Optimus's Perspective

Watching her arrive Optimus felt guilt well up; he should be helping to get her out of there. But he needed a spy.

"Optimus, you're early." She smiled, showing her teeth.

"Tell me, have you learned anything new?"

She transformed and held out a disk, "This is a copy of their battle plans. What they're planning, when they'll attack. It's all here."

"Thank you. I don't know how you're doing this but keep it up."

Seeing the sudden look on her face he became worried.

"Sydia? Is there something you're not telling me?" When she didn't reply, he tried again.

"Sydia, this is more than enough, come back with me. Come join the Maximals. We can protect you."

But it was an old promise, and it slid off her unheard.

"Can you meet me here after sunset? I have something important to talk to you about."

Raising an eyebrow at the urgency he laid a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

"If something is bothering you I wish you'd tell me now."

She shook her head, "I feel safer talking to you at night."

"Very well. I'll meet you by the pond, over there, after sunset." He gave her a questioning look, and against his better judgment, left.

Upon arrival back at the Ark he gave the disk to Rhinox.

"See if you can pick up anything useful."

Taking the disk Rhinox noticed the distant look on his old friends face.

"How is she holding up?"

Optimus shook his head, "Barely. Something’s wrong but she won't tell me until tonight."

"Let's just hope Megatron doesn't suspect anything."

"Sydia would've alerted us if she thought she had been discovered." But he couldn't shake the feeling of doubt.

Trying to stay focused he went over the battle plans with Rhinox.

"When where you to meet Sydia?" Rhinox asked, breaking the long silence.

"I should leave now, so she's not waiting."

Flying quickly, he made his way to the jungle. He felt the first few raindrops as he landed.

"Sydia?"

It was pitch black, and even with his IR scanners on he couldn't find her. Lightning suddenly lit up his vision, and he spotted her, directly in front of him, curled up in an odd position. Bending over he picked her up, and found out why she hadn't shown up on his Infra-red. Her body was stone cold. He hugged her to his body, almost wishing for his spark to ignite her extinguished one.

She was shot at from a point blank range, his mind processed with an insane calmness. Because she had a gaping hole where her spark should have been. Slowly, and with great care he unfurled her body; only to realize that she was only half dressed.

His spark shuddering, and a pit of nothing slowly forming in his stomach, he reattached her armor, and walked back to the Ark, his precious cargo held tightly in his arms. The rain was coming down in torrents now, making travel difficult.

Rhinox looked up, and rushed to Primal's side once he realized what he held.

"What happened?"

Optimus held her tightly, refusing to let go.

"Rampage, or Tarantulas. We were too late,...and....and it's my fault." His voice was hallow, even and emotionless.

"I refuse to put anymore of my teammates at risk."

He looked down at Sydia, cursing his robotics forms inability to cry. He looked back to Rhinox.

"She will be given the proper burial, as the Maximal she was."

Slowly, carefully, he handed her to Rhinox, who looked back to Primal.

"Are you going to be okay?"

But with the loss of weight in his arms he was back in command.

"After the burial I want you to go over everything in that disk. Sydia's death will not be in vain. We will win this war, for her, for Tigatron and Airazor, and for Dinobot.

Turning, head held high, the Maximal leader left for his Chambers.