The Final Hope - Transformers Prime (3)

Chapter Twenty

[Amanda]

  "It's trying to communicate with the warship," Raf announced, his fingers still clacking away at his laptop. We had hooked up the Laserbeak metal to the laptop, and after I worked a little computer magic by making the two different types of technology compatible, Raf had begun working non stop. It only took him half an hour to get access to the systems and into the information we needed.

"How do you know?" Miko demanded, looking over the younger boy's shoulder.

He shrugged. "It's telling us."

Jack, Finn, Miko and I all peered at the laptop screen. While the words began decoding themselves in front of my eyes, all outlined in silver, the others looked confused.

"Uh Raf," Jack spoke up. "That's not English."

"Or any language I'm aware of," Finn added.

I shook my head. "It's Cybertronian code."

"Wait," Miko said. "First Raf understands Bumblebee, now he reads Cybertronian? Are we sure he's not some kind of alien?"

Raf breathed out a laugh. "I've been learning for awhile, in between stuff when Ratchet... had time to teach me." His voice took a dip, sadness written across his face.

Finn put his hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "Hey, Raf, we'll bring him back."

"If it's the last thing we do," Miko's voice was just as reassuring as Finn's as they comforted Raf. In the light of things, it was nice to see them like this, like the family we had become over the past year.

"If it's talking to its momma," Agent Fowler started, breaking the nice moment. "Can we triangulate the signal?"

Ultra Magnus sighed, turning our attention to him as he turned to us. "To a shielded warship?

"If the transponder were still attached to Laserbeak," Arcee said. "We could follow it."

"Maybe we should give it wings," Wheeljack suggested.

Everyone fell silent, and Arcee and Ultra Magnus exchanged a look before Raf spoke up.

"We can use spare parts from the machine shop," he said, excitement in his tone. "And Amanda can make sure it's all set together before we launch it!"

"Then let's do it," Wheeljack said enthusiastically. "For the Doc."

~~~

Raf and Wheeljack began tinkering immediately. I sat nearby, melding together parts whenever they were handed to me, but otherwise doing nothing. Optimus had gone out on patrol, even though there was no Con activity, probably just to take his mind off the situation at hand. Drives always managed to calm him down. The others Autobots lingered around while Ultra Magnus remained stationed at the base's main computers, and Agent Fowler was nearby, doing some monitoring with military resources. Finn and Jack were taking a nap on the couch, while Miko hovered around Raf and Wheeljack, clearly bored.

"The frequency modulator keeps shorting out!" Raf grumbled, frowning at his laptop where he was doing most of his work.

"Easy, champ," Wheeljack reassured him. "Lemme try uncrossing some wires."

"Now there's something you don't see everyday," Smokescreen commented from where he stood with Bulkhead and Arcee.

"Jackie wasn't always a loner, you know," Bulkhead replied. "Being a Wrecker was all about the team."

There was a crash, which drew my attention back to the project.

"Ep, ep, ep, Miko!" Raf exclaimed, scolding her as she tried to lift a bit of scrap metal, causing it to fall loudly. "I needed that!"

"I was just trying to tighten up that thingamajig!" She shot back.

I scrubbed my hands over my face, accidentally irritating the graze I got when Soundwave had attacked me outside of my house. It felt like ages ago, and it was the first time I actually thought about the attack. My manor would never be safe again, not after all the events lately. But I couldn't bring myself to live anywhere else. I'd just have to be prepared. If I could upgrade my security system with some Cybertronian tech, then I'd definitely have the extra protection I need.

"Woah!" Raf's surprised voice made me open my eyes to see a hunk of metal flying right towards where Agent Fowler and Jack stood on the platform. The pair ducked down and I reached out with my powers, easing the drone away from the platform while still letting Raf, who was holding a remote control, drive it. The younger boy flew a circle around the base before bringing the drone to a land in front of him.

"Sorry Agent Fowler," He said with a sheepish smile.

"I think I need to change my star-spangled shorts," Agent Fowler shook his head, his comment making me smile.

"I'm still fine-tuning Chip's remote," The younger boy continued.

"Chip?" Arcee sounded amused at the name.

"So we're gonna let this doohickey fly back to Con central-" Smokecsreen started.

"And lead us right to Ratchet." Jack finished.

I was about to add a comment, but my vision flashed silver as a new scene formed in front of my eyes. I couldn't really see much, just the outline of two Cybertronians, but I could hear them as clear as day.

"Even if you manage to reconstruct the Omega Lock, it is a mystic force. I've come to my senses. The notion of scientifically replicating its capability is pure folly. Madness even. Science can't replace the work of a goddess."

Ratchet. That's Ratchet voice! He's okay! He's- He's-

Oh no.

"But how will we ever know for certain, Doctor, if we do not try?" Megatron. "And how can we not try, when the means finally lie within our reach?"

A bad, nauseating feeling formed in the pit of my stomach, but the scene continued.

"By the Allspark," Ratchet said. "You've actually done it."

"Decepticon engineering," Megatron bragged. "It will not take long for this Omega Lock's drive to be fully operational. All that is still needed to restore our home is the cyber-matter to launch through it. Which requires a stabilized formula for the production of synthetic energon." He paused before adding, "I have every confidence in you, Doctor."

No, that still won't work! Ratchet was right, science couldn't replace Cleona's magic in the equation. They already tried to make a grab for me, they showed their hand. How did they expect to get my powers now?

"I'll do it." I had almost snapped out of the scene as my thoughts raced, but the shock of Ratchet's words shoved me right back into it. "But then, you already knew that, didn't you?"

I gasped, yanking myself out of the scene. My wild eyes met Arcee's first, and she was immediately in front of me.

"What is it?" She asked, tone low. "What did you see?"

My words were still catching up as shock poured through me. How? How could Ratchet agree?

"He's doing it," My voice was unsteady as I finally formed words. "Ratchet is going to help them."