Here again! Hope you enjoy this chapter! ^^
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except my OC Ionette. Viper belongs to Dragonmaster789.
Rating: T


It hurt. All of the rubble and the downfall and the hit against the valley floor. The fall hadn't been fatal, that much Viper was able to process, but then again…. She had landed on Ionette. Where the white and red medic was, the grounder femme wasn't sure. She shook off as much of the rock and debris and ice and patches of grass as she could, being surprised how little of it had actually hit them.

Her helm buzzed and holding on to a rational thought –or thought of any kind – seemed to be beyond her grasp. Groaningly she rose to her knees, one servo stroking the back of her helm as the other tried desperately to balance her form. Her lavender optics flickered on and off giving distorted images of her surroundings.

"Ugh… I haven't felt this bad since that Bounty rush near Quartex… Primus, that mech could throw a punch - not to mention his six companions," Viper muttered and slumped on to her back. She could feel her friend shifting near her and hear the wailing of the jet's wings as the silvery black femme forced the bent metal back to its original place.

"Uh… Sorry, 'Nette. I should've checked the status of that rope before using it."

"…Yeah… But that's what you get by trading with fellow bounty hunters. Extremely ingenious little apparatuses, but highly cheap quality," Ionette groaned back and stood up shakily.

The medic mode kicked in and Viper shot a worried glance at her friend. "Your systems in decent shape?"

"I think so. Though it's hard to say what the correct horizon line is, it keeps swinging each and every way."

The grounder femme let out a laughter. "That's fine."

The jet offered her a servo and Viper took it, being hoisted up to her pedes with a swift movement.

Ionette hadn't been joking. The world around them seemed to be bouncing up and down, left and right. The sounds were clearly recognizable but the lavender-blue femme shook her helm a bit before focusing on what really was taking place around them. Her optics scanned the valley floor. Something red was peeking out under some half a dozen large boulders.

"Ra… Ratchet!" Viper managed to rasp out before a fit of cough-like sounds pushed its way out of her voice box. With shaky steps she ran to the mech. "Are you alright?"

The 'Bot grunted. "There's half a ton of rock on top of me…! How could I be okay?"

"He's fine," Ionette said rolling her optic and placing her servos on her hips. A shot hit the ground by them. "We on the other hand…"

The two dodged down to avoid the first wave of Vehicons.

"Get these things off of me…!" Ratchet mumbled trying his best to drag and claw his way out, only resulting in deeper scratches and gashes in his armor.

The femmes obliged, grabbing hold of the boulder securing Ratchet's lower torso. With a good push they managed to dislodge it slightly and roll it off of the mech who was mumbling incoherent things against the tundra-like undergrowth.

The Decepticon flyers came in for a second strike, laser fire ravaging the valley floor.

"Scrap…!" Viper muttered and rolled out of the way of one of the blasts and returned fire. "We're lucky they're aim is way off."

Ionette nodded. The training of the troops would be one thing she would need to take up with Megatron. Soon.

"Viper!"

"Huh?" The lavender femme jolted up at the sound of her name. She glanced behind her.

The others had made it down. Optimus hurried to them, constantly firing at the Decepticons.

"Optimus…!" Ratchet exhaled relieved. "Thank Primus you are here!" The situation had been a little too much out of the medic's comfort zone, but finally it was going to change.

"Ra-" The Prime was cut off by a roar of familiar engines.

The Decepticon leader entered the valley, looping from around a mountain, his second-in-command not far behind. The Vehicon-jets regrouped around them, almost darkening the sky with their wings. The silver mech landed with an earth-shaking thud, his minions following cue, getting ready to fight.

The Autobots were surrounded.

"Megatron, stand down!" Optimus demanded charging up his blasters.

"You're hardly in any position to demand anything, Optimus, especially with your precious medic trapped and defenseless," Megatron said pointing at the pile of Bot and boulder.

"Yeah? A step closer to the Doc and you'll find yourself needing one!" Wheeljack snorted back and blocked Ratchet from the Decepticon Lord's view with his frame. The distinctive sound of a sword being drawn emphasized the Wrecker's point.

Vehicons aimed their weapons.

"Your quarrel is with me, Autobot!" Dreadwing hollered, transforming mid-air and tackling the white mech with his blade out.

The scene exploded into a blaze of laser fire. 'Bots were dodging and rolling and firing back. Arcee and Bumblebee engaged the drones first with blasters and then in close range with deadly kicks and punches. The white Wrecker had his servos full with Dreadwing, their swords clashing and sending sparks flying, the metal heating by the sheer force of the strikes. Ionette tackled a nearing trooper before resuming her task of freeing the red and white mech.

Megatron eyed the lavender-blue femme before grinning wickedly. "You do look so much like your mother…" A chuckle rose from his voice box. "It has been a long time, my dear. Pray tell, what have you been up to? Besides working with the enemy and trying your best to hide from me?"

Viper could feel her whole frame shaking involuntarily.

Optimus stepped in front of her protectively. "Try anything, Megatron, and I shall cut you down."

The Decepticon Lord looked amused.

"Optimus, Optimus. You don't have any right to step in on a family conversation."

"I do if it has a chance of endangering any and all fellow Autobots," Prime shot back, taking a fighting stance. "Especially Viper."

"Oh? Are you her protector? Her guardian?"

Viper felt painfully helpless. All of her courage and determination had been drained from her the moment the silver Decepticon had landed on the clearing.

Optimus narrowed his optics. "You will not take her away. That I promise."

The Warlord's grin faded and a sneer colored his features. "You dare to stand between me and my sparkling? She belongs to the Decepticon cause, she belongs to me!" Megatron fired his fusion cannon.

"Stay down!" Was all Viper could hear when the shot hit the ground near them.

The two enemies charged at each other, blades drawn, slashes delivered. The tall, red mech avoided a blow and punched Megatron in the side. The Warlord grabbed the servo and spun the Autobot leader around and over, smacking him down on his back on the valley floor.

"No!" Viper cried out and fired at the silver mech's back.

Megatron kicked Optimus, gaining a grunt from the red mech, before turning to the grounder femme. His steps shook the ground.

Viper took a few running steps and brought her knee up to meet the large mech's chest. Megatron parried it easily and hit the small 'Bot in the abdomen. With a round house kick he shoved her further away from the Prime.

"Don't make this any more difficult than it already is, dear Viper, I only wish to talk."

"I don't believe you…!" The lavender-blue grounder snarled, servo clutching onto her stomach. It hurt.

"The Autobots have deceived you, poisoned your mind! Let me help you clear the fog –"

"There are no gray, foggy memories! I remember it all! Everything! Even how you…" Viper winced with the vivid image of her mother's pierced corpse.

Megatron's laughter echoed manically around the valley. He extended his right servo and eyed his sword. It gleamed in the light of the partially covered sun. "Ah, yes…." He vented. He could still see the scene; the sweet blue Energon trickling down the sharp edge, dripping and pooling on the floor, a lavender-blue femme in pieces by his feet.

A laser hit the large mech in the shoulder, snapping him from his thoughts. Growling he turned around only to get blasted in the helm. Viper hurried away from the intimidating mech.

"Though luck," Wheeljack said, jumping and kicking the momentarily blinded Decepticon Warlord. The silver mech's frame stumbled back.

Megatron wiped his optics, trying to regain his vision. Another blast hit him square in the chest and a punch was delivered to his faceplates.

"Wheeljack, keep Dreadwing occupied!" Optimus hollered and landed another fist into the silver mech's neck.

"Aye, sir," the white Wrecker answered turning on his pedes and running to meet blades with the Decepticons' second-in-command who had closed in on them to aid his lord and master.

The lavender-bluish femme circled around Megatron to stand next to Optimus, sparing a quick glance at the status of the fight around them.

On the background it seemed like Arcee and Bumblebee were gaining the upper hand. Ionette had managed (somehow) to keep the 'Cons away and help Ratchet at the same time. The medic was almost free.

A rain of laser beams showered down from the sky. It caught Viper's attention and she slid sideways to dodge the hits.

Megatron took a step back and a swarm of Vehicons landed in front of him. Apparently the Warlord had called for backup, not wanting to lose his precious prize. The troopers engaged the two Autobots immediately. Viper drew her blade and cut the closest 'Con in two. The Vehicons surrounded them, forcing Optimus and Viper back to back.

"We must strike them down and clear a path to Ratchet," Optimus ordered weapons ready.

A thunderous boom and an agonizing cry echoed in the valley.

Optimus and Viper whirled around towards the sound, only to stop in their tracks.

The boulders trapping Ratchet were gone, but in their place was The Decepticon leader's foot, pinning the white and red mech down, the 'Con's blade hovering dangerously close to the other one's helm. The large silvery mech scoffed slightly. He retracted his blade, but kept the weapon aimed at the medic's CPU.

Ionette was lying halfly on her side a bit further away, one blaster out and aimed at the Decepticon.

"Well, my dear, it's your choice," Megatron mused charging up his cannon.

Ratchet tried to wriggle free but the Warlord's foot trapped him perfectly, the medic's back armor cracking under the weight.

Pain was clear in the Prime's optics.

Viper clenched her denta and balled her fists. 'What choice? There is no choice!'

All was still around her. If the situation hadn't been so dire, Viper would have wondered how everyone had managed to become aware of the hostage-scene taking place, their movements stopping at the same time. The setting wasn't good: No one was moving, blades drawn out and blasters ready to fire, all waiting for her decision. Everything was up to her and her alone.

Dreadwing forced the Wrecker to back up next to the yellow muscle car, before the blue jet walked to his master's side. A green portal opened behind them. A small grin tugged at Megatron's faceplates.

Viper opened her mouth but her own voice box betrayed her. Her fists uncurled themselves slowly, her body betraying her. With heavy steps which seemed to last an eternity to take moved her closer to the open Ground Bridge, her resolve crumbling away, turning its back on her.

Wheeljack bit his lip. Arcee turned her helm away, defeated. Fear and disbelief shone from Bumblebee's optics, his blaster-hands quivering slightly. Ratchet cursed himself to the Pit.

Dreadwing stepped aside, furrowing ever-so-slightly, but allowing the small femme to pass by. As his gaze followed the lavender-blue grounder, he secured his weapon and turned to keep her in his direct line of sight, his pedes taking him to walk behind her through the portal. The two disappeared.

Megatron grinned. No one dared to move.

It felt like the temperature in the whole valley had dropped sub-zero, and the air mass was crushing down on the Autobots.

Ionette retracted her blaster and stood up. She started towards the Bridge, her composure straight. The closest Vehicons locked their weapons on the dark jet, halting her in her steps.

Optimus looked at the femme confused.

"Optimus," Ionette said glancing at the leader of the Autobots, "I go where Viper goes. That was my promise. And I always keep my promises."

Megatron arched an optic ridge, but did nothing.

The flyer narrowed her optic before turning her helm away and resuming her steps, walking past the 'Cons and stopping next to Megatron, her helm tilted slightly to the side to look at the silver mech. The Deception Lord's grin grew more malicious. Ratchet closed his optics.

The silvery-black femme entered the green vortex all of the troopers following close by, two nearest grabbing hold of her shoulders and pushing her onward.

"It seems that you have failed to keep your promise, Optimus," The large, silvery mech smirked, voice dripping venom and gloat, "must feel awful. But since I'm in such a good mood, the femmes shall be the only ones I take from you -today."

With that, he removed his weight from the medic and walked through the portal, victorious.


I hope you liked it! Comments, reviews, requests and ideas are all welcome, appreciated and wanted! :)