Chapter 2, Nemesis

One second Jazz was moving pieces of debris; the next, he found himself flat on his back, with something on his chest-plate. Before he could get a good look at it, however, it jumped off and vanished into the debris around him.

"Jazz!" Optimus yelled, who had only seen Jazz fall, "are you all right?"

"Watch out, Prime! There's somethin' in here, and I don't think it's friendly!"

Immediately Optimus and Perceptor took out their respective weapons and started scanning for whatever had attacked Jazz.

"Did you get a visual on it, Jazz?" asked Optimus. He was making his way to the centre of the room, where most of the debris was cleared. This would allow him more room to manoeuvre in case of attack.

"Sorry, Boss-bot, it got away before I could. All I can say is that it is small and fast," replied the Special Ops bot, finally getting up. He was scanning the area where the thing had escaped to.

"Jazz," started Perceptor, "do you think it was one of the ship's defensive systems? Or maybe some creature that managed to find its way in here through another opening?"

Jazz thought over his short encounter for barely a second before he came up with an answer.

"No, it was too fast and large to have been a defence drone. I may not have seen it, but I sure felt it. Without a doubt, it was made out of some kind of metal."

CLANK!

Immediately the trio turned to look at what had caused the noise. Their fingers were tight on the triggering mechanisms of their weapons, but they had trained enough to stop them from shooting something as a reaction.

They barely had time to turn before they heard another loud clank at the other end of the room.

"Argh," growled Jazz in frustration, "how many of them are there?"

There was another clang, but this one came from the hallway that the Autobots had come from.

"It's heading for the exit!" concluded Perceptor, who was still knee-deep in debris.

"The humans are out there!" Optimus tried to open a comlink with one of the humans' primitive communications devices, but his signal was unable to penetrate through the thick bedrock.

"Jazz, Perceptor, I'll go and protect the humans. You stay here and see if there aren't any more of them," Optimus ordered as he transformed into vehicle mode and started rolling towards the exit.

"You got it, Optimus. Now that we know it's there, it won't get the jump on us again."

Dangerous here, It concluded. Big things with powerful weapons, better to leave and survive than perish underground.

What was this place? Too big, made It feel small. It hated that feeling, It wanted out. It couldn't get out last time, but maybe this time? The surface It was walking on was metal familiar, something that comforted It slightly.

Something odd came into Its focus, it was oddly shaped, with unfamiliar curved edges, not like the straight lines that could be found everywhere in the metalplace. A hole? The word sounded odd in Its processor, but the next one was better. An exit.

Something that would lead outside metalplace? It hesitated. An echo of an echo of a memory was brought up in his mind's eye. Another hole, another time, but something in the middle, asking it to come with him, but not good time, something told it to stay. Now good time?

A pause. Nothing holding It back. It jumped out the hole.

The floor feels different, It thought. New, but not. Something moved in the corner of Its eye. More big things! Danger!

WAIT! Another voice said. It stopped and looked. New things not big, they even smaller than It, so they weaker than It? It waited. The-one-that-was-slightly-bigger-but-still-smaller-than-It pointed something at It, a weapon!

It jumped, aiming for its neck. Don't Kill! the voice said again. Too late, too fast! It thought, gonna hit! It moved Its head in mid-air, still gonna hit bigger-but-smaller-one, but it would not kill it.

It wouldn't kill it, but neither would it let Itself get hurt. It grabbed the weapon and broke it.

Then It heard another new noise. Loud rumbling. Big-Bot-with-Big-Weapon! Dangerous, get away. It ran into a new tunnel.

While it had taken Optimus, Jazz, and Perceptor a while to make it from where they had cut their door to the bridge of the ship, it took Optimus considerably less time to make the return trip.

When he finally made it, he was pleased to see that both humans were alive and in one piece, though Colonel Sharp looked a little worse for wear. Director Irving was also helping him to stand up.

"Are you all right, Colonel Sharp, Director Irving?" queried Optimus as he transformed and surveyed the area. Nothing looked any different from when he had last seen the humans. Maybe whatever he had been chasing hadn't come down this way? Thought Optimus, but then, why was Irving helping Colonel Sharp stand up?

"Yeah, we're all right," started Irving, dusting himself off as Sharp did the same, "but what was that thing that came out of there?"

"I'm not sure. Tell me what happened and I might be able to figure it out."

"We were just waiting for you guys to come back out, when we heard footsteps. It sounded like you guys, but way too small. We weren't too sure what to do when something jumped out. Colonel Sharp fired at it, but it jumped on him. Then we heard you coming and it jumped off him. It took off that way." Irving pointed towards the exit of the mine. "Do you think it was one of the ship's defence systems, or maybe a drone?"

"I am not sure. It was not something that I've seen before. All I can say is that it is most definitely not part of this ship's defence system and it wasn't a drone either."

"And why's that?" retorted Colonel Sharp. "It nearly bit my hand off! If it wasn't part of some defence system, then why would it have attacked at all?"

"If it had been part of the ship's defence mechanisms, it wouldn't have left the ship in the first place, and it didn't behave like a drone." Optimus looked down at Colonel Sharp and gestured to something by his foot. "If it had been a drone, Colonel Sharp, it would have killed you, not disarmed you and run off."

Sharp looked at what was near his foot and spotted a lump of metal that he barely recognized as his handgun.

"Director Irving, are there any exits out of here besides the elevator that we took?" Optimus continued.

"Yes. There are several elevators., We also have an emergency tunnel that leads to the surface, but it's not big enough to allow anything larger than a VW Beetle through," explained Director Irving. "We only use it to evacuate the mine if something happens to the elevators."

Optimus thought about what his next course of action would be.

"Director Irving, how long would it take someone without a plan of the mine to reach the emergency exit?"

"Depends. If they managed to avoid all the new tunnels, not long, but if they don't, they'll only hit dead-end after dead-end. Most of the old tunnels loop towards the emergency exit at some point. Wouldn't be much of a safety feature if only one tunnel led towards it."

"All right. Colonel Sharp, Director Irving, I would suggest that we head up to the surface. I have a plan. I've sent a message to Jazz and Perceptor with the details, but I cannot communicate with my Autobots above ground through this bedrock. We do not know exactly what we are dealing with, so it would be safer for you at the surface."

Before Colonel Sharp could open his mouth to argue about once again being left behind, Optimus started walking towards the elevator, leaving the humans to catch up to him.

Newplace was different from Metalplace. Up-floor was lower and side-floors were closer, that was good, made him feel less small, but it felt different. Not hard like metal place, more crumbly and soft, which wasn't good, but wasn't bad, just different. Smell wasn't sharp, like in metalplace, smelled softer, fuller, better, but too much.

It still wanted out, though. Newplace wasn't good place for it. It didn't know what Goodplace would feel/look/smell like, but it didn't feel/look/smell like this.

What it did know, however, was that Newplace would lead to Goodplace. Eventually.

Once Optimus was close enough to the surface to hail the twins, he opened a comlink.

"Optimus to Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, do you read me?"

"Sunstreaker here," was the sullen reply from the golden Lamborghini Diablo.

"Sideswipe here. We read you, Optimus," responded the more outgoing red Lamborghini Murcielago. "You guys find anything interesting down below?"

"That and more. Sideswipe, I need you to turn off power to all of the elevators. Sunstreaker, I need you to head to the following coordinates. There you'll find an exit from the mine," Optimus ordered. "We found something in there. Jazz and Perceptor are going to try and herd it towards the exit."

The twins headed off toward their respective destinations, excited to finally have something more interesting to do than watch clouds float lazily by.

"What kind of something did you find, Optimus?" asked Sunstreaker as he transformed and raced towards his target. "The kind of something you want us to shoot or the kind of something you want alive?"

Optimus sighed tiredly. He didn't really need to breathe, but it was a habit he had picked up during his time on the planet. "Alive, Sunstreaker. Unless you or someone else is in mortal danger, you are not allowed to shoot it."

"Fine."

"Optimus out," and switched off his comlink.

Optimus turned off his comlink with the twins. He looked at the two humans standing at his feet as the elevator finally made it to the surface.

"Director Irving, in light of our current situation, I would request that you vacate the area until we have the situation under control."

"No problem!" The human laughed nervously. He was anxious to leave and if he never saw another Transformer ever again it would be too soon. Once the elevator doors opened, the director took off towards a waiting car. As he drove off Optimus turned his attention to the remaining human.

"Oh no, you're not pushing me aside this time, Optimus. I'm staying." Colonel Sharp put his hands on his hips and stood his ground. "I may be smaller than you and not as strong, but I'm more agile and I've been told that I have decent aim."

Optimus looked at the human closely, looking for any signs that the human was even the least bit hesitant. "All right, Sharp. You can stay, but only on the condition that you follow my orders."

It was being followed. It couldn't see the followers, but It knew without a doubt that the followers were the Big Things. It despised having to run, but it didn't have much choice in the matter. They were bigger than It, they had weapons and It didn't, They most likely knew the layout better than it did, too.

Some half-functioning part of Its processor told It that it would be best to avoid a confrontation and come back once It had a better idea of what It was up against.

Until then, all It could do was avoid being caught at all costs.

"He's heading your way, Jazz!" Commed Perceptor, "He just went into the C4 tunnel, I won't fit in there."

"Gotcha. I'll try to cut him off," replied Jazz, as he headed toward the aforementioned tunnel.

He spotted his target just as he came speeding around a bend in the main tunnel.

It noticed Jazz a second later and, thankfully, started running towards the only open exit in the mine. Just as planned! Thought Jazz.

"'Ceptor, Optimus, he's heading towards the exit!" Commed Jazz, finally close enough to the surface that his signal penetrated the rock with relative ease.

"Copy that, Jazz," was Optimus's reply. "You and Perceptor try to keep him from heading back into the mine once he comes out. If it looks like he's going to try and get back in, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe are in position to stun him. I want to know what we're dealing with before we cause any permanent damage."

"No problemo!"

Not good, It thought, this is not good.

It had just now figured out what the Big Things were trying to do. They were trying to herd it to somewhere. The battle program in Its processor told It that it was in trouble, but there was nothing that it could do at the moment. It voiced Its frustration as it stared into the bright light that was Outside. There was no choice left, but if It had to go down, it would go down fighting, at least.

Sideswipe heard the target before he saw it. It sounded almost like a smaller version of Grimlock when he was mad.

Before he could point out his observation to his twin, however, the target came barreling out of the mine as if Unicron himself was on its tail.

Whatever it was, it was small, but wicked fast. Even in Battle-mode, Sideswipe didn't get a good look at it until it stopped, rather suddenly, in the middle of the quarry, face-to-face with Optimus Prime.

At least, it would have been face-to-face, if the target had been taller. As it was, it barely reached Optimus' knee joint.

Based on looks, the target only reinforced Sideswipe's impression of a mini-Grimlock. While its body structure wasn't as smooth as Grimlock's, it looked rather skeletal; it was also more streamlined than the bulky Autobot Dinosaur.

Sideswipe watched through the scope of his rifle as Optimus tried to communicate with the target in their native Cybertronian.

"We mean you no harm," said Optimus, trying to look as unthreatening as possible. "My name is Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots."

The target didn't respond at first. It just tilted its head, like he'd seen the canine companions of humans do when they were confused.

"Optimus?" was the hesitant reply from the target, in an oddly accented Cybertronian. "Autobot?" It then turned its skeletal head off to the side, where Colonel Sharp had taken up a position where he could give aid without risking being squished in a giant robot death match.

"Human." This time the target spoke in an odd-hiss-like English.

"Yes, Colonel Sharp is a human," said Optimus. Sideswipe only partially succeeded in hiding his surprise. He had not expected the target to even know what a human was, let alone speak a human language.

Just as Optimus was about to ask for its name, Sunstreaker shouted a warning.

"Optimus! We've got company, Decepticon Seekers coming in fast at 9 o'clock!"

The large Autobot barely had enough time to pull out his ion gun when he was hit by the first strafing run. He looked up to see Starscream, followed closely by the rest of his trine.

Optimus successfully avoided the next strafing; this time fired by Thundercracker, and fired his own weapon twice at the Seeker.

The Decepticon jet dived to avoid the shots, but this brought him within range of Sideswipe and his jet pack.

"Looks like it's time for some jet judo!" whooped the red twin, who launched himself into the air and onto the top of the jet. He grabbed onto the stabilizers to keep him from falling off.

"GET OFF, YOU AUTOSCUM CRETIN!" Snarled Thundercracker, rolling and bucking to try to dislodge the Autobot.

"Ha! You'll have to do better than that to get rid of me!" shouted Sideswipe gleefully, manipulating the stabilizers on the jet's back to steer a bit. Unfortunately, he was so concentrated on Thundercracker, that he forgot that there was a third Seeker attacking them: Skywarp.

Said Seeker was currently taking aim on the seemingly suicidal mech that was using his trine-mate as a toy. As he did so, however, Sunstreaker came to his brother's rescue.

With one well aimed hit, Sunstreaker sent the third seeker spiralling out of control.

Finally growing bored with his uncooperative ride, Sideswipe decided that he had had enough Jet Judo for one cycle. Since he was several hundred feet to high to land safely if he jumped, he decided to see just how good Thundercracker was at emergency landings without his engines.

At the same time that the twins were dealing with the Seekers, Optimus was busy dealing with the Decepticon Second-in-Command, who had landed and transformed into his bipedal form.

"What are you doing here, Starscream?" demanded Optimus, trying to keep an eye on both the Decepticon and the small figure that was now between them.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to destroy you and claim this area for the Decepticons!" screeched Starscream, weapon aimed at the Autobot leader. "Once you're out of the way, we will take control of this planet, make the inhabitants our slaves and using this planet as our launch point, we can take our rightful place as masters of the galaxy!"

Starscream then turned his attention to the small figure between them.

"We'll even be able to find a use for your latest pet." Starscream aimed his weapon at the small figure between them, who was snarling at the jet rather impressively."That is, if he survives the cycle."

Before he could fire, though, Optimus Prime dove at the seeker, being careful to avoid the creature between them. Unfortunately, as soon as both mechs hit the ground, dust filled the air filled the air around them, leaving them both blind.

Optimus hoped that the smaller being at least had the presence of mind to leave the immediate area. He didn't want to imagine the damage that would be done if either mech stepped on him by accident.

He didn't have much time to dwell on it, though, before he had to once again focus all his attention on Starscream.

Using his own momentum against him, Starscream used his legs to push the larger mech off him and rolled to his feet, scanners working overtime to try and find his target.

It was unfortunate that at that particular moment, in the skies above them, Sideswipe had decided to try to land his impromptu ride and Starscream just happened to be in the way.

For the second time that cycle, Starscream was tackled. This time both he and his tackler, Thundercracker, were sent tumbling into the wall of the mine, causing a minor landslide and knocking them both temporarily offline.

Skywarp saw the two of them go sprawling below and quickly warped to their location. "I can't wait to tell Megatron how I had to save the afts of these two incompetents yet again!" he gloated, seizing his two incapacitated trine-mates. The next moment, his teleportation powers whisked them all away.

Once he was sure that the Decepticons had indeed left the vicinity, Optimus Prime stood up and took a good look at the damage the battle had caused.

He turned to see if Colonel Sharp was unharmed, when he noticed that the place the human had taken refuge had been covered by the recent mini landslide. He saw no trace of the human anywhere.

Optimus rushed towards the landslide, comming his soldiers as he ran. "Everyone, come here quickly! I fear Colonel Sharp may have been buried in the debris."

Using his scanners, he was able locate the human. The weak signal worried him, but whether that was from the rocks interfering with his scanners or something else, Optimus didn't know.

Within seconds the twins arrived and together they set about trying to locate Colonel Sharp. It wasn't long before they hit something that wasn't rock.

What they found, however, wasn't Colonel Sharp. It was the creature they had discovered earlier and had been all but forgotten in the chaos of their short battle.

The first part that was exposed was its back, which seemed to be curled over something. Working quickly, they soon exposed its entire body, which appeared to be temporarily offlined.

Gently, they pulled it out, and underneath it, they found the unconscious, but uninjured body of their missing human.

"Sideswipe, once they come back to the surface, I want you and Jazz to bring Colonel Sharp to the nearest human medical centre and brief them on what happened here," ordered Optimus Prime, gently cradling the strange creature in his giant hands. Sunstreaker held the human while his twin transformed into vehicle mode. "The rest of us will return to the base. We'll take our companion to Ratchet. Whatever his origins, he risked himself to save our ally. We shall give him whatever help we can."

Placing their guest gently into his trailer, Optimus transformed and connected to it.

"Autobots, roll out!"

AN; So, what do you guys think? You like? Just so you know, we are now two-thirds of the way through this fic. What do you guys think so far? Are all the G1 characters relatively in character? I didn't grow up that series, so if they seem a little OOC, please forgive me.

And for those who reviewed my last chapter, I'll reply to you within a day or two, I just got distracted around the house. We're remodeling!

Or rather, my mother is remodeling, I'm just doing demo! Which is why I'm posting this kinda late. What post-teen doesn't want to destroy part of their house?

Next chapter will be up next year, then that's it for this fic! Why am I so sure? Because my next target is Useful!