Disclaimer:Transformers belongs to Hasbro, Takara, etc. The only thing in this that belongs to me is Arcee's sister.
"You know, I might not be the first human on Cybertron, despite said human wanting to become a Cybertronian so they could be with their girlfriend, but I can still be the first human exchange student," Miko boasted as she sat on Bulkhead's left shoulder as she, Jack and Raf were at the Autobots' base a few days after Starscream stole the Omega Keys from their base in order to bargain with Megatron to rejoin the Decepticons.
"Why didn't you guys tell us about the Omega Keys before?" Jack asked Arcee from the catwalk as she stood next to him, "Especially me when we spoke a few days ago when you were having issues with Smokescreen, 'Cee?"
"As you know, Jack, things have been kind of intense around here lately especially when I contacted you when I was having issues with Smokescreen," Arcee told her boyfriend.
"So, you guys could really be going home soon, huh?" Raf surmised as he stood on the catwalk behind Bumblebee.
"Well, if it wasn't for Starscream stealing the three Omega Keys we had stored in our gault when he snuck into our base through a Ground Bridge portal with Red Energon in his systems when he tricked us into having a few of us to go to his coordinates so he could hive the one he took to us in exchange to give him surgery to have his T-Cog restored from what seemed to be a clone of him that he killed the other day," Chromette recalled, sadly.
"Anyways, don't worry, Raf. You'll come visit!" Miko assured Raf before turning to Bulkhead, "Once we get our place set up, he can bunk with us, right, Bulk?"
"Uh, Miko?" Bulkhead said as he wanted to tell her that because of Cybertron's toxic atmosphere, she wouldn't be able to breathe on Cybertron without a spacesuit unless she would become a Cybertron like what Jack wanted to become, besides Ratchet has almost found a way to turn Jack into a Cybertronian.
"You are taking me with you, right?" Miko asked him.
"Aren't we getting ahead of ourselves here? Not only do we lack any actual method of reaching Cybertron, but as Chromette said, Starscream controls the sole means of our planet's restoration," Ratchet reminded everyone.
"As far as we know," Optimus added.
"Well I'm not moving back to Cybertron till Ratchet finds a way to turn Jack into a Cybertronian," Arcee stated.
"So, Ratchet, have you finally found a way for me to become a Cybertronian?" Jack asked the Autobot medic, "A few days ago in my call with Arcee she said that you were very close."
"Yeah, I think I found a way to turn you into a Cybertronian, Jack," Ratchet confirmed.
"Well, what is it?" Arcee asked him.
"It's Cyber-matter," Ratchet answered, "And as far as we are aware, it's only found on one planet."
"And what planet is that?" Jack asked him.
"Cybertron," Ratchet sighed after closing his optics for a second.
"What's Cyber-matter?" Raf asked the Autobot medic.
"I'm not that well versed in it because we don't possess the technology or wisdom of the Ancients," Ratchet answered, "But from what I know, it's the material that makes our metal living."
"Anyway, going back to Starscream, do you think he rejoined the 'Cons?" Smokescreen asked him.
"He might've used the Omega Keys to buy back Megatron's favor," Arcee suggested.
"I was having the exact same thought, Sis," Chromette said, agreeing with her sister.
"Hmph. Without first trying to sell them to the highest bidder?" Ratchet scoffed in disbelief, "It wouldn't surprise me if he had the nerve to contact us and…"
The Cybertronian Computer system suddenly beeped as soon as Ratchet said those words to the others.
"Okay, that's weird," Bulkhead remarked.
"You're telling me," Chromette said, agreeing with the former Wrecker.
"Is it Starscream?" Arcee asked Ratchet.
"No. It is Dreadwing," Ratchet said, correcting the blue femme as he went to check to see who was contacting them with the Cybertronian Computer system, "And he wants to meet."
Optimus, Arcee, Chromette, Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Smokescreen bridged themselves to the coordinates that Dreadwing provided for them in his message. After the Autobots transformed into their robot forms, Optimus, Arcee, Chromette, Bulkhead and Smokescreen transformed their servos into their blasters, while Bumblebee deployed his blasters as they used them to check the area for any traps that might be waiting for them, while Optimus had his battle mask activated.
"Drop your weapons!" Bulkhead instructed Dreadwing.
"Hands where we can see them!" Smokescreen added.
"And don't move!" Chromette said, agreeing with Bulkhead and Smokescreen.
"I'm not here to fight," Dreadwing decreed as he emerged from the fog, "But to give you this."
It was then that everyone looked towards the ground where Dreadwing was gesturing towards before they noticed the familiar relic that was laying on the ground before them.
"The Forge of Solus Prime," Arcee stated with surprise.
"Why's he giving it to us?" Chromette asked with confusion.
"Could be rigged to blow," Bulkhead stated, recalling how Dreadwing liked his signature bombs.
"Dreadwing, what do you ask in return?" Optimus asked Megatron's first lieutenant as he deactivated his battle mask.
"Only that you use it wisely," Dreadwing answered.
"And? The Omega Keys?" Arcee asked him.
"In Megatron's possession, under heaviest guard," Dreadwing answered.
"Scream did make a deal with the 'Cons," Bulkhead stated.
"Why?" Optimus asked as he transformed his blaster back into his servos and lowered his arms.
"Yeah, I agree," Chromette said, agreeing with Optimus, "Why would you give us the Forge of Solus Prime."
"A shadow of disgrace has been cast upon the Decepticons. It is a cause that I no longer wish to be part of," Dreadwing confessed.
"Then I appeal to you again," Optimus said as he stepped forward, "Join us and help us end this conflict once and for all."
"Yet again, I agree with Optimus, Dreadwing," Chromette told the seeker, "Join and help us end this war as having air superiority would give the Autobots an advantage, considering we don't have Jetfire or any of the Aerialbots here on Earth."
"Betraying my kind is not the same as accepting yours," Dreadwing refused before turning around and walked away as Arcee, Chromette, Bulkhead and Smokescreen transformed their blasters back into their servos, while Bumblebee's blasters retracted back into his arms. When he was close to the edge, he jumped off of it and transformed in mid-air before taking to the skies, his mind determined to take care of unfinished business.
"It's no Star Saber, but I bet it can shatter Megatron's blade and put some dents in that ugly mug of his," Smokescreen shrugged once they brought the Forge of Solus Prime back to their base as Optimus held the Forge in his servos as the gears began to rotate around with Optimus' touch, the relic came to life as soon as Optimus held the Forge in the air and rotated around.
"It's not that kind of hammer," Arcee told him.
"She's right, Smoke," Chromette said, agreeing with her sister, "It's one of the most powerful relics forged from the original thirteen Primes and created by our ancestor, Solus Prime. It's main purpose is to create items like weapons or organs like T-Cogs or voice boxes."
"I know. I was just saying," he told them.
"With the Decepticons in possession of all four Omega Keys, a more appropriate use of the Forge would be to replicate our own," Ratchet suggested, "Or even use it to create Cyber Matter for Jack so he could become a Cybertronian without going back to Cybertron to do so."
"Even with such power, recreation of the Omega Keys and creating Cyber Matter for Jack would require a level of expertise I do not possess," Optimus admitted.
"I guess we better hope Megatron doesn't destroy the Keys to prevent anyone from going home similarly to how he reacted when you ordered the exodus," Arcee stated.
"I don't believe he would do that, Sis," Chromette told her, "Like us, he's desperate, but he's even more desperate to rule Cybertron, given the tyrant he has become over the years."
"Megatron may be evil. But I believe he will use the Keys for their intended purpose," Optimus stated as he stabbed the Forge of Solus Prime into the floor of the base.
"Then I say we let him keep them and do the work for us," Bulkhead suggested, earning glares from everyone in the room, causing him to scoff, "W-I mean, what difference does it make who restores Cybertron?"
"If Megatron revives Cybertron, he will no doubt use it to his political advantage," Optimus told him.
"Y-You lost me," Bulkhead stammered.
"In all likelihood, the leader of the Decepticons will portray himself as our planet's savior and brand all Autobots as war criminals," Optimus explained.
"He would also do the same for every Cybertronian who declared neutrality during the war or Decepticons who defected to the Autobots," Chromette added, agreeing with Optimus.
"The grand deception continues," Arcee muttered.
"Megatron's so-called 'achievement' could influence Cybertron for eons to come, poisoning the sparks and minds of its returning citizens. Hardly the ideal way to begin a new age," Ratchet remarked.
"But there is hope," Optimus decreed, earning looks of confusion from everyone, "For while Megatron may have the Keys, he has yet to discover the existence of the Omega Lock itself."
"Omega Lock?!" Bulkhead repeated in confusion.
"Wait. Now you lost me," Arcee admitted.
"Me too," Chromette said, agreeing with her sister, "What is this Omega Lock?"
"That which the four relics were designed to activate, which contains the amount of Cyber-Matter that Jack requires in order for him to become a Cybertronian," Optimus explained, "We must locate the device before Megatron does, and secure it until we can recover the Keys."
"There are no more Iacon entries to decode," Ratchet told him with confusion, "This lock could be anywhere on Earth!"
"Actually… It is on Cybertron," Optimus corrected him.
"What?!" Everyone but Bumblebee said in surprise.
"How do you know?" Ratchet asked him.
"Alpha Trion revealed its location to me during the message conveyed by the Star Saber," Optimus explained as he picked the Forge of Solus Prime back up as he began walking towards the Ground Bridge.
"And you didn't think to tell us," Ratchet said, clearly offended.
"Alpha Trion did not wish it so," Optimus explained before he stopped walking and stabbing the Forge back into the ground of their base in front of the Ground Bridge, "With the Forge of Solus Prime, we now possess the means of reaching Cybertron." He then began to climb down into the Ground Bridge's control hub, "I must work quickly, as our tactical advantage over Megatron will not last long."
"Dreadwing," Megatron's first lieutenant heard Megatron calling his name as he wandered around the halls of the Nemesis, causing him to freeze as he struggled to keep his anger in check over the recents events that had come to light to him. The last thing he needed was to make the situation worse than it already was. So he turned to face his master and pretended to be as loyal as he was before, "I have been searching for you."
"I am at your service, Lord Megatron," Dreadwing said, bowing before him.
"I recognize that Starscream's return to our ranks may be difficult for you. Given the loss of your twin under his command," Megatron began 'sympathetically', "But your cooperation is essential. The Decepticons will be best equipped to rule a restored Cybertron only if we are united."
"Understood. And if it pleases you, master, I intend to reach out to our comrade. Personally," Dreadwing proclaimed.
"Rise and shine!" Starscream heard Knockout say as he was laying on the medical slab in the Decepticon medic's medical lab with his optics closed. Upon his request, Knockout performed the surgery that successfully reunited him with the T-Cog he had been surviving without for the past several months now before opening his optics, "Your T-Cog transplant was a success. Yes, I am just that good."
"Finally, I can't wait to take flight and soar above the clouds," Starscream sighed in relief.
"STARSCREAM!"
Knockout and Starscream froze in horror at the sound of the booming voice. Normally, they would act like this when Megatron was enraged at a recent unsuccessful mission performed by his underlings among the ranks. However, this was different. This time, the person that was angry was Dreadwing.
"I regret to inform you that you will not live to spread your wings ever again," Dreadwing growled as he grabbed his cannon from his back as he prepared to fire it at Starscream.
With a roar in anger, Dreadwing fired a shot from his cannon. Starscream and Knockout both cried out as they scrambled to avoid what they knew would be a fatal shot. The shot that Dreadwing fired hit the medical slab, where Starscream's helm was. Starscream scrambled into the nearest corner, showing just how cowardly he was.
"Knockout, help me!" Starscream begged the Decepticon medic that was beginning to retreat.
Knockout said nothing but scoff as he feared for his own life as he ran out of the medical lab. Dreadwing decided that he wanted Starscream to be killed slowly and painfully and his cannon would end up finishing the job far before it would even start for him. With anger coursing through his veins, he dropped his cannon to the floor and unsheathed his sword from his back. Starscream, in a desperate hope of defense, grabbed the nearest surgical tool, a Cybertronian scalpel.
"Dreadwing, what has gotten into you?!" Starscream demanded, quivering in fear, only for Dreadwing to destroy the scalpel by slicing it in half before Starscream tossed it aside as Dreadwing continued his advances towards him, "Wait. This is about Skyquake, isn't it? I thought we had put that behind us!"
"SO HAD I!" Dreadwing snarled as he took a swipe at Starscream, only to miss as Starscream leaned back to avoid the sharp sword.
"Casualties are an unfortunate consequence of war! But I assure you, your twin met his end with great honor!" Starscream cried, making the situation worse for him.
"WHICH YOU HAD DISGRACED BY RAISING HIM FROM THE DEAD!" Dreadwing roared in anger.
"Oh, you know about that," Starscream muttered to himself before pleading, "THERE MUST BE SOMETHING I CAN DO, SOME FORM OF REPARATION I CAN OFFER TO ALLEVIATE YOUR ANGUISH!"
"YOUR SPARK WILL SUFFICE!" Dreadwing decreed as he raised his sword above his helm, ready to strike Starscream down.
"DREADWING!"
Dreadwing froze and turned around at the sound of the voice from the doorway. He was Megatron standing there, bearing witness to what was about to happen.
"STAND DOWN!" Megatron ordered his first lieutenant.
"THIS DESECRATOR MUST PAY FOR HIS ACTIONS!" Dreadwing protested as he pointed at Starscream with one of the digits of his left arm.
"YOU CALL THIS LOYALTY, MASTER?!" Starscream screeched in disbelief.
"I SAID STAND DOWN!" Megatron repeated, enforcing more anger into his voice, "THAT IS AN ORDER!"
"One which I cannot follow," Dreadwing growled.
He returned to his former position with pure rage written across his face plate. Word held high above his helm with both of his servos ready to deliver the fatal blow. Starscream, quivering in fear in the lowly little corner before him. Finally, Skyquake would be avenged.
However, before he could deliver the final blow, his roar was cut short by a choke. There was a gaping hole in the center of his chassis and his Spark chamber. Through the hole, Starscream could see that it was Megatron who saved him with his Fusion cannon. As Megatron lowered his arm, Dreadwing dropped his sword and fell to the floor, dead. Before Starscream, the lifeless husk of Dreadwing landed on the ground face-first.
It was mere seconds since Dreadwing said his final words of anger. Only a few seconds had passed between Dreadwing preparing to become a murderer and the tides turning Megatron into a murderer.
"I'm OK. I'M OK!" Starscream cried in relief as he laughed maniacally before bowing to his master and savior, "Lord Megatron! You have my eternal thanks!"
"Do not make me regret which one of you I spared," Megatron responded.
"Is it my imagination, or has Optimus been acting differently since that message from Alpha Trion?" Arcee asked everyone as she walked back into the base's main command center and approached her sister, Bulkhead and Bumblebee.
"Yeah, I have seen a difference in him since he got the Star Saber and received that message from Alpha Trion, Sis," Chromette said, agreeing with her sister before Bumblebee buzzed a response.
"Yeah, he has been keeping things from us," Bulkhead stated, agreeing with them.
"Even Ratchet's out of the loop," Arcee added.
"Well, give me one good reason Optimus couldn't trust his own team mates, why he couldn't have told us about the Omega Lock," Bumkhead said with confusion.
"I think I know why he couldn't tell us and I think Smokescreen knows as well," Chromette told the former Wrecker.
"And what's the reason?" He asked her.
"Because if he had, Megatron would've pulled it out of my head with his patch," Smokescreen said, confirming Chromette's suspicions as he entered the room.
"Couldn't have said it better myself, Smoke," Chromette told their newest recruit with a smirk.
"Like it matters. The 'cons are holding all the keys anyway," Bulkhead muttered.
"Tick tock, Knockout!" Starscream snapped, impatiently at Knockout as the Decepticon medic scanned the Omega Keys with a scanner within Knockout's laboratory, "Tick tock! Megatron's expecting results and given what we just witnessed, I would say that we cannot afford to disappoint our master."
"We?!" Knockout repeated in disbelief as he picked up one of the Omega Keys, "Unless nagging counts, I haven't seen you lift a finger!"
"I am the one who brought him the keys," Starscream reminded the Decepticon medic, "Do I really need to prove myself further by deciphering how they operate, too?"
"Well, perhaps if my research hadn't been sidelined by someone's cosmetic surgery, I might be further along right now!" Knockout retorted.
"Oh, just give it here!" Starscream sighed as he snatched the Omega Key from Knockout and proceeded to smash it against the table that the other three Omega Keys were on top of.
"Oh, gee. Why didn't I think of that?!" Knockout asked himself, sarcastically as Starscream grunted.
Knockout soon found himself gasping, yelling and growling in horror as Starscream swiped at him with the Omega Key. Once again, he found his beautiful paintwork ruined by unfortunate circumstances. Deciding to join the fight, Knockout picked up another of the Omega Keys and clashed it against the Omega Key that Starscream was holding. To their surprise, both Omega Keys locked together and began glowing a bright white.
"Do you think…" Knockout began to ask Starscream.
The two Decepticons were quick to grab the two remaining Omega Keys that were lying on the table.
"Ready? GO!" Starscream instructed the medic.
They combined all four Omega Keys, causing the already locked to grow brighter than before. Soon enough, they saw the Omega Keys project something above the two of them. Immediately, they recognized that it was projecting a blue colored map of Cybertron. A red beacon shone on the screen to indicate an important location. The location of the Omega Lock.
"And that is why Dreadwing is pushing up lug nuts," Starscream gloated as he chuckled.
"And we are not," Knockout added with a smirk.
"Of course!" Megatron cried once Starscream and Knockout showed him the map of Cybertron that was being projected by the four Omega Keys, "Keys are useless without something to unlock. Target the Space Bridge for Cybertron."
Knockout and Starscream remained still while Soundwave, who was in the room with them as well, walked away to obey Megatron's commands; his steps quicker than usual. Clearly, he was eager to revive Cybertron as the next Cybertronian.
"Yet another astonishing convergence of magic and science, courtesy of the ancients," Ratchet said in a dreamy fashion as he examined the upgraded control system for the Ground Bridge.
"And our leader," Smokescreen added, rudely.
"It's hard to believe, a few swings of that hammer, and Bam!" Bulkhead stated.
"Our Ground Bridge is now a Space Bridge," Arcee proclaimed as they all turned to face their former Ground Bridge and now Space Bridge.
"Like what I suggested what we could do with it when we except for Smokescreen, Ratchet and Bumblebee found it after the Decepticons uncovered it after M.E.C.H stole Bee's T-Cog and when he and Ratchet were in surgery," Chromette recalled when the Cybertronian computer system went on a fritz.
"Our sensors are picking up a large Energon burst occurring outside Earth's atmosphere," Ratchet announced before turning to face the others, "A surge like that could only mean one thing. Activation of another Space Bridge."
"Megatron has discovered that the Omega Lock is on Cybertron," Optimus realized as he entered the base's main command center with a relic that looked similar to the Phase Shifter in his servos but a bit smaller as it appears that has been using the Forge of Solus Prime to create a relic.
"It appears we have lost our advantage," Ratchet stated.
"But with Megatron unaware that we now possess the means of interstellar travel, the element of surprise remains in our favor," Optimus pointed out before turning to Chromette, "Chromette can I speak with you?"
"Sure, Optimus," she answered as the others except for her, Optimus or Ratchet left the room to the room that had the vaults that contained their Iacon relics and Decepticon weapons of mass destruction, "What do you want to speak to me about?"
"I just want to give you this," he told her as he showed her the relic that he forged with the Forge of Solus Prime.
"What is it?" She inquired.
"It's a relic that I forged for you as we don't have any more for you during our mission to Cybertron," he answered, "Try it on."
"Okay," she said as she took it from Optimus' servos and placed it over her wrist, "So what does it do?"
"Activate it and see for yourself," he answered before she activated it as a bright blue colored shield several feet smaller than her appeared from the newly created relic as it appeared in one of her servos.
"What is this?" She asked him.
"It's a shield for you," he answered, "I call it the Skyboom Shield. I created it for you as there are no more Iacon relics or weapons that we have that we can use against the Decepticons on Cybertron, also when holding it makes you nearly invincible like the Phase Shifter does when activated. And like Smokescreen with the Phase Shifter, it's your signature weapon and relic. Take good care of it."
"Thank you, sir, and I will indeed take good care of it," she replied as she deactivated her relic.
Meanwhile in the room that contained the Iacon relics and Decepticon weapons of Mass Destruction, Smokescreen, Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Arcee went into different vaults as Bulkhead grabbed the Immobilizer. Bumblebee obtained the polarity gauntlet . Arcee obtained the Apex Armor as she knew that one of them was gonna have to use it. While Smokescreen grabbed the Spark Extractor, knowing that things were going to be desperate.
"What's that on your wrist, Sis?" Arcee asked her sister as she and the others rejoined Chromette, Ratchet and Optimus in the base's main command center.
"It's a relic that Optimus forged for me with the Force of Solus Prime 'Cee," Chromette answered as she activated it and pulled out its shield, "Optimus calls it the Skyboom Shield."
"Wow!" Arcee said with amazement.
"That looks awesome," Bulkhead told Chromette with the same expression that Arcee had on her faceplate before Bumblebee buzzed a response with the same facial expression as Bulkhead and Arcee.
"Yeah, I agree that looks cool," Smokescreen said, agreeing with the others with the same expression.
"Thanks, guys, especially you, Smoke," Chromette told everyone.
"Aren't we getting off track discussing Chromette's relic that Optimus forged for her instead of what's at stake here?" Ratchet asked everyone.
"I guess you're right, Ratchet," Chromette said as she deactivated the Skyboom Shield.
"We must embark on this mission with every resource at our disposal, including the relic that I forged for Chromette about half an hour ago," Optimus decreed.
Above the Nemesis, the Decepticons' warship was now approaching the active Space Bridge. Megatron stood on top of the Nemesis with Soundwave, Starscream and an armada of Jet Vehicons. Something that Megatron knew was for this battle, he was going to need all the help he could get.
"Starscream, assume command in my absence," Megatron requested Starscream, who became his second-in-command and first lieutenant again after he terminated Dreadwing for attempting to kill Starscream for desecrating his brother's corpse and bringing him back to life as an undead Terrorcon.
"I would be honored, master," Starscream said as he bowed before him.
Megatron didn't acknowledge the methods that Starscream was using to get on his good side after what Dreadwing forced him to do. Instead, he ran forward and transformed into his Cybertronian Jet form, taking off into space. Four of the Jet Vehicons followed him and also transformed into their alternate modes and raced towards the Space Bridge. Slowly, the remaining Jet Vehicons followed, all eager for the battle that lied ahead for them.
Back inside the Autobots' base, the newly complete Space Bridge was coming to life, but something that confused everyone was that they were hearing a series of banging in the distance.
"What's he forging now?" Bulkhead asked, trying to think of what else Optimus would forge with the Forge of Solus Prime after transforming their Ground Bridge into a Space Bridge and creating a relic known as the Skyboom Shield for Chromette.
The answer was revealed when Optimus stepped forward holding a giant sword in his servos. They all looked on with surprise as they realized that he used the Forge of Solus Prime to recreate the Star Saber and that it was bigger than the original Star Saber.
"Megatron must be stopped. No matter the cost," Optimus proclaimed before placing the newly formed Star Saber sword into its sheath on his back plate and running forward as he transformed into his alternate mode and raced through the active Space Bridge portal as Bumblebee, Smokescreen, Bulkhead, Arcee and Chromette transformed into their respective alternate modes as well and followed Optimus as they knew that their mission wasn't only to revive Cybertron, but to end the war once and for all.
Cybertron hasn't changed much since either side last left their pedeprints on the planet's surface. The planet was still lifeless as it was since Megatron infected the core of Cybertron with Dark Energon, causing Primus to shut down the planet's core to undo the damage that Megatron had done to him and when both the Autobots and Decepticons left Cybertron after Optimus ordered the Great Exodus. It caused Megatron and the Vehicons that accompanied him to shudder slightly. But they didn't let this affect them for long. They were Cybertronian on a mission. A mission to revive Cybertron and rebuild it into the vision they held for so long.
The first thing they needed to do was find the Omega Lock.
"According to the landmarks displayed by the keys, the object we seek is located deep within the Sea of Rust," Megatron told the Vehicons as he looked off to the distance ahead of them.
Back at the Autobot's base, Ratchet was pacing around the command center before he heard the sound of beeping coming from the Cybertronian Computer system to indicate an incoming call, which surprised him.
"Ah!" Ratchet cried out as he spiraled towards the Cybertronian Computer system to answer the call, "Ah! Optimus?"
"Uh, n-no, Ratchet. It's Jack," Jack told him on the Cybertronian Computer system.
"Is something wrong?" Jack asked the Autobot medic as heand Raf sat on the front steps of Memorial high school, while Miko sat on the steps' ledge, "'Cause school's been out for almost an hour, and no one's showed to pick us up."
"That is because the entire team is rather…indisposed at the moment," Ratchet explained to the three human children after placing his right servo over his helm for a second.
"I suggest that you obtain an alternate method of transportation," Ratchet went on.
"What's he saying?" Mik inquired after jumping down from the step's ledge.
"The bots are busy," Jack answered.
"Then tell Ratchet to come get us!" Miko suggested.
"It's not like he has anything else to do!" Miko exclaimed in anger.
"Just go home! I will be in touch later!" Ratchet snapped before hanging up, confusing Jack, Miko and Raf at the end of the line even further.
"He-Hello?" Jack stuttered before snapping his phone shut, "He hung up."
"What crawled up his tailpipe and died?" Miko asked, rhetorically.
"Did Ratchet tell you what's going on?" Raf asked him.
"No. They seem to be keeping us in the dark a lot lately. Even Arcee and she usually tells me everything since we started dating," Jack answered.
The rust blew them around as Megatron double-checked his scanners again. They were so close to reviving Cybertron, he just knew it. So he had to make sure that they were in the right place. And it wasn't just because the planet was, at this point in time, unable to sustain life anymore.
Behind them, Smokescreen slowly emerged from the ground thanks to his Phase Shifter. Nobody knew he was there until he transformed one of his servos into one of his blasters and killed two Vehicons with it, causing the Vehicons to turn around and transform their servos into their blasters in retaliation.
"Wha-What just happened?!" Megatron demanded, worryingly.
Smokescreen ran away, being followed by the raining blaster fire from the Vehicons. Megatron's optics widened in horror as he saw the Autobots' newest recruit phase through a wall.
"Smokescreen?!" Megatron gasped in horror, "But that's impossible. The Autobots do not possess the means to…"
If he wasn't surprised by Smkescreen's sudden appearance, this will surprise him as a giant junkpile filled with Cybertronian equipment was levitated into the air. Many Vehicons were scrambling around for safe haven as the giant junkpile came crashing down upon them. Many Vehicons weren't so lucky and were crushed by the rusted metal construct. Megatron looked up at the bridge and saw a familiar blur of yellow and black running away. Immediately, he knew that it was Bumblebee.
"Crush them!" Megatron ordered the Vehicons.
As Bumblebee raced away in his alternate mode, Bulkhead took his place on the bridge. In his servos, he held the Immobilizer, set up and ready to go at Bulkhead's will. And fire, he did as he fired the Immobilizer at many Vehicons, who were shooting at him were frozen by the force of the Immobilizer. With them immobilized, Bulkhead jumped down and transformed his servos into his blasters and went to join the firefight as Bumblebee arrived next to him and transformed back into his robot form and deployed his blasters as he began assisting Bulkhead in fighting the Vehicons.
From the bridge not far from where Bulkhead was once standing, Arcee and Chromette were both opening fire on the Vehicons that were attempting to strike them from below with their blasters. Jumping down, Arcee slammed the Apex Armor against her chassis, allowing it to encase her entire frame, while Chromette activated the Skyboom Shield as she pulled the shield out of the relic as it began to glow a bright blue. With Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Smokescreen following them, the twins charged into the battle.
"Defend the keys!" Megatron ordered the Vehicons.
Everyone took their turns in beating up many Vehicons that dared to fight them. It got to the point where Megatron was snarling as he unsheathed his sword and ran forward to join the battle with the remaining Vehicons following him to the death.
Optimus soon emerged from the shadows as he joined the other Autobots in the fight. He unsheathed his sword as he began assisting in taking down the Vehicons.
"I bested your little blade once, and I shall do it again!" Megatron vowed after roaring as they clashed their swords together. They clashed their swords a few more times before Megatron kicked Optimus backwards a bit with his pede before clashing his sword with Optimus' yet again before Optimus kicked the Decepticon warlord back a bit with his own pede before he charged towards Optimus.
While Optimus and Megatron dueled, the others proceeded to take care of the Vehicons that were daring to stand in their way. Combining the forces of their Phase Shifter, Immobilizer, polarity gauntlet, Apex Armor and Skyboom Shield respectively, they managed to reclaim all four Omega Keys with Arcee, Chrommete, Bulkhead and Bumblebee grabbing one, leaving the Vehicons shocked at the fact that they were taken from right under their noses.
Eventually, Optimus grew tired of the seemingly endless duel. So, spinning slightly, he sent a wave of energy hurtling towards Megatron. The Decepticon warlord cried out in surprise as he was sent flying over the bridge far from the Sea of Rust. WIth the Omega Keys in their servos, Arcee, Chromette, Bumblebee, Bulkhead and Smokescreen ran forward to join him.
When they were all together again, they ran forward where they knew where they knew the Omega Lock would be. Optimus, Arcee, Chromette, Bumblebee, Bulkhead and Smokescreen utilized their alternate modes for this journey and knew that the journey would change the tides of the war.
And it would change the tides in a way that benefited either the Autobots or the Decepticons.
The Vehicons were quick to transform into their jet modes and follow the Autobots as Megatron approached the bridge, his Dark Star Saber powered by Dark Energon purring in the grasp of Liege Maximo's servo he had stolen from the tomb of the primes.
"I will have those keys, OR I WILL HAVE YOUR SPARKS!" Megatron screamed at the Vehicons that dared to remain behind to wait for the Decepticon warlord.
"I can help with the last part," Smokescreen smirked as he phased through a wall near the Vehicons with a familiar device in his servos as the Vehicons aimed their blasters at him.
"The Spark Extractor!" Megatron gasped in horror.
Kicking some Vehicons out of the way, Smokescreen phased into the ground, leaving the Spark Extractor behind. When the Spark Extractor made contact with the yellowish-brown rusted ground, the device began to glow a bright blue. Immediately, it unleashed a force that proved to be fatal to everyone nearby. Retreating Vehicons were affected by the shockwaves just as bad as the Vehicons, who were stupid to remain. All of them were killed instantly.
Raring in anger, Megatron aimed his Dark Star Saber and threw it at the ground. The sword pierced through the Spark Extractor, destroying it almost instantly. However, to Megatron's horror, he acted too late. The damage was done as every single Vehicon that remained with Megatron was lying dead within the Sea of Rust with their sparks extracted.
Thinking nothing of it, Megatron jumped down and walked towards the Spark Extractor to retrieve his glowing purple sword from it.
"Starscream!" Megatron yelled into his helm's built-in comlink, "The Autobots have seized the Omega Keys. Send reinforcements immediately!"
Starscream stood surrounded by many Vehicons around the main computer in the Nemesis' control room. Naturally, he assumed command of the Decepticon warship in Megatron's absence. Normally, Starscream would be quick to obey his master's will and rendezvous with him immediately. However, this time was different.
He had, what he believed, to be a better idea forming in his processor.
"Actually, Lord Megatron, Soundwave has been briefing me on recent developments, and we may have a more effective solution," Starscream told Megatron with his signature sneer laced in his voice.
When Megatron inquired what his solution was, Starscream laid it out clearly. When Starscream had finished, Megatron was finished with the new idea. Starscream, despite his cowardly actions, was renowned as a brilliant strategist. But even Megatron knew that strategists had a real stroke of genius from time to time.
Nobody would willingly catch Megatron admitting this to anyone- even Soundwave- but Starscream just had a real stroke of genius with this little solution of his.
After all, the best way to harm one's mortal enemies is to extort whatever weakness they have.
The journey across the Sea of Rust seemed to take forever for the Autobots. However, they knew that in the end, it would prove to be worth it as they would revive their lifeless planet and restore every single city on it to a new Golden Age. When they came to a stop, Optimus, Arcee, Chromette, Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Smokescreen transformed into their robot forms as they began to approach a specific spot in the Sea of Rust.
"Our head start won't last long," Arcee stated.
"Agreed, they could send in reinforcements any moment now to reclaim the Omega Keys back from us," Chromette said, agreeing with her sister.
"This is where Alpha Trion said we'd find it, right?" Smokescreen asked everyone.
"These are the coordinates," Bulkhead assured their newest recruit.
The dust flew around them as they approached the Omega Lock, a device that had clearly been dormant for some time, perhaps thousands or millions of years.
"Doesn't look like much," Bulkhead remarked.
Stepping forward, Optimus placed his servos on the Omega Lock and removed some of the dust that had built up on the device over an unspecified amount of time with an Autobot insignia embedded on one side of the Omega Lock.
"Ratchet, we have located the Omega Lock," Optimus told Ratchet as he contacted their base.
"At last," Ratchet sighed in relief as he was excited that they were finally able to restore Cybertron.
In all honesty, Ratchet was unable to recall the last time he felt this much relief. When he had successfully managed to save Raf after he was poisoned with Dark Energon by Megatron. When they, with Megatron's help, successfully stopped Unicron from awakening and destroying the Earth. Or when he successfully saved Bulkhead's life from the Tox-En exposure he had with the Tox-EX when he and the other were on the hunt for the four Iacon relics that Trypticon decrypted after Megatron infused the Nemesis with Dark Energon and when he encountered Hardshell before Miko terminated the Insecticon's life with Wheeljack's ship.
There were so many moments where Ratchet felt relieved. So many moments something good was finally theirs.
But that didn't stop the nagging feeling in his tanks and back at the far reaches of his processor. For the Autobots, good things never lasted for long. Great Amazing things were rare. But for them, nothing lasts forever.
Just how long would Ratchet's relief and the small victory of the Autobots would last?
"According to Alpha Trion, the Omega Lock is a conduit to the very Allspark itself," Optimus explained to everyone.
"Optimus," Smokescreen stated as he gestured to the others, holding the Omega Keys in their servos, "An honor like this shouldn't belong to any of us."
"Smokescreen does have a point, Optimus," Chromette said, agreeing with their newest recruit.
When Chromette went to hand her Omega Key over, to her surprise, it began to tremble in her servos. Smokescreen looked around and saw that the Omega Keys that Arcee, Bulkhead and Bumblebee were holding began to glow and tremble as well. They all stood back as the Omega lock and the ground beneath their feet began to glow as well. The Omega Lock hummed as it began to come to life after spending so long in stasis.
An archway began to form around them with four pillars emerging from the ground. Above them, they saw a circular object, shaped like a pool and was a wave of bright, glowing blue and realized that it was Cyber-matter. The very thing that humans or any organ species like humans would need in order for them to become Cybertronian, which Jack needed if they were ever to turn Jack into a fellow Cybertronian and Autobot.
Their happiness quickly died down when they saw a familiar Cybertronian jet approaching in the distance and Optimus was quick to unsheathe his sword from his back plate and stood ready to fight the Decepticon warlord.
Megatron transformed into his robot form and jumped down onto the archway. There was no way he could hide the smirk that was gracing his face. Immediately, Arcee, Chromette, Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Smokescreen activated their weapons as Arcee slammed the Apex Armor against her chassis, allowing it to encase her entire frame again, Bulkhead, holding the Immobilizer in his servos as Bumblebee held the polarity gauntlet in his servos as he had his blasters deployed from his arms, while Chromette and Smokescreen transformed their servos into their blasters with Optimus, ready to defend the Omega Lock.
"Autobots, I suggest that you put a halt to your tasks," Megatron suggested, "And hand over those keys."
"And why would we do that?" Smokescreen asked him, dryly.
"Yeah, why would we do that, Megatron?" Chromette said, agreeing with Smokescreen, "We've just about won the war, now you and your Decepticons have to pay for the crimes you've committed against both Cybertron and humanity."
They eventually received the answer as to why Megatron was suddenly cocky. The familiar bright swirls of a Space Bridge portal appeared behind the Decepticon warlord. Three Decepticons- Starscream, Soundwave and Knockout - emerged from the swirling Space Bridge portal, holding three Cybertronian sized pod-like containers; the precious cargo housed safely inside.
When they realized what were being housed inside the pod-like containers, Optimus, Arcee, Chromette, Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Smokescreen were horrified when they realized what was happening, but Arcee looked the most horrified, worried for her boyfriend's life as they still haven't turned him into a Cybertronian yet.
"So that I may hand over the human," Megatron answered Smokescreen and Chromette's questions so casually.
Jack, Miko and Raf were housed inside the pod-like containers. They were all captured from the front steps of Memorial high school, while they were busy trying to revive a dead planet.
"And if we refuse?" Optimus demanded his mortal enemy.
"Then I will have no choice but to open the pods, exposing your pets to Cybertron's toxic atmosphere," Megatron answered, casually as he walked up right up to Optimus in the face plate, "And then, we can all watch them instantly perish, together."
There were many elements that made the Autobots more human than the Decepticons. One of them was the fact that they, like humans, hate dilemmas. However, this dilemma was something that was different than the ones before.
If they gave up the keys, Jack, Miko and Raf would be saved from their own tragic fates. However, Cybertron would be revived in a way the Decepticons envisioned it, which would lead to them being disgraced in Cybertronian history.
But if they didn't give up the keys…sure. They would be the ones to revive Cybertron and disgrace the Decepticons in Cybertronian history. Jack, Miko and Raf would suffocate due to them being unable to breathe in Cybertron's toxic atmosphere and they would be unable to bathe Jack in the Cyber-matter to turn him into a Cybertronian.
What were they going to do?
To be continued as next is Darkest Hour and please favorite, follow and review.
Also did any of you catch the Transformers: Armada reference in this chapter?