Chapter 14: The Unthinkable

Ratchet deployed a circular saw from his arm.

"Good thing I still have my surgical tools." He stated, as he began sawing into the bulkhead. "We really weren't prepared for this..."

"Couldn't be helped. Launching a mission like this in less than an hour isn't ideal." Mirage lamented. "But we have to make this work."

Seaspray waited patiently, floating in front of the MARB.

"What do you think we'll find inside?" Bumblebee asked.

"Ain't gonna need to wonder long." Jazz replied nervously, gripping his blaster close, and grimacing at the sound as Ratchet sawed through the bulkhead.

"Well look at the positive." Seaspray called. "Now we know it's not awake. Cuz it probably wouldn't be too happy about us doing this."

"I would imagine not." Ratchet agreed, as a giant section of the bulkhead came crashing down.

The energon river continued inside. But the interior looked nothing like the cave they had floated in from.

It was dark. With purple lighting. And the energon current was stronger. And very clearly purple.

"Welp. Let's get to it." Seaspray said enthusiastically, spinning his rotors, as Ratchet climbed back onto the MARB.

Seaspray hauled the platform in, slowing his speed, as he made his way cautiously through the veins of the sleeping Titan.

Optimus and Megatron exchanged blows, as the other autobots tried to recover from the beating they had just received.

"You good, old man?!" Warpath asked, dragging the battered Ironhide to safety.

"Say...say that to me when...when I can see you, you slag licker..." Ironhide muttered, his optics flickering.

Sideswipe pulled a battered Arcee behind cover, as energon poured from his partially crushed throat.

"Where's Optimus?" Arcee asked, trying to stand.

"He's in the zone right now, don't worry about him." Sideswipe replied, coughing, and sinking to the ground, as he held his throat to try and stop the energon flow. "How far do you think they've made it by now?" He asked.

Arcee tried to stand up, groaning as she noticed one of her bumpers, which became her doorwing, had been ripped off. "I don't know Sideswipe. We gotta hope for the best." She replied, leaning over and pulling him close, as she began to work on his throat. "Hold still."

"You can't do this, Megatron!" Optimus shouted. "Trypticon is barely contained madness, you won't be able to control him!"

Megatron let out a laugh as he took a punch, then wrapped his energon flail around one of Optimus's shoulder smokestacks, and pulled him close.

"I want you to remember those words, when Trypticon pounds Iacon to dust!" He snarled.

Optimus began punching his chest, then grabbed his ion blaster and shot Megatron point blank, knocking him backward.

"I won't let you raise that beast." He stated. "If that Titan rises, Cybertron will fall."

"Cybertron fell the day you took Iacon back." Megatron replied, wiping away some energon, as he struggled to his feet. "Your failed leadership will doom our world, if I don't seize it back. You never had the bearings to rule, Optimus."

"Enough!" Optimus shouted, swinging his energon axe and getting it lodged painfully in the grey mech's shoulder.

Megatron let out a growl, gritting his teeth as he glared at the mech, optics full of hatred.

"You failed this planet the day you took up arms against me."

Optimus let out a roar of frustration, then ripped his axe from the mech's shoulder, splashing energon across the metal ground.

Megatron clutched his shoulder as he grimaced in pain.

"What happened to you?!" Optimus demanded. "It's like you're not even the same person! You used to stand for something! You were a symbol of hope! An ideal!"

Megatron leaned back, still gripping his wound. But he looked up at Optimus, gritting his teeth with rage, as the Prime continued.

"You believed in freedom for all. You believed in a bright future for all of Cybertron. And then you lose Terminus, and what, you decide to throw it all out? One death?! You allowed it to turn you into this?!" Optimus exclaimed in disbelief. "I wanted to be half the mech you were! I wanted to stand for something the way you did!"

Megatron looked back at him, his optics softening a little.

"But you never understood...in order to build the perfect world, Optimus...you must tear the old one down." Megatron stated. "I never changed. I just saw what I had to do, in order to make the dream a reality." He began to swing his energon flail. "You never had the guts to be me. You still don't." He started walking toward the mech, determination in his optics. "You believed in compromise. What is compromise, Orion, if not a betrayal?!" He demanded. "I will not compromise. Cybertron deserves better than that. You are either with Cybertron, or you are the enemy. And that's what you've become, 'Prime.'"

Optimus shook his head in disbelief.

"Don't you dare..." Megatron snarled. "DONT YOU DARE SHAKE YOUR HEAD AT ME! WE COULDVE DONE THIS TOGETHER, IF YOU HAD BEEN STRONGER!" He charged at the mech, lashing out at him with his flail, swinging it wildly at the red and blue mech, screaming with rage. "But you threw in your lot with the Primes! With the weak!"

Optimus smashed the flail away with his axe, and kicked Megatron in the chest.

"You betrayed everything you ever stood for." Optimus stated. "You tore down the world you wished to save. You turn a city into a pile of rust, FOR WHAT?!" He demanded, punching him across the face. "Was it worth it Megatron?! Was it worth all the lives you took?!" He demanded, swinging his blade.

Megatron reached out and grabbed it, to the shock of the autobot and decepticon onlookers, and Prime himself.

Megatron raised his optics to glare at Optimus.

"Yes." He hissed. "A million times, yes. I would sacrifice a city to save a world, and I would do it again if needed. In fact, I will."

He headbutted Optimus, then brought his flail across the side of the mech's head, causing one of the mech's earwings to shatter, and sending energon splashing across the metal ground.

"I WILL BRING SALVATION TO CYBERTRON!" Megatron shouted. "No cost is too great for my home!"

Optimus tried to stand, but Megatron kicked down on his faceplate, then began beating the mech as he tried to stand.

"No upgrade, nor the hand of Primus himself will save you from me this time, Optimus!" Megatron shouted. "You're still that pathetic welp from the pit, nothing has changed!"

"Actually, something has." Prowl called, as Megatron lifted Prime up, and hurled him across the metal plains.

The mech turned to glare at the police mech, and was surprised to find him standing next to a collection of autobots.

Brawn. Bluestreak. Warpath. And they stood, guns raised.

"He's not alone this time." Prowl stated, firing his rifle.

Warpath fired his tank cannon, as Bluestreak fired a shotgun shell.

The blasts knocked Megatron back, disorientating him. He held up a hand, and his optics widened as a tiny mech charged at him.

"EAT FIST!" Brawn shouted, slamming into his midsection, knocking him over and pinning him against the ground, pounding his absurdly strong fists against the mech's tanks.

"Don't let up, keep hitting him!" Prowl shouted.

"Starscream, we need to give him help!" Thundercracker shouted, flying overhead.

Starscream flew in beside him.

"The great Megatron does not need help." He replied coldly. "Let him figure out his own way out of this."

He turned and jetted back to the mountain.

"Seekers, fall back!" He hissed, as he abandoned his master.

"What the heck is that?!" Seaspray exclaimed, as the stream began to grow in strength.

Ahead of them, lights began to turn on, and a giant shredder appeared in the water, spinning, breaking apart the dark energon as it clustered.

"Autobots, Abandon the MARB!" Mirage shouted.

"He's powerin up!" Jazz shouted back, diving off the MARB, as it was pulled by the current, toward the grinders.

Bumblebee jumped into the energon, and grabbed Seaspray, pulling him out of the stream, as he changed form.

The autobots dove aside, as the MARB was pulled into the giant, merciless grinders, and torn apart, the massive platform letting out a horrid noise.

"We have to hurry!" Mirage shouted. "We need to get to the spark, now!"

"Let's do it!" Seaspray shouted, taking a step out of the dark energon stream.

Bumblebee turned to him, and his optics widened.

"Seaspray...YOUR CABLE!"

Seaspray turned, and realized with horror that his tow chain was still attached to the MARB.

And the end had already been pulled into the grinders.

Before he could react, he was yanked off his feet, and dragged into the energon stream.

Bumblebee leaped forward, grabbing his hand.

"Holy Frag!" Seaspray shouted, as the chain yanked on his leg.

Mirage deployed a blade from his arm. "Hold on! I'll cut the chain!"

"I'll help!" Ratchet called, deploying his surgical saw as he splashed down as well.

"BEE DONT LET ME GO!" Seaspray shouted, as he gripped the mech's hand as hard as he could.

Mirage jumped down towards them, and began hacking at the tow chain in desperation.

"AAAAAAGHHHH!" Seaspray screamed, as the tow chain pulled hard on his frame. It felt like he was being pulled apart. The pain was so great he could barely see.

"HANG ON!" Bumblebee shouted. "I GOT YOU!"

"I need time to break the chain!" Mirage shouted, as he continued hacking at it. Ratchet joined him, the saw buzzing as he tried to cut through the tough metal.

Seaspray forced his optics online and reached out, grabbing Bumblebee's face.

"Finish it." He said, his optics pleading with the mech.

"What?" Bumblebee asked. "Wait, What?!"

"FINISH IT!" Seaspray shouted. "SHUT THIS BASTARD DOWN!"

He turned to Mirage. "GO, TAKE OUT THE SPARK!"

"Hold on!" Mirage shouted. "I NEED MORE TIME!"

"GRAAAAAHHH!" Seaspray shouted in agony, as the tow chain threatened to tear him apart. "No! Go! Go now! FINISH IT!"

He turned to Bumblebee, his optics wide.

"Don't forget me." He begged.

He grabbed the mech's hand, and pried his fingers loose.

Bumblebee shook his head in desperation, and lunged for him.

He came up well short.

As Seaspray was yanked back hard, and with one last cry, was pulled into the grinders.

The sound was agony. Grinding metal, mixed with the sound of an extinguishing spark.

Bumblebee stared, optics wide, arm still outstretched, at the churning grinders, as they spit out a single remnant.

A rotor blade, which hit the metal alongside the energon stream, with a little ringing sound.

Bumblebee's optics stared still, in disbelief. As he walked over, and picked it up with both hands, cradling it for a moment.

Then he let out a cry of agony, his hands shaking, he turned and began punching the ground ferociously.

Jazz ran over and lifted the mech up, pulling him into a hug, as he thrashed and sobbed, the anguish overwhelming the little bot.

"It's okay, it's okay." He said, his voice cracking, as he tried to soothe the little bot. Ratchet ran over, regretfully folding his circular saw away, and held him still.

"He didn't feel any pain Bumblebee, it was too quick. We need to keep going." Ratchet pleaded, sounding shaken up himself. There was energon from Seaspray splattered on the medic's frame.

Mirage's frame heaved as he stared at the grinders, and he shook his head, before slamming his own fist against the wall in anger.

"Let's go kill this thing." He snarled.

"FINISH HIM!" Ironhide shouted, trying to stand, as Brawn hammered down on Megatron. "Do it for Altihex, my boy!" He called.

Megatron swiped blindly, he couldn't see, as Brawn was repeatedly beating down on his face and helmet.

Bluestreak ran in and grabbed the mech's legs, to keep him from getting up, while Warpath reloaded his main cannon.

Optimus let out a groan as he tried to stand, and Prowl ran to his side.

"Optimus! Get up!" He urged, helping the wounded, battered and bleeding Prime to his feet. "They have him. The rookies, they have him pinned."

Optimus rubbed his optics, as Prowl propped him up. Looking up to analyze the scene.

And his optics widened.

"DONT LET HIM GET UP!" He shouted. "Stay clear of his fusion cannon!"

"Not a problem!" Brawn replied, as he continued beating the warlord mercilessly. Warpath continued to charge his main gun.

Mirage tumbled around the corner, and his optics found the spark.

A massive, blue, pulsing spark, surrounded by purple spikes, in the middle of a large, circular room.

"There it is!" He shouted. "Jazz, I need the charges!"

Jazz grabbed some magnetic detpacks from his belt and tossed them to the mech.

Mirage caught them, and turned his optics to the spark.

"I felt a sense of dishonor about killing you as you slept." He stated, optics narrowed. "But then you killed my comrade. Now I see that you never had any honor to begin with, foul creature."

He stepped toward the spike covered spark.

And suddenly, his audios were overcome with an overwhelming screeching sound.

The entire room shook, and Mirage was thrown off his feet, the detpacks flying out of his hand.

He turned, optics wide, as insect-like mechs flew at the group from all sides.

The entire room shifted, and the lights began to flicker on.

"He's awake!" Ratchet shouted.

There was a massive, ground shaking roar, that erupted from the mountain.

Optimus's optics flew up, his spark sinking as he heard the sound.

"Oh no." Prowl muttered.

"What was that?!" Brawn demanded, turning to look at the mountain.

"BRAWN, DONT LET UP!" Ironhide shouted.

It was too late.

Megatron's cracked optics turned to the small mech.

"That is the sound of my Titan." He hissed.

Brawn's optics snapped back down to Megatron, and he reared his fist back.

Megatron grabbed the mech by the chest, punching him in the face, and hurled him away, then kicked out, sending Bluestreak flying back.

He let out a shudder of annoyance as he rose to his feet.

"Eat this, Megatron!" Warpath shouted, his cannon pointed at the mech.

Megatron smirked at the young mech, before darting directly at him.

And sliding his fusion cannon directly in front of the mech's tank gun barrel.

"You first." He snarled.

He fired.

The sound felt delayed a moment. The explosion arrived first. Warpath's gun barrel exploded, and the explosion continued up his chest, igniting the shell inside of him, and blasting out of his back. Sending fragments of red metal, and splashes of energon spraying across the ground.

Warpath stood, optics wide. Staring into Megatron's sneering face for a moment.

Then he looked down, at the gaping hole in his chest.

"Oh." He muttered, looking back up at Megatron in disbelief. "Wow. Quick shot."

His optics flickered, and offlined as he dropped to the ground.

"KID!" Ironhide shouted. "WARPATH!" He leapt up, and started to run towards the fallen mech, but Arcee and Sideswipe held him back.

"It's too late! He'll kill you!" Sideswipe shouted.

Warpath's frame had already turned a dull, darker tone. There was nothing that could be done. The autobots stood around in shock, as Megatron began to laugh.

And behind him, the manganese mountains began to crumble.

"WE GOTTA GO!" Ratchet shouted, firing his machine gun into the throng of insecticons.

"We can't!" Mirage shouted. "We have to finish the mission!" He dove for the charges.

"The mission is lost, he's awake!" Ratchet replied sadly. "We can't fight these things, there's too many!"

"We have to kill the spark!" Mirage shouted.

"Mirage!" Jazz shouted, grabbing his shoulders. "We lost! We gotta fall back! I'm sorry..."

Mirage turned and looked to the spark.

It was gone now, the swarm of insecticons had surrounded it.

"Primus...PRIMUS DAMMIT!" He shouted, turning and running for the exit. "Autobots, fall back!"

The Manganese mountains collapsed, into heaps of rocky, jagged metal.

A figure appeared through the ruins, and smoke.

A massive, towering figure.

Trypticon reared his massive head back, and let out a roar, that all of Cybertron heard.

"YES!" Megatron shouted. "ARISE MY TITAN!" He threw his hands in the air in celebration, as it turned and began to stomp, with ground shaking movement, toward the wounded warlord.

"Prowl...what have I done?" Optimus asked, the wounded Prime on one knee, staring up at the Titan in disbelief.

Prowl stared at it as well, and shook his head.

"It wasn't you." He replied. "It was us. We failed."