Answers to reviews:
ghostdog2AD: I'll bring in some new bots eventually, maybe some fliers to match the Decepticons.
Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers Prime. I only own the OC George Edwards/Bladewolf Prime.
It's been two weeks since the whole thing with Megatron, Airachnid and her Insecticon. Things are going as smooth as they always have, patrols, search for Energon deposits, taking out Decepticons in search of Energon, the usual. Right now, Optimus and I were searching one of those Energon deposits after Ratchet detected the signal. Since most of the team had been out on patrol, or were picking up the kids in Arcee, bulkhead and Bumblebee's cases, Optimus decided he and I would investigate it.
Due to it being a Sub-terraranan deposit, we were outside of communications range I waited outside the cave, having been told by Optimus to stand guard just in case there is any surprise attacks from the Decepticons. I only had to wait ten minutes before Optimus came out.
"Anything?" I asked him.
Optimus shook his helm but showed me a small chunk of Energon. "The deposit was empty, except for this." He stated. "It is likely the Decepticons have already been and extracted the Energon here, but not all of it. We have been outside communications range for too long, we better return to base."
I nodded and we transformed into our vehicle modes before driving off. It took a bit to arrive back in Jasper, but we got there and drove straight for the base. The secret entrance opened and we drove through, driving down the way leading into the base's main ops room where we found the rest of Team prime, including Fowler and the kids. As Optimus and I transformed, I noticed everyone looked... tense, and was eyeing Optimus, they even looked nervous!
I narrowed my optics. "Alright, who got into trouble? You all look like kids who stole snacks from the cupboard and are trying to not give anything away to the parents." I stated, crossing my arms across my chassis. "Seriously, what's wrong?"
"Just…wondering where you and Optimus have been, babe." Arcee answered.
"We've been unable to reach you two." Bulkhead stated as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"We were underground for a bit." I said.
"We've been outside communication range-" Optimus never got to finish because as soon as he reached for his subspace everyone but Arcee and Elita had their guns trained on us.
"Woah!" I exclaimed, deploying my own guns and pointing them back at them. Okay, I'd never do this to my family, but it was instinct.
But, Optimus must have seen the tension and continued. "In a subterranean Energon deposit." He then pulled out the shard he found.
Everyone soon relaxed and retracted their weapons, causing me to do the same. "Was aiming the guns at us really necessary? What did we do to set you guys off?"
"Sorry about that, George." Cliffjumper apologized.
"Yeah, sorry Optimus." ironhide added.
"Don't blame them." Fowler piped in, causing me and Optimus to look at him. "I was attacked earlier tonight on an open highway by a big rig. One that bore a striking resemblance to you, Optimus."
Optimus and I shared a look, that was weird and concerning. Suddenly, Fowler's phone rang.
"Fowler. What?! That's not possible." Fowler answered with disbelief. "I can tell you as sure as there are fifty stars in my star spangled shorts it isn't him!" Fowler then hung up before walking up. "Alden Military Base is under attack, by Optimus Prime." That sent some shock to everyone, especially to said actual bot.
"The truck?" I asked.
"The bot." Fowler responded.
"Arcee, Elita, Bumblebee, Bulkhead; you are with me. Roll out!" Optimus stated. The Groundbridge was activated and they drove through it. However, it didn't take long for them to come back and explain that the human fired on them, forcing them to retreat back to base.
Fowler then got a call from General Bryce.
"No General Bryce. Optimus did not attack our boys. Because I was with Prime when I received the alert! Yes sir. The Autobots were at your base. Only in response to the initial attack! But, sir! I…yes, sir. I understand..." Fowler sighed before hanging up.
"So what's the damage?" Jack asked.
"Two things. One, all military personnel are under strict orders to destroy any and all bots on sight." Fowler announced.
"Scrap." I sighed.
"Are you kidding?!" Jack demanded.
"But they're innocent!" Raf protested.
"Optimus was framed!" Miko added.
"Though unfortunate," Optimus started, "the military order changes nothing. Our imposter clearly poses a grave threat to humanity."
"A thirty foot tall transforming imposter." Fowler thought he should add.
"I can only think of one culprit for this." I said, getting everyone's attention. "Three guesses to who."
Realization dawned on everyone. "They actually did it. Those butchers managed to crack the code." Ratchet said, disgusted.
"MECH." Optimus nearly growled with narrowed optics. Yeah, even he ha disdain for this group of humans, and I don't blame him. I have a very, very deep disgust and disdain for them after what they tried to do to Bumblebee and Arcee.
"MECH abducted Breakdown. And by all indications, deconstructed him from cranial chamber to heel strut." Ratchet proclaimed.
"I was there." Bulkhead confirmed.
"And we know, that more recently, obtained Starscream's t-cog." Optimus added.
"Which they put in a cheap knock off of you." I finished.
"Which scanned a vehicle form just like yours." Cliffjumper added.
"Fill the tank with Energon." Jack added.
"And say hello to Nemesis Prime." Miko finished. Ugh, that was probably the most scariest version of Optimus.
"So, where do we start? MECH's base could be anywhere." Fowler asked.
"No it couldn't." Everyone turned to me when I said that. "MECH may have learned a lot about us but that doesn't mean that they have Cybertronian technology. They are just like how you guys are, stuck using Earth tech, albeit they have a little more advanced Earth tech. MECH has no access to Groundbridge technology, so they can't transport in a matter of seconds. The two attacks have to have been in range of their base."
"He's right." Ratchet nodded in agreement. "Nemesis Prime would rely solely on its vehicle mode for transportation."
"What are we waiting for?" Fowler asked. "Let's get out there and mash MECH's little science project."
"Agent Fowler," Optimus started. "I do not think it advisable to put yourself in harms way of MECH's robot again."
"Well, I'm not sure it's advisable for bots to be running recon with the military out there gunning for you." Fowler retorted, crossing his arms.
"We will maintain vehicular cover until absolutely necessary." Optimus stated, then turned to us. "Autobots, we will split up and search the radius until we find MECH's base. Call in with reports. We do not want to allow MECH and their robot to get the advantage of us. Elita, Arcee, Bladewolf, Cliffjumper, Bulkhead, we will search for MECH's base."
We nodded before getting shipped out.
After about twenty minutes of looking, Bulkhead came on the comm. "Nothing but tumbleweeds."
"Just a whole lot of empty." Arcee stated.
"Same here. Nothing out here." Elita added.
"I have nothing." I grumbled. I was hating this search.
"I think I found it." Cliffjumper called in while sending everyone the coordinates.
Optimus was quick to respond. "Cliffjumper, proceed with utmost caution. Reconnaissance only. We will rendezvous at your coordinates."
I had the feeling MECH will be onto us and send out Nemesis Prime to take us out one by one, so I banked right and headed toward Bumblebee's coordinates. When I got there, I saw that the others were already there. They must have been closer to the base than I thought.
"Cliffjumper, do you read?" Optimus called Cliffjumper as I transformed next to them.
"Spread out?" Arcee asked. Optimus nodded and we all transformed our servos into blasters. I had two Path Blasters deployed.
"And beware anything that might resemble me." Optimus added with a serious tone before we all split up.
I looked around, eyeing my surroundings warily. It had been five minutes since we split up, when suddenly I felt a sharp sting in my side, then in my back as I feel to my knees. It took a while, but the pain faded. There can only be one explanation to this.
"Arcee." I gasped before I felt for her through our bond and followed it until I found her, she was laid out and looked like she had been beaten to the point of being knocked out. A growl left me at the thought of someone doing this to my girlfriend. I crouched down and held her in my arms. "Arcee, baby?"
She groaned, at least she was alive. I felt relief as her optics slowly opened and she weakly looked up at me. "Hey Wolf." She muttered weakly.
"What happened?" I asked.
She groaned. "...Nemesis..." Was all she managed to get out before she slipped back into unconsciousness.
Okay Silas, three times you've harmed my family. The first was when you worked with Airachnid to try and gut Arcee, the second time was when you stole Bumblebee's T-Cog and the third is attacking my family again. For that, I'm going to kill you.
Gently placing Arcee on the floor, I stood and reached up, unsheathing my sword and deployed my shield. Now armed, I walked off to hunt for Nemesis and end him.
"The deception ends here Silas." I heard Optimus growl.
"Does it?" Nemesis asked with Silas' voice.
I heard the echo of their voices travel through the air as I traveled through the area. I watched Optimus and Nemesis fight and I could see that Optimus was not in a very great mood.
After an explosion and some punches, I heard Nemesis say, "My robot chassis possess all you strength, speed, and firepower." It was so tempting to run out there and blindside Silas. But, this was Optimus' fight. He would fight it. "Add my extensive combat training and MECH has clearly achieved the perfect meld of man and machine."
Yeah, I'm the perfect meld of man and machine, Silas. I'm a freaking Techno-Organic and can create Cybertronian weapons even when in human form!
They then threw a few more punches at each other before Nemesis turned and started to climb up one of the cylinder building things. Something felt off and so I climbed up behind without letting Silas see me. That would not help this at all. I stayed out of sight, only peeking up to see if I was needed.
When they took out their blades, I knew that it was about to get serious. Optimus and Nemesis continued their fight until Nemesis stabbed Optimus and gained the upperhand.
"But the key difference between you and me," Nemesis started, which made me growl softly. Couldn't afford to let Silas see me. "my body can't feel pain!" I then winced as Silas stabbed into Optimus deeper. "This is just the beginning. Imagine a whole army of transforming robots. No one will stand against the newly rebooted MECH."
I crept up behind Nemesis, who hasn't noticed me yet. Rearing my sword back, I impaled Nemesis right through the chest.
"Not while I have a say in the matter." I growled. Nemesis whirled and elbowed me right in the side of the helm but I recovered and yanked my blade out.
"That voice... Bladewolf?" Silas asked with obvious confusion. "Got an upgrade, I see."
"Better than that knock off in front of me." I retorted before I swung my sword and decapitated Nemesis in one swing. I then started to pummel the headless knock off. "This is for Arcee! For Bumblebee! For my family!"
Nemesis fell down and I jumped up before slamming my pedes down into it's chest, causing it to crash through the roof of the building we were standing on and it went crashing to the floor inside, defeated and destroyed. I walked over to Optimus and helped him up before we looked down inside to see Fowler was there.
"Agent Fowler?" I asked with a smirk.
The sound of helicopters coming drew my attention and I looked to see several in the distance, coming here. "That would be our boys. You had better get back to base with Prime and the others. I'll handle Uncle Sam." Fowler suggested.
I nodded before helping Optimus get down and we met up with the others and bridged back to base.
"So, how weird was it to see someone who looked exactly like Optimus kicking the scrap out of you?" That was the first thing Miko asked us as soon as we had a bit of a rest and recovered.
Bulkhead let out a huff before Arcee said, "It's a sight I won't soon forget."
"i knew it wasn't him when I first saw Nemesis." Elita said with a smirk as she stood beside Optimus. "A sparkmate knows her sparkmate."
"True." Arcee said with a grin at me and I smiled back at her.
"The question remains whether MECH will continue to function as we know it without its leader." Optimus stated.
"Well, here's the kicker." Fowler said on the monitor through an open transmission. "We sifted through the wreckage with a fine toothed comb and couldn't find any trace of Silas."
I sighed. "Well, that's reassuring."
Hopefully MECH is done for good...
And that's it for this chapter folks. And it was the Nemesis Prime one, always loved that. though I do prefer the actual Nemesis Prime, not a cheap knockoff version of Optimus that's called Nemsis. Like the Transformers Armada show, that had Nemesis in it.
But I do like Nemesis in Transformers: War for Cybertron, the Netflix show not the video game.