Omega (TFP AU)

Hard Knocks

"I'm gonna be a great warrior someday," Smokescreen started, standing in the public area of the base, "Like Optimus."

"Well train hard and gain some wisdom along the way, and i'm sure it'll happen." Bulkhead said.

"Oh it will, it's my destiny," Smokescreen smiled.

"How so?" Arcee asked.

"Well, one minute i'm on security detail at Iacon, and next I wake up on the other side of the galaxy to find myself under Optimus's command. I mean what are the chances, right. Things happen for a reason," Smokescreen responded.

"We get it Smokescreen you're special, we're lucky to have you," Arcee said sarcastically.

" All I'm really saying is, I've come a long way and this is one opportunity I don't plan on messing up." Smokescreen said proudly.

Optimus interrupted their conversation, he had decoded the location of the next Omega Key. He sent Arcee and Bee out to look for it, Smokescreen and Bulkhead stayed behind in case Optimus decoded another location. Smokescreen was too thrilled about staying behind but he didn't complain, well not for too long.

~~~~~

Arcee and Bee returned empty handed, Knock Out had got the jump on them. Now it was 1-1, 2 more Keys left, each side had one, Smokescreen could feel the tension start to rise.

Optimus had decoded another file, he sent Bulkhead and Smokescreen out to retrieve it. Smokescreen was glad he was given a chance to grab another key.

~~~~~

Shortly after coming through the Ground Bridge, Smokescreen and Bulkhead were attacked by Dreadwing. They ran as the forest blew up around them, they split up, Bulkhead distracted Dreadwing, as Smokescreen went to find the relic. He found the key under some rocks, he took it from the container to confirm what it was. He had in his hand the third Omega Key, then everything went black.

~~~~~

"Seven of the eight relics have been sent to Plant-616." Alpha Trion said.

"What! I helped you send those out, there were only seven. You're telling me we needed to send out one more, as Iacon is falling." Smokescreen nearly shouted, wishing to be fighting the 'cons instead of standing next to Alpha Trion.

"Do you remember what we sent out?" Trion asked.

"Yeah, the Phase Shifter, Apex-Armor, Resonance blaster, Tox-en, and three Omega Keys." Smokescreen stated, counting on his digits (fingers).

"The stories always said that there were four Omega Keys," Trion said knowingly.

"Wait so we missed one?" Smokescreen questioned, "Where is it?"

"I'm sorry," Trion said as a sharp pain jolted through Smokescreens systems, knocking him unconscious.

~~~~~

"Smokescreen," a voice said, "Wake up!" It was Bulkhead.

Smokescreen groaned as he got up, "What happened."

"That's what I want to know," Bulkhead responded.

"The Omega Key," Smokescreen started to panic, "I had it, until something hit me from behind." Not only had Smokescreen lost the Key, but he had one of those strange dreams. This one took place during the fall of Iacon, but he was knocked out by 'cons at least an orn (hour) before that memory occurred. He needed to talk to Ratchet, he promised himself, no matter how bad he felt about losing the key.

~~~~~

Bulkhead started to retell the events of what had happened, Smokescreen started to walk away to find Ratchet.

"Hey kid, everything okay?" Arcee asked when she noticed Smokescreen walking off without a word, something that was very unusual for someone like Smokescreen.

"I need to talk to Ratchet," was all he said.

~~~~~

"Hey Ratchet," Smokescreen said, getting the medic's attention.

"What is it, I'm busy," Ratchet responded in a grumple.

"I think somethings wrong with my memory circuits," Smokescreen said in a quiet voice.

It took Ratchet a moment for that info to reach his processors, "Alright let me check."

Smokescreen sat down on the medic berth, Ratchet did a few scans. It seemed as though Ratchet had found something when Optimus spoke over coms.

"I've decoded the last Iacon file," he stated.

Ratchet gave a small grumbling sound before turning to Smokescreen, "We should check that out."

"But..." Smokescreen started before Ratchet interrupted him, "We can continue this later."

~~~~~

Everyone stood in the main area of the base, staring at the decoding file. A picture, it wasn't in view yet, but it being a picture seemed... odd.

"hmm..." Optimus wondered aloud, "Perhaps it's a layer of secondary encryption."

"Maybe it's a picture of the relic," Bulkhead suggested.

"Of what possible use could that be to us, without knowing its location," Ratchet stated.

"I trust that Alpha Trion had his reasons," Optimus said.

The picture finally came into view, it was...

"Smokescreen?!" Bulkhead nearly shouted.

"Is this your idea of a joke?" Arcee pointed an accusing finger at Smokescreen.

"I-" Smokescreen stared at the picture, secretly hoping that if he looked long enough it would change. The strange memories, did they have something to do with this? He tried hard to remember what he had seen.

~~~~~

"I requested it."

"A relic guarding relics."

"Seven of the eight relics."

"Four Omega Keys."

"I'm sorry."

~~~~~

Smokescreen put a servo (hand) on his head, his processors were replaying the strange memories over and over.  It was starting to hurt.

"Ratchet," Smokescreen mumbled, "Something's wrong." Then, he promptly blacked out.