"Even if the sky is falling down,
I know that we'll be safe and sound"

»«

Despite what Megatron and Ratchet had said, Dana didn't instantly die from inhalation of toxic chemicals.

Staying at the beginning vortext of the Spacebridge, she half expected Megatron to come stepping through as well, which would probably kill her in the process. But it was a risk she was all too willing to take.  And she didn't dare go back, not until Arcee knew what was coming.

Her breaths were long and slow, carefully testing what each breath felt like. She suspected that the closer to Cybertron she got, the more painful it would be; but right now she didn't feel any sort of discomfort or pain from the air. Taking that as a good sign, she took a few steps forward, then took out her phone.

"No signal." She muttered. "Honestly not surprised. Stupid Verizon."

Pocketing the device, she waited for what seemed like ages, unsure of Megatron would eventually lose his patience and walk through, or just assume she was dead.

Adrenalin was still pumping through her veins due to that encounter. He had ever moment to crush her, yet something was holding him back. Perhaps the warlord was just as curious about her as she was of him? She grinned a little at that. She hoped that more encounters would soon come to pass, and she couldn't wait. An idea grew in the back of her mind; one which seemed incredibly dangerous, and yet so very fun.

Despite being so small, she felt she could dance around him, tease him, taunt him, push his limits, see just how far she could go. If something was holding him back, she wanted to know what it was.

Dana was suddenly snapped out of her thoughts by the rev of an engine coming through the other side, and she braced for anything, be it Arcee or that Insecticon she had been fighting earlier.

The motorcycle that burst through skidded to a stop, Arcee transforming and landing heavily on her feet, her optics wide.

"Dana! You're not supposed to be here!" She hissed.

"Arcee!" The human girl wasted no time. "Megatron is on the other side of that portal. I came in here to warn you. He wants to steal and destroy the Matrix of Leadership!"

Arcee paused, taking it all in, glaring at the other side of the Spacebridge. "The Matrix is safe with Jack. I'm going in first. You need to get out of here the moment I disappear. The air in here is at dangerous levels."

She blinked in surprise. "I haven't noticed anything."

"Well, in about thirty seconds you're probably going to begin to feel the effects of slow oxygen deprivation." Arcee replied matter-of-factly. "So let's stop wasting time." She transformed into her motorcycle again and sped back around, getting a good distance before she revved her engine and charged through the Spacebridge, just in time to intercept Megatron from ending Orion Pax.

Jack popped in a few moments later, his eyes wide. "Dana?"

"Yeah yeah, we've already been through this." She grabbed his arm, now beginning to feel a little vertigo. "We need to get out of here, now!" As they ran back to the Spacebridge command center, she began seeing dots. How did Arcee know?

As they exited the portal her lungs suddenly felt ten times better, the sharp twang of oxygen flooding them as she gasped in surprise. Unbeknownst to her, she had been slowly poisoning herself, and now back in Earth's atmosphere, her body was ever grateful for the non-toxic air.

A figure stirred before her, and to her surprise she realized it was Optimus Prime, though something was noticeably different. His face shield was down, and his optics were much wider, more innocent.

Orion Pax.

A groan drew her attention away from him, and the human immediately scrambled to the edge of the Spacebridge.

"Ratchet!" She called, skidding down to her guardian. Emerging was leaking from the corner of his mouth, but she didn't let that stop her from going to him. His optics slid open as her warm hand touched his cool faceplate.

"Dana . . ."

"It's okay." She assured him. "Jack has the Matrix." Glancing behind her, she smiled. "And he's giving it to Optimus."

"Optimus . . . Is here?" Ratchet shifted, trying to sit up.

"Easy, easy." His charge moved her hand to his arm, as if that would help anything. "Arcee is dealing with Megatron right now."

His optics furrowed. "Did he see you?"

While she was a tad confused as to why Ratchet would care, she decided to lie, for now. He would only get upset if he learned that she talked to Megatron, again.

"No, no. I . . . Well, I'll tell you later." She looked back in surprise as a crash rang through the Spacebridge control center, a magnificent sight before them.

Optimus Prime had caught Megatron's blade before it could strike him, his face mask in place.

"Megatron . . . Be gone!" The Prime shouted before landing a mighty punch into his adversary's face. The Autobots and humans watched with complete awe as Optimus landed punch after punch, landing a final, massive blow and sending Megatron flying into a pillar on the opposite side of the Spacebridge.

Dana glanced back at her guardian as he stood up, not protesting when he gently picked her up and held her close to his chest.

"Let's go." He told her, climbing back up to the Spacebridge walkway with Optimus, ready to join their leader, and fight if need be. Dana held on to one of his fingers tightly, and as the Autobots regrouped a Groundbridge opened beside them.

"It's ours!" Arcee assured them.

"Autobots, fall back!" Optimus commanded as Megatron climbed back up the Spacdbridge, the Autobots shooting at the Decepticon to try and slow him down.

Megatron glared hatefully at the Autobots, though his gaze was briefly torn to Ratchet's servo, where a determined human femme looked back at him. A flicker of surprise crossed his faceplates.

She survived.

A shot to the shoulder snapped him back from the human, and he growled. He had let himself get distracted, and his shields were paying for it.

Charging up his canon, the warlord charged towards the Autobots, bent on ending them all right there if he could.

Arcee picked up Jack and darted through the Groundbridge, Ratchet going next with his charge carefully cupped in his large hand, Bumblebee and Bulkhead soon following. Arcee took the time to set Jack down, but Dana just looked up at her guardian.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"I'm alright." He sighed with relief. "Now that Optimus is back, everything is as it should be."

Her hand reached out and touched his opposable digit, careful to not touch the sensitive pad at the end, knowing he didn't enjoy having it touched, especially without any sort of permission.

"I'm glad you're feeling better." She smiled, earning one in return.

"I am. Thank you." Ratchet said before he stepped through the other side of the Groundbridge.

Dana kept that smile until the end of the evening. Everything was as it should be.

»«

She survived.

It was impossible, but true. Somehow, the human girl had walked into that Spacebridge, and then walk out, without any noticeable ill effects. She had blatantly looked him in the optics and tried to stop him. And when he challenged her, she had taken it without a second thought.

And her guardian was the medic, Ratchet. That much was clear; it would explain his protective nature over her, and the way he carried her, like Arcee did the boy, Jack, when they retreated.

He paused. He knew Jack's name, but not hers. She clearly knew who he was, but Megatron expected to be known by all species of living, sentient creatures. It would have been an insult if she hadn't known. But they had never properly introduced themselves to each other, and now it seemed they were going to be seeing each other more often.

His sharp denta exposed themselves as he grinned. Well, if they hadn't properly introduced themselves yet, he would have to make a point of doing so. It was only polite.

I will most certainly be seeing you again, femme.