Seeking Solace – Ashes to Ashes
Chapter Four
"You don't have to have it all figured out, to move forward."
Debris was expelled in all directions as the ground erupted with flame and burning rock. Everything shook with the concussive force as explosions split and cracked the concrete and asphalt. Fires smoldered and smoke billowed. The air a haze of noxious fumes, visibility reduced to only a few metres.
Ignoring the instruction of the responding Autobots and Earth Defense Command forces, a small two person news crew risk their safety for the sake of exclusive coverage. Civilians and plant employees, those that could, have already evacuated. The reporter and camera crewman were becoming a distraction on the battlefield. Shooed from one dangerous area they merely moved to another, getting as much of the scene to the public. The enticement of the live feed reporting becoming much greater than reaching safety.
"As you can see, the Decepticons have the power plant completely under siege." The reporter's voice mixing into the cacophony of gunfire and explosives. She fought with her own instinctual fight or flight reflex as she kept her expression devoid of fear.
Another explosion, closer to the two person crew. The ground erupting around them. Dust choking the air, small stones and pebbles rained down. The live footage shook with the camera. The picture unstable, cutting in and out. Then it grew dark with dust and smoke and suddenly a large shadow loomed over the two humans.
As the footage continued to record, viewers at home could only sit in suspense as the camera panned upward. The frame engulfed with the massive form of a blue optic Cybertronian. An Autobot using himself to shield the insubordinate and stubborn news crew, putting himself between them and the battle. Wings splayed acting as a blockade from the flying debris as best as they could. His irritated expression, tinged with minute pain, glared down at the two sheltering beneath him. Blue optics blazing brightly with bridled anger.
"For the last time get the frag out of here." He shouted.
Neither reporter or cameraman hadn't the chance to respond as the Autobot's attention drew to the left sharply.
"Watch out!"
Barely had his warning came as a barrage of laser fire showered down around them. The loan Autobot howled in pain, again using himself as a protective shield taking the brunt of the attack. Forced to his hands and knees as his armour is pierced by the onslaught. His wings all but torn apart. Optics white from the bombardment of data to his processor from pain receptors. Energon rushed from severed fuel lines.
The camera doesn't stop recording, even as Cybertronian blood rained down. The reporter yelling to the stunned cameraman not to stop filming. Horror expressed upon his face as he witnessed it all, barely able to continue holding the heavy camera as shock over took his body. The microphone nearly shorts out from the reporter's shrill scream as more massive shadows in the dust and smoke appeared.
They were surrounded.
"Get him to a medic!" shouted one of the massive forms.
"Get the humans out of here!" ordered another.
The injured Autobot is helped to his feet, two of his teammates supporting his weight. Retrospin was barely conscious, screaming in pain with every movement. Sensitive wings ever more so as sensors and receptors burned from the heavy damage. Taken off the battlefield and to safety, his optics flickered with a dim light as the Autobot quickly began losing power, slipping in and out of consciousness.
The humans forcefully removed from the scene, their complaints ignored. The camera became another casualty of the battle as it clattered to the ground. Parts and pieces scattered from impact and crushed underfoot.
The cacophony of thunder echoed around the concrete buildings. The crack of explosive forces reducing pavement and structures to rubble. Electric generators buzzed with audio hum before erupting in a series of magnetic pulses. Temporarily disabling those unfortunate to be within the pulse range. Optics and heads up displays going dark leaving both Autobot and Decepticons blind. Those closest to the source were knocked unconscious momentarily.
The power electric plant was the unlucky target of a small contingent of Decepticons. Given free rein to do as they liked. Their actions erratic and without reason. The number of energon cubes too few in number to have been a supply raid. None could guess what it was they were after.
Through the haze of smoke and dust, violet optics blazed, scanning the battle below. Visibility was non-existent, yet those optics were unhindered. A waste of energy, came a thought. Not even worth the effort, was another. Criticizing thoughts ran through, describing the scene. Boring; could be the word best to describe it all. Uneventful, also would suffice. There was not even a thrill from the chaos.
Not even the lust for destruction was worth the attention of the Decepticon leader. Nor did it require Kryax to step away from his spot upon the roof. Searching the Autobots that came to the aid of the insignificant organics.
Beside him, the Decepticon air commander could see that Kryax was not pleased. Fractus too had not been impressed with the confrontation. It could not be helped, he reasoned. After all the goal was to only lure the Autobots, to thin out their forces. It was clear what his master was searching for was not present.
The contingent of Autobots that had responded consisted of mostly foot soldiers, subgroups and very few officers. The most noticeable was the lack of the Autobots current leader. There was not much of a surprised that Kryax had not found what he was after. It was becoming apparent that much more would be needed to draw out the one whom possessed the Autobots most coveted artifact.
Kryax turns away from the fighting, his expression dark, all but devoid of emotion. Clouds of smoke drifted across the roof, dancing around each step he made. The thunderous roars of heavy artillery and concussive blasts all around.
"It seems further thinning of their ranks will be needed."
"Allow me to lead the next attack." Fractus said.
The black mech paused only a moment, barely acknowledging the request by the crimson flyer before continuing. Without a word to the army below, Kryax and Fractus abandoned the fight. Leaving the still fighting Decepticons to their fate. Neither caring for the outcome.
The power plant had served its purpose. The Decepticons were one their own.
There was no sense to it.
Actions were sporadic, random, without apparent motive. The recent behaviour of the Decepticons were baffling. A stark contrast compared to previous encounters. There seemed to be not a single consecutive pattern to the attacks over the past few days.
The acting city commander was at a loss.
Autobot ranks were being spread thin. The number of injured rose and those able to respond became fewer and fewer. Leaving many to go without rest before once again facing the Decepticon forces. It was a miracle there hadn't been much in the way of casualties beyond minor to moderate injury. Even human casualties had been significantly low. A grace of Primus that the injuries were not severe enough for the loss of life, the most critical were believed to fully recover in a few months' time.
There was solace in that at the very least.
Victory Leo had been unable to predict the Decepticons next move or as to what Kryax was planning. Units and teams were split up as individual members recovered. They needed reinforcements, desperately.
Communications had already received transmission contact from Star Saber. The shuttle that had left for the mausoleum had just entered the Sol system. Though good news, it would still be a couple days before they would arrive, adding able fighters to a near depleted force.
Victory Leo's back was to the wall. All he could do was hope the Autobots could hold out. Even contemplating allowing those removed from duty for recovery to join the battles.
The black and gold mech shook the thoughts from his mind. No, they could not risk losing more Autobots.
Having recently denied the Sparkmaster commander her request to return to active duty, he could not grant permission to others. The acting city commander was impressed by the human's recovery, almost admired it. Praying the recovery of all the injured to be just as quick.
The human, having regained most of her strength, doing all she could to hide any remaining strain. The braces that allow her to walk having been fully repaired, she was no longer held back. Having spent the past day pestering Victory Leo to be cleared for active duty. An action Victory Leo and First Aid had been reluctant to do.
His thoughts were interrupted as his communication line demanded his attention. It was a report from comms, another attack by the Decepticons. No time to call together a briefing, Victory Leo ordered for a call to arms, for those able and could be spared. Exiting the war room, the acting commander headed for the courtyard. The hallways and corridors rang with the cry of the klaxons.
This time he would be joining the responding contingent.
The ground shook with each step the two gestalts took. Superion struggled to hold off the chaotic form of Menasor. The Stunticon combiner had always been unstable, with components fighting to be the dominant mind. Made more so now that both Stunticons and Combaticons had lost members over the centuries. Forced to combine leaving both resulting gestalts to be unstable and unpredictable and a clash of minds fought with themselves. The instability making them no less dangerous than before.
Clouds of coarse sand drifted with each step of the giants. The storming sunset casting a dark ominous crimson light. The winds picking up the sand adding to the decreasing visibility.
The Autobots giving their all to push back the Decepticons from the mining camp. Those that could be spared assisted with the evacuation of the crewmen. Victory Leo oversaw but could not keep his optics off the horizon. The pressure mounted as time counted down. The sky was being swallowed by a wall of tan and copper clouds. The wind growing in speed as it grew ever closer. With an ominous howl of the wind loomed the approaching sandstorm.
The mining camp, having sustained damage in the initial attack, would not survive the full brutality of the oncoming storm. The integrity of the shelters greatly compromised. Already the high wind kicking up the sand. Organics and Cybertronians would soon find themselves sandblasted. The worst of it yet to be upon them.
Abrasive sand can easily render Cybertronians blind as sensitive optics become scratched. Sensitive wiring aggravated by tiny grains of silicate as they slip through armour panels. Plating could quickly be stripped of paint, sensitive sensors burning from the assault. The real danger comes from sand getting into gears and joints. Fighting in sandy environments ran the risk of seizing, the risk is doubled if not tripled when caught in a sandstorm without shelter.
The humans would not fare any better under the onslaught. High winds could be capable of stripping flesh as the jagged crystalline grains of sand bombarded uncovered skin. Breathing too would be restricted as the air fills with swirling dust and sand.
Once the storms full wrath is brought upon the still progressing battle, it would be to no one's favour. Evacuation of the camp taking priority as the Decepticons are held back. Secondary shelter from the storm made from and structures remaining. With luck it would at the very least hold back the worst of the storm.
As the danger grew by the minute, Victory Leo still had been unable to discern the intention of the attack. The mine was not producing anything that would be of use to the Decepticons, metal ore only the humans had placed value on. The noticeable lack of presence of Kryax rose ever more suspicion, as well as concern.
Having lost sight of the black mech hours ago, the acting city commander's attention was torn between searching for the Decepticon leader and watching the approaching storm. Directing those under his command as well as coordinating with EDC members taking up much of the black and gold mech's focus.
Fractus and a squadron of flyers razed the ground with a barrage of laser and missile fire. Raining down as they flew over the battlefield, forcing Victory Leo to shield himself from both blasts and the onslaught of the damaging sand. Before he could return fire, he stopped. All but frozen in place. His face a mix of shock and dread as his comm. line once again came to life, demand his attention with urgency.
A string of curses carried away on the wind, all but drowned out by the wind and laser fire. Sudden realisation of the Decepticons recent actions came to light. Finally an understanding for the forceful thinning of all the ranks. Victory Leo could no nothing but stare into the leading edge of the sandstorm as he received the urgent report.
New Iacon City was under attack. Kryax was leading the assault.
Reinforcements would not arrive in time to defend the city. Victory Leo could only come to a single conclusion. The random attacks were all a diversion, to draw out the Autobots. The acting commander cursed once more for not having figured it out sooner. Cursed ever more knowing the city was severely shorthanded of fully active Autobots.
Attacking the Autobot city directly with the defenses as they are meant only one thing, Kryax had this planned. The Decepticon leader was after something, or perhaps for someone. It was a scenario Ultra Magnus considered a possibility, one Victory Leo had hope would not become a reality while the Autobots ranks were in such disarray.
The process of luring out the Autobots in such manner would be a classic case of dive and conquer. Except Kryax was not a mech who would waste time or energy to put on a display of power. Since his rise to command he already had the Autobots backed against a wall even with the full force in top condition.
No, these actions could mean one thing.
Kryax was looking for the Matrix