"Such raw power." Megatron says as he looks at the pool glowing from overhead. He had just sent a beam from the Omega Lock towards Earth to re-cyber form it, "What should I call my new domain? New Kaon? Or perhaps, gilded Earth."
Optimus' optics widen as he listens to Megatron speak, if he doesn't do something Megatron will completely destroy the planet and the human race. Optimus looks over to the kids who are banging on the casings they're trapped in, the thing that's keeping them from suffocating in the oxygen-free air of Cybertron, as they demand that Megatron leave their planet alone. He knows the odds are more against him but he can't just stand there and do nothing while Megatron destroys the planet that the Autobots have come to see as their second home.
He looks back to Megatron who is laughing along with Knockout and he's filled with a burst of determination, he will put an end to this. He balls up his left servo into a fist and his blade shoots out from under his armor. He hits the Vehicon nearest to him, sending him flying into Knockout knocking them both to the ground. Megatron looks at Optimus with a snarl as Optimus runs over to his sword.
Once Optimus reaches his sword he pulls it up out of the ground and swings it at the Vehicons that are trying to attack him. The Vehicons fly back and Megatron watches as one of them land by his feet, he roars with anger as he pulls out the dark star saber and runs towards Optimus. Optimus runs towards him with his sword at the ready to strike. Their swords clash and Optimus aims for his arm to cut it off, but Megatron side steps and Optimus misses.
Megatron slides the dark star saber across Optimus' side, cutting metal and wires, his metal sizzling from the heat of the saber. Optimus grabs at his side and falls to his knees as he hollers out in pain.
"OPTIMUS!" All the 'Bots scream out. Jack, Miko and Raf looked mortified by what they had just witnessed.
Megatron placed the sword by Optimus' helm, "I could end you right now. But I want you to stay alive so you can witness my rise to power."
Optimus looks at the ground as he ponders on what to do now. There's only one other thing he can think of to do to save Earth, "Let's make a deal Megatron."
Megatron raises an optic ridge as he looks down at the Prime with intrigue, "What kind of deal?"
"I completely surrender myself to you so you can do with me however you please, as long as you leave Earth alone and let my team go."
Megatron looks at him for a moment as he thinks it over. He could have Optimus under his complete control and do with him as he pleases, "I have a better one, you and your team surrender and agree to be our slaves and I will leave Earth alone."
Optimus looks back at his team, he would never make them surrender, they have the right to choose to do so themselves, and he wouldn't blame them if they didn't want to do it. But as he looks at them he sees them all nod in agreement to the deal, if it's to save Earth they are willing to do it. Optimus turns to look up at Megatron, "You have a deal. But allow us to take the humans back to Earth."
Megatron looks over at Starscream and nods at him to turn off the Omega Lock and he does so. Megatron then looks over at the Autobots, "The three that are in charge of your human pets may take them back to Earth, but you better return or I will destroy Optimus then destroy Earth. And make sure you return with your doctor, Optimus will need him to tend to his wound."
:: Optimus, is everything ok? What happened? :: Ratchet calls over the comms.
Optimus looks at Megatron who just nods, :: We need a spacebridge. ::
:: Coming right up. ::
A moment later a spacebridge opens up and Arcee, Bumblebee and Bulkhead pick up the containers that are holding the kids and they head back to base while Smokescreen stays behind.
Ratchet watches the spacebridge as he waits for the others to walk through, he's clueless to what happened and really wants an explanation. He watches as Arcee, Bumblebee and Bulkhead walk into the base with Jack, Miko and Raf and he's even more confused, "The children? What happened? Where's Optimus and Smokescreen?"
The three walk over to the metal platform that's set between the stairs and put the kids down as the bridge closes. Arcee opened the containers to help the kids get out while Bulkhead and Bumblebee try to think of how to tell Ratchet what happened.
"Is either of you gonna say anything? What happened? Where's Optimus and Smokescreen?"
"Optimus…" Bulkhead begins, "He tried to take down Megatron but failed…"
"Don't tell me he…"
"No, he's still alive. But Megatron wounded him and he made a deal with Megatron that we would surrender and become their slaves if he left Earth alone."
Ratchet looked at them in shock, Optimus wouldn't do such a thing, surely not, "You must have heard wrong, he wou-!"
"We all heard him Ratchet." Arcee speaks up cutting him off, "And we all agreed to the deal if it meant saving Earth."
"Optimus surrendered?" Ratchet is still in shock, he never thought Optimus would actually surrender to Megatron, "So now what?"
"I guess we go and give ourselves up." Bulkhead responded.
"You need to come surrender too and you need to give Optimus medical attention." Arcee added.
"And what happens if we don't go surrender?"
"Megatron said he will destroy Optimus and then destroy Earth." Arcee replied.
Ratchet closes his optics, "Fine. But before we turn ourselves over I'm sending out a message." He says before he turns to the computers, he puts in a coded message for all Autobots to inform them of what happened and sends it out.
"So this is goodbye?" Jack asks.
Arcee looks at him as she feels her spark breaking, "Seems so. You take care of yourself and your mom. It was nice working with you."
"You too. Take care."
"No! You don't have to do this! We can figure something out! We can -!" Miko shouts as her eyes fill with tears.
"Miko, we have to. We made a deal." Bulkhead tells her, "I hate it as much as you do but the deal's been made and we need to keep up our side of it."
"I know. I'm just scared of what they're gonna do to you, to all of you."
Bumblebee let out some beeps and whirls and Miko looks to Raf for a translation, "He said, whatever they're gonna do they will just have to take it." Raf explains, "I'll miss you 'Bee."
"I'll miss ya Bulk, it was nice rocking out with you."
"Yeah, it was a blast. I'll miss you too. We all will miss all of you."
"The message is sent, we should get going." Ratchet says as he gets the spacebridge open again. He looks at the kids as Arcee, Bulkhead and Bumblebee walk through the spacebridge, "You three look out for Wheeljack, he should be returning here as well as any Autobots that may come this way." He then gives them a small smile before turning to go through the spacebridge.
The kids watch as Ratchet disappears into the spacebridge and it closes. They had actually forgotten about Wheeljack, he wasn't there to agree to the deal and Megatron said nothing about him returning with them. He's still on Earth somewhere and he's bound to return to the base so the kids will definitely keep an eye out for him.
