Transformers Prime: Through Bad and Through Worse

Chapter 13

The mech and the femme before Optimus both stood with eager expressions, both proudly wearing the Autobot symbol. The femme, blue with pink, seemed rather serious about the manner, while the red mech wore a calm smile and a glint in his optics.

"Optimus Prime. It's an honor to fight along side you, thank you for welcoming us in so kindly." The red mech said brightly.

Optimus nodded respectfully, his gaze on the two bots. "Welcome to Headquarters."

"You gonna thank the nice mech, Arcee?" The red mech nudged the femme's elbow.

"Er... Thank you." She answered quietly.

A servo on Optimus's lower arm turned his attention to the mech that just approached him. Ratchet gazed up at him, curious.

"We have two new recruits." Optimus gestured to the two bots in response to his mate's questioning look.

"I'm Cliffjumper, and this is Arcee." The red mech added with a smile. The femme nodded her greeting.

"This is my medic, Ratchet." Optimus rested a servo on his mate's shoulder, their gazes meeting warmly.

"Pleasure to meet you." Ratchet smiled.

Arcee and Cliffjumper both walked away, probably to find their new living quarters, and once they were gone, a servo slowly slipped around Ratchet's waist, and pulled him in gently. A smile came to Ratchet's lips.

"We're getting new recruits by the hour." Optimus murmured.

"I bet." The medic replied.

"And I don't think we can stay here anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"...Cybertron is slowly being lost, and I'm not certain we can gain it back."

~~

"Sir... they've taken over twenty five miles closer to our nearest military headquarters, sixty were killed and eighteen were wounded." A soldier reported, a grim look on his faceplate.

Optimus growled. "I want extra guards within eighteen miles of this headquarters. Nothing gets past."

"Yes sir." The soldier nodded, before turning and running off.

Megatron, why.... Optimus sighed, spark heavy. The warlord really had waged a war, and Optimus felt he took the blame for most of it, being the one that angered him this far in the very beginning. The Prime couldn't believe it: He helped start a war, then brought an unborn sparkling into the world, who's going to be born into a wartorn, ravaged life. What had he done?

But he loved his sparkling already, as he loved his mate, and he could never regret either of them.

"Sir! Prime! Optimus! Boss!" Another soldier came sprinting up, breathing hard and fast. "Sir!"

"What is it?" Optimus raised an optic ridge.

The mech's ragged breaths made each word shaky as he responded, "I-It's Megatron... He's at the taken headquarters, he has a hostage... he says you and your mate know her."

What? Optimus narrowed his optics, panic starting in his spark. "Who?"

"I d-don't know. We didn't recognize her." He replied.

"Gather a few more soldiers to accompany me." The Prime turned and swiftly stepped to the monitors, setting the coordinates, and activating a groundbridge. His optics were dull with thought and a grim frown was upon his lips, as he gazed into the swirling vortex, spark pounding in it's chamber. Who could it possibly be?