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I stood in front of the console, typing as fast as my digit programming would allow me. My processors were all in a mix-up but two words flashed through my helm as regularly as my spark-beat. 'Save, Chardirakii.' 'Save Chardirakii.' 'Save Chardirakii.' "Optimus, it's rather late, shouldn't you be seeking your berth?" Ratchet asked from beside me. I shook my helm stubbornly. I'd stay awake for a stellar-cycle until I found Chardirakii. Through our bond I'd been getting very angry and pained signals though not at regular intervals. There had been a couple long pauses. Now I just sensed sadness. This worried me greatly. 'They better not have raped her,' I thought, my optics narrowing angrily,'Or else I'm going to shoot them straight into Unicron's spark!' "Optimus," Ratchet said again,"You need to rest." I paused only momentarily to rub my face-plates,"If Chardirakii is not found-" "We'll find her, Optimus," Jack said, having woken up from our conversation. Him, Miko, and Rafael were having a sleepover at the base,"You just need rest so you'll be sharp enough in the morning to continue your search more efficiently." "I actually agree with Jack," Ratchet said, nodding,"Besides, your sleep is vital to your health as well. Go to your berth, Optimus. We'll continue searching for Chardirakii in the morning." My digits itched to return to the console, but as I looked at the screen, my spark sank to the bottom of my peds. I had no clue where she was, her Autobot tracker had been deactivated. With another sigh I resigned myself to my room and sat down on the berth. I hugged myself and slowly rocked back and forth, like a sparkling comforting itself. I missed Chardirakii already, and it'd barely been 24 hours. I missed her smile, her sparkling optics. I lightly touched my dermas with a digit. I missed her kisses and her frame pressed close to mine. With a final sigh I climbed under my berth-sheets and curled into a ball. I tried telling myself all would be well in the morning, but somehow that wasn't convincing enough to put my processors at ease. I tossed and turned for a good hour and a quarter before sleep finally allowed my helm to rest. But I didn't sleep well at all. My dreams were still plagued by images of Chardirakii. Chardirakii being carried away to a crowd of jeering Decepticons. Chardirakii being beaten, raped, and tortured in the worst possible ways my processors could think of. Chardirakii being burned at a stake, her smooth armor melting and her beautiful black hair setting alight as she screamed, the flames consuming her. With a jolt I sat up in my berth, wide awake and panting. But I was not in my berth-room. I was...somewhere else instead. The room I was in was painted a creamy white with lavendar tapestries with intricate designs of weapons and leaves on them. I was lying on a white berth with smooth sheets and a soft pillow. The room opened up to a balcony on my right side, the half-see-through curtains partially opened to reveal a beautiful green forest with a large, cascading waterfall that caught the sun's rays and reflected them into the room, casting moving flashes of gold over the walls, floor, and ceiling. I heard soft ped-steps and saw Chardirakii appear on the balcony. Her hair was completely loose, falling in black waves down her back-plates. She looked as beautiful as ever with her armor shining in the sunlight. "Optimus," she said with a soft smile. "Chardirakii!" I cried joyously, clambering off the berth, running, and taking my Sparkmate in my arms tightly. She felt so real. For a moment I allowed myself to believe that this was actually real, that all I'd been through was actually a bad dream from which I'd finally awoken. Chardirakii took my face-plates in her servos, and pulled me close, pressing a gentle kiss to my dermas. I set a servo on the back of her helm and held her as close as I dared. I never wanted to let go. "I thought you were captured," I said in disbelief. Chardirakii, though her face-plates reflected calm joy, her optics were sad. "I am afraid this is only but a dream, Optimus," she said gently,"I am on the Nemesis as of now." "What did they do to you?" I growled,"If they hurt you I swear-" "I'm Predaking's mate," Chardirakii said and her voice cracked. This took a couple minutes to fully sink in. "W-w-WHAT!?!?" I cried grabbing her shoulder-plates tightly. Tears made Chardirakii's optics shiny,"I-I'm sorry, Optimus. But if I didn't do it, they'd use me as a brood-femme for the rest of the ship. I had no other choice." I felt sorry for being so angry with her. I gently pulled her into a hug and rested my chin on top of her helm. "I'm sorry, my love," I sighed,"You haven't bonded with him have you?" "No," Chardirakii said into my chest-plate,"But he turned me into a Predacon." Another loud 'what' ensued. Chardirakii burst into tears,"I'm so sorry, Optimus! I don't know what to do!" I held her tighter and held back my own tears. Then I tilted her helm up so that I could look her in the optics. "I'll find a way to get you free, Chardirakii, I promise," I said, stroking her cheek with my thumb digit, taking away her tears. "I-I'm scared," she whispered. I pressed my fore-helm to hers,"Don't be. I am coming for you, don't you worry about that. I'd never forget you." Chardirakii smiled slightly, then kissed me again,"I would hope not." I kissed back, running my servos down her arms, then up and down her sides and over her back-plates. My servos lightly brushed her thighs and Chardirakii exhaled sharply onto my dermas. "Sorry," I whispered, then suddenly she was gone. I opened my optics and I was in my berth-room again, lying in my berth. Chardirakii was not here. I couldn't sense her presence anymore. But I could still feel the slight warmth from her chassis and the heat of her dermas against mine. I closed my optics again, my resolve to find Chardirakii five times stronger now.
