A/N This chapter contains all three parts of Orion Pax.

(Orion Pax- Part 1) Angel's POV

So I've been put in charge of watching over Orion while he decodes the Iacon Database for Megatron. Though I don't get why I have to guard him. Everything his done is being documented by Soundwave anyway and there are guards just down the hall guarding the energon vault. I think it was just another reason to keep me on the ship.

It's become clear to me that Optimus has lost his memories of being a Prime, of being Optimus. He believes he is still Orion Pax, the archivist and Megatron's close friend. Megatron told him a few lies about the war how it began and how Ratchet actions lead to the destruction of our home planet. Not him. I wish I could help him get his memories back, but I don't know how. Also if I'm caught, I'm dead.

So far Optimus has decoded two sets of coordinates from the database. That correspond with destinations on Earth. Which I figured out. "I've decoded another set Angel" Optimus declares. I look at the main screen and see he is right. I contact to the hologram of Earth and enter the coordinates he'd decoded. He nods his helm and gets back to decoding the Iacon database.

'Angel, Megatron is on his way to see Orion's progress' Soundwave tells me.

'Understood Sire' I tell him and stretch. Optimus looks at me with a raise eyebrow. I just turn to face the door and he turns back to the console. Soon Megatron enters the room.

"Orion! How fares project Iacon?" he asks Optimus.

"I am a bit rusty, I fear. I've only managed to decode three entries" Optimus tells him.

"And what do these entries comprise?" Megatron asks him intrigued.

"They were logged by Autobot archivist during the war after I entered stasis. My only knowledge of its contentso far is that they are coordinates, which according to Angel aretargeting locations on this very planet" Optimus explains as I activate the hologram."I surmise that they could indicate hiding places for vesselsshuttled from Cybertron for safe-keeping" he states.

"Such as historical documents or cultural artifacts?" Megatron asks examining the hologram.

"My greatest fear would be weapons of mass destruction" Optimus tells him. That would be Megatron's greatest hope. "Hidden away for later use" he adds. Megatron turns to face him.

"All the more reason it is essential that we do everything in our power to keep said vessels from Autobot reach. We are fortunate to have you on our side, Orion Pax" he states. "Keep up to good work Angel" he tells me and heads for the door.

Optimus pulls up an image of Starscream. "Lord Megatron. I am puzzled by one particular finding. I have discovered several historic references to Starscream as your second-in-command.
Yet I have not seen him aboard the ship" he says confused. I may have left Starscream's file open for Optimus. Hoping if he realizes he can't trust Megatron, he'd get his memories back. A long shot, but I gotta try.

"Sadly, Commander Starscream is dead" Megatron lies to Optimus. Before leaving the room. No doubt returning to the bridge to converse with Soundwave.

'Megatron has left' I tell Soundwave. He thanks me and tells me to get back to work. So I focus on Optimus again as he gets started on decoding the next entry.

(Time skip)

Optimus is still decoding when we hear a commotion outside. It sounds like gun fire. We both turn to the door as it opened. Revealing a vehicon. "Angel! Orion! Please return to your station.
Lord Megatron's orders" he tells us before leaving. Optimus didn't return to his station.

'Sire, what is happening?' I ask.

'Autobot, I am seeing her off the ship' he states.

'Optimus left his post' I tell him.

'Stale him' he tells me.

'Yes, sire' I say and follow Optimus. I block his path and he looks down at me confused. I nod back to our work station.

"I hear a commotion, I wish to know what is happening" he states. I flatten my audio receptors. "You can go back if you want" he tells me and walks around me. I follow him. I hear a ground bridge open and see a dim low around the bend. It disappeared as we reached the corner to see Soundwave. "I heard a commotion" Optimus tells him. Soundwave says nothing to him and leaves, no doubt heading back to the bridge.

'Escort him back to the decoding room' he tells me.

'Yes, Sire' I say and tap Optimus' pede. He looks down at me and I head back to our station. He sighs and follows me. He goes back to work decoding, while I lay on a bench chilling. I don't know how much time passes. But our peaceful silence was ruined when Starscream appears. 'Sire, Starscream is here. As in, in the room with Optimus and I' I state as I jump down and hide behind the bench as Starscream points his missiles at Optimus.

'Help is on the way' he tells me.

(Orion Pax- Part 2)

I stay hidden as I watch Starscream and Optimus. "Please! I mean no harm!" Optimus tells Starscream.

"Oh! Then what are you doing here?!" Starscream demands.

"Research. For Lord Megatron" Optimus tells him. Starscream lowers his missiles. "I do not understand. And why did you call me "Optimus Prime"?" Optimus asks him.

"Why wouldn't I?" Starscream asks him.

"Because my name is Orion Pax. I am far from being a Prime" Optimus tells him.

"You reminded me of someone I once knew. That's all" Starscream tells him.

"You are Starscream. Lord Megatron told me you had been terminated" Optimus tells him.

"Lord Megatron says many things only some of which are true" Starscream tells him as he heads over to the console.

"You do not suggest that our leader would speak falsehoods?" Optimus asks him.

"You truly are being kept in the dark, aren't you?" Starscream asks with a smirk. I hear pede steps approaching our position. It's about time back up arrived.

"You speak in many riddles, Starscream. Please, tell me what it is that you know" Optimus pleads. Before Starscream can say anything 3 guards appear and order him to surrender. He hides behind Optimus I snarl and launch myself at him. He screams batting me away with his arm. Before transforming and taking off down the hall way.

"Stay in the lab" the guard tells us.

"But I..." Optimus starts to say.

"Lord Megatron's orders" the guard snaps before they leave.

'Are you alright Angel?' Soundwave asks.

'Yes, but Starscream is making a break for it' I tell him.

'I have already sent reinforcements to block his path. Remain with Optimus, Lord Megatron will brief him shortly' he tells me. I agree.

"Angel, I know you can not speak. But please can you tell me what's going on?" Optimus asks me. I look up at him, wishing I could. But Megatron would kill me.

(Time skip)

Megatron has arrived and I stay in the shadows. "Orion. I am so sorry for the recent commotion.
You were not in any way harmed, were you?" Megatron asks him.

"No, Lord Megatron. Angel and I sustained no injuries" Optimus assures him. "But why did you tell me Starscream was dead?" he asks him confused.

"Because he is dead to our Cause. Starscream was my most trusted lieutenant. Until he turned traitor and joined the Autobots. Never have I witnessed a more profound act of deceit" Megatron tells him. "He did not do or say anything troubling to you?" he asks Optimus.

"No" Optimus lies.

"Good. Perhaps it is best to forget the entire incident and return to your project with Angel" Megatron tells him.

"As you wish, my Lord" Optimus tells him and Megatron leaves the room. "Optimus Prime" Optimus mutters and goes over to the console. He types in the name and nothing comes up. I decide to help him and connect to the console a false image of Optimus appears on screen. "Angel?" he asks and I just nod to the screen disconnecting. He looks back at it.

"Optimus Prime. Leader of the Autobot invaders" he reads and frowns in confusion. "I reminded Starscream of him? And Lord Megatron said Ratchet was the Autobot leader. Someone is not telling the truth" he summarizes. "This file is encrypted" he states and starts to decrypt it. It wouldn't be long before he breaks through the encryption and sees his own face.

"Why would the Decepticon archive be so heavily encrypted?" he asks himself. He finally cracks it and the real image of Optimus appears on screen. He looks at me shocked. "How could I possibly be "Optimus Prime"?" he asks me and I just swish my tail.

'Angel, Megatron knows Optimus has figured out he is lying. He is on his way and he is not happy. Please hide' Soundwave tells me. I jump onto Optimus and he yells in surprise. I jump off him and into an air vent. He looks up at me confused. Before he can say anything, he is distracted by the door opening and Megatron entering the room.

(Orion Pax- Part 3)

"Orion! Have you made progess with project "Iacon"?" Megatron asks Optimus. While I hide in the vents.

"It seems I am a bit rustier than I thought" Optimus tells him.

"Might that have anything to do with the nature of your after-hours research? Did I fail to mention that we will be tracking your activities?" Megatron asks him innocently.

"Why does history portray me siding with the Autobot aggressors? And why did Starscream call me a Prime? I must know! Who am I?" Optimus asks him.

"You are my clerk. Now get back to work and decode that database" Megatron orders. "I'll have your assistant found and returned to you" he adds. I gulp silently.

"No. I would rather erase my findings than make them available for your questionable use" Optimus tells him. Erasing his data. Making Megatron laughs as he made he data reappear.

"Did you really think that we wouldn't be tracking and documenting every iota of your invaluable research?" Megatron asks him. Soundwave enters the room with Laserbeak attached to his chassis. He shows Megatron something on his visor. "One of our sentries was activated on Cybertron?" he asks surprised.

"You told me our planet was dead" Optimus states.

"That is beside the point. Guards!" Megatron calls. Two guards enter the room and he turns back to Optimus. "You will finish project "Iacon" by the time I return or I will carve out your Spark before your very eyes!" he threatens Optimus. "Soundwave, see that Angel is found and sent to Knockout for re-programing" he orders. Soundwave bows his head and they leave the room.

'Run Angel, unless you want to become a mindless drone' Soundwave tells me. I say nothing as I look down at Optimus blocking the link to Soundwave. I can't just leave Optimus here, he must be returned to the autobots. Even if I die during the process. I must wait for Megatron to leave, then I can strike.

The guards are focused on Optimus, pointing their blasters at him. If I can get behind them. Maybe I can distract them. Right now they are focused on Optimus as he works at the console. I drop silently to the ground and creep around behind them as Optimus turns to face them. "No one told you to stop, Pax" one the guards tells him.

"I believe Megatron intends to use whatever he finds on project Iacon to harm the Autobots.
Please. We can warn them" he says and one of the guards punches him. They start to beat him. I snarl and launch myself at one going his neck cables. He screams.

"Get it off!" he shouts and the other guard turns to help. I pounce on him as Optimus blasters appear.

"I'm armed" he says surprised.

"Fire!" I yell as I dodge a grabbing servo. He fires blindly and nearly shot me. But he managed to kill the two guards.

"Angel, are you harmed?" Optimus asks me as his servos reappear. I shake my helm. "Do you know a way out?" he asks and I nod. "Will you help me?" he asks and I just head for the door silently and he follows me. I head to the ground bridge console and activate it to the site of the space bridge.

Optimus goes through first and I follow. I slink off into the shadows as Megatron turned to face Optimus. "I cannot allow that to happen, Megatron" Optimus tells him. When Megatron talked about ending the lineage of the Primes.

"And why should you care, Orion Pax? You are no Prime" Megatron states.

"That may be true. Or yet another deception? But this much I do know: My sympathies lie with the Autobots and you are not one of us" Optimus states. He charges Megatron, who brings him to his knees easily.

"Your Spark may be at the right place, Orion. But you have much to learn before you can hope to ever again stand your ground against me. A moment, sadly, which shall never come" Megatron states and goes to kill him. When Arcee appears from the open space bridge portal tackling Megatron away from Optimus. They both begin to fight as Jack appears with a key card.

"Are you... certain I'm worthy?" Optimus asks Jack. As I join them.

"You have no idea" Jack tells him.

"It's time to remember who you are Optimus" I tell him. Jack looks at me surprised. "I'll miss working with Orion, but that is not who you are anymore" I state. The key card activates returning his memories to him. Megatron tried to stop it, but he was to late and Optimus blocks his blow.

"Megatron. Be gone!" he shouts punching him hard. Sending him flying into the wall across the room. The rest of the autobots gather around us. Its time for me to go, I race off down the tunnel as they are all distracted. I'm finally free of the Nemesis and it feels good to run in the open air. Sure it'll take me a while to get back to Jasper, Nevada. But it'll give me plenty of time to enjoy my freedom and my old life.

A/N

Picture above of Optimus Prime (aka Orion Pax) decoding Iacon database.