CHAPTER 80

One second…

Two seconds…

She was still standing. But the Cyclops had expected it. Karan waited for the cloud of smoke to dissipate.

Once she caught sight of the horrified and scandalized face of the tarantula, Karan ordered the armor to run straight at the spider.

"You filthy—" The spider hissed in anger, rage animating her features.

But Karan didn't even let her finish. Her armored arm lifted and struck straight into the jaw of the tarantula, causing some dentas to fly in the process.

Karan couldn't suppress a sneer. For once that she did not envy the fact of not having a face ...

She had a little trouble handling this armor at first. This was evident when the spider stood up and rushed towards her, her eight legs raised. Karan's processor started to spin at full speed and it was only just that Karan dodged an attack by projecting herself to the side. She hadn't anticipated her collapse and she fell heavily to the ground.

Karan growled in pain. She tried painfully to straighten but the pincers of the tarantula reflecting in her red globe. She didn't have time to turn around as the spider was already on her.

Scrap!

Karan protected her face to block the impact of the spider's rage. Her paw was about to hit her when something unexpectedly caught the Insecticon from behind.

The spider cried out in fury and the Cyclops uncovered her head to observe what was happening.

Chop Shop ... Chop Shop had grabbed the spider, trapping her with all four arms.

What was he doing ? Karan was too surprised to speak. The tarantula struggled fiercely but Chop Shop trapped her firmly, holding her neck to try to strangle her.

"You are dead" hissed the spider.

Chop Shop clenched his jaw, resisting the blows scratching his wrists and the cheek. Karan growled and as she stood up, the spider suddenly turned and propelled Chop Shop backwards, the latter collapsing a few meters further.

As the tarantula turned to face her, Karan jumped forward to send her an uppercut, as Outrigger had taught her to.

The Insecticon screamed in rage and locked her wrist, before continuing with a punch that would have atomized Karan's red globe if she had not been protected by the armor.

The effect was the same. Karan no longer discerned the earth and the sky. The world revolved around her. Her ordeal ended when she crashed to the ground, not far from Chop Shop.

Fortunately, she was protected, she tried to convince herself. But when she straightened up, she realized that the tarantula was standing and was ready to melt on her.

Karan moaned in pain as Chop Shop helped her get up. Immediately, the Cyclops pushed him back violently.

"I forbid you to touch me!" warned Karan badly.

"You will not be able to fight her alone, Karan," replied the Red Insecticon calmly.

Karan pulled back.

"What's the point? You betrayed me. You are on her side, right?"

"I'm on my side, yes. But know that if I want to help you, I help you."

If she could have, Karan would have winced. She had no time to add anything other than Chop Shop violently pushed her back. Karan realized that the spider had taken advantage of their exchange to shoot her pincers. She would have cut her in two halves if Chop Shop hadn't acted.

Karan managed to catch her balance as her pedes glided through the sand. She caught her breath before counterattacking, sweeping the air vertically to take the spider by surprise and punch her in the jaw. The same fist lowered to strike the tarantula in the middle of the forehead, before pushing it away with a kick.

"Someone like you-" started the spider.

"SHUT UP!" Karan cut her off before stopping another spider attack.

The Insecticon swept her arms with a pair of forceps before plunging three of her legs onto her. Karan could only grab two by the end of his arm, but the third violently pierced the top of her helmet, almost touching her forehead.

Karan froze momentarily for a second before resuming the fight.

She had to fight. Otherwise, she would kill her. It was certain.

Her pedes dragged on the ground, making her back a few meters. The spider used all the weight of her body to disarm it with ease and Karan could not even repel it, even less to gain the upper hand.

"You remind me of Arcee" chuckled the Insecticon.

"Which part in 'shut up' don't you understand?" Karan spat back.

Her arms were shaking. She was about to give in when the spider cried out in pain. Karan looked up and saw that Chop Shop had used the force of his arms to pierce her in the back with just his claws.

Decepticon in all his splendor. Karan would have smiled if the situation was not so dangerous. She took the opportunity to repel the spider before raising her fist and hitting her in the face once, twice, three times ...

While Chop Shop maintained her, Karan continued to strike the tarantula. But at one point, she did not control her gesture and hit Chop Shop in the middle of his cheek.

"Watch out!" shouted Chop Shop.

Karan didn't even apologize. She didn't feel bad, anyway. She was on the verge of giving another blow to the spider when the latter responded with a head-butt before disengaging herself from the grip of Chop Shop by a kick.

The two backed away before joining to face their enemy.

"I have an idea," Karan whispered, noticing the destroyed safe from the corner of her globe. "Distract her."

Chop Shop nodded to her, not even trying to find out if she had planned to throw him in the lion's den. But luckily for him, it wasn't Karan's intention.

The Red Insecticon leaned on his pedes to gain momentum, before rushing straight into the spider.

As the two exchanged various attacks and projections, Karan rushed to the safe. Fortunately, uncle (or auntie) Fracture had quality and had offered her this magic safe for her Creation Day.

She only had one more try. She shouldn't miss it. Behind her, Chop Shop struggled as best he could, pushing the spider away. She clearly had the upper hand and unfortunately for them, she knew how to fight.

Karan accelerated the pace and rewound the second bomb inside the safe. She barely turned her head to see the red Insecticon being violently scratched in the face, shutting down one of the four optics. This made the tarantula laugh, who went on with a new kick in the full frame, causing him to spit energon and almost took his breath away.

Karan almost got out of her hinges at this vision. But she had to hold on. Quickly, she set the bomb for twenty seconds.

It would be so long and so short at the same time… She shouldn't miss it.

As Chop Shop was on the verge of collapse, Karan started running towards him, his arm outstretched, the bomb in her other servo.

Chop Shop noticed her before smiling at her. Immediately, as he blocked another spider's uppercut, he grabbed Karan by the waist.

The tarantula did not have time to strike him again that Chop Shop turned around, making Karan appear in front of her, with her pede raised.

This window of a few seconds to send him a blow in the chassis to repel it, before throwing the bomb in the direction. Karan ordered Chop Shop to back off. The spider straightened and with a sharp blow, she threw the bomb into the air.

"You got me once! You won't get me twice, dirty standard!" hissed the spider.

Quietly, Karan answered her.

"But that was what I expected."

Chop Shop laughed.

Then immediately, the spider lifted her chin.

Then the tarantula's face decayed when she realized that she had sent the dead bomb on one of the rocks that gave life to the Jasper Desert.

When the count reached zero, the bomb exploded. And the spider didn't have time to escape until the collapse melted on her, blocking her path before burying her alive under a landslide caused by a deafening din.


They waited long minutes. But the spider did not reappear.

Relieved, Karan let out a deep sigh, her shoulderplates slackening as her armor opened to let her out.

Done ... she had got this bitch.

As she turned to Chop Shop, she saw the latter open his wrist, as if to dial coordinates.

Immediately, she returned to reality and placed herself in a defensive position.

Now that she had fallen ... They had no longer any reason to let the other escape.

But Chop Shop did not seem aggressive. The next moment, a ground-bridge appeared in front of them.

"What is that?" growled Karan.

"A ground-bridge. You have to recover the artifact if you want to return it to your friends."

"Oh yes? And why would you help me?" hissed the Cyclops, the bitterness covering her voice.

Chop Shop's smile vanished. He simply lowered his head.

"I trusted you ..." repeated Karan, without trying to finish her sentence.

"It's worth what it's worth ... even if it's too late ... But ... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you ... neither you, Outrigger, nor Autobots."

Karan felt her fists clench.

"I'm… really sorry," Chop Shop repeated.

"Keep your excuses!" spat Karan. "What do you believe ? Will I forgive you in a snap of my digits? And let you join the Autobots?"

He'd said it himself ... He had no loyalty.

And what an idiot she had been too, to believe that an Insecticon could be interested in her without a second thought.

Yes. What an idiot.

"And who tells me that this is not another trap ?"

"We're wasting time," Chop Shop reminded her. "This is our only chance. They are on the battlefield right now. All of that ... it was a diversion for Queen Airachnid to recover the artifacts."

Karan started.

All of them… on the battlefield? So ... they were all fighting Insecticons right now?

The same temper as the spider ...?

The Cyclops groaned. She ended up shaking her helm before following him.

"In this case, you are accompanying me."

"Of course. It was planned."

"Do not make fun of me."

As much as it made herself useful ... as much as it would benefit them.

However, she re-entered her armor again, staying on guard. She ordered Chop Shop to walk past so that he wouldn't stab her in the back again.

Once again ... once was already too much.

"... You deserve to die" Karan wished him.

She did not regret her words. If anyone ever died in this battle, it was him. Nobody else. Not one of her friends.

She didn't say another word. She watched him stiffen, but he didn't answer. The two crossed the ground-bridge before finding themselves in a long dark corridor.

A deserted corridor ... Karan went into a fighting stance, ready to protect herself from an ambush. Chop Shop pointed her in a direction and the two took it, making sure to be as discreet as possible.

"Shiny!"

The two immediately turned around. Karan turned her fists towards the newcomer.

Filch, in her bird mode, tilted her head to the side, apparently surprised to find them there.

The reality was all the more painful ...

Her. She, too, had deceived Outrigger ...

Chop Shop sighed in relief before getting closer to the magpie while Karan stood back.

"Filch ..."

"Shiny?"

"… Do you know where the artifacts are locked up?"

Filch pretended to think.

She did not ask the question of the why of the how. She looked at Chop Shop, a little curious.

"Chop Shop know what they look like?"

"They ... shine. The Crown shines, at least."

As soon as she heard the magic word, the mischief appeared in Filch's optics as she turned on her heels, pointing them in the opposite direction.

"Shiny! Objects shine there!"

Karan would have winced, even though she followed the two ani-bots.

She was there now… no matter what the consequences, she had to help her friends.


One…two…three…four…

Around her, blows rained.

Arcee was doing her best to stay the distance against the Insecticons who were coming together against her, all attacking her simultaneously.

The blue femme growled in rage, distributing laser shots to be able to repel them.

Arcee stooped to avoid a powerful ball of electricity that passed over her helm and crashed against the wall, leaving only slight traces behind it.

Arcee straightened up. The firefly has not even moved, since earlier. She just let her guards attack in her place and only shot when she was too close to her.

Their optics met and fury rose in the being of the two-wheeler.

Immediately, the fembot pointed her laser-gun and fired.

The firefly did not blink. Arcee fired again. But on the next blow, she realized she was short. She uttered a cry of rage and rushed towards the firefly to throw herself on her.

She was not a fighter ... she was a coward who didn't even fight! Who let her minions fight in her place!

But with a dry movement, the firefly stopped her halfway up, grabbing her neck with one servo while with the other servo, she trapped her wrist with a firm grip, preventing her from advancing further.

Her blade ... her blade ...

She hadn't spoken at all. The firefly stared blankly at her.

Then, in a calm and laidback voice, she addressed to her:

"... Arcee, right?"

"What do you want with me, Decepticon?"

"My name is Glowstrike."

The femme named Glowstrike tightened her grip, making Arcee cry out in pain.

The blue femme noticed the hips of the firefly gleaming menacingly. She was about to attack again.

"… Airachnide killed your partner, right?" she asked, not changing her tone.

At the mention of the term "partner," Arcee hissed in a rage and punched her in the face. Glowstrike didn't even flinch and flipped to press her against the wall.

Then her face moved closer to hers, her golden optics plunging into Arcee's blue optics.

"Why attack me? You and me ... we have the same goal."

"What?"

She didn't dare ... she didn't dare compare herself to her.

However, Glowstrike seemed quite serious.

For a moment, Arcee caught the shadow of a smirk.

"... you hate her, huh? Do you want to see her dead? I wish for it too. I hate her more than anything."

"Don't even dare talk to me!" hissed Arcee.

"I dare" replied Glowstrike, tightening her grip on her. "Me too, she took things from me. She may not have killed a partner, but if not for her, everything would be much better at the Sanctuary."

Arcee froze.

Seeing that she was no longer moving, Glowstrike gently loosened her grip.

"If not for her, the Sanctuary would not have become hell on Earth. Even if ... it's surely nothing near your grief, your loss. You must have suffered enormously through the fault of this creature, right?"

Arcee felt a lump in her throat.

She wanted to answer her something. Whatever.

But no words came out of her mouth. Glowstrike continued.

"… Do you want revenge? I can help you. Together ... we could get rid of Airachnid once and for all, don't you think?"

"... What?"

"It can stop now. I can order them to stop attacking your comrades. We would stand together... and then we would eliminate a common threat once and for all."

Arcee kept her mouth open.

Get rid of Airachnid ... she who had killed Tailgate ... she who had caused so much harm around her ... even though Optimus had always repeated never to give in to revenge.

But ... as long as Airachnid existed...

"... As long as Airachnid exists" added Glowstrike, as if she had guessed her thoughts, "we will be in pain. I can take this pain away from you, Arcee. Airachnide would die once and for all…"

And outside ... her comrades continued to fight. They would continue to fight, unless someone ordered them to stop.

Kill Airachnid ...

Arcee clenched her jaw.

It was tempting ... extremely tempting.

Then Wheeljack's face reappeared in her mind.

The effect was immediate. The next moment, she pushed Glowstrike away even though the firefly kept a hold on her.

"... You killed Wheeljack ..."

She punched her in the cheek. The firefly winced, before straightening towards her, her optics creasing with cold fury.

"You killed ... my comrades ... my partners" scolded Arcee, articulating well on each word. "You are no better than Airachnid ..."

Then another. Glowstrike barely yelped in pain.

To believe that nothing reached her ... Nothing hit her... except physical pain.

Arcee knew this kind of person. Calculator and without any empathy.

"... You deserve the death penalty as much as she does, Decepticon !" finished Arcee, raising her voice.

No. She would not give in.

Glowstrike gripped her face violently and Arcee screamed in pain, feeling the electricity spurt out of her servo to burn her forehead and cheeks.


In a battle cry, Wing pierced the leg of an Insecticon.

Without giving him time to get up, the white bot hit him with a shoulderplate before lifting his pede to step on the chassis, cutting his breath.

Feeling another coming from behind him, the white bot turned around and plunged his sword into his shoulderplate, pushing him away before exchanging several displays with another Insecticon, sweeping his legs before punching him, knocking him out.

It never ended ... it never ended ...

Around him, Insecticons came back again, rising from the ground to attack again.

Wing hissed from fatigue, glancing at the three he had fought. Their injuries were not serious but they would need treatment soon.

Arcee ... was she doing up there?

Wing resumed fighting, blocking another Insecticon's shot before throwing him away.

He had to trust her. They had to trust the Autobots or they would never get away with it.

"It looks like you've taken insurance since our meeting."

Wing looked up.

Behind him, Saberhorn flapped his wings, flying high. But this time, there was no mockery or contempt in his tone.

He only seemed… puzzled. Wing turned completely, facing him.

"You are more violent, more cruel to your enemies."

"I'm sparing them," Wing replied harshly.

"But for how long, my dear?"

Wing started, without answering.

"… Your leader Dai Atlas no longer seems to respect his own word" Saberhorn commented while observing in the distance Dai Atlas propelling the Insecticons warriors by the dozen. "He killed Scorponok."

He received no response.

Wing grabbed his sword and cut the air in an arc. This surprised Saberhorn, who shifted before landing a few meters further.

"Dare not speak badly of my leader," Wing said, his voice trembling.

"You're cracking, Wing. It is obvious."

Once again, Wing remained silent.

Using his sword, he aimed at Saberhorn's hip. Immediately, the beetle drew out its two swords and blocked the blow, trapping the blade of Wing in his own.

"You are wasting your time" warned Saberhorn. "The Sanctuary, the Insecticons ... they will never surrender."

"No ... I know" replied Wing, out of breath.

The blades separated. Wing and Saberhorn faced each other, on guard.

"... But you ..." said Wing, breathing heavily. "You ... you can do something."

Saberhorn frowned, not understanding what the white bot meant.

"Me?"

"... You are not a bad person, Saberhorn. I know it. I feel it."

In response, Saberhorn stabbed him horizontally, almost cutting Wing's waist. The white bot stepped back and blocked, leaning on his heels to push him away.

"… Who are you to tell me who I am?" growled Saberhorn, in a surly tone.

"... You are not a bad person" repeated Wing.

It seemed to annoy Saberhorn more. Wing was waiting for him to attack.

Immediately, the white bot swept his short blade with his servo. Again, the beetle stared at his empty servo. He gritted dentas and rushed to Wing, who blocked again.

"We don't always have to fight," Wing said, the energon flowing from his lips.

"I advise you not to say such stupidities to me, dear fella" Saberhorn replied coldly.

"I mean, it's ridiculous, Saberhorn."

"Excuse me?"

Saberhorn didn't have time to pick up his sword until Wing barred his way, grabbing his wrist. The beetle growled and pulled away.

"It's ridiculous ? To fight against a species that discriminates against us?"

"We are of the same species, Saberhorn. It makes no sense."

The same words ... the same words he'd used when he'd discovered his role in the murder of Garboil.

It didn't matter ... He was tired of fighting ... They may have been Insecticons, but they were Cybertronians above all… they were like them… no matter what their alt-mode… that shouldn't be a criteria.

"Why? Why are you refusing to listen?" shouted Wing, his voice trembling.

"You're just an idealist, Wing!" growled Saberhorn. "I participated in the assassination of Garboil! I let Arkus die! Remember!"

Wing smiled bitterly.

Yes ... he remembered.

"Why?" shouted Saberhorn, emotion marking his voice. "Why are you hanging on to me over and over again?"

Somewhere, deep down, Wing considered it a victory.

"Because I know that in other circumstances, you would have done otherwise. Am I wrong?"

Saberhorn stopped struggling. He glared at Wing, incredulous.

He did not seem to believe that he used this kind of speech. But Wing believed in it. He sincerely believed in it.

He had forgiven Dai Atlas… he had always forgiven others before… He could do the same with Saberhorn. He could try to make him hear reason.

Without any warning, Saberhorn stopped using his blades. Instead, he lifted his pedes and kicked him in the face, making Wing wobble.

The white bot almost lost his balance, but that didn't seem to satisfy Saberhorn, who suddenly grabbed his face.

"Why ... why don't you want to listen to me?" Wing asked calmly, though he continued to spit energon.

"Because it's too late for forgiveness!" growled Saberhorn. "It's too late for me! You hear me?"

"You can always run away! Far from it! Far from this war which is not yours!"

Fleeing ... that was what he had always done.

Since he had been recruited into this war, for artifacts, to have a home ... even if Cybertron was supposed to be the planet of all. Wing pushed him away, but Saberhorn wouldn't let him go. Immediately, the beetle used the full weight of his body to make him fall.

The two rolled on the ground, each trying to gain the upper hand over the other.

It was finally Wing who got the upper hand. He pressed Saberhorn to the ground, fist raised, one servo on the chassis to keep him from getting up.

The beetle glared at him, trying to wrestle.

But the urge to fight began to fade ... Wing felt it. The white bot sighed, slowly lowering his fist. Saberhorn did not detach his optics from him.

His expression didn't change.

"You can run away," continued Wing. "Flee far ... You can leave, with your loved ones, far from Earth, far from Cybertron."

It let out an icy laugh from the beetle.

"You dare to pretend to be a member of the Circle of Light ... and you would let a criminal escape? Do I really have to believe you?"

"…You can believe me."

Wing was about to add when suddenly he was thrown back.

A few seconds later, he felt a violent pain puncture his chassis. Suddenly he began to moan in pain.

A laser shot ... A lost shot ... Wing suppressed a grimace and let go of his grip.

"Wing?" he heard Saberhorn calling him.

Wing did not answer. He collapsed next to him.

Endure the pain, Wing thought. Postpone it until later.

Leaning over him, Saberhorn looked at him with a hint of concern in his optics. Wing was standing on the chassis.

Fortunately, the energon did not sink, but the impact was significant enough to puncture the chassis. Slowly, the white bot put his servos to his chassis to open it and examine the interior.

It was then that something slipped to the ground. Wing kept his servos pressed on his chassis. He lowered his gaze and his spark tightened when he noticed the object.

The drawing ... The drawing of Heavenlight ...

His sight clouded. All the talk with Saberhorn, all the memories he had shared with her ... it hurt him more than the impact of the laser shot.

Heavenlight… had also been an Insecticon. What would she say if she saw him ... him ... fighting with other Insecticons?

Would she hold it against him? Would she continue to call him "Foolish Wing", as in his memories?

Wing smiled sadly before reaching out for the drawing.

Saberhorn's voice rose.

"…What is that?"

Wing looked at him.

An indecipherable expression animated the features of the beetle. Wing grabbed the drawing to hug it.

"…What is that?" repeated Saberhorn. "What is this drawing, Wing?"

The white bot caught his breath.

The behavior of the beetle had completely changed. Saberhorn's voice was tinged with something familiar to him ... that Wing recognized.

An emotion ... a strong emotion full of disbelief ... the same as Wing felt when he learned that he had had a daughter he had forgotten.

This tone ... like a bomb.

"…Answer my question. Why do you have this drawing?"

Why do you have this drawing?

He did not understand the attitude of the pirate. But Wing kept the drawing, as if he was afraid Saberhorn would take it from him.

"…My daughter. Heavenlight" Wing replied weakly.

The beetle's face decomposed in seconds.

A heavy silence fell. Wing no longer listened to the shots…

Saberhorn only stared at the drawing, as if he had forgotten the existence of the white bot.

Why do you have this drawing?

The question still resonated in Wing's processor, even if Saberhorn had the answer.

"Your daughter ..." he only managed to articulate.

Saberhorn paused.

In a low voice, he said the following sentence.

Just a few words.

"…It's impossible"

Saberhorn didn't add anything else.

"Saberhorn!" Wing called.

Why?

But the pirate gave him no answer.

He turned on his heel.

Slowly, he moved away from his former opponent, without looking behind him.

Why do you have this drawing?