Book V
     "Dark Times, Part II"

     Chapter XX
     "Risks"


     The evacuation of humans from
Earth progressed smoothly.  After six
days, all of the humans had been
evacuated from Earth, except one. 
Spike refused to leave.  All the
Autobots on Earth, both injured, and
functional were brought to Autobot
City.  The last two shuttles filled
with wounded Autobots were being
loaded.  Optimus Prime sat in the
makeshift command center in Autobot
City.  He heard the door open behind
him, and could tell by the footsteps
that it was Spike.
     "Spike, do you have the list",
asked Optimus, as he swiveled his
chair around to face Spike.
     "Here it is Optimus", said
Spike, as he handed a data pad to
Optimus.
     Optimus looked at the list.  It
was not a long list.  It was the list
of all the Autobots who would be left
on Earth when the next two shuttles
lifted off.  Besides himself, there
was Ultra Magnus, Springer,
Bumblebee, Grimlock, Percepter, the
Protectobots, Bluestreak, Hound,
Omega Supreme, and Skyfire.
     "Thank you Spike", said Optimus
Prime.  "You'd better get to your
shuttle", said Optimus.
     "I'm not leaving", said Spike. 
I'll get out on Omega Supreme
tomorrow.
     Optimus didn't want to give his
plan away to Spike.  He knew what
Spike would do if he knew, and he
couldn't let it happen.
     "Spike, I need you to leave
today.  I have a message you must
take to Rodimus Prime."
     "Optimus, you don't need me to
make this delivery.  You're planning
something, I know you too well for
you to hide it from me", said Spike.
     "Spike, you must go.  You should
be with your family.  I know Daniel
is going to be alright, but you
should be with him now", said
Optimus.
     "And what if he never has a home
to return to when he gets better",
said Spike.
     "Let me worry about that Spike. 
You've done too much already.  Now
it's my turn."
     "If that's what you want
Optimus, I'll go."
     "Thank you Spike."  Spike left,
and a few moments later, Optimus went
to his quarters.  He had to get the
message ready for Spike to deliver to
Rodimus.


     A few hours later, The Shuttle
lifted off Spike had a datachip that
only Rodimus could access.
     Optimus watched the shuttle lift
off.  There was no turning back now. 
Omega Supreme was now the only way
off the planet.
     The next morning, Optimus
decided that it was time to fill the
others in on his plan.  He called
them all together in what was left of
the main meeting room.  Seated around
the table was Ultra Magnus, Springer,
Bumblebee, Grimlock, Percepter,
Bluestreak, Hound, Skyfire, and the
Protectobots.  Omega Supreme was
outside, looking in through the large
hole the battle had left in the
ceiling.
     Optimus entered the room, and
walked to the head of the table.
     "I guess you are all wondering
why I called you here.  I'll get
right to the point.  Megatron has
made one miscalculation.  The Omega
Contingency which I agreed to
initiate in exchange for the time to
carry it out does not involve the
evacuation of Autobots from Earth. 
Megatron is expecting us all to
leave.  Well, that's what he is going
to think, but I'm not going anywhere. 
I'm staying here, and I'm going to
get this planet back.  This is a
volunteer mission, and no one will
think less of anyone who wants to go
back to Cybertron.  My plan is to
keep Megatron off-balance, and to
give Cybertron time to prepare an
attack to take back Earth.  Cybertron
is well defended, but we are not in
any condition to mount a full scale
attack to retake Earth right now.  We
will buy Cybertron some time, and
hopefully provide them with an
opening to attack.  We may be stuck
here on our own for some time.  I
won't lie to you.  This planet is
about to be crawling with
Decepticons, and we'll have to be
very careful to keep ourselves
undetected.  I wouldn't expect that
everyone is going to survive this
mission."  Optimus paused.  He wanted
to be sure they all knew the risks of
staying.  "Ultra Magnus, you and
Omega Supreme are going back to
Cybertron."
     "No way, Optimus", said Ultra
Magnus, "I'm staying".
     "No.  Rodimus is in command on
Cybertron, but he will need your
experience to guide him, and Omega,
well, you're just to big to hide, and
someone needs to get Ultra Magnus
back to Cybertron", said Optimus.
     "Understood", said Omega
Supreme.
     "As for the rest of you, as I
said, this is a volunteer mission,
and no one should feel they have to
stay.  I'm going to go get the codes
from Megatron to save Kup and Blurr. 
When I return, those who are going
should be ready to go."  Optimus left
the room without another word.
     Ultra Magnus stood up.  "As
Optimus said, this is a very
dangerous mission.  Now who's
staying."  Ultra Magnus hated having
to go, but Optimus was right, Rodimus
was going to need help.
     "I'm staying", said Bumblebee. 
"We owe the people of Earth too much
to let their planet be taken from
them without a fight."
     The rest of them responded
similarly.  None of them were
leaving.  They had a planet to get
back.