The Thoughts of Optimus Prime (TFP)

Darkness Rising Part 1

Optimus Prime is currently driving down a desert road, on a scouting mission looking for energon, the life blood of their species, Cybertronians. He has to admit, it was peaceful, unlike most of the time at base. As much as he liked his team, he could get overwhelmed sometimes, especially when Ratchet snaps at the others about breaking his medical equipment, or when it gets too loud. He's snapped out of his thoughts when Arcee's voice comes over the comms.

"Arcee to Optimus. The 'Cons are back. Cliff might be neck-deep in scrap." She says seriously, with a hint of worry in her voice. That's not good. If the 'cons are back.....he doesn't even want to think about what they're doing. 

"Understood." He replies, disguising the panic and worry that he feels. "Ratchet, do you have Cliffjumper's coordinates?" 

"I'm locked on his signal, Optimus. But our team is scattered across time zones." Ratchet replies immediately. That's also not good. Bumblebee, Bulkhead, and Arcee are the closest ones to base, though, so he'll send them back to base.

"Arcee, Bulkhead, Bumblebee." He says over their comms. "Rendezvous back at base and prepare to ground bridge." A pit feels like it opened in Optimus's stomach. It's 20 minutes from Jasper, the closest town to their base, which is where Arcee, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee were. Cliffjumper has already probably engaged the Decepticons. It'll take about 10 minutes for the ground bridge to boot up, pick up him and Ratchet, and then change the coordinates to go get Cliffjumper. So they're talking about 30 minutes before they can get to Cliffjumper. That's not enough time for Cliffjumer to hold back a bunch of 'cons. He's good, but he'll wear himself out. 

'Calm down.' Optimus thinks. Panicking won't do him any good. Cliff will be fine. They won't lose him. They couldn't. He couldn't. Optimus puts on the radio to help calm himself down, as music usually helps distract him, but it doesn't help very much, a sinking feeling in his spark that gets deeper by the minute. Before he knows it, a ground bridge opens up beside him. He drives through and ends up back at the Autobot base. He nods to the others as Ratchet comes through. Arcee quickly changes the coordinates on the groundbridge, her movements panicked.

'Hurry up, hurry up.' He thinks urgently, even though he knows Arcee is just as worried as he is.   

'Stop panicking. She's just as worried as I am.' He mentally scolds himself. 

As soon as the ground bridge opens up, they drive through it and transform before jumping out onto rocky ground. Optimus transforms and lands in front of the others, wanting to protect them in case any Decepticons were right where they ground bridged. He transformers his right servo into his blaster, scanning the area for any signs of Cliff or 'cons. When he doesn't see either, his spark drops. No. He was most likely captured, not killed. There's no body. Stop panicking. Don't make the others worry. He transforms his blaster back into his servo.

"An untapped energon deposit." Optimus states. The others walk forward as Bulkhead says,

"What's left of it."

"The first Decepticon activity in three years." Ratchet says delicately.

"That we know of." Optimus adds without thought. 

'Scrap, I didn't mean to correct him so harshly. Was that harsh? Gah! Stop overthinking, Prime!' Optimus thinks. But if the Decepticons were here, they were after the energon, then that means....

"If they're scouting for energon, they may be preparing for his return." Optimus says as he retracts his battle mask before walking toward the destruction, with the others following close behind. His spark clenches just from thinking of Megatron.

'Please let Cliff be okay. Maybe we can find some sort of clue.' Optimus thinks desperately, hiding his worry as to seem okay to the others. He didn't want to make them concerned. He's their leader, after all. Optimus stops and lets the others go ahead of him, because as stupid as it is, he gets worried and anxious when he can't see them all in front of him when they're walking. Arcee jumps down into the ravine, with Bee following behind her. Optimus climbs down behind the others. As he reaches the bottom, he hears Arcee mutter,