AN: I would have had this up sooner but at some point I lost what I'd written and had to start again. KILL ALL THE-
Reviews: Holy crap, thanks to the many reviews! (BrowneyedShamer, Ryen Selenity Caliburn, Guest x2, redheadclaire25, Iwanita, MissShelz, CrazyNutSquirrel, mrsharrypotter, SilentPerson, electro moonlight, NikitaMarieNightingale, Queen Mariko, Idontknow007, Simple Shimmers)
AN2: It actually wasn't until I read BrowneyedShamer's review that the idea of bringing Miles (plus one other who you'll read about) back as a mech. Human bodies are pretty fragile, plus the brain and it's neediness with oxygen... I'm thinking maybe Pretenders. What do you guys think of this idea? Bring Miles and spoiler back as Pretenders?
AN3: A Pretender is the closest thing I could find/know about that would still let them look/feel human. Whether they'd be able to go metal like Alice did I don't know. Alice was rather horrifying...

Chapter 57
Battle at Egypt

Being at the Temple of the Primes meant that they weren't near the pyramids where all the main action was taking place. Bumblebee had to keep in touch with the others through their internal comms, and he was unsure if Skids and Mudflap were doing the same or not. Sam and Graham had disappeared inside of the hole in the wall a few minutes ago, and the twins were fighting each other to see who could look through the hole after them. Bumblebee didn't even waste the effort, more involved with keeping tabs on the battle that he wasn't at, wanting to know exactly who was there so he could be ready. And a battle it was.

According to Trailbreaker, the only mech who could really spend time talking as he guarded their Prime, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe had raced off on towards Megatron and the Fallen, the two mechs already climbing the pyramids to try and get at the Sun Harvester. It was most likely a suicide mission, but together the twins were deadly and so fast they could give Prime a run for his money if they ever decided to. Meanwhile Menasor had been formed, and Ratchet, Ironhide, Jazz, Fig, and ten other NEST soldiers were attempting to battle the Decepticon behemoth.

Then, of course, there was Barricade, Soundwave, Groundhog, and the cassetticons. It seemed the ex-cons were more willing to fight if it was around more of their own kind, not Autobots but not Decepticons either. Certainly on the side of the Autobots, but always that small amount of questioning whether they could be trusted or could afford to trust the Autobots. Skyfire was with them, as well as Will and Epps. They had the head Seeker trine, Starscream, Skywarp, Thundercracker. There were also other nameless Seekers.

:Starscream has taken Miles down.:

It was Soundwave's voice that came across his connection to Trailbreaker, the ex-Decepticon effortlessly hacking into the link and allowing himself to join in.

:What?: Bumblebee's shock radiated through the link, :Status report for him! Inform Ratchet immediately!:

:There is no need. Miles is dead.:

Silence from Bumblebee and Trailbreaker, Bumblebee trying to take this information in and accept it. Trailbreaker was busying himself with informing some of the others, like Prowl and Ratchet as the main ones. For a long while Bumblebee couldn't bring himself to say anything, too shocked, and then Trailbreaker came back on after he was done contacting some of the others.

:Is that why Barricade is attempting to offline Skyfire?:

:Affirmitive.: Soundwave's ever calm attitude seeping into his reply.

:What?: It seemed to be one of the only things Bumblebee could say.

:Barricade: upset over death, blamed Skyfire.: Soundwave intoned, falling back on his old way of talking for a moment. :Excuse for attacking: acceptable.:

:Acceptable my aft!: Bumblebee growled, :Stop him!:

:Already have him detained. I may see his reason for attacking as acceptable, but that does not mean I, nor Groundhog, will allow him to do so.: There was a small pause, :Miles would not wish Skyfire to be harmed by him.:

Miles would be angry if he ever found out Barricade turned around and attacked Skyfire after he died, that was easy enough for Bumblebee to see. It was still hard for Bumblebee to actually process that Miles was in fact dead. He might not understand Barricade's reasoning, but he could only assume that the bond breaking might have pushed the ex-con past the edge of actual decent reasoning and that's why he was attacking the larger mech. Or, perhaps, Trailbreaker and Soundwave had not informed him of the whole story of Miles' death.

He was just about to ask them why Barricade had attacked Skyfire when Sam and Graham climbed back out of the hole, Sam looking distressed.

"We found the Matrix but when I went to pick it up it just turned to dust!" Sam cried unhappily, looking devastated and waving what appeared to be a sock with black dust in it around. "I gathered what I could and put it in my sock, but what are we going to do now?"

Bumblebee looked down at his Charge sadly, trying to decide if he should tell Sam about Miles' death or not. He realized with a small start that Skids and Mudflap were actually quiet, both of them just staring down at Sam. Never before had he heard them completely quiet, even in recharge both or one would make odd little noises. This must mean that somemech had told them about Miles, it was the only explanation, and even with the situation Bumblebee filed this moment away in the back of his processor under a file he kept as 'reasons to not offline twins minor', adding a reminder to show it to everymech later.

Sam never noticed the silence, or the way the twins looked at him, ranting desperately as he waved his sock in the air and made his way over to Bumblebee. Bumblebee decided, as he picked Sam up, that Sam could find out later.

Will and Epps both had done their best to cover Miles' body up with whatever they could find, but it was hard to do. The village had been abandoned, or just cleared out, and they had left very little behind in the way of cloth big enough to be a suitable cover up. Finally Epps had just taken off his t-shirt and ripped it open to cover up what he could.

Neither could physically feel Miles' loss, something they had both been expecting. Their ties to him and each other seemed to have gone completely quiet instead.

They were currently stuck in a building that was one room, but was missing most of the entire back wall and some of the roof that had been connected to it, leaving them completely open on that one side. Will watched through a hole in the wall, most likely intended to be a window, at the on goings in front of their little hide away. Epps watched their back with disdain at what he was seeing.

In front, Will had the perfect view to see Groundhog alternate between trying to offer comfort to his old team leader and make sure he stayed alive. Barricade ignored Groundhog completely thouggh, instead opting to kick Decepticon aft in a ferocious battle style that no one or mech had seen him use before. Skyfire was keeping a wary optic on Barricade to make sure he wasn't attacked again, while Grundhog was trying to make sure Barricade didn't do anything suicidal. Soundwave and his cassetticons were just intent on making sure that no Decepticons got too close to where the soldiers were currently hiding.

Epps had the wonderful view of an unconscious Starscream. Skyfire had maneuvered the Seeker to behind their little hide away so they could watch him. Apparently the Scientist actually thought they'd speak up if anything tried to kill Starscream, clearly not bothering to think that the soldiers could care less if something happened to the mech who killed one of their own.

There was a loud scream of pain, and Epps jumped, turning to look at his Captain with wide eyes. Will just winced, glancing back at him.

"Barricade just tore off this Seeker's arms, and Soundwave had enough mercy to offline him since 'Cade didn't bother to." Will explained.

"Well," Epps sighed, "We definitely don't need to be out there, then."

Will nodded, but there was an unspoken acknowledgement between them that they'd both rather be in the fight than on the sidelines. Neither could bring themselves to say a word about the young male who lay near them, could do nothing but offer respect in the form of covering him up as best they could and then ignoring the fact that he wasn't alive anymore.

Will went back to keeping an eye on what was happening in the battle, while Epps cast a glance at Miles' body. Looking at it made him regret what he had said to Prowl what was really a short time but now seemed forever ago. Sometimes he really hated being right.

:Sam has what's left of the Matrix. ETA in ten minutes.:

Bumblebee's voice rang out on the comm link between Ratchet, Jazz, and Ironhide. Ratchet paused in the fight to pay attention to the link instead while Jazz and Ironhide continued the battle with Menasor.

:What the pit do you mean by what's left of the Matrix?:

:It turned to dust in their hands.:

:Slag!: Ratchet growled out loud, startling one of the soldiers at his peds. :Will it still work?:

:It's the only chance we have.:

:The Fallen and Megatron are already climbing a pyramid, one most likely with the Harvester inside.:

:Yes, which I do not understand.: Ratchet had to wait for Bumblebee to elaborate, :The Fallen needs the Matrix to actually use the Harvester, and it may be needed to make the Harvester turn on at all. Why is he already going up there?:

:Aft probably thinks we'll just give it to him on a silver platter.: Ratchet felt his processor mentally pause, :What do we need it for, anyway? Besides just to keep it away from the Fallen?:

:Sam believes it will jumpstart Optimus' Spark.:

:You didn't tell him Miles is gone, did you?:

A long pause on the other end, :How do you know?:

:Because I practically raised you, Bee. I know you want to protect him, but you can't protect him from life, and you can't hide this from him for long. If you do not tell him I will once things have calmed down.:

:He has enough to worry about…:

:You are a good Guardian and a good friend, Bee, but sometimes you have to be good at being the bearer of bad news, too. You will be there to comfort him, and at this point that is the best you can do.:

Ratchet would have said more, having a soft spot for the little yellow Autobot Scout he had helped make into the mech he was today, but he had to abruptly cut off the transmission as Menasor seemed to snap and went into his rampage mode, barely managing to rescue two soldiers in time.

Menasor wasn't so much a weapon that the Decepticons could point and aim as it was a weapon the Decepticons could shove in the right direction and then flee the other way so they weren't caught in the crossfire. The combiner team, when combined, had three major things that created trouble for the Autobots. One was the cyclone gun, two was the overly large ionized sword, and the third was just the pure strength that the combiner team could use when put together.

The cyclone gun was extremely, and annoyingly, effective at breaking through any barriers the Autobots might put up, as well as just breaking through normal things. Even Trailbreaker's shield, as strong as it was, could only take so many hits from the cyclone gun before it gave out, something Ironhide, Jazz, and Ratchet were trying to stop from happening. The ionized sword packed a walloping punch in voltage, and being stabbed through by the sword to where it could touch your internal wiring could be deadly.

The only real advantage the Autobots had against the combiner team, if they had already combined to form Menasor and they didn't have the Superion, was the fact that the five mechs in Menasor had such clashing personalities and views. Motormaster was the leader, but he was hated by his fellow stunticons Drag Strip, Dead End, Breakdown, and Wildrider. Drag Strip was obsessed with competition, and had occasionally been led away by goading from Sunstreaker and Sideswipe into one. Dead End was so pessimistic that if they got him in the right mood he'd just walk away muttering to himself that it wasn't worth it because everything would die anyway. As long as they could either break down Menasor or keep Menasor from forming they had the upper hand.

But today Menasor had the strictest orders and would not be taken down by old tactics, Ironhide blasting away at his arms while the soldiers aimed for his peds with their sabot rounds, Jazz himself having a mini rodeo on Menasor's back as he tried to get at the joints where the mechs were connected so he could slice through them.

Ratchet vented sharply, he was a Medic for Pits sake, not a slagging fighter. Sometimes it was necessary for a Medic to fight, and whenever that happened he had a nice little buzz saw that was handy at cutting through things. He had the nickname of Hatchet for a reason, after all.

Sam practically bolted out of the safety of Bumblebee's driver seat, running to where Fig and a small group of NEST soldiers stood blasting away at one of the biggest Decepticons he had ever seen. If he took a moment to think he would have recalled it was Menasor from the list that he and Miles had made, but he hardly cared. Graham ran alongside him, trying to cover them even though Bumblebee could do a much better job of it. Skids and Mudflap ran to help Ratchet, Jazz, and Ironhide.

"Yo pug ugleh! Skids and Flap ah here, ya better fear!" The twins said in unison, as a battle cry.

Ironhide groaned even while Jazz laughed, "Well we're doomed now!"

"Sam, England!" Fig called happily, ignoring the 'bots as he waved them over.

"Good to see you haven't gone and gotten yourself knackered, Spain." Graham responded with a smile, looking around to spot Trailbreaker, his own Guardian.

"Hard to go and get myself in the fight when Ratchet's going Medic on all of us organics." Fig smirked, shaking his head before casting a worried look at Sam. "How you holding up, amigo?"

"Huh?" Sam asked, frowning. "Well I guess I am a bit upset the Matrix just turned to dust…"

"I'm talking about Miles!" Fig frowned, "What are you talking about?"

"The Matrix just turned to dust." Sam held up his sock with black powder in it. He'd ended up losing the shoe that had covered it at some point after. "What about Miles?"

"He's dead."

Both Sam and Graham stared at Fig in shock. Then the English man turned to where the 'bots were fighting Menasor.

"BUMBLEBEE!" Bumblebee winced, looking back at the organics for a moment. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Sam shook his head, "Graham, don't. He didn't want us getting worked up over it."

"Yeah? How the hell aren't you getting worked up over it?"

"It's not the time to!" Sam snapped, surprising the two soldiers he was standing near. "We have to focus on getting Optimus up and going!"

"Damn, Engla-"

"Don't even." Graham growled, sending a glare at Fig. "You're right, but how do we do that with that pixie dust?"

"Sprinkle it and pray?" Sam offered with a shrug, "Just call your Guardian off. Something's got to come to me. It has to."

Graham sighed, "If you say it's going to work then that's what we have to believe. C'mon, we'll cover you."

Sam nodded, sparing a glance towards his Guardian while he fought alongside Ratchet, Jazz, Ironhide, the twins minor, and several organic soldiers. Menasor was so huge that it almost made him want to stay to make sure nothing bad happened to Bumblebee. Then Fig grabbed his hand, practically dragging him until he found his own footing and started sprinting alongside the soldier.

"Skywarp and other dude, five o'clock!" Graham yelled, just as two Seekers flew so close overhead that all three organics had to duck to avoid being hit.

Both Seekers turned around immediately to chase after the three organics, firing off shots. All Sam knew was that sand was exploding behind them, raining down over them as Fig and Graham tried to drag them faster, heart pounding in his ears and drowning out whatever Graham was screaming. The 'what' came into view soon, however, Trailbreaker standing from his previous kneeling position beside Optimus and lowering his shield so he could aid the organics.

Sam had another idea, however. Clutching the sock he geared up, tossing it as high and hard as he could.

"TRAILBREAKER, CATCH!"

Surprise flitted across the mech's faceplates, but he reached a servo out to catch the tiny object anyway, looking at it in bewilderment. The sock came undone, the contents of the black dust spilling out into his servo. He stared in disbelief, just about to ask what he was supposed to do with the pixie dust, when the particles began to move on their own, forming an object that he had never seen a likeness to before. He turned around, kneeling beside his Prime again and slamming the Matrix tip first against Optimus' chest plates. Blue optics flared to life just as three explosions sounded from behind Trailbreaker, screams intermingling with them.

The Seeker next to Skywarp had been Dreadwing, a Decepticon bomber, and all three humans had been blown clear of whatever impact sites they had been near, all lying on the ground a distance away from each other. Graham was the quickest to recover, yelping something unintelligible as he tried to run away from another bomb, while Fig just groaned from his spot on the ground. Trailbreaker moved immediately, Guardian protocols practically screaming at him to get over to Graham and start protecting his Charge now that his Prime no longer needed him.

Optimus was awake and ready to go, but picking himself up slowly and carefully as he tried to get his bearings. Going from a fake dead state to suddenly up and supposed to be fighting would take anymech a few moments to process, just long enough for Skywarp to take the opportunity to warp over and grab the Matrix, but before he could go anywhere Optimus grabbed one of his wings, being taken along for the ride as the Seeker warped back out towards the Pyramids where Megatron and the Fallen were.

By then Trailbreaker had a shield up and around his Charge, shooting at Dreadwing and trying to take the Decepticon bomber down, but the mech was too fast, Thundercracker coming over to aid his fellow seeker.

"WE NEED SOME HELP HERE!" Fig yelled, picking himself up and glancing between Sam's motionless body and safety. He chose Sam even as his instincts were yelling at him, kneeling beside the young teen and trying to get a response. "SHIT! RATCHET, GET RATCHET! SAM NEEDS HIM!"

Ratchet and Bumblebee responded immediately at Sam's name, the Medic transforming down into his ambulance alt mode to race over to Fig and Sam while Bumblebee launched himself at one of the Seekers, latching on to their back in a similar way to when Sideswipe and Sunstreaker did their jet judo, hanging on for dear life even as he blasted away at Dreadwing's back. Trailbreaker dropped the shield long enough for Graham to run over to Fig, Sam, and Ratchet, before going after Thundercracker. Ratchet was ordering the soldiers around, Graham getting a field defibrillator from a compartment in the Medic's leg, Ratchet immediately turning it on. Dreadwing twirled in midair, knocking Bumblebee off his back, and firing off several shots from his gatling gun at the Scout.

"Clear!"
"Again!"
"Clear!"

Bumblebee seemed to freeze, optics darting to where they were trying to revive his Charge. Dreadwing turned to watch, smirking.

"Again!"
"Clear!"
"He's dead!"
"Slaggit, keep trying!"

"Awe, is the little organic dead?" Dreadwing sneered, and then laughed. "How wonderful!"

Ratchet's defeated, 'he's dead', barely reached Bumblebee as he snarled, tackling the Decepticon Seeker in midair once again and not letting go this time. Dreadwing tried desperately to get him off as Bumblebee skipped over shooting the Seeker completely, instead using both servos to latch on in the delicate weld between wing and frame, tearing the wing off completely as Dreadwing screamed, crashing them both into the ground. Bumblebee picked himself up as Dreadwing withered on the ground in pain, stepping on the Decepticon's back and bringing out his plasma cannon again, holding the 'con down as he shot him in the helm.

Bumblebee watched until Dreadwing stopped twitching, walking over to where Sam was. Fig and Graham watched the Scout's approach with their mouths hanging open, both forgetting that Bumblebee was just as good of a soldier as all the other 'bots were, despite his sunny disposition and young age. The Scout dropped to his knees, reaching out and picking up the body with all the gentleness he could muster, cradling the boy to his chest.

"Bee, we should give him to Will and Epps so they can put him with Miles." Ratchet said gently, placing a servo on the Scout's shoulder and squeezing. Bumblebee just nodded.

Sunstreaker leaned against his twin heavily as both eyed Megatron, arm torn half way out of its socket. A loud pop signaled Skywarp's arrival, and the Decepticon Seeker dropped both Optimus Prim right on top of Megatron, the poor Decepticon leader forced to the ground under the Prime's weight. He tossed the Matrix of Leadership up to the Fallen, perched precariously on the side of one of the pyramids, who then gave a triumphant bellow as he caught the Matrix in servo.

"You ruined my paintjob!" Skywarp wailed before warping out of sight once more.

Skywarp, out of all the Decepticon Seekers, was a particular favorite even among the Autobots. The mech never seemed all there in processor, but was great at playing pranks. Even during battle he enjoyed playing pranks, neither side safe from him.

"He sounds like you, Sunny!" Sideswipe mock gasped.

"Slag off!" Sunstreaker growled, smacking his twin over the helm. "Optimus, are you okay!"

"Yes!" The Prime picked himself up, backing off quickly in case Megatron recovered. "Distract Megatron while I get the Fallen!"

"Right-o, boss 'bot!" Both twins yelled in unison, but that was something easier said than done. Megatron was already picking himself up off the ground, snarling in anger.

The Fallen laughed, "You'll never stop the Harvester in time, little Prime!"

Optimus went to climb the Pyramid just as the Fallen knocked away and clawed off bricks at the top of the structure, revealing the Harvester machine that had been hidden within it, activating it with the Matrix he now had. Optimus shot at the bricks under the Fallen's ped, making the ancient Prime lose his balance long enough for the newest Prime to climb up and grab him by one of his peds, swinging him down and off the Pyramid.

"Pwn'd!" Sideswipe cackled, narrowly ducking Megatron's fist.