These Paths We Tread (Autobot x OC)

XLVIII. Famous Last Words

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“Sam’s in trouble!” the redheaded young woman exclaimed yet again, this time up to the towering, blue-and-red Autobot Commander. Despite Sideswipe’s attempts to help ease her anxiety, the young woman could not be quelled, just as she had not been able to minutes early when she’d first made her claim to him and Ratchet. Thankfully, the medic understood at once that she was very much so serious and quickly contacted the commander. He didn’t even ask where the notion had come from, and she would have had a hard time explaining when she could barely remember the place she had pulled it out of. Still, she recalled the words clearly now, and they were a heavy weight upon her heart.

“You are certain?” Optimus Prime inquired, though his tone suggested he was already prepared to head out to defend the young man. Behind him, Jazz reached up to the side of his head, no doubt sending out a call for the troops to prepare.

She nodded, “Yes. I… I remember them talking about him. Megatron’s going to kill him!”

There was a tense, silent pause that passed between all of the mechs, save for Jazz, and Catherine fell under its spell, too, as she realized the full underlying meaning of her words. A wave of anger came from behind her—from Sideswipe, she knew—and the other two expressed similar notions on their faces for a moment before recovering.

“But why would they go after the boy?” Ratchet inquired.

“Because,” she began, pulling at the memory once more. “Because he has the knowledge—the Allspark’s knowledge.”

“What?” Optimus, Ratchet, and Sideswipe asked in unison.

“How is that possible?” the medic inquired, shaking his head with disbelief.

“I-I… Well, I, mean, we both held the Allspark when we used it,” the redhead started, trying to think back the past few years.

Ratchet rubbed his chin, “But for the knowledge and power to split?”

“Well, it ain’t with ‘Cat, an’ it ain’t the kinda stuff ta just disappear, an’ Sam did hold the Allspark, too, so is it really that hard ta believe it coulda happened?” Jazz proposed, and both Commander and medic glanced between him and each other. “An’ what are we standin’ here fo’? Don’t matter if he got the Allspark’s knowledge o’ not—Sam’s in trouble. We shouldn’t be wastin’ time here. We gotta go help ‘em out if Megatron is afta him.”

“Indeed,” Optimus nodded, but then became suddenly grim. “However, I fear our human allies will not allow us to leave so easily, and Bumblebee, while an adept warrior, cannot battle Megatron and his Decepticons alone.”

“You can’t just leave Sam or Bumblebee to die!” the redhead cried out, and Sideswipe reached through to calm her at once.

“And we will not. I owe both you and Sam my life. I will not abandon him, and I will not abandon my soldiers. If we must defy our human allies, then so be it, but if we may keep their trust and mount a rescue team, then I will do so,” the Autobot commander spoke calmly.

“I think we just might be able ta do that, Prime,” Jazz spoke, a slightly mischievous grin on his face. “If I recall correctly, Lennox an’ some ‘o the other humans were talkin’ ‘bout how they had some way ta come get ‘Cat if she hadn’t already come back when they visited.”

“You’re sure?” Optimus inquired, and the blue-and-white mech nodded. “Then I must speak with Commander Lennox at once. Prepare a team—we cannot take too many, but enough to hold back a decent Decepticon force long enough to get the boy to safety.”