CHAPTER 77
"Jetstorm…Slipstream…Wake up"
Lying down on the couch, Drift gently shook them awake. Outside, they could watch stars coming through space. But if they looked more carefully, they could notice the Moon of Athena going bigger as the ship drove closer to it.
Jetstorm and Slipstream yawned, then sat up while drying their optics. Drift sadly stared at them. Both of them were exhausted. He could feel it. Unfortunately, he didn't have any time for this. They hadn't recharged during the entire trip. Forager had ordered all three of them to take care of the ship's maintenance. A task viewed as the poorest and unproductive one amongst Ronins.
In one way, that mission was a good idea. They hadn't been forced to talk to the other Ronins. They'd stayed away from Foxtrot most of time since the maintenance required them to be at the centre of the ship, in the most mechanical areas.
Then…the task helped Drift's plan more.
Forager, Foxtrot and Stilts had no idea about what they'd been doing…
"Mister Drift…When…" Jetstorm started, a weak tone.
"We'll be there in five hours" Drift replied.
It's the best time to leave.
Drift opened their cabin's doors. He quickly checked if there was no one in the halls. No one. Good. Ronins had probably left to recharge. Or maybe they were reunited in the control room, definitely excited to gain the prize from the bounty at 100,000 Shanix. Drift's absence should surprise them…
But on the other hand, Drift wasn't sure if they still viewed him as a full member of the Ronin group. Even though Forager repeated that no one could leave Ronins…
Drift let out a sigh. He reached out to Minicons.
"Everything will be okay" He reassured them.
Lyzak had shown him everything he'd needed to know. Explosives, their functioning, most vulnerable parts of the ship…and the most important thing, escape pods. Big enough for two persons if not more.
Drift bitterly hoped that everything will be alright for her. Maybe had she could find a place where she could hide…in case Ronins returned.
Jetstorm and Slipstream smiled back to him, before undeploying and reattaching themselves to the orange bot' wrists.
"No problem, Mister Drift"
"We always trusted you"
Despite the distressful situation, Drift granted them a weak smile.
Even if he'd advised them not to trust anybody…witnessing as they were so fast to assist him actually comforted Drift.
He knew it was the best thing to do…
And watching the Moon of Athena, so splendid, so shiny in front of them…he couldn't allow it to be destroyed.
They quietly walked through walls as they headed for the room where escape pods had been put. Lyzak had given them the plan as well as the code to get access to it. He shivered, remembering her words. They didn't have any choice. They'll be forced to pass by the control room. However, it was necessary. He took a long breath, trying to take Wing's advice. In dangerous situations, he needed to calm his mind.
A safe place…
Slowly, he went upstairs.
Suddenly he heard a deep laugh coming out from the control room. Foxtrot. And for one second, Drift feared he'd been caught…that they would ask him some explanation…what would he do?
Fortunately, relief took over him as soon as he realized that he'd been talking to Forager.
"You're so funny! What are you going to do with your part?" He heard the fox laugh again.
Forager answered back, an amused tone.
"Hm. Who knows? I have a plenty of projects in mind"
"Like what?"
"The kind of dream everybody has…"
He paused.
"Visiting Aquatron, enjoying the blue sea under the sun for a few days…"
"Oh. You think Aquatron will still stand until the end of the war?" Foxtrot sneered.
Drift could guess a shrug from the racoon.
"Even if Aquatron doesn't exist anymore, there'll always be other beautiful planets…"
"Like Earth?" He heard Stilts.
"Sheesh. With the vermin that are its inhabitants?" Foxtrot growled.
"Why? Did you meet them?" Forager questioned him.
"Yeah…I caught sight of one cutting some tree…it was so small…I barely saw it"
Despite the context, Drift felt some curiosity about the talk. So, they'd met some Earthlings…
He wondered how they looked like…but if they were that small…what interest did they have?
"What about you, Foxtrot? What are you planning to do?"
The fox chuckled. It sounded like a talk between friends rather than between bounty hunters…even if one possibility didn't exclude the other apparently.
"Oh, you know. Everything that would allow me to watch something burn"
"Hm, I see. Why doesn't it surprise me?"
Foxtrot took a time before he answered again.
"But before that…After we would have captured the bounty…I'll take care of Drift's Minicons"
"Don't break them too hard"
"That's all he deserves"
Drift's energon went icy. As soon as he glanced back at his wrists, he could guess they were sharing his state of mind.
Drift kept walking. He'd heard enough. Faster they would leave that ship…faster he could execute his plan.
Finally, Drift found the door he'd searched for. He immediately entered the code given by Lyzak. The door automatically opened. For one instant, Drift thought that Lyzak might have betrayed him, giving him a false code. But he was happy since it worked. He hadn't been wrong about her and her real intentions. She had been someone trustworthy. But as soon as he moved for escape pods, he unexpectedly came across Stilts. Drift froze, just like the crane.
"What are you doing? Where are you going?" Stilts growled.
Drift gulped.
"I'll finish my task"
"Did we ask you to take care of escape pods?"
The orange bot had nothing to answer. Stilts went back to the hall in order to get back to the control room. Unfortunately, Drift read his true intentions.
"We shall check with Forager…"
He didn't leave him any time to go further.
Immediately, Drift grabbed his two blades and with a sharp move, he used his katana to strike him by behind.
Stilts fell on the ground. Drift wasn't thinking anymore. He hurriedly moved up to open gates while at the same time, he deployed Jetstorm and Slipstream to open one of the pods. A fresh wave of air caused Drift to slide though he managed to catch himself by grabbing a bar. With some difficulties, he managed to crawl back to the pod where Jetstorm and Slipstream had been waiting for him in.
In the end, he jumped inside. Commands had been activated to eject them through space. Drift pulled his weapons out to put them behind him, on the seat while the pod' door was shut.
And that's a good thing. As soon as Drift prepared their launch, they heard Foxtrot' voice rising up.
"What's going on?"
Drift didn't waste any more time. He pressed the button, mentally preparing himself for the unpleasant sensation they'll be through.
A few seconds afterward, the pod was suddenly launched out from the ship, Minicons' screams resonating in his audios.
As soon as the pod was far enough from the ship, speed considerably slowed down. All around them, stars, constellations surrounding the Moon of Athena. It felt like they were floating…Drift glanced back at the Ronins' ship above them.
"Mister Drift…"
"With some luck, we'll make it to the Moon of Athena before the nightfall."
The ship got activated. It moved to the Moon. Drift wondered if they'd noticed them. Definitely.
In the end, Drift opened his chassis to pull the item out. Jetstorm and Slipstream's optics widened as soon as they realized what it was.
The detonator.
"You…"
"Yes"
They wouldn't destroy anything if their ship was already destroyed.
Drift had worked on it during the entire trip.
He put the device on his knees. He just needed to press the button.
His optics glanced back at the ship.
For one instant, he wondered if he should do it.
Even if Ronins deserved it, he risked to kill all of them…Forager, Foxtrot and Stilts…
But oddly enough, the choice was less difficult than he'd expected.
He thought back of Forager. His punch. His threats.
He mainly thought back of Foxtrot. He'd bullied him the entire time, along with Autoclave…he'd mistreated Minicons…
And they were planning to slaughter billions of inhabitants, for a bounty and because they were clones.
No. The choice was much easier.
He pressed it.
And the next instant, an explosion. Fire, flames, smoke…all of it came out from the ship. The pod was too far so they weren't affected by any vibration or wave. But they observed from far, safe in their pod.
Drift could almost hear Ronins' screams…their hatred, their pain, their rage…
For one time, Deadlock came back. But not for long…
That's their end.
They'll not take these inhabitants' lives.
He felt…like some relief. That's strange but…it felt like the entire burden caused by his negative feelings, the oppression…all of it had just vanished.
He let out a deep sigh, then went back to his seat.
The Moon of Athena…was saved…even if it had been at the cost of Ronins' lives…
"Mister Drift!"
But another surprise waited for them.
A worse one.
Jetstorm, stuck against the glass, pointed at something coming out from the opposite direction.
Drift followed his stare.
His spark almost stopped.
A purple ship, heading straight for the Moon of Athena.