Optimus part Twenty

Optimus, Botanica, Ironhide, Road Rage and Jetfire dug inside the massive hole they’d created in the middle of the woods. Using their hands and makeshift shovels they made their way through the soil and dirt to the underground facility. Botanica had roughly estimated that this point was above the massive chamber they had restored power to, and was the only section they’d explored that could possibly hold Optimus and Jetfire. “Ugh, I’m so sick of digging.” Optimus said. “I’m a military officer, not a miner.” “Military officer?” Botanica said. “That’s an oddly vague generalization. What’s your rank?” “Does it matter? I mean here?” Optimus said. “On this planet?” “It’s just weird that you’d refer to yourself so vaguely.” She said. “Back in my day-” Jetfire began. “’Back in my day?’ Seriously?” Ironhide said. “We know you’re old, Jetfire, you don’t need to resort to clichés.” “No kidding,” Optimus added. “That’s like if Botanica said ‘according to my calculations’ or Ironhide said ‘I’m hungry.’” “Wait, you think I’m the nerdy scientist?” Botanica said. “You think I’m fat?” Ironhide stopped digging. “Well, not nerdy or anything, but you are kind of square, what I meant-” Optimus was cut off. “Square?’ Botanica threw down her shovel. “Hey now,” Road Rage said. “Let’s not go throwing around geometry…” “I was going to tell a story, I thought you kids liked that stuff.” Jetfire said. “Kids?” Optimus stood up. “I’m a hundred and seventy years old, rust bucket, I’m no kid. I’m a military officer!” “Again with the vagueness of rank…” Botanica said. “You think I’m fat?” Ironhide yelled. “You’re just big chassis'd.” Road Rage said to Ironhide. “Don’t get snippy with me, Protoform!” Jetfire slammed his cane down. “If it were for bots like me you wouldn’t even be here!” “If it weren’t for bots like you I’d-” Optimus heard a cracking at his feet. He looked down to se fractures in the ground where Jetfire had slammed his cane. “Uh oh…” The ground gave way. Decades-old concrete and rusted pipes and supports gave way under the immense weight. The Autobots fell through the facilities’ ceiling, into the large, cavernous room below. They all collected in a pile of debris, dust created ghostly pillars of light from above. Optimus got to one knee and shook his head. He was taken aback by the shear size of the room. Massive pipes, fenced-off machines and several ramps worked their way around the area. It was like an indoor city. As the other Autobots recovered they too were amazed by the size. “Why would humans need such a huge place?” Road Rage asked. “Because they were building something big.” Ironhide answered. “Or holding something…” Jetfire murmured. “What?” Optimus said. “Nothing.” Jetfire turned away. Optimus frowned. “I’m pretty impressed,” Botanica said. “My estimations aren’t usually so precise.” “Yay?” Ironhide said, unsure how to take that statement. Botanica hovered over to the compromised door they sought to investigate before. Road Rage skipped after her with optimus jogging along. Ironhide stopped a moment when he noticed Jetfire still remained behind. “You coming?” “Huh?” Jetfire said. “Right behind you.” Ironhide gave Jetfire an unsure look. “I’m fine. Really.” Ironhide shrugged and waddled off. Jetfire lumbering behind. They caught up to the others by the giant bulkhead. Botanica was examining the damage. “We might have a problem.” She said. “Look here. This kind of melting on this type of metal is consistent with a nuclear reaction.” “That’s awesome!” Ironhide said. “You can tell all that just by looking at it?” “Wait…” Optimus said. “Does that mean this place is irradiated!?” Botanica flipped out a device from her wrist. It clicked slightly than glowed green. “Nope.” She said. “So what’s the problem?” Jetfire asked. “Well, that means any parts we find past this point are probably melted garbage and unusable.” She said. “Well I still want to explore.” Ironhide said. “This place is cool.” “Also we should probably know what causes a nuclear reaction that leaves a facility largely untouched but causes it to lockdown so suddenly it traps people inside.” Optimus added. “That’s good, too.” Ironhide entered first with Optimus right behind. Road Rage and Botanica followed, and Jetfire brought up the rear. He turned back, looking through the door. Something irked him, but he pushed the feeling aside and moved on. This tunnel was fairly large. The ground below indicated it served as transport for heavy vehicles, and a track along the side led to a large crane built into the floor. It curved very slightly. The Autobots walked with a brisk pace. Even by their standards the tunnel was long. Road Rage moved to the front. “I think I see light up ahead.” She said. Optimus held up a hand and the group stopped. Indeed their was a faint emanating glow about a mile down. “I’ll scout it out.” Ironhide rolled into vehicle mode. Optimus was about to advise he wait, but Ironhide was already too far ahead. The rest jogged after him. They made the wide turn of the tunnel, only to stop when they saw Ironhide standing at the edge of the path. Optimus jaunted up to him. Ironhide stared out over the edge of a drop. “You can’t run off like that, ‘hide, you gotta-” Optimus was stopped by Ironhide who, without removing his gaze, raised his left arm to turn Optimus’ head. Optimus felt his jaw drop. They were at yet another cavernous portion, but it’s not the room that was itself amazing. Standing in the center of the area, propped up by colossal machines and bound by enormous chains was a gargantuan robot. ------ Obsidian sat on the table, his lower body hung from the table. Starscream sat on a stool, spinning around slowly with his feet. Soundwave looked at all Obsidian’s joints and seams, double checking. He lifted up Obsidian‘s lower body and looked underneath. “I lost an arm, for God’s sake,” Obsidian groaned. “Why are you examining my legs?” Starscream stopped spinning. “Those are legs?” Starscream said, flabbergasted. “I thought you were like a mermaid or something.” “Why are you even here?” Obsidian asked. Starscream spun again. “It’s just what I do. I watch people do stuff. I used to work surveillance, but I got kicked out for voyagism.” “You mean voyeurism?” Obsidian looked disgusted. “What? No!” Starscream hopped off the stool. “I kept leaving my post.” Obsidian was going to say something, but decided against it. “Can I leave now?” Obsidian said. “You could leave five minutes ago. You’re all done.” Soundwave said. “Then why were you-?” Obsidian shook his head. “Where’s Strika? I need to ask her something.” “She left with the new guy about an hour ago.” Starscream said. “New guy?” Obsidian hovered off the table. “What new guy?” “The bloke who looks like the Optimus Autobot.” Starscream scratched his chin. “Scorch, is it?” Obsidian became very serious. “Scourge?” Obsidian tried to hide his panic. “Yeah. I just call him not-Optimus in my head-” Obsidian pushed past Starscream as he hovered down the hallway. He barged into Megatron’s chamber as the tyrant slouched in his chair. “Why is Scourge here, and what is this about Optimus?” Obsidian demanded. “I see your nerve recovered along with your body.” Megatron said. “What makes you think you can just demand answers from me?” “I must know.” Obsidian said, changing his tone to be much less demanding. “What is he doing here?” “Very well,” Megatron sighed. “If you positively must know he and Strika are tracking down the Autobot’s hideout. The Autobots have made a new addition to their ranks, I’m not sure you’d recall considering you were in two pieces at the time.” Obsidian thought long and hard at this, then, recalling Megatron’s recent reassertion of dominance, humbly bowed and left. Megatron smiled, pleased with the submissiveness. He waited for the door to close before locking it via the small control panel on his chair’s armrest. He then thumbed a hidden switch beneath it. With a slight shudder his chair began to descend into the floor, and after lowering completely the hole was covered by and invisible hatch.