Chapter Eight

Sneaking past the Autobots' planetary defenses was surprisingly easy. Didn't they make note of their stolen shuttles? Either they had become complacent, or the Autobots had more pressing concerns at the moment. From the way the Matrix was flaring within him, Megatron strongly suspected the latter.

Cyclonus skillfully guided the shuttle into the docking bay. He and Soundwave, the only two selected for this mission, exchanged glances with Megatron. The Decepticon leader forced his nerves to be still. He now saw what courage it had taken Optimus to enter the heart of the enemy alone. "Remember, no weapons unless absolutely necessary!" he warned. The two nodded. They obviously thought that Megatron had gone mad once more, but as two of his most loyal followers, they would stand by him.

He opened the shuttle hatch cautiously and the trio stepped out, only to be promptly confronted by a small band of Autobots, brandishing weapons. The landing of an unscheduled shuttle had caught their attention after all. "Don't fire!" Megatron said quickly. "Unless you wish to risk damaging this!" He reached into his chest and pulled out the glowing Matrix, sending out intermittent flashes of distress.

"It's a trick; don't listen to him!" one yelled, lining Megatron up in his sights.

"Fools!" Megatron had no patience for this. "Your leader is in trouble! He gave me this for safekeeping, and it has summoned me here! Stand aside!"

"Yeah, right, like Optimus Prime would really hand over the Matrix just like that!" another scoffed.

The attention of the small band was diverted, however, by the sound of running feet. "What's going on?" another Autobot asked, poking his head out in the hallway.

One of his comrades paused as he ran by. "Optimus Prime is in trouble! Kup just summoned us to the training room. Something's up!"

Holding his head high, Megatron pushed his way past the grunts that stood before him. Shocked that his prediction had proven true, none opposed him. Autobots did double-takes in the hall has he hurried past, his two underlings hot on his heels. The Decepticon held the Matrix before him, as a warning to let him pass unimpeded. A chilling scream echoed from somewhere down the corridor. It took several moments for Megatron to recognize the voice as Optimus Prime's. Never had he heard the Autobot scream like that, no matter how severely he had been tortured! The Matrix blazed in sympathy.

He had to push his way through a throng of Autobots blocking the entrance to the training room, whose doors seemed to have been forcibly breached. Megatron wondered at the inactivity of those he shoved aside, then he realized that they seemed paralyzed, unable to move on their own. With an effort, he fought through the motionless crowd, until he was free and clear.

The sight before him chilled him to the core. Optimus Prime stood before him, hands on hips, chuckling in a deep, threatening way that he most certainly did not like. The first thing he noticed was that the Autobot's lower face was exposed – all these long years, he had been wearing a mask! And his lower coverings were missing as well. Megatron did not have the slightest clue what this meant. Then he noticed how the Autobot's optics blazed with a glowing red malice. Suddenly everything made sense.

"Megatron!" The cry caught the silver Decepticon's attention, and he turned to see a weak and injured Rodimus standing not too far away from the smirking Optimus.

Rodimus could not help but gape at the appearance of the Decepticon leader. Prime's words had proven true, and he did not know what shocked him more – that Optimus had actually given Megatron the Matrix, or that Megatron had actually shown up with it to help. He discovered one thing – whether it was due to Megatron's presence, or that of the Matrix, he could suddenly move! He backed away from the possessed Optimus, coming to stand next to Megatron.

"So, Autobot," Megatron gestured to the apparently well-satisfied creature, "what do we do about this? Your mentor saw fit to entrust me with your Matrix. Can it be used against it somehow?"

Roddy's gaze darted from Optimus to the Matrix in Megatron's strong ebony hands. "It's a damn good thing he gave it to you, or we'd all be lost! You see, the demon would have gotten control of the Matrix if Optimus still had it. Optimus and I can both channel Matrix energy, and the creature could tap into that and twist it into something evil. But since you have no affinity for the Matrix, it's safe in your hands." He rubbed his head in frustration. "To answer your question, yes, the Matrix energy could destroy it, but not while it is still within Optimus. Prime would only allow the creature to absorb it and feed off of it. We need to get it out of him, where it can't channel the energy."

"Meeegatrooooon!" the Optimus-being hissed. "I remember you…. I have touched your mind before. You, who resisted me! You will not defy me again!"

Megatron stared, a memory stirring to life. "That thing that attacked me back on the asteroid! You wanted to warp and possess me like you did to the Primes! Nobody does that to me! Nobody!" Rage welled up in him and he shook with it. He would never be controlled again! Never!

Rodimus looked positively delighted with this bit of news. "Megatron, you're immune to this creature! You can help me lure it out and destroy it! But to do that, we need help from within. I only hope that I can reach Optimus and persuade him to help us!"

Megatron turned to address his two underlings, who where the only others unaffected by the paralysis. Something about the Decepticons – the formation of the neural net, the different charge of the Energon they consumed – prevented the demon-creature from gaining control over them. "Cyclonus, Soundwave, seize Optimus Prime and hold him!" The two Decepticons surged forward, knowing that it was a task easier said than done.

As the possessed Optimus turned to battle his adversaries, Rodimus closed his optic covers and concentrated, trusting Megatron to watch his back, a part of him ruefully wondering at how this had all come about. He felt along the Matrix link, sending out a powerful wave of love and comfort. 'Optimus, please, come back to us!' he begged. 'We need you! Don't let this creature win! It will destroy us all!' A weak response came back to him. Optimus was afraid, curled up tightly in the far reaches of his mind, too terrified to move. 'You've got to fight it! Please, Optimus! I need you!' Realizing that he needed help, he spoke aloud. "Andromeda! He loves you and will listen to you! Please call out to him!"

Megatron turned in surprise to study the lithe dark-blue female in surprise. He had not known that Optimus had taken another mate! "Female! If you care for him at all, tell him so now! There is no other way to reach him!" The Matrix was communicating with him now, no doubt to guarantee his cooperation, showing him how thoroughly evil this demon was, and what needed to be done to stop it. He and Rodimus would have to work in conjunction to defeat it.

Shuddering, trying to halt the tears, she pressed her hands to her chest and began to sing. It was an old Earth tune that Optimus had taken a particular liking to. "And I would be the one to hold you down, kiss you so hard…. I'll take your breath away, and after that, wipe away the tears. Just close your eyes, dear." Her voice was clear and strong, her melodic tone ringing throughout the room. She had sung to Optimus on occasion, and he never tired of hearing it. The malice in Prime's normally clear, kind optics faded slightly, and an uncertain look crossed his features. Deep inside, something stirred, remembering the sound of that voice, how it had sung to him and kept him alive several years ago when he had nearly slipped away into death. It called to him now, beckoning him to return. But he was so afraid! *It* was waiting for him out there!

Rodimus concentrated harder on the link, strain showing on his sculpted, strong features. The demon had hurt Optimus with painful memories, but perhaps pleasant memories could bring him back. He searched his own mind for such memories and, as gently as possible, presented them to the shivering mind-spirit at the other end of the link. He fondly recalled wrestling in the mud with Optimus; a spirited snowball fight in the Arctic; the endless pranks he'd pulled on his friend; the one time they'd gone fishing and Optimus had gotten tangled in the line. He recalled how Optimus had stayed with him all night the time he'd tried mixing several different kinds of high-grade and had gotten a royal case of Energon poisoning; the time they had fooled Ultra Magnus into thinking a massive spider was crawling on his back (the brave city commander had screeched like a femme and did a bizarre dance around the room); the day they had gone exploring in the woods and happened on a pair of baby deer frolicking in a meadow. He had teased Optimus for an entire week when he caught him eating a whole package of Terellian Enersweets, his secret vice. He recalled Optimus comforting him after a particularly vivid nightmare; how he had held Roddy tightly and let him cry for days on end after Firebolt's death. "Optimus, please come back!" he pleaded. "I can't do this without you! Don't leave me alone here!"

The lifeforce at the other end of the link brightened, then rallied, shoving against the invasive alien presence in one mighty thrust. The being shrieked as it felt itself being thrust out of its host body, whipping out tendrils to try to hold it in place. Megatron saw part of the creature emerge and seized it, surprised that he was able to grasp something so insubstantial. He pulled on it as hard as he could, and the creature risked being ripped apart if it did not release its hold. With his other hand, Megatron thrust the Matrix in the thing's face, forcing it to behold the pure energies within. It hissed and tried to turn away from the blindingly pure light. The energy within the Matrix was not being released, so it could not absorb and pervert it, but its restrained yet very pure presence was enough to sear it. Rodimus turned to help, but Megatron shook his head firmly. Once this creature was out of Optimus, it would be all too happy to take Rodimus as its host once more. Finally, with a protesting screech, it was dragged entirely from Prime's body, which faltered and collapsed to the floor. Only then did Rodimus hasten forward, placing his hand on the Matrix in Megatron's grip. He could harness and master its energies without opening the case; a touch was enough to summon its power. Concentrating, his optics narrowing, he channeled the Matrix energy through his form, directing it out through his fingertips like a bolt of lightning. The demon screamed in agony as the blue streaks of energy connected, actually burning parts of its body away. With one more howl, it was entirely consumed, a pillar of energy shooting up and eradicating all traces of it.

Autobot and Decepticon leader alike shared a moment of silence as they regarded each other. Cybertron was safe once more. Wordlessly, Megatron placed the Matrix in Rodimus' hands, knowing that it would be of no more use to the Decepticons. He then knelt and touched Optimus on the forehead. The stricken Autobot was lying on the floor, optics glowing a hazy, unfocused blue, shivering in shock. At the touch, the light went out of his optics entirely, and his body went slack. Megatron keeled over, slumping to the floor, as lifeless as the form next to him. Rodimus looked from them to the Matrix in his hands, praying that everything would be all right. Primus help them both!