#2- Allies among Nemesis

Type: Alternate scene (meeting the Autobots)

Summary: Maya and Eric find themselves aboard the

Timeline: First draft of chapter 9 (Enemy of my Enemy 1)

Extra note: this story was supposed to be a three-part arc but I smushed them together

Eric felt his heart pounding in his ears. Pure worry and fear, emotions he hadn't felt in a long time, coursed through his veins as he stared blankly at what lay in front of him and his sister.

Dark hallways, barely lit by dark purple lights, stretched on forever in front of the two Assassins. They hid behind large panels from the similarly colored robots that skittered back and forth. Eric knew they were looking for them.

It was only by sheer dumb luck that they managed to stay hidden.

He thanked whoever was watching them that their outer robes were dark enough to blend in to the shadows.

But the thirty-year-old knew they wouldn't be able to stay hidden for long.

"Brother?" Maya's frightened whisper had him pushing back, grasping her forearm. Whether for comfort or fear, he didn't know. "Brother, what are we going to do?"

Eric honestly didn't know.

He didn't know how they were going to get out of this situation alive.

They were on a warship, that much they were able to learn when they were forcibly brought on board. Other than the fact that they were taken by evil giant robots and they were on a warship, possibly high in the air, there wasn't anything else that they knew.

They didn't know how they were going to escape the warship.

They didn't know how they were going to make it back to Jasper.

In short…

"We're screwed." Maya's whisper came right as heavy footsteps echoed down the deserted hallway.

Eric tensed pushing his sister back. He hoped that, by using his body as a shield, those that took them wouldn't see Maya. And, hopefully, it would give Maya some time to get away.

The footsteps continued on, but it didn't help that Eric's heart all but stopped in his chest.

When silence once again reined, Eric sighed heavily. "We need to leave."

"What?!"

"If we stay here, that'll increase our chances of getting caught."

"But we'll be running blind! We don't know this ship. Besides, have you forgotten about that teeny-tiny fact that we're outnumbered and outclassed by giant, freaking robots!?"

"We're backed into a literal corner, Maya." Eric shifted, peeking out into the hallway before leaning back. He got his heart to calm down a bit to the point where it didn't feel like it was going to break out of his chest. "If we stay here, we're going to be seen. This isn't the best vantage point."

Maya, looking like she was on the verge of a panic attack, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, opened her eyes and nodded. "Okay."

Eric nodded once. "Good. Come on. Let's get going."

The two cautiously peeked out of the corner and, after double-checking to make sure that it was safe, stepped out of the shadows. It was tense, feeling like an eternity to the siblings, as they moved through the ship. Thanks to the size of the robots, they heard when the patrols were heading their way, giving them ample time to dash into the shadows.

Eric felt that he wouldn't make it past forty-years with how high his blood pressure was during that time. Every time that he heard the pounding of the giant footsteps, scenarios of what would happen if they were caught flashed through his mind, sending his heart rate galloping like a race horse. He would always shield his sister's body with his, and he would hold his breath, not letting it go until the footsteps passed by him.

After maybe the fifth time, though it felt more like the hundredth, Eric heard Maya growl. They were being chased after turning a corner and came across several dozen robots.

"They're everywhere," Maya exclaimed as the two ran as fast as possible. Eric didn't say anything, as he needed to conserve his energy for running, but nodded in agreement. Behind the two of them, a handful of giant purple-and-black robots chased after them.

"Well, we are on their turf." Eric huffed out. He grabbed his sister's hand and turned sharply down another hall without warning.

The man was expecting to dash down the hallway and find a place to hideout for a minute or two.

He honestly didn't expect to slam into a giant metal foot.

With an 'oomph' of surprise, Eric fell on his butt, letting go of his sister's hand as he did so. He shook his head to clear the dizziness and slight pain he felt from colliding with pure metal. Distinctly he heard Maya call his name before stopping dead with a shocked gasp. For a moment there was silence, during which Eric feared his sister had been snatched up before a blast above him nearly blew his eardrums out.

He was pulled to his feet and shoved into a corner.

When his head cleared and he managed to get his ears to stop ringing, he noticed that he and Maya weren't alone in their new hidey-hole.

A young Japanese girl, maybe around the age of sixteen, smiled back at him while a strangely familiar green robot beat the metal snot out of the black-and-purple robot.

"Hi!" the girl chirped, seemingly comfortable with the violence that was going on near him.

Eric was so shocked to see the young girl that all he could say was, "Uh…."

Maya snorted and rolled her eyes. "Real eloquent."

"I'm Miko! Who are you? Why are you on the Nemesis? Do you work for the government? Why are you dressed in black? Oh, are you guys ninja?"

Despite the questions being shot at rapid fire speed, Eric managed to get the jist of the questions.

While the green robot continued to fight several robots at once (real brutally by the looks of it), Eric answered ticking off the number on his hands, "I'm Brother and that's Sister. We were captured by these evil robots. No, we don't work for any government, our choice. No, we're not ninja. And, no, we're not going to tell you who we work for."

The look on the girl's, Miko's, face was priceless if the following moment was followed by an ear-shattering sound of metal-on-metal.

And then, silence.

Miko, forgetting about the two of them, perked up and peeked out from their hiding place. Maya made to grab her before she slipped out. But the twenty-nine-year-old quickly followed Miko, with Eric not too far behind.

Both Assassins stopped in their tracks as they stared up at the green robot, now splattered in blue liquid.

"Well, I'll be damned."

Eric turned towards Maya, her whispered muttering confusing him.

"He's one of the robots that we encountered on the night we fought MECH!" Maya explained.

Then it hit him. He remembered that night when the two went to the factory. Remembered when he watched, dumbly as three robots broke down the factory loading door. One of them, he remembered, was the one standing before him.

"Well, I'll be." He muttered in agreement.

"What…. how…huh?" The robot, his voice deep, matching his appearance, said.

Eric smirked. "Real eloquent."

The robot shook his head, as though collecting his thoughts. "How'd you two get here?"

"Long story," Eric sighed. "One that we honestly don't have time to go over right now. "

The green, living machine, nodded in agreement. He lifted a hand to his 'ear' and started to talk to someone named 'Cee'. Eric hoped that this person could help them.

Maya sighed in frustration as the group dodged another group of enemies on their way to meet up with another one of the robots. Thankfully, the green robot, who clarified he was the Autobot Bulkhead, had given the three humans a ride on his shoulder. It made making the trek through the warship, which Miko had informed them was named the NEMESIS, a little easier.

"How are we going to get around the 'Cons?" Miko whispered to Bulkhead. Maya and Eric had to quickly latch onto the chinks in Bulkhead's shoulder armor to keep themselves from falling as the Autobot shrugged.

"'Cee's supposed to meet us here." Bulkhead hissed back.

A moment later, the female robot appeared on the other side of the hallway, impressing Eric as she sliced and diced the enemy that stood in her way. When the blue-and-silver robot made it to their side of the hallway, barely even breathing hard, Maya felt herself shiver. Her eyes, an electric blue that pierced through the low light, darted to where Eric and his sister was hanging on.

"What the scrap, Bulk?" she hissed.

"Look, I'll explain later." The green robot ordered. He glanced around as did Maya. She agreed that right now wasn't the best place to explain something as complicated as her story, what with the numerous enemies that swarmed around them. "Right now, we need to get to a ground-bridge."

"Oooooh, you're in for a treat!" Miko shouted. Maya didn't know how to respond to that, except to glance unsurely at her brother. There was also an uncertainty in his eyes, which was no comfort to her, but she just shrugged and relaxed.

If these guys wanted to hurt them, then they would've by that point.

"Alright." The female robot huffed. "Let's get going."

The group trudged along, keeping close to the walls and keeping their eyes open. Maya wished that she could've done something, feeling helpless.

Something that she hated feeling.

Exhaustion threatened to set in, but Maya forced her eyes open, trying to stay alert. It had been nightfall when they had been taken, and she had no idea what time it was now, but if she had to guess she would have to say it was almost morning. Maya prayed that they would be getting somewhere safe soon. Her fingers curled tighter and getting a better grip on the armor.

She just had to keep going.

Eric felt like his body was being pulled in two different directions as the group of them traveled through the strange portal.

His stomach tightened nauseatingly. His bones seemed to vibrate with energy. It was all he could do to not vomit from the strange feeling. While he desperately clung onto his breakfast, Eric was aware of the two of them being plucked from where they were perched and placed on the ground.

Well, more like a metal catwalk, Eric noticed when some feeling returned to his body.

He also noticed, with a large shock, that his cousin and aunt were standing on the other side of the platform, staring at him and Maya with shock. June's arm was protectively wrapped around a young boy, maybe around twelve. That shock, however was quickly overshadowed by the shock of staring up at a giant robot with red-and-blue paint.

A very majestic looking robot if you asked Eric.

The two stood slowly, making sure to keep their hands where the robots that had gathered could see them. That way, they would know that he and Maya didn't mean any harm. Eric couldn't help but gawk in amazement. These beings…...

They were made out of metal, walking powerhouses that could squish them in a moment and without thought, and yet, there was this aura of peace and respect towards them.

That didn't keep the fear away though.

"W-who are y-you?" He heard Maya ask, her voice shaking with awe and, if he was listening closely, maybe a little fear.

Eric should've expected the deep baritone voice that left the giant robot's mouth. But for some reason, it still shocked him all the same.

"We are the Autobots," with a massive hand he gestured to the other robots. When he lowered his hand, he glanced back over at where Eric and Maya were standing, gobsmacked beyond belief. "And I am Optimus Prime."