Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the final chapter of the story. This brings us to the very end of the "Darkness Rising" miniseries. As can be guessed, I own only my words and imagination.

Edit as of 5/3/2016: technically speaking, the story is not over. I don't have the time I need to write the continuation right now (way too many irons in the fire, so to speak), but there will be some drabbles set in this universe to follow at some point.


The Ground Bridge roared to life, lighting Knock Out's faceplate a vibrant green.

"Mission accomplished?" he asked expectantly, but there was no eagerness in his tone.

Megatron nodded, looking somehow old and tired. "Not even Optimus Prime could have withstood that blast."

He stepped to the side as Breakdown rolled through and transformed, shaking water droplets from his armor.

"Hey, Sweetspark," he grinned and bent to kiss Airachnid.

"Breakdown..." Airachnid trailed off, not sure what to say. There was a terrible, stricken look in her rose optics, and June was pale - too pale.

"What happened?" he demanded.

Explanations were cut off by the arrival of Soundwave, just barely supporting the weight of Starscream. The Seeker slowly lifted his helm when Sierra called his name in a panicked voice. He managed a half smile, then began to slide out of the spy's grip.

"I've got him."

Megatron caught the young Commander and lifted him as easily as if he'd been a sparkling. "Doctor?"

Knock Out tsk'd and examined the scoring down the Seeker's side. "Looks like the shot clipped a stabilizer connected to the t-cog. Those things are notoriously sensitive!"

He turned to Jack, who sat listlessly on one of the console control boards with an arm around Miko. "I'll see to the bruises in a minute, Pax," he said sympathetically, "First I need to tend to Starscream."

The boy nodded and waved him off. "I'm fine."

Breakdown stiffened. "Bruises? What bruises?!"

When Jack wouldn't meet his gaze, the heavy mech turned to his daughter for an explanation.

"Show him your throat, baby," June said softly.

A long, dark mark had taken shape where Liaison's arm had pressed into his windpipe. Breakdown's plating flared out, making him look twice his size, and he radiated fury.

"Who did that, Jack?" he growled.

"The Autobots had a human ally with them," the boy answered. "I think his name was Liaison." Blue eyes turned upward in a searching look that encompassed every Decepticon left on the bridge. "Liaison...Darby?"

There was an uncomfortable silence before June wrapped an arm around her son's shoulders.

"Pax, we need to talk," she whispered.


"This way, Violet. Just a few more hours and we'll be there," Silas glanced back down the path with an encouraging smile.

In the aftermath of the Space Bridge explosion, the Frederick Douglass had taken refuge in the Mid-Atlantic Canyon. Amid somber celebrations, Agent Woodlock had experienced something similar to a panic attack, possibly triggered by the crash restraints and red lighting, but they weren't certain yet. And they certainly didn't want to test it.

As he had promised June, Silas was making time to take Violet to the friend he had mentioned. He only wished he'd known how to find the person the first time he'd rescued Violet. She no doubt would have benefited from talking to the teacher who used to work with his old man, and his protege.

Silas and Violet had been deposited via Warp Gate in a densely wooded area partway up a mountain. It was slow going, as the standard prosthetic standing in for Violet's cybernetic arm was lightweight and very good quality, but it threw her out of balance compared to what she was used to. Two hours and three breaks for medication later, they stood at a cleverly disguised door in the rock.

"Do goblins live here?" the girl asked with a touch of sarcasm.

Silas chuckled. "One or two, but we're not here to see them. No, we're here to visit an old friend of my father's." He raised a fist to knock at the door. "He used to run a school until the Registration Acts forced him and his students into hiding."

Violet shifted and fiddled with the prosthetic-crude, by Decepticon standards. "And he'll, ah, he'll help me handle the nightmares?"

Silas suppressed a sigh. It would be a process, and you couldn't rush healing. So he settled for saying, "He'll start us on the right path. You won't even have to talk out loud, if you don't want to."

The door creaked open suddenly, and Violet found herself eye to eye with a kind-faced old man in a wheelchair.

"Leland Bishop, can that be you? My goodness, it's been a long time!" he exclaimed, reaching up to shake Silas's hand.

The soldier heartily returned the greeting. "It's good to see you again, Professor. My old man used to tell me that if ever I was in trouble, you were the man to look for."

The Professor wheeled away from the door and invited them in.

"Jean, my dear, would you set two more places at the table?" he called to a red-haired woman. The woman smiled at Violet as she slipped into the kitchen.

"Now then, Leland, what can I do for you?" the bald man asked.

Silas wrapped an arm around Violet's thin shoulders. "Saw an old pamphlet for the school, a year or two back, and remembered something. You still work with trauma?"


For the first time in days, Soundwave let himself relax.

Sequestered in the observational dome atop the aft deck of the Nemesis, he lay back, watching the stars and listening to his charges whispering in the night. Ravage lay curled at his pedes, wholly unwilling to move, lest his master leave on another mission the moment his back was turned.

Frenzy was sprawled across Soundwave's chestplates, to Lazerbeak's irritated discomfort, chattering quietly to Miko. The little girl had been very upset when he'd returned, barely communicating at all until Soundwave had taken pains to find out why. After hearing about the incident with Liaison and how he'd hurt Jack and tried to shoot Sierra, the spy was hard-pressed not to fly off and exact vengeance for his "nephew" and the girls.

Understandably, Miko had not quite recovered from the ordeal, and was currently sheltered in his scout chamber, whispering through his armor to Frenzy. Beneath his visor, Soundwave smiled. He knew that before too long, the steady warmth and pulse of his spark would lull his little human to sleep, and Frenzy would soon follow. He made himself comfortable on the single berth - made for a much larger mech - and in his own silent way, he thanked the Creator that he still had almost all of his family.


"I can't."

The words were not welcome, as the speaker soon learned. Ratchet gagged and spluttered in blind panic as a seething Goldbug shoved him against the laboratory wall and held a scalpel to his left optic.

"It's not a matter of motivation!" the mad doctor squealed, "The tissue degeneration has advanced to a state where I can't take a sample for cloning without taint!" He whimpered slightly as the scalpel very slowly withdrew.

"Alchemically-induced bonds are very tricky things!" Ratchet complained, "If it didn't form on its own, there will be backlash!"

Goldbug's amber optics narrowed as he gestured from the Autobot CMO to Liaison.

"Precisely," Ratchet agreed, "We need the boy."


Starscream winced as complex scanning beams wove tapestries of light over his injured frame.

"I know, I know," Knock Out grimaced sympathetically, "but we have to make sure your T- cog wasn't damaged."

Although his nanites were already swarming to repair the blast damage, Starscream knew it would be awhile before he would be able to transform without pain. He bit back a yell as a cold mesh patch was unceremoniously applied to one of the gashes he'd garnered on his wings.

"Warn me before you do that!" he growled, hunching his shoulders.

Megatron returned his scowl with equal fervor. "There would be no need to if you did not seem so singularly bent upon joining the Allspark before your time!" the titanic mech scolded.

Starscream gave a short, sharp laugh, twitching his wings. "And I'm the only one who's reckless? Sword snapped in half. I saw."

"Perhaps I learned from you, then," Megatron retorted.

Sierra giggled from her place on the table, handing patches to Megatron. "You guys worry about each other all the time, just admit it!" she laughed.

Warlord and Commander glanced at each other, then the human. "I thought we just did?"

Megatron held out a hand and Sierra stepped carefully onto the wide metal palm. "As you spend more time among us, you'll understand," he smiled at the girl. "We may appear to be antagonistic towards each other at times, but I've known Starscream since he was hardly bigger than you, Miss Cody."

At Knock Out's knowing snicker, mild blue optics turned to a new target.

"A statement, I think you'll find, that also holds true for our medic, should he get any ideas about recounting certain stories!" Starscream threatened, then yelped as another cold mesh patch was slapped onto his side.

"Rule number one:" Sierra grinned sympathetically, "Never threaten the guy treating your injuries."

Repairs completed, Knock Out stood and sternly warned Starscream to avoid strenuous activity for the next two days, to the Seeker's dismay. Muttering rebelliously, he lay on his side on the berth, wings held high both in indignation and to avoid being pinioned. His commanding officer shook his helm with a slight - but noticeably affectionate - smile as he gently placed the human girl down on the berth beside him.

"Starscream, you are to rest until fully healed. Sierra will ensure that you follow these orders," Megatron could not hide the twinkle in his optics as he turned to follow a suddenly grim Knock Out into the corridor. "And if you care at all for the state of my processor, you will take no more risks in the interim."

With her adrenalin finally beginning to drain away, Sierra yawned and lay down, propping her head up on one elbow as she stared at her guardian.

"So how was your day?" he joked, voice still slightly tight with pain.

Tiny fingers traced looping patterns in the salt residue on his arm as his charge answered, "Oh, not bad. I almost got shot at." in a tone of affected lightness.

Starscream nodded sagely. "What a coincidence! I got shot at too, only there was no almost!"

He leaned forward marginally so that their foreheads touched. "Like guardian, like charge," the low rasp teased.

The Seeker shifted position a little too quickly and winced. "So who shot at you?" he asked, deceptively calm. Internal sensors caught the quickening of the tiny being's pulse and noted that her stress levels were rising. "Sierra, calm down. Take a deep breath," he advised, curling his long servos around the girl in a makeshift hug for reassurance. "You're safe, remember? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

The mech counted about three kliks before the redhead quietly gulped, "I think...I think it was Jack's dad."


"Did you know?"

There was no accusation in Jack's voice, only a solemn curiosity. Breakdown scooped him up and held his grandson close to his spark.

"Yeah," he sighed, "We knew he'd joined the Autobots, son, but we didn't know he was still kickin' until your Rani saw him in the base a few weeks ago."

Jack leaned back against his grandfather's chestplates and nodded. "Ok."

The adults blinked and shot startled glances at each other. "Ok? That's it?" Airachnid asked, "That's all you have to say?"

The boy shrugged and made a face as Knock Out and Megatron re-entered the bridge. He was not looking forward to explaining his bruises to them.

June crossed her arms and looked away, battling a ferocious mixture of motherly protectiveness and guilt. "I'm sorry, baby. I should've told you something..." she began, but her son shook his head.

"No, Mom. You don't have anything to apologize for. I didn't need to know. Still don't." He gave her his most reassuring smile, then twisted in Breakdown's grasp to look up at a grave Megatron.

"I'm sorry, Lord Megatron," he said contritely, "I focused more on hacking than security, and the Autobot liaison was able to identify me."

Scarred lips pressed into a line as the massive helm dipped. "I know, little one. Knock Out has informed me." Compassion filled the ex-gladiator's optics as he noted how small Jack looked now. "I am sorry that you had to learn the truth this way, Pax. It had been planned amongst your grandparents and your mother and I that you would be told about your father when you turned eighteen."

Jack ran a hand through messy black hair. "Would it have made a difference? I mean, it's not like I have any emotional attachment to the man who tried to kill us today." Then, a little timidly, he added, "E-everything fathers are supposed to be and to do, I had right here in the Nemesis. With Pop, and Knock Out, and...and you." he ducked his head a moment before regaining his resolve.

"I don't need a Darth Vader." He grinned up at Breakdown, who offered a light fist-bump in recognition of the movie reference.

"And what happens if you cross paths again?" Airachnid demanded, still worried.

The boy's eyes grew cold, and for a moment his voice bore a terrible resemblance to a young Orion Pax.

"Then one of the two of us is probably going to die. I don't care who they are, I will not let anyone hurt my family."


When Violet opened her eyes, she was surprised to see that it was still light out. Wherever she and the woman called Jean had been, it felt like hours had passed.

"You are a really strong young lady, you know that?" Jean said kindly as she sat braiding the girl's long brown hair. "Those memories are going to be with you the rest of your life, but I can teach you to use them, to be strengthened by them, so that they do not control you."

She stopped braiding and leaned around to look Violet in the eyes. "Would you like that?" Wordlessly, the teen nodded, pulling her knees to her chest.

"Atta girl," Jean smiled, "We'll have you back to the fight before you know it, you'll see! But, ah, preferably not actually in the fighting. You're a kid, y'know? You deserve a childhood."

They returned to the hovel's living room where Silas was deep in conversation with the Professor. Standing half-hidden in the corner was a little boy, no older than nine. Violet blinked in surprise. She recognized him!

Several times she'd seen the child among others, digging through dumpsters in Jasper. He had been the youngest of five children and - like many others after the Currency Act and the older, crueler, Population Act - had been forced to the streets to fend for himself so that his siblings would be allowed to go to school.

His arms were crossed and a fierce scowl decorated his round face, but Violet saw a vulnerability in his brown eyes. Perhaps she'd become so used to projecting a tough veneer that she could recognize the same act in others. Silas followed Violet's gaze and raised an eyebrow at the boy.

"A little young for the academy, isn't he?" he asked wryly.

The older man smiled sadly. "Yes, he is. But sometimes talents manifest early in life, if you follow my meaning, and he really hasn't anywhere else to go."

The little fellow's face darkened and his scowl deepened, and Violet came to an unexpected decision.

"We'll take him!" she announced boldly. Silas's head whipped around to stare at his adopted daughter. "Pourquoi dites-vous que, Violet? Je ne vais pas faire glisser un autre enfant dans cette guerre!"

She lifted her chin defiantly and motioned to the child. "Il n'a personne! Quelqu'un doit prendre soin de lui , pourquoi pas nous?"

She marched over and crouched slightly in front of the boy. "What is your name?" she asked softly.

Bitterness pervaded the young voice as he answered, "I'm Rafael: my family didn't want me."

Violet took his hands and met his eyes. "I'm Violet: Autobots cut my arm off and killed my parents."

Not to be outdone, Rafael squeezed his eyes shut and when he opened them again, deadly-looking metallic spikes protruded from his shoulders and fingertips. "I'm not a normal human," he almost boasted.

Violet laughed - a real laugh - and hugged the nine year old. He stiffened, clearly unused to physical affection. When he realized that the girl was neither pulling away from him nor commenting on his thorny exterior, his lower lip trembled violently. Even as the lonely boy tried to hold onto his mask of toughness, he dropped his head to rest on the older girl's shoulder.

"Can I tell you a secret? There's no such thing as normal." Violet whispered.

Soft sniffling broke the silence a moment later, and Rafael tried to wipe away the tears before anyone saw them. Grudgingly, Silas realized that he wasn't getting out of this. If Violet was determined to take the boy with them, there was no stopping her.

"Well, there is, but it's just a setting on a dryer," he added quietly. Paternal instinct drove him to crouch beside the two youngsters and smooth the boy's hair. His sleeve caught on some of the spikes as he wrapped his own arms around the pair, but he ignored this in favor of seeing to the abandoned child's need for reassurance.

"Now," Silas murmured when the quiet tears had at last stilled, "Violet and I were going to go back down to our submarine home tomorrow, and I was wondering: Would you like to join MECH with us?"

Raf Esquivel smiled.


Nemesis: Captain's Log, 2010

"Without a means of leaving this world, we Decepticons take strength in the bonds we have forged with our human friends, our family - true warriors. If not in body, then in spirit. My name is Megatron, and I send this message: Though we were not born of Earth, it would seem that we are here to stay. If you approach this planet with hostile intent, know this: We will defend ourselves. We will defend humanity. We will defend... our home."

The End


(Be on the lookout for my next story, "Trampled Butterflies"!)

Edit as of 5/3/2016: I intend to add in the two "Suddenly" extra chapters I threw into Mirrors, and one day when I've finished some collabs, I may actually add on to this. Until then, sequel-like story fragments can be found on my deviantart page (same username, but without the space between "ardent" and "aspen")