Chapter 23 – The Final Solution

Optimus Prime started to walk away from the massive boulder he had just dropped on top of the evil Decepticon leader, and just when he thought it was over, a huge red laser blast ripped through the big rock. Shattering into millions of pieces, the boulder soon became a non-existent as Megatron stood up after its destruction. Looking tarnished and even dented in a few places on his body, the evil leader growled at his nemesis and squinted at him with great hatred.

"PRIME!!!"

Optimus had seen the blast wave and had his arms up to deflect the debris hurling everywhere. As he lowered them, he saw Megatron taking strong slow steps at him, each one became faster and faster, until Megatron was suddenly rushing at him in anger. Optimus Prime and Megatron clashed with one another and began exchanging blows to the head, torso and even trying to lock one another in a bear hug. The rival leaders were matched for one another as every attempt made by one of them led to the other doing almost the same maneuver. Megaton soon found himself in a strong vice grip in-between the Autobot leader's arms and struggled to break free.

"This must end Megatron!" Prime grunted at him as he continued to squeeze the Decepticon. "You've destroyed enough life as it is...now I must finish you before anymore must suffer from your evil hand!"

Megatron's eyes flashed as he listened to him.

"If my hand is evil to you...then by all means...try this on for size!!"

The Decepticon smacks the Autobot leader in the face with his forehead and continues to bash Prime with it until he stuns him enough to let go. As Megatron becomes free, he quickly transforms into his gun mode and sends a powerful plasma blast at Prime's chest. The impact sends Optimus flying down to the ground and Megatron quickly transforms back into his robot mode as he completed the shot. Megatron aims his arm cannon at the damaged Prime and grins at him.

"I could give you pounding all day and not be tired, but like you said Prime...it's time to end this!"

Optimus got the strength to stand up and grab hold of the leader's arm cannon just as it nearly missed hitting him. This time, Prime took hold or Megatron's head and flung him with all his might to the ship still sitting in its launch bay. Megatron's body smacked the side of the vessel and caused him to stick to the side as force imbedded him into the metal.

"That's the impression I get out of you Megatron." Prime laughingly says to him in bad bout of hammy dialogue.

Groaning with pain, the Decepticon leader peels off and drops to the ground like a magnet that has lost its grip. Soundwave, having recovered from his fight with Sunstreaker, drags the leader over to his side of the cement barrier and sits him up.

"Megatron...Megatron!" The monotone electronic voice says with concern.

The leader's eyes focus on the cycloptic yellowed eyed Decepticon and tries to speak.

"The...the Autobots must not win Soundwave. I...I will not be defeated by a mere batch of renegades!"

Starscream soon makes his way over to the two of them and looks at Megatron with unsympathetic eyes.

"So this is the great Megatron's end...it appears that Optimus Prime has gotten the best of you after all. Ha! Some leader you are..."

Megatron sneered at him with great anger and found the power to rise up and choke the mocking Decepticon with his hand. His squeeze was powerful, Starscream was surprised by how tight his grip was and gagged as the leader continued to apply pressure.

"I'm not finished yet you cowardly dolt!! Prepare for a second wave of attacks!"

"But...ack! But Megatron..." Starscream tries to speak. "We're losing ...we can't take this pounding much longer...aagghh!"

"I'll have no Autobot take me alive! Nor any of my Decepticons if need be...we will fight till every last warrior is out of energon from his very spark!!" The leader screams.

Then from high above the two struggling evil robots, a voice echoes down to them as the sound of the ship's elevator lift comes down to their level.

"We may not have to do that after all Megatron..."

The leader looks over and sees Hook standing with Mirage as his prisoner on the platform, the Autobot is bound by powerful magnetic shackles and seems unable to break free of them.

"Hook! Where the blazes have you been? You should have been here to form Devastator and ended this whole thing!" Starscream howls at him as Megatron lets go of his throat.

Pushing the helpless Autobot spy with cruelty, Hook steps off and hands him over to Megatron.

"I had to make sure the ship wasn't going to be a target...something about the Autobots attacking us and not on the ship made me suspicious. That's when I found him lurking around our energon storage bay."

Megatron gabs hold of Mirage and brings him up close to his face.

"Soooo, you thought you could sneak by and destroy our only means of escape. The explosion from the energon surly would have wiped us all out and left nothing in it's wake. How typical of Optimus Prime...to win at all costs and still become the righteous hero for those here on Earth."

Mirage scowls at the Decepticon and stares at him with anger.

"Better to die as heroes then ego maniacal metallic morons!"

"Let me kill this one Megatron!" Starscream shouts as he points the barrel of his side arm cannon at the Autobot's head. "Lets make him an example to the Autobots that no one does this to us!"

Megatron chuckles softly, he lowers Mirage from his grip and pushes Starscream's weapon away. You could see there was an idea forming in this evil brain of his, a quick glimmer in his eye as his red optics lowered in thought.

"No Starscream...I have a much better idea. Lets see just how far Optimus is willing to sacrifice his own men for the greater good...it seems a bargaining chip has once again stumbled upon us with remarkable timing."

Megatron looked at his various warriors, those trying to retrieve the wounded and those trying to keep the firefight going. His small hand gesture to end their attacks was enough to make them all stop and regroup to him. The Autobots became confused at their retreat, not to mention the silence of their weapons fire. Prime raised his hand at the Autobots, all of who obeyed him without question. Cliffjumper had to help stop Bumblebee who was still firing away like a madman, you could see in his eyes that Gear's death had affected him and drove him to the brink of insanity. Brawn came to help the mini red Autobot as he removed the weapon from Bumblebee's hands and together they tried to calm him down. Optimus Prime finally saw Gears lying there in the open, his body broken and smoldering; somehow in his spark he knew the old fighter was dead. But as he tried to morn the loss of one of his fallen kind, the unsettling cease-fire was more on his thoughts then Gears at the moment. Ironhide stepped up beside the tall Autobot leader and whispered to him as he kept his gun poised and ready for anything.

"What the heck is going on Optimus?! Why are we stoppin'?"

"Something doesn't feel right Ironhide...." Prime says as his eyes squint. "Megatron is up to something."

Ironhide snickers, "He's always up to something...lets just go in and rush them. Finish it off like you said...once and for all."

Suddenly, Megatron could be seen standing up, his hand began waving as he tried to speak to Prime.

"Hold your fire Autobots!! I have something you might like to see!"

Coming out from behind the cement barrier was Mirage, Megatron grabbed him as the other Decepticons pushed him out and took hold of the back of his head firmly. With his massive arm cannon pointing at the Autobot spies' head, Megatron laughed with pride as he showed them all that he had managed to capture one of their own.

"Oh boy..." Prime simply mutters.

The other Decepticons now step out behind the leader and all point their weapons at the Autobots defensively. The Autobots now group up beside Optimus Prime and also keep their guns aimed at the now fully exposed foes.

"How utterly disappointing Prime." Megatron chuckles. "This was a well conceived plan but apparently you failed in choosing the right warrior to carry it out. Getting us away from the ship and sending in a spy to rig the energon for detonation was very clever indeed, but very poorly executed as you can see."

Prime lowers his gun and stares at his nemesis, "It was a spur of the moment idea Megatron, one I thought we could manage and end this war forever. If we are to be wiped out of existence...then you should be the ones to join us in that final moment."

"Till all are one Prime?" The evil leader snickers. "How stupidly cliché you've turned out to be. And here I thought you'd be more original, more cunning in your strategy then holding on to a belief of a dead robot's empty promise."

Bumblebee shakes his fist at Megatron and blasts him for mocking the words of Primus.

"You coward!! How dare you insult the memory of the greatest leader of Cybertron...he fought for your freedom just as any of ours! I'll make you pay for saying such a thing! And for my good friend Gears...you murdering bastard!!"

"Control your lap dog Optimus!" Megatron shouts. "Or there will be another one to mourn only this time in a much more painful manner!"

Optimus walks over to Bumblebee and calms him by placing his hand on his shoulder. The small yellow robot looks at him a sorrowful look and backs off from his angry stance. The Autobot leader looks back at Megatron and points at him.

"Let him go Megatron...he's no use to you, no more then any Autobot that you've manage to kill over the long warring years."

"True Prime, but this one has a valued cost to me now. I now have a hostage worthy of taking with me back to Cybertron and getting us off this miserable planet. Or is he nothing to you? Perhaps I should kill him now and get it over with?"

As Megatron points his cannon barrel closer to the prisoner's head, Optimus Prime looks into Mirage's eyes and finally drops his weapon to the ground. His hands rise up slightly to show him he is unarmed and gives in.

"No...no I give up Megatron. You win."

Ironhide runs up and points his blaster at the Decepticon leader, "No!! We've got to stop him at all costs!! I'll kill that son of a bitch, even if you won't!!"

"No Ironhide!!" Prime shouts.

He grabs the red robot and smacks the gun out of his hand.

"Why?! Why won't you do it?!!" Ironhide demands as he shakes the leader in anger.

Prime manages to ease the frantic southern speaking Autobot and pushes him off gently.

"Because we're better then him. We're not so sadistic that we'd kill our own just to satisfy our own sense of justice. We're not Decepticons...we're the Autobots! Honor, courage and compassion is what makes us the very living image of what Primus had wanted us to become...not evil monsters."

Megatron shakes his head and laughs, "Such utter nonsense! Your speeches amaze me to no end Prime. So what will it be Autobots? Will any of you challenge us and send your friend to the great spark beyond?"

Looking at one another with concern and deep in thought, the Autobots hesitate with their guns and then soon end up throwing them to the ground in surrender. Brawn chucks his with reluctance as does Prowl, Sideswipe, Hound and Jazz. Cliffjumper growls to himself as he mutters obscenities under his breath, with his weapon now thrown with anger to the ground, Megatron smirks with delight.

"So much for your great leader Autobots." He says sarcastically. "He's betrayed you by using your honor like a shield, that is why you are weak and have outlived your time on Cybertron. Welcome to the end...losers!"

Optimus walks carefully over to Megatron as he keeps his arms stretched out in surrender.

"Give me one last request Megatron..."

"You?!" Megatron scoffs. "Why should I bother?"

"Because you owe me at least that...from one warrior to another."

Sighing in disbelief, the Decepticon leader grants Prime's request.

"Very well...if only to look generous in front of your men. I shall hear this one last request from you...and only one!"

Prime lowers his arms, stares at Mirage and then looks up at Megatron with a dead serious look.

"Take me instead."

The Autobots all gasp as they hear Optimus Prime offering himself as a prisoner, as do the Decepticons who all give a shocked look at him for such a stupid move. Megatron isn't surprised at all that Prime asked that of him, in fact he had a very pleased air about him as his greatest rival was practically giving him the victory he so yearned for. With a smirk on his face, Megatron laughed out loud at the offer and lowered his arm cannon away from Mirage's head.

"You? You would take his place? Oh this is too good to be true! Sparing his life at the cost of your own...as I said Optimus Prime...how predictable of you."

"No need to rub it in Megatron..." Optimus squinted in anger. "Just let him go and I'll be your prisoner. I've tried all I can to stop you...but when it comes to ending lives or sparing lives...you and I are just totally far apart on what that actually means."

Megatron chuckles at his comment and prepares to hand over Mirage, but Starscream rushes in and points his two arm blasters at the Autobot leader. The action causes the Autobots to hold up their fists defensively, just as their Decepticon counterparts do as well; the minute someone shoots, they'll be all over each other within seconds.

"No Megatron!! You have him right where you want him! Kill him now and be done with it!" Starscream howls at him.

"Take one shot Starscream and I'm gonna rip out some permanent air holes in your chassis!!" Cliffjumper screams as he points at the air commander.

"Don't be the fool Prime!" Ironhide now shouts from behind the Autobot leader. "You know they won't honor their agreements! This is a trick! Let's run them all down and get this stalemate over with already!"

Megatron now points his arm cannon over at Starscream's head; the jet commander standing beside him notices the weapon being pointed at him and gasps in shock.

"Shut up Starscream and get back in line!!" Megatron says angrily at him. "If Optimus Prime wants to return with us and face his doom on Cybertron...then so be it!"

"But...but...Megatron!" Starscream whines. "What about the others? You will leave them here? Free to plot our doom upon our return?"

The leader smacks the air commander's arms down with his arm cannon. Gazing at him with a flash of red angry eyes, the silver robot points at Starscream's face and forces him to step back into place with just the sound of his booming voice.

"Shut UP!! I will do as I see fit because I am leader...not you! These lowly few Autobots are of no concern to me...without their precious leader to guide them, they will not be able to mount a big enough assault for us to even worry about. Now step back!"

Prime shakes his head at Megatron's rant, "There will always be an Autobot who will rise from our ranks and defy those who would bring about death and destruction. Silencing me will make no change of that; you'll only make me a martyr and inspire each of the few that remain to challenge you in the future. But I can only foresee that in the end Megatron...you will be destroyed by your own greed."

The Decepticon leader calmly claps sarcastically at the Autobot and mocks his words of wisdom.

"I think you should have become a poet instead of a leader Optimus Prime, it would have suited you much better in the long run. Now let us make the switch, I grow tired of hearing anymore of this gibberish you constantly swing at us."

As Prime walks forward giving a look back at his troops to remain where they are, Megatron unlocks the energy bonds on Mirage and keeps his cannon aimed at him to make sure he doesn't try to run, Prime and Mirage meet in-between and pat one another one the shoulder.

"I'll send ya a postcard from Cybertron, Mirage. Sorry I have to take your place and ruin the fun ride home." Prime jokingly says to him.

"It's ok Optimus...I'd rather be here then bear the weight on your shoulder right now. Besides...I think the ship will be too full for my liking."

Both nod in understanding and finally pass each other as they reach the other sides. Prime sighs as he stands in front of Megatron and looks up at the silver shining leader.

"Let's get this over with Megatron."

"Gladly Prime...gladly." The Decepticon leader smirks.

He quickly shoves Prime aside and fires his cannon into the back of Mirage as he still stands there not facing them. The impact tares off his upper back and collapses to the ground in pain. The smoldering robot is soon surrounded by the other Autobots, all of whom are trying to care for his sudden wounds.

"We had a deal Megatron!!" Prime shouted at him after seeing the results.

The grinning devil stood there and chuckled at him, "We do Optimus...we still do...but I will not let that one robot live for trying to destroy our vessel. Be grateful I'm letting your men live at all."

Megatron points over to both Skywarp and Thundercracker standing near by and shoves Prime over to them both.

"Take him and keep your weapons locked on him. The minute any Autobot dares to fire on this ship...Optimus Prime dies!"

The Autobots still helping Mirage hear his words and all scowl at the leader for bullying their leader and threatening them at the same time. Mirage still gasps in pain as Ratchet tries to mend his wounds; Wheeljack looks over at Prime and tries to give him a grain of hope.

"We'll keep the mission alive for you Prime! Cybertron will be free some day, bet on it!"

Starscream laughs at Wheeljack and mocks his foolish words, "Oh please...that's a bet you'll never win. Face it Wheeljack...you're history! Bwaahahahahahah!!!"

The Decpticons all board on the platform that barely fits them all and Optimus Prime as well. The lift rises up to the opening and the evil faction of transformers all enter inside. Standing in the doorway, Megatron looks back at the Autobot's angry faces and waves to them with a devilish grin.

"So much for the almighty Autobots! Farewell...Losers!"

The door shuts as his laugher grows, the roar of the engines powering up and the laughter of all the Decepticons inside meld as one as the ship slowly begins to rise from its concrete moorings. Bumblebee shakes his fist in anger as he watches the Decepticon ship rise up into the sky and shout with all his might.

"We'll get you for this Megatron! We'll get you back...do you hear me? MEGATRON!!!!"

As the ship soon fully leaves the rocky canyon, the TV van both Spike and Carly are in drives up and comes to a screeching halt just beside the Autobots. Carly steps out slowly and sees the ship.

"Oh god...they're getting away!"

Spike bolts out of the driver seat and heads over to Ironhide looking helplessly at the sky.

"What happened?! Why aren't you all shooting? Where's Optimus?!"

Ironhide looks down a the panicky human and sighs, "He's on the ship...Megatron has him."

"What?!" Spike says in shock. "Th-th-that's impossible! You guys were winning! You can't let him escape!!"

Brawn and Cliffjumper step over to him and try to explain.

"We have to Spike...as much as we all hate it..." Cliffjumper tries to explain.

"We had no choice...Optimus Prime gave his life to spare ours." Brawn says sorrowfully. "Mirage was going to plant a bomb...but...it kinda went south...if you know what I mean."

Spike looked over and saw the badly damaged Autobot spy gasping for breath. Carly ran over and wept for her friend who seemed very glad to see her again.

"Hey...there Carly. Ooooh...how's my brave human female?"

"Don't talk Mirage." Carly says with a slight smile. "Save your strength to live...you still owe me a fast drive on an open road remember?"

Ratchet looks at her and gently pats her as lightly as he can, it feels more like a nudge from large animal, but not at all harmful to her.

"I'm doing my best to save him Carly...we'll need to get him back to the Ark soon."

Spike shakes his head in disbelief, all this fighting, all the lives lost...only to end up losing. He runs over to Sideswipe and tugs away at his hand.

"You've got a rocket pack right?"

"Uh...yeah...why?" Sideswipe looks at him with curiosity.

"Then take me up there and we'll get aboard to stop them ourselves."

Sideswipe looks at his back, his jetpack is attached to his body and undamaged from the battle, but then he pulls away from Spike and nods in disagreement.

"I...I can't let you do that Spike. We're not supposed to interfere..."

Spike kicks him in the leg and shouts at him.

"Damnit! You owe me at least the effort to try!! If none of you wants to risk the chance...then let me!!"

Sideswipe looks over at Jazz, who now seems to be in command of the team in Prime's absence. A simple shake of his head of approval gives the tall red robot the permission to carry out Spike's foolish plan. Jazz and the others felt that Spike had every right to give it a shot, seeing how it was his world and his people that gave their lives to protect them. As Sideswipe sighs with reluctance, he takes hold of the angry human and bends his legs down as they prepare to blast off.

"Ok Spike...I don't know how far we'll get though. But if you want to try...then I'm with you all the way. Till all are one."

Spike looks up at the ship as it rockets into the heavens, "Till all are one...and the end of Megatron!"

Sideswipe's jet pack roars and soon the two lift off the ground in a fiery streak of blue flame as they speed towards the ship. The force of the take off takes its toll on Spike, as the G-forces alone keep him pinned in Sideswipes hand. On the Decepticon ship, Soundwave monitors their approach as he sits in front pilot chair and looks at them on the view screen ahead.

"We have an intruder approaching us, Megatron." The monotone cycloptic Decepticon says to him.

Megatron walks past Optimus Prime and sits in his new command chair. Both Skywarp and Thundercracker keep their weapons pointed at the Autobot leader and never take their eyes off of him. Megatron spins around in his new chair and looks at the widescreen viewer that Soundwave is pointing too. The image of Sideswipe and Spike rocketing up to them makes the evil leader laugh, a mere human and one defiant Autobot trying to challenge the likes of him and his vessel was comedy upon itself. Optimus look up at the monitor as well and notices the frail human friend in Sideswipe's hand.

"Spike? Oh no...no Spike, go back!"

Thundercracker keeps the massive leader back with his weapon, "Don't move Autobot scum!"

"Teach these two fools the meaning of 'Death from above'" Megatron commands to Soundwave.

Soundwave bows at his command and pushes various buttons in front of him. As Megatron laughs riotously, the back outside part of the ship opens up to bring out a large double cannon, which then points at the two heroes racing their way. The weapon charges up and shoots two long purple colored laser blasts at them, before Sideswipe could react, the shot manages to take out his rocket pack in a massive explosion. Optimus is horrified by the sight of them being hit and watches the two fall to their deaths in the sky.

"No!" He shouts. "Damn you Megatron!!"

The Decepticon leader spins around to him in his chair and giggles.

"They should have listened to my warning. Now that they are disposed of...its time to take you back to Cybertron were you will be publicly sliced apart limb from limb and have your head placed at the top of the tallest building of Iacon. You will be the symbol for all who challenge the might of Megatron and the Decepticon Empire that only one faction is supreme in the universe!!"

"Sounds like you've had this planned all along..." Prime notes with a sound of suspicion.

Megatron nods agreeingly, "Right you are, Optimus. And it gets even better...if you think I'm going to truly spare your friends and this planet from my wraith...you are sadly mistaken. Their fate is as sealed as yours."

The leader begins laughing evilly and the other Decepticons also begin to share his laughter, as the thought of total victory over the Autobots now seems at its very end.

"Just wait Megatron...you'll see...someone will always be there to take you out. Maybe even someone you least expected."

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Back at the Area 51 base, the large pulsating purple cannon sticking out of the ground swings slowly to the left and pivots to the sky above. Inside the solid lower structure below the ground, Doctor Archeville commands his soldiers as they control the massive weapon from their computers.

"Target that ship and get a lock on its right side engine."

"Aye sir." The blonde woman responds to Archeville. "Target lock acquired."

"Prepare to fire on my command." The old man says sipping on his hot tea as it gets handed to him.

Agent West kneels down beside him quickly after handing him his tea and whispers at him as if he's embarrassed to give him some news.

"Sir...uh...the weapon isn't at full capacity yet."

"What?" Archeville sneers in anger. "Why has it not been charged?! You had plenty of time to have this blasted thing ready!"

West nervously blinks as the man gives him a foul look and starts to explain.

"Nine hours was only a reasonable guess...we...we didn't expect it to be so damn powerful that it requires a full day and a half to charge. The most we could manage is only a quarter of its power need..."

Archeville slams his chair arm and shouts at him.

"You fool!! This is not the time to tell me this!!"

Standing out of his chair and walking over to the computer controls, he hovers over the woman operator and leans on the console.

"Damn...to hell with how much we have. There's no more time to argue this...I want that ship and I want it now! One shot will have to be enough...give me everything you have and fire it!!"

The woman looks confused and tries to explain, "But sir, with only so much power there won't be enough to even bring it down to the specified site!"

"Blast you woman! I said FIRE!!!" Archeville screams.

Pushing her out of the way, the crazed man pounds on the red firing button sitting in the middle of the board and screams at the monitor looking at the targeted Decepticon ship.

"You are mine Megatron!! MINE!!!!"