Book VI
     "Dark Times, Part III"

     Chapter XXV
     "The Loudest Silence"


     Rodimus walked down the hall
toward Spike, Carly, and Daniel's
quarters.  Unlike most of the humans,
they had been given quarters on
Cybertron.  Rodimus had not had a
chance to talk to Daniel since he had
been injured eight days ago.  It
pained Rodimus greatly that Daniel
had been injured.  Daniel was his
best friend.  Rodimus longed for the
time when he and Daniel would go
fishing near Autobot City.  They
might never be able to do that again. 
Still, if Daniel would recover,
Rodimus knew that not being able to
go fishing wouldn't be so bad. 
Daniel had already had artificial
limbs constructed, and was well into
learning to use them. Rodimus more
than anything wanted Daniel to be
okay.
     Rodimus knocked on the door to
their quarters.  It was opened a
moment later by Spike.
     "Hello Rodimus", said Spike. 
"Come in."
     Rodimus thought Spike's voice
sounded different.  Like he wasn't
getting much sleep, but wasn't tired. 
Rodimus knew something was wrong. 
"Spike, how is Daniel", asked
Rodimus.
     Spike looked down at the ground
for a moment, then motioned Rodimus
towards a chair.  These were
originally Autobot quarters, and the
room had not been completely re-done. 
Spike sat in a chair, and looked up
at Rodimus.  "Physically, he's fine. 
He has learned how to use his legs
and arms.  He needs a bit more
practice, but he's doing fine.  He
was injured eight days ago, and in
the few days since we have been on
Cybertron, he has made great
progress.  He finally regained
consciousness just after you left the
other day.  His recovery is going
well physically.  Psychologically
he's...well, that's another matter. 
When his prosthetics were being
constructed he wanted the doctors to
augment his strength and give him
weapons.  Carly and I refused to let
them, since then he doesn't come out
of his room, except for physical
therapy.  He doesn't talk to me or
Carly hardly at all.  He just sit's
in his room in the dark.  He hasn't
wanted to talk about any of it.  He's
not shed one tear.  It's one thing to
be strong, but it's more than that. 
It's been tearing Carly apart.  I
sent her to see her mother.  I
thought she needed some time away."
     "No wonder you seem troubled.  I
wouldn't be too worried though.  He's
been through a lot, maybe he just
needs some time."
     "Rodimus, I was thinking the
same thing...until yesterday", said
Spike.
     "What happened yesterday", asked
Rodimus.
     "After Carly left, the doctor
came to do Daniel's therapy.  While
Daniel was out here, I did something
I am not proud of.  Something that I
can never forgive myself for, but
under the circumstances, I felt I had
to do", said Spike.  "I snuck into
Daniel's room, and looked in his
journal.  He's been keeping it for
years, he writes in it every day. 
It's something private that I had no
right to look at."
     Spike looked at the ground
again.  It was almost as if he
couldn't look Rodimus in the face.
     "Obviously you read something
that bothered you", said Rodimus.
     "Page after page of his journal
he wrote about how much he hates
Megatron, and want's to get even, and
there was more."
     "What was it", asked Rodimus.
     "He wrote that he wished he had
never been to Autobot City.  I think
he blame's me, and I can't say I can
disagree with him."
     "Spike, that's crazy, it wasn't
your fault", said Rodimus.
     "Are you sure?  I'm the one who
chose to live my life helping the
Autobot cause.  I chose it for Daniel
as well.  Look what it's done to him. 
He won't talk about what happened. 
It's tearing him apart inside, I can
tell.  He just suffers in silence. 
It's the loudest silence I've ever
heard."
     "Spike, you can't blame
yourself."  Rodimus wasn't sure what
to say to Spike.  He decided to
change the subject.  "Spike, I need
to ask a favor."
     "What is it", asked Spike.
     "I want to put you in command of
Cybertron", said Rodimus.
     "Why", said Spike, surprised at
his request.
     "I am leading our forces to
Earth.  Cybertron is in no danger
with the Decepticons on Earth, and we
need every Autobot we can get." 
Rodimus could see that Spike was not
completely behind the idea.  "Spike,
think it over.   I don't need to know
for a few hours.  Would it be alright
for me to see Daniel."
     "Certainly", said Spike.
     "Spike, I have an idea.  Would
it be alright if Daniel came with me. 
Maybe I could get him to open up a
little."
     Spike thought a minute.  He knew
Rodimus would never let any harm come
to Daniel, and maybe he was right. 
Maybe he would talk to Rodimus.  "If
it's alright with Daniel, it's
alright with me."
     Rodimus went to Daniel's room,
and knocked on the door.  There was
no answer.  Rodimus opened the door. 
Daniel was sitting on his bed,
writing in his journal.  When he
looked up and saw Rodimus, he tried
to hide the journal, but knocked it
on the floor.
     "Hello Daniel", said Rodimus.
     "Hi Rodimus", said Daniel.  His
voice was cold.
     "So, how's it going", asked
Rodimus, trying to sound was if
nothing was wrong.
     "Alright I guess."
     Rodimus walked over to the bed,
and picked up the journal.  "Mind if
I have a look", Rodimus asked.
     Daniel just shrugged.  Rodimus
flipped through the book.  It was as
Spike had described.  Then Rodimus
saw the last page, the one Daniel
must have been writing in.  He read
the final passage out loud.  "No one
can understand what it's like.  This
is Megatron's fault.  He did this to
me, and I'm going to make him pay.  I
hate him.  I hate him..."   The
passage ended after that."
     Rodimus knelt down next to the
bed.  "Want to talk about it", asked
Rodimus.
     "Not really", said Daniel.
     "Okay.  Well, I am leaving in a
few hours.  We're going to Jupiter's
moons to await a signal from Optimus
to attack."  Rodimus paused.  "Want
to come."
     Daniel looked up suddenly. 
"Really.  I can go with you to help
get Earth back."
     "Really.  I need someone to talk
to.  If I spend too much time with
Ultra Magnus, I might become boring." 
Daniel almost smiled.  Almost, but it
was something.
     "Give me a few minutes to pack",
said Daniel.
     "Sure."  Rodimus left Daniel's
room, and went to see Spike.
     "Spike, he's going to go with
me.  I would like you to reconsider
allowing Daniel to have weapons."
     Spike began to object but
stopped.  "You know Rodimus.  I was
about to say that Daniel is just a
kid.  But he isn't.  He's growing
up."  Spike paused.  "You really
think that will help?"
     "Yes I do", said Rodimus.
     "Take care of him Rodimus", said
Spike.
     "I swear, I won't let any harm
come to him."
     Spike smiled.  "I know you won't
Rodimus.  I will look after Cybertron
for you."
     Just then, Daniel came out of
his room, carrying a knapsack.  "I'm
ready to go Rodimus."
     Daniel said goodbye to his
father.  Rodimus couldn't help but
notice that Daniel seemed so
different.  Like he didn't really
care about anything.
     As they walked down the hall
back to Rodimus's office, Daniel
stopped suddenly.
     "Rodimus, I need to see Hoist
before we leave."
     "Why", asked Rodimus.
     "If I'm going to Earth with you,
I'll need a weapon.  Since I'm
already partly robotic, I thought
Ratchet could add weapon components
to my arms and legs."
     Rodimus thought a moment.  Spike
was right, Daniel was growing up. 
"Alright", said Rodimus, and they
headed for Hoist's repair bay.