25- One Shall Rise (Part 2).
Optimus was completely surrounded by avatars of Unicron.
"Optimus, have you uncovered any further sign of Unicron's emergence?" Ratchet asked through the com-link.
"Unicron is power incarnated. And you, the last of the Primes, shall perish." All the Unicron clones said at the same time, which was also heard at base.
"I take that as a yes. We are on our way."
"Negative. Unicron cannot be defeated by sheer force. He wants me, Ratchet." Optimus said as he pulled out his weapons. "This fight must be mine alone."
And with his battle mask ready, the manifestations started to attack, jumping from the high cliffs. Optimus shot down almost all of them, a few tried to hit him but he managed to hold them. He jumped to another platform, where he shot another clone down and disposed of another with his sword. He jumped to other platforms, taking down all the clones that got in his way. But after a while, two clones tackled him against a wall on another platform. One started to hit Optimus, but he eliminated it and got back to his feet. However, the number of clones continued to come until there was too many for Optimus. At the end, they managed to overwhelm him: as two hold his arms, others were getting ready to finish him. But then, some shots distracted them, coming right from the other Autobots, who bridged there and were heading to support their leader. Arcee changed to vehicle form and jumped above the clones, kicking one on the face. She and the other Autobots eliminated all the clones which were holding Optimus. He kicked the nearest one as he went back to his feet before grabbing another one and throwing it away. Cliffjumper and Bumblebee fired at other before Bee finished it with a kick on its head, but two more appeared very near, almost crushing them and Arcee. But Optimus disposed of them.
"Did Ratchet not relay my command? Return to base."
"Reinforcements will not prevent your destruction, Disciple of Primus."
"Optimus, you're Unicron's target. Maybe you should consider returning to base." Cliffjumper suggested.
"Leaving Planet X will not be an effective solution. These manifestations of Unicron can locate me anywhere on any planet affected by his power. Unicron has used dark energon to infect planets and spread his influence of chaos with it. Even our base's shielding would only cloak my position for so long. I will not put others at risk."
"Then fall back and let us take the lead. Just this once." Bulkhead offered.
"Please, listen to reason. If you don't survive, Optimus, I fear neither will this galaxy." Ratchet proclaimed.
"Very well." Optimus gave in as the rest of the Autobots formed around him.
"Let's move!" Arcee yelled.
The group started to move across the canyon's walls, eliminating all the clones that tried to stay in their way, jumping above the platforms. A clone emerged on their way, only to be smashed by Optimus in vehicle form before returning to robot form. Once at the top of the canyon, the Autobots changed to vehicle form and speeded up, smashing and shooting at the clones that got on their way. It looked like they managed to left them behind, but suddenly, a near mountain started to break as another Unicron clone appeared from the rubble like the others, except this one was huge, like a titan. The Autobots changed form again as it stood in front of them.
"(Is that the real Unicron?)"
"No, not Unicron himself, but another of his manifestations." Optimus clarified.
"If we can't beat Unicron and we can't outrun him, what exactly are we supposed to do?" Bulkhead asked.
"All we can do: neutralize his vessels as they appear, until we find a way to destroy him, without destroying the very planet upon which we walk now." Optimus answered pulling out his cannons.
The giant avatar walked at them, while Optimus fired at him and Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Cliffjumper changed to vehicle form and drove until they were behind Unicron. Once there, they returned to robot form and fired their weapons, except Bulkhead, who remained in his walker form and fired his cannon. Unicron used his club to whack them away. Arcee was firing at him from another side, and changed to vehicle form to speed up and become a harder target, as she circled around his feet, firing her vehicle weapons. But he managed to whack her with his scimitar. Optimus continued firing at him in the front.
"Fool."
Unicron hit the ground with his club, launching a lot of rocks at Optimus. He jumped aside to dodge them, but the last one caught him. The other Autobots recovered, and seeing that Unicron was going for Optimus they fired at him again, but Unicron did not cared about that. Optimus tried to get free himself from the rocks, as he saw Unicron over him, with his foot ready to stomp on him.
"I am this world's past and its future. And as on this moment…"
"NOOOOO!" Arcee shouted.
"All Primes are simply past."
Suddenly, a storm of lasers hit Unicron's head, making the rock titan to fell to the ground and shattered in pieces.
"(Who did that?)"
"Wasn't me." Arcee answered.
"Me neither." Bulkhead said.
"Don't look at me." Cliff said.
"Ratchet." Arcee called.
"What is it? What happened?"
"I happened!"
Everyone saw at the top of the rubble, revealing that the responsible one was no other else that the leader of the Decepticons, who jumped down right in front of them as another great entrance.
"Megatron." Bulkhead said.
"The King of the Cons is there too?" Han asked surprised.
"He has aligned himself with Unicron." Ratchet deduced.
"Don't be so sure. Megatron just saved Optimus's tailpipe." Cliffjumper revealed, shocking everyone at base.
Optimus was free of the rubble when Megatron stood in front of him. He aimed his fusion cannon at his eternal nemesis, making the Autobots to aim their guns at him, but instead of firing, he offered him his hand. Optimus took it, allowing Megatron to help him up.
"It is rather ironic, considering our last encounter. If memory serves, you were desperately attempting to extinguish my spark." Megatron reminded.
"That option remains very much in play." Optimus told to Megatron, face-to-face.
"I would expect nothing less. However, I have a proposal. Join me in defeating our shared enemy: Unicron, the Chaos Bringer."
That left the Autobots surprised.
"Ha! Absurd! Unicron is evil incarnated. If Megatron was to take any side, why would it be ours?" Ratchet demanded.
"Because Megatron's pride would never allow anyone other than himself to rule this galaxy."
"You know me all too well, Optimus."
"You lead an army of Cons. Why come to us?" Cliff asked.
"Because this particular endeavor requires something beyond the realm of my command: the power of a Prime."
"Heh, then I guess we don't need you." Bulkhead said.
"On the contrary. Optimus may be the only one who can defeat Unicron, but I remain the only one who can guide you to him. Unicron's lifeblood runs through me, only I can hear his thoughts, anticipate his movements. Optimus, our past alliances, Autobot, Decepticon, no longer matter, not while Unicron lives."
Ratchet hit the terminal angered. "The past always matters!"
"A truce between Autobot and Decepticon. How long do you expect us to believe that will last?" Optimus questioned.
"Only as long as it is mutually beneficial." Megatron answered.
"And when our proposed shared mission is completed?"
"I will conquer this galaxy. My way."
"Brutal honesty from a Decepticon?" Cliff asked.
"Aligning with the lesser of two evils is still siding with evil." Ratchet retorted.
"Do you think you've witnessed the full power of Unicron? Those foot soldiers were nothing more than a taste. Unicron has yet to fully awaken. With each passing moment the Bringer of Chaos evolves, mutating every infected place of this galaxy with his essence from the inside out. What we have witnessed until now is but a prelude of the utter devastation his rising will wreak upon the entire galaxy." Megatron revealed.
"Like your quest for power destroyed Cybertron?" Arcee pointed.
"Make no mistake. This time there will be a planet left for me to rule."
"Even if we agree, Unicron is all the way down at the center of Planet X. How are we supposed to get there, drive?" Bulkhead asked.
"There is only one way." Optimus answered.
"Absolutely not!" Ratchet shouted, knowing what Optimus was referring to. "Ground bridging into the galaxy's edge or on a moving train is difficult enough. But plotting a blind jump inside of a sentient being? Besides, too much exposure to that much dark energon will debilitate you. The potential of his element is too much bigger on the planet's core than in the surface. You haven't built up an immunity like Megatron has."
"Yet another strong argument for soliciting my guidance." Megatron remarked.
"You can provide Unicron's exact coordinates?" Optimus asked.
"If you transport us to this planet's core, I can lead you directly into Unicron's spark. The very heart of his darkness."
"Optimus, even if we survive the jump, how are we supposed to stop Unicron?" Arcee asked.
Optimus looked at Megatron, who slightly nodded his head.
"With the Matrix of Leadership."
"What is that?" Anakin asked.
"A vessel of pure energy. The collective wisdom of the Primes." Ratchet answered.
"Do we have time for a scavenger hunt? I mean, where's Optimus supposed to find this matrix?" Luke asked.
"Optimus does not need to find it; he carries it within him." Ratchet explained as he pointed to his chest.
"It was the combined power of the Primes that defeated Unicron so long ago. The very reason he now seeks to destroy you." Megatron said.
"It would follow that unleashing the power of the matrix directly into Unicron's spark would return him to stasis."
"Hold on. If everything goes right, Unicron is gonna stay down there?" Sky asked.
"Yeah. Can't we siphon him out somehow?" Leia supported.
"He's not in Planet X's core, guys, he is the planet's core."
"Aris is correct. Tampering with its core could affect the planet's magnetic poles, and maybe allowing Unicron to awaken much faster. That could cause the planet to shattered into million giant pieces, flying across the space, threatening to impact with another planets, causing uncalculated damages, something similar to Concord Dawn. Tragically, Unicron is Planet X's very seed, always has been and always must be, for the safety of all your galaxy. Any attempt of destroying him could unleash something worse than Unicron himself, something capable to consume all universe." Ratchet explained.
Suddenly, lots of rocks moved on the same direction, just where another titan Unicron avatar was starting to raise.
"We got another one." Bulkhead warned.
"Ratchet, send the ground bridge." Optimus called.
The portal appeared right behind the Autobots.
"Wait. We're opening up a direct path into our base with Megatron standing right there?" Arcee asked in disbelief.
"And seriously he's gonna risk his own spark to save us?" Cliffjumper added.
Megatron laughed. "Hardly my nature. Consider my offer, I shall keep him busy."
Megatron changed to his vehicle form and flew around Unicron, firing his weapons and dodging his attacks as the Autobots went through the portal. Meanwhile, the Nemesis remained on a safe distance from Planet X. Inside…
"No word yet from Lord Megatron?" Airachnid asked to Soundwave, who didn't respond. "It appears our leader has abandoned us while this galaxy erupts in chaos." She expressed as she observed more dark energon asteroids being launched from the planet's surface. "I believe we must consider the possibility of a future without Megatron."
Airachnid smiled, this could be her great chance, but Soundwave looked at her suspicious. Back at the base…
"I know that desperate times call for desperate measures, but bringing Megatron here?!" Ratchet said in disbelief.
"How can you even think about letting that monster near these children after what he did to Luke and Leia?" Padmé asked mad.
"He will be closely monitored and only allowed to linger long enough to send us on our journey. Not one moment more." Optimus swore.
"What's gonna stop the Cons from calling in an air strike if he knows where you live?" Anakin asked.
"By ground bridging Megatron here, he will be unable to get a fix on our coordinates." Optimus explained.
"Optimus, what's gonna happen to you when all your matrix energy is released?" Luke asked.
"The power within the matrix has not previously been utilized in this particular manner." Optimus confessed.
"But…you have an idea, don't you?" Han asked.
"Autobots, if the Republic, the Jedi Order and all the inhabitants of the galaxy are to be saved, I have no choice but to proceed. But you do." Optimus declared.
"Well, I don't know about the Republic and the Jedi, but I'm willing to do it…for Han." Bulkhead decided.
"For Aris." Cliff added.
"For Sky." Arcee followed.
"(For Luke and Leia.)" Bee said.
The children were touched for their friends' words. Meanwhile, Megatron continued fighting the giant Unicron avatar, but this time two more joined the fight, trying to hit Megatron. He managed to inflict great damage at the leg of one of them.
"Megatron, we are sending transport."
"You can always be relied upon to listen to reason, Optimus."
Megatron turned around, changed to robot form and punched very hard on one of the clones' face, breaking it. As the titan fell to pieces, Megatron landed and walked into the ground bridge before one of the avatars could stomp on him. Meanwhile, Han was being pushed out of the hall by Ratchet.
"No fair! I've never seen him! Why do we have to hide?"
"Because I said so." Ratchet replied.
All the children and their families, the droids included, walked out of the main hall. The reason, the ground bridge was open and the Autobots were waiting for someone unpleasant to come. Optimus stood in front of the portal when Megatron came walking at him, while the other Autobots got their weapons ready and aiming at Megatron.
"So, this is where the magic happens. Quaint." Megatron observed.
The kids were looking right at the edge of the hall's entrance. The twins, who were still mad for what Megatron did to them, ended coming out from their hiding place.
"Guys!" Sky called.
"Luke, Leia, no!" Their mother yelled.
Megatron looked over to see them coming, with their parents and friends running up to him.
"You! How dare you poison me and my sister?!" Luke shouted mad.
"I swear the next time we meet I will make sure to leave you a mark that you will never be able to cure!" Leia said mad as she and her brother were caught by their parents.
"Ah." Megatron recognized as Arcee stood between him and the children. "You're looking much better than the last time we met, little ones. Humans, resilient."
"Come on, kids. He isn't worth it." Their father said as they started to return.
"And you. I never forget a face, even that of a human." Megatron said to Sky.
Sky simply glared at Megatron before walking away with his mom and dad as they put themselves between their son and Megatron.
"You better not try to approach near my son again, Megatron. Or else…you will see." Ahsoka warned before leaving with the others.
"You double cross anyone, mine is the face you'll never forget before I blast those ugly eyes of yours!" Han shouted as he was about to pull out his blaster, but fortunately Obi Wan grabbed him.
"Ratchet, obtain the destination coordinates from our guest." Optimus instructed.
Megatron went next to Ratchet to type the coordinates to the ground bridge as the other Autobots continued aiming their guns at him. As he was leaving with the rest on the corridor…
"Sky." Optimus called him. He looked around to be sure they were alone before he knelt down. "Will you keep something for me?"
"Sure."
Optimus pulled out a small metal-like thing. It transformed until it become smaller, enough so Sky could take it.
"What is it?" Sky asked.
"It is…the key to the ground bridge power supply." Optimus answered.
"But…shouldn't Ratchet have this?"
"Perhaps, but I've been impressed by how much you have matured since we first meet, as the youngest of the five of you. As such, I feel you have earned the responsibility of safeguarding this important device, until I return."
"I won't let you down. May the Force be with you, always."
"Till all are one." Optimus said smiling before leaving.
Back to the main hall, the ground bridge was already prepared, with Megatron waiting next to it.
"Lock and ready." Ratchet announced.
"You first." Arcee said to Megatron.
"As you wish." Megatron responded bowing before heading to the portal.
The Autobots took a last look to their friends before entering the bridge, Optimus being the last. The portal took them to a very strange place: huge metal bridges and walls with veins glowing dark energon, they were inside of Unicron's body.
"So, how long before Unicron knows we're here?" Arcee asked.
"Make no mistake. He already does." Megatron simply said.
Megatron and the Autobots continued walking not knowing that they were being watched by Unicron's eye.
To be continued…