Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers
As the Autobots stormed the Nemesis via the outer hull, they received another comm from Ratchet. While dodging heavy fire he had found another communications array to tell them he was heading for the Omega Lock control station.
"Smokescreen, Bumblebee, and Arcee!" Optimus commanded. "Join Ratchet in the Omega Lock control station. Ultra Magnus, Bulkhead, Ironhide, and Jazz, you take the bridge."
"What are you going to do, Optimus?" Arcee asked.
Optimus had just caught sight of Megatron arriving on the upper deck with the Dark Star Saber. "I'm going to finish this," he replied grimly.
As his team scattered to their duties, Optimus flew closer to Megatron, mentally preparing himself for the battle ahead. He didn't get very far, however, before Megatron threw his sword, damaging Optimus' jetpack.
Optimus managed to land on one of the lower spires and precariously started climbing up.
Arcee, Bumblebee, and Smokescreen were approaching the control station when Smokescreen suddenly stopped.
"I have something I need to do," he said, running off in another direction.
"What the frag?!" Arcee yelled after him as Bee beeped angrily.
"I'll catch up with you later!" the young bot called back, disappearing down the corridor.
Arcee huffed and motioned to Bee to continue on. They had nearly made it to the Omega Lock control station, when Starscream and an armada of seekers opened fire on them. Their detainment was unfortunate, because unknown to them, Ratchet was getting his aft handed to him by Shockwave in the Omega Lock control room and he could have really used their help.
Meanwhile, Ultra Magnus and his team attempted to storm the bridge, but their efforts were cut short by Soundwave. The silent mech was guarding the bridge and as the four of them rushed at him, he made a surprising move.
Soundwave opened a ground bridge.
The Autobots, of course, hurtled through it before realizing what was happening, and were transported to the brig, where they were almost instantly surrounded.
:Team,: Ultra Magnus commed nervously to the remaining Autobots. :We've been delayed.:
The entire team could hear his comm, including the humans back at the base, and his comm gave Jack an idea.
"Raf," Jack told the smaller boy. "Bridge me and Miko onto the Nemesis bridge. I've got a plan."
Back in the control station, Shockwave had nearly pummeled poor Ratchet to offline, and was about to finish him off. He was interrupted by the Omega Lock signaling that it was ready to fire.
As he opened the huge portal to ready the firing sequence, he spotted Optimus hanging onto the Omega Lock's structure. He was forced to take cover as Optimus opened fire.
Shockwave didn't have to take cover for long. Megatron arrived, still wielding the Dark Star Saber, and attacked Optimus directly.
"Shockwave! Begin firing sequence!" he yelled, while dodging blasts from the Prime.
At the same time, the bridge was being invaded by Jack and Miko, who was clad in the Apex Armor. She was quickly finishing off the Vehicons, but stopped when Soundwave began to advance on her with an open ground bridge.
:Raf,: Jack commed. :Quick, open another ground bridge right behind Soundwave.:
Raf complied and the conflicting bridge energies promptly transwarped Soundwave into the Shadow zone. The portal master had been defeated.
As Jack and Miko headed for the ship's controls, the Omega Lock began to power up. On its rim, Optimus and Megatron continued to fight, visible to Jack and Miko through the glass.
They watched as Optimus knocked the Dark Star Saber from Megatron's grip and decked him.
Megatron quickly backed up and called to Shockwave, never breaking optic contact with Optimus, "Shockwave! Prepare to-".
He was interrupted by the ship lurching under Jack's control.
Below deck, Smokescreen ran past Bumblebee, Arcee, and a pile of defeated seekers, carrying the Star Saber. He had swiped it from the Decepticon vault.
He reached the Omega Lock control room, with Bumblebee and Arcee on his heels, and attempted to throw the sword down to Optimus. He would have succeeded had Shockwave not interfered, blasting the young bot.
Arcee, Bumblebee, Starscream, and Shockwave all rushed for the weapon, and across the room, Bumblebee saw Magnia join the fight. His spark fluttered, but he ignored it, focusing on reaching the Star Saber.
Arcee had been forced to fall behind to take out Starscream. Now only Shockwave and Bumblebee raced for the weapon. Bee reached it first, tossed it quickly in the air, and decked Shockwave, cracking his optic. With Shockwave incapacitated, he caught the Star Saber in a kneeling position with ease.
His victory, however, was short lived as he felt the cold barrel of a blaster on the back of his neck.
The battle seemed to freeze as all the Autobots looked with wide optics at Bee. The Decepticons grinned ferally, except Magnia, who paled considerably.
"No one move," Megatron said from behind Bumblebee. "Drop the sword, scout."
The Star Saber clanged to the ground obligingly, and Megatron kicked it far from Autobot reach. It skittered across the floor to be almost on the edge of the Omega Lock's energy field.
The battlefield was almost completely silent as Megatron locked optics with his adoptive daughter and said coldly, "Magnia, please step forward."
If Magnia had been pale before, all of the energon in her faceplates seemed to disappear as she stepped forward and asked shakily, "What is it you require of me, lord?"
Megatron ignored her and called to Soundwave, "Display image."
Most of the bots on the battlefield couldn't see the image, being too far away, but Magnia saw it in perfect horror. It was a picture of her kissing Bumblebee on the beach.
Magnia knelt at Megatron's peds and cried, "Forgive me, lord; I am so sorry!" She looked up with pleading optics.
He regarded her before saying quietly, "I may yet forgive you, daughter."
"You will?" Magnia looked puzzled.
Megatron nodded, "Just do one thing for me. This is your chance to redeem yourself, Magnia."
"Anything, my lord."
Megatron pointed to the scout still crouched in front of him. "Kill him," he said coldly.
Magnia's optics widened and she swallowed thickly before darting a glance at Bumblebee. "Of course, my lord," she said shakily.
She stood up, her helm spinning. The dream she had about Bee and Megatron was coming true, but worse. Instead of Megatron offlining Bee, she would have to.
Optimus and Ratchet exchanged worried glances, but they were powerless to anything. Magnia squeezed her optics shut and raised her blaster to be directly level with Bee's helm.
"Mags," Bee said, panicked, through their bond. "Don't do this, please."
"I'm so sorry, Bumble,"
she was struggling not to cry. "I have to do this, for my family. You should have stayed away from me."Bee was silent for a moment. "I understand," he said at last. "But please, if you're going to shoot me, shoot me with your optics open."
"Why?"
Bumblebee smiled, "So I can see your beautiful optics before I die."Magnia choked back a sob and opened her optics.