Darkness rising

Intuition

Darkstriker leapt up in the air as he dodged another bullet aimed at him. From an elevated platform above the training room, Silas watched Darkstriker train, a large panel of thick bullet resistant glass separating him from the training area. His lips were curled into a small smile as he watched Darkstriker's performance. To say he was pleased with his weapon, would not be wrong. Darkstriker had exceeded his expectations. A weapon of mass destruction capable of holding its own against even the transformers.

"Sir!" A scientist called out as he entered the observation area.

Silas turned around slightly as the scientist came and stood beside him, before turning his attention back at Darkstriker.

"Speak." He commanded.

"Sir, as per protocol, we've run some scans on Darkstriker and during analysing the data we had received, we found something shocking." The scientist said, handing over a tablet that was held in his hands to Silas.

Silas took the tablet and studied the contents displayed on the screen. His eyes widened as he did. "What in the… " Silas gasped.

"The program we put in his mind is deteriorating." The scientist said.

"Was this supposed to happen?" Silas asked.

"Well, not really, since the program didn't really pose a threat to him, so the nanotech wouldn't have actually posed any threat to the program. But it seems very recently, something has caused his subconsciousness to retaliate against it."

Silas stared at the figure of Darkstriker as he thought about what this development could result into. And more specifically, how could this have happened. The program was specially crafted to ensure Darkstriker's loyalty to him without any risk of his internal systems rejecting the program.

"Sir, if you allow me, I have made some observations." The scientist spoke again.

Silas nodded his head. "Go on."

"Sir, it appears, these developments have begun fairly recently. And based on some observations, it seems to have begun ever since the closeness between Darkstriker and Airachnid."

Silas's head shot up and his eyes widened. The closeness between Darkstriker and Airachnid isn't something he wasn't aware of. Those two had formed a sort of kinship sometime after Darkstriker's first mission with her. He had always suspected it to be just a kinship due to working together.

But with these developments, he is now starting to suspect that perhaps more is going on. And he didn't like how these implications might affect his weapon.

"Hmm, keep an eye on Darkstriker, and keep his psyche in check." Silas commanded,"I'd want reports on everything and anything unusual happening."

"Sure sir." The scientist replied,"And, what about Airachnid, sir?"

Silas squinted his eyes, still staring at the figure of Darkstriker,"If she proves to be more of a trouble than she's worth, then we will get rid of her." He announces  firmly.

…

Arcee sat on the ridge of a hill. Back at their old base, she'd have gone above their base and sat on the edge of the hill that covered the base. But now, she'd travel a few clicks away from their new base, into the desert of Jasper Nevada. The mesa terrain provided a good cover for her and she'd be left by herself, wondering about things, just like she was doing now.

Suddenly, Arcee heard the noise of a vehicle approaching, with a familiar engine noise. She turned towards the source of notice and saw a familiar red truck approaching. The truck came to a screeching stop a few feet away from her and transformed into the all too known figure of Optimus Prime.

"Optimus…" Arcee said, surprised to see her leader here.

"Arcee," Optimus said, as he approached her and stood beside her. "May I sit here?" he asked.

"S-sure." Arcee replied, moving aside slightly.

Optimus sat down beside her. Both of them sat like that in silence.

"It, it's not fair, Optimus." Arcee spoke all of a sudden.

Optimus looked down at her as Arcee spoke.

"I, I thought I lost Tailgate back at Cybertron. But I had Cliff beside me. When Starscream killed Cliff, Jack was there to help me. B-but now I've got Tailgate back, Jack is taken away from me." Arcee sniffed, trying to keep her emotions in check, "Airachnid, t-that glitch, she took him away from me."

Optimus turned towards the horizon, watching the blue sky slowly turn into a brilliant shade of orange and yellow.

"I knew Airachnid." Optimus suddenly said. Arcee's head perked up and she looked at Optimus.

"I knew Airachnid before she turned into what she is today. Back then, she was known as Elita-1. She was a promising recruit and was a well capable scout during the beginning of the war. Even made her way in the special task forces."

"You seem to know a lot about her." Arcee noted.

"I…." Optimus sighed,"She and I have some history."

Arcee looked up at her commander as she awaited for him to continue.

"I and Elita had courted for a while during the beginning of the war." Optimus revealed.

Arcee gasped at the news. Never in a thousand years, she would have thought Optimus would have had any relations with her archenemy in any way. She wanted to be angry at him, but she couldn't. She knew Optimus wasn't at fault for being in a relationship with the past self of Airachnid.

"She….. She was a different person back then. A joyous femme with a spark filled with compassion. I would have loved to spend my life with her, but our duties and responsibilities kept us apart, and then one day she disappeared. And when she returned, she wasn't Elita anymore." Optimus let out a sigh,"Now, it feels like the Elita I knew is truly gone, consumed by the war."

"Optimus," Arcee said, looking at her leader,"How, how did she turn into Airachnid?"

Optimus kept staring at the horizon as he said,"It was a long time ago Arcee. Elita, as I said, was part of a special task force. She and her team were sent to scout out a Decepticon position, with Tailgate as their team leader. I don't know the exact details of what happened, but the mission had failed badly and in the aftermath of it Tailgate and some of the most of the remaining team members had retreated and managed to escape. But Elita was left behind."

He stopped for a moment, before continuing,"We had assumed she was killed by the Decepticons, but as it appears, it wasn't the case."

Arcee stared back at the horizon. She was stunned by the revelation of Airachnid's past. And now knowing what the femme went through, she felt a bit understanding of why Airachnid has become what she is.

"Monsters aren't always born Arcee. Sometimes, they're made. Just like how Elita-1 was turned into Airachnid, now our friend, Jackson, is suffering the same fate at the hands of MECH." Optimus said.

"I, I want him back, Optimus." Arcee said, her voice almost breaking.

Optimus put his hand on Arcee's shoulder. "So do I, Arcee."

Arcee placed her own hand over his, embracing the comforting act.