Chapter Thirty Four- Nemesis Prime
It was in the middle night when agent Silas drove out to the exit of a military base. He was ordered to slow to a stop by a soldier before he saluted him.
"At ease, soldier." Silas said as he returned the salute.
The gate opened and Silas drove onto the open road towards his home, without noticing that a big vehicle began following him hidden between the rocks. Silas decided to turn on the radio to listen some music. He listened an ancient interesting song (The Touch by Stan Bush). Then a vehicle behind him turned on its head lights, blinding him.
"Go around!" Silas yelled by opening the window and waved his hand.
However, the driver slammed the back of the car, causing Silas to spin out of control before screeching to a stop.
"That's not road rage. Someone's trying to bump me off!" Silas realized.
Then he widened his eyes in shock as he saw the Autobot emblem on the grill.
"Prime?!" Silas noticed before he started up the car and started driving away from the Autobot. "So the Autobot leader is on a personal hunt! Better call for backup!"
Meanwhile, inside the Decepticon base, Jack, Miko and Raf were in the middle of a remote control car race, and their Decepticons partners were cheering them.
"(You're going to make it, Raf!)" Stinger cheered.
"Metal to the pedal, Miko!" Breakdown encouraged.
"Go, Jack! Go!" Airachnid cheered.
"No way! Raf's scorching us!" Miko decreed.
"And the winner is Raf!" Knock Out said holding a race flag.
In that moment, someone called in.
"Megatron! Do you read me?!" Silas asked.
"I'm sorry, agent Silas. Lord Megatron isn't here at the moment." Shockwave told him.
"Well tell him that I need him here immediately, because Prime's trying to run me off the road!" Silas proclaimed.
"What?!" Knock Out asked as he and all the others were in disbelief.
"Agent Silas, that is hardly illogical." Shockwave said.
"But is not impossible." Starscream added.
"Tell that to my burning trends!" Silas said as he continued driving.
The two vehicles reached a bridge as Optimus drove up next Silas and slammed him onto the railing. Silas began spinning out of control as he slammed into the other side of the railing, destroying it and causing his car to tip over the edge.
"Come on, come on." Silas said as he tried to back up, but it was no use since both wheels were not on the road.
The vehicle began slowly pushing Silas off the edge of the railing as Silas looked back at it.
"No." He begged.
Then a ground bridge appeared and the Decepticons came through it. Just when the vehicle almost threw him off the edge, Stinger grabbed the car. The other Decepticons transformed as the vehicle began driving away.
"Looks like Optimus." Breakdown noticed.
"No, Prime doesn't run from a fight he can win." Airachnid said before she transformed and flew after Optimus.
Meanwhile, Starscream, Breakdown and Knock Out were going to help Stinger to get Silas up, but then the bumper of the car ripped apart from the car, causing Silas to scream as he fell below. Starscream jumped over the bridge and activated his jet engine to reach the ground before Silas did and grab him.
"You alright in there?" Starscream asked.
"At ease, soldier." Silas panted, but grunted in surprise and slight pain as the airbags finally deployed.
Meanwhile, Airachnid followed the vehicle to an abandoned gas station. She inspected the area with her vehicle mode lights, with there was nothing there. Then she heard a driving noise next to her and saw the truck driving at her before her lights went out. When she was waking up, Knock Out was examining her with a light.
"Yes, that's it. Follow the light." Knock Out encourage.
"Wait what?!" Airachnid gasped before realizing she was at base. "Not the best choice of words, Knock Out."
"Airachnid, are you alright?" Jack asked with worry as she stepped out of the medical chamber with the help of Stinger and Knock Out.
"Sure, except for being blindside by Optimus." She answered tiredly.
"Didn't I tell you?!" Silas exclaimed.
"Impossible!" Starscream scoffed.
"I'm only reporting what I saw." Airachnid defended herself.
"But why are you saying that is impossible that Optimus would try to knock out agent Silas?" Jack asked.
"Yeah, isn't him the tyrant leader of the Autobots? The worst of all?" Miko reminded.
"You are right about that, Miko. But Starscream has a logical point about this suspicion." Shockwave said.
"Which one?" Silas asked.
"First of all, as leader, Optimus prefers to send his minions to most of all the activities including search and destroy. Second, he doesn't risk his own spark unless is about looking an important relic or battling Megatron." Starscream explained.
"That means the possibility of him trying to destroy agent Silas is very remote. Unless he was trying to bring in Megatron to a trap, this skirmish has no sense." Shockwave explained.
"Do you think maybe something has made him change his mind?" Raf asked.
"Maybe." Shockwave agreed.
"If Prime has gone off the rails for any reason, we have a serious problem." Silas said.
"We will discuss this incident with lord Megatron when he came back. He's the one who knows Optimus better than anyone." Starscream declared.
"Lord Megatron is back." Soundwave announced.
All heard an engine noise and saw Megatron entered the base in his cybertronian jet form before he transformed.
"Is something wrong?" Megatron asked seeing everyone looking at him so quiet.
"We're just…wondering where you've been." Knock Out answered.
"We haven't been able to reach you." Breakdown added.
"I have been outside of our communication range, in a subterranean energon deposit." Megatron said pulling out a glowing energon shard.
"Forgive our surprise, lord Megatron. We have engaged a weird situation that maybe is best to agent Silas to explain to you." Starscream said.
"What situation?" Megatron asked with curiosity.
"He's right. I was attacked earlier tonight on an open highway by a big rig. One that bore a striking resemblance to your nemesis." Silas explained.
At dawn, the same black truck drove down the street towards a military base. A guard noticed this before stepping out of his post.
"Hall!" He ordered putting his hand in front of the vehicle.
But the driver didn't listen. Instead, it drove even faster towards the gate, causing the soldier to jump out of the way as the truck crashed through the gate and continued throughout the military base, damaging helicopters and almost running over soldiers. The truck stopped in the middle of the base as the military surrounded him.
"This is a restricted area. Exit the vehicle or we will open fire." One of the soldiers said.
Two soldiers rushed over to the vehicle and looked at each other before opening the door, only to find out that no one was inside. The door suddenly closed before the vehicle transformed into Optimus Prime, but this one had yellow eyes and was all black.
"I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots. And I bring you this message." The other Optimus rumbled as he unfolded his cannon and fired.
Seconds later, Silas received a call.
"Silas here. What?! Yes sir, I will tell them immediately." Silas said before he hung up. "Alden Military Base is under attack, by Optimus Prime."
"The truck?" Jack asked.
"The bot. They have required your assistance." Silas said looking at Megatron.
"Understood. Decepticons, rise up!" Megatron declared.
Meanwhile, there was an entire chaos inside the base.
"Fire! Fire!" A soldier yelled as the other Optimus was wreaking havoc in the military, shooting down buildings, soldiers and going on.
As it continued its rampage, a ground bridge suddenly opened and the Decepticons stepped out. The other Optimus transformed into its alt mode before driving off.
"That's not Optimus." Megatron noticed as it left the area.
"We should pursuit him, lord Megatron?" Starscream suggested.
"No." Megatron said putting a hand in front of him. "Whatever that cybertronian is, is gone. Right now we must focus ourselves on helping the military to stabilize the situation here." Megatron instructed before all the Decepticons began to help the soldiers to secure the base.
After that, everyone was in base again.
"Yes sir. I know." Silas said before hanging up.
"So what's the damage?" Jack asked.
"All military personnel are under strict orders to destroy any and all Bots on site. But not the Cons." Silas announced.
"Well, bad luck for the Autobots." Miko said, trying to see the positive side.
"Even with that, the military order changes nothing. Our imposter clearly poses a grave threat to humanity." Megatron rumbled.
"Wait, how do you know that Bot wasn't Optimus?" Breakdown asked.
"First of all, Optimus is dark red and purple, while this one is all black. Second, its optics were yellow, on the contrary of Optimus's which are red like rage, hate and evil. And I know that Optimus would not attack that way like we have seen." Megatron explained.
"A thirty foot tall transforming impostor." Silas corrected.
"So where did this Optimus Prime's twin brother come from? Does he have a brother?" Knock Out asked.
"I don't think so." Starscream immediately said.
"They actually did it. Those butchers managed to crack the code!" Shockwave snarled.
"The Star Seekers." Megatron growled.
At that moment, the impostor was returning to a secret center of operations of the Star Seekers. He entered inside a big room when Thundertron was waiting, then he transformed in front of him.
"I attacked the military base, as you instructed. It's nearly destroyed." The impostor reported.
"Excellent, your field test is now completed. Get some rest until we summon you." Cannonball.
"Understood." It said before it turned off.
"So, did my new elite soldier pass the test?" Thundertron asked.
"The servant performed flawlessly. In vehicular and robot mode." Cannonball reported.
"Excellent." Thundertron smirked.
In the Decepticon base…
"The Star Seekers abducted Bulkhead. And by all indications, deconstructed him from cranial chamber to heel strut." Knock Out proclaimed.
"I was there." Breakdown reminded.
"And we know that more recently, they obtained Grimlock's T-Cog." Starscream added.
"Which they evidently installed in a knockoff of Prime." Airachnid piped in.
"Which, in turn, scanned an appropriate vehicle form." Shockwave went on.
"Fill the tank with energon." Jack added.
"And say hello to Nemesis Prime." Miko finished.
"Hum, that's a good name for him." Knock Out remarked.
"So where do we start? Those pirates base could be anywhere." Silas pointed out.
"Not necessarily. While Thundertron may have learned much of our biology." Shockwave began.
"They haven't necessarily absorbed our technology. Without access to a ground bridge and with their warship hidden to avoid detection, Nemesis Prime would rely solely on its vehicle mode for transportation." Soundwave explained.
"Chances are that Thundertron's base is within driving distance of both incidents." Starscream concluded.
"What are we waiting for?! Let's get out there and mash that pirate little science project!" Silas cried.
"Agent Silas, I do not think it is advisable to put yourself in harm's way of Nemesis again." Megatron protested.
"Well, I'm not sure it is advisable for Cons to be running on recon with the military out there mistaking you with Bots!" Silas retorted.
"We will maintain vehicular cover until absolutely necessary." Megatron promised.
"Well, all of this would be worst if we were dealing with an evil clone of Megatron." Miko said.
"Yeah, that would be a real mess." Jack agreed.
At night, the Decepticons began to looking to the Star Seekers's hideout in near places to the attacks.
"Nothing but rocks here." Breakdown reported.
"Just a whole lot of empty." Airachnid said searching in other place.
"I don't see anything right here." Shockwave reported too.
"Just nothing, like it's gone." Knock Out reported driving on one road.
"(I'm getting inside a populated area.)" Stinger reported driving towards a town.
"Stinger, proceed with upmost caution. Reconnaissance only. We will rendezvous at your coordinates." Megatron instructed through the com-link.
Stinger entered in an industrial area, but he was detected by the Star Seekers security cameras.
"I'm impressed, I was expecting that the Autobots were the ones looking for their leader's impostor. But it's seems that the Decepticons are more persistent. Time to meet their match." Thundertron smirked looking Stinger through the screen before nodded at Cannonball.
Immediately, Cannonball summoned Nemesis Prime.
"There are intruders inside the complex. Find them and neutralize them." Thundertron ordered.
"Affirmative." Nemesis answered.
Stinger transformed into his robot form before looking cautiously around the area. As he continued walking, he heard some footsteps near to him, but when he turned around, Nemesis punched him, turned him out. Moments later, the rest of the team arrived.
"Stinger, do you read?" Shockwave asked through the com-link, earning no response. "This was the last position where Stinger reported. Their base must be inside here, anywhere."
"Spread out?" Airachnid suggested, making everyone to pull out their weapons.
"And beware of anything that might resemble Optimus." Megatron warned.
Everyone separated in different directions. Breakdown and Knock Out walked through the area, without notice a familiar shadow behind them. Knock Out turned back to see nothing.
"What's up?" Breakdown asked.
"Nothing. I just believed that someone was following us." Knock Out answered.
Then something dragged Breakdown inside the shadows and fought him. Breakdown managed to punch Nemesis a couple of times, but he made him fall unconscious. Knock Out managed to hit him with his electrified staff from behind, but he widened his eyes seeing that Nemesis didn't fall, before he turned him out too. Airachnid leaned against a plant bunker wall when she heard the sound of a charging gun. After Nemesis knocked her out, Nemesis received a great hit coming from Shockwave, who managed to fire at him in his tank form, forcing Nemesis to get cover. Shockwave decided to bomber all the possible hiding places with hope of hit him. After the smoke cleared, Shockwave believed Nemesis was gone, but then he heard an engine noise from behind him. He turned around to see Nemesis driving at him before he transformed and punched him in the air. Meanwhile, the remaining Decepticons were working at base.
"That's it, Soundwave. If we can isolate the control frequency of the remote link Thundertron is employing, we should be able to pinpoint his exact location." Starscream declared as Soundwave was working on the computers.
"Remote link?" Raf repeated in confusion.
"You didn't think the Star Seekers possessed the ability to build a completely autonomous robot, did you? New cybertronians can only be born from the Allspark, or be created by a good cybertronian scientist, who I don't believe it can be anyone of Thundertron's crew." Starscream explained.
"I was hoping Nemesis would be a simple armor which Thundertron could be operating from inside. Because one punch from Breakdown or an electric hit of Knock Out in all the face and BOO YA! BLEUH!" Miko said as she flew over before getting up, much to everyone's amusement.
"Frequency isolated." Soundwave suddenly reported.
"Then reopen that bridge." Silas instructed.
"Agent Silas, did you not hear lord Megatron advice against your involvement? It's for your own safety!" Starscream objected.
"Look commander. I don't plan on fighting with any robots. But those pirates believe that they are dealing with you only, so they will not expect me, so I can sneak through their lines. And in case you haven't noticed, I am a highly-trained, government-grade human." Silas retorted.
"Yeah. Plus Thundertron tried to run him off the road. It's personal." Miko added.
"Ugh, alright then. In that case, I'm coming with you, so I'll handle the Star Seekers while you try to sabotage their center of operations. Soundwave, main the ground bridge. And make sure that Miko don't try to follow us this time." Starscream instructed.
"Affirmative." Soundwave nodded.
At the same time on the industrial place, Megatron prepared his fusion cannon before walking around a corner a saw Nemesis Prime in front of him.
"Megatron, we meet again. Of course, not in person." Thundertron spoke through Nemesis.
"The deception ends here, Thundertron." Megatron declared as he aimed his cannon at him.
"Does it?" Thundertron asked.
Both robots began to run against each other firing with their guns before clash. Near them, a ground bridge opened as Silas and Starscream came through it.
"Are you okay?" Starscream asked Silas seeing him groaned and putting a hand over his mouth.
"I think I'm going to toss the breakfast I ate back at flight school." Silas answered, making Starscream chuckle a little.
Then they heard a loud clang and turn to see Megatron slam into one of the domes. Nemesis tried to attack him once again, but Megatron grabbed him by the hands and pushed him back.
"Starscream, the control frequency is transmitting from a structure 100 meters due north." Soundwave reported through the com-link.
"Understood. We are on our way!" Starscream said looking a structure with lights.
Meanwhile, Megatron and Nemesis started a sword clash duel. Megatron managed to kick Nemesis, sending him flying towards a set of power chords which exploded as Megatron covered his face from the explosion. A Star Seeker sniper was looking the battle from a dome, when suddenly someone touched him from behind, he turned around and saw Starscream before he sliced him with his claws, killing him.
"Now how we get inside?" Silas asked noticing that was no entrance.
"Leave it to me." Starscream answered as he started slicing the wall, creating an entrance.
"Nice one." Silas smirked as he started to climb down through a cable while Starscream used his jet engine to descend very slowly.
Once inside, they saw Thundertron seeing the match between Megatron and Nemesis, with Cannonball next to him. Inside the battle, Nemesis started punching Megatron.
"My new elite soldier possesses all Optimus strengths, speed and firepower." Thundertron said as Nemesis fired at Megatron, only to him to tackle him, but he recovered fast. "Add the extensive combat training of a Prime and the Star Seekers has clearly achieved the perfect soldier, one unstoppable."
"Yeah, but there is one thing you are missing, Thundertron. I battled Optimus many more times that you believe. I'm an expert in fighting the last of the Primes. This replica of him is easier." Megatron declared as he fired his cannon at Nemesis, forcing him to climb up a pole to the top of the dome.
Megatron followed him to the top. The two robots started another sword duel, but then Nemesis stabbed Megatron.
"But the key difference between this one and Optimus, my Prime can't feel pain." Thundertron revealed as Nemesis stabbed more deep in Megatron, making him cry in pain as he collapsed onto his knees. "And this is just the beginning; imagine an army of transforming artificial cybertronians, totally loyal and unstoppable. No one will stand against the newly rebooted Star Seekers." Thundertron declared with an evil smile.
"Think again, captain." Starscream smirked as he walked towards him.
Thundertron turned around to see Starscream in front of him, with Cannonball knock out next to him.
"Commander Starscream, in the flesh at last." Thundertron smirked.
"And I'm pulling the plug on your video game!" Starscream decreed charging at him.
Thundertron tried to fire at him with his cannons, but the Seeker evaded easily the shots before tried to slice him, but Thundertron evaded him too before punching him in the back.
"Ex-gladiator?" Starscream noticed.
"And special combat skills." Thundertron remarked. "And yours?"
Thundertron charged at him again, but Starscream dodged it before punching him in the chest and kick him on the back.
"Familiar training." Starscream answered.
"That's not official." Thundertron objected.
"Sometimes personal things can be the ones which can save you in a fight." Starscream declared before he flew with his jet engine and tackled Thundertron to the ground. "I know how you dragged in renegade Autobots and some of our kind, and you are going to pay for that!"
Before Starscream could slice his face, Thundertron grabbed his hand and pushed him back.
"Now I see why Megatron named you his second in command, not only by your military skills. But if you think you can engage a true fighter… think again." Thundertron declared, pulling out from his back a very elegant sword.
The two robots continued fighting as agent Silas sneaked through the shadows, going for the control panel. After blocking the sword's swings a couple of times, Thundertron took down Starscream as many Star Seeker troopers surrounded him, aiming their weapons.
"You will be an excellent trophy for me, and a warning to any Decepticon who dare to engage us in the future." Thundertron said putting his foot over Starscream and raising his sword to strike.
"Do you think you have won?" Starscream said with a smile, leaving Thundertron confused.
"We just needed to buy Megatron a little time." Silas said from the control panel.
Seeing that Nemesis was still, Megatron took his chance and tried to punch him. Thundertron tried to reactivate his control remote device, but it didn't work, meaning that Silas hacked it. Megatron managed to hit Nemesis on his face many times.
"No, no, no! Respond!" Thundertron cursed, trying to recover the control, while Starscream neutralized the other Star Seekers with his missiles.
Megatron jumped and gave the final blow to Nemesis, creating a hole on the ceiling, making it fell over Thundertron.
"No, I will not be denied!" Thundertron cursed as the only thing he saw was Nemesis Prime falling over him.
Starscream grabbed Silas and got out of the way. They approached Nemesis, who was still operational.
"If Optimus find this, I don't know what he could do with him. It is better that Nemesis Prime will remain in oblivion." Starscream declared aiming a missile at Nemesis, firing and destroying his head.
"Starscream, agent Silas?" Megatron said from the ceiling.
"Mission accomplished, lord Megatron. Nemesis Prime has fallen. And Thundertron with him." Starscream reported.
Then they heard helicopter sounds. Megatron looked over to see military helicopters coming their way.
"That would be our boys. I'd advise you to get back to base, Megatron. I'll handle the situation here from now." Silas said as Starscream put him on the ground.
Megatron nodded as he and Starscream left the area before taking a last view of Nemesis.
"You know what, my liege? We could have captured Nemesis and managed to free him from Thundertron's control, and made him join us. That way, we could have had a great new member in our team, and maybe you could have recovered the brother that you lost long ago, or something similar." Starscream told with deep reflection.
"Thank you, Starscream. Indeed it could have been an alternative and better way to resolve this, but after all that happened I think we did the right thing. Besides, that could not be possible, because Nemesis didn't have a real spark." Megatron clarified.
"Well, we had to give him some hope." Starscream said
"Indeed, my friend." Megatron said before they transformed and left.
At next day, everyone was recovering inside base.
"So how weird was it to see someone looking exactly like Optimus kicking the scrap out of you?" Miko asked.
"Whew." Breakdown whistled.
"Very logical." Shockwave answered.
"What?! Really?!" Miko asked in disbelief.
"We fought Optimus other times, Miko. That's why is not strange to us." Airachnid explained.
"Oh, I see." Miko said.
"The question remains: whether the Star Seekers will continue to function as we know them, without their leader." Megatron stated as he placed his arm down after Knock Out repaired the wound of his side.
"Well, here's a kicker. We've sifted through the wreckage with a fine toothcomb. We found Nemesis's remains, but couldn't find any trace of Thundertron." Silas reported through the com-link, leaving everyone in confusion.
Meanwhile, aboard the Tidal Wave, all the main Star Seekers were on the medical room where there was someone lying on a medical berth, in very critical condition: Thundertron.
"It's a shame I wasn't there. I could have ripped the spark of all those Cons!" Sandstorm cursed.
"So, what's the damage?" Axer asked.
"The internal damage to his spark is massive and beyond the scope of conventional medicine. Fortunately for our leader, we have knowledge more than conventional." Cannonball reported, as they observed some pieces from a certain offline robot next to them.