Beyond Redemption?

He ducked behind a wall that was half crunched and half standing. Another Autobot threw himself on the ground right next to him when Bruticus launched a barrage of laser fire on them. He began opening his comlink.

"What are you doing? There's no one nearby enough to help us!" the other hissed.

"Shut up. I'm sure I sense two energy signatures here... somewhere..." he trailed off. Someone had laid a hand on his shoulder. He turned slowly around. And came face to face with a red, smoky Autobot.

"Ya two need help? Me and him were just goin' ta help out Magnus ta fend off a few Decepticreeps." the Montana accented Bot said, this time sounding not too happy. The two comrades looked at each other, their expressions clearly saying:

"What's up with him?"

You see, that particular Autobot was usually happy even during a fight. Something must have happened.

"You and him? Who him?" the first Autobot asked. The red Autobot grinned wearily and pointed behind him. He turned around to see a blue car drive up to them. The car transformed.

"We gotta get out of here! Bruticus is being distracted right now, but for how long?" the Autobot yelled, this time almost losing his normal, snobby style of speech. The red Autobot nodded.

"Lets go. Ya two, ya gonna stay here or follow us?" he asked. The two glanced at the area around them and shrugged.

"Well, why should we stay here? This place is doomed. I know it." the second Autobot sighed heavily. The first one simply grumbled and transformed, speeding after the two other Autobots, followed closely by his comrade.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They drove along the streets of Autobot City, trying to avoid all contacts with the Decepticons. They didn't succeed.

"A roadblock!" came a yell from the blue car. He wheeled around and transformed, merely inches from the huge truck that appeared to be Motormaster. The red Autobot and the two others transformed as well and they all stood back to back.

"We're bein' surrounded, ya know. Those're Dead End and Drag Strip right behind us. And I'm sure Wildrider and Breakdown are 'ere somewhere." the red Autobot drawled quietly. Apparently Motormaster heard them because he snorted.

"Right, Autobot. Stunticons, merge!" the Stunticon leader yelled as the five merged into Menasor. Another rumbling voice was heard from behind them. It sounded almost like...

"Bruticus! We're in some deep slag here, guys!" the first Autobot said. Suddenly a rustle was heard. He turned around to look at the fatalistic Autobot. He had activated his comlink.

"Come in, Ultra Magnus! We're being attacked by Menasor and Bruticus! We need assistance fast, or we're gonna be nothing but smoking piles of ash!"

The four looked at each other and nodded. They all attacked Bruticus, firing their weapons as fast as they could. The blue Bot managed to hit the gestalt directly in the face. The giant stumbled backwards, shielding his optics.

"Run for it!" the blue Bot yelled as he transformed and sped from between Bruticus and the alley wall. The three followed and were almost out of danger when...

"Uraaaaaaaaaaahh! Aaarghhh!" the blue Autobot was shot and he crashed against the alley wall. The red Autobot and the two others wheeled around and were shot as well. They all transformed back to robot mode and looked up at the sky.

"...Hggghh... the... Constructicons..." the red Autobot said quietly as he lost consciousness. The two others looked at the arriving six figures in horror as they combined. The three gestalts surrounded them and shot their lasers at the same time.

"So... this is how it ends. I regret only... not being able to help my comrades.. anymore." the first Autobot thought as his mind shut down.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later Ultra Magnus was sorting the files that had the names of the dead Autobots. His hand, holding the datapad, was slung behind his chair. His other hand was rubbing his forehead, just as his head was resting on the headrest, his face facing the ceiling. He sighed heavily. Blurr, who was in the room with him, glanced towards the huge Autobot.

"Iseverythingallright,Magnus?" the hyperactive Autobot asked.

"Not exactly. I was just reading the death files, and it seems the rescue squad... the Protectobots... didn't reach Inferno, Tracks, Huffer and Gears in time. They were killed by the three Decepticon gestalts. I feel responsible for it. I shouldn't have send them to those areas at all. I should have known those were worst places to be." Magnus replied, throwing the datapad on his desk. Blurr looked in shock at him, starting to speak and surprisingly slowing his speech:

"You couldn't have known that the Combiners were there. It wasn't your fault, Magnus. People die in wars... there's nothing you can do about it."

Magnus looked in awe at the young data courier. He was always surprised to see how wise the younger ones could be. A faint smile touched the stern City Commander's face.

"Thanks, Blurr. I'll remember that."

"CanIgonow?" Blurr returned to his fast speech.

"...Huh? Oh, right, of course." Magnus said. Blurr saluted quickly and sprinted out the doorway. Magnus thought:

"Why does he talk like that? I can hardly tell what he usually says... well, I guess he just is like that. Hmm... where's the world going, young giving lessons of war to the old?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This hymn

Is for those,

Who

Fight For Light.

So I sing

For the soldiers

Of the universe.

The beings

Who have

Sacrificed themselves,

Are the champions

Of life

Forever.

So I sing for the future

Of the world, and better times.

So all ye

Who listen

To me now,

Respect

The dead

And the warriors of eternity.

(-- song words made for Vangelis' 'Hymn' by DeltaSilver88)