34. Here I Stand
"Time to go," Skywarp murmured as he shook me awake.
"Are the ground troops here yet?" I muttered thickly, sitting up.
"Doesn't look like it."
I dragged myself upright; my wingmates followed me outside. Mechs were picking up weapons and joining their units.
Contacting Soundwave, I learned that the fighting had begun at Kalis. That city-state lay closer to Kaon, so the ground troops had already arrived, but Soundwave informed me that those coming to Praxus would not arrive for several megacycles. I hoped that Ramrod's luck would hold out—his was among the units assigned to Kalis.
/Our primary objective is to keep them from entering the city,/ I commed to all of my mechs over our general frequency. /All of you know what lies in store for the Neutrals if we fail. Transform and rise up!/
/Good speech. Nice and short,/ Skywarp commented as we flew upwards.
/It wasn't supposed to be a speech,/ I answered.
The Autobots appeared below us, not far from the city. I remembered Optimus's plea for me to remember that these simple soldiers were only following orders… but how was I to stop them without killing them? How was I to achieve peace without resorting to war?
But it was something I had been struggling with ever since I had killed my first Autobot. I had faced it during every battle since, when it was either kill or be killed, shoot or be shot down, and the only way to come to terms with it was to trust that soon it would all be over, soon all of these lost lives would have meaning.
/Bombers,/ I ordered, /hit the ground between the Autobots and the city wall. Make them transform out of their altmodes, it will slow them down./
Roads could be repaired. The landscape meant nothing. Lives were all that was important.
As the flatland between the city and the Autobots disappeared in smoke and flame, the Autobots opened fire. The Decepticons scattered out of formation and dove to attack. I took my trine towards the front lines, risking the smoke which billowed up at us after the bombing run, to check that those in the forward ranks—the ones who had been speeding towards the city in their altmodes—had been stopped, but it was nearly impossible to see. I sensed Autobot energy signatures below us, but nothing more specific. Where were the tanks Blowout had predicted? Were they trapped in the canyon? Was there a canyon, or had the bombs even had an impact?
/Blowout's mechs will stop any who manage to get through,/ Sunstorm reassured me, sensing my thoughts. /The smoke is too thick to risk getting any closer./
I signaled my agreement and we retreated from the rising smoke.
I'm sorry, Prime. I need to fight your Autobots again.
We continued to exploit our advantage by remaining in the air, though some of our number landed here and there in defensible positions to fight on the ground. Sunstorm fought well with us, which came as no surprise when I remembered that he had been a member of the elite Rainmakers… and he was, after all, Starscream's clone. He fought with my creator's fury and finesse. His electrum-coated armor, while it wouldn't repel the heaviest of firepower, protected him from many of the Autobots' blasters.
/Tanks just crossed out of your new canyon,/ Blowout's signal reported. /Like I said. We'll need that air support after all./
/All right, we're on our way./
I summoned three other trines and we flew over the thinning smoke. Below we could see the tanks emerging in altmode, firing on the wall. Blowout's mechs fought back from above, but none of them had a tank's firepower… if only Steelcrusher were here, I reflected ruefully. I led the Seekers into an attack run, driving the tanks back, forcing some out of their formidable altmodes as they teetered on the rim of the crater.
/It won't hold them for long, but they're taking a rest,/ a sharp-opticked Seeker reported.
/We'll land on the wall for a cycle,/ I answered.
Blowout barely glanced at me as I landed next to him. I turned, taking in his viewpoint; the main battle was becoming visible through the smoke, as was the shallow, jagged chasm blasted by the bombers.
I heard cheering behind me and turned to see a large crowd of Neutrals below. "They seem remarkably cheerful, given the circumstances," I remarked to Blowout.
"It's you, you know," he said. "That they're cheering for. You could at least wave or something like that."
Astonished, I awkwardly raised a hand, heard the cheers grow louder, then dropped it. "Why would they do that?"
"I don't think they really believed it before."
"Believed what?"
"You didn't know? They tell stories about you, even among the Autobots, especially the younger ones. No matter how much the Senate tries to stop it, a lot of them like to romanticize you, make you into some sort of hero. Since Praxus went Neutral there's been a whole explosion of it. But I don't think any of them really believed in the stories until now." He snorted. "Why would anyone fight for Neutrals, they thought. Now that you're here, you're really their hero."
He shuffled about, unsubspacing an energon cube. "You look tired. How're your energy levels?"
They were low, so I accepted the cube gratefully, sharing it with Skywarp. Sunstorm, of course, had no need for it. His internal reactor would keep him running at optimal levels with only a minimal requirement of energon. I watched the Neutrals below as they shored up the wall; they had also built barricades in the streets to impede the invaders' progress if they broke through. I sorely hoped that these would see no use.
"You have more fighters here than I thought you would," I commented.
"More came than I expected. You've obviously got support here."
"Even though I'm a 'con?" I teased.
"Especially because you're a 'con. I guess they all think this is noble or something."
"Sir," another on the wall said. "Those tanks are getting back up."
"They just don't give up. Are you going to stay here?" Blowout asked me. "It might do my mechs good to see you fighting with them."
"I should get back to the other battle," I answered. "But these three trines will stay. They'll be under your command."
"That's a new one."
However we tried to fight, the Autobots pushed us back towards the city over the course of the morning while Breacher's tanks continued hammering at the wall. I checked on the progress of the ground troops fervently, whenever I paused, frustrated at how slowly they seemed to approach. We needed them here now. The Autobots were going to break into the city at any moment!
I found Downshift working to shore up the walls with the others. "I don't know how long we can hold them off," I told him as a little femme scarcely out of her protoform shyly offered me an energon cube. They had been supplying our mechs with fuel as one trine after another stopped within the relative safety of the walls for a cycle's rest. "They haven't yet surrounded the city, so if you call an evacuation, you could still escape."
"Not many of us would take that offer," he answered, rubbing a dusty hand across his forehead. "This is our home. We will defend it."
"That's very noble of you, but…"
"If we leave, they will follow. Better to stay and fight. But I will ask those who cannot fight to leave."
"I don't know if I can spare any troops to escort them."
"We'll send some able-bodied mechs along with them, just to be sure."
Downshift had a point. Even if we retreated from Praxus, even if we escaped with all the Neutrals here, the Autobots would follow us south. Still, if our reinforcements didn't arrive soon…
The great wall shuddered.
"Everyone away from the wall!" I heard Blowout bellow.
"Anyone who doesn't want to fight for their lives, retreat to the other side of the city," I added. "Emirate, perhaps you should go with them."
"I will stay and fight with the others. For our lives, you said? They want to take us as slaves, surely they'll make some effort not to kill us?"
"That never stopped them when the Decepticons were concerned," I answered grimly. "Nobody wants a rebellious slave."
The wall shook again, the groundbound Neutrals backing away and taking shelter. I called on the nearest fliers, flying up to join them in a last desperate effort to stop the Autobots at the wall. We laid down heavy fire on the tanks, only to be pinned down by a return volley from the enemy. Skywarp yelped as he was hit; Sunstorm and I caught him before he fell.
"I'm fine, let me at them," he argued, struggling to get out of our hold and back into the air as we landed behind the wall. I saw energon flowing from a wound on his wing.
"Not until you're patched," I told him. Starscream had thought he could keep going without a medic, too. "And don't even think about teleporting away from us. Sunstorm, will you get him to a medic? Make sure he stays there."
"Wait, wait!" Skywarp hissed. "Screamer told me to take care of you and I don't want to leave you all alone out here—!"
The wall shuddered once more, cracking.
"I'll be fine. Look, all of our mechs are here to help me, I'm not alone. Get patched, Skywarp, please. Sunstorm, take him."
Skywarp grabbed me as Sunstorm tried to take off, but all he said was, "Stay safe, Nova!" before letting go and starting up his thrusters with the other Seeker. I watched them go, wishing I could be with them to make sure Skywarp was all right, but I was needed more here. The medics could patch up his wing and he would be flying with us again soon.
They cleared the battle just as welcome news reached me over my comlink.
/The reinforcements are in sight! General Stryka and her ground troops are headed this way!/
Relief surged within me. Stryka was just the sort of general we needed. We might be able to drive the Autobots back, keep them out of Praxus and away from the Neutrals, and then we would be able to plan some sort of rescue for those held at the camp in Altihex, no matter how well-guarded Torsion had said it was…
In the same moment, the wall exploded. I ducked behind a shelter to avoid the shrapnel, coughing in the acrid smoke, and found myself huddled beside two Neutrals and another flier.
"We just need to hold them for another few cycles," I shouted above the roar. "The ground troops are closing fast. Find Downshift and tell him to keep moving those who aren't fighting to the other end of the city, and make it quick. I don't think we can hold this breach for long!"
The battle moved into the city streets. The Neutrals had an advantage here; they knew where to ambush the raiding Autobots, putting their newly constructed barricades to good use. I retreated into the streets as well, ensuring that all noncombatants were fleeing the area.
I paused to rest in the corner of an abandoned structure close to the breach, checking on the ground troops—they had joined the battle outside, keeping more Autobots from pouring into the city. I hoped that their arrival might be enough to turn the tide of the battle. It didn't have to be a decisive victory, we just had to push the Autobots back out of the city-state.
My sensors alerted me to an Autobot energy signature just outside my resting place—a familiar energy signature. Scarcely able to believe it, and raising my guns just in case, I moved out onto the street.
I let my arms drop a moment later, stunned. "Optimus!"
Prime lowered his blaster as well, optics lighting up. "Nova. I've been tracking your energy signature. We should move. I'm certain I'm not the only one searching for you."
I remained where I was, frozen by the memory of our last encounter. Although I had begun to make inroads towards forgiving Prime, part of me still shrank away from him, especially since I knew Skywarp could not fly in and save me this time… he'd cut off my arm…
"But how did you… you said you were under house arrest. What are you doing here?" I stammered in amazement.
"Evidently more mechs remain loyal to me than I know," he answered. "You would not believe the things that are happening in Iacon and Altihex, Nova. Autobots are crying out for me to lead them… to end the war."
"Then why don't you end it?"
"It isn't so simple. A certain Senator Levitacus does not seem to agree with me, and his are the only orders Breacher will…"
"Good work, Prime." The cold voice made both of us turn to find five Autobots, four with blasters at the ready. I recognized the fifth at once as the very same Senator—the hated gold insignia stood out on his shoulder. For the mastermind behind this assault, he didn't look like much to me… but despite his less-than-imposing stature, something about his optics, the set of his mouth, put me immediately on my guard. This was not a mech to underestimate.
Optimus moved protectively in front of me.
"We've been looking for this one," Levitacus added. He signaled to his mechs, who raised their blasters. "Now, stand aside."
"No," Optimus answered. I saw one of the four soldiers glance uncertainly at the others.
Levitacus was livid. "Out of the way, Optimus!" he snapped, perhaps deliberately leaving off the respectful title of Prime. "Justice must be carried out!"
"And so it will be. I will not move."
My Spark leapt. Was this his way of begging for my forgiveness? By saving the life he had tried to take away only decacycles ago? I had the chance to escape—I could fly—but I would not abandon Optimus, not when he was willing to risk his Spark for mine.
The Senator was not so moved. He turned to the soldiers, blue optics flashing. "Optimus Prime is a traitor to the Autobot cause. Shoot them both!"
Optimus's blaster clattered to the ground as he dropped it. He spread his arms as if in invitation, lowering his mask, his face as calm as I had ever seen it.
"Here I stand," he said simply.
One klik passed, agonizingly slowly, then two. Nobody moved. I couldn't cycle an intake.
Finally one of the soldiers aimed his blaster, but not at us.
"Senator Levitacus," he said, "you're under arrest for treason against the Prime."
The others followed his lead.
"This is an outrage!" Levitacus hissed. "You think you have the authority to—"
"The last time I checked, the Prime was still our leader," a second Autobot interrupted, pressing his blaster into the senator's back. "Orders, Prime?"
Optimus nodded to him. "If you have stasis cuffs, now is the time to use them." Once Levitacus had been cuffed, Prime approached him. "Call off General Breacher, if you would."
"And if I refuse?" the senator threatened.
Optimus leaned down, unfazed, optics snapping with cold anger. "And why would you do that?" he rumbled.
For a moment I thought the senator would still disobey, but then, cowed by the raw authority radiating off of the Prime, he spoke into his comlink. "General Breacher, call off the assault."
Optimus nodded in satisfaction, speaking into his own comm. "This is Optimus Prime. All Autobots are to cease fire and withdraw immediately to await further orders."
He looked at me and after a moment's incomprehension I remembered my own comm. /All Decepticons, cease fire and fall back. Let them go./
Gradually the sounds of battle stopped. I looked up at Optimus, scarcely able to believe what had happened. I had thought that he would never step forward and reclaim his rightful power as Prime, that he would continue to let his conflicting beliefs and morals keep him paralyzed, but at last he and the Autobots had reacted to the injustice around them.
Prime ordered the four soldiers to take Levitacus away, then turned back to me as they obeyed. "I imagine you're curious."
"Yes."
Optimus sighed. "I apologize for all that I've done… or rather, all that I have failed to do. Can you forgive me?"
"If you tell me what happened in Iacon, I might." It wouldn't be so easy, I knew. How many cities could have been spared if only Optimus had acted sooner? How many lives could have been saved?
"Since your capture and my failure to stop your enslavement, I have struggled with the Senate, attempting to help you. I was unable to aid you personally, though I tried many times. Finally, Ratchet convinced me to tell Starscream your location…"
"It was you?" I demanded. All these vorns I had believed that he had left me there, staying locked away in his estate, ignoring what was happening around him… but he had tried to help me. Now that I thought back, Starscream had mentioned that Prime had "let slip" my location, but in the shock of his death I had completely forgotten. If Optimus hadn't told Starscream where I was, I might still be there. I shuddered at the thought.
"Yes. After your rescue, the Senate suspected that I had helped you escape. They seized more and more power, especially during the vorns just after your return. They capitalized on the populace's fears of your, ah, new direction, claiming that I would not take serious action against you because of our previous association."
I winced. "I had no idea… I'm sorry, Optimus."
"How could you have known? You were hurt and angry. It is I who should apologize. I thought that you had lost yourself completely and become like Megatron. That is why I tried to stop you… I couldn't bear to see you in such pain.
"By the time you sent me Ironhide and Ratchet brought Apis to my care, I had very little real power left, and shortly after I sent her back with Jazz, I was all but imprisoned in my own home. Just after that, however, once the Senate's most loyal generals had departed, the people of Iacon and Altihex rose up against the Senate, demanding an end to the war. They claimed you as their inspiration, Nova."
"Me?" The thought made my core heat in both pride and embarrassment. To think that I had reached not only the Decepticons and Neutrals, but even the Autobots as well!
"I traveled here as quickly as I could, hoping to stop this battle before any more innocents fell prey to the Senate and to my own weakness," Prime concluded. "I regret that I did not arrive soon enough to end it before it began."
"You arrived just in time," I said. Prime's story proved what Apis had told me before I left Kaon, that the Autobots, too, wished to put an end to the war. I hadn't truly believed her, just as I hadn't believed that Optimus, who had failed to help me when I needed him most, could still hold any sort of power over the fate of the planet. But now that he was firmly installed back in his position as leader of the Autobots, real change could come.
It would take some time for that change to show itself. Peace would not arrive in an orn simply because Prime and I said so. It would take vorns, decavorns, perhaps even centivorns to heal the rift between the Decepticons and the Autobots, to restore our planet. We would have to start from nothing, building from the ground up, fighting against old prejudices the entire way.
But as daunting as the task sounded, I knew deep in my Spark that it could be done. If I hadn't believed that, I would never have challenged Starscream for leadership of the Decepticons; I would never have kept fighting through the pain of Thundercracker's death and the defeat at Praxus; I would never have come back from the dark pit of hate when Apis called me.
I looked around at the damaged city. The bots here would have to rebuild, bringing back their shattered homes, but they would not be slaves. They would be free.
I had fought for them. I had fought for freedom… and now I had reached my goal, after a long and sometimes torturous journey.
I drew in an intake, tasting the smoke on the air. Someday the skies would be clean again; someday energon would be plentiful and everyone would be content.
"Optimus… it's time to end this war."
I extended my hand. He smiled and took it.
"I agree. And my first act with my regained power as Prime is to reverse the Axis Decree, with all my Spark."
His hand tightened briefly on mine; my Spark leapt as I processed what we had just wrought. An end to the Axis Decree, to slavery. An end to the war that had torn Cybertronians apart for astrocycles upon astrocycles… just as I had promised them.
The happiness in my Spark was so great that I was certain my bondmates could feel it, even at such a distance.
/Soundwave, transmit this message to all Decepticons: the Autobots have agreed to open negotiations. The war is over.
/We're free./