Finally, the duel. I tried to update as soon as possible because I didn't want to keep you guys waiting too much, and thanks to the generosity of my beta reader iratepirate here you have the chapter. I hope you will enjoy it :o)
Chapter 34
One shall stand, one shall fall
The day of the death of a Seeker, Cybertron woke up in peace. Nothing seemed different, and yet it seemed like time had stopped. Broken ruins kept collapsing aside miraculously standing buildings, some of them still shining with the glimmer of their ancient days of glory. Empties kept crawling through the devastated streets in search of crumbs of fuel that would allow them to live one cycle more, no matter if it turned out to be another cycle of fear and despair. Iacon and Polyhex, strongholds of a unique race of robots that had spent millions of years killing their own brethren, were silent. Trenches, battle stations, headquarters and arsenals were waiting, live creatures growling and showing their fangs but keeping their violence suspended above the treacherous strings of war, the eternal puppeteer.
The day of the death of a Seeker, the echoes of the past blew like wind through the same empty Coliseum that had seen a miner turn into the leader of thousands and had sheltered his insurrection. The smell of the vital fluid of countless Cybertronians who entered that arena to never leave, the severed limbs that moved for the last time before the optics of a hungered crowd that was pleading for war, the cries of pain and bestiality that created their own symphony, the figure of the survivor, fleeting winner, his hands wet with the extinguished life of his brothers, his spark carrying the rotting carcass of his innocence, his life a sonorous countdown.
The day of the death of a Seeker one life would make a difference. A devastated planet deprived of its soul, a violated mother that didn't mourn her sons anymore, but only averted her glance every time a spark ceased to exist. But suddenly she cared again, if only because that single duel that would force two of her sons to murder each other was also meant to change the course of the war corroding her. Motherly instinct ached, one of her arms embracing the son to fall, the one who would have no glory and whose memory would vanish within the dust. In her other arm, the victorious son would lie down, alive but forever mutilated.
The day of the death of a Seeker, fear and hope divided the siblings that had become enemies once again. Badge of peace, badge of conquest, both sides of the mask rotated, leaving nothing but an empty smirk. Laughter was an absence among the Autobot ranks, dread lurking around optimism as a resentful lover. Bets were running freely within the Decepticons, only one of them foreign to the sick amusement of witnessing the fall of one of their own. Betrayer or egomaniac, there would be no victory for the Decepticons that day. Only one of them knew, the one who had flown wing to wing beside the Seekers that would battle that day until termination defined a winner.
The day of the death of a Seeker, nobody noticed the absence of a shadow.
"Are you okay?"
The warm touch, the obvious question. Carly raised her head and looked at her boyfriend, who was addressing her with a smile.
He seemed to understand his awkward comment. "I'm sorry," he said. "Obviously you are not… But please don't worry, Carly. Thundercracker will be fine. He's the good guy, he can't lose. In the end, justice always prevails."
"I'm worried, Spike… I can't help it. I feel like something very bad is going to happen. This fight is so absurd… what difference will one death make? It's so unfair… no matter who wins, there will be grief today."
"Yeah, on the Decepticons' side, if they can feel grief, that is."
Carly frowned. "Unlike you and the Autobots, I'm not one who would find happiness in the destruction of Starscream, and it disappoints me that you find the idea worthy of being celebrated."
"Come on, love, please try to understand. The Transformers are warriors, they are battling a war, they know what they are dealing with… The Autobots take honour very seriously and it seems that the Decepticons do too – somehow. Optimus Prime told me that there is a history of this kind of duel, and they have always been carried out with honour and pride, even though both qualities are not common within the 'Cons."
"What can be so honourable when a life is going to be terminated? Please Spike, if you can't understand me, leave me alone. I could never justify murder, no matter the circumstances."
Spike rubbed his head and kneeled before his girlfriend. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean it to sound like that. You know that I would never approve of murder, but this is a duel we are talking about… both Thundercracker and Starscream chose to solve their issues this way."
Carly put her hand on her face, which reflected nothing more than fatigue and fear. "No, I'm sorry, Spike. I just… I'm worried about Thundercracker and the idea that he will be fighting to the death with what is practically his brother is destroying me."
"You don't have to be afraid, Carly. My son speaks the truth when he says that justice always finds a way."
Both adolescents turned to the middle aged man who entered the Ark's Command Centre. Ever since she had met him, Sparkplug Witwicky had always been a strong support in Carly's life. Being an orphan, she considered him pretty much as a father.
He sat beside Carly and took one of her hands. "Thundercracker has a kind and brave soul, he has a lot to live for and I have the feeling that he will have all the time he needs to experience his transformation into a true Autobot."
Carly sighed. "I wish I could share your optimism…"
Sparkplug smiled. "I'll tell you kids a story that I've never told to anyone, not even to Bumblebee, who was my partner in crime."
"What do you mean, Dad?" Spike asked, sitting on the floor.
"It happened when the Transformers activated on Earth, more than two years ago. As you certainly remember, son, Bumblebee and I sneaked into that mine in Burma to plant the super explosive that Wheeljack designed to stop the Decepticons, but we were discovered by Thundercracker and his friend Skywarp. The other Decepticon attacked Bumblebee and Thundercracker dealt with me, but even though he could have killed me easily with one single finger, he just pushed me away, being careful not to damage me. Bumblebee didn't notice because Skywarp was hurting him badly. I always wondered why Thundercracker didn't kill me that day, but now I understand it. It was because he's a warrior, but not a murderer; he never belonged to the Decepticons."
Despite her sadness, Carly smiled. That was true. She had seen into Thundercracker's spark and had found sincere goodness.
"Hey, the duel is about to start!" Cliffjumper shouted as a small group of Autobots – the few that remained on Earth – gathered before the screen of Teletraan I.
The three humans stood up, but Carly turned around. "I can't watch that. Go on if you want, Spike, I'll be outside."
Spike hesitated for a moment but followed his girlfriend.
"We finished checking the entire Quadrant Epsilon and there is no signal of Decepticon presence, Prime," Red Alert said, approaching a very serious Optimus Prime.
"Except for your old buddy Starscream, huh Red?" Sideswipe said maliciously. "Say, did you ever overcome that crush you had on him?"
Red Alert was obviously very disturbed by the comment, but the joke didn't have the desired effect due to the heaviness invading every cyber inch of the Autobot Headquarters in Iacon.
Optimus Prime nodded slightly. "Good work, Red Alert, but keep all your surveillance stations working at maximum efficiency. Prowl, what's the status of our troops?"
The Autobot Second in Command advanced toward his leader. "Ready to move at your command."
"Good. Keep them on alert. Megatron will make his move after this duel and we will be ready for him. Make sure to send assistance to Thundercracker once the fight finishes. We don't know how the Decepticons will react if their Second in Command is terminated."
"Have any of you considered that Thundercracker may actually be the one to end up slagged?" Gears asked from a corner.
Sunstreaker shot him an angry look. "Shut it, rust bucket! He will win."
"Hey, I'm just saying that he's not precisely fighting a weakling, you know?"
"Silence, you two," Prowl said. "The duel is about to start."
Optimus Prime just stared at the screen, his countenance as serious as it would have been had any of his other Autobots been about to battle to the death.
"Ask him."
"No, you go and ask him, frag face!"
Frenzy pushed Rumble forward. "Come on slaghead, ya know Megatron would never slag us for a simple question!"
"Why don't ya go yourself, then? OK, we may have some extra points with the big boss 'cause of Soundwave, but from that to going and asking him if he actually bet on Starscream would be too much. 'Sides, I think Vortex lied to us. Megatron wouldn't bet, and definitely not on Screamer."
"Whatever ya say, chicken slag."
"Shut yer trap hole or I'll slag ya instead!" Rumble said, waving his fist before his twin's face.
From his place beside Megatron's throne, Shockwave turned around and shot the Cassetticons a severe look. How it was possible to determine his mood when his face was completely deprived of features was one of those mysteries that were meant to remain unsolved.
"You two will remain silent, or you will be sent back to Earth for Soundwave to deal with you."
When the twins retreated and took the discussion to the private realm of their link, Shockwave addressed his Commander again.
"Everything is ready, Lord Megatron. Just give the word and your loyal Decepticons will mobilize."
Megatron smirked. "Not yet, Shockwave, not yet… let my Decepticons enjoy this fight, which will perhaps be memorable after all. After such a boost of morale, crushing the Autobots will be an easy task."
"The Autobots have assumed their combat positions as well. They are waiting for us to make the first move."
"And we will. But no matter how prepared Prime thinks he is, he can't imagine what's coming to him. Who could tell, Shockwave, that in the end it would be a simple diversion that would give us the ultimate triumph over the Autobots?"
The sinister laugh that followed Megatron's words was no surprise to anyone, although the silence that followed was. Starscream was not there to pinpoint whatever inconsistencies he could find in his leader's plan, and suddenly that seemed so unnatural that some Decepticons actually started to miss him.
There were all excited, betting and discussing which one of the same Seekers that had fought shoulder to shoulder with them for so many vorns would cease to exist that day. All, except Megatron. He remained sitting on his throne as the big screen before him was about to deliver the image of two of his best warriors killing each other. His harsh face had a slight but sick smirk. That was a view he would definitely enjoy. No matter which one of the pawns died, Megatron would have his own victory.
Cybertron began to cry early. Acid rain started to pour from the sky, calm but painful tears burning both the mother and the sons.
That was one of the advantages of being alone; having the time and the emptiness required to have thoughts that normally would have never crossed one's processor, at least not the one of Skywarp.
He had lost count of the breems he had been there, hidden on one of the sub-levels of the half demolished Coliseum. Nobody in Polyhex would notice his absence; he had become a shadow lately, due to the dissolve of his trine and his history with the most famous betrayer in the history of the Decepticon Empire.
It had been easy to trick the cameras, one of the advantages of being a teleporter. He shouldn't have been hiding on that sub-level of the infamous Kaon Coliseum, and he knew it perfectly well; besides Starscream's warnings, there was an unwritten code to follow for that kind of duel. Direct witnesses were forbidden; the only foreign optics allowed were the cameras, carriers of the images of destruction and glory that would inevitably happen that day. But Skywarp had a long story defying the forbidden. It wasn't the first time he had been in that place. He had been there before, a long time ago, accompanied precisely by the ones that were currently standing in front of each other in the arena, nothing but hate pending between them.
"Screamer… you can let go of my arm now. We're here."
"Don't waste your vocalizer, 'Warp. He's about to purge his fuel tanks."
"Oooh slag, don't even think about it, Screamer! I just got my paintjob done! Let go of my slaggin' arm, I said! I teleported you and TC here, but I'm not your fraggin' caretaker, got it?"
"It's his first time, give him a break. I recall my own first teleporting experience as a very bitter moment, especially considering you dragged me into it without even consulting me."
"Okay, okay… you may have a point there, TC… How are you feeling now, Screamer? A little better?"
"Y… yes…"
"Why don't you sit, Starscream? You look like scrap."
"I'm… fine. Mind your own business, Thundercracker!"
"Always the grateful one… Come on guys, stop fighting. I managed to get us in here, right? We'll have the best fraggin' view in the entire Coliseum!"
"And that's the only reason why I don't slag you, you moron! You must be the worst teleporter Vector Sigma ever sparked!"
"Shut up, you two. If we are caught down here we will be expelled from the Academy, and that if we are lucky. I have no doubt that these gladiators would kill us at first sight if they found us here. Besides, the fight it's starting…"
"Where, TC? Where is he?"
"There…"
"That is Megatron? He's not that big… Heh, the other guy is almost twice his size."
"Indeed he is. Such a shame he's not three times bigger at least, perhaps that way he would have stood a chance."
"What are you talking about? That guy will tear Megatron to pieces!"
"You obviously don't know Megatron at all, 'Warp."
"What do you mean, TC?"
"Just watch him dominate his rival in the same way he dominates the arena and the crowd."
"I think you're overreacting. Don't you agree, Screamer? Screamer…? Uh, TC? I think we have a problem… Screamer's kind of… speechless. Did you just fall in love, Screamer? Screamer! Say something and quit that stupid face, slaggit!"
"The humans have a saying about the one free of sin casting the first stone," Starscream said. "Are you free from sin, Thundercracker? If that is the case, I'm waiting for your stone."
Fragging Starscream… how the slag did he come up with those lines? It seemed like he always knew the right things to say – right as synonymous of hurtful. That unnerved Skywarp to the core, it always had done.
It was so surreal… his two wingmates about to slag each other to pieces, the same wingmates that had flown beside him since their days of youth at the War Academy, when daydreaming and pranks were an everyday thing. When did things change so much?
Skywarp didn't even know what the slag he was doing there; certainly not to have a privileged view. Perhaps he was there to witness the last official moment of the existence of his trine, perhaps he was there to see one of his wingmates kill the other one… Despite his current feelings for those two, they were still his wingmates, his brothers, the fliers that had fought so many battles beside him, the mechs to whom he had entrusted his life…
Perhaps he was there to say his own word in a matter his processor refused to understand. However, how he would say such word – and against whom – was yet to be decided.
Sparks literally flew when Thundercracker seized Starscream's hand at the center of the arena. But the feelings involved couldn't have been more distant from love; murderous intentions shone in both Seekers' optics as they locked hands in the strongest hand shake of their lives.
"It's curious," Starscream sneered, "I don't think we ever shook hands before."
"It's the first time indeed," Thundercracker replied, increasing the pressure on his former wingmate's hand and receiving the same response. "And considering how you seem willing to say your best lines, aren't you going to say something stupid about being the last time as well? Or will it be you who casts that first stone?"
Starscream smirked. "I see that those ridiculous badges on your wings come with an attitude… But no, there will be no lines this time. Let's proceed to your death instead, shall we?"
Starscream hadn't even finished talking when his null rays activated, but Thundercracker was ready and materialized an energy shield that rejected that first attack. However, he wasn't fast enough and his hand – the one holding Starscream's – received a mild impact. Numbness immediately took over.
"Heh," Starscream said, jumping back and putting some distance between him and his enemy. "I think I can hear your new Autobot buddies all the way from Iacon calling me a cheater just because of that."
Thundercracker slightly shook his hand, slowly returning it to complete functionality. "You said it yourself, but I would call you stupid instead. I know your null ray as well as I know your arrogance. If you really want to take me down, you will have to try harder than that."
Starscream laughed. "I'm just warming up. I wouldn't expect you to fall with my null rays at this early stage of our fight… that would be highly disappointing. But don't expect me to fall directly into your arms either."
Thundercracker smirked. "I don't. I know you are a fool but not enough to engage in hand to hand combat with a mech infinitely stronger than you."
"Infinitely? Don't blind yourself, Thundercracker. You may be stronger than me due to your ground-pounder origins, but you should know that I'm full of surprises."
"All I know is that you talk too much."
"More fight, less talk, huh? Fine with me! If you want to die so much, I will please you. Transform, you fool! Transform and show me what you are made of, because today I will show you exactly the greatness that defines a Seeker, a real Seeker! You are no match for me in the sky, Thundercracker, you never were and today won't be the exception. Hear this and hear it well: you won't leave this arena alive!"
Thundercracker didn't reply. Not with words. He transformed and followed the white, red and blue jet to the battlefield without walls, the element of freedom but also of death. Fliers as they both were, there was no other place in which their conflict could be solved. Cybertron being their battlefield, they tacitly agreed to stay within the Coliseum area; they both had many things to prove, not only to themselves but to their factions.
Every Cybertronian knew that Starscream was the fastest flier alive, his speed and flying skills as clear as a death sentence for anybody who dared to engage him in a one to one confrontation. The Autobot fliers had learned very quickly that if they wanted a chance against the Decepticon Aerospace Commander, they had to attack him as if he were a squad instead of an individual, turn the sky from Starscream's element into his enemy. But experience had also taught them how difficult was to achieve such a thing, because this was precisely Starscream's specialty. He liked to isolate his rivals, play with them until just the idea of staying in the air became terrifying, and then taking them down without anything resembling mercy. Some of the ones who had survived his attacks had even never dared to get airborne again.
That's why it was surprising for both the distant Autobot and Decepticon witnesses that Starscream didn't go for the kill as soon as he left the ground. Although not that much, considering that his rival was able to produce sonic booms that could disable any flier around. Normally Thundercracker was very careful with his special ability – when he didn't want to include his wingmates in his rate of doom – but considering that the only one flying relatively close to him was an enemy, there was no doubt that he wouldn't restrict himself in using his biggest, if not his only, card of triumph.
So Starscream's first aerial attack showed his respect toward his former wingmate's ability. After putting a safe distance between himself and Thundercracker, Starscream went upwards as much as possible and released a rain of cluster bombs on his pursuer.
Thundercracker avoided them easily, shooting his incendiary guns at the same time, but Starscream dodged the shots with the same ease. There was no doubt that they knew each other too well; perhaps the element of surprise would define the winner.
"Do you know what this reminds me of, TC?" Starscream said through his comm link. "Our practices at the Military Academy. How many times were you able to take me down back then? Oh yeah… zero."
Thundercracker's response was another round of laser fire. This time he managed to graze Starscream's underside.
"That will make this, the first time, even more pleasant. Did that hurt, Starscream?"
"As much as a caress, but I'm afraid that was the closest you will get to me today. Take this, you putrid traitor!"
Starscream plummeted so rapidly that a fleeting star wouldn't have outmatched him, also nullifying any attempt of a sonic boom coming from his rival. As predicted, Thundercracker opted for defense instead of offense, but he wasn't fast enough and Starscream's sharp wing opened a thin but deep wound on one of his sides. The attack was so fast that Starscream's fuselage didn't even feel the breeze of his enemy's vital fuel splattering from the wound.
"What about that?" Starscream mocked. "Did that hurt?"
"Why would anything hurt? Did you actually do something, Starscream?"
Starscream laughed as he started to fly in circles around his prey, closing his distance with every turn. He was getting dangerously close when a small electrical discharge coming from Thundercracker's frame made him avert his course, breaking his perfect flying pattern.
"Ionizing the atmosphere again, Thundercracker? How clever…"
"A little reminder of our last encounter. It surprises me you didn't see it coming."
"Mm, I guess you needed a way to compensate the immense advantage I have over you because of my superior speed. Very clever indeed, I bet you had a little help from your Autobot brethren. Thanks to your new little toy, my navigation system is down now."
"And so will be the rest of you!" Thundercracker roared as he suddenly turned into the pursuer. Starscream averted his course, dodging what could have been a lethal impact. Thundercracker's fuselage was heavier than his, and it was obvious who would be on the receiving end if they both crashed against each other. But Starscream's speed couldn't beat a close laser shot and this time his underside received more than just a caress.
"Slag you!" Starscream cried when a stream of his vital fluid was welcomed by the dark sky. "I'm done with playing! I'll finish you off now!"
When Starscream regained his balance, there was no doubt why he was called Prince of the Skies. That was not only his element, but an extension of himself, and he seemed very determined to show that fact to his former wingmate.
Thundercracker was being faster than ever, but still he couldn't avoid being shot on the nosecone. A black cloud of smoke, as dark as a bad omen, confirmed that the damage was not mild.
"My my, look who lost his navigation system as well! " Starscream laughed, preparing for another attack.
Thundercracker lost some altitude but regained it almost immediately, engaging in the beautiful but mortal dance that only two Seekers could perform.
"I don't need any navigation system to take you down!"
"Don't lose your calm or you'll lose the fight. Isn't that the kind of slag your Autobot friends would tell you?"
"I'll tell you one thing, Starscream. If I lose this fight, I'll make sure to take you to hell with me!"
"A little melodramatic, aren't we? Those Autobots really messed with your mind, Thundercracker. By destroying you, I'll actually do you a favour!"
Another exchange of fire found targets. Explosions and short circuits in both Seekers exposed the damage, but Starscream's speed made the difference. Despite the smoke and the fuel he was losing, he managed to stay in the air, but Thundercracker started to lose altitude, his descent on the edge of becoming a free fall.
"And that's how history is written!" Starscream snarled, heading toward his rival. "And this is how a traitor is terminated!"
A deafening sound shattered the Coliseum and its surroundings. If Kaon had memory, she certainly remembered the last time she had heard that kind of noise, the one that only the master of thunder could make when he claimed his kingdom.
"Precisely, Starscream, this will be the termination of yourself, the ultimate traitor! Being so overconfident about your own power has always been your weakness, I expected better from you!"
Starscream twisted in impossible movements, trying frantically to regain his balance after the massive overload his sensors were experiencing because of the sonic boom he had just received. Any other flier would have crashed, but not him. He recovered amazingly fast, but it was already too late.
His fuselage shook violently as Thundercracker, transformed into his bipedal mode, straddled over him, trapping him with his arms and legs.
"It's curious that you mention my Autobot friends, Starscream… They taught me some moves, such as this one. You may recognize jet judo!"
With that, Thundercracker started to punch Starscream's nosecone, denting it and shattering his cockpit. Starscream cried in pain as he made the ultimate decision. Renounce his jet mode – and thus his major advantage – or die. His survival was, as always, his only priority and he returned to his bipedal form, engaging with Thundercracker in a brutal exchange of punches. Thundercracker would normally have the upper hand in that kind of fight, but the loss of pressure he had experienced due to the release of his sonic boom was still affecting him and Starscream managed to shoot him point blank in the right shoulder. The damage was considerable, but Thundercracker seemed to be above pain.
Gravity did her thing and both combatants returned to the ground. They fell on the half destroyed steps of the Coliseum, finishing the job that time and war had done so well. At the last moment, Starscream had managed to get on top of Thundercracker and received the lesser evil of such a devastating fall, but still he tumbled down the stairs and ended up crashing against the barrier that separated the public area from the arena. His optics blinked for a moment but it didn't take him long to start moving again. He got onto one knee and pushed himself laboriously to a standing position. His chest plates were damaged and the inner circuits of his right thigh were completely exposed, but aside from that, he seemed to be very functional.
He looked upwards, toward the cloud of dark smoke and debris in which no movement could be detected. Following his battle computer and his instinct, he raised his arm-mounted canons and started to limp toward his objective, murder clearly being his only objective.
He shot, as always attacking first and asking questions later. He shot until he couldn't shoot anymore, his optics blinking with fury, his air vents expelling his anxiety and his desire to end the fight as soon as possible. When debris stopped ricocheting on his armour and the cloud of smoke caressed his feet, Starscream staggered, trying to regain his balance, but keeping his cannons aimed at whatever was lying before him.
He shrieked in surprise when two hands came from the smoke and seized his arms in an iron grip. Pain was all that came through Starscream's vocalizer when both his arm-mounted cannons were ripped from his arms with extreme brutality. He was released, but only to have the deadly weapons of Thundercracker aimed at his face.
"No!" Starscream cried, stepping back and instinctively trying to protect himself by putting his hands between him and his attacker. "Don't shoot!"
Thundercracker was in very bad shape. One of his wings was almost torn and there were open wounds all over his dented body, but he seemed decided to remain standing that day.
His face showed something of a mixture between a smirk and a grimace. "I don't need to shoot. I will win this fight without having any advantage over you."
The sound of his own armour being wounded seemed to travel over the entire surface Cybertron as Thundercracker ripped his cannons off his arms. Nude of weapons, both Seekers faced the last stage of their fight.
"Fool! You just deprived yourself of your only chance of victory," Starscream hissed, oblivious to his own vital fluid dampening his arms.
Thundercracker pounced at him so fast that it was a surprise that Starscream managed to stay on his feet. He stepped back as Thundercracker's hands closed around his neck, his own hands seizing the arms of his attacker at the same time. It seemed that Starscream's last moments were approaching, but the Decepticon Second in Command was never out of resources. Thundercracker groaned in pain and released his prey when two sharp spikes emerged from Starscream's forearms and pierced his armour.
"Feel free to cry as much as you want! As you can see, I also had some upgrades," Starscream said, smirking. "Just as you prepared to fight a real flier, I was ready to face a ground-pounder like you, who would bet on a hand to hand combat as his only chance of victory. You know why you are dying today, don't you Thundercracker? Because no matter how much you changed your body, you could never erase the stench of your filthy Autobot origins!"
Thundercracker roared and crashed his head against Starscream's face, forcing him to retreat, but the Decepticon remained standing. They both seemed to understand that the next one to hit the ground wouldn't stand up again.
Furious about the shattered optic that his face exhibited, Starscream pounced at Thundercracker, oblivious of the superior physical strength of his rival. He embraced him by the waist and pushed him as hard as he could. Thundercracker couldn't avoid being dragged back but he punched Starscream's back brutally, right at the union of his wings, making his enemy cry in pain.
Spitting energon and still groaning because of the damage received, Starscream managed to smirk. "How ironic… you were so confident that close combat would be your victory card, and yet it will be the complete opposite."
Thundercracker groaned in pain and kicked Starscream away from him, his middle section stabbed by four blades that had emerged from Starscream's armour.
"And now, for the grand finale, I will cut you in two!" Starscream cried as the wrist joint of his right hand opened and allowed a thin but sharp laser sword to shine its deadly glimmer.
Thundercracker retreated but Starscream's speed didn't give him any chance. In less than a nano klik he was above his enemy, his sword ready to release the promised fatal hit. At the last moment, Thundercracker protected his head with his arm and the sword pierced cleanly through it, opening a deep wound on his forearm. But that's all that Thundercracker could do; not caring about the relative failure of his first attempt, Starscream attacked again and this time his sword found shelter on the right side of Thundercracker's chest.
"It's over," Starscream hissed. "In consideration of the vorns we were wingmates, I'll make this fast, but not less painful."
"It is over indeed," Thundercracker said, surprisingly calm. "For you."
As if he couldn't feel the pain, Thundercracker closed his hand around the laser sword. The smell of burned metal permeated through the air as the Autobot's hand started to melt.
"You… you insane fragger!" Starscream cried, terrified, as he released his sword and stepped back.
"I understand something," Thundercracker continued, his voice never so calm as he removed the sword from his wounded chest. "You are afraid, Starscream, you have been afraid all your life. I never pitied you as much as I pity you right now. Surrender and I'll grant you mercy."
"You… will grant me mercy?" Starscream stammered, trembling in fury. "I will never surrender to you! I will kill you, do you understand? That's what I'll do!"
Another laser sword emerged from Starscream's arm, but before he could release the final blow, an accurate shot broke the weapon in two. Starscream's face had never been as shocked as he turned to his right and faced the unwelcomed visitor.
"You! I told you to stay the slag away from this!" he said, as astonished as he was furious.
Thundercracker had time to look at his unexpected saviour right before he vanished, but there was no trace of gratitude on the blue Seeker's face, only shock and frustration.
Starscream returned his confused gaze to Thundercracker, but the now Autobot didn't hesitate. He activated his thrusters and pounced at Starscream with all the potency he had left, grasped him by the waist and propelled both of them towards the sky. Starscream roared in pain as his middle section was crushed so brutally, for once not relieved by being back in his element.
But Thundercracker had no plans to remain airborne. As soon as he gained enough altitude, he positioned himself on top of Starscream and used everything that was left of his thrusters to return to the ground at supersonic speed. Right before crashing, Starscream had time to glance downwards, to the same arena that had started it all and would now see the end.
A deafening sound and an impressive cloud of smoke and debris exploded as both Seekers crashed at the center of the Coliseum and opened a big hole beneath them, defeating the millenary resistance of the scenario that had seen so many other Cybertronians die.
Silence, the same silence that would have caressed a crypt, immediately took over. The duel had finished, charging its toll of fatality and bitter victory.
From their distant locations, Autobots and Decepticons anxiously waited for the survivor; no one could think about calling him a winner anymore.
Finally, after some of the most tense astro seconds Cybertron had ever lived, one arm emerged from the debris.
Starscream's arm.
Completely severed.
After throwing his macabre trophy, a very wounded Thundercracker pushed himself out of the hole, his expression empty, completely deprived of anything resembling victory.
He stood there for a moment, a sole survivor without anything to celebrate.
He limped slowly toward the exit, surrounded by the complete silence that seemed to be reigning all over Cybertron.
"I used to think I was the ultimate prankster, but you really outdid me this time."
Thundercracker stopped, not surprised by the voice but visibly disturbed. He turned around and faced Skywarp, who wasn't staring at his optics, but at the Autobot insignias on his wings.
"You shouldn't have got involved, 'Warp… Leave now, you don't know what you did."
Skywarp's optics narrowed as he raised his arm-mounted cannons. "Defend yourself, traitor! Unlike Screamer, I didn't come here to be defeated!"
Thundercracker stepped back and instinctively raised his hands in a pacifist gesture, trying to calm his former wingmate. "No… brother, wait…"
"You betrayed the Decepticon cause! You betrayed me!"
"Wait! Brother!"
"Betrayer."
That was the last word Thundercracker heard. He saw the murderous fire coming from Skywarp's canons, but he didn't mind. All his senses were still focused on the coldness and hurt in which the last word had been said.
As his chest plates exploded and he felt how his life started to escape through his destroyed body, Thundercracker realized that perhaps he was listening to the last word he would ever hear.
To be continued.
If you need some tissues, I have plenty of them :o(
Sorry for the very common title of the chapter, but I couldn't think in one that fitted better, except, of course, for 'Two shall fall'.
What Sparkplug said happened in the G1 episode 'More than meets the eye' part 2. Thundercracker actually pushed him away, but didn't harm him. This can be interpreted in many ways – most certainly, it was because in a 80's kids cartoon, the human heroes of the story were not meant to be killed – but I chose this one.
Unlike it happened in the episode 'Heavy metal war', I wanted to write this duel more private, as it happened in the UK Marvel comics in which Starscream battled Brawn to death. Both Autobots and Decepticons were allowed to watch the fight, but from their headquarters. No one of them was allowed to get close to the combatants, although also there was an uninvited witness.
The swords that Starscream used was a little blink to Transformers Armada, as perhaps you noticed ;o)
The final dialogue between Thundercracker and Skywarp was based on the dialogue they had in 'All hail Megatron' issue 12, in which Skywarp shoots Thundercracker after he saved New York and the Autobots from certain destruction. Actually, I used two literal lines from TC. I just couldn't resist it :oP
Sorry for the ugly cliffhanger. Next chapter is practically done, so you can count with a fast update. Please let me know your opinions, they are a big inspiration and help :o)