As some may know this was my first ever story. Looking at it, I love it so, but it is incredibly dated. Thus, it is going through a small series of edits, mostly just to clean it up a bit now that I've gotten a better grasp of writing. I hope you all like the tiny edits. :-)
Transformers Prime
Bound by Love and Honour
Chapter 1
Unleash The Beast Within
"Booster Engines offline. Thrusters offline. Fifteen percent power remaining. Systems Failing - repeat systems failing" The computer aboard the Cybertronian's ship called out to its pilot.
The Transformer pulled back on the controls trying desperately to regain control of his damage craft as it shot down through Earth's atmosphere, damaged from a stray meteor within the milky way.
"I KNOW FRAG IT!" He roared at the holographic computer screen in front of him and slammed his large clawed fist into it, only just realising his mistake. "SCRAP!"
He looked out of his view screen, plummeting rapidly, his optics opening wide in terror as the ground was coming closer nano cycle by nano cycle.
"LOWER EMERGENCY PANELLING!" he commanded the computer, he waited, nothing, "LOWER EMERGENCY PANELLING YOU PILE OF SLAG!" Again nothing. He grit his metallic teeth and secured himself in his seat; bracing himself for impact.
The cybertronian ship fell like a screaming ball of fire falling from the heavens, it smashed into the ground of a desert region, the shockwave causing dust, bones and the odd vegetation to blow and scatter for miles around, the ship came to grinding halt just balancing on the edge of a large crevice where the slightest movement could alter its course.
"Warning! Warning! Energon leak detected. Energon leak detected!" The ships computer warned to its pilot, who at this time was already well aware as he grimaced, buried under torn and shattered remain of his ships body work, the energon leak dripping drop by drop onto his head. For moments he said nothing, his blued metal like flesh being covered in the blue life giving liquid.
"I am well aware," he finally spoke his words dripping with sarcasm. Closing his optics and gritting his teeth he forced the debris off of his body causing the ship to lurch forward further on the ground, a sudden cry of pain erupted from his mouth, turning his gaze downwards his optics came across a deep wound; a piece of the debris impaled through him, it was then he felt the other end sticking out of his back. "Frag!" He drawled out his curse quietly take taking hold of the shard and removed it with a pain filled pull.
He placed his hand over his dripping wound then looked out from the gaping hole in his craft and gazed at the desert before him.
"Earth, at last." He smirked to himself he had finally found the planet he had been looking for. Steadily he stood up trying not to strain his servos, his knees still bent a little and his back lurching forward as he leaned against the wall with his left hand placed around the edge of the hole.
"Where are you Megatron?" He snarled with venom in his voice. Megatron: the great leader of the evil Decepticons was on Earth, somewhere in the Nemesis, no question he would have an army with him as well as his loyal communications expert Soundwave. The Cybertronian straightened himself catching his head on the leak causing it to crack and turn the once annoying drip into a forceful pour causing Energon to rain on him. The combination of hitting his head and the energon pouring over him caused him to slip and fall backwards making him slam against the back of the cockpit causing the ship to groan and topple backward, falling into the crevice.
The ship went into free fall as the Cybertronian held on for his very existence, the energon pouring onto him and into his wound and through small cracks in his head seeping through into his metallic cranium, he snarled in rage at his misfortune only for a stray shard of metal to fall and hit him in the back of his head inadvertently activating his Transformation scanner and scanning the sheer rock face infront of him. His body beginning to twist and turn as the energon seeped through him having an unusual effect on his change, he roared out only to be silenced as the ship crashed into the ground.
Jasper Nevada. Two Hours Earlier.
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP! This sound continued in tune, an annoying noise intended to raise the sleeping. It wasn't going to work this time; it may awaken him, but it would not force him up.
Jackson "Jack" Darby; sixteen years of age living with his single mother of thirty-three. Only a few months ago was his life plain, mundane and ordinary; he went to school, got good grades, got picked on by bullies for being a 'dork', he worked long hours for minimum wage at a terrible fast-food restaurant. But all that had changed when he met her; to others she was just a shiny expensive motorcycle, her blued alloy shined like blue gold in the sunlight and whose shape was like that which had been crafted by the Gods themselves. She was beautiful. The curious teenager had merely straddled it, only to imagine how it would feel to own such a masterpiece of art and machinery, little did he know the innocent thought would change his life, his world and his existence.
It was no simple motorcycle but an advanced alien being of technological construct, a living machine, a Cybertronian, a Transformer. After an initial attack by unknown cars, did Jack find that this motorcycle was in fact a large blue metal Amazon, his gaze upon her revealed his awe struck and terror as plain as day, the cars had shifted into demon counterparts of this amazon.
"If you tell anyone about me, I'll hunt you down." Those were the first things she had said to him. Her words scared him but that memory while only months in the past, felt like a life time ago. She had eventually shown him others like her whom he would come to see as not only his friends but his family.
Her name was Arcee and now she was his guardian, his friend: No! He debated mentally, she was his best friend; right?
His cell phone chimed it tune indicating someone was calling, only for the tune to shift immediately.
"Morning Jack," came a warm voice. He smiled to himself, and picked up the phone.
"Morning Arcee." He replied in a sleepy, groggy manner.
"It's Saturday Jack." Was all Arcee merely needed to say, Jack could almost feel her smile on the other side of the line. Jack blinked. Saturday? Saturday! No school or job! Jack jumped up out of bed.
"Let me get a quick shower and something quick for breakfast and I'll be right there!" His words full of excitement. Saturday to him at the very least meant he could spend all day with Arcee, unless a certain White and Red Medical bot had something else to say about it. But regardless he was up and rushing to get himself ready.
'A quick shower.' Arcee thought to herself, humans and their ways, very strange, but hygiene was a big thing on this planet, well it was in Jasper. She could remember a few missions with Jack in the past where they had to travel to such places where it had seemed they'd have gone back in time a hundred or so years by the state of filth on the streets.
"… and that's just the people." Jack had commented at the time, she gave a light chuckle to that, even now she found it slightly humorous, her thoughts changed again. Jack in the shower, alone, unclothed, washing that dark black hair of his, cleaning his smooth skin now wet and sleek from the drizzling warm water.
'Stop It!' She thought to herself, why had she imagined that? Sometimes she cursed the fact there was little to do in Darby residence's garage which would let her mind wander.
As he said Jack soon entered the garage greeted by Arcee in her vehicle form.
"You ready to rock and roll?" She asked using a human term she had picked up from her time on earth as the garage doors opened behind them. Jack nodded eagerly then put on his helmet and jacket then mounted her, placing one hand on her body he smiled, Arcee internally twitched from the touch, it was unexpected yet, strange it was warmth. She was brought back out of her thoughts as Jack spoke.
"Let's do this partner." He replied to her question before placing his hands on the handlebars and lifted his legs up allowing Arcee to reverse then speed down the tarmac before them.
Arcee and Jack over the months had grown on each other, becoming good friends and having a powerful bond, they had suffered and endured much in their time together, from psychotic femme Spider-Bot with a sick fetish for decapitation and mass genocide, they had endured having to go her now dead home planet to retrieve an artifact that would allow Jack to restore the memories and mind of the Autobot's leader: Optimus Prime. In their time Arcee had watched Jack grow, maybe not physically but emotionally and mentally becoming a brave and strong willed young man.
Arcee was proud, she thought to herself. At times she had liked to think she had aided him in growing, but pondered if all those qualities were just buried inside of him waiting to be released. Either way, she wouldn't change him for anything and likewise she had opened herself to Jack, letting him closer to her spark after she put up a barrier of hate and rage around herself after the death of her previous partner, Cliffjumper. She wanted to be with no one, only wanting to fight and kill and destroy the Decepticons then, then she was unsure, she had guessed she'd go offline before she killed them all, but that was what she had wanted, that was before she had met Jack. Now she had reason to live, reason to exist: Jack.
She thought back to his touch, he had touched her before but, he'd stroked her, and patted her whilst in vehicle form, she hadn't felt anything then, had she? Had She? She was beginning to wonder if she had but hadn't noticed till now.
"Arcee?" Jack's voice spoke up catching her attention, thankfully she thought to herself to keep her distracted.
"What's up Jack?" she asked, again thankful for the mental distraction.
"Oh, I was just wondering why you were quiet." he asked curiously,
She had been quiet she realised, normally she and Jack would be having idle yet comfortable chatter between one another about plans they had for the weekend or complain and talk about some "undesirables" who would normally torment Jack at his place of work, the K.O Burger.
Arcee despised that place with all her spark, how such a place could turn someone as confident, brave and strong as Jack into an unemotional monotone "zombie" whose mere existence was like a living nightmare full of berating and insults from other youths as they got their menial fat and chemical filled processed foods from him. A human term came into her head which she believed fit them perfectly.
'Filthy degenerates who were not worthy to kiss the excrement from the bottom of Jack's sneaker.' That's what she thought of them, if she had her way, she'd show up at that window and crush the engine of their car, save Jack from his torment, then they'd ride off together laughing. But no, she was to remain in disguise, she wasn't allowed to interfere in such a way. Perhaps there would be a way though given time.
"Sorry for being so quiet Jack, I'm just doing a lot of thinking is all, a lot has happened in the last few months, and it only seems to be processing now." She gave a slight chuckle something else she felt free to do around Jack. He joined her in the chuckle and patted her.
"I know what you mean; us meeting, Airachnid, Cybertron, Orion Pax," he listed to her and she mentally nodded, "yeah we've been through a lot."
"But we always came out on top didn't we? We always seemed to get around our problems, and it's because of you." Her words were warming to Jack's soul, she hadn't meant her words to be so warm but it was how she spoke them, it came from her Spark, her soul. She turned her mirror to get a better look at him, she could just see bright crimson around his cheeks under his helmet.
She could have said something perhaps only to embarrass him a little and see if he could go any redder, the thought of it made her laugh to herself, but she allowed him to react as he felt fit to.
"No Arcee, no. It was you, I was just trying to help." His words were spoken truthfully at least as far as he was concerned.
"No Jack. You were the one who gave me the strength to go on, you were the one who stayed in control when chaos was all around us. You're brave Jack, very brave."
Why was she talking to him like this? What was wrong with her, she was afraid she was making the air around them very awkward so quickly decided to change the subject.
"So I've been thinking." She spoke in her attempt to break the awkwardness that she felt was building up around them.
Jack sighed thankfully, praised whatever deity was out there for the change of topic, he was becoming rather embarrassed and felt himself becoming shy, he didn't believe he was strong or brave, he just believed he did what was needed to be done, even when he was terrified. He was the one who saw Arcee as the strong one, the brave one.
"You know, if we ever get the chance we should go on one of those 'vacations' I hear June talk about so much"
June Darby was Jack's single mother. Originally she had no clue as to the existence of Arcee or her Autobot brethren nor the constant danger Jack had been in. But after an "incident" she found out everything, terrified at first like any good parents should be, she slowly mellowed seeing as how Jack wanted to do nothing more but to help The Autobots, to this she allowed him to do so despite her worry.
"That's actually a great idea Arcee." Jack spoke out
"Well I'm full of them partner." Arcee laughed in response, Jack laughed with her.
"So where you thinking? Anywhere in particular?" Jack asked raising his brow
"Somewhere where we can just relax, no Cons, No MECH, no distractions." Arcee could imagine it now; just somewhere, anywhere, she and Jack just relaxing and laying on the ground lazily without a care in the world at least for that minute.
"No Ratchet." Jack added quickly with a smile on his face causing Arcee to laugh again. Jack was good at making her laugh, another thing she liked about him, he could always make her smile.
"Yeah no Ratchet. And No Miko." Arcee followed on, Jack winced visibly winced. "Yeah you can imagine it, walking along a nice warm beach, sun setting the soothing sea breeze then all of a sudden…" Arcee went quiet, confused Jack leaned closer to her. " BOOM!" Arcee shouted out causing Jack to jump nearly out of his skin, gripping onto the handlebars tighter. "The entire area is filled with the banging of drums and the mass orgy of "Metal" noise"
Jack and Arcee both shuddered having pictured that serene moment only for it to be destroyed by the sounds of Heavy Metal.
"Yeah, no Miko." Jack commented after the thought.
Arcee turned off from the main road going out into the desert. Finally they could be free. Jack gave her the signs to let herself go as he gripped her handlebars securely and leaned forward, Arcee knew the signs, they'd done them so often it was like second nature. She let herself unwind putting her metaphorical foot down, her speed increases dramatically dust from the ground picking up in the wake. This is what it felt like to be alive they both thought to themselves. THIS! Was true freedom.
Arcee blazed down the dirt trail of Nevada, Jack gripping onto her in excitement. This was how they unwind, Jack leaned forward a bit further then tightened his legs around Arcee. She felt his legs tighten around her seat, he hadn't done that before and she was going no faster than she normally did when they were out here. Perhaps today was hotter than most days and he was beginning to sweat? But surely at this speed he'd be kept cool. Arcee ignored it for a minute as the rode down the dirt hills and away from civilisation.
Arcee slowed to a stop atop a mountain range that overlooked the horizon. Jack dismounted from her and removed his helmet and jacket, he turned his gaze to Arcee as her parts turned and shifted changing into her robot form and looked at the view before her, her hands placed on her hips. Jack was still awe struck when he saw her like this, her metal shined so beautifully in the sun, but even that was only a small part of her overall beauty, he couldn't name everything, he'd tried himself. He remember telling himself it was like small bits of perfect moulded into something which is beyond description. Arcee caught his gaze and looked down to her human charge.
"Something wrong Jack?" her voice was calming and peaceful as she looked at his hypnotised like gaze.
"Just enjoying the beauty." he said without thinking only catching what he just said once he saw Arcee's reaction turn from peace to surprise. "Ugh that's to say I'm enjoying the beautiful view" Jack stumbled with his sentence trying to cover his heart spoken words he looked down at the floor to not meet her eyes his face red with embarrassment as he scratched the back of his head. Arcee just looked at him, still surprised by his original words.
Was he really talking about the view? She wondered. Finally she imitated a coughing noise to grab his attention, she chose to put aside what he had first said, again like before to clear the air of the sudden awkwardness.
"Yeah it is a gorgeous view isn't it?" she said looking at the horizon again, Jack looked up then at the mountain range before them.
"Yeah it is gorgeous." Almost by instinct he turned his eyes to look at Arcee once more. She was his friend, his guardian, he should be careful of what he says around her, he didn't know what was coming over him, what was wrong with the two of them today?
A few minutes seemed to pass like an eternity. But neither complained, it was so serene, so peaceful, like they were the only two in the world, though neither would admit it, for that brief moment, they wouldn't have minded if they were.
"Arcee!" came the Autobot medic's voice in Arcee's communicator. Cursing mentally she placed two fingers from her right hand on the side of her head.
"Arcee here Ratchet, what's up?" she asked her tone of voice less than cheerful.
"We're picking up a signal on the outer reaches of Earth's climate, Optimus wants everyone in right now." Ratchet informed her, Arcee blinked and looked up to the sky as if she'd see anything. Shaking her head at her own action she looked down to Jack who was now looking at her.
"Okay Ratchet we'll be there as quick as we can" she released her finger from her head and placed her right hand on her hip. "Duty calls Jack. Ratchet has picked up something in Earth's atmosphere"
"Meteor?" Jack simply asked with a worried look on his face, Arcee shrugged and transformed back into her vehicle mode, Jack pulled his jacket back on and placed his helmet over his head then remounted her before she took off at speed towards the Autobot base.
Soon enough the pair had reached the decommissioned missile silo now acting as the Autobot's makeshift base. Arcee rode into the control room and stopped allowing Jack to dismount who in turn gave her enough space to allow her to transform, Jack removed his helmet and jacket as they walked up to everyone else who's optics and eyes were glued to the screen.
"Hey everyone, what we miss?" Jack asked placing down the items in his hands off to the side out of the way. His words caught the attention of their Leader Optimus Prime who turned to look at the approaching two and gave him a soft smile.
"Hello Jack, Arcee. Ratchet has located a phenomenon on the outer layers of Earth's gravitational pull, it seems to be crash landing." his voice was calm and strong, as was normal of Optimus.
"Is it a meteor?" Arcee asked repeating Jack's question from earlier.
"At first I thought it was, but then with Rafael's suggestion I searched for any Energon readings. It's a Cybertronian ship it seems we may have company." Ratchet told them, only turning to smile at Rafael once he mentioned his name.
"Arcee, I'd like you to scout out the landing zone of this ship. Find out who it is and see if they are hostile." Optimus turned to her as he gave her, her mission.
"Would I be alright to accompany her Optimus?" Jack asked as he looked up at him. Optimus turned to look at Jack but said nothing till he looked up to Arcee.
"It's your call Arcee, Jack is your charge." Optimus merely said, knowing by instinct that she would take him regardless, Arcee looked down to Jack with a worried expression on her face.
"Remember what happened Last time" Arcee spoke of the time when she and Jack had encounter Airachnid for the first time out in the forest. Jack remembered, he remembered all too well while Megatron was big and scary, Airachnid was scary on an entire different level, she could play with your mind and your fear.
"Well there can only be one Airachnid Arcee." Jack said with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Thank Primus for that." Arcee replied with a thankful look on her face.
"Besides," Jack continued as he cracked his knuckle joints. "You can't get rid of me that easily." he said with a confident smirk.
Normally Arcee would have called someone who acted like that insane especially since the circumstances were so similar, but this was Jack. Jack Darby. Her Jack, he had the bravery to back up his confidence. She smiled then mentally did a double take. Her Jack? She shook her head then nodded to Ratchet pulling a lever causing a bright green light as a vortex of power opened up.
"Let's go partner." Arcee turned and looked at Jack as the two of them walked through the wormhole and out the other side.
On the other side they found themselves where the initial crash landing took place. A large crater smashed into the ground leaving an imprint, Arcee looked around the immediate area for any danger. None; for now.
"So Decepticon or Autobot?" Jack asked as they walked to the damaged rock surface. Arcee knelt down for a closer inspection, her optics scanning the area with multiple different zooms.
"Not sure, just be on the lookout for anything that could give us a clue." Arcee didn't turn away from her search.
"I think I found something that could be a hint." Jack put much emphasis on the word 'could', Arcee blinked and turned around as Jack pointed to a large slab of metal. Arcee stood and walked over to Jack and looked, at the sight her arms immediately unfolded as her drew her blasters.
"Decepticons. Again." she huffed in annoyance.
"How come every time an unknown someone crash lands it's a Con?" Jack chuckled half-heartedly with a sense of fear seeing the irony thus far with their luck
"Because the universe loves us Jack, because the universe loves us" Arcee replied sarcastically while smirking at the irony too. "So where is the ship, and where is the Con?" Arcee thought out loud scanning the area more thoroughly in case of ambush.
"Down there 'Cee." Jack called out gaining her attention once more. "Look at the grooves in the rock, the ship tilted back and must have fallen down."
Arcee nodded slowly, she hadn't noticed the grooves in the rock.
"Alright, I'll call Ratchet to bridge you back." Arcee said as her right hand reformed and pressed two fingers to her head.
"Like hell you will Arcee!" Jack's words were stern catching her off guard. "I can't, and I WON'T allow you to do this by yourself." Jack blinked surprising himself by his sudden outburst. Arcee merely stared in bewilderment, he'd yelled at her, he actually yelled at her, and she wasn't angry, she wasn't even a little upset, yet, there was a warmth in her spark from his words.
"Alright Jack." she conceded "You win but if things really go to scrap, THEN you're going, deal?"
Jack nodded slowly with a determined look on his face, she knew even then that look betrayed his head gesture, they could be up to their shoulders in molten magma and he wouldn't leave.
He wouldn't leave. Arcee once again thought to herself, a smile crept up on the side of her mouth. She closed her optics tightly. What was going on? What was different about today? Why were they both feeling so awkward at times today and why did she feel so warm in her spark? Questions for later.
"Alright Jack, let's go." Arcee knelt down and grabbed Jack, being the smallest of the Autobots she and Jack being the tallest of their human allies, give or take an inch from June, this made Jack and Arcee the closest to equal heights: Although even then she stood a good ten feet over him.
She wrapped her fingers around his body gently then looked down the crevice. There was the ship, no sign of the Con. Perhaps it died on impact.
'If only we were that lucky.' Arcee thought to herself.
"Um Arcee how are we going to get do- ... AAGGGGHHHHHHH!" Jack's sentence turned scream switched when Arcee jumped over the edge, turning her left blaster into her arm then unsheathing her blade slicing into the rock face to slow their descent.
Arcee landed hard on her feet her blade folding back into her arm before it shifted to form her blaster once more. She looked around sweeping the area with her optics before placing down Jack then switch her right hand into her other blaster.
"Get behind me and keep an eye out." Arcee ordered, Jack didn't argue about this he hid behind her making sure there was a safe distance between himself and her feet.
The area was quiet Arcee strafed carefully around the ship.
"Two holes." Arcee observed as they made their way around it.
"Yeah one must have been damage from the crash landing, and the other?" Jack looked up to Arcee who didn't turn her head as she answered.
"The other from the Con breaking out." Arcee looked at the ship with narrow eyes. The second hole was a mess definitely not blaster fire, more like it had been ripped open with a blade, a lot of blades. "Stay here Jack I'm moving in." She ordered not giving Jack time to argue as she made her way cautiously towards the damaged Decepticon ship.
It was a large ship, similar to Airachnid's in design. She climbed through the outer turned hole and began to stalk the corridors of the large vessel.
Jack was waiting outside patiently but anxious, it had been very quiet, he didn't even know if Arcee hadn't been ambushed.
"No, she'll be okay, she'd tougher than that." Jack slapped his cheek gently punishing himself for going down that trail of thought. "She'll be fine." He let out a deep sigh before his attention was caught by the sound of blaster fire. "ARCEE!" Jack took off into a full paced sprint towards the ship climbing up and through the hole before landing inside.
He looked down seeing the dirt filled tracks left behind by Arcee's feet using them as a guide Jack ran off to go find her. Eventually he found her blasters primed towards the darkness, she was shaking a little, something was definitely wrong.
"Arcee?" Jack called quietly, Arcee turned suddenly in surprise readying her blaster Jack fell back onto the floor. "ARCEE WAIT!" shook her head seeing the fear in Jack's eyes.
"Jack?! I told you to wait outside!" she stared at him angrily from defying her orders.
"I heard the blaster shots and I was terrified I had to come find you" Jack stood up slowly his voice full of fear not because of Arcee being angry at him because of the look of shock she had upon her face and her shaking body. Jack's words warmed her spark, and quickly her tone went from rage to caring.
"Jack you don't have to worry about me, I'm fine." She replied.
"No you're not Arcee you're trembling!" Jack blurted out still pumped from the sudden adrenaline. Arcee checked herself over, she was trembling, she looked at him, her face showing both worry a slight fear. "What's going on Arcee?" Jack was beginning to get scared the only time he'd seen her like this was when they first discovered Airachnid's ship.
"Something is stalking me Jack, now it'll be stalking you." She feared greatly for Jack's safety as she stood up. "I don't know what it is, I haven't been able to keep my sights on it, it's fast, very fast, but from the sound of it: it's bipedal." Arcee trained her blasters on the darkness again. "It moves in the shadows staying out of the light. I've barely caught glimpses of the fragging thing." She grit her teeth and once again cautiously walked towards the darkness, Jack followed her this time he wouldn't leave his side no matter what.
"I'm staying with you this time partner, you'll have to physically carry me out." Jack told his partner.
Arcee didn't take stop to look at him as she scanned the area. "Don't tempt me Jack, don't tempt me." She retorted back to him.
Jack kept behind her, she quickly looked over her shoulder to take note of where Jack was. She let out a mechanical sigh, another thing she'd picked up from her time with their human friends.
"Just stay behind me and watch my feet." She looked at him as she spoke her words strong and demanding, Jack looked up at her with a look of determination Arcee look into his eyes and her features softened. "Please Jack, I don't want you to get hurt."
Jack's own features softened and he looked at the floor, he would admit they were both pretty tense, him perhaps more scarred than he'd let on, something was unnerving Arcee, and only Airachnid could make her do that.
"I'll be careful, I promise." he placed his right hand on her leg to comfort her best he could, a warm sensation grew in her spark. 'That feeling again' she thought, so warm, she felt like this feeling could make her float, but it made her feel strange. What was it? She closed her optic to calm herself before opening them and then looked back into the darkness.
"I'm sorry you're spending your Saturday here Jack, I'm sure there are plenty of other things you could have done instead." Arcee apologised to Jack as she carefully made her way towards the shadows Jack following in tow.
"Hey I'm here with my Partner, seen a beautiful um view." Jack thought back to the location Arcee had taken them too, it was indeed a gorgeous sight.
'and the horizon wasn't too bad either' he thought and chuckled to himself
"... and besides." He continued "Nothing has tried to kill me yet so, so far I think today's going pretty well." He said attempting to lighten the mood with a joke.
Arcee gave a short laugh, it was touching that he was looking past the possible danger and concentrating on the better part of their situation.
For minutes there was nothing but near silence. Every now and then Jack would hear heavy thuds in the distance followed by a sharp clanking noise and the scraping of metal; there was definitely something here. Arcee was saving her Energon for when she needed it, she kept her blasters primed at all times as they stalked the corridors for the unseen enemy. This behaviour definitely seemed to be very Airachnid-esque, minus the threats and warnings she'd give to play with her prey.
'So, are we the hunters? Or are we the hunted?" Arcee wondered as they took another step around a corner. Again nothing; the entire power in this ship was offline. She turned her head to look at a damaged but slightly open door.
"Jack keep your eyes open, I'm going in." Arcee ordered her human charge as she moved to the wall beside the door. It was like everything on this infernal ship was damaged, the sliding doors were inoperative, she'd have to blast the door open to get in, Jack kept hidden best he could and watched her.
With a charged shot of Energon from both of her blasters Arcee got the door open leaving a small cloud of energy vapours. Arcee dived and rolled into the room her blasters moving around in line with her optics, she gasped at the sight before her and stood slowly.
Decepticons: dozens of them, what was left of them anyway, torn to pieces and merely left in here like a mass grave. Her optics detected no life signals no Energon, they'd been dead for some time now.
"Come on Jack, area's clear." Arcee called out as she turned around seeing Jack walk around the corner he smiled up to Arcee then turned his sight to the mass grave of Cons.
"Good god." he gasped and walked in carefully analysing the bodies from his distance, some had faces that had twisted looks of agony and horror all over them, others were facially like Vehicons and Eradicons. "Who would do such a thing, even if they are Cons?" Jack didn't turn away from the bodies as Arcee walked over to them to investigate.
"I don't know Jack, some group with a personal vendetta maybe, either way. I doubt this was done by just one. At least I hope not." Arcee knew there existed some Cybertronians who could cause so much destruction and they weren't just Decepticons either.
Jack watched on as Arcee moved pieces of arms, damaged bodies and limbless torsos, the carnage was catastrophic, and IF what she saw before is what did all this to all these Cons, she and Jack were be in serious trouble. Then something caught her sight she moved a few pieces, the head of an offline Con stumbled and roll out of the pile, it's expression that of sheer terror.
Jack watched as Arcee picked it up, bewilderment and shock all over her.
"What's wrong Arcee? Do you know him, did you?" Jack was trembling as was his voice, Arcee shook her head in a jittering motion, then stopped and nodded.
"I knew him, and I bet the others would too." Arcee examined the head in her hands, the head alone was large Jack put together a mental imagine of how big this Cybertronian was, possibly between the height of Bulkhead and Optimus, a definitely big con.
"His name was Switchblade." Arcee continued catching Jack's attention. "He was well known to the Autobots, loved using his blades over blasters, and he had a lot of concealed blades, in his arms, back, legs, feet. He was a powerful con, one I …" Arcee stumbled over her words. "… I never thought I'd see him like this, with a look like that. During the war on Cybertron, Switchblade was deadly, very deadly, a definite Con to use when they wanted to clear a room of Autobots. If someone could do this to him then. We ARE in trouble"
Jack let out a loud gulp as Arcee threw the head across the room.
"Can't say I'm not glad to see him like it though, he got what was coming to him." Arcee finished then looked at Jack
"Then, if these Cons are all dead, then wouldn't it make sense that an Autobot is here?" Jack asked his partner, she averted her look from him; he had a point, it would heavily suggest some powerful Autobot, but not even some of the most brutal 'Bots were THIS brutal, this was definitely a Con job.
"Just stick close to me." Arcee redrew her blasters and walked to the door Jack following in from behind, Arcee looked around the corner and carefully aimed. "Clear." She voiced and walked on Jack keeping up with her best he could.
Jack looked around carefully. Then looked behind him in case they were being followed.
"You know Arcee, maybe whoever was here left after…" Jack's words were cut short as he heard a loud crash, he turned back around seeing a large hole in the wall and Arcee gone. "ARCEE!" He heard her struggling outside, the line from the sun casting enough light to get a glimpse of something. A tail? A reptilian tail?
Arcee winced changing her blasters back to hands and grabbed the abnormally large and vicious creature, she placed her feet under it then kick it off of her.
Jack came running out of the ship towards her as she stood, they both looked at the creature that had them stalking the ship.
"No way." was all that escaped Jack's lips. Before them was a large, abnormally large Utah Raptor. The Beast got up from the floor and roared at them bellowing a loud prehistoric cry of rage.
This chapter has been editted - 18/07/18
