I don't own Transformers Prime as the show is owned by Hasbro.
Ch. 20: The Starting Line
Phoenix landed hard and hurried over to him.
"I want her gone!" Phoenix snapped.
"Calm down, what happened now?" He asked.
"He got rid of Arachnid. He's keeping a closer eye on Elisa, who is nothing but a cripple now." She growled.
"How so?" He asked even though he knew the answer.
"She's walking around with a brace Knockout made for her." Phoenix grumbled. "She even attacked me!"
"Really…hmmmm interesting."
"I want her gone Sire." Phoenix stated firmly.
"Now, now Phoenix." Magma said with a smile. "You have to understand I need her as well."
"For what?"
"Two heads are better than one." He winked.
"She's weak and pathetic. I'm much stronger. I can fight. I'll do anything you want." She pleaded.
"Phoenix I know you will, but I know Elisa will need more coaching and it won't be pretty, as you've already seen, but she will come to my side eventually given time." Magma said gently.
"If you do that, make her as miserable as possible. She deserves it." Phoenix growled.
"Why do you say that?"
"Because she sides with him." She spat out.
"That's my little femme."
Xxxxxxx
Elisa wondered around the coordinates Arachnid was last seen at….and of course Megatron didn't know. She sniffed the air looking for any clues but nothing came up at the moment. She kept searching for the longest time and finally she heard a drilling sound in the distance. She approached with caution and all but growled when she saw Arachnid emerge.
"Starscream that fool. I'll get you back soon." She growled to herself. Elisa was instantly curious at the mention of Starscream, but was still focused on the task at hand. "Can't a femme find some decent energon around here?" She huffed in annoyance. Elisa tensed up ready to pounce as Arachnid walked around casually. When the spider was past Elisa bared her teeth and charged at her. She never saw Elisa coming as she was tackled to the ground. "Elisa!" Arachnid shouted in surprise before she tried to push her off. Elisa roared in anger baring her fangs but was forced to back away as she tried to stab at Elisa with her sharp legs. Arachnid jumped up on her extra legs and hissed before she started firing her webbing. Elisa easily dodged it before she fired her heatray right at her. Arachnid couldn't dodge the close blow and was hit and thrown back and hit some trees hard. Elisa got in close to fast and was stabbed in her shoulder. She grunted hard before she bit at Arachnid's arm and started dragging her. The spider shouted in protest before Elisa shook her fiercely and flung her across the open path. Elisa went to charge at her again, but froze when a loud roar sounded. Arachnid reacted fast and dug right down to underground and before Elisa could go after her, she spotted a dragon staring at her.
"Magma." Elisa whispered.
"I see you're walking again." Magma said as he started to get closer to her. Elisa started to limp away from him in response. "It looks painful."
"You caused some bad nerve damage."
"Oh, poor femme." Magma teased.
"Wait…how did you know I was here?" She asked curiously.
"I have my own eyes." Magma smiled before he charged. Elisa scrambled the other way instantly. She was able to dodge some of the shots from his heatray but she didn't expect a hit from his tail. He hit her hard in her back and she took a nasty tumble into some trees. Magma landed in front of her and chuckled as he stalked towards her. "I need you on my side." He stated.
"Never!" Elisa shouted before she fired at him with her own heatray. He tried to leap out of the way but Elisa continued the assault and he was thrown back. "Soundwave I need a groundbridge now!" She ordered through her com link. The bridge opened quickly and she raced through it skidding hard on the metal ground of the Nemesis. She looked up and was relieved that nobody was present at the moment. She stood up on two legs and flinched at the wound in her shoulder. "Oh scrap." Elisa moaned as she saw her scraps and cuts. She poked her head and saw nobody roaming the halls so she quietly went over to the medical bay. She opened the doors and instantly groaned. Megatron was glaring at her with his arms tucked over his chestplates when Knockout waiting at well.
"Take a seat." He snapped pointing at the medical berth. Elisa slowly did as she was told and Knockout tended to his wounds. Carrier was very angry with her. He didn't say a word to her as Knockout worked on her wounds. He would occasionally glance at her, but for most of the time he stood with his servos clasped behind his back staring at the doors.
"All set pretty girl." Knockout whispered to her.
"Thank you." She whispered back before she cautiously walked up to her Carrier.
"Walk with me." He said quietly before they started down the halls. Elisa didn't dare say a word as they eventually ended up at his quarters. He politely let her inside first and she looked up at him when the door closed. He let out a heavy sigh before he looked at her again. "What did you think you were doing?" He asked calmly.
"I'm sorry Carrier. It won't happen again." She said quickly.
"That still doesn't answer my question." He stated.
"I…I…I was going after Arachnid." She finally answered.
"You know better than to engage the enemy alone." He snapped.
"I just…I don't know…I just want her gone." Elisa finally finished.
"That's no excuse." He snapped again making her flinch. "You do not engage the enemy alone, especially someone like Arachnid."
"Carrier I'm sorry." Elisa pleaded trying so hard not to cry. She hated crying in front of him. It made her feel weak and pathetic.
"Did she hurt you real bad?" He asked with concern.
"No…Carrier…I…I have to tell you something else…just please don't get mad." She whimpered out.
"What is it?" He said plainly.
"Magma showed up."
"What?! How is that possible?" He demanded.
"Carrier, I don't know. I didn't tell anybody that I left." She explained.
"He has his own eyes. The dragon's name is Seek Gazer and he is very similar to Soundwave in having good surveillance skills." Megatron explained. "Elisa I am very disappointed in you." He said sternly. She wanted to run out of the room and crawl into a hole and die. She never felt so ashamed of herself before.
"I know, I'm sorry Carrier." Elisa whimpered out, desperately trying to hide tears. He lifted her face up to him and she did her best to remain firm on her emotions.
"Elisa he hurt you once already. I don't want him to hurt you again." He explained gently. Elisa only nodded remaining stiff. "I want you to stay on the ship until further notice. Is that understood?"
"Yes Carrier."
"Good." He smiled weakly. She couldn't hold back anymore and hurried out of the room before he could stop her. She barely managed to make in her quarters before she burst out sobbing onto the berth.
"No! No! No!" She screamed into the sheets.
Disappointment
That one word just ripped her apart on the inside. She couldn't bear the thought, the very idea that she disappointed her own Carrier. She kept crying for the longest time before she finally crawled into the berth and eventually cried herself to sleep.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The loud sound made Elisa jump out of berth and look at her door breathing hard.
"What?" She called out.
"Nice going baby." Phoenix teased before she started laughing.
"Shut up! Go away!" Elisa screamed back bitterly. Phoenix only laughed before she left. More tears ran down her face before she grabbed a sheet and pillow and locked herself in her washracks. She wrapped the blanket around her and laid down on the pillow and fell back into a bitter sleep.
Xxxxxxxx
She woke up a little bit when she heard footsteps in room. She shivered slightly at the cold but didn't move as the footsteps continued. She fell back to sleep when they finally left her room.
Xxxxxxxx
When she woke up again, she decided to get up as she had no track of time for the moment. She cautiously opened her door and found no one except for two energon cubes placed neatly next to her berth. She paid them no mind as she cautiously walked into the hallways and into the groundbridge room that Elisa had used to leave. She found that she had been in her room for two days, but she didn't care at the moment. She felt heavy and sick inside.
Disappointment
She checked the video feeds and found what she was looking. She saw Phoenix enter the room and check the coordinates before she activated the com link.
"She's gone, I'm sending you the coordinates now." Phoenix said before she quickly turned off the com link and left the room. Elisa frowned as she didn't hear any reply as there wasn't one so she couldn't be sure who she was talking to. If she ever showed her Carrier this, Phoenix could say that she was talking to Soundwave for all she knew…but then Soundwave might have warned Carrier right then wouldn't he?
"Hey, whatchya doooing?" Knockout called out playfully.
"Oh nothing Knockout." Elisa said quickly before she started to walk away.
"I know what you were trying to do. Thanks." He said gently.
"It's ok." She said quickly starting to leave again.
"Try and eat something will you?" He added before she was gone. She didn't dare look at anyone in the hallways as she quickly retreated to her room. She took a small ship of energon before retreating back into her washracks and going back to sleep.
Xxxxxxxxx
She woke again when someone knocked at her washrack door.
"Elisa?" Megatron called out. She buried her head in her pillow and covered her ears unwilling to answer. "Elisa please come out." Megatron pleaded. Her body shook in shame as he kept pleading. "Elisa you need to eat. Please come out." He pleaded once more. "Please just answer me." She still didn't answer him and he let out a heavy sigh before he set his helm against the locked door.
Elisa please tell me what's wrong?
Elisa whimpered and refused to answer him through the bond. He felt heavy as he knew that she wouldn't answer him.
"I still love you Elisa with all my spark. I hope you know that." Megatron said gently before he left. It was a long time before she finally poked her head up from the pillow and stared at the door but still refused to move.
Xxxxxxx
Elisa woke up when the whole ship shook and started to go down. She scrambled out of her room and tried to run to the bridge but skidded on the floor when the ship landed hard. Once the shaking stopped she hurried over to the bridge and heard too many beeps and sirens.
"Dreadwing damage report." Megatron ordered as he didn't hear Elisa.
"We have suffered major damage to all critical systems Lord Megatron. It will be some time before we can get the ship airborne." Dreadwing answered.
"Soundwave."
The TIC showed a video of someone destroying the main engines. A close-up revealed that it was Bulkhead. "So it was an autobot who crippled my vessel. They will move quickly to exploit any perceived weakness."
"Surly the autobots will not lead a direct assault my Liege." Knockout added.
"Optimus has decidedly grown more ruthless since out last encounter."
"Carrier." Elisa called out quietly. Megatron blinked in surprise to see her and he quickly hurried over to her.
"Elisa are you alright? Were you hurt?" He asked quickly.
"No Carrier I'm fine. What happened?" She asked confused.
"It's been one problem after another. Arachnid sent an insecticon hive to attack the ship, but something must have happened as they are under my command now." Megatron explained quickly.
"And Bulkhead damaged the engines?"
"It seems so."
"So what's going to happen?" She asked.
"I'm going to get this ship back online." He answered firmly.
"How?"
"I…" He knew she wouldn't like the answer and when he hesitated she knew.
"Don't do it Carrier. It's not healthy for you." She pleaded quietly.
"I want you to go back to your quarters for you safety in case anything happens." He said gently. Elisa only nodded and did as she was told. Even Knockout advised with caution but Megatron inserted the dark energon and he paid the consequences. The ship developed a will of it's own and started heading toward the coordinates it decoded from the Iacon database. Elisa knew something wasn't right so she tried to get to the bridge but her door was locked. She waited by the door for longest time and finally the locked clicked open. She hurried back to the bridge and found her Carrier talking with Soundwave.
"Carrier my door was locked." Elisa called out.
"It's alright Elisa. Everything is under control." Megatron said calmly before Knockout came in with a mining crew.
"Lord Megatron, I've assembled the detail you requested for the first set of coordinates. Breakdown and I enjoyed previous success in retrieving Iacon relics. In memory of my fallen comrade I intend to do the same again." He said all too gracefully.
"This is a mission, not one of your racing excursions. Stop your preening, move quickly and operate with a surge of skill. Do you understand me Knockout." Megatron said fiercely.
"Explicitly Lord Megatron." Knockout said weakly.
"Now since the unfortunate loss of Breakdown has left you rather vulnerable, you will require appropriate support." Megatron said before an Insecticon wondered up behind Knockout.
"How very repellent." He said unamused.
"Good luck Knockout." Elisa said happily. He nodded his thanks before he left. "Carrier what's the mission?" Elisa asked looking at the screen curiously.
"Apparently when the ship gained it's own will it started to decode the Iacon database. We have four sets of coordinates and we are setting off teams to retrieve the relics." Megatron explained quickly.
"Is Phoenix going?" She asked quietly. He paid careful attention to her as he answered her question.
"I haven't decided yet."
Elisa only nodded with her eyes to the floor.
"Can I stay in here?"
"Of course."
He watched her walk heavily over to his station and laid down. He stared at her trying to figure out why she was upset. He figured she wasn't upset about being kept on the ship. It had to be something else. However his thoughts were distracted when Soundwave brought up the second coordinates.
"The coordinates indicate that the second of these four Iacon relics lies at the very bottom of this world."
"I will travel to the ends of this or any world to serve your will Lord Megatron." Dreadwing announced.
"Then return with my prize Dreadwing and prove you are more worth of being my second in command than those who have proceeded you." Megatron ordered. "Phoenix go with him." He snapped quickly.
"Yes Carrier." Phoenix said sweetly with a taunting chuckle before she followed him out.
"I'll be back Elisa." Megatron said gently before he went to room that held the Insecticon hive. "Who is the fiercest among you?" Megatron called out.
"There is no greater ferocity than an insecticon hive, but if you were to choose one among us…" The insecticon landed behind him. He turned and saw an Alpha Insecticon with yellow stripes across his body as a sign of maturity and age.
"You will retrieve something for me Hardshell and annihilate everything that gets in your way."
Xxxxxxxx
Elisa woke up slightly when Megatron was talking with someone.
"Are you not the fiercest Insecticon…?" He growled. Elisa looked up at him for a moment but he was focused on the task at hand so she settled back down and waited.
Xxxxxxx
"I don't believe this." Phoenix gasped when she saw none other than Starscream riding on a scooter! "Fire on him now!" She ordered. They kept circling and chasing him until he landed hard and crashed the scooter. Phoenix heard him shout something, but didn't hear it as she landed next to Dreadwing, who did hear him.
"You command no one deserter." He snapped.
"Skyquake…but your…" Starscream gasped.
"You mistake me for my brother who is one with the Allspark, as you are no doubt aware former Commander Starscream." Dreadwing growled. Phoenix growled and bared her teeth right at his face making him yelp back and cower.
"Nice to see you too Phoenix." He whimpered out.
"Were it up to me I would end this here and now." Dreadwing said before he put cuffs on Starscream. "But it is my duty as First Lieutenant to Megatron to render all traitors to my lord and Master for due punishment."
"First Lieutenant! That's my post!" Starscream protested in a high-pitch voice. Phoenix snarled in anger before her spikes flashed red in warning as the troops armed their weapons. "Was my post." He added weakly. Phoenix gave him another growl of warning before they started on their trek for the relic. Phoenix gladly stayed behind the smaller seeker and only smiled when she caught his nervous glance at her. "Commander Dreadwing, this must be a very important mission if Megatron has dispatched his second-in-command. Scouting for energon or something else all together?" He asked in a sly voice.
"That is none of your concern." Dreadwing answered as he continued to move.
"If I knew what you were looking for perhaps I could help." He yelped when Phoenix whacked his wings with her own wing.
"We have arrived at the coordinates." Dreadwing announced not long after. "The relic it has been taken." Phoenix looked at empty space as well puzzled.
"Relic? What sort of relic?" Starscream asked in surprise.
"Search the area." Phoenix ordered quickly.
"Commander Dreadwing we have discovered vehicle tracks." A drone explained quickly.
"The autobots." Dreadwing growled in annoyance.
"Perhaps, though I've never known them to plant flags at the sight of their victories." Starscream teased. While he did have a point Phoenix was more than happy to watch Dreadwing lift him in air by his throat.
"Do not try me traitor. I will leave your lifeless husk in this frozen waste." Dreadwing snarled. Everyone turned at the sound of an approaching engine. Phoenix growled deeply and moved to one side of the standing autobot. "Optimus Prime I will request only once that you surrender the relic." Dreadwing ordered more than requested.
"I was going to request the same of you Dreadwing." Optimus replied making Phoenix huffed. He kept a cautionary optic on her.
"Then I will say that we are on equal footing, were it not that there are six of us and only one of you."
"Seven if you'd relieve me of these ridiculous manacles." Starscream added quickly. Everything went silent as the opponents stared at each other. Phoenix kept her eyes on Prime and would strike at any sign of movement, but Dreadwing fired first and she leaped into the air to start her own assault. Prime easily took out the two charging drones first and barely managed to dodged her heatray when he managed to hit Dreadwing. When he was down Phoenix dove at Prime and he leaped out of the way just in time as she cracked the ice with both her hands and feet.
"Where is Elisa? Is she hurt?" Optimus demanded as he started firing at her. Pheonix leaped above him and landed in front of him again, making him face the direction Dreadwing was standing.
"What do you care?" Phoenix asked in disgust before she leaped up again to reveal Dreadwing's three missiles. Optimus reacted fast and leaped over them. She couldn't get a shot off as he leaped right in front of Dreadwing and she couldn't afford to hit him as he and Prime engaged in battle with their blades. Phoenix hummed in amusement as Dreadwing pulled out his own sword. When Prime got a nice kick that sent Dreadwing back, Phoenix fired straight down the middle so Prime wouldn't see Dreadwing charging. He easily leaped through the flames and tackled Prime off the ledge making him shout. Phoenix flinched when they landed hard, but when the dust, or snow, cleared they were fighting again. Phoenix dove down to help but stopped when Optimus fired. At first she thought he was aiming at her, but she saw the cracks in the ice wall behind Dreadwing.
"Your aim is poor." Dreadwing mocked.
"That is a matter of perspective." Optimus said before transforming and escaping the avalanche.
"Dreadwing move!" Phoenix called out but it was too late.
"No!" He shouted as he got buried. Phoenix knew better than engage Prime alone this time, even if she wanted to so she started to dig for Dreadwing with her fire claws.
"Uuuggghh you idiot." Phoenix snapped before she started using her heatray. Sure enough Dreadwing quickly emerged and collected his weapons. "They went this way." Pheonix shouted over the wind. He quickly started to follow and they soon found their targets. "I knew you were of questionable honor Starscream, but aiding the autobots that is a capital offense." Phoenix teased with flashing spikes in warning.
" What? But I…I left tracks for you on purpose so you could rescue me from my captor." Starscream protested.
"The only one who would even think of rescuing you is Elisa and she's grounded." Phoenix said with grin.
"Elisa…" Starscream whispered to himself as he remembered the little silver and blue femme.
"Phoenix I cannot allow you to leave here with this relic." Optimus said firmly.
"I know that Prime, but I do not intend to give you a choice." She snapped before she fired her red heatray at him as he charged. She let out a strangled snarl as he tackled her onto her back, knocking Dreadwing over. He tried to attack from behind, but Optimus knocked him back again. Pheonix circled around and hissed as fire claws dug into his shoulders making him grunt in pain. Dreadwing tried to get him from the front this time, but Optimus gave him a swift kick and elbowed Phoenix knocking her back. A familiar beep from Dreadwing made Optimus look down and flung the bomb that was on his thigh and run to dodge the explosion. When they saw he was down Phoenix got in front of him while Dreadwing approached from behind with his sword. It was raised high when…
CRASH!
Starscream landed on the ground with some kind of body armor on him.
"The Apex Armor." Optimus said gravely.
"A perfect fit." Starscream said with a grin.
"You dare to claim that which rightfully belongs to Lord Megatron." Dreadwing snapped pointing his blade.
"And what do you intend to do about it Commander?" Starscream laughed. Dreadwing charged and his blade literally bounced off the armor before Starscream swatted him away laughing loudly. "Not so big and strong now are you? I haven't had this much fun since I punched that hole in Cliffjumper." He went and grabbed one of the bulldozers and lifted it easily with one servo. "Allow me to reunite you with your with your beloved twin." Starscream snapped, but Prime knocked into him, making the bulldozer fly into the air and hit where Dreadwing once was. Phoenix's jaw dropped when Starscream brought Prime to his knees. "And you Optimus Prime, I will beat the living spark out of you, just so I never again have to endure your pontificating." He snapped before he threw Prime into some empty trailers. Shaking her head Phoenix charged and fired at him with a continuous blast, but nothing worked. So she leaped into the air and landed on the back of the armor and tried to dig at with her fire claws but nothing worked making Starscream laugh even harder. Getting more annoyed Phoenix hovered over him and whacked at the seeker with her tail. She got a few blows in before he grabbed her tail and flung her into Prime and Dreadwing.
"Dreadwing, Phoenix, our battle remains unfinished, but if we do not unite against our common foe…" Optimus explained.
"Starcream will destroy us both." Dreadwing finished.
'We'll draw his attention." Phoenix said quickly before Dreadwing gave Prime one of his bombs. They both went into the air and started firing at Starscream. "Watch out!" Phoenix called out when Starscream leaped into the air and swatted Dreadwing to the ground. Phoenix landed quickly beside him.
"Might beats flight." Starscream teased as Prime leaped up and planted the bomb on his back.
"You shall be the one that joins with the Allspark." Dreadwing announced.
BEEP!
The bomb went off as Starscream scrambled to get it off, but failed miserably, but when the smoke cleared he was still standing and laughing.
"That tickled! Fools! Not only am I intelligent, I am invincible!" He shouted in glee.
"Yet you cannot fly" Optimus pointed out.
"Nobody's perfect."
"Dreadwing the ground is cracked." Phoenix whispered as Starscream stalked over to Prime. They quickly set to work.
"Now tell me of the other three relics are they as powerful as my shiny new armor?" Starscream asked before he swatted at Prime as well.
"They were hidden away precisely to keep them from the hands of those like you." Optimus answered. He started punching at him, but it only caused more sparks to fly.
"He is far too powerful Prime, fall back!" Dreadwing shouted. Optimus quickly transformed and skidded to as stop before he transformed back next to Dreadwing and Phoenix.
"Cowards, you will not escape my might…wait you three are up to something." He said suddenly.
BEEP!
Starscream was surrounded by bombs on the icy floor and once the explosions went off the ice easily caved in, sending Starscream tumbling into blackness.
"NOOOOOOO!"
"Now that our alliance has served it's purpose." Dreadwing announced pulling out his blade and Phoenix roar in battle.
"Starscream is gone and the Apex armor with him. Is there really a need to renew battle when the goal has been lost?" Optimus asked.
"We have other unfinished matters." Dreadwing rasped.
"I bore Skyquake no malice and I regret the roll I played in his demise. So I will appeal to you as I once did your twin. Turn your back on the decepticon cause and help me end this war for his sake and for all who have fallen." Optimus pleaded. Dreadwing retracted his blade making Phoenix cautious.
"You saved my life today. I will terminate you the next time we meet." Dreadwing said.
"Besides more will fall in the battles to come…human." Phoenix teased.
"You sound like your Sire." Optimus said coldly.
"I know." Phoenix chuckled.
"If you hurt Elisa…" Optimus started.
"What?!" Phoenix snapped. "She is none of your concern." Pheonix snapped. "Dreadwing let's go now before I change my mind on things." She ordered before she flew into the air with Dreadwing close behind her.
"I hope you are alright Elisa." He said sadly. Even though he still didn't remember what happened on the Nemesis, the one thing he kept remembering was Elisa's screams of pain.
Xxxxxxxx
Much to Phoenix's un-amusement Soundwave returned with his relic as Dreadwing and she did not.
"Ahhhh the Resonance Blaster, crafted by Decepticon scientists for maximum sonic devastation. Soundwave you have performed admirably unlike Dreadwing here who somehow lost the Apex Armor to Starscream. However two more decrypted coordinates remain in play and I have every confidence that Knockout and I…"
Elisa gasped which made Megatron turn quickly at the sound of pedesteps.
"Can you believe what the autobots did to me!?" Knockout gasped in despair as he was covered in scratches.
"Did you retrieve the relic?" Megatron snapped.
"No Master.
"Then I suggest you convince me of your continued usefulness by examining laserbeak doctor." Megatron ordered.
He quickly did as he was told and did find something.
"What is it?" Megatron demanded.
"An obstruction of some sort." Knockout answered. Soundwave stood up and Laserbeak plopped down into his servos. Laserbeak opened his back.
"Grenade!" Knockout shouted and dove for cover shaking.
"Ahhh that is clever. Knockout prepare to properly dispose of the obstruction." Megatron said calmly. Knockout removed it quickly and scrambled out of the medical bay. "Soundwave, if we are to maintain any advantage over the autobots…" A resounding explosion sounded off in the distance. Unfazed Megatron continued. "… decoding the remainder of the Iacon database must remain your top priority." Megatron finished with a node from Soundwave.
"Oh believe me Soundwave will provide the coordinates to the remaining relics." He said proudly with Knockout looking on as well.
"Yes, we are fortunate to have him on our side Lord Megatron." Knockout said tiredly.
"And see about repairing his cracked visor will you?" Megatron said before he left Knockout sulking.
Disappointment is the worse things Elisa could hear. Like any child all she wants is for her Carrier to be happy not upset or disappointed.
I know Phoenix could have continued to fight with Prime, but she wanted Starscream more because she hates him more.