Chapter 49-Sacrifices
"When I joined the team two years ago, I never thought I would be flying headfirst into a warzone." Karina said, gripping her seat tightly as she heard the loud aerial fighting going on outside of the airship. Through the windows she would see the assortment of opposing fighters and airships all shooting at each other in a chaotic display that made it hard to tell who exactly was winning.
"Um, I thought that bomber was the main target." Hua said. "Why is it still flying?"
"The thing's protected by hard-light shielding. It's going to take multiple shots to bring that thing down." Barnaby said. "Does anyone have eyes on the kids?"
"Gina is on one of the lead airships fighting Magda and Jane Lehnsherr." Both men would later deny ever jumping from the sudden appearance of Sara at their side. "Annie has crash landed with an esper weighing her down and Darren is struggling to fight off the other airships. I suggest aiding Darren first. Centurion and I will help Gina."
"O-Okay." Kotetsu said, caught a bit off guard by Sara suddenly taking control of the team. "What about the bomber? We're almost nearing Washington."
Sara looked at him with her clear green eyes, her expression stone cold. "Why do you think we're helping Darren first?"
Meanwhile, while her friends were still in the air fighting their own battles, Annie had been dragged to the ground by Adonis. The golden skinned giant was hammering her talos with punches and if it weren't for the dense armor of her already hardy talos, Annie was sure that she'd be missing an arm by now. Still, she didn't want this bastard on her ride any longer than she was comfortable with.
"Get off!" she angled her falling talos so that Adonis would cushion her fall, and he did just that. Everything shook violently as they crashed to the ground and the impact caused Adonis to lose his grip on Annie. The Enyo skidded across the ground for a minute before finally stopping.
Annie stood her talos up and saw Adonis charging at her. She raised the arm where Mjolnir was stored and fired a lightning bolt at him. To her utter surprise, Adonis actually kicked her arm downward, causing her to miss her attack. He then punched the Enyo in the face, making it stumbled back. Annie gritted her teeth in frustration and fired off four missiles, which Adonis also dodged as well.
"For God's sake, can I not deal with this now?" Annie growled. She tried hitting Adonis with more lightning bolts, but Adonis did his best to keep her hammer pointed away from him. Annie never had to deal with an enemy who knew not to let the magic hammer point at them, so this was a first for her.
Seeing that she wasn't going to make any progress with Mjolnir yet, Annie pointed her arm cannons at Adonis's face and fired as many laser blasts into his body as possible. Adonis stumbled back from the barrage and Annie drew her beam saber in one smooth motion, scoring a slash across Adonis's chest.
Adonis howled in pain, his deep, booming voice carrying over the sound of fighting in the skies above them. The beam saber had left a deep gash across his chest that sizzled like burnt meat, exposing the flesh underneath his golden skin. His blue eyes flashing, Adonis charged at Annie, and she fired Mjolnir from Enyo's arm. Adonis ducked under it and wrapped his arms around the Enyo's torso, using all his strength to crush both it and her cockpit into a ball of scrap.
Annie heard her talos's armor groaning from the strain and sparks shot out of her console. She angled Enyo's head so it was staring into Adonis's face and grinned.
"You should've paid attention to the hammer." She said.
Mjolnir came flying back to its owner at her command. Adonis didn't notice it until it was too late, when he felt the electricity along his skin. He let go of the Enyo and looked back just as Mjolnir slammed into his face…and gave an electrical discharge that completely exploded his head on contact. The bloodied Mjolnir returned to Enyo's grasp and Annie watched satisfied as Adonis's headless body fell to the ground.
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"An alpha. Of course it's an alpha." Prowl grumbled. "Nothing's ever easy for us, is it?"
"That thing would've tracked us right back to the Trion if we didn't kill it." Firestar said.
"Doesn't anymore, does it?" Kup said. "It still called the swarm to this area, and once they're close enough they'll catch our scent. They'll be on us in the hour."
"Those things can't fly, thank Primus. They'll need to cross the bridges connecting the plates. Take them out and we'll have some breathing room." Elita-1 said.
"To do what? We'll just be sitting here either way." Bumblebee said wearily.
"Don't be like that, Bee." Jazz said softly. "I'm not letting Boss Bot die like this."
"We'll split up into three teams. Kup, Springer, Roadbuster and Trailbreaker will destroy the east bridge. Firestar, Road Rage, Wheeljack and myself will destroy the west bridge. Ironhide, Sunstreaker, Perceptor and Drift will take out the central bridge." Elita-1 announced.
"I've got plenty of modified plasma charges." Wheeljack said. "Just arm them and press the detonator to detonate them. Just be careful with them. A stray laser bolt can cause them to explode prematurely."
"Good thing we have even-vision over there, then." Cliffjumper grinned at Perceptor.
"Yeah, and good thing you're not going with them." Blaster remarked. Cliffjumper glared at him.
"Get bent."
On the side, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe sat together silently, not saying anything to each other or anyone. Sideswipe had no idea what was going on with his twin, but Sunstreaker's mood got even worse once they reached the Trion.
"Sunstreaker, let's go." Ironhide called out to him. When the mech didn't move, Ironhide frowned. "Sunstreaker?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Right." Sunstreaker stood up and followed Ironhide out of the room.
"Sideswipe, let's go take a look out the plasma cannons." Hound said.
"Okay." Sideswipe said, feeling a pain in his chest as Sunstreaker vanished from his sight.
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His fight against Megatron and Nightshade forgotten, Devastator focused on the Terran fighters attacking him with missiles and energy bolts. They swarmed him like flies, attacking the weak points Ultra Magnus told them about. Obviously they didn't do much beyond pissing the gestalt off, but their attacks were still effective.
The Autobots had dropped down from their ship and landed on top of the buildings, firing down at the Decepticons who were scattering to avoid the air strike delivered upon them. Darkshadow and Demolishor led the counterattack against them, trying to rally the troops together.
"Autobots and Terrans," Starscream said, firing at the jets that dared to shoot a missile at him. "If I didn't know any better, Megatron, I'd say the timing of this attack is a little convenient."
"This is Osea's last ditch effort to dislodge us from our position before their friends from overseas resort to more drastic measures." Megatron said.
"So you knew?!" Starscream yelled.
"Of course I knew. I wasn't sitting on my ass for an entire month. I know about the Osean's desperation, Magda's genocidal rampage across the West Coast, all of it. Just as I have a plan to end this war."
"We've got golems!" Wreckage yelled.
The Atlantian dropships deployed dozens of golems and Osean talos, all flooding into the streets in bulk and fighting against the Decepticons. The insecticons in the city took flight to fight off the invading mecha. Nightshade and the Seekers brought the fight to the fighters attacking Devastator while Dreadwing's sword of storms released azure blue waves of energy with each slash of its blade.
"Starscream, when I began this revolution, I molded the Decepticons into an army to usurp the Senate and the Functionists, because words weren't going to work on people willing to torch entire cities to maintain their position. The Decepticons were never supposed to be an army, but I turned them into a force to combat the Autobots. Over the centuries they became a ruthless, vile war machine with the goal of wiping out all who stood in our way. I'm well aware of the psychopaths in our ranks. Overlord, bludgeon, Ashling. Why do you think I created the DJD?"
Megatron increased the power of his fusion cannon and fired a continuous fusion beam that wiped out several fighters. The golems down the street focused their fire on Megatron, but they were cut off by Demolishor's group who drove them back.
"Once the Autobots were defeated, those monsters would be destroyed and the Decepticons would be restructured into what they were originally supposed to be." Megatron continued. "Only then would we begin reshaping our tattered world into the empire it was supposed to be. So never say that I don't have a plan. I always have a plan."
Megatron turned to Starscream. "I understand you lost your faith in me, but never lose faith in our cause. Never forget that this, you, the Decepticons, existed because of me. Because I am the face of our cause, and only through me will you see that dream come to fruition. Never forget that." He growled. "Now go do what you do best and command the skies. Our enemies are hardly difficult to kill."
Starscream glared at Megatron before calling his Seekers. "Thundercracker, Skywarp, form up on me. We'll route the enemy before they can attack our ground forces." Then he said to Megatron, "That was a great speech, Megatron. I wished I believed it as much as you do."
He transformed and flew into the battle, shooting down two more fighters. Megatron watched him go before he called Keranos to his hand and walked down the street in search of the Autobots. He was going to make them regret ever coming back to fight him.
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Gina pushed her joysticks as hard as she could to avoid Jane's hex bolts, but grunted when her talos took a hit to the shoulder from Magda. That hit alone was enough to almost blast off Athena's arm and Gina fired her pulse cannons at the two espers. Jane deflected the pulse blasts with her powers and hit one of the Athena's legs, causing the gyros in the knee to lock up and throw the talos off balance.
"Jinkies!" Gina growled, swinging the barrel of her beam rifle at Jane and narrowly missing her. With her other arm she aimed her impulse cannon at the bomber and fired another shot. Gina was forced to dodge another heat blast from Magda, so she couldn't see if the attack hit. Though judging from Magda's grin, it didn't work.
"The bomber is protected by the best hard-light shielding we could make, at least by human standards. You have the Decepticons to thank for their help." Magda said. "You're not taking that thing down."
"But I can take you down!" Gina pointed her overheating cannon down at the airship below her and put her finger on the trigger. But before she could fire, Magda shot a white hot blast into the barrel, causing the cannon to explode from the inside. The explosion nearly threw her off the airship, and Magda followed up with another shot to the chest that almost caused Gina to slam her head on her console.
"Hold her still, Jane. I want to rip that thing open before I burn her alive!" Magda's aura flared up, the heat causing the airship's hull to actually liquify before she focused her power.
Before Magda could make good on her threat, she saw another airship rapidly approaching from the starboard side. The airship crashed into the side of her vessel, surprising mother and daughter and allowing Gina to break free from Jane's hold and glide backwards. Gina looked to the interfering airship and saw Centurion and Sara leaping onto the airship.
"Guys!" Gina smiled.
"Are you alright, Gina?" Centurion asked.
"I'm fine, but the cannon's destroyed." Gina looked at the smoking barrel of her impulse cannon. "I can't take out the bomber."
"It's okay, Gina. We have that under control." Sara said.
Gina was about to ask what she meant by that, but then Magda attacked them both with a fiery wave that forced them back further. No time for questions. She had to focus on not getting incinerated.
She didn't know that Sara was talking about Darren, who was standing on top of the bomber. With Gina's impulse cannon gone, it fell to him to handle destroying the aircraft. And if they couldn't destroy it with weapons, then they had to focus on something just as effective.
"The bomber is protected from energy and projectile weapons, but nothing can keep it safe from certain esper powers. Like telekinesis. Focus on destroying the engines and the bomber can no longer fly."
'Easier said than done.' Darren thought. 'You're not getting shot at from all directions.'
The Prometheus raised its arm and Darren channeled his telekinetic power into the frame of his talos. His talos enhanced and projected his power outward at his target, one of the air lifts keeping the bomber in the air. Sweat poured down Darren's face as he focused on crushing the engine.
Magda saw the Prometheus standing on top of the bomber and shouted, "You'll never get the chance!"
She went to fire a microwave blast at him, but found herself caught in a full-nelson by Sara, who yanked her off her feet and onto her back, trapping her.
"Come on, Darren." Gina prayed as she swiped her hand at Jane, who jumped back right into Centurion's fist, knocking her out.
It was harder than he expected, but Darren's intense concentration paid off when he saw some of the armor on the wing start to wrinkle. Grinning, he put more force into the action and soon the entire wing had crumpled up like paper. He felt the aircraft tilt to the left, unbalanced by the loss of the left wing. Darren quickly flew off as the bomber slowly flew down to the earth.
The bomber crashed into the ground and its cockpit and engines exploded, igniting the explosives onboard and causing the payload meant to level Washington to go up in flames. The explosion was tremendous, causing the ground to tremble, giving off a deafening boom that could be heard for miles and releasing a blast wave that actually threw off a couple of planes.
"Sara, let's go!" Centurion called and ran for Gina's outstretched arm. Sara quickly let go of Magda and ran after him, hopping onto the Athena's left arm. Gina took off the airship and flew away before anyone could stop them.
Magda saw everything. She watched in horror as her instrument of destruction was destroyed in a massive fireball, and it set her off. Giving an enraged howl, she ignited her body with microwave energy, and focused her microwaves into a concentrated beam at the fleeing Athena. The blast was as hot as the sun, and its power was immense. Gina noticed the attack too late as he completely destroyed the Athena's right arm and part of her boosters, blasting her right out of the sky and into freefall into the city below.
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"Ow." Gina groaned as she came to. Did she black out after she crashed? Then she remembered that Centurion and Sara had been hanging onto her when they hit the ground. "Oh no. Sara, Centurion? Can you hear me? Are you guys alright?"
She tried to move her talos, but found it impossible. Her talos was missing an arm and both its legs were in pieces. Gina tried to open up the cockpit, but the hatch was melted shut. She was trapped.
Suddenly a heat blast slammed into her torso unit, throwing the downed mecha back down the street. Gina hit her head on her seat and saw Magda hovering above her.
"Come on out, girl. Fight me without your little toy protecting you." Magda snarled. She shot another blast that took out the Athena's other arm. "Or don't. You'll die either way."
Magda focused all the microwave energy she could must into a single blast at Gina. The girl could feel the intense heat in her cockpit and she got several emergency readings of her talos's armor weakening and melting from the attack. The torso wasn't going to hold out any longer and she was going to fry if this kept up. She was going to have to risk a surprise attack to get free, if she didn't get serious burns and radiation poisoning in the process.
But before she could act on her plan, someone else joined the fight. It was Sara!
"Leave her alone!" Sara yelled, showing an uncharacteristic amount of anger at the woman. She charged at Magda and punched her twice in the face, burning her knuckles in the process from Magda's super hot aura.
"Sara, don't fight her. She's too strong!" Gina yelled, but Sara couldn't hear her.
"Why won't you bastards just lie down and die!" Magda fired several heat blasts at Sara, but the bioroid dodged them all. Sara extended her blade from her arm and slashed a deep cut in Magda's shoulder. She tried to stab her in the chest, but Magda caught her arm and severed the limb at the elbow with a flaming chop.
Magda smacked Sara in the face with her arm before taking the blade and stabbing it into Sara's chest. Sara stumbled back, but she changed her other hand into a blaster and fired a laser bolt into Magda's right shoulder. The woman hissed in pain, but she returned the favor by taking her superheated hand and shoving it right through Sara's stomach.
"Sara!" Gina kicked her cockpit hatch open with all her might, breaking the doors open with her strength and dropping to the ground to run to her friend's aid.
"There's no place for you in this world anymore," Magda sneered in Sara's face. "You filthy abomination!"
Magda increased the heat in her arm and right before Gina's horrified eyes, Sara's torso was torn in half in an explosive burst, her upper body hitting the ground like a dismembered ragdoll.
"SARA!"
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Fate was not on the Autobots side today, Springer had decided. Looking at the coming swarm, he knew that a miracle was what they needed right now. In helicopter mode, he saw a sea of mutated insecticons charging through the city to reach them. There were too many to count and their numbers went as far as the eye could see.
"We've got incoming, guys!" He called down to the others on the bridge. "Are the bombs ready yet?"
"Blow it!" Road Rage yelled as she drove off the bridge. Springer didn't need to be told twice as he fired two missiles at the plasma charges and caused an explosion large enough to blast apart the entire middle section of the bridge. The insecticons that were attempting to cross it also went down with the debris.
"Hell yeah!" Roadbuster cheered.
At the west bridge, Elita-1 also detonated the explosives and took out the bridge with little difficulty. She also placed some extra charges on the other side of the bridge and killed a large chunk of insecticons in the process. She didn't need to do that, but she was feeling petty today and they deserved it.
"Our bridge is down too." Elita-1 said.
"Boss lady!" Blurr sped over to her side. "I think Ironhide's team is in trouble. I just saw a bulk of the swarm already heading their way and it doesn't look like they're ready."
"They've already reached the central bridge?" Elita-1 questioned.
"They must have been following our scent after we killed the alpha." Firestar said.
"Everyone, get your stuff and move out. They need our help!" Elita-1 commanded and transformed to vehicle mode while driving off at full speed.
At the central bridge, things had went from difficult to near impossible. The swarm had arrived sooner than expected and Ironhide's team was struggling to hold them off long enough for the charges to be set. Trailbreaker tried putting up a barrier to halt their advance, but the insecticons all came crashing into it at once, shattering the barrier. One insecticon slashed its claws across his chest and he fell back. Perceptor pulled him back to Drift and killed it with his rifle.
"Get off the bridge, I'm going to—" Perceptor was cut off when a large barb stabbed into his shoulder and his body seized up, completely paralyzed. Perceptor fell over and Drift quickly caught him while Hound laid down some cover fire.
"We can't stay any longer, Ironhide. We've got to move!" Wheeljack said.
"But the bombs! They aren't armed!" Ironhide said.
"Can we shoot them?" Glyph asked.
"At this distance? We were counting on Perceptor to do that. Otherwise we'd have to be on the bridge to manually detonate it." Wheeljack said.
Ironhide was about to volunteer himself when he noticed something. "Wait, where's Sunstreaker?"
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"SARA!"
Gina angrily charged at Magda, who calmly looked at her and raised an arm to fire.
"One more corpse for the furnace." She muttered and the air around her increased in temperature.
Suddenly a beam hit the ground in front of her. Magda leapt back and saw the Prometheus descending on her. She snarled and attacked the talos, her flames hitting an invisible barrier as the talos fired its laser bolts at her, pushing her back.
Seeing that Darren was covering her, Gina ran over to Sara, or what was left of her. Sara's body had been torn in half. All her internal components were exposed, though it didn't look like anything that resembled a robotic body. If anything, Sara's internals looked more like a facsimile of an actual human body, a realistic puppet made in the likeness of flesh. And hanging out of her abdomen, exposed to the elements, was a round, silver orb—Sara's artificer heart.
Gina knelt down next to Sara and lifted her head. "Sara? Can you hear me?"
Sara's green eyes flickered a bit and she weakly turned to Gina. "Gina?"
"Don't move. You'll be alright." Gina cried. "I just…I just have to get help."
"Too late…" Sara whispered. "Too damaged."
"No, no we've won, Sara. The bomber's destroyed. We completed our mission!" Gina yelled. "Please, don't leave me!"
"I won't die…this body is just…a puppet." Sara said weakly. "My real body…is my Heart."
Gina looked down at the silver sphere still connected to Sara's upper body. "That…that's you?"
Sara nodded. "When I die…my Heart will become dormant. All my memories, everything…will…will fade. I don't know how long…but I will reawaken in the future."
"Sara, please hang on!" Gina sobbed. Sara lifted her arm and held Gina's face.
"I had a wonderful time with you, and Darren, and Annie. It felt nice…to have a family again. I may forget your name…and your face, but I will never forget your love." Sara smiled softly at Gina. "Thank you, Gina. For your friendship, your love, your everything."
Gina leaned down and kissed Sara's cheek, her tears staining her face. "Thank you for everything too, Sara. I love you."
Sara's eyes darkened, but as everything went dark, she realized something. "Now I know…why you were so…familiar." She whispered. Sara smiled and closed her eyes. "Goodbye…mother."
Sara's head fell to the side as the life finally fled from its shell. Gina cried and held her close as she grieved for her friend.
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Sunstreaker ran down the street toward the bridge where the swarm was already crossing. Thankfully the bridge was large enough that it'd take the swarm time to reach the other side, but time was short and he wasn't going to waste it.
He made it halfway across when he heard Ironhide calling out his name. "What are you doing, kid?" He demanded.
"I'm not sure." Sunstreaker said in a tight voice. "No…no, I am sure. I…I want to die."
"Sunstreaker, what the hell—"
"It was me." Sunstreaker said.
"What was?" Ironhide was confused, trying to process this and the oncoming swarm at the same time. They didn't have time for this!
"Ironhide," Sunstreaker turned to look Ironhide in the eye. "It was me."
Ironhide's eyes widened when he realized what Sunstreaker was confessing. "No…"
"Starscream approached me one day. He…he knew I hated the humans. For what they…what they did to me. We were supposed to take down Megatron. We had a deal."
"A deal."
"To kill Megatron, Nightshade and those loyal to him. To end the war. At the cost of just one world."
"I can't defeat Megatron alone. Help me."
"A deal? With Starscream?" Ironhide yelled. "Sunstreaker, how could you?"
"We do this, we kill Megatron, and in exchange we leave Terra to you."
"You leave, we stay. And we do as we please."
"We leave Terra and all the humans to you…"
"We planned to catch Megatron off guard. Prime never would have agreed to it—we planted the information. The attack on Omega One and taking Darren captive was just to drive Prime into taking action. Starscream promised. Without Megatron, he could have Terra."
"I'll agree on one condition."
"I told myself—I told myself I did it to end him. To try to win the war." Sunstreaker closed his eyes. "But he knew what I really wanted. What I could never actually do."
"You kill every single one of them."
"We had friends on Terra, Sunstreaker!"
"Those animals would've torn us open and used us to make more weapons to kill each other!" Sunstreaker cried. "I wanted to kill them all. To make every last one of them pay for what they did to me! I didn't know it would end like this! I didn't know the others would…" He cried. "I'm so sorr—"
Three poison barbs hit the two mechs in the chest, bringing them down. Sunstreaker looked back and saw that the swarm was already making their way onto the bridge. He turned to Ironhide and saw Drift running up to get them.
"Take him and go. I'll trigger the bombs!" Sunstreaker said. An acid shot flew at them, but Sunstreaker jumped in front of it and took it to his chest.
"Sunstreaker!" Ironhide yelled.
His chest plate melting and sizzling, Sunstreaker fell onto his side as the insecticons got nearer. As they fell upon him, ripping and tearing into his body, Sunstreaker pointed his heat cannon at the plasma charges and fired a blast right into the bombs.
'Sorry, Sideswipe.' Sunstreaker thought as a wave of fire washed over him and the insecticons. His final thoughts as his body was incinerated were, 'I love you, bro.'
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Darren tried hitting Magda, but the woman was relentless. She gave him no time to properly attack, and it was hard to work his talos when the microwaves in the air were interfering with his digital systems. She was faster than him, and she used that to great effect when hitting his talos from all directions.
He could hear Gina's crying behind him. He saw Sara's condition and knew she wasn't going to make it. That only made him fight harder. He fired his beam rifle several times, but Magda flew around him like a comet, blazing through the air and radiating intense heat waves. She suddenly shot forward and slammed into his chest, causing an explosive burst that blasted his talos backwards and into the ground. Darren's head hit the side of his cockpit and pain rippled across his aching forehead.
Darren raised his rifle at her, but Magda fired a beam that tore into his shoulder, tearing off the Prometheus's arm. He raised a telekinetic bubble to protect himself from the microwaves that washed over the street.
"Stop running and fight me, boy!" Magda shouted over the roaring heat of her energy blasts. "You can't hide behind your shields forever!"
"I'm done hiding!" Darren growled. He sent out a strong telekinetic wave into Magda and knocked her out of the air. He then slammed her into the ground and held her there, focusing all of his mental concentration onto Magda. Magda struggled, but couldn't move, as if gravity had increased tenfold around her.
'Don't let up. Keep her down. Crush her! Kill her!' Darren pressed her harder and harder into the ground. He saw that she was struggling to breathe. If he pressed his assault, she will be dead and this nightmare will finally be over—
Something happened to Darren mid-thought. A blinding pain hit his body and he screamed louder than he had ever screamed before. His mind was once again assaulted by flashes and sounds. Grief, regret, resignation, sadness, shame. Emotions that weren't his yet he felt them all, as well as the sensations of pain and burning all over his body. He thrashed in his cockpit as if he were having a seizure and his concentration broke as everything went blank.
Darren's screams caught Gina's attention and she looked up to see the Prometheus fall onto its side and stop moving completely. Magda, dirty and bloodied, her body bleeding heavily from Darren nearly crushing her into the concrete, stood up glaring hatefully at the Prometheus.
"Pitiful." Magda spat, pointing her finger at the Prometheus. "All the power in the world and you still can't beat me. Killing you will be a mercy."
She focused her microwaves into a concentrated beam and fired it at the cockpit, slowly burning through the thick armor to get to the motionless pilot inside. But her attack was cut short when an energy sphere suddenly manifested right in the middle of her arm, vaporizing it and cauterizing the horrific wound. Magda howled in pain and turned back to see Gina charging at her with glowing eyes.
She shot a beam of microwave energy at Gina, but the girl plowed through the extremely hot beams with her distortion halo. Once she was close enough, Gina pulled grabbed Magda's other arm and ripped it from her body, earning another agonized screamed from the woman. Wanting to make it really hurt, Gina generated a distortion sphere inside Magda's body, ripping her flesh apart from the inside and warping her body in a grotesque manner.
Gina stumbled back, panting from exerting so much energy at once. She barely paid the twisted form of misshapen, transmuted flesh that used to be Magda any attention as she quickly ran over to the still unmoving Prometheus, Sara's orb clutched tightly in her arm.
"Darren!" Gina called out, digging her fingers into the cockpit hatch and pulling with all her might. It took a couple of tries, but she managed to tear the hatch open, flinging the pieces of metal away to reveal Darren, who was slumped over in his seat. When she went to pull him out of his talos, her hand pressed against his chest and her heart stopped when she realized something.
Darren's heart wasn't beating.
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Ironhide laid on a recharge slab in one of the Trion's spare rooms. He hadn't talked to anybody since telling everyone about Sunstreaker. Sideswipe was devastated of course. He was off grieving. Ironhide tried to apologize to Mirage but that didn't work (Ironhide knew he deserved Mirage's scorn and so much more). Mirage hadn't even tried to fix the smeared Autobot symbol. Just another reminder of his stupidity.
Sunstreaker's sacrifice had bought the team valuable time in preparing for the swarm. All weapons were brought to bear on the insecticons still clamoring on the other side of the canyon. This was where they were going to make their last stand.
"Ironhide?" Chromia entered the room.
"I thought I said I wanted to be alone."
"I know, but you need to hear this." Chromia said. "I was talking with Elita-1 and Prowl about Sunstreaker. I thought you should know that it wasn't all his fault."
Ironhide lifted his head to look at her. "What are you talking about?"
"The Decepticons had codes and a way into our systems that Sunstreaker couldn't possibly provide with his clearance. He was too low rank for a lot of those codes."
"You saying there's another traitor?"
"No, only that the Cons might have found another way into our systems. Sunstreaker's treachery was just good timing for them to mask their activities." Chromia replied. "Prowl suggested that they might have used him in another way. A backdoor using a method we haven't taken into consideration yet. He said that he had an idea on what that might be."
"And what…" Ironhide paused when he thought about it and he groaned. "Darren."
Chromia nodded. "It all started not too long after the Cons kidnapped him, according to Prowl."
"Primus, that poor kid." Ironhide groaned. "He'd never survive what they'd do to him." He held a hand to his face and growled. "Damn it."
Chromia walked over to him and sat down, putting a hand on his chest as the full weight of everything that happened finally hit him.
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Skyfire fired her laser cannons at anything that wasn't friendly. Namely the big not-so-jolly green giant currently stomping and smashing apart buildings like Godzilla. Behind her the Terran aerial squadron maintained its formation, firing missiles at the scattered Decepticons. She lost two human fighters already to well-placed shots from Demolishor, but so far things were going well.
Until she took a hit to her wing from above. Skyfire did a barrel roll and transformed to see Nightshade descending upon her like a bird of prey. She drew her vibro-blade and slashed at Nightshade, almost cutting her foot off, but took a volley of micro-missiles to the chest for her trouble.
"You little bastard." Nightshade hissed, flapping her wings and chasing after Skyfire.
"Nightshade, those fighters are doing some heavy damage to our boys on the ground." Darkshadow said.
"They aren't that big a threat. Work with the Seekers to eliminate them. Leave the talos and golems to Demolishor's division. Blitzwing, if you're still alive, get your ass into the air and be useful!" Nightshade said. She changed forms and drew Gandiva, firing an arrow at Skyfire's head. "Darkshadow, where the hell is Shockblast?"
The Autobot Seeker narrowly dodged the arrow and kicked Nightshade in the chest. She stabbed her blade forward, but Nightshade deflected the blade with her bow. She changed to beast mode and flew off, with Skyfire hot on her tail.
Down on the street, Arcee and Moonracer, aided by a mobile armor team of Gernsback talos, advanced on a group of Cons currently struggling with the surprise attack. Runamuck and Fracture were forced to fend for themselves once Blitzwing flew up to aid the Seekers, and they weren't in the mood to fight.
"Screw this!" Runamuck said and changed to vehicle mode to drive away at full speed.
"You fragging coward!" Fracture growled. She ducked under a sniper shot from Moonracer and backed up. "I'm getting pummeled over here! Where the hell are those stupid insecticons?"
"We've got her. Keeping advancing!" Arcee said, running forward at Fracture.
"Slag." Fracture hissed and decided to cut her losses and ran away.
"It's good to see the Cons running for a change." Moonracer grinned.
"The battle's just getting started, Moon." Arcee said.
"Wait." Said one of the talos commanders. "Radar's picking up something above us—"
As soon as he said that, a green particle beam came down on him, completely destroying the commander's talos as well as two more units. Everyone scattered as they looked to the air.
"Shockblast!" Arcee growled.
Hovering above the street in his satellite mode, Shockblast cackled as he charged up for another attack. "Sucks to suck, doesn't it? And I've got one more surprise for ya. Dreadwing, blow it up!"
Dreadwing looked down at the Autobots and grabbed his remote detonator. He pressed the button and the dozens of bombs he planted in the nearest office building exploded all at once. The building, lacking support, slowly tipped over to the side, glass and metal raining down on the city below as it fell toward the sisters and their team.
"Move! Move!" Moonracer cried out.
Arcee and Moonracer transformed and sped down the street to escape the collapsing building. The talos unit they were helping also tried to run, but most of them were crushed under the crumbling buildings. The sisters turned a corner just as the building crashed to the ground, covering everything in most, dust and glass.
XXXXXX
"Is everyone ready?" Kup asked everybody. He got several replies back and nodded as he hefted his ion cannon onto his shoulder. "Okay. Everyone, to your positions. They'll be reaching the other side of the canyon soon."
An hour passed and the Autobots were all fully armed, healed and the Trion's weapons charged and primed for combat. Despite this, morale was still low, at its lowest point yet, and some of the bots were starting to crack from the pressure.
"What's the point? Even if Prime does recover, what do we do then?" Mirage asked bitterly.
"Hey, I'm just happy to have decent weapons again." Cliffjumper said.
"For what, though? There's no way off Cybertron. We fight? We make a stand. And for what?"
"because of who we are." Drift said, holding Jinx in his arm. "Why should we stop being Autobots here, at the end? It's moments like these in which we should stay true to ourselves."
"You must be joking," Bumblebee spat. "No one wants you of all people to be true to yourself."
"That was out of line!" Springer yelled.
"Why? What right does he have to even be in the same room as us?"
"Drift's a lot more trustworthy than anyone on your team, or did you forget that one of your friends is the reason we're in this mess!" Springer growled.
"Back off, both of you! This isn't the time for us!" Blaster said, trying to push them apart.
"Frag that. If the most useless mech on Team Prime wants to talk slag, let him!" Springer said.
"That's rich coming from a guy still chasing after his ex." Bumblebee replied.
"At least I have an ex!"
"Stop it!"
Everyone turned to Sideswipe, who stood at the back of the room looking like all the life had been sucked from him.
"Just…stop it." He said.
Springer and Bumblebee calmed down and moved away from each other, the wind taken from their sails. Sideswipe looked at the team with dead eyes, speaking his mind regardless of the circumstances.
"My brother's dead. Sunstreaker is dead. Just another damn casualty of a god forsaken war that finally drove him over the edge. He didn't kill himself out of guilt, he killed himself to escape this hell."
"Sideswipe," Firestar said. "I know it's been hard, but—"
"What's the point? What exactly have we accomplished in this war aside from killing each other and dragging other planets into it? All we do is go from planet to planet fighting. Killing. And where has it gotten us? What have we got to show for it? How many races have we put in danger? How many were wiped out in the crossfire?"
Sideswipe looked at his hands. "We fought for the preservation of life. For an ideal. But all we have to show for it is a dead homeworld, along with countless others. How many have died for our war, how many "acceptable losses have we allowed just to gain a little more ground." He shook his head with a scowl. "It shouldn't take something like Sunny dying for me to realize all this. If we don't uphold the sanctity of life, all life, how are we any better than the Decepticons?"
"That's a good question." Boomed a familiar voice.
Sideswipe and the other jumped in shock and everyone turned to the doors to see Optimus Prime entering, with Elita-1 holding him up with his arm around her shoulder and Ratchet close behind to support him. He was in his natural cybertronian base form, and was using the Star Saber as a crutch.
"Optimus!" Jazz exclaimed, smiling. Several other Autobots of his team were also very happy to see their commander and friend alive and well too.
"I'm sorry you've all suffered so long, Autobots. I know things have been hard for everyone here. But Sideswipe is right. What sets us apart from the Decepticons if our methods so closely echo their own. We are as guilty as they are for sacrificing worlds just to gain an advantage that means little in the long run." Optimus looked at the tired, weary faces of his Autobots. "That doesn't adhere to the ideals of our race that I founded the Autobots on. We call ourselves autonomous robots yet do the same thing over and over, set in our ways. Something needs to change."
Optimus straightened his posture, feeling slightly stronger. "I know you all have suffered in this harrowing time, but ask yourselves this: if we falter now, if we give up, where does that leave us? Where does that leave those in need? If we really have lost our way, how does welcoming death ensure our return to righteousness?"
"Our friends on Terra are facing immeasurable odds right now. But I know they are still fighting despite the tide being against them. Think of them, Autobots: Arcee, Moonracer, Bulkhead, Skyfire, Lifeline…Darren, Gina, Annie, and the Minicons we saved. If we give up now, it will be an insult to everything they're fighting for." Optimus said passionately. "I don't know what the future will bring, but I say this—I plan to fight. And I will do so with pride if even one of you would have the courage to do stand at my side."
Optimus held the Star Saber high, and his Matrix blue eyes reflected off the blade. "This is a war I still intend to win."
XXXXXX
Bulkhead smashed his wrecking ball into an insecticon's head while Armorhide tore into another one with his axe. All around them, Osean and Atlantean mecha opened fire on anything that wasn't them. They were equipped with the strongest anti-mecha weaponry they had on hand, but against the savage insecticons, they were still a bit outmatched. If it weren't for their Autobot partners, they'd be facing dire odds.
"Hello there!" Someone called out to them.
Bulkhead and Armorhide looked down the street to see Motormaster of the Stunticons walking up to them with his sword in his hands.
"Wonderful." Bulkhead groaned.
"Nice morning for a battle, yes?" Motormaster smiled pleasantly. His sword began to glow with energy as he swung it around testingly. "Would do both do me the honor of dying for me?"
Bulkhead really hated how pleasant he sounded. It never failed to be creepy. "Kid, you better leave this one to me."
"Like hell I will." Armorhide pointed his shoulder cannon at Motormaster. He fired a pulse blast, which Motormaster quickly deflected with a lightning fast strike of his sword. Another shot fire and was dispersed by the Stunticon leader. When Armorhide fired another shot, Motormaster charged at them.
Bulkhead met his charge and swung his wrecking ball at him. Motormaster jumped back and swung his sword at Bulkhead's head, only to change the direction of his blade to block Armorhide's energo-axe. He let the axe glide off the flat of his blade before kicking Armorhide aside. The cadet buckled from the blow, but didn't fall, swiping at Motormaster's feet and forcing the Con to jump back right into the path of Bulkhead's weapon.
The wrecking ball slammed into his face, but Motormaster used the momentum to spin around, cutting Bulkhead across the arm. Armorhide's axe swing managed to slice off a piece of his shoulder armor, but Motormaster skillfully dodged him and backpedaled away to gain some distance.
"You're good, boy. Very skilled with that axe." Motormaster praised. "Killing you will be glorious!"
"Oh shut up!" Bulkhead charged Motormaster with his melee weapon.
XXXXXX
It was honestly amazing how one mech could just lift the spirits of people in a single moment. The return of Optimus had revitalized everybody's morale and suddenly the fighting spirit of the Autobots was at an all time high. They prepared the Trion for the coming siege, and soon all they could do was wait.
"Cannons are online, cameras are working. Everything's ready on our end." Jazz said. "How are things looking for us?"
"I've just finished calculating over six thousand possible outcomes based on our current plan and overall combat readiness." Prowl said.
"And?"
"There were seven instances in which we were successful."
"Seven." Jazz repeated. Prowl nodded.
"Seven."
"Might want to keep that to yourself."
"Yes, I thought that might be for the best."
Inside the ship, Optimus and Ironhide were having a private talk.
"I screwed up, Prime. I really, really screwed up. I really, really screwed up." Ironhide shook his head. "I can't believe I fell to pieces like that."
"Honestly, neither can I, but everyone was at their breaking point." Optimus said. "Things looked dire for everyone."
"You aren't going to reprimand me?"
"According to Kup, Elita-1 and Chromia did that for me. And you've learned your lesson. Rubbing it in your face won't help you." Optimus patted Ironhide's shoulder. "Worry about this when we have the time. For now, let's focus on the battle."
They left the ship and joined the Autobots at the forward bunker being used as a makeshift battlement. Wheeljack and Perceptor had to scalp half the Trion's weapons to place on the building. Not like the ship could use them anymore. They couldn't move.
"We're all set, Prime." Kup reported. "Springer's spotted the swarm climbing up the canyon."
"It was only a matter of time." Optimus said.
"Sir?" Tracks called up to him. "If I may ask, are you scared?"
"Scared? Scared is fighting Trypticon alone." Optimus answered. "This is honestly nothing compared to Trypticon. Or even Thunderwing."
"I see 'em!" Cliffjumper called out.
In the distance, they could see the insecticons climbing out of the canyon and charging into Rodion like a horrific flood. Optimus lifted his ion rifle and turned to Elita-1.
"Are you ready, Elita?" He asked.
"Ready as I'll ever be." She smiled.
Optimus nodded and pointed his rifle at the coming swarm and pulled the trigger.
XXXXXX
"They don't pay me enough for this." Runamuck grunted.
"Would you shut up, you cog sucker!" Wreckage growled, ducking under a laser bolt and shooting at the golem that was trying to fill him full of holes. "Just be useful and shoot!"
"Shoot what?"
"Anything!" Wreckage wished he stuck with someone competent, like Demolishor. That pencil pusher would've been more bearable than this little freak. "Nightrider, what's the status on—"
A large hammer slammed into the side of his head, nearly deforming it by the impact alone before his body went tumbling down the street. Runamuck stared up in terror at Ultra Magnus wielding a massive magnetic hammer standing above him. He stumbled back and fell onto the ground as the Autobot commander raised his hammer.
"Wait, please…!" Runamuck's pleas for mercy were stopped as the hammer crashed down into his torso, almost completely flattening it and causing his internal components to eject from his sides like a crushed doughnut. He died almost immediately as his laser core was crushed into scrap.
"How ruthless of you, Ultra Magnus." Ultra Magnus spun around and saw Megatron walking toward him. "Not very Autobot of you to kill a defenseless enemy."
"You have no idea what I've done in this war, Megatron." Ultra Magnus growled. His eyes slid to Megatron's chest and narrowed at the sight of the Matrix being worn as a necklace.
"Like it? I'm thinking of wearing it to me victory celebration."
"The Matrix is useless to you, Megatron."
"I know, but it makes for a damn good trophy." Megatron raised his fusion cannon. "And so will your head!"
Ultra Magnus was already moving when Megatron fired his fusion cannon. He slammed his hammer into the ground and sent out a magnetic wave that Megatron leapt over. A swipe of Keranos was blocked by the hammer, and the two weapons released an explosive burst of energy that tore the street apart.
XXXXXX
Optimus raised his sword and swung it, and even he was surprised by how large the energy wave was that it tore through the insecticons. The sword glowed in his hands and he felt the energy radiating off it.
'Was it because I hadn't used it in a while?' Optimus thought, stabbing the sword into the chest of a brute and the one behind it. Far be it for him to understand the Primal relics. He was just thankful for the sword's power as he bisected three more insecticons in a single swing.
The swarm hit the bunker like a tidal wave, and though their mounted weapons killed hundreds of insecticons at a time, the sheer amount of the bugs was too much for them to handle. Optimus wasn't entirely at full health, so Ironhide remained by his side to hold them back.
"After this scrap, I hope I never see another insecticon again!" Ironhide flipped a brute over his shoulder and broke its neck before firing his laser cannons at the other six insecticons. Suddenly a clawed arm grabbed his cannon and dragged him off his feet.
"Ironhide!" Mirage came to his aid, killing the insecticon and firing his rifle at the others while pulling Ironhide up. They were almost surrounded until Optimus jumped in and released another energy wave that tore through the swarm.
"I've got you!" Optimus said, covering them.
Springer was in helicopter mode raining hell down upon the swarm. Elita-1 levitate large rocks and debris to throw down on the insecticons. Flareup and Wheeljack lobbed explosives into the swarm while Roadbuster unleashed the full power of his plasma cannons pilfered from the Trion.
Bumblebee grunted as he was smacked aside by a brute and blasted its face off with his stingers. Several more replaced their dead swarm mate and Bumblebee ran back to avoid them. "A little help here!"
"Can't!" Hound grunted, shooting down five more, while Trailbreaker projected the largest barriers he could to keep them back. "Too many!"
"Ha!" Elita-1 slammed her hands into the ground and released a strong TK pulse wave that sent hundreds of Insecticons into the air. She gathered all of the bugs into a ball and crushed them as hard as she could before sending the ball of compressed bodies into another part of the swarm. Her Valkyries picked up where she left off, killing the ones she didn't snatch up while helping the Wreckers fall back.
That attack bought them some breathing room, but the insecticons still kept coming, and they were already losing the bunker. Optimus had the group fall back to the Trion, where they would make the ship their last bastion. Things were looking bad for them, but Optimus refused to go down not fighting.
'Win or lose,' Optimus thought. 'I will keeping fighting!'
He charged up the Star Saber for another attack when he saw a bright glow come down from the sky. It was a massive energy beam, which slammed into the ground and vaporized a huge chunk of the swarm. Everyone looked up and gaped at the massive form hovering down to the ground, crushing several insecticons under his feet.
It was Omega Supreme.
The massive cybertronian fired his plasma cannons and wiped out whole swaths of insecticons below him. The Autobots quickly gathered around his feet for safely.
"Omega, far be it from me to question our luck," Optimus said. "But how…?"
"I received your message." Omega Supreme said. Glyph perked up at that. "I apologize for my late arrival."
"Message?" She squealed. "My message! I told you it'd work!"
"I'm never doubting you again, Glyph." Firestar grinned.
Prowl helped Tracks to his feet as he fired at the insecticons. "We were told all of the outposts had been annihilated or taken, that no Autobots survived."
"Not all, but a significant number."
"But surely the Cons would have focused on you. They must have sent an army to take you down. How did you survive?"
Omega Supreme simply looked down at him and said, "I am Omega Supreme."
Optimus fired one last energy arc before yelling, "Omega, transform and get us out of here!"
Omega Supreme destroyed several hundred more insecticons before he transformed into his space shuttle mode. The Autobots quickly flooded into the massive mech's alt mode, eager to finally leave this dead world.
"What's the plan, Prime? We regroup? Look for survivors?" Kup asked.
"No. Our friends on Terra need our help and I intend to do so." Optimus said. "Omega, take us to Terra!"
Omega Supreme's ignition rockets flare up, incinerated more insecticons as he slowly took off from Cybertron and reached the outer atmosphere. Once again the Autobots left their dead homeworld to return to the war and end it once and for all. To Terra they flew, as Omega Supreme entered fold space and disappeared from Cybertron's orbit.
XXXXXX
The Decepticons were mounting a solid defense, but the allied terran forces were pressing hard on them. The fighters kept the Seekers busy while the mecha held their own against the scattered ground forces. Demolishor was doing the best he could, but the golems were proving to be a serious annoyance.
"Slag." Nightshade hissed as she tended to a deep cut on her shoulder. She managed to get away from Skyfire by pawning her off onto Darkshadow. Dreadwing landed beside her.
"Nightshade, are you okay?" He asked.
"Give me a sit-rep." She ordered.
"The enemy fighters fall easily enough, but they're pummeling our ground forces. I just got word that Wreckage and Runamuck are dead." He said. "Their mecha are the real problem. Those golems having been steadily pushing our forces back with the Autobots' help."
They heard the sound of something large flying through the air and they saw three cruise missiles slamming into Devastator's chest. The gestalt stumbled backwards into a building, almost knocking it over, but he roared and threw a large piece of debris at the river.
"Cruise missiles? How the hell did they get subs this close to the city?" Nightshade growled.
"The Atlanteans. They've been providing the bulk of the resistance and firepower to the invaders." Dreadwing said over the loud explosions. He saw Devastator change his arm into his heat cannon and fire a couple of blasts into the river trying to get at the submarines.
"That moron's going to use up his energy doing that." Nightshade snarled. "Where's Megatron?"
"Knockout says that he's fighting Ultra Magnus. Just look for the stray lightning bolts."
"Make sure none of the Autobots can get within eyesight of him. Have Knockout bring the Nemesis to the river and take out those subs."
The sound of rushing water filled Nightshade's audials before she was hit in the back by a strong jet of water. Dreadwing stood over her as several large pillars of water rose above the building they were standing on, and a large, indigo colored golem slowly rose into view, carrying a large golden trident.
"You have something that doesn't belong to you, Decepticon." Said the golem. Dreadwing's eyes widened when he recognized the voice as Queen Tyr.
"Then come and take it from me!" Dreadwing threw three star-shaped bombs at the queen, but she grabbed them with her water tentacles and froze them solid.
Tyr's golem leapt forward and slammed her trident against Dreadwing's sword, and the queen pressed her assault with wildly aggressive attacks that pushed him back. Nightshade deployed several micro-missiles at her, but Tyr blocked them all with a swipe of her trident and fired an energy blast at Nightshade, blasting her off the roof.
"Nightshade!" Dreadwing yelled. He stabbed at the golem's torso unit, but Tyr sidestepped him and encased his sword arm in water. She froze it and had the ice cut through Dreadwing's shoulder, completely severing his arm.
Dreadwing hissed in pain as he lost his arm and threw a bomb at Tyr. To his surprise, she caught the bomb and thrust it right back into his chest just as it exploded, engulfing his body in flames and blasting him off the building.
"Good riddance." Tyr spat. She held Dreadwing's arm in an orb of water and brought it with her back to the street. As she reached the ground, a few of her honor guard ran up to her.
"My queen, are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine. I was just taking something back." Tyr said. "What's our status?"
"Osean submarines are currently diving to avoid the gestalt's long-range weapons. Our fighters are still combating the Seekers, and we've only suffered a small amount of casualties for our mecha forces." One of the golems reported. "Also, our drones have spotted Ultra Magnus fighting Megatron."
"Are there any Decepticons near that area?"
"No, my queen, they're all scattered across the city."
Tyr nodded. "Have the Hammerhead ships locate and target Megatron. We need to end this battle before their warship has the chance to level this city."
Ultra Magnus and Megatron continued to fight furiously in the street as their comrades did battle all around them. The Autobot commander tried to land a debilitating blow on Megatron, but couldn't get past his scythe.
"I'm glad you Autobots came, Magnus. Dying a warrior's death would be the most dignified end for you." Megatron slashed at Ultra Magnus, but he dodged it and spun around, slamming the hammer into Megatron's chest.
"I don't intend on dying today." He said and spun around for another strike. Megatron raised Keranos and the hammer's impact against it caused a burst of energy that blew the two mechs to opposite sides of the street.
"You continue to fight against your fate, Magnus. You, your team, you're the only opposition left against my victory. This is what the last remnants of the archaic Primal dynasty is destined for—total oblivion!"
Megatron slashed Keranos and sent a powerful lightning burst at Ultra Magnus. He raised his hammer to protect himself, but the surge hit him hard enough to send him flying back several feet. Megatron came charging down the street at him, and fired a fusion beam that caught Ultra Magnus in the chest, bringing him down again.
"We are gods, Magnus. I will be the one to show the universe the true might of our race." Megatron said, standing over the fallen Autobot. He raised Keranos over his head, intending to give Ultra Magnus a proper execution. "I am destiny. I am inevitable!"
Just as Megatron brought his scythe down on Ultra Magnus, a deafening boom made him pause and turn around. Megatron's eyes widened as he saw the Nemesis, his mighty warship, get completely torn in half by a golden particle beam that blasted right through the middle. The back half of the Nemesis exploded as the fuel lines leading to the thrusters ignited and caught aflame. The front half dived toward the ground, smashing through several buildings before skidding to a stop in the East Village.
Torn between absolute fury and shock, Megatron looked to where the beam came from and saw a massive spacecraft hovering over the city. He recognized that alt mode anywhere.
"Omega Supreme?!" Megatron raged.
His rage grew further when he saw several Autobots falling out of Omega Supreme, Autobots he thought to be dead. That included the members of Team Prime. And speaking of Prime…Megatron's red eyes bled with hatred as he spotted a familiar red and blue mech leading the charge.
"PRIME!"
Up on a rooftop, the Defenders watched in awe as the Autobots made their explosive and miraculous entrance.
"Holy crap." Luah breathed. "Am I dreaming?"
"Nope. This is real, girl." Shelia grinned.
"They're back." Gar smiled. "They're back and ready to kick ass!"
About damn time." Steve grumbled. "Come on, we've still got a job to do."
XXXXXX
Optimus sensed the Matrix close by and zeroed in on its location, seeing the silver armor of Megatron not too far from the main battle. "Elita!"
Elita-1 knew exactly what he wanted her to do. She used her telekinesis to propel Optimus and herself away from the main group, flying above several buildings as they headed toward Megatron's location. The warlord roared and swung Keranos just as Optimus brought the Star Saber down in a vertical swing.
"MEGATRON!"
Their two weapons clashed and the energy burst they gave off sent Megatron flying back into a building. He didn't let that phase him as he tore himself free of the crumbling structure and charged at Optimus.
"Why won't you die!" He shouted.
"I could ask the same of you!" Optimus said. He took out his ion rifle and tossed it to Ultra Magnus. "Take it!"
"Thank you, sir." Ultra Magnus caught the ion rifle and fired a blast right into Megatron's chest. The warlord didn't even slow down in his made charge at Optimus.
"I should've tore out your laser core along with the damn Matrix!" Megatron snarled. He swung Keranos at Prime, only to hit an invisible barrier. "Who dares?"
Megatron sensed someone behind him and ducked just as a spear point sailed over his head. Elita-1 flipped over his back and landed in front of him. She stabbed at his head, but he deflected her attacks and punched her back.
"Of course it's you. Shall I expect Alpha Trion to make an entrance too?" Megatron sneered.
"No." Optimus said. "It's just us."
Optimus, Elita-1 and Ultra Magnus attacked Megatron in unison. Megatron tried to use Keranos's power, but Elita-1's outlier power redirected many of his attacks. He was forced onto the defensive, avoiding Ultra Magnus's hammer strikes and parrying Optimus's sword strikes. Elita-1 stabbed her spear into Megatron's side, but he spun around and slammed his heel into her raised arms, sending her into a coffee shop.
When Megatron took a hammer strike to his back, throwing him right through a truck, Megatron finally had enough. He threw Keranos at Elita-1, who blocked it with a TK bubble. Then he dodged the next hammer swing and snatched the weapon from Ultra Magnus, using the hammer's weight to spin himself around and slammed it right into Ultra Magnus's chest. He recalled Keranos and used it to block Prime's sword.
Back at Times Square, Devastator tried attacking the Autobots. The green and purple giant roared and punched the ground, making the streets shake and tremble, and smashing a hole deep enough to cause the subway tunnels underneath to cave-in.
"The bastard's gonna level the city!" Bulkhead said.
"It's cool. We got backup!" Cliffjumper grinned.
Omega Supreme, now in robot mode, landed next to Devastator and delivered a strong right hook to the gestalt's face, sending Devastator crashing right through a skyscraper. The city trembled from the dueling giants and two more office buildings fell from the earthquakes.
"Omega, take Devastator somewhere else. You're destroying the city!" Prowl yelled over the noise.
"Affirmative." Omega Supreme replied and wrapped his large arms around Devastator's torso. He ignited his boosters and the two giants went flying into the air. It was a sight few would ever forget.
Omega Supreme carried Devastator out of the city and across the river over to Liberty Island, where he slammed Devastator into the Statue of Liberty. Devastator howled and thrashed in Omega Supreme's grip, trying to break free.
"You will not beat us!" Devastator shouted. "We are Devastator!"
"Wrong." Omega Supreme shoved his cannon against Devastator's chest and fired a heat beam that shot right through the gestalt's torso. "I am Omega Supreme!"
The blast was hot enough to have blown a hole right through the Lady Liberty, though Omega Supreme cared not for the damage he did to it. The immense pain was so great that it sent Devastator into shock ad caused him to break apart. His component parts, the Constructions, fell into the sea in stasis lock.
XXXXXX
"Why do you keep coming back to me like a nightmare!" Megatron ranted, attacking Optimus relentlessly. "Just accept your defeat and die like the rest of your worthless comrades!"
"You have no rights to this planet, Megatron." Optimus said.
"Don't bore me. You don't care about this planet any more than I do. This is all about your Matrix." Megatron tapped the relic on his chest. "Why else would you risk the lives of your soldiers?"
"I'll say it again. This planet and it's people are under our protection." Optimus said. "Leave!"
"Protection? You're going to risk everything for one world after 4 million years of sacrificing others to beat me? Acceptable losses, Prime. We didn't differ in that regard."
"We differ in all regards." Optimus replied. "I'll no longer take part in a war that has destroyed countless worlds and wiped out thousands of civilizations."
"Oh stop it. You picked a bad time to grow a conscious." Megatron said. "This "innocent" race you're hoping to emancipate is about to slaughter millions of their own people in order to kill us. As we speak a nuclear bomb is on its way here. But thanks to Karaba, I know it's coming and I'll send it right back at them!"
Elita-1 rushed Megatron from behind and he parried her spear thrust. He slashed Keranos at her, but she kicked his arm to the side. He punched her away and turned back to Optimus, but felt something take hold of his body.
She gave a war cry as she pulled Megatron off his feet and threw him at Optimus. Megatron tumbled down the street uncontrollably, but he managed to turn himself up right and leaned his head back just as the glowing blade of the Star Saber flew over his face by just a hair's breath. But the Star Saber managed to cut the chain holding the Matrix. They both watched as it hit the ground with a metallic clang that sounded loud in their audials.
Megatron reached forward and tore the Star Saber from Prime's grasp, throwing it as hard as he could away from them before punching Optimus in the face.
A few buildings over, Gar and Shelia helped Steve onto the rooftop of an apartment building overseeing the battle.
"Is this a good spot?" Shelia asked.
"Yeah, it's perfect." Steve said, setting up the rifle. "Let's just hope we don't get vaporized by a stray laser blast."
"Steve, hurry up. Prime's not looking too good." Shelia said, watching the battle.
"You came all this way to save these people? Why? Because they're innocents?" Megatron threw another punch. "They captured and tortured one of your own. They've sent a plane carrying a weapon that will kill millions to their own people just to get at us! You are a foot to risk your life and the lives of those under you for them!"
Optimus grabbed Megatron's arm and tore his fusion cannon off. "It's not just about saving them. It's about who we are. It's about what sets us apart."
He began to smash the cannon against Megatron's face over and over as he spoke. "It's about the different between a Decepticon and an Autobot!"
Optimus didn't stop pummeling Megatron until the fusion cannon was nothing but a ravaged mess of black metal. Megatron landed multiple punches on Optimus before throwing him into a building.
"If you want to die with them, then fine. Be my guest." Megatron spat. Then he called one of his agents flying abroad. "Tankor, once you drop the bomb, rendezvous with us at the secondary base."
"Steve…" Gar whispered.
"I know." Steve muttered.
'And I'll be taking this." Megatron reached down for the fallen Matrix, but it flew out of his reach and across the street into Elita-1's hands. "Oh Elita-1, don't be a hero right now. If you want to spend your final moments with Prime, hand over the Matrix."
"Go to hell, Megatron." Elita-1 sneered and levitated the Star Saber over to her. Acting on instinct, Elita-1 placed the Matrix into the hilt of the sword and the Star Saber emitted a blinding glow that caught her by surprise.
"Steve!"
Steve inhaled and pulled the trigger, firing a thin laser beam from the rifle at Megatron. Megatron, too distracted by the glowing Star Saber, didn't see the beam until it burrowed into the back of his head and emerged through the front of his forehead. Megatron cried out in pain and stumbled back blindly as his head went white with agony.
"Optimus!" Elita-1 tossed the Star Saber to Optimus. He caught it in one motion and brought it down in a diagonal slash on Megatron's torso.
Everyone who saw the scene stared wide eyed as the Star Saber cut Megatron diagonally from shoulder to crotch, right through the center of his chest. Megatron's expression was frozen in pain and shock as Optimus cut him in two, and the two halves of his body hit the ground.
Optimus looked down at Megatron's sparking, spasming upper body as he convulsed before going still, his red eyes finally going dark.
"Holy shit." Gar breathed. "Nice shot."
Steve, equally shocked that he scored the shot, made a sound of acknowledgement.
Elita-1 stood over Megatron's body, looking over it warily. "Is he…dead?"
Before Optimus could answer, an agonized cry ran through the air. "NO!"
Nightshade landed between them and scooped up Megatron's upper body, which consisted of only his head, the upper half of his torso and a single arm. She leapt back and called her forces.
"Decepticons, retreat to the secondary base!" Nightshade howled. Optimus ran at her.
"Wait!"
Nightshade vanished with Megatron's corpse, leaving behind the rest of his remains with Optimus and Elita-1.
Atop a nearby building, Starscream watched the scene with an unreadable expression. "Damn fool." He muttered and called the remaining Decepticons in the city.
"To all Decepticons truly loyal to the cause. If you truly want salvation, then join me in my starship."
He knew his Seekers would be on board, as would anyone else who knew he was right over Megatron. He called the starship waiting in orbit by Luna.
"Quicksilver, bridge me up. It's time we left this miserable planet."
A ground bridge appeared behind him and Starscream entered it without a glance back. This was a time to look toward the future. So to that end, he will keep moving forward and look back no longer.
XXXXXX
All over the city, the Autobots watched as the Decepticons warped away one by one without warning. The only stragglers left were the insecticons, which were swiftly dealt with.
"What's going on?" Bumblebee asked.
"If I had a guess." Said Drift. "I'd say we won."
"Not yet!" Optimus ran over to the ground with Elita-1 and Ultra Magnus. "Megatron has a nuclear bomb heading here as we speak."
"What?!" Bulkhead shouted.
"What do we do? Run?" Armorhide asked.
"No, Armorhide. There's still people in the city." Optimus said.
"We can't shoot it down from here." Cliffjumper said. "Someone has to fly up there."
"But Skyfire's down." Lifeline said, looking the Autobot Seeker over. "She took a big hit from Shockblast earlier and she's still recovering."
"I'll do it."
Everyone turned to the unexpected newcomer to their group—Thundercracker. "None of you can fly and your only flyer is wounded. I'm fast enough."
"But…you're a Decepticon." Ironhide said. "Why—"
"The Decepticons were forged through honest combat. Not mindless slaughter of the weak. Not like your Primes." Thundercracker said. "Make no mistake. I'm no traitor. But all this has done is turned us into something worse than the monsters we fought against. Let it be known that a Decepticon is the one who saved you all, Autobots. Remember that."
Thundercracker transformed and flew out of the city and into the sky. Flying as fast as he could, Thundercracker flew toward Tankor's last known coordinates and saw the bomb already falling toward the city.
Why was he doing this? He didn't know. It certainly wasn't for the Autobots, that's for sure. Was it for the humans? Maybe. At this point Thundercracker was just moving on instinct, driven by his absolute disgust at this whole damn war and the carnage he witnessed at the hands of his Decepticon brothers and sisters.
'Maybe I'm just doing it for myself.' Thundercracker thought as he wrapped his arms around the bomb and increased the power in his boosters, diverting the bomb's path and slowly pushing it higher and higher into the stratosphere. He gritted his teeth and pushed his boosters as hard as he could, eventually making it into orbit and kicked it away from him. Falling back into orbit, Thundercracker pointed his laser cannons at the bomb and fired.
A few shots was all it took for the bomb to explode, and it did so silently in the cold reaches of space, far from Terra without any incident. Everyone down below saw the huge explosion and the Autobots cheered at this fortunate victory brought about by their surprise savior.
But everything was not going so well for Thundercracker.
"Thundercracker!" Came the enraged cry from Skywarp, who teleported behind Thundercracker. He slammed into Thundercracker and began choking him. "Traitor!"
"No, Skywarp, that wasn't—" Thundercracker tried to speak, but Skywarp was too mad to listen.
"What did you just do?! You betrayed us! We're brothers and you go and turn your back on us like that?"
"I'm not traitor! Megatron had lost his way. He was out of control. Everyone was out of control!" Thundercracker spun around trying to dislodge Skywarp, but the purple Seeker held tight onto him. "This whole damn war was just wrong—"
"Enough of your slag!" Skywarp growled and shoved the nozzle of his laser cannons into Thundercracker's face. "You're no brother of mine!"
Thundercracker's vision was engulfed in fire and light and everything went blank.
XXXXXX
When it became clear that Thundercracker would not be returning, the Autobots began the slow process of regrouping with the surviving human and merfolk soldiers and their friends. The Battle of New York was over, and now the victors had to count their dead.
With the threat clear, the military slowly began to trickle into New York to secure the ravaged city. Omega Supreme garnered a few wary looks, most of them hostile for what he did to the Statue of Liberty, but no one said anything against him.
Optimus stood in the area of Manhattan where the fighting had done the most damage. The Matrix was safely within his chest once again, but he was anything but happy. So many people were dead, the world was burning, and though the alternative would've been far worse, Optimus knew that this month-long nightmare would be ingrained into the memories of Terra's peoples for years to come.
"Optimus?" Elita-1 walked over to him, her wounds patched up by Lifeline. "What's wrong?"
"Everything, Elita." Optimus said, looking around at the once vibrant city. "All this could have been avoided if I made the right choices. So many people dead, ours and theirs."
"We can't change the past, Optimus. You know that more than almost anyone else here." Elita-1 said. She felt his pain, understood his guilt. Hindsight was a terrible mistress. "But we won, and Megatron can no longer hurt anybody else."
"We didn't win, Elita." Optimus wearily replied, looking down at the scattered remains of talos and insecticons along the ground. "We survived."
Optimus unintentionally repeats Nightshade's line at the end of the headmaster war in book 2. I really enjoyed having Megatron take on Optimus, Elita-1 and Ultra Magnus at the same time. The fight scene was written with the crazy fight scenes from the Castlevania show in mind. Next chapter is basically the epilogue of the book that shows several characters during the aftermath of this unholy disaster as well as set up for the next book. It's been a wild ride this season, but I really enjoyed it. Be sure to check out the official Transformers Titan website on wordpress. Thanks for reading and please leave a review.