We are at the Autobot base where Nakala has finally finished creating his new symbiote. He took a few breaks here and there so it took a little longer than the other two. The camouflage was also a bit difficult to work out, but he finally got it. She powers on and is happy to see her creator and siblings. She's already been given memories of him and her siblings, so she's aware of what's going on. She's also about 5 feet tall, which is in between the heights of Silv and Wings. CamoZilla: "Creator." she greets in a London accent as she puts her front paws on him. Nakala: "[chuckles] Welcome to the world, Zilla." he says as he pets her. Silv and Wings come over to greet her with a nuzzle and lick. It's obvious who did what. Wings: "Greetings, dear sister." Silv: "Nice to finally meet you." Ratchet: "Another creation, huh? What does she do?" Nakala: "Some lizards are known for going camouflage." Ratchet already knew what he meant by that, so he gives a nod before turning his attention back to the console.

The sound of an engine revving is heard and Nakala looks over to see Miko and Bulkhead are obviously watching a monster-truck rally on the TV. Nakala never understood such "sports." Miko: "Hoo-Yah!" Bulkhead: "Oh!" "Munched!" TV Announcer: "Give it up for the baddest beast machines on the planet!" Ratchet, of course, wasn't having it either. Ratchet: "[groans] Would you mind lowering the volume?" "Hey, Ratch, check out the monster-truck rally Miko took me to last week." Miko: "I compiled some highlights with my cellphone." "Innocent vehicles battling for the pleasure of human spectators? [groans in disgust] Blood sport." Both: "Yeah!" Nakala: "I feel you, Ratchet. I don't understand such "events" myself. Bleh." "[to Bulkhead] You could be helping Optimus in the field right now." "Aw, he doesn't need my help to search for some ancient educational thingamabob." "The "thingamabob" to which you refer happens to be a cybertronian data cylinder." he says as he pushes a button on the console that changes the show they were watching to a picture of the data cylinder.

Miko: "Hey!" Bulkhead: "Awe!" Ratchet: "And there is no telling what vast intelligence it may hold." Nakala: "Vast intelligence, huh? At first you had my curiosity, now you have my erection." he says as he grabs a part of the railing with his claw to pull himself up to Ratchet. "Do tell more." "During the golden age, dozens of these cylinders were created, each containing the sum total of cybertronian knowledge on any given subject: stellar cartography, medicine, ancient mythology. When the war broke out, the cylidners were hidden throughout the galaxies to keep them as far as possible from Decepticon reach. Detecting one signal here, on Earth, is the opportunity of a --" Miko: "[groans] T.M.I., dude." Bulkhead: "Switch it back! I want to see the hoedown showdown!" Nakala: "How did you ever make it to high school, Miko? Seriously." The console suddenly beats and everyone hears Optimus' voice. "Ratchet, Decepticon ambush. The cylinder is at risk. We require backup." Bulkhead: "Backup is what I'm built for." Nakala: "I'm going as well." Zilla: "Scrap those gits." Nakala nods as he runs to the portal. Miko: "Go bend some fenders, Bulk." she says as he runs through the ground-bridge portal as well.

Once the portal closes, Ratchet walks over to Miko to give her something to do other than watching a stupid monster-truck rally. Ratchet: "I have an important mission for you, too, Miko." Miko: "Really?" she asks in excitement. That excitement was immediately thrown away as Ratchet hands her a mop. "Aw!" she groans as she grabs the mop. Ratchet gives a small smile towards Miko who sighs in defeat. But she immediately gets the idea to go and watch the hoedown showdown of 'bots and 'cons. When she gets there unnoticed, she sees that all the Autobots are currently fighting against the elite Decepticons: Barricade vs Elita, Bulkhead vs Breakdown, Knockout vs Bumblebee, Blackout vs Arcee, Airachnid vs Bonecrusher, Optimus vs Brawl, and Nakala vs Skyquake. Miko looks over to see Bulkhead punch Breakdown hard enough for him to stumble back and about to fall on Miko.

Miko moves out of the way before she's crushed and hides behind some rocks to watch more for the fight. Optimus knocks Brawl back before speaking to his fellow Autobots. Optimus: "Autobots, stand your ground. The artifact must not fall into enemy hands." Miko looks around for the date cylinder and sees it laying on the ground in the open. Arcee knocks down Blackout charges for the cylinder, but is tackled away by Knockout. Knockout: "Come to papa." he says as he makes his way to the data cylinder this time. Unfortunately for him, he gets bashed away by Bulkhead. Bulkhead: "Run to mommy." he says before he feels Breakdown's fists slam down on his backside. Breakdown grabs him by the back of his head and lifts him up while applying pressure on his head. Breakdown: "Say "uncle." Say it!" Miko decides that now is the time to make her move and runs for the data cylinder. She leans against it and calls Ratchet for help.

Miko: "Ratchet, come in!" Ratchet: "Miko?" "This is an emergency channel. We need to keep it open for the Auto-" It was at this point that Ratchet realized Miko isn't in the base. "Wait Where are you?" "D'oy! I'm with the thingamabob." "Thingama...the data cylinder!" "Yes . Can you bridge it out of here?" "I'll reactivate arrival coordinates." Miko looks over the data cylinder and sees that the portal is nowhere near her. "Dude, can you open it any closer?" "Supply coordinates." "Um...50 yards?" "Precise coordinates." A stray blaster fire hit the cylinder, causing Miko to duck back behind it. She decides that she's gonna try and move the data cylinder herself. She tries pushing it to the portal, but isn't strong enough to do so. She decides to kick it by getting a run start, but that will fail as well. Miko: "1...2...3!" she says as she runs toward it and kicks it, only to fall back on her butt. But something did happen when she kicked it. The data cylinder started making some warbling noise and seemingly opened up. (A/N: I don't know how to explain what happened there that made the metal and red look like a Cybertron flower.) Miko: "Whoa." she says in amazement.

Optimus knocks Brawl back once again and notices the red glow as he looks over to see what's happening. Bulkhead takes notice of this as well while in a hand-lock with Breakdown. "Bulkhead: "Miko?" Before Bulkhead can do anything, Skyquake, who's in a sword clash with Nakala, musters more strength to win the clash and backhand Nakala away. Nakala lands on his stomach and next to the cylinder before quickly recollecting himself. He turns back around and holds up his sword in case Skyquake was going to strike. But he realizes what is going on next to him and turns to look at the data cylidner just in time for the data to enter his head. After that, Nakala passed out from the sudden change to his brain. Arcee: "Nakala!" she called out before being smacked away by Blackout. Miko runs over to Nakala's side as Knockout picks up the data cylinder. Knockout: "You really took one for the team, Nakala -- my team." he says before he and the others run through a ground-bridge portal that just opened. Everyone goes over to Nakala as he wakes up and recollects himself. Elita: "Are you alright, partner?" Nakala: "Yeah. I'm fine."

They went back to base and Nakala is now under Ratchet's care while the others go look for the cylinder. Nakala is thinking back to the data cylinder zapping him. Nakala: "*What exactly did it do? Deliver the energy to my brain? I don't feel like I have any knowledge I don't know of.*" Miko: "[groans] I can't believe I have to clean up the base by myself while everyone is off on a hunt." Ratchet: "You cost us the data cylinder by sneaking out." Before the two would continue arguing with each other, Nakala detached the cable from his head and grabbed the mop from Miko. Ratchet: "Nakala, what are you doing? I have to run a full scan of your neural net to make sure you're okay." Nakala: "Do we have any paint around here?" Miko: "An art project? Cool! I'll help." Ratchet: "[sigh] Fine. Fine."

Meanwhile, on the Nemesis, Knockout has informed Megatron about the data cylinder being empty. Megatron: "What do you mean it's empty?" Knockout: "Lord Megatron, these cylinders are not unlike batteries. The data is stored within them as a form of energy. It scanned fully charged - that's how we located it to begin with - but now --" Knockout touches it and nothing but smoke comes out and a sizzling noise is heard. Breakdown: "Dead battery." Megatron: "Did you drop it you one-eyed oaf?!" "No, master. I wasn't gonna touch the thing after it put the zap on Soundwave's sparkling." Barricade: "If the data cylinder put the zap on him, then that means the data is now inside his head." Megatron: "Agreed. I must find out what that vessel contained. When it comes to the secrets of the ancients, knowledge can be power."

Back at the base, Miko is curious about what exactly Nakala is painting and muttering. But once the symbiote trio sees what is going on, they immediately get Ratchet's attention. Wings: "Ratchet, dear. You have to see what Nakala is doing. It requires your attention." Ratchet: "[sighs] And what art project could possibly require my attention?" he asks as he walks over to be surprised by what he sees. Nakala: "The differential of one-third "R" cubed is RDRR." "That is not art. It's science." Ratchet calls all the Autobots back to base as he does a scan of Nakala's brain to see what's going on." Ratchet: "This hot spot you see here -- It's information, data, living energy." Miko: "It's alive, it's on fire, and it's in Nakala's brain?" Nakala: "Calm down, Miko. The data's only inhabiting a fraction of my brain, infinitesimal by standard neural-net densities. Wait. How did I know that? I'm no science wizz." Optimus: "Based on what we witnessed during our skirmish, the living data must have been programmed to eject when it sensed unauthorized access." Ratchet: "A security measure." "It would have jettisoned heavenward, lost to the stars."

Nakala: "Which means Skyquake knocking me down in front of the cylinder actually helped. How convenient." Elita: "I don't get it. Every 'con there made a grab for it, but the cylinder doesn't go off until Miko touches it." Airachnid: "The cylinders were created during Cybertron's golden age, Elita. Which is long before the war ever started." Optimus: "So it wouldn't consider any native of Cybertron to be a threat." Ratchet: "Only alien life forms, such as humans." Arcee: "So, are we staring at genius or gibberish?" Ratchet: "I do not wish to falsely rally anyone's hopes, but these equations appear to be the formula for a synthetic energon." Bee cheers in response. Arcee: "We hit the mother lode?" Bulkhead: "Miko, do you understand what this means?" Miko: "Um..." "Energon proves our fuel, our ammo, our life force. With the natural stuff in such short supply here on Earth, this could solve a whole lot of problems." Optimus: "Such as providing us with the edge we need to turn the tide of this war." Ratchet: "Or handing us the key to revitalizing Cybertron. Arcee: "We got the goods, and all Megatron got was an empty bucket." Nakala couldn't help but feel like things aren't as good as they seem. He feels like something is wrong with him, but he can't tell what.

A short time later, Nakala has worked on a few rounds of the formula and still has some to go. Nakala: "Intersection of atomic coordinates indicate tertiary structures..." Miko: "Isn't he done yet? All that babbling is annoying." "...Resulting in an asymmetric..." Airachnid: "[chuckling] Aren't you one to talk?" Miko stomps her left foot and growls at Airachnid for saying that while the symbiotes snicker. Arcee: "Got to admit, it's weird seeing Nakala in brainiac mode. Science isn't really his thing." Nakala: "Vector L1 Norm Squared." Arcee walks over and grabs the metal board (A/N: Or whatever it is Bulkhead was writing on.) so Ratchet can log it in and so Nakala can get started on the next piece. "Energon temperatures and volume proportion... angle trisector construction." Arcee: "Got another round for you to log, Ratchet." Ratchet didn't exactly care at the moment as he was showing Optimus and Elita his concerns about Nakala on the console.

"This is Nakala's neural net as you saw earlier. [presses a button] This scan was recorded just minutes ago. It is as I feared. The data seems to be actively and aggressively rewriting Nakala's neural net. I had hoped he was purging the data, but he seems to be merely transcribing it as it --" Optimus: "Consumes his mind." Elita: "How long does he have?" Ratchet: "From all indications, by the time Nakala completes the formula, his own thoughts, his memories [pauses] could be wiped clean." Arcee and Airachnid heard everything and are immediately concerned. Bulkhead: "But if we stop him, goodbye, synthetic energon." Ratchet: "You assume we possess a means of stopping him. I don't exactly have instant access to the wisdom of the ancients." Elita: "We can't let this happen. We've already lost enough lives." Optimus: "Agreed. I will not allow another one of our own to be sacrificed, no matter the cost." Bulkhead: "Well, how exactly are we supposed to get that data out of him. Even though it's alive, it's not like we can simply just ask "pretty please."" Ratchet: "If the living data transmitted itself from the cylinder, perhaps we could somehow coax it back inside." Airachnid: "And how do you propose we get it back from Megatron?" Optimus: "Megatron will bring it to us."

After some time, more pieces of the formula have been drawn out. Optimus and the others (besides Ratchet, Miko and the symbiotes) have gone out to bring Megatron and the cylinder to them. Miko is getting bored and decides to bring out her guitar and play some metal. Nakala: "Coefficient quotient of the subset amplified... proving Preceptor's paradox is nothing of the kind." Suddenly, Miko plays some notes on her guitar, which makes Nakala drop the mop and cover his ears. Out of instinct, he uses a tentacle to grab her guitar and smash it on the ground, breaking it. This surprised not only her and the symbiotes, but Ratchet as well. Miko: "HEY!!" Nakala: "What on Earth was that?!" "You broke my guitar!!" "I'm trying to concentrate on a formula! I don't need noise-makers playing, blabbermouth!" "UGH! You sound just like Ratchet!" "Who??" This caught everyone's attention. Nakala doesn't remember who Ratchet is? "Just keep it quiet, will ya? [sighs]" he says as he picks the mop back up. Ratchet: "[quietly] Hurry, Optimus."

(A/N: I should probably point out that Barricade is SIC now.) Back on the Nemesis, Megatron and Barricade are standing side-by-side on the deck when Knockout and Breakdown shows up. Knockout: "Lord Megatron, we've detected a familiar energy profile." Megatron: "The data?" "Nakala must have left the shielded radius of their base." Barricade: "The Autobots aren't that dumb. They wouldn't allow the data to leave the safe zone." "We still need to be sure. Get Blackout so we can investigate."

Barricade does just that and the three fly off with vehicon fliers and Skyquake behind them to the location the signal is coming from. When they get there, Barricade's suspicion is proven true as they see Optimus and the other Autobots with him. Megatron: "Optimus. You're certainly not the Autobot I expected to find here. But let me guess. You rigged a transponder to mimic the frequency of the data I seek." Optimus: "Megatron, I have a proposal." he says as he steps forward a few steps, which causes the vehicons to ready their blasters. Megatron puts his hand up to tell them to stand down. "I'm...listening." "Surrender the cylinder, and I will return it to you fully restored." "[holds up cylinder] This trinket right here? And, pray tell, what trifles did it hold that you are so anxious to give away?" "Accept my terms, and you will find out." Megatron growls at this believing that Optimus is lying, but he doesn't know why.

Back at the base, Miko is trying hard to get Nakala to remember things. She doesn't want to believe he's losing his mind because of her. Miko: "Do you remember the time you stormed the Decepticon warship with Bulkhead to rescue Fowler?" "Stormed with who for who?" "Bulkhead and Fowler! Your friends! Our friends!" Nakala says nothing as he lightly scratches his head in confusion. "What about your creations?! Do you remember them?" she asks pointing to them. Wings: "You do remember us right, dear creator?" Silv: "Yeah, mate. You made us." Zilla: "You remember our names, right?" Nakala: "Of course. You're..." He doesn't say anything for a few seconds, which concerns them even more. They were hoping that what Ratchet said about Nakala losing his memories was wrong, but now they see that it's true. Nakala: "...equivalent to the flattening of the oblate spheroid to the Nth power. Internal energy of the isolated "E" remains constant." Ratchet grabs the panel just as he finishes speaking. Ratchet: "Keep them coming, Nakala."

Miko just about had it at this point and decided to do something bold. She knows how Nakala is and overheard that he liked to explore the world a bit before any of them discovered the Autobots. She punched in some random coordinates that unknowingly led to a place in Nevada called Lamoille Canyon. After the ground-bridge is activated, Miko grabs the mop from Nakala and runs to the portal. Nakala: "Hey." Wings: "Miko, dear. What are you doing?" Miko: "[sing-song voice] Come on. You want to finish your formula, don't you?" Nakala gets up and grabs the metal trays before following Miko in the portal. Wings, Silv and Zilla decided to follow as well. They want to do all they can to help their creator in case Optimus' plan fails. They also don't want to leave him alone with Miko of all people.

Back with Optimus and the others, Optimus is trying to get Megatron to hand him the cylinder. Optimus: "Do you accept my proposal?" Before Megatron has time to think or say anything, Knockout contacts him. Knockout: "Lord Megatron." Megatron: "Give me a moment." he says to Optimus as he walks out of earshot. "Did you find what you were looking for?" "It's complicated." "Well, Breakdown and I may have located the bogey, fully charged." Megatron thought for a second and knew he can use this to his advantage of keeping the cylinder and the data. "Proceed." "Just one hitch. We don't have the cylinder." "Then bring me the head of Echowave." "Are you sure? This is Soundwave's sparkling we're talking about." "I'll deal with it shall he try anything."

In the Lamoille Canyon, Miko and the symbiotes are trying their best to get Nakala to remember things. Or at the very least, get his mind off the formula. Miko: "Do you remember the time you fought MECH with Bulk and Breakdown? Or that time we went to the shadowzone and you killed a zombiecon?" Nakala: "Mass times diffusion rate squared is constant." "Is any of this ringing a bell?" "Bell curve? No, no, no. That wouldn't factor in." "What about Arcee and Aiarchnid?! Do you remember them? Your girlfriends?" "The cube foot of the exothermic energon yield Delta "A" -- No "E." Delta "E" violates clank's law of energon conservation." Miko had nothing else to say after seeing she wasn't getting through to him. She goes over to a nearby tree and sits down with her head on her knees. Miko: "It's all my fault. If I had just at the base instead of sneaking away again for action, Nakala wouldn't be losing his memories. He would've brought the thingamabob back safe and sound. I'm so sorry." she said with her voice breaking.

Although the two don't really get along well, Miko still cares for him as a friend. Even Nakala sees her as a friend, though he won't really admit it. Silverfang walks up to her with his sisters and licks her face. Silv: "It's okay, Miko. We're not made at ya, mate." Wings: "Yes, dear. Even if Optimus doesn't succeed in getting the cylinder back, we can still make new memories with Nakala." Zilla: "Yeah, even if he won't be the same as he was before, he's still our Nakala." Breakdown: "Boo-hoo!" The four look over to see Breakdown and Knockout are nearby. "I'm shedding lubricant." he says pretending to wipe away a tear. Zilla: "Bollocks. The 'cons found us." she says as she and her siblings went in their bipedal forms." Silv: "Miko, go hide! We'll protect our creator so they won't get their bloody hands on the formula!" This caused Nakala to snap out of his focus on his work. Nakala: "My equations?" he says before he picks up the trays and runs off.

Miko: "Wait, Nakala!" she says as she chases him. Breakdown: "I didn't think he'd be one to run from a fight." Knockout: "I'm afraid our friend has had a little too much to think." Wings: "I think you dears should shut your mouths and focus on us." Knockout: "...We might as well see how good his creations are." Breakdown: "But the data..." "Don't worry. Remember, we brought back-up. [comms] Lord Megatron, we're good." Megatron: "Optimus, upon careful consideration, if you want the cylinder, you'll have to take it." The 'cons took this as their cue to attack the enemy. Barricade gets in a rematch with Elita, Optimus and Skyquake go at it again, Airachnid takes on Blackout, and the vehicons have a go at Bee, Bulk, and Arcee. Meanwhile, Nakala ran for a bit and finally stopped after getting a good enough distance away from the 'cons by going up some rocky hills. He looks down to see that those who claim to be his creations are fending them off. He still decides to stay out of sight so he goes around a corner to continue his work on the formula.

Nakala: "The trisector of the polygon is an integr--" He doesn't get a chance to finish as a claw grabs him by the head and holds him in the air. A tank then comes in and fires its main cannon right at Nakala's chest just as the claw let go. Miko comes up the hill while a bit out of breath and sees Brawl and Bonecrusher walking over to an unconscious Nakala. Brawl: "We only need the head." he says preparing to strike. Miko: "NO!" she screams as she picks up the heaviest rock nearby that she can pick up and runs forward. "Let him go!" she yells as she tries to hit Brawl, but he moves out of the way in disgust. Miko falls over from missing and slams against Nakala, which triggers something inside. His eyes suddenly open up and are seen glowing red before two red beams shoot up in the sky, surprising the three. Miko: "[gasps] I did it again?" This crimson light show would obviously catch the attention of the symbiotes and the other 'cons.

Back with Optimus and his group, they killed the vehicons and knocked down the other three. Megatron is disappointed but also a bit impressed. Megatron: "Well, in that case, no one gets it." he says as he squeezes the cylinder harder enough to break it before he and the others transform and get out of there. Ratchet: "[comms] Optimus, Nakala, Miko and the symbiotes have abandoned base. I have their ground bridge coordinates." Optimus: "Bridge us back immediately." They better hurry, 'cause Brawl and Bonecrusher are about to deliver a finishing blow on Nakala. They also want to squish Miko for making them lose that data, which Brawl was quick to realize. Bonecrusher: "What just happened?!" Brawl: "I'm not too sure, but I think that was the data." "RAH! Pesky human! I hate humans!" he says using his claw to grab her. Miko: "Let me go! Let me go!"

Before Bonecrusher could do anything, a couple of blaster fires hit his claw, causing him to drop Miko. The shots were fired by Wingblade, who swoops in and grabs Miko before she hits the ground. Growling is heard and Brawl turns around just in time to see Silverfang pounce on him. Zilla also shows up in camouflage and works on finishing what her sister started and broke off Bonecrusher's claw before being thrown off. Silver did something similar and broke off one of Brawl's missile launchers on his shoulder before being thrown off as well. The three stand side-by-side in their bipedal forms once again in front of their unconscious creator as Miko hides nearby. Knockout and Breakdown show up and see what's happening, so Knockout takes a quick scan of Nakala's head. Knockout: "Dead battery. Megatron will peel our paint for losing that data." Breakdown: "So we'll have to peel you." he said as the four prepared to attack. But before they could, a ground bridge opens up and the Autobots run out to help. Knockout: "Or peel out of here." he says as the four Decepticons transform out of there.

Optimus and the others look over to see Miko and the symbiotes checking on Nakala. Arcee and Airachnid rush over to check on him as well. He's not responding at all. He's completely knocked out. Much of his mind was consumed by the data as well. Wasting no more time, the group brings him back to base so Ratchet can check on him. Everyone, especially Elita, Arcee, Airachnid and the symbiotes, are worried for him. Ratchet: "The data has been fully expelled, but Nakala remains completely unresponsive." Miko: "Because the energy took Nakala's mind with it, heavenward, lost to the stars. [sniffles] It's my fault you'll never know the rest of the formula, and it's my fault Nakala's gone forever." Bulkhead: "It's okay, Miko." he says extending a finger out for her to hug. Optimus: "Miko, your quick thinking prevented the formula from falling into Decepticon hands." Elita: "If anyone would have backed that play, it's Nakala."

Airachnid has heard enough and walked off to the roof of the base. She believes she just lost Nakala forever. She's sure he'll wake up, but she's certain that he won't be the same Nakala he once was with his memories gone. He wasn't just her loved one, or the first person she had fallen for, but also the one that helped give her a second chance. Though some of her Decepticon personality is still within her, she's still enjoying her time as an Autobot. It reminds her of being with her parents because the Autobots treat each other like family. A human concept that they all learned. When she got to the roof, she stared up at the clear, shiny, night sky. Nakala has always had a weird vision on life itself, but she adored it. She remembers what he said before during her first time looking up at the night sky with him and Arcee.

Nakala:"No matter how much darkness there is, light will break through it eventually. There's always that one spark of light called "Hope" that's just waiting to shine bright like a star. Even the darkness has its shining moments. I think of that every time I look at this kind of night sky. The moon and the stars don't make the darkness seem as scary as people make it out to be. Just another of those misunderstood things. It means people should really ask themselves if they're really afraid of the darkness, or what could possibly be lurking in it."

Airachnid smiles at the memory as a tear falls down her cheek. It is at this moment that she realized how much she's changed in a short time. Airachnid: "Cursed Echowave. How do you make me grow soft." she chuckles to herself. Arcee: "I didn't think you'd changed so much." Airachnid turns around to see Arcee with a teasing yet sad smile. She had no idea she followed her and turns back a little embarrassed. She didn't need to say anything. Her silence and two words with a chuckle are all Arcee needed to hear to know what she was thinking. For the first time, Arcee unexpectedly gives Airachnid a hug from behind, which she accepts after a bit. Arcee: "We just need to have that light of hope Nakala talked about." Airachnid: "It doesn't always shine." Nakala: "It did this time." The two look over and see Nakala standing there with a smile on his face. " And I will never forget you two." They felt joy and immediately ran over to hug him while trying their best to hold back tears. They get down on their knees as the symbiotes show up suddenly to join the family hug. Little do they know that Miko is nearby and decides to take a picture of the beautiful moment.

TO BE CONTINUED...