And coming up tonight at ten, terror befalls a local neighborhood when an Autobot and Decepticon battle is waged right in amongst people's own homes. One house is completely in ruins, and residents are saying the owner might've actually been an associate to the Autobots. Reports of any injuries or casualties have yet to be released, although this recent attack begs the ongoing debate-should human-kind be involved in an interstellar conflict that wasn't even ours to begin with? Even with the Autobots swearing to protect us from their enemies, is humanity truly safe? I'm Susan Blu, and coming up, we-

"Aw, turn it off."

The big TV screen winked out with a resounding click of the remote. Spike glared at the blank screen, looking nothing short of disgusted, "That's the news for you; always blowing things out of proportion, trying to scare people more than they already are. The Decepticons could care less about us-they've only gone after the people personally if the person had something they wanted."

Carly, however, who was sitting next to him on the couch, drew in a worried breath, "True, but try to understand that not everyone in the world knows what goes on in the Ark. Even I forget that there's only a handful of us who help the Autobots on a day to day basis. Most likely, the press is never going to fully discover what truly sparked the whole disaster."

The boy glanced at his girlfriend; both curious and concerned, "You really think Optimus'll just leave everyone in the dark like that?"

The blonde nodded, "As honest as he is, I think even he knows how worse off we'd all be if the press got wind of an invention that turns humans into robots. He wants to get rid of the thing anyway, so what's the point of causing even more of a ruckus? He's kind, but not stupid." She reclined back into the cushions; staring up at the ceiling as she mulled over the past few days, "Still…those stuffy reporters DO have a point. For all intents and purposes, this was an isolated incident, but just how long is it gonna' stay that way? This whole mess proved the 'Cons aren't above stooping low to get what they want. They've left us alone up to this point because they knew we were protected. But these guys TRACKED Kayla down. They found out she was leaving and finally saw their opening. They know now that the 'Bots can't be around us 24/7. What's to stop them from going after Chip, or Raoul, or your dad…or you and me?"

Spike rested his chin in his hands; giving her the usual "I'm your boyfriend, so I'll look after YOU" expression, "One thing at a time. You'd make a perfect anchor for the news."

"Very funny", Carly groaned. She crossed her arms; signaling she wasn't joking around, "All I'm saying is, the public senses there's a change in the wind. The 'Cons are getting bolder-their strategies different, and even if everyone else doesn't consciously know it, they can feel it. So can I. And we need to be ready."

The boy kept his eyes on the floor, not wanting to meet the girl's gaze. It was hard to accept, but he knew she was right. The press wasn't going to let the 'Bots fully live this down. Within a matter of weeks, all the rules were changing, and humanity was caught in the middle. But not one to let his fear show, Spike let out a huff, "They could've at least said how the 'Bots were helping to rebuild the neighborhood. The Protectobots, Grapple, and Hoist have been cleaning up for three days straight now."

Carly nodded, "Yeah, they should have. Last I heard, they were setting to work on constructing a new house for Kayla and her mom."

"By the way", Spike scratched his head, "Where is she anyway?"
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"And down that way is Wheeljack's lab", the musician pointed with her cane, "Although, I guess you already knew that."

Her mom held back a sigh, "Oh yeah, I remember THAT."

The girl ignored the sarcasm behind the remark; instead scratching her head as she thought. The mother grew nervous, "You okay? Need help?"

"Nah", the red head waved her off, "Just tryin' to get my bearings is all. Now, where haven't we gone yet…?"

Her voice trailed off as she mumbled to herself. In the meantime, the woman glanced around at the orange walls that surrounded them. Hallways shot off in all directions-all doors looked the same. How anyone managed to not get lost in such a huge spaceship was beyond her. She knew her daughter was a master at memorization…but to learn the map of this place, then reinterpret it for a blind person…

The mom was pulled from her thoughts when she was literally pulled by the arm and led down a new corridor. The girl tapped her cane as she went; smile returning, "Come on, the quarters are this way. Another fifty steps and we'll be at Jazz's room."

Mrs. Matthews resigned herself to being led down the new passage; keeping quiet as Kayla pointed out everything they passed; a new memory or story to share for each room, around every corner. For the past week or two, both red heads had been staying at Autobot Headquarters-laying low while their house was rebuilt and the press ran around like chickens with their heads cut off. Both Carly and Chip had graciously offered their homes to the duo, but Optimus Prime insisted they stay within the fortified Ark for their own protection. The mother suspected he also wanted to make up for what happened to them in any way he could. And considering the state they were found in, there was no argument.

Not long after Jazz and his team arrived on the scene, Kayla transformed back to her human state, before collapsing. After the last of the Decepticons were driven away from home base, both her and her mom were immediately rushed to the Ark, and taken straight to the med bay, where Ratchet and First Aid tended to their injuries. At the time, the woman was too shell shocked to complain-happy that her and her child were finally receiving SOME kind of help. With the wounds dressed and everything in relative order, the two were ushered to the human quarters, where both passed out and stayed that way for the rest of the evening and into the next morning. It wasn't until three days later that they were fully up and about again, receiving updates on the outside world through the news and the 'Bots themselves.

Everyday since then, Kayla dedicated herself to giving her mother a proper tour of the Ark. No door was left unopened; no floor unwalked. Every last nook and cranny was explored and explained down to the last detail. The girl even revealed an air vent (small to a robot; big for a human) that Spike and her friends used as a shortcut to get from one end of the ship to another. It was their own little group secret that confused the heck out of the Autobots as to how they got across the Ark so fast. Mrs. Matthews couldn't help but laugh…until her daughter offered to take her through it, and suddenly, the thought of navigating a pitch black tunnel made her nervous. Not that she doubted the musician's prowess, but she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth either.

Just then, Bluestreak came plodding down the opposite direction; stopping when he saw the mother and daughter walking past. He asked the duo how they were feeling, and for the tenth time that day, both responded with a nod and shrug. Same question, same answer, different Autobot. In their time of being bed ridden, the duo explained to their friends just what exactly had happened at the house, so suffice it to say, the amazed mechs were giving the girls the star treatment since then. And as much as the mother longed to be left alone just for a moment, strangely enough, she couldn't find it in her heart to be angry anymore. The 'Bots were kind enough to open up their base/home; taking care of them as if they lived there all their lives…even after all the hateful things the woman said before. As various mechs encountered them, they took the time to make idle chit-chat; talking as if the fight from before never happened. And Kayla, in turn, would make introductions, before asking the usual about reports; how a recent injury was healing up-things of that sort. It was like she never left, and for the moment, the girl was happy to keep it that way. Any sense of normalcy was better than having to face the grim reality on a constant basis.

The mother held back a groan; karma was such a son of a-

"We're here!" the musician broke the silence that befell the hallway after Bluestreak took his leave. Both red heads found themselves standing in front of a large, automatic door…just like all the other ones that lined the corridor.

The woman shrugged, "And here is?"

Her question was answered when the doors suddenly opened with a swish, and out stepped a familiar face.

"Hey there, lil' lady!" Jazz smiled down at the two. He looked to the mother and gave a curt nod, "Maim." Optics were then back on Kayla, "I was wonderin' when you two would make yer' way around 'ere."

"Just savin' the best for last", the girl quipped without missing a beat.

The saboteur let out a laugh; jabbing a thumb at the musician, but optics directed at Mrs. Matthews, "And who says this girly girl's blind? She's got th' best eye for everyhin'!"

The mom couldn't help but smirk, "I've always thought that…but I don't think it's been until just now that I've really started to learn it."

The Porsche nodded; understanding that she had a lot more on her mind when giving that statement. A short pause later, he cleared his throat-trying to break the tension, "Well? Are ya' two just gonna' dawdle out 'ere? C'mon in…I got a lil' somethin' for ya'."

Kayla took her cue and walked past like a seasoned guest, "Aww, you're too kind. What's the special occasion?"

Jazz chuckled; same old girl as always. He then glanced at her mom, who was still hanging back-eyeing the room as if only members were allowed. She soon found herself being gently pushed inside by a giant, metal foot. The saboteur flashed a toothy grin, "Well c'mon! Ya' don't need a ticket."

With that, the woman slowly edged her way inside; eyes carefully examining everything in the room. Clockwise from the left of the door was a giant desk; a personal computer sitting on top with various notes stuck to it like one would see in any office. Next up was the oversized stereo, with stacks of records, cassettes, and CD's surrounding it like a makeshift fort. A recharge birth in the corner-nothing glamorous there. The rest of the space was devoted to storage and a huge, but still rather comfy looking couch. All n' all, it almost looked just like the girl's bedroom…only giant. And yet the mother still couldn't help but feel a bit anxious. This was the area Kayla spoke of the most-where she spent a good chunk of time bonding with Jazz. She could almost imagine them cracking jokes; making music together. And not once did the mother believe she'd ever step into this room, much less the Ark, period.

She realized just how much of her daughter's life she wasn't involved in, and it filled her soul with a bit of shame. It was the equivalent to finally gaining access to the cool, neighborhood clubhouse, only to be embarrassed that you had no clue who everyone was or how the rules worked.

"So, what do you think?" the musician broke the awkward silence. Mrs. Matthews turned to see the girl casually walking backward; retracted cane hanging from her belt loop; arms open dramatically, "Pretty sweet, huh?"

"Uh, yeah", the mom forced a smile, "Very…homey."

And it WAS, really. She had to figure that with the war lasting so long, the troops had to cling to whatever touches of Cybertron, as well as the worlds they visited, that they could. She understood that from her husband; a personal quarters became a soldier's own little house…a tiny world he could escape to, if only for a moment. And suddenly, she found herself relaxing, the more the thought sunk in.

"Here ya' go, Kay", Jazz made a box appear seemingly from nowhere. He shoved the oddly-shaped package into Kayla's hands, who felt it over carefully. A pull of the ribbon and tear of the wrapping paper, and…

"Aw, Jazz…" the girl held back a tear.

A new guitar sat cradled in her lap; deep orange decorated with blue music notes and stars. She petted the all too familiar object as if it were alive, before joyfully plucking a silver string. The humming note sounded like Heaven.

"Courtesy of Mr. Scratch", the saboteur explained; sitting cross-legged next to the two women, "I stopped by his shop to tell him what happened, an' he told me to give ya' this. He can't wait to see you two again."

The musician looked up in the mech's general direction; cheeks flushing, a smile from ear to ear, "You guys are the best."

The Porsche gently cupped the red head in his enormous hand; pulling her close, "Considerin' all that's gone down, I'm glad ya' still think so."

The two musicians were content to just sit together-not saying a word; listening only to the random melody the girl strummed as she tuned up her new instrument. All the while, the mother stared at the peaceful scene, lost in her own thoughts. Just those few words and simple gestures spoke unimaginable volumes at how close the two had become. How well they understood each other. And how they could lose everything they ever had, and not care in the slightest. As long as they could be together-still stay friends, they were okay.

And suddenly, it all came full circle as the woman realized that Kayla fit in with the Autobots more than any other place in the world. And as much as she didn't want to admit it, the whole experience showed her just how vulnerable they were in trying to separate themselves from the 'Bots. Maybe it WAS better to stay as their associates after all…

A huge finger tapped Mrs. Matthews shoulder, and she turned to see Jazz smirking at her-no doubt silently inviting her into the group hug. She gave an arc of the eyebrow; showing she wasn't a fool, "You're making this really hard for me."

The saboteur chuckled; knowing exactly what she was talking about, "Am I now?"

Just then, the doors to his quarters swished open, revealing his fellow black and white comrade, Prowl. The police car blinked at the odd scene-the Porsche sitting Indian style on the floor, cuddling with the two red heads; one looking annoyed at the intrusion, the other relieved. But he cleared his throat and carried on like he saw nothing, "Prime wants to see you three in the mess hall. He's calling a bit of a meeting together."

The trio nodded. They didn't need to hear anymore to know exactly what the discussion was about.
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.

Really, only Optimus, Jazz, Wheeljack, Ratchet, and the two red heads were needed for the discussion. But it wasn't long before other mechs filed into the hall-taking seats and already mumbling over what the possible outcomes could be. Kayla and her mom were healed up; pretty much over the initial shock of their recent tragedy, and their new house was nearing completion. Prime had said nothing as to what the sudden meeting was about, but considering all the aforementioned facts, it wasn't hard to hazard a guess.

Said leader expected the turnout, oddly enough. When an ally of the Autobots was severely harmed, the resulting ripple affected everyone in some form or another. His fellow soldiers deserved to know what was going on, especially if a friend's future was being called into question.

Just then, the door opened one final time, allowing Jazz to enter the room. All optics were on the Porsche, as he carried Kayla and Mrs. Matthews on either of his shoulders. Clearly, this was the first time the mother ever rode on an Autobot, for she clung to the mech's helm for dear life; holding back gasps of trepidation. She practically kissed the ground when they were finally set down on the table closest Prime, so they could be at eye level with the 'Bots. The mom hissed a low and quick, "don't ever make me do that again" to her daughter, but sharp audios caused a few nearby mechs to chuckle. Spike, Sparkplug, Carly, and Chip had already taken their respective seats, but slid over to give the new arrivals some room.

Just then, Optimus clapped his hands together, "Alright everyone, settle down."

Silence fell a mere second later.

The 18-wheeler gazed at the crowd before him; all of whom gave their undivided attention-starring with expecting optics. So he minced no words and got right down to business, "Considering the amount of you here, I expect you've all already read the reports. Some of us are still out in the field cleaning up a certain mess, so I won't bore you with details you already know. The fact of the matter is, this new invention-this chip that turns humans into robots, seems to have opened up a new can of worms, as Earth people would put it. And I've called this meeting to discuss just what our next decision should be regarding this matter." He eyed both red heads as he continued, "I'm sure you're probably wondering why I haven't just dealt with the matter myself, but this situation concerns both Autobots and our human allies. It's only fair that both sides have a say in the matter."

Said group of humans all nodded at one another, before glancing at Kayla. If she was nervous or worried, they couldn't tell, for her face remained flat and unreadable. And then, to the surprise of all, it was her who broke the uncomfortable quiet, "Well, first things first. Did anyone catch what our neighbors have been sayin'? 'Cause I'll be shocked if they don't already hate our guts just a teensy bit."

Both Optimus and Ratchet heaved a sigh; proof they were more than fed up with the mountains of questions being thrown at them. The ambulance started, "I've been in constant contact with the Protectobots. According to First Aid, the locals are obviously steamed about the damage…but I think getting a quick and free repair job by us has lightened 'em up a bit. Give us one more day of work, and the whole block'll look as if nothing happened."

Mrs. Matthews eyes were full of dread, "And…have they said anything about us?"

Ratchet knew by "us", she meant her and her daughter. He tapped his chin with his finger as he thought, "Well…judging by the confusion, I assume you never really outright told anyone about being buddy-buddy with giant robots." The mother shook her head, so the medic continued, "Although, with Jazz, or any of us really, picking you two up nearly every day, a few had their suspicions."

The woman nodded; accepting the news, but looking none less worried. Carly raised her hand, "Where were the neighbors when the…thing happened, anyway?"

The ambulance seemed to brighten at the question, "Actually, most of them weren't home at the time. The few that were took cover in their basements and missed most of it." His tone darkened as he added, "Still…they DO find it a bit odd that only one house in the middle of a bunch was completely destroyed, and the others left standing."

The mother rubbed her temples, feeling a whole new headache coming on. The musician sighed and folded her arms, "Let's just put it this way-does anyone know one of the robots was me?"

Ratchet shook his head, "No. Bumblebee told me it wasn't until after I left with you two that the neighbors came home, or out of hiding. They DO notice you're missing, but they don't know where you are, and we haven't told them either. Whatever cover story you wanna' tell them is up to you."
"So basically, they're gonna' have questions, but they're not gonna' immediately go for their pitch forks and torches either", the girl's question sounded more like a statement.

The medic nodded, "For your sake, I hope so."

Mrs. Matthews hardly looked relieved, but Kayla thought different. Another hurdle to jump, but at least this one was a bit more manageable. Coming up with a "we were on vacation" excuse would be a cake walk compared to what was coming next. The burning question escaped her mouth, "And what about the press?"

An exasperated groan echoed around the room, as if to say, "you just HAD to bring it up". But no one felt the sting more than Optimus himself, who had to single-handedly deal with one reporter after another shoving microphones in his face. As he started to speak, it was clear in his tone he hated the press, but didn't want to come out and say it.

"Suffice it to say, the media is in a firestorm", the truck explained, "They have too many questions and aren't getting the answers they want. I keep insisting this incident was just a random attack, but they clearly only believe me to a certain point. They know something bigger is going on, and they're afraid that whatever it is, is going to get out of hand."

Sparkplug rubbed his forehead in annoyance. Being the unofficial ambassador of sorts to the Autobots, along with Spike, he knew the responsibility of keeping the reporters calm would inevitably fall on his and his son's shoulders. He waved a hand, trying to look confident, "There's always gonna' be nut jobs makin' a mountain out of a molehill. You leave the press to us. I'm sure they'll sing a different tune when it's a human deliverin' the news instead. We'll just keep tellin' 'em we got the situation under control, and that's that."

Spike nodded his approval, before looking to Prime with a smile, "Face it, Optimus. You're a great leader, but a lousy liar."

A soft chuckle rippled across the crowd, to which the truck rubbed the back of his head-cheeks blushing underneath his face mask. As long as everyone's spirits were lifted for the moment, Ratchet looked to Mrs. Matthews; smirking as he added, "We're just putting the finishing touches on your new house. You should be ready to move back in tomorrow. We tried our best to make it look just like the original."

The mother appeared ready to cry. Deep down, nothing would ever quite replace their old home, and there would still be a lot of work to be done when they finally came back…but to have a new house ready and waiting in a matter of weeks was nothing short of a miracle. When she didn't answer straight away, the musician spoke for her, "We don't have to see it to know we already love it. We can't thank you all enough."

Jazz let out a laugh, "With all the updated electric and reinforced steel walls I told 'em to put in, you'll have the safest house within a ten mile radius now."

Optimus smiled at his third in command-always noticing the finer details that most people miss or don't think about. But soon, his expression grew serious again as the true order of business had to make itself known, "Now that our more immediate matters are settled, we can concentrate on a much bigger problem." He turned to the red, green and white mech standing next to him, "Wheeljack."

The Lancia nodded, before reaching into a subspace pocket and holding up the transformation chip in his fingers. At once, the whole room was hushed again. His optics passed across the room as he explained, "After examining the chip inside and out, I've made one more crucial discovery." His gaze then fell to the musician and her mom, "It appears that the device has formed a bond with Kayla's DNA. When I tried activating it by force, it wouldn't accept my access codes."

The girl's eyebrow arched, "What do you mean, "bonded"?"

"I mean that no one, not even me, can get the thing to work anymore", the scientist shrugged, "Now when this rewrite of the transformation sequence happened is hard to say. Could've been because you were trapped in the suit for so long. Although, my guess is when you purposely activated it the second time around." He starred at the chip; rubbing his faceplate in thought, before looking back to the girl, "Either way, it seems that this little charm only works for you now."

Nearly everyone in the mess hall was now starring at the red head, who could only blush and curl up in a ball, wondering whether to be relieved or worried. Did her actions just save the Autobots a lot of trouble, or only make a bigger mess of things? She hated to have possibly ruined Wheeljack's prized invention. Apparently, her human companions had the same question, for Chip raised his hand, "In that case, what're you going to do with it now? There's still a ton of things about it we haven't gotten to study yet."

Had the situation not been as serious, 'Jack would've grinned. That was Chip Chase-caring to his friends, but never forgetting the science. The Lancia sighed as he ticked off the options, "I was thinkin' the same thing. I don't want all my research to completely go to waste, which is why the blueprints have been comin' in handy for my latest project."

Spike tensed up, "And THAT is?"

"A new take on the "protective suit" idea", the scientist put his hands on his hips with confidence, "Still gotta' find SOME way to keep you humans safe. I wouldn't worry this time, though. These ones are gonna' be a lot less…invasive, if ya' know what I mean."

All six humans collectively breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, armor that would just STAY armor, and not involve bodily transformations. But from somewhere in the back of the room, Skyfire made his voice heard, "But even after you've completed these…"exo suits", or what have you, what will ultimately become of the chip?"

Wheeljack scratched his head; starring at the pendant as if it would give him the answer, "I'm not sure…it still wouldn't be great if the Decepticons got a hold of it. But if even I can't turn the thing on anymore, I doubt they'll have much luck either. If they DID steal it, I'm pretty confident they wouldn't be givin' us trouble with it."

Never the less, Kayla's heart still pounded in her chest. The 'Cons may not have been able to use the chip now…but Thundercracker's cryptic words still rang in her head. Her, her mom, and her four friends sitting beside her were now officially on their enemy's hit list. Pendant or no pendant, they were all going to be targeted…and all because she picked a fight with Soundwave. She did more than beat him down, she injured his pride. To be subdued by a human, even one in a battle suit…well, she could only imagine how much more a 'Con could loathe an Earthling after that. It was then she realized that her and her mom couldn't just simply move into their new house and go back to the way things used to be. Any attack thrown upon them would be her fault…she just couldn't put her mom through that again.

In that moment, the girl made her decision. She had been mulling it over ever since the battle in her neighborhood, but this new revelation made her finally take action. Now was the only time she could act.

But before she could speak out, Cliffjumper piped up, "That stupid thing's caused more trouble than it's worth. I say destroy it."

A wave of mumbles erupted in the crowd, with more than a few nodding in agreement. Others didn't seem very sure, with optics darting between Wheeljack and the group of humans sitting nearby. If this concerned Earth people so much, surely they'd be given a choice? In all the excitement, no one noticed Kayla rise to her feet; expression appearing to be a mixture of anxiety and anger. Her fellow humans glanced at her-wondering what she was up to. She cleared her throat, but still, no one listened; too enthralled in arguing amongst each other.

Finally, the musician let out a loud whistle, "HEY!"

Immediately, the bickering ceased. All eyes were on the musician. And blind or not, she could still feel each and every one of their stares. Her heart caught in her throat a moment; not expecting such a sudden, dead silence. But what she had to say was important. She took a deep breath; it was now or never.

"Um…" her mind raced to conjure up the right words, "If…if this chip only works for me now…then shouldn't I have a say in what we should do with it?"

The mechs looked at one another; some shrugging-most nodding. Mrs. Matthews looked apprehensive, but never the less, let her daughter carry on. Optimus fully turned to the red head, "It's only fair, Kayla. What do you suggest?"

There was a long pause as the girl lowered her head in thought. Was this the right thing to do? She was already starting to slowly repair the burnt bridges between her mother and the Autobots. Was what she was about to say going to reopen the wound? She supposed there was no turning back now-it was time to finally express her true feelings-not just to those closest to her, but to everyone. Her head rose, and what she said was spoken loud and clear.

"…I wanna' keep it."

The entire mess hall erupted in an explosion of gasps and utterances of "what?!", "what did she say?", "is she crazy?!" Even Optimus took a noticeable step back; blinking in surprise. All at once, Spike and company sprang to their feet; mouths open in complete shock. Only Mrs. Matthews looked on in growing horror-she knew exactly what her daughter was thinking…and she knew she had to think of a way to convince her otherwise. She started to reach for the girl's shoulder, "Kayla…please, think about this."

But her hand recoiled back when the red head pressed forward, "I've done enough thinking. We've all done enough thinking. It's time we took action."

"What do you mean by "we"?" Carly asked.

The musician continued, knowing the blonde would get her answer soon enough, "All these years, humans have been at the mercy of the Decepticons-always waiting to be rescued by Autobots and never being able to fight back. And what happened at my house is proof that we're not safe anymore." She motioned to Carly and the gang as she spoke, "The 'Cons are officially after us now, and we're going to need a way to defend ourselves."

"I'm aware of that", Wheeljack nodded, "That's what the exo suits are gonna' be for."

"Even so", the girl sighed, "You wouldn't have made them if it wasn't for the chip first."

"Maybe", the Lancia crossed his arms, "But the pendant could be potentially harmful to the body if it's worn for too long."

"I understand that", Kayla began to pace a bit, "But I'm willing to take that risk if it means being able to protect the people I love. If I didn't have that chip, my mom and I probably would've died before you guys even got there."

A chill went up the mother's spine as she thought back to that fateful morning. Her child DID have a point. It was only because of the girl's Autobot mode that they were both able to escape the wreckage of their house. And the image of the femme facing down that…that monster, would be burned in her retnas forever.

She was broken from her flashback when Optimus spoke, "And we all greatly commend your bravery-both you and your mother, in the face of the enemy. Not many have the bravado to challenge Soundwave alone. And it's most…fortunate that you were able to defeat him."

"He's tryin' to say you got lucky, kid", Sunstreaker interrupted. He tapped the table top with impatience as he added, "Next time might be different."

Kayla put her hands on her hips-showing she wasn't about to back down, "So, I'll train. Just like we did before. And besides training and teamwork and planning, part of winning a battle IS luck anyway. My dad knew that better than anyone." Her tone softened considerably as she remembered, "He also taught me that you have to fight for what's yours, and what you believe in." Hands balled into fists as her face bore determination, "If this war's using Earth as it's battlefield, then humans deserve to help fight for their planet."

Prime looked to his troops, who all glanced at one another; silently considering the girl's words. Their attention drew back when she continued-hand on her heart, "Prime, it's time for humans to take a stand against the Decepticons, and I wanna' be at the forefront of that fight. If you'll let me…" She waved a hand toward her friends, "…if you'll let US, we want to become real soldiers. With the right technology, I know we're capable." She turned to face her friends that she knew were standing behind her, "…who's with me?"

A moment passed as Spike and company glanced at one another, seeming to debate the issue in their heads. But soon, one at a time, each nodded to the other-the decision was clear. Carly stepped up and placed a hand over Kayla's outstretched one; grasping it for a shake, "I'm with you."

Spike slid next to his girlfriend, putting his own palm in, "Me too."

Sparkplug put his hand on the pile; overshadowing all the other ones with his own massive grasp. He shot his son a smirk, "Oh no, you ain't joinin' nothin' without me."

Chip wheeled himself up to the group, and they all lowered their team handshake so he could reach up and place his palm in, "Don't forget me. Someone has to look after all of you."

The quintet of friends all chuckled, with Kayla's smile growing from ear to ear-both proud and heart warmed that they were all sticking by her in support. Finally, they all turned to face Mrs. Matthews; the only one who had yet to offer her hand to the group. Each one stared at her with expecting eyes-to them, the issue was clear. The mother's gaze fell to the floor, not able to meet their stares. She turned her back to the group; arms folding as she tried to think it over. Grins soon turned to light frowns, and the team patted the red head on the back-signaling she should talk to her mom. The musician nodded, and carefully stepped in the woman's direction.

"Mom?" she inquired with a tilt of the head-voice soft, but still loud enough for most to hear. When the woman didn't answer, the girl continued; trying to choose her words carefully so as not to start another fight, "Mom…please…I've never felt more strongly or certain about anything in my entire life. Maybe even more than music…I have to do this."

Mrs. Matthews fought back tears; still not turning around, "I know." The answer surprised Kayla, but she stayed quiet, letting her mom vent, "Somehow…I know I won't be able to stop you this time…but still…I just can't bear to think of what could happen to you if you do this."

A single sob escaped her throat, but she finally turned to face her daughter when she felt someone take her hand. The girl's grip was gentle, but her eyes were hardened and serious, "Dad never let fear or insecurity get the best of him. He did what he did because it was his duty. A duty to do everything in his power to protect everything and everyone he cared about." She took a step closer; their faces now inches apart, "That's the sense I get right now."

A tear trickled down the mother's cheek, "But…your…your eyes…"

"Is a disadvantage that I can turn into an ADvantage", the musician cut her off, "I'm tired of my handicap being treated like a weakness…of ME being treated as weak. I KNOW I can do this. And I've got the greatest friends in the world to help me. I wanna' prove what I'm capable of…if not to the world, then to myself, and to you."

The woman couldn't find her voice; too overwhelmed with what her daughter was telling her. It was nearly word for word the discussion her and her husband had when he was first deployed…could she really go through this again? Worrying about her child every day? Not seeing her for months on end? She was about to shake her head and speak, but the red head beat her to the punch.

"Please", she sighed; almost pleading, "This is our chance to be part of something bigger than ourselves. The Autobots are going to need all the help they can get…and I feel like I'm finally doing something with my life…something that truly matters. And it's my choice to go with them."

The mom clenched her eyes shut; not wanting to cry and not wanting to look.

"I'm sorry…" the girl said at last, "But I'm not a baby anymore…it's time to let go."

Sensing Kayla's speech was over, everyone collectively held their breath-staring at Mrs. Matthews; wondering what she was going to say. For the longest moment, the mother thought over her daughter's words…thought over her entire life, really. From struggling with her blindness; trying to fit in-make friends; meeting Jazz and the others; how understanding and involved she was in their missions; how she went from no friends, to comrades that would give their lives for her in an instant…and then there was the attack on the house. The mother went into a full panic…but not her daughter. She knew everything about their attackers-how they operated…and she saved them both. The mom knew that if Kayla wasn't there, she wouldn't have survived. She owed her daughter her life…and maybe something else too.

It was then the mother realized her child had a true calling with the Autobots. She grew up-both figuratively and literally. And if the girl really had found her purpose in life, the mom knew she had no right to stop her. Sparkplug's words were true…it was time to let her go.

Mrs. Matthews took a deep breath, and with a heavy heart, she released her daughter's hand-voice barely a whisper.

"…okay…"

Kayla's eyes widened…and then she took her mom in a full on embrace. All her frustration and worry left her very being as she sighed in relief, "Thank you."

The woman tightened her grip around the girl; head buried in her shoulder-tears flowing as if that moment would be the final time she held her child, "I swear to God, don't make me regret this decision."

The red head smiled, "I won't."

All the while, the Autobots looked on at the scene with nothing short of admiration and pride. The amount of strength and courage these Earth people displayed was beyond amazing. And they were right to call Optimus out on his own words. Freedom WAS the right of all sentient beings. And if these people chose to join their fight, then they deserved to be given the boosts they needed.

Prime looked to his troops, "All in favor of keeping the chip, say "I"."

Every last hand rose; even Cliffjumper, who glanced at Kayla with a new found respect.

"I."

"Any against?" the leader asked.

All hands went down.

Prime nodded, "Then it's settled."

And then the room exploded into cheers and applause. Spike, Sparkplug, Carly, and Chip all rushed over and joined the two red heads, creating the biggest group hug imaginable. Ratchet looked on; failing to hold back a smile, even as he turned to Jazz, "What are we going to do about training? It's going to get tricky to still operate this base and instruct them at the same time."

Over the hoots and hollers, Jazz cracked a grin, "I got it covered. I got a group a' buddies on Cybertron that train new recruits."

"Oh really?" the medic tilted his head, "How come I never heard of them?"

"Come on, man; you know stuff's real hush-hush up there", the saboteur put a finger to his lips for emphasis, "Gettin' the gang there'll be a trip, but once they are, what they'll learn'll be invaluable."

The Porsche left the explanation at that; turning back to look at the group of humans-smiling especially at the red head, who had the guts to stand up and pledge allegiance to a cause she was ready to put her life on the line for. He could tell a new chapter in the war was about to begin.

And he prayed to Primus that Kayla and her friends would not only help them win, but be able to play an encore.
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One Year Later

Mrs. Matthews typed away furiously at Teletraan-One; listening for any sign of life from the computer. But every channel remained silent, and the mother sat back in her chair-letting out an exasperated sigh. She then heard someone come up next to her, and turned to see Sparkplug holding out a steaming cup of coffee. She took it gratefully and inhaled the sweet scent.

"Thanks", she muttered; blowing at the contents before taking a sip.

"Thought you could use it", the father chuckled, "Nervous?"

The woman rolled her eyes with pure sarcasm, "How could you tell?" She set the cup aside; stretching in her seat, "This is the first time in over two months that Kayla's been able to send a message to us. Of course I'm worried about how she's doing. How her AND Spike are doing."

The father took a seat next to her; eyes serious, but still smiling, "I know how ya' feel…'course, she's probably just as worried about you."

The mother let out a half-hearted laugh, "Oh, I'm sure. Probably thinks I've blown the place up by now."

At that point, Sparkplug let a full blown laugh escape him, "Well, I gotta' say, you WERE pretty green when ya' started here. Couldn't tell a microchip from a potato chip."

The woman shot him an acidic glare, to which the man seemed to crumple in her mere stare; realizing too late he went too far. Thankfully, Chip Chase came to his rescue. The computer wiz rolled up behind Mrs. Matthews; eyes apologetic, "Aw, you REALLY did it now." He turned his focus to the mom, "I think what he's TRYING to say is how far you've come in the time you've been here."

"Thank you, Chip", the mother smiled; completely ignoring her teasing companion, "It's still funny; looking back and thinking how I was so against coming here. Now I feel like one of the boys."

"You are", the father nodded-trying to make up for his earlier mistake, "And it beats bein' cooped up in a boring hospital all day."

The woman shook her head; finding herself defending her "average" job as a nurse, "Trust me. Hospitals are ANYTHING but boring. Coming here is like taking a vacation."

A moment of silence fell between the trio. Chip glanced at Teletraan's readouts, before glancing at Mrs. Matthews, "Message day, huh?"

The mom nodded.

The computer expert sighed, "I'm anxious too. Last time I heard from Spike, he was giving me stats on the exo suits. So far so good, but I still wanna' hear how he's doing. He misses Carly a lot."

"Where IS Carly anyway?" the mother asked.

"With Wheeljack", Sparkplug took a swig of his own coffee before continuing, "He said he's making new improvements on the suits. She offered to play guinea pig. Not that she's not excited about message day or anything-just that she feels doing this brings her one step closer to him. As soon as this new suit's working, she'll be goin' up there with him."

The woman nodded, "I see." Her eyes fell to the floor as she let her mind wander, "…Peter would be so proud…of everyone."

Another silence…and then…

The control panel began to beep and flash. Instantly, the trio sat up straight in their seats; Chip's hands flying over the buttons faster than the eye could see. He turned to the mother-face brightened with delight, "Incoming message from Cybertron. Text only."

Mrs. Matthews' heart skipped a beat. The three humans crowded around the view screen as Chip punched in the necessary passwords. And a moment later, words began filling the screen, and the mother began reading the message she had been waiting for, for what seemed like an eternity.

Dear Mom, and to the gang at the Ark,

Sorry I haven't been able to respond in a while. Been real busy with training, as well as a lot of other things. Most of it I can't say here-kinda' ruins the whole "secret military base" thing. You know we already had to move once. Still, we're keeping Shockwave and his cronies on their toes-the raids are proving to be a success. I've found I'm really good at creeping around dark hallways-wink wink. Some of the basic intel is attached to this note; the rest'll come from Jazz's mouth himself when he gets back.

It was such an awesome surprise to hear his voice again; I hugged him right there on the spot. I would've played a song for him too, but he couldn't stay long. Just enough to drop off organic food rations, say hello, then get on with business. This place definitely isn't the Ark...but the people here make it all worth it.

Spike has his own separate report, which he's sending along with mine. Tell 'Jack the suits are working just fine, and tell Carly that her boyfriend sends his love. And I wish you guys could meet the femme's too. They have a separate base from us, but we still work together a lot. You'd really like Elita-One, Mom. She reminds me of you a lot. And Moonracer's become like a sister to me. She asked me the other day if our little secret team had a name yet. I laughed and told her she was one to talk, since apparently, all her team came up with was "The Femmes". Still, with all the secrecy, Spike, me, and a few others have found ourselves starting to call our team "The Black Company Club." Pretty cool, huh?

But in all seriousness, though, the excitement largely outweighs the fear when a new mission crops up. I can't thank you all enough for letting me go on this journey. I feel like I'm finally making a difference in the lives of others-both on Earth AND Cybertron. I can't believe that close to five years ago, I was just an average person, wondering what to do with my life, and now, I'm a soldier who can become a femme at will, and fight for the future of both our planets. If I could go back and tell myself what was going to happen when I first met Jazz, I wouldn't change anything for the world.

And then, just as Mrs. Matthews was getting to the last couple lines, a new window popped up on the screen. And what she saw brought a smile to her face.

It was a snapshot of Jazz and Kayla in her femme form. Obviously, someone at base had taken it when the two thought they were alone, for the image was severely tilted. But it was still perfectly clear.

And the two musicians were kissing.

Tell everyone I love them, and to stay safe. Hope to visit you all really soon. As the Autobots say, 'till all are one.

Love, Kayla

The End.

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AN: When I came up with the character of Kayla Matthews, I had no idea that so many people would take a liking to her. I can't thank you all enough for your comments and support. Taking this journey down memory lane and with this red head has helped me to become a better writer. With the exception of an rp I'm doing currently, I'm officially swearing off writing fan fiction. I'd like to solely focus on my original works now. But Kayla will always hold a place in my heart. I hope you enjoyed the Kayla trilogy as much as I have writing it. Be sure to check out my original webcomic, "Jamie Jupiter"! Message me for details!

Kayla -*winks and blows kiss* Peace!