Ch. 139
"Decepticons!" Megatron yelled, pointing to the barrier dome the Autobots were trapped in, "Bring me the helm of Optimus Prime!"
The Vehicons swarmed in, the mass of drones slamming into the barrier. The purple energy crackled and phased them through harmlessly, allowing the mechs to train their weapons on the Autobots.
"They can phase in?!" Knockout yelped.
Smokescreen glared, "If they can phase in, maybe we can find a way out!"
"Unlikely!" Optimus warned, firing his blaster at a Vehicon that had started to rush towards him, "Their chassises may be emitting a frequency that allows them to pass through, so we will not be escaping through this method! Starscream!" he called upwards, "Stay alert! Keep yourself airborne!"
The seeker twirled above, keeping a tight formation above the barrier dome as he whined in worry, "But maybe I can get you out! Give me a second, I'll land, I'll-"
Optimus shot down another Vehicon and transformed out his sword to cut down another, "That is an order, Starscream! Stay back!"
Starscream dipped lightly and slowly, starting to circle farther up. Optimus wasn't going to let him land, even if it killed him. Even if it killed all of them. The seeker tried to steady his intakes and calm himself. He could still help them. If he was careful, he could minimize the troops coming at them and find a way to get them out.
Starscream's frame shuddered and he dove, rapidly firing red plasma down upon a small group of Vehicons who were ready to run into the barrier. All three fell, dead, and the silver mech twirled back skyward to line himself up with another group of targets.
Megatron watched in amusement and nodded his helm towards Dreadwing, who scowled, "I will bring him down, my liege."
The blue seeker ran forward and transformed, a group of six silver Eradicon seekers following his lead. The formation climbed upwards and Starscream dove quickly to avoid their oncoming maneuvers. Dreadwing stayed right on his tail, the silver Eradicons behind him scattering into three smaller formations that flew passed both in an attempt to cut Starscream off from an escape route. But the seeker, the very admittedly Autobot seeker, wasn't afraid anymore. He had a job to do. And if he was ordered to do it from the air, then he would. A seeker pair crossed his path from the left and he decided to ignore Dreadwing for the time being, following after them with his plasma fire lighting up the air around them. He hit one in the wing, spiraling his target to the ground in a fiery crash, and the other he hit in the thruster, making it explode in the air. Starscream easily avoided the fire and debris but Dreadwing's larger size didn't allow him to turn as fast and his chassis was battered by bits and pieces that fell upon him.
Two down, five to go. Starscream saw another group flying low to the ground. It reminded him of a shark waiting to breach the surface once its prey was in sight. He decided he didn't want to be that prey. Starscream dove sharply and fired more accurately this time, releasing one of his missiles that took out both targets as he flew up to again avoid another blast of debris. Dreadwing scowled from behind, but didn't fire upon him. Megatron must have given that order. So both were under orders neither liked. Fitting.
Three left. Starscream allowed his focus to drift from his airborne enemies to the barrier below, watching his fellow teammates tear apart the Vehicons that were coming at them. But there weren't a lot of Autobots and there were quite a few Decepticons that just kept moving in. If they didn't escape their trap, there wouldn't be much of a battle soon.
The silver mech grumbled as he tried to find a solution to the problem below when he heard a distinct transformation sequence somewhere above and then crushing weight slam into him from above. Starscream gasped and struggled to steady his altitude, one of the Decepticon seekers having landed roughly on top of him. The mech reached down and gripped onto him tightly, his claws scratching into his wings. Starscream tried to fly faster, harder, more erratically to buck the intruder off, but his assailant held fast. So Starscream did what he thought was best: he transformed in mid air, allowing himself and his enemy to plummet.
Optimus saw the act from the ground and felt his spark sink. His optics widened, knowing there was nothing he could do. The Prime slashed harder into the Vehicons that came at them and ran to the side of the barrier so he could see Starscream better. The silver mech caught Optimus's gaze from the ground below and growled, throwing his weight into the seeker above him as he turned their positions in the air.
"Optimus, I'm fine!" he yelled to the ground.
The Prime went to call something back, but Starscream didn't let him, "I can handle this! You take care of yourself! Go!"
Optimus watched a moment longer then was forced back into battle when a Vehicn grabbed his arm and tried to wrench him back. Starscream couldn't dwell in watching. He had to hope the Prime was capable of handling himself until they could find a way to bring the barrier down. So the silver mech glared back into the visor of his own opponent and transformed out his blaster, firing into the mech's chestplate. The seeker stopped moving and Starscream kicked the chassis away as he activated his thruster, slowing his decent while he watched the dead frame crash into one of the pillars holding the barrier in place. Dangerous sparks from the impact ignited the leaking energon coming from the dead seeker and the pillar shorted out. The barrier fizzled and popped but remained standing, if only just. The Vehicons were now struggling to make it through the dome to get at their assigned targets. A small group of Vehicons pressed on regardless and when the barrier phased out then flickered back on, their chassises were crushed.
Megatron scowled angrily as Optimus saw the new variable take place, "Autobots!" the Prime called out, "Keep your distance from the barrier walls! Use your close range weaponry only! No plasma fire!"
Starscream smiled and aimed his second missile at another pillar as he continued his slow decent but another slam from behind and grappling, clawed servos at his back and sides made him cry out in surprise. Dreadwing growled in his audial while he activated his own thrusters, crushing Starscream's back against his chestplate with a hard squeeze.
"I have you now, you abomination," he seethed.
The smaller mech struggled and thrashed, raking his claws over servo armor and metal. Dreadwing paid little notice to the minor assault until Starscream transformed out and aimed his blaster out at his intended pillar again, firing. The blue seeker tried to wrench his captive to the side to misalign the shot, but the plasma hit its mark, exploding metal and sparks through the machine and deactivating the barrier.
Dreadwing snarled, digging his claws into Starscream's back, and reached around to grab at his throat. The smaller mech squealed in protest. In a frantic display, Starscream kicked out and landed the sharp edge of his ped spikes in between the knee armor and leg of his captor, severing delicate nodes and wires. Dreadwing screamed in pain, his grip loosening, and the smaller mech shoved hard to push away and transform back into the air.
He was going to count that little kerfuffle as a win. Yes. That was a win. Only two more to go. The Autobots below cautiously removed themselves from the trapped position they had been in to charge forward, Optimus glaring at Megatron as the Vehicons regrouped and surrounded their leader. Starscream stayed airborne above.
But Megatron didn't look phased. Instead, he smiled, and gently held out his servo to his side as a bridge opened up.
The Autobots paused. Their optics widened. A loud, sharp shout and gruff curse from the bridge as four bots came through made everyone stiffen.
"It seems there was a change of plans," Megatron chuckled, "when my soldiers went to pay your little human pets a visit. They caught something a bit bigger, I am told."
C.Y.L.A.S. sneered as he came through the bridge, holding Arcee in his grasp, and Hardshell growled as he followed, Wheeljack clenched tightly in his claws. Arcee looked up at Starscream from her trapped position and struggled harder, yelling out.
"Don't do a thing they say! We're not worth it! Just go-"
C.Y.L.A.S. clasped his claws around her mouth and helm easily, hushing her, "Now, that's no way to say 'hello' to your team, is it?"
Wheeljack only glared back at Hardshell, huffing when the Insecticon blew a hot intake down at him, "Are all you bugs this accommodating or is it just the ugly ones?"
Hardshell hissed, but said nothing.
Megatron chuckled again, allowing his optics to wander from Optimus to Starscream, "Now, it seems you will be taking my orders, my dear Starscream. Land. Now. Or I will kill them both right in front of you."