Transformers Robots in Disguise (RID): Heroes
By: Marik7410
Chapter 19
Victory
(T-Ai)
Location: Space
Ship: Hyperion
Arcee was walking down the hallway with information about the new modification made to the warp engine. She was spaced out and wasn't paying any attention. She passed Inferno and she didn't respond when Inferno said hello. Her mind was somewhere else. She was thinking about T-Ai and how she was dealing with after the incident with Explorer. She turned the corner and walked right into Optimus. Arcee lost her balance and fell. "I'm sorry," Optimus apologized. "I wasn't looking where I was going."
"No it's my fault. I should've paid attention," Arcee said. Optimus offered a hand and helped Arcee up. Optimus knew that Arcee was distracted and decided to do something about it.
"Something is on your mind. Care to talk about it?" Optimus asked.
"Yes. The modifications done to the warp engine is turning out better than we expected. It might take another solar cycle or two before we can use it," Arcee explained.
"I'm not talking about that," Optimus said. "I'm talking about you, yourself. Is it about T-Ai?"
"Yeah," Arcee confessed. "She hasn't said a word to anyone at all. Even at the memorial, she didn't talk to anyone, and she nearly took Tim's wife life. She hasn't spoken to me at all. We're really close and she talks about everything with me but not this time."
"I understand how you feel. She locked herself in her room for three solar cycles," Optimus sighed.
"She'll get over it," Arcee said.
"Not likely. It could be a possibility that what she saw could somehow open an old wound from the past."
"That's not good. She still hasn't gotten over the fact that she lived because Wilson covered for her. I'll try to talk to her again."
"Good luck," Optimus said.
Area: T-Ai's room
Arcee reached T-Ai's door and stood in front of it. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. No one replied.
"T-Ai, I know you're in there. Can we talk like we use to? I'm worry about you. You haven't spoken to anyone. You haven't left your room. You didn't leave to refuel or get something to eat. Everyone is worried about even Ultra Magnus and he cares about himself. I know you still feel guilty about what happen 50 years ago. Seeing Explorer getting blown up opened up those wounds. If you can say something to me or even let me see you, I'll feel a little better. Just one word T-Ai, just one word," Arcee pleaded.
"They shouldn't done it," T-Ai spoke softly. "I didn't ask them to but they did it anyways. What happened to Wilson was my fault. I had a chance to talk Tim out of it but he failed to listen. How am I suppose to trust someone if they don't listen?"
"It's just the way things are," Arcee replied. "I mean, you trusted me."
"That's different," T-Ai said.
"How is it different?" Arcee asked.
"You're a machine, a robot. I'm an android, a machine with human like quality. Humans are organics that are prone to things that can kill them. Illness, injuries, even themselves, they can die easily. They are easily taken in anything you tell them, even though it's a lie. They are nothing but meat puppets," T-Ai said.
Arcee was shocked to hear that.
"They should be destroyed. Organics are nothing but a nuisance to the universe. They have no place in the machine universe. No place at all. When I see Empress one more time, I'll reunite with her and together nothing can stop us from doing what's right: Cleansing the universe of the imperfect called organics."
Arcee couldn't believe her audio receptors. "She started to sound just like Empress. Empress might some influence inside of T-Ai still," she thought to herself. "I better tell Optimus," she muttered and ran off to tell Optimus.
Inside, T-Ai was on her bed tucked away in a corner. She had her knees to her face and rests her head on them. The sheets covered her entire body as she sat in the darkness in her room. Her bracelet pulsated brightly on her nightstand. T-Ai looked up and stared at it. She had a blank look in her eyes as if she wasn't herself. "Liar," she said and she tucked her head down again.
Planet: Cybertron
Area: Empress' office
Empress was reclined in her chair with her feet on her desk. She knew she wasn't suppose to do that because everyone who walked in her office, complained that it was unladylike to prop their feet on furniture. Empress didn't care and pay not one mind to their complaint. Though she was relaxed she was in a trance. Something was calling out to her but she didn't know what it was. A pretender walked inside her office. He saw Empress staring at the ceiling with her feet on the desk. He got annoyed and snapped Empress out of it by yelling. "Hey boss!" he yelled.
Empress snapped out of it but she was peeved. "What?" she responded.
"I have some urgent information that can change everything," the pretender said.
"It better be good," Empress warned. She was still staring at the ceiling.
"After investigating the wreckage reported three solar cycles ago, we confirm that one of the ships destroyed was Destroyer."
"That's it?" Empress asked.
"No, there's more," the pretender replied. "We scanned the wreckage thoroughly and we find no trace of Autobot remains."
"So what are you saying?"
"The Autobots are still alive and the second ship was the organic ship named Explorer."
"Too bad, I love visiting their planet. They have good food there," Empress said.
"There were more reports that Explorer went suicidal to destroy the Destroyer, letting the Autobots escape."
This caught Empress' attention. She sat up in an upright position and stared at the pretender. "Involuntary or voluntary?" she asked.
"It seems like Explorer did it to let the Autobots escape. In other words, they chose to die."
"And it is possible that the Autobots tried to talk them out of it and they didn't listen."
"How am I suppose to trust someone if they don't listen?"
Empress froze and looked around her office then at the pretender. "Did you hear something?"
"No."
Empress looked at Blackhawk and Lugnut and they shook their heads. "I know I heard someone but whom?" she thought.
"Anyways I ran into Starscream and he reported that Deathstrike is moving along in Sector M. He still hasn't found Quickstrike or Scorponok."
"That's ok," Empress said. She was distracted. "Go and…make yourself useful."
"How?"
"I don't know, look for Quickstrike or something like that," Empress said.
The pretender was confused and decided to leave.
"Organics are nothing but a nuisance to the universe. They have no place in the machine universe."
Empress knew that she heard the voice this time. She ordered Blackhawk and Lugnut to leave and not to return unless told to. Soon she was in her office by herself. She was determined to find out who was calling out to her. She entered a mediation stance and searched the universe for the source.
Location: Sector M
Area: Forest
Deathstrike had woken up from his stasis nap. He scanned the area he was in and he didn't see Hocklast or Sickshot. "They were telling the truth," he muttered to himself. He got up and dusted himself off. He still remembered what they told him and looked for a path. And sure enough he found one. He walked down the path through the forest. He was walking through the forest for quite some time. He saw a light at the end of the path plus some noise. He reached the end of the path and saw a battle arena. The arena was large and spacious. There were weapons all around the field hanging on walls ready to be used. What made the arena unique was the fact there was metal disc hugging the battlefield. Deathstrike heard footsteps approaching and got himself ready. On the other side of the arena, a large set of double doors swung open and two figures walked through the door and towards the field. When the figures were close, Deathstrike saw that it was Hocklast and Sickshot. "Ah, you made it," Sickshot said.
"Did you have a nice nap?" Hocklast asked.
"I did, thanks for asking," Deathstrike replied. "Where is my opponent?"
"They're here," Sickshot replied.
"Where?" Deathstrike asked.
"In front of you," Sickshot said.
"This is a joke right?" Deathstrike wondered.
"It's no joke," Hocklast said.
"But you couldn't get past the doppelganger let alone the second guy," Deathstrike laughed.
"That was a lie," Sickshot confessed.
"If we wanted to, we could've faced the chief and get out but we need one more spark," Hocklast said.
The mood in the arena changed from a joking environment to a serious matter. Deathstrike saw that the brothers met business.
"Who are you exactly?" Deathstrike asked.
Hocklast and Sickshot removed their disguise and reveal themselves. Deathstrike couldn't believe it.
"I'm known as public enemy number one, Shockblast," Hocklast said.
"I'm his brother, Sixshot," Sickshot said.
"You got me with your disguise but I knew your name were suspicious," Deathstrike said.
"We won't treat you any different," Shockblast said.
"But we will bend a few rules for you," Sixshot said.
"What is it?" Deathstrike asked.
"Instead of giving you only one spark, we'll give our collection," Sixshot said.
The metal disc on the ground retracted as columns extended from the ground. Each column was clear allowing everyone to see what's inside.
"As you see, each column has a total of 5 sparks and there are 25 columns. You do the math," Shockblast said.
"Don't get too happy, these sparks are not very strong. The strong ones are in the castle in the mountain," Sixshot explained.
"If we win, you'll become our slave for life," Shockblast said.
"If you win, you'll get our entire collection," Sixshot said.
"Plus, you'll serve me for life," Deathstrike added.
"Deal," Shockblast agreed.
The columns disappeared underground as the walls closed in. Deathstrike gotten himself ready for battle. Shockblast and Sixshot was ready to fight. The bell gonged and Deathstrike took off. He went in charging straight for them. Shockblast and Sixshot moved out of the way. Deathstrike reached the edge and turned around. He took a gun from the wall and started firing. Shockblast transformed and took to the skies. Sixshot countered Deathstrike's attack with his cannon. Shockblast fired a barrage of missiles. The missile landed all around Deathstrike. The smoke cleared and Deathstrike wasn't there. Sixshot turned around and saw Deathstrike in the air with an electric glove. Deathstrike charged the glove and went in for a punch. Sixshot jumped. Deathstrike's clone was behind Sixshot. Shockblast fired his weapons and destroyed Deathstrike's clone. Deathstrike appeared with 7 clones on the ground with guns drawn. Shockblast suspected that Deathstrike was up to something. He fired a missile at them but it missed. It struck an object a few feet behind the group. The group fizzled out and Deathstrike's disguise failed.
"Give it up. We know all your little tricks," Shockblast said.
"This is how we always win," Sixshot added.
"They're right. They seen all of my moves and remembered them exactly. They know what I'm going to do," Deathstrike thought to himself. "I better do something fast or I won't be able to finish this fight and get out of here."
Ship: Hyperion
Arcee was still shock from what she heard from T-Ai. She went and told Optimus and he was shocked also. He told Arcee to do whatever it takes to snap T-Ai out of it before she does something she won't regret doing. Arcee went back to T-Ai's room and knocked on her door, as before, no response. "I know you in there, T-Ai. We need to talk," Arcee said fiercely.
No answer.
"I'm coming in," Arcee said. Arcee pushed a button on the keypad and the door didn't open.
"Computer, security override codename: Arcee."
"Access denied," the computer said.
"Explain," Arcee asked.
"Encryption code has been place. Only way in is to match the voice recognition and decoding the password."
"Fine," Arcee said. She lost her patience and put matters into her hands. She took out her gun and aimed it at the door. "If you won't let me in, I'll let myself in. Recognize this."
Arcee fired 5 shots at the door. The door stood firm, not even a dent. Arcee decided to step it up a notch. "Triple shot," she called. Two canons were mounted on her gun. She fired again, nothing. Arcee put her gun away and started concentrating on her left hand. Electricity started building of her hand. Soon her hand was glowing bright. She balled up her hand and punched the door with all her might. She hit the door but the blow reflected back on Arcee. Her left hand was signed. She saw a reflective material on the door. "Pretty clever placing a shield on your door," she mumbled. "I'll get to you if it's the last thing I'll do," she said and left to sick bay.
Inside T-Ai was curled up on her bed. She was sleeping since she didn't replenish her energon supply or eaten anything. It was defense mechanism to preventing stasis lock by shutting down her body to recover. While she slept, the nanobytes inside T-Ai's body were converting whatever reserves she had into energon. The bracelet was still pulsating brightly.
Planet: Cybertron
Area: Empress' office
Empress was deep in her meditation. She was searching for the one who was calling out to her. She found the source and couldn't believe who was calling to her. "T-Ai was calling for me?" she thought. "Why?"
She planned on finding out by entering T-Ai's dream and asking her face-to-face.
Location: Sector M
"I'm out powered, outnumbered, and out matched. I need to find a way to win but these sparks I have are not strong enough. They know my moves before I make them. Whenever I raise my power, they raise it pass mine. I need a solution," Deathstrike thought.
Shockblast was circling the air, waiting for an attack. Sixshot was on the ground ready for a hand-to-hand combat. Deathstrike calculated his odds again and came up with nothing. Then it donned on him. "The way they are fighting is similar to my previous challenges. My first opponent I beat him because I did something I did something unexpected. My second one I beat him with speed. How can I apply that here when I'm just one bot?" Deathstrike wondered.
He thought about using his clones again but it will fail because his clones are not real. The attacks are real but they can't take any hits or they disappear. An idea slipped into his processor.
"I'm bored," Sixshot complained. "Can I kill him now?"
"Do whatever you want," Shockblast replied.
"Good." Sixshot aimed his canon at Deathstrike and fired. The shot hit Deathstrike and left a cloud of smoke. Sixshot was pleased to know that he defeated Deathstrike. Shockblast saw someone behind his brother, he was about to warn him but it was too late. "You missed," Deathstrike said.
Sixshot's optics widened. "I killed you," Sixshot said.
"Apparently you didn't," Deathstrike said. The smoke cleared and no one was there. Sixshot delivered an elbow to Deathstrike's abdomen. Deathstrike kneeled over in pain. Sixshot turned around and kneed Deathstrike's chin. Sixshot spun around and delivered a backhand blow to Deathstrike's chest. Deathstrike stumbled back a few feet. Shockblast fired a missile and Deathstrike was sent flying. Sixshot felt a sharp pain on his right shoulder. He was shot in the back. Sixshot turned around and saw Deathstrike again. Sixshot turned back around and saw Deathstrike on the ground. "This one is a clone," Sixshot thought.
Sixshot aimed his canon and fired three shots. Deathstrike deflected the blast with a sword he grabbed from the wall. Sixshot ran to the wall and grabbed a bazooka. He fired three shots again. Deathstrike deflected the first shot, the second destroyed the sword and the third struck Deathstrike. Deathstrike was sent to the ground. Sixshot looked and saw that he didn't disappear. The other Deathstrike didn't disappear either. "What is going on?" Sixshot wondered.
"This!" a voice said.
Deathstrike was in the air above Shockblast with an electric glove. The glove was charged and punched Shockblast, electrocuting him. Shockblast fell from the sky and smacked into the ground. Sixshot fired his bazooka and struck Deathstrike but he didn't disappear either.
"This can't be possible," Sixshot said. "Two of you suppose to disappear."
"How can you disappear if you are alive and functioning?" Deathstrike said.
Sixshot thought about it for a moment and placed the pieces together. "You made clones and gave them sparks," Sixshot said.
"Bingo," Deathstrike congratulated.
Sixshot took to the skies. Deathstrike followed. Shockblast switch to robot mode and got up. The other two Deathstrikes recovered and got up too. One of them took a bazooka, the other a sword. Shockblast looked in front of him and saw Deathstrike with a bazooka. Shockblast readied himself for an attack. Deathstrike fired. Shockblast fired his canon and countered. What he didn't expect was the second one to come from behind him and strike him in the back. Shockblast cried in pain. Deathstrike transferred his energy into the sword and struck Shockblast again. Shockblast was down for the count. Sixshot watched as his brother was taken down. "You'll pay for this," Sixshot said.
"Make me or should I say make us," Deathstrike taunted.
All three Deathstrike met each other in the air. All three produce 10 clones each. With the grand total of 33 Deathstrikes circling Sixshot, his time was up. "Oh slag, I didn't see this coming," Sixshot said. All 33 fired their guns and Sixshot exploded in the sky. His limp body fell to the ground next to Shockblast. The clones disappeared and the Deathstrikes landed on the ground. "You want more?" Deathstrike asked.
"No. No more, we surrender," Shockblast said.
"I thought so," Deathstrike smiled. "Since I won, you have to fulfill your part of the deal. From now on, you two are my soldiers. You will do whatever I say no questions asked."
Shockblast and Sixshot agreed.
"Now, show me where this chief is hiding?" Deathstrike asked.
Planet: Cybertron
T-Ai was standing on her home world. The planet was in ruins from the war. She had a blank look in her eyes. She started walking through the rubble, looking but not searching. She continued walking until she saw a battle was taking place. She walked closer to get a better look and she quickly saw who was fighting. She saw Optimus, Ultra Magnus, Arcee, Wilson and herself were up against Empress. She had powered up tremulously. She grew 20 feet tall and she was hovering over the Autobots. T-Ai saw Koji's body on the ground covered in blood. It started to disappear as Empress was absorbing his life force. T-Ai looked up and saw Empress floating in the air. She held an energy ball in her hand. T-Ai watch as Empress fired an energy beam at T-Ai. T-Ai watched as she saw herself in the path of death. Wilson quickly took action and took the hit. Blood spattered everywhere. Some of the blood fell near T-Ai. T-Ai watched as Wilson slowly dies in her hands. All T-Ai did was watch. She showed no emotions. She had a blank look.
"Pity you are reliving your past again," a female voice said.
T-Ai turned around and saw Empress. "What are you doing in my dreams?" T-Ai asked.
"You called me," Empress replied.
"No I didn't," T-Ai said
"'How am I suppose to trust someone if they don't listen?' 'Organics are nothing but a nuisance to the universe.' 'They have no place in the machine universe.'" Empress reminded.
"How you know?" T-Ai wondered.
"I heard you," Empress explained. "You may not know this but we are connected no matter what. I heard your thoughts because you wanted me to. You can hear my thought if I wanted you to."
"Really?"
"Really."
Area: T-Ai's room
T-Ai's bracelet glowed brightly in her dark room.
Location: T-Ai's dream
"I know what you want and I can give it to you. You want that fighting to stop and I can do that. You want your lover to return from the dead, I can give it to you. Admit it, you lust for power. Ever since you had a taste of Deception programming, you craved for it," Empress whispered into T-Ai's ear. "Don't you? Admit it. No one is here to hear you to admit it."
"I don't know," T-Ai said.
"Think about it. Don't you think you feel better if you confess you desires?" Empress asked.
"That is true," T-Ai replied.
"Then say it: I love being a Decepticon," Empress whispered.
"I…I…I…" T-Ai stuttered.
"T-Ai, don't do it!" a male voice shouted.
T-Ai turned and saw a ball of light floating in. The ball of light expanded in a form of a human. The light faded revealing the identity of the mystery visitor. He was 6 feet tall, African-American, young age man. He was middle build and he meant business. "T-Ai, don't do it," he pleaded.
"Don't do it? Are you telling me what to do Wilson?" T-Ai asked.
"I'm not telling you what to do. I'm asking you to do the right thing," Wilson said.
"Well I am going to do the right thing," T-Ai said. "Empress, take me with you."
Another ball of light floated and assumed the form Tim.
"Wait, are you sure this is what you want to do?" Tim asked.
"What do you care, you're dead," T-Ai said. "If you've listen, you still be alive."
"Well I didn't."
"Then what happened?" T-Ai asked.
Tim didn't respond.
"You're just a fragment of my conscience," T-Ai said.
Empress was leading T-Ai towards a portal to Cybertron.
"T-Ai," Tim said.
"No, let her go. We're just fragment of her conscience. Let her go and join her daughter. Let her break all the promises she made to everyone she made," Wilson said. "So I guess the promises you made don't mean anything to you. Merrick, Tim, my sister, and my niece's words meant nothing to you and you got the nerves to call me a liar."
Those words made T-Ai stopped.
"Just to let you know, no matter where you go, what you might become, as long you have your bracelet and your necklace, Koji and I will be by your side if you want to or not. Come on Tim, we tried to talk T-Ai out of it but it seems like she doesn't want to listen," Wilson said.
Tim and Wilson enter a form as balls of light and left T-Ai's dream. T-Ai thought long and hard about what Wilson had said. She looked at Empress. She was waiting for T-Ai's response. "I'm sorry Empress but I don't think I can go with you right now. I don't know if I can join you at the moment," T-Ai apology.
"Whatever. Just to let you know T-Ai, I will be watching you and I will be waiting for you," Empress said and entered the portal. "The offer is still on the table, I expect an answer anytime soon." Empress left T-Ai's dream. T-Ai was left alone in her dream.
Area: T-Ai's room
The bracelet on T-Ai's nightstand stopped glowing. T-Ai slowly opened her eyes and stared at her nightstand. She slowly sat up and reached for Tim's com pin she founded in space. She held it in her hand and fiddled with it. She looked up and saw her necklace. She placed the com pin down and about to reach for her necklace when she saw the bracelet. She picked up the bracelet and stare at it. This time the stare wasn't blank. She remembered what Wilson said in her dream and accepted the fact that he was telling the truth. She held it close to her chest and started crying. Optimus was walking by when he heard soft crying coming from T-Ai's room. Optimus pressed his head against the door and listened. He heard T-Ai crying inside. He pushed a button on the keypad and the door was unlocked. Optimus slid the door open just a bit to peer inside. She saw T-Ai holding the bracelet close to her. Optimus decided not to bother and locked the door. He stood for a bit before going about his business. T-Ai's fingers felt an engraving on the inside of the bracelet. She turned on the lamp on her nightstand and examined the engraving on the bracelet. "The bracelet never has any engraving on it," she thought. She angled the bracelet until she could read it. "X?" she said. "What's X?"
"That will be me," a voice said inside her room. The voice startled T-Ai and quickly hugged a corner. She heard heavy footstep coming closer to her. "Get back. I'm warning you. All I have to do is scream and everyone will be in seconds," T-Ai warned.
"Relax, I mean no harm."
The footsteps stop. The lamp laminated part of the intruder. She saw dark metal near her. She looked up and saw two floating green lights. "Computer, turn on the lights," T-Ai said.
The lights turned on and a battlebot was in her room. "Who are you and why are you here?" T Ai asked.
"My name is X, and my reason why I'm here because you called me," the intruder introduced.
"I called you?" T-Ai said.
"Yes," X said. "You are T-Ai, daughter of Teletraan I, aren't you?"
"Yes," T-Ai said hesitantly.
"The same T-Ai who gave birth to Empress, the Decepticon queen of the universe?" Z asked.
T-Ai was surprised that X knew so much about her. "How do you know so much about me?" T-Ai asked.
"All questions will be answered at the appropriate time," X said.