The Warrior is a Child
By Silver Elf Child
Disclaimer: Beast Wars and all related characters belong to Hasbro. The Warrior is a Child' belongs to Twila Paris. The raptor gang, new Maximals, and new Predicons belong to me. I am God's child.
A/N: This is the thirteenth story in the Raptor Saga. It takes place during Code of Hero'. Please excuse some of the redundancy, but you will understand my reasons as you get to the end. Thank you to all those have patiently waited for this story. Though it is part of a saga, it stands alone.
A/N 2: I would like to thank BlueMoonDuchess for referring me to this song (it made an excellent title and went well with what I had written). Thanks to Lady Electra, as well, for letting me borrow the idea from Without My Shield'. I recommend any die hard Transfan to read it. Ironhide is and will always be one of my favorite Autobot's (though her story is not about him).
Razor Claw awoke suddenly and sat up hastily. She looked around the room frantically in an attempt to collect her bearings. From the obscure familiarity she was able to determine that she was safe aboard the raptor ship and in her quarters. (How you ask, since she is blind. By the smell of the air, the feel of her bed and the sounds of the ship, of course.) "Mamma?" When her cry was not answered her cries intensified. "Mamma!" She was on the verge of hysterics. Had she lost her hearing again? Was she, for some strange chance, a mute now and her cries for her mother unable to be vocalized? Her spark began to race as fear engulfed her small frame. Was she alone? Had there been a battle and everyone destroyed? Had her visions come true? Why wasn't anyone there? Mamma? Daddy? Demetrius? Were they all gone? Where were they?
The sound of footsteps reached Razor Claws audio sensors. From the sound of them the owner of the feet was pacing warily, his or her movements tense. It must be an invader Razor Claw thought. The image of Death Striker crossed her mind and in her haste she fell off her bed. She scrambled to hide behind her bed and hugged her knees close to her chest. Her last run in with the Predicon had left and immeasurable hate. She did not like her nor did she wish to be taken prisoner again. Warriors don't hide, Razor Claw told herself. She had to be strong. She had to be like her father. Pulling all her inner strength she had left she pulled out her sword, the one Dinobot had given to her the day she lost her sight, from her sub space compartment. If Death Striker had come back to finish the job she was not going to die easily. The female Predacon would meet the same fate as Megatron. With her mind set, Razor Claw crouched low. She would fight to the death this time.
The door to her room slid open and the unwelcome visitor entered. They moved into the room, wary of the dark surroundings and the door slid closed. "Razor Claw?"
The tiny raptor swallowed and leaned her audio receptors toward the voice. Her servos tightened in anticipation of the battle to come.
"Razor Claw where are you?" The visitor walked deeper into the room searching from side to side for the young raptor. Razor Claw began to loose her resolve and sank into the floor. Though she could not see, she envisioned the Predacon enjoying her destruction. "Razor Claw, come out. I know you're in here." The intruder's footsteps were steadier, now that their vision had become accustomed to the dim setting. If Razor Claw's optical sensors were working she would have been able to see the intruder. He was only foot from her. "Razor Claw!"
She sprang to her feet and charged at his massive frame. She reached him in three strides and slammed into his legs. "Demetrius!"
"Razor Claw, why did you hide from me?"
"Where's Mamma?"
"In her quarters. You did not answer my question, little one."
"I don't want them to get me." Razor Claw hugged his legs tighter and leaned her head heavily against his thigh. Demetrius, tall and strong, closed his optics as he covered her head protectively. This unfound fear tore him to pieces. He had sworn to protect the child and he had meant ever word of that pledge, but how could he protect her from something within her mind. "Don't worry Razor Claw, no one will harm you, now or ever." He quickly scooped her into his arms and walked out of the room. She melded herself into his protective curve of his arms and rested her head on his shoulder. Demetrius smiled down at her, proud that he had assuaged this fright. But a tinge of dismay still remained. It had been a long time since he had felt this warm feeling for anyone, but would he disappoint Razor Claw as he had the others?
Dinobot sat in his quarters staring out the window. He had dishonored himself several times in the past few weeks. Yesterday's confrontation with E.O. was the ultimate dishonor. There was no way he could live down the horrible deeds he had done. First he betrayed the Maximals, then failed his children and now he had deserted E.O. permanently. There were no excuses to his actions. The only course he could take to redeem himself was to take his own life. That was where he was at this precise moment, on the verge of committing suicide.
He had taken the twins, earlier that day, to Wind Chaser so they could play with Spirit Changer. Dinobot did not want his children to see what he was about to do. Of course he told himself that he had only left Nuco and Nuca in Wind Chaser's care so they would not stop him from performing the deadly saving face' ritual.
Dinobot knelt at the small altar in his room with his sword drawn. He blindly enacted the ritual with care. First he lit the five small red candles. As he lit each one he said a small prayer for hope, truth, honor, faith, and purity. He bowed to the altar and recited the age-old prayer of forgiveness. He rose to face the small shrine and removed a larger white candle from subspace after replacing his sword in it's proper hiding spot in subspace. He unrolled the precious piece of wax and wick and placed it in the center of the shrine. After lighting the main candle he removed his sword again and held it aloft above his head in an offer of tribute and redemption. "Forgive me for what I am about to do and what must be done." He took the hilt of his sword in both hands and passed the blade through each small red candle, extinguishing their eternal fires forever. The wax on the blade hardened and gave the impression of dried blood. Dinobot then passed the blade through the flame of the white candle slowly. The red wax dripped off the blade and sizzled in the fire. The flames jumped and reveled in the delicious red substance. The melted white wax merged with the newly released red wax from the blade of Dinobot's sword to form pink teardrop rivulets beading down the side of the candle. Once the blade was cleansed of the soiled remnants Dinobot held it vertically and prepared for the final blow. He held the sharp edge of his blade close to his neck as he silently begged a higher power for redemption and forgiveness. If only there was some other way.
Dinobot pulled back, took one last breath and tensed his muscles. His hands trembled and faltered under the pressure. "Bah!" he exclaimed as he hurled the sword from him. Repulsed by his dishonorable thoughts of an easy escape, he rose to leave his quarters. He left the sword where it lay on the floor as he strode from the room. There was only one way to redeem himself, and he knew what he had to do, or undo.
"So, E.O., what has spurred this sudden change?" Megatron questioned.
"He has fallen for my trap. We must spring it immediately if we are to be rid of him forever."
"I think he rejected her," Death Striker whispered to Megatron. He brushed her away with a flick of his wrist. "E.O., you have me at a loss. You never told me of this plan," Megatron continued.
"Plans change," E.O. gave Death Striker a hard look. "As do allegiances. Tell me Death Striker, who is General Ramhorn?" Megatron eyed his sister suspiciously. What was she up to?
"He's one of the three generals of the Tripredicous Council you imbecile!"
"Oh really? I thought that he was your latest fling."
Megatron quickly turned to Death Striker, who was seated beside him on the bed. She looked at him nonchalantly, unafraid of E.O.'s accusations. "Well? Is what E.O. saying true?"
"You mean to tell me," E.O. scoffed. " That you, the one who forbade my brother from having affairs, had one yourself? What a shame that we all know now." E.O.'s voice was incredulous, but without mercy.
"How do you know this?!" she shrieked.
"I told you Megatron, she could not be trusted," E.O. said smugly.
Megatron, disgusted by the vial news, pushed his now ex-lover away from him. She fell off the bed and landed hard on her side. She may have been rejected, but she was not out for the count. She jumped to her feet and chastised with a razor tongue. "How dare you judge me! Reject me! You were the one who insisted on partaking in those lewd contacts! You you"
"I did and you knew. You allowed my" he cleared his throat. "Adventures."
"I only allowed them for the sake of the children!"
Megatron looked at his mate. He knew better then to trust her. She was always scheming, even more then he, and was very treacherous, but not so much as he. She wasn't the kind of mother that nurtured or cared for her young. They were the unfortunate result of her perverse pleasures. "Tell me, Death Striker, was it worth it?"
"General Ramhorn is a lustful moron. I only used him to get my ship and crew. Besides, the old fool tired easily and never could keep a charge for long. There is only one in the universe who has been able to" she reached out to stroke his hand, "satisfy my needs."
Megatron smiled, convinced for now. "Well, E.O."
"Well what?"
"Are you through dispensing accusations of mutiny?"
E.O.'s optics narrowed How can he still trust her after her treachery? "For now."
"Good. Now that it's settled we will prepare to destroy Dinobot and the Maximals." Megatron rose and left his quarters. Death Striker followed him, but stopped in front of E.O. to give a quick warning. "Nice try little sister'. Next time try to destroy me with a little more flare. The sex may have been less then desired, but at least I got what I wanted. Oh, and one more thing, Megatron's not the only bot I've fraternized with. I was just as loose as he was back on Cybertron."
E.O. waited till Death Striker's receding footsteps were distant before she blasted the bed. If she thinks she can control him, she is mistaken. No one, and I mean NO ONE, disgraces my family and lives!
Rattrap was busy working on upgrading the base's defenses when Dinobot came out of his quarters. "Well if it ain't the irascible raptor."
"The base remains infested with vermin I see," Dinobot grumbled as he slammed his left shoulder into Rattrap as he went past.
"Eh, funny. Ya know not much changes around here. Except maybe for the occasional allegiance." Dinobot stopped dead in his tracks before spinning around to face Rattrap. He stalked up to the resident rodent as he continued. "Find anymore golden disks lately? Hmm, pass them onto any Predacons? Have another affair with miss high and mighty? Any more kids hiding in the woodwork that you'd like to spring on us?"
"I don't need to explain my actions to you mouse." Dinobot elaborated his point by pushing Rattrap's left shoulder two times with his finger.
"Yeah, that's right, you don't. They pretty much speak for themselves."
"Go ahead rodent, push it one more inch." He tapped Rattrap's nose when he spoke one more'.
Rattrap pushed him away. "Eh, you know, I use to figure I had you pegged. Oh yeah, he's a slag spoutin' saurian, but at least you know where he stands." Rattrap tossed and spun the socket wrench, he was holding, in the air and caught it. "Guess we live and learn." He closed the wall panel before moving on to the next.
Dinobot stood alone in the hall before speaking to himself. "The rodent's words give off the stench of truth. Destiny has one great test in store for us all. Has mine already come and have I failed it? Has my dishonor destroyed more then it appears? Will my children continue to live in this dishonor? A deed once done." Dinobot transformed to Beast Mode. "Cannot be undone, but perhaps it may yet be mitigated." Dinobot left the Axalon to hunt down Megatron for the truth, and maybe the redemption he sought.
Demetrius carried Razor Claw through the ship, looking for E.O. Her sudden disappearance began to worry him. Her spirits, when he had last seen her, were less then desirable. E.O. had been brooding over something since they had left the Maximal base. Dinobot must have said something that ticked her off. Maybe that is why she forgot to scrap me.
"Demetrius?"
"Yes, princess?" Demetrius shook his head, clearing it from his thoughts so he could focus on the child.
"Is something wrong?"
Demetrius stopped and looked down at her. "No, nothings wrong."
"Where's Mamma? We've covered the entire ship three times."
Demetrius was shocked, had it been that many? He placed Razor Claw safely on the ground and took her hand. He led her to the nearest room, which was the terrible trios, and entered. The three were busy hatching another one of their trademark diabolical plans, which had dissention written all over it. "Demetrius!" They exclaimed, noticing his appearance. They then quickly tired to hide their materials hoping that he had not noticed the items.
"What are you three up to?" Demetrius narrowed his optics.
"Nothing." The three replied with large innocent' optics as they rocked back and forth on their heals.
"I'd question you further, but I have pressing matters to attend to. You will watch Razor Claw until I return. Whatever you were doing, see to it that it is not here when I return, is that clear?"
"Yes, sir, crystal."
Demetrius left the room with the trio nodding vigorously and Razor Claw staring at him, confused. As soon as the door to their quarters was closed Tarsis ran to lock it as her brothers resumed their diligent work. Razor Claw watched blindly as her cousins worked.
"Cleo, what are you doing?" Tarsis exclaimed as she watched him add another blaster.
"I'm adding more fire power. We were lacking in strength."
"No!"
"Yes."
"We don't need more."
"Yes we do."
"I'm oldest and I said no," Tarsis stomped her foot.
"And I made the plans for this, I say more artillery."
The two were about to come to blows if it had not been for Rinco to jump between the pair. Rinco was able to assuage the conflagration, but when Tarsis kicked one of Celo's tools a brawl erupted and the three were in a no holds bar dog pile in the middle of the room. Razor Claw listened to them with disinterest. Fighting like animals had little honor and even less principle. Give her a good hand to hand combat any day. Razor Claw smiled slightly, realizing that the thought was something that her father would have said. But the smile faded quickly as she thought of her mother. Something about her disappearance disturbed her. It had disturbed Demetrius, she felt it. What added to her uneasy feeling was that it coincided with her recent visions. She had to, at all costs, prevent Megatron from destroying the planet and her family. He wasn't going to find Nuco or Nuca if she could help it.
Tarsis let out a victory cry, making Razor Claw jump. If her optic sensors had been working she would have seen her female cousin pinning Celo and Rinco to the floor. The boys nodded to one another and toppled their sister over and began the fight once more.
Razor Claw ignored them and slipped, unnoticed, from the room. Though she could not see, she did know her way around the ship and made her way quickly to the nearest exit. If she could have run blind to the Axalon by herself, she was sure that she could do what she had to. No matter what she had to stop the massacre from happening!
More to come in Chapter 2 Please review and any constructive criticism is welcome (please).