?" he implored, reaching to touch her left arm.
She nodded. "I was thinking of how tired I am. How old I am. Of all the time that has passed." She took his hand in hers and then looked up at the stars. "Do you remember how we first met?"
"I remember that you had me on my knees."
"That is because you were a prisoner."
"Doesn't change the fact," he said with a grin.
"Yes, well." She cleared her vocalizer and continued, "You were randomly chosen due to a battle. You were later freed through a battle. Then we were in battles side-by-side. Centuries. Millennia. Battle battle battle." She heaved another sigh.
He stroked his other hand over hers. "It still gives our lives as warriors meaning, does it not?"
"Yes. I do not know how to live any other way. However..." She raised her right arm and looked at her fingers, bending each in turn. Her pointer finger and thumb would not fold completely. "I am now wishing it could be different." She gazed at him, running the back of her hand along the right side of his face.
He caught the hand in his left, bringing their clasped hands together. "I would not have changed that meeting or the riot for anything in the universe."
She gave a tight smile. "Nor would I. It simply...saddens me that we joined in order to create a weapon to yet again fight our brethren. I...I am feeling..." She lowered her optics, unable to put her emotions into words.
Ironhide released her hands, raising his own to cup her face between them. He leaned toward her, touching his forehead to hers. She adjusted her optical sensors to find his right optic behind the uneven plating, and just gazed sadly into his cameras. He uttered a questing sound.
Finally, she continued, "I feel old and damaged. Perhaps age should not concern so much, but my spark feels heavy."
"We are all feeling a weight from the loss of the Ark. It was a connection to our home." Ironhide eased back, lowering one hand while keeping the other at the side of her face, brushing his thumb over her cheek plating.
"I cannot deny that is a factor, but it is also simply me."She touched both her hands to her chest. "I do not want to be a fighter forever. Yet it seems like..." She shook her head lightly. "It just never ends, does it?"
He lowered his hand to her shoulder, nodding. Silence settled around them. After a while Chromia slipped away from Ironhide's hand and he watched as she walked a little ways through the sand. She tilted her head up, holding her arms out, palms up and fingers spread. He could sense her spark energy spreading invisibly before her, calling on a wavelength only it could achieve. He waited, remaining silent. Then his own spark began to pull and he stepped forward, taking his time before reaching her. He put his arms around her from behind, placing both hands over her spark case. She slowly lowered her arms then leaned back against him.
"Someday it will all be over."
End
While the Decepticons have slipped back into hiding, the Autobots have to deal with the publicity of the Ark's landing and yet need to find their enemies at the same time. With the cooperation of the government they will try. The ARROW group continues to clean up Sector Seven's loose ends, Agent Epps has quite the task ahead of him, and Reggie Simmons will eventually have some explaining to do. Meanwhile, everyone is still waiting to see if more Autobots have received Prime's message, but will they get a moment's peace now that the whole world knows about them? How much longer will being "in disguise" be a fact instead of just a ruse?
Stay tuned for Transformers: Renewal.
Author's Note: My gratitude to everyone who has made it through this story, I appreciate that you took interest and took the time to read it. I haven't completed a multi-chapter story in about six years, so I wasn't sure what I would be getting into by continuing this one beyond a one-shot. I'm really glad that you could join me on this journey of character exploration and development, and also exploring the type of "what if"s that could be gleaned from the 2007 movie. I have become very fond of the new continuity that Dreamworks has presented us, and I hope to write more about both the characters established in the movie and the ones I have adapted or created for my version of "movieverse". I hope you will continue to find interest in my fanfiction and I equally hope I can provide quality reading.
As a final disclaimer: I don't own the Transformers, the Autobots, or the Decepticons. I'm not making any money off this fan fiction, it is merely for entertainment purposes.
My fan created characters do belong to me, those being Rattlelatch, Eugene Breckstein, and Rhythm & Blues, made for the express purpose of playing in the Transformers universe.