The NEST officer closed his dry, tired eyes. The motion stung like hell, but the burn kept him awake. In normal circumstances he would have collapsed from the emotional and physical toll he endured from their last battle mere hours ago. But then again the circumstances they were in were far from normal.

Further back in the cave the dark form of Arcee could barely be seen. She whispered in the strange Cybertronian language that had always intrigued Lennox. Her voice was soft and gentle as she chirped and clicked. Strangely enough, it reminded him of how Sara would soothe a restless Annabelle to sleep. She turned towards him, her silver face dull in the dimming firelight. The blue femme's present tenderness unnerved Lennox. Just a few hours before, the same femme had viciously argued with her fellow autobots to the point Lennox feared they would have come to blows, destroying each other as the decepticons never could. But now the fury in the femme's fierce optics was replaced by something else.

"She won't live past the night," The femme's voice was thin, nearly breaking, "She'll die in darkness."

It disturbed Lennox to hear it. Out of the newcomers, Arcee was one of the toughest to understand. When she first arrived everyone in NEST was dumbfounded that female transformers even existed. They were even more surprised when the slender and agile Arcee didn't turn out to be as docile and obedient as they stupidly assumed she would be. She was difficult to train and assimilate in the ways of human society and customs, not because she couldn't grasp the information, but because she constantly callenged their ability to teach her.

It was annoying at first, having to put up with her vague remarks which may or may not be direct insults to them. But then the day came when she shot Barricade point blank in the face while giving Lennox and his men enough time to escape with the retrieved energon stores. They didn't find her so annoying then. Arcee quickly proved to be a ferocious comrade in battle, at times displaying enough aggression to rival even Ironhide's thirst for a fight. To Lennox she was harsh, brutal, and unyielding in the art of war, never hesitating to deal serious damage to her Decepticon foes. And to see her now, helm bowed down, vocals trembling with doubt, and optics full of pity...it felt like reality itself shifted.

Weak, broken chirps came from beneath the femme's shadow. Arcee moved away to allow the firelight to shine on the fragile one she kept close beside her.

The tiny frame barely moved save for a few twitches and turns that appeared both pathetic and painful. Hard, black, material crusted over most of the misshapen body. What poor strength it had crumbled as it reached for something it couldn't find. It was small, smaller even than Bumblebee's human companion. It sliced the air with its talons, sharp, splintered and ugly. A man half-blind could tell the thing was obviously deformed. The crumpled spine was bent into a cruel angle that forced the entire frame to curl into itself. The brittle, twisted legs held tightly against the splitting chassis, as if the creature wanted to shield the flickering spark within. Behind its dark shoulders a pair of long, transparent planes jutted out. If they were meant to be wings, they were completely limp and useless as they dangled from their sockets. The same black, crusty material covering the miserable body was splattered on the 'wings' as well, making them appear like sheets of old, tarnished, glass.

The most disturbing thing was how open the creature was. Unlike the adult Cybertronians who showed nothing but metal and might, the malformed creature barely had anything to cover the wires, cables, gears and chambers that constructed it. Dull blue light blinked between the cracks of its underdeveloped armor, the soft plates stretching and groaning under the strains of movement. Even the chassis threatened to collapse, fluttering uncontrollably with each painful move. Lennox watched the tiny glowing sphere within flicker furiously, the blue light casting a sick hue in the darkness. All the while the creature whined and waved its claws blindly in the dark.

Lennox lifted himself up and knelt beside the twitching thing...

A sparkling

That's what he heard Ratchet and Arcee calling it before. Ironhide called it a monster, among other things...

"She might still pull through. We never know." Lennox lied. Not that it mattered. The sparkling wouldn't understand him anyways. But still, he spoke gently, reaching out to touch the dark blue helm. To his surprise, it felt warm. The sparkling let out an angry hiss. She thrashed her twisted legs at him. He dodged her easily, pushing her legs away. She was so light, weak, Lennox thought. Even a human with a small firearm could extinguish her spark.

"She's blind and frightened," Arcee said, "The most you can do is speak to her. It'll only upset her if she's touched."

Lennox took her advice and backed away, bracing the hand the sparkling managed to nip with her crawls. The sparkling's face was covered with a soft metal mask that refused to retract, a defensive reflex common in newborns Ratchet had explained. Her optics though uncovered, were dull, hollow and lifeless.

"Why don't you hold it or something?" Lennox suggested, "Try and calm it down."

"She," Arcee corrected sharply, "Will not accept just anyone's touch. She seeks her creators."

Bumblebee's guns whizzed, his servos quickly pointing at the blank distance. Lennox grabbed his own firearm, ready to fire. Arcee leapt gracefully, placing herself before the sparkling as a shield, the fire in her optics burning. The yellow scout turned around and buzzed a weak apology, drawing his guns back. False alarm.

Arcee growled but nodded, returning her attention to the crying sparkling. Or at least what Lennox interrperted as crying. The femme continued her Cybertronian whispers from earlier. Her voice seemed to calm the little one til the miserable noises ceased. The rest of the night drew on in silence. The dying firelight smoldered out, leaving only the sparkling's exposed protoform to light the dark.

With the sparkling calm and motionless, Lennox came closer again. Arcee rolled her optics.

"You're a stubborn one aren't you?" She said with a bit of a snap in her words, "Never knowing when to quit. I don't know if I should admire or detest you for it."

"Says the one who nearly shot her own teammates cause she didn't get her way,"

Her cooling systems whirled loudly. Lennox instantly regretted his words.

"And I still intend to shot them." Arcee promised, "Right after I have a word with Ratchet. Wonderful of him to chose now of all times to be a coward. I thought better of him than that. I believed all of them were made of stronger steel."

Arcee's optics darkened.

"Look, I don't understand it either," Lennox dragged a tired hand over his course hair, trying to figure out what to say without angering her further, "But they were all set in their decision. You've known Ratchet longer than I have. The guy doesn't give up on a case. If he said that there was no way to save the um...sparkling then..."

"His assessment was made from fear, not logic." Arcee interrupted, her strong servos clawing the earth beneath, her processor imagining it was Prowl's neck she was strangling, "Ratchet, Prowl, Ironhide...three of the best, most faithful bots I know. All of them would have gladly died in battle, happily taking as many Cons as they could with them. But now they cower in fear of a sparkling. They would rather have her die Major Lennox, die instead of giving her a chance!"

"She was doomed the moment her spark was conceived," Lennox said, "That's what Ratchet said..."

"Ratchet was only saying what they wanted to hear!" Arcee snapped, "Tell me Major Lennox, in the history of this planet, has anyone in authority ever lied to appease or protect their people?"

"From the dawn of time and every day since." Lennox answered. His own government spun countless lies everyday to keep NEST afloat. Hell, even half his life felt like a lie at times. Gathering up his wits, the Major shook his head. "But Ratchet isn't human. He wouldn't give a false diagnosis."

"You shouldn't be surprised at the lengths one can go to defend what they believe in." Arcee said, "And they believe that this sparkling should never have existed. That her beating spark is an insult to Primus himself. If they heard themselves plainly they would know how foolish they sounded. But no. They were all too blinded. And Ironhide! From the way he spoke he might as well have been a Decepticon."

Her voice heated in disgust at the mention of their enemy faction. Lennox felt a sickening feeling sink through his stomach when she said it. The femme's fans whirled wildly, her cooling systems working fast to calm her down.

"Hide was hurt," Lennox said, quick to defend his guardian. Ever since the human soldier helped arrange a proper burial for Jazz after the battle at Mission City, the weapons specialist regarded him with respect befitting a comrade. That respect grew into unexpected friendship when the mech was appointed as the Lennox family guardian. And after all the training, NEST operations, and domestic farm-life issues they've been through, Lennox thought of Ironhide as an adopted member of his family. And Lennox was not one to let slights towards his family slide by.

"Hide was hurt and he had every right to be" Lennox continued, "People say things they don't mean when they're upset. Besides, Hide would never—"

"Believe me Major, Ironhide believed every word he said. Including the part where he said we should crush the sparkling right then and there."

Lennox rubbed his forehead, head aching in frustration.

"Arcee. If I can be honest with you..."

"I expect nothing less. Speak your mind. I will know if you are not." The femme answered, motioning for him to continue. Lennox took a deep breath.

"Why?" Lennox nodded towards the silent sparkling.

"Major, that question has an eternity of answers. Clarify," Arcee observed him sternly. Either she was trying to figure out how to explain things so his human mind could handle it, or she was judging him for not realizing the obvious.

"Why are the others so determined to get rid of it? The sparkling, I mean." Lennox said, "We have bigger problems to worry about. But instead of trying to locate Optimus you all just argued over whether or not to kill the kid."

"That sparkling means more than you know, Major Lennox. And I fear the others have given up on Optimus—" Arcee stopped, her head turning to where the yellow autobot stood guard. She could feel Bumblebee's unease at her words. Her spark ached, hurting for him. In spite of his courage and eagerness in battle, the youngling was just that...a youngling. And while the other bots forgot that at times she most certainly did not.

"Bee, come here," Arcee said kindly, "You can leave your post for now. The cave is secure."

The yellow bot scanned the perimeter once more before obeying. His light blue optics widened as he passed by the mangled sparkling. Arcee reached out her servos and touched Bumblebee's helm. The young warrior smiled softly. Arcee was tough and stubborn when it came to the bigger mechs, but through their time at NEST Lennox noticed that the femme had a soft spot for the yellow camero. Looking back, Lennox realized that he was the only one she called by nickname, and the only one she was particularly (as odd as it sounded) sweet to. She was more than willing to let his mistakes slide by, and when they were in battle together she was constantly looking out for him to the point where Cons would be blown sky-high before they could reach little Bee. Lennox suspected that if Arcee was present when Bumblebee was first captured by Sector Seven she would have blown those men sky-high as well, Autobot ethics be damned.

"My brave Bee," Arcee's voice was lighter as she spoke to him, "You've seen so much today...things that made all of us fear and doubt."

"Prime. Prime..." The young bot's vocals cracked midway. Lennox wasn't sure if it was due to the kinks on his vocal processors, but it sounded like a broken cry. The human stepped back nervously.

"Bee," Arcee grasped his yellow helm firmly, "No matter what the others say, you can't let that ruin your faith in our Prime."

"He betrayed us." Bumblebee continued, his voice solidifying in anger, "And that sparkling. Megatron. Optimus is...he's one of them now. A Decepticon."

The cruel words chilled Lennox. The knowledge that their strongest advocate had turned against them wounded him as deeply as it did the Autobots. Lennox looked up to the Prime, marveling at how uncompromising he was to his ethics and how fiercely he lead the autobots in spite the odds. Lennox fully believed that with Optimus Prime leading them, the Decepticon forces would be driven out for good. And when Optimus came back from the dead to save their world once more, his faith in the Prime was sealed. But now in the face of his betrayal, Lennox felt like an abandoned child, helpless and confused, as if nothing in the world could be made right again.

"Optimus Prime did not betray us." The femme's voice spoke to them both, "He would sooner rip out his own spark than turn against the Autobots."

"He wore the Decepticon insignia," Lennox spoke up, his voice flat and hollow, "I saw it right before he shot down my men."

The same ones that he and Prime trained with at the start of NEST. Lennox's fists tightened painfully.

"And that was enough to convince you?" Arcee asked.

"It was enough to convince the Autobots."

The blue femme looked down on him, shadows waving on her silver face.

"I'm afraid that we have gravely misunderstood each other Major Lennox," She sighed, "In our time together as comrades we've learned much of how human society functions, but I see now that you have learned very little of us...how we think and feel. We are not easily fooled by our Decepticon foes, especially in matters dealing with Prime. Since the beginning of this terrible war the Cons have been undermining Optimus' authority. They've tried countless times to destroy the Autobot faction from within, attacking our loyalty to each other and our Prime. But they never succeeded. The more they tried to ruin our union, the stronger our faith in each other became. The Cons are liars and masters of manipulation and tricks. So when they captured Optimus we were worried, but not terribly shaken. And now, three months later he appears bearing a Decepticon symbol and attacking the very men sent out to retrieve him. It surprised us yes. But it did not shake our trust in him."

"The Cons could have done something to him. Planted a virus, rewritten his programs, maybe did some freak experiment to control his mind," Bumblebee added. He experienced first hand how cruel the decepticons treated those unlucky enough to be their prisoners.

"And that's why we went through with the mission to retrieve him." Arcee said, "We needed to bring him back to amend whatever damage the Cons did. Even as he blasted through our troops none of us was convinced he truly defected. There had to be some explanation, some scheme the Cons were plotting. But when my fellow Autobots finally reached him...it wasn't the sword that nearly sliced Mirage in half, or the Con insignia, or even the red optics that destroyed their faith in our Prime. It was the sparkling he was dying to protect."

Bumblebee's optics dropped low, his insect-like face plates sliding into a frown. Lennox looked back at the sparkling, walking closer to it for better inspection. It was just as hideous and miserable as before, nothing about it indicating anything great. And yet when Arcee smuggled the tiny, burnt creature into the medbay the other Bots almost killed the thing on the spot.

"So she's the reason why they're convinced Prime's defected? Why all of you were shouting at each other in the medbay?" Lennox's eyes narrowed, "But she's just the equivalent of a human baby."

"In a way yes," Arcee said, choosing her words carefully, "But a sparkling is more than just the human concept of an offspring. Cybertronians are remarkably different from your own kind. From what I learned, your species reproduce by physical means. Emotions and thoughts are merely optional."

For a second Lennox felt insulted by her brash description, but he knew she was right. Human reproduction, in its most basic form, occurred from physical and chemical reactions. It didn't matter if the couple loved each other or not. It didn't even matter if it was consensual. As long as the right components were there at the right time, a potential offspring could be conceived.

"It is not so for us," Arcee continued, "Emotions are essential. Without it, no matter how many times two sparks merge there will be no sparkling."

"Wait a second. Spark merge?" It sounded familiar somehow.

"Our sparks," Arcee said, resting her long, thin fingers over her chassis, "If I may use a human definition, are our souls. It glows with raw emotions and thoughts, the essence of what makes us unique from any other who ever lived. Spark merging is an intimate, cherished event for my race. Or at least it was...before those vile Decepticons corrupted it into a form of torture and humilation. And I was horrified to learn that a species as young as yours practice something similar to it."

The sudden venom in her words left no doubt of what she meant. Lennox nodded, heat raising in his face. He was far from naïve. Being a solider he'd seen the best and worst of humanity, and he was no stranger to the cruelties of war. And yet it disturbed him that these giant robotic warriors could be subjugated just a humans can. Arcee's implications made his skin sickly cold. If the Cons corrupted spark-merging he had little doubt who they inflicted such torture on.

"Mercifully, such violent and...unwanted...merges never lead to sparkling creation. If it did the Cons would enslave their captives and turn them into breeders to increase their armies."

"Back when it still existed, I thought the All-spark was how you guys you know...increased your numbers." Lennox said, "I didn't know there were other ways."

"The All-spark was only one way. The preferred way actually. The cube created life instantly and painlessly." Arcee explained, "The other way is through spark merging, when two sparks join...souls meet and become one. Imagine every emotion, every thought that encompasses who you are. Now imagine exchanging all of that with another person's deepest fears and desires. It's a poor description, but that is what happens in a spark merge. It is incomparable to anything humans experience. Two souls embrace each other, feeding off the power and desires of the other, their purest form open for the other to see. Your thoughts will become theirs, and their thoughts yours, and all your feelings will be exposed, from your greatest joys to darkest wishes. Our children are not made from chemicals or flesh or blood. They are made from the very essence of our souls, from the best and worst of who we are. A sparkling is not just a by product of physical pleasure, but a living embodiment of the relationship shared between its creators."

Lennox's gaze shifted between the yellow mech and the blue femme, wondering if they were created like that, though he was afraid to ask. No matter how much he thought he knew about them there was always some new mystery to be discovered. And it awed him how creatures that looked and acted like machines could stem from something so deeply emotional.

"Remember this important fact Major, if you are to understand why my comrades wanted the little one terminated. Rape never begets a sparkling." Arcee continued, "The emotions are too volatile. For a successful conception there must be a measure of affection between the two creators."

"Affection?" Lennox repeated. The word wasn't the first to come to mind when he pictured the battle-hungry transformers. But it would be untrue to say they were completely devoid of the capability. He saw how protective Bumblebee and Ironhide were towards their respective charges. Even now he could see how gently the blue femme handled Bumblebee, ever ready to ease his fears. But the way Arcee said 'affection', made Lennox think that there was a deeper meaning behind it.

"Yes, and the affection must be mutually shared. Though affection is a poor translation of what I'm trying to explain. It's more like a connection, a constant pull between two souls that harmonize so completely that such tender feelings can't be held back. Sparks are very reactive, sensitive and selective of their mate. You can say that a perfect match needs to be made for it to work. Equal parts strength and power. And there must be love, no matter how small, in order for both sparks to accept each other completely to form a new life."

"So it's serious business then? Having a sparkling?" Lennox asked rhetorically, "And with the All-Spark destroyed, this one was definitely...um...born?"

"Spark-born," Arcee corrected. Her silver face looked down on him, hoping that he would finally connect the pieces, ""Now do you understand, Major Lennox, why our comrades wanted this sparkling dead?"

"I...I'm not sure," Lennox admitted, "I couldn't understand what you guys were saying, or rather shouting in the medbay. You all went back to your native language."

"As a precaution. I took great care not to let that sparkling be seen by any human or Autobot aside from Ironhide, Prowl, and Ratchet. I probably would have hidden her from you as well if you hadn't been there when I pulled her from the wreckage."

"But why would they want her dead? They're Autobots. Optimus said that freedom and the right to live were the values your faction stood for." Lennox said, "Its not like them to just blatantly deny those rights to anyone. Especially a kid."

"Once again, and like them, you've allowed your prejudices to blind you."

"What?"

"You see what you wish to see, and it makes you blind. For as long as my kind have been on your planet, you've seen the Autobots as honorable defenders of freedom. At times I'm insulted when your kind assumes we're as simple as your earth machines, simply built and stuck to perform whatever goal is programmed into us. We are far more complex than that. Your belief in our honor must not blind you to the fact that we are very much fallible. Even the best of us can fail. It may be painful, but look at what happened without bias, and you will see."

Arcee said those words softly. There was no judgment in her optics, only regret that humans were so quickly to paint their world in black and white, refusing to acknowledge the countless shades of gray in between.

"Remember what you saw in battle," Arcee continued, "I told you it was this sparkling protected by Optimus that ruined our comrades' faith in the Prime."

"Yes, but..." Realization crept its way like a cold hand on the back of the Major's neck, "But without the cube she's spark-born so that means that she needed two creators. And that they needed to...love each other."

"Correct, now continue." Arcee said. Bumblebee covered his audio receptors. The blue femme touched his servos, letting him know it was alright.

"It doesn't make sense," Lennox said, "I don't understand."

"I believe you do," Arcee sighed heavily, "You wanted to understand why this sparkling's birth meant so much to us. And now you just don't want to admit the truth. Major Lennox, in the midst of battle who tore through human and autobot soldiers alike to protect her?"

"But it can't be. Optimus would..." Lennox shook his head in protest, "No. That's not possible. He was held captive by the Cons for three months, there's no way...He can't be the sparkling's creator. It must be someone else."

"Don't let what you wish, be what you see. That sparkling is Prime's daughter." Arcee said, "Those familiar enough with Prime could sense it. The spark within her shattered chassis emitted traces of Optimus' own spark signature. And judging by her state, premature age, and deformities the co-creator..."

"A Decepticon." Lennox finished for her, his mouth a tight line, "So the others were right. He is a traitor."

Bumblebee whined, his insect-like head drooping low. The longer he stared at the dying sparkling, the more hopeless he felt. He waited for Arcee to speak again, knowing she would defend their Prime as always. And he needed so badly to hear her defend Prime.

"Did they ever figure out who it was?" Lennox asked, breaking the silence, "Which one of those monsters did he 'love' so much that he would fucking stab our backs like this?"

Bumblebee's own spark skipped a beat. He looked to the older Autobot for help. Arcee knelt down til her silver face was right before the Major. Her long, slender arms formed a barrier around him, first to catch him if he fainted and second to protect the sparkling if he choose to attack it.

"Cee," Lennox warned, "Just tell me. My men were killed today. I need to know who did this to Prime. How he could do this to us."

Arcee could sense the mounting fear. Her sensors picked up how high the human's heart rate speed up, how fast his blood flowed from anger. To her side, she could sense Bumblebee's anxious mumbles, his incoherent cries for her to help him keep faith in their leader. She closed her optics and forced her spark to calm itself. She needed to be strong for the three of them now.

"After I took the sparkling from the battlefield, I presented her to the others in the medbay, asking for their help. They were hostile when they recognized Optimus' signature radiating off her. But when Ratchet confirmed the co-creator's identity they went from hostile to murderous...Our Prime had a sparkling with Megatron. Her wretched spark reeked with that monster's signature."

Silence struck Lennox, the confusing mix of anger and hurt clouding his mind.

"Optimus and Megatron. The ones who started this damn war... " Lennox cursed violently, "Cybertron was destroyed because of them. Your entire race is driving itself to extinction because of their never-ending war. A war they dragged into our planet. And now you're telling me that this miserable piece of scrap is their kid? From a fucking spark merge?"

"And a femme," Bumblebee added.

"I didn't think Primus would be so cruel." Arcee said with a grim expression, "She might have stood a chance if she was born a mech. Then the insult wouldn't be so deep."

"So having daughters is an insult in your culture?" Lennox thought of his own little Annabelle, suddenly missing her more than he ever had before.

"Of course not!." Arcee snapped, "Quite the opposite. Since sparklings are built from souls, you can look at one and have a good guess at the relationship between its creators. Mechs are formed from a strong, protective connection between the two creators. For this reason, mechs have a natural born tendency to be aggressive and protective. Spark-born femmes however, are very rare. Having a daughter meant that mates weren't simply affectionate and protective of each other, but that their relationship was of a more nurturing, gentle, loving kind. And for a culture dominated by ambitious power-hungry mechs that prized strength and power, such relationships were difficult to come by. The fact that my own creators managed to have three femmes spoke volumes of their devotion to each other."

"That's why the others can't stand to look at her." Lennox said, understanding, "She's like the embodiment of Optimus' relationship with that Con. I've heard of love affairs getting blasted, but this is a sick way of laying it all out in the open. And after all this time...Optimus and Megatron...That's why you snuck her into the base instead of announcing it, isn't it? You couldn't let word of this get out to the other Bots."

"It would destroy their morale if I did," The femme replied, "Though your guardian was more than willing to destroy the evidence."

"You defended her though," Lennox nodded towards the little frame that curled into itself, "You got her out before they could terminate her."

"She will still be terminated," Arcee continued, "But not by them. They have allowed me to bring her here so that she may die naturally. No sparkling this young can survive without its creators. And no matter what the circumstances are behind her creation, I will not have an innocent life be taken by Autobot hands. They will be no different from Cons if they did."

The Major's hand brushed against the NEST insignia on his uniform. Even the most reserved of the Autobots made it very clear that there was a distinct difference between them and the low-life Cons. But their willingness...eagerness to destroy a helpless child made the lines between the factions blur.

"Cee, you said that a sparkling reveals the relationship between its creators. This one...she's..."

"Hideous. I tried to tell the others that. Such deformity meant that there is still hate between Prime and Megatron." She laughed, a low bitter sound, "Imagine, when evidence of hate would be a good thing. This sparkling is a living contradiction. Love and hate, power and helplessness all formed into one crippled being. But it didn't matter to Prowl or Ironhide how she looked. All that mattered was that she existed. And that alone was enough for her to be treated as an outcast."

"If Optimus and Megatron weren't enemies...if their relationship wasn't so damn complicated, would she look different?" Lennox asked. He gathered from listening to the autobots' stories of Cybertron that Prime and Megatron co-ruled at one point. It was difficult not to imagine what their lives might have been if they'd remained united.

"If they gave their devotion to each other instead of letting their ambitions and beliefs tear them apart..." Arcee whispered, regret plain in her voice,"then this child would be perfect."

Arcee touched the side of her helm. Her optics turned white. Beams of light shot out from her optics and began to spread. From the projection, Lennox could see strange shapes taking form.

"This was our home before the war ravaged it."

Lennox saw huge, majestic structures far higher than anything on earth, touching their peaks into a violet sky. Countless cities of living metal thrived brightly with power, their metallic citizens racing through and fro towards a golden citadel. Brilliant buildings rose up all around, their physics and designs far too complex for any human to replicate. Scenes of duels held in gigantic complexes flashed in the darkness, the faint sounds of robotic spectators cheering on the sidelines. Then the picture flickered, revealing a city in the sky with hundreds of winged forms taking flight in a blinding race as admiring crowds watched from the ground. The sight of racing seekers faded, giving way to the memory of a golden landscape.

"These are just poor memories. Our world was paradise. Peace and prosperity seemed eternal." Arcee smiled sadly. Bumblebee was just as enraptured by the images as Lennox. Being one of the last sparklings born before the war broke out, the yellow scout barely remembered how Cybertron was in all its glory,"And we were all one."

The projected images went on. The golden landscape teemed with abundant life. The streets were bursting with industry and competition. All around mechs and femmes traded and bartered their strange wares, parts and tools meant for a peaceful life, not war. Seekers flew high above the crowds, free falling only to spread their wings at the last moment to soar once more. Lennox noticed little forms as well, sparklings, hanging on the shoulders and arms of their creators, enjoying their world without threat of capture or death. And every few seconds the images would pulse, a soft blue glow indicating how fast and freely energy flowed within the living streets. No one bore the insignia of the Autobots or Decepticons. They were all one. All Cybertronians.

"This is the world Optimus and Megatron ruled together. Optimus was given charge over civilian matters. Megatron was given the title 'Lord High Protector' and controlled the military forces. But before any of this, they were friends, raised as brothers by Sentinel Prime. We believed nothing could ruin their union. It was all perfect."

A building appeared with a flicker of light. The immense structure was composed of material similar to steel and glass, the walls curving like ribs and decorated with elaborate runes. The thin, wispy writings glowed softly with energon. There were graphic descriptions of heroes and their achievements engraved in the walls as well, each figure the life-size mirror to its true counterpart. A large crowd of Cybertronians gathered within the beautiful building, all audios and optics focused on three large mechs standing on a high stage. The largest one was a mech Lennox never saw before. He stood strong and tall, every inch built like a leader. His face was very humanoid, and yet there was some supernatural quality about his demeanor, almost god-like. Lennox recognized the smaller mech beside him as Optimus, sporting the same red and blue colors. Only this time instead of being a leader, the Prime appeared to be listening as diligently as a faithful student. The other was silver and gray, his composition more harsh and jagged, with fierce blood-red optics to intensify his sharp face. Megatron.

"Our world was at a golden age. But it would not last." Arcee continued, "Nearly everyone was blinded by the prosperity they thought would never end. They couldn't pry themselves from wealth and pleasure long enough to see the conflict raising between their leaders. I was one of the few who saw the war coming. To this day I regret not sharing my fears sooner."

"You really do think differently," Lennox observed, "Even for a Cybertronian."

Arcee actually laughed, the Major's words recalling how her father-creator would say the same thing.

"My creators thought I had a permanent glitch. Had my processors checked through more than once. Unlike most, I was thoroughly unimpressed by titles or ranks. It didn't matter what others claimed you were, or even how aristocratic your ancestry was. What mattered was what I saw. I didn't let others tell me what to believe. It's one of the reasons why I'm able to see connections where others can't. I don't let prejudices and assumptions deter from what I see before me. And I saw clear tension forming between Optimus and Megatron."

"You actually saw how they grew apart?" Lennox leaned closer.

"Everyone saw it," Arcee answered, "But very few realized it. Megatron was more aggressive. His ambitions exceeded that of his mentor's. His desire for power and adoration drove him to compromise whatever ethics he possessed before. Optimus was his opposite. Our Prime was kind, unyielding in his principles, and merciful. It surprised me how close they were, given their differences. But it frightened me to realize how defensive, or rather possesive Megatron was towards Prime. His devotion bordered on obsession."

The thought that a mech as selfish and viscous as Megatron could be devoted to anyone as noble as Optimus made Lennox shiver. What disturbed him more was the thought that Prime could return that devotion.

"When their rule first began, a council member out right challenged Optimus' right to rule. Megatron attacked him in the citadel with all the delegates from the city-states right there to see." Arcee projected a memory of the incident. An outraged Megatron swung a heavy mech through the air before slamming him into the golden hall, his gleaming fusion canon ready to shot point-blank. The terrified delegates sunk into the corners.

"The golden citadel was considered a sacred place for our race. To draw a weapon within its premises with the intent to kill was a crime unheard of. But Megatron didn't care. His beloved Prime had been insulted."

Megatron's canon grinded painfully against the terrified mech's face plates, threatening to shove the metal straight through his processors. Though the memory remained silent, the furious motions and faces revealed the outpouring of screams and begging that took place.

"Megatron would have killed him if Optimus didn't intervene." Arcee continued. From the flickering memory, a familiar figure emerged. The Prime appeared younger, smaller, his usual confidence replaced by panic. But through that fear, the young Prime stood out from the cowering crowds, daring to approach Megatron in his rage. Optimus pulled Megatron's canon away from the trembling mech's helm, pleading with the Lord High Protector to spare him.

"That's when I saw how different they really were. Megatron asserted his power through fear and retribution, believing himself above the laws he was supposed to protect. And Optimus would be the one to stop him. The only one who could stop him. This was just the start Major Lennox, and they haven't stopped since."

There was another wave of images. At Prime's insistence Megatron nodded and drew back his canon. The delegates relaxed, relived that no energon had been split in the citadel. Their relief shattered into horror when Megatron struck the fallen mech's face. With one sickening grip he tore the screaming mech's optics out, energon and wires flaying and staining the once pristine floors.

"Megatron claimed he only obeyed the Prime's orders to grant mercy. The mech survived but the damage was too severe. Ever conscious with resources, Megatron ordered that he be reprogrammed into a drone." Arcee said. The projection twitched and faded. The last thing Lennox saw was Megatron gazing at Optimus' face. The intense desire burning through those red optics made the human shudder.

"Megatron went on to remind the delegates that as Lord High Protector it was his duty to defend the Prime. And that he would gladly drench the citadel and all of Cybertron with their energon if that's what it took for them to remember their place."

"And Optimus let him get away with that?"

"As strange as if sounds if it weren't for Megatron's cruelty Optimus would never be the great Prime we know." The femme answered, "Optimus wasn't always the sure, powerful mech you're used to. He had insecurities about his capabilities, about being the descendent of the great Primes, of finding his own place in our world. Megatron empowered him. He defended and fought for him. When Megatron stepped out of line, it forced Optimus to become bolder. They were always challenging each other, driving the other to be faster, smarter, stronger. Together they would be unstoppable. With their combined power our race's dominance would have been sealed throughout the universe. And if they really did make that choice together, Major Lennox, your race would long be slaves of their empire."

Bumblebee's audios picked up the jumbled cries of the sparkling. The morning was approaching slowly over the horizon. The gentle rays crept into the cave but the sun's warmth felt far away. The sparkling twitched painfully, her sharp, twisted claws reaching towards the light.

As a femme, Arcee's gentle, nurturing tendencies had been overridden by countless centuries of war. But when her sensors took in the sight and sounds of a crying, struggling sparkling, her true nature revealed itself once more. The femme hushed the child in soft Cybertronian lullabies. With careful grace she scooped the fragile one into her hands, afraid that the simple motion would finally rip the crumbling form in half. Her spark ached deeply as the sparkling's claws wrapped around one of her fingers, hugging it.

"So small," Arcee whispered tenderly, "Yet so strong...Like you Bee."

The yellow bot drew closer to Arcee, peering over with curious optics. He tilted his head to the side, not quite believing that he was ever that small.

"Bee was an orphaned sparkling when we found him." Arcee explained to Lennox, "As one of the few femmes left, the others charged me to take care of him. I thought it was a waste of my skills to be chasing around a sparkling when I could be hunting decepticons. I resented it at first. But those times turned out to be the happiest vorns of my life since the war. "

A strange, soft sound came from the sparkling, like a weak gasp of breath rattling from its vents. Arcee brought the trembling child close to her chassis, hoping the warmth and rhythm would bring it some comfort. As strong as her spark was, Arcee knew it was a poor substitute of the sparkling's true creators. She looked down on the trembling child with regret, her processors burning with thoughts of what could have been.

"If Optimus agreed with Megatron's ambitions our civilization would have grown into a terrifying empire, conquering galaxies as far as the universe could reach. And this little one...she would be perfect. She would be...what is the title you humans use Major? A princess." Arcee imagined how she might have looked like then, with no hate or resentment shared between her creators. She would have been beautiful, a creature unequaled in all the universe, "Yes...that's the title I believe. A princess to fear and love."

And worship. Arcee couldn't bring her voice processor to express it, but within her spark she knew it to be true. He may be proud and cruel, but Megatron defended what was his. He protected what he loved. Love. Such a strange, unfitting word to associate with a tyrant as insane as Megatron. But Arcee wasn't blind. Countless ages could not erase her memories of how Megatron once looked at Optimus, optics dark red from passion, fighting and waiting for something he would never have. Had Optimus returned his feelings with similar intensity, Arcee had no doubt that Megatron would have treasured their daughter as fiercely as the All-Spark itself. He would have adored her, killed any one who dared to threaten her...his daughter, his princess, his heir, an embodiment of the eternal bond between him and his Prime.

"Even Megatron would defend her. He won't stand for anything of his to be anything less than adored." Arcee said. The sparkling curled closer to her at the mention of her creator's name, chirping softly. It disturbed her how affectionate the sparkling sounded, as if it found comfort in the horrible name.

"Optimus would teach her in the wisdom of the Primes," Arcee went on. The sunlight flowed slowly into the cave, nearly touching the sparkling she held, "And the others...Can you image it? Wheeljack making all sorts of strange gifts to entertain her. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe teaching her how to push someone a step away from their sanity. Mirage, Jolt, and Blurr training her in the art of stealth and speed. Ratchet attending to even the slightest discomfort. Ironhide pointing those massive canons at anyone who even looks at her wrong. And maybe Shockwave would be right there with him, defending her as much as he defends his master...Can you fathom it? Another reality with no Autobots or Decepticons, just an empire of Cybertronians ruled by Optimus and Megatron, their sparkling by their side as worlds and stars bow before them. It would have been our reality Major Lennox, if Optimus only gave in those countless ages ago."

"But he didn't," Lennox replied, "And here we are." His eyes felt heavy as the morning light fell on his weary, sweaty face. Arcee nodded and cautiously brought her hands down so Lennox could see the sparkling in the light.

"And what should have been the gem of their empire is here with us, forsaken, crippled, and dying. Blind, never knowing light or the smiling face of a loved one. The latest victim of this never-ending war. She even looks like war, doesn't she? Twisted, hideous, and dark. A war that started because Megatron couldn't accept that Optimus loved freedom and justice above anything else. Even him. And that is why I refuse to believe Optimus betrayed us."

Bumblebee lifted his head, plates clicking slowly. Arcee's voice spoke clearly, strong, and certain. The yellow scout looked to Optimus as a father-figure, a role model he could look to for strength. And the recent events threatened to ruin Prime in the youngling's mind forever. Arcee would not allow that.

She looked at the weary human, exhausted from all he'd learned and felt. Then she turned to the young mech, sensing the doubts weighing heavily upon him. And at last, she gazed on the dying sparkling in her hands. A moment of calm, and then she looked upon them all, their fears and uncertainties dark on their faces. And in that instant her determined spark pulsed all the harder. She was the strongest one out of all of them now. She could not fail them.

"Optimus has the most selfless spark I know. He would rather destroy our world than inflict such tyranny on countless others. He would sooner face Megatron's wrath than accept his love if it meant our freedom. He sacrificed too much for our cause to just suddenly defect. And I will not have his honor and sacrifice be ruined by what any other mech would say! Optimus is no traitor. But we are...By allowing his daughter to die we have denied her the very rights we proclaim to uphold. The Autobots who swore their allegiance to the cause of liberty now sentence this helpless child into exile...And this...this is all I can do to honor Prime's last command before the Cons captured him again."

"Prime spoke to you?" Lennox demanded. How could she not tell them this sooner? "Well, what did he say?"

"He wasn't himself when we fought him Lennox," Arcee replied, "When he turned to strike me, he suddenly stopped. Something held him back from driving his sword through me. He screamed and pulled away, frustration and pain trembling in his voice. When his optics met mine, I saw recognition in them...as if he truly saw who I was for the first time. 'I know you... Arcee.' He spoke my name like an eternity passed since he last heard it. He took the sparkling he hid and gave her to me. He told me, pleaded with me, 'Arcee. Don't let them take her. Don't let them. Run!' And so I did. And you were there Major Lennox, when I emerged from the crumbling building as the Cons descended to capture Prime again. I should have fought them, tried to save him. But he gave me an order, and I will carry it out for as long as I must."

Neither man nor mech replied. But words didn't matter. What mattered was that they heard and understood. Prime was not in his right mind when he attacked them, and for a brief moment he was able to break free from whatever was controlling him to send his daughter to safety. Or at least, to a merciful death.

"You should have told the Autobots," Lennox finally broke the uneasy silence, "Maybe they would have listened."

"The thing is, I'm not certain who Optimus wanted me to keep her away from," Arcee admitted, "The Decepticons, the Autobots, or both. But one thing is certain. Our Prime was taken from us by force, manipulated, tortured, reprogrammed, whatever else it may be but he did not choose to turn against us. This war started because Prime chose us over Megatron. And no matter what the cost, he will always choose us."

Arcee held the sparkling close to her. The charred material splattered over the wrecked body was crumbling away, floating down like thick black flurries. The three guardians watched silently as the hideous material fell down to slowly release the frame cramped beneath. The sparkling's twisted back twitched painfully as it tried to straighten itself, the strain nearly cracking the fragile lines holding her together. Her blind optics turned towards the light. Her broken body sought the raising warmth. When her little blue helm shook off the dark crust covering it, they all saw features hidden from their sight before. At the sides of her blue helm, thin, long audios stuck out like tiny wings.

Bumblebee whistled in delight, strangely happy that the sparkling inherited the familiar audios of her Autobot creator. He jumped when the sparkling beeped and whistled back. One of her claws rose up towards his sounds. The yellow bot carefully offered one of his fingers for her to touch. She found it and pushed back, her touch warm and weak. Bumbleebee whizzed in panic when her claws collapsed, her frame shaking as her little spark flickered, the sick flashes seeping through her compromised chassis.

"Soon she will be with Primus." Arcee told them. The sparkling's weight suddenly felt heavier to her. The femme gazed into the golden horizon, cupped the tiny frame in her hands, and stepped out of the cave into the clear, clean morning. Lennox and Bumblebee followed her lead, watching as the femme carefully faced the sparkling towards the raising sun.

"In Cybertron they believed that a death occurring with a raising sun brings hope for the ones left behind sends the departed soul swiftly to the Well of All Sparks to dwell with their ancestors in peace." Arcee said. She cradled the sparkling tenderly, praying that the little one would find in the afterlife the acceptance she was denied in her brief life.

The sun continued its ascent on the sky. All the while the dark crust binding and covering the sparkling fell apart til virtually none of the vile substance remained. The sparkling kicked, rolled, and squirmed pathetically in the femme's hands, her movements nearly ripping apart her delicate spark chamber.

The once useless wings attached to her thin, silver shoulders began to twist and lean towards the sun. Lennox and Bumblebee stared in awe as the sparkling's movements grew stronger and bolder. Instead of fading, her spark pulsed brightly, its vibrant colors uncontainable. Soon the transparent wings softly glowed with he energy it gathered from the light.

"Primus," Arcee smiled when she felt the sparkling's spark strengthening the longer she stayed in the light, "Not even the great Primes were blessed with such a gift. She harnesses the power of the sun!"

"Damn," Lennox whispered, "Prime's ancestors had to build machines to gather energy from the sun. Now this little runt's doing it on her own."

"She'll live then, right Cee?" Bumblebee squeaked. The sound earned him a string of delighted chirps from the sparkling. The yellow bot chirped back in reply, and soon they were clicking, beeping, and whistling together. It was an incoherent jumble of sounds, but for some reason it made the young mech's spark bound with joy.

"So you're really Opt's." Bee's voice still broke half-way between words. The sparkling didn't seem to mind and beeped back. The yellow scout couldn't stop himself from smiling, "Not even death's gonna keep you down."

"Given her creators Bee, I doubt defeat will even be an option," Arcee laughed.

To everyone's shock, the little one snapped her face mask back. The face looking up at Arcee shone like pale silver. The sparkling's face plates were composed of complicated angles and lines, though oddly enough their robotic design made her appear more humanoid. She chirped, her plates shifting to reveal a tiny line Lennox assumed to be her lips. The sparkling whistled and clicked away as she tried to stand on her legs only to plop down. She tried again three times before accepting the fact that she was still too frail to go off on her on.

"I take it she's not dying anytime soon. At least not without a fight." Lennox joked. It was weird, but the bubbly, curious sparkling rolling and crawling all over Arcee's hands reminded him so much of his own Annabelle. The solider in him hoped the sparkling would die quickly to spare them of the trouble her existence would certainly cause. But the father in him was relieved to see her unexpected recovery, even if it did mean facing a group of angry Autobots later on.

"Hey kid," Lennox called out to the sparkling, "Barely a day old and you're already defying expectations. Don't know if I should be worried or relieved..."

Arcee brought the sparkling closer to Lennox. He brushed her helm carefully, the metal giving way from the lightest pressure. Lennox pulled back quickly, fearing that he hurt her Her dull optics blinked feverishly. A sharp jolt of light flared within them. The once blind sparkling whined as her sensors registered light for the first time. Her optics rolled up and down, adjusting the light to register the odd faces gathered around her.

"Look at that..." Lennox smiled in spite of himself, "She's got Prime's eyes."

Bumblebee scrambled down, excited to see for himself. He scanned the details of her optics, a bit disappointed that they weren't exactly like the Prime's. For one, they were wider and lighter, with a strange curved shape that reminded him of the feline animals Sam's 'rodent' pets would harass. They were also incredibly underdeveloped, so exposed that Bee could see the gears and wires that kept them in place, and Bee's scan told him that they were still too weak to successfully register a decent image. But in spite of the few shortcomings, one feature left no doubt of where the sparkling inherited her optics from.

"Look at them baby blues." The sparkling blinked and titled her head, beeping in response to the Major's compliment. Her face plates clinked when she mimicked his smile.

The Major's fascination with the latest Cybertronian nearly blocked out the tragedy behind her creation. When the tiny thing rattled and let out a sound that sounded like a robotic yawn, the impact of all that he'd learned truly began to hit Lennox. Right before him was the first sparkling born in millenia. And the only Cybertronian that...wait. Was she even Cybertronian? She was galaxies away from the home world of her creators, she had never set a pedal there and thanks to the damn war, probably never will. She wasn't exactly from Earth, but she wasn't exactly from Cybertron either. Lennox didn't know what to make of it. What he did know, however, was that Arcee was right.

"You're gonna drive us crazy aren't you?" Lennox shook his tired head. The sparkling copied him and cooed playfully, "Good thing crazy's the norm around here. Welcome to Earth kiddo."

"Ain't the youngest anymore," Bumblebee said, the excitement brimming through his vocals. This was his chance to truly be a guardian, to have someone he could look after and teach just as Arcee once did with him. The responsibility would be heavy and challenging, but the yellow mech was up for it. Sure, he had guardianship over Sam, but it was only a temporary assignment, perhaps lasting just as long as the human lived...which wouldn't be very long at all given their ridiculously short lifespans. But with this sparkling, the guardianship would stretch for a lifetime, growing ever stronger as the vorns passed.

The yellow bot chirped down at the sparkling, vying for her attention. The sparkling was soon struggling to entertain both Lennox and Bee. To make things easier for her, Bee picked the Major up by his jacket and harmlessly tossed him back towards the cave.

"Real mature Bee!"

The yellow mech just shrugged, a glint of mischief in his optics. The sparkling clicked her claws together. He chose to overlook the Decepticon features, focusing instead on the characteristics that reminded him of Optimus, his father-figure.

"Guess that makes me your big brother," Bumblebee decided. The tiny femme chirped happily. The glowing wings on her back drew back when he patted her helm. Instead of retreating, she leaned into his touch, "Welcome little sis."

The sparkling fell back into Arcee's secure hands, her optics blinking slowly. The sun rose fast on the horizon, the brilliant colors of the morning sky unmarked by clouds or seekers. Lennox managed to join them again, kicking Bumblebee's metallic foot in retaliation. The yellow mech didn't even notice. He was too engrossed by the sparkling curled in Arcee's hands. The sparkling cuddled closer to Arcee's spark, accepting the comfort and strength radiating from the older femme.

"You can recharge if you want." Bumblebee said, watching the sparkling drift off into sleep, "I'll be here when you come back online. I promise"

"We all will," Lennox said, knowing he might soon regret it. Yet his heart was set. When Nest was formed he vowed, along with the Autobots, to protect innocent lives. He wasn't about to stop now.

There were so many problems to solve, many lies to tell, and secrets to bury if the sparkling stood a chance of acceptance with the other Autobots. Maybe they'll learn to welcome her into their faction. Maybe they never will. But the three figures keeping guard over her as she slept knew they could never abandon the child.

They also knew the peace would not last. She would be hunted down by both Decepticons and Autobots should her origins be revealed. She would face prejudice and hate for something she could not control. One day she might ask them for the truth. What will they tell her then? Will they let her suffer with the truth, or allow her to believe in blissful lies? What if one day, Primus forbid, she was confronted by her creators? By Megatron?

A surge of protectiveness overwhelmed Arcee, her instincts furiously overriding any other directive.

"No one but Prime can ever take you from me." Arcee whispered tenderly. She could feel the sparkling slipping into recharge. She cradled the little, crippled frame close to her spark, as lovingly her own mother-creator once did. The tiny femme curled herself tightly, snuggling close to the warm energy coming from the one who held her. It wasn't the familiar pulse she knew, but it was still warm, and kind, and strong.

She chirped lazily once more, unaware of the eons of war that lead up to her birth or the warring factions she descended from. Her blue optics closed, her body imperfect but content as she listened to Arcee's promises.

"You may not be of our sparks...or heart. But you are ours. Ours as if you'd never been Megatron's. Our sparkling. And we will protect you til the day Optimus breaks free of their hold and returns to us. But until then... you are ours."

And we are yours...