At the same moment Ratchet was working in his office to pass the time. Injuries were at an all time low with the twins occupied in their efforts to reach Hope and the base busy with repairs. Behind him, the scanner continued to beep as it monitored Hope.

The quiet was broken by indignant shouts and the roar of a engine racing through base.

"Frag it all" he groaned. "What in Primus is going on out there?"

His office doors burst open and a wide opticed Optimus strode in. Ratchet had never seen the Prime in such a state. Before he could ask what the fuss was all about, a soft glowing light grabbed his attention. 

Hope's form was surrounded by the same glowing light as before. Slowly she stirred and finally moved to a standing position. Her wings spread wide, she opened her eyes and gazed ahead.

"Hope?" Ratchet whispered in amazement and concern.

Her head turned in their direction but her eyes were filled with a bright light. Turning back towards the door, she leapt of the bed and flew out the door. Autobots and army crew stared as she alighted on the ground and moved forward still glowing.

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe joined Optimus and Ratchet at the Med Bay platform. 

"Can you reach her?" Optimus asked quietly.

"We heard her telling us it was time and we followed the trail here" was their answer.

Hope walked to the center of the base, then stopped. The glow around her intensified and they watched her form grow to the just below the twins height.

It was with astonishment they saw what had been flesh, slowly change into metal starting with her legs and moving up until her entire body had changed with the exception of her wings.

Her servo's clasped in front of her, a blue spark pulsed in her chest plate. The blue light was answered by the twin's sparks flaring slightly before returning to their normal glow.

"What did she say?"

Sunstreaker turned to Optimus, his dermas stretched in a rare smile. Meanwhile, Sideswipe was bouncing up and down trying to contain his excitement.

"She said, is this what it like to be tall? and laughed."

The humor in his voice was contagious and both commanding officers smiled for the first time all week. Their Hope was returning to them but in a new way it seemed.

Her wings flared out and the base watched mesmerized as one by one the feathers smoothed out and formed two large metal wings. The transformation continued up her back and to her head, forming a headdress of metal with long strands dangling down her shoulders.

Ironhide nudged Bumblebee and whispered. "Bet she could kick your aft now."

Bumblebee just shoved him back and continued to watch the femme's transformation.  Whether she could kick his aft or not, he vowed to always protect her. At least he'd be less likely to squish her on accident now.

Her physical appearance seemed complete but then three lights split out of the glow and traced her figure. Streaks of color decorated her frame, leaving it a mix of silver and gold pinstripes. Finally, it came to the spot on her chest where the Autobots sigma usually resided.

It paused again and the Autobots collectively fell silent. Would it be a Decepticon or Autobot symbol? At last the light flashed and the mark of a sun and stars was revealed. Ratchet turned to Optimus who was muttering to himself.

"What was that Optimus?"

"That mark. I've seen it before in the archives but it pre-dates the war."

"But the war began over a millennium ago. Why is the mark showing up now?"

"Legend is, that it was created during the time of Unicron and Primus but that's all I recall."

"Then that, Optimus, may help solve the mystery."

Thoughtfully, he nodded in agreement.