Author's Note: While the timeline of the movie suggests this scene takes place about five years after the events of Optimus disappearing, for the purposes of my story this takes place about two years after Prime sends his warning to the Autobots. Rachet has been in hiding as have the other Autobots, scattered, confused and afraid. Their leader missing. Rachet has been in touch with Phoenix on and off during that time, updating her on his locations - until now. Phoenix has since arrived on the mainland and, as promised, maintained a silent vigil on her friends and their whereabouts, all the while looking and searching for signs of her beloved Optimus.
Chapter 107 – Death Comes to Us All
Rachet P.O.V
/So…. It's my turn now is it? They've found me./, I thought to myself with some irritation, anger and no small amount of fear. I didn't dare move. I stood as still as possible, trying to mask my energon signature and merge into the darkness of the large smokestack I was trying to hide in.
For a moment I wondered if this is how Leadfoot, Prime and any other Autobots who found themselves confronted and hunted by this rouge task force felt in those moments before they were attacked.
Trapped. Cornered. Angry. Confused. Scared.
The sound of helicopter rotors slicing through the air and muffled shouts of men following directives drew ever nearer. The darkness of my hiding place was occasionally illuminated by bright search lights as they meticulously swept the area, seeking their quarry. I could feel my spark pulse in its casing. /I am a medic, an ally, not some ruthless Decepticon scum! I should not be hiding like some vilified Cybertonic Wolf/.
The sound of feet shuffling along the wooden deck of the boat I was trying to find refuge on abruptly ended my train of thought. The buzzing sound of a drone overhead let me know – time was up. I contemplated sending comm to Phoenix again but decided against it. She would never get here in time and I did not want to burden her with guilt. This was it.
All of a sudden, my world shattered and was torn apart as a loud explosion tore through the metal stack I had been hiding in, sending me flying onto the deck below. Flames engulfed me and bits of shrapnel embedded itself in my body. ''OH.. NO!'' I groaned out loud as I tried to gain my footing again. Pain ripped through me though I did not have time to register it as I was immediately beset by a hail of gunfire from the humans who surrounded me and the helicopters that hovered nearby.
I managed to crawl to the bow of the vessel and clamber down onto the front deck. /Why? Why? WHY?/. The question repeated itself on a loop in my processor. I had but a moment before another explosion rocked me and a missile impacted, shattering, and splintering the deck from beneath me and throwing me to the ground alongside the moored ship. Despite the pain that ripped through my chassis, I transformed immediately and sped off into the night.
The sound of engines revving, helicopter blades and shouts of triumph and anger assaulted my audials. The acrid smell of smoke and burning metal stung my olfactory systems. /No, please. Stop!/. I only made it a short distance before the ferocity of machine gun and missile fire forced me to transform from my alt mode back into bipedal mode and run for my life. I had not made it several paces when several well aimed shots from a machine gun and an explosion nearby knocked me sprawling to the ground yet again.
My wounds were becoming significant and I struggled to stand. Another explosion at my feet and this time I felt stinging fire race up leg and a wave of excruciating pain travel up my body. My leg had been blown off by a missile. ''Wooah…. Arrgghh!'' I cried out in shock and pain. As I hobbled about on one pede I held my servos up before me in surrender and supplication. ''No, please! Hold your fire! OH!'' I had overbalanced and fallen roughly to the ground. Along with agonising pain, anger and irritation coursed through me. ''Hold fire! Can you not see that I've been injured?'' I clutched at my damaged chest. /Perhaps if I told them my designation, they might realise their mistake?/.
''Medical Officer Rachet. I'm a friend.'' Vehicles closed in and laser sites were trained on me. Large search lights shone down on me, as if to imprison me in their light. ''I'm an Autobot''. /How can they think I am a Decepticon?/. Out of the chaos a man's voice addressed me, a barely restrained arrogance in his tone.
''Then why are you running?'' he sneered at me.
I felt myself groan, ''Optimus sent this distress message,'' I replayed Prime's last words to us in hope it might persuade them of my innocence and compulsion to avoid humans, not engage them in battle. Prime's baritone voice erupted…. ''Calling all Autobots… we are under targeted attack… cease all contact with humans…''
I cast confused, sorrowful optics towards the owner of the voice. ''We're all hiding. ALL Autobots are being hunted. We're all in danger.'' Surely, he could see I meant no harm and I was simply trying to follow my orders and engage in self-preservation.
The man who owned the voice, looked at me, his face devoid of emotion. His words sent chills through my circuits. ''I lost a sister in Chicago. You've no sympathy from me''. The sneer on his face as his words ended stilled my spark. /They mean to kill me/.
Without warning, an explosion tore through my back and I was thrown to the ground. Fire and sparks engulfing me. The humans opened fire again. ''What is WRONG with you humans?'' I shouted at them in utter confusion. An angry, bitter thought flashed through my processor as I was beset from every angle with a barrage of bullets and missiles. /We fought for… we lost brothers and sisters for THESE creatures?/. ''NO! PLEASE!'' Felled by my wounds, I crawled back against a pile of twisted metal.
It was then that I noticed him.
Out of the dissipating smoke strode a lone, menacing figure. One I had hoped neverto see. His voice spat a warning to the same man that addressed me before and who had come to stand nearby. 'He's mine.'' The bullets stopped.
As he loomed above me, I slowly raised my battered helm to address him. I could not keep the scorn and fear from my voice, ''Lockdown!''
His angry and vengeful face twisted in derision and contempt as he seemed to scold me, ''Autobots. Decepticons. Like little children. ALWAYS fighting, making a mess out of the universe then I have to clean it up!'' I heard the sound of transformation sequences engaged as he changed his gun to an evil looking weapon that looked suited to piercing and stabbing.
Another chill swept through me, though I was so badly damaged I lacked the energy to truly care. /Death comes to us all at some point and, if it is my time to join the Well of the Allspark, then so be it/.
Lockdown stared down at me, a sadistic grin on his face. ''There is one way you survive,'' he brandished the weapon before me sadistically. ''Tell me where he is hiding. Where is Optimus Prime?''
I could feel my energon seeping from my body, and with it the will to go on. With Prime missing, possibly dead, Phoenix miles away in self-exile, my friends scattered to the corners of this country and the galaxy, hope seemed futile. Yet, despite the crushing feeling of failure and hopelessness, I would NEVER betray Optimus. I mustered what remained of my strength and looked Lockdown defiantly in the optics. ''NEVER!'' I felt his heavy pede upon my chest as he raised his weapon, a cruel and satisfied grin on his dermas as he prepared to plunge it into my spark…
An angry metallic screech pierced the night and a large fireball slammed into Lockdown's chest, throwing him backwards and away from me quite a distance. The humans, including the arrogant man, gave a yell of shock and surprise before they once again raised their weapons and prepared to fire at me. Though the shots never found their mark. A protective barrier was laid before me. My spark pulsed stronger; hope surged anew. /PHOENIX!/.
A fiery figure came to land before me, her massive wings aflame and stretched out protecting us. ''RACHET!'' She turned and addressed me, worry, concern and relief in her tone and etched on her face. ''Are you okay?''
I tried to smile, ''I'd like to say I've been worse…but I'd be lying,'' my voice choked up partly from trying to stifle pain and partly from a wave of strong emotion as I drank in the sight of my friend. ''You're here… It's really you,'' my voice cracked slightly and rivulets of energon dribbled down the sides of my dermas. ''HOW? How did you get here so…''
Phoenix gave a soft smile as she continued to somehow stave off the attackers and speak to me, ''Yes Rachet, it is really me. I told you if you ever needed me, I'd be here in a spark beat,'' her dermas curved into a wry grin but her optics held sadness and regret, ''clearly a very SLOW spark beat,'' as she took in the state of me, ''but I will get you out of here, you are safe now.''
She returned her attention to the swarming humans. Phoenix waved her servo and sent any weapons the humans were holding, flying off through the air to the shock of everyone. Her voice rang with icy rage as she threatened the humans before her. ''WHO ARE YOU AND HOW DARE YOU TRY AND KILL AN AUTOBOT?! DON'T YOU ARSEHOLES KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN AUTOBOT AND A DECEPTICON?'' Her frame shook as she tried to contain the anger and disgust that swept through her.
The same man who spoke to me stepped forward, somewhat bravely, and replied to the towering and flaming figure of Phoenix, ''THERE IS NO FUCKING DIFFERENCE!'' He spat out. ''As far as Cemetery Wind is concerned ALL Transformers are enemies and we will KILL every last one of you!'' His face contorted in anger as his threat hung in the air.
For a moment Phoenix said nothing as though she were studying this man. Her voice, although soft, was tinged with vehemence as she spat her accusation at him, ''YOU! It's you. I've been wondering what the hell became of your sorry, pathetic arse Savoy.'' There was some feral delight in the tone of Phoenix's voice as she recognised the man before her.
/What in Cybertron? She knew him?/, the thought echoed through my processor. /How, where, when?/. I winced in pain and cycled air through my intakes roughly as I fought off the crippling agony that ravaged my body. My CPU flashed warning after warning at me.
For a moment the man looked genuinely confused and taken aback. ''You must have me mistaken for someone else. I don't associate with ANY Transformers!'' His eyes burned with hatred and indignation.
The sound of heavy pede falls and a low, snarling voice interrupted him, ''Oh I wouldn't say that necessarily human.'' The sound of a weapon priming could be heard as Lockdown once again approached. ''Then again,'' he took aim at Phoenix and I, ''I'm not just ANY kind of Transformer. And now YOU,'' he nodded at Phoenix before turning hate filled optics towards me again, ''BOTH of you WILL die for preventing me from getting what I came for.'' He fired several shots at Phoenix which she deflected easily away from her into various objects around her, eliciting screams from the humans. Flames danced along her frame and rose higher into the air, an indication she was pissed. Lockdown looked shocked for a moment. I felt a weak smile spread across my busted dermas.
Phoenix retorted, ''And what would that be whoever YOU are?'' she eyed him with no small amount of disdain.
Lockdown sneered at her, ''Optimus Prime. Not that it is of any concern to you. And the name is Lockdown.''
/Oh, he is done for now/, I thought to myself as I watched a darkness roll over Phoenix's visage and an incandescent rage burned within her optics.
Phoenix's whole frame shuddered violently for a moment before she burst into a huge prominence of flame and screeched violently, ''NO! NEVER!'' Raising her right servo, she sent a huge wall of flame towards Lockdown. It connected with his chest and consumed him. Raising her other servo, Phoenix made another gesture as though waving something away from her and she sent him flying backwards hundreds of feet away in a ball of flame.
/PRIMUS! Her powers and control over them have grown!/, I looked on in no small amount of amazement.
''WHO ARE YOU?'' screamed Savoy demandingly as he watched his ''associate'' be dispatched of so easily. ''How dare you…''
Phoenix rounded on him savagely taking one flaming step towards him, waves of sheer rage and hatred rolling off her. ''HOW DARE YOU! Don't you EVER hurt my friends again or I will kill you myself. And if you hurt Optimus Prime,'' an almost evil smile spread across her dermas and her voice dropped to a menacing whisper, ''I'll scrape you off the ground like the turd you are Savoy and dump you in the bin. That's after I tear you apart with my bare servos.I swear it on Primus' spark I will.''
At her words the man blanched, and his eyes widened in shock as comprehension of who she was, or had once been, dawned on him. ''YOU! Orianna Conners! You freak!'' He looked her up and down as if trying to process how OC had gone from a human to… this!
''It's Phoenix actually,'' she barked at him. ''Orianna Conners is no more, but I WILL carry out her threat for you.''
I felt my systems beginning to try and lock me in stasis as energon loss was becoming critical. ''Phoenix!'' I called out with what strength I could muster. ''We have to go….NOW!''
She whirled around at the sound of my voice and nodded. Savoy screamed out, ''FIRE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE AT THEM!'' The helicopters sent a volley of missiles towards us, vehicles mounted with machine guns opened fire.
Phoenix burst into flames again and screeched in anger. She sent several fireballs into the helicopters, sending them spinning towards the ground. The vehicles were dispatched of in a similar manner. With a swipe of her servo, she sent the crowd of humans flying through the air, their screams both terrifying and somewhat satisfying to my audials. She did not seem to care if they were injured at all. To be honest, neither did I. They had shown no mercy or honour. Why should we? She sent a wall of flame encircling us, offering protection and a barrier.
Phoenix turned and stooped down to carefully lift me into her arms, no doubt using her gift of psychokinesis to aid her. ''Easy Rachet, I've got you. Hold on.'' Her massive metallic wings spanned out either side of her body and without another word, she lifted us effortlessly into the sky and away from certain death.
As we soared higher, I heard her call out, ''Hang in there Rachet. Where to? Who do I take you to for repairs? Where do I go?'' there was a desperation and urgency in her voice as she realised she needed help for the next part.
I gave a small groan, ''Hound. I gotta get to Hound.'' I felt so weak and tired.
''Where is he?'' she questioned urgently.
I groaned again in pain. ''Don't know. Send out distress Comm on Autobot emergency frequency,'' I could feel her hesitation. Using that frequency meant ANY Autobot withing transmission range would hear it. Understanding the war within her I pleaded, ''Phoenix, please… ''
There was a moment's silence, the cold night air rushed past us as we sailed through the sky. An astrosecond later I heard her voice as she sent out her request. ::Attention Hound… This is Phoenix.. I have Rachet…Severely injured… In need of IMMEDIATE assistance… Please contact to inform of location…. Repeat request IMMEDIATE assistance… Phoenix out::
/Primus please, let him hear us/. If I did not get help soon…..
A second later the familiar and gruff voice of Hound burst fourth through her comms ::Phoenix! Hound here. Son of a Glitch Rachet's alive!::
Phoenix interrupted. ::For the moment Hound. He's in a bad way, really bad. Where are you? Where do I need to get him? Currently airborne over New Mexico::
::Well swing due east from there and bring ol' Hatchet to Arlington, near Dallas Texas. There's a General Motors automobile factory in Arlington and we might be able to avail ourselves of their facilities. I've been laying low in Cedar Hill State Park area last few weeks so I can be at the facility within 15 minutes::
::Affirmative Hound, on our way. If I haul arse I can be there in 30 minutes::… I couldn't help make a loud groan as I must have somehow shifted in her arms and a large gouge in my side brushed against her frame. ::Make that 20 minutes. Thanks Hound. Phoenix out:: No sooner had she finished her communique than I felt the air rush past us at a rapid pace, her immense wings beat faster. True to her word, Phoenix was hauling arse.
I felt a warmth and a sense of peace descend over me as my friend held me gently in her arms and we soared through the night sky. I had lost track of time. My superfluous systems had since shut down and my CPU was scrolling warning after warning at me as a cascade of shut down protocols were activated. I felt my optics shutter.
Phoenix must have chosen that time to glance down at me, ''HEY! Rachet! Stay with me mate, we're nearly there.''
I would have smiled if I had the energy or capability, ''Sorry Phoenix. Not…not sure I can… systems severely compromised… shut… shutting..''
''UP! You're shutting up and saving your energy you crotchy old medic,'' it felt as if she held me imperceptibly closer to her, as if she could somehow protect me from death itself. /She kind of did back there Rachet/, I thought absentmindedly.
''Ma….. make… me,'' I could not help but tease my friend just as we did in what seemed like vorns ago. How I had missed her. After all our time apart to think this was perhaps the first and last time I saw her. My spark ached and I groaned out loud again from the pain of my injuries and the painful thought of having to leave my friends.
''Don't tempt me old timer!'' her voice cracked slightly as she looked down at me and we began to descend. ''Stay with me Rachet. PLEASE. I can't lose you too. Fight. Fight like I did all those years ago.'' She stopped speaking, a sob working its way from her dermas. ''Not on my watch Rachet. Not on my BLOODY watch. Now fucking stay with me!'' Her voice snarled at me in desperation and fear and she shook me slightly, eliciting another groan. ''If you die on me, I'll fucking kill you!'' I was vaguely aware of the faint sound of traffic and the darkness being dispelled by the growing lights of a city. /Are we there already?/.
I tried to reach out to her, but I could not lift my arm. I tried to smile at her, but my dermas were shattered and broken. I tried to talk to her to offer comforting words – but my voice was lost. My optics shuttered as I strained to look at my friend one last time. /Phoenix. I'm sorry/.
The sound of panicked people's screams and Phoenix's voice booming out orders sounded muffled to my audials as they too started to cease functioning. The last words I heard was Phoenix's panic filled voice screaming, ''HOUND! We're losing him! DO SOMETHING – NOW!''
I felt myself smile internally as a final thought floated through my processor. /That's funny. I've heard those words before. Glad I'm not the medic this time!/.
Darkness enveloped me and I saw, thought and felt no more.
