Hidden Spark on Earth (TFP)

Chapter 9

"Saphira is a permanent residence here," Ratchet said gently. "And she will remain here for as long as she wishes." Saphira glanced at Ratchet curiously before looking at Fowler who frowned at her. "You might be able to help her too."

"Hmm...maybe, considering those bruises on her upper arms look like someone punched her repeatedly with a closed fist." The man walked over, glancing up at the monitors curiously. "So...I missed out on some of the action, did I?"

Jack took that moment to explain what was happening right now to Fowler, after all he had been out this whole time and needed the right to know. Saphira stood there, looking at the monitor with worry. She was trying to imagine what was happening up there, but she also didn't want to imagine it. Especially if the autobots are injured. She widened her eyes as the sensors began detecting a mass of beings coming through the space bridge. She tightened her grip on the bar of the railing, staring with fear filled eyes.

"Optimus, I'm registering a rapidly expanding mass in their space bridge vortex," Ratchet informs, his face not hiding any kind of concern that he had for his fellow autobots. "One with a peculiar energy signature."

"Dark energon," Optimus acknowledged in response. "Ratchet, we must destroy the space bridge. There's enough live energon coursing through it to achieve detonation." Detonation?! Saphira widened her eyes at that. "But we lack the firepower to ignite it."

"But...wouldn't a blast from a live space bridge be...catastrophic?" Saphira asked in a small, nervous voice.

"If in the blast radius, yes," Ratchet confirmed, making her shudder at the thought. "If I knew how the space bridge was engineered, I might find a technical way of accomplishing that feat."

Raf reached into his pocket suddenly. "Um...would schematics help?" He asked, holding up the USB.

Ratchet nodded to Raf and the boy walked to the console to plug the USB in. He glanced up at the monitor with a sad expression. "Optimus, I must say the space bridge is our sole hope of ever returning to Cybertron. Are you certain its destruction is the only option?"

"I am afraid so," Optimus responded in a sad, yet gentle tone. "Our world isn't the one that will be conquered if we sit back and do nothing. I for one will not allow for it to happen, even if we cannot get back home."

Saphira looked up at Ratchet with a sad expression. "I am sorry you have to make that decision. But...there is a saying among humans. Home is where the heart is. You don't have a home by finding a structure, it is where your heart belongs."

The medic softened his expression upon hearing her words. "You are a very confusing human, Saphira. But thank you, I will take that metaphor into consideration." He glanced up at the monitor to keep speaking to Optimus. "Let us light our darkest hour! Raf, bring up the schematics."

Raf was already working on it so Ratchet could see the space bridge plans. Saphira stared at the monitor screen, she could see the life signatures off all four bots, it showed how damaged they were and it could show how weak their spark is. Saphira knew that the stakes were high. She really wanted to say something to Optimus, but refrained in case she distracted him.

"So..." She jumped at hearing Fowler's voice and turned to look at him with wide eyes. "Saphira, is it?" She nodded slightly to him. "Jack tells me you are homeless and without your family. I am not going to get into details, I can find that out about you easily. However..." She looked away from him with a frown. "I am not going to tell you what to do, alright? I can tell you are going through a bad time. I am assuming the bruises on your body were done by your family, or by someone else you know. Whichever it is, you are in good hands."

"Not really..." Saphira said quietly, quiet enough that she hoped Ratchet would not hear. "They have already made it clear I am not welcome."

"That isn't what I see, Saphira," The man said to her calmly. "Maybe you have been through rejection your whole life. You lost someone you love and cared about as a child, and the rest you have been through was never deserved. I can tell you are a lovely girl." She rolled her eyes and turned her head away from him. "Let someone in and help you. I can pay for a therapist..."