Chapter 12: Rise
"Optimus, I can help. I promise you I can." Sky Lynx pleaded, his wings still damaged.
"You've done enough, Sky Lynx. You will be our emergency backup if needed." Optimus assured. "For now, get some rest."
"You know I can't get any rest when you lads are out there fighting." Sky Lynx replied nervously.
"We'll be alright." Optimus assured, patting his nose. "And so will the others." He turned to see Prowl grabbing a rifle. He frowned.
"You're running point from here." He said.
"Sorry, Optimus." Prowl replied, strapping the rifle to his back. "But I'm coming with you. And you have no say in the matter. You want Megatron distracted, no better way to get that than by putting me on the battlefield."
Optimus's optics were wide.
"Prowl...are you sure about this?"
"I killed his mentor, tore you two apart, he's had it out for me personally. He's not going to be able to resist that, Optimus." Prowl replied. "And you know it."
Optimus paused a moment, considering all the factors. Then he nodded.
"Alright. You're in. Perceptor will run point from here."
"Understood." Perceptor replied with a salute.
Optimus watched a MARB hover across the bay.
Mobile Autobot Repair Bay's, or MARB's, were a Wheeljack invention, a hovering platform with self repair equipment, and weapon systems.
It was golden, to match the autobot shuttles, and had handles on the front for piloting.
Jazz climbed up onto the MARB, grabbing a firm hold of the handles. Mirage and the others joined him.
Bumblebee turned to Optimus, as the MARB powered up, and nodded.
"Good luck out there." Optimus called.
"You can count on us, Prime." Mirage replied.
The MARB shot out of the hangar, and streaked toward the energon river.
Optimus looked at his squad, as they anxiously fiddled with their weapons.
"Autobots, it's time." He called out, turning and transforming down into his semi truck mode. "Stay behind me, in tight formation. Find cover as soon as possible, and don't take any risks. We're here to cause a distraction, nothing more. Let's roll."
The other autobots transformed down, revving their engines to drown out the nervousness.
Optimus lurched ahead, and the others followed, the convoy rolling down the Main Street.
Sunstreaker watched regretfully from the deck, as the group of vehicles rumbled toward the mountains.
The MARB flew just above the energon river, the wind whipping the mechs as they flew forward.
"I hate these things." Ratchet muttered.
"Wheeljack would be crushed to hear that, doc." Jazz said with a chuckle.
"Ugh, you guys get to hang out with the cool bots, no fair." Seaspray commented. "All we have is Ultra Magnus, and he's mean."
"I'll see if I can talk Optimus into letting you stay." Bumblebee said, patting him on the rotor. "Having you at the base would be so much fun!"
"Don't let that be part of your sales pitch." Jazz warned. "He thinks we have too much fun as it is."
"Discipline has been lacking of late." Mirage agreed.
"Ship out all the rookies, and the twins, and there won't be any discipline problems." Ratchet grumbled.
"Hey! I'm a rookie!" Seaspray called.
"Present aquatic company excluded." Ratchet replied.
"Stay focused." Mirage commanded. "We're almost in sensor range. Prepare to cut engines. Seaspray, you're up."
Seaspray nodded.
"Copy that. Time to get wet." He pulled a tow chain from his frame, and hooked it to the front of the MARB, as Jazz throttled down, and the hovering platform began to lower toward the clear blue energon.
The MARB splashed down, its engines fully cutting off.
Seaspray jumped forward and changed form, his hovercraft mode splashing down, his rotors began to spin, propelling him forward.
The tow chain went taut, and the MARB lurched ahead.
Mirage looked up at the towering mountain as it got closer.
He could feel the tension in his frame. All his life he had looked up at these mountains. But only now did he know what lay within it.
"Be ready for anything, autobots." He warned, looking to the others.
Starscream yawned as he laid on his back, on the cliff side.
"Megatron's gonna be none too pleased if he finds you like this." Skywarp warned.
"Oh? And whose going to tell him? You?" Starscream spat. "Go on then. Tell him you glitch rat."
"Easy." Skywarp replied, putting up his hands. "Just warning you is all." He frowned, as he looked out across the plains. "Screamer, you may wanna get your optics checked. We have company."
Starscream tilted his head back, looking at the plains upside down.
His optics widened, and he flipped himself over.
"MEGATRON!" He shouted at the top of his vocal capacity. "It's the autobots!"
Optimus Prime led the charge, as the autobots streaked towards the mountain, their vehicle modes kicking up dust in the valley below.
Megatron sprinted up to Starscream's side, and his optics narrowed.
As he saw the convoy approach, a smirk slowly unfolded on his face.
"Good." He stated. "I want him here. I want him to see this."
He turned to the inside of the crevice.
Half of Trypticon's face was visible now, his giant metal teeth shining in the sun, as the decepticons continued cutting away at his mountain prison.
"Start the dark energon infusion." He commanded. "And scramble the seekers. Stop the autobot's advance. I want them all to bear witness."
Starscream gestured to the others, and changed form, streaking off the mountainside, with Skywarp and Thundercracker in tow.
Ramjet, Thrust and Dirge blasted off from inside the crevice to join them.
"As you command my lord." Bludgeon hissed, walking past Shockwave, and pulling an energon tube into the gaping mouth of the Titan.
He walked past its giant laser array, and into the Titan's head, looking up at its brain module.
It was covered in spiked dark energon.
Bludgeon grinned excitedly as he looked up at the giant, corrupted brain module.
And he plugged the tube in beneath it, locking it in place.
"Its time to wake up." He coaxed, as the dark energon began to flow.