The stars. Suns in the never ending cold vastness of space. Some have the chance to warm these planets and produce life, some are only followed by dead rocks. The stars are where the Autobots and the Decepticons came from. Visitors from far beyond Earth's traveled heavens. These beings, although metallic and huge, have the same feelings as a human, they feel the same sensations, warmth, love...

"And the stars brought me Robots that could snore," A pale blonde girl sighed. Her electric blue eyes were watching the heavens as the harvest moon began to rise up over the fall night sky. A small smile crossed the girl's face when a meteorite flickered through the sky. It was such a nice night for Early October. "I wish all nights could be like this," she breathed, her wish upon the 'shooting star'. Kara was awake at this hour because she had been stuck at the Autobot base on Earth and the loudest snorer Kara ever heard she ended up having to stay with. The Earth had come so far, dealing with Decepticons constantly trying to destroy the planet for only god knows why, the peace that was slowly, but surely beginning to spread. It would take several more decades, however for any form of peace to be felt all the way through the population of the planet. Kara sighed for a moment before she tucked her knees up to her chest, running her hand through her hair. Her hand briefly touched upon a cybertronian COMlink she had been asked to carry by Ratchet. "Human and machine, working together," she said with a soft smile. Kara's pale hair, although reflecting white in the moonlight, was down for the night and shading her sharpened features.

Kara was about nineteen to twenty years of age but she had managed to get herself involved in what had to be one of the most spectacular things any human could ever know. Kara's mind began to drift between the Autobots that were staying in the base. There was the noble Leader Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Ratchet, Ironhide, and many others. Kara frowned upon remembering how many lives were taken at Decepticon hands. She had even lost Sparks to their greedy claws. Kara looked out upon the base from the roof she had found her way up to. She'd been sitting there a majority of the night. Up here, she didn't feel the need for sleep, it only managed to awaken the explorer deep within. "I've got far better things I can help these guys with over exploring stars any day," Kara commented. She paused from her thoughts to rub her arms, it was nearing midnight and the cool air had finally moved in. The chill seemed to knock loose feelings the small human girl had locked away inside herself.

For the first time in years, Kara Slade had the overwhelming urge to cry. She had made friends with the autobots better than she ever could with humans. For worse is that Kara had little in the way of Human companions, nor did she want any. The majority she came across eventually turned into robot hating jerks, despite how many times the Autobots had saved the Earth. Kara stood up from her sitting position and crossed her arms loosely over her chest. "Prime was right," she muttered.

Optimus Prime patrolled Autobot city. He stressed he would never give a soldier an order that he himself would not carry out, and sometimes he liked to put his axiom to the test, and what better time than now when he was not needed elsewhere. So he drove, and he cherished this time to think.

Optimus knew he had done what was right, always what was right, but what about the future. Cybertron was all but a lost cause; maybe his species was done for, destroyed by the irreparable chasm between the two races, Autobot and Decepticons. Earth’s moon gleamed against Prime’s windshield. There was always a choice, the transformers could switch sides, so perhaps annihilation was not the only outcome of this war, but the decepticons seemed beyond him, even more stubborn they were in their malicious deeds, than Autobots in their beneficent commitment. Rubble rocked Prime’s suspension. It wasn’t always easy to be upstanding, so the weak and ignorant would always bolster the Decepticon army, so the Great War would always be. Why was it that at every turn Megatron sought to restore Primes home planet, and Prime was forced to stop him. Optimus could not tell when the last time a Decepticon prisoner was taken, it was before his time. Megatron called him weak, he who bore the burden of running the Cybertronian spices into the ground. Prime changed gears while going up hill.

Megatron, of course, thought himself too good for this mantle, and so he continued, the mighty, and honorable leader of the Decepticons. He had to be stopped, shown better.

Prime rounded a bend and found a tiny human silhouette his high beams projected against a starry curtin . The human stood on a distant knoll, an area that was spanned easily by the Semi. His patrol had yielded something. Prime slowed as he approached, and transformed. He now towered behind the puny but cherished human life, so young, so vibrant, so beautiful, it made Prime think of what was to come of humanity, she was the first of two worlds a daughter of earth, but a denizen of Cybertron. She was, after all, here, now, an honorary Autobot.

He said nothing, just walked up and stood beside her, joining her to view the stars. Then he transformed and opened the door to his cab.

EDIT
(( Being in a closed RP like this makes me feel like I'm in the Autobot-Insignia-for-an-avatar club))

(( I'm sorry? xD ))

"Hate and violence only breeds more hate and violence," Kara sighed as she continued to speak to herself. "And then there's always what Mama said," she chuckled softly at remembering her late mother, "'We fall so we could get back up again.'" Kara breathed a small, content sigh. Even if the world was falling apart around her, Kara promised herself and the others that she would fight till her last breath against the Decepticons. No human would go out not trying to protect their home. Earth is really all any one human had. Kara brushed her blonde hair aside from her face as she continued to look at the moon.

Kara was still speaking to herself before her electric blue eyes caught the form of Optimus Prime beside her. "You know, we have a saying on Earth," she started, her mind having wandered to the topic of what was really happening among the Cybertronian race, even she's heard what Megatron has said to Optimus several times. "'It takes the stronger man to step above hatred and still lead his people to victory'," she stated quietly. Kara finally turned all the way towards Optimus when she heard him transform into his Earth vehicle mode. She gave a small chuckle before the breeze left her shivering. "What are you doing up so late?" she questioned as she stepped forwards. Her hands eventually came to gently rest on the inside handle of Optimus's door. Just the feeling Kara was giving the autobot leader would have told him he was doing just fine. She gently clutched the handle before she slowly climbed into the cab and out of the cold.

(( Kara didn’t hear a truck driving up, or see the light from the high beams? That‘s cool))

The rustling of the trees, the humming of insects, the trembling of grass was broken and drowned out buy sudden presence of conversation. "The same thing as you, by the look of it." Optimus replied in a kind tone, almost chuckling "You have such a remarkable planet. Kara, know that you are among friends and need hold no secret or grievance to yourself.” Optimus offered a meaningful pause, to see if Kara filled it.

Kara gave a small giggle. "I'm doubtful you've been made to stay in a room with Hot Rod because you're room has yet to be finished," she said in response to his reply over why he was up so late. Although the stars were honestly brilliant tonight, it was a great time to come out and look at them. "I know it's wonderful, but the real beauty is in how it makes you feel when you actually listen to her," Kara said in a soft tone. "I don't know if you autobots could feel it, but, I can feel at peace when I just.. listen to Earth,"she continued, then chuckling. She was sure she sounded silly. But it was true. Kara felt at peace, even among all the chaos that the Decepticons did bring, when she just stopped and listened to the wind and nature in general.

Optimus was silent, as not to interrupt, it was such an alien sound, yet it was so beautiful, so delicate and spontaneous, unlike the cybertronian retro-rats clinking through infinite tunnels and buildings previously built over. Unlike the deactivated machines and factories and buildings that towered, and lamp posts that were no longer lit. Cybertron, in comparison, seemed like a morgue to a banquet. But Cybertron did have its own sounds, the groans on the strains of the metal planet as it heated when swirling though space, too close to a star. Or the somber wind through the valises of ancient technology. The painful breeze that flowed across the rubble of Icon, the sad sound of a planetary power outage, the churning and the failing. Spark burning, but beautiful.

How much more meaningful the sounds of earth had to seem to the human, and how much less raw the sounds of Cybertron.

"When you are done." Optimus said, waiting to close his cab door.

((Stop sending me PMs, we are the only two using this thread, My msn had been overtaken by viruses, but my yahoo is Gordatron2000, I think))

Earth was a wonderful planet. Kara was happy to have a being other than humans be here to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the swirling space marble. Kara blinked once when she realized she still had Optimus' door open. "Oh right, sorry," she said with a sheepish chuckle. Kara climbed the rest of the way into his cab and shut the door behind her. "It's a planet of dreams," she said softly, her eyes catching the long dancing grass below. It looked like water in the moonlight. Everything was clean about Earth, well, almost everything. Kara still had a small grudge against the humans who used up the resources of the planet so wastefully. To her, it felt like she was watching someone come into her home and start taking things and she couldn't do a blasted thing about it. Even more so was the sting of how the consumption ruined other life on the planet. Kara felt it was nearly the same as taking her autobot friends away from her and using them for common street vehicles. "You guys aren't ever going to leave, are you?" She asked quietly.

An interesting question, are we going to leave? As leader of the Autobots the decision was, as it always had and had not been, his. He was burdened, cursed to make the right decision, the choice for the greater good, but he did not foresee Autobots leaving earth anytime soon. He did not believe that was a current option. Optimus started rolling, and deemed Kara’s question a rhetorical one. His thoughts drifted idly touching on the memories of the day he left Cybertron, and the battle that followed in the Arc. What will he have to do tomorrow to thwart the decepticon cause? Could he afford to harvest energon 9n hopes of restoring Cybertron? Not until the Decepticon hold on Cybertron was loosened. Perhaps he, himself would be leaving earth soon.

Kara was a little heartbroken when Optimus didn't respond to her question. Usually when he didn't respond, it meant that it was a possibility. Left alone on a planet that probably had to be on the brink of civil war by now. Kara lightly nuzzled into the fabric of the bench seat in Optimus' cab. She had just lost Sparks, she couldn't stand to lose him too. Not that she felt she meant much, afterall, it was one of his guiding principles to care for all life. Just the thought of Optimus Prime and the Autobots leaving earth just burned the very recesses of Kara's soul. The idea hurt. She knew, however, that the autobots would eventually have to return to Cybertron to destroy the Decepticon forces on their own world. "For the time being... I guess," Kara started, her tone starting to grow faint as her mind began to weigh heavily with fatigue. The bittersweet smell of the upholstery in the cab always had that effect on her. "Just maybe, Earth could be your home," she finished. Kara rubbed her eyes to keep herself awake for a bit longer until the ride back to the base was over. Just a little bit longer, that's all she wanted.

Optimus felt Kara nuzzle into his chair, something was wrong. Kara wanted support, friendship; she didn't want the Autobots to leave. She especially admired him, Optimus knew. She and so many others looked up to him. Optimus rumbled as he continued in silence to the gates of Autobot City, to the fortress the color of bronze, all that was left over from the golden age it seemed, it seemed to lie in Autobot structures. He anticipated rolling over the bridge into the populace base, and resting in stasis, maybe under the stars, he had to prepare tomorrow, keeping in touch with the moons of Cybertron for their counterattacks and the battle for their planet. Why couldn't she have bonded with Hotrod instead, like Danny, the other young human did? That was their reason for being roomed together. Autobot City neared, visible and drawing closer.

Kara watched as the glowing city came into view. The brilliant metal gave off the shimmer of an illusion in the orange-ish moonlight. Kara felt herself beginning to slip away into the darkness of sleep, but she wouldn't let herself. She felt she was enough of a problem for him without having to go and fall asleep inside his cab. Her eyes closed for a moment when her mind gave her the dominating, terrifying and grinning image of Megatron. It caused her to sit completely straight up with a small jolt. There was absolutely no reason for Megatron to come into mind. Megatron, Galvatron, whatever his name was now, shouldn't have concerned her. He hadn't made an appearance for quite some times and personally, Kara was pleading with whatever force was out there that he never showed again.

"I'm sorry," Kara then breathed lowly. Something was telling her that was the thing to say at that very moment. Sorry for what, she had yet to define. Sorry for giving him another thing to worry about? His spark was probably already heavy as could be with this never ending war going on. Let alone all the lives of Earth that accidentally trapped within the turmoil. Kara absolutely adored the autobot leader, but she was nearly convinced she just needed to go away. She could never bring herself to it though. If she left and was no longer able to lend her abilities to the Autobot cause, she would have broken her promise. Her silent promise to the Autobot leader, and to herself.

Optimus rumbled sending soothing vibrations through his cab, the sensation of driving helped calm both Prime and his passenger, but Optimus put on his breaks and the ride was over. He had heard Kara tell him she was sorry. How accurate that must have been. The poor child needed someone to bond with, share with, specifically she needed him, but he was destined to leave earth for battle, and so he hopped one day to return to Cybertron. He had duties unimaginable by such a young organic woman; he was the beloved and universally respected leader of the Autobots, disputed only by Grimlock on occasion. More than his compassion and presence she needed his strength. He was responsible for making the best decision for her.

She was to return to her quarters with Hot rod, though he doubted his ability to imprint on her now, though he was eager to offer his emotional support. Maybe someone else, maybe bumblebee, he seemed successful in dealing with humans. Ratchet seemed acute to humans as well, and Optimus had a feeling Kara would like him very well. Their marriage would lend to emotional or interpersonal growth on both parts. Jazz, would probably be the best bet, he had extensive knowledge of earth culture and was very congenial, unlike ratchet. It’s just that Hot Rod, bless his young spark, was so much more disposable as an asset, and rambunctiously childlike. He was not infiltration, or a medical technician, or a high ranking special operations agent. Optimus’ choice for Kara’s mentor was Ratchet; he would be more stable and stationary, with less dangerous missions. The needs of this creature were unusual, as were Prime’s obligation to fulfill them.

But maybe tonight the poor, delicate life form could sleep in his cab, as he went into stasis in the streets of autobot city. She would like that. His quarters would be finished soon enough, even if they weren’t completed eons form now.

Kara watched the scenery that was lit with the pale light of the moon. It was beautiful but everything gave off this dark, ominous feel. Kara wouldn't say it, but she felt it within her gut that something was going to happen soon. Be it in a few hours, tomorrow or sometime this week. It was just.. a near gut wrenching fear that probably would have taken Kara over had she not become so exhausted. Her constantly active mind was slowly calming down the more she listened to Prime's rumbling engine, her mind slowing to a near halt when Prime stopped.

"Thank you," She stated in a soft tone. Drowsiness was starting to come in waves over Kara. Despite the female's best efforts to stay awake, she was losing her battle. Not of her own volition, Kara's eyes, heavy with sleep, soon closed. She slid sideways from her upright position until her head was lying on the window. The cool sensation of the glass against her hot skin was comforting. Sleep was beckoning Kara away until her fight was over. She couldn't fight off sleeping anymore. It was probably around one or two in the morning by the time the two had halted and Kara's mind was at ease enough to allow her the bliss of sleep. Not that Kara would call it bliss, instead of dreams filled with cotton candy and puppy dogs, she had the misfortune of constant nightmares. Surprisingly, it wasn't anything to do with the Decepticons, no they didn't scare her one bit, it was more human wrought armageddon that scared her.

She knew, that with the autobots on Earth, the planet's people were far more stable.

“Kara, Wakee, Wakee” It was Hot Rod, who managed to restrain his voice into a empathetic tenor. tone

That morning Optimus prime woke him, promptly giving him instructions. He hated it when that happened. Just because Optimus is the Leader of the Autobots in a war that could span the universe, doesn’t give him the right to barge in, and interrupt his sleep, (exactly like Hot Rod was doing to Kara at the time, the difference was, Kara had gotten plenty of sleep, it was nearing noon.) not now. Hot Rod really didn’t have anything significant to do on earth at the moment, besides construction, true, but there wasn’t anything significant TO do, besides gather and convert energon. It was almost like extended leave, but recently the Optimus was acting a little more overbearing. Hot Rod couldn’t help but feel he was failing Prime in some unseen way. He may be a fighter, not a builder, but that wasn’t what Hot Rod signed up for.

Kara, despite herself, stirred, and Hot Rod looked down at her. “Come on, Kara.” Hot rod waited for a reply. “You have orders soldier,” Hot Rod Mocked in a pitiful, somewhat high pitched Optimus voice.

Hot Rod lowered himself to be more consistent to Kara‘s level. “This could be significant,” Hotrod said returning to that mothering tone. He was aware of Kara’s loss, but he couldn’t stop himself from tumbling on enthusiastically when around her. He was afraid he would say something hurtful.

"Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much 'Rod?" she groaned. Kara sat up and brushed her blonde hair from her face. She looked around for a moment before she came to realize she had been put back in the room she was sharing with Hot Rod. She figured Prime must have done it some time after she fell asleep. Kara rubbed her blue eyes free of sleep for a moment before she yawned and stretched widely, her back and shoulders giving a groaning pop. Kara rubbed her head once before she rolled backwards over her shoulder and into a one armed handstand. She pushed herself up and then landed on the ground on her feet over the head of the bed. She did notice that she was still in the clothes she had been wearing yesterday. "Time to change that," she stated to herself. She managed to fetch fresh clothes from a bag under the cot like bed and disappeared to, somewhere. She was good about disappearing when it came to Hot Rod.

Several minutes later, Kara came back from Primus knows where and she was in her usual striped outfit and her hair was up in it's usual pony tail at the side of her head but she had her bangs brushed and tucked behind her ear instead of in her face. That was a noticeable change. Kara took her armour belt out from its case and wrapped the redesigned exo-suit trigger around her waist. She took a moment to make sure it was active for if and when she needed it. With the hum of mechanics, metal scaled from the belt up and down over her body. Eventually, the nano-tech solidified into a rather advanced looking suit. "Hehe, I still think I look like Iron Man," she giggled to herself even if the helm of the suit wasn't over her head. The helm she didn't even know why she designed it. It was.. somewhat terrifying and almost decepticon looking. But more so, it looked like a dark version of Optimus Prime. It looked good on paper, but when it came down to it, it was an intimidating mask. Kara sighed for a moment and the exosuit retracted it's nanoparts back into the belt. Kara felt it in good taste to have the trigger hidden within the Autobot insignia. "And I'll be one till the day I die," she commented to herself. Kara jumped up the wall a few times until she was on Hot Rod's shoulder so she could speak to him face to face without either getting a neck ache. "So What do ya need 'Rod?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips as she awaited his reply.

Hot Rod was disappointed at Kara’s talent to disappear, he respected her need for privacy, but Hot Rod would have appreciated her body on a aesthetic level, and little more, they were after all giant robot and organic. Maybe a little more, Hot Rod admitted to himself. Female transformers were built for a reason, after all, and they were all but extinct. There was only one on earth at the time, Arcee. Hot Rod supposed that was the reason Kara still sought refuge in hiding her human figure, and her attempts to keep unseen momentarily fueled his prevailing curiosity.

Hot Rod jerked his head about with just enough clearance for Kara to remain on his shoulder, she was a very light weight to bear. No matter what, the girl was capable of impressive feats, even without an exo-sut. She could make a fine soldier, but although she was in the war, the war was not hers.

“Need, oh, nothing much, its what you are going to do, you remember Ratchet?” Hot Rod asked, knowing Kara’s affirmative answer was coming. “Optimus prime wants you to spend some time with him.” He speculated for an astrosecond, “Shadow him for a while, I guess. Pick up some first aid and maintenance skills.

“Get to know him.” Hot Rod said sarcastically as he began heading towards the hall by first turning that direction. “ Shall we?” He said as he began to walk.

Kara's brows raised when Hot Rod told her that she was supposed to hang around Ratchet all day. Kara already had several skills when it came to machinery, especially Cybertronian machinery. She supposed, however, that she could always learn a few new things she could incorporate into her designs, possibly have more things to update her suit with, to make it function even better. "I don't get why Prime would want me to follow him around all day though," she then wondered out loud, "I mean, I've already got pretty much all there is to know about cybertronian technology inside my head without actually being one of you guys." She shrugged before giggling, placing her hand on the side of Hot Rod's temple. "Not that being one of you guys is a bad thing, Although I don't know if I could handle being twenty feet tall like Arcee," she stated with a chuckle still in her voice.

Kara slipped down till she was sitting on 'Rod's shoulders. It was a nice view from all the way up here, but Kara still couldn't help but shake the feeling that she would lose her balance or something and fall off. Afterall, Hot Rod was walking. Kara let a deep breath escape her chest. "Do you think Prime dislikes me any 'Rod?" she asked. She even surprised herself with her question once it left her lips. But, she did feel it needed to be asked. Sooner or later, Kara had to know.

It was an honest question, one that needed Hot Rod’s consideration, although he knew what he wanted to say: ‘of course not Kara, why would you think that? He just has a lot to deal with, he’s *Optimus Prime*!’

Hot Rod enjoyed Kara’s Company. She was friendly and supportive, warm and, honestly, a little foxy.
Hot Rod wished he had more time to consider the question. Why was Kara asking this, she knew better? Optimus spent plenty of time with her, as far as his time goes with… citizens, non-combatant, the titles didn’t really seem to fit with Kara.

“What make’s you think that? I think Optimus likes you very well. If he gave you any reason to think otherwise he probably just want’s what’s best for you. He’s not one to dislike anybody, or anyone.” They continued down the enormous hall, and passed by Springer who acknowledged them with a mild, but friendly greeting.

“I know where you’re coming from though; you don’t want to disappoint him. You want him to… respect you as a capable and useful, helpful individual” Hot Rod was not aware he was projecting his own needs towards prime onto Kara.

“Anyway, I’m sure there are many useful things Ratchet can teach you. A lot of bots can handle general maintenance and repair, not so many are medical engineers. As his practiced apprentice you could be very valuable to the team.” Then glancing sideways, he said, “What’s wrong with her size?”

"I suppose you could be right," Kara said, her tone lowering as she went into thought. Prime did have a lot on his mind, plate, whatever. The last thing he needed was her getting in his way. That's why Kara made such a big point of it to constantly work on her exosuit and her weaponry. Also, she did pay close attention to Ratchet when he did manage to trap her in his ward for a few hours. Kara wanted to be able to help and she had already proven several times that she could carry her own weight in a battle against the Decepticons. Kara even managed to knock down the predacons on her own once to keep them from getting inside the city.

Kara giggled when Hot Rod brought Arcee back up. "Nothing, nothing, I just can't imagine being the size of a house. I mean, that may be normal for you guys, but for a human, that is just too big," she stated, swaying slightly in the humorous situation. She leaned back slightly on his shoulder, looking up for a moment, "Just watch though, I'm probably going to be eating those words." Kara offered the bot a slight sheepish smile before she returned her gaze downwards. She went silent for the next couple of minutes, watching as the door to Ratchet's ward began to come into view. "Hey 'Rod," she then breathed lowly, making sure he was the only bot to hear what she was going to say next, "I don't want to cause any panic or anything, but, I'm starting to get the feeling that something bad.. something really bad.. is going to happen soon. I don't know what or what shape it's going to take, but keep on your toes for me, would you?" she asked, a slight pleading tone to her voice.

“Ill spread the word, it’s the least I can do,” Hot Rod said. “I’ll hint at it, I won’t let anyone know it came from you.” Hot rod straight armed his way into Ratchet’s hanger. The tools all seemed to be in place.

“Hey, Ratchet, I have this feeling. Like something bad is going to happen real soon! Can you feel it?” Hot rod asked boisterously and a little too loudly. He turned and winked at Kara, with his striking green eyes and his shining silver face. He deemed his act a funny, friendly gesture. He turned to Ratchet "Kara is going to be spending the day with you, Ratchet." Hot Rod turned to leave, "MAN, I HAVE THIS DARK FORBODING," he said to tease Kara as he pushed the doors open to leave and threw his arms into a helpless shrug, but his intentions were true; there was nobody in the hall to hear him, for there had not been a battle recently, and he would try and plant a seed of uneasiness amongst his Autobots for Kara's sake. She was his roommate, after all.