A/N: Last chapter. I certainly hope you enjoyed the story.
In all his existence, he had never seen something like what scarred him that night the last Decepticon Seeker fell. Now, it had been 5 years after the last true Decepticon had walked on Earth. Things hadn't been the same since then.
When thinking about it in retrospect, they actually felt that Starscream was killed for a better purpose, and the incident didn't go over quickly. It buried itself into the processors of those on the base and dug its way into the human minds, pricking at them all. It hadn't just scarred Optimus or Ratchet, but everyone who saw Starscream's death.
It was sad to see someone so proud and full of arrogance to become what he had in such a short amount of time. The humans had tried to console him during his trials, but he'd refused. They figured it was his pride that stood in the way. Either way, Mikaela, who'd visited him on several occasions found herself crying over the mech. Some of the Autobots couldn't understand her tears over such a wretched Decepticon, but they didn't prod her about it.
There were hopefully no more threats to be worried about, and the Autobots incorporated themselves easily with society over the years. The Autobots no longer had to hide, and were accepted easily by everyone. Of course, there were those that wanted to do them harm. There always would be, but when they were found out, they… disappeared, but like those plasma cannons, no one actually knew about it.
It had also been many years since the Allspark had been destroyed, and often at recharging times, Optimus would lay awake staring at the sliver he still had from it. He knew it didn't seem powerful enough to do anything, but couldn't deny the feeling in his Spark and what the Matrix was whispering to him.
It was rare for any Prime to even think about it and even rarer for them to do it, but he could no longer wonder… he could no longer give no hope. He, in fact, with the sliver might be their only hope of their dwindling species. He could no longer deal with what had happened to the deranged Decepticon, so he formulated a plan. Only this plan wasn't directed at one, but for all Cybertronians.
It was a last effort to put what had happened to Starscream to rest.
He was acting drastically different around everyone, suddenly. Ratchet couldn't come up with anything wrong with him when he ran his scans over his leader, but there was a part of Optimus that was firewalled and no matter how much the medic would try to break it, there was no breaching it.
So, Optimus had something to hide, did he?
Ratchet stopped attacking Optimus' firewalls, especially when he would get a stern look from him as if he knew every time he was trying. It was very unlike Optimus to hide things from his fellow Autobots and even more rare for him to give Ratchet a dirty look for prying. Of course, Ratchet's curiosity and worry had risen with Optimus' drastic changes.
Ratchet had taken note that Optimus was recharging more often, seemed 'out of it' as the humans called it at times. The CMO started to really worry that something was terribly wrong with his friend and leader. It wasn't in him to spy on other Autobots, especially Optimus, so when he decided he would try, he had comes to terms that he was either going to get caught, or he would find out what was wrong with his leader.
/Optimus, can you come to the Med bay?/ Ratchet called.
No response.
Immediately worry crept into Ratchet's Spark. /Optimus…? Are you receiving?/
No response. Now he felt dread and dropped what he had in his hands, headed for his leader's Room. Others had heard him running, and of course, when Ratchet runs, there's a damned good reason for it. They followed, being both nosy and worried about Ratchet's hurry.
Ratchet got to his room, where he found it closed and locked, looking down at the keypad, he typed in what his access code. His codes were master codes for reasons like this.
ACCESS DENIED.
'What?' He punched the code again: ACCESS DENIED.
He only thought of one thing. Ironhide, /Ironhide I need you at Prime's quarters NOW!/
The others heard the open comm. call and they also heard the sliding of mechs coming to a sudden stop and heavy footsteps of a running Ironhide. The weapon specialist slid past everyone, stopping at the door, "What is it?"
Ratchet glanced at Ironhide then to the door, "Hurry, I need you to open this door!"
Systems Startup Sequence Initiated – Complete.
Core Processor Startup Sequence Initiated- Complete.
Darkness disappeared as it onlined its optics for the very first time. Its surroundings seemed a little chillier than desired, so it remained in its pod for now, taking in all of the information its new sensors could pick up.
The small being was still unsure of its surroundings.
It peered around with other sensors that came online as it woke for the very first time, and everything was gargantuan compared to it. Its first instinct was to search out its caretaker, who it found a few short seconds later under itself and it twittered, muttering garble. Its little body shuddered as it found its legs and arms inside the pod.
Wanting to explore the strange new world, it started to move its actual form for the first time under its protective pod shape. It the tiny clicks and clicks were more like small feet running across a floor rather than loud or even really noticeable. Its processors and programming came to full as it unfolded into its proto-form, being no bigger than Frenzy. It felt the air hit the rest of its body and shuddered with a feeling as the air moved up its shoulders and through its turbines. The small turbines on its back were weak yet and not fully functional, but the more the air moved through them, the stronger they became.
It's little optics were a deep red and were full of interest and life. Its HUD began telling it what it was seeing and began taking scans of everything, identifying what it could. It looked down at its caretaker and poked at the chest plate near Optimus' Spark, muttering something. When it found its caretaker was in recharge, it did the only thing it could think of.
Outside of Optimus' quarters, everyone stilled as they heard a sudden burst of something that resembled a really high pitched alarm. Trying to figure out what it was, they knew it couldn't possibly be good beings it was in Optimus' room and there was nothing that they knew of that could make such a sound. It sounded a lot like the shriek of some wild animal that had been trapped.
Those on the outside moved faster, to try to get in. Ironhide, not sure why Ratchet needed him since he had master codes, looked at Ratchet curiously. "Use your access code, you old fragger!" the specialist told him.
"I can't, it-it won't work!" Ratchet fumbled with the code again, showing the ACCESS DENIED when he used his number. It could only be overridden by the Prime himself, who was in the room.
Ironhide grimaced at the sight of the keypads denial. He backed away, pushing everyone else back as he lifted his right arm, the cannon emerging and he took aim and fired at the door with a low powered pulse. Just after, there was a lot of smoke and one very big hole in the door he'd shot. Ironhide lowering his cannon, he followed as soon as he saw Ratchet squeeze himself in.
Running into the room, he nearly toppled over Ratchet when the CMO stopped suddenly. He noticed that Ratchet was staring at Optimus' body with the most shocked look he'd ever seen on him. He was naturally drawn to where Ratchet was looking and his jaw dropped. There was something more than just Optimus there, because it moved. "Ratch…"
As the smoke cleared and fires were snuffed out, everyone else started peeking in the door to get a glimpse of what Ratchet and Ironhide were watching. Ratchet's optics were distracted from Optimus to look at the others before he moved in front of the scene before them, blocking their view of whatever was on Optimus. No one else needed to be in or around here, which he deemed too delicate a situation. This was something Ratchet specialized in taking care of.
"All of you leave, NOW!" he pointed and everyone scattered like rats let loose in a maze except Ironhide, who was now bent over, looking at Optimus' chest plate curiously. He had a finger out ready to poke whatever it was sitting on Optimus. As he listened for the last footsteps, Ratchet turned back around. He stopped as the thing on Optimus' chest moved again. It seemed hunch down to become smaller, making it hard to see with the already low light. Its little optics were staring up at Ironhide in both curiosity and fear, feeling vulnerable since its caretaker was still asleep.
Ratchet scanned his leader and took note that his power levels were low, his Spark was stable but a little weak, and especially took note of the small critter hadn't been there before. Other than that, Optimus was just in a deep recharge. Ratchet left him rest while he checked out the small body moving on him.
Ironhide hadn't so much as blinked as Ratchet then leaned down to get a better look at what exactly had just moved. At first, he considered it to be some animal that made its way into Optimus' quarters, but as he scanned the leader, his findings caught him off guard. The creature on Optimus was not any animal from Earth. It was a metal body. "Primus…"
The thing moved again, crouching and it caught his attention and he scanned, focusing everything on a pair of red optics looking up at him. The small being let out a few trills of sound and a few garbled Cybertronian words he did not understand.
Ratchet's optics widened instantly as he remembered that the sounds this creature were making were sounds only a sparkling could make. He went to search the small, moving little bugger and found a few alarming things.
For one, it was a rare breed of Cybertronian. For two, it resembled someone he once knew in many ways, there was no Cybertronian that resembled another unless it was a twin. And its optics were red instead of the assumed blue.
"What is it?" Ironhide saw it's optics as it looked at him curiously in the same fashion it had just fixed with Ratchet, but he just didn't believe what he was seeing or hearing. It was impossible!
"It's … a sparkling," Ratchet said with curiosity, himself, "A Seeker," Ratchet's words caught in his vocal processor, "And it has a designation already," the last words were spoken as more of a question than an actual statement, which also caught Ironhide's attention.
"A Sparkling? But…" It had a designation already? This threw the weapon specialist off. He'd never heard of a sparkling sparked with a designation. "What? I mean, how?" Ironhide couldn't ask fast enough, double-checking his words.
Ratchet scanned the small Seeker repeatedly with all he had available, double-checking himself after he saw how the sparkling was created. He realized, by his astonishment, why Optimus had been acting so strange. Optimus had actually created this little guy himself. He wasn't sure he wanted to know how exactly since it was a rather complicated thing, but he could take a guess.
He heard a grunt from Ironhide, who was impatiently waiting for an answer, "How?" he turned slightly, "That's a good question, let's get it to my med bay for now. I have other instruments in there that will help me get all information and health on this little guy." He looked warily out the blown open door, "…Hopefully unseen,"
The sparkling watched in curiosity as to what the two giants were doing. The big lime colored one grabbed it gently and it squirmed in his grip. It didn't want this giant to take it from its caretaker! It wanted to be with him! It tried to claw, but being so tiny and fragile, it didn't succeed any and quickly gave up.
It felt a abrupt feeling of going up as it's air pressure and velocity told it about changes as to location and squirmed again in fear. It moved a little; its senses telling it that it was now against metal, warm metal, and another spark, one which wasn't its caretaker. Hmm. It stopped its squirming to look up at the mech that had it. It wanted to know who it was. His spark was kind and gentle, not unlike its caretaker's spark.
Ratchet put his hands over the sparkling, tucking him down in his arm as he hid him. There was no need for ANYONE to see this little one. He'd have less answers than questions, himself and didn't need the trouble. Ironhide went in front of him and checked for onlookers or anyone who was being nosy and found none. The weapon specialist glanced back to Ratchet then stepped out. He waved Ratchet on, watching as the CMO huddled down to hide the sparkling better and they darted out of Optimus' quarters, hell bent for the Med Bay.
When Ratchet arrived in his med bay, he sent First Aid to see to Optimus immediately, still concealing the sparkling so the other medic couldn't see it. He knew Optimus wasn't in any real danger, but it served a purpose to get him out of the bay. When it was clear, he brought the little one out from hiding.
It was clinging to him with tiny claws as if it didn't want to move. Ratchet didn't doubt it was because it was scared from the sudden differences and being around different sparks. Ratchet held it out as soon as he pried it off and set it on the berth so he could get a better look at what was going on.
The small sparkling sat on its haunches and looked up at the two, wondering what was going on. It still wanted to be with its caretaker, but this big green one was comforting enough for the time being. It glanced to the big black one and chirped.
"You said it has a designation already… what is it?" Ironhide asked as he watched the sparkling with a curiosity and awe he could not comprehend.
There was no response as the medic scanned everything possible on him. Without looking away, Ratchet answered, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you,"
Navigations Systems – Online – Ready for Flight – Standing By.
Just then, the little seeker stood, wobbling a bit on its new legs. It looked up toward the ceiling and around the room as if judging distance and area. Ratchet backed up slightly, wondering what it was doing until it leapt and transformed into its flight mode and it suddenly jumped into the air with a strong leap. It felt its flight systems online for the first time.
After two or three insecure jumps, the sparkling glanced at Ratchet, believing he would catch it, and leapt off of the berth, flying for the first time.
Flight Control System – 100 Percent Functional – Ready for Flight – Standing By.
Diverted Spark power to thrusters – 100 Percent Complete – Ready for Flight – Standing By.
Flight Control Pattern – Online – Ready for Flight – Standing By.
Flight Core Processor – Ready for Flight – Standing By.
Flight Sequence Initiated.
"Try me," Ironhide told Ratchet. He wasn't sure why he said it, because deep down, he felt it, but for some reason, he wanted to hear it. He watched as the sparkling started for the ground, but his little body hovered for a few seconds before he started buzzing all over the med bay.
A fatal attraction holding me fast…
The wind over its sensitive wings brought more of its sensors online. The feeling the sparkling felt was as close as it could to compare the feelings it felt for his creator. It was the best feeling it would ever experience, and it knew then that it would never get tired of it. It felt the freedom of flight.
There's no sensation to compare with this…
Ratchet and Ironhide both watched it circle silently, playing in the air as it did, transforming in midair, slowing to a stop, going backwards, and just generally enjoying the open air. As Ratchet watched him, he couldn't help but feel a small pang in the back of his processor about how much this youngster even reminded him of that someone even in movements, "His designation is (garbled Cybertronian)."
They already knew the trouble this little guy was going to be as soon as Ratchet smirked, and to see him raised in a world without war would be priceless, "Did Optimus know what he was doing?" Ironhide asked with a little smirk.
"No, Ironhide," Ratchet told him while he watched the sparkling, "I think Primus cares more about the Seekers than he thought he did," Ratchet smiled as they went back to watching the sparkling frolic through the air.
Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies…
A gathering had begun outside of the med bay. They all stared, stunned at what they were seeing. Some of them were curious as to what it was, but then someone who'd seen one before walked up behind them, "Yes," he answered, knowing that they wanted to know, "it is." Prowl smiled as he peered in on the three.
"Let's get away before-" Sunstreaker was cut off suddenly by what he feared would happen.
Ratchet turned and saw all the faces that were now looking into the med bay. It was more comical watching them all try to fit at least one optic through the window to see. His optic ridges furrowed immediately at them and he glared. The same intimidating gaze was also coming from Ironhide as soon as he had seen what Ratchet was glaring at.
"Uh oh, too late," Sideswipe muttered.
Such a sweet ending for such a sorrowful story. Thank you for reading and I certainly hope you enjoyed!