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(OOC: The encounter between Smokescreen and Hex was agreed upon in advance.)

Medical Bay

Smokescreen stood his ground as Hex moved away from one of the CR chambers and approached the diversion expert. Coming within mere inches of Smokey’s chest plate, the silver mech proceeded to explain his position by pointing out Prime’s one and only weakness as he viewed it. According to Hex, compassion prevented Optimus from killing Megatron and thus ending the war. How naïve was he to believe that the war would end with the death of the Decepticon leader? Did he not realize that there were countless other commanders within the ‘Con ranks that would be willing to take Megatron’s place and continue fighting? Obviously, this had not dawned on the small mind of one so young and therefore Smokey would have to educate him.

However, before the red and blue mech was able to utter a word in response, Hex took a step back and spat a thick glob of oil into his face plate. Wasting no time, the young ‘Bot followed that up by continuing to criticize Prime as Smokescreen wiped away the oil with his hand. Hex’s insults stung the diversion expert to his very core. The accusations he made were not only baseless but also extremely offensive as Smokey knew for a fact that Prime deeply cared for every mech under his command and would have given his life on numerous occasions in order to save any one of them. The mere suggestion to the contrary was a direct insult to Prime’s reputation and to his memory.

Unable to listen to Hex’s tirade any longer, Smokescreen’s hands balled up into tight fists as he glared back at the smug ‘Bot. “I’ve heard just about enough of your slag, you little punk!” The diversion expert growled as he lashed out at Hex, punching him directly in the face plate and sending him sprawling to the floor. Smokey then stood over the silver mech and looked down on him with piercing optics. “Prime was a hero to me and to many others aboard this ship! In case you hadn’t noticed, he sacrificed himself down there so that the rest of us, including your sorry aft, could escape with our sparks intact! But, you don’t give a frag about that do you, Hex? NO! You’re a selfish little slagger that acts more like a ‘Con than an Autobot!”

Smokescreen straightened his stance as his fists remained firmly clenched. He then noticed that his actions and words had attracted the attention of some of the other Autobots in the room. Smokey began to relax as he regained control of himself and his senses. It was unlike him to be violent towards another 'Bot, but this situation was different as Hex had pressed all the right buttons to set Smokey off. He hoped that the others would understand and not think too badly of him as he'd hate for his cordial reputation to be ruined by one lapse in judgment.

Smokescreen then glanced back down at the silver mech, giving him one last stern look. "You disgust me, Hex,” the former street racer uttered in a serious but calmer tone before turning away and heading for the door.

On his way out, the diversion expert stopped only to address Axle for a brief moment. “I’m sorry, Axle, but Hex had it coming. You need to do something about him before it’s too late.” Smokescreen then exited the med bay, allowing the doors to slide shut behind him.

Corridors

Hardhead had almost reached the bounce chamber when he was greeted by Jazz in the corridor. The Earth-loving mech seemed to be in a pleasant mood as he attempted to strike up a conversion with the green warrior. “I’m heading to the bounce platform. Ironhide’s given me permission to go back down there to look for Prime once everyone from the Ark-19 has been safely transported here,” Hardhead replied without slowing his pace. “I’d invite you to come along but it was hard enough to convince old ‘Hide to let one ‘Bot return to the volcano let alone two. Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I know how to handle myself in hostile environments.”

Hardhead let out a half-smile in Jazz’s direction before entering the bounce chamber and waiting for Ironhide’s signal to proceed down to the surface.

Bridge

Ironhide heard Prowl enter the room but he was preoccupied with bringing the ship in over the Ark still down on Earth. He maneuvered the ship in orbit directly above it shortly before getting the signal from the bots down there. He passed the signal on to Streetwise who teleported the last few remaining Autobots on Earth to the ship. With that done the old mech navigated the ship to orbit over the remnants of the Decepticon base.

>>”Alright Hardhead, you’re clear to go down. Just keep yer optics open down there, the whole area is still pretty unstable.”<<

With all of that done Ironhide finally turned to face Prowl who was quick to dive right into things. “Well, nice to see yer ok too there Prowl,” he replied. The strategist was good at his job, maybe one of the best. Unfortunately that job didn’t include very good interpersonal skills. He often rubbed others the wrong way. While Ironhide didn’t find him terribly irritating, recent events had left him in the best of moods to begin with.

The red Autobot listened as Prowl went over the scans from the Guardian. “As far as I know the scans are right. Hot Spot and his group have kept this girl in pretty good shape. Makes sense since its almost a rescue ship.” He stood up and walked over to stand next to him. “I noticed the energy readins too, not sure what that’s about. Might need one of the big brains to take a look at it. Fortunately got plenty of them around now. Hardhead’s gone down to check things out and look fer…” he struggled with the words before finally settling on “survivors.”

He walked back over to the command chair and sat down. “If you want him to scan fer anything in particular you can contact him, maybe send someone else down to help with scans. We’ve only got a small window there before the humans are crawlin’ all over the place so we need to move quickly. Its dangerous down there though, grounds still pretty unstable. I was reluctant to even send Hardhead down there, don’t know who else could handle it.”

*

Medical Bay

Sunstreaker almost laughed at the little fight between Smokescreen and Hex. Sideswipe was going to be upset he missed that little spat between the two little wusses. He did chuckle when Hex to a fist to the face. It wasn’t that he cared about him or Smokescreen, but it was hilarious to see the little punk get knocked on his aft by the diversion expert of all people.

“Might not want to argue with people out of your weight class there Hex. Maybe we can find a minibot with you to debate with next time, or maybe a human.” He laughed again before turning to Axle shaking his head.

“Like a couple of protoforms. How long is this gonna take doc? I can’t leave my idiot twin roaming around this ship without me for very long. He’ll end up burning the ship down.”

*

First Aid was inputting his report for Hot Spot when the little fight broke out. He wasn’t terribly surprised by it, but he was disappointed. This type of thing was liable to happen after what they had all just been through. It seemed though that Hex’s attitude was one that was only going to exasperate the situation though.

The doctor finished his report and sent it to Hot Spot’s CR chamber. With that done he stood up and walked over to Axle and Sunstreaker. “If you want to talk to Hex I can take over Sunstreaker.”

OoC: Sorry for taking so long to post!

Corridors

Jazz smiled back at Hardhead as he explained how he was heading back to Earth so he could look for Prime.

"Good luck, Hardhead." Jazz said to the green mech as he walked beside him to the Bounce chamber.

He stood at the gateway to the chamber and sent Hardhead a formal salute to wish him goodbye. He turned away from the chamber and walked back to the Medical Bay, just in time to see Hex get knocked on his aft by Smokescreen. He chuckled at Hex laying on the ground, the mech deserved all, if not more, than he got.

He stepped over to Axle and asked, "Hey, do you need my help with anything?"

He flashed him a smile as his usual good mood was returning to him.

Medical Bay

The hit caught Hex completely off guard. The young mech never would have thought that Smokescreen, of perhaps all Bots had it in him to actually lay out another mech. Hex hit the floor hard his head hitting against the metallic surface with a resounding clang. The only sound from Hex was a low grunt followed by a slight moan. The silver bot looked up at the diversionary expert as he wiped the thin trail of energon from the side of his mouth; followed quickly by furious glare.

Optics darkening to a deep cerulean Hex finally addressed his attacker.

“I’m surprised that I’m the only one who disgusts you,” but Hex got no response instead Smokescreen headed for the door, but stopped first to speak with Axle.

At the first sign of the argument Axle had turned to look over his shoulder at just who might be involved. At the sight of Hex confronting Smokescreen only caused the field medic to look away and shake his head. It wasn’t long before he heard the tell-tale sound of a body hitting the floor. It was then that Sunstreaker decided to chime in.

Axle grit his teeth as he gripped Sunstreaker’s damaged hand firmly and quickly twisted it off at the wrist. The action was done in retaliation to the warrior’s comments towards his ward. The last thing Axle wanted was for Hex to pick a fight with the gold twin, and for Sunstreaker to come into Hex’s murderous view.

“Sorry about that.”

At First Aid’s arrival Axle let out a heavy sigh and nodded to the doctor. He was certainly grateful for the First Aid’s appearance, but he was dreading having another useless talk with Hex. It seemed as though no matter what he did to dissuade the young mech from his current path he simply refused to listen. And now with Prime gone…

Axle patted First Aid on the shoulder as he made his way over to Hex who was now sitting and wiping the corner of his mouth with his forearm again. The large form of Axle cast a long shadow on the much smaller form of Hex. Without so much as a word Axle extended his hand and a slight smile. Hesitating for a moment Hex finally accepted and was quickly hoisted back up to his feet.

“Come on. We need to have a talk.”

Axle stood behind his young ward, hands on his shoulders, as he guided him toward the exit.

Bounce Chamber

The remaining crew of the Ark-19 materialized on the Bounce Platform on board the Guardian. Ratchet took a quick look around and noticed Streetwise positioned at the control panel. The CMO gave the Protectobot a nod of thanks. Turning to the crew that appeared with him he gave orders.

“Alright. Blurr, take the weapons and armaments to the ship’s weapon’s locker. Silverbolt, Bumblebee, you two come with me. Tracks, make yourself useful in the Med Bay.”

Blurr nodded and quickly scooped up as much as he could carry and left the Bounce Chamber. Ratchet too left the chamber and headed toward the bridge.

Bridge

Perceptor had turned around in his chair when Hardhead began to beg to have the chance to go back to the remains of the Decepticon base to find something, anything left of Optimus Prime. The scientist shook his head. Hardhead, your spark is certainly in the right place, but there remains little chance either leader has remained intact. With his thoughts on Optimus Prime, Perceptor nearly missed the conversation taking place between Prowl and Ironhide.

At the mention of strange readings that had been scanned at the site before the Guardian left for the Ark-19. Perceptor finally stood from his station and made his way over to Prowl and Ironhide. From over their shoulders the scientist took in everything that had come back from the scans.

“Those energy readings don’t seem to be consistent with anything on this planet. In fact they seem to be enhanced, perhaps even mutated.”

Perceptor straightened back up to his full height before he went on.

“Ironhide, Prowl, I would like to accompany Hardhead back down to the surface. I believe a more in-depth analysis is required and the only way to accomplish that is if I go and perform it myself.”

Bounce Chamber

Hardhead nodded at Jazz as the white mech wished him well before disappearing down the corridor. The green mech then turned to face the bounce platform just in time to see his remaining comrades from the Ark-19 appear in front of him. Ratchet, Bumblebee, Blurr, Silverbolt and Tracks were all there, carrying a bunch of equipment. He would have helped them, but he had a more important task ahead of him. Instead, the war veteran regarded each of them with a simple nod before standing aside to allow them room to pass by his imposing frame.

Hardhead then received Ironhide’s communiqué, giving him the go ahead to transport down to the surface. >>”Roger that, ‘Hide!”<< The green warrior commed back as he positioned himself on the bounce pad. He then turned and gave Streetwise a nod that signaled he was ready to bounce. Astroseconds later, a brilliant flash of light filled the room as Hardhead disappeared from sight.

Bridge

Prowl listened carefully to everything Ironhide said. Apparently, the readings were accurate and it was a logical assumption given that the Protectobot ship was in excellent condition and was routinely used as a rescue vessel. A quick diagnostic of the system would confirm that for certain as the strategist punched a few buttons on a nearby console.

As the program ran its course, Prowl heard Ironhide mention that he had already sent Hardhead down to the surface to look for ‘survivors’. It was obvious that he meant to look for Optimus as there were no other missing Autobots from the prior mission to search for. It was a good idea in order to verify Prime’s true condition. The likelihood was that Hardhead would find nothing substantial, but if there was even a remote chance of locating Optimus intact, then sending the veteran soldier would be worth it, regardless of the risks.

As for having Hardhead scan for the mysterious energy readings, Prowl felt it was best to let a more scientific mind handle that. “Well ‘Hide, I’m sure Hardhead is capable of conducting basic scans of the area on his own. However, I like your suggestion of sending someone else with him. A real scientist should go as they would be better equipped to analyze the situation on site. I’m sure there’s somebody capable of handling it. Perhaps Jetfire or maybe…”

As if on cue, Perceptor finally spoke up regarding the scans on the display screen, interrupting Prowl’s vocal train of thought. A bit startled, the black and white mech turned around to face the Autobot sniper, whom he hadn’t even noticed was in the room before as his attention had been focused on Ironhide and the unknown energy readings.

“Perceptor! You snuck up on me there,” Prowl responded, patting the scientist on the shoulder. “I agree. Your presence on the surface would be most beneficial. In fact, you’re perfect for an assignment such as this. Head for the bounce chamber immediately. Hardhead is probably already on the surface looking for Optimus as we speak. While he’s doing that, gather whatever data on these energy readings that you can for analysis. This is your top priority. Also, be sure to keep an close optic on one another. We don’t need to lose you two, as well. Good luck!”

Prowl then turned back to the display screen. The diagnostic he had run was complete, showing that the Guardian’s systems were running at optimal levels. This confirmed for him that the scans were, indeed, accurate. It was clear that the Decepticons had been working on some potent new source of energy, which could very well tip the balance of power in their favor if they eventually succeeded. This, of course, could not be allowed to happen as it would place the Autobots at a definite disadvantage in the future war effort.

Prowl opened a comm line to Hardhead: >>”Hardhead, we’re sending Perceptor down to lend a hand. However, his main task will be to scan the area for a strange energy signature that we have detected coming from the remains of the ‘Con base. Assist him if he requires it. Prowl out.”<<

The military strategist knew of the importance of finding Optimus Prime intact, especially for the morale of the other Autobots. However, Prowl also knew that there was a high improbability of success. At most they would find bits and pieces of their leader, which would only serve to confirm that Prime’s spark had gone out for good. It was certainly a necessary answer to a looming question, but what was even more important was learning as much about this new energy source as possible as it could alter the course of the war. In Prowl’s processor, this took priority over all else, even locating the remains of Optimus.

Bridge

Ironhide simply nodded as Prowl issued orders to Perceptor and Hardhead. He wasn’t thrilled about sending another Autobot down there but the strategist had made a good point. It was probably a decent idea to have the two of them down there so they could look out for each other. Still, he was going to keep a close eye on the communication channels and scanners to make sure nothing would go wrong down there.

The old security mech looked over at Prowl. “So what do we do now? Assumin’ Hardhead doesn’t find anything down there we’re gonna have to figure out who’s the leader now, and not just of this group here but of all Autobots.” Ironhide let out a sigh. “I can lead this group fer now, but I’m not cut out for leadership like this. I’d rather be on the frontline protectin’ other Bots and giving the Cons what they got comin’ to ‘em. Honestly I don’t know anyone who could lead the Autobots other then Optimus.” The Autobot was still having trouble even envisioning the Autobots without Optimus leading them.

*

Medical Bay

Sunstreaker glared at Axle as he rather violently disconnected his damaged hand. “Ouch,” he said in an annoyed, flat voice. He wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of hearing him actually in pain, but he wanted him to know that it had annoyed him. Apparently the doctor liked the little punk Hex for whatever reason. He didn’t particularly care, but it was probably best not to irritate the guy fixing you too much.

Thankfully First Aid came over to replace Axle. At least he could count on the Protectobot being a professional. It didn’t take long before he had a new, full functional hand. “Good work Doc. Now if you’ll excuse me I have something to do before entering the CR chamber.” The yellow Autobot snatched up his broken former hand and walked over to Sideswipe’s chamber. He placed the hand on a table facing it and moved the fingers so they displayed a rude gesture the humans used pointing in the chamber’s direction.

Smirking, the warrior moved over to an empty chamber and punched in a series of specific commands. He never trusted them to do a good job on default, especially with the demands he put on his appearance. He also didn’t trust Sideswipe not to change the settings as some sort of prank so he locked it down with a code only he knew. Satisfied he stepped into the chamber, the door sealing shut behind him.

Bridge

Prowl took a seat across from Ironhide as the old mech asked the inevitable question of what to do if Prime is confirmed to be lost for good. “We’ll do what we always have done and that’s to go on fighting the good fight,” the military strategist replied. “We’ll make it through this, Ironhide. It’s not the first time we’ve lost a leader of Prime’s caliber and it probably won’t be the last. I know it’s a shock to the systems at first, but we always find a way to move forward. This time will be no different.”

Prowl rubbed his chin plate before continuing. “As for who could lead us, there are few candidates that I can think of that could adequately replace Optimus. Ultra Magnus comes to mind, but his current whereabouts are classified. I’m unsure he would even want the job. Kup is another option as his vast experiences in this seemingly eternal conflict would make him an ideal choice. Besides those two, I’m hard pressed to think of anyone else that would be suitable. Then again, when Optimus first became Prime, I was unsure of his abilities and look how wrong I was.”

The analyst let a brief smile escape from his otherwise somber-looking face plate. “As far as who should take charge here, technically I am the highest ranking officer on this ship, only a notch above your own standing. Therefore, it is logical that the burden of command should fall on my shoulders and not yours, old friend.”

Prowl stood from his seat and walked over to the command chair where Ironhide was seated, placing a gentle hand on the red mech’s shoulder. The strategist had a great deal of respect for the old warhorse and he could tell just how much Prime’s loss had affected him. Emotion was a useful tool, but it was something that could also get in the way of decision making if it was left unchecked. “You are more than capable of leading this outfit as you were already the initial commander of the infiltration unit on Earth before Prime and I arrived. But considering what has transpired recently, your spark doesn’t seem to be in it anymore, ‘Hide. If you have no objections, I will take charge here for the time being. That way you can be on the front lines where your talents as a soldier and battlefield commander will be put to good use.”

The black and white mech removed his hand from Ironhide’s shoulder and walked towards the view screen again. “Of course, I make no illusions as to how I’m perceived by other Autobots. I know that I’m not a very personable mech. I’m only respected because of the rank I hold, not because I am well liked. You, Ironhide, are the exact opposite. Everyone loves you. That and your fighting abilities are why you have their respect. I will need your assistance and guidance if I’m to win over the troops here. Morale is low right now and we must do whatever we can to raise it back up and reassure everyone that everything will be all right.”

Prowl then turned to face the red mech once more, his hands folded behind his back. “Ironhide, would you be willing to be my trusted advisor as you once were with Optimus? Your immeasurable knowledge and experience would be very useful to me as I try to lead us forward through what promises to be difficult times ahead.”

Bridge

Perceptor showed no outward sign to Prowl’s surprise, instead he kept his optics glued to the screen on the console in front of Ironhide. The only time he fully acknowledged the military strategist when he was given the go-ahead to join Hardhead on his scavenger hunt. Finally pulling his attention away from the terminal, Perceptor gave Prowl a nod and quickly turned on his heel and made for the exit.

Bounce Platform

Before entering the bounce platform Perceptor made a quick stop by his makeshift lab and grabbed a scanning device. He then traversed the corridors and entered the orbital bounce chamber. The scientist flashed Streetwise a slight smile before walking onto the platform.

“Streetwise, please re-enter the coordinates Hardhead used and initial the bounce sequence.”

The Protectobot simply nodded in response. His actuators glided over the keyboard as she entered in the destination and sent Perceptor on his way down to the surface.

Bridge

Ratchet and Bumblebee had quickly left the bounce chamber and made their way to the bridge as quickly as they possibly could. Ratchet wanted to know the situation with the team that had left and what Prime’s next move would be.

Bumblebee was just excited to see his old friends again, and to see what he could do to help.
Ratchet was the first to enter the bridge and took a look around. He was somewhat confused at seeing only Ironhide and Prowl present, but he wasn’t worried knowing that Prime was obviously off in one of the meeting rooms going over strategies.

The CMO made his way over to the two ranking officers and slapped his hand on Ironhide’s shoulder. Keeping his hand in place, Ratchet looked over at Prowl. His features were neutral as he addressed his two friends.

“Alright, boys, where’s Prime? I’m gonna need to fill him in on what happened at the Ark. I also wanna tell him ‘I told ya so’ when he decided to park that ship at the bottom of a lake.”

He let out a chuckle.

Bumblebee looked from Ironhide and Prowl and back to Ratchet as he let out a chuckle of his own. His grin quickly faded as a very odd feeling begin to worm its way into the Bot’s frame.

“Guys? What’s going on?”

Medical Bay

On the outside all appeared as it should. Lore-lock was in his CR chamber, being attended to by the automated processes. However all was not so calm in the bot's processor core. He kept flashing back to events long since past and over with. Sometime he was reliving skirmishes on Cybertron, other times he was on Earth cruising the open roads, watching for signs on decpticreeps. Regardless of where his subroutines lead him one thing was for certain --- Lore-lock was lost within his own mind.

Bounce Chamber

Having materialised on the Guardian's bounce platform, Silverbolt squandered little time complying to Ratchet's order. He, too, granted Streetwise a nod of appreciation and followed Ratchet and Bumblebee to the bridge. The requirement to be apprised of their current circumstances engulfed Silverbolt. He was not a mech to stand around—he needed to perform his duties. He had responsibilities, after all.

He pace evolved into a brisk march as he approached the bridge.

Bridge

Impatience modified Silverbolt's rigid march into a rapid gait of anxiety as he entered the bridge. He quickly corrected himself for displaying such negligence in his self-control. He was well aware of the events that had transpired in the Ark-19, but that was not a valid excuse for conducting himself, in what he termed, a disorderly fashion.

He advanced towards Prowl and Ironhide, snapping off a crisp salute to the Autobots. Before he could articulate a single word, however, Ratchet expressed one of the main concerns occupying his processor. And as attaching further comments to the CMO's remarks resulted in nothing more than superfluity, Silverbolt opted to wait for either Prowl or Ironhide to respond, arms folded across his chest-plate.

Medical Bay

Jazz waited for Axle's response, and felt there was none coming, so he made his way out of the Medical Bay, and to the Bridge.

Command Bridge

He stopped half-way through the Bridge to listen to Bumblebee ask what has happened.

"'Bee," Jazz's voice cracked a little, "Prime is dead."

Jazz felt the strong urge to hug his "Little Buddy", but refrained from doing so. He then looked to see if Bumblebee needed anything.

"Anythin' you need me for?" Jazz asked as he placed a hand on Bumblebee's shoulder for moral support.

Bridge

Ironhide felt a little embarrassed when Prowl pointed out his higher rank. He had gotten used to being in charge or, at least, second in command of the mission on Earth. With Prowl and some of the other command types around he was probably a bit further down on the command chain then he thought he was. At least Prowl brought him down pretty easy.

The strategist impressed Ironhide with his words to him. He never had anything against Prowl, but he did have a tendency to come off a bit cold at times. Maybe it was just more reputation then anything real at this point. Perception can become reality and all that. He wasn’t sure that Prowl was fit to lead all of the Autobots, heck, he wasn’t sure if anyone was, but he could definitely lead the bots on Earth, or around it.

“I don’t know if everybody loves me Prowl,” he replied thinking back to the Autobot who he had given a talking to in the bounce chamber, “but I’ll do mah best to help you anyway I can.”

Before they could continue the conversation a seemingly endless stream of Autobots came into the bridge. Ironhide had expected the group from the planet to come up to the bridge. He wasn’t surprised to see Hot Spot enter the room either, and from the grim look on his face he had been told the situation. That was at least one ugly duty he was going to avoid.

The old mech was a bit annoyed to see Jazz show up though. Apparently he had gotten bored down in the repair bay and just decided to wander up to the bridge. He winced at his blurting out of what had happened. He had hoped for a bit more tact from the other Autobot.

“Alright, its time to figure out what to do around here. Silverbolt, Hot Spot, Ratchet. If you could join us in the conference room we can sit down and explain things and figure out what our next move is. Jazz, I’m going to assume that since you wandered up to the bridge that everything is fine down in the repair bay? No troubles? Maybe you and Bee should go get a recharge or something if you need it.”

He didn’t wait for an answer before leading the way to the conference room. He would have to trust that Jazz knew what he was doing. Ironhide did hope he hadn’t overstepped his bounds in front of Prowl there after what they had just said. He just felt like it was necessary to get moving before everything go too crazy. As he passed Bumblebee he did put his hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry little buddy, I wish to the Pit it wasn’t true, but it is. We just gotta keep on goin’, that’s what he would want.” He gave his shoulder a slight squeeze before moving into the conference room, Hot Spot right behind him.

Bridge

Prowl smiled as Ironhide agreed to help him in any way that he could. “I’m sure you will, old friend. I have the utmost confidence in your abilities.” The black and white mech patted the security chief on the shoulder before turning to greet the Autobots from the Ark-19 who had just arrived on the bridge. It seemed as though they all could sense that something was wrong which was quickly confirmed to them once Jazz made his presence known and blurted out that Prime was dead. Even Prowl would have used a bit more delicacy than that.

Ironhide then took the initiative and called for a meeting with Silverbolt, Ratchet and Hot Spot in the conference room in order to better explain what had happened and then decide what their next course of action would be. Prowl didn’t mind the old warhorse’s tenacity at wanting to get things going quickly as it was the next logical step anyway. The sooner their goals were clearly defined and initiated the better prepared they would be in the coming cycles. The Decepticons were surely determining their next steps, as well, and the Autobots needed to be ready.

“Agreed. All will be explained and determined as best we can during the briefing. Now, let’s move,” Prowl said as he followed behind Ironhide who had stopped for a moment to console Bumblebee before moving on into the conference room. Likewise, the strategist also took the time to stop and regard the yellow minibot with a friendly smile. “It’s good to see you whole again, Bumblebee. At least we didn’t lose you, too. Now, go get that recharge like Ironhide suggested and take Jazz with you. I’m sure it’ll do you both some good.”

Prowl then turned and entered the conference room where Ironhide and Hot Spot were already waiting. Now all they needed were Ratchet and Silverbolt to join them and they could begin.

Bridge

Bumblebee shook his head in abject disbelief. The minibot had known Optimus for quite some time, not before the war, but very soon after it had started. The Autobot leader had become a very close comrade and confidant. There were times when even Bumblebee felt hopelessness, but Prime was always there to just listen, even if it meant he had to neglect more important duties. Prime had always told him that ‘A good leader always puts his solders before all else.’ He was right, he was always right.

Bumblebee let out a heavy sigh and nodded at Ironhide’s suggestion. The minibot turned and left the bridge. He didn’t bother waiting for Jazz; at this point he just wanted to be alone.

Corridors

Through the winding corridors Bumblebee reminisced on the many times he and Prime had shared, good and bad. He had been walking along, head down when he suddenly looked up and noticed Smokescreen at the far end of the corridor. The yellow mech noticed the former racer was not quite himself.

“Smokescreen?”

Bumblebee sped up his pace and in order to keep in step with the larger mech.

“Everything okay?”

Bridge

Ratchet stood in shock at the word that Prime was no longer with them. The medic shook his head, but instead of sorry Ratchet felt numb. Quelling any feelings that would interfere with any important decision making, the CMO finally looked at Ironhide and Prowl and quickly followed them into the conference room.

Bridge

Jazz simply sighed as Bumblebee walked away from him, and Ironhide irritatingly ordered him to get into a recharging chamber.

"Thanks 'Hide, and the only trouble is someone which I'll talk to you later about, hence you being in a 'conference'." Jazz said as he began to follow 'Bee.

Jazz was about to chat with the younger Autobot, but was cut short as he looked at the yellow Autobot's expression, it was one that was of depression and sadness. And Jazz knew where that was headed if he stayed in that Dark Place, and he knew how to shake that feeling.

Medical Bay

Jazz followed Bumblebee to the Medical Bay and found it too late to offer the young Autobot a hug, instead he found that 'Bee was in a conversation with Smokescreen. That was better, interaction is a great way to get yourself out of a depressing mood. And for this, Jazz smiled.

Jazz chuckled to himself at the thought of Smokey punching Hex, the Un-Friendly-Neighborhood-"Doctor" deserved all (If not more) of what he got.

"Heh, Smokey, I want to see an 'Instant Replay' of that!" Jazz joked with a hardy laugh.

Medical Bay

Lore-lock's CR chamber went quiet. Then the door hissed open and out he stepped. Fresh clean and ready to do something. Even though he knew that he was on a ship, something inside just felt off. The scout saw Axel and First Aid tending to things.

"Is there anything I can do to help? Be that here or somewhere else." He inquired of which ever would answer. After having gone through the pounding he's been through Lore-lock felt he had to do stuff, keep his hands busy, lest his mind wander to whatever place it started going to.

Corridors

Once Smokescreen had left the med bay following his altercation with Hex, the diversion expert simply wandered the corridors of the Guardian as a way to both calm his nerve receptors and to familiarize himself with his temporary new home. The frigate wasn’t quite as big as the Ark-19, but it would have to suffice for the time being. He’d make due just as long as he could keep far away from Hex. Losing Prime was bad enough but having to listen to a little punk bad mouth him was too much to handle right now. Instead, Smokey tried to focus on happier times before the recent turn of events.

As the diversion specialist rounded a corner, a very recognizable voice came from behind him. At first he wasn’t sure he could believe what he was hearing as it sounded like a certain yellow minibot whose body had recently been destroyed. “What?” Smokescreen mumbled as he turned to see if his audio processors were playing tricks on him and found that they were working perfectly.

“Bumblebee!” Smokey exclaimed, a smile returning to his face plate for the first time in many cycles. “I can’t believe it’s you! The last time I saw you your body had been blown apart. I’m glad to see that Ratchet was able to build you a new one. You look great! How do you feel?”

The red and blue racer could tell that Bumblebee seemed concerned about him as was evident by the minibot’s question. “Well, I’ve been better, ‘Bee. I guess you know about Prime. It’s been hard for me to accept that he’s really gone and that young ‘Bot, Hex, doesn’t help matters. I just came from the med bay where the little creep was bad mouthing Optimus, telling all sorts of lies. I don’t know what his problem is, but I just couldn’t take it anymore so I hit him.” Smokey stopped, looking a bit embarrassed by his admission. “I know it was wrong, but he was practically asking for it. I just snapped.”

Smokescreen sighed as Jazz then approached them, joking about the hit heard round the ship. “There won’t be any replays, Jazz. Hex doesn’t deserve any more energon wasted on him.”

The diversion expert then looked back at Bumblebee as an idea formed inside his cerebral circuitry. “Speaking of energon, you look like you could use some yourself, ‘Bee. What say you and me go grab us some drinks and catch up on old times. Maybe, it’ll help us cope with everything that’s happened. What do you say?”

Corridors

Jazz nodded with a slight chuckle at Smokescreen's response to his joke, it wasn't one of his best, but a joke to lighten the situation was always good one! Smokey then asked if he and Bumblebee wanted to get a drink.

"That sounds nice!" Jazz said happily, "Mind if I tag along?"

He then began to subconsciously browse his list of music records to fit the situation.

Corridors

Bumblebee’s concern faded when Smokescreen finally turned around and took notice of him. His placid demeanor quickly turned to glee causing the yellow bot to flash his friend a broad smile.

“Heh, I’m doin’ real good. Ratchet truly is a miracle worker. But he’s not the only one who got me to this point; Axle did a lot of the work too.”

Bumblebee’s smile faded as he listened to Smokescreen. The mention of Prime’s demise caused the small Autobot to avert his optics, but at the mention of the young mech Hex, Bumblebee couldn’t help but be surprised. He had never really met the young mech but something deep in his processor caused him to question his own memories.

Bumblebee was shaken from his thoughts at the arrival of Jazz. The minibot took a look over his shoulder and offered a half-hearted smile before looking back to Smokescreen.

“Yeah. Yeah, some energon would be great. Come on, I’ll show you the way.”

(OOC: To move things along, I'm going to assume Silverbolt has joined everyone in the conference room.)

Conference Room

Prowl stood by Ironhide at the head of the conference table as Hot Spot, Ratchet and Silverbolt joined them. This meeting would help to clear up a few things and ultimately decide what their next course of action would be. There was so much that needed to be done and very little time to do it in. The choices that would be made here could very well change the course of the war either for better or for worse. Difficult times were ahead of them now and a lot of the decisions that needed to be made would likely be tough for many to accept, but that was the nature of things now and for the foreseeable future.

“I guess I’ll start off,” Prowl began, looking at each of the Autobots in the room before continuing. “As Jazz so bluntly divulged to everyone on the bridge, we have indeed lost Prime. I don’t have all the details as I was in stasis lock when it happened. Ironhide here can be more forthcoming with the particulars. However, what I do know is that Optimus was trapped inside when a massive explosion engulfed the Decepticon base. The cause was likely a self-destruct mechanism coupled with a volcanic eruption. There also seems to be a third factor to the detonation – a strange exotic energy reading that apparently amplified the blast tenfold. We have sent Hardhead and Perceptor back down to the area to both investigate those readings and to search for any signs of Prime in the slim chance that there might be something left of him that we can salvage. We won’t know any more until they return.”

Prowl paused for a moment, glancing over at Ironhide before returning his gaze to the others. “Now, assuming that Prime is indeed gone forever, there are many decisions that must be made in order for us to move forward. First off, I’m taking charge of the Earth forces for the time being with Ironhide as my second in command and close advisor. Ultimately, of course, we need to decide on who will lead the Autobots as a whole. To do so, we will likely have to alert the other top commanders across the galaxy to what has transpired here. I would propose communicating with Kup on Cybertron first. We may even need to recall him and his unit if it’s deemed necessary. I feel this information should be shared with only high-level Autobots for now as to not spread panic throughout the ranks, which would only serve to lower our troops’ morale. I hope I am not the only one who feels this way.

“Another thing to address is where to set up our new Earth base of operations. Ironhide, you are more familiar with this planet and the terrain than I am, so I’ll leave it in your capable hands to find a suitable location. Until that is decided, the Guardian will serve as our base. It should prove adequate in the short term.”

Prowl looked around the room at the Autobots present for any kind of reaction to his words. It was a lot to take in all at once, but unfortunately they didn't have the luxury of biding their time. "The situation we now find ourselves in will require all of us working together in order to make the appropriate decisions that will allow us to continue fighting against the Decepticons. I have to say if there is one good thing that has possibly come out of all this is that the enemy has found themselves in a similar situation. From what I have gathered, Megatron was fighting with Prime in close proximity down there, so it is logical that he perished in the explosion, as well. If that is the case, then the ‘Cons will likely become fractured as they don’t share the same sense of unity that we Autobots possess. We can take advantage of this, but to do so we must decide together what course of action to take next. Therefore, I am open to any and all thoughts and suggestions you may have about whatever I have said here thus far. All opposing views are welcome, of course.”

Corridors

Smokescreen smiled when Bumblebee took him up on his offer. The diversion expert had become somewhat familiar with the layout of the ship while he had wandered the corridors, but he did not remember seeing a mess hall of any kind. There had to be a place to get a drink or to just relax. Ultimately, the Guardian was a rescue ship, but it was also a mobile base of operations for the Protectobots, who surely required the necessary downtime just like any other mech. Smokey decided to just follow Bumblebee as he seemed to know where he was going.

“I tell you, ‘Bee, the idea of Optimus not being here anymore is hard for me to imagine. He’s been our leader for so long that I can barely remember any other Prime before him. Sure, I know my history, but Optimus was one of a kind. There's just no replacing him,” the red and blue racer commented as he walked beside the yellow minibot, glancing briefly over his shoulder to see if Jazz was following them. Smokescreen then looked back down at Bumblebee. “So, who do you think will be our new leader? I’m thinking Ultra Magnus could have what it takes. You know, he looks just like Optimus underneath all that apex armor that he wears. I saw him once without it on. The resemblance is uncanny.”

OoC: Plaything hasn't had the time as of late unfortunately, lets hope he gets back soon.

Corridors

Jazz smiled as he was accepted into the group, he had felt bad for blurting out Prime's death earlier... He was simply following Smokescreen and Bumblebee when the inevitable question occurred, who was going to take leadership?

Jazz hadn't really thought about who was going to be the new leader, and personally didn't care to think about it.

He had heard Smokescreen speak his opinion about Ultra Magnus being the new leader, but he had his doubts that Magnus could take over where his brother left off. In fact no one could pick up where Prime left off, and that was just plain and simple, if Hardhead and/or Perceptor were going to find Prime, or they were going to have a hard time finding one as pure.

Jazz walked behind the group with his hands behind his back in deep thought, and he began to think about ranks above democracy, it wouldn't come to a vote on who the Autobots wanted as leader, it was rank that decided who was leader of that unit, plain and simple.

Smokescreen then began to voice his belief that Ultra Magnus would surely look the part in looking like Prime. This hit a wrong chord in Jazz's mind.

looking the part? Is that what counts for them? He thought, Then lets all go to Hound and make a big hologram of Prime and surely that would satisfy the want for another leader right? Wrong. Looks are no matter, it is what's on the inside that counts.

He wanted Prime back, and there was nothing that could stop him from wanting that.

But Smokescreen was right in the fact that Prime was hard to replace, and that was a cold hard fact. There was no replacing him, if they were to fill in that spot, things would be different, too different for Jazz's, or anyone else's taste.

Conference Room

At Prowl’s acknowledgement of Prime’s untimely demise Ratchet lowered his gaze to his folded hands on top of the table. It was difficult for the CMO to believe that one of his closest friends was now gone, and because of some freak accident. Ratchet shook his head slightly before bringing his gaze back up to focus on Prowl and what was being said.

With Prime gone the question of who would lead was something that did weigh heavy on all of them. It was of some comfort that the tactician would assume command of the Earth forces; in fact it was something that Ratchet had anticipated and would stand behind. However, the leadership issue for the whole of the Autobot forces could not be addressed until some of the other commanders were contacted.

Ratchet’s interest was piqued at the mention of the possibility of setting up a new base of operations. The CMO quickly stood to address the Autobots present.

“I don’t think we’ll need to do that, Prowl. The Ark-19 is still operational we’ll just need to send in a repair team to stop the leaks and to reinforce the hull.”

Ratchet placed one hand on his hip and brought the free one to stroke his chin in thought.

“Perhaps we should move the Ark after it’s repaired to a more secure location. As it is we’re compromised now.”

Corridors

Bumblebee kept silent as he and Smokescreen, with Jazz in tow, made their way through the corridors to the recreational room, or what the humans called a ‘Rec Room’. The thought of Prime not being a part of their team here on Earth, or in any location in this war, was difficult for the miniscule ‘Bot to comprehend.

This has to be some kind of nightmare. Maybe I’m still not fully repaired and my spark is contained in that stasis field. I just can’t grasp that he’s really gone.

Bumblebee shook his head and let out a heavy sigh. He wasn’t paying close attention to what Smokescreen had been saying, but he did catch the last part of the diversionary expert’s question about who might become the next leader.

“Huh? Oh, yeah. Magnus has the same root mode as Prime does…did.”

Stopping at one of the doors in the hall, Bumblebee waited for it to slide open he then walked into the spacious room. The minibot took a look around and found a table set off to the side away from the only other mechs in the room.

Rec Room

“This has to stop, Hex. You’re spiraling and I’m afraid for you.”

The young mech continued to sit in the chair across from his guardian with his arms crossed over his chest and disinterested look on his face. He let out a huff of annoyance at Axle’s genuine concern. He was the one who knew his limits, not the medic.

“Hex!”

A fist slamming against the table caused the young mech to growl in anger.

“I heard you, Axle! You don’t have to get pissy!”

The field medic palmed his face before he slumped back in his seat. It seemed that no matter how hard he tried it was getting harder and harder to get through to his ward. With Prime gone the young mech would never know what was supposed to be revealed to him. Unless…

Optimus forgive me, but it’s probably the only way.

“Listen, Hex, I need to tell you something. It’s what Prime was going to tell you, but with him…it falls to me now.”

Axle placed both arms on the table, his optics moved from the face of the youngster down to his fidgeting actuators. It took him a moment to prepare himself, but he finally spoke.

“You already know that it was my team and I who rescued you, but what was never divulged to you was the mission we were on was of high priority. We were headed to one of the cities bordering one of the Decepticon territories to help evacuate the civilians when I came across an Autobot energy signature, it was faint and I was determined to help.”

Axle stopped for a moment to look up at his ward to gauge his attention. Hex, though still leaning back in his seat with his arms crossed over his chest, was listening intently.

“Anyway, I went against orders to disregard anything, and anyone, outside of the team’s mission. It meant that I was supposed to leave you to die so we could concentrate on helping those civilians. To make a long story short; after my team stopped and tried to get me to leave you we got word that the city was carpet bombed and several of the evacuation teams were lost. After that we got you out of there and back to base.”

Axle flashed Hex a slight smile before he heaved a heavy sigh.

“I was put in the brig for insubordination. Not long after Prime came to see me. He told me that he was proud that I went against orders to save your life, but my actions could not go unpunished. I was stripped of my rank and let out of the brig.”

Hex rolled his optics and let out a groan.

“So even after you saved me Prime still had to punish you. Typical. How is this little story supposed to make me feel better?”

Axle leaned back in his seat and slumped down, his hands went to the armrests as he looked Hex in the optics.

“Hex, the mission to evacuate the city turned out to be a trap set by the ‘Cons. Their information came from the inside; a mole. Prime didn’t find out until after you were brought in for repairs. When he came to see me in the brig it wasn’t just to inform me of my punishment, but to have me help him find out who the mole was by keeping an optic on you, and by letting you believe that you were expendable. He worried that had you found out about what happened you'd attempt to get involved.”

The slim silver mech slowly lowered his arms from his chest and placed his hands on the armrests. His optics widened in surprise at the revelation, but his surprised quickly faded; his optics narrowing and a scowl forming on his face.

“It still doesn’t change anything! It just proves that he was liar.”

Hex’s anger welled up from deep with before he finally stood and screamed down at the medic.

“Get out! Get out now, Axle before I throw you out!”

Not wanting to anger the mech any more than he already was Axle simply nodded, stood from his seat and left, but not before placing a hand on Hex’s shoulder who promptly shrugged it off. Once Axle was out of the room Hex sat back down and placed his head down on the table. From his storage compartment he took out his trophies and began rolling the optics around on the table where he could see them. The sound of metal on metal lulled him into deep thought.

Conference Room

As Prowl awaited any feedback from the Autobots present, Ratchet was the first to stand and do so, informing the tactician and the others that the Ark-19 was not a lost cause and could be fully repaired. “That’s excellent news, Ratchet,” Prowl replied, having thought the damage to the ship coupled with its underwater location would make salvaging it impossible. Thankfully, that did not appear to be the case. “And I agree, the Ark needs to be moved once it’s fully operational again, preferably not to the bottom of another lake or ocean. However, first thing’s first…”

Prowl was then interrupted by an incoming transmission from Hardhead down on the surface. The logic-driven mech made his way over to a nearby console where he would be able to assess the situation and give an appropriate response. Before entering the meeting, Prowl had made sure to set the computer on the bridge to re-route any incoming communications from the surface into the conference room so that he could address them promptly, especially if someone fell to injury which was apparently the case with Perceptor. Naturally, the war veteran wanted to remain behind and continue searching for Prime. As brave and unselfish as that was, it would most likely not yield the desired results and simply risk Hardhead’s safety.

Prowl brought up a new set of readings from the area around Mount St. Helens and saw what he had feared. The seismic activity had increased substantially. The black and white mech opened a comm line down to the war veteran: >>”That’s a negative, Hardhead. I’m sorry, but the region has become too unstable. I will have both of you bounced back to the Guardian immediately. Prowl out.”<<

The military strategist then opened another comm line down to the bounce chamber: >>”Streetwise, bring both Hardhead and Perceptor up without delay.”<<

Once the order was sent, Prowl returned to the head of the conference table. “Now, where was I? Oh, yes. We need to assemble a repair team to send down to the Ark-19. This should be considered a top priority. Ironhide, I’m placing you in charge of the mission. Your experience as a leader as well as your chemical emitters makes you the ideal choice. After the meeting, pick whoever you want to take with you and brief them accordingly. Once Hardhead and Perceptor are back on board, we will move the Guardian into orbit over Lake Michigan. That will allow for a clean bounce down to the Ark. Following the repairs, we will do what Ratchet suggested and move the ship to a more secure location.“

Prowl then returned his focus to the rest of the group. “There still remains the issue of contacting the other commanders across the galaxy to inform them of the current situation. I will send the transmission, myself, as an encrypted Priority 1 communication. Kup will be the first to receive the message on Cybertron. Are there any objections?” The analyst looked from one ‘Bot to another, his optics falling on the only two he had not heard from yet. “Hot Spot, Silverbolt, you two have been oddly quiet thus far. Does either of you have any thoughts or concerns you would like to add?”

Corridors

Smokescreen continued following Bumblebee as they made their way down the corridor with Jazz lurking behind them. The minibot had been very quiet, not responding much to what Smokey had been saying. It was understandable considering the current circumstances. However, the yellow mech did reply to the last thing the diversion expert had said, noting that Ultra Magnus and Prime shared the same root mode.

“Yeah, you very rarely see it, though,” Smokescreen responded. “The apex armor he always wears does a sufficient job at covering it up. Of course, his appearance isn’t what makes him a good candidate for leadership. It’s his skills as a commander. I mean, Magnus is no Optimus, but he’s certainly got great potential. Unfortunately, his self-doubt would likely prevent him from even wanting the job.”

Rec Room

The red and blue racer followed Bumblebee into the recreational room, a large chamber that served as a place for the Protectobots to unwind and relax. Not noticing the other two mechs in the room, Smokescreen approached a table of the minibot's choosing that was located off to the side. The diversion specialist sat down and rested his hands on top of the table. “Other than Magnus, I can’t think of anyone else. Maybe Kup? I don’t know. We should talk about something else that doesn't remind us of Prime. Maybe think of some good times.”

Then Smokescreen heard shouting coming from across the room. He glanced around the minibot and saw the one mech he didn’t want to deal with right now. Hex was yelling at Axle to get out, which the medic eventually complied with, leaving his young ward behind. “Great,” Smokey whispered to Bumblebee. “Hex is in here with us. So much for a relaxing chat, huh? Maybe if we ignore him he’ll just go away.” Not likely, but one could hope.

OoC: Sorry for taking so long to post!

Rec Room

Jazz walked in behind Bumblebee and Smokescreen into the Rec Room for a little bit of relaxation after a hard day. But most of his hopes of relaxing and fun was simply destroyed when Hex yelled for Axle to leave with much irritation, so Jazz followed Bumblebee to a table where he seated himself across from the two Mechs.

"Isn't that just perfect," Jazz said quietly to them both, "We come here for relaxation and oh look! Here comes someone to harass us."

He chuckled quietly, and he looked up to them and asked, "Should I get you guys somethin'?"

He was parched, and he was sure that the rest of them were too. He only hoped that Hex might not come over and start another fight, this time Jazz might get involved, in what way, only time will tell.

Conference Room

Ironhide nodded as Prowl gave out his assignment. “Hopefully it won’t be too hard fixin’ her up. We’ll just have to patch it underwater and lift her off with the water inside, then drain it out when were on the surface. It’ll cause a bit of a stir but we can try and hide it from the locals as best we can. The real pain in the aft will be moving around underwater. I’ll have to take a look at some maps to figure out a good place to put her after we’ve got her dried out.” The old mech let out a sigh. He never thought he’d be wishing to have Seaspray around, but here he was doing just that.

It felt good to have things returning some little bit of normalcy. Ironhide could lead when he needed to, but he always preferred getting his hands dirty. Keeping busy also prevented him from moping and thinking about what had just happened. He was always going to blame himself for Prime’s death. He knew that Optimus wouldn’t want him moping around so he would keep soldiering on as best he could and this little assignment would be a perfect start to that.

He was also relieved to hear that Prowl was going to call in Kup. That was the one mech Ironhide could confide in and rely on. He was also the one Autobot who had been around longer then him. It would be nice to have his old war pal back and under these circumstances he was sorely needed. If Prowl wanted Ironhide as an advisor then he wanted Kup around as his.

Hot Spot sat quietly, listening to everything that was said. It was a lot to take in, but the briefing First Aid had downloaded to him had helped prepare him. Prowl seemed to have a good handle on things and the Protectobot was fine with that. He didn’t really have any ambition or desire to lead much more then his crew on the Guardian. Still, he was happy to be a part of this consultation.

He did have one thought that was nagging at him throughout the entire meeting. When Prowl finally asked for his opinion he was glad to finally share it with everyone else. “While I think it’s a good idea to get everything running back on Earth and get the leadership organized, what about the Decepticons? If it is true that Megatron is gone then we are looking at an opportunity the likes of which we have never seen in this war. The Decepticons are leaderless! And if my guess is write Megatron didn’t exactly have someone in mind to take over when he died.”

The Protectobot leader placed his hands on the table. “I suggest we organize an aggressive offensive against the Decepticons, preferably galaxywide, but we can start here at the very least. If we are disorganized, think of what the Decepticons will be like! They are probably too busy fighting over who will lead to fend off a full scale assault! If we strike them now they will never have any hope of getting reorganized. We can take them all down before they even know what hit them!”

*

Bounce Chamber

Streetwise followed the orders from Prowl. Locking on to their signals on Earth he bounced both Hardhead and Perceptor back up to the Guardian.