Chapter Four – The Tunnel
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"Can you believe I did that?"
Steeldust glanced at Moonracer out of the corner of his optics as they walked through the tunnel.
With a crooked grin, he said, "Yeah, that was a pretty cool move."
"I know!" squealed Moonracer, placing her hands on her faceplate. Seeing Steeldust's amused look, she composed herself, placing her servos behind her back. Playing cool, she repeated herself. "I know."
With a snicker, Steeldust continued, talking with his hands as he did. "To be honest, I wouldn't've thought ya had that in ya. But ya were great back there. A lot braver than I was."
"Aww, you're just saying that…" Moonracer said shyly, turning her helm away.
"No, really, I'm serious," insisted Steeldust. He also looked away, not showing his travel buddy his regretful expression. He had been thinking of how he could escape, it had occurred to him to leave her there. That thought had quickly left, but he'd still thought it.
And besides, the reason he had taken Moonracer to the Snuggly Duckling in the first place was to scare her…
Moonracer then said, "Soo, Steeldust?"
The thief turned back to face her, tilting his helm. "Yeah?"
"Where are you from?"
Instantly, Steeldust was back to his usual self.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," chuckled the navy and black, putting up his hands. "Sorry, Moonracer. I don't tell that story.
"However," Steeldust continued, twitching his doorwings. Sending her a grin, he said, "I am becoming more and more interested in yours.
"Now, I know I'm not supposed to mention the trophy room."
"Nope," Moonracer said with a smile and a small shake of her helm.
"Or your carrier."
"Nuh uh."
"Honestly, I'm afraid ta ask about the retrorat."
"His name is Pascal."
"Yeah, right. O' course." Steeldust paused, waiting until Moonracer looked at him. "So, here's my question. If you want ta see the lanterns so badly, why didn't ya just- Go? And why not before now?"
Moonracer glanced away, fidgeting with her digits. "Uhh, well," she began nervously.
Suddenly, Steeldust's sharp hearing picked up something behind them.
Or rather, someone. Multiple someones.
"Run," the thief said, grabbing Moonracer's hand and pulling her along rapidly.
"Steeldust-" protested Moonracer as she tried to keep up with the faster mechling.
Then, she heard what he had.
The echoing pedesteps and mecha yelling. Lights came into view behind them.
With a gasp, she hurried faster. "Someone's chasing us!"
There was a dim light up ahead, signaling they were close to the end of the tunnel.
Which turned out to be near the edge of a cliff.
"Ya've got ta be kiddin' me!" Steeldust growled as he slid to a stop, catching Moonracer before she could fall over the edge.
Both looked back to the tunnel entrance.
The guards and enforcers were getting close. Fast.
Steeldust glanced around anxiously. The canyon below was too far to jump. He wasn't sure if he could climb down the side, was less sure if Moonracer could.
They were trapped.
A familiar black and white Praxian was the first one out of the tunnel.
Upon seeing the two mecha by the cliff's edge, the lead enforcer chuckled, glaring darkly at the young thief.
Steeldust returned that with a low growl, stepping in front of Moonracer.
"Who's that?" Moonracer asked, peering around him.
"He doesn't like me," muttered Steeldust, watching the Praxian carefully.
Movement down at the bottom of the canyon caught their attention.
Two young mecha emerged from a different tunnel, glaring up at them.
"Dagger and Taser. So, they escaped being arrested," Steel thought, optics darting between them and the enforcer.
"Who's that?" asked Moonracer nervously.
"They don't like me either," replied Steeldust.
More enforcers and guards emerged from the tunnel, gathering around behind Prowl.
"Who's that?!"
Steeldust sighed, turning to face her. Throwing her servos out wide, he gestured around them. "Let's just assume fo' the moment here, dat nobody likes me!"
Seeing a nearby structure directing water from a dam above the canyon, Moonracer had an idea.
Snatching the grappling gun from Steeldust's waist, she aimed and fired the hook towards the structure. It grabbed onto something and held fast.
Realizing her plan, Steeldust nodded. "Good shot. Now go."
Moonracer had no time to react before she was shoved off the edge. With a scream, she swung towards the structure, then allowed the rope to retract, pulling her up. Once she was safely on top of the structure, she looked back.
The mecha left on the cliffside were engaged in a fight.
"Steel," she whispered, optics wide.
After Moonracer had left the cliffside, Prowl had begun to advance.
She was, to his knowledge, just a civilian. Why she was with Steeldust, he didn't know.
What Prowl did know, was that he couldn't let the slippery escape artist get away again.
Pulling a pistol out of his side holster, the enforcer aimed it towards Steeldust's helm. "I've waited a long for this," he said with a confident tone.
This time, the little thief wouldn't get away from him.
"Get down on your knee joints and place your hands on your helm," commanded Prowl. "Nightracer, Spin, handcuff him."
Before the two enforcers could move to do as he told them to, Steeldust had a knife in his hand.
"You know I can dodge bullets," the thief said with a smirk. "You really want to send them over here?"
Seeing Spin, Steeldust nodded in greeting. "How're the allergies, mech?"
Spin simply frowned, keeping a hand near his own pistol.
"Do you want to play this game, thief?" asked Prowl, threateningly. He knew all too well that Steeldust was capable of dodging his shots. But he doubted even he could avoid a firing squad. "Because I can assure you, it will not end well."
Steeldust laughed. "For who? You? You can't catch me and you know it."
"You're at a dead end, punk," Nightracer said, taking a step forward, gun aimed at the speedster. "Just give up and make it easier on everyone. You can't win this one."
Tossing his knife and catching it, Steeldust eyed the group carefully. "Why should I surrender and come peaceably? You're just gonna offline me later." Catching the knife once more, the young mech moved into a battle stance. Looking up at the group, he grinned darkly. "I choose life, what do you choose?"
"Get him!" yelled Prowl.
"Bring it." Steeldust smirked and ran into the midst, ducking and dodging.
The mecha scattered, trying to evade the swift youngling's attacks.
A few were too slow and got slashed in the side or pedes. A couple more got tripped, falling over the side.
Soon enough, it was only Prowl and Steeldust left unharmed.
The enforcer had managed to corner the thief again, pushing him to move closer and closer to the edge.
"Surrender," demanded Prowl angrily.
Steeldust hissed back, "Never."
Taking another step back, the mechling realized where he was. The ground crumbled slightly under his heel, sending pebbles down the cliffside. Optics wide, Steeldust glanced behind him.
Prowl saw his opportunity and took it.
With his gun, the enforcer knocked the knife out of the speedster's hand. Both mechs watched as the weapon plummeted to the canyon floor far below.
A nervous grin on his faceplate, Steeldust lifted his servos in a shrug. "How bout two outta three?"
"Steeldust!"
Both enforcer and thief looked towards the voice as a grappling hook came zipping in their direction. The hook caught on Steeldust's servo and the rope wrapped itself around several times.
As Moonracer retracted the rope again, Steeldust gave Prowl a mock salute, letting himself be pulled off of the cliff.
Prowl and the rest of the enforcers watched, open mouthed, as the thief swung away from them.
"Steeldust! Look out!" Moonracer said, bracing herself so she wouldn't fall off from her perch.
He either didn't hear her or didn't bother to listen. Perhaps he was too caught up in the moment.
Glancing back at the mecha on the cliff, Steeldust let out a short laugh. "Ha! You should see your faceplates because you look- "
The lanky thief was interrupted as he collided with the side of the water trough. A beam had caught him right in the tank, knocking the breath out of him.
"Ridiculous," Steeldust finished with a moan.
"Come on!" yelled Moonracer. She ran over and helped the thief up, returning his grappling gun to him.
"Thanks," Steeldust replied, venting hard and holding his tank.
As fast as they could, the two young mecha made their way down the water trough, attempting to not slip.
A whistle of a bullet flying past them, followed by a thunk of it hitting the structure they were on, made both their helms jerk up.
Prowl, possibly more furious than Steeldust had ever seen him, was standing at the edge of the cliff. His pistol was held aloft. Aimed right at them.
"Go! Go!" Steeldust yelled, pointing downstream.
Moonracer wasted no time in moving along. Her guide right behind her.
More bullets flew around them, hitting the water trough.
"Jump!" commanded Steeldust desperately.
"What?" Moonracer stopped to face him, wondering if he was serious.
They were still way to high above the ground.
"Hurry! We're-too-much-of-a-target-up-here! He-has-a-clear-shot-at- "
Another gunshot was heard, this time, from the ground.
Wrapping a servo around Moonracer's waist, Steeldust jumped. With his free servo, he aimed his grappling gun and shot.
As they plummeted, the two young mecha screamed. Moonracer clung to Steeldust tightly, fear flooding her optics.
The grappling hook caught on something and slowed their rapid descent. Gunfire rained around them as they landed, Steeldust skidding through a puddle.
Putting Moonracer down, the thief released the hook and retracted the rope. With his other hand, he brought out his own gun and returned fire. "Run, Moonracer! Go, I'll cover you!"
Taking one look at the two thugs on the ground that began to approach, Moonracer fled. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure Steeldust was coming.
After returning the grapple gun to his waist and ensuring the enemies knew he would willingly shoot back, Steeldust moved. He rapidly caught up to Moonracer, running backwards to provide cover fire.
Spying a cave, Moonracer pointed towards it. "There!"
Glancing over his shoulder for an astroklik, Steel nodded his helm. "Good optic, Moonracer!"
Meanwhile, Prowl and the rest of the enforcers and guards that were able had created a bridge to the water structure. They then had made their way down it, using the supporting beams underneath to climb down.
However, Dagger and Taser, not wishing to be chased by them again, joined their fellow thief in keeping them away.
It worked. Unfortunately, two things happened in the process.
One, Steeldust no longer had to return fire and he and Moonracer made it to the cave much easier.
And two, a stray shot from Taser's gun hit a weak spot in the dam, causing more damage to it. That one little leak grew into a much bigger leak. Very rapidly.
A loud crack was heard, echoing through the canyon.
Dagger lowered his weapon and stared blankly down at his sister. "Nice."
Throwing up her servos, Taser began to yell. "So what? Now it's my fault that da stupid construction workers didn't build that thing properly? Or that it hasn't been kept up better? Cause none o' my weapons should cause that much damage just like that- "
Glancing back at the dam, Dagger's optics shot open wide. "Shut up an' run!"
Taser closed her mouth and watched as her brother sprinted away in the direction they'd come. She scratched her helm in confusion, other hand on her hip. "What's he runnin' away from?"
Another loud crack answered her question.
She spun around and gasped.
Water poured out of what was left of the dam, the basin above the canyon emptying itself through the gaping hole. The giant wave of water demolished the water trough in its path, heading down towards the guardsmech and Taser.
Taser booked it to the tunnel where her brother waited.
The enforcers and elite guards ran as fast as they could towards anywhere they thought might be shelter.
Steeldust and Moonracer ran further into the cave. A boulder fell from somewhere and blocked the entrance, plunging them into darkness.
"Oh no!" Moonracer cried, feeling around in what seemed to be a dead end.
Water started to come in around the boulder, rapidly gaining ground in the cave. Soon, it was up to the mecha's knee joints.
And showed no sign of stopping.
Steeldust's doorwings twitched like crazy. He rapidly combed the wall with his hands, desperately trying to find a way out. Claustrophobia was rapidly setting in.
"Moonracer, help me find a way out," he said, tone wavering.
"I'm trying," she replied, feeling the wall beside him.
Ramming his shoulder into the wall, Steeldust winced as he backed away from it in pain. Nothing had given. Diving into the water, which was now above his waist, he felt around near the floor.
Nothing.
Moonracer started to hit the ceiling, which was rapidly growing closer to the water. Or was it the other way around?
Steeldust came back up with a loud vent, wiping his optics. "There's-nothin'-down-there!"
Moving around him, Moonracer dived under. Steeldust reached down and pulled her back up. He held her by the servos as she choked and coughed.
With a shake of his helm, he said sadly. "There's no point, Moonracer. It's pitch black down there."
Sitting on a ledge near the ceiling of the cave, the two sat in silence for a few kliks.
Moonracer broke the silence. "This is all my fault. My Carrier was right." She paused, sniffling as she wiped a tear away. "I shouldn't have done this. I'm- I'm so sorry, Steeldust."
Steeldust watched her, a sad expression on his faceplate. "I'm originally from Velocitron."
Looking over at him, Moonracer sniffed again. "What?"
Shrugging, Steeldust gave her a wry grin. "You asked earlier. Someone might as well know."
Laughing softly, Moonracer smiled. "So that's why you're so quick."
"I guess-" Steeldust trailed off, optic ridges furrowing. "Wait a klik. I don't have headlights cause my alt mode is a racer. Do you have headlights?"
"I- I think my alt mode does," Moonracer answered slowly. She brought her servos up above the water and examined them.
"You do! Quick turn them on!" Steeldust said.
The water level was up to their neck cables.
Finding them in her systems, Moonracer activated the lights on her lower servos, illuminating the water.
Steeldust and Moonracer dived back down, examining the cave.
Spying some debris floating in a current towards the floor, they dived further.
Frantically, Steeldust began to dig, shoving rocks away from what they hoped was an exit.
Even if they didn't need to breath air, a prolonged stay in here would do damage to their systems.
Steeldust had no interest in this cave becoming his watery, claustrophobic grave.
Well, they just keep getting into more trouble...
Disclaimer: We do not own Transformers or Disney. Steeldust, Spin, Nightracer, Dagger, and Taser belong to me.
Thanks for reading!
