Misgel: And now the reunion you've all be waiting for!
Quickclaw felt raw fury fill his veins. Cowardly Autobots! They were too afraid to face the might of the Decepticons head on, so instead they snuck into headquarters like pests. He needed to stop them. His Master would be pleased once he successfully terminated the intruders.
The Tomcat cut through the air, his targeting systems locked on to a pair of the pests down below. Bulky, loud, and painted with obnoxious colors—Wreckers. Shockwave was engaging them, and what from Quickclaw could tell, the Decepticon was not having much difficulty against his opponents. The Autobots' attacks were fueled by blind rage, making them predictable and clumsy. Despite this, the mech knew two against one were unfair odds.
He felt rage, trickling from his Master's thoughts, course through his systems. He would make the Autobots regret their decision to come out of their little hole. With a roar of thrusters, he sped towards the ground, towards the enemy.
He shifted just before making impact, slamming his legs into Bulkhead's back. The Wrecker stumbled with a loud grunt, and though he didn't fall, his knee was forced to bend from the momentum. Quickclaw ejected his wrist-blade, pointing the tip directly at the back of the Autobot's head—
A knee slammed into the mech's side, jolting his entire frame. Quickclaw wheezed as he was sent tumbling across the ground, but he was able to flip onto his pedes, skidding to a halt. He glared up at his attacker, only to see a silver Autobot with twin swords.
"You may be out of it, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna go easy on you if you're going to put up a fight," the Wrecker taunted.
Quickclaw snarled, baring fangs. With a flick of his wrists, both of his long, deadly blades unsheathed. They glinted dangerously in the sunlight, as did Wheeljack's twin sword, the two glaring at each other. It was Quickclaw that broke the stalemate, charging forward in a burst of speed.
Wheeljack crossed his swords in front of him, forming a makeshift shield as Quickclaw brought down his blades. Metal met metal, sending sparks flying with an awful noise.
"Ya got to fight whatever making ya do this, kid!" Wheeljack shouted, the two at a standstill with both trying to overpower the other. "Where's that brat that sacrificed himself to save me, huh?!"
An ache reverberated from behind Quickclaw's optics. Something in his processor stirred, a line of data pulling to the forefront of his mind.
"Just go! Get out of here and get the others!" He jerked away from Wheeljack's grip, shoving the mech.
"Kid—" the Autobot started, catching his balance and reaching out for the mutant."I'll try to hold them off!" Jack leaped out of range. "Just get to the ship!""You can't fight them all!""No, but I can buy you some time!"
Jack flickered his optics, only to be greeted with Wheeljack's cold, hard gaze, battle mask hiding his features. What... what was he doing? He didn't— The mech gritted his denta as suddenly dark pressure filled his processor, pushing down the line of data that had surfaced.
Quickclaw drew back a blade, forcing him to hold back Wheeljack with a single dagger—but it gave him an opening. Shoving the blade forward, he went to sink the weapon into the Wrecker's spark—
"Nng!" he grunted when Wheeljack shoved his arm aside, then head-butted him ruthlessly. Quickclaw reeled back, arms flailing and his vision split for a brief moment.
The human-turned-Cybertronian skidded to a halt and bared his fangs, shaking his head to rid of the distortion. He murderously glared back at the Autobot, ready to return the favor. The Wrecker only stared back into tainted, violet eyes.
"Alright then, kid," Wheeljack stated, circling him now. "If I got to beat some sense into you, I will."
With that, the Wrecker charged again in a burst of speed. His swords were a blur of movement as they swiped at Quickclaw. The mech leaped back in reflex, raising his blades in defense as his opponent moved after him. They danced around each other, each trying to pierce the other's defenses, only for a blade to smack it away. Using their dual weapons, the mechs alternated between offense and defense, sometimes using them at the same time. The air was filled with the horrible sound of metal slicing metal and broad frame clanging against each other.
"Not bad, for a runt," Wheeljack huffed as their blades once again interlocked. "You're almost as good as me."
"I'm better," Quickclaw retorted in a growl.
"Is that so?"
In a flash, Wheeljack swatted Quickclaw's blades away, exposing his torso. Rather than follow up with another slice of his swords, the Wrecker sent a powerful kick into the smaller mech's middle. It sent the former human stumbling back, but he managed just to right himself on his heels before he toppled over. Quickclaw's fangs were bared in a fierce snarl, his purple optics ablaze with fury as he dashed towards the Wrecker.
"Oh, no, you don't!" a voice bellowed.
Suddenly something hard slammed into Quickclaw's side, so large it obscured his entire vision. He suddenly felt himself crashing onto the ground, hitting the dry soil with such force it left grooves. He twisted, trying to right himself, only for a pair of large servos to wrap around his middle and pin him to the ground. With a hiss, he glanced up, only to be greeted with blue optics.
"C'mon, snap out of it, Jack!" Bulkhead persisted. "You're on our side, remember?"
Quickclaw cared little for whatever the brute thought. He was to serve Lord Megatron, and him alone!
The thought firmly embedded, he attempted to curl his legs to strike out at the Wrecker, but there was too little space to put enough force behind it. The little mech clawed at the broad chest above him, peeling paint and leaving deep groves with a terrible squeal. Bulkhead shrugged off the attacka like it was nothing.
"What in the Pits did the 'Cons do to you?!" the Autobot demanded.
"Bulk, look at his optics," Wheeljack suddenly interjected, glaring down at their prisoner.
Quickclaw glared at the pair, effectively trapped underneath Bulkhead. If he could not defeat these two, what good was he to his Master?
The green Wrecker blinked when he gave the mech's tainted optics a second look, his own going wide and bright in a look of horror.
"What in the name of the AllSp—"
He was cut off by a familiar hum, the air pulled taut with energy. Both Wreckers turned, but it was too late. Bulkhead let out a shout as a massive bolt of energon struck his chest. It was only because of his thick armor it did not cause significant damage, but the force sent him off of Quickclaw. The other Wrecker wheeled around to face the threat, only to retrieve the same treatment.
The pair of Autobots landed in a heap a short distance away, groaning in pain from the seared armor. Quickclaw tore his optics from the sight to look to see his savior. Shockwave was moving forward in that slow gaunt of his, only to pause beside the smaller mech. Rather than recognize the youngling, the Decepticon transformed into his alt mode, cannon pivoting to aim at the down Wreckers.
Helpless, defenseless. Just like the countless people Quickclaw had killed. Now the Autobots would be next. His friends. His family.
"W-w-wait" Jack sputtered, scrambling to his pedes, but it was too late.
The cannon glowed brilliantly as it charged, and Shockwave fired.
The Wreckers screams as they were blown away even farther before coming to a painful stop, the two groaning before falling into stasis. Jack stilled at the sight, before rushing over to Bulkhead and Wheeljack, his hands trembling as he hovered over them.
The Autobots were covered in dents and scrapes and scorch marks. There was even gaping, burning holes in their plating, exposing the delicate wiring underneath. Jack trembled at the sight.
What had he done? What had he done?
"No, no..." he muttered, his spark burning hotly in his chest as he was hung over their still forms. "Bulkhead, Wheeljack, I'm so—nngh!"
Jack wailed and doubled over. He clutched his helm as the pressure in his mind threatened to bury him away again. He felt his fear, his anxiety, his concern, his compassion being brutally stamped down, replacing by cold, rational thoughts that weren't his.
"Nnn...n-no—"
He tried to fight against it, his optics flickering between blue and purple. He tried to think of his friends, his family, his— Suddenly the thought was severed in half by a cold blade with his mind. Jack yelled out and gritted his teeth. Suddenly images flashed across his eyes.
Cybertronians, bearing both the Decepticon and Autobot insignia, shackled and chained, crying out for mercy to a Prime that would give them none. Orion Pax, with the Matrix of Leadership in his servos, tightly, possessively, greedily. The Autobots, running, fleeing, cowering. Then Jack saw himself, broken and unmoving in the waste of the Sea of Rust. Abandoned.
"Stop! You can't do this—" the mutant said aloud, before screaming in agony. Despite Megatron not physically being there, Jack was aware he heard everything.
The Autobots abandoned you. They don't care about you.
A shudder went through Jack's frame.
The Autobots. They were nothing but selfish mechs, that used the caste system to hoard their own power. They were too selfish and too greedy and too arrogant to admit their wrongs. Their pride and freedom and other ridiculous ideals lead to the destruction of their home. They destroyed Cybertron.
Jack's optics turned a tainted violet.
Now. It seems the fusion core has been compromised. Take care of it, my claw.
"Not good," Raf said when he heard the news that the Autobots had been stopped in their tracks and Megatron had returned with the warship. "They need help!"
It was then the screen came to life, and Raf glanced up to see the stern face of Fowler. He wore set of headphones, curved glass of a cockpit behind him.
"That's it!" the liaison snapped. "We can't afford to wait any longer! I'm sending our boys in!"
"You can't, Agent Fowler," Ratchet refused quickly. "As long as the fusion cannons remain online, Megatron can blow away any invading army in an instant."
"Sitting on our cans isn't an option, Doc!" Fowler stated furiously. "If we don't act soon, Washington will be blown into a crater!"
"We can't give up on our comrades so quickly. If we give them a little more time—"
"We don't have time!" Fowler bellowed.
Ratchet opened his mouth to refuse, to find a solution when there was none, but was cut off by a small voice.
"He's right," Raf murmured, glancing up at Ratchet.
The war veteran turned away from the monitor, shutting off his optics with a heavy vent. His voice was hardly above a defeated whisper.
"I'm well aware, Rafael," Ratchet stated grimly.
"You have to let me go," the little 'Bot insisted. "If anyone can disable the core, I can!"
"Ep ep ep! You have just stepped out of the berth and I have not cleared you for duty. And besides, remember you are strictly forbidden to use your… um, talent."
Raf didn't back down, staring up at the medic with a determined glare. "You the one that wanted to learn how to use my powers in the first place. I may not be a master at it, but I knew more than I knew yesterday! I know I can control Darkmount from the inside out!"
Ratchet just shook his head in denial. "It's too dangerous. With Magnus and Lennox engaged in the field, the rest of the team pinned down, and no sign of Optimus and Smokescreen—"
"That why I have to go!" Raf insisted, taking a step forward. "I'm the only that can do it!"
"The kid's right, Ratchet," Fowler added, though he didn't like saying it any more than Ratchet liked hearing it. "We're out of options."
"You know it, too."
Ratchet let out a heavy ex-vent, shoulders slouching in defeat. He looked down on the little mech, with something Raf had never seen before in his optics.
"Are you sure about this?" the medic questioned.
"More than anything, Ratchet!"
Ratchet shuttered his optics close and was quiet for a long moment. Raf feared the old Autobot would refuse once again and continue the cycle, but then he onlined his optics.
"Very well," Ratchet nodded. Before the youngling could celebrate his long-fought-for victory, he added in a stern voice, "But you still are not combat-ready. I will bridge you as close as I can." He stepped forward and opened a com-link channel. "Arcee, what are your coordinates?"
"Nhg! A little busy, Ratchet!" Arcee's voice replied with a grunt, accompanied by metal clangs and screeches.
"Arcee, I need those coordinates stat if we are to have any hope of victory!" Ratchet implored angrily. "I need to bridge Rafael as close as possible so that that he may shut down the core!"
"Bridge Raf to do WHAT?!" There was an angry, high-pitched scream, that sounded too harsh to be Arcee's and had Raf flattening his audial fins. "Get fragged, Ravage!"
"Arcee, it's now or never!"
The channel was filled with several more clangs and grunts and screeches.
"Ugh! Fine!" Arcee grounded out at last. "Sending coordinates!"
"Received!" Ratchet replied, already tapping away at the terminal.
Ratchet turned to Raf, who had a determined expression on his face. "Rafael...if anything happens to you I swear by the Allspark—"
"It'll be okay, Ratchet," the youngling assured quickly, pausing before the vortex of the groundbridge. He turned to the medic with a determined look. "I'm ready. I know I am."
Ratchet gave look that he wanted to argue with him, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. The Autobot nodded.
"I know," the old mech proclaimed.
With that, Raf turned and rushed into the groundbridge.
-and right into the fray of battled, a servo grabbing his arm to quickly pull him aside from stray blaster fire.
"Get down!" Bumblebee shouted at Raf as he returned fire.
Raf was pushed more to all fours, but glanced up from his awkward angle. He saw Arcee wrestling with a panther-like beast while his guardian was shooting at a bird-like flyer gliding through the air. Ravage and Laserbeak.
"We'll take care of Soundwave's pets, just get to the fusion core!" Bumblebee ordered, even as he still fired at the flyer.
"R-right!" the youngling nodded quickly, moving forward swiftly now while Arcee and Bumblebee covered him. It was now or never!
Raf dashed forward, down the hall where his guardian directed him. There was a screech to his right, and he couldn't help but flinch as he was greeted with Ravage lunging at him, claws extended. Before the Decepticon pounced on him, there was a blur of blue and Arcee tackled the beast to the ground, arms around his middle.
"Raf, go!" she shouted, glancing up at the youngling.
It proved at a costly mistake, however, as Ravage took advantage of the distraction to wiggle out of her grip. The Autobot was slammed into the floor, the deadly symbiote on her chest, bared fangs dangerously close to her faceplates. Raf flinched again, but forced his pedes to keep going. He only made it a few more paces before there was a pain shout behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to see Laserbeak attached to Bumblebee's back, sending an electric current through the scout. The Camaro crumbled to the ground with a groan, and Raf was sure he was unconscious. Running that much faster, he forced himself to ignore the pained groans coming from his friends.
Stay focus on the mission! the former human told himself. Everyone was counting on him!
Raf raced as fast as he could down the corridor, not even thinking of slowing down. The dark walls went by in a blur and all too soon, broad doors appeared before him. He knew he had no idea what lay beyond—the core or an army of 'Cons, but the mech knew he didn't have time to figure it out. He charged forward, and the doors slid open.
Relieving a figure waiting for him.
Raf skidded to a rapid halt, coming to a stop just before he rammed into the Decepticon. Instincts he didn't even know he had coursed through him, having him activate his stingers without a thought. Just as quickly, the figure engaged their twin cannons.
The human-turned-Cybertronian instantly translated the smooth curves of the figure as a femme, but not a femme he had ever met before. She was bulky, built helm-to-pede with heavy armor, and stood a helm taller than him. The frame was jet-black, darker than the metal around them, ruined by bright, hot splashes of pink. Raf glanced up, expecting to see a hateful crimson glare... only to see fearful, uncertain azure optics.
"W-Who are you?" the femme asked, trying to sound strong, but her hesitant stutter ruined it.
Raf froze. Primus! It was her voice! It was-
"Miko!" he cried, unable to keep the relief and happiness from his voice.
The femme blinked and her optics turned into bright moons. "R-Raf?"
"Miko! I can't believe it's really you!" Raf exclaimed, so happy that he was almost crying in relief. "I heard what happened with Bulkhead! We were all so worried—"
"What are you doing here?" the femme cut off, looking around as if expecting someone to be watching her. "It's too dangerous!"
"Listen, there's a squadron of fighters on their way. We have to deactivate fusion cannons so they can launch an attack—"
The mech moved forward as he spoke, closer to his long-lost friend. Only to blink when she violently flinched away from him.
"M-Miko?" he inquired.
"Y-you need to get out of here!" his friend only replied, arms wrapping around her abdomen.
"I can't!" Raf pulled away. "I have to turn off the power core while Arcee is handling the 'Cons!"
The mutant past her as he began to observe the data flitting about the room. He cringed when he realized it wasn't going to be as easy as he hoped. Terminals filled the entire room and he felt the sheer power coursing through the gigantic generator that dominated the room. He could already sense the data forming countless protocols to control its activation—and prevent its meltdown. It was all so complicated! Where was he even supposed to begin?
Raf turned to his friend hopefully. "Come on, I need your help! We can do this, together!"
Instead, he only stared at Miko clutched her abdomen tighter, curling slightly as a strange shudder coursed through her frame.
"They know you're here!" the femme forced out. "You need to get out!"
Raf blinked, looking at Miko like she had grown two heads. "We can't stop now! There are so many people are counting on us!"
"I-I can't."
"Wha—"
Suddenly Miko flinched her head, like someone was talking in her audio, but there was no one there. She murmured something Raf couldn't catch, but he thought he heard "Shockwave."
"Raf isn't a threat!" the femme shouted. Then without warning, she dropped to her knees with a whimper.
"Miko!" Raf yelped, rushing to her side, but his friend ignored him as she curled up on himself.
"Please don't make me do this," the femme pleaded under her breath, so low the youngling barely heard her.
"Do what? Miko, what's wrong? What did the 'Cons do to you?"
"I...I'm sorry Raf..." his best friend whined as she shakingly moved back to her pedes. Raf heard shifting, the femme's arm changing shape.
The youngling's optics widened at the deadly axe that replaced her servo. He leaped back with a scream when it suddenly slashed across the air in front of him.
"What are you doing?!" he screeched.
Miko looked at him in a pressing way, slicing at him again. And again she struck only air.
"Raf, just go and bridge out of here!" she snapped. "I-I don't want to hurt you!"
"I'm not leaving without you!"
The femme blinked at the words, and it almost looked like she wanted run over and hug him. The image was only broke by her sharp, wicked axe, and then another whimper. Another slash, but it was wide and slow, giving Raf enough time to flinch away.
The mech was horribly confused. Why was she doing this? Suddenly he remembered what the Autobots had said, when they had encountered their human friends. Jack had attacked Arcee, when he would never do anything to harm his partner. Miko was with Starscream, and she had fallen unconscious before Bulkhead could rescue her.
Raf's first instinct was to deny it. That it was against the patterns he so desperately depended on. But he realized it was the only logical explanation. The Decepticons did something. They did something to his best friends, to force them to do these things. The youngling reached out with those foreign instincts, towards Miko.
He sensed it. Something within her. Restricting, choking, suffocating. Raf retreated back to the safety of his mind and sputtered, realizing her had failed to vent properly.
"Miko, what did they put in your body?" he gasped, optics wide. Whatever it was, it reeked of horrible intentions. He could almost feel the pain coursing through her body as though it were his own.
Miko only let out a pitiful keen. She forced herself to open her mouth, but before a sound could come out, high-pitched, thunder-like roar filled the air.
Before Raf had a chance to translate the sound, the wall next to him erupted in flame and smoke. He flattened his audial fins at the almighty noise, even as the shockwave of the explosion sent him off his pedes. He landed in a tangle of limbs, and a yelp from Miko told she retrieved the same treatment. With a groan, the mech forced himself to all fours, glancing up.
Only to meet cold, violet optics.
"You were stalling," the strange mech growled out at the femme, striding over to her fallen form, claws reaching out.
He snatched her by the arm, yanking her to her pedes. Miko whimpered, stumbling several feet as she stared wide optic at him.
"Jack! What's with you—"
"Jack?" Raf breathed, stepping back.
He stared at the mech with wide eyes. The armor was deep silver, with traces of red and blue, but mixed together in unison. He was built and lean, but not as bulky as Miko. He had broad, thin wings extending from his back, almost like Starscream.
His optics were the most striking, though: instead of the bright red hues of the Decepticons, or the vivid blues of Autobots, his gaze was a startling shade of purple. The same as Megatron's, whenever he used dark energon.
Instantly Raf felt his processor whirring, trying to collect the pieces of the puzzle, placing them together.
Jack had attacked the Autobots—Acree, his partner—out of nowhere, for no reason. Ruthless, mindless—just like the undead warriors Megatron had resurrected from the billions of fallen on Cybertron. Resurrected by dark energon. The powerhungry tyrant had used it to control his army, and almost succeeded in unleashing them upon the Earth, if it the Autobots hadn't destroyed the spacebridge in time. Raf and the children had even seen the effects of the evil substance firsthand, when Starscream had taken a shard of it to bring Skyquake back from the dead.
If dark energon could be used to control the dead, then—
Miko was shoved away a few feet, before Jack's attention was turned back to Raf, who froze at the coldness of the gaze. He moved back several feet of his own, but wasn't fast enough to make a break for the door when he was grabbed.
Raf wailed as suddenly the ground was taken out from under him and he was sent flying through the air. He wheezed as he was sent into the nearest terminal, throwing sparks and shrapnel all directions.
"Jack!" he faintly heard Miko screech. "What are you doing?! GAH! Stupid Shockwave!"
Raf glanced up, to see the poisoned mech stomping towards him.
"Jack! It's me, Raf! Remember?"
His only reply was a sharp sound of metal on metal as blades ejected from the former human's wrists.
"J-Jack—?" Raf stammered out, but the mech was not deterred. It a matter of seconds, Jack stood in front of him ominously, the blades glinted off their dangers edges.
The youngling felt an inch in his arms, but he couldn't—he couldn't hurt Jack! He dared to pry his optics from them, trying to find something, anything he could use. He even glanced up at ceiling, looking for—there!
There was a crane far above them, in the shape of a claw. It was surrounded by energon cubes stored on the upper levels, no doubt to power the core. Maybe if he could just—
Raf narrowed his optics, reaching out towards the foriegn instincts again. Sure enough, they uncoiled like a snake roused from sleep, rising to the surface. He saw Jack raising his blade above his helm, preparing to bring it down on the little mech. The genius extended the instinct, focusing on the crane above him. Come on, come on-
The blade came down.