Optimus part Eight

Work on the new base was slow coming. The location was beyond difficult to work with, but it had to be done. Optimus insisted the new base be outside of town, away from humans, but still in suitable proximity to the Decepticon‘s mountain base. And since they had no means of constructing a proper base they needed to have some existing shelter for their equipment. Add to that they had the incoming ship, and they needed a good landing zone to direct it to. Night was beginning to fall, and all four of them were getting exhausted. They hadn’t even had a chance to properly nurse their wounds from the last battle. Road Rage figured they could use the water wheel to make a generator to save on energy, despite protest from Ironhide about whether it would work, she toiled on inside, the only one small enough to fit in that portion. Ironhide worked on unpacking their essentials, such as the computer, TV, media players, the multitude of lava lamps, and rocks shaped like celebrities. Optimus attempted and failed to karate-kick trees down while Jetfire dug a hole to sleep in.

“Bah.” Jetfire spat. He slapped a tree branch out of his face. It whipped back, he sighed, and smacked it away yet another time. It returned again, and, frustrated, he ripped the tree out of the ground.

“Hey,” Optimus said. “I almost had that one!”

“Are you daft, boy?” Jetfire shouted, pointing the tree at Optimus. “You can’t use a karate-kick to cut down trees!”

“Of course not!” Optimus said. “It takes at least five!” Jetfire didn’t know what to say to that, so he just through the tree by his hole, crawled into it, rested his head upon the tree and went to sleep. Optimus didn’t really want to get in a fight with the robot who could rip mature trees out of the Earth with one hand so he let it go.

“Okay.” Optimus said, watching the sun disappear beyond the horizon. “I guess we could take a break.”
And so the Autobots lay in the grass, heads together, staring up at the stars. Ironhide lay with a box full of rocks next to him, reaching in and examining them periodically. Road Rage held a stuffed giraffe in her arms as she attempted to recall the constellations. Optimus chewed on a twig with his arms crossed behind his head as he’d seen humans do in movies.

“I wonder if Cybertron is any different since we’ve been here.” Road Rage wondered.

“Wouldn’t it be cool if they invented something cool since we’ve been gone?” Ironhide said while examining a rock. “Like anti-rust that doesn’t itch…”

“I wonder if Tracks still runs that body shop?” Road Rage continued. “Business was so good when I left.”

“Tracks? The dude who always touches my shoulders?” Ironhide said. “Yeah I don’t like him.”

“Oh he’s just being friendly.” Road Rage waved him off. “You know my whole protobatch is like that.”

“Yeah but Tracks is… too friendly.” Ironhide said. “In fact, I don’t like this conversation. What do you wonder about Cybertron, Optimus?” Optimus was silent for a moment while he thought. He squinted his eyes.

“Is she even still there?” Optimus asked. “We’re in the middle of a civil war. When I left things were getting pretty heated. We think Megatron’s a handful, but the inner-faction uprisings were reaching cold war levels. Remember when there were all those threats against Cybertropolis?” Optimus sighed. “Never mind, I’m sure she’s still around. We’d never destroy our own planet.” There was an uncomfortable silence while they considered the idea of Cybertron being in a full-on global war, until finally Road Rage spoke up.

“So Ironhide,” Her voice squeaked a bit. “What was Cybertron like when you left?” Ironhide took a deep sigh.

“Thing weren’t as bad as that yet,” Ironhide began. “I remember hearing about Sentinel’s private transport being shot down the day I shipped out. I remember, vividly, the talks of his death sparking panic…” He chuckled. “And then it turned out the bloke survived, giving his attackers the slip. I remember hearing he landed the burning ship himself.”

“Ha!” Optimus laughed, sending the twig flying. “I remember that. The media loved making Sentinel out to be an action hero in political paint.” His smile faded slightly. “In a lot ways I guess he was.”

“I wonder if anyone misses us?” Ironhide asked. Nobody answered.

“I miss home.” Road Rage said.

“Me, too.” Jetfire piped up from a few feet away. He lay on his back as well, looking up from his dirt bed. “It sounds like a very different place from when I left.” His eyes closed slightly. “And to think, until I saw you, I thought I was the last of my species. The final Transformer, alone, betrayed by the planet I loved.”

“Poetic.” Optimus said, looking over to Jetfire. He looked back. “Well, once we’re done here I’ll give you the grand tour.” Optimus patted the grass beside him. Jetfire pulled himself out of his hole and lay down next to them, completing the “X” of Autobots. They continued looking out to the stars, wondering which were looking back.

------

Shockwave was taking a big risk going behind Megatron’s back. His “partnership” with Obsidian, such as it was, had Shockwave… suspicious. Shockwave got the feeling Obsidian was out to overthrow Megatron out of selfish desires, whereas Shockwave harboured no ill will towards Megatron. It wasn’t Megatron’s fault he was intellectually inferior. Of course he had to be removed, but these things happen. Obsidian seemed to care more about being leader than the mission, but as long as he proved useful for now his agenda was of no consequence. Shockwave gathered appropriate tools when it happened. The most unbearable and seething pain he’d ever experienced returned. He grabbed his head and fell to the ground.

“No.” He sputtered. “Not again.” The dreams that plagued him were coming while he was awake now, having avoided sleep to keep them at bay, and the pain came back as vivid as ever. He grabbed for his desk, hauled himself up, and scoured his workspace. The memory came in flashes. The room, the table, the shot. Everything except the one who did it. The frustration of not being able to remember was overshadowed only by the intense pain. His vision was blurry, but he saw it. The blue cylinder. He grabbed it and popped off the cap revealing a small nozzle. He jabbed it into his neck, the cylinder emptying it’s florescent contents into his circulatory network. The pain subsided, his mind went numb, and he relaxed. As the pain drained away he saw the room come back into focus. His desk, chair, the lamp, the door. He saw. Obsidian hovered in the doorway, having witnessed the attack. He was silent, staring with no emotion on his face. Shockwave pulled himself back up.

“You did not assist me.” Shockwave went back to gathering his things.

“I was taken aback by the display. “Obsidian said with compassion. “I was not aware you felt pain.”

“I still register physical sensations.” Shockwave said. He looked down. “You will disregard that display.”

“What display?” Obsidian said reassuringly.

“The attack I just suffered.” Shockwave missing the sentiment. Obsidian sighed and shook his head.

“Yes, of course.” He replied.

“We will depart immediately.” Shockwave opened the roof hatch leading to a tunnel. “The Autobots predicted it‘s planetfall in a month, but using a sublight engine it should be here within a few days. We should begin preparations for it’s arrival. I told Megatron we would be exploring a possible cave system close to our target. He should not be suspicious.”

“Truly one of Cybertron’s greatest minds.” Obsidian placed his hand firmly on Shockwave’s shoulder. “You think of everything.”

“Not true.” Shockwave said, turning his head. “I only consider every possibility.”