Night city. A dilapidated industrial sector.

The sky was covered with heavy clouds, smoke billowed between the skyscrapers, sparks fell from torn cables. In the distance, the hum of Decepticon engines, the occasional explosion echoing between the buildings.

The team moved forward slowly. Not because they couldn't move faster, but because every false move here could cost too much.

Before them lay a huge, old-style Energon reactor. Unstable. Captured by the Decepticons. If it overloaded, the explosion would engulf half the sector. Thousands of people. Autobot base.

Ratchet was already checking the data. Optimus stood motionless, staring at the holographic schematic. Bulkhead clenched his fists, silent. Bumblebee shifted nervously from foot to foot. Prowl—focused, coolly collected, but the optics kept returning to you.

You stood closest to the reactor.

Your armor—red and maroon with white and silver accents—reflected the alarm lights. The swords on your back clanked softly as you took a step forward.

"The reactor's already in critical condition." — Ratchet said dryly. — "It can't be stabilized from the outside."

Pause.

Optimus turned his head slowly. — "So..."

Ratchet didn't finish. He simply lowered his gaze slightly.

Everyone understood.

Inside.

We need to go inside and manually restart the core. We can't get out in time.

The silence became too thick.

You took another step forward. Then another.

Prowl noticed it immediately. His body tensed slightly, as if he'd already understood—even before you said anything.

"No," — he said quietly, but sharply. — "Don't even think about it."

You didn't answer right away. Instead, you looked at the reactor hologram. At the calculations. At the timer, already counting down the seconds.

Your spark was beating steadily. Too steadily for this situation.

"I'm faster," — you said quietly. — "I'm smaller. I can get through the maintenance tunnels."

Bulkhead frowned. — "It's a one-way ticket."

Bumblebee took a step toward you. — "Hey, wait— we can... we can figure something out."

Prowl was at your side almost instantly. He stood in front of you, almost blocking the path to the reactor.

"You don't have to," — he said quietly. — "I'll find another way."

You looked straight into his optics. Not as a soldier. Not as a partner. As someone who had already made up her mind.

"You know there's no time."

Prowl clenched his jaw plates. His voice dropped. — "Then I'll go."

You shook your head. — "No. You're needed here. The team needs you."

He stepped closer. So close that your bodies almost touched. — "And you? You are not needed? I don't need you?"

For a split second, something very alive flashed in your optics. Very human.

You raised your hand and carefully touched his chest armor. Where his spark beat behind it.

"You taught me not to choose what's easiest..." — he said quietly. — "And what's right."

The reactor's siren blared louder. The timer flashed red. In the background, Ratchet could be heard exhaling heavily.

Prowl was still standing in front of you.

"If you take another step..." — his voice was tense.

"I will never forgive myself for this."

You gently but confidently walked around him.

Prowl instinctively reached out, but froze. He knew that if he grabbed you now, it could cost everyone too much.

You turned around.

"I'll be back," — you said. Quietly. Almost a whisper. But you both knew it wasn't a promise. It was a hope.

You approached the reactor's emergency airlock. The metal was red-hot. The air trembled with the overload.

You placed your palm on the access panel.

The system began to open the airlock. Inside, the blinding white-blue light of the core.

Prowl took a step forward. — "Please."

The gateway opened completely.

The roar of the reactor became deafening. Heat from the newly opened airlock hit the front of the armor. The timer flashed: 00:00:45

You stood on the threshold. One step—there is no turning back.