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Description
Transformers: Another Life

It was standard day on Cybertron, Shortstop walked with Brainstorm, Perceptor, and Silverbolt. Éclair sat on Shortstop’s left shoulder. They walked down the walk way right outside of Iacon.

“So, the last time I played football with the Dinobots,” Shortstop said. “I spent four hours in Rachet’s Medical Bay.

“What happened?” Silverbolt asked.

“I was running with the football and Snarl came out of no where and whacked me with his tail and I flew right into Sludge who decided to…”

At that moment, the ground shook causing the Autobots to stumble. Éclair fell off of Shortstop’s shoulder. She flipped and landed on her feet. They saw smoke rising from behind a building. They all ran towards the smoke. Moments later they arrived. To their surprise it was a metallic silver sphere that had crashed into Cybertron’s metallic’s crust. Silverbolt lifted his arm and opened his comm. link.

“Optimus Prime, report to Sector 09-A at once.” Silverbolt said.

A few moments later, Optimus Prime, Ironhide and Prowl arrived.

They transformed into their robot modes and stood next to the Autobots who found the mysterious object.

“Perceptor.” Optimus Prime said.

Perceptor transformed into his microscope form and scanned the object.

“It appears to be a probe of some kind... but there is no record of this shape or design. The probe is composed of paricium and talgonite a ceramic alloy. The probe is emitting an unusual particle stream.” Perceptor reported.

“Autobots, be cautious.” Optimus warned.

The probe flared briefly. Shortstop stumbled back as though he was struck. He began to fall and lose consciousness. Brainstorm and Silverbolt rushed to catch him. They caught him before he hit the ground. They slowly laid him on the ground. Silverbolt’s hand supported Shortstop’s head. Shortstop’s eyes flickered off.

Inside, Dustin could see Silverbolt and Éclair’s face before the headmaster’s eyes flickered off. Then Dustin’s own eyes closed.

Dustin awoke. He slowly looked around and realized he was in his in his room. The sun’s rays shone through the window and illuminated the room. He closed his eyes trying to remember how he got there. The last thing he remembered was the object landing on Cybertron. He yawned. Then an arm flew over him.

“Hey, honey.” The voice said.

Dustin immediately recognized the voice and it wasn’t Éclair’s. He looked over and saw the last person who he never expected. Sarah.

Dustin lurched backwards and fell out of the bed.

“Jesus, Sarah, you’re….” Dustin looked around the room. “incredible.”

Dustin stood up and looked around the room. He saw pictures on the wall. Pictures of them together, them having a good time. Then he saw one that caught his eye. Their wedding picture.

“Where am I?”

“You’re home. Come back to bed.” Sarah said.

Dustin stood there. He was unsure of what was going on. He continued to look around.

“What’s today’s date?” Dustin asked.

“May 30th, 2010.” Sarah replied.

Dustin’s eyes widened.

“What’s wrong?” Sarah asked.

“What was the date of our wedding?”

Sarah sounded shocked. “You don’t remember?”

“Things in my mind are different the way things are now. I’m curious how much is different.”

“September 29th, 2008.” Sarah said.

“That seems right.” Dustin thought to himself.

“I need to figure out what has happened for the past year and a half. I’m contacting Optimus Prime.” Dustin said.

Sarah gave him a puzzled look.

Dustin looked on the stand next to the bed to see where his watch communicator was located.

“What are you looking for?” Sarah asked.

“My watch communicator. I need to contact Prime.” Dustin replied.

“You’re serious?”

“Yeah, I’m serious. Why wouldn’t I be.”
Sarah didn’t answer.

Dustin observed her silence. He stopped looking for his communicator figuring it didn’t exist.  “What kind of car do I drive?”

“A Hyundai Tiburion.” Sarah said in a very confused look.

“What happened to my Cavalier?”

“You wrecked it in Pittsburgh. A drunk driver hit you head on.”

Dustin thought for a moment. “That’s half right. Trypticon kicked my car into a building.  That’s how I really wrecked it. ”

“What kind of job do I have?” He asked.

“You’re an accomplished writer. You’ve written some wonderful stories.” Sarah replied. “Is the fever coming back? When you had the fever it took part of your memory.”

Dustin thought fast on how to figure out on what was going on.

“That must be it. I’m sorry I don’t remember.” Dustin said.

“It’s ok.” Sarah said as she rose out of bed and approached her husband. She wrapped her arms around him. He felt something between the two of them. They both were naked so there shouldn’t be anything there but when he looked down he saw something familiar. It was a necklace that Sarah was wearing and the charm was a miniature version of the object that crashed onto Cybertron.

“Where did you get this?” He asked.

“Hon, it was the first gift you ever gave me.” She replied.

Silverbolt carefully lowered Shortstop’s head to the ground.

“I’ve got you, Shortstop. It’s alright.” Silverbolt said.

“Medical team, report to Sector-09-A. Shortstop is down. Human and Autobot medical teams report in.” Optimus Prime said into his comm. link.

Moments later, Wheeljack, Ratchet and Carly arrived. Carly hopped out of Ratchet right before he and Wheeljack transformed. Wheeljack walked over to him. He manually disengaged the head, which transformed into the exosuit form and the body transformed into the Ford GT.

“It looks like his transforming mechanism is still functional.” Wheeljack said.

Carly pressed the button on neck of the exosuit and the exosuit folded away revealing Dustin’s true body. Dustin was still unconscious. Perceptor continued to scan the probe.

“The probe is no longer sending out the unusual particle stream. However it is sending out a narrow reciprocating band focused directly on Dustin.” Perceptor reported.

“Perceptor, find out how we can cut the beam off.” Prime said. “Wheeljack, start scanning the probe for identifying marks. I want to know if this thing came from the Decepticons or not.”

Carly continued to scan Dustin.

“Pulse and blood pressure normal I'm getting hyperactive fibrogenic activity this is odd. There's no evidence of injury or trauma vital signs are normal, but his neurotransmitter production is off the scale. What's going on?”

“That probe is doing something to him. Any luck, Perceptor?” Éclair asked.

“Negative. The particle emission is most unusual. I am unable to block it.” Perceptor said.

“Should we destroy it?” Silverbolt asked.

“I don’t think that’s wise. Not until we know what is going on?” Carly said.

“Agreed.” Prime said as he looked from Dustin and back to the probe.

Dustin lied down on a bench, outside of his house, looking up at the stars. He looked a bit older but not too much. Sarah came over and kneeled down next to him.

“Still dreaming of Cybertron?” Sarah asked.

“I’m just watching the clouds.”

“You’re wondering what you can do to get back to that life.” Sarah said.

“That memory is five years old but it’s still inside of me. My other existence may be gone but I still wonder about it.” Dustin replied.

She regarded him solemnly, and then began to idly circling the courtyard.

“Was that life so much better than this one?”

Dustin gave her a sharp look. Undaunted, she continued talking.

“So much more gratifying... so much more fulfilling that you cling to it with such stubbornness?”

“Sarah.”

“It must have been extraordinary but never once, in all the stories you've told me have you mentioned anyone who loved you as I do.”

Dustin didn’t have the heart to tell her what happened to her in his other life. He couldn’t tell her that he had found someone else.

“It was real... as real as this is. You can't expect me to forget the lifetime I spent there

“Yes, I can.”

Dustin looked at her.

“I've been patient, Dustin. For five years I have shared you with that other life. I have listened, I have tried to understand... and I have waited.  When do I get you back?”

Dustin was silent fully understanding her frustration.

“I know this has been hard for you...”

“It's not as though it hasn't been, interesting, all this talk about Transformers and distant planets, I have never been bored. But I have been lonely. Knowing that your heart is really somewhere else.”

“You have been amazingly tolerant.” Dustin said.

“When are you going to let go? When are you going to start living this life?”

Dustin didn’t answer.

“I hope it’s soon.” Sarah said as she kissed Dustin on the forehead and walked back inside.

Later that night, Dustin sat out in the courtyard writing. His friend Nick had arrived earlier in the evening and the two were just out relaxing.

“You’ve been brooding behind your writing all evening.” Nick said.

“I’m not brooding. I’m immersed in my writing.” Dustin replied.

“Writing…” Nick said.

“I’ve also found that it helps me relax.” Dustin said.

At that moment Sarah walked out.

“Nick.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Go home.”
“Yes, ma’am.”  Nick stood up. “Goodnight, Dustin.”

“Goodnight, my friend.” Dustin replied.

“Be careful.” Sarah said.

Nick walked away as Sarah leaned over and picked up Dustin’s shoes that were sprawled on the ground.

“Don’t forget these. I won’t put them away again.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Dustin said.

Sarah gave him a sidelong glance and saw the humor in him and smiled back.

“I’ve done nothing but nag today. I’m sorry.” Sarah said.

“I’m the one who’s sorry. Everything you said this morning was absolutely right.”

Sarah gave him a surprised look.

“I've given you so little and you have given me so much tenderness, patience and a good talking to when I needed it. You've been more than I could ever have hoped for. More than I deserve.”

Sarah hastened to reassure him, hearing these unaccustomed and longed for words.

“You're a good man, a wonderful husband... I didn't mean to imply.”

He touched her mouth gently with his fingertips.

“Not such a wonderful husband.”

He put his arm around her, musing.

“I spend my spare time staring at the stars, I disappear for days at a time exploring the countryside, and I never put away my shoes. I lead my life very much as I did… before. Old habits.”

“You're gentle and kind, you've never raised your voice to me.”

“I'd like to ask your permission to build something.”

“Dustin, you've built your telescope, your laboratory, you don't need my permission to build anything…”

“In this case, I think I do.”

“What is it?”

“A nursery.”

She digests the enormity of this. Then, absolutely beaming, she wraps her arms around him.

“Really? Really?”

“Unless you'd rather have a porch. It'd certainly be easier to build...

She laughed, flinging her arms around him; he smileed. Then, tenderly, lovingly... he took her face in his hands and kissed her.

Dustin was still unconscious; more equipment was being set up by a medical team including Éclair and Lumiere. Carly hovered over Dustin.

“He's showing heightened activity in the cerebral cortex.”

“Pulse and blood pressure are slightly elevated.” Daniel reported.

“Systemic activity?”

“Increasing. And I'm getting heightened tactile responses.”

“Set up a galvanic scan.”

“Optimus, I have been analyzing the nucleonic beam. I believe it would be possible to reflect the particles back toward the probe in a way that would disrupt the signal.

Optimus turned to Carly with a tough question.

“Carly?”

She didn’t have an easy answer.

“I don't know what it's doing to him, or what'll happen if we stop it.”

“He could be dying by inches.” Optimus said.

“His vital signs are stable. There's no indication he's in a life threatening situation” Carly said.

“I'm not willing to let that thing keep drilling into him.” Prime said with a stern voice.

“I simply don't know the risk of shutting down the beam. If someone gets stabbed, you don't necessarily pull the knife out right away, that might do more harm than leaving it there.

“Shortstop is under attack. We must act.” Brainstorm said.

Prime weighed his options.

“I'm inclined to agree. Carly, monitor him closely. Perceptor, prepare to disrupt the beam. We're going to try to cut this cord.”

Dustin and Sarah stood next to each other with their six year old daughter, Jaymie standing between them and Sarah held their newly born son, Rylan in her arms. Sarah had just brought Rylan home from the hospital and people wanted to stop by and see the newest member of the Zofchak family. Dustin had set up the house with tables and chairs with food and drinks for the guests. People snapped pictures of the family. Dustin was older now. Seven years older to be exact. Once the pictures are done being taken, Dustin and Sarah relax a bit. Jaymie runs away to play with the other children. Liz, one of Dustin’s friends, comes up and takes Rylan into her arms, leaving Dusting and Sarah alone for a moment.

“Seems like yesterday, we brought Jaymie home.” Sarah said.

“I was so nervous, I thought I was going to drop her. Now look at her, a little lady.” Dustin said.

“She’s no lady, tromping through the hills with you all day, reading history books, writing, she’s her father’s daughter.” Sarah said.

Dustin smiled, then grew a bit pensive. Sarah picked up on it.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’d always thought that I didn’t need children to make my life complete. Now I can’t imagine my life without them.” Dustin said.

Just then, Dustin’s face winced with pain. Sarah reacted to his facial expression. Dustin gasped for breath. He dropped to his knees. Then he fell onto his back.

“Get the doctor, hurry.” Sarah said.

Carly, who was bent over Dustin, was trying frantically to revive him. Éclair, Lumiere and Daniel were at her side. Dustin began to gasp for air.

“I’m losing him.” Carly said.

“I'm getting massive somatophysical failure.” Daniel said.

“Perceptor, get that beam back.” Prime ordered.

“There are severe fluctuations in the isocortex, synaptic responses are failing.” Daniel said.

Dustin began to convulse.

“Blood pressure is dropping rapidly. Seventy over twenty.” Daniel said.

“Perceptor you have to reestablish that beam.” Éclair said.

“I’m attempting to do so.” Perceptor said.

“Ion stimulator.” Carly said.

Daniel handed his mother, a u-shaped instrument that she placed on Dustin’s forehead.

“Beam fully restored.” Perceptor announced.

“Blood pressure up to ninety over forty…..and rising.” Daniel reported.

“Vital signs are returning to normal levels.” Carly said.

She removed the device from Dustin in total spent relief. She leaned back against the Ford GT.  The others let out a collective sigh of relief.

A lovely, intelligent-eyed girl, Jaymie is out in the courtyard reading an older looking book and writing. She looks about sixteen now. Another ten years have passed.

“Jaymie?” A voice called out.

She looked up and around. She has a great grin on her face reminiscent of her mother’s.

“Good morning, father.” She said.

He walked through the doorway. He looks older now. He’s about forty four at this time.

“That’s my hobby. Find your own.” Dustin said.

“You’re the one who introduced me to it. Don’t complain if I become a writer or a historian.”

“Fair enough.”

“So what is the writer writing about today?”

“Oh just some fiction. I was going with your stories that you wrote about transforming machines called Autobots and Decepticons. I always loved those stories so I’m writing my own stories to go along with them. However, I was reading some of them and I’m saddened.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because in your stories, you killed off mother and then met another girl on a distant planet. Why did you do that?”

Dustin was silent for a moment. He wasn’t sure how to answer.
“Tell me, Why don’t you spend more time with that young fellow, Kyle?”

“You’re changing the subject.” Jaymie said.

“I’m not. I’m just reading into guys that are in love with my daughter.” Dustin said.

“You’ve taught me to pursue the truth, no matter how painful it might be. It’s too late to back off of that now.” Jaymie said. “I’ve gone over old history books. Something happened in 1984 and I can’t figure out what. Something landed on Earth then and something happened in 2007 here in Athens and again I can’t figure out what. There’s a reason why you killed off mother in your stories. I believe that you aren’t from this world and you are from the world of the Transformers. And we don’t exist in that one.”

Dustin looked at her with anguish and adoration.

“Perhaps I should’ve filled your head with trivial concerns, games, toys, and clothes.” Dustin said.

Jaymie smiled at her father.

“I don’t think you mean that.”

“No, but it saddens me to see you bear the burden of knowing things, you can’t change.”

“It’s no more a burden than you bear.” She replied.

“But I’m not sixteen, with a life ahead of me.”

“Father? I should marry Kyle sooner rather than later, don’t you?”

“I can only say, live now, Jaymie. Always make now the most precious time. Now will not come again.”

“I love you, father.” Jaymie said.

She puts her arm around his waist and he puts his arm around her shoulder. Together they walk into the house.

Carly and Daniel still worked over Dustin.

“His vital signs are holding. He’s been stable ever since the beam was restored. I’m not sure what else to do for him.” Carly said.

Prime looked at the probe with frustration.

“Prime, I’ve found some residual particles along the side of the probe.” Wheeljack said.

“What kind of particles?” Prime asked.
“Decepticon.”  Wheeljack said.

“I knew the Decepticons were behind this.” Ironhide said.

“There is a trail leading from this thing to the Decepticon base on Earth.” Wheeljack said.

Optimus Prime turned to his second in command. “Prowl, order a strike team. We’re going after the Decepticons.” Prime said.

“Yes, sir.” Prowl said.

Dustin was in the courtyard looking through his telescope. He was about fifteen years older now. Sarah walked through the doorway.

“I put your shoes away, again.” She said.

“Ah, thank you, dear.”

She walked towards him as he leaned up to kiss her. After the kiss she leaned over and peered through the telescope.

“I’ve been looking through this thing on and off for forty years and I still don’t see want you and Jaymie find so fascinating.”

“Fine, Then maybe you’ll sit down and rest the way you’re supposed to.” Dustin said.

“You treat me like some frail flower. People have surgery all the time.” Sarah said.

At that moment a sound of a saxophone is played in the house drew Dustin’s look. He shook his head a little, and then moves back to his telescope. Sarah saw his reaction.

“He loves playing. He’s good at it, you know.” She said.

“He loves doing a lot of things. One week he wanted to be an astrologist. The next week a teacher. I wish he could find some focus in his life.” Dustin said with a hint of frustration in his voice.

“I think he has.” Sarah said.

Dustin looked at her with a surprised and curious face.

“Maybe you should talk to him.” Sarah said.

Dustin realized something was going on.

“RYLAN?” Dustin called.

The music stopped and Rylan stepped through the door way.

“Father?”

“I get the feeling from your mother that you have something to tell me.”
Rylan and Sarah shared a brief glance.

“Yeah. I was waiting for the right moment but that will never come. I’m leaving school.”

“Leaving school? No, you’re not.”

“I want to concentrate on my music. It’s what I care about.” Rylan said.

“Last year, all you cared about was history. A year before that, astrology.”

“But through it all there was my music. I think you know that father.” Rylan said. “This is what I want.”

Dustin looked at him, realizing that his children will go their own way regardless.

“We’ll….discuss it.” Dustin said.

“Thank you, father.” Rylan said before going back into the house.

Sarah looked at him.

“Even after all these years, you still have the ability to surprise me.” She said.

“If music is what he wants, who am I to stand in his way?”

The next day, Dustin was on his way back from a morning hike and he saw he son come sprinting up the road.

“Father!”

“What is it?”

“It’s mother.”

The two of them hurried back to their home.

Shortly later, the two of them arrived and ran into the house. A grim faced doctor rose from his inspection of Sarah, who lied on a couch with a blanket covering her.

“Doctor?” Dustin asked.

The doctor just shook his head.

“You see, I’ll go to any lengths to get your attention.” Sarah said weakly.

“You always had a flair for the dramatic.” Dustin said as he knelt down and held Sarah’s hand.

“Doctor, Rylan….leave us along for a moment. I want to talk to my husband.”

The two of them leave the room.

“I just want you to know. I believed you about the other life.”

Dustin smiled. Sarah reached up and lightly touched his cheek.

“Remember, put your shoes away.” She said.

“I will.” Dustin said.

Sarah closed her eyes and without any indication she died. Dustin looked at her for a few seconds then buried his head in the folds of her blanket.

Prime led a band of Autobots to the underwater Decepticon Base on Earth. They swam until they reached it. They swam up underneath it and Brawn’s hand retracted and it was replaced with an energon cutter. They cut a hole into the base’s hull and entered the ship. They carefully walked through the empty corridors of the base looking for the devise that controlled the probe.

On Cybertron, Carly still monitored Dustin.

“Mom…” Daniel said.

“What is it?”

“I’m not sure. He’s showing physiological alterations, his readings are changing as well as his respiratory functions.” He said.

“Is he in danger?” Éclair asked.

“I don’t know, I don’t understand what’s happening. The changes are subtle but…if I didn’t know any better I’d say these are the metabolic rates of a seventy year old man.” Carly said.

A seventy-five year old Dustin was on his hands and knees, chasing a six year old boy around a chair. Dustin hid behind the chair and scared the boy, who squealed with delight. Dusting grabbed him and began to tickle him. Jaymie walked into the room.

“Some children are making a lot of noise in here.” She said.

Dustin began to get up. Jaymie made the mistake of moving and helping her father off his knees. Dustin pulls his hand away from hers and creakily makes it to his feet. Jaymie affectionately smiles at her father, understanding. Rylan walked into the room.

“Hey everyone.” He said.

Rylan knelt down to his nephew. “Ready to go for a walk?”

“Yep.” The six year old said with a giant smile.

The two walk out the door as Dustin is putting on his old hat. Jaymie interlocked her arm with his and the two began to walk towards the door.

Prime and the Autobots found the room where the device was located. A few Decepticons were in there including Nos. The doors to the room opened the closed. Nos looked back to see who had come in but didn’t see anyone. He shrugged it off. The next thing he knows is that he is being lifted up by some invisible force and thrown against a wall.

“What the hell?” Nos said.

At that moment Mirage appeared. Then the other Autobots ran in with blasters blazing at the Decepticons. That caught the Decepticons off guard. They fired back. Dirge lunged at Brawn but Brawn just grabbed him and threw him into Ramjet. Thundercracker fired at Prowl and with his attention on Prowl, he didn’t notice Hard Head come up behind him and kick him across the room. With most of their forces on Kubos, the Decepticons were out numbered by the Autobots. They quickly retreated out of the room. Nos stood up and faced Prime. He then looked and saw the business end of all of the Autobots’ blasters, including Prime’s huge rifle.

“It would appear that I’m at your mercy.” Nos said.

He then reached behind him and pulled out a spherical object. He threw it at Prime and ran out of the room. Prime knew exactly what it was. He then threw it through the door before it closed. The explosion rocked the entire base. Wheeljack went over to the control panel of the device that was controlling the probe. He looked it over then pressed a few buttons and all of the lights on it dimmed to non existence.

Dustin stood with Jaymie in his house about to walk out but then dropped to his knees. He then fell onto his back and looked up at his daughter. Jaymie, who had tears falling from her eyes, held her father’s hand. She didn’t have to ask anything. She knew what was happening. She was always too smart for her own good. She got that from her father.

With what strength he had left, he nodded. He saw his daughter, then his vision blurred and he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he saw Éclair’s face.

“The beam has ceased.” Perceptor said.

“How long have I been out?” Dustin asked.

“Half hour, forty five minutes tops.” Éclair said.

“Dustin, I want you in my medical bay. I want to run a full diagnostic.” Carly said.

“Very well, Doc.” Dustin replied, still hazy.

Later that day, Dustin sat in his room looking at old photos of him and Sarah and what they shared. He missed her deeply. Then there was a knock on the door. He looked up and saw the welcome face of Éclair. Without saying anything, Dustin moved over and offered a seat to her. She came in and sat down next to her boyfriend.

“I guess I should thank the Decepticons this time.” Dustin said.

“Why’s that?”

“Well, the let me see what my life would’ve been like with out the Transformers.”

Éclair looked down at the picture in Dustin’s hand.

“So this is Sarah?”

Dustin nodded.

“Will you tell me about her?”

Dustin looked at her and smiled.

“Well, Sarah was a kind, generous girl….” Dustin began.

The End.

Description
Transformers: Another Life

It was standard day on Cybertron, Shortstop walked with Brainstorm, Perceptor, and Silverbolt. Éclair sat on Shortstop’s left shoulder. They walked down the walk way right outside of Iacon.

“So, the last time I played football with the Dinobots,” Shortstop said. “I spent four hours in Rachet’s Medical Bay.

“What happened?” Silverbolt asked.

“I was running with the football and Snarl came out of no where and whacked me with his tail and I flew right into Sludge who decided to…”

At that moment, the ground shook causing the Autobots to stumble. Éclair fell off of Shortstop’s shoulder. She flipped and landed on her feet. They saw smoke rising from behind a building. They all ran towards the smoke. Moments later they arrived. To their surprise it was a metallic silver sphere that had crashed into Cybertron’s metallic’s crust. Silverbolt lifted his arm and opened his comm. link.

“Optimus Prime, report to Sector 09-A at once.” Silverbolt said.

A few moments later, Optimus Prime, Ironhide and Prowl arrived.

They transformed into their robot modes and stood next to the Autobots who found the mysterious object.

“Perceptor.” Optimus Prime said.

Perceptor transformed into his microscope form and scanned the object.

“It appears to be a probe of some kind... but there is no record of this shape or design. The probe is composed of paricium and talgonite a ceramic alloy. The probe is emitting an unusual particle stream.” Perceptor reported.

“Autobots, be cautious.” Optimus warned.

The probe flared briefly. Shortstop stumbled back as though he was struck. He began to fall and lose consciousness. Brainstorm and Silverbolt rushed to catch him. They caught him before he hit the ground. They slowly laid him on the ground. Silverbolt’s hand supported Shortstop’s head. Shortstop’s eyes flickered off.

Inside, Dustin could see Silverbolt and Éclair’s face before the headmaster’s eyes flickered off. Then Dustin’s own eyes closed.

Dustin awoke. He slowly looked around and realized he was in his in his room. The sun’s rays shone through the window and illuminated the room. He closed his eyes trying to remember how he got there. The last thing he remembered was the object landing on Cybertron. He yawned. Then an arm flew over him.

“Hey, honey.” The voice said.

Dustin immediately recognized the voice and it wasn’t Éclair’s. He looked over and saw the last person who he never expected. Sarah.

Dustin lurched backwards and fell out of the bed.

“Jesus, Sarah, you’re….” Dustin looked around the room. “incredible.”

Dustin stood up and looked around the room. He saw pictures on the wall. Pictures of them together, them having a good time. Then he saw one that caught his eye. Their wedding picture.

“Where am I?”

“You’re home. Come back to bed.” Sarah said.

Dustin stood there. He was unsure of what was going on. He continued to look around.

“What’s today’s date?” Dustin asked.

“May 30th, 2010.” Sarah replied.

Dustin’s eyes widened.

“What’s wrong?” Sarah asked.

“What was the date of our wedding?”

Sarah sounded shocked. “You don’t remember?”

“Things in my mind are different the way things are now. I’m curious how much is different.”

“September 29th, 2008.” Sarah said.

“That seems right.” Dustin thought to himself.

“I need to figure out what has happened for the past year and a half. I’m contacting Optimus Prime.” Dustin said.

Sarah gave him a puzzled look.

Dustin looked on the stand next to the bed to see where his watch communicator was located.

“What are you looking for?” Sarah asked.

“My watch communicator. I need to contact Prime.” Dustin replied.

“You’re serious?”

“Yeah, I’m serious. Why wouldn’t I be.”
Sarah didn’t answer.

Dustin observed her silence. He stopped looking for his communicator figuring it didn’t exist.  “What kind of car do I drive?”

“A Hyundai Tiburion.” Sarah said in a very confused look.

“What happened to my Cavalier?”

“You wrecked it in Pittsburgh. A drunk driver hit you head on.”

Dustin thought for a moment. “That’s half right. Trypticon kicked my car into a building.  That’s how I really wrecked it. ”

“What kind of job do I have?” He asked.

“You’re an accomplished writer. You’ve written some wonderful stories.” Sarah replied. “Is the fever coming back? When you had the fever it took part of your memory.”

Dustin thought fast on how to figure out on what was going on.

“That must be it. I’m sorry I don’t remember.” Dustin said.

“It’s ok.” Sarah said as she rose out of bed and approached her husband. She wrapped her arms around him. He felt something between the two of them. They both were naked so there shouldn’t be anything there but when he looked down he saw something familiar. It was a necklace that Sarah was wearing and the charm was a miniature version of the object that crashed onto Cybertron.

“Where did you get this?” He asked.

“Hon, it was the first gift you ever gave me.” She replied.

Silverbolt carefully lowered Shortstop’s head to the ground.

“I’ve got you, Shortstop. It’s alright.” Silverbolt said.

“Medical team, report to Sector-09-A. Shortstop is down. Human and Autobot medical teams report in.” Optimus Prime said into his comm. link.

Moments later, Wheeljack, Ratchet and Carly arrived. Carly hopped out of Ratchet right before he and Wheeljack transformed. Wheeljack walked over to him. He manually disengaged the head, which transformed into the exosuit form and the body transformed into the Ford GT.

“It looks like his transforming mechanism is still functional.” Wheeljack said.

Carly pressed the button on neck of the exosuit and the exosuit folded away revealing Dustin’s true body. Dustin was still unconscious. Perceptor continued to scan the probe.

“The probe is no longer sending out the unusual particle stream. However it is sending out a narrow reciprocating band focused directly on Dustin.” Perceptor reported.

“Perceptor, find out how we can cut the beam off.” Prime said. “Wheeljack, start scanning the probe for identifying marks. I want to know if this thing came from the Decepticons or not.”

Carly continued to scan Dustin.

“Pulse and blood pressure normal I'm getting hyperactive fibrogenic activity this is odd. There's no evidence of injury or trauma vital signs are normal, but his neurotransmitter production is off the scale. What's going on?”

“That probe is doing something to him. Any luck, Perceptor?” Éclair asked.

“Negative. The particle emission is most unusual. I am unable to block it.” Perceptor said.

“Should we destroy it?” Silverbolt asked.

“I don’t think that’s wise. Not until we know what is going on?” Carly said.

“Agreed.” Prime said as he looked from Dustin and back to the probe.

Dustin lied down on a bench, outside of his house, looking up at the stars. He looked a bit older but not too much. Sarah came over and kneeled down next to him.

“Still dreaming of Cybertron?” Sarah asked.

“I’m just watching the clouds.”

“You’re wondering what you can do to get back to that life.” Sarah said.

“That memory is five years old but it’s still inside of me. My other existence may be gone but I still wonder about it.” Dustin replied.

She regarded him solemnly, and then began to idly circling the courtyard.

“Was that life so much better than this one?”

Dustin gave her a sharp look. Undaunted, she continued talking.

“So much more gratifying... so much more fulfilling that you cling to it with such stubbornness?”

“Sarah.”

“It must have been extraordinary but never once, in all the stories you've told me have you mentioned anyone who loved you as I do.”

Dustin didn’t have the heart to tell her what happened to her in his other life. He couldn’t tell her that he had found someone else.

“It was real... as real as this is. You can't expect me to forget the lifetime I spent there

“Yes, I can.”

Dustin looked at her.

“I've been patient, Dustin. For five years I have shared you with that other life. I have listened, I have tried to understand... and I have waited.  When do I get you back?”

Dustin was silent fully understanding her frustration.

“I know this has been hard for you...”

“It's not as though it hasn't been, interesting, all this talk about Transformers and distant planets, I have never been bored. But I have been lonely. Knowing that your heart is really somewhere else.”

“You have been amazingly tolerant.” Dustin said.

“When are you going to let go? When are you going to start living this life?”

Dustin didn’t answer.

“I hope it’s soon.” Sarah said as she kissed Dustin on the forehead and walked back inside.

Later that night, Dustin sat out in the courtyard writing. His friend Nick had arrived earlier in the evening and the two were just out relaxing.

“You’ve been brooding behind your writing all evening.” Nick said.

“I’m not brooding. I’m immersed in my writing.” Dustin replied.

“Writing…” Nick said.

“I’ve also found that it helps me relax.” Dustin said.

At that moment Sarah walked out.

“Nick.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Go home.”
“Yes, ma’am.”  Nick stood up. “Goodnight, Dustin.”

“Goodnight, my friend.” Dustin replied.

“Be careful.” Sarah said.

Nick walked away as Sarah leaned over and picked up Dustin’s shoes that were sprawled on the ground.

“Don’t forget these. I won’t put them away again.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Dustin said.

Sarah gave him a sidelong glance and saw the humor in him and smiled back.

“I’ve done nothing but nag today. I’m sorry.” Sarah said.

“I’m the one who’s sorry. Everything you said this morning was absolutely right.”

Sarah gave him a surprised look.

“I've given you so little and you have given me so much tenderness, patience and a good talking to when I needed it. You've been more than I could ever have hoped for. More than I deserve.”

Sarah hastened to reassure him, hearing these unaccustomed and longed for words.

“You're a good man, a wonderful husband... I didn't mean to imply.”

He touched her mouth gently with his fingertips.

“Not such a wonderful husband.”

He put his arm around her, musing.

“I spend my spare time staring at the stars, I disappear for days at a time exploring the countryside, and I never put away my shoes. I lead my life very much as I did… before. Old habits.”

“You're gentle and kind, you've never raised your voice to me.”

“I'd like to ask your permission to build something.”

“Dustin, you've built your telescope, your laboratory, you don't need my permission to build anything…”

“In this case, I think I do.”

“What is it?”

“A nursery.”

She digests the enormity of this. Then, absolutely beaming, she wraps her arms around him.

“Really? Really?”

“Unless you'd rather have a porch. It'd certainly be easier to build...

She laughed, flinging her arms around him; he smileed. Then, tenderly, lovingly... he took her face in his hands and kissed her.

Dustin was still unconscious; more equipment was being set up by a medical team including Éclair and Lumiere. Carly hovered over Dustin.

“He's showing heightened activity in the cerebral cortex.”

“Pulse and blood pressure are slightly elevated.” Daniel reported.

“Systemic activity?”

“Increasing. And I'm getting heightened tactile responses.”

“Set up a galvanic scan.”

“Optimus, I have been analyzing the nucleonic beam. I believe it would be possible to reflect the particles back toward the probe in a way that would disrupt the signal.

Optimus turned to Carly with a tough question.

“Carly?”

She didn’t have an easy answer.

“I don't know what it's doing to him, or what'll happen if we stop it.”

“He could be dying by inches.” Optimus said.

“His vital signs are stable. There's no indication he's in a life threatening situation” Carly said.

“I'm not willing to let that thing keep drilling into him.” Prime said with a stern voice.

“I simply don't know the risk of shutting down the beam. If someone gets stabbed, you don't necessarily pull the knife out right away, that might do more harm than leaving it there.

“Shortstop is under attack. We must act.” Brainstorm said.

Prime weighed his options.

“I'm inclined to agree. Carly, monitor him closely. Perceptor, prepare to disrupt the beam. We're going to try to cut this cord.”

Dustin and Sarah stood next to each other with their six year old daughter, Jaymie standing between them and Sarah held their newly born son, Rylan in her arms. Sarah had just brought Rylan home from the hospital and people wanted to stop by and see the newest member of the Zofchak family. Dustin had set up the house with tables and chairs with food and drinks for the guests. People snapped pictures of the family. Dustin was older now. Seven years older to be exact. Once the pictures are done being taken, Dustin and Sarah relax a bit. Jaymie runs away to play with the other children. Liz, one of Dustin’s friends, comes up and takes Rylan into her arms, leaving Dusting and Sarah alone for a moment.

“Seems like yesterday, we brought Jaymie home.” Sarah said.

“I was so nervous, I thought I was going to drop her. Now look at her, a little lady.” Dustin said.

“She’s no lady, tromping through the hills with you all day, reading history books, writing, she’s her father’s daughter.” Sarah said.

Dustin smiled, then grew a bit pensive. Sarah picked up on it.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’d always thought that I didn’t need children to make my life complete. Now I can’t imagine my life without them.” Dustin said.

Just then, Dustin’s face winced with pain. Sarah reacted to his facial expression. Dustin gasped for breath. He dropped to his knees. Then he fell onto his back.

“Get the doctor, hurry.” Sarah said.

Carly, who was bent over Dustin, was trying frantically to revive him. Éclair, Lumiere and Daniel were at her side. Dustin began to gasp for air.

“I’m losing him.” Carly said.

“I'm getting massive somatophysical failure.” Daniel said.

“Perceptor, get that beam back.” Prime ordered.

“There are severe fluctuations in the isocortex, synaptic responses are failing.” Daniel said.

Dustin began to convulse.

“Blood pressure is dropping rapidly. Seventy over twenty.” Daniel said.

“Perceptor you have to reestablish that beam.” Éclair said.

“I’m attempting to do so.” Perceptor said.

“Ion stimulator.” Carly said.

Daniel handed his mother, a u-shaped instrument that she placed on Dustin’s forehead.

“Beam fully restored.” Perceptor announced.

“Blood pressure up to ninety over forty…..and rising.” Daniel reported.

“Vital signs are returning to normal levels.” Carly said.

She removed the device from Dustin in total spent relief. She leaned back against the Ford GT.  The others let out a collective sigh of relief.

A lovely, intelligent-eyed girl, Jaymie is out in the courtyard reading an older looking book and writing. She looks about sixteen now. Another ten years have passed.

“Jaymie?” A voice called out.

She looked up and around. She has a great grin on her face reminiscent of her mother’s.

“Good morning, father.” She said.

He walked through the doorway. He looks older now. He’s about forty four at this time.

“That’s my hobby. Find your own.” Dustin said.

“You’re the one who introduced me to it. Don’t complain if I become a writer or a historian.”

“Fair enough.”

“So what is the writer writing about today?”

“Oh just some fiction. I was going with your stories that you wrote about transforming machines called Autobots and Decepticons. I always loved those stories so I’m writing my own stories to go along with them. However, I was reading some of them and I’m saddened.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because in your stories, you killed off mother and then met another girl on a distant planet. Why did you do that?”

Dustin was silent for a moment. He wasn’t sure how to answer.
“Tell me, Why don’t you spend more time with that young fellow, Kyle?”

“You’re changing the subject.” Jaymie said.

“I’m not. I’m just reading into guys that are in love with my daughter.” Dustin said.

“You’ve taught me to pursue the truth, no matter how painful it might be. It’s too late to back off of that now.” Jaymie said. “I’ve gone over old history books. Something happened in 1984 and I can’t figure out what. Something landed on Earth then and something happened in 2007 here in Athens and again I can’t figure out what. There’s a reason why you killed off mother in your stories. I believe that you aren’t from this world and you are from the world of the Transformers. And we don’t exist in that one.”

Dustin looked at her with anguish and adoration.

“Perhaps I should’ve filled your head with trivial concerns, games, toys, and clothes.” Dustin said.

Jaymie smiled at her father.

“I don’t think you mean that.”

“No, but it saddens me to see you bear the burden of knowing things, you can’t change.”

“It’s no more a burden than you bear.” She replied.

“But I’m not sixteen, with a life ahead of me.”

“Father? I should marry Kyle sooner rather than later, don’t you?”

“I can only say, live now, Jaymie. Always make now the most precious time. Now will not come again.”

“I love you, father.” Jaymie said.

She puts her arm around his waist and he puts his arm around her shoulder. Together they walk into the house.

Carly and Daniel still worked over Dustin.

“His vital signs are holding. He’s been stable ever since the beam was restored. I’m not sure what else to do for him.” Carly said.

Prime looked at the probe with frustration.

“Prime, I’ve found some residual particles along the side of the probe.” Wheeljack said.

“What kind of particles?” Prime asked.
“Decepticon.”  Wheeljack said.

“I knew the Decepticons were behind this.” Ironhide said.

“There is a trail leading from this thing to the Decepticon base on Earth.” Wheeljack said.

Optimus Prime turned to his second in command. “Prowl, order a strike team. We’re going after the Decepticons.” Prime said.

“Yes, sir.” Prowl said.

Dustin was in the courtyard looking through his telescope. He was about fifteen years older now. Sarah walked through the doorway.

“I put your shoes away, again.” She said.

“Ah, thank you, dear.”

She walked towards him as he leaned up to kiss her. After the kiss she leaned over and peered through the telescope.

“I’ve been looking through this thing on and off for forty years and I still don’t see want you and Jaymie find so fascinating.”

“Fine, Then maybe you’ll sit down and rest the way you’re supposed to.” Dustin said.

“You treat me like some frail flower. People have surgery all the time.” Sarah said.

At that moment a sound of a saxophone is played in the house drew Dustin’s look. He shook his head a little, and then moves back to his telescope. Sarah saw his reaction.

“He loves playing. He’s good at it, you know.” She said.

“He loves doing a lot of things. One week he wanted to be an astrologist. The next week a teacher. I wish he could find some focus in his life.” Dustin said with a hint of frustration in his voice.

“I think he has.” Sarah said.

Dustin looked at her with a surprised and curious face.

“Maybe you should talk to him.” Sarah said.

Dustin realized something was going on.

“RYLAN?” Dustin called.

The music stopped and Rylan stepped through the door way.

“Father?”

“I get the feeling from your mother that you have something to tell me.”
Rylan and Sarah shared a brief glance.

“Yeah. I was waiting for the right moment but that will never come. I’m leaving school.”

“Leaving school? No, you’re not.”

“I want to concentrate on my music. It’s what I care about.” Rylan said.

“Last year, all you cared about was history. A year before that, astrology.”

“But through it all there was my music. I think you know that father.” Rylan said. “This is what I want.”

Dustin looked at him, realizing that his children will go their own way regardless.

“We’ll….discuss it.” Dustin said.

“Thank you, father.” Rylan said before going back into the house.

Sarah looked at him.

“Even after all these years, you still have the ability to surprise me.” She said.

“If music is what he wants, who am I to stand in his way?”

The next day, Dustin was on his way back from a morning hike and he saw he son come sprinting up the road.

“Father!”

“What is it?”

“It’s mother.”

The two of them hurried back to their home.

Shortly later, the two of them arrived and ran into the house. A grim faced doctor rose from his inspection of Sarah, who lied on a couch with a blanket covering her.

“Doctor?” Dustin asked.

The doctor just shook his head.

“You see, I’ll go to any lengths to get your attention.” Sarah said weakly.

“You always had a flair for the dramatic.” Dustin said as he knelt down and held Sarah’s hand.

“Doctor, Rylan….leave us along for a moment. I want to talk to my husband.”

The two of them leave the room.

“I just want you to know. I believed you about the other life.”

Dustin smiled. Sarah reached up and lightly touched his cheek.

“Remember, put your shoes away.” She said.

“I will.” Dustin said.

Sarah closed her eyes and without any indication she died. Dustin looked at her for a few seconds then buried his head in the folds of her blanket.

Prime led a band of Autobots to the underwater Decepticon Base on Earth. They swam until they reached it. They swam up underneath it and Brawn’s hand retracted and it was replaced with an energon cutter. They cut a hole into the base’s hull and entered the ship. They carefully walked through the empty corridors of the base looking for the devise that controlled the probe.

On Cybertron, Carly still monitored Dustin.

“Mom…” Daniel said.

“What is it?”

“I’m not sure. He’s showing physiological alterations, his readings are changing as well as his respiratory functions.” He said.

“Is he in danger?” Éclair asked.

“I don’t know, I don’t understand what’s happening. The changes are subtle but…if I didn’t know any better I’d say these are the metabolic rates of a seventy year old man.” Carly said.

A seventy-five year old Dustin was on his hands and knees, chasing a six year old boy around a chair. Dustin hid behind the chair and scared the boy, who squealed with delight. Dusting grabbed him and began to tickle him. Jaymie walked into the room.

“Some children are making a lot of noise in here.” She said.

Dustin began to get up. Jaymie made the mistake of moving and helping her father off his knees. Dustin pulls his hand away from hers and creakily makes it to his feet. Jaymie affectionately smiles at her father, understanding. Rylan walked into the room.

“Hey everyone.” He said.

Rylan knelt down to his nephew. “Ready to go for a walk?”

“Yep.” The six year old said with a giant smile.

The two walk out the door as Dustin is putting on his old hat. Jaymie interlocked her arm with his and the two began to walk towards the door.

Prime and the Autobots found the room where the device was located. A few Decepticons were in there including Nos. The doors to the room opened the closed. Nos looked back to see who had come in but didn’t see anyone. He shrugged it off. The next thing he knows is that he is being lifted up by some invisible force and thrown against a wall.

“What the hell?” Nos said.

At that moment Mirage appeared. Then the other Autobots ran in with blasters blazing at the Decepticons. That caught the Decepticons off guard. They fired back. Dirge lunged at Brawn but Brawn just grabbed him and threw him into Ramjet. Thundercracker fired at Prowl and with his attention on Prowl, he didn’t notice Hard Head come up behind him and kick him across the room. With most of their forces on Kubos, the Decepticons were out numbered by the Autobots. They quickly retreated out of the room. Nos stood up and faced Prime. He then looked and saw the business end of all of the Autobots’ blasters, including Prime’s huge rifle.

“It would appear that I’m at your mercy.” Nos said.

He then reached behind him and pulled out a spherical object. He threw it at Prime and ran out of the room. Prime knew exactly what it was. He then threw it through the door before it closed. The explosion rocked the entire base. Wheeljack went over to the control panel of the device that was controlling the probe. He looked it over then pressed a few buttons and all of the lights on it dimmed to non existence.

Dustin stood with Jaymie in his house about to walk out but then dropped to his knees. He then fell onto his back and looked up at his daughter. Jaymie, who had tears falling from her eyes, held her father’s hand. She didn’t have to ask anything. She knew what was happening. She was always too smart for her own good. She got that from her father.

With what strength he had left, he nodded. He saw his daughter, then his vision blurred and he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he saw Éclair’s face.

“The beam has ceased.” Perceptor said.

“How long have I been out?” Dustin asked.

“Half hour, forty five minutes tops.” Éclair said.

“Dustin, I want you in my medical bay. I want to run a full diagnostic.” Carly said.

“Very well, Doc.” Dustin replied, still hazy.

Later that day, Dustin sat in his room looking at old photos of him and Sarah and what they shared. He missed her deeply. Then there was a knock on the door. He looked up and saw the welcome face of Éclair. Without saying anything, Dustin moved over and offered a seat to her. She came in and sat down next to her boyfriend.

“I guess I should thank the Decepticons this time.” Dustin said.

“Why’s that?”

“Well, the let me see what my life would’ve been like with out the Transformers.”

Éclair looked down at the picture in Dustin’s hand.

“So this is Sarah?”

Dustin nodded.

“Will you tell me about her?”

Dustin looked at her and smiled.

“Well, Sarah was a kind, generous girl….” Dustin began.

The End.