Chapter 7: "The Battle for Vector Sigma"
If ever there was a time when the Autobots' morale was at an all-time low, it was now. Not only had Megatron and Starscream thoroughly put the boot to their skid-plates, but they had abducted Broadcast, the last child of Cybertron. In the ship's med-bay, Arcee lay unconscious on one of the beds as her sisters watched over her with worry. For the most part she was undamaged, thanks to the intervention of Tracks, who shoved her out of the path of an oncoming attack courtesy of Megatron's lethal fusion cannon. The blast has taken the blue warrior's arm completely off, and he was in the process of having a new one fitted by Wheeljack.
"Stop fidgeting," said the inventor, "the nerve connectors in your shoulder have to be realigned to fit your new arm." He turned to Sunstreaker, who was in the process of constructing a replacement limb. "How's your part going?"
"Just need to make sure the ball joints aren't too tight," replied the artist. "It's a problem that comes up too much for my liking."
Chromia put one hand across Arcee's forehead and sighed.
"You think she'll be okay, Chromia?" asked Corona.
"Yeah, she's just knocked out," Chromia nodded, "but still…nobody does this to my sister. First Decepticon I see, I'm gonna boot him right up his turbo-charger." With that, she started to roll out of the room.
"Where are you going?" asked Corona.
"To practice," Chromia replied briefly and disappeared. Corona sighed and looked over at Arcee. Please be okay, she thought, I don't want to be alone…not again. Her memory files flickered back to what was perhaps the blackest day of her life. She had the full ability to delete it, but something in her fought the very notion and thus it remained untouched. On the other side of the room, Ratchet lay deactivated, totally immobile, as Jolt attached a series of cables that linked the fallen medic to a Spark support machine. The young apprentice was fighting back oily tears, though nothing could quell the tide of rage bubbling in his fuel-lines. Starscream would pay for this ten, nay, a hundred-fold. When he was through, the only thing left would be a black-and-silver puddle. Jolt looked down at his wrists, at the thin ports from which his electro-whips grew when called upon. The Decepticon who dared harm his master would feel the full force of his anger. Roaring, he snapped one of the whips and sliced an empty bed cleanly in half, drawing the attention of everybody present.
"What are you lookin' at?!" he demanded.
"Easy, Jolt," said Wheeljack softly, "we're all upset, but we have to stay cool. We'll get 'em back, don't you worry."
Optimus, Prowl and Ironhide were gathered together on the command bridge with the intention of discussing their plan of retaliation. The Autobot leader's head hung against his chest. He was wallowing in his failure to stop the abduction, to stop the damage done to his team, to stop the brutality that left one of his oldest friends dead to the world.
"You did what you could, Prime," said Ironhide.
"And came out better than any of us would have," agreed Prowl. Optimus said nothing. His two subordinates looked at each other, unable to mask their deep-seated anguish. What they could not see was that their ruler was repeating one word in his processor. A loop that slowly grew faster until it was little more than an electronic hum. Megatron.
In the room that served as quarters for the six humans, Mikaela was racing round in a fit of determined vengeance, throwing items into the rucksack on one of the beds; rope, protective body armour and even the spare guns and magazines full of ammunition that the soldiers had brought along. She was babbling about giving the Decepticons a piece of her mind, even if she had to take them all on herself, and that come hell or high water, nothing would stop her from saving Broadcast. Her Broadcast. Wheelie - in his disguise as a radio-controlled toy monster truck – was whizzing around the floor to avoid the stamping feet and flying objects, some of which bounced off the floor as she sifted through what would come in handy and what was just useless junk. What Mikaela failed to notice in her rush was that as she stuffed equipment into the bag, Sam and Lennox were taking it back out and setting it down tidily by the bed. Raoul, Epps and Simmons watched this almost vaudevillian chase scene somewhere between amusement and the decision of whether or not to say something.
"Betcha five bucks it's another five minutes before she notices," Epps whispered.
"I'd give it less than two," Raoul whispered back. Epps would soon part with his five dollars as Mikaela spun round and saw the two men with their hands in the rucksack. They grinned sheepishly.
"You realise, boys…" Mikaela's voice was slow and dangerous, "…that since we're on an alien planet, it's not illegal for me to rip your sacks off and stuff them down your throats."
"Think she's serious?" Sam asked quietly.
"As a married man," replied Lennox, "I can tell you she's deadly serious."
XXX
Lockdown glared at the miserable Decepticon warrior kneeling at his feet. Jetstorm had delivered his report in person and was now covering his head with both hands as if such a meagre defence would spare him from the wrath of his master. Lockdown was not sure what sickened him more; the posture, the burnt-out appearance, or just the stupidity.
"So…" the gladiator fumed, "you're telling me that you found an item, which you not only failed to tell me about, but lost within a mere mega-cycle, and you sent Slazer and Rumble, two valuable reconnaissance operatives into a combat situation against an entire squad of Autobots?! Dear Primus, Jetstorm! I knew you were a lunatic, but I never would have taken you for a complete moron!"
"Please, Lord Lockdown," Jetstorm squeaked pathetically, "give me a second chance, I'll make it up to you!"
"Well…" Lockdown stroked his chin thoughtfully, "you may still serve a purpose…"
"R-really?" Jetstorm looked up hopefully. Lockdown nodded then turned to Bludgeon.
"I remember you saying you needed a new sparring partner," he said maliciously, "so he's all yours." Jetstorm began to protest, but his screams and struggles were futile as Bludgeon grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him out of the room. A few more moments passed, then there was the sound of a blade swinging through the air and the flyer fell permanently silent. Well, he lasted longer than the previous one, Lockdown thought, tittering to himself. Hmm…so far the Autobots have done most of the work for me. I could work this to my advantage.
In the makeshift nursery at the back end of the ship, Starscream was starting to get a headache. The Autobot Sparkling was fussing at every opportunity. When she was not crying, she was sputtering angrily at him and whenever he attempted to calm her down, she would shout, "No!" or, "Don't wanna!" then go back to crying. He finally managed to shut her up with an Energon goodie. He crouched down and watched her in wonderment. She was a structurally complex little imp, about the size of a human, yet able to fold and compress herself into something that the fleshy female had been able to carry in one hand. Even Frenzy had not been that far advanced. He wondered if it was an omen, a warning sign of approaching change or evolution. His train of thought was broken when the Sparkling chucked the drained remains of the goodie at his head and giggled at his expression. Up above, one of the un-hatched pods began to pulsate.
"Oh, slag, not again!" Starscream muttered under his breath. He turned to the pod to inspect it, and as he did so, Broadcast saw the chance to escape. While her abductor's back was turned, the little Autobot hopped down from the ledge was she perched on and made a dash for the door. She would have been better off staying where she was, because what she came across was far from pleasant. She had stumbled on another room, a small, empty room with a number of edged weapons hanging from one wall. In the middle of it, Bludgeon loomed over the mangled corpse of Jetstorm. His sword glistened with oil that ran to the tip of the blade and dripped to the floor. When the swordsman's gaze landed on her, Broadcast began to back away, right into her put-upon caretaker.
"I'll have to keep a much closer optic on you," Starscream murmured, picking up Broadcast in one huge hand and walking back towards the nursery. Shaken by the traumatising display, the little Autobot put up no resistance.
XXX
Onboard the Endeavour, the Autobots had finalised their plan to retrieve Broadcast from their enemies. Prowl chose his procession, which included all six humans, who would infiltrate the opposing base while the warriors would engage the Decepticons in combat as a distraction. When Optimus near-demanded he be allowed to join them, the ship's captain's argument was thus, "Prime, to be quite frank, you'd worry too much about the humans. You would be distracted, and leave yourselves vulnerable, maybe even give the game away. We all have our own levels of concern, but we are much more confident in them and will remain focussed on our part." Optimus was quite offended by this, but he knew the strategist was right. Soon, the rescue party were lined up outside the ship and Prowl called them off one-by-one, each shifting to vehicle form as his name was spoken.
"Bumblebee! Hot Rod! Ironhide! Jolt! Kup! Sideswipe! Sunstreaker! Tracks! Autobots, start your engines!" Sam and Mikaela hopped into Bumblebee, Lennox and Epps into Ironhide, Simmons into Kup and Raoul into Tracks.
"Autobots," commanded the Ford Granada in the lead, "let's roll out!" With a rumble of motors, the convoy took off.
"I've tuned my radar to Decepticon's energy signature," said Sideswipe. "Mega-butt and Star-squeak are thirty hics northward, off the border of what used to be the Offenbax Gallop. Two more in close vicinity and a faint Autobot signature as well."
"That must be Broadcast," said Mikaela.
"Then follow my lead," said Prowl. "Enter swift interception mode, Patriot Arrow Formation." With their captain still in the lead, the others began to close around him until they formed the tight shape of an arrowhead. Wheeljack remained at the base to look over Ratchet and Arcee. Chromia had wanted to go, but Corona's concern for their eldest sister convinced her to reluctantly stay behind on guard duty. None of them were able to stop their leader, and now a blue Peterbilt painted with brilliant scarlet flames was crawling a dozen or so yards behind them.
XXX
The Autobots did not go unnoticed. The moment they came into the vicinity of the Decepticon ship, Strika burst into the bridge to report to Lockdown.
"My Lord!" she exclaimed. "Nine Autobots have been detected on the approach!"
"Oh my, they're early," remarked Lockdown. "Good." He raised his gauntleted right hand and clenched his fist. The gem glowed and a charged blade as long as his forearm extended from it. "I've been waiting to put this to good use."
Behind him, Megatron said, "They are here for the Sparkling…and Optimus is near. I feel it in my core. I shall put an end to him once and for all."
"No," said Lockdown, "you can't kill him, Meggy. We need him alive."
"What?!" Megatron demanded, turning to face the general.
"I will explain in good time," said Lockdown with a raise of his hand. Megatron grabbed him by the wrist and bellowed in his face, "You will explain now!" The conversation was unable to continue as a heavy incendiary blast struck the side of their ship and rocked it, throwing the gathered Decepticons to the floor.
XXX
Ironhide and Kup led the assault on the ship as Bumblebee crept round to the back end with all six humans inside. They reached the multitude of thrusters tubes jutting from the end and the yellow Camaro transformed to robot mode, lifting his passengers to the tubes and they began to crawl upward and inward. It was the only way for them to pass unseen, but as they travelled up the lightless tunnel, Simmons prayed again and again, Don't let them turn it on… Every so often they would come to a stop so the vibrations caused by the furious brawl would not shake them loose.
"Okay, all of a sudden I'm thinkin' I shoulda stayed in New York," said Raoul, "though breakin' into an alien warship, that's cool too. Gives ya somethin' to tell the folks back home, don't it? If we ever get home of course…since we might get shot into teeny, tiny particles but at least in our last moments we could look back and say-"
"Shut up, Raoul," Mikaela interrupted.
XXX
In the midst of the battle, Prowl deflected a sword-swipe from Bludgeon as the two fought one-on-one.
"Should've known you and your master would be lurking around like the loathsome insects you are," scowled the Autobot captain. "I owe you one for Colony Digamma."
"Digamma…" Bludgeon cocked an eyebrow-plate as he tried to remember. "Ah, you mean the refugee security drones I encountered."
"Those 'drones,' as you put it," replied Prowl venomously, "were my friends!" Across the room, Lockdown was caught between Jolt and Hot Rod. The apprentice medic wrapped his electro-whips around the general's right wrist as Hot Rod peppered him with laser bolts from his finger-blasters.
"Curse you, you Autobot vermin!" he growled. "Do you think a champion of gladiatorial combat cannot dispatch such menial templars as yourselves? Pay for your idiocy!" He pulled with all his might and sent Jolt flying into Hot Rod. "Where on Cybertron is Megatron?!"
XXX
Megatron stood atop one of the high rock formations as his brother drove towards the ship.
"Prime!" he called, withdrawing his right hand and letting his heavy morning-star slide out on its chain, crackling with purple energy.
"Megatron," Optimus replied, transforming to robot mode and unsheathing one of his battle-axes, glowing in kind with golden power. "Let's end this."
"No force in the universe will stop me now, brother," the ancient High Lord hissed, "not even you."
"My thoughts exactly," the Autobot ruler responded. As one robot, they unleashed a furious battle-cry and leapt towards each other. No quarter would be asked. No quarter would be given.
XXX
Starscream did not join in the battle. No, he was too worried about his precious pods. As the nursery shook from each intense impact from the fight, the winged warrior twirled and pranced like a dervish to keep the fragile unborn Decepticons in their safe alcoves. If only he had realised they would be at risk, he would have worked out a way to protect them without Lockdown's help. They would soon be born, he was too close to lose them now! The future of the Transformer race was now in his two hands. They would live…and if they did not, he would tear open Lockdown and his thrice-damned minions as payback. What he failed to notice was the six humans, who had finally managed to find their way into his little hideaway.
Mikaela was in the lead, making her way towards Broadcast.
"Hey, baby," she whispered. The newborn Autobot turned and released a loud, happy chirp, and before the human she had come to view as her mother could shush her, Starscream was staring right at them.
"You…" the flyer flexed his digits. "This time I'll put an end to your meddling!"
"Run for it!" Lennox shouted as he, Epps and Simmons raised their respective guns and fired on Starscream. The damage they did to his armour was minimal at best, but it stalled him enough for the entire group of humans to make good their escape. Starscream howled in outrage and entered pursuit. He was much faster in his flight-worthy mode, but the corridor was too narrow, too low for him to fly. He would simply crash, so he would have to settle for running on foot. Lennox knew the Decepticon was going to catch them soon and began fishing around in his backpack. A net fired out, the move that caught Raoul and Mikaela before, but Lennox was ready. He spun round, a golden gauntlet clamped over his left arm. The ruby embedded in its back glowed and a wide, turquoise circle grew out of it in every direction, and the net flopped uselessly against it.
"I don't know how you got that kind of kit, human," Starscream growled, retracting the net, "but it won't keep you safe from me for long!" The chase took them further and further into the ship, until they came smack-dab into the middle of the battle.
"Well, that didn't go exactly to plan," said Simmons.
"Oh, shit," Epps agreed in his own little way. While the Autobots outnumbered the Decepticons considerably, Lockdown, Bludgeon, Strika and now Starscream (dragged into the conflict no matter what his intent may have been) seemed to be in their own element. Their tactics generally gravitated around throwing their enemies out of the cramped and limiting battleground. While the humans ran for cover to avoid the actively moving feet of Strika, the ceiling above them exploded in a shower of metal and hot flecks of white fire. Megatron crashed into the bridge and landed with a resonating series of thuds, crashes and tinkers.
"Stop breaking holes in my lovely ship!" Lockdown wailed.
"Master!" Bludgeon raced to his superior. "Are you wounded?"
"I'm fine!" Lockdown snapped, pushing past his lieutenant. "Take the others and deal with those Autobot fools." He then pointed the tip of his blade at the dazed Megatron. "You! What is the meaning of this?! You disappear in the middle of a fight and then come smashing through like a beryllium-bull-droid in a china shop?!" While he was quite content to continue this rather agitated rant, it was brought to an end by the High Lord himself. Megatron's leg sprang out in a spasmodic kick that knocked the general onto his posterior with a grunt.
"You talk too much," said Megatron. Bludgeon moved to defend his master but soon learned that the only thing more dangerous than a Decepticon overlord was a highly aggravated Decepticon overlord. He landed sideways across Lockdown. Megatron stood up and dusted his hands off, then shot a glare at Strika as if to say, 'don't move a gyro.' A blue truck cab thundered up the gangplank into the ship, surprising Autobot and Decepticon alike. Megatron growled and clutched the oncoming Juggernaut's nose section as it tore into the opposite wall, leaving a Transformer-shaped dent. Optimus returned to his humanoid robot shape and the two brothers proceeded to pummel one another. Then, something rather peculiar happened. Time froze and the world, nay, it felt like the universe, was filled with a beautiful song and a celestial light. A panel flipped open in Optimus' chest, revealing the coveted key, the Matrix of Leadership, aglow with life and benevolent, mesmerising light. Lockdown's blade, Lennox's shield, Mikaela's ring and Sam's belt began to shine with it, and finally a spot of light opened on Sam's forehead. Bumblebee's own chest cavity popped open and the strange object he had been hiding flew out. Reality returned to its normal pace as the object faded into a ball of crystal light above the gathered robots and humans.
"Yes…" Lockdown breathed. "That's it! The Key!"
"It can't be…" Megatron whispered.
"It really exists…" Ironhide mumbled.
"In all my years, I ain't never seen nothin' like this," Kup croaked. Lockdown burst into raucous laughter.
"The Key to Vector Sigma!" he bellowed. "Now! Take me to my destiny!" The key flashed and flew away, leaving a trail of green dashes, yellow dots and silver alien characters. Lockdown ran after it until he was out in the open air, jumping up and transforming into a formidable B-2 Spirit. Bludgeon sheathed his sword and transformed as well, following his master.
"How are we supposed to catch up to him?" Sideswipe growled. "He's too fast!"
"We'll see," said Hot Rod, transforming to car mode. "Sam, bring the items and get in."
"But Hot Rod-" Optimus tried to stop him but at this point Megatron had recovered his senses and dealt him a most painful punch to the chin. The impact dislodged the Matrix and sent it circling into the air. Hot Rod flipped open one of his doors and the item landed neatly in the seat. Sam started towards the car but Mikaela put a hand on his arm.
"Wait-" she started, but Sam lifted a hand to silence her.
"No, babe," he shook his head. "Stay here."
"I'm with her," Lennox put in. "You and him on your own against that nutcase? No way."
"Do you mind?" Hot Rod growled. "The longer you stand there talking, the further away the bad guys get! The way I drive, I don't really want any of you along but since the kid's got the All Spark in his brain he needs to come. Now move it!" Bumblebee whirred in worried concern.
"Sorry, Big Guy," said Hot Rod, "but this situation calls for speed, and I'm a hell of a lot faster than you."
"Don't worry, Bee," Sam assured his loyal car, "I'll be fine. You just look after the rest for me, okay?" Bumblebee saluted in response.
Strika fired two rockets at Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, blowing up a cloud of dust and propelling the twins like bouncing balls across the landscape. Jolt's whip wrapped itself around Strika's neck and the fem-bot was pulled back onto her posterior. Starscream launched himself at Ironhide and Kup but a simultaneous punch from the two veterans put him head-first through the wall of the ship. The flyer released an indignant cry. Optimus and Megatron continued their struggle, tearing the bridge apart all around them. With all this chaos around him, one can come to understand the urgency Hot Rod was feeling. With the four items in their possession loaded into the passenger seat and Sam belted securely in the driver's seat, the young Autobot gunned his engines and sped off after the two Decepticons, thankfully still just in view. Lockdown and Bludgeon were fast, but Hot Rod was faster. As Sam was pushed tightly back against the leather of his seat, the maroon-coloured car soon caught up with the two vehicles.
"Deal with him," the bomber said briefly. The rose red car moved in on the Autobot and started to grind against its side.
"This isn't good," Sam gulped.
"Don't worry, I'll handle this son of a glitch," Hot Rod told him, and thus the furious demolition derby began, with each car attempting to force the other into the nearest rock formation or sandy trench. Neither saw nor were able to veer away in time as they skidded off the edge of the world and into a deep, dark hell-mouth. Lined with jagged rocks protruding from either side like broken predatory fangs, the two opponents were knocked about the canyon like ragdolls. Sam held on for dear life as Hot Rod ricocheted off the edge and spiralled into Bludgeon, allowing one aforementioned spike to carve a deep scar in the Decepticon warrior's roof. Lockdown swooped beneath his lieutenant and Bludgeon transformed to robot mode, planting both feet neatly on the bomber's wings. He unsheathed his sword and began to channel energy through the blade until it vibrated so fast it seemed to be glowing. Bludgeon swung the sword and a crescent-shaped energy projection flew out. Hot Rod cursed in his mind. He could not transform to defend himself. He could easily remove the boy in time, but the items would be lost, if they were not caught in his gears. As the items pinged and ponged around the interior of the car, Sam caught hold of the gauntlet. Sliding it over his arm, he concentrated, wished for something to stop the oncoming attack, and lo and behold! A circle of turquoise light grew out from the triangular ruby and washed over the human and the car. Bludgeon's attack dissipated against the shield.
"Puny Autobot," Bludgeon growled.
"Hot Rod! Take him down!" Sam cried, quickly pulling on the belt, ring and clutching the Matrix in both hands. The Autobot transformed to robot mode, clutching the boy in one hand, and fired a direct shot from his finger-blasters at Bludgeon. Unable to stabilise himself, the Decepticon warrior was shot from his master's back and screamed as he landed on one of the stone spikes on the wall, impaled neatly through the abdomen. Hot Rod returned to his car form just in time to land with a heavy bump on the canyon floor. The only way out of the narrow crack in the planet was a narrow tunnel. The fading trail of the Key led straight into its murky throat. Hot Rod sped inside while Lockdown screeched and swore angrily. He was far too big to continue following his quarry, and even in robot mode he was too tall for the tunnel.
XXX
Able to relax at least a little, Hot Rod began to slow down. He wound down his windows, and Sam sighed in gratitude. He was sweating buckets, so the cooling wind of the cavern was very much welcome. The walls of the tunnel were covered in ancient Cybertronian characters and pictures, like a Transformer homage to the mysterious paintings believed to have been made by prehistoric man on Earth. They came into a great expansive natural chamber, where the only solid platform was a bridge stretching across the dark abyss to what Sam recognised as the Greek theatre from his dream. Nobody was seated round the rows of seats, no Egyptian priestess and no bearded scholar. Nesting in the middle of the arena was not the golden super-mind, but a wide, grey ball that reminded him of the Cube, the physical shell that contained the ethereal All Spark. The Key to Vector Sigma, which had been hovering in front of the ball, became its usual plain self and clattered uselessly to the floor. The entire place was illuminated by an eldritch green-yellow light that radiated from a cluster of gemstones that took a large portion of the ceiling. The car stopped opposite the arena and Sam climbed out, still clad in the items. He took a few steps down the carved stairs towards the ball. He picked up the Key in his free hand and held it up to what could only be Vector Sigma itself.
"Why isn't anything happening?" he asked after a long pause. No answer. No ghostly Primes. Nothing. "Come on! Why the heck did you make me the Herald when I can't even open the damn thing up?!" Hot Rod transformed to robot mode and attempted to pry the thing open with his hands, but that too was futile.
"It's shut up tighter than a space-gnat's ring-hole," he grunted.
"As it should be," said a deep, rich voice. Sam and Hot Rod turned round to see the lanky, skull-faced apparition of Lockdown emerging from the shadows and into the weird light. Bits of rubble clung to his body, which meant he had most likely blasted open the tunnel mouth so it would fit him better. "You almost had me for a click there, boys, but thankfully my fears were unfounded. You overlooked one important detail."
"What are you talking about, Decepti-scum?" Hot Rod demanded with one finger extended accusingly.
"Only a Prime can open the chamber," said Lockdown. "I had hoped to come here and have Optimus Prime follow me, but with you two as hostages, it's a done deal, wouldn't you say? Now, be good little fellows and give yourselves up. You'd actually stand a chance of surviving that way."
"Suck my nodes," Hot Rod sneered.
"A bit crude, but I get your point," Lockdown willed the blade of his gauntlet to extend. "Now you'll get mine."
"Sam, the shield," said Hot Rod. Sam nodded and held the gauntlet up to him. Hot Rod took hold of it and immediately it grew to fit him. He slid it over his left hand and the ruby crackled with energy.
Lockdown tapped the blade against the soles of his feet, a ritual he had maintained since his gladiatorial days. He raised the weapon into his favoured position and uttered, "En guarde!" The two metal giants circled one another, each sizing up the opposition. Lockdown launched forward with a battle-cry. Hot Rod rolled out of the way just in time to avoid the celestial sword, which sliced a deep gash into the stone ground. The young Autobot kicked his enemy in the back and Lockdown growled, pulling the blade free to attack again.
XXX
Sideswipe and Sunstreaker threw Strika on top of Starscream and dusted their hands off. Prowl retrieved two sets of large energised handcuffs from a cavity in his hip and slapped them on the barely conscious prisoners' wrists. When they tried to wriggle free, Kup and Ironhide lowered their firearms on them.
"You move even an inch…" began the latter.
"And you'll get a face-full of hot boom-stick," finished the former. Bumblebee and Jolt emerged from the ship with the remaining humans.
"We found a hatchery in back," said the medic. "Few of the pods are broken but some are still alive."
"No…" Starscream groaned. "Leave them alone." All optics fell on him.
Across the desert, Optimus and Megatron continued to grapple. The tank kicked up screens of ash and dust with its tracks and cannon bursts, while the lorry swerved and dodged around it with superior manoeuvrability. Both vehicles transformed and unsheathed their respective energy weapons. Megatron swung the morning-star at Optimus, but the Autobot's golden axe sliced the chain neatly in half and the spiked ball impacted on the planet's surface. The High Lord fumed and slammed his hands together at arm's length and just as always the long barrel of the fusion cannon extended and immediately started powering up with a tell-tale fizzling sound.
"This time I'm going to eviscerate you."
"Megatron…" Optimus ran straight towards him with one clenched fist held out. "Put a cork in it!" He jammed the fallen morning-star deep into the barrel and backpedalled. Megatron's optics widened as the cannon exploded, taking a large chunk out of his right arm and disintegrating numerous patches from his armour. Too damaged to continue the fight, the High Lord stood up, holding a shell-wound in his chest with his remaining hand.
"We will finish this another time," he wheezed, activating the shaky propulsion thrusters in his back and swirling away into the sky like a dancing bullet. Oh yes, he would return. So long as Optimus Prime's Spark pulsated, so long as an Autobot functioned, so long as goodness remained, Megatron's evil would live on.
XXX
Hot Rod propped himself up against the wall of the arena, his shield held up to protect him. His vents trembled as he panted for breath. Lockdown smirked as he took slow steps towards the tired Autobot, licking his lips with his forked tongue.
"You've been quite lucky so far, dear boy," he chuckled. "Let's be honest, if it weren't for that shield, this fight would already be long over."
The shield flickered.
"Look at you. You're so tired you barely have the willpower to maintain it. You fought well, but ultimately you're just a little boy. I was born into conflict, it's in my nature. Now…" He swung the blade down on the shield, and after just seconds of resistance, it shattered like glass. Hot Rod slipped to his knees. Lockdown purred and put the tip of his sword to the young warrior's throat.
"You fought very well, so I'll make this quick."
It never struck him to wonder where the human had gone. He assumed the germ was squashed underfoot, not realising it possessed items of its own. Presently, Sam was standing nearby. The belt round his waist cloaked him from their sensors, and he was holding out the ring. He remembered the mish-mash of pieces in the graveyard, the monster, and a thought came to him. What could the ring do? It was a guess, but worth taking if it could save Hot Rod. Sam pleaded for the ring to grant him its power, and then it happened. Lockdown paused, optics narrowing, mandibles hanging open. There was a sickly sound of metal breaking and thick liquids oozing, slug-like, from pipes. The blade of the gauntlet faded as the severed arm crashed to the floor. Lockdown took several wobbling footsteps back, not quite sure if what he was feeling was shock or pain.
"Do it, Hot Rod!" Sam cried, throwing off the cloak of invisibility. Hot Rod nodded and slid the other gauntlet over his right hand. His will restored, the blade materialised and the warrior raised it.
"Say your prayers," he said.
"Well…" Lockdown croaked, "this could have gone better."
SHLICK!
Bump…bump…clunk…the general released a final breathy sigh and his optics slid shut. The headless body dropped to its knees and then onto its side, spilling oil over the floor. Sam stared into that grim visage, for it had landed barely inches from him, and he was quite sure he could feel a warm patch spreading in the front of his jeans.
"Thanks…" Hot Rod mumbled, collapsing into a seated position. "Wake me up in about a hundred stellar cycles, okay?" A long time passed before Sam could force his body to work again. Being so close to these titanic duels always had this effect on him. It took the oxygen out of his lungs and the sense from his brains. Only the rumbling of approaching tyres roused him, as Optimus Prime approached from the tunnel mouth. Now, with seven items in hand, human and robot advanced on the huge ball in which Vector Sigma slept. Behind them stood the ghosts of the six long dead Primes.
"I knew the kid could do it," smirked Sentinel Prime.
"Oh shush," remarked Magnus Prime, giving her brother a smack on the chest.
"Today is the dawning of a new age for Cybertron," said Prima, the First and the Best. Optimus Prime reached forth. The ball split. Rebirth.
