Make or Break

Told in Smokescreen's POV

Urgh…what's will all this darkness? There's too much…and it's too quiet… I hate it when things are quiet…and I certainly hate it when my mind's floating in never-ending darkness. It was because of that darkness that I got caught by Decepticons after the attack on Iacon. Because I wasn't there…Alpha Trion was possibly…

No…I don't want to think about that.

Thinking about the past is only going to hold me back. I'm in this for the now. I can fight this darkness…and I certainly can break the quiet.

I'm just trying to wrap my mind around what happened just a few minutes ago…

Yeah, I remember that Arcee got on my chassis and basically told me I wasn't an Autobot…even after all I did for them! Yeah, I got them the Apex Armor from that freak Starscream, AND I managed to score them an Omega Key, and that's the thanks I get? Well…sure, maybe I do get a little caught up in my dream to be a hero, but she didn't have to just yell at me like she did! And Optimus…he didn't try to stop her. Then I went out for a drive to clear my processor and figure out what to do.

And that's when I ran into the Decepticon everyone called Soundwave. He used that flying drone of his called Laserbeak to shoot me down and put me in this darkness. How am I going to get out of here? How am I going to wake up? And then this voice permeates the darkness…

"Wakey, wakey…"

I open my optics…and it's not what I wanted. I'm not safe and sound resting at the Autobots…I'm in Decepticon captivity staring up at a red mech…I think the others call him Knock Out. There's a panic rising up in me and I try to lift my arms to give this guy a hard punch to that pretty faceplate of his…but they're stuck. I glanced down and saw I was in restraints. Boy, they thought of everything; where the frag was my phase shifter!?

Knock Out grinned and held up his wrist…which is where my phase shifter is currently resting. He decided to rub it in by gloating, "In case you were wondering about your phase shifter…finders keepers."

"Enough prattling, Knock Out!"

Oh no…I know that voice. I know the monster that deep, thunderous voice belongs to. I look up…and there's Megatron walking in to face me. He still has the arm of one of the Primes attached, and it was because of that arm that he managed to shatter Optimus' Star Saber. That 'Dark Star Saber' or whatever…that put us all in danger. My spark started to race when he brought that ugly face in-close to mine, and don't get me started on those freaky denta.

"Hand over the final Iacon Relic…NOW." His voice growled right in my audio sensors.

What was he talking about? The Phase Shifter was the only relic I had on me; why was he acting like there was more? What's going on? I could only answer, "I can't help you with that. That's the only one I was packing."

Megatron turned to look over his shoulder. "Soundwave!"

Soundwave…he was the one that took me prisoner. But…why is Megatron bringing him in here concerning the relic? The faceless drone came when his master called and his face-screen began to download an image. What, were they having HIM try to decode the coordinates of the relics? Did they really think he could best Optimus?

"I think you've got the wrong guy, chief!" I call out. "Optimus Prime is the only one who can decode the Iacon Database!"

Megatron could only chuckle; what's so funny? He stared at me with those creepy optics and replied, "Ah, but you misunderstand. The Iacon Database has already been decoded…by us! And according to the final entry…I do indeed have the 'right guy'."

The image on Soundwave's face finally came into focus…and if my hands were loose, I'd be rubbing my optics with them. Those weren't coordinates…that was MY picture! What was my picture doing in the Iacon Database? What's going on!?

"The question is…what is it that you're STILL packing?" Knock Out's voice slithered in.

I could only watch as he hovered an X-ray pad over my frame. When he places it over my abdominal paneling…there came an image of an Omega Key lodged in my circuits. Wait a minute…AN OMEGA KEY!? What the Pit was an Omega Key doing inside me!? How did it even get in there!? Knock Out chuckled, that X-ray pad eerily highlighting his faceplate.

"Why, hidden treasure of course!"

It was a little bit later that the 'Cons had my X-ray up on the main medbay monitor, the Key inside me standing out like, as humans say, a sore thumb. I still can't believe I've had this thing in me and never knew it. Did Alpha Trion know before we parted ways? Was I really knocked out by the 'Cons at Iacon? Why would Alpha Trion put one of the Omega Keys inside ME? Maybe he didn't have time to put it in a pod… Maybe he was really the one who knocked me out. Maybe he figured the Decepticons wouldn't look towards my direction. As I was dwelling on all this, Megatron and Knock Out stared at the image; apparently Megatron still didn't know about the Omega Keys' true function.

"Yet another one of these relics?" He asked Knock Out. "We must remove it swiftly and learn of its purpose."

"With pleasure." Knock Out answered before bringing out his huge circular saw. "I do so resent a finish flashier than my own."

Whoa, wait a minute… He's not really gonna… Oh Primus, he is. He's gonna cut me open and get it out, like he's about to cut out an infected T-Cog or stuck sparkling. I watched a sick grin appear on his face and he brought that spinning saw closer to my midsection. I'm squirming like crazy, trying to get a little farther away from that thing. But just as he's about to cut into my frame…the saw stops and he retracts it. Was he just messing with me?

"Made you squirm."

Oh yeah…he was.

He decided to turn the Phase Shifter back on and mess with me once again. He passed his arm in and out of his other arm, a smile on his face as he did it. I just wanna punch this creep in the faceplate so bad…

"Trippy…" He stated before stomping his foot on the floor. "And intuitive. Proper grounding ensures the user doesn't phase through the floor."

It was obvious Megs was getting impatient. "I said SWIFTLY!"

Geez, talk about touchy. Well, it's made Knock Out actually get to work. He came up, with the Phase Shifter still on, and plunged his hand deep inside my body. It's bad enough to have someone feeling around your biomechanics, but it's worse when that someone is a filthy Decepticon! What exactly is he touching right now; I can't take it!

"Urgh…get your stinkin' hand out of my gears!" I shout in vain.

He's still feeling around in me; it's so gross! I feel his hand brush over my fuel tank and a few of my vents, maybe even my T-Cog. And then his hand touches something…something I know was never registered into my body when I was protoformed.

"And…gotcha!"

Uh oh…he has it. Just because he's using the Phase Shifter to pull it out doesn't mean there's no pain. It honestly feels like he's pulling out part of my spine. I want to scream…but I can't. If that's not bad enough, he makes sure to pull it out SLOWLY. My entire frame's jerked around as he finally decides to hurry up and yank the Omega Key out. Ow! He could be a little more gentle! Now he's flashing the Key in front of Megs, like the guy just won a trophy at a drag race or something.

"Tell me the function of these relics…NOW." The sharp-toothed baddie asks me after looking at the Key.

Okay…now it's time to play the dumb card. Megatron definitely doesn't need to know that the Keys could help us Autobots bring Cybertron back to life. So I just plaster on a smile and say, "Doorstops, shavers, bling, beats me."

Knock Out frowned. "It's a shame I can't use the Phase Shifter to reach into his brain pan and PLUCK out the info…"

I could almost see a smirk form on Megatron's ugly face; I guess he's come up with something. Wait…he's not actually going to think about using…THAT, is he?

"But we have something that can…"

This is NOT how I thought my destiny was supposed to turn out. I can feel him…I can feel Megatron crawling around in my processor. Crawling around…like one of those processor-parasites I heard he tried to spread during the War. That and Cybonic Plague…what else could he come up with? Great…Optimus is gonna be so mad. Mega-freak's snooping around in my head…and I know he sees my memories. He sees Optimus telling us about the Omega Keys…telling us how we can get out home back…telling us that we needed to get all keys before the Decepticons did.

Is there anything I can do to get this guy out of my memory banks?

And then I can hear a faint voice…

"That's a wrap."

YANK

I'm suddenly awake after Knock Out disconnected that wire from the back of the berth I'm on. The Decepticons resort to any kind of dirty trick, don't they? They're not even above that crazy tech called a "Cortical Psychic Patch"! I'm glad Megs is outta my head at last…but now he knows what I know about the Omega Keys. What am I gonna do? There has to be some way to stop him!

"The power to revive Cybertron as I see fit, eh?" Megatron mused to himself before turning to Knock Out. "Then I shall pry the remaining two Keys from Optimus Prime's lifeless fingers." He started to walk out of the medbay. "Retrieve the location of the Autobot base from his processor."

Apparently, that's the last thing Knock Out wanted to do. "ME!?"

"Do you think I'd honestly trust you to make sure the Key is secured into the vault?"

Wow, talk about harsh; looks like the 'Cons are using psychological warfare on each other. I heard about the scrap Megatron put Starscream through because the stiletto-heeled freak tried to off him, but I don't know what cherry-red did. He just walks up to me and mutters, "Oh well, into the brain pan again."

That' s right…get a little closer. I'll even act afraid to ensure this is gonna work. I squirm and cry out, "No…not again! Stay out of my head!"

Knock Out laughed. "Now, now, you'll only make things worse for you."

That's what you think.

While he's got his eyes away as he walks by me, I grab onto the Phase Shifter. Yeah…MY signature weapon's my ticket out of here. I activate it and, with a smile, ask the doctor, "Worse HOW?"

All right, now I'm out! But…I'm not home-free just yet. First thing I gotta do is get the Shifter out of the Decepticreep's grasp. We're basically playing tug-of-war with the thing, not caring that we were phasing through wires and stuff on the floor. I didn't even notice that we were getting close to the wall…and once we did, all bets were off.

Apparently, Primus is smiling on me today.

I tumble out from behind the wall, but Knock Out was nowhere on the floor. I look down at my hand, and low and behold, I've got the Phase Shifter! Now THIS is how my destiny's supposed to go! I glance at the wall…and there's KO stuck in the wall, the only exposed parts being his helm and upper chest, parts of his arms, and one of his legs.

"Well, aren't you the clever one?" He asks before he starts struggling in vain to get free. He suddenly cast his ruby optics on me as his voice grew dark. "This ship is MILES in the sky and SWARMING with Decepticons! Do you really think you can escape!?"

Huh…if only cherry-red knew. "Who say's I'm lookin' to escape?"

With a wink, I ran down the hall and left the Decepticreep to stay stewing in his new predicament. And with the Phase Shifter back, sneaking around just got easier. I can't get out of here right now…there's a couple of things I need to pick up and take with me. And one of them was heading to their vault right now, so I've got no time to lose. I phased through one of the walls just as two troops left and then another…and there was Megs opening the vault right now about to put the second Key in. I've got nothing to lose. I run up behind him and snatch the Key from his grip.

"Think fast!" I shout before taking the other Key and phasing into the vault.

Wow…this was easier than I thought. I got out of the vault and now was the time to make my escape. I phase through some more walls, and even an ugly Insecticon, before I finally reached the deck. And now…is the part I didn't count on. Yeah, I'm pretty much high in the sky, and I wasn't exactly built for flight. But…I've got no other choice. Just as I'm looking down at the Earth below, here comes Megs behind me with some lackeys as backup. Yeah…it's easy to tell he's steaming right about now.

"The keys…" He growls as his troops aim their weapons at me.

I start to back up, which brings me to the edge of the deck and forces me to look down once again. I could almost see a smile form on Megatron's face when he comments, "Pity you aren't capable of flight."

"Yeah…like I'm gonna let that stop me."

I remember a quote from a movie the humans showed me. It was a kids' movie that had singing, but I instantly coined that line as my favorite: all I gotta do is jump. So I summed up all of my courage and leapt off the deck, instantly entering freefall. Now I just gotta contact the others.

"Smokescreen to base! I could really use a groundbridge!"

Why isn't Ratchet instantly opening a groundbridge? Oh yeah…he can't lock on to my exact coordinates. As I'm thinking, some flyers try to shoot at me, but of course the Phase Shifter saves my skidplate once again. And then finally, I hear Ratchet's voice over my comlink saying, "Smokescreen, I'm going to open a groundbridge directly below you!"

Finally, I see a greenish light flash below me; it's the groundbridge! Oh, thank Primus, I'm goin' home! And just when I thought I was home-free and in the clear…

WHAM!

Megatron comes flying in and knocks me out of the path of the groundbridge. Boy, this guy won't quit, will he? Well, I can't blame him; he's not the Decepticon leader for nothing. And I'm still in freefall and the ground's getting closer and closer. If I don't think fast, then I'm gonna turn into a pile of smoldering spare parts and two Omega Keys. But then I came up with an idea. I reactivated the Phase Shifter and muttered, "I hope proper grounding doesn't refer to actual ground…"

I'm just about to make impact. All I can do is close my eyes and hope Primus is still watching over me. One second later…I go through the dirt and rock unscathed. Right as I phase through, I could hear the flyers and an unlucky car smash into the earth and Megatron effortlessly fly over the flaming debris. I could hear him transform and scan the area for my remains, along with a couple of flyers that were actually smart.

"Scour the wreckage!" Megatron shouted to his troops. "I want those Keys!"

Heh…sucker. At a lower part of the plain, I phase out and whisper into my comlink, "Ratchet…I could still use that groundbridge."