He stared at the front viewscreen aimlessly. The nemesis had landed in a small mess of canyons to repair the engine system. Three of the fuel lines had completely burst meaning they were grounded for as long as it took to repair what was broken. Till the problem was resolved the shop would be on emergency power. Noticeably as a result then the lights for dimmer. It's better than falling out of the sky. Starsream mused. Soundwave stepped up behind Starscream. The second in command noticed the spy master and felt his spark go cold. This better be important. Starscream thought.
"What is it soundwave?"
The spy master played a recording. "Base, I'm currently leaving autobot omega outpost. Expect my arrival within the next 20 minutes. Over and out"
Starscream recognised it as the human ally called Fowler. He turned to face Soundwave. He immediately noticed that laserbeak who usually was mounted to the spymasters chest was gone.
"Already taken the initiative. Good work. I want Fowler brought to me when laserbeak returns" Starscream told him.
Soundwave nodded. Starscream could have his way with the human agent all he wanted. Soundwave wasn't interested in him anyway. Walking out of the bridge he saw frenzy and rumble waiting for him. The door to the bridge closed.
Frenzy looked up at him. "You're hoping the kids with him aren't ya" He asked.
Soundwave simply nodded. Rumble smirked and chuckled. "I'd love to have a go at him" he wished.
"Patience, you'll have your chance" Soundwave replied in a jumble of voices ranging from Megatron to Alpha Trion.
The twins very reluctantly agreed.
It was in long canyon with rock walls reaching as high as 300 feet. Bits of metal could be barely seen underneath the dirt. An ancient graveyard from a battle long fought. Both Autobots and Deceptacon resting together in peace. Optimus walked along. He felt his spark shudder at the sight. He's known about this place before arriving on earth. It was one of the first places he visited too pay his respects. Now Megatron wished to defile it with his poison. Is there anything he won't do?. Optimus wondered. Bumblebee came up next to him. He two looking disturbed at what he saw.
{I don't like that look on your face. Something's gonna happen, isn't it?} Bumblebee beeped.
Optimus nodded. "Megatron's coming. He intends to raise the dead" he said, his words filled his unease.
Bumblebee's door wings twitched as he processed the thought. He shivered and wished he hadn't asked at all.
{Ok, defeat an entire graveyard worth of soldiers. This is gonna be fun} Bumblebee sarcastically beeped.
Ratchet who held his scanner looked grimly at the grave site.
"If he doesn't show we can assume something changed. A result of Jacob's tempering" Ratchet said, preparing them for the worst situation.
Optimus hated to hear that. If it was the case then Megatron would be torturing Jacob. Squeezing every last bit of information out of him before disposing him in brutal fashion. Optimus had warned him but Jacob accepted the mission. Making sure things stayed on track. Giving them a shot at winning the war.
"When Megatron is stubborn. When he gets an idea he'll do anything to make it a reality" Optimus said.
Ratchet hoped he was right. He really did. There was a low droning noise which grew louder and louder every second. A jet was coming. Megatron was on his way!. Optimus felt his spark go cold.
Megatron blasted over head. The boys watched as he jetted above a large outcrop and transformed landing on the top of it.
"Optimus I'm so glad you could be here to witness my crowning achievement!" Megatron called down from up high.
Optimus narrowed his optics as he glared at the warlord. "So you've resorted to get a credit and gravesite's. You disgust me Megatron"
Megatron laughed. "You know I aways make my dreams a reality Orion. No matter the cost" his voice boomed through the large canyon.
"Just like how you murdered cybertron!" Optimus snapped back.
Megatron's expression went from amusement to distain. "An unfortunate mistake I never intend to make again," he shot back. "Good luck Orion"
Megatron then hurled the dark purple shard into the ground below. It dug itself a few inches in and glowed with an intensity neither side expected. The bright glow lasted for several seconds as purple lines tunnelled through the ground towards the dead witch lay below the surface. The ground began violently shaking as metallic hands scraper their way out from the dirt. Then heads and torsos began jutting out from the ground.
"Primus help us" Ratchet pleaded.
Megatron laughed from on high. "Kill them. Let the slaughter begin!" He yelled.
Fast forwarding a few minutes and we come back to Jacob in the helicopter with Fowler. They were five thousand feet off the ground and moving over the isolated desert away from both Jasper and the autobot base. Far away from any form of help. Fowler piloted the helicopter. Looking calmer by the minute. Jacob knew that would change soon. He hated lying to him. He wanted to scream. He wanted to go home!.
"Sorry for what I said before. I wasn't thinking straight" Fowler apologetically said.
Jacob nodded. "It's all right. To be honest you're right. I might never get to go home" he lamented.
Fowler casted him a sympathetic glance. "Oh come on I'm sure ratchet will find a way" he tried to reassure him.
Jacob shook his head. "I don't even know how I got here!. Last time I checked interdimensional travel isn't like driving a car" he retorted.
Fowler feel silent for a moment. "I see" was all he said.
Jacob decided to tell him the truth in that moment. "Fowler, i'm gonna tell you this and I ask you just to roll with it"
Fowler felt his stomach twisting into a knot. "What are we in for?" His voice became uneasy.
"We're gonna be captured. I'm gonna egg Starscream into torturing me till the bots arrive to save us. Bulkheads going to take out there sensor dish and get some information regarding an upcoming invasion involving the undead" he dryly said.
Fowler could see he was serious. Who would even lie about such a thing?.
"How bad could it be if we didn't end up captured?" Fowler asked him.
Jacob shuddered. "Judgement day" he replied softly.
Fowler suddenly felt a cold shiver shoot up though him. His grip on the control stick tightened.
"Thanks for telling me," He said through clenched teeth. "Are you sure you wanna be the one?" Fowler asked.
"Think about it. Starscream will go after the weakest link. No matter what I'm gonna be the one. At least Megatron isn't there"
"I take it the others know?"
"Only Prime, Ratchet and Bulkhead. Bulkhead is they key in this. Without him we might as well kiss our asses goodbye" Jacob explained.
Fowler sighed. He wasn't gonna like this. At least he knew what was coming. The fact that Jacob would be tortured however messed with him. No kid should be put into a situation like that. Suddenly a shadow swooped down over the helicopter. Fowler looked to see a large metallic bird like creature coming down towards them.
"Hang on!" Fowler told him.
Fowler moved the flight to the right and the helicopter cleared the diving Deceptacon. Jacob watched at it looped up and around.
"He's coming around!" Jacob warned.
Fowler grunted as he managed to swing the helicopter around. There was no way in hell they could outfly that thing. They were supposed to get captured. But there was no harm in making it a bit difficult for the con. With the flip of a switch the bottom gun was armed. The large con came at them. Fowler adjusted his position, lining up the enemy in the crosshairs. His finger hovered over the trigger. The deceptacon continued barrelling towards them. Squeezing down hard on the trigger The lower machine gun ripped out lancing towards the Deceptacon. Bullets bounced off it's armour as it swooped into a dive. Fowler pitched the craft forwards and began putting some distance.
"Good hits," Jacob told him. "He's climbing on a fast!"
"I can see that!" Fowler retorted.
The con was moving much faster now. Fowler swung for helicopter around. Deceptacon however anticipated this and swept right towards the cockpit. It cut throttle just 10 feet away and plowed into the frame. Jacob shielded his face as glass exploded inwards. Suddenly he felt a metal claw grab his right arm. Within seconds he was pulled free of his seat. The ground was so far below he instinctively grabbed on to the Deceptacon.
"Holy shit!" He screamed in terror.
Fowler was grabbed as well but he managed to press the red button before being yanked out of the helicopter cockpit. The helicopter plummeted to the the as the Deceptacon began flying away with them in arms. Jacob regretted everything at that moment. He clung for dear life and glued his eyes shut. God please let me see the end of the day!. He pleaded to the almighty. Fowler was hanging on as well. He was far calmer than Jacob and watched his helicopter ploughing into the ground and blasting in the bits. Soon the weapons accidentally discharged and what was left was annihilated in a fire ball. Fowler watched as he heaved a deep sigh.
Bumblebee fired his blasters at a group or undead. The hot energon tore though the group and sent them flying towards the ground. A clawed hand scratch that is back. Whirling around he jammed his blaster underneath the zombies head and fired. The head exploded into silver fragments and the entire body went limp. Jeez these things are everywhere!. He thought as he kept up the attack. Optimus was using his swords. Cleaving heads off bodies and leaving them useless. Who knows a human definition of zombie could be applied to their own race. The irony wasn't lost on bumblebee. Ratchet was faring decently. Like Optimus he was using his blades and was more precise in his swings. Millions of years of medical practice made him a pretty good swordsman.
"Aim for the heads. Without a processor they can't function!" Ratchet advised them.
{Already figured that out doc!} Bumblebee beeped in reply.
Ratchet grumbled at the use of Doc but he didn't voice it. He cleaved another head off a zombie and kicked the body into a group of others lumbering towards him. The others were thrown off hitting the ground with a thunderous bang. Pulling a small canister from subspace he tossed it to the centre of the groups. Changing his right arm into a blaster he fired heading the canned just before it touched them. The grenade went off and are the ones former mechs we're instantly fried in the explosion. Ratchet shielded his optics.
"Get close to me. We need to strengthen our position" Optimus ordered.
Neither ratchet or bumblebee didn't like the sound of that. They did as told and moved closer to the prime. Taking out zombified husk after husk. How many have we killed?. Ratchet wondered. From the looks of it they were less than 100 left. Last time you checked about it like this had over 1000 troops. They must've suffered serious damage to the processor for the dark energon to not even take hold. Lucky them. Ratchet thought. Reaching out to me if you continue firing with them. Megatron watched from on high and laughed at there struggle. They tried to ignore it and keep fighting. If they fell now the rest of the world would fall!.
On the open road Arcee got a call. She sighed and slowed down. "Please don't tell me you stepped on one of them" she said dryly.
"No, but you're not gonna like this" Bulkhead replied.
"What's the problem?"
"I'm currently hiding outside the nemesis. Miko's here and I'm gonna need backup pronto!" Bulkhead explained.
"You're where!?" She half shouted.
"Long story short Jacob and Fowler left base and got captured. I need you here now dammit!" Bulkhead stressed the urgency of the situation.
Arcee felt as someone hit her with a wrecking ball. Cliffjumper road alongside her. He had jumped onto the communication channel just at the conversation again and even he was stunned.
"JACOB's WHERE!!" Arcee screamed.
Before cliff temper could even attempt to calm her down she immediately turned hard left and then around back the way she came. Cliffjumper drifted around and followed her.
"Arcee wait up!" He called no avail as his partner rocketed across the road at blinding speeds.
End chapter