Transformers Prime: Dark Side of the Moon

Chapter 11: The Revealing Plan

900ft from base the surviving Autobots and humans regrouped into a makeshift hospital. As the military was swarming everywhere, looking for any survivors. Fire trucks, emergency vehicles, ospreys, etc. The U.S. Army spared no expense setting up tents and giant metal platforms for the Autobots as quickly as possible.

"How many injured?" Ratchet demanded, as he walked along with the humans, trying to find any survivors.

He didn't really need an answer. Bulkhead lost a hand, Ironhide was in critical condition, and 122 humans were killed, and 304 were injured. Only 12 remained uninjured.

"Sentinel fooled us," Arcee said bitterly.

"How was he capable of  that depth of betrayal?" Windblade said, helping Bukhead lay down.
"Wheeljack, help me over here".

Finally Optimus had arrived, to see the base covered in wreckage and flames. He couldn't believe his optics. The Autobots immediately stood at attention toward their leader.

"At ease," Optimus gently said. "Arcee, Status Report? What happened here?"

Arcee was shaken, but she looked him in the eye. "Sentinel, but Not Sentinel... At least, not anymore. He was a monster, butchered Bulks hand over there. Ironhide looks like something from those 'Con experiments during the war..."

"Sentinel..." Optimus muttered as he began walking along through the wounded and his Autobots. His thoughts were lost in translation as Ratchet approached him.

"Optimus, Thank Primus," Ratchet said. "I was worried you didn't get my message in time".

"I did, old friend," he assured him.

"We've got intelligence the Decepticons are heading to the National Mall," Ratchet said. "The humans have spotted Megatron near the Lincoln Memorial. Agent Fowler is flying there now".

Mirage walked up. "Yo Prime, what the hell we doing?"

No one had a straight answer. Optimus observed his family. As a leader Everyone on the team looks up to him as a fatherly figure. He remembered back at their old base when Raphael was nearly killed by Megatron, he grieved his failure to protect Raf like he was his own son, Cybertronian or otherwise. Before he could respond, the medical screens Ratchet set up went off. Somebody finally woke up.

"It can't be...," Ratchet said. Him, Optimus and Arcee quickly made there way to the patients who slept for too long. Elita held her head as Moonracer looked around. The remaining Autobots and Army personnel looked on in surprise.

"Ugggh, my head," Elita said. "What?" She stared in shock at her very foreign location, only snapping back to reality when she saw Optimus.

"Optimus?" She asked.
"Where are we?" Moonracer asked.

"It's.... It's a long story," Ratchet said. He lifted her hand and scanned it. "Functions are above normal".

"Mirage?" Moonracer said. "Windblade? You're all here?"

They nodded.

"Easy now," Ratchet said. "As your medical officer, I need to know what was the last thing you both remember?"

Moonracer and Elita stared at him, then at each other. Their faces went from shock, surprise, then to anger.

"Everything".

Iacon, Cybertrons Lower Atmosphere

Moonracer and Elita co-piloted the ship across the city as the Decepticons pursued relentlessly. The enemy had been pursuing them since the ship took off from the Autobot Central Spaceport. A small army of Autobots were buzzing around the ship, left and right, up and down. Sentinel watched from the command deck as soldiers barked orders everywhere. Despite the chaos, he was eerily calm throughout.
"The cons won't know what them," Moonracer said.
The aircraft she and Elita flew shook its hunters rather than try to fight them. They dove into the heart of the city, flying above the battlefield. Without hesitation, the six smaller vessels dive in after them.
"Elita to lower deck," Elita shouted. "Get them off our tail! Now!"
The lower deck bots complied and blasted all but one of the fighters out of the sky. Buildings zoomed past them as they blasted away.
"There's one fighter left...," Moonracer said, before her voice trailed off.
Elita looked at the back cameras of the ship and understood why: Starscream. As if they weren't worried enough, his voice spoke throughout the ships communication system. Sentinel discretely smiled.
All part of the plan...