Author's Note: I apologize for the delay in updating this fic, but, as I explained, I am very wary about typing on my home computer. The last time I did so it ate the chapter I had typed, forcing me to retype the whole chapter from scratch. Since I really hate retyping anything, I have chosen to err on the side of caution and type either on my mother's work computer, or at the college. If you have any complaints, direct them to my fic-eating computer. And again, another random chapter title.
Disclaimer: I only own the characters I myself have created. And I've already told you who they are.
Past and Future
Chapter 4: Echoes of History
Megatron was bored.
Even evil tyrants have one of those days, when not even they can think up some evil, tyrannical scheme to pull off. And this was one of those days. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't think up anything to do. Not a single plan to conquer the universe took shape in his mind.
With their leader bored silly, it was a slow day in Decepticon HQ. All of the normal bickering and infighting was toned down. Even Starscream was behaving himself. There were no diabolical plots to overthrow Megatron being made, no strange gadgets being tinkered with (or blown up), no devices of conquest being built. Everyone was just lazing around with nothing to do, bored out of their minds. So it came as a relief when Megatron decided to engage in a skirmish against the Autobots just for something to do. The other Decepticons were almost too eager to take on their enemies.
As they approached the Autobot ship, lodged where it had crashed four million years earlier, Megatron debated whether or not to set off the Autobots' alarms early. But then the decision was taken out of his hands. Before they even got within range of the scanners, the alarms were already howling and the Autobots flowing out of their base.
"Attack!" Megatron commanded.
The Decepticons dove.
As they came out of the sky the Autobots poured out to meet them. Lasers began to scream as they spat bolts of deadly fire across the distance between the two armies. Missile launchers coughed and roared as they vomited out their loads of explosives. Other weapons added their distinctive noises to the racket as the fighting began in earnest.
"Whatever you're up to, you'll never get away with it, Megatron!" Optimus bellowed at his nemesis.
"I already have, Prime!" Megatron crowed in response.
The Autobot Prime growled low in his vocal unit and lunged at his enemy, grappling with him. For once Megatron seemed willing not to use the powerful fusion cannon mounted on his right arm. He seemed to prefer grappling with his enemy for a change.
As they grappled, testing their strength against each other, Optimus noticed a thin layer of dust coating the ebony barrel of Megatron's fusion cannon. Then he realized what was going on.
Aha! So that's it. He wants to dust off the ol' cannon. This battle doesn't mean anything; it's to give a pack of bored Decepticons something to do. Hmm. And he just had to pick now to stage this fight, when I have other things on my... slag!
A flicker of movement at the corner of his optic drew his attention to where the mystery stranger had been sitting. Said stranger was currently scrambling down the side of the mountain, silver braid flying out behind him, trying to keep out of the line of fire and from being noticed. But he wasn't succeeding. Starscream was heading right for him.
Ultra Rodimus mentally yelled every swear word he knew (and that was a lot of swear words) as he scrambled madly to get out of the open. He'd forgotten that he was human and had waited to watch the developing battle. Then the lasers had started flying and Falcon had reminded him that in this form he lacked his impenetrable armor shell. Keeping to the shelter of the rocks as much as he could, he ran toward the Ark.
Something grabbed his leg, yanking him off the ground. He flailed for a moment, then looked around.
"Well, what have we here?" a familiar high-pitched, nerve-grating voice crooned nastily. He turned his head and saw the ominous form of Starscream. The Decepticon Air Commander had him by the leg and was dangling him in front of his face.
"Put me down, Starskunk!" Ultra Rodimus yelled at him.
The Seeker laughed, the sound making the already pissed humanized Autobot even more furious. "Sure!" He let go of Ultra Rodimus, let him drop a few feet, then caught him again and held him by the collar of his jacket.
Ultra Rodimus's eyes blazed with emerald fire as he twisted and fought against Starscream's grip, spitting out one of the nastier phrases he'd picked up during his time as Autobot leader. Those bots of either faction who overheard the phrase whistled in amazement. Although anatomically impossible, it certainly would have been interesting to watch if Ultra Rodimus decided to put Starscream into that particular position.
The red and white Seeker's crimson optics narrowed with anger. He let go again, grabbing him out of the air an instant later. Then he began tightening his grip, crushing the life out of his victim.
The human Autobot twisted in his grip, managing to get his left hand loose. Bringing it up, he discharged a blast from the ribbon device directly into Starscream's face.
The force blew Starscream backward. His hand opened as he fell, releasing Ultra Rodimus. The young Prime landed hard on the ground, sending pain shooting through his chest and back, a sure sign that he had cracked or broken ribs. Without even looking to see what had become of Starscream, he bolted for the Ark's entrance. He was almost there when he was hit from behind and sent sprawling.
More pain roared through his body, and he almost blacked out. Somehow, he managed to hang on and keep from losing consciousness. Spinning in mid-fall, he landed on his hip instead of his side and skidded. Shaking his head to clear it, he saw the black form of Ravage hurtling toward him. The jaguar landed on him and immediately began slashing and biting. Most of the attacks hit Ultra Rodimus's snakeskin jacket, which was almost as tough as his robot form's armor, but a few tore into his arms and legs. Blue blood began to soak his clothing.
A laser blast hit Ravage in the side, hurling him off the barely-conscious Autobot. Blinking in an attempt to clear his eyes, Ultra Rodimus looked in the direction of the shot and saw Spike and Sparkplug running toward him, both carrying Autobot-designed weapons. They drove Ravage away, then came back and between the two of them carried Ultra Rodimus back into the Ark, no easy feat because of his substantial weight. Ultra Rodimus held on as long as he could, but his strength ran out and he lost consciousness.
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Magnus gasped and gripped his chest as pain shot through him. He doubled over, other Autobots jumping to their feet. Only the Ark crew didn't move. They'd been expecting it.
"Roddy was caught outside during the attack," Jazz explained. "Starscream caught him, gave him a couple of broken ribs and cracked a few more. Used the ribbon device to get away, was almost back at the Ark when Ravage jumped him. He got mauled."
"Dad and I chased Ravage away," Spike added. "We brought Roddy in. He weighs a lot for such a slender person."
"It's all muscle," Magnus grunted as the pain began to subside, but remained as an ache in his chest and minor jabs in his thighs. He rubbed his chest, reaching out to the lifebond and drawing the pain into himself, a trick he'd learned to help his mate keep a clear head. Ultra Rodimus knew he did it and returned the favor whenever he could. Then something occurred to him and he looked back at Spike. "Who treated him?"
"A woman named Dr. Emily Winters," the human answered. "And only her. Unfortunately, she was killed a few months later. She was in the city for lunch and was hit by a drunk driver. The medical files were secured, and Optimus took charge of them. What he did with them I don't have a clue."
"What happened next?" Scattershot asked, leaning forward.
"Roddy was kept in Repair Bay until he'd been bandaged and warned about not making the injuries worse. Once he was released, Optimus scooped him up and carried him off for a private discussion..."
To be continued...
There. That's another chapter down. The next one is already being worked on, so it should be up in a few days. Don't expect the one after that for a little while, though. Exam season.
As I mentioned, Ultra Rodimus doesn't take slag from anyone, and he isn't impressed with rank. If anyone resorts to rank in an attempt to push him around, it only tells him that whoever's doing it needs a good kick in the skidplate. And Ops had it coming. You don't try to bully Ultra Rodimus and not expect to pay the consequences.