Chapter Text
Sagitta's optics flickered on before she lurched forward, banging her helm against the grate of a vent. Her servos rushed up to wipe at her optics as her vision cleared.
"Maman?" She warbled into the darkness.
She was about to cry out when her audials finally caught someone else's voice. She leaned against the grate, trying to find something, anything to let her know her maman was okay.
She saw two hulking mechs through the gate, one unfamiliar and the one who had attacked her maman. Her optics widened as she leaned closer.
The monster almost looked like…her.
"…Thank you for waking me."
She pressed as close as she could go, unable to stop when the creaks of the rusty grate revealed what was about to happen. She fell forward with a crash. As soon as she looked up, a bright flash blinded her. Before she could gain her bearing, another boom sounded out. Her optics blinked back on and she stared into the face of the monster.
"Papa," she whispered.
Maman really told the truth, she did look exactly like her sire.
The monster turned slowly, their optics locking. Sagitta felt her finials flatten and her optics widen.
The monster stared down at her, optics also widened and confused.
"Who-"
Sagitta stepped forward, both terrified and curious.
"Tu es ma fille," the monster whispered, not a question.
Sagitta wanted to cry and run to him, she wanted her sire to grab her and pull her close into his arms and keep her with him forever.
A flash of red caught her optic.
"Maman!"
Suddenly, her sire was yanked and flipped to his side. For one moment, she looked into her maman's optics and saw nothing but rage.
She scrambled away before ducking into a corner.
"Shooting beings while they lie helpless? Starscream I thought you were a warrior."
Starscream…her sire's designation was Starscream.
"Unlike you Optimus Prime, I do whatever it takes."
Her sire spat out Maman's name with so much venom, so much rage. She thought her sire had loved Maman, but all she could see was hatred and anger.
Maman wrapped his arms around Starscream before yanking them both to the floor. As Starscream stood, Maman seemed to shield something below him.
"Smelting Autobot!" Starscream cried, ready to fire his weapon.
Sagitta covered her optics before a loud clang sounded out.
"Don't even think about it buddy!"
Her optics shot open, Ratchet, he was okay. She curled in on herself, as more bots around her woke up, but she couldn't take her optics off of her creators.
She saw Ratchet and Maman talk, but the blasters drowned out what they were saying. She cried out for them, but neither could hear her little wails.
She saw Maman point to something, and Ratchet dashed to it, Maman running in the opposite direction. Another mech woke up, this one a dark blue with a glowing red visor. The Ark filled with blinding light again, and Sagitta felt warmth wash over her.
Fire.
She finally opened her optics and found her Maman in the flames. He rose slowly and then stiffened. Sagitta watched as he crawled before cradling something that gleamed in the orange light. Her optics widened.
Bee's lifeless frame laid limp in Maman's arms, his face-plate blasted apart.
Sagitta sobbed and sobbed, she ran forward, not caring about what danger she could be in.
She needed her Maman and Bee.
Starscream made it to him first. He wrapped his arms around Maman's neck, ready to wring it.
"Maman! Maman!"
She kept running, unable to stop.
"Oh no you don't."
Arms suddenly encircled her, and she wailed and flung out.
"It's okay little one, it's okay, I'm here."
She looked into Ratchet's optics and sobbed, he tucked her close to her chassis and ran. He brought her to a trailer loaded with all the other Autobots. She stared at their still frames and cried, clinging to Ratchet tighter.
"They're okay," he promised, "but you need to stay here. Your Maman will be here soon. I swear it."
He set her down gently before kissing the crown of her helm.
"Just a little more until this is over."
He shut the door quickly as he called out.
Sagitta curled into herself as the trailer began racing. She shut her optics, praying that her maman would be there when she opened them.
~
The sound of blaster fire had been a near constant sound during the drive, but Sagitta couldn't shake the fear, not even as the trailer finally stopped.
For a moment, she laid perfectly. She finally vented deeply and stood on shaky legs. She gently pushed the trailer door open and stepped out carefully.
The first things she saw were the stars above her. They looked so different down here. Her optics widened at their beauty.
She tore her gaze from the stars and it landed it on the same mech she had seen in the Ark, the shuttle.
He currently laid in Maman's arms, limp. The same kind of limp that Bee had been.
She froze, optics wide again.
Her lipplate quivered.
"Maman," she whispered hoarsely.
Maman's helm snapped up, whipping to see her. His frame seemed to sag, his optics brightened, but only a little.
He gently laid the shuttle before practically leaping forward to her.
"Sagitta," he cried as he pulled her into his arms. "Oh my Sagitta," he wept.
He pulled her over his chassis, and Sagitta leaned closer, listening for the thrum of his spark.
Optimus's frame shook as he held her.
"You're okay, you're okay. Primus, I was so scared. Thank you, thank you Primus."
He cradled her, pressing their forehelms together.
"I couldn't lose you too, I just couldn't."
Sagitta cried as she clung onto him tighter.
"Shh shhh it's okay, I have you. You're okay, you're safe now. I didn't lose you too."
Sagitta closed her optics and held tighter before pulling back to look him in the optics.
"Maman…" she began with her shaky voice.
"Yes little one?"
His grip on her seemed to tighten.
"Why did you lie to me?"