25. Carpe Diem
The day of tormenting the Decepticons had turned quickly into night.
The three adult humans made their way carefully past Darkmount's defenses and into the fortress itself. Isaac spared several looks around while they delved in deeper into the darkness. The battle outside was more or less escalating near destruction, with hardly a trooper or seeker looming around.
They arrived outside a room when its doors opened. All three pressed themselves against the walls as a one-eyed robot ran out of the room. Isaac had an odd look of confusion on his face before June grabbed him and they slipped inside.
The room was dark and empty, no other signs of life other than their own. They looked around and Fowler whistled in amazement when the sound of footsteps alerted them. They heard it when they stopped. Small, humanly steps echoed through the dark room.
"Who's there?" demanded Fowler, rifle raised.
"Agent Fowler?" a familiar voice spoke through the darkness as an outline of a human appeared from behind the desk.
Shock ran through the specialist as he watched Jack appear in the dim light with Miko, Raf, a girl he had never seen before, a cat, and three strange figures behind him. All eyes stared at each other, unprepared for this moment.
"DAD!" the girl cried, running to him and embracing him, almost squeezing the life out of him.
June spotted Jack and sprinted forwards, crying as she nearly knocked him off balance. She straightened up and held his face in her hands.
"It's okay, Mom," he replied softly. "I'm fine."
Isaac looked down at his daughter. "Are you all right? Please tell me they didn't hurt you."
"If you're talking about you-know-who then no," Sari answered. "I got out of there alive."
Fowler was the first of the three to notice the Maximals. "What in the name of the Founding Fathers are they?"
"Uh, it's a long story," Jack answered, scratching the back of his head.
"You're pretty much looking at what should be the Autobots," Botanica said.
"Guess that even human aircraft is faulty," Rhinox grumbled.
"That leaves the kids unaccounted," Primal said.
"Wait, time out here," Fowler said. "Where's Prime and the rest?"
"The Cons got them," Miko growled.
"They got us out of our secret hideout before the bridge collapsed," Sari added. "All that's left is to bust them out and destroy this place."
"They're alive?" June whispered.
Sari had a look that said "duh." She didn't say it out loud, she knew better than that.
"How could you not know your own team is alive?" Primal asked modestly.
"I watched the silo go down," Fowler confessed. "No one or thing got out from there."
"Not that we could see," June conveyed.
"Even if Prime and the rest of the gang are out there right now fighting," Fowler said, "I'm not sure if we can afford to wait and see what happens next. Not while Megatron's holding our planet hostage from his high and mighty Darkmount."
"Then it can be agreed," Rhinox said, stepping forward. "We must stop the Decepticons from creating more chaos, with or without them."
"Hold still so I can shoot you," Crosshairs barked.
Tarantulas cackled. "You'll have to try harder than that, Autobot."
Arcee and Bumblebee jumped to the side, giving Wheeljack the opening. Tarantulas delivered two direct hits towards the Wrecker. Wheeljack ducked in time, letting them hit the wreckage of their aircraft. He jumped midair, slamming his foot into the traitor's face. The pain was excruciating, but it didn't push him down. Before he could do anything, he was forced to raise his pincer and block Bulkhead's wrecking ball. Ratchet quickly gestured for the Maximals from the battle.
"You need to hide, now," he ordered before rushing back to assist.
"Is there a place we can hide and watch at the same time?" Transmute asked. She shrieked when she saw Wheeljack soar over them into the wreckage.
Ratchet dragged Bulkhead, noticing a smoldering spot on his hip and shoulder. Arcee leaped towards the turncoat, delivering a flying kick. The Con managed to block it, but he was also pushed back. Before he could do anything, he was forced to raise a pincer to block Bumblebee. However, the scout managed to cut through it. Tarantulas' optics widened in surprise at the sight before he kneed Bumblebee in the stomach, shoving him away. That left him wide open for Crosshairs', the paratrooper cutting off his right arm.
Tarantulas' cried out and swatted Arcee away. Energon trickled from the open wound. He didn't bother to acknowledge Ratchet helping Bumblebee up from his spot, dragging the scout away. The traitor was horrified and outraged at the damage that had been done to him. He let out an angry cry and charged at Crosshairs. The Autobot trooper jumped away, avoiding the sudden blade that appeared in Tarantulas' remaining hand and each swipe.
"Aye, watch what you do with that," Crosshairs yelped. "You could really hurt someone with that."
"That is the idea," Tarantulas hissed, ready to take another jab.
A wall high up on Darkmount exploded, sending debris flying and smoke into the air. The ground shook, and everyone had to take cover from any pieces that were raining down on them. When they looked up, they found three small figures jumping out of the hole. Anyone who were able to leave their cover could make out their silhouettes before they landed. The drones that had suddenly appeared turned to them, only to either be shot down by a beam of energy, electrocuted by streams of electrical currents from the ground, or else had a shard of what resembled icy daggers pierce them. It had happened so fast that neither of them could see exactly where the attacks came from.
"Arcee!" Jack's voice called out. The Autobots turned around to find Jack and the other kids appear — along with the adults.
"You guys are okay!" Transmute gasped, her violet optics wide with relief and excitement. She rushed out of her hiding spot and swept all four kids into a huge hug. She held them so close that the very air they were breathing felt blocked from them.
"Transmute," Sari choked. "You're killing us here."
"Oops," Transmute blushed, releasing them. Her violet optics looked out behind them to see who had attacked the Cons, then they widened in shock. In the center of the dust that cleared, in the forms of what they had been before their reformation into pure technical Cybertronians, were the first three Maximals that existed.
"Um, is that the others?" Nightscream asked a wide eyed Silverbolt.
"What gave it away?" Noble asked, rolling his head.
"Now is not that time for that," Perceptor scolded.
"Oh, Primus," Bumblebee gasped. "I can't believe it, that it's really you guys! But how did you revert back to your...?"
"Man, I never thought I'd be this glad to see you," Bulkhead said.
"Well, isn't that just Prime," Primal said.
"Honestly, I can now see why you guys were wanted so badly," Jack said, looking at the damage.
"Yeah, that was totally awesome!" Miko exclaimed. "Did you see how badly they were freaking out when they started to attack? Pow! Pow, pow! Pow!"
"Are all life forms on this planet like that?" Crosshairs asked.
"No, thankfully," Ratchet answered. "Mostly just Miko."
"I'm completely confused," Fowler said. "What's the big deal behind this?"
Isaac smiled and shook his head. "I'll tell you when this is all over."
They looked up in time when they all heard a distant sound of engines in the sky. Bumblebee strained his audio receptors to the max to try and listen. It was far away, seeming to be there, but not there at the same time.
"We've got company," Arcee announced, knowing how obvious it sounded. She had brought out her blasters to finish the fight off.
"It appears that my comrades aren't far behind after all," Tarantulas gloated.
"For one second, can you shut the frack up?" Noble shouted.
"You all need to hide," Ratchet ordered the three older Maximals, shooing them away.
"Let them see us," Primal said. He didn't bother to acknowledge the shocked looks from the others. Everyone, that is, except for Rhinox and Botanica.
"Have you been struck in the processors?" Ratchet said. "Do you have any idea what might happen if we lose and you get captured?"
"Yes, but I know that in the end they won't," Primal said.
"How can you be certain?" Ratchet demanded. "How do you know for sure that—" He was cut off by the roar of engines. They turned to the see the remains of Megatron's army arrive and transform.
"Well, this is excellent. I go outside to drop by and surprise, here I find the eldest three right before my optics. Oh how joyous is this day," said Starscream with glee, making everyone sick to the core.
"These are the organisms you were talking about? I can see why you were so moody," said Knock Out, his faceplate blank but his optics and voice giving away the curiosity.
"I suppose you're the Cons that are helping your friend here, correct?" asked Raf quietly.
"That is correct, Raf—"
"Esquivel."
"I beg your pardon?" Starscream asked.
"Only my friends call me that. You call me Mr. Esquivel," said Raf.
"Yes, we understand but, I must say that those…Autobots are no friends of theirs," said Starscream.
"Why? You're not in charge of them, so why should you decide who are and who aren't their friends?" said Raf. Airachnid and Knock Out traded glances with each other before nodding.
"I can't believe I'm about to say this, but he is right, Starscream. You're not their teacher, guardian, or whatever; so you have no right to decide what's best for them," said Airachnid, not even flinching as Starscream glared at her.
"I am well aware of that, I do not need your input. Now, if you please," scowled Starscream.
"We can only do so with the permission from the person currently looking after them. That's how it's always been. Even if we wanted to, we would have to ask Wing-Saber; Optimus if she's offline," said Knock Out.
"I am well aware of that!" screeched Starscream. "But none of your inputs are needed!"
"I believe this conversation is over. Let's call this a night and be on our way," said Arcee coolly.
"What! You cannot just leave like that!" cried Starscream, his optics bulging.
"If you want to talk to us, arrange a better time and place then. And if you want to talk about our guardianship, make sure that they are there, clear?" said Primal.
"I…understand," growled Starscream, who narrowed his optics not at him, but at the Autobots.
They slowly walked away.
"This isn't over. They shall become true Decepticons, even if I have to kill every living thing in my way," hissed Starscream.
"Don't count on it, Davy Jones," growled Miko as she walked out of the room.
"Who?" Knock Out said, causing Miko to stop in her tracks. She turned and gasped.
"What?" Arcee asked, turning to the kid.
"Who's Davy Jones? Who's Davy Jones? You don't know who he is?" Miko yelped. She shook her head before explaining, "He's a character, one of the main antagonists from the hit movie series Pirates of the Caribbean. He was basically in love with the sea goddess Calypso, but later on thought she betrayed him. So he cut his own heart out and locked it away for safe keeping."
To their surprise, the Cons became horrified to hear this.
"So, he quit ferrying souls to the land of the dead and the next thing he knew, he and his men were mutating into sea-like creatures," Arcee added when she noticed this course of action.
"Yuck!" Knock Out spat in disgust.
"It get's worse," Bumblebee joined in. "You get a choice. Either work for him or die. And death comes in two ways: knife or Kraken."
"What the pit is that?" Starscream asked.
"The biggest octopus in the world," Bumblebee told him. "Big enough to rip a ship apart. Even this one."
Starscream's optics widen.
"And unless you find the heart and stab it, there is no way of killing him," Arcee stated. "In fact—"
"Shut them up!" Knock Out wailed, covering his helm. "I don't want to hear anymore."
"IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL, HE'LL GET YOU AS WELL!" Wheeljack shouted.
The rest of them screamed and ran away. All except Shockwave, who stood his ground.
"Only Starscream and anyone foolish enough to follow him would fall for such a faulty trick," he said.
"Hey, it was worth a shot," Sari sniggered.
Arcee smirked. But her optics widened and her mouth gaped open as a blade went through her chest.
"ARCEE!" a chorus of voices shouted.
The blade was driven into her was pulled out. Energon trickled from the wound, her optics flickering. The femme stumbled backwards and fell into the heap of scrap metal.
"No, Arcee!" Jack screamed. He tried to run forward, but Isaac held him back. "Let me go! I have to help her. Just let me go!"
"Well, that's one nuisance down," Tarantulas taunted. "Now, to finish the rest of you off."
"You will not get away with that!" Bulkhead shouted.
Tarantulas cackled. "Oh, but I all ready have. And I'll do it again and again and again. Come on, show me your wrath, friends! I appreciate it."
A loud noise echoed through the atmosphere, along with the ground shaking around them. They looked up and saw the Nemesis trembling in the air. It started to turn downward in a curved arc.
"Is that suppose to happen?" Silverbolt asked.
"Take cover!" Primal hollered. They scattered into different directions, not wanting to get crushed. By then, the Nemesis crashed into the ground, quaking the terrain and sending those still standing to the earth. It glided roughly in the dirt, leaving a gap from behind. It did not stop until it was almost a mile away from the survivors, but even then it was still in plain sight.
"That...was close," Blackarachnia panted.
Wing-Saber bowed her head. "Yes, but with many costs if we still have our advantages." She glanced over to the mortally wounded Arcee.
"Arcee," Cheetor whimpered.
"Jack," June whispered. "Go to her."
Sniffling, Jack gave a quick nod and ran to his partner.
"Arcee, stay with me," Jack begged as he reached her.
"I'm...I'm clocking out here," Arcee tried to say.
"Please, don't say that," Jack pleaded. "We're gonna get you fixed up. Everything's going to be okay."
"At...at least...I got to see you...one last time," Arcee spoke softly.
"No...no," Jack sobbed.
"Cliff...I can see Cliff..."
The signs of life seemed to fade from her optics as she smiled with her shutters nearly closed. The hand he tried to hold felt limp in his grasp. Jack dropped it, watching the fingertips slightly curl. Dreadwing came up behind the boy and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I...I am sorry," he said.
"What a pity," they heard Tarantulas say. Jack turned around and saw the traitor standing over them.
"You killed her," Jack breathed angrily.
"Yes, which seemed terrible. I did like her. Oh well. She's gone now."
Jack felt sick. How can someone who once served under Optimus' command be this cruel and uncaring?
"Get ready to join her and everyone else in the pits," Tarantulas sneered. Dreadwing's optics widened as the traitor lifted his remaining pincer, forcing him to cover the boy.
All hope returned when Elita leaped wildly from behind and gave a clean slash through Shockwave's neck cables. The heavy body fell over as the one optic head rolled to the side. Otherwise, it was made quite clear — the rescue team had recovered Optimus and brought down the Nemesis.
Optimus and the rest of the team made their sudden entrance. They had punched, blasted, and cut through every Vehicon that had been in their way. Drift whipped out one of his swords and drove it through Tarantulas' abdomen from behind. The traitor hissed in pain, his optics flickering before going black. He pulled it out and threw the carcass to the side. When he looked down and saw Arcee's lifeless husk, his optics dimmed.
"Jackson, I am greatly sorry for your loss."
Jack nodded his head fiercely, wiping any tear that came to his eyes.
"Are you all okay?" Optimus asked as they approached the worn out survivors.
"We are...managing," Ratchet managed to say. "You seem to be short of two."
Elita's optics dimmed. "We have lost Hound and Smokescreen back there as well. They are no longer with us."
Optimus looked to Ultra Magnus and then to the rest of his remaining crew. They had lost too many in the past. There will be too much bloodshed tonight. How they managed to survive through the day was a mystery to him. He now knew something had to be done, and immediately.
"Autobots, this battle is not over yet," he said coolly. "Not until Megatron is dealt with once and for all. I will not let our comrades die for not." He turned and walked off towards the ruins of Darkmount.
"Optimus, where are you going?" Wing-Saber asked.
"To do what I should have done eons ago."
Jack looked over to Sari when she popped out of her hiding place. A wide grin split Crosshairs' mouth as he and the others followed him. Dreadwing soon was trailing them as well. To see Megatron stopped was something he knew would happen, but in a time like this? He never thought he would see it happen today.
When they approached the small troop of leftover drones, Optimus clearly showed that he had had enough. He was starting to put a lot of fear into the Decepticons and to admit, he didn't mind. All that mattered was stopping Megatron, and this time he would not spare him.
"Megatron!" he called out. "Come out and face me."
Each trooper and soldier tensed, none of them moving. All of the surviving Autobots stood behind him, waiting to see what he was planning.
"Either you give Megatron up, or I will cut you down to get to him myself," Optimus snarled. "It is your choice."
"And he ain't picky with what method he has to use," Crosshairs added.
None of them moved. It was okay, Optimus reminded himself. They would part once he made a move. As he stalked forward, the troopers and soldiers parted ways for him to make his own way through until only Megatron was the only one left.
"Optimus," Megatron said. "Have you come to die with this planet?"
"No, Megatron," Optimus said. "I've come to stop you."
"You say that before, and we know how it ends," Megatron taunted, as someone in his tiny crowd handed him his dark saber. "Or, has the death of your fellow comrades finally made you see the light?"
"Time to find out," Optimus growled, drawing the Star Saber out.
And with a battle cry, they both charged at each other.
Their blades clashed, showering themselves in sparks as they struggled to push the other one back. The Autobots and Maximals had to safeguard the humans from any sort of action the leaders inflicted on the other. Optimus let out a cry and pushed his opponent back with a sudden force, causing Megatron to stumble back.
"Go, Optimus!" Miko cheered.
"Take that clod to the curb," Sari shouted.
Megatron let out a ferocious roar and leaped into the air, blade raised overhead. Optimus barely raised his blade in time and deflected the blow, turning on his heel and giving Megatron a roundhouse kick, sending him skidding across the ground. Megatron looked up and glared at Optimus angrily as he stood back up. Angrily, the warlord charged at the Prime fast and leaped forwards with the blade raised again.
Thinking fast, Optimus rolled to the side and kicked his legs up. It knocked the sword from Megatron's hands and sent it flying. Everyone was in a mad scramble to get a hold of it. Elita pulled out a blaster and hit the first Decepticon she could get. It gave Wheeljack the time to jump and catch it. That seemed to get on the warmonger's bad side.
"This is where our last battle takes place, Optimus!" Megatron declared viciously.
"Then we are in an agreement," Optimus growled. He tossed the Star Saber over to where his companions stood at the side. This gesture confused the bystanders. "If we are to make this one fight our last, then let's make it one the survivors will never forget."
Megatron grinned inwardly. His transmutation had enhanced his physical attributes, including speed and strength. There was no way Optimus would be able to defend himself. He had played his last card.
"Then let's make this the one that I will remember," Megatron said as he charged forward.
Optimus lunged at him and slammed his fist to the side, ready to throw another while he recovered. Fire danced in his optics and shot forward at his opponent. For several seconds his own anger blinded him, giving Megatron the opportunity to charge out and punchd him in the abdomen. Optimus doubled over in time to receive a knee from him and fell down. He shook his head to clear his vision as he felt Megatron's foot slam onto his chest with an angry look on his face.
"You are quite the fighter as always, Optimus," Megatron gloated. "Such a pity it had to end like this."
"Hey, Megatron," Sari called out. "You suck!"
Megatron glared at her. That gave Optimus the perfect opportunity to jump and swat at Megatron. The Decepticon leader never got the chance to react as Optimus began to repeatedly beat him. Both sides watched in shock and awe at the Autobot leader pounding on the Decepticon warlord. They had never seen him act on a violent whim before, and it did not take long for Optimus to deliver one last blow that sent Megatron flying back.
Optimus was panting, slanted forward like a old man tired from a fight. Bumblebee slowly approached him, the Star Saber in his hands. Optimus graciously took the sword and approached his nemesis, whom he barely recognized if not for the crazed look in his optics.
"All hail...the last Prime," Megatron wheezed. "So this is what it comes down to, doesn't it? How does it feel to finally stand above me, after the many times I stood above you?
"Once I had called you my brother," Optimus said. "All I ever wanted was to be your friend. Even now I had wished they had chosen someone else to serve on their behalf as your foe."
Megatron was glaring at him. Optimus only swept his hand out towards the open desert. "This is Earth, a place I have come to admire. And you wasted it with your stubbornness and pride. Why must you always call down a blow when you knew it meant nothing?"
He held the Star Saber over his helm, its blade reflecting the moonlight peeking from the clouds. "Thus said the lord."
"Wait!"
Optimus halted.
"You had shown me mercy once," Megatron hissed. "Eh, didn't you? Isn't that what you always have done and always will do?"
"I will not make that same mistake again," Optimus snarled. In one quick stroke he plunged the Star Saber into Megatron's chest.
Megatron couldn't cry out. He would not. The excruciating pain that ripped through his chest burned him. He looked at the cyan blue blade that was embedded in his chest, pierced into his spark. The shard of the dark energon he injected himself with long ago had shattered.
And then he felt, saw, and heard no more.
Well, folks. It looks like we're coming near the end of the story. Just about one more chapter left. Oh, and I'm not sorry for killing anyone off.
P.S. I'll add anyone to my cool list if you can guess where Optimus' speech to Megatron was inspired by.