Takes place the next day. Sari is back at Autobot Outpost Omega One.
Jazz sensed something different about Sari. He read her Spark. "Sari, you've been to the Well of AllSparks."
"I have, Sensei. Prowl visited me. He told me an important thing. I have a mission here to help the Autobots – and I strongly sense, the humans as well. But there's more. When I returned to my body, I discovered that a great deal of knowledge had been infused into my processor."
"Such as?"
Sari looked around. "I'm not sure I should discuss this openly." And they walked to a remote area of the compound.
"Knowledge about Alpha Trion, and how through the Covenant of Primus, he foresaw a great battle against the Decepticons on Earth. Because of this, he intentionally transported the Iacon relics here for use by the Autobots. And I was also given a great deal of knowledge about the Omega Keys, and how they hold the power to restore this world's Cybertron."
"Sari, we must talk to Optimus about this."
"The knowledge you have been infused with is correct, Sari," said Optimus. "I have communicated with Alpha Trion, and he gave me the same information. It is why we have made such a diligent effort to retrieve the keys."
"Then this must be the mission that Prowl communicated to me. He said there are no accidents – that my arriving here was preordained by the AllSpark, and I am to assist Team Prime. But in what way?"
"Sari, you have been an invaluable help to us thus far, both you and Jazz. But like you, I sense there is a great deal more to be revealed."
"Optimus, I know in my Spark that when it is needed, that mission will be made clear," said Jazz. "Until then, we shall remain vigilant." All agreed.
"And I have a very strong sense in my Spark that whatever form this mission takes, it will involve my protecting both the Autobots and the humans," said Sari. "Something tells me that both will be in grave danger."
"Then let that be your guide, Sari," replied Optimus. "When the time comes, I will honor your decisions."
"We had three of the Omega Keys in our possession. Unfortunately, as Arcee had told you, Starscream stole them. We assume he brought them to Megatron, since he has reappeared with the Decepticons."
While Optimus was having this conference with Jazz and Sari, Jack, Raf and Miko were chatting with the rest of Team Prime about the Omega Keys and the regeneration of Cybertron.
"You know, I might not be the first human on Cybertron, but I can be the first human exchange student," said Miko.
"Why didn't you tell us about the Omega Keys before?" Jack asked Arcee.
"You probably didn't notice, but things have been kind of intense around here lately," the Ninja scout responded.
"So, you guys could really be going home soon, huh?" Raf asked Bumblebee.
"Don't worry, Raf! You'll come visit," Miko told Raf. "Once we get our place set up, he can bunk with us, right, Bulk?"
"Uh, Miko?" Bulkhead answered awkwardly.
"Optimus, there's more," Sari continued. "I have some very important things I need to share about what I learned," said Sari.
"Go on."
"Megatron may have the keys, and we hope that he doesn't know how to use them. But, even if he knew how to use them, it is hoped he doesn't know about the existence of the Omega Lock."
"That is my hope as well."
"But unfortunately, there is a way he might be able to learn."
Optimus sat up in his chair. "Please, continue."
"In my trip to the Well, I was infused with knowledge of the Omega Lock and its location in the Sea of Rust."
Optimus listened intently to the Cyber-Ninja, and began to realize that she may have been given more information than he had received from Alpha Trion.
"But there is also a way for Megatron to learn this from the Omega Keys themselves."
Optimus was not aware of this. He grew increasingly concerned. "Sari, please tell me."
"If the Omega Keys are interconnected, the Omega Lock will be displayed."
"No!" Optimus got up. "Sari, this is very dangerous. If Megatron gets to the Sea of Rust and uses the Omega Keys to restore Cybertron for the Decepticons, then all Autobots will be declared enemies of Cybertron."
"I understand, sir."
"We must do whatever it takes to keep this from happening."
Just then, Ratchet broke in on the conference. "Optimus, I am receiving a communication from Dreadwing. He requests a meeting."
"Dreadwing? Very well. Prepare Team Prime. We shall meet him at the designated spot."
Ratchet bridged everyone to the spot. Optimus and Team Prime drove out of the ground bridge, and Sari flew out on her plasma jets. The site was foggy. Everyone transformed. Sari landed, the palms of her servos glowing bright blue.
"Drop your weapons!" yelled Bulkhead.
"Hands where we can see 'em!" shouted Smokescreen.
"I am not here to fight, but to give you this," said Dreadwing. He pointed to an object on the ground.
"The Forge of Solus Prime!" said Arcee.
"It could be rigged to blow," responded Bulkhead.
Optimus lowered his mouthplate. "Dreadwing, what do you ask in return?"
"Only that you use it wisely."
Arcee asked, "And - the Omega Keys?"
"In Megatron's possession, under heaviest guard."
"Why?" Optimus asked.
"A shadow of disgrace has been cast upon the Decepticons. It is a cause I no longer wish to be part of."
"Then I appeal to you again," said Optimus, "join us and help end this conflict once and for all."
Sari powered down her orbs and approached the Decepticon. "Dreadwing. I come from a parallel dimension, another Cybertron. In my universe, the war is ended. It can happen."
Dreadwing looked down at this diminutive Autobot. "No. Betraying my kind is not the same as accepting yours." And walking away, he flew off.
Optimus looked down at his Technorganic team member. "Thank you, Sari, for offering Dreadwing an alternative vision. Sadly, he is unable to see it." He picked up the Forge. "Let us return to base. There is much to do."
After returning, Sari approached Optimus. "Sir, the humans are feeling excluded. I know these latest developments have involved Autobot concerns, but given the friendships that have developed, we owe them some connectivity."
"Sari, time is of the essence. I don't see how we can…"
"But I can, sir. This is my mission, to be your bridge. Let me help them."
Optimus looked at the smallest Autobot, and even though his processor was racked with concern for imminent events, a twinkle came to his optic. "Of course, Sari. It is your mission."
Sari walked up the stairs to where Jack, Miko and Raf were huddled.
"Sari, what's going on?" asked Jack. "I feel like we're just on the outside looking in here."
The little bot sat down on the couch. "Things are happening really fast, you guys, and the Autobots have had to react to things almost instantaneously. Unfortunately, the result is they haven't had the time to explain things. I told Optimus that I want to be their bridge to you, to keep you informed."
"What was that enormous hammer thingy we saw Optimus carrying when you guys came out of the ground bridge?" asked Miko.
"It's called the Forge of Solus Prime. It's the symbol of office of the Original Thirteen. It's not really a forge, but a hammer which utilizes the power of a neutron star at its very heart. It can be used to make anything out of anything."
They suddenly heard loud banging.
"Is that what I think it is?" asked Raf.
"Yes," said Sari. The first thing that Optimus is doing is using the Forge to turn the ground bridge into a space bridge."
"You're kidding!" said Jack.
"I'm not, Jack. Time is of the essence. You see, we have to keep Megatron from using the Omega Keys to regenerate Cybertron, and we've got to be able to get there so we can stop him."
"Why?" asked Miko. "Who cares who does it? If Cybertron gets regenerated, that's all that matters, right?"
"No," said Jack, who was beginning to understand. "Don't you get it, Miko? If the Decepticons get to regenerate Cybertron, then who do you think will be running it?"
"Oh."
"Exactly," said Sari.
Optimus came to the command room. "Bulkhead, Arcee, Bumblebee, return the children to Jasper. Then come right back here. I will need all Autobots on hand."
The kids got up. "Well, I guess that's our cue," shrugged Jack.
Sari stood up. "Optimus, I'm going with them."
Arcee looked angrily at Sari. "He said he needs all Autobots."
Optimus looked at Sari, who looked back. They both then looked to Jazz, who asked her, "Sari, this is what your Spark is telling you?"
"Yes, Sensei."
Jazz looked back to Optimus. "I am in agreement with Sari."
"Very well. Sari, protect the children." And Sari transformed into "human" mode and got on her scooter.
The next morning was a normal school opening at Memorial High School. His first opportunity, Jack ducked into the library.
"Sari!" he whispered, "any news?"
"Nothing yet, Jack. I talked with Smokescreen this morning on my way here. Things are tense, but as of now, everyone's still at the base."
She had a full day of work, so Sari was able to be near the kids. She took her lunch in the faculty lunchroom.
Shortly after lunch, she was alone in the library, except for one other. As usual, she looked over to see Raf working away in one of the library study cubicles. "Always easy to keep an eye on him," she smiled. "Miko…well..."
Pushing a cart full of books, she stopped short.
"Sari!" a message came in to her comm.
"What is it, Smoke?" she answered silently in Cybertronian.
"Ratchet detected a huge power-up of the Decepticon's space bridge. We're all leaving for Cybertron! Are you sure you're not coming?"
"My mission is to stay here, Smoke. I must protect the humans."
"OK. Good luck."
"You too, Smoke."
Now, she became even more concerned. She walked over to the 12 ¼ year old. "Hey, Raf, have you seen Jack and Miko?"
"Not since lunch, Sari, why?"
She hesitated to tell him, not wanting to make him worry too much. "Just wanted to keep tabs on you guys," whispering, "given all that's going on."
The closing bell rang. The librarian was supposed to come and relieve her, but she was late. "Oh no! I can't leave the library until she gets here!"
Raf got up from the study cubicle. "OK Sari, I'm going outside to meet Jack and Miko. We'll be getting rides home from…well, you know who," he smiled.
"Wait, Raf! Do me a favor, will you? Ask them to come in here to the library."
Raf gave her a curious glance. "Um, OK," and left.
Minutes passed. Sari's Spark sensed danger approaching, and it grew ever stronger. "Where are they?" she paced the floor. "Where is the librarian?"
"What if Miko told Raf she refused to set foot in the library? Oh no, oh no!"
Ratchet was pacing back and forth from the controls of his newly-forged space bridge. An alert sounded. He rushed to answer.
"Optimus?"
"Uh, no, Ratchet, it's Jack. Is something wrong? Because school's been out for almost an hour and no one's showed to pick us up."
"That is because the entire team is rather…indisposed at the moment. I suggest you obtain an alternate method of transport."
"What's he saying?" asked Miko, jumping off the top step of the school front.
"The bots are busy."
"Then tell Ratchet to come get us!" Miko yelled into Jack's phone. "It's not like he has anything else to do!"
The librarian finally walked in. "I'm sorry, my dear. I was held up in traffic."
"That's alright, please excuse me, I must hurry!" and Sari rushed out the door.
She ran to the school door exit just as the round shape of a space bridge began to form. In mid-stride, she transformed in a blue flash into "bot" mode and raised her mouthplate. Several of the students and faculty gasped at this sight, and started running away.
She burst through the doors. "Jack! Miko! Raf! Get behind me! Several Vehicons and Starscream exited from the bridge. Sari opened her Skyboom shield to its maximum size to protect the kids, and blasted the Vehicons with the full power of her orb, which melted their Spark chambers and passed through their chassis. The blue orb was intense enough that it continued on through several other Vehicons behind them.
"What is this?" yelled Starscream, confused. Then he looked down. "You!" he glared at Sari.
"Go back to the Nemesis, you miserable worm, before I blast your helm off!" yelled Sari.
"Oh, you think so, do you?" sneered Starscream, and lifted his arm to point one of his rockets at her. She then used Processor-Over-Matter to render his arm rockets inoperable.
"What?!" he yelled, when they didn't fire. With all the Vehicons dispatched, Sari picked Starscream's entire body up in the air with P-O-M and slammed his face into the school sidewalk with each word. "I said: GO! BACK! TO! THE! NEMESIS!"
"Wow!" said Miko, watching all this.
Starscream got up from the cracked sidewalk, staggered around, and got on his comm. "Bring me back!" he yelled weakly. The bridge opened up and he left.
Sari turned around to the kids. "Are you all right?"
"Y-yeah," said Jack, shaken.
"Whoo! That was totally wicked!" yelled Miko.
Sari smiled. "I'm afraid I've blown my cover, though," as she looked around. There were crowds of people approaching. "Now what do I do?" They heard the sounds of sirens.
"Fly away?" suggested Raf.
"No! You're still in great danger! They may come back. I've got to get you back to base."
"Ground bridge," Raf replied.
"Ground bridge," Jack agreed.
Sari sighed. "Agent Fowler's gonna have my helm over this."
"Hey! You saved us, Sari!" said Jack. "We all need to get to base so we can put our story together. Let us deal with Fowler."
Sari got on her comm. "Ratchet! Emergency. I need a ground bridge back to base, stat!"
"Sari? I'm a bit busy now, so…"
"Ratchet! Ground bridge! Now!"
Ratchet sighed. "Very well." And a ground bridge opened up, and Sari and the kids stepped in just as the police arrived.
When they arrived at Autobot Outpost Omega One, they expected a lecture from Ratchet. Instead, they found him in an unusually giddy mood.
"Ratchet?" asked Miko. "Are..you OK?"
"OK? OK? Of course I'm OK! I just heard from Optimus. Cybertron has been restored! Team Prime is returning as we speak!" And the bridge opened again as Arcee, Smokescreen, and Jazz came in, celebrating.
"Success! We did it!" yelled Arcee.
"Congratulations!" said Sari.
"We retrieved the Omega Keys from the Decepticons and headed to the Sea of Rust to open the Omega Lock. Megatron came just as we were about to begin the process, and demanded that we hand over the keys," said Smoke. "Optimus asked him why, and he turned, as if expecting something. However, nothing happened."
"He got on his comm and demanded that Starscream explain the reason for a "delay" of some kind. He then yelled "WHAT?" and cursed out Starscream. "Whatever this delay was, we had no idea, but we continued with our activation of the Omega Lock. Cybertron is alive again."
Sari and the kids exchanged glances. "That would explain what happened here," said Sari. "I was at the school library, and Jack, Miko and Raf were waiting outside. They were expecting to be picked up by the Autobots. Of course, you were all on Cybertron. Unfortunately, I was held up in the library and couldn't tell them where you all were. Just as I got to them, a space bridge opened up right in front of the school doors, and the Decepticons came out, ready to abduct all three. I transformed and battled them and gave Starscream a rather good thrashing."
"A really good one!" said Miko, slamming her palm onto the floor.
"I beat them back, and Starscream left empty-handed. I'll bet they were going to grab the kids and use them for ransom, to get you to hand over the Omega Keys."
"Hold on, back up," said Arcee. "OK, we weren't there to pick you all up. Why couldn't Ratchet have lent a hand?" She turned to look at the old bot.
"Me? But I…I was botting the controls here! I couldn't just leave!"
Arcee gave him an angry look. "Well, thank goodness Sari was there to save them!" she retorted, "or this episode would have ended very differently!"
"So, what about Megatron?" asked Jack.
"He transformed and flew away," said Arcee.
"I guess, that means the war isn't over?" the teen continued.
"I'm afraid not, Jack. Optimus, Bulkhead and Bumblebee stayed behind to bot the controls in some of the towers. There's a great deal of rebuilding to do – a great deal. Luckily, with the space bridge, we can more easily move back and forth from here to Cybertron."
"So, when can I set up my apartment there?" asked Miko.
"Uh, Miko, there's tons of terraforming that has to take place first," explained Arcee. "Cybertron won't have breathable air for organics for decades."
"What?!"
"I'm sorry, but try to understand. It's been a dead planet for millennia. It can't be brought back overnight."
"Which brings us to you, Sari," said Jazz.
"Me, Sensei?"
"Optimus is asking if you could help rebuild this world's Cybertron. He would like to utilize your 'mojo' mod. There are a lot of systems which have lain dormant for so long, they may not be able to be brought back easily. With your unique abilities, you could expedite that process."
"Now, we know you are anxious to return to your dimension," said Arcee, "as are we to help you get there. He was thinking that, once the 2-way transport has been worked out, you could become a – what is the human term – a 'commuter'?"
Sari chuckled. "I'd be glad to help you! I've been a 'commuter' before!" She was of course, referring to her early years as a Cybertronian citizen, when she spent 6 months on Earth and six months on Cybertron – her "commuting" years.
"Wonderful, Sari!," said Arcee. "If you don't mind, can you come with me now? There are some systems that need some work as we speak."
"Of course! But first, let me say goodbye to these three here," she smiled, and turned to Jack, Miko and Raf. Transforming into "human" mode, she gave them all hugs.
"Will see you guys soon! Let your Mom know where I am, OK, Jack?"
"Will do, Sari!" Jack turned to Arcee. "You all will be back before too long, right?"
"This first trip won't take more than a week, I'd say," she smiled. "Besides, you'll have Ratchet here."
"Raphael and I still have a lot of work to do with Sari's father and the other Bulkhead," Ratchet replied.
Just then, there was a beeping on Ratchet's console. It was from Agent Fowler. Ratchet replied. "Yes, Agent Fowler? What can I do for you?"
"Ratchet! What in Uncle Sam's beard is going on?! I have reports of robots fighting in front of a high school in Jasper! I don't suppose you could enlighten me?"
Ratchet sighed. "Yes, Agent Fowler, I can. It was a rescue operation. If you come here, I can…"
"Don't bother, I'm entering your base as we speak."
The old bot turned to Sari and Arcee. "You two had better be on your way. This will take a while." And he powered up the space bridge. Arcee transformed into her cycle, and Sari transformed back into "bot" mode and powered up her plasma jets. They entered the bridge and disappeared.
So thanks to Sari, we slip away from the ending of Season Two! I dunno, kinda worth it to see Starscream get his face slammed into the sidewalk several times! But if her presence in this dimension was to make any difference, I believe it would have been thus. After all, she is a bridge and defender of both worlds.
And now, she has another task before her, to help repair this world's Cybertronian systems with her "mojo" mod (a term coined by Bee). Thanks for reading! Please review.
ALCON: I think I'm going to make this the closing chapter of this story, and rename this "Episode 1". I'll pick up with "Episode 2, Chapter 01" to follow. This next story will take Sari foward from here as she helps Optimus and Team Prime rebuild their Cybertron, and help defend Earth. After all, the war is still on!
And Miko, maybe you can't yet have your apartment on Cybertron, but with a space suit, you can visit! :-)