~Chapter 16~

The sky had grown darker as Firespark trekked further into the forest. She had no idea where she was going, but her spark was tugging at her. The fir trees grew denser as she neared the heart of the woods. The ground in front of her looked jagged and rough with deep grooves that nature had not finished covering. Littered with decaying limbs and small patches of new growth, Firespark followed the damage. "Just how old is this?" she wondered aloud.

Curious, she followed the destruction, leading away from the trees into an open field. It was overgrown with tall wild grasses and ferns. In the distance, her orange optics saw a small grey shape. Cautiously, she walked toward the mysterious object.

Once she reached it, she gasped at the realization that it was an abandoned escape pod. The pod itself was in horrible condition from the elements. It was dented all over with large chunks of metal missing and stray wires poking out. Firespark circled the wreckage, examining the large black spot located toward the front.

She stopped at the hole that allowed entrance into the pod. What if there are other bots inside, but it would be impossible for them to survive such a crash; unless they were in stasis? Deciding that it won't hurt to check, the pink femme entered the wreckage.

It was dark and cold inside. The power that was once stored was low, leaving no light to illuminate the compartment. There must be some way to power this back-up, Firespark thought as she stumbled toward the front of the ship.

Once her servos touched the control pad, the femme blindly started to feel the buttons and switches. She accidentally pushed a button too hard, causing the screen to flicker to life. Firespark gasped in delighted that she was making some progress.

Now, with her surroundings in clear view, her orange orbs examined the cockpit. It looked a lot like the external damage, and some vegetation was growing in the cracks. Some of the pilot seats were missing or lying on the floor, and the windows shattered. These damages signified a perfect landing Firespark snorted at her joke.

Her gaze returned to the two large screens, scanning over the different files on display. One, in particular, caught her attention; the ship logs. The logs flew across the screen as Firespark skimmed through it for the most recent one. Once all the scrolling came to an end, the entry enlarged in size, playing the last memories.

The mech from her dream appeared before her, sounding urgent, "This is Voltstrike. Once more, I am with my mate and my sparkling. Our attempts the escape Cybertron has failed. We are currently plummeting toward a planet called Earth. We have been struck down by the Decepticon warship that is orbiting this planet. I am afraid to say it, but this is the end. If we are to be one with the Allspark, my only regret is not giving my family the chance we needed to survive." The video shorted as a sparkling in distress wailed.

The pink Cybertronian stood there, stiff as a metal rod, as the cries seemed to echo. If there was a connection between this pod and her dream, then where were the bodies? As she stated before, it seemed impossible that anyone could survive a crash like this. "But what if they did but never had the chance to?" her processor hummed.

Another log popped on, again with Voltstrike. He looked different, hopefully yet fearful. "This is Voltstrike. I have stolen a Decepticon pod to find a new life-style for my family. I have personally seen the horrors that my fraction, Decepticons, can do to innocent civilians and beautiful cities. Our reputation has been one of being cold, lifeless, and merciless. Enjoying watching others suffer for a 'just cause' that will tear our home apart. That is why I have decided to join the Autobot ranks to undo what we have done."

Firespark quickly stumbled out of the pod. Gasping for air, she tried to cool down her systems. There was too much information that she, now, withheld. Lifting her eyes to the blue sky, she yelled, "How can I possibly make a decision now!" She paced back and forth, thinking about the pros and cons of both sides.

With the Decepticons, she had everything she could want. Her sire and adopted family were there. Energon was abundant and medical supplies endless. They were protected by a massive floating ship above the surface.

But what Voltstrike said was true. Some of them were ruthless and cold to others who were below them. Optimus Prime said that Megatron's power-lust and drive for violence caused their homeworld to fall.

The Autobots were the flip side of Decepticons. They too sot after justice but in a more peaceful way. They protected other lifeforms and, in her case, enemies. Sure, they kidnapped her when she was young, but they didn't know.

Firespark couldn't think of any downsides for the Autobots, but what would sire think. He would be spark-broken if she changed sides and fought against him. Knockout and Breakdown would feel the same way too.

Her orange optics widened in realization. If she didn't choose a side, then she won't have to fight or disappoint anyone. That was it, the answer. Without thinking, her pedes carried her back into the pod; after all, she had a message to send.

~~~~

In the darkroom, Soundwave worked furiously at the keyboard. Decoding Cybertronian code and hijacking human military bases. He was surprised when an audio recording appeared in the right-hand corner. He allowed it to play while he continued work but stopped in dead silence when the voice started to speak.

"Hey sire, I think I need a break. I'm fine, don't worry. I know that this is a lot to ask from you but please don't try to find me. Either way, you can't track down this message since I learned that from the best. Sire, I want you to know that I love you, but I think this is for the best. Firespark."

The audio clip ended for the third time, and the mech still hadn't moved from his position. Suddenly, a mournful sound erupted. It slowly progressed into a scream of pain and disappear, as Soundwave gradually sank to the floor. He tore at himself as his processor rang with unanswerable questions.

The Nemesis' walls echoed with the TIC's cries, chilling everyone, everyone, to the core. A piece of him was gone, and who was to say when she was ever coming back.