The Next Day

Inside the Dreamscape

Nova looked around to see the streets empty, nothing but flames and destruction. She doesn't know what happened around her as she wandered across the street and head to the alley. She wondered what's going on when she heard a thumping sound as if it was a footstep. She stared at corner of the alley when she saw giant glowing purple robots roaming around the streets. She was horrified to see a walking dead terrorizing the city. She said to herself, "this can't be happening....."

She watched Jasper Nevada overrun by robot zombies, destroying everything in its path where she can hear the humans run in fear. While she froze in terror until a giant robot saw her as it head towards her. She blinked when she was about to be stepped on as everything went black around her.

End of Dreamscape

She woke up screaming loudly in fright, with cold sweat. She looked around and saw she was in the Ferris wheel Cabin. She remember how Jack and she never want to be part of it after that incident in an alien ship. She got out of her cabin and went to the bathroom where theres a park nearby. She washed her faced from the sweat and tears she had from the nightmare she had. She took a walk around the town, wondering about the dream she had. She had experience dreams before but this was unlike she ever had. The dream she had sound like a warning, could it be something was gonna happen to earth?

She said to herself, "Great, maybe my guilt is haunting me and its telling me to help them. I almost got killed and also didn't like being involve. But then again, I got involve in this war even the others still how am I suppose to do?"as she was walking pass by when she saw blue motorcycle with Jack. Nova knew who it was and said with a sigh, "So Arcee had came back and Looks like Jack had second thought as I do. *sigh* well I guess its better than regretting myself."As she head over there, Jack was about to ride on her when he saw Nova in front of him with her arm crossed. Jack knew why she was there so he said, "NOva, uh look when you said last night, I know your against this what I decided to leave and have a normal life. But to be honest, Arcee lost someone and I don't wanna say goodbye either. So you can't stop me.... "Nova stared at him for second and let out a sigh. "Ironic and admirable you are....but who says about stopping you? I was hoping you might say that....."She said. Jack and Arcee stared at her with surprised as she added, "also I'm going with you."

Jack said confuse, "What I thought you hate going back there."

"Let's just say my guilt is forcing me too beside Its better than seeing the earth being overrun by walking dead."

They were confuse what she was saying as she notice their blank expression and said sternly, "Well...Don't just stand there?!"

They hopped on to Arcee and drove outside of Jasper. Once they arrived at the base, Nova got off Arcee while JAck announced, "Hey guess whose back?"

 "Autobots prepare for departure" Optimus then said.

"Not exactly the welcome wagon Jack had expected nor myself for that matter, never mind at least I'm regretting myself for coming back here. Me and my guilt." Nova thought. Arcee looked confused "where to?" "The final frontier" Miko said.

"Space?" Jack said. "They don't...really." Raf said obviously answering Jack which Nova wasn't amused. "Be seeing ya?" Jack said to Arcee, she just shrugged lightly. "Be careful Bee..." Raf said to bumblebee. Bumblebee beeped that he will who then proceeded towards the groundbridge. "I'm so jealous!" Miko said to bulkhead. "Don't even think about following me." He firmly told her before he walked towards the groundbridge. Seeing how they say their farewell, Nova made her way over to Optimus and decide to impart her own words of wisdom per say. "I didn't come back just to watch this planet invaded, We're counting on you and your team in protecting our planet. I hate to say this not becoz I want to but.....Good luck." She told him firmly, before finally allowing part of her emotionless mask to slip down a little, showing her misgivings about the battle."'Til all are one, Optimus Prime of Cybertron," She finally said in almost a whisper.

She don't know where the words came from but they just felt right as Optimus' optics widened slightly in surprise at the words. Eventually, he got over his shock and said, bowing his great head slightly, "Until all are one, Nova Login of Earth."

And with that, he turned away.

Nova had no idea why she said that but her life often demands a kind of cool detachment. When what you do requires you to keep secrets and break trust, you learn to keep people at arm's length. It's one thing to lie to a friend. And when you get emotional about something, even if it's just the alien robots walking to battle, you get distracted. And getting distracted can be very, very dangerous. Despondently, she watched Optimus turned to Ratchet. 

 "Optimus, if you leave me stranded on a planet teeming with humans I will never forgive you." Ratchet said coldly. "Nice~~ choice of word support" Nova sarcastically motivated. "Until we meet again old friend" Optimus replied back. "Autobots! Roll out!" They all transformed and drove towards the portal.

Then Nova looked at the screen there life signals were still on then the comm link opened up. "Autobots! Transform and gravities." "Well that's one less thing to worry about" she said. Shecouldn't see what was going on so she relied mainly on what they said. Before Nova stood there staring at the screen, Miko ran up and glomped her, forcing her to fall on the floor. Raf laughed, while Jack just shook his head in amusement. "Ugggh, do u have to do that?." I complained, as said girl still was hugging her as She pushed miko off her. "I knew you would be back, I just knew it! And here i thought you don't care." She cheered, jumping up and down. Nova stood back up and said to her, "Just becoz I came back, doesn't mean we're in a band. I came back becoz of my guilt *low voice* and my stupid dream."Miko didn't catch what she said as she replied, placing her right arm on her hip, "I knew you care and don't worry I'll forgive you for being rude yesterday."

Nova stared at her in disbelief as her face turn away with a frown look. She listened closely as the voices of Optimus and the others came over the comlink. "Well'" Arcee asked, irately, "What're they waiting for?''

"It appears the Decepticons have sustained severe damage to their interstellar navigation systems'"

"Hey, that's my handy work!'  Bulkhead's voice exclaimed.'Good job, Bulkhead. Without the disk, the Decepticons will be unable to aim their spacebridge at Cybertron'', Optimus praised.

Nova cocked her head curiously what he meant. "Don't the decepticons know where their own planet is?" Raf asked, the three joining her on the platform."Naturally," Ratchet scoffed. "But Cybertron is many light years away. To reach it their aim must be absolute." Optimus's voice came over the comlink once more. 'If Megatron went through the trouble of rendezvousing with his spacebridge, he must have an alternate targeting system; A remote one."

Ratchet puzzled for a second. "From what I know of this planet's technology, I have counts there exists a satellite that holds enough power to carry a signal that far." "What about a whole bunch of linked radio telescope dishes, like the giant size ray in Texas." Raf suggested, pulling open his laptop. Nova leaned over his shoulder, looking at the picture."Huh? Clever little boy," She muttered, following his idea. "Zip, ep ep ep, this is not Child's play!." Ratchet said totally throwing off the idea of kids knowing something.

"Good thinking Raf, Ratchet have Agent Fowler alert the array staff to the security hazard." Optimus told Ratchet.

At that very moment, they turned to the noise sounded from Agent Fowler who sat up from his hospital bed before his eye landed on Nova. "You! Soldier!"He shouted while pointing at her. Nova blinked at him and asked confused, "Um what?"

"You're out of uniform!"He said to her. Nova looked down to her outfit consist of dirty white clothes and black jacket. "Put on some pants!" With that, he fell back on the berth. "Ok....I don't think that's not going to happen," Nova muttered. "That may be a challenge" Ratchet stated. Raf then started tapping away at the computer, "I can't get past erase firewalls there too thick!" he said frustratingly throwing his fists on the table.

"You actually think you can keep the Decepticon out?"

"Maybe, If I can get in." Raf looked at Ratchet hopefully. "wait, wait, wait Raf what if we could get you all the way in, like all the way inside the building in?" Jack asked. "I could log into their internal network on the other side of the firewall." Raf said.

"The risk is too great, the Decepticons will be there, perhaps even on site," Optimus rumbled in protest. "Optimus with all due respect you said it yourself this is bigger than the safety of 4 humans." Jack said "Yeah if we let the cons win we're fragged along with everyone else on our planet" Miko backed up, All voices paused for a moment.

"Raf?"

They all looked to him for an answer, no pressure or anything. "I wanna give it a shot" he said confidently. Miko turned to NOva whose arms is crossed as she said, "Nova?"Nova turned to see Jack, Miko, Raf and Ratchet eyes on her as she let out a sigh in defeat. "I can't believe I'm saying this but....I guess we're the best chance for humanities survival." Nova added.

At that moment, Ratchet transported them to the designated coordinates as they made it on the side. Nova sighed at her an assigned task for the first time of her life. She know its risky for being involved but she know where she stand and what she need to do. As she was about to go ahead when she heard moans and groans behind her, she realized they weren't used to Groundbridge. "They'll take some getting used to." Jack said who is feeling nausea. "Hey, How come your ok?" Miko staring at Nova who seemed completely unaffected by the strange energy. Nova shrugged, wonedered why she wasn't affected so she replied, "Don't look at me, I look fine when I first step through a portal." as she bounded forward with the others behind, "Now Come on!"

All of the satellites were pointing in the same direction, and they towered over the height of any building seen in Jasper Nevada. We charged towards the only actual building there, looking for a way in. Jack tried to open it but it was lock with a security code. Raf said, "How are we suppose to get in?" Nova pushed Jack aside as she placed her hand in the panel and focus her power in hacking through the system by technopathy. Her eyes glowed, showing the schematics and scrunching numbers in unlocking the door as lock the opened.

Miko said, "Hah I knew it you really do have powers?!"Nova rolled her eyes (which it became normal) with annoyed as she said, "Fine, I do have powers and it isn't something to be excited about. So nobody says any word about it and no one gets hurt, Is that clear?"THey were startled by her threat as they nodded their head. When they got inside, the building was deserted however Nova felt very cautious when it comes to quiet place. Finding a room isolates enough from the main halls, Raf sat down and got to work on his computer. Jack and Miko watched as Nova watched from behind the three of them. "I'm in... but so are the Decepticons." Raf said gravely.

"What?" said a bewildered Jack

"How can you tell?" asked Miko.

"Schematics,"Raf said. Nova said in surprised, "You mean the same alien math we saw on their ship."

"Yeah....but this time I can download it". Raf said triumphantly. He then proceeded to plug his flash drive in. The schematics appeared on the computer screen. "Its gotta be the Space bridge." Miko said. "The Decepticons are syncing into the dishes, but I can sync to them." Raf explained. "Will they know?" Jack said concerned. "Even if the Decepticons see that I'm in the system they'll have no idea I'm in the house." He explained further. "The Decepticons are locking onto Cybertron, but not for long." Raf declared. Nova was impressed by his hacking skill for a 12 year old boy. She realized He was totally in his area, It seemed to have worked. "the dishes are heading back to Cybertron, I'll just undo that again." Raf said. Nova stood there watching when her hair glow neon blue under her hood, she sense an energy signature just like before she met the bots. She thought cautiously, 'Huh, that's strange this place suppose to be isolated....but there's definitely someone in this building, I have to be on my guard.'

She looked around the room carefully when she spotted the unmistakable red blinking of a camera. She realized they're being watched as she focus her mind on the camera which began fritz and break. The three notice the camera broken and turned to her with a question look. Jack asked, "Did you do that?"

"I had to becoz.....something tells me we're being watched."She answered which made Jack worried. "What happens when the cons realize there being punked?" He turned to Raf. "It's only virtual combat, you know like online gaming" he informed him. "Yeah, Jack," Miko scoffed. They didn't heard the door opening or notice the slithering tentacle like cord sneaking in and rising in the air.. "Besides, what are they going to do? They're like 1,000 miles away," Nova felt a light breeze against her neck and she knew... there's a Con in the room. "Look out!" she yelled as she latched on to the rogue tentacle along with Jack and Miko, trying to lead it away to buy Raf enough time."I won't let them lock on again," Raf cried, typing even faster. The three of them were being flung around in the air then they were then thrown against a wall and landed in a heap. Nova shook her head and looked up just to see Raf leap off of the computer desk, the computer itself being destroyed by the robot tentacle that was in the middle of attacking them. Miko grabbed an axe near her, and swung it at the menace, only to be knocked back whilst the tentacle picked it up.

"You handed it an axe?" Jack yelled. "Not good." Raf gulped

When it looked like it would use the axe on them, instead it suddenly pulled back."Oh no you don't?!"Nova said, who manage to stand on her feet as she latched onto the axe. Jack yelled at her name as she disappeared from sight. Nova was barely holding on while it dragged her through hallways where she is led to the main controls. She found herself being dangled in front of a purple bot with a visor over it's face. She dangled there for a moment and said regretful, "Ok maybe this isn't the best move I had." As she was thrown from the tentacle that was holding the axe, her body screamed in pain as it contacted with a wall, falling to the ground. She looked up wearily to see the axe sliced the cords upon the ground and she knew that dishes were now locked onto Cybertron. For good.

Jack, Raf and Miko manage to ran through the door, the glass roof was shattered more, and the purple bot stood there, waiting to lift off. It looked back act them for half a second, its visor blocking its face. Miko whipped out her phone, grabbing a picture quickly. In response to the camera shutter, the purple bot did the same, snapping a picture of the children and then at Nova whose hood came off, revealing her blue hair as it took off. Jack run to her as he helped Nova on her feet who was leaning heavily onto him. Jack asked concerned, "Are you alright, Nova?"

"ugh I'm fine, its not like i needed that."Nova said, feeling ache from her head.

"Whys he leaving?" Miko said. Then Raf ran over to the source, rummaging through the computer. His face paled, looking at us. "It cut the hard wire," he paled again, pointing to an Axe chopped through some wires on the ground. "The dishes are locked into Cybertron for good."

Jack had insisted on helping Nova who is still had a headache back through the bridge and the children solemnly made their way up the stairs. "Optimus! I'm registering a rapidly expanding mass in there spacebridge vortex one with a peculiar energy signature." Ratchet said. The screen revealed thousands of tiny purple dots heading towards the Space bridge, it was like a spreading plague. "Dark energon," Nova mumbled when she saw the screen. Fowler limped in behind her, apparently having recovered from his earlier attack. "Ratchet, we must destroy the space bridge. There's enough live energon coursing through it to achieve detonation; but we lack the firepower to ignite it." Optimus said

"If I knew how the space bridge was engineered, I might find a tactical way of accomplishing that feat." Ratchet said. "Um would schematics help?" Raf suggested holding up the flash drive he used.

"Optimus I must say, the Spacebridge is our sole hope of ever returning to Cybertron are you certain its destruction is the only option?"

"I am afraid so." he said regrettably.

"Then by all means let us light our darkness hour!" Ratchet said. "Autobots, take your positions and follow Ratchets lead." Optimus ordered, pausing a moment. "While I make my stand." Nova knew what he meant; he's going to faced Megatron. "Your fellow autobots are wise Optimus. They know when to retreat!" came the voice of Megatron over the comm link. "I hold no illusion about engaging your army Megatron. But I might derail its objective, by removing its head." Optimus said darkly. Megatron then laughed devilishly "highly unlikely Optimus, as I am infused with their very might!"

"One shall stand! One shall fall!"

What Nova heard and it sounded like now was that they were now locked in combat. Agent Fowler who was beside Nova, was observing the screen as the undead Cybertronians made their closer to the space bridge. "Th-these things are getting closer! That's bad right?" Fowler said with slight panic in his voice. "What do you think?" She said sarcastically to him. "Ratchet, we're in position." Came the voice of Arcee over the comm link. "Arcee pay close attention." Ratchet said. Raf was looking for a solution with the data he obtained on his flash drive."The space bridges power supply is by your current position, about two clicks to your right." Ratchet instructed.

"Found it"

"Now follow the line from the flow regulator to the energon pump there should be a valve."

"I see it."

"Good, to turn all that power against itself, all you need do is reverse the current." Ratchet said. Then they heard Arcee struggling, "current reversed." She said relieved. "Yes!...right?" Fowler said. Nova shook her head as she walk over to the other side of the rail. "I'll ready the ground bridge." Ratchet said. as he reused the arrival coordinates. "Optimus, the groundbridge is ready and waiting." Ratchet told him.

The ground bridge stood open. The six of them stood watching it, waited for their return.

"Do you think they're..." Raf said worriedly. "Four life signals...one very faint." Ratchet confirmed. The ground bridged surged, out first stepping Optimus, falling to the ground with a final clang of his feet. Nova was surprise to him covered in battered frame, scratches outlining even his battle mask. Then Bulkhead came through the groundbridge and Miko's face lit up. "Bulkhead!" Miko shouted before running up to him and he offered her his hand for her to hug, Nova ran downstairs with Jack and Raf to join the crowd. Then Bumblebee came running in holding a very weak Arcee. Jack looked at her sadly as Raf and Miko put a comforting arm on Jack. "We lost one this week by the Allspark don't let it be two." Ratchet pleaded. Jack then walked close up to Arcee and placed his hand in Arcee's. Nova observed him and felt sorry for him despite not showing it as she let out a sigh and went over to him, placing her hand on Arcee's as well. However, nobody didn't notice the energy flows from her arm and into Arcee. She somehow manage to charge her without overloading it.

She retreated her hand from Arcee as she whispered to Jack, "She's going to be fine." Jack stared at her confusely as he turned to see Arcee opened her eyes at the contact, smiling slightly at Jack. "Arcee," he sighed in relief, Nova took step backwards from him for giving them space and felt weary from her energy drained.

"Jack, really?" Her voice was faint, weak. "There are other motorcycles in the world."

"But, you're my first." He smiled.

"And Megatron?" Ratchet asked. "Not even he could have survived ground zero." His eyes narrowed. 

  "Prime!" They turned to face Agent Fowler as he stepped into the elevator. "I didn't get to thank you bots for the save. I owe you one." He paused, glancing over his shoulder. "We all do,"    Optimus straighten with pride as the elevator door shut, leaving them alone with the bots once more. Arcee climbed out of Bee's arms, smirking at the kids who gathered at the floor. Miko paused, then turned to face Optimus, who in turn directed his attention to the smaller human."So, is this the part that we say good bye and you say to act like we've never met you?"The other kids clearly didn't hide the despair in their eyes, Nova realized that those kids were attached to their guardians. Her emotional attachment isn't issue to her but the others however will eventually have a hard time parting. 

 He held his gaze for a moment, before turning back to address the bots."Without a means of leaving this world, we autobots will take strength in the bonds we have forged with our four young friends - true warriors. If not in body, then in spirit. Though we did not choose to be of Earth, it would seem we are here to stay. If anyone or thing approaches this planet with the intent to harm her, let them know this : we will defend ourselves. We will defend our home."  

The children are glad that they get to stay with them. However, Nova knew that it's going to get annoying when dealing with them in the future. 'Great?! This is going to be long day,' she sighed to herself. Realizing what she had gotten herself into.....